RUN FOR THE BORDER
2012 MAY FESTIVAL
Run for the Border Charity Ride is this weekend, May 19
PAGE B1
SERVING WASHINGTON’S
OKANOGAN VALLEY
SINCE 1905
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Salmon Recovery Board visits Tonasket City Council
May Festival was Simply Enchanting
BY BRENT BAKER BBAKER@GAZETTE-TRIBUNE.COM
TONASKET - A visit by the Upper Columbia Salmon Recovery Board may turn out to provide the impetus needed to develop a solution to chronic problems with pollution, water flow and salmon habitat on Bonaparte Creek, which flows to the Okanogan River past the south side of Tonasket. Don McIvor, Natural Resources Coordinator of the UCSRB, and Ken Bevis of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, were on hand at the Tuesday, May 8, Tonasket City Council meeting to share the mission of the Salmon Recovery Board, as well as seek recognition by the council of a recent reorganization of the lead entities of the organization, which were consolidated and removed from mixing with county government entities. “Lead entities are the state’s investment in assuring accountability in this process,” McIvor said. “It’s based around
a structure that includes a scientific team that provides oversight and review or projects, and a citizens group that provides a social check on the projects. “The lead entities take technical direction from the recovery plan and a biological strategy which was developed around the plan. They look for project applicants, help them develop proposals, rank the proposals and send them to the state level, where they do a final review and allocate available funds to the topranked projects.” In a question-and-answer session following the presentation, Mayor Patrick Plumb noted the work put in on the Bonaparte Creek area. “We put a lot on the line without a lot of support from other entities,” Plumb said. “I think we’re starting to round the corner by getting the human fecal coliform hot spots out. I still would like to see more work done there. I don’t know what this board could do now, but it’s
SEE COUNCIL | PG. 3
Run for the Border this Saturday, May 19
Oroville May Festival Queen Ali Miller and Princess Dayna Roley (above) were regal upon the Community Float during last Saturday’s Grand Parade. Oroville’s biggest event of the year is all about the community coming together with family, friends and neighbors, including a large contingent from Oroville’s neighbor to the north, Canda (right). This year’s May Festival Grand Marshals were twin sisters Doris Reynolds and Dee Patterson (below, right). Tonasket, Oroville’s neighbors to the south, provided their high school marching band, followed up by the colorful new flag corp.
modern bikes, as well as a smattering of other makes. “This event is about vets helping vets,” OROVILLE – More than 300 motorcy- said Stan Janowicz, who appeared before cles and riders are expected to participate Oroville’s City Council at the end of in this Saturday’s 10th Annual Run for the March. “We provided 30 dinners and boxes Border charity ride, which will roar into of groceries at both Thanksgiving and Oroville sometime before 1 p.m. The Columbia River Harley Owners Christmas. We also helped a young vet Group (HOG) hosts the annual ride, going through surgery get caught up which starts in Wenatchee at 11 a.m., with some things,” added Janowicz, who breaks in Pateros around 10 a.m. and expressed his gratitude for the assistance the town and Oroville then arrives in Oroville Police Department between 12:30 and 1 “This event is about has given in past p.m. The ride, which is not limited to Harley vets helping vets.” years. There is a $10 fee, Davidsons, picks up quite Stan Janowicz which includes a a few area riders who ride pin. Riders from travel south to Pateros Oroville and elsein the morning and then make the trip north with the rest of the where in the county have been known to pack. The money raised is used to help ride to Wenatchee the day before to join honorably discharged veterans and their in Saturday’s 150-mile ride, while others families... assisting their physical, finan- ride to Pateros on Saturday morning to cial and emotional needs, according to join the group there and travel back up Stan and Tina Janowicz, Columbia River to Oroville. Justin Peterson will also host a Nacho HOG members who are coordinating the Feed in Oroville for the riders on Saturday. ride from the north end. Once the riders get to downtown The event is to raise money for the Inland Oroville a large section of the east side of Northwest Honor Flights, an organization Main Street and parts of Golden and 14th that flies WWII veterans to Washington, Streets will be set aside for the motor- D.C. to see their memorial. The nacho cyclists to park their rides. The public feed will be held at the Eagles at lunch is welcome to come and have a look at time. A second nacho feed will be held the wide variety of American machines, that same evening for residents of Oroville everything from antiques and classics to and the surrounding area at 5 p.m. BY GARY A. DEVON
MANAGING EDITOR
Gary DeVon/staff photos
Local vets honored by “First Mike” BY BRENT BAKER BBAKER@GAZETTE-TRIBUNE.COM
TONASKET - It’s not often one’s work gets recognized at the highest levels. But local veterans Michael Stewart and Dale White found out that sometimes that work does get noticed. Stewart and White recently were invited to the Governor’s mansion, where a half hour tour with the “First Mike” Governor Christine Gregoire’s husband Mike Gregoire, a veteran himself who is an advocate for vets’ issues - turned into a two and a half hour meeting of like minds.
“Dale has been thanked a lot of times in his life for the work that he’s done over the years,” Stewart said. “He helped me get this pat on the back. First Mike (official title, First Gentleman, though he prefers the nickname) has missed very, very few funerals of veterans who have died. He was a lieutenant in Viet Nam artillery himself, so he understands. “We got a great tour of the mansion. It was supposed to be coffee and cookies, but we got talking about Viet Nam and our work. He was excited and interested in all of our discussions.” North Valley Hospital’s Veterans Services Officer, Shane Barton, said that
OKANOGAN VALLEY GAZETTE-TRIBUNE Volume 108 No. 20
Stewart and White were the driving forces in getting the VA clinic set up there last year. “Dale and Mike were instrumental in getting the clinic and tons of other services set up here,” he said. “My position, mental health, extended care services wouldn’t have happened without them.” Stewart has been in the area for more than 30 years, while White moved here about eight years ago after working in the national services office in Seattle. The two had been friends since the 1980s and pooled their talents and no-apologies approach to procuring services for veterans.
“Dale has been in the business for 32 years,” Stewart said. “With his professional knowledge of the business of how the veterans service works from running the national office in Seattle, he had a lot of contacts that gave us the information we needed to convince our county commissioners that we knew what we were talking about.” Stewart said the NVH VA clinic -- a Community Outreach Based Clinic - is likely to be the way most veterans’ services will be handled as the waves of vets return home from Iraq and Afghanistan. “The VA is going to be overwhelmed,”
SEE VETS | PG. 3
Dale White receives a certificate of appreciation from First Gentleman Mike Gregoire at a recent visit to the Governor’s mansion.
INSIDE THIS EDITION
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Community A2-3 Letters & Opinions A4 Valley Life A5-6
Movies A6 May Festival B1 Sports B2-3
Classified/Legals B4-5 B&S Directory B6 Outdoor B6