Looking Back

10 Years Ago

June 5, 2008

For the second season in a row, a Cheney High School team won a state academic title. The Blackhawks baseball team was named state academic champions among all Class 2A baseball teams in the spring. The Hawks’ boys basketball team won similar honors at the end of winter quarter.

Cadets from Medical Lake High School’s JROTC program led a procession down East Barker Street during a rededication of a tree memorial created in memory of Air Force veteran Capt. Donovan Walters. He was a former Medical Lake resident, who went missing in action during the Vietnam War’s Linebacker II operation of 1972.

Kyle Miller and Griffon Jones were both named the Cheney Free Press senior athletes of the year. Both of them were basketball players for the Cheney Blackhawks

20 Years Ago

June 11, 1998

After 17 years as the city administrator for Cheney, Jim Reinbold tendered his resignation to the City Council and Mayor Amy Jo Sooy.

“Give us something to do downtown Cheney and we will go there.” That was the message that came through preliminary results of a marketing study done by EWU students on fellow classmates.

Forty kids, 18 parents and two teachers from Reid Elementary School packed up and piled into a bus to Neah Bay. The kids, many of who had never seen the ocean before, got an education on sea-life, beaches, topography and tides.

30 Years Ago

June 9, 1988

Plans were underway that could eventually lead to 80 residential units being built just off North Sixth Street, through a joint effort of the Cheney Care center and a Spokane developer.

The Medical Lake School District said goodbye to six retirees with the close of the school year. Leaving the district was Superintendent Duane Heidenreich, middle school principal Chuck Van Stone, elementary assistant principal Rod Peterson and teachers Carmen Hagman, Mary Jane Rehn and Dale Roberts.

Medical Lake’s Chris Gollehon agreed to terms last weekend with the Detroit Tigers organization and is set to make his debut in pro-baseball.

40 Years Ago

June 8, 1978

“Common sense” would determine the course of America, Sen. Warren Magnuson told over 1,000 graduates of Eastern Washington University during their commencement.

Medical Lake’s residents won’t have to travel to Cheney or Spokane to purchase prescriptions, now that Owl Pharmacy opened for business at 123 Lake St.

Medical Lake lost two employees with the resignations of Parks and Recreation Director Jim Johnson and police officer Mike Ostlie.

50 Years Ago

June 6, 1968

Elected as officers for this season’s youth baseball in Medical Lake were: John Woodward, president, Joann South, secretary and Chris Denman, treasurer.

Michael Edgett gave the welcoming address at the Cheney High School commencement with 117 seniors graduating.

Elmer Dale Buob Jr. received the Lion’s Club citizenship award at graduation. He maintained a 4.0 GPA through high school and was awarded the highest honor given at Whitman College the nationally known Alfred P. Sloan 4-year scholarship.