Articles from the March 4, 2010 edition


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  • Plunging pirates

  • Cheney middle school design work begins

    Construction market ‘implosion' allows district to increase schools' square footage By BECKY THOMAS Staff Reporter Architect Steve McNutt is very aware of the timeline for building two new middle schools in the Cheney School District, and he's not wasting any time. McNutt, of NAC Architects, spoke to the middle school design task force at their weekly meeting Feb. 25, and he came armed with preliminary sketches and a draft menu of the spaces to be included in the new schools. “It seems like all schools have aggressive sch...

  • West Plains Clubs and Organizations

    If your club or organization's meeting time has changed, or you currently are not listed in this column, call 235-6184. CHENEY Al-Anon Meets every Monday from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 639 Elm St. For more information, call 235-5385. Alcoholics Anonymous Meets Mondays and Fridays from 7:30-8:30 p.m. at the United Methodist Church, on the corner of Fourth and G streets in Cheney. All meetings are open. For more information, call 235-9015. The Allen and Trudy Mattausch Veterans of Foreign Wars # 11326... Full story

  • Mark Wayne Feken

    Mark Feken was born Sept. 17, 1966 on Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth, Tex. and died Feb. 22 in Everett, Wash. Mark is survived by his son Kyle of Medical Lake; his mother Lois Feken of Medical Lake; father Walt (Ann) Feken of Spokane; brothers Mike (Debbie) of Virginia Beach, Va. and Shawn of Buford, Ga.; Ann's daughter Grace Thompson (Jeff), Spokane Valley; his soul mate Kelly Heffernan of Maryville, Wash.; and numerous nieces and nephews. Spending time with his friends and family was what Mark enjoyed most out of...

  • Milton E. Orlob

    Milton E. “Mike” Orlob of Sunriver died Feb. 21. He was 66. Mr. Orlob was born on April 21, 1943 in Moscow, Idaho to William and Betty (Morrell) Orlob. A graveside service will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 26 at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland. Survivors include his wife, Evelyn Orlob; his mother Betty Martin; two sons, David Orlob and M. Eric Orlob; two brothers Wesley Orlob and Douglas Orlob; a sister Sherri Orlob, and four grandchildren. Milton is preceded in death by his father. Contributions can be mad...

  • Church News

    United Methodist Church Please join us this week for Sunday morning worship at one of two services at Cheney UMC, 204 Fourth St. The first service is at 8:30 a.m. and the second is at 11 a.m., both are led by the Rev. Terry Hall. Between services there is time for fellowship as well as Christian education classes for ages 3 to adult. An additional adult class this week will offer information on an upcoming trip to Israel. Retired pastor Rev. George Abrams and his wife Jan will lead both the trip and the information discussion... Full story

  • CHS student receives award, former student on UW Dean's List

    Cheney High School senior Paul Grinder has been awarded an Eastern Washington University presidential scholarship for $2,500 for the 2009-2010 academic year. This scholarship is awarded to high school students with a cumulative high school GPA of 3.8 or higher or an SAT score of 1,250 or higher. Grinder will graduate from CHS this year, where he ws involved with the AV (audio video) Club, and plans to study computer science in the fall at EWU. Grinder is the son of Brian and Joyce Grinder of Cheney. The University of...

  • Of Cabbages and Kings

    Warm weather brings wistful feelings about real, cold, snowy winter By LUELLA DOW Contributor Currier and Ives, where are you? Am I the only person in Spokane County who missed the snow this winter? YES! In fact, there were times when I had to put a zipper on my mouth while listening to people rhapsodizing about lovely spring-like conditions. I wanted to shout, “Lovely? You call squishy mud, dull gray fields, raindrops down the back of your neck and a soggy newspaper lovely?” Of course, many of those who were singing the pra...

  • MLHS releases Honor Rolls for first semester

    The following students at Medical Lake High School were placed on the Regular Honor Roll for the first semester: Grade 12 Morgan Brown, Daniela Garcia Paz, Cody Greene, Leon Johnson, Katheryn Lane, Ryan Owens, Carlie Tharp and Casey Wren. Grade 11 Amelia Cook, Bradley Dassow, Jaydra Erchul-Johnson, Amanda Green, Daniel Hassler, Terrell Hawkins, Kaelesha Kauzlarich, Aaron Knapik, Ashley Rumsey, Riley Shines, Alan Tripp and Brian Williams. Grade 10 Kara Beseler, Makenzie Biesecker, Jessica Carpenter, Ian Crump, Taylor Elder,...

  • Gardening in Our Area

    Just like humans, some plants just don't get along together By LAVERLE McCANDLESS Contributor “They tell us that plants are perishable, soulless creatures, that only man is immortal, but this, I think, is something that we know very nearly nothing about.” John Muir How many of you have seen the series on PBS about the National Parks? John Muir was one naturalist who was featured. He is a very interesting man, sometimes a bit off the wall but still quite interesting. This quote above gives us much to think about. Plants are...

  • MAE students jump for a reason

    Classmate provides momentum for record turnout in school's annual Jump Rope for Heart fundraiser By RYAN LANCASTER Staff Reporter For the past six years, many students at Michael Anderson Elementary have participated in the American Heart Association's Jump Rope for Heart, one of the school's most popular annual fundraisers. But thanks to a stouthearted springboard named Sean Dunn, more students than ever jumped with a little more enthusiasm this year, earning a record $5,500 in donations and counting. Dunn, now 6, underwent...

  • ML board talks contracts, budget

    Board decides on architect, construction manager before hearing pointed report on state funding By RYAN LANCASTER Staff Reporter The Medical Lake School Board announced the decision of an architect and construction manager for the district's upcoming facilities project during their regular monthly meeting Tuesday, Feb. 23. After reviewing proposals by three architectural firms in a special session Feb. 18, the board decided on Coeur d'Alene-based Architects West, the same company contracted by the district during the bond-pla...

  • Young Athletes day opens sports up to all

    Special Olympics program teaches children about inclusive play, introduces special needs kids to sport By BECKY THOMAS Staff Reporter The gym at Salnave Elementary was buzzing with activity Feb. 24. Kids ages 3-7 were engaged at several stations set up around the space, laughing, jumping and playing together. They were participating in Special Olympics' Young Athletes, an inclusive program that teaches young children about appropriate play and introduces kids with intellectual disabilities to Special Olympics. The program...

  • Cheney board gets fiscal update

    Superintendent shares insights from legislative trip, says some cuts will happen but levy equalization OK By BECKY THOMAS Staff Reporter The Cheney School Board enjoyed a musical performance and discussed the state budget at their Feb. 24 meeting. The meeting was held at Sunset Elementary School in Airway Heights. Principal Sean Dotson presented the “Good News” from the school, a musical performance led by music teacher Mike Horrocks. Horrocks thanked the board, the Sunset PTO and the community for supporting the music pro...

  • Letters to the editor

    Cheney bond passage doesn't nullify some key questions As predicted, the educational bond passed handily by the citizens of Cheney School District. The developers on Cedar Road and out by the golf course appreciate your vote. After reading the letter to the editor comments, writers still don't get it. I acknowledged the need for more classroom space. Just because someone expresses a different opinion about an education vote doesn't make them anti-education. It indicates they are not just voting robots, and looking at deeper...

  • Excuses aside, Polar Plunge offers fun fundraiser for all

    By RYAN LANCASTER Staff Reporter It was hard to feel smug, even after emerging with a violent shiver from the waves of Medical Lake during the fourth annual Polar Plunge last Saturday, Feb. 27. As a first time plunger, the 40-degree water felt plenty cold to me, but I kept hearing seasoned plungers gloat about last year, as in: “Last year they had to cut through a foot of ice and swimmers had to brave a blizzard to get to the lake,” or “Last year it was minus 30 degrees and an honest-to-God polar bear tore the roof clean... Full story

  • Free Press seeks local professionals for new column

    By JOHN McCALLUM Editor Some of you may have noticed recently that there are some changes afoot here at the Cheney Free Press. Besides changing our front-page format, we have moved the West Plains Police Reports to Section 2 after Sports. These will from now on appear right before Legals, either on the same page or their own page prior, content permitting. There will be more changes coming, stay tuned, but one of those will take place shortly. The Free Press is instituting a new column feature entitled, “Community H...

  • In Our Opinion: Respect should be given when flag is flown

    Nearly 80 years ago on March 3, 1931, the “Star Spangled Banner” was officially adopted by congressional resolution, signed by president Herbert Hoover, and became our national anthem. With the conclusion of the Winter Olympics, where U.S. athletes watched nine times as their anthem was played, it seems to be the perfect time to look at the anthem, the flag and what's expected when and where the two converge. Either live at area sporting events, or watching on TV, we've all observed how those present during the playing of the... Full story

  • Police reports 02/20 through 02/28

    CHENEY Feb. 21 A suspicious circumstance was reported in the 1100 block of Golden Hills Drive when a threatening letter was received. Feb. 22 Officers completed a warrant arrest for Spokane Municipal Court. Abran L. Gibson, 19, was booked for a minor in possession warrant when he was taken in for a Feb. 21 shooting in Cheney. A two-car non-injury collision occurred in the 700 block of West First Street. Steven S. Sheffels, 50, was arrested for Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) in the 200 block of Simpson Parkway. A...