Good Morning it’s Saturday June 12th, and this is The Wenatchee World’s newest podcast, Slices of Wenatchee. We’re excited to bring you a closer look at one of our top stories and other announcements every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. 

 

Today we’re remembering the life of Dave Riggs, a former Wenatchee World journalist who went on to become a beloved and inspiring teacher and journalism adviser at Wenatchee High School.

 

This episode is brought to you by Equilus Group Incorporated. Equilus Group, Inc is a Registered Investment Advisory Firm in the states of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Equilus Group, Inc- Building Your Financial Success. Learn more at Equilusfinancial.com. Member SIPC and FINRA.

 

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Now our feature story...

 

Dave Riggs, a former Wenatchee World journalist who went on to become a beloved and inspiring teacher and journalism adviser at Wenatchee High School passed away recently. He had been diagnosed with spinal cancer.

 

He leaves his wife Dee and daughter Anna. 

 

Both Dave and Dee worked for many years in the newsroom here. Dave logged 27 years and Dee worked for the newspaper for over 40 years. 

 

He started out as a sportswriter, then went on to work on the copy desk. Later, he took a mid-career detour into teaching.

 

Dave was a great guy to have as a colleague. He had a terrific work ethic and came to work with a great attitude and a fabulous sense of humor. But when he chose to become a teacher, it was clear Dave found his niche.

 

He taught English and was adviser for the Apple Leaf student newspaper and WaWa yearbook. During his four-plus years as an adviser, the newspaper earned national and state recognition for excellence. The Apple Leaf won two Pacemaker Awards for journalistic excellence and the paper placed in the top 10 for National Best of Show for four straight years. 

 

Then, in 2016, Dave was awarded the Fern Valentine Freedom of Expression Award from the Washington Journalism Education Association.

 

His drive to tell important and sometimes difficult stories gave his students the inspiration to stretch themselves. Dave was a terrific mentor. He consistently stood up for the rights of student journalists to take on stories that were sometimes controversial but needed to be told.

 

Dave and Dee both distinguished themselves as journalists and colleagues at this newspaper. Our hearts go out to the family in this difficult time. Dave’s certainly going to be missed.

 

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Next, we’re excited to announce that COVID-19 vaccinations continue to tick upwards. We’re about 7,000 vaccinations away from the 70% goal.

 

The incidence rate in Chelan County has remained in the 80 new cases per 100,000 people range throughout early June.

 

The state still plans on fully reopening the economy on June 30 regardless of the incidence rate. But if the hospital ICU capacity statewide ever reaches 90%, then activities will begin to get restricted once again.

 

As of June 7, state ICU capacity was at 81%.

 

Around 97% of new COVID-19 hospitalizations at CWH in the last couple months were people who had not been vaccinated.

 

For the latest information on local COVID-19 rates and vaccine resources visit us at wenatcheeworld.com

 

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Before we continue, a special thanks to our friends and sponsors at Confluence Health. The team at Confluence Health is grateful for the trust the community puts in them every single day. They are diligently working to improve the health and quality of life for our friends and neighbors. They are Grateful | They are Confluence Health.  Learn more by visiting them at ConfluenceHealth.com

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Next, 

 

Wenatchee Valley transportation projects will take center stage next week at the Washington State Transportation Commission meeting.

 

Community leaders and local officials will talk about everything from Wenatchee’s “Complete Streets” program and Northern Fruit’s plans to electrify its truck fleet to the continued quest to complete the Apple Capital Recreation Loop project.

 

The virtual two-day meeting, broadcast live at tvw.org, runs 1 to 5 p.m. Tuesday and 9 a.m. to noon Wednesday.

 

The state Transportation Commission is a seven-member board appointed by the governor. It provides an open public forum for transportation policy development, conducts special projects as directed by the Legislature and issues the state’s 20-year Transportation Plan.

 

The commission also is holding a special meeting to propose new ferry fares and to talk about the toll rate increases on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, the State Route 99 tunnel and the Highway 520 bridge. 

 

For information about the commission and complete meeting agendas, go to wstc.wa.gov/.

 

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Before we go, some local history,  Wenatchee Valley History is brought to you by NABUR [this is pronounced just like neighbor] – your trusted neighborhood community. NABUR is a free online forum you can trust to connect with your community, focus on facts & make a difference. Join the conversation! Visit wenatcheeworld.com/nabur .

 

Now, some history…

 

The Beecher Hill House was built by Samuel P. Beecher. Sam came to the Wenatchee Valley in 1894. He worked for a time as a stonemason and subsequently planted the first sizable orchard in the Upper Valley.

 

Mr. Beecher was a man of many interests and accomplishments. He attempted an ascent of Mt. McKinley in 1906, engineered some of the first irrigation systems in the Valley and was a skilled artist and sculptor.

 

Beecher Hill House was built during the period of 1909 to 1913 as a testament to his vision. Electricity was not yet available but the house was wired for power. The hardwoods, stonework and advanced features made the house an early landmark.

 

Mr. Beecher’s attention to detail and artistic eye extended to the formal grounds. 

 

In its hey-day, Beecher Hill hosted many notable visitors. Sam’s acquaintances reflected his varied interests.

 

Queen Marie of Romania was a frequent visitor in the 1920’s as were Sam Hill, Wiley Post and Howard Hughes.

 

In 1939, a lawsuit was initiated by the Leavenworth State Bank over the disputed collection of outstanding loans. Sam’s confidence in his innocence led him to act as his own attorney, battling for twelve years and culminating in a Supreme Court decision. Unfortunately, Sam was not successful in his defense and lost the property in the early 1950’s. 

 

Sam died in September of 1957.

 

Thanks for listening. Today’s episode is brought to you by Equilus Group, Inc- Building Your Financial Success. Learn more at Equilusfinancial.com

 

The Wenatchee World has been engaging, informing and inspiring North Central Washington Communities since 1905. We encourage you to subscribe today to keep your heart and mind connected to what matters most in North Central Washington. Thank you for starting your morning with us and don't forget to tune in again on Tuesday!

Support the show: https://www.wenatcheeworld.com/site/forms/subscription_services/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good Morning it’s Thursday June 10th, and this is The Wenatchee World’s podcast, Slices of Wenatchee. We’re excited to bring you a closer look at one of our top stories and other announcements every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. 

 

Today --- WestSide High School had its 35th graduation Tuesday night, and for the first time the school hosted the ceremony in its own backyard.

 

Today’s episode is brought to you by Equilus Group Incorporated. Equilus Group, Inc is a Registered Investment Advisory Firm in the states of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Equilus Group, Inc- Building Your Financial Success. Learn more at Equilusfinancial.com. Member SIPC and FINRA.

 

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Now our feature story…

 

WestSide High School had its 35th graduation Tuesday night, and for the first time the school hosted the ceremony in its own backyard.

 

Sure, COVID protocols were the reason the ceremony was not happening at the normal place, but that’s just fine with WestSide Principal Kory Kalahar. 

 

Certainly beats last year’s graduation which was online.

 

For 27 years, when WestSide was located at Wenatchee Valley College, it really didn’t have a backyard, But the school is now at 1510 Ninth St. in Wenatchee.

 

Kalahar says that they’re starting a new tradition.

 

And he showed his enthusiasm for this new tradition in a morning announcement with WestSide’s Ms. Gretchen.

Planning for the ceremony started in January. The students, parents and staff were polled to see what they wanted from graduation.

 

The consistent theme was people wanted to do whatever we could collectively that was safe and would honor the class of 2021.

 

WestSide has 100 graduating seniors this year. 

 

Each year, student speakers are selected to speak at graduation ceremonies. Initially, it is thrown out to the entire senior class. If no one volunteers, teachers and counselors have individual conversations with students to encourage them to think about it.

 

This year, two student speakers were selected, Josh Welch and Evelyn Acosta.

 

Acosta said it was an honor. 

 

Her speech is about the pandemic and how her teachers helped her. She said this past year has been difficult, having to learn online and find ways to connect with school.

 

After high school, she hopes to travel abroad to make a difference and really find herself before choosing a career path.

 

Josh Welch said being selected as student speaker is a cool opportunity. His speech is about perseverance. He said the past year has changed him.

 

To him, it’s been really hard. When COVID first happened, he was really social and he liked talking to a lot of people. He didn’t like being by himself. But he feels that COVID helped him with that. Now, he’s OK with who he is as a person.

 

After high school, Welch plans to go to a trade school or a job where he can interact with people.

 

To read more about this story visit us at wenatcheeworld.com.

 

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Before we continue, a special thanks to our friends and sponsors at Confluence Health. The team at Confluence Health is grateful for the trust the community puts in them every single day. They are diligently working to improve the health and quality of life for our friends and neighbors. They are Grateful | They are Confluence Health.  Learn more by visiting them at ConfluenceHealth.com

 

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Also, Today the Chelan-Douglas Health District will offer COVID-19 vaccines at the Fireman Park in Bridgeport.

 

The health district will be giving out the single-dose vaccine, Johnson & Johnson, to everyone 18 years and older. Vaccines will be available from 2 to 6 p.m. No need to register ahead of time!

 

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Next….

 

A WSU Master Gardeners of Chelan County column appears weekly in The Wenatchee World. Bonnie Orr is one of our featured columnists. Here’s her advice for attracting birds to your yard this summer!

 

In North Central Washington, more than 300 species of birds have been seen in various habitats. While Orr can’t promise that you will attract all these birds to your backyard, you can still create an environment that lures dozens of types.

 

The three most important considerations are water, food and a safe environment.

 

In our dry climate, water will attract birds, especially running or dripping water. Birdbaths need to be shallow, or have rocks in the bottom. It’s also important to clean the water every day.

 

The birdbath also needs to be near a large shrub or hanging branches of a tree. Birds need a place to shake off the extra bath water and also a place to flee if a predator swoops into the area. 

 

Then - normally, bird feeders are used in late fall after a heavy frost, during the winter and in the very early spring. The rest of the year, your garden can provide the feast for the birds. Gentle or no use of pesticides allows for a bird buffet. 

 

Just remember that 95% of insects are beneficials; Most insects cause only cosmetic damage and do not kill plants. The Master Gardeners can share with you lots of ways to eliminate unwanted insect pests without resorting to pesticides.

 

Besides insects, growing plants that provide fruit and seeds throughout the season create nearly all the food birds need.

 

Orr grows Zinnias — lots of Zinnias. Pollinators love these plants, and hummingbirds drink the meager amounts of nectar. 

 

So, enjoy creating a “birdy” habitat. And check out the full story for more suggestions at wenatcheeworld.com

 

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Before we go, some local history,  Wenatchee Valley History is brought to you by NABUR [this is pronounced just like neighbor] – your trusted neighborhood community. NABUR is a free online forum you can trust to connect with your community, focus on facts & make a difference. Join the conversation! Visit wenatcheeworld.com/nabur .

 

Now, some history…

 

Did you know that the town of Trinidad was originally a railroad stop in the 1890’s? Named by workers for the Great Northern Railway because of its geological similarity to Trinidad, Colorado, it was once a thriving boom town.

 

There was a bank, a school, and a general store. While the site became what many considered to be a ghost town, it’s becoming less of one. White Heron Cellars began there in the 1980s and more homes and businesses have been built.

 

One other thing… There's the legend of Lost Trinidad Gold. A group of miners returning from Portland Oregon from British Columbia were attacked by Native Americans. Reportedly, they were able to hide the gold in the cliffs and escape. Many have looked for it over the years, some have claimed they found it, but the truth remains hidden.

 

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Thanks for listening. Today’s episode is brought to you by Equilus Group, Inc- Building Your Financial Success. Learn more at Equilusfinancial.com.

 

The Wenatchee World has been engaging, informing and inspiring North Central Washington Communities since 1905. We encourage you to subscribe today to keep your heart and mind connected to what matters most in North Central Washington. Thank you for starting your morning with us and don't forget to tune in again on Saturday!

Support the show: https://www.wenatcheeworld.com/site/forms/subscription_services/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good Morning it’s Tuesday June 8th and this is Slices of Wenatchee. We’re excited to bring you a closer look at one of our top stories and other announcements every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. 

 

Today - Led by manufacturing and leisure and hospitality sectors, jobs in Chelan and Douglas counties are finally on the rebound.

 

Today’s episode is brought to you by Equilus Group Incorporated. Equilus Group, Inc is a Registered Investment Advisory Firm in the states of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Equilus Group, Inc- Building Your Financial Success. Learn more at Equilusfinancial.com. Member SIPC and FINRA.

 

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Now our feature story… 

 

Led by manufacturing and leisure and hospitality sectors, jobs in Chelan and Douglas counties are finally on the rebound.

 

Stats from the state Employment Security Department for April show dramatic improvement. Just a year ago the pandemic shuttered businesses and the employment rate climbed to 16.1%. 

 

But this year, April’s employment rate is at 6.4%, showing a return of 5,100 of the nonfarm jobs lost last year.

 

The region, now recording 44,600 jobs, is still down 1,000 jobs overall from April 2019, but it’s still an improvement.

 

The unemployment rate for the Wenatchee Area, which encompasses Chelan and Douglas counties, fell between April 2020 and April 2021.

 

Regional economist Don Meseck noted that this April’s job increase was the first month in the past 12 months in which the labor market registered year-over-year job growth.

 

So what are the biggest industries accounting for the turnaround?

 

Leisure and hospitality is one. It added 2,200 jobs this April compared to last April, a 59.5% increase

 

Manufacturing is another, which added 400 jobs, a 20% boost.

 

Both industries are ahead of statewide percentage increases. Those two sectors also are ahead of the jobs tallied in March, with manufacturing up 100 jobs and leisure and hospitality up 300. 

 

The construction industry is also one of the most active in the region. It saw a 500-job boost this April compared to last April, but, with 3,000 jobs, was even with the figures from March. 

 

That was also the case with retail jobs.

 

Statewide, retail trade jobs saw a 15.4% gain across all subsectors, which include motor vehicle and parts dealers, building material and garden supply stores, food and beverage stores, general merchandise stores and other retail stores.

 

To stay up to date on this story visit us at wenatcheeworld.com

 

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Before we continue, a special thanks to our friends and sponsors at Confluence Health. The team at Confluence Health is grateful for the trust the community puts in them every single day. They are diligently working to improve the health and quality of life for our friends and neighbors. They are Grateful | They are Confluence Health.  Learn more by visiting them at ConfluenceHealth.com

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Next 

 

On Friday, Juan Serrano Mendoza, father of four, walked with two of his youngest kids to the 2021 Apple Blossom Carnival at Lincoln Park. 

 

The majority of the carnival and amusement rides are visible from his home across the street.

 

This year's carnival, fitting neatly between a line of trees along Crawford Avenue and a trail cutting down the middle of Lincoln Park, was moved from its usual spot at the Town Toyota Center parking lot because of COVID-19.

 

As we know, The Town Toyota Center is home to a testing and vaccination site run by Lifeline Ambulance and the Chelan-Douglas Health District.

 

So for Mendoza, what was once a 10-minute car ride, is now a couple steps for the Mendoza family.

 

Darci Christoferson, the Apple Blossom festival administrator, told us that while temporary, the move has been awesome.

 

She noted that the number one phone call at the festival office has been about the carnival, a considerable jump in interest from previous years.

 

Christoferson also said that because the Washington State Apple Blossom Festival was pushed further into the year, kids are way more excited now that the end of the school year aligns with the festival.

 

In fact, the graduating seniors at Wenatchee High School were able to enjoy two exclusive hours of unlimited access Friday before the carnival opened to the general public.

 

The Funtastic Shows Carnival, part of the 2021 Washington State Apple Blossom Festival, is being held at Lincoln Park through June 13th. So if you haven’t swung by already, don’t miss out! 

 

The festival, and carnival, are usually held in late April and early May, but were delayed this year because of COVID-19 concerns. And they were cancelled altogether last year.

 

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Here’s what else you need to know today…

 

Public defender Robert Jourdan will be the next Chelan County Superior Court judge.

 

Jourdan was appointed Friday by Gov. Jay Inslee to replace Judge Lesley Allan, who is retiring after 23 years on the bench.

 

Jourdan has spent almost two decades as a public defender.

 

He worked with the Defender Association and King County Department of Public Defense in Seattle for 17 and the last two years with the Counsel for Defense of Chelan County.

 

Jourdan is also currently serving on the board of directors for Eastmont Youth Baseball.

 

He earned a bachelor’s degree from National American University in Rapid City, South Dakota. And he earned a law degree at Gonzaga University.

 

Jourdan was selected from a pool of seven local applicants. In a vote amongst members of the Chelan Douglas Bar Association. He was the fifth-most preferred candidate. 

 

But Inslee hasn’t always followed the local bar association’s recommendation.

 

Before we go, some local history,  Wenatchee Valley History, is brought to you by NABUR [this is pronounced just like neighbor] – your trusted neighborhood community. NABUR is a free online forum you can trust to connect with your community, focus on facts & make a difference. Join the conversation! Visit wenatcheeworld.com/nabur

 

The Home of Peace Mausoleum in Wenatchee was built in 1916. The original owners were the Wenatchee

Community Mausoleum Association.  In 1914, the Wenatchee Daily World reported that Seattle promoters would “build a structure of great beauty that will last a thousand years or more.” It was built of sandstone

with a white marble interior. The mausoleum’s first occupant was Harry Jr., the two year-old son of Frannie and Harry Wiester - owners of one of Wenatchee’s first department stores.

 

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Thanks for listening. We’d also like to thank our sponsor again, Equilus Group, Inc, a Registered Investment Advisory Firm in the states of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.

 

The Wenatchee World has been engaging, informing and inspiring North Central Washington Communities since 1905. We encourage you to subscribe today to keep your heart and mind connected to what matters most in North Central Washington. Thank you for starting your morning with us and don't forget to tune in again on Thursday!

 

Support the show: https://www.wenatcheeworld.com/site/forms/subscription_services/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good Morning it’s Saturday June 5th, and this is The Wenatchee World’s newest podcast, Slices of Wenatchee. We’re excited to bring you a closer look at one of our top stories and other announcements every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. 

 

Today - A stir-crazy post-vaccination rush may be on the horizon as venues in the Wenatchee Valley expect a surge in visitors.

 

This episode is brought to you by Equilus Group Incorporated. Equilus Group, Inc is a Registered Investment Advisory Firm in the states of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Equilus Group, Inc- Building Your Financial Success. Learn more at Equilusfinancial.com. Member SIPC and FINRA.

 

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Now our feature story...

 

A stir-crazy post-vaccination rush may be on the horizon as venues in the Wenatchee Valley expect a surge in visitors.

 

The increase would be good news for many North Central Washington musicians who now have a chance to book shows throughout the summer after limited opportunities in 2020.

 

Don Wood, owner of Icicle Ridge Winery told us that people have been craving community interaction. The winery has two Leavenworth locations visitors can stop at, as well as a vineyard and outdoor venue located in Peshastin. Their yearly live music series is set to start Fridays in July and go through August.

 

Outdoor venues are going to get a lot of attention and be popular this summer, he said. People feel a bit more safe in an outdoor environment.

 

Live music shows at the winery had to be canceled last summer due to COVID-19 and now all those musicians are very excited to be coming back.

 

Wood noted that they think the foot traffic in Leavenworth is going to be as strong as ever, maybe even stronger. The increase in visitors to Leavenworth has been driving more people to the winery. 

 

The same goes for Plain Cellars, which has filled up its summer music schedule.

 

Bob Sage, owner and winemaker at Plain Cellars said that people are “without question” pent up and want to get back to normal.

 

Plain Cellars runs a tasting room in Leavenworth during the week and opens its venue space in Plain on weekends.

 

Last summer was so busy “it was nuts,” he said. The winery made more revenue in 2020 than it did in 2019, even accounting for a three-month closure.

 

Plain Cellars this year has brought in a food truck, A Taste Plain, to cater at events. 

 

There is very much a demand for people to get out and enjoy themselves, he said.

 

Music artists are also starting to get booked for summer gigs as more and more venues open and prepare for the season.

 

Darnell Scott, a Wenatchee blues singer and guitarist explained that it’s all coming back around again.

 

Scott plays solo and with a band across North Central Washington. He’s feeling pretty optimistic about live music this summer. 

 

There are larger crowds than before because many are starved to get out. People want music and they want to be entertained.

 

But Leavenworth music artist Hans Hessburg still has a little bit more waiting to do before the band he is in, Dragged Under, can start playing at events. 

 

Until then, Hessburg is playing solo in the Wenatchee Valley.

 

And Seattle-based Dragged Under was set to tour nationally in 2020 until COVID-19 pushed the dates out to 2022. 

 

Being sidelined for a year from the live music scene has been both a blessing and a curse. he said. There’s being out of work, but a lot of musicians have also used the time to hunker down and create some great new music.

 

Dragged Under is scheduled to start touring in August and September…

 

And in their words… as long as a giant meteor doesn’t hit, then they’re all set.

 

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Also did you know that vaccinated Washingtonians have the opportunity to win a variety of prizes including $1 million in cash in a statewide lottery in a strategy meant to boost the state's vaccination coverage?

 

Gov. Jay Inslee announced the giveaway, "Shot of a Lifetime," at a Thursday press conference and said he hopes to motivate people to get vaccinated and reopen the state sooner. 

 

If 70% of people aged 16 and older in the state have at least received the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, the state would fully reopen, according to the governor. Otherwise, the state will fully reopen on June 30.

 

All of the winners during the giveaway will be selected using the state Department of Health immunization database. People only need to get vaccina ted in order to have a chance at these prizes, regardless of citizenship.

 

Gift cards to local businesses will also be given away at vaccine locations, provided by chambers of commerce across the state, the state Department of Commerce and the Association of Washington Business.

 

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Before we continue, a special thanks to our friends and sponsors at Confluence Health. The team at Confluence Health is grateful for the trust the community puts in them every single day. They are diligently working to improve the health and quality of life for our friends and neighbors. They are Grateful | They are Confluence Health.  Learn more by visiting them at ConfluenceHealth.com

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Next, our weekly profile of one of the World's 30 Under 35 award recipients. 

 

Today we’re highlighting Seth Stevens. Stevens graduated in 2018, simultaneously earning his diploma from Eastmont High School and his AAS degree from Wenatchee Valley College. 

 

Now, he’s a senior at Western Washington University, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in public relations, with a minor in political science. He expects to graduate in 2021.

 

Steven’s multi-tasking abilities have been in high gear since he was 14.

 

He’s had multiple jobs at a time, ranging from retail, food service, and my own online businesses. He decided to make a move into the rewarding world of real estate when he was just 17, and began online schooling on his 18th birthday. Shortly after, Stevens got his Washington Real Estate Brokers license, making him the first person in Washington’s history to do so while still attending high school.

 

And then, on his 19th birthday, he started his own company, Stevens Home Group, under the Keller Williams brand. 

 

Stevens Home Group now has two licensed agents. Between them they have closed nearly $10 million in real estate transactions.

 

We asked Stevens what he’s most proud of and he told us that the partnership that he made with The Wellness Place, a nonprofit organization that provides compassionate care and support for cancer patients and their families in North Central Washington, is a big one.

 

In February 2020, they held a charity fundraiser to replenish The Wellness Place’s stock of wigs that they distribute for free to patients going through radiation and chemo who experience hair loss.

 

Stevens’ mother was diagnosed with lung cancer three weeks after he graduated high school, and she received two of these wigs after all of her hair had fallen out. That was the same week both of his parents helped him move to Bellingham. 

 

Unfortunately, Stevens’ mother lost her battle to lung cancer less than three months later, but he remembered how happy she was when she got those wigs. It was like they gave her back some of her confidence, and he’s forever for that.

 

Stevens wanted to find a way to honor his mother on the anniversary of her death. So he reached out to The Wellness Place regarding the creation of a fundraiser. They ended up raising $5,000 to replenish the wig room, and provided gas cards for people who had to travel great distances to receive necessary treatments.

 

We also asked Stevens about his success, and where he feels he was most motivated.

 

He told us that after his mother passed away in February 2019, his entire life was flipped upside down. He wasn’t eating, sleeping, working or studying. He got the worst grades that he had ever had, and it made him question his future in school. 

 

Stevens was in a very self-destructive cycle at the time that had the power to erase everything that he had been working toward.

 

But one day, he realized that his Mom wouldn’t have wanted him to give up and just throw away the opportunities that he had created. This made him work even harder.

 

Stevens knows that success in the traditional business sense is all about being #1 and making money, but for him, he wants to live a life that’s modeled after the woman who made him into the man he is today — a woman who was a genuinely good person who loved friends and family and was always there to help somebody in need.

 

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Before we go, some local history,  Wenatchee Valley History is brought to you by NABUR

Support the show: https://www.wenatcheeworld.com/site/forms/subscription_services/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good Morning it’s Thursday June 3rd, and this is The Wenatchee World’s podcast, Slices of Wenatchee. We’re excited to bring you a closer look at one of our top stories and other announcements every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. 

 

Today --- Vaccine coverage among Latinos in Chelan and Douglas counties is improving… but there’s still work to be done.

 

Today’s episode is brought to you by Equilus Group Incorporated. Equilus Group, Inc is a Registered Investment Advisory Firm in the states of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Equilus Group, Inc- Building Your Financial Success. Learn more at Equilusfinancial.com. Member SIPC and FINRA.

 

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Now our feature story…

 

Vaccine coverage among Latinos in Chelan and Douglas counties is improving as more people get vaccinated.

 

The gaps in equitable vaccine coverage vary across the state county to county, in some places it is very close and in others very far apart.

 

In Chelan County, Hispanics represent 25% of the population 16 and older and 22% of first-dose vaccinations. Meanwhile, Hispanics in Douglas County represent 28% of people 16 and older in the county and account for 30% of vaccinations.

 

Chelan-Douglas Health District Administrator Luke Davies said that vaccination coverage in the two-county region has been going well, especially when compared to other counties in the area.

 

As a part of their COVID-19 vaccination campaign, the health district has reduced barriers people might encounter at the Wenatchee mass vaccination site.

 

Walk-in appointments are available, and people can call to schedule vaccination appointments through the health district or other community organizations if there’s a technology or language barrier.

 

The health district also has an outreach team that has been going out into the community to educate Latinos about the vaccine and schedule appointments.

 

The state Department of Health attributes the gap across the state partially to the vaccine prioritization schedule that dominated the first half of the year when vaccine allocation was limited.

 

The first groups to get vaccinated — doctors, nurses and other frontline medical staff, for example — do not demographically match the makeup of the larger population. 

 

And local health officials or health administrators were not consulted for that part of the rollout.

 

To Davies We’ve got to fix the structures. That’s a big part of why he’s at Chelan-Douglas Health District — to try to support community providers to do that.

 

But we also may not have the full picture. Data collected by the Washington State Immunization System, the state’s immunization registry, does report that a portion of all COVID-19 vaccinations have an unknown race and ethnicity.

 

Around 4% of first-dose COVID-19 vaccinations in Chelan County, 1,416 vaccinations, have an unknown race and ethnicity. In Douglas County, the number of unknown first-dose vaccinations is 3%.

 

Nevertheless, Davies said the health district is in the midst of analyzing more detailed data from the state Department of Health to develop strategies to improve vaccine outreach.

 

And among people vaccinated in Chelan County with unknown ethnicity and race data, many of them were listed as Spanish-speaking in Chelan County. So, it is likely that Hispanics represent a larger proportion of vaccinations than reported by the Department of Health.

 

To Davies - we still got work to do. The biggest thing is that we need to keep making sure we have access points. 

 

To read more about this story visit us at wenatcheeworld.com.

Support the show: https://www.wenatcheeworld.com/site/forms/subscription_services/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good Morning it’s Tuesday June 1st and this is Slices of Wenatchee. We’re excited to bring you a closer look at one of our top stories and other announcements every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. 

 

Today - After one of the driest springs on record the state Department of Ecology has issued a drought advisory. But what does this mean for wildfires?

 

Today’s episode is brought to you by Equilus Group Incorporated. Equilus Group, Inc is a Registered Investment Advisory Firm in the states of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Equilus Group, Inc- Building Your Financial Success. Learn more at Equilusfinancial.com. Member SIPC and FINRA.

 

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Now our feature story… 

 

The state Department of Ecology is warning of a possible drought for all of Eastern Washington.

 

The department issued a drought advisory on Thursday.

 

Why? They have growing concerns for farmers and ranchers in Eastern Washington.

 

With little rainfall in the past few months conditions have grown worse.

 

In fact, March through April was the fourth driest early spring period in Washington state since 1895. 

 

And ZERO precipitation was recorded in the Tri-Cities in April. March had just 0.12 of an inch

 

Unfortunately, May is not looking much better with 0.19 inch. This is well below normal precipitation for May.

 

Jeff Marti, Ecology’s water resources planner, said there are reports of crop stress and reduced yields. He’s heard anecdotal accounts of problems from wheat farmers and hay producers already.

 

But, Tri-Cities area residents and farmers who use Kennewick Irrigation District water appear to be in good shape, at least for now.

 

K.I.D depends on snowpack in the Eastern Cascades and up-river reservoirs to fill the Yakima River.

 

And as of May it seems like the water supply for the Yakima Basin should be adequate to meet water rights.

 

That’s despite March and April precipitation at the Yakima Project’s reservoirs at only 40% of average.

 

Chuck Garner, Yakima Project River Operations supervisor for the Bureau of Reclamation noted that the basin snowpack is holding up well and remains above normal in spite of the low precipitation and the reservoirs have near normal storage.

 

However, in the Walla Walla and Snake watersheds, early snowmelt is leaving less than average levels. In part because April temperatures were higher than normal.

 

So the outlook for the wildfire season is mixed.

 

Chief Mike Harris of Franklin County Fire District 3 said it’s already rated as “moderate” for the greater Tri-Cities area - far earlier than usual.

 

But there is one silver lining - the dry spring has limited the fuel available to feed wildfires. Annual grasses like cheatgrass are not as tall and thick as they would be in a wetter spring. So that could reduce the intensity of wildfires.

 

Stay safe, and stay up to date on the conditions at wenatcheeworld.com

 

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Here’s what else you need to know about today…

 

Central Washington Hospital was pushed to its absolute limit recently after experiencing a surge of hospitalizations. But they were not related to COVID-19.

 

According to Andrew Canning, spokesperson for Confluence Health - during this critical moment, capacity hit 98% with beds available only in pediatrics, the labor delivery unit, and the mother baby unit.

 

Seven people ended up having to wait to be admitted into the hospital’s emergency department.

 

Canning also said that medical facilities in the state and North Central Washington region are also close to full, partially due to COVID-19, but largely because of other chronic medical conditions requiring attention like cancer, heart disease, stroke and infections.

 

The region has very little surge capacity for patients.

 

As of May 27, about 70% of staffed acute care beds were being occupied by patients in North Central Washington. And around 84% of acute care beds across the state were occupied by patients.

 

So what does this mean?

 

Well, according to the “Healthy Washington” COVID-19 reopening plan, the state would begin to rollback phases if the statewide ICU capacity ever reached 90%. 

 

And in North Central Washington, about 89% of ICU beds were occupied. Canning emphasized that we’re on a good, downward path, but we are not quite out of the woods yet.

 

He also said that Central Washington Hospital continues to see severe cases of COVID-19. It’s important to note that more than 97% of these severe COVID-19 hospital admissions came from unvaccinated individuals.

 

So what can you do to help? The Chelan-Douglas Health District is asking that the community be cautious. Stay safe and healthy to help give local health providers a break.

 

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Before we continue, a special thanks to our friends and sponsors at Confluence Health. The team at Confluence Health is grateful for the trust the community puts in them every single day. They are diligently working to improve the health and quality of life for our friends and neighbors. They are Grateful | They are Confluence Health.  Learn more by visiting them at ConfluenceHealth.com

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Next 

 

Liberty Orchards, the makers of Aplets & Cotlets, announced on Friday that they won’t be closing the company after all! The announcement came after negotiations with a prospective buyer.

 

For now, no other details are available. The company originally set June 1 as a final operating date, but that’s no longer the case.

 

Normal operations at Liberty Orchards will remain in place until the negotiations with this prospective buyer are finished. So you can still visit the candy factory and even take a tour!

 

Three years ago Liberty Orchards President Greg Taylor put the company up for sale. 

 

It was decided at that time that if they couldn’t sell the business, they would ultimately close it. And in March, Taylor said they hadn’t been able to find a buyer and the time had come to close shop.

 

So this is certainly an unexpected turn of events - but we’re excited for it!

 

The company was founded in 1920 by Armenian immigrants Mark Balaban and Armen Tertsagian, who owned a small orchard and developed the Aplets & Cotlets candies which became the staples of the company.

 

To stay up to date on what’s going on at Liberty Orchards visit us at wenatcheeworld.com

 

The Gorge Amphitheater is an hour outside of Wenatchee. It was originally owned and operated by Dr. Vincent Bryan and Carol Bryan, along with the adjoining winery, Champs de Brionne, for which it was named. 

 

It opened in 1986 and seated 3,000 people, but was later expanded after MCA purchased the venue in 1993. Later, The Gorge Amphitheater was acquired by Live Nation.

 

The venue has majestic views of the Columbia River. 

 

Apart from drawing big name performers, The Gorge has also played host to an array of popular music festivals, like Area Festival, Creation Festival, Dave Matthews Band Caravan, Honda Civic Tour, Identity Festival, and much more.

 

Brooks & Dunn's "Only in America" video was also filmed here in 2001.

 

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Thanks for listening. We’d also like to thank our sponsor again, Equilus Group, Inc, a Registered Investment Advisory Firm in the states of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.

 

The Wenatchee World has been engaging, informing and inspiring North Central Washington Communities since 1905. We encourage you to subscribe today to keep your heart and mind connected to what matters most in North Central Washington. Thank you for starting your morning with us and don't forget to tune in again on Thursday!

 

Support the show: https://www.wenatcheeworld.com/site/forms/subscription_services/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good Morning it’s Saturday May 29th, and this is The Wenatchee World’s newest podcast, Slices of Wenatchee. We’re excited to bring you a closer look at one of our top stories and other announcements every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. 

 

Today - Cashmere High School honors three former graduates, Dr. Kara Jackson Stoll, Sgt. Michael Henne and Elizabeth Boyle Mathews. They’re all this year’s additions to the CHS Wall of Fame.

 

This episode is brought to you by Equilus Group Incorporated. Equilus Group, Inc is a Registered Investment Advisory Firm in the states of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Equilus Group, Inc- Building Your Financial Success. Learn more at Equilusfinancial.com. Member SIPC and FINRA.

 

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Now our feature story...

 

Cashmere High School is honoring three former graduates, Dr. Kara Jackson Stoll, Sgt. Michael Henne and Elizabeth Boyle Mathews — the 2021 additions to the CHS Wall of Fame.

 

To be included into the Wall of Fame, alumni must be at least 10 years out of high school, a leader in their field, must have given back to the community, and finally - they must be somebody that graduating seniors would emulate. CHS teacher Karin Blomquist helps organize the annual event.

 

Dr. Kara Jackson Stoll was a 2004 Cashmere High School graduate. She was the salutatorian and four-year varsity athlete in soccer, basketball and track. Then, in 2008, she graduated with honors from the University of Portland with a bachelor of science degree. There, she also ran track for two years.

 

Stoll continued her studies and graduated from Rocky Vista College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2013. After her residency in family medicine in Wisconsin, she returned home to the Wenatchee Valley. Here she became a family physician with Confluence Health. 

 

She and her husband Justin have two boys.

Sgt. Michael Henne was a 1988 CHS graduate. He started as a cadet deputy at age 17 for the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office. And by age 21, Henne became a reserve deputy sheriff and later a reserve police officer for the East Wenatchee Police Department.

 

Henne moved to the Yakima Police Department in 1998. He started the department’s Patrol K-9 program - arguably the most important program. Then, in 2007, he was promoted to sergeant and selected as training sergeant in 2014. 

 

He was responsible for the supervision and administration of his department’s training division and coordinating training for 200 members of the staff. But it was in 2019 he returned to his true passion as a patrol sergeant.

 

Henne has been married to his high school sweetheart, Laurie, for almost 30 years, and they have an 8-year-old son, Jacob.

 

Finally. Elizabeth Boyle Mathews graduated from Cashmere High School in 2000. Mathews played tennis at Spokane Community College where she had a record of 116-wins-2-losses. 

 

She won two NWAACC titles in 2001 and 2002. She was also inducted into the Spokane Falls Tennis Hall of Fame in 2006. 

 

Mathews went to Montana State University to play tennis and she received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees there.

 

She currently teaches chemistry at Bozeman High School. Since 2015, Matthews has been the Montana State Coordinator for the Presidential Award of Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching for the National Science Foundation.

 

She’s been married for 15 years and has two sons, and a baby daughter.

In normal years, the ceremony for the Wall of Fame is at graduation. This year, the committee chose not to do that because of COVID-19. So instead, the ceremony was held virtually during Wednesday’s Senior Recognition Night.

So how are they all selected? There’s a committee that chooses the Wall of Fame recipients every year. It’s made up of members of the community - many of whom are past recipients of the award. 

 

With these three additions to the Wall of Fame, there are now 44 members.

 

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Before we continue, a special thanks to our friends and sponsors at Confluence Health. The team at Confluence Health is grateful for the trust the community puts in them every single day. They are diligently working to improve the health and quality of life for our friends and neighbors. They are Grateful | They are Confluence Health.  Learn more by visiting them at ConfluenceHealth.com

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Next, our weekly profile of one of the World's 30 Under 35 award recipients. 

 

Today we’re featuring Nicole Brown. Brown was born and raised in Wenatchee, graduating in 2008 from Wenatchee High School. 

 

She went on to attend Wenatchee Valley College and Western Washington University before embarking on a career at LaborWorks Industrial Staffing in Bellevue.

 

Hired initially as a staffing specialist, she was promoted to branch manager within just one year.

 

Then, in 2014 she decided to move back to Wenatchee to be closer to family after her mother passed away. 

 

Once here, she was hired as a subcontracts assistant by Goodfellow Bros., advancing to subcontracts manager after three years. Then two years later she was promoted to payables manager. She is now one of the youngest employees in a management position within the company.

 

Through it all, she has continued to be active in the Wenatchee Valley community, including the Wenatchee Central Lions Club and helping to direct the Wenatchee Apple Blossom Royalty Selection Pageant and volunteering for the festival.

 

When we asked Brown what accomplishments she’s most proud of she said one of them was the annual Goodfellow Bros. Charity Golf Classic that she helped start. It raised more than $70,000 for the Chelan-Douglas Court Appointed Special Advocates program in its inaugural year. During its second year they raised more than $100,000 for The Children’s Home Society of Washington.

 

Ironically, it was the golf tournament that led her to what  she's most proud of - her work with the Chelan-Douglas CASA program. Brown has served as CASA’s treasurer for the past three years and it is where she feels the most fulfilled and most impactful. She says CASA directly affects the most vulnerable children and families within our community.

 

We also asked Brown who inspires her to be successful… she said it was her upbringing… Brown was raised in a household where she was expected — and also supported — to be the best possible version of herself every day. 

 

Having that instilled in her at a young age has carried into her adult life. Brown constantly wants to do better, be better, whether that is working her way up the ladder at work or supporting the community around her. 

 

Brown’s a big believer in “the harder you work for something, the greater you’ll feel when you achieve it.”

 

Congratulations Nicole!

 

 

Now, some history…

 

Did you know the Wenatchee Valley Mall opened in East Wenatchee in 1978? When it opened, you could count on Sears, Lamonts, and Buttrey-Osco Food and Drug to anchor your shopping options. It’s the biggest shopping mall in the area and has more than 340,000 square feet of shopping and dining space.

 

Today, you might grab a bite to eat or a cup of coffee, find a bargain at several discount retailers, get outfitted for the big game, upgrade your cell phone, deck yourself out in accessories, get the latest hairstyle, or find out what the beyond is at Bed Bath and Beyond.

 

Thanks for listening. Today’s episode is brought to you by Equilus Group, Inc- Building Your Financial Success. Learn more at Equilusfinancial.com

 

The Wenatchee World has been engaging, informing and inspiring North Central Washington Communities since 1905. We encourage you to subscribe today to keep your heart and mind connected to what matters most in North Central Washington. Thank you for starting your morning with us and don't forget to tune in again on Tuesday!

 

Support the show: https://www.wenatcheeworld.com/site/forms/subscription_services/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good Morning it’s Thursday May 27th, and this is The Wenatchee World’s podcast, Slices of Wenatchee. We’re excited to bring you a closer look at one of our top stories and other announcements every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. 

 

Today --- As the state gets ready to fully reopen Chelan-Douglas Health District Administrator Luke Davies has advice for everyone on new mask guidelines and vaccines. He also has advice for recent graduates of Eastmont High as he was named an Eastmont Foundation Distinguished Alumnus.

 

Today’s episode is brought to you by Equilus Group Incorporated. Equilus Group, Inc is a Registered Investment Advisory Firm in the states of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Equilus Group, Inc- Building Your Financial Success. Learn more at Equilusfinancial.com. Member SIPC and FINRA.

 

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Now our feature story…

 

The hours at the Town Toyota Center mass vaccination site will change next week as the National Guard soon departs.

 

Starting June 1st the vaccination site will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Thursday.

 

Also, two of the four state-led mass vaccination sites in Washington will be shutting down on Friday.

 

The Wenatchee mass vaccination site has administered over 57,000 COVID-19 vaccines. 1,511 of those were administered last week.

 

But as the reopening of the economy draws closer officials say we should all still be a little cautious. Chelan-Douglas Health District Administrator Luke Davies said that people need to respect the rules of the room. There’s no one size fits all solution for everybody or for masking across the state.

 

And despite the new masking guidelines for fully vaccinated individuals from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, local health officials are continuing to encourage mask wearing. 

 

Businesses also still reserve the right to enforce masking, regardless of vaccination status.

 

And further - businesses could choose to verify their customers’ vaccination status or implement an honor system that would assume that anyone without a mask is fully vaccinated.

 

Ultimately, Davies says that the more people that get vaccinated, the better protected the community is.

 

People who are unvaccinated and are choosing not to wear masks are still taking a significant risk. 

 

He noted that about 90% of the hospitalizations they’re seeing are people who are still unvaccinated - the illness is much more severe in that group.

 

But more and more people are getting vaccinated every day. As of last week about 61% of people 16 and older in the state have gotten at least one dose.

 

And in Chelan County, which has the fourth-highest vaccination rate in the state, around 63% of people 16 and older have initiated vaccinations. Douglas County is ranked 11th with about 56%.

The governor announced earlier this month that the state would fully reopen on June 30 but it could be sooner. It depends if the state’s first-dose vaccine coverage reached 70% of the eligible population before then.

 

Davies says that by the second week of June, we should know whether or not we’re going to be opening up early or not.

 

It’s been an unexpected year for Davies. He is the youngest person in the state to serve as the Chelan-Douglas Health District administrator. And he accepted the job in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Nevertheless his hard work is being recognized. He was recently named the Eastmont Foundation Distinguished Alumnus for 2021.

 

Davies, is a 2005 Eastmont High School graduate. 

 

To students graduating this year, Davies said he encourages them to see the future in a new way to make the country and the planet a better place. 

 

He told them that the future is unknown - it will take courage to blaze a path for yourself and your peers but that courage pays off. Taking an opportunity to make a change in your life, make a change in other people's lives is a courageous act.

 

Davis also encouraged all of the graduating seniors this year, having lived through a pandemic, to continue displaying the courage they showed this year in the future.

 

While at Eastmont, Davies was a member of varsity cross country, track and wrestling. He was also involved in sports medicine and held the office of student president of the Washington Career and Technical Sports Medicine Association.

 

He went on to Seattle Pacific University where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in science and biology with a minor in chemistry.

 

Davies then earned his master's in public health in leadership, policy and management from the Department of Global Health at the University of Washington, a career path set in motion during his childhood growing up with migrant workers in North Central Washington.

 

With 10 years' experience and work across several countries in the Caribbean, South-East Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, he’s worked to address and reduce disparities in health. 

 

This decade of work includes a variety of local and international programs including community development, disaster management, medical education, health systems strengthening, implementation science, violence against children, gender-based violence, maternal and child health, national health surveys and mass vaccinations.

 

For more on this story and to view the full bill visit us at wenatcheeworld.com.

 

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Before we continue, a special thanks to our friends and sponsors at Confluence Health. The team at Confluence Health is grateful for the trust the community puts in them every single day. They are diligently working to improve the health and quality of life for our friends and neighbors. They are Grateful | They are Confluence Health.  Learn more by visiting them at ConfluenceHealth.com

 

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Next….

 

The Washington Department of Commerce has awarded the Grant County Public Utility District a $430,000 grant to improve energy efficiency in the district's Ephrata headquarters.

 

According to PUD spokesperson Christine Pratt, the district will use the funds as part of a $1.7 million project to update the heating and cooling equipment. They’ll also install LED lights and replace the environmental control systems.

 

Pratt said that they expect to start work in October. And these updates are all a part of a larger project.

 

That larger project involves all of the PUD's office buildings in Ephrata and Moses Lake. 

 

The buildings in Moses Lake and Ephrata have also been around a long time and just need overall improvement.

 

Penny Thomas, communications manager with the Department of Commerce, said the grant application process was very competitive and the PUD's application scored high.

 

The PUD is one of 15 recipients of grants, totaling around $4 million. They’re designed to help public entities and local governments upgrade buildings by installing more energy efficient lighting, heating and cooling systems.

 

Other major recipients include Kittitas Valley Healthcare and the Port Townsend School District.

 

To stay up to date on this story visit us at wenatcheeworld.com

 

Now, some history…

 

Columbia Station, also known as Wenatchee station, serves both trains and buses? It’s a stop on Amtrak’s Empire Builder train and operates as our central hub for Link Transit as well as intercity buses.

 

The station was built on the site of an earlier train depot operated by the great northern railway and at one time used to serve Amtrak’s North Coast Hiawatha route which ceased operations in 1979.

 

If you feel inclined to see America by traveling the way people did in the 1800s, the full journey on the Empire Builder takes about 46 hours and goes 2200 miles from Seattle or Portland to Chicago.

 

Support the show: https://www.wenatcheeworld.com/site/forms/subscription_services/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good Morning it’s Tuesday May 25th and this is Slices of Wenatchee. We’re excited to bring you a closer look at one of our top stories and other announcements every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. 

 

Today - What’s going on in Leavenworth? Between changes in their approach to holiday lights, and the cancellation of Oktoberfest, what do events look like from here on out?

 

Today’s episode is brought to you by Equilus Group Incorporated. Equilus Group, Inc is a Registered Investment Advisory Firm in the states of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Equilus Group, Inc- Building Your Financial Success. Learn more at Equilusfinancial.com. Member SIPC and FINRA.

 

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Now our feature story… 

 

A new “always on” approach to Leavenworth’s Bavarian Village holiday lights was introduced during the pandemic.

 

But why?

 

The reconfigured festival, now “Village of Lights” rather than “Christmas Lighting” , is designed to avoid the massive weekend crowds that put pressure on safety, parking, traffic and the overall visitor and resident experience.

 

There’s also a plan to add more light displays to the half a million-plus that already shine each year. Now,  that magical experience is going on midweek as well as weekends.

 

The same strategy will be applied to other chamber-sponsored events in January, February and May.

 

The change follows a comprehensive discussion by the chamber’s board, according to chamber spokeswoman Jessica Stoller. The discussion was focused on how to improve all the festivals, with an eye toward overall safety, crowd mitigation, and the event experience for our visitors and locals.

 

The idea is to level out the peak traffic and visitation times.

 

So, Instead of one weekend in May where they showcase Maifest traditions, they would have programming and activities every weekend throughout the month.

 

For the December holiday lighting festivities, specifically, that means a host of new activities. Some include a scavenger hunt and new lighting displays, Letters to Santa, Gingerbread heart necklaces for children, A benefit gingerbread house construction competition, Opportunities to win a themed Christmas tree and accompanying gifts, Gift wrapping stations, Locally made ornaments for those shopping mid-week & more.

 

Stoller says that after a year without the festival, the board took thoughtful steps to evolve the event to be in line with the popularity of Leavenworth during the month of December. These changes will help in the effort to mitigate crowd sizes, spread out the parking availability, and elevate the experience for both visitors and locals alike.

 

As of now, specifics on the events planned for January and February are still being finalized.

 

And what’s in store for Leavenworth’s Oktoberfest?  For more than two decades it’s taken place on three weekends in October - all organized by the nonprofit Projekt Bayern. Well… it still remains in limbo. 

 

It was canceled in 2020 because of the pandemic. But now, a combination of the uncertainty about COVID-19 restrictions this fall and changes proposed by the city led to it being canceled again this year. 

 

The city of Leavenworth has since canceled Projekt Bayern’s contract to host the event, which had been in place since 2012.

 

The other traditional Bavarian Village event is the Autumn Leaf Festival, which features a parade. It’s organized by another nonprofit, the Washington State Autumn Leaf Festival Association. It also was canceled last year because of the pandemic, but it’s planned for the end of September this year. 

 

To learn more about what’s going on in Leavenworth visit us at WenatcheeWorld.com

 

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Here’s what else you need to know about today…

 

And as you’ve heard by now, Sunday night’s high winds blew a fire up the Swakane Canyon along 97A toward Entiat.. Fire crews held the fire back from crossing over Highway 97A into 15 homes along the Columbia River.

 

Later the wind started to subside as Chelan County firefighters and Forest Service hand crews boxed in the fire.. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

 

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The Health district will assume leadership of Wenatchee mass vaccination site starting later this week on May 28th.

 

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Before we continue, a special thanks to our friends and sponsors at Confluence Health. The team at Confluence Health is grateful for the trust the community puts in them every single day. They are diligently working to improve the health and quality of life for our friends and neighbors. They are Grateful | They are Confluence Health.  Learn more by visiting them at ConfluenceHealth.com

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Next 

 

A perhaps soon-to-be local tech startup, SyncFloor, took home the top prize at last week’s Flywheel Investment Conference.

 

The Seattle-based company was awarded $150,000 for the grand prize, and accepted a $50,000 relocation prize. That part is offered to the first-place winner if they choose to relocate to Chelan or Douglas counties.

 

Wenatchee-based PetHub won the $5,000 fan favorite award.

 

The Flywheel Investment Conference is an annual event that generates exposure and resources for early stage companies by bringing entrepreneurs, investors, and community members together. 

 

The conference is organized by the NCW Tech Alliance, and is hosted in partnership with the Flywheel Angel Network.. The Flywheel Angel Network is a group of investors who have an affinity for North Central Washington. They want to support long-term economic development. 

 

So what’s SyncFloor anyways? The CEO is Kirt Debique, and the company enables businesses of all kinds — including websites, services and apps — to “use music everywhere”. They aggregate content from the world’s best independent catalogs and create a streamlined discovery and licensing experience. Right now SyncFloor offers two online marketplaces for music discovery.

 

And PetHub? It’s a data platform that puts pets at the center for all aspects of their life from the time they’ve joined the family by making it quick, easy and safe to find and use pet’s data. PetHub has 700-800 new pets joining the site daily and more than 600 communities are using PetHub’s ID tags as their license or rabies tag.

 

To learn more about the other companies involved in this year’s conference visit us at wenatcheeworld.com

 

Support the show: https://www.wenatcheeworld.com/site/forms/subscription_services/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good Morning it’s Saturday May 22nd, and this is The Wenatchee World’s newest podcast, Slices of Wenatchee. We’re excited to bring you a closer look at one of our top stories and other announcements every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. 

 

Today - Lisa Martinez was just a young girl when she first came to St. Joseph’s Catholic School in Wenatchee. Years later, Martinez came back to the school as a teacher and now she’s set to lead the school as principal.

 

This episode is brought to you by Equilus Group Incorporated. Equilus Group, Inc is a Registered Investment Advisory Firm in the states of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Equilus Group, Inc- Building Your Financial Success. Learn more at Equilusfinancial.com. Member SIPC and FINRA.

 

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Now our feature story...

 

When St. Joseph’s Catholic School started in Wenatchee in 1955, it was run by an order of nuns. That continued until just two years ago. The church moved the order out of the area and Deacon Robert Turner was brought in as interim principal while the search began for a new principal.

 

But the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the search process. Now, Lisa Martinez is set to become principal at the preschool-to-fifth grade school. 

 

She’s taught there for the past 10 years.

 

Carrie McCarthy, director of Religious Education for the parish, was part of the seven-person selection committee. And Martinez was one of 4 finalists.

 

McCarthy said she just blew them away with her vision for the school. They were all pretty excited.

 

It was clear Martinez was uniquely qualified.

 

Martinez said she’s super excited about the opportunity to continue at St. Joe’s. The school is a special place for her.

 

She noted that parents, staff, and students all support each other in faith and in other areas.

 

St. Joseph’s currently has 120 and 19 other teachers.

 

But Martinez says it’s different now than when she was in school. Still, the faith is strong and the Catholic identity is strong.

 

Deacon Robert Turner, who was the interim principal, said that Martinez’s No. 1 strength for the job is her faith and her commitment to the school’s mission.

 

He said she’s incredibly well organized in both her daily performance as a teacher and her ability to take charge of extra, especially something as large as the school accreditation process, which took a couple years. She is very selfless. She gives of herself to kids after school and before school. He finally noted that she has served selflessly for years and continues to do so.

 

Turner said Martinez is also technologically strong. He said the decisions she makes will be data driven because she knows how to look at and analyze data.

 

Plus, she is an experienced teacher who has taught at multiple grade levels. Her peers have absolute respect for her.

 

For Turner, Martinez is just the person to uphold the traditions of the past and lead the school into the future.

 

For the school it was important that they find a person who has that deep-rooted commitment to Catholic education.

 

So how did Martinez go from teacher to principal? Well, recently she went through the accreditation process for the first time through the Western Catholic Education Association. She is also going to Loyola Marymount University where she’ll receive her Catholic School Leadership Certificate in June. Martinez also plans to get a master’s degree in school leadership.

 

For her - she’s learning exactly what she needs to know to be a Catholic school leader. 

 

You can also stay up to date with this story at wenatcheeworld.com.

 

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Before we continue, a special thanks to our friends and sponsors at Confluence Health. The team at Confluence Health is grateful for the trust the community puts in them every single day. They are diligently working to improve the health and quality of life for our friends and neighbors. They are Grateful | They are Confluence Health.  Learn more by visiting them at ConfluenceHealth.com

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Also, did you know that Eastmont seniors will have a …. somewhat … normal, in-person graduation ceremony on June 4th? Well, normal meaning families of up to 4 will be able to attend.

 

Last year’s Eastmont high school graduation, like many events in the Wenatchee Valley, took on a new and different shape in light of the pandemic. Graduating seniors last year walked across the stage in front of an uncrowded parking lot during a drive-thru cap-and-gown ceremony.

 

But this year’s ceremony will be at Eastmont’s football stadium. Space capacity will be limited to 50%.

 

Eastmont will email out seating and ticket information to families. But other questions can be answered by the school’s admission office at (509) 884-7169.

 

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Next, our weekly profile of one of the World's 30 Under 35 award recipients. 

 

This week - Ana Gonzalez. Gonzalez was 22 when she returned to college. Born and raised in the Wenatchee Valley she got her associates degree from Wenatchee Valley College and was working at a job she enjoyed… but realized she wanted more.

 

So she enrolled at Central Washington University and completed her bachelor’s degree in sociology in 2014. Then, she got a master’s degree in mental health counseling in 2016. 

 

From there she was hired as a child and family therapist at Catholic Charities. There, she helped children, adolescents and families in the community with counseling services tailored to specific behaviors, emotions and thought processes.

 

But she didn’t stop there. Gonzalez earned her national counselor and mental health professional certifications in 2017. And earned her mental health counselor license in 2018.

 

Then, when Catholic Charities’ Trueblood Diversion program was established, she was one of five team members. The program helps provide outreach services to individuals experiencing acute emotional crises. Their goal is to divert people from incarceration or hospitalization. 

 

In 2020, she moved into the role of manager and continued to build the program, working with the court, jail, attorneys and law enforcement agencies to bridge the gap between mental health and government agencies. 

 

Through her persistent efforts and relationships with community partners, she helped restructure the program. She helped them gain additional funding too. She’s also been able to support local law enforcement through a co-responder model.

When we asked Martinez what accomplishments she’s most proud of she said that it would be rebuilding and maintaining a multi-million dollar program for this Valley.

 

She’s also proud of what she’s built in partnership with the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office. She started development of the Behavioral Health Unit, where mental health providers ride in police vehicles, with the goal of reaching individuals who may benefit from additional support and guidance in navigating access to social services. Martinez says she’s often referred to as the “broker to social services” among law enforcement agencies.

 

We also asked her what inspires her, and Martinez told us it was her family, and her son. She’s a first-generation college graduate, and the only one in her large extended family to receive a master’s degree.

 

Her father immigrated to the United States at the age of 14 from Mexico, where he laid new roots and a foundation for our family. 

 

Martinez’s parents both became citizens and have worked their entire life in the agriculture industry.

 

Her father always instilled the values of being a hard worker and humility. So she always knew she wanted to pursue a career in social services. 

 

Congratulations Ana!

 

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