Moses Lake is growing fast enough that its water and housing plans are straining to keep up. The city draws 80% of its municipal water from a deep basalt aquifer, and has run conservation rules since 2018, expanded year-round in 2023: no irrigation 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., no-water Mondays, odd/even address watering days.

Now Keel Infrastructure's redevelopment of its old Bitcoin-mining site on Randolph Road NE, officially named the Grant Node Data Center, could add up to 1.1 million gallons of demand a year on top of that. Keel's cooling system is closed-loop, which helps, and the city says it's looking at new wells, surface water, and access to the East Low Canal. What Keel hasn't said: who's renting the space. A June job listing for an "AWS Data Center Manager" in Moses Lake fueled speculation, but neither Keel nor Amazon has confirmed a deal, and Keel's own August report lists Moses Lake among the sites where permitting is still in progress.

Housing is the other half of the squeeze. A new analysis tied to the city's 2027 Comprehensive Plan calls for roughly 5,496 additional homes by 2047, as Moses Lake's population climbs toward 34,000. The city says it has enough land to build that much. The open question is what it costs, and whether the workforce that keeps Moses Lake running can still afford to live in it.

Full story on the data center's water demand 🔒 →

Full story on the city's housing plan 🔒 →

Aesto, the vendor that archives records for Quincy Valley Medical Center's patients, says its AWS-hosted files were accessed by an unauthorized party sometime between December 2 and 18, 2025. The exposed data included names, birthdates, medical information, and in some cases Social Security and driver's license numbers. Aesto didn't notify QVMC until June 26, over six months after discovery, and patient letters went out August 5. QVMC says its own systems were never touched.

Read QVMC's actual statement →

The Grant County Fair returns Tuesday, August 18, through Sunday, August 23, with country singer Easton Corbin headlining this year's lineup. Organizers say fairgoers can expect expanded live music, two new carnival rides, new food vendors, and additional security on the grounds. It's the same week as the Moses Lake Roundup rodeo and demolition derby, so expect the fairgrounds and the roads around them to stay busy for most of a week.

Plan your fair week →

Masquers Theater has cast its fall production of 'Anastasia.' Emma-Jean Wydur leads as Anya, alongside Ben McLain, Jeremy Hansen, Alec Lobe, Auti Kirk, and Christie McLain, backed by a 20-plus ensemble from as far as Nespelem and Ellensburg. Directed by Stacey and Rachel Bresee, the musical runs October 16 through November 8 at the Soap Lake theater.

Meet the cast (no con artist required) →