News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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I marvel at how lucky I’ve been with neighbors and other local people. In the fall, about every three days, Howard and Denise Anderson deliver a couple of containers filled with the prettiest dahlias imaginable. They have been doing this for years. I think this is the reason I like fall better than any other time of the year. The Andersons plant in the back of their house where they get just the right kind of sunshine. Add to that the special care they give the dahlias. Years ago, when I could tend a garden, I tried my hand at raising dahlias....
Live music, good food, and local and Indigenous artists will take center stage at Coulee Dam's saʔtítkʷ (River) Artist Celebration this weekend, at what organizers hope will become an annual event on the reservation side of Coulee Dam. And that's not even mentioning trick-or-treating and a costume contest with cash prizes happening Friday. Hosted by the Chamber of Commerce and the Northwest Native Development Fund (NNDF), the celebration is centered on Mead Way, where most of the surrounding bus... Full story
An Electric City woman who allegedly kept dozens of dogs in her one-bedroom basement apartment failed to comply with code enforcement citations for over a year, and now faces the criminal charge of second-degree animal cruelty, according to police reports. One animal rescue professional described the situation as a case of “hoarding.” Kari Doughty wasn’t at her Coulee Boulevard home when Coulee Dam Police Chief Paul Bowden and two officers arrived to execute a search warrant Oct. 4, but she got there while police and Spokanimal staff were...
The switchyards that direct the power from Grand Coulee Dam have been owned by that Bureau of Reclamation project since it was all built, but that just changed. On Tuesday, the Reclamation formally handed over ownership of those assets to the Bonneville Power Administration at a signing ceremony in front of the dam, much of which was used to recognize those in each agency who worked to make it happen, many of them for years. Grand Coulee Power Manager Coleman Smith said he has been working on th...
When asked about airports, one official stated: “There’s all the airports in the world, then there is Hong Kong.” Of course he was referring to Hong Kong’s Kai Tak airport. Kai Tak is a thing of the past, having been replaced by a new airport situated miles from the dangerously high number of high rise apartment buildings right in the path of the approach to the runway. Planes then had to come in right over dozens of huge buildings as tenants were subjected to unspeakable noise. I have mentioned coming into Hong Kong a number of times amidst...
Leaders at one local school district broached the idea of changing the yearly school calendar to an alternative that cuts down on the long summer break. The state’s Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction calls the concept a “balanced calendar” approach, which generally means taking the same 180 days a year of school and not concentrating them all into nine months, then taking all summer off. Nespelem School Superintendent Effie Dean said she’s noticed frustration on the part of teachers whose students are taking longer than expecte...
Starting January 1, a ride in the local ambulance will cost you an additional $25, amounting to a 3.5 to 4% increase. "Last time they were changed was two years ago," said Rick Paris, ambulance chief. "Inflation is probably about 5% over the last two years, but we're still trying to keep it reasonable for the citizens." The ambulance currently costs $700 per ride, or $625 for residents of Grand Coulee, which will become $725 and $650 respectively. Additionally, the charge for an ambulance...
Jimmy Carter turned 100 Tuesday. When I think of the former president (Jan. 20, 1977-Jan. 20, 1981) I think of Abraham Lincoln. He is the most selfless man that I have ever met. I first met Mr. Carter in 1976 while attending a Suburban Newspapers of America conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Carter was governor of Georgia at the time. He was the keynote speaker. I remember I was pleased because I had followed Carter’s career, and like others, I thought he would make his mark in politics. Carter talked for about 45 minutes, left the stage and c...
It has been nearly a year since the horrific October 7th attacks by the terrorist organization, Hamas, and it is crucial to reflect on what has happened since. On that tragic day, over 1,000 innocent civilians were brutally murdered in one of the deadliest events for Jewish people since the Holocaust. These unprovoked and highly coordinated attacks were carried out with the sole intention of killing as many people as possible. In the aftermath, Israel has fought valiantly to defend itself against terrorist cells throughout the region, and it is...
Whether you call it a ban or a significant deterrent to future natural gas consumption, voter approval of Initiative 2066 (I-2066) in Washington may be only the first giant pothole to fill. The next one in the road ahead may be a hefty tax on natural gas. In 2019, Berkeley, Calif., became the first city to prohibit natural gas connections in new buildings. San Jose, New York City, San Francisco, Seattle, and others followed. However, last year the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals delivered a setback by holding that federal law preempts local bans...
A cooking mishap turned a house to ashes Friday, leaving a family without a home, but well, not including one or more less fortunate pets. Firefighters got the call at 5: 24 that evening, according to a post on the Grand Coulee Volunteer Fire Department's Facebook. When they arrived, "the fire had progressed enough to determine it would be a defensive attack," the post states, so firefighting would emphasize keeping it from spreading to other structures and the dry grass in the adjacent lot. A...
Despite comments on social media that two people were shot in Delano around 10:30 p.m. Sept. 16 — including a woman who said she was a family member of the victim or victims — police responding to multiple 911 calls from neighbors reporting gunshots were not able to identify any victims, nor any physical signs that anyone had been shot. However, Grand Coulee’s outgoing interim police chief told The Star in a text message Sept. 16 that “there is a suspect” and he confirmed there were two victims. He did not name them, but character...
The motion picture “The Bridge on the River Kwai” had more of a jungle setting than the real bridge. I made the trip in an elongated canoe to reach a mango plantation owned by the family of a student our family sponsored at the University of Washington. His name was Khien, and he became a real member of our family. He was loved by everyone. Khien already had his bachelor’s and master’s degrees and his law degree. He was at the UW to get his doctorate. He had already written several books. His specialty — Communist China. Khien had a cubbyhole...
It looks increasingly likely the Grand Coulee Police Department won’t exist for much longer. Instead, the city may contract with an outside entity for law enforcement within city limits — potentially the Soap Lake Police Department or the Grant County Sheriff’s Office — based on comments made at Tuesday night’s council meeting, and by outgoing interim police chief Levi Johnson in a phone call with The Star last week. Johnson confirmed he had put in his notice earlier this month, and his last day with the department is next week. Council m...
A Lake Roosevelt teacher’s recycling proposal won approval from the school board last week, a move he hopes will reduce the district’s waste footprint and perhaps even its garbage bill. The unanimous decision at the board’s Sept. 9 meeting means the district will begin collecting mixed paper and cardboard in a separate recycling bin provided by Sunrise Disposal. “[Sunrise] expects we may be able to eliminate a dumpster within 2 months of getting our program up and running,” wrote Aaron Derr, a 6th grade teacher at Lake Roosevelt Elementary. Pic...
Organizers for Run the Dam say registration this year has almost doubled over last year, with participants coming from all over the western U.S., B.C., and as far away as Texas and Florida. Executive Director Kelly Buche said she expects to surpass 500 sign-ups, a milestone that has been her goal since she took over in 2016. That's thanks in part to a new marketing person, Buche said, but the run and the accompanying weekend festival is attracting more people by simple word of mouth, too. "The...
I wanted to thank you for your thoughtful editorial coverage on “Mental health troubles and news,” and the article “Man rescued from bridge standoff” in the September 11 edition of The Star. You are absolutely correct: “... Hope has to be part of the coverage” you provide, and is a reminder that each of us can offer hope to those who are struggling. Each of the community members who noticed the at-risk individual on the bridge and contacted the appropriate authorities, as well as the worker from Nespelem Valley Electric Co-Op, who was willi...
Just wanted to send a shout out to the Coulee Wall Variety Store. They opened up on Labor Day so that I could get some kitten milk replacement for some sick kittens I was asked to foster. A business and folks like this are truly a godsend to this community. Brittany Belgarde...
Excellent letter from Jim Catlow about “a vote for Trump is actually a vote for”. He does a great job of laying out why people should vote for Trump and not Harris. People need to get over their “TDS - Trump Derangement Syndrome” and vote for what is best for this country. Do I wish that the Republicans had picked someone other than Trump, yes I do, but in this election he is the only choice for preserving the greatness of this country. Glen Graevell...
The gray wolf was never native to the lower 48. But since the introduction of the gray wolf to the lower 48 here are some facts. Yellowstone National Park wildlife numbers in 1990 Elk population was 20,000. Moose population 1,000 Wolf Population 14 Yellowstone National Park Wildlife population 2022 Elk population 5,000 Down 75% Moose population 120 Down 80% Wolf population 120 Up 750% The Gray Wolf has spread from Yellowstone into Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Wyoming, The Idaho Elk hunter harvest in 1995 Lolo Zone was 1,975, In...
A number of years ago while living in Bothell my personal doctor and I became close friends. When I moved there, our clinic had about half a dozen doctors, and I chose the youngest as the one I wanted to go to. When my visit to see him came to a close, he would always take about five minutes to learn what I was interested in. It probably was not the best thing to allow, by either of us. One time, at the close of my visit, he said he intended to go to the Pavarotti concert and wondered if my wife and I would be interested in going. He got...
The education and operations levy that squeaked by in 2022 expires next year, and Grand Coulee Dam School District is already working on the next funding proposal to voters, which the board president would like to see appear on the February ballot. Though the final proposed rate and election date won’t be set until November, it will likely fall somewhere between $2 and $2.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value, based on comments at the school board meeting Sept. 9. Superintendent Rod Broadnax says he intends to bring a proposal to the b...
After a decade of planning and debate, Electric City residents may see early signs of their first city-owned park before the snow falls. Park Planning Committee members are hoping so, as they discussed plans September 3 to get bids for concrete or asphalt, a perimeter fence, rocks, excavation, and lawn irrigation. A six-piece set of outdoor fitness equipment is already on the way, which will include a cross-country skier machine, a sit-up bench, a rower, a fit rider, an elliptical and a warm-up station for the “parcourse.” The set is wit...
It started as an answer to a job interview question in 2015, and next week, the Gathering of Wellness Powwow and Health Fair returns to the CMC grounds, across Highway 174 from the hospital campus in Grand Coulee. Though in its fifth year, it will be the first time since 2019 that Coulee Medical Center has offered the free community event, co-presented by the Colville Tribal Health Program. The powwow specifically began with the goal of improving CMC’s relationships with tribal communities, but everyone is welcome — and it makes for a great fir...
A young man came down from the top of the Columbia River Bridge in Coulee Dam Thursday evening, coached down by a Nespelem Valley Electric worker with a bucket truck. Police had called for the truck earlier in the day from the Rural Electric Authority utility, which also contracts to do line repairs for the city utility in Coulee Dam and was nearby. Police were looking for a way to communicate with the man and planned to have a cell phone delivered with the bucket truck. But the man in the...