Hello, my name is Shawn Cardwell, a long-time resident of Grant County. I had a wonderful time growing up here and am having a heck of a time raising my family here, too! This magazine is my way of contributing to the conversation and culture of our region, a way to meaningfully participate with the purpose of moving the needle just a little towards unity and away from division.
I am overwhelmed by the faith this community has put in me with the revival of Venue Magazine – from founder Melea Johnson graciously allowing me to become the next steward of this publication, to the stories and sentiments the subjects within these pages shared. I am humbled and grateful.
I hope you will join me in celebrating our community in all its prosperity, its quirky ways, its long history and its imminent future. I look forward to introducing y’all to the many people, businesses and organizations that inspire me, and uncovering even more.
In the meantime, take care of yourselves and each other. Drink water, wear sunscreen (especially at the Grant County Fair). And please, vote!
Contributing Writers: Melea Johnson, Sarah Bullinger, Brent Stecker, Amanda Carpenter
Moses Lake Roundup demolition derby & rodeo photographer: Roseanna Sales Photography Venue Magazine, PO Box 312, Ephrata WA 98823
On the Cover: Annabelle Booth, 2023 Moses Lake
Rounup Queen, flies the colors around the arena. Photo by Roseanna Sales Photography.
Never give up
Article/MELEA JOHNSON
We would meet at the Bookery in Ephrata, Shawn Cardwell and I. She would bring original and well-thought-out ideas for the next issue of VENUE to the table for consideration. I found her intriguing because of how her thoughts worked—consistently inventive, encouraging, and seemingly wise. She was straightforward, her creativity brimming with enthusiasm. She was ready to do the work. Just say go, and she would have it done in perfect timing. And she did it well.
However, after a 23-year run, VENUE ended in 2019 when COVID-19 hit. I could not bring myself to talk to businesses about spending advertising dollars when said businesses didn’t know if they would survive shutdowns and unexpected complications. Everything was off-track, and VENUE had to pause.
I never announced VENUE was done. I never wanted it to be. So, I waited until a time showed itself the possibility to pick up where it was left off. However, circumstances had changed, and my world took me to Seattle to be an integral part of the lives of precious grandchildren. Still, I held on to the hope that somehow VENUE could continue even so.
I would dream of it.
Then, it happened. In March of this year, I received an email from Shawn. She proposed owning VENUE to bring it back to the community. She expressed her desire to pick up where it left off five years ago and that it was time.
I listened carefully, and I heard her heart. After weeks of discussing it together, I agreed. I knew she would be excellent, my choice if I were allowed to select anyone to continue the work.
The baton has been passed. Shawn is now the current owner of VENUE and intends to continue sharing the goodness within our communities. VENUE moves forward. I am not only elated but also so grateful.
A clear reminder to never give up on your dreams. Ever.
A SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY KIND OF ATMOSPHERE:
The Mennonite Country Auction
Article/ VENUE MAGAZINE
TThe ghost town of Menno in Adams County, near Lind, just sort of faded away, save the Mennonite church, which remains a center of community 100 years later. And since 1978 the Mennonite Country Auction revives the town for one day on the church grounds into a bustling, familyfriendly, old-fashioned, good-time-for-everyone spectacle for one special day. “It all goes up and comes down within a couple days, like a circus,” said JR Swinger, a church member in charge of publicity for the event.
Held on the first Saturday of October – that’s October 5 this year – it’s the perfect day, usually with gorgeous Basin weather, to journey into the countryside.
The small, local Mennonite community of about 120 includes families from Lind, Ritzville, Moses Lake and the surrounding area. Each year they gather dozens of auction items – from tractors to quilts to high end wood working pieces, and even Apple Cup tickets – to sell to the highest bidder after the hallmark loaf of bread, which can go for upwards of $1,000. Besides the auction, attendees will be delighted with apple butter made in a copper cauldron, fresh pressed apple cider, stone ground flour, and ice cream all made on site! Other items, like Amish cheese from Ohio and maple syrup from Canada are sent in to sell from neighboring, friendly groups. “The people who come for cheese and bacon and sausage and ham – they come early and it’s often sold out within an hour of opening!” Swinger said – so plan accordingly!
All funds raised go to support Mennonite Disaster
Services, which supports work at natural disaster sites worldwide. “The Voluntary Service does work in the field, they’re involved with projects, they’re not door knockers,” Singer explained.
“We have a tradition of trying to be welcoming… we’ve got a big tent, all are welcome.”
The Voluntary Service trips hold very special memories for Swinger, who was one of the first church members to go on a service mission after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. ““My grandmother went with us,” he said, “She had made a lifelong goal of going on a mission trip but was busy with kids and her farm. She said, ‘If you go, I will go,’ so I said, ‘I guess I’m going.’”
Service goes even further back for his community – as Swinger tells of a man who approached his Great Aunt in the Denver airport who was carrying a bag with a Lind, WA Mennonite flour logo on it, which had been shipped to France during WWII. He pointed to the bag’s logo and said, “That is the reason I am alive – we ate that during the war.” How to join the fun? Follow Swinger’s directions: If you’re coming from Moses Lake, get on Wheeler Road and it’s about 27 miles east. In Adams County, Wheeler becomes Rosenoff Road. Or, it’s a straight shot west from Ritzville on Rosenoff Road.” Easy! See you there!
How grows Grant County?
Article/ VENUE MAGAZINE
In the last 30 years we’ve seen a shift to less farms working the same amount of land, with a larger variety of crops and higher yields.
Grant County Trends is a service through Washington State University that provides trending data to the public. At this time, Adams and Lincoln counties have not opted into their program. Data presented here was gathered in the 2022 US Census.
Learn more at www.grantcountytrends.org!
Some data conclusions from Grant County Trends:
• In 2022 there were 1,238 farms, with an average size growing from just over 500 acres to just over 800 acres since 1997.
• Total farmland in Grant County has held steady since 2003 at a little over 1,000,000 acres, while the state has seen a small but steady decline.
• Total sales from agriculture reached $2,605,417,000 in 2022, up 642% since 1987 when total sales from agriculture reached $350,969,000.
• 4 out of 100 workers in Grant County are ag-related.
• The top five crops harvested in Grant County are wheat for grain, corn for grain, forage, potatoes, apples. These crops amounted to 465,068 acres, representing 79% of harvested acres in Grant County. This was considerably less than the 95% share in 1992.
• In 2022, the total sales from organic agriculture was $272,976,000, increasing by 1,084% since 2007 when total sales were $23,062,000, increasing from total shares of agricultural sales of less than 2% to 10.5% during the same period.
On a scale
Article/ VENUE MAGAZINE
The Farm
As I toured Pure Country Farm I was struck by the smell. It smelled like hay and dirt. Not like 1,000 pigs. While pigs might roll in the mud (and sometimes poo), it’s to keep themselves cool and their skin protected from the sun. Which is important when you are fair skinned and do not sweat. They do not poo where they eat and are actually quite clean, intelligent, curious, playful animals.
On a scale of one to ten, Paul Klingeman, Jr., my guide for the day, owner of Pure Country Farms, farmer, mechanic, truck driver, pig farmer and of course his own harshest critic, rated his hog farm an eight. Why not a 10? “It’s too big,” he said.
Pure Country Farms is in an elite 3% of ranches and the first pig farm in the nation to receive the Food Alliance certification, meaning they adhere to humane and sustainable practices for raising animals – practices like access to water and sunlight and fresh air. They are certified organic and Prop 12 compliant (a California certification of stall sizes for a mama sow). They are a “never ever” farm which means they never use GMOs, added hormones, M-RNAs, and only ever use antibiotics when an animal is sick (and at which time is pulled out of the never ever program). They grow 85% of the feed they use, fertilizing the grain fields with the stock’s manure. They also raise beef cows.
Paul Sr., Klingeman’s father, started raising pigs when he was 14 years old as a 4H project, and when he decided to make it his business, it seemed like the only way was
On a scale
as a conventional farm. Klingeman said he remembers the smell and humidity of the farm they had near Othello, before they had the opportunity to move to their current location near Ephrata. “We realized that wasn’t the way we wanted to do it,” he said. The opportunity to move, along with the opportunity to sell niche product in larger markets (Portland, Seattle areas, etc.) swayed their decision. Another eye opener: “We had someone who was allergic to a lot of things, and hadn’t ate pork in years. They asked us to use non-GMO feed for the pigs, and they were able to eat pork for the first time in decades. It was a really good feeling. It allowed us to take a step back and ask how do we do it,” he said.
How they’re doing it is at once the most traditional way – a good ol’ family farm – and cutting edge. “Someone in my family is touching that animal at some point from birth to harvest… we know everything that is going into that animal,” he said. Along with Klingeman and Paul Sr., the farm is also ran by his mother Karrie, wife Melissa, three sons Barret, Nate and Rowdy, sister Laura Smith (more on her later), brother-in-law Turrel and their two kids Kenzie and Derrick. “My big goal on the family farm is that every kid can be part of any part of the farm and make it their own,” he said. And if whether it be at the farm or otherwise, he wants his kids (and maybe just all people in general) to, “be happy with what you’re doing. Enjoy what you’re doing.”
Often, Klingeman said, farms and ranches put profit before the wellbeing of the plants and animals they raise.
In the Midwest, mostly Iowa, where most of the nation’s hogs are raised, pork is a different beast. “They bred it lean, they bred it for confinement, and they bred it for efficiency and they bred it for cheapness... and the sad part is that’s what the industry was calling for. I’m not bashing other farmers, this is the way we wanted to do it and are lucky we found enough demand locally to allow us to do it,” Klingeman said. In Iowa, where farms regularly raise
upwards of 3,000 sows, his farm at 200 sows, would barely register. Here in Washington, Pure Country is the largest hog farm in the state.
An eight? Hogwash
“Hogwash” is the term Klingeman uses for many common practices in the food industry. Like how commercial meat producers add water to meat after processing and before packaging, or the words “natural” and even “family farm”. “We all assume too much and we all assume someone’s doing the right thing. And then all the big companies say too little. They’re not telling you everything – it’s all a big game to them,” he said. He also uses it in refence to many of Pure Country’s certifications because he thinks they do not go far enough to ensure the overall health of the animals nor quality of the meat being raised. He said if you can’t visit where your food is being raised, you don’t get the full picture and you can’t be sure of its quality. “Gosh darn it, go visit it [the farm], go see that they’re actually doing what they say they’re doing,” he said.
Pure Country sets their own standards based on compassion and science. By growing and regulating the quality of their own feed, they ensure a high yield of the tastiest meat. By redesigning their sorting ramp into stressfree automation, they’ve reduced the stress on their pigs and extended the shelf life of their product by more than two weeks. Klingeman said they are ultimately looking for the happy medium of affordability and sustainability: what’s best for the animal, the consumer and the environment.
That can be a difficult area to land in, as well. Last year, Pure Country paid out $100,000 in third party audits for their certifications. Certification can be tedious, as well, with every carcass requiring non-GMO certification, as well as each cut that comes from it.
On a scale
– continued from 10
The Store
The altruistic model of Pure Country Farms would be at a loss without its other half: the Pure Country Harvest storefront. The storefront is how the farm is able to get its product out directly to consumers without paying a middle man or following export prices. It is an important feature of their “buy local” standards, because if you buy organic meat in the grocery store, it can come from as far away as New Zealand and offset any ecological benefits with the around-the-world transport.
A bone-in ribeye (also known as a Tomahawk) was perfect for Father’s day using a homemade dry rub and reverse-sear technique. It fed four adults and two young kids! The Klingeman family suggests broccoli, brussels sprouts, fried zucchini, asparagus and their mom’s ham and pea salad for sides. You can find some of the family’s recipes at www.purecountry.us.
Pork has a bad wrap because it’s forever overcooked! Recently, the FDA adjusted the internal temperature standard for pork from 165 to 145 for whole cuts and 160 for ground products.
Klingemans sister, Laura Smith, mentioned earlier, runs the retail shop in Moses Lake, where us hungry folk can purchase delicious aged bone-in porkchops, impressive 3.5 pound bonein ribeyes (commonly known as Tomahawks), breakfast cuts, ground beef, all the way up to half cows or pigs. Also for sale at the shop is organic produce, locally raised chicken products, Pure Country swag and select other items.
Smith said buying and selling bundles is just one way they keep costs low for their high quality products: a “half hog” is $450 and includes 75 pounds of meat, plus five pounds of sausage links thrown in for good measure. “I want people to feel like they’re getting a good amount,” she said. A half hog is likely to last a family of four about six months. And as Klingeman pointed out, since their products are not injected with additional water or color after producing, the per-pound cost of their product is comparable to what you would find in the grocery store.
Ultimately, every buyer has to decide what they need from their food – is it organic? Non-GMO? Raised humanely? Low cost? Whatever it is, Pure Country is what they say they are – a family farm raising delicious and healthy products. That’s not hogwash, and they can prove it.
Mellisa and Nate Klingeman help run the farm, occasionally together, in the office.
COLUMBIA BASIN ALLIED ARTS
$2 from every ticket goes to: murder at the ballet a choose your own adventure experience
Oct 4, 2024 Nov 1, 2024 mar 1, 2025 mar 28, 2025 sphinx virtuosi
Premier +
Article/ VENUE MAGAZINE
Join us for Premier Season 47 –our biggest season yet!
October 4, 2024: Always Olivia: An Olivia Newton-John Tribute flawlessly captures 5 decades of Olivia’s timeless music. CBAA will donate $2 to Columbia Basin Cancer Foundation with every ticket sold. Let’s kick off Breast Cancer Awareness Month with a SOLD OUT theater for the first time in recent memory!
November 1, 2024: Murder at the Ballet by Ballet Fantastique is the world’s first interactive murder mystery ballet where you, the audience, shapes the story’s end with real-time CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE elements.
March 1, 2025: Sphinx Virtuosi is a dynamic, professional self-conducted chamber orchestra comprised of 18 Black and Latinx artists. The Sphinx Organization holds an annual, national competition to find its musicians.
March 28, 2025: A Room with a View by L.A. Theater Works is a book-to-film-to-stage romantic comedy set in sun-lit Italy and rural England featuring animated artistic and cameo video appearances by celebrity actors.
Join us at our downtown Moses Lake festivals!
September 14, 2024: Art on Third is Moses Lake’s first art festival – it’ll be a busy day downtown with the Alzheimers Buddy Walk, Downtown Moses Lake’s Sip n’ Stroll and Care Moses Lake’s Care Fair all on the same day!
September 28, 2024: UMANI Festival is Moses Lake’s Hispanic heritage celebration, full of free family fun including low riders, arts and craft booths, workshops, live music and dancing and more! Lucha Libre wrestling on the streets of Moses Lake start at 6:30 PM – tickets available at www.cba-arts.org.
Bring the kiddos to Spring Break 2025 theater camp!
April 7-12, 2025: The Pied Piper is this year’s Missoula Children’s Theater weeklong theater camp during Spring Break. Always free for kiddos ages k-12. Children audition Monday, rehearse all week and perform Saturday.
What is a Local Arts Agency?
A Local Arts Agency promotes, supports, and develops the arts at the local level. This year, CBAA is working to earn that designation at the County level in order to support organizations who also directly serve our communities through the arts – from Friday night bands to community choirs to kids’ art shows - through fiscal sponsorships, grants, cooperative marketing and volunteer coordination. With this growth, CBAA has been working to grow its board of directors and will be hiring a second employee in the new year.
CBAA board member and elected Public Relations director, Zhane Serrano, is ready for it all.
“I’m excited because it’s going to be a bigger season. Every year it seems to get bigger and better,” she said. “I’m very excited to partner with the Columbia Basin Cancer Foundation, I think that concert is going to be a big success!”
As a board member, her priorities are to provide “access to arts, focusing on underserved areas in outlying service areas especially the more rural areas, low income families and low income schools.” She said the Missoula Children’s Theater free weeklong theater camp during Spring Break each year is one of the parts of the program she loves the most.
As a Local Arts Agency, Serrano said, “I just want us to be able to be that one go-to place the community knows well, and the other arts organizations know well, and serve as a resource and information hub for them.”
“Once you start looking you’ll see all the opportunity around you, “ she said. “Moses Lake has a rich cultural and arts scene… and they’re often overlooked… If you give it a chance you’ll find something you enjoy. Not everything is for everybody, but starting somewhere can lead to bigger things.”
“…starting somewhere can lead to bigger things.” – Zhane Serrano, CBAA Public Relations Director
A NEW BEGINNING
Article/ VENUE MAGAZINE
Before we could know everything instantly all the time everywhere, there were other ways to communicate. Letters. The phone. Eavesdropping. The latter is how a friend of the Skaug family, all the way down in Fresno, CA heard that the Armstrong Paint & Glass business in Moses Lake, WA was for sale; a friend just happened to overhear the news at a truck stop off the highway. This was 1952.
Otto Skaug, then father of two boys, Howard and Eric, along with his wife Agnes, made an offer on the business and moved the family north. The deal was made on a napkin. Otto knew nothing about glass. Spoiler alert: it works out.
Worked out so well, in fact, that many years later after working at and learning the family business, Howard and Eric, along with younger brother, David, officially took over in 1975, buying their father out, and began to expand. “At the time, Moses Lake was bustling, growing and so seeing the opportunities for expansion, we bought the old Swanson Motors, which is the building we’re in today,” Eric Skaug said of the building across from where the original Armstrong showroom was on Third Avenue in downtown Moses Lake.
The remodel and grand re-opening under the brother’s ownership took place in March of 1979. Since then, Skaug said, the shop has undergone partial or product-based remodels, like when they moved the paint and glass out of the shop in the late 1980’s, or when they moved cabinets in – along with younger sister Barb – in 2018.
Nothing has compared with the remodel of 2024.
Welcome to the new, improved and fabulous Skaug Bros CarpetOne Floor & Home – everything is new, even the ceiling tile. “This is part of our association with CarpetOne,” Skaug explained, which is a partnership of co-owners. “This is a nationwide initiative to update the selling and shopping experience with new samples, fixtures and décor… based on new trends and technology,” he said, “All in effort to help you [the customer] make informed design decisions.”
Of course, you can expect Skaug Bro’s consistent full service from their trained staff, phenomenal warrantees, guarantees and selection. Time to start designing!
Talk to your family about wealth transfer
Article/JAMES B. SHANK
If you’re anticipating an inheritance, you may want to talk about it with your parents or other family members — because early, open communication will benefit everyone involved.
Many people are reluctant to have these conversations. Consider this: More than a third of Americans do not plan on discussing a transfer of wealth with their families, according to a study from Edward Jones in partnership with NEXT 360 Partners and Morning Consult.
But having these conversations is important for several reasons.
By discussing your parents’ plans and wishes, you and other family members can avoid unpleasant surprises when it’s time for the estate to be settled. And you may be able to contribute ideas about proper wealth transfer strategies or suggest that your parents work with an estate-planning attorney and a tax professional.
Finally, by having these discussions while your parents are healthy and alert, you can help avoid a situation in which they become incapacitated and have trouble making financial decisions. You may suggest that a power of attorney can be helpful.
Starting these conversations can be challenging, and you have to be sensitive to your parents’ needs and wishes — but it’s worth the effort.
This content was provided by Edward Jones for use by James Shank, your Edward Jones financial advisor at 123 W 3rd Avenue, Moses Lake, WA.
Edward Jones, its employees and financial advisors are not estate planners and cannot provide tax or legal advice. You should consult your estate-planning attorney or qualified tax advisor regarding your situation.
James B Shank Financial Advisor
Don’t let the current interest rates scare you
Article/SARAH BULLINGER
If we take a step back and look at rates over the long term, they’re still close to the historic average. The average interest rate from 1971 to current is 7.74%. Our market is currently offering rates below this average.
Recommend following : https://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/mortgage-rates to watch for mortgage interest rate information.
What is projected for rates for the second half of 2024? The Fed has implied they are still on target to cut rates at least once this year (we were originally hoping for three cuts this year). The overall projection is we will see a very gradual decent towards the end of 2024.
DON’T WAIT TO BUY
DON’T LOSE OUT ON THE EQUITY
See below, the forecasted appreciation of homes in Grant County, WA. This is a gain of financial wealth of over 23% in five years! Think how this gain in equity can help you in the future, maybe buy that better, bigger home or use the equity to renovate and make your existing home into your dream home!
DON’ T WAIT TO BUY
Yes, rates may come down some but home prices are due to increase. Inventory is low due to many reasons:
Yes, rates may come down some but home prices are due to increase. Inventory is low due to many reasons:
• homeowners not wanting to give up their lower rates so not selling
● homeowners not wanting to give up their lower rates so not selling ● too few homes being built in the last decade
• too few homes being built in the last decade
● Investors buying homes with cash for rentals
• Investors buying homes with cash for rentals
Grant County, WA is rated #14 for the highest housing shortage in Washington State. This causes higher home prices. Buy now, if possible, to avoid the higher home prices projected
Don’t lose out on the e quity
Grant County, WA is rated #14 for the highest housing shortage in Washington State. This causes higher home prices. Buy now, if possible, to avoid the higher home prices projected.
See below, the forecasted appreciation of homes in Grant County, WA. This is a gain of financial wealth of over 23% in five years! Think how this gain in equity can help you in the future, maybe buy that better, big ger home or use the equity to renovate and make your existing home into your dream home!
Bluegrass, Western Swing, Cowboy, Country, Gospel, Folk and maybe even a little old-time Rock 'n Roll! It's an enjoyable mix of talented campers jamming in the beautiful George City Park, with Friday and Saturday concerts being presented on the outdoor stage during the day by top Pacific Northwest Bands. Evening concerts are held in the George Community Hall. RV and tent camping are welcome, and hotel and NEW extended-stay accommodations are available, just steps away from the venue. Come for an hour and enjoy a jam or two (bring your instrument if you play, of course!), or come and stay for the entire week. Admission is FREE, donations are accepted.
during the downtown moses lake association’s sip n’ stroll moses lake’s first art festival
downtown moses lake, wa
Learn more about these events & more: cba-arts.org
hispanic heritage celebration
Live music & dancing, lowriders, workshops, food, drinks & more! Get tickets for Lucha Wrestling online! Sept. 14 10am-5pm
downtown moses lake . sept 28th @CBAlliedArts
PROMOTING OUR AGRICULTURAL C OMMUNITY
✓
✓ Ben Horning “Beat the Beast” Run
✓ Veteran’s Memoria
✓ Mando’s
✓ Quincy Rotary’s BBQ Lunch
A Tasty Investment
Article/ VENUE MAGAZINE
The Lioness Lions of Moses Lake are fiercely independent and deeply committed to their community. Once, their work was more hands-on-service driven. Today, their work centers around one of, if not the, most significant investments our region has ever made: the Space Burger.
An initial investment in 1964 of approximately $5,000 returned a whopping $1,000,000 (that’s one million dollars) to our community 10 years ago. It’s well over that now, said 30-year member Deb Graser.
What is a Space Burger? Hmmm, you must be new here!
The Space Burger was originally created for the 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle, and their shape mimics the Space Needle’s saucer-like top [which also debuted at the Fair]. They are made with two slices of white bread pressed around a mound of seasoned ground beef, sauce and shredded lettuce.
“One of our members found out about them in Seattle. They wanted $1,000 for the machine… and that was a lot of money back then! She went ahead and bought one, and when the group saw it, they decided to go with it,” Graser
said. You can find other types of pressed burgers across the nation, but none hold the history of the Fair like Moses Lake’s Space Burgers, because only we got the secret recipe for the sauce and the burger seasoning.
During the Grant County Fair, the Lioness Space Burger booth will go through 180 gallons of secret sauce and 2,600 loaves of bread.
That much sauce translates into a serious amount of income. Income that the Lioness transfer back to the community. The group has supported major projects for the Boys and Girls Club, the Cancer Foundation, Care Moses Lake, and innumerous smaller but significant grants and scholarships each year.
After helping so many, they are now asking for our help. The Lioness are seeking new members. At about 22 members, they are only at half capacity. They need women to join as members, and lots of volunteers.
“We meet the third Monday of every month at the Moses Lake School District building at 5:15pm for about 1-1.5 hours,” Graser said, “Committees work outside of the meetings and report to full board, but sometimes meetings about donations go long.” Graser expressed a sentiment
shared by almost every nonprofit and committee-led organization in this Venue: that kids these days do not volunteer enough. And by kids, they mean everyone under age of 50 years old.
With a service organization like the Lioness, you have an opportunity to make a difference with impactful decisions that shape the present and future of our community – all with only one meeting a month. A board member usually has a lasting, steady commitment of involvement. A volunteer has a lot of flexibility to work as much or as little as they are able.
The Lioness Lions of Moses Lake is a historic organization that deserves our thanks, our lunch money, and our time. Contact them on Facebook today to volunteer!
it all started with a horse
The story of rough stock
Article/ VENUE MAGAZINE
MMike Corey is one of those guys who can sum up their lives in a few words – and yet, if you could watch the video of his life, the incredible footage would go on for days. Moving herds of cattle across wild land, watching weather roll across mountains. Months in the forests of Montana hunting elk and deer. All on horseback. He’s also one of only about 80 outfits that raise rodeo stock for the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association (PRCA), providing bucking bulls and horses for more than 20 rodeos in the Pacific Northwest, including the Moses Lake Roundup and others in Sisters, OR, Basin City, WA, Ellensburg, Coeur d’Alene, ID, and the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.
When asked if he was a cowboy, he replied, “Everyone’s definition of a cowboy is different. But I never had a bicycle, I always had a horse.”
Corey was born and raised on a Washington ranch a stone’s throw from the Canadian border. He said he was always intrigued with animals, and it’s his respect and care for the horses and bulls that he works with that has got him so far – not any sort of formal education. “I see the good in them… I get to know them and understand them. It’s rare people get that time. If you didn’t see it, you wouldn’t be good at it,” he said of his success. “Some people just have that instinct and develop it.”
Every bull and every horse has a name – and Corey knows them. He also knows how old they are, who their parents are, how many rodeos they’ve traveled to each season and if they’ve had any good or bad runs in the arena.
Corey shares his rodeo rough stock company, Corey & Lange Rodeo Co., with his partner in life, Leslie “Bear”
it all started with a horse
Lange. The operation is scattered across owned and leased pastured around Moses Lake, where he employs one fulltime hand and a handful of others. His bulls have been placed in the top 5 of the country several times and his horses have been in the top 100 more times than you can count.
Like his own history, Corey sums up the history of rodeo and rodeo stock in short, “It all started with the horse that didn’t want to be rode.”
Since that horse, Corey said, rodeo stock has come a long way in developing long bloodlines over generations that love to buck. “They don’t buck because they have a rope tied around their genitals. You can pet them, even the bulls. You just can’t ride them.” They’re not killers, he said,
but he’s also said, chuckling, “I’m not gonna say they don’t find some satisfaction when they throw a rider – they know what their job is.”
The genetic lines Corey has nurtured over the years are fruitful and buck hard. He said it’s a long process, and you have to bet on a breeding pair you don’t know will pay off for more than a decade. Bulls might have a couple shows in the ring at age three to get them used to the environment, and by five are at their peak and by nine are out to pasture. Horses, studs and mares, start a little later, age four at the earliest, but can work in the arena until their late teens or even early 20’s. Once you have a good line you know right away, he said. And he has a few, and is looking forward to having a few more.
He said of the bull who jumped his fence in Oregon not too long ago [you may have heard of him, he’s the most famous bull in rodeo right now], sometimes you have to give them a second chance. “If we never gave kids a second chance we’d probably have no good kids,” he said. The infamous bull will not get a second chance in the arena, but will have a happy life with his offspring at the ranch.
Of his hometown rodeo, the Moses Lake Roundup, Corey is very proud. The significant growth, is manyfold, he said: a good, large purse; tremendous support from the community and great crowds; improving facilities; and, he likes to think the stock doesn’t hurt. He said it has become a pretty big event in the professional circuit, and we don’t lack for big name entries.
Between the growing crowds, and the Cowboy TV deal [where the Roundup is now being broadcast], Corey said, “I’m proud we can bring it out to more people. It’s good family entertainment. With everything that happened… and everything that’s happening, we’re [the rodeo community] consistent. We pray, we’re patriots, we honor those who went before. We’ve kept the Western way alive and I’m proud to have been a part of that for many years.”
You can catch some of Corey’s rough stock in action at this year’s Moses Lake Roundup, August 15-17. For more information, visit www.moseslakeroundup.com.
Corey gives away most of his buckles, but not this one – this was a gift from Cody Lambert, an original founder of the PRC and the guy who picks the Bull of the Year, which was Corey’s King of Hearts in 2012 when he was given the buckle.
“I want you to wear it,” Lambert told him.
TICKET BUYING
Demolition and Rodeo tickets on sale now!
BEFORE Rodeo/Demo week: tickets can also be purchased at the Rodeo Office (enter at Green Gate from Paxson Drive). Rodeo Office will be open 10 AM – 6 PM Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays leading up to Demo/Rodeo week.
DURING Rodeo/Demo week
(August 13 – August 17): tickets can be purchased at the Rodeo Office from 10 AM – event close and at Blue Gate from 9 AM – event close.
Kids 6 & under – free Seniors (age 65 and over) – $15
Loadin’ Chute – $40
Friday, August 16 is free of charge for all active military and veterans. Show your service ID at Blue Gate for free admission.
Power Wheels racer and Mutton Bustin rider entry fees include entry to Demo/Rodeo.
**ALL RODEO/DEMO TICKETS GAIN YOU ENTRANCE TO THE FAIR**
For ticket questions, contact the office at 509-765-6393.
beer gardens
Last Chute Gate
*MUST BE 21 OR OLDER TO ATTEND*
It’s the beer garden!
• Open from 5 PM, through the event to 2 AM each night.
• Featuring Coors products from Odom Distributing.
• Bleacher seating to watch the demo derby and rodeo performances.
• Nightly party after the Demo/Rodeo is over!
DJ Dale Roth plays Tuesday – Thursday.
Live band American Honey plays Friday and Saturday.
Loadin' Chute
*MUST BE 21 OR OLDER TO ATTEND*
It’s a beer garden - leveled UP!
• Open from 5 PM until one hour after rodeo/demo is over.
• Tickets are $40. Dinner & drinks not included in price. Available at Green Gate/Rodeo Office.
• Enjoy a raised viewing platform with an up-close view ofthe arena and all the action. Relax under the large tent with tables and chairs. Take advantage of the full service bar, including spirits from Pendleton Whisky, Southern Spirits & Proximo, and Coors products
Crash!
Article/ VENUE MAGAZINE
DFeelTHE
emo is back, and with its addition of Tuesday to its old Wednesday-only schedule, new kid-friendly and entertainment elements, the Agri-Service Demolition Derby is set to please all its fans. Whether you like the loudness, the surprise of anything happening, the crashing – there will be plenty of it with over 150 teams pre-registered for the event.
Tuesday you can catch standard time trials and heat races, as well as invitation-only dirt bike racing, pickup truck races, the new classic Powder Puff races, the Australian Pursuit, the Winners Race and the Chain & Go Demo. Wednesday you’ll also see standard heat races, but
also the Youth Power Wheels Demo, Figure 8s, Powder Puff, Australian Pursuit, Winners Race and 80’s Car Demo. One of the best parts of having two nights to race is many of the teams get double the opportunity to play on the project they’d worked so hard on. As long as the car is able, the team and driver is allowed to enter for both days. So plan for two days of cheering on your favorite team! Full rules and schedule are online at www.moseslakeroundup.com/demo.
noise!
DEMO TERMS TO KNOW
Youth Power Wheels Demo: One lap demo race with balloons. Children must be >3 years old, <60 lbs dressed, supply their own power wheels car and helmet.
Powder Puff: Female drivers.
Australian Pursuit: Average race times are reversed and staggered so that, in theory, all racers will be converging on the finish line together.
Chain & Go Demo: The cars in this class are stripped, prepped with safety gear, and brought to the track to demo. No modifications allowed!
Figure 8 Race: A form of racing in which cars race on a track in a figure eight shape that intersects itself, increasing the risk of collisions.
80’s Car Demo: Only cars of specific make/model and years are allowed. Some modifications are also allowed so cars can last a little longer.
Demolition Derby Schedule
Tuesday 8/13/24
3 PM Gates Open
5:00 - 6:15 PM Time Trials
6:30 PM Opening, National Anthem, Best Looking Car
7:00 PM Dirt Bike Races
7:30 PM Trophy Dash Heat Races
Pickup Truck Heat Races
Powder Puff
Australian Pursuit
Winners Race
Chain & Go Demo
Wednesday 8/14/24
3 PM Gates open
6:00 PM Youth Power Wheels Demo
6:30 PM Opening, National Anthem
7:00 PM Heat Races
Figure 8
Powder Puff
Australian Pursuit
Winners Race
80’s Car Demo
*schedule at time of printingsubject to change depending on entries*
demo derby
Spurstride spirits was created out of a need for an American-made spirit that could support and honor the hardworking values of Rodeo events, families, and communities. The inaugural collaboration between Moses Lake Roundup and Moses Lake Distillery showcases a bourbon based upon the 2024 ASCOT Double Platinum Award winning spirit from Moses Lake Distillery.
As Moses Lake Roundup celebrates its 81st year and boasts being a top 50 PRCA Rodeo, only the best will do to recognize and support one of the greatest shows on dirt!Spurstride is proud to be an American Made, Veteran Owned, and Roundup Approved brand.
RODEO EVENTS
All events are every night. Sometimes they are not in the same order, except Bull R iding is always last.
Bareback Riding
a cowboy attempts to ride a bucking horse by holding onto a “rigging” – a leather and rawhide strap with no stirrups or seat, for 8 seconds. The cowboy must “mark the horse out” when it exits the chute, meaning his feet have to be above the point of the horse’s shoulder throughout the whole first jump. There are 50 possible points for the horse’s bucking, and 50 for the cowboy’s style.
Steer Wrestling
the steer wrestler or “bulldogger,” starts behind a barrier after the steer has been given a head start. The “hazer” is tasked with keeping the steer running in a straight line. After the catch, the bulldogger must bring the steer to a stop or change the direction of the animal’s body before the throw, or is disqualified. The clock stops when the steer is on his side with all four legs pointing the same direction.
Saddle Bronc
rodeo’s classic event with a cowboy attempting to ride a bucking horse with a saddle. It is judged similar to bareback but with additional possibilities to disqualification: losing a stirrup or dropping the thickly braided rein attached to the horse’s halter.
Tie Down Roping
an authentic ranch skill that originated from working cowboys. Once the calf is roped, the cowboy dismounts and runs to the calf. Once he reaches
the calf, three legs are tied together with a six-foot pigging string. The calf must remain tied for 6 seconds or the cowboy is disqualified.
Women’s Breakaway Roping
similar to tie-down roping, except that the calf is not thrown & tied. Time stops when the rope breaks free from the cowgirl’s saddle horn.
Team Roping
a “header” and a “heeler,” work together to catch a steer in the fastest time possible. The header throws his rope first and must catch the steer with one of three legal catches – around the horns, around the neck, or around a half head. The heeler ropes both hind legs for a clean run, or one leg for a 5-second penalty.
Women
’
s Barrel Racing
a fast paced, exciting timed event where horse and ridercross a starting line, race around a cloverleaf pattern and run back across the finish line. Times are recorded to the 100th of a second.
Bull Riding
the cowboy must last until the 8 second buzzer. Riders use a “bull rope,” a braided rope approximately eight feet long fitted around the bull’s mid-section to hold on to. The rider inserts his hand into the rope and the rope is pulled tight.
Rodeos all started with a horse that didn’t want to be ridden. They started with cows that needed to be sorted. They are now a billion dollar industry across the nation that benefit small towns and large venues alike. They are an opportunity to celebrate the Western way of life and all the creatures in it.
For a while, rodeos were a chance for Chris Starzmann, now Board President of the Moses Lake Roundup committee, to earn $20 and catch a thrill. He said, “At that time they had a mad scramble with bulls and horses all out at the same time. They had young college kids come out – which we were – who wanted a thrill or wanted $20! We said, ‘Yeah, we’ll do it’. Got on one and thought it was a kick in the butt. And that’s how I started. I probably rode for 12 years.”
He said safety has changed much since those days. “I’m pretty fortunate I never got hit too bad, just a few broken bones, nothing severe,” with today’s cowboys better protected with vests and helmets. There are medics and chiropractors on site for the cowboys. The rough stock are also taken better care of, with veterinarians on site.
These days, the Moses Lake Roundup has made quite an impression on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) as a top 50 rodeo, welcoming some of the best known names in the circuit to ride, compete and perform. Starzmann is proud of the growth he’s seen while being involved with the rodeo, adding additional days to the events, growing audience and contestant numbers, and more purse money for the cowboys.
Whether you come out Thursday, Friday or Saturday… or all three days! Whether you watch from the stands with family or the Loadin’ Chute with friends, enjoy this great Western past time!
White Out to Wipe Out Cancer Awareness Night at the Rodeo
Article/AMANDA CARPENTER, COLUMBIA BASIN CANCER FOUNDATION COORDINATOR
The Columbia Basin Cancer Foundation invites you to join us as we kick off the Moses Lake Roundup Rodeo on Thursday, August 15th, 2024 with WHITE OUT TO WIPE OUT. Opening night at the rodeo is Cancer Awareness Night and we ask that all rodeo goers wear white to help us honor those we’ve lost to cancer, stand with those still battling, and celebrate with those who have won their fight! We also take this night to celebrate the community that continues to show up to support us.
A portion of the opening night proceeds goes directly to CBCF. Moses Lake Roundup Rodeo has been an integral partner of ours for over 15 years and have donated over $50,000 because of the rodeo patrons that show up every year. The support of these community members allows our foundation to give over $9,000 a month in gas and grocery cards, as well as fresh produce, meals, and emotional support.
The Columbia Basin Cancer Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization supported by generous local people and businesses. As Moses Lake grows, we are so grateful for all that we have been able to do for those who need it most. As our mission states: “Our hope is to bring the community together to support and meet the needs of our neighbors with cancer.”
This is what CBCF is all about, and this is what we remember every year as we partner with the Moses Lake Roundup Rodeo. Your continued support has helped us serve our local neighbors with cancer for over 24 years.
Interested in helping us make a difference in the lives of cancer patients and their families? Your donation enables us to provide crucial support services and assistance. If you would like to make a donation please visit our website at www.columbiabasincancerfoundation.org or you scan the QR code.
Thank you for your generosity!
alexis shoults
2024 Moses Lake Roundup Rodeo Queen
Article/ VENUE MAGAZINE
A
Alexis Shoults, the 2024 Moses Lake Roundup Rodeo Queen, is a dynamic young woman. Through her training to become Queen, she has learned to be a self-aware and confident public speaker. She dreams big while seeing the practical steps necessary to realize them. Of course, she has excellent horsemanship and is classically beautiful.
She wants others to know to, “Never give up on what you want to do – you might look back and wish you had done it.”
Some practical tips she’s learned along the way? To reduce using the word “um” while speaking – flop a penny in a jar! To stop using your hands while speaking – hold them behind your back so a finger or two can still move without distracting your audience. If you need a special outfit for an event and don’t want to spend a fortune on it – use marketplace to get it second-hand or jeuje up a plain shirt from home!
be yourself
Most important? “People are going to like you even if you are yourself,” Shoults said.
And last tip – always be grateful to the people (and horses!) who help you along the way. For Shoults, that incudes her parents Dave and Gabriel Shoults, Jamie Dearing for coaching her through the pag eant process, the Roundup board of directors who continue to make the experience easy going and fun; and of course Slick, Tommy and River.
Socials: IG & FB @miss_moses_lake_roundup_queen
All Active Military & Veterans, moses lake roundup would like to thank you:
They invite you to attend the Moses Lake Roundup on Friday, August 16th, FREE OF CHARGE!
Just show your Service I.D. at Blue Gate and your admission on Friday is free of charge. This is how Moses Lake Roundup says, “Thank you!” for your service and sacrifice to our great nation. Gates open at 5 PM. For more information, contact the rodeo office at (509) 765-6393
Serving Those Who Served
Article/ VENUE MAGAZINE
Tori Douglass went in the service after high school for the same reason many young people do: to create opportunities and make their life better. Douglass enlisted in the Marine Corp and after basic training was assigned to the Fleet MALS 11 ( an aviation logistics squadron) and FMFA 232 (a marine fighter attack squadron). In 2011 she was deployed to Kandahar, Afganistan for eight months as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Upon her return she moved to Grant County in order to be closer to family and transitioned into the Marine Reserves. That’s when things got really hard. “The transition from being in the service to being a civilian is so much more difficult than people realize it is. It’s its own shell shock. There is such little support it makes it hard for veterans to reach out or even look [for assistance] because there’s so little things to find,” Douglass said.
Thanks to new friends and family, and some lucky introductions, Douglass has been able to find a new foundation as a civilian and a way to move forward.
For many, however, that is not the case. “If veterans don’t get these services, and these are topics that people don’t like to talk about, survivors guilt and loneliness is real and suicide is a real problem in the
[veteran] community. A lot of times veterans are 1,000s of miles from home, attached to a spouse or their last post and they don’t or can’t go home and when the system lets you go, that’s it. There are several homeless vet erans in Grant County,” Douglass said. She has lost several friends from her days in the Marines to depression and loneliness.
Thankfully for Grant County’s veterans, Douglass is not willing to let that be the norm. “We did this thing and now we’re here and we shouldn’t be bouncing along. And when we come out of the haze,” someone should be “standing there ready to lend a hand to help people,” she said. Her plan is to make a central hub in Grant County where veterans can get the services they need, including mental, medical, housing, clothing, community, etc.
She is already working with several groups, including the Grant County Veteran’s Advisory Board (VAB), the local Vet Corps Navigator, the Sand Scorpions, and several individuals, many who are veterans and many who are not, who want to serve those who have sacrificed their lives in service.
Douglass said they have providers, including doctors, psychologists, etc., who are willing to volunteer their time, but they are still looking for a physical location to house the project. The requirements for the space include private areas for counselling, etc.
Douglass is only getting started – she hopes to of ficially join the VAB in the near future, and continues to spread her message to other groups she’s involved in, in cluding Young Professionals of the Columbia Basin and Moses Lake Rotary.
If you want to support Douglass’ work and her mis sion to support veterans in our region, please contact her at tori1swartz@gmail.com.
Othello Straw Maze
In 2002 the Othello Rodeo Association (ORA) pioneered the first Othello Straw Maze. What began as a simple idea has festered into an annual haunted extravaganza, spooking visitors from all over with adventure, Halloween spirit and community camaraderie. The ORA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to Othello’s cowboy heritage and bringing the best entertainment to the Basin.
Every year the Othello Straw Maze turns ordinary straw bales into an ghoulish labyrinth of excitement and surprises. Spanning multiple themed rooms, guests of all ages explore and discover spine-chilling and thrilling environments such as giant spider-infestations, snake-laden paths, haunted dolls, skeletons, mummies, and an eerie graveyard guaranteed to bring out the best screams.
The maze is open every Friday and Saturday in October, plus Halloween and located at the Othello Rodeo grounds. The Straw Maze opens for viewing from 6 – 7 PM without “scarers”. Then from 7 – 10 PM we unleash The Scream Team of scarers to fill you with fun filled terror.
The $15 admission fee includes the maze experience, an outdoor theater featuring ongoing, classic Halloween movies, fresh popped popcorn and comforting hot chocolate, perfect for warming up on a cool autumn evening. Children age 6 and under are free with a paying adult.
As a nonprofit initiative, the Straw Maze not only entertains but also contributes to the community by providing a safe and memorable Halloween experience. Funds raised support [mention your nonprofit’s mission or cause], making every ticket sold a contribution to a greater good.
WHAT…are you SCARED?
Join Us for Unforgettable Moments
Whether you’re a longtime fan or a first-time visitor, the Straw Maze promises an unforgettable blend of adventure, community spirit, and Halloween magic. Bring your family and friends to the Adams County Fair and Rodeo Grounds and immerse yourself in the excitement of this unique seasonal attraction.
For more information go to www.othellowrodeo.com, or message to volunteer at www.facebook.com/OthelloStawMaze.
A list of must-see westerns to get you through the summer
Article/BRENT STECKER, SPECIAL TO VENUE
Moseying around the Columbia Basin comes with familiarity, whether you call if home or not.
The wide-open sky. A desert marked by cliffs and sagebrush. The lakes. A mighty river. Livestock. Wildlife. Trains.
They really should shoot westerns here, you know?
Since they don’t, you can always put one on to feel like the lonesome stranger, the heroic marshal, or the rakish bandit.
But let’s say you need a place to start. Here’s a list of some favorites to get you started down the dusty trail.
An historic PNW western story: The Grey Fox
This is a gem with a tie to the greater Pacific Northwest, telling the true story of Bill Miner, a stagecoach robber who after decades in prison was released into a new century (the 20th) that he did recognize. So what did he do? After visiting his sister in Bellingham and making a half-hearted attempt at an honest life, he saw “The Great Train Robbery” in one of those
newfangled nickelodeons, giving him the idea of robbing trains in British Columbia. Even if the story wasn’t as great as it is, the shots of Washington and B.C. deliver.
If you want another western with some kinda local flavor, check out Jimmy Stewart in “Bend of the River,” an end of the Oregon Trail tale that was filmed in the Mount Hood/Columbia River area in Oregon.
A giant from the 90s: Tombstone
Surely you’ve seen “Tombstone.” But if you have not, fix that right quick. Kurt Russell as Wyatt Earp. A legendary portrayal of Doc Holliday by Val Kilmer. Sam Elliott at his most mustachioed mustache-ness. The gunfight at the O.K. Corral. It’s all there, plus all the action you could ever want.
Think you deserve another option? You can’t go wrong with Clint Eastwood’s Oscar-winning “Unforgiven” – even though deserve’s got nothing to do with it.
Tea *Rolled Ice Cream *Panini
The best traditional western of the 21st century: 3:10 to Yuma
A remake of a 1957 classic, Christian Bale plays a down-onhis-luck rancher who is hired to escort a dangerous bandit played by Russell Crowe to a 3:10 afternoon train to Yuma Prison, all while Crowe’s gang is hot on the trail to get him free. An awesome story written by the immortal Elmore Leonard (more on him in a bit).
The best bummer western of the 21st century: The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
The old west wasn’t exactly the easiest place to live, and the people in the stories that have been passed down were really just people same as you and me. That’s what Brad Pitt’s version of Jesse James gets at, hinting at the role fame would play in American society and its effects on those who idolize celebrities. Just a fascinating movie with tremendous acting and some of the best shots of any western ever made.
The modern western TV series that’ll make you forget about Yellowstone: Justified
I can count the number of hour-long drama series that go more than three seasons that I’ve watched from front to back on one hand. Well, one finger actually, because it’s only “Justified.” As I alluded to earlier, the reason it’s so good is it’s based on another Elmore Leonard story. In “Justified,” U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens as played by Timothy Olyphant is the epitome of a cool customer as he deals with all kinds of criminals in West Virginia, none better than Walton Goggins as the cunning Boyd Crowder. Each season has a new clan that Raylan and the Marshals must take down, providing a movie-like quality that makes the show perfect for binging on Hulu.
The
western classic that threw out the rulebook: Butch Cassidy &
the Sundance Kid
No western pairing provides more entertainment than Paul Newman and Robert Redford. This movie floored me the first time I saw it – and every time since simply because it’s just fun from start to finish, much more so than I could have expected from a movie that came out before 1970.
A list of must-see
The best from the Man with No Name: For A Few
Dollars More
For me, the second of the great spaghetti western “Dollars” trilogy starring Clint Eastwood and directed by Sergio Leone is the best. Why? Because of Eastwood’s co-lead, Lee Van Cleef, who if he isn’t the best western actor there ever was (I know, that’s a controversial take) is at least the most underrated. The chemistry of Eastwood and Van Cleef is incredible, and the story here is the most interesting of the trilogy.
Of course, you may as well watch all three, in which case start with “A Fistful of Dollars.”
The
western epic worth every second:
Once Upon A Time in the West
After Leone finished up the Dollars trilogy, he moved on to America to make perhaps his greatest film. He had serious juice behind him at this point, getting Henry Fonda of all people to play the bad guy. And man, Henry Fonda is a great bad guy! This one takes its time and is better for it. Plus, like all of Leone’s movies, this has a banger of a score by the greatest to ever do it, Ennio Moricone.
For my money, the best western
there is: Shane I can’t think of a better example of the western than “Shane.”
It’s shot incredibly with the Grand Tetons looming over the plains, and has a tremendous story of a gunslinger trying to put away his past by helping a family in need. It has an underbelly of ambiguity, too, so long as you think about. “Shane” is everything a western should be, yet it’s no stereotype. It’s too marvelous to be that.
If any other western gives Shane a run for the title, I’d say it’s “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.” Jimmy Stewart and John Wayne paired up, Lee Marvin as the heavy, and Lee Van Cleef and Woody Strode in supporting roles? That’ll do.
Othello Community Learning (OCL) classes are coming to Othello this fall! We want to hear from you. What classes do you want to see offered? Are you interested in teaching a class? Use the QR codes or links below to share your ideas.
Elevate Othello Community Meeting December 8th, 2023 discuss priority area project ideas
Based on the community priorities, community members identified a number of projects that support one or more of these priorities. They include the following:
Elevate Othello Vision | February 2024
¡Las clases de Othello Community Learning (OCL) llegarán a Othello este otoño! Queremos escuchar de ti. ¿Qué clases quieres que se ofrezcan? ¿Estás interesado en impartir una clase? Utilice los códigos QR o los enlaces a eas.
PARTNERS SPONSORS
You can teach old orgs new tricks
Article/ VENUE MAGAZINE
Central Basin Community Concert Association is proving people wrong. You can teach old (orgs) new tricks. Do sweat the small stuff. Design by committee is effective.
Community Concerts is thriving, and it’s all thanks to their dedicated board of directors, leaders who stepped in at the right time, and strategic modernization that sticks to original foundations.
Change began in 2008 when current Board President, Francis “Francie” Irwin first joined the board. Back then, only “members” who invested yearly were able to attend the four-concert season. “I am the one who started to say, ‘You know, society has changed and we need to allow people to come to Community Concerts who aren’t members,’” Irwin said. Today, about half Community Concert attendees buy single show tickets each concert, bringing in substantial, sustaining income for the organization.
Irwin has also overseen updates the organization’s bylaws, creation of a strategic plan, a move to online ticket sales, hiring a graphic designer and contracting a temporary development consultant. Before Irwin, she said, it was her predecessor, Mary Anderson, who revived the community’s interest in the organization through outreach and business sponsorships. “If she hadn’t come on when she did, we wouldn’t have survived,” Irwin said.
While modernizing, there are several aspects of the organization the board refuses to leave behind –like their quality standards and team-led approach to decision making. As one of, if not the longest running arts organizations in the Basin, “the longevity of the organization is one of the pillars for where we are now,” Irwin said.
“This coming season is the most exciting season we’ve put together in my years of leadership, and that’s what the community is telling me,” Irwin said, “What a variety! People are very excited about the Gonzaga Orchestra and Molly in the Mineshaft.” Quality matters not only because they want patrons to have a great experience in the theater, but also because they send musicians out to schools and assisted living facilities for performances and workshops.
Dancing With the Moses Lake Stars is another new aspect of the organization that is helping generate interest. Last year’s winner, beloved auctioneer Chuck Yarbro, was quite a sensation, and this season’s performance will likely bring just as much excitement!
Join Community Concerts as a member to get the lowest cost per ticket, buy single show tickets, and learn more about the organization at www.communityconcertsml. com. Follow on Facebook @communityconcertsml and Instagram @cb_community_concert.
THU, SEP 26, 2024 • 7PM
Variety, Oldies, Blues, Hot Club, Rockabilly, Country
Kate Voss has cultivated a stage presence that charms and delights folks and a voice that “Nails the authenticity of the era” with tunes from Brenda Lee to Nancy Sinatra and Patsy Cline to Ray Charles. Kate has been awarded “Vocalist of the Year” and ”Ensemble of the Year” from Earshot Magazine and after her move to Wisconsin in 2021, was nominated for several WAMI awards including Female Vocalist of the year, Instrumentalist of the year, and Free Reed Player of the Year.
THU, OCT 17, 2024 • 7PM
Contemporary Folk
What happens when you mix a little folk, bluegrass, blues, jazz, Celtic & rock together? You get “Newgrass” from Provo, Utah.
MON, MAR 24, 2025 • 7PM
Country Pop
The Hall Sisters have established themselves as one of the up-and-coming and premier acts in the country pop genre. While releasing multiple CD’s over the last few years and writing new material, the ensemble has also maintained a robust tour schedule having performed on notable stages such as The Grand Ole Opry, Carnegie Hall and at Dollywood.
SUN, APR 13, 2025 • 4PM Orchestra
The Gonzaga Symphony Orchestra has a long tradition as one of the finest student/community orchestras in the region and its repertoire contains some of the most demanding pieces in orchestral music. SCAN FOR MORE
Can’t make a show? Interested in another? Share
Bee informed
Article/ VENUE MAGAZINE
In Grant County, owner of B-Safe Products Brenda Horat said that the established apiculturist families in the area have remained steady, but that there does seem to be a rise on backyard and hobby apiarists. She said local environmental factors, including heat and fires/smoke greatly affects our local bee populations. Invasive hornets and mites can also cause hive collapse.
Horat started her business making a leather curing line out of bees wax, eventually expanding her line to include candles, beauty products and bottling honey harvested in Moses Lake.
You can find Horat’s wild blossom, buckwheat and other various honey varieties including raspberry and carrot canola (not flavored honey, but indicative of where the hives were housed) and bees wax products at Settlers Market, CJ’s Meats, Camas Cove Cellars and at the Moses Lake Farmer’s Market. You can also find her on social media @BSafeProductsLLC.
While honey bee “herds” and populations in the United States are up, as reported by the latest Census of Agriculture, the numbers in Washington State’s latest
bee census were not so positive. In 2023, the National Agricultural Statistic Service reported Washington’s agricultural honey bee population was down 10,000 from the previous year.
According to a study released by Washington State Univerity this year, warming spring weather has been a leading cause of hive collapse, as it encourages bees to fly earlier in the season, exhausting and aging bees prematurely.
Furthermore, honey bees are not native to the United States. There are more than 20,000 other species of bees in the world, 4,000 in the United States, and an estimated 6-700 species in the state of Washington. The well known honey bees were imported from Europe in 17th century.
The Washington State Department of Agriculture has an ambition project called the Washington Bee Atlas which is seeking volunteers from every county in the state to help identify and map pollinator populations.
If you are interested in becoming a citizen scientist, email karen.wright@agr.wa.gov.
Rodeo & Fair Memories
The Neppel Harvest Fair and Rodeo (est.1923) was the precursor to the Grant County Fair which was established in 1946. The Neppel Fair was held annually at “five corners” where current-day Pioneer Way, Wheeler Road, and Fifth Avenue intersect. As the town grew after WWII, the Fair grew along with it. By the 1950s, a lively parade accompanied the event.
Eddie Penhallurick rides bareback at the 1949 Moses Lake Rodeo A group of 30 like-minded horsemen founded the Columbia Basin Rodeo Association in the 1940s
The Moses Lake Museum & Art Center has a large collection of historic photographs that help keep the town’s history accessible to current and future generations. Visit the museum at 401 S. Balsam St. to learn more about local history, explore local art, or enjoy a creative class. Find us online at moseslakemuseum.com
From the collection of the Moses Lake Museum & Art Center
Grant County Fair Parade August, 1968
From the collection of the Moses Lake Museum & Art Center
