Articles from the March 3, 2016 edition


Sorted by date  Results 1 - 25 of 37

  • Seeking storm damage remedy

    John McCallum, Editor|Updated Mar 3, 2016

    Cheney residents visiting some city parks may see a bit of logging going on in upcoming weeks. Parks and Public Works employees have been walking some of Cheney's 40 acres of parkland in order to identify trees that may have been compromised during the November 2015 windstorm. Public Works Director Todd Ableman said now that the weather is getting nicer and the snow has disappeared, employees are looking at trees with defined leans to see how much of the root system is exposed...

  • Restoring freedom

    John McCallum, Editor|Updated Mar 3, 2016

    There are many components to the word "care" in the context of the Cheney Care Community. There are the direct components provided at the care center and the assisted living units, and there are the indirect componenets such as programs available to residents of the community's Sessions Village. One program of direct care gaining more use these days is the rehabilitation program, led by rehabilitation director and occupational therapist Linda Norman. The program's...

  • West Plains Briefs

    Updated Mar 3, 2016

    Lucky Leprechaun Bingo Come test the luck of the Irish and perhaps win a little green at Lucky Leprechaun Bingo, March 13 at Cheney’s American Legion Hall, 116 W. College Ave. The fun begins at 2 p.m. Families are welcome and be sure to bring the kids. ML scholarship fundraiser Medical Lake Dollars for Scholars is holding its annual “Spring Thing” scholarship fundraiser Saturday, March 19 at St. Anne’s Parish Hall, 6:30 –10:30 p.m. There will be a live auction/silent auction with many great prizes, wonderful food, adult bev... Full story

  • Churches

    Updated Mar 3, 2016

    Cheney Community Church This coming Sunday, March 6, a representative from Chosen People Ministries will present the program, “Messiah in the Passover,” during the 10 a.m. worship service. The presentation is a powerful visual message of Israel’s freedom from slavery in Egypt, but also of the redemption of individuals from the bondage of sin through the work of Jesus on the cross. The program will provide a deeper understanding both of the Passover and of the Communion table as we move into the Easter season. Childcare is pr...

  • Looking Back

    Updated Mar 3, 2016

    1 Years Ago March 9, 2006 The Cheney City Council set the process in motion for the annexation of a 39-acre parcel of land at Betz and Murphy roads for the future site of a new park. Construction on Cheney's new Holiday Inn Express was moving ahead and still on target for a July or August opening for the 30-unit motel. Medical Lake's dreams of cutting down the net at the girls' state basketball tournament came to a quick end following their 69-48 loss to Pullman followed by...

  • What's Happening On The West Plains

    Updated Mar 3, 2016

    All events are free unless posted otherwise. To get your event or meeting in the weekly What’s Happening section send an email with date, time, location and event to [email protected]. Cheney • March 4, Baby Play and Learn Storytime (ages 0 – 18 months), community library, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. • March 4, Free AARP Tax-aide, community library, noon – 5 p.m. • March 5, All you can eat pancake breakfast benefiting military veterans and their families, Marketplace Cheney, 1011 First St., $11.99, 9 a.m. – noon. • March 7,... Full story

  • Thank you to professionals for speaking to students at CHS Career Exploration Day

    Updated Mar 3, 2016

    Last Friday (Feb. 26), 32 professionals from around the Spokane region volunteered to speak to the juniors of Cheney High School at the second annual CHS Career Exploration Day. Students chose from a variety of career fields such as health sciences and aerospace. Cheney High School Career Staff would like to extend a special “Thank You” to all of those that volunteered their time to share their expertise, including five CHS alumni. We look forward to working with all of you next year! Elisa Rodriguez Career Specialist Che...

  • Trump's and Cruz's words examples of their bigotry

    Updated Mar 3, 2016

    My letter a month ago regarding Islamic State (ISIS) recruitment received a response alleging kowtowing to ISIS. This misinterpretation clearly indicates the need to further detail my letter’s intent. The ISIS recruitment videos featured Donald Trump’s call to ban all Muslims from the U.S., and Ted Cruz had mentioned carpet-bombing of enemy-controlled areas, revealing examples of the two Republicans bigotry and disregard for innocent civilian life. My assumption was (is) those attitudes are un-Christian and un-American, por...

  • First trip to Mexico was an eye-opening experience

    PAUL DELANEY, Staff Reporter|Updated Mar 3, 2016

    Until Feb. 18 I had never visited a so-called “Third World” country. It may have seemed as though after experiencing the crazy driver who passed me in the center turn lane while I was slowing to the 40 mile-per-hour speed limit while approaching Four Lakes? Or when I was behind the wheel and bouncing over those wonderful unpaved, pothole-strewn dirt streets in Spokane. The term Third World, now synonymous with many struggling poor nations around the globe, was originally use...

  • Stiffer punishment for open meetings violators needed

    Updated Mar 3, 2016

    Any law becomes ineffective when punishment for violating that law fails to act as a deterrent. Or, to use the more colorful phrase, a law’s “got to have teeth.” Two weeks ago the Washington Senate decided to do something it hasn’t done in 45 years by unanimously approving “putting teeth” into this state’s Open Public Meetings Act. At the request of state Attorney General Bob Ferguson, those teeth took the form of increased penalties for knowingly violating the law, upping individual fines from $100 to $500. Senate Bill 6...

  • EWU board of trustees gets PUB remodel update

    AL STOVER, Staff Reporter|Updated Mar 3, 2016

    Eastern Washington University’s board of trustees and those in attendance got a tentative timeline for the Pence Union Building remodel at the Feb. 26 meeting. Stacey Morgan Foster, EWU vice president for student affairs, and Mary Voves, vice president of business and finance, gave an update on the project. According to Foster, the project will go out for bid in April. Construction of the building is scheduled to begin in June and last until summer 2018, and occupancy of the remodeled building is scheduled for fall 2018. ...

  • Education Briefs

    STAFF AND NEWS SERVICE REPORTS|Updated Mar 3, 2016

    Kindergarten registration opens Kindergarten registration is open for both Cheney and Medical Lake school districts. Forms families must complete in advance of registration include: student registration form, student health form, certificate of immunization, home language survey form, elementary student housing questionnaire, secondary student housing questionnaire, parent permission slip and busing registration form. Families must also bring their child’s birth certificate or proof of birth, and immunization records when t...

  • 'Appropriate Ambitions' comes to EWU gallery

    Updated Mar 3, 2016

    Eastern Washington University’s Gallery of Art is hosting Garrett Bryant and Yaro Shon Neils’ “Appropriate Ambitions” exhibit from March 3 to April 14. According to a news release, “Appropriate Ambitions” is a collaborative installation combining the work of visual artists Garrett Bryant and EWU professor Yaro Shon Neils. Bryant grew up in Memphis, Tenn., where he spent his childhood playing war and drawing dinosaurs and superheroes. He earned his bachelors degree in liberal studies from Middle Tennessee State University...

  • Medical Lake Boosters stage ice cream social

    Updated Mar 3, 2016

    The Medical Lake High School Booster Club will host a get-acquainted ice cream social and membership drive tonight (Thursday, March 3) at 6 p.m. in the school auditorium. The Medical Lake High Booster Club was established in 2008 and has raised in excess of $360,000 from concession stand sales and major fund raising events such as the Spring Pasta Feed, a golf tournament each June and the Grapes & Hops event in the fall. Meetings are held the first Wednesday of the month, 6:30 p.m. at the Medical Lake Pizza Factory. For...

  • Gas prices are inching up, but not too high

    PAUL DELANEY, Staff Reporter|Updated Mar 3, 2016

    If you’ve sensed the price of gas is moving upward you are not seeing things. But do not worry too much that suddenly prices will be back up in the $3 range. As of March 1 prices in Cheney were all under $1.90 a gallon with City Fuel leading the way at $1.84. Maverik, the driver of last year’s “gas wars” is at $1.89 along with Mitchell’s and Conoco. The American Automobile Association expects gas prices to move higher, but not much. “Prices are not expected to rise as hig...

  • EW Gateway works behind the scenes

    PAUL DELANEY, Staff Reporter|Updated Mar 3, 2016

    With so much focus and attention being given to upgrades of railroad tracks that lead out of Cheney to serve the new Highline Grain Terminal in Four Lakes, the primary users of those rails might have been forgotten. Donald Purdie, president of the Eastern Washington Gateway Railroad, the company that leases tracks from its owners, the Washington State Department of Transportation said that much remains status quo with his shortline. There have been fears that with the grain...

  • MLMS February PACE winners

    AL STOVER|Updated Mar 3, 2016

    Medical Lake Middle School honored six students for the Partners Advancing Character Education (PACE) award for February. February's trait is honesty. Students received certificates and T-shirts, and were treated to a lunch sponsored by the MLMS Associated Student Body. From left to right: Gabriel Town, Matthias Mayes, Jeremiah Pullom, Keagan Mayes, Trinity Caputo and Chloe Burtenshaw....

  • Lefler and Novo qualify for National SeaPerch challenge

    AL STOVER, Staff Reporter|Updated Mar 3, 2016

    Westwood Middle School is sending a couple of students to the 2016 SeaPerch National Challenge at Louisiana State University (LSU) in Baton Rouge Louisiana in May. Westwood students Carter Lefler and Collin Novo of Aqua Troopers took first place at the sixth annual Inland Northwest SeaPerch Challenge at the Eastern Washington University pool, Feb. 27. They are the first students from Westwood to qualify for the national competition. Three other teams from Westwood and four...

  • ML school board approves Ames' contract extension

    AL STOVER, Staff Reporter|Updated Mar 3, 2016

    It appears Tim Ames will continue as the Medical Lake School District superintendent for a few more years. At its Feb. 23 meeting, the Medical Lake School Board approved a three-year contract extension for Ames, who became the district's superintendent in 2014 after he took over for former superintendent Dr. Pam Veltri. The contract is effective until June 30, 2019. "We appreciate Tim and what he's done for the district since he came here," school board president Rod Von Lehe...

  • Cheney meets K-3 class-size standards

    AL STOVER, Staff Reporter|Updated Mar 3, 2016

    At its Feb. 24 meeting, the Cheney School Board learned the school district is meeting state standards for K-3 class sizes. In 2015, the Washington state Legislature provided additional funding to schools to reduce class sizes in grades K-3. Kassidy Probert, executive director of finance, said all elementary schools - Betz, Windsor, Salnave, Snowdon and Sunset - meet class-size standards. According to Probert, the calculation to determine class-size compliance is calculated...

  • Happy birthday to the good Dr. Seuss!

    AL STOVER|Updated Mar 3, 2016

    The Cheney Library held a "Come 1, Come 2," celebration in honor of Dr. Seuss's birthday, Feb. 28. At left, Cheney Rodeo queen Allison Douglas talks with several libray patrons while at right, Thing 2 and several children make bookmarks in the children's area. And of course, Cheney's favorite mascot, Swoop, stopped by (center) to say hello and visit with kids like Kailee Leonard....

  • News Briefs

    STAFF AND NEWS SOURCES|Updated Mar 3, 2016

    Library district teams with WorkSource on job classes The Spokane County Library District and WorkSource are providing free classes geared toward job seekers and the current workforce throughout March, April and May. “Ready for Work” classes will be held at the Cheney, Deer Park and Otis Orchards library locations. The “Ready for Work” series includes six different classes: Job Search Strategies, Basic Computer Skills, Crafting Effective Resumes, Email for Job Seekers, Shifting Gears and Putting It All Together. Classes...

  • Commissioners review residential zoning codes

    John McCallum, Editor|Updated Mar 3, 2016

    Medical Lake’s Planning Commission used their regular meeting in February to learn all they could about the city’s residential zoning codes in preparation for the upcoming, Growth Management Act-required comprehensive plan review. Most of the session featured a question and answer session, with commissioners quizzing City Administrator Doug Ross on aspects of the codes that govern single-family, duplex and multifamily residential in the city. A couple of questions from Commissioner Tammy Roberson centered on showing con...

  • Weiszmann earns advanced certification

    Updated Mar 3, 2016

    In the Feb. 25 Cheney Free Press it was incorrectly stated that Cheney City Councilwoman Teresa Overhauser was the recipient of a certificate of municipal leadership — advanced from the Association of Washington Cities. Councilwoman Jill Weiszmann is the actual recipient of the CML — advanced certification. According to the AWC website, city officials receive the certification after earning an additional 30 credits of instruction and demonstrating community service. Community service includes local or statewide board or com...

  • AH council to discuss backing STA tax measure

    John McCallum, Editor|Updated Mar 3, 2016

    The Airway Heights City Council voted to move four items forward from its Feb. 22 study to the March 7 regular meeting for consideration, items that included a resolution stating the city’s position on a potential ballot measure increasing sales tax for use by the Spokane Transit Authority. The STA attempted to pass a similar measure in April 2015 that failed. That measure would have increased the sales tax in the county by 3/10ths of 1 percent. The proposed measure later this year would increase the tax 2/10ths of 1 p...

Page Down