News briefs

Cheney business holds crisis nursery fundraiser

In conjunction with the celebration of its two-year anniversary, Sweet Pea Boutique in Cheney is holding a fundraiser for the Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery. A portion of all sales throughout the entire month of October will be donated to the nursery.

The store is also collecting items on the Vanessa Behan wish list to be donated to the nursery. The wish list items include sizes 4, 5 and 6 disposable diapers, wipes, spray sunscreen and laundry detergent.

On Saturday, Oct. 21 from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Sweet Pea Boutique will have a special anniversary celebration including refreshments, free photos of children in their Halloween costumes and other special activities and surprises.

Chance to hear your candidates speak

The Cheney Free Press has partnered with Spokane Talks Online to produce a series of in-person interviews with candidates running for local office. Candidate Confidential features a 25-30 minute interview format where each candidate for office answers questions on three issues presented by the forum moderator.

Cheney Free Press editor John McCallum serves as moderator. Candidates who have appeared so far are Shirley Maike and Mikeal Suniga, Medical Lake mayoral candidates, and Ted Olson and Gary Plumlee, candidates for Medical Lake City Council position 5.

Other hosts are John Allison, attorney with Allison Hunter Jones, PS and former news reporter at KXLY-TV moderating city of Spokane candidate discussions and Rich Cowan, co-founder of North by Northwest Productions and KHQ-TV producer handling duties for Spokane Valley races.

Several other candidates from Medical Lake and Airway Heights council races have also been contacted, with details regarding scheduling their appearances awaiting finalization, if possible, while otherss have declined to appear, including both candidates for Cheney’s only contested council race for Position 1.

Candidate Confidential forums can be viewed by going to http://www.cheneyfreepress.com and clicking on the appropriate link.

STCU awards $20,500 in classroom grants

Six West Plains teachers were among those receiving $250 classroom grants as part of Spokane Teachers Credit Union’s efforts to welcome educators back to school. STCU notified 70 of the winners on Thursday, Oct. 5, which was World Teachers’ Day, as well as National Do Something Nice Day.

The winners from Cheney School District are Tanner Tyson and Tierney Baffuto at Betz Elementary School, Joshua Alent at Cheney High School and Kristen McGuire at Windsor Elementary School. Medical Lake School District winners are Nancy Warnecke at Hallett Elementary School and Katharine Smith at Michael Anderson Elementary School.

STCU, a not-for-profit credit union founded by teachers, is honoring its roots by awarding the grants to 82 educators from throughout the region — a total of $20,500 to winners selected at random. The winners can spend their $250 grant on anything they believe will enhance students’ classroom experience, whether a basic need or something special.

CSD holds construction open houses

Cheney School District has announced a schedule of public open houses taking place to provide residents information on plans for several capital projects that were approved by voters this past February.

Open houses will take place Thursday, Oct. 19 at Sunset Elementary School in Airway Heights, Tuesday Oct. 24 at Windsor Elementary School on Hallett Road and Cheney High School on Thursday, Nov. 2 and Tuesday, Nov. 9 All of the open houses begin at 7 p.m.

Voters approved a $52 million capital facilities bond in February to finance expansion and remodeling at these facilities as well as Betz Elementary School in Cheney, plus work relocating Three Springs High School, a new entrance at Salnave Elementary School and other facility needs.

Betz and Salnave are currently in or have completed the design phase. Design work is just getting under way for the high school, Sunset and Windsor, with projected bidding dates for the latter being February and March 2018 respectively, and June – July 2018 for the high school.