Sorted by date Results 1 - 21 of 21
ROSALIA - Residents packed the main gymnasium at Rosalia High School on Dec. 18 for the 2024 Winter Concert. The hour-long performance kicked off with youngsters singing Christmas songs and culminated with the high school band performing for the first time in two years. Teacher Payton Ritchy directed the program featuring students from all grade levels. The youngest students sang "Snowman Can't March" and "Snowman Jump," while first- and second-graders sang "Dancer and...
CHENEY – A tragic wrong-way collision on Interstate 90 near the Amazon warehouse resulted in one fatality and two injuries late Monday night, Dec. 18. The Washington State Patrol reported that Carol G. Johnson, 81, of Medical Lake, was driving westbound in the eastbound lanes of the freeway when her 2007 Chevrolet Aveo collided head-on with a 2015 Chevrolet Silverado. The Silverado was being driven by Sherman J. Reese, 68, of Deer Park. Reese was with Stacy A. Reese, 57, as she was a passenger in the Silverado. The crash o...
CHENEY – A new bill introduced by Sen. Jeff Holy, R-Cheney, seeks to boost public safety by increasing the number of police officers across Washington. Holy's proposal, Senate Bill 5060, asks for $100 million to create a grant program, to help local and tribal governments hire police officers. The funding would come from the state general fund. "Crime is a growing problem in our state," said Holy. "Washington ranks among the worst states in several categories, including m...
SPOKANE COUNTY – Spokane County Sheriff’s Major Crimes Detectives are investigating a shooting tied to a vehicle theft on Dec. 13. At around 8:40 p.m., deputies responded to a reported stolen Jeep near West Charles Road and North Dover Road. The armed Jeep owner began chasing the suspect in another vehicle. Minutes later, gunshots were reported near West Four Mount Road, east of North Landt Farms Lane. The owner told deputies he shot at the suspect, who abandoned the Jeep in a ditch. Blood was found inside the vehicle, but...
AIRWAY HEIGHTS – Two people lost their lives in an accident on Highway 2 east of Airway Heights early morning, Dec. 18. A tree fell across the highway, striking their eastbound box truck and causing it to veer off the road. The Washington State Patrol reported that the incident occurred at 6:27 a.m. Both the driver and passenger were pronounced dead at the scene. Preliminary investigations suggest the tree, located on airport property, may have fallen due to severe weather conditions. The National Weather Service had i...
CHENEY – The City of Cheney is reminding residents of parking regulations during snow periods to ensure efficient snow removal and safer streets for all. When two or more inches of snow accumulate on city streets, and until the snow is cleared, vehicles may not be parked on any street or city right-of-way between midnight and 6 a.m. In the central business district, the restricted hours are between 3 and 6 a.m. Mayor Chris Grover emphasized the importance of planning ahead, especially during the holiday season, saying, ...
Medical Lake MEDICAL LAKE — The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office responded to the following calls for service from Nov. XX-XX: Dec. 11 9:33 a.m. – Medical Call on 1451 W Maple St. 9:43 a.m. – Suspicious Vehicle on 320 E. Norma Lee Ave. 12:46 p.m. – Medical Call on 420 E. Jim Darby Dr. 3:02 p.m. – Reckless driving on 1010 E. Lake St. 3:51 p.m. – Vehicle Blocking on N. Minnie St./W. Brooks Rd. 9:11 p.m. – Medical Call on 124 N. Hallett St. Dec. 12 8:22 a.m. – SCOPE needed on 124 S. LeFevre St. 8:43 a.m. – Wellfare check on 1...
CHENEY – On Dec. 9, the city hosted an open house for its 2017-2037 Comprehensive Plan Update, an initiative mandated by Washington State’s Growth Management Act. This act requires cities to craft long-term plans to manage population growth, shaping their 20-year vision with goals, policies, and actionable steps. This plan serves as a guiding document for local officials and staff, influencing daily decision-making processes. A key aspect of the update process is incorporating community input to refine the city’s futur...
CHENEY – The Cheney School Board unanimously approved a two-year administrative agreement on Dec. 11 that will provide salary increases and benefits aimed at retaining and attracting top leadership. The agreement, effective July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2026, includes an average 6.1% pay increase in the first year and 7% in the second year. Contracts starting this past July will also see retroactive adjustments, resulting in year-end payouts. “This agreement keeps us competitive with comparable districts like East Val...
When Jay Inslee first successfully ran for governor in 2012, he told Washington voters – and here’s the quote – he “would veto anything that heads the wrong direction, and the wrong direction is new taxes in the state of Washington.” Once Inslee took office, his pledge to not raise taxes was quickly broken. In fact, our outgoing guv has routinely called for tax hikes of one type or another. For years, I’ve said Inslee “never met a tax increase he didn’t like.” Now, with his final term as governor ending in less than a month...
As Washingtonians take a welcome year-end break to spend time with family and celebrate Christmas, our state’s political leaders are hard at work drafting the agenda for the upcoming legislative session. The Legislature doesn’t meet formally until Jan. 13, but the governor’s budget proposal, a list of 215 pre-filed bills, and a curious leaked e-mail give us hints of what some lawmakers are planning. Tax collections are up and there is ample revenue to fund government servi...
President-elect Donald Trump is claiming a special mandate by winning the popular vote, though only by a little over 2 million (1.5%; and getting below 50% of total popular vote) compared to President Joe Biden’s winning margin of about 7 million (4%; 51%) over Trump in 2020. If the electoral college had already been scrapped, would the popular vote have been significantly changed by the candidates campaigning in all states, not just battleground ones? Why did Washington state have its’ lowest turnout in 28 years? Why was...
We’re coming into the middle point of senior year this week I picked out some local seniors including myself, and looked back at who we were our freshman year to now and who we have grown into. Keely a senior at Rosalia High School, “Looking back to freshman year I’ve done a complete 180. I have always been an over achieving student who though one bad grade would ruin my GPA and my life would be over. Now I’m in my second year of running start taking sophomore/ junior college level classes; I have learned it’s not so much a...
CHENEY – Masonic Temple Lodge No. 42 provided support to five local organizations through donations, recently. The lodge donated to $905 to Cancer Can’t, $1,000 to Feed Spokane, $500 to Christ Kitchen, $200 to Second Harvest Inland Northwest and $300 to KREM Cares Tom’s Turkey Drive. Where each organization received matching funds from Washington Masonic Services, an organization that offers to assist masons and others in need, focusing on aging in place and securing resources for basic essentials. According to Becky Van K...
1 years ago Dec 11, 2014 After serving 12 years as Medical Lake Councilmember, Brenda Redell resigned from city council due to moving outside city limits. Medical Lake volunteers counted 86 deer in one hour, Saturday evening while likely more will come into the city. Members of the Citizens Deer Advisory Committee went around four routes, recording any deer they saw. Defense set the tone early in last Saturday’s Football Championship Subdivision Playoff game between No. 5-ranked Eastern Washington University and No. 12 -...
Holiday greetings to all the neighbors and readers of the Cheney Free Press! May the New Year bring you joy, health, and good stories! We thank-you Readers, for your support and kind words of encouragement. May your Holidays be filled with happy times to spin into beautiful stories of your own. We wish you the happiest of Holidays and a safe, prosperous and healthy new year....
BASKETBALL Youth hoops camp slated CHENEY — The EWU men’s basketball team is hosting their Holiday Hoops Youth Camp - open to boys and girls, grades K-6 - on Monday, December 30 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The cost is $75 per camper. The camp will focus on skill development, competitions, and enjoying one last day with friends before school goes back in session! Following the camp, participants will be invited to watch Eastern’s pre-game shoot-around on Reese Court before the Eagles host Eastern Oregon at 6 p.m. All campers will...
SPOKANE VALLEY - The Cheney boys wrestling team had a pair of statement wins last week. The Blackhawks won their second Greater Spokane League match 41-29 over Central Valley, Dec. 18 and followed that effort with the win at the West Valley Wrestle Rama Dual, Dec. 20 with a 40-38 decision. Trailing 38-34 going into their last match, Cheney's Alex Kurakin got the pin for the win at 113 pounds. Cheney earned four convincing wins to get to the title match, East Valley 59-17, Free...
Cheney's budding girls wrestling program continued growth in its stature last week. The Blackhawks had - and won - their first dual meet in program history, Dec. 20, and then logged a fourth-place finish in the M2 Mallet at Rogers High School on Dec. 21. In the Dec. 20 dual contested at Rogers, Cheney battled back from an 18-0 deficit to win 10 consecutive weight classes. Notable among those, which included five forfeits, was Jenny Tian's 10-2 major decision at 115 pounds...
CHENEY — Cheney head coach Meredith Richards seemed to have just the right words for how her team exited last week’s play. “Man, this week was another week of highs and lows,” she wrote in an email. This following the excitement of a Spirit Game win, 42-24 over Rogers, Dec. 17 and finishing with losses to Pullman, 55-52, Dec. 19 and 76-28 at Gonzaga Prep, Dec. 20. The Blackhawks were strong off the opening tip-off at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena leading the Pirates 28-12. Allison Vold led Cheney in scoring with 12 points w...
The Cheney boys' basketball team went winless last week in three non-league games. The Blackhawks saw a five-point third quarter lead vanish in a 44-39 loss to Rogers in the Railroad Rumble Spirit Game, Dec. 17. Cheney (1-6) faltered out of the halftime break in a Dec. 19 loss, 60-52, to former Great Northern League rival Pullman and then were unable to climb out of a 21-9 first-quarter deficit in a 62-35 loss at Gonzaga Prep. A 19-8 fourth quarter rallied Rogers past Cheney a...
