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Medical Lake School District officials are hoping a potentially confusing new way to fund a significant part of their operations will not keep voters from approving a pair of measures that pay for critical operations. The ballots are already in voters' hands for their consideration or hopefully not lost on the kitchen table for a measure that essentially renews a funding stream. But the numbers will look both slightly different, and overall somewhat less than the existing...
Toby Broemmeling, a person with familiarity in the area, specifically at Fairchild Air Force Base, was officially introduced as the new executive director of the West Plains' Chamber of Commerce at the group's Jan. 30 annual meeting. For the past six years, Broemmeling served as the area director for Young Life at Fairchild before filling the same role for the greater West Plains. Prior to that he was special projects coordinator with the Spokane Home Builders Association. Bro...
Scott Backovich's message to Cheney Middle School students gathered in the school's commons last Wednesday morning was pretty simple - be a catalyst for good. His reason for flying over 1,000 miles to appear before the 450-plus sixth through eighth graders boiled down to one simple question. "What are your going to do about it?" the Los Angeles-based motivational speaker asked. "That's it." Backovich's appearance was part of the school's "Leadership Day 2018," a school-wide...
Seventy-five years ago in January 1943, the Turnbull Wildlife Refuge received a shipment of 19 Canada geese which they planned to use to establish a flock on the refuge. Learn more about our area’s history at www.cheneymuseum.org....
1 Years Ago Feb. 7, 2008 The Medical Lake police department was awarded two traffic safety grants from the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC). That brought nearly $1,500 in funds for the purchase of new equipment and materials for a traffic safety education project to be taught at Medical Lake's elementary schools. Spokane County Sheriff's detectives raided a house in Cheney seizing 32 pot plants and nine and a half pounds of harvested marijuana....
Lisa Brown is coming to town! If Cathy McMorris Rodgers doesn’t represent you, then come out Sunday evening and welcome Lisa Brown to Cheney. Lisa will be holding a town hall style meeting from 6–7:30 p.m. in the multi-purpose room of the Wren Pierson Community Center. She wants to hear your concerns and questions, and then will address/answer them. If you’re not familiar with Lisa’s qualifications and experience, check out her web site at www.lisabrownforcongress.com — I think you’ll like what you read. If you can’t make...
Can anyone explain President Trump’s and the Republican’s hostile positions on immigration? Several of our country’s leaders have/had foreign-born wives; think Trump (Czechoslovakia, Slovenia), McConnell (China) and Mnuchin (Scotland). At least one of these wives came to this country under questionable legal status. Melania Trump has several immigrant relatives living in the U.S. What is their citizenship status? Did they benefit from “chain immigration?” Furthermore, Trump’s mother was foreign born (Scotland) and came to...
I want to thank Re*Imagine Medical Lake for all the wonderful events and committees they have facilitated for our community. Founders Day and the winter festival have grown not only in volume but in show casing the best of Medical Lake. Re*Imagine ML and their volunteers have their hearts in the right place. As a member of the City Council and long time resident I appreciate their efforts. It is mind blowing how these events are so well coordinated and wonderful. The events are family friendly and bring in people from...
The signs have been posted around town and the flyers were hung on our doors, but what do the levy measures really mean for our children? As a Medical Lake alumnus and community member with children who will soon be entering school, it is important for me to understand how these propositions will impact my student. So what are these propositions all about? Proposition 1 is a replacement levy to continue programs and operations that we currently have. This includes band, STEM, ROTC, and robotics just to name a few. Also...
After reading the letters to the editor in last week’s edition it is important to make a simple clarification — last year, voters approved a bond that pays for additional classrooms and secure entrances at four elementary schools and Cheney High School. Thank you. This year, you are being asked to renew a levy that supports learning and programs in the schools. The levy supports transportation, athletics, maintenance and other costs not funded by the state. These are two different money pools both of which greatly ben...
I am writing this letter as a supporter of the Cheney Public School’s Replacement Education Programs and Operation levy on Feb. 13. I started working as a paraeducator about nine years ago after moving to Spokane and am now the registrar and attendance secretary at Westwood Middle School. Each day I interact with children who benefit from community passage of the previous levy. A new three-year levy is on the ballot this year, and with this levy, taxpayers will see their property tax decrease from 2017’s $2.90 per $1,000 to...
I voted for Initiative 502 in 2012, not because I wanted to legalize marijuana, but because what we were doing wasn’t working. I thought it inconceivable that the U.S. government would allow any state to openly ignore federal law. At best, I was hoping for a wake up call and Congress would recruit some very smart people to find a solution that worked. I thought the worst case would be for the state to be forced to cease and desist such that we would revert to the status quo. I was wrong — the worst case was that the sta...
Did you know by paying $46,000 a year and change to attend New York University — sans books, room and board of course which bumps the bite to over $63K — it apparently gives some at least the partial ability to see the future? There are no guarantees you’ll get to know stock prices early, or see the Powerball numbers in advance, and earning that NYU degree will not guarantee a job that will easily help you pay off the loans it took to earn that knowledge. What brings about...
The dance group Code Red performs Tuesday night, Feb. 6, during Eastern Washington University's "Eastern's Got Talent" show at Showalter Hall Auditorium. Hosted by Eagle Entertainment, the show featured a variety of talent from university students. Judges declared the group Power to the Poetry the winner, with second place going to Karen McCormick, a 2013 Cheney High School graduate, and Shawn Stratte in third. The winner received $250 in prize money....
Lisa Brown to appear at Cheney forum Former Washington State University-Spokane chancellor and current 5th District congressional candidate Lisa Brown (D-Spokane) is slated to appear at a community forum at Cheney’s Wren Pierson Community Center this Sunday evening, Feb. 11. The town-hall style meeting runs from 6 – 7:30 p.m. Brown declared her candidacy this past summer and running against current 5th District incumbent Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Spokane). McMorris Rodgers has served as 5th District representative sin...
Airway Heights City Council members received their various committee assignments at their Feb. 5 meeting. The ad hoc committees included finance, community and economic development, public works, public safety, governmental building, JLUS (joint land use study), comprehensive planning, lodging tax, investment and collective bargaining. An ad hoc meeting is either called for one specific purpose, or in an impromptu way. There is no set time in meetings and there can randomly be one. The other assignments included growth...
While Medical Lake sports teams are headed to the postseason this week in hopes of state titles, another group of competitors are also seeking glory on the big stage. Medical Lake musicians under the tutelage of music teacher Craig Johnson have been working behind the scenes with hours of practice to aspire to become members of All-State Bands and Choir. That competition takes place Presidents' Day weekend, Feb. 16–18 at Yakima's Eisenhower High School. Students involved i...
It's time to break out the seeds and potting mix to start your garden plants indoors. It's a great way to keep your green thumb in shape over winter. Plus, you'll save money, increase your variety of plants and jump start the growing season when you start seeds under LED grow lights. Indoor growing conditions often offer limited light and that can mean tall leggy transplants with weak stems. You can greatly increase your success by investing in quality grow lights. Adding...
Airway Heights held its “community café” meeting on Jan. 24 and talked about the upcoming events for the new calendar year. According to its website, the group works with engaged and passionate residents, businesses, non-profits, and City officials in Airway Heights. Their goal is to eliminate health inequities by addressing social determinants of health such as housing, physical environment, economic opportunities and community connectivity. The main attraction the group is planning is the “Wellness Event” in June, though t...
Farm Salvation, located at 106 Lefevre St. in Medical Lake, is a place where items can have a second chance, thanks to Gerri Johnson. Since 2012, Johnson has been taking things from her farm and giving them a new purpose for Farm Salvation. "I think to myself 'how can I make an item part of something?'" Johnson said. "If it is really tired and worn out, you can paint it or take the paint off." She has done shows around the Pacific Northwest, including Farm Chicks, which was a...
The following are January award winners for Hallett Elementary: Kindergarten: Danker: Mercy Underwood, Ava Grace, Eli Cederblom. Musselwhite: Asher Stamoolis, Amaya Reindl, Liam Barringer. Williams: Trinity Knapton, Mason Halme. Haase: Kylie Brogan, Brian Schwarzer, Antonio Hill. First Grade: Coriell: Derek Halme, Shelby Stevens, Kyler Wren. Myers: Cassie Pfleger, Ben Daniels, Walker Hays. Devine: Victoria Ramon, Aiden Miller, Isabel Armes. Coins: Chloe Hasley, Paxton Dubey, Samuel Shcherbina. Second Grade: Pielop: Cole...
Cheney officials took the unusual step at the Jan. 23 City Council meeting of requesting passage of a resolution without actually having an official copy of the document to present to council. The resolution read aloud into the record by city attorney Stanley Schwartz, and passed unanimously, amended electrical power rate increases adopted by the council when it approved the 2018 budget. The increases would have created a billing error that could have had a huge impact on commercial power customers who exceed 15,000 kilowatt...
An initial social media threat following a basketball game at Medical Lake High School last Thursday night was taken with all seriousness. But after thorough investigation, school officials, and those with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office determined the post did not pose harm. High school principal Chris Spring issued an email to parents and an accompanying phone call to apprise them of the situation. School officials did not feel threatened because of a previous history w...
Westwood Middle School students help Assistant Principal Tami Skillingstad celebrate her selection as the Association of Washington School Principals Assistant Principal of the Year. Skillingstad was presented the award in front of family, friends, co-workers and students at a Feb. 1 reception at the school....
Cheney's Historical Preservation Commission gave "enthusiastic support" at its Feb. 1 meeting to city staff to go ahead and prepare nominations for the School House Lofts student apartments for several state and national preservation awards. School House Lofts, which opened this past August/September, was formerly known as the Fisher Building - which began life in 1931 as Cheney High School and was subsequently the district's junior high and then administration building. The...
