The Wenatchee World

Check here throughout the night for updated scores from NCW prep basketball games. Full Story »

LEAVENWORTH — The Leavenworth City Council vowed last week to chastise the Bellevue consulting firm that found their recently fired city administrator, and to better assess future candidates for the job. City Administrator Dave Torgler was fired Nov. 20 by Mayor Rob Eaton, with the vocal support of the City Council, just 11 months after he was hired. No cause for his dismissal has been publicly ... Full Story »

WENATCHEE — A bill in the U.S. Senate would help several health care facilities fund projects, including $600,000 for expanding Central Washington Hospital’s emergency department. But plans for the expansion are only in the preliminary stage, according to a hospital administrator. The project is separate from the $118 million expansion project currently under way to build a tower for new patient ... Full Story »

OLYMPIA — A ban on the unnecessary use of uncertified wood stoves, inserts and fireplaces in Chelan and Douglas counties was extended until 10 a.m. Sunday, the state Department of Ecology reported today. The ban, which includes all outdoor burning, was scheduled to expire Saturday morning. Full Story »

SEATTLE — The father of Jennifer Curtin, an East Wenatchee girl who was struck by a car Wednesday, says he’s hopeful about his daughter’s recovery. But he added it’s too soon to know just what will happen as a result of her head injury. Jennifer, 14, and a student at Eastmont Junior High School, is in stable but critical condition in intensive care at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. She ... Full Story »

OLYMPIA (AP) — Thursday’s winning numbers in the Washington state Daily Lottery Game:277 Daily Keno numbers: Full Story »

RENTON — If it were a full season, plenty of NFL wide receivers would be pretty satisfied with the numbers Houston’s Andre Johnson has compiled. Johnson has 70 catches for 1,044 yards, including six touchdowns, with four games yet to play in 2009. Full Story »

WENATCHEE — The ranks of the uninsured would swell dramatically under the proposed state budget for next year unveiled Wednesday by Gov. Chris Gregoire. Hospitals, clinics and other medical providers would all feel the hit, as more than 100,000 Washington citizens would lose state-funded insurance if the budgets for health and human services are adopted by state lawmakers, health care advocacy ... Full Story »

When the subject is food, the modern attitude is superiority, with supreme confidence in our sophistication. Some would call it snobbery, some would call it enlightenment. Either way, the Jell-O salad days of our parents have been swept aside by our endive and radicchio world. “Foodies” are self-labeled people with worn copies of “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” on their shelves, a taste ... Full Story »

WASHINGTON — After Barack Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize speech, anyone still questioning whether he is really a Christian, rather than a Muslim aligned with fanaticism, needs to seek therapy forthwith. Anyone still unconvinced that Obama is really an American committed to his nation’s values, rather than an imposter who doesn’t pledge allegiance to his critics’ satisfaction, should probably ... Full Story »

To serve and protect I attended the Lakewood police officers’ memorial ceremony in Tacoma on Tuesday. It was unbelievable how such an event could be so well put together in one week. Around 20,000 people came together to honor these four brave officers who made the ultimate sacrifice. Strong individuals who serve and protect, not only in Washington state but other states and Canada, came to ... Full Story »

Portland grain PORTLAND, Ore. — Bids as of 11:30 a.m. Thursday for grains delivered to Portland by rail or barge, in dollars per bushel. Information from USDA Market News Service. Full Story »

Selected Stocks Stock prices as of Thursday provided by Stifel Nicolaus & Co., Inc. Full Story »

Local interest stocks As of closing Thursday Full Story »

Thursday’s closing New York Stock Exchange selected prices:Stock Last Chg AMR 7.04 -.01 Full Story »

Mutual funds TOP FIVE Price Chng 1 year Full Story »

My wife and I are expecting our first and we’re on the fence about whether to hire a nanny or find a child care center for our son. It would be great to have someone at home to take care of household chores, but our friends say that there are some great advantages — for us as parents — to having our child in day care, too. Is there any truth to this? A: In a word, yes. While it’s every parent’s ... Full Story »

Wenatchee YWCA offers training help for young baby sitters Full Story »

East Wenatchee Pre-school Christmas program planned for Tuesday Full Story »

MEDINA, Ohio — Making fine candles is a delicate balance of science and art. The right wax has to be combined with the proper wick for the best burn. Colors have to match exactly from batch to batch. Even the fragrance and hue of a candle need to be perfectly paired to meet consumers’ expectations. Those kinds of details are the business of Medina, Ohio’s 140-year-old A.I. Root Co. Full Story »

I have been living with my fiancé, “Trevor,” for three years. When his children — ages 7 and 8 — are here for their visits, he treats me like a third wheel. Trevor shows me absolutely no affection, nor will he have as much as a two-sentence conversation with me. His children dictate what we will be having for dinner and what we’ll do for the weekend they are here. They hang on him as if they are ... Full Story »

Hyper young Santa waiters, spinning dreidels and the special sounds of Kwanzaa await parents looking to freshen the holidays with new books for their kids this year. Among them are noteworthy takes on classic scrooges, prancing reindeer and magical nutcrackers. There’s also straight-up accounts of the birth of Jesus and the magnified science of snow. Full Story »

What’s more important — looks or practicality? It’s a natural question for shoppers considering Acura’s newest sport utility vehicle, the ZDX. Full Story »

Chelan County Thefts Full Story »

Marvin E. Speer Jr. Marvin E. Speer Jr., 98, of Leavenworth, died Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009. Full Story »