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

Early deadlines for holiday

Because of the Independence Day holiday, The Star will be published on July 3 (Tuesday) instead of on our usual Wednesday schedule. The deadline for ads and news copy will be Friday, June 29.

No-shows for school board

The Grand Coulee Dam School District board meeting, scheduled for June 25, was moved to June 26 with a modified agenda due to a lack of quorum. Superintendent Paul Turner was there on June 25, with Ken Stanger being the only board member present.

Coroner: Drowning death was accidental

Grant County Coroner Craig Morrison determined June 19 that the death of a 43-year-old Wenatchee woman in Park Lake was due to accidental drowning.

Danielle Rea Combs was riding in a vehicle with a companion early Friday morning, June 15, when they stopped to rest around 3:30 a.m., a county news release said. While her companion slept in the car, Combs apparently walked to the lake’s edge and fell in.

Her companion called for help around 8:30 a.m. when Combs couldn’t be found. Deputies located her body near the shoreline around 11 a.m.

Combs’ autopsy was completed on Tuesday. Investigators have found no signs of foul play.

Virus detected in county

Grant County Mosquito Control District #1 near Moses Lake has reported that a mosquito sample collected last week from within their district has tested positive for West Nile virus, making it the first detection of the virus in Grant County, as well as Washington state, this 2018 season. GCMCD#1 covers the Greater Moses Lake area, including the Moses Lake Sand Dunes and Potholes.