News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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The COVID-19 virus is still very much around, although in local counties the incidence rate is down slightly, while the state as a whole has seen a rise in the rate. Grant County Health District reported its 25th death from the disease on Tuesday, of a Quincy man in his 50s with underlying health conditions. They also published on Monday a graphic of an "event cluster" that ended up infecting 39 people, including the "index" first case of someone who attended a public gathering. It spread from...
The Grand Coulee City Council voted last week against allowing a local man to keep several small billboards on his property on Main Street. Sam Hsieh owns "Coulee Plaza," a lot with grass and picnic tables overlooking the end of Main Street where he has hosted events ranging from Cars & Coffee to Koulee Kids Fest activities and more, and where he hopes to host live music, wine tastings, and more in the future. Helping pay for the maintenance of the lot is advertising money that comes from signs...
Sixty-four days and 2020 will be gone, and we all hope that 2021 will be a lot better year for everyone and everything. As I am sure you are aware, the Grand Coulee Dam Area organizations have taken a very large hit. They have not been able to hold their annual money raising events, so their treasurers are short. Even though several organizations have not had events, the volunteers have still been very busy trying to keep the clubs going. The holidays are almost upon us, so now is the time to dig a little deeper into your pockets and support...
I see that the Ice Age Park is now coming up for a vote with the final decision being left to the Electric City Community but the enjoyment of it being shared by many of those passing through. A few months back, Harvey Haven of Amboy, Washington, a former resident of the area during our growing up years, penned a letter to the editor extolling the virtues of having such an attraction to the area. Even though the letter was sent to The Star, it was directed to the citizens of Electric City and at that time to the Powers that Be. I felt it was...
Wow, it was great to hear from Ray Gilman in The Star newspaper last week. Ray served the Grand Coulee Dam School District as an administrator for decades. His loyalty and longevity were amazing. He is aware of what is going on with funding in our local school district, regionally and statewide. Our school district is in the “B” school classification. “B” schools are the smallest size-wise in Washington state. With our student population, we are grossly over-staffed with administrators. Ray is spot on about the district office, but there is ove...
If you really want to know when the Bureau of Reclamation fire station will be completed, keep track of the sani-cans outside. Star reporter Jacob Wagner gave a good rundown of the history of the project in the newspaper a couple of weeks ago. I would like to fill in the story a bit. The estimated cost of the project was $13.6 million. It is now estimated that the fire station will be completed in 2021. The project was started in 2016, with the awarding of the construction contract. Total cost is a number that would be embarrassing even for any...
The Grand Coulee branch of North Cascades Bank (NCB) is collecting new or gently used coats for local children in need. Cash donations will be used to purchase new coats. All items will be distributed to schools in the Grand Coulee Dam School District. Donations will be accepted at NCB through the end of October. Please help keep our local kids warm this winter! If you have any questions about the coat drive, please call 633-1700. NCB, Member FDIC... Full story
New AA Group in the Area A new Alcoholics Anon mous group is meeting each Saturday at noon at the Grand Coulee Community Church, 405 Center St. Meetings are open. More information call 509.680.9549 AA Meetings for the Area Confused in the Coulee AA meetings are held on Mondays and Fridays at 6 p.m. at the Vets Center in Electric City. Call Paul at 633-3377 days or 633-3345 evenings. New Hope Group meetings are held Wednesdays at 6 p.m. at the Vets Center. These are open and non-smoking. In Nespelem, the group Bound and Determined holds its...
Colville Indian Housing Authority REQUEST FOR QUOTATIONS ENCC Fire Rehab 1198 Bullrope St. Omak, WA 98841 Description: 1. Provide quotation on the Rehab of fire damaged building. (see scope of work). The Colville Indian Housing Authority is requesting Quotations to furnish Labor and material for the above items as contained in the attached scope of work, All work and materials will be as shown in the Scope of Work and Provisions to the Cotnract. The following documents are attached and will be included in and become part of the Contract Documen... Full story
Grand Coulee Police 10/17 - Residents on Roosevelt Drive were concerned about neighbors possibly selling pills with “shady” people coming to the residence at all hours of the day and night. The residents filmed a truck at the residence. A passenger who noticed they were filming began yelling at them, challenging them to a fight. The driver and passenger then left. 10/20 - Someone told police about a boat and trailer on King Street with tabs that expired 10 years ago. Police placed a notice on the vehicle that it would be towed in 24 hours if...
Local doctor Sam Hsieh continues to encourage thinking outside the box using what he calls divine creativity, and he wants to know about people who embody the "eternal struggle between conformity and creativity." Back in May, Hsieh, a surgeon at Coulee Medical Center, shared with The Star the story of a special symbol he designed back in college. Hsieh shared how the symbol, representing divine creativity, evolved into a project in which he printed the symbol on hats, giving them to CMC staff...
Speed limits through Electric City may change, following a recent review by a state highway official working with the mayor. The Electric City Council last week discussed potential speed limit changes along SR-155 on the edges of the city, as well as through the city where it's called Coulee Boulevard. Mayor Diane Kohout explained at the Oct. 13 council meeting that she has been working with Scott Cervine from the Washington State Department of Transportation's North Central Region Traffic...
The effort to consolidate local towns together into one has been delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. A consolidation committee had been planning to get the issue put on the ballot for this year to combine Grand Coulee and Electric City, and potentially try to combine with Coulee Dam and Elmer City further down the line. Ben Hughes, who heads the committee, said that he has received “little to no responses” from SCJ Alliance, a planning consultancy that had helped get a discussion started by facilitating an evening community meeting. The eff...
I would like to give big thanks to the Grand Coulee Firefighter-EMTs. They are covering double the area by covering Coulee Dam and were so helpful and comforting when I had a medical emergency recently. I wish I had gotten all their names. Thank you, Tyler! So happy to know these fine gentleman (and ladies) are there for us, volunteering their time to keep the community safe. Winona Simons...
Our local Star newspaper has always done a good job of sharing a diversity of viewpoints: It is extremely hard for me to share these thoughts. Numerous people over the last few years have shared frustrations with me about our local school district. Many have felt they were treated poorly or even ignored. Some have taken their students out of our district. I’ve listened and shared productive solutions. I have lived in Coulee Dam for almost 40 years and have always supported our school district no matter what. I also show up and cheer on our R...
The Grand Coulee Dam School District received approximately $127,000 tax money from the Federal Government under the P.L. 874. You cannot tax the Dam etc. The district will receive at least this amount for this budget year. We are currently paying $3.20 in Levy. The district is asking another $1.00 per thousand for a total of $4.20 per thousand. Don’t forget that the state is obligated to fund education 100%, so the district receives money for “Full Time Equivalent” (FTE) students. The Board of Directors negotiated a $123,500 three-year salar...
Grand Coulee Police 10/8 - A woman on Jackson Avenue reported finding drug needles under the hood of her newly purchased car. An officer collected the needles and brought them to the police station to be destroyed. 10/12 - A dog owner on 1st Street was cited for his dog, a pit bull, biting a neighbor’s chihuahua. Another person saw it happen. - Police responded to a report of a woman yelling at cars along Spokane Way. The woman was trying to hitch a ride to the casino. An officer gave her a courtesy ride there. 10/13 - A Burdin Boulevard w...
Nichole Birdtail of Nespelem, Washington, and Sam Jackson of Coulee Dam, Washington are proud to announce the birth of their daughter Juniper Aurora Jackson born Tuesday, October 13, 2020, at Coulee Medical Center in Grand Coulee, Washington. She weighed 6 lbs., 8 oz. and was 16-1/2 inches in length at birth. Siblings include Braydo Birdtail age 8, and Ellie Birdtail age 1. Maternal grandparents are Loretta L. Pakootas and Myronn Birdtail Jr. Paternal grandparents are Jeannie Jackson and James Jackson.... Full story
Grant County Fire Dist. 14 Meeting via Conference As the result of the Covid-19 and in accordance with the Governor's Social Distancing, Grant County Fire District #14 will be holding the monthly meeting Monday, October 26, 2020 via phone conference call at 6:45 pm. To join meeting, call 1-717-275-8940 then enter access code 713 2121#. (Remember to enter # sign after the number) AA Meetings for GCD/Nespelem Area A new Alcoholics Anonymous group is meeting each Saturday at noon at the Grand Coulee Community Church, 405 Center St. Meetings are op...
The Grand Coulee branch of North Cascades Bank (NCB) is collecting new or gently used coats for local children in need. Cash donations will be used to purchase new coats. All items will be distributed to schools in the Grand Coulee Dam School District. Donations will be accepted at NCB through the end of October. Please help keep our local kids warm this winter! If you have any questions about the coat drive, please call 633-1700. NCB, Member FDIC... Full story
Grand Coulee business owners have until Nov. 20 to apply for grants of up to $3,000 in federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, Economic Security (CARES) Act funds the city received. The city set aside $18,000 for the grants from the $41,799 total in CARES funds the city is eligible for. Applications can be picked up at Grand Coulee City Hall by first calling 509-633-1150, or emailed to applicants who can call first or email city hall at clerkgc@gccitywa.org to receive an application. The grants will be disbursed on a first come, first serve basis....
Lake Roosevelt Schools will begin the process of re-opening in-person education next week, some eight months after the COVID-19 pandemic closed all schools in Washington state. Beginning Monday, students in the Grand Coulee Dam School District will begin going to physical school again, starting in phases organized by grade levels. The school board Monday night approved for students from kindergarten through second grade to begin school. Superintendent Paul Turner explained new guidelines from local health districts about a phased approach to... Full story
High school student athletes may get to shake off some rust and get back into the rhythm of their sports soon. On Monday, the Grand Coulee Dam School District board approved a plan presented by Athletic Director Tim Rasmussen, who will ask Okanogan County Public Health to approve it. The plan, which won’t include games against other schools, describes a practice schedule beginning with spring sports practices from Oct. 19 through Nov. 7, then fall sports practices from Nov. 9 through Nov. 28, and finally winter sports practices from Nov. 30 t...
Some good news for distance learners came this week related to devices and internet service for students. Superintendent Paul Turner told The Star Monday that an additional 275 Chromebooks should be in this week, enough for every student in the Grand Coulee Dam School District to have a device to use. Turner also said that the school qualified for funding from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction to pay for internet for up to 100 families through June of 2021. That is about how many families need internet in the district, Turner...
A levy seeking to bring in roughly $600,000 over two years to the Grand Coulee Dam School District will be on the ballot for the Nov. 3 election. Superintendent Paul Turner said the new levy is important to the district because of an “uncertainty of funding” coming from the state this coming spring. The state is required to fund basic education, but the definition of basic education doesn’t include transportation, Turner explained, saying that is one area that could get hit. Turner said that the COVID-19 pandemic created budget problems for t...