Colville, WA

[gaylesta]

We were originally from Northern California and moved here after my husband retired from the Army. We live 10 miles out on Hwy 20 and love it here. People are great, town is great, but we are raising two small grandchildren and found there is nothing to do here. I was a professional roller skater when I was younger, owned a rink in Sonoma CA, and decided to open one here. Then there would be a place for kids to go, good, clean fun. Lessons, competitions, event center, bridal and event planner on staff, sock hops, etc. We have the land we have the contractor, we are working on the loan, but we need someone to (silent) partner in for 150,000. The whole project will cost us 1.2 M and we will be able to handle that, but do not have enough cash up front. But, we believe God will get it going, so enough about that. Just wanted everyone to know that God willing and the creek don't rise, the rink should be open by summer.

[NorthofHades]

Here's an objective scoop on Colville from a transplant who moved here ten years ago: Demographically, the area is a curious mix of provincial locals who brag about how long their families have been in the area (and expect due acknowledgement and preferential treatment), aging hippies who bought land in the 70's and who continue to attract more aging hippies to the area, undereducated youth who start popping babies right out of high school, and retirees. Families will feel very comfortable here. Singles may not.

Having said that, Colville boasts the friendliest, warmest people this side of the Rockies. I made more friends here in one year than decades suffering Seattle snobbery. This place is authentic. It hasn't been popularized by Hollywood or "discovered" like Montana or Idaho have, so there are no phonies putting on airs or driving up property prices. The folks you see wearing cowboy boots really do work on ranches. Getting "back to the land" is a reality for a good portion of the population. And the cost of living is quite low compared to the rest of the Inland Northwest. If you have a medical/nursing/counseling background you'll find plenty of career options. Other than that viable job opportunities seem to be limited to state/city/fed.

Where weather is concerned, Colville is a banana belt relative to it's neighbors on the 49th parallel, usually a good seven degrees warmer than say, Sandpoint Idaho. The growing season is longer too, especially near Lake Roosevelt, where peaches and cherries thrive. I'm a bit of a weather nut, and watch the forecasts daily. I've noted that storms frequently bypass Colville while Northern Idaho and Montana get pummeled. i do, however, find the scenery in Montana much more dramatic than in NE Washington. Montana has craggy, soaring peaks and Colville has gentle, rolling mountains and valleys right out of Tolkien's Hobbiton.

As an aside, those considering Spokane might reconsider, as it has the highest crime rate per capita in Washington State. I have personally had one car stolen and another vandalized there. The problem is so bad the mayor is looking for a new police chief from out of state. Colville is a good hour and a half to two hours north of Spokane, and the drive is inconvenient enough to keep the area insulated from big city crime. Conversely, it's a pain in the butt to drive to Spokane from Colville for stuff like Costco and Home Depot. 395 is just one lane in each direction, with the exception of a few passing lanes.

[MisterBill]

A man was murdered by Colville police at Benny's. The owners and employees are real creepy. Incidentally, the man was a guest at the hotel. The pool area is FILTHY, stinks and is always occupied by elderly people who are sick or disabled, doing therapy through Mt. Carmel hospital. Benny's puts any money they can scrounge from this endeavour, far ahead of hotel guest satisfaction. White trash, personifiedl. that is Benny's, along with that entire area of town, along the roundabout.

[MisterBill]

The schools are awful, CPS is awful, NOTHING for teens, I mean NOTHING, hospital does not keep patient's info confidential, heroin and crack are problems, as well as alcoholism, and the local newspaper is run straight from Israhell. The police have killed at least 1/2 a dozen innocent citizens in the last 5-6 years. The area needs an influx of educated people whom care more about their kids and the environment and wildlife, than drinking and destroying endangered species in order to turn the tables on the intellectual and spiritual death spiral the area has been in the last 20 years.

[PS90]

Originally Posted by MisterBill

A man was murdered by Colville police at Benny's. The owners and employees are real creepy. Incidentally, the man was a guest at the hotel. The pool area is FILTHY, stinks and is always occupied by elderly people who are sick or disabled, doing therapy through Mt. Carmel hospital. Benny's puts any money they can scrounge from this endeavour, far ahead of hotel guest satisfaction. White trash, personifiedl. that is Benny's, along with that entire area of town, along the roundabout.

Moderator cut: orphaned

Originally Posted by MisterBill

The schools are awful, CPS is awful, NOTHING for teens, I mean NOTHING, hospital does not keep patient's info confidential, heroin and crack are problems, as well as alcoholism, and the local newspaper is run straight from Israhell. The police have killed at least 1/2 a dozen innocent citizens in the last 5-6 years. The area needs an influx of educated people whom care more about their kids and the environment and wildlife, than drinking and destroying endangered species in order to turn the tables on the intellectual and spiritual death spiral the area has been in the last 20 years.

Oh, brother. Another one of these guys.

3 very unbiased, well reasoned posts (sarcasm) with false "facts". The middle post is especially eloquent.

[Traci Kistenmacher]

Stevens County Child Protection Services is the most corrupt place there is. They steal your children, adopt them out and let them die....look up seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2003765789_abuse28m.html and read about the death of Tyler DeLeon ~ the precious little boy who died on his 7th birthday Jan. 13, 2005. That is not the only article regarding his murder. Find them all, read them all, you will then find the truth about most all of Stevens County.

And just for clarification ~ I lived in Stevens County most of my life. I just happen to be one of the blessed ones to get the hell out of there.

[Dean-O]

Ought best to begin with an update on the DeLeon tragedy: First off, Carole DeLeon walked out of prison EARLY in 2011. Free. A few fines, no community service, no probation that I am aware of.

Fast forward 2016, Carole DeLeon is now allegedly a suspect in the death of an elderly man who once asked for protection from her.

Eerily similar to other stuff our local prosecutor does. He likes to allow guilty defendants to avoid accepting responsibility to $ave $. THAT is the key element here, this County is poor and likes to save money (except on judge and prosecutor salaries, of course) Carole Deleon gave an Alford plea which our stupid prosecutor accepted. Similar to Rex Newport, a local Colville cop who (allegedly) raped women more or less as part of his view of his job and who (this is confirmed from the horse's own mouth) was a good friend to our local Sheriff.

I'm betting it ain't a coincidence that DeLeon worked as a paralegal with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Spokane.

Officials here are across-the-board thick as thieves. THAT is the part about the local life that goes unspoken because locals here know to keep their mouths shut and not stir the corrupt pot of abuses of power.

Now, the opposite is true if you are not connected to the powers that be in this County. Then they have all day and all the money in the world to stick it to you wasting time in court with things they ought not prosecute in the first place....oh, bu they do simeply because someone they know asked them to.

Watch your back and who you **** off in the County. Families are interrelated and certain people are connected to all levels of authority. You'd be surprised, the levels of intimidation, petty vindictiveness, and cover ups.

[glamgal1984]

I also lived in Onion Creek (between colville and northport) off and on for 10 years (2002-2012). Always was told the cops up there were the best any money could buy. It is definitely different world up in the Colville/Northport/Kettle Falls/Onion creek area. My step dad also told me to stay away from most of the neighbors up there in Onion Creek because of most of 'em having guns and growing MJ. Lots of other stuff going on up there that I'd rather not post on a public forum.

I would not suggest anyone to live there.

[PS90]

Originally Posted by glamgal1984

I also lived in Onion Creek (between colville and northport) off and on for 10 years (2002-2012). Always was told the cops up there were the best any money could buy. It is definitely different world up in the Colville/Northport/Kettle Falls/Onion creek area. My step dad also told me to stay away from most of the neighbors up there in Onion Creek because of most of 'em having guns and growing MJ. Lots of other stuff going on up there that I'd rather not post on a public forum.

I would not suggest anyone to live there.

What is up with this thread?

I counted - On the last 2 pages of this thread, there's been 10 different posters, all with less than 10 post-count, that have showed-up on here just to make wild, outlandish accusations about this area being unbelievably corrupt, and then they disappear.

[pnwguy2]

Oh the weirdness of rural Washington and perhaps city-data showing up strong here!