Articles from the March 2, 2017 edition


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  • Wolffy's tests the appetites of Airway Heights

    PAUL DELANEY, Staff Reporter|Updated Mar 2, 2017

    Just like the residential population, the West Plains seems to be the area where expansion is taking place with business too. Add the nearly 30-year-old local restaurant chain, Wolffy's, to that list with their location in Airway Heights. "We looked all over, in the past we've been on the Northside (of Spokane near), Mead High School, Argonne and Montgomery (in the Spokane Valley), so we've been everywhere," general manager, Justin Davis said. The family-owned business had...

  • Medical Lake robotics gear up for 'Steamworks' competition

    AL STOVER, Staff Reporter|Updated Mar 2, 2017

    For this year's FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) season, the Medical Lake High School Circuit Breakers are channeling their inner adventurers. This season's FIRST competition is Steamworks, a reference to the era when society relied on steam power technology. The team's first event will be March 4 at West Valley High School. The competition's objective is for alliances of three teams to launch an airship. Alliances accomplish this by...

  • The day the mountain roared and the base went dark

    Paul Delaney|Updated Mar 2, 2017

    There's not much that can bring a Strategic Air Command bomber and tanker base to its knees and as close to a shutdown as possible. Except that is for the unknown fury of Mother Nature's wrath. That's not, mind you with cold, snow, ice or other weather, but a volcano that effectively shut down Fairchild Air Force Base's mission for weeks. The devastating eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980 would have been the prefect time for any rogues and other bad guys to take...

  • Looking Back

    Updated Mar 2, 2017

    1 Years Ago March 1, 2007 The Cheney Planning Commission gave its final, official approval to the construction of a new self-storage facility on Andrus Road between First Street and Cheney-Spokane Road. New Fairways golf course owner Buster Heitman and his wife Laura formed West Terrace Golf, LLC, to purchase the 144-acre 6,541-yard course from absentee-owner Charles Klar of Scottsdale, Ariz. The Spokane Tribe of Indians got the state Gaming Commission’s 6-3 approval of a gaming compact, which would regulate the number of s...

  • Plowing ordinance changes create law-breaking opportunities

    Updated Mar 2, 2017

    I appreciate that the paper published an article about the change in the snow plowing ordinance, evidently in quick order. I appreciate the fact that this winter was not normal, seeing we’ve had more snow than usual and the coldest temperatures in nearly 40 years. I also appreciate that the (Cheney) City Council and Police Department want the streets as clear as possible for the safety of vehicles on the road. However, I seriously wonder if the new ordinance won’t lead directly to greater non-compliance of the ordinance. Thi...

  • Does Cheney plowing ordinance benefit pedestrians?

    Updated Mar 2, 2017

    I found the recent article describing changes that the Cheney police department has proposed in order to enhance future snow removal (“Cheney changes plowing ordinance,” 2/16) to be interesting as it suggests that safe pedestrian travel is a priority. My experience as a pedestrian during the winter in Cheney has been quite the opposite. If there is an ordinance that compels homeowners to clear their sidewalks, it is not enforced. Many sidewalks have just thawed, having been snow covered since early December, and some of tho...

  • Freedom of the press is absolutely the issue here

    Updated Mar 2, 2017

    There’s a concise, straight forward answer to Mr. Delaney’s 2/23/17 op-ed question, “Is freedom of the press really the issue here?” The answer is yes! Mr. Delaney obfuscates the issue with tired conservative arguments and laments, but when the President of the United States says that the nation’s news media is the “enemy of the American people,” then you’re darned right freedom of the press, and the First Amendment broadly is the issue. I agree with what Will McRaven, a retired Navy admiral and University of Texas system ch...

  • You mad bro? In this country, that answer seems to be definitely

    John McCallum, Editor|Updated Mar 2, 2017

    We are an angry society. Not all of us, but a lot of us sure seem to be upset at something or someone or both at some point in time for some reason or reasons. I don’t understand why we have so much vehemence towards people, places and things that likely haven’t really done anything to harm us, but we do. This isn’t a recent phenomena. It’s been building for years, it’s just that now this anger seems to have permeated much of our culture. A florist in Pasco gets angry about being asked to sell flowers to a gay couple fo...

  • Rosellini's '60s toll idea deserves another look

    DON C. BRUNELL, Contributor|Updated Mar 2, 2017

    Remember the old saying: Hindsight is 20-20? If only Washington voters had followed Gov. Albert Rosellini’s tolling plan to build, maintain and replace our state’s major bridges, we would have replacement funds today. Now, lawmakers in Olympia are scrambling to find the billions needed for the new I-5 bridge connecting Vancouver and Portland. Predictably, tolling needs to be included in the funding scheme, but it is still a political hot button. Rosellini, the Seattle Dem...

  • EWU Police Department presents 2015 clery report

    AL STOVER, Staff Reporter|Updated Mar 2, 2017

    At the Feb. 23 Eastern Washington University board of trustees meeting, the Eastern Washington University police department delivered the clery report for 2015. One of the trends Police Chief Tim Walters highlighted was the increase in sexual assault cases. In 2015, there were nine incidents — six rapes and three fondlings — on campus, which is up from three incidents in 2014. Five of the six rape cases and all three of the fondling incidents were in residential facilities, which are a subset of campus. Walters said the inc...

  • Honored staff

    GRACE POHL|Updated Mar 2, 2017

    Salnave Elementary School secretary Jen Pohl (center) was named the Cheney School District's Classified Staff Employee of the Year at the Feb. 22 school board meeting. Pohl is pictured with Salnave Principal Celina Brennan (left) and assistant principal Sara McKennon (right)....

  • Cheney Middle School FBLA chapter competes in Regional Winter Conference

    Staff and news reports|Updated Mar 2, 2017

    The Cheney Middle School Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) chapter competed at the 2017 Northeast Regional Winter Conference, held Feb. 4 at the Eastpoint Church in Spokane Valley. Eleven students from Cheney Middle School represented one of the district’s middle level chapters, with six placing in the top-six, three different times in the competition’s 65 different events. Students who placed in the top six are eligible to compete at the state conference in Spokane, April 19-22. Of the three events Cheney Middle Sch...

  • Jenkins qualifies for Washington Crossing Foundation Scholarship

    Updated Mar 2, 2017

    Cheney High School senior Andrew Jenkins has been named a semifinalist in the 48th annual national Washington Crossing Foundation Scholarship competition. According to a news release, the scholarships are awarded to high school seniors for the best all-around presentations about why they are planning careers in government service. Founded in 1969 to honor the over 60 years of service to the nation by the late author-historian Ann Hawkes Hutton, the program is dedicated to...

  • School board hears next steps in school building expansions

    John McCallum, Editor|Updated Mar 2, 2017

    With a final ballot count and election certification taking place last week, Cheney Public Schools Superintendent Rob Roettger gave the district’s board of directors an overview at their Feb. 22 meeting of the next steps in implementing the voter-approved $52 million capital facilities bond. The final 25 ballots remaining to be counted were done so last Thursday, Feb. 23, with the district picking up several more yes votes, finishing with a 61.14 percent approval. The election was certified on Feb. 24, with the district n...

  • Family features focus

    AL STOVER, Staff Reporter|Updated Mar 2, 2017

    A family-friendly video arcade, a high-end RV resort and a retail store are a few of the features in Northern Quest Resort and Casino's upcoming expansion project. During a Feb. 22 press conference, representatives from the Kalispel Tribe Economic Authority announced it will soon break ground on the resort's 40,000 square foot, nearly $20 million, project. In addition to the aforementioned items, the expansion will include two additional food vendors and modifications to the...

  • News Briefs

    FROM STAFF AND NEWS SOURCES|Updated Mar 2, 2017

    Miss Cheney Rodeo coronation and auction is March 4 The 2017 Miss Cheney Rodeo coronation will be held Saturday, March 4 at 6 p.m. at Fort Wright Mukogawa Commons, 4000 West Randolph Road in Spokane. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. A $15 at the door includes admission and a three-course meal and beverage. A silent and a live auction will also take place. The 2017 Miss Cheney Rodeo is Kolby Smith who will oversee activities at the 50th annual event taking place July 7-9. Smith is the 20-year-old daughter of Ronda and Kevin Smith. She...

  • EWU hosts events for International Women's Day

    GRACE POHL, Staff Intern|Updated Mar 2, 2017

    Eastern Washington University is hosting three events in honor of International Women’s Day, held March 8. Two events take place at the Cheney campus while the other one will be held in Spokane. According to their website, the International Women’s Day is a global celebration of women of every background and all walks of life. In Spokane, they use this celebration as an opportunity to foster community among women and share knowledge to advance and empower them in this region. The first event takes place tomorrow, March 3,...

  • Sharp drilling

    AL STOVER|Updated Mar 2, 2017

    The Medical Lake Junior ROTC competes in the armed drill routine at the Silverwings drill competition held Feb. 25 at the high school. The team was judged on their unifoms, regulation marching and expedition of maneuvers....

  • Airway Heights council waives city manager residence requirement

    AL STOVER, Staff Reporter|Updated Mar 2, 2017

    At its Feb. 21 meeting, the Airway Heights City Council passed a resolution that waives the requirement for the city manager to live within the city limits. The Revised Code of Washington chapter 35A.13.050 requires the city manager to reside within city limits after he or she is appointed to the position, unless council waives the requirement. The resolution updates the employment contract to live within 35-45 minutes of the city limits. During the Feb. 13 study session, where council saw the resolution for the first time,...

  • Alternate route

    John McCallum|Updated Mar 2, 2017

    Because of high runoff water conditions, the city of Medical Lake's water reclamation plant has been pumping into its secondary outfall that flows underneath Brooks Road and eventually into Deep Creek....

  • ML council OKs relamping plan

    John McCallum, Editor|Updated Mar 2, 2017

    Medical Lake will soon see Avista crews around town changing out old high pressure sodium and other style streetlamps and replacing them with new, brighter and more energy efficient Light Emitting Diode (LED) lamps — thanks to an agreement with the state’s Transportation Improvement Board. The city has been awarded a $104,000 grant from TIB’s Relight Washington Program to provide for conversion of standard street lamps to LEDs. The City Council approved the contract with the TIB at its Feb. 21 meeting last Tuesday, with...

  • Felix and fan

    PAUL DELANEY|Updated Mar 2, 2017

    Eastern Washington University basketball player Felix Von Hofe autographs a team poster for a young fan after the Eagles' 89-77 win over the visiting Idaho State Bengals last Saturday....

  • High flows and cracked streets

    John McCallum, Editor|Updated Mar 2, 2017

    While Spokane County roads seem to have taken the brunt of the recent rains and snow melt, cities on the West Plains have experienced their own set of problems. Both Cheney and Medical Lake's water reclamation plants have seen unusually high flows from their respective sewer systems; something the Airway Heights plant seems to have dodged. Where all three cities have seen similar impacts is in their street conditions. Circumstances last evening Thursday forced Medical Lake...

  • Cardinal boys bounced from playoffs

    Updated Mar 1, 2017

    Film can be deceiving and nobody knows that more now than Medical Lake head boys' head basketball coach Noel Hachtel. Going on what they saw from video on the Hoquiam Grizzlies, the Cardinal coaching staff figured they had a solid game plan for their regional 1A state playoff game played last Saturday at Cheney High School. Not so as it turned out, and Medical Lake lost 90-75 in a fast-paced loser-out game to the visitors from Grays Harbor on the state's far west...

  • Medical Lake girls go flat in final minutes of loss to La Salle

    Paul Delaney|Updated Mar 1, 2017

    The pressure hung heavy on freshman Jayda Noble as she stepped to the free throw line with 1 second remaining in her team's 1A regional game against LaSalle and Medical Lake trailing 47-45 last Saturday in the Cheney High School gym. When the first foul shot clanked off the rim, then the tears welled in her eyes because it meant the Cinderella season for the Cardinals had the wheel fall off the carriage on the way to the state championship ball. But it wasn't that miss, nor...

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