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Cities throughout Washington state, including the West Plains, are gearing up for another hot summer. In May, Gov. Jay Inslee declared an drought emergency for the state. According to the Washington state Department of Ecology, the declaration comes after Inslee’s Emergency Water Executive Committee determined that 48 of 62 watersheds in Washington have water supplies of 75 percent of normal or below and water users are, or are expected to experience hardships from water shortages. With the drought emergency in place, c...
Like fathers, like sons, that's what seems to show the most when Adam Paulson and Kasey Kelly sit down to talk about baseball and where it has taken them. Call 'em baseball brothers from other mothers and fathers if you will, the two will foster a friendship -and kinship - for one more summer before their base paths take them in opposite directions. The two members of Medical Lake High School's Class of 2013 spent this past spring reunited with the Community Colleges of...
StageWest Community Theatre, Inc. ended its 2014-2015 season with the last performance of “Bedside Manners” by Derek Benfield. Even though the performances were shortened by one weekend, and opening weekend was Memorial Day, Nancy Kuonen, StageWest’s director of advertising and publicity, said they had “great audiences that enjoyed the play.” Kuonen said the group thanked all of the sponsors that bought ads, merchants in and around the West Plains that donated merchandise for raffle baskets, all cast and crewmembe...
Neil Edward Kottwitz, 79, of Phoenix, Ariz. passed away May 4, 2015. He was born to Otto and Marjorie Kottwitz April 22, 1936 in Peabody Kan. In 1954, Neil graduated from Sunnyside, Wash. High School and did undergraduate studies that took him to Westminster Choir College, Washington State College and he earned his master's degree at Whitworth College. Neil was a jack-of-all-trades working on a dairy farm, driving Trailways buses, farming crops and ultimately finding a...
Dear Celeste, I’m hoping to go on a week-long vacation next summer to Hawaii, but can’t afford it completely on my salary, and I don’t have much time to dedicate to a second job. What are some ways to raise the money to go on a dream trip? Geraldine B. Dear Geraldine, The best part of your plan is that it’s a year away. There are many ways to save money for a trip such as this. Start perusing Internet travel sites now and comparing prices and packages; it may still be too early to book but you can get an idea of what you need...
1 Years Ago June 9, 2005 Heavy traffic along State Route 902 through Medical Lake could be minimized under a new proposed Urban Growth Area boundary. The Rainbow Cove and Resort of Medical Lake was recently sold and will be renamed Dan’s Landing. A surprise second place finish from Zak Nelson in singles and Medical Lake’s third place in doubles from Max Nelson and Tanner Tareski led the Cardinals to a repeat 2A state tennis title. 20 Years Ago June 8, 1995 Steve Miller of Miller Law Office — and Cheney’s city attorne...
One hundred years ago in 1915, the first graduating class of Amber High School consisted of four young women: Franc Mason (Miller), Josie Graves (Marsh), Grace Louthan (Humbert and Ella Dickson (Falk). Learn more about our area’s history at www.cheneymuseum.org....
Cheney United Church of Christ All are welcome to participate in our worship and church activities. To make it more convenient for parents of wee ones, the nursery and changing table have been moved into the Sunrise room, which is the nearest classroom to the sanctuary. When babies and toddlers need a quiet room, their parents needn’t take them outside to the Christian education building any more. As usual, pastor David Krueger-Duncan will lead the Sunday worship service in the sanctuary at 10 a.m. and music director Kate S...
All events are free unless posted otherwise. To get your event or meeting in the weekly What’s Happening section send an email with date, time, location and event to jmac@cheneyfreepress.com. City of Cheney • June 13, Junk in the Trunk, Wren Pierson Community Center, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. • June 16, Farmer’s Market, City Hall Parking Lot, 2 – 6 p.m. • June 18, Kiwanis meeting, Sessions Village Commons, 7 a.m. • June 18, American Legion Post 72 Meeting, 116 Ave., 6 p.m. City of Airway Heights • June 12, Friends of the Airway Heigh...
I was walking about 20 minutes from my home on an early summer day. I could see the pond and the new goslings learning to swim behind their mothers. A car was edging close behind me. I didn’t look back. The neighbors on this country road always slowed their speed and waved as they drove by. I had a feeling that this car was not friendly. I moved toward the pond and grabbed hold of a small limb from a young tree. Why was I shaking? Why was my heart pounding? The car stopped beside me. The man leaned out his window. I yelled a...
I’m not sure how to take this whole Bruce Jenner, now Caitlyn Jenner, thing. I won’t recap how a former 1976 Olympic male decathlon gold medallist became a 2015 female talk show and magazine personality. You’d truly have to have returned from a desert island to not know the story. I never gave the transgender/gender change subject much thought until last fall when the Cheney school board considered changes to its non-discrimination policy. The new language recommended by the Washington State School Directors Association propo...
From 1960 to 2014, the average house size has more than doubled from 1,200 to 2,600 square feet, automobile ownership has gone up from 1 to 1.7 per household and the percentage of household income spent on food has dropped from 17.5 percent to 9.6 percent. In addition, we take longer vacations, retire younger and have a plethora of electronic and other products that didn’t exist in 1960. The reality is that all segments of society, from the poor to the middle class to the richest 1 percent, are better off today than ever b...
It’s that time a year when we map out our summer getaways. But as you plan to visit destinations that are maybe far away, or even foreign, think about ratcheting things back a little and remember what might just be in or near your backyard. The West Plains has events that both need your patronage, and maybe even some help, too. If you missed Cheney’s third-annual Mayfest, staged May 29-30, an opportunity passed you by to connect with businesses and neighbors. The event, one of a number that showcases Cheney, was well att...
Joe Noland open house Community members are invited to an open house in honor of Cheney Light Department Director Joe Noland. Noland is retiring after more than 30 years with the city. The open house takes place Tuesday, June 16, from 3 – 5 p.m. at the City Utility Building, 112 Anderson Road. Come and help send Joe off into retirement with your thanks and best wishes. Women’s Auxiliary Post 196 Medical Lake American Legion Women’s Auxiliary Post 196 meets Wednesday, June 17, at 1 p.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 223 S....
The actions of the Washington House and Senate — or lack thereof — will have an impact on how the Medical Lake School District prepares their budget next year. During a report, business manager Chad Moss explained that the House and Senate are still “a ways away” on answering the Washington Supreme Court’s order to increase spending on education. “They are close on total spending for school, but they are miles away on revenue,” Moss said. “We’ll get money, we just don’t know how much we are getting.” Legislature is curren...
Cheney High School has released the names of its Students of the Month for May. Students are listed as follows by student name, department and grade level. Anthoni Ahenakew, graphic arts, sophomore; Hannah Brown, art, sophomore; Maddy Cowan, math, freshman; Rebekah Holliday, science, junior; Sarah Jackson, language arts, sophomore; Kristin Johnson, business, senior, McKinna Kent, family and consumer sciences, senior; Meghan Krantz, health and fitness, freshman; Kyle...
A student-led team is helping lead the movement to make Medical Lake Middle School a better place. Earlier this year, Medical Lake became the latest school district to implement the PBIS (positive behavior intervention support) program. During a presentation to the school board, Josh Edmondson, a behavior specialist for the district, explained that the middle school wanted students to learn how to do handle situations in a positive manner. They also wanted to focus on students who are showing good behavior. “Many times t...
Ten Cheney High School graduating seniors have earned the Seal of Biliteracy through either the STAMP (Standards-based Measurement of Proficiency) or AP (Advanced Placement) tests. Biliteracy requires the ability to not only speak a second language but also read and write in that language as well. Graduates were able to wear a medal signifying their achievement at last Friday's commencement ceremonies and will have the bilateral designation placed on their transcripts. This...
When you deal in the kind of money Eastern Washington University does with its biennial budget, and with a state legislature that has a hard time agreeing, it’s good to be flexible At one time that would have meant an old fashion pencil with a big eraser and a thick legal pad. Now, a well-built spreadsheet can try to do the new calculations necessary when the budget numbers change, as they are likely to. The Eastern Washington University board of trustees got to peer info t...
Cheney High School finally has an updated new Associated Student Body constitution. At its May 27 meeting, the Cheney School District board of directors received a report and a copy of the new constitution from several ASB officers and high school assistant principal Jeff Roberts. Roberts said the work on revising and updating the old constitution, which was last updated in 1994 and contained references to procedures dating back to 1978, began in February. The ASB had hoped to have it finished by April, but the task proved mo...
The home of Whitworth University lecturer Justin Ulbright and family at 354 Noland Brown Place has been named the Cheney Garden Club June Yard of the Month. Ulbright bought the home two years ago, and said the award is really a tribute to the original owner, former Eastern Washington University librarian Jay Ray. The Ulbrights receive a $25 Jarms gift certificate for being selected as Yard of the Month....
Cheney’s Parks and Recreation Department is kicking off the summer swimming season with six hours of games, activities and other festivities during “Pool Bash 2015.” The “bash” runs from 1 – 7 p.m. Friday, June 19, and takes place not only in the pool but also spills out into nearby Hagelin Park. Activities in the park include carnival games for all ages from 1 – 3 p.m. and 4 – 6 p.m. along with a slip-n-slide from 3 – 5 p.m. At 2 and 5 p.m. there will be a water balloon toss, which Parks and Recreation Supervisor Kim Best sa...
After six years of overseeing the operations of the Medical Lake Food Bank, director Peg James is resigning from her position and is preparing to move out of the city. James became the food bank director in 2009 after she took over for Fran and Ron Smith. She started volunteering because the need was “so great.” After some encouragement from the rest of the volunteers, she took over as director. Many in the community have praised James’ ability to multi-task, as well as her compassion for the food banks’ volunteers and cli...
When Joe Noland took a job as lineman for the Cheney Light Department in 1985, his plan was to work just long enough to see what it was like to collect 12 months worth of paychecks. Now, Noland is retiring from the city of Cheney after serving 30 years in just about every Light Department position, including the last seven as the department's director. "I tell people I stayed too long because when you stay too long, they make you the boss," Noland said. Born in Sandpoint but...
