News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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Only one office in the coulee area will require a primary runoff to see who makes it to the general election Nov. 7. Three people have filed for Position 3 on the Coulee Dam Town Council, requiring the runoff election. In all other races, candidates will automatically move to the general election Nov. 7. Bruce Bartoo, Timothy Brooks and Marcia Warnecke each filed for the same council seat in Coulee Dam last Friday, which will bring on a primary election to select the top two on Aug. 1. Others who have filed for Coulee Dam council are David... Full story
The Lake Roosevelt Schools music department just won a $6,250 grant. Karen Pace, music director ,said the grant was given through the umbrella of the Washington Music Education Association. Pace directs four bands in the district and the district’s choir, for a total of about 165 students, Pace said Friday, plus elementary music. Shee put in for the grant in March and received word that the grant was coming through for the district earlier in May. The money will be used to purchase new instruments, repair older ones, and provide music stands a... Full story
Grant County Mosquito District 2 released its treatment schedule for the coming season. On Mondays, the district will treat in Electric City and Sunbanks Lake Resort; Tuesday at Steamboat Rock State Park and Osborn Bay; Wednesday in Grand Coulee; Thursday in Electric City and Sunbanks; Friday at Steamboat Rock State Park and Osborn Bay; Saturday at the airport and golf course; and Sunday in Grand Coulee. The schedule is subject to change for weather, wind, and rain. The district has only one licensed applicator at this time, Tim Weibe, who can... Full story
Electric City council approved contracting for a hearing examiner and hiring a code enforcement officer at its meeting May 9. Hearing examiner Andrew L. Kottkamp, of Wenatchee, will be paid $150 an hour. The hearing examiner duties call for him to be knowledgeable in all portions of Electric City’s municipal code and related ordinances, regulations, plans and policies applicable to any matter coming before him for a hearing. The contractor also must be knowledgeable with relevant state statutes and appellate case law. The hearing examiner w... Full story
The Grand Coulee Dam School District issued a strong response to invitations for comments on a Bureau of Reclamation proposed modernization program. The Bureau had advertised for draft environmental assessment comments on its 12-year plan to modernize and overhaul generators in both the left and right powerhouses. The school district, long critical of a lack of financial support from the Bureau, stated in a letter dated May 12: “Regarding impacts on the district, it is clear the Bureau still does not understand the complexity and unique s... Full story
School Superintendent Paul Turner is doing his budget for next year, quite possibly the most difficult he will ever prepare. The Grand Coulee Dam School District is facing what he described to the board as a potential $745,000 shortfall if everything remains as it is today. Monday, Turner stated that he has constantly been revising budget plans for next year and he expects to start making some final decisions this Thursday after meeting with school administrators. The district has until June 15 to notify teachers if they are not going to be... Full story
The period for filing candidates intentions to seek elective offices is set for May 15-19, with the primary election scheduled for August 1 and the general election set for Nov. 7. The area’s two school districts, Grand Coulee Dam and Nespelem, each have four board positions that will be up for election this year. Seats in the Grand Coulee Dam District and their incumbants include Position 1, currently held by Carla Marconi, a four-year term; Position 2, held by Ken Stanger, a four-year term; Position 3, held by George LaPlace, a two-year t... Full story
A new 5K Colorama Color Run will be held at North Dam Park this year, adding literal “color” for Colorama to participants who want to revel in the spirit of the festival. The run begins at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 13, at North Dam Park. For those who pre-register at grandcouleedam.org/colorrun or at the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce, the cost is $22 and includes a T-shirt. Registration on the day of the run will cost $25, and a T-shirt is not guaranteed. Those on the run will receive a T-shirt and can get an optional spray of color at... Full story
Electric City has received an emergency grant from the Transportation Improvement Board to make needed repairs to nine small street problems. City Clerk Russell Powers said that the grant is for just over $30,000, and will take care of nine of the 12 requests made. As soon as he learned that emergency grants would be available, Powers said he submitted a list of 12 emergency repairs the city would like to make, along with pictures of the problems. “They approved nine, and we hope to have the work done in June,” Powers said Monday. Worst of the... Full story
There will soon be a lighted crosswalk on Highway 174, where employees at Coulee Medical Center cross the highway from where they park. A meeting was held recently with representatives from the Department of Transportation, Coulee Medical Center, Grant County PUD and Grand Coulee Mayor Paul Townsend. Townsend said it’s a “go,” and “the papers have all been signed.” Grant County PUD will install a streetlight near where the crosswalk will be located, the DOT will paint the crosswalk, and Grand Coulee will pick up the monthly energy cost. Tow... Full story
This year’s senior class is planning a trip to Seattle and places beyond for its “senior trip.” But the 25 seniors and four adult chaperones will have to be “early birds” if they expect to catch the bus before it pulls out at 5 a.m. for the two-day annual event scheduled for June 2-3. The Grand Coulee Dam School District board approved the trip at its Monday meeting. Seniors will leave early the first day and come back late — very late on the second day. Class sponsor Julie Friedlander presented the plan to the board Monday. The class has b... Full story
Electric City’s park plan got a boost April 11, when the city council looked favorably on recommendations from the Parks and Recreation Committee (PARC). The council agreed to move forward on hiring an engineering or landscape firm to draw final plans for both the McNett Avenue Park and the Grand Avenue Park, both new to the city. Council members specified that the city should use funds other than hotel/motel money to pay for the completed plans. The council had voted a year ago to set aside $40,000 from its hotel/motel fund to pay for e... Full story
Elmer City residents will see a 2-percent increase in their power bills as a result of an increase in electric costs from Nespelem Valley Electric, town council members learned last Thursday. The town was advised by NVE that its power rates would go from $0.07 per kilowatt hour to $0.0714 per kilowatt hour, the result of an increase from its supplier, Bonneville Power Administration. It was estimated that the increase to Elmer City residents would be about $22 a year. Dan Simpson, general manager of Nespelem Valley Electric, said in a letter... Full story
Okanogan County commissioners declared a state of emergency Monday, due to threat of flooding and debris problems on county roads. Commissioners passed the resolution after county roads suffered damage from heavy precipitation recently. They acknowledged the continued threat of heavy rain has created a danger to public health and the safety of those using county roads. The Charlton Complex and other wildfires stripped vegetation from hills in the county, resulting in flash floods with mud and debris being swept over roadways. Commissioners... Full story
Fire destroyed a home at 323 Roosevelt Drive in Grand Coulee late Saturday evening. A family of four were away at the time of the fire; however, two dogs died in the blaze. The Jesus Llamas family rented the mobile home that was owned by the Loretta Bingham family. Firefighters from Grand Coulee and Electric City volunteer fire departments and the Bureau of Reclamation responded. Grand Coulee Volunteer Fire Chief Rick Paris stated that fire and smoke was coming from the mobile home when... Full story
Grant County Health District reported this week that officials there are investigating what might be a single case of tuberculosis. The person in question was treated in several health care facilities in Grant County during the course of the illness. Officials at the county said it is the lone case now being investigated. Health officials have found some 200 persons, residing in Grant, Lincoln and Adams counties, who have been in contact with the person. All have been contacted by Grant County health officials and are being monitored for possib... Full story
Two community Easter egg hunts are planned for the area this year. The Lions Club will hold its 80th community Easter egg hunt on Saturday, April 15, at the former middle school field in Grand Coulee. It is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. and is for kids up to 10 years of age. And the town of Elmer City will hold its Easter egg hunt at the park near Town Hall on Sunday, April 16. That event begins at 1 p.m. It is the second straight egg hunt in Elmer City, beginning a new series, Mayor Gail Morin stated. Elmer City last year had a turnout of... Full story
There will soon be new management at the Care and Share Food Bank. Fern Blaylock is retiring from that position after taking care of people's food and other needs for decades. Fern, 81, plans to retain her other job, as a volunteer at Lake Roosevelt Schools, where she gives more than a few hugs a day. With a glint in her eye, and probably regret in her heart, Blaylock took this writer on a tour of the various rooms at the Church of the Nazarene, where the food bank is located. In each room, she... Full story
Parade forms went out this week to those wanting to en ter the Colorama Parade, May 13. You can enter by filling out parade forms found online at grandcouleedam.o y a cr/parade. Peggy Nevsimal, executive director of the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce, said the parade will have eight categories: Community entry; Organization/club entry; Business entry; School band; Classic car; Hot rod; Equestrian and Junior entry. This year’s Colorama event will be the community’s 61st. Colorama this year will include a three-day carnival, three-day... Full story
It might sound a little fishy — that’s because it is. Here’s your opportunity to win an Achilles four-person inflatable boat and Yamaha outboard motor. All you have to do is place first in the 5th Annual Triple Fish Challenge tournament, April 22 and 23. The place: Banks Lake, boating from Coulee Playland. Entry fee is $20 for those up to 14 years old, $60 for those 15 years and older. You can submit your entry form online until midnight April 20, or in person from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, April 21, and registration will continue during boat inspect... Full story
A Grand Coulee man was sentenced in Grant County Superior Court Monday to 29 months imprisonment for possession of stolen property. According to the Grant County Prosecutor’s Office, Melvin Toulou, Jr., 43, still faces three additional Grant County felony charges. The three additional charges are 1) a charge of possession of stolen property in the 2nd degree, and possession of a firearm 2nd degree, often referred to as possession of a firearm by a felon; 2) possession of stolen property 2nd degree, and trafficking of stolen property in the 1... Full story
Electric City will soon fill its vacancy on the city council. Three residents of the city filed letters of interest to fill the vacancy after Brad Parrish resigned a couple of months ago. City Clerk Russell Powers said that the three — Jeremy Miller, Ken Anderson and Lisa Lyngar — will be considered by the council when it meets April 11. “I don’t know if the council will move on the appointment,” he said Monday. “It may want to take some time before they name a replacement.” The council plans a retreat April 15, in Ephrata, and might want to di... Full story
The school boards from the Grand Coulee Dam District and Nespelem District met recently and focused their discussions on the calendars for the next two school years. As a new approach to setting the school calendar, Grand Coulee Dam District Superintendent Paul Turner opted to present a two-year calendar plan to the respective boards. Turner reviewed it with his own board in February and board Chair Joette Barry requested a review with Nespelem before passage. The two boards reviewed the calendars and decided to try to match the fall school... Full story
A meeting of Electric City’s parks and recreation committee last Thursday focused on two new city parks, and they will recommend the city council to move forward on developing them, spending nearly a half million dollars over the next four years. The group, voting unanimously, recommended that the park plan go out for a 60-day public review. Other recommendations include that the council hire and contract with a landscape engineering firm to design and create plans for both the McNett Avenue Park and the Grand Avenue Park. Both parks will be re... Full story
Fifteen local firefighters completed a 12-hour advanced wildland firefighter course after taking instruction Thursday evening and all day Saturday. The class was taught by three Washington State Department of Natural Resource firefighters, and sponsored by the local fire departments and districts, and is one of several courses offered. The course, called S-131 Firefighter Type 1, or Advance Firefighter, covers a range of topics including safety standards and hazardous identification. The course also includes the risk management process used on... Full story