News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
Sorted by date Results 1200 - 1224 of 1807
A discussion about local crime revealed the level of concern many local people in Coulee Dam feel as minor property crimes increase. “We have a serious problem with drugs,” Councilmember David Schmidt said, admitting at Wednesday’s town council meeting he was surprised by that. Schmidt said he’d recently taken a house guest to a local tavern and was repeatedly approached by people there about the problem. “This is becoming urgent, and we can’t just screw around with it,” Schmidt said. Mayor Greg Wilder noted the town had just hired another poli... Full story
An artist whose paintings hang in Lake Roosevelt Schools addressed students at a dedication of the art last week and gave insights into her inspirations for the six works depicting various birds - and one fish. "I gotta tell you how extraordinarily beautiful this land of your is," said Lucinda Parker, of Portland, Oregon, who was commissioned for the Washington State Arts Commission project. "Actually, it's not a landscape," she continued. "It's a great big, enormous, constantly-changing... Full story
People giving good advice for dealing with an increase in local crime usually miss the real point of the discontent of those complaining about it. They’ll advise, rightly, that we would all be better off if we’d stop pretending we still live in a place where all your possessions are safe from theft. Lock up your stuff, lock your car door and don’t leave your home unlocked. It’s common sense, they say. And it is, and has been, common sense for a long time — elsewhere. People don’t want their possessions stolen, true enough. But those thing... Full story
As a Republican candidate for the state's second-highest office, conservative talk show host and Lake Roosevelt graduate Marty McClendon addresses a less-than-conservative crowd of Lake Roosevelt High School seniors Oct. 7. McClendon is seeking the leiutenant governor's office, which, he told students, wields some significant and often under-appreciated power....
A forum for Okanogan County commissioner candidates was markedly civil Thursday night in Coulee Dam, despite a campaign season possibly among the most contentious in recent county history. That may have been due to a decidedly local focus in the questions put to the four by moderator Bob Valen, the vice president of the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce, which sponsored the event. Valen sprinkled in questions submitted from an audience of 18 among a dozen pre-written for the event. Commi... Full story
The three federal agencies whose dams control the Columbia River system are rethinking the whole complex process, and that should make everyone pay close attention. Next Tuesday, the Bureau of Reclamation, Army Corps of Engineers and the Bonneville Power Administration will hold in Coulee Dam the second in a series of 15 public meetings from Wenatchee to Missoula to Astoria inviting the public to comment on the scope of work to include as it launches another massive effort to rethink the system in favor of ensuring endangered fish survival.... Full story
A forum for voters to hear the positions of candidates for two contested Okanogan County commissioner seats will take place Thursday at Lake Roosevelt Schools. The two hotly contested races come after months of push-back on the existing commissioners on several issues that led to the formation of a group dedicated to unseating them. One of them, Commissioner Ray Campbell, lost in the primary election. Represent Okanogan County 2016 contends the board of commissioners is sacrificing local fiscal responsibility to affect national conservative... Full story
The Bureau of Reclamation is inviting the public to comment on a proposed multiyear powerplant overhaul project at two Grand Coulee Dam powerhouses. During the 30-day comment period that ends Nov. 7, the public is encouraged to identify issues and concerns to be addressed in an Environmental Assessment on the proposed modernization and overhaul of all the generators in the Left and Right Powerhouses, a press release issued Oct. 7 said. The 18 generating units and three station service units have been in operation for over 70 years and are... Full story
The Gehrke Windmill Garden at North Dam Park has been listed on the Washington Hertiage Register of Historic Places. The Governor’s Advisory Council on Historic Preservation granted that distinction Oct. 7 at a meeting in Tacoma. Coulee Area Park and Recreation District President Bob Valen was present and accepted the listing certificate from Washington State University Historian Dr. Rob McCoy. CAPRD manages the park. The council members were delighted with the “whimsical” nature of the site, Valen reported. Emil and Stella Gehrke’s “folk a... Full story
Okanogan County Board of Commissioners candidates will address the public in an open forum Thursday, October 13, in Coulee Dam at Lake Roosevelt Schools. The forum, sponsored by the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce, will take place in the elementary side cafeteria, from 7-9 p.m. Doors will open at 6:30. Two commissioner positions are at stake in the election. Chamber Vice President Bob Valen, of Lincoln County, will moderate. Republican incumbent Sheilah Kennedy, of Okanogan, faces challenger and independent Chris Branch, Omak, for... Full story
A judge of the superior court of one of the four local counties whose corners meet in the Grand Coulee Dam community has ideas he thinks should be considered across counties to help curb local crime. But he has to get re-elected first. Grant County Superior Court Judge David Estudillo addressed Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce members Thursday. Appointed by Gov. Jay Inslee a year ago to fill out the term of retiring Judge Evan Sperline, Estudillo now must seek election by the people,... Full story
When Coulee Medical Center leaders wanted to find ways to cure the hospital's ailing relationship with members of the Colville Tribes, an idea for a good start popped into Shoshanna Jordan's mind: Hold a powwow. The idea turned out to be a catalyst for much more, but the powwow came together after three months of planning last Friday. Dancers from all over the Colville Reservation and further attended, plus participants from a Salish language school in Spokane, whose first- through... Full story
Two wildfires burned separately Sunday afternoon and threatened Elmer City, Coulee Dam and Grand Coulee, while residents watched as flames lit up the hillsides on both sides of the Columbia River. Local fire fighting agencies responded quickly during "red flag" conditions for which the National Weather Service had issued warnings, due to low humidity and high winds. Highways 174 and 155 were both closed sporadically as the fires came close over the next two days, and residents were warned they s... Full story
A woman's home in east Coulee Dam caught fire Friday evening, drawing a quick response from every local fire department. Susan Lynch's house at 611 Birch Street drew 11 fire engines, first responder vehicles and ambulances when the call went out at 6:10 p.m. "People keep telling me it can all be replaced," Lynch said, watching firefighters answer with torrents of water flames coming from inside her home, "but it can't." Lynch said photos and annuals can't be replaced, and she worried whether... Full story
Josiah Desautel runs it in for the second touchdown of the game, in the second quarter, against Manson in Coulee Dam. The Raiders were up by 26-0 at the half. The Raiders won 40-14. Watch for Jacob Wagner's sports coverage in The Star Wednesday. Find out more about all the Raider teams in our fall sports special section inside The Star this week....
Coulee Dam instructed the town’s attorney last week to file a lawsuit against Elmer City for breach of a decades-old contract between the two towns, saying Elmer City isn’t paying its bills. Following an executive session of the town council Wednesday night, the council voted unanimously to sue. Mayor Greg Wilder said Elmer City was in arrears at least $55,000 in charges Coulee Dam has billed for processing the smaller town’s sewage, more if certain capitalized costs are included. “They’ve overcharged us for labor for years,” Elmer City Mayor... Full story
A fairly upbeat report on crime statistics in Coulee Dam didn’t assuage fears among residents who expressed dire concerns at the town council meeting about increasing petty crime. Mayor Greg Wilder recited findings from USA.com, a site that compiles all kinds of statistics, but invoked the Mark Twain quote that there are “lies, damned lies and statistics.” That site noted last year that the town had the second-best record in the state. But Wilder said he’d also compiled stats from state sources on nearby towns and that Coulee Dam still looked... Full story
People at last week’s Coulee Dam Town Council meeting speaking up about local crime were stating out loud what we’re all feeling: the community is not as safe as it once was. There have been times in the last three decades when petty crimes spiked in the local area, only to recede after one or two arrests. This may be different. It feels different. In the past, the local petty crime rate would rise and fall depending on which thief just got out of jail. Police knew where to find him or her, and it was only a matter of time before the rep... Full story
Roads leading to the Bureau of Reclamation's east gate near Pole Park are closed today (Thursday) from 10 a.m. until about 3 p.m., the USBR said. Industrial Road from highway 155 and B Street are closed from Division Street. Potential contractors who may bid on building a new Reclamation Fire Station will be at the Grand Coulee facilities for an on-site visit....
An organization dedicated to "serving people facing unplanned pregnancy and related sexual issues" has opened an office in Grand Coulee. Funded by local churches, Care Net opened its fourth office Aug. 1 at 402 Burdin Boulevard in Grand Coulee. It also operates centers in Omak, Oroville and Brewster. All services are free. The effort is funded through local churches, and services are delivered in a completely non-judgmental manner, said Rachel Harris, the facility's only staffer, who works part... Full story
My oldest daughter was a new baby when she attended my high school graduation, so I can attest to the importance of a network of support for young parents barely old enough to grasp the coming meaning of adulthood. Her mother and I had plenty of support from our family members, but that’s not always the case for many young people about to be charged with the most important job on earth — raising a child — and not a clue how to even begin. So a new venture in Grand Coulee should be a welcome development to the community. Care Net opened its d... Full story
A series of wildland fires around the region the last two weeks have kept fire fighting agencies busy and yesterday prompted a burning ban in Grant County. A nearly 2,000-acre fire about 15 miles south of Inchelium has been 65 percent contained, the Northwest 9 Management team reported Tuesday. Evacuation levels have been reduced to level one throughout the fire region, fire officials reported. The Kewa blaze started Aug. 2, and has burned 1,912 acres of rangeland and timber. The NW 9 Management incident commander, Brian Goff, reported that... Full story
Coulee Dam has narrowed the field of candidates for a new chief of police to two, the mayor said Tuesday. The top candidates, from an original field of five, are Mark Farrel, a recently-retired colonel from Pinedale, Wyoming, and Paul Bowden, who has served as chief in Wilbur for two years. Farrel currently lives in the Seattle area. Bowden is the husband of the Coulee Dam town clerk, Stefani Bowden. Mayor Greg Wilder said the town’s civil service commission had forwarded three candidates for his consideration. He put together an interview c... Full story
Update: One of two suspects in a Soap Lake shooting turned himself in to authorities Sunday night, the Grant County Sheriff's Office said Monday morning. Tomas Miguel Lopez turned himself in about 7 p.m., was interviewed and booked into Grant County Jail. The sheriff's office said they still are seekng information about a second suspect and that tipsters can remain anonymous. Original story: Two people narrowly escaped serious injury after two men reportedly started shooting at them in their veh...
The artist who produced the Gehrke windmills could get some overdue attention if the Coulee Area Park and Recreation District can find funding for a few interpretive signs to tell his story. Electric City resident Kristen Heidenthal last month proposed working on four interpretive panels to explain to visitors a colorful history of the artist beyond his time in the Grand Coulee area. Emil Gehrke is recognized as a legitimate American folk artist and his work is more widely known and respected than many appreciate, district President Bob Valen... Full story