News Briefs

Cheney residents asked to keep streets clear of vehicles to aid in snow plowing

City of Cheney officials are warning residents that if you park on the street, your vehicle must be moved if there’s a heavy snowfall this winter. Moving vehicles for plowing speeds up the process to make streets clear and safe for everyone, including school buses and emergency responders. 

According to the city’s “Snow Removal” ordinance, whenever two or more inches of snow accumulates on city streets, and so long as that snow remains uncleared, no vehicles may be parked on any street or city right-of-way between midnight and 6 a.m. In the central business district, this parking restriction is between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m.  

If a vehicle blocks snowplows, Cheney police may issue a citation and have the vehicle towed at the owner’s expense. The ordinance carries a $50 fine for parking on the street during a heavy snowfall, and owner’s of vehicles that are towed are subject to paying all costs associated with the towing and storage of their vehicle.

New phone scam targets Washington businesses 

OLYMPIA — The Washington Department of Revenue is warning businesses to be aware of a new telephone scam.  

In a Dec. 5 news release, department officials said the scammers fraudulently claim to be from Revenue and request over-the-phone payment to renew expired business licenses. 

Revenue will never ask for or take payment for license renewals over the phone. The department mails businesses a notice about six weeks before their renewal is due and a delinquent notice a week after the license expires.  

License renewals should be made through a business’s secure My DOR account.  

Businesses that receive one of these fraudulent calls and want to check their license status should visit the “My DOR” website at secure.dor.wa.gov and log in to review their account information.

If a business is unsure about correspondence with the Department of Revenue or has questions related to this scam, they are asked to call (800) 451-7985. 

The Department of Revenue is Washington state’s primary tax administration agency, nationally recognized for innovation and service quality. Revenue collected $22.4 billion in tax revenues in Fiscal Year 2016. These funds support education, social services, health care, corrections, public safety, natural resources conservation and other public services.

Stay fire-safe as winter weather approaches 

OLYMPIA — As colder weather begins to settle in, the State Fire Marshal’s Office is reminding residents that this is a dangerous time of year for home fires. Factors such as home heating, holiday decorations, winter storms and candle usage all contribute to a greater risk of home fires. 

Keep your home fire-safe this winter and minimize the risk of fire by practicing the following fire safety tips. For illumination, consider using battery-operated candles and following the manufacturer’s instructions.

Real candles should be placed on a flat surface, in a sturdy container, never left unattended while lit and extinguished when leaving home or going to sleep.

Never use an oven to heat your home. Keep heat sources at least three feet away from anything that can burn and unplug heat producing appliances and extinguish embers in the fireplace before going to sleep, when unattended or leaving home.

Only plug one heat-producing appliance into an electrical outlet at a time; never into an extension cord. Maintain heating equipment and chimneys in good working condition and have them professionally cleaned and inspected once a year. If using a fireplace, use a glass or metal fire screen to catch sparks and rolling logs.

Make sure your home’s smoke alarms are in working order. Install alarms inside and outside all sleeping areas and on every level of your home.

Test your smoke alarm once a month to ensure they are working. Replace any alarms that fail testing. Replace all smoke alarms that are 10 years old or older. 

To learn more about winter fire safety and how to prevent home fires, visit the State Fire Marshal’s website at http://www.wsp.wa.gov/fire/firemars.