Staff Writer
JOEL MARTIN
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.
ARTICLES BY JOEL MARTIN
Moses Lake author encourages women to look beyond church culture norms
MOSES LAKE — A Moses Lake author’s book, “A Christian Woman Striving to Live Her Faith in a Man-Controlled World,” takes aim at the role to which many churches relegate the female half of their congregations. “It’s to encourage women in the faith,” Linda Curran said. “A lot of churches …
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 0 MINUTES AGO
Endless battle
MOSES LAKE — Some of the nastiest plants in Grant County were the topic of a class led by Jay Johnson, a consultant with the Grant County Noxious Weed Control Board, Tuesday. The Noxious Weed Control Board, as its name would suggest, is tasked with keeping weeds under control in …
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 0 MINUTES AGO
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 …
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 0 MINUTES AGO
Confluence awards grants to local nonprofits
WENATCHEE — Confluence Health and Wenatchee Valley Medical Group have awarded grants to two organizations serving the Basin through the 2026 Confluence Health and Wenatchee Valley Medical Group Community Health Partnership Fund, Confluence announced Monday. “Every year, these grants highlight the incredible work being done across North Central Washington to …
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 0 MINUTES AGO
Pumpkin patch sprouts at Clickit RV lot in Moses Lake
MOSES LAKE — There’s a new pumpkin patch, sort of, out near I-90 east of Moses Lake. “We’ve got five bins of pumpkins, about 300 of them,” said ClickIt RV Finance Manager Jen Lonas. “If we give them all away, we’ll get more. We’ve got some bagged candy to give …
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 0 MINUTES AGO
‘Dignity, compassion and grace’
MOSES LAKE — Crossroads Resource Center introduced its new leader at the fundraising banquet Saturday night. “As much as I love this ministry and I love all the people involved in this ministry, I'm just not the person to move it forward,” said outgoing Executive Director Carol Knopp. “The board …
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 20 HOURS, 36 MINUTES AGO
Home Center celebrates new owners with ribbon-cutting, grand reopening
MOSES LAKE — The owners of the Home Center made their takeover of the business official Friday with a ribbon-cutting and a grand reopening Friday.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 1 DAY, 20 HOURS AGO
Halloween events around the Basin
COLUMBIA BASIN — Halloween is creeping up on us, and our local communities have safe, fun ways for little ghosties and ghoulies to show off their costumes and collect candy. More events are always being added, so we’ll update this list online as the date gets closer. All events are …
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 2 DAYS, 20 HOURS AGO
BASIN EVENTS: Oct. 9-17
COLUMBIA BASIN — The days are warm, the nights are getting chilly and there are plenty of chances to get out and about. Here are a few.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 5 DAYS, 20 HOURS AGO
One for the books
MOSES LAKE — The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Columbia Basin’s 31st annual dinner and auction was a literary mishmash Saturday, where Alice in Wonderland and the Mad Hatter mingled with the Cat in the Hat, the Dread Pirate Roberts and Buttercup and denizens of Middle-Earth. “We’re bringing books …
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 5 DAYS, 20 HOURS AGO
Fall is time to clean out the garden and get ready for next year
MOSES LAKE — 2026 is at that awkward stage; the days are still almost summer-warm, but the nights are beginning to get chilly. That means there’s a lot to accomplish before winter comes howling to our door. “It’s time to start cleaning up your garden,” said Columbia Basin Garden Club …
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 5 DAYS, 20 HOURS AGO
Columbia Basin Foundation marks 30 years of charitable work
MOSES LAKE — The Columbia Basin Foundation celebrated its 30th birthday Sunday with a party at ENZO in Moses Lake. “Each of you comes to CBF for a different purpose,” Executive Director Corinne Isaak told the assembly. “Sometimes it’s sad, sometimes it’s a happy time. But we all come together …
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 DAYS, 20 HOURS AGO
Kiwanis raise money for foster children
The Moses Lake Kiwanis Club recently presented a $14,400 donation to the Community Family Services Foundation, representing proceeds from the club’s 2026 annual golf tournament held in June, according to a Kiwanis announcement. Funds raised through the tournament will support the Foundation’s work serving individuals and families navigating foster care …
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 DAYS, 20 HOURS AGO
Wilson Creek harvests some community fun
WILSON CREEK — Whatever Wilson Creek’s Harvest Festival may have lacked in fancy, large-scale attractions, it more than made up for in good community fun. “It’s just kind of a ‘Relax, have fun, visit with your neighbor’ (way) to bring the community together,” said Shirley Billings, leader of the committee …
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 1 WEEK AGO
