2024 July Stream

The Water Front

Pendergraft brings winning pedigree to local business

By Craig Howard Stream contributor

If a stray basketball was in the vicinity during David Pendergraft’s four-year career at Gonzaga, chances were that No. 25 was going to own it.

Floor burns, skinned knees and the occasional bloody nose were part of the tenacious approach when the player known as “Pendo” took the court. Not long after his debut as a freshman in 2004, the Omak, Washington native became a fan favorite.

In 2008, Getty Images captured a photo from the first round of the NCAA Tournament that seemed to crystallize Pendergraft’s determined demeanor. In the image, Davidson guard and future NBA MVP Stephen Curry is clutching the ball in his right hand, separating himself from the defense. Pendegraft, meanwhile, is oblivious, grappling for possession like a steam shovel clawing through piles of stubborn earth.

“As a player, I asked myself ‘How can I contribute to the team?’” Pendergraft recalls. “What could I do to help us win?”

Winning became commonplace during Pendergraft’s tenure as a Zag. He was part of four regular season West Coast Conference titles, three WCC Tournament crowns and a quartet of appearances in the NCAA Tournament, including a Sweet 16 run in 2006. The program racked up 103 wins against only 28 losses with Pendergraft on the roster. As a senior, he earned firstteam All WCC honors.

Pendergraft was only a sophomore at Brewster High School when he committed to Gonzaga, spurning interest from the likes

1A high school in a town of around 2,000 residents 135 miles northwest of Spokane.

The transition to the Lilac City made sense for a variety of reasons.

“It’s the perfect place,” Pendergraft told the Seattle Times in 2002 after he pledged to GU. “I’m not a big-city type of person.”

After graduating with a B.A. in Philosophy from Gonzaga in 2008, Pendergraft stuck around. He worked in sales for Next IT for just over three years before returning to GU to work on his MBA. While there, he served as Director of

Manager. In July 2020, he was named Chief Operating Officer.

A niche business-to-business operation, MAG works on consignment with rental companies, banks, leasing businesses, lending institutions and other entities to create a unique market that moves between 1,500 to 1,700 vehicles a week. Pendergraft is based at MAG’s DAA Northwest site on Hayford Road. Other locations include Seattle and Anchorage, Alaska. Over 500 employees call MAG home, including over 200 locally, making it one of the largest employers in the West Plains.

company that is people-first.”

Pendergraft says he has savored being part of the growing West Plains business community over the past decade, calling attention to “the leadership that is just amazing out here.”

“It’s been an honor to learn from these people,” he said. “It’s just tremendous how many businesses have a legacy in this area.”

Pendergraft learned a steady work ethic from his parents, Mike and Lori, who raised David and his younger brother Robert with an emphasis on integrity and accountability along with a disdain for taking shortcuts. Mike worked as the assistant Public Works director for the town of Omak and Lori ran her own embroidery business.

“My brother and I knew my parents sacrificed a lot for us,” Pendergraft said. “My dad grew up with a lot fewer opportunities than we did so we didn’t want to waste ours.”

After the family moved from Omak to Brewster before Pendergraft’s freshman year of high school, David didn’t waste time making an impression. He placed fifth at the state cross country meet and became an instant contributor to a basketball program that already boasted five state titles in boys’ basketball.

Pendergraft and his teammates would add two more state crowns to that total by the time he graduated in 2004. As a senior, he averaged 25 points and 11 rebounds a game, concluding his prep career ranked fifth on the state’s all-time scoring list.

Before suiting up for GU, Pendergraft cut his teeth against top competition, from pick-up games against current and former Zags to high-level AAU tournaments across the nation. The summer

Contributed photo

David Pendergraft was known as an ultra-competitive, team-first contributor in his four years with the Gonzaga men’s basketball program beginning with the 200405 season. The Omak, Washington native went on to earn his B.A. in Philosophy and MBA from GU. He

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Trusted and Endorsed by:

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• Established the high school apprenticeship program.

• Lowered the cost of life-saving medications like insulin.

• Created the Veteran Service Officer Program, getting Veterans the money they earned.

State Representative Suzanne Schmidt & Spokane County Commissioner Mary Kuney

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PENDERGRAFT

Continued from page 2

before his senior year, he was one of 50 high school players invited to the USA Basketball Festival in Colorado Springs where he averaged over 14 points and nearly seven rebounds per game. As a Brewster senior, he led the Bears to upset wins over 4A programs like Auburn and Snohomish, schools with 10 times the enrollment as their 1A foe.

While at Gonzaga, Pendergraft met Lauren Zuckerman, a member of the women’s soccer team. The two married in 2010 and are proud parents of two daughters, 11 and 9, and a son, 7. The family lives in the Lakeside/Nine Mile area.

“I don’t play much basketball these days,” said Pendergraft, who was part of five Hoopfest Elite titles. “Most of my time is spent chasing three kids.”

Pendergraft, who helps coach his kids’ sports teams, is now part of the team at Zags Collective, Gonzaga’s foray into the Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) arena focused on fundraising and community connectivity. He serves on the board while his former teammate Derek Raivio oversees the cause aimed at keeping GU relevant in the increasingly competitive NCAA NIL mix.

As for his role in the nowfamous narrative of a small, private Jesuit school in Eastern Washington rising to national prominence in spite of the odds, the kid from Brewster with his own underdog story continues to savor the journey.

“It’s pretty special,” Pendergraft said.

Q: How do you think growing up in small, closelyknit communities like Omak and Brewster impacted who you became as a person?

A: Obviously, we all have a biased perspective regarding the social environment we grew up since it’s what we know and what we have experienced. That said, the Okanogan Valley was almost like a protected petri dish where you can experience and explore “life” but small enough to be protected from the significant dangers that are more common

in bigger communities. So many families heavily invest in the schools, in sports, towards events, which creates great opportunity to grow and fail fast and safely. My parents did a great job in guiding my brother and I within the realm, as well.

Q: Gonzaga was just a few years into being recognized on the national stage when you were being recruited out of Brewster High. At one point did GU seem like the best fit for you and why?

A: This has always been a tough one to answer because of how it just felt right. I committed at a young age, right after my sophomore year of high school began. My family and I still didn’t know how the dynamics of recruiting worked or the proper way to go about things but for me it wasn’t about that. I had just played the spring and summer AAU circuit with Sean Mallon who was going to be a senior and chose Gonzaga over many other top-25 schools. He was a mentor of mine and I trusted him and his reasoning. That helped me follow what seemed to be an easy choice with Gonzaga’s great coaching staff, the family environment and a culture that was built differently. After praying and discussing with my family, I knew I wanted to be part of that story so why delay the inevitable.

Q: The McCarthey Athletic Center opened in 2004, your inaugural year at GU. What do you remember about your first game at The Kennel?

A: I have a framed photo of that game in my office. That’s about all I remember. I had no idea what I was getting into and, looking back, learning how to play at that level as a freshman took some time. It was the epitome of the cliché “deer in the headlights.” But it was the start of the journey and one that I am forever grateful for.

Q: Is it fair to say the underdog brand was still in place when you played at GU? Beyond the program, did you also feel like you had something to prove individually as a recruit from a smaller in-state school?

A: When I came to GU they were coming off being ranked in the top five, getting a two-seed in the NCAA tournament, but

also graduating some of the most accomplished players in school history, at that time. It wasn’t necessarily an underdog story but a question of sustainability. Can this next generation keep it going or build on the foundation? That said, we still approached these national spotlight games with the underdog, chip-on-theshoulder approach. However, in WCC play, it was more of the big dog attitude of making sure we control our house, if you will. So, two different approaches of claiming more national recognition in sustainability but keeping the streaks alive with winning the conference and going to the NCAA tournament. It is also significantly helpful to have players like Ronny Turiaf, Adam Morrision, J.P. Batista, Derek Raivio and Jeremy Pargo lead the way on the court, to name a few.

Q: Now that you’re involved in the Zags Collective (Name, Image and Likeness) effort at your alma mater, what does GU need to do to stay relevant and competitive on a national level?

A: Coach (Mark) Few and his staff have done a tremendous job building a national powerhouse. The accolades speak for themselves. In this new era of NIL, I don’t think a Gonzaga will ever be possible again in collegiate athletics. That is why it is imperative to cherish what we have and not take it for granted. For Gonzaga to still compete at the level we are at, we need the community to help support it within NIL. The new landscape of college athletics isn’t going away. It is the new reality for student-athletes and universities. For Gonzaga, what has made us so uniquely special is the local community and the GU fan base across the nation. There is truly nothing like it. In many ways, GU basketball is the pro sport of Spokane. With how much this community loves GU and the success, we have to do our individual part in supporting NIL to compete with the blue bloods year in and year out. That’s the new reality.

Q: You had a few career stops before landing at McConkey Auction Group in 2014. Why has this been a good fit for you?

A: McConkey Auction Group

is similar to Gonzaga basketball in many ways. MAG battles and “wins” against the blue bloods of the auction industry. We are a small market competing against big market teams. Bob McConkey is an incredible leader who has built something surpassing people’s expectations and he is a widely respected industry leader, much like Coach Few. For me personally, the feeling of family, doing things differently, and no matter the pressure, doing it the right way is very much the same. People come first and there is a bigger picture philosophy that is led by grace, selflessness, but also a strong competitiveness. I cannot express enough how thankful I am do have been a part of Gonzaga and then find a work home I am just as passionate about at MAG.

Q: What have you enjoyed about working in the West Plains community for the last decadeplus?

A: The business community, the food, and especially learning from the compilation of great leaders. I am thankful for the brilliant lessons many of the leaders like Bob McConkey, Irv Zakheim, and Phil Haugen have been willing to share and their wiliness to mentor the next generation in the West Plains. Also, their impact in this community has been unmeasurable and allowed for many of us to have opportunities that weren’t available here even 10 years ago.

Q: Finally, we often hear about the privilege of “being a Zag” and the expectations and responsibilities that come with that. From your days in uniform to your years beyond basketball, what does it mean to you?

A: Great question. I have always had a great sense of revered pride in being a Zag. To me, it’s the ability to humbly use what has been given to you to serve in the current situation. As a player, being engaged with the kids, the fans and the great community we live in. As a player, what can I give and provide each position. How can I lead better, how can I service my teammates. Now, it all translates to how I am a husband, a father, a coach, a leader, a friend, etc. How can I be engaged in the moment and give what I have to offer.

Medical Lake library may provide electric vehicle charging station

By John McCallum Stream contributor

The city of Medical Lake is considering a request from the Spokane County Library District (SCLD) and Arista Utilities to add an electric vehicle charging station at the local library, 321 E. Herb St. Amber Williams, SCLD Strategic Initiatives Manager and project manager for the EV charging station project, brought the proposal before the Medical Lake City Council at their July 2 meeting. The Library District has been working with Avista, utilizing the grant funding process, since 2021 to install these charging stations at area libraries, with five libraries — Argonne, Moran Prairie, North Spokane, Otis Orchards and Spokane Valley — already providing charging services. Argonne, Otis Orchards and Spokane Valley host AC Level 2 (ACL2) chargers, while North Spokane and Moran Prairie provide services utilizing DC Fast Chargers, a feature Williams said requires an “enormous amount” more infrastructure than the ACL2 chargers

“And that’s (ACL2) what we’re proposing for Medical Lake,” Williams said.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, both AC Level 1 and AC Level 2 chargers utilize common household electrical current — ACL1 on 120 volts while ACL2 takes 208 (commercial) and 240 (residential) volt services. The difference is the speed, with ACL2 taking 4-10 hours to charge a BEV (battery electric vehicle) and 1-2 hours to charge a PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) from empty to 80 percent.

An AC Level 1 charger would take 40-50-plus hours and 5-6 hours to charge each respective vehicle. Williams told the council the ACL2 proposed for Medical Lake’s library would be a dual-port station utilizing

two spaces in the facility’s parking lot northwest corner.

“Two cars can charge at the same time,” she said.

Avista would pay the $15,000 to install the charging station, which includes the infrastructure and hardware and ongoing maintenance. The district would be responsible for paying the ongoing cost of electricity. The cost of electricity is calculated at “roughly $1 for two hours of active charging time.”

“If a car was plugged in for 24 hours a day, it costs $12,” Williams said.

The charger will be available for public use on the property for a minimum of 24 months, with the proposed agreement capable of being terminated prior to that if necessary. Installation of the station will take approximately 3-5 weeks and should cause minimum disruption in the use of the parking lot.

In an email to ML City Administrator Sonny Weathers, SCLD Executive Director Patrick Roewe said the district does not charge its customers to use ACL2 chargers in the parking lots of districtowned and/or operated facilities.

“We intend to continue that at Medical Lake,” Williams said. “It works for continuity across the district.”

Because the city owns the library site, Roewe said its approval to install the charging station is needed on the contract with Avista “is key,” hence the reason for approaching the council.

Reception from council seemed favorable to go forward with the charging station installation. One member expressing concern was Councilman Ted Olson, who asked if the district would also supply gasoline or diesel for these types of vehicles, since they are supplying electricity for electric vehicles.

“I mean what you’re doing is giving away a commodity, and you’re not doing anything for fossil fuel people,” Olson said.

“The library has been in a position of giving away commodities since its existence,” Williams replied. “The idea of a library is a collective of a community to share resources.”

Williams added libraries have been providing services such as internet access and printing, along with other information services, without any significant pushback,

even though those services are provided by businesses.

“All I want to do is make a point that fair is fair,” Olson said.

“From my perspective, I think it’s great,” Councilman Lance Spiers said of the proposal, noting the city lacks electric vehicle charging stations. He added those who do have EVs must drive to the Petro station off the Medical Lake interchange at Interstate 90 to recharge their vehicles.

Medical Lake Mayor Terri Cooper said there are a couple of electric charging stations in the city, but the public pays to use those. Williams noted the district had considered charging people for the use of the stations, but it was more expensive to put that infrastructure in than it was to provide the free service.

“I’m excited about it,” Cooper added, noting the library parking lot is seldom full.

The next steps involve the city review of the Avista Site Agreement, making any changes as needed. Once all parties have signed, SCLD staff will manage the overall project while Avista schedules and oversees installation.

Photo by John McCallum

Amanda Wolcott uses the AC Level 2 electric vehicle station charger at the Spokane Valley Library to recharge her yellow 2023 Jeep hybrid. A similar charging station, installed and maintained by Avista, is proposed for the Medical Lake Library.

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Medical Lake to look into adding vegetation, debris fire hazard codes

By John McCallum Stream contributor

Medical Lake is considering adding regulations to its municipal code allowing it to enforce yard maintenance standards that will also enforce local fire district powers to keep wildland fire fuels down.

At the July 2 City Council meeting, code enforcement official Dave Yuhas gave council an overview of a new addition to the code’s Chapter 9, “Peace, Safety and Morals” ostensibly entitled “Fire Hazard from Vegetation and Debris.” The new section would require property owners and occupants in Medical Lake to “remove or destroy all grass, weeds, shrubs, bushes, trees and vegetation growing or which has grown and died and all debris which are a fire hazard or a menace to the public health, safety and welfare.”

Yuhas said grasses can turn into “dangerous fuels” if left unattended, especially once they become overgrown and dry. Under current codes, when he notices a potential hazard in the city, he must report it to Spokane County Fire District 3 and then “get out of the loop.”

“A code like this would allow me to handle it directly,” Yuhas said about the proposed additions.

In preparing his proposal, Yuhas said he used examples of similar code from other municipalities, including Spokane and Spokane Valley, along with the state’s Revised Code of Washington Chapter 35, a section of which requires property owners to remove potential vegetation fire hazards as described above.

The proposed code additions would require a fire official, code enforcement officer or other authorized officer to consider at least six conditions in considering whether a property is declared a nuisance. First, the situation would need to be present from May 1 through November 30 and determine whether a lack of rain for at least 10 days has “negatively affected soil and moisture content.”

The average temperature would have to be above 70 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 days, and the height of the “grass or other vegetative material, whether standing or matted” would be 10 inches or more. It would also consider if the vegetation

is within 10 feet of combustible fence or structure, and include any “stack or accumulation” of other debris material such as newspapers, dead vegetation (including properly maintained compost piles), cardboard or any other paper, cloth or wood products left in a manner that poses a substantial risk of combustion or spread of fire.”

If a fire or city official determines such conditions are occurring on a piece of property, the city could order the removal or destruction of the debris by notice of violation. For large parcels exceeding 10,000 square feet, the abatement of the situation may require “a fuel break of at least 10 feet adjacent to any abutting property.”

A violation of the proposed codes would institute issuance of a Class 1 Civil infraction. According to RCW7.80.120, a Class 1 Civil infraction carries a monetary penalty of $250, with several exceptions, on of which allows for a $500 penalty in the case of “potentially dangerous litter.” Under the proposal, the city could also remove the nuisance itself, charging the expense of doing so to the property owners “or as a utility service to it.”

“It’s not a huge chunk of code, but it does address the current needs,” Yuhas said.

Yuhas added that his main purpose in bringing the information forward at the July 2 meeting was to ascertain if there was any interest on the part of the City Council to pursue adding such requirements and process to the city’s Municipal Code. While seeming somewhat cautious, council appeared to have some interest in looking at the issue further.

Mayor Terri Cooper said the next step should be sending the proposal to Medical Lake’s legal counsel for review and likely changes. Cooper said she saw situations where the fire marshal needs to be involved in the process, and potential issues with the city’s ability to mitigate nuisance violations.

She also said there needed to be changes to involve Fire District 3 officials in the process.

“Those are the first few things that jump out at me,” Cooper added.

Yuhas said the first three conditions relating to the time of year, amount and duration of rainfall and average temperature conditions were taken from local fire marshal recommendations.

“This is really good and I commend you for taking this on,” Cooper told Yuhas.

Council gave its consensus to look further into implementing fire hazard vegetation and debris regulations into the city’s municipal code, with more information coming at a future council meeting.

NEWS

Airway Heights council approves pool boiler replacement, transportation projects

By John McCallum Stream correspondent

Aerial surveillance law enforcement system, pool boiler replacement and transportation projects and funding were just some of the items the Airway Heights City Council addressed at meetings in June and July.

July 1 Legislative Session

The City Council unanimously approved the award of the continuation of a Therapeutic Court Grant — the only action item on a very like agenda.

The court originally applied for the grant in September, 2021, receiving an award of $316,724 in October that year, allowing the Community Court to begin in April 2022. The court then applied for and received a continuation of the grant funding for July 2023 – June 2024, asking for $510,165.40 and receiving $480,871.90.

The court applied for the recent continuation of the grant in May, asking for $277,138.40. It received $237,288.40 in June for July 1, 2024 –June 30, 2025, of which, $191,160.40 will go to personnel costs, $1,520 in staffing equipment and technology, $22,608 for team training, $10,000 for treatment services and $12,000 for recovery support.

Airway Heights Community Court operates with a restorative justice focus, handling nonviolent cases such as substance abuse. Sentences are legally binding and often require the defendants to seek care for substance disorder, mental health, gambling issues and other services.

June 17 Legislative Session

Council passed an emergency request by the Parks and Recreation Department to purchase a replacement boiler for the Recreation Center pool. Department Director J.C. Kennedy told the council they had been replacing parts on the existing boiler for some time, and it finally failed completely on June 13.

Originally, the council approved allocating $18,000 for

replacing the existing boiler with the exact same model. With all the problems encountered with the existing unit, Kennedy said they asked the contractor providing the replacement work, Apollo Mechanical Contractors, if there were other options that were more effective and enhance the system’s performance and sustainability.

At the June 24 council study session, Kennedy said Apollo recommended a two-boiler Lochinvar Aquatics System, which has a 12-week lead time and cost of over $90,000. Council approved this purchase, which Kennedy said will increase efficiency and provide redundancy.

At the June 17 meeting, council unanimously approved using $13,000 of Hotel / Motel Tax funding for the 2024 Airway Heights Day event. The Lodging Tax Advisory Committee recommended distribution of the funding for the event.

Council also unanimously approved a letter of support for the city’s Planning Department application for a state Department of Commerce grant to assist it in its Comprehensive Plan update process, which must be completed by 2026. The city is eligible for up to $125,000 from the department’s Periodic Update Grant (PUG), which would be paid in two

installments of $62,500 each over two funding cycles for work in 2024 – 2025 and 2025 – 2026.

In the Planning Department’s request, Principal Planner Heather Trautman noted that the PUG funding would not be enough to cover the work required in updating the Comprehensive Plan. She estimated an additional $125,000 –$175,000 would be needed.

“There are new and significant requirements for inclusion in the Plan under GMA including accommodating the housing allocation, sustainability planning, and multimodal levels of service as examples,” Trautman wrote.

The department has also received grants of $400,000 for the required “Resiliency and Green House Gas Emission Reductions Elements” chapter creation and a $50,000 grant for the “Missing Middle” housing policy element.

Finally, council unanimously approved a resolution adopting the city’s six-year Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP). The plan highlights projects and potential funding sources affecting transportation in the city from 2025 – 2030, and is required to be reviewed and updated annually.

Some of the projects potentially place in 2025 is the almost $3.3 million construction of a roundabout at Craig Road and U.S. Highway 2, with $1.7 million coming from the Spokane Tribe of Indians; the $3.73 million roundabout at Garfield Road and U.S. 2, with $1.87 million in federal funding procured and the $6.19 million extension of 10th

Avenue which is fully funded by federal, state and local sources.

Also at the June 17 meeting, Councilman Hank Bynaker was named as the city’s primary representative to the Fairchild Air Force Base Restoration Advisory Board. The board was developed to “exchange information between the base, community, United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), and state environmental bodies about the restoration environmental process.”

Council study sessions actions

Council also took action at study sessions on July 8 and June 24, meetings where typically items are discussed and moved forward to upcoming legislative sessions.

At the July 8 session, council voted to move forward for approval the application to fill a vacant seat on the city’s Planning Commission submitted by Melanie Kern. Kern is a nine-year resident of Airway Heights, has a bachelor of science degree in social sciences, has completed associate’s degree courses in urban design and public policy and is a member of the American Planning Association’s Washington chapter.

Council agreed to move forward resolutions regarding the city’s public records policy, repealing and replacing one portion of the code while opting out of a requirement to maintain a public records index. Council also agreed to move forward information regarding construction management of the city’s upcoming Craig Road Shared Use Path project.

At the June 24 study session, council unanimously approved receipt of a $50,000 Law Enforcement Pursuit Technology grant from the Department of Commerce for an aerial surveillance system for the Police Department consisting of two drones and a one-year subscription for eight FLOCK Safety Cameras. Police Chief Brad Richmond told the council the system will assist officers with apprehending fleeing suspects, provide information on conditions regarding barricaded suspects and reconstruct crime scenes for investigations.

Council also approved extending a professional services contract with an outside consultant working on measures to update, enhance and strengthen the city’s code enforcement process.

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By John McCallum Stream contributor

Cheney Baseball

up season with awards

Cheney and Medical Lake athletes were fairly represented on their respective All-Greater Spokane League 3A/4A and All-Northeast A League spring sports teams. Along with All-GSL scholar athlete picks and a seventh-place finish in the 3A Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association’s Scholastic Cup competition, it made for the conclusion of a successful year.

First Team: Quinn Hubbs (SR).

Second Team: Carter McPherson (SR).

Fastpitch softball

First Team: Mia Ashcroft, outfield (JR).

Golf – boys

First Team: Justin Krassel (FR), Ryan Howe (FR).

Track and field – boys

First Team: Eugene Hennequin, long jump (SR).

Second Team: Calvin Hilton, 3,200 (JR).

Track and field – girls

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Medical Lake Baseball

grade point average (GPA) will Stinson earned a 3.981 GPA.

First Team: Natalie Richards, 100 hurdles (SO)

Second Team: Clara Browne, discus (SR), Joy Assonken, javelin (SR)

First Team: Ian Thompson, outfield (SO), Andrew Roberts, utility (SR).

Second Team: A.J. Michaud, pitcher (SO), Taylor Oliver, outfield (SR).

Fastpitch softball

First Team: Isabel Barry, infield.

Second Team: Kylie White, Layla Armes.

Tennis – boys

First Team: Jack Smith (SR), Aizea Dancel (FR), Jess Harrison (SO), Gavin Soderberg (SO), Brody Rector (SR).

Track and field – boys

First Team: Hayden Luzier, 800.

Second Team: Chuks Okemgbo, high jump.

Track and field – girls

First Team: Chiche Okemgbo, shot put and discus.

Second Team: Chiche Okemgbo, triple jump.

Assonken, Stinson named AllGSL Scholar Athletes

Seniors Joy Assonken and Evan Stinson were selected to represent the Blackhawks as All-GSL Scholar Athletes. Assonken posted a 3.921

Assonken earned eight varsity letters, four in volleyball and four in track and field. She was an All-GSL Honorable Mention in volleyball in 2022 and second-team member in 2023, along with the Blackhawks volleyball most valuable player three years in a row and Cheney’s all-time killer leader.

She was a 2024 second-team AllGSL track and field selection in the javelin, finishing fifth in the event at 3A state competition, along with a 12th-place finish in the shot put.

Assonken is a member of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), placing fourth at nationals and receiving the Washington STEM Rising Star Award. She also received the NECA/IBEW Student of the Quarter award this past fall.

Stinson earned six varsity letters, three in basketball and three in golf, and has competed on several “highlevel” traveling AAU basketball teams. He received two FirstTeam All-GSL selections, was the league scoring champion this past season and three-times Blackhawk basketball MVP, ending his career with 1,119 points.

Stinson also received a NECA/ IBEW Student of the Quarter Award this past winter, and awarded a scholarship to play basketball at Stanford University.

Cheney places in top-10 of state’s Scholastic Cup

Cheney High School athletes placed seventh overall out of 70 schools in the 3A classification in

the WIAA’s annual Scholastic Cup competition.

According to the WIAA, the Scholastic Cup “recognizes performance in the classroom as well as on the playing surface.” Schools receive points for finishes at the top of their respective classifications in state athletic competitions along with finishing at the top of team academic performances. Sportsmanship plays a part, with points deducted for ejections from contests.

At the end of the year, the school with the most points in their classification is awarded the Scholastic Cup.

According to the WIAA, Cheney received 895 points. In scholastic competition, the Blackhawks boys and girls cross country teams and the girls fastpitch softball team all placed first, earning a total of 300 points, 100 points each. Secondplace finishes, earning 80 points each, went to the boys golf, girls wrestling and girls swimming / diving teams. Baseball finished third with 60 points.

In activities, the boys cross country and golf teams earned 30 points each, finishing seventh and 10th respectively in their competition.

Mead placed first in the 3A classification with 1,549, with Lakeside (Seattle) just four points back in second. Other Eastern Washington schools finishing in the top-25 were Ridgeline (third), University (eighth), Ferris (18th) and Kennewick (25th).

ML council deals with container, procurement policy; wildland fire prevention

By John McCallum Stream contributor

Purchasing policy, historic preservation, dealing with power outages because of wildland fire prevention measures and final approval of an ordinance allowing shipping containers to be sited in Medical Lake were just a few of the issues the City Council dealt with at its June 18 and July 2 meetings.

July 2 meeting

City Council moved through action on six resolutions at the July 2 meeting.

The first was adopting updates to the city’s procurement policy. Finance Director Koss Ronholt told the council at a workshop on the changes at the June 4 meeting that the policy was critical to the city in that it “ensures fair competition” and the “lowest possible price” on goods and services.

Several changes to the policy occurred due to changes in state law passed by the Legislature. Key among these was the threshold at which purchasing goods or services required solicitation for bids — previously set at $7,000 or less. That threshold was increased to $39,999 or less.

The second resolution was approving Amendment No. 5 to a lease agreement with the state to allow the city to use 45 acres of land at the southern portion of Medical Lake — also known as Waterfront Park. The acreage is owned by the Department of Social and Health Services.

The city entered the lease on Nov. 1, 1967, and the only change was to extend the termination date to Dec. 31, 2024. The city and DSHS have been in discussions about Medical Lake purchasing the property, discussions Mayor Terri Cooper said are still going on, but needing more work.

“It’s not costing us anything to have it (the lease) continued,” she added.

Council approved a resolution creating a records assistant position and job description. The position, funded by a $10,625 Office of the Secretary of State grant, will be parttime, paying $18.35 – 25.42 an hour and involves assisting city staff with the Records Room Reorganization project.

Council approved a resolution allowing Avista Utilities to utilize specified city facilities as “Community Resource Centers” as part of the utility’s newly established Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) program. According to Avista’s website, the PSPS program enables the utility to shutoff power to selected service areas during weather conditions such as low humidity, high temperatures and strong winds — conditions under which power equipment is too dangerous to operate and thus create extreme wildland fire dangers.

Avista has developed a notification system to alert customers of the potential for PSPS in their area, including a 1-2-day notification an event is likely, 1-4 hours when an event is imminent and when the outage will begin and end.

“It is a tool of last resort,” Avista Regional Business Manager Michelle McCollum said during a presentation. “We need to have this tool in our toolbox should those conditions occur.”

It that happens, Avista would open a Community Resource Center at a city of Medical Lake public facility as a place where affected customers can go to get more information.

Finally, council passed two resolutions dealing with unexpected cost increases on a pair of upcoming projects, both of which are majority fund by grants from the state Transportation Improvement Board (TIB). Labor and materials for the city’s Scrub and Chip Seal project and its Street Maintenance project have increased by a total of $419,982 — with TIB picking most of the increase.

For Medical Lake, the increase resulted in an increase to the city match for each project, with the Scrub and Chip Seal project increasing $10,733 to $47,686 and the Street Maintenance work increasing $10,464 to $12,757. All total, project

costs jumped from $784,935 to just over $1.2 million.

Public Works Director Scott Duncan said the increases happened to projects in other communities, and would like require a budget amendment later. Ronholdt said there is “plenty of funds” in the city’s Capital Projects account.

June 18 meeting

City Council voted 4-2 with one abstention to approve the second reading of an ordinance amending the city’s zoning codes to allow the siting of shipping containers at specific locations in Medical Lake. The amendments, which have been debated extensively since introduced in late 2022, allows shipping containers — as long the owners meet specific siting requirements — to be placed on school district property and at ministorage facilities for the sole purpose of dry storage.

Council members Chad Pritchard, Keli Shaffer, Don Kennedy and Bob Maxwell voted in favor of the ordinance while members Spiers and Tony Harbolt voted against. Councilman Olson, who participated in the meeting remotely via Zoom, abstained, but provided written comments in which he proposed an amendment to the ordinance “excluding ministorages and other businesses” from being allowed to site shipping containers, which would leave only the school district with the ability to do so.

Council also approved a resolution entering into an interlocal agreement with Spokane County allowing the county to handle historic preservation services in

the city. Ordinance 1122 would incorporate Spokane County standards and requirements for historic preservation into Medical Lake’s municipal codes under Chapter 2.40 “by reference.”

Residents or businessowners who voluntarily wished to participate in the program would receive a “special valuation” credit towards property taxes for 10 years after completion of historically appropriate improvements to their property.

The ordinance also requires an interlocal agreement between Medical Lake and the Spokane County Historical Preservation Office for preservation services. There is no cost to residents “as long as county funding remains stable.”

Also passing unanimously was the city’s six-year Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP). The plan contains a list of potential projects the city has identified needing to be undertaken between 2025 – 2030 and their potential funding sources.

Many of the projects identified are small-dollar residential work. Several larger projects include $350,000 improvements to the State Route 902 / Stanley Street intersection, an estimated installation of a roundabout at SR902 / Brooks Road / Lefevre Street and an estimated $2.45 million in pedestrian access and safety improvements throughout Medical Lake.

Finally, council unanimously approved receipt of a state Department of Commerce grant of $118,000 to help cover some of the expenses incurred by the city during and after the Gray Road fire of August, 2023.

COLONEL CHAD K. CISEWSKI

Stream news sources

Col. Chad K. Cisewski is the Commander of the 92d Air Refueling Wing, Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington. The Wing provides global reach airpower and deploys expeditionary forces in support of worldwide combat, contingency, and humanitarian requirements. The Wing operates 61 KC135 Stratotanker aircraft performing refueling, airlift, and aeromedical evacuation missions supporting U.S. and coalition contingency operations and USSTRATCOM strategic deterrence missions. As installation commander, Col. Cisewski is also responsible for activities and assigned functions of Fairchild Air Force Base and support for 18 associate units.

Col. Cisewski is originally from Stevens Point, Wisconsin and was commissioned through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at the University of Minnesota Duluth in 2002. He has served in various operational assignments as an instructor and evaluator pilot in the KC-135, C-17, and C-21. Additionally, he commanded the USAF’s C-17 squadron at Hickam Field, Hawaii. His staff assignments include Air Mobility Command, U.S. Transportation Command and U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa.

Prior to his current assignment, Col. Cisewski served as the Operations Group Commander, 92d Air Refueling Wing, Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington.

Col. Cisewski is a Command Pilot with more than 4,000 flying hours, including over 700 combat hours.

Team Fairchild Honors Col. Dycus and CMSgt. Arcuri’s Final Flight

Col. Chesley Dycus, 92nd Air Refueling Wing commander, flies a KC-135 Stratotanker during his final flight at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, June 27, 2024. Final flights, also known as “fini flights,” are a tradition among pilots and aircrew to celebrate one’s last flight with their unit or airframe. Dycus served as Fairchild AFB’s commander since 2022.

Fame's Favored Few welcomes new wing commander

By Tech. Sgt. Izabella Workman 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

Col. Chad K. Cisewski assumed command of the 92nd Air Refueling Wing and Chief Master Sgt. Lindsay S. Moon assumed responsibility as the new 92nd ARW command chief during a change of command and change of responsibility ceremony, July 2, 2024.

Maj. Gen. Corey Martin, 18th Air Force commander, presided over the ceremony.

Martin praised Col. Chesley Dycus, outgoing 92nd ARW commander for the performance of the wing over the last two years

and the impact it made around the world and expressed his confidence in Cisewski’s leadership and his ability to continue that success.

“The 92nd needed a new leader that could build on Col. Dycus’ foundation, and I didn’t have to look very far because Col. Cisewski showcased his strong leadership abilities during his command over the 92nd Operations group,” said Martin. “He comes with deep airlift experience and has excelled in a joint assignment; and as General Minihan says, we are the meaningful maneuver for the Joint Force, so I know Cisewski is going to be the man for the job.”

As the new commander of the 92nd ARW, Cisewski shared his thoughts on his new role.

“I couldn’t be more honored to have the opportunity to continue serving here at Fairchild as your new 92nd Air Refueling Wing Commander,” Cisewski said. “Chief Moon and I are ready to roll up our sleeves and get to work alongside you. We will execute our mission

with confidence and conviction. Whether you fly, fix or support, we will work together to tackle the toughest challenges any future conflict may bring, I am honored to joint this team. Let’s get to work!”

Before assuming command, Cisewski was the commander of the 92nd Operations Group, Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington. Cisewski will now lead the more than 13,000 Fairchild Airmen and families who will provide strategic air refueling on a global scale.

Cisewski commissioned to the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at the University of Minnesota Duluth in the year 2002. He served in various operational assignments as an instructor and evaluator pilot in the KC-135, C-17, and C-21. His staff assignments include Air Mobility Command, U.S. Transportation Command and U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa. Finally, throughout his career he has logged over 3,600 flight hours as a Command Pilot, including over 700 combat hours.

Photo by Airman 1st Class Clare Werner

COVER STORY

Photo by U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Matthew Arachikavitz

Col. Chesley Dycus, right, outgoing 92nd Air Refueling Wing commander, relinquishes the command guidon to Maj. Gen. Corey Martin, 18th Air Force commander, during the 92nd ARW change of command ceremony at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, July 2, 2024. During the ceremony, Dycus relinquished command to Martin before Col. Chad Cisewski assumed command of the 92nd ARW.

by U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Matthew Arachikavitz Fame's Favored Few welcomes new wing commander

Col. Chad Cisewski, right, assumes command of the 92nd Air Refueling Wing from Maj. Gen. Corey Martin, 18th Air Force commander, during the 92nd ARW change of command ceremony at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, July 2, 2024. During the ceremony, Col. Chesley Dycus relinquished command to Martin before Cisewski assumed command of the 92nd ARW. The change of command ceremony is a long-standing tradition that enables all members of a given unit to formally welcome the new commander and recognize the leadership of the outgoing commander.

Working for Airmen: 92nd ARW Command Chief shares parting wisdom ahead of retirement

By 92ARW Public Affairs 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

Since July 2022, Chief Master Sgt. William Arcuri has served as the 92nd Air Refueling Wing command chief, supporting nearly 4,500 Airmen and over 10,000 members of Team Fairchild who provide global reach and airpower in support of worldwide combat, contingency and humanitarian requirements.

A native of York, Pennsylvania, Arcuri entered the Air Force directly after high school. He served six years as a nuclear weapons maintainer in North Dakota and Italy before cross-training into electrical power production in 2001. During his career, Arcuri deployed eight times and served in leadership roles at seven home-station and six deployed units throughout the Pacific, North American, European and Central theaters.

Upon earning the rank of chief master sergeant, Arcuri promised to “Work for Airmen,” a creed he upholds to this day. As the 92nd ARW command chief, he engages with base and community organizations and teams to identify the needs of the Total Force and provide the support necessary to execute Global Reach operations.

Before relinquishing his responsibilities as command chief on July 2, 2024, and retiring from active duty on March 1, 2025, Arcuri shared his perspective on leadership, taking care of Airmen and his experience as the senior enlisted leader of Team Fairchild.

Q1: What were your goals coming into the 92ARW as the command chief?

A1: I knew that there was going to be a list of tasks, opportunities and, most importantly, places to make a difference. I didn't list

out or have specific goals and specific lines of effort coming in because I wanted to come in eyes wide open. Having never been stationed at Fairchild and having never been in the air refueling community, I was not coming in as the subject matter expert and didn't want to be. I wanted to come in and find out where I could support folks and how I can make a difference in their lives and hopefully leave this place better than I found it.

As I sat down with Col. Dycus through the process leading up to here, I found out that he was of like mind, and he didn't want to establish long, flowery mission and vision statements and lines of effort. He wanted to focus on his priorities of Airmen, mission and culture. Coming in off the bat, I knew that we were going to align ourselves by looking for ways to take care of Airmen and their families and create or continue to propagate a proper culture that gives them the opportunity for success. This included promoting a culture of a healthy work-personal life balance that prioritized taking care of our own families as well.

Q2: Do you think coming into a new assignment with an open mind is something all SELs, commanders and leaders should do?

A2: In most circumstances, I would say yes. We were coming into a highly performing organization. There are times though, throughout my career, where I've stepped into a not highly performing organization or shop or squadron. And when I had those moments, I had to look at things differently, and I had to come in with the focus needed to establish a winning strategy for that organization. We had to come in and see how we could take this wing

Photo

COMMUNITY

COMMUNITY

EVENTS

July 12, 13, 14 |Cheney Rodeo 7 pm - 10 pm Visit CheneyRodeo. com for a full schedule and more information.

July 17 |Bingo at Spokane Live 1 pm - 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/.

July 28 |Community Yard Sale 12905 W. 6th Avenue, Cheney (Four Lakes) 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. In the Cheney SDA Church field.

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.

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

July 24 | Bachman-Turner Overdrive – 7 pm Northern Quest Casino, Airway Heights, WA

July 24 | The Red Clay Strays – 8 pm Don’t miss The Red Clay Strays concert at the Spokane Live At Spokane Tribe Casino 14300 S-2 Hwy W, Airway Heights

July 22 | Bush, Jerry Cantrell & Candlebox – 7 pm Northern Quest Casino, Airway Heights, WA

August 1 | Linger at the Lake – 6 pm - 10 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! Aug 1st – Justyn Priest Band: A 4-piece hot guitar band playing a mix of country, rock, and blues. 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 11| Donny Osmond – 8:00 pm at BECU Live Outdoor Venue, Northern Quest Casino, Airway Heights, WA

August 13| Sammy Hagar & Loverboy – 7:00 p.m., Northern Quest Casino, Airway Heights, WA

August 15 | Locash– 7:00 pm live at BECU Live at Northern Quest Resort & Casino in Airway Heights.

July 13| Turn2 Trackday – 8 amSaturday, there’s speed in Spokane! https://www.motorsportreg. com/.../turn2-sat-jul-13th... NEW DRIVERS WELCOME, it’s the best time to have your first Trackday!

July 13 | Mud Factor Spokane – 10 am Mud Factor “Seriously Fun, 5K Obstacle Run!” celebrates 13 years of mud run fun with a return to SPOKANE on Saturday, July 13th, 2024. Giant Cargo Climbs • Mud Pits • Water Slides • KIDZ Run Too! Mud Factor is the premiere family “FUN” 5K Mud & Obstacle Run. No timing chip, no first or last place, just you and yours making muddy memories at your own pace! Register at www.MUDFACTOR. com Airway Motocross Park Official Airway Motocross Park, 12402 Sprague Ave, Airway Heights

July 13 | Conquest the Cage MMA – 7 pm Prepare for a night of hardhitting action when Conquest of the Cage returns to Northern Quest! Get tickets to witness your favorite fighters face off in Pend Oreille Pavilion. Northern Quest Casino, Airway Heights, WA

July 19| Thunder Nights – 6 pm10 pm Supercharge your Summer with Thunder Nights at Qlispé Raceway Park! We’re kicking the season into high gear with BB Funny Cars, Blown Alcohol Thunder, and Northwest Nostalgia. Qlispé Raceway Park 750 N. Hayford Rd, Airway Heights

August 16 -17 | Street Outlaws No Prep Kings – Street Outlaws come to Qlispe Raceway Park. Will we see you there? 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! **BEST VALUE** Get the NEW ROCKSTAR SUPER VIP tickets for the absolute best seats, perks, 3 hour early access, NEW large metal 6-coin collection, Starting Line access, Free parking, discounted merch, ROCKSTAR Hospitality tent, Saturday Driver Press Conference/Q&A, and much MUCH more! Meet & interact with your favorite Street Outlaws and beat the larger crowds. 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. DO NOT buy your tickets anywhere but TheFOAT. com. Any third party tickets are fraudulent and will not be honored. Please stay vigilant. Qlispé Raceway Park 750 N Hayford Rd, Airway Heights

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

CIVIC & BUSINESS

RECURRING

Airway Heights City Council | 5:30 p.m. weekly on Mondays, Court House, 13120 W 13th Ave. Public is welcome.

Cheney School Board | 6pm. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month, Cheney Highschool, 460 N 6th St.

Cheney City Council | 6 p.m., second and fourth Tuesday of each month, City Hall 609 2nd St. Public is invited.

Medical Lake School Board | 6:00 p.m., fourth Tuesday of the month. Location varies, for more visit mlsd. org

Medical Lake City Council | 6:30 p.m., first and third Tuesday of the month. Medical Lake City Hall, 124 Lefevre St.

Airway Heights Kiwanis Club Meeting | Fourth Wednesday, Noon at The HUB, 12703 W 14th Ave

Cheney Kiwanis Club Meeting | Thursdays 7:00 am at Sessions Village Clubhouse

Medical Lake Kiwanis CLub Meeting | Second Wednesday each 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.

SUMM24

Brought

EnviroKids Club

Wednesdays

For kids ages 8–12

Tackle hands-on science activities led by educators from the EnviroKids Club. Explore the environment: air, water, weather, garbage and recycling, plants and animals, plus you and your environment.

Happening at Airway Heights, Cheney & Medical Lake Libraries

To see dates & times, visit www.scld.org/envirokids-club

SPOKANE COUNTY LIBRARY DISTRICT

The Pointe

Free Meal Program Sunsetted, Replaced by Meals On Wheels Silver Cafe

By Colette Buck Stream contributor

Listening through the indistinct chatter that filled the basement of St. John’s Lutheran Church, one could easily sense an air of sadness as the final Feed Medical Lake event wrapped up and long-time friends parted ways.

For more than a decade, Joanna Williams and her band of trusty volunteers have been serving up homemade meals and distributing groceries to those in need across the West Plains. As of July 2024, the program Joanna operated under, Feed Medical Lake, will no longer support the area.

“We closed down because the St. John’s Lutheran Church Council said we had to close down,” Williams said when asked about why the program shuttered. “We had no say in it, and I really don’t know why because (the council) has not talked with us about it.”

Williams formed Feed Medical Lake after overcoming multiple medical challenges related to a battle with aggressive cancer. In 2001, Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center doctors found a tumor on the back of her left leg, stretching from Williams’ knee to her hip and threatening her life. She was immediately flown to Seattle for treatment and turned to her faith to navigate the journey.

“They told my pastor at the time that I had two weeks to live, maybe four,” Williams said. “So when (the) doctors told me how aggressive it was…I had to put my life entirely in God’s hands because there was nothing I could do. I said, ‘Lord, if you have work for me to do, I’ll live.’”

Williams returned home and was

About and for West Plains area seniors

in remission until she experienced further issues related to cancer in 2005, which resulted in amputation. It would be another five years before she came across the catalyst for Feed Medical Lake, a listing for Feed Cheney in the Cheney Free Press. Attending the event in late 2010, Williams returned to a former pastor and his wife at her church who encouraged her to set up her own program.

“I took $105 of my own money that I couldn’t afford to take, five dollars to keep the bank account open, $50 for the health department permit, and I had $50 left for a meal,” Williams said, recalling how she started the program. “With that $50…I bought some ingredients for a pot of soup and some sandwiches, and I served 89 meals that first time.”

More than 18,230 meals later, current pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church Greg Yeager said the decision to shutter Feed Medical Lake was made by church leadership, and in its place, the church would host Meals On Wheels Greater Spokane County’s Silver Cafe.

Under the program, anyone age 60 and older can receive a hot meal and socialize with other attendees

If you would like to sponsor this section call 509-242-7752

once a week. While participants are encouraged to donate five dollars, anyone eligible for Silver Cafe can eat regardless of their ability to pay. According to St. John’s Lutheran Church’s Facebook page, the program will begin in August and offer a free meal every Wednesday. No food distribution services will be provided by St. John’s Lutheran Church moving forward.

Pastor Yeager said the decision was made after Williams “started talking about throttling back from Feed Medical Lake.” Other factors included difficulties recruiting church volunteers to support the program and dwindling socialization rates following the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’re trying to tailor our ministries to helping people so that they can get better, and by helping people socialize so they can make friends,” Pastor Yeager said. “It’s been for a while that social aspect has been missing from Feed Medical Lake. What we want to have when we start hosting our evenings is to have more social events.”

With the closure of Feed Medical Lake, Williams is taking the summer off to regroup and dream up the

next iteration of her community food security program. Until it takes shape, Williams said she remains concerned about food insecurity impacting vulnerable community members, many of whom are friends Williams gained through Feed Medical Lake, until replacement programs are established.

“The light just went off the other day, and I realized we don’t have to serve food,” Williams said. “We can keep the name, we can keep the Facebook page, and we can find other ways to serve. That’s what we’re going to be working on, and it may only be three or four times a year, but by golly, I’m determined we’re going to do it.”

In total, Williams said Feed Medical Lake distributed 106 tons of food to community members and logged more than 20,000 volunteer hours. Anyone facing food insecurity across the West Plains can dial 211 to access social support services like free meal sites, personal hygiene items, domestic violence support, and more. The Feed Medical Lake Facebook page also posts links to social support services and healthy recipes that are easy to make.

Photos by Collette Buck

Founder Joanna Williams pages through a homemade scrapbook documenting previous meals served by Feed Medical Lake.

Ride STA downtown, save on gas and headaches Learn more at spokanetransit.com/parkride said no one ever said no one ever

))

Park & Ride Park & Ride “I ”

Park your car for free at West Plains Transit Center

The sale is open to anyone who would like to participate—not just to church members. There is plenty of space in t he field for many “vendors”.

COMMUNITY YARD SALE

12905 W. 6TH AVENUE, CHENEY (FOUR LAKES)

SUNDAY, JULY 28, 2024 10:00 A.M.-4:00 P.M.

IN THE CHENEY SDA CHURCH FIELD

A fee of $10 per spot will be collected. Bring your own tables but if you need a table, the church has a few to rent for an extra $5 each. The fees collected will go for our new riding lawn mower fund; otherwise, all sales are for the individual “vendor ’s” benefit. (To reserve a spot, please RSVP Jan Atkins: (503) 539 -6672 or Kristina Bury (509) 724-1127.) There will be free, ice-cold water, lemonade, tang, and home-made cookies. Also, farm-fresh melons for sale. (We respectfully request vendors not smoke on the grounds.)

Expo ‘74 continues in July with exhibits at libraries, online

By Stacey Goddard, librarian Spokane County Library District

Our libraries on the West Plains are excited to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 1974 World’s Fair throughout the month of July. At the time of Expo ’74, Spokane was the smallest city to host a World’s Fair. Expo ’74 was also the first environmentally themed World’s Fair and had the motto of ‘Progress Without Pollution.’

We are hosting exhibits in eight of our libraries, including Airway Heights, Cheney, and Medical Lake Libraries. We’re also featuring a digital display online. Displays include a variety of memorabilia, souvenirs, and memories from Expo ’74 that have been generously shared by members of our community.

All three West Plains libraries feature newspaper articles from both “The Spokesman-Review”

Four fantastic online authors talk for kids, teens, families

By Erin Dodge Stream Guest Correspondent

July brings fabulous authors of children’s and teens’ literature to you with four online author talks! These creators of wonderful stories—told though graphic novels, poetry in verse, and illustrated children’s books—make this summer’s author talks fun online experiences for the whole family to share.

Newbery-Medal-winning author Kate DiCamillo shares the stories behind the creation of her early chapter book series “Mercy Watson” and the follow up series “Tales from Deckawoo Drive.” This online talk is great for kids in prekindergarten through grade 3. This talk was live on Tuesday, July 9, but you can catch the recording of it at any time that’s convenient for you.

Kate DiCamillo is the awardwinning author of over 30 books for children. She served as the 2014–15

and the “Spokane Daily Chronicle” published in the spring and summer of 1974. You’ll also have the opportunity to view a variety of fun and fascinating souvenirs and memorabilia.

Stop by Cheney Library to view items like a scallop-edged plate featuring the flags of nations that participated in Expo ’74, charms and pins, and a World’s Fair commemorative gold plate and stand. You can also peruse a brochure from the Iran Pavilion and read the “World Festival of Entertainment Program.”

The exhibit at Airway Heights Library features brochures from the Germany and Japan Pavilions, a postcard of the Washington State Pavilion, and the “Sculpture Guide” flyer. Souvenirs displayed at Airway Heights include a coffee cup, a window sticker, an Expo miniature flag on a stand, and a World’s Fair plate with a gold flower-stem rim.

When you visit Medical Lake Library you can view the “USSR Expo ’74 Soviet Pavilion” brochure,

National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, appointed by the Library of Congress.

Would you survive a zombie apocalypse? Author Max Brallier talks about his book series “The Last Kids on Earth” and the adapted animated series on Netflix. Max shares how he came up with the different monsters and villains as well as the unique ways that Jack and his friends figure out how to defeat them. This online talk is great for kids entering grades 3–6. You can watch it live on Tuesday, July 16, at 11am.

Max Brallier is the “New York Times” bestselling author of more than fifty books, including the “Eerie Elementary” series, under the pen name Jack Chabert.

In an author talk for teens, Elizabeth Acevedo gives a short reading from her National-BookAward-winning and “New York Times” bestselling novel-in-verse “The Poet X” about Afro-Latina heroine Xiomara Batista, who tells her story with blazing words and powerful truth. Following that, Acevedo answers questions about her work and how teens can explore their poetic voices. You can

the “China Pavilion: Taiwan” brochure, and artist brochures from the British Columbia Pavilion. Other souvenirs on display at this location include a coloring book, a set of four fairthemed coasters (each a different color!), and a powder blue coin purse with the World’s Fair logo.

If you can’t make it into the library to see the exhibit, be sure to visit our digital display online at www.scld.org/expo-74, available to view in July. Digital photos include recognizable landmarks, such as the clock tower and the garbage goat.

The Expo ’74 exhibits are great for the curious as well as history buffs and are also a great way to bring generations together to reminisce and share stories of World’s Fair experiences.

If you happen to be traveling around the county, you may want to stop in at one of the other five libraries with exhibits to see different memorabilia and souvenirs on display from Expo ’74.

watch it live on Tuesday, July 23, at 11am.

Elizabeth Acevedo is the author of numerous other titles including “Family Lore,” “With the Fire on High” and “Clap When You Land.”

This year’s winner of the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, Dan Santat discusses how tweens and teens can tell their own stories through graphic novels. His winning book, “A First Time for Everything,” is a graphic memoir based on his own awkward middle-school years and the trip to Europe that changed his life. This online talk is geared for tweens and teens entering grades 5–8. You can watch it live on Tuesday, July 30, at 11am.

Dan Santat began drawing as a young boy, and although he first studied microbiology, he pursued his passion in illustration and storytelling.

You can register to watch each author talk live and even ask questions at www.libraryc.org/ scld. Plus, archived recordings of all four will be available after the live talks to watch at a time that’s convenient for you.

NOW THROUGH AUGUST 31

Track your summer reading & enter to win binoculars.

Reach your reading goals & explore your community.

Kids & teens who sign up can get a new book to keep, while supplies last.

Sign up at scld.beanstack.org

ARCURI

Continued from page 11

to the next level. That was why we weren't focused on looking for ways to improve it. It depends on the organization, so every SEL must evaluate the organization they're coming into and decide how long they want to learn and what they want the desired end state to be. For us, the desired end state was leaving it better than we found it.

Q3: How do you feel you and Col. Dycus have done with regard to your goal of leaving the 92nd ARW better than you found it?

A3: I don't want to speak for Col. Dycus, although I think he feels the same way. I feel like I left it better than I found it. Coming in in the summer of 2022, we were still shaking off a few of the cobwebs from COVID. We were still in a position where we didn't have all the indoor recreation space that we should have had. We still don't, we're still not where we need to be, but we're better than we were.

Having the Red Morgan Center and the Alder House open was

a huge win for us very early in our time here. Right now, we're beginning the project to build the new base operations center. The excitement we have in seeing that large scale military construction project getting to a place where it's ready to begin is something lets us know we're leaving the installation a better place than we found it. Not to say that it was in bad shape because, again, it was a highperforming organization. I know that throughout my time here, I've tried to foster and propagate relationships that make our lives and the Airmen’s lives better. I feel like they are in a better position now than they were two years ago.

Q4: One of your mottos is “I work for Airmen.” From that perspective, is there a particular accomplishment or milestone that stand out to you from your time at the wing?

A4: Yes, I'm incredibly proud of the things that the people do on the installation: We have Airmen who were the 18th Air Force Airmen of the Year and NCOs who were competing at AMC for high-level awards. Time and time again,

we see this wing performing well above anything that we could have imagined. We won the Omaha Trophy, I think for the fifth time or sixth time, and the Neil Fosseen award.

Time and again, our Airmen are being recognized for their excellence. For me, it's all of those Airmen and, at the same time, having individual conversations with them. So often I hear stories of someone who made a difference in their life: their supervisor, their first sergeant or their chief. Being part of that by trying to create that proper culture where leaders are taking care of their Airmen across the board is important to us. I feel like our Airmen are in a healthy, empowered culture that gives them the opportunity to really succeed. I feel like they're taken care of and in turn, taking care of other Airmen. I feel like that's what I'm most proud of.

Q5: You mentioned “taking care of Airmen” a few times. What does that mean to you as an Airman and a command chief?

A5: It's keeping my decision making focused on what is best

for the collective Airmen of the installation. Sometimes that is very individually focused, like getting ahold of someone at the Air Force Personnel Center – sometimes the AFPC command chief – and saying, “I have an Airman who is struggling with X, and I really need your help on this.” I found that when I'm helping that one individual Airman, even if it doesn't go as we would hope, they're grateful and they're still motivated because they feel like someone is trying to help them out along the way.

One of my former command chiefs used to always say to me, “I want to make a difference in one Airman's life every single day.” I always feel that way. If I make a difference in 3,000 Airmen’s lives, that's incredible. If I make a difference in one Airman's life, that's incredible. That's my measure of success every single day. What that looks like is very situational. Helping Airmen and working for Airmen sometimes is gathering or leveraging resources, sometimes it's getting more manpower and sometimes it's giving guidance. Sometimes it's giving guidance that Airmen don't want to hear or telling them what they don't want to hear. But through it all, I found that Airmen as a whole appreciate and are more motivated if they feel like their chiefs, senior enlisted leaders and commanders have their best interest in mind and at heart.

Q6: What is the best piece of advice that you either received or you'd like to offer Team Fair and Airmen across the Air Force?

A6: The best advice I could give any Airman would probably be advice that was given to me by a psychologist when I was going through a personal challenge and figuring out who I was. She said something that stuck with me my entire career, and I go back to it all the time: “It's never the end of the world until it is.”

So many times, I see our Airmen facing frustrations. Sometimes it's frustrations with the bureaucracy, with a piece of equipment, with their supervisors, their subordinates or their peers because let's just face it, we all want to do a great job, but we don't always all agree on how to

Photo by Airman 1st Class Matthew Arachikavitz

Chief Master Sgt. William Arcuri, center left, 92nd Air Refueling Wing command chief, Col. Chesley Dycus, center right, 92nd ARW commander, pose for a photo with the aircrew of their final flight at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, June 27, 2024. Final flights, also known as “fini flights,” are a tradition among pilots and aircrew to celebrate one’s last flight with their unit or airframe. Dycus and Arcuri served as Fairchild AFB’s key leaders since 2022.

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do said job. Because of that, there's often conflict that arises. Whatever that conflict is that you're feeling, just breathe and say to yourself, “Is this the end of the world? Are our planes falling out of the sky? Are we in an Armageddon-type scenario?” If not, there’s no reason to act like it is.

I say that, but I still I can get wound up – especially when I feel like an Airman is being done a disservice or something like that – I can definitely get spun up and I'm ready to go. So I understand that, but I have to tell myself, “It's never the end of the world until it is.” I just have to put my head down and solve the problem. Don't fight the scenario, just solve the problem and we'll get to the other end of it. That would be something I feel a lot of Airmen need to hear, across the installation and across the Air Force. Know what is truly important in your life and it will help you prioritize your time and tasks properly. For me, that includes remembering that my wife, Nikki is the most important person in the world.

NOTE: Chief Arcuri’s other favorite “nuggets of wisdom”

include:

that I've done that.

Live in your 3-foot world. (Focus on the things you can touch)

Do it, do it right, do it right the first time.

Judge other’s actions on their intentions, and judge your intentions on your actions.

Q7: You’re retiring from the Air Force after 30 years of service. How would you like to be remembered?

A7: I always keep this little moleskin journal with me, and I’m always jotting stuff down like meeting notes all of those things. I went back to that first one because I remembered that when I became a chief, or when I was getting ready for my chief induction ceremony, Public Affairs was interviewing us and asked, “How you want to be remembered as a chief?” I looked back at the notes I jotted down to see if I felt like I fit the mold because that was a little over 10 years ago that I became a chief. At that time, my goal was to be remembered as a chief who was steadfast, who was a proactive problem solver and who was reliable during the most difficult times or tasks. I hope

Through it all, I feel like I haven't wavered on certain things. I haven't wavered on trying to have a bias for action. I haven't wavered on trying to always work for Airmen and giving them the money, manpower, resources and materials they need to get after the day-to-day job. I feel I never wavered.

I've tried to go after problems when I see them come up. Some of those problems I only know about when an Airman brings them to me, but I always tried to take action, even if that action is just gathering information, providing information and or delegating it someone who can solve the problem. I try to hand them off to the right people and then follow up to make sure that whatever problem needs to be solved, got solved.

As for reliability, I had a lot of challenging mission sets throughout my career up until the point that I was a chief, and I feel like that's why I cued in on that one. I want to be remembered as being reliable during the tough

times. I feel like I was there sometimes just by happenstance. I've had some significant things: being in Iraq in 2003, then again, 2006 and 2009 – I have been in and out of deployments, I've had eight deployments. Through those events, I had a lot of tough things that have occurred. I was in Japan during Operation Tomodachi, when we had the earthquake and tsunami at the main island, so that was a very difficult time. I felt like I was reliable then, even though I wasn't a chief yet. But all those things throughout my career led to me becoming a chief. I thought, “I'm gonna keep having these hard things that happen, and I'm going to try and make sure I'm there for folks when they need me.” Through it all, I mostly tried to be reliable when Nikki needed me to be, whether I was at home or deployed.

When I look back on it, I would never give myself an A+ because I could have improved. Maybe I'm a solid B- in there somewhere, but I tried to get after those three things, and I feel like I did okay over time in being steadfast, proactive and reliable.

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Airway Heights Rec Center

By Nina Culver Stream contributor

The Airway Heights Recreation Center quietly celebrated its 5th anniversary earlier this year. Though there was no party with balloons and streamers, the facility is celebrating its recovery after the COVID-1 pandemic shut it down just shy of its first anniversary.

The facility at 11405 W. Deno Road was closed for 11 months, then had a limited reopening in February 2021. It took time to get back where they started. “We’ve been through some dramatic ups and downs,” said Parks and Recreation Deputy Director Andy Gardner. “That climb out of that presented a challenge for us.”

The Recreation Center opened in May of 2019, complete with outdoor fields, a gym, a cross-fit training rig, cardio and weight equipment and a pool facility. The pool area includes a 25-meter, six lane swimming pool as well as a children’s water play feature, a lazy river, a therapy pool, a hot tub and a sauna.

“It’s the cornerstone of the entire building,” Gardner said of the aquatic center. “When people walk up it’s the first thing they see, it’s what gets kids excited.”

“It really sets the tone for everything,” said Parks and Recreation Director JC Kennedy.

The Center also has a full slate of adult fitness classes, including some designed specifically for seniors. There’s also a new Gang Green outdoor advanced strength and conditioning class that uses kettlebells, sleds, boxes and more. There are cycling classes, yoga, cardio classes and power hour in addition to a busy schedule of water fitness classes and swim lessons.

“We’ve got programs that are doing so well,” Gardner said.

The open gym in the afternoons is the perfect time to shoot some hoops and the pool and ping pong table area are a good teen hangout. There’s also drop-in child care for members who want to use the facilities.

The goal is to provide something for everyone in the family, Kennedy

said. “Mom can be upstairs in a spin class while the boys are shooting hoops,” he said.

Summer also means several special programs designed to keep kids busy. The annual summer camp that runs through August is already full for most weeks. There’s also a summer Tot Time program every Thursday at 9:30 a.m. for kids ages 1-5 with rolling registration for $5 per session. The last session will be on Aug. 8 with a registration deadline of Aug. 2.

There are two summer STEAM workshops left on the schedule for ages 6-10. The session on July 31 will let kids design and test a landing system for an egg “Mars rover.” The registration deadline is July 19. Kids can also register by Aug. 9 for the final session, which is all about creating armor for battle bots, that is scheduled for Aug. 21.

Several summer sport camps are also on the schedule, including volleyball, flag football and soccer. Registration is already open to fall sports camps as well. Visit www. airwayheightsparksandrec.org or call (509) 244-4845 for a full schedule or to register for any classes or camps.

The Recreation Center, which was funded by a $13 million voter approved bond in 2016 and $700,000

in state funding in addition to city funds, sits on 70 acres. Though there are currently several multisport fields and a softball field on site, the plan has always been to add more as funding allowed, Kennedy said. There are six building phases planned for an outdoor sports complex, but an early attempt to get grant funding to pay for more construction failed. Two weeks ago the city applied for a Community Outdoor Athletic Facilities grant from the state, but won’t know anything for several months, Kennedy said. “It’s very competitive, but we’re in the game,” he said.

“That would expand our outdoor space significantly, almost double it,” Gardner said.

The goal would be to increase both the number of children and adults who could sign up for sports and the number of games that could be held, Gardner said. A recent successful adult soccer league held this spring shows that the desire for more sports is there, he said.

The Recreation Center, the only facility of its kind in Airway Heights, has only become more important in recent years. This year the aging pool on Fairchild Air Force Base closed, which prompted the Air Force to buy hundreds of day

passes that can be picked up and used by any person who has a DOD identification card.

The city of Cheney closed its 50-year-old pool in 2021 after a major mechanical failure. Last year, however, city voters approved a $13 million bond to build a new aquatics facility that is hoped to be complete by June of 2025.

Gardner said he’s not worried about competing with a new pool in Cheney when it opens. “Cheney has always had a pool,” he said. “It wasn’t a surprise the citizens would jump on the opportunity to put in outdoor facilities. I think the more opportunities, the better the region becomes.”

While the parking lot was fairly full on a recent Monday morning, Gardner said they’d like to see even more people take advantage of the facility. The Parks and Recreation Department is currently offering a 10 percent discount on a semiannual pass, which is cheaper than a monthly membership. “There’s a significant savings depending on your membership type,” he said.

The Recreational Facility is a hidden gem that a surprising number of people don’t know about, Kennedy said. “It’s amazing how often we hear ‘Oh, I didn’t know that was there,’” he said.

• State Representative since 2017

• Spokane County Chief Deputy Treasurer

• US Army Veteran

• Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration, EWU

• MBA, Gonzaga University

• Licensed CPA

• Married to Diane for 35 years with 3 adult children

“After the devastating Medical Lake Gray Road Fire of last summer, Mike was instrumental in drafting key legislation for fire recovery efforts and in leading legislation for post-fire mitigation dollars to better position our region for state funded rapid response toxic debris clean-up and other recovery work. Mike is passionate and works tirelessly to represent us in Olympia. Thank you, Mike! I am forever grateful for your ability to work across the aisle and get things done!” – Mayor Terri Cooper, Medical Lake

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