CHERYL SCHWEIZER
Senior Reporter Cheryl Schweizer is a journalist with more than 30 years of experience serving small communities in the Pacific Northwest. She began her post-high-school education at Treasure Valley Community College and enerned her journalism degree at Oregon State University. After working for multiple publications, she has settled down at the Columbia Basin Herald and has been a staple of the newsroom for more than a decade. Schweizer’s dedication to her communities and profession has earned her the nickname “The Baroness of Bylines.” She covers a variety of beats including health, business and various municipalities.
Recent Stories
Contract for Hansen Road overpass to be awarded next week
MOSES LAKE — The Washington Department of Transportation expects to award the contract for replacement of the Hansen Road overpass next week. That in turn will help answer the question of a construction schedule.
Theresa Sullivan retires as Samaritan Healthcare chief executive officer
MOSES LAKE — Theresa Sullivan said what really interested her in the job at Samaritan Healthcare, back in 2014, was the potential for growth. Then-Chief Executive Officer Tom Thompson was recruiting an administrator. “What really attracted me was what he described in the need for services here,” Sullivan said. “I had been in a rapidly growing organization where we grew a lot of services, and I was excited about that possibility.” Sullivan took chief operating officer job and was promoted to the CEO job in 2015. After 11 years in that job, she’s retiring next week.
McFarlane named interim Othello Police Chief
OTHELLO — Brent McFarlane has been appointed as the interim chief of the Othello Police Department. McFarlane has been working as assistant chief since late February. Mayor Ken Johnson said McFarlane’s appointment will be in effect until city officials determine what they want to do. “We’re still undecided as to the direction we want to take,” Johnson said. McFarlane replaces Aaron Garza, who took over the job full-time in January. Garza was hired as the Othello city administrator in April and started his new job May 1.
After lengthy discussion, Royal City food truck ordinance approved
ROYAL CITY — After more than a year of discussion, Royal City has a revised ordinance governing food trucks. “Times have changed since we did the first one 40 years ago,” said Mayor Ryan Piercy. The revisions removed a section that caused a lot of discussion and debate when the ordinance was first reviewed in spring 2025. “We did away with some of the distance restrictions we had before,” Piercy said. The original ordinance prohibited a food truck from operating within a designated distance of a restaurant serving a similar menu. But because Royal City’s business district is not that big, former Mayor Michael Christensen said in an earlier interview that the restrictions limited the area where food trucks could operate. It also only applied to food trucks, so two restaurants serving similar food could operate next to each other without restrictions.
Port of Moses Lake power generation project moving forward
MOSES LAKE — Some existing Port of Moses Lake customers are considering expansion, and potential customers are looking at Moses Lake as an option. But, said Shannon Souza of Sol Coast Consulting, there are some roadblocks.
Energy and energy alternatives discussed at Newhouse summit
MOSES LAKE — Representatives of industry, government and power generation spent Monday discussing the present and future of power production at an Energy Summit hosted by Fourth District Congressman Dan Newhouse. Newhouse said the goal was to talk about solutions as well as challenges. “(The summit) focused on – well, a lot of different aspects of energy,” Newhouse said. “Tremendous need, that’s probably the best word for it. A shortage, which is not allowing our potential to be realized here in Central Washington. How do we address that? How do we increase the amount of energy production in a timeline that makes sense? We can’t wait years and years; we need to get things done as quickly as possible. How do we do that at a cost we can afford?”
BBCC student information not hacked during computer shutdown
MOSES LAKE — Personal information of Big Bend Community College students was not compromised as the result of a cyberattack against a company that provides system management software. Matt Killebrew, BBCC director of communications, said the college does use the Canvas system, which allows students to access class and financial information, and communicate with instructors, among other things. The company that owns the Canvas system was hacked in early May, according to information on the Wired website. “We still don’t know who did it, but we do know no important information was accessed,” Killebrew said.
No injuries reported in aircraft emergency landing
WILSON CREEK — No injuries were reported in the emergency landing of an aircraft along Road P.5 Northeast about 11 miles south of Wilson Creek Friday morning.
Road closure starts Monday near Othello
OTHELLO — Drivers should prepare for delays on State Route 17 at the intersection with West Cunningham Road in Othello as construction of a new roundabout gets to the cutting-pavement and construction stage.
Quincy man sentenced in controlled substance homicide
EPHRATA — A Quincy man was sentenced to two years in prison in connection after he pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter Tuesday. Abraham Florez Velazquez pleaded guilty and was sentenced in connection with the December 2024 death of Ariel Armas Flores, 27, Quincy. “An autopsy concluded Armas died from an overdose of fentanyl that investigators say was furnished by Florez,” said Kyle Foreman, public information officer for the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, in a media release. In a separate interview, Foreman said that Florez was charged with a controlled substance homicide. Those are cases where the victim dies from using controlled substances furnished by the defendant.