The Water Front
Weathers thrives in ML City Administrator role
By Craig Howard Stream Contributor
When he applied for the city administrator’s job in Medical Lake nearly two years ago, James “Sonny” Weathers told Mayor Terri Cooper he would bring “proven leadership and experience that is marked with high levels of initiative, organization and achievement.”
What Weathers didn’t mention was that he would also bring a boxer’s resilience to the role marked by a steely determination to keep getting up off the mat. He could have included the health challenges he faced as a young high school student that temporarily detoured him from sports into student government and Scouting but later found him resolutely competing in track, football and wrestling.
Weathers might have referred to his first foray into advanced education on scholarship at the Illinois Institute of Technology that started with lofty expectations but ended with him dropping out after one quarter. The wakeup call spurred entry into Marine Boot Camp where he graduated at the top of his class and went on to serve seven years in the Marine Reserves.
The takeaway? Sonny Weathers doesn’t give up.
Growing up in a military family, Weathers experienced plenty of change with schools, friends and environments, but saw the frequent transitions as opportunities to grow.
“You have to make the best of what you have,” he said.
The longest Weathers stayed in
happened and had just wrapped up eighth grade when the family moved again.
“The area was magical for me,” he said.
After two years in Montgomery, Alabama, the family relocated again, this time to Ogden, Utah. Weathers’ dad would retire after a year and return to the Inland Northwest. By the time his senior year started, Weathers was enrolled at Medical Lake High School.
involvement with the Junior ROTC program in high school would also set the tone for future avenues in the military. He is in his 19th year with the Washington Air National Guard. His work as an Aircraft Hydraulic Systems Craftsman has earned him a number of honors including Specialist of the Year and Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year in 2015.
On the education front, Weathers never gave up on the idea of completing his college degree. That happened in 2016
Planning.
Weathers has converted his assertiveness and work ethic into a diverse and successful professional career that included stops with the Spokane Indians baseball club in group sales, his community church and Industrial Systems and Fabrication Inc. where he started in 2006 as a laborer and office assistant, eventually rising to lead man and project manager in a tenure that lasted until 2014.
In 2015, Weathers threw his hat into the government ring, accepting a position with the Airway Heights Planning Commission.
“I wanted to help shape growth, get more schools in Airway Heights, get the city more engaged with the community and create more of a city identity,” he said.
The time at the PC table would stand Weathers in good stead when he announced his candidacy for Airway Heights City Council. While his goal of increasing voter turnout didn’t quite pan out, Weathers won his race and began serving in 2017, winning his reelection bid in 2021. His service included terms as deputy mayor and mayor.
“I’ve always felt called to be involved in the community,” Weathers said.
In his time as an elected leader, Weathers was able to contribute to regional efforts like the Growth Management Steering Committee and Spokane Regional Transportation Council. The experience was part of a broad service resume featuring groups like the Chase Youth Commission where he served a vice chair and the Airway Heights Lodging Tax Advisory Commission which he chaired.
When Weathers first saw the post for the city administrator position in Medical Lake, he didn’t
Contributed photo
James “Sonny” Weathers has served as Medical Lake city administrator since December 2022. Prior to that, the Eastern Washington University grad was a member of the Airway Heights City Council, a tenure that included service as Deputy Mayor and Mayor.
WEATHERS
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think he’d be the best fit.
“It seemed far-fetched,” he recalls. “I figured I probably didn’t have the experience for something like that.”
Yet, after two rounds of interviews went by and no hire was announced, Weathers reconsidered.
“I thought I’d put my name in the hat and see what happens,” he said.
Weathers impressed enough to earn the job.
“I was surprised when I got the offer,” he said.
Weathers hit the ground running in December 2022 and hasn’t stopped.
“At the local level, government is made to work for its citizens,” Weathers said. “I’m focused on doing what I can to organize the city.”
Weathers and his wife Angela have been married since 2002 and are proud parents of two daughters, 17 and 15 and a son, 10. In his free time, Weathers enjoys playing the guitar, gardening, camping, hiking and carpentry.
Q: Growing up in a military family, frequent moves were part of your childhood and adolescence. How did you adjust and make the best of that lack of continuity with friends, schools, etc.?
A: I grew up on military bases where people live, work and play together. No matter where I lived, there was always a sense of trust and confidence in that community. I learned to appreciate the change of scenery. There is no more valuable place or time than the one you live in and finding ways to plug into new experiences is fruitful. Also, it was a great chance to become more of the person I wanted to be, trying out traits that I respected in my friends and mentors. Every place I have lived offered a new start and plenty to enjoy.
Q: What did you enjoy about being part of student government and do you think it played any
part in you pursuing political opportunities later in life?
A: Playing a part in shaping community is rewarding. I have always liked the aspect of articulating priorities and planning projects or events to connect with others in the fellowship of community. There is something magical about working with others to serve a cause greater than selfinterest. Arthur Ashe said it best when he said, “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”
Q: How much has the West Plains area changed since you lived here as a kid?
A: Sam Ewing said, “When you finally go back to your old home, you find it wasn’t the old home you missed but your childhood.” Though the West Plains is not the same place I remember as a kid, I see how it has grown in meaningful ways. The desirable nature of our communities remains clear. Cheney is a charming college town, Airway Heights is a central hub of commerce for our region, Medical Lake is a haven for outdoor recreation and we are privileged to be the home to Fairchild AFB and Spokane International Airport connecting us to the rest of the world!
Q: How did your experience as a student at the Illinois Institute of Technology right out of high school impact your approach toward education and expectations of yourself moving forward?
A: I was not a very disciplined student in high school, yet I was fortunate to receive a full-ride scholarship to attend a prestigious, private engineering school in Chicago. That opportunity proved to be a challenge beyond my abilities at the time. I learned the tough lesson that confidence alone cannot substitute for character, competence and capacity. Fortunately, flunking out of my first attempt at college and forfeiting my scholarship did not snuff out my insatiable appetite for learning. With principled persistence, progress is possible.
Q: What did you learn about yourself going through Marine Boot Camp?
A: I wrestle with low self-
esteem. Though I was confident in my abilities, I was short on the discipline needed to achieve the goals that were most important to me. The Marine Corps instilled and reformed valuable leadership principles and traits that focused on self-improvement, proficiency, endurance, courage and commitment. Ultimately, the achievement of earning the title as a United States Marine proved that there was almost nothing I could not achieve.
Q: What have been some of the most rewarding aspects of being part of the Air National Guard?
A: My personal mission is to honor God by serving humbly, giving generously and growing continually to help meet the needs of others. The Air National Guard offers an ideal way to fulfill that mission as a citizen soldier serving neighbor and nation. Few organizations can offer the intangible benefits of bonding with a host of amazing people through a variety of valuable assignments as is done in the ANG. From fighting wildfires to deploying in support of our nation’s defense, I am proud to be in the Washington Air National Guard.
Q: What made you decide to run for City Council in Airway Heights?
A: Airway Heights is ideally located for growth and I wanted to play an active role in shaping that growth to improve community conditions. I was appointed to serve on the Planning Commission in 2015 and put my name on the ballot for City Council in 2017. The decision to run revolved around believing that my skill set could be of benefit. I wanted to ensure the PFAS water contamination got resolved and to address the lack of schools serving our rapidly growing population. I am grateful for the inroads that were made and remain optimistic for the continuing efforts relating to those important issues.
Q: How has your experience serving as a council member and mayor in a neighboring city influenced your current role as Medical Lake city administrator?
A: Airway Heights is a small city that deals with some pretty big issues. I learned a lot about
the role of part-time, small-town elected leadership, which helps me as a city administrator more effectively meet Medical Lake’s elected leaders at their point of decision. Through involvement on regional boards and commissions I became fairly well-connected with the people and organizations that so often make the magic of good governance happen throughout Spokane County. Working with the amazing staff in Airway Heights was inspiring, to say the least, and Albert Tripp continues to be a valued friend and mentor both personally and professionally.
Q: As the one-year observance of the Gray Road Fire takes place this month, how would you describe the way the community has rallied to literally rise from the ashes?
A: My heart remains burdened for those who lost their homes in the Gray Road Fire. Having learned as much as I recently have about disaster recovery, there is no other community I would rather work alongside in dealing with tragedy. The generous gifts of food, clothing and money have been coupled with volunteer efforts and donated equipment that has amounted to no less than moving mountains. City staff and our partners at Re*Imagine Medical Lake stepped up in a big way and countless service organizations have contributed in meaningful ways. Many thanks to all who have supported the remarkable recovery efforts.
Q: Finally, let’s say you have 100 words or so to tell someone about Medical Lake who has never visited there before. What would you say?
A: There is plenty to do on State Route 902! Medical Lake is a place of relaxation and enjoyment for all with its eclectic eateries, parks and playgrounds, boating and fishing, small business shopping, and history of healing. It is ideally located as a haven for outdoor recreation with multiple lakes, ample trails and a smalltown spirit allowing one to enjoy comfortably scaled festivities with the beautiful backdrop of our lakes, forest and farmland. You should find out for yourself why Medical Lake is the kind of place you take your time to leave.
Airway Heights Public Safety Levy Passes
By Nina Culver Stream contributor
Voters in Airway Heights approved the city’s first ever public safety levy during the August primary election, giving 52 percent approval to a measure that needed a simple majority to pass.
“This is the first time in history the police department has asked for funding,” said Police Chief Brad Richmond.
The levy will cost homeowners $1 per $1,000 in assessed home value annually. The owner of a $300,000 home would pay about $25 a month to pay for the levy. After six years, the levy will become permanent so as to provide a consistent level of funding, Richmond said. “The funding won’t ever go away,” he said. “We had to make it permanent to continue to pay for the officers.”
One of the key uses of the levy funds will be to hire four patrol officers. The department includes 26 people, but only 14 of those are patrol officers. Between 2019 and 2023, the department's call volume has increased by 133 percent, Richmond said, which often meant that officers were delayed in responding to non-emergency calls and sometimes couldn’t respond at all. The department has had very low staffing levels relative to the number of calls for service, Richmond said.
The reason for the surge in calls is the growth in the area, Richmond said. “We’re growing so exponentially fast we can’t keep up,” he said.
The plan is to hire four new officers at the beginning of 2025, Richmond said, which will allow changes in how the department operates. “We are pretty much reactive in nature,” he said. “In the future we’ll be able to be more proactive.”
In addition to being more proactive and being better able to respond to nonemergency calls, the additional officers will
also allow the department to focus more on the fentanyl epidemic that many cities are dealing with, Richmond said. “We’ve had a lot of overdose deaths throughout Spokane County and in Airway Heights as well,” he said.
The department has also been working to train a second narcotics police dog (K9) as well, though that is not being funded by the levy, Richmond said.
The other major need to be addressed by the levy funding is the department’s aging vehicle fleet. The goal is to replace cars when they hit 100,000 miles, but most of the department’s cars have between 120,000 and 150,000 miles, Richmond said. This means they often need to be repaired.
“We’ve always had an abysmal fleet,” he said. “As hard as they get driven, they break down a lot. The cars are costing more than their value in repairs. We’ve had cars that have been rammed and totaled by suspects.”
The department will buy three new police cars per year for the next six years in order to rebuild the fleet, Richmond said. They plan to purchase all-wheel drive Ford Interceptor SUVs, plus all the equipment that goes inside them such as a cage in the back seat, computer and lights. Richmond said police cars are on backorder nationwide and can take between six months and a year to show up after they have been ordered. He said he hopes to have new police cars on the street by next June.
The goal is to make the officer and vehicle additions sustainable over time, Richmond said. The department worked hard prior to the election to educate voters on the levy, what it would be used for and why it was needed, he said.
“We got out early and often,” he said. “We really tried to overeducate to the best of our ability.”
Richmond said he’s grateful that voters approved the levy so that more officers and new vehicles can be added to bolster the department, improve response times and improve proactive policing.
“We’re so appreciative of our community support,” he said.
AH council gets update on middle housing density codes
By John McCallum
Stream contributor
A pair of bills passed during the 2023-2024 legislative session have cities and counties across the state scrambling to make changes to their zoning codes surrounding single-family residential housing densities — and Airway Heights is no exception.
At the Aug. 12 City Council meeting, officials received a presentation from the Planning Department on efforts to accommodate changes to single-family housing as prescribed in House Bill 1110 and House Bill 1337. Both measures passed into law seek to compel jurisdictions to find ways to incorporate more affordable housing options into residential development, with 1110 focused on increasing middle-income detached housing and 1337 dealing with relaxing barriers to construction and uses of “accessory dwelling units (ADUs).”
An ADU is defined as “a dwelling unit located on the same lot as a singlefamily housing unit, duplex, triplex, townhome, or other housing unit.” HB1110 requires certain residentiallyzoned lots to now allow two units per lot, while HB1337 requires allowing two ADUs per lot within the jurisdiction’s Urban Growth Area.
Airway Heights Associate Planner Zachary Becker provided council with an overview — “the thousand-foot version of this” — of the department’s works so far on developing new codes to meet the state requirements, adding they are on track to complete their work and have the changes before council by December. He noted the city is partnering with sustainable homeownership consultant Framework on the project, and has engaged the community through several public efforts such as a July 31 workshop.
“The big takeaway here is that this project will be done by the end of the summer,” Becker said.
Becker pointed to “relevant policies” in the city’s comprehensive plan the work was focused on such as planning for a community where people can afford to live and work and that provides a variety of housing types that are affordable and multigenerational. There is also the desire to keep the
Graphic courtesy of the city of Airway Heights
The map above shows the development zones in the city of Airway Heights. New middle housing densities and accessory dwelling units would be allowed in the yellow areas under zoning requirements being developed in response to statemandated changes to allow for more affordable housing.
“small town feel” and attractiveness, promote diverse housing types that keep neighborhoods “safe, vital and attractive” while establishing and sustaining quality and efficient land uses.
Becker provided several examples of middle housing such as duplexes, triplexes, townhomes and courtyard housing as well as cottages that might be compatible in “scale and character” with single-family residences.
“When we’re talking about middle housing, we’re talking about housing types somewhere between single-family homes and a high-density apartment complex,” Becker said.
These types of housing provide benefits promoting inclusion, enhancing affordability, helping to address climate changes concerns, support walkability and transit options and protecting natural areas. ADUs can be detached or attached to a single-family unit, and provide many of the same housing benefits as middle housing.
On a zoning map, Becker pointed out several areas in R-1 (single family), R-2 (duplex residential) and R-3 (multifamily residential) where middle housing and ADUs could be allowed. A good portion of the northwest
section of Airway Heights would become available to this housing, as well as around Sunset Park and new developments east of Hayford Road and north of Walmart, with the new densities being allowed on R-1 lots of a minimum 7,200 square feet and R-2 / R-3 lots of 6,000 square feet.
“By the end of this project we will be developing new code language associated with each of these zones and new densities associated with each of these zones,” he added.
Addressing a council concern about more apartment complexes being built, both Becker and Principle Planner Heather Trautman said there are no more complexes scheduled for construction within the existing zoning.
“And that’s not the consideration for this package,” Trautman added. “The package is only up to basically townhomes, four-plexes.”
Becker said while code language is still under development, the project team is looking at a policy choice of combining aspects of both House bills and allowing a base density of three units per lot, where if two of those units were ADUs that would be counted towards HB1110 lot density requirement for two middle housing units per lot.
“So, our minimum densities within the whatever R-1 is, or our lowest density residential zone is going to be three residences per lot however that looks at the end of the day,” Becker said.
Becker added that could be two units, one unit and two ADUs or even two units and one ADU. Trautman elaborated further with examples of how a developer or owner wishing to put more housing on a lot could combine middle housing and ADUs, such as adding two ADUs to an existing single-family home, or turning two homes into a duplex and adding one ADU.
“It’s a combination of what they want to do in order to get to that minimum of three because of the existing laws,” Trautman said. “We have 6,000-squarefoot, and 7,200-square foot lots, will it fit and the answer is yes.”
The project team is also working through parking requirements as well as how utility hookups for water, sewer and other services would look with the new densities.
Trautman said more information will be coming at future meetings, and they are planning additional opportunities for public comment.
ML council gets proposed capital projects overview.
By John McCallum Stream contributor
Potential capital improvement projects, city beautification and fireworks were items discussed in workshops by the Medical Lake City Council at their July 16 and Aug. 6 meetings. The council also adopted a number of action items, including resolutions to hire a Seattle / Tacomabased governmental relations firm to advance city concerns and a design consultant for an upcoming stormwater project.
Proposed capital projects top $4 million
At the Aug. 6 meeting, council received and discussed a presentation on 17 proposed capital improvement projects that total almost $4.4 million. The 17 projects mostly center on public works and wastewater treatment plant needs, but also include several parks and recreation proposals and a possible $400,000 project to fully-electrify the city’s vehicle fleet.
City Administrator Sonny Weathers told the council the projects — which were also discussed at a council retreat June 28 — have been identified as those “deliverable” in 2025. The project sheets presented identified the priority for the city of the project, along with whether or not funding has been obtained and where needed funding might come.
“Capital improvement plans are just that, they’re plans and we’re not obligated to deliver anything that’s approved in a plan,” Weathers said. “But having the plan allows us to move forward in a meaningful way.”
Five of the projects involve installation of emergency backup generators and power switchgear to facilities such as the city’s maintenance shop, wastewater treatment plan, City Hall and a pair of water supply stations. Weathers said the need for such backup capacity was felt after the Gray Road Fire last August.
The largest of the projects is a $1 million upgrade to the city’s stormwater system and its means of discharge into Medical Lake itself. The project is fully funded, with 80% coming from an appropriation from
the Washington Legislature and the balance made up of grants and money from the city’s capital reserve fund.
About $370,000 of the proposed funding would go to several Parks & Recreation Department projects, including $70,000 for seven surveillance cameras at city parks. Also proposed is a $70,000 public works project to install cameras and a license plate reading system at city entrances and other facilities such as City Hall and the library.
Both of these latter items were objected to by Councilman Ted Olson, saying he was also relaying comments from citizens he talked to about these projects.
“I don’t like them,” he said. “I’m against anything that takes pictures of license plates because they’re intrusive and collect data.”
Mayor Terri Cooper noted state and federal law already allow the use of license plate data collection, including by law enforcement who can take down and “run” someone’s license plate anytime they wish. Councilman Tony Harbolt, formerly police chief at Medical Lake and Kettle Falls, said the vehicle license plates are being read any time someone gets on Interstate 90.
Cooper, who said she appreciates privacy concerns, also cited several examples of where cameras in parks and other facilities in other cities has led to the apprehension by law enforcement of “bad actors” engaged in illegal activities, including vandalism.
Weathers said the city has received about $3.5 million in funding for the listed projects. The balance will need
to come from city funds, and officials may need to “cut the fat” to find the revenue.
Informational signage, fireworks
Also, at the Aug. 6 meeting, Parks & Recreation Director Glen Horton presented a workshop on using American Rescue Plan Act funding to create new informational signage at the four entrances to Medical Lake and seven city parks. The council designated $106,000 of ARPA funding for the purpose, and funds must be either designated for use or spent by the end of the year.
Horton presented three options from staff: entrance only signs, hybrid / incremental signs — which may not meet ARPA standards — and gateways / parks and flags on city streets. He cited the city of Chewelah’s signage as an example of the latter, and noted he would like to upgrade the rules signs in parks such as Waterfront with signs utilizing figures rather than small, bullet point-style lettering.
At the July 16 meeting, council received an informational workshop on the long-contentious use of fireworks in Medical Lake. Current code allows the sale of fireworks in Medical Lake from 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. July 1-4, and the discharge of fireworks from 9 a.m. – 11 p.m. on July 4 only.
Fireworks may not be discharged in city parks, at city-owned buildings and parking lots. The code also allows the banning of fireworks by counciladopted ordinance, something the City Council did this year due to dry and hot conditions around the Fourth.
Weathers said he would take the council’s input, determine what can be put on a ballot measure in the future and bring it back before council at an upcoming meeting.
Taking action on janitorial services, stormwater system design Council approved the following action items at its Aug. 6 meeting:
• A janitorial services contract with Spokane-based Jan-Pro. The basic service for cleaning City Hall, City Hall Annex and the Police Department is $536 a month, with other services and their prices listed.
• A $110,000 contract with E&H Engineering for design work on the upcoming $1 million stormwater mitigation project.
• An interagency agreement between Medical Lake Municipal Court and the Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts for “reimbursement of extraordinary costs of resentencing and vacating sentences” stemming from the Blake Agreement.
• An agreement with Spokane County to extend to Dec. 31, 2026 Medical Lake’s ability to receive money from ARPA and state and local Coronavirus Relief funds. The city was awarded $495,000 in December, 2022 for water / sewer infrastructure work.
• A contract with Seattle / Tacoma-based firm Gordon Thomas Honeywell for governmental relations in the state’s capital on behalf of the city. The city will pay $3,000 a month, beginning Aug. 1, 2024 and ending July 31, 2025.
Airway Heights council moves water agreement forward
By John McCallum Stream contributor
A water system agreement with the state, a number of grant acceptance and their impacts to the city along with a possible speed study on Hayford Road were just some of the items the Airway Heights City Council took up at meetings in late-July to earlyAugust.
Potential water system agreement
At their Aug. 12 study session, the council approved moving forward to a future meeting an agreement with the state Department of Commerce and the city of Spokane allowing Airway Heights to use $14.95 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for joint capital improvement projects with Spokane to increase the West Plains’ city’s long-term supply of water.
Originally, Airway Heights had hoped to move some of its water rights to a new well that would have been constructed over the SpokaneRathdrum Prairie Aquifer, possibly in the Seven Mile or Nine Mile area. That would not have increased the city’s water supply in the short term, but would have gotten it out of the West Plains area that has been contaminated by PFOA firefighting foam from Fairchild Air Force Base and Spokane International Airport (SIA).
Instead, the agreement changes the scope so that the funding can be used on joint projects with Spokane to provide Airway Heights more water. The projects costs must occur between March 15, 2021 and Dec. 31, 2024, and are identified in the agreement as a 3.6-million-gallon reservoir near SIA on Little Street, a 30-inch diameter transmission pipeline under Interstate 90 connecting the new reservoir with Spokane’s system, a 3.5-milliongallon reservoir on West Thorpe Road in Spokane and a new booster station on West Westbow Road near
Spotted Road.
Spokane has received grants and loans to fund almost $21.83 million of the over $36.77 million cost of these projects, with Airway Heights ARPA funds covering the rest.
“We see this happening with very little downside and a lot of upsides,” Anderson told the council, adding the projects would allow the city to add up to 6,000 more equivalent residential units (ERUs).
“And, it wouldn’t occur until all those apartments (planned for the city) are constructed, which is going to be several years out,” he said.
Council held an executive session at the beginning of the meeting to discuss legal aspects and possible litigation stemming from the agreement.
More grants roll in, impacts to personnel
Council approved acceptance of at least three more grants that have been awarded to the city. One grant approved at the Aug. 5 legislative session was a $4,373 Security Grant award from the Foundation for Washington State Courts.
The award is for a gun storage locker for the city’s municipal court. The court had also applied for grant funding for a bag scanner.
Council approved two grants at the July 15 legislative session. The first was a $40,950 Auto Theft Prevention Program grant from the Washington Auto Theft Prevention Authority.
The grant will allow the Airway Heights Police Department to install eight new FLOCK Flex Cameras and a one-year use subscription. The cameras can be moved to locations in the city where auto theft has become prevalent.
The second grant was a $4,000 award from Walmart to fund a oneyear use subscription for FLOCK Flex Cameras currently installed to monitor the area around the Walmart Shopping Center.
Agreement to fund officers in schools extended
Council approved a two-year extension at their Aug. 5 meeting on an agreement between the Police Department and the Cheney Public School District to fund three “youth engagement specialist” officers through June 2026. The officers are sworn law enforcement assigned to West Plains schools to provide safety for students and staff while
also engaging with the schools and the communities they serve to build trust.
The officers also work in collaboration between schools and the community as a resource for security and safety. The YES officers investigate violations of criminal law and support and report on a variety of programs, such as Handle With Care.
According to the staff report to council, the Cheney Police Department – which has historically provided these officers – is unable to fund YES personnel due to current staffing limitations. The agreement with Airway Heights requires the school district to pay $110,000 in support of the officers, which includes a patrol corporal position and two police officer positions.
“We are really thrilled to have three officers through this grant through next year,” CSD Superintendent Dr. Ben Ferney told the council. “We love this partnership.”
Hayford Road speed study
Council received an overview at its Aug. 12 study session of a potential speed study evaluation of Hayford Road. The study is being considered due to a number of incidents involving speeding on the major county arterial and pedestrians attempting to cross the road — especially in light of the buildup of apartment complexes and single-family residences in the area the past several years.
Public Works Director Kevin Anderson pointed to vehicle / pedestrian fatality on July 11, 2024 as one example of the need to gain an understanding of motorists speeds on the road and possible solutions to provide more safety, especially for pedestrians. Anderson used the upcoming 6th Avenue Extension project as an example of possible traffic calming measures that could be taken such as narrowing the roadway, providing roundabouts and landscaping.
Anderson also said the study might identify future projects that are in the works where the city can add safety measures. The study tentatively will monitor speed from the intersection of Hayford Road and U.S. Highway 2 to the city limits at 6th Avenue, although during citizen comments a suggestion was made to perhaps broaden the study to include the portion south of the intersection to MacFarland Road.
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The Gray Fire Aftermath – A Year later
By Nina Culver Stream contributor
The day of August 18, 2023 started like any other, but for hundreds of families in Medical Lake and Elk, the day would end with the loss of their homes and belongings. As the one-year anniversary of the Gray Fire and the Oregon Road Fire approaches, houses are still being rebuilt to replace what was lost.
It was a hot day with low humidity and in both cases stiff winds pushed the fires rapidly, overwhelming fire crews. The Gray Fire near Medical Lake burned over 10,000 acres, 240 homes and 100 other structures. The Oregon Road Fire burned around 11,000 acres in Spokane and Pend Oreille counties and destroyed 126 homes and more than 275 other structures.
Jason and Kristine Steege lived
in a home on Green Gate Lane on the southern edge of Medical Lake. They had two of their five children still living at home, along with a menagerie of dogs, cats, goats, sheep and an alpaca. That day Jason Steege was working from home in his basement, as he usually did, and his wife was visiting their oldest son in Seattle.
Steege began getting fire alerts on his phone, but paid little attention to them. A buddy stopped by and the two drove to look at where the fire started, which was a half mile away. Steege said he thought firefighters would make quick work of the fire and so he went back home and back to work in his basement, unconcerned.
The evacuation alerts kept coming, one of which named his road. Steege kept working. His wife, however, was starting to panic and kept calling to tell him to leave. Finally, she called her daughter, who was already on the way to the house with food for Steege. She convinced her father, who didn’t have a car at the house, to load up the dogs and cats in her van and
leave.
“It was terrifying, because I know him,” Kristine Steege said. “He would have stayed there.”
Steege and his daughter dropped off their pets at a safe location, then tried to return. Their way was blocked by firefighters, who told them the area was off limits. “I saw flames shooting over the trees,” he said. “We knew our house was gone. We just had to sit and watch. We didn’t know what to do.”
With hotels full of other fire refugees, they didn’t know where to go or what to do and just wandered aimlessly for a while. Kristine Steege returned later that night and was able to use a back way to get to what used to be their home. Parts of it were still burning and the rest was reduced to ashes, but she did spot their animals roaming in the pasture.
The family was left with little more than the clothes on their back and a few important papers Jason Steege was able to take with him when he left. Two of their sons had cars sitting in the driveway, which
burned down to the frames.
However, one of the cats was nowhere to be found when Jason Steege was loading them up and got left behind. The cat was found two days later at the base of a power pole in their yard by an Avista crew, badly burned and barely clinging to life. The cat was rushed to the Cheney Vet clinic and had to have a couple surgeries, Kristine Steege said.
“She’s fine now,” she said. “She’s back to normal except with no ear tips.”
At first the family crammed into a two-bedroom duplex in Cheney with one of their sons and his family, filling the space with eight people. After a month they found a home to rent in Reardan, where Kristine Steege teaches at the school. They were able to start rebuilding this spring, after months of working with their insurance company.
Jason Steege said he did what a lot of people did. When he and his wife first bought the house, they insured it at the amount it was valued at. But in recent years, as home values and the cost of building materials soared, he never updated his insurance coverage. That meant that when his house burned, it wasn’t insured for what it would cost to replace it at current prices. “That would be my biggest piece of advice is to check that,” he said.
The couple used the money the insurance company paid them to pay off their old mortgage, then promptly took out a new mortgage in order to rebuild. Jason Steege, a 25-year veteran of the Air Force, was used to moving around and advocated for just buying a new house, but Kristine Steege had put down roots and wanted to stay on the 15 acres they had purchased just a few years ago.
“We love the land,” she said. “It’s the perfect spot for the school, near downtown. Our kids are all close by.”
It took months and a required asbestos test before the debris could be cleared. The couple hired A&L Tree Service to cut down dozens of burned trees that used to surround their home. Doing so has opened up the view they can see from the windows of their new home, which is expected to be complete by the end
Photo by Nina Culver
While rebuilding has begun for many including the Steege family and a number of trees have been removed, many signs of the fire still exist a year later.
COVER STORY
gas cards and grocery store cards ended only last month, said Re*Imagine Medical Lake cofounder Gerri Johnson.
Currently, homeowners are being asked to make an appointment to speak to Johnson about where they are in the recovery process and what assistance they need. Then Johnson can work with Salvation Army caseworkers to try to meet those needs, Johnson said. “I’m working with the homeowners continually.”
Medical Lake Mayor Terri Cooper is also the president of the Spokane Region Long Term Recovery Group, which includes community members, public officials and business representatives from Medical Lake and Elk. Cooper said that about half the impacted families have begun but not completed the rebuilding process and another 25 percent have been able to return home.
recovery group was able to work with Ziggy’s to put together building kits that included all materials needed to build an 800-square-foot house, everything from appliances to roofing. Two of the homes will be constructed in Medical Lake and six in Elk. The kits were paid for by grant funding and had to be put together in the last six weeks before the grant funds expired, Cooper said.
“It was a full throttle effort to do it,” she said.
Cooper said an organization called Christian Public Service will be building the eight kit homes. They’re currently working to prepare foundations for all eight homes and have completed the two in Medical Lake. “They’ve agreed to be the labor,” she said. “It will take us all winter and probably into next spring before we get those done.”
of September. Hug Construction is their general contractor.
“They were huge, not just little trees,” Kristine Steege said. “Now we have a clear view of the pond. Plus, there’s no trees now so our house can’t burn down again.”
They’re both committed to seeing the silver lining in losing their home and everything they owned. “It was the higher power telling us we need to downsize, you’ve got too much stuff,” Jason Steege said. “Half the stuff you don’t even miss. I can’t complain. We’re very blessed.”
Kristine Steege chooses to focus on the benefits of her new house, like having a master bath and a walk-in pantry off the kitchen. “It’s been horrible,” his wife said. “We lost everything. But it’s not the end of the world.”
As individual families like the Steeges work to rebuild, the city of Medical Lake has teamed up with Re*Imagine Medical Lake, local churches, civic groups and other organizations to offer assistance. The city received a $5 million grant to pay for things like asbestos testing, debris removal and winterizing RVs that some families were living in. Volunteers helped cut down damaged trees.
Re*Imagine Medical Lake collected and distributed donations for months. A program to provide
Cooper said several efforts are underway to help the estimated 20 percent of impacted families who were either uninsured or underinsured and will need significant help to rebuild. The
Five 40-foot Conex shipping containers are set to be retrofitted into studio apartments with the addition of windows, doors and insulation. That project is being headed by Country Church of the Open Bible. “They become a living unit,” Cooper said. “This gives people a place to be high and dry while they figure out next steps.”
In addition, a group called Sister Corps is set to build six pump houses to replace ones that burned in the fire. Other long-term efforts, including asbestos testing and debris removal, are also still ongoing.
“We’ve had so many great partners who have come alongside just to give and give and give,” Cooper said.
Many families were also able to get direct financial assistance from FEMA to help them rebuild, Cooper said.
Rebuilding is a lengthy process and Cooper said she expects it to continue for at least another year. “It’s the second year when you see most of the rebuilding finished,” she said.
Re*Imagine Medical Lake will host a private reflection event on Sunday to mark the first anniversary of the Gray Fire. Impacted homeowners and key volunteers have been invited to attend the event, which is not open to the public.
File photo
The 2023 fire evacuation map outlines the area impacted by the Gray Fire near Medical Lake which burned over 10,000 acres, 240 homes and 100 other structures.
Photo by Nina Culver
Jason Steege is pictured near the front door of his under construction house.
COMMUNITY
COMMUNITY EVENTS
August 17 |Unity in the Community 10 am to 3 pm- The annual multicultural celebration consists of five key vendor areas: a youth fair, career and education fair, health fair, and general vendors including newly added Senior Resource area. Free/Family Friendly
August 20 |Mobile Market 11 am to 1 pm - DRIVE-THRU distribution, up to 250 families (or while supplies last). Free food items will be distributed including an assortment of nonperishable and fresh items. Free food will be provided to anyone in need of food assistance. Our Mobile Market free food distributions serve people facing hunger. No appointment or documentation required. 300 N Short St, Fairchild Air Force Base
August 23 - 24 |Airway Heights Day 5 pm - 9 pm Airway Heights Day annual event brings our summer to a close each year with a fun filled Friday night and all day excitement on Saturday.
Airway Heights Days takes over our 10 acre Sunset Park in the heart of the city and turns it into a hub fun and exciting activities for the family to enjoy. Airway Heights Days celebrates a number of annual traditions such as racing (and smashing) custom designed watermelon racers, followed by a movie under the stars to kick off the weekend.
This truly is a community festival for any and everyone to enjoy. Be sure to come and enjoy a variety of free family activities, local food and craft vendors, live entertainment, and much more 11405 W Deno Rd, Airway Heights
August 21 |Bingo - 2 pm to 5 pm Admissions start at 11AM, Early Bird Games at 1PM, Regular Sessions at 2PM, Located in Spokane Live at Spokane Tribe Resort &
Casino. Information at https:// spokanetribecasino.com/bingo/
August 31 |Spokane Festical o Speed Car and Bike Show - 2 pm
This is a 3 day event with qualifying and racing all 3 days concluding with the final points championship race! We will again for our event have vendors along with a AWD Dyno (no bikes unfortunately), and pending approval of an exhaust and burnout competition. With many super cars and hyper cars confirmed to attend and many car clubs and groups coming from western Washington, and various locations in Oregon and Canada as well! Please post any questions in the “discussions” feed. This is a non-profit event and all proceeds goes to a childhood cancer foundation. Qlispe Raceway Park, 750 N Hayford Rd, Airway Heights. RECURRING
Airway Heights Summer Market 10:00 am to 2:00 pm., Second Saturday. 12703 W 14th Ave For more, call 509-995-8037
Cheney Farmers Market | 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Second & Fourth Saturday. Veterans Memorial Park, 612 4th Street.
Gardeners of Cheney Group| 10:00 a.m., second Satruday of the month, Cheney Parks and Rec., 615 4th St, Cheney, WA. For questions email gardenersofcheney@gmail.com
Medical Lake Farmers Market | 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., First & Third Saturday. Located on Lake Street between Lefevre and Jefferson Streets.
Game Nights | 7:30 p.m., every Tuesday, B & B Theatres., 10893 W. Northern Quest Dr, Join every Tuesday for FREE game nights. Game Nights alternate between trivia and bingo each week. Free to play, no reservation or ticket required.
Seasoned Saints Potluck | 12 p. m. to 1:30 p. m., second Wednesday, Medical Lake Community Church, 211 N Washington St, Medical
Lake. For age 55 and over. Bring a dish to share and enjoy food and fellowship. Free. For more, call 509299-3286
Stitch & Sew Group| 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Tuesday weekly, The Arcadia Building, 12929 E. Sprague Ave. Monthly real estate investing support group. All are welcome. For more, call 509.768.4357.
Tyler Grange #610 Meeting | 7 to 8 p.m., third Tuesday of the month, Tyler Grange 23712 S. “B” St., Tyler. Monthly grange meeting, public is welcomed. For more, call Theresa, 509-714-5575.
Espanola Grange #698 Meeting | 9 a.m., second Sunday of the month, 23607 W. Manila Rd, Medical Lake. Monthly grange meeting, public is welcomed. For more, call Walt, 509299-5269.
LEGO Free Play | 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Saturdays, Various Libraries. Imagin and build with LEGO! Keep your engineering and problemsolving skills sharp using the library’s abundance of LEGO bricks. Families welcome. For more, scld.org
A Matter of Balance: Preventing Falls | 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Monday and Wednesday, Cheney Library. A Series of sessions for older adults who are concerned about fall. Learn strategies needed for setting activity goals. Free to public. For more, scld.org.
Cheney Library Book Club | 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., fourth Tuesday of the month. This book club is led by volunteers and meets monthly. New members are welcome to join at any time. For the current month’s title, call the library at 509-893-8280. Free to public.
Wonder Wednesdays | 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., every Wednesday of the month, Medical Lake Library. Drop by the library to try something new. Come explore and wonder with us. Grades K-5. Free. For more, scld. org.
Family Play & Learn Storytime
| 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., Various Libraries. Children ages 2-5 enjoy playing while learning during 30 mins of reading followed by 30 mins of activities. Free. For more, scld.org.
MUSIC & THE ARTS
August 16 | Summer Moonlight Movie; Freaky Friday– 8:45 pm Join us for a magical summer of movies under the stars! Bring your lawn chairs, blankets, and snacks, and enjoy a delightful cinematic experience at Sunset Park, 924 S Lawson St. All movies are free and start at dusk, so arrive early for the best spot!
August 24 | Midland– 6:30 pm live at BECU Live at Northern Quest Resort & Casino in Airway Heights.
August 28| Kaleo – 8:00 p.m., Northern Quest Casino, Airway Heights, WA
August 29 | Linger at the Lake – 6 pm - 8 pm Enjoy the natural beauty of Medical Lake with family and friends! Not only will you get the best views in town, but you will also be able to enjoy live music, food vendors, family friendly activities and a beer garden. There is no charge for attendance to the event! Soul Proprietor: A soulful 9-piece ensemble with a horn section, bringing you soul, funk, and pop hits.Brought to you by Medical Lake Parks and Recreation and HERO Event Support. Medical Lake Waterfront Park, 1386 S Lefevre St, Medical Lake, WA
August 29| Five Finger Death Punch, Marilyn Manson, and Slaughter to Prevail – 6:30 pm at BECU Live Outdoor Venue, Northern Quest Casino, Airway Heights, WA
August 28| Lindsey Stirling –6:00 p.m., Northern Quest Casino, Airway Heights, WA
September 11 | Pentatonix – 6 pm
Northern Quest Casino, Airway Heights, WA
September 13 | Walker Hayes – 8:30 pm Northern Quest Casino
HEALTH
& RECREATION
August 16 -17 | Street Outlaws
No Prep Kings – Street Outlaws come to Qlispe Raceway Park. This season, every racer is for themselves. No Teams. No Gimmicks. Just Full Send with each racer’s individual program to go up against everyone else to see who comes out on top. Come see the LIVE filming of Season 7 and be a part of TV history when they battle it out for street cred and a huge cash prize! Extremely Limited quantities These are expected to sell out first so get your tickets EARLY! Tickets. TheFOAT.com/StreetOutlaws Kids 12 and under get in free general admission all weekend. Please stay vigilant. Qlispé Raceway Park 750 N Hayford Rd, Airway Heights
August 24 | Fish Pockets Youth Fishing Event – 9 am to 5 pm. PREREGISTRATION REQUIRED
Fish Pockets is a free fishing event where special needs youth and neuro-typcial youth come together to learn how to fish by navigating through seven learning stations that will teach through hands-on activities, skills all the way from water safety to baiting, catching and cleaning.
Sessions are two hours each. Parents/caregivers must remain on site with their children during attendance. Sign up is available on a first-come, first served basis. Clear Lake, Cheney.
RECURRING
Various Dates and Times | Airway Heights Park and Rec –Aquatics, Group Exercise, Camps, Babysitting Classes, Sports and more aviailable. Go to https:// airwayheightsparksandrec.org/ activityguide/to see all offerings
pm. We want to continue to come around our community. As we are approaching the one year mark of the Gray road fire. Let’s take time to reflect, share our thoughts, talk about the rebuilding process, and the resiliency of our community.
*Longhorn BBQ is catering
*Hero Events will provide a Main Stage and PA system
* There will be a special time for reflections
*Art and expression will be available for everyone
*Giveaways are available (day of event)
Please Pre-register at the Reimagine Medical Lake office or at info@ medicallake.org
Let us know how many people are going to be coming in your family. We would like to let the food caters know a number. See you there!
Medical Lake Waterfront Park, 1300 S Lefevre St.
RECURRING
Airway Heights City Council | 5:30
p.m. weekly on Mondays, Court House, 13120 W 13th Ave. Public is welcome.
Cheney School Board the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month, Cheney Highschool, 460 N 6th St.
Cheney City Council
second and fourth Tuesday of each month, City Hall 609 2nd St. Public is invited.
Medical Lake School Board
p.m., fourth Tuesday of the month. Location varies, for more visit mlsd. org
Medical Lake City Council
p.m., first and third Tuesday of the month. Medical Lake City Hall, 124 Lefevre St.
Airway Heights Kiwanis Club Meeting
Noon at The HUB, 12703 W 14th Ave
Cheney Kiwanis Club Meeting
| Thursdays 7:00 am at Sessions
Village Clubhouse
SPOKANE COUNTY
SEPTEMBER 6 - 15
6 & 7
11
13
CIVIC & BUSINESS
August 18 | Re*Imagine Medical Lake Reflection Event– 3 pm to 6
Medical Lake Kiwanis CLub
Meeting
month,, Noon at The Pizza Factory 123 S Broad Street
If you have an upcoming meeting or event that you want added to the calendar, email the details to calendar@westplainsstream. com so we can include it in the next edition.
Brought
Touch a Truck. Explore a Library on Wheels.
Kids of all ages can step inside and explore LINC, our mobile library.
Plus, touch other big vehicles, such as a fire truck, big rig, bus, and more!
CHENEY MIDDLE SCHOOL
740 Betz Road, Cheney Saturday, Sep 7, 10am–12pm
The Pointe
Annual Airway Heights Day Summer Send Off Raising Funds for Area Nonprofits
By Collette Buck Stream contributor
Airway Heights residents and community members from the West Plains and beyond are invited to send off Summer at the annual Airway Heights Day festivities on August 24 and help support local nonprofits.
Each year, Sunset Park in Airway Heights is transformed into a funfair enjoyed by kids and adults of all ages. The event spans two days and has a little something for everyone, including a kids’ zone with carnival style games, music and dance performances, and watermelon races.
It’s the last event that Deputy Parks and Recreation Director Andy Gardner said has taken on a life of its own at the annual festivities, drawing in crowds to watch decorated watermelons race each other in thrilling blind draw single elimination tournament style matches.
“You combine a watermelon with your pinewood derby and race constructed watermelons with wheels down a ramp,” Gardner said. “The first one to make it across the finish line wins, and the loser gets smashed with a big mallet.”
Using the Mallet-O-Justice, the winning competitor has the option to smash losing watermelons or grant amnesty, and all registration fees go to the Airway Heights Kiwanis Club. Prospective watermelon racers can enter the resident race for $5 or the corporate cup if they’re
About and for West Plains area seniors
representing a business for $20 and compete for smashing rights and one of four participatory awards.
While Gardner said volunteers will do their best to accommodate walk-up racers, space is limited, and it’s in a racer’s best interest to preregister before August 16. Racers are instructed to come with a race-ready watermelon, and rules and regulations are available for review on the department’s website. Payment by cash, debit, or credit card is due at the event.
“We give out awards for the winner of the resident race, which is more like a head-tohear tournament style, and then we do a corporate cup,” Gardner said. “We have other awards: best decorated, most innovative design, best crash, and best team spirit.”
Along with a performance by summer students from Darla’s School of Dance on Friday night, festival-goers can expect
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three musical performances across a range of genres from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday. Competitions continue Saturday with a Cornhole Tournament and CARES Show and Shine classic car show organized and hosted by the Matadors Auto Club.
Owners of classic cars, hot rods, imports, motorcycles and more can enter their vehicles for a $20 entry fee, and the show serves as another fundraiser benefiting the CARES nonprofit Youth Recreation Scholarship Program. CARES stands for Citizens Associated for Recreation, Education, and Social Equity and provides a range of recreational related benefits to the greater community through the city’s parks and recreation department.
Scholarships are typically awarded to kids whose families might not be able to afford for their children to participate in recreation programs. The goal of the program is to expose youth to positive experiences and active
Contributed photo
Last year’s watermelon racers compete for the fastest watermelon in a fundraiser to benefit the Airway Heights Kiwanis Club, serving the children of the community. Join the 2024 event Saturday, August 24.
lifestyles for childhood and beyond. Community members interested in the scholarship can find more details on the Airway Heights Parks and Recreation Department’s website, including a link to donate to the fund and two others.
“We have three funds that we look at: a program champion, a project partner (and) a youth scholarship,” Gardner said. “Program champion (funds) go to benefit program participants directly…to fund program supplies… or provide people with something to come away with and even reduce fees. Project partners can help close the gap of the cost it takes to complete a project.”
If you can’t give financial support to the nonprofit but want to help bring recreation to your fellow community members, Gardner said the department is still accepting volunteers to support the upcoming Airway Heights Day festivities. Shifts and opportunities vary depending on your availability and how many hours you want to volunteer.
“We have a varying number of shifts and opportunities for people to volunteer…whether it be just running a carnival game for a couple of hours in the kids’ zone, assisting in the early morning by putting up signs, or helping park vendors and getting vendors in and out,” Gardner said.
A full schedule of the Airway Heights Day festivities can be found on the Airway Heights Parks and Recreation Department’s website, along with more information on the CARES program and an application for the youth scholarship fund. Volunteers can find a link to sign up at the top of the webpage.
“We’re working really hard to make sure everyone has an opportunity to enjoy (themselves), and ultimately, that’s the takeaway…knowing that we’re putting on an event that the community loves, enjoys, and values,” Gardner said.
TRIVIA TEST
1. CITY NICKNAMES: What U.S. city’s nickname is “The Biggest Little City in the World”?
2. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is a group of vultures called?
3. SPORTS: Which sport might include a maneuver called a “closed choctaw”?
4. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What color is cerulean?
5. LANGUAGE: What is the U.S. equivalent of the British pram?
6. COMMUNICATION: In the international radio alphabet, what is the standard word that represents the letter “P”?
7. LITERATURE: What was the name of the family in “The Grapes of Wrath”?
8. TELEVISION: Who played the role of Gus McCrae in the 1989 “Lonesome Dove” television series?
9. THE BODY: What is a human’s normal temperature in Centigrade?
10. PSYCHOLOGY: What fear is represented in the condition called nyctophobia?
PUZZLES
Answers to Trivia Test 1. Reno, Nevada 2. A wake 3. Figure skating 4. Blue 5. Baby carriage 6. Papa 7. Joad 8. Robert Duvall 9. 37 C 10. Night or darkness
Sponsor ed By:
By John McCallum Stream contributor
diving competition
Sometimes, small goals are the best.
Take Isabella Lyle. The Cheneyarea soon-to-be-fifth-grader has set herself a goal of performing a front double dive off the 3-meter springboard.
After all, the 10-year-old has already performed a one-and-half front dive — and said she had some “extra room.”
“I think I just have to jump higher,” she added.
Lyle’s skill on the springboard have led her to competition diving through Inland Empire Diving, which practices at Eastern Washington University’s Pool under the direction of founder and coach Aaron Kilfoyle. It’s also led Lyle to recent competition at the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) National Diving Championships in Fort Lauderdale, Florida where she placed 11th out of 20 divers in the under-10 category on the 1-meter springboard over two days of competition, July 14-15.
Kilfoyle said divers who compete at any event during season and hit or exceed a national qualifying score were able to compete at Fort Lauderdale. That differs from USA Diving, which Inland Empire Diving is also a part of and had one diver, Cheney High School incoming senior and two-time 3A state champion Alma Smith, compete at recently in West Virginia.
“It’s a little different with USA Diving where you have to go through regionals and zones,” Kilfoyle added.
Reaching nationals is a pretty nice achievement for Lyle, given
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that she has only been diving competitively since January / February of 2023. Lyle’s father, Scooter, said his wife Kate saw an advertisement for Inland Empire Diving on social media and though it might be something Isabella and her twin sister Elizabeth could try.
“We live between Cheney and Spangle so practice at Eastern works out for us,” Scooter said.
Isabella said she enjoyed diving pretty much from the start. She liked “how it looked,” and the ability to learn new things along with seeing what others were doing and setting herself some early goals.
“I saw divers at like a higher level and I thought I could do that eventually,” she added.
The diving program at Inland Empire is focused and rigorous. During the school year, Isabella said she practiced after school for two to two-and-half-hours on Tuesday and Thursday and then again for two hours on Saturday mornings.
During the summer months, that changed to Monday – Thursday for 2-3 hours.
“It’s pretty intense, diving is pretty intense,” Scooter said.
Practice time is broken up into different segments, Isabell said.
Part of the time is spent on dryland work practicing flips, twists, turns and other dive aspects using mats, a tumbling-style trampoline and a harness, with the rest of the time spent applying that in the pool.
Isabella said she performed five dives at nationals, one each from the four categories of front, back, inward and reverse. She said she also had an option of 1-2 other dives she could choose to do.
“The thing that is the hardest that most people get stuck on is the reverse,” she added.
Another part of her nationals experience is she got to compete
Contributed photo by Inland Empire Diving
Isabella and Elizabeth Lyle prepare to execute
group.
“The twin thing helps,” Scooter said. “They’re kind of synched anyway.”
“Sometimes, we say stuff at the same time,” Isabella added.
Contributed photo by Inland Empire Diving Isabella Lyle displays the hardware she earned at the AAU Nationals Diving Competition July 14-15 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. in synchronized diving with her twin sister, Elizabeth. Isabella said she was supposed to compete with another Inland Empire Diving teammate, but after finishing first in her age category, the other diver elected to withdraw due to exhaustion.
Scooter said Elizabeth just missed qualifying for individual competition in her age group, but was able to compete in synchronized diving. Kilfoyle with Inland Empire Diving added that while there is a points requirement to qualify for individual diving events, there are no such requirements to compete in synchronized diving.
“We didn’t plan on doing it, but it was literally 11th-hour,” Scooter said. “Five minutes before competition started, so we were running back to the hotel and getting her (Elizabeth’s) swimsuit.”
Eastern lacks side-by-side springboards practice synchronized diving, so divers use the side of the pool to learn and work on their routines. Despite this, and that neither Isabella or Elizabeth had ever practiced synchronized diving together before, the pair finished 14th out of 19 teams in their age
Isabella said they are taking a break from diving for the next few weeks, but will resume once school starts. While she’s looking forward to getting back in the pool, she’s also happy about being away.
“Yeah, kind of,” she said. “It’s always nice to get a break, even if you love doing it (diving).”
Isabella and Elizabeth currently attend Roosevelt Elementary School on Spokane’s South Hill where their mom teaches first grade. Scooter said once their elementary age kids move up to middle school they will begin attending schools in the Cheney School District.
“Cheney High School has a diving team, so I think I’ll probably join that when I get to high school,” Isabella said.
“We’re lucky to have Eastern and we’re lucky to have Coach Aaron (at Inland Empire Diving), otherwise, there’s not much for a long ways on this side of the state,” Scooter added.
ML council passes resolution opposing Pine Lodge homeless use
By John McCallum Stream contributor
Long-time residents of Medical Lake could be excused for having a sense of “déjà vu all over again” upon hearing news on Aug. 3 that the city of Spokane was considering the vacant former women’s correction center Pine Lodge as a facility for housing homeless individuals.
After all, it was about this time 24 years ago that Medical Lake officials were similarly caught off guard with revelations that the state Department of Social and Health Services was considering the city as a site for a court-ordered less restrictive housing alternative for violent sexual predators as part of those individuals treatment program.
The revelation about Spokane’s consideration of Pine Lodge also caught Medical Lake officials off guard, leading to concern and outrage among residents. Officials received a number of phone calls and emails, with Mayor Terri Cooper eventually holding a press conference on Sunday, Aug. 4, in front of City Hall attended by an estimated 150 individuals.
The apparent final salvo — at least for now — in the back-andforth battle of accusations was fired by the Medical Lake City Council at its Aug. 6 meeting when it unanimously adopted a resolution forcefully objecting to “the location or placement of facilities for the homeless and/or jail facilities in the city of Medical Lake.”
Spokane officials in comments to media organizations indicated Pine Lodge might also be considered as a site for low-level criminal offenders, given the need for additional jail space in the county. Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown’s spokesperson Erin Hut confirmed to KREM that a factfinding visit to Pine Lodge on Aug. 1 was to see if it was suitable to be
NEWS
used as additional jail space.
“The takeaway (from the tour) was that it would take a lot of money to do anything to fix it up, basically do an overhaul of that building,” Hut said. “We’re not interested.”
In the same story, Cooper acknowledged she had been invited by DSHS to attend the tour with 22 other people. Cooper said a scheduling conflict prevented her attendance, and City Administrator Sonny Weathers was similarly unavailable.
At the Aug. 6 council meeting, Spokane City Councilman Jonathan Bingle apologized for the “fear and anxiety” caused by the incident, and took blame for the issue surfacing the way it did.
“It was definitely not my intention to propose an idea that would cause as much heartache as it has,” he said.
Bingle told the council and standing-room council chamber audience that it was one of his responsibilities on the Spokane council to find solutions for the city regarding its homeless issue. He said he first became aware of the possibility of the shuttered Pine Lodge facility as a housing option when he first took office in January 2022.
Bingle said he suggested the facility to then-Mayor Nadine Woodward, but the idea went nowhere. When Brown took office earlier this year, he again suggested it as an option.
Bingle said he subsequently spoke to Cooper several weeks ago about Pine Lodge and was told “Jonathan, this is not a good facility for that purpose, or for the city of Medical Lake.”
“Ok, for me in that moment, it was we need to move on to another facility,” Bingle added.
At the Aug. 1 meeting of the Spokane Regional Homeless Authority, Bingle said he again pitched the idea of Pine Lodge as a possibility for a regional homeless resource center or a site for low-level offenders. He said apparently, the language he used in that discussion made it seem like acquiring the facility was “a done deal.”
“And for that, again, I apologize,” Bingle said at the council meeting. “We are miles away from anything being done.”
“We accept your apology, your honesty and your courage to come (to Medical Lake),” Cooper told Bingle at the end of his remarks.
Cooper then addressed the audience.
“I want you to know everything you’re concerned about, the council is concerned about,” she said. “We have a resolution that we’re going to go through now that will make that clear, that we’re taking an official position about how we feel.”
The resolution points out a number of factors about Medical Lake such as it’s small size, the number of state and regional facilities already located in the city and the “substantial number of individuals” receiving care and its participation with the Regional Homeless Authority. It also pointed out the city is still recovering from the effects of the Gray Road Fire of August, 2023, that decimated
residences and property in the city’s southern portion.
The resolution also noted Spokane and other outside agencies had not included Medical Lake in any discussions about the future of Pine Lodge, and that the city lacked resources or professional services to deal with “the influx of individuals requiring such services” a homeless or jail facility would require.
In “strongly” opposing the location of any of these facilities in the city, the council noted the impacts such a move would have not only upon its residents and the community but also upon property values and city services.
After the resolution was passed unanimously, Cooper said the city was ready to move on and collaborate with Spokane, the county and other jurisdictions to find a regional solution to these problems.
“That’s what we do, we care about people,” she said.
Twenty-four years ago, Medical Lake didn’t find such a quick solution to the state’s interest in using its property as a site for a less restrictive housing alternative for violent sexual predators who might receive court approval to continue their treatment away from the Special Commitment Center on McNeil Island. City officials and local legislators battled the state for several years, eventually getting the city to be listed as one of three possibilities — a site in Walla Walla topped the list — before the state eventually received legislative approval and funding to open two “secure community transition facilities” in South Seattle and in Pierce County.
Medical Lake was successful in getting several of its concerns passed into law, including the concept of “equitable distribution.” Equitable distribution requires “great weight” be given to communities with existing residential beds operated by DSHS and the Department of Corrections so that no one city or county is overburdened with new treatment facilities.
Cooper told the audience at the Aug. 6 meeting that a community town hall on the Pine Lodge issue is planned for Aug. 21, possibly Medical Lake High School. More details will be provided on the city’s Facebook page.
Medical Lake Mayor Terri Cooper
Spokane City Councilmember Jonathan Bingle
Try something new, creative, and tasty at the library
By Erin Dodge Spokane County Library District
The end of summer is a great time for exploring new things, seeing what you can create, and even getting your taste buds dancing. All of this you can do for free at the library.
Throughout August and September, you can bring in extra produce (fresh only) from your garden to share with others and take home something different from another garden. Our “Produce Swap” is available during open hours at Cheney Library (601 First St). Any leftovers will be delivered to a local food bank.
If you need assistance identifying a garden pest or determining why a plant is not thriving, stop by the “WSU
Discover amazing local geology, help scientists study Medical Lake’s water
By Dr. Chad Pritchard, Geology Professor Eastern Washington University
The geology of Medical Lake is amazing. Medical Lake sits right on the boundary where supercontinent Nuna (two supercontinents before Pangaea) ripped apart some 1 billion years ago. The Geosciences Department at Eastern Washington University (EWU) has recently done uraniumlead (U/Pb) dating analyses to calculate the age of the Medical Lake granite, both the hills to the west and east of the city. The basalt cliffs are made up of the 16.3-million-year-old Columbia River Basalt Group and the Ice Age megafloods scoured the land forming Medical and West
Extension Master Gardeners Plant Clinic” to get help with a wide variety of horticulture issues. The plant clinic is at Cheney Library on Friday, August 16, September 6 and 20, between 1pm and 5pm.
During the “Medical Lake Geo-Walk & Water Sampling” program, you can walk along the Medical Lake trail with Dr. Chad Pritchard (geology professor, Eastern Washington University) and Steve Cooper (director of Medical Lake Wastewater Plant) as they chat about the natural science and history of the beautiful lake. You also get to assist in gathering samples of the lake as part of an ongoing research project and picking up trash along the trail. This walk covers a 3-mile loop and is for adults, teens, and kids ages 8 and older. Meet up at Waterfront Park (S Lefevre St/Hwy 902, Medical Lake) on Wednesday, August 21, at 5pm.
Work with your hands to learn how to create scented bar soap during “Make Cold-Pressed Soap” at Cheney Library on Saturday,
Medical Lakes.
Additionally, fractures can be seen in the basalt using aerial images—part of the Cheney fracture zone. Current research is trying to address how the fractures and Medical Lake itself influence the delicate hydrosphere and aquifers of the West Plains. The evolution of restoring Medical Lake from a nearly eutrophic (almost dead) lake has been a remarkable story as well.
During the “Medical Lake Geo-Walk & Water Sampling” program, you can walk along the Medical Lake trail with me and Steve Cooper (director of Medical Lake Wastewater Plant) as we chat about the natural science and history of the beautiful lake. You’ll also assist us in gathering samples from the lake as part of an ongoing research project that uses citizen science to do more collectively than any one scientist can.
This geo-walk covers a 3-mile loop along the trail and is for adults, teens, and kids ages 8 and older. We will meet up at Waterfront Park (S Lefevre St/ Hwy 902, Medical Lake) on
September 7, at 10am. Discover what materials to use, what tools you need, and how to avoid basic mistakes. Participants get to take home a bar of handmade soap. This program is for adults and requires registration.
Bring amazing native pollinators—bumblebees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and more—to your yard. The “Gardening For Pollinators” class offers easy stewardship strategies you can implement immediately. This program is for adults and doesn’t require registration. Drop by Cheney Library on Saturday, September 14, at 1pm.
Take “A Walk Through a Night Garden” during a talk focusing on what you need to create this type of garden, including fragrant plants, white flowers, lighting, and moon gardening. This talk doesn’t require registration and takes place at Cheney Library on Wednesday, September 18, at 6:30pm.
To register for or learn more about any of these programs, visit www. scld.org/west-plains-events.
Wednesday, August 21, at 5pm.
We have been conducting this walk since the fall of 2022. Samples are analyzed for nitrogen and phosphorus at the city’s laboratory. Samples are also taken for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as forever chemicals. The waters of Medical Lake have been clean in previous samples, and we are continuing to build a data set to help make informed decisions in collaboration with the city.
Walking around the lake with new friends is a pleasure in itself, but it is much more meaningful when you are also making a difference. So, bring your own garbage picker-uppers, and we’ll make sure to have a few extra bags and grabbers so that we can all pick up trash along the way. Luckily, there is not usually too much trash, but there does seem to be an uptick of garbage during fishing season.
If you have never been to Medical Lake, or maybe it has been a while, Waterfront Park is a gem of the Evergreen State. I hope to see you there!
in extra produce (fresh only) from your garden to share.
home something different from another garden.
LIBRARY 601 First St, Cheney August & September, during open hours
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2024
Congratulations Team Fairchild!
U.S. Air Force Gen. Anthony Cotton, left, commander of United States Strategic Command, Col. Chad Cisewski, center, 92nd Air Refueling Wing commander, and Heath Mello, a representative of the Strategic Command Consultation Committee, pose with the Omaha Trophy during a presentation ceremony at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, Aug. 7, 2024. During the ceremony, Cotton and Mello presented the 92nd ARW with the 2023 Omaha Trophy for demonstrating the highest performance standards in USSTRATCOM’s Global Operations mission area. The Omaha Trophy is presented to the top military units supporting USSTRATCOM’s strategic deterrence mission for their exceptional performance in the categories of intercontinental ballistic missiles, ballistic missile submarines, strategic bombers, and global operations.
Airmen assigned to
Staff Sgt. Cierra Figueroa-Torres, 92nd Maintenance Squadron noncommissioned officer in charge of periodic inspection support, receives a coin from U.S. Air Force Gen. Anthony Cotton, commander of United States Strategic Command at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, Aug. 7, 2024.
Committee
for a group
Photo by Airman 1st Class Matthew Arachikavitz
Photo by Airman 1st Class Matthew Arachikavitz Members of the 92nd Air Refueling Wing, United States Strategic Command and Strategic Command Consultation
pose
photo after the Omaha Trophy presentation ceremony at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, Aug. 7, 2024.
Photo by Airman 1st Class Matthew Arachikavitz
the 92nd Air Refueling Wing stand at attention during the national anthem during an Omaha Trophy presentation ceremony.
Photo by Airman 1st Class Matthew Arachikavitz
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