Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 264
AIRWAY HEIGHTS — A local man was arraigned July 25 on multiple child-sex charges. Brigham W. Van Wormer, 39, is charged with second-degree rape of a child, first- and second-degree child molestation, first-degree rape and second-degree assault of two minors, according to county court documents. He was arrested by patrol officers in the 12600 block of West 12th Avenue on July 12, and is now being charged with 16 different counts of criminal activity, including multiple counts of child rape and molestation of two minors, S...
CHENEY - State and local officials are working to clean up a diesel fuel leak that has reached Minnie Creek. The leak was traced to an underground storage tank and vault at the Chevron gas station, 2302 First St., last week. The state Department of Ecology, Cheney Public Works and GrayMar Environmental Services were still working to contain the leak Tuesday, July 24, and assess the environmental risk. City Public Works officials declined to comment on the leak, referring...
CHENEY - The first Us By The Moon shop, a children's clothing boutique, opened at 502 First Street on July 15. Us By The Moon was started in 2020 by Alyssa Britton, 34, when she decided to start making cloth masks for local hospitals. She and a few other volunteers made and donated these masks for over a year, until they stopped in 2021. Afterward, Alyssa said that she had so much left-over material from the project, it only made sense to her to make other products. "So I...
AIRWAY HEIGHTS - A new Vision Institute Northwest location opened at 11919 W. Sunset Hwy, Ste F on July 20. Vision Institute Northwest is owned by Dr. Melissa Barnhart. Barnhart has owned Franklin Park Vision since 2015 and purchased Broadway Eyecare in 2021. With the addition of a third location, the decision was made to rename the clinics to Vision Institute Northwest. Approximately 60 people from the surrounding area came and went during the grand opening event at which...
CHENEY — The state Department of Ecology has issued a statewide drought advisory after recording the warmest May on record as well as an abnormally dry spring. In addition, an early summer heatwave has resulted in quickly declining water supplies across the state, an agency report said. “Our warm weather arrived a few weeks early this year and really kicked the runoff into overdrive,” said Jeff Marti, Ecology water resources planner. “Now, as we head into the hottest weeks of the summer, we want people to use water wisely...
CHENEY — Police Chief Rick Beghtol talked about his department‘s shortcomings and improvement plans during a public forum July 12. The forum in Wren Pierson Center, 615 Fourth St. was attended by about 30 residents, police officers, Mayor Chris Grover, City Administrator Mark Schuller, Public Works Director Todd Ableman, and other city staff members. Beghtol was transparent about department shortcomings and past leadership in the past. He emphasized the importance of restoring the department to a level of effectiveness he sai...
CHENEY — The Police Department has a newly designed uniform patch for officers which includes a new motto. The motto, “Honesty, Integrity and Compassion” reflects the department’s core values, Police Chief Rick Beghtol said. It represents the “cornerstone” of what is expected from each member of the department, he said. The center piece is indicative of what the city of Cheney is known for — education, agriculture and the railroad, as it was instrumental in the growth of the...
SPOKANE VALLEY — During its July 11 meeting, he City Council heard a report on Homeless Housing and Assistance funding and voted agreed to have a related resolution presented at a future meeting. Staff sought agreement on whether the council wanted staff to prepare documents to assume responsibility for recording homelessness within its boundaries, so the city could have access to a portion of recording funding. “The money that the house gave us, which we’ve been collecting now for three years, all that will disappear if we...
CHENEY — The Lilac City Community Band will perform a summer selection of music at Sutton Parkon July 26. The concert begins at 6:30 p.m. in the park, 805 Washington St. Generally, there are three primary concerts that the band plays in the region throughout the year, according to Richard Nault, a trumpet player in the band. “For these concerts, we play music which the music is more challenging, generally," he said. "For summer performances we play more recognizable music." Originally, the band was connected to Spokane Com...
CHENEY — Two police officers accused of inappropriate behavior may face termination. Police Sgt. Rocky Hanni, 39, and Capt. Nate Conley, 44, were notified in a June 30 letter from Mayor Chris Gover that an investigation into their conduct shows both engaged in behavior inconsistent with expectations of police personnel. The internal investigation began Jan. 19 and concluded in May, records show. The officers are permitted to respond to the findings before further action is taken, according to the letter. A pre-disciplinary h...
CHENEY - The debris of the former Cheney Motel, located at 1502 First St., is now in process of being cleared from the property. The motel had burnt down in August of 2022, and the remaining debris had been consolidated on the property for removal. At that time, a city ordinance was in place which dictated that the owner of the property had 90 days from that point to clear the site. "This is the owner's operation so it's all on his dime, and I'm really pleased he came through...
AIRWAY HEIGHTS - A new Boba Tea café opened on July 6 at 12924 W Sunset Hwy, Suite. 1 and is now serving the public. Stephanie Murry, of Airway Heights visited with her friend Maranda Ripplinger, and said it will be good to have this option in the West Plains. "We normally go to North Town Mall for this, so it's a great addition to Airway," Murry said, "it's one of our favorite treats." Owners Kate and Tyler Yow got involved in the food industry when they opened a Thai...
SPOKANE VALLEY — Governor Jay Inslee visited what was formerly known as “Camp Hope” and commented on the progress of the relocation and cleanup effort on June 30. At About 11:20 p.m. the Governor arrived at the site, 3298 E. Pacific Ave. Inslee met with representatives from several community outreach organizations, including Jewels Helping Hands and Compassion Addiction Treatment. Inslee said that the culmination of many months of work is due to the efforts of several organizations and people, and he commended those who w...
LIBERTY LAKE - The neighborhood of Alpine Shores hosted their annual parade of decorated golf carts, wagons, and marching residents on July 4. Beginning at 10 a.m. Approximately 50 decorated golf carts, owned by residents of the neighborhoods surrounding the lake, were lined up and driven around a blocked-off section of the Alpine area. "This is my favorite part of the year," one resident said. "I love this community, and the fact that we are able to come together and make...
CHENEY — A Cheney resident voiced concerns about the potential purchase of street cameras for the city at a regular meeting of the City Council on June 27. During the citizen comments section of the council meeting Corinna Donnerberg said that she is concerned about the potential installation and use of license plate reading cameras. “I am concerned about the constitutionality of these cameras and about the potential for misuse and harm to the community members,” Donnerberg sa...
CHENEY - A new authentic Mexican restaurant is open in Cheney. The newest location of the Birrieria Tijuana chain of restaurants has opened at 1204 First St. "I started this brand with three of my best friends." Birrieria Tijuana owner and founder Fredy Zavala said. "My goal is to treat our customers like more than just customers. We want them to have an authentic 'Tijuana' experience." In an effort to diversify his locations, Zavala chose Cheney because of the community and...
MEDICAL LAKE — Fire teams from Fire Districts 3, 10, and 8, along with firefighters from the Airway Heights, Spokane, and Fairchild Air Force Base fire response teams quelled a bush fire on the west side of Clear Lake, south of Medical Lake on July 2. At about 7 p.m. crews arrived to contain the fire and evacuations were put in place for the surrounding area. At about 8 p.m. it was announced that air resources had arrived to deploy fire suppressants. The Air Attack P...
WEST PLAINS - Sale of consumer fireworks began on Wednesday, June 28, 2023, and ends on Wednesday, July 5 9:00 p.m. A state license is required, along with a local permit, to operate a fireworks stand in Washington. The Washington State Fire Marshal's Office issued licenses for 552 retail fireworks stands in 2023; this number is up slightly from 2022 with a total of 541. The SFMO encourages those who purchase fireworks this year to enjoy them safely and responsibly. A number...
CHENEY - Voters will be asked to approve Aquatic Center Proposition No. 1 to fund the city pool on the Aug. 1 primary election ballot. The City Council approved of placing the pool bond on the ballot during a meeting April 25. If approved by voters, the city would issue bonds for up to $13 million which will mature over 29 years. These bonds will pay to acquire construct a new outdoor aquatic center. Owners of property valued at $400,000 would pay approximately $212 per year f...
MEDICAL LAKE — The city has hired a new Parks and Recreations director who has previous administrative experience. Glen Horton, 33, of Spokane, was hired May 15 and already working on several projects. Horton previously worked as the recreation program supervisor for the city of Airway Heights. “I lived in Medical Lake when I was younger, but now I live in Spokane,” Horton said, noting he became interested in the field in college. “I went through the recreation division at Eastern Washington University and got a part-ti...
AIRWAY HEIGHTS — The city is installing automated license-plate readers this month. According to Police Chief Brad Richmond, the new Flock automated license plate readers are part of a high-speed, computer-controlled camera system mounted on street poles, streetlights and overpasses. The cameras capture computer-readable images of license plates and vehicle characteristics, with recordings stored for 30 days, he said. “We will have those cameras this month,” Richmond said. “This gives us the technology to help us facilit...
LIBERTY LAKE — The city has seen a marked increase in the effectiveness of criminal investigation since installing the new automated license plate readers in April of 2023. The Flock cameras are part of a high-speed, computer-controlled camera system that are mounted on street poles, streetlights and overpasses. The cameras capture computer-readable images of license plates and vehicle characteristics, with recordings stored for 30 days, according to a recent press release. “This system has been a tremendous asset for us,...
MEDICAL LAKE - A Medical Lake alumnus has been hired as the new School District superintendent effective July 1. Resident and former assistant superintendent of teaching and learning Kim Headrick, 52, is looking forward to tackling new challenges in her position as superintendent. "It is a real honor to give back to the community that gave me my start," the Class of 1989 alumnus said. She was assistant superintendent for approximately 10 years and brings a wide range of...
CHENEY - A local woman has been hired to juggle office duties, classified advertising and more at Free Press Publishing. Valerie Mitchell, 51, a longtime Cheney resident, is now one of the first two people customers and advertisers meet when they walk in the door of the Cheney Free Press, 1616 W. First St. "I've never been in the newspaper industry before but it has always intrigued me," Mitchell said. "In this post-pandemic era, we're excited to find a customer-oriented...
CHENEY - Spokane Transit Authority has discontinued four bus routes to Cheney until the fall. Spokeswoman Carly Cortright said that during a meeting on June 15 the bus service decided to suspend express routes 661, 662, 663 and 664, which primarily serves Eastern Washington University. "There is still bus service to Cheney, and the express routes will be back up in September," Cortright said, noting the service will restart Sept. 20. "We assessed the factors that were the...
