Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 249
CHENEY - The man who threatened to bomb Eastern Washington Unviersity has been sentenced. Last week, Spokane County Superior Court Judge Annette Plese sentenced Justin Hale, 26, to three months in jail with 15 days of the sentence converted to 120 hours of community service, according to records. Hale is also prohibited from having contact with the university or coming within 1,000 feet of the campus for five years, court records show. On Dec. 7, Hale pleaded guilty to charges of harassment; his original October arrest...
Bald Eagles flock to Lake Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, every winter to follow the salmon. This year, the federal Bureau of Land Management said there were a record number of eagles at the lake. As of mid-December, 379 individual eagles had been counted near Higgins Point, Wolf Lodge Bay and Beauty Bay. Above, a juvenile female eagle, about 3 years old, perches in a tree after a fish lunch on Christmas Day....
LIBERTY LAKE – The city has been discussing some amendments to city code for several months in 2023. Director of Planning, Engineering and Building, Lisa Key brought a presentation to council on Dec. 5. Council voted 7-0 to push the proposed amendments into next year’s sign code rewrite in 2024. This plan outlined some proposed changes to the city sign code along with several other projects including . Key told council she was looking for guidance with these amendments, not for council to adopt the proposals at that tim...
MEDICAL LAKE - Lakeland Village hosted the dedication of the Audiology Clinic in honor of Nancy K. Madison who worked with residents at Lakeland Village for more than 20 years. Madison worked in Cheney, East Valley school districts as well as Malaysia. Superintendent Tim Gerlitz introduced Chuck Madison, Nancy’s husband, who spoke eloquently about his wife’s dedication to those at Lakeland Village. Colleagues of Madison, Leslie Power and Karen Simpson told stories of Nancy’s impact on their professional lives and those of th...
CHENEY – StageWest, a group of folks in the region have organized theatre shows for the area for 21 years has announced they will fill the stage for one final weekend before closing down for good. According to the group’s President, Kate Pacheco, the main goal was always to bring performances to people who may not be able to experience the theatre otherwise. They put on low cost performances, and brought in actors from around the region to fill stage roles. Pacheco, who joined the group in 2007, said she got into it bec...
CHENEY – The state Department of health has added a new online resource to help youth and families. The Teen Health Hub is a new website the department will be expanding. Currently, the site has members of the Youth Advisory Council offering information on multiple topics. According to the Coordinator of the TALK 2 Healthy Choices Coalition, Jessica Deutsch, the information includes behavioral health, primary health care, sexual and reproductive health, teen dating, violence prevention and more. Through the year, coalition m...
CHENEY – The campus commercial jazz radio station, 89.5 FM, that was set to be shut down at year’s end will continue running into 2024. No final date for the station’s permanent closure has been established, but university officials said they anticipate extending operations through the rest of this academic year. The extension will allow the college to deal with the licensing and equipment complexities, officials said. This will also mean less disruptions for the college and students. During the transition, the station will...
CHENEY – The Christmas Gifts for Cheney Children program has had another successful year. According to Cheney Outreach Center Executive Director Diana Davis, the program for 25 years. Davis said she is seeing some changes in community needs. The goal each year is to gather enough donations to help children in low-income families receive Christmas gifts when they might not have the opportunity otherwise, she said. Volunteers helped provide presents for 21 children this year, Davis said. That matches the number from 2022. T...
MEDICAL LAKE – Area residents came out in large numbers to help place boughs at the headstones at the Washington State Veteran's Cemetery on Saturday, Dec. 16. There were a few changes to the event this year, according to Cemetery Director Rudy Lopez. One of the bigger changes is that the cemetery is no longer in partnership with Wreaths Across America. Instead, the cemetery has partnered with a regional supplier of boughs, Lopez said. That means fresher products and faster d...
AIRWAY HEIGHTS - The Walmart Foundation has donated $150,000 to Re*Imagine Medical Lake to help the not-for-profit with providing resources to Gray Fire victims. Organization President Gerri Johnson was presented the check Thursday, Dec. 14. The funds are meant to assist with recovery and response following the Aug. 18 fire that damaged or destroyed more than 240 homes and other structures. "I'm seeing the families every day," Johnson said. "Not only is the financial aspect...
SPOKANE VALLEY – A local child was given a service award during the Dec. 11 Fire Commission meeting. Eight-year-old Leonel Bermudez was presented with a Life Saving Award for his heroic actions that helped save his mother's life on July 5, 2023. Bermudez, who was nominated by Spokane Valley Engine Nine Captain Josh Loftin, showcased remarkable composure and maturity during a medical emergency, earning him recognition from the Spokane Valley Fire Department. Monica Bermudez, L...
SPOKANE VALLEY – A project that took several years of planning will be finalized and part of the Spokane Valley Fire Department fleet in March of next year. A Pierce Pumper, built in Wisconsin, will soon be known as "Engine 8" once it officially joins the city fleet. According to Deputy Fire Chief Tom Hatley, the process of getting the new truck started in 2019, when fire and shop personnel formed an apparatus committee. The truck was designed by the city shop workers. The m...
AIRWAY HEIGHTS – One person was arrested during what authorities believe was a drug deal in the parking lot of the Northern Quest Resort and Casino. According to reports, over 18,000 pills of different colors, and believed to contain fentanyl were found and seized. Officers also found approximately one pound of methamphetamine, other drugs and an undisclosed amount of cash. According to Kalispel Tribal Police, casino agents were made aware of a potential drug deal in the parking lot. One person, who’s name has not yet bee...
SPOKANE VALLEY – Since council has adopted the Transportation Benefit District on Oct. 24, there have been questions on how it will be adequately funded. After deliberating the idea through a couple of workshops and meetings, they have narrowed the options down to just two. Council is looking at either implementing an increased sales tax or vehicle tab fees. Proposed ordinance 23-024 would move to implement a vehicle fee, and it would also create fund 111, which is where a...
SPOKANE VALLEY – Crime rates have been rising all through the region, and several residents voiced their concerns to city council during the Dec. 5 meeting in Spokane Valley. Caleb Altmeyer, Dan Allison, and John Harding all commented on the crimes rates in and around the city. Altmeyer runs a non-profit called Bikers Helping Captives that primarily work to help the victims of human trafficking. He said his group was looking into a one-million-dollar allocation that could h...
SPOKANE VALLEY – The city’s initial plan of action to combat and reduce homelessness in Spokane Valley was approved by council on Dec. 5. The City Services Administrator, Gloria Mantz has brought the plan to council on several occasions, and has had to revise some of the language to fit what city council wanted to see in the plan. In previous presentations, council told Mantz that they wanted to see the plan have an aim to increase workforce or entry level housing rather tha...
AIRWAY HEIGHTS - The annual Airway Heights WinterFest, organized by Airway Heights Parks and Recreation, kicked off on December 1 and 2, transforming the snowy landscape into a festive winter wonderland for local residents. On the evening of December 1, the community gathered to brave the winter chill and partake in the cherished tradition of the annual tree lighting and fireworks show. Against the backdrop of falling snowflakes, families watched in awe as the towering...
AIRWAY HEIGHTS - After nearly four years of closure for repairs, the Euclid Bridge near Airway Heights reopened its lanes to the public on a chilly morning, November 29. Dozens of eager residents and curious onlookers gathered to witness the unveiling of the restored bridge and learn about the extensive repairs and upgrades that have taken place. The ambitious project, with a total cost of $3,652,000, was a collaborative effort between multiple agencies. Representatives from...
CHENEY – Budget presentations from different city departments were heard during the Nov. 14 council session. Public Works Director Todd Ableman broke down the budgets for different areas in public works. For the department wide application of enterprise funds were named, Ableman shared that they are working with $30,695,100, and that 65 % of that is applied to wastewater. 14 % goes to water, nine percent for solid waste, and another nine percent goes into transportation. The a...
CHENEY – A local woman shared concerns of personal privacy with city council during the Nov. 28 meeting, and she was referring to a video posted to the Cheney Police Department social media page. The video posted Nov. 13 shows body cam footage of police providing Narcan to an individual (who is blurred in the video) having an overdose on Nov. 7 at approximately 3:50 a.m. Narcan is a medication that can reverse the effects of opioid overdoses. The individual was saved in t...
MEDICAL LAKE - One juvenile girl was killed in a shooting in the 1000 block of S. Prentis St. in Medical Lake on Nov. 26. according to reports. Initial information learned during the early stages of this investigation indicated this deadly incident appears to be a murder/attempted suicide according to reports. The victim has been identified as sixth grader Lily Stolworthy, 11, and the school district is looking to provide support for students, friends, family and faculty through the grieving process. Medical Lake...
CHENEY - On the brisk Thanksgiving Day morning, hundreds of eager participants from Cheney, Medical Lake, Sprague, Davenport and beyond took to the streets for the annual Turkey Trot, a lively 5K run that has become a beloved community tradition. The Turkey Trot, which kicked off at 9 a.m. from Cheney High School, served as a unifying force for the region, bringing together residents from various communities to celebrate the holiday with a healthy dose of exercise and...
MEDICAL LAKE - One juvenile girl was killed in a shooting in the 1000 block of S. Prentis St. in Medical Lake on Nov. 26. according to reports. Initial information learned during the early stages of this investigation indicated this deadly incident appears to be a murder/attempted suicide according to reports. The victim has been identified as sixth grader Lily Stolworthy, and the school district is looking to provide support for students, friends, family and faculty through...
AIRWAY HEIGHTS - Department presentations and budget talks took center stage at the Nov. 13 Airway Heights City Council meeting. City Manager Albert Tripp emphasized the need for significant reductions in initial budget proposals to achieve overall fiscal balance. One of the most notable areas facing budget cuts is the Airway Heights Police Department, with a proposed reduction of $2.4 million. Police Chief Brad Richmond disclosed that these funds were initially earmarked for...
CHENEY – Amy Morfitt, 50, from Spokane was charged with driving under the influence and transported to Deaconess Hospital after a collision on Nov. 19 just before 9:30 p.m. The collision happened on Eastbound Interstate 90 near the Salnave exit and milepost 264. Morfitt was driving a Gray 2010 Acura RDX eastbound and came up behind and struck another vehicle that was traveling in the right lane of the interstate. That vehicle, nor the occupants have been identified but face f...
