January

 

Tours of North Valley Hospital available – Thepublic is invited to tour the new addition of the hospital as work is nearingcompletion.

OKANOGAN – There will be a Special Election on Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2011 to decide whether to change the make-up of the Oroville School Board to allow one at-large position.

OROVILLE – At their Tuesday, Dec. 21 meeting, Oroville Councilman Tony Koepke brought up the need for an ordinance regarding those who want to plow driveways and sidewalks.

OROVILLE – Superintendent Steve Quick reported to the school board about his trip to the Dominican Republic and meeting with the foundation that has provided exchanges between Oroville and a high school there the last two years

OROVILLE – The Oroville City Council adopted a 2011 budget of $6,368,500, approximately $2 million less than the 2010 budget due to fewer major projects slated in the new year.

TONASKET – All four 2011 officer positions for the Tonasket Chamber of Commerce are now filled.

OROVILLE – As road conditions become more treacherous, two recent incidents on Highway 97 led to fatalities last week, according to the Washington State Patrol.

OROVILLE – Those interested in more information on a proposal to expand gold exploration on Buckhorn Mountain near Chesaw nearly filled the seats of the OHS Commons last week.

An Open House was held at the high school to provide information, answer questions and take written public comments on the Environmental Impact Statement being put together by the U.S. Forest Service and state Department of Natural Resources, lead agencies in the proposal, according to Dale Olson, Tonasket Ranger for the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.

Echo Bay Exploration, a subsidiary of Toronto-based Kinross Gold, has proposed expanding mineral exploration for five years on 507 acres, within a 10,041-acre area near Kinross’ Buckhorn Mountain Gold Mine, located 18 miles east of Oroville. The exploration would include construction of up to 72.3 miles of new drilling roads and up to 675 new drill pad sites and drilling up to 965 exploration holes. It would also include construction of 33 acres of water conveyance and storage facilities, including temporary new water well on National Forest Service lands, as well as development of up to eight acres of land for staging equipment and materials. Four of the drill holes on NFS lands would also be converted to monitoring wells. In addition, 24-hour-a day/365-days-a-year access for up to 20 drill rigs, weather permitting, would be allowed.