Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 41
In a unanimous 7-0 vote, the Cheney City Council approved the city’s $25.6 million 2016 budget at the council’s Dec. 8 meeting. Finance Director Cindy Niemeier recapped the budget process for the council before the ordinance vote, noting council budget sessions had been held Oct. 6 and Oct. 15 along with two public hearings during council sessions Nov. 10 and Nov. 24. Niemeier said there was little public participation at those meetings, and that her office had received no comments on the budget. The Light Department cam...
On Thursday, December 17, 1896, Anna Deakin Marshall wrote in her journal, “It was rainy and snowed some. Charley Peters has Diphtheria still.” Learn more about our area’s history at www.cheneymuseum.org....
Cheney United Church of Christ Our Advent lesson this week will be about Jesus, the man. All of the titles we give to Jesus come to us through Paul. Pastor David Krueger-Duncan will discuss the titles that Paul assigned to Jesus and why those titles were given. You are cordially invited to attend this service at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Dec 20. Special music will be provided by soprano Keio Cunningham. You are encouraged to come to the Cheney UCC on the evening of Dec. 24, at 7 p.m. for a special Christmas Eve service. What a wonde... Full story
John William Fishback, 79, passed away Nov. 19, 2015. He was born Nov. 13, 1936 in Naches, Wash., to John J. Fishback and Ellen Bennett Fishback. He spent his early childhood in Naches until the family moved to Connell, Wash. In 1946 the family, including baby sister Jeffra, moved to Washougal, Wash. This was “home” for most of their lives. After graduating from WHS in 1955, Fishback attended Washington State College, pledged to the Phi Delta Theta fraternity and found the love of his life, Pat Lewis. They married Aug. 17,... Full story
1 Years Ago Dec. 22, 2005 Plans for a proposed Cheney Research and Industrial Project involving the 113,000 square foot Honeywell building were being submitted to the Spokane Economic Development Council for possible grant funding. Eastern Washington University reported they were ending the fiscal year in good shape with fall enrollment reaching yet another milestone with 10,285 students. EWU quarterback Erik Meyer earned 333 votes to edge New Hampshire’s Ricky Santos for the Walter Payton award, which honors the Football C...
Tyler Thor Tilque was born Nov. 9, 2016 in Daegu, South Korea, weighing 8 pounds, 7 ounces and measuring 21 inches. He is the son of Chris and Ashley Tilque and the grandson of Steve and Cindy Tilque of Cheney, and Rick and Karen Gardner....
Robert Pyle and Lunell Haught are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter Jenaline Pyle, a graduate of Cheney High School and the University of Washington, to Julian Topf de Medeiros of London. A July wedding is planned at the bride's home....
The wooden plank flooring in the feed store creaked from the tread of many barn boots over the years and a large wood stove radiated warmth on that chilly, early December morning. The stove was surrounded by wooden rocking chairs that were usually occupied by friends, neighbors or a customer with a little extra time on their hands. Mary, the proprietor, also radiated warmth while bustling around the store, taking care of the customers or restocking the shelves. All of the area farm families knew Mary, a kind woman with blue...
Cheney’s City Council has approved construction of the second phase of the Harvest Bluff development at the northwest corner of Betz and Murphy roads. Phase two will provide 24 more homes on lot sizes ranging from 6,600 to 12,143 square feet in the subdivision. Public Works Director Todd Ableman told the council at their Dec. 8 meeting that the contractor, Copper Basin Construction, had installed all the necessary infrastructure for the second phase. According to planning documents, that infrastructure includes an access o...
By AL STOVER Staff Reporter Eastern Washington University staff and alumni have created a new way for campus clubs and groups to raise funds for various endeavors. EWU’s Alumni Association and Associated Students of Eastern Washington University (ASEWU) recently announced the launch of FundEWU, a crowdfunding platform similar to KickStarter and GoFundMe that raises money for a department- or student-led campaign. Kelli Hills, assistant director of annual giving for EWU’s Alumni Advancement office, said the idea to create a c...
Between offering pointers on inventory and billing to his new bookkeeper, Cheney hardware store owner Tom Jarms marveled that it's hard to believe his Ace store has been in its new location for nearly two years. "We started moving on Dec.15, 2013," Jarms said of his current store, the third location at which he has worked in the family business started by his father, Ron, in 1972. The new space, formerly the Ben Franklin store, gives off the illusion of being much larger, but...
The Medical Lake high school (pictured here) and middle school jazz bands performed a special concert at Lakeland Village, Dec. 11....
PASCO —Eastern Washington University and Columbia Basin College (CBC) announced in a news release that they have signed an innovative agreement designed to provide CBC students with a clear transfer pathway to attend EWU and earn a four-year degree. The program, Destination Eastern, enables students to begin a bachelor program upon initiating their post-secondary education at CBC. The two colleges will combine resources to provide coordinated bachelor’s degree offerings to students who are enrolled in transferable degree pro...
While most students at Windsor Elementary School were settling in their classroom, Judy Schroeder's second-grade class took a one-day vacation to Mexico, Dec. 14. Well, Schroeder's students were still at Windsor Elementary but their teacher's classroom was transformed into a tiny Mexican village where they learned different aspects of the country's culture. Schroeder explained the Mexican vacation was tied into students learning about Mexico in the world languages curriculum,...
When the Cheney School District received the results of the third phase of the Thoughtexchange process — Discover — it learned the community had many concerns, but also many appreciations. Superintendent Dr. Deb Clemens said the district contracted with Thoughtexchange to create a “weather report” to help staff understand the thoughts and concerns of staff, parents and community members have for not only Cheney School District, but also individual buildings. The first step of the Thoughtexchange conversation for Cheney — Shar...
Thank you everyone for your coverage and attention to the Gardeners of Cheney garden club. Our organization strives to provide a friendly environment where garden enthusiasts can learn, share and delight in the marvels of gardening. The Yard of the Month program recognizes homeowners’ efforts in sharing the beauty of their landscapes. The Gardeners of Cheney plant sale in May generates funds for scholarships to Spokane Community College and monetary awards to the high schools in Cheney and Medical Lake for their h...
Some of you may have seen the two decorated trees on the west side of City Hall. I hope you enjoyed a small bright spot in the center of Cheney. Many more could have over the next weeks. Now, no one can, as the lights were stolen the weekend of Dec. 5-6. It’s sad that the small personal gain of a few selfish people can take away the enjoyment of many. Ralph Laws Cheney...
I’m having a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit. Normally I would have had my tree up and house decorated about a week or so ago. Instead, I just finished getting lights and some decorations on the tree, a couple nutcrackers in place and a few other knickknacks set up. I still have more to go, and I’ve had my boxes of decorations in my living room and kitchen for over a week now. I think part of it is a time thing. Since changing our coverage beats and assuming all news reporting duties, I have had less free tim...
Merry Christmas, and a happy New Year in the coming days. It’s that time on the calendar again when our minds and hearts turn to giving and helping. But the Cheney Free Press Editorial Board could not help but wonder how much more we all might be able to help those less fortunate, and maybe add to our own economy, if we had a little fatter wallet. Perhaps that comes from the savings realized next year by not building a gas station in Afghanistan that pumps only compressed natural gas and cost $43 million of Department of D...
OLYMPIA – Do you own forested property that includes habitat for a threatened or endangered species protected under state forest practices rules? The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is seeking owners of qualifying forestland interested in selling permanent conservation easements to the state. The Rivers and Habitat Open Space Program purchases easements from those whose property includes habitat for species protected by the state Forest Practices Act as threatened or endangered, or which have channel m...
The rows of silent, gray headstones on the wind-swept grasses of the Washington State Veterans Cemetery west of Medical Lake have a little more color this Christmas season, thanks to a nationwide observance that began with a boyhood impression and a surplus of holiday product. Last Saturday after a brief ceremony, family members of veterans laid to rest in the cemetery fanned out over the quiet, mist-shrouded grounds to waiting stacks of boxes of wreaths to select a...
Medical Lake woman hurt in collision A two-car collision Dec. 7 on State Route 902 involved two West Plains’ individuals and sent a Medical Lake woman and her passenger to the hospital. According to a Washington State Patrol news release, just after 10 p.m., a 2010 Honda Civic driven by Darby M. Evans, 19, of Medical Lake was westbound on SR 902 approaching the Craig Road intersection. At the same time, a 2002 Chevrolet pickup truck driven by Timothy Gricks, 49, of Cheney was southbound on Craig Road, also approaching the i...
The Airway Heights City Council went through several housekeeping items at Monday night’s study session and moved them forward for approval at its Jan. 4, 2016 meeting. They moved forward a resolution amending rules of procedures to allow council members to recommend and appoint residents to a committee. Previously, only the mayor could recommend committee appointments. Council agreed to have staff draft a resolution to adjust the salaries of elected officials. Under the resolution, the mayor would make $1,200 a month w...
The Airway Heights Planning Commission gave a thumbs-up approval at its Dec. 9 meeting to a professional service agreement the city hopes to sign between itself and the Spokane consulting firm Studio Cascade. The agreement would allow the city to move forward with revitalization plans for U.S. Highway 2, as well as provide assistance reviewing the land use element of its comprehensive plan in 2016. Development Services Director Derrick Braaten explained to the commission that design aspects of Highway 2 are what he receives...
If old-timers who remember other notable weather events in the Northwest like the 1962 Columbus Day Storm thought the Nov. 17 windstorm that swept through the area seemed like it was a doozie, they are right. According to Eastern Washington University meteorology professor Dr. Bob Quinn, our most recent wind event was very much record setting. Warned well in advance that this storm was coming, and with potential 70 mile-per-hour winds, the region was devastated with the...
