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Children at Sunset Elementary School look over some of the 422 coats collected and distributed through the annual Cheney Coat Drive. Some 360 coats were given away at Sunset and two other sites on the West Plalins....
BThe Cheney High School volleyball team started their regular season on shaky ground with a Sept. 9, 3-1 loss against Northwest Christian, but followed it up with two wins in rapid succession. Against East Valley on Thursday, Sept. 12, the Lady Blackhawks took no prisoners, emerging victorious in three sets over the visiting Knights 25-21, 25-12, 25-12. Cheney’s Sara Graham had 16 kills with three assists, with Blackhawk Shelby Drapers delivering seven aces. Sophomore Abbie Scott and junior Avery Stark had eight blocks b...
The Cheney High School girls soccer team kicked of the season on the right foot, snapping up two wins in less than a week. First, the Lady Blackhawks took on University High School in a non-league match on Tuesday, Sept. 10 in a fierce battle that pushed into overtime. Neither team managed to score in the first half in a back and forth game that ultimately saw the Titans and the Blackhawks both take 10 shots at the goal. University’s goalkeeper made eight saves, while Cheney’s relatively new, underclassman goalkeepers spl...
Dear readers, I have worked for the Cheney Free Press for more than a year, and it has been a pleasure to do so. But now, it’s time to move on. While at the Free Press, I’ve travelled to firefighter trainings and photographed military parachute jumpers, covered city meetings and community gatherings and met some seriously wonderful people. I want to thank the subscribers of the Cheney Free Press for supporting your local newspaper, for being involved in your communities and for allowing us to share with you important new...
A bit of rain didn’t deter attendees of the 15th annual Polo Classic in Airway Heights over the weekend — despite showers, more than 1,200 people attended the event benefitting Ronald McDonald charity houses in the Inland Northwest. Ironically, the polo match was cancelled due to weather, but other events such as a silent auction and the annual “Parade of Hats” continued as planned. Silent auction items included a day with the Spokane Swat team and a variety of golf excursions, with the proceeds going to benefit childre...
The specter of Amazon’s massive fulfillment center has loomed above the West Plains for months, but local residents have remained in the dark as to when the warehouse might open for business. That opening date is at least a little clearer now, with an Amazon spokesperson announcing this week that the fulfillment center will be up and running sometime in mid-2020. Amazon originally expected the center to be functional by October ahead of the holiday rush. Amazon officials have said that launches tend to take place between o...
Last year, Airway Heights was designated an “Opportunity Zone” for investors and developers. Now, the city is hoping to take advantage of the designation and is encouraging those investors to commit to a 10-year investment in the area and maximize their tax savings. Opportunity zone designations were created by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 as an innovative approach to encouraging long-term private sector investments within select low-income communities across the country, according to Airway Heights staff. Investors wit...
The Airway Heights City Council tackled a study session Monday that lasted long after its usual meeting time, covering a wide variety of topics that included energy efficiency, marketing and red light cameras. Council passed two resolutions, but not without some controversy. A resolution authorizing Fire Chief Mitch Metzger to send the city of Spokane a letter withdrawing from the Spokane Regional Emergency Communications’ combined communications center interlocal agreement b...
For a long time in the sports world, poor behavior on the court or field was taken as a sign of passion. Whether it was players breaking equipment and storming into the locker room or coaches throwing sideline temper tantrums and threatening referees, we accepted the outbursts as par for the course and moved on with little more than an eye roll. But that tide is turning as it becomes crystal clear that one sport in particular has cornered the market on sportsmanship. If you’re seeking the gold standard of behavior on the c...
Cheney High School hosted its Black and Red scrimmages on Friday, Aug. 30, amping up players, coaches and spectators for the rest of the season. Onlookers brought non-perishable food to donate for a food drive and enjoyed concessions, the proceeds of which benefitted the Senior All-Nighter. Varsity and junior varsity teams geared up, ran drills and performed mini scrimmages for a crowd of fans in advance of the season’s official Sept. 1 start date. An official score was not taken but coaches said the practice is a good w...
Fairchild Air Force Base will be hosting what has been described as a “large war exercise” on the West Plains Sept. 8 – 28. The exercise has been titled “Mobility Guardian” and will bring thousands of military personnel from all over the world, according to information from the West Plains Chamber of Commerce. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, Mobility Guardian provides a realistic training environment for more than 2,500 airmen and joint and internati...
In the last week, several incidents have kept police busy in Airway Heights, including one that led to a high-speed pursuit of a fleeing vehicle. On Sunday, Aug. 25 at 9:14 a.m., two Airway Heights officers responded to a domestic violence call on the 12400 block of West Frank Street, according to Sgt. Robert Swan of the Airway Heights Police Department. There, a woman reported that her boyfriend Paul J. Reinhardt, 51, had assaulted her then left the residence. “When officers responded she was crying and covered in bruises,...
By now, anyone with access to a television or computer has heard of the catastrophe facing the Amazon rainforest in the form of blazing fires consuming forested land and the creatures that inhabit it. As of press time, Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE) had reported at least 74,000 fires in the Amazon this year — an increase of 84 percent since this time last year. Statistically, the Amazon rarely burns on its own — its foliage is typically too wet to ignite, so fires are often found to be caused by human...
An Airway Heights City Council study session and community meeting was cancelled Monday when a quorum could not be formed due to the absence of several council members. Slated for discussion was an update on the city’s ongoing water contamination issues, a beekeeping code revision, and information on affordable housing, among other topics. Following the meeting’s cancellation, Airway Heights Public Works Director Kevin Anderson said the Air Force is currently working on a study seeking long-term solutions for the city. Tha...
Alaska Airlines has announced a daily nonstop service between Spokane International Airport and Paine Field-Snohomish County Airport in Everett to begin this fall, which has already generated significant interest from travelers across the state. New flights will begin just in time for holiday travel on Nov. 4 and tickets are now on sale. Beginning Nov. 4, flights from Everett to Spokane will depart at 7:55 p.m. with an estimated arrival-time of 9:10 p.m. daily, according to a news release. Beginning Nov. 5, a daily flight...
Zendaya Johnson celebrates a cornhole win while her younger brother Prevail Johnson looks on at Airway Heights Days in Sunset Park Aug. 17....
A local real estate mogul plans to construct a $6.2 million ministorage complex on the West Plains, according to city of Spokane documents. Airway Heights Mini Storage will be built by Douglass Properties and feature a 4,000 square-foot, two-story office, 14 pre-engineered metal storage facilities and a 32,000-square-foot RV canopy for vehicle storage. Storage buildings will reportedly range in size from just under 2,000 square feet to 16,000 square feet — for a total of nearly 96,000 square feet of space dedicated to s...
A man accused of leading police from Airway Heights to downtown Spokane in a high-speed car chase that ended with him leaping into the Spokane River from the Division Street Bridge has been identified. Casey R. Gillette’s bond was set at $60,000, according to Spokane County Superior Court documents. In the wee hours of the morning on Friday, Aug. 9, Airway Heights police attempted to pull over Gillette for a routine traffic offense. Gillette refused to stop and instead drove up to 30 mph over the speed limit and losing at l...
In a report to the Cheney School Board at its Aug. 14 meeting, district Superintendent Rob Roettger made a surprise announcement — that the district is in the process of a purchase sale and agreement for property in Airway Heights. The eventual land purchase, for 11.5 acres off of Craig Road, is aimed at combating the rising tide of growth in the district, one that shows no sign of slowing. The land is intended to be used for an elementary school; due to the rapid increase in K-5 enrollment, elementary schools districtwide h...
Siblings QuiNya and Dahmonii Gibbons let out some energy next to the inflatable obstacle course at Airway Heights Days in Sunset Park on Aug. 17. Kids and adults alike paired up to race through the course, which ended in a giant blow-up slide....
The Airway Heights City Council made quick work of a busy agenda at its Aug. 20 meeting, approving progress on an agreement with the Kalispel Tribe that has been several months in the making. The council unanimously approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Kalispel Tribe of Indians Victim Services Program for the purpose of voluntarily providing services for victims and survivors who have been affected or harmed by a crime. This would be accomplished by having a Kalispel Tribe victim of crime advocate in...
Christine and Eric Williams accept the award for Cheney Yard of the Month. The couple have had a passion for gardening since they bought their house more than 16 years ago and recently started introducing flower baskets into their landscape design. The Williams received a $25 gift certificate from Jarms Ace Hardware. Pictured above from left to right: Eric and Christine Williams, Cheney Kiwanis Club representative Pat Isbell and Cheney Gardeners representatie Betty...
And the development just keeps on coming — the West Plains will soon be welcoming a new hotel, Choice Hotels International Inc. announced last week. Choice is partnering with Brar Hotels Group, LLC for the development of a Cambria hotel located within the Spokane West Plains-Airport Area Public Development Authority (PDA). The hotel will be located at 4611 S. Dowdy Road, minutes away from the Spokane International Airport, according to a press release. The building will be four stories with 91 rooms and is slated to open i...
The Cheney Free Press reported in November 2018 Spokane manufacturer Kenworth Sales Company’s plan to build a new warehouse in the West Plains, just west of South Thomas Mallon Road on a 20 acre parcel located at 9010 W. Geiger Blvd. Now, new details have emerged as Kenworth Sales Co. recently filed plans with Spokane County to build a $15 million facility to include a body shop, a service and parts department, a warehouse and office space. The two-story facility, expected to exceed 60,000 square feet, will also include s...
A car chase that began in Airway Heights last weekend led to a man leaping into the Spokane River in an attempt to hide from police. On Friday, Aug. 9 at 4:28 a.m., Airway Heights police attempted to pull over a black Volkswagen four-door sedan with no plates on Highway 2 near Garfield Road as part of a routine traffic stop, Sgt. Robert Swan with the Airway Heights Police Department said. The vehicle refused to stop and traveled east on Highway 2 at excessive speeds. Near Deer Heights Road, other officers laid down spike...
