Author wins statewide award

A Spokane teacher with local ties has won the Washington State Book Award for his second novel.

Bruce Holbert’s “The Hour of Lead,” which a Seattle Times reviewer called a “riveting and beautifully written” novel, took the honors in the fiction category Oct. 10 at an event in Seattle.

Holbert graduated from Lake Roosevelt High School in 1978. He now lives in Nine Mile Falls and teaches at Mount Spokane High School north of Spokane. His father, Pat Holbert, lives in Electric City.

Attendance strong at schools

The average attendance in Grand Coulee Dam Schools for the month of October was 692.29, the school board learned at its last meeting. That was five more students than the same period last school year. The district has budgeted for 680 students for this school year.

Change of plans

The Grand Coulee Dam School District board of directors’ November meeting has been set for Nov. 30, it was decided at the board’s last meeting. The change of date is due to board members attending the Washington State School Directors Association meeting and the need to have more time to prepare information for the meeting.

Parking lot work would

address erosion

A group of parents and Coulee Dam Concrete propose to add “ecology blocks,” (large concrete barriers) and grading to the upper parking area above the Lake Roosevelt football field to improve pedestrian safety and reduce runoff erosion that is washing gravel down the hill onto the area surrounding the field.

PUD to take comments

on rates

Grant County PUD will hold two meetings where the public can comment about 2016 rates.

One meeting is Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 2 p.m. at the PUD headquarters, 30 C Street SW Ephrata. The second meeting will be at 6 p.m., the same day, at 401 S. Balsam St., Moses Lake.

Guild to offer gift sale

The Hospital Guild is sponsoring a Book and Gift Sale, Monday, Nov. 9, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the hospital lobby. Hot apple cider and cookies will also be offered for purchase.

Winter clothes give-away

coming

The Grand Coulee Dam American Legion Post 157 will have its coat and winter clothes give-away again on Saturday, Nov. 14, from 9 a.m. -1 p.m. The post gave away 50 coats last year, along with hats, gloves, mittens and scarves. Everything is free, first come, first serve. All the coats are clean.