Tuesday, December 16, 2025
44.0°F

Ready to read

CHERYL SCHWEIZER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 9 years, 6 months AGO
by CHERYL SCHWEIZERStaff Writer
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. | June 15, 2016 6:00 AM

MOSES LAKE — The North Central Regional Library’s summer reading program will bring puppet theater, knights and a lesson on hydropower from the Chelan County PUD to Columbia Basin libraries.

The Book-It Theater, Seattle, will present live performances during the summer in Moses Lake, Quincy, Ephrata and Soap Lake. The Pacific Science Center will make a visit to Moses Lake and Quincy Aug. 8.

Activities begin the week of June 20-24 and continue through the week of Aug. 15-19. Along with special programs, there are weekly crafts and activities at each library.

The in-library program for children is supplemented by online programs for children, teens and adults. More information is available on the regional library website, www.ncrl.org.

It’s a sports theme for 2016, “On Your Mark, Get Set ... Read.”

Summer special events also include a photo editing class at all Basin libraries except Warden. It’s scheduled for June 23 in Ephrata and Soap Lake, July 26 in George, Aug. 2 in Quincy and Aug. 21 in Moses Lake. The 90-minute class is held at different times, depending on the library.

The Book-It Theater comes to Soap Lake and Ephrata June 24; the Soap Lake performance is at 10:30 a.m., with the curtain going up at 1:30 p.m. in Ephrata. The company’s tour presents plays based on children’s books. “Flora and Ulysses” is scheduled for Ephrata and Soap Lake and is the story of a squirrel sucked up in a vacuum cleaner who becomes a superhero.

Book-It Theater visits Moses Lake Aug. 15 and Quincy Aug. 16. They will present “Level Up” by Gene Yuan Lang, a story about video games, supernatural visitors and a young man’s dilemma over choosing a career and direction for his life.

The NRCL Puppeteers visit each library twice during the summer. The puppeteers write and produce an original puppet show each year, based on the reading program theme.

The Knights of Veritas will appear in George and Warden. The Knights, based in Ellensburg, use historically accurate tools, armor and techniques to demonstrate life and conflict in the Middle Ages.

The Chelan County PUD visits all libraries in the system during the summer, telling the story of hydropower in general and its development along the Columbia River in particular. Musician and storyteller Deb McVay will bring her English-Spanish program to all local libraries except Moses Lake.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at [email protected].

ARTICLES BY CHERYL SCHWEIZER

Grant PUD seeks rate input
December 16, 2025 3 a.m.

Grant PUD seeks rate input

EPHRATA — Grant County Public Utility District customers have until Dec. 23 to submit their comments on proposed rate hikes that would go into effect in April 2026. Comments can be submitted at Grant PUD: Commission Meetings. Customers commenting at the last PUD commission meeting of 2025 said higher rates are going to be a challenge. Commissioner Terry Pyle said the PUD is facing challenges too.

High winds forecast Tuesday and Wednesday
December 16, 2025 3:15 a.m.

High winds forecast Tuesday and Wednesday

MOSES LAKE — While the heavy rain, heavy snow and flooding is expected to stay north of the Columbia Basin, the Basin won’t escape the storms forecast to roll through the region this week. According to the National Weather Service, it’s going to get pretty windy. “We do have a very busy week ahead of us,” said Antoinette Serrato, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Spokane.

More rain for Cascades, high winds for Columbia Basin this week
December 13, 2025 4:26 p.m.

More rain for Cascades, high winds for Columbia Basin this week

LEAVENWORTH — A second strong winter storm is projected to hit Washington this week, bringing heavy rains back to areas that were hard-hit by rain and flooding last week. Steve Bodnar, meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Spokane, said rain is forecast to start Monday, but won’t last as long.