Looking Back

10 Years Ago

Aug. 29, 2006

With rentals making up over 50 percent of Cheney homes and a number lacking in appearance and upkeep, Mayor Allan Gainer began taking strides to get homeowners and landlords to clean things up.

Plans to improve pedestrian travel along Medical Lake’s lower Lefevre Street and State Route 902 could get a much-needed boost with a little help from the city’s updated Transportation Improvement Plan.

Cheney police arrested Kellen A. Williams, age 22, for residential burglary and are following up leads that may link him to several other burglaries both on the EWU campus and in Cheney at large that occurred in 2005.

20 Years Ago

Aug. 24, 1996

Paul Schmidt, Cheney’s director of public works, was looking to reduce the speed limit on SR-904 at the Betz Road intersection. His plan included the northbound lane decreasing to 45 miles per hour near McDonald’s (previously 55 mph) and would stay 45 mph until after the intersection.

Firefighters showed up at Haakon Industries on West First Street to help find the source of an amazing amount of smoke. Apparently employees were welding on a nearly completed air conditioning unit and a spark caught some of the material inside the unit on fire. In a matter of a few hours, everything was back to normal at the business.

30 Years Ago

Aug. 28, 1986

Dr. Helen Westrum, a Cheney resident and professor of home economics at Eastern, received the Oustanding Teacher Education award at the Washington Vocational Association’s annual conference in Tacoma. She was nominated for the award by Cheney Junior High School’s home economics teacher Kathy Urdahl.

The annual “Eastern goes Western day” was held on the campus of Eastern State Hospital. Festivities for the 15th annual event began early with a fun run. Hospital residents received donated T-shirts for participating in the event.

40 Years Ago

Aug. 26, 1976

Acting President Dr. Phillip Marshall was definitely in the running for appointment as president of Eastern Washington State College and was one of the last of 10 applicants making the final selection bracket.

Work continued on the new EWSC Fieldhouse located on the south side of the EWSC Physical Education Complex west of Washington Street. EWSC officials hoped to have the new facility in operation by fall 1977. The old fieldhouse was closed in February after having been found in violation of several safety codes.

50 Years Ago

Aug. 25, 1966

Dr. Loretta Fretwell, chairwoman of the EWSC psychology department, was named to the steering committee of the Washington State Association of Mental Health.

Four new teachers have been hired to serve students of the Cheney School District. Norman Mikelson, choral music; Mrs. Patricia Fitch, English and drama at Cheney High School; Mrs. Pauline Riley, first grade at Windsor Elementary and Mrs. Arbesta Strayer, junior high librarian.

The Four Lakes Fair was held at the Grange Hall. Exhibits were limited to 4-H members and the local community.