Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 34
On Feb. 1, inmates at Coyote Ridge Corrections Center in Franklin County, Wash. began a hunger strike over a multitude of issues, including the state of their breakfasts. But what West Plains locals might not know is that those breakfasts are made close to home at a prison in Airway Heights. There, thousands of prepacked meals are made every day and shipped out across the state to other facilities. Inmates at the Airway Heights Correctional Center (AHCC) are the primary force behind the “breakfast boats,” what prisoners and...
The Medical Lake wrestling squad closed out an impressive season last weekend at the Matt Classic XXXI at the Tacoma Dome, taking 13 wrestlers to the state championship tournament. Weston Thomas in the 120-pound weight class beat two wrestlers before falling to Royal's Dominic Martinez in a 1:33 minute takedown. In the consolation round he defeated two more wrestlers before being eliminated by Mount Baker's Jake Anderson for a fourth-place finish. Aden Carl in the 113-weight...
The French-born American historian Jacque Barzun, a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, wrote extensively about a wide range of Western and American cultural phenomena. One of his cultural studies involved baseball. He’s even quoted on a plaque at the Baseball Hall of Fame. It reads, “Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn baseball, the rules and realities of the game — and do it by watching first some high school or small town teams...
The Cheney High varsity wrestling team has made undeniable progress over the last few months, but for all their success in the regular season, the league champions struggled to maintain control against statewide competition at the Tacoma Dome’s Mat Classic XXXI, Feb. 15-16. A cancelled regionals due to inclement weather meant 32-man brackets at state, making for a packed competition and tight matches across the board. “We didn’t quite have the tournament we were hoping for,...
June Labish, long time resident of Cheney, Wash., passed away on Feb. 9, 2019 at Hospice of Spokane. June was born on May 13, 1920 to Ernest and Nola Steward in Four Lakes, Wash. She met Joe Labish at a Four Lakes Grange Hall dance, and the two were later married on Nov. 4, 1939. They continued to dance for 68 years. June was a dedicated housewife that cared for her family and hired hands. She was a member of East Cheney Grange, and St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church. She held...
It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Amy Josephine (Amy Jo) Sooy-Tollefson on Feb. 13, 2019 in Cheney, Wash. Amy Jo was born in Sprague, Wash. on Nov. 25, 1933 to Mary Iva (Billie) and Ernest (Babe) Melville. Amy Jo was raised on a wheat farm in the Lamont/Sprague area. In 1945 at the age of 12, her family moved from Lamont, Wash. to a farm on Cheney-Spangle Road. She graduated from Cheney High School in 1951. She married Fred Sooy in 1953 and was a farm wife...
Feed Medical Lake cancels February meals due to snow Feed Medical Lake is canceling all February meals due to the prediction of much more snow. We are looking forward to be able to resume our meals in March beginning with supper on March 11 with open-faced beef sandwiches, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn and tri-cake. For more information call Joanna Williams at (509) 714-1150. Cheney book club to discuss ‘Hamilton’ Feb. 26 The book “Alexander Hamilton” by Ron Chernow will be discussed at the Feb. 26 meeting of the Cheney...
1 Years Ago March 5, 2009 Hoping to keep up with anticipated growth, the Cheney School District purchased a 20-acre plot of land on North 6th Street for $710,000 to be used for future district expansion. Small businesses on the West Plains, particularly in Medical Lake, faced tough economic times and struggled with a slowing of commercial growth, especially as large chain stores moved into the area. The Medical Lake City Council heard a presentation from Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich on what contracting out the city...
Cheney Congregational Church We would like to invite everyone to join us for Sunday worship services at 10 a.m. Feb. 24, pastor David Krueger-Duncan’s sermon will be “Worth His Life: Paul and the Collection.” Plan to stay for coffee, refreshments and conversation in the fellowship hall following the service. The next men’s breakfast meeting will be Sunday, Feb. 24, at 7:45 a.m. at the Marketplace Bakery & Eatery on 1st Street in Cheney. Everyone is welcome to sing in our choir (no previous musical experience is required.) Pra...
Dahlias have been a fixture in summer flower gardens for generations. But it may be time to update your idea of dahlias. With hundreds of varieties to choose from in a fabulous array of colors, shapes and flower sizes, it is no surprise the National Garden Bureau has declared 2019 the “Year of the Dahlia.” Join the celebration and brighten your garden with dahlias this year. Not only are dahlias beautiful, but they’re also easy to grow. Just plant the tuberous roots in a sun...
Winter in the area seemed to be cruising along well on its projected course as one of those typical non-descript El Niño-influenced seasons. That phenomena featuring slightly warmer than usual ocean temperatures is generally a signal for higher than normal temperatures and lower snow in the lowlands, retired Eastern Washington University meteorology professor Dr. Bob Quinn said back in late December. The pattern started on the weak side but strengthened by the waning days of...
After 12 years of being a working guy at Eastern Washington University sporting events for the Cheney Free Press and having complimentary admission, on Monday, Feb. 18 I became a paying customer. Went to the Reese Court ticket window and asked for general admission for the double-header featuring men’s and women’s teams from Eastern Washington and Idaho. Damned near choked when told that my bill was $28. Luckily, I visited the cash machine on the way, plus anyway, I gladly bought the ticket to help support my alma mater. But...
I want to share my high praise and appreciation of the city of Cheney street department for the skill and dependability with which they plow the streets of our city. They are quick to respond when it snows, and the city has invested in the “gates” necessary to keep most of the snow out of our driveways. Anybody remember the old days when we had to shovel a high (often frozen solid) berm from the end of our driveways after every plowing? Whenever I hear a plow on our street, I run to the window like a child running to wat...
This week I got a bit of a lesson in human insensitivity, or maybe one in our unique ability to turn the appalling into the mundane if exposed to it often enough. While driving to work the other day, I noticed an elderly woman in a wheelchair struggling to get onto the curb about two blocks ahead. She would back up, try to gain traction and wheel forward with all her might, only to get caught on the giant berms of plowed snow packed rock-solid into ice overnight. Back and forth she went, wheeling out onto the busy road by nec...
CHENEY Feb. 11 Second-degree theft was reported on the 300 block of North 7th Street. A trumpet was taken. Domestic violence/verbal dispute was reported on the 1000 block of Betz Road. Feb. 12 Rape was reported on the 100 block of North 9th Street. Fourth-degree assault was reported on the 2200 block of North 6th Street. Roger L. Walters, 31, was arrested on the 2800 block of Al Ogdon Way for third-degree driving while license suspended (DWLS). Feb. 13 Twenty-four vehicles were towed from various locations around Cheney due...
A Cheney man involved in a one-car crash near Mead has been charged with vehicular assault in the incident. According to a Feb. 15 Washington State Patrol press memo, 29-year-old Miller S. Vanstone of Cheney was westbound on State Route 206 near milepost six, between Halliday and Madison roads, about 5 p.m. Feb. 14 in a 2006 Mazda Speed when the vehicle left the roadway. The vehicle left the roadway to the right, struck a Department of Transportation guardrail and went down an embankment. The Mazda continued down the...
You probably haven't noticed, but there's a new railroad in town. Tucked unobtrusively beneath a covered walkway on Lefevre Street in downtown Medical Lake are the offices of the Washington Eastern Railroad (WER), the new operator of the Central Washington Branch of the state-owned and managed Palouse River and Coulee City Rail System. They're a small but busy crew. From his small office space, WER operations manager Gary Durr, and his conductors and maintenance crews manage,...
West Plains residents who think they have a unique collection of antiques or relics might want to give the folks at the History Channel show “American Pickers” a call. The documentary series that “explores the fascinating world of antique ‘picking’” through the adventures of skilled pickers Mike Wolfe, Frank Fritz and their assistant Danielle Colby is coming to Washington this April to film some episodes. Series staff are hoping to find residents who have collections...
Spokane County Fire District 10 is revitalizing its Sunset Volunteer Firefighters Association and celebrated with its largest event in recent memory early this month — the SCFD10 Awards Banquet, honoring several firefighters for outstanding achievements over the course of 2018. The event, hosted at Northern Quest Resort and Casino on Feb. 2, drew volunteers, fulltime staff and their families together and to recognize firefighters in several categories, including Resident of th...
Medical Lake High School students who earned a 3.25-3.49 grade point average during the first semester of the 2018-2019 school year were placed on the honor roll. Students achieving a GPA of 3.5 or higher earned a place on the Principal’s honor roll. The lists below were provided by Medical Lake High School. Senior Principal’s Honor Roll Faraz Abounorinejad, Mekayla A. Adamkiewicz, Amy J. Alderman, Sierra R. Brock, Ethan J. Brown, Liliana I. Brown, Brandon D. Chambers, Nolan R. Davis, Courtney B. Daylo, Jaxyn L. Farmen, Megan...
With winter finally here in all of its white glory, and more snow forecast to come, Cheney residents would be wise to brush up on the city’s snow plowing procedures and polices. Particularly what to do with your vehicle if you typically park it on the street. According to the city’s municipal code, Cheney plows roll out whenever two or more inches of snow accumulates on city streets, and will continue to roll as long as the snow remains uncleared. As such, no vehicles are allowed to be parked on the streets or any city rig...
The Cheney School Board had a lot on its plate at its Feb. 13 meeting, hearing essential updates on upcoming sports classification changes and the ongoing attendance boundary review. By all accounts, Cheney may soon see a league change in its future following the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) vote to drop its current system of classifications based on percentage and return to basing classifications on a ladder set by fixed enrollment numbers. That means that Cheney High School will almost certainly...
The City of Medical Lake will be constructing a new intertie connection with the City of Spokane beginning this spring near Craig Road and State Route 902, officials said. The nearly $500,000 infrastructure project will allow Medical Lake to tap into Spokane’s water on-demand for both a water emergency and for supplemental water. The cost includes connection fees charged by Spokane. The intertie agreement was approved by the Medical Lake City Council in mid-June. In it, S...
Spokane Transit Authority officials told Cheney's City Council that ridership on the local service has dropped off significantly since route changes were implemented last September - and they have a plan to restore its use by residents and Eastern Washington University students. Addressing the council during the information portion of the Feb. 12 meeting, STA director of planning and development Karl Otterstrom said the agency had experienced "more than typical negative...
The addition of a snow pack this month has led some animals to find new ways to get food. This moose was seen helping herself to some birdseed at a home just above Marshal in the Grove and Hallett road area Tuesday morning, Feb. 19....
