News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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It is funny how things play out in the world and with what you do in your own little environment. Sometimes it tweaks your way of thinking on a global scale or a heavenly scale. Let me explain. If you have paid attention at all to the happenings in the Far East, then you know a global epidemic is upon us. People are being slaughtered for their beliefs. They are being murdered if they do not pay a tax to a terrorist group or if they do not denounce their God and swear allegiance to that of the te... Full story
Most of you may never have met him, others just once or twice. Some will know the name only. Most will know at least one of his boys, some all three, but everyone will know Siam Palace. If you have lived here ever in your life and moved away, one of the first things you do when you come home to Coulee Country is to get some Siam Chow Mien. My sister does, the Seekins boys do and travelers from all over the area do. Kachane has done something right in those noodles but that is not why he is a... Full story
America’s traditions are becoming diluted and, frankly, dying off. But one tradition appears to be alive and well, and over the last seven days we took part in the great tradition of camping. Our annual campout was a success overall, although this year had a different feel to it. We left town as the fires raged around us and smoke filled the 100-degree air. Upon arrival we found the heat was still there but the air was clear. The heat would not last, as a storm would move in later in the week. The “plantation” was in full bloom and the crop... Full story
The smoke is the sign. Our neighbors to the north have been devastated by the fires burning in their area. Hopefully by the time the paper hits our hands the flames will be extinguished and this raging beast we call a wildland fire, is dead. Never-the-less, when the coals are cold and the ground is just a black charring, there will still be the devastating recovery process for those who lost everything except their lives. Fire can be a powerful monster and we have seen it locally take single dwellings in an instant. But our friends in Pateros... Full story
There is an epidemic going on around us. Over the past month I have heard from strangers and friends about being the victims of crimes. As a matter of fact, the past few years in the Coulee have seen theft and burglary go up, with the theft of safes, propane tanks, HVAC units and smaller stuff. Recently, homes have been broken into, not just in our area but in Wilbur, Almira and Coulee City and homes in between. Even a car, stolen from the Emergency Services Building in Nespelem, was taken from... Full story
Have you ever ridden a roller coaster in the dark? A long time ago, wife Karrie and I had the privilege of going to California with a friend and visiting Disneyland. Space Mountain is a roller coaster in the dark and it was maybe the best ride I have ever been on. Maybe it was the very long line we had to stand in or just the anticipation build-up, but it was a very fun ride. What I remember most is sometimes you did not know which way you were going to turn next — could be right, could be left, and could be a sharp upturn or a quick drop. Y... Full story
It was recently brought to my attention that maybe we are looking at things wrong. Consolidating the community is probably a bad thing. Maybe we should be reverting back to the way things used to be. We should all be living in the past and never look for change. I am sure there are many of you that would be onboard for this (of course you are, you’re doing it now). So here is my plea to step us backwards so that we can all have our own private little area that only small groups are responsible for. First off, we must start the de-annexation pro... Full story
The very first column I wrote for the paper, "Missing the missing trees," had a section in it about a dog that was walked by her master in those trees. (Ironically, more trees and shrubs are being ripped out of the North Dam area as we speak). Well, that dog was Pooka, and she has edited her last paper with her master and watered her last bush. A lot of you who frequented The Star, or knew the Hunters, knew the white scruffy canine that went just about everywhere they did. You knew Pooka. Many... Full story
If you can’t say something nice, then don’t say anything at all. That is what my mother and grandparents told me a lot over my younger years, and I am sure you were told the same. I try and always keep that in mind when I write this little portion of the paper. As well as use that thought process in everyday life. I have not always been able to do that, I have said unkind things to many loved ones and strangers alike. OK, now that that is off my chest, I have some things to say about things going on in Coulee Country. We all know that I wri... Full story
It was another whirlwind weekend of projects, friends and graduation celebrations. As we visited with friends and people we call family these last few days, some things came to light, and smiles settled in to our faces that will be there for awhile. So travel with us … Friday night a neon, rainbow colored unicorn named Humphrey slipped into our lives again (an obvious mystery person). We reminisced and laughed hard about the adventures and memories of this mythical creature and will cherish this... Full story
In our school history we have retired and put to pasture some of our mascots. Soon a Pirate will join them. Please, a moment of silence for our fallen identities of the past. Grand Coulee Tigers, Coulee Dam Beavers, Center School Dolphins, Grand Coulee Dam Junior High Panthers and now joining them are the Center School Eagles and the Grand Coulee Dam Middle School Pirates. If you have not heard yet, next year in the new school it will be Lake Roosevelt Raiders from K to 12. A giant ship load of Raiders. Arrrr (in my Jack Sparrow voice). United... Full story
When I was younger, a cemetery brought visions of ghosts and creepy monsters. Not to mention a music video by Michael Jackson that made all the ghouls dance in unison. It was a place you did not want to go and always felt a little uncomfortable. As a kid it also brought back visions of death and that can make it all the scarier for a child. But as we grow and mature, we learn and experience, and the cemetery becomes something else. For me, it is a place of memories. If you think about it for a moment, like I did this weekend, it’s kind of a s... Full story
There is a kid in town who is racing his way to NASCAR. That kid is Lucas Bird, a home grown product of the Coulee area who has won races in just about every car he has been in. Last year he was racing with the adults and won the championship hands down. Did I mention that this kid is only in the eighth grade at Grand Coulee Dam Middle School? 4.0 student. Class president. Not to mention a leader, not just on the track but in the halls at school. I personally have seen him be the voice of... Full story
There is a job out there that never gets the recognition and respect it deserves. You are all guessing right now, but let me help a bit. It’s not a firefighter, law enforcement or military. Although those are slighted at times, too. No, it is not a teacher, pastor or any other high profile position. OK, let me give you a hint. They work 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, never get a pay check and are responsible for every person in the world today. Figure it out yet. Yep, they are mothers. In a r... Full story
This last weekend we took a last-second trip to Liberty, Wash. Never heard of it? Well, if you google it you will have a hard time, too. It used to be a town near Cle Elum, a mining town, and in its heyday they had a pretty large group of residents. They even had a post office. But now you will only find the remnants of a cool little town that the current residents are very proud of. The miners still have their claims and the remaining buildings are part of the Historical Society. Liberty is a... Full story
Well, about two years ago I started writing this column for The Star. It started with missing the missing trees and we have covered many subjects along the way. In the beginning I was doing a monthly column, then every two weeks, and before I knew it I was doing it on a weekly basis. Yes, sometimes it is very difficult to come up with a subject that I can spin into my style of writing. If you have not noticed, I always try and put a positive spin on things. That in itself can be difficult and I... Full story
One of my most trusted readers and a small friend of mine, (even though she tells me to Shut Up every time she sees me) wanted me to do my column about the Easter Bunny. So since I don’t want to make one of my most valued readers angry, I will write a column about the furry little guy that hopefully delivered you a basket full of goodies last Sunday. If you got a look at the middle school field last week, you might have got a peek at the thousands of eggs the Easter Bunny and the Lions Club s... Full story
OK, sometimes when I look around the Coulee I see things or hear things, and I cannot help but dwell on these things for a while and just think. For example, “I won’t buy a house below the dam. What if the dam breaks?” I always laugh a little on the inside when I hear this. This dam is not going anywhere. I remember a teacher, years ago, doing research on how much firepower it would take to put a hole in the face of the dam. Even with a perfectly placed shot of the most powerful weapon known... Full story
We decided to visit my family in North Dakota over spring break. We had never done this in all these (almost 20) years of being together. Mom and Sis were excited to have us, as was Gage (turning 6 during our visit) and Kash, who was just born in December. We soon found out why we have never visited. A landslide on one of the passes and a blizzard on another left us going about 25-40 MPH for a big chunk of driving, and leaving us 200 miles short of our first night’s destination and searching f... Full story
Her name goes hand in hand with the food bank and hugs and kisses. Those by themselves are enough to put her on the list of local gems, but this small-in-stature lady has a heart that is bigger than even possible. Fern has been around the area for a long time, although no one I chatted with about her could pinpoint the time or date. She has just always been around. The food bank is now her passion; well, it is, at least, where we all see her the most, ordering her army of volunteers in... Full story
The birds are chirping, the trees are budding, bugs are making an appearance and the kids are getting rambunctious. Spring is here and summer just around the next bend. So that means a few things are about to get going full swing. One is tourism, and we all know that means dollars in our community. From the parks to the hotels to the restaurants, it is a trickle-down effect. Even if you are thinking it does not impact you. It does. Hotel/Motel taxes go into our city coffers and get spent back... Full story
I don’t have all the answers. There, I said it. Kids are now smiling and so is my wife. Now, with that being said, I think it is about time I wrote about the big issue in our community, the situation at the hospital. I use the word “situation” because that’s exactly what it is. The thing about a situation is that it can be changed and we usually allow it to happen to get to this point, either knowingly or with closed eyes. I must be honest, Coulee Medical Center is not where I go for my primary... Full story
This past week was a busy one. So here is a recap of the week in a glimpse. The week started with a “Man Date.” Jeremy Hanson and I traveled to watch the Raider Boys B-Ball play in the Regional Tournament. The boys were in it the whole game but a couple missed shots here and a turnover there, along with an opponent’s hot bench caused us to just fall short. The Raiders once again played with a huge heart and the few fans that made the journey left with great expectations for next year. Chall... Full story
This morning I got the news, the kind of news that no one wants to get, whether it’s expected or not; my uncle had died. Ninety-nine percent of you don’t know him; he did not live here, never did. He had visited a time or two, and I reminisce now on those times. But I don’t want to hash out memories for you about someone you did not know and had little impact if any at all in your life. He did impact mine and my family’s but what I want to write about today is that he did serve us all and you... Full story
So the Olympics are done passing out medals for another year, but there was a very big medal passed out this weekend, and boys’ Raider Basketball moved one step closer to get their chance at a coveted medal of their own. If you wanted to watch team play at its finest this year, all you had to do was watch a local LRHS Raider basketball game. Both boys’ and girls’ teams developed into great teams as the season wore on. Both teams are young, only one senior dribbling for Raider Basketball this... Full story