Twisp

Bear sightings in the valley are not uncommon this time of year. In fact, bear hunting season has been open since August and many people have reported seeing bears on hikes, along roads, or munching on old orchard trees. However, a recent uptick in sightings of what appears to be a new species or sub-type […]

Neither a global pandemic nor 100-degree temperatures nor being three years shy of embarking on her ninth decade of life could stop Twisp resident Linda Mendro from completing a mini-triathlon on Aug. 17. Linda, who is 77, has participated in the ChelanMan triathlon for the past several years and intended to again this year, but […]

My Winthrop counterpart, Ashley Lodato, did a great job of promoting the un-official Methow River cleanup day Saturday. Beyond the trash and refuse tossed and bounced from unsuspecting tubers who hit a rapid or rock and lose their lot to the current (because no one would intentionally use the river as a trash can, right?), […]

“Corona Summer” The sounds of flip flops stomping about Grilled sausages heaped with onions and kraut Sunscreen smeared upon the floor Sticky popsicles’ prints on the door Ice cream floats and lemonade Will soon be gone as summer fades Crisper mornings, darker nights Growing weary with sibling fights Clearest August skies of yet Fires loom […]

In a typical summer, the swim season’s county championship meet would have just sealed the Killer Whales as the league champs once again, and kids would be coming and going from summer camps. Here in the valley, the various youth organizations that offer summer camps and programs were, like everyone, thrown into all-new territory with […]

What parents in the Methow Valley School District have been waiting for all summer finally arrived last Friday. The options were laid out elegantly as to how the school can commence under three scenarios: a hybrid small group-in class/online system, a fully online school, or a homeschool program with district guidance. I would like to […]

Don’t be underwhelmed as you search the western skies for Neowise this week. The icy, dust comet that has everyone talking may lack a certain brilliance to the naked eye, but its mere presence in our visual field is quite remarkable, given the vastness of space. At 70 million miles away, it’s pretty cool we […]

“Awkward” has been used to describe masked encounters at local grocery stores and shops. A friend recently asked me, “Don’t you find it awkward when you run into people you know in masks and try to have a normal conversation?” In response, yes, I have had my share of awkward encounters with masked friends and […]

What’s your COVID-19 project? The stay-at-home order issued in March released a flood of DIY projects across the valley and beyond. Here in the valley, I have seen projects range from homemade mountain bike trails, patios, bathroom remodels, expanded gardens, tree houses, animal husbandry like ducks and chickens, to new puppies and kittens. Our project […]

Movement is afoot on Glover Street with some recent changeovers of ownerships. For the past year, the modernist building known as the River Bank Building sat empty when the Bureau of Reclamation closed its offices in Twisp. With their vacation went a host of agencies that worked in the building. The bureau held the lease […]