News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
Sorted by date Results 1836 - 1860 of 3686
It isn’t that easy to drop everything in the middle of the week and fly to Washington. If you’re a community newspaper publisher, going anywhere in the middle of the week is a challenge. That is when the newspaper has to be edited, wrapped up in color, printed, labeled and distributed to readers. People in Mayville, WI, where I publish the Dodge County Pionier, count on my paper. It is how they find out what is happening in town. We don’t have a local TV station. Facebook and Google are here, but the internet has no journalists in my town. That...
Citizens for Quality Education would like to thank those who voted for the Grand Coulee School District Levy and also say a thank-you to those who put signs up in their yards. Thank you to the businesses that supported the levy and a “shout out” to the people who wrote letters in The Star. With your encouragement and involvement in our classrooms, the school and teachers can help our kids to succeed and become valuable citizens in the community. Yard signs can be taken to the Farmer’s Market at North Dam Park in Grand Coulee (Wednesdays 4-7p....
You know these words, but how often do you stop to think about them? “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity…” They belong, of course, to the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution. That remarkable document is not just the blueprint for our political system. Its Preamble is also a profoundly aspirational call to arms. Because when you read...
In past columns I’ve talked about the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), or as some call it, the Southern Oscillation. Let me briefly review what this thing does. There are two ocean temperature and wind actions that occur down along the Tropical Pacific Equator that can, and do, affect global climate. These fluctuating ocean wind and temperature events also play a role in our winters here in the Pacific and Inland Northwest. One is referred to as El Niño (the child, Spanish) and the oth...
At a recent conference in Kennewick, Wash., two local stars from our school district were honored with high awards. I had the honor and privilege of being on hand when these two powerful superstars in education received their hardware from the elite in the Public School Employees Annual Conference. Our school was definitely well represented, and our school has been put on the map by these two outstanding classified employees. Aaron Derr received the President’s Award for his hard work and d...
Sometimes sports heroes come from unlikely places. Take the case of Vernon Law, right-handed pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Vernon came from Meridian, Idaho, a few clicks out of Boise, and midway between Boise and Nampa. Law won two games during the 1960 World Series as Pittsburgh turned away the New York Yankees in a seven-game series. A tall, lanky kid at the time, Law threw from the right, and distinguished himself over a long career, interrupted by three years in the military. That World Series year, Law ended with a 20-9 win-loss...
I strongly encourage a yes vote for the levy that Lake Roosevelt School District has requested. The proposed levy will allow the school district to break even, but it will also allow it to address some of the major issues that the community has been voicing concerns over. The following is a chart that breaks down what the school district is asking for: http://www.grandcoulee.com/home/customer_files/images/screen_shot_2018-08-01_at_2.59.26_pm.png Over the past year, I have taken the opportunity t... Full story
I, along with all voters in the Grand Coulee Dam School District, received my primary election ballot in the mail last week. Since it is a primary election, I was almost overwhelmed by the long list of names of people who are seeking to be selected to run in the general election in November to represent us in the U.S. Senate, House of Representatives or state Legislature. While I engaged a momentary urge to vote for GoodSpaceGuy in the U.S. Senate race, common sense finally ruled and I marked the box next to the name of the person I believe...
In this day and age, the word “relationships” can have a skewed meaning. The younger generation may immediately think of the number of friends they have on Facebook or their followers on Instagram. Others may think of something more intimate, like boyfriends and girlfriends or spouses. But there is more, and I was reminded of that over the weekend at a yard sale, a funeral and a family reunion. The yard sale: Sometimes we can misread a person when first meeting them. This became very app...
I applaud your board for listening to these young people and that they encouraged them to attend more and bring more students to be involved. It shows how truly STRONG ALL of you are. What a lucky community to have young people who are learning how to express themselves and are willing to be involved. The world needs success and I’m pretty sure you are all on your way. Lorraine Niderost...
I think the young ladies have valid points on the dress code concerns (“Students express desire to change dress code, school system,” 7-25-18), and I think they should carry on their concerns and recruit more of the student body to address such issues that go on in “Raider Country.” An added concern: issues of the continual “bullying” at our schools. NUMEROUS Raiders come to me and my counterparts asking what could be done and where to go. I do refer them to what is written in the school handbooks and the proper way to address the issue. One...
I have lived in this area for almost 19 years, and in that time I have seen good specialists come to this area, be here for a year or two, and leave. This leaves those who need a good orthopedic or heart doctor forced to go to Spokane or even further to see someone. I have to ask WHY. Why is it that this hospital and clinic are unable to keep these doctors? I will have to blame the hospital administrator(s) for this. The hospital needs to do whatever they need to do in order to keep these great doctors. Pay them according to their contracts,...
I keep thinking it has to be full-moon time from the actions of people around me, but no, it wasn’t that. Then I read your article on the number of suicides — seven in a week (“Many take their own lives in last two weeks,” 7/25/18). Living in a depressed area where jobs are scarce and many minimum wage jobs are not full-time, people cannot afford rent, many are homeless or living with other people, which causes extra stress for all. Hot weather, we know, can cause anger and other issues. It is probable that all of these factors play a part; h...
Summer heat seems to make us a little surly at times, but we’re better off keeping our cool. Like when you come across road maintenance work. In the heat. When you’re in a hurry. Time for a deep breath, often needed when traveling out of town, but this summer, locals may be in for patience-testing even close to home. You know about that if you live in east Coulee Dam, where crews are building improved sidewalks and curbs in spots lined out in a Transportation Improvement Board-funded project in much of the area around the school buildings. Pat...
I have been coming to the Coulee Dam area for over 30 years as an annual visitor. As time has gone by, I have grown to appreciate your quaint area’s unique and distinct setting. Summer memories are made here. Families can easily create lasting bonds observing your grand vistas together. Who can argue over the last piece of barbecue chicken when there is such spectacular and varied scenery to appreciate! I have especially noticed that Spring Canyon beaches seem cleaner, brighter and more welcoming the last year or so. You should be proud that t...
In the late 1950s and well into the ’60s, a number of Idaho athletes were at the edge of dominating their respective sports. Shirley Englehorn, from Caldwell, Idaho, at the west end of the Boise Valley, was one of them. She won 11 times on the Ladies Professional Golf Association tour and posted another win, not part of the tour. She was born in 1940 and turned pro in 1958, winning her first tournament, the Eastern Open, by a three-stroke margin in 1962. Her career was closely watched by everyone at the Idaho Statesman, where Publisher James B...
Let’s start with the cat. We have a very cuddly and cute kitty named Camaro. She has the sweetest temperament and has stayed pretty small for her age. We adopted her many years ago into our family and she joined Nova and Chevelle in our feline garage. In the beginning, I was not a cat guy. But they grew on me. With every cuddle and purr, I grew fonder and fonder of them. About a month ago, when I was neck deep in graduation and everything that erupts at the end of a school year, we came home lat...
Voters should keep local schools at the same level of tax support voters have been used to for some time. Local school patrons, staff and others have made clear their concerns about local schools. But concerns about discipline issues at the forefront are an entirely separate problem than the one school leaders are hoping to address with the proposed capital projects levy on which voters will decide Aug. 7. That levy would address maintenance and safety issues and swap a burden that has fallen in the past on the general budget to levy dollars,... Full story
As a community we are approaching an important election, the outcome of which will clearly affect the quality of education received by our school-aged children. This election will require a decision by voters on whether our community will continue to financially support the Grand Coulee Dam School District by approving a school levy. The levy is funded through local property taxes. Why is a levy or tax needed? Our community is uniquely disadvantaged because of the large percentage of federally-owned land and land that is not otherwise eligible...
Next month, local voters will have the opportunity to approve the Capital Project Levy for the Grand Coulee Dam School District. This is only a supplemental levy that will address facility and safety needs of the district, as well as offset lost funding from the state. This would not result in an increase of your taxes. The Capital Project Levy’s value would be seen in updated technology, facility improvements, better communication infrastructure, and increased security/safety measures. I’d like to discuss that last item first. The biggest pri...
This last weekend was our annual family campout and this year we welcomed Cairo on his first visit to the “plantation,” our huckleberry heaven. The crop was in good standing this year; an abundance of purple gold was everywhere and everyone ended the weekend with a permanent stain on their picking fingers that you could flavor your coffee with. Karrie and I went up first to grab our coveted spot along the plantation and we went back to our younger days, sleeping on the ground in a tent. It was...
Last month, General Electric lost its place among our nation’s top 30 performing corporations. It was the last member of the original companies which composed the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Since 1896, American investors have looked to the Dow to judge how the top performing companies’ stocks are trading each session. The Dow favors companies with excellent reputations for sustained growth and which have broad investor interest. GE, once the world’s most valuable company, was replaced by Wa...
As we celebrated our nation’s birthday last week, many of us spent time with extended family and friends. For us at the Chamber, it was a busy and somewhat stressful time as we organized and hosted the Festival of America. We’re quite proud of our awesome fireworks show and live music, and if you didn’t have a chance to hear Lila Rose, the Jesse Quandt Band and the Washington National Guard band, you really missed some fantastic music. Last year, with the 4th falling on a Tuesday, we had made the decision to move the festival to the weeke...
Boise, Idaho, was a great baseball town — home to the Boise Braves, a Milwaukee Class C farm club in the Pioneer League. But it was the large number of big-league players that set the tone in the valley. Larry Jackson, Harmon Killebrew and Vernon Law made their home in the city and in nearby towns. Jackson was from Boise, Law from Meridian and Killebrew from Emmett. It was Jackson, a teammate of Stan Musial, who helped me get a long interview with Musial. Jackson, a right-handed pitcher, played with Musial with the St. Louis Cardinals for a n...
Sometimes you never know where your road trip will take you. The plan was to head to Conconully, Washington, to see their annual Independence Day Celebration. We had a plan when we went to bed on Friday, but Saturday morning had its own time schedule. It started with a loud boom that shook the house at about 5:30 a.m. In that half-asleep, half-awake state, I assumed it was a firework, but soon realized I was awake and something was not right. As I got up to investigate, I soon realized that ever...