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For City Administrator Mark Schuller and Finance Director Cindy Niemeier, Cheney's $6.728 million 2015 General Fund budget may be one of the most reviewed and scrubbed general fund budgets ever done. "The red pencil was out," Niemeier said of a budget that, while not reflecting a drastic financial situation for the city, doesn't leave much leeway for other things either. Schuller said it's a very "realistic" balanced budget, reflecting the current condition of the city's...
CHENEY Oct. 20 James W. Earl, 29, was arrested on the 700 block of West Fifth Street for violating a no-contact order. A vehicle stolen on the 2200 block of First Street was recovered. Third-degree theft was reported on the 700 block of West First Street. Prescription medications were stolen. A runaway juvenile was reported at Cheney High School. Student was eventually found. Police took a report of filing a false report in an incident that occurred Sept. 23 at Cheney High School. The incident is being handled internally at t...
As a mom and a retired Spokane County deputy sheriff of 19 years, I am very much looking forward to the changes that Mary Wissink will bring about as our next Spokane County Clerk. Mary has an informed vision for the future of our Clerk’s office because she has over 25 years of hands-on experience in the Spokane legal community. I first began working with Mary Wissink when she was judicial assistant in Superior Court for Judge Michael Donohue’s court. That was over 15 years ago. Over the years, Mary and I have discussed our c...
Cathy McMorris Rodgers is just another politician who has mastered the art of saying a lot, without actually saying anything. She cares more about getting re-elected than she cares about standing up for what is right. People claim that her critics lack specifics when in reality it is Cathy who lacks both specifics and solutions. Ask her about the economy and she responds with, “Well, we need more jobs.” Ask her about climate change and she says, “Well, I’m not a scientist.” Heck, ask her about anything and all you will get...
When Alene Lindstrand gets elected this year she will conduct an election audit. This will be the first independent audit in 16 years, which our current county auditor has failed to do. In addition, our current auditor lost a defamation of character lawsuit which may cost taxpayers upwards of half a million dollars. Obviously it is time for a major change in the county auditor’s office. It is time to vote in Alene Lindstrand as our next county auditor. John Ahern Spokane...
While the merger of United Airlines and Continental left a gaping hole at the ticket counter at SeaTac International Airport, frequent fliers are noticing an expansion of Delta and Alaska check-in stations these days. That expansion could mean a great boost to Boeing and Washington’s economy in the future — if state lawmakers hold the line on taxes and regulatory costs. According to airport statistics, those two airlines now account for half the passengers flying through Sea...
This issue of the Cheney Free Press is being hand-delivered to over 2,000 students in the Cheney School District this week. We plan to do the same in the near future in Medical Lake. The reason we are taking this step is no secret at all. The Free Press wants you to stay up to date with what’s happening across the big neighborhood that makes up the West Plains. And there’s no better way than with this newspaper. The Cheney School District is one of the largest geographically in the state of Washington. But depending whe...
Car Club pancake feed The Stars Stripes, Boots and Spurs Car Club is hosting a pancake feed Saturday, Nov. 8, at 8 a.m. at the Cheney American Legion Post, 116 College Ave., to benefit the Cheney Junior Rodeo and veterans organization Time of Remembrance. For a $10 ticket you can get all you can eat pancakes, a serving each of eggs and sausage and fresh hot coffee. There will be door prizes and a 50/50 raffle drawing. Tickets may be purchased in advance by calling Sherrie at 230-7166, Jay at 230-6850 or Tony at 855-2618. Cros... Full story
Children and adults filled the Hallett Elementary School cafeteria Oct. 24 for the PTSO's (Parent Teacher Student Organization) annual Pumpkin Bingo night. While the Pumpkin Bingo is the PTSO's first event of the school year, this year's event almost didn't happen. "The pumpkin patch that donates the pumpkins had all of their pumpkins go bad," PTSO president Alexis Gonzalez said. "We had two days to find 100 pumpkins." Gonzalez said Yokes' Fresh Markets, out of Airway...
The Pizza Factory in Medical Lake celebrated Medical Lake Middle School PACE students of the Month for October with a special pizza party celebration. Back: Reo Layton, Preston Dyess, Nicole Wetherell and Christopher Cole. Front row: Shannon McGuire and Marissa Ornelas....
The Cheney School District is taking a new approach to replacing some of its vehicle fleet, one municipalities and other taxing jurisdictions have engaged in for several years. The school board of directors approved a five-year contract at their regular meeting, Oct. 22, to lease four vehicles from LeaseExperts.com. The $173,867.75 lease amount comes with a 3.47 percent annual interest rate, bringing the total lease cost to $189,937.50, with the district making annual payments of $37,987.52. Two vehicles and accessories, a...
During the Oct. 10 Fund Run assembly, Medical Lake sixth-12th grade band director Craig Johnson got a surprise when he received the KHQ/Eastern Washington University Teacher of the Month award. Johnson has been teaching for 18 years. He started in the Medical Lake School District 14 years ago as the fifth-eighth grade band director. He has held his current position for four years. Johnson's love of music and teaching began when he was younger. His junior high instructor...
"Blue is a quiet color. Red's a hothead who likes to pick on Blue. Yellow, Orange, Green and Purple don't like what they see, but what can they do? When no one speaks up, things get out of hand - until One comes along and shows all the colors how to stand up, stand together, and count." Such is the description of children's book author Kathryn Otoshi's "One" found on the Barnes and Noble website. Otoshi has said in interviews that "One" is about tolerance, acceptance and diffe...
SPOKANE COUNTY – The Washington State Department of Ecology announced on Oct. 21 that it has approved an amendment to the Spokane County Shoreline Master Program (SMP) regarding residential onsite wastewater treatment systems in the county’s shorelines. The amendment becomes effective on October 24, 2014, and with final approval by the Department of Ecology, Spokane County’s updated Shoreline Master Program is in full compliance with Washington State’s Growth Management Act. “The new regulations address the impacts of phosph...
There will be a special Veteran’s Day community tribute to all veterans, Nov. 11, 1 p.m., at Felts Field Airport in Spokane. Featured speakers at this event include Col. Charles McDaniel, commander of 92nd Air Refueling Wing, Fairchild Air Force Base and CMSgt. AF James McCoy (retired). There will be musical performances from Mt. Spokane High School Marching Band and Spokane Brass Works. For more information, email info@honorpoint.org or call (509) 939-9587....
SPOKANE — Washington state’s Administrative Office of the Courts announced Oct. 22 that the Spokane Superior Court has been selected as one of only two counties to begin the statewide rollout of the “Odyssey Case Management System” in 2016. According to a news release from the county, the announcement by Callie Dietz, State Court Administrator, congratulated Spokane for its selection and thanked the court for its enthusiasm and willingness to serve as the first statewide rollout implementation site. In a letter to Presidi...
Spokane’s Pages of Harmony Men’s Chorus is sponsoring free singing lessons for men and boys of all ages to prepare for a December Cabaret. Spokane Falls Community College’s Dr. Jay Krumbholz, Pages of Harmony director, will lead this rare opportunity. Interested potential singers will be taught voice skills and performance confidence on Wednesday evenings at the INB Performing Arts Center at 6:30 p.m. through November. The lessons will lead up to a Dec. 6 Christmas Cabaret with a chance to sing with the Pages of Harmo...
Spokane County Sheriff’s deputies, with the assistance of K9 units and Air 1, located and arrested a suspect after a pursuit and foot chase ended in the area of Four Mound and Craig Road early Tuesday morning. On Oct. 28 at 4:10 a.m., Spokane County Sheriff’s Deputy Ian Hays observed a 2001 Honda Prelude traveling west on Trails Road. Radar showed the vehicle’s speed at 72 mph in a posted 45 mph zone. When Hays attempted to catch up to the vehicle, the driver, later identified as 38-year-old Cephas W. Parham, accelerated and...
The Medical Lake City Council saw two presentations at its Oct. 21 meeting. The first was the Washington state Department of Ecology (DOE) presenting the city’s Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Facility with the “2013 Outstanding Wastewater Treatment Plant” award for the fourth-consecutive year. The DOE gives this award to facilities that achieve 100 percent compliance with regulations imposed by the discharge permit. The Medical Lake facility was 126 out of 305 plants to win the award in 2013. Michael Hepp, DOE compliance spec...
Spokane International Airport (SIA) held an open house Oct. 22 to discuss a recent traffic study and possible improvements for the Spotted Road intersections with inbound and outbound Airport Drive. The intersections provide access for both freight and passengers to and from the airport and the Airport Business Park. SIA and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) secured funding to perform the study and determine appropriate improvements to provide safe and efficient access into the airport and surrounding...
One (Audrey Schlotter) confronts Red (Lillian Barlow) about bullying while Purple (Leanne Johnson), Green (Adam Estock) and Yellow (Colin Chen) look on during presentation of author Kathleen Otoshi's "One," part of anti-bullying week at Salnave Elementary School. See the story in Education, page 2....
While overall crime in Cheney continues to inch upwards, perhaps the most startling increase shown in the Police Department’s recent Monthly Accountability Report (MAR) is the amount of overtime paid through nine months of the current budget year. According to the September MAR, with 75 percent of the year elapsed the department is at 329.1 percent of its $16,000 of budgeted overtime, having paid $52,661.11 so far with three more months remaining. By comparison, department Cmdr. Rick Campbell said overtime was at 131.2 p...
In order to have a budget you have to have revenues matching expenses, and the Cheney City Council got a first look at what income the city can expect in 2015 at their Oct. 28 meeting. Cheney’s assessed valuation has been climbing each year, and the good news in 2015 is that trend continues, increasing by $2,188,346 over 2014 valuation to a total of $512. 4 million, according to data from the Spokane County Assessors Office. The result to the city coffers is the emergency medical services levy for 2015 will increase $...
It’s budgeting season and the city of Airway Heights is working to have their balanced budget for 2015. Airway Heights City Manager Albert Tripp will submit a preliminary budget for 2015 at the Nov. 3 City Council meeting. According to Tripp, the projected revenue for the current expense fund is $5.792 million with expenditures of $6.095 million. The beginning fund balance will be $775,000 while the estimated ending fund balance is $471,580. Estimated revenues for the street fund come in at $363,900 and expenditures t...
The crew at Jarms Ace Hardware got into the spirit of supporting the Eastern Washington football team last Friday. Wear your red this Friday in celebration of EWU's Homecoming as the Eagles take on North Dakota at Roos Field....
