On this episode of the STUDIO BASIN podcast, Moses Lake Design Engineer Levi Bisnett joins the show to talk about an upcoming charrette regarding possible changes to the State Route 17 and Stratford Road interchange in Moses Lake. The goal is to bring in members of the community to discuss what improvements could be made to the area.
In sports, Sports Reporter Ian Bivona recaps recent football action on the gridiron including Royal and Othello beginning the year 4-0, the Royal girls soccer team defeating College Place and Warden volleyball leading the Eastern Washington Athletic Conference.

Joe Kunkel, project director for the ongoing construction of Samaritan Hospital and the Quincy Valley Medical Center, is the guest on the Studio Basin podcast this week.

Kunkel said both projects are staying within the projected budget and on the projected timeline. Construction on QVMC is scheduled for completion in spring 2025 – but there’s still preparation required before the doors can open for patients, Kunkel said. Patients should start being treated at the new facility in summer 2025.

Samaritan hospital construction should be completed by late 2025, with the goal to admit patients by spring 2026, Kunkel said. It’s been a long road for the Samaritan project, but windows are going in, the exterior is close to being finished and interior framing has begun.

In sports, Sports Reporter Ian Bivona and Senior Reporter Cheryl Schweizer break down recent football, girls soccer and volleyball action involving Lind-Ritzville/Sprague, Othello, Quincy and Wahluke.

On this week's edition of the Studio Basin Podcast, we have a bit of a longer episode packed with plenty of content. Starting out, we have Ephrata School District Superintendent Ken Murray and new Ephrata High School Principal Ashlie Miller in the studio to talk about how they got to where they are and what they want to do to move the district and high school forward to support students.

In our lifestyle segment, Moses Lake Public Library Supervising Librarian Austin Foglesong is in to talk about programs at the library, and exciting changes coming up as the facility itself is upgraded.

To wrap up, Sports Reporter Ian Bivona breaks down the Columbia Basin Herald's Gridiron Guide and Fall Sports Preview, taking a look at local fall sports teams from around the area.