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SUNNYSIDE – State officials want farmers and ranchers to notify them before shutting off irrigation for the winter. On Monday, state Department of Fish and Wildlife employees requested 2-4 weeks advance notice of irrigation shutdowns so they could “rescue fish” in irrigation canals. "We are available to help people shut down their irrigation systems in a way that protects fish," agency Fish Screening Manager Danny Didricksen said. "We work with diking districts, irrig... Full story
From the outside it may look like a traditional multifamily complex, but inside, the new apartments arising along West 1st Street near Salnave Park are anything but traditional. In fact, Cheney Park Apartments — 1026 W. 1st St. — may be the first of its kind in Cheney in several aspects. To start, the four-building, 90-unit complex is being built using a “pod” and “stack” modular design. Each pod consists of a studio, a one-bedroom and a two-bedroom unit. At 480, 613 and 1,0...
You have waited all season for that first red ripe tomato only to discover less-than-perfect fruit. But don’t worry, you can still have a great harvest this year while improving things for next season. Blossom end rot is a common problem. It’s due to a calcium deficiency often caused by fluctuations in soil moisture, often seen on the first set of fruit and those grown in containers. Adjust your watering and mulch the soil to help keep it consistently moist. Have your soi...
Cheney water rates are going up — again. City Council members voted unanimously at their July 23 meeting to approve a 10 cent increase in usage rates from $1.47 per 100 cubic feet (CF) of water — about 748 gallons — to $1.57/100 CF. The change also comes with a new, tiered water usage rate for residential customers who use 3,000 cubic feet or more per month. Customers exceeding this will be charged an additional $3.14 per 100 CF. As an example, a customer using up to 4,000 cubic feet would be billed $47.10 for the first...
The Cheney Water Department will begin water main flushing from area fire hydrants beginning the week of Aug. 19. Flushing these water mains will cause water to discolor. Residents who experience colored water should flush their cold water tap and/or irrigation system for 10 to 15 minutes to see if it clears up. If it doesn’t clear up, contact the Public Works Department at (509) 498-9293. The flushing program is estimated to take 8–10 weeks to complete. The city will update its website where crews will be flushing. Ple...
Cheney officials had hoped to have the city’s newest potable water well up and running by now, but have been prevented from doing so by what’s essentially a housing shortage. In order to bring the recently re-drilled Well 3 online in time for this summer’s irrigation season, the City Council approved a change order to the original contract with Wesslen Contractors that allows them to build a temporary, more traditional structure than the prefabricated one order from CXT in Feb...
Cheney’s City Council received an overview of what a revised water rate structure might look like should such a measure be implemented in the near future. During an information-only presentation at the council’s June 25 meeting, representatives from FCS Group consulting firm gave four alternatives for making changes to the city’s water policies — two of which could be implemented almost immediately following council approval. FCS project manager Andy Baker outlined details of the two alternatives – referred to as “Full Best P...
With a new well scheduled to go online July 9, Cheney officials are looking at some options for servicing the city’s water supply system in the future. Barring unforeseen circumstances, a re-drilled Well No. 3 is set to go online at the end of this month, providing the potential for 1,200 — 1,500 gallons per minute of additional potable water. Because of its proximity to the city’s reservoirs, Well 3 could aid not only in providing more water during the irrigation season, but...
So far, the weather has actually helped the city of Cheney's water system and its struggles with supply meeting demand created by irrigation. "The weather pattern has been a little strange, which has helped us out," Public Works Director Todd Ableman said in a June 7 interview. That may change, and change soon if weather forecasts prove accurate. Daytime highs are projected to climb at the end of this week and into the next, possibly running 15 degrees above average and with...
The Airway Heights City Council had a full plate at its June 3 meeting, hearing a presentation from Avista Utilities on the introduction of smart meters to the West Plains and getting a legislative update from the city’s governmental affairs representatives. Avista began a $165 million dollar rollout of smart meters across the utility company’s Washington service territory in February, starting with Spokane. Avista representatives said smart meters will be coming to the West Plains in October. Local residents can expect to se...
Proper watering is key to gardening success, but untangling and dragging heavy hoses across the yard, smashing delicate flowers and young vegetable plants along the way is a common occurrence in many yards. If this describes your escapades when watering garden beds and planters, it may be time to look for some time-saving solutions that reduce the hassle of hand watering. Protect edging plants, especially those at the corner of the bed with hose guides. You can make your own from colorful wine bottles inverted over a section...
Jenny Graham, 6th District state representative, listens as Cheney water reclamation plant operator Dan Ferguson explains how the facilities supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system allows operators to monitor and control its functions remotely during a tour on May 15. Graham, along with fellow 6th District Rep. Mike Volz and state Sen. Jeff Holy, played a part in securing $2 million in state funding to upgrade Cheney’s plant to a full water reclamation f...
Cheney crews are working to alleviate several cases of brown, stinky water emerging from residents water faucets. Public Works Director Todd Ableman told the City Council at its May 14 meeting they received 11 calls Tuesday morning from residents experiencing brown water coming from their faucts. The annual occurence is a result of iron elements found in the city’s system that enter the water after being stirred up. Ableman said early hot weather last weekend caused the city’s irrigation pumps to turn on, which created a dis...
By SHANNEN TALBOT Staff Reporter In the first long budget-writing session to wrap on time in a decade, the Washington State Legislature recently passed a $54.2 billion two-year budget that relies on more than $800 million in new tax revenue — and Airway Heights is set to get a piece of that pie. The city will be receiving $5.5 million to fund its Highland Village project, which aims to decrease the density of residents in Fairchild Air Force Base’s Accident Potential Zone 2, the zone located at the end of the base’s main...
Cheney made out well when the smoke and dust from the state Legislature’s budgeting process finally cleared with passage of the capital appropriations package on April 27. While not everything in the Senate’s $136.3 million proposal for the 6th Legislative District made it through, more projects than what were included in the House’s $88.9 million offering survived the chopping block. In the end, the $95.57 million compromise had a little bit of something for just about everybody. Including the city of Cheney, which saw i...
By MELINDA MYERS Contributor Raised beds and containers expand our planting options. They allow us to grow edible and ornamental plants even where there is no plantable space to garden. Their need for frequent watering may have discouraged you from growing in raised beds and containers. The limited soil mass and increased exposure to wind, heat and sunlight make fast-draining potting mixes dry out more quickly than in-ground gardens. Self-watering raised gardens are now...
By JOHN McCALLUM Managing Editor Cheney typically averages about 700 gallons per minute in water usage from October to about mid-May, an amount easily produced by the city's two oldest wells located next to the Pence Union Building on the Eastern Washington University campus. So when water department personnel began seeing other pumps kick on in late December/early January in order to meet demand, they knew they had some problems somewhere in the system. Public Works Director...
Public Works Department business dominated the Cheney City Council's March 12 agenda. Three of the nine resolutions brought forward by Public Works Director Todd Ableman involved Cheney's water supply - beginning with a final contract for construction of the city's Well 3. Council approved a $558,600 contract with Spokane-based Wesslen Construction for installing the pumping operation of the well the city has already spent almost $829,000 on in the hopes it will help with...
According to Fairchild Air Force Base in Airway Heights, 2019 is the year to go green. Base officials are kicking off the new year with “Green in ’19,” a plan to improve the base’s overall energy consumption by promoting conservation practices and waste reduction. Green in ’19 is vision to inspire Team Fairchild Airmen to become the Department of Defense’s leader in environmental initiatives,” Sgt. Travis Edwards with 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs said in an email. “Our goal is to highlight many of the practices w...
Cheney knows more about water woes than most small communities, and the beginning of 2019 is shaping up to be more of the same. State records indicated that the city’s water system is over-connected by more than 600 connections, causing the state Department of Health (DOH) to place Cheney in a “blue” category, designating the city’s system as “not adequate for growth.” In the blue Water permits from the state Department of Health’s Office of Drinking Water are color-coded based on the permitted entity’s compliance with state...
Cheney’s City Council approved a fourth change order to the city’s Well 3 drilling project at its Jan. 8 meeting — a change that officials believe while increasing the cost of drilling a new well will actually decrease the project’s overall expenditure. The $72,571.40 change order provided compensation to contractor Blue Star Enterprises for restocking an unused portion of 16-inch diameter steel well casing that was not needed because the drilling actually produced a usable supply of water at a shallower depth than expecte...
City of Cheney officials have laid out some priorities they feel are important to achieving a healthy economy and safe community — and they would like local state legislators’ help in reaching those goals. The City Council approved these priorities at one of their final meetings of 2018, and not surprisingly, water is at the top of the list. Specifically, water city officials feel is needed to meet summer irrigation demands. Cheney has had to impose irrigation restrictions during stretches of hot weather for four the past fiv...
Once again, water — or rather the difficulty in supplying it — was one of the top stories of the year in Cheney. From October to April, the city has little issue bringing the liquid to the taps of residents in abundance, using just two of its eight wells. Beginning in May, Public Works staff bring on four more wells to handle an increased demand caused by irrigation — and without fail, when really hot weather hit, this demand exceeds the ability to supply, leading to morat...
The race for the 6th District state House of Representatives Position 1 pits incumbent Mike Volz against political newcomer Kay Murano. Volz, a Republican, is seeking a second term, defeating Lynnette Vehrs in 2016, 55.34 – 44.66. He is a veteran, has over 30 years’ experience in the public and private sectors, degrees from EWU and Gonzaga, and is a CPA. Murano is executive director of the Spokane Low Income Housing Consortium. She has a bachelor of arts degree in business administration from Trinity Western University. As in...
Holy, Lewis square off to see who will replace Baumgartner BY PAUL DELANEY Staff Reporter With the resignation of incumbent 6th District Sen. Michael Baumgartner who is running for Spokane Country Treasurer, his seat is being contested by 6th District House member Jeff Holy and political newcomer Jessa Lewis. Holy s a 52.2 percent to 47.8 percent victory in the Aug. 7 primary. Candidates’ statements are from their websites as follows: Jeff Holy: Republican Catholic schools, an enlistment in the U.S.Army, a career as a S...
