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SPOKANE – A jury was unable to come to a verdict during the trial in which former Pasco police officer 57-year-old Richard Aguirre was accused of killing 27-year-old Ruby Doss in 1986. A mistrial was granted by Spokane County Superior Judge Maryann Moreno when jury members could not agree on a verdict after nearly 10 hours of deliberations last week. The judge said the defendant will go back on trial in March of 2022 for a first-degree murder charge. According to records, Doss’ body was found by a passerby in January of 198...
CHENEY – The body of a former local woman found dead in Mexico over the Thanksgiving holiday has been returned to Spokane. Cheney High School and Eastern Washington University graduate Sativa Transue, 26, of Milton, was on vacation with her boyfriend Taylor Allen, 31, when her family was notified that she had been found dead in the couple’s hotel room in Cancun, Mexico. Allen was arrested by Mexican police and is being held on murder charges, according to Riviera Maya News and several local newspapers. The Transue family was...
AIRWAY HEIGHTS – With construction efforts coming to and end with the first phase of the project to build the Highland Village neighborhood, residents started moving in Dec. 15. This is only the initial phase, and the neighborhood will be further developed over the next four to five years, according to Habitat for Humanity-Spokane Chief Executive Officer Michelle Girardot. The first phase will open 24 multi-family and single-family rental homes along with ten homes that will be offered for ownership opportunities. These h...
SPOKANE – Spokane County commissioners have joined the no income tax bandwagon. During their meeting Tuesday, Dec. 14, commissioners unanimously approved a resolution opposing any local income tax. Spokane County joined Franklin and Yakima Counties and a host of cities opposing a local income tax. “Such a tax would be in direct conflict with the high value Spokane County places on promoting economic development through the attraction and expansion of financially healthy, fam...
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE – The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will be the headlining performance for the Skyfest Open House next May 14 and 15. Fairchild will be hosting the event and "celebrating 80 years of showcasing premiere air power to the local Inland Northwest community," a statement released by the base said. "The Thunderbirds perform for people all around the world to display the pride, precision, and professionalism the U.S. Air Force represents. "Through air shows a...
AIRWAY HEIGHTS – At one point in his life Patrick Carbaugh wanted to escape the hardships of growing up in a troubled home, and the path he chose would ignite a passion for helping troubled youth. The 37-year-old police officer grew up with a single father in Airway Heights under rough circumstances he said. “My mother had turned to drugs when I was young and passed away when I was 11,” he said, “and we lived in a broken home in poverty, so my sister also turned to drugs.” Carbaugh said he wanted nothing more than to escape...
OLYMPIA – A Ritzville lawmaker has pre-filed a bill that would require the state to study the private long-term care market before implementing a new tax set to begin Jan. 1. Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, introduced Senate Bill 5503 to create a committee to study financial opportunities that could replace the long-term care tax that will be taken out of the paychecks of anyone working in Washington state after the first of the year. “It’s time for the Legislature to creat...
RITZVILLE -- Following Friday’s national inflation news that shows prices are 6.8% higher than a year ago, Sen. Mark Schoesler called on the state elected officials to provide tax relief for Washingtonians. Schoesler, R-Ritzville, noted the inflation increase reported is the highest since 1982. He wants Gov. Jay Inslee and Democrats in the state House and Senate to help offset the inflation. “Consumers throughout the U.S. have had to pay higher prices on many items over the...
In a U.S. Chamber of Commerce poll released in early December, the findings spell trouble for America’s employers – both private and public. It found that more than 60% of the respondents are in no hurry to return to work and over a third of the unemployed are not actively going after a job or looking at all. The problem is growing worse. A large number of respondents feel they can get by for at least another six months before they have to find employment. The survey dis...
This morning, Gov. Jay Inslee announced his latest climate proposals for the 2022 legislative session. Despite proposing hundreds of millions of dollars in additional spending, none of the governor’s proposals today will reduce additional CO2 emissions. Every policy – from subsidizing solar panels, to subsidizing electric vehicles – duplicates an existing policy. They are expensive but add nothing. Additionally, the creation of a new office to ensure accountability for CO2 r...
CHENEY – The Local No. 1919 firefighter union is once again embarking on its annual Candy Cane Drive around the city Dec. 18 to bolster some holiday cheer for the community. City Fire Chief Tom Jenkins said he is personally thankful the city is continuing a long-standing tradition of the Fire Department directly interacting with and giving back to the community. Jenkins talked about a department’s “need to be needed” by the community they serve. He compared the feeling...
WENATCHEE – Sen. Brad Hawkins would like to see fewer small districts in the state. On Monday, Dec. 6, the Wenatchee Republican pre-filed Senate Bill 5487 to entice small school districts to consolidate or merge with larger neighboring districts. Under his bill, newly formed consolidated or merged districts would receive a 10-year increase in a state assistance formula that provides matching funds for construction, expansion and renovation. Hawkins, the chairman of the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee, said...
What would the wildflowers say as their seeds lie germinating in the frozen earth, under the snow, waiting what seems like an eternity before fruition? Would they remain positive in their thoughts of the promise of Spring in a few months, or would they worry about all of the diversity in our beautiful world? Just like the buried seeds of wildflowers, I find myself tending to hibernation as the first snow arrives to cover up the tasks that need tending, even after my own warnings to get things done before the snow flies. The...
CHENEY – A Latvian girl spending the year as an exchange student here says she likes the variety Cheney High School has to offer Paula Upeniece, an 18-year-old senior from Keipene, Latvia, is being hosted by Thomas and Carol Jean Thosath of Cheney. Upeniece said Cheney High School has choices. "Here, I can take financial algebra or regular algebra, or geometry," she said. "I really like that." Her hometown of Keipene is a small town of 400 people between Lithuania and E...
CHENEY – A local couple is celebrating their 60th anniversary on Thursday, Dec. 16. Jack and Sandy (Cantril) Jack Mabbott were married Dec. 16, 1961. The couple began dating while attending Kendrick High School and were married in Lewiston, Idaho, while Jack was on leave from the U.S. Army. Sandy retired from the state of Washington while Jack retired from Centurytel after a lifelong career in the telephone industry. Since retirement, Sandy and Jack have enjoyed spending t...
Hundreds of residents hit the downtown area of Medical Lake on Saturday, Dec. 11, to celebrate the start of the Christmas season. A fun run kicked off the festivities, followed by a petting zoo "nativity," complete with shepherds, donkeys and more. Downtown, Christmas elves helped children make Christmas treats and décor. And youngsters were also able to have a cup of hot chocolate to stay warm. At 4:45 p.m., about 5 downtown blocks came to life with a short parade down West...
SPOKANE – For the first time in club history, the Spokane Indians baseball team was presented with minor league baseball’s Organization of the Year Award on Dec. 6 due in large part to its partnership with Fairchild Air Force Base. “The Spokane Indians Baseball Club is overwhelmed with gratitude at being named the Organization of the Year by Minor League Baseball,” Indians Vice President Otto Klein said in a press release. “It’s a true testament to our outstanding front office and gameday teams, as well as our community partn...
MEDICAL LAKE – The Medical Lake varsity basketball teams are off to a solid start this season, beating both the Connell Eagles and Northwest Christian (Colbert) Crusaders this week. The varsity teams faced off against the Eagles on Dec. 10. The Cardinal girls dominated with a 54-28 win over Connell. Charde' Luat led the Cardinals in scoring with 20 points and impacted the game with some assists and steals as well. Kiyah Hatcher finished with 9 points and several assists and r...
CHENEY – When May Peterson moved to Cheney in August of 2019, the swimmer didn’t imagine she would be offered a scholarship and chance to swim for Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. Peterson and her parents, Vic and Mariko Peterson, moved here from Okinawa, Japan, as her father transferred to Fairchild Air Force Base and retired earlier this year Peterson said she is only a junior, so she still must complete her senior year in high school before officially signing on....
MEAD – Two Cheney boys brought home gold from the Joe Ridlington Freshman Invite wrestling tournament Saturday, Dec. 11. Trenton Moore won all of his bouts at 182 pounds and Gauge Seubert topped the 200-pound class. Trenton Moore took gold by pinning Parker Neff of Coeur d’Alenne in 1:22 and then defeating Tyler Wells of Mead by a technical fall in 5:22. Moore won his final bout by pinning Blakey Hayes of Coeur d’Alene in 1:28. Seubert received a bye in the first round of th...
CHENEY – The Blackhawks girls basketball team won its first game of the season Wednesday, Dec. 8, with a 41-33 victory over the Shadle Park Highlanders. The win came between losses to University High School and and Joel E. Ferris High School. The Blackhawks girls lost 66-29 to University on Tuesday, Dec. 7, and to Ferris, 57-27, on Dec. 10. Individual statistics were not reported. This week, the local girls are scheduled to take on Lewis and Clark, Central Valley (Spokane V...
A one-vehicle crash Monday, Dec. 13, ended when car slammed into a tree on the side of Cheney-Spangle Road, near Turnbull Wildlife Refuge. The vehicle was northbound toward Cheney, cross the roadway, overturned and ended up on its side against the tree. Further information was not available at press time....
Medical Lake’s Aden Carl tries to gain position over opponent Carson Cline from Reardan....
Tekoa-Rosalia’s Morgun Martin is fouled during a layup against Upper Columbia Academy. The Timberwolves boys have won four straight games....
CHENEY – After a tough stretch of losses to start the season, the Cheney Blackhawks finally left their home gymnasium with a win. The Blackhawks (1-3) boys topped Shadle Park (1-2), 74-71, on their home court Wednesday, Dec. 8. The team started strong with a 27-point, first quarter effort and was able to defend a late game rally from Shadle Park to pull out a 3-point victory. Cheney had a 40-30 lead at the half. The Highlanders closed the gap a bit in the third quarter, outscoring the Blackhawks 23-15. But a 19-18 margin i...
