News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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Hamming it up for a photographer on Turkey Day, runners in Trot the Coulee at Steamboat Rock State Park ignore a drizzle to complete the 5K run timed for a preemptive strike against later caloric consumption, for which 128 registered. - Rooted Light Studio photo, courtesy of Trot the Coulee...
Coulee Medical Center (CMC) received $3,020,475 in the federal appropriations legislation signed into law by President Trump on Nov. 13, 2025. This funding, which was secured by Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA, 4), Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), will enhance on-site housing accommodations at CMC for healthcare staff serving Grand Coulee and surrounding communities. In recent years, CMC has explored potential projects to increase the safety and accessibility of housing accommodations the hospital provides to healthcare...
The Bureau of Reclamation's new fire station has won a national award for design, taking the gold in Firehouse Magazine's annual contest. The Magazine announced the winners of its 12th annual Station Design Awards program Nov. 9. The program recognizes outstanding architecture and design from fire departments and emergency facilities nationwide. Gold, Silver and Bronze awards were issued across eight categories of facilities: Career 1, Career 2, Co-Located, Combination, Renovations, Satellite,...
In a boost for wildlife, recreationists and public lands last month, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) received from a conservation group the Big Bend Ranch, a 2,135-acre property featuring 1.5 miles of Columbia River frontage, for permanent inclusion with the Big Bend Wildlife Area. Western Rivers Conservancy (WRC) conveyed the project it said conserves excellent habitat for one of Washington's most imperiled species - Columbian sharp-tailed grouse - while opening new...
School district directors heard from surprised teachers Monday night as the district sought permission to make budget changes to meet the reality of shortfalls, stemming from many causes. Depending on whose estimate you’re looking at, the deficit could be from $600,000 to $1.2 million next year. Administrators want to find ways to cut back now to avoid blowing through all the reserves by the end of the current school year. Superintendent Rod Broadnax asked for approval of an emergency measure to allow the district to adjust as needed, i...
Coulee Dam’s town council heard a seconds-long discussion on the town’s lease of the Village Cinema space that had dominated the Nov. 12 council meeting a week earlier. At the end of the Nov. 19 special meeting, which mainly dealt with items like paying the bills, passing the budget for 2026 and a few other items, Mayor Bob Poch addressed the single item listed under Discussion Agenda, the theater lease. No one had anything to say except City Attorney Mick Howe. He said he didn’t have much to add to what had already been said, but he added that...
Bureau of Reclamation workers on Monday morning inspect and repair links between the floats that form a barrier for boats on Lake Roosevelt to keep them away from Grand Coulee Dam. That float line, which stretches all the way across the lake, has broken several times this year. - Scott Hunter photo...
The new commissioners of the Coulee Area Park and Recreation District meet in a hallway of the Centerline Building Friday discussing a range of issues, plans, hopes, solutions, and uncertainties, such as exactly where will the money come from to accomplish what they need to. The commission plans to normally gather in the building's meeting room, but it was occupied that day. Clockwise from bottom left, Elizabeth Armstrong, secretary; Brad Oliver, treasurer; Ruth Randolph, president; and...
November 17, 2025 Voters decided this month to allow payroll taxes collected for Washington’s new long-term care program to be invested in the stock market. But they will have to wait a while for the decision to begin paying dividends. Nearly 58% of voters approved Senate Joint Resolution 8201 amending the state constitution to end restrictions on the types of investments that can be made with dollars flowing into the WA Cares fund. The state constitution generally bars investing public money in the stock of private companies, limiting state an...
Larry Hernandez asked for community support and got it as he presented his case to Coulee Dam's town council for an alteration of his lease for the Village Cinema. The council meeting room crowd was standing room only Nov. 12 and spilled out the door as the council wrapped up an earlier meeting and budget hearing, then opened up to hear comments on the city's decision to terminate the theater's lease in the city community building. Hernandez detailed a timeline of starts and stalls with working...
by Scott Hunter The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation (Colville Tribes) and Open Access Technology International, Inc. (OATI) announced a landmark collaboration last week to “advance tribal energy sovereignty and resilience through the design and deployment of multiple microgrids across the reservation.” The Tribes’ 1.4 million acre reservation, which includes parts of two counties is served by five different electric utilities, and power outages are getting worse, said the Tribes’ Business Council chair, Jarred-Michael Erickso...
The town of Coulee Dam is offering to buy a piece of property owned by STCU, following a town council vote taken Nov. 12. The part of the lot north of the credit union’s building in Coulee Dam is to be acquired by the town for $65,750, the price offered by STCU. The council voted to approve the purchase, although Councilmember Keith St. Jeor “recused” himself from the vote. “I think in my own mind, it would be a good addition to the city if the city owned that property,” Mayor Bob Poch said. “We have no place else to go for any major impro...
Mayor Ruth Dalton leads Chantelle Crowe by just 18 votes in the election to decide who the next mayor will be. Dalton has 53.91% of the 230 votes cast, while Crowe’s votes at last count on Nov. 14 stood at 46.09%, 124-108. Grant County’s elections office will count the remaining 30 ballots Nov.19 at 5 p.m. Those 30 ballots left to count are for all races in the county’s 81 precincts. It’s not impossible for that small number to make a difference, again, in another Grand Coulee election. The race for the city council member 2 seat has flipped tw...
The town of Coulee Dam is terminating its lease of the Village Cinema to the proprietor who has spent over a year coming up with new ways to breathe life into the shell that had been vacant for over a decade. Larry Hernandez posted on the theater’s Facebook last week that he’s been ignored since August when he proposed mediation to come to an agreement about his rent going forward and that he waited for 10 months for the city to propose new language in the lease after the town council wanted to have the city attorney clarify it. “This build... Full story
An enterprise seeking to convert the old Center School into the "Center Senior Living" assisted living project has made significant progress. In fact, they now own the building. The project, driven by a dedicated board including local professionals and community members, aims to address the lack of local assisted living facilities, which forces seniors to move far away. The project has secured a $1 million federal grant for hazmat abatement and demolition, and they've raised $291,000 in local...
Mayor Ruth Dalton pulled ahead in the race to keep her office in Grand Coulee. Dalton switched the advantage since last week, when challenger Chantel Crowe, the deputy city clerk was ahead by a few votes. Dalton now leads with 56% of the vote, 120-104. Likewise, for Grand Coulee’s council member 2 seat, Andrew Dobson pulled ahead of Cameron Whitney 88- 79. Cheryl Hoffman gained a 54% lead over Jeremiah Seekins in the race for Electric City’s Council Member 1 seat, 154-129. Bradley Oliver holds an insurmountable 185-97 lead over Robbin Boy...
Local scouts and volunteers sort through items brought into the Care and Share Food Bank Saturday in the Scout's annual drive in which they pick up donations at your doorstep to deliver to the food bank. The effort netted over 2,600 pounds of food that will "really make a difference," Director Dave Noggles (top left in jeans) wrote in a letter to the editor on page 2. STCU also brought in a $5,000 contribution. - Scott Hunter photo...
Josh and Bobcat Flowers, of Flowers and Sons Construction, put up Christmas lights in Grand Coulee Saturday. - submitted photo...
An important institution celebrated its 90th anniversary Saturday, when the Grand Coulee Volunteer Fire Department members gathered at the fire station on Spokane Way, which was built in the 1970s. The modern fire department was consolidated from two earlier, separate departments for the different parts of the city, Rick Paris recounted as people gathered at the station for food and drink, and to honor the department's work and role in the community. Before there was a city or an ordinance to...
Even in an election year when most races were for often uncontested local offices, several were too close to call last night when county election offices stopped counting ballots after 8 p.m. In Grand Coulee, Mayor Ruth Dalton wasn’t getting too nervous yet about barely trailing by 52-48, Chantel Crowe, the city’s deputy clerk who decided to run for the mayor’s office. Neither was Crowe, reached on her way back from a leadership class in Ephrata. She also said it was too close to call. “As of now, I’m excited and I’m certainly honored,” she sai...
Trunk or Treat held on Main Street Grand Coulee Halloween turned out to be a great success. The event was organized by the chamber of commerce with support from local businesses....
Walkers on Midway Avenue Saturday protest policies of the Trump Administration. The Wayfinders group is continuing their weekly Saturday walks on the sidewalk into the winter but changing the hours to noon to 1 p.m. Nov. 8 they'll have a theme of Signs of Fascism. - Scott Hunter photo...
by Scott Hunter The Care and Share Food Bank, like many others, is getting ready to meet the needs of people who will be caught in the midst of the fight in Congress that has shut down much of the nation’s federal government, including food assistance. “Thanks to our government budget, local support and prudent management, we will be able to support all those in need with basic food support,” Shawn Neider wrote in a note to The Star about what the local food bank expects. “We may have to spread our food thinner but nobody needs to starve.” Neid...
by Scott Hunter It wasn’t for a far-off cause that people gathered to walk through brilliant fall foliage on a perfect afternoon last Thursday. It was to help local women get a mammogram, a screening that can detect breast cancer early and thereby save lives. It was Walking Together for Mammograms. Kelly Buche said she is “a survivor, nine years strong, nine years grateful and nine years blessed” because she had good health insurance. “But I was lucky,” said the local accountant just before aw...
Kids decorate pumpkins at Lake Roosevelt's Harvest Festival Wednesday night in the high school gym, where tables and stations were set up for activities, promotions and sales (need a stick horse?) Pumpkin decorating was a featured inside, carving outside. Cornhole games dominated the center space, but a photo booth for posed Polaroids, or a table to learn about horse breeds, and another for making your own bookmarks, were available too. Ashley Atkins, the staffer in charge told the school board...