Monday, October 5, 2026
Top Stories

Bringing local grains back to the table

Bosket Bread co-owner Riley Bosket weighs out dough.
LEAVENWORTH —- For the past seven years, Bosket Bread has made a name for itself as a major local wholesale bakery in the Greater Wenatchee Valley, supplying restaurants and grocery stores with …
Executive Q&A
Jim Kuntz, CEO of the Chelan Douglas Regional Port Authority, has spent nearly four decades working in economic development and public service across Washington state.

Meet Jim Kuntz, Chief Executive Officer, Chelan-Douglas Regional Port Authority

Jim Kuntz has spent nearly four decades working in economic development and public service, building a career around the role ports can play in strengthening local communities. Today, as CEO of the …
Norma Gallegos, founder and legal director of Hand in Hand Immigration Services, has spent more than a decade helping immigrants navigate the path to U.S. citizenship.

Meet Norma Gallegos, Founder and Legal Director of Hand in Hand Immigration Services

For more than a decade, Norma Gallegos has dedicated her career to helping immigrants navigate the complex path to U.S. citizenship. As founder and legal director of Hand in Hand Immigration …
Adam Rynd, entrepreneur and owner and designated broker at Coldwell Banker Cascade Real Estate, is featured in this Executive Q&A in the Wenatchee Business Journal. Rynd discusses the North Central Washington real estate market, development challenges, and his perspective on the region’s long-term economic outlook.

Meet Adam Rynd, Entrepreneur and Owner and Designated Broker at Coldwell Banker Cascade Real Estate

North Central Washington’s real estate market continues to evolve under the pressure of rising costs, shifting policy, and changing buyer behavior, all while demand for housing remains strong …
Nick Covey, CEO of Link Transit, is leading the organization  through a period of regional growth, technological transformation and increased focus on sustainability.

Meet Nick Covey, CEO of Link Transit

For more than three decades, Nick Covey has watched public transportation in North Central Washington evolve from a modest operation housed in double-wide mobile homes into a modern, forward-looking …
Kirk Hudson, general manager of Chelan Public Utility District, leads one of North Central Washington’s most critical public enterprises as it balances growth, innovation, and long-term stewardship of public power.

Meet Kirk Hudson, Chelan Public Utilities District General Manager

For more than a century, Chelan Public Utility District has played a foundational role in shaping the economic and quality-of-life advantages of North Central Washington, delivering affordable, …
Other News
EAST WENATCHEE — The first passenger off Pangborn Memorial Airport’s inaugural flight from Portland arrived dressed for the occasion, though perhaps not the occasion airport officials had in mind.
WENATCHEE — A newspaper publisher, a coalition of faith communities and a longtime mediator were honored Oct. 1 as the Wenatchee Valley Dispute Resolution Center celebrated 20 years of helping people find common ground.
LEAVENWORTH — For Paul Sozio, who recently opened Leavenworth’s newest restaurant Ouzel Kitchen, some of the best connections are made over a shared meal.
Keeping up with People
WENATCHEE — Wenatchee Valley College has named Hanan Zawideh interim vice president of Organizational Culture, Retention, and Engagement. She began the position Sept. 8. Zawideh has more than …
WALLA WALLA — Baker Boyer has named Clifford “Kip” Kontos its 12th president and CEO as longtime executive Mark Kajita retires from the positions and steps down from the bank’s board of …
WENATCHEE — Seth Suzelis, a senior accountant with Cordell, Neher & Company, PLLC, has earned his certified public accountant license. Suzelis joined the Wenatchee accounting firm in …
WENATCHEE — Wenatchee Valley College has named Lindsey Morrow its new director of Presidential Initiatives following an internal search, the college announced Monday. Morrow began the position …
WENATCHEE — The Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center has hired Jenise Trinidad Coates as its new curator of education and programs as the museum continues its Branch Out transition to …
Local Features
Vendors manage their own booths, which is demonstrated by the unique inventory and display of each booth.
CASHMERE — At 70,000 square feet, Apple Annie Antique Gallery is one of the largest antique malls in Washington state, hosting anywhere from 120 to 150 vendors and over 225 booths under one roof. …
From left, Tauni Hink, Lynn Love, and Diane Senn share an afternoon over wine and stories inside The Velvet Den, Side Street Cashmere’s newest addition.
CASHMERE — The music was already doing most of the work. Upon entry into The Velvet Den, Sinatra’s voice filled the room with “The Lady is a Tramp,” giving way a moment later to Sarah …
More Business News
Liz Hazen is Upper Valley MEND’s social worker.

Upper Valley MEND: How a dynamic team is meeting each need with dignity

LEAVENWORTH — When a community member is in need of financial assistance, housing, healthcare, food or more, Leavenworth-based nonprofit Upper Valley MEND is there to help.
New hardbound books are released on Tuesdays, Olson told us, so they plan to be open earlier in the week in order to accommodate voracious readers.

New owners see Fable as a bookstore and a place to belong

WENATCHEE — Renee Olson was scrolling Facebook one night when she saw that Fable Books and Blooms was for sale. She sent her friend Rachel Findlee a message set to the tune of “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?”
Community partners gathered Sept. 17 to celebrate the return of career staffing at Station 17 in Malaga.

A community investment that will save lives

On Thursday, September 17, I stood in front of Station 17 on West Malaga Road and watched something happen that I've been looking forward to for a long time: career firefighters moving back into a station that has, for the better part of a decade, depended almost entirely on the dedication of our volunteers.

INSPIRE Northwest Conference Returns to Wenatchee Oct. 8

WENATCHEE — INSPIRE Northwest will return to the Numerica Performing Arts Center on Oct. 8 for its second annual marketing and communications conference, featuring sessions on communication, …

Alaska plans $50,000 digital campaign to build Pangborn-Portland demand

EAST WENATCHEE — Alaska Airlines plans to put the Chelan Douglas Regional Port Authority’s $50,000 marketing investment behind a targeted digital campaign designed to fill seats on Pangborn …
Opinion
Amy Yaley
Ward Media
Your community is part of your marketing strategy
When business owners think about marketing, they often think about advertising first.
Tyler Kert
Tamarack Wealth Management
Don’t leave your kids a tax bomb
Imagine you've spent 40 years diligently saving for retirement. You contributed to your 401(k), rolled old accounts into an IRA, invested consistently, and watched the balance grow. By the time you retired, you accumulated $2.2 million in pre-tax retirement accounts. That's quite an accomplishment.
Tyler Kert
Tamarack Wealth Management
There’s a new tax break for giving in 2026
According to the Giving USA Foundation, Americans gave an estimated $617.2 billion to charitable organizations in 2025. This surpassed $600 billion for the first time. Individuals alone accounted for …
Labor Reports
Washington unemployment rate rises to 5.2% In April
OLYMPIA — Washington’s unemployment rate rose to 5.2% in April as the state lost an estimated 4,500 jobs, according to the Employment Security Department. The April rate was up from 5.1% in …
Washington unemployment drops to 4.5% as state adds 11,800 jobs
Washington state's unemployment rate dropped to 4.5% in December as employers added 11,800 jobs. The employment gains marked a strong finish to 2024, with construction and leisure sectors …
Washington state adds 30,900 jobs in November as Boeing strike ends
Washington state's economy rebounded in November with the addition of 30,900 jobs following the resolution of a major aerospace strike, while unemployment decreased slightly to 4.6%. The …
Real Estate

Chelan and Douglas real estate market outpaces national trends

Brian Fair
Pioneer Title Company
The real estate market in Chelan and Douglas counties continues to buck national trends, posting significant gains in March even as sales across the United States declined. On April 24, the …

Existing home sales fall 5.9% in March as median price tops $400,000

Existing-home sales fell sharply in March, slipping 5.9% from February to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.02 million, according to the National Association of Realtors®. Sales declined in …

Home sales rise 4.2% in February as buyers slowly return to market

Existing-home sales increased 4.2% in February to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.26 million homes, according to data released by the National Association of Realtors. Despite the monthly …
Health Care
Confluence Health Hospital Central Campus in Wenatchee, shown from the main entrance on the south side of the facility.
Confluence Health earns Gold Recognition from AMA for physician well-being efforts
WENATCHEE — Confluence Health has been awarded gold recognition by the American Medical Association’s Joy in Medicine® program for its efforts to reduce physician burnout and support …
Confluence Health, Three Rivers Hospital recognized for excellence in heart and stroke care
WENATCHEE — Two North Central Washington hospitals have been honored by the American Heart Association for their work in improving outcomes for patients with heart disease and stroke. …
Surgeons and staff pose with the new da Vinci 5 surgical robot at Confluence Health’s Central Campus in Wenatchee. From left: Dr. Katie Peterson, OB/GYN and core medical director for value-based care; Dr. Adam O’Brien, OB/GYN; Dr. Catherine Straub, general surgeon; Geneva Wilson, surgery charge RN; and Dr. Darren Hess, general surgeon.
Confluence Health introduces Advanced Da Vinci 5 surgical robot in Wenatchee
WENATCHEE — Confluence Health has begun using the new da Vinci 5 surgical system at its Central Campus hospital, expanding its capabilities for minimally invasive procedures in North Central …
Confluence Health Hospital celebrated the introduction of state-of-the-art medical technology Tuesday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its Central Campus, thanks to a donation from a retired local surgeon, Dr. Chris Stahler.
Retired physician's donation brings advanced medical technology to Confluence Health Hospital
WENATCHEE — Confluence Health Hospital celebrated the introduction of state-of-the-art medical technology Tuesday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its Central Campus, thanks to a donation from …
CVCH expands behavioral health services with new East Wenatchee clinic
EAST WENATCHEE — Columbia Valley Community Health (CVCH) announced Tuesday it will open a new behavioral health clinic in East Wenatchee to expand mental health services in Chelan and Douglas …
Bonus coverage from the web
Around the region
Mark Lamb, the attorney for Washington sheriffs, speaks in Thurston County Superior Court against a new law setting heightened eligibility standards for sheriffs as several county sheriffs observe on April 29, 2026.

Judge permanently blocks WA sheriff standards law

OLYMPIA – A judge on Friday threw out tough new job standards for county sheriffs approved by Washington lawmakers this year that critics argued would force some out of office.

As immigrant Medicaid cuts take effect, some in WA can keep their coverage

OLYMPIA – Roughly 10,000 immigrants in Washington are losing their Medicaid health coverage due to federal cuts Republicans in Congress approved last year.
Sue Kane, CEO of NCW Tech Alliance, left, John Shcampman, executive director of Thriving Together NCW, center, and Wendy Brzezny, senior director of programs for Thriving Together NCW, participate in the 2025 Commitment Makers Celebration and Cybersecurity Summit.

NCW Tech Alliance awards $50,000 for regional digital access projects

WENATCHEE — A $50,000 investment is supporting 25 digital access projects across Chelan, Douglas, Grant and Okanogan counties, according to the NCW Tech Alliance.
Wenda O’Reilly addresses County Commissioner Shon Smith and staff during a community meeting at Leavenworth City Hall Sept. 30.

Residents raise concerns over proposed Leavenworth cell tower

LEAVENWORTH — A proposed cell tower in Leavenworth drew questions and complaints from residents during the Sept. 30 community meeting with Commissioner Shon Smith and county staff.
Seattle-based Whim W’Him will kick off ICCA’s 2026-2027 Visiting Artist Series.

Icicle Creek Center for the Arts announces 2026-27 Visiting Artist Series

LEAVENWORTH — Icicle Creek Center for the Arts (ICCA) recently announced its 2026-27 Visiting Artist Series, featuring four professional touring artists who will work with students in the region and perform for the public.