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
'Charley's Aunt' premieres Friday
Classic farce begins three-weekend run
SOAP LAKE - Undeclared love, despicable guardians, aunts incognito, marrying for money, a pratfall here and there - not to mention a little cross-dressing - will fill the stage with the Masquers production of "Charley's Aunt," opening Friday.
Ephrata seniors looking forward to the next adventure
Getting the most out of high school means putting something into it
EPHRATA - Kids can get the most out of high school by putting something into it. That's the lesson that Chance Flanigan and Alejandra Mendoza said they drew from their experiences at Ephrata High School.
Repair work started at Wanapum Dam
Repair plans include reinforcing all spillway pillars
EPHRATA - Repair work began earlier this month on a damaged spillway pillar at Wanapum Dam, and has started on the rest of the dam.
Boys and Girls Club construction underway
Plan is to open in late August
MOSES LAKE - The new Boys and Girls Club is scheduled to be open in time for the 2014-15 school year.
Pals Club members show off their talents
Singing, dancing, skits for an audience of family and fellow MLHS students
MOSES LAKE - Students in the Pals Club (life skills) class at Moses Lake High School showed off what they could do in the third annual Life Skills Talent Show Thursday.
5 districts must work on school improvement plans
Some already on the list, others new
OLYMPIA - Five Columbia Basin school districts will be required to work on improvement plans at schools within the district, based on a list released by the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Memorial includes Moses Lake teacher
Leona Caires among school personnel remembered
EMPORIA, KANSAS — A Moses Lake teacher will be among the 112 people remembered on a memorial to teachers, administrators and other school personnel killed while working at school or with students. The memorial, at the National Teachers Hall of Fame at Emporia State University, will be dedicated June 12.
Students 'Bike to School' at Larson Heights Elementary
To promote physical fitness, lifetime activity
MOSES LAKE — About 25 students from Larson Heights Elementary hit the street Wednesday morning as part of “Bike to School Day.” Principal Diana McFaul and three teachers rode along.
Drug prevention program May 14
Mock crash, speakers part of eighth annual event
MOSES LAKE - A mock crash - that includes a mock arrest for driving under the influence - will be among the activities during the eighth annual Community Partnership Against Drug Abuse, scheduled for May 14 at Big Bend Community College.
Tigers, elephants headline Shrine Circus
Big Top, acrobats, clowns, jugglers come to Moses Lake
MOSES LAKE - All Nicu Dragomir wanted, when he was kid at school, was to go back to the circus.
Lions raise awareness, money for vision impaired
Lions distribute information, raise funds during White Cane Days
MOSES LAKE - Members of the Moses Lake Lions chapter set out Friday and Saturday, collecting money to help people who have vision and hearing disabilities, and raising awareness about the diseases and their effects.
Nurse practitioner program begins in Othello
Application deadline is May 15
OTHELLO - The Columbia Basin Health Association will start a training program for nurse practitioners, beginning in September. The program's application deadline is May 15.
Samaritan to sponsor health fair May 17
MOSES LAKE - Low-cost (and in some cases free) health screenings and lots of health information will be available at the Samaritan Community Health Fair, from 7 to 11 a.m. May 17 at Samaritan Clinic, 1550 South Pioneer Way.
Information fair for Latino students, families May 9
MOSES LAKE - The information fair for prospective students and parents of Hispanic descent is scheduled for May 9. The Educate @ Big Bend Latino Education Fair will be from 4:30 to 8 p.m. at the ATEC building on the BBCC campus.
Potentially a very good cherry year
QUINCY - If Mother Nature does her part, it could be a good year for Washington cherries.
PUD commissioner announces run for new term
Bob Bernd running for third term
EPHRATA - Incumbent Grant County PUD commissioner Bob Bernd has announced he will run for a third four-year term.
Loss of federal waiver will have local impact
Will require local school districts to set aside portion of federal money
MOSES LAKE - State education officials announced last week that the federal government rescinded the state's waiver from the No Child Left Behind Act. What that will mean is still a little uncertain, according to local school officials.
Information fair for Latino students, families May 9
College financial aid, academic support, Running Start among topics
MOSES LAKE - The information fair for prospective students and parents of Hispanic descent is scheduled for May 9. The Educate @ Big Bend Latino Education Fair will be from 4:30 to 8 p.m. at the ATEC building on the BBCC campus.
2014 cherry season looking promising
QUINCY - If Mother Nature does her part, it could be a good year for Washington cherries.
Moses Lake High School's 'Just Another High School Play' premieres Wednesday
MOSES LAKE - A cautionary tale about what happens when the cast blows off the school play will be presented by the Moses Lake High School Masque and Gavel Club April 30 and May 1 and 2.
New hoops for 2014 Springfest tournament
Limited registration may be available
MOSES LAKE - Late entries will be taken through Monday for the 3-on-3 basketball tournament during Spring Fest, May 23 and 24. Entries will only be accepted if there's space available in the bracket, organizer Sean Sallis said.
Big Bend project at top of priority list
Rated first among construction projects for community-technical colleges
MOSES LAKE - If the Washington Legislature provides the funding, Big Bend Community College could start planning for a new professional-technical education center as early as next spring.
Cost of Wanapum damage estimated at $61 million
EPHRATA - Repairs, mitigation and lost revenue at Wanapum Dam could cost the Grant County PUD $61 million. But the utility probably will be able to meet the costs without asking for an extra rate increase, according to information presented at the Board of Commissioners meeting Tuesday.
Cost of Wanapum damage estimated at $61 million
EPHRATA - Repairs, mitigation and lost revenue at Wanapum Dam could cost the Grant County PUD $61 million. But the utility probably will be able to meet the costs without asking for an extra rate increase, according to information presented at the Board of Commissioners meeting Tuesday.
Soap Lake school honors employee
Library will be named for longtime employee June Lee
SOAP LAKE - June Lee said she thought Soap Lake school officials wanted to meet with her because they needed help on a committee or something. What they actually wanted was to tell her they had decided to name the high school library after her.
Allison Hyer named DYW winner
Quincy Wilks, Elisabeth Knopp first and second finalists
MOSES LAKE - Allison Hyer is the Moses Lake Distinguished Young Woman for 2014. She won the title at the program held April 19.
Registration open for prayer breakfast
Moses Lake native is guest speaker
MOSES LAKE - Advance registration is open through Friday for the Grant County Mayor's Prayer Breakfast, scheduled for 7 to 9 a.m. May 6 at the ATEC building on the Big Bend Community College campus.
Les Schwab to award charities, volunteers
Nominations for 'Doing the Right Thing' program start May 1
MOSES LAKE - Everybody knows those hardworking people who work in their communities to make a difference. Employees at Les Schwab Tire Centers in north central Washington are starting a campaign to recognize some of those people in the region.
Quincy hospital may ask for levy
Looking for ways to address debt issues
QUINCY - Board members for the Quincy Valley Medical Center are considering offering a maintenance and operations levy request to district voters. If hospital officials decide on an M&O levy, the proposition could go to voters sometime this year.
Crowds fill ATEC for BBCC job fair
More than 60 businesses, colleges, agencies on hand
MOSES LAKE - Prospective employers lined the halls and filled the meeting room, and potential employees crowded the aisles at the Job and Career Fair at Big Bend Community College Thursday.
ML student places fifth in state geography bee
Kristin Vega has perfect score in preliminary round
MOSES LAKE - What's the capitol of Eritrea? Kristin Vega knows, and that knowledge got her into the finals of the state geography bee.
Concert Association celebrates 60 years
Some participants have been on the board of directors half a century
MOSES LAKE - Music is everywhere these days, of course - on phones, in the mall, in a lot of offices and stores. But there's nothing like live performance.
Friday night craft classes at BBCC
MOSES LAKE - Two crafts classes are scheduled for consecutive Fridays in early May at Big Bend Community College. The "No Experience Required" series is part of the college's public education series.
Eight compete for Distinguished Young Woman title
Moses Lake Distinguished Young Women program is April 19
MOSES LAKE - Eight high school juniors will compete for the title of Moses Lake Distinguished Young Woman in the annual program scheduled for 7 p.m. April 19 at the Moses Lake High School theater.
New cardiac physician at Samaritan Clinic
Accident led to complete change of career for Joseph Weiss
MOSES LAKE - It was one of those things that should've been minor but turned out to be major, life-changing in fact.
Registration open for Alumni Association lunch
Class of 1954 and 2014 scholarship recipients to be recognized
MOSES LAKE - The Moses Lake Alumni Association will hold its annual luncheon May 3 at Frontier Middle School. The registration deadline has been extended to April 20.
BBCC blood drive also to raise awareness
MEChA Club hopes to encourage blood, marrow donation
MOSES LAKE - A blood drive to increase the supply in eastern Washington now and promote donation in the future was held Wednesday at Big Bend Community College. The blood drive was sponsored by the college's MEChA chapter.
More students eligible for state college aid
Access to state need grants extended
MOSES LAKE - Some state financial aid for post-secondary education may be available to students who are Washington residents but not U.S. citizens, according to Big Bend Community College officials.
Samaritan Healthcare adding surgical staff
MOSES LAKE - Samaritan Healthcare and the Confluence Health clinic in Moses Lake plan to hire as many as five new surgeons by the end of the year.
Prayer breakfast draws big crowd
MOSES LAKE - Service and significance were the topics at the 21st annual Mayor's Prayer Breakfast Tuesday morning.
BBCC students named to all-state academic team
MOSES LAKE - Two Big Bend Community College students were selected for the All-Washington Academic Team. Carson Heschle, of Ephrata, and Jessie Sumerau, of Moses Lake, were among 68 community college students recognized during a reception in Olympia March 27.
Eight vie for Moses Lake Distinguished Young Woman title
Pageant scheduled for April 19
MOSES LAKE - Eight high school juniors will compete for the title of Distinguished Young Woman in the program scheduled for 7 p.m. April 19 at the Moses Lake High School theater.
BBCC Job and Career Fair April 17
More than 60 companies, government agencies registered for booths
MOSES LAKE - Prospective job seekers will be able to learn about and ask questions of more than 60 companies, agencies and colleges at the Job and Career Fair at Big Bend Community College April 17.
Quincy hospital decides against levy increase
QUINCY - Quincy Valley Medical Center board members tentatively decided not to ask voters for a levy increase.
BBCC administrator receives national award
Terry Kinzel helped to 'transform' Big Bend Community College
MOSES LAKE - A Big Bend Community College administrator was recognized with a national award last month. Terry Kinzel, director of the Title V grant program and a college grant writer, was among 400 people in the country to receive a John and Suanne Roueche Excellence Award.
Home Expo draws crowds
Practical and quirky suggestions for home improvement, home decor on display
MOSES LAKE - All sorts of goodies and gadgets for the home and garden, from candles to solar panels, were on display for perusal and sale at the Central Washington Home Expo over the weekend. The show was sponsored by the Columbia Basin Herald.
Sandhill Crane Festival draws hundreds
Birdwatchers, naturalists, photographers come to see the cranes
OTHELLO - The town of Othello overflowed with people who like to watch birds, people who like being outdoors and people who like to photograph all of it during the Sandhill Crane Festival over the weekend.
Community quilt benefits scholarship fund
Soap Lake through the eyes of local artists
SOAP LAKE - It's one of those occasions where the project was supposed to be about one thing and ended up evolving into something else. Happenstance, in a way.
MLSB OKs middle school boundaries
MOSES LAKE - Students living along Patton Boulevard and in the Larson Heights Elementary service district will attend the new Endeavor Middle School. Moses Lake School Board members voted to accept the recommendation of a committee that worked on the boundary adjustments at their March 27 meeting.
Habitat for Humanity house dedicated in ML
MOSES LAKE - Tammy Roloff said an incredible chain of circumstances got the new, accessible house she had always wanted for her family. Or, in her opinion, maybe divine intervention.