News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
Sorted by date Results 5686 - 5710 of 7269
An Electric City 10-inch waterline project to Sunbanks Lake Resort, which had been scheduled to begin Monday, has been delayed until after July 4 weekend. City Clerk Jackie Perman said the contractor on the job said if his crew wasn’t set up to go on Monday he would delay the project. The job calls for a nearly 1,900-foot long trench for a 10-inch pipeline to provide city water to the resort. The 10-inch line to be installed alongside the pavement of SR 155 will be capped for any eventual service to new construction across the causeway. S... Full story
In the rocky hills above Lake Roosevelt last Thursday, some 25 chamber of commerce members got to experience the dream farm of members Merv and Mary Jo Monteith. At their Spring Canyon Alpacas and D&M Gardens, they were introduced to the couple's Alpaca herd, about 30 in number, and got a special introduction to a 3-week-old newcomer to the farm. Visitors took a winding gravel and dirt road up a hill and past the D&M Garden lavender grow, now nearly in full purple bloom. A barbecue prepared and... Full story
Ever wonder what a real cowboy does? You can find out Saturday evening when the Ridge Riders hold their Ranch Rodeo in Delano. Action begins at 7 p.m. It's the second year that the Ridge Riders have brought ranch rodeo action to Grand Coulee. Saturday's program is an excellent time to bring the family because children 10 and under can attend free. Team contestants will compete in the following categories: 1) Team branding; 2) Trailer loading; 3) Pasture gathering, and a special individual... Full story
Three newcomers have won their way onto the 14-member Colville Business Council as a result of the Colville Tribes’ general election tally last Thursday. The newcomers are Marvin Joseph Kheel, and brothers Edwin and Michael E. Marchand. Kheel won over Yvonne Swan 284-158 in the Inchelium Position 2 race. Edwin Marchand won over John E. Gorr, 286-179, for Position 1 in the Omak District. Michael E. Marchand won Position 2 over Duane E. Hall, Sr., 267-198. In other races, Jim Boyd was re-elected from Inchelium District Position 1, over Gerald R... Full story
The town of Coulee Dam is looking for a third Civil Service Commission member. Mayor Greg Wilder said two commissioners have been selected, but a third is still being sought. Wilder named Shawn Derrick to the two-year term and Herb Sherburne to the six-year term. He is looking for an interested person to serve a four-year term. Derrick is currently a town councilman, and according to Wilder, can also serve on the commission. Anyone interested in serving on the commission can contact Wilder at city hall, 633-0320. The commission, when... Full story
As absurd as it is starting to appear, the current discussion between Grand Coulee and Electric City regarding their police services contract at least serves to illustrate why an area with a tiny population continues to burden itself with four separate towns where one would do nicely. The problem is we’re too focused — on ourselves. Electric City is now considering the possibility of launching its own police department rather than accept the sticker shock of a proposed huge increase in the rate it pays to Grand Coulee for the service. Tha... Full story
Many people have some sort of family collections stashed away in their homes - family photos, letters, post cards, newspaper clippings and journals full of memories. Although they have lasted this long, what are you doing to ensure that these items of personal value will be preserved for the future? Archives, libraries and museums are not the only organizations tasked with preserving history these days. You can take a few steps to make sure that your family treasures will last for future... Full story
What’s on your agenda for the weekend? If you are staying close to home, and you have a few bucks burning a hole in your pocket, and you are looking for a short-time diversion, look no further because it’s yard sale season in the Coulee. Here’s the menu. For starters, there are a half dozen sales advertised in The Star this week and more than likely, other sales will “piggy back” on these sales, offering up more chances, choices, and challenges so you can make some of those hard earned dollars work for you, on the cheap. But first, you have to... Full story
A crew of six tribal fisheries staffers are working on the Sanpoil River from mid-May to July to catch as many walleye and smallmouth bass as they can in hoping to improve redband rainbow trout and kokanee runs. The work is part of a "Chief Joseph Kokanee Enhancement Project" that began in the spring of 2011 and is expected to continue through 2017, a press release from the Colville Tribes' Fish and Wildlife Department states. Over the past three years, fisheries staff have been working to... Full story
The old school will match the new one, and upgrades to existing facilities will become a reality, for $1.3 million. With the district's three schools ready to merge into its into its new K-12 complex this fall, the Grand Coulee Dam School District board approved plans to use the district's construction contingency fund to do three projects on already existing facilities nearby. Board members started the process of using some $1.3 million to make outside changes to the old gymnasium, re-do the... Full story
Residents of Electric City will soon be able to comment on the size of accessory buildings. The city council decided last week to move forward on a possible change in the comprehensive plan that would allow larger accessory buildings in the city. Electric City has been under pressure for over a year to allow larger accessory buildings. The city plans to soon send out surveys to all residents in the city to give them an opportunity to express their view of changing the comprehensive plan. City Clerk Jackie Perman said the city has already spent... Full story
Grand Coulee Councilmember David Tylor said that a meeting Thursday with two Electric City council members to discuss a new law enforcement contract went better than he expected. Grand Coulee Mayor Chris Christopherson had stated before negotiations could be started that, “They need us, we don’t need them.” “It was like throwing the gauntlet down,” Tylor said. Surprisingly, the meeting with John Nordine and Aaron Derr, the two Electric City council members on the negotiating team, went very well, he said. “I got the impression that Electric Cit... Full story
The polling results from last Saturday’s Colville Business Council election are in, and absentee ballots will still be the deciding factor in several of the races. In Nespelem District Position 1 race, incumbent Billy Nicholson trails his challenger, Amelia (Moses) Marchand, 106-100. In Nespelem District Position 2, incumbent Nancy Cawston Johnson led challenger Harvey Moses, Jr., 108-97. In Inchelium District Position 2, Marvin Joseph Kheel had a commanding lead over Yvonne Swan, 169-59. In Inchelium District Position 1, incumbent Jim Boyd i... Full story
Nespelem School District is searching for a new principal and superintendant after accepting the resignation last week of John Adkins. Adkins has held that office for five years. He has accepted the superintendent job at Wellpinit School District on the Spokane Indian Reservation, which serves about 500 students. Nespelem, with about 150 students in preschool through eighth grade, is beginning a search for a candidate to fill the spot “with a strong likelihood of an interim” superintendent/principal, according to Rich McBride, executive dir... Full story
Buyers, many of them with lumps in their throats, flocked to Lake Roosevelt High School's classroom wing Friday and Saturday to pick up items that were on sale in the soon-to-be-demolished structure. Many of those who showed up had been students at the school, and with a tear in the eye, scrambled through the rooms looking for just that right memento. Some were there trying to purchase the locker that they had used. Unfortunately, the lockers came in rows of four, five, and more. But people... Full story
The Grand Coulee Dam School District is working with the town of Coulee Dam in an effort to get a police officer at the new school complex. The “resource officer” would be part of the Coulee Dam police force and his or her assignment would be primarily to schools. School district Superintendent Dennis Carlson stated that Coulee Dam will be seeking a grant that would provide 75 percent of the cost of the officer for the first three years, with the town picking up the other 25 percent of the cost. Under the grant, the town would provide full fun... Full story
Work will begin June 23, on a water project that will enable Electric City to provide water service to Sunbanks Lake Resort. The project will provide a 10-inch line from State Street to the entrance of Sunbanks, and then a six-inch line to service water needs within the park. The work is being done now, in spite of it being the high point of the tourist season, because health officials will not allow “The Cantina” restaurant at Sunbanks to operate until the water problem is solved. At a pre-construction meeting early this past week, it was est... Full story
Spending more than a million dollars to reside and reroof old school buildings, construct stares and fix tennis courts shouldn’t have to happen, but it’s a good thing that it will. Apparently, that’s due to good stewardship of the construction process for the new K-12 school complex and some good timing and decent luck during the bidding phase. Despite that good management, we should not lose site of the fact that buildings and property deteriorate and will again require repairs. If that means a few more dollars from each of us per year to so... Full story
We went to the light show with our grandchildren on Thursday night, June 5, and thoroughly enjoyed it. The colors and story were a great history lesson for us all. I remember going by at least every fall and winter on trips to relatives at Nespelem and hockey trips to camps in Canada. What a great thing the animals, eagles, army trucks, fish, etc. were. My granddaughter wanted to go to the fire station in Grand Coulee because she eventually wants to be an EMT. The guys were great about talking to her about the ambulance and other things to do... Full story
Later this year, Alan Mulally will leave Ford Motor Company. On July 1, he turns the reins over to 53-year-old Mark Fields, closing a storied career at Ford and Boeing. While he hasn’t divulged his plans, hopefully he will bring his talents to government. Mulally inspires people with his confidence, humility and charisma. His turnaround of Ford has been spectacular. Yes, government is different than the private sector, but anyone who can bring together people with diverse interests and varied b... Full story
Let’s start off with a wander down the Prairie Look trail, and in your mind’s eye, you can take your choice: either walk along that dusty trail on foot or try sitting up high on horseback or in a wagon. Imagine your family’s wagon, lumbering along in the ruts made by the hundreds of wagons and campers (prairie schooners) groaning under the weight of cargo, which, in the 1800s might have included wooden wedding chests filled with linens, clothing, and memorabilia from life before the trek across the plains and prairies. An old journal entry... Full story
With two key health care providers working on a very limited basis and revenues limited as a result, Coulee Medical Center is losing money and faces yet another challenge: a physician will leave for a year, starting in January. Dr. Jacob Chaffee announced last week that following the battles with the former administration last year, he needs some time off. “The past six months here at Coulee Medical Center have been difficult and I have come to the point that I need to take a sabbatical,” he wrote in CMC’s email newsletter. “My family and I w... Full story
Lake Roosevelt High School pushed 31 of its students into the world last Saturday. The graduating class of 2014 celebrated the accomplishments of all, taking special note of its top scholars, community volunteers and athletes, and listing some $568,168 in offered scholarships. Below is a list of the class accomplishments. 2014 Lake Roosevelt High School Graduation Awards & Scholarships The Class of 2014 Valedictorian: Chyenne Kelly-Marconi The Class of 2014 Salutatorian: Daniel Campobasso High H... Full story
Grand Coulee is advancing a proposal for law enforcement coverage for Electric City that would triple the price, a proposal that its own police chief hadn’t seen. Chief Mel Hunt took one look at the proposal and stated, “This is the first time I’ve seen this.” The copy of the proposal had been made available to The Star by the city clerk’s office in Electric City. Officials there were going through sticker shock last week when they looked at the proposal from Grand Coulee for $209,982 for 2015. In the final year of the current five-year contrac... Full story
by Roger S. Lucas The 10th Annual Koulee Kids Fest is Saturday, with everything for kids. Pick up your Koulee Kids passport at the Visitor Center, Saturday Market or Coulee Hardware and you can be on your way to fun and maybe prizes. The event is organized by the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce and many partners. Get your passports stamped at six or more fun venues and you are qualified for great gifts at a drawing at the end of the day. Fun activities at the various venues include: • catching a fish at the big tank at the Colville T... Full story