Deadline Oct. 18 for state, Nov. 22 for federal rules By Natalie Johnson Two demonstrations took place in Twisp and Winthrop in the past week to protest vaccination mandates with a mixed batch of participants advocating for personal autonomy and citing debunked myths about COVID-19 vaccine side effects. About a dozen people gathered Friday (Sept. […]
NEWS
Confluence, Premera sign contract, keeping care “in network”
By Marcy Stamper Six weeks after Confluence Health declared they were at an impasse in negotiations with health insurer Premera, the two companies announced a contract that keeps Confluence’s clinics and hospitals as in-network providers for people with health insurance from Premera and LifeWise, a Premera subsidiary. The two companies issued a joint press release […]
COVID stresses county staffing — 40% out sick at Auditor’s Office
By Marcy Stamper For the past several weeks, Okanogan County has been grappling with its highest number of COVID cases since the start of the pandemic, and the impacts are being felt by residents and county employees. The county auditor’s office, which serves more members of the public than any other department — for vehicle licenses and […]
Twisp puts PDA dissolution on hold again
Town will review zoning implications By Ann McCreary A decision on dissolving the Twisp Public Development Authority (PDA), created 13 years ago to guide development of the property that is now TwispWorks, has been put on hold while the town takes a closer look at zoning implications. The Twisp Town Council voted last week to […]
MVCC sounds alarm on ‘aggressive’ Twisp River tree thinning
By Marcy Stamper Some conservationists had their worst fears confirmed about what was behind the barricades on Twisp River Road when they finally got a look at the forest and found dozens of massive old-growth snags had been felled, and some areas left with only a few trees standing. The area has been closed to […]
Winthrop Town Council to consider relocating Susie Stephens crosswalk
By Marcy Stamper The town of Winthrop will ask the engineers who designed the crosswalk from the Susie Stephens trail on Highway 20 to look at the feasibility of moving the crossing about 15 feet north so that it’s closer to the Virginian Resort and not on Virginian Circle Road, an unimproved town street between […]
911 Blotter: Sept. 22
Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office • At 1:07 p.m. on Sept. 13, police and medical crews responded to a report of a bicyclist who fell and possibly had a head injury near Early Winters Drive in Mazama. • At 3:54 p.m. on Sept. 15, a possible weapon offense was reported on Highway 153 in Twisp. A […]
Community Briefs: Car seat checks, Methow At Home, Repair Cafes
Aero Methow conducts child seat check event at Hanks On Friday (Sept. 24), Aero Methow Rescue Service personnel will check car seat safety and installation from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Hanks Harvest Foods’ parking lot in Twisp. The event will check if a car seat and its installation are safe. There is no […]
Forest Service releases report on Cedar, Cub creek fire damage
BAER summaries available online By Natalie Johnson The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest has released reports detailing fire intensity and damage to vegetation, roads, streams and other impacts of this summer’s Cedar and Cub creek fires. The reports estimate 48% of burned area in the Cedar Creek Fire had high or moderate soil burn severity, and 41% […]
Cub Creek Fire was ‘human-caused,’ still under investigation
By Natalie Johnson The exact cause of the Cub Creek Fire is still under investigation, but the state Department of Natural Resources has officially determined that it is a human-caused fire. The Cub Creek Fire was reported just after noon on July 16, near the intersection of Cub Creek Road and West Chewuch Road. The […]
