Articles written by Dean Henrich


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  • Legislative Session Begins in Olympia

    Dean Henrich, Valley News Herald|Updated Jan 12, 2023

    OLYMPIA, Wash - The 105-day 2023 Washington State legislative session began on Monday, Jan. 9, 2023, with opening ceremonies in the Senate and House of Representatives. This is the first time the Legislature has convened in person since the 2020 session. According to a press release from the Office of Gov. Jay Inslee, housing and homelessness are top priorities for legislators. The governor has proposed a $4 billion referendum that would accelerate affordable housing...

  • County Commission Grows to Five Members

    DEAN HENRICH, Valley News Herald|Updated Jan 6, 2023

    SPOKANE COUNTY - The Spokane County Commission now officially has five members. Democrats Amber Waldref and Chris Jordan have joined Republicans Al French, Josh Kerns, and Mary Kuney to form the board that will represent the residents of Spokane County. Both Waldref and Jordan were sworn in as commissioners at a ceremony held on Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022. Spokane County Court Commissioner Michelle Ressa administered Jordan's oath of office. He will serve a two-year term as...

  • Nowels ahead of Nelson in sheriff's race

    Dean Henrich, Spokane Valley News Herald|Updated Nov 9, 2022

    CHENEY — Both Undersheriff John Nowels and former sheriff's office employee Wade Nelson hope to follow Ozzie Knezovich as Spokane County Sheriff starting in January. Both Nowels and Nelson are running as Republicans. Early results following the General Election on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, showed Nowels winning with 58% of the vote. Nelson was trailing with 39%. "Pretty happy with the results. I think it's a good number. Obviously, a lot more ballots are going to be counted b...

  • Kerns has strong lead in District No. 3 race

    Dean Henrich, Spokane Valley News Herald|Updated Nov 9, 2022

    SPOKANE COUNTY - Washington's general election was concluded on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. According to early results, Republican incumbent Josh Kerns had a significant lead over challenger Wild Bill Schreiner in the race for Spokane County Commissioner in District 3. Kerns had 77% of the vote compared to Schreiner's 21%. "I'm very humbled at the large number. It's like a report card from the voters," Kerns said to the Valley News Herald on Election Night. "We ask whether it's eve...

  • Sheriff's Office welcomes new deputies 

    Dean Henrich, Cheney Free Press|Updated Sep 2, 2022

    SPOKANE – Three new deputies have joined the Spokane County Sheriff's Office. Ty Laboy, Whitnie Whitman and Paul Grady Jr. were sworn in Tuesday, Aug. 16, by Undersheriff John Nowels. Laboy, 26, was born in San Antonio, Texas. He and his family moved to the area in 2000. He grew up in Spokane Valley and graduated from West Valley High School in 2014. He was previously employed with Spokane County Detention Services and has served in the Washington Army National Guard since 2...

  • Zollars joins Sheriff's race

    Dean Henrich, Valley News Herald|Updated May 25, 2022

    SPOKANE VALLEY-Fifty-six-year-old Michael Zollars has joined the race for Spokane County Sheriff. He's the third candidate to step up as a possible successor to Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich. Zollars is running against Undersheriff John Nowels and longtime deputy Wade Nelson. All three have filed with the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission as Republicans. Knezovich has publicly endorsed Nowels. Zollars officially announced his candidacy on Monday, May 16. He shared his...

  • Wade Nelson throws hat into ring

    Dean Henrich, Cheney Free Press|Updated May 19, 2022

    SPOKANE VALLEY-There are now two men who want to be the next Sheriff of Spokane County. Wade Nelson is the newest candidate to throw his hat into the ring. Undersheriff John Nowels did so back in January. Current Sheriff, Ozzie Knezovich, will not run for re-election but has endorsed Nowels. Both Nowels and Nelson have registered as Republicans. "I've been with the Sheriff's office for almost 21 years. I've worked under Ozzie and John Nowels for a very long time," Nelson...

  • Arrest made in fatal shooting

    Dean Henrich, Valley News Herald|Updated Apr 28, 2022

    AIRWAY HEIGHTS—Spokane Valley Major Crimes Detectives, with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service Task Force, arrested 29-year-old Shayne R. Galloway at the Days Inn in Airway Heights last Friday in connection with the fatal shooting of Joseph B. Quinn of Newport. According to the Spokane Valley Police Department (SVPD), detectives identified Galloway as a suspect in Quinn’s death. Law enforcement located Galloway inside one of the rooms at the Days Inn and took him into custody without incident. Court documents sho...

  • West Valley Robotics on to world competition

    Dean Henrich, Valley News Herald|Updated Apr 14, 2022

    CHENEY- A heavy bass beat and bright lights welcomed spectators to a high-energy showdown at Eastern Washington University (EWU) last weekend with 50 teams of 6-to-18-year-olds from across the state competing at the FIRST Washington Robotics District Championship at Reese Court April 7-9. West Valley High School's (WVHS) Team Chuck 2147 was among the top finishers placing sixth in the event and qualifying for the World Championship in Houston. President of FIRST Washington Robotics Erica Beckstrom said the organization is...

  • Family entertainment center coming to Spokane Valley

    DEAN HENRICH, Valley News Herald|Updated Mar 10, 2022

    SPOKANE VALLEY-An exciting new family entertainment business is coming to Spokane Valley. Flight 509 Adventure Park will be a locally owned family business. The 11,875 square foot facility will be located at 10502 E. Montgomery, between Pines and Argonne in Spokane Valley. Owner Tim Homer hopes to open Flight 509 in late 2022. "It'll be later this year or next year, the way the supply chain keeps changing," Homer said. "We should be getting the permit to start construction in...

  • Spokane County relaxes chicken-raising rules

    Dean Henrich, Valley News Herald|Updated Dec 23, 2021

    SPOKANE – Spokane County commissioners unanimously voted Tuesday, Dec. 7, to relax county zoning restrictions on raising chickens. Chairman Josh Kerns said a constituent approached him with the idea earlier this year. “This is a perfect example of a citizen led process to change local laws,” he said. “For people in unincorporated Spokane County, this means that they’ll now be able to raise their chickens legally.” The change will allow county residents the ability to increase the availability of a sustainable food supply, off...

  • B-25 to take flight to honor veterans

    Dean Henrich, Valley News Herald|Updated Nov 11, 2021

    SPOKANE VALLEY — This Veterans Day will include a flying tribute in the skies over Spokane Valley. The B-25 bomber “Grumpy” will take off from Felts Field and embark on a mission to take part in a number of local services and observances on the Thursday, Nov. 11, holiday. John Sessions of the Historic Flight Foundation will be the pilot at Grumpy’s controls for the. Sessions said he has a strategy for making the plane’s appearance at each event special, “The trick is to hide...

  • Liberty Lake and Millwood vote for mayors

    Dean Henrich, Valley News Herald|Updated Nov 3, 2021

    SPOKANE VALLEY — The polls have closed on another General Election Day and the early results are coming into focus. In the Liberty Lake mayoral race, Cris Kaminskas was validated by being elected to the position she was appointed to when Shane Brickner resigned last December. Kaminskas garnered 64% of the vote to former Mayor Steve Peterson’s 34%. Millwood voters have decided Kevin Freeman will continue to be their mayor with 72% of the vote over challenger Matt Dean. Freeman says he sought a third term to help guide an imp...

  • Cheney Blackhawks fall to West Valley Eagles

    Dean Henrich, Valley News Herald|Updated Sep 30, 2021

    MILLWOOD – The Cheney Blackhawks varsity football team lost their away game against the West Valley Eagles, 17-0, of Friday, Sept. 24. Craig Whitney is in his 17th season as West Valley head coach, "It's fun to play in Millwood. It's important to our community to have football games," he said of winning at home. "You saw the excitement in the stands. I'm very happy for our community, really happy for our kids." Cheney Head Coach Bobby Byrd is still trying to find a fix for h...

  • Sits with hogs

    Dean Henrich, Valley News Herald|Updated Sep 16, 2021

    Carter Baldwin of Medical lake hangs out with his 6-month-old hog, “Buddy,” a Hamp X breed. “I have to feed him. Walk him, and give him a whole bunch of mud so he can cool down in the hot sun,” Baldwin said. Baldwin attends Hallett Elementary School....

  • All-Alaskan Racing Pigs return to fair 

    DEAN HENRICH, Valley News Herald|Updated Sep 16, 2021

    SPOKANE VALLEY -- The All-Alaskan Racing Pigs are regulars each year at the Spokane County Interstate Fair. The “racetrack” is on the North Lawn at the fairgrounds, with show times daily through the run of the fair. Owner Bart Noll says he started the show 34 years ago when he and his wife, Deanne, lived in Fairbanks, Alaska. “I was working in the fair business at the time and we heard about this pig racing thing. I pitched it to my boss,” he said. “He didn’t think it was a very good idea. “The next year, my wife and I re...

  • Interstate Fair proceeds with caution

    Dean Henrich, Cheney Free Press|Updated Sep 9, 2021

    SPOKANE VALLEY – Eating elephant ears, guessing the weight of giant pumpkins, sheep, cows, pigs and much more are all part of the annual experience presented by the Spokane County Interstate Fair. This year’s 70th anniversary fair runs from Friday, Sept. 10, through Sunday, Sept. 19, at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center on the corner of Broadway and Havana. The fair was canceled last year due to coronavirus shutdown orders. This year, fair organizers plan to follow the guidance of the Spokane Regional Health Dis...