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Articles from the June 19, 2024 edition


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  • Senior living project still looks for funding

    Renata Rollins|Jun 19, 2024

    Proponents of a future 50- to 80-bed senior living facility in Grand Coulee learned last week that their request for $5 million in federal funds for construction costs will not make it into the 2025 Congressional budget. But local partners continue to finesse the $17 million project, with an eye toward the state's legislative session opening next January and to future requests to the federal government for additional funds. "We know the funding strategy is a multi-year, multi-source strategy,"...

  • School reconsiders cell phone, dress policies

    Scott Hunter|Jun 19, 2024

    Cell phones and how to handle them are a point of major discussion among school superintendents in Okanogan County, Rod Broadnax, superintendent at Grand Coulee Dam School District, told the school board June 10. “That has been a big, big topic,” he said. The local school board already banned cell phone use during school two years ago, but enforcement has been slipping later in the year. English teacher Steve Files presented his research on some options to address the situation. Files said he’s been following the issue for years. “At least i...

  • City accepts over $1 million to fund a lot of work

    Scott Hunter|Jun 19, 2024

    Coulee Dam tripled its budget for street projects Monday, accepting contracts with the state Transportation Improvement Board for funds to chip seal most streets in town this summer and upgrading sidewalk ramps for compliance with federal rules on access for wheelchair users next year. The city council amended the 2024 Street Fund budget from $531,526 to $1,595,526. The chip seal work, in which crushed gravel is layered smoothly on a prepared street, then oiled and rolled, will happen this summer, City Clerk Stefani Bowden said. The work on...

  • CMC clears early hurdle in federal funding for staff tiny homes

    Renata Rollins|Jun 19, 2024

    Coulee Medical Center’s request for $3 million made it into next year’s Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration appropriations bill, released by the U.S. House Appropriations Committee last week. The housing project, called “Relief for Rural Health Workforce,” had won the support of Rep. Dan Newhouse of the 4th Congressional District. “Providing critical care in this large service area takes a unique toll on the health care providers and medical professionals that often have multi-hour commutes, necessitating a designate...

  • Kids festival, car show beat out rainy weather

    Renata Rollins|Jun 19, 2024

    Despite threatening skies that occasionally burst into rain, lightning and wind gusts to topple a shade canopy, around 150 kids and their family members came out for Koulee Kids Fest, the car show, or both last weekend. For Kids Fest, families visit participating local storefront businesses, where kids do free activities and get their event "passports" stamped, to be entered in a drawing. Based on numbers from the chamber of commerce, most families chose to focus on businesses in central Grand...

  • Housing shortage needs new approach here

    Scott Hunter editor and publisher|Jun 19, 2024

    Two stories in The Star this week revolve around a problem central to not only the Grand Coulee Dam area, but to the nation as a whole: housing shortages. More than any other problem, a lack of good housing is the biggest impediment the local area faces to economic development. Two proposals — Coulee Medical Center’s tiny homes project and the Center Senior Living initiative — would address different aspects of this similar problem. All the largest employers in the area deal with a lack of housing when recruiting workers to come here. The B...

  • The rest of the traffic light story

    Rob Fields|Jun 19, 2024

    Here is the rest of the story on those stupid traffic lights. Up to eight years ago, The Star newspaper ran an article stating that the city was going to purchase traffic control lighting for the city limits on SR-174, and they did. At that time, I remember having a conversation with the then mayor. I said there was no way I would ever get the lights and really figured they would go to the hospital. The only response was, oh no they won’t. Now eight years later, with the snap of a finger, they pop up on Main Street. If the mayor had the p...

  • Visiting the Prudhoe Bay protected area

    Roger Lucas|Jun 19, 2024

    My son Paul is a month into a five-month trip to Alaska. He called Sunday from a small campsite near Prudhoe Bay, where you can get to the gate but you can’t get in unless you have a permit or work there. There are about 2,000 workers at the oil site, mostly Eskimos who reside in nearby villages. The oil-and-gas site is expansive and the living quarters are huge, allowing for an influx of temporary workers. It is claimed that the oil companies are highly sensitive to environmental issues since the big Exxon Valdez oil tanker issue in 1989. A n...

  • Beware increasingly sophisticated cybersecurity scams

    Tom Purcell|Jun 19, 2024

    Here’s a story that is growing bigger by the day: Cyber scams are on the rise. My elderly family member fell for a common scam a few weeks ago: His screen appeared to be locked by “Microsoft” and he was urged to call the number the phony security alert displayed. If you call that fake number, a fake Microsoft representative will ask you to provide access to your computer, so he can steal sensitive data or download malicious apps. To be sure, in the digital era in which we all now live 24/7, you must assume that every email, text and phone call...

  • Interment of Ashes for Judy McGuire

    Jun 19, 2024

    The interment of Judy McGuire ashes will be held on Saturday, June 22, at 11am at Spring Canyon Cemetery The interment will be led by Pastor Lee Hitchcock of Faith Community Church. Following the interment a picnic will be held at Spring Canyon to honor this remarkable lady. Anyone attending please bring a side dish.... Full story

  • It's a girl for Cornett/Goetz

    Jun 19, 2024

    Charleigh Cornett and Charles Goetz of Odessa, Washington, are proud to announce the birth of their daughter Braialeigh Taylor Goetz on Thursday, May 16, 2024, at Coulee Medical Center in Grand Coulee, Washington. She weighed 7 lbs., 7 oz., and was 21 inches in length at birth. Maternal grandparents are Miranda Taylor and James Cornett of Odessa. Paternal grandparents are Alisa Saxton of Moses Lake and the late Justin Goetz. Great-grandmothers are Peggy Goetz of Odessa and Jenni Bradley of Moses Lake, Washington.... Full story

  • Louis/Rizzonelli have a girl

    Jun 19, 2024

    Taliena Louis and Christian Rizzonelli of Electric City, Washington are proud to announce the birth of their daughter Zyara Isolina Marie Rizzonelli on Wednesday, May 29, 2024, at Coulee Medical Center in Grand Coulee, Washington. She weighed 7 lbs., 10 oz., and was 2o-1/2 inches in length at birth. Maternal grandparents are the late Shannon Clark and Cyril Louis. Paternal grandparents are Jessica Rizzonelli and Ronald Smith and the late James Robinson. Great-grandparents are Norma Sanchez, Alan Rizzonelli Sr., and Lori and Jim... Full story

  • It's a girl for Redstar/Crinklaw

    Jun 19, 2024

    Minoka Redstar and Duane Crinklaw of Electric City, Washington are proud to announce the birth of their daughter Unique Xie’iyu-Justyce Crinklaw on Tuesday, June 4, 2024, at Coulee Medical Center in Grand Coulee, Washington. She weighed 7 lbs., 2 oz., and was 18 inches in length at birth. Sibling includes Aelina Quezada. Maternal grandparents are Virginia Redstar and Andrew Jack of Nespelem. Paternal grandparents are Sherry Crinklaw and Terrence Crinklaw of Grand Coulee. Great-grandparents include Veronica Redstar, Duane B. Crinklaw, Rachel S... Full story

  • Sanborn has a boy

    Jun 19, 2024

    Corey Ann Sanborn of Grand Coulee, Washington is proud to announce the birth of her son Jamison Lawrence Chamberlain Sanborn on Wednesday, June 5, 2024, at Coulee Medical Center in Grand Coulee. He weighed 7 lbs., 15 oz., and was 20 inches in length at birth. Siblings include Daekota, Grace, Luke and RJ.... Full story

  • Coulee cops

    Jun 19, 2024

    Coulee Dam Police 6/10 - Police received a call from the school where they were trying to unlock a car. An officer told them they didn’t have lockout equipment and they may have to call a company to unlock it for them if they couldn’t do it themselves. 6/11 - The owners of two dogs running at large in the Hillcrest Avenue area of Electric City were able to get the dogs back in the yard before police searched the area. Police warned the owners to be more careful to keep the dogs contained. One of the dogs was described as seemingly agg...

  • Legals

    Jun 19, 2024

    CITY OF ELECTRIC CITY CALL FOR BIDS FOR Conference Room/Office Chairs The City of Electric City will sell by sealed bid the following: 10 Conference room/office chairs (quantity 10) The items are being sold AS IS and is available for viewing. Please call City Hall at (509) 633-1510 to make an appointment during normal operating hours (Monday-Friday, 8:00am– 5:00pm). Bids must be submitted on the City supplied bid form which may be obtained at Electric City City Hall or online at www.electriccity.us/bid-process-and-bid-awards. Sealed bids m... Full story