Articles from the April 23, 2020 edition


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  • Council issues construction awards

    John McCallum, Managing Editor|Updated Jul 1, 2021

    CHENEY – The City Council approved a pair of construction projects and authorized signing a joint agreement to get a third underway at its meeting last Tuesday, April 14 — held via Zoom. The council approved projects totaling $26,825 — the first a $13,500 contract with Five Star Concrete, Inc. for sidewalk repair work and the second a $13,325 contract with Inland Asphalt Company for repair work associated with some water main leaks earlier this year. Public Works Director Todd Ableman said the city received two bids for b... Full story

  • Washingtonians can exercise freedom and caution

    Roger Harnack, Publisher|Updated Jun 8, 2020

    Gov. Jay Inslee had to know a showdown was coming with Eastern Washington. State law allocated him 30 days in which to operate under emergency authority, unless the Legislature convenes and passes a concurrent resolution. That didn’t happen. And with his initial stay-home quarantine issued Feb. 29 due to the coronavirus outbreak, many east of the Cascades have been anxiously awaiting the governor’s nod to return to work, to recreate and to shop. Without even a cautious nod...

  • Kalispel Tribe to reopen all facilities

    John McCallum, Managing Editor|Updated Apr 29, 2020

    AIRWAY HEIGHTS -- Citing entertainment and hospitality as essential businesses needed to run their government, the Kalispel Tribe of Indians announced today (April 29) that they will be reopening all of their facilities on May 5 -- including Northern Quest Resort & Casino on the West Plains. The announcement came just before Gov. Jay Inslee said in a press conference that similar restrictions that have closed Washington businesses such as restaurants, movie theatres and other entertainment facilities would likely be extended...

  • Cheney police seek information on missing student

    John McCallum, Managing Editor|Updated Apr 29, 2020

    CHENEY – The Police Department is investigating a report of 17-year-old female who has been missing since January 2020. Cheney High School student Kasandra Kuuipo Cabarloc is 4-feet-9-inches tall with dark hair and brown eyes. Her family reported her as a runaway in January, and since that time she has been in communication at times with family and friends via social media, according to an April 28 departmental press release. Police Capt. Rick Beghtol said at one point they h... Full story

  • Farm building burns south of Rosalia

    The Gazette|Updated Apr 26, 2020

    ROSALIA -- A farm shop south of town was destroyed by fire early April 23. Whitman County Fire District No. 7 fire crews responded at 4:37 a.m. and found the 50-by-20-foot farm shop fully engulfed east of Highway 195 in the Horn School Rest Stop area. Other units responded from Oakesdale, St. John, Colfax and Steptoe. The Washington State Patrol and Whitman County Sheriff's Office responded for traffic control. Colfax firefighters received the call at 4:46 a.m. and responded with an attach engine, water tender and rescue...

  • EWU chemistry department makes 'Eagle Sanitizer"

    JEREMY BURNHAM, Staff reporter|Updated Apr 26, 2020

    CHENEY — With Eastern Washington University going online only for the rest of the year, most lab classes have been canceled. That left the science lab with some extra chemicals on hand. EWU chemistry Professor Jeff Corkill had the idea to put some of those chemicals to good use. Corkill and EWU lab manager Fred Joslin have mixed the necessary chemicals to make hand sanitizer that they are calling Eagle Sanitizer. Corkill says the plan is to hand it out to first responders, seniors and other people in the area who need it. T... Full story

  • Doctors for speaking up during pandemic

    Updated Apr 25, 2020

    Since college days, I have always been in touch with the U.S. immigrant community, starting with my position as major chairman of International Forums at University of Illinois. So, it has been a great surprise and revelation to me, and maybe to most of the readers, that we have so many, many articulate doctors — both medical and academic — living and working in the United States. Either they themselves were born in other countries, or they are children of immigrants, as usually identified by their names. So many are on the...

  • Inslee reopens low-risk, residential construction

    John McCallum, Managing Editor|Updated Apr 24, 2020

    OLYMPIA – Gov. Jay Inslee announced that low-risk construction activity could resume in the state as long as contractors follow safety plans at each site agreed to by state, labor and industry leaders. Inslee made the announcement at a news conference this morning, April 24, joined by members of a committee assembled to devise safety recommendations that included Building Industry Association of Washington Executive Vice President Greg Lane and Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council Executive Secretary M... Full story

  • Gonzaga and EWU create shorter juris doctor pathway

    FROM STAFF AND NEWS SOURCES|Updated Apr 24, 2020

    CHENEY – Leaders from Eastern Washington University and Gonzaga University School of Law recently signed a joint agreement that creates a pathway for students to earn their bachelor's degree along with their juris doctor in six years, one year less than it would traditionally take to complete. In an April 14 news release announcing the agreement, EWU officials said the program, which permits concurrent enrollment at both institutions, allows students to apply to Gonzaga Law during their junior year after they have c...

  • Man arrested for threats to governor

    John McCallum, Managing Editor|Updated Apr 24, 2020

    OLYMPIA -- The Washington State Patrol arrested a Mill Creek man Tuesday night for making threatening messages towards Gov. Jay Inslee and his staff. According to a State Patrol news release, shortly before 8 p.m. April 21 the WSP contacted Shawn C. Rowland at his residence in the north Puget Sound city between Mukilteo and Snohomish. Patrol officials said earlier in the day, a threatening message had been left on the voicemail of the governor's Office of Constituent Services by "someone using a phone associated with the... Full story

  • Coyotes not only ones howling on Malloy Prairie

    John McCallum, Managing Editor|Updated Apr 23, 2020

    CHENEY – Trivia question for you. The Malloy Prairie Howlers are which of the following: A) A one-time attempt at a West Plains football team, B) An a cappella singing group, C) A now defunct automobile club, D) People expressing themselves for a cause. If you answered D, you're pretty much in the know about all things related to COVID-19. While not an official name, residents along Malloy Prairie Road around Mary Ann Cooley - including Cooley herself - have been stepping outside each night at 8 p.m. for the past 18 days a...

  • Eagles add trio of players to 2020-21 roster

    FROM STAFF AND NEWS SOURCES|Updated Apr 23, 2020

    CHENEY -- A trio of high school players from the Pacific Northwest will join the Eastern Washington University men's basketball program next fall when classes resume on the EWU campus in Cheney. They include All-State selection Mutdung Bol, pronounced "muh-doon bowl," a 6-foot-3 guard from Edmonds-Woodway High School in Seattle, and Isaiah Amato, pronounced "ah-ma-toe," a 6-5 guard from Portland, Ore., and Central Catholic HS. The third is Victor Radocaj, pronounced "rad-doh-chuh-eye-yuh," a 6-9 forward from Richmond, B.C....

  • Eight Eagles named honor society members

    FROM STAFF AND NEWS SOURCES|Updated Apr 23, 2020

    Eight seniors from the 2019 Eastern Washington University football team have been recognized by The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) as members of the 2020 NFF Hampshire Honor Society. The eight Eagles recognized are center Spencer Blackburn, tight end Jayce Gilder, safety Dehonta Hayes, linebacker Andrew Katzenberger, defensive lineman Dylan Ledbetter, safety Tysen Prunty, defensive end Jim Townsend and wide receiver Jayson Williams. The squad is comprised of college football players from all...

  • Updated Apr 23, 2020

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  • Eastern State Hospital nurse dies of COVID-19

    John McCallum, Managing Editor|Updated Apr 23, 2020

    MEDICAL LAKE – Long-time nurse at Eastern State Hospital has died due to complications from contracting the disease COVID-19. According to an obituary published in the April 19 Spokesman-Review, 64-year-old Esequiel (Zeke) Cisneros passed away April 13 after first contracting the disease and then being placed in the intensive care unit of a local hospital. Cisneros and his wife Brenda moved to Medical Lake in 2001. Also according to his obituary, Cisneros was born in Texas, moved to California where he graduated from O...

  • West Plains Police News

    Updated Apr 23, 2020

    CHENEY April 13 Domestic violence/verbal abuse was reported on the zero hundred block of Alki Street. A mental health issue was reported on the zero hundred block of 1st Street. Subject was involuntarily committed. Harassment was reported on the 200 block of South Cheney-Spangle Road. Child abuse/neglect was reported at an unspecified location in Cheney. Incident was referred to Child Protective Services. April 14 Taking motor vehicle with owner’s permission was reported on the 800 block of West 1st Street. A 2003 Saturn L...

  • West Plains Emergency Response Volunteers offers assistance

    Updated Apr 23, 2020

    FROM STAFF AND NEWS SOURCES WEST PLAINS – Residents needing a local resource for assistance during the COVID-19 outbreak have one in a Facebook page created to originally connect families in quarantine with volunteers who could bring groceries to the door. West Plains Emergency Response Volunteers is the idea of local resident Jamie Ewen. The page now has over 600 people following it and has become a location for residents to learn about the different ways they can help out during the pandemic. Group members share d...

  • West Plains BRIEFS

    Updated Apr 23, 2020

    Super yard sale postponed Medical Lake Dollars for Scholars will be postponing its annual yard sale until later in the summer or early fall due to COVID-19 event restrictions. This is a major fundraiser for Medical Lake High School community scholarships and hopefully we will again be able to support the graduating students. Thank you to all our donors and look for further announcements....

  • Celebrate Earth Day by defending human health

    TOM H. HASTINGS, Contributor|Updated Apr 23, 2020

    When I was born 70 years ago there was no Earth Day. That only started 50 years ago. Before Earth Day the U.S. military used to pollute. A local newspaper in Utah reported that several sites in that state, mostly military, including Hill Air Force base, have groundwater that is permanently contaminated with “forever chemicals” that, as the name implies never break down and are health hazards. The Arkansas Democrat Gazette reported that the Pentagon hustled a stockpile of the PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or forev...

  • Churches

    Updated Apr 23, 2020

    Cheney Congregational Church Although we cannot worship together in person, Cheney Congregational is still offering worship resources and sermons that can be accessed through our website at cheneycongregational.org. Our prayers go out for the whole Cheney community and for our world during this difficult season. We are grateful for all medical staff, grocery store workers and other essential employees who must put themselves at risk to help others. As a community we are stronger together. Emmanuel Lutheran Church Greeting...

  • Essential education

    John McCallum|Updated Apr 23, 2020

    Construction crews pour cement on part of the new parent pick up loop at Cheney High School. Construction has continued through the COVID-19 pandemic, with the remodeled and expanded facility to reopen this fall....

  • Lighting up a dark time

    John McCallum|Updated Apr 23, 2020

    Cheney High School turned on the lights at Tom Oswald Field last Friday night to honor the graduating class of 2020 who had their spring quarter taken from them due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The lights went on for 20 minutes and 20 seconds at 8:20 p.m., with students, staff and families urged to drive by in their vehicles and honk their horns for the class. Many residents along the loop, which wound its way through neighborhoods around the high school, turned out to wave at...

  • Council voices frustrations over stay-at home measures

    John McCallum, Managing Editor|Updated Apr 23, 2020

    AIRWAY HEIGHTS – Frustration with the economic impacts of Washington’s statewide shutdown of most businesses due to COVID-19 boiled to the surface during the City Council’s meeting Monday night, April 20, with at least one member asking if there was anything the city could do on its own to reopen some businesses. During council reports, Mayor Kevin Richey relayed details to members of a phone call he and other area mayors, including Cheney’s Chris Grover and Spokane’s Nadine Woodward, had last week with Gov. Jay Inslee on...

  • CHAS receives federal COVID funding help

    John McCallum, Staff reporter|Updated Apr 23, 2020

    SPOKANE – Part of the challenge in dealing with the current COVID-19 pandemic is the rapidly changing nature of the outbreak itself. Measures to slow the spread of the respiratory disease, along with testing and treatment attempts have left health providers scrambling at times of meet demands — while losing revenue as a result of other steps taken. To help out, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Health Resources Administration (HRSA) awarded over $36.58 million in funding to health centers in Was...