Stories by Gary DeVon

OKANOGAN – A Havillah area man shot after allegedly opening fire on Okanogan County Deputies investigating a domestic dispute has been released from the hospital and charged with attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon.

OROVILLE – The new slate of top administrators at the Oroville School District took the opportunity of last week’s Oroville Chamber of Commerce meeting to introduce themselves and talk about the upcoming school year.

Steve Quick, who stepped up from junior-senior high school principal to superintendent this summer introduced his replacement, Patricia Scott, as well as new elementary school principal, Gary Pringle.

Superintendent Quick discussed his new role at the school district and said he had been going over policy for the last couple of months and looking at the district’s facilities, especially the elementary school.

OROVILLE – Seattle filmmakers Charles Forsgren and Tim Watkins took “Best of Fest” with their film “Dishonesty” at the first annual Tumbleweed Film Festival held last weekend in Oroville.

“This year’s festival went beyond our expectations, as the turnout was great. We’re already making plans to continue the growth and excitement for next year’s festival,” said Geoff Klein, who with fellow Seattle filmmaker Mo Fine and several of their friends from Seattle and Oroville brought the film festival to town for its inaugural run.

OKANOGAN – Ballots for the Aug. 17 primary election, went into the mail Thursday, July 29 and should be in the hands of all registered Okanogan County voters this week.

OROVILLE – The Oroville Chamber of Commerce and several local businesses are sponsoring the first annual Toast of Oroville Wine Festival this Saturday at City Park between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.

RIVERSIDE – A woman found shot in Riverside later died of her wounds after being transported to Mid-Valley Hospital on Monday, July 17.

The Oroville City Council has agreed to join with the local drug task force for another year, but questioned the entities apparent lack of activity in the area the last few years.

OROVILLE – After repeated complaints that little is done to control dust at a lot used to store apple bins, the Oroville City Council is considering an ordinance to move the bins out of the city limits.

CHESAW – Based on the momentum and a great desire to see local economies change for the better, a growers’ meeting took place on July 14 at the Chesaw Rodeo Hall regarding the process of growing canola and camelina as a rotational crop.

Tim King of Carbon Technology Transfer Center, wants to bring a canola press to Oroville to process oil from surplus canola crops currently grown in Canada. He also wants to gauge the interest in growing canola and camelina locally. He and John Sheldon, representing the Great Plains Camelina Group, spoke to the farmers about the potential for growing canola and camelina as a sustainable cash crop and improving crop yield for other crops with the added benefit of enriching the farmer’s soil. King and Sheldon discussed the ins and outs of growing the canola and camelina.