Good Morning it’s Tuesday February 16th 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 -  The stories of two of the 14 vendors who braved the 20-degree temperatures to sell at the local artisan market on Saturday. 

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.

Now our feature story…

When Dan Riggers first learned to craft ceramics, it wasn’t entirely out of unbridled interest. He formerly lived in a town in Idaho that was so small they didn’t even have a tavern. All they had was a ceramic shop.

That was Peck in Nez Perce County, a panhandle town that hasn't crested the 240-person mark in more than 100 years. 

Riggers moved there after college.

He’s picked up a few tricks here and there over the decades and now sells houseware and holiday items at events like the outdoor artisan market at Pybus Public Market.

But on Saturday, with light flurries adding to the few inches of snow that fell overnight, Riggers and 13 other vendors braved the 20-degree temperatures to sell to a trickling clientele.

He has been selling at the market for about four years now. His goal? To make good, quality products at a fair price.

Katie Atkinson, the Pybus marketing and events manager. She said that the market has been a lot of fun, even with the snow. They have heaters and even a fire pit.

Typical during the winters vendors set up inside, but -- Covid.... Instead, this year the market has experimented with a few Saturdays of outdoor markets.

In March of 2020 Lesley Freitag, the executive director of pybus public market announced that things would be different.

And now almost a year later much of the activity remains outdoors.

We spoke to Rebecca Weythman of Recycled Designs as well. She uses metals picked up at yard sales, second-hand stores, metal scrap yard — wherever she can get it — to create sculptures.

She likes creating one-of-a-kind items.

Weythman developed a love for welding in a course at Wenatchee Valley College. The single mom of three had returned to college to learn the business side of interior decorating and landscape design.

But part of her curriculum was a 3-D sculpting class where she tried sculpting with metal for the first time. She was hooked.

Now an 8 and a half -foot by 8 and a half -foot sculpture of hers sits outside Pybus after a buyer donated it to the market.

Next --- When we are talking about gardening, a pest is usually something you want to take care of right away. But right away may not actually be the best time.

It’s often too late by the time you’ve discovered the pest. Most often, it takes awhile for the pest to reach a population level that causes noticeable damage; and by then, it may not be controllable.

The best time to target pests is either when either they are more vulnerable, or when the population is small. 

The big question: when is that? 

That’s where Growth Degree-Day or GDD models come into play. Knowing the accumulation of thermal heat units during the season can help you determine a pest’s life or a plant’s current growth stage. With that, you can track the accumulation of GDD to predict when to plant seeds, apply fertilizer or pesticides, and even estimate when to harvest crops. 

GDD data and models can even be useful for determining which plants are suitable for a given climate. 

What exactly is GDD or Growth Degree-Day? It’s a calculation of the amount of heat accumulation above a set base temperature over time. The GDD model varies by the type of pests or plants.

The formula itself is simple: add the high daily temperature to the low daily temperature --- then divided that by 2 -- that gives you the average daily temperature. Next, subtract the base temperature to get the total GDD units for that day. If the number is a negative, you record a zero for that day, and if it’s a positive you add it to the total GDD for the year. 

Using this type of model can help account for the weather variations from year to year.

To learn more about how you can use this to improve your garden, check out our full piece at wenatcheeworld.com

On April 4th 1924 Noreen Nash was born in Wenatchee. She was an actress and writer, known for “Phantom from Space”, “The Devil on Wheels”, and the western drama “Giant” - which was the last of James Dean’s three films.

Finally, before we go we’d like to remember the life of Marilyn Compton King. Marilyn was a fourth generation member of pioneer Cooper Burgess family. She passed away earlier this month after a six week battle with Covid-19. 

When Marilyn was six years old, her family moved to Wenatchee, where she graduated from high school

Through jr. high and high school, she worked at “The Porch.” She was a majorette, member of the Pep Club, Debate Team, and the Swimming Team. She also babysat, packed cherries, worked as a nursing home aide, and at Johnson's. She loved ice and roller skating, swimming, boating, slalom water skiing, snow skiing, snowmobiling, dancing, and gardening.

Marilyn married William H. King, in 1953, and they made their home in Monitor for 25 years. She was active in the PTA, she was a Blue Bird Leader, and also a 4-H Leader. 

Marilyn was a member of the Monitor Methodist Church, and was employed by Bardin’s, Fruit Growers Service, Monitor Market, Blue Star Growers, and was a company representative for many grocery line products for over 20 years.

She was also the area manager and sales representative for four North Central Washington counties for the first official Washington State Travel Directories. Marilyn was also a Real Estate Agent, she worked for Directed Media and Webpco Printing, and was an account representative for TCI Cable. 

She was devoted to her grandson, John, who dubbed her “Cookie Grandma”, “Good Jam Gram” and “Silly Grammar” They laughed a lot and learned from each other. She loved her daughter, Kathy, and son, Greg, who both excelled at sports. Marilyn was proud of how they met life's challenges and their accomplishments. 

Finally, she loved flowers, nature, sharing with friends, and laughter. She will be greatly missed. Thank you for taking a moment with us today to remember and celebrate Marilyn’s life.

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 February 13th, 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 - Meet the family that brought Reindeer to Leavenworth. 

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.

Now our feature story.  

Hearts melted last winter as a herd of friendly reindeer nuzzled their fuzzy noses into the hands of visitors. Leavenworth Reindeer Farm is the only year-round venue in the lower 48 where people can meet the animals up close.

The farm is run by Hans Anderson and his wife Kari. Anderson says that they wanted to give people an experience, rather than just watching the reindeers from a fence.

Before meeting the reindeer Anderson will get everyone around a fire pit, sipping hot cocoa, and give a talk about the origin story of the farm, complete with reindeer facts and a few dad jokes.

Like this one… What is the main difference between reindeer and caribou, besides size and domestication? 

The answer? Reindeer can fly! Caribou won’t even eat the magic corn.

The reindeers are about 3 to 4 feet tall at the shoulder, which puts visitors face to face with 30 plus pounds of sprawling antlers. Their antlers are second only to moose in size.

While visitors mingle with the herd Kari Anderson will lead calfs around and tell stories of the reindeers different personalities. 

For example, Moonshine lived in the Anderson home for three months while he bottle fed. Now he’s more than 150 pounds, but he still wants to go inside the house at night.

To the Andersons, the reindeer are an extension of the family. 

Their farm began as the home base for HC Andersen Carriage Company, and Santa would ride in their carriage for parades, but one year - rain forced the town’s reindeer mascots inside, which prompted them to get real reindeer! The Andersens flew to Alaska to study with a reindeer expert, they also traveled to Norway to learn from indigenous people who raised reindeer for thousands of years. 

Finally, in 2016 they brought home their first reindeer. 

The farm now attracts kids and adults alike. Though it’s open year round, the majority of people visit in December. Up to 1,000 people a day.

According to Hans Anderson, Washington was the last state with native woodland caribou, but the last herd was nearly wiped out in the last four or five years by wolf predation. The last known female was transported to Canada last year.

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

Ivan Valdovinos grew up in Soap Lake and went on to graduate from Washington State University in 2015. There he earned dual bachelor’s degrees, one in English and the other in foreign languages and cultures. 

He later received his state teaching certificate, and then in 2016, he added a master’s degree in education from Harvard Graduate School, where he focused on Latino family engagement, higher education policy and men of color in higher education.

But his connection to Harvard had started earlier. In 2014, he was one of 18 students from across the nation selected to participate in the Summer Research Institute. After completing a research study he presented his findings at the National Conference for Undergraduate Research that was hosted by Harvard University. 

He has since put his education to use as director of Wenatchee Valley College’s TRIO Student Support Services Program, where he manages a five-year $1.1 million federal grant, serving 140 students a year. The program is designed to help first-generation students, low-income students and students with disabilities persist, graduate and transfer to four-year universities.

He also volunteers for the Wenatchee High School College Mentor Program, which led him to receive the 2019 Wenatchee Learns Connect’s “Most Fearless Mentor” award.

In fall 2020, he started his doctorate program through the University of California San Diego, focused on transforming education in a diverse society.

When asked what inspires him to be successful, Valdovinos told us that when he was 4 years old, his parents made a decision that would change his life forever: they decided to emigrate from Mexico to the United States.

He grew up watching their lives pass by as migrant farm workers, breaking their backs year long, regardless of the weather, to make ends meet for the family. Their sacrifices allowed him to focus on his education and they inspired him to pursue a career in the education sector.

isit wenatcheeworld.com/nabur

In 1971 Maifest was added to the Leavenworth Festival Calendar. There had already been a Christmas lighting festival and autumn festival, both of which started in the mid 60’s. The free, family oriented festival is filled with tons of entertainment - like folk dancers who dance around the Maibaum right in the center of Leavenworth.

Finally, before we go we’d like to take a moment to remember the life of Joan Mae Talbot - beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend, who went home after a long struggle with Parkinson's disease. A resident of Wenatchee since 1954, she loved her church, family, friends, and community.

Joan was born in Seattle along with her twin brother, Joel. She had two older brothers: Geo and Phil. The family split their time between Seattle and Chelan Falls, where the family owned an apple orchard, packing house, and cold storage plant. After graduating from High School in Seattle, Joan pursued a Health Science degree at the University of Washington. She met George Talbot at a ski retreat and was married shortly after. Her degree was put on hold.

The Korean War was heating up, so George was called into the Navy and stationed for two years at Bremerton, where their first child, was born. When the war ended, the small family moved to Wenatchee, where George started his pharmacy career. Five boys were born into the growing family.

George and Joan were active in the United Methodist Church. Joan sang in the choir for 57 years. They were also on the initial Board of Directors for Mission Ridge Ski Area, and the initial Board of Directors for the Wenatchee Swim and Tennis Club. Joan volunteered for the YWCA, running estate sales. She had a rare group of community friends, who have been steadfast for up to 65 years. Their bridge club went for 55 years.

After five of the six children were off to college and started their own lives, Joan finished her Nursing degree at Wenatchee Valley College. She loved nursing and worked in many different areas at the Wenatchee Valley Clinic. Then, her dream job came along. She ran the Adult Respite Day Care Program at Grace Lutheran Church. The focus of the program was to give family caregivers of disabled adults a break during the week. 

After her retirement, Joan spent her summers running "Grandma's Swim and Tennis Camp", and during the winters, almost every weekend, family would stay at the 'Talbot Hotel' and ski at Mission Ridge.

She will be greatly missed. Thank you for taking a moment with us today to remember and celebrate Joan’s life.

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 February 11th, 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 --- Have you seen vintage aircrafts flying over Wenatchee lately? If you did, then you saw the production of an upcoming feature film.

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.

And before we begin, have you fallen in love in the Wenatchee Valley or North Central Washington? Well, for Valentine’s Day, The Wenatchee World wants to know where you have experienced love, heartbreak or any variety of romance for our first interactive Locations of Love map!

If you have a memory or declaration of love you want to share, share your name, memory and location at wwrld.us/lol. Make sure you submit today to be included in our map. And please keep it appropriate!

Now our feature story…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cuo1sia2-EI

You may have noticed vintage aircrafts in the skies over Wenatchee over the past few weeks. If you did, then you saw the production of an upcoming feature film on the aviator Jesse Brown.

The film, which is called “Devotion,” takes place during the Korean War, where Brown saw combat. 

Filmmakers decided that the landscape around the Wenatchee area closely resembled Korea during that time.

According to Deadline.com, the film stars Jonathan Majors as Jesse Brown. He’s also starred in “Da Five Bloods” and “Lovecraft Country.” Costaring is Glenn Powell, who’s been in “Hidden Figures” and “Top Gun: Maverick” and, pop star Joe Jonas.

Filmmakers used 11 planes for the film, including Bearcats, Corsairs, Skyraiders and MiGs.

Brown’s story is a remarkable one, according to Deadline, as he overcame poverty and racial segregation in the South to earn a college degree, then his pilot’s wings, to become an aviator by age 23.

He was the first black man to be trained by the U.S. Navy as a naval aviator and the first black aviator to see combat.

Brown flew 20 combat missions in his F4U Corsair before being shot down on a remote mountaintop on December 4th 1950. According to Deadline, he was supporting ground troops at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir.

He died of his wounds despite the efforts of wingman Thomas J. Hudner Jr., who intentionally crashed his own aircraft in a rescue attempt.

Next, Did you know that Wenatchee Valley College is hosting a free Zoom webinar on race and the environment in honor of Black History month?

The virtual event —Titled - On Race and the Environment in the Age of the Climate Crisis — features writer and ornithologist J. Drew Lanham. It’s on February 18th starting at 1pm.

Lanham will do a reading and give a talk before opening up a conversation with attendees. The topic of discussion is the many intersections between race and the environment.

Lanham will also work with WVC’s poetry writing students virtually through Zoom.

You may know Lanham as the author of “The Home Place: Memoirs of a Colored Man’s Love Affair with Nature” or “Sparrow Envy: Field Guide to Birds and Lesser Beasts.”

He’s also a professor of wildlife at Clemson University, where he holds an endowed chair as an alumni distinguished professor and was named an alumni master teacher in 2012. He earned a Ph.D. in forest resources from Clemson.

Members of the Wenatchee Valley College Sustainability Committee — like WVC professor Derek Sheffield and Joan Qazi — will also join in on the 18th. 

If you’re interested in learning more or want to sign up visit wwrld.us/DrewLanham.

Former owner of the Wenatchee Daily World, Rufus Woods, became integrally involved in the 23-year battle for Grand Coulee Dam and the Columbia Basin Irrigation Project. Woods published the first story about the proposal in 1918 in The Wenatchee Daily World, which was followed by hundreds of articles about the project and editorials promoting the concept.

Before we go, we’d like to remember the life of Edward Carr - a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, and an architect with an unparalleled vision. Ed was born in Wenatchee in 1946. His father was an architect, and Ed remembered drawing next to him on the floor. His father died when he was six, and the family moved to the WSU Tree Fruit Research Center with his step-father, Robert. 

Ed joined the Wenatchee Youth Circus, which traveled around the Pacific NorthWest and lower British Columbia. His job was setting up the high wire and testing the net with a swan dive.

He graduated from Whitman College, with a degree in Philosophy. During his junior year, he was an exchange student at Howard University and joined their debate team. Ed met his wife, Elizabeth, at Whitman. They were inseparable from their first date and married in 1969. Ed earned his Doctorate in Philosophy from the University of Chicago. They then moved to Orcas Island where he trained as a carpenter and built his family's first home. 

In 1985, Ed earned a MA in Architecture from the University of Washington and started his own architecture firm in Seattle - focusing on waterfront homes.

Ed's unique background as a philosopher, carpenter, and native Northwesterner, informed all his work. His houses, found throughout the San Juans and Puget Sound, harmonize with the natural beauty of the landscape and are designed to be filled with light. In a Seattle Times article on his work, Ed said, "I spent a lot of time outdoors in the islands, so I know how the weather works, the microclimates that change the ecology, where the sun hits at different times of the year." 

He was a passionate soccer player and sailor. He taught his sons to ski and hike. He loved a well-made espresso, taking long walks with Elizabeth, painting the landscapes of Walla Walla, gardening with native plants, and joking and drawing with his grandchildren.

Ed was a philosopher and an artist. He was kind, thoughtful, and fiercely intelligent. He had a strong internal compass and never wavered in his principles. He was self-contained, and with his wife, complete. To friends missing him, he would say, "listen to Bach, take a walk, and look for beauty".

Thank you for taking a moment with us today to remember and celebrate Ed’s life.

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 February 9th 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 -  Why the rocks have been removed from Wenatchee's Locomotive Park, what’s going in their place, and -- is all of this related to the recent alleged attack at the park?

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.

Now our feature story…

You may have already noticed that the boulders that dot Wenatchee’s Locomotive Park are no more - after crews began removing them Wednesday last week.

David Erickson, the city of Wenatchee’s director of parks, recreation and cultural services department said that they’ve been wanting to take them out for a while.

Why? because they’re a pain to mow around.

Erickson says that the city will also be removing hazardous trees, they’ll be planting new trees and finally they’ll be putting grass down where the boulders had been.

It’s all part of a larger plan to improve the park adjacent the George Sellar Bridge.

According to Erickson the original plan was to remove the boulders after the ground had been frozen for a couple weeks so that heavy equipment wouldn’t damage the park. But this winter has been mild. And now spring is fast approaching. 

The boulders were broken up by heavy equipment and will eventually be reused elsewhere in the city. The first batch will be used for landscaping at the Wenatchee Cemetery, and the rest will be kept in a stockpile.

Erickson clarified that the decision to remove the boulders was not prompted by a recent attack at the park against a city employee. The city had actually begun planning the work last year.

For those of you listening who didn’t hear about this attack, here’s what went down… 

Police say that a parks employee was loading a bicycle he believed was discarded into a work truck when he was allegedly threatened with a knife by its apparent owner. Court records show that the owner was David Padilla Sanchez.

Apparently, during the alleged assault Sanchez pointed to a graffitied boulder to show the park was his territory. 

The parks worker told police Sanchez said something to the effect of “You see the tag on that rock? This is my turf. Give me my bike or I’ll stab you,”.

In an interview with police, Sanchez did not deny confronting the parks employee, but did deny threatening to stab him. But Police did find a knife in his pocket.

He’s being held at the Chelan County Regional Justice Center on $50,000 bail.

Next, we’d like to highlight Ken Osborne, the longtime general manager of the Wenatchee AppleSox, who resigned on Thursday after 15 years with the team. 

Assistant general manager Allie Schank will take over, making her the third female GM in the West Coast League.

Osborne said that he enjoyed his time with the Sox immensely… for him it isn’t easy to leave a job and a team that he’s been with for so long.

Like his successor, Osborne started with the AppleSox as the assistant general manager. He then became general manager after Jose Oglesby purchased the team in 2018.

Oglesby thanked Osborne in the release, saying he was grateful for his contributions to the team.

Though the AppleSox initially tried to make it work this past year, the entire 2020 season was scrapped in May due to the pandemic. 

Here’s Osborne in a message from April, just before the season was cancelled.

The AppleSox are planning to open the 2021 season on June 1st against the Nanaimo NightOwls, an expansion team from British Columbia. The U.S.-Canadian border, which has been closed - except for essential travel - throughout the pandemic, will remain so until at least the end of this month. So the border will need to open first in order for the season to go off as planned. 

Visit wenatcheeworld.com/nabur

The Wenatchee AppleSox team was established in 2000 by owner Jim Corcoran and has played its home games at Paul Thomas Sr. Field on the campus of Wenatchee Valley College. Corcoran and Osborne sold the team to retired Microsoft executive Jose Oglesby in 2018. And if you haven’t been to an AppleSox game, they feature a special seventh-inning stretch. Local kids are invited out to the mound with the team's mascot - Coyote - to sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame".

Finally, before we go we’d like to remember the life of Leslie Fitzsimmons. Leslie led a spirited life and traveled her years with a zest and exuberance that kept her going, even when the going got really tough. Her persistence, beauty, work ethic, and charm propelled her forward from adventure to adventure, gathering many friends along the way.

She was born in Boise, Idaho - dad was in the Air Force and, and thanks to his military career, Leslie got a lifelong travel bug. The family later returned to Dad’s hometown of Wenatchee. Leslie attended Wenatchee Valley College.

Prior to coming to Wenatchee, Leslie went hitchhiking to and through Mexico, traveled to Nicaragua, Peru, Guatemala, Australia, and Ireland. 

Leslie tried her hand at many occupations, and received multiple certifications, she also briefly acted as caregiver for her parents. However, it was waitressing and tending bar and brewery that ultimately became her primary occupations.

In the 60’s, she was mostly working in Seattle as a waitress, and in the 70’s, she lived on Capitol Hill, and immersed herself in the Seattle Blues scene. There, she met and then married Gary, and they moved together to San Francisco. 9 years later Leslie returned to Wenatchee, upon her divorce.

Back in Wenatchee, she worked for Leavenworth Brewery. Her smile, laughter, and energy were contagious and tips were good. She also worked in Cashmere at BJ’s. It was there, ten years ago, where she met Ben Brandt. Ben has seen her through thick and thin. And thanks to Ben, Leslie was able to travel again. They visited Leslie’s “happy place”, of Maui, Hawaii and got sunburned together. Ben promised to stay with and love her to the end…and he did.

Leslie will be greatly missed. Thank you for taking a moment with us today to remember and celebrate her life.

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 February 6th, 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 - As the price of a cryptocurrency rises, so does the interest from miners of all sizes looking to grab a piece of the pie.

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.

Now our feature story.  

Bitcoin is the world’s most popular digital currency. It’s seen its share of dips and spikes over the past decade, and in the past year alone the price quintupled to a record $41,940 in early January.

In some ways, mining Bitcoin is like drilling for oil. And according to Malachi Salcido, one of North Central Washington’s most prominent cryptocurrency miners, if you can’t cover your cost at $50 a barrel, you’re not going to be around long enough to enjoy the $100 a barrel spikes.

Last January the Douglas County PUD approved a new policy that raises their power rates 10% every six months for five years.

Add on regular technology upgrades and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and some mining operations were looking at much bleaker financial outlooks when the price was still hovering somewhere under $7,500 last year.

Raymond Walintukan, director of mining operations for Bitmain, which operates a mine in East Wenatchee said that time was running out given the electricity price was going up. They were getting close to breaking even and then luckily the Bitcoin price shot up. 

And as the price of a cryptocurrency rises, so does the interest from miners of all sizes looking to grab a piece of the pie.

It’s why some mining operations, like Bitmain’s 12-megawatt facility mine near Pangborn Memorial Airport, focus their efforts on mining as fast as possible when the price is low.

During those low periods they’ll switch out their powerful computers to the latest models to maximize output. And that’s an easier proposition for Bitmain — they also manufacture the machines. The Chinese company is one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency hardware producers.

Even so, Walintukan says their operation in East Wenatchee spends somewhere between $10 to $30 million a year on new equipment to keep up with the competition.

Back in 2018, Politico Magazine described the mid-Columbia Basin as a would-be “El Dorado” for the miners that flocked to the area to prospect for digital riches.

But according to Salcido, at this point it appears that the kind of wild west, gold-rush stampede phase is over.

Salcido entered the industry in 2013 and his company Salcido Enterprises now has several facilities including in Cashmere and East Wenatchee.

The leveling off of the explosive growth of the past few years was one of the primary drivers behind Douglas PUD’s power rate changes in 2020.

PUD General Manager Gary Ivory said that the change aims to help businesses and residents in Douglas County to grow and to flourish here for generations to come. 

And while the pandemic has had negative impacts on large swaths of the economy, it’s also pushed many consumers and businesses to embrace digital tools. Salcido says that helps reinforce the usefulness of a digital currency network.

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

Claire Oatey, who graduated from Whitman College in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology, started her “love affair” with nonprofits at Rebuilding Together Seattle. There, she worked with corporate sponsors and volunteers to provide critical home repairs for low-income homeowners. She went on to work for an animal welfare organization in Denver, and then led business operations for an early childhood program in Leadville.

She arrived in Wenatchee in 2017, accepting the role of director of community grants at the Community Foundation of NCW. Oatley facilitates community grantmaking programs that distribute roughly $500,000 each year to nonprofit organizations in Chelan, Douglas and Okanogan counties.

Oatey also serves on the city’s Homeless Committee and is involved in other activities that build community and raise awareness. Recently that has included spending time learning how to be a more effective ally against racism.

When we asked Oatley what inspires her she told us that she’s continuously inspired by the nonprofit leaders in North Central Washington! Running a nonprofit is no easy feat. Staff and board members give so much of themselves to the missions of their organizations.

Stemilt Creek Winery in Wenatchee was founded by Kyle and Jan Mathison. The Mathison’s are fourth generation farmers. The family has grown fruit trees in the area since Thomas Cyle originally homesteaded in 1893.

Finally, before we go we’d like to take a moment to remember the life of Pastor Samuel King Detwiler, who passed away after a battle with Covid 19. 

Samuel was born in Pennsylvania, and graduated from Ottawa University and University of Missouri with a Master’s degree in Psychology. While working as a chemical dependency counselor, he felt the Lord urging him into Christian service. 

For the next 38 years, he was a pastor at various churches throughout the U.S., being ordained a Church of the Brethren and American Baptist minister. In 1999, he was led to be a pastor in Wenatchee, at the Brethren Baptist Church. After seven years, he followed his calling to start Shalom Church, to minister to the addicted and marginalized. The church started a drop-in day center, Power House, to minister to the homeless in Wenatchee.

He and his wife retired to Montrose, Colorado, in the Spring of 2019, to pursue their love of off-roading and camping in their beloved mountains. Samuel always showed Christian compassion for those in need.

He will be greatly missed. Thank you for taking a moment with us to remember and celebrate Samuel’s life.

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/

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Good Morning it’s Thursday February 4th, 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 --- Why Badger Mountain Ski Area is the best-kept secret in North Central Washington.

 

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.

 

Picture a bright sunny day on the snow-covered Waterville plateau. The topography is flat as far as the eye can see, but somewhere out there is a ski area.

 

As you meander toward the ski hill, following the signs, you find your way to the elevated land — just past a couple of barns — to the Badger Mountain Ski Area. Almost. Getting to the ski area requires a 500-yard hike up a hill. There, you’ll encounter a couple rope tows and a T-rope carrying skiers and snowboarders.

 

This is the Badger Mountain Ski Area in all its glory. It’s a nonprofit affair run entirely by volunteers. An all-day lift ticket will cost you just $10.

 

Steve Hickman is the man in charge and he’s been on the board of directors since 1998. Hickman’s been the vice president for the past 10 years. He says it works fantastic with the volunteers, who are organized by the non-profit group.

 

He told us if you make it fun, the volunteers will come and help out. Hickman said there are about 30 or more volunteers. They rotate so they all have a chance to ski.

 

Jeff Smoke has been volunteering for two years. For him, it’s a chance to help out the ski hill and make sure it continues in the community.

 

Smoke says that it’s been a part of his family’s memories for years and years. He also noted that it’s a great spot for kids with some of the best snow around.

 

Dietrich Daling has been volunteering since he graduated from high school five years ago. Though he would rather be riding, he says that volunteering is not too bad. To Daling there would not be much to do in Waterville if there was no ski hill.

 

The final step before you call it a day at Badger Mountain Ski Area, don’t forget to get yourself a Lions Club Burger. For $7, you get a burger, chips and drink.

 

The Wenatchee Community Concert Association board has voted to cancel its shows that had been originally scheduled through May. Unsurprisingly, the decision is due to ongoing state mandated COVID-19 restrictions.

 

Board member Richard Bliggenstorfer said that there are a lot of people missing out this year. This would have been the Concert Association’s 84th season, and everyone is disappointed.

 

The Wenatchee High School, which has an auditorium that is used for the shows, will not be opening its doors for a concert until at least fall.

 

Among the canceled shows are Hooray for Hollywood, which was originally planned to take place on Valentines Day,  The Everly Set which was planned for March 21st, and Seraph Brass - planned for May 10th.

 

Bliggenstorfer said other venues were looked at, but none of the alternatives could meet capacity needs - so hopefully this virus gets contained and the school can open its doors again..

 

On the first weekend of May 1920, the Wenatchee Ladies Musical Club staged the inaugural forerunner of what is now called the Washington State Apple Blossom Festival. It was originally the idea of Susan Evelyn Wagner, who had enjoyed such events in her home country of New Zealand.

 

The Wenatchee Valley Museum hosted an online “Conversations with a Curator” event where Kasey Koski discussed the history of the festival. Here’s a clip. You can find the full version on the Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center youtube page.

 

Before we go, we’d like to remember the life of Maxine Love of Wenatchee. Maxine was raised in Oroville, and graduated from Oroville High School, in 1942. Soon after she married Warren Love. Warren was stationed at the Army Air Corp base in Tucson, AZ, where the couple made their first home. Maxine later moved to Omak in 1944, where she resided until 2017, when she moved to RiverWest Retirement Community in Wenatchee.

Maxine was a wonderful homemaker, enjoying raising her children, making delicious meals, and always having a container of a variety of cookies. She enjoyed many family gatherings, where the food was as plentiful as the laughter. She loved her yard, growing beautiful roses, and an amazing vegetable garden.

Her husband, Warren, would remark that Maxine was never idle. In the evenings, the family would watch TV, but Maxine would be busy creating beautiful stuffed animals and dolls for her grandchildren. She hemmed, mended, and even darned socks.

Maxine was known for the beautiful clothing she made. She once mentioned that if she would have gone to college, she would have become a clothing designer.

After Warren retired, the two of them enjoyed many new hobbies and activities. They started to play golf, and soon, they were enjoying many days of golf a week. Dance lessons also started and they renewed their love of dance. 

Warren and Maxine spent many years traveling to Arizona for the winter months. They also enjoyed trips to Hawaii with good friends where there was plenty of golfing and dancing. Maxine leaves us with a legacy of love and laughter. She is now reunited with the love of her life and, no doubt, is golfing and dancing for eternity.

 

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 February 2nd 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 -  the state’s eligibility expansion and limited supply of vaccine doses has left many residents unable to schedule an appointment.

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.

That was Gov. Jay Inslee during a recent announcement.

But the state’s recent eligibility expansion and a still-limited supply of vaccine doses have left thousands of other North Central Washington residents unable to schedule an appointment. Others are left sitting on a waiting list. A vaccination system for thousands that’s being built on the fly along with rapidly changing information about registration have added to the confusion.

According to Department of Health Spokesman Cory Portner, the Town Toyota Center vaccination site, now the largest in the region, could greatly increase capacity if more doses were available.

But, he told us that Washington gets a limited number of doses - allocated by the federal government, so we all need to be patient.

The site opened on Tuesday, just eight days after it was announced, and has been steadily increasing its daily appointment total. 110 people were vaccinated on Tuesday, around 400 on Wednesday and Thursday, and over 600 on Friday.

We spoke to a handful of folks in line for their vaccinations on Tuesday including Shoreline resident TJ Elston. Here’s what he had to say:

Registration for the site opened Monday and appointments filled up quickly. Portner said that a waiting list grew to more than 3,000 names.

But according to Chelan-Douglas Health District Public Information Officer Jennifer Bushong, it’s important to note that everyone on the waitlist who hasn’t gotten an appointment will need to re-register when new appointments are released. 

The demand for information and appointments this week also hit Confluence Health. They received around 16,000 calls throughout the week.

Faced with similar vaccine supply limitations, the organization opened up over 1,000 appointments on Monday and just hours later they were all booked.

So, how can you register for the Town Toyota Center vaccination site?

Well, right now the site is only open to eligible people with pre-registered appointments. The state has set up a registration website for people to sign up: prepmod.doh.wa.gov/clinic/search. You can also call the state's hotline at 1-888-856-5816.

Many people who don’t know that the Town Toyota Center site requires pre-registered appointments, or who struggled to fill out the web-based registration, simply drove to the site this week hoping to be vaccinated on the spot.

But the vaccination process itself has largely gone very smoothly, residents and officials said. People with appointments were in and out within about 20 minutes on Friday — including a 15-minute observation time.

The state is currently in Phase 1B of vaccination distribution, which means the vaccine is available to anyone 65 or older, and all people 50 and older who live in a multigenerational household. Frontline health care workers, first responders and residents of long-term care facilities are also eligible. 

Across North Central Washington’s four counties, about 1.3% of the area’s total population is fully vaccinated, according to population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau.

For many of the state sites, including Wenatchee’s, the next challenge will come in three weeks when everyone who’s currently getting their first dose will need to return for their second.

Next, have you fallen in love in the Wenatchee Valley or North Central Washington? Maybe you proposed at Pybus, have seen generations of family members congregate around the same kitchen table or treasure Saturdays hiking Saddle Rock with man’s best friend.

Well, for Valentine’s Day, The Wenatchee World wants to know where you have experienced love, heartbreak or any variety of romance for our first interactive Locations of Love map!

Love comes in many forms: romantic, platonic, familial or even love for your furry friends or a special place. You are welcome to get creative, but please keep it appropriate.

If you have a memory or declaration of love you want to share, share your name, memory and location at wwrld.us/lol.

Entries will be compiled into a virtual map. Make sure you submit before February 12th to get on the map!

In 1908 a bridge was completed to carry the Highline Canal water across the Columbia River. The bridge also served vehicle travel and was the first of such across the Columbia River within the United States. It is now part of the Apple Capital Loop Trail for hikers and cyclists. 

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 January 30th, 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 - SPORT Wenatchee, a playground for everyone, is looking to break ground in spring. 

 

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.

 

Rooftop pickleball courts and lounge views of the Columbia River and Pybus Public Market. Batting cages. Golf simulator. Sports bar and restaurant. Gymnastics and martial arts room. Ninja course. Climbing walls. Trampolines.

 

The list of activities expected at a new entertainment center in Wenatchee is almost as long as the big slide that developers have in the works for SPORT Wenatchee, too.

 

co-owner Taryn Harris describes it as a giant indoor playground for everyone.

 

Harris and her mother, Sue Harris, of SPORT Gymnastics, are co-owners of the project along with local developer Flint Hartwig and Wenatchee Applesox owner Jose Oglesby.

 

Hartwig is hoping to draw additional investors, including a restaurateur.

 

The ownership group is close to finalizing a $2 million purchase of three connected buildings from the Port of Chelan County. The property is located on the corner of Columbia Street and Orondo Avenue. 

Earlier this week, they launched social media sites promoting SPORT, which is tentatively planned to be open for business in spring 2022.

 

Hartwig expects construction costs to total roughly $14 million. 

 

Hartwig first approached Taryn and Sue Harris in late 2019 with the idea that Wenatchee needs a family entertainment center.

 

Harris agreed, and noted that with families who have kids of a bunch of different ages it’s really hard to take everybody out to do something — and what’s something for everybody?

 

The center will be divided into several sections. The Adventure Zone, a balcony dubbed The Donut where parents can have a drink and watch their kids play, and the Play Zone - targeted toward younger kids.

 

The center will even have a room for jiu jitsu training.

 

Hartwig hopes the center can act as a respite from online social circles and be a gathering place where people from different backgrounds can meet face-to-face.

 

Hartwig said he thinks SPORT Wenatchee could reach a quarter of the local population, explaining the center should appeal to thousands of kids, as well as adults interested in the rooftop lounge, pickleball, restaurant, yoga, regulation-length batting cages or jiu jitsu.

 

The project is located within an area designated by the city of Wenatchee as an Opportunity Zone, which, allows investors to reinvest money from recently sold stocks or property that would have been taken by a capital gains tax.

 

For more information follow along at at sportwenatchee.com.

 

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

 

Quincy native Stephanie Boorman started her career with the City of Quincy as a temporary receptionist, answering phones and greeting customers. 

 

That was nine years ago. The temp job led to a full-time job, then she became an administrative assistant in 2014, and, in 2017, an executive assistant.

 

She also is involved in the community, as chairwoman of the Dru Gimlin 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament and on the board for the Ben Horning Memorial Foundation, which holds the Beat the Beast run every year during Farmer-Consumer Awareness Day. 

 

She was elected as the 2021 Quincy Rotary Club president, which she regretfully stepped away from to focus on the upcoming addition to her family.

 

Her path has taken some turns. After graduating from Quincy High School, she spent a year studying abroad in Denmark. She then started college with the intent of earning a bachelor’s degree and applying to the nursing program.

 

To help pay for college, she started working full-time at Payless ShoeSource and by the time she was 21, was managing her own Payless ShoeSource store. She ultimately left school to work full-time. Her oldest daughter, Lily, was born a year later.

 

And her family also has grown. Stephanie married her high school sweetheart, Nic, in 2018, which also gained her a second daughter, her step-daughter Aria. In 2018, Stephanie and Nic added a third daughter, Addie, and on Nov. 20 this year welcomed their fourth daughter, Erika.

 

Boorman says that first and foremost it’s her family that inspires her to succeed. Her oldest daughter, especially, inspires her every day to be successful. Our local community also inspires her.

 

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William Craven, the descendant of a miner, was elected Roslyn’s mayor in 1975. He was the first Black mayor in all of Washington. In its heyday, the remote mountain town in an otherwise mostly white county boasted several Black fraternal organizations including the first Prince Hall Masonic Lodge in the Washington Territory.

 

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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 Tuesday!

 

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good Morning it’s Thursday January 28th, 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. 

Eastmont middle school students are back in school on a hybrid schedule.

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.

Eastmont middle school students came back to school this week on a hybrid schedule.

Unlike Wenatchee, which is on an AM-PM schedule, Eastmont is on an A-B schedule which means half the kids come one day and half the kids come the next day.

Some kids will get two days a week, some kids will get three days a week of in-person instruction and they also receive remote instruction on their off days.

Matt Charlton, Eastmont executive director of secondary education, said they looked at both models and thought A-B would work better.

Clovis Point Intermediate School Principal Amy Dorey said it was amazing having the kids back. She was scared of chaos, but everything went smooth.

Dorey said there’s a check in process and an attestation process where they take temperatures. There are also paw prints painted all over the school, so students know they are 6 feet apart. 

On Monday, junior high and high school students came back as well on those alternating days. Charlton said staff has been very busy preparing for their return.

Charlton also noted that lunches are going to be a challenge. One reason Wenatchee decided against the A-B schedule was due to students coming together for lunch.

Dorey said she was nervous about the lunch rotation also,  but so far it’s gone well. 

Most of all, Dorey said the kids are glad to be back in school. She says you can’t see the smiles but their eyes are lighting up. One kid told her that it’s so nice to see people outside of my own family.

Now, Hiring a new employee comes with its uncertainties. They might need a lot of training or, in Alex Fardell’s case, they might secretly already be a well-weathered entrepreneur.

Fardell’s had no idea last summer he was hiring someone on “Undercover Billionaire,” a reality TV show about building a business from scratch. The reality series puts an entrepreneur in a random city with $100, a car and asks them to create a successful business in 90 days.

This whole year has been up and down, but working with entrepreneurs on the show was special for Fardell of Fardell Farms. Fardell is an Entiat native who has been trying to expand his fruit business.

His family owns the Fardell Farms fruit store in Entiat and he keeps busy on both sides of the Cascades, spending time at the farm and running another fruit shop in Tacoma.

The undercover entrepreneur, Monique Idlett-Mosley, was posing as a single mom in a new beginnings documentary, when she met Fardell at his fruit stand in August. That’s how she explained the camera crew following her around.

She asked for a job. He said yes.

Fardell said he expected her to ask a lot of questions during her first day on the job, but she just went ahead and started selling everything.

The business plan Idlett-Mosley ultimately created was to make a rolling juice shop with fruit from Fardell’s family farm. 

For those of you looking to catch "Undercover Billionaire" can stream it on Discovery Channel or find it on TV airing Wednesdays.

Join the conversation! Visit wenatcheeworld.com/nabur

The town of Lester, Washington was founded in 1892. It was created in response to the Northern Pacific Railroad. It’s now completely abandoned. The last remaining resident, Gertrude Murphy, died in 2002 at the age of 99.

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 January 26th 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. 

Wenatchee’s new WinCo store is set to open in February!

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.

WinCo Foods is set to open at 9 a.m. on February 1st in the 84,000-square-foot former Shopko building at the north end of the Valley North Shopping Center.

The new store brings with it jobs for over 150 employees, along with access to “Low Prices — Every Aisle, Every Department, Every Day.” They’ll be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and they’ll have a full produce section along with deli, bakery, meat and bulk foods departments.

Company spokesperson Noah Fleisher says that Wenatchee and the surrounding area have asked for a WinCo Foods for a long time and they can’t wait to start serving people.

He also said that the store will comply with COVID-19 precautions, including social distancing, mask-wearing and hygiene protocols.

And as at WinCo’s other locations, customers will have to bag their own groceries.

This is part of the company’s cost-saving strategy. For this reason, the store also does not accept credit cards, but does take cash, checks, debit, WIC and EBT cards.

WinCo’s construction and remodel project, estimated on city building permits to cost about $6 million in labor and materials, got started about three months after Shopko closed.

The Wenatchee location will be the 130th WinCo Foods store across 10 states.

Fleisher calls WinCo the low-price leader and, taken in total, people will undoubtedly save on their groceries. He also noted that they’re all about employee ownership. Every single person employed in that store has a stake in the game. They care about their stores top to bottom.

As part of the permitting process, WinCo dedicated right of way on the northeast corner of the property for future widening of Maple Street’s eastbound right-turn lane and made traffic signal upgrades and modifications.

City Engineer Gary Owen said that WinCo does generate more traffic than Shopko. And they did what they needed to do to keep things moving. But one of the challenges of conducting a traffic study in 2020 was getting comparable traffic counts. Volumes are definitely down because of the pandemic. 

Owen says that The traffic signal upgrades WinCo is making complement future traffic improvements for North Wenatchee Avenue that are currently in planning and being completed as funding becomes available.

To read this full story visit us at Wenatcheeworld.com.

Next, did you know that Icicle Creek Center for the Arts in Leavenworth is starting a new series of virtual talks with local artists? Topics will range from creativity to artistic ideology. 

The first episode will be streamed at 7 p.m. on Wednesday on Icicle Creek’s Facebook page and at icicle.org. The episode features Ellensburg painter and sculptor Austin J. Smith.

Mason Elliott with Icicle Creek said that the virtual talks, which can be viewed for free, are a conversation about one’s methods and craft. Each episode will also include a new interviewer based in North Central Washington.

Elliot noted that artists are some of the most displaced workers right now. The virtual talks are a way to give those artists a platform.

Join the conversation! Visit wenatcheeworld.com/nabur

The town of Soap Lake became incorporated in 1919. The lake from which it gets it’s name has been known for its curative properties. The lake gets its name from the foam that forms on the surface. The water also has an extremely soapy feel and has more than 20 minerals. People visit the lake from across the globe to soak in the mineral-rich waters or to coat themselves in the mud.

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.