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The May 1 meeting of a WA Cares oversight commission should be must-see-TV, as it made one thing super clear: There is going to be a lot of disappointment if WA Cares remains a mandatory program funded by 58 cents (or more) of every $100 a worker earns. Not only will some workers not qualify for the money they're being told should give them peace of mind about possible long-term-care needs, Washingtonians who do qualify for a WA Cares benefit won't be able to fully choose how...
CHENEY – Annie Wolfley, the School District director of teaching and learning, curriculum and instruction, unveiled changes to the library book adoption process during the April 24 School Board meeting. Previously, the library book approval process was primarily overseen by librarians, who played a pivotal role in selecting materials aligned with grade-level appropriateness and educational standards. Traditionally, this process involved cumbersome paperwork, with forms filled out in triplicate. However, the district has e...
SPOKANE – The recent junior livestock sale held on Saturday, May 4th, showcased the hard work and dedication of young exhibitors from various clubs and chapters across Spokane County. Participants from FFA and 4-H clubs presented their finest swine, competing for top honors and respectable prices. Among the notable winners were: • Abigail Cole from Medical Lake FFA, whose pig fetched $3.00 per pound, totaling $726.00 for a 242-pound specimen. • Jolena Naccarato, also from Medical Lake FFA, earned $3.25 per pound for her 2...
MEDICAL LAKE - The Cardinals baseball season came to an end following a 4-1 loss to Colville in a loser out playoff game May 4 at Holliday Field. The Cardinals closed out Northeast A League play April 30 scoring the winning run in the top of the seventh in a 4-3 win at Newport. Medical Lake (7-5 NEA, 11-11 overall) finished fifth in the regular season which earned them the meeting with No. 4 seed Colville. Colville (11-11) jumped to an early lead scoring twice in the first...
MEDICAL LAKE - Just what are most 80-somethings doing regularly these days other than probably making sure their meds are in order? Likely not what Gene Blankenship and Gary Blake do? Both currently spend large parts of the days fueling their passion as coaches molding better young people. Blankenship, the senior of the pair at 82 guides the track and cross-country programs at Medical Lake High School. Blake, who just turned 80 in April, has coached Cheney softball since...
MEDICAL LAKE — The boys soccer team pushed its winning streak to seven as the Cardinals scored a 5-0 victory over Newport, May 2 in a first-round playoff game. Mavrick Rasmussen had three goals and Kaden Rudy two for Medical Lake (9-3 NEA, 11-6 overall) which had a 3-0 lead at the half. Alex Grubaugh earned the shutout for the Cardinals who faced Riverside, May 7 with berth into the district championship game May 9 at Whitworth University on the line. Meanwhile, the Cheney boys were eliminated, losing to Ridgeline, 5-0, a...
SPOKANE — Justin Krasselt shot a two-under 70 leading Cheney to a six-stroke victory May 6 in the Inland Empire Invite at Indian Canyon Golf Course. Other notable finishes from include Ryan Howe 76 (tie 3rd) Kyren Fleming 80 (t12) and Trey Little whose 83 tied him for 21st. Cheney had one final Greater Spokane League match May 7 and the Kalispel Invite, May 9 before District 8 play at MeadowWood on May 15 and 16....
CHENEY — The girls softball team will take a strong finish into this week’s District 8 playoffs. The Blackhawks raced past North Central 19-1 on May 3 to conclude league play and have won seven of the last 10 games to land in third place, earning a No. 8 seed. Maya De La Cruz and Reese Scholle combined for a one-hitter. Adrian George was 3-for-4 with 3 RBIs and Mia Ashcroft 3-for-5 with a pair of RBIs. Cheney (12-8, 12-6 in league) traveled to Kennewick to face Southridge (14-6) May 7. The teams play in a modified double eli...
AIRWAY HEIGHTS — Police arrested the following individuals from April 26-30: April 26 Christina M. Burubeltz was arrested for theft in the third degree (shoplifting) on the 12800 block of West Highway 2. John M. Daigneault was arrested for criminal trespassing in the first degree, obstructing a law enforcement officer, assault in the third degree, and burglary in the second degree on the 14300 block of West Highway Two. Troy W Madera was arrested for assault in the fourth degree on the 14300 block of West Highway Two. C...
CHENEY — Police responded to the following calls for service from April 29-May 4: April 29 Anthony Weatherman, 44, was arrested for assault in the second degree on the 1600 block of First St. April 30 Classified case on the 300 block of Cocolala St. A silver 2020 Nissan Altima was stolen from the roadway on the 100 block of North Ninth St. Verbal dispute, no probable cause on the 200 block of South Cheney Spangle Road. May 1 Crisis on the 300 block of Fourth St. Verbal dispute, no probable cause on the 200 block of Cheney S...
MEDICAL LAKE — The Spokane County Sheriff's Office responded to the following calls for service from May 2-6: May 2 2:20 a.m. – Welfare check at 623 East Lake St. 5:57 a.m. – Information call at East Lake St and South Silver Lake Avenue. 6:44 a.m. – Prowler check at 1318 South Lefevre St. 8:36 a.m. – Welfare check at 623 East Lake St. 9:17 a.m. – Fraud reported at 500 East Campbell St. 10:27 a.m. – Abuse reported at 850 West maple St. 8:20 p.m. – Suicide on 416 North Hallett St. May 3 6:44 a.m. – Commercial alarm activated o...
Fire upgrades approved AIRWAY HEIGHTS – At the most recent City Council meeting, steps were taken to bolster the city’s Fire Department capabilities. The council unanimously approved the transfer of funds from the Fire Equipment Reserve Fund to the Current Expense Fund, earmarked for essential equipment needs. Additionally, a motion was passed to proceed with Moridian, the lowest bidder, for upcoming fire station construction, with estimated costs totaling $5 million. Fire Chief Mitch Metzger emphasized the significance of...
AIRWAY HEIGHTS – During the recent legislative session, the City Council announced the city has been awarded a $400,000 grant from the Department of Commerce to support climate planning initiatives over the next two years. The motion to accept the grant funds was passed unanimously. “The state wants to break up the funds into two funding cycles,“ City Planner Heather Trautman said. With the support of this funding, Airway Heights will collaborate with experienced firms Cedar Step and SSG in a “product-based contrac...
$2 million broadband construction approved OLYMPIA – The south Spokane County communities of Waverly, Spangle and Fairfield are set to receive a boost in broadband access thanks to the recent approval of $21 million in Washington State Public Works Board grants. Announced following the board’s May 3, meeting, the funds will support 10 projects across eight counties, aiming to connect nearly 6,000 previously unserved broadband locations. Among the approved projects is the “South Spokane County Rural Towns Open Access Mid-m...
CHENEY – During the Historic Preservation Commission meeting May 2, members delved into the details of the grant application process with the state’s Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation. The commission is seeking a $6,500 grant, as part of the Certified Local Government Grants program, to further bolster historic preservation efforts within Cheney. This grant application was recently approved by the city council on April 23, and is meant to be allocated for planning and preservation objectives. Susan Bee...
CHENEY — The Historic Preservation Commission welcomed Michelle Thompson, a certified local government coordinator for the Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation during its May 2 meeting. Thompson provided an opportunity for commission members to gain insights into state-level preservation efforts and explore avenues for collaboration. Michelle Thompson, a Cheney native, graduated from Eastern Washington University with a Bachelor’s in Art History before pursuing her Master’s in Science in Historic Prese...
CHENEY – The Spokane Transit Authority is gearing up for a transformative decade with the launch of its comprehensive 2035 Strategic Plan, aimed at enhancing the public transportation experience, improving quality of life, fostering community collaboration and bolstering service capacity, announced Chief Planning and Development Officer Karl Otterstrom. In an exclusive interview, Otterstrom gave insights on the key pillars of the 2035 Strategic Plan, emphasizing its commitment to elevating the customer experience, s...
CHENEY – As the deadline for Resiliency Grants applications offered by the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) passes, Cheney is pursuing a unique approach to bolstering its community resilience efforts. In an exclusive interview with Brett Lucas, Cheney’s strategy became clear: the city is not directly applying for a resiliency grant through WSDA. Instead, it is backing Spokane County’s application, which focuses on climate resiliency. Lucas elaborated, “What we’re doing is we’re backing Spokane County to d...
America fixated on breaking records But do new records change the course of history like we think they do? America has been the “greatest nation on earth” for so long we think we must look for some exotic frontier to conquer to top our current greatness. After World War II we planted 800 military bases and outposts across the earth to prove our invincibility and further our national wealth. After that, what was there left to do? Here’s what we are doing today. We are going back to space. We are counting Super Bowl rings...
MEDICAL LAKE — In Aug. 2023, the Gray Fire burned 10,000 acres of urban, suburban and rural interface just east of Lincoln County. Over half the Lazy R Ranch, the learning site for Roots of Resilience, was burned in the fire. Roots of Resilience, in collaboration with Lazy R Ranch, is proud to announce a comprehensive workshop, “Tame the Flames,” aimed at educating and demonstrating effective wildfire management strategies through grazing and forestry practices. Scheduled for June 22-23, this event will gather experts and s...
Recently, President Biden launched the second phase of his attack on domestic oil and gas production by effectively blocking leases in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve. That follows last year’s reimposed ban on exploration in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge. Both actions are ill-advised. In the Wall Street Journal, Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan, a Republican, quipped: “the Biden Administration has imposed more sanctions on Alaska than it has on Iran.” The Interior Departm...
Recently, in my article “Gardening by Osmosis,” my fingers fumbled on the keyboard. Arrowleaf balsamroot was referred to as arrowroot balsam. The yellow bouquets of the native Balsamorrhiza sagittata that grace hillsides, open meadows and forest edges have long been testimony to the longevity of plant. Before people came from the East to claim the land, indigenous people harvested arrowleaf balsamroot. Though all parts of the plant are edible, they are not necessarily palatable as the strong pine-scented sap is bitter. nat...
Cheever Lake at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge on May 2....
CHENEY — The city has initiated its annual tree trimming program, targeting vegetation encroaching on power lines. The maintenance operation, which commenced in April, involves the trimming and potential removal of trees and other foliage posing a risk to the city’s power infrastructure. Spearheaded by a contracted crew from Asplundh Tree Experts, the program is set to span several weeks. All trees situated within the city’s 20-foot right-of-way, comprising 10 feet on each side of the power line, are subject to removal, irres...
