Most Recent Stories
Outing the informants
Craigslist thread IDs supposed police tipsters
Craigslist thread IDs supposed police tipsters in North Central Washington.
Incest case ends in lesser plea
WENATCHEE — The two-year prosecution of a man accused of incest ended Monday in guilty pleas to misdemeanor domestic violence and drug possession. Brent A. Magarrell, 45, pleaded guilty to fourth-degree assault against a 16-year-old female relative, and to possessing psilocybin mushrooms in his Wenatchee apartment. He admitted the drug possession but entered an Alford plea to the domestic violence charge, maintaining his innocence while acknowledging the evidence would likely result in a guilty verdict if the case went to trial.
Pot dispensary partner accused of mushroom possession
WENATCHEE — Two months after a criminal case against her husband was thrown out, the wife of a Chelan medical marijuana provider faces a charge of possessing magic mushrooms. Tamara Amendolare, 31, was accused by summons of keeping psilocybin mushrooms in a dresser drawer of her Chelan home, raided on a search warrant Sept. 15 by the Columbia River Drug Task Force. That search also seized about 90 marijuana plants and seedlings, and led to initial charges of unlawful pot manufacture against her husband, Joseph E. Amendolare, also 31.
NCW voters asked to replace school levies
NCW — Several school districts in North Central Washington are asking voters to support tax levies during a special election Feb. 14. Most of the requests would replace existing maintenance and operations levies that expire at the end of this year.
Wenatchee
Wenatchee Half of naked couple sentenced
Parting the Curtain
Dave Reichert reaches out in a Cascade-crossing 8th District
U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert, long a west-side congressman, reaches out in a new Cascade-crossing 8th District.
Anybody home?
Another census figure that alarmed Leavenworth housing planners was a 26 percent rate of vacancy among homes within the city, up from 18 percent a decade ago. On closer look, that’s not out of the ordinary for an NCW tourist or resort town: The city of Chelan had a 36 percent vacancy rate.
A nice place to visit, but ... Leavenworth steps up on drooping population numbers
LEAVENWORTH — Taci Ellingson moved here about 20 years ago from Everett. Preparing for her first baby, she wanted to live near her parents, who’d bought a Leavenworth home to retire in. “It was easy to find cheaper rentals back then,” said Ellingson.
Commitment sought for bomb threat suspect
WENATCHEE — A Cashmere man accused of threatening to bomb the Wenatchee Valley Medical Center pharmacy may be involuntarily committed for mental health treatment. Under a judge’s order given Wednesday, Eastern State Hospital will evaluate Michael E. Taber, 42, who visited the pharmacy March 22 and reportedly asked an employee, “Isn’t the clinic scheduled for a firebombing later this afternoon?”
Beating suspect’s mental health questioned
WENATCHEE — A Malaga man accused of severely injuring another man by stomping him in the head is not competent to stand trial for the act, a psychiatric report says.

