DONKEY BASKETBALL VISITS
OROVILLE KITE DAY
OROVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
Bud Clark Field Saturday, March 29, 12-3 p.m.
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Oroville awards bid for Central and Cherry Project
FIRE PRACTICE
Motorcycle group asks for city’s cooperation with Run for the Border BY GARY A. DEVON MANAGING EDITOR
OROVILLE – Tina Jancowicz, representing the Columbia River Harley Owner’s Group (HOG) came to the Oroville City Council meeting on Tuesday, March 18, requesting street closures for motorcycle parking during the Run for the Border charity ride planned for Armed Services Day Saturday, May 17. This is the event’s Chris Branch twelfth year and involves as many as 300 motorcycle riders making their way from Wenatchee to Oroville. The expected arrival time is between 12:30 and 1 p.m., according to Jancowicz. The group is raising funds for two charities this year – the Okanogan County Shop with a Cop
Program and the Lilac Services for the Blind in Wenatchee. Councilman Walt Hart commented that Shop with a Cop was a great program. “It seems like Oroville is going to do some things to try and keep the riders up here longer which is great,” she said, referring to the Border Rally Blues Festival planned at Deep Bay Park. “We’re really doing a push to get people to come up to the park,” she said.
STREET PROJECT The city received a letter from Dave Allen, with the ASCJ Alliance recommending Versatile Industries Inc. of Ione, Wash., be awarded the bid for the Central and Cherry streets Overlay and Water Improvements project. Versatile was the low bidder at $563,312.41 (including sales tax). Councilman Jon Neal asked if anyone had heard of the contractor before and if they new what kind of job they had done in the past. “They’ve done a lot of work for the city of Colville and done a great job,” said Rod Noel, superintendent of public works.
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Public Health warns of norovirus outbreak Virus produces flu-like symptoms lasting up to three days BY GARY A. DEVON MANAGING EDITOR
Gary DeVon/staff photo
The Oroville Fire Department held fire practice on a dilapidated home on the corner of Fifth and Main volunteered by the property owners. The department lit the fire Monday, March 24, and used both hand held hoses and the city’s ladder truck to rain water on the blaze which could be seen for several blocks on the south end of town. The fire attracted lots of spectators on a warm Monday evening.
OKANOGAN – Okanogan County Public Health has released a bulletin saying that it is receiving numerous reports of a stomach illness most likely caused by the norovirus. Symptoms of norovirus usually include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramping. Those infected begin to become ill about 24 – 48 hours after swallowing or breathing in the virus. The sickness is usually brief, lasting only one to three days. This virus is most commonly spread by eating contaminated foods or liquids, touching contaminated surfaces
or objects and then placing hands in mouth, or having direct contact with a person who is infected and showing symptoms. In order to prevent the spread of this virus in the home (and at school), Public Health suggests following these basic prevention strategies: • Wash hands with soap and warm water after using the toilet. • Wash hands with soap and warm water before handling food or ice. • Wash hands with soap and warm water before eating. • Refrain from food handling duties if currently ill and for two days after diarrhea and vomiting have stopped. • Discard foods that have been handled or prepared by someone who is, or has recently had, vomiting or diarrhea. • Promptly clean and disinfect any surfaces that become soiled with vomit or diarrhea.
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Brad Scott appointed to school board Oroville looking at restroom upgrades at elementary BY GARY A. DEVON MANAGING EDITOR
OROVILLE – Brad Scott was added to the Oroville School Board in the second at-large position, bringing the board to a full compliment of five members for the first time in nearly a year. Voters in the Oroville School District approved a redistricting measure last month combining the district’s boundaries into three sub-districts, rather than four, and created a second atlarge position. The board placed the measure on the ballot after
unsuccessful efforts to find a candidate to take the place of former school director David Nutt. No one came forward to serve who lived in Nutt’s district so the board reasoned that creating another at-large position might bring forth more candidates. After an interview at last Monday’s school board meeting, the board went into executive session to discuss the candidate’s qualifications. When they returned board chairman Rocky DeVon entertained a motion to appoint Scott in the empty director’s seat. Director Todd Hill made the motion, it was seconded by Director Travis Loudon and passed unanimously. Superintendent Steve Quick administered the oath of office and Scott took his seat on the
OKANOGAN VALLEY GAZETTE-TRIBUNE Volume 110 No. 13
board. He will be required to stand for election at the next general election if Scott chooses to remain in the position. In redistricting Hill will represent Director District #1, Amy Wise, Director District #2 and Loudon, Director District 3. DeVon will remain Director At-Large. Under “Good News and Announcements” Elementary School Principal Joan Hoehn announced that fourth grader Leo Chen had placed second at the regional Spelling Bee in Wenatchee on March 14.
FACILITIES UPGRADES From there the board went into discussion of facilities upgrades to the elementary school restrooms. Harvey Morrison, a con-
Oroville School District Superintendent Steve Quick administers the Oath of Office to Brad Scott as Oroville’s newest school board member. Gary DeVon/staff photo
sultant with Roen and Associates from Spokane, which consulted on the elementary roof replacement, was there to answer board questions. The money to fix the restrooms will come from a special voter approved three-year levy to fix the elementary roof
(completed) and other projects at that building. “The guiding issue is that we have to do it per the current code,” said Morrison, explaining that the bathrooms, both north and south, would have to be brought into compliance with the
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Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Morrison said the plumbing work would be about 25 to 30 percent of the project’s costs and all together if both restrooms are remodeled it could cost between
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