Candidate filing week for elected offices starts May 5th.  The August Primary election will feature races for City Council local school board director and seats on various Commissions The P...\nRead More Wenatchee Valley firefighters attack a refuse fire an an East Wenatchee salvage yard in the 200 block of Urban Industrial Way EAST WENATCHEE — A fire at an East Wenatchee recycling yard on Friday sent up black smoke for about an hour until firefighters could get a handle on it The fire at Wenatchee Valley Salvage and Recycling on Urban Industrial Way was reported at 2:34 p.m Douglas County officials said the fire involved diesel and hydraulic fluid and warned nearby residents to be aware of the smoke and close windows if needed The cause of the fire is still under investigation More than a hundred parade entries made their way down Orondo Avenue May 3 for the Washington State Apple Blossom Festival's Stemilt Grand Parade. Read moreApple Blossom Stemilt Grand Parade 2025 Email notifications are only sent once a day A new improv show called Mini Quest Tavern debuted in Wenatchee in February at Host Wenatchee and brings the imaginative board game Dungeons & Dragons to life. Now, the show has relocated … Read moreLocal show brings Dungeons & Dragons to life J Noel Ortiz Salas Read moreimage001 (1).png Javier Ortiz Lara Read moreimage003.png CHELAN — Employees at Chelan’s public hospital system accidentally destroyed personnel records that were meant to be preserved under state law, affecting the files of some 300 current and form… Read moreAudit: Chelan hospital improperly shredded staff records A attack left a wide crater near Ben Gurion airport Read moreA missile attack left a wide crater near Ben Gurion airport A police video showed officers standing on the edge of a deep hole in the ground Read moreA police video showed officers standing on the edge of a deep hole in the ground Israel imposed a total aid blockade on Gaza in March Read moreIsrael imposed a total aid blockade on Gaza in March Much of Gaza has been destroyed by the war sparked by the October 7, 2023 attack Read moreMuch of Gaza has been destroyed by the war sparked by the October 7, 2023 attack Israel has called up thousands of reservists for an expanded offensive in Gaza Read moreIsrael has called up thousands of reservists for an expanded offensive in Gaza Oil prices had already been slumping before OPEC+ members decided to increase output Read moreOil prices had already been slumping before OPEC+ members decided to increase output Ghana's economy has been hit by brutal inflation for years Read moreGhana's economy has been hit by brutal inflation for years Ghana's President John Mahama has promised to turn the economy around Read moreGhana's President John Mahama has promised to turn the economy around Left-leaning Prime Minister Anthony Albanese won a landslide victory on Saturday Read moreLeft-leaning Prime Minister Anthony Albanese won a landslide victory on Saturday Eight OPEC+ member countries on Saturday announced a sharp increase in oil production Read moreEight OPEC+ member countries on Saturday announced a sharp increase in oil production Former Maoist Kiran, who now joined the DRG to fight his former comrades Read moreFormer Maoist Kiran, who now joined the DRG to fight his former comrades DRG commanders say all their actions are lawful Read moreDRG commanders say all their actions are lawful Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: An East Wenatchee man is in custody along with four others in a human trafficking sting Othello Police Department says they received assistance from Kittitas County Sheriff's Office and Warden Police Department to arrest 40-year-old Grurkarn Gill of East Wenatchee as well as 71-year-old Thomas Laney of Moses Lake and 40-year-old Jeffery Naegle of Kennewick They face charges of patronizing a prostitute for attempting to purchase sex and provided resources to three women such as clothing Police at the scene of a fatal shooting April 18 in the 100 block of Ninth Street Northeast in East Wenatchee EAST WENATCHEE — A landlord is accused of shooting and killing his tenant late Friday after entering the victim's home with a handgun Witnesses flagged down an ambulance about 10 p.m in the 100 block of Ninth Street Northeast alerting the crew to a shooting at a nearby residence East Wenatchee police say Gregorio Garza Sr. was pronounced dead at the scene from a single gunshot wound to the chest were present at the shooting and identified Garza's murderer as Juan Luis Estrada Lopez Police said they found Estrada in the yard of his neighboring home and arrested him shortly after arriving Witnesses told police Garza answered a knock at the door and opened it to find Estrada standing outside with a black handgun Estrada allegedly entered the house and fired a single shot Estrada allegedly admitted to committing the crime under questioning by police Investigators say he also confessed to his own family members just prior to his arrest Police say they'll seek charges of first-degree murder and assault Estrada remains held in the Chelan County Regional Justice Center likely to appear before a Superior Court judge today EAST WENATCHEE — A wanted sex offender was arrested by authorities April 24 after allegedly attempting to elude police by jumping off of a motel roof into a fenced-in area of adjacent property According to Columbia River Drug Task Force Chief Ryan Roody with assistance from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and East Wenatchee Police Department were dispatched to the Sunset Motor Inn to arrest Joshua J who had a felony warrant for eluding police and failing to notify authorities of his new place of residence as a registered sex offender When authorities attempted to convince Clark to surrender he allegedly escaped out of a motel room window onto the roof and “began displaying his displeasure for the police by using profanities and hand gestures,” according to Moody’s report Clark then allegedly jumped from the roof into a fenced area of the adjacent Douglas County PUD property Police say that Clark then jumped off of a retaining wall onto the top of a PUD vehicle but was later contained by officers and taken into custody He is now held at the Chelan County Regional Justice Center on his prior warrants as well as potential new charges of second-degree burglary and second-degree malicious mischief Anthony 'TJ' Wilson Read moreimage002.png Former rebel chief Yogesh Madhvi, who now fights for the Indian government Read moreFormer rebel chief Yogesh Madhvi, who now fights for the Indian government The widow of Suresh Teta, killed last year by police, with pictures of her husband Read moreThe widow of Suresh Teta, killed last year by police, with pictures of her husband Government DRG paramilitaries Sanjana Yadav (L) and Anjila Minj Read moreGovernment DRG paramilitaries Sanjana Yadav (L) and Anjila Minj Rights activist Soni Sori Read moreRights activist Soni Sori India's Maoist insurgency's last stronghold is in the mineral-rich forests of Bastar region in central Chhattisgarh state Read more The East Wenatchee Police Department is investigating a fatal shooting on Friday night that left a man dead Police responded about 10pm at a residence neat 9th Street and Baker and found a male gunshot victim A suspect is in custody but the identities of both individuals and any details have not yet been released.   Johnson said more information will be released after the scene is processed The Washington State Patrol Crime Scene Investigative Team is processing the crime scene 9th Street was reopened between between Baker Avenue and Valley Mall Parkway after it was closed off to investigate the shooting.  There are still some lane restrictions as the investigation continued Saturday morning Police responded about 10pm at a residence neat 9th Street and Baker and found a male gunshot victim, according to Chief Rick Johnson...\nRead More More details are coming to light about a shooting in East Wenatchee on Friday night that left a 48-year-old man dead According to affidavits from Douglas County Superior Court was pronounced deceased at the scene in the 100 block of 9th Street Southeast after officers responded at around 10:10 p.m Garza had reportedly been shot in the chest by his landlord and neighbor who was found in the yard of his home shortly after police arrived at the scene Investigators say witnesses told them Estrada knocked on the back door of Garza's residence while holding a handgun Estrada entered the residence and shot him once in the chest Estrada allegedly admitted to both police and family members that he had shot and killed Garza but it is still unknown what precipitated the incident Police are seeking charges of first-degree murder against Estrada who is currently being held at the Chelan County Regional Justice Center According to affidavits from Douglas County Superior Court, Gregorio Garza, Sr. was pronounced deceased at the scene in the 100 block of 9th Street Southeast after officers responded at around 10:10 p...\nRead More Police in East Wenatchee are looking for suspects in connection to what they believe was an attempted shooting early this morning The East Wenatchee Police Department (EWPD) says it happened at around 1:45 a.m when officers responded to multiple reports of a group of men firing guns in the 100 block of North Iowa Avenue Police Chief Rick Johnson says investigators discovered 21 shell casings at the scene and witnesses said the men were on foot and appeared to be firing at an occupied vehicle in the area No injuries were reported and EWPD detectives have launched an investigation with the assistance of officials from the Douglas County Sheriff's Office Police are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact law enforcement The East Wenatchee Police Department (EWPD) says it happened at around 1:45 a.m. when officers responded to multiple reports of a group of men firing guns in the 100 block of North Iowa Avenue...\nRead More East Wenatchee police officers responded to a report of a possible shooting in the vicinity of 9th Street NE and North Baker they discovered a 48-year-old Hispanic male with a gunshot wound to his chest Life-saving measures were initiated and continued until emergency medical services (EMS) arrived on the scene Witnesses indicated that the victim’s neighbor was the suspected shooter and was still in the area prompting the arrival of both the Douglas and Chelan County Sheriff’s Offices as well as Wenatchee Police and the Washington State Patrol The suspect was located and detained without incident and has since been booked into Chelan County Regional Jail and his family has requested that his name be withheld for the time being and further information will be released as it becomes available Do you have a photo you would like to share with the community?  Send us your image.  Not all photos are chosen, but we try to share the best with our readers. It must be at least 1000 pixels wide with a limit of 2 megs.  Send your images to info@lakechelannow.com WATERVILLE — Douglas County Sheriff Kevin Morris paid a $500 settlement in March to void an Idaho Fish and Game infraction for killing a cougar under false pretenses of Bridgeport admitted to the violation in a press release Friday after NCWLIFE learned of the case and contacted him for an interview Documents from Latah County court in Idaho show the situation began when Morris 10 from the porch of a cabin he owns outside Lewiston and Morris had the option to claim the carcass using a deer and elk permit he already held he asked his son to buy him a new cougar-specific permit with which to claim the kill he then presented the cougar carcass at an inspection station and offered up his cougar tag the next day and according to the investigator’s report Morris at first said he bought the cougar tag before the shooting then came clean and admitted ordering the tag after killing the animal It was a legal shoot," Morris said to the game officer Oct "it was the actions afterwards buying the tag (that) was not." He was cited with a misdemeanor game tag violation by Idaho prosecutors in February The summons was served on him at the East Wenatchee sheriff's station and in March a Latah County judge agreed to dismiss the citation in exchange for a $500 civil penalty The sheriff issued a press release late Friday afternoon saying he’d disclosed the incident to his staff and to Douglas County prosecutors “I made a choice in the heat of the moment and unfortunately it was not the most prudent decision,” he wrote Morris was contacted by NCWLIFE earlier this week about the case because I feel that I've let my profession down," he told NCWLIFE by phone on Wednesday which requires prosecutors to publicly identify police officers to local defense attorneys when they're found to have lied or otherwise violated policies Douglas County Prosecutor Gordon Edgar did not respond to an email sent Wednesday by NCWLIFE asking whether Morris' acts could require disclosure on the Brady list he fired a probationary trainee deputy for lying about inappropriate statements he’d made in a police academy class session On Wednesday Morris agreed to participate in an on-camera interview with NCWLIFE scheduled for Monday the sheriff sent an email unilaterally canceling that interview It is with contrition and sincerity that I want to address the event that occurred while on personal time and property in October of 2024 as I believe the public has a right to hear directly from their elected Sheriff I hold myself to a high standard of conduct and want to ensure that my constituents and staff do not feel there is any opacity to the situation I was in possession of a non-resident deer and elk tag at the time As a Non-Resident of Idaho with an unfilled deer or elk tag I could use either of these tags to harvest a mountain lion during any open corresponding season of the open deer and elk tag (Idaho State Statute 36-1101(a) IDAPA 13.01.08.250.04) instead of notching the rightfully held tag I purchased a mountain lion tag after the fact I want to emphasize that at the time of the shooting I was lawfully able to shoot the mountain lion; it was in no way This action has caused me great consternation in the months following I was contacted by Fish and Wildlife regarding the mountain lion harvest and asked to walk through the events I told the Fish and Wildlife agent that I had shot the mountain lion with the intention of using my existing tag but made the regrettable decision to purchase a mountain lion tag after the fact I self-reported to the Douglas County Prosecutor's Office and met with my command staff team to brief them on the entire series of events I did not take any action to conceal the on-goings the case was referred to the Latah County Prosecutor's Office and a criminal complaint was filed on February 13 I took multiple steps to ensure that required parties were notified My office notified the Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC) within the required 15-day period I have not received any comments from CJTC I cooperated fully with the Latah County Prosecutor's Office and the offense was dismissed civilly after payment of a fine on March 20 I have requested a peer review of this incident for continued consideration I deeply regret my decision not to use the existing tag This has weighed heavily on my mind ever since I made a choice in the heat of the moment and unfortunately it was not the most prudent decision I am committed to keeping the public informed of any further outcomes that may arise from this issue the East Wenatchee Police Department responded to a report of a “Group of guys firing guns RiverCom received multiple reports of gunshots being heard in this area Approximately 21 shell casings were found at the scene Witnesses reported seeing multiple individuals on foot firing at what appeared to be a vehicle in the area Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and the Wenatchee Police responded to assist with the initial investigation At the time of this release no injuries have been reported The man accused of killing East Wenatchee resident Gregorio Garza Senior was formally arraigned on murder charges this week Moses Lake police say their investigation of a suspected drug operation on Thursday also found evidence of a large-scale illegal cockfighting ring just outside the city And a structure fire in a Manson orchard this week has left two families without shelter A man has injuries and a dog is dead after police say the animal attacked him at a residence in East Wenatchee on Tuesday night The East Wenatchee Police Department says officers were dispatched to a home in the 800 block of Garden Plaza at around 8 p.m after reports of a dog attack and the possible illegal retrieval of a firearm to neutralize the animal Officers arrived at the scene and discovered a 57-year-old man with significant bite injuries to both of his arms and a pit bull that was behaving aggressively outside the home While officers were inside the residence questioning the man about what had happened the dog reportedly re-entered the home from outside and attacked the same man a second time Investigators say all attempts to subdue the animal using non-lethal means including with a TASER and a bean bag shotgun were unsuccessful and the dog had be killed in order to halt the threat it continued posing The man was transported to an area hospital for treatment of his injuries Chief Erik Hampton says the incident occurred in the same block of Garden Plaza but not the same residence where a man was arrested after allegedly stealing a woman's pocketbook on Monday The East Wenatchee Police Department says officers were dispatched to a home in the 800 block of Garden Plaza at around 8 p...\nRead More WATERVILLE — An East Wenatchee landlord accused of fatally shooting his tenant Friday night has now been formally charged with the crime was charged Tuesday in Douglas County Superior Court with first-degree murder East Wenatchee police say Estrada entered the home of his neighbor and tenant in the 100 block of Ninth Street Northeast and shot him once with a handgun Estrada allegedly pointed the gun at a witness before leaving Garza’s home Investigators say Estrada admitted to them as well as to relatives that he shot Garza A search of his residence allegedly recovered a 9mm pistol and scheduled to be arraigned on the criminal charges May 1 in Waterville The JOANN Fabrics and Crafts location at 300 Valley Mall Pkwy in East Wenatchee that is slated for closure EAST WENATCHEE — Fabric and craft store chain JOANN will close 500 of its 800 locations including the East Wenatchee store at 300 Valley Mall Pkwy JOANN filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in January but managed to stay afloat by choosing to become a private company A list of the stores slated for closure was released on the company’s restructuring website following the recent bankruptcy announcement “Since becoming a private company in April the board and management team have continued to execute on-top and bottom-line initiatives to manage costs and drive value,” said JOANN Interim Chief Executive Officer Michael Prendergast in a press release the last several years have presented significant and lasting challenges in the retail environment coupled with our current financial position and constrained inventory levels The staff at the East Wenatchee JOANN location declined to comment when NCWLIFE reached out JOANN has yet to release a specific closure date for the East Wenatchee store The Washington State Department of Transportation says closures will be at multiple locations between Ninth Street and Hadley Street in East Wenatchee from March 31 to May 5 EAST WENATCHEE —Travelers on the Sunset Highway stretch of Highway 28 should plan for single-lane and shoulder closures beginning Sunday into early May The Washington State Department of Transportation says closures will be at multiple locations between Ninth Street and Hadley Street in East Wenatchee as part of the East Wenatchee Corridor Improvement project The closures will allow a geotechnical crew to take soil samples from the highway as part of the design work Travelers can expect intermittent shoulder closures on weekdays from 6 a.m single lane closures with flagger-controlled traffic will occur on weeknights from 7 p.m The project aims to enhance safety and mobility along Sunset Highway, according to the department website “Currently nearly 20,000 vehicles travel along the SR 28 corridor every day,” WSDOT said “Conflicts between north-south traffic on SR 28 and traffic crossing or turning off/on the highway are increasing The corridor also has narrow shoulders that are not ideal for pedestrians or bicycles.” WSDOT says the project will widen Highway 28 from two lanes to four lanes and construct sidewalks and bike lanes, among other improvements. More information about the project can be found on the WSDOT website The South Wenatchee Pedestrian project began Tuesday with a groundbreaking ceremony at Gateway Park East Wenatchee Mayor Jerrilea Crawford says even though it’s technically a City of Wenatchee project the overpasses joining both sides of the Columbia River with new ramps and pedestrian bridges near and around the W.T Clark Pipeline Bridge are an exciting project for East Wenatchee folks will be able to go from downtown East Wenatchee to downtown Wenatchee without encountering a vehicle,” Crawford said “A lot of people try to go to Hale Park with their dog and not having to encounter a car so it’s really exciting.”  the project builds extensions of the Clark Pipeline Bridge connecting users of the Loop Trail near Hale Park in Wenatchee over the railroad tracks and onto Bridge Street along with a new ADA compliant bridge into Hale Park Hale Dog Park may close intermittently during the construction window The Apple Capital Loop Trail has gone through a number of improvements over the years since its completion in 1994 The Chelan PUD embarked on a multi-million-dollar investment to expand the Loop Trail in key areas and provide additional amenities including a splash pad The South Wenatchee Pedestrian project will invest $17 million in State and Federal grants to provide additional access to this recreational amenity to Wenatchee Gallery Credit: Mark Rattner with KPQ Newsradio 560 East Wenatchee Mayor Jerrilea Crawford says even though it’s technically a City of Wenatchee project, the overpasses joining both sides of the Columbia River with new ramps and pedestrian bridges near and around the W.T. Clark P...\nRead More EAST WENATCHEE — Today marks the 90th anniversary of East Wenatchee The City of East Wenatchee took to Facebook this morning to share this historic moment in the city's history “Today we celebrate nine decades of community, growth, and history in our beautiful city,” read the post “From its rich agricultural roots to the vibrant and welcoming place it is today East Wenatchee has been shaped by the hard work and dedication of its residents.” The site of what is now East Wenatchee was dry and sandy land until 1908 when the construction of the Columbia River Bridge brought irrigation water and easy access from Wenatchee, according to History Link an online encyclopedia of Washington’s past Apple orchards began to blossom throughout the area and the town grew to 268 residents by 1940 East Wenatchee was officially incorporated as a city The 1950’s brought about subdivisions that aided in growing the population of the area. As of July 2023, the population of East Wenatchee was 14,102, according to the United States Census Bureau making it the most populated city in Douglas County city officials proposed alternative names for East Wenatchee the idea reached a stall and East Wenatchee has since remained as East Wenatchee connecting it in name with Wenatchee across the river “We’re starting to grow up,” said East Wenatchee Mayor Jerrilea Crawford 90 years to get some of those big community cornerstones in place I don't think it’s going to slow down in our growth especially gearing up towards our 100th anniversary This is the place that has opportunity and land available I think we’re just going to continue to see it grow and evolve over time.” EAST WENATCHEE — The city of East Wenatchee is taking action to address a $900,000 budget deficit and says it’s identified immediate measures to mitigate the shortfall The city’s deficit is within its general fund the primary operating fund that accounts for more than 75% of operational spending and increased demand for public safety and infrastructure “Without new funding solutions and improved efficiency the City of East Wenatchee may face difficult decisions regarding service reductions or deferred maintenance,” the release says East Wenatchee has eliminated an open police officer position from its budget postponed several equipment purchases and maintenance projects and adjusted the timeline for planned infrastructure improvements The city says the actions have reduced the deficit by $300,000 “The City is taking a thoughtful and strategic approach to resolving this deficit while prioritizing essential services for our community,” Mayor Jerrilea Crawford said in the release “We are working closely with department heads and the City Council to address the deficit and will continue to explore ways to strengthen our financial outlook.” Residents can visit the city of East Wenatchee website for budget updates Wenatchee Valley Fire Department responded to a baler on fire Friday afternoon in East Wenatchee Fire Chief Brian Brett says crews responded to a fire in the salvage yard in the 200 block of Urban Industrial Way just after 2:30 p.m They found the industrial-sized baler engulfed in flames with a large column of black smoke visible in the valley Up to 150 gallons of diesel fueled the baler as well as up to 300 gallons of hydraulic oil Douglas County Sheriff's Office issued an EventBrite alert for a one-and-a-half mile radius around the salvage yard shelter-in-place Brett says crews will have the blaze under control by 5 approximately 5 p.m and it did not injure anyone nor did it cause any property damage Gallery Credit: ASHLEY SOLLARS Fire Chief Brian Brett says crews responded to a fire in the salvage yard in the 200 block of Urban Industrial Way just after 2:30 p...\nRead More A key thoroughfare in East Wenatchee will soon be temporarily off-limits According to Douglas County officials Monday for the installation of steel casings under the canal This is a crucial preparatory step for upcoming utility projects by the East Wenatchee Water District and Douglas County Sewer District Only locals will have access to the following stretches: SE 6th St The county is imploring residents to follow construction and detour signs and heed the guidance of traffic control personnel Click here for a detailed map The road is expected to reopen on the morning of March 14. Any further concerns should be taken up with Konnerup Construction, the attending contractor; click here for more information Gallery Credit: Aaron Timlin/YouTube Prepare for upcoming utility projects in East Wenatchee as South Kentucky Ave closure draws near. Follow detour signs for smooth traffic flow.\nRead More According to Douglas County officials Click here for a detailed map The road is expected to reopen on the morning of March 14. Any further concerns should be taken up with Konnerup Construction, the attending contractor; click here for more information.