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By JOHN McCALLUM Editor Cheney's Pathways to Progress has restarted a program to provide funding for downtown business owners who would like to fix up their storefronts, but don't have the money to do so. The Façade Enhancement Grant Program was originally offered in 2003, providing several $1,000 and $500 grants to businesses looking to spruce up their fronts. Pathways director Charles Dotson said several businesses, such as the current Eagles Pub, and the 502 First Street building took advantage of the funding to redo...
By JOHN McCALLUM Editor The city of Cheney is proceeding with a civil suit against Myers Mobile Home Park owner Thomas E. Myers, alleging he has failed to comply with an order to install three fire hydrants at his development along West First Street. The suit arises from a May 4, 2001 decision by the Cheney Fire Board of Appeals telling Myers to comply with 1994 and 1997 editions of the Uniform Fire Code requiring adequate means of fire suppression. Cheney is seeking $369,000 in penalties from Myers as per its municipal...
By CARA LORELLO Staff Reporter Cheney Public Schools received a letter from the state Auditor's Office following the district's April 24 review for the time period between Sept. 1 2004 and Aug. 31, 2006, citing over reporting of Full Time Equivalent (FTE) at the high school. The claim, however, turned out to be a misnomer of the school's reporting, as district director of finance and operations, David Sackville-West explained to members of the school board of directors at a May 9 meeting. The fault was narrowed down to two...
By JOHN McCALLUM Editor Even with concerns about spending outpacing revenues, all three Ninth District legislators admit the 2007 Legislative session concluded last month was a good one for Eastern Washington overall, and the West Plains area in particular. “In the short term, it's positive,” state Sen. Mark Schoesler (R-Ritzville) said. “Long term, there's cause for concern.” The $33.4 billion 2007-2009 budget – about $4 billion more in state spending than the last biennial budget in 2005 – includes over $75 million in...
By CARA LORELLO Staff Reporter Say goodbye to the usual candy and catalogue fundraiser sales, because this year, Hallett Elementary is running for its money. On the afternoon of May 24, students in grades four through six will take part in a one-mile run through Medical Lake to raise money for the school's student body in the first-ever Wow Now “Fund” Run—formerly the Wow Now Fun Run, an activity the district's elementary schools have typically done as a recreational tradition at the end of every school year, but never befor...
The list continues of students recently named to Cheney Middle School's third-quarter honor roll. To make the list, students had to achieve a 3.0 grade-point average: Seventh grade 3.6: Roman Harner, Erica Orth-Storey, Kaitlin Passey, Brooke Stoehr, Jenna Salter, Tyler Smith-Rainsberry, Heather Spall, Matthew Hammerschmidt, Curtis Atchison, Alicia Hansen. 3.5: Alexa Kaiser, Kelby Langebartel, Trae Martin, Ryen Pilialoha, Chelsea Bermudez, Nicole Lane, Amanda McDowell, John Pegg, Connor Skaggs, Cassandra Hoff, AJ Spooner....
Thank you to those who make Cheney baseball possible On behalf of the Cheney Baseball Association, a huge thank you goes to the many volunteers who spent Saturday, April 28, flipping pancakes, stirring eggs, roasting ham, and sorting auction items for the Annual Fisherman's Breakfast and Silent Auction. Once again, our community stepped up and made this a hugely successful event. This particular fundraiser benefits the Cheney community by helping high school youth play summer baseball. The money goes to fund player's fees,...
Thank you to those who make Cheney baseball possible On behalf of the Cheney Baseball Association, a huge thank you goes to the many volunteers who spent Saturday, April 28, flipping pancakes, stirring eggs, roasting ham, and sorting auction items for the Annual Fisherman's Breakfast and Silent Auction. Once again, our community stepped up and made this a hugely successful event. This particular fundraiser benefits the Cheney community by helping high school youth play summer baseball. The money goes to fund player's fees,...
By CARA LORELLO Staff Reporter This Saturday, May 19, the Cheney community will be host to a new kind of event where foreign tradition meets local curiosity. It's something local university and city organizers are hoping will be the start of a new tradition people of all ages and backgrounds can be a part of. It's the Cheney Multicultural Festival, a project that seeks to forge new partnerships between Eastern Washington University and the city of Cheney through a celebration of the many diverse cultures that make up both...
This ain't the Garden of Eden There ain't no angels above And things ain't like what they used to be And this ain't the summer of love Blue Oyster Cult Like all good fans of rock ‘n' roll, I have my requisite copy of The Beatles' “Sgt. Pepper.” Not on vinyl, of course, but on CD. I also have The Doors' first album, along with Pink Floyd's “Piper at the Gates of Dawn.” While I don't own Jefferson Airplane's “Surrealistic Pillow,” I do have a decent compilation that features “White Rabbit” and “Somebody to Love...
By JOHN McCALLUM Editor The Medical Lake softball team kept their state playoff hopes alive by using a little lumber. The fifth-seeded Lady Cards pounded out 10 hits, and overcame three errors to upset third seeded West Valley 7-4 in the loser out round of the Great Northern League playoffs last Saturday. Nine of the 10 hits were singles as Medical Lake broke open a 4-4 tie with three runs in the top of the seventh. With two outs, the Lady Cards got a walk, followed by a Liz Walker single, and two-run double by Jessica...
Cheney Free Press Editorial In Our Opinion Eastern Washington University has been making a push for diversity since 2002. It's working. More minority groups are gaining recognition on campus. More are interested in visiting campus (there's been an increase in tours from minority-rich cities this year). With more attention to cultural identity and unity, we hope that a more diverse population will, in time, take root both at EWU and Cheney. Such a change would bring more perspectives, talents, and cultures to the region,...
By MIKE HUFFMAN Staff Reporter One head, it would appear, is better than two. Now that Spokane Regional Health District board members have agreed to keep the same command structure for the department, a search can begin for a new health officer. That will begin after board members agree on a job description and salary range, which will be up for discussion at the their next meeting on May 24. Whoever gets the job, though, will have to have some administrative experience to go with his or her medical background. That's because...
By MIKE HUFFMAN Staff Reporter Jenna Donnerberg – a 5-foot-7 senior “defensive specialist” for the Cheney Blackhawks – has announced she will play volleyball this fall for Walla Walla Community College. Donnerberg, who also maintains a 3.62 grade pint average and has been on the All-Academic team every season she has played, is the captain of the Hawks squad. Tim Toon, coach for WWCC, said he is pleased that Donnerberg (who also considered Blue Mountain Community College and Western Washington University) has chosen to play...
By MIKE HUFFMAN Staff Reporter The Cheney boys finished in the middle of the Great Northern League pack with an 8-7 record and a big 6-1 win over Riverside last week. “It was much better than the first time we played them,” coach Jesse Erickson said of the Rams. “We got a little revenge on them.” Experience and tenacity were the keys to reversing the 2-5 decisions against the Rams back on April 12, Erickson said, adding that he got good performances from his players from across the board on May 9. At No. 1 singles, Joe Kre...
CHENEY Commissioner Pat Warnick Kyle Robert Aiken, fined $5,000 ($4,700 suspended), 365 days jail time (365 suspended) and 24 months probation. Michael Edwin Beacham, fined $1,000 ($750), 90 days jail time (89 suspended) and 24 months probation. Joseph Alan Hewitt, fined $1,000 ($750 suspended), 90 days jail time (90 suspended) and 12 months probation for first-degree criminal trespass. Skylar David Kliewer, fined $153 for failure to renew expired registration. Jason Logan Reyes, fined $1,000 ($166 suspended), 90 days jail...
By MIKE HUFFMAN Staff Reporter The Cheney girls tennis team finished its mixed inaugural Great Northern League season last week with mixed results, besting Riverside 7-0 but falling 5-2 to Deer Park in a make-up contest. Against the Rams on May 9, No. 1 Cheney singles player Jenna Donnerberg continued her hot streak with a 6-0, 6-1 win over Sierra Irvine. At No. 2 singles, Kaci Rexilius also found success in straight sets, winning 6-2, 6-1 over Sam Crowe. Amy Knox had a battle with Riverside's Mikayla Grant at No. 3 singles,...
By NEIL PIERSON Staff Reporter For a team with eight brand-new varsity players, the Medical Lake girls tennis squad is pretty happy with how its Great Northern League season wrapped up. The Lady Cardinals improved their final league mark to 6-8 with a 5-2 victory over visiting West Valley last Wednesday. ML finished fifth among eight teams in the GNL, a result Lady Cardinal coach Dawn Eliassen said she was “completely happy with.” “To finish in the middle of the pack works for me,” Eliassen said. “We'll have eight returning...
CHENEY May 10 A theft of a camera was reported on the 200 block of Betz Road. A suspicious circumstance, a neighborhood dispute, was reported on the 300 block of Erie. May 9 A third-degree theft was reported on the 200 block of Washington. Baseball bases were stolen at Moos Field. A wallet was reported lost on the 900 block of Third Street. May 8 An attempted suicide was reported on the 200 block of West Second Street. Subject agreed to voluntary commitment. A domestic violence was reported on the 700 block of West First...
By NEIL PIERSON Staff Reporter Medical Lake's boys tennis team capped off a 10-2 Great Northern League season last Wednesday with a 6-1 victory at West Valley. The Cardinals had few problems in sweeping their season series with the Eagles, taking five of their six victories in straight sets. In singles, ML No. 1 seed Max Nelson whipped Nick Raskell 6-0, 6-3. No. 2 player Jeremy Marinos started slow but finished fast in his win over Chase Baxter (2-6, 6-2, 6-4). No. 3 seed Matt Moroni downed Jake Smith (6-1, 6-3) and No. 4...
By JESLYN LEMKE Staff Reporter You've got the band Echolalia strumming out good tunes on the microphone. Festival coordinator Melanie Villa is flitting through the background, pulling strings and making things happen. The sun shines hard. Cheney Mayor Allan Gainer takes a bite of steak. The smell of barbecue winds its way through the crowd. Through it all goes the plink, plink, and (they hope) thunk of money into bottles. Okay, so maybe the Artist Cafés May 26 barbecue cookout won't go exactly like this, but it could be darn...
Four members of the Mountain View Gymnastics Boys Competitive Team – which features local youths – competed at the state boys meet in Lacey, Wash., recently. The Level 4 team, coached by Michael Freeman, faced over 100 of the best gymnasts in Washington state. The gymnasts competed in floor, pommel, rings, vault, parallel bars and high bar, in addition to best all-around. Dakota Bauge of Cheney Middle School took second in the all-around in his age bracket, in addition to second place in the high bar; fourth in the pom...
