National Night Out
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 3 months AGO
Moses Lake Police Ofc. Jose Ramirez takes a plunge into the dunk tank at a previous National Night Out. The tank will be a fixture at this year’s event as well, which will be held at Sinkiuse Square Aug. 4.
FILE PHOTO
Washington State Patrol Bomb Squad troopers show some attendees at last year’s National Night Out some of the equipment they use.
Grant PUD workers demonstrate what happens to a kite caught in power wires at Quincy’s National Night Out event last year.
Joel Martin has been with the Columbia Basin Herald for more than 25 years in a variety of roles and is the most-tenured employee in the building. Martin is a married father of eight and enjoys spending time with his children and his wife, Christina. He is passionate about the paper’s mission of informing the people of the Columbia Basin because he knows it is important to record the history of the communities the publication serves. | July 16, 2026 3:20 AM
MOSES LAKE — The Ephrata Police Department will host its first National Night Out this year, joining several other Basin communities.
“We’ll have static vehicle displays: one of our patrol cars, the fire truck, (and) Lifeline is hopefully going to be joining us with an ambulance,” EPD Office manager Jennifer Hansen said. “We’ll be serving free hot dogs and everyone is invited for a free swim.”
The event will be held Aug. 4 at Splash Zone, the city water park, according to Hansen, who took the lead in planning the event. It’s long been a priority of the department to get to where it could host National Night Out, and although this is the first year, Hansen said, it won’t be the last.
National Night Out is a nationwide event that brings police departments face-to-face with the citizens they protect, in a fun, positive setting. Officers serve food, play games and bring in vehicles for children to explore.
Usually, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office and the Washington State Patrol put in an appearance as well. Other organizations and agencies often bring informational booths at the same time, to interact with and bring awareness to the public.
Quincy’s NNO will be held Monday, Aug. 3, downtown, a change of venue from past years when it was held at Lauzier Park. There will be free food, family activities and public safety displays and demonstrations, according to an announcement from Sgt. Joe Westby, event coordinator for the QPD. The event usually draws between 800 and 1,000 people, Westby told the Columbia Basin Herald in an earlier interview.
Moses Lake will hold NNO at Sinkiuse Square downtown Tuesday, Aug. 4, with free hot dogs and snow cones, face painting, a doughnut-eating contest and bike giveaways, according to an MLPD announcement. There will also be a dunk tank, where anyone who wants to, can plunge MLPD Chief David Sands into the water, said Capt. Mike Williams.
“(People) will probably have to fight in line with the cops to get their shot,” Williams said.
Mattawa’s event will be Aug. 7 and will include not only police and emergency vehicles and first responders, but a competition for kids to eat doughnuts suspended from a string and a burrito-eating contest for the first responders.
National Night Out is important, Zeseti said, because it gives the police a chance to be seen in a positive light by a community that isn’t always trusting of people in uniform.
“Sometimes it’s not in (a person’s) best interest to give us a call, because they’re scared of retaliation,” Zeseti said “So if we can build that trust, we can potentially … create a better, safer environment.”
National Night Out and similar events are bridging that gap, Zeseti said, a little at a time.
“The goal is to enhance the community-law enforcement relationship,” Hansen said. “It shows all our officers in a different light.”
Moses Lake
6-8 p.m. Aug. 4
Sinkiuse Square
Third Avenue and Ash Street
Quincy
5:30-8 p.m. Aug. 3
300 Central Ave.
Ephrata
6-8 p.m. Aug. 4
Splash Zone
780 A St SE
Mattawa
5-7 p.m. Aug. 7
Hund Park
Washington State Patrol Bomb Squad troopers show some attendees at last year’s National Night Out some of the equipment they use.
Grant PUD workers demonstrate what happens to a kite caught in power wires at Quincy’s National Night Out event last year.ARTICLES BY JOEL MARTIN
Endless battle
Noxious Weed Control Board works to keep invasive plants under control
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BASIN EVENTS: Oct. 16-24
COLUMBIA BASIN — Whether you feel like shopping, crafting, learning or seeing a show, there’s something happening for you this week in the Basin. Oct. 16 ‘My Family (Mi Familia)’ screening Spanning three generations, “My Family (Mi Familia)” is a heartfelt drama that follows the Sánchez family as they build their lives in East Los Angeles. Through love, hardship, triumph, and sacrifice, the film explores the immigrant experience, the strength of family bonds, and the traditions that connect one generation to the next. Lowrider show and taco truck before the screening. Sponsored by Columbia Basin Allied Arts, EDUBS C/S and the Moses Lake Creative District. $12 per person. Doors open at 6 p.m., film begins at 7 p.m. at the Moses Lake Civic Center Auditorium, 401 S. Balsam St. Tickets and info: www.cba-arts.org.
Moses Lake author encourages women to look beyond church culture norms
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