Articles from the April 27, 2017 edition


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  • Digging the community

    AL STOVER|Updated Apr 27, 2017

    Abbi Watson was one of many volunteers who cleaned the planted beds from the community garden behind Sunset Elementary School during Airway Heights' annual spring community cleanup day, April 22. Parks and Recreation employee and volunteers from The Heights church staffed drop off sites at Sunset and Shorty Combs parks....

  • From the archives: 1997

    Updated Apr 27, 2017

    If concentration played a role, young Calvin Elam's plant would have been a rousing success. Elam was with this family for a special night at Betz Elementary School, an evening celebrating "Turn off TV Week." On hand were members of the Cheney Garden Club, who gave tiny plants to kids. Those attending also played games, made ice cream and visited the school's computer lab....

  • 'Stand up for Washington'

    Al Stover|Updated Apr 27, 2017

    Washington state employees at more than 150 worksites across the state held a "Stand up for Washington" demonstration on April 19. At the event held at Eastern Washington University's campus, Joan Ahl, a American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 28 representative asked employees to contact their legislators about funding their budget proposals....

  • Council punts on Parkside rezone

    John McCallum, Editor|Updated Apr 27, 2017

    The saga that is the Parkside Commons rezone request continues. After meeting in a closed-door session for 32 minutes at its April 25 meeting, the Cheney City Council reconvened in open session and voted 6-0 — Councilwoman Jill Weiszmann was absent — to approve a new resolution remanding the request back to the Planning Commission for further findings on the controversial request. The council met in closed door session for over an hour at its April 11 meeting before postponing a decision to Tuesday’s meeting. The Plann...

  • What's Happening On The West Plains

    Updated Apr 27, 2017

    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 • April 28, Light Fitness Hour (adults 50+), Wren Pierson Community Center, 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. • April 28, Baby Play and Learn Storytime (ages 0–18 months), 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. • April 30, Plot Gardening, community library, 2 – 3 p.m. • April 30, Seize the Dia (ages 0-10), community library, 2 – 4 p.m. • May 1 – May 4, GED and High... Full story

  • Looking Back

    Updated Apr 27, 2017

    1 Years Ago April 26, 2007 Medical Lake’s City Council unanimously approved an emergency ordinance placing a temporary suspension on all incoming development applications while officials examine options for developing land use regulations to ensure continued availability of the city’s water supply. Students at Eastern Washington University carried cardboard coffins in memoriam of U.S. service men and women killed in the Iraq War in a silent protest demonstration on campus. An accident on Sixth Street near Cheney High Sch...

  • Churches

    Updated Apr 27, 2017

    Cheney Community Church Cheney Community Church will host a “National Day of Prayer” observance on Thursday, May 4 at 6:30 p.m. This marks the 66th annual National Observance. This year’s theme is “For Your great name’s sake.” Daniel 9:19 states: “O Lord, Listen! O Lord, Forgive! O Lord, Hear and Act! For Your Sake, O My God.” The community is invited to come join in this event. Prayer changes things. During Sunday service, childcare is provided as well as children’s church for ages 3 – third grade. Both teens and adults me...

  • Planned Parethood column reflects upbringing

    Updated Apr 27, 2017

    Al Stover, your April 6 column (“Blocking Planned Parenthood funding harms women, children’s health”) in the Cheney Free Press reveals how you were raised. I am so sorry you apparently know nothing about the Bible. You probably have never cracked its cover. Has no one ever told you that it is the textbook for living this life? It says: “Thou shalt not kill.” You are misleading young people. The Bible is a fabulous book. It is full of famous stories, history, admonitions, how to be successful, how to prosper. When you catch...

  • StageWest says thank you, see you next year

    Updated Apr 27, 2017

    StageWest wrapped up it’s 2016-2017 season last weekend with the Dinner Theatre performance of Tom Dudzick’s “Miracle On South Division Street.” We had an excellent run with this production and would like to thank several people that helped make it successful. To Mike Hartman our caterer extraordinaire: What a wonderful dinner you prepared and all of the diners loved it, thank you for your service. To Harry Schafer our prop master and master kitchen man: Thank you for the great set. We were asked too many times if the ref...

  • Not taking a stance diminishes discussion

    Updated Apr 27, 2017

    Last week, Whitworth University in Spokane announced it was discontinuing an affiliation with Planned Parenthood wherein university students could receive credit for internships or volunteer at the organization’s Spokane Office. As reported in the media, university President Beck Taylor said the affiliation sent a “confusing signal to many of our constituents” that somehow the university had “taken a side” in an issue — abortion — that has become highly politicized over the years. But by discontinuing the relationship,...

  • Americans want tax fairness, not tax favors

    Updated Apr 27, 2017

    By JOHN McCALLUM Editor Now that the annual stress-inducing ritual of income tax filing deadline has passed, how you doing? Still feeling stressed, or are you relieved it’s done? You’re not alone if you feel worn out by the requirements of our tax system. According to an April 14 Pew Research Center report, 43 percent of Americans are bothered a lot about the complexity of our tax system, with another 29 percent bothered some. Soon, politicians will be trumpeting “Tax Relief Day,” that mythical moment when, hypothe...

  • New owners for Corner Closet Boutique

    PAUL DELANEY, Staff Reporter|Updated Apr 27, 2017

    Jess Earley did not want to see the neighboring business, the Corner Closet Boutique in Medical Lake, close its doors. To make sure that did not happen, Earley will add to the workload at Studio D salon and take over the spot that previous owner, Peg Asbury, ran since 2016. "I got a little bit of a whiff of opportunity, I could not help myself," Earley said. "So I decided I needed to own the whole corner." With Asbury the only one working the business, it became too much for...

  • Pure Joy open house is May 6

    Updated Apr 27, 2017

    Cheney’s Pure Joy Family Farm, the local wholesale producer and grower of marijuana, is holding an open house at its facility located at 260 Fred Johns Way in Cheney, directly behind the offices of the Cheney Free Press, on Saturday, May 6 from 2 – 6 p.m. This is a chance for those 21 and older to go behind the door and learn about the many facets of cannabis production. For further information visit purejoyfamilyfarm.com....

  • Shed business most recent bloom is called Topaz

    PAUL DELANEY, Staff Reporter|Updated Apr 27, 2017

    It's spring and things are sprouting out of the ground like crazy. Especially, it seems, with sheds as is most recently evident by one of the newest businesses in Cheney, Topaz Sheds. The company sells the Old Hickory line of products based out of Tennessee. Locally, Topaz, the company named after the family dog, a German shepherd, is operated by Tricia Davis in the former Conoco gas station and convenience store at 103 First St. And the reason sheds are showing up almost ever...

  • Gerber, Jacobsen and Schoenleber place in state FBLA conference

    Staff and News Reports|Updated Apr 27, 2017

    The Cheney Middle School Future Business Leaders of America chapter competed at the 2017 State Business Leadership Conference in Spokane April 19-22. The chapter sent seven competitors to the conference representing one of the only five middle school chapters in the state. Of the seven CMS students who competed, four made it to finals in their events and were ranked in the top 15 in the state in their categories. The top four individuals or groups from each national...

  • Cheney Public Schools selects ALSC as facilities architect

    John McCallum, Editor|Updated Apr 27, 2017

    After a process that included extensive interviews with prospective firms, the Cheney School Board at its April 19 meeting unanimously approved the selection of ALSC Architects to head up the design work for its upcoming school facilities expansion and renovation projects. Superintendent Rob Roettger said there were a number of qualified firms that applied for the work, of which the district's selection committee narrowed down the choices to two: ALSC and Design West. Design...

  • ML robotics compete at FIRST Championship

    AL STOVER, Staff Reporter|Updated Apr 27, 2017

    The Medical Lake High School Circuit Breakers robotics team wrapped up their season competing in the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) World Championship in Houston, April 19-22. In their appearance at the world championships, the Circuit Breakers went 5-5 during the qualification rounds to finish 32nd out of 67 teams of the Hopper Division. Overall, the team finished 192nd out of 6,700 schools from around the world. The team advanced to the playoffs after they were selected by Alliance 6 — c...

  • West Plains offices up for election in 2017

    Updated Apr 27, 2017

    The following is a list of elected positions in Cheney, Medical Lake and Airway Heights that are for election this year. The positions are listed along with the current office holder. Airway Heights Council Position 1 (Council Chair) Kevin Richey Council Position 2 Steve Lawrence Council Position 4 Tanya D. Dashiell Council Position 6 Doyle M. Inman Cheney Mayor Tom Trulove Council Position 1 Chris Grover Council Position 3 John Taves Council Position 4 Teresa Overhauser Medical Lake Mayor John Higgins Council Position 1...

  • News Briefs

    STAFF AND NEWS SOURCES|Updated Apr 27, 2017

    Cheney Fire Department sponsoring open house The Cheney Professional Firefighters Local 1919, in conjunction with the Cheney Volunteer Firefighters and the Cheney Fire Department, is sponsoring an open house on Saturday, May 13. In addition to the Mayfest activities happening throughout the downtown area that weekend, the firefighters invite the whole community to come by the station at 611 Fourth St. between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. There will be continuous tours of the station and trucks, demonstrations and displays of fire and...

  • APZ rezoning proposal in early stages

    AL STOVER, Staff Reporter|Updated Apr 27, 2017

    As part of the Airway Heights comprehensive plan update, the Planning Department is proposing a rezone of residential properties in the Accidental Potential Zone 2 (APZ) located south of U.S. Highway 2. The proposal requests those properties would be rezoned from manufactured residential, to a mix of general commercial - approximately 12.5 acres - and light industrial - about 29 acres. "The area was changed to RM in 2006, before that it was primarily commercial," Development...

  • Bachman and Legend – AHPD's newest K9 team

    AL STOVER, Staff Reporter|Updated Apr 27, 2017

    Airway Heights police officer Dennis Bachman had scattered several training aids around the office before he let his K-9 partner, Legend, out of his kennel. After Bachman showed Legend the red ball, he had the dog lead him around the office, finding the training aids one by one. After Legend found each item, Bachman would let him have the ball for just a second before moving on to the next training aid. This is one of the training exercises Bachman conducts when they are not...

  • Cheney holds water meeting

    John McCallum, Editor|Updated Apr 27, 2017

    The city of Cheney wants to hear from residents on how to reduce the impacts of demand on the city’s potable water supply system. A public meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday, May 2, at 5 p.m. at the Wren Pierson Community Center to present information about Cheney’s water supply and discuss conservation measures residents and businesses can take. According to a city press release, “water systems with 1,000 or more connections are required to establish water use efficiency goals in accordance with the state’s Water U...

  • ML applies for emergency program funds

    AL STOVER, Staff Reporter|Updated Apr 27, 2017

    The city of Medical Lake might receive some federal assistance in repairing its damaged streets. During the April 18 City Council meeting, Mayor John Higgins informed council that staff might rent a paving truck to do some street patching. “There’s a good chance we’ll get a $50,000 grant from the governor and whatever else we throw in,” Higgins said. The grant Higgins referred to is the state Transportation Improvement Board’s “2017 Emergency Repair Program” grant. According to the TIB’s website, the grant was created in...

  • Now boarding for Zone 1

    John McCallum|Updated Apr 27, 2017

    Cheney School District bus driver Tom Davis greets Clean Sweep volunteers catching a ride to their assigned zone in Cheney's southwest corner during last Saturday's annual Clean Sweep. This was the first year the district had donated to the event, providing one of their newest buses....

  • A chance to serve

    John McCallum, Editor|Updated Apr 27, 2017

    When it comes to West Plains elected offices, it’s either feast or famine. Last year featured no positions in the cities of Airway Heights, Cheney, Medical Lake, either of the two school districts or any special districts — fire, sewer/water — in the area. This year there are 21 up for grabs, and individuals interested in running for office can file beginning May 1. Spokane County Auditor Vicki Dalton said state law stipulates elections for partisan offices such as county commissioners, the state Legislature, governor and f...

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