Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 199
The nonprofit federal administration that provides one-third of the Northwest’s electricity is preparing to part ways with its current Western energy market and sell its excess energy to companies and electric cooperatives as far away as Louisiana. Bonneville Power Administration officials announced in a draft policy proposal released Wednesday that they intend to leave the California-controlled “real-time” market they’ve participated in since 2022 and join a new “day-ahead” energy market based out of Little Rock, Arkansas. The move sparke... Full story
Throughout my time in Congress, I have been fortunate to be part of numerous committees and caucuses that allow me to directly impact the constituents of Central Washington. One of these caucuses, the Western Caucus, has allowed me to advocate for issues that all of rural America struggles with, and as Chairman, I have been able to ensure the priorities of Central Washington are not forgotten. The Western Caucus is a bipartisan caucus with over a hundred members from across the United States, which advocates for rural policy issues throughout...
States across the western United States are being ravaged by intense wildfires, especially here in Washington. Every day, our wildland firefighters, pilots, and emergency response teams are on the front lines trying to suppress damaging fires while protecting communities across the state. This year, wildfires have already burned over 230,000 acres in Washington, and as summer temperatures stay hot and winds pick up, they have the potential to destroy even more of our forests, ranches, and communities. Our area has unfortunately suffered extreme...
Our national debt is spreading out of control like a raging wildfire. Among other things, that added liability impacts our ability to fight those fires and reforest those scorched woods and range lands. Replanting trees is necessary to prevent erosion, provide clean drinking water, reduce CO2, protect fish and wildlife habitat, and rehabilitate public open spaces. It is very costly and under current funding schemes, the money is not available. Our national debt just surpassed $35 trillion for the first time in history. Those we elect brush...
Update: A Level 3 EVACUATIONS "GO NOW" just issued for residents of Peter Dan Road, McGinnis Lake, Reynolds Resort, Belvedere, and Seatons Grove. Due to increased fire danger from the Swawilla Fire, the current Level 2 evacuations status for your area is now elevated to LEVEL 3 EVACUATION. A shelter is open at Lake Roosevelt High School Gym, 500 Civic Way, Coulee Dam, WA. For information call Tribal Emergency Operation Center at 509-634-7350 or 509-634-7359. There will be a public meeting on... Full story
A fire that originated at a local resort spread rapidly over a hill separating the resort from the rest of Electric City, but ultimately required all local fire crews, federal wildland firefighters, and air support to suppress Tuesday. Fire calls went out between 2 and 3 p.m., drawing in local firefighters from all stations, and prompting fire chiefs to call for air support. The blaze, which got away from a Sunbanks Lake Resort fire, the origin of which was not clear at the time of this writing,...
We like to go about our business believing that things are working as they should — and they seem to, mostly. Until they don’t. That can be when we have to realize some foundation of stability in our experience just wasn’t so stable after all. Take our local police forces and the way our firefighting infrastructure is set up. Yesterday’s wildfire at Sunbanks in Electric City (actually outside town at the moment) was prolonged due to — well, that’s uncertain at this point. But a nearby firefighting helicopter sat on the ground at Grand Coule...
STCU’s response to the 2023 Gray and Oregon Road wildfires was honored for excellence by the Marketing and Business Development Council of America’s Credit Unions. In results announced last month, judges for the Council presented five total Diamond Awards to STCU, recognizing marketing excellence in 2023. Most notable was the Carat Award for Greatest Impact, which was given in recognition of STCU’s efforts to support the communities affected by last year’s two devastating Spokane-area wildfires. Immediately following the wildfires on August...
Big maps up on a screen made an impression. The maps outlined all the areas burned by wildfires in Okanogan County. The first slide showed burns from 1982 through 2013. The second slide added what has burned since 2013. From a glance at the map, you might guess that possibly twice as much land burned in the last 11 years as in the prior 31. In a room full of firefighters and others concerned with keeping the county from burning up, it was an appropriate intro to the Community Wildfire...
The third in a series of the “Okanogan County Community Wildfire Protection Plan” meetings will be held Wednesday evening, March 27, from 5-7 p.m., at the Lucy Covington Government Center, 21 Colville Street, Nespelem, the headquarters of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. Any Okanogan County residents can attend the meeting to be able to “engage with CWPP partners and discuss community-level wildfire concerns and values at risk,” an agenda for the meeting states. “We will share the goals and action steps for updating... Full story
The third in a series of the "Okanogan County Community Wildfire Protection Plan" meetings will be held Wednesday evening, March 27, from 5-7 p.m., at the Lucy Covington Government Center, 21 Colville Street, Nespelem, the headquarters of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. Any Okanogan County residents can attend the meeting to be able to "engage with CWPP partners and discuss community-level wildfire concerns and values at risk," an agenda for the meeting states. "We will...
Coulee Dam will get state and federal help planting new trees on a street it clear cut last summer. The state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced this week it will award Coulee Dam $71,180 for the work. The project is designed to restore and enhance Ferry Avenue’s tree canopy. More than 30 90-year-old maples were removed unexpectedly during a sidewalk replacement project in 2023. City engineer Marisa Stevens, of TD&H Engineering, applied for the funding to plant 24 new trees along Ferry Avenue, which was stripped of more than 30 of...
Sagebrush burned during a wildfire above Coulee Dam several years ago combines with the dawn over Grand Coulee Dam Tuesday to illustrate that dark times always yield to a new day. Happy New Year. - Scott Hunter photo...
The Here for Good Foundation, STCU’s charitable foundation, is encouraging donations at innovia.org/stcu-here-for-good-foundation to support communities impacted by recent wildfires in the Inland Northwest. All funds donated are tax deductible and will be administered through local non-profit organizations to support rebuild and recovery efforts in local communities. The credit union seeded this effort with a $50,000 contribution. “The various fires impacting our region are devasting to watch unfold,” said Marty Dickinson, STCU’s Chief Marketi...
Many fingers are again pointed at electric utilities because downed power lines are suspected of starting another horrific wildfire — the one that raced through Lahaina killing hundreds of unsuspecting people. Who would have imagined that one day, the historic Hawaiian capitol on Maui would be a thriving tourist destination and 24 hours later it would be piles of smoldering rubble and ashes that included remains of people? Cellphone video reveals that high winds downed live electric lines, which...
You may or may not know, but I started my culinary career on Maui. I went to culinary school and the Maui Culinary Academy, worked in restaurants and as a private chef across the entire island. I spent nearly five years on the beautiful island, and it will always be my home away from home. If my family weren’t here in the Coulee, I would probably still live on Maui. I love Maui. My heart is broken by the destruction that Maui has faced. Currently, Maui is struggling. Beginning last Tuesday, a series of wildfires attacked and wiped out homes, b...
It began with a roadside fire July 5, along SR-155 south of Electric City where a small blaze burned grasses both sides of the highway near jeopardizing homes. In the following days, various agencies in the region would call for immediate evacuations of areas where a wildfire had started quickly. Thunderstorms with multiple lightning strikes didn't help amid conditions the National Weather Service had predicted would include low relative humidity with stiffer winds, calling for a "Fire Weather...
A wildfire 10 miles southwest of Twin Lakes on the Colville Reservation had burned 33 acres since Thursday, while 97 firefighters are working on it. The Gold Mountain Ridge fire was first reported at 3:23 p.m. June 29th. Crews responded to initial reports and resources have been added to the response as the situation has developed. The fire is burning in steep, uneven terrain with high numbers of hazard trees. The Northeast Washington Interagency Type 3 Incident Management Team #2 assumed command of the incident at 9 p.m. July 2. The Colville...
OLYMPIA – The Washington State Department of Natural Resources announced Thursday that it plans to implement as many as seven prescribed burns on state trust lands this spring in central and eastern Washington. Prescribed burn operations will begin in early April and could run through May into early June. Successful implementation of all seven burns will be subject to weather and ground conditions, as well as the availability of personnel and other resources. “Prescribed fire is one of the most important tools we have to restore the health of...
OLYMPIA – Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack Monday announced $197 million in funding for the federal Community Wildfire Defense Grant (CWDG) program -- more than $25 million of which will come to the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for 14 Washington state projects. Washington’s single largest award under the program is more than $10 million for the Kittitas County Resilient Landscapes project, which plans to do wildfire fuel reduction projects on 3,400 acres near Cle Elum over the next four years. “This funding is a game-...
A house in Belvedere burned down Saturday in a relatively short time. "It went up quick," said Morgan Tillman, a volunteer firefighter with Okanogan County Fire District 2 at Elmer City. Tilman, who said she arrived on "the late crew" that stayed until it was over but was not there at the beginning, said she understood a person inside the house had been taken out, but she had no details. District 2 Chief Dave Finch said he couldn't even be sure of that, and the cause of the fire is still under...
As we near the end of 2022, I want to take a moment to look back on some of the work I’ve done in Congress for our district. From passing landmark legislation to securing critical funds for projects in our communities, we’ve accomplished a lot. And as we enter into the new Congress, I’m committed to building off these successes and continuing to fight for Central Washington’s priorities. As a member on the Appropriations Committee, I work to secure funding for much-needed projects in Central Washington while ensuring our taxpayer dollars are be...
OLYMPIA – Wildfire smoke is sticking around several parts of Washington and forecasts show smoke will likely get worse before it gets better. Breathing in smoke is not good for anyone. Days of consistent smoke exposure can take a toll on your health, making it especially important to protect yourself and those around you by staying alert and doing what you can to reduce smoke exposure. When it’s smoky outside, track air quality levels on the Washington Smoke Information website and follow related health recommendations. Do your best to stay ind...
With Russian President Vladimir Putin cutting off natural gas supplies, Northern Europeans are scrambling and reverting to firewood to heat their homes, boil water and cook. It is rapidly becoming a hedge against skyrocketing energy prices and uncertain fuel supplies. Cuts in shipments of Russian natural gas, used to power electricity grids and heat homes, is the biggest factor driving rates higher. Suddenly, Europeans are facing firewood scarcities and bulging orders for wood furnaces. West Ber...
Evacuation alert issued in Okanogan County A wildfire in Carlton warranted a level 2 (be ready to go) evacuation alert Tuesday afternoon that was still active by early evening. The Leecher Fire near 188 Vintin Road was about 30 acres in size at 6 p.m. County fire districts 3, 6 and 15 had been dispatched and were making good progress, the county’s Emergency Management Department reported. Firefighters with the state Department of Natural Resources were expected to remain through the night. Mosquito district has open seats The Grant County M...