Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 48
In years past, the annual budget process for Cheney Finance Director Cindy Niemeier has been stormy, particularly when it comes to revenues, which haven’t been all that great lately. This year, there is much more of a sense of calm. The city is not flush with cash by any means, City Administrator Mark Schuller said, but neither is there a need to drastically sharpen departments’ budgeting pencils and look for spare change in departmental sofa cushions. “I can’t remember the last time we were able to fund discret...
Eastern Washington University peer health educator Carrie Cutler explains the difference in alcohol volume in a can of Keystone Light compared to other alcoholic drinks during Health, Wellness and Prevention Services' "Hey Bartender!" workshop. The workshop is designed to teach students about the consequences of drinking, safety, standard serving sizes and alcohol poisoning. For more information about the workshop, contact the EWU Health, Wellness and Prevention Services...
The Cheney Kiwanis Club would like to belatedly thank all who helped make the Blackhawk Scramble golf event a big success this last July. Cheney Federal Credit Union was our main sponsor. Hole sponsors were: Owl Pharmacy, Copy Junction, Collins Dentistry, Andrew Martinsen D.D.S., Cheney Free Press, State Farm Insurance (Jackie Scholz), Cheney Spinal Care and Kendall Van Horne. Tee sponsorships were provided by: Hilton Real Estate, Cheney Veterinary Clinic, Vision Haus, Eagle’s Pub, Cheney Realty, Jacob Ridl D.D.S., Mint Condi...
In 2009, all Republican and two Democratic senators killed Obama Care’s proposed “public option” that likely would have led to a national, single-payer health care. Now Hillary Clinton has suggested reintroducing this Medicare-for-all option. Thus hopes are raised of reducing health care costs, impossible until health insurance companies lose control, while also increasing Obama Care’s improvements in coverage. Canadian single-payer universal health care costs only 60 percent of the U.S. system, with better results (life e...
With the presidential election less than a couple of weeks to go, this campaign will go down as one of the nastiest in history. As a retired military member with 30 years of service, I have been all over the world to protect our country. With all the garbage out there, it boils down to who you think is best to be president. Just remember Donald Trump, didn’t lie to Congress, Trump didn’t lie to the FBI, Trump didn’t have four illegal servers, Trump didn’t let four people die in Benghazi, Trump didn’t delete 30,000 e-mails o...
Unfortunately, Cathy McMorris Rodger’s political ambition has left behind any moral principles. My party and McMorris Rodgers have crossed the line supporting Donald Trump and have abandoned not only standards of decency but true conservatism. I’m not sure who to vote for but it won’t be Trump or Rodgers. Tanner Morgan Walla Walla...
By Staff Reporter It is seemingly such a miniscule ask from the Spokane Transit Authority on the November ballot for their Proposition 1. A yes vote will authorize a mere two-tenths of 1 percent of the sales tax to improve their service to Spokane County. But there’s another small number that voters rarely, if ever, see. Unless they subscribe to the Spokane Journal of Business and receive that publication’s yearly economic fact book, or spend endless hours diving into census d...
What would you give up to cut back medical fraud while also improving your doctor’s ability to anticipate your medical needs before they actually occur? Would you give up your personal privacy? According to a recent Los Angeles Times story, we might not be far from this scenario. In “Consumer Confidential,” author David Lazarus writes that defense contractor Northrup Grumman has signed a $92 million contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to build the second phase of a computer system that while focused o...
No matter how one looks at the months ahead, be it something felt in the bones, or data derived from a big computer, the promise of another winter with some decent snowfall seems real. And that leaves area residents with at least two jobs to make sure they are prepared. J&C’s Mower Service owner, Jason Buck of Cheney, calls that “summerizing winter tools and winterizing summer tools.” And that goes beyond simply switching their places in the garage or storage shed. Buck said...
It's been five years since sisters Dr. Trina Dutton and Dr. Heather O'Bannan took over the Medical Lake Veterinary Clinic and things have been working out so far. "We love this community, it's been an amazing five years here," O'Bannan said. O'Bannan and Dutton purchased the clinic from Dr. Jim Roloff, who operated it for 35 years before he retired in 2011. The sisters, who are both from Western Washington, decided to become veterinarians at a young age. They noted that...
Dennis Baumgarten needed to find time to check off a sizeable list of chores at home. The only way he knew it could get done was shedding his day job as owner of Cheney Glass, a business he recently sold to fellow Cheney residents, James Powell and Abigail Bond. When asked what he would do with all the spare time he'll have in retirement, Baumgarten's quick reply was, "What spare time, I don't have any spare time?" Typical of many people associated with the building business,...
The Betz Elementary PTA is holding its annual carnival and silent auction on Friday, Nov. 4 from 5 – 8 p.m. The event is open to the community, so come out and enjoy a fun family time. There will be carnival games, bounce houses, face painting and food. All proceeds go towards supporting the Betz PTA....
Cheney High School Special Education is hosting a transition fair on Wednesday, Nov. 9, from 5:30 – 8 p.m. at the high school cafeteria. The transition fair will provide special education students and their families the opportunity to learn more about the local programs and services that are available to students who are no longer eligible for school-based special education programs. The fair brings together over 25 agencies that provide higher education, job training, employment, day programs, living options and health servi...
The Medical Lake school board went through several items at its Oct. 25 meeting. The board held the first and second readings of the updated “Use of Tobacco and Nicotine Products and Delivery Devices” policy. Superintendent Tim Ames said the policy now includes vapor products in the list of tobacco items and devices that are prohibited on school grounds. The policy states that using tobacco products is prohibited within 500 feet of school district property, grounds and district-owned vehicles. Kim Headrick, director of teachi...
Hallett Elementary School held its annual Pumpkin Bingo, Oct. 28. Student Tommy Wethington enthusiastically raises his hand to indicate he got a Bingo....
People who want to make a difference in their community should consider becoming a mentor for Cheney Public Schools. There are currently 78 mentors, but the goal is to have 100-200 for the school district. Eastern Washington University students make up about 85 percent of the program. Mentors are needed for all grade levels, and would meet with their student weekly. “I love EWU students because they come into schools in their EWU gear,” Jessica Deutsch, Cheney School District volunteer coordinator, said. “They can talk with...
The Cheney Public Schools board of directors held first readings at their Oct. 26 meeting on policies designed to keep drugs and alcohol out of its workplaces and vehicles, as well as one reaffirming professional student and staff boundaries. Associate Superintendent Sean Dotson said changes to the district’s policy on drug-free schools, communities and workplaces were the first made to that policy in 16 years. The changes define what constitutes the workplace, which now includes not only district buildings and vehicles b...
There has been a recent influx of development happening in Airway Heights. One of the upcoming bigger residential projects is the Basalt Ridge Apartments, which is being built on the northeast corner of Sixth Avenue and the future extension of Ketchum Street. According to the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) checklist, the complex will be 12 buildings with 240 units and a separate "community center building." The public hearing for the review is scheduled for the Nov. 9...
Eastern Washington University officials had to take some special measures to keep the Eagles' soccer field dry in preparation for the upcomig Big Sky Championships, including using a local helicopter to help dry off the field. The tournament was moved to EWU after original host Idaho's field was declared unusable due to damage from excessive rain....
Jazlyn Blake (left), daughter of Medical Lake volunteer firefighter Brooke Blake, gives a plastic fireman's hat to one of the many children who came to the fire department's open house on Halloween....
Cheney and Eastern Washington University have agreed to a long-term contract for fire services that city officials believe is good for both parties. The contract pays the city $568,216 annually, beginning Jan. 1, 2017 and running through Dec. 31, 2021. If everything runs smoothly and both parties agree, the contract would automatically extend for “successive two year terms.” The contract’s “cost for service” will also increase annually by using the “Fiscal Growth Factor,” which is established by the Washington Legislature....
Retired Eastern Washington University meteorology professor Bob Quinn just can't fully be pushed out the door. He's been hired part-time for spring quarter 2017 to teach one of his true loves, a wetlands class. And from all indications, having just completed the wettest October on record at the National Weather Service at Spokane International Airport, Quinn and his students will not have to search too far for their outdoor classroom. As October shifted to November, the...
The Airway Heights Police Department is taking a proactive approach in helping the youth of the community. The department partnered with Spokane Regional Health District’s Neighborhood Matters program, Cheney Public Schools and Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Inland Northwest to create a youth mentoring program. The program consists of police officers spending time with youth in Airway Heights as a way to keep them out of trouble. The program started after Heather Wallace, SRHD health specialist with the Neighborhood M...
Cheney residents who wish to have some input into how the city grows should take a short trip down to the Wren Pierson Community Center Monday night, Nov. 14. The 90 minutes then spent at the Planning Commission’s monthly meeting and land use open house might be the last input residents get on some issues — for the next 20 years. The commission is hosting the open house, which will also include discussion of transportation issues, as an opportunity to view and comment on the city’s “2037 Future Land Use Maps,” which dep...
