News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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A fire that scrambled area fire departments to the Third Powerhouse at Grand Coulee Dam last week started in an air filter. It put out a lot of smoke, but, unlike fires in other power plants at the dam last year, didn’t affect power production. A contractor working on the overhaul of of G-24, one of six massive generators in the power plant, had been sand blasting the interior of the generator’s shaft, according to Public Affairs Officer Lynne Brougher. In that process, a dust collector separates air from dust, which it deposits in a bar... Full story
A committee formed to try to heal a critical breach between health care providers and administration at Coulee Medical Center recommended hiring a consultant to investigate what the committee heard from staff and community members over the last five weeks. Commissioners Jerry Kennedy and Kris Hare reported at a regular meeting Dec. 26 that many had shared concerns in confidence and were afraid to speak critically of administrators for fear of job consequences. “Many of the personnel concerns expressed require additional investigation, more inve... Full story
The weather elsewhere is disrupting events in the coulee tonight. A special meeting of the local hospital district commission will be postponed until probably Thursday, Commissioner Geary Oliver said. An attorney central to the agenda can’t make it from Spokane, where cars are piling up due to snow conditions. And tonight’s Raider basketball games with White Swan have been cancelled due to inclement weather in Yakima. They will be rescheduled, said Athletic Director Rich Black....
A special meeting for Tuesday night has been called of the commission that governs Coulee Medical Center. A majority of the five commissioners set the special meeting to consider, among other things, hiring a different law firm, a proposal that died at a regular meeting of the commission Dec. 26, less than two weeks earlier. At issue were public complaints about stopping a popular discounted lab test week. Commissioners Jerry Kennedy and Geary Oliver had served as a committee to look into obtaining independent legal counsel for the board to...
An Omak woman was injured and flown to a hospital after the car she was driving hit black ice Friday morning. Maya Best, 31, was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with unspecified injuries after the 2007 Ford Freestyle she was driving slid off the highway 155 about 11 miles north of Nespelem, close to Disautel Pass. As Best was southbound at 7:15 a.m., her car hit black ice and slid off the road to the right and into a boulder, then came to rest blocking the northbound lane at about milepost 56, according to a Washington State... Full story
A new mayor and two new council members were sworn in at Coulee Dam last Monday. Mayor-elect Greg Wilder, and council members-elect Gayle Swagerty and Duane Johnson all took their oaths of office at a ceremony at town hall with U. S. Attorney Michael C. Ormsby, United States Attorney from the Eastern Division of Washington, and Dana Cleveland of the Office of the Reservation Attorney at the Colville Indian Agency, officiating. Over 60 persons showed up for the official swearing in process.... Full story
Four individuals with records of service to the community have been nominated for the annual volunteer of the year honor, and the community will now choose. It could be a difficult choice, but the one chosen will ultimately serve as an example, as do all nominees, of how individuals can follow an ideal, a philosophy of helping others. Jerry Birdwell, Heather Downs, Fern Blaylock and Jan Erickson each have passionate supporters who appreciate their good work in the community. Their letters nominating these individuals have all been published in... Full story
January: • The Nez Perce Longhouse burned in a fire in Nespelem the day after Christmas. An electrical malfunction was the initial cause reported. The longhouse had been a part of the community since 1975 when it was built as part of a bicentennial project. • Grand Coulee’s Council settled pay issues with Police Chief Mel Hunt by buying his 787 compensatory hours for $42,922.50. • The public was invited to view the final plans for the new K-12 school complex. • Elmer City was divided about what to do regarding Coulee Dam’s proposed wastewater... Full story
The problems an Elmer City couple are having meeting the medical care needs of their 2-year-old girl continue to pile up. The couple, Daniel and Stephanie Detwiler's daughter, Victoria, was born with brain damage and eyesight problems. In addition to the task of taking Victoria to Omak twice a week for treatment and to Spokane four times a month for treatment and testing, they found out the limited insurance they have doesn't pay for eyeglasses. Stephanie said this week that they need to get gla... Full story
Now it’s time to put some meat on the bones. A golf crowd met Dec. 12, to come up with what they would like to see happen at Banks Lake Golf Course so a grant could be pursued. Frank Andrews Jr., a planner and grant writer for the Colville Tribes, had met with Port District commissioners earlier and volunteered his services to write a grant. Andrews explained his interest: “I’m a golfer,” he told the commissioners. At the public meeting, attended by some 40 people, officials developed a priority list of improvements they thought should be made... Full story
Ten firemen and EMT personnel turned out to assist in the extinguishing of a grease fire at the Goodlance residence at 213 2nd Street in Grand Coulee during the early morning hours Sunday. Fire Chief Richard Paris stated that the homeowner had put a pan of grease on the stove to cook some french fries and then briefly left the room. The report stated that when the homeowner returned, the grease had caught fire. The man put the lid on the pan and then spread baking soda on the surrounding area to put the fire out, a smart move Paris said the... Full story
The Bureau of Reclamation anticipates all six pump units in the John W. Keys III Pump-Generating Plant will be available to fill Banks Lake prior to the 2014 irrigation season, and expects to provide a normal irrigation water supply to the Columbia Basin. The pump plant has been out of service since a fire Nov. 18. The fire was contained to the south end of the pump plant and caused damage to the switchgear for Pump Generator 12 (PG-12). An employee injured in the fire, Dan McCulloch, 54, was flown to Harborview Medical Center’s burn center i... Full story
SPOKANE, Wash. – A Bureau of Reclamation employee died Wednesday night as a result of injuries sustained from a fall on Monday at a construction site at Pinto Dam located about 18 miles east of Ephrata, Wash. Holger “Hal” Jensen, 62, passed away with family gathered by his bedside at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, Wash. He was a civil engineer with the construction engineering group in Reclamation’s Pacific Northwest Regional Office in Boise, Idaho. “This is simply heartbreaking,” said Lorri Lee, Pacific Northwest Regional Director. “O...
The Hospital District 6 will meet tonight in the hospital lunch room at 6 p.m. The agenda is below....
Some 63 needy families in the area will have a good Christmas dinner because of the work of the Lake Roosevelt High School Associated Student Body. The students at Lake Roosevelt sponsored a charity "Crimson and Gold" basketball game late in November and raised over $1,100 after expenses. ASB advisor Debbie Van Geystel said that Harvest Foods and Ed's Meats helped the fund stretch by giving the students a discount on food and meat. Last Friday morning,Van Geystel and student body officers were... Full story
Dec. 6th, 1935, was the first “ceremonious pour” of concrete at Grand Coulee Dam. It was the first of a total of 12 million yards, which is enough to pour a sidewalk around the world at the equator twice. The Okanogan County Amateur Radio Club W7ORC sponsored a special event to celebrate the anniversary of the that pouring. Club members used their home radio stations, commonly referred to as “HAM SHACKS,” starting at 4 p.m. Dec 6, and ended at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec 8. During most of the contacts, the club would give some facts about the dam and... Full story
A veteran Midway Avenue business, Fuller & Sons Auto Sales, has sold. Keith Fuller, owner, said Friday that the new owner is Choice Auto Group of Omak, pending the transfer of licenses. Fuller opened his car business in Grand Coulee in October, 1987, just over 26 years ago. Choice Auto Group owner Mike Kaiser said that when the sale is complete, Fuller would continue at the firm along with veteran vehicle salesperson Heidi Black, who has seven years experience in sales. The business will soon... Full story
Skateboarders imagine: SR-174 provides a good hill and surface for skateboarders. And the people honking their horns are doing so to wish you a nice day. Three young juveniles were confronted by police for skateboarding on the state highway just off Burdin Boulevard. The three, two of them 17 years old and the other one 16, were reported by a local resident as riding their skateboards on the highway last Wednesday night. The one reporting the incident to police said the same trio had been skateboarding the previous night, also. Police... Full story
Early deadline Publication dates and deadlines for The Star newspaper have been altered because of the holidays. The paper will publish on Monday instead of Wednesday for the next issue. Ads and news copy for the Dec. 30 paper must be in by noon Friday, Dec. 27. School enrollment up Student enrollment in local schools continues to show strong numbers. December averages show that there are 667 students from kindergarten through the 12th grade. That’s over 27 more than the district’s conservative estimate of 640, and 45 more than for the same mon... Full story
• Coulee Dam Community Church A community candlelight service will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 24 (Christmas Eve) at the Coulee Dam Community Church located at 509 Central Drive, Coulee Dam. • United Methodist Church On Christmas Eve (Tuesday) at 7 p.m., the United Methodist Church in Grand Coulee will be celebrating the birth of our savior – “Love Came Down at Christmas”. Everyone is welcome. • Lutheran Church On Christmas Eve (Tuesday) Candlelight Services will be held at the Zion Lutheran Church in Grand Coulee at 7 p.m. and the Bet... Full story
A community meeting to discuss improvements to the Banks Lake Golf Course was held last Thursday night with about 40 people showing up. Port District 7, which owns and operates the golf course, was in a brain picking mood last week and explained that it hopes to put in for a Land and Water Conservation Fund grant sometime this next spring. Port district chairman Orville Scharbach told visitors at the golf course meeting room that community input was needed as part of the grant application. He introduced Frank Andrews Jr., a grant writer for... Full story
We should expect inches of snow today, the National Weather Service says. Below is their winter weather alert issued this morning: . Urgent - Winter Weather message National Weather Service Spokane WA 432 AM PST Fri Dec 20 2013 ...Heavy Snow accumulations today and tonight... Upper Columbia Basin- including the following locations...Ritzville...Grand Coulee... Odessa...Wilbur...CouLee City 432 AM PST Fri Dec 20 2013 ...Winter Weather advisory in effect from 7 AM this morning to 7 PM PST this evening... The National Weather Service in Spokane...
The Grand Coulee Volunteer Fire Department held its annual awards dinner at the fire station Saturday night. Charles Pope was recognized as "Rookie of the Year." Mike Day was named "Firefighter of the Year," receiving the "Terry Sieker Award." Danielle Florenzen received the "Robert McGuire Award," as the EMS person of the year. Brian Walters was recognized for making the most fire calls, and Diane Canady was recognized for making the most ambulance calls and for 25 years as an emergency... Full story
Nominations for The Star’s annual volunteer of the year award will remain open until Dec. 26., and will be published in the Dec. 30 issue and online. Nomination letters will be published in our Letters from Our Readers section on page 3 in each issue. The selection will be made by the community through your votes. That can be done with a slip of signed paper delivered to The Star, or via an online poll, the link for which will be published after nominations conclude. Your votes will be accepted until Jan. 8. The Star will announce the h... Full story