Sorted by date Results 201 - 225 of 247
MEDICAL LAKE – A local boy who remains in the custody of the Spokane County Juvenile Detention Center used high school computers to research bomb-making before threatening on social media to blow up the school. The 16-year-old boy, whose name has not yet been released, is charged with threats to bomb or injury property, records show. He was arrested Nov. 5 following an investigation by School Resource Deputy Carlos after allegedly threatening to place homemade pipe bombs in the high school, records show. The threat was a...
CHEWELAH – Medical Lake cross country teams continue to fly as both boys and girls varsity won the district championship Oct. 30 at Chewelah Golf Course. The event was the most productive district race in head Coach Gene Blankenship’s 11 years of coaching at Medical Lake, he said. For the third time, both varsity boys and girls teams qualified as a team for the state competition. That meet is set for Saturday, Nov. 6, at Sun Willows Golf Course, 2535 N. 20th Ave., Pasco. The...
AIRWAY HEIGHTS – Mayor Sonny Weathers said Monday, Nov. 1, that he supports a 1% tax increase. Deputy Mayor Veronica Messing agreed with him. Weathers’ support of a tax increase came at 5:57 p.m, Monday, during the first public hearing regarding Ordinance C-974, which would set the regular property tax levy. Weathers said he supports the tax increase because the city only collects 28 cents from every tax dollar and that the cost of city services increased by 5.5 percent in 2020. After evaluating his personal property tax...
AIRWAY HEIGHTS – Developing adequate housing is on the forefront of the minds designing the comprehensive plan for the city. And according to City Planner Heather Trautman, the plan is to develop a variety of housing options. The majority of properties in the city are single-family homes on large lots and large multi-family apartment complexes, she said. But there are not many options for people in between. Trautman said people will need different levels of housing to fit different cycles of life. Families may want a large fe...
AIRWAY HEIGHTS – Plans are in the works for a second elementary school and eventually a new middle and high school in the city. The topic was discussed by local leaders Oct.19. Principal Planner Heather Trautman said the Cheney School District has recently purchased land along Craig Road for a future school site. Schools Superintendent Rob Roettger said the district purchased 10 acres for the second elementary school, and the district also plans on building secondary schools moving forward. Trautman also said an interested d...
MEDICAL LAKE – Mayor Shirley Maike requested council help categorize funding from the American Rescue Plan Act during a meeting Tuesday, Nov. 2. She also advocated utility and small business assistance when Councilwoman Heather Starr asked for the cost of broadband implementation. City Administrator Doug Ross said the most recent estimate to integrate broadband citywide is $8-10 million. He also said the city could go section-by-section and cover about 25% of the city for about $2 million. Testing broadband services would b...
AIRWAY HEIGHTS – A Spokane man is being held in the Spokane County Jail on $1 million bail in connection with the killing of a local teenager a year ago. John Brooks Eisenman, 60, is charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of Andrew Sorensen, 19, who was last seen in Airway Heights a year ago. Eisenman appeared in Spokane County Superior Court on Monday, following his Oct. 29 arrest by police. According to a police report, the arrest came a week after police confirmed the identity of Sorensen’s body found in...
MEDICAL LAKE – Challengers in at least three races have resounding leads in their bids to unseat incumbent elected city officials following the initial count of the Nov. 2 general election returns. In the mayoral race, challenger Terri Cooper leads has 412 votes (62.61%) while incumbent Shirley Maike has 234 votes (36%) of the total 668 ballots. Four write-in votes have also counted in the mayoral race. Of the 2,991 registered voters in Medical Lake, 22.33% of voters showed u...
MEDICAL LAKE – Challengers in at least three races have resounding leads in their bids to unseat incumbent elected city officials following the initial count of the Nov. 2 general election returns. In the mayoral race, challenger Terri Cooper leads has 412 votes (62.61%) while incumbent Shirley Maike has 234 votes (36%) of the total 668 ballots. Four write-in votes have also counted in the mayoral race. Of the 2,991 registered voters in Medical Lake, 22.33% of voters showed u...
AIRWAY HEIGHTS – At least one city employee is calling for an ad valorem property tax increase to fund emergency services. During a recent meeting, the city Finance Department’s Stanley Schubert said the city should consider increasing the property tax by the state allowance of 1% because the city is still emergency services, but doesn’t have an emergency services levy. Schubert said the council still has a couple meetings regarding the idea and will hold public hearings on Nov. 1 and 15. Councilman Larry Bowman said if co...
AIRWAY HEIGHTS – After being in the works for several months, a plan to establish the first city Art Commission was announced Oct. 20. Planning technician Zachary Becker said the city will implement the commission and establish funding to install and display public art that reflects the culture, diversity and community. City Planner Heather Trautman said the goal is to embed art communitywide. She said the city also adopted an art ordinance to establish a foundation for funding the commission. The city is looking for i...
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE – Tyler Hinshaw stretched his arms out defensively for Eastern Washington University to block a shot put up by Chief Master Sgt. Jake Vail. Eagles sophomore Bob Hunt scooped up the basketball and raced down the court to put up another quick layup and 2 points increasing the Eagles' lead Oct. 22. In observation of National Disability Employment Awareness month, Fairchild hosted the Eastern Washington Eagles wheelchair basketball team for a scrimmage t...
Medical Lake Seniors for the cross country team were celebrated on October 20 for their time with the team. Micaela Eberhardt, Grace Grubaugh, Sierra Harden, Katie Hiatt, Alison Payne, Kylie Roberts, Aden Carl, Dominick Gifford, Angel Mendez, and Connor Palmen were all escorted to the field by friends and family and applauded by the crowd for the work they have put into being a part of the Cardinal team....
MEDICAL LAKE – Cardinal runners outpaced both Deer Park and Colville on Oct. 20, ensuring victories for the boys and girls varsity and junior varsity teams. "This marks our first undefeated season for the girls who are currently ranked No. 2 in the Washington State 1A division," Coach Gene Blankenship said. The Cardinal girls team defeated Deer Park, 23–38, and Colville, 19–44, during the league meet. Kayla Ramsey led the way, crossing the finish line at 20:41, Blank...
MEDICAL LAKE – City Administrator Doug Ross recommended holding the line on ad valorem property taxes during a City Council meeting Tuesday night, Oct. 19. According to Ross, the city’s overall valuation has increased since last year, negating any need to raise taxes. The overall assessed city valuation of $360,840,197 in 2020 meant the city collected $580,123.34 in taxes for 2021, based on a tax rate of $1.6088 per $1,000 of assessed value, he said. The assessed value in 2021 went up to $387,652,916, so the expected rev...
MEDICAL LAKE – For several years, Jessica Pedersen has worked with her partner Blaine Miller to bring her restaurant dreams to life Their dreams came true Oct. 8, when their new business, The Pizza Oven, opened at 611 state Highway 902. Pedersen, who lives near Colfax, said she had accumulated more than 20 years of experience in the pizza industry. Many of the roles she maintained have been management positions. She said ashe followed her entrepreneur spirit and decided it w...
AIRWAY HEIGHTS – During an Oct. 18 City Council meeting, Police Chief Brad Richmond told members that a cooperative agreement between the Cheney School District and is department had been reached about the implementation of a Youth Engagement Specialist, commonly referred to as a YES officer. Richmond said the Cheney School District has agreed to fund $70,000 of the annual cost to cover part of the salary, vehicle and technology costs. The department will use other available funds to cover the remaining balance because the t...
CHENEY – The Central Valley Bears left Cheney with a 30-7 win Friday, Oct. 14. The Bears opened strong. On their first possession, they drove the ball downfield and finished with a 5-yard touchdown run by quarterback Luke Abshire. Aiden Labrosse added the point-after to give the Bears a 7-0 lead. Abshire would end up completing 24-of-36 passes for 242 yards and a touchdown pass on the evening. He added two rushing touchdown, as well. Cheney struggled on the following drive a...
NEWPORT – Medical Lake boys and girls runners outran rival Newport during a league matchup Wednesday, Oct. 13. “In my opinion,n they have the most interesting course in the league, with two laps around a cemetery,” Cardinals Coach Gene Blankenship said,“This course is also the most difficult league course we have run, so far.” The varsity girls team, led by Kayla Ramsey finishing with a time of 21:14, took the Top 8 positions for a perfect 15-50 score. Jenna Castro finished in...
CHENEY -- As regions such as the West Plains continue to grow in both business and residential sectors, discussions about natural gas restrictions are getting heated. “While neither S3R3 nor the West Plains chamber boards have taken a formal position on the issue, we do have concerns with any legislation that makes our region more difficult to compete with the rest of the world,” said Todd Coleman, S3R3 Solutions executive director. Late last year, the Legislature introduced The Healthy Homes and Buildings Act. House Bil...
AIRWAY HEIGHTS – Budget talks are under way, and on Oct. 11, the City Council went over the financial report containing number from January through September 2021. The total anticipated number is $44,792,362, and through three quarters of the year the city has collected $37,549,962 or close to 84% of the expected total. The city’s current expense by department numbers report is also close to being on par at just over 76% allocated. Stanley Schubert explained the property tax numbers are only recorded at 57% paid at this tim...
SPOKANE VALLEY – With an evening filled with masquerade masks and auction items, the Women's Health and Empowerment Network had itsr annual Purple Ribbon Banquet at Centerplace Event Center raising thousands of dollars Oct. 10. The annual event falls during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and the money raised helps to fund programs that are operated by the group. After a moment of silence to commemorate the victims of domestic violence, 6th Legislative District Rep. Jenny G...
CHENEY – High school football fans were treated to a defensive struggle when the Blackhawks Varsity football team battled the Ridgeline Falcons on October 8, with the Falcons pulling ahead to win in the final seconds of the game 13-10. Cheney received the ball initially, and marched down the field with quarterback Jakeb Vallance breaking through the line to cap off the drive with a one yard touchdown run leaving 6:04 left in the first quarter. Joshua Bingham kicked the p...
