OKANOGAN COUNTY FAIR
WINERY HOSTS RUBY RUST
AWARD WINNERS
Performance at 6 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 19, at Esther Bricques Winery’s tasting room.
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SERVING WASHINGTON’S
OKANOGAN VALLEY
SINCE 1905
GAZETTE-TRIBUNE WWW.GAZETTE-TRIBUNE.COM | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013 | 75 CENTS NEWSSTAND PRICE
Help is on the way
NVH to assist with exchange registration
REI’S HIGHLANDS BACKDROP
BY BRENT BAKER
Tonasket to buy ‘new’ police car
BBAKER@GAZETTE-TRIBUNE.COM
BY BRENT BAKER BBAKER@GAZETTE-TRIBUNE.COM
TONASKET - Tonasket Police Chief Rob Burks is willing to sacrifice a bit of the future in order to satisfy a dire need in the here and now. With the Tonasket Police in danger of being paralyzed by the failure of its aging fleet of vehicles, Burks gave his blessing to the Tonasket City Council’s plan to allow the use of funds originally intended for the construction of a new police building to purchase up to $10,000 worth of vehicle. Whether that means one or two cars will be determined by what Burks can find in the used police vehicle market. To avoid spending money it didn’t have, the council approved using money from the Police Cumulative Fund, which accumulates money periodically and currently holds more than $40,000 resulting from the sale of the old fire hall property to the Tonasket EMS District several years ago. The money was intended to go toward the construction of a new “cop shop,” but technically could be used for any council-approved capital expenditure. The council unanimously approved the use of those funds after a lengthy discussion. Council member Jean Ramsey wanted to be sure that Burks was OK with using some of that money for a vehicle. “So you appreciate that I appreciate this,” she said, “You’re OK spending money out of your dream cop shop for what you need now?” “To be honest,” Burks said, “I’ll be long retired before we can build anything. But we need a police car now.” Burks has spent that last several months trying to find a way to start rebuilding the department’s fleet. Previous attempts to buy used vehicles on the cheap backfired. “In the past I’ve gotten cars for free,” Burks said. “My ‘free car’ cost us $4,000 (in maintenance and repairs) its first year. Jim’s free police car cost us a few thousand a year. The car that used to be Janet’s and then and Audra’s, it’s at the point where shouldn’t be putting more
SEE COUNCIL | PG A4
Gary DeVon/staff photo
REI, the world-renowned Seattle-based outdoor outfitter was in the Oroville area shooting for one of their upcoming 2014 catalogs. Here crew members set up a shot with at the Old Molson Museum with location photographer Damon Parrish before the “talent” comes out to model clothing for the upcoming catalog. The REI crew has been traveling around the state and chose the Old Molson Museum after scouting for Ghost Towns. The photographs Parrish takes will be used in the catalog, in store signage and online. In addition to the support vehicles, the shoot also includes a 1960’s vintage Mercury convertible for the models to drive around the various locations.
‘Think regionally,’ says planner Community Development Director talks tourism, trails and transportation BY GARY A. DEVON MANAGING EDITOR
OROVILLE – When Chris Branch, Oroville’s director of Community Development addressed the chamber of commerce, he said the questions he gets most recently involve transportation, tourism, trails and trees, as well as mosquitos and marijuana. He said these, along with sewer and water, seem to be the topics most on the people of Oroville’s mind. Branch has served on a number boards, including the Okanogan Trails Scenic Byways, the Tourism Advisory Board and the Regional Transportation Planning Organization (RTPO). North Central RTPO serves Chelan, Douglas and Okanogan counties. Branch
said there was a move to concentrate on just Chelan and Douglas county projects. “Members of the RTPO wanted to vote to take us out and there were huge objections,” said Branch. Branch said the RTPO shows the importance of thinking regionally pointing to the Scenic Byway as well as the Heavy Freight Corridor. “The RTPO’s Judy Lorenzo (Coordinator of Statewide Transportation Plans) took the lead with legislation on the Scenic Byway... she also helped later when we were asking for the Heavy Freight Corridor. The (Okanogan) county commissioners agree we need to say in the RTPO, that regional planning is important,” said Branch. The Heavy Freight Corridor, from the Canadian border to the railhead in Oroville, continues to be an important asset to the area’s economy, as well as the health of the Cascade and Columbia River Railway, according to Branch. The railway runs the short line from Oroville to Wenatchee and in Oroville it
serves Oroville Reman and Reload, Zosel Lumber Company and the Weyerhaeuser Chip Plant. “There has been some talk about extending the corridor to Omak. The truck traffic would double through Tonasket and some haulers might skip Oroville. Part of the argument for the corridor was this railhead in Oroville was to put freight out of Canada on the rails and make the railway viable,” said Branch. “Columbia River Carbonate (located by the Janice Bridge south of Tonasket) can’t afford to lose its connection to the railroad and run that business by truck.” Extending the corridor would also mean the highway between the Oroville and Omak would be more expensive to maintain because it needs to be kept at a level to handle heavier trucks. Currently that level of maintenance is needed for less than five miles, if it is extended it would be closer to 40.
SEE PLANNER | PG A4
TONASKET - North Valley Hospital District is preparing for the opening of the state health exchanges that will, in effect, be open for business on Oct. 1. NVH Administrator Linda Michel said in her written report presented to the Board of Commissioners at their Monday, Sept. 9, board meeting that Business Development Coordinator Terri Orford and Patient Financial Services Director Jana Symonds are planning a campaign to educate the public on how the exchanges work and assist with signups if needed. The health exchanges were created as part of the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). The exchange web site, wahealthplanfinder.org, is available; the initial open enrollment period is Oct. 1-Mar. 31 for health insurance that will begin coverage on Jan. 1, 2014.
STRATEGIC PLANNING The hospital district’s senior leadership and Board of Commissioners worked through a two-day strategic planning session in late August. According to Michel’s report five goals and focus areas were identified: • healthcare and service needs of the community including the completion of the second operating room, community education regarding wellness, and other goals; • community stewardship with a focus on partnering with other organizations to provide immunization clinics; • “fiscal wellness,” with a goal of having 90 days of cash on hand; • facilities management with a focus on completing the move into the Verbeck Building (former Assisted Living); • and governance/board education. Michel said that the senior leadership will be primarily responsible for the first four areas with the board planning steps to reach goals in the fifth area. WARRANTS DOWN Also North Valley Hospital’s warrant level inched downward, hitting $891,000 on Sept. 16, a drop of about $62,000 since first falling below the $1 million dollar mark in August. Michel said that CFO Helen Verhasselt will be presenting the 2014 budget at the Oct. 31 board meeting for review, with final approval slated for Nov. 14.
Man charged with smuggling guns Osoyoos man is former Oroville resident and out on $1000 bail Story courtesy of our sister newspaper in B.C. published by Black Press: PENTICTON WESTERN NEWS
submitted photo
WWW.PENTICTONWESTERN.COM
LANGLEY, BC - An Osoyoos man is facing charges for allegedly smuggling guns into Canada from the U.S. that were being sold to various gang-related groups in the Okanagan and Lower Mainland. Tyler Ryan Cuff, 30, was charged with two counts of unauthorized possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm and one count of careless use of a firearm contravening storage regulations and firearms trafficking. (G-T Editor’s Note: Cuff made his first court appearance Monday, Sept. 16 in the Surrey Provincial Court and was granted bail of $1000 and released. He makes
A former Oroville resident has been arrested for allegedly trafficking guns from the U.S. into Canada. The Osoyoos man was arrested on Aug. 29 in Langley, RCMP said many of the guns allegedly sold to gangsters in the Okanagan and Lower Mainland are Glock handguns. his next court appearance on Oct. 16 to obtain legal counsel.) “We all know that guns in the hands of gangsters put everyone at risk,” said Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of British Columbia Sgt. Lindsey Houghton. “We are continuing to work
OKANOGAN VALLEY GAZETTE-TRIBUNE Volume 109 No. 38
with law enforcement partners across North America to stop gun violence in our neighborhoods and by stopping the flow of guns going to gangsters we are making communities around British Columbia safer.” Cuff ’s arrest is the result of an investigation that began with a tip in May and CFSEU-BC began an undercover investigation, dubbed Project E-Passkey after it was learned the man was living in Osoyoos. Investigators allege Cuff used his dual citizenship status to legally purchase firearms at various Washington State gun shows and using a truck and car to smuggle the guns through the Oroville, Wash./Osoyoos border crossing. Houghton alleges the dozens of guns, believed to be mostly Glock handguns were being smuggled. Cuff, who has no criminal record and was not previously known to police, was arrested on Aug. 29 without incident in Langley after allegedly selling an undercover police officer a semi-automatic assault-style Norinco MAK-90 rifle and several steroid kits.
The CFSEU-BC investigation is ongoing and they are currently examining whether any firearms Cuff is alleged to have smuggled and sold have any connections to other police investigations, how many firearms may have been brought into Canada and how many guns may have been sold and to whom. “The Canada Border Services Agency is proud to be working closely with other law enforcement agencies as part of CFSEU-BC. These partnerships are invaluable and are proving to be essential in the detection, interception, and prosecution of those involved in the conduct of illegal activity,” said Canada Border Services Agency Executive Director, Pacific Region, Kim Scoville. “Today’s announcement is another example of the success of these initiatives.” Cuff was released from custody and his next court appearance is on Sept. 13 at 8:30 a.m. in Surrey Provincial Court. Last October two Penticton men were arrested for their alleged involvement in an international gun trafficking ring, and subsequently released. During the vehi-
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cle stop, officers found seven firearms and prohibited firearms-related devices including a silencer in the car. This was part of a 10-month investigation that also began after a tip. Undercover police officers purchased numerous guns and accessories off of Craigslist that are illegal in Canada in the investigation named Project E-Nimbus. The now deceased Vernon man, Riley Stewart Kotz, was the primary target and was formally arrested and charged with 34 firearms related offenses. Officers also searched houses in the 400 block of Bennett Street and 200-block of Sandstone Crescent in Penticton, a storage locker in the 9900 block of Victoria South Road in Summerland and a home in Vernon. From these properties they seized close to 40 firearms. Simultaneous to the arrests, warrants were executed in Pace, Florida where a woman associated with the suspect was arrested. Cuff has dual citizenship and had been living in Oroville prior to moving to Osoyoos in January, according to authorities.
County Fair A2-3 Letters/Opinion A5 Community A6-7
Classifieds/Legals A8-9 Real Estate A9 Sports A10-11
Cops & Courts Obituaries
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