14 in Cascaders 4-H to enter sheep this year If you want to learn patience, responsibility and tenacity, try raising sheep for the Okanogan County Fair. By the looks of it, the not-so-little lambs that were gathered in late July at a small ranch off Twisp-Carlton Road didn’t enjoy being led around a lawn by […]
Rains cool off area wildfires
Saturday brought lightning but no confirmed starts A storm on Saturday morning (Aug. 29) brought plenty of lightning but no confirmed fire activity to the Methow Valley, according to the local fire district. Meanwhile, the largest wildfires in North Central Washington have slowed after a cool, wet week. Copious rain on Saturday appeared to put […]
Town of Twisp, police union to enter new contract negotiations
Chief: Higher pay may be necessary Twisp’s new police officers — whenever they are eventually hired — could get pay raises next year, as the town must negotiate a new contract with the police union that would go into effect in January 2027. The Twisp Town Council on Aug. 25 selected two of its members […]
TranGO gets federal go-ahead for Omak operations center
Transit hub project could break ground next spring TranGO crossed a major hurdle in its plans to build a transit facility in north Omak, after a federal agency completed its environmental review of the project. The Okanogan County Transportation Authority (OCTA), which operates the countywide bus system, announced on Aug. 18 that a Federal Transit […]
Liberty Bell to offer Nordic trail-building class
Methow Trails wins grants for training A new class offered this upcoming year at Liberty Bell High School has the Methow Valley written all over it. Starting this fall, Chris “Flash” Clark, a former coach of the Methow Valley Nordic Team, will teach a cross country and mountain bike trail-building course at Liberty Bell, in […]
Twisp Town Council weighs development moratorium requests
Town may hold public forum on growth next year Twisp leaders have heard it loud and clear from a handful of vocal residents: They don’t want unchecked growth in town, and the town’s development rules need to be rewritten in a way that makes sure that doesn’t happen. Some community members are even calling for […]
Twisp Police Department’s two long-time vacancies could be filled soon
Town looking at one lateral hire, four new recruits Twisp Police Chief Paul Budrow could be getting some backup soon. The town might hire a veteran officer in the next few months, and a second new officer could be on the streets early next year, according to an official from the town’s Civil Service Commission. […]
Fire District 6 commissioners mull planning goals at special meeting
District leaders eye possible tax measure in 2027 Commissioners for Okanogan County Fire District 6 asked some big questions at a four-hour special meeting on Thursday (Aug. 13), as they started preparing a business plan with an eye toward a possible property tax ballot measure in 2027: What capacity do we currently have to suppress […]
Short, McCoy advance to November general election in District 7 state Senate contest
GOP incumbent, independent challenger top field of four Incumbent state Sen. Shelly Short made a strong showing in the Aug. 4 primary election, garnering 58% of the vote in a four-person race as of Monday afternoon (Aug. 10). Short, a Republican, hopes to retain her seat as the senator for Legislative District 7, which stretches […]
Something for all at Guaranteed Fresh Fest
Three-day music festival scheduled for Aug. 21-23 Guaranteed Fresh Fest may be the most eclectic music festival in the Methow Valley — or anywhere else, for that matter. A lot of events cater strictly to fans of country, metal, bluegrass, reggae or hip-hop. Guaranteed Fresh Fest, coming Aug. 21–23 to John Doran’s ranch north of […]
