NVH HOLDS VERBECK BUILDING
OSF VARIETY SHOW
OPEN HOUSE
Entertainment and Auction at OHS Coulton Auditorium, Friday, March 14, 6:00 p.m.
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Oroville Clerk Jones talks retirement
LATE WINTER ENTERTAINMENT
City OK with taking back trailhead BY GARY A. DEVON MANAGING EDITOR
OROVILLE – This will be Kathy Jones’ last year as city clerk/treasurer for Oroville. She made the announcement at the city council’s Tuesday, March 4 meeting. “I have a a target date of retirement after the happy fun day of Halloween,” said Jones, who with her staff are known to dress up in costume and decorate the city hall each year. Jones said she has worked under seven mayors, three city superintendents of public works and ten police chiefs. “There are some projects I’d like to have her stay on long enough to get completed and to train someone else,” said Mayor Chuck Spieth, who along with the council, applauded Jones for her 40 years of service to the city.
SIMILKAMEEN TRAILHEAD Chris Branch, director of Community Development, reported on the Similkameen Trailhead, which is owned by the county, but is within the city limits at the end of Kernan Road. “We’re not getting a lot of communication from the county,” said Branch, who said the commissioners would like to get the trailhead finished and “out of their hair.” The trailhead was originally on property purchased by the city to serve
Talent, royalty and tonguein-cheek awards were the name of the game Friday at the finale of Tonasket High School’s Winterfest celebration that included a desserts and entertainment for the community. Top, Aiza Dahman dazzled the crowd with a pair of performances, one vocal and one dance; right, Levi Schell (escorted by Kathryn Cleman) was honored as Winterfest King; lower right, Melanie Christensen also delivered a melodious vocal performance; below, Parker Kenyon (in a duet with drummer Marcelino Ruiz-Martell) rocked the house with his scorching guitar work. For more on Winterfest, see Page A2.
the Similkameen Trail. The trail, part of the county’s trail system and the Pacific Northwest Trail, follows the old Great Northern railway bed along the Similkameen River, across the bridge and on to about the old powerhouse for Enloe Dam. In an agreement with the city, the property was deeded over to the county and leveraged to gain money to make improvements. Branch said the county would prefer that Oroville maintain the trailhead. “They were interested in developing it then, but at that time we had a different set of commissioners. What kind of ownership would we want... should we ask to take back the deed or do we want them to keep it?” asked Branch. Trailhead improvements, such signage, have been done. Those that remain include a better parking area, a covered shelter and restrooms, according to Supt. Noel. While originally the plan called for running water and flush toilets connected to the city’s sewer line, Noel said he had considered changing to tank-type that could be open year around. “We were going to work with them on installing the utilities,” said Noel. “They would buy the fixtures and we would install them.... I’m not even sure where we are at now.” The city has a sewer line that goes down Kernan Road and Noel said he was again considering facilities with running
SEE OROVILLE | PG A3
Shots fired in Crumbacher Man arrested for shooting at son’s ex-girlfriend
Brent Baker / staff photos
BY GARY A. DEVON MANAGING EDITOR
TONASKET – A former Omak police officer was arrested at 58 Oakes Drive in Crumbacher after shooting at the feet of his son’s ex-girlfriend. On Thursday, March 6 at around 4:30 p.m. Okanogan County Sheriff ’s Deputies responded to a call in reference to a shooting south of Tonasket. When deputies arrived they contacted Brianna A. Hicks, 35, of Tonasket and she advised
deputies that earlier in the day that she and her boyfriend, Tyler J. Kion, 23 of Tonasket, had broken up. Hicks said she had lived at the residence with Kion and his father for several months, according to Sheriff Frank Rogers. “Hicks said she went to the residence to pick up her belongings and when she was walking up to the house, Douglas G. Johnson, 47, of Tonasket, the father of Kion came outside and confronted her at the gate,” said Rogers. “Johnson was carrying a .223 caliber rifle as he came out of the house. When Johnson got to the gate he lowered the rifle and fired one round into the ground at Hicks’ feet.” The woman said she left immediately and went to another residence to call
SEE SHOTS | PG A3
Burglar arrested after being tracked by ankle bracelet BY GARY A. DEVON MANAGING EDITOR
OKANOGAN – A man arrested for breaking in to, and burglarizing, the Okanogan Eagles was tattled on by his court ordered monitoring ankle bracelet. “You just can’t make this stuff up,” said Okanogan County Sheriff Frank Rogers in describing the arrest of Kyle A. Snyder, 22, of Omak. Tracking the ankle bracelet also led to the identification of his alleged partner in the burglary, the recovery of money and seizure of drugs hidden in a teddy bear. On the morning of Tuesday, March 4 county deputies responded to the Fraternal Order of the Eagles North 2nd Ave. in Okanogan regarding a burglary at the building. Deputies found that suspects had pried open the back door with what looked like crow
bar. They also discovered the are installed at the Eagles. In the suspects had cut the phone line video they could see two subonce inside and they tried to get jects at the side of the building at into another approximately room but were 1:43 a.m. The unsuccessful video shows but did exten“The deputies in this the suspect, sive damage to are wearcase did an excellent who the door. The ing hoods and suspects damjob and we appreci- masks break aged other into the buildate the help from (the ing and there doors in the building and suspect) with the video is video of the were able to suspects inside and GPS coordinates... of the Eagles. pry open a small safe and really makes our job a The video also stole approxishows that the lot easier.” mately $2000 suspects left and cash from it. returned to the Frank Rogers, The suspects building several Okanogan County Sheriff attempted to times over two get into anothhours, part of er safe and an ATM machine but the video is the suspects back in were unsuccessful, according to the Eagles at 4 a.m. Rogers. “This is where it gets good… Deputies then watched surveil- After leaving the scene deputies lance video from cameras that discussed the method of the bur-
OKANOGAN VALLEY GAZETTE-TRIBUNE Volume 110 No. 11
glary and who had knowledge The history on Snyder’s monitor where things were. They also showed that he went to from the agreed from other information Eagles several times that night they had obtained that Snyder and the times on the history also was becoming a person matched the surveilof interest. Snyder had lance video obtained also been arrested for from the Eagles,” said breaking into the Eagles Rogers. back in 2012,” said The history also Sheriff Rogers. showed deputies where However, deputies Snyder went every believed Snyder, a fortime he left the Eagles. mer Oroville resident, Deputies went to Omak was still in jail await- Kyle A. Snyder and located Snyder at ing his time to go to his mother’s residence. prison on other charges. When Snyder was arrested without incithey checked on Snyder’s status, dent and was later booked into they discovered he had been the Okanogan County Jail for released and was currently wear- burglary in the second degree ing an ankle monitor through and malicious mischief in the Friendship Diversion, a company first degree. that does monitoring. Deputies After Snyder was booked depwent to Friendship Diversion and uties went to the Motel Nicholas pulled up Snyder’s monitor his- in Omak where the suspect had tory, according to the sheriff. gone several times that night. “That’s right; Snyder wore the At the motel they discovered ankle bracelet to do the burglary. the vehicle that was used in the
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burglary and they also questioned Alyssa A. Descoteaux, 19, Omak, who was staying in the motel room. After the interview Descoteaux was arrested for possession of methamphetamine and booked into the Okanogan County Jail. She was not charged with burglary. Deputies returned to the Snyder’s mother’s home and contacted family members who the sheriff said were being cooperative with law enforcement. Deputies recovered approximately $400 dollars in cash and 32 grams of Methamphetamine, valued at approximately $2000.00 “Snyder had hidden the stolen cash and the Methamphetamine in a teddy bear,” the sheriff said. The next day a search warrant was done on Snyder’s vehicle, Methamphetamine was the only thing found in the vehicle. On
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