News

CHENEY Aug. 29 Graffiti was reported on the 1700 block of Seventh Street. A box of clothes that was found by the Rodeo grounds was taken to Cheney Police Department. An attempted suicide occurred on the 100 block of College Hill Street; subject was transported to the hospital. Aug. 30 A suspicious Facebook post was reported on the 2200 block of Marigold Court. Aug. 31 Kelly M. Jarmin, 28, was arrested for shoplifting on the 100 block of West First Street. Sept. 1 A 12-year-old juvenile was arrested for assault on the 2200...

By AMY MEYER Staff intern The Center for Disability Studies, located in Senior Hall, is seeking official status from the office of Eastern Washington University's Provost, Dr. Rex Fuller. Director Dr. Romel Mackelprang wrote a proposal last year, which has the endorsement of Vickie Shields, dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and Social Work. Mackelprang explained that Disability Support Services was a federally mandated program to connect services through the university to a specific group who have been... Full story

CHENEY Aug. 15 A 17-year-old male was arrested for driving while license suspended (DWLS) on the 100 block of West Second Street. Aug. 16 Katie I. Torrez, 20, was arrested on the 1200 block of First Street for a Spokane felony warrant. A cell phone was reported stolen on the 2700 block of First Street. Aug. 17 A Cheney Police Department radar trailer was damaged on the 800 block of Golden Hills Drive. Theodore D. Denny, 39, was arrested for shoplifting on the 2700 block of First Street. Taylor L. Stamm, 20, was arrested for...

Cheney Aug. 8 Craig C. Hicks, 24, was arrested on the 200 block of Oakland Street for driving while license suspended (DWLS). Aug. 9 Desirae A. Gutierrez, 26, was arrested on the zero hundred block of Cheney-Spokane Road for DWLS. Possible animal abuse by a child was reported on the 200 block of Oakland Street — was sent to attorney for review. Aug. 10 A duffel bag was found on the 300 block of Sixth Street. Travis R. Guerin, 22, was arrested on the 3000 block of Meadow Glen Lane for trespassing. Joshua A. Hash, 21, was a...

By JAMES EIK Staff Reporter Airway Heights' Planning Commission once again discussed the two pending annexations to the east and west of the city, as well as an update on the Sprague Avenue realignment project. The city has basic zones set for the east annexation, which will extend east of Hayford Road to Deer Heights Road. The city of Spokane will annex to extend its borders to the eastern side of Deer Heights Road. September's Planning Commission meeting will have a public hearing to hear what zones would be appropriate in...

By BECKY THOMAS Staff Reporter Cheney City Council approved an emergency well repair on a city well with a failed pump, barely a year after the pump was replaced in a similar emergency repair. At its Aug. 9 meeting, the council approved a $25,000 contract with Specialty Pump, which completed the repair July 29. Public Works director Todd Ableman said his staff was waiting to hear if the warranty for the original pump, also installed by Specialty Pump in August 2010, was still valid. “We're hoping to get all of that money b... Full story

By JOHN McCALLUM Editor Take traditional hard-boiled detectives like Sam Spade and Johnny Dollar, mix in idiosyncratic types like Nero Wolfe add a pinch of Columbo and blend with movies like “Airplane,” and the “Naked Gun” series and what do you get? You get one Lance Loomis, the chief protagonist in Cheney author John Soennichsen's latest novel, “The Fat Detective: A Gruesome Tale of Murder, Mayhem and Bad Puns from the Crime-Ridden Streets of Spokane, Washington.” It's Soennichsen's fifth book and second fiction novel, one... Full story

By JAMES EIK Staff Reporter The skatepark in Medical Lake is closed until next spring. Recent events of vandalism prompted the City Council to close the property to the public. During the citizens comment portion of the Aug. 16 City Council meeting, several residents stepped forward to voice their concern over the park. They have seen an increase in drug use, alcohol use and vandalism in the park over the past few weeks, though Mayor John Higgins said that the park has always had its problems. “A lot of people are coming f...

The 2011 Zak!Charity Open, held July 24-25 raised more than $435,000 to benefit the Rypien Foundation and Boys & Girls Clubs of Spokane County, bringing the total amount raised in the tournament's 12-year history to more than $3 million. The Open helps these organizations help children battling cancer, and often the economic conditions associated with their struggle. “The fact that we were able to surpass this milestone in a year where many people and businesses are still struggling to recover from the tough economic times w...

By JAMES EIK Staff Reporter A father fishing with his two sons complained to a resort manager at West Medical Lake of a man fishing naked on the lake's west bank. Police arrested Dean H. Meginniss, 54, around 2:15 p.m. Aug. 14 on a felony charge of indecent exposure. After receiving a call from the father about the man, saying he stood up as their boat moved down the lake, resort employees came down and asked Meginnis to put on clothing. By the time officers arrived at the scene he had donned a pair of shorts and was fishing... Full story

Passage would raise up to $15 million to help replace current 40-year-old, non-expandable shelter located in the Spokane Valley In a split vote (2-1) at Tuesday afternoon's regularly scheduled meeting, the Spokane County Board of Commissioners approved putting a levy on the Nov. 8 General Election ballot that would provide the necessary funds to replace the Spokane Regional Animal Protection Shelter. Spokane County Proposition No. 1 would increase the county's regular property tax levy by less than $12 per year for the owner...

By BECKY THOMAS Staff Reporter It seems like the rodeo happened just yesterday, but it's already time to crown a new Miss Cheney Rodeo. The 2012 Miss Cheney Rodeo pageant is just around the corner, and young women are invited to compete for the crown. “It's really a yearlong commitment, but it is a blast. You get to meet so many great people,” queen coordinator Heidi Monter said. Young women ages 17 through 25 are invited to apply for the pageant, which will be held Sept. 23-24. The deadline to apply is Sept. 5. The Miss Che... Full story

By JAMES EIK Staff Reporter Two sisters charged with taking money from their grandmother pled not guilty during their arraignment at the Spokane County Courthouse. Jamee and Jackee Stearns, both 23, both gave their pleas. A court omnibus is set for Oct. 10, and were both assigned an Oct. 31 trial date. The sisters gave the not guilty plea for each of their two charges: residential burglary (domestic violence) and third-degree theft (domestic violence). According to the statement by the arresting officer, the sisters visited...

By JOHN McCALLUM Editor Former Cheney resident Edward P. Herres pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree child molestation in Spokane Superior Court on July 1 and was sentenced Aug. 3 by Judge Harold D. Clarke III to 33 days in jail, with credit given for the 33 days already served. Clark suspended the initial 68 months to life sentence pursuant to specifications under the Special Sex Offender Sentencing Alternative (SSOSA) Act. Herres was placed in community custody of the Department of Corrections for life, and was... Full story

By BECKY THOMAS Staff Reporter Sometimes it takes a hard lesson to turn your life around. For Gary Short, a stroke last fall left him partially paralyzed and unable to do what he loves. Through months of frustrating rehabilitation and lifestyle changes, the local tattoo artist has regained much of his dexterity and is back practicing his art. Short, owner of Cheney's Body Language Tattoo, is a tall, heavily tattooed 50-year-old. He says he used to play up the “tough guy” lifestyle, staying up late, drinking and partying. He... Full story

Photo by Becky Thomas Heavy equipment recently began moving earth across Betz Road in preparation for construction of new practice fields for the Cheney School District. The work includes razing Crunk's Hill, site of one of the first schools in the county. Soil removed from the hill was transferred across Betz Road and deposited at the future home of the city's 50-acre park, show here....

Attendance for July's Feed Medical Lake showed that the program is attracting a following of community members and helping stretch food budgets. Aided by local volunteers, Medical Lake resident Joanna Williams served 89 meals at the first event in June. Although final numbers weren't available, she guessed that volunteers served around 100 burgers with soup at the July 11 program. “Everybody loved the strawberry soup. One of the teenagers said that it tasted like strawberry yogurt,” Williams said. Of the 89 receiving meals in...

By JAMES EIK Staff Reporter The Airway Heights City Council approved a six-year transportation improvement plan at its July 18 meeting, which will improve over 7.5 miles of roads in the city. Running from 2012 to 2017, the only projects set to be planned and in motion are 14th Avenue, between Lawson Street and Lundstrom Street, and another one between Lawson Street and Campbell Street. Crews will reconstruct the roadway to be 24 feet wide, and will install new storm drain systems and swales to capture runoff water. Highway 2... Full story

Cheney July 11 A vehicle was keyed on the 2700 block of First Street. Indecent liberties was reported on the 1400 block of Gary Street. The incident was under investigation. A dark blue bicycle was found on the zero hundred block of North Third Street. Burglary was reported on the 1400 block of First Street. Storage lockers were broken into but nothing was taken. July 12 A plastic bed liner was reported stolen from a vehicle on the 200 block of Walker Drive. Spencer D. Sullivan, 30, was arrested on the 2300 block of... Full story

By BECKY THOMAS Staff Reporter It's easy to forget the Future Business Leaders of America club at Cheney High School is only four years old. In that short time, the club has ballooned to more than 50 members, and a few weeks ago two teams brought national trophies home to Cheney. Nine Cheney students brought their skills and projects to the national FBLA convention in Orlando, Fla., held June 28-July 1. The team of Eric Barrio and Michelle Frantilla placed fifth in computer game and simulation programming for a computer game... Full story

By JAMES EIK Staff Reporter Clear Lake will serve nearly 30 to 40 participants in Ski Fest, a program for the physically challenged. Sponsored by St. Luke's Rehabilitation Institute in Spokane, the event features adaptive water skiing, jet skiing and swimming. Although the water serves as the main attraction, socializing with those facing a similar situation is the most helpful part of the event, according to program coordinator Candice Belcourt. “It's just a good interaction throughout, which is the biggest component,” she...

By JAMES EIK Staff Reporter A delayed spring and heavy snow runoff has extended the high flows at the Medical Lake's wastewater treatment plant. Parallel to the wet ground and swollen rivers, the plant has seen higher than normal flows for an extended period. “It's not been excessively higher, but it has been higher,” plant supervisor Steve Cooper said. The wastewater plant takes anything flushed down the city's drains, separates the clear water, removes the nutrients or anything environmentally harmful and distributes the...