ESTHER BRICQUES PERFORMANCE
TRACK SEASON HEATS UP
Musician Steve Pollard to perform Thursday, May 15, 6:00 p.m.
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North County singing the blues
WALK ON THE WILD SIDE
Run for the Border Charity Ride Saturday BY GARY DE VON MANAGING EDITOR
NORTH COUNTY – North Okanogan County will come down with a case of the blues, music that is, as two concerts are planned over the next two weekends, starting with the Rally at the Border Blues Fest this Saturday, May 17 and the Spring Green Music Festival over Memorial Day Weekend.
RALLY AT THE BORDER BLUES FEST The concert is being held with the support of the Oroville Chamber of Commerce and the City of Oroville, as well as numerous businesses and individuals. It was planned in conjunction with the annual Armed Services Day Run for the Border Charity Ride, which brings 250 to 300 motorcycle riders to town each year. These riders should arrive in Oroville around 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. The blues festival starts at 2 p.m. and will continue until 10 p.m. at Oroville’s Deep Bay Park on Lake Osoyoos. In addition to six bands performing, there will be food and beverages available from vendors, as well as vendors selling items of interest to motorcycle riders. The event features six talented Blues Bands including Junk Belly, Voo Doo Church of Blues, the Okanogan Valley’s own North Half, Blues Edition, RedHouse and Steve Bailey and the Blue Flames. Motorcycle riders attending are welcome to drive into the park, but those that arrive on four wheels will have a secure parking area nearby manned by the Explorer Scouts and a shuttle to the age 21 and over concert will be available. A shuttle to and from town is also planned. Concert goers can eat and have a few beverages, including local beer and wine, check out the vendors. – even set up a
Clockwise from top: Queen Kylee Davis and Princess Bethany Roley welcome people May Festival from atop the community float “Walk on the Wild Side.” R.L. “Louie” Wilson, Commander of Hodges Post #84 of the American Legion, grabs parade-goers attention with a blast from the post’s cannon. Clayton and Joyce “Boots” Emry, this year’s May Festival Grand Marshals, wave to the crowds from atop a classic convertible Chevy Bel Air. Drum Major Max Turner leads the Oroville High School Marching Band. For more scenes from this year’s May Festival, the 80th Annual, see pages A2, A3, B2 and B3.
tent and camp if they choose. For the motorcyclists a poker run into the Okanogan Highlands is planned that utilizes some of the many great motorcycle routes available in the area. The poker run starts from Veranda Beach Resort at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are available prior to the event for $20 at the Pastime Bar and Grill or the Camaray Motel. To purchase tickets online the event’s website http://www. rallyattheborderbluesfest.com. More information is available at the website or call 509-485-2272 or email borderbluesfest@gmail.com. Camping, which is limited, is $10. Concert tickets at the gate are $25. Organizers are also asking people to like the event on Facebook at Rally at the Border Blues Fest. Any profits from the event have been earmarked for the Shriners/Masons for the work they do locally and to support the Shrine Hospital in Spokane.
SPRING GREEN MUSIC FESTIVAL On Memorial Day Weekend the
SEE BLUES | PG A4
Council updated on blues fest, projects
Gary DeVon/ staff photos
BY GARY DE VON MANAGING EDITOR
NVH warrants continue to sink BY BRENT BAKER BBAKER@GAZETTE-TRIBUNE.COM
TONASKET - North Valley Hospital’s debt to Okanogan County continued its downward trend so far in May, dipping to as low as $369,000 on Wednesday, May 6. The ever-fluctuating number had bumped back up to $576,280 by the Thursday, May 7, but the overall trend continued in the right direction as far as hospital and county officials are concerned. The warrants nearly hit $3 million in 2012 and were at $1.3 million last spring.
GENERATOR UPDATE The backup generator that had to be shipped to Spokane has been repaired, but its return has been held up by a disagreement over terms of the repair contract, Kelly Cariker reported. “We ran into an issue with the company,” he said. “They were asking us for full payment before they brought it back and installed it.” Cariker said the contract dictated payment on the 10th of the month following the purchase. “That was defined as after the repair, and after installation and load testing,” he said. “We’ve been trying to get that squared away. We want to see it in, running and tested before paying.” DRILL REPORT Administrator Linda Michel said that the multi-jurisdictional disaster drill run two weeks ago was a good experience for hospital staff.
“We learned a lot of little things,” Michel said, citing the ability of agitated parents to find their way into the emergency room and communications issues. “All in all it was a great drill. Kim Jacobs did an outstanding job of getting people together and getting it to work.” The hospital and school will be following up with a meeting this Friday to review reunification procedures.
MENTAL HEALTH Michel said that she had wondered why so much time at the health care meeting called by the Okanogan County Commissioners two weeks ago focused on mental health. But the day after the meeting, she said that a during a Washington State Hospital Association call, Senate Bill 6312 was discussed. “It is something that the health care authority of Washington is instituting for Medicaid patient, combining mental health with acute care,” she said. “They want to write contracts to different places to take care of a Medicaid groups, like managed care. If they have behavioral needs you take care of that along with their acute care needs. So that was why all the discussion about saferooms ... “The county commissioners are involved in this process... I don’t want to assume that is what we were there for but it is what we talked about for an hour.” The NVH Board of Commissioners next meets on Thursday May 29. The Thursday, June 12 regular board meeting will be rescheduled for Monday, June 9.
OKANOGAN VALLEY GAZETTE-TRIBUNE Volume 110 No. 20
OROVILLE – The Oroville City Council heard an update of the Rally at the Border Blues Fest planned at the city’s Deep Bay Park on Saturday, May 17, from Vicki Hinze, head of the blues fest committee. “One of the things we are requesting is to put up a two by ten foot Rally at the Border banner in Triangle Park,” said Hinze, adding, “and we’d like to expand the motorcycle parking on Main Street in front of those businesses that can benefit the most – gift shops, restaurants, etc.” Hinze said the event committee was hoping for at least 300 to 400 motorcycle riders to come into Oroville for the Run for the Border charity ride. “We just think it would be awesome to have motorcycles up and down Main Street,” she said, adding that the blues festival had been advertised all over Washington State and many places in Canada. “I think it’s fine,” said Councilman Ed Naillion. “I have no problem,” added Tony Koepke. The council gave the committee permission to put up the banner, expand the motorcycle parking on Main Street and put up sandwich boards with arrows pointing the way to the blues fest, as well as ambulance standby. The committee was also granted $1700 of the advertising budget that had been set aside for the Can Am Powerboat Races that were cancelled for this year.
PROJECT UPDATES City Superintendent Rod Noel updated the council on the several Oroville public works projects. The Central and Cherry Street Water Project was on schedule, according to Noel. “It’s moving along and they don’t plan on crossing Main Street this week because of the event (May Festival) this weekend,” said Noel. “I think they are doing a pretty good job.” He did say it would probably mean part of Main would be dug up on the weekend of the Run for the Border and Blues Fest. The replacement of the water line is just part of a project that includes pavement overlays of Central Avenue to Cherry Street and Cherry Street to the bridge. In addition new ADA compliant wheelchair ramps are being installed on Central and Cherry, replacing old ramps that were no longer up to code. Noel also said the reservoir tank for the North End Water system was shipped on May 8 and is scheduled to be erected on May 15. The project is running several months behind and was scheduled to be completed before last winter. NO LONGER PART OF RTPO Chris Branch, director of Community
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The remaining $500 of the $2200 that had been set aside will go to the proposed Jet Ski Races set for this summer. “I just want to thank you guys again for your support,” concluded Hinze.
May Festival A2-3 Letters/Opinion A5 Community A6-7
Cops & Courts Obituaries Sports
A8 B6 B1-2
Outdoors B3 Classifieds/Legals B4-5 Real Estate B5