Sorted by date Results 151 - 175 of 623
AIRWAY HEIGHTS – The new Yoke's Fresh Market opened its doors in Airway Heights on Monday, Oct. 14, bringing more grocery options to the growing community. The store, located at 11450 West 12th Avenue, spans 50,146 square feet and sits on land owned by the Kalispel Tribe, though it is not part of the Kalispel reservation. Employees from the original Yoke's location at 12825 West Sunset Highway in Airway Heights have been relocated to the new store, ensuring a smooth t...
CHENEY – Washington State's revenue is projected to drop by $526 million for the 2023-25 biennium compared to earlier forecasts, raising concerns about funding for public programs, including education. At the Cheney School Board meeting on Oct. 9, Superintendent Ben Ferney discussed the state's financial situation, citing a September update from the Office of Financial Management. He said projected revenue for 2025-27 is expected to fall short by $110 million. "We will face s...
SPOKANE COUNTY – The Spokane County Elections Office announced they have mailed more than 360,000 ballots last Thursday and Friday, Oct. 10 and 11, for the upcoming General Election on Nov. 5. If voters haven’t received their ballot by Friday, Oct. 18, the Elections Office urges them to call them at (509) 477-2320 to get a replacement. This week, both the Local Voters’ Pamphlet and the State Voters’ Pamphlet will also be sent to all residences in Spokane County. If someone needs to register to vote or update their voter regis...
AIRWAY HEIGHTS – City officials on Monday approved a contract with Framework to begin the 2026 comprehensive plan update. The update will assess citywide planning efforts, particularly the city’s 20-year transportation and land-use strategy. City Public Works Director Heather Trautman emphasized the importance of this periodic review to ensure growth and development align with the cities’ long-term vision. The update will be funded state Department of Commerce grants. “This comprehensive plan ensures we’re not just growing,...
CHENEY — The Cheney School District is projecting its fund balance to fluctuate this year, with peaks in October and April when property taxes are collected, but significant drops from November through February. At the Cheney School Board meeting on Oct. 9, District Finance Director Jamie Reed reported a fund balance of $7,849,749 for September, noting the district’s plan to rely less on federal funding. Reed also pointed out that the district is focusing more on the months when funds are lower rather than year-end fig...
CHENEY—The Cheney Police Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying a driver involved in a hit-and-run that left a pedestrian injured on Saturday evening. The incident occurred on Oct. 5 around 6:45 p.m. at the intersection of 1st Street and College Hill Street. A pedestrian was struck by a vehicle while in the crosswalk, according to the Cheney Police Department. The vehicle was reported to be traveling southbound on 1st Street and did not stop after hitting the pedestrian. Witnesses told police the vehicle co...
SPOKANE VALLEY – As of August 2024, Spokane Valley's unemployment rate stood at 4.7%, reflecting a small increase of 0.2% compared to Aug. 2023. This is a milder shift than other areas of Washington, such as Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, which saw unemployment rise by 0.9% over the same period. By contrast, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, saw a decrease in unemployment by -0.3% Statewide, Washington's unemployment rate has increased by 1.8%, leaving 38,600 additional people unemployed b...
SPOKANE – Liberty Lake is experiencing crime rate changes that reflect some of the troubling trends happening across Washington state. A recent report from the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) shows that violent crimes and vehicle thefts are rising, and Liberty Lake's statistics tell a similar story. In 2023, Liberty Lake reported a total of 649 offenses, which is a 6.7% increase compared to 2022. While there were no murders in Liberty Lake last y...
SPOKANE – Washington state has seen a significant rise in crime rates over the past five years, with increases in violent crimes, vehicle thefts, and aggravated assaults far outpacing national trends, according to a recent report by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC). Between 2019 and 2023, murders in Washington increased by 87.4%, more than five times higher than the national rate of 17.2%. The murder rate in the state has risen more than 80% since 2019. Violent crime in Washington has gone u...
SPOKANE VALLEY — Four people were injured in a serious three-car crash on State Highway 27, about five miles south of the city on Friday morning. According to the Washington State Patrol, the crash happened at around 11:08 a.m. when a northbound car crossed the center line near Darknell Road and collided with two southbound vehicles. The crash blocked both directions of the highway. Trooper Andrew Derr, who was at the scene, said the driver of the car that crossed the line, identified as Paulino Albious, 29, of Spokane, w...
SPOKANE VALLEY - A Spokane Valley man was arrested after stealing a black Ford F250, leading police on a brief chase, and abandoning the vehicle near downtown Spokane. Deputies, with help from citizens, tracked down the suspect, 34-year-old Jamze K. West, who attempted to flee on foot. The incident began when the owner of a black Ford F250, stolen earlier that day, contacted Spokane Valley Deputies after successfully tracking his vehicle using GPS. The victim stated that he...
SPOKANE VALLEY – A local woman was arrested for DUI and felony hit-and-run after striking a bicyclist and fleeing the scene on Thursday, Oct. 3. Deputies located the suspect vehicle, a white Ford F150, and the driver, identified as 44-year-old Lisa M. Winnop, was taken into custody after showing signs of impairment. Deputies responded to reports of the crash at around 4:50 pm, where witnesses stated that the driver of a car matching the description of Winnop’s car hit a bicyclist who was legally crossing the roadway. The dri...
SPOKANE VALLEY – A deputy found a man passed out in the driver's seat of a running Toyota 4Runner in the middle of the road early on Saturday, Oct. 5. The driver, identified as 33-year old Aleksey A. Karptsov, woke up after several attempts by officers, but appeared confused and refused to cooperate. The incident occurred at approximately 12:55 am, when the deputy noticed the blue Toyota 4Runner blocking the southeast lane of East Saltese Road, just south of 16th Avenue. K...
OTIS ORCHARDS – Yuriy V. Siriy, 34, was arrested on Sept. 24 in connection with several vehicle prowlings at Antoine Peak trailheads, according to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office. The first incident occurred on Sept. 15, when Kathryn Whitt parked her vehicle at the Antoine Peak trailhead on East Wellesley Avenue around 9:15 am. She told Spokane County deputies that she had hidden her purse, which contained her wallet, credit cards, and identification, under the seat before beginning her hike. While hiking, she rec...
SPOKANE VALLEY — A 73-year-old man died after being struck by a vehicle on Friday, Sept. 27, near Valleyway Avenue. William J. Jura of Spokane Valley was hit while running across State Route 27 and later died at Sacred Heart Medical Center. Jura was crossing the road westbound when he was struck by a southbound 2011 Ford F350 in the right lane, driven by Ramon Pio Saucedo, 43, of Spokane. The collision occurred at around 7 p.m. Jura was transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The Washington State Patrol c...
SPOKANE VALLEY – A dump truck rollover led to an injury collision on Monday, Sept. 30, causing partial road blockage on the westbound Pines on-ramp from eastbound Montgomery in Spokane Valley. Washington State Patrol (WSP) Trooper Nance responded to the scene at around 12:30 pm, with firefighters and the Department of Transportation (DOT) also on site. The incident partially blocked the road until around 2 pm, when the entire roadway was fully closed to traffic. According to Sergeant Gregg Riddell, the Public Information O...
SPOKANE – Washington state has seen a significant rise in crime rates over the past five years, with increases in violent crimes, vehicle thefts, and aggravated assaults far outpacing national trends, according to a recent report by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC). Between 2019 and 2023, murders in Washington increased by 87.4%, more than five times higher than the national rate of 17.2%. The murder rate in the state has risen more than 80% since 2019. Violent crime in Washington has gone u...
CHENEY — A death investigation is currently underway following the discovery of a deceased individual in Cheney. The individual has been identified as Justin Ball, 47, with the cause and manner of death still pending further investigation. Sgt. Zeb Campbell from the Cheney Police Department said the investigation is still active. “The investigation is still ongoing,” he stated. “An autopsy of the deceased was completed yesterday, and next of kin notifications were made.” Authorities emphasize that the case will remain op...
Airway Heights Sept. 30 Semaj’a O. Hall was arrested for third-degree assault, disorderly conduct, and first-degree criminal trespassing on the 1200 block of S. Hayford Rd. Oct. 2 James W. Hemmerling was arrested for violating a domestic violence order of protection on the 13600 block of W. Sixth Ave. Abdulla A. Al Swaider was arrested for violating a domestic violence order of protection on the 12800 block of W. 12th Ave. Joseph P. Alderman was arrested for third-degree theft, shoplifting on the 1200 block of S. Hayford R...
CHENEY — Eastern Washington University (EWU) police are urging students to be careful regarding their drinks after reports emerged of potential tampering at recent fraternity and sorority parties. The Cheney Police Department is leading the investigation since the incidents occurred off campus, and Chief Jay Day confirmed that EWU police are fully cooperating with their efforts. At this time, there are no updates on the investigation. Chief Day noted that EWU police handled two similar incidents last year, responding with s...
CHENEY—The Cheney Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a driver involved in a hit-and-run accident that left a pedestrian injured on Saturday evening. The incident occurred on Oct. 5 around 6:45 p.m. at the intersection of 1st Street and College Hill Street. A pedestrian was struck by a vehicle while crossing the street in a marked crosswalk, according to the Cheney Police Department. The vehicle, which was traveling southbound on 1st Street at the time of the collision, did not stop or slo...
SPOKANE COUNTY — As fall sets in, it’s an opportune time to focus on wildfire preparedness. Guy Gifford, Assistant Division Manager of the Community Resiliency and Prevention Department with the Department of Natural Resources, offers practical advice to safeguard your home and property. Consult a Firefighter – One of the first steps homeowners can take is to get expert advice from a firefighter. “People can go to wildfireready.com and request a firefighter to come out, no cost, walk the property, and give you one-on-...
SPOKANE COUNTY – Heating costs are projected to rise significantly this winter, with electricity-based heating costs expected to increase by 13.6% compared to 2023, according to Avista Utilities. The company has expanded its My Energy Discount program to help customers, adjusting income requirements so more people can qualify “We’re excited to expand ongoing bill discounts,” said Kelsey Solberg, Avista’s Senior Energy Program Manager. “Nearly 51,000 customers are enrolled, but we estimate another 90,000 may qualify. Un...
Police investigating large shoplifting incident CHENEY – Police are investigating a Sept. 25 shoplifting incident involving four suspects who allegedly stole over $1,200 worth of merchandise from a store in the 2700 block of First Street. According to police reports, two men were seen pushing carts full of goods out of the store before loading the items into a white SUV and a silver sedan. The suspects, both described as young Black males in their 20s, fled the scene heading north on 1st Street. The case remains under i...
CHENEY – Eastern Washington University (EWU) is set to reduce its carbon footprint with the help of a $2.2 million grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce. The funding will support two major clean energy initiatives: a carbon capture system and a solar energy project. Erik Budsberg, EWU’s director of sustainability, highlighted the importance of these projects in reducing the university’s greenhouse gas emissions, much of which stem from the central heating system. “Eastern has a fairly sizable greenho...
