Sorted by date Results 6591 - 6615 of 7956
DOC secretary says fourth round of reductions could increase risks, will shrink inmate rehab services, claim 45 jobs at West Plains facility By RYAN LANCASTER Staff Reporter After three years of reductions that have eliminated more than 1,200 positions and closed two prisons, the Department of Corrections (DOC) is now looking to trim another $52.7 million off the budget. About 25 staff members and 20 contractors will likely be cut from the roughly 700 employees at Airway Heigh...
By BECKY THOMAS Staff Reporter The Cheney Park Board approved a new operating policy for the parks and recreation department at their Nov. 10 meeting. Parks and recreation director Paul Simmons said the policy would improve efficiency and direct the department to create a contingency fund. “I feel like we're off track right now and the intent of this policy is to get us on track, in the right direction and have some sustainability.” Simmons pointed out that when the department re-formed in 2004 its funding structure was cha...
By JOHN McCALLUM Editor The case of a Cheney man jailed on alleged child rape charges may be widening, with officials concerned about the possibility of additional victims. Bruce L. Austin, 55, was originally arrested Oct. 8 after an investigation on suspected child molestation that was reported Oct. 3. Two girls, ages 8 and 12, told investigators that Austin had molested them at the Cheney Baptist Church and at his trailer at 2225 First St. Since the arrest a boy has come forward and told investigators Austin allegedly...
CHENEY Nov. 1 A red bicycle was stolen from the back of a truck on the 200 block of Buena Vista Street. An iPod was stolen from the 400 block of North Sixth Street. A purse was stolen from the 900 block of First Street. Nov. 2 A runaway reported on the 100 block of Walker Drive returned home. Domestic violence was reported on the 2300 block of University Lane—verbal only. An orange bicycle was reported found on the 400 block of North Fifth Street. Nov. 3 Officers followed up on a CPS referral on the 400 block of North S...
Deputies arrested a 19-year-old West Plains man in connection with the death of a man who died Saturday, Nov. 6 night when a homemade explosive detonated at a Halloween party. Christapher A. Harris, 7723 W. Sunset Highway, was booked into the Spokane County Jail Nov. 7 on a felony count of Possession/Manufacture of an Incendiary Device. Harris was arrested as he drove away from his Deer Park girlfriend's home on Staley Road. Deputies had been watching the home after Harris was identified as a suspect and his truck was seen...
By BECKY THOMAS Staff Reporter Mexican restaurants are common in Cheney, and soon there will be a fourth option in the mix. The Cervantes family, who plan to open their restaurant El Portalito soon at 24 First St., say there's room for them in the Cheney restaurant scene. “We thought it would be a good location with the college right here,” Juana Cervantes said. Juana's parents, Jose and Juana Cervantes, decided to open a restaurant in Cheney after some of their children wen...
Commissioners also discuss fate of critical areas ordinance amendments posed by school district By RYAN LANCASTER Staff Reporter After an Oct. 28 public hearing, Medical Lake's Planning Commission voted to hand off six revised chapters of the city's comprehensive plan to city council with a recommendation for adoption. The commission has been reviewing the comprehensive plan for about a year and has made several changes to the document, which was last reviewed in 2007, in order to bring it up to date and in line with...
By JOHN McCALLUM Editor As a teaching institution versus a research university, Eastern Washington University usually finds itself up against some pretty big schools when it comes to competing for research grants from the National Science Foundation. Rare is the time when Eastern gets one NSF award, and more frequently none at all. So when EWU College of Science, Health and Engineering dean Dr. Judd Case found out they had received four NSF grants at the end of this summer, one might forgive him for possibly considering a...
CHENEY Oct. 25 Damage to a vacant apartment occurred on the 300 block of Erie Street. Tires were slashed on the 400 block of Fourth Street. Domestic violence was reported on the 2300 block of University Lane—verbal only. A vehicle antenna was broken off on the 600 block of Salnave Road. Oct. 26 Theft of a wallet from a vehicle occurred on the 400 block of C Street. Taking motor vehicle without owner's permission occurred on the 1700 block of Second Street. The vehicle was recovered in Spokane. Damage to a fence occurred on t...
By BECKY THOMAS Staff Reporter Fairchild's 36th Rescue Flight has been busy lately. After the crew rescued two separate injury victims in Montana and Idaho Oct. 22, they were called out again Thursday, Oct. 28 on two separate rescues. “It was really rare, eight for a week and a dog,” TSgt. Joseph Brownell said. “Normally we get called out a couple times a month.” The search and rescue crew went out in a helicopter Thursday morning in search of two missing hunters—a father and his 14-year-old daughter—in North Idaho. Brow...
Spokane County District Court Judge Gregory Tripp has been elected president-elect of the Washington State District and Municipal Court Judges Association (DMCJA) that represents more than 200 judges across the state. Tripp is also the presiding judge at Cheney Municipal Court. Also elected to DMCJA positions were Medical Lake Municipal Court Judge Richard Kayne, secretary/treasurer and Spokane County District Court Judge Sara Derr, vice president. Created by state statute, the DMCJA provides its members with continuing...
CHENEY Oct. 18 Heather A. Stoddard, 26, was arrested for fourth-degree domestic violence-related assault on the 300 block of Erie Street. Domestic violence was reported on the 400 block of Hampton Lane—verbal only. Stacey A. Dunn, 39, was arrested for driving while license suspended (DWLS) on the 800 block of Simpson Parkway. Oct. 19 Theft of a gray electric scooter was reported from a residence on the 100 block of Third Street. Marijuana was found on the 100 block of Sixth Street. Following a report of possible domestic v...
Eastern Washington University's award-winning Jazz 89.5 KEWU-FM will to return to full power on Nov. 1, when a new transmitter will officially kick off a new era for the station. KEWU has been broadcasting at significantly reduced power since early September, when its 25-year-old transmitter died. With the help of listener support, the station raised enough money during its spring pledge drive to buy a new transmitter. KEWU is a non commercial, educational radio station serving EWU and the surrounding Cheney-Spokane...
Cheney and Eastern Washington University officials deemed a large counter-protest of the Westboro Baptist Church Oct. 21 a success. Around 1,200 people showed up to oppose members of the extremist hate group based in Kansas. Cheney Police Lt. Dave Mather said the counter-protest went smoothly, with no big problems and just one arrest, which he said was a local man that “didn't surprise us.” Mather said there were more than 50 officers present from area law enforcement agencies during the 30 minutes the WBC members pic...
Eastern Washington University President Rodolfo Arévalo recently announced a newly structured $1 million scholarship program that will reach out to high achieving students. Starting in 2011-12, the plan calls for Eastern to award more than 250 four-year scholarships, a substantial increase from what is currently offered over the same period. The scholarships reflect EWU's strategic effort to support exceptional students, reduce the time it takes to earn a degree and reduce loan debt. “This program underscores Eastern as the b...
The Spokane Regional Health District, the Spokane County Suicide Prevention Coalition and the Youth Suicide Prevention program will present a two-day training on Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Nov. 4-5 at the Spokane Skills Center, 4141 N. Regal St. in Spokane. Training will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. both days. The classes will include instruction about identifying risk alerts and safe methods of responding; developing skills required to intervene with a person at risk of suicide and other topics. Community...
The Cheney Fire Department completed a training burn Saturday, Oct. 16 at the former Droop's Dawgs restaurant at 28 First St. The story in photos by BECKY THOMAS Staff Reporter Left row from top: Firefighters receive their marching orders around 9 a.m. They split into groups of three to four to put out several small fires set in the building. City staff members were invited to participate in the training to gain knowledge about firefighting in Cheney. Human resources director...
The city of Cheney Planning Department will be hosting two more open houses during the months of October and November to answer residents' questions and share information regarding updating the city's comprehensive plan and future land use map on the following dates and locations: Thursday, Oct. 28 from 4-6:30 p.m. at the city Utility Building, 112 Anderson Road. Thursday, Nov. 4 from 4-6:30 p.m. in the City Hall foyer, 609 Second St. A draft version of the plan is available at www.cityofcheney.org/planning. Comments and...
By BECKY THOMAS Staff Reporter Priorities are important, for an individual or an entire city. Dissatisfied with a public workshop process that ranked future programs in Cheney's new comprehensive plan, the Planning Commission reorganized the plan's priorities at their Oct. 11 meeting. At their September meeting, the commissioners asked staff to create criteria with which to rank 12 programs put forth by the 2010-2030 comprehensive plan. Community development director Brian Jennings came to the meeting with five criteria for...
Roundtable discussion tackles fire department staffing issues and possible projects for 2011 By RYAN LANCASTER Staff Reporter During their Oct. 5 budget workshop the Medical Lake City Council heard that the city is solvent, but there's little if any room for expanded services this coming year. City Administrator Doug Ross said Medical Lake has not felt the economic slump as deeply as in other cities because the city has learned not to rely on sales tax revenue. “We're doing a...
