Most Recent Stories
Wilf Woods: A day of remembrance
Memorial Day has a long history, dating back to 1866 when the city of Waterloo, N.Y., decided to honor its fallen soldiers of the just-finished Civil War. Two years later, the date of May 30 was chosen, with that date changing to the last Monday in May in 1971 by federal law.
Wilf Woods: Everett Burts’ Horse Lake history
Everett Burts has written a little history of the Horse Lake area that has been acquired by the Chelan-Douglas Land Trust in recent years. The Burts and the Barnhill families had farms there for several generations, up there on the shoulder of Horse Lake Mountain, close to town but high above the valley. Horse Lake, Burts writes, no longer exists, having dried up in recent decades.
Wilf Woods: South Korea’s economy continues to grow
While North Korea continues to make military noise, and missiles, it’s bigger neighbor, South Korea, keeps growing its production of goods. With a female president, Park Geun-hye, daughter of a former South Korean leader, this country has tripled its exports in the last ten years. Samsung and the Hyundai Motor Group are world-wide successes today.
Wilf Woods: Lake Chelan rentals off to good start
Vacation rentals at Lake Chelan are off to the best year ever, says Mary Beth Clark, who, with husband Lou runs most of the rentals around the lake. They took over Chelan Vacation Rentals fifteen years ago with eight units, have grown the business to 170 units, including 100 condos.
Wilf Woods: Remembering Columbia River swimming holes
A new swimming program was announced by the Wenatchee schools a few days ago for all freshmen PE students. It reminds me that the Columbia River was the place that early students learned to swim in places like Morris Pond, Cox Pond, or Porter’s Pond.
Wilf Woods: ‘The Story of Ain’t’
I write this little column with my dictionary by my side, a Merriam-Webster Ninth Collegiate edition, not realizing what a flap there was 50 years ago when Merriam brought out its third unabridged edition.
Wilf Woods: Lake Chelan needs sensible rules
Are they really going to get sensible about those crazy rules on Lake Chelan? It sounds like the bureaucrats are talking. That lake, with its big annual drawdown has been required to have trees and rootballs to help the fish. Makes sense for a lake that is stable, I guess, but it sure doesn’t make sense for this lake.
Wilf Woods: Walking in Bretz’s footsteps
Back in the 1920s a young Seattle teacher by the name of Bretz traveled across eastern Washington and was impressed by what he saw: he called it “channeled scablands” and started a long study of them.
Wilf Woods: Pybus opening is a new chapter for downtown
The ebb and flow of retail business in our downtown takes another turn with the opening of the Pybus Market this weekend. It will be interesting to watch, and I’m betting on Mike and JoAnn Walker’s expertise to make it fly.
Wilf Woods: “A Three-Nation Reading Vacation”
The author calls it “A Three-Nation Reading Vacation.” Arnie Marchand of Oroville has produced stories of the past from the Wenatchee Valley north into British Columbia in his book, “The Way I Heard It,” the three nations being the U.S. Canada, and the Indian nations of this area.