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SPOKANE — The Spokane County Library District is opening May programs with a Star Wars theme. Star Wars Jedi Academy invites youngsters to try out galactic activities and show off themed costumes. Families and kids can flex their building skills during LEGO Free Play and learn more STEAM during Take It Apart, Build It, Rock Garden Painting Party and Creating Rubber Band Racers. Teens can design Star Wars Temporary Tattoo-ines and learn about Documentary Filmmaking. If Star Wars is too far out of this world for you, the l...
TYLER - A wind turbine corporation has been acquiring land leases across southern Spokane County from the Tyler area to Fairfield. Over the last five months, Cordelio Development Holdings LLC of Toronto, Canada, has acquired 20 leases across southern Spokane, northern Whitman and eastern Lincoln Counties. The purchases include parcels near Cheney, Fairfield, Latah, Waverly and Tyler, according to county records. Details of some of the purchased tracts have yet to be made...
DEEP CREEK—The Spokane Hutterian Brethren figured most of their seed potatoes were going to go to waste after their main customers in the Columbia Basin cut their contracts by 40%. So, Hutterians dumped the spuds in a West Sprague Road field. Instead, a video posted online by Denise Bennett of Reardan alerted locals to the free spuds. And it has brought thousands to pick up their share of potatoes from the hundreds of tons that have already been dumped. “I guess people are...
OLYMPIA — The state Department of Ecology has declared a statewide drought emergency for everywhere except cities with large storage basins. The drought update was issued Friday, April 19, with the agency predicting a warm, dry spring. According to the agency, the weather forecast will leave many watershed statewide with low water. The declaration allows state agencies to provide drought-related assistance in a more timely manner. Gov. Jay Inslee calked up this year’s forecast drought to global warming. “As our climate conti...
CHENEY – A motorist is facing multiple charges following an April 4 pursuit and disposal of a firearm at a school. Jakob D. Petitto, 30, was arrested and booked into the Spokane County Jail on cahrges of attempting to elude, second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm, two counts of possession of a controlled substance, driving with a suspended license and being a fugitive from justice related to the out-of-state warrant. Petitto has five previous felony convictions and is prohibited from possessing a firearm, records s...
Airway Heights AIRWAY HEIGHTSS — Police arrested the following individuals between April 13-20: April 13 Katelynn D. Ulrich arrested for third-degree theft-shoplifting in the 12800 block of West Highway 2. Tonya M. Stevens arrested for first-degree criminal trespassing in the 14300 block of West Highway 2. April 17 Robert B. Don arrested for violation of a protection order in the 13600 block of West Sixth Avenue. Cheney CHENEY — The Police Deparment reported the following calls for service from April 14-21: April 14 Unattende...
AIRWAY HEIGHTS – The Police Department has acquired multiple K9 units on behalf of the Washington State Department of Corrections. The acquisition, discussed April 18 at the Plains Safety Alliance meeting, marks an advancement in the department’s crisis response capabilities, officials said. “I want to highlight what makes this dog different,” co-responder Jenny Mandin said. “She’s there to be crisis response.” Unlike traditional German Shepherds commonly seen in law enforcement, crisis response dogs are selected and...
MEDICAL LAKE – During the April 16 City Council meeting, Finance Director Koss Ronhault presented a comprehensive budget report for the first quarter of the year. Ronhault provided insights into the financial report, emphasizing the meticulous process of reviewing financial statements and ensuring compliance. “We have controls in place, secondary reviews of journal entries, reconciliation procedures, a lot of practices that weren’t in place,” he said. Ronhault highlighted efforts to rectify deficiencies identified in the 2022...
CHENEY – City officials are calling the April 13 Medication Take Back Event a success. More than 70 pounds of unused, outdated medications were collected, officials said. The event proved to be a resounding success according to Jessica Deutsch, the Community Coalition Coordinator for Talk2HealthyChoices. The organization was among the participants, which also included local police, fire and other emergency responders. Hundreds of community members participated in the event, c...
City seeks $2 million in funds AIRWAY HEIGHTS – At the recent West Plains Safety Alliance meeting, discussions centered around the proposed construction of Bezos Academy, a childcare center. The Police Department’s Alise Mnati expressed gratitude for the letters of support received for the project. Mnati said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Shoreline, requested $2 million in funding for the project through the Community Development Block Grant program. Mnati noted the insufficient availability of childcare facilities in the region, par...
CHENEY — Andy LaBolle, the owner of West Plains Roasters, made a generous gesture at the City Council meeting April 9 by presenting a donation totaling $18,500 to Cheney Cupboard. Expressing his fondness for the community, LaBolle shared, “My wife and I love Cheney.” He highlighted the support received from 53 sponsors, primarily local businesses spanning from Cheney and Airway Heights to Coeur d’Alene. The donation stemmed from a charity poker event hosted by West Plains Roasters on April 2 and 3, drawing in 65 attende...
CHENEY — The Planning Commission met on Monday, April 8, to address the complexities surrounding construction and non-city-owned features in the right-of-way. City Administrator Mark Schuller led the presentation, highlighting the need for clarifying and simplifying regulations. Currently, these features are regulated under either a license or a permit, creating challenges for both applicants and city staff. “With five different chapters governing today, every project may have to obtain multiple permits for a scope of wor...
CHENEY – Brett Lucas took the lead at the Planning Commission Meeting on Monday, April 8, presenting the Capital Facilities Plan spanning 2024-29. The six-year plan aims to uphold the quality of life by identifying and addressing basic services over the next two decades, as mandated by the Growth Management Act. Lucas emphasized the significance of capital facilities, defining them as major, non-recurring expenditures with fixed assets costing $50,000 or more and possessing a useful life of at least 10 years. These f...
CHENEY — School District officials are expecting the growth in the student population to slow. During the April 10 School Board meeting, Finance Director Jamie Reed reported on the district’s financial status and enrollment trends. Reed noted that despite fluctuations in enrollment, the district is maintaining a consistent financial outlook. “We’re budgeting for flat enrollment,” Reed said, highlighting the stability amid shifting demographic patterns. A closer look at enrollment figures revealed that kindergarten and first...
Fairchild trains for shooter FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE — Base officials and employees participated in an active-shooter response exercise April 11. Personnel and visitors saw first responders conducting emergency procedures, heard sirens and loud noises emanating from the exercise area and saw vehicles racing to an “emergency.” The exercise did not impact on-base services, such as medical appointments or exchange and commissary operations, officials said. Council OKs fire contract CHENEY — The City Council has unanimo...
Airway Heights AIRWAY HEIGHTS — The Police Department arrested the following individuals from April 8-15: April 8 Robert B. Don arrested in the 13600 block of West Sixth Avenue for violation of a protection order-previous conviction. April 9 Nova M. Burt arrested in the 12600 block of West Highway 2 for fourth-degree assault-domestic violence. Matthew R. McCauley arrested in the 12500 block of West Highway 2 for fourth-degree assault-domestic violence. April 10 Daniel W. Jackson arrested in the 12800 block of West Highway 2...
RITZVILLE — Sen. Mark Schoesler is following a gun case in Western Washington closely. On Monday, April 8, Cowlitz County Superior Court Judge Gary Bashor ruled that the 2022 state law banning high-capacity magazines is unconstitutional. “As you might guess, Attorney General Bob Ferguson did not take this news well,” Schoesler, R-Ritzville, said in an email. The case involves Gator Custom Guns in Kelso, which was sued by the state in an effort to stop the business from selling magazines capable of holding more than 10 round...
CHENEY – The School Board meeting April 10 featured a detailed analysis of the community response to a special election bond proposal. Jenna Larson took the stage to go over the survey findings. The bond proposal, which aimed to address infrastructure needs within the district, elicited community engagement, she said. With multiple modes of distribution, the proposal garnered responses from 395 individuals. Of the respondents, 161 voted to approve the bond, while 167 voted to reject it, she said. Additionally, 24 individuals...
The West Plains Little League season official kicked off Saturday, April 13, with a ceremony in Salnave Park. For more on opening day, see Page A7...
DAVENPORT—The trial of a Sprague defendant in a criminal sex case has been continued again. This time, the trial of Jonathan Ray Stocker, 42, of Sprague, was continued because he was served with a federal warrant. Stocker is being held in the Lincoln County Jail. Stocker is already charged with five counts of first-degree possession of depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and one count of second-degree possession of depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit. The federal warrant was issued for S...
CHENEY — An apparent stalking incident prompted two local men to jump into action at about 9 p.m. Sunday, April 14. But, according to Police Chief Rick Beghtol, the good Samaritans couldn’t catch the man suspected of stalking a local woman. According to the chief, police received a report of a man allegedly following a woman in the 100 block of Erie Street. The woman, whose name has yet to be released publicly, confronted her alleged stalker, the chief said. And two other men stepped in to help her. Despite their eff...
CHENEY — Authorities are investigating an assault and robbery that occurred in the late hours of Friday, April 12. According to reports, the victim had their vehicle forcibly taken from them in the 10 block of North Seventh Street. The severity of the incident has led authorities to assert that should the suspects be identified, there is probable cause for charges including first-degree robbery, theft of a motor vehicle, theft of a firearm and general theft offenses, Police Chief Rick Beghtol said. The victim’s vehicle was...
ROSALIA - Donning special eclipse-viewing glasses, Rosalia Elementary School fifth-graders took the opportunity Monday, April 8 to see the solar spectacle through dense glasses. Their "eclipse party" was the culmination of a morning of fun, educational activities. Fifth-grade teacher Robyn Fjelseth spent the week before Spring Break teaching her pupils all about eclipses and having them prepare an educational event with other elementary students. Fjelseth fifth-graders made...
CHENEY — Historic preservation efforts are facing both challenges and opportunities as the community grapples with maintaining its architectural heritage while accommodating modern needs. The National Park Service sent a survey to local governments to see if there were any problems with implementing the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards of Rehabilitation. “I think it’s part of a larger overview,” local preservation advocate Susan Beeman said. “Historic preservation has been a thing since the mid-1970s. They don’t change d...
TEKOA — Friends and family of Jamie Ann Wilson-Spray will gather Saturday, April 13, at Tekoa Event Center to remember a young lady full of life. “In honor of Jamie, we encourage everyone to wear Converse,” said a Celebration of Life posted to her social media page. Family and friends will gather at 1 p.m. at the center, 139 N. Crosby St., to remember Wilson-Spray. The daughter of Troy and Alicia Wilson, Wilson-Spray is described as a vibrant young lady who appreciated comedy, fine dining and family, but whose life ended...
