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

If you have contacted my office in recent years, you know that I pride myself in delivering personal responses to you. My office staff and I work very hard to make sure you receive prompt and detailed information related to your... — Updated 9/22/2021

Never been a crop failure in the Palouse, I think, never! The area abounds in deep, rich soil and an abundance of rain at the critical time in the spring. Not this year. Of course, the soil hasn’t changed. But the rains didn’t... — Updated 9/22/2021

I never thought I’d have to be writing this but let me be clear: The Constitution and Declaration of Independence, our nation’s foundational documents and declaration of beliefs, are not controversial – period. I will always... — Updated 9/22/2021

As I’m writing this letter, 15 of our students or staff in our school district are positive with COVID-19 and 70 students (10% of our student body) are in quarantine because they have been exposed. At the same time, a large... — Updated 9/22/2021

Sometimes, to stop fires, you have to start them. Democrats like President Biden often point to the West’s devastating wildfires as evidence of climate change, and while that’s certainly contributed to some of the events we... — Updated 9/15/2021

This September 11 remembrance fell at a time when America is bitterly divided. It is also a time when we are more acutely worried about where and when terrorists will strike next. Our hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan — the place... — Updated 9/15/2021

Myanmar (Burma) has its own way of storing gold. The Shwedagon Pagoda is one of the premier Buddhist temples in the world and dates back some 2,500 years. Here in the U.S. we think of things 200-300 years old as really old. Not... — Updated 9/15/2021

In recent years, the cost of solar energy has plummeted, and demand has escalated due to consumer support for clean energy and the value it adds to a property owner’s land and rural communities. However, in the U.S., solar... — Updated 9/15/2021

During the past 18 months, the pandemic has had significant impact on our lives. However, small businesses have the greatest impact on our livelihoods. Whether self-employed or the employer to dozens, small businesses are the engin... — Updated 9/15/2021 Full story

On August 31, 2021, I injured myself when a 400-pound welding table fell off a cable, knocking me down, causing a severe laceration to my right leg requiring surgery. I have lived in this community since 1969 and have had limited... — Updated 9/8/2021

I’ve seen a mountain of big attractions. But little things do matter, and sometimes they are embedded in your memory. A few years ago, I took on a consulting job in Kodiak, Alaska. The owner wanted to clean up some of her... — Updated 9/8/2021

September 11, 2001: a day that no American who lived to see will ever forget. I was recently asked about where I was that day, and I remember it keenly, deeply. I think it’s a question every American has an answer to — a... — Updated 9/8/2021

On August 31, 2021, I injured myself when a 400-pound welding table fell off a cable, knocking me down, causing a severe laceration to my right leg requiring surgery. I have lived in this community since 1969 and have had limited... — Updated 9/8/2021

It’s that time of year again when we dust off our boots and compete against our neighbors in all sorts of animals, crafts, cooking and what-not contests at the Okanogan County Fair. The Okanogan County Fair Advisory Committee... — Updated 9/8/2021

Remember way back at the beginning of the pandemic, about a zillion years ago, when all we knew is that it could be bad for a while, but then schools actually closed? That’s when we knew this was going to be inconvenient as hell... — Updated 9/8/2021 Full story

It is not surprising that COVID-19 which ravaged the world was disastrous for our country’s economy. Millions died from COVID complications; offices, stores and factories closed, and people were forced to quarantine at home. The... — Updated 9/1/2021

As Washington state and the rest of the world continues to process through the COVID pandemic, governors throughout our nation — Republicans and Democrats — have utilized their offices and authorities in a variety of ways. In... — Updated 9/1/2021

Our daughter Kim is in the thick of Louisiana storms again. Five years ago, their home in Denham Springs was flooded, with up to four feet of water in the lower floor. They had experienced 30 inches of rain in a couple day’s... — Updated 9/1/2021

A little-noticed initiative by Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Washington, and six other senators would boost local jobs, accelerate sales, and improve economies. The Local Journalism Sustainability Act, S. 2434, is designed to help local... — Updated 9/1/2021

When thinking of England’s fabled Sherwood Forest, the medieval images of Robin Hood and his band of archers and swordsmen hiding in the woods giving the Sheriff of Nottingham a hard time comes to mind. Who would envision a crew... — Updated 8/25/2021

Throughout American history, the burden of keeping our great nation free and secure has largely fallen on the shoulders of the men and women bravely serving in our Armed Forces. The care we provide to our veterans reflects our grat... — Updated 8/25/2021

Life is full of changes, and they hit at an early age. I was born on a farm outside Palouse, and we didn’t have indoor plumbing. Our facility was located about 25 yards from the house and alongside our parking area. It was a... — Updated 8/25/2021

The video portraying an American Air Force plane moving on a runway with a mob of Afghani citizens running beside the aircraft and some on the outside of the aircraft presented an embarrassing image of America’s withdrawal from... — Updated 8/25/2021

Here is a small example of some of the history of the climate change theosophy. “It is already too late for the world to avoid a long period of famine. Paul Ehrlich said the time of famines is upon us and will be its worst and... — Updated 8/25/2021