News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area

News


Sorted by date  Results 1423 - 1447 of 6635

Page Up

  • Group discusses idea of a new bridge for Coulee Dam

    Scott Hunter|May 19, 2021

    A group of people met in Coulee Dam Tuesday to start a discussion about someday replacing the bridge over the Columbia River on SR-155. The current bridge, built in 1935, is half as wide, at 20 feet, as the state Department of Transportation would like - not to mention every truck driver who finds it necessary to wait for traffic before making an illegal wide swing into oncoming lanes to be able to make the narrow, right-angle turns. Discussion ensued about 1 p.m. around a table at the school...

  • Council position opens up in Electric City

    May 19, 2021

    The Electric City Council accepted the resignation of Councilmember Willie Bott at their May 11 council meeting. Health reasons were said to be the reason behind his resignation. Bott’s position is up for reelection this November, and the person who is appointed to the position will have to run for reelection at that time to stay in that position. Don Redfield was appointed as an interim council member and will hold the position until the city reviews any other candidates and appoints one, possibly Redfield himself. Others interested in f...

  • COVID numbers are updated for local counties

    Jacob Wagner|May 19, 2021

    Five more people have died from COVID-19 in Grant County, including the county's first death of someone in their 20s. The deaths, announced in a May 18 press release from Grant County Health District, include: two Moses Lake women in their 60s, a Soap Lake man in his 50s, and two Moses Lake men - one in his 80s and the other in his 20s. The deaths bring Grant County's total Covid death count to 125. "COVID-19 continues to kill people from our community," Grant County Health Officer Dr. Alexander Brzezny said. "These reported deaths are not... Full story

  • Cantwell-Newhouse bill would benefit Banks Lake Hydro project

    May 19, 2021

    A Senate Democrat and a House Republican have teamed up to introduce a bill that would benefit a local push to build a new energy plant in Grand Coulee. U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and U.S. Representative Dan Newhouse (R, WA-04) reintroduced legislation this week to improve permitting for pumped storage hydroelectric projects and protect tribal interests in the process. The bill will also help increase renewable energy production, storage, and job growth in the...

  • Lake Roosevelt camping fees increase

    Jacob Wagner|May 19, 2021

    Campgrounds in the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area, including Spring Canyon, have increased their fees. The LRNRA says camp fees are now $23 a night, up from $19, and that all vehicle-accessible campgrounds are now reservation only. Reservations must be made at recreation.gov or by calling 877-444-6777, with LRNRA recommending making reservations ahead of time from home because cell phone service can be spotty along Lake Roosevelt. Boat-in campgrounds and shoreline camping are still available on a first-come, first-served basis. The...

  • Coulee Cops

    May 19, 2021

    Grand Coulee Police 5/11 - A man at Coulee Playland reported about $10,000 worth of fishing equipment stolen from his boat, including nine rods and reels, lures, and more. Photos were taken and a case report provided for the man’s insurance claim. - A man at the hospital refused to put a mask over his nose to see his doctor. The man said he has a medical condition that could cause him to pass out if both his mouth and nose were covered. He felt discriminated against and said that the mask mandate was not a law. An officer told him the h...

  • Rodeo sets records for attendance

    Scott Hunter|May 12, 2021

    With a hunger for getting out built up among rodeo fans, the first one in the state since pandemic lockdown set attendance records and put Grand Coulee on the national rodeo map. Ridge Riders President George Kohout said Tuesday he'd watched The Cowboy Channel's TV segment on last weekend's Colorama Rodeo twice and "just about teared up a little bit." Friday night's attendance at the Colorama Rodeo "set a record, and Saturday night's blew that all to hell," Kohout said. That took some doing. The...

  • Tribal primary results narrow each race down to two candidates

    Jacob Wagner|May 12, 2021

    With poll and absentee votes both now certified, twenty-six candidates have been narrowed down to 14 in the primary for seven seats on the Colville Business Council, with only one incumbent knocked out of the running. There are seven out of 14 total positions up for election to the Colville Business Council, the governing body of the Colville Tribes. Primary polls opened May 8, with poll votes certified on May 10, and absentee votes were certified May 13. The top two candidates in each race will move on to the general election June 19 with...

  • Kennedy approved as new jr/sr high school principal

    Jacob Wagner|May 12, 2021

    Sara Kennedy will be Lake Roosevelt Junior/Senior High School's new principal starting with the 2021-22 school year. Kennedy, who has worked as the school's dean of students since 2019, was approved as the new principal at the May 10 Grand Coulee Dam School District board meeting. After 40 minutes of the board being in executive session, and prior to the board's approval of Kennedy, Superintendent Paul Turner said, "I wholeheartedly recommend Sara Kennedy to take over the position. She's done...

  • No dam tours this year

    Jacob Wagner|May 12, 2021

    Although there will be no tours of the Grand Coulee Dam this year, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is working on a plan for the return of the Laser Light Show and for opening its visitor center. USBR Public Affairs Specialist for the Columbia-Pacific Northwest Region Erika A. Lopez told The Star that tours will not be conducted this year at Grand Coulee Dam “because of CDC–recommended COVID-19 restrictions.” “Visitors will be unable to safely maintain social distancing of six feet on the tour buses and dam elevator,” she said. Lopez also said...

  • Grant County leaders encourage vaccination to keep businesses open

    Jacob Wagner|May 12, 2021

    During a Grant County Leadership ZOOM meeting May 5, people from various organizations discussed how to market COVID-19 vaccines more effectively. Misty Aguilar, public information officer for the Grant County Health District, said that Grant County’s numbers continue to increase. “We get several cases every day,” she said. “The majority of the cases are coming from ages 19-40.” She said that if Gov. Jay Inslee hadn’t paused the phases of the state’s Covid recovery plan, Grant County would have been rolled back to a more restrictive p...

  • Running for public office?

    May 12, 2021

    Candidate Filing Week is May 17-21, and the Office of the Secretary of State is joining county election offices across Washington to accept applications for public office, including about 30 local positions in the Grand Coulee Dam area. “People who run for public office and serve as an elected official have an opportunity to help shape the future of our state, counties, and communities,” said Secretary of State Kim Wyman. “Most of these offices up for election this year are local and have the greatest impact on people’s daily lives.” There are...

  • Dry Falls highlighted in local's new book

    Jacob Wagner|May 12, 2021

    You may learn a thing or two about local history if you pick up a copy of a new book titled "Dry Falls and Sun Lakes" from Arcadia Publishing's Images of America series, which includes early and rare photos of that area. Local man John "Jay" M. Kemble compiled the book following his 2020 publication titled "Steamboat Rock" in the same Images of America series. "I hope I am presenting several stories that tie together to create a larger whole," he said about "Dry Falls and Sun Lakes," which...

  • Coulee Dam council position open

    May 12, 2021

    A seat is open on the city council in the town of Coulee Dam following the resignation of Councilmember Fred Netzel. Netzel’s letter of resignation, which was approved by the rest of the council at their April 21 meeting, said that he reached the decision to resign after speaking with his family and doctor. Those interested in the position can contact Coulee Dam Town Hall at 633-0320 or email at cdclerk@couleedam.org. Applicants must be a resident of Coulee Dam at least 18 years of age and a registered voter. The council-appointed position w...

  • Coulee Cops

    May 12, 2021

    Grand Coulee Police 5/6 - A Burdin Boulevard man had his pitbull inside his house when police asked him about a dog-at-large complaint. - A Honda Accord backed into a Chevy Equinox in the hospital parking lot. The drivers had already exchanged information prior to police arrival. A police report was written for insurance purposes. 5/8 - Police went to Kent Street to investigate a 911 call but found nothing of note when speaking to residents. - Vehicles were moved from an alleyway near E Street, which allowed a man to access the back of his...

  • Positions up for election this year for local councils, boards

    Jacob Wagner|May 12, 2021

    Voters will decide on about 30 positions up for election in the 2021 elections for local town councils, school boards, and more. Candidate filings of intent to run for these offices are open from May 17-21. Grand Coulee Three seats on the Grand Coulee City Council are up for reelection this year, all to four-year terms. At their Jan. 19 council meeting, it was announced that three council members’ terms expire on Dec. 31 and are up for reelection in November: Council Position #1, currently held by Tammara Byers; Council Position #2, c... Full story

  • Queen looking forward to Colorama 2021

    May 5, 2021

    Dalley Katich, 17, of Wilbur, will reign over the Colorama PRCA Rodeo this week, and she's looking forward to welcoming all to Colorama. And look for Dalley to wave back at her in the parade and applaud when she rides out into the rodeo arena. Check out The Star's Colorama Festival section for times and places, inside this issue. The high school junior has been in rodeo since age 3 and participates in barrel racing, pole bending and breakaway roping. She's been looking forward to representing...

  • What you need to know before coming to Colorama Festival events

    May 5, 2021

    The Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce is asking for cooperation in keeping everyone safe during Colorama. The chamber issued the following guidelines: “Masks are to be worn at all times (except when actively eating or drinking) at all Colorama Festival activities, including all events being held in North Dam Park (Beer Garden, Food Fair, Arts and Crafts, Kids Festival Zone, Helicopter Rides), and the Parade down Midway. “We ask the community to do their best at making personal choices that keep themselves and their families safe whi... Full story

  • State COVID recovery plan "paused"

    Jacob Wagner|May 5, 2021

    Local counties remain in Phase 3 of Washington's COVID-19 recovery plan, which means that the local Colorama Festival with its variety of activities in the area can go on as planned despite Grant County, for one, not meeting the requirements to stay in Phase 3. Grant County's incidence rate is 50 percent higher than current guidelines calling for it to be rolled back to Phase 2. "This is our wakeup call," GCHD Administrator Theresa Adkinson said in a statement Tuesday after Gov. Jay Inslee... Full story

  • High school is planning a prom

    Jacob Wagner|May 5, 2021

    Lake Roosevelt High School intends to hold a high school prom this month to give its students a sense of normalcy. “We believe as a district that students need a sense of normal and that traditional events should continue during this pandemic,” Superintendent Paul Turner said in a statement to The Star. “We understand that this event will look different from years past but are adapting to the current guidelines.” “Other schools in our area have opted to let parents host prom,” the statement continues. “If we host Prom as a district, we have mor...

  • Speed signs proposed for Grand Coulee's SR-174 city limits

    Jacob Wagner|May 5, 2021

    The city of Grand Coulee is considering installing electronic speed limit signs on both ends of the city limits along SR-174 and paying for it with money brought in from a public safety tax. The signs would potentially be placed near East Heights, and the hospital and canal area. In both directions, while approaching town, the speed limit changes from 60 miles per hour to 35 mph. The public safety tax was started as a result of Grant County's Proposition 1, which passed in 2019. The proposition...

  • New police car badging discussed ... and discussed again

    Jacob Wagner|May 5, 2021

    You may be able to spot a Grand Coulee Police car more easily if the department gets new badging for their cars. The topic of "rebadging" eight Grand Coulee Police patrol cars was discussed at Grand Coulee's March 16 council meeting. "Apparently, people think the wave is weird," Mayor Paul Townsend said about the current logo that is on the side doors of the police cars, a version of the city's logo which shows a drawing of the Grand Coulee Dam with a wave flowing from it. City Clerk Lorna...

  • Coulee Cops

    May 5, 2021

    Coulee Dam Police 4/28 - A man found a credit card on a table at Crescent Bay and turned it over to police. Using the name on the card, they attempted to contact the owner without success. - A person reported having been cornered by two dogs on Crest Avenue but was able to chase them off. Grand Coulee Police 4/27 - Police assisted the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office by responding to an incident at Lakeview Terrace mobile park where a woman said she had been fighting with her brother and she had hit him with a baseball bat. Upon arrival, one o...

  • Library going through controversial changes

    Jacob Wagner|Apr 28, 2021

    Community members aren't happy with library-related decisions made at the administrative level that have affected the local library and that have led to the resignation of branch librarian Lisa Moore. The topic was brought up at Grand Coulee's April 20 council meeting, where the council discussed workers at the library being required to "have some kind of degree," a requirement Councilmember Alan Cain called "elitism B.S." City Clerk Lorna Pearce said that a representative from the North...

  • Electronic speed sign survey

    Apr 28, 2021

    Please take this one minute survey about electronic speed signs. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SB7VMSR... Full story

Page Down