zachary van brunt 2012 photo portfolio

By Zachary Van BruntThe Chronicle

WINTHROP – More than 25hot-air balloons took flight overthe weekend, lavishing brightbursts of color across theMethow Valley skyline for thetown’s annual BalloonRoundup.

The roundup continuestoday, March 4.

“It’s really catching on,”local ballooner Melinda Oakleysaid March 2. “There used to beonly two or three that cameout.”

Oakley and her husband,Kurt, own Morning GloryBalloon Tours, and have beentaking part of the roundup formore than a decade.

People from all over thestate traveled to the western-themed town, hauling withthem baskets and balloons thatexpand up to 60 feet tall and 55feet wide.

It takes a certain type ofperson to pilot the aircrafts.

“For me, it’s being able tocontrol something that’s big,”Salem, Ore., pilot Jodi Portleysaid. “That control of an aircraftthat has no engine isexhilarating. You have to reallystay alert.”

Most ballooners agree withPortley, who has 14 years ofballooning experience underher belt. While up and downmovements are well controlledin hot air balloon travel,everything else is dependent onwind current.

The idea of relying on one’swits to anticipate the weatherand navigate the aircraft holds acertain allure.

“I’ve never done it before, soit’ll be a very new experience forus,” Auburn’s Paul Retka said ofhis first flight with his partner,Mary Carlisle.

“It’d be a wonderfulexperience just to go up,”Carlisle said on the ground.“We really want to try it.”

Retka and Carlisle tookflight with Crystal Stout,Amboy. Stout and her husband,Don, own Morning Star BalloonCo., and offer tours much likethe Oakleys.

After landing, Carlisle wastransfixed from her experience.

“It was so quiet andwonderful,” she said. “It’s noteven like floating. It was likesuspended animation.”

“There’s nothing –absolutely nothing – I’ve donethat’s like this,” Puyallupresident Sue Glenn said. “Everychance I’ll ever have, I’d do thisagain.”

Glenn wasn’t kidding.She married her husband,

John, at the event over theweekend.

“We talked so long about howto get married and where to getmarried,” John said. “We’re justreally stoked about this.”

“We wanted somethingmemorable, and this wasperfect,” Sue said. “It’s anincredible feeling.”

Kurt Stout, an avid balloonist,said Winthrop’s Chamber ofCommerce is more than thrilledto have the air traffic.

“It’s a fun gathering they canuse to help promote the town,”he said. “Come and spend thenight and have a bite to eat at arestaurant.”

Plenty of photographerswere also on-hand, despite theearly morning chill.

The Chronicle

NESPELEM — The ColvilleConfederated Tribes and stateDepartment of Fish andWildlife have reached asettlement agreement to protecttribal members’ hunting rightson the North Half of thereservation.

The settlement resolves a2009 lawsuit the tribe filedagainst the department in U.S.District Court in Spokane.

The tribe alleged the

department’senforcementof six huntingsafety lawsagainst tribalmembersviolated an1891agreementbetween thetribe and theU.S.governmentgrantingmembers the right “to hunt andfish in common with all otherpersons on lands” in the NorthHalf and guaranteed that theright “shall not be taken away orin anywise abridged.”

Colville member Vern

Johnson was prosecuted in2007 for violating the state’sprohibition on possessing aloaded firearm in a vehiclewhile hunting in the North Half,even though he was incompliance with Colvilleregulations.

Johnson was a co-plaintiff inthe case.

Under the settlementagreement, the department willnot enforce six state huntingsafety laws against Colvilletribal members hunting in theNorth Half.

The laws address possessionof a loaded firearm in a vehicle,negligent hunting from a road,hunting while intoxicated,spotlighting, hunting hours and

the hunter orange requirement.Instead, the tribe’s safety

regulations will govern tribalmembers hunting in the NorthHalf.

The department will referany violations of the regulationsto the tribe for processing undertribal law.

“The Colville tribes have acomprehensive set of huntingregulations for tribal membersin the North Half,” ColvilleBusiness Council ChairmanMichael O. Finley said.

“We are confident that ourenforcement of these lawsprotects public safety, which isan important objective for all ofus.

“The North Half is our

traditional hunting territory,where we exercise federallyprotected rights to meetsubsistence and cultural needs,and it is the responsibility of theColville tribes, not the state, toensure that our hunters are safeand responsible.”

The department also agreedits officers would provide noticeto the tribe when conductingnatural resource enforcementactivities on the reservation.

The notice will enhancecooperation between the two,and enable tribal lawenforcement to ensure thattribal rights and public safetyare protected.

“We’re pleased that the staterecognizes Colville tribal

member rights in the NorthHalf, and that as a sovereignnation we have the authority toenforce our laws there,” Finleysaid. “Our government-to-government negotiations havereached a good result foreveryone.”

A JOINT PUBLICATION OF THE WENATCHEE WORLD AND THE CHRONICLE $1.50

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A JOINT PUBLICATION OF THE WENATCHEE WORLD AND THE CHRONICLEMarch 4, 2012 $1.50

Year 102 No. 84

www.omakchronicle.com

USA andParade

Your body — andwhy Jon Hamm

drives women mad World/

Logging doesn’tcut as wide a

swath as it used to

Inside

Girls teamsnotch opening

round winsChronicle/Page 4

The omak-okanogan CounTy


&ChroniCle

In the woods

Tribe, state settle hunting lawsuit

Finley

North Half rules

for tribal members

are clarified

Balloons ply Methow skies PUDmayadjustrate

By Dee CampThe Chronicle

OKANOGAN – TheOkanogan County PublicUtility District may change theway charges are calculated forelectricity to power irrigationpumps.

Irrigators met recently withutility administrators tohammer out a new ratestructure.

Two proposals were given toutility commissioners duringtheir Feb. 28 meeting. Nodecision was made.

General Manager JohnGrubich said when the utilityrevamped rates in 2010,irrigation rates were based onthe horsepower rating ofpumps. At that time, the utilityhad limited usage data since itsnew “smart” metering systemwas justcoming online.

Most ofthe utility’snew rateswent intoeffect in July2010 with anoverall 6.5percentincrease, butnew irrigationrates weredelayed until spring 2011 so asnot to hit farmers in the middleof the irrigation season.

The horsepower calculationrankled irrigators, who saidthey’d rather be charged for theelectricity they used instead ofrating of their pumps. The ratealso discouraged conservationand led some to delay puttingin variable-speed pumpsbecause they would get chargedfor the upper end of the pump’srating, they said.

“Some felt the rates werepunishing,” CommissionerErnie Bolz said. Bolz, who hasan orchard, is a member of theOroville-Tonasket IrrigationDistrict.

Utility officials also foundthey might have a 10horsepower pump on record fora customer, but the customermight have changed pumpsand actually had a larger one.

Grubich said utilityadministrators sat down withseven irrigators, representing

See Rate Page 2

Dozens of aircraft

float above the

valley, providing

pockets of color

Complaints bring

proposals to

change irrigation

rate calculations

Zachary Van Brunt/The Chronicle

Bolz

Multi-colored balloons,above, drift through theMethow Valley nearWinthrop after an earlymorning takeoff March 2.Sue Carlisle, left, and PaulRetka, Auburn, arebundled up against thechill as they prepare fortakeoff.

State hoops


OMAK – The state Court ofAppeals has ruled a womancan move her two daughtersfrom Puyallup to Omak, overthe protests of the girls’ father.

In what Division II of thecourt called a “hotly contestedchild relocation case,”Lawrence P. Fahey, Edmonds,challenged the trial court’sdecision allowing his ex-wife,Lisa M. Fahey, to relocatetheir two daughters.

He questioned the court’sorder allowing the move,restricting his visitation rightsunder a new parenting planand refusing to appoint aguardian ad litem to representthe children.

He is disabled and allegedthe trial court impermissiblyconsidered his disability andgender in making itsdecisions.

“We hold that the trialcourt did not err” when itruled in favor of Lisa Fahey’sdecision to relocate andlimiting Lawrence Fahey’svisitation rights under the newparenting plan, the courtruled.

See Parents 2


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A JOINT PUBLICATION OF THE WENATCHEE WORLD AND THE CHRONICLEOctober 9, 2011 $1.50

Year 102 No. 42


Money mattersSqueezing out your

money’s worth — tipsfrom Jean Chatzky

World/Page A1

Slow-arriving winecrush is worth the

wait this yearUSA Weekend/Inside

Top timesRecord running at

Omak cross countryinvitational

Chronicle/Page 4



&ChroniCle

Great grapes

PLAYING WITH FIRE


District No. 7 Fire Chief Brad Armstrong, center, coaches firefighters Frankie Ponce, left, and Shawna Poletti at a training sessionOct. 6 outside the Mount Olive Grange Hall in Riverside. Firefighters were learning to extinguish gas and propane fires.


OKANOGAN – The third 6.5percent rate increase in asmany years is included in thePublic Utility District’sproposed 2012 budget.

Utility commissioners gottheir first look at the proposedbudget during their Oct. 4meeting. Discussion will beongoing until adoption inDecember, commissionChairman Ernie Bolz said.

“Take it home and study it,”he told fellow commissionersTrish Butler and Dave Womack.

A public hearing is plannedfor 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 1, atPUD headquarters, 1331 N.Second Ave.

The proposed budgetincludes a 6.5 percent rateincrease on July 1, 2012,Director of Finance and AuditorDon Coppock said. Similar rateincreases were imposed July 1,2010, and July 1, 2011.

The scheduled increasewould bring the basicresidential rate to 5.75 cents perkilowatt-hour, plus a $10 basiccharge and a $25 minimumenergy charge for up to 500kwh of power.

The current rate is 5 centsper kwh plus a $10 basic chargeand a $20 minimum energycharge for up to 400 kwh ofpower.

Before the new budget goesinto effect, ratepayers also canexpect a fall 2011 rate increaseof about 4.5 percent, yet to be

formally proposed or adopted.That increase is expectedbecause of an Oct. 1 BonnevillePower Administrationwholesale rate increase to thePUD, Coppock said.

It likely would appear onbills as a cost-of-energy chargeof one-quarter cent per kwh,Coppock said.

Under the proposed budget,PUD employees would get payincreases in 2012. Three newpositions would be created.

“There’s a 3 percent wageincrease. That includes a stepincrease for (union) bargainingunits, but some may get morethan that or less,” Coppocksaid.

Wages are expected to top$7.6 million in 2012, up from$7.47 million in the 2011budget. The latest projection isfor $7 million in wageexpenditures this year.

Employee benefits alsowould rise to $2.7 million in2012, up from $2.47 million inthe 2011 budget. The latestprojection anticipates spending$2.53 million this year.

On the revenue side, “we’reseeing growth in residential,”Coppock said. A 1 percent loadgrowth is predicted.

The PUD doesn’t expecteither Colville tribal mill to startup during 2012, so no loadgrowth among industrialcustomers is expected, he said.

Tribal officials have saidthey’re trying to lease theOmak-area Colville IndianPlywood and Veneer andColville Indian Precision Pinemills and a deal may be closefor CIPV. Both mills have beenidle for more than two years.

See Rates 2

By Sheila CorsonThe Chronicle

OMAK – FifteenWashington State Universityjuniors gathered to lend freshideas to the city in design workfor East Side Park.

The group came Oct. 6,camped in the park and took atour that day.

On Oct. 7, they teamed upwith various park users tobrainstorm in a design“charrette,” an intense,compressed design exercise.

Representatives from OmakStampede, ColvilleConfederated Tribes, city andcommunity members joined in,Okanogan-Omak Rotary ClubPast President Bob Goodwinsaid. Rotary arranged for thestudents to come.

Professor Ole Sleipness saidthe students are landscapearchitecture majors, and theproject is part of theirrecreational design class. Hehas students do two to fourprojects per semester.

Student Elena Hennings,Ritzville, said this was her first

time doing something large-scale like this, and she enjoyedthe experience.

Hennings had come to theOmak Stampede in 2008,before the new arena was built,and said East Side Park isdifferent without so many

people. In light of the differentcultural aspects of the park –American Indians, cowboys andmore – the project was evenmore interesting.

“This would be somethingthat would be fun to do in thefuture,” she said.

Student Zachary Schueller,Yelm, said he found communitycomments valuable andinteresting, with ideas comingup that he wouldn’t havethought of.

“It’s very vital to get thecommunity involved in theprocess,” he said. “Getting inputis going to make us betterdesigners.”

City Administrator RalphMalone said the three teamsworking on the charrette willpool their ideas, which willthen be added to the mix ofideas already set aside for thepark.

Some of those ideas includeadding more designatedparking areas, paving the levee,adding or relocating bathroomsand more.

Schueller said the classwill take drawings back to thestudio, work out the details indesign teams and present thefinal proposal by the end ofthe semester. That might bevia video conference or inperson.

Hennings said the studentsappreciated communitymembers coming out to help.

The Omak Rodeo and NativeAmerican Center Associationgranted $1,000 to help defraytransportation costs for thestudents.

Local chambers of commerce rosters sag


OMAK – By most accounts,the chamber of commerce wasthe place to be in its heyday.

“It was the social event of theyear to go to the annual

chamber banquet,” Omakchamber lifetime memberDiana Parker said.

“You got out that door andyou went to chamber,” she said.“That’s the thing you did.”

Over the past few decades,though, involvement at localchambers – as well as otherlocal civic organizations – hasdeclined throughout bothOkanogan and Ferry counties.

This month, Pateros’chamber voted to dissolve, as

Bridgeport’sdid last year.

Omak’shas twovacant seatson its board,and manyareachambers arestruggling tokeep theircollectiveheads above water.

“It’s a rollercoaster ride

wherechambers areconcernedright now,”PaterosresidentRebeccaMeadowssaid.

She hasbeen involvedin several

area chambers in Brewster andthroughout the Methow Valley.

Chambers of commerce dateback centuries in both the U.S.and Europe. Typically they arecomprised of local businessowners or advocates who workon behalf of the community tobring customers to an area.

As longtime residents tell it,30 or 40 years ago chamberevents were the toast of thetown, especially each city’sannual banquet.

“There was just a lot ofhoopla involving them. Of

course the newspaper was theretaking pictures,” Omakchamber lifetime member EdParker said. “There was quite abig deal being made of it.”

“The banquets werewonderful,” longtime Omakchamber member Mary Henriesaid.

“They filled the Elks upstairsand they had their businessmeeting, but they also

See Chambers 2

Some chambers

struggle to find

workers, members

D. Parker E. Parker

Third PUDrate increaseset for JulyFall hike planned

to pass on BPA

wholesale rise

Court upholdsmother’s rights

Design students share park ideas

Sheila Corson/The Chronicle

Washington State University students and community memberspore over aerial photographs of the park in Omak City Councilchambers Oct. 7.

Children moved

across state despite

their dad’s protest

Fifteen landscape

architecture majors

tour East Side Park


68 1 3 2 4 2 0 0 0 2

A JOINT PUBLICATION OF THE WENATCHEE WORLD AND THE CHRONICLENovember 13, 2011 $1.50

Year 102 No. 52


What’s cooking?Healthy holiday recipesto stay trimmer despite

all the trimmingsWorld/Page A1

A month ofworkdays at Town

Toyota CenterUSA Weekend/Inside

Top picksCentral Washingtonleague names top

players of the seasonChronicle/Page 4



&ChroniCle

Town Toyota

Save the Date!Okanogan Chamber Annual Banquet

Tuesday, Nov. 15 • 6 p.m.El Pariso Mexican Restaurant, 11 Appleway, Okanogan

• Mexican buffet • Dessert Auction with Larry Campbell • Silent AuctionTickets: $20 person, $35 couple, $10 kids 4-12 and 3 and under FREE

Tickets available Rawson’s, North Cascades National Bank, and Derina’s Flower Basket, Okanogan; and The Chronicle, Omak.

Information: Kristin Zelenka, 449-3181 or [email protected]

Business of the

Year and Citizen of

the Year will beannounced!

Join us for anevening of funand fellowship!


TRAIL, B.C. – Canadian,U.S. and tribal officials say theydon’t expect any impact from aspill of cadmium and copperinto the Columbia River.

Teck Trail Operationsreported Nov. 9 that itexceeded its discharge permitby approximately 3.3 pounds ofcadmium and 15.4 pounds ofcopper.

Total, 13.2 pounds ofcadmium and 29.7 pounds ofcopper were released, aNational Response Center alertsaid.

“Based on an initialassessment, the discharge doesnot create any health or safetyrisk to people, fish or wildlifeother than potential short-termimpacts on aquatic lifeimmediately at the outfallpoint,” a statement released byTeck said.

Gary Passmore of theColville Confederated TribesEnvironmental Trust said hedoesn’t expect any detectableamount to show up in the U.S.

Downstream sampling wasnot completed by Teck becausethe spill wasn’t discovered until

See Spill Page 2

Copper,cadmiumspilledinto riverOfficials say

discharge won’t

risk health of fish,

wildlife or people

Lest we forget...Zachary Van Brunt/The Chronicle

Children are awash in a sea of red, white and blue during the Tonasket Legacy Memorial Veterans’ Day service on Friday, Nov. 11.

By Zachary Van BruntAnd Roger Harnack

The Chronicle

TONASKET – Approximately 70residents turned out for two differentVeterans Day observances Friday inhonor of America’s military members.

“It went excellently,” AmericanLegion member and former Air Forceveteran George Frank said of the eventat the Legacy Memorial south of town.“A lot of people turned out.”

In Conconully, residents andvisitors alike turned out for the town’sinaugural Veterans Day parade and anhour-long program.

Of the nearly 70 people there, about20 were veterans. And six of thewarriors were from Conconully,including event Grand Marshal Robert“Hutch” Hutchinson.

Meanwhile back in Tonasket,dozens of Boy, Cub, Girl and Daisyscouts, as well as many Camp Firemembers and other children, paradedthrough downtown Tonasket to thememorial.

Jim Pruitt, who served in the armyduring World War II, attended.

Pruitt, 90, was a German prisonerof war for, in his own words, “fivemonths, 10 days and eight hours.”

After exiting the service, he spent 32years with the U.S. Forest Service.

He said his highest honor in themilitary was just being able to serve.

Thursday afternoon, Nov. 10, theTonasket School District put on theirannual Veterans’ Day assembly.

One of the attractions is a slideshownaming all the alumni who have servedin the armed forces.

“They take all of the pictures ofveterans and it goes on for 12-15minutes,” High School music teacherPatti Middleton said.

“And they’re all from this little townof Tonasket.”

Look for more Veterans Day coveragein Wednesday’s Chronicle.

Councilfoes 8 votesapartCandidates react

to election results

By Cheryl SchweizerThe Chronicle

BREWSTER – Voting maybe over, but the election is farfrom concluded with two CityCouncil candidates holdingtheir breath.

The unofficial tally ofTuesday’s general electionshows challenger Dave Freelsand incumbent Bob Fateleyneck-and-neck in the race forPosition 5.

As of Friday, Freels wasleading Fateley by a mereeight-vote margin, 88-80.

“There’s no guarantee ofanything,” Freels told TheChronicle last week. “Until thefinal vote is tallied, there’s noguarantee.”

“I would say I’m a littledisappointed,” Fateley added.“But that’s part of the game.”

Fateley has served on thecouncil for more than 20 years.

Freels previously servedtwo terms before deciding notto run for re-election in 2009.

See Close Page 2

World WarII vessel’screw downto just two


OMAK – A local man is one ofonly two surviving members of thecrew that served aboard the U.S.S.Okanogan during World War II.

“They’re all dying now,” JoeMarchand said of his shipmates whoserved during the war, most notablyduring the battle for Okinawa.

“We’re just at the age that we’rekeeling over.”

Marchand, 87, recently traveledto Reno, Nev., for a reunion andfound that only fellow U.S. Navyshipmate Verle Stucker is still alive.

See Crew Page 2

Events honor veterans

throughout the area

Joe Marchand served

on U.S.S. Okanogan

during Okinawa battle


Okanogan American Legion Post No. 56 members Joe Turk, left, Philip Turnerand Leonard Dirks fire three shots in the air at the Veterans’ Day ceremony atValley Care Center, Okanogan, on Nov. 11.

*2 • News • The Chronicle • Nov. 13, 2011 www.omakchronicle.com

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oN WEDNESDAY

For more news, look to theWednesday issue of TheChronicle:

• Pictures and information from theOkanogan-Omak Rotary event.

• Affects of passage of I-1183 onlocal liquor sales.

• State volleyball results.

For updates and breaking news:www.omakchronicle.com

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OMAK – The city will hostan open house at 7 p.m. Nov. 16in the Omak High Schoolcommons to talk with residentswho will be affected by the workon Phase 1 of the sewerreplacement work.

About 168 letters were sentto home and business ownersand renters notifying them ofthe meeting.

The city also sent “right ofentry” forms so residents canelect to allow the city to changeout side sewer mains to homes.

City Administrator RalphMalone said sewer rates andproject funding will cover thecosts of the side sewers, as well.

“We are working as hard aswe can to minimize the impactthat our replacement projectwill have on you and yourneighbors,” Malone said in theletter to residents. “Still, there is

no way to dig up the streets andreplace the sewer mainswithout significant disruptionto your neighborhood for ashort time.”

The $2.6 million Phase 1 willaffect homes and businessesfrom Riverside Drive aroundAce Hardware and the NorthCascades Athletic Club alongthe road and other roads, suchas Dewberry, down to AshStreet behind AT&T, PublicWorks Director Todd McDanielsaid.

The project will hit and missseveral roads in between. Thegoal is to not have residentswithout water and sewer morethan 24 hours. The work willcause temporary closure ofstreets, also, but shouldn’t bemore than one week at a time,McDaniel said.

Work will begin next spring,once weather permits.

McDaniel said the city wantsresidents to be informed earlyabout the way the work willaffect them.

Phase 1 includes areas thathad sewer failures over the lastyear along Dewberry, causingdamage and Okanogan River

contamination. The city hopesto avoid any more of these byreplacing the 1930s-era

concrete pipes.Four more phases will

follow, totaling nearly $21

million over the next few years.Phase 1 should be complete

by Fall 2012.

City of Omak

Yellow lines denote sewer lines to be replaced in Phase 1 of the planned $21 million project.

Sewer replacement begins in springResidents can get

project details

at Nov. 16 meeting


A sixth-grade Oroville Elementary School student asks state Sen. Bob Morton, R-Orient, questions Monday, Nov. 7. He and fellow 7thDistrict legislators Rep. Joel Kretz, R-Wauconda, and Rep. Shelly Short, R-Addy, visit the schooled.

Legislators visit Oroville schoolchildrenBy Zachary Van Brunt

The Chronicle

OROVILLE – Elementaryschool students had the chanceto meet and ask questions oftheir state legislators lastMonday, Nov. 7.

State representatives JoelKretz, R-Wauconda; ShellyShort, R-Addy; and stateSenator Bob Morton, R-Orient,fielded dozens of questionsfrom students fromkindergarten through sixth-grade.

“It’s always good to hearyoung people’s concerns andhow they word things,” Mortonsaid. “Sometimes they’re veryblunt and there’s no questionabout what they’re asking.”

Sixth-grade teacherJacqueline Marshall was

instrumental in arranging the7th District legislators’districts, Oroville ElementarySchool Principal Joan Hoehnsaid.

This summer Marshall hadparticipated in a legislativescholar program, learning howthe government process worksfrom an inside point of view.

“When I came back I got intouch with our legislators andasked if they’d be willing to do aschool visit this fall,” she said.“I’m hoping for my studentsthat it makes government alittle bit more real to them andthey get an idea that peoplewho represent us in stategovernment are regularpeople.”

“I think that it’s a greatexperience for the students,”Hoehn said. “In the long run

we’ll have better voters andbetter citizens.”

Superintendent Steve Quicksaid the visit gave students achance to see real-lifelegislators and the opportunityto put government intolayman’s terms.

“They come up forassemblies every now and then,but this time they’re actuallygoing into K-6 classrooms,” hesaid.

Rep. Short met withkindergarten students in theschool’s library, answeringquestions about her family, joband using a bill on bicyclehelmets to demonstrate thelegislative process.

Rep. Kretz fielded questionsabout earthquakepreparedness, his travel timeand distance and the capitol

building in Olympia.“How do you handle the

stress of being a senator?” asixth-grader asked Sen.Morton.

“Ask my wife,” he quipped.Morton met with Marshall’s

sixth-grade class and tookquestions on everything fromhis work duties, his salary andhunting.

Students cheered loudlyupon hearing his outdoorshobby.

“Usually I don’t get allhyped over famous people, buthe was pretty cool,” 11-year-oldMax Turner said of the senator.“He didn’t even wear a suit.”

“He is serving our statereally well and is serving ourpeople,” 11-year-old NicholasClase said. “I think that he is avery social guy.”

Close From 1

Spill From 1

No matter the outcome, thecity’s financial status will takepriority next year.

Both candidates said that ison the top of their agendas.

The tight race isn’t the onlyone being watched.

Position 4 incumbent KrisDawson has a narrow 19-votelead over challenger KeithAnderson in another BrewsterCity Council battle.

With 94 votes, Dawson iscautiously optimistic.

“Anything could happen,”she said. “It’s not done, yet.”

Dawson attributes hernarrow lead to taking time to godoor-to-door to meet votersprior to the election.

Another close race is forBridgeport mayor — challengerMarilyn Lynn leads incumbentBill Zweigle by 24 votes.

“We are ready to go,” Lynn,who has 87 votes, said, notingresidents are looking towardthe future. “We are ready tomake things happen.”

In some of the other arearaces, candidates have enoughbreathing room to declarevictory.

“I do want to thank thevoters,” Okanogan DouglasHospital Board Position 1incumbent Vicki Orford,Pateros, said.

Orford has a comfortablelead with 900 votes to 736 forchallenger LuWayne Stout,Brewster.

And in the contest forPosition 5 on the hospitalboard, incumbent TracyShrable is leading challengerTonya Vallace, Brewster.

Shrable, Bridgeport Bar, has861 votes; Vallance has 734 .

Okanogan and Douglascounties will count late-arriving ballots again Monday.

State law requires electionresults to be certified Nov. 29.

the daily 24-hour compositesample was analyzed, theBritish Columbia Ministry ofthe Environment reported. Theelevated discharge occurredabout 2:30 p.m. Nov. 8 andlasted less than two hours.

The Public Health Agency ofCanada was notified Nov. 9 bythe B.C. Ministry of Health, andseveral agencies in the U.S.,including Washington andOregon state officials, also werenotified.

No human illness has beenassociated with the incident,according to the U.S.Department of Health andHuman Services.

Teck officials said a problemwith an effluent treatmentplant apparently allowedelevated levels of copper andcadmium to be discharged intothe river.

The plant has been shutdown and regulatoryauthorities notified.

An investigation is underway to determine the cause andto identify corrective measures,Teck officials said.

Cadmium has been linked tosome cancers, pulmonary andliver problems, and otherhealth concerns.

Copper also can pose healthrisks.

It is hard to watch as hiswar buddies pass on,Marchand said.

His niece, Lila Wilson, saidthe reunion was very emotionalfor her uncle.

He doesn’t often talk abouthis war experiences unlessasked, she said.

He was excited to be able tosee that last surviving buddy.

“They just grabbed eachother and gave each otherhugs,” Wilson said.

The reunions have takenMarchand across the U.S. sincehe started attending in the1970s. He’s been to Boston,Washington, D.C., San Diegoand other locations.

During wartime, he didn’tlose many of his buddies, even

though they had a few scares.Marchand joined the Navy

in 1943, serving aboard theU.S.S. Okanogan when it still

wasn’t quite finished. Becauseof that, the crewmen wereknown as “plankers.”

One brother joined the AirForce to fly, another joined theNavy to sail. Marchand said hewanted to be out on the water.

When he went to sign up,the recruiter informed him thathe would be drafted anyway.

Marchand was involved inonly one major battle –Okinawa. Mostly the shipserved as a troop carrier andwent in and out of ThePhilippines.

Nowadays he spends muchof his time at the Omak TribalSenior Center – he eats nearlyevery meal there. Marchandsaid he doesn’t have a cook athome anymore.

He also attends St. Joseph’sCatholic Church every Sunday– and has for 30-plus years.

Lila Wilson

Verle Stucker, left, and Joe Marchand rest at a recent reunion.

Crew From 1


OKANOGAN – Fire crewskept busy last week battlingfour blazes throughoutOkanogan County.

Teams from the stateDepartment of Natural Resourcesand local fire districtsextinguished the 408-acre MarlysRoad Fire 16 miles east ofTonasket. It began Aug. 9.

One out-building wasdestroyed and 13 homes werethreatened, DNR spokesmanGuy Gifford said. There were noevacuation orders.

Crews used two helicopters,two air tankers and up to 135people to put it out, he said.

Crews from Molson,Chesaw, Havillah and AeneasValley also responded.

DNR crews turned controlover to local firefighters Aug.12, after the fire was 100percent contained, Gifford said.

“Everything went reallywell,” he said. “The fire stayedwithin the perimeter.”

The cause remains underinvestigation.

Meanwhile, crews from theOkanogan and Omak firedepartment, Fire Districts No.8, and the Bureau of IndianAffairs doused a three-acre

blaze east of U.S. Highway 97just north of Okanogan.

Responders spent two hoursmopping up the Aug. 11 grassand brush fire, Okanogan ChiefGordon Hennigs said.

The fire burned up to 50 feetaway from the nearest building,so there was plenty of breathingroom, he said.

“We were back up thereThursday night a little after 9,

putting out some hot spots whenthe wind picked up,” he said.

Two utility poles weredamaged. Officials from theOkanogan County Public UtilityDistrict will have to inspect themfor possible replacement, he said.

Utility officials could not bereached for comment.

The fire’s cause is underinvestigation by the BIA,Hennigs said.

A Wednesday night lightningstorm sparked two fires in theOkanogan-Wenatchee NationalForest, including a fire thatcharred one-tenth of an acrenortheast of Tonasket.

Officials received reports ofsmoke in the Gold Creek area,in the northeast corner of thecounty, on Aug. 10. It wascontained and controlled byThursday.

Smokejumpers in theMethow Valley snuffed out afire that singed one-eighth of anacre Aug. 10.

Crews were sent to theBridge Creek area southwest of

Winthrop. They contained thefire the same day.

“Those are the only two firesreported, which is pretty good,considering that the lightningmap showed more than 400strikes,” forest spokeswomanShannon O’Brien said.

Fire crews aren’t out of thewoods yet. With lightingstorms, sleeper fires oftensmoldering in damp conditionsfor weeks before flaring up.

“Once it dries out and thewind conditions are right, thenthey can show themselves,”O’Brien said.


CONCONULLY – The townwill vacate two alleys officials saynever really belonged to thetown, one of which includes alarge portion of the SalmonCreek bed.

A short alley running northand south between Silver andLa-Una streets wasn’t the pointof controversy at the council’sAug. 9 meeting. No commentswere made about that vacation.

However, the alley running inthe same place as the creekbrought several comments,some in favor, but most opposed.

The vacation applies from thenorth to the south city limits.

Mayor Sam Martin said thetown isn’t really vacating, butrather recognizing an 1890 lawthat would have rendered thealleys vacated 100-plus yearsago.

Under current state law, anyroad or alley remainingunopened for five years afterplatting is automatically vacated.

Martin said it is hard to provewhether some alleys in the townwere opened or in the early1900s, but the creek should be a“no-brainer,” since an alleycouldn’t be placed there.

“Basically, it’s not analleyway that could ever be usedas an alley,” he said.

Resident Tom Gibson saidtalk about vacations has beengoing on for more than 15 years,and he is afraid town leadersaren’t thinking about the future.

He asked what would bedone about the public wanting toplay in the creek once the land ismade private property.

“I don’t understand whyyou’re giving our communityaway,” Gibson said.

Resident DeVona Gibsonsaid the vacations made herthink that some day every streetand alley except a few will bevacated.

“This is the mostunbelievable thing I have everseen,” she said.

Martin reiterated that thetown was merely recognizing asituation that already existed –

See Alleys Page 2


68 1 3 2 4 2 0 0 0 2

A JOINT PUBLICATION OF THE WENATCHEE WORLD AND THE CHRONICLEAugust 13, 2011 $1.50

Year 102 No. 26


Good grubPiecing together afully balanced mealUSA Weekend/Inside

How sports therapygets folks rolling

World/Page 1

Let ‘er buck!Omak Stampede

preliminary resultsChronicle/Page 4

Helping hands



&ChroniCle

AlleyalongcreekvacatedConconully mayor

says 1890 law

vacated many town

alleys years ago

Crews douse four wildland blazesCauses for two

fires remain under

investigation


Omak firefighter Sasha Stidman hoses down sagebrush at theAug. 11 Okanogan fire.

Terri Orford/North Valley Hospital

Smoke billows up from a treedarea along Marlys Road.

Stampede wraps up


OMAK – Plenty of rodeoaction and other activities are setfor today, Aug. 14, as OmakStampede weekend wraps up.

Finales of the rodeo, SuicideRace and powwow dance contestsare set, along with the StampedeGrand Parade at 10 a.m. on Mainand Ash streets downtown.

A traffic detour runs alongJasmine and Granite streets fromShellrock Point to the north endof downtown.

The Professional RodeoCowboys Association rodeo will beat 2 p.m. in the Omak StampedeArena in East Side Park, andfeatures many top-ranked cowboysand Women’s Professional RodeoAssociation barrel racers.

Tickets for the 78th rodeo maybe purchased in the Stampedeticket office next to the arena inEast Side Park.

All seats cost $12, with theexception of the first two rows ofcaptain’s chairs, the seats closestto the arena floor. They cost $25.

Assisting the cowboys will bebullfighters Tim Vredenburg andRowdy Barry, and clown/barrelman J.J. Harrison, who grew up inOkanogan. The specialty act is GarySandstead and his twochuckwagons, which race aroundthe arena at breakneck speeds.

The announcer will be SteveKenyon. Stock contractors are BigBend, Ritzville, and Flying 5,Pomeroy.

Miss Omak Stampede JonnieCrossland, Malott, is reigningover the event.

Capping the rodeo is the finalrunning of the 76th World-Famous Suicide Race – the onlyheat in daylight.

The overall winner will benamed after the race.

Admission to special viewingareas on the dike and the hill is bybooster button, available aroundtown and on the grounds for $5,or a stub from the Sunday rodeo.

Rodeo ticket holders also canview most of the race from manyareas of the arena.

Dancing and drumming in theencampment start with a grandentry at 1 p.m. in the DancePavilion at the east end of thepark. Admission is free.

Awards will be given at 6 p.m.Stick games wrap up today,

too, with children’s games at 10a.m. and consolation matches at

11 a.m.Dancers, drummers and stick

game participants are competingfor thousands of dollars in cashand other prizes.

Concessions will operate allweekend on the grounds.

Parking on the grounds and atthe encampment costs $5 pervehicle.

Ongoing activities include theChristians in Action outreach inTriangle Park west of the rodeooffice and Davis Shows carnivalat the west end of the park.

An 8:30 a.m. Western churchservice is planned at theoutreach.

The carnival opens at 11 a.m.The Omak Western and

Native Art Show runs from 10a.m. to 3 p.m. at The CourtyardDowntown, 28 N. Main St.

The people’s choice award willbe announced at show’s end.

Rodeo, parade and

Suicide Race closing

weekend of action


Miss Omak Stampede Jonnie Crossland leads ride-in participants along the dike towardthe rodeo arena the morning of Aug. 11. Riders traveled for about three hours from theOkanogan County Fairgrounds through Okanogan and then north to Omak.


Will and Gabby Strege of Bellevue get into the Western spirit during the Aug. 13 Omak Stampede Kids’ Parade. Dozens ofyoungsters donned cowboy hats, chaps, bandanas and buckskins for the annual procession through downtown Omak.

TONASKET – Despite a 20-minute rain and hail stormSaturday evening and atemporary electrical glitch, thesecond Conscious CultureFestival rocked last weekendwith an increased number ofattendees from last year.

“Other than the storm, it’sbeen amazing,” festivalorganizer Blue Jay said. “We’resure that we have at least morepeople than last year.”

The festival promotessustainability, healthy livingand all-around consciousliving. It drew thousands to theOkanogan Family Faire site, 72Cayuse Mountain Road.

“The whole concept of zero-waste management is a bigdeal,” said volunteer DeweyRain, Havillah. “People talkabout going green, but this isbeyond going green.”

Everything tossed out at thesite either was recycled orcomposted, he said.

“One of our goals is toincorporate companies to stepup into composting projects.”

“The idea of consciousculture is rightful living, peacewith your neighbors andgentleness on theenvironment,” Rain said. “Ifyou’re conscious and yourneighbor has an organic farm,when the wind blows awayfrom it, that’s when you spray.It’s just respectful.”

Festival volunteer Max, nolast name given, Havillah,described the weekend vibe asmellow, but very different from

the family faire.“The mountain has an

undeserved reputation,” hesaid, adding that a lot more ofthose attending were interestedin the music.

There were no reports offights, problems or injuries,Max said.

Okanogan CountyUndersheriff Joe Somday agreed,saying he rarely sees a markedincrease in crime with eventsheld at the barter faire site.

“It’s not an issue,” he said.“It’s just the norm.”

Several area businesses sawan uptick in traffic over theweekend, which many ownerscredit to the festival.

“For the regular barter faire,I usually do two to three timesmore business,” said KatShank, assistant manager ofExxon, 606 S. Whitcomb Ave.“This weekend I got abouttwice the business.”

More than 50 singers, bandsand DJs performed over theweekend on four stages,including a solar-poweredstage sponsored by Solar Shop,306 W. Fourth St.

Though many people cameto the event because of ashared belief in consciousculture, a lot of folks came forentirely different reasons.

Ryan Cutright, Wenatchee,said he attended with friendsjust to experience somethingdifferent.

Josh Scharmann,Wenatchee, said he showed upfor the live music.

“The best thing about thisplace is it’s completely differentfrom where we’re from,”Scharmann said.

Amanda Pile, Bellingham,said she came to help overcomepersonal demons.

“When I was young andgoing through high school, Iwas dorky and full ofinsecurities,” she said.

She traveled over themountains by herself to use the

event as forced community, shesaid.

There were more than 40vendors on hand, Blue Jaysaid, including Jill Appleton ofSweet River Bakery, 203Pateros Mall, Pateros.

“This is only our secondevent, and it just sort of cameup,” Appleton said. “I’m havinggreat time, and there was goodmusic late last night.”

Twisp River Pub, 201 N.

state Highway 20, Twisp, wasthere pouring wine and beer.The brewery created a festivalale specifically for the event.

Justin MacDonald of theSeattle-based band EclecticApproach, said that while hewas in town mainly for the gig,he personally feels connectedto the community.

“I’m a vegan and I think I’mconscious of what’shappening,” he said. “There’s

definitely something cool aboutthis area.”

“I really feel like thecommunity needs somethinglike this,” said Silas Goggiel,Seattle.

Goggiel, an Omak HighSchool graduate, said he viewsthe festival as an alternative todrugs and alcohol.

“Music is a substance initself,” he said, and the festivalgives him his fix.

www.omakchronicle.com The Chronicle • June 15, 2011 • News • B5

consciousness

A culture of

Weekend festivaldraws thousandsto family faire site

Megan Clampett, from left, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, Chelsea Larsen, Nampa, Idaho and Ky Enger, Boise, Idaho, head toward the stage.

Story and photos by Zachary Van BruntSpecial to The Chronicle

From left: Virna Ingrin and James Enriquez, Renton, show offtheir homemade jewelry. Concert goers enjoy the view from thetop of a bus. Tenor sax player Art Brown, of the Seattle-basedPolyrhythmics, concentrates during a music set.

Clockwise, from above, Echo Dunwoody, Bellingham, plays in the children’s area.Concert goers gather around a lit metal pegasus, fueled by propane. MiaDunwoody, left, and Stella Moore, both Bellingham, play in the children’s area.Stella Har-Nori, Milton-Freewater, Ore., and Talia Skelly, Seattle, splash in one ofthe many mud puddles left after a brief Saturday evening storm.

CARLTON – Almost 300humans gathered outside townlast weekend to commune withfairies.

“People widely believe inangels and ghosts, and fairiesare in the same genre,”Bellingham resident SaphirLewis said. “People also believein the power of prayer, and thisis more of just the same.”

The June 24-26 Fairy andHuman Relations Congress, inits 11th year, sought to educatepeople about how humanity isinterconnected with the Earth,nature and the universe.

“If Earth is being harmed byus, we’re trying, in a sense, toapologize,” congress founderMichael “Skeeter” Pilarski said.

“We seek to bridge the gapbetween humans and nature sowe can help make the world abetter place. We don’t want topass the world off to our nextgeneration in a bad state.”

Pilarski, Tonasket, said hebelieves nature is bound tofairy realms.

“If people can haveguardian angels, the fairies arethe guardian angels to theplants and animals,” he said.“We’re green-kind of folks, andwe think of ourselves ascaretakers of the Earth.

“There’s a lot of diversityhere,” he said. “There’s notnecessarily a common belief,other than that there isintelligence within nature andcommunication that is beneficialfor the planet and humanity.That’s the reason why we cometogether: To pursue and explorethat theme.”

For the ninth time, thecongress met at Skalitude, aretreat at 302 Smith CanyonRoad. For the first two years, thecongress was in Oregon.

A collection of manuscriptsPilarski inherited in 1991 inspiredthe idea for the congress. Hislongtime pen pal, DaphneCharters, wrote of her adventureswith fairies that spanned morethan four decades.

This year, attendees camefrom all over the Northwestand as far away as Ohio,Hawaii and Australia.

As many of them said,there’s not much differencebetween their beliefs andothers’ views.

“We’re just up herecommuning with the spirit realmand it’s different for everybody,”said Larry “Turtle” Kulick,Spokane. Kulick, professionallytrained in acupuncture andChinese medicine, said fairyhealing isn’t much different thanhis specialties.

“It’s gone from the spiritrealm to science, and back nowto encompassing both,” he said,noting Eastern treatments havegained a legitimate name inWestern medicine in the pastfew decades.

“These treatments are alljust variations on working withenergy, chi or emotion,” hesaid. “We’re all just spiritbeings having a physicalexperience.”

Shannon Svensson,Snohomish, said she attended

to be with nature.“It changes your life every

time you’re here, so I came forinspiration, to be renewed andto find myself,” she said.

Many workshops focused onbeing one with the universe,Svensson said. Humans oftenfall into a trap where theybelieve they are the mostimportant being when, inactuality, they share the planetwith millions of other lifeforms, she said.

Take flowers, for example.“If you talk to the flowers,

they are sometimes surprisedand delighted,” she said. “They

perk up and respond to yourlove as well. Imagine if youwere ignored, and thensomeone came up to you andsaid you were beautiful. Howwould you respond?”

“When we connect withthese plants and trees, we healourselves from our perceivedisolation from this world,” saidKeith Fredrickson, Bellingham.

“All those fairy tales arereally folk tales,” Svenssonsaid. “And we’re living the realfairy tale.”

Leaf Lovetree, Bellingham,biked solo over state Highway20 to attend his first congress.

“It’s like a family reunion,”he said. “Even though it’s myfirst time actually here, I feellike I belong.”

He said he understands howpeople from the outside mightsee the event as a littleintimidating, but everyone hemet was warm, caring andinviting.

Lovetree, a Kansas native,said he hasn’t spent much timeeast of the Cascades sincemoving to Bellingham, but thecommunity and terrain hefound at the congress makeshim think he should exploreEastern Washington more.

In addition to spendingtime in nature and attendingworkshops, congress goerssang, dance and ate organicmeals prepared on site.

“We’re a pretty organicbunch, so fresh local food is bighere,” Pilarski said.

Skalitude runs completelyon solar panels, so no lines goin or out, said site ownerLindsey Swope, Carlton.

A circle of 40 peace flags,flapping with the breeze, was aprominent sight on the retreatgrounds.

“I feel happiness to hear thewinds coming up to play a songfor us,” said J. Scott, Victoria,B.C. “It’s almost percussive,like drums.”

Scott laid down in themiddle of the circle, spread herarms and closed her eyes.

“Just breathe, and look, andbe,” she said. “It’s the simplepleasures — lying in the grasswith the sun on your face.”

“When we’re here, we’re allsoaking up the atmosphere andits blessings,” Pilarski said. “Ina sense, what we’re doing ispracticing becoming one withmore diverse beings.”

www.omakchronicle.com The Chronicle • June 29, 2011 • Arts & Entertainment• B5

Amara Wentz, left, an adult identified only as ‘Fae Queen’ and Aurora Wentz, right, sit inside the peace flag circle on Friday afternoon. The girls are from Curlew.

Fairy landHumanity interconnects with the Earth in Carlton’s

Story and photos by Zachary Van BruntSpecial to The Chronicle

Congress attendees arewelcomed to the fairy realm.

Carter Swartout, Port Townsend, dances in the group circle.

Michael Pilarski, right, dances with another Fairy and Human Relations Congress attendee during the Friday afternoon session.

Leaf Lovetree strums his ukulele during the annual event. Congress participants do the “Hokey Pokey” in the group circle.

HAVIN’ A BALL

Year 102 No. 23


101 N. Main St., Omak • 509-826-6290www.cramersfurniture.comTThhiiss

A supplement to The Omak-Okanogan County Chronicle Aug. 3, 2011 Celebrating the Omak Stampede& W ld

2011

Essential Reading in Okanogan and Ferry counties.August 3, 2011 75 cents

A9, B6B1

Inside

Riverside, Conconullyget ready for theirweekend festivals

Riders, horses getswimming lessonsin race qualifiers

The Omak-OkanOgan COunTy

Western Rendezvous: It’s all about Stampede


OKANOGAN – Countycommissioners will be workingon redistricting because of the2010 Census.

But, they might have tochange new boundaries afterthat as the state redistricts.

Commissioner districts needto be even in population, and aperfect split would put 13,706residents in each, ElectionsAdministrator Mila Jury said.

Currently, District 1(Andrew Lampe) has 13,373,District 2 (Bud Hover) has14,293 and District 3 (JimDeTro) has 13,454, Censusdocuments show.

The county has to have itsredistricting done by Dec. 8,after the 2011 election has beencertified, Jury said.

That could also meansplitting some precincts to getthe numbers just right, butLampe said he would ratherkeep it along current precinctlines.

The Okanogan County

See Districts A5

Choppercrashesprobed


BREWSTER – Federalinvestigators are looking intotwo July 25 crashes involvinghelicopters owned by GoldenWings Aviation.

The 22-year-old pilot of onehelicopter was killed when thechopper hit power lines inPurtterman Gulch on the northside of Lake Chelan. StephenW. Nelson, Indianapolis, Ind.,was drying cherries when hishelicopter went down.

In the first crash of the day,pilot Dan Smith, 38, Brewster,and a passenger, another pilot,were not injured.

Detective Sgt. Jerry Mooreof the Chelan County Sheriff’sOffice said Nelson’s helicopterwent down shortly after 3:30p.m. at 57 Purtterman GulchRoad. Nelson was flying south

to north drying a block of rain-soaked cherries. The helicopterturned to make another passwhen the craft’s rotor caughttwo power lines.

They wrapped around themain mast and the helicopterdropped about 80 feet into thetrees. A witness said there werea couple explosions and thecraft burned, Moore said.

Only the tail was left.Nelson died of asphyxiation,

the Chelan County Coroner’sOffice said after an autopsy.

Moore said Chelan Countyfire officials, Manson FireDepartment, emergencymedical services and theSheriff’s Office responded.

The Federal AviationAdministration and NationalTransportation Safety Boardare investigating.

Nelson had been a pilot forabout four years, Moore said.

He’d been assigned to thesame block of cherries at AppleEye Orchard last year.

Federal Aviation

See Crashes A5



Patrick Fancher, above, 10months, Oroville, starts hissports career early with abaseball shirt and a couplefootballs during a July 30fundraiser for the OrovilleHigh School football team.The team is raising money fora Sept. 3 game againstDarrington at CenturyLinkField in Seattle. Almost$2,000 was raised for theteam’s lodging and meals.The players’ parents held abarbecue fundraiser, left, withan obstacle course afterward.Fancher is the son of Brettand Michele Fancher.

County pondersredistricting

Survey: Trail users walk, bike, ski


REPUBLIC – The FerryCounty Rail CorridorCommitteeexpects tohear completeresults of arecent surveyat its Aug. 4meeting.

Short-hand resultsshow most ofthe 341respondentswalk, bicycleand cross-country ski along the24.8-mile trail between WestHerron Creek Road andDanville.

Nature observing, bird-watching and family outingsalso received many mentions.

“It went really well,”Chairwoman Bobbi Weller said.“We received so many moreresponses than we thought wewould. It was remarkable.”

The committee advises FerryCounty Commissioners. Itreleased preliminary short-form survey answers last week.

More in-depth informationwill be shared at Thursday’s 6p.m. meeting in the RepublicRanger District building, 180 N.Jefferson St., Weller said.

The long-form survey askedrespondents about the historyof the trail and personalanecdotes.

“I know they’re going to get alot of history of the trail,” shesaid.

“I believe it is the best thingto happen to Ferry County inyears,” one respondent said.“Many times my grandchildrenand I have walked the trail. Thekids love it; they get to see somuch wildlife.”

“The rail trail sets a greatexample for the county in termsof fitness and health, and also

fosters a stronger sense ofcommunity,” anotherrespondent said.

“We really thank thecommunity for responding sostrongly to our survey,” Wellersaid. “The survey and planningdocument are just one of theseveral projects we’re workingon for the rail trail.”

Other projects includeinstalling a deck on the trestleover Curlew Lake.

The committee receivedgrant money, and Weller saidFerry County commissionersare near completion ofpaperwork, but there’s morewait time than expected.

“I didn’t want to wait untilspring, but we may have to,”Weller said. “That would openup a lot more area.”

Weller said the committeewould like to see benches, signswith trail history and placeswhere people can fish.

In the preliminary survey,respondents asked for toilet

See Survey A5

Rail Trail surveyWays respondents use (orplan to use) rail trailWalking 84 percentBicycling 61 percentCross country ski 42 percentNature/birding 41 percentFamily outing 40 percentLandscaping designelements that would enhanceexperience on rail trailSurfacing 96 percentToilet facilities 75 percentTrailhead parking 62 percentMile markers 59 percentBenches 52 percentCounty of residence

Ferry 91 percentOkanogan: 1 percentStevens 3 percentOther 5 percent

Age breakdownUnder 25 5 percent26-35 10 percent36-45 11 percent46-55 18 percent56-65 36 percent66 and older 21 percent

Total responses 341

Complete results

will be released

at Aug. 4 meeting

Weller

Four post officestargeted for closure


WAUCONDA – The U.S.Postal Service announcedthe potential closures of 39post offices in the state,including four in the area.

Offices in Wauconda,Loomis, Laurier and ChelanFalls have been targeted forpotential closure because ofbudget cutbacks, whichwould leave eight people outof work and more than 600post office box holders in abind.

“It would be a majorinconvenience for us, not tomention the cost in fuelalone,” Shirley Will, Loomis,

said. “All of our stuff comesthrough the mail and I donot want it in a box on theside of the road where it’ssubject to vandals.”

Will and her husband,Garry, own a pear orchardand timber company.

“I go to the post officeevery single day exceptSundays,” she said. “We doall of our business throughthe mail.”

Postal Servicespokesman Ernie Swansonsaid the agency has beenlosing money the past fewyears, and the possibility ofclosures is the next step inreducing costs.

“We have to look at itfrom a financial standpoint,”he said. “Many of thosesmall rural offices are incommunities that are

See Close A5

Wauconda and

Loomis among

those on hit list

Pilot, 22, dies as

chopper hits power

lines, plummets

Commissioner

districts are uneven

Budget tops $19 million

The Chronicle

OKANOGAN — An Omakman was charged with first-degree theft for allegedlystealing $5,700 from hisemployer.

Darrel LeePressentinJr., 47, wascharged Dec.16 inOkanoganCountySuperiorCourt withtaking themoney onseveraloccasions from Consumer AutoLiquidators, 625 Okoma Drive.He was the dealer’s financemanager.

According to an Omak PoliceDepartment report filed withthe charges, Pressentinallegedly was strugglingfinancially and was gettingbehind on bills such as rent andcar payments.

He allegedly took cash froma down payment in a car dealand planned on paying it backwhen he got paid, but toldpolice he didn’t have enoughmoney to cover everything.

Pressentin allegedly took outa payday loan, but things gotworse. He took cash from threeother deals but was unable topay back the money, court

records show.The maximum penalty is five

years in prison and/or a$10,000 fine, plus restitutionand assessments.


OKANOGAN – OkanoganCounty Commissionersapproved the $19.56 million2012 budget Dec. 27 with nopublic comment.

Last year’s budget wasadopted at $18.5 million, butwas increased to $19.2 millionwith more revenue and fewerexpenses.

Public Works has a 2012budget of $18.8 million. Juniordistricts are budgeted at $6.3million. Miscellaneous fundsare budgeted at $5.8 million.

All told, the county’s totaloperating budget is $50.6million.

Commissioner Bud Hover,who coordinated the budget onbehalf of the board, said themain goal was to develop abudget that would fit withinrevenue projections andmaintain the level of services atthe county without having to layoff staff.

The juvenile department willuse furloughs, and oneemployee was laid off in thebuilding department a fewmonths ago, Hover said. Otherthan that, staffing levels shouldremain as they are.

The county also did a$500,000 levy shift from PublicWorks to balance the budget.

A $400,000 loan from thecapital facilities fund is alsoplanned, although it wasplanned for last year and wasnever used.

Hover said althoughdepartments often spend theirbudgets quickly at year’s end,

department heads have reinedin spending and increased theexpected carryover.

“I applaud them for that,”Hover said.

Also, insurance premiumsdid not go up this year. Theyhad been expected to rise about$300,000.

The unions and Sheriff’sGuild worked to keep costsdown, too. Hover said the two-year contracts call for no wageincreases in 2012.

“Everybody in the county isworking toward the commongoal of living within ourmeans,” Hover said.

Things could change,depending on the stateLegislature’s budget cuts.Hover said the county couldlose as much as $200,000 to$500,000.

Some money has been setaside in reserves to balance thepossible losses.

In other business:

• The county will holdcommunity meetings to gathercomments on the 2012Recreation Plan. A survey isavailable online atwww.okanogancounty.org.

Meetings will be held at:• 6 p.m. Jan. 4 at the Oroville

City Hall, 1308 Ironwood St.;• 5 p.m. Jan. 5 in the Liberty

Bell Junior-Senior High Schoolmulti-purpose room, 18 TwinLakes Road, Winthrop;

• 6 p.m. Jan. 10 at PaterosCity Hall, 113 Lakeshore Drive;

• 6 p.m. Jan. 11 at thecommissioners’ hearing roomin the Grainger AdministrationBuilding, 123 N. Fifth Ave.,Okanogan.

• Commissioners wroteletters of support for theOkanogan County Public UtilityDistrict’s Enloe Damhydroelectric project andKinross Gold mine exploration,both in the north part of thecounty.

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PUD approves$70.7 millionspending plan


OKANOGAN — Public UtilityDistrict commissioners haveadopted a $70.7 million budgetthat includes a 6.5 percentelectrical rate increase.

The budget, adopted duringutility commissioners’ Dec. 20meeting, calls for the rateincrease July 1. It’s the third of athree-year, 6.5 percent-per-yearincrease approved in 2010.

Retail electricity sales areexpected to bring in $37.47million, up from an estimated$35 million in 2011. The newbudget also assumes a 1 percentload growth during 2012.

The utility expects to take in$2.74 million in wholesalesurplus power sales and $2.5million for wholesaletelecommunications sales.

Under the 2011 budget, theutility expected $5.5 million inwholesale surplus power salesand $2 million for wholesaletelecommunications. The actualrevenues are expected at $33.7million in retail electrical sales,$6.26 million in wholesaleelectrical sales and $2.25 millionin wholesaletelecommunications sales.

Utility commissioners toldstaff Dec. 6 to trim $1.2 millionfrom the proposed budgetbecause they didn’t agree withplans to draw that amount fromthe $6.1 million ratestabilization reserve fund forplanned capital expenditures.

The staff responded bycutting more than $3 million,including $1 million fromgeneral expenditures and $2million from proposed capitalspending.

In operations, the stafftrimmed planned spending foreverything from travel andwages to supplies and smalltools. In the capital area,contractual services were cutback for project-relatedspecialists, and some materialsand supplies won’t bepurchased.

A few areas — purchasedpower, some materials andcontracted services among them— saw increases from the initialproposed budget as estimateswere honed, Director of Financeand Auditor Don Coppock saidduring the commissioners’ Dec.20 meeting.

Four full-time positions andone part-time position wereeliminated and the utility willdelay hiring two full-timeemployees for a savings of$347,600. All of the positionswould have been either new orare currently vacant.

The 2012 budget includesone fewer employee than the2011 budget, but also includes a3 percent increase for wages.That includes bargainingagreement step increases forunion employees.

It includes $7.6 million forwages, down from $7.7 millionin the 2011 budget. Actual wageexpenditures for 2011 areexpected to be $7.3 million,since not all positions in the 2011budget were filled.

Not all employees will get payincreases in 2012, though raisescould be given based on jobperformance evaluations,General Manager John Grubichsaid.

Grubich’s pay, a point ofcomplaint among some

ratepayersduring thepast year, sitsat more than$178,000.

Under theannual reviewsection of hiscontract, thecommissionreviews hiscompensationannually todeterminewhether anyApril 1increase iswarrantedand whetherhe should getany otherbenefitincreases oradditionalbenefits.

The commission must takeinto account the reasonablenessof his overall compensationpackage, the overall objectivethat the package should beadjusted to reflect cost-of-livingincreases and evaluation of jobperformance, the contractshows. Cost-of-living increaseswould be measured by theConsumer Price Index — AllUrban workers.

Grubich could not be reachedafter the meeting to find out if heplans to seek an increase.

Under the new budget,employee benefits are expectedto cost $2.7 million, up from$2.54 million in the 2011 budgetand an expected $2.7 million inactual expenditures.

Grubich said benefit costs,including health insurance, arerising.

The last-minute budget cutsmean the district now plans todraw $19.9 million fromreserves instead of $22.9million. Money in reserve hadbeen put aside for suchexpenditures.

The utility anticipates $50.9million in revenue, $19.9 millionin reserve account spending,$42.7 million in operatingexpenditures, $24.6 million incapital outlay and $3.4 millionin debt service principal andinterest.

Some of the planned capitalexpenditures will come from afederal grant to expand theutility’s wholesale broadbandtelecommunications system.

Rather than listing allplanned capital projects as partof the 2012 budget, utilityofficials prioritized the projectsand listed only those they expectto do in 2012.

Some projects are beingspread over several years.

“It’s good to have prioritizedprojects,” Commissioner DaveWomack said.

“It’s also good to trackthings” more closely,Commission Chairman ErnieBolz said.

In the future, rather thanmaking the staff rework thebudget, “it might be good for theboard to name the budgetparameters,” he said. “It mightbe better for us to say what theyare at the beginning instead ofthe end so you don’t have to dothis twice.”

Capital outlay was expectedto be $18.3 million in 2011, butwill end up being around $7.1million. The projected amountfor 2012 is $24.5 million,including more than $9 millionfor the telecommunicationsexpansion.

Utility officials expected totake $22.4 million from reservesin 2011, but actually took $8.2million.

GOLDEN COULEE


Morning light casts a golden glow over Grand Coulee south of Electric City, looking toward Banks Lake.

Ferry County gets new budgetBy Zachary Van Brunt

The Chronicle

REPUBLIC – Ferry Countycommissioners passed a 2012budget last month.

At their Dec. 20 meeting,Commissioners Brad Miller,Bob Heath and Brian Danselapproved a $5.7 million generalfund and a $14.5 million countyfund budget, a slight decreasefrom 2011’s anticipated $14

million county fund.“We’ve done pretty good at

maintaining jobs,” countyController Joyce Schertenliebsaid. “We had to lose people acouple of years ago, but we’vebeen able to add a little bitback.”

The county still is waiting tohear whether the stateLegislature will cut funding forsome programs.

Job losses are not expected,

unless state budget cuts affectthe county’s budget.

Pay increases are also notanticipated in the coming year.

Among the larger changes isa boost in revenue after Curlewreceived a combination of $3.2million in grants and loansfrom the state Department ofEcology to overhaul thecommunity’s wastewatercollection and treatmentsystem.

Man accused of theft

Pressentin


REPUBLIC – School Boardmembers have approved aproposal that would place athree-year levy on the Feb. 14ballot, asking property ownersto pay $500,000 each yearfrom 2013-2015.

That translates to anestimated $1.79 per $1,000 ofassessed property valuation,which is one of the lowest levyrates in the region.

It would mean an annualcost of $358 for propertiesassessed at $200,000.

“Levies are very, veryimportant,” SuperintendentKyle Rydell said. “In ourparticular district, it fundsabout 12 percent of our budget.

“In our community we havea lot of retired folks and a lot ofpeople out of work,” he said.“Trying to keep it under that $2mark is important to us.”

The current levy costsproperty owners $1.67 per$1,000 of assessed valuation.

Republic’s levy situation isworse than other districts, if thestate cuts levy equalization as wasproposed by Gov. ChristineGregoire in November 2011.Republic was among thosedistricts targeted to lose all of itslevy equalization funding in 2013.

Levy equalization is statemoney earmarked for property-poor school districts that passlevies. It helps balance fundingwith wealthier districts.

Ballots for the Februaryelection will be mailed Jan. 27.

Republic seeks$500,000 levy

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Womack

Bolz

Budget trimmed

$3 million-plus

in final two weeks


OMAK – Seven words thanwould make almost anyperson’s mouth salivate:Chocolate cheesecake trufflesrolled in crushed Oreos.

That’s only one of thespecialties made by localconfectioner Traci Clark, wholives on the flats above town.

Along with the cheesecaketruffle, Clark offers 12 othervarieties on a regular basis –plus fudge, bread and divinity –and takes special orders,particularly around Valentine’sDay.

Clark is in her sixth yearselling her delectable morsels atfarmers markets throughout thearea. She found her niche aftermoving to the area, visiting themarkets and realizing that noone is selling handmadechocolates.

“I’ve baked my whole life,”

the Seattle native said. “In2006, I decided to go back toschool and get a pastry degree,and I’ve been doing that since.”

Clark, a former nurse, spent18 years in San Diego, includinga stint at a large area casino.

“I did all of their desserts forthree restaurants, plus I madeabout 5,000 truffles a week,”she said. “I’ve made so manytruffles that it’s now a quickprocess for me. I just hammerthem out at this point.”

That type of baking velocityprepared her for owning herown business, Heavenly Bites,78 Woods Road.

With her stepmother,Connie Palmer, the two run thebusiness out of their home’skitchen.

Palmer, who helps herstepdaughter by answeringphones, taking orders andassisting at farmers markets,said her favorite truffle ispumpkin.

“Oh my gosh,” she said. “It’slike a bite of pumpkin piepersonified.”

“I just go with what I thinksounds good, and if it sells well,I keep making it,” Clark said. “Ifit doesn’t, it doesn’t.”

She’s made truffles rangingfrom the popular – mocha,Grand Marnier and rum – tothe unpopular: Eggnog,surprisingly. She’s also

incorporated RockWall Cellars’port wine into truffles.

“Everything is hand rolledand hand dipped,” Clark said. “Iroll them into balls, dip theminto chocolate, dip them intotopping, and then they’re goodto go.”

Aside from special orders,she generally makes 15,000

See Sweets Page 2


Traci Clark arranges dozens of sweet, chocolate-covered truffles on a tray.

Sweet life

CENTENNIAL SOIREE


68 1 3 2 4 2 0 0 0 2

A JOINT PUBLICATION OF THE WENATCHEE WORLD AND THE CHRONICLEFebruary 12, 2012 $1.50

Year 102 No. 78


Parade, USAWeekendFrom-the-heartadvice and ideasfor Valentine’s Day

Chronicle/Page 4

Okanogan OKs ATVriding throughouttown, includinghighways

Inside

MaverickEast Wenatchee native wrotethe book on stock trading

World/Page 1



&ChronICle

Ride the town

Senate takes up Kehne appointment


OLYMPIA – Gov. ChrisGregoire’s appointment ofOmak resident Jay Kehne to thestate’s Fish and WildlifeCommission will be put to thetest this week when a stateSenate committee is expected to

discuss hisconfirmation.

The SenateEnergy,NaturalResourcesand MarineWatersCommitteeplans a publichearing at1:30 p.m.Thursday,Feb. 16, on both Kehne andTwisp property owner TedWillhite’s appointments to state

posts.The

meeting willbe in SenateHearingRoom 2 in theJ.A. CherbergBuilding, 30415th Ave.S.W.,Olympia.

Willhite, aSeattle

attorney who owns homes inboth Seattle and Twisp, wasappointed to the state

Recreation and ConservationFunding Board.

Sen. Bob Morton, R-Orient,has asked the governor torescind Willhite’s appointment.

“Although this meeting isopen to the public, there willnot be an opportunity for publictestimony,” Morton said.“Therefore, I will be presentingletters and emails supportingand opposing theseconfirmations.”

“I’m all for the community,”Kehne said. “As wolves comeback into Washington and

Okanogan County, I want tomake sure that ranchers are atthe top of the list that we’retalking about.”

Local Republicans have notminced words regardingKehne’s appointment, becausehe works for the Bellingham-based Conservation Northwest.The group has butted headswith conservatives onenvironmental issues such asthe spotted owl and graywolves.

“The biggest reason is thathe just can’t possibly serve as an

unbiased opinion on the panel,”Okanogan Republican NicoleKuchenbuch said. “The ties toConservation Northwest runvery deep. There’s no way hecan be an objective opinion onthat panel.”

“My point has always beenthat Jay’s a good guy, and he’sgot some qualifications to serveon the board,” state Rep. JoelKretz, R-Wauconda, said. “Therub for me is that he’s serving asan Eastern Washington

See Senate Page 2

Kehne Morton

Willhite also will

be subject of

legislators’ scrutiny

Hundreds callin to town hall


OLYMPIA – Staterepresentatives from the 7thDistrict fielded questions from22 of the nearly 1,000constituents throughout EasternWashington who called in Feb. 9during a telephone town hallconference call.

“This particular tele-forumwas the largest attended by far,”state House spokesman BrendonWold said. “It shattered everyrecord, by not even close.”

“What’s really nice about thetown halls are the questions thatcome in. You always wonder as alegislator if I have a pulse on thedistrict and whether we’reworking on the right issues,”state Rep. Shelly Short, R-Addy,said. “It gives a good idea if weare or not.”

State Rep. Joel Kretz, R-Wauconda, was also on hand tofield questions from voters.

“We get more support fromhome than any other district,” hesaid. “It takes a lot of communityeffort to get that.”

The hour-long call broughtseveral questions from peoplearound the district, who discussedtopics from rural hospital supportto same-sex marriage and levyequalization funding.

State House RepublicanPublic Information Officer JohnSattgast, who was emcee, tookthree informal polls ofparticipants.

During those polls, district

residents widely voted againstGov. Chris Gregoire’s proposedhalf-percent increase in sales tax,the Legislature’s passage of same-sex marriage, and approved the

proposedFundEducationFirst bill by alarge margin.

“The onlyfrustration I’vegot is thatwe’ve only had900 people onthe call, andonly getthrough somanyquestions,”Kretz said.“People in the7th are moreengaged andmore educatedon the issues.If we’re notengaged, we’regoing to loseour way oflife.”

“Our district is tremendouslyactive, and the folks carepassionately,” Short said.

Constituents whose questionswere not taken had theopportunity to leave voicemessages – 60 of them did – andspokespeople for therepresentatives assured the twowould provide answers.

One caller asked aboutfunding for county fairs.

“Our family takes part of all ofour community fairs,” Kretz said.“What we’re trying to do iseducate urban legislators, but it’snot part of their upbringing.”


Omak City Councilwoman Nattalie Cariker views historic photos during the city’s Centennial Soiree on Feb. 10 at the Breadline Cafe.The event wrapped up the city’s year-long 100th anniversary celebration.

Truffle maker crafts chocolatey delights

Kretz

Constituents weigh

in on the issues

Short

“I’ve made so many

truffles that it’s now a

quick process for me. I

just hammer them out at

this point.Traci Clark

”

Valentine’s Day

brings plenty

of special orders

Year 102 No. 61


772266 OOkkoommaa DDrriivvee,, OOmmaakk •• 550099--882266--11000000 oorr 880000--662222--99443344CChheecckk UUss OOuutt OOnnlliinnee aatt wwwwww..ssuunnrriisseecchheevvyy..nneett

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A6A9

B1

State Auditor’sOffice finds faultwith hospital

Tunk Valleycelebrates Christmaswith Santa, potluck

The Omak-OkanOgan COunTy

Omak man named to state Fish and Wildlife Commission


Cyrus Kruse, 1, Okanogan, objects to a visit with Santa at the Conconully Santa Days celebration Dec. 10.

After death, girl helps others live


TONASKET — PaytenBennett was more than a 3-year-old, blue-eyed girl whoknew her colors, the alphabet,and loved both the outdoorsand “Thomas the Tank Engine.”

In the last act of her shortlife, she helped save the lives ofthree other children throughorgan donation.

“Payten was the mostprecious gift any parent couldask for,” mother Ashley Fox, 21,Tonasket, said. “Her bright blueeyes and smile could warm yourheart from a mile away.”

“She never looked for thebad,” father Jared Bennett, 25,Moses Lake, said. “She wasalways happy, always good,always smiling. If you werehaving a bad day, just her beingaround would make you forgeteverything.”

“She was the most joyouschild,” grandmother MargaretLange, Tonasket, said. “She hadthis remarkable ability to adaptand bring joy into every

situation. When I try to explainthat to people, they go, ‘Yeah,yeah,’ but she really wasremarkable. She was just one ofa kind.”

Payten was declared braindead at Providence SacredHeart Medical Center, Spokane,on Dec. 3 after an accidentaldrowning the day before.

She was born Sept. 20,2008; her life will continue inother children. Her heart nowbeats in a 4-year-old Utah boy’schest, and her liver was donatedto a 1-year-old Seattle girl. Herkidneys are expected to go to athird child.

Fox said that knowing her

daughter will live on in othersgives her some comfort.

“It makes me feel really goodthat somebody else’s child couldhave a chance, because minedid not,” Jared Bennett said.“We know how hard it is to losea child, but it’s probably morehard to watch a child slowlydie.”

Payten’s memorial servicewas Dec. 10 in the TonasketHigh School Commons.Hundreds of people came to paytheir respects.

“The community support iswhat brings you through: Yourfriends, your family and yourcommunity,” Lange said. “They

just stand by you, and you knowthey’re there.”

“I think of the joy shebrought me and my family,” Foxsaid. “It’s really hard. I neverimagined my life without her.”

“Payten was a typical butcustom-made little girl whobrought light and laughter,” theRev. Randy McAllister,Oroville, said at her service.“She was well on her way tomaking a mark on this planet.”

But God’s plan for her was togrow up in heaven, he said,because “He loved Payten morethan anyone in the room.”

See Payten A5

Hensarling takes Stampede helm

By Roger HarnackThe Chronicle

OMAK – The OmakStampede’s new top officers for2012 say they are lookingforward to the challenge.

During a contentiouselection of officers Mondaynight, Dec. 12, the boardselected Jim Hensarling toretake the reins from outgoing

president George Dunckel.“I’m looking forward to what

lies ahead,” Hensarling said.Hensarling was the Omak

Stampede president for fouryears – 2004 through 2008 —immediately prior to Dunckel’selection.

In addition to Hensarling,the 2012 Omak Stampedeleadership team includes VicePresident Leon Hoover, secondVice President Dan Salkawske,Secretary Jackie Richter,Treasurer Connie Thomas andMember-at-Large Mike Ables.

Hoover, who has beeninvolved with the board aboutthree years, also is ready for hisnew leadership role.

See Stampede A5

Man admitskilling hisco-worker


OKANOGAN – A 31-year-old manpleaded guiltyDec. 8 tobeating afelloworchardworker todeath lastJuly.

NicolasPatistanPerez, 31,pleaded guiltyto second-degree murder for the July 17death of Carlos Porras-Trujillo,37.

Superior Court Judge ChrisCulp sentenced Patistan Perezto 123 months – 10.25 years - inprison.

Patistan Perez was arrested

Sept. 10 in Fresno, Calif., by theU.S. Marshal’s Service andFresno Police Department. Hehad fled after Porras-Trujillo’sbody was found in an orchardnear Brewster.

According to a statement byOkanogan County Sheriff’sOffice Detective Kreg Sloan, amissing person complaint wasfiled July 20 by Maria Vega,who was concerned about herfriend, Porras-Trujillo.

The missing man hadn’t beenseen since July 17, when he wentdrinking with friends at cabinson Red Apple Road. Vega tolddeputies she’d heard Porras-Trujillo had been in a fight.

Deputy Gisberth Gonzalezcontacted several people at anorchard camp on Red AppleRoad and was told Porras-Trujillo had been in a fight andreceived a head injury. Theother workers cleaned hiswound and fixed a bed for himon cardboard, pallets and wood,Sloan’s report said.

Another man, known as

See Guilty A5

Patistan Perez

sentenced to more

than 10 years

Former president

selected during

contentious election

Family remembers

3-year-old in wake

of drowning

Patistan Perez


WENATCHEE – One-daydelivery might be a thing of thepast if proposed U.S. PostalService closures go through inthe new year.

The Wenatchee processingcenter is on the list for possibleclosure, which would move mailprocessing to Spokane.According to U.S. Postal Servicespokesman Ernie Swanson, theclosure would save the postalservice $1.4 million per year.

Wenatchee is just one ofmany plants slated for closurenationwide with major budgetcuts needed to keep the postalservice in the black.

American Postal WorkersUnion President Ryan Harris ofthe Wenatchee area said itdoesn’t have to be that way –changes in legislationregulating the agency’s

business practices couldeliminate the budget problems.

Meanwhile, with theWenatchee closure would comea delay in services. Swansonsaid processing would bedelayed a full day.

Harris said the changewould mean a letter mailedfrom one Okanogan Countydestination to another wouldtravel to Wenatchee, thenSpokane, then Wenatchee andback to the local area. It nowwould go to Wenatchee andback.

That could mean some mailwould take three days todeliver.

All mail in the 988- ZIP codearea would go throughSpokane. Many of the peoplelaid off at other closed plants,such as the 20 in Wenatchee,would be offered the option totransfer to Spokane, Swansonsaid.

Harris said he can’t imagineall that extra transportation willreally save the post office anymoney in the long run. And

See Postal A5

Center closurecould slowmail even moreLoomis, Wauconda

post offices still on

the closure list

“I want the best for our

rodeo’s future.

Outgoing Omak Stampede

President George Dunckel

”

The Chronicle

OMAK – Santa Claus ismidway through his tour ofOmak and Okanoganneighborhoods.

Elves from thecommunities’ chambers ofcommerce are chauffeuring thejolly ol’ elf as he visitsneighborhoods, handing out

candy canes and hearingChristmas wishes.

Santa and his helpers hit thestreets at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec.13, and will continue nightlythrough Friday, Dec. 16. Santa’stour will end about 8 p.m.

Santa, accompanied byLittle Miss Rodeo WashingtonRiata Marchant, startedTuesday on the north end of

Omak. On Wednesday, he andTonasket Founders Day RodeoQueen Cortney Ingle will moveinto central Omak; andThursday he and OkanoganCounty Junior Rodeo QueenTaylor Kramer will visit thesouthern part of the city. Lookfor him and Stampede QueenKatie Fergus in Okanogan onFriday.

Santa will take time to talkto youngsters along the routeeach night.

Omak Mayor Cindy Gagneand Okanogan Mayor MichaelBlake also plan to accompanySanta.

Residents wishing to donatenon-perishable items to areafood banks can do so whenSanta comes through.

Santa Claus is coming to town

Bennett family

Payten Bennett loved theoutdoors and knew her colors.

zachary van brunt 2012 photo portfolio

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