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Via 97 In The News!!!

B.C.'s Hidden Gems:  Adventures and Grand View Await, Jack Christie, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, April 16, 2008.

Bold Wines, Vistas, and Ambitions in B.C.'s South Okanagan Valley, Tan Vinh, The Seattle Times, September 20, 2007.

Booming Oroville, Shannon Dininny, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, April 5, 2008.

Day Tripping: World's Best Day Trip to Lake Chelan Serves Up Good Food, Good Weather, Good Wines, Rochelle Feil, The Wenatchee World, August 16, 2007.

Fly Fishing:  B.C.'s Douglas Lake Ranch is the Reel Deal, Greg Johnston, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, July 23, 1998.

Fun and Festivities in B.C. This Summer, Sue Kernaghan, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, May 28, 2008.

Golf and Wine Mix in Wine Regions, Blaine Newnham, The Seattle Times, May 1, 2008.

Historic Loup, Gold Mine for Summer, Rick Steigmeyer, The Wenatchee World, June 5, 2008.

Lake Chelan, Jewel with Many Facets, The Wenatchee World, March 31, 2006.

Lake Chelan Wineries On The Move, The Wenatchee World, March 2005.

Lavendar's In Bloom In B.C.'s Okanagan, The Seattle Times, May 31, 2007.

Mild or Wild at Lake Chelan, Jeff Halstead, Sunset Magazine, 2008.

Okanagan Family Getaways Are the Ticket for Affordability, Kristin Jackson, The Seattle Times, November 16, 2006.

Omak -- Stampede Town, Rick Steigmeyer, The Wenatchee World, March 20, 2008.

On Track in the Methow, Karl Samson, Sunset Magazine, 2008.

Osoyoos Lake:  Winery Give Hope to Dying Town, The Seattle Times, April 30, 2003.

Plan Ahead for Okanagan Valley Visit, Jack Broom, The Seattle Times, April 9, 2000.

Places Captured in Time, But Not Frozen There, William Yardley, The New York Times, July 15, 2008.

Seeing Red:  Okanagan Valley Event Can Pretty Juicy, Julie Ovenell-Carter, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, July 6, 2006.

Sipping Wine in the Summertime in B.C.'s Okanagan Playground, Stanton Patty, The Seattle Times, April 1, 2005.

Skiing During Holiday Break:  Here's the Run Down, The Seattle Times, April 19, 2007.

Stay and Play in the North Cascades, Kimberly Seely, Sunset Magazine, 2008.

Taste Adventure Awaits in Kelowna B.C., John Lee, The Seattle Times, May 21, 2008.

Taste Washington's Apple Country, Jim McCausland, Sunset Magazine, 2008.

Tour of the Tastes of B.C.'s Okanagan, Paul Gregutt, The Seattle Times, October 25, 2006.

Town Ready to Resurface:  Pateros Was Forever Changed by Wells Dam, Rick Steigmeyer, The Wenatchee World, December 7, 2006.

Three Day Weekend:  Methow Valley, Amy Wolf, Sunset Magazine, 2008.

Winter Wonderland, Rick Steigmeyer, The Wenatchee World, January 18, 2007.

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OKANOGAN, Wash. (March 25, 2008) – Some 100 new jobs may soon be created along a newly designated Heavy Haul Corridor along a five mile stretch of Highway 97 from the Canadian border to the Reman and Reload facility just south of Oroville, Washington, thanks to a bill that was recently signed into law by Gov. Christine Gregoire.

Substitute Senate Bill 6857, "State Route Number 97," provides a “heavy haul designation” for the highway, which will allow trucks bringing wood products across the border to be fully loaded, according to North Central Washington Resource Conservation and Development Vice President, Chris Branch.

“Without the designation, only partially loaded trucks were allowed to cross the border,” Branch said. “Now, fully loaded trucks can be reloaded onto rail freight cars at the Reman and Reload station and continue by rail to a variety of businesses in Eastern and Western Washington,” he said. 

Branch, who helped facilitate the successful legislation, said the bill requires no additional funding, but will create an estimated 100 new jobs in North Central Washington as additional shifts are hired to load, process, and handle the increased shipments. 

“The Heavy Haul Corridor is not expected to create additional truck traffic, either,” he said. “The difference is that the trucks already crossing the border can now do so with full loads.”

The Bill, introduced by Senator Bob Morton, 7th district Okanogan, came through both the Senate and House with unanimous approval.  This Bill was supported and worked on throughout the current session by a host of legislators, including Senator Dan Swecker of Olympia, Senator Linda Evans-Parlette of Wenatchee, and Senator Mary Margaret Haugen, Chair, Senate Transportation Committee. 

The effort to establish the Heavy Haul Corridor was initiated with the VIA 97 International Alliance Organization.  VIA 97 focuses on the promotion of trade, transportation and tourism along the HWY 97 Corridor from Enderby, B.C. to Wenatchee, Wash.

"This is the type of cross-border cooperation that supports local business in both countries, is good for the economy, and just plain makes sense," said VIA 97 Chair, and Mayor of Osoyoos, John Slater,   

"This seemingly simple Bill will have far reaching positive economic effects," said Ken Stanton, Douglas County Commissioner and Chair of the North Central Washington Economic Development District.  "The NCWEDD was proud to offer our full support of this Bill and want to personally thank Chris Branch and the VIA 97 organization in having the dedication to see this through." 

More information about the NCWRC&D, NCWEDD or the VIA 97 organization can be found at www.ncwrcd.org, www.ncwedd.com and www.via97.org.