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Colville Girls Basketball Puts Together Strong Holiday Stretch - local reporting from the Statesman-Examiner serving Colville, Stevens County, and Northeast Washington. LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES Colville Girls Basketball Puts Together Strong Holiday Stretch January 7, 2026 By: Brandon Hansen Colville's Andee Kroiss goes up for a layup against Chewelah in the Crimson Hawks' 56-22 victory over the Cougars in nonleague basketball action on Saturday, Jan. 3. Photo by Derek Dobell. The Colville girls basketball team showed strong competition during the holiday break, winning two of three nonleague contests to improve to 6-4 overall heading into January. Colville closed the week with a decisive 56-22 road victory over the Chewelah Cougars on Saturday, Jan. 3. The Crimson Hawks set the tone early, jumping out to a 17-7 first-quarter lead and holding Chewelah scoreless in the second quarter to take a commanding 35-7 advantage into halftime. Andee Kroiss led Colville with 15 points, while Aubree Kubesh added 13 points as the Crimson Hawks used balanced scoring and defensive pressure to pull away. Colville limited Chewelah to just eight field goals in the game. Sara Vioni paced the Cougars with 14 points. Earlier in the week, Colville narrowly defeated the 2A North Central Wolfpack 47-46 in a thriller on Dec. 30 at West Valley High School. Kroiss scored a game-high 21 points to lift the Crimson Hawks, who survived a tight contest that remained in doubt until the final seconds. Colville led 15-7 after the first quarter, but North Central battled back behind 19 points from Arkayla Brown. Georgia Beardslee added 11 points for the Crimson Hawks before fouling out, while Colville held on despite being outscored at the free-throw line. The Crimson Hawks opened the tournament on Dec. 29, with a 44-30 loss to the Colfax Bulldogs. Colville led 11-5 after the first quarter, but Colfax took control in the middle periods behind a 19-point performance from Allie Jenkin. Beardslee led Colville with 11 points, while Kroiss added nine. The Crimson Hawks struggled offensively after the opening quarter, scoring just 19 points over the final three periods. The Lady Hawks faced East Valley on Tuesday, Jan. 6; results were not available at press time. The team is scheduled to play Okanogan on Friday, Jan. 9, at 7:15 p.m. Previous Article Next Article LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES

Local Library Encourages Creativity Through Art - local reporting from the Statesman-Examiner serving Colville, Stevens County, and Northeast Washington. LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES Local Library Encourages Creativity Through Art January 21, 2026 By: Meredith Carroll Kettle Falls Library begins new creative program for children. “Every child is an artist.” It is Donna Matter’s heartfelt belief that all children contain untapped creativity and that it is her purpose to provide them with an outlet. The Kettle Falls Children’s Art Program, located at the Kettle Falls Library, was launched 10 years ago by Donna Matter and her husband, George Matter. Children can come in after school on Tuesdays – no enrollment necessary – where they have a snack, and can jump right into creating art. “We have different tables set up that the children can choose from,” said Matter. “For example, they can go to Recycling Art, Painting, or Build / Create Your Own Design. Sometimes we’ll have beads or self-drying clay. One day, I hope to have art classes with the option to fire your own clay.” The art classes are run entirely by volunteers. “Right now, all the volunteers are seniors, except for two girls who are in high school now that used to come to the class. I like to see things come full circle. “Our rural community is filled with talented kids,” she said. “It’s about what they want to do. I don’t do cookie-cutter art. I want to help them to be creative and do what they want to do.” Matter said she hosts anywhere between 30 and 60 young artists in her class. “It’s organized chaos. During the fall, we get a lot more people from the community, and the class grows. It can get loud, but it’s always safe.” She added, “There are only three rules that the young artists have to follow: Be safe. Be creative. And have fun.” According to Matter, the Kettle Falls Children’s Art Program is funded entirely through monetary donations and supplies, with the remaining costs picked up by herself and George. “We get lots of donations,” Matter said. “Some of it we get to store at the library, but most of it I keep at home. My entire spare bedroom is filled with art supplies.” Matter said she moved to Kettle Falls in 2009 after retiring from a teaching career. She got her inspiration to start the art program from the library itself. “The library wanted me to make a quilt with some of the kids to raise money for art for kids. The program took off from there. I met George, and he helped. He’s been my friend and with the program the entire time. We got married three years ago. George helps a lot with the art program, and he oversees the recycling art. “The library saved my life. I love the library. “The art program is more than just about art. It’s about building self-esteem and positive affirmation. We come home happy but tired.” The Kettle Falls Library provides staff supervision during the class sessions. “The library keeps track of the kids who attend, and this helps with funding for books for the library,” Matter said. Christine Evans, a librarian with the Kettle Falls Library, has helped Matter with the art program for the entire three-and-a-half years she has worked there. “It is one of our most popular programs in the district,” Evans said. “We’ve gotten a huge response. Librarians from all over Washington state say they’ve heard about the program and come to our library here in Kettle Falls to visit. It really is impressive. We have more participation in this program at our little library than many large libraries see on the coast.” Evans said she helps with setting up the art tables and with guiding the children as needed. One of the tables is referred to as the Recycling Table, because people drop off random items for the kids to use in their projects. “They come up with the most amazing things out of the random items that people drop off,” Evans said. “They come up with dollhouses, outfits, and usable disc throwers. The level of creativity these kids have is amazing. Donna pours encouragement into all of these kids. She and her program foster such a good attitude of appreciation for others.” Donna said the Kettle Falls Children’s Art Program can always use volunteers to help out. The art program meets at the Kettle Falls Library located at 615 Meyers Street, every Tuesday from 3-4 p.m., September through April. For more information, contact the library at 509-738-6817. Previous Article Next Article LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES

Ode to an Older Time: Lilian Leslie - local reporting from the Statesman-Examiner serving Colville, Stevens County, and Northeast Washington. LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES Ode to an Older Time: Lilian Leslie September 17, 2025 By: Nancy Weigel Lilian Leslie At the Cascadia Fair, among her many ribbons. Photo courtesy Colville Health & Rehabilitation of Cascadia. Lillian Marie Leslie said she was born at Tonasket Hospital in 1940. She spent her earlier years in Lynn, Wash., where her father owned an orchard; the family then moved to a ranch in Molson, Wash., where she said she fondly remembers climbing trees, the ranch cats that liked to catch the mice, and her mother’s big garden that she helped with every year. When she was in her younger years, Leslie said she learned how to make clothes. Eventually, she said she started making most of her clothes, as well as new clothes for her younger brothers and sister. She shared that she still modifies clothes to this day. Lillian went to high school for two years, noting that in her sophomore year, she decided she did not care for school and wanted to work. Even though school wasn't for her, Leslie said her favorite subject was history, specifically the 13 th and 14 th centuries. Leslie recounted how she worked as a waitress, a bartender, and at a clothing store in Republic. She also worked for Kelly's Bakery, where she said she learned all about how to run a bakery. Leslie also cleaned houses for money, and helped people pack for moving. She said she joined the Eagles in Republic, and was president for three terms. She had one girl and two boys, Debi Hamilton, David Leslie, and Wayne Leslie. Her favorite place in Washington is Birdsview, but she loves the entire state and has lived in it most of her life. She said one of the biggest tasks she has overcome is taking on the responsibility of watching her granddaughter every summer, saying “it was a lot of hard work but I loved it.” When she was living with her son and daughter-in-law, they were trying to find a facility where she could stay. She said there were no openings at surrounding assisted care facilities, and she searched for one with lots of activities to keep her busy; that’s when she learned that Colville had a facility with a few spots open. She said she came to Colville Health & Rehabilitation of Cascadia and has since joined every activity she could, including painting, ceramics, different types of crafting, and gardening. Leslie said she also participated in the fair Cascadia runs, after the Northeast Washington Fair, and she won over 20 different ribbons. Leslie said she is the president of the residents council at Colville Health & Rehabilitation of Cascadia, a group that meets once a month to listen to resident grievances. She said her favorite thing to do nowadays is craft and she enjoys her classes with her teacher, Jackie. She also takes care of a lot of the indoor plants at the facility such as watering and trimming when necessary. When asked if she could tell one thing to the younger generation what it would be, Leslie said, “Follow your dreams. That's what I told my kids.” Previous Article Next Article LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES

Chewelah Girls Basketball Focused on Competing - local reporting from the Statesman-Examiner serving Colville, Stevens County, and Northeast Washington. LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES Chewelah Girls Basketball Focused on Competing December 3, 2025 By: Brandon Hansen After a challenging 2024-25 season, the Chewelah girls basketball program enters the winter determined to take a step forward with a bigger roster. Head coach Jacob Lee said the Cougars are aiming to be more competitive night-in and night-out. “You know, we ended last year on a really rough 0-20 through regular season play,” Lee said. “Won one game in our district tournament and then lost out the rest. So we want to be able to put a few more wins up on the board. We've got some competitive games coming for us.” Lee said Chewelah will have a deeper pool of athletes to work with. Participation has reached its highest mark in Lee’s three-year tenure. “As of today, our numbers sit at 22,” he said. “We have eight seniors, two juniors, three sophomores and nine freshmen. Five of them have played before pretty consistently. The rest of them, this is new, this is year one for a lot of our upperclassmen.” Leadership roles are expected to be filled by players who have already demonstrated year-round dedication. “I've got Elyse Warren and Megan Watts,” Lee said. “Elyse and Megan were our two seniors this summer that if we had anything basketball-related, either they were both there or at least one of them was there. It was impossible to get them both out of the gym. So that hard work pays off. They should see that this season and it should be really helpful for our team.” In the Northeast 2B League, the Lady Cougars know the competition will be fierce. “Our league is tough,” Lee said. “I mean, we've got Northwest Christian coming off of their state championship run, Reardon is always a good, ferocious, strong basketball team. It's amazing to watch them play. “If Northwest Christian didn't win state, Reardon was going to,” he added. “So they're both coming back fierce. Davenport's going to be strong.” Despite the challenges, Lee said there is a renewed optimism and growing excitement surrounding Cougar basketball. “It's nice to have,” he said of the team’s numbers. “So we're just seeing a little bit of growth in basketball culture here in Chewelah every year and that's what we're excited about, is just bringing basketball back to this little town.” Lee said the team is looking forward to “a fun year of basketball” as it works to turn that growth into success on the court. Previous Article Next Article LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES

Out of the Past: 12/31/2025 - local reporting from the Statesman-Examiner serving Colville, Stevens County, and Northeast Washington. LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES Out of the Past: 12/31/2025 December 31, 2025 By: Stevens County Historical Society Palace Theater 1911, located where Acorn's Saloon is now located. Photo courtesy Stevens County Historical Society. 100 Years Ago— Bagley’s Portrait Studio at Kettle Falls is showing some beautiful reproductions of the Kettle Falls of the Columbia and surrounding scenery; they are the personal work of Mr. Bagley, who has copyrights for about 20 pictures of the falls, and sold them for $50 each for calendar use in the east. Ownership of the Colville Theater today passes from Flint & Girtanner to D.A. and George Morgan, who for 12 years have been in photoplay production at Harrington and Ritzville. 75 Years Ago— Colville may have a first-class post office in 1951. C.F. Lee, local postmaster, revealed Wednesday that the gross receipts of the local office passed the first-class requirement. But final say in the change from second to first class will be made by the post office department in Washington, D.C. The Gifford-Inchelium ferry was closed by the National Park Service this week and commissioners from Ferry and Stevens Counties joined in efforts to have service re-stored. The Park Service ordered the ferry to stop operation Dec. 31, due to slide conditions in the area. Margaret Frye’s heroic act of saving the lives of four children at Park Rapids, 18 miles east of Colville on Oct. 18, will be broadcast over a national radio hookup on Wednesday, Jan. 10, at 8:30 a.m. The broadcast will be heard in this area over radio station KHQ, The Jack Berch Show , sponsored by the Prudential Life Insurance Company. 50 Years Ago— Stevens County Population Grows—Stevens County, 1970: 17,405, 1975: 22,708. Colville, 1970: 3,742, 1975: 4,291. Chewelah, 1970: 1,365, 1975: 1,691. Kettle Falls, 1970: 893. 1975: 926. Northport, 1970: 423, 1975: 429. Springdale, 1970: 215, 1975: 244. Marcus, 1970: 142, 1975: 169. The Spokane Concert Orchestra, under the direction of Donald Thulean, will be making their biennial performance in Colville Jan. 24, at the Colville Junior High School auditorium. As an added feature, the Colville Community Choir will perform with the orchestra. 25 Years Ago— The city of Colville has sent a letter to the Department of Ecology (DOE) outlining an alternative to the new wastewater facility plan. The plan was approved by DOE in April, at which time it was estimated to cost $18 million. As design progressed, more precise estimates revealed costs closer to $22 million – an amount the city told DOE was unaffordable. Members of city staff met with DOE on Dec. 13 to discuss the issue and have since sent the agency a formal proposal for modification to the plan. 10 Years Ago— As a reminder, Washington State’s minimum wage will stay the same in 2016 at $9.47 per hour. INCHELIUM—Last week, Washington author Carmen Peone celebrated the nationwide release of her poignant new young adult novel, “Delbert’s Weir.” Previous Article Next Article LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES

Local Salon Moves to New Location - local reporting from the Statesman-Examiner serving Colville, Stevens County, and Northeast Washington. LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES Local Salon Moves to New Location November 5, 2025 By: Meredith Carroll Owner Karen Wisner. Photo courtesy of Wisner. Karen Wisner, owner of A Kut Above hair salon, has moved locations and continues to style hair and provide mani-pedis after 38 years in the industry. “I started at my new location the first week of October,” said Wisner. “I needed a change, less stress in my life. A Kut Above is my name, so I took that with me and left everything else for the other girls.” Wisner stated that the salon, Bare Beauty, took over her previous location. “I didn’t necessarily sell the business. Rather, I gave the business to them,” Wisner said. A Kut Above provides services such as haircuts, manicures, and pedicures. “I’m also an esthetician, so I’m looking into getting a GLP-1 machine to tighten skin up,” Wisner said.Wisner said she spent her entire career at the old location before deciding to try something different. “I want a little less stress for myself, and I want to be able to spend more time with [my husband] Steve. Since he sold the movie theater, I’ve been wanting to spend more time with him. We just got back from a vacation with my parents to Booth Bay Harbor in Maine.” Wisner said she is accepting new clients. “I’ve been doing this for 38 years, and I have a big, faithful client base. I will take new clients depending on if I have the time. Since Colville is a small town, I need to be versatile,” adding that she does not anticipate retiring soon. Wisner said she operates the business space with Carla Schultz, a cosmetologist, and Becky Droter, an esthetician. “I’m with them, but we’re all independent,” she said. Wisner said she has stayed in the beauty business for so long because she loves the creativity of hair, nails, toes. But more than that, “I love making people feel beautiful. It makes me happy doing this. When my clients leave, they feel beautiful. I love what I’m doing.” The slower pace of the A Kut Above’s new location allows Wisner more time to spend with customers. “It’s a more relaxed atmosphere, and I don’t feel like I’m running,” she said. “I want people to know that I’m still working and would love for them to come to my new spot and hang.” The new location of A Kut Above is 530 S. Main St. in Colville, in the same building as Farmers’ Insurance. Previous Article Next Article LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES

New Year, New Laws Taking Effect on Jan. 1 - local reporting from the Statesman-Examiner serving Colville, Stevens County, and Northeast Washington. LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES New Year, New Laws Taking Effect on Jan. 1 December 31, 2025 By: Brandon Hansen Several new Washington state laws will take effect on Jan. 1, bringing changes for residents and businesses, according to state officials. Passed by the Washington State Legislature in 2025, these laws will increase the minimum wage, modify paid family/medical leave, and impose a higher nicotine tax. MINIMUM WAGE While the state already has one of the highest minimum wages in the country, it will increase again. Officials said Washington will raise its minimum wage to $17.13 in 2026, up 2.8% from $16.66. The federal minimum wage is $7.25.Cities such as Seattle, Bellingham, Burien, Everett, Renton, SeaTac and Tukwila all have higher minimum wages than the state, according to Labor & Industries officials.Washington employers will also need to pay overtime-exempt workers 2.25 times the minimum wage, state officials said; this can total to more than $80,000 per year. This year, the pay for an exempt employee was $69,305 for small businesses and $77,969 for larger businesses. According to the legislation, overtime exempt pay minimums will rise to $93,392 in 2028.For those aged 14-and-15 year-old, minimum wage is set to rise to $14.56 in 2026. PAID FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE The new law says employers with 25 or more employees will be required to provide job protection for eligible employees taking Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML), based on 180 calendar days of employment, with no minimum hours worked required. The PFML premium will rise to 1.13% in 2026. CHILD SUPPORT AND FAMILY LAST Support guidelines for child support will now rise above the previous limit of $12,000 in combined monthly net income, according to the legislation passed. The new support guidelines will cover incomes up to $50,000 per month combined, with additional guidance for higher-income families. Still, the law allows for judicial discretion for income above the old limit.A previous statutory self-support reserve has been raised from 125% to 180% of the federal poverty line. According to the law, this means parents cannot be ordered to pay amounts that would leave them below this income line – except in certain classes. If a low-income parent's income goes below this amount, their child support minimum would be $50 per child, per month. Higher-income parents may be ordered to provide support of up to 45% of their net income. VICTIMS’ RIGHTS PROTECTIONS Washington has updated and reinforced victims’ rights protections under state law, outlining clear requirements to ensure victims, survivors, and witnesses are informed, protected, and supported throughout criminal and civil court proceedings. According to state officials, the law requires that victims receive a written summary of their rights at the time a crime is reported, including contact information for local victim and witness assistance programs, and mandates that law enforcement and prosecutors provide timely updates on key case developments such as charges filed and case outcomes, particularly in violent, domestic violence, and sex offense cases. The statute also strengthens protections and participation rights for victims, including access to safety information and support services, secure waiting areas during court proceedings, and the ability to attend hearings in person or remotely. Victims retain the right to submit victim impact statements for sentencing and have them included in the official court record. In addition, the law affirms victims’ ability to seek restitution in felony cases even when an offender is incarcerated, while requiring procedural assistance such as advance notice of court dates and support with employers to reduce lost wages tied to court appearances. NICOTINE TAX According to the new law, Washington state will apply a 95% tax rate for all nicotine and tobacco products. This means a nicotine product that cost $7 in 2025 will now cost $15 once sales tax and excise tax are also added. Officials said retailers and distributors will be required to report inventory of affected nicotine products on their first tax return. This includes synthetic nicotine, vapes, e-cigs and nicotine pouches. Previous Article Next Article LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES

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Out of the Past: 07/30/2025 - local reporting from the Statesman-Examiner serving Colville, Stevens County, and Northeast Washington. LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES Out of the Past: 07/30/2025 July 30, 2025 By: Stevens County Historical Museum A&W Great Root Bear surprises local children. Photo courtesy Stevens County Historical Society. 100 Years Ago— “You should capitalize your scenery,” said E. L. DeLestry, editor of Western Magazine of St. Paul, Minn., after viewing Kettle Falls and the Columbia River scenery last Sunday in company with a party of Kettle Falls and Colville people. More than 2,500 drivers’ licenses were distributed by the county auditor throughout the county besides the number that were sent direct to auto dealers and garages, and a large number has been distributed by the Colville Examiner . Beginning today, everyone who drives a car must have a new drivers’ license. The licenses were issued in 1923, and since, expired last evening. 75 Years Ago— A flying saucer came to Colville this week. Jim Murdock, mechanic at Dallas Garage, saw one at 7:30 a.m. Sunday over Draper’s mill. Murdock said the silver saucer appeared over Mingo Mountain. He watched it for about 30 seconds. Electric refrigerators were the biggest electrical appliance sales item in Colville during June, according to a sales summary released by the Washington Water Power Company this week. Electrical dealers in the city sold a total of 63 refrigerators during the month, the report showed. The figures were taken before the current war scare boom. 50 Years Ago— “A great kid pleaser” – The A&W Great Root Bear was in Colville at the A&W Restaurant and drew oodles of kids. Free candy and balloons were handed out by Root Bear and Ron Derogatis, A&W owner-manager. Dave McCloud played the major role. Bryan Construction of Colville started construction this week of the new $50,000 Mode O’Day building at 120 N. Main Street. The new building will be situated between Walden Insurance Agency and the offices of Dr. Lawson and Fine and Beardslee Realty. Wayne Henderson of Orient, present leading cowboy in the Washington Rodeo Association, took second in calf roping and teamed up with his brother, Chris, to take second in team roping at the Deer Park Rodeo last weekend. 25 Years Ago— Political candidates and dignitaries from around the region joined Pend Oreille County residents for a grand re-opening of the venerable Tiger Store last Saturday. The dedication was part of last weekend’s Downriver Days celebration in neighboring Metaline, Metaline Falls and Ione. Colville city council members voted to change the style of stairway to be included in the boulder retaining wall between Birch and Astor Streets that is scheduled to begin this week as a part of the Colville 2000 Project. The approved plan called for reinforced concrete stairs. The stairway will now be made of cut stone. The cost is estimated at roughly half of the initial $63,000 price tag. 10 Years Ago— The Woodland Theatre stage was stripped to its figurative “bones” last Wednesday and Saturday as volunteers wrenched up nails and boards in the beginning of the stage’s refurbishing project. In June, Colville City Council bequeathed $5,000 from the Vinson Fund to the Woodland Theatre, located in Kettle Falls. The 85 th anniversary of the Colville Kiwanis Club beef barbecue will be held Thursday, July 30, at the Colville City Park. Previous Article Next Article LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES

Cougs Boys Basketball Wins Two Tourney Matchups - local reporting from the Statesman-Examiner serving Colville, Stevens County, and Northeast Washington. LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES Cougs Boys Basketball Wins Two Tourney Matchups December 10, 2025 By: Brandon Hansen Chewelah’s boys basketball team began last season 0-5 and still finished with eight wins. This season, the Cougars are already 2-0 after their first weekend of play under new Head Coach Tom Skok. For their season opener on Friday, Dec. 5, it wasn’t an exceptionally easy matchup as they faced Tip-Off Tournament host Northport, who were coming off an 81-69 victory over Wilbur-Creston-Keller earlier in the week. But the Cougars’ offense clicked, and they came up with a 73-63 victory. The next day, they faced off against an Inchelium squad that had defeated them a year prior. The sharp-shooting Chewelah squad hit six 3-pointers, including three by Ryen McMillin, who finished the game with 13 points to lead all scorers. The Cougars had a four-point deficit in the first quarter but outscored Inchelium 11-6 in the second quarter for the 18-17 halftime lead. They pushed that lead to six points in the third quarter. Frank Sety finished with four field goals, including two 3-pointers, for 10 points. Stancil ate at the free-throw line, hitting eight of nine shots for 11 total. Blake Schlining also scored 11 points off four field goals. Inchelium was led by Derek Perez’s 12 points. The Cougars traveled to Republic on Tuesday, Dec. 9; results were not available at press time. The team is scheduled to host Omak on Friday, Dec. 12, at 7:30 p.m. Previous Article Next Article LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES