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
Royal City waives bid process for pump repairs
ROYAL CITY — Royal City Mayor Kent Anderson was authorized to approve a contract to start repairs on one of the city’s two wells without going through the competitive bid process, after Royal City City Council members passed an ordinance June 1 declaring the well’s failure to be an emergency and waiving the process.
Desert Oasis High School graduation
Scenes from Desert Oasis High School's graduation ceremony Monday, June 7.
Othello High School graduation
Scenes from Othello High School's graduation at Huskie Stadium on Friday, June 4.
Grant County government unveils website
EPHRATA — Grant County officials unveiled a new county website last week.
Mobile clinics designed to bring COVID-19 vaccine to patients
MOSES LAKE — Maybe work has been crazy busy, or maybe the clinic giving COVID-19 vaccinations is 45 minutes away.
Brush fire burns about 150 acres near Vantage
Traffic on Interstate 90 was restricted for a few hours Sunday afternoon as firefighters battled a brush fire near the Wild Horse Monument, about four miles northeast of Vantage.
Sunday fire damages unoccupied home near MarDon
An unoccupied double-wide trailer near MarDon Resort sustained extensive damage when it caught fire Sunday evening.
Game on: Columbia Basin Technical Skills Center students qualify for national FBLA competition
MOSES LAKE — Building a video game with a deadline works better when it’s a collaborative effort.
Sound base: Detail is essential to building a good foundation
EPHRATA — It’s a common expression, from education to business to almost any endeavor, that a successful project starts with a good foundation. It’s especially true when it’s an actual foundation for an actual building.
Ephrata teen drowns in irrigation canal
An Ephrata teenager died Thursday night when he was swept away by the current in an irrigation canal about four miles south of Ephrata.
Quincy boy arrested after allegedly making threat to district office, school
QUINCY — A 15-year-old Quincy boy was arrested Wednesday after he allegedly admitted sending threats to the Quincy School District Office and Quincy Junior High School via Instagram earlier in the day.
Moses Lake man in critical condition after Memorial Day collision
MOSES LAKE — A Moses Lake man was in critical condition at Harborview Medical Center on Wednesday after the farm vehicle he was driving was hit by a car near Moses Lake on Monday.
Traffic stop, arrest reveals likely meth lab
RITZVILLE — A traffic stop led Adams County Sheriff’s Office deputies to discover what they termed a possible mobile meth manufacturing lab.
Samaritan plans construction work, will expand Patton Clinic
MOSES LAKE — Halme Construction Inc., of Davenport, has been awarded a $1.6 million contract to expand the Samaritan Healthcare clinic near Patton Boulevard.
Instructors for virtual class visit in person
MOSES LAKE — Four industry-based instructors visited the Columbia Basin Technical Skills Center on May 24, and video game programming student Logan Beck remarked on the change in perspective – from virtual to in-person learning for the first time this school year.
Othello dog ordinance adjusted
OTHELLO — Dog owners and dogs in the city of Othello will be evaluated on a rating system to determine if the dog is dangerous.
Health district recommends continued mask wearing
MOSES LAKE — Grant County Health District officials said in a release Tuesday Grant County residents should continue wearing masks indoors, even if they’re vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus.
Graduation season kicks off Friday
MOSES LAKE — Graduation ceremonies for the class of 2021 at most local schools will look a little more normal, after a year when school was anything but normal. Schools will hold graduation ceremonies in the next three weekends.
Desert Oasis High School announces graduation schedule
OTHELLO — Graduation ceremonies for the Desert Oasis High School class of 2021 are scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday at Huskie Stadium, the Othello High School football field, 340 S. Seventh Ave.
Applicants sought for Mattawa PD administrative assistant job
MATTAWA — Mattawa city officials are accepting applications for the job of administrative assistant for the Mattawa Police Department.
Othello receives state grant to study property purchase
OTHELLO — The city of Othello will use a $35,258 grant, awarded through the “brownfield” program of the Washington Department of Ecology, to determine whether to buy a piece of property on Cunningham Road.
Coding the future: Wahluke High School students qualify for FBLA nationals
MATTAWA — Two Wahluke High School students will advance to the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) national competition after placing in the top four in state competition. And, a team from WHS placed seventh in the state video game competition.
Royal School District decides against year-round school in reopening plan
ROYAL CITY — The Royal School District will offer summer school and extra tutoring to help kids who fell behind during the COVID-19 pandemic, but will not implement year-round school.
Opening weekend draws crowd
MOSES LAKE — The sun was out, the music was rocking, the pool at the Surf ‘n Slide Water Park was full of splashing, excited kids. Summer is straight ahead.
Swimming and boating require attention to safety
COLUMBIA RIVER — Summer is coming – hey, if temperatures are any indication it’s already here – and on a hot day the river can look mighty tempting. But swimming on the Columbia River, even at the swimming beaches, requires some precautions to be done safely.
Splash time: Public swimming pools to reopen for summer
MOSES LAKE — People will get back in the pool this summer, although operations will be different in some cities at the start of the season.
High winds blow down tree limbs, cause collisions
MOSES LAKE — High winds Thursday afternoon broke tree limbs, sent objects flying and kicked up so much dust that limited visibility caused vehicle collisions on Interstate 90 and some county roads.
Temperatures expected to hit high 90s early next week
MOSES LAKE — Summer is on its way, and if the temperatures are any guide it may arrive as early as Tuesday.
In-person graduation to return to Royal, Othello and Wahluke high schools
ROYAL CITY — It won’t be exactly according to tradition, but the class of 2021 at Royal High School, Othello High School and Wahluke High School will get an in-person graduation ceremony.
Some races to be contested in 2021
EPHRATA — One Royal City City Council race will be on the primary ballot, and Mattawa Mayor Maria Celaya will face a challenger.
March 2021 unemployment improves over March 2020
MOSES LAKE — The COVID-19 pandemic did some damage to Grant County’s economy, but the 2020 unemployment rate did not increase as much in Grant County as it did statewide.
GIS to move to larger building in Mattawa
MATTAWA — Grant Integrated Services, which provides behavioral health treatment for Grant County residents, will open a larger office in Mattawa and expand its available services.
Othello passes feral cat ordinance
OTHELLO — People who feed feral cats will be required to obtain a free “feral cat caregiver” permit under the terms of a new ordinance passed Monday and in effect Tuesday by the Othello City Council.
Noonchester named Grant County Fire District 8 chief
MATTAWA — Joe Noonchester has been selected as the new chief of Grant County Fire District 8 and will take over the job July 1.
Old Hotel Art Gallery hosting student art show
OTHELLO — The annual Othello secondary schools art show will be on display through the end of the month at the Old Hotel Art Gallery on East Larch Street in Othello.
Restoring history: Small Desert Aire chapel refurbished by volunteers, donations
DESERT AIRE — For years the tiny building in the small park next to the entrance of Desert Aire didn’t get a lot of attention. It was pretty easy to miss, hidden back among the tree branches.
Coroner: Quincy boy died in Moses Lake shooting
At least 10 rounds fired in violence police believe was gang-related
A 16-year-old Moses Lake boy was killed and an 18-year-old Moses Lake man injured in a gang-related shooting at a home in the 300 block of South Gibby Road Monday afternoon, police said.
Eight foods most likely to cause allergic reactions
MOSES LAKE — A slice of bread can’t do any harm, can it? A scoop of peanut butter? A handful of almonds?
One dead, another hurt in shooting; victims not named
One unidentified person was killed and a second was taken to Samaritan Hospital after a shooting late Monday afternoon at a home in the 300 block of South Gibby Road in Moses Lake.
River heroes: Grant County PUD employees conduct water rescue, win award
WANAPUM DAM — The volunteers on the emergency response teams for the Grant County PUD do a lot of training – not that it’s boring – but there’s training every month. And then there comes a day it all pays off.
Application period for District Court judge seats to begin soon
EPHRATA — The application period for two judgeships on the Grant County District Court bench probably will open sometime within the next two weeks, and interested people then will have two weeks to apply, said Grant County human resources director Kirk Eslinger.
Local seats up for election draw flurry of candidates
EPHRATA — Two Moses Lake City Council seats and two on the Moses Lake School Board will be on the primary ballot.
Hanging baskets: A sure sign of spring, summer
MOSES LAKE — This is the time of year when porches and balconies blossom with hanging baskets full of flowers.
Interior choices: Color, pattern and personal preference are important when decorating a home
MOSES LAKE — So the living room got painted, or maybe it’s time to paint the living room. Or staying home during the pandemic prompted some thinking about refreshing the place. Or it’s just time for something different; after all, that vase and those pictures have been there for — wow, since the kids were in grade school.
Election draws interest: Moses Lake council, school board races get enough candidates to qualify for primary
EPHRATA — Both Moses Lake School Board races will be on the primary ballot in August and so will at least one of the Moses Lake City Council races. Mattawa Mayor Maria Celaya will have at least one opponent and so will Quincy mayor Paul Worley.
Two men turn selves in after drive-bys
MATTAWA — Two of three men — wanted by the Grant County Sheriff’s Office in two drive-by shootings and a car theft Thursday morning in Mattawa and Grant County — turned themselves in Thursday evening.
State to release new masking guidelines for businesses, workplaces
OLYMPIA — The Washington State Department of Health will issue additional guidance by the end of the week for businesses and workplaces on wearing masks.
Andra named Royal School District assistant superintendent
ROYAL CITY — Red Rock Elementary Principal David Andra was hired Friday as assistant superintendent for the Royal School District, and Linda Achondo, currently the executive director of student and teacher services, will become Red Rock Elementary principal.
The race is on: ML school board, Quincy City Council seats contested after second day of candidate filing
EPHRATA — One of the seats on the Moses Lake School Board will be on the primary ballot in August, a Moses Lake City Council member will face a challenger, and there are two contested Quincy City Council races. Also, recently appointed Grant County Superior Court Judge Tyson Hill will run to retain his seat.
New tenant comes to Port of Mattawa
MATTAWA — Port of Mattawa officials have added a new tenant at the port’s industrial park: Waste Management will have a storage yard for its equipment and receptacles.