News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
Sorted by date Results 1280 - 1304 of 1383
The Colville Tribes pitched the Elmer City council last Thursday to provide the town’s official police force. Appearing at the town council were Public Safety Director Bill Elliot and Tribal Police Chief Corey Orr. Elliot told the council that the Tribal Police Department would like to put in for a state-funded police grant, but to be successful it must represent a town or city. He said that the Tribal Police would not charge the town anything to be its law enforcement department, but would use the grant to supply reserve officers to cover Elme... Full story
The Spanish teacher at Lake Roosevelt High School, Guillermo Guzman, was arrested Thursday by U.S. Border Patrol agents and Coulee Dam Police on a number of federal charges, and is currently in Okanogan County Jail. Among a list of charges that Police Chief Pat Collins said was expanding: Guzman had used someone else’s Social Security number, wasn’t a citizen, and didn’t have a valid work permit. The arrest was made late afternoon Thursday, and came about after the person whose Social Secur...
Two local residents, Andrea Marconi and Angela Feeley, who appeared a few weeks ago before Grand Coulee’s city council to look into starting a daycare service on Main Street, met the same results again last Tuesday night. They were informed that it took the city two years to get its zoning ordinance in place, and the city wasn’t interested in changing it. The zoning code doesn’t allow a daycare center in the “central commercial” zone. Mayor Chris Christopherson encouraged the two to seek a different location, one zoned for their interests... Full story
Remember the blood draw program at Coulee Medical Center every year during “National Hospital Week?” It’s history. Hospital officials said this week that the blood draw, which can give patients an indication of their health, actually runs counter to the law that governs public hospital districts. That was the message from hospital administrator Scott Graham. “The simple truth is, it has been brought to our attention that state regulations prohibit any sort of reduced fee gifting of services,” CMC’s Chief Executive Officer Scott Graham said... Full story
by Roger S. Lucas Fishing for rainbow trout in Banks Lake is about to get a little bit better. The POWER organization (Promoters of Wildlife & Environmental Resources) plans to release 50,000 rainbow trout into Banks Lake April 20. Carl Russell, spokesman for the group, said that POWER will receive 50,000 more rainbow trout on April 23, and start the process of feeding them and growing them into maturity for future fishing. Fish scheduled for release April 20, were received last Oct. 24. They were then 2 to 3 inches long, and it took 21 of the... Full story
Officials at Banks Lake Golf Course reported that sometime between last Tuesday and Wednesday nights, someone had entered the course’s golf cart shed and made off with over 100 gallons of both diesel and gas fuel. Orville Scharbach, chairman of the Port District 7 commission that runs the course, said the loss was about $763. The police report stated that entry to the fuel tank wasn’t forced, so it was likely the door was left unlocked or the thief had the combination to the lock. It was reported that locks on the tanks were unlocked from key... Full story
The Regional Board of Mayors met and dismissed their meeting for lack of a quorum Monday afternoon. Only two of the four mayors showed up, Electric City’s Jerry Sands and Elmer City’s Mary Jo Carey. Both Coulee Dam’s Mayor Quincy Snow and Grand Coulee Mayor Chris Christopherson missed the meeting. Those attending did hear reports from the Delano Transfer Station. Grand Coulee produced some 759 tons of material for the transfer station, the leading city in the garbage department. Coulee Dam produced 602 tons of garbage, Electric City, 472 tons... Full story
The Regional Board of Mayors met and dismissed their meeting for lack of a quorum Monday afternoon. Only two of the four mayors showed up, Electric City’s Jerry Sands and Elmer City’s Mary Jo Carey. Both Coulee Dam’s Mayor Quincy Snow and Grand Coulee Mayor Chris Christopherson missed the meeting. Those attending did hear reports from the Delano Transfer Station. Grand Coulee produced some 759 tons of material for the transfer station, the leading city in the garbage department. Coulee Dam produced 602 tons of garbage, Electric City, 472 tons... Full story
The Ridge Riders, in their second annual auction and banquet, raised nearly $25,000 to support the various activities planned by the group this year. The auction raised $10,500; contributions for Rodeo Queen Erin Wieldraayer’s activities raised $1,200; and $2,000 was raised toward a new junior rodeo. Monty Fields, vice president of the Ridge Riders, stated that the Colorama Rodeo last year cost the group $20,000, and the bull riding events, $7,000. He said their April 1 banquet and auction w... Full story
Tours, visitor center hours and laser light show offerings might be curtailed because of budget cuts, officials confirmed this week, but they’re still hoping for a reprieve from the national budget cutback known as “sequestration.” Although tours at Grand Coulee Dam resumed Monday after a normal winter stoppage, a hiring freeze across the Department of Interior has made it impossible to hire the extra help needed to keep operations open all week through the normal tourism season, explained Lynne Brougher, public affairs officer with the Burea... Full story
There is good news and bad news for those who visit the area to see the laser light show. The new show won’t be ready until mid-July. However, the all-new laser equipment will be able to show the old laser show. Until recently that ability was an unanswered question. It all depends on the “sequester” and how that affects staffing the various visitor functions at the Bureau of Reclamation. Nicole Poisson, project manager for LumaLaser of Eugene, Ore., the firm that is developing the new show, said visitors are going to see something outst... Full story
The chamber of commerce is sponsoring the “Are You Tough Enough” first annual Banks Lake Triple Fish Challenge, this weekend, April 6 and 7, out of Coulee Playland in Electric City, a major sponsor. The two-day event features a fishing derby for smallmouth bass, walleye, and rainbow trout. Competition is divided into two age categories, 0-14 years of age, and adults. So get out your rod and reel, read up on the contest, and get your 2013 fishing license, so you are all set for the big eve... Full story
Officials from Coulee Dam, Elmer City, Gray & Osborne, the Colville Tribes and Indian Health Services are meeting and moving toward some decisions on proposed wastewater treatment plant work that has been halted by controversy. Larry Holford, town council member at Elmer City, said he was pleased with the cooperative attitude of those attending a meeting last Tuesday. “We need to let the principals get their report together,” Holford stated this week. Holford said that Alex Dailey, an engineer from Indian Health Services, Frank Friedlander fro... Full story
Jim Keene, retired school administrator, was named to the Grant County Port District 7 board of commissioners last Thursday. Keene replaces Jerry Birdwell who resigned last month. Keene will take over his duties when the board meets the last Thursday of April. Keene has been superintendent of schools in the Grand Coulee Dam School District, in Clarkston and in Pendleton before his retirement brought him and his wife back to Delano. Keene has also served as president of the Grand Coulee Dam Rotary Club and is active in a number of local groups.... Full story
Work on preparing the old Melody Restaurant for opening has been so extensive that the town of Coulee Dam has given the owner, Juan Moreno another month’s free rent in exchange for an extended contract. City officials pondered another problem at the restaurant site, which is owned by the town, in a 40-year-old, walk-in cooler and a same-age freezer. Public works director Barry Peacock told the council that each unit would cost the city $10,000 or more. Councilmember Bob Poch noted that probably neither unit was energy efficient and that parts t... Full story
Wooden sculptures in Mason City Park will get their final touches as a result of action of the Coulee Dam Town Council last Wednesday night. The sculptures were made from the trunks of two trees that blew over in a wild wind storm last year. The evergreens provided shade for the play and picnic areas in the park. The council voted to let a contract to cut the sculptures loose, and prepare the area around them so they could be bracketed down permanently. The contractor will pour a concrete pad for each of the trees and place crushed rock around... Full story
Coulee Dam may be in line for a grant that would replace all its street lights with energy saving systems. Public works director Barry Peacock told the town council last week that the town is entering phase two in a grant from the Transportation Improvement Board to replace some 300 town street lights with new energy efficient lights, including installation costs. Peacock said the new lights, if the grant progresses, will cut energy costs for the lights by 50 percent. He said the new fixtures cost about $400 each. He said the town was notified... Full story
Two women proposing a licensed day care center on Grand Coulee’s Main Street found out why it is said “You can’t beat city hall,” but they’re not stopping their effort to start a daycare. Andrea Marconi and Angela Feeley, who told council members that they wanted to start a “much needed” licensed day care center in the building at 227 Main Street, currently occupied by Button It graphic design, ran into a zoning problem and could only get a promise that the city would look into it. Under city zoning, a daycare center is not among allowed uses f... Full story
The school board Monday night awarded its K-12 new school project to Walker Construction of Spokane. Walker’s bid of $22,765,200 bid was accepted over a second bid of $23,253,600, by Graham Construction, after all of the alternates were considered. Only the two firms bid on the project. A decision to extend the bidding process may have cost the district the ability to start school in the new buildings in the fall of 2014. Superintendent Dennis Carlson said this week that with a 530-day c... Full story
Thirty-three candidates have filed for seven Colville Business Council positions up for election this year. In the Nespelem District Position 1 race, challenging incumbent Brian Nissen are Randy Laramie, Joaquin Marchand, Ricky Gabriel, Deb Louie and Myland Williams. Challenging incumbent Andrew C. Joseph, Jr., for Nespelem District Position 2, are John St. Pierre, Charlene BearCub, Enid T. Wippel and Jonnie Bray. Filing for Keller District Position 1, and challenging incumbent Darlene Zacherle are Sylvia Peasley, John Stensgar, Leroy Jerred,... Full story
The Colville Business Council has voted to spend $40 million to build a new administration building on the Colville Indian Agency campus near Nespelem. The vote was taken March 7, with half the 14 tribal council members present as the resolution passed on a 6-1 vote. The resolution called for the council to borrow the $40 million from the tribes’ “50 percent sustainable fund” of what is called the Qwam Qwmpt Plan for uses of the funds remaining after distributing half of a $193 million federal settlement to tribal members. CBC members votin... Full story
Science and math teacher Ralph Rise, of Lake Roosevelt High School, was recently selected as the recipient of the 2012-13 Science Champions: Science Education Advocate Award, presented by Washington State Leadership and Assistance for Science Reform (LASER), a program led by Pacific Science Center, Battelle and Pacific Northwest Laboratories (PNNL). Science Champions demonstrate passion for advancing science education in innovative ways. Each year, with support from The Boeing Company, Washington State LASER recognizes five individuals, teams o... Full story
The Grand Coulee City Council Tuesday night awarded a contract to repair sheet rock damage at the city’s fire station. The council awarded the bid to DWK Fowler Construction for $7,391.15. The repair work is for the 35-foot by 90-foot meeting room at the fire station on Spokane Way. Fire Chief Rick Paris said the work will begin early in April. Paris said the damage was due to a roof leak several years ago when a heavy snowpack on the roof caused a leak. Paris told council members that he only received one bid on the project... Full story
Elmer City Mayor Mary Jo Carey stated that the disagreement between Coulee Dam and Elmer City on the proposed wastewater treatment plant was like a “family feud.” Carey made that statement last Wednesday night at the end of the Coulee Dam Town Council meeting. She added that both towns want the same thing and it was time for them to wind down the rhetoric and work together. The two towns have been locked in a disagreement about the best way to address the aging wastewater treatment plant that treats sewage for both towns. The meeting sta... Full story
The hull of Washington state’s newest and smallest ferry, the Sanpoil, arrived in Grand Coulee last Wednesday, and Foss Maritime officials said it is due to launch sometime in late June or July. The 116-foot hull made its five-day overland trip from Rainier, Ore., to its assembly point at Crescent Bay, without incident, officials stated. But it was a bit hairy when the truck assembly cleared a tunnel by a couple of feet and just made it under one bridge by several inches. The 300,000-pound h... Full story