News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
Sorted by date Results 1397 - 1421 of 3686
A lot of soul searching has been going on over the past few weeks. Then a horrific tragedy occurred, and the world watched a man die under the knee of a law enforcement officer. Then the cities erupted. The protests grew up into every major city in America and we found ourselves as a nation trying to put words to what we were witnessing. I have watched a lot of people, make a lot of statements regarding these events that currently still have emotions at a boiling over point. Something has been...
Grand Coulee Dam and the Spokane's Golden Jubilee of 1939 The “Great Spokane Fire” occurred on August 4, 1889, destroying 32 downtown city blocks. Exactly 50 years later, Spokane would host the “Golden Jubilee” statehood celebration. For this celebration “Wooden Money” or scrip was produced with a value of 5 cents. Scrip was given to Spokane residents, tribal members, and workers building the Grand Coulee Dam. Three script versions were made and included pictures of the Dam, James Glover (Father of Spokane), and Curly Jim (Spokane Tribe). The c...
You get to choose, but I don’t? Not only that, but your ability to choose is more important than me living. That’s the end logic of the current cry for liberty, defined here as our citizens’ God-given right to ignore the ultimate welfare of all others so they can do whatever they want: party together, worship together, infect together. If we accept our Declaration of Independence, we value “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” The last two conditions, it should be obvious without saying, can’t be valued without the first being secur... Full story
It’s been a long tradition in some homes to take your shoes off when entering. This was a common practice in earlier days when it was so easy to track in because everything around was dirty or muddy. Now most homes have cement sidewalks and grassy areas where this is not so much a problem. We had a mud room at the back-door area when I was young, and it was the practice to take your shoes off before entering. We lived on a farm at the time, and it was easy to track in dirt from the field. Entering without taking your shoes off would be r...
Faith can be a funny thing, depending on where you’re standing and what you put your faith into. I was raised to put my faith in God first, family second and country third, but all had strong intermingling depending on whom you were with at the time. So what happens when something shakes the foundations of one of those three? Or if the things you held once dear to your heart seem to be faded, tainted or just plain misdirected. We can start by looking at faith through different lenses. I was a f...
A country learns about itself in a crisis, and one revelation in the coronavirus emergency is that we can’t make our own penicillin. The first patient successfully treated with the antibiotic was a woman suffering from sepsis in a Connecticut hospital in 1942. Her treatment took up half the country’s supply. Yet in short order we figured out how to mass produce the medicine, saving the lives of countless soldiers in World War II. Once, factories throughout the country made the stuff. But that was a long time ago. The last U.S. plant to mak... Full story
Some people are expressing little but regret over the fact that high school graduations across the country, Lake Roosevelt’s included, will not be what anyone had in mind this year. That much is certain, but, graduating class, it’s also true that if you’ve learned anything in your dozen or so years in school so far, you’ve likely learned to roll with the punches and make the best of the situation in which you find yourself. There is no course syllabus or homework for that. But our current situation is the best lesson (call it your final h... Full story
For years, U.S. dependence on China has harbored a rising threat to our national security. Now, during a global pandemic, this threat has come clearly into view. After decades of well-known wrongdoings, human rights violations, and manipulation of American intellectual property, it is time to get serious about cutting China out of our nation’s supply chains. Throughout this public health crisis, we have witnessed a shortage of critical resources. Personal protective equipment like N95 masks and gowns for healthcare workers have been held up, ou...
In recent years, papermakers in the Pacific Northwest have been losing ground. However, today there is a ray of hope. Surprisingly, that optimism results from the COVID-19 pandemic. In the first days of the pandemic, grocers couldn’t keep toilet paper on store shelves even though paper mills were running 20 percent higher than normal capacity. Cardboard plants also were operating full bore making shipping boxes for medical supplies and personal protective gear. As Amazon and online sales ramp up...
I was pondering this today. How are we spending our time during our self-isolation and social distancing? The way I see it we must look at the bright side of a dark situation. So in case you can’t think of anything to do and you are starting to have cabin fever and are ready to erupt I decided to try and help you all out a little bit and give you some ideas that just might remove our eyes from the television screen and phone long enough to engage in something more positive. Play a board game. I...
When the Million Dollar Mile outside of Coulee City was created it inadvertently ran through a field with a level area and a natural spring surrounded by trees. For uncounted years this was a camping spot for the original nomadic inhabitants of the Upper Grand Coulee. The spring was nestled up on the cliff wall just out of sight, and the trail up ran along a cut to the south east. Once there was a large stone table for preparing food and families gathered together at the spring for generations....
During our lives we experience a number of acts of kindness that help make life more pleasant or easier. With the coronavirus here, we all have an opportunity to perform meaningful acts of kindness by observing a few procedures to both protect ourselves and others at the same time. In an effort to stem the advance of the virus, we are asked to observe social distancing, wear face masks when around other people, and to practice cleanliness by washing our hands thoroughly. Some people just don’t get it. Theirs is a rush to expose or be e...
I believe that the community needs to honor two people who are responsible for keeping our golf course open. Jim and Rose Keene have volunteered numerous hours in the last couple of years at the golf course. They don’t do it for self-recognition, but because of their love for the community. I feel that many of the members fail to realize Jim and Rose’s dedication to the golf course. The golf course likely would not be open if not for these two people. I personally would like to thank them for their work at the golf course. Michael Lac...
Hi over there. Sad day at the Womack house when I read about the Colorama days cancelled. I have been in the parade with our 1968 AMX for 38 years in a row. Susan has been with me for all but two times. For three years we have had the 1968 Mustang there too. This time was a reason for the family to gather, starting when Mom was still with us. Continued on after she was gone. Good times by the Womack clan and seeing so many friends at the parade. Next year I hope to have the two cars there...
Some have asked what we can expect this summer — weather and wildfire conditions. I’ll share what the Washington state climatologist states in the most recent monthly report: “The National Climate Prediction Center (CPC) May outlook has increased chances of above normal temperatures across the entire state. Slightly lower chances of above normal temperatures exist for a pocket in the northeast corner. The May precipitation outlook is split with equal chances of above, below or equal preci...
By now it is apparent that, barring a miracle, a cure for COVID-19 will not happen soon; however, to make it a condition of removing the economic lockdown would be a catastrophic mistake. They must coexist. The shocking news that America’s unemployment rate skyrocketed to 14.7% as employers cut 20.5 million jobs last month is demoralizing. It is approaching Great Depression numbers. The bottom line is our country needs people working in safe surroundings. The fact is the COVID-19 pandemic may f...
I cannot stop thinking back to state volleyball, state football, and most recently state basketball. Standing outside with my students and their homemade signs waving and cheering as the fire trucks, police cars, and buses came through the bus lane cheering our athletes on as they made their way to the state tournament is something that I will never forget. My husband and I have been a part of multiple programs in various states, including private and public schools, and both college and high school programs. NEVER have I ever experienced a...
Having just read the new senior graduation plan, as a grandma of a senior, I am upset. It feels like after 13 or 14 years of supporting, praising, fighting for, crying with, and celebrating, grandparents not only have no input, but can now park where they can and there will be a virtual version of graduation, IF you have a smart phone, otherwise? I heard from my senior, who is pretty upset, as the plan is for only 10 at a time on the field and they must wait in vehicles until their 10 are called (so mostly virtual for them, as well). A group...
A short item in the Sunset Magazine caught my eye just as we were planning a quick early summer vacation. lt featured a bed and breakfast in Lamoille, Nevada, only a few miles from where Dorothy and I were married in Elko. Over the years we have traveled Nevada from all directions and knew of its beauty. A quick call and we had reservations. When we arrived there we became aware that you can’t always trust what you read. They were cleaning the place, and it was a mess. They explained that they had winter guests for skiing and hadn’t cleaned up...
Bids to build the construction railroad were received May 17, 1934, and 22 firms competed for the work. The two low bidders were L. Coluccio of Seattle, and David H. Ryan of San Diego. Irregularities were found in the Coluccio bid, resulting in an investigation of the bids. They came in at Ryan at $235,570 and Coluccio at $236,925. The contract was awarded to Ryan on July 17, 1934, and a notice to proceed was issued August 8, 1934. Ryan claimed to be able to outbid anyone else by already being...
Throughout these unprecedented times, members of Congress — like many families across the country — are facing uncertainty about returning to work. While we understand that it will take time to return to business as usual, we should be taking important steps to ensure the legislative branch remains representative of the American people. Our Founding Fathers designed Congress to operate under certain procedures to best represent the American people. As a former Member of the House Rules Committee, I have a unique understanding of and app...
We’ve had it pretty easy so far. Not much evidence here of the devastation other places have been dealt at the hands of COVID-19. Or even of the level of tragedy the Seattle metro area has suffered, which has been far lighter than it might have been had health authorities pointed out a way to lesten the blow. That strategy was never about keeping everyone safe from the SARS-Cov-2 virus that has sickened more than a million Americans; it was about keeping the healthcare system from collapsing if an overwhelming number of cases came, as they l... Full story
Somewhere in the Carribean there’s a sea turtle swimming around with my name on it. Let me explain. A number of years ago I was looking for an out of the way place for my wife and me to go on vacation. I had used a travel agent in Kirkland on occasion and asked if he had any ideas of such a place. He said he had just come across something and suggested the Cayman Islands. The Cayman Islands are made up of three small islands, a British Overseas Territory. The islands are Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, with Grand Cayman the l...
I don’t know if you noticed the signs near the bridge and other places since our social distancing started, but rumor is they are all over the entire Colville Indian Reservation. The three signs I have seen say Hope, Love and Pray. Such a simple message for a stressful time. I don’t know who put them up or how many are out there, but you have inspired me and many others in the area because of your appropriate simple four-letter words. Hope. A feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing...
Since Governor Inslee issued his “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” Proclamation last month, Lincoln County has been scrambling trying to determine how to best balance our paramount duties to provide for Public Safety, Public Health and County Road functions. While we all want to stay safe and avoid viruses, we want to do so in a manner that is the “least restrictive” to our constitutionally protected rights. While the Governor’s Proclamation is aimed at protecting the public, I believe it does so in a way that, in most aspects, is the “most res... Full story