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There really is nothing like the start of a road trip. You’re excited, ready to get on the open road and the weather is usually pretty good. As I write this, I’ve just finished the first of a four-day venture throughout our great state. Like all trips, there were hiccups, but the great thing about traveling is quite simply the opportunity to see something new. I’ve never been to Grand Coulee Dam, but crossed that off my list this afternoon. Simply put, it lives up to its name. Grand. Driving along Highway 2 shows just how g...
Business in the early days at Silver Lake Mercantile has been going well for Lyn Joyfull. Joyfull previously owned and operated the mercantile store Hidden Treasures in Airway Heights before moving to Silver Lake toward the end of last year. For her, searching for antiques became something greater than a hobby in the 2000s, and finding value in an obscure object is well worth the hunt. After making the call to open up a new store, she and the building landlord got to work on...
Pearl Snaps, a Spokane bluegrass group, entertains the audience at Blue Waters Bluegrass in Medical Lake last weekend. The annual three-day festival draws dozens of talented local and national touring bands to the Northwest....
A multifamily development north of Highway 2 on Craig Road drew some raised eyebrows at the Airway Heights Planning Commission. The project, still in the planning stages, was the topic of a workshop at the commission’s Monday, Aug. 12 meeting. It’s meant to provide housing opportunities to residents living in Accident Potential Zone Two, leading to the runway of Fairchild Air Force Base. Those residents would have the first opportunity to move into the facility. Development Services Director Derrick Braaten said the city doe...
Medical Lake, Airway Heights and Spokane County Fire District 10 have a plan to share resources in an effort to help each other operate more efficiently throughout the West Plains. The three fire departments are working together to produce a document that shows any duplications of service between them. Airway Heights Fire Chief Mitch Metzger said the idea first gained some traction within the city when one of the two pumps failed, necessitating the purchase of a new one...
The West Nile virus was detected at Fairchild Air Force Base last week, after sampling a mosquito trap site on the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Trail. Members of the 92nd Aerospace Medicine Squadron gathered sample pools of mosquitoes on the south side of the base near one of the cedar trails. The diseased mosquito was found in that area. Mosquitoes become infected with the virus from a bird that carried it. Other mammals, like humans and horses, aren’t carriers of the disease. “Members from 92nd Civil Eng...
Drumming and dancing were just on the surface of the annual powwow at the Airway Heights Corrections Center. Around 230 people were involved in the event, including offenders and visitors. The day started with a grand entry, flag song, charging song and dancing. Meals and a giveaway, followed by more dancing. Altogether, the event lasted around six hours Thursday, Aug. 1. “Today’s powwow, everything that we do is to give back,” one offender, Seymour Ruben, said. “To show ou...
New zoning code updates received a third and final reading after nearly two years of discussion at the Monday, Aug. 5 meeting of the Airway Heights City Council. Two ordinances, one to enhance availability of multifamily housing and another adding a mixed-use overlay, have gone back and forth between the city and various jurisdictions relating to how it would fit with aerospace enhancements. Spokane International Airport and Spokane County were among those who had numerous comments throughout the timeline. Airway Heights at...
Handmade regalian, taking several months to make, was on display at a powwow of area Native American tribes held last Aug. 1 at Airway Heights Correctin Center. See the story on page 3....
Plans from Spokane Transit Authority are moving along with the proposed West Plains transit center, and representatives shared project updates at a recent Cheney City Council meeting. Last month, STA received an award for a Spokane Regional Transportation Council grant, totaling $951,500. That money, which consists of federal dollars, will go directly to the preliminary engineering and design of the transit center. STA communications manager Molly Myers said the work on the...
This past Sunday, sounds of the baroque period filled Riverfront Park for the last time, marking the end of an era. The Royal Fireworks Concert has been a staple of my Julys for a number of years now, and it’s an event I thoroughly enjoy. Unfortunately, unless some major funding comes through, this year was the concert’s last, marking the end of a 35-year tradition in Spokane. Every year, I look forward to the fireworks, of course. But the music is surprisingly good, and given the history of the ensemble, it’s a great night...
The Spokane County Library District gave the Cheney City Council a rundown of its five-year survey results, noting service increases across the board at the Cheney Library. At the Tuesday, July 23 meeting, the library noted the various conversations it had with community members, which took place throughout the county at each branch last year. Input gathered from those community meetings was reviewed by trustees and staff to identify service priorities and develop measurable goals and objectives for the future. Over the past...
The Medical Lake School District will be working with a $19.15 million budget in the 2013-14 school year. At the July 23 board meeting, the budget was passed unanimously. Included is $18.75 million in general fund revenues, which increased by $1.25 million over the previous year, largely due to state funding increases. In addition to the increased state funding, the district received $260,000 more than it expected in Impact Aid revenue last year. The district noted that sequestration cuts were still in effect, and could play...
The annual Blue Waters Bluegrass Festival is just one week away, and talented musical acts are slated to perform throughout the three-day show, Aug. 9-11 at Medical Lake’s Waterfront Park. Music director and acting president Kevin Brown said this year’s festival offers a wide array of bluegrass music ranging from traditional to the upbeat and high-energy groups, while maintaining the traditional music seen last year. “Last year, we took a different direction,” he said. T...
Lightning storms lit up the skies last Tuesday night across the Inland Northwest. Around 500 lightning strikes were recorded and, despite having a red flag warning in effect, started no brushfires....
The lights are on, and the stage is almost set, offering a chance for the public to shine in the Airway Heights spotlight and put their talent on display. As part of the Airway Heights Festival next month, residents can compete in the first annual “Airway’s Got Talent” show. Organizer Jacob Powers was looking for something to add to the upcoming festival in hopes of keeping families and visitors in town through the evening. A car show, watermelon races and various music acts draw big crowds to Airway Heights throughout both...
All-day kindergarten is coming to the Medical Lake School District this year, although it took some effort to make it become a reality. After several years, the district’s revenue level is projected to be back where it was in the 2007-08 school year, which aided the process. At the Tuesday, July 23, school board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Pam Veltri said Medical Lake was about 40 buildings behind those that were selected on a list for all-day kindergarten funding. As a result, the district needed to scrape together some m...
Medical Lake High School tennis players teach some basic skills of the sport to youngsters during the annual 24-hour Tennis-a-thon July 17-18 at the high school tennis courts on Lefevre Street....
The city of Airway Heights received some welcome news earlier this month regarding property that encroaches on Fairchild Air Force Base. The state Legislature approved $2.7 million in funding to purchase land in Accident Potential Zone II, which lies in the approach to Fairchild’s runway. Airway Heights has made previous attempts at reducing the density in the area, but the Legislature’s funding provides a big step to making the plan a reality. “We were very optimistic that it would be supported,” City Manager Albert Tripp s...
The Medical Lake City Council is considering a change in how it handles garbage billing, which should facilitate customer service if passed. Currently, City Hall handles garbage billing for Medical Lake, based on information Sunshine Disposal sends to the city. As a result, if a resident has questions on their bill, they first go to City Hall, which then asks Sunshine Disposal the same question. City Administrator Doug Ross said a representative from Sunshine would be at the next City Council meeting to discuss the potential...
Airway Heights’ water reclamation well is up and running, giving the city a sustainable source of water into the future. The well came online Wednesday, June 26 and has been performing just as expected for the city, and marks the beginning of the end of a string of public works upgrades in the city. “The project is nearing completion,” City Manager Albert Tripp said. “We expect it to be finished before the end of August.” As a result of the well’s completion, Airway Heights has a water consumption footprint of nearly zero...
An award to R&L Landscape Construction for Airway Heights’ tree planting in Aspen Grove Park was revoked at the Monday, July 15 City Council meeting. Parks, recreation and community services director J.C. Kennedy said the company failed to produce a performance and payment bond to the city within 10 calendar days from their initial award notice June 4. Since the company didn’t follow policy, the award was revoked, as was a non-refundable bid deposit of $800. Moments later, the bid award was presented to Environment West Inc...
The discussion of banning or heavily restricting fireworks in Medical Lake took a serious step forward as a result of the recent Fourth of July celebration in the city. Councilman Howard Jorgenson was first to bring up the subject at the Tuesday, July 16 City Council meeting. “There is a difference between fireworks and these M-80s,” he said, noting that he couldn’t hear the TV in his living room even when it was set at maximum volume. He further noted that having houses all around lighting off the bigger fireworks was a lit...
For the past year, the food bank has enjoyed its spacious new location at 207 S. Washington St. It’s reaped the benefits of having a very accessible location in Medical Lake, next to the library and post office. “The new facility is half again what we had before. We streamlined the operation so we’re able to move people through here more quicker,” Food Bank director Peg James said. Before moving into the new building, the food bank’s system for serving clients was far less efficient than it is today. In addition, the past...
After many delays and much deliberation, the Airway Heights Planning Commission gave its recommendation to the City Council regarding amendments to the city’s general commercial and mixed-use overlay policies. Development Services Director Derrick Braaten said the process, which started back in the late months of 2011, has seen numerous delays along the way due to various factors. Among them included Spokane County’s implementation of its Joint Land Use Study and receiving comments from various jurisdictions involved in the...
