Happy weekend, Chelan County! In today’s edition: Fire & Ice festival, a $60M cancer center, nuclear projects heating up, and more.

— Cait Baker

🏆 Most popular this week

Curated by popular demand — here are this week’s most-clicked events, local spots, and stories.

Opening doors in rural communities: A state grant helps Columbia Valley Affordable Homeownership expand in Chelan and Douglas counties, adding moderate income buyers and offering up to 20% down assistance for the next two years — read the full story.

Faster diagnoses, closer to home: Confluence Health has approved a nearly $60 million cancer center at its Central Campus in Wenatchee, expanding capacity and bringing cancer services under one roof for patients in North Central Washington — get all the details.

New era in power generation: Nuclear projects are ramping up statewide, with a fusion plant under construction in Malaga near Wenatchee and modular reactors eyed for Richland as tech giants line up to buy power — get all the details.

Worldwide attendance expected: Registration open for the Bike Walk Roll Summit at Wenatchee Convention Center April 1-3. Hosted by Cascade Bicycle Club and Washington Bikes, it will bring together advocates for safer streets — get all the details.

Remote retreat readies for winter: Five Holden Village staff returned to work on restarting systems under Safe Return to Village, with a 10 to 15 person caretaker team forming as site remains closed to visitors — read the full story.

New window into planning: Chelan recently unveiled an interactive map to track infrastructure projects, with costs, timelines, and ClearGov links. It highlights 2026 and 2027 plans, including the Airport Waterline and pedestrian safety projects — see what’s planned for 2026-27.

Gold & silver are hot: Gold just had its best year since 1979. Silver did even better, climbing nearly 150% in 2025… and analysts expect the momentum to continue. If you’re curious about adding precious metals to your portfolio as a market hedge, American Hartford has a helpful guide that covers everything you need to know. It’s free — and definitely worth a read.

Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.

An emergency vet visit could cost you $7,000+ (ask me how I know 🙃). From the initial fee just to be seen to x-rays, surgery, medicine, and aftercare, it adds up quicker than a chew toy turns into a crime scene. The good news? You could get up to 90% cash back on your vet bill with this pet insurance plan.

📆 Sneak peek at next week

Have an event to share? BaseLocal Verified Businesses can submit them for free! Learn more about how to submit an event here →

All events are subject to change without notice. Always check official event pages for the most up to date information.

❄ Lake Chelan Winterfest “Fire & Ice” @ Lake Chelan Winery | Wednesday (1/21) – If you’ve been waiting for a reason to leave the couch, Fire & Ice brings live ice carving, Washington’s largest beach bonfire, and fireworks to the lake, twice. It’s winter therapy, Chelan-style, with hot cocoa in one hand, bragging rights in the other.

🍸 Cocktail Class @ Manson Distilling | Wednesday (1/21) at 1:00 PM – Wednesdays and Sundays at Manson Distilling mean one thing, finally learning what a proper stir looks like. A hands-on cocktail class with real spirits, real technique, and zero snobbery. Ideal for date night, friend night, or retiring that neon-green sour mix.

🎭 Almost Famous @ Numerica Performing Arts Center | Wednesday (1/21) at 6:30 PM – Take a break from the grind and relive your mixtape era with Almost Famous on the big screen at Numerica PAC downtown, part of a monthly year-2000 series. Kate Hudson, Billy Crudup, a killer soundtrack, and an R rating, so call a sitter.

🍸 Speakeasy Social Night @ Wenatchee Golf & Country Club | Thursday (1/22) at 5:00 PM – If you’re ready to swap shouting over bar noise for conversation, this speakeasy social delivers. Think laughs, well-made drinks, and good company with the Rotary crowd, all the charm and none of the password, just a solid night out with people you’d actually text back.

🍪 Cookie Decorating Class @ Host Wenatchee | Thursday (1/22) at 6:00 PM – Trade spreadsheets for sprinkles at Host Wenatchee, where Liz from Wenatchee Cookie Co. teaches royal icing basics, piping, and oddly satisfying flooding. No experience needed, all supplies included, and you take home six beauties. Wine, beer, and NA drinks, plus snacks, are available for purchase.

❄ Snowshoe Stroll @ Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery | Friday (1/23) at 1:00 PM – Trade the treadmill for a one-mile snowshoe along Icicle Creek, starting at Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery with Wenatchee River Institute guides narrating critter clues and winter survival tricks. Gear is provided, groups are small, and you need to register. Beginner friendly, no lift ticket required.

🎤 The Just-US Band @ Pybus Public Market | Friday (1/23) at 6:00 PM – At Pybus, the Just-US Band is on deck to keep the vibe easy and the feet honest. Expect sing-along favorites, toe-tapping grooves, and the kind of crowd you actually want to bump into. Grab a seat, then lose it to the beat.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

📻 Chelan County report

Weather forecast

Today – High: 41°F – Low: 34°F – Precip: 0%

Areas of fog. Cloudy. High near 41, with temperatures falling to around 39 in the afternoon. Northeast wind around 2 mph. Later: Areas of fog before 7pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 34. North wind around 2 mph.

—

Tomorrow – High: 44°F – Low: 34°F – Precip: 0%

Mostly sunny, with a high near 44. North wind around 2 mph. Later: Mostly clear, with a low around 34.

Most popular house this week

In the Wenatchee foothills, this 1,958 square foot split-entry makes the most of a terraced 0.24 acre lot. Lush landscaping and fruit trees line the gardens, and the “Silent Zone” setting keeps things calm.

Inside, 3 bedrooms, a dedicated office, and two living areas create easy flexibility for work and play. Both gathering spaces feature wood burning fireplaces, and storage comes easy with an attached two car garage plus separate RV and boat parking. The split-entry layout adds practical separation between social zones and private rooms. Recent neighborhood sales point to compelling equity potential, and the home is primed for personalization.

Take a peek inside →

📣 Own or manage a local business?

Meet BaseLocal Business — a free and easy way to get your business happenings in front of our readers.

How it works:

• Sign up (it takes less than 5 minutes)
• We’ll manually verify your business is legit
• Once verified, you’ll be able to share events, news, and special deals with us any time

Everything you share is reviewed, and approved submissions are automatically considered for future newsletters. AKA… your business has a much higher chance of being featured in front of thousands of Chelan County locals who live, shop, eat, and share good things with their friends.

We also regularly spotlight verified businesses just because we think they’re great.

Click here to get started (it’s free) →