Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 26
DEEP CREEK- A blaze that erupted Sunday, Aug. 28, north of U.S. Highway 2 burned 109 acres and two structures, including a shed and barn. The fire was located between Wood Road and Brooks Road, according to staff reports. It occurred just east of the Spokane-Lincoln County line. Level 3 evacuation notices were in place from Christensen Road to the east, Ritchey Road to the west, Highway 2 to the south and Sprague Road to the north until later Sunday night. Level 3 notices...
Warm temperatures and thunderstorms combined to bring event lightning to the area several nights last week. Pictured, lightning illuminates the sky south of Cheney last Thursday....
CHENEY – A late summer heat wave was expected to hit much of Eastern Washington, including Cheney and areas to the south, on Wednesday. In advance of the heat wave, the National Weather Service issued a heat advisory that was to remain in effect through 8 p.m. Wednesday. The advisory extended from portions of Idaho west to the Cascade Mountains. Temperatures were expected to peak here at about 102 degrees on Wednesday and dip to a high of 94 on Thursday before bouncing back up to 97 on Friday. “High temperatures in the upp...
SPOKANE – A former police officer has been found guilty of sex crimes while serving the city . A jury found Nathan R. Nash, 38, was guilty of second-degree rape with aggravating circumstances and third-degree rape, court records show. He was found innocent of another second-degree rape charge and innocent of unlawful imprisonment. Following the verdict in Spokane County Superior Court, Nash was booked into the jail to await and October sentencing hearing. The trial lasted 15 days before Judge John Cooney. It was prosecuted b...
Bullfighters dodge a charging bull during the Sunday night performance of the Lincoln County Rodeo. The event included several West Plains competitors, including Ty Uherek and Chenannae Hughes (right), both of Medical Lake, and others. See photos of the local competitors on Page A6...
TOPPENISH – The Yakama Nation has recognized two Democrats for their efforts to breach Snake River Dams. On Tuesday, Aug. 30, the tribe recognized U.S. Sen. Patty Murry and Gov. Jay Inslee in connection with a report on the feasibility of breaching the dams as a way to improve salmon and steelhead runs. “Sen. Murray and Gov. Inslee have seen that the salmon, steelhead and other anadromous fish of the Columbia Basin are in serious trouble. We appreciate their recognition that the status quo is not a responsible option if we...
Fire District No. 3’s proposition No. 1 on the Aug. 2 general election ballot did not pass. The measure received 53.48% support with 3,960 votes. To pass, the measure needed a 60% supermajority. The information was incorrect in a front page story in the Aug. 26 edition of the Cheney Free Press....
A demolition crew was called in to raze the Motel Cheney, 1502 First St., after it was heavily damaged in a Tuesday, Aug. 23 fire. The fire began at about 12:30 a.m. and the 11-unit motel was demolished in the days following the fire. At least 26 units from Cheney, Airway Heights and Spokane County, including Cheney-based Fire District No. 3, assisted with containing the blaze....
SPOKANE – In advance of extended warm weather, the federal Bureau of Land Management has announced new restrictions on public land it manages as part of the Spokane District. The agency is now prohibiting all fires on land it manages, including charcoal briquette fires. The ban is in effect in Adams, Asotin, Benton, Chelan, Columbia, Douglas, Ferry, Franklin, Garfield, Grant, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Walla Walla, Whitman, and Yakima. In addition to prohibiting campfires, r...
CHENEY – The Police Department responded to the following calls for service from Aug. 22-29: Aug. 22 Vehicle’s rear windshield damaged in the 300 block of North Fourth Street. Aug. 23 Cheney Motel fire in the 1500 block of First Street. Child molestation, case referred. Grocery items stolen from store in the 100 block of West First Street. Verbal domestic dispute in the 800 block of Salnave Road. Allison M. Fox, 37, arrested on warrants for fourth-degree assault and third-degree malicious mischief in the 14300 block of Sou...
SPOKANE – Three new deputies have joined the Spokane County Sheriff's Office. Ty Laboy, Whitnie Whitman and Paul Grady Jr. were sworn in Tuesday, Aug. 16, by Undersheriff John Nowels. Laboy, 26, was born in San Antonio, Texas. He and his family moved to the area in 2000. He grew up in Spokane Valley and graduated from West Valley High School in 2014. He was previously employed with Spokane County Detention Services and has served in the Washington Army National Guard since 2...
In Washington, this year we’re fortunate to have escaped the historic droughts plaguing other parts of the world. The Columbia River basin water system has been at normal levels which is good for our agriculture, hydropower generation, barging, local water supplies, and fish and wildlife. However, 20 years ago we faced the same severe drought that is afflicting the world’s major river drainages including the Colorado, Rhine, and Yangtze. That water scarcity is forcing factorie...
Last week, Fairchild Air Force announced it was erasing Col. George Wright because the history surrounding him is considered by some as divisive. In place of his name being associated with a housing area and street, the military opted for “Lilac Village” and “Willow Loop,” respectively. The move comes two years after Spokane canceled the highly decorated Army leader, as well – Fort George Wright Drive was renamed to Whistalks Way, in recognition of the wife of Spokane tribal w...
Junell Ann Wingate, daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandma, and a friend to many, finished her life journey, and left for her heavenly abode on Friday, Aug. 26 from a recurrence with cancer. Born in Kansas and a Minnesota resident since 1973. Preceded in death by her husband, James Wingate; parents, Lowell and Leona Denniston, and brother, Gary Denniston. Survived by children, Mark (Gail) Sisk, Malea (Doug) Hayhurst, Jeff (Jill) Sisk, Rhonda (Brad) Johnson,... Full story
Bob was born on Jan. 31, 1926, in Tacoma, Wash. to Edythe Crumley Smith and Angus Roderick Smith. He was the oldest of four children including Donald Gale Smith, Norman Keith Smith, and Estelle (Peggy) Smith, all deceased. He graduated from Mineral, Wash. grammar school in 1939, attended Morton High School briefly, and Yelm High School, also briefly, dropping out to work at the shipyard in Tacoma. He also worked as a welder, a sawmill hand, as a federal civil service... Full story
I don’t know about you but telemarketer and scam calls set me on fire. That’s why I was probably the first one to sign up for the “Do Not Call” list. Well maybe not the first, but close. I have Caller ID so my answering machine records 800 calls and if they are a legitimate call the caller will leave a message. One day my phone rang as I was passing through my kitchen and glancing at the phone I thought I recognized the 800 phone number as that of my c-pap supplier so I picked up. Expecting to hear a bright, chirpy, young t...
I don’t know about you but telemarketer and scam calls set me on fire. That’s why I was probably the first one to sign up for the “Do Not Call” list. Well maybe not the first, but close. I have Caller ID so my answering machine records 800 calls and if they are a legitimate call the caller will leave a message. One day my phone rang as I was passing through my kitchen and glancing at the phone I thought I recognized the 800 phone number as that of my c-pap supplier so I picked up. Expecting to hear a bright, chirpy, young t...
DAVENPORT – Dozens of Eastern Washington cowboys and cowgirls competed Friday and Saturday nights in the annual Lincoln County Rodeo. The West Plains area was well-represented, with Miss Cheney Rodeo Janaye Wilkie of Lamont among the visiting royalty, and several area riders in bronc, bull and steer riding, as well as roping events....
Medical Lake football players got to put into action what they have practiced for the past week participating in the Bronco Jamboree on Aug. 27 in Ritzville. "The jamboree went well," new Cardinal coach Nick Puzycki wrote in an email. "(We) had multiple positives that we can build on for this year," adding that the defense was especially impressive and held Dayton-Waitsburg to one touchdown. The Cardinals faced Colfax, Dayton Waitsburg and Chewelah in the competition that...
There's some excitement in Heather Zorrozua's voice for a variety of reasons as she leads her Cheney Blackhawks volleyball team into the 2022 season. One is the prospect of the experience her team possesses. There's also the ever-expanding foundation that appears to be being built with the program. And, as other coaches have echoed, hopefully the currently waning specter of COVID-19 continues to be just a memory. Cheney technically enters its third season as a 3A school...
Hailey Van Soest answered the call last season when needed in a pinch and that was later rewarded with her being named as head volleyball coach at Medical Lake High School. Now it’s her ship to captain with a bold vision in mind for the future. It’s Van Soest’s goal to build a program that can someday soon have a banner on the Cardinals’ gym wall that honors the many different champions from the past. Van Soest went to school at Cheney High where she naturally played volleyb...
Eastern Washington's redshirt freshman defensive back Joseph Obeto knocks away a pass in the Aug. 26 scrimmage at Roos Field. It was the final opportunity for game-style preparation for the Eagles who open regular-season play Saturday at home - 1 p.m. - vs. Nashville's Tennessee State Tigers....
ST. JOHN – Two area men were remembered following the Saturday, Aug. 26, sprint boat races at Webb’s Slough. The ashes of Richie Baltierra of St. John were spread on the waters after the racing. Baltierra passed away two years ago. The ashes were spread by local sprint boat racers Michael Thomas and Clint O’Keefe, who drive and pilot the Dangerous Curves boat. “His wife asked us to spread just a little bit,” Thomas said, noting his boat also sported a memorial for local res...
OLYMPIA – Fall marks the start of hunting seasons for deer, elk, waterfowl and upland game birds in much of the state. To help hunters, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife has released “Hunting Prospects,” which provides hunting information for each district. “Our district wildlife biologists write these popular reports to give an in-depth look at what field conditions should look like this year,” Game Division Manager Anis Aoude said. “These prospects have a lot of useful information that can help brand new and exp...
ST. JOHN – Here are the results of the final sprint boat race of the season Saturday, Aug. 27, at Webb's Slough: Modified Class – Pour Decisions, driver Jason Perkins of Cheney and navigator Kyle Belles of Spangle, 1st; Purcell Racing, driver James Goldberg of Edmonds and navigator Jeff Purcell of Grapeview, 2nd; and Way She Goes, driver Jeremy Souza and navigator Jessy Law, both of Oak Harbor, 3rd. 400 Class – Punisher, driver Phil Miller of Castlegar, B.C. and navig...
