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
Moses Lake man remembers his Navy service with carrier replica
MOSES LAKE — Robin Major enjoyed serving on the USS Bennington.
Grant PUD selects route for Royal City transmission line
EPHRATA — A new 115-kilovolt transmission line to a planned electrical substation near Royal City will run along Road D Southwest.
Volunteer lunch program halted, at least temporarily
MOSES LAKE — Dorine Mata and her best friend Erika Espinoza had to make a tough decision.
Samaritan employees fill in as screeners
MOSES LAKE — The stop signs and barriers at Samaritan Hospital, the screening regimen in place before people can move beyond the lobby, are signs of the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak. But so is the presence of Jennifer Avery and Megan Peters, at what is, in normal times, the lobby’s information desk.
Most Grant County road work to go ahead as planned
EPHRATA — While the COVID-19 outbreak has postponed some planned repairs to Grant County roads, most of the work will continue as scheduled.
Surgery postponements will hurt Samaritan finances
MOSES LAKE — Hospitals have been ordered to defer all elective surgeries until at least May 18, which already has had an impact at Samaritan Hospital.
Julianne Klein helps a dog find her family
Julianne Klein helps a dog find her family
MOSES LAKE — Julianne Klein said she first saw the dog in the parking lot at Papa’s Casino one day in early February.
People urged to pay more attention to hygiene
MOSES LAKE — The outbreak of COVID-19 is requiring people to pay more attention to hygiene and the possible spread of airborne disease.
Many senior living facilities accept mask donations
MOSES LAKE — Some local assisted-living and extended-care facilities are accepting face masks made by volunteers during the COVID-19 outbreak, as well as other kinds of donations.
Volunteers feel impact of Sandhill Crane Festival cancellation
OTHELLO — Planning for the 2020 Sandhill Crane Festival began in August 2019.
Volunteers feel impact of Sandhill Crane Festival cancellation
Volunteers feel impact of Sandhill Crane Festival cancellation
OTHELLO — Planning for the 2020 Sandhill Crane Festival began in August 2019.
Samaritan Hospital will check everyone before entering building
MOSES LAKE — Samaritan Hospital officials are looking for — but not finding, at least not yet — additional ventilation machines and adapting more hospital rooms to accommodate possible patients with respiratory illnesses. Hospital officials updated commissioners on the response to the COVID-19 outbreak during a special meeting Friday.
Seven additional Grant County COVID-19 cases identified
Adams County announces first case
Senior centers around the Columbia Basin reduce activities, close
Normally the tables at the Moses Lake Senior Center are full at lunchtime, but not this week.
Local food banks remain open, take extra precautions
MOSES LAKE — Food banks in Moses Lake and Ephrata have changed some of their procedures in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, but they are open and will remain open.
Columbia Basin Allied Arts reschedules performances
Spokane Jazz Orchestra still coming to town
Lawsuit against Grant PUD dismissed
Plaintiffs can file suit in state court, federal judge rules
Repair Cafe teaches students repair skills, professionalism
SOAP LAKE — The telephone presented a challenge.
City officials discourage cash for paying utility bills
MOSES LAKE — On the day after Grant County PUD announced it was closing its facilities to public access, an elderly woman stood on the sidewalk outside the Moses Lake office of Grant PUD, cash in hand. She told a bystander she was trying to pay her bill, but with the office closed she couldn’t.
Preliminary closure plans given to Othello School Board
OTHELLO — Othello School District officials haven’t announced yet how they plan to conduct school during an emergency shutdown ordered by Gov. Jay Inslee, but it won’t be online.
Businesses prepare to close or limit services
MOSES LAKE — Businesses across the county woke up to the news that they would be forced to shutter their doors or limit their business in the coming weeks in the face of the coronavirus outbreak and a Sunday announcement from Gov. Jay Inslee.
COVID-19 scrambles events planned by local organizations
MOSES LAKE — Postponements and cancellations of events, along with facility closures, have piled up nationwide as a response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Locally, some events have been canceled or postponed, while others are going ahead as scheduled.
Schools canceling indoor events, limiting access in response to COVID-19
As of now, schools staying open for classes
Moses Lake men fined for campaign finance violation
MOSES LAKE — A Moses Lake attorney and a Moses Lake business owner were assessed $250,000 in fines and court costs after they were found in violation of campaign finance laws. The judgment against attorney Jerry Moberg and business owner Ken Greene stemmed from a mailer sent during the 2014 race for Grant County prosecutor.
Cold weather coming to Columbia Basin Friday, Saturday
MOSES LAKE — That sunny, warmish, moderate weather isn’t going to last. The National Weather Service is forecasting snow for Friday and Saturday, with blustery winds that will make air temperatures feel like they’re in single digits.
Grant PUD closes facilities to public access
EPHRATA — Grant County PUD will close all its customer service offices, PUD headquarters, all other facilities and Wanapum and Priest Rapids dams to public access until further notice after a contract employee was discovered to have had contact with a person with a confirmed case of COVID-19, also known as the novel coronavirus.
Moses Lake High School class in the chicken business
Goal is to make project self-sustaining operation
Commissioners may explore using law and justice tax funds to pay for new morgue
Scope of work being prepared
New campground registration system coming to GC Fairgrounds
New registration system also in the works
Big Bend CC job fair draws prospective employers, employees
MOSES LAKE — More than 100 businesses, agencies, colleges, training schools and other organizations handed out employment information, training criteria and job applications at the annual Job and Career Fair at Big Bend Community College on Thursday.
Coronavirus: Health District releases recommendations for public, businesses
Won’t be able to stop completely, GCHD says, but can reduce number of cases
Moses Lake High School students lend a hand on Dr. Seuss Day
MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake High School student and FFA chapter member Parker Visker said Dr. Seuss Day was a sign of how things had changed since he was young.
Warden pioneer Edna Watkins celebrates 100th birthday
She lived almost 90 years on the family farm
Grant PUD commissioners to vote on Class 17 rate increase
But increases for ‘emerging industries’ smaller than anticipated
Skills center sale designed to teach money management
CB Tech sale designed to teach money management
Students also learned about marketing, customer service
Othello Sandhill Crane Festival set for March 20-22
Birdwatching, lectures on nature-related topics
Soap Lake residents get look at Smokiam Park plan
Residents have opportunity to give opinions on proposal
Information on officer-involved shooting slated for release today
Information on officer-involved shooting scheduled for release later today
MOSES LAKE — More information is scheduled to be released this afternoon about an incident Friday night that left a man dead and a police dog injured in Moses Lake.
Remodeling to continue at Samaritan Clinic
MOSES LAKE — The final remodeling project at Samaritan Clinic on Pioneer Way will begin by the end of March, and another project is at the very beginning of the planning stages: Samaritan Healthcare officials are talking about expanding Samaritan’s Patton Clinic.
K9 reported in stable condition
MOSES LAKE — The K9 injured in a Friday night incident that resulted in the death of a suspect is reportedly in stable condition as of Saturday afternoon.
Samaritan Healthcare finishes 2019 with $7 million profit
Bad debt and charity care expenses total more than $7 million
Samaritan likely to break ground on hospital in summer
Review of cost estimates now underway
Basin Community Orchestra seeking
MOSES LAKE — Rehearsals for the spring season of the Basin Community Orchestra begin March 3, and its conductors are looking for musicians who want to join the orchestra.
Moses Lake Christian Academy gym construction begins
Foundation work starts today
Quilters volunteer skills to help cancer patients
MOSES LAKE — Mel Neal said he was looking for ways to put his considerable skill and experience as a quilter to good use. The Columbia Basin Cancer Foundation came up during a conversation with a friend.
Unemployment up in Adams County in 2019
Average monthly rate for the year rises to 6 percent
State revokes health aide certification of Moses Lake woman
MOSES LAKE — A Moses Lake woman had her home care aide certification permanently revoked after she was convicted of two counts of third-degree rape of a child.
Five hunters to receive trophies at banquet
Youth Outdoors Unlimited will hold fundraiser banquet March 7
Unemployment up in Adams County in 2019
Average monthly rate for the year rises to 6 percent
Grant PUD to purchase portable transformer
EPHRATA — The Grant County PUD will buy a new mobile transformer, estimated to cost $4.5 million, as a backup in case of the failure of a permanent transformer.