Sorted by date Results 151 - 175 of 2797
A healthier than usual revenue stream helped change Cheney’s general fund budgeting process from one centered on cutting to one with the actual hope of planning for the future, leading it to be voted the No. 3 top news story of 2016. While the city isn’t flush with cash by any stretch, improvements in property tax distributions and sales taxes from increasing construction led officials to feel better about spending in 2017. Updated figures were not available at press time, but through September the city had received 56....
By JOHN McCALLUM Editor Devry Bursch, Charlie Buckner and Alexxis Bowes answered in unison when asked if they were ready to get into the adult world of work and budgeting - "No!" Understandable, since all three girls are eighth-graders at Westwood Middle School. But unlike most of their fellow students, the three feel more equipped to deal with the adult world, thanks to their participation in Junior Achievement and a recent JA Financial Park sponsored by Boeing Employees...
It may not be readily obvious to residents, but the city of Cheney has a good bit of vacant land on its hands. That is according to information from the Spokane County Assessor’s Office, and presented to the Cheney Planning Commission at its Dec. 12 meeting as part of its look at the city’s comprehensive plan. The assessor puts Cheney’s vacant land at 33 percent, but it comes with a caveat, senior planner Brett Lucas told the commission. “That doesn’t mean that land is developable,” Lucas said, noting that assessment...
One of Ivanna Lomas’ duties as the Medical Lake Parks and Recreation coordinator is to organize the city’s youth sports program. This includes getting equipment ready, managing the registration and finding volunteer coaches for teams. That last part can be a little difficult as the department is always looking for volunteer coaches. To boost numbers in 2017, the department will allow a parent who coaches a sports team to waive their child’s $40 activity fee. During a Dec. 6 City Council meeting, Councilwoman Jessica Rober...
The Cheney City Council made quick work of a long list of agenda items at its Dec. 13 meeting, including final passage of the city’s 2017 budget. The council has held two workshops and three public hearings on the $26,345,400 budget since Sept. 19. In presenting the budget to the council for final passage, Finance Director Cindy Niemeier said her office had received no additional comments from citizens. Before the council moves into 2017, there were some remaining items to be addressed from this year, beginning with the purch...
Due to the extremely cold weather forecast for this weekend, and the late afternoon start of the national semifinal football game between Eastern Washington and Youngstown State, the Cheney Firefighters Local 1919 is making changes to its annual "Candy Cane Ride." Instead of beginning at 4:30 p.m. this Saturday, Dec. 17, and traversing through Cheney, the firefighters will hand out holiday cheer, hot cocoa and candy canes from 6 – 8 p.m. at the fire station, located at 611 F...
The Medical Lake City Council got a jump start on 2017 by approving the second reading of the final $3.17 million budget at its Dec. 6 meeting. During the budget’s public hearing, City Administrator Doug Ross noted some revisions to the budget, including $20,000 that was transferred from the capital improvement fund to capital outlay fund. He said that money will go toward re-roofing and painting the annex, and replacing the carpet in the lower City Hall. Five thousand dollars from the impact fee fund was transferred to the p...
The Medical Lake Fire Department has decided not to hold its annual holiday toy drive. In the past, the department would collect toys and give them to needy families living in the Medical Lake zip code. Fire Chief Jason Mayfield said one reason the department is not doing the drive this holiday season is because of a trend where the number of toy donations have dropped in the last few years. “We would put out bins at various locations in the city and would have to empty them twice a week,” Mayfield said. “In the last coupl...
A student taking part in halftime activities during Kids' Day at the Eastern Washington women's basketball game Dec. 8 with Cal State–Fullerton tries to balance a handful of pizza boxes in a race. The special promotion attracted a crowd of 2,730 students and other fans from across the West Plains, as well as Spokane schools. They watched the Eagles defeat the Titans, 84-67 at Reese Court....
The Washington State Veterans Cemetery in Medical Lake will be one of many sites across the country that will adorn its gravestones with wreaths for the annual Wreaths Across America, Dec. 17. The cemetery will begin its ceremony at noon. Rudy Lopez, director of the facility, said 1,470 wreaths — 20 more than their goal — will be delivered to the cemetery for this year’s ceremony. Last year, volunteers laid 1,200 wreaths across the facility. “The intent is to continue to honor those who served and those who sacrifi...
The Cheney School Board made it official at their only meeting in December last Wednesday that their proposed $52 million capital facilities bond measure will be on the upcoming Feb. 14, 2017 ballot. The board approved the bond resolution, which includes ballot language, 5-0 at the Dec. 7 meeting. According to information from the district, if voters approve the measure, the 21-year bonds would be repaid by a 78 cent per $1,000 of assessed value increase in property taxes in the district. The eight-page resolution contains la...
At the halfway point of the annual Christmas Gifts for Cheney Kids, drive organizers say they are ahead of last year’s number when it comes to children signing up, but behind in what they hope to give them on Dec. 16. Drive coordinator Elsy Lusk said as of Monday, Dec. 5, 105 children had signed up with the hopes of receiving presents this year. Last year at this time the drive had just 75 kids signed up, and ended up distributing gifts to over 200. “Last year, we had quite a bit more (at this time),” Lusk said regarding gift...
Snow information contacts Spokane County Hotline: (509) 477-2666 24-hour map: www.spokanecounty.org/863/Snowplowing-Sanding Department of Transportation Website: www.wsdot.com/winter/WinterOps City of Cheney Website: www.cityofcheney.org By AL STOVER Staff Reporter With a wet winter on the horizon, crews from Airway Heights and Medical Lake are prepared for when the snow falls. Medical Lake has a different fleet of plow trucks this year — a used road grader, which the city purchased in March, along with two used dump t...
Isabella Babcock receives a hug from Santa Claus. Babcock and her parents, Jim and Natalie Babcock, were one of many families who attended the pancake breakfast during last Saturday's Airway Heights' Winter Festival....
The Airway Heights City Council wrapped up 2016 by going through some housekeeping items. At its Dec. 5 meeting - the final one of the year - council approved the second reading of an ordinance that adopts the $19.32 million budget for 2017. Council also approved an ordinance that sets positions, salaries and compensations for city employees for 2017. In other action items, council accepted the completion of the McFarlane Road Overlay Project. The project, which was finished in June, consisted of an approximately two-mile asp...
When it comes to the case of the Cheney School District’s surplused Fisher Building, apparently the fourth time is the charm. After three previous purchase proposals for the district’s former high school, junior high and administration building fell through, school officials closed a deal Monday with Eastmark Capital Group of Seattle. District Superintendent Rob Roettger said Tuesday the final sale price to Eastmark was $750,000. The Fisher Building, originally constructed in 1929, was declared surplus by the school dis...
If St. Peter was the one to meet Cheney Care Center resident Flossie Dickey at the "pearly gates," he had better made sure he had a shot of whiskey to offer her. Dickey, who would have turned 111 years old this coming Feb. 18, passed away Nov. 23. The long-time West Plains-area resident was witness to much of the history of the Pacific Northwest during her time. Last year she gained local and internet fame when a video clip of her interview on "Good Morning Spokane," with her...
At its Nov. 21 meeting, the Airway Heights City Council approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the city and the Kalispel Tribe of Indians to resolve a pending appeal before it reached the U.S. Department of the Interior Board of Appeals. The agreement stemmed from Interior’s decision to place 69.03 acres of off-reservation property in Airway Heights’ city limits into trust for the Kalispels at their request back in May. The city filed a notice of appeal after it learned of the Interior’s decision. Accor...
Eastern Washington University’s board of trustees, along with staff, are doing what they can — within their legal limits — to make the campus a safe place for all students. After a special Nov. 22 meeting, the board issued a statement regarding a petition it received from staff and students. The petition requests the board designate the college as a “sanctuary campus” for undocumented students, staff and their family members who could face deportation. The document is in response to President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign pr...
Roan Wilbur (right) and his mother Suzanne Wilbur marvel at the turkey he won after the annual Cheney High School Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning. Roan, his mom and brother Kian Wilbur were three of the 500 participants in the race....
The relocation of Cheney's 87-year-old train depot has taken another step towards reality with the apparent acquisition of property by the group spearheading the effort. Cheney Depot Society volunteers have announced two separate land agreements along First Street, one a donation of property at First and Union streets while the other is a successful auction bid on the adjacent property at First and I. Combined, the two provide just under 40,000 square feet of land between Firs...
Although not “flush with cash,” as Cheney Mayor Tom Trulove put it at a previous City Council budget workshop, additional anticipated revenues from several sources have presented city departments with a bit more leeway with their 2017 budgets. With 2015’s levy lid lift helping the police and fire departments with funding, Cheney’s increase in assessed valuation the past several years will now help other general fund departments with planning financially for the future. Administration Department The Administration Departm...
Students, staff and community members started a petition that asks the Eastern Washington University board of trustees to make the college a sanctuary campus for undocumented students, staff and their family members who face imminent deportation. The petition is in response to the 2016 election results and president-elect Donald Trump's promise to increase deportations of illegal immigrants after he takes office in January. The petition has 10 requests, among those are...
At its Nov. 15 meeting, the Medical Lake City Council held a first reading of the 2017 budget. According to information provided by the city, the 2017 current expense fund is projected to be just over $3.14 million with $2.37 million going toward departments and services funded through property tax and revenue. This is about $40,000 less than what the city spent last year. The ending cash balance for 2017 is projected at $765,076. “It’s less than we have had in recent years,” City Administrator Doug Ross said during the p...
When it comes to dealing with delinquent utility accounts, Airway Heights staff is going to use one of the tools it already has. At an August study session, staff proposed Ordinance 878, which amends the city’s municipal codes “Water System” and “Sanitary Sewer System,” and creates a new section “Utility Services.” The ordinance will allow only property owners to set up utility accounts. Currently both property owners and tenants can create accounts. During the session, accounting-records clerk Addam Janke said staff proposed...
