Looking Back

10 Years Ago

Dec. 27, 2007

A&K Development’s contested request to rezone a north Medical Lake property was unanimously denied by the City Council following the presentation of two 30-minute testimonies from the applicant and opponents to the request. The 7.5 acres was located on North Stanley Street.

A new authentic Mexican food restaurant was replacing the old Burger King franchise on the corner of Simpson Parkway and First Street in Cheney.

The Sutton Hall’s “Can the Boss” food drive at Eastern Washington University brought in 1,272 food items along with 24 toys for Toys for Tots. The registration building also brought in 1,200 items plus 20 toys while admissions brought in 807 food products.

20 Years Ago

Jan. 1, 1997

Al Ogdon attended his last city council meeting as the mayor of Cheney. Ogdon served the city for 24 years, with 10 of those being spent as mayor.

A trio of Cheney Middle School teachers, Margie Foland, Dawna Lamfers and Billie Johnstone, serenaded the winner of the “Miss Mistletoe” pageant at the school.

Medical Lake High School homeroom classes were collecting cans of food for the Food Bank. The way the fundraiser worked was it cost five cans to put their classmates in “jail” and 10 cans to release them.

30 Years Ago

Dec. 31, 1987

A nativity scene setup at Eastern State Hospital became the center of controversy. Patrick Stilie, a local representative of the American Civil Liberties Union, requested that the nativity scene, which stood in front of the main building of the hospital, be removed. He challenged the constitutionality and religious sensitivity of the scene.

Grant Peterson, former Cheney businessman and Spokane County commissioner, had been confirmed by the United States Senate to head the Local Programs and Support Directorate of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

In a poll of members of the Washington State Wrestling Coaches Association, the Cheney Blackhawks moved to the top of the AA ladder in dual-meet ratings.

40 Years Ago

Dec. 29, 1977

Medical Lake City Council, without any major revisions, approved a 1978 budget of $471,284, compared to the previous year which was $372,107.

Cheney City Council voted 5-1 to increase electrical rates by an average of 25 percent as a partial solution to the $400,000 deficit in the Light Department budget.

50 Years Ago

Dec. 28, 1967

Cheney offered its first 24-hour service station. Ray and Chuck Meyers planned to have an attendant at their Union Oil Station on a 24-hour basis.

A. E. Denton, the Medical Lake Mayor, appointed Gerald Brown, Reese Burkenbine and Ernest Sloan to the finance committee of the City Council.

The Eastern Washington State College gymnastics team opened its season at home against Central Washington State College, the newest Pacific Northwest college to add gymnastics to its athletic program.