Thursday, May 15, 2008
Latest bill could allow medical center to remain doctor owned
WENATCHEE — For the first time since last fall, officials at the Wenatchee Valley Medical Center have reason to believe their institution can continue as a doctor-owned hospital and clinic.

New Wenatchee hockey coach was a tough player
WENATCHEE — Paul Baxter was an aggressive player during his 13-year professional hockey career.

Developer selling off trailer park property
WENATCHEE — The owner of the Ninth Street Trailer Park, land that's a key part of Wenatchee's riverfront makeover, appears to be selling the property.

Eastside police get pay raise
EAST WENATCHEE — The East Wenatchee City Council approved a 22-percent pay raise over a three-year period for the city's police personnel Tuesday.

Teachers' union plays hardball in schools chief race
SEATTLE — Four years ago, the state teachers' union tried to replace Terry Bergeson as superintendent of public instruction by enticing a well-liked and well-known former superintendent to come out of retirement and run again.

Local teacher unions respond to state effort
Three local teacher unions responded to the campaign, according to the Washington Education Association. Here’s a summary:

Prosecutors have not yet decided to charge anyone in man's death
MANSON — No decision has yet been made on whether to recommend assault charges against two Burien men involved in a reported fistfight with a Manson man just prior to his being struck and killed by a passing pickup, Chelan County Sheriff Mike Harum said this morning.

School district may buy $4 million skills center
WENATCHEE — Wenatchee School District is one step closer to buying the $4 million North Central Technical Skills Center from the Port of Chelan County.

Douglas PUD to supply TV service over Douglas, Grant fiber
EAST WENATCHEE — The Douglas County PUD will use the Grant County PUD's old video equipment to make television service available by late summer over both counties' fiber-optic networks.

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Another not-guilty plea in home invasion case
WENATCHEE — Jason T. Hernandez, 25, of East Wenatchee, who allegedly was involved in an April 25 armed home invasion robbery, pleaded not guilty to first-degree robbery and first-degree burglary in Chelan County Superior Court Wednesday.

Part celebration, part tribute honors officers
WENATCHEE — A lemon slice and a mound of salt lay untouched at an empty corner table for one. Every other table and plate was full Wednesday at the annual "Officers of the Year" luncheon, hosted by the Greater Wenatchee Sunrise Lions Club.

A flood of flowers
Sara Hein, 18, of Wenatchee, an employee of Flowers to the Brim nursery, arranges flower containers in the indoor section of the newly opened store in East Wenatchee Tuesday morning.

Injured motorcyclist waits two days off I-90
MOSES LAKE — An injured motorcycle rider spent two days next to I-90 near Moses Lake hoping to be rescued.

State may fund more all-day kindergartens in NCW
OLYMPIA — The state added five North Central Washington schools to the eligibility list for all-day kindergarten funding next year.

Superintendent for Pateros, Mansfield leaving
MANSFIELD — The shared superintendent of Mansfield and Pateros school districts accepted another job at the Cheney School District earlier this month.

Search and rescue conference scheduled
CASHMERE — A statewide conference on search-and-rescue techniques that includes a wide variety of courses on topics such as shelter building and rope self-rescue begins Friday.

Sudden warming may set off avalanches
WENATCHEE — People traveling over mountain passes and those heading out to ski or snowmobile in the high country are warned of widespread avalanche danger over the next several days.

Old news
100 years ago — 1908

Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Finally, we have a hockey team
WENATCHEE — After lengthy negotiations, a Wenatchee amateur hockey franchise will hit the ice at the Greater Wenatchee Regional Events Center when the arena opens in September.

Former NHL player named coach in Wenatchee
WENATCHEE — A former National Hockey League player and coach was introduced Wednesday night as the new head coach of Wenatchee’s expansion junior hockey league team.

Unemployment creeping up
WENATCHEE — The unemployment rate of Chelan and Douglas counties was 5.5 percent in April, which was greater than the state average, a state labor economist says.

Injured cyclist waits 2 days off I-90 near Moses Lake
MOSES LAKE — An injured motorcycle rider spent two days next to I-90 near Moses Lake hoping to be rescued.

Housing group gets $250,000 from city
WENATCHEE — The city will contribute $250,000 Thursday to a grassroots organization formed last year to create affordable housing for low-income families.

They shoot, they score: Hockey's rough road to Wenatchee
Oct. 2005: The city announces plans for the Greater Wenatchee Regional Events Center at a news conference with Global Entertainment. A hockey team is mentioned as a possible anchor tenant for the facility.

Burn planned today southwest of Cashmere
CASHMERE — The Wenatchee River Ranger District planned to do more prescribed burning today southwest of Cashmere.

Negotiations revived after almost being declared dead
WENATCHEE — Wenatchee has its own hockey team but it almost didn't happen because negotiations to bring the franchise to town were all but declared dead three weeks ago.

Bridge to stay open during repairs
MONITOR — Chelan County commissioners decided on Tuesday they will not close the West Monitor Bridge, but instead keep it open while repairs are made in the coming weeks.

Omak police: DNA ties '98 murder to '06 rape
OMAK — Omak police say new DNA evidence shows the same person who murdered 51-year-old Sandy Bauer 10 years ago also raped and attempted to kill a retired Omak woman in 2006.

State OKs name change to Howard Lake
STEHEKIN — A wilderness lake near the head of Lake Chelan will be renamed for a 19th century black gold miner — at least on state maps.

More groups could enter Eastside sportsplex discussion
EAST WENATCHEE — Mayor Steve Lacy told the East Wenatchee City Council Tuesday that more players are possibly entering the discussion about the development of an Eastside indoor-outdoor sports complex.

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Out of season
Wenatchee High School baseball coach Ed Knaggs watches from the dugout as his team is beaten in a regional playoff game at Wenatchee Valley College by Central Valley of Spokane Tuesday. It was sad news for Wenatchee Panthers baseball, as well as Eastmont Wildcats soccer, as their seasons both came to a close Tuesday with losses. See Page B1 for more on the games. Check wenatcheeworld.com for a photo gallery of the soccer match.

Winthrop man charged with rape of 14-year-old girl
WENATCHEE — The Chelan County prosecutor has charged a 20-year-old Winthrop man with second-degree rape of a 14-year-old Wenatchee girl.

Sports medicine team second in state
WENATCHEE — Wenatchee High School placed second in the state sports medicine competition. First place was South Kitsap High School.

Man gets 31 years for Moses Lake murder
EPHRATA — A delivery driver has been sentenced to 31 years in prison for a shooting death in Moses Lake, and his lawyer has filed an appeal.

Correction: Barnhart is singles champ
Wenatchee's Nicole Barnhart won the Class 4A district singles tennis championship on Monday. A Page B1 story Tuesday incorrectly stated she lost in the final.

Correction: Spaun in tournament
Micah Spaun of Eastmont played in the Class 3A district doubles tennis tournament Monday. His last name was inadvertently omitted from a Page B2 story Monday.

Correction: Griffith made Alford plea
Aaron T. Griffith, 31, of East Wenatchee, entered an Alford plea in Chelan County Superior Court April 16 to a charge of possessing depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Old news
100 years ago — 1908

Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Commissioners reluctant to close bridge
MONITOR — Even under growing state and now federal pressure to close the West Monitor Bridge for repairs, Chelan County commissioners were still reluctant Monday to approve even a short-term closure.

Eastmont drops close soccer match
The Kennedy Lancers won a 7-6 shootout over the Eastmont Wildcats in a hard-fought Class 3A state tournament soccer match Tuesday at the Apple Bowl.

State jobless rate decreases to 4.7 percent
OLYMPIA (AP) — Washington's unemployment rate dropped to 4.7 percent last month.

Hockey coming to Wenatchee after all
WENATCHEE — After lengthy negotiations, a Wenatchee hockey franchise will grace the ice at the Greater Wenatchee Regional Events Center when the arena opens in September.

Applewings? Appleblades?
WENATCHEE — We know hockey is coming to Wenatchee, but we won’t know the name of the team or the jersey colors for a few days. That’s for the kids to decide.

Chelan County PUD considers rate hikes
WENATCHEE — The Chelan County PUD's top financial analyst recommends a 5-percent power-rate hike next year and in 2010, commissioners learned Monday.

Chelan PUD commissioners agree to delegate more decisions
WENATCHEE — Chelan County PUD commissioners Monday unanimously agreed to allow PUD managers to approve higher limits of some spending without board approval.

Chelan PUD to continue issuing dock permits
WENATCHEE — Chelan County PUD commissioners Monday narrowly approved a proposal to give a PUD manager the authority to issue dock permits without board approval.

Warming warning: Rivers on the rise
WENATCHEE — The Stehekin River is projected to be two feet shy of flood stage this weekend as hot weather melts mountain snow and brings a rush of spring runoff, the National Weather Service said Monday.

Arraignment delayed for rape suspect
WENATCHEE — Three suspects in an April 25 home invasion robbery on the outskirts of Wenatchee — one of whom is charged with rape — appeared for their arraignments Monday in Chelan County Superior Court.

Tarpiscan wildfire at 350 acres, not contained
WENATCHEE — Firefighters had a quiet night watching over a 350-acre wildfire that is burning in grass, sage and scattered timber in south Chelan County.

Farmworkers union complains about Mathison orchard
WENATCHEE — United Farm Workers of America is alleging poor treatment of some 100 cherry pickers it says were recruited from Washington and Oregon to a non-union Kyle Mathison cherry orchard near Bakersfield, Calif.

Luncheon a tribute to officers killed in line of duty
WENATCHEE — Officers killed in the line of duty will be honored Wednesday in a ceremony that also will pay tribute to current officers.

Eyes on the ball
Tatupu, a Jack Russell terrier, chases a basketball while playing with Anthony Mason, 11, and his uncle Antonio Guerrero at Walla Walla Point Park Monday afternoon.

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Fish and chips
Teresa Hein, an employee of the Chelan County Public Utility District Fish and Wildlife department, puts a steelhead through a reader after tagging the fish with a microchip in Monitor. The PUD will be tagging steelhead and salmon at three locations — Monitor, Lake Wenatchee and the Chiwawa River — through June. The microchips allow the fish to be tracked as they migrate.

Autopsy reveals Manson man died after being hit by pickup
MANSON — A man killed early Saturday morning died from internal injuries caused by being run over by a passing pickup, with an autopsy unable to determine injuries the man may have sustained in an earlier rollover accident or a reported fistfight just prior to his death, authorities said.

Trial set in golf club attack
WENATCHEE — A former East Wenatchee man prosecutors believe hit a teenager on the head with a golf club and struck another with a machete during a fight at Lily Lake last June is set to go on trial in Chelan County Superior Court on May 20.

Utility to get $11.8 million in Enron-related settlement
EPHRATA — The Grant County Public Utility District is getting $11.8 million from three California utilities in a settlement.

Street alert
Here are some traffic alerts to be aware of for the next few days:

Correction: Wrong columnist
Vicky Hallett wrote the fitness column on Page C1 today. The section was printed before the error was discovered.

Correction: Trial set for 2009
A trial in the case of a woman accusing the Chelan County PUD of discriminating against her because she is a woman is scheduled for May 11, 2009. A report on Page A3 April 19 reported an incorrect year for the trial.

Correction: Survivor's name
An obituary on Page A4 in the Weekend edition misspelled the last name of Julie Back, a survivor of Martin Edward "Ed" Kirk, who died May 9. A corrected version appears on Page A4 today.

Old news
100 years ago — 1908

Monday, May 12, 2008
Dig this: A dugout canoe
WENATCHEE — After more than a year of building his own dugout from a ponderosa pine log, Dave Dronen's biggest concern was that it wouldn't stay upright in water.

Home invasion suspects arraigned
WENATCHEE — Three suspects in an April 25 home invasion robbery on the outskirts of Wenatchee — one of whom is charged with rape — appeared for their arraignments Monday in Chelan County Superior Court.

Wildfire in Chelan County nearly contained
WENATCHEE — Firefighters were close to containing Monday night a 350-acre wildfire in the Tarpiscan area near the Chelan County-Kittitas County line, according to a firefighter dispatch center in East Wenatchee.

Woman found guilty in case of dogs seized from property
WENATCHEE — A six-person jury has convicted Patricia Schrumpf on six counts of second-degree animal cruelty and acquitted her on five counts

Man run over, dies at street fight
MANSON — A man knocked to the ground during a street fight early Saturday morning was run over by a passing truck driven by a suspected drunken driver and died at the scene.

Malaga woman a suspect in I-90 'road rage' shooting
EASTON — A Malaga woman and Tacoma man are suspected of firing shots at another vehicle Sunday night while traveling eastbound on Interstate 90 about 15 miles west of Easton.

Fire destroys orchard's worker housing
ORONDO — A fire destroyed two homes used for orchard worker housing and heavily damaged a third at Cox Orchards early Saturday morning.

Correction: Power outage boundary
Power outage boundary

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Farmers Market opens at its new home
WENATCHEE — The smells of sweet onions and fresh kettle corn collided in a Columbia Street parking lot Saturday morning during the opening day of the Wenatchee Valley Farmers Market.

Construction begins on medical center ER
WENATCHEE — The Wenatchee Valley Medical Center has begun working on a new 6,000-square-foot emergency room, which is scheduled to open in December.

Postal Service planning for new Chelan post office
CHELAN — Less than three years after scrapping plans to build a new post office next to the Chelan High School, the U.S. Postal Service is again looking to replace its 2,200-square-foot Chelan Post Office.

Fire damages split-level home
QUINCY — A Sunday morning fire damaged a split-level home about a mile southwest of Quincy.

School bus shot with BB gun
EAST WENATCHEE — The window of an Eastmont School District bus was probably cracked by a pellet from a BB gun Friday, Douglas County Sheriff Harvey Gjesdal said Saturday.

Second Pioneer Park complex workshop to be held Thursday
WENATCHEE — Two design alternatives that have been prepared for the Pioneer Park complex will be presented to the public Thursday night during an open workshop session.

Old news
100 years ago — 1908

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