Cheney Pride Day cleans up neighborhoods

The Cheney Police Department presents Cheney Pride Day, its second annual citywide beautification project, May 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Sunshine Disposal will provide two free refuse collection stations for yard waste and general garbage at the Cheney Utility Building, 112 Anderson Road, and at the Salnave Park parking lot, 100 S. Salnave St.

Cheney Police Cmdr. Rick Campbell said the city hauled away roughly 22 tons of waste last year. Residents requiring assistance with garbage pickup on May 9 should complete a participation form and submit it to the Police Department by May 8.

The Police Department has divided neighborhoods into zones, so that individual officers can meet with residents and rally them to take pride in their community. “Our goal has always been that neighborhoods will band together,” Campbell said. “Not just concerning law-related matters, but, as in this case, cleaning up extra yard waste or taking care of that old couch on the sidewalk to make your neighborhood look its best.” After the work is completed, a free hotdog barbecue will be held at Haglin Park.

For more information or to volunteer, call (509) 535-9233.

Crews available to trim trees

In tandem with the city’s spring clean, the Cheney Light Department has teams available to trim trees and limbs threatening power lines. Administrative secretary Daryce Hoffman said crews will be available through mid-June or later, depending on demand, and that residents should call even if they’re unsure of the risk a tree poses to lines.

The department stresses that only trained personnel trim trees and that residents should never attempt to do so themselves. Call (509) 498-9230 to make a report.

Protect your bike from theft

Area bicycle owners are tuning gears, pumping tires and dusting off helmets as they get ready for the riding season. But beware: while many types of property theft have declined recently, bike theft is on the rise according to FBI statistics.

The National Bike Registry estimates that more than 1.5 million bicycles are stolen every year. While nearly half of these bikes are recovered by local law enforcement, only about 5 percent are returned to owners since they have no way to determine ownership.

Rick Scott of the Sheriffs Community Oriented Policing Effort said the program finds a lot of lost bikes that are eventually auctioned off when they aren’t claimed. Scott said that the agency is currently looking into a county-wide registry system, but owners can take steps now to increase the likelihood of recouping their trusty steed, such as keeping track of serial numbers or etching a driver’s license number onto the bike. Etching pens are available for use at SCOPE stations; visit www.spokanecounty.org for locations.

Artist Café cookout

The Artist Café in Cheney will host its third annual cookout and concert to benefit local charities Saturday from noon to 5 p.m.

The restaurant/international market will live up to its name, packing the parking lot with local musical artists of all stripes. Hip hop, punk, jazz and folk musicians will provide the soundtrack for a silent auction and other activities in front of the building at 28 W. First St.

Josie de Guzman, who owns the business with her two sisters, said they’ve tried to carry out some sort of activity to benefit cancer research for the past seven years since one sister made it through a bout with the disease.

Last year, de Guzman said several hundred people turned out to enjoy the tunes, food and fun, raising nearly $4,000 to fight leukemia and breast cancer.

EWU art exhibition

A new crop of artists will exhibit their works at the 2009 Eastern Washington University Bachelor of Fine Arts Senior Exhibition, running May 8 to June 21. Four students will unveil their work in sculpture and painting May 8 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the EWU gallery space.

Gallery director Nancy Hathaway said many graduates of the Eastern program have gone on to top quality master’s of fine arts programs. Hathaway said the yearly exhibit is possibly the most attended show of the year. “It’s a culminating exhibit,” she said. “Sort of like a graduation party for our art students.”

The gallery on the Cheney campus is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.