Looking Back

10 Years Ago

Feb. 3, 2005

Cheney High School’s Rachel Roig was crowned one of the six Lilac Festival princesses recently at the Spokane Opera House and will ride with the queen and her court in the upcoming Lilac parade in May.

Pathways to Progress, Cheney’s downtown development organization, along with the West Plains Chamber of Commerce, were teaming together to form a joint group, “Cheney Means Business,” in order to collectively build commerce in the city.

Following a 53-24 wrestling victory over visiting Riverside where Medical Lake broke open a close match by winning seven of the final eight matches, the Cardinals and Lakeside Eagles were eying an upcoming showdown to decide the Great Northern League championship. Brad Groce, the top-ranked competitor at 119 pounds won a key match.

20 Years Ago

Feb. 4, 1995

The City of Cheney was submitting an application for funds to build a new east-west road to relieve vehicle traffic on Betz Road and Elm Street. The proposed road would run east to west between N. Sixth Ave. and State Route 904.

The newly remodeled Cheney High School was being plagued by a series of false fire alarms, many accidental according to principal Jerry Knott. The school had 10 alarms, two of which were traced to an individual as being intentionally set.

The Cheney Lady Hawks basketball team improved its overall record to 16-0 and 6-0 in Frontier League play following a 55-49 win over East Valley. Jenny Hoots of Cheney led all scorers with 16 points.

30 Years Ago

Feb. 7, 1985

According the Spokane Regional Council, the plan to improve public transit on the West Plains, and specifically Cheney, would require significant improvements to State Route 904 between Cheney and Interstate 90.

A chair placed too close to a wall heater was singled out as a probably cause of a fire that gutted a rental house at 917 Third Ave.

Cheney advanced nine wrestlers to the district tournament in Yakima, including 115-pounder Tim Mason, 122-pound Darrin Mason, Phil Vigil at 129 pounds and 141-pound Kurt Triplett.

40 Years Ago

Feb. 6, 1975

Heavy snow and cold temperatures did not dissuade Cheney voters from venturing out and casting their support for a school levy vote which passed with 70.4 percent approval or by a 1,120-461 count.

The death of Eastern Washington State College student David Reel was still under investigation according to Spokane County Sheriff detective John Goldman. Reel’s frozen body was found in an outbuilding at a farm along Betz Road, Jan. 28.

Medical Lake’s boy’s basketball team continued to soar, sporting a 14-1 overall record following a 62-51 victory over Clarkston as Charlie Yankus scored 22 points.

50 Years Ago

Feb. 4, 1965

Crews from Fire District No. 3 were singled out for their innovative abilities to build equipment for fighting fires, having recently converted a flatbed Ford truck into a tanker, saving taxpayers about $10,000.

Medical Lake High School was well represented in the recently completed Mothers’ March of Dimes, raising $145.

EWSC’s basketball team was scheduled to meet cross-county rival Whitworth at the Spokane Coliseum in an event called “The Cage Bowl,” hoping to defeat the Pirates a second time after a 66-64 overtime victory earlier.