News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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Congressman Dan Newhouse visited Coulee Medical Center last week as part of a tour through the north part of the 4th District to hear from leadership about the hospital's successes, challenges, and their hope to have their tiny home project included in the federal budget. The hospital district, which includes parts of four counties, brings in only about $200,000 annually from property taxes–not even enough to cover the salary and benefits for one doctor–since a large portion of the land is gov...
Village Cinema may not be licensed to screen copyrighted films yet, but owner Larry Hernandez isn’t letting that stop him from bringing movies to the Coulee Dam theater. This weekend he’ll screen two films that are in the public domain, meaning, the copyright has expired and therefore no licenses are required to show public screenings. Saturday night, those looking to celebrate spooky season can come watch Night of the Living Dead, George A. Romero’s classic 1968 horror film often credited with popularizing the modern image of flesh...
Residents of Grand Coulee should start preparing for a nearly $30 fee increase per month on sewer bills once the upcoming $12 million sewage treatment plant upgrades are complete and the loan comes due, city leaders discussed at the council meeting last week. There were signs and unhappy expressions all around the council table as members deliberated on two possible loans to fund the upgrade. A 20-year loan would have meant an increase of $36.59 per month. The 30-year loan increase comes to $28.89. “I don’t like either one,” said Counc...
Like many volunteer-driven efforts, fire and ambulance services that depend on donated labor have seen participation drop in recent years. Local leaders are considering an alternative model: creating a special taxing district to fund ambulance and emergency medical services, subject to approval by voters. The discussion is not yet a formal proposal, but the Regional Board of Mayors invites interested residents to learn more at a public town hall meeting Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 6 p.m. in the ballroom at Coulee Dam Town Hall. Grand Coulee Fire...
Grand Coulee has decided to re-advertise its police chief position, signaling an intent to rebuild its own department rather than contracting out with another jurisdiction. “I am recommending here that we go ahead and set out to hire our own chief of police at this point,” Mayor Ruth Dalton told the council at its Oct. 15 meeting. “We need to kind of take care of this as soon as possible here, to get our police department back where it needs to be.” The council approved an annual salary range of $110,000 to $130,000 for the police chief j...
Last month, two people were shot while walking along Spokane Boulevard in the Delano area, who then drove themselves to Coulee Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries, according to police reports from the Sept. 16 shooting. Though police did name a suspect, no arrest was made and an “attempt to locate” dispatch was ultimately canceled the next morning due to lack of probable cause. The case has been forwarded to the Grant County Prosecutor’s Office. According to Grand Coulee Police Department reports, one victim, a 35-year-old, refus...
For the first time, Grand Coulee’s own Colorama Pro Rodeo has won formal recognition amongst small rodeos in the northwest. The Mother’s Day weekend rodeo was named second runner up in the PRCA Columbia River Circuit, which includes Washington, Oregon, and north Idaho. “Not #1, but we will take it,” said Cindy Edwards, a longtime volunteer with the Ridge Riders, who put on the annual pro rodeo in Grand Coulee. “It’s a huge honor to be even runner up out of 56 events.” Edwards said she hopes the award will bring more attention to the north end o...
What started as a classic social media venting session turned into something positive: a spruce-up day for Crown Point Vista, the Washington State Parks property overlooking the Grand Coulee Dam area. A handful of volunteers and parks staff gathered Saturday morning with the goal of painting the guardrail posts and adding a fresh coat to what some folks call the "sundial" – the concrete open air building at the edge of the overlook. "My administrative assistant said she saw on Facebook a g...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
The suspect in an Aug. 6 shooting in Delano has been charged with second-degree assault. Austin Krabbenhoft, 28, pled not guilty to the Class B Felony charge in his arraignment hearing Aug. 20 in Grant County Superior Court in Ephrata. Though he was booked into Grant County Jail right after his arrest, Krabbenhoft has been out on a $50,000 bail since Aug. 7. According to the terms of his release, he is not to use or possess any firearm, nor make any contact with the alleged victim or a neighbor police interviewed as a witness. According to the...
Citing its current "security posture," Bureau of Reclamation staff has told the Grand Coulee city clerk the agency does not intend to renew its $750,000 annual contract for law enforcement services with the city. The agreement, which has been amended and renewed since it began in 2017, is set to expire May 31 of next year. "As of now, we will not be renewing unless our security posture changes, and it is required," the Bureau's contract specialist wrote to the clerk last month. Although that...
Students at Monday's school board meeting requested full-time counselors, citing the stress of the recent deaths of fellow students, and bullying and violence that have taken a toll in the last few months. They asked for on-site and text-based counseling and suggested a program called Only7Seconds out of Chelan, which works with schools to address youth loneliness and prevent self-harm. ASB President Riley Ayling said she had a phone conversation with the executive director of the program last...
From the starting bell in the morning to the end of the school day, Lake Roosevelt students will no longer be allowed to use their cell phones — not even at lunch — a change intended to reduce distractions, bullying and other discipline issues. In a 3-2 vote, the school board Monday night agreed with staff members who advocated for the formal change, citing statistics about student learning and cyberbullying, and personal anecdotes of the discipline challenges that can easily distract a room full of students or lead to harassment of students by...
A former three-term Grant County commissioner who moved to Grand Coulee five years ago will be the city’s next council member. Tim Snead did not take his seat after the council voted him in on Tuesday night, but he will be sworn in and ready to participate for the next meeting. Snead also served as city administrator of Quincy for 13 years, including during the server farm boom years. “We went from an assessed value of $700 million to $2.4 billion before I left, but I will tell you: Growth is a pain,” Snead said, to laughter around the room....
A verbal argument over a barking dog allegedly escalated into a physical fight, with one man getting shot and injured in Delano Heights Aug. 6, according to a Grand Coulee police report. An 89-year-old man listed as a witness told police he too pointed a firearm at the suspect in order to break up the men — an action the victim’s mother credits with saving her son’s life, the police report said. Dustin Miley, 45, survived his injuries but spent multiple days in the intensive care unit at Sacred Heart Medical Center and is about to under...
A Department of Justice grant created to help small and rural law enforcement agencies combat violent crime will bring in just under $300,000 over three years for the Grand Coulee Police Department to spend on several key strategies as defined by the DOJ. The city council voted to accept the grant August 20, after hearing Officer Matt Gilbert’s presentation at a special meeting the week prior, in which he shared an updated proposal of what specific initiatives the $293,125 award would fund. Gilbert had applied for the grant in 2023, and the D...