Chelan County PUD - Rich Riazzi, general manager of Chelan County Public Utility District since May 2006, announced today he is resigning and plans to move to Pennsylvania to take a job with Duquesne Light Company and be closer to his family.

Riazzi was raised in Pittsburgh, and he and his wife, Carol, have two children and several grandchildren in that area. Pittsburgh is also where Riazzi attended college, eventually receiving his MBA from the University of Pittsburgh. He came to Chelan County PUD after several years at IDACORP, Inc., in Boise, Idaho.

"This was a very difficult decision for me," Riazzi said in a message to all PUD employees Tuesday morning. "The chance to be close to my family was just too hard to pass by.

"I have truly enjoyed working with all of you and thank you for all the support you have offered me."

Riazzi also said he has enjoyed the many people he has come to know in the Wenatchee area.

In order to assure a smooth transition to new leadership at the PUD, Riazzi told PUD commissioners he would be able to remain as general manager through July 27.

PUD Commission President Dennis Bolz said the board would discuss the resignation and next steps at next week's regular board meeting, scheduled at 1 p.m. Tuesday following the Fourth of July holiday.

"We've been highly appreciative of all the work Rich has done to get this PUD on a more sustainable track financially since he's been here," said Bolz. "We expect that to continue."

Chelan County PUD -  Chelan County PUD commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday afternoon to reverse their action of last week and give the Washington PUDs Association more time to restructure itself to be more effective before facing potential withdrawal by Chelan PUD.

Chelan PUD took action last week because it faced a deadline of June 30 if commissioners wanted to avoid being obligated to pay 2011 dues to WPUDA. This year's dues are $132,224. Commissioners said they were worried that dues might increase significantly because Clark PUD had recently voted to withdraw from the association as well, taking its large share of dues away.

But action by WPUDA this week paved the way for reconsideration. The organization asked all members to vote to extend the deadline for deciding on yearly membership from June 30 to Oct. 31, for this year only. If all members of WPUDA agree, that will give Chelan PUD and others more time to see how WPUDA might reorganize itself in the meantime. A reorganization plan is scheduled to be discussed by WPUDA members on July 15-16 at the association's headquarters in Olympia. "We all want the organization to be effective for public power in the state," said Chelan PUD Commissioner Randy Smith, a member of WPUDA's Energy Committee.

"This buys us more time," added Commissioner Ann Congdon, the lone commissioner to vote against the withdrawal motion last week.

Chelan County Sheriff - Sheriff Harum reports on June 30, 2010 at 12:10 p.m. Chelan County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a water rescue incident in the Lake Wenatchee State Park. The 911 caller advised RiverCom Dispatch Center, she could see a single female, in a kayak, stuck against a pile of logs in the river. The lone female kayaker was blowing a whistle in distress.

Deputies, EMS personnel from Cascade Ambulance and Chelan County Fire District 9 arrived and determined the kayaker was now, out of her kayak, literally holding onto the log jam and was located in the confluence of the Wenatchee River and Nason Creek.

Osprey Rafting Company responded to assist with the white water rescue and “put in” their raft up river. Chelan County Fire District 9 members set up underneath a bridge (below Highway 207) down stream from the kayaker with “throw bags” of rope in case the kayaker broke loose of the log jam. Osprey ultimately reached the 64 year old Kirkland women, B-E VonNorman-Coleman.

Ms. VonNorman-Coleman was brought to shore; she described to deputies how she “put in” her kayak at the Lake Wenatchee State Park, had 25 years of kayak experience and was a kayak instructor as well. VonNorman-Coleman advised she was kayaking by herself and underestimated the current around the log jam. She became stuck, began taking on water and stated the water was extremely cold. She stayed in her water filled kayak for nearly 1 ½ hours until she was contacted by the reporting party, who in turn, called 911.

VonNorman-Coleman was released medically and transported back to Lake Wenatchee State Park.

Chelan County Sheriff - Sheriff Harum reports on June 30, 2010 at approximately 8:29 p.m. Chelan County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a vehicle striking a bicycle on SR 150 just west of Chelan Shores in Chelan.

The victim, nine year old Kaylee Monje of Chelan was riding a BMX style bicycle down a driveway from the North Shore Condominiums toward SR 150. The brakes on the bicycle failed and she rode out onto SR 150 and struck a west bound, 1987 Audi four door, driven by 18 year old Carissa Barnes of Chelan.

The bicycle collided with the vehicle at the right front fender. Ms. Barnes did not see the nine year old until the collision. The nine year old bounced off the side of the vehicle and landed in the roadway.

Ms. Monje was transported by ambulance to Lake Chelan Community Hospital and subsequently to Central Washington Hospital.

Ms. Monje sustained broken bones and her injuries are not life-threatening.

Washington State Patrol responded and assisted with the investigation. The investigation revealed there were at least five witnesses to the accident and Ms. Barnes received a citation for No Proof of Insurance.