AENEAS VALLEY - Take a drive east of Tonasket and you may see wild horses grazing amongst the rolling hills of Aeneas Valley. Some call them a nuisance, while other say the equine are part of the wildlife experience.

TONASKET — Council members adopted a modification to procedures governing the appointment and operation of council committees at their Feb. 11 regular meeting., stating it’s the responsibility of the mayor to appoint council members to committees at the second regular meeting of the year, or…

OLYMPIA - Five Methow Valley students traveled to Olympia on Feb. 10 to lobby conservative elected officials on climate legislation.

OKANOGAN - An Omak man faces three criminal charges for allegedly calling the Omak School District administration office on Feb. 11 and threatening an employee.

OKANOGAN – Voters in Okanogan County school districts said yes to replacement levy requests on the Feb. 11 ballot.

OKANOGAN – An Omak man was charged Feb. 11 with first-degree assault with a firearm or deadly weapon after a shooting Feb. 10 on North Juniper Street in Omak.

OKANOGAN - Okanogan County Public Utility District commissioners continue to discuss setting rates to meet the 2020 budget, which was approved with a 2 percent revenue increase.

OMAK – The city is encouraging utility customers to enroll in the paperless billing program through its tech partner, Invoice Cloud.

DAVENPORT – Two people have been arrested in connection with thefts of mail, credit and debit cards, passports and other documents in Lincoln County and beyond.

OLYMPIA - A bill to create a Washington apples specialty license plate has been approved by the state Senate transportation and rules committees, and sent to the full Senate.

GRAND COULEE – A truck driver was injured Feb. 13 when his tractor-trailer overturned and skidded into a pizza restaurant on Highway 174.

BRIDGEPORT – An open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony are planned Saturday to celebrate Bridgeport School District’s multi-building construction project.

OLYMPIA – Okanogan Assistant Fire Chief Christian Johnson was not wearing his protective turnout coat when he was overtaken by flames from the Sept. 1, 2019, Spring Coulee Fire southwest of Okanogan, according to a report produced by the state Department of Natural Resources and Fire Distric…

OKANOGAN – Voters in most Okanogan County school districts said yes to replacement levy requests on the Feb. 11 ballot, but Omak’s request is teetering toward the no side.

SEATTLE - Washington has seen its rate of natural disasters increase by 165 percent over the last four decades - a rate that’s higher than the national average of 62 percent.

OKANOGAN - A free soil health presentation is planned from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 19.

OKANOGAN - Emergency weight restrictions have been imposed on several roads in Okanogan and Ferry counties and the Colville Indian Reservation.

OMAK – One man was hospitalized and another arrested after an apparent altercation Feb. 10 on North Juniper Street.

OMAK – The city council is pondering whether changes are needed to the Omak Park Board.

OKANOGAN - The Okanogan City Council approve a budget amendment Feb. 4 to account for public works projects and a new union contract.

OKANOGAN - Several staff positions were filled when the Okanogan School Board met Jan. 29.

OMAK - Mid-Valley Hospital commissioners approved a new quality assurance and process improvement plan during their Jan. 28 meeting.

OLYMPIA - Rep. Keith Goehner, R-Dryden, has been appointed to serve on the House Environment and Energy Committee for the 2020 legislative session.

OKANOGAN - An Okanogan County Superior Court jury found Ira Leo Frank, Omak, guilty Feb. 4 of second-degree burglary and second-degree malicious mischief.

EAST WENATCHEE - An amendment to a 2018 agreement for operation of the Carlton Acclimation Facility was approved Feb. 3 by Douglas County Public Utility District commissioners.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - Mitchell and Amy Houser, Carlton, are new members of the American Angus Association.

OLYMPIA - Washington STEM has named state Rep. Mike Steele, R-Chelan, as one of two legislator of the year award winners for 2019.

OLYMPIA - Washington could get an official state dinosaur, clam and microanimal if separate bills pass the Legislature.

OLYMPIA – Several railroad crossings in Okanogan and Chelan counties will be improved, thanks to state grants to Cascade and Columbia River Railroad.

OKANOGAN – Three Okanogan County Public Utility District employees were recognized last week for a combined 55 years of service to the utility.

Goodnight’s contract extended for a year

OMAK – School will start Aug. 26 for the 2020-21 school year, the Omak School Board decided during its Jan. 28 meeting.

OMAK – A 4.5-acre parcel, destined to become the site of a 44- to 46-unit housing complex, will be annexed to the city.

OLYMPIA – State regulators allowed Lake Chelan Boat Co. Inc. to increase fares effective Jan. 24.

SPOKANE - The state Court of Appeals for Division 3 has affirmed the rape conviction of an Okanogan County man.

OLYMPIA - A bill before the Legislature would require problem wolves to be radio collared so officials will know where they are.

EAST WENATCHEE - Discussion of electric rates continued before rate adjustments were made during the Jan. 27 Douglas County Public Utility District meeting.

OKANOGAN - An Okanogan County child has died from complications of influenza B, and Okanogan County Public Health officials are monitoring the flu and other infectious diseases.

OMAK – A local woman injured in a New Year’s Eve vehicle crash near Conconully is recovering at home after being treated at Central Washington Hospital in Wenatchee.

OROVILLE — The city is down to one police officer with the resignation of Chief Todd Hill, effective Feb. 4. Hill notified the city at the Jan. 21 regular city council meeting.

OROVILLE — A local man was electrocuted before his garage burst into flames Monday, Jan. 20.

SHERMAN PASS — A mysterious creature that appeared in front of a state Department of Transportation mountain pass camera has left residents scratching their heads wondering if a strange, dark object in a photo may be the legendary Bigfoot.

OLYMPIA – Nine organizations across the state have been awarded $1.6 million in grant funding to help make forests in their communities healthier and more resilient, including resiliency to wildfires.