News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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The school board accepted the resignation of Geary Oliver as head football coach at Lake Roosevelt High School at its meeting Monday night. The district has stated that it was exercising its long-established practice of awarding head coaching positions to sitting teachers, if they are qualified for the job. Advertisements for candidates to fill the position will soon be underway, and it is expected that Loren Endsley, Lake Roosevelt’s physical education teacher who acted as Oliver’s assistant last year, will apply. Oliver said Athletic Dir... Full story
The Grand Coulee Dam School District hired a dean of students and a new athletic director at Monday night’s board meeting. Dean of students at Lake Roosevelt High School for the next school term will be Charles Pierce, from Soap Lake. Pierce will be in his final year for his principal certification at Whitworth College during the 2016-17 term. A person well known to hoop sports fans here, Levi Seekins, will take over as Lake Roosevelt’s athletic director, replacing Richard Black, who will retire in August. Black was named to the school boa... Full story
Electric City's revitalization and pathways project got just a little tougher last Saturday in the second of two public gatherings designed to pull together ideas on what residents would like to see done in their city. Apparently, a lot of them like it just the way it is, at least those who showed up Saturday and were the loudest. About 45 people showed up for the outdoor presentation by city officials and a group from Washington State University's Rural Communities Design Initiative, made up... Full story
The state Department of Ecology disapproves of a replacement sewer plant plan that resulted from the contested 2013 election of the mayor of Coulee Dam. In a July 1 letter to the town this month, Ecology had critical remarks about Coulee Dam’s current wastewater treatment project, developed after the new mayor insisted all the options had not been analyzed. The letter was made available to town council members, by people outside of town government, in time for their meeting last Wednesday night. The letter stated: “Ecology recognizes the need f... Full story
Newly elected Colville Business Council members were sworn into office Wednesday during the annual ceremony at the Colville Tribes’ center of government near Nespelem, the CBC announced. Council Members Sheilah Cleveland, Larry Allen, Georgia Simpson and William Womer were officially sworn in. Reelected council members are: Michael Marchand, Edwin Marchand and Joseph Somday, who will be working along with seated members: Ricky Gabriel, Jack Ferguson, Susie Allen, Bessie Simpson, Mel Tonasket, Andy Joseph Jr., and Richard Tonasket. The c... Full story
A Coulee Dam resident asked town officials what they planned to do about some of the town's sidewalks that need repair. Fred Netzel had reviewed the town's Six-Year Street Plan and asked the council if it could designate over $600,000 to repair its streets, why council members couldn't also address the sad status of many of its sidewalks. City Clerk Stefani Bowden told Netzel that the street plan was only a wish list that the town had to create every year, and that there wasn't money available f... Full story
A 10,000-gallon oil storage tank that will be jointly owned by Grand Coulee and Electric City has been delivered, but neither of the two cities know yet what the cost will be. That prompted Electric City last Tuesday night to shelve the issue until someone tells officials what their share of the cost will be. Grand Coulee City Clerk Carol Boyce said she has requested that the company that shipped the tank provide an invoice showing its cost. Friday there was still no price on the tank. That's wh... Full story
Electric City is asking if Grand Coulee would be agreeable to arbitration in an effort to unravel a dispute between the two cities over arsenic treatment charges. At issue is about $39,000. The Electric City Council went into executive session July 12 for 20 minutes to discuss the conflicting charges, and then voted to seek arbitration. Grand Coulee would have to agree to it. Its council voted at its last meeting that they didn’t owe the fee. Councilmember Erin Nielson moved to stick with the agreement and not pay the fee billed by Electric C... Full story
The status of Lake Roosevelt High School’s varsity football coaching position was clouded last week when Geary Oliver resigned as head coach under unusual circumstances. Oliver had already been issued his contract for this fall, but was asked to resign because the district had indicated it wanted to go in a “different direction.” The football coaching position was the subject of a closed session of the school board on July 11, and in spite of the fact his contract had already been approved, the board left it up to Athletic Director Richard Blac... Full story
Work on Electric City's Pathways and parks revitalization project could begin as early as late 2017, Councilmember Brad Parrish said. Progress on the plan continues as the city prepares to hold its second public meeting on it, Saturday, July 16, at 1 p.m. in the park-like setting behind city hall. Residents attending will get to see phase one of the planning process, with ideas taken from an earlier public meeting in May. The meetings have been shaped by Russell Powers, deputy city clerk, and... Full story
An operation that forms the basis of the Banks Lake fishery could be in jeopardy if someone isn't willing to step into its leadership. Promoters of Wildlife and Environmental Resources (POWER) is looking for a volunteer to manage its Electric City net pen operation. The effort began some 30 years ago when Reg Morgan and Bill Brashears decided to do something to make Banks Lake a superior fishery. Their vision resulted in some 300,000 Rainbow trout a year moving through POWER's fish pens into... Full story
The school board sharpened its collective pencil Monday night in Coulee Dam and OK’d a girls soccer program at Lake Roosevelt High School. The decision came after the board learned that the budget would be tight for this next school year. Athletic Director Richard Black, who was sworn in as a school board member later in the meeting, had recommended that the soccer program be approved. Black had estimated that it would take about $21,500 to start the program this fall. He had already received approval from the North Central Washington 2-B L... Full story
A project to give Electric City's city hall a facelift got started this week. A variety of changes will soon take place on the city's administration building. The following is included in the facelift package: • preparation and painting of the exterior of the building by Ken Doughty, $4,046. Doughty is a paint contractor and lives in Electric City. • new air conditioning units for $13,720.32 by Silver Creek Systems, of Wilbur. • a new sign on city hall, using the city's new logo and other infor... Full story
The Grand Coulee Dam School District will pay more than $400,000 a year for services ranging from information technology management to bookkeeping under a contract approved in June. The disctrict board approved a $406,618 service agreement with the North Central ESD (Education Service District) for the 2016-17 school year at its June 27 meeting. The major services contracted for include network services, $106,657; and business management, $73,250. Other major areas under the agreement include Worker’s Compensation Trust, $79,406; and a S... Full story
A second Electric City Pathways and Parks meeting has been scheduled for Saturday, July 16, in the park-like grassy area behind city hall, where residents can see how well the city’s Pathways and Parks Revitalization plan is coming along. Ice cream will be provided by MJs Bistro. The futuristic plan has been shaped by a Washington State University team from the school’s Rural Communities Design Initiative, after an earlier public meeting in May. A local committee, appointed by the city council, has reviewed some of the plans from the WSU gro... Full story
Grand Coulee and Electric City continue their disagreement over a $39,000 arsenic treatment dispute. Grand Coulee Mayor Paul Townsend proposed to his council that maybe it would be a good thing to meet Electric City halfway on the disputed $39,000. His suggestion got nowhere at the last council meeting. In fact, it prompted Councilmember Erin Nielson to move to stand firm on the city’s contention that it doesn’t owe Electric City the $39,000. His motion passed unanimously. Accordingly, Townsend sent Electric City the bad news by letter. The... Full story
Grand Coulee residents may soon face a water rate increase. City Clerk Carol Boyce said last week that she will propose to the council July 19, that the city increase its water rates by $3 a month, beginning in September. The increase would help the city replenish its water reserve account, which was depleted during several water service repairs back in 2014. That year, the city made major water delivery improvements near Jess Ford, city hall and East Heights. “We paid for those improvements out of our reserves,” Boyce stated. Those imp... Full story
Grant County Mosquito Control District 1 has reported a mosquito sample collected west of Moses Lake has tested positive for West Nile virus, making it the first detection of the virus in the county this season. Mosquito District 1 covers the Greater Moses Lake area, including the Moses Lake Sand Dunes and Potholes areas. The positive sample is an indication that WNV is present in this area and potentially other areas of Grant County. During the 2015 season, four humans, seven horses and 107 mosquito samples were found to be infected with WNV,... Full story
You just bought a bag of fireworks and are wondering where you can set them off. Here’s your answer: Fireworks are banned from the Colville Tribes’ reservation this year. Likewise in Elmer City and Coulee Dam. Fireworks are also banned in the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area. You can let fireworks off in Electric City if you adhere to the state law covering fireworks. In Grand Coulee, North Dam is still open to fireworks, subject to fire department approval; anywhere else in the city is off limits. The Colville Tribes on June 17 issued a... Full story
There are not enough superlatives to accurately describe Bob and Bev Bruno's rural log home. You could take the view. Or the careful detail of their home. Or even the house for their five banties. Nothing by itself will do! Bob, a log-house builder now semi-retired, has put all the things he has learned about log- house construction into one. The view is so outstanding that one room is designed for two cushioned chairs, providing comfort, and a place to stare at the view. The view is not only of... Full story
There will be some changes on the Colville Business Council as a result of the general election tally over the past week. During the tally, it was announced that Chairman Jim Boyd had died. Boyd was running against Georgia Simpson in the Inchelium District Position 1 race, and lost the count 268-184. In other races, William “Billy” Nicholson II, lost his Nespelem Position 1 council seat to Willie Womer 409-346. Sheilah Cleveland captured the Nespelem Position 2 seat over former councilman Brian Nissen 416-333. In the Inchelium Position 2 rac... Full story
Lake Roosevelt High School could field a girls’ soccer team this year. The Grand Coulee Dam School District board is dealing with the cost and plans to review the soccer request at its July 11 meeting. Six schools in the North Central Washington 2-B League already have girls’ soccer teams — Brewster, Bridgeport, Liberty Bell, Manson, Oroville and Tonasket. Making the presentation before the board Monday was Casey Moore. She explained that the current youth soccer program had 120 kids involved and has become highly successful. The distr... Full story
Five of six administration positions in the Grand Coulee Dam school system will change for the new school year. Superintendent Dr. Dennis Carlson concludes his six years here June 30, and is being replaced by Paul Turner. Turner was hired by the board to follow Carlson this spring, after it was learned Carlson planned to retire. This year Turner was assistant principal at the junior/senior high school and prior to that principal at Tonasket. Things moved fast at the school board meeting Monday night. The board accepted the resignation of... Full story
Chamber of commerce members Thursday heard details on a proposed project that could put huge conduits for water under the community to produce more power and create jobs. The proposed Banks Lake hydroelectric pumped storage project could be operational by the year 2025. Tim Culbertson, and a team from Columbia Basin Hydropower, outlined a project that could require some 2,600 workers during construction and as many as 100 permanent employees. Culbertson spoke at the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce’s weekly luncheon at The Siam Palace.... Full story
It takes a lot of coordination and planning to put on the fireworks display over Grand Coulee Dam on July 4, according to Rocketman Pyros owner Dan Verheul. It all begins with the firm’s broker in China, and the selection of some 40 cases of carefully selected fireworks. Then when it’s time to set up, it takes 6-8 people to lay out the fireworks, starting at about 9 a.m. and getting done about 12 hours later. “We will lay out the displays from one end of the spillway to the other,” Verheul said last week. The fireworks display “will last about... Full story