Stories by Russell Ledbetter

TONASKET – If there’s a heaven, paved streets of gold now have Roy Stotts behind the grader.

Stotts, an active community volunteer in city government and numerous Tonasket civic and public safety organizations, died of natural causes on Oct. 2. He was 85.

TONASKET – After having traveled all over the country, Republic-based poet Ceb ‘Don realized “this is it.”

“Something inside of me, a little voice, told me that this was the place.”

Describing his decision four years ago to come to North Central Washington and live, ‘Don urged a group of Tonasket Alternative High School students Monday that they too “can accomplish their dreams.”

OROVILLE – Marking 20 years of community journalism in Northern Okanogan County, Okanogan Valley Gazette-Tribune managing editor, Gary DeVon, was honored for his two decades of service at a Sept. 27 surprise party by Oroville city officials and community members. Oroville Mayor Chuck Spieth noted the milestone by awarding DeVon with Oroville’s ‘Key to the City.’

“I remember Gary when he was just a lonely little character walking to school,” Spieth said after the event.