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The Cheney City Council unanimously approved a pair of ordinances at their Nov. 12 meeting, setting annual increases to the city’s regular property tax and emergency medical service levies. Increases are limited by state law to 1 percent of the previous year’s actual levy amount. For the EMS levy, $255,515 was collected in 2014, setting the increase for 2015 at $2,555. The actual regular levy amount, for the property tax levy is $1,211,887. The 1 percent increase means $12,118.87 will be added to the city’s general fund...
Saying they needed more information and public input, the Cheney School Board voted at its Nov. 12 regular meeting to table adoption of an updated non-discrimination policy. The policy included new language recommended by the Washington State School Directors Association regarding inclusive approaches for transgender students such as confidential health and education information, sports and physical education and access to restroom and locker room facilities. Public comment at the meeting centered on the language regarding fa...
Shay was born as Shalene Robertson in San Jose, south of San Francisco. She grew up in the "Silicon Valley." At the age of 15, Shay knew she would have to live on her own. "That's what made me what I am," she said. "I had to struggle, which made me strong. I am grateful for that. At age 16, I started a cleaning company. My first. I advertised and found houses to clean. When I was 18, I had seven employees. I did very well. I lived in Morgan Hill, California. At 19, I bought...
What is Amanda Higgin’s take on her recently completed season as the head coach for the Medical Lake girls’ volleyball season? After completing her second season on the job with a 0-14 finish and also winless in matches, too, Higgins is still looking to the future as she tries to rebuild a program that has struggled for years. “The gains that I saw were getting my lower classmen some varsity experience,” Higgins wrote in an email. “We also worked on our offensive game.” An...
Phil Conrath from Plummer, Idaho needed the tiebreaker in order to snap a four-way tie in last week’s Cheney Free Press football contest. He wins a $50 merchant’s gift certificate for his work. Conrath and Zane McDaniel Sr. from Medical Lake each had three losses with McDaniel claiming a $20 Owl Drug gift certificate. Winners must come to the Free Press office at 1616 W. First St. in Cheney to pick up their prizes. Be sure to test your skills and try to beat our Free Pres “experts.” The entry form is found on page 4 for the...
The Cheney High girls' swimming team finished an impressive season, Nov. 15, after they took 10th place with 110 points at the 2A state swimming championships at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way. Sophomore Makenzie Norman capped an impressive year with a state title in the 100-yard freestyle event in 53.31 seconds. Norman also finished fourth in the 50 freestyle. Fellow sophomore Alexis Schmidt took seventh in the 100 butterfly in 1:02.13. Schmidt...
Just when the Big Sky Conference football tie-breaking procedure had people comparing it to one of those headache-causing story problems — remember, the ones dealing with trains traveling in opposite directions? — along came UC Davis and North Dakota. Going into last weekend, more than half the league’s teams had a shot at the title, with a match-up featuring Montana State and Idaho State taking one of them out of the title equation. But when the black rubber dust of the a...
It's harvest time at Hayford Farms. And if the initial inspection - two convincing victories over teams that dabbled in the postseason last season - is telling us anything, it just might be a good year. Jim Hayford, beginning his fourth season as Eastern Washington University's men's head basketball coach, has watched with pleasure, and even fretted a little, as his Eagles clubbed Texas Southern University 86-62 last Friday morning and then raced past Utah Valley State 75-50...
Maybe the 8 a.m. start was just a few ticks of the clock too early and the caffeine hadn't kicked in. But once it all came together there was no stopping the Eastern Washington University men's basketball team, which breezed to an 86-62 nonconference victory over the Texas Southern University Tigers last Friday morning, Nov. 14, at Reese Court. The game, which tipped off just after 8 a.m. and earned the distinction of being the first Division I college game played in the...
Several Cheney Free Press staff members were award winners in the recent Washington Newspaper Publisher Association’s annual Better Newspaper Contest. In the News Division, staff reporter Paul Delaney earned a second-place award in the Best Sports Personality Profile, Group I and II Combined category for “Ron Cox’s Eastern career marks stand test of time.” Delaney also received a third-place award in the Best Sports News Story, Group II for “Crazy rally delivers Big Sky’s top spot.” Editor John McCallum earned a second-plac...
Seventy-five years ago on Nov. 9, 1939, an incognito Bette Davis spent the night at A.H. Johnson’s Auto Camp on First Street. The noted actress and her friends had dinner at the Cheney Bakery, and left for Mt. Rainier the following morning. Learn more about our area’s history at www.cheneymuseum.org....
1 Years Ago Nov. 25, 2004 Cuts in the number of police officers patrolling the streets, from seven to six, were among some of the things done to help the city of Medical Lake offer a balanced budget of $6.7 million for 2005. The Cheney Police Department was provided with $23,000 in the 2005 budget to upgrade to a singular sidearm. This eliminated having officers provide their own weapons, which meant needing to purchase a wide variety of ammunition. For the third straight year the Sacramento State Hornets defeated Eastern...
Most people would agree it's gratifying to raise money for a good cause or charity. It's even more so when you're among those who have been impacted by that service. With regards to the latter, for the foster children of Aaron and Cathy Mason, selecting Spokane's Teen Closet as a recipient of their fundraising efforts was a no-brainer. But with the former, Aaron Mason had an idea involving more than just asking people for money. Mason wanted Britney, Angela and Sydney to be...
Emmanuel Lutheran Church The congregation of Emmanuel Lutheran Church invites you to worship with us this Sunday. Christian education begins at 9 a.m. You may also watch our pastors sermons on our website www.emmanuelcheney.org or on YouTube at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Cheney. Mark your calendars for our ecumenical Thanksgiving worship service on Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. Please bring non-perishable food items for the food basket. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church A welcoming haven, nourishing all God’s people in body, mind and... Full story
City of Cheney • Nov. 21, Baby Play and Learn Storytime (ages 0 – 18 months), community library, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. • Nov. 24, Dance Class, Wren Pierson Community Center, 7:15 – 8:15 p.m. • Nov. 25, Senior Light Fitness, Wren Pierson Community Center, 9 – 10 a.m. • Nov. 26, Toddler Play and Learn Storytime (ages 1 1/2 – 3), community library, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. • Nov. 26, Dance Class, Wren Pierson Community Center, 7:15 – 8:15 p.m. • Nov. 25, City Council meeting, City Hall Council Chambers, 6 p.m. • Nov. 25, Book Disc... Full story
CHENEY Nov. 10 Derik A. Douthitt, 18, was arrested for third-degree theft/shoplifting on the 100 block of West First Street. Nov. 11 A 1998 white Acura was reported stolen on the 2200 block of First Street. An abandoned red Chevy Lumina was impounded on the 200 block of North Ninth Street. Janice M. O’Grady, 37, was arrested on the 2200 block of First Street for two warrants out of Spokane for theft and driving under the influence (DUI). A bicycle was found on the 100 block of G Street. Nov. 12 A mental health issue was r...
SPOKANE COUNTY — At the stroke of midnight, Nov. 17, Spokane County took over management of the regional solid waste system and ownership of the Valley and North County Transfer Stations. According to Spokane County Utilities Director Kevin Cooke, it is a virtually seamless transition for residents since their curbside pickup will not change and they can continue to use the transfer stations. “All Spokane County residents will be welcome to use the Valley and North County Transfer Stations,” Cooke said in a news relea...
In a news release from the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, Michael Ormsby, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington announced that James G. Poindexter, 26, of Spokane, was sentenced Nov. 17, to 20 years in federal prison. Poindexter pleaded guilty to federal charges of production and distribution of child pornography back in September. He also pleaded guilty to third-degree child rape, third-degree child molestation and communication with a minor for immoral purposes. His sentencing for these charges will take p...
Feed ML pre-Thanksgiving Feed Medical Lake is holding a pre-Thanksgiving bake sale on Saturday, Nov. 22, from 1 – 5 p.m. at Denny’s Harvest Foods in Medical Lake. Stop in and pick up your baked goods for the holiday. Funds raised will be matched 50 cents to the dollar by Thrivent Financial Foundation. For more information call 714-1150. Christmas gifts now open Sign ups and donations are underway for the Christmas Gifts for Cheney Kids gift drive. The registration deadline for families with children wishing to receive gifts i... Full story
Several children dressed up as saints before the All Saints Mass, Nov. 2, at St. Anne’s Catholic Church. Each child gave a short presentation on the saint they were dressed as....
Budget season for Airway Heights is winding down as the City Council had its third public hearing on the 2015 preliminary budget at its Nov. 17 meeting. According to Clerk-Treasurer Richard Cook, there were a few recent adjustments to the preliminary budget, including an approximate $50,000 increase to the beginning balance of the current expense fund, as well as a $50,000 increase in expenditures. Cook said he will present the final budget at the Dec. 1 council meeting. The council also approved an interlocal agreement...
A Cheney High School graduate died last week while climbing the 10,047-foot Middle Sister mountain in Oregon’s Three Sisters Wilderness west of Bend. According to news releases from the Lane County Sheriff’s Office in Eugene, a 15-person search team found the body of 39-year-old Benjamin Newkirk approximately 800 – 900 feet below where he fell as he was descending the peak Nov. 12 with a climbing partner. Newkirk and his partner were at approximately 9,500 feet on the southeast ridge of Middle Sister and returning to their 7,...
The Medical Lake Citizens Deer Advisory Committee took a couple of steps toward addressing the city’s deer population at its Nov. 12 meeting. One of those steps included the draft of an ordinance that would prohibit Medical Lake residents from intentionally feeding the deer within city limits. Candace Bennett, Wildlife Conflict Specialist for Washington state Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) and committee chair Russ Brown explained that there is a statewide ordinance that prohibits residents from intentionally feeding l...
During a June workshop, Cheney department heads were asked to answer three questions for attending City Council members: What are your department's short-term needs? What are its long-term needs? And, finally, what keeps you awake at night? For the five departments receiving revenue from the city's General Fund, 2015's projected $6.728 million budget provides some answers to the first two questions. As for the third, there are still restless nights. Parks and Recreation City...
Like every year, the different Airway Heights city departments will see minor increases or decreases in their revenues and expenditures for next year. City Manager Albert Tripp explained that several departments will experience a reduction in their budgets, however it is a result of increases in efficiency throughout the department and not a decrease in services. One example is the Police Department's overall budget is at $1.533 million for 2015, a 2 percent reduction from...
