News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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That dirty word is in the news again: consolidation. But this time it is being brought up in city halls. First off, I will stand up and give a standing ovation to those members of government who are finally voicing smart ideas in a forum that can actually get something done about it. Evoking the conversation is the first step. Yes, there will be those old dusty voices coming off the shelves again to give their same old opinions. The same voices that spoke against consolidation of the schools... Full story
So, let’s say someone said to you, “You can only take 10 things with you for the rest of your life.” All of the rest of your stuff will be destroyed, and the clothes on your back don’t count against you. What do you take? My mind instantly goes to survival mode, thinking of knives, guns, ammo, filters and so on. But soon I become overwhelmed. I know I will want at least one picture. What about food? Does my wife count as an item and does she get to bring 10 things too? Can I choose 10 friends and select their 10 things? My mind soon becomes... Full story
If I said the words, “Faith Community Church,” one of your first thoughts would be the Archers. They have been here since the beginning. In an era that pastors don’t usually stay in one place longer than 10 years, the Archers have been here over 30. They raised their kids here and now their grandkids come to visit here. All the while, they pastor the little church in Electric City. Faith Community started in a home many years ago. It grew and soon was in a garage. It grew again and the members said it was time for a building and a pasto... Full story
The first week of school is in the books and the positive atmosphere is already showing itself. Remember when we all said we wanted to see some change in Raider Country? Well, here it comes and it feels good. Volleyball, football and cross country have all completed their first matchups and all are feeling really good about where things are at. Kasey Rey-Garvin saw a squad of girls that just would not quit against Liberty Bell. Teamwork was obvious and some tenacious hitting, not to mention some outstanding serving. These girls will be hard to... Full story
Nick Ford and Shawn Ford, two country brothers from Grand Coulee, and Lake Roosevelt graduates, were gear heads who felt more comfortable under the hood of an old car in Mr. Hood’s auto shop class than they did anywhere else. Back then, their last name was Adams. Owen and Betty Adams raised their kids to be hard working and live life with a sense of humor. Today, not much has changed except the type of cars they work on. Now they are professional Indy cars. Nick and Shawn are on separate teams. Shawn, the older brother, works for Rahal R... Full story
Those were the words spoken by the two leaders of Lake Roosevelt School, where I work, as they prepared their staff for the upcoming year. That is the plan for Raider Nation going into the 2015-16 school year. Can it be done? Yes, but there must be a buy-in. From whom? All of us, and there is a lot to be excited for too. The leaders Liberty and Lakin are pumping up staff and students with their positive message. Change is coming, I can feel it. Get ready, the Raiders are about to change their... Full story
As I write this, and probably as you read it, there are firefighters on the front line of a fire, battling the smoke, heat and flames. There is also a homeowner deciding if they should evacuate or stay and defend his or her home. There are also loved ones worrying about their better halves, praying that they will be safe. There is someone with asthma who can’t wait until they can go outside again. There is a citizen wondering what they can do to help? I have a past in firefighting. In the e... Full story
As I write this today, my mind is wandering. You see, I just finished burying a neighbor’s pet, and my heart is broken for the Hearne family at the same time. Also, all day long we were going through boxes that have been in storage, some since our house fire years ago. A day of remembering. My first memories of Kenny Hearne go back to our grade school days. He was in my brother’s grade and I remember him vividly. Kenny was a one-of-a-kind kid who did not take teasing easily. He was a serious person, but once you got to know him, he would ope... Full story
Sometimes you never know when a revelation of life will hit you. The past few weeks I have been in a few different weed patches, from Belvedere to Electric City and many in between. A few kids (Mason, Marisha, Ronan, Cole and Kaden) along with Karrie and I have been providing a service to those in need. We have dug trenches, put in fence posts, bucked bales, painted a garage, and stained a deck, but yard work seems to have become our specialty. Weeds have become our Achilles’ heel. The kids n... Full story
I spent the weekend with some of the most dedicated, passionate and hardworking school employees from around the state. I was at a conference for Washington Public School Employees, where during dinner they gave out awards. It was a very eye-opening moment for me. There where great stories of how each winner had given up so much for a job they loved, and that got me thinking about the school employees who had touched me over the years. So I went back in the database of my mind, and a few names... Full story
Have you heard this statement lately? “What is going on with our world today?” Or “That kind of stuff just did not happen when I was a kid.” Well, to be honest with past generations, “that stuff” probably did happen but it was behind closed doors and “it,” whatever it might be, was not used to get viewers to tune in to their station. It may have been less of an issue then, but it still happened. That being said, it does seem that certain issues have been amped up or played up lately as the moral compass seems to have disappeared. If... Full story
My Grandpa Utz delivered the Wenatchee World newspaper locally after he retired. He was the local distributor and on many, many occasions I traveled with him as he drove around the Nespelem area spreading the written news. We had many conversations as we put miles on his little Chevy Luv and papers in your hands. The conversations were about music, (he was old school western fan) driving and many other subjects. He told me stories of his childhood and life in the military. He tried to instill in me the importance of work ethic and honor. As a... Full story
There are winners and losers, plain and simple. Yes, we have altered our youth sports over the years to develop a mentality of, “If I just participate, I will get a trophy like everyone else.” But that is not reality. Yes, we want the warm fuzzies for our kids; we must make them feel adequate and encourage them, but we cannot all be winners. The rough truth is that as our kids grow up they will be measured and tested and evaluated and put on a list and ranked. School will start keeping a class order, sports will be measured by wins and los... Full story
It’s hotter than a woolly mammoth in a sweater factory. There are lots of classic sayings out there to describe the current heat wave. Has anyone tried frying an egg on the sidewalk yet? Or barbecuing without turning on the gas? Just curious because it has been that hot. Most are probably sitting in our “cool spot” in the house with a wet rag on your head, a mason jar of ice water in your right hand and an icepack under your undercarriage. If you’re lucky, you don’t have to go outside too much. Just long enough to water plants and move spri... Full story
If you have watched the world news at all, you know that a lot of very troubling things are occurring across the world and in our very own country. A shooting in a church in the south, escaped convicts that could be anywhere by now, and the epidemic of terrorism that quietly hides in our backyards, waiting for its call to perform. Add unemployment, drugs, immoral behavior and corrupt leaders and we have the recipe for major fear. With all that said you are probably ready to run for the hills and hide out for a while. You would be justified in... Full story
Ask any senior, this past week was a stressful one. First there were the deadlines for assignments and papers. Then the Senior Dinner. Followed by Oral Boards. Then Baccalaureate. Then Practice for graduation. Then the event itself, followed by the numerous receptions around the area. The seniors had a busy week, but it was all worth it. They were not the only ones busy. So here are a few things I noticed along the way. There was a handful of kids, you know them as the procrastinators, which had to cram a quarter full of assignments into a few... Full story
Well class, the time has come. The time to become an adult, to make your own decisions and time to be on your own. You have been awaiting and dreaming a long time for this and it is now here. It seems like only yesterday that you were sitting in Mrs. Gilman’s ISS for chewing gum and it WAS only yesterday that you sat in Mrs. Nichols’ for, um, chewing gum. Some lessons are hard to learn. Lessons. It seems like your entire career has been a life of lessons so far. Stand in a straight line. Don’t talk in class. Don’t stick things in your mouth a... Full story
Do you ever wonder how all those shopping carts outside a store find their way back inside for the next customer to use? Kind of an amazing process when you think about it. Some shopper leaves the cart to aimlessly fend for itself, and then, as if an actual modern-day miracle happens, they are right there, waiting for them, in the store the next time they come shopping. A shopping cart vortex that rounds up all the lost and forgotten shopping wagons and returns them home for you. All joking aside, I have noticed a trend lately. Maybe this... Full story
Every once in a while someone from the community approaches me with an idea for this column. I usually write down the idea and add it to my topic list. Other times their idea spurs something in me to write about something similar. But recently a community member got ahold of me, and I am truly inspired by what he told me. I am honored to write this column right after Memorial Day and think it is truly appropriate right now. As a side note, some of these ideas and thoughts belong to the community member, but I am right on board with him. As... Full story
If you don’t know by now, we moved last year to the country, to a beautiful setting looking down the Columbia and up the San Poil. We enjoyed the winter with many a deer, birds of many kinds and the occasional coyote. The spring brought the colors. Wildflowers, luscious green grasses and blooming trees sprang to life everywhere. We truly enjoy the peaceful daily atmosphere. Then we heard the rattle. Before we get too far along, I must admit my one fear. Snakes. The slithering devils of all makes and sizes still give me the occasional n... Full story
First off, I would like to wish every teacher past and present a Happy Teachers Week. I have talked about my favorite teachers in the past and how they influenced my life. Even when I did not know or understand at the time, I came to realize that from pre-school to my senior year — and even including those who instructed me as a firefighter, EMT and any other course I took — have all taken time out of their lives and passed on knowledge that they had amassed and shared it with me. But tea... Full story
I can’t help but think back sometimes in our country’s past and our great grandparents’ time and wonder if that time was harder or easier. I mean, obviously there was the great depression and that was very hard. Also when the pilgrims first arrived, that time must have been a scary time at first but they soon developed their groove and figured things out. It would also be justified to mention our country during war torn times and the torment our families went through daily. There are, of course, things today that we battle that they did not h... Full story
Over the past month, a few funny things have happened. Well, to be honest, at the time it was not funny at all. Remember when our parents used to say, “Someday you will look back at this moment and laugh.” Well they were right, like they mostly always were. My wife and I needed new shoes. We had put off the purchase as long as we could. We both have been trying to eat healthier and exercise more. So during a recent trip to a not-to-be named department store, we found the running shoes we liked at a really good price. We made the purchase and... Full story
First of all, I am so sorry. Sorry I never came to try and fix our relationship. I will carry that burden now for the rest of my life. But most of all, I am sorry that we did not get to say goodbye to each other. Know this if nothing else: I still loved you through it all. There are a few things that will always remind me of you. The toy, “Light Bright.” You would get down on the floor with me and we would put the colored pegs in together, making a colorful picture of twinkling lights. Christmas will also always remind me of you. You see... Full story
This past weekend and the week leading up to Easter was a revealing week for me. My wife and I took part in some long lasting traditions that have been around for thousands of years. All were eye opening and shined a spotlight on my past mistakes, my current situation and my future. No I was not sitting in front of a crystal ball, nor was I having some kind of Scrooge moment. I was just listening and seeing what was right in front of me. Let me explain. First, I must tell you that not everyone will understand these events that I will briefly... Full story