News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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What if Lake Roosevelt baseball and softball were played at the same place? What if there were two gyms? What if there was a track around the football field? After abandoning the costly, $50 million idea of locating all sports courts, gyms and fields at the main LR campus in Coulee Dam, the district’s board of directors spoke with architects about the idea of locating baseball and softball fields at the former middle school in Grand Coulee and building a track around the football field in Coulee Dam. The current tennis court would remain. T...
Local scouts collected about 1,200 pounds of food for the local food bank this past week. "The food bank is now very well stocked," said Carol Nordine, manager of the Care and Share Food Bank. Nordine said the collection was lower than normal. The drives usually bring in around 2,500 to 3,000 pound of food, Nordine said, but she also noted that there were two drives this year. She also expressed gratitude for cash donations of about $120 that she said are being used to purchase meat from...
People living near the cryptocurrency mining building on Coulee Boulevard in Electric City might have a point when they complain about the noise. Decibel meter readings performed by the city seem to justify the claim made in multiple complaints that the noise from exhaust fans on top of the building is too loud. The building manager’s own readings are lower, however, although he says he’ll do what’s necessary to keep the city happy. People have reported having difficulty sleeping because of the noise, Mayor Diane Kohout told The Star previously...
With an estimated 300 ballots left to count before another vote count update Monday, incumbents in local elections still appear to be keeping their seats, according to Grant County’s website, which also states that 38.41% of the county’s voters turned out. In the race for Grand Coulee Council Position #1, Ben Hughes leads 92 votes to 58 over Tracey Wright, with there additionally being 40 votes for write-in candidates. For Grand Coulee Council Position #2, incumbent Tom Poplawski leads 133 votes to 52 over challenger Cameron Whitney, with the...
Local veteran Fred Long served in Okinawa, Japan, among other places, during World War II, and has stories from his time there that you can read. And he shared more with us last week. Long, who last Saturday turned 99 years of age, wrote a series of short stories in 1999 that are still on the internet. He had been approached by J.A. Hitchcock, a woman whose father had also been in Okinawa. She wanted to honor him and asked Long to contribute a story from there. One story turned into more, and...
Two levies with a combined tax rate of $4.20 per thousand dollars of assessed property value will be on the ballot in February to replace expiring levies of the same combined rate. On Monday, the Grand Coulee Dam School District Board of Directors approved two resolutions containing the language of the levies for the upcoming ballot. Together, the levies are expected to raise between $1.4 million and $1.7 million annually from 2023 through 2026. The Educational Programs and Operations Levy seeks an estimated $2.50 per thousand dollars of assess...
The Lake Roosevelt Raiders' football season came to an end in Davenport on Friday at the hands of the Gorillas. The playoff game started with a Gorilla touchdown, followed by a four-yard LR rushing touchdown from Brit Egbert to end the first quarter tied 7-7. In the second quarter, the Gorillas scored a rushing touchdown then a passing touchdown to go into the half leading LR 21-7. In the second half, Egbert threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Chase Marchand. With a missed extra point, this put...
The Lady Raiders volleyball team competed in the District 6 2B tournament on Saturday, finishing third with a 9-7 win-loss record for the season. The Lady Raiders defeated Tonasket in three sets on Nov. 2 at Manson High School to start the playoffs and qualify for the Nov. 6 tournament in Chelan. . In Chelan, the Lady Raiders defeated Brewster 3-1. "Our girls came out with pure fire," Head Coach Meagan Caudell said. "The one set we lost, we made some big adjustments and the power that the girls...
Incumbents in local positions appear to be keeping their seats as election results come in. Although there will be more votes to count, including 1,300 Grant County ballots, 1,760 Okanogan ballots, plus those arriving by mail postmarked on or before Nov. 2, vote counts so far for local elections have been posted. According to Grant County’s website, 25.35% of the county’s voters turned out. In the race for Grand Coulee Council Position #1, Ben Hughes leads 74 votes to 39 over Tracey Wright, with there additionally being 29 write-in votes. In th...
The Electric City council is prioritizing how they would like to spend $278,000 in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds. City Clerk Peggy Nevsimal told the council at their Oct 12 meeting that the guidance “is really loosey goosey” on how the money can be spent and how the city needs to report its spending. She and city engineer Steven Nelson, she said, have never seen money that is so “unstructured” regarding how to spend it, but there still must be a record of how they intend to use the money and how they ultimately do spend it. The cit...
The intersection of Electric Boulevard and Crest Avenue in Electric City was never perfect, and the city has considered its fourth change to its stop signs in three years. The cross sections of streets that make up the intersection never quite lined up. Electric Boulevard, which runs southeast to northwest, lines up. However, the section of Crest Avenue that runs down a hill from the southwest, comes into it in an off-kilter, caddy-wompus way in relation to the other forks of the intersection....
The Raider Cross Country teams competed in boys' and girls' district tournaments this past week. At the Central Washington 2B League Championship and state qualifier event at the Okanogan Valley Golf Course Oct. 27, senior runner Colton Jackson placed 16th, just two spots shy of qualifying for state. Jackson ran the 5,000-meter race in a time of 19 minutes and 40 seconds. "I think they all gave an effort that they can be proud of," Head Coach Matthew Timentwa said. The girls' state qualifier...
Community members like their spring and fall cleanups, a survey reveals, and expressing that may help pay for the cleanups. The cleanups involve free dumping of yard waste at the Delano Regional Transfer Station for residents of Electric City, Grand Coulee, Coulee Dam, and Elmer City, and sometimes curbside pickup conducted by local cities. Last week The Star reported that the Regional Board of Mayors was applying for a roughly $30,000 air quality grant from the Department of Ecology to pay for spring and fall cleanups in 2022, and a spring...
Some workers in Washington state, faced with the ultimatum to get the jab or lose their jobs, have chosen to quit or retire instead of receiving a COVID-19 vaccination. With employees in various fields, including school, health care, and state government required to receive a COVID-19 vaccine as a requirement for their employment by Oct. 18, many workers in the state have opted to retire early or simply quit their jobs. Locally, council members for the city of Grand Coulee, as well as the mayor, expressed support for city employees to make...
Taking a brief survey can help pay for 2022’s Coulee area spring cleanup, fall cleanup, and another spring cleanup in 2023. During the cleanups, residents of Electric City, Grand Coulee, Coulee Dam, and Elmer City are allowed to dump yard waste for free at the Delano Regional Transfer Station, and cities sometimes pick up yard waste for you from your street. Electric City Mayor Diane Kohout, on behalf of the Regional Board of Mayors, is applying for a roughly $30,000 air quality grant with the state Department of Ecology to pay for costs associ... Full story
Having received several complaints about loud fans at the cryptocurrency mining building owned by Canada-based Atlas Blockchain Group, Electric City is going to use a decibel meter to measure just how loud the fans really are. Electric City Mayor Diane Kohout said the fans on top of the building, formerly the Young’s Welding building on Coulee Boulevard, are loud and running 24 hours a day. She said people have reported having difficulty sleeping because of them, leading the city to look at their noise ordinance. Kohout explained that the c...
Fall is a colorful time to hike Steamboat Rock, nearly as iconic an image to the area as the Grand Coulee Dam. Not only does the state park of the same name offer camping and beaches, but you can also climb to the top of this majestic basalt landmark that stands 800 feet above beautiful Banks Lake, which almost completely surrounds it. In Steamboat Rock State Park, which requires a Discover Pass to park, the trailhead starts in two separate places, both fairly close to each other, across the roa...
Having served on the Grand Coulee Dam School District Board of Directors since 2009, Ken “Butch” Stanger would like to serve one last term to see certain things get accomplished. Stanger, who lives in Belvedere, between Elmer City and Nespelem, graduated from Coulee Dam High School in 1961 after attending both Nespelem and Grand Coulee schools before that. Having grandkids, nieces, nephews, and lots of other relatives in the district, Stanger told The Star over the phone that “we all need to pay special attention to general education as it re...
Buffy Nicholson has a vested interest in being a Grand Coulee Dam School District director, having two daughters in the district, a son who will be, and other family members, as well. Nicholson is running for the School Director #2 position against incumbent Butch Stanger in the Nov. 2 election. The Elmer City woman has an eighth-grade daughter who attends Lake Roosevelt, Cora; a fifth grade daughter, Claire; and a son who will attend when school age as well, she told The Star in an email. She also has a large and extended family with many...
Current Councilmember Donald Redfield, who brings with him experience in law enforcement and on various clubs and committees, wants to keep his seat on the Electric City council. After being appointed to a vacant seat in June, Donald Redfield wants to stay in Council Position #1, which is up for election in November. Redfield first lived in Electric City in 2002, then after some time in Grand Coulee, moved back to Electric City in 2013. His wife Lynette Redfield owns Changes Salon in Electric...
Birdie Hensley would like to be back on the Electric City council after just a couple of years being off it. Hensley has served six years total on the council, most recently finishing a four-year term in 2019, which she lost to Bob Rupe in that year's election. Having lived in Electric City for 22 years, Hensley said in an email to The Star that she believes, "If you do not take an active part in city council you do not have any idea what is going on in the community." She said she would like to...
Being that she is unopposed in the election for Grand Coulee Dam School District's Director #1 position, it looks like Shannon Claire Nicholson of Coulee Dam will fill the seat. Carla Marconi, who currently holds it, did not file for reelection. "As a school board member," Nicholson wrote in a candidate statement, "I intend to serve as an open and honest channel of communication between the school district and the community, ensuring that the decisions of the board reflect the diversity of our...
Crows might be afraid to fly through the Coulee - with a scarecrow contest coming to decorate local towns. The 2021 Scarecrow Trail is being held by the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce and will place scarecrows made by locals at local businesses for people to see and choose their favorite. Those wanting to build a scarecrow have just until Oct. 11 to register with the chamber, and the scarecrows will be displayed from Oct. 16 until Nov. 7 at businesses in Electric City, Grand Coulee, a...
The Lady Raiders lost two volleyball games and won one this past week, giving them a 4-3 win-loss record. On Sept. 28, the Lady Raiders lost a home game against Manson in three sets, 25-15, 28-26, and 25-19. "Our girls played really hard, but we got behind and just couldn't quite ever catch up," Head Coach Meagan Caudell said. Lake Roosevelt lost another home game Sept. 30 against Okanogan in three sets, 25-23, 25-14, and 25-12. "Manson and Okanogan were definitely both learning experiences for...
The Lady Raiders lost a Sept. 28 home game to Okanogan with a final score of 9-1. "The game against Okanogan was a tough loss," Assistant Coach Merlee Liberty said, "but it was great to have the opportunity to compete against such a strong team. Every game, win or lose, is a great experience for these girls to have and to learn from." The Lady Raiders won 2-0 on the road against Bridgeport. "The game against Bridgeport was a great one!" Liberty said. "We were able to bring home a win. Hopefully we can carry that same energy into our next game a...