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GAZETTE-TRIBUNE WWW.GAZETTE-TRIBUNE.COM | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012 | 75 CENTS NEWSSTAND PRICE
Oroville sets 1% ad valorem tax hike Surplus items sold to highest bidders
Brent Baker/staff photo
Jim Pruitt, the area’s only known living World War II POW, receives one of his two standing ovations during Tonasket High School’s Veterans Day assembly on Nov. 9.
Five days, ten months, eight hours in captivity Jim Pruitt describes his ordeal as a World War II POW BY BRENT BAKER BB AKER@GAZETTE-TRIBUNE.COM
Jim Pruitt, the area’s last known surviving World War II Prisoner of War, was honored at the Tonasket High School Veterans Day assembly and awarded a certificate recognizing his service to the country. Michael Stewart and GazetteTribune reporter Brent Baker interviewed Mr. Pruitt about his harrowing experience as a POW. Below are excerpts from that interview; the full interview will be included as part of the oral histories that are being collected at the U.S. Armed Forces Legacy Project. Michael Stewart: When you were in the military, Jim, over in that crazy war, how much combat time did you see over there? Jim Pruitt: Exactly one month. I was on the front lines exactly one month. October 21st to November 21st. Brent Baker: Probably the longest month of your life. MS: So did you get to jump (as a paratrooper) during the war? JP: No. I didn’t make it in the troopers. They wouldn’t take me. I’d had a hernia. I don’t know how I got that hernia but because of that they wouldn’t let me jump. So I didn’t make it. I don’t know whatever happened to the guys
I trained with... We didn’t know where we were going after we were in Italy. So I got assigned to the 143rd and went up through France through Marseille, through Dijon. MS: What kind of gear did you have that time of year? Was it August? JP: No, it was the latter part of September, first part of October. MS: Did they have you guys pretty well winterized with gear? JP: No. We didn’t have any winter gear. We just had our regular summer gear. We never had a sleeping bag. I wouldn’t have wanted one anyway. MS: They’re mummy bags. JP: Never could get out of the damn things. I carried four blankets. Most guys carried three. MS: So did you guys have boots or shoes? JP: We had combat boots. MS: Good good, at least that much. What weapons were you carrying? JP: M-1. That was a sweet shooting gun. That was a nice gun. I’ve thought for a long time if you go back to France you could probably find my rifle where I dropped it. Because, you see, I was in water. We were in water when we were captured. Trying to escape. And I just dropped that gun right in the water, so I’ll bet it stayed there. MS: So was it a lake, a river? JP: It was an irrigation ditch. There was nine of us in the squad. Five of them were in the cellar outside this house when the Germans came up and threw a potato masher in there and got them. Four of us were in the house, including the squad leader. Sergeant (Flores), a
Mexican. We all had been in the cellar. Four of us left and went in the house. And then we heard the Germans outside. The sergeant said ‘Hey, they’re saying out there they want us to surrender,’ or words to that effect. He started to open the door and oh, hell, they didn’t want a surrender. They shot through the door and he ran upstairs. The other three of us went out the back window of the house, and he dropped from the second floor. The four of us ran. One guy by the name of Rhett Brown went to the right. The other three of us went to the left. And there was this irrigation ditch where there was water, and Flores says get in there and climb up on the bank and shoot. It was so slick I couldn’t climb up on the bank, and couldn’t move very fast either. When I looked around there were several guns pointed at my back, so I very conveniently dropped my rifle. MS: Command decision. I know that one pretty well. From there, when they captured you, how far did you have to walk? JP: Not sure. They had a nice jail there but we didn’t stay there very long. And here I was wet -- well three of us were wet. We had one guy, and he spoke German, too. He was real slow. Slow moving until it came time to run, and then he was the fastest guy there was. He was way out in front of Flores and me. MS: Did he get captured too? JP: Yeah. MS: So how many from your squad were captured?
SEE PRUITT | PG 11
schedule to open next May. “I like the idea actually,” said Mayor Chuck Spieth about the sidewalk seating. A permit for outside seating was BY GARY A. DEVON also approved for the Back to Basics, MANAGING EDITOR hot dog and ice cream shop, on 1419 OROVILLE – The Oroville City Main. The council authorized the mayor to Council approved a one percent increase in the city’s ad valorem tax, sign the Ambulance Service Agreement the most they can ask for without a between the city and the rural ambuvote of the people, at their Tuesday, lance service. “We’re pushing hard to get the Nov. 6 meeting. The measure would allow the city new ambulance ordered,” said Debra to collect $252,742 during 2013 to Donahue, who discussed the option add to the city’s coffers, according to of piggybacking Oroville’s order with City Clerk Kathy Jones. This revenue Brewster’s bid call for an ambulance. Arnie Marchand excludes additional told the council that revenue resulting About outdoor seating, the Carbon Cycle from new construction, improvements to “I really like the idea.” Crush canola seed crushing plant had property, any annexaChuck Spieth, added a second shift tions and refunds, Oroville Mayor – moving one step adds Jones. closer to their goal of Councilman Tony Koepke made the motion to approve running three shifts and operating the increase and Councilman Walt 24/7. “They’re getting more seed from up Hart made the second to the motion which was unanimously approved north, production has tripled,” said Marchand. without further discussion. The meeting was also advertised as Victoria Henzie, who owns the Pastime Bar and Grill on 1307 Main a bid opening for several surplus city with her husband Brant, appeared items. Only seven people made offers, before the council to request a five- with some bidding on multiple items. year sidewalk use permit. The permit Norm Finsen won the 1975 American would allow outdoor seating on the LaFrance Firetruck for $1333.33 and sidewalk for eight customers at two Don Beanblossum won three apple bins of assorted brass water meters tables on the bar side. The seating would be surrounded by for $2,693.82, as well as a 1976 FMC Wayne Street Sweeper for $450 and a 42” railing. After some discussion about wheth- a 1958 Street Sweeper (for parts) for er the rails could be removed for snow $150. Terry Glover was the high bidder removal in the winter, which Hinze said on a 2001 Chevy Impala at $626 and was possible, Kopke motioned approval Clint Anderson was high bidder on and it was seconded by Councilwoman a 1989 Chevy S-10 pickup at $301.50 Neysa Roley and passed. Hinze said Jason Wildermuth took home 18 bicythe bar and restaurant was still on cles for $50 and five tires for $20.
Free Thanksgiving dinner offered in Oroville BY GARY A. DEVON MANAGING EDITOR
OROVILLE – For the 10th year in a row a free Thanksgiving dinner is being offered in Oroville at Linda’s Bakery, 714 14th Ave. The dinner in Oroville is put together by Linda Darrow with help serving from several local volunteers, Dinner starts at 1 p.m. at and goes to 5 p.m. The free traditional turkey Thanksgiving dinner will include all the trimmings, as well
as a selection of different pies for desert, including pumpkin and apple. “We usually cook six turkeys along with a ham. We’ve had a couple turkeys donated, but we’d be happy if someone wants to donate more,” said Darrow. “John Desjardins from Hometown usually cooks a variety of pies and rolls and we also have some apple pies from the Catholic Church pie sale.” Everyone is invited to have dinner and although the dinner is free, donations are always welcome, according to Darrow.
Oroville school capital improvement levy trailing Tonasket just says ‘no’ to new tax BY GARY A. DEVON MANAGING EDITOR
OKANOGAN COUNTY – Oroville School District’s special three-year $1.2 million capital improvement levy had widened to 17 votes from passing as of the second ballot count following the Nov. 6 general election. That second count was taken by the Okanogan County Auditor’s office on Friday, Nov. 9. Those who cast votes opposing the levy, 690, or 50.62 percent, were leading those that voted approval, 673, or 49.38 percent. With just a few potential ballots still outstanding the measure which would have repaired the elementary will most likely fail. The
election which will get final certification by the county auditor’s office on Nov. 27. “At this point I’m not holding out a lot of hope it will pass even though it is down just 17 votes. Unless there is some miracle I am going to assume it did not pass.”” said Steve Quick, Oroville School District superintendent. “We still have the grant for $100,000 to get one of the wings done, the rest of the building and the roof. We will go back to the facilities committee and discuss if we need to make some changes and whether to try again,” Quick said, adding that another special levy could be ran in 2013. “We could run any time next year, but wouldn’t be able to collect until 2014. We want to avoid having to take short term loans,” he said.
OKANOGAN VALLEY GAZETTE-TRIBUNE Volume 108 No. 46
County Commissioner It looks like the Republican has won the Okanogan County Commissioner seat for Position 1. Sheila Kennedy was leading last Friday with a nearly 60 percent election-night count against Democrat Albert Roberts. In the race for Position 2 the final outcome is not as clear as Republican Ray Campbell has 49.98 percent of the ballots cast, while fellow Republican and incumbent Don “Bud” Hover had 49.05 percent. With a difference of 103 votes, the election is still statistically too close to call although it looks like Campbell may be the winner if the next vote count continues in his favor.
EMS District Levies
Both the City of Oroville’s Proposition No. 1 Emergency Medical Care and Ambulance Service Levy and Oroville Rural EMS Levy were winning at the polls by big numbers on election night and as of Friday’s second vote count. So far, the city proposition has 67.6 percent approval of the 414 votes counted. The rural proposition was doing even better with nearly 68.3 percent of the 1,363 votes cast in favor.
City of Tonasket Tax As of the second vote count it looks like Tonasket voters have rejected Proposition No. 1, a Sales and Use Tax Levy within the city. A total of 53.85 percent were saying no to the Levy, while 41.15 percent were voting for approval. The measure did pick up a few votes in the second count.
State Measures Marijuana - In what may or may not seem a less conservative move, or maybe more libertarian, the county, like the rest of the state, thinks it’s about time to change the way marijuana is dealt with in the state. Washington and Colorado were the first two states in the nation decriminalizing personal marijuana use; Oregon, one of the first states to legalize medical marijuana, failed a similar measure that would make it legal for recreational use. In Washington I-502 licenses and regulates marijuana production, distribution and possession for persons over 21;
SEE ELECTION | PG. 3
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A similar proposition in Okanogan remained more evenly split but the second count was going against and widening the gap as of the second count.
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