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
Lind-Ritzville schools focus on scores
Middle school math needs work, Roettger says
RITZVILLE - There were some good results and some not-so-good results in state achievement tests in Lind and Ritzville; the upheavals of building a cooperative district have lessened and it's time to focus on instruction, said Superintendent Robert Roettger.
Family and friends key to living a century
Sylvia Mabbot celebrates 100th birthday
MOSES LAKE - Sylvia Mabbot was born just before a classic World Series, won by the Boston Red Sox over the New York Giants, Boston's mayor John "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald leading the fans known as the Royal Rooters to every game. It was right in the middle of a red-hot, three-way Presidential campaign, Theodore Roosevelt versus Howard Taft versus Woodrow Wilson.
Schools see ups, downs in test scores
OLYMPIA - Some Columbia Basin school districts saw some achievement test scores go up, others saw some scores go down, and others had scores that stayed about the same. Test scores for the 2011-12 school year were released Wednesday. The tests are taken in the spring.
Othello hospital, clinic discuss cooperation
OTHELLO - The hospital board and Columbia Basin Health Association board have started conversations about a new strategic plan designed to help the two work together more efficiently, and maybe save both some money.
Hospital CEO heads Army medical unit
EPHRATA - Just in case, the U.S. armed forces have built a backup system of medical units that can be activated if needed. The United States Army has such a Reserve unit stationed on the West Coast. And if the Army ever needs to activate the unit, the first person that will get a call is Robert Reeder.
Wahitis Elementary School opens its doors
Fourth elementary school in Othello
OTHELLO - Wahitis Elementary School in Othello still has that new building smell.
Old Hartline School celebrates 90th birthday
HARTLINE - The annual town celebration and a 90th birthday party for the school will be the attractions Sept. 8.
BBCC revives computer science
MOSES LAKE - Big Bend Community College will reopen a completely revamped computer science program to students when classes begin Sept. 24.
Support group for families of stillborns
MOSES LAKE - Eliana Grace Rodriguez was born Jan. 26, 2007 and Kaycen Morrison was born March 27, 2012. Their moms remember those dates; Eliana and Kaycen were born about five months into their mothers' pregnancies and did not survive.
Hospital CEO search to stretch into next year
MOSES LAKE - The search for a permanent chief executive officer for Samaritan Healthcare should begin in early October and take about six months.
Construction begins at Columbia Basin Hospital
Demolition could start this week
EPHRATA - A portion of the Columbia Basin Hospital in Ephrata will start coming down soon, possibly as early as this week, to be replaced with a new and much larger wing. Community members are being invited to contribute their memories on a hospital wall designated for good-byes.
Dirt starts flying at MLSD transportation center
Activity on site this week
MOSES LAKE - Construction activity could start as early as today at the site of the Moses Lake School District's transportation center on Yonezawa Boulevard.
Plans for old Lind church
LIND - It was a chance surf on the internet that changed the lives of P.J. Jacobson and her husband Jake.
Model airplanes take to the skies Sept. 9
'Fun fly' sponsored by Moses Lake club
MOSES LAKE - A group of radio-controlled airplane pilots will sponsor a fly-in for pilots and spectators Sept. 9 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at McKay Field, about one mile south of town on Baseline Road.
Vigil scheduled for victim
Delia Chavez died in Aug. 9 car accident
MOSES LAKE - A candlelight vigil and fundraiser in memory of Delia Chavez, 19, of Moses Lake, who died recently in a traffic accident, will be held Wednesday from 9 to 11 p.m. at Lakeview Terrace Elementary School, 780 South Clover Dr.
Payoff for hard work comes at stock sale
MOSES LAKE - For 10 months, and for dairy cattle, more than double that, 4-H and FFA livestock participants feed, water and work with their animals, hoping to see the payoff when the Grant County Fair rolls around.
Back on the right track with help from Job Corps
Students found new start at Moses Lake facility
MOSES LAKE - Cortnie Day and Codie Musick both believed their lives were on the wrong track. That started both of them on a journey that led to Moses Lake and, among other things, volunteering at the Moses Lake Lions Club food booth at the Grant County Fair.
First Canola delivery arrives in Grant Co.
WILSON CREEK - A sign of what the owners of Pacific Coast Canola hope are slightly changing times arrived at the grain elevator recently, with the first shipment of canola seed.
Drought, demand push wheat prices higher
Wheat selling near record levels
RITZVILLE - Despite an extremely volatile market, prices for wheat have trended up during harvest 2012, and are close to historic levels.
Fundraising food booths Fair tradition
MOSES LAKE - The Grant County Fair was officially open less than four hours, and already the crowds were swirling around the Block 40 building. By 11 a.m. the line was starting to form outside the Lioness Club booth, as customers looking for those spaceburgers.
Moses Lake Rotary donates backpacks
More than 400 backpacks for elementary students
MOSES LAKE - About 400 backpacks filled with supplies will be ready for children going back to school, courtesy of the noon Rotary Club.
Moses Lake School Board reviews proposed budget
General fund about $74.3 million
MOSES LAKE - The school board will consider a $110.8 million budget for the 2012-13 school year at its Aug. 23 meeting; board members held a budget hearing at the regular meeting Thursday.
Nonprofit groups keep food court tasty
Space Burgers and lion ears and Block 40 ice cream, oh my
MOSES LAKE - Think of it: A Space Burger for lunch, of course a Space Burger; are you kidding? - from the Moses Lake Lioness booth, and maybe top it off with fries from the Knights of Columbus. Maybe a smoothie from the Moses Lake Band Boosters as a chaser, or possibly the butter beer from the Moses Lake Lions Club. And of course a glass of ice water from the Ephrata Lions Club somewhere in there.
Samaritan Healthcare names interim CEO
MOSES LAKE - Joe Sharp was hired as the interim chief executive officer at Samaritan Healthcare.
Frank Atkinson selected as new Frontier principal
MOSES LAKE - Frank Atkinson is the new principal at Frontier Middle School.
Warden, Ephrata students part of Wash. State University play
Los Memorias 2012 on stage at BBCC tonight
WARDEN - Students from Warden and two 2012 graduates from Ephrata will be among the performers in a play based on incidents from their lives tonight at the Wallenstein Theater at Big Bend Community College. Students from Mabton and Pateros also are part of the cast.
Students invited to connect with engineers at BBCC event
Science, technical education workshops at BBCC
MOSES LAKE - Students who may want to attend Big Bend Community College for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) classes are being invited to two workshops in late August.
Floatboard competition makes waves
MOSES LAKE - Jesse Garza, 7, of Moses Lake, flipped a 360-degree turn on the bodyboard, then flipped a second one. When he got out of the Flowrider at the Surf 'n Slide water park, Jesse explained how it's done.
Ann Golden found perfect job at Moses Lake museum
Collection curator celebrates 12 years
MOSES LAKE - Ann Golden said she knew what she wanted to do from the time she was in grade school. There was, however, one small drawback.
Mustangs auctioned at Fairgrounds
From eastern Oregon herds
MOSES LAKE - A mustang, a true mustang, straight off the range, is lean and rangy, with a narrow head and not all that tall. Potential horse owners have plenty of options, everything from thoroughbreds to quarter horses and beyond, domesticated from birth and ready to train. Yet one mustang owner said there's a bond between horse and owner that's almost impossible to explain.
PUD seeks applicants for board position
Allred retires Nov. 1
EPHRATA - Grant County PUD commissioners are soliciting applications from people interested in filling the position that will be left vacant by the resignation of Commissioner Randy Allred.
Interim PUD manager will be Tony Webb
EPHRATA - Assistant manager Tony Webb has been named as the interim general manager of the Grant County Public Utility District. Commission members selected Webb during their regular meeting Monday.
John Michael Montgomery to headline Grant Co. Fair
MOSES LAKE - Veteran country music star John Michael Montgomery will be the headline act at the Grant County Fair next month.
Board approves transportation center contract
Construction date, ground breaking ceremony to be announced
MOSES LAKE - Moses Lake School Board members awarded a nearly $7.8 million contract to Fowler Construction to build the district's new transportation center at the regular meeting Thursday.
Methodist pastor became own role model
JoAnn Schaadt conquered shyness to get where she wanted to be
MOSES LAKE - JoAnn Schaadt said she knew God was pointing her in a different direction when her satisfactory life all of a sudden wasn't quite so satisfactory.
Boys & Girls Club $100K donation brings challenge
MOSES LAKE - A local business owner has announced a donation to the Boys and Girls Club building fund and at the same time issued a fundraising challenge.
Hospital researches CEO candidate
Board has not yet offered contract
MOSES LAKE - Samaritan Hospital board members are doing additional background checks on one of two candidates for the position of interim chief executive officer.
Interim PUD manager named
Tony Webb worked for PUD since 1990
EPHRATA - Assistant manager Tony Webb has been named as the interim general manager of the Grant County Public Utility District. Commission members selected Webb during their regular meeting Monday.
Resigning Samaritan CEO receives severance package
Bair reads emotional farewell letter
MOSES LAKE - Outgoing Samaritan Healthcare Chief Executive Officer Andrew Bair will receive payments through his severance package and continuation of health insurance benefits through August 2013, according to a resolution approved by the board at its regular meeting Thursday.
Culbertson out as PUD manager
EPHRATA - Grant County PUD commissioners terminated the contract of PUD general manager Tim Culbertson during their regular meeting Monday.
Injured bird's fate remains unknown
Gone when animal rescuers arrived
MOSES LAKE - Some stories end in mystery.
Solution for plight of irrigators may be near
Possible enlargement of system south of Moses Lake
MOSES LAKE - Irrigation water in the Columbia River Basin, its most efficient use and expanding service to replace some of the groundwater wells in the Othello area was the topic of conversation at the monthly meeting of the Grant County Economic Development Council.
Meetings to address overcrowding in fall
Too many students for secondary schools to handle, say district officials
MOSES LAKE - School district patrons are being invited to a series of meetings this fall and winter to discuss ways to address overcrowding in the district's secondary schools.
Students explore aerospace careers at BBCC
Part of 12-day career exploration program
MOSES LAKE - Students from Spokane spent two days learning more about aviation careers at Big Bend Community College recently.
Boys and Girls Club nears funding goal
Donation originally intended for sports complex
MOSES LAKE - The Boys and Girls Clubs of the Columbia Basin got a step closer to a new home, thanks to a donation from a group formed a quarter-century ago to build new football and sports fields.
Hot weather expected to ease slightly
Temperatures should drop to high 80s by tomorrow
MOSES LAKE - Temperatures are expected to moderate today and stay slightly cooler through the middle of next week, but it's expected to warm back up next Thursday or Friday.
Tommie Tindell, longtime Othello volunteer, dies at 81
Remembered for efforts to help town, promote patriotism
OTHELLO - When Tommie Tindell's family returned home from the hospital after he passed away, the flag outside the Tindell home had been lowered to half-staff, the lawn was mowed, the deck washed, the ripe fruit picked from the cherry and apricot trees.
Retail development gains first tenant
Possibly two additional tenants for Gateway Commerce Center
MOSES LAKE - A building offering retail and office space on Patton Boulevard has signed its first tenant, and owners say two more tenants are in negotiations.
Culbertson out as Grant County's PUD manager
Board cites potential problems over relationship
EPHRATA - Grant County PUD commissioners terminated the contract of PUD general manager Tim Culbertson during their regular meeting Monday.
Soap Lake celebrates Smokiam Days
Parade, salmon feed, fireworks part of the festivities
SOAP LAKE - Residents and friends of the town celebrated Smokiam Days with a parade, salmon feed, bed races, horseshoe tournament and a fireworks show.