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
Cause of Lind house fire undetermined
LIND — The cause of a fire that destroyed a Lind residence in the early morning of July 5 is still under investigation.
Basin area fire departments see mixed July 4, regionally
MOSES LAKE — The July 4 holiday is traditionally celebrated with fireworks – and in summer conditions of the Columbia Basin, traditionally a time for fires. Some fire crews were answering calls all night, while others had little activity. “I’m just glad the Fourth is over this year. We made it through another one,” said Tom Salsbury, chief of Adams County Fire District 5.
Moses Lake facility among those affected by Group14 layoffs
MOSES LAKE — An undisclosed number of employees received layoff notices from the Group14 facility in Moses Lake July 1. Moses Lake facility manager Don Kersey said construction on the facility is continuing. “We did have a layoff (July 1),” Kersey said. “We can’t get into numbers, but we did rebalance our workforce to ensure the long-term resilience (and) competitiveness of our business. (The layoffs were) not just here in Moses Lake, but Group14 here in Washington state. It’s very unfortunate.”
Tower Pizza car show coming to Crescent Bar in August
CRESCENT BAR — There’s still a lot of summer to go, but – alas, eventually summer ends. The owners of Tower Pizza on Crescent Bar plan to send out summer with a bang Aug. 24. Michelle Walsh of Tower Pizza said 2025 will be the fourth year for the Tower Pizza car show. “A lot of us around here have old cars, and we thought it would be fun to bring them out,” Walsh said.
Road construction on hold through July 4 weekend
VANTAGE — People wanting to take to the open road for the July 4 weekend will find it pretty open, with most construction projects on hold until next week. The exception is the eastbound lanes of Interstate 90 over the Snoqualmie summit. “We have a project on eastbound I-90 between North Bend and the summit, which is reduced from three lanes to two lanes,” wrote Summer Derrey, Washington Department of Transportation assistant communications manager for the south central region, in response to a question from the Columbia Basin Herald.
Wildland fire burns 40 acres near Quincy
QUINCY — Fire season is here, as evidenced by multiple fires in Grant County Fire District 3 from Tuesday night through Wednesday afternoon. Fire District 3 Chief David Durfee said people should plan accordingly. “We’re just asking the public to be vigilant,” Durfee said.
Moses Lake council sets priorities at 2-day workshop
MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake City Council members will review a plan July 22 detailing a set of priorities established by council members during two days of discussion earlier this month. City Manager Rob Karlinsey said the plan, whenever it’s approved, will be an important component as city officials make decisions for the future, beginning with the 2026 budget.
Small wildfire being mopped up near George
GEORGE – Fire crews responded to a fire north of Interstate 90 near George Tuesday evening. The blaze was estimated at 25 acres or less before it was put out by Grant County Fire District 3 crews. It is unknown what caused the fire to start shortly after 6 p.m. but crews had it contained and were mopping up by 7:30 p.m. More information will be published as it becomes available.
ACFD 5 considering levy lid lift request
OTHELLO -— Adams County Fire District 5 residents are being invited to the July 8 commission meeting to discuss a proposal to raise the district’s tax assessment, called a levy lid lift. Fire District 5 Chief Tom Salsbury said the increase will replace money the district will lose when its contract with the city of Othello expires in May 2026.
Big party in Othello for nation’s birthday
OTHELLO — The nation’s 249th birthday will be celebrated in Othello with games and a parade and tournaments and fireworks, just like the tradition. “I love the Fourth of July. It’s the biggest party in Othello,” said Jackie Wilhelm, president of the Greater Othello Chamber of Commerce. Most of the activities will be in Lions Park.
Construction starts on Quincy Aquatic Center
QUINCY — The main parking lot for East Park in Quincy will close to traffic this week as construction crews start working on the new Quincy Aquatic Center. Russ Harrington, Parks and Recreation Director, said crews are already excavating the site. “They’re already ripping some of the ground up,” Harrington said.
Revised design may be coming for Quincy fieldhouse
QUINCY — The architects designing the proposed Quincy fieldhouse are being asked to review revising the project to add more indoor courts, rework the layout and convert it to a steel building, along with estimating what that might cost. Pat Haley, executive director for the Quincy Valley Regional Parks District, said officials are considering splitting the building into two sections. “We want to reshape it so that the field is in one building and the courts are in another building,” Haley said.
Access, development part of discussion on Moses Lake street request
MOSES LAKE — Growth, access, development and city processes were topics of discussion at a public hearing June 24 on a request to vacate a Moses Lake street. Moses Lake City Council members decided to continue the hearing to get more information on the request to vacate South Western Avenue. It’s the continuation of what people who gave testimony said is a long-standing issue.
Moses Lake man arrested for possession, intent to sell
MOSES LAKE — A Moses Lake man was booked into the Grant County Jail Wednesday on suspicion of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to sell. “The warrant was the second operation this week targeting illegal drug sales in and around Civic Park,” a release from the Moses Lake Police Department said.
Traffic projects coming to I-90, SR 282
MOSES LAKE — Drivers on Interstate 90 between Road O NE and Dodson Road should be prepared for delays beginning in mid-July. Sebastian Moraga, communications consultant for the Washington Department of Transportation, said construction crews will be paving both the eastbound and westbound lanes. “This year it will be day work,” Moraga said.
Bonnie Helvey and ARFS: Working to make life better for pets and pet owners
EPHRATA — Bonnie Helvey isn’t in her office in Ephrata on Fridays – which is part of her retirement plan, she said – but she’s not just at home. On a recent Friday she was on the road to Issaquah, dropping off some dogs at a foster home and picking up a cat for transfer to another foster home. Helvey is one of the co-founders of Animal Rescue Friends Society of Grant County, and its job is to help animals that are in need. “I’ll be able to do this more when I’m retired,” Helvey said. ARFS of Grant County was founded in 2019 by Helvey and friends Annette Hernandez and Tracy Williams, later Tracy Hill.
Youth spotlight: Quincy students turn raw materials into legacy for Quincy hospital
QUINCY — The old Quincy Valley Medical Center had a few trees next to the parking lot, including three pine trees planted in – well, back in the day, not long after the hospital was built in the late 1950s. The way the new hospital had to fit on the lot meant they were in the way, and they had to come down. That led to an opportunity for the Quincy High School advanced construction class. Career and technical education is a focus at QHS, with a lot of different classes and opportunities, from firefighting to agriculture to certified nursing assistant training. Advanced construction teacher Nick Heuker said Tom Richardson, QVMC director of information services, contacted QHS to see if there might be a use for the wood from those pine trees.
Changes coming to GCSO communication
EPHRATA — Staffing shortages and additional demands on department resources have led the Grant County Sheriff’s Office to make changes in the way GCSO communicates emergency information. Public Information Officer Kyle Foreman said the program will be scaled back.
Two arrested, charged with murder in May shooting
SCHWANA — An East Wenatchee man and a Mattawa man have been booked into the Grant County Jail on suspicion of first-degree murder in the death of a man near Schwana May 28.
Moses Lake council approves homeless plan
MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake city officials will delay getting rid of buildings used at, or destined for, the now-closing Open Doors Sleep Center. Moses Lake City Council member David Skaug suggested looking for a local recipient first during a discussion on closing the sleep center at the regular council meeting Tuesday.
658-acre Othello annexation debate continued to July 14
OTHELLO — An overflow crowd and the Othello City Council asked a lot of questions about a proposal to annex property into the city of Othello during a lengthy public hearing at the regular meeting Monday. Othello Mayor Shawn Logan said the public hearing was, and will be, only to gather public reaction to the two annexation petitions. “Neither of the annexation requests are certified by the (Adams County) assessor in time for this meeting,” Logan said. “Therefore, no city council action is going to be taken tonight on either of these annexation requests.”
Ribbon-cutting celebrates Othello Walmart remodel
OTHELLO — Anthony Briceno, Othello Walmart store manager, was the designated cutter of the ribbon recognizing the store’s remodeling June 20. But he handed the scissors off to someone he wanted to recognize. “Long before I got here, and long after I leave, this lady will be making a lasting impression on the community,” Briceno said. “I would like her to do the honor of cutting the ribbon.”
Moses Lake council to consider homeless response tonight
MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake City Council members will consider recommendations for the city’s response after the closing of the Open Doors sleep center tonight. Mayor Dustin Swartz said the city, if the council approves the draft plan, would focus on facilitation rather than providing direct services. “We understand that other agencies that operate both inside and outside Grant County are better equipped to deal with (providing services),” Swartz said.
Industrial development district to stretch from Warden to north of Moses Lake
MOSES LAKE — Port of Moses Lake commissioners voted unanimously Monday to establish a district designed to give port officials more flexibility when working on development projects. Commissioner Kent Jones said the new Industrial Development District will help meet the demands of current and future development in the district.
Break in Quincy canal closes road Saturday
WINCHESTER — A break in the wall of an irrigation canal closed a road for a few hours about four miles south of Winchester Saturday morning.
Sue’s Boutique owner announces retirement
MOSES LAKE — From the beginning, Sue’s Gift Boutique has been a true family business. “It was easy to work around with my kids,” said owner Sue Torrence. Her sons Brian and Brent grew up at the store, and at her late husband Les’s barbershop down the street – the barbershop her son Brent operates now.
Bids opened for Moses Lake downtown resurfacing project
MOSES LAKE — Some streets in Moses Lake’s downtown area that are now two lanes in each direction will be reconfigured to one lane in each direction with a center turn lane as part of a resurfacing project. The chip-seal project is tentatively scheduled to begin in July.
Washington State Patrol plans emphasis patrol around Gorge Amphitheater
QUINCY — The Washington State Patrol will be conducting additional patrols in the area around the Gorge Amphitheater this weekend, the first of a number of “High Visibility Enforcement” patrols scheduled over the summer. Jeremy Weber, WSP District 6 public information officer, said the goal is to ensure people get where they’re going and back home without incident.
Road reconstruction starts in Quincy, almost done on Westshore Drive
MOSES LAKE — There is an old saying in road construction that there are two seasons, winter and construction. It is officially construction season in Quincy; a six-month project to upgrade Second Avenue Southwest began this week.
Some progress for ag in 2025 legislative session, Dent says
MOSES LAKE — While some progress has been made on revising the state’s Climate Commitment Act to reduce its impact on farming, Representative Tom Dent, R-Moses Lake, said there’s still work to do. A bill sponsored by Dent, HB 1912, makes the process of getting an exemption for some CCA fuel sanctions easier. The bill also added propane to the list of fuels eligible for exemption. But Dent said he couldn’t get his colleagues in the legislature to agree on other provisions that would be of help to farmers. “Some of my colleagues - they don’t understand what agriculture really means,” Dent said. “They said, ‘(The exemption) is just for farm use.’ and I said, ‘Here’s the thing. The baler breaks down and I jump in my diesel pickup and drive to town to buy parts. Is that not agriculture use?’ And (the reply was), ‘Oh, we didn’t think about that.’”
Quincy street plan subject of July 1 public hearing
QUINCY — The Quincy City Council will hold a hearing July 1 to solicit public opinion on the city’s six-year street improvement plan. It's scheduled for 6 p.m. during the regular council meeting at Quincy City Hall, 104 B St. SW. Some proposed street improvements are tied to development, and others, said Quincy Engineer Ariel Belino, are added because the streets in question need some work.
Food truck ordinance under review in Royal City
ROYAL CITY — Royal City residents will get further chances to comment on updates to the city’s ordinances for mobile food vendors, a subject that’s been under extensive discussion by Royal City City Council members. Finance Director Janice Flynn said revisions have become a topic as mobile food vendors have become more popular.
Positive audit result of hard work by Wahluke School District staff, superintendent says
MATTAWA — After a few years of audits that identified deficiencies, Washington state auditors found that the Wahluke School District didn’t have any new deficiencies and corrected previously identified problems. District Superintendent Andy Harlow said the audit findings are a reflection of staff members that are committed to Wahluke, many of them WSD alumni.
Ybarra bill designed to make it easier to fulfill demands for electricity, transmission
OLYMPIA — A bill co-sponsored by 13th District Rep. Alex Ybarra, R-Quincy, will make it easier for public entities to enter into agreements with private or other public partners to develop energy generation and transmission facilities. Ybarra and Rep. Beth Doglio, D-Olympia, sponsored House Bill 1253, which passed the Washington House 94-1 and the Senate 49-0. Governor Bob Ferguson signed the bill into law on May 15 with an effective date of July 27, 2025. Ybarra said the new law is designed to address some of the challenges as state officials attempt to shift energy use to new sources. “We’re working both sides of the aisle to make this happen,” Ybarra said. “This isn’t a political thing for me, or an engineering thing. The physics book says, three laws of physics and this is how energy works. It’s not politics, it’s just physics and energy.”
Winds forecast to increase fire danger through Wednesday
MOSES LAKE — Summer officially starts Saturday, but really it’s already here, and elevated fire danger is one of the signs. It's been dry in Central Washington over the last 30 days, and winds are expected to increase ahead of a cool front forecast for the weekend. Daniel Butler, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Spokane, said the highest risk is Wednesday.
Applicants sought for Grant County Health Commission seat
MOSES LAKE — Applications are being accepted from qualified people for one commission position and two alternate positions on the Grant County Board of Health. Vice chair Matt Palach said the job involves overseeing an agency with wide-ranging responsibilities, from birth and death certificates to infectious disease investigations.
Books that are great for – well, define beach read
MOSES LAKE — Ah, summer. Long lazy evenings, vacation, perfect for chilling with a good book. Now, each person’s definition of a good summer read is going to be different. Maybe it’s a romantasy set in a faraway world. Or maybe, those long summer days, when the living is easy, are a good time to set up on that challenging stuff that’s just too grim for the cold and dark of winter. (Third volume of the Stalin biography, anyone?)
Former Port of Mattawa director under investigation for misuse of funds
MATTAWA — The Grant County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a report from the Washington State Auditor’s Office that found former Port of Mattawa General Manager Lars Leland may have misappropriated port funds. Port commissioners said in a statement that some possible irregularities were discovered while port officials were preparing for an audit.
Some road projects close to completion, others scheduled for July
MOSES LAKE — Summer construction season does not always mean road construction. A section of a downtown Moses Lake street got a new sidewalk this week. Crews from McBoyz Construction, Moses Lake, were out on Thursday morning pouring and finishing new sidewalk at the intersection of West Third Avenue and South Balsam Street. The old sidewalk was removed from about half the block of West Third Avenue, along with the corner sections and about half the block along South Balsam Street.
Moses Lake Ace store closes
MOSES LAKE — Ag Supply Ace Hardware has ceased operation in Moses Lake after seven years in business. The closure was announced Tuesday.
Moses Lake response to homelessness still in development
MOSES LAKE — What follows the closure of the Open Doors Sleep Center at the end of the month, and the role of the city of Moses Lake, is still under discussion. Moses Lake Mayor Dustin Swartz said the city is not the only one dealing with homelessness, and from his perspective, some of the government responses to the issue seem to be changing statewide. Moses Lake is looking at a new approach. “We’re proposing more of a treatment-first approach,” Swartz said Wednesday.
Excitement, emotion at Wahluke 2025 graduation
MATTAWA — Standing in a packed hallway following the ceremony, new Wahluke High School graduate Juanairis Lopez said graduation was both exciting and disconcerting. “It feels awesome,” he said. “But it went by too fast, that’s for sure.”
Memories, gratitude at Quincy graduation ceremony
QUINCY — Class speaker and Quincy High School teacher Wade Petersen had some praise and some advice for the QHS class of 2025. “You didn’t just buy through high school, you slayed it,” Petersen told the seniors. “You became young adults, ready to skibidi your way into the real world.” It won’t always be easy, though, Petersen said. “Whatever you choose, know this. Life’s not always going to be a dub. You’re going to take some L’s along the way,” he said.
Mattawa man drowns in irrigation canal
MATTAWA — The body of a Mattawa man was discovered late Tuesday after he apparently drowned in an irrigation canal.
Former Hatton town clerk-treasurer arrested for theft from town
RITZVILLE — The former Hatton clerk-treasurer and fire chief turned himself in to the Adams County Sheriff’s Office June 6 while under investigation for first-degree theft, first-degree possession of stolen property and seven counts of mail theft. Jared Potts, Lind, allegedly misappropriated town funds and kept town equipment at his home.
Othello park rental fee revision sparks heated discussion
OTHELLO — Park rental fees in Othello have been amended after some confusion led to an overcharge of the Othello Chamber of Commerce and a spirited discussion between Othello City Council members and city employees Monday.
Port of Moses Lake eyeing industrial development district
MOSES LAKE — Port of Moses Lake officials will have a public hearing at 10 a.m. June 23 to get public reaction to a proposal to form an industrial development district. The port’s attorney, Frank Chmelik, said an industrial development district would give port officials more flexibility. “You pick up a few more powers for industrial development, is essentially what happens,” Chmelik said.
Fire burning near Royal City
ROYAL CITY — Grant County Fire District 10, state, federal and other local firefighters are battling a blaze about 14 miles northwest of Royal City as of 6:30 p.m. Monday.
Wanapum fire, near Beverly, burns about 370 acres
BEVERLY — A wildland fire closed a portion of state Route 243 north of Beverly Burke Road for about four and a half hours Saturday near Wanapum Dam and the Wanapum Village.
MLFD chief search presenting a challenge
MOSES LAKE — Applications will be accepted through June 22 for a new Moses Lake Fire Chief. It’s the second attempt to find a replacement for longtime Chief Brett Bastian, and Fire Administrator Mike Ganz said the process will be different the second time around.