Looking Back

10 Years Ago

Dec. 20, 2007

All present members of the Medical Lake School Board voted “yes” to approve a resolution for a bond to finance construction of a new elementary school.

Cheney’s Planning Commission granted a rezone of 14 acres of land owned by Steve Emtman’s Defender Developments near the wastewater treatment plant from critical areas limited residential to industrial. It also changed the zoning from semi-rural residential to light industrial.

Medical Lake Washington State Employees Credit Union (WSECU) opened its doors at a new branch location at 205 East State Route 902.

20 Years Ago

Dec. 25, 1997

Cheney’s Reid Elementary School students and the Parents, Teachers Organization (PTO) sold 200 European Cypress trees for a total of $1,000 in a fundraiser.

Gov. Gary Locke directed the Higher Education Coordinating Board to evaluate several issues involving higher education services in the Spokane region.

The Cheney Blackhawks boys’ basketball team was sitting at 5-1 overall after defeating four Gem State schools over the course of two weekends.

30 Years Ago

Dec. 24, 1987

Cheney School District had a lot to feel good about after receiving results of the latest round of state-mandated testing.

The Eastern Washington University School of Social Work was offering the region’s first certification program for the treatment of chronic mental illness.

The Medical Lake City Council was told to continue to “do more with less” in the 1988 budget.

40 Years Ago

Dec. 22, 1977

The Cheney school board ended one of the longest negotiating terms on record when it joined the Cheney Education Association to approve a new contract where retroactive salaries would increase 8.8 percent.

Medical Lake’s police department closed the books on a series of burglaries with the arrest of five suspects and recovered most of the property from one of the worst break-ins in city history. Suspects confessed to three of four burglaries in the city’s central business district before being booked into jail.

Cheney’s wrestlers got on top of the pile with a 178.5-158 victory over Othello.

50 Years Ago

Dec. 21, 1967

About 300 children were greeted by Santa Clause and received a stocking of Christmas Candy at Cheney City Hall.

Excavation and groundwork was underway for the new Farmers and Merchants Bank of Rockford branch in Cheney. Harold Hoffman was the general manager and expected completion by April 1.

The Cheney Lions Club finished one of the community projects made possible by proceeds from their annual birthday calendar sales campaign. The project was to add new restrooms to Moos Field, which was one of their larger tasks in 1967.