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
Hispanic-owned businesses show power of hard work
MOSES LAKE — Brothers Vincent and Ben Hernandez and friends Ulises Sanchez and Hector Guerrero all had pretty good jobs. They had different goals though, goals that required a willingness to take a risk and do some hard work.
No injuries in Wheeler Road fire
MOSES LAKE — No injuries were reported in a fire at an industrial facility on Wheeler Road in Moses Lake Monday afternoon.
MLHS grads set an example at Peninsula Elem.
MOSES LAKE — Students at Peninsula Elementary School and Moses Lake High School seniors who once attended Peninsula had a message for each other. The Peninsula students wanted the seniors to know Peninsula was proud of the class of 2024; the seniors wanted Peninsula students to know they could be wearing that cap and gown someday.
Class of 2024 to say goodbye to high school
MOSES LAKE — The class of 2024 throughout the Columbia Basin closes out an eventful high school career with graduation ceremonies over the next two weeks at area high schools.
Work on Vantage Bridge expands to seven days per week May 31
MOSES LAKE — It being a holiday weekend - and bringing with it a lot of traffic - most road projects will be taking a break for Memorial Day, with many resuming Tuesday.
Moses Lake School Board hears from concerned community
MOSES LAKE — Decisions on a modified educational plan for the Moses Lake School District could be coming later today, although they may be delayed. Moses Lake School Board members have scheduled a workshop for 3 p.m. for further discussion on proposed spending and staff reductions for the 2024-25 school year. The discussions follow the rejection of the district’s educational programs and operations levy and the discovery of an accounting error. As of May 11, staff from the North Central Education Service District estimated that MLSD would have to reduce its 2024-25 budget by about $20 million. About 100 staff members, both teachers and support staff, could lose their jobs, and among other things, the district’s entire extracurricular activities program could be reduced or eliminated for 2024-25.
Customer opinion sought on future Grant County PUD rate structure
MOSES LAKE — Grant County PUD electrical rates, relative power use and revenue and rates in the future were topics of discussion and questions during a “rate strategy” presentation from PUD employees Tuesday in Moses Lake.
Bowfishers reap harvest of carp at Carp Classic
MOSES LAKE — High winds affected participation, but bowfishers still removed about 2,600 pounds of carp from Moses Lake in the fifth annual Carp Classic Saturday.
Wallen to stay as Grant County PUD chief executive officer
EPHRATA — Grant County PUD General Manager Rich Wallen will stay in that position, rather than resigning to take a job with the Chelan County PUD. Utility district commissioners announced Wallen would be staying during a workshop Tuesday, followed by a statement from Commissioner Terry Pyle warning against listening to rumors.
National Holstein Convention set for June 24 through 27
SALT LAKE CITY — Registration is open for the junior and adult National Holstein Convention, scheduled for June 24 through 27 in Salt Lake City.
Construction begins on new Habitat for Humanity house
MOSES LAKE — Workers from Bailey and Sons Construction started clearing the site for a new Habitat for Humanity house in Moses Lake on Monday, about five years after the last house was finished. Executive Director Rebecca Mabius said there have been some changes, including almost all new board members, and some challenges since the last house was built. “It really has been a journey,” she said. “It’s definitely been a great learning opportunity for myself and our board members.”
‘That was great softball’
Moses Lake fastpitch softball wins Big 9 title, advances to state
MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake High School fastpitch softball coach Mike Hofheins assessed the game for his team after the Mavericks’ 7-0 win over West Valley (Yakima) Saturday. “That was great softball,” Hofheins said.
Quincy hosts Special Education Field Day
QUINCY — Connie Martin, special education director for the Quincy School District, said she had a goal for the participants in the Special Education Field Day Friday. “I want them to be able to have their moment to shine,” she said. “To be able to participate in a sports event and get their moment in the spotlight. And for their parents to see it.”
Lane closures on SR 17 this weekend, other projects continue
MOSES LAKE — Lane closures are scheduled for the State Route 17 bridge that crosses Interstate 90, starting at 8 p.m. today and lasting through Monday. Crews will be working 24 hours per day, from Friday night through 6 a.m. Monday.
Grant, Adams counties need more housing, Department of Commerce says
OLYMPIA — The state of Washington will need to build more than 1 million new residences over the next 20 years to catch up to current demand and accommodate new residents, according to a report released this week by the Washington Department of Commerce. The Housing Advisory Plan was issued by the Washington State Affordable Housing Advisory Board.
Sprucing up downtown
Work of Moses Lake students yields colorful results downtown
MOSES LAKE — Samatha Underwood said one lesson she’s learned in three years of planting the flower boxes in downtown Moses Lake is that people really are paying attention. “People actually do appreciate this,” she said. “We actually had somebody in a truck roll down the window and yell, ‘Thank you.’”
Shoppers hunt for the good stuff at museum yard sale
MOSES LAKE — The appeal of a yard sale is that hunt for treasure. Maybe the treasure is a 1930s radio in a handsome wood cabinet. Maybe it’s jewelry or artwork, maybe a vintage baseball mitt or even a 1970s sewing pattern catalog. The thrill of the hunt attracted shoppers to the Rusty Mammoth sale Friday night and Saturday at the Moses Lake Museum & Art Center.
Ephrata School District hires two new campus leaders
EPHRATA — Ephrata School District officials have announced the selection of Ashlie Miller as the new principal at Ephrata High School. Levi Spencer has been hired as the new assistant principal at Ephrata Middle School.
‘Guaranteed maximum price’ accepted for jail construction
EPHRATA — The maximum cost for building the Grant County Jail and Grant County Sheriff’s Office - just for construction, not equipping it or paying construction fees - will be $131.56 million. The Grant County Commissioners approved an agreement for the “guaranteed maximum price” for construction Tuesday. That’s about $3 million less than the estimated cost for construction made in April, which was about $134.21 million. Grant County Central Services Director Tom Gaines said in a separate interview that reflects changes in the construction market.
Quincy tennis finishes season
QUINCY — The Quincy High School tennis team ended its season Saturday at the boys Caribou Trail League championships and the girls District 6 championships in Quincy. Both were qualifiers to advance in state competition, and the Jacks failed to send any players to the next round.
Groundbreaking celebrates new Coulee City clinic, library
COULEE CITY — Construction could begin this year on the first phase of a project to build a new medical clinic and library in Coulee City. Local officials held a groundbreaking for the project May 10. Officials from the Town of Coulee City and the Port of Coulee City have been working on obtaining funding to build new facilities for the library and clinic, an effort that dates back to 2015, according to a press release from the port.
Stratford Road shooting leaves one injured
MOSES LAKE — One person was injured and a suspect was detained after a shooting on Stratford Road about 16 miles north of Moses Lake Monday evening.
Quincy takes next step toward water, sewer upgrades
QUINCY — Design work is beginning on a project to upgrade sewer systems in the city of Quincy. The city’s water system will be getting some upgrades too, among them a new water tower.
Tennis season ends for Quincy Jacks
QUINCY — Quincy’s Victor Torres lines up the shot during a consolation round doubles match at the District 6/Caribou Trail League tennis championships Saturday in Quincy. Both the boys and girls teams ended the season at the tournament. A review of the Jacks’ tennis season will be in the Wednesday edition of the Columbia Basin Herald.
Basin races have mix of challengers, unopposed incumbents
MOSES LAKE — The filing period for the 2024 election closed Friday with a mixed grouping of candidates at the county and state levels. Some will run against multiple challengers while a few incumbents have exclusive spots on the ballot.
Road work season in full swing
MOSES LAKE — Road construction throughout the Columbia Basin is chugging along as several area projects move forward as spring progresses into summer. Resurfacing of State Route 17 through Moses Lake has moved on to the resurfacing part of the project. Crews started working on the project in April, with the first phase being the replacement of ADA-accessible sidewalk ramps at intersections throughout the project area. The second phase of the project will involve resurfacing about seven miles of SR 17 where it runs through Moses Lake. Work on that began May 8.
Grant Co. generating interest as solar farm location
EPHRATA — With solar power touted as an important part of meeting future energy needs, Grant County is getting increasing interest from companies proposing to build solar generating facilities. Grant County Deputy Development Director Jim Anderson-Cook said that currently county officials are working on eight proposed projects. All of them are between Royal City and Coulee City, most in the Quincy-Ephrata area. “We are getting a lot of attention,” Anderson-Cook said. “The Columbia Plateau in general is getting a lot of attention.”
Adams Co. receives funding for bridge rebuilds
RITZVILLE — Adams County officials are scheduled to start work this fall on the first of six bridges that will be rebuilt to accommodate the widening of the East Low Canal.
Immigration, workforce integration addressed at economic conference
ELLENSBURG — The pattern followed by current immigrants to the United States is similar to earlier periods of higher immigration. Both workers and employers must adjust when integrating immigrants into the workplace. Those were among the conclusions from speakers discussing immigration and its impact on the workplace in Washington at the annual Economic Outlook Conference Monday at Central Washington University in Ellensburg.
SR 17 paving to begin May 8 near I-90
MOSES LAKE — The second phase of repaving of the section of State Route 17 that runs through Moses Lake will begin Wednesday. The second phase is paving, and so drivers should plan for a little slower traffic through the work zones, according to a press release from the Washington Department of Transportation.
WA economy slowing but in relatively good condition, state economists say
ELLENSBURG — Washington’s economy, its job market and unemployment were topics of discussion at the annual Economic Outlook Conference Monday at Central Washington University. Dave Reich, executive director of the Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council, said the state is still dealing with the aftereffects of 2020.
Changes to Grant Co. marijuana regs coming in July
EPHRATA — While some licenses have been issued to multiple entities, as of April 25 the unincorporated areas of Grant County have 117 active licenses for marijuana producers and 29 for marijuana processors. There are 57 tax parcels in the unincorporated areas where people are producing or processing marijuana, according to data that Grant County Development Services personnel obtained from the Washington Liquor and Cannabis Board.
Last piece of steel framing goes into place at Samaritan Hospital
MOSES LAKE — That short piece of steel framing had been around. It was the last steel beam going into the framing at the new Samaritan Hospital. Samaritan Healthcare Chief Executive Officer Theresa Sullivan chronicled some of its travels before it was tacked into place. The last piece of framing marks a milestone, and it’s treated accordingly.
Chip sealing underway near Othello, Royal City next
ROYAL CITY — Road crews will start chip-sealing on a 30-mile section of State Route 26 in the Royal City area beginning in mid-May. Crews are scheduled to finish chip-sealing on a section of SR 26 near Othello later this week. Additional chip seal work is scheduled for US Highway 97 between Tonasket and Oroville in Okanogan County, according to a press release from the Washington Department of Transportation.
Candidate filing opens Monday
EPHRATA — Two countywide elected positions in Grant and Adams counties, county Superior Court seats, all state Representative and some state Senate seats will be up for election in 2024. Two positions also are up for election on the Grant County PUD board. Candidate filing week is next Monday through Friday.
Odessa groundwater area bridge rebuilds receive fed funds
WARDEN — The efforts of Washington legislators have resulted in federal funding to rebuild bridges as part of a long term project to switch irrigators to surface water in a section of the Columbia Basin Project.
Warden sweeps Royal in softball doubleheader
WARDEN — Warden High School softball coach Randy Wright said Tuesday’s doubleheader sweep of the Royal High School Knights was the performance he wanted to see with one week left in the regular season. Warden came from behind to take the first game 9-8 in extra innings and won the second game 7-3. “That’s the sort of thing I was looking for,” Wright said.
Historic view: Things have changed a lot over Lillian Tokunaga’s life
MOSES LAKE — Lillian Tokunaga was born in 1924, into a much different world. Tokunaga turned 100 last week, and has lived in Moses Lake for 76 years. (She’s always liked Moses Lake, she said.) But before moving to Moses Lake her life took her halfway around the world, into some very challenging places.
Owners of Mattawa Fitness Club have big plans
MATTAWA — Ulises Sanchez and Hector Guerrero said their business started as one of those casual conversations, a couple of friends kicking around possibilities. “It started as an idea,” Guerrero said. “We’re both gym people; we go to the gym all the time. And everybody has that conversation, ‘Oh, we should just do a gym one day.’ And one thing led to another.”
Bourbon & Bowties organizers express gratitude
MOSES LAKE — With framing going up for the new Samaritan Hospital, Chief Executive Officer Theresa Sullivan told the packed house at the Bourbon & Bowties fundraiser that it wouldn’t have been possible without the support of hospital district residents.
Options on display at Outdoor Career Day
MATTAWA — No question, life as a firefighter can be demanding, as the abbreviated version of the physical agility test set up by Grant County Fire District 8 demonstrated. Participants dragged a length of fire hose, used a sledgehammer, dragged a dummy a specified distance, then dragged it back. That, said Wahluke High School student Ricardo Sandoval, was the real challenge.
Grant Co. rail expansions to aid economic growth
MOSES LAKE — Four Grant County port districts are working on projects to expand rail transport options available to existing and future businesses. The ports of Moses Lake, Quincy, Warden and Ephrata are researching, designing, planning, and getting ready for construction to expand or add rail service. Some received federal or state funding this spring. Representatives of each of the ports said the expansion of rail service in and around the county would help draw additional tenants to the port and likely the county as a whole. The expansion would provide options for manufacturers and others to bring in needed supplies. It will broaden the area’s cargo transport options to add rail to easy access to air, over-the-road and river-based industrial transport.
Mavs’ Richardson says circle is where she belongs
MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake High School softball pitcher Paige Richardson said one of the most appealing things about the game is the chance it gives her to test herself. “I think a lot of it is the adrenaline that comes from it,” she said. “I love getting that rush, to just have that sense of urgency. I just want to be out there.” She wants to do well for her team, she said, and while softball requires practice, there’s a payoff at the end.
Crack sealing may result in traffic delays throughout Columbia Basin
MOSES LAKE — Drivers traveling through the Columbia Basin and North Central Washington have another reason to build in a little extra time to the trip between now and mid-June. Washington State Department of Transportation crews will be sealing cracks on roads throughout the region. Crack-sealing starts Monday, wrote Sebastian Moraga, WSDOT communications, in a press release. Crews will start near Othello and be working from Othello to Brewster, Wenatchee to Coulee Dam.
Quincy pharmacy searched by federal agencies
QUINCY — Officers from a number of federal agencies conducted a search at a Quincy pharmacy, and at a second location owned by the same people in East Wenatchee, Wednesday afternoon.
Quincy hospital bonds to be paid off sooner than projected
QUINCY — The collection rate for the bonds sold to build the new Quincy Valley Medical Center may be lower than originally anticipated. The sale of the second set of bonds, which will generate about $9 million in revenue, is set for late June.
Jacks soccer team falls to Cascade
QUINCY — About halfway through the second half, with the Quincy High School soccer team on the attack, an opportunity opened up in front of the Cascade High School goal. The shot went over the crossbar. Quincy Coach Hector Vaca said plays like that summed up the Jackrabbits’ 3-0 loss Tuesday in Quincy
Ephrata softball takes doubleheader over Quincy
QUINCY — The Ephrata Tigers softball team used strong hitting and strong pitching to gain wins over the Quincy Jackrabbits, 23-0 and 21-2, in a doubleheader Tuesday at Quincy High School. Ephrata Head Coach Heather Wood said the Tigers have been hitting well all season.
Music, visual arts, drama talents on display at Quincy Arts Night
QUINCY — Music, drama, visual arts, even culinary arts were all on display Monday at Quincy High School at the district’s annual Arts Night. Quincy High School choir director Kylie Youngren said the program was designed to show what arts students have been doing – but also what arts do for the students, and why art is an important part of education. “The arts are important because it’s what makes us human. It helps teach collaborative problem-solving that students can use in a variety of areas, in and outside the arts,” Youngren said.
MLSD levy election today
MOSES LAKE — Ballots are due today in a special election for a two year levy proposal for the Moses Lake School District. If the levy is approved, property owners would pay $2 per $1,000 of assessed property value. If it’s approved it would generate $15.78 million in the first year and $18.94 million in the second year.