News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
Sorted by date Results 2549 - 2573 of 6880
A young cowboy rides a bucking bull at the Ridge Rider's Junior Rodeo July 19. The two-day event featured bucking bulls, bucking broncs, barrel racing, and much more for the young competitors. See the results on page 5. - Jacob Wagner photo...
Grant Coulee turned down the idea of turning over a stretch of B Street to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation near where USBR’s new fire station is being built. The idea came up in May at the city’s council meeting with possible benefits including not having to maintain the road and putting the dollar savings towards other streets. B Street is currently closed from where it intersects Division Street to SR-155 because of construction on the USBR fire station being built along SR-155. The street is also used as an alternative route through and aro...
Grant PUD’s credit rating just increased, somewhat easing an area of concern fanned during last fall’s election season. The utility’s debt had become a political issue during last year’s campaigns for PUD commissioner spots, with those winning having been critical of the level of debt carried and others saying it was appropriate, sustainable and better than drastically raising rates. S&P Global Ratings last month upgraded from AA to AA+ the credit rating of Grant PUD’s electric system, citing strong, sustained finances and risk managemen...
Lake Roosevelt Schools' SHARP Kids program, which includes academic as well as hands-on activities, will continue for another five years after receiving a grant that will fund the program with approximately $270,000 a year via the 21st Century grant. "Through the efforts of a substantial number of people in our school and community, and outside of our community (including grant writer Joyce Garrett out of Wenatchee), we were awarded the 21st Century Community Learning Center grant," said Nancy...
It's not easy swimming to the ocean and back. The Grand Coulee Library hosted a presentation titled "Swimming with the Salmon: The Epic Survival Game" June 17, in which children learned "about the life cycle of salmon, as well as efforts river partners throughout the region take to help salmon overcome the obstacles they encounter on their epic journey," according to a press release from Grant PUD which presented the program. "Everyone will get a better appreciation of salmon and their...
Grand Coulee Police 7/17 - People on King Street said they would pick up any wood that fell out of their red pickup truck near the “old Grand Coulee highway,” as was reported. A woman wanted on warrants was hiding in a clothes dryer at a King Street residence police were allowed to search. The woman was arrested and taken to jail. A man known to be wanted on a warrant was spotted at the 4-Corners gas station, arrested, and taken to jail. 7/17-18 - An intoxicated man at apartments near Lakeview Avenue in Electric City “was not having a good...
Working with lavender is some of the most pleasant smelling work a person can do. Mary Jo Monteith, who lives on 38 acres out along SR-174 in the general area of Spring Canyon, grows about 1,400 lavender plants on her property that looks like a big patch of purple from the highway. She's grown lavender there for a dozen years or so, originally to just help suppress the weeds, and has made soap and sold a few lavender plants over the years. This year, a new and different opportunity arrived....
Despite criticism from their fire chief, the postmaster and a businessperson who says she’ll lose two-thirds of her parking, the Electric City council last week accepted a $1.1 million bid from Wheeler Excavation for street and sidewalk work that could begin as soon as August. Some of the projects have come under criticism from citizens in recent months. A sidewalk project — along Coulee Boulevard from Taylor Avenue to Western Avenue, and from Western to Grand Avenue near city hall — has stirred controversy. With the stretch of Western Avenu...
The city of Coulee Dam may get a big loan and grant package to pay for added improvements to the sewage handling system, including paying for two new “lift stations” to pump the material to the new wastewater filtration plant. The city council Wednesday authorized the mayor to sign an application for “wastewater subsequent funding” from the US Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development office. The funding package would provide a $304,000 loan and a $909,000 grant to pay for lift stations on both the west and east sides of town. The curre...
Citizens in Electric City could find their future July 4 plans for explosives thwarted if the city council adopts a new law banning fireworks. The Electric City council discussed adopting such an ordinance at their July 9 council meeting. Councilmember Rich McGuire brought the idea up, citing Coulee Dam’s similar code banning fireworks in that city. Councilmember Lonna Bussert described fireworks debris being left behind in the triangle-shaped parking area outside city hall. A man in the audience added that the fireworks went on for over t...
The Colville Business Council, the main governing body of the Colville Confederated Tribes, selected officers and committee chairs Thursday, following the recent election for seven of the 14 seats on the council. Rodney Cawston, of the Nespelem District, will continue to serve as chairman of the CBC, elected by acclamation on June 11, according to a press release from the tribes. Jack Ferguson, of the Keller District, was elected vice-chairman; and Joel Boyd, of Inchelium, was selected as...
The gate for access to Marina Way on the east side of Grand Coulee Dam and Lake Roosevelt will close at 7:30 p.m. each day through Sept. 1, instead of access being open from dawn until dusk. “The decision for closing access to Marina Way in the evening is not a result of funding, but rather a desire to more efficiently use the Security Response Force staff at Grand Coulee Dam,” Public Affairs Specialist for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Lynne Brougher told The Star in an email. Brougher said that security personnel are looking into opt...
Grand Coulee Police 6/28 - A man reportedly punched out the window of his girlfriend’s PT Cruiser during an argument in which she said she was breaking up with him because she wants him to stop smoking meth. The man was wanted on a felony warrant out of Seattle. About two blocks away, an officer contacted the man along SR-174. The man didn’t cooperate with police who told him he was under arrest, and he fled up a steep hill along the highway. Officers were unable to reach him. Officers from Grant County, the National Parks Service, as well as...
In the park below the Visitor Center July 4, people watch the fireworks off Grand Coulee Dam, put on by the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce. The chamber reported receiving praise for this year's "best ever" fireworks from many people that night and in emails later. Their Festival of America, which draws thousands each year to Coulee Dam, suffered no "major drama" this year, reported Executive Director Peggy Nevsimal, despite a thunderstorm during set-up time on Tuesday, and one lost...
More than 40 Beavers gathered in front of Lake Roosevelt Schools July 4. The Beavers, alumni of Coulee Dam High School, attended the unveiling of a plaque commemorating their alma mater and mascot as one of the forerunners of Lake Roosevelt Jr-Sr High School and its Raiders. The plaque, applied the day before to a basalt column already sporting a similar one for the Grand Coulee Tigers, shows the school's blue and gold colors and a depiction of the mascot newly re-imagined by 1970 graduate Jack...
Local firefighters were pleased with the fire-free Fourth of July this year. “The local Fire Departments want to thank all our citizens and visitors for being safe over the Fourth of July holiday season,” a July 8 press release signed by Grand Coulee Volunteer Fire Department Chief Rick Paris says. “We had no fires started in our area. There were a couple fires started in the middle and south part of Grant County, but none in our area.” Paris noted departments had fire crews patrolling in Coulee Dam, Electric City, Grand Coulee and the USBR Pr...
Powwow this weekend The Nespelem July Celebration and Powwow takes place this Friday through Sunday, July 12-14, at the powwow grounds where there’ll be traditional Native American drumming and dancing, as well as food and items to buy. Grand entry for the powwow will take place at 7 p.m. on July 12, at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. on July 13, and 1 p.m. on July 14. Police to offer “night out” for community The Coulee Dam Police Department will take part in the National Night Out Aug. 6 at 6 p.m. at the department at town hall. The free event is a part...
An electrical fire started outside and worked its way to the room of an older home on West Grand Avenue in Electric City June 28, where no one was injured. Electric City’s fire department was assisted by U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and Grand Coulee fire fighters in putting out the fire that started at 3:33 p.m. No one was injured in the fire, which was suspected to have started near the outside meter, then worked its way to the house, Electric City Fire Chief Mark Payne said. There was a lot of smoke damage throughout the house, plus water d...
There's nothing like a relaxing day of golf. Or a week. My uncle John Fox, who works in North Dakota and lives in Baja, Mexico, golfed five rounds of 18 holes, or 90 holes total, at the Banks Lake Golf Course while on vacation in the area recently. I golfed 18 holes with him on June 21 and had a great time, and he was very patient with my, let's say, "sub-par" (over-par?) golf skills. Uncle Johnny, as I know him, was so taken by the course that he wrote down some of his thoughts and...
New conveniences and increased accessibility for voters in Washington are now law, Jamie Groomes, chief deputy auditor and elections supervisor in Okanogan County noted Tuesday. The state Legislature passed bills recently that changed dates and deadlines for registration and voting. The changes, which took effect July 1, include: • Prepaid postage: Every ballot now comes with a prepaid ballot-return envelope so voters don’t have to search for a stamp. Every mailbox is now a drop box. Auditors recommend mailing ballots by the Friday before an...
Grand Coulee Police 7/2 - An officer arrived at a Goodfellow Avenue residence following up on a report of a fight. A woman answered wrapped in a towel, and said she had been arguing with a friend who had since left, and that the fight was verbal only. 7/3 - An officer stood by at Spring Canyon while a National Park Service officer took pictures of graffiti on a building there. - A woman reported that a man had been with her when she cashed her Social Security check worth $1,294 at the Coulee Dam Casino. The man then handed her the cash in the...
The Banks Lake Golf Course is in the process of being sold by the port district to Rattlesnake Ridge. At Grant County Port District 7's June 27 meeting, commissioners passed a resolution authorizing commissioners to go through with the sale, then signed a purchase and sale agreement on the terms of selling the golf course and some surrounding land for $1.8 million. Scott Garrits, president, and Dennis Lohrman, secretary/treasurer of Rattlesnake Ridge were present at the meeting. Garrits is also...
The Grand Coulee Volunteer Fire Department this week stressed the importance of fire safety on the Fourth of July and reiterated that fireworks won’t be allowed at North Dam this year, but a federal agency doesn’t consider the ban temporary. “Fireworks will not be legal to use anywhere in the city limits of Grand Coulee in July 2019 per ordinance 1036,” a press release states. “When the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and Bureau of Land Management declared fireworks banned on their property, including the North Dam Area, because of extreme d...
The Colville Business Council election last week resulted in five incumbents reelected and two unseated. In the Nespelem District, current CBC Chairman Rodney Cawston was reelected to Position 1, winning 397-303 against challenger Charlene Bearcub. Jarred-Michael Erickson defeated incumbent Andy Joseph Jr. 407-297 for Position 2. In the Keller District Position 1 race, incumbent Jack Ferguson defeated challenger Edward Cohen 122-101. In the Omak District, incumbents Norma Sanchez and Karen Condon were reelected, with Sanchez winning 391-137...
School board changes meeting time The Grand Coulee Dam School District voted to hold two regular meetings each month on the second and fourth Monday of each month at 5:30 p.m. Previously, one of those meetings was considered a “special” meeting, and meetings were held at 6 p.m. The meetings are held in the library at Lake Roosevelt. Coulee Dam paying for roof repair estimate The city of Coulee Dam will pay $1,500 to Five Star Roofing for an estimate on repairing the roof of their Community Building, a building that currently houses the Melody a...