Asmussen retains PUD commissioner seat Nearly-complete Okanogan County results from the Nov. 8 general election give apparent victories to Twisp Police Chief Paul Budrow for sheriff, Oroville Mayor Jon Neal for county commissioner and incumbent Dave Rodriguez for coroner, according to tallies released by the county auditor’s office on Thursday (Nov. 17). The auditor’s office […]
Town of Winthrop projecting $6.44 million budget for 2023
The Town of Winthrop is contemplating a total operating budget of $6.44 million for 2023, with projected revenues that should leave the town in a comfortable position — but some of that surplus is earmarked for future projects. The total projected revenue of $9.1 million includes anticipated revenues from taxes, grants and all of the […]
No Bad Days – Time well spent
Saturday was a good day to be out and about in the Methow — places to go, things to do, cold but sunny, a cheery prelude to the Thanksgiving week coming up. People were skiing, skating, fat biking and otherwise taking advantage of the early snow compilation. I started the day at the Methow Valley […]
Budrow vaults to lead over Hawley in sheriff’s race
Neal, Rodriguez, Asmussen ahead in other contests Twisp Police Chief Paul Budrow has taken a significant lead in the race for Okanogan County Sheriff against incumbent Tony Hawley, according to the latest returns from the county auditor’s office. According to the third round of vote counting released on Monday (Nov. 14), Budrow had drawn 6,221 […]
Give Methow raises over $800,000 for local nonprofits
2022 campaign again exceeds previous efforts Give Methow, the annual fundraising effort that benefits local nonprofits, raised a total of $801,947 for 40 valley organizations this year — a record-breaking amount, according to the Community Foundation of North Central Washington, which hosts the campaign. The annual campaign lasts through the month of October. Last year, […]
Winthrop Town Council adopts property tax increases for 2023
The Winthrop Town Council approved two local property tax increases for 2023 — each of them prescribed by state law. Thanks to an initiative approved by voters years ago, local governments are restricted to a 1% increase in local property tax assessments each year. Anything above that requires approval by residents. Most taxing entities stick […]
No Bad Days – Silenced voices
The newspaper I went to work for as a very green rookie reporter in 1973 was a community fixture, focused on local news and interests, sports (it was in a university town), as well as state and regional issues. The Eugene, Oregon, Register-Guard had a circulation of 75,000-plus, a news staff of more than 50, […]
Twisp Civic Building’s opening celebration is just grand
Crowds turn out to view new facility A day that was a decade in the making turned out about as well as could be hoped for when the new Twisp Civic Building and Emergency Operations Center was unveiled to the public on Saturday (Oct. 29). While some details remain to be finished, the revamped street, […]
State grant benefits affordable housing project in Winthrop
Housing Authority planning 22 units A 22-unit affordable housing project in Winthrop has been awarded a $100,000 grant from the state Department of Commerce to help defray development costs. The grant is part of Commerce’s Connecting Housing to Infrastructure Program (CHIP), now in its third round of providing funds to help pay for water, sewer […]
No Bad Days – The inside story
I got a sneak preview of the new Twisp Civic Building earlier this week — I suppose you could call it a privilege of the press, except that the building was technically open to the public as of Monday so it wasn’t really an exclusive. That said, I did enjoy special treatment. My escort and […]
