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  • Newsbriefs

    Jul 3, 2018

    Ridge Riders report break-in The Ridge Riders Saddle Club, which puts on the Colorama Rodeo and the more recent bull ride and race horse race, suffered a break-in and damage last week. Club President George Kohout said someone cut padlocks off gates and took an axe to the door of the shed that houses the bar of the Rattlesnake Saloon at the rodeo grounds last Wednesday night. He said the Grant County Sheriff’s Office is investigating. Child safety seat event planned Tribal Traffic Safety announced that certified Child Passenger Safety t...

  • Debris logs being floated up to Kettle Falls

    Jacob Wagner|Jul 3, 2018

    A large collection of logs and debris floating at Crescent Bay should be all tugged away by a tugboat sometime between mid- and late July. "The Bureau of Reclamation has a contract with Columbia Navigation to collect the logs that come down the river during the spring runoff," said USBR Public Affairs Officer Lynne Brougher. "The logs that are at Crescent Bay and the logs that have collected behind Grand Coulee Dam in the Forebay area will be gathered together and Columbia Navigation will use...

  • Land tortoise has quite the adventure

    Jacob Wagner|Jul 3, 2018

    Sarah Shanning was quite upset when she couldn't find her 7-year-old African land tortoise, Mrs. Doubtfire, who escaped from her yard in Elmer City on May 26. Shanning put up fliers looking for Mrs. Doubtfire, and took out an ad in The Star newspaper. Weeks later, on June 15, Shanning was reunited with Mrs. Doubtfire while at her job at the Tee Pee Drive In. "We were beginning to lose hope about finding her, and then there she was!" Shanning said of the reptile, which she thinks is 7 or 8 years...

  • An explanation of Grand Coulee's residential zoning and short-term rental rules

    Jacob Wagner|Jul 3, 2018

    People who live in areas that are zoned as low-density residential areas in Grand Coulee aren’t allowed to operate a business there. That includes short-term rentals, such as bed-and-breakfast places, even if owner-occupied, or through AirBnB or other websites specializing in short-term rentals. The city’s code states that it’s OK for friends or family to stay in an extra room at someone’s house. Or, in the case of a motorhome, a guest can stay for up to 14 days within a three-month period, but that no rent can be charged, and the vehicle...

  • Coulee Cops

    Jul 3, 2018

    Grand Coulee Police 6/26 - Nothing appeared out of place and no signs of forced entry were seen when an open door was investigated at a Grand Avenue house in Electric City. - An officer checking on the welfare of a Grand Coulee man, at the request of his mother, found him deceased at his Partello Parkway residence. The body was turned over to the county coroner. 6/27 - A burglary alarm had been tripped at Les Schwab; all doors were found to be secured. - A loud bang on Goodfellow Avenue in Electric City was likely a blown fuse. - A suspect in a...

  • School levy on August ballot would just maintain

    Jacob Wagner|Jun 27, 2018

    Voters will decide if the Grand Coulee Dam School District will function on the same amount of money it has been, or be forced into a budget made much tighter by the new school funding law passed by the state Legislature last year. The district’s proposition for a four-year “Capital Levy Ffor Safety, Technology Aand Facilities Improvements” will be on the Aug. 7 ballot. Money from the general fund that currently goes toward certain things, such as technology, would, if the levy passes, come from the levy, freeing up money in the general fund...

  • Final vote count for CBC

    Jacob Wagner|Jun 27, 2018

    The official vote counts of Saturday’s general election for the Colville Business Council, including the absentee ballots, are in, with several incumbents voted out including the current chairman of the council that governs the tribes. In the Omak District Position 2 race, Margie Hutchinson won the election with 391votes over current chairman Michael E. Marchand's 253. In the Nespelem District Position 1 race, Janet (Wak Wak) Nicholson’s won 428-390 over Jarred-Michael Erickson. In the Nespelem District Position 2 race, Andrea George won 334...

  • Slide repair to start

    Jun 27, 2018

    An aerial photo shows a temporarily repaired slide area on Peter Dan Road where the dark spot marks temporary asphalt over a hump created by a landslide. Okanogan County on Tuesday accepted a bid of $2,011,679.50 from Selland Construction of Wenatchee to perform work on the landslide area. The work includes clearing the landslide and stabilizing the hillside. The road will be closed from July 16, when Selland Construction plans to begin the work, until Aug. 24. Construction is anticipated to be...

  • Recent fires show the season is here

    Scott Hunter|Jun 27, 2018

    Local firefighters were busy over the last couple weeks, from fighting wildland fires to attending to one right behind the fire station in Grand Coulee. Firefighters were called to help on a large fire that burned more than 2,000 acres just north of Soap Lake a couple weeks ago that garnered a state fire mobilization after two Grant county-wide calls slowed it down, said Grand Coulee Fire Chief Rick Paris. It took several days to control. Last Wednesday, a fire north of Rebecca Lake Road drew every local agency in a rapid response amid signific...

  • International peace run includes dam

    Jacob Wagner|Jun 27, 2018

    The Sri Chimnoy Oneness-Home Peace Run passed by the Grand Coulee Dam last week, spreading a message of peace and carrying a torch that has traveled the world. The group consist of 12 runners from California, New York, and Hawaii, as well as from Puerto Rico, India, Mongolia, Italy, New Zealand, Ukraine, and other countries. The whole team ran about 70 miles on June 20 when they arrived at the dam, with some people running as many as 15 miles, others running three. Founded in 1987, the group...

  • Fireworks will top festival on July 4

    Jun 27, 2018

    That’s the clue for a good time here July 3 and 4, when the Festival of America occurs below the Visitor Center at Grand Coulee Dam. The celebration is put on by the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce. Please see the separate Festival of America section inside this week’s Star. The annual patriotic celebration begins Tuesday in the park below the Visitor Center, and ends after the giant fireworks event Wednesday night. In between will be plenty of basking in the sun, picnic eats, music, the traditional family get-togethers, and the ever-...

  • Newsbriefs

    Jun 27, 2018

    Early deadlines for holiday Because of the Independence Day holiday, The Star will be published on July 3 (Tuesday) instead of on our usual Wednesday schedule. The deadline for ads and news copy will be Friday, June 29. No-shows for school board The Grand Coulee Dam School District board meeting, scheduled for June 25, was moved to June 26 with a modified agenda due to a lack of quorum. Superintendent Paul Turner was there on June 25, with Ken Stanger being the only board member present. Coroner: Drowning death was accidental Grant County...

  • Eagle Scouts tour dam bicycling cross country

    Jacob Wagner|Jun 27, 2018

    A large group of Eagle Scouts took a hard-hat tour of the Grand Coulee Dam June 25, going deep into the dam to explore the inner workings of the marvel of engineering. The group, known as Eagle Scouts Cycling Across America, is currently bicycling across the country, starting in Seattle and ending in Virginia later in the summer. The group of 32 people, ranging in age from 16 to 67, includes people from 12 different states, with many hailing from Virginia and Pennsylvania, in particular. "It's...

  • Local libraries to host Grant PUD as part of summer program

    Jun 27, 2018

    Grant PUD to present "It's not magic, it's water" throughout the summer Grant PUD will participate in the North Central Regional Library's summer reading program as they share an interactive presentation about how the naturally occurring water cycle allows Grant PUD to generate electricity. In addition, attendees will learn how electricity is delivered to homes and businesses. The program provides hands-on activities for children. Participants can act out the "Water Cycle" play, create a...

  • Sunrise Disposal to use new technology in their trucks

    Jacob Wagner|Jun 27, 2018

    Grand Coulee Councilmember Mike Horne said at the latest council meeting that Sunrise Disposal, who performs garbage collection service in the area, will be using new global positioning system (GPS) equipment in their trucks around the time that their contract with the cities expires at the end of 2019. The GPS system will allow truck drivers to check off houses that they’ve stopped at as they go along their routes. “It’s going to make things a lot easier,” Dick Howe of Sunrise Disposal said, explaining the system at an Electric City council...

  • Coulee Cops

    Jun 27, 2018

    Grand Coulee 6/19 - Coulee Gas reported a counterfeit $20 bill that police collected and will send to the U.S. Secret Service. Police were unable to identify the customer who used the bill in security footage. - An Elmer City man wanted on a warrant ran from police after being spotted in the Delano area. An officer chased the man, who gave himself up and was taken to Grant County Jail on the warrant. He was also charged with resisting arrest and obstructing an officer. - Police looked into a report of possible squatters at an abandoned house...

  • High staff turnover this year in GCD school district

    Jacob Wagner|Jun 20, 2018

    High staff turnover this year in the Grand Coulee Dam School District has led some to wonder why. In many cases, it is simply the right personal decision for the individuals involved, some said. Such is the case with Brian Daniels, who is resigning as a high school English teacher and cross country coach to move to Spokane. “We have always wanted to end up there,” Daniels said about his wife and himself wanting to be closer to extended family. He added that he’ll miss his colleagues, friends, neighbors, and students from this area. Other staff...

  • School Board meeting moved to June 26

    Jun 20, 2018

    The Grand Coulee Dam School District meeting scheduled for tonight (June 25) has been moved to June 26 at 6:30 p.m. with a modified agenda. The rescheduling of the meeting is due to a lack of quorum tonight with the only school board member showing up being Butch Stanger.... Full story

  • What's going on with consolidation?

    Jacob Wagner|Jun 20, 2018

    Consolidation, or the combining of local towns, is a topic that’s been in discussion for decades. A survey conducted by the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce in 2016 revealed that out of 514 respondents, the majority were in favor of consolidation of two or more of the local towns, with 308 being strongly in favor and 84 being somewhat in favor, as opposed to 99 strongly opposed and 23 somewhat opposed. But what’s happening now? Many ramifications of consolidating the towns would need to be researched by an outside consulting group befo...

  • Council briefs

    Jun 20, 2018

    ELECTRIC CITY — Council voted June 12 to make their chicken ordinance permanent, rather than having to renew it periodically. The ordinance allows citizens to raise hens but not roosters. “I’ve never seen a rooster lay an egg,” said Councilmember Rich McGuire. “Some hens crow,” Councilmember Carol Nordine said, referring to the ban on roosters being due to the classic “cockle-doodle-doo” noise they make at the crack of dawn. • Electric City accepted a $146,000 bid from Central Paving for general street repair to be paid for with a grant from...

  • Good tricks

    Jun 20, 2018

    Leapin' Louie Lichtenstein dazzles the crowd with rope tricks at his western comedy show sponsored by the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce to finish off its Koulee Kids Fest on Saturday in the gym of the former middle school in Grand Coulee. Executive Director Peggy Nevsimal estimated that between 150 and 200 kids took part in the 14 free activities offered by businesses around the community, which also reported an increase of people in their businesses and of sales during the day. -...

  • Tillman to serve as mayor in Elmer City

    Jacob Wagner|Jun 20, 2018

    Elmer City council last week elected Jesse Tillman as the new mayor following the resignation of Gail Morin last month. Tillman was the only councilmember to throw his hat into the ring for the mayoral position to replace Morin, which will be up for re-election for a two-year term in November 2019. "He's a fourth-generation mayor," said Public Works Director Jimmer Tillman, Jesse's uncle. "His great-grandfather served as mayor, his grandfather, his father, and now him." Tillman's great...

  • Watch for loose bull

    Jacob Wagner|Jun 20, 2018

    A young bull got loose at the Cleatis Lacy Memorial Bull Riding and Wild Horse Racing last weekend and is still out there somewhere. “He’s running the hillside somewhere,” said Sorrell Katich, of Red Knection K Bulls, based out of Keller. A group of cowboys tried to get the bull back under their control but he jumped off a small cliff, Kattich said, and they weren’t able to continue following him. The bull reportedly ran off toward the Eden Harbor area, and Kattich imagines it will end up somewhere around Wilbur or Almira. The bull “jumped...

  • Humiston approved for town council

    Jacob Wagner|Jun 20, 2018

    The Elmer City council approved Michael Humiston as a new council member at their June 14 meeting. “I enjoy living here, and feel that by serving on the council I can do my part to help support the community,” Humiston said later. Humiston, who was born in Bremerton and raised in Tacoma, received a law degree from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in 1990, and also studied European Union law at the University of Amsterdam. “My three areas of expertise are criminal defense, child welfare, and federal Indian law,” Humiston explain...

  • Elmer City, Coulee Dam may discuss wastewater facility issue

    Jacob Wagner|Jun 20, 2018

    Newly appointed Elmer City Mayor Jesse Tillman said at the town’s June 14 council meeting that he had spoken with Coulee Dam Mayor Larry Price about the ongoing wastewater treatment plant issue between the two towns. Coulee Dam is building a new wastewater treatment plant and wants Elmer City to pay for lift pumps that would allow Elmer City to continue to send its wastewater to Coulee Dam for treatment. Elmer City doesn’t want to pay for those lift pumps. Tillman explained that he and Price think they should have a meeting with themselves and...

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