Sidewalks carved up near EWU Visitor Center

CHENEY – Police are looking for the individuals who caused over $3,000 of damage to sidewalks near Eastern Washington University's Visitor Center sometime Tuesday evening, Oct. 20.

Cheney Capt. Rick Beghtol said city of Cheney crews discovered the vandalism around 8 a.m. today (Oct. 21) when they returned to the site at 6th and F streets to inspect their work. They found statements using derogatory and foul language gouged into several of the concrete panels - statements directed not only at EWU but also at the Phi Delta Theta fraternity.

"Clearly this is a college student or students," Beghtol said.

Police have had experience over the years with Eastern's Greek system, and Beghtol added that there has been a running feud between Phi Delta Theta and the Sigma Nu and Sigma Phi Epsilon houses.

Cheney maintenance supervisor Lucky Fitzner said crews from the city and 5 Star Concrete out of Spokane worked most of the day Tuesday pouring about 90 feet of sidewalk and ADA ramps near the Visitor Center. He and a 5 Star employee were the last to leave the location between 6:30 – 7 p.m.

Pouring cement is an art as the substance cures from the inside out, Fitzner said. To help with quicker and more efficient hardening, Cheney and 5 Star added 2 % calcium to the mixture, which might have produced a product that had set pretty well by around 9 – 10 p.m.

"The face of it (sidewalk) is the last to be hard," Fitzner said.

Cheney police officers went door-to-door Wednesday morning questioning residents about whether they heard or saw anything Tuesday night, especially along F Street. Beghtol said they are asking for residents help who might have been in the area, or who might have surveillance devices such as doorbell cameras that might have caught some footage.

Fitzner said the city would need to replace about 30 feet of sidewalk panels damaged by the vandalism – at a cost of $3,100. For him and the crews, the damage isn't just about the cost or extra work.

"You put so much effort into it, have a finished product and someone comes along and in 30 seconds messes it up," he said.

Residents who might have information about the vandalism are asked to call Beghtol at 489-9282.

John McCallum can be reached at jmac@cheneyfreepress.com.