Okanogan Valley Gazette-Tribune, March 28, 2013

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Tonasket 5th Graders earn

EASTER EGG HUNTS

trophy at Math is Cool regional

Saturday in Oroville and Tonasket See Community Bulletin Board, page A6.

See Page A4

SERVING WASHINGTON’S

OKANOGAN VALLEY

SINCE 1905

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Run for the Border gets council nod Reports on pilots conference, Oroville veterans memorial By Gary A. DeVon Managing Editor

OROVILLE – Stan and Tina Janowicz appeared before the Oroville Council at their Tuesday, March 15 meeting to ask their support for the 11th annual Run for the Border motorcycle ride. The charity ride, which can attract upwards of 300 riders, begins in Wenatchee and travels the 150 miles to Oroville, arriving around 1 p.m. “This year it will be Saturday, May 18 on Armed Services Day, the Columbia River Harley Owners Group lost their chapter for awhile because Wenatchee Harley went out of business, so we are a little behind in planning,” said Tina Janowitz, adding that the chapter had started working with a Yakima dealer who took on the event. “We are working with two Christian groups in raising money for their causes,” added Janowitz from Okanogan, who coordinates the ride with her husband Stan. They asked for support and assistance from the city as it has in the past. “We’d like some assistance with parking and help with the cones,” she said. After saying the city would again support the event, Mayor Chuck Spieth asked Police Chief Clay Warnstaff had any comment. “Just that we look forward to

TSD stands pat on program

PRINCIPAL ON THE ROOF

them coming,” said Warnstaff.

By Brent Baker

Representing City Airports Leroy Orr reported on his recent attendance at the Washington Pilots Association Conference and Trade Show. Orr, a member of the OkanoganFerry County Chapter from Tonasket, helped to represent the chapter at an information booth at the conference. The local chapter includes eight public use airports, including seven in Okanogan County and one in Ferry County. “About ten to 12 thousand people come through there,” Orr said. “Our info booth is to show people our area. We have lots of literature from pretty much every corner of the area.” He added that he was always amazed at how many people don’t know where Okanogan County is. “They say things like… ‘you mean you have mountains here’ and ‘you mean all your airports are paved.’ They think we have dirt runways,” Orr said. Orr said those that dropped by the booth were interested in things like recreation and real estate guides and were looking for things like hanger building sites. “We have three new hangers moving into Tonasket just this year,” Orr said. “It’s something for Oroville to think about. Retired people bring in Seattle dollars; they don’t need jobs, they just spend (money).” He said that his group gave out seven boxes of local apples on Saturday. “These people are just really interested in our area, these

See COUNCIL | PG A2

bbaker@gazette-tribune.com

Photo by Steffi Fuchs

Oroville Elementary Principal Joan Hoehn and her dog Sadie on the roof of the elementary, as part of her students’ reward for reading over 6000 books during the Principal’s Challenge. This year’s theme was “Raise the Roof.” Hoehn sent award certificates down from the roof with a fishing pole. Other rewards included a dance, called the Jam in the Gym, and Nerd and Neon Day. For more on this year’s Principal’s Challenge see page 3.

NVH prepares to move forward after day in court By Brent Baker bbaker@gazette-tribune.com

TONASKET - A full day in court on Tuesday, March 19, resulted in a pair of favorable outcomes for the North Valley Hospital Board of Commissioners, which according to board chairwoman Helen Casey will allow the board to begin moving forward with finalizing the closure of the district’s Assisted Living facility. In a pair of separate hearings in the Okanogan County Superior Court, the Concerned Citizens for Tonasket Assisted Living’s request for an injunction to temporarily halt the closing was denied, and a petition from Rosa Snider and Danny Gratrix requesting the recall of the entire board of commissioners was withdrawn. The hospital was represented by attorney Mick Howe during both hearings. Casey said that the hearing requesting the injunction went through the full process. “It was a matter of due process, of presenting your case and being prepared,” she said. “Basically (the ruling was) that we were doing what was right as far as the process. There are people that want

to find something different. But when two or three discussions with the judge you look at the total picture, the hospital about whether they should go forward or acted in accordance with all of the proper not, and they chose to withdraw. Once he procedures to do what we were doing. called the hearing to order, he was very “(Superior Court Judge Henry) explicit that once they withdrew they Rawson was very fair to both sides,” could not go back.” Casey added. “He Casey said that, for said he saw things for those wanting changes both sides. It appeared in the makeup of the as though he’d read board, there was still all the materials and of opportunity “I’m very concerned for plenty was well-prepared. I for that to happen with thought it was handled how this has affected two seats up for elecwell, regardless of the this fall. our community. We’re tion“There outcome.” are opportuFor the recall hearnities to get involved trying to do what’s ing the prosecuting in these decisions,” she right.” attorney prepared a said. “That’s the way, if synopsis of the alleyou’re willing to make Helen Casey NVH Board of Commissioners Chair gations to present to the time commitment, the court, which was that you can make a then ruled upon by the difference. judge. “I’m very concerned “Mr. Rawson for how this has affectwas very clear in the process of how it ed our community. We’re trying to do worked, the ramifications both financial what’s right. It’s right that people have and for outcomes, and he explained it to the ability to make these decisions (to both sides. oppose the closing), but you need to have “There was some conversation, about all of the facts.”

Okanogan Valley Gazette-Tribune Volume 109 No. 13

See ScHOOL | PG A2

City moves forward with improvements By Gary A. DeVon Managing Editor

OROVILLE – Since Oroville will be making improvements to Central Avenue and Cherry Street the city has planned to replace some old water line under the streets at the same time. Toward that end the city has hired the firm, Shea, Carr and Jewell Inc. to engineer the water line replacement as part of the overlay of Central and Cherry Street. During the process the city will also be making improvements to the handicap ramps along the sidewalks. “We want to do the waterline improvement at the same time the streets are being fixed. The actual construction of the line is within the amount we budgeted for,” Rod Noel, Superintendent of Public Works told the Oroville Council at their last meeting. “Most of the design is finished, the street part that is. There are two projects, some of the sidewalk cuts will require the fire hydrants be moved. This will save us money on the water project because the ramps are part of the street project and will be picked up under the federal tab.” Noel said the ramps are being changed because of new codes that

only allow single ramps on corners in very limited situations. The state is now going with two ramps, one on each side of the corner that enter into crosswalks, rather than the street. “The design of the water portion of the project is moving along, I think it will be done shortly,” said Noel. Varella and Associates, the city’s engineers, has asked the council whether they would like the firm to do a study on Oroville’s Utility Rates and on their ERU levels and to ask if the county would like to participate. The study would look at the East Lake area for grants for low to moderate income people that would like their residences hooked up to the sewer system. “If there was no funding that Varella would not charge a fee for doing the study. The last census says there are low to moderate income families in the city, but does not survey income on either side of the lake,” said City Clerk Kathy Jones. The council met in a closed-door executive session after they were asked to reconsider an appointment to the ambulance crew that the mayor had turned down last month. After the council returned they voted to continue to support the mayor in his decision.

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TONASKET - Tonasket School Board members said they had never received as much feedback on an issue as they had over the potential elimination of the family consumer science vocational program at Tonasket High School. For the second consecutive school board meeting, the board room was filled with parents, students, staff and community members defending the value of the program and asking that a way be found to avoid cutting it in lieu of expanding the agricultural science program. Superintendent Paul Turner and high school principal Jeff Hardesty had approached the board about making the change, citing dwindling numbers in the family consumer science program, a backlog of interest in FFA and agricultural biology, and the need for greater flexibility in the schedule that the expanded ag program could provide. That, in turn, was part of a response to a mandate given by the board in February that the administrators seek creative ways to get the district back to a full school day (40 minutes longer than it has been for about 15 years) while dealing with fewer resources than had been anticipated when a two-year plan to lengthen the day was originally put into place. The meeting opened with a public hearing at which about 10 people spoke about the positive effects the program has had on the lives of students and their families. That, along an equal number of speakers at the previous meeting, dozens of emails and personal contacts with school board members advocating for the program, had the board unwilling to make the change at this time, particularly on such

Schools/Sports A4 Letters/Opinion A5 Valley Life A6

Sports A7 Classifieds/Legals A8-9 Real Estate A9

Police Stats Obituaries

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