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.
Recent Stories
Garden Party highlights new things coming for CBAA
MOSES LAKE — The Columbia Basin Allied Arts Garden Party brought folks together from all over the Basin to further the local arts scene Saturday. The amount of money raised was not available before press time. “We don't have to leave our area for amazing arts and culture,” Cardwell told the crowd. We are the arts and culture here. You are the arts and culture here.”
Moses Lake superintendent placed on admin leave
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake School Board voted in a special meeting Tuesday to place Superintendent Monty Sabin on administrative leave. Assistant Superintendent Carol Lewis was named acting superintendent at the same meeting.
Four arrested in burglary case
MOSES LAKE — Grant County Sheriff’s deputies arrested four people Monday suspected of a Friday robbery near Moses Lake, according to a statement from the GCSO.
Small fire scorches land near Soap Lake
SOAP LAKE — A small fire broke out Monday near Soap Lake, but was quickly extinguished, according to a statement from Grant County Fire District 7, which serves the Soap Lake and Coulee City area.
FIRE REPORT: 2 fires hit Grant Co. Monday
COLUMBIA BASIN — The warm weather has arrived and with it the fire season, as Grant County faced two wildfires Monday. At about 1 p.m. a report came in of a blaze about a mile south of Wanapum Village in southwestern Grant County, according to a statement from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. The fire grew to 100 acres and caused SR 243 to close briefly due to smoke across the roadway before it was knocked down, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. The fire was human-caused, the NIFC wrote.
MLSD to cut about 100 teachers; further cuts coming
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake School District will start the next school year with about 100 fewer teachers, according to an MLSD press release. Non-renewal notices are expected to be issued to about 100 provisional teachers, according to the release. A provisional teacher is one who is either in their first three years of teaching in Washington or who has received a low evaluation and meets certain other criteria, according to RCW 28A.405.210.
Home sales up despite higher interest rates
KIRKLAND — Activity in the housing market increased in April in spite of rising interest rates, according to data from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service, which compiles statistics from 26 of Washington’s 39 counties. Interest rates have increased by 0.38 percentage points over the past month to 7.17%, continuing to constrain prospective buyers’ purchasing power and prospective sellers’ willingness to give up low-interest-rate mortgages, according to the NWMLS.
Reading riders: Moses Lake school bus driver collects books for kids
MOSES LAKE — A Moses Lake school bus driver has found a way to encourage students to love the written word. Tony Lavalle, known to his young passengers as Mr. Tony, has begun distributing books to the students who ride his bus to and from Groff Elementary School. “This year, I started Read a Book Monday,” Lavalle said. “The student comes on board and they read a book, and that usually keeps them quiet, and it keeps them in their seat. This is a really effective tool for me to help manage the kids to ride safe and ride respectfully.”
Budget, CBTECH director hot topics at MLSD board meeting
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake School Board conference room was filled to capacity Thursday evening as community members came to hear about the district’s financial prospects and to speak about alleged disciplinary action taken against a school administrator.
Two arrested in pistol-whipping incident in Moses Lake
MOSES LAKE — Two men were arrested Tuesday morning in a domestic incident at an apartment in downtown Moses Lake, according to a statement from the Moses Lake Police Department.