LOOKING BACK AT 2015
Economic Future
YEAR IN SPORTS
Roundtable discussion at Oroville Grange, Saturday, Jan. 30
See Page A6
SERVING WASHINGTON’S
OKANOGAN VALLEY
SINCE 1905
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NCW Ice Fishing Festival, Jan. 16
BABY NEW YEAR 2016
State Aquatics Grant benefits Sidley Lake THE GAZETTE-TRIBUNE
MOLSON – Just in time for the Northwest Ice Fishing Festival which is planned for Saturday, Jan. 16, the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife has awarded the Molson Grange a $3,344 grant for Aquatic Lands Enhancement (ALEA) for Sidley Lake. The ALEA grant is for a two year period. The Molson Grange Team will be led by Patrick Stice to operate and maintain the aerator at Sidley Lake to keep part of the lake ice-free in the winter, to provide life-sustaining oxygen to the fish and other aquatic wildlife. Team members include Patrick Myrick and Robin Stice. Marcus Alden has agreed to assist with this project and is the newest team member. All are volunteers. “The lake is already frozen over and the aerator has been running for a few weeks. Local neighbors estimated the ice is coming along nicely and enjoyed
watching a moose this morning,” said Robin Stice, who coordinates the annual ice fishing festival for the Oroville Chamber of Commerce. “The aerator team checks the aerator and the lake in general approximately every nine or ten days.” In the January 2015 tournament, 19 fish were caught with a total weight of just under 33 pounds. “The lake is doing fine so far and the Ice Fishing Committee is expecting good fishing at the 2016 event. Again, Grand Prize will be based on the weight of two fish. All other places based on only one fish. A prize winning fish may only be used in one prize place,” she said. The festival, which benefits the Oroville Visitor Information Center, starts at 7 a.m. with a pancake breakfast and registration for the anglers. There’s food, and entertainment in the Grange Hall and the popular Pine Wood Derby races will also be held again this year.
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2016 started with a bang for Erika Guadalupe Mendez Garcia and Jose Antonio Garcia Arreola when their son Matteo Garcia Mendez made his appearance in this world at 2:08 p.m. on January 2, the first baby of 2016 to be born at North Valley Hospital’s Family Birthing Center in Tonasket, Wash. Matteo’s birth was assisted by Jackie Chambers, CNM of Family Health Centers. This makes baby number six for the Garcia family, who were presented with three baskets full of gifts donated by staff members of North Valley Hospital and Extended Care, and an arrangement by Wild Rose Floral Design. “I couldn’t believe how many people donated things.” said NVH OB Coordinator Eroca Crofoot. “My office was plumb full of stuff.” There were 106 babies born in 2015 at NVH.
Submitterd photo
Patrick Stice and Marc Alden check the Sidley Lake Aerator and observe the bubble pattern in the open water in mid-December.
Looking Back: 2015, the year that was JULY Rich Fewkes Chesaw Grand Marshal – Fewkes has been active with community service on many boards and announcing at several types of events including the Chesaw Rodeo. Water Ranch turned over to Tonasket – Bathing-suit clad revelers and ladies in waterproof skirts turned out for a trial run of the Tonasket Water Ranch, a new spray park. Should Oroville teachers be armed?The Oroville School Board is considering training school staff in ways to respond to threats in the school, as well as allowing a select number to receive training to carry concealed weapons on school grounds. Fate of PUD’s Enloe Dam still on hold – NOAA won’t serve as lead agency on removal; PUD seeks another electrification option. Lightning sparks Wildhorse fire on Mt. Hull – Tonasket Ranger District firefighters continue to respond to fires caused by lightning, including the Wildhorse Fire on Mt. Hull which grew to 185 acres. New Tonasket Police Chief sworn in – Interim Police Chief Darren Curtis was sworn in as Police Chief at the
July 14 Tonasket Council meeting, he has been filling in since Robert Burks retirement earlier this year. Oroville EMTs resign, form own nonprofit servicer – Oroville’s EMTs say they will resign from their positions Aug. 23 claiming frustration with the city, especially Mayor Spieth. School board says Gap ‘yes,’ guns no – The majority of the Oroville School Board seems less than ready to approve staff members carrying guns, but the district will forge ahead with Gap training to learn how to respond to a threat, like an armed intruder.
es for the district as of Aug. 7. Mayor Spieth accepts the volunteer crew’s resignation and says the action was the result of being “backed into a corner.” Fire blazes in North County – Nine Mile fires burn more than 4600 acres. Fatal plane crash leaves two men dead, but not the cause of devastating fires. Largest fire in state history – Okanogan Complex burns 258,399 acres, Tonasket evacuated as fire burns on two sides of the city.
AUGUST
Okanogan and Chelan Complexes merged under one management team – The Okanogan Complex has consumed 304,782 acres as of Aug. 30 and is considered 40 percent contained, and the Chelan Complex, which is currently 92,516 acres is currently at 92,516 acres is considered to be 50 percent contained. The two fires have been merged for management purposes under the command of the California Interagency Incident Management Team 5. Firefighters making good progress on Okanogan and Chelan
More water held in Osoyoos Lake due to drought – The International Joint Commission, a group of Americans and Canadians, will allow water to be stored to support river flows this fall. BLM says PUD responsible for dam removal – Agency wants to remain actively involved in the event that Enloe Dam is decommissioned. County and Oroville hire Lifeline Ambulance – Oroville rural and city EMS have hired Lifeline Ambulance Service to provide emergency servic-
OKANOGAN VALLEY GAZETTE-TRIBUNE Volume 112 No. 1
SEPTEMBER
Gary DeVon/staff photo
Fire broke out the evening of Tuesday, Nov. 24 destroying the lumber storage building at Oroville Building Supply south of Oroville. Oroville firefighters were quickly on the scene and were aided by Tonasket Fire Dept. “With the high winds within just a few minutes flames were shooting out both ends of the building,” said Oroville Fire Chief Rod Noel. Complexes – The fires continue towards containment with work completed in many areas to increase the fire perimeter on both complexes.
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Okanogan County Fair delayed to Sept. 24 – The Okanogan County fair
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