Wednesday, May 15, 2024
Top Story

Leavenworth Farmers Market moves to new day, location

Cascade Community Markets, which includes the Leavenworth and Cashmere Community Farmers Markets, has recently earned official nonprofit status. This season marks the organization's 15th anniversary. This year, the Leavenworth market will move to Saturdays and return to its original location at Lions Park.
LEAVENWORTH - The Leavenworth Community Farmers Market is moving to Saturdays and back to its original home at Lions Park.  The Leavenworth Market will open for the 2024 season on Saturday, June 1, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Lions Park.

Chelan PUD to conduct customer satisfaction survey

WENATCHEE - Chelan PUD will be conducting a customer satisfaction survey starting the week of May 13. The survey, conducted every two years, will be administered by Strategic Research, a …

Cascade Medical bids adieu to Commissioner Mall Boyd

LEAVENWORTH—After a decade of dedicated service, Commissioner Mall Boyd bid farewell to her role on the Cascade Medical Board of Commissioners, marking the end of an era in community healthcare …
Local Features

Happy Fudge reopens: a labor of love honoring a legacy

Davelaar’s favorite fudge flavor, dark chocolate raspberry.
LEAVENWORTH – For owner Jason Stewart and Manager Melissa Wike, reopening Happy Fudge, once Happy Happy Fudge, was not a money-making pursuit, but a way to preserve the legacy of one of their …
Wright began carving as a hobby in 2020, then starting selling his work about a year and a half in.

Local carver creates masterpiece in downtown Leavenworth

LEAVENWORTH –  On the corner of 10th and Commercial, a chainsaw buzzes while sawdust flies, as a dead, hazardous tree fated to be cut down by order of the city gets transformed into a work …
Bites pretzels are made fresh daily.

From Belize to Bavaria: Global entrepreneurs open homemade pretzel shop in Leavenworth

LEAVENWORTH – When Beth and Kevin Spiegel opened Bites –Leavenworth, a new, fresh-made pretzel shop on Commercial Street, they did so with a March Madness-style dip tournament.  …
The theater production weaves through local history through the stories of women.

“Unsettled” returns for final season

LEAVENWORTH—Dangerous Women will present its third and final season of “Unsettled” on May 18 and 19 at the Snowy Owl Theater.  “This is the year to see …

Read more local features

Other News
A young participant receives his cowbell at the finish line.
LEAVENWORTH – The first annual Mai Blumenlauf, or May Flower Run, kicked off with over 200 participants this Mother’s Day. “I thought the day went really well. I really loved …
WENATCHEE - The Chelan County Auditor's Office seeks individuals to serve on "For" or "Against" committees for ballot measures in the upcoming August 6 Special Election Local Voters' Pamphlet. The …
WENATCHEE - The Columbia River Harley Owners Group (H.O.G) Chapter is reviving its annual Run 4 the Border motorcycle ride after a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event, now in its 19th …
Attendees at the Icicle Fund's community celebration event engaged in small group discussions to share ideas, explore potential collaborations, and discuss common challenges facing their organizations. These breakout sessions provided an opportunity for nonprofit leaders and stakeholders from across North Central Washington to connect, learn from one another, and potentially lay the groundwork for future partnerships that can enhance their collective impact in the areas of arts, environment, and history.
WENATCHEE - The Icicle Fund hosted a community celebration at Wenatchee Valley College on April 25 to amplify the work of nonprofits advancing the arts, environment, and history in North Central …
WENATCHEE - Camp Fire North Central Washington Council is now accepting registrations for summer camp at Camp Zanika Lache. The co-ed overnight camp is open to youth entering 1st through 12th grade …
As part of the Fire Science Program at Cascade High School, students train to help with fire management and prevention. Many students in this program go on to fight wildland fires as a career or summer job.
LEAVENWORTH - Chumstick Wildfire Stewardship Coalition (CWSC) is a local program that is dedicated to raising awareness in the Leavenworth community of fire danger. The Leavenworth and Lake Wenatchee …

Read more news coverage

E-edition

May 15, 2024

View this issue

Browse other issues

Obituaries
John W. Parish
John passed away peacefully on April 28, 2024 at his mountain home he built and cherished overlooking the Icicle Valley.  John was born February 3, 1933 to Donald and Jesse Parish in …
Dora Imojean Martensen, 89, a longtime resident of Leavenworth, Washington passed away with family by her side on April 26, 2024.  Imojean was born on October 26, 1934 in Dandridge, Tennessee to …
Dwight Goehner was born to Walter and Alvina Goehner in May of 1957. He joined his sister Naomi and brother Keith in a loving Christian home, surrounded by numerous aunts, uncles and cousins, most of …
Harvey Allen Strand
Harvey Allen Strand went to be with the Lord on April 5, 2024. He was born September 2, 1930 on the family farm in Selby, South Dakota to Harold Sigurd Strand and Lena Mertz. His grandparents were …
Gilbert Lee Eggleston
Gilbert Lee Eggleston, lifelong firefighter, passed away on February 17, 2024 after an intense short struggle with metastatic esophageal cancer. He died at home, as he wished, with his family by his …
Maria (Toni) Hill, 96, passed away on March 16, 2024 after succumbing to the effects of Alzheimer's and dementia.   She was born in Spain on November 7, 1927 and grew up in Madrid …

Read more obituaries

Education
Meleah Butruille, the new dean of Wenatchee Valley College Allied Health, speaks to students about different paths in healthcare.

Cascade High School brings back career fair with local emphasis

LEAVENWORTH – On Apr. 17, Cascade High School (CHS) students were given the opportunity to pick the brains of professionals during the school’s career fair, which included a professional …

Did Blue Knutson Predict the Future? This was the burning question on everyone’s lips as Blue proudly displayed the coveted Mr. Kodiak Trophy. Mr. Kodiak drew a throng of excited spectators to Cascade High School on Wednesday, April 17. “I am very happy; it took a lot of work, and it paid off. I put in at least fifteen hours of photoshopping. I think I presented it fifteen times to my parents trying to figure it out,” said Knutson.
LEAVENWORTH—Doors opened at 6:15 p.m., and a sizable portion of Leavenworth and beyond turned out to support the senior class of 2024. This year's Mr. Kodiak theme was based on the Barbie …
Cascade School District Superintendent Tracey Edou, Board Chairman Trey Ising, and high school and middle school choir director Isabella Garcia. To help balance the 2024-2025 district budget, among a series staffing cuts and adjustments, Garcia’s choral department is being eliminated. Edou’s office and the Board have issued a Modified Staffing Plan to outline the district-wide cuts.
LEAVENWORTH – In January, The Leavenworth Echo reported that Cascade School District (CSD) was facing financial pressure primarily due to revenue decreases, unforeseen inflationary expenses, …
James Swanson, current principal at Icicle River Middle School (IRMS), has been named principal at Cascade High School (CHS) beginning the 2024-25 school year. Michael Miller, current IRMS assistant principal, will take the helm at IRMS. Rudy Joya will leave CHS for the Eastmont School District at the end of this year.
LEAVENWORTH – Cascade School District (CSD) is undergoing significant administrative shifts as it navigates both leadership adjustments and budgetary challenges. Earlier this month, Rudy Joya, …

Read more education coverage

Chelan County Sheriff's Report

Chelan County Sheriff's Report

This report is compiled from records provided by the Chelan County Sheriff's Office and RiverCom. The publisher cannot certify the complete accuracy of the information provided. April 5 …

Community Calendar
Wed
15
Thu
16
Fri
17
Sat
18
Sun
19
Legislative Coverage
House Republican Deputy Leader Mike Steele (left) and Senate Republican Leader John Braun

Federal court redistricting ruling shakes up Washington State legislative districts, faces Republican criticism

OLYMPIA – In a development impacting Washington State politics, the Ninth Circuit Court has dismissed an emergency motion to stay a federal court decision regarding legislative district …
Sen. Lisa Wellman, R-Mercer Island, speaks on the floor of the Senate in Olympia.

Blending education and technology a goal for Wellman

OLYMPIA - On the last Monday morning of the 2024 legislative session, Washington State Sen. Lisa Wellman’s office brimmed with sunlight, an early peek at spring, as she sipped tea from a white …
Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, who backed legislation to require additional security systems for county elections, speaks before an audience.

Counties required to adopt security system

Under a bill Secretary of State Steve Hobbs endorsed, all counties are required to install “Albert Systems,” a technology that notifies counties when there is an attempted cybersecurity …
Sen. John Lovick studies a proposal at his desk on the floor of the Senate.

Officers will soon be allowed to work part-time

Washington remains 51st in the nation for police officers per capita, and one answer to that problem might be allowing officers to work part-time.  SB 5424, sponsored by Sen. John Lovick, …
Demonstrators carry signs calling for passage of a parental notification initiative during a protest in Olympia. The initiative was approved by the Legislature.

Parental authority initiative approved, but concerns linger

OLYMPIA - The “Parent’s right to know,” a citizen-led initiative regarding parental authority over kids in public schools, will become law in June.  While the measure won …

Read more legislative coverage

Get your event in the spotlight with Ward Media!

If you have an exciting event to share, email Reporter Quinn Propst at quinn@ward.media. We’ll showcase the five most captivating events of the week, giving your event the recognition it deserves. Even if your event isn’t among the top five, it will still be added to our events calendar and featured online. Don’t miss this chance to make your event shine!

Here is this week's list of 5 Things to do this Week.
    • Flea market

      Apple Annie Antiques in Cashmere will hold their semi-annual flea market on Saturday, May 18 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. “We hold the event …

    • Dangerous Women: Unsettled

      Icicle Creek Center for the Arts will host the show Dangerous Women: Unsettled on Saturday, May 18 from 2-4 p.m. “Discover our …

    • Family Day at Bird Fest

      The Wenatchee River Institute will host Family Day at the Leavenworth Spring Bird Fest on Saturday, May 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. “Family …

    • Bird Fest keynote speaker

      The Wenatchee River Institute will host Bird Fest Keynote speaker Rebecca Heisman on Saturday, May 18 from 7- 8:30 p.m. “While working …

    • Community dinner

      The Leavenworth Community Methodist Church will host a community dinner on Tuesday, May 21 from 5-7 p.m. “No RSVP required,” …

Sports
Wenatchee Wild first-round WHL Prospects Draft selection Boston Tait.
WENATCHEE – The Wenatchee Wild are pleased to announce the selection of 13 players in the 2024 Western Hockey League Prospects Draft, held Thursday. The 2024 edition was the club’s …
Forward Grant Reid looks up at the scoreboard during a 2022-23 Victoria Royals contest against the Prince George Cougars. The Western Hockey League’s Wenatchee Wild announced Thursday morning that they had acquired Reid in a trade with the Royals for forward Daniel Morozov.
WENATCHEE – The Wenatchee Wild have announced a trade with the Victoria Royals of the Western Hockey League (WHL), sending 2007-born forward Daniel Morozov to Victoria in …
Defenseman Reid Andresen skates in a game for the Western Hockey League’s Medicine Hat Tigers this past season against the Prince Albert Raiders. The Wild announced the acquisition of Andresen and a third-round pick in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft Thursday, in exchange for defenseman Jonas Woo.
WENATCHEE – The Wenatchee Wild have announced a trade with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League (WHL), sending 2006-born defenseman Jonas Woo to Medicine Hat in …

Marcus Matyas, Cretin-Derham Hall H.S.
Wenatchee Wild Select Two Players in Team’s First WHL U.S. Priority Draft WENATCHEE – The Wenatchee Wild are pleased to announce the selection of two players in the 2024 Western …
WENATCHEE - The Wenatchee AppleSox is seeking host families to provide housing for players during the upcoming season, which runs from early June through mid-August. The team is still looking to …

Read more sports coverage

Opinion
Terry Ward, Publisher
As the publisher of our local newspaper, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the recent Pew Research Center report on the changing relationship between Americans and their local news outlets. The …
Convention floor on Friday after the uproar.
SPOKANE — Washington State Republican Party leaders say they want party unity, but they torpedoed unity, at least for a bit, all for the sake of attempted control.  When it became …

Sen. Brad Hawkins, R-12
Our state approves three budgets every two years. These budgets fund Washington’s operating ($71.9 billion), transportation ($14.6 billion), and capital ($10.3 billion) expenditures, including …
Rep. Mike Steele and Rep. Keith Goehner
Washington state’s Climate Commitment Act (CCA) was passed in 2021 with the goal of reducing and phasing out carbon emissions.  Unfortunately, there have been several problems with …
Letters
The 2024 Upper Valley Empty Bowls Festival just concluded on Thursday, March 21 st .  This long standing festival, this the 28 th season, is only possible because it is loved by our village, and …
Rhona Baron (The Whistle) has written several pieces regarding the current city’s approach to building codes, which have provided misleading facts and incomplete analyses. She and others have …
National News
U.S. soldier detained in Russia on criminal charges
Russian authorities have detained an American soldier on criminal misconduct charges, the U.S. Army said Monday. Army spokeswoman Cynthia Smith said Russia’s government had notified the …
Workers pick blueberries in greenhouses of the Agrovision firm in San Isidro Mazatepec in Jalisco.
As its workers stream to the U.S., Mexico runs short of farmhands
ETZATLÁN, Mexico - For decades, Mexicans crossed the border to pick Americans’ lettuce, grapes and strawberries. Mexico had a seemingly inexhaustible supply of farmhands - tough, …
Senate passes $1.2 trillion spending bill, averting government shutdown
The Senate approved a $1.2 trillion spending bill in the wee hours of Saturday morning to prevent a brief partial government shutdown, sending the bill to President Biden to sign into law. …
Nikki Haley meets voters during a rally at Gilbert H. Hood Middle School in Derry, N.H. on Sunday.
Nikki Haley suspends campaign for 2024 Republican presidential nomination
CHARLESTON, S.C. -  Nikki Haley , a former U.N. ambassador and governor of South Carolina, has announced she is suspending   her presidential campaign, leaving  Donald Trump  with …
Big-box stores try to stay relevant by focusing on smaller stores
Two of the biggest names in big-box retail have boosted their bets on a growing trend for brick-and-mortar sales: smaller stores. Best Buy and Macy’s this week announced plans to add …
© Copyright 2024 The Leavenworth Echo
Powered by Creative Circle Media Solutions