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I am a strong supporter of Shirley Maike for mayor of Medical Lake. Shirley has far more experience and expertise than the other two candidates. I have seen her at work in budget and council meetings. Shirley has had a large part in keeping Medical Lake in the black financially and I know she will continue to do what is best for the people of Medical Lake. Please vote for experience and expertise, vote Shirley Maike for mayor of Medical Lake. Robert Kibling Medical Lake...
We may disagree, from time to time, on politics. However, we agree and trust that J. Scott Miller is the best candidate for Spokane County Superior Court. Miller has defined himself as a highly qualified lawyer over the past thirty years. His whole career based out of Spokane, Scott has represented clients all the way to the Washington State Supreme Court. And won. We trust Miller because we know that his broad knowledge of the law is necessary in Superior Court. The complexity of cases before a Superior Court Judge requires...
I am way beyond anger with the insensitive, greedy, thieves who stole three Costco blankets — the purple one was the wife’s favorite; the long one for her tall husband; the third one for their granddaughter who overnights with them often — from the laundry in Airway Heights this past week. You have no idea how your greedy cowardly act was like a dagger of pain, hurt and despair for this family. These blankets were a few of the items they managed to salvage from the shell of their home which burned on July 11. For days all t...
Jared Kushner’s latest revision of his financial picture reveals a very wealthy man, and couple, who continue to profit enormously from the Trump presidency. But beyond the numbers lies the fact that Kushner, like his father-in-law, seems incapable of telling the truth about either the full extent of his financial empire or the extent of his contacts with foreigners — Russians especially — whose interests are intertwined with his own. Here’s the current picture for Kushner and wife Ivanka Trump: 1. He holds manager...
There is an old saying: Don’t let the perfect get in the way of the good. That is important to remember when it comes to improving our air quality. While some activists want to eliminate all fossil fuels used on the waterfront, it is not possible without major disruption to our quality of life, jobs and economy. That is not the perfect. It is a recipe for disaster. The better way is to recognize the major environmental improvements we have accomplished and find ways to c...
I am endorsing Shirley Maike for mayor of Medical Lake. She is competent, knowledgeable and the only candidate who is qualified to be mayor. A vote for Shirley will ensure our city will continue to run smoothly, our finances will stay in the black and our police and fire protection will continue to keep our city safe. Shirley is the real deal. Barbara Reis Medical Lake...
Cheney Planning Commission: Up until the last decade we experienced no water problems in the summer in Cheney. During that time, a tremendous number of newly built structures, apartments, duplexes and single family homes have been built within the city. Now we are having restrictions each year. About three years ago, I attended a Spokane County Commissioners’ meeting when it was an assumed fact that the West Plains would have water problems, as the aquifers were using water that was not being replenished quickly enough. W...
Listening to all the students, business owners and community members over the last several years has become something I personally enjoy. It’s just who I am. Randy and I have operated our farm/ranch in the Medical Lake community all of our married lives. His parents before us. Please consider your vote. I am so pleased to hear and see our citizens engaged. It’s true, change can feel threatening. I believe that Laura Parsons, is someone who is well qualified, with a masters of public administration, bachelor of arts in applied...
Soon the people of Medical Lake will be casting their votes for the most qualified candidate for mayor. I am endorsing and supporting Shirley Maike for this position. I have known her for 42 years. She is the most qualified and competent person to lead us in a positive direction. Shirley Maike’s knowledge of how our city government operates and her insight on the growing needs of our community are outstanding qualities that are needed in our mayor. Please join me in voting for Shirley Maike for mayor. We need her l...
Some people are just too much, as the story goes. Or too “extra,” in the parlance of today’s youth. That is, they are more than the status quo can take. They challenge the norms, they are unapologetic, and instead of rejecting it, as is often expected, they remain fiercely committed to their difference. Instead of embracing this attitude, we ridicule and we reject people who are too much. But isn’t it precisely those over–the–top people, those creative innovators, those “unruly” people; people, that are most needed in our w...
In my June 20 column I spoke of changes coming to the Cheney Free Press. I also asked a question of you: What do you value about news? More on the latter in a minute. In that column I noted that the newspaper that has been serving the West Plains since 1896 was in danger of closing its doors. We received many voices and measures of support, and we thank those who did so. While we’re not out of the woods regarding our existence, neither are we without options to continue bringing area residents as much city, community, e...
The Senate just failed to roll back an Obama-era regulation that will discourage energy production, cost millions of dollars and kill thousands of American jobs. The rule, issued in the eleventh hour of the Obama presidency by the Bureau of Land Management, was designed to limit already decreasing methane emissions from oil and natural gas wells on federal lands. The Republican-led Senate was expected to kill the regulation before it had a chance to take effect. But instead, three Republicans broke with their party to keep...
As a former council member with Shirley Maike, I am pleased to endorse her for mayor of Medical Lake. Shirley Maike has the proven knowledge, skills and abilities to be mayor through her previous position as chief operating officer at Eastern State Hospital. Shirley is also a respected and strong member of the current City Council, serving on all of the sub-committee’s where city services are provided. The decision-making she exhibits has always been in the best interest of Medical Lake citizens, utilizing the personnel a...
Dear City Council members: Regarding the proposed rezone (Parkside Commons) at the corner adjacent to the city pool. How is this good for Cheney’s constituents? How will this serve the neighbors in the area? What positive elements will be brought to the individuals who reside on the streets? How many rooms and occupants are even proposed for the project? What will the impact be on the already current (terrible) parking issues happening during the September – June college term at EWU? And, what happens to the exacerbated iss...
Caregiving can be an emotionally, physically and financially draining role. Across Washington state there are more than 335,000 people providing unpaid care for people with Alzheimer’s or other dementias. In 2016 alone, those caregivers provided an estimated 382 million hours of care, valued at $4.8 billion. Our family served as caregivers for my dad, who suffered from Alzheimer’s for at least five years. I am proud to advocate for the Recognize, Assist, Include, Support and Engage (RAISE) Family Caregivers Act, now mov...
The Fourth of a July was very bad for many in Medical Lake. I live on the east end of Campbell Street, which dead ends into a nature preserve area that is full of trees, highly combustible brush and pine needles. Many people discharged fireworks here on the street right in front of three apartment complexes, which have a lot of seniors and folks dealing with disabilities including some with mental issues. The fireworks went nonstop for several hours — well past the 11 p.m. deadline. I got up at around 2:30 a.m. to open my win...
While having to dodge yet another phone-fixated robot stepping off the curb recently, it got me thinking. Just when did the world seem to turn the page from gazing intently into a 4-inch by 2-inch piece of plastic to noticing if two tons of steel and its driver wonder if the clueless pedestrian understands the windshield and bug theory? Recently I learned it had been 10 years since Apple rolled out its groundbreaking technology found on the touchscreen of its original iPhone....
A recent survey noted people who could find North Korea on a map were more inclined to support diplomatic resolutions to the nuclear weapons crisis surrounding that isolated totalitarian state, while those who didn’t know where it was were likely to support a military resolution. Maps can be difficult. More appropriate might be to locate the communist Asian country by using a nighttime satellite photo of the region. Here, North Korea is easy to find — it’s the big black hole surrounded by a ring of lights. There are many...
For Airway Heights City Council and employees, there was a lot to learn from the recent water situation. During a June 28 study session, council and city department heads held the first of what is scheduled to be several debriefings of the perfluoro chemical contamination issue the city experienced in May. “This is an opportunity to see how we did, what we could improve upon and how we can work with stakeholders in the future,” City Manager Albert Tripp said. “This is an opportunity to apply what we’ve learned to future...
Well West Plains, it’s been a fun three and a half years. Some folks already know this, but I am going to be leaving the Cheney Free Press and going to work as a staff reporter for The Ritzville-Adams County Journal. To put this into context, Free Press Publishing prints five newspapers, including The Journal and I’m essentially moving to another newspaper but I’m still under the company umbrella. If you’re a wrestling fan like me, it’s kind of like when a WWE superstar moves from the company’s Monday Night Raw brand to it...
Cowboys and cowgirls, grab your hats and boots because it’s once again rodeo weekend. Held on the second weekend in July every year, the Cheney Rodeo is an opportunity for residents and visitors to watch some pretty darn good rodeo at the Bi-Mart Arena, as well as take in other activities in the city, like the Saturday parade, Rodeo Round Up and Happy Hoofers Fun Run. It’s a whole weekend where the city and businesses can come together and showcase Cheney’s beauty. While the Cheney Rodeo is probably not as big compared to lar...
Is it window dressing, bait and switch, or kabuki theatre? Our representative for the 5th District in Congress, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, is sponsoring legislation to provide three more years of funding teaching health centers to draw medical students to complete residencies in isolated or underserved rural and urban hospitals. She has voted against Obamacare (ACA) more than 50 times and then voted for Trumpcare (AHCA) which will basically cut Medicaid to many rural residents so people will not be able to afford their medical...
We can all use a dose of good news these days and there is some flowing from our state’s boatyards. When we think of maritime industries, we often focus on the mammoth ocean-going ships loaded with containers docking in Seattle, Tacoma and Portland; or, the U.S. Navy shipyard in Bremerton. While Vigor’s Seattle and Portland dockyards repair Navy and Coast Guard vessels, our warships primarily are built on the East Coast. Giant oceangoing freighters are constructed, and mos...
The times, they are a changin.’ Yeah, I know. Pretty original lead John — not. If you had a $1 for every story that used that as an intro to a discussion of changes, you’d be able to retire in comfort on an island in the Pacific — preferably not Gilligan’s Island. But things are changing here at the Cheney Free Press. Those changes will be expounded upon in upcoming columns, but suffice it to say, without some financial concessions from employees, Cheney, Medical Lake, Airway Heights and the rest of the West Plains would be...
Here we are — again — with the threat of a state government shut down hanging over our heads. Almost seems like it’s as regular as the change from spring to summer when the members of the Washington state Legislature find it impossible to get their work finished on time. For the third time in as many 105-day biennial budget sessions in Olympia, members of the Republican-controlled Senate, and the Democrat-led House have not been able to come to agreement on how much fiscal fuel the state needs to keep the engine runni...
