Public reaction has been strongly negative After hearing nearly unanimous opposition to data centers from hundreds of county residents, the Okanogan County Planning Commission is working on recommendations to the county commissioners about whether data centers should be permitted in the county — and, if so, where. The local discussion comes at a time of […]
NEWS
Photo: Coming home cuisine
OCEC’s 3% surcharge postponed to January
Other utilities challenge BPA’s ‘spillage’ rate hike The Okanogan County Electric Co-operative (OCEC) is postponing the rate hike associated with a surcharge being implemented by the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA). OCEC had announced a 3% surcharge beginning in October, but because BPA won’t be implementing the extra charge until December, OCEC won’t collect the additional […]
Three Rivers mobile clinic to roll into Twisp
Some healthcare services provided at Three Rivers Hospital in Brewster will be available in the Methow Valley, after the hospital opens a mobile clinic at Aero Methow Rescue Service in Twisp. Three Rivers hopes to roll out the Three Rivers Mobile Clinic in November, Maria Christina Monroe, the hospital’s public relations director, said at a […]
Photo: Baling out
Photo: Special treatment
Spawning sockeye halt salmon-restoration work on Methow River
The discovery of spawning sockeye salmon has halted restoration work in the Methow River near the old Sugar levee until next summer. Fish biologists from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) found half a dozen sockeye redds right near the Sugar project just north of Twisp while they were conducting fish surveys in […]
Methow Valley News collects 67 awards in ‘Better Newspaper Contest’
The Methow Valley News collected 67 “Better Newspaper Contest 2026” awards for advertising design, news, feature and sports writing, photography, newspaper design, and special publications at the annual Washington Newspaper Publishers Association (WNPA) convention in Everett last weekend. That is the most awards the newspaper has won in the WNPA’s annual contest. In 2024, the […]
News briefs: Three Rivers survey, meetings; Red Shirt Mill tailings
Three Rivers survey, meetings Three Rivers Hospital in Brewster is conducting an online survey, seeking input from residents of the hospital district including the Methow Valley. The anonymous survey takes about seven minutes to complete and asks about households’ healthcare experiences and needs. The survey is available in English and Spanish at threerivershospital.net/survey until Oct. […]
Okanogan County Fire District 6 considers ambitious growth goals
Draft strategic plan calls for 70 new volunteers Okanogan County Fire District 6 hopes to double its wildfire response and triple its volunteer force in the next five years, according to a draft of the fire department’s goals, presented Sept. 29 at a meeting of district commissioners. The special meeting was the second the commissioners […]
