Do you love trails, lakes and parks? Do you have ideas about how to enhance recreation in Okanogan County? Okanogan County is working on the first revision of its outdoor recreation plan since 2004. The plan contains an inventory and description of existing public recreation facilities and opportunities, goals and objectives, and an analysis of […]
COVID infection rate slows dramatically, but Okanogan County sees three more deaths
Okanogan County has lost three more people to COVID-19, all under the age of 70, Community Health Director Lauri Jones said at the county’s Board of Health meeting on Tuesday (Sept. 15). One of the people lost was a man from Brewster well known for coaching many children and adults. “It’s tragic,” Jones said. The […]
Methow Valley schools finally re-open with smiles and tears
Fire-related problems forced late start For the first time in 181 days, Methow Valley schools pulsed with students and teachers embarking on an unusual school year with a mix of in-person and remote education. All students, from kindergarten through 12th grade, started the term on Monday (Sept. 14) — some in the school buildings and others from […]
Progress reported on containing Cold Springs, Pearl Hill fires
Infant dies as family flees blaze About 465 firefighters have made significant progress toward containment on the Cold Springs and Pearl Hill fires, battling both blazes despite rugged terrain and such smoky conditions that it was often impossible to use aircraft. According to the fire incident information system InciWeb, the Cold Springs Fire was 60% […]
French Creek Road dispute heads to appeals court
Superior Court decision to get review The long-running dispute over whether all of French Creek Road has been a public county road for 131 years — as Okanogan County Superior Court ruled last year — or whether a 3-mile stretch is merely a private access road to adjacent private property is before the state Court of Appeals in Spokane. […]
Wind-driven fires explode in central Okanogan County
Power, phone, internet disruptions widespread A fire that started just south of Omak at 9:45 on Sunday night (Sept. 6) spread south at alarming speed across exceptionally dry vegetation in powerful winds, prompting mandatory evacuations from Omak through Bridgeport almost immediately. Driven by wind gusts over 50 miles per hour, the Cold Springs Fire jumped […]
MVCC challenges Okanogan County’s approval of subdivision
In an Aug. 27 hearing, Okanogan County Hearing Examiner Dan Beardslee heard arguments from the Methow Valley Citizens Council (MVCC), which is challenging the county Planning Department’s approval of an application to build a house on a new lot created when an 11-acre lot with an existing house was subdivided. Beardslee also heard from Okanogan […]
COVID cases continue downward trend in county
Among the 650 people who turned out for two days of free COVID testing in Winthrop and Twisp last month, there were no new infections among Methow Valley residents. The sole positive case was an individual from Oroville, according to Okanogan County Public Health. The free community testing around the county drew 2,035 people. So […]
Methow district starts year with in-school option
COVID protocols will be practiced The Methow Valley School District confirmed last week that it will offer a choice of in-person and remote learning, after consultation with Okanogan County Public Health. Okanogan County Health Officer John McCarthy was supportive of the decision by the school board to provide some in-person instruction. He also acknowledged the […]
No campfires allowed anywhere in the Methow
Bans apply to public, private lands With fire risk called “extreme,” campfires are not allowed on any land around the Methow Valley, whether it’s managed by the U.S. Forest Service, the state of Washington, or Okanogan County. The Forest Service, which operates developed and dispersed campsites around the valley — including in the Chewuch drainage, Twisp River, […]
