News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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When I was a kid the Fourth of July meant fireworks, swimming, picnics and family. We would beg our parents to buy us fireworks and of course fire crackers were my favorite. Back then I did not think of wildland fires or the dangers of explosives; we were just kids and wanted to hear the booms and see the magnificent colors and the sparks falling back to earth. My Grandpa Utz would always spoil us and purchase what seemed to be the biggest box, and, of course, he supplied us with firecrackers....
Wildland fire breaks out on reservation Wildifire consumed more than 500 acres on the Colville Indian Reservation July 4, on the 10th anniversary of a fire that burned more than 10,000 in the same area. The Mt. Tolman Fire Center got the call at 3:47 p.m. for the blaze about 50 miles southeast of Keller on the north side of Lake Roosevelt. The cause is under investigation. As of 9:30 Friday morning, the 2013 Rattlesnake Fire had consumed 516 acres of grass, sage, and bitter brush in steep, rocky...
The Columbia River tops Grand Coulee Dam as extra water makes its way from Canada, filling local reservoirs. The spill has been cooling the town of Coulee Dam during the high heat of the last couple days, with temperature differences of at least 15 degrees from Grand Coulee to Coulee Dam. As of last Friday, the spill was expected to continue through this week. — Scott Hunter photo...
Grand Coulee Dam School District Superintendent Dennis Carlson was pleased with the new state budget signed by the governor Sunday. The new state two-year budget fully funds all day kindergarten, a switch from the past when the state funded kindergartens by only 50 percent. The fully state-funded kindergarten will save the district an estimated $150,000 a year. Prior to this the board of directors had committed the district to funding the half not funded by the state because the members felt that early learning needed a boost in the district....
You can enjoy all the traditional activity of the 4th of July by just staying home. The coulee community will see three days of fun and excitement. Activity begins Thursday, July 4, and extends through Saturday, July 6. On the 4th, the Festival of America, the nameplate of the celebration, kicks off in the park below the Visitor Center. Those attending may be lucky and enjoy the cooling influence of water being released over Grand Coulee Dam. As of last Friday the spill was predicted to last through this week. We’ll just have to wait to see i...
The National Weather Service has issued not only a heat advisory, but a “Red Flag Warning” until late Thursday night for a large area that apparently includes North Dam, a popular site for lighting fireworks. Grand Coulee officials are still planning to allow people to use the top of the dam for fireworks, however, because they see it as the the safest spot in the area for lighting up the traditional explosives. The alert was issued due to expected windy conditions mixed with very low hum...
The state’s Transportation Improvement Board awarded 100% funding to convert existing street lights in Coulee Dam to lower energy technology. The council Wednesday night quickly OK’d approval of the grant and for Mayor Quincy Snow to execute the agreement. The maximum amount of the grant is $252,000, and the grant has been pending for several weeks. The grant announcement comes after the Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) did a feasibility study of the town. Coulee Dam is one of six cities or towns in the state to receive the energy sav...
The town of Coulee Dam can relax a bit now that the state Legislature has passed its budget. On June 20, the town was notified by the Department of Ecology, the agency handling the loan for its proposed wastewater treatment plant, that the loan could be tied up if the budget wasn’t passed. The letter from Chief Financial Officer Erik Fairchild stated that the loan would be suspended, not terminated, if the Legislature didn’t approve the budget. The budget finally did pass, and Gov. Jay Inslee signed it Sunday. Now the town can start spe...
Star office to close for holiday The Star newspaper will be closed Thursday and Friday, July 4- 5, in observance of the Independence Day holiday. The office will be open at 9 a.m. Monday, July 8, for normal business. The deadline for classified and display advertising is 5 p.m. on Monday. Primary election coming soon This year’s Primary is just a few weeks away. In fact, the Primary will end on Aug. 6. If you haven’t registered to vote and want to take part in this year’s Primary, you need to act soon. Monday, July 8, is the deadline for online...
The new Keller ferry, The Sanpoil, is out of its protective cocoon and is in the final stages of getting ready for its launch. Workers at the Crescent Bay assembly site said launch could be within two weeks. The National Park Service issued a press release saying the parking area at the boat launch would be closed from 5 p.m. July 9 through July 10 for the planned launch. Boaters can launch boats at Spring Canyon during that time. The ferry has been under construction since its arrival, in...
Juan Moreno opened his all new Melody Restaurant in Coulee Dam Monday. He is open for both breakfast and lunch, opening at 6 a.m. to catch workers who have to eat out before going to their job, and closing after the lunch trade. Shuttered for 14 months after the last proprietors went out of business, The Melody is now new in a number of ways. The old-style booths are gone and those patronizing the restaurant will be seated at tables scattered in the attractive dining room. Seating capacity is...
Port District 7 commissioners are trying to deal with a report of 21 cows on the airport runway and several instances of cows breaking out of their pasture and getting on the golf course. It was reported at their meeting last Thursday that one pilot counted 21 cows on the runway on one occasion. Commissioners have called the Grant County Sheriff’s Office to complain and have complained to the party they think owns the cows. Several cows are being pastured at the south end of the golf course, and on several occasions they have broken through the...
Using the Colville Tribal TERO office as a hiring headquarters is working well, according to officials on the Grand Coulee Dam School District’s new K-12 school project. A report by Walker Construction to the school board showed that through June 14, 73 percent of hours worked so far on the school project were worked by Native American workers. The report made to the school board was affirmed by Roger Easling, construction manager for the Wenaha Group, a firm that follows the project for the school district. TERO (Tribal Employment Rights O...
Sunbanks Lake Resort Manager Sandy McInnes compares old to new boat docks just installed at the resort. The 50 new boat slips will enable boaters to gain overnight or longer parking for their boats. Officials at the resort stated that there will be overnight and parking fees established for the new slips. — Roger S. Lucas photo...
Ginger, our 30-pound, 15-year-old cat never really did much in the way of activities. Mostly just eat and lay on the porch. For 11 years she laid in her favorite cat bed on the porch, just looking around, getting fresh air. But last Friday, while laying in her favorite spot, she was attacked by two dogs, dragged off the porch and killed in her yard. She was 15 years old and arthritic, missing all but one or two of her teeth. Fifteen years is a long time. Ginger was there in the happy times of my mother’s marriage; she was there when my f...
We have lived in Coulee Dam since June of 1980 and have used the Spring Canyon picnic area many times through these years. On the afternoon of 6/28 we made one of this year’s first visits to the park for a few hours of well earned R&R. All that was apparent was grass and goose fecal matter, fresh and fosselized. In all our years we have never seen such an accumulation of goose poop. So said other locals of this mess. This mess didn’t seem much of a concern to the ranger in the office. “I walk...
Last evening I took a favorite walk along North Columbia, around the Credit Union and down past the old wildlife, garden area. I was shocked to see all the fruit trees gone, the bird-friendly habitat, the flowering shrubs. Nothing left of the old “green field” that so many children played on when the building was Columbia School. The rose garden was gone, the lovely walk down from Fiddle Creek bridge. Now we have rock piles, artificial edging and bare dirt. No one I asked seemed to know why so much had been destroyed, so much that was bea...
What will people do after the garden is gone? What will people know after the garden is gone? Where will people, and rabbits, toads, butterflies, hummingbirds, ladybugs, song birds, moths, soil live stock, etc., go after the garden is gone? Someone who believes to have power can hide behind a desk and hire machines to destroy but where will all of us and these creatures go after the garden is gone? Gayle Swagerty Coulee Dam...
Thank you to everyone involved in getting the carving done in Coulee Dam. They look wonderful and add a nice touch to that great little park. “Well done,” to everyone who was involved. Cheryl Piturachsatit...
I had the privilege of attending a by invitation only preview of the menu and food at The Melody, opening this week under new ownership. The citizens of the area are in for a culinary treat. Juan has done a wonderful job of creating fine dining in a very clean, casual setting. I was able to sample the Shrimp Scampi and the Chicken Gorgy and both were amazing. The side salad was fresh, crisp and served with homemade dressing. It’s great to see empty business re-opened with a fresh look and menu. Here’s to wishing him success in this new ven...
The last meeting of the Coulee Dam Weight Watchers was held on Thursday, June 27. Weight Watchers International was forced to discontinue this group due to lack of participation. Thank you to all members who have previously supported this great weight management program here in the Grand Coulee area. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me. Monty Fields Weight Watcher leader...
As Immigration Reform known as S744 is being debated, I wanted to tell something about undocumented immigrants. Public must know why there are so many undocumented people currently living in the U.S. I hope someone reads this. When it comes to immigration, every story is different. Some people come to America to create new business, some people come to seek an asylum, some people come to have a family, and some people come to America just to look for a better life. One needs to have a visa in order to be able to lawfully enter the United...
Ten Years Ago Armed with only garden hoses, several Coulee Dam residents helped prevent a fire from destroying two Coulee Dam homes last Friday. Coulee Dam Mayor Quincy Snow said strong winds knocked a poplar tree over on Yucca Street. That caused a short in the line at the pole behind Dennis King’s home at 702 Tulip Street and started the fire. Village Cinema - Movie of the week: Bruce Almighty. Starting next year, when a student puts money into a vending machine to buy a candy bar, someone will keep a closer eye on how it’s counted. That’s on...
A Celebration of Life for Martha Stefanik will be held Saturday, July 6, 2013, 11 a.m., at Banks Lake Bible Church, 25 School Avenue in Electric City with Pastor Bill Williams officiating. Immediately following, the ladies of the church will be having a luncheon for friends and family at the Grand Coulee Dam Seniors, 203 Main Street in Grand Coulee. At 3 p.m., there will be an inurnment at Spring Canyon Cemetery for Martha and her late husband, Edward Stefanik. Ed passed away on February 12, 1998, and Martha passed away on April 3,...
Memorial services for Evelyn Mattson will be held Saturday, July 13, at 3 p.m. at Spring Canyon Cemetery , Grand Coulee. Pastor Shawn Nieder will be officiating. Mrs. Mattson passed away April 7, 2013. Attendees are invited to join the family for a picnic following the services at 313 Roosevelt, Grand Coulee....