Sorted by date Results 1 - 24 of 24
AIRWAY HEIGHTS – Following up last week’s deadlock, the city council of Airway Heights opened the floor to mayoral nominations and Councilman Larry Bowman came away as the new council chair to serve for the next two years. Councilman Dave Malet nominated Bowman, and Deputy Mayor Veronica Messing nominated current Mayor Sonny Weathers. Councilman Art Bubb asked the two candidates to speak on the vision and plans they have for the next year or two so council could have a clearer understanding of direction for the city. Son...
SPOKANE – David Pettis, a former Cheney resident, was just sentenced to 25-years in prison for murdering his wife by poisoning her ice cream float by spiking it with a deadly dose of hydrocodone pain medication. Judge Mike Price said reiterated the coroner’s report that stated Peggy Pettis had over ten-times the therapeutic dose in her system. Judge Price have a heartwarming speech about the women Peggy Pettis was and how her happy retirement was stolen from her all because David Pettis acted selfishly wanted to be in ano...
MEDICAL LAKE – A Ritzville man has died Jan 15 from injuries he sustained in a crash with a moose on Interstate 90 three days earlier. Scott J. Brodie, 63, died at Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane, the Washington State Patrol reported Tuesday morning, Jan. 18. According to the patrol, Brodie died from injuries he sustained in a 6:18 p.m. crash Jan. 12. Brodie’s 2010 Mazda 3 was westbound on the interstate with passenger 60-year-old Elizabeth H. Glazatcheff, also from Ritzville, when their vehicle struck the moose near Mil...
MEDICAL LAKE – Mayor Terri Cooper opened the floor for councilman Don Kennedy to take over as Mayor Pro-Tem initially, so Judge Richard Leland could be sworn in as the Municipal Judge for the next four years. Other committee positions needed filled as well, and Mayor Terri Cooper volunteered herself to sit on that board. Council unanimously approved the appointment. Mayor Cooper then asked for a volunteer to be part of the Housing and Community Development Division Advisory Committee, and councilman Chad Pritchard said he wou...
CHENEY – The city working with Avista Edge to make sure residents have high-speed internet access. Avista Edge is a subsidiary of Avista Corp., an electric utility. City Administrator Mark Schuller said common complaints from the community about internet reliability from traditional providers spurred them to look at other options. As of now, Cheney residents can choose from Davis Communications, Lumen (formerly known as Century Link) and Ptera. Avista Edge will be a fourth option, Schuller said. Avista Edge has developed a d...
OLYMPIA – Rep. Jenny Graham from Spokane is advocating house bill 1584 during the 60-day legislative session currently running in Washington State, and this bill proposes the state build a scholarship fund for the victims of violent crimes and their families. The dual-party bill was formally introduced at the end of the 2021 legislative session, and is currently in the House College and Workforce Development Committee according to a recent press release. Graham said that violent crimes are increasing across Washington state a...
CHENEY – On Wednesday, January 13, a service van from Restoration One ended up crashing into the ditch heading southbound on First Street, just before you turn left into the Bi-Mart driveway. According to the officer on the scene, the service van lost control which caused it to veer into oncoming traffic and strike a vehicle coming northbound. According to the officer, it appeared the driver suffered some kind of medical condition which caused the van to lose control. R...
An early morning crash killed the female driver of a 2003 Saturn Ion on January 13 after her vehicle had crossed the center line and struck a 2005 Chevrolet truck driven by an adult male according to a press release from the Spokane County Sheriff’s Department. The female driver of the Saturn was not wearing her seatbelt and was pronounced deceased at the scene due to the head on impact. The male sustained minor injuries and was not transported to the hospital. Traffic Unit Investigators examined the scene to determine the c...
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE – For only the second time Fairchild Air Force Base has been named a finalist for the Commander-in-Chief’s Installation Excellence Award according to a recent press release. The award was created in 1985 under President Ronald Reagan, and “is awarded to the best installation in every department under the Department of Defense, to include the United States Air Force,” according to the same release. Officials said “as a finalist Fairchild will receive a cash prize of $750,000 to fund innovativ...
AIRWAY HEIGHTS – According to a recent press release, Airway Heights Agent Tammy Rigsby announced that State Farm is celebrating a 100-year anniversary and is expanding the company’s State Farm Neighborhood Assist grant program. Previously the program offered 40 grants of $25,000, but this year the company is offering 100 grants totaling $2,500,000. These grants will go to non-profit organizations to help fund neighborhood development strategies. Speaking on the importance of the program, Rigsby said, “Grant programs that...
CHENEY – The Friends of the Cheney Library book club will meet at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. in the library meeting room to discuss Hillbilly Elegy written by J.D. Vance. This book’s tag line is “A memoir of a family and culture in crisis” and discusses the harrowing times America’s rust belt towns are in and details the struggles of America’s white working class through the abuse, addiction, and trauma that is all to common for middle class families in this part of America. The book was turned into a major motion picture for...
The first order of business when Washington’s Legislature convenes in Olympia is replacing the state’s new long-term care law. It is fatally flawed. Gov. Jay Inslee and Democrats who control the state legislature wisely postponed implementing the sweeping “Long-Term Services and Supports Trust Program” but it is beyond repair. It is time to find a better alternative. The new law, also known as the Washington Cares Act, is a mandatory, public, state-run long-term care insuran...
OLYMPIA — A Spokane-area senator has introduced a bill to help cities and counties hire more law enforcement officers. Sixth District Sen. Jeff Holy, R-Spokane, introduced Senate Bill 5841 to provide cities and counties with more funding to hire more law enforcement officers. “Over the past few years, we’ve seen a large number of police officers and deputy sheriffs leave their jobs, whether it’s caused by strong opposition to law enforcement by some groups or laws passed by Democrat legislators that make it harder to apprehe...
CHENEY – The Southwest Spokane County Historical Society released a visual featurette on one of Cheney’s most historical landmarks, the Ratcliffe Dealership which originally opened in 1884. Charles Albert Ratcliffe traveled to Cheney in 1884 and opened up the first ever agricultural implement company in the city. This establishment would continue to grow over the years until it became Cheney’s first official Ford dealership as well. Ratcliffe’s dealership and implement business evolved over the years into three locatio...
Carole Ann Haynes Jan. 10,1941 - Dec. 26, 2021 Carole Ann Haynes, 80, a longtime resident of Medical Lake, passed away on Dec. 26, 2021. Carole was born on Jan. 10, 1941, in Klamath Falls, Ore., to Glenn and Dora Neufer, joining her two older brothers to complete their family. A year later the family moved to Portland, and she lived there until she met and married Alfred Cooper and started her own family. She had two sons, Ron and Ken, and with Al in the Air Force, they had...
The Sprague Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual banquet and fundraiser Monday night. The event included the installation of officers. From left, they are President Tim Wilken, Secretary Carol Lowe, board member Gary Lowe and Treasurer Candy Knowles. Vice President Chris Day and board members Jill Scheffels and Pat Busby were not present for the photograph. Trace DeGarmo performed the installation of officers and Scooter Dearing was the emcee. The organization also announced...
January 19, 2012 10 years ago Gains and losses for everyone in redistricting Depending on which legislator you talk to, there are good points and bad points about the coming redistricting moves shifting Cheney, Medical lake and most of the West Plains’ state legislative representation from the current 9th and 7th districts to an expanded 6th. But despite any discussion about new dynamics, impacts, and representative makeup, all who voiced their opinions agreed on one thing; to coin an often used term; “it is what it is....
by Ron Ginther Ten men’s trailers set in row, All that’s left as hamlets often go. Never really grown a town amid Scrub grassland, pines, rocky ground. “West Plains” it’s called, Tyler’s a has-been. Its last store/ truck stop? Closed, and Owners moved in. Tyler, Tyler, didn’t anyone ever love you? Whoever did, proved a charmer untrue. A grange is faithful yet, and there’s a Crossing for the railroad- But the town itself is a tale grown cold. Some things go up, some things go down, But some things, alas, never turn back aroun...
CHENEY – Hot off a Walter Payton award, Eric Barriere has been nominated as Seattle Sport Commission’s male “Sports Start of the Year” award. Barriere is facing some stiff competition for this year’s award from the likes of former Gonzaga men’s basketball player Corey Kispert, Seattle Mariner outfielder Mitch Haniger, Seattle Seahawk wide receiver Tyler Lockett, Seattle Sounders FC member Cristian Roldan, University of Washington soccer player Dylan Teves, and the University of Washington men’s rowing team. Unlike other...
CHENEY – The Cheney Blackhawks hosted the Gonzaga Prep Bullpups in a home conference game. The girls took the court first and had a rough time getting any offense going throughout the evening and only managed just 32 points for the night. The lady Blackhawks fall to 3-9 on the season. The boys the court and had an incredibly competitive first quarter and came into the second with a 15 to 15 tie. But a series of turnovers in the second quarter let the Bullpups score 29 p...
SPOKANE – The Cheney Blackhawks traveled to Central Valley on Tuesday Jan. 11 to face the Central Valley Bears for an away match up with around 100 fans in attendance according to Bears reporter Kim Griego on Max Preps. Both Blackhawk squads were defeated by the Bears – the boys lost 79 to 67 while the girls lost 21 to 57. The boys were competitive all throughout the first quarter, at one point they tied it up with the Bears. But once the second quarter began the Bears’ offense started to trickle and by the end of the game...
MEDICAL LAKE – The Cardinal wrestling team hosted Freeman High School on January 11, and Aden Carl continues to have an undefeated season winning his match in the 132-pound class. Overall, both teams scored 36 points and Medical Lake won on criterion, and the Cardinals racked up some early points winning by forfeit in several weight classes. The 160-pound class wrestled first, and Jonah Orndorff from Freeman pinned Medical Lake's Sheehan Connors to win the first match of the n...
Cheney Police Reports By Jonathan Olsen-Koziol Cheney Free Press CHENEY – Here are all of the reports from the Cheney Police Department from January 11 to January 16. Jan. 11 Jacket stolen from vehicle on the 3000 block of Silverthorn Lane. 17-year-old, male juvenile ran away from home and returned on January 13. Agency assisted in a child protection services (CPS) report on the 700 block of Betz Road. Janette M. Mason, 37-year-old female was arrested for fourth degree domestic violence on the 100 block of Holladay Drive. J...
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