Leavenworth Echo Year in Review Part 2

July 2022

UV MEND gleaning up and running

By Erin Mullins, Reporter

Upper Valley MEND’s gleaning program, where community members can help UV MEND employees gather excess produce from farms that will be donated to the foodbank, is up and running for the summer. UV MEND gleans several times a week and welcomes volunteers of all types for any amount that they are available, said Rachel Bishop, Food Programs Manager at UV MEND.

Thomas Lin suggests his land be used for indoor pool

By Erin Mullins, Reporter

Thomas Lin, owner of property behind Safeway, proposed that the city build an indoor pool on his land during the June 14 city council meeting, which he attended virtually. Lin previously sold some of his property to Weidner Apartment Homes, the company which manages the apartments behind Safeway and to Link Transit to build a new transit center at Safeway. He donated the road east of the Hampton Inn to the city to provide a route for Link Transit buses. Lin lives in the Seattle area and first bought property in Leavenworth in 2013. His family had visited Leavenworth and suggested he visit. He fell in love with Leavenworth and decided to buy property. Lin grew up in Taiwan and moved to the United States at 19. He attended Boston University for undergrad and Massachusetts Institute of Technology for graduate school and played water polo in college, which is his personal connection with swimming.

CHS Cross Country up and running for the summer with aspirations to win state

By Erin Mullins, Reporter

Cascade Cross Country is practicing over the summer for the upcoming fall season, with the first practice held June 21. The team is meeting Tuesday and Thursday mornings to run over the summer, and they recently got back from a team cross country camp in Mazama.

Mayor Carl Florea discusses Leavenworth Oktoberfest

By Erin Mullins, Reporter

This week, the city announced an Oktoberfest held by the Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce. The festival was originally going to be held by SE Productions. The split between Projekt Bayern’s Oktoberfest and the City’s became clear in 2021 when Projekt Bayern announced their plan to move Oktoberfest to the Town Toyota Center in Wenatchee and the City of Leavenworth announcing their own Oktoberfest run by SE Productions in Leavenworth.

August 2022

Mayor Florea honors our Councilmember, Carolyn Wilson, who passed away this last weekend

By Mayor Florea

Community Members, this week our community lost one of its finest assets with the passing of Councilmember Carolyn Wilson. When events like this happen, it makes us pause – for a bit – our crazy, busy, sometimes frantic-feeling lives. We are reminded that what makes this place special, indeed, what defines community for us, is not buildings or businesses or visitors, or the beautiful setting, as much as it is the people we know: those we work side by side with, recreate with, create art with, share faith with, and serve the community with.

Wenatchee River Institute breaks ground on new classroom site

Submitted by Randee Zerger

Construction began on Wenatchee River Institute's (WRI) new Outdoor Classroom. This structure gives a solid gathering space outdoors on the WRI Campus. It provides cover for their youth and community education programs, especially during adverse weather or heat. Prior to COVID, when it got too rainy, snowy, or hot, participants simply moved indoors. Now temporary tents are put up around their campus or participants move indoors in small groups. This covered classroom space will allow WRI to continue activities outdoors no matter the weather.

Marlene Farrell New Director of Development for ICCA

By Erin Mullins

Marlene Farrell is the new Director of Development for Icicle Creek Center for the Arts, a non-profit focusing on bringing art education and performances to the Wenatchee Valley. Farrell will be fundraising, managing donors, finding sponsorships and grants, and managing events for ICCA.

Leavenworth welcomes Leavenworth Family Reunion

Captain Charles Frederick Leavenworth

History Submitted by John Leavenworth, President and Carol Forhan, Leavenworth Echo

The ancestors of Captain Charles Frederick Leavenworth who platted our town of Leavenworth had a wonderful reunion with about 45 family members attending from across the U.S. including Washington, Oregon, Florida, Michigan, and Texas. Gathering for 3 days at the Enzian Inn was a time of catching up with family, sharing stories, displaying family heirlooms like oil paintings of famous family members such as General Henry Leavenworth (founder of Ft. Leavenworth, KS), brass buttons, and silver spoons made by other historic family members, the family coat of arms, the Leavenworth family star and quilt, newspaper clippings of significant events pertaining to the family.

Projekt Bayern speaks out about this year’s Oktoberfest

By Erin Mullins, Reporter

Projekt Bayern board member and media manager Amy Gustin discussed Bayern’s plans for this year’s Oktoberfest. Gustin said that anytime the city administration asked Bayern to make any changes, they adapted to the requests, but were still left without options for hosting the event in Leavenworth by the city. Adapting the festival to be held at downtown Front Street would not be a good idea, Gustin said, because due to the large crowd size there would not be enough room for emergency vehicles to get in. Gustin said that the way Oktoberfest has been run in the past was able to handle the crowds and that they adapted to solve whatever issues came up each year. Gustin said she understands that some people would get too drunk in Leavenworth in the month of October but is not sure if the blame lies on Bayern.

Icicle Village Resort celebrates 30th anniversary

By Erin Mullins, Reporter

Icicle Village Resort recently celebrated their thirtieth anniversary with a free, open to the public event. The celebration featured complimentary ice cream and brats, entertainment from local music performers, and a free raffle for free stays and other prizes. Paul Jinneman, one of the founders of Icicle Village Resort, said the business is doing great. “I feel it’s doing great. The hotel does well, and we have a great group of condominium owners also. We have a fantastic team of people. One long time employee, Miguel Gonzalez has been with us since day one, and he still works there,” Jinneman said.

Fish Hatchery Stage to be torn down

By Erin Mullins, Reporter

The Fish Hatchery Stage, which has been home to Leavenworth Summer Theatre since the 1990’s, is slated to be torn down in two years. When the hatchery stage was built in 1993, it was funded almost entirely by Leavenworth Summer Theatre. Today, the stage needs extensive repair or replacement. However, due to new laws that have been passed since the nineties, it will not be possible for the stage to be rebuilt, said Julia Pinnix, Leavenworth Fisheries Complex visitor services manager.

Long-time Manager becomes CEO & Co-owner at München Haus

Submitted by Kim Ewing, Marketing Manager

What started as a Kettle Corn stand over 20 years ago, is now the well-known Bavarian Grill and Beer Garden, München Haus. Founders Pamela and Oliver Brulotte recently extended leadership of their business operations team to include a Board of Directors, in addition to gifting part ownership to Mia Fehl, a long-time manager responsible for the growth and success at München Haus.

Plain Cross-Country Skiing practicing hard over the summer

By Erin Mullins, Reporter

Plain Cross-Country Skiing has been practicing over the summer and head coach Pierre Niess knows that the best way for athletes to find success is for them to become stronger, build their team spirit and work consistently rather than build up individual egos.

City addresses residents’ parking concerns

By Erin Mullins, Reporter

Christie Voos, communications analyst for the City of Leavenworth, addressed concerns that residents have about parking and the future of the Front Street closure. On Facebook, many Leavenworth residents have expressed displeasure at both the parking issues downtown. When it comes to parking funds, many are wondering how the funds are being used.

September 2022

White River and Irving Peak Fire Update as of September 4, 2022

Plain, WA – Lightning started the White River and Irving Peak Fires on August 11. The fires are burning in the Okanagan-Wenatchee National Forest, northwest of Plain, WA.

Bears and more bears, yes, or no?

Part 1: To what extent is bear presence changing?

By Wesley Zhao, Correspondent

Rich Beausoleil has been tagging, tracking, and researching bears since 1997. Beausoleil is a North American bear expert, lives close by in Wenatchee, and works for our Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. For the last ten years Beausoleil and the WDFW have used GPS tagging and DNA sampling to acquire a more accurate understanding of bear population, population density, and activity patterns. Washington has a population of about 20,000 bears, and the Eastern Cascade Study Area, which includes Leavenworth, has a population density of approximately 16 bears for every 100 square kilometers (about 38 square miles). According to Rich, there have been no significant changes to either figure recently. But one source estimates the number of bears the WDFW lethally removes every year is growing. It is now close to 50 per year.

Opinion/ Community: The Whistle

By Rhona Baron

“The Whistle,” is blowing onto the pages of the Leavenworth Echo on the winds of change. Driven by COVID, new peaks in tourism, shifting demographics, skyrocketing real estate values and the City’s choices as it looks to the future, our community is being reshaped before our eyes. Change can be good. But change always comes at a price. This column is about that price. It’s a price we are beginning to feel in real time as new codes and strategies are implemented by Leavenworth’s paid administrators, elected officials and appointed planning commissioners. Having listed these folks, most of whom I voted for and/ or have been friends with for decades, does not make me happy. However, I’ve also been blown to these pages to provide a place for the voices of the community to be heard and respected.

Bears and more bears, yes, or no?

Part 2: What should residents expect and do?

By Wesley Zhao, Correspondent

There is some evidence that local natural food scarcity may have been more of an issue this year than others. Two local biologists up the Chumstick, Don Youkey and Lisa Foster, noticed snow melted later, continued to fall later, and unforgiving frost continued to form later into the spring. Brit Thurlow, an herbalist who has lived near Eagle Creek Road for six seasons, collected corroborating data: “I track every year. I have a journal for planting and foraging for both my garden and wild foraging. And everything was about two weeks later this year.” She witnessed fruit branches knocked over by snowstorms and blossoming reduced by late frost.

On and Off the PCT

By Wesley Zhao, Correspondent

“Disaster” earned his trail name from an unfortunate miscalculation made while in the Sierra Nevadas. A thousand miles into the Pacific Crest Trail, his equipment was showing wear: “I had these shoes I thought I could push through to the next section.” He planned to resupply to the next town. “But halfway through, they fell apart, so I had to walk the last fifty miles in sandals and flip flops, tied together with shoestring. It was kind of a disaster.” Disaster is one of the seven hundred or so through-hikers every year who attempt to complete the PCT. And like most, Disaster began at the southern end, at the US-Mexico border, an hour's drive from San Diego. He then moved north through California, Oregon, and into Washington, with hopes of reaching the northern terminus at the Canadian Border. In total, the trail is 2,653 miles long. NOBOs (northbound hikers) encounter the Sierra Nevadas near mile 650 and complete the range at mile 1,700. Stevens Pass is another seven hundred miles from there, marking mile 2,464. After four or five months of continuous hiking, with less than two hundred miles left, NOBOs often pause here and hitch thirty miles into Leavenworth for one last set of “zeros” (rest days with zero miles hiked). But this year a greater number of NOBOs have been flowing through town and staying longer than usual.

Opinion: The Whistle

By Rhona Baron

This week, The Whistle is tearing a page from The Sound of Music to “start at the very beginning” as we shine a spotlight on city codes. The hills (and our neighborhoods) are alive with the impacts of Leavenworth’s codes, which are basically a collection of a city’s laws, rules and regulations. While unlikely to inspire song, code is key to regulating subdivisions, zoning, environmental factors, building codes, permitting and more.

October 2022

Does Icicle Creek have enough water to meet Leavenworth’s future needs

By Caroline Menna, CHS staffer and Isabel Menna, CHS staffer

In this Anthropocene Era of climate change, perhaps the biggest challenge for the Western United States is its dwindling water supply, only exacerbated by the region’s widespread drought. Very few days pass without news of the crises that is the Colorado River drainage, water restrictions in California, or falling reservoirs and reduced mountain snowpacks throughout the West. Surely, though, Leavenworth and environs, tucked into the eastern flanks of the lush Cascades, are immune from this predicament. If only that was true.

Kentucky Fried Chicken” not in Kentucky, “Leavenworth Oktoberfest” not in Leavenworth

By Wesley Zhao, Correspondent

On the morning of Tuesday September 27, Judge Thomas Rice held court two minutes early, at 9:58 a.m., in Room 802 of the US District Court in Spokane. Christie Voos, Leavenworth Communications Analyst, sat, wearing nearly all black, as attorney Robert Carlson presented opening remarks in a low and slow pitch and cadence. He claimed the defense made “egregious statements” about the City online, citing an “egregious post” from July 25, which claimed “there is no Oktoberfest in Leavenworth.” Projekt Bayern president Cary Sanger watched at ease, dressed in a traditional, short-sleeved dirndl with blue accents. Then defense attorney James Breitenbucher offered his reply while wearing a suit matched by a sky-blue dress shirt, speaking a little more quickly, in a slightly higher tone — a noticeable contrast to Carlson. Among the defense’s more memorable arguments was the claim that their trademark “Leavenworth Oktoberfest” is “no more a geographic misnomer than a Kentucky Fried Chicken outside of Kentucky.” Breitenbucher also noted that the business “Leavenworth Tattoo Haus” also first opened in Leavenworth, then, like “Leavenworth Oktoberfest”, moved to Wenatchee.

Impressive recycling and composting at Cascade Schools

By Marlene Farrell, Correspondent

Cascade School District has much to celebrate this school year in terms of waste reduction efforts. While something like single stream recycling seems basic, to make it manifest institution-wide requires tweaking a lot of parts, such as supplies and equipment, staffing, contracting services, and educational training. A recycling program had been initiated more than once, only to falter due to logistical challenges and COVID.

Greater Leavenworth Museum celebrates its 20th Anniversary

By Matt and Carol Cade

Twenty years ago, residents of Leavenworth had the vision to create a museum to preserve and collect the unique history of the Upper Wenatchee Valley. Over the years, these ‘museum pioneers’ built the foundation that allowed for the Museum’s rebirth as the Greater Leavenworth Museum in the heart of downtown Leavenworth in 2020.

Link unveils “The Icicle” bus design

Submitted by Link

The striking mountain profile of a sleeping woman that sets the stage for outdoor adventurers to the Icicle River area south of the community of Leavenworth is featured in the latest Link Transit bus design to appear on the side of one of the agency’s 40-foot vehicles.

UV MEND and Marson family working together for affordable housing

Submitted Kaylin Bettinger, UV MEND Executive Director

Upper Valley MEND is working toward purchasing 31 apartment units in Leavenworth to preserve as affordable rentals for the local workforce. This acquisition is part of a larger push to grow MEND’s affordable housing portfolio with a goal of housing more Upper Valley workers locally. The 31 housing units have been owned by the Marson family since they were built in the 1970s-90s. The family has kept the rents affordable over time.

Alchemy Tap Project, first of Icicle Creek’s Visiting Artists Series, performs at local schools

By Marlene Farrell, Correspondent

Thanks to Icicle Creek Center for the Arts (ICCA), a nonprofit dedicated to performing arts and arts education, schools throughout North Central Washington will get a boost of inspirational arts brought directly to the classroom.

Opinion: Troubling Indicators of Cascade Medical’s Future

Submitted by CM Citizens Steering Committee

In the late 1980s, mismanagement cast Cascade Medical Center (CMC) into financial ruin. Doctors and staff left in droves. Morale and trust were decimated. A CEO was finally hired to close CMC due to insolvency and imminent bankruptcy. Instead, healthcare leaders came together to face the ugly mess and ended up saving the CMC and bringing it forward. Many of those healthcare workers and leaders who worked to redeem CMC from the brink still live in our community. In the last few years, they have become alarmingly concerned by seeing the same patterns and problems that nearly shut the doors of CMC 30 years ago.

The Alphorn: From the Swiss Alps to the Cascades

By Barbara Washburn, Correspondent

The famous Alphorn: people play it in the rain, in the snow. It is seen in meadows, by the lake sides; melodies heard echoing out of the forests. Also played in the midst of a classical concert performance. A simple piece of wood, raw yet delicate. It has served as the national symbol of Switzerland since the 19th century.

Cascade Medical – Successes, Challenges, and the road ahead

Submitted by Cascade Medical Board and Leadership

Last week, the Echo ran an opinion piece penned by an outside group unaffiliated with our organization. The authors expressed concern with Cascade Medical on a number of fronts: questioning our financial stability, our work environment, and the quality of care we provide for our community. Let us be clear. In any organization, there are always and will always be opportunities for improvement. We recognize this and embrace all the challenges and opportunities consistent improvement efforts afford us. That stated, the opinion piece wrapped understandable questions in faulty assumptions, sweeping generalizations, and attempted to take challenges all health care providers are wrestling with statewide and paint them as concerns unique to Cascade Medical.

County Commissioner Race likely close, voters should stay informed

By Wesley Zhao, Correspondent

From 2008 through 2016, Chelan County commissioner candidates raised between ten to fifty thousand dollars per race, margins of victories ranged from one to several thousand votes, and winners were all registered republicans. Then, in 2018, commissioner race spending soared, and margins tightened.

November 2022

Cascade School Board Wins Board of the Year

By Marlene Farrell, Correspondent

The Cascade School District (CSD) school board meeting began with an exciting announcement by Tricia Lubach, representing the Washington State School Directors Association (WSSDA). Lubach notified the school board that they were awarded a Board of Distinction recognition, and, even more impressively, they won the 2022-2023 Board of the Year award for all small school districts in the state.

After bear incident weighing relocation against removal

By Wesley Zhao, Correspondent

Last Saturday morning, October 22, residents woke up to an alert from the Chelan County Sheriff’s Facebook page; a large yellow graphic rendering of a “caution” sign, with an outline of a bear etched in black in the middle, followed by the inscription “bear in area.” Multiple residents shared the warning on Leavenworth’s Facebook page, including Communications Analyst Christie Voos, while others surely received screenshots from friends and neighbors who had woken first. Earlier the same morning, at around seven, a local woman let her dog out near her home, adjacent to Enchantment Park Way and Blackbird Island. She was charged by an adult female black bear and sustained severe but non-life-threatening injuries, according to Washington Department Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). An hour later, at around eight, the Sheriff’s department posted the warning to residents to avoid the Enchantment Park Way area; and at around noon, WDFW announced that an adult sow black bear had been lethally removed and two nine-month-old cubs were captured and brought to a rehabilitation facility.

ALPS is Brimming with Art

By Marlene Farrell, Correspondent

Walking through the halls of Alpine Lakes Elementary (ALPS), one is greeted by art everywhere, whimsical, and bright. The paintings, drawings and paper art are the students’ creations under the guidance of Amber Zimmerman, an artist and teacher who works with every class on a weekly basis.

Kilroy at the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum

By Barbara Washburn, Correspondent

John Bruce of Draper, Utah, enjoys visiting our little town and making stops at the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum. He owns an inventive woodworking business and has created several nutcrackers for our local museum: even the ones so tiny sitting on the end of a matchstick. Draper and Arlene Wagner, the clever and witty owner of the museum, had discussed the production of several nutcrackers for her large display of over 7000. One of his inventions is the petite Kilroy nutcracker, peeping out at visitors through a glass display.

‘Leavenworth’s Father Christmas’ is Honored with a Quilt of Valor

BY MATT AND CAROL CADE

David E. Severance, Jr, known to many as Leavenworth’s Father Christmas from 1996 to 2018, was presented with a Quilt of Valor on November 2, 2022. A Quilt of Valor is an expression of gratitude meant to thank and comfort service members and military veterans.

Chelan County election results

Staff Report

Shon Smith who is running for Chelan County Commissioner #2 has maintained a small lead over Anne Hessburg after the second round of ballot counts were released Thursday, Nov. 10th.

Leavenworth City Council approves funding for PRSA Pool Feasibility Study

By Christie Voos, Communications Analyst

On November 8, 2022, at a regularly scheduled City Council meeting, Councilmembers unanimously voted to approve a funding request from the Upper Valley Park and Recreation Service Area (PRSA) in the amount of $69,820 for a Pool Feasibility Study.

Cascade School District’s Home Link classes take deep dive into local river issue

By Marlene Farrell, Correspondent

On a chilly morning, Home Link elementary and middle school students and their teacher Shanda Holm were bundled and excited for a tour of the Tumwater Dam, led by Chelan PUD senior fish biologist Catherin Willard and civil engineer Justin Fletcher. This field trip was one of several this fall for the experiential education class, which has been studying river ecology, and key for the social studies class as it learns about the many stakeholder perspectives around river usage and conservation.

December 2022

Healthcare On Wheels: Cascade Medical Mobile Clinic Starts Service December 8

Submitted by Clint Strand

Healthcare is important. On this, there is not any debate. For many, though, recognizing that fact is one thing, but actually accessing that care is far more difficult. Sometimes, there are transportation issues. For others, it’s a timing issue – because of where they live or work, one simply can’t make it to a physical health care location and back in the time needed to get back to work or pick up the kids from school.

Upper Valley Empty Bowls is Back

By Diane Priebe

Leavenworth’s beloved Upper Valley Empty Bowls (UV Empty Bowls) celebration will be back in all of its glory in 2023. The UV Empty Bowls Festival is the most important yearly fundraiser for Leavenworth’s Community Cupboard food bank. All proceeds from the Upper Valley Empty Bowls Festival are donated, which total over $15,000 each year.

Scouts build and donate outdoor pantry house

Submitted by Upper Valley MEND

It took a year to plan and design and two weeks to build. The result was an impressive outside pantry for the Community Cupboard. Boy Scouts Connor Karol and Duke Carrier recently delivered a stout pantry to house food for anyone in need to access 24/7. “This was my Eagle Scout project,” Connor explained.

Rainbow Fentanyl: The colors that kill

By Mike Maltais, Reporter

Leave it to the profiteers and predators among us to introduce a deadly new realm of rainbow exposure that warrants a watchful mindset over those we cherish. It’s called Rainbow Fentanyl and every family needs to be aware for it.

Exciting Prospects for Collaboration between the Greater Leavenworth Museum and the Chumstick Grange #819

By Marlene Farrell, Correspondent

The Upper Valley Historical Society (UVHS) has had a busy year. In April they had their official ribbon cutting at the new location of the Greater Leavenworth Museum on Front Street, with a crowd of supporters coming to enjoy the well curated exhibits of the region’s colorful history.