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

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson’s $33 billion plan to remove the lower Snake River dams is unwise. However, if he pushes it, he needs to include the impact of breaching dams in his home state, which completely shuts off salmon... — Updated 2/17/2021

Why would any company spend $5.5 million for a 30-second Super Bowl ad that leaves viewers perplexed, as some glitzy and abstract commercials did? After production costs are tacked on, you’d think advertisers would want their... — Updated 2/10/2021

When you travel, expect the unexpected. Always have money on you for the country you are visiting. My first trip to Vietnam started out as an embarrassment, and nearly was a disaster. I forgot to exchange money before leaving Hong... — Updated 2/10/2021

The closing of Steamboat Rock Park’s Boat Camp and access due to erosion doesn’t make sense. The fact that there is reluctance to identify the reason more succinctly leads one to suspect there is more to the story than... — Updated 2/10/2021

School finance is becoming more and more challenging. When we keep losing ground we cannot continue to make up the deficit by asking our community members to fill the funding gaps. For factual information look into all Washington... — Updated 2/10/2021

Central Washington is one of the most agriculturally rich and diverse regions in the United States. Since coming to Congress, I have had the honor of representing our agricultural producers, advocating for strong trade agreements... — Updated 2/3/2021

Dropping in for a three-day trip to Siem Reap, and a visit to Angkor Wat, a temple complex nearby, was a change of plans, and a welcome one at that.  Rediscovered by a French archeologist in the mid 1800s. Siem Reap was Cambodia... — Updated 2/3/2021

With the handoff of power from one president to another, we enter this new phase of our national life in deep distress. We are polarized, struggling to communicate reasonably with one another, and seemingly unable to find common... — Updated 2/3/2021

January 3 found me calling 911. This is about the responders... Such a fabulous team effort...at a time of need.  I was in dire straits and they had an obstacle course with the gurney. I am sure they had a huge part in saving my... — Updated 2/3/2021

The Star is truly a community newspaper that provides information and publishes varied opinions for its readers. I often agree with those opinions that appear on its Opinion Page, sometimes disagree but seldom have no interest in... — Updated 2/3/2021

If you are a resident or landowner concerned about how water, air, and land resources in our county will be managed for humans, wildlife, and natural occurrences such as wildfire in the coming decades, you should read the County Le... — Updated 1/27/2021

I guess if I had to name my favorite vacation spot it would be Teton National Park. We first visited the park shortly after the park added thousands of acres that were gifted from the Rockefeller family. This added space was... — Updated 1/27/2021

Our small community has many exceptional people. I want to take a moment to highlight just a few that have earned my admiration over decades, years or recently. Their messages during this extremely challenging, chaotic time are... — Updated 1/27/2021

Last week›s opinion page had two contrasting letters about President Trump›s recent impeachment. Both letters inspired a reaction from me, so I decided to pipe up.  Many have said that President Trump was responsible for what... — Updated 1/27/2021

I just wanted to thank Roger Lucas for his kind article that mentioned FIUTS a couple of weeks ago. We always enjoy learning about connections and bonds that people form as a result of our work, and it’s even more meaningful... — Updated 1/27/2021

Whether you’re a local CEO of an organization, business owner and/or a community member, I’m thankful for many of you who’ve been appreciative of the thoughts I’ve shared about our local school district. I’m especially... — Updated 1/20/2021

With proud red hats — as Arnold Schwarzenegger describes the analogous brownshirts at Kristallnacht — they storm the citadel of Democracy, confident of the approval of their Commander-in-Chief.  Liz Cheney sayeth, ’he summon... — Updated 1/20/2021

Representatives Dan Newhouse and Jamie Herrera Beutler last week voted to impeachment President Donald J. Trump in a one-day rush.  Both Representatives Newhouse and Beutler gave an oath of office, “I do solemnly swear (or... — Updated 1/20/2021

Trees of Sharing began Nov. 1 with a modest amount of uncertainty about what it might look like in the current COVID environment. True to form, however, the Coulee community enthusiastically supported the project, providing for... — Updated 1/20/2021

Rep. Dan Newhouse’s vote to impeach the president took guts. There’s no two ways about that. Representing a red meat Republican district, he rose to meet his obligation to defend the Constitution when he saw what clearly took... — Updated 1/20/2021

President “only I” committed political suicide during the final days of his term. Unfortunately, the pirate captain took the Republican ship down with him. His hour long, January 2nd, phone rant to Georgia Secretary of... — Updated 1/13/2021

To me, any cow, is one too many. My personal experience with cows goes back a number of years. Growing up, I lived on a farm, moving to town when I started school when 6. Oh, we had cows then, but my three older brothers and my sis... — Updated 1/13/2021

As Superintendent of the Wellpinit School District, I am very fortunate that all of my staff have been at work in person. This has taken extensive collaborative preventive preparation and is due in a large part, to the support and... — Updated 1/13/2021