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OKANOGAN VALLEY GAZETTE-TRIBUNE | DECEMBER 25, 2014
THE TOWN CRIER
We wish you peace and happiness
Each year our Christmas wish is for peace throughout the world. We also long for the ability to view Christmas and the holidays through a child’s eyes. As one reads through the Letters to Santa in last week’s issue (before they were forwarded to the North Pole), you could just about recapture what a magical time it truly is. Many of us forget just what Christmas time is about, or at least what it should be about. We get so caught up in the rush of trying to get everyone gifts that even taking the opportunity for a few minutes to think about the reason for the holidays can be missed. While we’re not against presents by any means – they can be a great part of the holidays, especially for the kids. And, if you’re lucky enough to have children or grandchildren around you know what we mean. The delight in a child’s eyes as they tear open their presents or look in wonder at holiday decoraOut of tions are memories that last a lifetime. My Mind This Christmas we again ask that you step Gary A. DeVon back from all the commercialism and remember that Christmas represents the birth of Jesus Christ. While peace on earth should be something we strive for year around, this is the perfect time for anyone, Christian or not, religious or not, to reflect on the good of mankind and the ongoing struggle for peace on earth. A time to consider what we can personally do to help achieve that goal in our neighborhoods and communities. This Christmas many families around the country are receiving one of the best presents they could ask for as troops continue to come home from Afghanistan. Let’s pray all our troops remain safe as they go about protecting our freedoms at home and abroad. While not everyone is religious, or even celebrates Christmas, I hope no one gets offended when we wish them Merry Christmas. Personally I’ve been known to mix it up with Happy Holidays this time of year. I have Jewish friends and had a few Muslim friends in college, so wishing everyone the best at this time of year just makes sense – especially for a country where Freedom of Religion remains one of the pillars it was founded on. So, whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Ramadan or something else, we at the Okanogan Valley GazetteTribune wish you peace this holiday season.
GAZETTE-TRIBUNE
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR NVH’s hiring practices need to be looked at Dear Gary, The process has begun to not only to save the LTC facility at North Valley Hospital but the hospital its self. I agree with Commissioner Hughes about the length of time to be taken to make a good determination, maybe not an entire year but least a longer period of time. I agree with the commissioner about closing the Drip Line. I questioned the viability of the entity when the Assisted living closure was being discussed. I asked if it was making any kind of profit or at least breaking even. The answer was a shallow NO. It was being considered a service to the employees of the district and to some the community. Why is it that the commissioner has stated that the LTC facility actually showed an in the black profit and the administration says it has been in the red for years. If it has been in the red for years, have there been any attempt to make adjustments? One of the things that was done was to down size the LTC facility to reduce expenses. It is also recognized that there is a huge imbalance of private pay ver-
sus Medicaid patients. 35 Medicaid patient to five private pay. This imbalance need to be fixed. Do some of the closed rooms need to be reactivated to private pay to help the cash flow. I think that decision to reduce the number of room was not a good one. Any business, and the Hospital is a business, depends on cash flow and that decision reduced cash flow. I know that there must have been some other considerations in the decision such as attracting and keeping good qualified personal, which is a problem in the area. I also agree with the commissioner about the cuts that were initially made. Not going deep enough is always a problem, but those reductions need to be made. Well, the fact is, the hiring practices need to be looked at very closely. If the District were private company, there would be tight controls on the need and hiring practices. I suggest that the board buy out the CEO’s remaining months and get on to the task of looking for a new leader. If the Senior staff is so strong they could, along with the board keep the day to day operations going. I am not questioning the qualifications or the integrity of the existing CEO, but she has made the decision to leave the District and not the board.
In the immediate past both myself and my wife have used North Valley Hospital and have been very satisfied with the kind of service and professionalism the staff has given and we would use the facility again and we are counting on having the LTC facility in place when we have the need. Sincerely, Al Seccomb Former owner Al’s IGA Tonasket
SERVING WASHINGTON’S OKANOGAN VALLEY SINCE 1905 OROVILLE OFFICE 1420 Main St., PO Box 250 Oroville, WA 98844 Phone: (509) 476-3602 Toll free: (866) 773-7818 Fax: (509) 476-3054 www.gazette-tribune.com OFFICE HOURS Oroville Mon.-Fri. 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CONTACT INFORMATION Managing Editor Gary A. DeVon gdevon@gazette-tribune.com Reporter/Production Brent Baker bbaker@gazette-tribune.com (509) 476-3602
Advertising Sales/Ad Design Charlene Helm chelm@gazette-tribune.com (509) 476-3602 | (509) 322-5712 Classifieds Shawn Elliott classifieds@soundpublishing.com 1-800-388-2527 Circulation 1-888-838-3000 CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING Classified ads can be placed during normal office hours by calling 1-800-388-2527 Weekly Rates: $6.75 for the first 15 words 25 cents for additional words Borders, bold words, headlines, logos and photos subject to additional charges The Okanogan Valley Gazette-Tribune (USPS 412 120) is published weekly by Sound Publishing / Oroville 1420 Main St. PO Box 250 Oroville, WA 98844 Phone: (509) 476-3602 Fax: (509) 476-3054 Periodical postage paid at Oroville, WA, and additional mailing offices POSTMASTER Send address corrections to: The Okanogan Valley Gazette-Tribune, PO BOX 250, Oroville, WA 98844
SUBSCRIPTIONS In County (yearly) $30.50 In State (yearly) $32.50 Out of State (yearly) $40.50 Senior (yearly) $28.50 (65+ take $2 off per year of subscription.) The Gazette-Tribune does not refund subscription payments except to the extent that it might meet its obligation to publish each week, in which case the cost of the issue missed would be refunded as an extension. Subscriptions may be transferred to another individual or organization. DEADLINES Calendar listings: Noon Monday News Submissions: Noon Monday Display Advertising: Noon Monday Legals: Noon Monday Classified Ads: Noon Tuesday LETTERS POLICY The Gazette-Tribune welcomes letters to the editor. All letters must be accompanied by the author’s name, a home address and a daytime phone number (for verification only). Letters may be edited for length, clarity, accuracy and fairness. No letter will be published without the author’s name. Thank you letters will only be printed from non-profit organizations and events. We will not publish lists of businesses, or lists of individual names. CORRECTIONS The Gazette-Tribune regrets any errors. If you see an error, please call 476-3602. We will publish a correction on page 2 in the next issue. NEWS TIPS Have an idea for a story? Call us at 476-3602 SERVICES Back issues are available for up to one year after publication for a small fee. Photo reprints are available for most photos taken by the staff. Ask about photos we may not have had room to print. PRINTED Printed in Penticton, B.C., Canada on recycled newsprint with soy ink. Please Recycle
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THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF OROVILLE & TONASKET
Merry Christmas and so long until next year and thanks for reading the old news. Clayton
The Oroville Gazette
75 Years Ago: December 15-22, 1939: The streets of Oroville will be a blaze of lights and cheer from now until after New Year’s Day, with hundreds of colored light globes twinkling out their message of good will during the holiday season. Various groups have joined in the spirit of the occasion and volunteer workers have done a really splendid job of decorating Main Street from the Washington Water Power building on the north to the Civic League building on the south. The Oroville High School basketball team will open the season here Friday against the Molson High and then tangle with the 1939 champions of Okanogan County, Mason City, on Saturday night. The State Liquor Board has sent notice “that inasmuch as the sale of beer and wine is prohibited by law from midnight, Saturday until midnight on Sunday, the Board will not permit the sale of beer and wine before midnight, New Year’s Eve. The Oroville Community Christmas tree program will be held, as has been the custom for years past, at the Civic League grounds where a large tree has been erected and covered with pretty colored lights which has been combined with other decorations along Main Street, make a very pretty sight every evening during the holiday season. Thursday was the shortest day of the year, according to the calendar, and the sun has started its northern journey. Not many of us at Oroville have realized it because of the exceptionally mild weather we have been having, but spring is on the way. So far this year, Oroville has had no snow but the mountains surrounding the valley are covered. A news item in the Spokesman Review of December 21 states that a petition in bankruptcy has been filed for the Oroville Commercial Company, listing debts of $2,436 and assets of $3,119. The Washington Power Company crew at Oroville has been busy making several new rural extensions. Thursday of last week, juice was turned on to a line serving J. T. Williamson, Ray Morris and Kenneth DeMerchant just in time so that they might have colored lights for Christmas. Another line is being erected which will serve Lloyd Emry, Ernie Robinson and Earl Thornton. Grocery Prices: 4 lb. pkg. of raisins, $.25; Tuna Flakes, #1/2 tin, $.12; Post Toasties, large box, 3 for $.25; Ketsup, 1 bottle, $.10; pork steak, 2 lbs $.25; Coffee, 1 lb. $.15.
ITEMS FROM THE PAST COMPILED BY CLAYTON EMRY FORMER G-T PUBLISHER
The Oroville Gazette
50 Years Ago: December 17-31, 1964: Residents of Oroville found themselves struggling against the cold; and disagreeable weather. Temperatures in this community read 33 degrees above, early Tuesday morning and by 10 p.m. that evening the mercury had dropped to 14 below at the weather station of Mrs. Marge Frazier. Accompanying the freezing temperature, was a strong wind, the temperature of which we were not able to find out. A meeting, of the stockholders of the Oroville Housing Association, is being called for Tuesday, Dec. 22 at 2 p.m. at the office of the Oroville Cordell Growers. “It is important that the meeting be attended by as many of the stockholders as possible”, said Harold Forney, President, “because there is some very important items of business that needs to be taken care of.” He further stated that “There have been several inquiries from interested parties to know whether or not the building is to be sold or lease and for how much.” The Oroville Chamber of Commerce voted to send a letter to the Federal Power Commission in Washington D. C., urging that the hearings on the removal of Enloe Dam, be held in Oroville instead of Wenatchee as planned. The letter stated that “the dam is located here in Oroville and it is the people of Okanogan County who are most interested.” Chesaw News: Bill Green reported that the government thermometer situated at their ranch, registered minus 37 degrees during the recent cold spell. Oroville’s Northern Division of the Public Utility District line crew has done it again! In the competition with the other two districts, Omak-Okanogan and Brewster, Pateros and Methow, the northern crew has won it again after winning it in 1958, 1959, 1961, 1963 and 1964. The crew consisted of Bob Williams, Safety Chairman, Lon Gadberry, Chuck Leonard, Thurman Mahaney, Ed Forthun and Harvey Rayman. The Tonasket Tigers were victorious over Oroville in the first round of the Christmas Tourney. Tonasket won with a score of 58 to 55. Grocery Prices: Nalley’s Chip Dips, 2 for $.89; Sweet corn,8 for $1.00; 2-1/2 lb.
box Biscuit mix, $.29; Fresh Pork Roast, $.29 per lb; Extra Fancy Delicious apples, $.10 per lb. Weather Wise: by Marge Frasier, Official Observer: Dec. 23, 27 degrees maximum and 16 degrees minimum; Dec. 24, 23 and 15; Dec. 25, 20 and -8; Dec. 26, 23 and -1; Dec. 27, 27 and 18; Dec. 28, 32 and 23 and Dec. 29, 28 and 24. Total precipitation for the period, .28’” rain and 45.5 “snow.
Gazette-Tribune
25 Years Ago: December 21-28, 1989: North Valley Nursing Home has successfully completed a re-evaluation from DSHS and approved for taking new patients, according to Administrator, Don James. “The top placement ordered last month has been lifted and we can take new patients and have already begun doing so,” said James. Mayor Ron Weeks and Councilman Chelsa Williams have probably served their last meeting on the Tonasket Council in their official capacities, as a motion was approved to cancel the Dec. 26 meeting as it falls on the day after Christmas. The Oroville Hornets opened their home league match against the Okanogan Bulldogs by controlling the tip-off and continuing for the evening. Todd Mathews was the leading scorer with 22 followed by Ryan Frey with 20 to end the fracas at 57-47 in the Hornets favor. However, they did not fair so well against the Cascade Kodiaks by losing 35 to 50. Mike and Julie Buchert would like to thank the Tonasket Police Department for helping to herd their sheep through town last week. The following are a few of the Letters to Santa published this week: Dear Santa, I wish my sister and I a new bake and my brother wants a toy truck. Please Santa come to my house to eat cookies and bring my papa a dear. Love Kim; Dear Santa, For Christmas, I would like to have Dolly-Surprise. Maybe some ice skates and my last wish is that every one gets what they want. Holly Smith; Dear SantaClaus, I want an Oopsie-Daisy and a walk-man. What I want the most is people to stop taking drugs. Kystal Roberts; Dear Santa, Please bring my Gramma and Papal I miss them. Brian Darrow. International Christmas shoppers on both sides of the border received an unwelcome surprise last Friday as Highway 97 was temporarily closed to border crossers due to a terrorist bomb threat. An estimated 700 vehicles were turned away or re-routed through the Nighthawk/Chopaka crossing. The closure began at 10:10 a.m. and lasted until 12:30 and was the result of a flyer found at the RCMP administrative office in Kelowna, B.C. on Friday morning. No explosive device was found.