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
Quincy's Kondo named Coach of the Year
Mentoring athletes toward a 'positive and wholesome experience' key for Jacks coach
QUINCY — Quincy High School girls head wrestling Coach Mark Kondo said that for him being a good coach started in the classroom. “The quality that makes a good teacher translates to making a good coach, as far as being organized, as far as being able to break learning down into meaningful segments and teach that, as far as building relationships,” Kondo said.
Othello man arrested after Moses Lake standoff
MOSES LAKE — An Othello man was arrested Wednesday afternoon for hit and run and outstanding warrants after he briefly barricaded himself in a Moses Lake home.
Report expected by October on Othello pool options, cost
OTHELLO — What to do about the Othello Community Pool will be the subject of a study that should be completed by October. A meeting of a community committee tasked with coming up with a recommendation is scheduled for Friday. Committee members and city officials will be meeting with consultants from NAC Architecture and Trinity NAC, Spokane, sometime in the next two weeks.
Overproduction, possible tariff retaliation - interesting times for tree fruit growers
WENATCHEE — An old saying – said to be Japanese, and said to be a curse – talks about living in interesting times. While it’s always an interesting time to be in the tree fruit business, times are especially interesting now.
Othello buys property for water treatment facility
OTHELLO — The new facility that will treat water from the East Columbia Basin Irrigation District system for use by Othello residents will be located along Lee Road. Othello City Council members approved the purchase of property for the project Monday. Othello Mayor Shawn Logan said the purchase was good for Othello, a big enough deal that he held a signing ceremony to highlight it.
Mattawa council looks at improvements to Wahluke grad parade
MATTAWA — Changes could be coming to the parade that follows Wahluke High School graduation.
More signs planned for busy Adams Co. intersections near Othello
OTHELLO — Additional warning and stop signs will be installed at 14 intersections in the Othello area. Adams County Commissioners approved $833,000 for the project Tuesday.
Port of Moses Lake OKs military training lease
MOSES LAKE — Military training exercises will continue at a section of the Grant County International Airport following the approval of a 25-year lease between the Port of Moses Lake and the US government for use of a section of the airstrip. Port commissioners approved the agreement Monday.
Quincy council approves land purchase
QUINCY — A vacant lot at the end of Third Street Southwest may become the home of the city of Quincy’s new public works shop. Quincy City Council members approved the purchase of the property at the March 18 Quincy City Council meeting.
Mattawa man arrested in connection with December shooting
MATTAWA — A Mattawa man was arrested and booked into the Grant County Jail Friday in connection with a December shooting. Diego Nunez, 20, was arrested on suspicion of two counts of first-degree assault. Nunez allegedly was involved in a Dec. 14 shooting in the 100 block of Columbia Avenue.
Cellarbration raises more than $250,000 for BBCC scholarships
MOSES LAKE — The annual Cellarbration for Education fundraising dinner March 15 brought in more money in 2025 than 2024. Cellarbration is the largest fundraiser for the scholarship fund of the Big Bend Community College Foundation.
Microsoft working to help protect IT systems of rural hospitals
MOSES LAKE — Information is valuable in the Information Age, to good actors and bad actors alike. And unlike precious metals or stacks of cash, people sometimes don’t know how valuable information is, or that it can be vulnerable to attack. Erin Burchfield of Microsoft Philanthropies said rural hospitals are an example.
Earned recognition
Othello girls wrestling coach Sammy Rocha CWAC co-Coach of the Year
OTHELLO — Sammy Rocha said he learned to coach wrestling from the best. Rocha, the girls wrestling coach at Othello High School, was named co-Coach of the Year in the Central Washington Athletic Conference. He shared the award with Mark Kondo of Quincy.
Two candidates announce for Moses Lake City Council
MOSES LAKE — Santiago (Jim) Perez and Joel Graves have announced their candidacy for the Moses Lake City Council.
Road work set for next week in Quincy
QUINCY — Spring is in the air, and that means, among many other things, the start of road construction season. Road crews will be doing some crack-sealing work at night along State Route 28 in Quincy beginning Sunday night. Drivers should plan for some delays through Wednesday night at least, according to a press release from the Washington Department of Transportation.
Funding a challenge for some Adams Co. projects
RITZVILLE — The second phase of a project to upgrade Schoonover Road that Adams County officials thought had received federal funding may not be getting it after all. A rules revision that allowed four bridges over the East Low Canal to qualify for complete federal funding also may have been eliminated.
Baginski resigns from Othello school board
OTHELLO — Applications will be accepted March 25 through April 11 for an open seat on the Othello School Board. Board member Chris Baginski announced his resignation at the March 10 board meeting.
Packed house for Cellarbration 2025
Scholarship fundraiser draws a crowd to support Big Bend students
MOSES LAKE — Keynote speaker Aldo Farias said the money donated during the Cellarbration for Education dinner benefiting the Big Bend Community College Foundation was more than a donation.
New principal named for Wahluke’s Saddle Mountain Elementary
MATTAWA — Melissa Hattaway has been named the principal at Saddle Mountain Elementary beginning with the 2025-25 school year. “She’s replacing Kurt Hoffman who’s retiring after 40 years in education,” Wahluke School District Superintendent Andy Harlow said. “Melissa is a Royal High School graduate and has worked for (the Wahluke School District) for 15 years. This will be her first role as principal.”
OneD process passes independent test
MOSES LAKE — Testing by a third party has indicated the process used by a company with a battery development facility in Moses Lake is less harmful for the environment than traditional alternatives, according to an announcement from OneD Battery Sciences. The results of testing by Minviro were released Tuesday.
Moses Lake water fines delayed
MOSES LAKE — Encouraging water conservation – and how to enforce city water use ordinances – turned into a wide-ranging conversation about not only water but code enforcement, education and control at the Moses Lake City Council meeting.
Grant PUD financials solid with above-projected revenues
EPHRATA — Higher-than-anticipated revenue is projected to make 2024 a good year for the Grant County Public Utility District. Wholesale and contracted power sales are projected to end 2024 at $286.5 million, once the books are fully balanced. That's $196.3 million over the initial budget projection. Angelina Johnson, PUD deputy treasurer, said that may be a short-term advantage though.
Moses Lake man arrested in connection with March 8 shooting
MOSES LAKE — A Moses Lake man was arrested Friday in connection with a March 8 shooting on Stratford Road in Moses Lake. Luis Medina, 27, was arrested in Moses Lake and booked into the Grant County Jail on suspicion of first-degree assault and drive-by shooting, said Moses Lake Police Department Captain Jeff Sursely in a press release.
Mistakes cost Mavs in baseball season opener
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake High School baseball team opened the 2025 season with a 5-2 loss to Mt. Si (Snoqualmie) Friday afternoon.
Mavericks named to Big 9 all-league wrestling team
MOSES LAKE — Multiple Moses Lake wrestlers received honors on the Big 9 all-league wrestling team, and the girls wrestling assistant coaching staff was named the assistant staff of the year. All-league wrestlers are listed below.
Additional testing needed for Quincy pool
QUINCY — Excavation for the new Quincy Aquatic Center is going to require some additional soil sampling first. Parks and Recreation Director Russ Harrington said in an earlier interview that city officials hope to start work on the pool this summer, possibly in May or June. But the city may have to make some changes to the project before starting to move dirt, due to the possibility of subsurface contaminants.
Royal’s Arroyo named SCAC co-wrestler of the year
ROYAL CITY — Junior Sharon Arroyo was named as one of two wrestlers of the year, and girls coach Jesus Carlos Villa named coach of the year on the South Central Athletic Conference all league team. The Knights also received the sportsmanship award.
Othello, Ephrata, Quincy girls named to All-CWAC team
OTHELLO — Othello Huskies Coach Sammy Rocha and Quincy Jackrabbits Coach Mark Kondo were named co-Coaches of the year for girls wrestling in the Class 2A Central Washington Athletic Conference. Wrestlers from Ephrata, Quincy and Othello were named to the all-league teams
Wrestlers named to All-CWAC team
OTHELLO — Othello boys wrestling Coach Rudy Ochoa II was named Coach of the Year in the Class 2A Central Washington Athletic Conference for the second consecutive year. It was Ochoa’s third Coach of the Year award. Othello, Quincy and Ephrata wrestlers were named to the CWAC all-league team.
Water, water conservation topics of planning and discussion in Othello
OTHELLO — Water, how to conserve it and how to get more of it, has been a topic of discussion and a focus of experimentation around the Columbia Basin. Othello city officials have been working for almost a decade on a project to reduce demand on the city’s underground aquifer, one that’s inching closer to fruition. A pilot project tested the possibility of using water from the East Columbia Basin Irrigation District canal system, treating it, and pumping it back into the aquifer. That was successful, and city officials are working on upscaling it, a project that will require a treatment facility. Public Works Director Robin Adolphsen said facility is in the process of design. “We’re working on how many gallons per day we want to take from the canal and determine what that plant is going to need to treat water,” she said.
Broncos hope to build on softball success
RITZVILLE — After qualifying for the state playoffs in 2024, the Lind-Ritzville/Sprague softball team is looking to for ways to continue that success in 2025.
Move to CWAC good opportunity for Jacks soccer, coach says
QUINCY — Quincy boys soccer coach Hector Vaca said he expects the Central Washington Athletic Conference to be a tougher test for his team. And that’s good. “I’m excited for the boys. I think it’s going to be a great opportunity for them to show off their skill, show how good they are,” he said. “We have a lot of great, talented soccer players here in Quincy, and I think this is a great opportunity for them to showcase that.”
New year for Royal softball after state championship
ROYAL CITY — Coach Lisa Lawrence said the Royal Knights softball team will be one to watch in 2025, although they have some holes from the team that won the state championship in 2024.
Huskies looking to get to state amidst strong competition
OTHELLO – Othello boys soccer coach Bernie Garza said the Central Washington Athletic Conference was already pretty tough, and now it’s going to be tougher. That means the Huskies will have to pay attention to every game, he said. Quincy and Toppenish moved into the CWAC from Class 1A; not only do both have strong programs, but the expansion makes it tougher to get familiar with other league schools, Garza said.
Attorney General files suit against Adams County SO; dispute over immigration
SPOKANE — The Washington Attorney General’s Office has filed suit against the Adams County Sheriff’s Office and Adams County alleging the sheriff’s office is violating state law by working with the federal government on immigration enforcement.
Meeting with Blitz leads to new kicks for kids in Othello
OTHELLO — Shawn Christopherson, mascot coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks, said he understood why Othello Police Officer Tyson Cox decided to investigate those guys parked along an Othello street one day last summer. “A bird on a scooter with four influencers following him draws some attention,” Christopherson said. “Officer Cox kind of pulled over just to check out what was going on.” Well, of course a bird wasn’t actually driving the scooter – it was Blitz, the Seahawks mascot.
Knights bring home fifth-place in 1A state basketball
YAKIMA — Royal High School fell just short in overtime and brought home a fifth-place trophy from the Class 1A state boys basketball tournament after a 75-70 loss to Zillah Saturday.
Stratford drive-by injures one
MOSES LAKE — One person was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries following a shooting on Stratford Road.
Port of Moses Lake acquires 3 miles of rail
MOSES LAKE — After about two decades of work and three years of negotiation, the Port of Moses Lake took ownership of about three miles of railroad track between State Route 17 and Port property Monday. The rail line had been the property of the Columbia Basin Railroad.
Water lines flushed to address discoloration on Patton Boulevard
City of Moses Lake works to ensure water quality after facility closures
MOSES LAKE -— Samples of water from the system around North Elementary and along Patton Boulevard late last week met and were consistent with water quality standards. Discolored water discovered Wednesday at North Elementary School prompted that campus’s closure through Monday. Discolored water also closed the Family Services of Grant County facility on Patton Boulevard.
Two Basin teams advance to trophy round
SPOKANE — The Almira-Coulee/Hartline boys basketball team played Lummi Nation School for the Class 1B boys state basketball title Saturday night at the Spokane Arena. The score was not available at press time, but a full story on the game will be in Tuesday’s Columbia Basin Herald. ACH made their way to the state title game with a 64-56 win over DeSales Friday. The Warriors got off to a slow start, trailing 17-12 after the first quarter and 29-26 at the end of the first half. They still trailed by three, 44-41, at the end of the third quarter. But the Warriors outscored DeSales 23-12 in the fourth quarter to take the semifinal victory
Lions, Warriors, Knights to play state tournament games Friday
SPOKANE — Three local teams will be playing Friday in the Class 1A and Class 1B basketball tournaments.
Addressing growth focus of Moses Lake comprehensive plan update
MOSES LAKE — Growth, and how Moses Lake manages it and adapts to it, is already a focus of attention by city officials. Moses Lake Mayor Dustin Swartz said a lot of things go into answering that challenge, the city’s comprehensive plan among them.
No timeline set for replacement of Grant PUD CEO
EPHRATA — Commission chair Terry Pyle said the search for a new chief executive officer for the Grant County Public Utility District is starting with talking to employees.
BASIN GIRLS HOOPS SUMMARY
ACH girls end basketball season with loss in state second round
COULEE CITY — The Almira-Coulee/Hartline girls basketball team finished the 2024-25 season with a 58-45 loss to Sunnyside Christian in the second round of the Class 1B state basketball tournament. With the loss ACH just missed a trip to the Spokane Arena.
Wildcats women’s soccer coach resigns
ELLENSBURG — Lindsey Lee, head coach of the Central Washington University women’s soccer team, has announced her resignation.
Knights advance to state 1A quarterfinals
ELLENSBURG — The Royal High School boys basketball team advanced to the quarterfinal round of the WIAA Class 1A state tournament with a 65-47 win over Meridian (Bellingham) Feb. 28 at Ellensburg High School. Royal Coach Greg Jenks credited the Knights defense and rebounding.
Lions play for chance to advance at 1B state tourney
MOSES LAKE — The first round of state tournament play was one of those games for the Moses Lake Christian Academy/Covenant Christian School boys basketball team. The Lions lost a hard-fought 48-43 defensive battle to Lummi Nation School Feb. 28.
New Quincy hospital close to completion
QUINCY — As of Tuesday it’s 78 days until a new hospital opens. The brand-new Quincy Valley Medical Center is still in the final stages of construction, with the first day for patients scheduled for May 21.
Vantage Bridge construction gets rolling again
VANTAGE — Among many other things, spring and summer mean roadwork. And work has already started for 2025 on the Vantage Bridge. Starting Monday, the bridge is back to a single lane of traffic in each direction. Summer Derrey, Washington Department of Transportation assistant communications manager for the south central region, said WSDOT is asking drivers to think about taking alternate routes.