News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
Sorted by date Results 2730 - 2754 of 3737
Ten Years Ago Grand Coulee Dam Schools will teach fewer students again this year, a fact reflected in the new budget. The school board passed is budget for the 2005-06 school year Monday night. It’s lower than the 04-05 budget by $140,000. Ray Halsey will file for his eighth full term as mayor of Electric City sometime this week. If re-elected he will be, as he puts it, “the longest serving non-paid” mayor in the state of Washington. A community campaign to raise money for a skateboard park at North Dam gets under way this week. Twenty Years Ag... Full story
Last weekend called for attending and photographing two events that represent opposite ends of the social variety spectrum. I couldn’t help but think that their occasions on the same day in the same community serve as an indicator of a healthy diversity in local society. It takes all kinds, as the old saying goes. And it does, at least in America. George Washington knew that as he established practices for his officers and troops to follow that sought to hinder the spread of hard feelings, or at least stifle their appearance. He knew that to w... Full story
We want to thank so much – the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Fire Department, Bryce McCleary, Bryan Kriger, Nikki Katich and Patricia Connant and the maintenance crew for rescuing our cat Whiskers from the shrubbery at Banks Lake Park. Their determination to get her out safely was outstanding. Thanks so much. Ted & Dotty Christensen,’ & Whiskers... Full story
U.S. Army General Douglas MacArthur’s finest hour may not have been any sort of combat-related command decision on his part, but his role in assisting in the rise of a hugely prosperous and a decidedly peace-loving Japan after World War II. Japan’s so-called “Pacifist Constitution,” which was enacted at MacArthur’s express urging and which “forever” enjoined Tokyo from returning to militarist ways, is widely credited with laying the groundwork for today’s Japan of high-tech exports and mammoth financial prowess. Now, as diligent follow... Full story
I recently read a news story of an outstanding teenager in Prosser named Walker Orr. Since he was 8 years old, Walker has found innovative ways to offer a service or product in exchange for a reasonable price, from selling varieties of seeds to running a lawn mowing business. Now at the age of just 16, Walker has started a small artisan bread company, Amber Artisan Bread, selling loaves and baguettes at farmers markets in Prosser and Tri-Cities. How can we as a nation encourage budding entrepreneurs just like Walker and those who work hard... Full story
Have you heard this statement lately? “What is going on with our world today?” Or “That kind of stuff just did not happen when I was a kid.” Well, to be honest with past generations, “that stuff” probably did happen but it was behind closed doors and “it,” whatever it might be, was not used to get viewers to tune in to their station. It may have been less of an issue then, but it still happened. That being said, it does seem that certain issues have been amped up or played up lately as the moral compass seems to have disappeared. If... Full story
Ten Years go Sunbanks Lake Resort will begin construction of 11 villas in September and they will be ready for occupancy by the summer tourist season, chamber of commerce members learned Thursday. The town of Coulee Dam is going ahead with a sidewalk project along the Columbia Avenue, despite strong opposition from residents who fear the intentional cutting of roots will kill the town’s big trees. The Delano Landfill has only about a year and a half to go before it reaches its capacity. Foisy and Kennedy Inc. will move to its new location at 3... Full story
I had a unique opportunity to see first hand the impact of the Beer Tent during the Festival of America. THERE WAS NONE. NOTHING. There was NO negative impact. It was right here, I could hear it and see it. Before the Festival, people predicted there would be violence, loud activity, people using the town as a potty. NONE OF THAT HAPPENED. It was peaceful, pleasant, clean, respectful, and potties were delivered to the site and used. We can be so quick as a community to say NO because “In 1974 they tried it and so and so fought and such and s... Full story
Things have certainly gotten interesting here in the Grand Coulee area, especially regarding cannabis issues. I got the R-76 petitions in the mail (only one packet finally arrived after Don Skakie had sent them multiple times via U.S. Postal Mail). It also appears that many of the folks who were active in the discussions about cannabis rights issues recently have gone back into “silent mode” following the Grand Coulee City Council decision to disallow legal cannabis business in our city. On the Facebook group “Grand Coulee Community Annou... Full story
Pablo Picasso said the purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls. And if you look in small towns and rural places you will find art and cultural expression in the most unlikely of places. Small towns develop art and cultural experiences to encourage tourism and create local economic opportunities, certainly. But they also recognize that successful efforts to revitalize their communities and mainstreets depend on something deeper than simple economics. No matter their size, thriving communities have an inner vibrancy, an... Full story
My Grandpa Utz delivered the Wenatchee World newspaper locally after he retired. He was the local distributor and on many, many occasions I traveled with him as he drove around the Nespelem area spreading the written news. We had many conversations as we put miles on his little Chevy Luv and papers in your hands. The conversations were about music, (he was old school western fan) driving and many other subjects. He told me stories of his childhood and life in the military. He tried to instill in me the importance of work ethic and honor. As a... Full story
Fifty Years ago - The Grand Coulee High School class of 1965 will be holding its reunion this weekend. Pictured from left - bottom row: John Flowers, Jerry Brenchley, Louise Sackett, Brina Racy, Mick McKinnon, Susan Alling, Harry Sharr, Dale Clark; 2nd row - Glenn Shear, Carleta Rawe, Jim Flowers, George Sanford, Terry Dunning, Mark Cunningham; 3rd row - Barbara Wilson, Gary Sanderson, Kerry Perkins, Peggy Carlson; 4th row - Dan Sutton, Susan Cunningham, Jim Crawford, Lila McKinnon, Wally... Full story
We had a lot of extra pillows being used in the area last weekend. Against the odds imposed by truly oppressive heat, people streamed into this community continuously to celebrate the Fourth of July at the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce’s Festival of America. And that’s a lesson for local governments. That festival was originally conceived as an event with a dual purpose, which it is still supposed to fulfill. It succeeds on one of those counts, anyway; it shows off our area to folks who wouldn’t discover it otherwise. The chamb... Full story
The President has a new opportunity to ensure that the openness policies laid out on his first day of office do not end on his last day. On January 21, 2009, President Obama signed an executive order and two presidential memoranda to usher in what he called a “new era of openness.” The Presidential memo on the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) ordered federal agencies to operate under a clear presumption of disclosure for information requested under FOIA. “All agencies should adopt a presumption in favor of disclosure, in order to renew their... Full story
There are winners and losers, plain and simple. Yes, we have altered our youth sports over the years to develop a mentality of, “If I just participate, I will get a trophy like everyone else.” But that is not reality. Yes, we want the warm fuzzies for our kids; we must make them feel adequate and encourage them, but we cannot all be winners. The rough truth is that as our kids grow up they will be measured and tested and evaluated and put on a list and ranked. School will start keeping a class order, sports will be measured by wins and los... Full story
Coulee Dam High School Class of 1965 celebrated its 50th reunion this year. Next weekend the Grand Coulee High School class of 1965 will be holding its reunion. See page 4. Pictured from left - bottom row: Elizabeth Steed, Cheryl Semers, Nancy Smith, Morris Socula, Sheryl Sutton, Phil Wak Wak, Beatrice Warnecke, Joe Waters, Linda Whalen, Sherry Whitelaw, Mary Ann Zowada; 2nd row - Marie Knight, Tom Krebs, Benny Logue, Francis McGinnis, Michael Murphy, Harold Palmer, Beverly Peasley, Fred... Full story
If there was ever a good argument for expressing your patriotism and love of explosives in a big group, the weather is providing a better one. Frankly, the current heat wave is scary, especially remembering the wildland fires the local area has experienced over the last few years. Fireworks are fun, and as kids many of us had a blast taking stupid risks. But this week would be a good time for putting childish things behind us. It’s a little surprising that local fire chiefs have not called for an all-out ban on private fireworks, given the t... Full story
Yakima Valley farmers have the same problem as their California counterparts: there just isn’t enough water for crops, migrating fish and people. In California this year, an estimated 564,000 acres of prime cropland will be left unplanted because of the fourth straight year of drought. Economists at the University of California, Davis estimate the drought has caused $2.7 billion in economic losses and cost 18,000 farm workers their jobs. The water shortage is so acute in California that Gov. Jerry Brown ordered a 25 percent reduction, which has... Full story
Members of Congress get categorized in all sorts of ways. They’re liberal or conservative; Republican or Democrat; interested in domestic affairs or specialists in foreign policy. There’s one important category, though, that I never hear discussed: whether a member wants to be an inside player or an outside player. Yet where members fall on the continuum helps to shape the institution of Congress. Insiders focus on making the institution work. They give fewer speeches on the floor, issue fewer press releases, and spend less time con... Full story
It’s hotter than a woolly mammoth in a sweater factory. There are lots of classic sayings out there to describe the current heat wave. Has anyone tried frying an egg on the sidewalk yet? Or barbecuing without turning on the gas? Just curious because it has been that hot. Most are probably sitting in our “cool spot” in the house with a wet rag on your head, a mason jar of ice water in your right hand and an icepack under your undercarriage. If you’re lucky, you don’t have to go outside too much. Just long enough to water plants and move spri... Full story
1 years ago The Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce said this year’s giant fireworks show, sponsored by the Coulee Dam Casino will be about twice as large as last year’s with some special effects at the end. This year’s musical groups, sponsored by the Coulee Dam Federal Credit Union, include Grand Coulee Dam’s own, Street Legal, in a four-hour show July 2, featuring local musicians, Sean Reed, Will Weatherby and Bob Acklehy. The headliner 3-hour show on the 4th: “An Dochas,” a returning Colville-based, five-person band that specializes... Full story
My wife was about to leave me this week, illustrating a startling fact of modern life. She wasn’t leaving because it was over between us. No, we have a strong marriage. But a different kind of problem was about to take her away for as long as it took. For as long as it took for someone to fix our connection to the Internet. Since last Friday, our home connection had been down. It was restored Tuesday night after multiple contacts with people at several levels of CenturyLink. I’m still not sure what caused the outage (which happened to some oth... Full story
To all Grand Coulee residents. The Grand Coulee City Council Meeting is July 7th (Tuesday) at 6 p.m. Recycling will be a big topic of discussion at this meeting. Whether or not recycling will be available in this area will most likely be decided at this meeting. Right now, there are two options they are looking at. A communal bin that will accept cardboard and soda cans, etc. that will be at a local area for drop-off, and curb side. Curb side is out of the price range for our small community, in my opinion, and has pretty much no chance even... Full story
I have a few thoughts on recycling in the area. One thought is that if it’s too expensive then we don’t need every individual household to have its own recycle can, which would necessitate a truck to drive up and down every street picking up the recycling. It would save money to have centralized recycling dumpsters: a dumpster for glass, one for plastic, cardboard, and whatever else. Usually it’s one giant dumpster with the various sections. This way individuals who care about recycling and helping the environment can bring their recyc... Full story
As you may know, we recently included a “Wastewater Treatment Project Update” with our utility bills. To the best of my knowledge and information, it is balanced and honest. During our last Council meeting (6/10/15), former Mayor, Quincy Snow publicly referred to me as a “liar,” without any substantive facts or data to present. I don’t know where he’s coming from. The “Wastewater Project Update” was factual. The estimates of the “prior” project would have seen rates at least brought to $80 each month or even over $100. Had we not refocused by... Full story