Looking Back

10 Years Ago

Jan. 8, 2009

Medical Lake officials reached out to property owners, asking them for regular removal of snow to keep sidewalk clear, but some commercial lots in the downtown area did not have local owners present to deal with snowfall. City leaders later met to decide whether the city could step in to remove snow from properties not being maintained.

Pine Lodge Correctional Center temporarily housed 16 female offenders from Eleanor Chase House in Spokane after their building was evacuated due to snow causing structural strain on the roof. Offender crews later removed snow from the roof so the women could move back into their usual building.

Eastern Washington University's womens basketball team kicked off 2009 with a three-win week - a 70-64 victory in overtime against Northern Arizona, a hard-won 69-64 win over Sacramento State and a 72-46 non-league triumph over Eastern Oregon.

20 Years Ago

Jan. 14, 1999

In a controversial move, the Cheney City Council unanimously voted to discontinue its voluntary recognition of two of the city's unions after city attorneys determined that department heads could not legally unionize.

Despite a change in coaching staff - sending Dennis Erickson down the road after four mediocre seasons and hiring former Green Bay Packers coach Mike Holmgren - the Seattle Seahawks recommitted to its three-year deal to host summer camps at Eastern Washington University, much to the relief of college officials.

Cheney High School graduate Mark Winters, pursuing a degree from Boston College, spent nearly four months in troubled parts of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland for a field study on peace and conflict. At the time, a contentious religious schism between Catholics and Protestants in the area contributed to ongoing unrest in the region.

30 Years Ago

Jan. 12, 1989

The Cheney School District heard no opposition to the sale of district property at Four Lakes. A school building and the 3.1 acres it sat on was set to be sold to the Seventh-Day Adventist Christian School in Cheney.

A local veterinarian urged West Plains residents to properly license their animals in the event of them getting loose. City officials said it was much easier to return lost dogs and cats to their rightful owners if the owners possessed up to date documentation. Nowadays, pets can be microchipped by a veterinarian to ensure their safety in an emergency.

The Medical Lake Police Department and Medical Lake Elementary School hosted their first-ever DARE graduation. The anti-drug program was originally presented to three sixth-grade classes in the fall of 1988.

40 Years Ago

Jan. 11, 1979

The Cheney Police Department reported a significant drop in crime for the second year in a row. The local crime rate dropped by about 19.1 percent over the course of 1977, with police attributing the reduction to youths' increased interest in educational pursuits.

Students at Cheney Junior High School donated almost $500 worth of food to a local family whose home was destroyed in a fire.

Three arrests were made in Medical Lake in one week - two for driving while intoxicated and one on an outstanding warrant.

50 Years Ago

Jan. 2, 1969

In its second year of operation, the Cheney Public Library increased its hours to remain open four days a week. The library's 1969 budget was set at $11,524 for the year.

The Spokane Teamsters Union Local 690 sued the city of Cheney in Superior Court, alleging that city officials had backed out of an official contract.

Salaries for beginning teachers averaged $6,287 annually, up $497 from 1967.