Sorted by date Results 151 - 175 of 264
AIRWAY HEIGHTS – Suspects in the death of an infant have been extradited from South Dakota and placed in Spokane county jail, each with $1,000,000 bonds according to an Airway Heights police press release. In collaboration with the United States Marshall Service, Aleksander Kurmoyarov and Mandie R. Miller have been extradited from South Dakota following the filing of a warrant from the Spokane county prosecuting attorney in Dec. 2022. In December, Spokane county p...
Cheney High Spirit Week concluded with the big game at the Spokane Arena....
MEDICAL LAKE - A suspect charged with first-degree murder and first-degree illegal possession of a firearm has been released from Spokane County jail on a $700,000 bond, according to Spokane Superior Court documents. The suspect, Cynthia Metsker, 24, is scheduled to appear in court for arraignment on Feb. 1, according to Spokane Superior Court documents. Metsker was arrested on Dec. 23 at an apartment complex located at 227 S. Washington Street, as a suspect in the death of...
CHENEY – Police department elects its 2022 officer and dispatcher of the year. Officer Cheyanne Walters, 26, has been selected by her peers as the department’s officer of the year. Kate Faibanks, 30, has been selected as the department’s award recipient and has been promoted to lead dispatcher. Walters started at the Cheney PD in 2020, and has worked in many different capacities since that time. Police Chief Rick Bechtel said “She’s the one who established our Facebook page, a...
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE – The 36th Rescue Squadron completed their 708th rescue operation in an area around Schweitzer Mountain, Sandpoint, ID, on Jan. 3, according to a base press release. An injured snowmobiler who had spent upwards of 18 hours outside in the 19-degree conditions, was rescued by two special-mission aviators along with paramedic Staff Sgt. Gina Harkness, according to the official press release. “When I got to the ground, there was an amazing (civilian) tea...
CHENEY – Attorneys representing former police officer Chad Eastep have filed a notice of tort claim with the city, claiming damages of $5.5 million. This claim for damages form and the accompanying tort claim were filed with the city on Jan. 9, 2023. The claims are filed against the city and the police department for injurious conduct, wrongful termination, breach of contract, and others, according to the notice. Eastep, who is listed as the claimant, is seeking for loss of r...
AIRWAY HEIGHTS – A fatal crash involving one vehicle took place on South Craig Road near the intersection of McFarlane Road, Jan. 16. According to Spokane County Sheriff’s department report, the driver of a Black SUV was killed when the vehicle struck a power-line pole after losing control of the vehicle. Initial investigation indicates that the black SUV, occupied by two adult females and a toddler, was traveling northbound on Craig Rd. and attempted to pass another veh...
EWAN - A Cheney area woman is being held on $500,000 bail in the slaying of her son. Christine Diane Catelli, 58, is charged with second-degree murder (intent to kill), Spokane County Jail records show. She was booked into the jail at 4:59 a.m. Jan. 15 after deputies found the remains of her son wrapped in garbage bags off Gene Webb Road, in rural Whitman County. The location near Ewan - a small community between Lamont and Saint John- was close to Rock Lake. According to...
CHENEY – Three patrol officer candidates have made it to the background-check stage with the Cheney police department. Since October of 2022, the Cheney police department has interviewed 37 individuals in an effort to regain its baseline personnel numbers. As of the publication of this article, three of those 37 interviewees have progresses to the stage in which they must submit to a full background check, “Which takes a long time.” says police chief Rick Bechtel. “We’v...
CHENEY - Cheney Community Court released an update detailing its grant funding numbers, community partners, and stakeholders, Jan. 19. The community court is a deferral program for offenders who come into contact with the legal system, and is meant to reduce recidivism overall and increase positive outcomes for individuals and communities. “The program for an individual will be built based on the offer from the prosecutor.” April Bassen, Deputy Clerk of Cheney Municipal Cou...
CHENEY – Council voted unanimously to enter into a funding agreement with Washington State Transportation Improvement Board to secure $966,854.00 in state funding for the North 6th and Betz roundabout project. The resolution states that the city will enter into a fuel tax agreement with the Washington State Transportation Improvement Board in exchange for the aforementioned funding. The board will make the funds available for planning and building of the roundabout as e...
Cheney Free Press CHENEY – A man driving a silver Ford Expedition westbound on WA-904, crossed the center line and collided with a tree on the opposite side of the road, Jan. 16 3:25pm. Washington State Patrol, Cheney fire district three, and the Spokane county sheriff's office responded to the incident. According to Washington state patrol, the man, identified as Blake Ferrell, had a seizure while driving which caused him to lose control and swerve over the center line. He w...
AIRWAY HEIGHTS – Two Washington residents, Aleksander Kurmoyarov and Mandie R. Miller, have been extradited from South Dakota by U.S. Marshals to face trial for several charges related to the death of their eight-year-old daughter. According to the Mitchell, SD police department, Kurmoyarov (28) and Miller (33) were arrested on Dec. 15 after the Davison county coroner informed them that the pair were traveling through the city from Airway Heights with the body of their d...
MEDICAL LAKE – City administrator discussed a preliminary legislative strategy ahead of council meeting, Jan. 17. Sonny Weathers, who was appointed city administrator in Nov. of 2022, will present highlighted two items on his agenda which he believes may have the greatest impact on the residents of Medical Lake. “The legislative session began on Jan 9. and I am introducing to council some of the regional legislative priorities which have been shared through Association of Was...
You’ve heard it said in the Pacific Northwest that, during the winter, we see a long stretch of bleak weather followed by a temporary rise in temperatures around mid-January, a “false winter” as it is sometimes called. Well, according to the Farmer’s Almanac for 2022-2023, the unusually warm weather we’ve been experiencing the past few weeks may just be the herald of real, honest-to-goodness spring. Granted, meteorological predictions aren’t perfect, but Farmer’s Almanac’s pre...
CHENEY – Students at Three Springs high school gave a presentation on the beekeeping club at the Cheney school board meeting. Jayce VanD Elzen and Dylan Moree wore beekeeping suits which will be used in the process of tending to the hives which are now located at the Three Springs facility. Last spring, science teacher Drake Haren applied for and received a grant through the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, and with it was able to buy the enclosure supplies and other m...
SPANGLE – A Lewiston, Idaho, woman was killed in a two-vehicle crash Jan. 3 near the U.S. Highway 195 intersection at Bradshaw road. Jeannette R. Lavance, 54, was pronounced dead at the scene, the Washington State Patrol reported. Her passenger, Eric V. Lavance, 61, of Lewiston, Idaho, was injured and transported to Sacred Heart Hospital, the patrol reported. The driver of the second vehicle, Phillip R. Provoncha, 32, of Greenacres, was uninjured, the patrol reported. A...
CHENEY – The city is accepting proposals from qualified consultants to complete a Land Quantity Needs Analysis for the incorporated and associated Urban Growth Area lands. In a Jan. 5 announcement, the city said there is a need to understand how much “buildable land” exists in the designated growth area. The city is also looking for an analysis on future demand on land resources for residential and employment building projects. Bids may be submitted until Feb. 11....
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE – Lt. Col. James McGovern took command of the 141st Air Refueling Wing, promoting him to the rank of Colonel, Jan. 6. McGovern's immediate predecessor was Col. Gregory Nolting, who retired from the Air Force in December of 2022 after having served over 33 years. Lake City performer Sydney Jacobson performed the national anthem at the beginning of the ceremony. Brigadier General Gent Welsh, Commander of Washington's Air National Guard, gave a speech i...
CHENEY – Council released on Jan. 10 an update to its legislative priorities which will be submitted to the 9th legislative district. “Basically what we do is come up with an agenda for the city as the legislature goes into session.” City administrator Mark Schuller, said. The agenda includes several priorities that are unique to the city, as well as other items that have broader implications. “Each item on this agenda is important, but some of them are certainly more focused...
CHENEY – City light department has put forward two resolutions which, if approved, would enable the city to request certified technician crews from Inland Power and Eastern Washington University to perform work when needed. “To perform maintenance on the various components of any power infrastructure, from power lines to cables, a person needs to be certified.” Steve Marx, Light Department Director, said. Marx said that the city has a full crew of certified professionals who c...
CHENEY – City planning commission voted 3 to 2, with 1 abstention, to recommend to council that it approve the proposal to replat an area of the Golden Hills development. This proposal adds 12 additional lots to the existing area, increasing the originally proposed number from 25 to 37. The planning department found that the proposal is in keeping with the goals and policies of the city’s comprehensive plan and does not propose a significant increase in projected traffic and...
CHENEY - Male found dead at residence in the 2200 block of the Presnell trailer complex, at 2:57pm on Jan. 10. The male, pronounced dead at the scene, was Louis Dupuy, 57. The call was made from the residence at which Dupuy was found by Talyrra Andrews, who was arrested on charges of violating a protection order. Autopsy and toxicology reports were still in process at time of publication. Further details to be published in the Jan. 19 issue of the Cheney Free Press....
For many, the new year brings with it a mix of complex emotions, desires, speculations, hopes, and plans. For Rick Bechtel, interim police chief at the Cheney PD, new years doesn’t herald any particularly rigorous self-reflection, mostly because he already has a system of discipline that keeps him on track and thankful. “Gosh,” Rick says with a laugh and a smile, “I guess I want to lose a few pounds and be a little better than I was last year.” Rick and I talked for a while ab...
Weather allows Cheney skating rink to open in Sutton park Parks and recreations department had admonished the residents against premature hopes that the ice skating rink would open in the midst of foul weather. “It just isn’t a good idea to fool with mother nature.” Previously, several other factors had contributed to a near-halt in the progress of the skating rink renovations. Not only had “old man winter” gotten in the way several times, but so had local rodents! When the...
