Good evening and welcome to the NCWLIFE Evening News. I’m Grant Olson. Before we get to what’s making news, let’s take a quick look outside our weather window.
And now, A few of the stories we’re following for you tonight, A 19-year-old man arrested by East Wenatchee police last year will serve just over five years for possessing child pornography. Both Chelan and Grant County PUDs are warning their customers that phone scammers are active in the area threatening to cut off a home’s power unless they immediately receive money and Governor Jay Inslee said Wednesday the day is coming soon when COVID-19 restrictions and mandates will be lifted in Washington.
But first, our top story tonight. . .
Moses Lake Rescue -A 69-year-old Moses Lake woman was killed Wednesday night when her vehicle went off the road and onto the ice of Moses Lake. Grant County Sheriff’s Deputy Kyle Foreman says it is likely the woman suffered a medical issue before the 7:30 p.m. crash. . .
Kid Porn Sentence -A 19-year-old man arrested by East Wenatchee police last year will serve just over five years for possessing child pornography. Tevyn Valeson pleaded guilty to two second-degree counts in Douglas County Superior Court, and received a sentence Monday of 63 months in prison. Valeson was previously convicted of child rape and molestation in 2018, when he was a juvenile. Police began investigating a year ago when the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force alerted them that Valeson had shared explicit images via Google Photos.
PUD Scams -Both Chelan and Grant County PUDs are warning their customers that phone scammers are active in the area threatening to cut off a home’s power unless they immediately receive money. Chelan PUD said Wednesday that the automated scam calls try to trick victims into thinking their power bill is past due. Chelan County PUD said if customers receive such a call they should contact the PUD at 509-663-8121. Grant PUD said its customers are receiving the same sorts of calls and even texts threatening to disconnect services. Customers should immediately hang up if they receive such a call and call Grant County PUD at 509-766-2505.
Inslee Mask Mandate -Governor Jay Inslee said yesterday the day is coming soon when COVID-19 restrictions and mandates will be lifted in Washington. In a press conference, the governor said outdoor masking requirements for large gatherings will be lifted February 18th. In addition, Inslee said he expects to announce dates next week for lifting indoor mask mandates, including in schools as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations decline. . .
TEASE -Coming up next, Senator Brad Hawkins’ bill to ease funding channel for workforce housing passes the Senate. The Wenatchee Valley COVID-19 triage center, located at Saddlerock Church in Wenatchee, will close down tomorrow after 5 p.m. Pangborn Memorial Airport will soon undertake a $17.6 million project to widen its taxiways, and, Cascade School District has been named “Hispanic Serving School District” by the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. I’m Grant Olson and you’re watching the NCWLIFE Evening News.
Welcome back, and in other news. . .
Hawkins Housing -A bill from state senator Brad Hawkins to help finance housing for local workers has passed the Senate, 41-8. The measure would expand rural counties’ ability to use existing sales tax, to help create workforce housing in places where it’s otherwise unaffordable. No new taxes would be created. In Chelan County, Hawkins’ bill would allow that money to go toward worker housing in prohibitively expensive home markets like Leavenworth, Wenatchee, Twisp, and Chelan. The bill now proceeds to the Local Government Committee in the state House of Representatives.
COVID Triage -The Wenatchee Valley COVID-19 triage center, located at Saddlerock Church in Wenatchee, will close down tomorrow after 5 p.m. The center opened one month ago to assess patients during the omicron surge, while Confluence Health emergency rooms were overrun. The Chelan-Douglas Health District says early on, roughly 30 people were reporting to the triage center each day to be checked for COVID symptoms. That daily number has now declined to about 10, with one person a day referred to the ER for treatment. Confluence Health chief medical officer Dr. Jason Lake says those experiencing COVID symptoms — including cough, shortness of breath, fever, chest pain and fatigue – should visit their local health provider, or the ER for severe symptoms. Testing for COVID-19 continues to be available at Town Toyota Center, Monday through Saturday.
Pangborn Taxiway -Pangborn Memorial Airport will soon undertake a $17.6 million project to widen its taxiways. The work is meant to make room for the Bombardier Q400 prop aircraft that Alaska Airlines flies in and out of the regional airport. The FAA revised its design standards for the plane in 2016, to call for at least a 75-foot width on airport taxiways. Right now, Pangborn taxiways are 50 feet wide. Airport managers say the work will also replace aging pavement. They’re seeking an FAA grant that would fund 90 percent of the project. The job opens for bids February 24th, and could start construction as early as August.
Cascade Hispanic -Cascade School District in Leavenworth has partnered with a higher education network to better serve its Latinx students. The district was designated a Hispanic-Serving School District by the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. It becomes the first such school district in Washington State. The Hispanic Association enrolls school districts whose total enrollment is at least 25 percent; Cascade boast a 31 percent Hispanic student population. The partnership will help develop initiatives within Cascade Schools to better serve its Latinx students. The district includes the Leavenworth, Peshastin, Lake Wenatchee and Plain areas.
TEASE -You’re watching the NCWLIFE Evening News. Coming up next, tonight’s feature story and your complete local weather forecast. That and much more still to come on the NCWLIFE Evening News, stay with us.
Welcome back to the NCWLIFE Evening News. . .
Paws for Pets -Time now for our weekly Pause for Pets feature with NCWLIFE’s Rachel Mandelis. Good news to report, once again, the Wenatchee Valley Humane Society’s featured pet was adopted earlier this week! So, this week we will revisit Willis the dog. . .
TEASE – And that is a look at your local weather forecast, coming up next, tonight’s sports report with Eric Granstrom and more as the NCWLIFE Evening News continues right after this.
NCWLIFE Channel Sports
The Seattle Kraken opened the second half of the NHL season with a loss at home against Arizona last night 5-2…
The visitors opened the scoring at the 4:07 mark of the first and made it 2-0 late in the second. Colin Blackwell finally got the Kraken on the board in the third, but the Coyotes had an answer for every Seattle move…
Coach Dave Hakstol says there were a few moments of play where sloppy puck-handling cost Seattle dearly…
Blackwell’s goal was his 5th of the season. He says the fact Seattle cut the lead to one in the third on Calle Jarnkrok’s (CAL-ee YARN-croak) goal proves if you stick with the game plan, it can work…
Seattle travels to Anaheim to face the Ducks Friday at 7 o’clock. The game will only be available on ESPN-plus.
The Wenatchee Wild return to the ice tomorrow night in Prince George to face the Spruce Kings in the first of two games at Rolling Mix Concrete Arena…
The Wild are coming off a 3-2 shootout win over Coquitlam Tuesday and a 5-2 loss at Chilliwack Monday. Prince George is firmly in 3rd place in the BCHL’s Interior Division and interim “voice” of the Wild, Sean Zears, says the playoff picture will come into focus for Wenatchee over the next week…
Checking the standings, Penticton, Salmon Arm, Prince George and West Kelowna have already clinched a playoff spot. What’s left to figure out is 5th through 8th place.
The Wild have 17-games remaining including the pair at Prince George Friday and Saturday. They’ll drop the puck at 7pm both nights and you can hear the action locally on 560AM KPQ. Sean will join us for more hockey talk this morning here on Wake Up Wenatchee Valley.
Opening the Les Schwab Prep Basketball Scoreboard from last night…
In the District 6, 1-B Tournament, Riverside Christian beat Waterville-Mansfield 49-35. Entiat ended Wilson Creek’s season 51-42. Soap Lake stopped Pateros 72-35. Moses Lake Christian beat Cascade Christian 72-15.
Next up for the 1-B’s will be Saturday with Riverside Christian play at Soap Lake at 6 followed by Entiat and Moses Lake Christian at 7:30.
In the District 6 2-B tournament, Lake Roosevelt beat Bridgeport 63-31. Brewster topped Liberty Bell 77-32. Manson surprised Tonasket 62-54. And it was Okanogan all over Oroville 64-14.
The next round for the 2B’s will be Saturday when Manson visits Okanogan and Lake Roosevelt travels to Brewster. Both of those games start at 6:30.
The boys District 5/6 2A tournament also got underway last night with Prosser downing Ephrata 70-53 and East Valley stopping Selah 70-53.
The District 6 1-A tournament begins tonight for the boys with Cashmere traveling to Omak at 6:30. The championship game is tomorrow night at 8 at Wenatchee High School featuring Chelan and Quincy.
On the girl’s side of the District 6 1A tournament, Chelan hosts Quincy tonight at 6:30. The title game is tomorrow at 6 at Wenatchee with Omak facing Cashmere.
Washington State had a miserable shooting day yesterday in an 83-30 loss to 24th-ranked Oregon…
The Cougars were just 17-percent from the field and 10-percent from beyond the arc in the loss. WSU didn’t have a single player score in double-figures and were held to single digits in three out of the four…
