Looking Back

10 Years Ago

Dec. 30, 2003

The focus of the Cheney Free Press this week was looking back at 2003's major events.

Those included:

•A summer wildfire that reached 1,000 acres in size threatened southern parts of Cheney

•The death of Cheney High School graduate, astronaut Michael Anderson, who was on board the Space Shuttle Columbia that exploded in February, was memorialized with the naming of SR 904 as the Lt. Col. Michael P. Anderson Memorial Highway.

•Medical Lake High School's football team reached the State A playoffs with a 10-0 record.

20 Years Ago

Dec. 30, 1993

According to Sgt. Larry Smith, the Cheney Police Department announced they would be out in force on New Year's Eve and ready to offer jail cells for the night to those who had been over-served and chose not to engage a designated driver.

Washington's minimum wage was set to increase to $4.90 per hour on Jan. 1, 1994.

The Cheney High boy's basketball team was prepared to begin Frontier League play versus East Valley and Colville after finishing their preseason with a 3-3 record. Mario Chodorowski and Tyler Harelson each scored 16 points in Cheney's 65-42 win over Post Falls.

30 Years Ago

Dec. 29, 1983

Flames raced through the rural Cheney-area home of Chet Sebright located about two miles east of the city on Cheney-Spokane Road. The 70-year-old home was a total loss, but there were no injuries.

The Cheney City Council voted 5-2 to extend an extra half-cent sales tax that Spokane County agreed to eliminate. Without that extension, Mayor Tom Trulove predicted the city would have to trim $180,000 from the 1984 budget.

Led by a pin from Aaron Mason at 135 pounds and 141-pound Marc Tareski, the Cheney Blackhawks scored a 36-25 nonleague wrestling victory over Central Valley High School.

40 Years Ago

Dec. 26, 1973

Missing from our archives.

50 Years Ago

Dec. 26, 1963

Three incumbent Cheney City Council members, Nolan Brown, Norman Hove and George Fisher all filed for reelection.

Over half of the Cheney High School Class of 1963 were reported to be attending various colleges. Of the 87 grads, 37 were attending four-year schools, nine were at junior colleges and two in business school.

The Cheney Blackhawks scored a 37-32 basketball win over Kettle Falls and improved to 2-0 in Northeast A League play and 3-2 overall. Howard Marsh scored 10 points to lead Cheney.