A pair of former Lake Chelan Community Hospital Administrators were recently fired from a drug and alcohol center in Oregon.

 

The treatment center, Astoria Pointe, is a men-only facility with a sister facility for women, The Rosebriar.

 

Larry Peterson began his tenure with Astoria Pointe as Chief Executive Officer in 2007, and hired Milt Parham as Chief Operations Officer the following year.

 

Both men were fired from the facility in November and an investigation was launched into the allegations that lead to their dismissal.

 

Before their employment with that OregonDrug & AlcoholCenter, both men worked at Lake ChelanCommunityHospital. Peterson served as Chief Executive Officer and Parham as the Director of Business Development. They resigned within 6 months of each other after an investigative report into the pair exposed accusations from a significant number of people.

 

In the report, compiled by Attorney Susan Troppmann who was retained by the hospital to investigate various concerns surrounding Peterson, concerns were grouped into four general categories: potential misuse of public funds (which encompassed the appointment of friends and associates to positions of authority without proper regard to their qualifications, sexually inappropriate conduct, management and leadership issues (including retaliatory conduct), and quality assurance issues.  

 

The report, dated June of 2007, went on to say that although some of the concerns may no longer be current, other concerns are at least potentially valid.

 

Allegations listed in the report were primarily directed towards Peterson and included accusations of verbal and physical sexual misconduct, misuse of hospital computers to transmit and view sexual materials, providing inconsistent information about educational background, withholding negative information such as complaints from dissatisfied patients, failing to fully inform and intentionally withholding information from the board, shredding documents after being questioned, forcing employees to resign by humiliating and discrediting them and having an inappropriate business relationship with a board member.

 

In addition it alleges that Parham authorized discounts without documentation or explanation to a large number of patients totaling $327,000 over five months.

 

Despite the allegations, both men were given outstanding job reviews after the report was completed.

 

KOZI will continue to gather and confirm information, and keep you informed on this case.

After Douglas and ChelanCounty Commissioners denied support for seeking a regional .2 percent sales increase a new plan was put on the table.

 

That plan would seek a “layered” tax for the nine entities that make up the Greater Wenatchee Regional Events Center Public Facilities District, - with Wenatchee kicking in the highest percentage.

 

The new plan has the City of Wenatchee implementing the .2 percent sales tax and selling bonds, while the other 8 jurisdictions go with a smaller, .15 percent sales tax.

 

The problem: it requires State Legislature approval.

 

Officials from the 8 entities have indicated they may support the smaller tax increase, provided it works its way through the house for a full vote, however Chelan City Council members are holding off for now.

 

In a meeting last night, the council decided to wait until more information is made available before making the decision.

Chelan PUD Crews will be working on overhead power lines in Chelan on Monday.

 

The project is on Woodin Ave at the intersection of Washington Street- near the Chelan football field.

 

The work will require closure of the inside lanes in each direction. The outside lanes are expected to remain open, except for some occasional short delays. Flaggers and construction signs will be on the scene to assist motorist’s passage through the work zone.

 

Work will begin at 8 am and is expected to be complete by 5 pm on Monday.

MansonSchool District’s Transportation Department celebrated another “thumbs up” after their busses passed a recent state inspection.

 

School superintendent, Matt Charlton says Head Mechanic, Jim Sevrence, his assistant Mark Nichols along with Operation Supervisor Ken Nelson were recognized during Monday night’s board meeting for their ongoing great service to the school district.

 

Manson School Board holds their meetings on the last Monday of each month, making their next meeting Monday, February 27th.

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ChelanHigh School FFA Vice President, Lupe Villasenor, was selected to represent the states of Washington, Oregon and Idaho at a recent meeting in Spokane.

 

The meeting was an annual forum centered on Range Management, and Lupe participated in professional technical workshops, attended mixers with industry professional, toured Eastern Washington Rangelands, conducted business and gave a presentation on Horseshoe Lake Ranch Restoration project near Wenatchee.

 

Lupe says that attending the event was an amazing learning experience and offered some light on how things work outside of our area.

 

Chelan FFA Advisor, Rod Cool also attended the annual conference, participating in a variety of workshops that will allow him to instruct a broader range in Natural Resource Science.

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Brewster School District will host a Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) meeting on Monday, with a bilingual twist.

 

Superintendent Eric Driessen says the topics of discussion change every month, and the meetings have been in Spanish and are now expanding to include English.

 

And, again that is coming up next Monday evening at the Brewster high School library.

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With TRAX just a few weeks away, the Chelan Chamber of Commerce is busy getting the details hammered out.

 

Chamber President, Mike Steele, says the event, which begins Friday, February 17 and continues through the weekend- will feature some new experiences as well as the old favorites.

 

Mike says part of the purpose of the highly anticipated Rail Jam event is to bring in some visitors who otherwise may not participate in TRAX.

 

That is TRAX, set for the weekend of February 17th through the 19th.

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The ThreeRiversHospital board of commissioners is planning to survey people within their district in order to gauge the needs of the community and also gave administration the go ahead to pursue a contract with a rural staffing company.

 

 

Coast to Coast Health Care was founded six years ago to help bring great physicians to rural and critical access hospitals.

 

Hospital spokesperson, Rebecca Meadows, says the hospital is taking steps to meet the needs of the district.

 

The Three Rivers Board of Commissioners will meet again Monday, February 27th at noon.v

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GiveNaked has been a part of the ChelanValley since December, 2010. The organization developed after a group of people decided to create fundraisers through social networking to help people in need.

 

Chris Raines, one of the founders of GiveNaked, says the concept behind the organization is for a lot of people to give a little, making a big difference in the community.

 

GiveNaked hopes to eventually gather a large community of people who want to give and make a difference in the lives of others. Imagine 20,000 people, or more who are willing to give even one dollar directly to a cause as a single group of givers.

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Chelan County Natural Resource Department is hosting a Watershed Planning Community Workshop next week to discuss the draft plan.

 

Mike Kaputa, Director of Chelan County Natural Resource Department, says the Watershed Plan identifies some local priorities for water supply and water quality issues in the Lake Chelan area.

 

Mike adds that specific topics within the plan he expects to be discussed include water quality monitoring, water supply, fisheries habitat management and watershed plan development.

 

Anyone who wants to learn more about the future of water in Lake Chelan should attend the meeting.

 

That meeting will be held next Wednesday, February 8th from 6:30 to 8:30 at Campbell’s Resort in the Stehekin Ballroom.

 

If you would like more information, you are welcome to visit ChelanCity Hall for a copy of the draft Watershed Plan, or you can call Chelan County Natural Resource Department at 509-667-6640.

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The Chelan School Board spent some time during their meeting last week to meet in executive session to discuss the performance of Superintendent Rob Manahan.

 

Manahan, who has been with the district since 2010, says that the response from the board regarding his performance was positive, but adds that he is personally looking for some improvement in a few areas.

 

The Lake Chelan School board will hold their next meeting on Tuesday, February 14th at 6 pm. 

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Link Transit is currently recruiting area students to assist in their marketing and outreach efforts in a program called Transit Ambassadors.

 

We turned to our KOZI intern, Cody LaPorte, who is a junior at ChelanHigh School, to tell us more about this program.

 

That website for more information on the Link Transit Ambassador program is www.linktransit.com, or you can call 664-7624.

 

And we thank Cody for that report.

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Chelan County PUD has finished a new rearing facility at ChelanFalls. The facility will raise and release about 600 thousand Chinook Salmon into the area.

 

The Hatchery Program Coordinator, Alene Underwood, says the PUD started the process through the Habitat Conservation Plan that the district has been implementing over the past several years.

 

As part of the project, the PUD constructed four concrete tanks that measure about 45 feet in diameter, that Alene says feature innovative pumps and filters that will raise healthier young fish while using less water.

 

The Chelan County PUD believes that by meeting the goals set forth in the Habitat Conservation Plan, the district will improve hydro operations, ultimately keeping local electric rates affordable. 

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Last Saturday marked the one year anniversary of the shooting death of Paul Rainey. The family held a memorial celebrating Paul’s life at EchoValley, where Paul worked as a ski instructor.

 

More than 60 people gathered, skied and shared stories and memories with the Rainey family and friends.

 

Twenty-Two year old Steven Swinford is less than a week away from facing a jury for the second time, accused of murdering Paul a year ago.

 

The first trial ended in a mistrial, however at a pretrial hearing last Friday, it was announced that Superior Court Judge Leslie Allen will replace T.W. “Chip” Small for the second trial.

 

It was also ruled that new evidence would be allowed pertaining to the length of time Swinford served in the military along with Swinford’s evolving story of the night of the shooting, starting with the 911 call, to the much different story he told in court.

 

If convicted, Swinford faces a likely 10- to 18-year prison term with a five-year enhancement for use of a firearm. The maximum sentence for second-degree murder is life.

 

KOZI maintains a near daily contact with the Rainey family, who is doing well, all things considered.

 

The seating of potential jurors begins next Monday morning. The expectation is that the trial will wrap up by the end of next week, and KOZI will be in the courtroom with exclusive live reports from Wenatchee as the trial progresses.

The Manson PTAC is taking orders for their famous Valentine’s Day Cookie Sale.

 

The cookies have become a long standing tradition for many in the Manson and Chelan communities, offering the opportunity for people to surprise their Valentine’s with a homemade treat while helping support local students.

 

Megan Schoenwald, a member of Manson’s PTAC, says they made and delivered 750 cookies last year.

 

So, if you would like to order a cookie or two- they do deliver right here to KOZI.

 

 

That website for the order form is www.manson.org.

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BrewsterSchool District’s Music Department is celebrating their nearly $70,000 worth of new instruments that were delivered last week.

 

Brewster Superintendent Eric Dreissen says the instruments were part of a non-monetary grant the district applied for in hopes of boosting the school’s music program.

 

The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation receives more than 1,000 applications each year, making the process very competitive. The focus is on schools with little to no budget for musical instruments as well as music programs that serve the most students for their population.

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The Manson School Board invited officials from Mill Bay Casino and St. Andrews Episcopal Church to their meeting Monday in order to thank them in person for a recent donation to MansonSecondary School.

 

School Superintendent, Matt Charlton, says the donation was a pleasant surprise and will go a long way in helping in the educational experience for the students in Manson.

 

The donation came from a recent fundraising event through Mill Bay Casino that raised more than $24,000- and was handed over to St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church for families throughout the valley in need.

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Chelan Fire and Rescue held its 2011 Awards Dinner last week, recognizing those members that distinguished themselves throughout the 2011 calendar year.

 

Members were recognized for training hours and performance among other awards.

 

The majority of awards were nominated and voted on by the membership of Chelan Fire and Rescue- marking a great acknowledgement of efforts and success as recognized by his or her peers.

 

Fire Chief Tim Lemon says that a lot of folks accomplished a lot of things over the past year and it was a great opportunity to recognize them.

 

Chief Lemon adds that 2011 was a particularly busy year, with some of the largest fires Chelan has seen in a long time. Without the dedication of the Chelan Fire and Rescue crews, the outcome of those fires and emergencies would have been devastatingly different.

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The City of Chelan will host an Open House on Tuesday, February 7th to discuss updating the land-use plan for Chelan’s Warehouse Industrial District.

 

Chelan’s Planning and Building Director, Craig Gildroy, says they are hoping to gather information on some newly drafted maps.

 

Gildroy adds that those interested are invited to attend anytime between the hours of 4 pm and 6 pm- and again that is Tuesday, February 7th.

 

It is also rumored that refreshments will be served during that open house. J

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Rebuilding Together is accepting applications for their annual work day- offering minor repairs and light remodeling to help improve living situations for homeowners living in Chelan or DouglasCounty who need assistance.

 

Rebuilding together is a national organization that believes disabled and aging homeowners should be able to remain in their homes for as long as possible- offering free home modifications and repairs, making homes safer, more accessible and more energy efficient. 

 

Board President of Rebuilding Together Greater Wenatchee Valley, Marilyn Lancaster, says this year, the work day is scheduled for May 19th.

 

Applicants have until March 1st to sing up for consideration as one of the projects for this annual event.

 

If you are interested in learning more about the Rebuilding Together Program you can call 881-4721.

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Lake ChelanCommunityHospital ex- CEO, Larry Peterson, and former Addiction Recovery Center Director, Milt Parham have been fired from an OregonDrug & AlcoholCenter.

 

Peterson served as CEO of Astoria Pointe since 2007, and Milt Parham was the company’s Chief Operations Officer. Both were fired in November.

 

Officials are conducting an internal investigation into Peterson and Parham surrounding disturbing accusations about sexual misconduct and financial mis-spending.

 

A document recently obtained by KOZI from Lake ChelanCommunityHospital was previously sealed until last April when a ChelanCounty Judge ordered it a matter of public record.

 

Details on Peterson and Parham’s dismissal from Astoria Pointe will likely not be revealed until the internal investigation is complete but the document from Lake ChelanCommunityHospital is being reported as strikingly similar to the present circumstances in Astoria.

 

The report, dated June of 2007 highlights concerns surrounding Peterson’s employment at Lake Chelan Community hospital. It alleges Peterson had inappropriate business relationships with a board member, wrongfully spent hospital funds on business expenses, hired a significant other who was not qualified and did not work the prescribed number of hours, made a $100,000 yearly contract with a friend in California, and engaged in sexually inappropriate conduct with hospital employees. 

 

Peterson resigned from Lake ChelanCommunityHospital two months after that 2007 report was completed, and Parham resigned five months later.

 

KOZI will continue to keep you informed as we continue to obtain and confirm information.

Three of the nine Public Facilities District members have voted in support of offering a sales tax increase to voters to save the TownToyotaCenter, as proposed by East Wenatchee Mayor, Steve Lacey.

 

 

The Cities of Cashmere, Entiat and Rock Island have all announced their backing of the plan that, if passed by the voters, would increase sales tax by .2 percent. That money would then be used to help pay off the arena’s $42 million dollar debt. As proposed, Wenatchee would, in time, pay back the other eight entities.

 

The cities of East Wenatchee, Wenatchee and Chelan, the town of Waterville as well as Douglas and ChelanCounties have not announced any formal decisions yet.

 

ChelanCounty Commissioner Doug England says they still have a lot of questions and concerns; and would like to see a concrete proposal of exactly what they are being asked to vote on.

 

A public facilities district meeting is scheduled for tomorrow at 9am at the town Toyota center, with the hope of some long awaited answers to the many questions from all nine entities. 

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The Chelan Public Library is teaming up with AARP and Chelan Douglas Community Action Council for the third annual free tax preparation event.

 

Gloria Groves, Senior Librarian for Chelan Public Library says the event will take place every Wednesday starting tomorrow and continue until April 11th.

 

If you have any questions regarding the Free Tax Preparations you can call the Chelan Public Library at 682-5131.

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The three agencies involved in the Holden Mine Clean-up project, the Forest Service, Washington Department of Ecology and the Environmental Protection Agency, signed the record of decision for the clean-up site selecting the remedy that will be implemented over the next several years in the clean up of the Holden Mine site.

 

The Record of Decision, often referred to as the “rod”, is dated January 27, 2012 and focuses on the cleanup of hazardous substances, at levels toxic to aquatic life, in the mine ground water and mine drainage being released into nearby Railroad Creek.

 

The remedy includes the collection of the water discharging from the mine and groundwater impacted by the mine, tailings and waste rock. Construction of a barrier wall and water collection system down slope from the former mining area and adjacent to Railroad Creek will reduce the amount of contaminated water that would otherwise enter the creek.

 

Holden Mine Clean-up Project Manager, Norm Day says those waters will then be treated to remove hazardous substances before being released into Railroad Creek.

 

The more than 500 page record of decision document is available for review on the forest service website at www. fs.usda.gov.

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Local community members are invited to bring photos from their family albums to the Chelan Library on Tuesday, February 7th as part of a “Gathering Our Voice” program, which has launched a “Foodways and Byways: The Story of Food in North Central Washington” project.

 

 

Dan Howard, Director of Public Services with North Central Regional Library says organizers are hosting this photo drive followed by a 30-minute DVD.

 

So, again that photo drive will take place at Chelan Public Library on Tuesday, February 7th from noon until 4 pm.

 

If you have any questions you can contact Dan Howard at 800-426-7323.

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ChelanSchool District must be doing something right- both the elementary and high school ranked in the top 23 percent on the latest accountability index through the WashingtonPolicyCenter.

 

Nearly half of Washington’s public schools rank as fair or struggling.

 

Chris Cargill, Eastern Washington Director for WashingtonPolicyCenter, says the index was created in 2009, when the legislature asked the Washington state board of education to track the performance and progress of public schools.

 

Locally, three schools were ranked at the exemplary level: MorganOwingsElementary School in Chelan, BridgeportHigh School and LibertyBellHigh School.

 

Earning a Very Good ranking were ChelanHigh School and Pateros Elementary.

 

If you are interested in seeing how your school did, you can visit washingtonpolicy.org, and click on the public school accountability index.

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House and Senate GOP leaders say too much time is being spent on hot-button issues from gay marriage to plastic bag bans to abolishing the death penalty.

 

State Reprehensive Mike Armstrong, says legislative session is nearly a quarter of the way complete with no timeline on when a draft budget will be circulated.

 

Senator Linda Evens Parlette agrees, adding that she feels democrats are delaying discussions on how to close a $1billion budget gap.

 

The session is supposed to last 60 days and is referred to as a short session.

 

During the special session last month, the Legislature narrowed the $2 billion budget gap to about $1.5 billion through an assortment of agency reductions and fund transfers. They agreed that the main order of business for this session would be to balance the state's budget; however, this round of budget decisions is expected to be much more difficult.

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The Chelan City Council agreed to proceed with the call for bids for the Johnson Avenue Pedestrian Project, with a few changes to the original design.

 

The Pedestrian Project focuses along Johnson Avenue from the new stop light to the Lake Chelan School District Offices.

 

Chelan City Administrator, Jim Reinbold says Johnson Avenue is actually still state highway 150, so the Department of transportation has a significant impact on how the project is being done, adding that the solution is a compromise with them.

 

The City of Chelan Council meets the second and fourth Thursday of each month and will meet again next Thursday, February 9th at 6 pm.

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 Clayton Kimsey continues his road to recovery, and the Chelan community continues to rally support for the 15 year old high school freshman who suffered severe burns in a campfire accident at his home nearly two weeks ago.

 

In an exclusive interview KOZI sat down with Clayton’s sister, Tia, who recounted the events that took place on the night of Clayton’s accident.

 

And despite Clayton’s battle in the hospital, enduring painful surgeries and physical therapy- Tia says it isn’t himself he is worried about.

 

Tia, who spent some time in Seattle with her brother after the accident, returned home to Chelan to help keep everything in order, from the finances to feeding the animals. She admits that sometimes it’s tough being this far away from Clayton and plans to head back over as soon as she can.

 

We again thank Tia for that update and we here at KOZI will continue to wish Clayton a speedy recovery.

 

The Coins For Clayton account is active and accepting donations to help the Kimsey family with their mounting medical and travel expenses.

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Virtually every teenager dreams of getting behind the wheel. A driver’s license is a ticket to freedom.

 

But it’s not as simple as turning 16 and getting your license. The state of Washington requires teenagers to drive under certain restrictions before earning their actual license. It’s called the “Intermediate License” and KOZI’s Student intern and Chelan High School Junior, Cody Laporte is going to tell us more about those rules and restrictions.

 

Teenagers are still are required to pass a written test as well as a driving test before being issued an intermediate license.

 

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The US Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that each year, about 4,000 injuries associated with electric extension cords are treated in hospital emergency rooms.

 

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission also estimates that more than 3,000 residential fires originated in extension cords each year.

 

The most frequent causes of those fires are short circuits, overloading, and use of damaged and just plain misuse of extension cords.

 

We contacted Chelan County Fire District 7 and Lieutenant Pat Moore for some tips on extension cords.

 

Wouldn’t it all just be simpler if extension cords were all cordless?

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The Twisp Town Council met on Tuesday, and discussed the contract with the Chamber of Commerce as well as the location recommendation for the visitor information center, and hopes to have those items finalized at their next meeting.

 

Twisp Town Clerk, Jackie Moriarty says that the issue likely to draw the most public interest was the donation of right away property on Industrial Park Way, but that was moved to their February meeting.

 

Jackie also adds that the Public development Authority, or as they are more commonly known, Twisp Works, had some outdated requirements that the council updated.

 

The Twisp town Council meets the second and fourth Tuesday of each month, making their next meeting Tuesday, February 14th.

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Cascadia Conservation District is offering a workshop as a tool to help people choose the right plant for their projects in conjunction with the annual Native Plant Sale.

 

The workshop will be held Saturday, February 4th in Wenatchee, and Felicia Ollan, Project Coordinator for Cascadia Conservation District, says they anticipate the workshop to fill up fast.

 

Cascadia Conservation District offers a variety of Native Plants during the sale as a way to promote wise stewardship of all natural resources in ChelanCounty.

 

Felicia says the variety of plants change from year to year, but ensures us that they are always native and they each offer something unique.

 

So again, the Native Planting 101 Workshop will be held Saturday, February 4th at the ChelanCounty PUD Auditorium from 12:30-4:30.

If you have any questions about the workshop, call 509-664-9370.

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With January slipping by, is it getting harder to keep that New Year’s resolution of moving more and eating less? If so, the new GET FIT! LAKE CHELAN challenge may provide the boost you need.

Lake Chelan Community Hospital (LCCH) is partnering with Ben Higgins of Chelan, who started GET FIT! LAKE CHELAN last year, as well as other local businesses, to expand the community weight loss challenge. This includes nutrition and fitness workshops, weekly raffles, blogs, cash prizes and the opportunity to collect GET FIT! points by participating in fun fitness activities.

The challenge isn’t just about losing weight, said Brad Hankins, LCCH Chief Operating Officer. It’s about being healthier and more physically active. When participants have their initial weigh in and measurements at LCCH, they will also receive a free blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol screening. They will receive another screening at the conclusion of the challenge. Those tests, combined with weight loss, body fat reduction and participation in GET FIT! activities, will determine the winners.

“But all participants will be winners,” said Hankins.  “The medical screenings will uncover important health information, and the nutrition and fitness workshops will provide tools to success.”

The GET FIT! LAKE CHELAN challenge begins in February and has three start dates, each ending 90 days from the initial weigh-in and screening. People can participate as both an individual and on a team of four.

Everyone who completes a screening will receive a GET FIT! LAKE CHELAN t-shirt and those who lose five percent of their weight or body fat (either as an individual or as a team) will win a sports pack. GET FIT! LAKE CHELAN also encourages friendly competition between area businesses and community members.

 “Partnering with LCCH is going to take the GET FIT challenge to a new level and make it more available to the public,” said Higgins. About 50 people participated in two sessions of the program last year, and the GET FIT team anticipates an increase in 2012.

The team has invited local health and wellness businesses to participate by offering free or reduced-rate activities to GET FIT participants. They hope the free screenings, workshops and friendly competition will spark a community interest to lead a more active and healthy lifestyle.

We’d like to get local restaurants involved too, said Higgins, so that people could choose GET FIT healthy options when they dine out in Manson or Chelan – or even take healthy cooking classes.

Higgins’ fitness journey became eight years ago, when he had a serious medical scare. His cardiologist told him that he was lucky to be alive and that he could either change his lifestyle or die.  “I was a very bad example at the time,” said Higgins. “I ate way too much, and I ate food that was bad for me.”

Higgins took his doctor’s advice to heart. He started walking. The first day he made it around one downtown Chelan block. The next time he tackled two blocks. Before long he was walking three to four miles a day three times a week, which crept to five days, and now Higgins walk every day. “I haven’t missed a day in over seven years,” he said.

When Higgins went back to his cardiologist a year after his medical scare, the doctor didn’t recognize him; he had lost so much weight! Higgins felt better too. “I enjoy life more,” he said, “and I can do things I couldn’t do before. Being more fit made life better for both me and my family.”

After enjoying his improved health and energy for a few years, Higgins decided he needed a little extra motivation. He also wanted to help others get healthier. “I’d seen the show the Biggest Loser,” he said, “and I thought it would be fun to start something like that here, but with no one getting thrown out.”

Higgins bought t-shirts, put up prize money and paid for participants’ first month gym memberships. The program was a success. Not only did participants lose weight, but the motivation helped Higgins stay fit. When he went out, people asked him how far he had walked or how much he had eaten that day. He got on the radio every Monday morning and reported his weight. “Good, bad or ugly,” he said. “And it made me more accountable.”

While participants in GET FIT! LAKE CHELAN certainly won’t be expected to report their weight in the media (all information is confidential), Higgins hopes the challenge will encourage them to eat better and move more. He knows from experience that physical health makes a big difference in life. “When I feel good physically, it makes everything else seem better too,” he said.

Lake Chelan’s hospital is excited to partner with Higgins and looks forward to promoting wellness in the community. If you are interested in joining GET FIT! LAKE CHELAN, you can register for a free screening time at LCCH by calling 682-3300. The first screening dates are Feb. 15-16, followed by Feb. 22-23 and Feb. 29 – March 1. They will be held between 7-9 AM, and participants must be fasting for 12 hours prior to screening. There will be both men and women screeners available.

Visit www.getfitlakechelan.com for more information, recipes and blogs by community members. You can also visit the challenge’s Facebook page at facebook.com/getfitlakechelan.

Organizer and sponsors of GET FIT! LAKE CHELAN so far are Chelan Realty, Yogachelan, Heartfelt Fitness, Chelan Red Apple, Manson Red Apple, England Chiropractic, Take Shape for Life, Lake Chelan Network, LCCH, KOZI, Chelan Printing & Signs, Chelan Fruit, and Chelan Fresh. Other area businesses who would like to participate are encouraged to contact Agustin at abenegas@lcch.net or 682-3300.

 

The Lake Chelan School  board continues to look at the option of allowing the current community ball fields to be the future home of the Aquatics and Community Center as proposed by the Aquatics Center Committee.

 

Superintendent Rob Manahan explains that at this point the school board is asking for public input on that specific location.

 

The date ad time have not been set for that public hearing, but Manahan expects it to be scheduled for late February.

 

The proposed location for the Aquatics and Community Center is primarily used by the ChelanParks & Recreation for soccer and baseball games for area youth.

 

If you have any question, concerns, ideas or comments, you are encouraged to call the Chelan school district office at 682-3515.

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World Book Night Directors hope to have 50 thousand book givers signed up by February 1st from all over the United States.

 

KOZI’s student intern and Chelan High School Junior, Cody LaPorte, has more about this worldwide event aimed at creating an opportunity for people to focus attention on books and reading.

 

35 thousand copies of each World Book Night title will be printed as special, not for resale paperbacks totaling over a million copes to be distributed worldwide.

 

The organization wants book givers to reach out to new or light readers, especially in underserved places like nursing homes, schools, hospitals and poor neighborhoods; but also in public gathering places like coffee shops and malls.

 

If you would like more information on World Book Night you can visit www.us.worldbooknight.org.

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As the winter weather settles in, the number of accidents rises.

 

Twenty four percent of vehicle crashes are weather related, and Chelan County Sergeant, Rob Huddleston, says simply slowing down is usually the answer.

 

So, check your tires, slow down and watch for ice.

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The Pateros School Board met on Monday and received word that students will be serving as ambassadors at the state level for an upcoming LEAP conference.

 

LEAP stands for Latino Educational Achievement Project and was founded in 1998 to help improve academic achievement of Latino students in WashingtonState. The goal is for all students to graduate from high school with the skills, knowledge and confidence needed for success in postsecondary education and in today’s technology-driven workplace.

 

 

Pateros Superintendent, Louis Davies, says they were pleasantly surprised to hear that the committee had chosen five students from Pateros.

 

Superintendent Davies adds that the board selected Design West out of Salt Lake CityUtah as their architect for a study and survey.

 

The Pateros School Board will meet again Monday, February 27th.

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As Clayton Kimsey prepares for his second round of surgeries, scheduled for today, the Chelan community is rallying support for the 15-year-old high school freshman who suffered severe burns in a campfire accident at his home ten days ago.

 

Coins For Clayton is open for donations at Bank of America as well as Cashmere Valley Bank. All money donated will go towards Clayton’s medical costs as well as the family’s travel costs.

 

Clayton is still listed in serious condition at HarborviewMedicalCenter, and although he is gaining strength daily, his body needs more than he is able to feed it, as his sister, Tia Kimsey explains.

 

Last week, Clayton went through his first round of surgery, which focused on removing his burnt skin, and is scheduled for another surgery today.

 

We here at KOZI wish Clayton a speedy recovery, and will keep you posted on his progress.

 

We also want to thank the Kimsey family for keeping KOZI updated as Clayton heals.

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Three Rivers Hospital Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to release Quorum Health Resources as the hospitals consulting firm.

 

Rebecca Meadows, the hospital Director of Marketing and Community Relations, says the hospital has paid more than 1.5 million dollars to Quorum over the past seven years, and the board has decided they are no longer willing to pay for their services.

 

The decision to drop Quorum will take effect April 1st.

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The Chelan City Council will meet tomorrow, and, among other agenda items, they will consider business license revision, making it less complicated to apply for the annual license required by the city.

 

ChelanCity Administrator, Jim Reinbold says that in addition to the business license revision, the council will be asked to authorize the city to proceed with the call for bids for the Johnson Avenue Pedestrian Project.

 

Reinbold adds that the council will also designate a 2012 Mayor Pro Tem, a position that is currently held by senior council member, Guy Harper.

 

The Chelan City Council will meet tomorrow evening at 6 PM in the Council Chambers on Johnson here in Chelan.

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The Brewster City Council considered a proposed draft ordinance pertaining to recurring false alarms for law enforcement after a few businesses fail to correct the problem.

 

Brewster Mayor, Lee Webster says the council is just discussing the possible ordinance at this point.

 

The Brewster City Council will likely visit the topic again during their next meeting, which will be held Wednesday, February 8th at 6 pm at the BrewsterCity Hall. 

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Applications are now being accepted by the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, for assistance that will help farmers conserve energy.

 

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program is a program that provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers through contracts up to a maximum of ten years. Those contracts help plan and implement conservation practices that address natural resource concerns and for opportunities to improve soil, water, plant, animal, air and related resources on agricultural land and non-industrial private forest land.

 

Amy Hendershot, a resource conservationist for NRCS out of Wenatchee, says the program is essential at a time like this when fuel and other products are becoming more expensive.

 

Amy adds that applications will be reviewed three times starting in February and will be awarded on the basis of need and project worthiness.

 

Historically, underserved producers, such as farmers and ranchers with limited resource, beginning farmers and ranchers, and socially disadvantaged producers may be eligible for a higher payment rate for implementing conservation practices and plans.

Again that number is 664-9303.

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Just more than a week after suffering serious buns in a campfire accident, Chelan High School Freshman, Clayton Kimsey, is gaining strength daily.

 

Clayton remains in serious condition at Harborview Medical center and is expected to have a lengthy stay as he undergoes surgeries and physical therapy.

 

A “Coins 4 Clayton” account is now active at Bank of America here in Chelan as well as Cashmere Valley Bank- and donation cans have been set up at Safeway and various businesses throughout town.

 

Clayton’s sister, Tia Kimsey, says the Chelan Community has been amazing to her family as the medical and travel costs are already beginning to mount.

 

And, Tia adds that Clayton has a long way to go, as most of his body was severely burned, but the family is starting to see signs of his fun-loving and playful attitude again.

 

Be sure to tune into KOZI tomorrow for an exclusive look at Clayton’s road to recovery, as the Kimsey family keeps us up to date on his progress.

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"CLICK HERE" for Audio

Last week, Mr. Scott Raab, of ChelanHigh School spent some cool nights outside of the High School in a shelter tent.

 

KOZI’s Cody Laporte, a student intern through the ChelanHigh School’s Career Connection class, has more on the unique fundraising event.

 

We thank Cody for that report, and look forward to more from him as we continue our partnership with Chelan High School Career Connections Class.

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Intalco Aluminum Corporation has backed out of the proposal they submitted to the Forest Service, which would allow them to construct and use a barge loading facility at Fields Point Landing.

 

Bob Sheehan, Chelan District Ranger says he asked for public input on the proposed project and the response was large, raising several concerns and questions surrounding the plan.

 

Those concerns were passed onto Intalco, who is now indicating they will be re-evaluating their options for a down lake port, though Sheehan is not sure where they are looking.

 

Sheehan adds that if Intalco does decide to make another request to move forward with the Fields Landing project, it would be necessary to respond to the many questions and concerns that were raised.

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MansonSchool District is thinking outside the box- or at least outside the walls- when it comes to education. The school is offering classes to parents and community members.

 

Manson School Superintendent, Matt Charlton, says these classes are provided through grants and it all kicks off this Thursday.

 

Again, those classes will begin this Thursday, and include a beginning computers class, an advanced computers class and English as a second language class.

 

If you have any questions, you can call MansonSchool District at 687-3140.

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The Manson Apple Blossom Committee held their annual Royalty Selection Night last Saturday- choosing their 2012 Royal Court.

 

Ten girls were vying for the title of Apple Blossom Royalty, showing off their evening gowns, giving speeches that included the theme of Pirates Petals and Pearls, and answering an impromptu question.

 

Mike Steele served as the Master of Ceremonies, and had the honor of introducing the

2012 Royal Court for the first time, to the excitement of the audience, as you can hear in this audio.

 

Congratulations to the 2012 Manson Apple Blossom Royalty as you begin your journey representing your community.

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A celebration of life for Gaye Gavin has been scheduled for this Thursday, January 26 at Campbells Resort in Chelan.

 

KOZI’s Hayli Libbey-Thompson has more on well know and much loved member of the Chelan community.

 

Gaye was the matriarch of the community minded Gavin Family and will be missed as a mother, wife and friend.

 

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Gavin Family and friends.

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Chelan County PUD Board of Commissioners decided at their January 16th meeting to continue on with their every other week meetings, rather than weekly.

 

Dennis Bolz, Board Chairman, says the decision narrowly passed with a 3-2 vote.

 

Bolz adds that they will continue with the every other Monday meetings, but have added a new guideline.

 

The ChelanCounty PUD Board of Commissioners will meet again a week from today, on Monday, January 30th

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KOZI has teamed up with Chelan High School Career Connections Class to help offer students the opportunity to experience professions they may have an interest in.

 

ChelanHigh School junior, Cody Laporte has worked with us here at KOZI for several months and took the opportunity to watch fellow classmates make presentations on their experience.

 

KOZI is glad to be a part of the future of our students in the ChelanValley and look forward to more news from Cody as he continues his journey with us. 

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The City of Brewster kicked off the 2012 year by administering the oath of office to a newly appointed board member before continuing on with their business.

 

Brewster Mayor Lee Webster says that among other business, the council was approached by Fire District 15, who is interested in purchasing a fire hall from the city.

 

And, water is still a big topic for the Brewster City Council.

 

Mayor Webster says the costs involved with the Water Comprehensive Plan keep mounting, but adds Brewster has great potential for obtaining grant funds for the projects.

 

The Brewster City Council holds their regular meetings on second Wednesday of each month, making their next meeting February 8th at 6 pm.

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The Chelan City Council held a public meeting last week to discuss General Facility Charges and code enforcement.

 

Jim Reinbold, City Administrator, explains that the city is required to enforce city codes, and changing codes is not as easy as it sounds.

 

Another topic of discussion was the General Facility Charge, which Reinbold says was instituted in 2006 when the building boom was going, but admits it is likely ready to be revised.

 

The Chelan City Council will hold their regularly scheduled meeting this Thursday at 6 pm at the Council Chambers on Johnson.

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The Chelan County PUD has sent two – 6-person line crews to help restore power  to  people who were affected by the recent ice and snow storm in the Seattle area.

 

Steve Lochowicz, spokesman for Chelan CountyPUD, says the agreement with neighboring PUD’s is beneficial for all those involved.

 

Steve says he expects the crews to stay through the weekend, unless they are called home early to deal with issues locally.

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The Wenatchee Washington State Patrol is investigating Tuesday’s auto accident that claimed the life of Gaye Gavin.

 

WSP Spokesperson, Kandi Patrick, says troopers are seeking witnesses that may have seen anything, no matter how significant it may seem.

 

If you have any information or know somebody that does, please contact Trooper Dan Richmond at 509-682-8103.

 

68 year old Kristine Gaye Gudmundson Gavin was a much loved mother and wife. She was a friend of hundreds and never ever missed an opportunity to “befriend” a cat or kitten. She always referred to her cats as “my other children.”

 

Her ‘biological’ children and family have set up a remembrance fund at the Wenatchee Valley Humane Society so Gaye’s infinity for her furry friends can continue forever. You can send your remembrance to the Wenatchee Valley Humane Society, PO Box 55, Wenatchee, WA98801.

 

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of a lovely woman who will be sincerely missed.

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Pateros Mayor, Gail Howe, announced at the council meeting on Tuesday that Pateros would have a new Fire Chief.

 

Mayor Howe, says she has chosen to replace Mike Lambert, who has served as Pateros Fire Chief for several years, with Ray Sandy.

 

The Council also accepted the lone bid that came in for the purchase of their old fire truck.

 

The City of Pateros regularly holds their meetings on the third Monday of each month, however, that is Presidents Day, so the council has opted to change their meeting to Tuesday, February 21st at 6 pm.

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Authorities from OkanoganCounty are perplexed by the disappearance of Peter Greene, an Alzheimer’s patient at an Omak assisted care facility and are now expanding their reach to the public for possible leads.

 

Okanogan County Sheriff Frank Rogers says he went missing in the late evening hours of January 2nd and hasn’t been seen or heard from since.

 

Greene was wearing a bracelet that indicated he is an Alzheimer’s patient and is listed as a missing and vulnerable person.

 

Anyone with information is asked to call Okanogan County Sheriff’s Department at 509-422-7232.

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ChelanCounty PUD board of commissioners approved the sale of a small piece of property in Entiat during their meeting Monday, January 16th.

 

Steve Vaughn, Real Estate Specialist for the PUD, says they own several “remnants” of land that were left over from the building of Rocky Reach Dam.

 

Vaughn expects the PUD to sell a few other lots to the City of Entiat and possibly others to adjoining property owners.

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With so many options on the table, it comes as no surprise that officials from the nine cities and counties that helped build the TownToyotaCenter, can not agree on a single plan.

 

The nine government entities that make up the Greater Wenatchee Regional Events Center Public Facilities District; have been presented with several plans for paying off the $42 million debt that went into default on Dec. 1st.

 

Among the proposals, those of East Wenatchee Mayor, Steve Lacy, and the plan from DouglasCounty are being looked at the closest.

 

In short:

 

Mayor Lacy’s proposal calls for a  .2 percent sales tax increase for all nine jurisdictions for 15 years, at which time the City of Wenatchee would then start paying back sales tax revenues that the other eight jurisdictions paid, plus interest.

 

Douglas County Commissioners have proposed a .2 percent increase for Wenatchee only, while East Wenatchee imposes a .1 percent sales tax increase while Chelan and DouglasCounties help make bond payments for one year, but the City of Wenatchee would pay those back.

 

Entiat Mayor, Mark Vradenburg admits both plans have its own set of hurdles.

 

Of the proposals presented, all would require a public vote and some would need approval from the state Legislature. In all scenarios, the city of Wenatchee would carry the largest burden.

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The Manson Apple Blossom Committee is gearing up for their royalty selection night this Saturday at MansonHigh School.

 

Committee Member, Cindy Simmons says plans for Saturday’s big event are underway, and adds that all ten candidates are very impressive this year.

 

Cindy says the theme for the festival this year is Pirates, Petals and Pearls and it will be incorporated into Saturday night’s Royalty Selection.

 

Again, the Manson Apple Blossom Royalty Selection night will be Saturday, January 21st starting at 7 pm at MansonHigh School.

 

Tune into to KOZI Monday morning for the results of who will be the Manson Apple Blossom Royalty.

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Last week, at their first meeting of the new year, the Bridgeport City Council began the transition of operating with a deputy clerk instead of a city administrator. That means newly appointed mayor, Marilynn Lynn will have a somewhat different role in the organization chart that manages the city. Lynn said the recent retirement of the city administrator opened the door for change.

 

The details of that meeting have not been worked out yet but once a date, location  and time for that workshop are set we’ll share that information with you..

 

Mayor Lynn says the next council meeting will include a public hearing to gather public input on potentially applying for grant funds to use on a pair of proposed projects in the city.

 

The public hearing will be part of the next Bridgeport Council Meeting on Wednesday, January 25 at BridgeportCity Hall. The meeting gets underway at 7 PM.

 

 

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Chelan CountyPUD will host three public meetings over the next two months to gather input on a proposed increase to water and sewer rates.

 

The planned 6 percent increase is in the ChelanCounty PUD budget this year, but commissioners want to give customers a chance to comment before the rate increase is expected to take effect.

 

Commissioner Dennis Bolz says the increase would boost revenue by 207 thousand for water and 22 thousand for sewer.

 

Bolz admits that nobody likes rate increases, but the hope is to move services where they aren’t operating at a loss while still providing the best rates possible.

 

The three meetings will be Monday, February 6th in Wenatchee, Wednesday, February 8th in Leavenworth and Monday, March 5th in Wenatchee. 

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Echo Valley and the Ski School will open this Saturday 1/21/2012  at 10 AM.

 

Volunteers are needed this weekend to help with the opening and running the rope tows.  This is a great way to work off your volunteer hours and have some fun at the same time. 

 

Hill manager Oro Starcher can be reached via email at ostarcher@gmail.com.  If you could help out please contact him as soon as possible.

(509) 687.3167 (operating hours only)
(509) 682.4002 (information line)
echovalleyinfo@gmail.com
echovalley.org

We now know that yesterday’s fatal auto accident on 97A south of Entiat claimed the life of a well known and much loved Chelan woman.

 

The Washington State Patrol reports 68 year old Kristine Gavin, who we knew as “Gay” Gavin, was northbound on 97A at about 3:30 yesterday afternoon when she lost control of her car and crossed the centerline. Gavin’s Lincoln town car struck an oncoming pick-up truck driven by a 43 year old Wenatchee driver. “Gay” Gavin was declared dead at the scene. The Wenatchee driver is being treated for injuries at CentralWashingtonHospital.

 

Gay Gavin was the matriarch of the community minded Gavin Family and will be missed as a mother, wife and friend. Together with her husband “Rick” they owned and operated the Lake Chelan Mirror newspaper in its heyday.

 

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Gavin Family and friends.

The latest update on 15 year old Clayton Kimsey includes some encouraging news.

 

Clayton is being treated at HarborviewMedicalCenter in Seattle after suffering severe burns in a campfire accident last weekend.

 

Kimsey family friend, Whitney Dublin, said Clayton is already showing signs of improvement.

 

Whitney says the support from locals has been an inspiration for the Kimsey family.

 

Though Clayton is expected to make a complete recovery his burns are severe and a lengthy hospital stay is expected. The medical and travel costs are already beginning to mount.

 

Donation cans have also been placed at the Chelan Safeway in both the bakery and the customer service counter. You can also make donations at the the Best Western Lakeside and several other area businesses.

 

All of us here at Kozi wish a speedy recovery for Clayton and look forward to welcoming him back to home as soon as possible. We would like to thank Kimsey family friends, Whitney Dublin and Carrie Felton and all the Safeway employees who helped us put this story together. 

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After newly elected council members Mike Steele and Ben Higgins were administered the oath of office last week, the Chelan City Council got right to work and approved lease agreements with for use of the City’s recently acquired Masonic Temple Building.

 

Chelan Mayor Bob Goedde says the funds from the leases will help pay the utilities for the building as well as add security until the library moves in.

 

In other city business, Mayor Goedde says the council received good news when they opened bids for the Waste Water Expansion project and discovered bids that came in about 1 million dollars less than expected.

 

The Chelan City Council meets twice a month on the second and fourth Thursday. The next meeting is scheduled for 6 PM Thursday, January 26th at City Hall on Johnson Avenue.

 

The Mayor and other city officials join us right here in the studio every Friday morning just after 8 AM and you are always invited to listen in. You can submit questions for the City by sending an email to AIR@Kozi.com

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To the relief of Stehekin residents, the tiny uplake rural Post Office serving their community has been taken off the chopping block by the Postal Service.

 

Postal Service spokesman, Ernie Swanson, says the Stehekin Post Office was likely saved because it is in such a remote location.

 

Swanson said all Postal Service Facilities slated for possible closure have been spared at least temporarily as a solution to the financial problems plaguing the Postal Sevice is sought.

 

The Chelan Falls Post Office does remain on the list for possible closure but no final decisions have been made.

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15 year old Chelan High School Freshman, Clayton Kimsey, is listed in serious condition at HarborviewMedicalCenter in Seattle after suffering severe burns in a campfire accident this past weekend.

 

Chief Tim Lemon with Chelan Fire and Rescue says the incident occurred just before 6 PM Sunday night in UnionValley as Clayton was starting a fire.

 

Following initial medical treatment at Lake Chelan Community Hospital Clayton was airlifted to the Harborview Burn Unit for treatment of his burns. It is anticipated Clayton will receive multiple skin grafts over the next weeks and months and will likely remain in the hospital for an extended period.

 

An account has been set up at Bank of America to help the family with medical and travel expenses related to Clayton’s recovery.

 

Several of Clayton’s family members, including his mother Sissy and sister Tia, work at the Chelan Safeway and fellow employees have placed donation cans at both the bakery and the customer service counter for those who wish to support the family.

 

All of us here at KOZI wish a speedy recovery for Clayton and look forward to welcoming him back to home as soon as possible. We would like to thank Kimsey family friend, Carrie Melton and all the Safeway employees who helped us put this story together.

 

Stay tuned to KOZI for additional information as it becomes available.

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Knowing that “Planning Ahead Is Good Management ” Manson Fire District 5 is conducting a workshop this Saturday as they plan for the future.

 

Manson Fire Chief, Arnold Baker, says all the fire commissioners will be attending and the meeting is open to the public as well. Baker said the commissioners will use the workshop to exchange ideas and gather public input as they update their Capital Facilities Plan.

 

Chief Baker points out that that one of the big questions for future plans include staffing options at the two firehouses in District 5.

 

The workshop will be held this Saturday at 10 am. Manson Fire Station 1 on West Manson Blvd.

MansonParks and Recreation board of trustees met on Thursday January 5th to address budget changes needed to operate with considerably less revenue after two failed levy attempts last year.

 

Parks Director, Wai Petersen, says the key is to find a way to operate efficiently with half the budget they have been running with.

 

In addition, Wai says the board has already moved into the planning stages for the next levy, though it is unclear at this time when that will be.

 

The MansonParks and Recreation board will meet next on Thursday, February 9th at 4 PM in the Park Board Room on Pedoi in Manson.

What started as a minor leak last spring, has turned up a snowball of problems that is raising questions surrounding the structural deficiencies of the TwispTown Hall.

 

The building was built in the 1950’s so it isn’t surprising that some maintenance is needed but Twisp Public Works Superintendent Howard Moss says level of repairs to the building quickly escalated after a few leaks were spotted last year.

 

Moss says a committee has been formed to help decide the future of the building.

 

The special building committee is expected to give a report at the next Twisp Town Council meeting on Tuesday, January 24th.

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The Manson Apple Blossom Committee is gearing up for their royalty selection night this Saturday at MansonHigh School.

 

Committee Member, Cindy Simmons says plans for Saturday’s big event are underway, and the committee is eager to crown the 2012 Apple Blossom Royalty.

 

Again, the Manson Apple Blossom Royalty Selection night will be Saturday, January 21st starting at 7 pm at MansonHigh School.

 

And be sure to tune in to KOZI at 10:30 this morning when we are scheduled to talk to the 10 girls running for the title of Manson Apple Blossom Royalty.

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Chelan citizens will have an opportunity to weigh in on the topics of General Facility Charges and code enforcement at a special Meeting tomorrow night at ChelanCity Hall.

 

General Facilities Charges, or GFC’s, is the fee new development pays to the city to connect to current water and sewer connections. On top of that developers are also required to pay for all infrastructure improvements both on their development property and often to deficiencies that exist adjacent to the property being developed. Some citizens believe that the GFC Fees stymie development and are, in some case, unfair and counterproductive.

 

Chelan Mayor Bob Goedde say the philosophy behind GFC’s is sound but the formula for determining the fee can be reexamined.

 

The GFC Fee varies from neighborhood to neighborhood depending upon existing water pressure and other infrastructure already in place.

 

According to Mayor Goedde the other topic on the agenda for tomorrow nights public meeting, code enforcement, is a hot topic amongst citizens right now for a number of reasons. Chelan employs a full time code enforcement officer in addition to full time parking enforcement officer which some citizens believe may be a little “heavy handed” in code enforcement.

 

We often hear complaints about being required to obtain permits to change out a water heater in your home or even just a new bathroom faucet. Outside of the City Limits of Chelan permits are either not required of not enforced for these simple types of routine maintenance, yet in the city limits enforcement officials seem to seek out violators rather aggressively. The council will discuss that tomorrow night at 6 PM.

 

Mayor Goedde says code enforcement is a city decision with council and administration setting policy for both adoption of rules and enforcement.

 

Again, that meeting will be held tomorrow evening at 6 PM at the Chelan Council Chambers on Johnson Ave. Plan on attending and voicing your opinion or be willing to accept what the decision is without your input.

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What appears to be an isolated snow storm at Orondo Cider Works turns out to be just that, an isolated snow storm.

 

Chuck Podlich, CEO of Orondo Cider Works, admits he may have crossed some picket lines of Mother Nature’s apparent snow strike, but he found a way to make his own snow.

 

Visitors to Orondo Cider Works are encouraged to enjoy the snow, taking a turn on Chuck’s popular sledding hill.

 

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With the prediction of snow in the forecast, an increased number of skiers are likely to head to the hills, and the Washington State Patrol is handing down a warning to not park on the shoulder of the highway.

 

Kandi Patrick, Washington State Patrol Lieutenant, says the shoulder parking was out of hand after the last snowfall, prompting a higher level of enforcement.

 

Motorists are also reminded to check road conditions prior to traveling this winter by going to the Washington Department of Transportation website at www.wsdot.wa.gov or by calling 511.

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