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Local Artist Produces First Album - 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 Artist Produces First Album January 21, 2026 By: Meredith Carroll Rob McGlinton and musical score. Photo by Rob McGlinton. Chewelah resident Rob McGlinton describes his music as a fusion of classic jazz with a pop twist. He said the muted trumpet, subtle bass, and the smooth swing of the piano wrap around lyrics written from “an often unreliable” narrator’s commentary on the human condition. The jazz album My Undivided Attention, to be officially released on Feb. 24 , is McGlinton’s first album – at 90 years old. “I’ve been involved in music since I was 5 years old, when my mom would set the stove timer for 30 minutes and make my sister and I play the piano,” said McGlinton. “In junior high, my jazz piano teacher said that if I wanted to be a good piano player, then I had to practice three hours a day, Monday through Friday. “I was 14 years old. I loved baseball. I wanted to be with girls. I wanted to go fishing. But I committed myself to this. All the great players practice 10 hours a day,” he said. McGlinton, along with his sister, participated in band and choir where he said he learned the value of practice. Living in Snoqualmie, McGlinton said he worked in logging and the local mills; then out of college, he earned a living as a pianist and as a creative editor in public relations. He said he moved to Chewelah in 2013 from the Seattle area with his wife, Sally, who is fifth generation Chewelah heritage. “I’ve been in music for a long time,” McGlinton said. “I did all kinds of jobs surrounding the music industry. But I’ve always been a quitter. I would put a small effort into putting my musing out there, but when I got no immediate success, I quit. Now, at 90 years old, I wanted to get serious but didn’t know how. “Why am I doing this now? Because this is something I had to do. I had to get it out into the world. Recording this album has been the most gratifying thing,” McGlinton said. To start, McGlinton said he went to Portland, Ore. where he knew of a great pianist and producer of music. “Randy Porter has won multiple awards and has been Grammy-nominated. I had made a demo, and asked him cold to look at my work. And professional jazz musicians don’t lie. When Randy said he liked it, I knew he meant it.” McGlinton said Porter produced his album as well as played the accompanying jazz piano. “I intentionally decided not to play the piano on the album, because Randy Porter is world class, and also I didn’t want to ruin my album. I was able to focus on singing and the lyrics. “This is about not placing limits on myself,” McGlinton said. “Most people impose their limits. People have a story that they tell themselves about what they can and can’t do. There is no reason why you can’t do something. Like, ‘I’m too old.’ You do not have to believe that story.” For McGlinton, the point where he decided not to believe the negative story was when he read “The War of Art” by Steven Pressfield. “That book has had such an effect on me. It is about overcoming the force that gets in the way of my creative goals.” Since landing in the Pacific Northwest, McGlinton said he has written the script, music, and lyrics for the musical, “The Goshen Country Club.” He has also produced music for the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival in Seattle and for the Seattle Classic Guitar Society. He has also worked as a freelance writer, a teacher, and, of course, a pianist. McGlinton’s next goals are to become a concert keynote speaker at conferences all over the country. He said, “A concert keynote speaker is just like a motivational presentation, but with musical performances blended throughout.” He said he recently completed a test concert keynote performance at Mistequa Casino Hotel in Chewelah, and called it a “success.” “Keynote speakers make good money. I’ll go anywhere in the country and do it. I have done a lot of speaking and teaching. And I have taught at the University of Washington on creativity.” McGlinton’s album will be released on streaming platforms such as Apple Music and Spotify. He said the actual album, available on CD, was released about a month ago for a small audience and will be available at local vendors throughout Stevens County. McGlinton said, “I love it here in Chewelah. We have a strong art community here. I plan on working on my music and expressing my creativity. But, given my age, I’ll have a very short career.” For more information, contact McGlinton at robmcglintonmusic.com . 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: Shirley Hansen-Luiten-Hall - 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: Shirley Hansen-Luiten-Hall September 24, 2025 By: Nancy Weigel Shirley Hansen-Luiten-Hall was born on Valentine's Day in 1937, at Mt. Carmel Hospital in Colville. Shirley said she was raised in Colville with two brothers, Wayne and Jack. When she was 11 years old, Shirley said her mother wanted to try to have another girl, but instead gave birth to Shirley's younger brother, Steve, followed by another younger brother, Danny. Photo courtesy Shirley Hansen-Luiten-Hall. Shirley remembered how, as a child, she would frequently visit her grandparents house on Kelly Hill, and how they would take her to dances held at the Old School House where she'd dance with all the other kids. At Christmas time, Shirley said her grandparents had a horse and a sleigh they would use to go out and pick a big tree to bring home. She shared that she also loved helping her grandmother in the garden and with the canning that came along with it too. Going to her grandparents was her favorite activity when she was younger, and Shirley said she loved spending time with them. Shirley recalled that she had many odd jobs when she was younger, including babysitting when she was as young as 11. At age 15, she started a summer job at the Roy Ron Motel, and then worked at the theater when she was 16. In high school, Shirley said she joined the International Order of Job's Daughters, a youth leadership organization for young women based on the biblical story of Job from the Old Testament. She said that her favorite subject in school was gym, and that she was part of a bowling league; the school’s team name was the Gutterettes. Shirley said their team won the National League Championships for bowling one year; she said she bowled a 300, and earned a trophy. Shirley graduated from Colville High School and married Jim Luiten in 1954. Afterwards, she said she worked for the school lunch program for 10 years. Shirley said she had four children: Jack (1957), Cindy (1960), Dale (1962), and Jake (1964). She said she had to quit her job at the school, but soon a friend told her about a position at the Stevens County Courthouse. She became a courthouse clerk, where she worked for 12 years. Shirley remarried Ron Hall in 1990, and said that they began riding horses together. After retirement, Shirely rode more, eventually taking up barrel racing. She said one of her fondest memories was traveling to watch the Kentucky Derby. Shirley said she was an avid traveler, and would go on trips with her husband, her brother Wayne and his wife, and her brother Steve, competing in horse races and earning enough money to continue racing. Now, Shirley said, her favorite thing to do is be at her ranch, taking care of all her plants and animals. In the summer, two of her children, Jake and Cindy, come live with her. Jake said, “Being at my moms is like having room service, probably the best resort in the world.” When asked if she had advice for younger generations, Shirley said “Follow your dreams, and you’ll find joy along the way.” 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: Don Birch - 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: Don Birch November 12, 2025 By: Tamara Lee Titus Don Birch in front of the mural at the Stevens County Historical Society Keller Museum. Photo by Tamara Lee Titus. “I started delivering newspapers when I was seven years old,” Don Birch said when recalling his introduction and initiation into a world that foreshadowed his future vocation. “I’d get up at 4 every morning, and I had the whole North Hill that I delivered to. I did that until I was a sophomore in high school, then I started at the Statesman-Examiner . Started delivering papers, then went to work for a paper. I have been with newspapers my whole life,” Birch observed. “I had a double bag, front and back, and I wasn’t very big. We had 116 Sunday [including The Spokesman Review ] papers at that time to deliver on the North Hill, from 5 th Ave. on up, past the Hofstetter school. The Sunday papers were too heavy for us to carry all at once, so they would put them on the corner and leave them there for us. And back in the day, rainy days or bad weather, I’d open up the front door and throw the papers inside… You’d probably get shot doing that today,” he continued. Birch has covered every aspect of newspaper production, and dedicated most of his life to reporting the news for Colville and surrounding areas. In a recent interview conducted in a room housing antique press equipment at the Stevens County Historical Society Keller Museum, he shared about his life and what it was like to eventually run the Statesman-Examiner . “I saw things that couldn’t be printed,” Birch remarked while sharing the intricacies of managing a small town paper. “If you like sticking your nose into everybody’s business…It’s an exciting business, it was for me.” Birch was recruited by the Statesman-Examiner in 1960. He said, “A person that worked there in the back shop knew me, and he suggested they hire me as a kid to do the odd gofers and whatever else. I would run errands, carry papers to the post office, you name it.” It was during that time he learned to operate the Linotype, a machine used to print newspapers at that time. He recounted, “You’d type, just like a typewriter, but those little keys would fall out of that huge machine as you were typing down into a tray…Then you would pick up that tray and put it into another part of the equipment, and hot lead would come against right here (he motioned to a part of the key he held for demonstration) to make the letter and that’s how you set type.” He emphasized, “In the old days, everything was hand set type – can you imagine?” Birch graduated from Colville High School in 1962. “I had a chance to go to college,” he said, “Actually, when Bob Haney, who owned Haney Lumber and was good friends with my grandparents, found out that I decided not to go to school, he said he would pay for my college education at the time.” Still, Birch said he was committed to the paper’s production. He said, “I decided to stay at the Statesman-Examiner , and worked from 1960 on, and knew everything about the back shop; I could run the press. My main job was setting type on the Linotype machine. It’s a big typewriter that we could not fit in this room.” He continued, “My senior year, I had community work, so I spent two periods of my time at the Statesman-Examiner ; I had enough credits that I could get two free periods. And, you weren’t supposed to get paid for it, yet they paid me, 75 cents an hour. And when minimum wage went up to $1, I had to go to the Grahams and ask for it. I said, ‘isn’t minimum wage $1 now,’” he laughed. The owners of the paper then were Charles and Rosanna Graham. Birch said, “Charles Graham grew up here; his family homesteaded here in the Northport and Colville area…He moved away and worked for the Oregonian . He decided he wanted to move back home to Colville. So he purchased The Colville Examiner in 1948. Within a year, he also purchased the Statesman Index , and closed it down, so it became The Statesman-Examiner. That’s how it got its name. It’s been one newspaper ever since.” Birch described more of his early work for the Grahams, “Every Saturday, I’d have to mop and wax the floor in the front office. Mrs. Graham would always come and give me a hug for doing such a good job on Mondays.” Born in 1944 in The Dalles, Ore., Birch grew up in Colville, mainly with his grandparents, Verne and Blanche Slingsby, in a now historic house built in 1882, by the “Father of Colville,” John Hofstetter. Birch added, “That house stayed in the family, until just a few years ago when my aunt died. She bought it from the estate when my grandparents both were gone and lived in it until almost 100 years old. I got a little bit of history that is pretty cool. Especially as the founder of Colville built that house.” Birch noted about the Hofstetter home, that “his children’s footprints were in concrete outside in the back porch, and when my grandpa bought that house, and moved in, in 1950, he tore that out. Later, in 1952 my brothers and my footprints were put in there when I was eight years old. They are since gone [though], because they did some more work and added on to that house. It’s still there, on Birch and Maple.” He also shared an anecdote about the support he received in childhood, “My mom never missed an event that I was involved in. The only way she could afford to travel is that she would chaperone the cheerleaders on the bus for the out of town games. That’s how she got to go to all the games.” Speaking about his wife, Birch said, “My wife was Beverly and she passed away five years ago. She was pretty well-known, too. She grew up just down the street here on the corner of Main and 5 th ; the house is still there and it’s one of the older houses in Colville. We went together through high school and married at a very early age: 18 and 19, and were married 57 years.” The couple had one son, Rob, who currently lives with Don. “He was born in 1972,” “When he completed high school, he found work in Spokane for a while and self-taught himself on computers and ended up getting a job with Sterling Bank as a computer engineer,” Birch said. “He didn’t go to school for it, he learned it himself and was hired by Sterling. Sterling sold to Umpqua Bank and he still works for them for pushing 30 years now. When his mom died, he decided to move in with me. He sold his home in Spokane, and decided to come take care of dad, and he has his own office in my house. He works from home and does quite well,” he emphasized proudly. Birch also said he has two grandkids, who visit regularly. When asked why he stayed in Colville his whole life, Birch shared, “I like the small town… and I fell in love with my job; I got better as I got older and didn’t want to leave. My wife didn’t want to live anywhere else, either. She enjoyed it here, she was close to her parents. And I was close to my mom and my grandparents, and it’s a great place to raise kids. Colville was the only place I really ever wanted to be.” Birch said he quickly progressed at the Statesman-Examiner . He shared, “The Statesman-Examiner didn’t have anyone to cover sports. I went to every game, home and away, because no one was writing it up, so I decided I’d do it. The owners let me do it, because I was doing it for free.” He continued, celebrating, “The class of 1965, which was the football season of 1964, was probably the best football season to go through Colville High School to this day, because I still go to games and watch and enjoy that kind of thing. They went undefeated, which has been done before – but, they were only scored on one time, all year! And that’s amazing…several went on to play Division-1 ball; they were that good.” After proving himself as a sports writer, he persisted, “Then in 1972, they needed an editor and they saw that I could put a sentence together. So, they asked me if I wanted to become editor, and I thought, ‘Yeah, that’s a pretty good move up. Sure why not?’ So in 1972, I moved to the front office, until retiring in 2005. I became the publisher in 1992.” He professed, “I wasn’t great at writing, but I was good enough to get by, I guess you could say. “I loved what I did,” he affirmed, “Because I saw so many different things, so many things in the community, whether it was good or bad. You had to be on top of it. I know that I could’ve gone elsewhere to make more, financially, but I was happy with what I did get I guess I felt it was more rewarding.” During his time at the Statesman-Examiner , he experienced many peaks, including covering the time President Bush Sr. came to Colville in 1992. “I got to be part of the Washington Press Corps for the day, and I was backstage with the president,” he remembered. Birch was also the unofficial photographer for years for the state patrol and sheriff’s department. He explained, “I had a good connection with both. I had to go to crime scenes and film all that, which was sometimes not a very good job to have. I went to probably every fatality wreck. They’d call me, ‘Hey Birch, coming by to pick you up.’ I rode with the sheriff and the sergeant of the state patrol a lot. Because I would shoot everything, in case they had a court case. And I would sell pictures to attorneys; I got paid that way. I gave some to the Statesman-Examiner , but it was more to get the story. And, there were obviously a lot of pictures that I couldn’t use: homicides and things like that. It was exciting and scary sometimes – going down the road, 100 miles an hour. On your way there, you get nervous and think, ‘Oh boy, do I really want to see this?’ “I’ve pretty well done it all,” he said. Yet, he still did more, after 45 years of working at the Statesman-Examiner . “I was out of work for two days. I had a friend, [Tony Booth] who was half-owner of the Chevrolet dealership come to me and say, ‘How would you like coming to work for us [as a car salesman]?’ I did that for a year and hated it.” Then, according to Birch, Booth said, “‘Don’t leave, I got a plan for you. Why don’t you start a newspaper?’ I said, ‘I could still be at a newspaper, why would I want to start one?’” Birch said he eventually decided to start the newspaper as a monthly, calling it The Silverado Express, which is still in print today. Birch retired from that venture after six years. He said, “The older generation really liked it. It’s a little different now than when I ran it. I did a lot of feature stories on older folks around here. It was a lot of fun,” he said. Birch has stayed active, most recently retiring from the Stevens County Historical Society as president of the board for eight years. He said, “I wish I’d started here [at the Stevens County Historical Society] earlier, but I was always too busy…I spend every day here now, not on weekends, but weekdays.” Looking back over his life, he shared that he really enjoyed little league. “I just loved coaching kids,” Birch said. “I was 12 years old when they started little league here, so I had one year of little league here in Colville. And I never got away from it. I coached little league for 18 years and I live right across the street from where I played baseball as a little kid. I can watch ballgames right off my front porch.” Reflecting on his life, Birch said, “If I had to do it over, I think I’d have done the same thing. I really and truly loved the Statesman-Examiner . Yeah, I could’ve had a higher paying job somewhere else, probably, but I loved what I did. And I met a lot of people, saw a lot of things, got to travel a lot, and just did a lot of things that I might not have done otherwise. Back in the day, I knew everything that went on in this community. Luckily, I got to hire a few more people before I took over as publisher. There were three people in the news department, three in the sales department; we had 16 full-time people. You can’t imagine that today. I did all the darkroom work at one time, while I was editor. Gabe [Gabriel Cruden, current Statesman-Examiner publisher] actually started in the darkroom. I did everything and I enjoyed doing it.” Don Birch 2005 when he retired from the S-E. Photo courtesy Don Birch. In considering the future for newspapers, he stated, “I always said that ‘small community newspapers would last longer than the big ones’ – but I am not so sure of that now. I think it helps now that it is back to a community-owned paper.” His advice is to “stay neutral.” 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: 11/12/2025 - 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: 11/12/2025 November 12, 2025 By: Stevens County Historical Society Out of the Past, 11/12/2025. 100 Years Ago— Teachers Institute will be held in Colville Nov. 23-25. Owing to the fact that the hotels will not be able to accommodate all teachers, it will be necessary that some private homes be opened for the comfort of teachers. All those who have rooms that can be let during this period for the teachers should notify the Hotel Lee. The Colville Monument Works is erecting a factory and workshop on North Main Street, just north of the Colville Service Station. The Colville High School football team defeated Chewelah on the Colville grounds, Armistice Day, by a score of 22-0. Coming events: Nov. 19, anniversary of Lincoln’s Gettysburg’s Address. 75 Years Ago— Earle B. Gibbs, co-partner of the Bonanza Lead Mine, confirmed rumors Wednesday that he and his partner, Ira M. Hunley, had received an offer from the Anaconda Copper Mine (ACM). The amount will be over $2,000,000 and, along with the mine, the mill at Palmer’s Siding and the recently purchased, 400-acre Bronson ranch three miles north of Colville, is being considered by ACM. Mrs. Pearl Wanamaker, state superintendent of schools, will officially dedicate the new Kettle Falls grade school at ceremonies at Kettle Falls, Dec. 15. 50 Years Ago— The David Thompson School was sold Tuesday night during the regular meeting of the Colville School board by a unanimous vote. A bid of $63,000 was accepted from the First Baptist Church in Colville, with $2,000 earnest money given to the district upon their acceptance, with another $7,000 paid at the time of closing. “I can’t believe it,” said Mel Tonasket after tribal members of the National Congress of American Indians chose him by acclamation to serve his second term as their president. Tonasket, a Colville Indian from eastern Washington, said the only thing he plans to do differently this two-year term is work to get a strong lobby for Indians in Washington, D.C. 25 Years Ago— Colville mayor Bob Anderson and two city council members met on Nov. 2, with representatives of both the Colville Public Library and the Stevens County Rural Library District to discuss the possibility of a joint venture between the libraries. The Northport Community Health Center hosted its grand opening in the new building last Friday, the culmination of years of effort. The Colville Benchwarmers are hosting their annual Turkey Bingo again on Nov. 17, in the Colville High School cafeteria. The evening is comprised of “fun, food and turkeys, turkeys, turkeys,” said a spokesperson. 10 Years Ago— The damage from the recent wildfires in northeast Washington has been dramatic and vast. This photo above, taken by Colville freelance photographer Joanie Christian, shows fire damage on Boulder Mountain. The Kettle Complex of fires burned more than 76,000 acres in the Kettle Crest region. The largest of that complex of fires was the Stickpin fire at more than 50,000 acres. Photo courtesy Stevens County Historical Society. 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: Peter Johnson - 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: Peter Johnson September 3, 2025 By: Nancy Weigel Peter Justin Johnson was born in Burlington, VT. When he was younger, he moved to Colville, Wash., with his parents and seven siblings, graduating from Colville High School. Johnson shared a memory from his earlier years – his father signed him up for ballet, which turned into 15 years of lessons. Johnson said he eventually learned how to square dance, tap dance, salsa, and much more. Johnson said his favorite subject was Physical Education. He attended the University of Washington after graduating from high school and achieved his Business Associate's Degree. Johnson said he has worked for Iron-Founded and Vaagen Brothers Lumber Mill before logging and cutting firewood independently for 40 years. Johnson said some of the skills needed for logging are awareness, quick reactions, and good maintenance on all your equipment. He said he likes his job because he's outside in nature and works independently with his own hours and wage. He said he has always loved nature since he was a kid. Johnson noted that his least favorite part is the danger and that he has broken his back twice while logging. He said he can also walk up to the equivalent of 10 miles a day while logging. Johnson shared that he married once and had a son, Justin Johnson, before divorcing. His son is now in California, teaching guitar. Johnson also has a daughter, Autumn, who is attending university at Gonzaga University. He stated one of the wildest things he's done was skydiving; Johnson said he “loved it, and would do it again” if he could. Johnson said his hobbies include fishing, bowling, playing horseshoes, coloring, and other things. One of his favorite places to go fishing for salmon is Oroville, Wash. When asked if he regrets anything in life, Johnson said, “All the time, but I'd just do it all over again anyway. I've learned a lot in my life.” Johnson’s advice for younger generations is to “go out and do something, get off your phones and get into nature, don't be afraid of it, and get hands-on experience in the world.” 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

Five Local Brothers That Served in Vietnam to be Recognized With Quilts, Aug. 17 - 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 Five Local Brothers That Served in Vietnam to be Recognized With Quilts, Aug. 17 August 14, 2024 By: Meredith Carroll Allen Thueringer present day, looking at his scrapbooks from the war. Five brothers who served in the Vietnam War and returned home safely will be honored in a ceremony hosted by Cuppa Tea Quilting and the Quilts of Valor Foundation on Saturday, August 17, in Priest River, ID. Allen Thueringer of Colville is one of those brothers. “All of us brothers enlisted in the Army instead of waiting for the draft to take us,” Thueringer said. Thomas was the first brother to join the Army, enlisting in 1964; he received an Army Commendation Medal for Outstanding Service. James followed suit and went to Vietnam in 1965, serving as a helicopter mechanic. Then, Stephen served three tours in Vietnam and was awarded the Bronze Star and an Army Commendation Medal. Terry and Allen both joined the Army in 1970; Terry was in Army Communications and Allen, the youngest brother, served as an artillery gunner. The unique history of the five Thueringer brothers caught the attention of the Quilts of Valor Foundation, a national organization dedicated to honoring U.S. veterans and helping them to heal. Founded in 2003 by Catherine Roberts, quilts are designed and hand-made by volunteers. The quilt is then awarded to a selected veteran to thank them for their service, sacrifice, and valor in serving the nation, according to the Quilts of Valor website, www.qovf.org. “In order to be awarded a quilt, a veteran must first be nominated,” explained Theresa Wright of Cuppa Tea Quilting in Newport, WA. Cuppa Tea Quilting is the local sponsor for the Quilts of Valor Foundation and will be hosting the ceremony to honor the five Thueringer brothers. “All of the brothers will be honored. Tom, Jim, and Stephen will be awarded quilts,” said Wright. “Terry and Allen will bring the quilts that they have previously been awarded.” Wright also said that the ceremony will include the presentation of each soldier’s history and the honoring of fallen soldiers, along with a performance of Taps. “It’s been at least 15 years since all of us (brothers) have been together,” said Allen Thueringer. “We will all be united at the ceremony.” Thueringer served in Vietnam from 1971 to 1972. He had just turned 20 and quickly moved up in rank. “I outranked them all, and I was the youngest. No one wanted to take orders from a punk kid like me, so I didn’t tell anyone my age.” Thueringer earned the rank of E5 by the time he was discharged. “I was in the 2 nd Battalion 94 th Artillery,” said Thueringer as he flipped through a scrapbook of photos taken during his service. “I loaded rounds, but I was also the guy with the phone. I was the one taking instructions on where to fire the round.” Thueringer’s gun was a M107 self-propelled weapon that fired 175mm rounds from an 8-inch barrel. The rounds weighed 145 pounds and had a range of 21 miles. The use of this gun required a 13-member crew and claimed one of the longest ranges of any mobile artillery unit. “I fired the last heavy round in Vietnam, on April 9 th , 1972, at 2400 hours,” he said. “We painted that last round, fired it, and that was the last one ever fired,” Thueringer said. He was awarded his quilt on April 24 th of this year, and he thought it would be a great honor to have all of the brothers unite for the upcoming ceremony. “It’s rare enough to have five brothers serving in the same war. But it’s amazing that we all came back.” The ceremony will be held at the Priest River Community Church at 49 Washington Street, Priest River, ID 83856, and begins at 1:00 p.m. More information on the event can be found at www.qovf.org . 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

Gunnar Nelson: More Than Fiddlin’ Around - 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 Gunnar Nelson: More Than Fiddlin’ Around February 11, 2026 By: Wayne Gorst Gunnar Nelson (left) with guitar student, Braxton Brown. Photo courtesy Gunnar Nelson. Ancient Roman philosopher Seneca said, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” Preparation has been the catalyst for many of the “lucky” events in local musician Gunnar Nelson’s life. Take, for instance, his appearance at the Earl Scruggs music festival in Mill Springs, N.C., in August 2025. Nelson and his bandmate, Jake Rozier, entered the festival’s Battle of the Banjos contest, which was based on public voting on Instagram and Spotify. “Over the course of several weeks we went from the top 10, to the top eight, to the top six and ended up winning,” Nelson said, with some surprise. “It was a bit intimidating playing on the same stage as the likes of Allison Krause and Sam Bush, but it was a fantastic experience.” Preparation, in the form of practice, has been a mainstay in Nelson’s life since he began learning Irish Dance. At 8 years old, Nelson’s parents drug him, along with his younger brother, into Deirdre Abeid’s Irish Dance studio in Kettle Falls. “There we were, two little boys in a sea of tutus,” he recalled. That uncomfortable beginning started the long road of preparation culminating in opportunities afforded only a “lucky” few. In the decade of practice and performance that followed, Nelson placed in the top 10 at several of the World Championship Irish Dance Contests held in Quebec, Scotland, and Ireland. The year before competing in Quebec – at the age of 17 – he’d been tapped by Michael Londra, lead singer for the Broadway show, Riverdance, and current producer of Celtic Fire, to be a dancer in the national touring show. Nelson said he started as the youngest dancer in his troop and eventually became the oldest dancer with added responsibility of “Dance Captain.” Nelson said, “I had world champion Irish dancers under my supervision, which is still insane to think about.” Not long after those early dancing lessons began, Nelson said his dad challenged him to start learning how to play the fiddle. Reluctant at first, he was soon taking lessons from local teacher, Fiddlin’ Red, and following along with the VHS-taped video lessons recorded by the young brother and sister duo, Luke and Jenny Anne Bulla. Later, Nelson said he studied with Andrew Wilson, who introduced him to a number of Irish fiddle tunes. “Whenever he gave me one of those, I would learn it with no effort. I actually wanted to practice those tunes,” he said. Around the time of his early 20s, Nelson had also completed all the prerequisites necessary to enter nursing school. With application deadlines only six months away, he said he had hoped to catch a break musically and not have to pursue a nursing career. “When I framed it to myself like that, I decided that that was ridiculous, and that if I really wanted to play music that much, and if I was willing to put in that much time, then I should just pursue music – so I did.” That decision led to multiple collaborations with other local musicians and the formation of the bands Cross Current and Fire Bottle Brothers. “I started playing at the open mic at the Pub and Grub with a longtime friend, eventually meeting more people there that played music. We ended up forming a little group that became the six-piece Fire Bottle Brothers band,” Nelson explained. With that renewed commitment to music, practicing took on a life of its own; typically around four hours a day practicing not only the fiddle but guitar, voice, and piano as well, Nelson said. Once again, preparation was rewarded when Londra called again, this time in need of a lead fiddle player for a Saint Patrick’s Day show in Boston. “I didn't get to practice with any of them in person, so I just learned the recordings by ear,” Nelson recalled. “I had anxiety every single day for like a month, but if I practiced, the anxiety would go away. So I practiced every single day, every single song. I flew to Boston and we ran through the whole show the day of,” he said. “And I did a good job. They told me I had definitely done my homework. Since then I’ve done five shows in five different states, and I am now the backup fiddle player for Celtic Fire.” Seeking to expand his musical influences and stretch his comfort zone even further, Nelson said he began attending the exclusive annual Live Oak Fiddle Camp near Hallettsville, Texas. With other fiddle teachers such as Hanneke Cassel and Bruce Molski in attendance, he said, “It’s hard not to be intimidated, but at the same time I relish every tidbit of technique they offer.” Now, teaching his own students, Nelson said he brings his years of personal and professional experience into every lesson. “Teaching has been a massive learning curve,” he said. “To begin with, I didn’t really know what I was doing, but I definitely feel more confident now. It’s always a matter of seeing what needs to improve and then filling that hole. By studying and talking to other musicians, especially teachers, my awareness expands.” In addition to teaching approximately 45 students in guitar, fiddle, piano, and voice, Nelson said he started providing group lessons, which have morphed into a “student band” with about eight of his students. The group meets every two weeks at a local church for practice, and performed at the 2025 NE Washington Fair. Nelson said, “I just want to provide the opportunity for them to learn new songs and play them together. I saw a lot of growth and a lot of effort from them when we were working toward the Fair performance.” He added, “The goal for the group performances is to work on half-hour sets, with maybe five songs in a set. I’m in charge of the open mic at Fired Up Brewery in town (Colville), so that creates further opportunity for both solo and group performances for them. “These guys are pretty talented,” Nelson continued. “So right now, the opportunity is the open mic but with this current plan of, ‘Hey, you're going to learn half-hour sets within about two or three months,’ we should have at least an hour-and-a-half of material. Then I can reach out to venues and set up some actual gigs, which would totally be the goal. But I also don't want to throw anybody into the deep end of a pool and then watch them sink. I want it to be pretty comfortable for everybody all the time.” For more information contact Nelson at gunnargnelson@gmail.com . 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

Statewide Fishing Opportunities Offered on Black Friday - 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 Statewide Fishing Opportunities Offered on Black Friday November 19, 2025 By: Staff Report Washington lakes will be stocked with fish ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) officials announced they plan to stock nearly 65,000 jumbo rainbow trout in 25 lakes statewide, including two in Stevens County, ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, offering anglers a chance to get outside for Washington’s annual Black Friday fishing. According to officials, the holiday special rainbow trout weigh up to three pounds and measure up to 17 inches each. “WDFW has offered Black Friday fishing for more than a decade, and it’s a great way to get outdoors over the holiday weekend,” said Steve Caromile, WDFW inland fish program manager. “We stock jumbo trout in lakes near communities, making it easy to spend a few hours on the water with friends and family.” This year, Hatch Lake and Williams Lake will be stocked before Nov. 28, WDFW officials stated.For stocking information, anglers can refer to the catchable trout stocking report on the WDFW website at wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/reports/stocking/trout-plants.WDFW officials stated anglers 16 years and older must have a current Washington freshwater fishing license, valid through March 31, 2026, to participate. Licenses can be purchased online, or at any of the hundreds of license vendors across the state. Officials also warned that, though uncommon in November, cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) can still be present in lakes and recommended reviewing advisories at doh.wa.gov/fish . 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

New Coverage Tower Placed on Colville Mountain - 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 Coverage Tower Placed on Colville Mountain July 16, 2025 By: Staff Report Coverage tower placed on Colville Mountain. Area residents may have spotted a tower being placed on Colville Mountain in mid-June, raising questions about its purpose and possible benefits. The tower was installed by Day Wireless Systems, a telecommunications company with an office located in Spokane Valley, and serving Stevens and Ferry counties. According to Day Wireless Systems officials, the tower, located on Colville Mountain and placed about two miles north of city limits, provides coverage of Highway 395, from Kettle Falls to Addy. These towers are “one of the least intrusive and easiest communications towers to build,” according to the Day Wireless Systems. For more information, call 509-484-1400. Photo by Richard Willner. 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: 02/10/2026 - 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: 02/10/2026 February 11, 2026 By: Stevens County Historical Society Empire Hwy crossing Empire Lake at Kettle Falls. Grand Coulee Dam's completion created Empire Lake; today, it's referred to as Lake Roosevelt. Photo courtesy Stevens County Historical Society. 100 Years Ago— By a vote of 597 to 100 last Saturday, the patrons of Colville Consolidated School District No. 5 directed the erection of a new school building. Completion of the Inland Empire Highway will be on the Ferry County side, according to the decision of the state highway committee after viewing the site and considering the alternative site on the Stevens County side proposed by the Great Northern Railroad and citizens of Marcus. The uncompleted link of the road is between Kettle Falls and Barstow. Jessie Sparks of Addy was fined $10 and costs by Judge G. B. Ide Monday on a charge of operating a dance at Addy without a license. 75 Years Ago— Colville’s High School boxing team bowed to a slightly stronger Mead team last week in one of the most evenly matched series of bouts seen in the local gym. The locals won five bouts. Mead took six. Don’t park your cars on county roads. They may turn up missing in the morning. County commissioners who say they’ve been having trouble plowing snow because of parked cars, explained this week that it’s against the law to park overnight on the highway. They’d like people to know that stuck vehicles can be impounded. KETTLE FALLS – Ed Bailey has purchased the Chevron Service Station at Kettle Falls from Tink Cox. The sale was effective Feb. 1. 50 Years Ago— Colville’s 24 th annual Bull Sale, under the sponsorship of the Upper Columbia Hereford Association, will be held at the Colville Auction Yards Sunday and Monday. Consignors included Agar Polled Herefords, Aladdin Hereford Ranch, Dale & Price Herefords, Diamond M Ranch, L&M Herefords, Lucky Heir Herefords, Len McIrvin, Melvin Myers, Milton Myers, Jim Oneal, Stan Oneal, George Pugh, Richart Bros., and Ted Richart. ADDY – Plans for Addy’s first Firemen’s Ball are underway. In keeping with the country’s 200 th birthday, the dance will feature a bi-centennial theme. 25 Years Ago— KETTLE FALLS – The Kettle Falls Police Department is looking for volunteers who live in Kettle Falls and would be interested in a new program called “Citizens Volunteer Watch Program.” Dave Richter and Pat Lindquist, both sixth grade teachers at Kettle Falls Middle School, recently invited guest speaker Eva Lassman, a Holocaust survivor, to their classroom. Richter called her visit “a real honor and great opportunity for the students to hear about history first-hand.” 10 Years Ago— At first glance, anyone can guess that Stephanie’s Closet is a boutique for young girls. What makes this store extraordinary is that none of the clothing, accessories, or shoes are for sale. Stephanie’s Closet is a nonprofit where teen girls in foster care, or teens in need, can select outfits at no cost. Northeast A League dual meet champion Colville annexed a District 7 1A wrestling title Saturday at Medical Lake. The Indians held off second-place Deer Park and third Freeman. Colville High School will host the regional tournament on Saturday. 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

Colville Interact Club Champions Peacebuilding with New Peace Pole Installation - 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 Interact Club Champions Peacebuilding with New Peace Pole Installation September 17, 2025 By: Emma Lee Conyer Colville High School’s Interact Club’s meeting on Sept. 12 included the installation of a peace pole in front of the school. The group thanked school staff, Rotary Club leaders, and community members for their support and celebrated the installation with cake. Peacebuilding was chosen as the club’s 2024-2025 theme, “inspired by Rotary International’s focus areas; to support this, they learned peace literacy skills and decided to install a peace pole at their high school,” said Amy Cobos, an Interact liaison. Cobos said that it took time to receive the pole and the club was unable to install the pole last school year, so they decided to install it at the beginning of the 2025-26 year. According to May Peace Prevail On Earth International, the founders of the Peace Pole Project, peace poles serve as symbols of hope and global unity, with more than 200,000 installed worldwide. To represent the Colville High School community, the Interact club chose English, Spanish, Russian and Japanese. “Jay Shepperd and Janey Howe from Rotary District 5080 generously donated $300 for the pole,” said Cobos. According to the Rotary District 5080 website, “In May 2022, the club partnered with the Colville Rotary Club to plant and dedicate a Peace Pole at the District 5080 Annual Conference in Colville,” making this the second Peace Pole to be placed in Colville. Continuing the Rotary International Club’s tradition of “paying it forward,” the Colville Interact Club “plans to gift another peace pole, likely to Sandpoint Interact Clubs,” stated Cobos. 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