Thursday, October 1, 2026
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NCW AI Expo puts human expertise at center of technology discussion

WENATCHEE — As artificial intelligence tools find their way into workplaces across North Central Washington, participants at a regional gathering Aug. 11 focused less on what the technology can do …

WVDRC honors community peacebuilders at 20th anniversary

WENATCHEE — The Wenatchee Valley Dispute Resolution Center will recognize Ward Media CEO and Publisher Terry Ward and the Interfaith Justice Coalition as recipients of its 2026 Community …

Chelan PUD earns national award for long-term planning

WENATCHEE — Chelan PUD has received the American Public Power Association's Scattergood System Achievement Award, a national honor recognizing the utility's long-term planning, innovation and …

Local investor group acquires Tsillan Cellars

CHELAN — Tsillan Cellars, a Lake Chelan winery founded more than 25 years ago by Dr. Bob Jankelson, has been acquired by a group of local investors led by Manson residents Ronan and Gillian Walsh. …

MANSON — A longtime dream became reality June 25 as community members gathered to celebrate the ribbon cutting for Bigfoot Burger, a new locally owned restaurant in Manson. The ceremony, …

Optimly sweeps Flywheel 2026 awards in Wenatchee

WENATCHEE — Seattle-based AI company Optimly, led by CEO Apurva Luty, swept the major awards at the 2026 Flywheel Investment Conference on Thursday night, taking home the conference’s top …

Flywheel conference frames North Central Washington as emerging innovation hub

WENATCHEE — By the final day of the 2026 Flywheel Investment Conference, the conversation had expanded far beyond startup pitches and venture capital. Speakers talked about artificial …

Lake Chelan Health earns seventh national award for heart attack, stroke care

CHELAN — When a heart attack or stroke hits, the difference between life and death is often measured in minutes. In the Lake Chelan Valley, those minutes are increasingly in good hands. Lake …

Building a better lifeline: How Coltrain is rewiring rural healthcare communication

When a patient arrived in the Wenatchee emergency room with a heart attack just weeks after Coltrain launched, cardiologist Dr. Gautam Nayak saw years of frustration and experimentation finally …

Dopl Technologies targets rural healthcare gaps with tele-robotic ultrasound

When Ryan James last spoke with Ward Media in 2024 about Dopl Technologies, the company was still testing an ambitious idea: bringing high-quality ultrasound services to rural communities by …

Giving students a voice: How Student Story turns qualitative feedback into real change

When Susan Rose looks at the data that drives most decisions in public education, she sees a gap. Test scores, graduation rates and attendance metrics dominate the conversation. But as an …

Angel Investing: Why early-stage capital is harder to find in rural communities

Imagine an entrepreneur who has tested an idea, built a working product, and found their first customers. The next step might be hiring a small team, improving the technology, or expanding into a …

New leadership helps shape the future of regional investing

When Brian Eastman walked into the Flywheel Conference in 2024, he was just hoping to “meet some neat people” and maybe learn a few things. Two years later, he’s at the center of the effort, …

Two of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies sued Washington state on Wednesday, alleging a new law to tamp down prescription drug prices for hospitals won’t result in discounts for …

Washington gas prices rise to $5.27 a gallon

OLYMPIA — Average gasoline prices in Washington rose 4.2 cents per gallon over the past week to $5.27 a gallon Monday, according to a GasBuddy survey of 2,666 stations statewide. GasBuddy said …

Angel Investing : How early-stage companies find their first investors

Many of today’s most recognizable companies started in surprisingly humble ways. Microsoft, for example, began with Bill Gates and Paul Allen writing software in a small garage. At the time it was …

How one Leavenworth investor is helping grow the valley’s startup ecosystem

Editor’s Note: This story is the first in a series examining the growing entrepreneurial ecosystem in North Central Washington. Produced in partnership with the NCW Tech Alliance and Flywheel …

Fuel prices climb as oil tensions persist

WENATCHEE — Average gasoline prices in Washington rose 28.6 cents per gallon over the past week to $4.86 as of Monday, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 2,666 stations statewide. GasBuddy …

NCW Tech Alliance honors winners at 24th Annual Innovator Awards

WENATCHEE — More than 400 people filled the Wenatchee Convention Center on Nov. 4 to celebrate creativity, technology, and community at the 24th Annual Innovator Awards Luncheon hosted by NCW …

Chelan PUD extends General Manager Kirk Hudson’s contract through 2029

WENATCHEE — The Chelan County Public Utility District Board of Commissioners has extended the contract of General Manager Kirk Hudson through December 2029. Hudson, a 28-year veteran of …

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