(PRESS RELEASE/TEDD)

United States Marine Corps Veteran Matt Horner poses with a quilt also held by Tri County Economic Regional Mobility & Veteran Services Coordinator Liv Stecker. (Courtesy photo)

Quilt made by Valerie Lamont and Judy Lockner…

United States Marine Corps Veteran Matt Horner won the drawing for the latest in a series of patriotic quilts made by local quilters Valerie Lamont and Judy Lockner. Horner served with the Marines from 1975-80, stationed stateside in Arizona and North Carolina, as well as Iwakuni Air Station on Honshu Island in Japan, about 30 miles south of Hiroshima. The son of a Marine who served in the Second World War as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal technician, Horner was a Ground Support Equipment Mechanic, working on aircraft support equipment on the ground at air bases.

The South California native says that his time in the Marines gave him the opportunity to travel the world, which he enjoyed. Horner worked as a diesel mechanic after he left the Marines and moved to the Kettle Falls area nearly twenty years ago. The drawing took place on September 21st at the Colville Veterans Stand Down.The quilt was presented to Horner by Liv Stecker, Tri County Economic Development District Veteran Service Coordinator. More

(STAFF REPORTS/Chewelah Independent)

In preparation for the sale of St. Mary’s School, the school will be open to the public one day only on Sunday, October 13, 2019, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The 90 year old building is full of old school desks, religious supplies, kids crafts, books, furniture etc. You may take whatever you like so long as it hasn’t already been claimed. Free-will donations are welcome with the money going towards a new building that will serve the parish as a preschool and multi-purpose space in the future. St. Mary’s School is located at 504 E Main Avenue in Chewelah. Call the parish office at 935-8028 with any questions.

(STAFF REPORTS/Chewelah Independent)

With Australia seeing 662 flu deaths this year, doctors in the U.S. are bracing for a bad flu season this winter. In 2018-2019, 43 million people caught the flu, and 61,000 people died. Australia has a much smaller population than the US and hospitalizations in that southern hemisphere country saw hospitalization equal moderate to high levels. Childen, older adults, pregnant women and anyone with chronic health problems will be vunerable to complications from the flu.

The Centers for Disease Control suggest getting a flu vaccination before the end of October. If you do fall ill, please stay home to avoid spreading the flu.

(BRANDON HANSEN/Chewelah Independent)

You could be seeing a lot of this, or not? (File photo)

WEATHER WHAT?: Meteorologists say they won’t be able to predict what kind of winter we will have…

Who knows what the heck is going to happen this winter?

Meteorologists monitoring ocean temperatures say that this year is shaping up to be “neutral,” meaning La Nina (colder than normal) and El Nino (warmer than normal) aren’t coming into play. While this might be considered good news, it also means that we don’t know exactly what this winter can do.

In the Pacific Northwest, we tend to have snowfall earlier during neutral years but this is based off of a small amount of data. It also has been documented that the Northwest experiences more wind storms in neutral winters.

We’ve already seen that early snowfall as the region set many records already for an uncharacteristic snowfall in September. More

(STAFF REPORTS/Chewelah Independent)

Washington State Utilities and Transportation Commission staff members are asking the state commission not to approve rate increases submitted by Avista Utilities, The Inlander is reporting. In April, the utilities company went to the commission asking if they could increase rates by an average of $7.93 per month for electricity and $4.60 per month for natural gas.

This equals out to an 8.8 percent increase in electricity rates for customers the first year and 3.4 percent the second year. For natural gas it would be a 10.1 percent increase the first year and 4.6 percent the second year. More

(BRANDON HANSEN/Chewelah Independent)

QUARTZITE WITH PUMPKIN SPICE: Light up the Park and BooFest just weeks away…

Light up the Park has become the new chic fall event for Chewelah after setting a world record years ago for pumpkins in one place, and continuing to be a family-friendly event that is free to the community.

It’s back this year with a new look but it will have that same great pumpkin taste. On Oct. 26, the Chewelah City Park will be transformed into a Halloweentown of sorts from 3-7 p.m. with entertainment, vendors, games, pumpkins and much, much more.

More

(BRANDON HANSEN/Chewelah Independent)

The John V. Folsom American Legion Post 54 was established on October of 1919, a year after the post’s namesake Pvt. John Vernie Folsom was killed in action fighting for Hill 255 in World War One. Folsom’s family moved to Chewelah when he passed away. (Courtesy photo)

RISING FROM RUBBLE: American Legion born out of the trenches of World War One…

It’s hard to miss the Chewelah American Legion post. Members of their honor guard can be seen at many public events where a flag salute is needed. The post holds several events each year honoring veterans both passed and alive. They’re a very visible presence at the funerals of veterans in the area. When it comes to giving, the post is usually the first to hold a dinner to raise money for a cause or a community member in need.

While none of them were around for its founding, current members of the John V. Folsom American Legion Post carry on a tradition that was established from the trenches of World War One.
If there was a war to establish the need for a veteran services once the battles were over, it was The Great War which raged in Europe from 1914-1918. America joined the war late, coming in on the side of the Allies after actions by Germany made it difficult for the country to remain neutral. Factor in that traditional western allies France and Great Britain had already taken body blows during the trench warfare-laden battlefields and were desperate for fresh men to put into the bloodiest war the world had seen. The American Expeditionary Forces were established in 1917 and would swell to a force of two million fighting men. More

(BRANDON HANSEN/Chewelah Independent)

WOLF KILLED BY WDFW: WDFW removed adult female on Sept. 25 after it preyed on cattle…

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced on Sept. 25 that a female member of the Grouse Flats wolf pack has been lethally removed from the Grouse Flats wolf pack in Southeast Washington.

This comes after the pack has been involved in seven depredations since Aug. 23.

The agency said it believes this was a breeding female.

WDFW said that the Grouse Flats pack has repeatedly preyed on cattle on grazing lands in southeast Washington. On Sept. 24, WDFW Director Kelly Susewind authorized lethal removal after WDFW staff confirmed four livestock depredations by the pack.

The agency uses incremental removal which consists of periods of active operations of lethal removal followed by an evaluation period to determine if those actions changed the pack’s behavior. With this lethal removal, the department will see if the Grouse Flats pack updates. The lethal removal did spur the Defenders of Wildlife to send a letter to The Independent decrying the killing.

More

(BRANDON HANSEN/Chewelah Independent)

A plaque, flagpole and flag for Clyde Miller was dedicated on Saturday. (Brandon Hansen photo)

Family honors longtime Chewelah resident and passed veteran…

The national anthem played, while a slight rain and wind swirled around at the Barbour Complex on Sunday. The family of Clyde J. Miller, who passed away last December, honored the longtime Chewelah resident and veteran with a plaque and a flagpole next to the Chewelah baseball field that will serve as a reminder of a proud Cougar fan and patriot. The flagpole was moved over from Jenkins Middle School where Miller once attended school and at its concrete base a metal plaque says “Go Cougars. Donated in Loving Memory of Clyde J. Miller. 02/17/1938-12/16/2018”
When Miller passed last December, the family had asked that memorial contributions be made to Chewelah Baseball.

“My mom, Nancy Miller, wanted part of the money that was donated to be used to improve the high school baseball field in some way. We initially had plans to improve the seating area, possibly covering it and adding storage,” said Tamara Bowman.

Then the family realized that the field did not have a flagpole and realized it would be a fitting tribute for Miller, who retired as a Senior Chief from the United States Navy.

Here is the plaque left for Clyde Miller near the Chewelah baseball field. (Brandon Hansen photo)

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(STAFF REPORTS/Chewelah Independent)

Cheerleaders recognized for extraordinary effort…

The Colville Cheerleaders were named the WIAA Team of Month after helping their football team get ready for their game against Meridian High School weeks ago. Colville football and the cheerleaders had taken the several-hour bus ride to the Leavenworth area football stadium to play a nonleague, neutral site matchup against Meridian only to find that the stadium was completely unprepared for the game.

“Without hesitation, Colville’s cheerleaders and coach decided that they needed to step in and help,” the WIAA said in their press release. “The team grabbed spray paint and painted every line. Had they not stepped up it would have pushed the game back at least an hour, an act of generosity that truly went above and beyond their normal cheerleading duties.” More