News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area

News


Sorted by date  Results 3696 - 3720 of 6752

Page Up

  • Electric City steering group to meet March 23

    Roger S Lucas|Mar 22, 2017

    A meeting is schedule for Thursday this week to move Electric City’s Pathway and Revitalization plan forward. The local committee steering the plan will meet from 3-5 p.m. March 23, at Electric City’s city hall, in the council chambers. The group — made up of Councilmember Aaron Derr, and local residents Cynthia Greely, Lynda Anderson, Clark Perman and Jeff Piturachsatit — will review the final plan from WSU, for the broad-viewed, long-range plan to improve the city and its efforts to be more visitor friendly. The meeting is open to the pub... Full story

  • Golf course cleanup set for this weekend

    Roger S Lucas|Mar 22, 2017

    There's a fever sweeping over the coulee area that comes about the same time each year, not the kind that the clinic can deal with. It's golf time at Banks Lake Golf Course! The official opening is April 1; however, when the sun is out and the grass is starting to green, golf balls will be on the fly. Already some eager beavers are hitting the 18-hole course, well ahead of the opening date. This week, Port District 7 commissioners were on hand to paint the interior of the golf office, but a bigg... Full story

  • CEO: Hospital must stop its own bleeding

    Scott Hunter|Mar 15, 2017

    After racking up multi-million dollar losses in four of the past five years, Coulee Medical Center will put in place a turn-around plan to “stop the bleeding,” CEO Jonathan Owens said, “sooner, rather than later,” and that will include some strategic job cuts. Owens said CMC will be operating in the black within eight months, predicting the restructuring plan will produce a nearly $6.6 million turnaround in 2017 and $3.6 million per year thereafter. The hospital is currently in debt to Grant County and out of sorts with its mortgage loan co... Full story

  • Electric City man killed in rollover collision

    Press release, Grant County Sheriffs Office|Mar 15, 2017

    ELECTRIC CITY, Wash. (15MAR2017) - A 23-year-old Electric City man was killed and another man injured as the result of a one vehicle rollover about one mile south of Electric City early Wednesday morning. Brandon Buche was driving a 2006 Jeep Wrangler on Bay Area Drive near Coulee View Road around 2:00 a.m. when he failed to negotiate a curve in the road. The Jeep left the roadway, tripped on the soft gravel ditch and rolled one-and-one-quarter times. Buche was not wearing a seat belt and was thrown from the vehicle. He was taken by Grand...

  • Sneaky Fish SWATed

    Mar 15, 2017

    A regional tactical response team training at Center Elementary Wednesday surrounds a sneaky suspect, Ryan Fish, after finally finding him and ordering him onto the floor. Officers from the Grant and Adams county sheriff's offices, plus Othello and Moses Lake police departments, attended. Moses Lake Cpl. Aaron Hintz said the big, empty building provides a perfect training ground. On their first pass through the building, the team missed Fish, who had originally showed up to simply shut off an... Full story

  • Man sentenced for receiving child pornography

    Scott Hunter|Mar 15, 2017

    A former vice principal at Lake Roosevelt Elementary School was sentenced in federal court Monday to seven years in prison for receipt of child pornography. Nathan Piturachsatit, 38, pleaded guilty to the charge Nov. 29, 2016. Sentenced by United States District Judge Salvador Mendoza Jr., Piturachsatit will be supervised by the court for 10 years after release and must register as a sex offender. He also surrendered his iPhone, with which he had traded sexually explicit images with a 14-year-old Wisconsin girl using Instagram. Piturachsatit... Full story

  • "Era of Megafires" to be presented

    Mar 15, 2017

    Anyone who has wondered about the growth of the local widlfire season and of the size of the fires that have struck the region in the last few years may want to catch up on the work of Dr. Paul Hessburg. They’ll have a good chance next week. That’s when Wildfire Project’s “The Era of Megafires” will be presented at the new Lucy F. Covington Government Center Auditorium in Nespelem on Tuesday, March 21. Another presentation is scheduled for the Omak Performing Arts Center the next night. Both presentation begin at 6 p.m. Dinner will be availa... Full story

  • Town has grant in hand for trail connections

    Roger S Lucas|Mar 15, 2017

    You've heard it said that "the check is in the mail." Well, this one is in the hand! That check for $250,000 arrived last week for Elmer City's "Complete Streets" project. City Clerk Gary Benton and public works director "Jimmer" Tillman didn't waste any time in moving forward with the grant funds. The town has three years to use the funds. Tillman said Friday the project will likely be done in 2018. The grant is from the state Department of Transportation's TIB (Transportation Improvement Board... Full story

  • Newsbriefs

    Mar 15, 2017

    School boards to meet together The boards of Nespelem and Grand Coulee Dam school districts will hold a joint meeting Wednesday, March 22, at La Presa Restaurant, in Grand Coulee, at 6 p.m. The joint board meeting is open to the public. Park board considering bids The Coulee Area Park and Recreation District is considering bids from three companies interested in taking care of North Dam Park. Bids were opened at the commission’s regular meeting March 6, and commissioners are weighing price, experience, proposed work and references in their deli... Full story

  • Awarded firefighting scholarship

    Roger S Lucas|Mar 15, 2017

    An Electric City man has received one of two scholarships offered by the state to study structural firefighting. Joshua Reeding, who recently moved to the area from Victorville, California, won an 11-week training scholarship recently, and will be going to the North Bend Fire Center for instruction. The training runs from April 7 through June 25. "It is a great honor for Joshua and for our volunteer fire department," fire Chief Mark Payne told the Electric City Council last week. Reeding was a v... Full story

  • Winter toll on roads and budgets steep

    Roger S. Lucas|Mar 15, 2017

    City officials in the four towns will be more than happy to see winter end, but they all fear what is going to happen to city streets in the region. Ken Dexter, public works director for Electric City, summed it up last week when he stated, "It has been the worst winter I've seen in 20 years or so." Dexter has been with Electric City for over 30 years and will be retiring at the end of March. City streets there are showing signs of breaking up, with frost heaves just showing up. Typical of... Full story

  • Plea deal includes no jail time for clerk

    Roger S Lucas|Mar 8, 2017

    A former Mosquito District 2 clerk pled guilty to one count of first-degree theft in Grant County Superior Court Monday. A second count of first-degree theft, relating to an alleged misappropriation of funds of just over $129,000, was dismissed under the plea agreement. Under the agreement, Karyn Byam, 41, of Electric City, is to pay $800 in court costs, with restitution to be determined at a special hearing within 180 days. There was no confinement time under the agreement. Byam pled guilty to the first-degree theft charge which had to do... Full story

  • Mosquito district will meet on bids Tuesday

    Mar 8, 2017

    The Grant County Mosquito Control District #2 is calling an emergency meeting for Tuesday, March 14,at 7 p.m. at the Electric City Hall. They will be entering executive (closed) session regarding bid applications....

  • Kids and guests take part in Read Across America

    Mar 8, 2017

    Electric City Mayor John Nordine II reads to Jessica Tufts' second grade students at Lake Roosevelt Elementary School last Thursday, Dr. Seuss's birthday, taking part in the Read Across America program. The school brings in community members for the program, which the National Education Association describes as its year-round program for "motivating children and teens to read through events, partnerships, and reading resources." It is now in its 20th year. - Roger S. Lucas ph... Full story

  • New carnival will serve Colorama this year

    Roger S Lucas|Mar 8, 2017

    Colorama will have a new carnival this year, Rainier Amusements, out of Portland, Oregon, the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce announced this week. The new carnival is one of the featured attractions for this year’s Colorama Festival, May 12-14. “We are pleased that we have been able to contract with such a highly respected amusement organization,” chamber Executive Director Peggy Nevsimal stated. The final details of the contract with Rainier Amusements were signed late last week. The Portland amusement group stated in its news relea... Full story

  • Local roads will close for fire station construction

    Scott Hunter|Mar 8, 2017

    A contractor will be on site next week to start work on a new fire station for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which means two portions of local roads will be closed for that project. Innovative Construction & Design Ltd., a small business based in Post Falls, Idaho, was awarded the $13.6 million construction job last September. The company is scheduled to be on site Monday, March 13, Public Affairs Officer Lynne Brougher said Monday. The portion of B Street from Division Street to Industrial... Full story

  • Winter hard on schools

    Roger S Lucas|Mar 8, 2017

    The Grand Coulee Dam School District has had its problems with the harsh winter, and will have to repair sidewalk and playground concrete walkway problems when spring arrives. Sidewalks in front of the new school have had surface problems and the same problems have cropped up on playground surfaces, Superintendent Paul Turner advised the school board at its last meeting. The surface in front of the school appeared to partially be because of using snow and ice removal chemicals. Turner said that he didn’t think that personnel used salt. In a... Full story

  • Newsbriefs

    Mar 8, 2017

    Next week, thank a classified employee March 13-17 has been proclaimed Classified Public School Employees Week by Washington Governor Jay Inslee. There are 60,000 classified school employees in the state who are involved in nearly every aspect of education, the proclamation says. They are involved in maintaining buildings and grounds, preparing and serving meals, keeping school facilities clean and neat, assisting in the classroom, performing and conducting research activities, and providing information technology and media services. Those... Full story

  • School strategizers meet

    Mar 8, 2017

    Richard McBride, superintendent of the North Central Educational Service District 171, leads a discussion on developing a strategic plan for Grand Coulee Dam School District in a Lake Roosevelt school library this week. Composed of both school district personnel and community members, the planning team met Monday and Tuesday to shape a plan that will help the administration and school board tackle issues within the district in the future. District Superintendent Paul Turner helped facilitate... Full story

  • NPS offers marina one-year contract extension

    Mar 8, 2017

    The National Park Service is offering Lake Roosevelt Vacations, Inc., a one-year contract extension. If accepted, it will continue to operate the NPS-owned marina complex at Kettle Falls through April 30, 2018. NPS officials are offering to extend the contract for one year after listening to community and visitor concerns over the announcement of the marina closure. “It’s our hope Lake Roosevelt Vacations will accept this extension offer so reservation holders unaware of a potential closure can enjoy their planned vacation on the lake,” said... Full story

  • Project at casino taking shape

    Mar 8, 2017

    Workers this week are ripping existing sidewalks up at the entrance to Coulee Dam Casino as they get ready to create a new entrance area. The project includes a new restaurant on the second floor, plus added gaming areas. The upgraded facility is expected to open sometime this spring. The project will also feature outside dining during good weather. - Roger S. Lucas photo... Full story

  • Schools contemplate greater grad requirements

    Roger S Lucas|Mar 1, 2017

    The Grand Coulee Dam School District board had two issues on its agenda Monday night for passage; neither made it in a three-plus-hour-long, marathon meeting. The issues were new high school graduation requirements and a two-year school calendar. The board held the second reading of the graduation requirement policy, which is normally a slam dunk since board members normally get all their questions answered between the first and second readings. It was different Monday night. Seniors graduating in 2019 will need 24 credits, instead of 21. The... Full story

  • See what the Raiders are doing with an old lunchroom

    Scott Hunter|Mar 1, 2017

    Remember that long, narrow lunchroom at the old middle school? She what the Raiders are using it for now. That second hit would have been at least a base hit. Batting practice from Scott Hunter on Vimeo....

  • Chillin' at the bay

    Mar 1, 2017

    A cool angler sitting amidst the fractured ice and snow, waits for a tug on his line at Crescent Bay Tuesday. Although some high school spring sports started practice with snow too deep to play Monday, highs are predicted to reach into the low 40s over the next week, with lows in the high 20s. Check the weekly forecast on page 8. - Scott Hunter photo... Full story

  • District learns options for clearing a path to sale of old school

    Roger S Lucas|Mar 1, 2017

    The Grand Coulee Dam School District met with Grand Coulee’s planning commission Feb. 15 and received first hand some of the options it faces in selling the Center School property. Superintendent Paul Turner stated late last week that the meeting outlined potential roadways to the zoning process. First, if a potential buyer presents a plan that the commission members approve of, it would be possible to get a conditional-use permit. That process would require the city to hire, at the district’s expense, a lawyer to conduct a public hearing to... Full story

Page Down