News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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Following a public hearing Nov. 25, school directors decided students will attend Lake Roosevelt Schools for four days each week instead of five, beginning in the fall of 2025. People at the hearing expressed support and concerns, urged the board to consider how it would affect academic progress, and questioned whether enough research had been done into the idea. Superintendent Rod Broadnax assured people the decision would have no impact on the district funds and the board’s decision would have to be based on what’s best for the kids. Boa...
The Lucas family had a logging operation during the Great Depression near Bovill, Idaho. My oldest uncle, Ralph Lucas, was in charge, but the crew was full of members of the family, including my dad. It was all virgin forests then and had never seen a saw nor work crews. The logs were so large that you could only get three on a truck or railroad car. Only a few mills had saws large enough to cut the logs, so they sold to the mill at Potlatch, Idaho. There wasn’t much machinery in those days, so timber was cut by crosscut saws with two men on t...
One of the most significant shifts from our recent elections is America is headed back to an “all of the above” strategy that expands our energy options rather than further restricting them. In the last four years, there has been an expensive shift away from carbon fuels (gasoline, and natural gas) to subsidizing wind, solar and electric vehicles (EVs). President Trump would be wise to look at inclusive strategies incorporated in the 2005 Energy Policy Act signed into law by President George W. Bush which focused on incremental imp...
Two men whose crime spree ended with murders on the Colville Reservation in 2022 were convicted Monday in federal court of those and other crimes, including shooting a Colville Tribal Police sergeant. Zachary L. Holt, 24, and Dezmonique D. Tenzsley (a/k/a “Privilege”), age 35, were found guilty on all 17 counts presented at trial, including Felony Murder in Indian Country, Attempted Murder of a Federal Officer, Assault of a Federal Officer, Attempted Robbery in Indian Country, Robbery Affecting Commerce, as well as several firearm off...
Electric City and Grand Coulee took different approaches to the county health district's annual request for a public health contribution - demonstrating difficult decisions, and perhaps different priorities during a time of rising costs and increasing demands on local government budgets. The Grant County Health District relies in part on funds from the county budget set by county commissioners, as well as voluntary contributions from the 13 cities and towns within the county. Each council...
The treaty that has governed how the United States and Canada have managed the Columbia River for the last 60 years was set to expire in September, but the two countries announced in July they had reached a new agreement in principle “on the key elements for a modernized Treaty regime,” according to the U.S. State Department. Next week, you can attend an online meeting to find out what that means for how Grand Coulee Dam, and Lake Roosevelt behind it, will likely operate in the future. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and Bureau of Recl...
Nothing is more rewarding than making a new friend. Sometimes the circumstances are unusual, as I was in this case. I had gone to the restaurant here in Electric City for breakfast, and when I entered it was apparent that the tables were full and there was no place to sit. When I was about to stand and wait for a table, a little boy sitting at a small table for two caught my attention and offered the spot at his table. That was the beginning of a new friendship. The boy’s name is Daxton, and he is 6 years old. Dax, as he likes to be called, s...
A story from my childhood came to mind as I read a recent ABC News report about a mother who was arrested after her son was seen walking alone to the Dollar Store a half mile away from his home. Brittany Patterson of Mineral Bluff, Ga., was at a doctor’s appointment with her other child when her nearly 11-year-old boy left his house and was spotted by himself. Somebody alerted the police who took the boy home. A few hours later, the cops went to Patterson’s address, cuffed her in front of her kids, dragged her off to the police station for a m...
Republican Dan Newhouse is preparing for a sixth term in the U.S. House of Representatives, serving one of Washington state's most solidly Republican congressional districts. He's excited. He'll be a member of the House majority again. With Republicans in charge in the Senate and an incoming GOP president, he foresees his party "accomplishing good things for the country." Donald Trump, the former and future commander-in-chief might not be quite as happy. He didn't want Newhouse back this year.... Full story
The basement of the Church of the Nazarene in Grand Coulee was filled with help Saturday as local scouts hauled in the results of their annual food drive for the Care and Share Food Bank, an effort that restocked shelves that were getting empty. Care and Share is currently serving around 130 local families, according to Director Carol Nordine, including many young families with children and working parents who find it hard to keep up. About a dozen volunteers, plus the scouts, made fairly quick...
When Electric City’s leadership signaled last week that they want an independent attorney to rewrite an old, incomplete and ambiguous document governing the wastewater plant, they effectively put the ball in Grand Coulee’s court. Grand Coulee responded in kind — passing a nearly identical resolution at their Nov. 19 council meeting, and giving the wastewater plant’s joint board of operators some action items for their Dec. 5 meeting in Electric City. Then, Grand Coulee’s conversation turned toward the topic of the two cities coming together in...
It always seemed I ended up with a fry cooking job. It started in high school, quite by accident. A friend had the fry cooking job at The Oasis in Palouse, one of three restaurants in town at the time. One of the owners, Ellen, asked me if I would come in and help out for the evening. I would be washing dishes and peeling spuds for 50 cents an hour while she filled in as fry cook. My friend didn’t show for the second night and Ellen asked if I would like the job. I said yes and she assured me that she would stay with me until I was ready to go...
You may have likely heard that Grant, Chelan and Douglas PUDs jointly filed a lawsuit in June against the federal government over our collective contribution of hydroelectric energy and capacity we must send to Canada per the Columbia River Treaty. Implemented in 1964, the Columbia River Treaty between the United States and Canada was established to facilitate the joint development of power generation and flood control in the Columbia River Basin. It has many elements and directly affects our ability to maximize the benefits of the...
After years of odious political behavior, it is time for elected officials to focus on governing our nation with civility and respect. It is time to go back to acting for the common good. Enough is enough! Our country needs leaders, irrespective of party affiliation, to set aside differences and unite — not demagogue and jockey for power. America is weakened by the continual onslaught of character assassinations, false accusations, misinformation, and bitterness which has been pervasive over the last dozen years. We do not know who to trust o...
KELLER – Until further notice, Keller Ferry users who travel across the Columbia River on State Route 21 should continue to find alternate routes. The Keller Ferry (M/V Sanpoil) is currently out of service due to a mechanical issue. At this time the Keller Ferry does not have an estimated time to return to service. Travelers planning a trip across the Columbia River on SR 21 should choose an alternate route during the closure via SR 25 or SR 155 and SR 174. Drivers should also plan additional time for travel, as it can take up to an hour to c... Full story
Two people were taken to hospital following an incident in which a 17-year-old had reportedly slashed two people with a knife at a party early Sunday morning. Coulee Dam Police responded to a Grand Coulee residence after overhearing a Grant County dispatcher call out a county sheriff’s deputy to the scene of a large fight about 2:15 a.m. at 213 Second Street. A Coulee Dam Officer responded after asking if the Grant County Sheriff’s Office wanted the assistance. On the way to the active scene he called another Coulee Dam officer for help. Whe...
Local emergency medical service volunteers are aging out and burning out, and it may be time to look at funding a new district to ensure full-time help is available. That's the message Electric City Mayor Diane Kohout and Grand Coulee Fire Chief Ryan Fish, and others shared at a community town hall meeting hosted by the Regional Board of Mayors Nov. 6. "The volunteer base has eroded over the years," Kohout said in an opening presentation in Coulee Dam's town hall. "If this continues, we're in...
The management agreement for Grand Coulee and Electric City’s shared wastewater treatment facility — written in 1984 — needs a rewrite, according to the Electric City Council members. The plant is jointly owned by the two cities and overseen by a “joint board of operators” made up of council members from both jurisdictions. However, Grand Coulee is effectively the majority owner, meaning, among other things, it was the only signer with SJ Environmental, the contractor operating the wastewater plant. That contract is currently up for renewal....
The Great Depression was a great teacher. You’ve read about it, but few of you experienced it. As a youngster it wasn’t as bad for me as many others. I credit my parents for sparing me the suffering that hit America. It didn’t hit and then change. It hit and held on for my entire childhood. I still remember the fun I had growing up, more so than my three older brothers and sister. I don’t remember any of them who expressed any fond memories. Along came the war and suddenly I was cast into the real world. First, my oldest brother Richard...
Every year, on Veterans Day, we pause to honor the men and women who have worn the uniform of our country and served in defense of our freedom. It is a time to reflect on the sacrifices made by those who stood guard over our nation’s ideals, from the founding of America to today. As a proud representative of Central Washington, I have the privilege of meeting veterans who have devoted their lives to preserving the freedoms we hold dear. From their courageous service on battlefields around the world to their ongoing efforts to support the local...
It's gotta make a guy feel pretty appreciated when a send-off-to-state rally is held just for him, as it was for Caden Portch Friday. The Raider junior alone among his cross-country teammates qualified for the state meet at Pasco's Sun Willows golf course held Saturday. So Lake Roosevelt saw him off Friday in the school's traditional style with an assembly, the "tunnel," and sirens and lights supplied by police and emergency services folks escorting him through town on the way out. Portch ran...
Republican Congressman Dan Newhouse has secured a sixth term representing central Washington, fending off Trump-backed challenger Jerrod Sessler. Newhouse has been leading since Election Day and declared victory in the race on Monday. The Associated Press called the 4th Congressional District race for Newhouse on Tuesday afternoon. As of Tuesday, Newhouse had 52.1% of the vote while Sessler had 46.2%. "The results from this election show the people want a results-driven leader who understands th... Full story
Though questions remain, the Grand Coulee Dam school board at their Oct. 28 meeting indicated openness to switching to a four-day school week in the 2025-26 school year. Board members will likely make their official decision at the Nov. 25 meeting after hearing more direct comments and concerns from staff, faculty and students — as well as a more complete proposal including the start time and end time for each school’s daily schedule. Superintendent Rod Broadnax presented survey results that tended to show staff in support of making the cha...
As most of the country’s election map turned red last night, so did most of Washington states but with different results overall. With only 64 % of votes counted in the state as of 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, Vice President Kamala Harris, with 51% of the vote nationally had received 58% in Washington, giving the state’s 12 electoral college votes to her. Results are unofficial until they are certified Nov. 26 by county officials, then by the secretary of state on Dec. 5. That blue leaning in the most heavily populated areas of the state carried thr...
The Grand Coulee Dam district will propose a four-year school funding levy to voters on the February ballot, the board indicated at its Oct. 28 meeting. If approved, the new levy would replace the current one, which expires next year, and bring in nearly $4.2 million for educational programs and operations between 2026-29. The current year’s budget for educational programs and operations is just under $14 million. Though the final resolution language still needs formal approval by the board in November, members unanimously agreed with the r...