Sorted by date Results 555 - 579 of 582
If the City Council approves, Cheney may have its own mini-version of an eye in the sky. Rather, make those two eyes. Cheney Police Chief Jeff Sale is requesting council members approve the purchase of a pair of pole-mounted cameras to be used to combat property crime downtown, specifically the stretch from F to G streets along First. The Police Department has the money for the cameras, thanks to a “use it or lose it” $69,000 federal grant. The two cameras would be mounted at College Avenue and First, high enough to pre...
Things are tough all over. They’re tougher if you refuse to accept them or are unaffected by what’s going on. Businesses are being usurped on a daily basis. My bank - the soon to be swallowed up Washington Mutual or WaMu - if you talk to the marketing nazis, is one of them, but some changes planned. “Great news!†comes the recorded voice on the bank’s customer service line. “Between March and July you’ll begin to notice changes we’re making to the automated system.†I can hardly wait. They, like many lenders... Full story
By DAVID TELLER Staff Reporter Cheney Delights is looking to expand their menu with items that have a little kick. Delights owner, Fred Pollard said he is transitioning to a more traditional restaurant. He said building his business is a slow, evolutionary process of just trying to discover what people want or need in Cheney. “We made a conscientious decision to come in and try to find a way to have our business fit into the community,” Pollard said. Though his business has...
By DAVID TELLER Staff Reporter While area schools were scheduled to return from Christmas break on Monday, Jan. 5, the weather inspired yet another “snowday,” which have become common in the last two winters. Cheney School District Superintendent Larry Keller explained how he determines a snowday. It begins long before anyone is thinking of school. He starts dialog at 2 a.m. with Cheney School District transportation director Paul Harris, who then goes out and inspects the school district's grounds and building conditions. Ha...
When I started at the Cheney Free Press about a year and a half ago, my editor John McCallum warned me to be careful about what I say and how I say it. “This job has a negative stigma to it,” he said. This became glaringly apparent when I went to a city government meeting recently. Before the meeting started, some people were just mulling around and socializing. When I walked into the room, someone said, “The media is here!” and they scattered like a cluster of cockroaches startled by someone turning on a light. In the backgr...
I'm going light this week on subject matter, so please do not expect any political endorsements or musings on stray shopping carts, public transportation or nosy neighbors behaving badly. No, this week's topic is the transition from summer to fall, and why it's a conflicting time of the year for me. Ambivalence is a good word to describe my state right now: sad and happy at the same time. I know, it's just the weather right? Well, fall makes it tough considering what we northerners experience, so I can't easily choose. Let's...
By DAVID TELLER Staff Reporter Paul and Tracy Gorum, who own Cheney's Gatto's, were awarded “Employer of the Year” from the Spokane County Community Services Developmental Disabilities Program. Tracy Gorum said she received notice of the award, which is signed the Spokane County Commissioners, from Career Path Services and received the award for diversity in the work place and commitment to hiring people with developmental disabilities. Currently, Gatto's employs Louie Chamber...
By DAVID TELLER Staff Reporter Residents will soon notice a slight change in Cheney, high above the roof tops. The city of Cheney has a new city flag, which can be seen in the council chambers and will soon be visible atop flag poles at the Police Department, the Public Works building and at City Hall. Planning commissioner Graeme Webster and Cheney Police Cmdr. Rick Campbell designed the gold-fringe bordered flag, which features the city logo in a white field, with dark blue fields to the left and right of the white. City...
By DAVID TELLER Staff Reporter Jaazz Salon and Skin Care Center makes its return to Cheney. The salon started in what is now a fraternity house on Greek row, and was at the time known as the Philena Apartments. It ws set up in the meager, 470-square-foot common area of the building. Since then, Jaazz has grown, being selected by the Inlander’s reader’s poll as the best salon in Spokane 10 times, six of them consecutively. In the 1980s, Eastern Washington University student Mark Brado went to Jaazz to get his hair cut.... Full story
By JOHN McCALLUM Editor Sad isn’t something Dallas Bailey said her son often shows. But it was sadness staring back at her when the Cheney mom told him his blended-preschool teacher at Salnave Elementary School, Cindy Melhus, wouldn’t be returning to the class after spring break last April. “My son is asking why didn’t she say good-bye, will I ever see her again?†Bailey told a group of parents of students in Melhus’ class who had gathered at Cheney’s United Methodist Church on May 14. The parents were mobilizin...
By CARA LORELLO Staff Reporter Silver Lake’s public boat launch was temporarily closed on July 28 for renovations to improve and add new features to the existing facility, with plans to reopen access on Saturday, Aug. 23, according to a recent press release from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). The boat launch, east of Freeman Drive, is a regional access site maintained by the WDFW, which is the lead agency on the renovation effort. Signs announcing the closure are posted at the site. “A new concrete... Full story
By DAVID TELLER Staff Reporter A new development is being proposed in Cheney and the Community Development Department wants the public to comment on it. The proposed project would be a 9,375-square-foot site between 105 and 121 N. Ninth St. The finished project would be a two-story, multi-family residence that would have standard and studio apartments. The building will have a daylight basement that the owner, Premiere Student Living LLC., wants to leave as an option to convert to a fifth apartment. Cheney planner Elisa...
Community March 25 – 7 p.m. Friends of the Cheney Community Library Book Discussion Group will meet at the downtown library for discussion on “The Highest Tide: A Novel,” by Jim Lynch. Jeanne Bruntlett will lead discussion. Call 235-4490, or email at [email protected] for more information. Notice - Stage Door to the Future at Eastern Washington University Spring Quarter ‘08 begins March 31 at 4 p.m. Students age 8 - 17...explore acting, music, dance, improvisation, painting, lighting, makeup and more! Every Monday 10 week...
Spokane County has launched the process of developing a county-level Community Wildfire Protection Plan. Local agencies and organizations in Spokane County have created a planning committee to complete the Community Wildfire Protection Plan as part of the National Fire Plan and Healthy Forests Restoration Act as authorized by Congress and the White House. The Spokane County Community Wildfire Protection Plan will include risk analysis at the community level with predictive models for where fires are likely to ignite and...
In reference to last week's comments concerning the chief of maintenance in Medical Lake, I feel very badly that someone would insult his integrity in such a manner. I have been in the community since 1969 and Mr. Dorshorst has worked for the community in some capacity even before I arrived and until now. He is very congenial, and always ready to help someone in need. He not only does good things for the community in his job but through organizational and public service outside his job. Snow removal is a difficult subject...
Year in Review, Part I By CARA LORELLO Staff Reporter The first six months of 2007 marked the beginning of a period of transition for downtown Medical Lake as a number of businesses were met with closure or announced plans to relocate to the north end of town. The city found itself engaged in both state and county affairs, including consideration as a site chosen for a new state veteran's cemetery and stepping up efforts to conserve local water supply by placing a city-wide...
By DAVID TELLER Staff Reporter A lot has to happen before Spokane County can begin building the new jail, which is scheduled to be completed in 2013 when the Geiger Corrections Center lease expires. One of the sites being considered is a 97-acre plot southeast of the city on Anderson Road in Cheney. The proposed site is near a wetland and also has train rails running through. The project has to go through the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) and Essential Public Facility (EPF) siting process. The state law provides...
By CARA LORELLO Staff Reporter Residents who showed up to Medical Lake City Council's Nov. 20 meeting hoping for a final answer to the North Stanley rezone dispute left empty handed, except for an update that officials are working on changing the city's procedure of approving requests from the Planning Commission that will allow the opportunity for testimony at the council level. Citizens questioned when they should expect council's decision, given that the Planning Commission's decision to turn down A&K Development's... Full story
By DAVID TELLER Staff Reporter Spokane County is considering a location in Cheney, along with nine other county sites, for a new jail to be built by the time the Geiger Corrections Center lease expires in 2013. In the first of several public information meetings presented by Lt. Michael Sparber of the Spokane County Corrections Department, the site in Cheney would be a 97-acre plot southeast of the city on Anderson Road. There were 13 sites under consideration. On Wednesday of last week, the county Corrections Department redu...
By DAVID TELLER Staff Reporter Doug Nixon does not approach his run for City Council Position No. 2 with a project or a pet peeve, but he does understand the priority the city is placing on economic and residential growth. He also believes in doing the right thing for the right reason. Since relocating to Cheney over eight years ago, he has thoroughly immersed himself in the community. He is a home and business owner, his adult children have also remained in Cheney, and his grandson is enrolled in the Cheney School District.... Full story
By CARA LORELLO Staff Reporter An unexpected sudden interest in a long-planned rezone proposed for an undeveloped parcel near Fox Hollow in Medical Lake forced Planning Commission members to postpone a public hearing last Thursday for at least a month when a nearly 200 citizen turnout overflowed City Hall's upstairs council chambers, its adjoining hallways and multipurpose room. Due to city fire safety code policy, the meeting couldn't commence as usual as the room had reached well over its maximum capacity by citizens, most...
By JOHN McCALLUM Editor The following is brought to you as a public service message by me – just because that's the kind of guy I am. It's Sports Illustrated's Top 20 NCAA Division I games to watch in 2007. We college football junkies circle these dates on our calendars to make sure nothing comes up – birthdays, anniversary's, baby showers, Tupperware parties – that might interfere and to ensure we have pre-purchased the appropriate amount of grilling items and refreshments needed to properly enjoy said game. Wives, fianceés,...
By JOHN McCALLUM Editor The city of Cheney is proceeding with a civil suit against Myers Mobile Home Park owner Thomas E. Myers, alleging he has failed to comply with an order to install three fire hydrants at his development along West First Street. The suit arises from a May 4, 2001 decision by the Cheney Fire Board of Appeals telling Myers to comply with 1994 and 1997 editions of the Uniform Fire Code requiring adequate means of fire suppression. Cheney is seeking $369,000 in penalties from Myers as per its municipal... Full story
By JOHN McCALLUM Editor For the record, squirrels in Cheney cost $64,508. Oh yes, and 21 cents. That's the amount the Cheney City Council agreed to shell out to Power City Electric to replace circuit switches at the city Light Department's electrical substation on Cheney-Plaza Road. The switches were damaged last March when a squirrel entered an electrical conduit and caused a short circuit resulting in an almost 90-minute long power outage to over 1,800 Cheney and 575 Inland Power and Light customers. In explaining the...
By CARA LORELLO Staff Reporter Declining water levels are being observed throughout the West Plains, and Spokane County has begun to take notice. Representatives from the county and various state departments and universities came together with over 100 residents and city officials from local communities at Eastern Washington University on Feb. 1 to raise awareness about the physical situation of the West Plains' fleeting water resources. The presentation included testimony from three of the four affected watershed agencies,... Full story
