A day of community in Warden
NANCE BESTON | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 month, 1 week AGO
The Warden Cougar greets paradegoers as he makes his way down Main Street Monday during the annual Warden Community Days parade.
NANCE BESTON/COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD
Grand Marshal Dale Pomeroy rides through downtown Warden during the 2026 Warden Community Days parade Monday. “This community has done much more for me than I have done for it,” Pomeroy said.
A young rider patiently waits atop his horse before the start of the Warden Community Days parade Monday morning.
Riders guide their horses down Main Street as part of Monday's Warden Community Days parade.
A Ballet Folklorico dancer spins through downtown Warden Monday, bringing color and culture to the annual Community Days parade.
A parade participant proudly displays a first-place trophy for farm equipment while driving his tractor through downtown Warden during Community Days Monday.
Two parade spectators team up with a hat in hand as they attempt to catch candy tossed from passing parade entries Monday.
Magician Taylor Kyle enlists the help of two young volunteers during a performance Monday. The children watched in amazement as Kyle linked and separated a set of metal rings.
Warden City Councilmember Jesus Martinez and his son toss candy to spectators from the Warden Youth Baseball float during Monday's parade.
A larger-than-life mascot strolls down Main Street Monday with a reminder not to flush so-called “flushable” wipes, which continue to create problems in Warden's sewer system.
Volleyball players compete at Warden City Park following the Community Days parade Monday afternoon.
Warden Police Chief Jeff Gann visits with attendees at Warden City Park during Community Days festivities Monday.
Warden City Councilmember Brittany Pittman smiles and waves from the Youth Grange float during the annual Warden Community Days parade Monday.
WARDEN — Horses trotted down Main Street, children scrambled for candy, and neighbors caught up with one another over the weekend as residents gathered for the annual Warden Community Days celebration.
The event featured a parade through downtown Warden followed by activities at Warden City Park, including volleyball, vendors, entertainment and opportunities for residents to connect with friends and neighbors.
For Warden City Councilmember Jesus Martinez, the event's biggest draw is the sense of community it creates.
“I love Community Days because the community comes out, and it's a good place to gather and just see each other,” Martinez said. “Sometimes it's only people you see once a year, so it's nice to see familiar faces.”
Martinez rode in the parade with his son on the Warden Youth Baseball float and said seeing children enjoy the festivities was one of the highlights of the day.
“He was super excited,” Martinez said. “He loves throwing candy.”
Beyond the parade, Martinez said Community Days provides residents with a reason to get out and spend time together.
“I think it's a good reason for the community to get out and be active,” he said. “It's a reason for people to get together.”
Mayor Rosaelia Martinez said this year's celebration saw strong participation throughout the weekend.
According to the mayor, Saturday's car show attracted 42 vehicles, while Sunday's community dinner drew about 250 people despite intermittent rain.
“Warden's doing great,” Martinez said. “We're doing a lot of little projects. We're just moving on, and it's wonderful.”
She said one of her favorite aspects of Community Days is seeing residents reconnect.
“I think it's the camaraderie and the interest of the people turning out, visiting,” Martinez said. “Everybody says hello and asks, 'How are you doing?' It's just a nice feeling.”
The mayor said this year's parade featured one of the longest lineups in recent memory and included a strong turnout from political candidates campaigning ahead of the upcoming election.
“Our votes count too,” Martinez said when discussing why it is important for candidates to visit smaller communities. “We want to know them. We want to meet them and interact with them and kind of get a feel for their personality.”
Warden City Councilmember Agapito “Speedy” Gonzalez said Community Days showcases the town's diversity and strength.
“I would say it's us getting together at the park, just celebrating our town,” Gonzalez said. “Everybody just kind of mixes together, getting all the different cultures, all the different people.”
Despite Warden's small size, Gonzalez said events such as Community Days remind residents of what can be accomplished when they work together.
“Even though we're small, when we unite as a community, we are a lot bigger and we hold a lot more influence than we think,” he said.
Gonzalez said one of his favorite parts of the parade was seeing local youth groups participate.
“When we see Ballet Folklorico come through and our schools come through, that's the future of Warden,” Gonzalez said. “They remind us as city council members why we do what we do. We're building a better town for them in the future.”
As the celebration wrapped up at the park Monday afternoon, community leaders said they hope the event continues to grow.
“I think that they're missing out,” Martinez said of those who did not attend this year. “Community Days is growing. You're going to have fun. Just walking around, there's a lot of good food, good drinks and great people.”
Grand Marshal Dale Pomeroy rides through downtown Warden during the 2026 Warden Community Days parade Monday. “This community has done much more for me than I have done for it,” Pomeroy said.
A young rider patiently waits atop his horse before the start of the Warden Community Days parade Monday morning.
Riders guide their horses down Main Street as part of Monday's Warden Community Days parade.
A Ballet Folklorico dancer spins through downtown Warden Monday, bringing color and culture to the annual Community Days parade.
A parade participant proudly displays a first-place trophy for farm equipment while driving his tractor through downtown Warden during Community Days Monday.
Two parade spectators team up with a hat in hand as they attempt to catch candy tossed from passing parade entries Monday.
Magician Taylor Kyle enlists the help of two young volunteers during a performance Monday. The children watched in amazement as Kyle linked and separated a set of metal rings.
Warden City Councilmember Jesus Martinez and his son toss candy to spectators from the Warden Youth Baseball float during Monday's parade.
A larger-than-life mascot strolls down Main Street Monday with a reminder not to flush so-called “flushable” wipes, which continue to create problems in Warden's sewer system.
Volleyball players compete at Warden City Park following the Community Days parade Monday afternoon.
Warden Police Chief Jeff Gann visits with attendees at Warden City Park during Community Days festivities Monday.
Warden City Councilmember Brittany Pittman smiles and waves from the Youth Grange float during the annual Warden Community Days parade Monday.
ARTICLES BY NANCE BESTON
Grant County voters urged to return ballots early as election approaches
EPHRATA — More than 52,000 ballots are now in the hands of Grant County voters, and election officials are encouraging residents not to wait until Election Day to return them. According to Grant County Elections Coordinator Rebecca Pettingill, 52,922 ballots were mailed to voters on Oct. 14 for the Nov. 3 general election. As of Wednesday afternoon, elections staff had already signature-verified nearly 600 returned ballots and had several hundred more awaiting processing. "We're really excited that we're seeing so much so early," Pettingill said. "The sooner they put them in the drop box, the better." Pettingill said voters who have not yet received their ballot should contact the Elections Office as soon as possible.
Fire District 7 cites teamwork, staffing needs after demanding fire season
SOAP LAKE — After one of the busiest wildfire seasons in recent memory, Grant County Fire District 7 leaders say the year underscored both the importance of mutual aid partnerships and the need for additional staffing as fire danger across Central Washington continues to increase.
Final community meeting set as Ephrata schools gather feedback on potential bond
EPHRATA — Community members will have one final opportunity Wednesday to share their thoughts on Ephrata School District facility needs before district leaders consider whether to move forward with a possible construction bond proposal. The fourth Community Facility Study Meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday at Ephrata Middle School. District officials are encouraging residents to attend, ask questions and provide feedback that could help shape a future bond package. According to Ephrata School District Communications Director Sarah Vasquez, the district hopes to gather final community input on both the scope and scheduling of a potential bond measure.