Looking Back

10 Years Ago

July 17, 2003

Cheney Police Chief Greg Lopes decided not to retire after all, postponing his decision to step down from the job by a full year at the request of Mayor Amy Jo Sooy.

The job to change how parking in downtown Cheney is permitted in the future may not have a solution anytime soon as a hearing by the city’s Planning Commission ended up creating more questions than answers.

The city of Medical Lake was complaining that it was “virtually impossible” to access work crews from area prisons with a few days notice. Department of Corrections’ crews had been used to help keep the city’s labor costs down.

Because of the need to compensate for a recent drought, and the losses various utilities endured over the problems at Texas-based Enron, it was possible cost-recovery measures might force the Bonneville Power Administration to charge customers like the city of Cheney’s Light Department additional fees.

Eastern Washington University athletic director, Scott Barnes, announced Brian Norton had been hired as the department’s head trainer. Norton came to EWU from Southwestern College in Winfield, Kan.

20 Years Ago

July 15, 1993

It was back to square one for the Cheney School District in its search for a new superintendent as the school board failed to reach a consensus on a choice among three candidates. The board decided to appoint the current assistant superintendent, Dr. Phil Snowden, to the interim position.

Rain and gray skies put a slight damper on Cheney Rodeo activities. But the rodeo grounds would not be silent long with the staging of the second annual Hammerfest bicycle race that would be headquartered at the Rodeo Grounds.

The medical emergency helicopter from Deaconess Hospital in Spokane made an emergency landing in the parking lot behind Woodward Field and transported an area woman who reportedly had a diabetic reaction.

Kieran Mahoney was the overall male winner in a time of 18 minutes, 22.4 seconds and Lori Stitch clocked a 21:54.1 to top all female finishers in the Happy Hoofer Fun Run staged as part of Cheney Rodeo activities.

30 Years Ago

July 14, 1983

The Cheney library was studying the feasibility of having Spokane County annex the facility as a potential cost-saving measure.

A century earlier riders from Cheney rode into Spokane and stole important county books in an effort to make the city the county seat. As part of the Centennial Celebration, a group of riders re-enacted that event with the ceremonial capture of County Commissioners John McBride, Grant Peterson and Keith Shepard. The “posse,” included Cheney Mayor Tom Trulove, Chamber of Commerce president, Sherm Blake and City Councilman Al Ogdon.

Tests on five water samples taken July 5 from Medical Lake’s Waterfront Park showed the presence of fecal coliform bacteria, likely linked to a large number of swimmers.

Winners at the Cheney Centennial Rodeo included bull rider Tom Walters of Odessa, Wash. with a score of 76; J.T. Schlect and Gerald Scholz from Spokane tied with 75-point rides in bareback. Ellensburg’s Pat Minor and Huey Reynolds from Soap Lake won team roping.

40 Years Ago

July 12, 1973

Missing from our archives.

50 Years Ago

July 12, 1963

The Cheney School Board voted unanimously at the July 10 meeting to recommend that E.H. Wagoner be appointed to fill the unexpired term of Dr. Wilfred Gamon who recently resigned his position on the board.

The Cheney Grain Growers moved into new office space adjacent to the elevators. The new quarters were said to be dust proof and the remodel also included an expanded grain hopper that allowed bigger trucks to use the facility.

Cheney Free Press editor G.R. Herman defended his use of a tape recorder, operated in his absence at City Council meetings by Roy Foss, not as his avoiding criticism. Herman had other evening commitments he said and use of the “modern electronic marvel” allowed him to do a better job of reporting on meetings.

The Eastern Washington Recreation Association swim team, coached by Cheney’s Rex Eads, placed seventh out of 15 teams in AAU competition staged in Clarkston. Tom and Bob Stone, along with the 10-and-under relay team composed of John Waddington, Mike Graves and the Stone brothers, Tom and Bob.