Sorted by date Results 51 - 75 of 309
Multiple agencies responded to the scene of a fire on Wednesday, June 19, and preliminary investigation indicates it was started by a juvenile, according to the Airway Heights Fire Department. The fire began in a vacant house on 18th Avenue and Russell Street and was reported by a neighbor walking past the home. Airway Heights Fire Marshall Nate Whannell said there was significant structural damage to the house and the roof was “almost gone” by the time firefighters contained the blaze. The fire department was backed up by...
They don't call him Loco for nothin'. Major Paul Lopez has been piloting aircraft for 13 years, and has been an F-22 pilot for eight and a half. But don't think it ever becomes routine. "It's very exhilarating," Lopez said. "The blood is coursing through your veins, the adrenaline is coursing throughout your body, your heartbeat is pumping and you get butterflies every time you get to hit the throttle...and take off." Lopez, call sign LOCO, was the man behind the jet in...
Retired Tech Sgt. Victor Klingler just loves aircrafts. That's why he traveled from Clarkston to attend Skyfest 2019 at Fairchild Air Force Base on Saturday, June 22. He wasn't alone - West Plains locals and visitors alike flocked to the base in droves, hoping to catch a glimpse of high-flying air performances and tour aircraft parked firmly on the ground. "I'm just an aircraft nut," Klingler said, sitting in the bleachers with a dead-ahead view of the airfield and a content...
On Saturday, June 22, eight members of an Army parachute team relaxed in a plane hovering at an altitude of 11,500 feet, its door wide open to catch the freezing 120 mile per hour winds and offer a stomach-churning view of sprawling farmland below reduced to the size of postage stamps. While prepping for their jump, they talked about "getting out" of the plane the way others would talk about getting out of a cab. But for them, it's just another day at the office. The U.S....
Cheney High School’s interim head wrestling coach has been appointed to the position full-time, athletic director Jeff Chandler told the Cheney Free Press last week. Just before the 2018-2019 school year started up, former head coach Brad Rasmussen stepped down for personal reasons. “It was late when Brad decided he couldn’t continue for the season,” Chandler said. “I gave him the year — it wasn’t a leave of absence but that’s kind of what I considered it.” Assistant coach J...
A corrections officer at Airway Heights Corrections Center is following in his father’s footsteps, becoming the second in his family to be awarded the facility’s Correctional Officer of the Year award. Nathan Blum, who was presented with the 2019 honor this month, has been working for Airway Heights for more than a decade, according to a press release. Prior to working in corrections, he was struggling to find career stability, he said. “Before I started this I was piece-mealing stuff together trying to figure out what I was...
Sgt. 1st Class Ryan O’Rourke of the U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team takes a flying leap from an airplane high above Fairchild Air Force Base for Skyfest 2019. See story on page 6....
A Spokane County Sheriff’s deputy was fired Thursday, June 13, following an internal investigation that found he discussed killing black people, used racial slurs and sexually harassed a female colleague. The 18-year veteran of the sheriff’s office, Sgt. Jeff Thurman, allegedly contacted an on-duty deputy while off-duty in December 2016 and said, “You ready to kill some (racial slur) tonight?” Thurman worked in Spokane Valley. His comments were said over Bluetooth speaker and heard by multiple deputies, according to the sheri...
One of the largest publications in sports, Sports Illustrated, has announced a new publisher. It’s an interesting choice, and one could argue not the wisest given their new hire’s controversial past. The editorial content of the magazine, now in its 65th year, will soon be controlled by Seattle-based digital media company Maven, with former Los Angeles Times publisher Ross Levinsohn being named CEO. The appointment could be called into question considering that Levinsohn has a long history of making waves. A March 2018 NPR...
When I planned to spend last weekend out of town, I had visions of carefree walks on the beach, cocktails at interesting coastal cafes and hours wiling away walking my pups against the serene backdrop of nature. Anyone who’s ever traveled across state lines with multiple dogs on short notice knows I needed a reality check. And I got one, in a big way. The day before we were set to head home, a check engine light went on in the car. Innocuous enough. No problem, I thought, we’ll swing by an auto parts store, borrow a code rea...
With Skyfest 2019 right around the corner, West Plains residents with a need for speed will soon be satisfied as Fairchild Air Force Base hosts the annual airshow and open house on Saturday, June 22 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. The free, one-day event is meant to showcase the airpower of the Pacific Northwest and is set to feature several performances as well as static displays of a variety of aircraft. Performances will commence starting at 1 p.m. are set to include multiple parachuting demonstrations by the U.S. Army Golden K...
Travelers and local camping aficionados both have reason to celebrate as the new Northern Quest RV Resort & Casino kicks off this summer. The resort officially opened June 1 and offers a “luxury resort experience,” according to a press release. Visitors will be able to choose between 38 pull-through and back-in RV sites. The community is gated and secure and even includes options for those who don’t have an RV in the form of 18 one and two-bedroom tiny cottages. Additional RV spaces are set to be completed by July 4, bring...
On Thursday, June 13, Betz Elementary students gathered for an artistic extravaganza in the form of talent show performances from teacher Cindy Tilque's second-grade class. Students exhibited a variety of skills including poetry recitation, stand-up comedy, singing, reading, and several different dance styles. Student Eli Withrow recited a charming poem he wrote entitled, "Just a Slug," while Ella Lynch sang while playing guitar. Music from popular musical "The Greatest...
As school districts across the region announce significant layoff plans, Cheney School District officials have said they have no plan to do so. While no doubt a relief to many West Plains parents and teachers, it also sparks the question: how is Cheney managing its money, and how is the district coping with the onslaught of education funding changes authorized by the state Legislature in its most recent session? Balancing act Cheney Finance Director Jamie Weingart said long-term success is all about compromise and foresight....
Multiple Betz Elementary administrators had to face the music Wednesday, June 12, and pucker up: to a one-year-old, brown and white steer named Phoenix. The smooch heard round the school was the result of a year-long bet instructors made with students about the number of "class coupons" the students could collect as reward for good behavior. School counselor Margaret "Bridie" Riddick first challenged Principal Carla Hudson back in September, declaring that if students earned...
When former Seattle Seahawk defensive back Jordan Babineaux visited Fairchild Air Force Base last week, he had some advice to offer aspiring football players and new athletes of all kinds. That advice? Be consistent. “You know, I think the youth should understand that consistency probably overrides perseverance,” he said. “Perseverance, you look at it as pushing through that tough moment, but the only way to do that and get to that point is to show up every other day....
The Seattle Seahawks wrapped up their annual 12 Tour over the weekend, stopping Friday, June 7, in the West Plains to tour Fairchild Air Force Base. Active defensive backs Neiko Thorpe and Tedric Thompson and former defensive back Jordan Babineaux joined Seahawks dancers, staffers and team mascot Blitz to view the facility and get a glimpse at a day in the life of Airway Heights airmen. Military personnel set up stations for players and staffers to view, letting them try on...
The Cheney School District announced this week the sponsorship of the Simplified Summer Food Program for Children. Meals will be made available at no extra charge to attending children 18 years of age and younger. One of the things that sets the Cheney district apart is its full roster of culinary professionals behind the lunch counter. Almost all school lunch workers have specific culinary training or are in the midst of some sort of related schooling, Cheney director of nutrition service L.J. Klinkenberg said. A recent lunc...
A student at Cheney High School’s 2019 commencement ceremony shows off a decorated graduation cap complete with glittery flamingo....
Police have identified a suspect in May’s fatal hit and run that killed a man near the intersection of North Hayford Road and East Sprague Avenue in Airway Heights. The man hit was identified as 39-year-old Jackson Lawless. Lawless was crossing Hayford in a place with no crosswalks when he was struck by a silver, 2010 Dodge Ram at about 9 p.m. on Thursday, May 16. According to court documents, surveillance footage indicated that the suspect stopped at a nearby Chevron but then continued driving. A police spokesman told l...
The Airway Heights City Council had a full plate at its June 3 meeting, hearing a presentation from Avista Utilities on the introduction of smart meters to the West Plains and getting a legislative update from the city’s governmental affairs representatives. Avista began a $165 million dollar rollout of smart meters across the utility company’s Washington service territory in February, starting with Spokane. Avista representatives said smart meters will be coming to the West Plains in October. Local residents can expect to se...
The phrase “The God Squad” brings to mind visions of early crusaders or the television show from the early 2000s, not a crew of teenagers in matching pastel shirts and too-big gardening gloves. But that’s exactly what it is: a youth group community service project turned autonomous organization that helps Airway Heights residents in need with landscaping, trash removal and city code violations. At the heart of the squad is local artist and former pastor Chris Bovey, who start...
Last year, the Spokane Regional Health District piloted a “time bank” in a few select Airway Heights neighborhoods. The idea was simple and hearkened back to the 1980s — the online time bank would be an organized way for people to trade their skills based on units of time; for example, trading lawn mowing for cooking classes. Now, the district is preparing to open the doors to the entire West Plains community, said Program Specialist Heather Wallace. “There are a lot of people whose skills are not valued by the economy...
The West Plains Chamber of Commerce’s May breakfast broke in the banquet hall at the new Airway Heights recreation center as local business leaders gathered to watch a legislative recap presentation by Association of Washington Businesses Vice President Gary Chandler. Chandler noted that out of the $122 million allocated for the Spokane area from the state budget, about $80 million is specifically for the West Plains. He called West Plains officials “hard-working” and said the area is thriving. “I think we had some of the...
Spring is often thought of as the season of change, and that adage has certainly proven true for a staple Cheney business. William Thompson, the owner of Cheney Pawn on 1st Street, is retiring and has sold his business to a new owner through a realty company, he said. The new owner is Sam White, and Thompson said he is leaving the business in good hands. The deal closed on April 17. Thompson, 73, said he plans to use his retirement to relax and that his wife intends to do more gardening. Shannen Talbot can be reached at...
