The Star - News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area

One of the least threatening places you can go is a beach in late afternoon where a couple of old anglers are quietly staring at the water, waiting for a line to move. If anybody understands the unwritten rule, the need for common courtesy, the...

Thank you, Grand Coulee area and beyond, for coming to my scream for help, to try and help me locate my best, four-legged, friend, Love Bug, at the lower North Dam area. My heart is still broken knowing that she became a feast for a predator, but...

Two Gun Willie was a featured attraction at Silver City, Idaho. The old mining town had seen better days, and so had “two gun.” Willie was born William James Hawes in 1876, right in the town, that in its heyday had some 2,500 residents. Willie...

You may not be ready for next year’s elections, but in political time, they’re coming up fast. Which means that at some point you’re almost certain to hear someone announce, sternly, “I. Will. Not. Compromise.” And if you’re there in the...

On Sunday at Spring Canyon Cemetery, I was out visiting my husband’s flag and family. I saw the most amazing thing happen. There was a couple putting roses on headstones that had no one to do it for them. I sat and watched them and cried thinking...

The perceived threat to public safety by individuals fishing at Geezer Beach might be mitigated if their attitudes could be redirected. It is conceivable that they may develop an awareness of public image. Notoriety might be attended by a sense of...

The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) motto is, “Caring for the land and serving people.” That is exactly what the students of USFS Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers do. With 25 locations across the country, these Civilian Conservation Centers...

Considering the fact that the lowering of the speed limit from 40 to 30 mph on a short strip of three-lane from Grand Coulee to the Grand Coulee Project offices had nothing to do with construction safety concerns, the Bureau of Reclamation’s...

The stated reasons for regulating access to Geezer Beach seem contrived and sophomoric. If you accept the premise that vehicle traffic on the beach poses a threat to public safety, you could argue that boat ramps and public parks have greater potenti...

My maternal ancestors go back to a farm near Lillehammer, Norway, where the 1994 Winter Olympics were held. Most of my mother’s family immigrated to the United States and to, you guessed it, Minnesota. My grandmother left Norway right after...

I am lucky enough these days to be in regular touch with young people who are interested in public service. I find hope in their quality, energy, and motivation, and they press me to think more deeply about what it takes to pursue a life in the publi...

Coming into Electric City from the south, there is a big sign that says, “Welcome to Grand Coulee Dam Area.” It was put up decades ago by the local Rotary Club. Another one just like it welcomes travelers coming into the area on the highway to...

It is no secret that prescription drug costs are high. When we hear about medications being sold for outrageous prices, it is important to remember that they aren’t necessarily special drugs for specific treatments or rare diseases. These are...

What is your obligation or commitment to your community? Another Colorama weekend is done and this was a particularly challenging one for those of us at the Chamber of Commerce. In 1994, 38 years into the 63-year history of Colorama, the carnival...

I was shown an aerial photo of the proposed Electric City sidewalk plan on Highway 155. I am concerned because the parking lot adjacent to New Paradigm Physical Therapy would be eliminated if sidewalks block off highway access. Handicapped patients...

Prior to 9/11, one of the real pleasure spots for bank fisherman was the Banks Lake canal. At the time, I fished there almost daily. Although I wasn’t physically handicapped or too elderly, there were many who fished there because they could park...

Those who assert that action on climate change should only happen if it’s fair, just don’t understand the problem. It may be true that other countries are egregious polluters, adding as much carbon and other warming agents to the atmosphere, or...