If you go
If you go What: Chelan County PUD release of fiber-system analysis findings.
Douglas PUD to rehab 45-year-old hatchery
WELLS DAM — Douglas County PUD commissioners have agreed to hire a Gig Harbor engineering firm to modernize the fish hatchery at Wells Dam. The hatchery dates to 1967, the year Wells Dam began generating electricity, and has not been modernized since, PUD spokeswoman Meaghan Vibbert said in an email.
Chelan PUD banks big gain in 2011
WENATCHEE — Cost-cutting and a big water year shepherded the Chelan County PUD to a $17.1 million gain in 2011, despite rock-bottom market prices for its surplus electricity. “These healthy results help us with our goal of saving for a rainy day,” Kelly Boyd, chief financial and risk offer for the utility, told commissioners Monday.
Retail fiber authority for PUDs dies in Olympia
WENATCHEE — A bill that would have given PUDs the authority to sell Internet services directly to the public has expired in the state legislature, but the effort could rise again next year. HB 1711 failed to meet a Feb. 3 deadline to emerge from the house Technology, Energy and Communications Committee. That means it can’t move on in the current legislative session to be considered for law.
All trussed up, nowhere to go
EAST WENATCHEE — The new Canyon B Bridge is almost ready, but motorists will have to wait until next year to drive across it. That’s how long it’ll take for Eastmont Avenue to “catch up.”
Lights are back on in Chumstick
UPDATE — The Chelan County PUD reports that power was restored to the Chumstick Canyon area just before 1 p.m. Crews expected the outage to last until 3 p.m., but discovered less damage to equipment than originally thought.
Airport to seek funding to save water, boost sustainability
EAST WENATCHEE -- Pangborn Memorial Airport will seek grant funding to replace green areas around the terminal and outbuildings with low-water use xeriscape landscaping.
Entiat agrees to put arena tax to voters
ENTIAT — The Entiat City Council unanimously agreed Thursday to put to voters a proposed sales-tax bailout for Town Toyota Center. The community became the second of the nine municipalities that own the indebted arena to agree to put a proposed two-tenths-percent sales tax increase to voters.
Crews patch up avenue mess
WENATCHEE — City crews are patching up and cleaning up after a 3 a.m. water main break Thursday left hotels and businesses without water along a part of North Wenatchee Avenue. Work today will square up the gigantic hole they had to dig along the southbound avenue between Seventh and Ninth streets to repair both the cracked water main and a section of parallel stormwater pipe that crews accidentally broke while digging.
Last-minute entry lands local band on Styx stage
WENATCHEE — Time was running out. Monitor couple Brad and Lisa Petit wanted their Lynus and Lucy Band to be the opening act at the upcoming Styx concert at Town Toyota Center.
Burst water pipe closes Av, leaves businesses dry
WENATCHEE — Work to repair a city water pipe that ruptured early this morning may keep North Wenatchee Avenue between Fifth and Ninth streets closed for much of the day and some businesses without water. City night crews saw water spilling over the avenue around 3 a.m., and shut down water to the area.
Broken water line closes Wenatchee Avenue
Wenatchee Avenue between Seventh and Ninth streets is closed this morning as crews work to repair a broken water line that has cut water to businesses in the area.
Ice smacks city; classes canceled or delayed
WENATCHEE — Well. That was interesting. A mix of sleet and freezing rain Tuesday night in Wenatchee and heavy snow in some higher elevations this morning made for treacherous metro-area driving conditions.
College to host financial aid events
WENATCHEE -- High school seniors who are planning to take college courses during the 2012-2013 school year can learn about financial aid by attending upcoming events at Wenatchee Valley College.
Intoxicants linked to deadly a.m. crash
BRIDGEPORT -- Intoxicants were a factor this morning in a single-car accident one mile north of Bridgeport that claimed the life of one of three people aboard, the State Patrol announced in a news release.
Snow helps cops bust serial burglar
Snow helps cops bust serial burglar Wenatchee police this morning arrested a 30-year-old Wenatchee man suspected of burglarizing a home and committing at least 10 vehicle prowls.
Grant Road bypass to open by late summer
EAST WENATCHEE — A new roadway that will carry southbound motorists from the Sen. George Sellar Bridge along the west side of the Fred Meyer parking lot to Highway 28 should be open by late summer. But that doesn’t mean that the $29.9 million Grant Road bypass project will be finished by then, says Kevin Waligorski, project engineer for the state Department of Transportation.
Malaga fire claims two lives
MALAGA — An electrical problem was the likely cause of the house fire that killed two people early this morning , Investigators say.
Lynus and Lucy to open for Styx
The Lynus and Lucy Band will open for Styx Feb. 1 at Town Toyota Center. The four-member "acoustic alternative" band won a "battle of the bands" contest launched by Town Toyota Center on its Facebook page to find a local opener for Styx. Fourteen bands were rated on the number of "Likes" they received as well as a set of critea by local, expert judges.
Forging the Wenatchee ‘brand’
Quick! When you think of a visit to Wenatchee, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? OK, besides apples.
PUD sends crews to help with west side outages
WENATCHEE — The Chelan County PUD this morning sent two, 6-person line crews to help the Snohomish County PUD restore power to homes and businesses affected by Seattle-area ice and snow. PUD spokesman Steve Lachowicz said the utility has mutual-aid agreements with neighboring PUDs to help out, when local crews can be spared.
County planners reject Grant PUD’s White River fish project
WENATCHEE — Chelan County planners say the Grant County PUD should be denied most of the permits needed to build salmon-rearing ponds on a protected White River shoreline because the project doesn’t comply with state and federal requirements. Now it’s up to a land-use judge to decide.
Snow’s piling up around the region
WENATCHEE — The valley’s much-anticipated winter blast arrived today, with lots of snow in the week’s forecast, including 8 to 9 inches expected today. A winter storm warning remains in effect for most of Eastern Washington. Less severe conditions are predicted for Okanogan County.
Sign up for 'Parenting Cafe' for help raising teenagers
WENATCHEE — Catholic Family & Child Service and Wenatchee High School are seeking participants for a free, five-week workshop on how to become a better parent to teenage children. Facilitator Doug Taylor, a counselor at the high school, says the “Parenting Cafe” will delve into topics that include dealing with challenging behavior, understanding the teenage brain and enhancing parenting skills.
Higher water, sewer rates proposed for PUD customers
WENATCHEE — The Chelan County PUD could increase its water and sewer rates starting April 1 to continue to edge those services out of the red. Commissioners will host public meetings next month in Wenatchee and Leavenworth to get customer feedback, before voting on the staff rate proposal March 5.
PUD to stick to twice-monthly meeting schedule
Chelan County PUD commissioners decided Monday by split vote to stick to their current schedule of two regular board meetings per month — on the first and third Monday.
Snow shovel lonely? Not for long!
WENATCHEE — Snow’s still in the forecast in a big way, with the bulk of it — as much as 10 inches — expected to fall in the valley Wednesday. Here’s the breakdown:
Snow expected, finally!
WENATCHEE — A winter storm watch is in effect for all of Eastern Washington, with lots of snow in the forecast Tuesday and Wednesday. Snowfall predictions by the National Weather Service in Spokane remained in flux this morning, but one to three inches of are expected tomorrow, another three to five inches tomorrow night, six to 10 inches Wednesday and another one to three inches Wednesday night.
Time's almost up to apply for trip to Misawa
If you’ve ever considered becoming part of the group that represents the Wenatchee Valley on a trip to its sister city, Misawa, Japan, now’s the time to get the process started.
Dock work sends divers down
Bedrock anchoring system the lake's first
LAKE CHELAN — Professional diver John Frost distractedly pulled on his dry suit and gear, while whistling a familiar “Wizard of Oz” tune. Occasionally he’d sing a snippet:
City reimburses mayor for most recall expenses
COULEE CITY — The town council of this north-Columbia Basin community in December agreed to reimburse its mayor for most of the legal expenses he incurred fighting a failed attempt at recall. The settlement ends a year-long, knock-down, drag-out recall fight that burdened this wheat-farming town of 562 people with uncharacteristic animosity, unwanted media attention and legal expense.
Public hearing coming on Grant PUD’s White River fish project
WENATCHEE — A hearing to gather public comment on the Grant County PUD’s proposal to build fish ponds along a 17-acre tract of White River shoreline is set for Jan. 18 at 10 a.m. This is one of the last steps in the county’s decision-making process on the project, which dates to May 2001.
Humane Society still searching for dog that bit pedestrian
EAST WENATCHEE — Wenatchee Valley Animal Control officers continued Saturday to ask for the public’s help in locating a Rottweiler that bit a pedestrian Friday a few blocks south of Bi-Mart.
Public gets say on dam rehab’s impact to local schools
COULEE DAM — The public has until Feb. 10 to comment on how upcoming work to rehabilitate Grand Coulee Dam’s third power plant will impact the Grant Coulee Dam School District. What does one have to do with the other?
About Seaport Airlines
History: Company began as Juneau-based Wings of Alaska in 1982. It was purchased by SeaPort Airlines in 2008. Ownership: 12 Portland-area investors. Wings of Alaska is now a company brand, like Horizon Air is to Alaska Airlines.
NCW
NCW La Niña winter mimics last year’s
Tax deadline is two days later
WENATCHEE — Taxpayers will have until April 17 this year to file their 2011 tax return — two days more than usual, the Internal Revenue Service announced Wednesday in a news release. Why the extra time? The usual deadline, April 15, falls on a Sunday, which is followed, Monday, by Emancipation Day, a holiday observed in the District of Columbia, the news release said.
Amy Ferrell Macy’s million-dollar teacher converting garage into Da Vinci-inspired school
WENATCHEE — When a kindergarten teacher wins $1 million what does she do with it? If she’s Amy Ferrell, she keeps right on teaching. Ferrell, winner of Macy’s Million Dollar Makeover in May, has purchased a new, larger home with her husband Chester and their five children.
30 home brewers walk into a kitchen...
WENATCHEE — The beer that Steve Olsen brews in his Chelan backyard makes his dog drool. The aroma of the cooking malt, grain and hops is like a dinner bell for Fred, the chocolate lab.
NCW beer making at a glance
NCW beer making at a glance
Home beer makers put the craft back in the brew
WENATCHEE — Shake a bottle of beer before you open it. You know what’ll happen. Trapped inside the amber enclosure, the liquid transforms into energy — a force that’s eager to make a splash the second the cap comes off.
Amy Ferrell Macy’s million-dollar teacher converting garage into Da Vinci-inspired school
WENATCHEE — When a kindergarten teacher wins $1 million what does she do with it? If she’s Amy Ferrell, she keeps right on teaching. Ferrell, winner of Macy’s Million Dollar Makeover in May, has purchased a new, larger home with her husband Chester and their five children.
Effort underway to foil outage-causing squirrels
EAST WENATCHEE — The Douglas County PUD Thursday launched a major effort to install animal guards on pole equipment to stop squirrels from causing rashes of mini power outages. The World reported in July how neighbors in some of East Wenatchee’s leafier districts were resetting all their digital clocks several times a week or even daily, due to the squirrel-caused mini outages.
Pangborn lands second airline
EAST WENATCHEE — Pangborn Memorial Airport has landed a second commercial airline that will fly to an airport besides Sea-Tac, The World has learned. Airport Manager Greg Phillips said officials from the new carrier will make the announcement Thursday morning.
Judge halts Islanders’ eviction from Crescent Bar — at least for now
SPOKANE — A federal judge Tuesday blocked the Grant County PUD from evicting leaseholders on Crescent Bar Island pending a future court hearing. U.S. District Court Judge Justin Quackenbush has set a hearing for March 1 to rule on arguments for and against the islanders’ motions for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction that would let them stay on Crescent Bar until their legal and federal efforts are resolved — a process that could take years.
The Ghost Bike back in place
EAST WENATCHEE — The Ghost Bike, a memorial along the east side of the Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail to a fallen rider, is back in place after vandals threw it down the hill into some brush by the Columbia River. Alerted to the bike’s disappearance by frequent trail user Richard Martin, A World reporter called Joel Bender, maintenance supervisor for Eastmont Parks.
Forecast: Better than blah
Actual ‘weather’ replaces weeks of fog
WENATCHEE — This coming week will bring rain to most of North Central Washington with potentially a foot of snow accumulation in the mountain passes. The good news? That’s better than weeks of fog and stagnant air.
The Worm: Miracles and rememberance
Skyler heals, charms Skyler Roehrick of Leavenworth is charming the nurses at New Jersey’s Meadowlands Hospital.
Grant PUD approves $497 million budget
Grant County PUD commissioners Monday adopted a $497 million budget for 2012 that includes about $185 million for capital projects and $114.5 million for operations and maintenance.
PUD board spars over twice-a-month schedule
Do fewer meeting days limit public access?
WENATCHEE — Has Chelan County PUD commissioners’ decision to switch from weekly meetings to twice-monthly meetings reduced public access and board transparency? Three months after their August decision to give twice-monthly meetings a try, two of the five commissioners want to switch back.
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