News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
Sorted by date Results 2531 - 2555 of 3733
Growing up in the 1990s, I loved the Seattle Sonics and used to shoot hoops at home in the woods, on a dirt road near a hill. Sometimes I’d miss my shot and the ball would go rolling far down the hill and I’d chase after it. I’d pretend I was making game-winning, buzzer-beating, 3-point shots for the Sonics to win the NBA Championship. My favorite player was Gary Payton. When I got the assignment to cover the recent Gary Payton event, my eyes lit up. I was very nervous, but once I got there I felt fine. So I stood on the sidelines of the gym,... Full story
It may be news to many Americans, but as individual land owners, ranchers, and farmers in Washington already know, the federal government is one of the largest property managers in the nation, and especially in the West. According to a 2014 government survey, federal agencies manage 640 million acres of land, or one million square miles nationwide. That number accounts for 28 percent of land in the country. To put that enormous number in further perspective, it is just a bit smaller than the size of the land area of the three largest states,... Full story
While law abiding citizens often find it frustrating to learn that those accused of crimes against them are arrested but very soon released, that doesn’t mean the system doesn’t work. Sometimes it just means it’s slower than we might like, certainly. But in America, the scales of justice are not fixed for a certain outcome. The police often have an uphill battle to gather the burden of proof of wrongdoing. And if you know that’s the guy who stole from you, watching him walk can be infuriating. But neither individuals nor the justice system... Full story
I would like to say thank you to officer John Tufts, the Grand Coulee EMTs and the staff at Coulee Medical Center for their outstanding care for my mom, Bobbi, during her distress. I am so thankful to live in an area where people really step up and show their true care. We need to remember to thank them for their service to our community. So to you I say, thank you and God Bless you for your service! Your friend, Vicki Ratcliff... Full story
Let’s take a look at drought here in the West. California drought conditions have changed somewhat. Unfortunately, the state is still mostly in severe drought. The exception there is the extreme northwest corner that is showing to be drought free. A number of California reservoirs are gaining a good amount of water, as well. Closer, in Oregon, the eastern and south southeastern portions are still in abnormally dry or moderate drought conditions. Here in Washington, just the extreme south central and southeastern corner of the state is s... Full story
Boeing’s new cost-reduction plan has deep ramifications for Washington because the bulk of the 4,500 job cuts are likely to land here. CEO Dennis Muilenburg asked investors to view the savings initiative as “playing offense in a competitive marketplace” even though Boeing has a $431 billion backlog of 5,800 aircraft orders. Translated, Muilenburg means the aerospace giant needs to find ways to lower the price tag of its airplanes. Boeing leaders worry because Airbus’ A320 scooped up 63% of the... Full story
My favorite subject in school is and was history. I loved learning of our country’s and state’s past triumphs and struggles. I still today loves hearing of people’s journeys — where they came from, their ancestry and what events reshaped their views of the world. Take our local area, for example. We always start with pioneers and homesteaders. Then the great Grand Coulee Dam and its erecting, B Street activities, patriarchs and world leaders who paved the way for everything we see now. We love our history, but sometimes we leave out a very im... Full story
This view inside section E-1, Block 54, the working chamber of the floating caisson shows a drill operator drilling holes in the eroded concrete for hydraulic jacks, used to break the concrete out. The two engineers in the view are laying out dowels for new concrete in the excavated area. Pacific Bridge Company is performing repairs to the spillway face and bucket. – February 16, 1950... Full story
We are missing some fitness equipment from the middle school gym fitness area. The following equipment was noticed missing after the weekend of March 19-20: two 20-pound dumbbells; two 25-pound dumbbells; two 30-pound dumbbells; two 35-pound dumbbells; two 50-pound dumbbells, and an inclined workout board. As we all know, this equipment was purchased to support our middle school kids, but has been made available to the public at no cost, except for a key deposit of $25 that is returned when the keys are returned. It is disturbing and frustratin... Full story
Well, it was a packed week last week, but Spring Break is just around the corner. With a week-long rest coming I thought I would give you my highlights for the last seven days. Fundraising can be a drag sometimes. With the peddling of all kinds of stuff from cups to pizza, and donations for every sport and organization with their hands out and puppy dog eyes in place and locked to yours. But every once in a while an effort comes forward that makes you smile and reach deep within your empty wallet and gladly donate. This time the worthy cause... Full story
For many months, day after day, the first thing that appeared on much of the national news media in bold black letters was the word Trump, often accompanied by a photograph of Mr. Trump. By early March 2016, some of the political pundits were saying that the GOP (Republican Party) was unhappy with the political candidate they had created. But the Republican Party didn’t put Mr. Trump at the top of the first page of those many editions of the national news media and pundit blogs. And it wasn’t advertising paid for by Mr. Trump. It was the med... Full story
Last Tuesday, the world was again horrified by coordinated terrorist attacks at the airport and subway in Brussels, Belgium. Dozens of people lost their lives, and many more were injured. Even before they took official responsibility, there was little doubt that the perpetrators would turn out to be ISIS affiliates, whose attacks in Paris last November took the lives of 130 people. At the time of this writing, four Americans have been confirmed to have lost their lives in the Belgium attacks. These horrific acts against innocent civilians are... Full story
Because of soft foundation material in the bottom of the Grand Coulee, it was necessary to make a 2-mile detour, high over the east side of the coulee. This photo shows some of the heavy basalt rock cutting encountered in the relocated Upper Coulee Highway, commonly referred to as "Million Dollar Mile" on SR-155. – June 1, 1950... Full story
Two examples glare in the news this week, showing why consolidating local towns into one city would make so much sense. It’s far from clear that consolidation would actually cut down on personnel or save as much money as one might assume, but freeing oneself from a doomed mindset isn’t about the money it would save. Such a mindset currently steers the actions city councils in Grand Coulee and Electric City must believe they have to follow. It’s a mindset that draws needless distinctions between the two, when in truth, the people could be serve... Full story
Moving the Omak juvenile detention facility to a psychiatric prison outside of Spokane disregards the needs of vulnerable Okanogan children in several ways: • State laws mandate that these marginalized children remain in their communities whenever possible. We have a civic and legal responsibility to take care of our own children. • Already at-risk children deserve a local therapeutic setting, rather than exposure to a maximum-security psychiatric prison system hours away. Reintegration is much more difficult when children are separated fro...
This weekend is Easter, and although it has snuck up on us and arrived early this year, the meaning is just as relevant today as the events that led to it many, many years ago. Contrary to today’s tradition, it is not about a bunny, chocolate, gifts or eggs. Sorry I did not give you a spoiler warning, but I think it is important for us all to remember the real message, not only this weekend, but every day of our lives. It is a pivotal point in our existence that must be remembered daily. A young person told me recently, “I don’t believe in Go... Full story
The animal is a beautiful creature, But to most NOT property at all. Part of the family; NOT a fixture Like a painting on the wall. We go about our business, With each scheduled work day. As our furry family member Walks ahead of us, leading the way. As my friend, Ginger, takes The lead over unfamiliar territory, Another furry one lurks about, Head-on collision as I begin my story. Around the church we step, The eyes of The Beast stare down; Turn to see this canine of muscle, Take charge on his battleground. Nowhere to hide, no place to go,... Full story
Excavation at dam site, looking east. – April 2, 1934... Full story
We would like to take a moment to introduce the community to a funding site that allows us to donate to projects AT OUR SCHOOLS in OUR CLASSROOMS. It is DonorsChoose.Org. This site allows teachers to post a specific project and the funding needed to make it happen. It can be a small amount or a large amount. We searched for local schools, and there were no projects listed yet. Let’s change that! Let’s get some projects listed and then let’s fund them. We can do this! We, as a community, can make a difference, with just a click. We urge the s... Full story
Hot summers, several years of low snowpack, and the severity of recent drought across the West illustrate the extent to which water is truly the lifeblood of Central Washington and our economy. Unlike the west side of the Cascades, the “rain shadow” effect caused by the mountain ranges keeps Eastern Washington dry, with less than 10 inches of rainfall on average. Communities throughout Central Washington, including employers, manufacturers, agriculture producers, and tribes, depend on access to water supplies through irrigation and water inf... Full story
The threat from the misuse of anonymous shell companies is real, and routine. Criminals use them to scam consumers, defraud the government, and launder money. They also use them to cheat small businesses. For example, from 2004 to 2012 a large Virginia-based security firm used a shell company to fraudulently obtain $31 million in federal contracts – contracts that should have gone to minority-owned small businesses under the SBA’s section 8(a) set-aside program. In a second case, a Maryland woman used multiple shell companies to win con... Full story
Ask any butcher: trimming the fat off a beef or a deer is essential to the prime cuts of meat. Some butchers just throw away the excess fat; others use it in other places, like in burger. Others even give the fat away or sell it to candle makers or other crafts that require the waxy substance. That being said, native tribes from around the globe use every part of the animal. Especially the nomads way up north who rely on the fatty substance to survive. But even we meat lovers say, “A little fat is where the flavor is” as we gnaw on a whi... Full story
Pouring the first bucket of concrete in the back wall of the pump-generating plant. – March 4, 1949... Full story
Most of us would never put ourselves in harm’s way, knowing that a man with a gun might be approaching with evil intent. A few of us just did. Local police were asked last week to block the highway heading into Electric City from the south because a man had threatened to shoot up the school in Coulee City. He didn’t show up here; police caught him outside Soap Lake. But he could have, and police here had to be ready to defend the rest of us from an armed lunatic. Citizens shouldn’t take that for granted. Scott Hunter editor and publi... Full story
The Parks & Natural Resources Board of Coulee Dam has developed a survey regarding the parks and natural resources. The Board desires community input as to usage and enjoyment, and on needed improvements of the parks, trails, and natural resources in this area. Community input will inform the board what the community desires in our continuing effort to maintain, develop, and improve the parks and natural resources. This is your opportunity to have your voice heard in this important issue. Whether you are a resident of Coulee Dam, reside in a... Full story