Methow Valley News May 4, 2022

Winthrop ’49er Days Marshal, Grand Lady continue the tradition

Annual celebration part of the Mountjoys’ lives

BY ASHLEY LODATO

Winthrop ’49er Days Grand Lady

Marva and Marshal Jim Mountjoy caught their first glimpse of the Methow Valley in February 1972. It wasn’t much of a glimpse.

Outside the windows of their Ford LTD, a blizzard raged. And although their destination — the Methow Wildlife Area headquarters at the top of Upper Bear Creek Road — usually affords truly breathtaking views of Gardner, Oval and other dramatic peaks in the Sawtooth Range, on this particular day it offered the Mountjoys nothing, not even a place to sleep, as the wildlife area manager who Jim would be replacing had not yet vacated the game department residency.

Finding Winthrop completely shuttered for the season (the North Cascades Scenic Highway, which later created the Methow Valley’s viability as a year-round destination, was still months away from opening) the Mountjoys returned to Wenatchee and checked

into a hotel for the night.

A Kalispell, Montana, native, Jim was fresh out of the U.S. Army in 1971, armed with a degree in forestry and a minor in wildlife management. He served as the Methow Wildlife Area’s manager for 35 years, but there’s also ranching in his roots, which is how he learned to ride and appreciate Western traditions. “My dad was born on a ranch and I worked on ranches in Jackson Hole [Wyoming] in the summers,” he said.

Wrangling a job

“We had no clue about the Methow Valley until we got here,” said Marva, who grew up in Nampa, Idaho. “We were living in Boise and we’d heard of Moses Lake but that’s about as close as we got, until Jim got the job and we packed up the U-Haul and just drove up in a snowstorm.”

With Jim’s new job keeping him busy, Marva looked for her own ways to earn a paycheck. Despite having no experience riding horses, Marva was hired as a wrangler for Sun Mountain Lodge and learned on the job, quickly becoming a competent horsewoman. Soon she began wrangling and cook-

ing for Claude Miller’s backcountry trips.

“Being the man that he is,” Marva said, “Claude allowed me to bring the kids out with me. Otherwise I couldn’t have done that job.”

Marva’s longtime connection with Miller makes it fitting that he will be driving the carriage bearing the Mountjoys in the ’49er Days parade.

The Mountjoys met in college, on a blind date. Their daughters were both born in Brewster, a few years after they’d settled into their new life in the Methow Valley. Staunch community supporters, the Mountjoys have been to every ’49er Days parade since they moved to the valley and every Ride to Rendezvous since it started 33 years ago.

Marva only recently retired from working for the Washington Outfitter & Guides Association, which hosts the Ride to Rendezvous. Letting go of that responsibility, she says, the only thing that freed her up to serve as Grand Lady.

Love of community

When the Mountjoys were asked

Analysis of Twisp Restoration Project released Reflects smaller size, suggested changes

BY MARCY STAMPER

The Methow Valley Ranger District has released the final Environmental Assessment for the Twisp Restoration Project (TRP). The TRP was reduced to 24,140 acres (a 69%

reduction) to eliminate areas that burned — or were affected by fire suppression — in the 2021 Cedar Creek Fire.

People who previously submitted comments on the TRP have until June 13 to raise issues during the formal objection period.

Myers Creek and Alder Creek drainages, as well as on the eastern slope of McClure Mountain. A small area lies at the west end of Twisp River Road. Before it was reduced in size, it was the largest forest project ever proposed in the district. The detailed, 243-page Environmental Assessment describes

SUNFLOWERS AND SHOWERS

U.S. Small Business Administration.

Bluebird Grain Farms named Rural Small Business of the Year Winthrop operation recognized by SBA

BY DON NELSON

Bluebird Grain Farms, the Methow Valley-based producer of legacy grains, is the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Seattle District’s 2022 Rural Small Business of the Year.

The Seattle SBA office made the announcement last week.

Founded in 2004 by Brooke and Sam Lucy, Bluebird Grain Farms is a certified organic producer and processor, specializing in ancient grains, fresh-milled flour and whole-grain handcrafted blends, with headquarters on Rendezvous Road north of Winthrop.

According to an SBA press release, 18 years ago the Lucys recognized a lack of locally grown grain available in the Pacific Northwest. “With years of farming experience under their belts, they began their journey as processors and distributors with a mission to ‘cultivate and mill the most irresistible, nutrient-rich ancient grains we can, while leaving this land healthier for the next generation,’” according to the release.

“What started as a grassroots business venture to provide organic

ancient grains to their local community has expanded well beyond their small rural town to become an award-winning, vertically-integrated, value-added business that supports eight employees, a regional network of grain producers, and serves more than 19,000 customers,” the release noted.

“Having a business in a rural setting poses a unique set of challenges, and opportunities,” Brooke Lucy said. “I really appreciate that the rural aspect of being a business is being recognized with this award. The Methow Valley has been a critical part of our story.”

Success for Bluebird Grain Farms has come with no shortage of challenges, according to the SBA release. Seasonal wildfires have forced evacuations and threatened crops. With the onset of the COVID19 pandemic in 2020, the business found an unprecedented demand for local food products coupled with the challenges of operating in accordance with evolving health and safety concerns.

Bluebird Grain Farms was able to retain and hire the staff they needed with funding from SBA Paycheck Protection Program. Additionally, funds secured through the SBA COVID Economic Injury Disaster

weekend.

finished 3rd

Marine

4th overall in the half-marathon and the first woman finisher. For more photos and results, see Page B4.

Twisp imposes moratorium on overnight rental conversions

Includes properties in commercial zones

BY DON NELSON

The Twisp Town Council has imposed a six-month moratorium on conversions of existing residential housing to overnight rentals, including properties in commercial zones, while the town considers its long-term policy options for such accommodations.

The council took the action unanimously at its April 26 meeting, and the ordinance imposing the ban took

effect immediately. At the Twisp Planning Commission meeting on April 28, Town Planner Kurt Danison said that a conversion application came in after the council’s meeting and was rejected because the moratorium was already in place.

According to the wording of the ordnance, “the Town Council of the Town of Twisp has determined that it is necessary or advisable to impose a moratorium on the filing, acceptance, processing and/or approval of applications for overnight accommoda -

See

Photo courtesy of Bluebird Grain Farms

Bluebird Grain Farms founders Brooke and Sam Lucy will be honored this week by the

Photo courtesy of Marva Mountjoy Winthrop ’49er Days Marshal Jim Mountjoy and Grand Lady Marva Mountjoy will mark 50 years of living in the Methow Valley when they preside over the weekend’s festivities.

Photo by Steve Mitchell Methow Valley residents Marine Bjornsen, left, and Erik Bjornsen strode through spring ground cover on the Methow Trails Marathon, Half Marathon and Relay course last

Erik

in the half-marathon;

was

changes made from the original proposal and compares outcomes of two alternatives

— the TRP and the no-action alternative, which would leave the forest as is.

The TRP is intended to improve forest and aquatic health through thinning, prescribed burning, stream-habitat enhancement, fish passage, and transportation system changes, according to the Environmental Assessment.

The TRP is intended to restore healthy forest stands that will be resilient to disturbances such as wildfire and climate change.

Treatments include noncommercial understory thinning (removal of small trees), commercial overstory thinning (removal of larger trees), and prescribed fire, but all have been reduced by more than half because of the smaller area.

One hundred acres that were affected by the Cedar Creek Fire will still be treated with understory thinning and prescribed fire. The ranger district will evaluate the Wolf and Rader creek areas that were severely affected by the fire for potential restoration.

Response to feedback

Numerous changes were made in response to feedback on the draft Environmental Assessment, which drew almost 1,000 comments. The duration of the TRP has been shortened from 30 years to 20. The two proposed actions that would have been underway for up to 30 years — prescribed fire and noncommercial stand-improvement thinning — have been scaled back.

After widespread public concern, the plan changed the criteria for removing large and old-growth trees. In most cases, the maximum diameter for removal is now 21 inches instead of 25 inches, unless the trees have potential health issues and are within 30 feet of a large, healthy tree.

Some commenters said

that larger trees typically grow in moister areas and are therefore less susceptible to wildfire. Others expressed concerns that commercial logging of larger trees was being proposed to fund the other work.

Some commenters said there weren’t enough details about how the ranger district would measure the effectiveness of treatments. Others said the interventions are long overdue to reduce wildfire risk.

The proposal to add all-terrain vehicle routes has been completely dropped, after the public said that should be evaluated in a comprehensive travel analysis.

The revised plan also drops actions in the Sawtooth Inventoried Roadless Area. Proposed trails in the Chickadee area have also been eliminated.

There are many proposed changes to roads. Some will be constructed or reponed temporarily during the treatments, while unofficial roads will be permanently closed.

Most proposed actions are expected to improve soil resources and hydrologic function. Because road building would be done outside riparian and sensitive areas, it’s not expected to increase sediment in streams. But log hauling could increase the amount of fine sediment in waterways in the short term, according to the Environmental Assessment.

Most proposed activities in the Twisp River drainage west of Buttermilk and near Little Bridge Creek were eliminated because of the fire and will be evaluated separately for appropriate interventions.

One action that’s still planned in the upper Twisp River drainage is permanent closure of the Road’s End campground to protect bull trout habitat. Four campsites will be added to other campgrounds along the Twisp River to make up for the closure.

The ranger district determined these treatments are necessary because the project area contains a substantial amount of residential development close to forested areas

(called the Wildland Urban Interface, or WUI), which can increase wildfire risk for residents.

Habitat affected

Habitat in the project area — and throughout the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest — has been substantially diminished by recent wildfires. Because of the habitat loss, there’s a need to reduce the risk of wide-scale disturbances such as insect and disease outbreaks to maintain and develop functional forest ecosystems, according to the Environmental Assessment.

Past management practices such as timber harvest and fire suppression have altered the structure and species composition of forests compared to historical conditions — as well as those predicted for the future, it says.

The analysis determined that the proposed changes would benefit wildlife including mule deer, spotted owls and lynx.

The aquatic treatments — large-wood installation, culverts and passage for aquatic organisms, and beaver-dam analogues — are being handled through a separate project called the Twisp Aquatic Restoration Project. District staff determined that effects of the Cedar Creek fire and fire suppression didn’t change the need for these treatments, according to the Environmental Assessment.

The legal notice about the 45-day objection period was published in the Wenatchee World on April 30. People can find the notice on the World’s website at www.wenatcheeworld.com under the “Today’s Paper” tab at the very top of the page. The ad is on page B10. People can also call the World for a copy.

Only people who previously commented on the TRP are eligible to comment during the objection period, and the objection must relate to the previous comments unless it’s based on new information.

The final Environmental Assessment is available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/ project/?project=56554.

County considers ATV routes in Methow

BY MARCY STAMPER

The Okanogan County commissioners are considering a proposal from the North Central ATV Club to open almost 50 miles of county roads in the Methow Valley to wheeled allterrain vehicles (ATVs).

By state law, the county can open roads with speed limits of 35 miles per hour (mph) or lower to wheeled ATVs.

Because some of the roads in the club’s proposal have higher speed limits or sections with higher limits, the county would need to reduce the speed to allow ATVs, Okanogan County Engineer Josh Thomson told the commissioners on May 2.

The county would have to do an environmental analysis of the routes before approving

State committee considering new names for local lake, ridge

BY MARCY STAMPER

The spelling of Riser Lake may be changed to Rizeor to match the spelling of Jack Rizeor, who had a homestead at the lake in the late 19th century.

Methow Valley resident — and avid birder and hiker — Scott Stluka proposed the change after some historical research. He learned that Rizeor farmed and raised fruit and melons that he irrigated with the lake.

The Washington State Committee on Geographic Names approved the first phase of Stluka’s proposal at its April 7 meeting. Now the committee is soliciting comments and local

support to review when they take up final consideration at their next meeting in July.

If the board approves the proposal, they will make a recommendation to the Board on Geographic Names for final approval.

The committee also considered a proposal from Mazama resident Austin Smith to rename a ridge near Black Canyon. Smith proposed renaming the ridge Black Canyon Ridge for the nearby creek, to replace its current name, Squaw Creek Ridge.

The committee considered renaming 18 features across the state, all of which used the term “squaw,” which is considered a

WINTHROP LIBRARY GRAND OPENING

Celebrate and help open the new Winthrop library on Saturday, June 11, with Friends of the Winthrop Public Library (FOWL) and NCW Libraries. The day’s events will include an opening ceremony, activities for children and families, a quilt show and auction, a barbeque lunch and much more. NCW Libraries staff and volunteers will welcome everyone inside to explore the new library. The library also anticipates offering a full week of special events for all ages before beginning their regular programming schedule. FOWL’s book and bake sale on June 18 will wrap up the week. For complete schedule and information for the Grand Opening day and week, visit www.winthroplibraryfriends.org/events.

METHOW VALLEY FUND ADVISERS

The Community Foundation of NCW is seeking new members to serve on the Methow Valley Fund (MVF) Advisory Board. The MVF sup-

derogatory term for Indigenous women. The effort came at the direction of the U.S. Department of the Interior, which recommended changing derogatory place names across the country.

The committee voted to defer initial consideration of the proposal for that ridge because the Yakama Nation had also submitted a possible proposal with a new name, said committee Executive Secretary Caleb Maki.

Both proposals will be considered at the committee’s meeting on July 26 at 10 a.m. For more information or to comment on either name, email bogn@dnr.wa.gov.

ports nonprofit and community agencies with programs that address community needs in the Methow Valley. Advisers agree to participate for a three-year term (renewable once). To apply, visit www.cfncw.org/mvfadvisoryboard. Applications are due on May 31. New advisory terms begin on July 1. For more information, contact Claire Oatey, director of community grants, at (509) 663-7716 or email claire@cfncw.org.

NEWHOUSE SUPPORTS

WINTHROP PROJECT

Rep. Dan Newhouse this week announced Community Project Funding requests he has submitted to the House Committee on Appropriations for consideration, including a request to replace an aging water main in Winthrop. The requested funds, totaling $667,000, would replace an existing water main over the Methow River that was installed in 1965 and is failing. It is the only water main across the Methow River and serves more than 70% of the town’s population and businesses as well as the sole supply for firefighting.

AFTER THE FIRE

them, the commissioners said.

The commissioners eliminated one proposal — Rendezvous Road and Gunn Ranch Road — because there are already parking issues for the popular Lewis Butte trail, County Commissioner Andy Hover said.

Wheeled ATVs are a special class created in a 2013 state law. After the law passed, the Okanogan County commissioners immediately opened all county roads of 35 mph or less to ATVs. They were compelled to close the roads to the vehicles after a successful lawsuit filed by the Methow Valley Citizens Council and Conservation Northwest.

After an analysis, the commissioners opened roads in other parts of the county to

ATVs, but they decided to wait to assess suitable roads in the Methow.

The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest also initially allowed ATVs to use its roads, but reversed the decision because the change had to be considered as part of a larger transportation plan.

The county will consult with state and federal landmanagement agencies and then invite public comment.

Proposed routes: Cub Creek, East Chewuch and West Chewuch roads; Upper Beaver Creek, Balky Hill, TwispWinthrop Eastside, Twisp River, and Poorman Creek roads; Goat Creek Road (SnoPark to Mazama junction); Bear Creek and Lester roads; Bill Shaw, Watson Draw and French Creek roads.

Photo by Ashley Lodato

A morning run through a recently burned area of the valley turned up some interesting features including unidentified growth on the surface of a small pond.

N. Cascades Highway clearing work encounters ‘slow going’

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) reported that during the fifth week of clearing snow from the North Cascades Scenic Highway, work crews encountered some unexpected conditions that slowed their efforts.

So, it may be optimistic to expect the highway to be open for cross-mountain travel in time for the Winthrop ’49er Days celebration this weekend.

The eastside clearing crew advanced to Rainy Pass and found that snow depths had actually increased to 8 feet deep at the summit, compared to earlier measurements, because of late season snowfall, WSDOT said. “That

From Page A1

to represent Winthrop for ’49er Days, Jim says his first thought was, “I’m not old enough! And I’ve only lived here 50 years!” But they love this annual celebration of pioneer history and there’s no way they would pass up the opportunity to represent the community alongside their granddaughter, Jadyn Mitchell, who is serving as ’49er Days queen this year. “Marva can’t stand to be more than about 15 minutes without a grandchild near her,” Jim said.

The experience is further

means the Sno-Cat and an excavator are needed to knock the snow down to depths of 6 feet or less so the blower can clear the roadway,” WSDOT said.

The crew ended the week near Bridge Creek trailhead near milepost 159. “The report from the crew is there is at least another full week of clearing work ahead, with spring pavement and guardrail repairs to follow,” WSDOT said.

“From the west side, the crew has cleared both lanes to milepost 156, moving wet, heavy snow that’s 4 ½ ft. deep on the roadway,” WSDOT said. “While that leaves only a few miles between the crews,

enhanced by the dress Jadyn will be wearing, which Marva made for the Mountjoys’ daughter Stephanie (Jadyn’s mom) in 1995, when she was ’49er Days queen for the 50th anniversary of the event. After all that sewing, Marva said, “I’m just glad we’re getting two more days out of that dress.”

After riding in and presiding over the parade, the Mountjoys will be greeting friends new and old along the boardwalk and in the Winthrop Park. “Then we’ll go home and take a nap,” Jim said, and Marva added, “Before he takes me out to dinner.”

When the Mountjoys are not

the depth of the snow on the road means slow going. Additionally, there will need to be another round of avalanche control work as snow loads remain high in the avalanche paths.”

The road remains closed at the Ross Dam Trailhead at milepost 134 on the west side and at the Silver Star gate at milepost 171 on the east (Methow Valley) side. Crews work Monday through Thursday to clear the road. WSDOT asks that you not explore past the closure points during the work week. Snow-clearing work began on March 28 this year. Last year, clearing began on April 5 and the route opened on May 5.

busy representing Winthrop’s Western heritage or spending time with their children and grandchildren, they’re using their hands to make things.

“Marva has her sewing room and I have my woodshop,” Jim said.

These are people who do not spend much time sitting around being idle. But during ’49er Days, at least, you’ll find them simply enjoying their community and their town, in the place they’ve called home for the past 50 years.

tions and overnight rentals to allow time to address options and draft new code additions/ changes regarding overnight accommodations and overnight rentals within the Town limits …”

The ordinance requires that the council hold a public hearing on the moratorium within 60 days. A date for the hearing has yet to be established.

At its April 12 meeting, the council in a 3-1 vote authorized a draft ordinance that would suspend applications for overnight rental conversions for at least six months — with a possible six-month extension beyond that — excluding existing B&Bs, owner-occupied dwellings and buildings in commercial zones. The ordinance presented to the council last week included those provisions.

However, council member Mark Easton — who voted against the April 12 motion because it included an exemption for commercially zoned properties — moved at last week’s meeting to strike that exemption from the ordinance. He was supported by council member Katrina Auburn, who said the moratorium reflects community concerns.

Council members Aaron Studen and Alan Caswell also voted in favor of Easton’s amended motion; council

member Hans Smith, acting as mayor pro tem in the absence of Mayor Soo Ing-Moody, abstained.

“All this does is give the town time to ask questions and come up with a policy going forward,” Easton said.

The moratorium does not affect hotels, motels or existing overnight rentals including B&Bs.

Residents’ concerns

The council action was in response to a public outpouring of support for a moratorium on conversions, demonstrated over the past several week by dozens of oral and written comments, and by a petition circulated in the community that drew nearly 70 signatures. The overnight rental discussion was recently prompted by a conversion application that roused the interest of some town residents.

Most of the comments asked the town to suspend applications for conversions to overnight rentals, which can occur through an licensing and administrative process without council review or approval. Commenters have cited the loss of housing options for workers, possible negative effects on the character and safety of established neighborhoods, and the potential for taking business away from established tourism lodging businesses including B&Bs.

Twisp currently has no

overt prohibitions of overnight rentals in its municipal code. An overnight rental conversion requires a business license, a land use application and an administrative permit, but no council review. Applicants must meet several requirements included in the town’s code. Nightly rentals are allowed in every zone except industrial and at the municipal airport.

Danison said earlier that there are currently six licensed nightly rental units in the town, but to his knowledge only four of those are active as overnight rentals.

In other business, the council approved spending federal American Rescue Plan Act funds on two projects: $8,446 for surveillance equipment at the town’s outdoor sports complex near the airport, which was recently vandalized; and $3,057 for new basketball court backboards at the Twisp Town Park.

Public Works Director Andrew Denham also reported that the town’s recent efforts to provide free chipping of yard wastes was a success, drawing more than 100 participants. He said the town hopes to offer the service again in the fall.

Police Chief Paul Budrow noted that there have been several recent incidents of theft at storage lockers, both locked and unlocked units, and urged residents to take extra precautions to make sure their stored belongings are secured.

READY FOR PLANTING

BLUEBIRD

From Page A1

Loan program provided the Lucys with the financial stability to navigate their business through changing circumstances and prepare for growth, the release said.

New facility

In August 2021, the Lucys broke ground on a new 6,700-square-foot processing and manufacturing facility. The expansion will allow Bluebird Grain Farms to increase production capacity

and to expand their supplier network of Washington grain farmers, the release said. The new facility will also incorporate a retail storefront and serve as a community space for local schools and tour groups to visit and learn about local food production.

A celebration honoring local SBA winners from Washington and the SBA Seattle District will be on Wednesday (May 4) at the Museum of Flight in Seattle.

The SBA Seattle District Rural Small Business of the Year award recognizes rural small business owners who

demonstrate staying power and substantiated history as an established business with at least three years of business operation. Winners must also show growth in net worth and business expansion, increase in jobs and sales, innovativeness of products or services, response to adversity and contributions to communityoriented projects. For more information, visit www.sba. gov/nsbw. The Seattle District serves Washington and northern Idaho.

Visit https://bluebirdgrainfarms.com for more information about the company.

Photo courtesy of Washington State Department of Transportation

Deep snow depths near Rainy Pass slowed highway clearing efforts last week, the Washington State Department of Transportation said.

Photo by Don Nelson

Twisp Tree Board members Len Baublitz, left, and Tamar Baber prepared Ponderosa pines for free distribution at the board’s Arbor Day celebration in Twisp Commons Park last weekend.

NO BAD DAYS What to ‘C’ this week

One of the things I like to talk about, when discussing the role of this newspaper and others like it serving smaller audiences, is the importance of what I call the “4 Cs” of community journalism:

• Communication. Pretty obvious — it’s our job to get the most useful, relevant, accurate and timely information out to our readers. These days, social media platforms make that task more immediate and effective, and expand our capabilities. There’s only so much room in a newspaper, but endless possibilities out there on the Internet.

• Connection. Through our various means of distributing information, we hope to bring people together, to help them find each other through shared interests in the community’s activities and issues. We provide “mobilizing information” in many of our items so readers know how to get in touch with other people and learn more. The newspaper can serve as a virtual meeting place to help build community.

• Civics. As best we can given our resources, we cover local government at all levels, so the constituents of all those boards, councils, commissions and committees will know that we are performing our “watchdog” responsibilities to keep them informed. And we want the governing bodies to know that we are keeping tabs on them. It’s not just about traditional journalistic oversight, it’s about the future of governance in this country. Studies have shown that in communities that have lost their local newspapers, citizen involvement in civic affairs drops off dramatically — which means elected bodies can go about their business without public engagement or interest.

• Celebration. Small-town newspapers have typically been regarded with amusement by their larger brethren because we seek out and honor the “little things” that people achieve in our communities — accomplishments by individuals, teams, companies and organizations that might not get much recognition elsewhere. People make this place what it is, and we are happy to throw a little spotlight their way.

As we do most weeks, our coverage in this week’s paper — expanded to 16 pages because we had so much material that it would not fit in a smaller issue, and augmented by the Methow Valley Summer 2022 magazine as an insert — touches on all four of the “Cs.” But it seems an especially good week to focus on the “celebration” part, as there are congratulations to be handed out.

Let’s start with Bluebird Grain Farms, which has been named the Rural Small Business of the Year by the Seattle district of the federal Small Business Administration. Sam and Brooke Lucy’s exemplary business practices in a unique niche earned them the recognition, but it’s their roles in this community — as employers, participants and supporters of Methow causes — that engender our admiration.

More plaudits for a firm with a strong local presence: Prentiss+Balance+Wickline Architects, whose work is on display throughout the valley in both homes and other buildings, has won a 2022 American Institute of Architects Education Facility Design Award for its work on Little Star School’s “Galaxy” building. The national award validates the notion that excellent work can be done in any setting with the right resources, talent and community backing. Little Star has been blessed with all those things.

At The Merc Playhouse, the board of directors found someone who is basically from within the theater’s ranks — Kira Wood Cramer — to take over as the organization’s next executive director, replacing Missi Smith. Kira practically grew up in theater, much of that time on The Merc’s stage, and says she feels right at home there. Kira was in the cast of “Rope,” the production I directed at The Merc a few years ago, and I can attest that her engaging personality will make a difference as she immerses herself in a challenging new role.

Last week, we decided that Liberty Bell High School sophomore Ayla Belsby’s efforts to make menstrual-hygiene products free and readily available to her fellow students deserved page A1 display. The feedback has been affirming — the story got a ton of love on our Facebook page and website. At the same time, a lot of people were celebrating something that apparently won’t happen: Dollar General has decided to bypass Twisp in its search for Okanogan County store sites.

You’ll find other things to celebrate (and perhaps a thing or two that you find less celebratory) in this week’s paper, and in next week’s as well if we are doing our job. We already know of a couple that we weren’t able to squeeze in this week. There are only so many of us, and only so many hours in a week, and only so many column inches in a newspaper. As always, we appreciate your help in bringing things to our attention.

Opinion Box 97: Letters to the editor

Don’t need a dollar store

Dear Editor:

I read with alarm the article in the Methow Valley News (April 27) that Dollar General had considered a Twisp location. I am so grateful that the newspaper provides us with these kinds of stories to inform our community. The article quotes Dollar General’s public relations coordinator saying they have a “mission of serving others” — be assured that’s the last thing the company cares about! Community members should be aware that the addition of a Dollar General store to the Methow would be bad.

Dollar stores drive local groceries (like our beloved Hank’s Harvest Foods or the Glover Street Market) out of business. Dollar stores are able to sell high-margin products (dry goods, paper products, alcohol) at lower prices because they are national chains, able to negotiate lower wholesale prices. This hurts the bottom line of local grocers who sell similar items but also provide healthier, but lessprofitable food.

Dollar stores hire fewer employees than local groceries, thereby limiting their ability to contribute to sustainable employment. Local grocery store owners (like our beloved Hank), spend and invest more money in the local community and care more about the needs of the community than anonymous national chain stores. Finally, dollar stores sell crappy processed food that no one really needs!

If Dollar General or other similar stores come sniffing around, let’s send them packing!

Evan Freedman Winthrop

Join the Community Center

Dear Editor:

The Methow Valley Community Center Association (MVCCA) is conducting its annual membership drive. This year, the goal is to have every household in the valley, whether full-time or part-time, become a member.

MY TURN

Thanks to the visionary folks in the 1970s who believed the old Twisp High School should assume a new life as a center for community events rather than being torn down, this historic building has been transformed into a vital and valued space which hums with activities throughout the year. Please take 20 minutes of your time to watch a new film by Terry Hunt about the history of the building, “In The Heart of a Special Place,” which is available on the website.

Total expenses in the 2022 budget are projected to be $140,000, which does not include any major improvements to the building or land. Approximately 50% will be generated from rental income with an additional 15% from special events and 10% from the Visitor Information Center. That leaves 25% or $35,500, which we hope the membership drive will raise.

This is both a call and an opportunity to help out and become an active participant in this marvelous building. The annual report was sent to members’ homes in January which asked to renew your membership. We are also encouraging and recruiting new members which one can find on the website, https://methowcommunity.org. Please contact Kirsten at the community center for information, (509) 997-2926. The response to the membership drive has been very disappointing at only 74 renewals at the writing of this letter.

Charlene Burns Board Member, MVCCA Twisp

By Len Baublitz

Tree Board kudos

Dear Editor:

The Town of Twisp Tree Board would like to thank the community and everyone who showed up on Saturday to help us celebrate Arbor Day. We were able to give away 100 Ponderosa pine trees, about a dozen apricot trees, and a red maple. Next year, we hope to have more trees and more variety, as the trees this year went like hotcakes at the Grange Hall breakfasts.

There are two citizens and one organization that we need to acknowledge for their generous donations to the tree board for tree purchases. Judy Brezina has donated $300 and given us tremendous moral support. Tree Board member Tamar Baber donated another $200 for trees this year, the second year in a row that she has done so, and both of the last two years she has been the one to arrange and pick up the trees as well. Tamar has been a great addition to the Tree Board. And last but not least, the Methow Conservancy facilitated a $700 donation via anonymous donors that has given us a huge lift at the Tree Board. We are really lucky to have the Methow Conservancy doing the work that it does so well in this mountain valley of ours. This money will enable us to move forward with our tree program in the Town of Twisp like never before. We are already planning for a bigger event next year, and these generous donations are a big part of our ability to make that happen.

Display advertising deadline for this newspaper is on the Thursday previous to publication at 5 p.m.

BY CHRIS BRANCH AND MIKE ANDERSON

The North Central Washington Forest Health Collaborative — which we proudly co-chair —– is a broad coalition of local and tribal governments, public agencies, and private organizations working together to improve forest and stream conditions in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in Okanogan and Chelan counties.

Our 22 members range from conservation organizations like the Methow Valley Citizens Council and Conservation Northwest to timber industry representatives with Hampton Lumber Company and American Forest Resource Council.

The Collaborative formed in 2013 because of growing concerns about wildfire risks to communities and worsening forest health conditions in this area. We all supported the Okanogan-Wenatchee’s scientifically rigorous Forest Restoration Strategy, but we recognized that the U.S. Forest Service lacked the necessary support and resources to effectively implement it. By working together collaboratively, we were determined to help the Forest Service accelerate the pace and scale of science-based forest restoration activities.

One of our first undertakings was the Mission Restoration Project, located in the Libby Creek and Buttermilk Creek watersheds close to Twisp. Early in 2015 — while the Forest Service was focused on managing recovery from the South Summit Fire — members of the Collaborative commissioned a study by a consulting ecologist, conducted road surveys, organized field trips, and developed a proposed purpose and need statement for the Mission project. When opponents of the Mission project sued the Forest Service, Collaborative members filed legal briefs in support of the project. Fortunately, the lawsuit was dis -

missed, and now the forest and stream restoration work of the Mission project is about to commence.

Last fall after the Cedar Creek Fire, we hosted a field tour in the Methow Valley with Congressman Dan Newhouse and the chief of staff for Sen. Patty Murray, along with officials from the Forest Service, Yakama Nation and Colville Confederated Tribes. We have been urging members of Congress to increase funding for the Forest Service to step up its efforts to plan and implement forest restoration and community protection activities in the OkanoganWenatchee. Congress recently made sizeable, multi-year appropriations for these types of activities in the bi-partisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The good news this month is that a significant portion of the new federal infrastructure funding is heading to the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest to reduce wildfire risks to vulnerable communities, including those in the Methow Valley. The chief of the Forest Service on April 11 announced that, as part of the agency’s 10-year Wildfire Crisis Strategy, $102.6 million will be allocated to the Central Washington Initiative over the next three years. With this increased funding, the Forest Service expects to reduce wildfire risk to local communities and improve forest conditions on 124,000 acres of the OkanoganWenatchee.

Federal infusions

Moreover, on April 19, the Biden Administration announced that the Okanogan-Wenatchee will receive $1.4 million for restoration work this year through the Forest Service’s Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program. This will likely be the first installment of a decade-long commit -

Dwight

Filer, Tamar Baber, Nick Crimp, Bruce Morrison, Len Baublitz Town of Twisp Tree Board

Forest collaboration bearing fruit for Okanogan-Wenatchee

ment by Congress and the Forest Service to support collaborative restoration and monitoring in the area.

The infusion of new federal dollars will complement funding provided by the Washington state Legislature to implement the Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) 20-Year Forest Health Strategic Plan. The DNR brings valuable scientific expertise to our Collaborative, as well as legislative authority to speed up the contracting process.

Assessments conducted in 2020 by DNR’s Forest Health Science Team found that 75,500 to 111,500 forest acres in the Methow Valley and Twisp River forest health priority planning areas were in need of treatment to improve resilience. The DNR will be updating these assessments of treatment need to reflect the impacts of the two large wildfires in the Methow Valley last summer.

Public involvement in these largescale forest restoration projects is an important component of their successful outcomes, as is the ongoing monitoring of their implementation and adapting management as the science and new information unfold. Many people who live in and care about the Methow Valley have shown keen interest in improving forest conditions and reducing wildfire risks.

The North Central Washington Forest Health Collaborative will continue to assist the Forest Service as the agency ramps up its restoration work. Local residents who are interested in learning more about the Collaborative are welcome to attend our quarterly membership meetings, talk to staff in our member organizations, or visit our website at ncwfhc.org.

Chris Branch is an Okanogan County Commissioner. Mike Anderson is a senior policy analyst for The Wilderness Society.

Don Nelson

Joanna Bastian Shelley Smith Jones Ashley Lodato Sarah Schrock Ann McCreary

Erik Brooks Len Baublitz Rosalie Hutson Solveig Torvik Dave Ward

Twisp PC gives preliminary OK to townhouse plan

Density, other issues remain before final approval by town

BY DON NELSON

The Twisp Planning Commission has given preliminary approval to a proposed 10-unit townhouse development on Highway 20 adjacent to the Blackbirds complex, including conditions that could affect the project’s design and size.

Final approval by the Town of Twisp will be dependent on the developers meeting requirements adopted by the Planning Commission after a public hearing on the proposal last week. Those include conducting a cultural resources assessment, reaching accommodation with the Methow Valley Irrigation District (MVID) over encroachment on the district’s irrigation pipe easement, and addressing the excessive housing density on the site as currently proposed.

Property owner Craig Bunny and developer Carla Smith of Everett-based Diversified Design submitted a proposal for a 10-unit planned unit development of townhomes — nine twobedroom units and one threebedroom unit, with a total of 24 parking spaces — on a .56-acre parcel directly east of the Blackbirds building on the north side of Highway 20 where it intersects with Twisp-Winthrop Eastside Road. According to the submitted plan, about 30% of

the site would remain in open space. The application was submitted to the town planning department in February of this year.

According to a staff report by Town Planner Kurt Danison, the proposal is consistent with the town’s applicable zoning of commercial riverfront, which requires a planned unit development (PUD) process, and meets

REAL ESTATE

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.”

Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18.

other requirements. However, Danison noted, the proposal exceeds the allowable density, which would limit the development to eight townhouse units. “The number of units will have to be adjusted prior to final approval or the applicant will need to request and receive a variance from the density standards … or acquire additional .5 acres of property,” Danison said in his

report. The town received several comments related to the proposed development before last week’s public hearing. In his report, Danison reviewed and responded to them, including compliance requirements from Okanogan County Fire District 6, Twisp Public Works Director Andrew Denham, the Washington State Department of Transportation

and the Methow Valley Irrigation District.

Danison said that nearly all the citizen comments requested that a prohibition on nightly rental of the proposed townhomes be part of the approval process. Danison said that the town can’t place additional restrictions on such developments if they aren’t allowed under existing code.

Earlier in the week, the

Twisp Town Council imposed a six-month moratorium on conversion of existing housing to overnight rentals, including properties in commercial zones, while the town considers possible changes to how it regulates overnight rentals.

Other residents expressed concerns about proposed access to the site and related design issues.

At last week’s meeting, Mark Edson, a director of the MVID, said the proposed PUD conflicts with the irrigation district’s easement for its pipeline. “It runs over the top of our irrigation line,” Edson said.

Danison attached a long list of conditions for final approval including addressing the density issue, and the Planning Commission — at the urging of commission member Jasmine Minbashian — added one of its own: that the site undergo a cultural resources review because the area was inhabited by the Methow tribe. Minbashian asked that a cultural review be included “out of respect” for historical tribal activities in the area.

Danison said that local tribes had been contacted as part of the PUD application process about the need for a cultural resources survey, and none had requested one.

The staff report’s conditions also require that the developers work with the MVID to resolve the irrigation line issue. “That’s between the developers and the MVID,” Danison said.

Final approval of the project will be subject to action by the Town Council.

Winthrop library closing for transition to new site

BY DON NELSON

The Winthrop public library’s current location on Highway 20 will be closed beginning May 21 in preparation for the opening of the new library on White Avenue on June 11.

Visitors to the current Winthrop library will see some changes over the next few weeks as materials are being packed up and distributed to other NCW Libraries locations. The new Winthrop Library location will have a nearly entirely new collection of books and materials, according to a press release from NCW Libraries.

“The books, materials and technology are ready and waiting to be installed as soon as construction on the new building wraps up,” NCW Libraries said.

During the closure, Winthrop Library users can access holds at the Twisp library.

Winthrop library users can place new holds to either the Twisp library or the mail order library. Library materials can be returned to the Twisp library at any time.

Friends of the Winthrop Library (FOWL), the nonprofit that raised funds for construction of the new library, is organizing a grand opening celebration for June 11. More details will be forthcoming.

The new building will be turned over to the Town of Winthrop when completed, and its programs will be funded and operated by NCW Libraries, the regional library system that oversees 30 branches including those in Winthrop and Twisp.

Groundbreaking for the new library was in June 2020. The project is supported by FOWL’S private fundraising over the past several years, and a $2 million state grant. The building was designed

by Johnston Associates and P+B+W Architects. Impel Construction is the general contractor. No additional taxes will be required to build or operate the new library. Town residents currently pay a library district assessment which goes to the NCW Libraries system. NCW Libraries will provide all the furnishings and equipment for the new building, as well as maintenance.

The 7,300-square-foot building, which will be more than six times the size of the current library, includes dedicated sections for kids, teens and adults; six windows with bench seating; and a livingroom area with a fireplace and view of Mount Gardner.

The building also features separate rooms for community gatherings, lectures and activities, and a “maker space” for things like art projects, 3D printers and sewing machines. The main

community gathering space can be accessed separately when the library is closed, and will include a catering kitchen. It can accommodate up to 72 people, or be divided by a soundproof barrier into two separate meeting spaces, each with access to covered outdoor areas.

The larger library will accommodate a bigger collection — more books, magazines, audio and movies. There will be public computers and printers. The entire facility will have free public Wi-Fi.

The library will feature artwork created by local artists Hannah Viano and Tori Karpenko, plus space for rotating exhibits. The building is designed to meet environmental standards and will be prepped for solar panels, which FOWL hopes to add.

For information, visit www. ncwlibraries.org or www.winthroplibraryfriends.org.

Speed limits reduced on several county roads

Several short, paved roads in the Methow Valley will have their speed limit reduced to 35 miles per hour (mph) from 50. The Okanogan County commissioners unanimously approved speed-limit reductions on 21 roads throughout the county after a public hearing on April 26.

Rader Road, just outside Winthrop; Witte Road, between Winthrop and Twisp; and Mundy Road, south of Twisp, will all now be 35 mph. All three

roads are less than a mile long but had been 50 mph because they’re paved. By state law, the speed limit for a paved road is 50 miles per hour unless otherwise posted, Okanogan County Public Works Project Coordinator Jo Ann Stansbury said.

The county did a systematic review of the safety of roads throughout the county, funded by a federal grant, Okanogan County Engineer Josh Thomson said. Using a point system for characteristics such as the

number of commercial-access points, driveways and farms; advisory signs; and road width, they ranked roads for safety, he said.

The commissioners also decided to retain posted speed limits below 50 mph on six roads, including a stretch of Twin Lakes Road posted at 35 mph and part of Lost River Road that’s posted at 30 mph.

Twenty-seven other roads — none in the Methow — will stay at 50 mph, as recommended by

Public Works.

The county received three public comments on the proposals. One person wanted the speed limit to be lowered for the full length of Lost River Road. Another didn’t want any reductions anywhere. The third suggested a lower night speed limit on Old Highway 97 between Malott and Brewster because of the number of deer collisions. It will take a few months for the new speed-limit signs to be posted.

By Erik Brooks

Ina Clark & Brian Colin, Owners Kathy Curtiss, Carol K. Johnson, Susie Gardner, Micki Thomas, Didi Burrington, CB Thomas

Photo by Don Nelson

A 10-unit townhouse development is proposed for a .56-acre site adjacent to the Blackbirds restaurant and retail complex on Highway 20 in Twisp.

Arts & Culture

Cramer well-cast as The Merc’s next executive director

Veteran performer takes community theater’s top role

BY ASHLEY LODATO

The actor’s resume of The Merc Playhouse’s new Executive Director, Kira Wood Cramer, reads like that of someone who seeks a professional life in the limelight.

At one point, she did, but as time goes on Cramer is realizing her interests and strengths lie in the myriad administrative roles that make sure the shows can go on.

Cramer, a 2014 Liberty Bell High School graduate, enrolled in the Portland Actors Conservatory (PAC) after graduation, intent on becoming a stage actor. She’d been in plays — from Missoula Children’s Theater to Methow Valley Theater to productions at The Merc — since she was a child.

She was onstage frequently in Liberty Bell’s drama program. She had competed in Poetry Out Loud, served as ’49er Days junior royalty, and was notoriously sought-after as a Trashion Show model. For such a young person, she was an old hat at being in the public eye.

But the fit with the PAC wasn’t good. “I was only 17 and everyone else there was twice my age,” she said. “I just wanted to pursue my love of acting, but the program also had us learning about directing and producing. I just wasn’t there yet.”

So Cramer took a step back from school, moved back to the Methow Valley, and started to figure out what was next. Somewhat to her surprise, it was a job promotion to produce manager at Glover Street Market that allowed Cramer to discover her leadership talents.

ARTS BRIEFS

“That put me in a management role,” she said. “I learned budgeting, organization, delegation, and other leadership skills.”

Subsequent strong supporting roles at The Thrifty Fox and Balance Home Management also allowed Cramer to demonstrate responsibility and accountability, and she found she enjoyed being a leader. Stage managing “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” the recent Tom Zbyszewski Children’s Theater production, merged Cramer’s leadership skills with her love of theater.

Ready to step up

When Cramer learned that Smith would be stepping down from The Merc’s executive director position, she considered stepping up.

“I thought about it for a long time before asking Missi if she thought I’d be a good fit,” Cramer said. Cramer said she has always been passionate about The Merc — so much so that she finds herself an ad hoc ambassador for the nonprofit community theater. So moving into a leadership role feels natural to her.

“What I do in my private life is advocate for The Merc and try to get people involved,” she said. “Now I want to do that on a bigger scale and reach more of the community. I want to let The Merc be all that it can be.”

Cramer moves into the new role with a host of mentors in her past and present, including The Merc’s former Artistic Director Julie Wenzel; Cramer’s junior high drama teacher Jane Orme, who is now a Merc board member and frequent director; musician Danbert Nobacon, with whom Cramer has worked extensively, including touring together nationally and internationally; and, of course, Smith, who is currently work-

SPRING ART WALK

The call is out for artists, makers, performers, food producers and other creative types to participate in the Twisp Spring Art Walk, scheduled for Saturday, May 14, from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. in downtown and surrounding areas.

If interested in participating, and for full event details including how to apply for a free vendor booth, email twispwashington@ gmail.com or visit http://twispwa.com/springart-walk.

There will also be an after-party from 4 – 7 p.m. Food trucks will be available and downtown restaurants will be open during the event.

LBHS PRESENTS ‘TWELFTH NIGHT’

The Liberty Bell Drama Company, in partnership with Methow Arts and The Merc Playhouse, presents its production of “Twelfth Night,” described as “a rousing contemporary musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic romantic comedy about mistaken identity and self-discovery.” Performances will be on May 18 – 21 at 7 p.m. and May 22 at 3 p.m. at The Merc in Twisp.

Tickets are $15 and available only at the door. Methow Valley School District students and families of cast and crew get in for free. There will be no reserved tickets available. Doors open 30 minutes prior to show times.

The production will feature an original jazz-funk-pop score. Students in the drama company are also designing and creating costumes, envisioning and building the set, painting backdrops, and designing all of the promotional materials. Many valley musi -

ing closely with Cramer to train her.

Cramer also takes the helm with strong board support in the form of programming, marketing, fundraising and facilities committees.

“There is a lot of change and growth ahead for The Merc,” she said. “It’s part of why it was the right time for Missi to transition out, and it’s a good time for me to take over.”

Cramer will be additionally supported by Stephen Kish, who will step into the new role of marketing director for The Merc. Kish has been The Merc’s technical director since 2017 and will add marketing to his responsibilities. Kish also directed “Little Shop of Horrors” in 2018 and appeared in 2021’s “CoronAnthology: The Year We Held Our Breath.” A local musician and music teacher, Kish often appears onstage playing guitar.

Right at home

Having participated in productions at The Merc for nearly two decades, Cramer is intimate with the space. Despite the many upgrades since she first appeared on The Merc’s stage in “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead” in 2007, Cramer says “I’m so familiar with the theater. I feel the most at home in The Merc.”

Stage managing “Fantastic Mr. Fox” gave her an even greater familiarity, Cramer says. “Having a key, being in command of the backstage aspects of the play — it felt really natural.”

Cramer also points to her time touring with Nobacon’s musical productions as instrumental in developing her understanding of income and expenses, budgeting, and learning how different stages and performing arts venues operate.

cians and singers are working closely with the students on the musical numbers.

OPEN MIC AT CONFLUENCE

Cascadia Music and The Confluence are partnering to offer open mic sessions on the third Thursday of each month from 5 – 7 p.m. at the gallery on Glover Street in Twisp. Admission is free; donations will be appreciated. For information, email cascadiamv@ gmail.org. The next open mic will be May 19.

SUMMER THEATER WORKSHOP

“Shakespeare with a Twisp,” a summer theater workshop for teen and young adult actors presented by The Merc Playhouse in Twisp, takes place June 13 through July 3. The workshop will be led by Central Washington University instructors Kathryn Stahl and Emily Rollie.

There will be 10 days of acting workshops and rehearsals (June 13-June 23) which will culminate in public performances at the TwispWorks Pavilion from June 24-July 3. Rehearsals will take place between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. each day at either The Merc or TwispWorks. Everyone who registers will be cast in the final performances.

The workshops are aimed at young performers from age 15 and older. According to The Merc, “With their directors, actors will focus on scenes, monologues and physical theater explorations of storms and shipwrecks. It will be a whirlwind storm of adventure in theater!”

Cost is $50 per participant to cover workshop materials. Scholarships available are available. For information, visit http://mercplayhouse.org, email info@mercplayhouse. org, or call (509) 997-7529.

Although the executive director job is part-time, for now Cramer will cut back on her small cleaning business and focus on The Merc. This summer Cramer will be involved with The Merc’s summer camps for kids, as

well as its Shakespeare production in the TwispWorks Pavilion.

A Methow Valley native, Cramer is committed to connecting community members with live theater. “I’m going to listen to what people want

from The Merc and try to get them involved,” she said. The community is invited to a meet-and-greet with Cramer during Art Walk in Twisp on Saturday, May 14, from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. at The Merc Playhouse.

Live music in the valley

Methow Music Monthly, compiled by local musician George Schneider, is a free listing of live music events in the valley. Email Schneider at MethowMusicMonthly@gmail.com to be included in the listings or to receive the monthly listings via email.

• Thursday, May 5, Cinco de Mayo Fiesta at Twisp River Tap House with open mic. (509) 8815751.

• Saturday, May 7, 6 p.m., at Methow Valley Ciderhouse, Winthrop, Buz Brose and Friends. No cover. (509) 312-1790.

• Saturday, May 7, 7 p.m. at Twisp River Tap House, Family Dog. No cover. (509) 881-5751.

• May 8 and other Sundays in May (except May 15), 5:30 p.m. at Twisp River Tap House, guitarist Terry Hunt. No cover. (509) 8815751.

• Thursdays in May, 6 p.m. at Twisp River Tap House, open mic jam. No cover. (509) 881-5751.

• May 13, 6:30-9:30 p.m. at Methow Valley Ciderhouse, Winthrop, fundraiser/dance party with Vera Loves Vinyl. No cover. (509) 312-1790.

• May 13, 6 p.m. at Twisp River Tap House, Emele and the Boys. No cover. (509) 881-5751.

• May 14, 7:30 p.m. at Twisp River Tap House, Darnell Scott. No cover. (509) 881-5751.

• May 20, 7 p.m. at Twisp

River Tap House, The Marcus Duke Project. No cover. (509) 881-5751.

• May 20, 5:30 p.m. at Methow Valley Ciderhouse, Winthrop, Emele and the Boys. No cover. (509) 312-1790.

• May 21, 7:30 p.m. at Twisp River Tap House, Gregg Hardy & the Summit. No cover. (509) 881-5751.

• May 21, 6 p.m. at Methow Valley Ciderhouse, Winthrop, Bevis and Bowler. No cover. (509) 312-1790.

• May 26, 6:30 p.m. at Methow Valley Ciderhouse, Winthrop, open mic hosted by Ken Bevis. (509) 312-1790.

• May 27, 7 p.m. at Twisp River Tap House, Gregg Hardy & Company. No cover. (509) 881-5751.

• May 27, 6:30-8:30 p.m., TwispWorks Fourth Friday event, featuring The Loose Notes. Free.

• May 27, 6 p.m. at Methow Valley Ciderhouse, Winthrop, Uncle Doug. No cover. (509) 312-1790.

• May 28, 6 p.m. at Methow Valley Ciderhouse, Winthrop, The Enthusiastics. $5 cover charge for those over 12. (509) 312-1790.

• May 28, 7:30 p.m., at Twisp River Tap House, Older & Wiser. No cover. (509) 881-5751.

• May 29, 6 p.m. at Methow Valley Ciderhouse, Older &

Wiser. $5 cover charge for those over 12. (509) 312-1790.

Looking ahead

• Introducing the First CiderGrass Music Festival on Saturday, June 11, noon-8 p.m. at John Doran’s ranch near Twisp. Visit https://winthropwashington.com/ events/cidergrass-festival for more information.

• The Methow Valley Chamber Music Festival resumes at its new location, the Twisp Terrace Lodge on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, June 16, 17 and 18, and June 23, 24 and 25. Tickets are available at https://methowmusicfestival.org.

• The Twisp River Tap House hosts the Methow Music Fest, July 2-3, 12:30 p.m.-closing, featuring blues guitarist Rojer Arnold, Make Up Sax, the Bitterroot Beets and the Unsinkable Heavies. (509) 881-5751.

• The Methow Arts Festival returns on July 4 starting at 11:30 a.m. at the Twisp City Park (after the Fourth of July parade), with live music by the Dusty 45s, Never Come Down Band and others. Visit http://www.methowarts.org for complete information.

• The Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Festival returns live after two years of virtual format, July 15-17. Tickets and info at https:// winthropbluesfestival.com.

Photo courtesy of The Merc Playhouse Kira Wood Cramer, new executive director of The Merc Playhouse, has appeared in several productions at the theater and performed at other local venues.

State auditor: County didn’t track all COVID relief funds

No misuse of monies found

BY MARCY STAMPER

Okanogan County Public Health received two pots of COVID-relief funding through the federal CARES Act, but didn’t spend $246,603 from one fund by the deadline, which the county should have been monitoring, the Office of the Washington State Auditor found in an audit issued at the end of March.

Public Health was dismayed by the auditor’s findings, saying that the county had been fiscally responsible and that the only issue was that the county didn’t have all invoices in time to spend the money by the federal deadline.

Public Health received $575,000 through a contract with Okanogan County for various COVID expenses, including advanced testing supplies, early in the pandemic, for the county’s three hospitals and for clinics. The money also covered staffing, translation of communications into Spanish, radio ads, and a COVID-19 web page, Okanogan County Community Health Director Lauri Jones said. That money, which was administered by the state Department of Commerce, had to be spent — and invoiced — by November 2020.

Public Health also received $356,000 from the state Department of Health (DOH), which had an initial expenditure deadline at the end of 2020, but was extended to March 2021, Jones said.

Two issues contributed to the problem the auditors flagged. Public Health didn’t

get invoices from all the entities that ran community testing sites in time to pay them with the COVID funds that had to be spent by November. And

Public Health used some of the DOH money to cover those costs, leaving some funds from the county contract unspent, Okanogan County Commissioner Andy Hover said.

Public Health had receipts for about $329,000 of expenses covered by the county contract. But because they used some of the DOH funds to pay for the testing that hadn’t been billed, it left $246,603 sitting in the account beyond the allowable timeframe, Hover said. Although all the funds had come from the federal CARES Act, those had to be accounted for separately, he said.

“The County received the new Coronavirus Relief Fund program funds while trying to react quickly to the COVID19 pandemic. As a result, the County did not dedicate sufficient time and resources to adequately monitoring subrecipients and program expenditures,” the auditors said in their report, which covered the period from March 1 through Nov. 30, 2020.

There was no misappropriation of funds and the relief funds saved taxpayer money, Jones said. Public Health was aware that some of the money hadn’t been spent by the deadline and contacted the state Auditor’s Office right away, but the auditor wasn’t clear on the process for returning unspent funds and told Public Health to wait until the audit to clarify the return process, Jones said.

Lack of oversight

The auditor’s finding is

called a lack of internal control over subrecipient monitoring, said Kathleen Cooper, director of communications for the state Auditor’s Office. From an auditor’s perspective, the money needed to be expended on an allowable activity during the prescribed period of time, she said.

The county had the ultimate responsibility for overseeing that the funds were used properly because the county contracted with Public Health to carry out the testing, Cooper said.

Because of the health crisis, the federal government sent out the CARES Act money very quickly, without the clear guidance that usually accompanies such funds, Cooper said. In fact, some guidance changed after the money had been distributed, she said.

During fiscal year 2020, Okanogan County spent $2.9 million in funds from the Coronavirus Relief Fund program, which included about $1.7 million that it passed through to subrecipients, according to the audit. The auditors didn’t examine all of it, but looked at about $2 million of the county’s total CARES Act expenditures during that period, Cooper said.

Public Health and the county were well aware that they still had money left, but had no way to use it without the applicable invoices, Jones said. Because most of Public Health’s functions are grant funded, the agency can’t simply transfer money from one account to pay for expenses covered by another pot of money. Public Health is a non-taxing district of the county, funded by money from the county, grants and fees.

Local governments don’t often deal with subrecipients, and state and county governments did their best in the absence of clear guidance, Cooper said. Auditors come in at the end of the process, after money has been spent and rules are clear. There were similar findings for many other counties, including Grant, Pierce, Snohomish, Whitman and Island, during the same time period, Cooper said. Auditors expect to find lapses in monitoring across the state over the next several years, she said.

In fact, findings were so

common that the Auditor’s Office published an article in November 2021 alerting counties to the situation. “The State Auditor’s Office is seeing an increase in audit issues around subrecipient monitoring, primarily due to lack of awareness of the requirements,” they said. The article included recommendations for risk assessment and guidance on monitoring.

Anticipating questions and irregularities, state Auditor Pat McCarthy told counties to document what they did and why, Cooper said.

Jones emphasized that the

money enabled them to test thousands of people throughout the county, to provide supplies to clinics and hospitals, and to disseminate real-time information to the public in English and Spanish. COVID expenses were ongoing. It’s unfortunate that the deadline meant Public Health couldn’t use the money for other COVID-related needs, Jones said.

Okanogan County will be sending a check to the Department of Commerce in the next couple of weeks to reimburse the unspent funds, Hover said.

Research on potential removal of Enloe Dam ramping up

BY MARCY STAMPER

Researchers have been sampling the massive amount of sediment collected behind Enloe Dam and studying the ability for salmon to swim over the waterfalls at the dam. But a lot more information is still needed to understand the impacts of potential removal of the 102-year-old dam on the Similkameen River near Oroville.

Studies have found six pathways at the falls that appear easy or moderate for steelhead, and two out of six that are passable for spring Chinook, both during the fishes’ typical migration period, Colville Tribes Fisheries Biologist Chris Fisher told the Similkameen Okanogan Watershed Action Team at their April 25 meeting.

Fisher provided the group with what he called his “CliffsNotes” version of Enloe Dam.

Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office

• At 5:59 p.m. on April 22, caller reported that several juveniles were riding dirt bikes and four-wheelers illegally in the vicinity of Highway 153 and Lower Beaver Creek Road.

• At 7:06 p.m. on April 24, caller on Beaver Pond Road, Twisp, reported that their neighbor’s ducks would not stop coming onto the caller’s property.

• At 10:16 a.m. on April 25, caller on French Creek Road, Methow, reported a case of

The Okanogan County Public Utility District (PUD) has owned the dam since 1945, but the dam hasn’t produced power since 1959. The Colville Tribes are part of the Enloe Dam Working Group, which is studying options for the dam, including potential removal. If salmon could get past the dam to the watershed in British Columbia, there could be access to more than 300 miles of habitat, according to studies from the 1980s, Fisher said. Although the report didn’t assess smaller tributaries, there’s good indication that they can support salmon production, but an up-to-date report is needed, he said.

NOAA Fisheries (part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) is conducting a habitat survey in conjunction with the Upper and Lower Similkameen bands in British Columbia. The groups started research last

year, but it was interrupted by COVID, wildfires and heavy rains, so they plan to collect more data this year, Fisher said. NOAA is also modeling salmon runs.

Sediment studies

While Enloe Dam is relatively small, there’s a vast volume of sediment — nearly 3 million cubic yards — trapped behind it. Even if the sediment is clean and uncontaminated, allowing that much sediment to disperse into the river system would have detrimental consequences for the health of the river, salmon and other aquatic organisms, Fisher said.

Researchers have been taking sediment samples to test for dozens of elements.

They’ve found “relatively high levels above baseline” for some toxic elements, including arsenic, cadmium and

911 blotter

possible animal abuse regarding a horse.

• At 4:17 p.m. on April 28, caller reported that someone was harassing their son at a bus stop on Highway 20 near Twisp. Twisp Police Department

• At 4:26 p.m. on April 22, caller on Canyon Street reported hearing animal noises.

• At 4:06 p.m. on April 23, a malicious mischief incident was reported on East Methow Valley Highway.

• At 4:21 p.m. on April 24, a trespassing incident was

reported on Magers Street.

• At 2:08 a.m. on April 24, caller on Burton Street reported that a suspicious vehicle was cruising up and down several streets at a slow rate of speed.

• At 9:19 p.m. on April 24, caller on Bridge Street reported being threatened in several texts.

• At 8:56 p.m. on April 25, a domestic dispute was reported on East Second Avenue involving screaming and yelling.

• At 8:12 a.m. on April 28, a suspicious person was reported

copper, Fisher said. But sampling has been too limited to understand the extent of the contamination or necessary mitigations, he said. There are concerns about contaminants because there was mining just upstream of the dam in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Fisher described several hypothetical approaches to dealing with sediment. If chemicals in the sediment are similar to background levels, the sediment could be dispersed beyond the floodplain so that it wouldn’t re-enter the river system. But if analysis reveals higher levels of contamination, the sediment would most likely need to be removed to a lined site to prevent leaching, which would increase costs “by several orders of magnitude,” Fisher said.

Recent core sampling of the impoundment suggests that much of the material behind

the dam may be coarse gravel, which could travel downriver without endangering habitat or fish — and potentially even benefit the river system, he said.

There is money in the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for a more comprehensive fish-passage study. There are also plans for additional sampling of sediment and gravel, Fisher said.

Other research is being coordinated by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), which received an allocation in the state budget to evaluate scenarios for dam removal and

restoration of the Similkameen River, along with biological, management, legal issues and costs. The WDFW report is due Dec. 1.

The PUD was working toward re-electrifying the dam until 2018, when it determined that it wasn’t economically viable. Since then, the PUD has done required maintenance and safety work. Some groups have been lobbying for dam removal for years. The PUD has insisted on an entity that would be willing to take on full liability for the dam and its removal before pursuing that course of action.

on East Methow Valley Highway, “not doing anything criminal, just making people uncomfortable.”

• At 12:03 p.m. on April 28, a theft was reported on East Third Avenue.

• At 7:25 a.m., a person was reported to be behaving suspiciously at a location on North Glover Street.

Winthrop Marshal’s Office

• At 10:14 p.m. on April 27, a person on White Avenue was reported to be having suicidal thoughts.

File photo by Marcy Stamper Okanogan County Public Health coordinated free COVID testing throughout the county, but didn’t receive all invoices in time to pay for the testing with federal relief funds.

’49er Days Queen Jadyn Mitchell ready to ride again

Princesses Bailey Thomson, Elanna Doran join parade

BY ASHLEY LODATO

Jadyn Mitchell is stranger to neither rein nor reign, and this year’s ’49er Days celebration puts her in another role in a steady stream of positions that unite two of her passions: riding and representing her community.

As ’49er Days Queen, Jadyn, along with her royal court — Princess Elanna Doran and Princess Bailey Thomson — serves as a symbol of Winthrop’s western heritage.

Now a senior at Liberty Bell High School, Jadyn earned her first tiara at age 12, when she was crowned as one of the youngest-ever Methow Valley Rodeo princesses, in 2017. She later served as rodeo queen in 2020 — a reign that was extended through 2021, due to COVID.

Now in her final month of high school, Jadyn has been “pretty busy,” she said, in a classic understated manner. She played volleyball in the fall and has for years anchored the basketball team all winter. She also completed college and scholarship applications, worked, and is now playing left field as a rookie softball team member. “Somehow I make it work,” she shrugged. “But my schedule is tight.”

Although Jadyn is a competent lifelong horsewoman, for ’49er Days she’ll be riding in a carriage driven by Tyler Miller. But she’ll need to find a horse to use in the Ride to Rendezvous — the annual multi-day overland ride on horseback and wagon train hosted by the Washington Outfitter & Guides Association, which kicks off the ’49er Days weekend with a ride through downtown Winthrop at high noon on Friday (May 6). Jadyn owns two mares, but both are pregnant and unable to carry her on the Western-style journey she has been participating in her whole life.

Embraced opportunity

Elanna will be joining Jadyn on the Ride to Rendezvous on Moonfire, the Arabian mare she has had since she was 12. She first rode a horse when she was two weeks old and has spent time in the saddle ever since.

Like Jadyn, Elanna is a senior at Liberty Bell; unlike Jadyn, she is new to the public eye (“Although,” she said, “I’m a Doran. There are a lot of us around here.”).

But after being encouraged to run for ’49er Days royalty by a fellow member of her congregation, Elanna embraced the opportunity. “I’m getting to know so many new people,” she said, adding that one of the highlights of her reign — so far — has been visiting her alma mater, Methow Valley Elemen-

tary School. “That was really fun,” she said. “So many kids come up to us and ask, ‘Are you a real princess?’”

Elanna’s job at Twisp Feed, in addition to playing volleyball and making art, keep her busy, but the extra time spent as a ’49er Days princess has been rewarding, particularly the chance to serve as royalty with her fellow volleyball team members Jadyn and Bailey. “It’s nice doing this with people that you know,” she said.

Jadyn plans to spend this last summer of her childhood at home, working as a babysitter and enjoying family and friends before departing for Washington State University in the fall. Always a whiz with numbers, Jadyn intends to study math and accounting.

Elanna has a goal of saving money

’49er Days logistics: some advice for getting there, getting around

Downtown Winthrop — Riverside Avenue in particular — will be given over to ’49er Days activities for a good part of Saturday (May 7) — which means vehicle traffic will be affected. But if you’re patient, or don’t mind taking a break from your travels to enjoy the event, it’s not really that much of a hassle.

At noon on Friday (May 6), the Ride to Rendezvous wagon train will pass through downtown Winthrop. Drivers are advised to use caution during the 20 minutes the Ride rolls through town.

During the big parade on Saturday, drivers who must pass through Winthrop should be aware that Highway 20 — River-

side Avenue — will be closed to traffic between the two bridges from 10:45 a.m. until around noon or shortly thereafter. The 14-mile bypass around the parade route (via West Chewuch and East Chewuch roads) will be signed, and will add about 25 minutes to any east- or westbound highway travel. No parking is allowed on Riverside Avenue from 9:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday. Parking is available at the Winthrop Barn and Winthrop library parking lots on the west end of town; uptown in the lot above Jupiter or along Castle Avenue; or at the Town Trailhead parking lot, from which a short walk across the Spring Creek Bridge leads to the

festivities. Drivers must not block driveway access when parking in residential neighborhoods.

Public restrooms will be open at the Visitor Information Center and at the Barn.

Parade staging will begin uptown along Corral Street between Bluff and Castle at 9 a.m. Entrant judging will be at 10 a.m. The parade route proceeds down Bluff Street, south along Riverside Avenue, and then returns to the staging area after the event. For the safety of parade spectators, no candy or other items may be thrown from mounts, floats or vehicles.

For information, visit https:// winthropwashington.com/ events/western-heritage.

from her job at the feed store and spending time researching art and photography schools where she can further develop her artistic talents through sketching and taking pictures, as well as exploring the many mediums of commercial art.

The same church friend who encouraged Elanna to apply for the ’49er Days junior royalty also urged Bailey to throw her hat in the ring, and although as a sophomore Bailey is younger than the typical princess, she impressed the selection committee and was chosen.

Bailey moved to the Methow Valley in third grade and plays volleyball and softball; she also serves up America’s favorite dessert at Sheri’s Sweet Shoppe. “It has been fun to get closer to these two,” she said of her royalty experience so far. “I’ve

made more of a personal connection with Jadyn and Elanna and I’ve met so many new people.”

Although she is not much of a horsewoman, Bailey will join her fellow royalty on the last night of Ride to Rendezvous, where they will invite the guests to the ’49er Days parade and other festivities.

Locally sourced dresses

After the parade, the girls plan to change out of their long dresses and into Western wear that will enable them to move about town more freely, unencumbered by hoop skirts. (You’ll still be able to identify them, though, by their tiaras and sashes.) The gowns themselves, however, carry meaning that extends well beyond the parade’s duration: all three junior royalty

members are wearing dresses worn previously by other ’49er Days queens and princesses.

Since longtime ’49er Days seamstress Donna Martin — well into her 80s — retired from sewing bespoke dresses in 2019, the royalty pair or trio has ordered outfits online. But when the dresses arrived Jadyn, never one to mince words, said “They looked like sacks.”

So the dresses were returned and the royalty turned to the ‘49er Days community, which, as it has for 77 years, delivered.

Jadyn will wear a dress made for her mother (then Stephanie Mountjoy, now Mitchell) during her ’49er Days reign 27 years ago, at the 50th ’49er Days celebration in 1995.

Elanna’s dress comes from Katie Labanauskus, who was the 2018 princess, and Bailey’s was worn by Tiffany Taylor (now Surface) as queen in 1998. The dresses were made not in a factory but right here in the valley, by Marva Mountjoy, Donna Martin and Becky Taylor, respectively, and it shows: quality fabric, flattering lines, meticulous stitching, craftsmanship designed to last.

Conferring further intergenerational significance for this year’s royalty are other family connections. Bailey is the granddaughter of Miller, the junior royalty’s carriage driver, and thus the great-granddaughter of Claude Miller, who will drive the carriage bearing Grand Lady Marva and Marshal Jim Mountjoy, who are Jadyn’s grandparents.

Jadyn said, “I feel pretty lucky to have this opportunity to be royalty with my grandparents, wearing my mom’s dress.” Winthrop ’49er Days was originally launched as a way to restore the spirits of town residents after a tough winter, and later developed into a means of revitalizing a town. The scope and scale of the event has changed over the years, but the themes that connect all the ’49er Days celebrations resonate with this year’s junior royalty: Western heritage, family ties, community identity, and tradition.

Winthrop ’49er Days schedule: three days of action for all ages

Celebrating its 77th year, Winthrop’s ’49er Days is an old west heritage festival that recalls the Methow Valley’s colorful past. The three days of activities — Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 6-8 — are presented by the Winthrop Chamber of Commerce and Washington Outfitters and Guides Association (WOGA). Other sponsors include Pardner’s Mini Market, VIP Cascades Insurance Agency, Old Schoolhouse Brewery, East 20 Pizza and Pine Near RV Park. Here’s a schedule of events to help plan your weekend. The activities are free unless otherwise noted.

FRIDAY, MAY 6

Downtown Winthrop

• Noon: The annual WOGA Ride to Rendezvous wagon train arrives in downtown Winthrop along Riverside Avenue. Watch the horses and wagons ride through town after spending five days on the Methow Valley’s backcountry trails.

SATURDAY, MAY 7

Downtown Winthrop

• 10:30 a.m.: West Coast Country Heat dancing team; wild west shoot-out.

• 11 a.m.: The annual ’49er Days parade proceeds up Riverside Avenue, featuring pack strings, horses, floats, music, mountain men, old-time vehicles and much more. Look for this year’s ’49er Days Grand Lady Marva Mountjoy and Marshal Jim Mountjoy, as well as junior royalty Jadyn Mitchell, Elanna Doran and Bailey Thomson. You’ll see them around town throughout the weekend as well. Prizes will be awarded for the best entries in each category. Parade entry forms, due by Friday (May 6) are available at https://winthropwashington.com/events/ western-heritage/entry-form.

• Noon-2 p.m.: Old-fashioned games for kids in front of Sheri’s Sweet Shoppe on Riverside Avenue, including egg toss, pie-eating, hula hoop, egg relay, rock-paper-scissors and gummy bear spitting.

• Noon-4 p.m.: Food vendors Mountain Meals Catering, Saskatoon Kitchens and Methow Valley Ciderhouse be available on Riverside Avenue.

• 1-5 p.m.: Mechanical bull rides on Riverside Avenue, no charge.

• 6-7 p.m.: line dancing lessons will be offered by West Coast Country Heat.

• 7 p.m.: Street dance featur-

ing music by the Johnny Green and the Pack String band. The sponsoring Winthrop Chamber of Commerce asks a $10 donation to cover the cost of the band; kids 12 and under are free. A beer garden will be provided by Old Schoolhouse Brewery.

Mack Lloyd Park

• Noon: Winthrop Kiwanis

will offer barbecue pulled pork sandwiches until 2 p.m. or until they sell out.

• 1- 4 p.m., WOGA members will gather for visiting, festive old-time music and storytelling. Follow the crowds to the Mountain Man Camp, where you can try your hand at ax-tossing. Look for local vendors in the park, and visit displays by the Okanogan and Wenatchee Nations for an authentic Native Peoples’ representation. The band shell will feature a remembrance ceremony for Fred Duzan and Ray Al Suzy. There will be an open mic at the band shell — cowboy songs and poetry are encouraged.

• 5-6:30 p.m.: WOGA’s annual outfitters dinner will be served, including steak, barbecue and Dutch oven fixings, for $25.

SUNDAY, MAY 8

Mack Lloyd Park

• 8-10 a.m.: WOGA offers Mother’s Day cowboy breakfast. Cost is $10.

• 10 a.m.: packers’ demonstration.

For more information, visit https://winthropwashington. com/events/old-west-festival; or http://www.woga.org.

Shafer Museum open

The Shafer Historical Museum on Castle Avenue opens for the season during ’49er Days. The museum buildings will be open, and docents available, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday (May 6-8) from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; the grounds and outdoor displays are open during all daylight hours. The museum can also be accessed by a stairway on Highway 20 across from the Hotel Rio Vista. Admission is by donation; suggested minimum is $5 per adult. Kids are free. The Shafer will be open Fridays through Sundays throughout May. For more information, visit www.shafermuseum.org.

Photo courtesy of Marva Mountjoy

Princess Elanna Doran, left, Queen Jadyn Mitchell and Princess Bailey Thomson are the junior royalty court for the 2022 Winthrop ’49er Days celebration.

File photo by Don Nelson Try a tomahawk toss at the Mountain Man Camp that will be set up in Mack Lloyd Park on Saturday.

File photo by Don Nelson Winthrop’s 2021 ’49er Days junior royalty princesses Hannah Binning, left, and Madi Surface rode in the parade down Riverside Avenue.

Wednesday, May 4, 2022

LBHS soccer boys toughen up for win over Tonasket

BY RICK LEWIS

The Liberty Bell High School boys’ soccer team dropped their third consecutive match at home Tuesday (April 26) to the Oroville Hornets, 5-1, before taking out the Tonasket Tigers later in the week.

Oroville controlled play through most of the game, taking advantage of three close in shots for a 3-1 lead at halftime.

Liberty Bell’s lone tally came off the foot of Arlen Crum, a guided missile from about 15 meters out in front of the goal.

Crum found the ball teed up in front of him and launched it into the back of the net, just beyond the outstretched hands of the Hornet net minder.

Oroville added two secondhalf goals to close out the 5-1 victory, breaking a tie for sixth place in the eight-team league, jumping ahead of the Mountain Lions by a game in the NCW2B standings.

It was evident after three straight losses to Manson, Oroville and Okanogan that the local boys were being outmuscled on the field. The coaching staff went to work training the team toward a more physical style of attacking defense and protecting the ball on offense.

Thursday (April 28) saw an about-face for Liberty Bell in a 3-1 defeat of the Tonasket Tigers. Coach Dave Marz also noticed a style change.

“We played much better today,” he said. “We were more physical and got called for some fouls. We’ve been working on a more aggressive, physical style of play. It paid off today.”

Controlled ball movement with accurate passing, accompanied by skilled footwork on the dribble allowed for the locals to apply pressure on the Tonasket goalkeeper. When the Tigers were able to make a rush on the Liberty Bell goal, good hustle by defenders, and solid goalkeeping by eighthgrader Alex Ramsey-George, kept Tonasket at bay.

The Mountain Lions hit for two first-half goals, the first coming just short of 15 minutes into the contest. Crum let loose with an open shot only to hit the crossbar and ricochet back to Ben Kaufman, who loaded and fired a rocket past the Tiger goal keeper for the 1-0 Liberty Bell lead.

Tonasket responded with the equalizer at 22:10. RamsayGeorge repelled a Tiger barrage at the 25:00 mark in the first half with two great saves. Five minutes later Jayden Hammer lobbed a close-in shot for the go-ahead score, sending the teams to the halftime break with Liberty Bell up 2-1.

The Mountain Lions continued to control the tempo and tone of the match with more solid defensive play and a balanced, disciplined and assertive attack on the offensive end. Hammer, senior Kieran

Quigley, Finn Simmons and Aidan Sands all had solid shots on goal that were turned away. With about 9 minutes remaining, Sands and Kaufman teamed up on what might be the highlight goal of the year. Sands managed to coax a Tonasket defender into deflecting a ball out over the goal line near the southwest corner of the pitch, resulting in a corner kick for the home team. The first attempt was deflected out and Sands lined up for his second attempt from the flag. This time, he lifted the shot across the front of the goal to the awaiting Kaufman, who, with a twitch of the head, redirected the ball into the net for the score and the matchclinching tally and 3-1 victory.

“We practice that play a lot,” said Sands. “I aimed for a spot about 6 feet out from the goal and hit it. Ben was there and made the play.”

“It feels great,” Kaufman smiled, when asked about that second goal. “It was a great corner by Aidan and I just hit it.” Marz confirmed that the goal was one of the best he has seen. “They made a great play,” he said.

The win snapped a three game losing streak and improved the season record to 4-8 in league play, lifting the Lions back into a tie for the sixth spot.

The Brewster Bears came into the Methow Valley on Saturday (April 30) as the second-place team at 8-4 in the NCWB standings, one of those wins being a previous 6-0 romp over the Mountain Lions on April 13.

The local lads played a disciplined, ball-control offense that offered few scoring opportunities for Brewster through most of the first half. Still, the Bears managed a 2-0

first-half lead. It was with less than two minutes remaining that Ben Kaufman would break the ice for Liberty Bell, legging a shot from the left side of the goal for the tally and a 2-1 halftime deficit.

Kaufman tied the game at two goals apiece with a rebound shot from close in front of the Brewster goal at 58:45. It was Kaufman’s second consecutive twogoal match. But Brewster responded with a shot past Ramsay-George with 7:48 remaining to score the gamewinner for Brewster.

Liberty Bell closes out the regular season Wednesday (May 4), a Senior Day recognition date with Pateros, kickoff at 4:30 p.m.

Baseball

Liberty Bell swept Friday’s double-header with Lake Roosevelt, 6-4, 4-1, and took full control of second place in the NCW2B League standings as they begin to look toward the upcoming District 6 playoffs.

The first game of the rare afternoon/evening twin bill had freshman pitcher Damon Alumbaugh take the mound for the Mountain Lions while the Raiders countered with their top gun Tanner Kiser. Raider batters tagged Alumbaugh with four runs on five hits in the first inning, all earned without the benefit of an error on the part of Liberty Bell fielding, a bugaboo for the local boys this season.

“I went into the dugout and just thought I had to put it behind us, Alumbaugh said.

“Our response that inning helped a lot,” referencing the three runs Mountain Lion hitters posted in the bottom of the opening frame.

Sawyer Crandall led off that inning with a four-pitch walk, Lucien Paz lined a single

Scholz brings home the gold in mountain bike competition

BY RICK LEWIS

Varsity girls’ division winner Gretta Scholz led a group of Methow Valley mountain bike enthusiasts at the 2022 Pedaling the Peninsula meet near the Key Peninsula city of Gig Harbor on April 24.

Scholz’ time of 1:23:44.2 was the best by about 4 1/2 minutes over the approximately 15-mile course, consisting of three 5-mile laps on a mostly single-track course.

Jori Grialou placed 4th in the girls’ varsity division and Jasmine DeVlieg also had a top10 finish in 8th place.

In the varsity boys’ division, Methow Valley’s Graham Sheley rode his way to a 4th-place finish, completing the course in 1:13:28, just over

3 minutes behind race winner Finn Westover of Seattle. Ben Kaufman placed 10th, clocking a time of 1:20:59.

Other top placers from the Methow Valley included sev-

enth-grade boys Jackson Van Bueren in 4th, Quin Smith in 5th and Wyatt Odion in 6th, and sixth-grade girls Wylie Smith (1st) and Ava Burrington (3rd).

Assistant coach Kelly Bolinger reported, “Eight out of the 13 came home

sharply to left field and Noah Holston was issued a free pass. Alumbaugh approached the plate with the bases loaded and was drilled in the back by Kiser on the first pitch, forcing in Crandall and crediting the Mountain Lion pitcher with the initial RBI. Eli Neitlich struck out, the elder Paz was forced out at home on a ground ball to first base by David Kominak, then Holston and Alumbaugh both scored on a single by Remy Paz and fielding error in center field. The younger Paz was forced at second on a ground ball by Grey Patterson and the Lions had jumped back into the game, down just 4-3 after the first inning.

Alumbaugh then completely shut down the Raider bats, allowing only two more hits while striking out four in the final six innings. The Mountain Lion defense also came up big, highlighted by Alumbaugh’s defensive play of the day, a line that hit the freshman pitcher’s leg and ricocheted toward third base. Alumbaugh chased the ball down, turned and fired a bullseye to first baseman David Kominak for the out by a half-step.

Liberty Bell tied the game in the second inning, Crandall crossing the plate on an RBI ground-out to first by Holston. The Mountain Lions took the lead in the sixth, Remi Paz scoring on a Grey Patterson single to center field, exacerbated by a fielding error. Patterson wound up on third and scored on Mac Surface’s RBI ground-out to shortstop to close out the scoring.

In the seventh, Lake Roosevelt sent six batters to the plate, loading the bases with one out but Alumbaugh enticed two straight pop-ups to finish things out.

In the second game, David Kominak returned to the mound for the first time in about a month to earn a complete game, 4-1 win over the Raiders. The senior southpaw had been resting a sore left arm, injured in an early season game.

“He was sharp, said Liberty Bell coach David Aspholm, “painting the corners and keeping hitters off balance.” Kominak gave up only three hits in his seven innings of work.

The Mountain Lions have one last home date, a first round District Playoff game, tentatively on Thursday, May 12, with the time and opponent yet to be determined.

Tennis

The Mountain Lion racqueteers hosted the Oroville Hornets at Liberty Bell’s home courts on Tuesday (April 26). Liberty Bell’s No. 1 boys pair of Connor Herlihy and Gannet Fisher had to face arguably the top doubles pair in the NCWB League in Jasper Bernell and Noah Hilderbrand and. While there were some good rallies and the Mountain Lion duo fought admirably, they were simply overpowered by the bigger, stronger and experienced Hornets, 6-0, 6-1.

“Seems like our matches this year are pretty non-competitive. Either we [Herlihy and Fisher] win big or lose big. We haven’t had any close ones,” said Herlihy, a junior.

In the other varsity doubles match, Oroville’s David Johnson and Trevor Miller defeated Liberty Bell’s No. 2 team of Gavin Blank and Connor Gonzales, 6-1, 6-3. EZ Kirk defeated Paul Fuchs (6-1, 2-6, 6-1) in the boys’ varsity No. 1 singles match. Haizea Alvarez-Murua defeated Araceli Esquivel 6-0, 6-1 in girls var-

sity No. 1. Angel Arrellano and Nathan Buck each won their varsity boys matches, as did Amelia Evans and Sophia Newton for the girls’ varsity.

The Mountain Lions traveled to Entiat on Thursday for a three-way match with the Tigers and Soap Lake Eagles. It was another good day for the netters. The teams played only doubles matches in proset format, Liberty Bell taking six of their seven matches.

On Friday, Liberty Bell tripped over the Loup for their third match in four days to take on the Omak Pioneers. Kirk, Arellano and Buck swept the boys’ singles side of the ledger while AvarezMurua and Austrian transfer Amelie Stracke both won on the girls’ singles docket. Amelia Evans battled hard, dropping a tough 6-4, 6-4 decision to Olivia Nguyen.

The boys’ doubles teams of Herlihy-Blank and Malcom Bosco/Connor Gonzales suffered defeats as did the mixeddoubles teams of Stracke/Bela Moore. Newton and Blank teamed up to battle Marissa Grillo and Grace Worden, the Pioneer pair taking a 2-1 match win after winning a third set tie breaker.

Softball

The Mountain Lion softball team had a tough week, being swept on the road by the Brewster Bears, 12-0 and 12-1, and dropping both ends of a home double-header Friday to Lake Roosevelt, 13-1 and 7-0. Action picks up again this Thursday (May 5) with a 3 p.m. double-header at home versus Bridgeport and a trip to Tonasket on Saturday (May 7) for a single game with playoff implications.

Track and field

Kyler Mitchell set personal records in the 200- and 400meter runs, finishing 2nd and 1st, respectively, and Fischer Edwards won the javelin throw at the Tonasket Small School Invite on April 26. Leki Albirght set a new mark in the 800M, winning that event and also winning the 1,600M on the girls’ side of the Tonasket meet.

At the Rieke Invitational on Friday at Cascade, Dexter Delaney took first place in the 1,600M while Will Halpin and Aksel Thomson swept the top two spots in the 3,200M, both setting personal records. Isaiah Stoothoff set a season best mark in the high jump, clearing 5 feet, 10 inches on his way to victory. Edwards set a new PR with a 137-foot throw in the javelin, good for 2nd place. Sandra Hernandez set PRs in the 200M (7th; 29.85) and 400M (5th; 1:05.89).

The Bridgeport Invite is on the schedule for this Friday, followed on Wednesday (May 11) by the CWB League Championships at Liberty Bell. First events get underway at 4 p.m. at Mountain Lion Stadium.

with medals, two of those obtained their division race leader jerseys. All came home with smiles and a feeling of accomplishment.”

The program is led by Hanz Scholz and Jeremy Newman with help from Bolinger, Harold Sheley and Eric Purpus.

The Methow Valley club will host a mountain bike race on the Sean McCabe Trail at the Methow Valley School District campus on May 15.

The Washington Student Cycling League Championships are scheduled for Sunday, May 22, in the Spokane area.

Photo by Rick Lewis

Liberty Bell’s Nathan Buck went to a backhand return against his Oroville opponent last week.

Photo by Harold Sheley Methow Valley cycle team members Wyatt Odion and Quin Smith, in the blue jerseys, finished among the top 10 in their division at the recent Pedaling the Peninsula meet in Gig Harbor.

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which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination, call HUD toll-free at 1-800-669-9777. The toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-9279275

program for women, infants, and children; the supplemental nutrition program; home visiting; or treatment services. It is strongly encouraged that individuals from historically marginalized and underrepresented communities are given preference. These individuals may not be elected officials and may not have any fiduciary obligation to a health facility or other health agency, and may not have a material financial interest in the rendering of health services. Access to the Board member application is available in English or Spanish on the OCPH website at www.okanogancounty.org/boards_ and_committees/board_of_health to print and

METHOW VALLEY LUMBER has immediate openings for the following positions - CONTRAC -

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THE Confluence: Art in Twisp $2830 per hour, 32 FTE, salaried non-exempt Health care stipend, paid vacation, sick days, PTO Responsible for the overall management and operation of The Confluence. The ideal candidate is • Passionate about visual arts

TWISPWORKS SEEKS A Program Director who approaches this work with curiosity and a collaborative spirit. The bulk of the work for this position is performed in collaboration and engagement efforts across the community and region via TwispWorks programs and support. This position requires awareness of socio-economic dynamics that create the existing business/ entrepreneurship structures in the Methow, as well as the ability and desire to address structural inequities with systemsbased economic approaches.

Qualifications Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Marketing, Economics, Urban Planning, Public Relations, Fundraising or related areas. Relevant experience can be substituted for education requirements. Experience: 5 years of progressive economic development experience or equivalent in community relations, urban planning, community development, communications, marketing and fundraising. This position is full-time (32 hours/wk). Pay is negotiable depending on experience, and ranges from $25-30/hr and includes medical, dental and vision insurance as well as generous paid time off benefits plus professional development opportunities. For details about the position and how to apply please see the full job description at https:// www.twispworks.org/jobs/

SUN MOUNTAIN LODGE – THE

31 EMPLOYMENT

METHOW VALLEY NEWS is seeking a part-time Office Assistant

Immediate opening Monday –Friday, hours may be flexible, 25-30 hours per week Experience with Microsoft Office programs and data base management preferred, IT skills a plus, friendly personality required for walk-in customer service, answering the phones and responding to online inquiries If you are interested in joining our team, send an email with cover letter and resume to editor@ methowvalleynews com, or drop your information off at our office on the TwispWorks campus at 502 S Glover St , or mail it to P O Box 97, Twisp, WA 98856

No calls, please

BIG TWIN LAKE Resort is hiring a seasonal campground attendant. Part time or Full time, schedule is flexible, but applicants must be able to work weekends. Job entails covering the front desk, cleaning camping cabins, and maintaining restrooms. Looking for someone with excellent customer service skills who feels comfortable learning our computer-based reservation system. Starting wage is $18 per hour. Please send resume to bigtwinlake@ comcast.net.

31 EMPLOYMENT 31 EMPLOYMENT

BEAR CREEK GOLF Course is now hiring full time/part time positions for Clubhouse/Course keeper staff. Must be customer service oriented. Alcohol and food are sold on premise. Ability to obtain Food Server and MAST card required for Club House staff. Course keeper duties include mowing, weed eating and operating various lawn maintenance equipment and more. Additional opportunities for special events. Email bearcreekgolfcourse@methownet.com for application or pick up at 19 Bear Creek Golf Course Rd. 509-996-2284.

LARIAT COFFEE ROASTERS is now hiring! Looking to fill a position in our retail store. Need a dependable team player with good customer service skills. Email your resume to info@lariatcoffee.com or stop by our retail store in downtown Winthrop to pick up an application. NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE. WE ARE LOOKING to add two dishwashers to our awesome Three Fingered Jack’s team, full or part-time, $16+tips PLUS a $250 signing bonus!! Stop by or give us a call if you’re interested - 996-2411!

METHOW VALLEY SCHOOL Dis -

trict is accepting applications for a

TOWN OF TWISP, Public Works

Operator, $20.30 to $27.00 DOE

-The Town of Twisp is adding a new team member to our public works department, and it could be you. Applications will be accepted for certified and noncertified public works operators. WDM and WWTP certifications are preferred but we will train the right candidate. The public works team is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the Town’s water, wastewater, streets, parks, pool, and airport. An application and job description can be obtained by visiting www.townoftwisp.com, mail applications and resume to PO box 278 Twisp, WA. 98856, or email to: clerktreasurer@townoftwisp. com (Resumes will be accepted but are not required).

FOR SALE / NEW construction:

Zoned commercial C-3, 2432 sq feet / high bay, Fronts hwy 20 (great advertising); Insulated / heat pump, finished break room w/ full kitchen, Handicap Lav w/ shower, 12x36 finished mezzanine, 14 ft door. Scott Edson - 509-449-6287, Mike McAuley253-278-1114.

FOR RENT FURNISHED 2BD, 1 BA riverfront home on 1 acre, in town of Winthrop. $2,000 per month. 805-770-0677.

RV PARKING RENTAL - Only one parking stall available. Mountain view, privacy, extra parking, garden area. Only one mile south of Twisp. 50&30 AMP full hookup. $575 per month. Includes power, water, garbage, and snow plowing. 6 month lease, then month to month ok. Dogs considered, cat ok. Personal references and proof of employment requested. Call Randall for appointment 509997-2128.

31 EMPLOYMENT NORTH CASCADES BANK is seeking a Customer Service Representative/Teller and Personal Banker to be integral parts of our Twisp Branch. If you don’t have experience in banking but are up for the

• High energy • Outgoing • An excellent communicator Please email letter of interest and resume to: hiring@confluencegallery.org by April 30, 2022. Visit www.confluencegallery.org for the full job description.

PARDNER’S MINI MARKET. Help wanted! We are looking for part/ full time workers. Must be 21+ to apply for full time head clerk positions. Seeking individuals with great customer service. Come on down and pick up an application today!

KITCHEN has immediate openings for the following positions: Dishwashers – Both AM and PM shifts | Line Cooks – Both AM and PM shifts | Assistant Baker | Kitchen worker 12AM-8AM Grave yard –cleaning, polishing, prepping. THE FOOD & BEVERAGE DEPARTMENT is seeking to fill positions in the Bar and the Dining Room: Bussers | Servers | Hosts/Hostesses. No experience is required, we will train. Both part-time and full-time opportunities are available. In BANQUETS, we are searching for: Servers – for both AM & PM shifts. Previous experience is a plus but not necessary | Shift Leads/Supervisors – These positions require proven supervisory skills | Assistant Manager – This position can be a year-round opportunity with full-time scheduling from May through September and part-time for the remainder of the year. THE FRONT DESK is in need of a relief Night Auditor and a part-time receptionist. THE SPA remains busy, has established safety protocols, and offers competitive commissions with flexible and varied schedules available, and requires: Licensed Estheticians | Licensed Massage Therapists. APPLY ONLINE: https://www.sunmountainlodge.com/aboutus/employment/ Hours and pay for all positions will depend on experience; be competitive; include full-time benefit package for those who qualify. HANK’S HARVEST FOODS has openings for evening shift 12pm9pm including weekends. Competitive pay and year-round work with benefits available. Apply in person in customer service. No phone calls please.

BIG TWIN LAKE Resort is hiring a seasonal campground attendant. Part time or Full time, schedule is flexible, but applicants must be able to work weekends. Job entails covering the front desk, cleaning camping cabins, and maintaining restrooms. Looking for someone with excellent customer service skills who feels comfortable learning our computer-based reservation system. Starting wage is $18 per hour. Please send resume to bigtwinlake@comcast.net.

TOWN OF TWISP Police Clerk. Seeking applicants for a 32 hr/ wk. Police Clerk position. Candidates should have: 2 or more yrs related office experience; strong computer and organizational skills; public service skills; strong verbal and written communications; and proven ability to exercise good judgment in stressful situations. Acceptable driver’s license record and background check are essential requirements. Current pay range is $15.00 to $18.22 per hour depending on experience. This position is under a collective bargaining agreement, including retirement, medical/vision/dental insurance, and paid leave bennefits. An application packet can be obtained by visiting townoftwisp.com, or in person at Twisp Town Hall 110 E. 2nd Ave, Twisp, WA 98856. Applications can be returned at Town Hall or via email - clerktreasurer@ townoftwisp.com. If you have any questions please contact Randy Kilmer, 509-997-4081. Open until filled; first review May 6th, 2022. The Town of Twisp is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

J.H Humanities Teacher, 6th Grade Teacher Long Term Substitute, HS - Long Term Substitute, Paraeducator-After School Care. Visit the district website at http://methow. org/district/employment/ to view full job descriptions and to submit an online application. Positions are open until filled.

LOOKING FOR ENTRY level construction worker. Job involves helping install waterlines, septic systems, site work. Valid driver’s license a must. Contact Jim at 509-997-0900.

THE TOWN OF Twisp is accepting applications for Lifeguards for summer employment. Applicants must be at least 15 years old, confident swimmers and able to obtain any Certification Training required, which will be provided by the Town. A background check is also required. Wage starts @ $16.00/hr. DOE. Applications will be accepted through May 6th by 4 p.m. local time, Interviews will be scheduled during the week of May 9th from 4-6 p.m. Applications are available at Town Hall at 110 E. Second Ave. or online at www.townoftwisp.com. Questions call Lori Rodio @ 509-997-1311 or email @ lorir@townoftwisp.com. EOE

CASCADES OUTDOOR STORE is looking for a motivated, dependable and awesome individual to join our team! You’ll need to learn and expand your knowledge-base, contributing to a culture where we focus on our customers and share our love of the outdoors. Great pay and perks. Full or parttime positions available. Send a resume and an email introducing yourself to cascadesoutoor@ gmail.com.

FREESTONE INN IS hiring seasonal, part-time and full-time positions for Jack’s Hut Manager, Jacks Hut Cooks, Bartender, Server, Housekeeping, Front Desk & Line Cook. Full time employees are able to receive full benefits including medical, dental, & 401K after 60 days. Please reach out to Marvin Sutton at msutton@freestoneinn.com, or stop by our front desk to fill out an application.

ARE YOU LOOKING for a fun and seasonal part time job this spring and summer? Our Taco Bahía food truck is looking for you! Some of our employees are missing in action, off to their college towns or internships We are looking for 2-3 people willing to work with us in Mazama, starting Thursday May 26 and going through Labor Day weekend in September We have 9 shifts to fill per week, Thursdays-Sundays Salary with tips are excellent, references required Come join the party and help us serve the best tacos anywhere Call or text Monica at: 509 429 9734 / Call or text Dale at: 509 679 2983 / Or Email us at: wildtacobahia@ gmail com

‘OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC NIGHT’

The Methow Valley Nordic Ski Education Foundation will host a free “Olympic and Paralympic Night” celebration, with personal appearances by the Methow Valley’s 2022 Olympians — Novie McCabe and Erin Martin — on Thursday (May 5), from 6 – 7:30 p.m. at the Winthrop Barn. Presentations, Q&A, films and autograph signing will be included.

The gathering is open to the public, For more information and to RSVP, visit https://methowvalleynordic.com/events/ olympic-and-paralympic-night.

HIKE AND BIKE

• Methow At Home hosts a free 3.75mile, round-trip hike at Riser Lake on May 13, starting at 9:30 a.m. from the Riser Lake parking lot, or carpool from the Winthrop Barn at 9:15 a.m. Bring

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT 2

- HOW TO APPLY: To ensure consideration, please complete the online job application and profile at www.careers.wa.gov. Use reference number 06015 when searching for the job announcement. This recruitment is for one (1) full-time, permanent, Administrative Assistant 2 position for the Central Lakes Area. The duty station for this position will be at Alta Lake State Park in Okanogan County, WA. This posting will remain open until filled. It is in the candidate’s best interest to apply before May 4th, 2022 when a first review of applicants will be completed. The hiring authority reserves the right to fill this position at any time after that date without notice. Duties: Under general supervision, this position provides support and oversight of daily administrative operations for the Central Lakes Area and is the principle administrative assistant to the Park Area Manager. This position is the expert in the areas of customer service, financial compliance and oversight, administrative management, and is the point of contact for the park with region and headquarters staff. For information about this position, please contact Sharon Soelter at (509) 923-2473.

THE WINTHROP STORE has year-round positions available, both assistant manager and parttime, to assist with Deli, Espresso & Retail. Looking for motivated self-starter who enjoys making espressos and Guido’s Deli menu items and provide great customer service. Hourly wage is DOE/DOQ with weekend hours at $18. Employee discounts. Training available. Send resume to: winthropstore@gmail.com or ap

a lunch and water. Register at methowathome.org.

• Methow At Home hosts a free bike ride, from Winthrop to Twisp and back, with Ted Young on May 24, starting at 10 a.m. at the Winthrop Town Trailhead. E-bikes are welcome. Register at methowathome.org.

RINK OPENS FOR SUMMER

The Winthrop Rink will is open for summer operations. Summer programs include:

• Pickleball, Mondays and Thursdays, 6

knee/wrist/elbow pads free. Season passes available. Kids skate for free the last Saturday of the month.

• Roller/inline hockey, Wednesdays

6 – 8 p.m. in June, July, August. $6 adults, $4 youth (6 – 17)/seniors, 5 and under free. Skate rentals $2. Helmets, knee/wrist/ elbow pads free. Season passes available.

• Rentals — the skating facility or, separately, the upstairs viewing room are available for rent, by the hour or by the day. Visit www.winthroprink.org, email sbondi@winthroprink.org or call (509) 996-4199 for additional information.

vidually for one hour or six hours. The route goes up a narrow, moderately-steep climb up a forested slope before topping out at the summit of the Loup, nearly 1,300 feet higher. Grab a snack, and head back down to tag your teammate, or repeat.

through May 22, $65 until June 2. For more information, email alison@ cascadeendurance.com or visit www. cascadeendurance.com/loup-loup-runfor-clean-air-1.

WDFW TROUT DERBY

8 p.m., Saturday 9

11 a.m., through September. $4 admission, punch cards and season passes available. Paddles, balls, nets free. Try pickleball free the first Monday of the month.

• Roller/inline skating, Fridays and Saturdays 6 – 9 p.m. in June, July, August. $6 adults, $4 youth (6 – 17)/seniors, 5 and under free. Skate rentals $2. Helmets,

RUN FOR CLEAN AIR AT THE LOUP

The Loup Loup Run for Clean Air, a fundraiser for Clean Air Methow, will be staged at the Loup Loup Ski Bowl on June 4, starting at 8 a.m. Here’s how it works: Run as many laps at the Loup as you can as a team, or indi-

be opened and read aloud virtually via the following link: meet.google.com/jkm-ewaf-xtu You can also dial in using your phone: (US) +1 513-796-6531 PIN: 257 270 329#

A bid summary will be issued after opening, emailed to all bidders and posted on the Varela website.

Obtaining the Bidding

Documents

The BIDDING DOCUMENTS may be examined at the Issuing Office:

1. Varela Engineering & Management, 601 W. Mallon Ave., Suite A, Spokane, WA 99201

2. Visit www.varelaplanroom. com under “Public Jobs”. Prospective bidders may view digital files at no cost.

Jim and Jeri Blackledge Joanne, Kaiden, Dennie and Lillie Smith

STATEWIDE CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS

ADVERTISE STATEWIDE WITH a $325 classified listing or $1600 for a display ad. Call this newspaper or 360-344-2938 for details.

DO YOU OWE OVER $10,000 to the IRS in back taxes? Our firm works to reduce the tax bill or zero it out completely FAST. Let us help! Call 888-994-1405. (Hours: MonFri 7am-5pm PDT).

DONATE YOUR CAR TO CHARITY. Receive maximum value of write off for your taxes. Running or not! All conditions accepted. Free pickup. Call for details, 855-635-4229.

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LEGAL NOTICES

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS TOWN OF TWISP

CASCADE DRIVE PROJECT

General Notice

The Town of Twisp will accept electronic bids for the work described below until 1:30 PM, Friday, May 13, 2022. Due to the current COVID-19 situation, bids will

To Bid the project, Bidder shall download a full set of the BIDDING DOCUMENTS from www. varelaplanroom.com under “Public Jobs” and shall be on the Plan Holders List. Bids shall be submitted electronically via the Varela Plan Room website and in accordance with the Instructions to Bidders. Additional bid acceptance and contract award provisions are specified in the Contract Documents.

A bid summary will be issued after opening, emailed to all bidders, and posted on the website.

This project will provide the full depth reclamation of the existing roadways with cement treated base and 5 inches of HMA surfacing, as well as the following:

• Pulverizing in place of 3200 SF of Asphalt.

• Installation of approximately 630 tons of asphalt.

All bid proposals shall be accompanied by a bid proposal deposit in cash, certified check, cashier’s check, or surety bond in the amount equal to five percent (5%) of the amount of such bid proposal. Should the successful bidder fail to enter into such contract and furnish satisfactory performance bond within the time stated in the specifications, the bid proposal deposit shall be forfeited to the Town of Twisp.

For additional information regarding this project, contact Kurt Holland at Varela Engineering & Management by phone at (509) 328-6066, or email at kholland@ varela-engr.com

The project is being funded by the Transportation Improvement Board funds 6-E-886(009)-1.

The Town of Twisp is in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 78 Stat. 252, 42 U.S.C. 2000d to 2000d4 and Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Department of Transportation,

03-Bid Advertisement Electronic

subtitle A, Office of the Secretary, Part 21, nondiscrimination in federally assisted programs of the Department of Transportation issued pursuant to such Act, hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will

Proceeds go to Clean Air Methow, to help their efforts to improve air quality in the Methow and greater Okanogan County. Participants are encouraged to gather pledges for each lap completed up the mountain. The entrant raising the most money will receive a GermGuardian HEPA air purifier. Awards will be given for top finishers in each category and duration. All racers will be entered into a raffle for equipment from sponsors.

Entry fees: one hour, $25 until May 1, $35 through May 22, $45 until June 2; six-hour individual, $55 until May 1, $65 through May 22, $75 until June 2; six-hour team/relay, $45 until May 1, $55

not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color or national origin in consideration for an award.

The Town of Twisp is an equal opportunity employer and encourages women and minority-owned businesses to submit bids. The Town of Twisp has the right to reject any or all bids. A bid will be awarded in the best interests of the Town.

Published in the Methow Valley

News April 27, May 4, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICE

Methow Housing Trust, Danica Ready, 31 W Chewuch Rd Ste 102 Winthrop, WA 98862, is seeking coverage under the Washington State Department of Ecology’s Construction Stormwater NPDES and State Waste Discharge General Permit.

The proposed project, Cascade Meadows North, (parcel #3421110139) is located at ‘new road’ as an extension of Cascadian Way off of Rabbit House Road and SR 20 in Winthrop in Okanogan County. This project involves 6 acres of soil disturbance for Residential, Utilities construction activities.All discharges and runoff goes to ground water. Any persons desiring to present their views to the Washington State Department of Ecology regarding this Application, or interested in Ecology’s action on this Application, may notify Ecology in writing no later than 30 days of the last date of publication of this notice. Ecology reviews public comments and considers whether discharges from this project would cause a measurable change in receiving water quality, and, if so, whether the project is necessary and in the overriding public interest according to Tier II anti-degradation requirements under WAC 173-201A-320.

Published in the Methow Valley News April 27, May 4, 2022

IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON OKANOGAN COUNTY

In re Estate of Benjamin T. Gilmore, Deceased No. 22-4-00074-24 PROBATE NOTICE TO CREDITORS under RCW 11.40.020, .030 Janet Gilmore and Jay D. Lucas have been appointed as co-personal representatives of this estate. Any person having a claim against the decedent must, before the time the claim would be barred by any otherwise applicable statute of limitations, present the claim in the manner provided in RCW 11.40.070 by serving on or mailing either co-personal representative or the co-personal representatives’ attorney at the address state below a copy of the claim and filing the original claim with the court in which the probate proceedings were commenced. The claim must be presented within the later of: (1) 30 days after either co-personal representatives served or mailed the notice to the creditor as provided under RCW 11.40.020(1)(c); or (2) four months after the date of first publication of the notice. If the claim is not presented within

Five Okanogan County lakes — Alta, Conconully Lake/Conconully Reservoir, Pearrygin, Spectacle and Wannacut — are part of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (WDFW) 2022 Trout Derby. They are among more than 100 lakes statewide that have been stocked by the WDFW with tagged trout. Just catch a tagged trout in one of the participating lakes, keep the tag, and claim your prize. Over 800 prizes totaling more than $37,000 will be awarded through the derby competition, which continues through Oct. 31. Visit https://wdfw.wa.gov/ fishing/contests/trout-derby for complete information.

this time frame, the claim is forever barred, except as otherwise provided in RCW 11.40.051 and RCW 11.40.060. This bar is effective as to claims against both the decedent’s probate and non-probate assets.

Date of First Publication: May 4, 2022.

ADDRESS FOR MAILING OR

SERVICE: PO Box 3059, Winthrop, WA 98862

Attorney for Personal Represen-

tative: Natalie N. Kuehler, WSBA #50322, The Kuehler Law Firm, PLLC Court and Case Number: Okanogan County Superior Court – No. 22-4-00074-24

Published in the Methow Valley News May 4, 11, 18, 2022

LEGAL NOTICE

No. 22-4-00176-31 PROBATE

NOTICE TO CREDITORS RCW 11.40.030 SUPERIOR COURT OF WASHINGTON FOR SNOHOMISH COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF DAVID G. MCLEAN, Deceased. The Personal Representative named below has been appointed as Personal Representative of this estate. Any person having a claim against the decedent must, before the time the claim would be barred by any otherwise applicable statute of limitations, present the claim in the manner as provided in RCW 11.40.070 by serving on or mailing to the Personal Representative or the Personal Representative’s attorney at the address stated below a copy of the claim and filing the original of the claim with the court. The claim must be presented within the later of:

(1) Thirty days after the Personal Representative served or mailed the notice to the creditor as provided under RCW 11.40.020(1)(c); or

(2) four months after the date of first publication of the notice. If the claim is not presented within this time frame, the claim is forever barred, except as otherwise provided in RCW 11.40.051 and 11.40.060. This bar is effective as to claims against both the decedent’s probate and nonprobate assets. DATE OF FIRST PUBLICATION: Wednesday, May 4, 2022

PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE:

Daniel A. McLean ATTORNEY FOR PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE: Trevorr Z. Haapalainen, WSBA #52770 ADDRESS FOR MAILING OR SERVICE: Haapalainen Law, PLLC 3416 Broadway, Suite 4 Everett, WA 98201. Published in the Methow Valley News May 4, 11, 18, 2022

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF ADOPTION – ORDINANCE #785

AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN OF TWISP, WASHINGTON, IMPOSING AN IMMEDIATE MORATORIUM ON THE FILING, ACCEPTANCE, PROCESSING AND/OR APPROVAL OF APPLICATIONS FOR OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATIONS AND OVERNIGHT RENTALS; AND PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY

Dated this 26th day of April 2022.

Kilmer, Clerk/Treasurer,

Town of Twisp, Washington. Published in the Methow Valley News May 4, 2022

NOTICE

OF ADOPTION – ORDINANCE #786

ORDINANCE of the Town of Twisp, Washington, amending the 2022 budget of the Town of Twisp as adopted by Ordinance No. 781.

Dated this 26th day of April 2022. Randy Kilmer, Clerk/Treasurer, Town of Twisp, Washington.

Published in the Methow Valley News May 4, 2022 OKANOGAN COUNTY AUDITOR

The Okanogan County Auditor is seeking applicants for the operation of a vehicle/vessel license sub-agency office in the Brewster area. Applications are made by submitting a written business proposal addressing specific subject areas. Your proposal will be part of a competitive replacement process. An outline of the subject areas to be addressed in the business plan is available at the Okanogan County Auditor’s office and may be accessed on-line at www. okanogancounty.org/government/ auditor and click on the request for proposal link. The Department of Licensing provides equal opportunity when appointing Subagents. We encourage all qualified persons to apply, including members of protected groups under applicable state and federal law. Please submit written business proposals to: Okanogan County Auditor Cari Hall PO Box 1010 149 3rd Ave N Okanogan, WA 98840 509-422-7240

ALL PROPOSALS MUST BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN 4:30 p.m. June 6, 2022.

Published in the Methow Valley News May 4, 11, 18, 25; June 1, 2022; Okanogan Valley GazetteTribune May 5, 12, 19, 26; June 2, 2022. OVG953604 OKANOGAN COUNTY

NOTICE OF FINAL DECISION

Boundary Line Adjustment: (parcel 3322270274 & 3322260021)

Proponent: Mike Port and Charles & Lyndsay Frady

Decision: Approved Exempt Segregation: (parcel 3728040002)

Proponent: Warren & Merrie Davis

Decision: Approved The Okanogan County Office of Planning and Development made a final decision on the above-noted projects. Within 20 days of publication, parties with standing may appeal these decisions to the Okanogan County Hearing Examiner at 123 5th Ave. N. Suite 130, Okanogan, WA 98840, pursuant to OCC 2.67.010. An appeal must include the $1,250.00 appeal fee.

Published in the Methow Valley News May 4, 2022; Okanogan Valley Gazette-Tribune May 5, 2022. OVG953778

Sunflower Marathon

Drizzly, overcast conditions greeted runners who took on the Methow Trails Sunflower Marathon, Half Marathon and Relay last weekend over a scenic course that wended from Mazama to Twisp. But many runners likely found the cooler temperatures preferable to mid-summer heat. Overall winner of the marathon was Chad Trammell of Anchorage, Alaska, in a time of 3:09:44.7. The first local finisher was Nick Littman of Winthrop in 3:22:08. Gretchen Hansen of Yakima was the top female finisher in 3:54:56.2. Heather Karell of Winthop was the first local female finisher, covering the course in 4:21:10.3 while taking 31st place overall and 7th among the women. Waqar Shaikh of Seattle won the half-marathon with a time of 1:30:54.6. Top local finishers in the half-marathon were the husband-and-wife team of Erik and Marine Bjornsen of Winthrop. Erik took 3rd place overall with a time of 1:34:38.3; Marine was the top female finisher in the half-marathon (in 4th place overall) with a time of 1:34:39.1. The relay was won by the team Between A Walk and A Hard Place, finishing in 3:13:31.

Judge: County comp plan lawsuit can proceed

MVCC, Futurewise prevail in challenge

BY MARCY STAMPER

The Methow Valley Citizens Council (MVCC) and Futurewise can make their case in court that the comprehensive plan adopted by the Okanogan County commissioners at the end of 2021 doesn’t adequately protect water resources and farmland.

Okanogan County Superior Court Commissioner Robert Colbert issued a brief order in the case on April 27, following oral arguments at the end of March.

Little Star building wins national architecture award

Prentiss+Balance+Wickline

Architects has won a 2022 American Institute of Architects (AIA) Education Facility Design Award for its work on Little Star School’s “Galaxy” building.

Completed in 2018, the new building and playground in Winthrop doubled the school’s size and capacity to serve the Methow Valley community with infant and toddler care, including its facility on the TwispWorks campus, the Little Star South Collaborative.

According to a Prentiss+Balance+Wickline press release, the design team for the Galaxy building was inspired by the late Rayma Hayes, Little Star’s founder and longtime guiding force. The school was

founded in 1982, based on the Montessori philosophy.

“Most buildings are scaled for adults and children must adapt to them,” said Margo Peterson-Aspholm, lead architect. “We thought Rayma would appreciate scaling the building to children and making adults adapt. So, we lowered and decreased the size of windows and created various nooks and scaled-down casework. There was some doubt, especially when the building was in framing, about the wisdom of this idea, but I have since heard that everyone — adult or child — loves the playfulness of it.”

The facility includes three classrooms, administrative offices and an activity room, the press release notes. “Interior

spaces are filled with light and have strong visual and physical connections to the outdoors. Areas for both active and quiet play are arranged so that children of different ages may observe and learn from each other. The activity room opens directly out to a large grassy oval, where the entire school may gather, making children feel the value of community,” the release said.

Jeff Brown, of AJ Brown and Company Construction, was the general contractor for Little Star. “Jeff and his crew were so dedicated and enthusiastic and did great work on a short timeline and tight budget,” said Peterson-Aspholm.

Community members stepped up to donate to the school’s fundraising campaign, the press

release said. “Many local tradespeople and suppliers partially donated their services and materials as well,” according to the release. “An incredible team from Little Star, including departing director Dani Reynaud and Little Star board member and parent Eric Godwin, worked tirelessly with the architect and builder to make decisions, solve problems and craft compromises. Local engineer Jennifer Argraves provided civil engineering.”

Despite an extremely tight budget, many of the project’s sustainability goals were achieved, the release said. They include an enhanced thermal envelope, efficient air-to-air heat pumps, high-quality insulated windows, careful place -

ment of shading and operable windows for passive cooling, extensive day-lighting at interiors, and daylight harvesting. Solar panels have been approved by the town of Winthrop for installation on the building’s roof and will bring the building to net-zero energy consumption.

The AIA jury for the Education Facility Design Awards noted that Little Star “is wellintegrated into the site and fits the surrounding architectural context while being respectful of the environment. This is a simple building done very well.”

The award will be presented at the 2022 AIA Convention in Chicago in June, and published on the AIA website and in its magazine.

Watershed council releases report on water metering

BY MARCY STAMPER

The Methow Watershed Council (MWC) installed 12 water meters two years ago in a pilot project to collect real-time data about how much water is used for single-domestic households and livestock in the Methow Valley.

The council also commissioned a contractor to update an Okanogan County database to track the number of residential parcels to determine how much of the water reserved for the watershed from the Methow River is actually being used. The projects were covered by a grant from the state Department of Ecology to quantify peak consumptive use and determine the best method for determining the water remaining in that reservation.

After an October 2021 report on the metering, the MWC concluded that the pilot project was not extensive enough to provide worthwhile data and voted to terminate it, although they will continue to collect data from existing meters, according to the MWC’s draft report to Ecology on the project.

The report recommends that any future grants be put toward a review of the water-use database and of recent changes in water law that affect water and land use in the Methow watershed, informed by best-available science.

The MWC report doesn’t include the data obtained from the meters, but says that information from the metering and county database didn’t warrant changing the estimate of 710 gallons of

water per day for residential use in the Methow. That amount has been used for a decade to calculate consumptive water use, based on a 2011 study done by Aspect Consulting.

In the draft report, the MWC also recommends further research and data collection to account for instream flows, potential buildout of existing parcels and associated projections for water use, and the feasibility of developing and operating a water bank. They also recommend updating the water-use database to reflect zoning changes and produce an accurate count of parcels that should be debited from the total water allocated for the watershed.

The draft report notes that having this information could help

with future updates or clarifications of the Methow Rule, which governs water use in the Methow watershed.

The Methow Rule sets aside water for single-domestic wells to supply a house and livestock before any other water use. Water for the towns and irrigation get lower priority, and group-domestic use isn’t permitted without a special water right.

The rule created seven reaches, from Early Winters to the Lower Methow, and allocated 2 cubic feet per second (cfs) to each one, a total of 14 cfs for the watershed. One cfs is almost 449 gallons per minute.

Studies done over the past decade have found that most reaches have plenty of water,

Clean Air Methow gets grants for smoke

Funds back info, air cleaner efforts

BY ANN MCCREARY

Clean Air Methow has received more than $350,000 in state and federal grants to help Okanogan County residents prepare for wildfire smoke and reduce year-round smoke pollution. The funding will also make indoor air cleaners available for free to people who can’t afford them.

Clean Air Methow, a program of the Methow Valley Citizens Council, received a state grant of $282,000 from the Washington Department of Ecology for a communications campaign promoting preparedness for smoke pollution from wildfires and other sources throughout the county.

The campaign will be designed to inform residents about ways to protect themselves from unhealthy air, said Liz Walker, strategic adviser for Clean Air Methow.

“It’s mostly about protecting health, because there’s nothing we can do about wildfire smoke,” Walker said. “During wildfire season, smoke is everything anyone can think or talk about,” but

once fires are over, people are eager to “move on,” she said.

“We want to put air quality on their radar throughout the year in a way that motivates behavioral change,” Walker said. The information campaign will seek to raise awareness among Okanogan County residents of yearround air quality concerns.

It will include messages focused on issues like outdoor burning of yard wastes and smoke from wood stoves, both contributors to unhealthy air quality, Walker said. The goal will be to reduce sources of smoke that can be controlled.

Clean Air Methow partners with other organizations to reduce year-round smoke exposure by providing alternatives to outdoor burning with free yard waste disposal events, and administering a woodstove exchange program.

The Washington Department of Ecology has renewed a woodstove exchange contract with Clean Air Methow for 20222024, which should enable the replacement of 40-50 old, smoky woodstoves in Okanogan County.

Walker said a Spokane-based communications company will work with Clean Air Methow and other interested organizations in

Okanogan County on the new communications campaign to deliver messages through schools, health and social service providers, newspaper and radio ads, billboards and social media.

Distributing air cleaners

A second grant secured by Clean Air Methow will fund distribution of 250 indoor air cleaners to people who are most susceptible to health impacts from smoke but can’t afford to purchase a cleaner. The $75,000 Environmental Justice Grant is from the federal Environmental Protection Agency.

To distribute the air cleaners, Clean Air Methow will partner with network of care providers including Okanogan County Heath, Confluence Health, Family Health Centers, Room One and Methow Ready/Aero Methow Rescue Service. The air cleaners will be available through those organizations, Walker said. The indoor air cleaners, which can filter smoke from the air in a room and provide safe place when outdoor air quality is unhealthy, are intended for people who feel they can’t afford to purchase one, Walker said. She hopes the program will also increase aware-

but others, such as the Lower Methow, would run out of water if every existing lot were developed.

Comment on water-metering report

The public can comment on the watermetering report through May 16. For a copy of the report, go to www.methowwatershed.com and go to the turquoise box at the bottom of the page with “Latest News.” The report and a link for commenting are at the bottom of the box.

preparedness

ness and encourage people who can afford an air cleaner to buy one. Clean Air Methow encourages local hardware stores to stock air purifiers, which are in high demand during wildfire season, Walker said.

Currently, Okanogan County does not have any public buildings “that can guarantee clean air when wildfire smoke is bad,” so distributing air cleaners for home use is an important way to help people limit smoke exposure, she said.

During a period of extreme wildfire smoke pollution last August, 2,000 air filters that were donated by the Instant Brands corporation were distributed in the Methow Valley by Clean Air Methow and local government and nonprofit organizations.

In addition to the distribution of indoor air cleaners this year, the Environmental Justice Grant will fund training for health professionals about the impacts of wildfire smoke, who is most vulnerable, and ways to help people limit smoke exposure. Outreach will include disseminating a “smoke-ready checklist” that includes preparations such as ensuring access to clean indoor air, gathering N95 masks, and considering ways to provide

support during the isolation of an extended smoke episode, such as checking in on neighbors or friends.

Okanogan County has a long history of wildfires and wildfire smoke, and fire seasons are becoming longer and fires more severe. The region is also impacted by increasing amounts of prescribed burning, conducted by land management agencies to restore forest health and reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires. The county also has a longstanding winter air pollution issue, with inversions holding smoke close to the ground.

“Some of us are highly tolerant of smoke, but if you ask anyone with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a parent of a child with asthma, or an elderly person, wildfire smoke and even the air quality changes from a neighbor burning outdoors, or winter woodsmoke settling in the valley overnight, can have significant health consequences,” Walker said.

“All of us deserve to have access to clean indoor air to stay safe, especially in our homes. These grants will help make that possible for more of Okanogan County.”

Okanogan County had sought to dismiss the lawsuit, contending that that it had been filed too late to meet the deadline and that the plaintiffs lack standing to sue because they had provided only “vague, speculative allegations of harm,” which were not sufficient to demonstrate any injury as a result of the comp plan.

But Colbert said that the plaintiffs had filed the case in time and dismissed that part of the county’s argument. He also agreed with the conservation groups that they have standing to file, because MVCC and Futurewise members could be adversely affected by the comp plan and its effects on water.

MVCC/Futurewise attorney

Tim Trohimovich argued that the comp plan would have negative impacts on drinking water, on fish and wildlife habitat, and on agricultural land because water supplies are so limited in the county. The conservation groups also said the plan didn’t adequately protect against wildfire risk. All those issues affect the groups’ members, Trohimovich said.

MVCC and Futurewise had argued that there were four legal grounds for bringing the case, but after the county moved to dismiss all of them, the plaintiffs agreed to pursue only two, Trohimovich told the Methow Valley News. Colbert dismissed the other two grounds, in favor of the county, in his order.

Major issues

The main issues that need to be addressed are water availability, the designation of areas in the county suitable for denser development, and designation of commercially significant agricultural land, Trohimovich said.

MVCC and Futurewise are hoping the county will make changes to the plan that will allow them to dismiss the lawsuit entirely, Trohimovich said.

MVCC and Futurewise filed the lawsuit on March 1. The two groups sued the county in 2015 over the previous version of the comp plan, making many of the same arguments. The current plan addresses some of those concerns, but the plan still needs revisions to comply with state law, MVCC Program Director Lorah Super said.

The comp plan is the philosophical underpinning for the county’s approach to land use and growth. Regulations such as the zoning code are based on the comp plan.

A 2017 agreement in Okanogan County Superior Court committed the county commissioners to reviewing the comp plan and zoning code, taking these issues into account, and to adopting a new plan by the end of 2018. Although the county missed that deadline, they were working on the plan and the plaintiffs didn’t hold them to the date, Trohimovich said.

“Regardless of where the legal course of action takes us, we hope to arrive at a solution that benefits our members, residents and property owners of Okanogan county and protects ecosystems and the natural environment,” MVCC said in a statement about the lawsuit.

“We’re optimistic — we’d like to reach an agreement that would allow us to dismiss the lawsuit,” Trohimovich said.

Okanogan County is reviewing the commissioner’s ruling and hasn’t made any decisions regarding appeal, Okanogan County Prosecutor Albert Lin said.

Photo by Benjamin Drummond

Little Star School’s “Galaxy” building in Winthrop has won a national architecture award for its “well-integrated” design.

NAKED EYE

Set your sights on May’s lunar eclipse

The big astronomical event for May is a total eclipse of the moon on the evening of the 15th. It will be the first of two lunar eclipses this year.

An eclipse of the moon happens when the shadow of the earth falls on the moon. Yes, the earth has a shadow, and we actually live half of our lives within that shadow. We call it night.

For an eclipse to happen the sun, the earth and the moon all have to be in a straight line, with the earth in between the other two.

The moon will rise at approximately sunset already eclipsed. If you enjoy photographing celestial events, this eclipse will present an interesting opportunity to get some spectacular shots of the eclipsed moon in juxtaposition with a foreground of your choosing.

The trick will be knowing exactly where the moon is going to rise over the horizon. I will give you a hint. The moon will be in the constellation Libra. So if you are really into this photography thing, go out a couple of nights in advance and find the constellation Libra and see where it is coming up over the horizon.

Why is an eclipsed moon

called a “Blood Moon?”

When I was a kid learning everything I could about

rises, some of that color may be washed out. We will have to wait and see what it looks like. The totality phase will last about an hour and a half, almost as long as it can get. Whence the moon?

We all take our moon for granted until it eclipses the sun or is eclipsed itself.

COMMUNICATIONS DISTRICT MEETING

astronomy, nobody had ever heard of the term. Of course the eclipsed moon gets that name because it often turns a strange reddish color.

Why does it look so red?

Imagine standing on the moon during an eclipse. You would see the earth blocking the sun. In fact from your perspective you would be witnessing an eclipse of the sun. All around the edges of the earth there would appear to be a ring of fire which would be the combined sunset and sunrise colors all around the earth. That color gets reflected on the surface of the moon, and we see it as the reddish hue. The moon will be passing almost into the center of the earth’s shadow, which should give it a deep rich hue. Since it will be twilight here when it

BUSINESS OF BIOCHAR

C6 Forest to Farm will host a community Zoom meeting on the evolving business of biochar and the plan to establish self-supporting local biochar production, on Thursday (May 5), at 7 p.m. Visit C6’s website for the Zoom link: http://C6F2F.org.

MEDMATE TRAINING

Methow At Home offers free online volunteer training in the MedMate Program, with Betsy Weiss, on May 10 from 4 – 5 p.m.

A MedMate provides support formulating questions and setting goals for a medical visit and ensures the member has the information they need going into a visit. They support the member during a visit through taking notes and if invited by the member, might ask clarifying questions. Register at https://methowathome.clubexpress.com.

LEGION HOSTS BREAKFAST

American Legion Post No. 0143 will host a community breakfast on Saturday, May 14, starting at 9 a.m. at the Legion Hall in Twisp. Join Legion members for pancakes, coffee and camaraderie. Open to all members of the community. A donation for entry is suggested.

SPRING PLANT SALE

Classroom in Bloom’s spring plant sale will be on May 18 from 9:30 a.n.-6 p.m. at the Methow Valley School District campus. Vegetable and flower starts will be available, and student-led booths will be open until noon. Limited online sales will be available. For more information, visit www.classroominbloom.org or email classroominbloom@gmail.com.

LITTLE STAR SPRING FLING

Little Star School will host its Spring Fling, a 40th anniversary celebration and fundraiser, on May 22 from 2 – 5 p.m. at Mack Lloyd Park in Winthrop. Admission is free. The day will include live music by

Did you know that we have a very unusual moon, the largest in our solar system in comparison to the size of the planet around which it revolves? So how did we get our moon, and where did it come from?

There are several theories about the origin of our moon, but the one currently held in favor is the giant impact theory also known as the “Big Splat.” According to this idea, an object the size of Mars named Theia slammed into the earth about four and a half billion years ago when the solar system was just getting formed. The collision was so violent that the earth and Theia melted and merged together. A little later a big glob spun off to become our moon. Different theories tweak the details a little, but you get the general idea.

If Theia sounds like a mythological name, your hunch is correct. She was a Titan goddess from an older race of gods

The Family Dog, a raffle, photo displays, food by Saskatoon Kitchens and Taco Bahia, a beer garden by Old Schoolhouse Brewery, family activities, and performances by Little Star students.

Little Star hopes to raise $40,000 in donations, which will be matched by an anonymous donor.

For information, visit https://littlestarschool.org, email info@littlestarschool. org or call (509) 996 -2801.

JOURNALING CLASSES

Join Annabelle Acosta, Fire Adapted Methow Valley’s program assistant, and Abby Ludeman, Methow at Home’s preparedness coordinator, for a free two-part class series on journaling about nature and fire preparedness. The first session, via Zoom, is on May 20 at 10 a.m. The second session, on May 27, will be in the field starting at 10 a.m. from the Meadowlark Trailhead in Winthrop, adjacent to the Sullivan Cemetery. Register for either or both at methowathome.org.

GARAGE SALE FOR OPEN ROADS

A garage sale to benefit the Okanogan Open Roads Coalition will be held on May 13 and 14 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Malott Improvement Club in Malott. For information on how to donate money or items, call Lorah Super at (425) 308-3851 or Ruth Hall at (509) 429- 4503.

MENTAL HEALTH MONTH

COLOR WALK

Join the 2022 Mental Health Month Color Walk on Saturday, May 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Eastside Park Fitness Trail on Omak Avenue in Omak, a free, family-friendly event with a variety of activities scheduled. To register, visit http:// mvhealth.org/colorwalk.

GRASS AND WILLOW WORKSHOP

The Okanogan chapter of the Native

and was the mother of Selene, goddess of the moon. I am glad that whoever named her was paying attention to mythology.

Since then, the gravity of the earth has slowed the rotation of the moon down to where it has stopped with one side always facing us. The moon is also slowing the rotation of the earth because of the friction of the tides as they slosh back and forth across the ocean beds. A day on the earth used to be just a couple of hours long. How did we ever get anything done? Did you know that many scientists think that life as we know it would not be possible here without our big moon? That means that we would not be here either. The moon acts like a gyroscope on the earth, steadying our tilt towards the sun. Without that stabilizing force, the earth would be like a wobbly top wandering around all over the place. That would create climate change from hell, making it very difficult for advanced species of life like us to get started here.

If you want to see the planets, you will have to get up early, before the dawn. Venus and Jupiter are the two bright ones, but Saturn and Mars are there too. Have fun watching the eclipse. It should be spectacular.

Plant Society and the Methow Naturalist are sponsoring a two-day workshop on how to identify grasses and willows, taught by local botanist Dana Visalli, on June 18 and 19. Cost is $75. Class size will be limited; register with Dana at dana@ methownet.com.

PRAYERS FOR PEACE

Methow Valley United Methodist Church, 193B Old Twisp Highway, welcomes everyone to join in praying for peace in Ukraine and around the world on Wednesday evenings at 5 p.m. For more information, call 997-7779.

SUMMER GARDEN CAMPS

Registration is now open for Classroom in Bloom’s summer garden camps, which will be offered in five four-day sessions in June and July. Most of the camps are for ages 6 – 10 and will be from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. daily. Dates are June 27 – 30 (for 5- to 7-year-olds); July 5 – 8 (Tuesday through Friday); July 11 – 14; July 18 – 21; and July 25 – 28. Cost is $240 per camp; scholarships are available. Visit www.classroominbloom.org/new-events/2019/6/24/ summer-gar@gmail.com.

WVC GRADUATION CEREMONIES

Wenatchee Valley College announced it will host both graduation ceremonies in-person this June. The Wenatchee campus ceremony is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday, June 17, at the Wenatchee Apple Bowl Stadium. The Omak campus ceremony is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 18, at the Omak Performing Arts Center. This year’s graduation ceremonies will be ticketed. Each graduate will receive 5 tickets for family, friends or guests to attend ceremony. A nurses pinning for both campuses will be held Friday, June 17 at 1 p.m. The location is to be announced. For information, visit https://wvc.edu/students/resources/graduation.

The Methow Valley Communications District board meets on Tuesday (May 10) at 4 p.m. in the Education Station building on the TwispWorks campus. For information, visit www.mvcomm.org, call (509) 557- 0963 or email secretary@mvcomm.org.

COUNTY FAIR NEWS

• The Okanogan County Fair Advisory Committee meets the first Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. in the County Commissioner’s Hearing Room, 123 Fifth Ave. N., Okanogan. The public is invited. If you can’t attend in person there is a Zoom link available.

• Livestock pre-registration for the Okanogan County Fair is available online. All sheep, pigs and steers need to be pre-registered by June 5. Go to the fair website, okanogancountyfair.com.

HOUSING TRUST EVENTS

The Methow Housing Trust has scheduled a series of public events related to its recently launched capital campaign to “Build Belonging” in the valley. All the events are free. For more information, visit http://methowhousingtrust.org/build-belonging.

• Methow Valley Thriftway, Friday, May 6, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

• Mazama Store, Sunday, May 8, 11 a.m. – 1 p. m.

• Block Party at TwispWorks, Saturday, May 28, 4

7 p.m., including yard games, music, food and brews and information.

ACCREDITATION FOR METHOW HOUSE WATCH

Methow House Watch has earned accreditation from the National Home Watch Association for the sixth year. President and CEO Derek Van Marter has a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Washington and a BS in public affairs from Indiana University. He spent nearly 20 years as an impartial facilitator of environmental conflict resolution, successfully negotiating agreements in national, regional, state and local issues.

Methow House Watch was established in 1995. Van Marter bought the Methow Valley Home Watch business in 2016 from the founders. Over the last six years he has than doubled its capacity. For more information, visit www.methowhousewatch.com.

UNAFFILIATED CANVASSERS

The Office of the Secretary of State has received multiple reports of third-party canvassers presenting themselves as elections officials and going door-to-door across Washington asking residents about their voter information and other election-related questions. These canvassers are not affiliated with and do not represent the Office of the Secretary of State, its Elections division, or any of Washington’s 39 county elections offices. Residents who have questions or concerns about their voting status or registration are encouraged to contact local elections official or the Office of the Secretary of State.

SCHOLARSHIP DINNER

The Okanogan County Ecology Scholarship (OCES) team hosts a fundraising “Stroganoff Night” with silent auction on May 12, 5 p.m., at the Tonasket Community Cultural Center. A three-course dinner will be served, along with music and entertainment. Tickets are $15, available at the door. Reservations may be made by calling (509) 322-5302 or (509) 485-2281.

David Ward

Derek Van Marter

Thomas ‘Tom’ James Peterman

Thomas James “Tom” Peterman, age 75, a 17-year resident of Addy, Washington, passed away on April 21, 2022, in Spokane, Washington, following the onset of cardiac decline and valve failure. Tom was born on Nov. 27, 1946, in Clarinda, Iowa, the son of James R. and Norma L (Addington) Peterman.

Tom’s youngest years were spent in Wyoming and Colorado where he began school. In 1965, Tom graduated from KentMeridian High School in Kent, Washington. He then enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served overseas as a radioman on the U.S.S. Joseph Strauss Alphaclass destroyer. They offered protection in the seas near Hong Kong, Hawaii, Vietnam and the Philippines. While in the Philippines, Tom met Nenita “Nita” S. Navidad. Their courtship let to an exchange of vows on Oct. 1, 1968, in the Philippines. Following Tom’s honorable discharge, he and Nita moved to Winthrop, Washington. There he began a 25-year career with the U.S. Forest Service as a surveyor. Tom retired in the early 2000s on the Hawaiian island of Maui and worked for the Haleakala National Park Service for two years. Tom and Nita moved to the Big Island of Hawaii where he also helped pollinate Hawaii’s beautiful flowers by constructing bee boxes for a local apiarist. He and Nita remained on the Big Island for three years before returning stateside, where they built a home in Addy. They have resided in Addy for the past 17 years.

Tom loved the outdoors and shared this passion with his wife and family whenever possible with camping and hiking adventures throughout the years. His passion for the outdoors inspired him to author stories and

Keith Wohlford

Keith Wohlford, also known by many in Northwest music circles as “Wolf Man,” passed away in Wenatchee on April 13, 2022. He was born to Earle and Louise Wohlford in Yankton, South Dakota, on Jan. 27, 1948. After his father’s death in 1954, the family moved to Tacoma. He graduated from Wilson High School and soon got his first taste of the music business. A birthday visit to a Wailers concert had planted a seed some years earlier. He went off to Central Washington College but eventually left to join the band The Bards. He also played bass and sang lead for Lucky Pierre,

SENIOR NEWS

reflections of his adventures which he submitted and was occasionally published. Tom spent countless hours with hook and bait dangling in the surrounding lakes and rivers with his beautiful wife Nenita. He was a voracious reader with a special interest in history and science. He enjoyed watching hockey quietly at home and the Seattle Seahawks with family and friends. Tom had a patience and understanding that was astonishing, and his humble intellect offered wisdom and guidance whenever called upon. His love knew no boundaries, carried no grudges and was offered with stoic character, unwavering and without end.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents and one son, Ariel.

He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Nita Peterman, at the home; two daughters, Laren Upton (Kirk) of Walla Walla, Washington, Plenette Garcia of Portland, Oregon; one son, Andy Peterman (Katy) of Colville, Washington; one sister, Judy Blackburn of Colville, Washington; four grandchildren, Ella, Nelly, Brigette and Marvin; two nieces, Leathy Barrons and Molly Martin; and a host of extended family and friends.

The funeral service for Mr. Thomas “Tom” James Peterman began at 11 a.m., Wednesday, April 27, 2022, at the Danekas Funeral Chapel in Colville, Washington. Cremation followed the funeral service at the Danekas Crematory. Memorial contributions may be given to the charity of your choice. Please visit the online memorial and sign the guestbook at www.danekasfuneralchapel.com. Danekas Funeral Chapel and Crematory, 155 W. First Ave., Colville, WA 99114 is entrusted with the arrangements.

The Fabulous Cyclones, B. I. G., and the Wolfpack. He lived a lifetime of performance and travel in the music world and acquired many close friends who were there at the end.

Keith is survived by brothers Dennis Wohlford (Sue), Don Wohlford (Jeanne), cousins Ray Wohlford, Jim Wohlford and Roger Clark (Laura). He was also uncle to Chris Wohlford (Kristi), Karin Klein (Brad), Sherri Napier, and Brenda Johnson (Jay). Memorial will be held at the Vista House, Saturday, May 7, noon-6 p.m., 1101 E. Craig Ave., Ellensburg, WA 98926.

This Saturday (May 7), we will be open and we will start with a sidewalk sale, which will mostly feature Western clothes and items such as blankets, boots and art, as well as also some real nice, warm sweaters and a few surprises. See your there from 9 a.m.-noon.

Pat Braitwaite was the winner of the gift basket last week. Hope you enjoyed it. If you are wondering why our dumpster is sitting outside the encloser, we had to

do an upgrade and it doesn’t fit the old covered space — so we have to do some remodeling. Happy Mother’s Day, and have a fun ’49er Days weekend.

Also, for anyone who likes old cars there will be a Methow Motorheads cruise- in at the Hank’s Harvest Foods parking lot on Wednesday, May 11, at 6 p.m. Come down to visit and look at some neat old cars.

Rosalie Hutson

Bustard memorial

Thomas ‘Tom’ James Peterman Keith Wohlford

53, Twisp Raini Lakota Jensen, 22, Twisp, and Nickalus Ryan Standish, 23, Twisp

Mazama

One thing I know for sure, if you plan an event in the spring, don’t count on a blue sky, windless, perfect temperature day. Spring is full of surprises. Such was the case last Saturday (April 30) when the last day of the month brought the rain showers that have proverbially promised to bring May flowers.

Methow Trails’ 2022 Sunflower Marathon, Half Marathon and Relay were filled to capacity with runners eager to hit the trail. Even with the rain, the participants were treated to spectacular views of the Methow Valley, passing through meadows and fields carpeted with wildflowers including the run’s namesake — arrowleaf balsamroot.

Zumiez’ employees filled Mack Lloyd Park for the beginning of their sales meeting earlier in the week — only to be sent under tent cover with the rain on Saturday. Still, by the sound of the buzz around town, it was apparent the group was having a good time in the valley. We hope to see their ubiquitous white vans again next year.

Valley Life

signal only came in after sunset, it fast became the favorite of teenagers across the western U.S.

After Elvis, the Beatles and all the other bands of the 1960s took over, country music dropped off my radar. Rock and roll stations became abundant, but I still couldn’t resist a Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson or Merle Haggard song.

Then came the new kind of country. A co-worker introduced me to this style that had added some pop to it in the 1990s. I still questioned the lyrics such as “I had a barbecue stain on my white T-shirt,” but came to like the sounds of Tim McGraw, Shania Twain and Alan Jackson.

Winthrop

As a big fan of pre-owned clothing, I was delighted to learn that this year’s ’49er Days junior royalty members are all wearing gowns previously worn by other queens and princesses. (See related article on page A6 for specifics.)

First of all, thinking globally, this is absolutely the right thing to do. There are already a lot of garments in the world — probably enough to clothe every human plus some of the Chi-

The Methow Valley Backcountry Horsemen 2022 Spring Ride and Auction enjoyed a sunshiny day for setup at Beaver Creek Campground knowing the ominous forecast for rain (did we hear possible snow?) on Saturday. The rain came, finding its way into the edges of the tents,

weenies for the rest of mammalian existence on this planet.

But second, re-wearing the handmade ’49er dresses is a tribute to the women who sewed them. Up until recently, all ’49er Days dresses were sewed painstakingly by hand, by some of the valley’s many competent seamstresses: Donna Martin, Marva Mountjoy, Becky Taylor and others. Wearing the dresses again confers not only a historic element into the event, but it also honors the many hours of labor, the yards of nice fabric, the thousands of stitches, and — quite likely — the errant curse word or two that was uttered in the making of said elaborate garments.

Some friends and I were recently talking about prom dresses: our own, and the ones our children were planning to wear to Saturday’s dance — the first formal school dance since COVID.

Daughters of the 1980s, we all understand the state -

it’s a lot of wealth. Like, a lot.

Combined, the top-10 billionaires, who each have over $100 billion, far exceeds the gross domestic product (GDP) of most nations. Ukraine’s estimated GDP is about $112 billion. So, yeah, one billionaire could likely help recover a war-torn nation.

Twisp

The recent billionaire buyout of Twitter by Elon Musk has left a lot of people thinking, “wow, for $44 billion, what would you do?” That amount of money is so incomprehensible, so surreal and intangible, it’s as ethereal as the social media platform itself. According to a recent study, there are more than 700 billionaires in the United States. That’s not a lot of people, but

What a burden really, to have that much money. Always to be criticized for how to spend it. Gates, Bezos, Zuckerberg, the whole lot, don’t get cut much slack for trying to end malaria, homelessness, climate change, or make the world more just through their own wealth disbursements.

Still, these philanthropic endeavors cease to answer the never-ending quandary of how on Earth we can have people with infinite wealth and such abject poverty co-habiting the same planet? The conundrum continues to plague humanity.

Andrew Carnegie, the American Steel giant, ranked

soaking auction bid sheets and merchandise. Riders headed out with rainwear of all kinds and returned with drenched horses and gear, but smiling!

Even with the less-than-perfect day, the ride and auction were successful and the rain abated for barbeque and campfire in the evening. “At least”

ment a big ol’ prom dress can make, especially when accompanied by 1980s hair. We also fundamentally grasp the changing tastes of fashion over the decades but secretly hoped that our kids, armed with 21st century sensibility about overconsumption and the impact of textile waste on the environment (not to mention human rights concerns about the garment industry), would at least entertain the notion of a “your mother’s prom dress” themed prom. They would not. But, what they would do was to do something that (in my limited experience, at least, given that we’ve been in COVID for most of my kids’ high school years) I’ve been so impressed and grateful that Methow Valley youth are perfectly comfortable doing: sharing dresses.

In my older daughter’s high school years (of which only two have involved school dances due to COVID), I’ve witnessed the

among the wealthiest man of all time. His legacies are many, but his wealth ended after his death, bestowing most of it to universities and scientific foundations. One of his lasting gifts was public libraries. He sought to see it that every person in America have free access to selfeducation. Similarly, Joan Kroc, heiress to the McDonald’s fortune, gave it all away upon her death, much of it to the Salvation Army to build, wouldn’t you know it — indoor pools and recreation centers.

It’s ironic that two of the most prominent public philanthropic projects in the valley, as of late, fall into the category of libraries and pools. Accolades to Friends of the Winthrop Library for accomplishing their fundraising without a Carnegie! That’s no small thing. The first Joan Kroc Center in San Diego was built with a gift of $90 mil -

the wind wasn’t blowing as it did during the last pre-COVID Spring Ride in 2019. That’s spring! Totally off topic: I grew up listening to classic country music — Hank Williams, Patsy Cline and Johnny Cashtype country — on our local radio station, KPRK. The sta -

“reuse” ethic alive and well, evidenced by the number of different students who have worn a single dress to various dances. The only problem is, this pipeline requires the semi-regular purchasing of dresses by at least a couple of kids each year — something they haven’t had reason to do since early 2020. So prom 2022 was a bit of a no-woman’s land, since the selection of loaner dresses is pretty limited, given that the last of the “two formals per year” kids graduated in 2019.

Still, I know that prom 2022 hosted some preworn dresses from Goodwills throughout the Northwest, the Senior Center, the Thrifty Fox, and at least one local closet. I know that a couple of kids made their own dresses, and they are beautiful, well-fitting dresses. This was decidedly not their mother’s prom. No, like so many things Gen Z has made its own, it was much better.

lion. As for the 26 Kroc Centers throughout the country, it took $1.5 billion to build them, averaging $57 million, all of which also house worship space for the Salvation Army. Back to what would you do with $44 billion? Elon Musk apparently asked the World Food Program via Twitter (of course) what it would cost to end world hunger — they reportedly replied. Unfortunately, it’s more than he has, at least right now. But not by much. Curious as to why buying Twitter is the next best option. Anyway, it’s a fun dinner game conversation piece for the whole family. So far, our family’s billion-dollar missions would result in the following: Putin would be gone; all the houses in the valley floodplain would be moved to higher ground and salmon runs restored; there’d be a fund for education, health care and housing; and yes, we’d have a new pool in the valley with a recreation center free to all residents.

tion only played rock and roll for one hour a day from 8-9 p.m. As teenagers, we tuned into KOMA (1520 on the AM dial) from Oklahoma City. With its 50,000-watt signal, KOMA was one of the few stations playing the “Top 40 Rock ‘n’ Roll” music we had come to love. Even though the

Lower Valley

A case of iritis forced me to take a break from writing, and almost everything else.

Iritis is the swelling of the iris. The eye turns red, has a consistent dull ache, light sensitivity and blurred vision. There is no known common cause of iritis. Left untreated, it can lead to blindness. Treatment requires prescription eye drops and close monitoring by an eye doctor. The symptoms come on suddenly and can last for months. My case lasted for four months.

I went to the eye doctor office so often; I can now do the drive with my eyes closed.

Emily Dickinson may have suffered from iritis. Her symptoms of light sensitivity, eye ache, blurred vision and inability to work up close are now widely accepted as iritis. The Emily Dickinson Museum’s website briefly touches on her visits with ophthalmologist Dr. Henry Willard Williams. Her poem, “Before I got My Eye Put Out” is now crystal clear. Whenever there is inflammation in any part of the body, the rest of the body just wants to nap. It was my luck that iritis happened during the long winter months, when the days are short and I didn’t miss much while napping. I heard snow season was short lived anyway. I also slept through mud season, which was a

What I’m getting to here is the news that Naomi Judd tragically passed away on Saturday, just one day before being formally inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Singing with her daughter Wynona, The Judds had joined my list of new country singers that I liked. Written by Naomi Judd and two others and released in 1990, “Love Can Build a Bridge” was one of their biggest hits. Naomi was candid about her health struggles and her severe depression and anxiety. The words she wrote hold meaning today in a world where “building bridges” is desperately needed.

“I would swim out to save you, in your sea of broken dreams / When all your hopes are sinking, let me show you what love means.” RIP, Naomi, RIP.

win in my book.

It was difficult to view anything up close. I rested my eyes on the long views. We are lucky to have so many long views in the Methow Valley: ridges, tree lines and cloud formations that billow over hills and flow into rocky crevices. I don’t know how Midwesterners deal with a distinct lack of framing for all that sky.

The eyeballs are 98% water. Lenses turn light into electrical signals that travel along the optic nerve directly to the brain and are translated into images. I drank copious amounts of H2O and tried to envision a healthy eyeball, hoping the images in my brain would travel in reverse along the optic nerve to the iris muscle.

In my mind’s eye I imagined textbook diagrams of the water cycle: water evaporating from the surface of the ocean, rising into the atmosphere, condensing into thick cumulonimbus clouds, flying to the nearest mountain to release a thunderous downpour that sank deep into the ground. From there, the water table and creeks rise. Tree roots, wildflowers, gardens and myself drank our fill before the water droplets rushed back to the sea. I imagined my eyeballs nourished by seawater saline and invigorated by thunderstorms. Mostly though, I worried. Because worry is something we naturally do when presented with a health concern. Jarod K. Anderson writes, “The water in your body is just visiting. It was a thunderstorm a week ago. It will be the ocean soon enough. Most of your cells come and go like morning dew. We are more weather pattern than stone monument.” He postulates the sudden disruptions in our health are like storms. We can’t control the weather.

But we can strengthen our shelters, sharpen our forecasts, and keep our focus on the horizon for a break in the clouds.

Twisp: Sarah Schrock sjschrock@yahoo.com

Winthrop: Ashley Lodato 509-341-4848 or ashleylodato@alumni.stanford.edu

Lower Valley: Joanna Bastian MethowJoanna@gmail.com

Mazama: Shelley Smith Jones smithjonesshelley@gmail.com

Joanna Bastian

Sarah Schrock

Shelley Smith Jones

Ashley Lodato

Photo by Shelley Smith Jones

Rain gear was the order of the day for the Methow Valley Backcountry Horsemen 2022 Spring Ride and Auction last weekend.