Sorted by date Results 6487 - 6511 of 7956
By BECKY THOMAS Staff Reporter Cheney police continued investigating a string of local burglaries last month. A search warrant turned up some stolen items, and detectives plan to issue warrants for the suspects. “We know who these people are,” Cmdr. Rick Campbell said of the suspects in several burglaries that occurred late last year. “Right now they're in the wind. They know we're looking for them.” According to the department's monthly accountability review, the burglary investigation along with an effort to restruc...
Major changes are unlikely at both Medical Lake institutions, which are sure to see funding impacts over the next biennium By RYAN LANCASTER Staff Reporter While the 2011 state Legislative session may not hold the same closure threats as last year for Medical Lake facilities, both Lakeland Village and Eastern State Hospital are still likely to see funding cuts this year and beyond. Last Friday Gov. Chris Gregoire signed into law a supplemental budget that reduces projected state spending by about $236 million between now and...
Faculty and staff newsletter undergoes format and name changes EWU's Marketing and Communications Department is transforming the Good Morning Eastern (GME) online faculty and staff newsletter into a new internal website that will be continuously updated with the latest campus news. The new Eastern 24/7 (http://blogs.ewu.edu/Eastern247) will be easier to navigate and will provide content updates daily. The most notable change will be the visual design of the page. Feature stories will be accessible without having to scroll up...
Local department holds fundraising carwash Feb. 26 before heading west to take part in a race that benefits Leukemia-Lymphoma Society By RYAN LANCASTER Staff Reporter On Sunday, March 6 five Medical Lake firefighters will join 1,500 others to race up the Columbia Center Tower in Seattle wearing about 45 pounds of gear and breathing equipment. Billed as the largest individual firefighter stair climb in the country, the annual Scott Firefighter Stairclimb is a mad dash up 69...
Local tax preparers offer info on new changes By BECKY THOMAS Staff Reporter As spring approaches, a sense of anxiety hovers over the West Plains like the threat of a late winter snowstorm: it's tax season. People across the country are sitting down, at their kitchen tables or with their accountants, to deal with taxes. And with the continued slow economy, the federal government has made some changes to the tax code since last year. Some of the changes will help local individuals and businesses, while others will require...
Fire damage limited to living room in early morning blaze, fireplace was reported to be in use at the time By BECKY THOMAS Staff Reporter The cause of a Cheney home fire is under investigation. The fire, reported at 2:30 a.m. Monday from the 700 block of West Fifth Street, likely began in or near the fireplace on the main floor of the home, Cheney battalion chief Gary Hartford said. “The fireplace was being used at the time,” he said. “The fire was still going when they went...
By RYAN LANCASTER Staff Reporter The West Plains Chamber of Commerce annual Best of the West awards ceremony was held last Thursday, Feb. 4 at The Cozy Concept in Four Lakes. The event honors outstanding educators and members of the West Plains business and civic community. Current chamber president Teresa LeGate said award recipients were chosen based on nominations by chamber and community members, and there was a “definite increase” in nominations this year, the eve...
EWU police officer will jump into Medical Lake once an hour for 24 hours to kick off this year's Polar Plunge fundraiser By RYAN LANCASTER Staff Reporter Every February for the past four years a rising number of people have gathered at Waterfront Park to take turns running down the beach into the frigid winter waters of Medical Lake. On Feb. 26 at high noon, hundreds will once again turn out for the annual Polar Plunge to support Special Olympics of Washington, earning... Full story
CHENEY Feb. 5 Rape was reported on the 500 block of K Street. The alleged victim chose not to pursue charges. Feb. 7 Domestic violence was reported on the 200 block of South Cheney-Spangle Road—verbal only. An assault occurred at Cheney High School. A 17-year-old male and 14-year-old female were both arrested for fourth-degree assault. Domestic violence was reported on the 700 block of West First Street—verbal only. Kyle W. Woelber, 26, was charged with criminal impersonation of a police officer on the 400 block of North Thi...
CHENEY Jan. 31 A 14-year-old male was arrested for assault at Cheney Middle School. Julio S. Rodriguez-Guillen, 24, was arrested on the 2700 block of First Street for driving while license suspended. A three-vehicle non-injury collision occurred on the 1100 block of First Street. Feb. 1 Cody E. Guilliams, 22, was arrested on the 1000 block of First Street for domestic violence-related assault and a no-bail warrant from the Department of Corrections for felony escape. Feb. 2 A revolver that was stolen from the Spokane County...
Photo by John McCallum A flock of wild turkeys roams for food on the state facilities grounds at the former Primate Research Center near Eastern State Hospital in Medical Lake....
Spokane Regional Drug Task Force leader says trafficking of harder drugs on the rise By BECKY THOMAS Staff Reporter A Cheney marijuana ring was shut down last week, following a six-month investigation by the Spokane Regional Drug Task Force. Brandon M. Collins, 27, was arrested Thursday, Jan. 27 for possession with intent to deliver and delivery of a controlled substance. He is the alleged leader of an operation that police say distributed more than five pounds of marijuana per week. Washington State Patrol Sgt. Ken Demello...
By JANELLE KOHNERT Reporter WNPA Olympia News Bureau Deferring state requirements to meet growth, shorelines and stormwater management mandates would save cities and counties untold amounts of money, legislators learned last Thursday, Feb. 3, at a hearing before the Senate Government Operatons, Tribal Relations and Elections Committee. Further, eliminating the requirement for municipalities to publish their public notices in newspapers, and instead allowing them to post such notices to their respective websites as an...
The Country Market, located at 14211 North Thorpe Road, is recalling raw fluid cow milk bearing expiration dates of Feb. 4, 2011 through Feb. 11, 2011 after routine sampling by the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) found Escherichia coli bacteria. Although no known illnesses have been associated with this product, E. coli has the potential to cause serious illness. Those who have purchased The Country Market raw milk with the expiration dates noted are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full...
Council also discusses formation of a solid waste management task force to give better representation to small cities; numerous action items passed By RYAN LANCASTER Staff Reporter Airway Heights City Council expressed support for the Spokane Tribe's mixed-use development project on Monday with a reading of the first draft of a letter that Mayor Patrick Rushing will deliver to Olympia next week. “On behalf of the city of Airway Heights and our council I would like to take this opportunity to express our unwavering support o...
By BECKY THOMAS Staff Reporter Last year Cheney's public records requests jumped almost 250 percent. Deputy city clerk Keri MacDonald said she has pushed many of her regular duties aside to handle public records. Cheney is one of several cities speaking out about the burdens they carry to fulfill Washington's Public Records Act. Cheney placed public records requests second on a list of 15 issues leaders presented to local legislators in December. “I think people need to understand that we are willing to give up any record w...
Program waiving the penalties and interest on certain unpaid state business taxes began on Tuesday, Feb. 1 The Washington Department of Revenue's first-ever tax amnesty program began Tuesday, Feb. 1. Qualifying businesses with overdue taxes can apply to pay them without associated penalties and interest from Feb. 1 through April 30. “Hardworking business owners have faced some very tough economic times over the past several years,” Revenue Department director Suzan DelBene said in a press release. “This program will help...
By RYAN LANCASTER Staff Reporter A bill now moving through the state legislative process would allow the cities of Airway Heights and Connell to remove inmates from their population rolls in certain instances. House Bill 1028, sponsored by Ninth District Rep. Joe Schmick (R – Colfax), authorizes Washington cities and towns to ignore prison populations within city limits when calculating their eligibility for certain grant funding opportunities or when determining the number of city council members they must have. The only c...
By RYAN LANCASTER Staff Reporter Medical Lake will now be able to use gymnasium space at the former Pine Lodge Corrections Center through a short term lease agreement with the Department of Social and Health Services. On Tuesday Medical Lake City Council agreed to pay an amount not to exceed $1,500 per month to cover the facility's gas heating bill. In return the city's Parks and Recreation department will have full use of the gym for indoor community sports activities, such as basketball and volleyball. City Administrator... Full story
By RYAN LANCASTER Staff Reporter Airway Heights Mayor Patrick Rushing said a set of house bills aiming to ease water rights restrictions would benefit local water users while encouraging conservation. HB1297 in particular would give agricultural users and municipal water systems a more reasonable timeframe for estimating their average water usage before having rights adjusted, Rushing said. “This means that those who are in fear of losing their water rights and therefore are running water just to show that they are using it w...
By BECKY THOMAS Staff Reporter Cheney's code enforcement officer is easy to spot. He drives around in a big white truck labeled with red letters. Cheney residents will be seeing that truck on a more regular basis starting this month. Enforcement officer Jeff Smick will be driving the truck through each of four sectors of the city on set weeks every month. Community Development director Brian Jennings said the new system provides more regularity and makes reporting suspected...
