News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
Sorted by date Results 3959 - 3983 of 6735
The school district plans to build a security fence behind the bus garage to try to stop the flow of recent thefts. Superintendent Paul Turner told the school board Monday night that the security measures would cost the district about $16,000. He indicated that he would seek another bid to see if he could get a better price. The report of gas, tires and parts thefts was made to the board by bus garage manager Bill Kemble. He said that thieves had taken 250-300 gallons of gas, several tires and mechanical parts. Kemble said that on one occasion... Full story
The school board is being pushed to make decisions on overcrowding at the new school. Could a portable classroom be in the district’s future? It’s a possibility, says Grand Coulee Dam School District Superintendent Paul Turner. The most critical grade level is the second grade, with the fifth grade also being pushed. The two second grade classes are maxed out now and quite possibly will turn away new students. “The optimum class size for grades 1-6 is 24, with the maximum size at 28,” Turner stated. The district, according to Turner, has a p... Full story
A woman's home in east Coulee Dam caught fire Friday evening, drawing a quick response from every local fire department. Susan Lynch's house at 611 Birch Street drew 11 fire engines, first responder vehicles and ambulances when the call went out at 6:10 p.m. "People keep telling me it can all be replaced," Lynch said, watching firefighters answer with torrents of water flames coming from inside her home, "but it can't." Lynch said photos and annuals can't be replaced, and she worried whether... Full story
Car thefts and prowls have been on the increase in the area for the past few months, according to law enforcement officials. Grand Coulee police Chief John Tufts said last week that there are a number of factors in the rise of crime involving vehicles. Probably the number-one factor is that these kind of crimes can usually be traced to drug-related crime, Tufts stated. There are a number of things that he suggested to keep from becoming a victim of a vehicle-related crime: • Don’t leave your keys in the ignition, it’s an open invitation for c... Full story
It’s “Pig for the Park” time again in Electric City. The community picnic to benefit a park will happen Saturday, Sept. 10, the second year running. City Councilmember Lonna Bussert is spearheading the picnic again this year. It begins at noon this Saturday, and proceeds go toward the development of the city park near the fire department headquarters. Bussert said the picnic will cost $12 for adults, $6 for children 6-12 and children 5 and under get in free. The Whitelaws — John, Jack, and Dave — will again be in charge of the barbecue.... Full story
Jess Ford set a goal and surpassed it in August, which meant the Lake Roosevelt Raider football team collected on a big pledge last week. The Ford dealership had promised to give the team $50 for every car sold in August, but reaching the 100 mark would double the pledge. "The salesmen were so excited" as they approached that goal, said Stacey Jess. With the team members calling friends and relatives and Facebooking the goal, the sales team sold 100 vehicles. Last Friday Jess Ford issued a... Full story
Fire mostly out In its final day of reporting on the Cayuse Mountain fire, the Spokane Indian Tribe stated the fire was 95 percent contained and had burned 14 houses and nine other structures. The fire consumed grass and trees on 18,116 acres. The fire started Aug. 21. Level 1 and 2 evacuations were still in place. Free food coming Second Harvest of the Inland Northwest announced free food distribution from its mobile food bank for Thursday, Sept. 22, at the Zion Lutheran Church parking lot, 348 Mead Avenue in Grand Coulee. Co-sponsors include... Full story
There’s truly something to do for everyone at this year’s Harvest Festival, Sept. 17-18 at North Dam Park. Some things you need to get registered for and are unique, to say the least. Get a team of six together and register for the Human Foosball event. It costs $30, but there’s prize money to win, and it’s only $5 each for team members. Also register for the Run the Dam race, which starts by crossing the dam. That’s Saturday. See runthedam.com for details and to register. Food and craft vendors can call the chamber office to register... Full story
The Coulee Medical Center Guild will kick off its plans for a Breast Cancer Run at the upcoming Harvest Festival, Sept. 17-18. Guild President Clea Pryor said her group will have a booth at the festival site - North Dam Park - and will register people who wish to take part. The run is to call attention to breast cancer, Pryor stated. Registration cost is $15, and those taking part will receive a T-shirt with an appropriate message on it. The Oct. 8 run will begin at CMC and go to North Dam Park... Full story
Lake Roosevelt schools were swamped last Wednesday night as students and parents were introduced to teachers and staff in anticipation of Tuesday's school opening. Students on the elementary side were able to visit their respective rooms and get acquainted with their teachers. Traditionally, elementary teachers spend extra time setting up and decorating their rooms for the beginning of school. On the junior/senior high wing, students could meet teachers, collect their class schedules, pay their... Full story
The rehearsals begin early in September for both the Orchestra and the Chorus sponsored by Okanogan Valley Orchestra & Chorus. This volunteer group gathers once a week for practice and performs in four concerts throughout the year. No auditions are necessary; simply join in on the first rehearsal night. The Chorus, under the direction of Jonathan McBride, meets on Mondays from 7 to 9 p.m., in the Omak HS Choir room. Since the first rehearsal this year falls on a holiday, the group will meet for that one night only at the Omak Presbyterian Churc... Full story
Coulee Dam instructed the town’s attorney last week to file a lawsuit against Elmer City for breach of a decades-old contract between the two towns, saying Elmer City isn’t paying its bills. Following an executive session of the town council Wednesday night, the council voted unanimously to sue. Mayor Greg Wilder said Elmer City was in arrears at least $55,000 in charges Coulee Dam has billed for processing the smaller town’s sewage, more if certain capitalized costs are included. “They’ve overcharged us for labor for years,” Elmer City Mayor... Full story
The fish pens in Electric City have a new manager, in fact a pair of them. Carl Russell, who has managed the fish pens for the past 25 years and is retiring, said last week that Greg Anderson and Bob Meeker have agreed to co-manage the popular fish net pen operation that raises hundreds of thousands of fish each year, supporting the local sport-fishing economy. Both have been involved in P.O.W.E.R. (Promoters of Wildlife and Environmental Resources) for some time, especially in the feeding... Full story
Students of Lake Roosevelt Schools will return to classrooms Tuesday, Sept. 6, and will be welcomed by a number of new leaders. Superintendent Paul Turner will begin his first year as the education leader, replacing Dennis Carlson, who retired June 30. Turner was assistant high school principal last year. Taking over as principal at Lake Roosevelt High School is Mark Herndon, from the Cape Flattery School District where he was principal of Clallam Bay K-12. Herndon had been hired as assistant principal at the high school, but was elevated when... Full story
A fairly upbeat report on crime statistics in Coulee Dam didn’t assuage fears among residents who expressed dire concerns at the town council meeting about increasing petty crime. Mayor Greg Wilder recited findings from USA.com, a site that compiles all kinds of statistics, but invoked the Mark Twain quote that there are “lies, damned lies and statistics.” That site noted last year that the town had the second-best record in the state. But Wilder said he’d also compiled stats from state sources on nearby towns and that Coulee Dam still looked... Full story
Two large airplanes were on the tarmac at the local airport last Thursday morning. One, a Metroliner owned by the Army Corps of Engineers out of Omaha, Nebraska, and the other a King Air 350 that brought a number of Bonneville Power Administration officials from Portland for a tour of Grand Coulee Dam. The Metroliner is configured for 19 passengers and brought a group of Army Corps officials for a tour of Chief Joseph Dam. Later, a second King Air plane arrived from Boise to transport a number... Full story
Grand Coulee is going to move forward and seek a grant to install LED street lights throughout the city, Mayor Paul Townsend said last week. The issue was brought up by public works Director Dennis Francis at the August 16 city council meeting. Francis told the council that the city regularly spends about $2,708 a month ($33,355 a year) on power to illuminate its many street lights. He estimated that the city could save about 30-40 percent of what it now spends by installing LED (light emitting diode) lights. Francis said Friday that the saving... Full story
Early deadline for Labor Day The Star newspaper will be closed Monday for the Labor Day holiday. Deadline for news and advertising for the Sept. 7 newspaper is 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 2. Parent night at LR schools tonight Tonight (Wednesday) is parent night at Lake Roosevelt Schools from 5-7 p.m. A representative from Hoffman’s Music of Spokane will be on hand in the elementary cafeteria to talk about renting or purchasing a musical instrument. Anyone wishing to sponsor a student’s rental for the year can call Karen Pace at 633-1442 or email her... Full story
Local fisherman Greg Anderson caught what must be a near-record catfish in Banks Lake recently. Anderson, from Coulee Dam, said he was fishing near the buoys at North Dam, when a 34.7-pound catfish struck his crappie jig. "It was about 45 minutes before I got my first look at it," Anderson said. Two other anglers in the boat helped him finally net the big fish. "It filled the net," Anderson stated. "I was really tired bringing the fish in. The head of the catfish was bigger than a football and... Full story
The US District Court for the District of Eastern Washington has ruled that Teck Metals Ltd. must pay nearly $8.3 million to the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation for all past costs related to the Tribes’ ongoing legal battle to force the Canadian smelter company to clean up mine waste pollutants it sent across the border for decades, the Tribes announced in a press release. The Aug. 12 ruling by the Judge Lonny Suko is the most recent victory by the Tribes who, along with the state of Washington, successfully sued Teck to f... Full story
The Almira Community Church has delayed its Coulee Dam opening date for services to Oct. 9, Pastor Paul McArthur said last week. The opening for services had previously been set for Oct. 2. “Things have been progressing nicely,” McArthur stated. Workers have been doing some painting on the outside, windows have been cleaned, and inside the stone edifice others have been getting rid of cobwebs grown during no activity. It’s nearly ready for services again. The roof, due for repair, is still a question mark, McArthur stated. The church is still... Full story
An idea to better define Grand Coulee’s business district was well received by the city’s planning commission, and could turn out to be a partnership effort with the city and the Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Development Council (EDC). City Councilmember Tammara Byers, who also sits on the planning commission, told fellow council members that the EDC had offered up some good ideas and that the commission would continue working with them. The EDC has proposed signage and lighting changes on what has been described as the city’s busines... Full story
At the end of a week of vacation on the lake, Wade Taylor and his family were getting ready to head back home to Grand Coulee when they saw smoke in the sky from an origin too nearby. "That's pretty darn close," Taylor thought as he was helping his cousin launch a boat on the Spokane River arm of Lake Roosevelt. The fire would eventually take about 80 percent of their 80 acres of half-timbered property perched above the lake near Cayuse Cove, consuming a barn, trees and more, and burning right t... Full story
The Bureau of Reclamation awarded a $19 million contract to replace and upgrade two pump-generating units at Grand Coulee Dam, the bureau announced Monday in a press release. The contract awarded Aug. 11 to American Hydro, of York, Pennsylvania, calls for replacing and updating equipment for pump generating units 5 and 6 at the John W. Keys III Pump Generating Plant. “This effort is pivotal to the infrastructure modernization at the Keys Plant,” said Reclamation Commissioner Estevan López. “The pump units will provide greater effici... Full story
The public interest in consolidating local cities impressed at least one city official last week. Grand Coulee Mayor Paul Townsend said that the number of people interested in the consolidation of Grand Coulee and Electric City was "impressive." A report last week to the city council on the results of a consolidation survey by the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce's Economic Development Council was the second of four presentations planned before municipalities in the area. A week... Full story
