Western & Native Art Show
More from the PNT Party
Thirty-fifth annual art show with well-known artists. Omak, Aug. 13 to 15
See B5
SERVING WASHINGTON’S
OKANOGAN VALLEY
SINCE 1905
GAZETTE-TRIBUNE WWW.GAZETTE-TRIBUNE.COM | THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2015 | 75 CENTS NEWSSTAND PRICE
Investors continue looking at power generation at Enloe
TALKING ABOUT HITTING THE TRAIL
Lower Similkameen Band clarifies position
regarding paperwork being drafted that outlines a framework of dam removals where the liability was transferred to a third party; and recent interest in Enloe Dam by private investors. BY KATIE TEACHOUT “As near as we can tell, there was a KATHERINE@GAZETTE-TRIBUNE.COM small hydro electric power conference in OKANOGAN - A special meeting Portland, where the subject of Enloe Dam of the Okanogan County PUD held came up,” said Commissioner Houston, Wednesday, Aug. 5, involved a two-hour “so some developers have been calling up and asking to take tours. We’ve gotten a executive session with no action taken. Commissioner Steve Houston said a lot of interest lately. There have been two groups come out and good-sized group of tour the dam. Both of people who thought them have expressed the PUD would be “.... some developers an interest in making taking action on Enloe have been calling up an offer, but we haven’t Dam showed up for seen an offer yet.” the meeting, so comand asking to take Houston said the missioners met with tours. We’ve gotten a PUD is having to their constituents lot of interest lately.” educate hydro power afterward. developers who have Topics discussed Commissioner Steve Houston only dealt with private Okanogan County PUD included the BLM’s projects in the past, the decision that the differences in dealing Okanogan PUD and with a public utility. its ratepayers were responsible for the “We’re trying to explain how all our removal and cleanup of Enloe Dam if the lease is let go; a message from Rich interactions have to be in the public, and Bowers of the Hydro Reform Coalition SEE ENLOE | PG A8
Above, Thunder Hellum, 12, from Oroville and the Aeneas Valley, get some information on the Pacific Northwest Trail at the PNT Party held last weekend in Oroville. Right, party goers relax under the shade of the big tent while listening to one of the local bands. Below, Trevor, Ariana, Alexis, Hazel and Jazmine, pick out glass beads to make a bracelet, one of the many activities offered to the youngsters on Saturday. Below, right, the food, hot dogs, corn on the cob, watermelon and apple cider were a big hit with those there to support the PNT For more, see B1 .
NV Hospital District beefing up security BY KATIE TEACHOUT KATHERINE@GAZETTE-TRIBUNE.COM
TONASKET - According to Kelly Cariker, Chief Information Officer at North Valley Hospital, measures are being taken to further ensure the safety of patients and staff at the hospital and extended care facility. “Things have changed over the last couple of years, and schools and hospitals are being looked at as ‘soft targets.’ We have a tendency to be open and friendly, and easy to get into,” reported Cariker. He pointed out that healthcare has a vulnerable population with patients in both long term care and acute care, and said that while staff members were instructed in the past to ‘run and hide,’ “just because we can doesn’t mean we should.” According to Cariker, NVH had one lockdown and one police call in the last month. He said the hospital has the ability to lock off different sections of the facility. “There have been instances in several
Gary DeVon/staff photos
departments over the last six months that demonstrate the need for increased security, while still keeping an open door and friendly facility,” Cariker said. He related an example of a neighboring facility that had a man enter the Emergency Department “with enough ammunition for three bullets for all of the staff on duty.” Cariker said the man chose to end his own life instead of others, but the situation illustrated that “We can’t take an attitude of ‘not in this area,’” Cariker described several policies undertaken at the hospital to make the facility safer, including putting together a volunteer security team. “People really stepped up. We put out a policy that anytime someone feels unsafe, get ahold of someone on the security team,” Cariker reported, adding, “There is a perception in healthcare that dealing with difficult patients or being abused is part of the job, but that is not something we want to promote.”
SEE SECURITY | PG A8
County and Oroville hire Lifeline Ambulance Interim contract for private firm to cover EMS for next 90 days BY GARY A. DE VON EDITOR@GAZETTE-TRIBUNE.COM
OROVILLE – Oroville rural and city EMS have hired Lifeline Ambulance Service to provide emergency services for the district on an interim basis as of Friday, Aug. 7. “We have hired Lifeline on an interim contract and accepted the resignation of the present crew early, as of 8 a.m., this morning,” said Mayor Chuck Spieth on Friday. “The county commissioners and the city signed the contract so there will be no lapse in coverage in the community.” The mayor continued, “That’s what
happens when you are backed into a cor- “Without EMTs the ambulance service ner… we were forced into it.” cannot legally operate.” Wayne Walker, General Manager for The volunteer crew agreed to conLifeline, said two EMTs would be at the tinue coverage until Aug. 23 and formed Oroville ambulance station 24 hours a a non-profit service called “NorthStar day for call outs. He Medic One” that they said they would work said would be available on the company’s stanfor hire by the county dard rotational basis of “That’s what happens and city. 48 hours on and 96 Lifeline’s Walker when you are backed said they would look hours off. Citing several grievinto a corner... we were at hiring the former ances, including the Oroville crew. forced into it,” time it was taking for “Our goal is to the county commisreach out to any of the Mayor Chuck Spieth sioners and the city to local EMTs that have City of Oroville come to an interlocal an interest in serving agreement, the voluntheir community and teer ambulance crew resigned en masse, know and understand the local comturning in identical signed resignation munity. We are really going to encourage letters to the city. In the July 22 letter them to apply to serve in Oroville,” said they criticized the mayor’s conduct at a Walker, adding that interested EMTs can recent city council meeting and wrote,
SEE LIFELINE | PG A2
OKANOGAN VALLEY GAZETTE-TRIBUNE Volume 111 No. 33
Gary DeVon/staff photo
Bob Garrison (left) and Wayne Walker, General Manager of Wenatchee-based Lifeline Ambulance, Inc., give Oroville’s ambulances a quick cleaning on Friday morning.
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