News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
Sorted by date Results 913 - 937 of 1807
Coulee Dam’s “Community Building,” the one that houses The Melody Restaurant, Riverview Bowl and the currently unused theater space, has a bigger problem than the city’s budget can currently fix: it needs a new roof. Not a patch job on the leaky roof that customers at the businesses below having been putting up with for years, dodging buckets when it rains, but a completely new covering for which at least one contractor doesn’t even want to offer a cost estimate until he sees an engineer’s specifications. It’s a project that City Superintenden...
Considering the fact that the lowering of the speed limit from 40 to 30 mph on a short strip of three-lane from Grand Coulee to the Grand Coulee Project offices had nothing to do with construction safety concerns, the Bureau of Reclamation’s suggestion that it should own a portion of B Street should be considered, with conditions. The real reason the bureau lowered that speed limit on the portion of State Route 155 that it owns was to make legal what it has been doing since it took delivery of a couple dozen all-electric utility vehicles t...
Put off by bids all higher than expected, Electric City leaders May 14 tabled awarding a construction contract for a new entrance sign to the city until asking for the public’s opinion. The city is now taking a poll to gauge public opinion. Votes, by Electric City residents only, can be registered at city hall or online at the city’s website at www.electriccity.us. Expecting a bid for about $35,000, council members were hesitant to accept bids that started nearly $10,000 higher and climbed to more than $100,000. “Seems like a lot of money...
The Isle of Flags Memorial Day ceremony is set for 11 a.m. Monday, May 27, at Spring Canyon Cemetery, when a dozen new flags will be dedicated to fallen veterans. Those will join more than 500 that have been dedicated over the years and make for a rousing display each Memorial Day. That happens with a lot of volunteer help, and community members are encouraged to join in. Anyone who would like to help set up the flags can do so on Saturday, May 25, at 1 p.m. Local veterans will also be serving up their Veterans’ Center Memorial Day Breakfast a...
Coming into Electric City from the south, there is a big sign that says, “Welcome to Grand Coulee Dam Area.” It was put up decades ago by the local Rotary Club. Another one just like it welcomes travelers coming into the area on the highway to Wilbur. It says the exact same thing. One doesn’t say, “Welcome to Electric City,” and the other doesn’t say, “Welcome to Grand Coulee.” That choice reflected the deep-seated desire of community leaders at the time to unite the community to strengthen it. It was almost an ethic at the time that recog...
Faced with critics who question discipline policies at Lake Roosevelt Schools, officials Monday presented data and studies behind a direction they said is not only working better locally, but also mandated statewide. Ready with a raft of statistics for Grand Coulee Dam School District directors at a special meeting, Elementary Principal Lisa Lakin, Mark Herndon and Elementary Dean of Students Shamra Steffler told the school board that incidents of undesirable student behavior are way down from last year, thanks to programs put in place to...
The National Weather Service in Spokane has issued a flood watch for areas in North Central Washington and Eastern Washington, including around Grand Coulee Dam. NWS is warning of showers and thunderstorms that might be capable of flash flooding from 2 p.m. today through late tonight, Thursday, May 16. NWS warns: "* Flood Watch for portions of North Central Washington and Northeast Washington, including the following counties, in North Central Washington, Chelan, Douglas, and Okanogan. In... Full story
Electric City quietly changed the rules Tuesday night that govern the process by which it could fire its fire chief. The vote happened moments after Electric City’s fire chief told people waiting outside city hall during a closed session of the city council that a problem he’d had with the mayor had been ameliorated with a letter of reprimand instead of a dismissal. The city council passed an ordinance that takes out a reference to state law that imposes an appeals process giving a fired civil service employee 10 days to demand an appeal bef...
Four of the five Electric City Council seats are up for election this year, as is the mayor’s office, and interest is running higher than usual. It’s filing week in Washington, and people interested in running for elected office have until Friday to file their intentions. In Electric City, council positions held by Rich McGuire (position 2), Birdie Hensley (3), Carol Nordine (4), and Lonna Bussert (5) are up for election. The seat held by McGuire, who on Tuesday withdrew his candidacy, is up for a two-year stint, according to the Grant Cou...
The Raider track and field athletes competed at the District 5-6 2b subdistricts meet in Manson May 8, where nine Raiders qualified for the district tournament on Friday in Quincy. “Our throwers really shined,” Head Coach Lori Adkins said. “They have worked for this!” Steven Flowers placed first in the shot put, heaving the 12 pounder 47 feet, 0.5 inches. Josh Flowers took second with a throw of 44-2.5, a personal record. Steven Flowers also placed second in the discus with a throw of 121 feet, 2 inches, and took second in the 100-met...
Darin Whiteman qualified for the state golf tournament Monday in Pasco at the District 5-6 tourney at Sun Willows Golf Course, taking sixth place in the tournament. Whiteman shot an 88 for the day, rallying after a struggle on the front nine of the par-72 course. Top honors went to Tri-Cities Prep’s Teddy Moore, who shot an 82. That rally qualified Whiteman for the third consecutive year to represent Lake Roosevelt at the state tournament. He’ll head to Tumwater Valley for that tourney next Tue... Full story
They came to listen and understand what has some Grand Coulee and Electric City customers upset enough to start a petition. Grant County PUD officials held a listening session and dialogue with people at last Thursday’s Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce meeting at Siam Palace. They heard plenty of opinions on less access at the local PUD office, which is open twice a week, including from Lonna Bussert, who had put out petitions for better customer service after spending lots of time on the phone not getting help. Public Affairs O...
Those who assert that action on climate change should only happen if it’s fair, just don’t understand the problem. It may be true that other countries are egregious polluters, adding as much carbon and other warming agents to the atmosphere, or even more, than the United States. But the situation is too urgent to wait to even set our goals just because somebody else is worse. The minimal requirements of the Paris agreement from which President Trump withdrew the U.S. are truly minimal, and we’re nowhere near meeting even those, as a natio...
The city of Coulee Dam has OK’d a lease for the Melody Restaurant space in its community building, the city council Wednesday voting unanimously to approve it and promising cooperation on certain maintenance issues for the new operators. Jon Anderson and Stephanie Guin negotiated a deal with the business’ previous owner over a period of several months, he told The Star in March. They’ve been negotiating the lease with the city since, mostly while operating under the previous lease held by Juan Moreno, who has since been deported to Mexic...
It’s Colorama time next week, when the carnival comes to town, runners lace up those shoes, cowboys ride into town and people line the streets of Grand Coulee for the parade. Here’s a quick rundown of what to expect. We’ll get into more detail with a special section in next week’s Star. Rainier Amusements will again bring in the carnival, as they did last year, beginning Thursday, May 9, at 4 p.m. Presale tickets are still available for less money than you’ll pay at the carnival. The Colorama Color Run is set for 9-11 a.m. Saturday, May 11, a...
Those in political office have the job of interpreting the feedback they get from constituents, but that means that first, it’s their constituents’ job to give it to them. We’re glad to be a part of that loop. In small towns like ours, leaders often complain of a lack of feedback over the minutiae of governing to which they must pay so much attention. Not so, however, concerning matters of basic or lasting community direction, such as that covered in recent articles, including one on sports in school, and another on a planned street chang...
An 80-year-old woman died Monday afternoon when the car she was riding in rolled off the highway just east of Leahy Junction on SR-174. Ramona J. Anderson, of Omak, died at the scene 19 miles west of Grand Coulee, the Washington State Patrol reported. The eastbound 2012 Toyota Sienna in which she was a passenger was driven by Frank Anderson, also 80. The WSP investigation found the minivan had left the road off the right shoulder, then was overcorrected, leaving the road to the left, rolling and coming to rest about 40 feet off the highway....
There could be complications this summer if you’re planning to use a paved parking lot at Spring Canyon or any other Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area facility, including campgrounds with pavement and boat launches with paved parking lots. The National Park Service will stop taking reservations for this summer for its facilities in the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area and will offer refunds to those who’ve already reserved their campsites, the NPS announced Tuesday. A project to repave every bit of asphalt in the park this yea...
Evelyn Russell doesn't know how many people are involved in an annual effort to put together dozens of quilts for the benefit of people in need, around the world and at a nearby crisis shelter. "We've got a box in the back," Russell said, standing inside the sanctuary of Zion Lutheran Church in Grand Coulee Saturday, with 91 colorful quilts covering every available surface, anointed by sunlight coming through the colored glass. The box collects pieces that quilters finish at home. The tops and...
One has devoted her career to the success of a local institution, the other just started a new business last year to fill a local need and fulfill a longtime ambition. Solveig Chaffee's Voltage Coffee House was named business of the year, and hospital CEO Ramona Hicks was honored as achiever of the year at the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce annual awards banquet Thursday at Pepper Jack's Bar and Grille. "Thank you for bringing a new business to the community ... putting in your own...
Before it’s too late, a word of thanks needs to be said for those who plow snow. This was a tough winter, but local roads remained remarkably open after initial attacks were completed, allowing drivers to travel intact. That’s no small thing, and we should be thankful in the coulee for roads well plowed by folks who most of the time got up early to get ready for our morning commutes. Scott Hunter editor and publisher...
People who felt the loss of convenience when The Variety Store in Grand Coulee closed down will welcome the news that a new proprietor will open a new store by the same name in the same building. Launi Ritter, who had attempted to come to rental terms with former owners of the building between Safeway and Coulee Hardware over a year ago. She and her parents, Doug and Mary Lou Lockard, had researched the business and were ready to start it up, but could not find a location with the right terms. That changed Feb. 27, Ritter said, when A. J. Gerar...
After a delivery last week had added to the meager stores at the Care and Share Food Bank a couple weeks ago, volunteers came once again to unload another truck on Thursday, this time stuffing shelves with the proceeds made possible by local donations last fall. If you wondered exactly when that donation you made at Safeway to the local food bank last November or December would actually arrive, the answer is last week. "This is the time of year we really need that," said Carol Nordine, the...
Park district commissioners Monday voted to accept the resignation of one commissioner, then immediately filled her position with a young recruit. Commissioner Debbie Bigelow, who has served for nearly three years despite being retired. "Although I will continue forever to support this organization," she said, "I no longer have the energy or community connections that are so important to the success of this organization." Bigelow, who retired as chief executive officer of Coulee Medical Center,...
The Colville Business Council, meeting in special session Thursday with all tribal representatives present, expelled fellow council member Andrea George from their ranks on ethics charges, which she denied in a detailed statement. George, elected last summer to represent the Nespelem District on the Colville Tribes’ governing body that serves as both the tribes’ legislature and head of its executive branch, is a lawyer whom her supporters insist was being expelled for calling into question procedures and actions the council takes, not for act...