News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area

News


Sorted by date  Results 4365 - 4389 of 6621

Page Up

  • Bowling alley could re-open

    Roger S Lucas|Sep 16, 2015

    Don’t sell that bowling ball just yet. It appears there is a good chance that the Riverview Lanes will reopen for play, and in time for winter league play, albeit a bit late. Hope for the reopening of the bowling alley came at last Wednesday night’s Coulee Dam Town Council meeting. Two men from the west side of the state appeared before the council to inquire about a possible lease that could involve more than just the bowling alley. Craig Jones and Scott Elmore indicated an interest in the eight-lane alley and perhaps the space housing the... Full story

  • Wildfire recovery will be a long process

    Scott Hunter|Sep 16, 2015

    Nearly a dozen agencies presented possibilities for long-term help to about 50 people affected by the fires on the Colville Indian Reservation, but none of them will be quick or easy. The Tunk Block and North Star fires have burned about 600 square miles of forage and forest. Imagine a mile-wide strip of charred ground stretching from Omak to Grants Pass near the southern edge of Oregon. Within that area are cattle, miles of disappeared fences, and millions of board feet of charred timber, all... Full story

  • Harvest Festival is this weekend

    Roger S Lucas|Sep 16, 2015

    Get ready for an old-fashioned Harvest Festival. The Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce has put together three days of activity designed with the family in mind, Sept. 18-20. Highlights of the festival include a 2-day barbecue cook-off, a pie-baking contest, a quilt show, a human foosball competition, a motorcycle poker run, a community-wide yard sale, hay wagon rides, craft booths including food booths (35 in all), a beer tent and some children’s games. The BBQ event, sanctioned by the Pacific Northwest Barbecue Association, will f... Full story

  • Mayor offers suggestions for USBR fire station

    Roger S Lucas|Sep 16, 2015

    One local mayor has urged the Bureau of Reclamation to consider building something beyond just a new fire station, even a building for joint use with other fire departments in the area. Responding to the bureau’s request for comments on a proposed new fire station, Coulee Dam Mayor Greg Wilder wrote to the bureau suggesting that if the Crescent Bay site were selected, “the project should consider an architecture that reflects the recreational nature of its proximity to Lake Roosevelt.” Such features might include a well-maintained rest area,... Full story

  • New courts host some play

    Sep 16, 2015

    Josh Wilder returns a volley during a tennis match Saturday held to celebrate the final finishing of the new courts at Lake Roosevelt High School. Three of the four courts held doubles games in the event. The $246,000 rebuild got the Grand Coulee Dam School District state-of-the-art courts, built with "post-tension" concrete, the same technology used to repair the big crack in Wanapum Dam. The acrylic overlay paint job was just finished this summer in blue, with a green area surrounding them. -... Full story

  • Newsbriefs

    Sep 16, 2015

    Beach cleanup needs volunteers Volunteers are needed for the National Public Lands Day, Sept. 26, to help clean up the Spring Canyon Boat Launch area. There will be a shoreline cleanup Saturday, Sept. 26, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with volunteers meeting at the boat launch. Bring water, sunscreen, long pants, closed-toe shoes, life vest and work gloves. The NPS will have extras of these items. For additional information contact Devon Beekler, 509-754-7829. Ferry County needs this event The Bass, Bands, BBQ & Brews event in Republic Sept.... Full story

  • Park fund raiser a success in Electric City

    Roger S Lucas|Sep 16, 2015

    A community picnic "Pig for a Park" last Saturday raised $2,200 for a new Electric City park, councilwoman Lonna Bussert said Monday. The fundraiser attracted nearly 100 people who took advantage of a Whitelaw BBQ performance with all the food trimmings. Tables were scattered throughout the grassy park-like area behind city hall, and some even ate sitting on the grass. Bussert, has been the catalyst in getting the council to purchase land from the Banks Lake Bible Church for a new neighborhood p... Full story

  • Electric Co-op planning annual meeting

    Scott Hunter|Sep 16, 2015

    Nespelem Valley Electric Cooperative, Inc., is getting ready for its annual meeting in a year full of challenges. The utility, which delivers electric power to rural areas on the Colville Indian Reservation and in Okanogan and Ferry counties, lost many poles and miles of line in the current wildfires that have burned large swaths of its service area and its customers’ assets; it had explored, but later decided against, a merger with another utility; and it just hired a new general manager who started on the job Sept. 8. Members can meet him a... Full story

  • Learn about the moon at event

    Sep 16, 2015

    The “International Observe the Moon Night,” Sept. 19, is an annual worldwide public event that encourages observation, appreciation and understanding of the moon and its connection to NASA planetary science and exploration. This year it will be part of the Chamber of Commerce’s Harvest Festival planned for North Dam Park and Banks Lake Park, this weekend. There will be two opportunities for the public to take part: from noon to 2 p.m. and from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., on Saturday both at North Dam Park. During the day there will be an obser... Full story

  • USBR seeks comment on proposed new fire station

    Roger S Lucas|Sep 9, 2015

    The Bureau of Reclamation is seeking public input on a draft environmental assessment for its proposed plan to build a new fire station. The Bureau has identified two sites to build a 21,500-square-foot fire station. The preferred site, identified as Alternative A, is on land already managed by the Grand Coulee Power Office outside the west administration/industrial area gate, near the intersection with Highway 155 and B Street. Access to the site would be from Industrial Road, off of either B Street or Highway 155. The Alternative B site would... Full story

  • Seniors want apartments back to senior housing

    Roger S Lucas|Sep 9, 2015

    Area seniors are trying to get their "manor" back. A local apartment complex once reserved for senior citizens no longer is, and some people don't appreciate the change in the neighborhood. In a letter to the Housing Authority of Grant County, the current agency controlling the former "Senior Manor," Birdie Hensley, president of the Grand Coulee Dam Senior Center, outlined a range of problems that reportedly now exist in the 40-unit building. The letter is backed by the senior center board of... Full story

  • Statue a dedicated work

    Sep 9, 2015

    With more than 600 students and staff gathered around, Grand Coulee Dam School District Superintendent Dennis Carlson says, "We are all Raiders" in a brief ceremony on the first day of school Tuesday to dedicate the new Raider statue by Smoker Marchand. The artist dedicated the piece, which he said tested him and stretched his ability, to Richard Wippel and Eldon Wilson. - Scott Hunter photo... Full story

  • Local fires garner national political attention

    Scott Hunter|Sep 9, 2015

    "Rehab" is beginning even as firefighters have a tough time on the eastern edge of the massive North Star fire, where Interior Dept. Secretary Sally Jewell appeared Monday to visit state and tribal leaders during a push to educate Congress on a need for a different funding model for such fires. The scale of the fires that have burned across about 20 percent of the Colville Indian Reservation made a good backdrop for Jewell to make her case that fighting such catastrophic fires ought to be funded... Full story

  • Newsbriefs

    Sep 9, 2015

    City, USBR extend police contract Grand Coulee’s city council instructed Mayor Chris Christopherson last Tuesday to sign an extension of the city’s agreement to provide law enforcement services to the Bureau of Reclamation. It is the second year in a five-year contract in the amount of $567,690.96. City to pay park district The council at Grand Coulee voted to contract with Coulee Area Parks and Recreation District for maintaining North Dam Park as a tourism facility. The city agrees to provide $7,000 to the district for 2016 out of the cit... Full story

  • Barbecue competition to draw the best cooks

    Roger S Lucas|Sep 9, 2015

    Are you proud of your barbecue skills? Does your mouth water when you think of your favorite meat cooked to a tender perfection? Then put a team together and enter the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce BBQ competition during the annual Harvest Festival, Sept. 18-20. Or, if you'd rather just sample, you can do that, too, from some of the best barbecue chefs in the Pacific Northwest. $10 will get you four samples Saturday and Sunday. Top prize is $2,000 and a trophy, and there's a lot of... Full story

  • Pig for the Park event this Saturday

    Roger S Lucas|Sep 9, 2015

    Look for a “pig out” for the park this Saturday. The event will raise money for Electric City’s new park behind the fire station. But the community barbecue will happen behind city hall so those preparing the food will have access to power and other needs. City Councilmember Lonna Bussert has pushed the park idea since its inception, and it is about to become a reality. Saturday’s “Pig for the Park” affair begins at noon, and after a brief fanfare, those attending will get to sample an old-fashioned pork BBQ with all the trimmings. The food la... Full story

  • Commander: Fires are not over yet

    Scott Hunter|Sep 2, 2015

    [UPDATE 5:20 p.m. 9/2] As of this morning, the closest point between the North Star and Tunk Block fires was on the southern end of the fire. It was about 2.5 miles apart on the south end along the highway 155 corridor. On the north end, near the Aeneas Valley, the fires are about 10 miles apart, said Stan Hinatsu, the lead public information officer for North Star and Tunk Block Fires. He said the break in weather had allowed crews to build a fireline closer to the actual fire perimeter with the goal of protecting structures and minimizing... Full story

  • As North Star gains national attention and resources, firefighters gain ground

    Scott Hunter|Sep 2, 2015

    Fire crews are gaining on the fires with help from the weather and more resources, including troops, who were visited by a four-star general this week. On Monday, Interior Dept. Secretary Sally Jewel will visit the North Star Fire as the administration proposes changes to the way wildland fire fighting is funded in the nation. "Fire seasons are becoming longer and more intense," Interior stated in a press release announcing the visit. "The Obama Administration has called for a new funding...

  • Donors arrange for pizza for firefighters

    Roger S Lucas|Sep 2, 2015

    A number of local donors, both individuals and businesses, purchased over 100 large pizzas and delivered them to firefighters on the Colville Indian Reservation Friday and Monday. Tim Whittaker, who took charge of the deliveries, loaded 51 pizzas in his vehicle Friday and delivered them to the agency grounds and then made a repeat trip on Monday with a like number. The pizzas were quickly transported to "spike camps" to reach "hot shot" fire crews who work in remote areas. Whittaker said the... Full story

  • Two districts delay school for a week

    Roger S Lucas|Sep 2, 2015

    Grand Coulee Dam School District Superintendent Dennis Carlson announced Wednesday that both he and Nespelem School District Superintendent Rich Stewart agreed to delay the opening of their respective schools until Sept. 8. Both schools had been scheduled to begin Sept. 1, but with the problem of wildfires and smoke, they decided on the delay. In Nespelem, Sept. 8 will actually be a training day for teachers, not a school day for students. Nespelem’s annual welcoming barbecue is set for Sept. 9 at 5 p.m. The first full day of classes is T... Full story

  • "Human foosball" added to Harvest Festival

    Roger S Lucas|Sep 2, 2015

    Like to play foosball? Now here's a chance to really get into foosball. The Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce-sponsored Harvest Festival will feature a live, human-size foosball competition at Banks Lake Park from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 19. It's a case of humans becoming the pins in a real foosball shootout. "It's the newest, and most hilariously fun, addition to our ever-popular Harvest Festival!" the chamber's website says. Teams of six can enter the challenge with a... Full story

  • District to seek lower county appraisal of school

    Roger S Lucas|Sep 2, 2015

    The Grand Coulee Dam School District is going to try to make it easier for parties to take another look at purchasing Center School and its adjacent property. The district had advertised for bids earlier this summer for the vacated elementary school sitting on about 8.3 acres of property. No one submitted a bid. District Superintendent Dennis Carlson told members of the school board that real estate tax issues prevented at least one local party from making a bid on the building and property. Grant County had appraised the building and property... Full story

  • Newsbriefs

    Sep 2, 2015

    Earthquake hits A magnitude 4.2 earthquake struck at 9:42 a.m. Tuesday, shaking the area just enough to trigger an automatic check of local dams. The quake, which hit about seven miles north of Nespelem and six miles beneath the surface, shook windows in the new tribal government administration center being built there, where some people assumed it was a construction accident. Investigation moves local The investigation of financial irregularities at Grant County Mosquito District 2 has now moved to the Grand Coulee police department. Chief Joh... Full story

  • Pie bakers to vie for title

    Roger S Lucas|Sep 2, 2015

    Can you bake a cherry pie? Or a cream pie? Then dig out grandma’s favorite recipe and enter the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce’s pie-baking contest Saturday, Sept. 19, at North Dam Park during Harvest Festival. No store-bought crusts or fillings here. This is the real McCoy! Pie organizer, Darla Orr, said it’s simple: Make two pies — one for the judges to taste and the other to auction off — and get them to the pie booth by 11 a.m. that Saturday. There will be prizes for the winners and their extra pies will be auctioned off aroun... Full story

  • City considers vacating tiny land strips

    Roger S Lucas|Sep 2, 2015

    The city of Grand Coulee will hold a public hearing to receive any comments from citizens on declaring surplus small strips of land on both the east and west sides of Main Street between Spokane Way and Midway Avenue at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15. City Clerk Carol Boyce stated the problem occurred “ages ago” and the strips of land are so small that they are unusable by the city. The land strips, if eventually approved by council, would go to Sharon Cox on the east side and Marlene Oddie on the west side. The council voted Aug. 17, to vacate the... Full story

Page Down