News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
Sorted by date Results 5661 - 5685 of 7269
Of the 81 workers who lost their lives while working on Grand Coulee Dam, 79 have been identified by researcher Susan Dechant. Dechant has been researching the accident incidents for the past several years and only recently reported that she was able to identify two more victims. The Colville resident spoke before the Coulee Dam Town Council this spring when council members showed an interest in developing a monument to honor the victims. It would be a replacement monument since one that was placed here in the mid-30s was taken back by the... Full story
Some lucky child is going to end up with a playhouse this weekend. It's the annual one built by DWK Fowler Construction and given to the Ridge Riders for a special drawing, this year at the Junior Rodeo. Tickets for the raffle drawing are $1 each and may be purchased from Cindy Edwards at Loepp Furniture on Grand Coulee's Main Street, or at the rodeo grounds before the drawing. You can even check the playhouse out in front of the Loepp Furniture store. Fowler Construction has been building and... Full story
Over the weekend my beaded stethoscope was taken out of my office in the hospital section of Coulee Medical Center. I have had it for years and used it to help people. It is a Littman Cardiology III with multi-colored native beadwork and my name Aric Frank with a peace sign engraved on the bell. It means the world to me and I am heartbroken at it being taken. Please return it to Coulee Medical Center, no questions asked. Thank you, Aric Frank RN, BSN Nurse Manager Coulee Medical Center... Full story
For the past 2-3 years, our tribal council have not heard “the peoples.” They literally, purposefully, have not listened to the peoples. We in fb land know you sneak in and out of here to see what is the latest in what all of you call innuendo, gossip, fairy tales, etc. Do you have hidden dirty laundry? YOU better start listening … responding! Yes, the peoples are fed up … totally, totally fed up with personal agenda council and the ongoing non-transparency. To my surprise, and most certainly to someone else’s chagrin, the first fairy tal... Full story
In the aftermath of the explosion of a fertilizer storage facility in West, Texas last year that killed 15 people and destroyed three schools and a nursing home, federal officials realized there are serious gaps in federal oversight authority of facilities that house dangerous chemicals. In response, President Obama tasked an interagency working group with developing new guidelines for improving chemical facility safety and ensuring that some federal agency has responsibility for implementing and enforcing new safety guidelines. On Friday, June... Full story
With the Beach Boys famous feel-good song from 1966, Good Vibrations, on the air waves this summer, I’ve been picking up on the excellent shopping-for-vintage-treasures vibes resounding in the Coulee. Say what? What it is, is so much more than the BB song, it’s an entreating calling, both on the wind and as advertised in The Star, with the vibes coming from the towns of Grand Coulee and Electric City, to be exact. The big message calling me, and maybe you too, is the opportunity to shop for vin... Full story
EPHRATA — A country band with a sound as big as Little Texas will headline the 11th annual Basin Summer Sounds music festival. This year’s event is Friday and Saturday, July 18-19. With hits like “God Blessed Texas,” “Kick A Little,” “What Might Have Been” and “Some Guys Have All the Love,” Little Texas was one of the most popular country bands of the 1990s. The group was founded in Nashville, Tennessee in 1988, and topped the charts in 1993 with “My Love.” Little Texas closes out the 2014 Basin Summer Sounds festival with a 9 p.m. performance... Full story
The police issue between Grand Coulee and Electric City took a number of twists and turns this past week. Electric City had threatened to walk away from extending its law enforcement contract with Grand Coulee and develop its own police department. That ended last Thursday evening when two council members from Electric City — John Nordine and Aaron Derr — and two council members from Grand Coulee — David Tylor and Erin Neilson — got together and developed a plan that could eventually lead to a combined police department. Grand Coulee... Full story
As the local chamber of commerce got ready to host thousands of people in the area to its annual Festival of America last Friday and Saturday, members became aware of misperceptions among the public in general of just how those festivities are funded. As chamber members picked up fireworks donation cans from various public countertops, comments indicated that many people assume the whole thing is funded by the federal government. Not so, hence the attempt to solicit small donations that brought... Full story
Consolidation — the word that sends chills up local spines, was spoken last Tuesday night. City Councilmember Tom Poplawski brought it up at the Grand Coulee City Council meeting. And he even said it out loud. Poplawski noted that maybe it was time that the different cities thought about combining operations — like police departments, city clerks, and more. Mayor Chris Christopherson jokingly said, “We could call it the Grand City.” Poplawski went on to say if the different towns and cities could combine, they could get a city manager and dev... Full story
A number of small fires marred the busy July 4 holiday weekend, Grand Coulee Volunteer Fire Chief Richard Paris reported this week on behalf of several responding agencies, and one large fire near Keller was still being battled Tuesday morning. At least five of the fires were caused by fireworks incidents, but none covered more than small areas. Thursday night Electric City firefighters responded to a small fire just north of Devil’s Punch Bowl along Banks Lake. That fire covered a tenth of an acre. Friday night, July 4, Grand Coulee f... Full story
A civic minded man made a big contribution of labor Saturday, helping to clean up the top of North Dam after Fourth of July fireworks the night before. But no one knows who he is. The young man, say Bureau of Reclamation officials, was walking by the mess left by private individuals lighting off fireworks from the top of the earthen dam that holds back Banks Lake when he decided that just wasn't right. He had gathered most of the refuse into piles to make it easier to clean up, and hauled some to a dumpster at North Dam Park by hand. The top... Full story
Crews from IB-1, an asbestos abatement firm, are currently removing asbestos from the classroom wing of Lake Roosevelt High School, and district officials stated last week that it will take about two weeks to complete the work. Then it will be time for the wrecking ball. Work was temporarily delayed recently when it was discovered that there was more asbestos in the building than previously thought. Thirteen of the classrooms had asbestos tile under carpeting. Superintendent Dr. Dennis Carlson stated this week that the abatement firm plans to... Full story
The two letters below on separate problems at nearby state and national parks illustrate a larger problem with a policy stance the entire nation has adopted through its politics. For decades now, the drumbeat, originating from the Chicago School of Economics in early 1960s, has insisted the solutions to all our problems can come from cutting government budgets and subjecting every government service possible to the forces of the open market gods, which can do no wrong. The adoption of that economic religion has led to some good and some bad... Full story
I am the outdoor recreation journalist with the Okanagan Valley Newspaper Group based in Kelowna, British Columbia, responsible for a Making Tracks column and outdoor recreation features in valley-wide publications, The Okanagan Saturday and The Okanagan Sunday, each with a circulation of 25,000. As part of my coverage of outdoor recreation in Canada and the U.S., I often visit provincial, national, state and federal parks to encourage my readers to explore the outdoors, from Banff to Whistler, from the Olympic Peninsula to the Grand Canyon.... Full story
I seem to recall the Star's editorial support of the "status quo" of gasoline prices here in the Coulee a few weeks ago. It was implied that detractors just didn't “know Jack" and that the higher prices were due to the free market system which locals are willing to pay for. It appears we will now get to see a case study in free market economics now that a new source is offering gas at 25 cents a gallon less. I just wonder if the Bureau's motor pool or the cities’ motor pools will likewise look out for the taxpayers whom they work for and sta... Full story
Activism is the rent some of the CCT elders pay. In the white societal world this is goot goot. It is called volunteerism. It is considered ‘concern’ for your fellow man, your neighbor, your community through participation in local community governance. I especially liked and concur with the opening words of Darlene Zacherle’s campaign letter in the April 2014 Tribal Tribune. In part: “Know your candidate’s ethical & moral boundaries, what they do in their personal lives reflect upon their professional work; do they acknowledge constituency in... Full story
The Grand Coulee Dam School District approved a five-year contract Monday night with Chartwell Food Service of Wenatchee, but has its eye on doing the food program within the district sometime in the future. The five-year contract will allow the district to opt out after any given year with a 30-day advance notice. Chartwell has been providing food service management to the district for the past five years. The board appointed Susan Chaffee and Carla Marconi to do a study on the benefits, if any, of the district managing its own food service.... Full story
A special levy on the Aug. 5 primary ballot could produce about $200,000 towards an Electric City police department, city officials said Monday. Mayor Jerry Sands and City Clerk Jackie Perman said the idea of an Electric City police department would be the main item on the city council agenda when it meets July 8. “We need a decision that night so we can prepare for a community meeting to explain and get input from community members,” Sands stated. A public meeting could be scheduled at the July 8 council session. The $200,000, coupled wit... Full story
Coulee Dam is moving ahead with an “alternatives analysis” of its plan for revisions to its wastewater treatment plant. The council voted funds, not to exceed $104,572, to move forward and to determine the scope of work, and best location for, the town’s proposed wastewater treatment plant overhaul. The town had earlier selected the engineering firm Varela & Associates, a Spokane business, to do the analysis. That selection was made with participation of Elmer City, the Colville Tribes, and representatives from councils and staff. Varela was a... Full story
Coulee Dam officials have their fingers crossed that a critical piece of equipment at its wastewater treatment plant now in operation will last until a new one is received. The town council voted Wednesday to spend some $40,000 to replace the "clarifier" at the treatment plant. Public works director Barry Peacock outlined the problem for city officials at the council meeting. The wastewater plant doesn't have a backup for the clarifier, and if it went down before the new one could be installed,... Full story
Gary Haag was selected as commissioner of Port District 7 at a meeting last Thursday night. He replaces Orville Scharbach, who resigned from the commission several months ago. With the addition of Haag, the board is now at full strength. Haag came to the area in 1969, when his father transferred here to work at the Grand Coulee Dam project. He attended one year of high school in Coulee Dam and then transferred to Grand Coulee High School, where he graduated in 1971. Haag recently retired from... Full story
The district’s K-12 school complex is right on schedule, members of the school board were informed Monday night. Grand Coulee Dam School District Superintendent Dennis Carlson stated that the elementary wing will be turned over to the district Aug. 4, and be ready for furniture. Shortly after that, on Aug. 11, the libraries and dining halls will be turned over to the district and ready for furnishings. Aug. 15, the junior high and high school wing will be ready for furnishings. On Sept. 2, the school offices will be open and ready for r... Full story
Get ready for a fantastic Fourth of July weekend in the Coulee. The annual Festival of America, coming up at the park below the Visitor’s Center in Coulee Dam on July 4-5, will be an entertaining event with foot-stomping live music both evenings, plus the fireworks display off the top of Grand Coulee, starting at 10:30 p.m., on Friday night, July 4. And, once again, opening at 11 a.m. each day, the event features artisans and craftspersons and their special wares and foodies; take note, some of our favorite food vendors will be in the park t... Full story
GRAND COULEE, Wash. – Lorri Lee, Regional Director for the Bureau of Reclamation’s Pacific Northwest Region, announced today that Coleman Smith is returning to the Pacific Northwest Region to serve as the Grand Coulee Power Manager. Smith replaces Mark Jenson who now leads the Grand Coulee Power Office Project Management Team. “It gives me great pleasure to announce Coleman’s return as the Grand Coulee Power Manager,” said Lee. “He has an in-depth understanding of our power program, and with previous experience as an Area Manager, he understand... Full story