News

OKANOGAN – As of 5 p.m. on June 9, only five candidates had registered to run for positions in Okanogan county, according to the county auditor’s office. Registration closed June 6.

TONASKET – Saturday marked a major milestone in the lives of 67 young adults.

On June 7, 2008, those 67 went from high school students to high school graduates in a two-hour ceremony in the Tonasket High School gym.

OROVILLE – Tam Hutchinson encouraged the 2008 graduates of Oroville High School to go forth with pride in their community.

Hutchinson was introduced Saturday afternoon by Zac Kinman, the class salutatorian, who said the teacher and coach was the class’ unanimous pick. Kinman recounted that Hutchinson was also their guest speaker at their eighth-grade promotion ceremony.

TONASKET – Warm weather and clear skies helped bring out the crowds this Founder’s Day in Tonasket.

However, rain Sunday morning dashed circus hopes.

OROVILLE – The flags of two countries joined together to honor those who gave their lives in service of their country at a Memorial Day Ceremony held at Oroville’s Riverview Cemetery Monday.

Members of the American Legion from Oroville and Royal Canadian Legion from Osoyoos served as Color Guard at the ceremony which began at 10 a.m. As the Color Guard marched the flags of their two countries, as well as the Union Jack and the United Nations Flag, amongst others, waved majestically as well as colorfully, in the breeze. Veterans and those that joined them in the ceremony then came to attention as “The Star Spangled Banner” and “Oh, Canada” were played.

TONASKET – This weekend will be a wild one for this little town.

The Founder’s Day celebration is expanding from one night of rodeo to two and the Chamber of Commerce is getting into the act with a circus, street fair and many other activities in town.

SEATTLE – Ernesto Cerrillo and his wife, Dinasar and daughter, Zyanya of Tonasket were among the nearly 57,000 soccer enthusiasts watching the Mexican National Football Team beat the Chinese Nationalist Team at Qwest Field in Seattle on April 16.

OKANOGAN – As river levels rose with temperatures last week Okanogan County Commissioners declared a countywide flood emergency on the Methow and Okanogan Rivers.

“Our concern for the Okanogan River is for the next 72 hours,” said Scott Miller, manager of the Okanogan County Emergency Management Department, last Monday. “Looking beyond that if we make it through the next month we are over the hurdle for the year.”

TONASKET – The Tonasket Visitor and Business Resource Center website is almost ready to go.

The new site, www.tvbrc.org, is open to all Tonasket businesses, said Chamber of Commerce president Dave Kester. Trina and Layton Smith, of TwoRebels Design, have designed the site.

TONASKET – The North Valley Hospital Board approved a design plan for the new hospital at a special board meeting May 14.

The final construction cost estimate is almost $7.5 million, hospital administrator Warner Bartleson said. It includes a 17,652 square foot finished main floor and an additional full basement that can be developed at some later point, as well as a remodel of the current building, he said.