Tigers win a playoff thriller,
FABULOUS 50’S DANCE
Hornets go down fighting
Saturday, Nov. 15, 6-10 p.m. Vicki’s Backdoor Club, Oroville
Pages B1-3
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Tonasket ballot measure failing
ACCEPTING THE CHALLENGE
Vejraska leads Womack, Rodriguez new coroner and Furman still assessor BY GARY A. DE VON EDITOR@GAZETTE-TRIBUNE.COM
OKANOGAN – It looks like a measure increasing the sales tax by 0.1 percent to raise revenue for the criminal justice and fire protection costs is failing again, according to the early ballot counts. The measure, which would go into effect on April 1 of next year received 40 votes for and 52 against in the vote count on election day. Those numbers changed somewhat in the second vote count held last Friday, however it still trailed with 59 votes (47.2 Scott Vejraska percent) in favor and 66 (52.8 percent) against. The election won’t be certified until Tuesday, Nov. 25. The Tonasket EMS was passed, easily gathering nearly 70 percent of the ballots cast in favor of the 10-year levy. The Tuesday night ballot count shows challenger Scott Vejraska with a 327 vote lead over incumbent David Womack for Okanogan County PUD Commissioner.
Oroville Elementary School students were rewarded with some outdoor activities last Thursday after meeting some of the goals of the Principal’s Challenge, reading thousands of books. Above, Principal Joan Hoehn agreed to camp outside if her students met the challenge. Right, a look through a telescope was another reward as students learn about constellations. Cloud cover made for less than optimum observances that evening. Below, right, Principal Hoehn shows students some of the hides in her collection. Another award will be a talk given by a Mountain Man. Below, a drawing of an autumn leaf is a continuance of the outdoor theme.
That number had nearly doubled to 614 in the second vote count held Friday. The early results in the general election also show David Rodriguez far outpacing Gary V. Reams for the newly created elective position of county coroner. An elected coroner was David Rodriguez required when county population numbers reached 41,000. Scott Furman, who was in the only other local candidate with a challenger, had a healthy lead over would-be assessor Les V. Stokes. Furman was leading in his bid for a return to the assessor’s position on Tuesday. The Friday vote count had Scott D. Furman Furman with 5,366 votes compared to challenger Les V. Stokes with 3,301. Despite a big win statewide, Okanogan
SEE ELECTIONS | PG A3
Osoyoos water levels lowered Lake level will remain between 909.5 feet until spring of 2015 THE GAZETTE-TRIBUNE
YAKIMA – Operators are lowering the water on Lake Osoyoos to its winter level to provide more storage for rain and melting snow, and to prevent shoreline damage from freezing and flooding. The Washington Department of Ecology will gradually lower the water level over the coming weeks, and expects to have the lake lowered to 909.5 feet by Dec. 1. It will remain at this level until spring.
Gary DeVon/ staff photos
Ecology manages lake levels at Zosel Dam at Oroville in Okanogan County in Washington state. Between March 1 and about May 1, dam operators maintain the lake at between 911.5 to 912 feet for normal summer operations. Lake levels are mandated under orders put in place by the International Joint Commission, a board made up of representatives from the United States and Canada. For more information on the operation of Zosel Dam or Lake Osoyoos, contact Al Josephy at Ecology, 360-4076456. To track the progress of lake levels in “real-time,” as well as find additional information, go to the U.S. Geological Survey Web page http://waterdata.usgs. gov/wa/nwis/uv?site_no=12439000 for Osoyoos Lake.
Oroville approves increase of 1% in Ad Valorem tax Railroad collector makes donations, including ‘speeder’ to Depot Museum BY GARY A. DE VON EDITOR@GAZETTE-TRIBUNE.COM
OROVILLE – The Oroville City Council sprinted through their Tuesday, Oct. 4 meeting with the main accomplishment of the night passing a one
percent increase in the ad valorem taxes for the 2015 property tax revenues for the city and the EMS Levy. One percent is the most the city can increase the tax they collect without going to a vote of the people, as set by state law. The measure would allow the city to collect the money to add to the city’s and the EMS District’s coffers. This revenue excludes additional revenue resulting from new construction, improvements to property, any annexations and refunds. The motion to approve the measure was made by Councilman Jon Neal and received a second from Councilwoman Neysa Roley before being approved unanimously. Under old business the council heard
OKANOGAN VALLEY GAZETTE-TRIBUNE Volume 110 No. 46
A new speeder is part of nearly 100 items donated to the Borderlands Historical Society for the Depot Museum. The speeder is on the front deck at the Depot and is inside a wood and glass enclosure. More of the items will be placed on display inside and outside the museum, according to Arnie Marchand, a member of the historical society. Marchand was at the Nov. 4 Oroville Council meeting to discuss happenings at the museum.
a short report on the city’s efforts to secure the old U.S. Border Patrol Station on Main Street. The station has been unoccupied ever since the federal agency moved into their new expanded station north of town. “We’re still working on the application and hope to have it done as soon as possible,” said City Clerk JoAnn Denney. Rod Noel, city superintendent of public works, said he was still working with the city’s engineer to close out the North End Water Reservoir that was constructed in order to both serve the new border patrol station and the north end water system. “We may need to possibly contact our
Gary DeVon/staff photo
SEE COUNCIL | PG A3
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