News

WAUCONDA – The eBay auction for Wauconda closed on Friday, April 2 and when the highest bidder didn’t come through with the down payment by the end of the day on Monday, April 5, the town was still for sale.

OROVILLE – Shay Shaw, the district’s business manager, briefly discussed future finances with the Oroville School Board at their Monday, March 29 meeting.

“We had the cost savings in place last year and we are grateful our levy passed,” said Shaw, “but we still do not know which plan the state will chose for school funding next year.

OROVILLE – Julie Schildgen, a teacher at Oroville Elementary, has been chosen as the Upper Okanogan Valley Teacher of the Year by the Wal-Mart Corporation.

TONASKET – After a special board meeting of the North Valley Hospital Board, current NVH Administrator Warner Bartleson said the board has decided to change the leadership of the hospital.

TONASKET – The Tonasket City Council is taking steps toward building a new city pool and moved to allocate money to the project during their meeting on Tuesday, March 23.

TONASKET – As voters are receiving their ballots in the mail next week, Tonasket Superintendent Paul Turner asks that voters think of the students before making their decisions.

OKANOGAN – With his trial set to begin next month, Brent L. Phillips changed his plea on Monday, March 29 to guilty to Premeditated Murder in the First Degree, Manslaughter of a Quick Child in the First Degree, Tampering with Physical Evidence and Kidnapping in the First Degree.

Phillips’ plea is part of a bargain with the State of Washington which lowered his charge of Aggravated Murder in the First Degree to Premeditated Murder in the First Degree and lowered the maximum sentence of 50 years in prison to the state’s recommendation of 312 months, or 26 years, in prison. In exchange, Phillips has agreed to testify truthfully against Tansy Fae Arwen Mathis, David Eugene Richards and Lacey Hirst-Pavek.

TONASKET – The defense attorney for one of the defendants in the Michelle Kitterman murder trial has requested a change of venue for the trial.

TONASKET – The Tonasket City Council will be holding a special meeting to discuss the funding options for the Tonasket Municipal Swimming Pool and related issues beginning at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 23.

TONASKET – The Tonasket School Board voted to lower their levy rate back down to $2.22 per $1,000 of assessed valuation after discovering the total assessed valuation for school district has increased $80 million to $439 million.