News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
Sorted by date Results 76 - 100 of 3447
February 12, 1974, Federal Judge George Boldt, issues a historic ruling reaffirming the rights of Western Washington’s Indian tribes to fish in accustomed places. The ruling allocated 50 percent of annual catch to treaty tribes. The ruling caused outrage among non-Indian fishermen. Western Washington tribes had been assured the right to fish at “usual and accustomed grounds and stations” by Federal treaties signed in 1854 and 1855. Over several decades the ever-growing numbers of Euro-American fishermen heavily fished those “accustomed area” a...
Problems always get talked about more than good news. That’s just a basic fact of society, one that applies to the way we view the institutions we all depend on, such as our local schools. That doesn’t mean good things aren’t happening too, or that we should stop supporting them. That’s what the current levy election is about. It seeks to replace the one that will expire this year, and it presents your opportunity to support your local schools. A change in approaches to leadership, professional development, and accountability is always likely... Full story
If you were confused by one of last week’s letters to the editor due to the obfuscation used, so was I. Are people voting on a four-day school week, or on a school levy? My yellow envelope says election, and I did not see four day week on the ballot inside. Since the writer brought it up, I am enclosing the letter I wrote to Q6news on our four day school week, and how the reporter’s conclusion was inaccurate and not well researched. The STAR can decide whether to give readers a peek at this information or not. With the writer’s request for a...
As a community member for several decades, my passion for our local school district is shown by my consistent words and actions. I have high expectations for the GCDSD. Our School Board members and Superintendent need to be consistent and do what is right. They have an ongoing pattern where their words don’t match their actions. Here are some clear and valid examples. Their mantra is “what is best for kids.” They claim they’re transforming the GCDSD culture for the better. In their strategic plan they promote dignity and improved test scores...
I appreciate & share John Adkins’ passion for our students, staff and community. But I don’t understand his thoughts. If you’re concerned about our students’ education and the employees’ possible loss of time (pay), then why would you ever vote “No” on a school levy? I experienced a failed levy as a LR student & athlete. NOTHING good comes from a failed levy. A failed levy cuts everything! I believe we would lose more students/families if the levy fails. A “No” vote would also affect staff and bus drivers, not only with job cuts, but also wi...
My name is Ethan Tatum. My wife and I live in Elmer City, where we own a small business. In mid-2020, Morgan and I moved out to the Grand Coulee area in search of a community that we could invest our time in. Because she is a local (a Tillman), we only ever considered moving here. Since that move, we opened a salon, bought a home, had a child, and I took a teaching job at the school district. Currently, I teach several subjects at Lake Roosevelt Jr./Sr. High School, including Spanish, Digital Photography, and Yearbook. In the past week, each...
It had always been my interest to go to Santa Fe. A couple of things happened to make that possible. First, friends of ours from Woodinville invited us down to Phoenix where they had a second home. It ended up as a week-long vacation. And my wife had her gift shop and design business in Bothell Landing. She had ordered and sold some items from a firm in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She had a couple of interior designers that worked big jobs for her. Those jobs included rooms of furniture, floor coverings, etc. She sold wallpaper and stocked about 40...
I am writing to encourage each of our community to vote YES for the upcoming school levy. This levy replaces an already existing levy that will expire at the end of the calendar year 2025. I think we can all agree that our school is not fully funded by the State, and passing this levy helps support the schools by ensuring that they have the staffing, special education programs, athletics, advanced courses, extracurricular activities, transportation, food service and building maintenance that it needs to operate and function. If this levy is...
It’s been great to see so many community members voicing their support for the upcoming replacement levy vote in The Star over the past few weeks. There’s been great information shared, and I encourage you to go back and read those letters if you haven’t already. The replacement levy is critical for daily school operations, supporting the School District’s strategic plan, academics, school safety/security and much more. It replaces the expiring levy and ensures continued funding for LR schools. As noted by the GCDSD Board in their January...
Recently the GCDSD upper brass forced a 4-day school week for the future. They act like this is new but this option has been going on for a long time nationally. The TV coverage the superintendent boasted about, that he was in, said the DOI Foundation’s research does not support this schedule. It actually leads to negative academic effects. Embarrassing! With the 4-day format there will be a significant number of school days lost. So now when students or staff are absent it will have a greater negative impact. Over 275, close to 94% of s...
When we lived in Nampa, Idaho, we got the urge to go camping. So we had to pick a place to camp and get a ton of costly gear. We always liked the mountains, so we drove north of Boise to a place called Lowman. It was a place, not a town. There was a meadow there with a small stream running through it. This was when you could camp most anywhere. So we picked our spot and started laying in some gear. The first thing was a tent. We purchased an umbrella tent that had a pole in the middle. It was pretty good size because at the time we had three...
February 2, 1980, the FBI revealed the results of an investigation that started in July 1978. Known as ABSCAM. It started with underworld figures who delt in stolen art. The undercover operation also involved connections with criminals dealing in fake stocks and bonds. Later, the investigation led to criminal contacts in Camden, New Jersey, politicians who were willing to offer bribes, including some U.S. Congressmen. For a price, they would create private legislation that would offer asylum to certain people involved in stolen art. According...
As the Indian Education Director at Grand Coulee Dam School District, I witness every day the incredible impact our schools have on students, families, and the community as a whole. Our schools are more than just classrooms; they are centers for growth, connection, and opportunity. They are where children learn not only math and reading but also the rich cultural heritage and values that make our community unique. The levy is the backbone of so much of what we do. It supports the programs that set our schools apart—programs that empower our s...
The Bigfoot I am writing about roamed the hills in Idaho’s Owyhee County in the 1850s. He was born to a white man and Cherokee woman and was named Starr Wilkerson. He later got his name “Bigfoot” partially because his foot measured 17.5 inches. He was given the name by native people at the time. He initially got in trouble while traveling a wagon train west when he took a liking to a woman on the train. Nothing wrong with that except another man had the same desire and the two had it out. As a result, Starr left the wagon train and came under t...
January 25, 1865, Company E, 5th U.S. Colored Cavalry troops were assigned to drive a herd of cattle from Camp Nelson to Louisville to supply the city with meat. While passing near Simpsonville, men at the rear of the herd were attacked by Confederate guerrillas. In the aftermath of the ambush, approximately 22 men were dead and another 20 wounded. Their antiquated weapons, 1853 Enfield rifles, were ineffective against the ambush. The Louisville Journal reported -- “The ground was stained w...
The 1938 high water of the Columbia River tops the upstream spillway blocks and floods the blockouts left for the outlet works gate installations at EL. 934. The maximum flow for 1938 was 361,680 second feet. May 28, 1938...
In this second in a series of two articles on the upcoming school district’s levy vote, we will briefly summarize the most important aspects of this crucial levy so that each of us can make an informed decision on continuing levy revenues in support of our local school system. Here are some highpoints that should aide in our understanding of an often complicated subject. The approval of a continuing levy will help supplement insufficient state revenues provided in the areas of educational programs and operations. It is commonly referred to a...
I am writing to express my strong support for the upcoming school levy on February 11. Please support our kids! As a concerned member of this community and a passionate advocate for quality education, I believe that passing this levy will provide the essential funding needed to support our students, teachers, and schools in the years ahead. Our schools are the cornerstone of our community, and it is critical that we continue to invest in the resources and opportunities that enable our children to thrive. The levy will help ensure that our...
As we welcome 2025, I wanted to take a moment to share everything we’ve accomplished at Village Cinema since revitalization efforts began in late July 2024. So much progress has been made that I had to condense this reflection to highlight some of the most exciting milestones. With a mix of hard work, community partnerships, and innovative planning, we’ve achieved incredible progress that sets the stage for an even brighter future. 2024 Highlights The last half of 2024 has been a transformative time for Village Cinema. Key achievements inc...
The last four years of inaction at the southern border resulted in over 10 million illegal immigrant encounters nationwide and a record-high number of violent, illegal criminals encountered throughout the United States. By terminating catch-and-release policies, ending the ‘Remain in Mexico’ program and a full stop on construction of the border wall, President Biden and Vice President Harris have created a crisis that now permeates through the entire country. Last week, to address the ongoing crisis caused by an unmanaged border, the House of R...
The Star Archives The Star Newspaper, January 20, 1955, food prices in the Grand Coulee area 70 years ago. From a Safeway advertisement: Large “AA” eggs, one dozen – 49 cents. Grapefruit, 8-pound bag – 39 cents. Pork-Beans, 20-ounce can – 2 for 29 cents. Sliced Bacon – 59 cents per pound. Fresh, Cut-up Chicken Fryers – 45 cents per pound. Dutch Mill Cheese, 2 pounds 89 cents. Dungeness Crab Meat, 7 ounces 55 cents. Source(s): The Star Archives Compiled by Bob Valen...
If you’re on your way to work this week and see your neighbor’s kids heading to the bus stop or if you come across a Facebook post by grandparents celebrating their grandkids after a game, you understand that the Grand Coulee Dam School District directly contributes to our feeling of community. We feel it at games. We feel it at graduation ceremonies. We feel it when we take pictures of our kids in formal outfits before Prom. When I first moved here (don’t ask how long ago), I was struck by how close the community is and I immediately saw t...
As a community, we are approaching an important special election on Tuesday, Feb. 11, the outcome of which will clearly impact 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 system by approving a replacement school levy, or not. Why, you may ask, is a levy even needed? The short answer is that the state of Washington has provided insufficient revenue to adequately fund all of the programs,...
Saturday, Dec. 21 was Trees of Sharing gift delivery day. Four “elf” teams made the rounds, taking gifts to 90 children in 41 families in the Coulee that misty morning. In addition to the delivery elves, many others contributed to the success of this year’s project, keeping the tradition going for more than 40 years. Included are those who made and filled out a gift tag for each eligible child whose name was submitted in November; selected tags from the trees, shopped, wrapped and returned gifts to one of the tree locations by mid-D...
January 13, 1888, the National Geographic Society was founded. Explorers, scientists and scholars met on this date to discussed the need for an organization for the increase and diffusion of geographic knowledge. On January 27th a certificate of incorporation was signed. The National Geographic Society has and continues to contribute to science, exploration and conservation. Their efforts assisted with the establishment of the National Park Service, mapping vast areas of the world, and restoring archaeological sites. Source(s): National...