Looking Back

10 Years Ago

Jan. 27, 2005

A recent small fire caused little structural damage but filled Cheney’s Bill’s Tavern with plenty of smoke and would keep the business closed for the foreseeable future.

The Medical Lake City Council voted unanimously to eliminate a gambling tax charged to two of the community’s bars, The Dirty Shame and Wagon Wheel.

Medical Lake collected an easy 55-12 wrestling victory over Chewelah in which they got key wins from Josh Helm, Travis Southwick, Justin Thueringer and Randall Johnson, all part of the Cards’ sweeping the final matches.

20 Years Ago

Jan. 26, 1995

The city of Cheney was considering modeling a new parking program that would accommodate increasing numbers of Eastern Washington University students. It was patterned after one found in Missoula, Mont.

Cheney officials were once again lobbying to get State Route 904 widened to four lanes.

The Cheney Lady Hawks basketball team completed the first half of their Frontier League season a perfect 5-0 and an even better 14-0 in all games for the Marty Jessett-coached team.

30 Years Ago

Jan. 31, 1985

Utility rates in Cheney were set to increase following a vote of the City Council. Mayor Tom Trulove said there were no public objections to the 9.5 percent bump in water bills, or a 7.5 increase in sewer rates.

Three members of the EWU Board of Trustees, Holly Sonneland, James Ray and Deborah Reis, announced they would step down from their positions. Two of the vacancies would be filled by Mike Ormsby and Jean Beschel.

Assistant coach Joe Folda was named by athletics director Ron Raver to replace Jerry Krause as head men’s basketball coach at EWU. Krause, completing his 17th season as head coach, was stepping down to concentrate on teaching.

40 Years Ago

Jan. 30, 1975

The frozen body of a 27-year-old Eastern Washington State College student was found recently in a shed on property near Betz Road. Authorities were trying to determine the cause of death of David H. Reel.

Inventor and founder of Cheney Weeder Company, Norton Wolfe Sr. passed away recently in his home in San Gabriel, Calif. Wolfe invented a device which churned out weeds and other foreign matter and made grain crops grow better.

Medical Lake’s boy’s basketball team improved its record to 13-1 following a 67-53 victory over West Valley in which Charlie Yankus scored 23 points.

50 Years Ago

Jan. 29, 1965

The Cheney School Board voted to authorize a special levy election to be held March 16 to fund the purchase of a variety of equipment, including school buses for use by the new high school, scheduled to open in the fall of 1966.

The past year was somewhat busier than in 1963 according to Cheney Police Chief J.A. Crawford who reported there were 82 accident investigations and 243 arrests. A total of $2,265 was collected in court receipts.

Cheney got wins from pins or falls from Rick Miller, Bill Purvis, Mill McMillan, Keith Koch and Gary Ruepple en route to a 40-13 wrestling victory over Deer Park.