Articles from the November 19, 2015 edition


Sorted by date  Results 1 - 25 of 34

  • Changes, additions to Slightly West tour

    John McCallum, Editor|Updated Nov 23, 2015

    The Slightly West of Spokane Artists Studio Tour is entering its sixth year with a couple of changes and additions - most of which are in one location. The roughly 30-mile auto loop tour through Medical Lake and Cheney has added a new location, Fresh Design Retail & Rental Gallery in Medical Lake. Owners Holly Dalke and Todd Hoffman opened the shop at 116 N. Lefevre St. that specializes in vintage goods from antiques to garage accoutrements and jewelry last January-February. D...

  • Fritz was right fit in Medical Lake

    PAUL DELANEY, Staff Reporter|Updated Nov 19, 2015

    When Taylor Fritz arrived for the first day of volleyball practice at Medical Lake High School Cardinals' new head coach Kari Knowlton knew she had a special addition to the team. Knowlton just wasn't sure how special. Fritz not only brought the skills, but more importantly leadership that Knowlton termed, "Essential to our program this year." Fritz, whose father, Matthew is a colonel and a vice commander with the 92nd Air Refueling Wing at Fairchild Air Force Base, had...

  • SADD aims to inform students about choices and issues

    AL STOVER, Staff Reporter|Updated Nov 19, 2015

    Teenagers have many opportunities to make difficult, and sometimes dangerous choices. The Cheney High School's Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) chapter is there to help educate students in the challenges they face. SADD, which has been active on the Cheney campus for 33 years, originally stood for Students Against Drinking and Driving until 2006. Chapter president Rose Smith said Cheney is part of a larger organization. According to it's website, SADD has been the...

  • Region whipped by wind

    John McCallum, Editor|Updated Nov 19, 2015

    High winds ravaged most of Eastern Washington on Tuesday, knocking down fences and trees, tearing off roofs and leaving thousands without power, with many areas still dark Wednesday morning. News service reports indicate almost 170,000 Avista Utility customers were out of power during the height of the storm, which took place late Tuesday afternoon. Numbers for Inland Power and Light customers were not available at press time Wednesday morning. Power was knocked out in north...

  • Cheney ends season with loss at Ellensburg

    AL STOVER, Staff Reporter|Updated Nov 19, 2015

    The Cheney High football team’s season ended after a 30-7 loss to the Ellensburg Bulldogs, Nov. 14 in the first round of the 2A state playoffs. The Blackhawks defeated Selah, 41-28, Nov. 10, in a glue-in regional game. The Bulldogs drowned Cheney, building a 17-0 lead in the first quarter. Running back Ty Graham scored the Blackhawks’ only points in the second quarter with a 1-yard rushing touchdown. The Bulldogs solidified their lead with 13 points in the fourth quarter. No individual statistics were available as of press ti...

  • Eastern in must-win game versus Portland State

    PAUL DELANEY, Staff Reporter|Updated Nov 19, 2015

    Eastern Washington's football team has lived on the edge this season. However, two recent humbling losses - 52-30 two weeks ago at home to Northern Arizona and 57-16 at Montana last Saturday - have pushed the No. 18 Eagles over the cliff and they are hanging by their fingers to make the postseason. But to illustrate just how close and competitive things have been this season, a win Saturday against the 8-2 and No. 11 ranked Portland State Vikings at Roos Field can deliver the...

  • West Plains Briefs

    Updated Nov 19, 2015

    Cheney Book Club meeting “The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry” is the November selection of the Book Discussion Group of Friends of the Cheney Community Library. The group meets Tuesday, Nov. 24, at 7 p.m. at the library. An elderly man living in southern England walks to a nearby mailbox to mail a letter, and just keeps walking. The letter is to a friend in a hospice in northern England. Harold Fry sets out to see her. Author Rachel Joyce describes his walk and the people he meets. Reflecting on his life, Harold knows his...

  • Churches

    Updated Nov 19, 2015

    Cheney United Church of Christ Join us at Cheney United Church of Christ this Sunday, Nov. 22 at 10 a.m. for the last of our four part series that speaks to living with and healing from painful experiences in our hearts and minds. This week pastor David Krueger-Duncan will focus on dealing with scars from experiences in our past. Special music will be performed. Following the service you are cordially invited to join us for a Thanksgiving feast. Men’s breakfast is scheduled at 7:45 a.m. on the second and fourth Sunday of each...

  • William "Bill" Curtis Weisgerber

    Updated Nov 19, 2015

    At the age of 69 Bill lost his race against esophageal cancer passing away peacefully at Hospice House of Spokane on Nov. 8, 2015. He was born to Virginia Marie (Krier) and Stephen Philip Weisgerber on July 24, 1946 in Seattle, Wash. After graduating in 1964 from West Valley High School in Yakima, Wash. he continued his education. He earned a bachelor of science degree in physical education and recreation from the University of Montana in 1969. In January of 1970, Bill was dra...

  • Homer Dickerson

    Updated Nov 19, 2015

    Homer Dickerson passed away Nov. 6, 2015. He was born Sept. 26, 1926 to Lady Faye and Hollis Dickerson. Homer was raised as one of seven siblings in Ewan, Wash. As a child he hitched rides on combines and wheat trucks going through town staying at one place or another working on whatever he could. His favorite thing to do when he wasn't in school was to grab a pole and go fishing at Rock Lake. Homer's father took him to sign up for the armed services at age 16 where he chose...

  • Looking Back

    Updated Nov 19, 2015

    1 Years Ago Nov. 24, 2005 The city of Cheney was considering annexing a 40-acre parcel of property currently under the jurisdiction of Spokane County, located north of Betz Road and west of Murphy for residential use. The first annual Cheney Winter Festival, an event sponsored by Pathways to Progress featuring an appearance by Santa Claus, tree lighting and other activities was scheduled for Dec. 3. Montana State’s 16-6 win in the “Brawl of the Wild” over rival Montana delivered a second Big Sky Conference football champ...

  • Business briefs

    Updated Nov 19, 2015

    Harvest Bluff Phase 2 underway Hayden Homes has announced that Phase 2 of the Harvest Bluff development will be coming soon. “Homes will be available for sale before year end, as for construction it will be dependant on weather,” community manager Russ Dowell wrote in an email. Phase 2 will consist of 24 homesites with seven floorplans. Of the 24 homes available in Phase 1, six remain available in the development located along Betz Road across fromCheney Middle School. “Harvest Bluff has been as successful as we could have...

  • Education briefs

    STAFF AND News Reports|Updated Nov 19, 2015

    Medical Lake postpones school board meeting Due to high gusts of wind and potential travel hazards, the Medical Lake School District postponed its Nov. 17 board meeting and rescheduled it for Nov. 24 at 4 p.m. at the district office. Gardeners of Cheney donates to FFA The Gardeners of Cheney recently donated $500 to the Cheney High School Future Farmers of America (FFA). The check was awarded at the group’s monthly meeting on Nov. 9 in support of horticulture instruction at Cheney High School. The money will be used to m... Full story

  • More investment in Alzheimer's research needed

    Updated Nov 19, 2015

    There has been growing recognition of the challenges of Alzheimer’s disease lately, but the funding to find a cure lags dramatically behind what is necessary. I lost my mother to this terrible disease in April; she was only 77 and as we reflect back we realize she was showing some signs of dementia as early as 65. My family was greatly affected and we are all now working with the Alzheimer’s Association to find a cure and increase awareness. In 2010 Congress unanimously passed legislation that set a goal of finding a tre...

  • To defeat ISIS, we need to put aside differences and adopt new thinking

    John McCallum, Editor|Updated Nov 19, 2015

    Freedom fries. Remember those? Changing the name of French fries to freedom fries was just one of the ways we derided France for not joining us in our 2003 invasion of Iraq. Back then their reason for not hitching their horse to former President George W. Bush’s crusade to rid the world of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein was that doing so would destabilize an already unstable region. It could also lead to an escalation of terrorist attacks around the world. Ironic, isn’t it? Perhaps the French ability to predict the future res...

  • We must make a physical stand against terror

    Updated Nov 19, 2015

    Reprinted from the Detroit News, Nov. 17, 2015 The Islamic State made it quite clear in Paris on Friday (Nov. 13) that it is not contained, and that containment is not an effective strategy to combat this particularly bloodthirsty strain of terror. This latest attack on western soil should ignite a passionate commitment to destroy ISIS at its roots. An angry and distraught French President Francoise Hollande threw down the gauntlet immediately after the killings ended, vowing a “pitiless war” against the Islamic State and say...

  • Rodeo arena bleacher upgrades continue

    PAUL DELANEY, Staff Reporter|Updated Nov 19, 2015

    It's more out with the old and in with the new at the Cheney Rodeo Grounds' Bi-Mart Arena. In the latest round of upgrades of bleacher seating at the arena, three-quarters of the old wooden southern portion of the northeast seating section will be replaced, Cheney Rodeo spokesman Rick Edwards wrote in an email. This is the fifth year of that program to replace bleachers. "This effort will replace aging structures with new structures that take less maintenance and add 1,000...

  • Highline Grain construction projects on target

    PAUL DELANEY, Staff Reporter|Updated Nov 19, 2015

    The parts are all coming together nicely it appears with the Highline Grain shuttle facility 's plans to begin moving product sometime in early January 2016 on schedule. That's the word from Keith Bailey, general manager and CEO of Ag Ventures and the operations officer for Highline Grain. Construction is sailing along both at the Four Lakes site as well as along the Eastern Washington Gateway Railroad where six-plus miles of track are being updated. The biggest hold up has...

  • Westwood honors over 120 veterans

    Updated Nov 19, 2015

    Westwood Middle School honored over 120 veterans, Nov. 10, at its annual Veteran's Day Assembly. Westwood's Wolverine Pride leadership group planned and presented the assembly, and pulled off this very meaningful and beautiful recognition of our country's heroes in such a way that staff and students can all be very proud. In an email, Westwood teacher Randy Elam said the school received many positive comments from the veterans who were honored. "I think they really enjoy this...

  • Logan's discussion emphasizes importance of gender pronouns

    AL STOVER, Staff Reporter|Updated Nov 19, 2015

    In recognition of Gender Awareness Week at Eastern Washington University, Lisa Logan, manager of the Women’s Studies Center, facilitated a discussion, Nov. 16, about the different gender pronouns, how and why they are used. Logan explained that gender identity and expression are different things. Gender identity is how an individual sees themselves — male, female or neither — on the inside. Expression is how someone presents themselves to the world. Logan also talked about bi-gender, which is when a person will move betwe...

  • School districts begin collecting Thoughtexchange data

    AL STOVER, Staff Reporter|Updated Nov 19, 2015

    Both Cheney and Medical Lake school districts are employing an electronic method to collect feedback. Last year both school districts contracted with Thoughtexchange to create a survey to help them understand the thoughts and concerns of staff, parents and community members as well as make sure they are meeting standards. Thoughtexchange is a national company that creates software to help entities engage the community and discover insights from stakeholders. School districts from around the state, including Deer Park and...

  • News Briefs

    STAFF AND NEWS SOURCES|Updated Nov 19, 2015

    BNSF wraps up connection work with Palouse River tracks Burlington Northern Santa Fe crews have wrapped up a key element of the track work being done to upgrade the Palouse River Coulee City rail line from Cheney through Four Lakes to the Geiger Spur. Last week, BNSF crews finished a two-and-half-month long project upgrading one mile of track and a “Y” connection in Cheney it shares with the PRCC. Railway spokesman Gus Melonas said $2 million worth of work was performed that included new rails, ties and seven new switches. Me...

  • Budget dominates Nov. 16 Airway Heights council meeting

    John McCallum, Editor|Updated Nov 19, 2015

    The 2016 budget took center stage at the Airway Heights City Council’s Nov. 16 meeting. The council first conducted a public hearing on the proposed $16.13 million overall budget. Total revenues in the current expense fund are estimated at $6.27 million while expenses are projected at $6.18 million, enabling $84,361 to be added to the beginning fund balance, bringing that to $814,361. Revenues for the city’s enterprise funds, most dealing with water-sewer, are estimated at $6.56 million with expenses targeted at $8.38 mil...

  • ML amends fireworks code allowing dry weather ban

    John McCallum, Editor|Updated Nov 19, 2015

    The Medical Lake City Council approved the first reading of an ordinance at its Nov. 3 meeting changing how the city deals with fireworks during periods of extreme fire danger. Ordinance 1044 amends the city’s municipal code regarding discharging fireworks so that now, when certain conditions are met, the Fire Department’s fire chief “may prohibit the discharge of all fireworks” in the city. According to the ordinance, this takes effect under extreme fire danger, which the section defines as “a period of hot, dry weather a...

  • Cheney public safety's next steps

    John McCallum, Editor|Updated Nov 19, 2015

    Even though election certification doesn’t take place until Nov. 24, city of Cheney officials have begun the process of implementing the results of voter-approved Proposition 1. The measure does a one-time lift of the city’s property tax assessment levy, a lift that will remain permanently in place. While that lift is estimated to provide about $410,975 annually in new revenue for the city to use in meeting public safety needs, that money won’t come in immediately, nor will it arrive as a separate budget line item. Becau...

Page Down