THE MOOD SWINGS
Effie Lea Wilson honored for 50 years of service at nursing
Performing 40s, 50s, 60s hits at Esther Bricques, Aug. 28, 6:30 p.m.
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RUBBER DUCKY, YOU’RE THE ONE
Oroville updated on airport, street and water projects City Council denies tax refund request by housing authority BY GARY A. DE VON MANAGING EDITOR
OROVILLE – Oroville continues to move toward closing out recent water and street projects and looks ahead toward the upcoming airport project. Rod Noel, superintendent for Public Works gave a report on several projects that have taken place or will begin soon. “The grant offer has been received and Ed Naillon we have our notice of award,” said Noel, regarding an airport project funded through the FAA and state Department of Transportation-Aeronautics Division. The Federal Aviation Administration financed most of the $89,323 for project which will make repairs to the runway, including crack sealing. The city is also receiving $5339 from the state as a partial match on the project. Road Products, Inc. of Spokane was awarded the bid to do the work. “The contract is all ready to be signed,” said Noel, adding that work needs to get going before it starts to get cold. Councilman Ed Naillon made a motion to approve the mayor signing the contract. The motion was seconded by Councilman Walt Hart and passed unanimously.
STREETS AND WATER Noel said a representative from the state Department of Transportation came up to inspect the Central and Cherry street project, which seal coated Central from
Brent Baker/staff photo
Hundreds of rubber duckies - 493, according to the official count - are dumped from the Fourth Street Bridge as part of a fundraiser for the Tonasket City Swimming Pool project on Saturday, Aug. 23. The “race” ended at the boat ramp on the south end of Chief Tonasket Park, where the ducks were scooped out of the river after crossing the finish line. Inset, the ducks take flight.
Duck race nets nearly $2,500 BY BRENT BAKER BBAKER@GAZETTE-TRIBUNE.COM
TONASKET - It’s just a drop of water in a very big pool, but it all helps. The Tonasket Pool Committee’s rubber duck race - a fundraiser for the Tonasket swimming pool project that likely will cost around $2 million - brought in $2,465. The race, on Saturday, Aug. 23, featured 493 ducks that were purchased by project supports. They were dumped off the Fourth Street Bridge into the Okanogan River and “raced” to the boat launch at the south end of Chief Tonasket Park, where they were scooped out of the water by a legion of volunteers. The big winner was KK Young of Shelton, who claimed both first and third prizes (donating her winnings back to the pool). Dave Mitchell of Tonasket owned the second-place duck. “(It) won’t build our new swimming pool,” said organizer Karen Stangland. “But I hope it will continue to promote our cause. We are serious about building a new pool for the community. Now that summer is ending, we can’t forget about the pool.” Confluence Health (formerly North Valley Family Medicine) has also donated $1,500, and the Tonasket Garden Club voted to donate $500. “We have been receiving donations and pledges,” Stangland said. “We thank all of those contributors. Now, we’re asking the rest of you to step up and make donations and pledges.” She pointed out that the donations, even small ones, are key,
Brent Baker/staff photo
Bud McSpadden (serving as race announcer), and a host of volunteers including finish line judges and duck scoopers, await the approach of the racing rubber ducks at Chief Tonasket Park. because as the committee applies for grant it is finding that most of them require matching funds. “The more we collect locally,” she said, “the easier it will be to apply. It shows that the community is supporting the endeavor.” For more information, visit the website www.tonasketpool. com.
OKANOGAN VALLEY GAZETTE-TRIBUNE Volume 110 No. 35
SEE COUNCIL | PG A2
A promise fulfilled: Thorntons receive Five Star Banner valley,” said Thomas Wilburn, who wrote to The Okanogan Valley Gazette-Tribune with the story of his and his family’s quest to receive the banner which was promised by the War Department, but was never received. All Wilburn had was a partial clipping his mother had BY GARY A. DE VON saved from the Oroville Weekly Gazette MANAGING EDITOR from 1945. After an article appeared CASHMERE – During World War II in the Gazette-Tribune last November, an Oroville family had five children who Commander Wilson contacted Wilburn stepped up to serve in the U.S. Armed and the family and arranged to have the flag presented at a family reunion Services. the Saturday, Aug. 9 in This month they Cashmere. received the Five Star “Thank you so kindBanner promised to “Thank you so kindly for ly for your instrumenthose brave siblings’ tal role played in the the instrumental role mother, nearly 70 years of this now ago. played in the resolution resolution 69-year-old accidental R.L. “Louie” of this now 69-year-old deed,” said Wilburn Wilson, Commander after the military’s of Hodges Post 84 of accidental deed.” promise was finalthe American Legion Tom Wilburn, ly fulfilled through in Oroville, presented Member of the Thornton Family Oroville’s American the flag to Delores Legion Post. Thornton Hogue of Originally, the flag Oroville and Margaret was to be given to the late Mr. and Mrs. Thornton Malm of Wenatchee. “The Commander presented the flag Earl Thornton for their five children, to my aunts and Aunt Delores returned all serving the country during wartime. to Oroville with the flag as it was earned Their children, Cpl. Oscar Thornton by an Oroville family and it only seemed and Cpl. Ernie Thornton, were both in appropriate it should find a home in the SEE FIVE STAR | PG A2
Family credits recent newspaper article, local Legion Post
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Main to Cherry and Cherry from Central to the Cherry Street Bridge. He said that everything passed inspection, but due to a change order for asphalt, the project’s price increased by $12,795, $10,094, if the federal government contributes to the project’s cost. The city will go to the county to use funds shared by the county and city for transportation projects. “They approved us as long as it does not exceed $15,000,” said Noel. The Central and Cherry Streets Project also included replacing water lines under a portion of where the street was to be repaired. The cost of that portion was financed by the city and went over by $3600 due to a couple of change orders, said Noel. The pavement where the water line connected on main street still needs to be redone before the paving contractor’s contract can be completely closed out, according to Noel. “We’re still holding fire on the Main Street repair,” he said. The next grant the city would like to obtain would be one to rebuild 16th street from Main Street to Cherry, including the sidewalk on one side of the street, according to Noel. The city will be looking at potential funding sources. He estimated the cost of at around $700,000 with the city’s share being around $35,000. “The Pavement Preservation Program is not being funded and the Arterial Street grant requires a five percent match,” said Noel, correcting information he gave at the previous council meeting. On the subject of water, the city refused to refund fees associated with a home on Westlake Road that had high water use in June. “The homeowner asked for $350 in relief, the excess amount was $251,” said JoAnn Denney, who was filling in for city clerk Kathy Jones. “To my knowledge we have never given relief; we have worked with people
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