Mattawa council discusses animal control
CHERYL SCHWEIZER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year AGO
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. | August 9, 2025 5:42 PM
MATTAWA – Mattawa City Council members discussed dogs running at large during the council’s Thursday meeting after a problem with a dog at the residence of council member Sylvia Barajas.
“It just barks at everything that passes – cars, humans, everything,” Barajas said.
The dog has caused problems in her neighborhood, she said, and family members have mistaken it for her dog. Her family members eventually caught the stray. When she inquired about animal control, she was told the city lacked equipment, she said.
Public Works Director Juan Ledezma said city officials have some challenges with that equipment.
“We found, when placing them around, they were going to be damaged,” Ledezma said. “Unless we’re monitoring it, it gets run over and they’re (difficult) to repair and fix, and we end up buying a new one.”
Dogs more than six months of age living within the city limits must be licensed, he said.
“If you feed a dog, then you assume responsibility for the dog,” Ledezma added.
ARTICLES BY CHERYL SCHWEIZER
Road projects on hold for Labor Day weekend
MOSES LAKE — With Labor Day weekend dead ahead, drivers will be able to move freely about the state. Most road projects are on hold for the holiday weekend. Nobody will be working on the Hansen Road overpass on Interstate 90, but the lane restrictions that are in effect will continue through the end of the project.
Cost estimates for water source alternatives given to Moses Lake City Council
Protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, efforts are ongoing to keep it self-sufficient
MOSES LAKE — It’s going to cost a lot of money to provide alternative water sources for the city of Moses Lake, but some of the possible alternatives will cost more than others. City officials provided the Moses Lake City Council with costs for various alternatives Tuesday.
Dryer vent cleaning is important -- but often overlooked
MOSES LAKE — Not all the maintenance a house needs is visible. Sometimes a potential problem just goes unnoticed until it causes trouble, sometimes serious trouble. But a lot of potential problems give off warning signs. Clothes dryers often do when they need a good cleaning.