News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
Sorted by date Results 1206 - 1230 of 1383
Grand Coulee Dam School District Superintendent Dennis Carlson was pleased with the new state budget signed by the governor Sunday. The new state two-year budget fully funds all day kindergarten, a switch from the past when the state funded kindergartens by only 50 percent. The fully state-funded kindergarten will save the district an estimated $150,000 a year. Prior to this the board of directors had committed the district to funding the half not funded by the state because the members felt that early learning needed a boost in the district.... Full story
The town of Coulee Dam can relax a bit now that the state Legislature has passed its budget. On June 20, the town was notified by the Department of Ecology, the agency handling the loan for its proposed wastewater treatment plant, that the loan could be tied up if the budget wasn’t passed. The letter from Chief Financial Officer Erik Fairchild stated that the loan would be suspended, not terminated, if the Legislature didn’t approve the budget. The budget finally did pass, and Gov. Jay Inslee signed it Sunday. Now the town can start spe... Full story
Juan Moreno opened his all new Melody Restaurant in Coulee Dam Monday. He is open for both breakfast and lunch, opening at 6 a.m. to catch workers who have to eat out before going to their job, and closing after the lunch trade. Shuttered for 14 months after the last proprietors went out of business, The Melody is now new in a number of ways. The old-style booths are gone and those patronizing the restaurant will be seated at tables scattered in the attractive dining room. Seating capacity is... Full story
Port District 7 commissioners are trying to deal with a report of 21 cows on the airport runway and several instances of cows breaking out of their pasture and getting on the golf course. It was reported at their meeting last Thursday that one pilot counted 21 cows on the runway on one occasion. Commissioners have called the Grant County Sheriff’s Office to complain and have complained to the party they think owns the cows. Several cows are being pastured at the south end of the golf course, and on several occasions they have broken through the... Full story
Using the Colville Tribal TERO office as a hiring headquarters is working well, according to officials on the Grand Coulee Dam School District’s new K-12 school project. A report by Walker Construction to the school board showed that through June 14, 73 percent of hours worked so far on the school project were worked by Native American workers. The report made to the school board was affirmed by Roger Easling, construction manager for the Wenaha Group, a firm that follows the project for the school district. TERO (Tribal Employment Rights O... Full story
The Nespelem Celebration Rodeo will be held July 12-14, at the Rodeo Grounds, and is being held in conjunction with a pow wow and stick games. The rodeo is sanctioned by the Western States Indian Rodeo Association and stock is being supplied by Red Knection of Keller. Parts of the event are not sanctioned: the Friday night open barrel racing, the Saturday wild horse race, and the Sunday endurance and wild colt races are not sanctioned. The rodeo is open to everyone and will include bull riding, saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, senior team... Full story
Two western Washington men were arrested June 18, charged with cutting up and stealing copper cables at Grand Coulee Dam. The two, Victor W. Ford, 43, of Lake Stevens, and Michael R. Bruce, 47, of Everett, were observed by Bureau of Reclamation plant protection cameras and later arrested by Grand Coulee police at 2 p.m. between the top of the dam and the pullout viewing area at Riley Point. A large copper cable had been cut and dragged up to the sidewalk in plain view of people pulling over at Riley Point to view the dam. When confronted, Ford... Full story
Everyone likes a good old fashioned Fourth of July celebration. You can enjoy one next week, the “Festival of America” a three-day affair, right here in the Grand Coulee Dam area. The celebration kicks off on Thursday, July 4, with music in the park below the Visitor Center. There’s lots to do. A number of craft booths will be on hand and several food booths will fix a summer-time lunch or dinner for you. All the particulars are in a special “Festival of America” celebration secrtion inside th... Full story
Rodeo fans will enjoy two evenings of entertainment at the Ridge Riders Rodeo Grounds this Friday and Saturday. Friday night, beginning at 7 p.m., the Ridge Riders feature the 2nd Annual Cleatis Lacy Memorial Bull Ride. Action starts at 7, but concession stands and the beer garden start up at 6 p.m. Admission for the bull riding event is $10. Then on Saturday night, at 6 p.m., rodeo fans get another opportunity to see a “ranch rodeo.” On that night the concession stands and beer garden open at 5 p.m. Admission fee for Saturday’s event is $8. T... Full story
The Colville Business Council will have four new members as a result of the tribal general election last week. The election was held June 15, and absentee ballots were received until Thursday last week. Newcomers to the Business Council will be Stevey Seymour, Jack W., Ferguson, Ricky Gabriel and Allen (Charley) Hammond. Seymour, in the Inchelium Position 1 race, beat out David T. Madera, 220-146. Ferguson, in the Keller District Position 1 contest, defeated John F. Stensgar, 107-98. Ricky Gabriel, in the Nespelem District Position 1 race,... Full story
Police checked on an Oregon kayaker who was sitting on the rocks talking on his cell phone from inside the buoy line above the dam. Logan Wetherell, of Umpqua, Ore., had kayaked from the Canadian border to Grand Coulee Dam and was figuring out how to get his kayak to the bridge area so he could continue his trip. Police stated that he had his red kayak on a hand drawn trailer and was about to relocate to the bridge area. They noted that Wetherell was charging his cell phone with a solar powered charger. The man had exited Lake Roosevelt at... Full story
Both Coulee Dam and Grand Coulee police officers last Wednesday were involved in the arrest near the Grand Coulee Post Office of a juvenile wanted in a series of warrants on five counts of first-degree child molestation and five counts of second-degree incest. A Coulee Dam officer, Joe Lauseng, who was at the post office at the time, was approached by the youth’s grandfather, who told him that he had the 15-year-old in his SUV parked nearby. Lauseng, because of the seriousness of the warrants, detained the juvenile and because of j... Full story
A Spokane firm, Spilker Precast, is producing some 4,000 concrete blocks for an 1,100-foot-long retaining wall at the new K-12 school building site in Coulee Dam. The blocks, which will come in two sizes, one about 1,200 pounds and the other 4,000 pounds, will be used to expand the area of the school site. Owner Timothy Spilker said his company will be finished producing the blocks within a few weeks. The blocks will be set just below the hill that overlooks the football field and then the space... Full story
The Colville Tribal Police department will begin to handle law enforcement issues within the city limits of Elmer City beginning July 1. Elmer City’s town council approved the agreement at its meeting Thursday night, after having been approached by Tribal Police Chief Cory Orr several weeks ago. At that time Orr stated that tribal police would perform this function without cost to the town. It has been several years since the town has had a formal police department. Its own police department was disbanded years ago due to budget constraints. T... Full story
The July 4 “Festival of America” music in the park program will stretch over three days, Coulee Dam Mayor Quincy Snow, the organizer of the music, said last week. Music will begin Thursday, July 4, at 5 p.m., in the park below the Visitor Center, and conclude on Saturday, July 6, with a 6 p.m. presentation by The Cruizers. Kayla Newland, well known to coulee music lovers, and a local to boot, kicks off the music Thursday, July 4 at 5 p.m., bringing her country music theme to the park. At 6:30 p.m., reggae artist Raggs Gustaffe, will del... Full story
New activities will add to this year’s upcoming Festival of America, which will stretch over three days this year for the traditional July 4 celebration in the lower Visitor Center park below Grand Coulee Dam. Chamber of commerce Manager Peggy Nevsimal said a number of family-friendly, carnival-like games have been included this year on Saturday, July 6. Games include such events as a pie-eating contest, a ring toss, a dunk tank and a photo booth, among other activities. A fire truck will be on hand for kids to explore, Nevsimal stated. T... Full story
A Grand Coulee project that started as a sidewalk down Spokane Way, and then changed to a sidewalk down Federal Avenue, is on hold, for the prospects of something better. Public works director Dennis Francis told the city council at its June 4 meeting that the state’s Transportation Improvement Board suggested that the city come up with a more comprehensive plan to enhance the community, and that the $215,000 grant that had been OK’d for the Spokane Way sidewalk project would be put on hold. The city changed the original plan to build the sidew... Full story
Okanogan County announced a special three-day filing period, June 26-28, for a variety of positions not filed for during the regular election filing period. In Nespelem two council positions will be open. Council position 2, currently held by Dennis Montes, is open for a two-year term. And council position 3, currently held by Dawn Ensminger, is open for a four-year term. In Elmer City, council position 2, held by Gail Morin, will be open for a four-year term. Morin filed for mayor. In Okanogan County Fire District 2, the position currently... Full story
Kids, there’s a special day for you this Saturday, June 15. It’s the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce’s Koulee Kids Fest. Details and a map are available to help you plan your day, inside this week’s Star newspaper. A host of prizes will be awarded to some lucky kids. The grand prize, being awarded by the chamber, is an iPod Touch. Other prizes include a remote controlled Spy Tank, an inflatable boat set, three AquaZookas, four tickets to Ephrata Raceway Park, gift certificates, free ice cream cones, a digital video camera, t-shirt... Full story
Electric City officials said Tuesday that if residents notice colored water coming out of their faucets not to worry. The colored water is the effect of chlorine action to any material that has accumulated in water pipes and within a short time will correct itself. Public works director Ken Dexter said that if residents note any coloration in their water, they should run the faucet for a little while to see it clears up. If there are any concerns, residents can call city hall. Dexter said the Department of Health has been notified of the... Full story
Dave Baum has a box of old newspapers, secret documents, and other memorabilia from the World War II era that his father saved and handed down to him. The newspapers declare such things as the bombing of Tokyo, the landing at Normandy and the eventual surrender of Axis powers. Dave’s father Charles was in the thick of it and eventually piloted one of the boats that made it to Omaha Beach on D-Day, June 6, 1944. Among items in the box was a secret photo document showing the complete Omaha B... Full story
The school board approved hiring four new teachers at its special meeting last Wednesday night. Matt Simpson of Brookings, Ore., was hired as a physical education/weight training teacher at Lake Roosevelt High School. Simpson was also hired as boys’ head basketball coach for LRHS. Shamra Steffler was given a first-grade teaching position at Center School. She had a long-term substitution assignment last year at the school and is from Grand Coulee. Shannon Cavadini was hired as a fifth-grade teacher at the Grand Coulee Dam Middle School, and c... Full story
The Coulee Cruizers will strut their stuff this weekend at North Dam Park. It will be the 29th annual showing of the Best Rod Run by a Dam Site, always a favorite of local people who enjoy the work individual members of the Cruizers put into their cars. It all kicks off Friday at 5 p.m., in the parking lot of Hometown Pizza, where the group will have its “cruise in.” The kickoff for the weekend lasts until 7 p.m. during which time there will be the annual “poker run” and a chance to cruise some of the scenic areas around the coulee. On Saturda... Full story
An Electric City man’s home burned Tuesday, keeping firefighters working for hours on the stubborn blaze that started just after noon. The residence of Michael Lowry, at 214 2nd Street, overlooks Banks Lake at the end of the street in a neighborhood of houses and trees surrounded by brush and grass. Fire engines from Electric City, Grand Coulee, Coulee Dam and the Bureau of Reclamation, and ambulances from both Electric City and Grand Coulee were on hand. The blaze, which quickly engulfed the r... Full story
A special three-day election filing period in Grant County turned up two candidates for Bob Rupe’s position 1 seat in the Electric City Council race. Filing for that position were Birdie Hensley, a former member of the council, and Aaron Derr. In other filings not reported, Jim Keene filed for a two-year unexpired term on Grant County’s Port District 7. Keene was recently appointed to the position. And commission Chairman Oroville Scharbach filed to return to the board for another six-year term. None of the three positions open for the Cou... Full story