See what's new at Rocky Reach Visitor Center, which opens for the season March 20

Chelan County PUD - Along with the crew from Discovery Channels' Emmy-nominated show "Dirty Jobs," more than 53,000 people visited  Rocky Reach Dam last year. "Dirty Jobs" host Mike Rowe was at the hydroelectric project to find out what it takes to make clean hydropower and keep fish safe.

However, you don't have to be a TV star to get an inside look at how renewable hydropower is made.

Chelan County PUD's Rocky Reach Visitor Center will open for the 2010 season at 9 a.m. on Saturday, March 20. The Visitor Center offers free tours of the powerhouse along with the Museum of the Columbia, plus art displays, a theater and fish viewing.

In the theater, visitors can "Experience Chelan County" through a video that takes viewers on a trip up the Columbia River, with historical stops at Rock Island, Rocky Reach and Chelan dams. It also explains how power gets from a dam to your light switch and the PUD's commitment to fish protection and the environment.

Chelan County Sheriff - Sheriff Harum reports on March 10, 2010 at approximately 1656 hours, RiverCom Dispatch Center received a suspicious call at 228 Chumstick Highway (Chelan County Fire District 3).

The fire station is directly across the street from Cascade High School and RiverCom advised a suspicious “package” found at the location by Deputy Chief Bill Horner and he wanted law enforcement to look at it. Deputies arrived at approximately 1700 hours. They observed many students playing tennis on the high school tennis courts and several other students in the parking lot of the high school.

The suspicious item in front of the main door of Chelan County Fire District 3 was a white cylindrical tube which looked to be made out of plastic or very hard cardboard tubing. Inside of the cylindrical tube was a braided type rope which looked like detonation cord. The detonation cord was also attached to what appeared to be a metal smoking pipe commonly used to smoke marijuana. The tube was approximately 3” long by 1” across. There was also what appeared to be an “M80” type fuse which was attached to the stainless steel tube.

Washington State Patrol - Today, Governor Christine Gregoire signed into law Senate Bill 5582 a measure which will allow the Washington State Patrol (WSP) to partner with local law enforcement agencies and hospitals to name a chronically ill child as the WSP “chief for a day.”

Sen. Linda Evans Parlette, R-Wenatchee, sponsored the Senate Bill; Rep. Mike Armstrong, R-Wenatchee, sponsored the companion bill in the House of Representatives.

“This is an invaluable program, allowing the State Patrol to make a difference in the life of a chronically ill child enhancing a positive relationship between law enforcement, hospitals and the community,” explained Chief John R. Batiste. “It would not have been possible without the support of Senator Parlette and Representative Armstrong.”

The "chief for a day program" is a program in which the WSP partners with other local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, hospitals, and the community to provide a day of special attention to chronically ill children. The cost of these events is minimal, with the primary resource expended being the time of the officers involved.

SB 5582 gives the WSP authority to participate in these events, accept grant funds and gifts to facilitate the program and allows the events to take place at WSP facilities.  

Turn the Paige

A Symposium of Local Talent

by Jeff Paige 

David Riel

Our fifth interview in the series comes in the form of three videos. The first is a one-on-one with David Riel.  The second and third contain  music performed by David.

David is a Chelan resident and plays with Loose Change at several venues in the Lake Chelan area.

Enjoy this interview and David's performance by clicking the links below.

Click here for the interview.

Click here for the songs.

Click here for more songs.

As always, give the video time to buffer before it starts.

Senator Linda Evans Parlette Checks in from Olympia

March 5, 2010

Dear Friends,

I am sending this message out a bit earlier than usual this week so I can share with you right away all of the big things that are happening here at the Capitol.

On Saturday the Senate passed its transportation and operating budgets. On Monday the House majority party proposed a package of taxes to support its already-proposed budget.

A special highlight of the week was Tuesday, when we welcomed the 2010 Apple Blossom royalty to the Capitol.

Chelan County PUD - Based on the March 1 snow survey the April 1-July 31 runoff into Lake Chelan is estimated at 81 percent of average, the same amount as 2009's actual runoff. The estimate is down slightly from last month's estimate of 83 percent of average.

Current long-range weather forecasts call for a slightly wetter and warmer-than-average March.

The elevation of Lake Chelan on March 1, 2010, was 1090.8 feet, which is 5.1 feet higher than the expected average under the current operating license, and 3.2 feet higher than last year.  The elevation of Lake Chelan is significantly higher than the expected average because:

• Decreased powerhouse capacity due to modernization of powerhouse generating units.

• Above average precipitation in November 2009.

The Northwest River Forecast Center's (NWRFC) official runoff forecast (regression method) for January through July is 77 percent of average at Grand Coulee Dam and 69 percent of average at The Dalles. Runoff forecasts for other local area basins are also below average. The center's runoff forecast for April through September is 70 percent of average for the Wenatchee River and 68 percent of average for the Okanogan River. 

The full forecast is posted on the PUD's Web site at www.chelanpud.org. For more information contact Scott Buehn, PUD power resource analyst, (509) 661-4828,