News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
Sorted by date Results 1063 - 1087 of 1383
Quincy Snow wrapped up 16 years as Coulee Dam's mayor last Wednesday at the last town council meeting of the year. He personally thanked members of the council for their support and hard work, particularly two council members, Karl Hjorten and Andy Trader, who were also defeated in the November election. The meeting was his last as mayor because the council voted to cancel the next meeting, which would have fallen on Christmas day. The town operated without much turmoil for most of Snow's 16...
An effort may still be made to complete the new K-12 school project by the end of August, 2014, and begin school around Sept. 8, in the new building complex. Grand Coulee Dam School District Superintendent Dennis Carlson told the board of directors Monday night that he had asked Walker Construction, the general contractor, what it would take to meet this deadline. Previously, the guestimate has been for an early October finish. School and construction officials meet each Tuesday to check how they are coming on the timeline on construction.... Full story
A Wellpinit man escaped serious injury when his semi truck with double trailers, laden with dry cement, crashed at the bottom of the Coulee Dam hill about 9 a.m. last Wednesday morning, Dec. 4. Darwin L. Newport, 51, said his truck brakes, fully engaged, failed, and he turned into the left powerhouse access road, just below the Visitor Center at Grand Coulee Dam, to avoid hitting other vehicles ahead of him on highway 155. Newport was taken by ambulance to Coulee Medical Center and was released... Full story
Early day postal notes were collected by Birdie Hensley from a book donated to the Coulee Pioneer Museum from Ron Rinker. The book tells the history of many of the post offices in Douglas County. One, the Barry post office, was located seven miles north of Coulee Dam on the west shore of the Columbia River, its final location. The original location was a small store about three miles southwest of the final location, and established Aug, 31, 1887. The first postmaster was Mrs. Alba J. Barry. In the early days, mail came from Wilbur three times a... Full story
George Kohout was elected to his third term as president of the Ridge Riders at a meeting last Wednesday night. Other officers named were Bubba Egbert, vice president; Monty Fields, treasurer; Debbi Achord, secretary; and trustees Janet Doughty, Ryan Poe and Marlene Poe. Janet O'Neil is chairperson for the Colorama Rodeo. Highlights of the coming year include a sweater party in January, the group's third annual banquet and auction on March 22; the annual riding clinic in the spring with... Full story
Shane Proctor stands in fifth place at the National Finals Rodeo in the Las Vegas Thomas and Mack Center. Proctor, a 2003 graduate of Lake Roosevelt High School and former world champion bull rider, turned in winning scores in the first two go-rounds, pocketing $18,629.81 each night and was the front runner going into Saturday’s round. Last Thursday, Proctor scored 89 points on News Flash for top money and on Friday scored 89 on Squirrel Grove. But the Grand Coulee cowboy, now out of North Carolina, ran into a “Wicked” bull. “Wicked” had his w... Full story
Firefighters responded to a vehicle fire about 5:15 p.m. Sunday when they found a four-door Saturn engulfed in flames. Grand Coulee Volunteer Fire Chief Richard Paris said the fire was put out with water, but with the temperature about 12 degrees, it caused icy conditions on the roadway. The vehicle, owned and driven by Bill Brown, was located at E Street and SR-174. The Washington State Department of Transportation sanded the slick roadway so the area wouldn’t be a hazard to other motorists. Paris stated that the car would be a total loss a... Full story
Coulee Dam mayor-elect Greg Wilder will get the use of the community room, without charge, to conduct his swearing in ceremony, Dec. 23, officials said this week. Wilder had asked for use of the room for special swearing in ceremonies for himself, and two new council members — Gayle Swagerty, Duane Johnson — and possibly returning Councilmember Bob Poch. Swearing in the new town officials will be U.S. Attorney Mike Ormsby of the Department of Justice, Eastern Washington. Wilder and Ormsby have been friends for some time. The use of the roo... Full story
An Elmer City couple needs some help with their near 2-year-old baby, Victoria. Victoria was born with brain damage and eyesight problems to Stephanie Detwiler New and Daniel New Detwiler. (The two determined to keep their own names when they were married so each took the other's as a middle name.) Their baby, who will be 2 in March, suffers from optic nerve damage and brain damage and requires constant attention. These conditions require that the couple take Victoria, whose nickname is "Tori,"... Full story
A letter from Port District 7 went out to a targeted list asking them to attend a meeting Dec. 12, to discuss possible improvements to the Banks Lake Golf Course. Port District commissioners got the idea of applying for a grant to improve the course from Colville Tribal planner and grant writer Frank Andrews Jr. Andrews had attended a previous Port District meeting but the agenda was so long he didn’t have time to speak to commissioners. That changed in the port’s November meeting and Andrews outlined the possibility of applying for a grant wit... Full story
An eventual contract for law enforcement services between the Bureau of Reclamation and local agenices will probably end up looking like this -- Grand Coulee, four officers; Coulee Dam, two officers; and two officers from the Colville Tribal Police department. While discussions are still going on, and no date has been set for a final decision, The Star has learned that the bureau has realigned its five zones of coverage to just two. Grand Coulee would cover zone 1, which goes from the switchyards to the Washington Flats on the west side of the... Full story
Mayor-elect Greg Wilder will be sworn in Dec. 23, as Coulee Dam mayor by U.S. Attorney Mike Ormsby from the U.S. Department of Justice Eastern Washington, Wilder stated last week. Others elected to office in the town of Coulee Dam will likely take advantage of the special ceremony. Those include council members Gayle Swagerty, Duane Johnson and Bob Poch. Wilder said the swearing-in ceremonies will be in the community room at city hall early in the evening. Wilder stated that state law allows that swearing in can occur 10 days before newly... Full story
Port District 7 commissioners voted Thursday night to purchase 21 golf carts that they have had on lease since 2008. District President Orville Scharbach told commissioners that the carts would be paid for in three years. The package includes the 21 carts and some 96 batteries, and includes a utility cart used for work around the golf course. Scharbach said the current batteries have been in the carts since 2008, “and that’s about the only thing that can go wrong with the carts.” Separately, the port district is leasing a new fairway mower... Full story
Port district commissioners approved a plan at their meeting last Thursday to seek a grant to fix up the Banks Lake Golf Course. The idea came from Frank Andrews Jr., a planner and grant writer for the Colville Confederated Tribes. Andrews called commissioners’ attention to grants offered by Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office that cover golf courses, as well as other types of projects. Commissioners listed and then quickly approved a plan to proceed with the grant plan. Accordingly, Port District 7 will hold a public meeting a... Full story
They are lighting up Main Street. Grand Coulee Main Street merchants have bundled some money together to purchase special holiday season lighting in an effort to make the local season more delightful. A large number of stringed white lights were placed along Main Street Friday by Grant County PUD workers using their boom truck. Kevin Portch from Loepps said the lights will be turned on immediately. Merchants participating in the lighting project include KISSed Quilts, The Wolf's Den, the Senior... Full story
Grand Coulee had a bit of sticker shock when officials learned that it would cost about $20,000 to make repairs on its brush fire truck. Fire chief Rick Paris told the council last Tuesday night that the fire truck had blown a head-gasket and when mechanics looked it over, they discovered that there was a factory error on the diesel engine that would have to be fixed -- with a hefty price attached to it. Paris explained to the council that one of the head bolt holes had been drilled crooked and it had caused major damage to the engine. It was f... Full story
It’s light the library time. A special program is planned for the Etheta Anderson Grand Coulee Library on Thursday, Dec, 5. from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. A special lighting of the library, a repeat of last year’s program, is planned. The library, a branch of North Central Regional Library, is located at 225 Federal Avenue. The ceremony will usher in the Christmas season in Grand Coulee with door prizes donated by local businesses, caroling and refreshments. And both the young and old will see Santa Claus arrive in a Grand Coulee fire truck. Vis... Full story
An art committee made up of local residents will soon begin the process of selecting some $140,000 work of artwork for the new K-12 school complex. Under state law, 1 percent of public funds for construction projects must be put aside to purchase artwork. Covered by this requirement this is the original $14 million provided by the state for the project. About half of the art allowance will come through the Washington State Arts Commission, which will provide ideas of specific professional art for selection. Those named to the art selection... Full story
The best answer city officials could give Electric City resident Mike Dennis last Tuesday night was, it’s in the works. Dennis has been pressing the city to get changes to its master plan on the size of auxiliary buildings (metal storage sheds, shops) allowable in the city. He asked what was happening on getting some revisions to the code and was told that the city’s planner has the proposal from the city’s planning commission and is still looking at it. Dennis has appeared before the council on a regular basis trying to follow up on his reque... Full story
Grand Coulee’s Civil Service Commission is still trying to decide how to continue in its efforts to test and recommend the hiring of, a new police officer. The commission met in a special meeting Friday in an effort to schedule testing for seven applicants for a vacant patrolman position in the city. Commissioners discussed using a testing firm, Public Safety Testing of Lynnwood, Wash., and heard a telephone conference presentation by a representative. The discussion lasting over a half hour, produced little result and prompted commissioners t... Full story
Electric City’s council decided last Tuesday night to stick with its policy, at least for now, on how it spends its hotel/motel tax revenues. Its current policy puts half of its hotel/motel revenues in a reserve fund and makes the other half available to promote the area. Currently, the city has $245,416 in its hotel/motel reserve fund. Using 2012 figures, and the amount budgeted by the city for this year, that will put $34,400 into the reserve fund and make the same amount available for promotion purposes. Going into the promotion budget f... Full story
If you are old enough, do you remember where you were on Nov. 22, 1963, when the nation and the world was informed that President John F. Kennedy was shot? You can record your recollections of that date and incident at the Coulee Pioneer Museum in Electric City in a special notebook there. The notebook was placed there along with a collection of Kennedy dolls owned by Constance Wilson, a Coulee Dam resident. The collection has attracted some attention by museum visitors. The museum is open from... Full story
A quarter mile long piece of the Downriver Trail system might soon be reopened, Bureau of Reclamation officials stated last week. The trail would extend through a pedestrian gate along the rip-rap on the east side of the Columbia River near the bridge to just short of the Third Powerhouse. If approved, hikers could go from the north end of the trail near Seaton’s Grove all the way to near the Third Powerhouse. Public Affairs Officer Lynne Brougher said the change is being evaluated and that the agency will seek approval if everything goes w... Full story
With just over 300 ballots in Okanogan County left to count, the mayoral race in Elmer City is the closest local race in last week’s election, hanging by one vote. If the current count holds, there will be a turnover in the mayor’s office as challenger and sitting council member Gail Morin will have defeated current Mayor Mary Jo Carey, 43-42. County elections officer Mila Jury said Tuesday that only the mayoral race in Pateros is closer, tied at 71 votes each for Gail Howe and write-in candidate Liberty Harrison. Jury said the elections boa... Full story
There will be a new mayor and two new council members in Coulee Dam, all defeating incumbents, vote totals as of last Friday show. The new mayor will be Gregory Wilder, who defeated longtime Mayor Quincy Snow, 231-107. New council members will be Gayle Swagerty who defeated incumbent Karl Hjorten, 206-104; and Duane Johnson, who won over Andrew Trader, 226-83. All take office in January. The three new leaders had joined in the effort to derail the Coulee Dam wastewater treatment plant project seeking a delay and possible relocation. They had... Full story