The Water Front
Super –
Ferney leads Cheney SD with layered experience
By Craig Howard Stream contributor
Like any good quarterback, Dr. Ben Ferney knows how to step up as a leader while inspiring his team.
As a starting varsity signal caller at Mead High School his senior year, Ferney led the Panthers with a mix of steady determination and positive resolve. The approach would carry over into his career as an educator and administrator, right up to his current role as superintendent of Cheney School District No. 360.
“I’ve always loved being part of teams,” Ferney says.
Ferney grew up in an enriching family environment where education was not only a priority but an integral part of the household. His mom worked as a teacher and his dad was an assistant superintendent.
“I knew from an early age I wanted to teach in high school,” Ferney said.
After graduating from Mead, Ferney headed to Pullman where he majored in science at Washington State University. As part of his journey to a bachelor’s degree, he was a student teacher at West Valley High School. With diploma in hand, he landed a parttime job at Lewis and Clark High School in the fall of 1998. Before long, the assignment became fulltime and permanent. He would teach and coach there for the next decade.
Eager for his next opportunity to grow, Ferney transitioned from LC to Bancroft School, a campus dedicated to supporting students
for the patience and commitment required to help students from a range of backgrounds succeed in the classroom and beyond.
After Bancroft, Ferney found himself in the West Plains during a time of growth in the Cheney School District. He began as assistant principal at Cheney Middle School then moved into the same position at Westwood Middle School after a bond passed and that school was built.
The voter-supported construction meant an even split
new version of Cheney Middle School also emerged from the bond passage.
After two years in Cheney, Ferney was given an opportunity to step in as principal of Freeman Middle School beginning with the 2012-13 school year. While there, he completed a superintendent internship under the tutelage of Superintendent Randy Russell.
After five years at Freeman, Ferney was ready for his first plunge into leading a school district. He was hired as
his time there, Ferney completed his Doctorate of Educational Leadership at Gonzaga University to go with a Master’s of Curriculum and Instruction he had earned previously from Eastern Washington University.
Ferney honed his administrative skills while in Stevens County. When the superintendent’s job opened up in Cheney, he was ready.
“I knew the people and I knew the community,” Ferney said.
Ferney was among a qualified list of candidates to replace Robert Roettger who accepted the superintendent’s job with NorthEast Washington ESD 101. Eventually, Ferney was selected over two other superintendents, Sean Dotson from the Tumwater School District and Don Vanderholm of Lind-Ritzville Cooperative Schools.
Ferney took the helm in Cheney on July 1, 2022.
He took over a sprawling district that is the largest geographically in Spokane County, covering 380 square miles between Cheney, Airway Heights, West Plains and parts of Southwest Spokane and Whitman County. Some 5,300 students call the district home.
“We really have distinct communities within our district,” Ferney said. “There are multiple perspectives but, in the end we’re still on the same team. We need input from everyone.”
Ferney and his district colleagues have been emphasizing broad feedback leading up to a $72 million construction bond that will be part of the general election ballot in November. The initiative fell just short of the required 60-percent supermajority
Contributed photo
Dr. Ben Ferney took over as superintendent of Cheney School District No. 360 in July 2022 after serving in the same role with the Valley School District for four years. Ferney graduated from Mead High School before earning degrees from Washington State University, Eastern Washington University and Gonzaga University.
&
E a t , Sh op Be Me y
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at the shoppers and small businesses throughout the communuity — and as a bonus we will include your gift idea as par t of our stor y listing can’t-miss local gift ideas (Restaurants, don’t feel left out. You can contribute a tantalizing menu item to be included in our ar ticle on dining out.) Either way, submitted photos are encouraged!
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FERNEY
Continued from page 2 in February, collecting just under 55 percent.
“We were around 600 votes short,” said Ferney.
When not running a school district, Ferney is a world-class competitor in water sports. His resume includes a world record in the sit-down water foil.
Ferney and his wife Stacy are proud parents of two daughters, Isabel and Sami.
Q: You grew up in a household where both of your parents worked in the field of education. How much influence did that have on your decision to pursue that career path yourself?
A: Growing up in a household where both of my parents worked in education had a significant influence on my career path. My mom, a middle school math teacher, showed me the dedication and hard work that teaching requires. Meanwhile, my dad, an assistant superintendent, provided insights into the administrative side of education. I loved teaching and still miss the classroom. My experiences eventually led me to administration as a way to make a broader impact in education and lead a larger team in creating positive change for students and staff.
Q: We hear a lot about the lessons that sports teach kids that can be applied later in life. What are some of the takeaways from your days as a high school athlete that are still relevant today?
A: Athletics and activities are incredible opportunities for our students to learn about pushing themselves, meeting new people, and being a part of a team. As a quarterback in high school, I learned so much about hard work, putting the team first, and fully committing to something larger than myself. There, I realized how special it was to be a part of a team and that same passion has carried through the rest of my life. No one knows what will click or create a spark for a student, so getting involved in as many activities as
possible beyond the academic school day is important!
Q: You were fortunate to land a full-time teaching job at Lewis and Clark High School not long after you graduated from college. In your many years in education, how have you seen the job market fluctuate for teachers looking for work and how would you characterize the current terrain for employment?
A: I am now in my 27th year in education and the job market has fluctuated quite a bit over the years. When I first started, there were far fewer job openings. In fact, my first position was a .4 FTE, non-continuing, one-semester role. Depending on the district’s needs, some positions are consistently more challenging to fill. This year, for example, our fantastic Human Resources department processed around 1,400 applications for just 45 positions.
Q: When you started as superintendent of the Cheney
Public Schols just over two years ago, you were familiar with the community and the district from your time as a middle school administrator a few years earlier. In what ways had things changed when you came back?
A: Our school district has grown significantly since my time as an assistant principal. Enrollment was around 3,900 students then and now it is over 5,000. Airway Heights is one of the fastest-growing suburbs in the country and the West Plains area is also expanding. What has remained the same, and what drew me back, is the incredible support from our communities, the dedication of our staff and our outstanding students.
Q: How did your four years as superintendent of the Valley School District prepare you for your current role in Cheney?
A: The role of a school superintendent is genuinely unique. With around 295 school
districts in Washington, there are not many superintendents. Valley School District is a special place where I gained valuable experience for four years and through the pandemic. Being a superintendent is one of the best jobs because it is so dynamic. One moment, you are in a classroom learning about morning routines and the next, you are discussing board policy. It is the best!
Q: You have been an administrator for a while now but your roots are as an instructor. Are there aspects of being a classroom teacher that you miss?
A: My heart is still in the classroom. There is no other role in a school district where you can establish deep and meaningful relationships with students. All of our roles across the district are ultimately to support student learning in the classroom.
Q: Kids, especially teenagers, are often stereotyped as underachievers with narrow
Contributed photo
Student Advisors are an integral part of the district's Board of Directors, providing great insight from the student perspective. High school students from across the district are encouraged to apply each spring, and if selected, will serve a one-year term beginning in September and concluding in June.
Superintendent Ben Ferney along with Board Director President Henry Browne participated in the annual orientation session at Cheney High School on Wednesday afternoon. Welcome to each of our new (and returning) student advisors!
year.
attention spans but it sounds like you have seen the opposite in many instances. Why do these negative stigmas exist in your opinion?
A: Kids today are amazing! They have access to information at an earlier age and, with smartphones, have their lives documented from adolescence. To say that our students today are lazy or do not work hard is a false narrative. I walked into a third-grade classroom and was astounded by the math concepts they were learning! We have a bright future because our students are educated and equipped to handle this constantly changing world – we need them.
Q: The beginning of the school year in Cheney included a near-strike by your teachers’ union that was averted at the last minute. How would you characterize where things stand now?
A: It is important to remember that multiple perspectives were involved in the process and I appreciate the hard work from both negotiation teams. We are looking forward to many exciting
things happening in Cheney Public Schools this year – the launch of our Strategic Plan and the November Bond, to name a couple.
Q: Speaking of which, the district will run a construction bond on the November general election ballot. What should voters know about this appeal that narrowly failed in February?
A: We learned a lot from the February election and have made some important adjustments based on feedback from our community members. Our focus is now on clearly showing the impact of the bond – what improvements will come with its passage – and increasing voter turnout. Our website’s 2024 bond Information page provides detailed information, including one-pagers, bus loop renderings and videos that explain the project in-depth: https://www.cheneysd. org/community/bond-levyinformation. We are hopeful for a positive outcome in November, reaching the 60-percent supermajority requirement and we believe it can happen with a push.
Contributed photo Superintendent Ben Ferney at Sunset Elementary as students are getting the hang of the morning routine at the start of the 2024-2025 school
AH council approves water agreement, Hayford speed study
By John McCallum Stream contributor
The Airway Heights City Council wasted little time passing a number of resolutions at their legislative sessions from mid-August to early September.
Sept. 3 Legislative Session
Council moved on six action items. The first was approval of a listing agreement for property owned by the city at 1208 S. Lundstrom Street and 131414 W. Sunset Highway.
The city had previously listed both properties for sale, but a potential buyer of the West Sunset Highway property failed to complete the transaction. Additionally, real estate laws have recently changed in ways that impact the buyer-sellerRealtor relationship, and the city felt it needed to relist in the properties in light of the changes.
The city has listed the property at 1208 S. Lundstrom Street at $895,000. The property at 13414 W. Sunset Highway is listed for $310,000.
Council unanimously selected local artist Melissa Kupka to design works for the city’s Downtown Mural Project. Kupka was selected as the preferred artist while Deer Park’s Yelena Yunin was named secondary artist by the city’s Arts Commission.
The mural project is part of the city’s Downtown Revitalization Project, which is funded by $15,000 in funds set aside from the city’s franchise contract with solid waste collection. Council previously authorized $5,000 of these funds for the mural project.
The council unanimously approve a pair of agreements to help improve the city’s water supply issues.
The first is to authorize a capital agreement between the state Department of Commerce, the city
of Airway Heights and the city of Spokane to obligate $14.9 million in grant funding Airway Heights has received for water capital improvements to the city of Spokane to help fund improvements to their water system that will benefit Airway Heights.
Airway Heights received the funding in July 2021 as part of the American Rescue Plan and Recovery Act’s State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds program. The city was previously awarded $14.95 million in grant funding to develop a clean drinking water supply system, but worked with the 6th District legislative delegation last session to enable it to use the funding to pay for improvements to Spokane’s water system beneficial to Airway Heights.
The second was approval of the 2024 Water Intertie agreement between the cities of Airway Heights and Spokane which outlines the volume of water capacity to be provided and a schedule in exchange for the $14.9 million.
Council also approved the first hearing of Ordinance C-1033 amending the city’s Complete Streets codes. The city adopted Complete Streets codes in 201 to goals and objectives for transportation, land use and parks and recreation elements of its Comprehensive Plan.
According to the staff report a complete street “is a road that is designed to be safe for drivers; bicyclists; transit vehicles and users; and pedestrians of all ages and abilities. The complete streets concept focuses not just on individual roads but on changing the decisionmaking process so that all users are routinely considered during the planning, designing, building and operating of all roadways.”
City Manager Albert Tripp told the council that since adoption, the Complete Streets program has changed and that the amendment will align the city’s codes with new standards, a move that could help to secure needed funding.
“The amendment is designed to make Airway Heights more competitive,” he said.
Aug. 19 Legislative Session
Council approved several public safety related items. The first approved measures to move grant indirect funds in the Police
Department “to an allowable grant expenditure to supplant budgeted salary monies and move into the Police Reserve Fund.”
Police Chief Brad Richmond’s proposal will move current indirect funds collected from grant revenues into the AHPD salary BARS to help augment paying the salaries of four department personnel, including Richmond. The total moved is expected to be $33,061.70.
Richmond also proposed moving $60,006 in savings from the Spokane County Dispatch services contract to the Police Reserve Fund to help pay for fuel and vehicle repair budgets already overspent this year.
Council approved entering into a $15,000 contract with Ardurra that would allow the firm to conduct a Hayford Road speed study. Public Works Director Kevin Anderson pointed to the number of pedestrian/vehicle accidents along the main north-south corridor in the eastern part of the city, including a fatality on July 11 that occurred within the 9th Avenue crosswalk, as to why the study was needed.
A study scope provided by Ardurra noted Hayford Road is a five-lane collector arterial north U.S. Highway 2 that narrows to two lanes near Northern Quest Casino and resort. It typically supports 12,000 – 18,000 average vehicular traffic daily, with the legal speed limit set at 45 mph, decreasing to 35 mph near Walmart.
The survey will review a number of factors about the road such as speed of 85% of the vehicles traveling it, road characteristics, parking practices, pedestrian activity, roadside development and environment, history of collisions and incidents along with other undefined factors.
Council also approved the hiring of an accounting manager with a strong accounting background to support the Finance Department’s accounting tasks such as bank reconciliation, corrections, monitoring, annual report preparation and BARS setup and correction. City staff indicated the position was needed due to increased efforts over the last five years to seek grant funding for various departments, efforts that have largely been successful and require additional financial support.
Airway Heights council backs Cheney school bond
By John McCallum Stream contributor
The Airway Heights City voted at their Sept. 3 legislative session to unanimously support the Cheney School District’s Proposition 1 in the Nov. 5 general election. If passed, the measure would enable the district to issue general obligation bonds raising $72 million.
The funding would pay for a new elementary school in Airway Heights on district-owned land at the corner of West 1st Avenue and Craig Road. It would also provide funds to build new kitchens and expand bus loops at Salnave and Windsor elementary schools, modernize HVAC systems and interior work such as painting and new floors at Cheney High School, Betz, Sunset Elementary School in Airway Heights and Windsor, and make other health, facility and capital improvements as needed.
It would also provide funding to the district to purchase land for future needs that include the possibility of a middle school and/or high school in the Airway Heights area.
“This is a first step in gaining the funding to buy the land,” City Manager Albert Tripp said. “That’s also a part of this particular proposal.”
The Airway Heights council discussed the proposed support resolution at their Aug. 26 study session and elected to move it forward to the Sept. 3 meeting for official consideration. Tripp and the council noted the school district had tried a similar measure earlier this year that failed to meet the necessary 60% approval for passage.
According to Washington state statutes, bonds must be approved by 60% of the voters with a 40% election turnout.
Most of the council resolution was focused on the prospects that bond revenues would not only go towards a new elementary school in Airway Heights but also the potential for a middle and/or high school in or near the city. It’s something city officials along with previous and current council members have expressed a desire as Airway Heights is still one of the fastest growing sections of the school district — which stretches from just above the city south into upper Whitman County and east from the Lincoln County line in areas to State Route 195.
ML Council approves capital improvements plan, library EV charging station
By John McCallum
Stream contributor
Medical Lake City Council adopted three resolutions at their Sept. 3 meeting – the big one being unanimous approval of the city’s Capital Improvement Plan.
The main focus of the resolution was approving the plan’s capital projects for 2025, all of which are fully funded through a mixture of grants and city reserve funds. The total estimated project budget for 2025 is $6.605 million, paid for through $4,950,250 and $1,654,750 in city funds.
The largest portion of 2025 projects are in transportation at $3.295 million. Of these five projects, the largest is the $2.3 million Lefevre Street restriping and sidewalk preservation project, with the second a $750,000 surface overlay of East-West streets. The majority of the Lefevre project is funded by a $2.1 million grant from the Transportation Improvement Board, with a $675,000 TIB grant covering the East-West streets overlay.
Eleven of the 23 projects forecast for completion in 2025 are in Parks and Public Facilities. Three of these comprising a total of $625,000 of the estimated $1.57 million projects are backup generator installations, the largest being the $450,000 generator at the wastewater treatment plant.
Also included in this list are projects to build a storage and equipment garage at the WWTP ($250,000), restoration of cityowned wetlands ($250,000), install a permanent stage at Waterfront Park ($100,000) and installation of surveillance cameras for public safety, which is being funded by $75,000 in city reserves, although
officials will be looking for possible grants to help cover the work.
Finally, the seven projects under Public Works comprise an estimated total of $1.74 million, of which $894,375 is granted funded. The largest of these is the $1 million stormwater mitigation project, of which $750,000 is covered through an appropriation from the state Legislature.
City Administrator Sonny Weathers said the plan is also expanded to a “six-year horizon” to cover anticipated projects in all three classifications through 2030. While funding hasn’t been secured yet, some of these projects include a $2.25 Waterfront RV Park, a $1 million second aeration basin at the treatment plant and a $1 million Purple Pipe to Parks and Schools — which would repurpose treated water from the plant as irrigationonly water.
Council also approved a resolution entering into a new agreement with its IT provider, Executech Utah, LLC. The new agreement increased the amount the city will pay for IT services by
$2,080, with the new amount now set at $2,725.
Medical Lake Finance Director Koss Ronholt said the increase was needed to deal with “significant overage charges” in the city was seeing due to some large projects. The new contract allows for 10 hours of “Senior Engineering / other on-site support” services, which Ronholt said should cover the city’s needs.
“Ten should be the sweet spot,” he said.
Council’s third resolution was a renewal of the contract with Jazzercise, keeping everything about the original agreement but amending the dates.
Council also held a pair of workshops at their Sept. 3 meeting dealing with upcoming resolutions. Council reviewed aspects of an upcoming $287,650 second-quarter budget amendment making increases due to unanticipated expenditures in six departments.
Council also discussed changes to job descriptions in the Public Works Department. Weathers explained the purpose of the revamped descriptions was to help with succession planning and promotions in house to replace individuals leaving or retiring while also narrowing the focus on specifics for each position and how they are funded.
Council approves strategic plans, EV charger at library Council unanimously adopted its updated 10-year strategic plan at the Aug. 20 meeting. The plan outlines the city’s vision for itself, its goals and priorities along with strategies and initiatives to meet the vision
The need for such a plan was presented to the council at its March 7, 2023 meeting. At an Oct. 24, 2023 retreat, council further discussed how the plan would align with five major lines of effort including public safety, public works, building and planning, parks and recreation and administration.
Contributing to developing the plan were former Councilmembers Art Kulibert and Dawn Olmstead, Planning Commissioners Mark Hudson, Andie Mark, Carl Munson, Judy Mayulianos, and Marye Jorgenson, the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, Spokane County Fire District 3, Re*Imagine Medical
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.
Lake and the Medical Lake School District.
In a much more contentious issue, council by a 4-3 vote approved the installation of an electric vehicle charger at the city’s municipal library. The proposal was first brought to council at its July 2 meeting by the Spokane County Library District, who 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.
The station at Medical Lake will be an AC Level 2 charging station, similar to the ones a Argonne, Otis Orchards and Spokane Valley libraries. 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.
Avista will pay the $15,000 to
A holiday guide for the Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, Millwood, Otis Orchards, Newman Lake, Airway Heights, Medical Lake, and West Plains areas
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.
Councilman Ted Olson expressed opposition to the project at the July 2 meeting and reiterated his stance at the Aug. 20 meeting, stating everyone he has talked to about this issue is opposed as well. Councilman Don Kennedy felt it was a waste of money even though Avista would pay for the entire project.
Councilman Chad Pritchard said it offers a service to the community, and is pretty standard in cities now. Mayor Terry Cooper added that if the city finds the station is a nuisance or problematic that it could be removed.
Both Olson and Kennedy, along with Councilman Bob Maxwell, voted no while Pritchard, Councilman Lance Spiers and Councilwoman Kelli Shaffer voted yes. With the excused absence of Councilman Tony Harbolt, it resulted in a 3-3 tie, but was approved by Cooper who voted yes to break the tie.
“Eat, Shop and Be Merry” is a special cover section that will champion what the Valley area has to offer in the way of gifts and food. Advertise in this holiday guide aimed at area consumers and businesses — and as a bonus we’ll include your idea as part of our story featuring can’t-miss local gift ideas. Restaurants are encouraged to advertise and contribute a tantalizing menu item for our article on dining out.
On November 25 and 26, the guides will be distributed throughout the greater Valley and West Plains areas via The Splash, The Current and The Stream. The December issues are strategically scheduled to land before Thanksgiving, just in time to remind residents about supporting local businesses on Small Business Saturday (Nov. 30) and throughout the holiday season.
A total of 50,000 copies of this guide will be included in the December issues of The Current, The Splash and The Stream. That’s right-be part of all three publications for one price!
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Photo by John McCallum
Going back to School, and what lies ahead
By Nina Culver Stream contributor
The school year had a mostly smooth start in the Medical Lake and Cheney districts last month, a far cry from the chaos created at the beginning of the last school year after the Gray Fire burned through the area, destroying hundreds of homes.
Last year it felt like people were in survival mode, said Medical Lake School District Superintendent Kim Headrick. This year felt easier, even though the families of some students are still working on rebuilding their homes. “I think there’s some different kinds of struggles,” she said. “It’s wearing on some folks.”
However, the first day at Medical Lake High School was difficult for some students in the wake of an accident involving 17-year-old incoming senior Jakob Town. He was hit by a car on the side of the road the day before school started and died of his injuries on Sept. 1. He was an outgoing student who was a friend to many and the school responded quickly to help affected students, Headrick said.
“We have a really engaged crisis counseling team who stepped in to help kids immediately,” she said.
An evacuation tied to a natural gas smell went smoothly on the first day of school at Michael Anderson Elementary, Headrick said. “It’s been a very normal type start,” she said. “Overall, I think folks are feeling good about the year. Buildings are happy.”
Cheney School District Superintendent Ben Ferney said administrators in all departments worked during the summer to make sure everything was ready to go for students on the first day. “They do a great job making sure everything is ready to go,” he said. “We had a really, really good start to the school year.”
As the school year moves forward, Headrick said the Medical Lake School District is making plans for the future. The district is in the
midst of reaching out to homeschool parents with an eye toward creating a parent partnership program that will provide more assistance and programs to homeschooled students.
The district also wants to expand its pre-Kindergarten early learning program and is looking for grants to help construct a four- classroom early learning building, Headrick said.
Both of those goals are contained in the district’s strategic plan, which also calls for increasing the number of students who enroll in postsecondary programs, improving kindergarten readiness, increasing parent communication and improving student achievement so that more students are meeting grade-level standards.
The Cheney School District just started to implement the strategic plan the school board approved at the end of the last school year. The district received input from students, parents, staff and community members before preparing the plan, said Ferney.
The plan addresses six specific areas: Student well-being, physical safety, student learning and growth, future ready outcomes, creating an exemplary school district and community and facility growth. There are goals in each section designed to monitor the progress the district is making. The school board will receive quarterly updates on the progress of the strategic plan.
“There are lots of different ways to educate,” he said. “We wanted our strategic plan to be centered on our core values that are important to us in Cheney. It’s really a living document. It’s not a 3-ring bind gathering dust on a shelf.”
The Cheney School District did have a bump in the road right before the start of school when it began to look like the district would not be able to reach a contract agreement with the Cheney Education Association (CEA), which represents certificated staff members. The two sides began negotiating in May to create a new three-year contract to replace the contract set to expire on Aug. 31.
Aug. 20th, CEA members voted to authorize a strike on the first day of school if an agreement was not reached before then. However, a tentative deal was struck in the final days before the school year was set to begin and there was no strike. CEA members voted to ratify the agreement, which was then approved by the school board Sept. 11.
The new contract addresses many different aspects of employment conditions, including class sizes, work hours and vacation and sick leave. The main sticking point, however, was pay. The two sides ultimately agreed on a total pay increase for certificated staff of 19.2% over three years, with some of the increases tried to the implicit price deflator (IPD) rate, which measures the prices of a wide
range of goods and services to track inflation.
Ferney said he was pleased with the agreement. “I think it’s really important in a process like this that there are different perspectives,” he said. “There was good work and hard work on both sides.”
The Cheney School District is also re-running a proposed $72 million bond on the November ballot that failed in February with 55 percent of the vote. A bond, which pays for capital projects, requires a 60 percent supermajority to pass. After the bond failed, the district did a lot of work to determine why the bond received fewer yes votes than the district’s levies on the same ballot, which passed, Ferney said.
“We surveyed our community,” he said. “We did a deep dive into Airway Heights. We learned a lot in the process.”
This time the district has made an effort to show more details on what it wants to do with the money and how it will impact students. One of the key elements of the bond would be a new elementary school in Airway Heights to accommodate 500 students to relieve the pressure on existing elementary schools, which are over capacity.
As the district continues to grow, it wants to identify and purchase land for another future elementary school, a future secondary school and a future centralized transportation facility.
Having a transportation facility
located in a more centralized location would help cut down on the number of miles driven each day in the sprawling school district. A new school in Airway Heights would also cut down on bus transportation miles. “Our buses drive over 5,000 miles a day,” Ferney said.
The bond would also pay for bus loops at Windsor and Salnave elementary school; security upgrades at Snowdon Elementary and Westwood and Cheney Middle Schools; and new fencing, bleachers and ADA upgrades at Cheney High School. Smaller projects include HVAC and plumbing upgrades throughout the district, resurfacing the track at Cheney High School and interior updates to several schools.
The bond would also pay to expand the kitchens at Windsor and Salnave Elementary schools, Ferney said. “We serve almost 5,000 meals a day now,” he said. “Our buildings weren’t designed for that.”
The proposed bond would cost homeowners an estimated 0.45 cents per $1,000 in assessed property value.
Enrollment numbers in both districts remained relatively steady this school year, though the West Plains area as a whole has been seeing growth in recent years. Generally, any increase in the number of students has been slow,
COVER STORY
Ferney said. “It’s pretty steady, not exponential,” he said.
This fall the Cheney School District counted 5,295 students enrolled, which is right in line with projections, Ferney said. Each spring districts estimate the number of students they are expecting in the fall so they can have an appropriate number of teachers and classrooms ready to go.
“It’s about the same,” Ferney said of the number of students this year compared to last year. “We rolled forward what we had last year.”
This year the Medical Lake School District welcomed 1,700 students into schools, including 20 pre-Kindergarten students, which represents a slight increase of about 30 students overall. “Right now we are right in line with what we projected,” she said. “It is an increase from where we ended at the end of the year last year. That, for us, is still 100 students down from our pre-Covid numbers.”
Headrick said some of those students may have simply moved away. A significant number of the students in the district have one or more parents stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base and families are generally transferred to a new base every few years, Headrick said, which could account for some of the drop.
AMC welcomes new commander
By Air Mobility Command Public Affairs
Air Mobility Command (AMC) officially welcomed its new commander during a ceremony held at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, on Sept. 9.
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin presided over the event as Gen. John D. Lamontagne assumed command from Gen. Michael A. Minihan, who is retiring after 34 years of service.
“You can’t win the fight if you can’t get there, and you can’t sustain the fight [without Air Mobility],” said Allvin, reflecting. “I could not be more proud to be here today and sharing this stage with these great mobility leaders and be a part of this passing of the baton to keep this air mobility machine moving. The country depends on it, and [Americans] can depend on it.”
Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost, U.S. Transportation Command commander, also provided comments during the ceremony, remarking on Minihan’s leadership and AMC.
“The absolute right leader at the right time; Minihan’s initiative, passion and determination ignited such a desire to win in this new strategic environment that the culture and the lexicon of the command is changing…,” Van Ovost said. “Your steady hand on the yoke enabled AMC’s Airmen to better understand their key role in the National Defense Strategy. You unleashed them to innovate and ultimately began the process of posturing the mobility force to explode into theater, delivering lethality.”
Minihan, who led AMC through one of its most dynamic periods of global engagement, received high praise from Allvin and Van Ovost for his contributions. Minihan also received the Distinguished Service Medal, second oak leaf cluster, for his exceptionally meritorious service to the Department of Defense as the AMC commander.
Van Ovost also gave nod to the AMC’s accomplishments over the past three years, including Mobility Guardian 2023, support to Operation Allies Refuge, deploying forces to counter Russian aggression in Ukraine, and projecting power
forward for the Israel/Hamas conflict. She noted the impressive background of the incoming AMC commander as well.
“Members of AMC, you are gaining a tremendous leader who is ready to build upon your legacy and recent successes,” Van Ovost said to the room of Airmen.
“AMC’s ability to deliver the immediate Joint Force is the bedrock of our national defense strategy and I have no doubt that you are the right leader to maintain this strategic advantage,” she said to Lamontagne.
Lamontagne most recently served as deputy commander of U.S. Air Forces in EuropeAir Forces Africa. He brings a wealth of experience from major humanitarian operations to largescale contingency responses. His prior position required laser focus on ensuring strategic mobility and readiness across a vast theater of operations, which included Europe, Africa, and Asia.
As AMC commander, Lamontagne will oversee the employment and integration of nearly 107,000 Total Force Airmen and more than 1,100 aircraft. AMC provides critical support to America’s military through airlift, aerial refueling, aeromedical evacuation, and air mobility operations, in addition to responding to humanitarian crises across the globe.
“To the men and women of Air Mobility Command, we stand here today on the shoulders of giants that have preceded us both personally and organizationally… it is a long proud legacy,” said Lamontagne, in his first remarks as AMC commander. “Some things have changed, and some things have not… Our nation and our predecessors possess an asymmetric advantage, and that asymmetric advantage is the ability to project power anywhere in the world at the time and place of our choosing. And only this command can do it!” Air Mobility Command is essential to the nation’s ability to project combat power and respond to crises worldwide. Whether delivering supplies in conflict zones, evacuating the wounded, or fueling fighter jets in midair, AMC ensures that America’s military remains agile, responsive, and effective.
COMMUNITY
COMMUNITY EVENTS
September 18 |Bingo at Spokane Live 2 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/
September 26 |Road Rally
Medical Lake Pit Stop 5 pm - 7 pm Join us for our first pit stop in Medical Lake! We’ll have food, music, games, and prizes! Come rally with us in one of the many rural communities we serve! Can’t wait to see you there
October 10 |An Evening with Papa Tom 7:30 pm Laugh the night away with comedian Tom Papa! For more than 20 years, the seasoned stand-up has graced our screens in film, television, and on the latenight circuit. Experience his relatable story-telling style this fall in Pend Oreille Pavilion! Northern Quest.
September 28 |Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey 2 pm Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey presents The Greatest Show on Earth is coming to #DeltaCenter September 27-29!
Bags are not allowed
inside. Diaper and medical bags will be allowed if they are no larger than 14”x14”x6”. Clutches will be allowed but must be no larger than 4”x6”x2”.
Be advised that the only authorized ticketing outlets for events at Delta Center are DeltaCenter.com, SeatGeek. com, and UtahJazz.com . RECURRING
Airway Heights Summer Market 10:00 am to 2:00 pm., Second Saturday. 12703 W 14th Ave For more, call 509995-8037
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 509-2993286
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, 509-7145575.
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 509893-8280. 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
Septemeber 21| Wynonna Judd – 7:30 pm, Spend a night under the stars with one of the most widely recognized and awarded female country musicians! Experience a live performance by Wynonna Judd this September. Northern Quest
September 23 | Steve
Miller Band – 7:30 pm Don’t miss the Steve Miller Band concert at the BECU Live at Northern Quest Resort & Casino in Airway Heights, WA on Monday, September 23, 2024.
September 24 | Smashing Pumpkins with the Glorious Sons – 7:30 pm Spend an evening with ’90s alt-rock staple The Smashing Pumpkins! Known for eternal hits like “1979” and “Bullet With Butterfly Wings,” the influential group will bring their unique melodies to the BECU Live stage this September. Northern Quest
HEALTH & RECREATION
September 16 | The Moto Academy at Airway Heights – 9:30 pm You must register + pay here: https://the
October 4 | Relentless Wrestling 30: Pinnacle – 7 pm Experience live pro wrestling in Spokane! Relentless Wrestling brings a supercard of worldwide talent to Northern Quest. With nonstop action and entertainment, you’ll be on the edge of your seat all night.
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
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.
CIVIC & BUSINESS
Brought
After-School Activities on
Wonder
Wednesdays
For kids in grades K–5
Drop by try something new—an art technique, a coding experience, a building and engineering challenge, or something we haven’t thought of yet.
Explore and wonder with us each week!
MEDICAL LAKE LIBRARY
321 E Herb St Wednesdays, 3:30–4:30pm
SPOKANE COUNTY LIBRARY DISTRICT
The Pointe
About and for West Plains area seniors
Roam Roasters Welcomes Those Seeking Community Connections
By Collette Buck Stream contributor
Community members, both new and long-standing, looking for a place of belonging need look no further than Roam Coffee House and the Athenaeum eatery on Lefevre Street in Medical Lake.
Painted a cool gray-blue on the outside, the inside of the coffee house offers a completely different experience and caters to anyone searching for a slice of novelty and a side of friendliness with its mixture of farmhouse and Art Nouveau.
Between working their dryland wheat farm and raising their growing family, Roam Roasters owners Shelley and Aaron Quigley managed to squeeze in time to roast their own coffee. The operation soon grew into an artisanal roastery business and provided another way for the Quigleys to share their life with anyone interested in seeing their farm in action.
“I always really loved the rural, wide open spaces and liked sharing that with people, especially with people not from rural areas,” Roam Roasters owner and fifth-generation farmer Shelley Quigley said. “I went to college at Whitworth…and I had a lot of international exchange friends that got to come out and enjoy a bonfire night out on the farm, and it was such a different experience for them.”
Shortly after remodeling an 85-year-old farm building on their property into their workspace, the Quigleys began roasting on a larger scale and packing orders that were sent out to their online following through their website. When they
weren’t fulfilling orders, time was spent hosting roasting and tasting classes for interested community members.
“We set it up originally with the intent to make a place where people are welcome…and with our education background, a natural way to do that was with classes,” Quigley said. “Coffee is important, but the focus has always been people. One thing we really love about the roastery and classes is that…intimate exchange.”
Quigley said her desire to create businesses and communities where everyone feels welcome stems from her background growing up in Harrington, a small town of fewer than 500 people in Lincoln County. This theme of centering people can be found in any of the Quigleys’ businesses, but it also extends to their business practices.
The roasting machine Roam Roastery uses is manufactured by Diedrich Roasters, a roasting equipment company headquartered near Sandpoint. Roam’s green coffee beans are sourced through Covoya
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Coffee, an import company that partners directly with farmers in coffee-producing countries. The coffee house space also serves as a marketplace for local artists to sell their artwork.
“(Covoya’s) approach is very much about helping support education, learning, and farming practices, but not steamrolling or forcing things on farmers and what not,” Quigley said, recalling what drew her to partnering with the company. “It can be easier in certain industries to go the cheapest route, or what feels like the easiest route, but it was really important to us that we didn’t fall into that and kind of highlight those values.”
During the Coronavirus Pandemic, Quigley said Roam focused mainly on online fulfillment and shipping orders like many other companies. Throughout the months that followed lockdown, she continued to dream up the next iteration of their business. The next step came when they found themselves exploring the idea of opening a coffee house.
“We had about a nine-month-old at the time and considered it, but we thought, ‘maybe not right now. We’re pretty busy at the moment.’ That was in April of 2021, and we opened on July 1 of 2021,” Quigley said.
Embracing their educational backgrounds once again, Roam Coffee House began offering painting classes taught by local artists shortly after first opening. Those classes continued when Roam moved to a larger building just down the road and are now offered through the Athenaeum Learning Center.
The center takes its name from Roam Coffee House’s night time alter ego Athenaeum, an art nouveau-inspired eatery and wine bar serving up food and drinks. Quigley said the most recent addition was inspired by her love of learning and her desire to foster spaces for culture exchange.
The name Roam is an ode to Quigley’s love of books and travel, the mileage coffee must make to reach our mugs, and the journey every customer has made on their way to Roam Roastery and Coffee House. Pottery throwing and shaping are also popular classes for learning center participants.
“We wanted Athenaeum to be a place where if you wanted to, you could dress up and go on a date night…have an evening a little out of the ordinary, or you can just come as you are and just enjoy good food and good drink in a atmosphere that feels outside of home,” Quigley said.
For now, the future of Roam Roastery, Roam Coffee House, and the Athenaeum centers around improving what’s already offered by responding to community input. Quigley said she hopes that also involves getting back to what started it all, hosting classes at the roastery, hearing stories, and making connections.
“At the heart of it, that’s what makes humanity different,” Quigley said. “We share things, we share stories, and we tell our history, whether that’s personal or on a bigger scale, and I find that really thrilling to look forward to as well.”
Contributed photo
Roam Coffee House and the Athenaeum eatery on Lefevre Street in Medical Lake is more than just a coffee house it focuses on people and creating an atmosphere where everyone feels welcome.
Airway Heights Police Department Adventure League
By Nina Culver Stream contributor
The Airway Heights Police Department has wrapped up its third successful session of the Police Adventure League, bringing local kids on a series of outdoor adventures while teaching leadership skills and building relationships with them.
Police Chief Brad Richmond said he believes the program is important. “It’s a mentoring opportunity we have,” he said. “We can’t arrest our way out of problems. We have to change our optics and how we look at things.”
To that end, Richmond renamed his department’s school resource officers as Youth Engagement Specialists. Some departments use officers who are close to retirement for the school posts, but Richmond said he wanted to devote his best officers to the program. “We want to put our best and brightest in our schools to protect our greatest asset, our children,” he said.
Cpl. Pat Carbaugh was the first YES officer selected for the job. When Richmond asked him what he wanted to do over the summer, he pitched a mentoring program idea he’d had while working as a corrections officer at the Spokane County Jail. He’d suggested it to his higher ups at the time, but didn’t get any traction.
“I would see generational crime,” Carbaugh said of his time working in the jail. “It kind of broke my heart.”
It wasn’t unusual to see two or three generations of the same family in jail because that’s all they knew and no one stepped in to break the cycle, he said. Carbaugh knows about that cycle because he was once in it. “I grew up in a broken home with drug addiction in my family,” he said.
What made the difference for Carbaugh was the mother of a friend who stepped in to mentor him. “She really helped me get through a lot of stuff,” he said.
Carbaugh wanted to be that mentor for kids who needed one. While Richmond approved his idea for the Police Adventure League, he told Carbaugh he needed to find the funding himself. “I assumed there would be a lot of support for this because our kids are struggling,” Carbaugh said. “I really didn’t believe it would be an issue to find funding for it.”
Carbaugh partnered with Peak 7 Adventures and was able to get a couple small grants for the project, but he said community support has been slim. “In the West Plains area, we only have a couple of supporters,” he said.
The program has evolved a bit since it began. During the first summer there were 10 kids in a sixweek program where the students spent Monday through Thursday each week doing rock climbing, paddle boarding and camping. “We traveled all over the Northwest –Montana, Oregon and Idaho.”
The second year included 10 students in a four-week program, plus a whitewater rafting trip for 40 kids and a rock climbing trip with another 40 kids. This summer the Police Adventure League expanded
to two sessions of the four-week program, plus the rafting and climbing trips.
Sign ups are held for the free rafting and climbing trips on a first-come, first-served basis, but students are referred into the weekly sessions. “Every summer program we take new kids,” Carbaugh said. “We work with the school district and the counselors drop names to us of kids they think would benefit from the program.”
All the kids seem to enjoy their experiences, which have included floating the Spokane River, paddle boarding on Horseshoe Lake and rafting in Montana. Many of them, however, had never been camping before. “A lot of these kids have never gotten experiences outside their community,” he said. “They get to build relationships with the police. They get to see us in a new light. They get to build leadership skills.”
Though the trips and summer sessions are focused on having fun in the outdoors, the students are also learning problem solving and leadership skills. They also allow the students to have year-round contact with police, not just at
school. “They’re doing adventures and things they probably wouldn’t get a chance to do,” Richmond said.
Though it’s early to point to concrete results of the mentoring and relationship building, three students who were in the first Police Adventure League session are in training to work as guides with Peak 7 Adventures, Carbaugh said.
Richmond said the goal of the program is to provide students with opportunities that lead to different pathways than they might have been heading toward originally. “People can’t move forward without opportunities,” Richmond said.
Richmond said the Police Adventure League will continue as long as funding can be found for it. Community donations can be made online to Peak 7 Adventures, a nonprofit organization, at www.peak7. org.
“It’s all depending on grant funding and donations to Peak 7,” Richmond said.
Carbaugh said he hopes more community supporters will step up to support the kids participating in the program. “They need positive influences in their life,” he said.
The Airway Heights Police Department’s 2024 Police Adventure League graduates.
“I want to thank the participants who pushed themselves, the parents who trusted us, and the supporters who made it all possible,” said Corporal Pat Carbaugh. PAL is Carbaugh’s brainchild, born from tough circumstances as a kid. Carbaugh, Officer Brad King, Officer Kayla Illsley, Peak 7 Adventures, family members, and donors celebrated the 22 West Plains area youth who completed the summer program.
The program aims to build personal responsibility, confidence, and bridges between officers and youth. The students went paddle boarding, river rafting, climbing, and camping. Their adventures led them as far as Deschutes, Oregon, and the Clark Fork River in Western Montana. For the first time, a group of young women took a two-day, three-night hike in the Olympic National Forest.
Contributed photo
The benefits, importance of “Play & Learn Storytime” for young children
By Gwendolyn Haley, librarian Spokane County Library District
Storytime at the library is a fun experience with books and also so much more. It’s a time for parents and caregivers to start their young children on the path to a lifelong love of reading and learning.
First up, talking! At storytime, kids listen to lively storytelling and take part in the conversation. This helps them pick up new words and understand how language works. When the storytime leader asks questions about the story and kids share their ideas and comments, it boosts their early language skills without them even realizing it.
Then there’s singing. Songs make storytime even more enjoyable
Borrow small appliances, tools, sports equipment, gear for entertainment
By Erin Dodge Stream Guest Correspondent
The Library of Things (www. scld.org/things) is a collection of items that can be reserved and checked out at no cost from Spokane County Library District (SCLD).
To bolster this collection, the Library Foundation of Spokane County (www.supportscld.org) held a fundraising campaign in 2023 that resulted in generous donations from the community and a dozen new things that are ready to be borrowed.
Kitchen appliances can be costly, but you can borrow a few to try. Discover new ways to prepare meals with a sous vide
and are fantastic for language development. Singing slows down the words, helping kids hear different sounds and syllables. Catchy tunes introduce them to new words and ideas in a way that sticks. So, when kids sing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” they’re not just having fun— they’re learning!
Of course, the star of the program is reading together. When we read out loud, kids are drawn into the story and illustrations. This shared reading experience builds vocabulary and comprehension skills while making reading fun. When children enjoy stories, they grow a love of reading.
Writing might seem a bit advanced, but for preschoolers in particular it’s all part of the package. Our storytime activities include printed letters and words, helping early learners begin to understand that those squiggles on the page represent spoken words. Whether scribbling on a craft project or tracing their names, kids are forming the connection between spoken and written language.
And let’s not forget about playing! Our storytimes are called “Play & Learn” for good reason. Play is an essential way for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers to learn. Our weekly
immersion circulator, which heats and circulates water to cook food to a precise temperature, and a food dehydrator, to create tasty, healthy snacks.
If a lack of tools is preventing you from completing some projects, check out a cordless power drill and drill bits. Those unassembled shelves will be built in no time. Or try your hand at creating some bright and cheerful music with a ukulele. It comes with a quick start guide and a tuner.
Sports enthusiasts can check out a pickleball set that includes four paddles, balls, a net, rules and assembly instructions, and a bag to carry it all. When the season brings snow and you are looking for outdoor adventure, it’s time to borrow some snowshoes and adjustable poles.
Two new devices have been added to the Project Memory collection, both for home use: a fast photo scanner and a film converter that can turn 8mm film into MP4 digital video. Or create new memories with a GoPro camera that comes with grips, mounts,
“Play & Learn Storytime” programs always include playtime after reading stories and singing songs. We bring out toys and activities that build on important skills, such as counting, identifying colors, creative playing, and sharing. This helps kids put their thoughts into words and talk about what they’re doing, reinforcing language skills in a natural, enjoyable way.
Library storytime is an awesome blend of talking, singing, reading, writing, and playing that bolsters young children’s development of critical early literacy skills. So, the next time you take your little one to storytime, know that they’re not just having a blast—they’re learning and growing in so many wonderful ways. Try it and see!
At Cheney Library (610 First St), “Toddler Play & Learn Storytime” for kids ages 18 to 36 months is on Tuesdays at 10:30am, and “Preschool Play & Learn Storytime” for kids ages 3 to 5 years is on Fridays at 10:30am. Our “Family Play & Learn Storytime” for kids ages 2 to 5 and their families is also at 10:30am at Medical Lake Library (321 E Herb St) on Wednesdays and at Airway Heights Library (1213 S Lundstrom St) on Thursdays.
and a tripod to help capture your adventures.
Your yard can turn into an outdoor movie premiere with the inflatable movie screen. Pair it with a projector (also available to borrow), and all you need is some popcorn, a cold drink, and a few lawn chairs for a viewing party.
For last year’s annular solar eclipse event, the Library Foundation funded the purchase of Sunoculars, binoculars that safely view eclipses and more, and Sunspotter Refracting Telescopes that use lenses and mirrors to safely project a magnified image of the sun. Both are now available for check out.
The Library Foundation of Spokane County seeks and stewards charitable donations to enrich literacy and early education programs, support access to technology, and promote lifelong learning for all ages at SCLD. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so your donation is eligible for tax deduction. Discover that ways you can support the library at www.supportscld.org/ ways-to-give.
Borrow a Discover Pass Backpack from the library—with a 28-day checkout!
Sponsor ed By:
By John McCallum
Stream contributor
CHENEY
Cross country
Head coaches Derek Slaughter and Camille Moseley figure to return a pretty experienced group from last year’s boys and girls teams. The boys posted a 7-4 record in the Greater Spokane League, placing second at the District 8 championships and seventh at 3A state in Pasco while the girls went 4-7 and finished fifth at District 8.
Slaughter said they will have four seniors back for the boys, two juniors and a sophomore. The girls return five of their starting seven varsity runners. Add in 11 freshmen boys and seven freshmen girls, and the Blackhawks running program continues to be strong.
Key runners to watch for the boys
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are senior Calvin Hilton, who was ninth at state. Also in the mix are seniors Lucas Matos, Cameron Frenk and Holland Hurd, sophomore Sam Hilton, senior Brayden Martin and juniors Ethan Martin, Lucas Curley.
“All have state experience returning,” Slaughter said.
Girls to watch are senior Hannah Ward, 48th at state in 2023, and Maggie Boggs. Newcomers/ freshmen to watch are Andrew and Carter Ward for the boys and Abbie Scharosch for the girls.
“Abbie Scharosch will be in the top three for the girls team this year,” Slaughter said.
Slaughter said if everything comes together, he expects the boys to finish first or second in the GSL, and the girls in the top five, with both potentially moving on to state.
“We have lots of training under our belt and lots of experience,” he said of the Blackhawks boys. “The team really wants to get on the podium this year. We will need to stay healthy to achieve success this year.
“Lots of returners with great seniors at the front,” Slaughter said of the girls. “The girls will have to
race a few girls in shape this year, but if they all commit to hard work this team will have a chance to run at state.”
Football
Cheney had one of those seasons in 2023 in the football-powerhouse GSL, going winless in both league, 0-8, and overall, 0-10. The Blackhawks haven’t had a great start to 2024 either, losing their seasonopener to Lewis and Clark, 28-0.
Head coach John Graham has over 30 returning players, a mixture of seniors, juniors and sophomores, with around 40 freshmen and newcomers turning out. Key returners are Cam Collins at wide receiver/defensive back, Gauge Seubert on the offensive and defensive line and Oliver Kasperack on the defensive line. A newcomer to watch is senior Tristan Huse at running back and defensive back.
The Blackhawks had a big disparity between points scored and points allowed in 2023, giving up an average of 39.1 points per game while scoring just 11.5 points per game. The lack of offensive production put pressure on the Cheney’s defense, and Graham hopes to see that improve this fall.
“Defense will be the strength, and we need to improve on offense,” Graham said.
Graham’s team is still a project, but one that is hopefully getting better. He anticipates the Blackhawks will finish in the bottom half of the league, with traditional powers Gonzaga Prep, Mt. Spokane and Mead along with newcomer Ridgeline battling for the playoff spots.
Girls slowpitch softball
With the retirement of long-time softball head coach Gary Blake last spring, the Blackhawks now enter the Makayla Shaw era. The new head coach has plenty to work with this fall from a team that went 5-8 in the GSL, 6-12 overall and finished eighth overall in the league — a position Shaw expects them to improve in 2024.
Cheney returns four varsity players, led by its lone senior, short stop Allie Halverson. Three juniors and five sophomores also return to the program, along with a crop of nine newcomers including three freshmen expected to play varsity.
Besides Halverson, other players Shaw sees as impacting Cheney’s success are Amelia Beito and outfielder Sierra Mendoza, with freshman first baseman Rheylyn Kucirka also playing a role.
“She has a great attitude and works incredibly hard,” Shaw said. “She also is a quick learner for never playing slow pitch softball before.”
Shaw sees the strength of the team right now as the infield, which she said is “incredibly tight.” The outfield is young and needs experience, and Shaw expects them to improve as they get more competitive innings in.
“I see us placing either 5th or 6th in the GSL,” Shaw says, putting them behind Mt. Spokane, University, Mead, Ridgeline and Central Valley. “We are a very young team with an entire new program.”
Girls soccer
Cheney placed seventh in the GSL in 2023, going 3-6 in the league and 6-8 overall. Head coach Nels Radtke believes he has the players
to improve on that in 2024.
Seven players return on varsity: seniors Kiah Klauss, Addy Butikofer, Avery Warren and Kayelee Kohlman; juniors Sarah Hanson, Alley Deutsch and Victoria Baycroft, who is returning from an ACL injury, and sophomore Kinley Collins. Three freshmen, Raimee Gleason, Myiah Burgess and Lacee Gizinski are also expected to start on the varsity 11.
“We added Addison Mink as a junior who came soccer from playing volleyball the last two years,” Radtke said of a pair of newcomers. “Macie Gasperino is a sophomore that played slow pitch softball last year.”
Not surprisingly, those seven returners factor heavily in Radtke’s formula for success: Klauss in goal after missing most of last season with a knee injury, Kohlman, Deutsch and Collins in the midfield and Butikofer and Hanson on defense. Warren injured her knee “pretty bad during tryouts” and will have a delayed return before joining freshman Raimee Gleason at forward.
After graduating seven starters and 10 total seniors last year, the Blackhawks have some unknown’s ahead of them this season. Radtke said there’s a lot to replace, but Cheney has “the potential for a quality team,” with only time determining how that will play out.
“Keeper and midfield will be our strengths early in the season as that’s where we are returning our experience,” he added. “I believe we can compete for the 3rd place spot with University in 3A GSL. I believe Ridgeline and Mt. Spokane will battle for the top spot in the 3A.”
Girls swimming
Most of the team that finished 24th out of 35 schools a last year’s 3A state meet.
Lauren Howe returns for her season, finishing fourth last year in the 50-meter freestyle in a time of 24.50. She was 13th in the 100 free.
The other individual competitor last season was Madi Bauman, who was 19tthin both the 200 individual medley and the 100 free.
Cheney sent a pair of relay teams, and all but one of those members should be back: Bauman and Howe along with sophomore Bethany Bleam in the 200 and senior Sophie Schaefer together with Bauman, Howe and Bleam in the 400.
SPORTS
Volleyball
Cheney finished 1-8 in the GSL, ninth, and 5-10 overall. The Blackhawks started off well, winning four of their first six before hitting the heart of league play and finishing with a win over last place North Central.
The 2024 team features two seniors: Ella McCall at outside hitter and Emma Ayers at defensive specialist. Eight juniors and two sophomores round out the varsity.
MEDICAL LAKE
Cross country
Medical Lake’s cross-country teams enjoyed success in 2023, with the boys going 4-2 and the girls 5-1, their only loss to Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls) in the last meet of the season in Northeast A League action. That will change as the NEA is now a four-team league, with Deer Park moving up to District 6 2A and Freeman down to Northeast 2B.
Both Cardinal teams advanced to state, with the girls placing just off the podium in fourth and the boys in ninth.
Head coach Gene Blankenship said six varsity runners return for the girls, one senior, one junior and four sophomores while the boys return seven: three seniors, two juniors and two sophomores. There are also 25 new athletes turning out this fall, he added.
Impact runners for the boys are Nakai Ornelas, Hector Gomez, Garrett Montney, Loghan Bradley, Aiden Murillo, Jesse Burt, George Pitts and Jackson Stolp. For the girls, it’s Kaylee Dennler, Hannah Luzier, Mya Gardner, Autumn Trout and Katelyn Hoffer.
Newcomers to watch for the boys are Mercury Berquist and Eric Moon. For the girls, Blankenship said “Makalia McKenney looks promising.”
“Our strength is our seniors this year,” Blankenship added. “They all have experience running at State.”
The biggest challenge getting to state could be numeric, rather than just athletic. With the loss of two teams, the NEA has only one entry to state, whereas for the last nine years it has had two.
“All four of the teams, boys and birls, in our league have a chance to win this year,” Blankenship said.
Football
fate as their Cheney counterparts in 2023, going winless, 0-6, in NEA play but 1-9 overall. The Cardinals only win came in the last game of the season, a 22-6 win over Cascade (Leavenworth) on Nov. 4.
In 2024, the Cardinals are off to a 0-1 start, suffering a close 7-6 home loss to Warden on Sept. 6.
Girls soccer
Medical Lake was 0-12 in NEA
play last year, 1-16 overall. Their lone win was a 5-0 road victory at Northeast 2B Davenport. No results have been posted for 2024.
Volleyball
Medical Lake was 3-9 in NEA action in 2023, sixth, and 3-15 overall. No results have been posted yet in 2024.
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Airway Heights Ice Cream Lady makes lasting connections every Friday
By Nina Culver Stream contributor
Over the last three years, kids living in apartment complexes in Airway Heights have come to look forward to the appearance of The Ice Cream Lady every Friday as she hands out frozen treats to any child who wants one.
Allison Richmond, now affectionately dubbed The Ice Cream Lady, is usually accompanied on her rounds by her husband, Airway Heights Police Chief Brad Richmond. Though he’s there, he didn’t start the tradition and it’s not an official police department program.
“My wife saw some of the kids in our community who didn’t have as much as others,” he said. “The ice cream truck would go by and they couldn’t afford it. Our community deserves this kind of service.”
Allison Richmond said she was at her parent’s home across from a city park and a lowincome apartment complex three summers ago when she saw the ice cream truck go by. She said there were dozens of children in the park, but none of them made a move toward the truck. So she flagged it down and called the kids over and bought them each an ice cream, which they received enthusiastically.
“It wasn’t that they didn’t want one, it was that they knew they couldn’t have one,” she said.
Then she began buying her own popsicles, which she stored in a freezer in her parent’s garage. But soon kids started ringing their doorbell all day, every day, looking for popsicles and Allison Richmond said she had to set some ground rules. She told the kids that she would be there every Friday at
5 p.m. to hand out popsicles and that they should wait until they saw her car before coming over.
The new process went well, she said, but by that time her mom and dad’s house already had a reputation as a safe house in the neighborhood. Kids would sometimes stop by looking for a band-aid and in one case when a child was hit by a car, the other children went to the house for help.
The weekly visits to the house continued for a while and Allison Richmond said her parents enjoyed having the kids around. They would lounge on the lawn to eat their popsicles and on her
mother’s birthday one year the kids made her birthday cards. “She really enjoyed having them,” she said.
As kids moved out of the apartment complex across the street, however, she didn’t want them to miss out on their weekly popsicle. So she got the couple’s street legal side-by-side and hit the road.
“I just decided I need to venture out further,” she said. “I would fill up a cooler and hit every complex in Airway Heights until I ran out of ice cream.”
Now the couple visits city parks and most apartment complexes every Friday during the summer.
Nearly every Friday night, Allison Richmond (The Ice Cream Lady) and her husband, Chief Brad Richmond, hand out popsicles and ice cream to kids of all ages. Allison and Chief Richmond start Friday at about 5:30 PM at Basalt Ridge Park and then head to the Senior Complex. Her run usually ends at Sunset Park around 7 PM.
Dairy Queen graciously for donates 200 Dilly Bars to share with children in our community.
Thanks to Corporal Adam Johnson and his family for their valuable assistance.
They usually go through several hundred popsicles and ice cream bars each week, which they purchase at the local grocery store or the commissary at Fairchild Air Force Base. Taxpayer money is not used for the ice cream, Brad Richmond said. “We just cover that ourselves,” he said.
However, during their last ice cream night last month, the Airway Heights Dairy Queen stepped in and donated 200 dilly bars to hand out to the kids, he said.
Brad Richmond said people are sometimes surprised to see him roll up in uniform with a cooler full of popsicles and start handing them out. “I think some people are a bit taken aback,” he said. “It’s outside their expectations.”
He sees the ice cream nights as a way to help the community and build relationships. He said he enjoys seeing how happy it makes the children and some of the regulars recognize him. “It’s the joy you see when you do it,” she said. “The joy is in the giving.”
Allison Richmond said that even adults come out to meet her when she shows up with ice cream and talk about whatever issues they’re having. She’s then able to suggest resources that the person might be able to use to help with their problem. “It’s turning into a networking opportunity,” she said.
She’s also grateful for the joy the kids gave her parents when they would visit their home each week. Her mother died in December, but she loved seeing the children, Allison Richmond said.
She said she gets as much from doing it as the kids do in receiving the popsicles. “It was just so great to serve and be served by these young people,” she said. “It just gives me a deeper purpose. Everyone needs something, whether it's an ice cream or a hug. It just fills me.”
The ice cream evenings have ended for the season, but kids can look forward to seeing the Richmonds and their cooler full of ice cream again next summer when they resume their Friday night rounds through Airway Heights.
Contributed photo
