News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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This past week I received a wake-up call. That came on the same day that I learned of Eldon Wilson’s passing and of Duane Frye’s illness. These two men have given more to our community and nation than we will probably ever know. Eldon sat beside me for many years at basketball games. While I was announcing the game, he was keeping track, running the clock and scoreboard. His heart was vested in Raider Sports; he had more passion for what was happening on the court than many of the fans and players who filled the gym. He took his job ser... Full story
As we start the New Year I wanted to highlight some of the seniors in this year’s class at Lake Roosevelt who are succeeding and striving to make a difference in their own lives. I choose Aiyanna Picard because, well, she is “The Legend,” and we kind of have a history with each other. A long time ago, when I worked with Colville Tribal Emergency Services, we got a call about a lost girl. To make a long story short, this girl was lost for a few days in the woods, and hundreds were called in to look for her. She was found and was perfectly fine,... Full story
The year 2016 saw many of my childhood heroes and icons pass away. As the year wound down, they seemed to come in waves and it got me thinking more and more about the celebrities who entertain us throughout the years, and in some cases become part of the family. David Bowie passed on Jan. 10, and although he was not one of my favorite musicians, he was an icon in the music industry. He influenced many of the bands we currently listen to and broke the mold on showmanship and entertainment. Alan Rickman passed four days later, and although you ma... Full story
As 2016 is wrapping up and we prepare for what lies ahead in 2017, it is always good to glance back at the last year and remember the events that affected us most. Now, I could go global for this column, but I decided to keep it personal because I found myself over the holidays looking at the faces of family members around me and thinking about them. How have I affected them? Have I left anything undone? How can I help them in the future year and in years to come? How have they affected me in my life, good and bad? How can we all change?... Full story
Last Sunday night was Faith Community Church’s Annual Christmas Dinner and it got me to thinking about holiday traditions. Maybe it was the Archers and their 30-plus years of service to God and church. Maybe it was watching the Hansens’, Moores’ and Lyngholms’ kids, grandkids and elders come up on stage and perform the unforgettable 12 Days of Christmas. Or maybe it was seeing all the little kids running around like their parents did years ago in a church that used to sit on the very spot the new church now sits. It could have been the smell o... Full story
This early snow and cold front has me remembering back to my childhood and the fun we had in the snow jungles during winter. We spent almost all day outside, in the bitter cold. Of course, we were stacked up with layers upon layers of long johns, socks, sweats, pants, sweaters, moon boots, snow suits, scarves, gloves, beanies and whatever other clothing we were required to wear. We all felt like the “Michelin Man” as we waddled to our locations. Sledding, snow ball fights, snow angles and many other cold weather events kept us out all day. I m... Full story
Last week I started telling you about my story, using only the three important parts that I thought were most relevant to my story. Sometimes what we think is important or a part of us is not essential to the heart of the person listening to our story. The important things to us are not the key elements to a life-changing tale. To tell your life story, you must have the potential to change the life of the person listening. With that being said, let me pick up where I left off last week. I had just packed my stuff and left. I had no idea where I... Full story
It starts with a question. That question can be difficult for some to answer, or for others it can release the flood gates of time and you end up knowing everything about them. A simple question, “What’s your story?” can require a person to dig deep within themselves and uncover things seldom thought about, much less talked about. For others, they spew the information out like they are counting grains of sands in the desert, a task that goes on and on. So why am I bringing this up? I was recently challenged to tell my story. I was met with... Full story
Wrestling is a dedication sport. It is not always about the wins and losses and skill level. It is about the dedication you put into yourself and the time you’re willing to put in to be the best. How much are you willing to sacrifice? This time of year is the time we see grapplers headed to Mr. Hood’s mat room, running circuits and eating the bare essentials. All so they can elevate themselves to the next level. The last five years have seen state wrestling champions in the halls of LR. Octavio Alejendre, Kodie Horn, Jacob Smith and Orrin Gross... Full story
I read in last week’s paper of the passing of Reg Morgan. To say the least, I am a little heartbroken to hear of this. On these very pages, week after week, Reg wrote about fishing, hunting, travel and the occasional stray pet as he let you in on little glimpses of his life and shared what was important to him. It did not matter if it was a local play, what was hot with fishing or changes in the hunting regulations; he spoke with passion, integrity and his own creative style. He was a mentor to me even though he did not mean to be. He only e... Full story
Communication has always been a key to success. Ask any businessman or woman and they will agree. Ask any teacher and they will also agree. Ask any coach and the answer is the same: communication is key to winning and losing. In the classroom, on the field and in the board room, talking to each other is a must. Communication is also a key ingredient in good parenting. The conversation around a meal can be one of the most insightful times. Kids can learn how busy their parents are and parents can also learn about a school day or Snapchat. Kids c... Full story
When someone mentions artists in the Coulee, we almost always think of Keith Powell. We have all seen his handiwork on buildings, paintings or other stuff around the area, and this Friday a dream of his is coming true as he has a “Grand Opening” of his art gallery in Spokane. I can remember Keith from when I was very young. He came to our school once, probably for an art lesson or an assembly. What I remember most is he did not look like your average artist. He looked more like a country western singer or a fur trapper from Hudson Bay Com... Full story
In school we start each day with the Pledge of Alliance. At sporting events the National Anthem starts each contest. Buildings across the nation start each day with the early morning rising of the red, white and blue up the flag pole, and on military bases across the world a horn plays and salutes follow. But yet we still hear the voices throughout the day bad mouthing our country, our government and our troops. We see the flag being burned, hate being fueled and America slowly being tarnished by bureaucrats, the radical and the misguided. But... Full story
I had a great weekend. Opening day of hunting season and a long overdue time spent with my stepson. Great conversation, teachable moments and the realization that a little boy had become a man sometime over the last few hunting trips were the bulk of the weekend wrapped into a neat little package. No deer as of writing this, but I know I was not the only father and son duo that conquered the sage-filled hills of Coulee Country in search of the elusive third point. Anyone who has hunted at all knows how difficult hunting in the desert terrain... Full story
As most of us are trying to decide our political view on things, there are others out there who are struggling with much more serious issues. No, not clowns, and, no, not Cougars or Huskies, but a struggle that hits a little closer to home. The fight is personal, just to get through the day. We are all under attack and we must take up our arms and fight back. The enemy is not the person who sneaks into our yards and steals some material thing. Our enemy is the evil spirit behind it. I have friends that are struggling financially, emotionally... Full story
I had a busy weekend, just like a bunch of you did, so here is a synopsis of big things that happened over the weekend. Football was huge this weekend. LR Raiders 5-0 and an epic comeback and win in overtime in Oroville. Huskies win, Cougars win, Seahawks win. OK, back to the Raiders. Something special is happening in Raider Country. Football is undefeated in its first five games for the first time since Brad Oliver and Levi Seekins put on the colors for LR. Ironically, both have their fingers in the success of this team too, but APX, the... Full story
This weekend the class of 1986 from the great halls of Lake Roosevelt will celebrate 30 years out in the real world. Classmates will come back to the streets of Electric City, Elmer City, Grand Coulee and Coulee Dam, their old stomping grounds, to reunite with friends and reminisce. But this celebration does not come without some pain, considering the recent loss of their classmate who held maybe more Raider Spirit than the rest of the class. Danny “Squeaker” Williams, the former president of the “BRA” group (Boys Rooting Association) back in... Full story
This Friday is Native American Day. For some it is just a day off from school or work. For others it is just another, but for a large population that lives very near here this day is their day to be recognized. There will be powwows, gatherings and celebrations filled with dancers, feathers, salmon and dried meats. For the most part, most of us won’t even notice; but for our neighbors, it is a day for them to embrace their heritage and traditions and try and teach us a little bit about their t... Full story
I am still not used to being on the other side of an emergency. For years I was the one running to the fire or person in need, instead of sitting and watching. But Sunday, ironically on 9-11, I watched as firefighters, medics and police rallied to respond to two separate fires that started around the same time. It was an impressive sight as more and more arrived from around the state, coming here to help us and keep us safe from the flickering flames that crept and grew on the hills and in the valleys. They did well, and as far as I knew as of... Full story
I was getting up to go to work, headed to the shower and decided to click on the TV. What I saw happening in New York City would change not only me but an entire nation. I watched as terrorists took down planes on American soil. This event kept the world captivated for weeks and truths came out slowly. We learned of heroes. We counted the lost. We lit candles and waged a war against this ever happening again. Here we are 15 years later. Memorials are erected all over the country, some with actual pieces of the Twin Towers embedded in their... Full story
There are those who fear change, the unknown that comes with something new. We get used to the way things were done in the past, we become comfortable. So when in a single school summer, we get a new superintendent, a new school board member, a new principal, two new vice principals, a new athletic director and at least seven new teachers/staff members’ things can seem to be very uncomfortable in Raider Nation. But strangely enough it does not appear to be. Yes, we will miss the positive face and atmosphere that Mrs. Liberty brought through t... Full story
Recently, a group of people went to Crown Point to pray. Not too unusual, but what they prayed against might be. They prayed against crime. In particular, they prayed against the recent uproar of criminals in our area. It has gotten bad. The place where we used to brag about keeping our doors unlocked and leaving stuff in our yards has transformed to locking up everything you value and keeping a watchful eye out for strangers. In a place that frequently sees strangers all summer in the form of tourists, our bread and butter as businesses go,... Full story
Have you ever witnessed something with a group of people and, while talking afterward, realize that you all saw something slightly different? Or have you ever heard a cop interviewing witnesses and all their stories are different? Perspective can have us all see the same thing differently. While looking at clouds floating in the sky, one kid sees a racing horse, while the other, looking at the same cloud, sees a man riding a unicorn in a parade. It is all about perspective. Perspective is important. Ask any photographer and he will tell you... Full story
Remember that old song from our younger days, which we would just keep singing and singing as we rode the bus to school or on a field trip? I was reminded of that song at a Public School Employees (PSE) Conference over the weekend. I sat at a table with a few drivers from the Wenatchee area who knew my Aunt Mickey, a now-retired bus driver, as we listened to how the whole state has a driver shortage. That got me thinking a little bit about the importance and the impact of the driver of the yellow bus that took us to and from school. First off,... Full story
The heat finally showed up, and now we start limiting our time outside in the middle of the day. Water is the best friend of most of us right now and like a local man wearing his farm boy overalls with the legs rolled up for some air flow, counseled, “Get in the water and just sit there. It is very therapeutic.” That is advice worth receiving. The gardeners are also smiling a bit more now because the extreme sunshine has awakened the tomatoes, strawberries and other planted treasures, and they are now taking off. The fruit trees also sta... Full story