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TYLER – On Aug. 20, a devastating fire erupted and swept through Turley Logging & Timberland business leaving behind a trail of destruction and charred debris. The fire ignited just after midnight, rapidly spreading across the property as it fed on the flammable materials scattered throughout the site. By the time Spokane County Fire District 3 arrived, the blaze had already consumed a significant portion of the equipment and infrastructure. The fire's origin appears to be l...
CHENEY — The Cheney Education Association ratified a contract with the School District on Monday, averting a strike. With the strike threat averted, students returned to campus for the start of the 2024-25 school year Tuesday. The new contract includes an 18% salary increase over the next three years for teachers. That includes a 7.2% raise in the first year, a 5% raise in the second year and a 5.8% raise in the third year. Initially, teachers threatened to strike if they didn’t receive a wage increase. The union initially pr...
CHENEY – The Spokane County Elections Office has officially certified the results from the August 20 election, confirming that both the safety levy in Airway Heights and the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) levy in Cheney have passed. The Airway Heights safety measure was approved by a narrow margin of 48 votes, finishing with 630 votes in favor and 582 against, representing 51.39% approval. Cheney’s EMS levy saw overwhelming support, passing by 1,103 votes, with 1,534 in favor and 431 opposed, translating to a 77.79% app...
CHENEY – On Thursday, the Washington Secretary of State's Office certified the results of the state's August 6 primary and announced a hand recount for the lands commissioner race. With around 1.9 million voters participating, the primary covered various open seats from statewide to local levels. The lands commissioner race has produced an exceptionally narrow result, marking the closest second-place finish in Washington's statewide primary history. In the 2024 primary for C...
CHENEY – The 2024 Dirt Road Salvage event, held at the Cheney Rodeo's Bi-Mart Arena last weekend, featured a diverse lineup of activities, music, and over 40 vendors. Event coordinator Heidi Monter reflected on the event, noting that it diverged significantly from her expectations. Strong winds, exceeding 40 miles per hour, caused several vendor booths to remain closed, although some were able to return on Saturday. Despite the challenging conditions, with temperatures p...
SPOKANE – As interest from energy companies in establishing large wind farms in Eastern Washington grows, Spokane County commissioners are laying the groundwork for how these projects will be regulated within county borders. On Tuesday, the commissioners voted 3-1 to direct county staff to draft legislation governing the location and operation of large-scale wind turbines and solar panel facilities. This decision followed a briefing and presentation of a preliminary draft o...
SPRAGUE — Travelers heading westbound on Interstate 90 will need to adjust their plans this Wednesday, Aug. 28, as the Sprague Lake Rest Area will be closed for maintenance. The Washington State Department of Transportation announced that the closure will take place between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. During this time, motorists will not have access to the facilities at the Sprague Lake Rest Area. However, those traveling eastbound will find the Sprague Lake Rest Area still open, albeit with limited services. Portable toilets will b...
CHENEY – The Cheney Education Association (CEA) is pushing for more substantial salary increases than those currently offered by the Cheney School Board, following a week of negotiations. In a recent email update to parents, the school district outlined the CEA's demands. The association is seeking an 8% salary increase for the upcoming school year, along with an additional professional development day in the 2024-25 school year. For the 2025-26 school year, they are asking f...
AIRWAY HEIGHTS – A pedestrian was struck and killed by a vehicle Thursday night on Highway 2, just west of Airway Heights. The incident occurred around 9:27 p.m. at milepost 275, between Airway Heights and Fairchild Air Force Base, according to the Washington State Patrol. Troopers arrived on the scene to investigate. The police report indicates that the pedestrian was walking eastbound in the lane of travel on State Route 2. The individual then suddenly turned north, crossing the westbound lanes, and was struck by a v...
City court receives a $287,650 grant CHENEY – The Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts has awarded the city’s municipal court a grant of up to $287,650 to support its therapeutic community court. The city council unanimously approved this funding measure during its Aug. 13 meeting. Notably, the grant does not require any matching funds from the city, allowing the full amount to be used directly. The funds will be allocated to cover personnel costs, staff equipment and technology, team training and travel, tre...
CHENEY – The Dirt Road Salvage 2024 event is set to return to the Cheney Rodeo’s Bi-Mart Arena on Friday and Saturday. The event, a vintage, handmade and country living vendor fair, will run from Friday from 5-9 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to event coordinator Heidi Monter. This year’s fair features more than just vendors. “We’ve added live music, food, and a variety of activities,” said Monter. New attractions include painting classes, lavender care workshops, and a story time session for children. F...
1 years ago Aug. 21, 2014 Eastern Washington University has gotten some notable visibility with their “Football Starts Here,” campaign that centers around the season’s first football game Saturday at Roos Field versus Sam Houston State and its broadcast across the nation on ESPN. Cheney Merchants Association hatched an idea of its own with an event prior to the EWU-SHSU contest called, “Tailgating Starts Here.” Airway Heights City Council approved, 5-1, the purchase of a new $40,000 truck for the fire department at the co...
Cheney clothing swap CHENEY – Touchstone Real Estate Group is organizing a Cheney Clothing Swap on Sept. 7 from 6 to 7 p.m. at 423 1st Street in downtown Cheney. Participants are encouraged to bring gently used clothes, shoes, and accessories to exchange, and return home with “new-to-you” items. Event coordinators Elise Brehmer and Bekka Shelp invite everyone to bring any unwanted or no longer fitting clothing, ensuring they are in good condition. “Come and discover lots of new-to-you treasures,” they added. Any leftover...
CHENEY – Cheney Cupboard, a food distribution center located at 624 3rd Street, is dedicated to combating food insecurity in the community by providing essential nourishment to those in need. Under the leadership of Executive Director Duane Isaac, the center has seen significant transformations and growth in the last two years. Isaac, a former branch manager at Inspirus Credit Union, and previously Spokane Teacher's Credit Union (STCU) in Cheney, never imagined he would f...
CHENEY - The 2024 football season for Eastern Washington University kicked off with a promising start, as the Eagles held their first of two scrimmages on August 15 at Roos Field. The 70-play event served as a dress rehearsal ahead of the regular season, earning positive feedback from head coach Aaron Best. "What we've shown so far is promising, though not unexpected for the staff," Best remarked after the scrimmage. "We're rotating quarterbacks and personnel, so it's not as...
CHENEY – Cheney's food scene is about to get a boost with the opening of a new Korean BBQ restaurant this week in downtown. Wings Pan, the brainchild of Augy Park, offers a menu featuring handcrafted Buffalo wings, Korean fried chicken, Bulgogi (Korean BBQ) bowls, and more. "I have been developing the perfect chicken wings for two years," said Park, the owner of Wings Pan. Inspired by Buffalo Joe's in Chicago, known for its iconic wings that draw people from miles around, a...
CHENEY – Cheney Education Association President, Meredith Lemelin said the organization’s general meeting will be on Tuesday. “At that meeting, we will either be presenting our tentative agreement and ratifying our contract for the school year,” Lemelin explained, “Or we may need to vote on our next steps. Whatever they will be.” Helen Page, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent, explained, “The district has been transparent throughout the process, posting updates after each negotiation session since June, and they are...
Rock Ridge's Banjo player Dale Adkins, guitar player and singer Josie Grant and mandolin player Josh Adkins jam through a rhythmic tune that had a few spectators dancing at the annual Blue Waters Bluegrass Festival last weekend. The festival highlighted bluegrass players across the country as well as local talent who took the stage and performed before bluegrass enthusiast. The festival also highlighted a farmers market and other events for kids of all ages. See Page A8 for...
CHENEY — Both Airway Heights public safety levy and Cheney’s Fire Department Emergency Medical Service levy have gained more ground since election day last week at 627-580 and 1,523-430 respectively. If it holds, Airway Heights will be able to employ more police officers and equipment to handle the rise of crime by 133% in the last five years. Cheney Fire Department will be able to continue servicing the community with medical assistance on their calls. In contrast with the successes of the two levies, the 2024 primary ele...
CHENEY – The city is restricting outdoor recreational fires and open burning. The city defines recreational fires as any outdoor fire that does not use a chimney, such as those in backyard fire pits or campfires using chopped firewood or charcoal. City officials said all open burning, including of fields or yard waste, is prohibited. However, manufactured portable outdoor devices like fireplaces, chimneys, barbecues, and patio warmers are allowed — if used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Approved fuels...
CHENEY – Local teachers were planning a rally Tuesday afternoon to put pressure on School District officials to come to an agreement on a contract. The protest was set to begin at 1:15 p.m. in front of Cheney Middle School; the newspaper went to press before the event began. School District officials were unable to be reached for comment on deadline. Cheney Education Association union officials and School District leaders have been meeting since May to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement for the 2024-25 school y...
OLYMPIA – The state Department of Ecology honored three area wastewater treatment plants with Outstanding Performance Awards last week. The recipients include Cheney Wastewater Treatment Plant, Fairchild Mobile Home Community Wastewater Treatment Plant and Liberty School District #362 Wastewater Treatment Plant. Statewide, more than 300 wastewater treatment plants are maintaining the health of rivers, lakes, wetlands and Puget Sound, Ecology officials said. These facilities manage the waste generated by homes and b...
Teachers credit union buys Community Bank LIBERTY LAKE – Spokane Teachers Credit Union have enter into purchase and assumption agreement to acquire and assume substantially all the assets and liabilities of Community Bank, last Tuesday. Community Bank has 10 branches in Wallowa, Union, Umatilla and Baker counties in Oregon and Walla Walla and Asotin Counties in Washington along with $550 million in total assets. If approved by the regulatory agencies, all Community Bank branches would transfer to STCU and become part of i...
MEDICAL LAKE – Last weekend, Waterfront Park hosted a gathering of bluegrass enthusiasts who traveled from near and far to enjoy performances by eight bluegrass bands from across the country at the Blue Waters Annual Bluegrass Festival. The festival brought a wealth of surprises, with a bustling crowd of campers and attendees soaking in hours of bluegrass music throughout the weekend. Notable bands that traveled long distances included New Dangerfield with their distinctive b...
CHENEY – The region experienced its fourth-highest recorded temperature Friday, Aug. 2, hitting 105 degrees amidst what has been declared the hottest July on record, according to the National Weather Service for Spokane. July 21 alone saw the mercury rise to 107 degrees, contributing to the overall scorching month, now noted as the hottest since Spokane temperature records began in 1881, the National Weather Service reported. From July 1-24, temperatures consistently ran well-above average, with 14 days surpassing norms by a...
