Articles from the April 14, 2022 edition


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  • COLD CASE: 50 years later, student's death remains unsolved

    Olivia Harnack, Whitman County Gazette|Updated Apr 29, 2022

    PASCO — Joyce Margaret LePage was born Dec. 4., 1949, into a farming family that lived just outside the city. As an athletic and intelligent student, her decision to attend Washington State University was not a surprise to the LePage family. The family had several ties to the university in Whitman County. But Joyce would not graduate. In fact, Joyce would never grow beyond the age of 21 years old. In the summer of 1971, the WSU junior disappeared without a trace. Nine m...

  • West Plains Police News

    Updated Apr 14, 2022

    POLICE BLOTTER Cheney April 5 Harassment reported on the 1600 block of Third Street. Guitar foot pedal stolen from vehicle In the 100 block of Greenbriar Lane. Verbal dispute reported on West Third Street. April 6 Fourth degree assault reported In the 1500 block of West First Street. April 7 Child abuse and neglect reported in Cheney. Tablet, money, compressor, and jewelry stolen from vehicle In the 1000 block of Betz Road. Bicycle stolen from the 200 block of North Third Street. Criminal impersonation via online fraud...

  • Updated Apr 14, 2022

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  • Fire Department hires new firefighter

    Matthew O. Stephens, Cheney Free Press|Updated Apr 14, 2022

    AIRWAY HEIGHTS – Airway Heights Fire Department (AHFD) officially christened its part-time firefighter program with the April 1 hiring of Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Brenda Wittig. Wittig, who lives in Spokane Valley, has been a volunteer firefighter with the department for the past two years. "It is exciting," Wittig said. "I'll essentially have the same responsibilities-just with a title now." Wittig initially gained interest in becoming a firefighter when friends in...

  • Forgotten Heroes remembered

    Matthew O. Stephens, Cheney Free Press|Updated Apr 14, 2022

    MEDICAL LAKE – The services and lives of 48 unclaimed veterans were honored on April 12 during a Forgotten Heroes Interment at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery outside of Medical Lake.  The Forgotten Heroes initiative is the collaborative efforts of the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs, the State Veterans Cemetery, and other national entities that locate, identify, and help transport unclaimed veterans' remains to place them in an appropriate final resting pla...

  • Area kids benefit from youth ranch

    Matthew O. Stephens, Cheney Free Press|Updated Apr 14, 2022

    MEDICAL LAKE – Keeping kids busy, interested in agriculture and teaching them responsibilities they may not otherwise encounter. That's the purpose of the Jensen Memorial Youth Ranch (JMYR). Families such as the Shaffer's who live in town and have no available land to raise animals, said they are grateful for the opportunity JMYR provides. "This ranch is awesome," Tony Shaffer said. "We've got a place in town with no land, so our kids wouldn't be able to have the experience o...

  • 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...

  • New owners take lead at Grocery Outlet

    Matthew O. Stephens, Cheney Free Press|Updated Apr 14, 2022

    AIRWAY HEIGHTS – Tony and Kaylie Greene are the new proprietors of the Airway Heights Grocery Outlet. On April 9, area residents celebrated with the Greene's at a West Plains Chamber of Commerce a ribbon cutting. The store had games set up with prizes to win for everyone. The Greene's said community involvement is one of the main focuses of the store. "A big part of the Grocery Outlet model is community," Kaylie said. "We are going to be part of Airway Heights Days and S...

  • Youth mental health challenges on the rise

    Cathy McMorris Rodgers|Updated Apr 14, 2022

    Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-5th District, delivered the following remarks at the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee Hearing on legislation to support mental health and the well-being of people in America. The following are excerpts from her prepared remarks. By Cathy McMorris Rodgers “Our children are in crisis. More high schoolers are unhappy and depressed. Mental health emergencies are increasing. Last year, there was a two-and-a-half fold increase in emergency department visits for suicidal ideation and s...

  • Cheney City Council approves sidewalk repair project

    Jonathan Olsen-Koziol, Cheney Free Press|Updated Apr 14, 2022

    CHENEY – Walking the streets of Cheney is about to be much safer. The Cheney City Council has approved a plan to repair damaged sidewalks around the city during the regularly scheduled city council meeting on April 12. The sidewalk project attracted two bidders; Five-Star concrete and WM Winkler Co. A third bidder, Cameron Reilly, was non-responsive. Five-Star was awarded the contract. The company submitted a bid of $135 per square foot, putting the total price of repairing 300 yards of sidewalk at $44,105.50 (including 8...

  • Traffic stop leads to drug bust in Airway Heights

    Matthew O. Stephens, Cheney Free Press|Updated Apr 14, 2022

    AIRWAY HEIGHTS – Two people were arrested for drug possession following an April 9 traffic stop near the intersection of South Hayford Road and West 6th Avenue. Edvin N. Johnson, 33, and Melissa S. Hernandez, 26, were both taken into custody without incident and booked into the Spokane County Jail for two counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver. Johnson is a four time convicted felon and is being held on a $10,000 bond, while Hernandez’s bond was set at $2,500 according to the Spokane County She...

  • Ukraine needs flower power

    Don C. Brunell|Updated Apr 14, 2022

    Sunflowers are to Ukraine what tulips are to western Washington. During the blooming season, both are spectacular and represent the best in the people who cultivate and visit those fields. In late 1945, Princess Juliana of the Netherlands presented the Canadian government with 100,000 tulip bulbs as a gift for providing Holland’s royal family exile during World War II. Since then, the tulip became known as a “Peace Flower” in North America. Her pilgrimage inspired Dutch tulip...

  • Numbers show it's time to de-list wolves

    Todd Myers|Updated Apr 14, 2022

    The state wolf population saw significant increase, growing by 16% in 2021 according to the state Department of Fish and Wildlife. The number of packs grew to 23 from 29 in 2020, and the number of breeding pairs increased from 16 to 19. The consistent growth of the wolf population is good news and is the result of hard work of staff, the Wolf Advisory Group and Northeast Washington ranchers, who have taken steps to reduce wolf attacks. These good numbers contradict the rhetoric from some environmental groups and the governor...

  • Mary H. Daugharty

    Updated Apr 14, 2022

    Mary H. Daugharty caught the train with her ancestors Friday Night April 8th at her home in Cheney Wash. Mary Daugharty's handshake tells you all about her. The over the top firm handshake comes from a 5'1" schoolteacher who grew up on a dairy farm in Clark Fork, ID. She bravely waited until she knew it was time to go.  Mary was born in Butte, Mont. on May 18, 1937 to Clint and Irene (Monahan) Henderson. As a child her family moved to Clark Fork, Idaho to dairy farm for the... Full story

  • Spring Loaded Action

    Venus Bratsveen|Updated Apr 14, 2022

    Tika loves her walks in the morning. She follows me endlessly, ensuring I don’t get off-track and do something useless like grab a tea or say, wake up before rushing out the door to go to the park. Mornings are time for fast, goal oriented movements. Get dressed, throw some mouthwash in that trash can you call a mouth and get out the door. And so my mornings go. Every single morning, rain, shine, snow, sleet and or hail—well you get the picture. There’s no sleeping in for me unless I’m sick. I know this sounds whiny and it...

  • Easter Services and Easter Egg Hunts

    Updated Apr 14, 2022

    Amazing Grace Fellowship 416 West Betz Road (509) 235-6199 Family Easter service on Sunday, April 17, at 10:30 a.m. with a small drama presentation. Cheney Community Church 1307 Third Street (509) 235-4841 Friday, April 15. Good Friday service 6:30 p.m. (including the West Plains community churches) Easter Sunday service, April 17. Free breakfast from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Worship service at 10:00 a.m. Cheney Church of Nazarene 338 west Betz Road (509) 235-6261 Sonrise service on Sunday, April 17, at 8:52 a.m. with a potluck t...

  • Gardening by osmosis

    Margaret A. Swenson|Updated Apr 14, 2022

    All you windowsill gardeners, container, raised bed, and in-ground gardeners too, by now you have probably named most of your plants. Rosemary, Thyme, Sage and their friend Parsley, Tomato, Pepper, Zucchini. Black-eyed Susan, Daisy and Cosmos all are showing off their grown up leaves. These nick-names for plants are great but when you are trying to find out more about their specific cultures it is good to understand their Latin names as well. It really isn't hard to do as ther...

  • Cheney Baseball sweeps Ferris

    Bob Kirkpatrick, Cheney Free Press|Updated Apr 14, 2022

    CHENEY— The Blackhawks got back in the win column taking a doubleheader from the Saxons at home on Wednesday, April 6. Cheney shutout Ferris 1-0 in Game 1 and then blew out the visitors from Spokane 13-6 in Game 2. “Our bats seemed out of sync in the first game, but Quinn Hubbs was dominant in the win, striking out 10 and only allowing a double,” Coach Rob Beamer said. “We had some timely hitting in the second game—and were pretty solid defensively in both games.” The lone un...

  • Cardinals ice the competition

    Matthew O. Stephens|Updated Apr 14, 2022

    The cold weather and snow flurries didn't stop Medical Lake from hosting Colville for a soccer game on April 11. Cardinal Alexander Marsh looks to pass the ball up field early in the game. Cardinals took the match 8-1....

  • Cardinals top Reardan, fall to Deer Park

    Matthew O. Stephens, Cheney Free Press|Updated Apr 14, 2022

    MEDICAL LAKE – The Cardinal baseball team took both games in an April 6 double header against Reardan High School, but had their wings clipped against Deer Park on April 11. Game one of the twin bill started with Medical Lake scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Kaleb Cain smacked a fly ball to right field allowing him to reach second base. Cameron Comer followed his double with a ground ball single that moved Cain to third base. Head Coach Austin Sharp said h...