News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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When Sam Peterson got the call, it was already too late. The National Park Service was offering to give him his job back, but he'd taken a job in Oregon and three days earlier signed a lease on an apartment. He needed to follow through on the commitment. "We have bills," Peterson said, "and a dog." Peterson, 26, had just started as a federal employee in June 2024 and was still in probationary status in February when the Trump administration started its Valentine's Day Massacre of federal...
April 5 & 6, 1916, civic leaders, conservationists, and several government officials provided testimony before Congress in favor of the establishment of the National Park Service. Congress was debating the management of the growing system of national parks, that, up to this point, were being protected by the U.S. Army. Appropriations were sought to create a bureau of national parks and resorts, under the “supervision of a competent commissioner, with a suitable force of superintendents, supervising engineers, landscape architects, i...
A sixth-grade teacher at Lake Roosevelt Elementary will leave to join her husband in Astoria, Oregon. The school board voted Monday to let her out of her contract to leave before the end of the school year. Ashley St. Aubin-Clark's husband, Sam Peterson, was a first-year National Park Service employee at Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area when the Trump Administration started cutting federal jobs across government services, starting with employees in probationary status. St. Aubin-Clark...
Bureau of Reclamation employees at Grand Coulee Dam who had accepted the “fork in the road” offer of deferred retirement, expecting to stop working on March 7, instead got a memo Monday morning telling them to clear out by the end of the day, March 3. No reason was given for the rush, but the emailed instructions from Boise, the Columbia Pacific Northwest Region headquarters, had an air of resignation about it: “Big change in the DRP rules as of 10:37am this morning,” the email began, explaining that all Deferred Resignation Program participant...
March 2, 1899 Mount Rainier National Park was established when President William McKinley signed federal legislation. Originally called Tacoma or Tahoma by generations of Northwest Native Americans, the peak was named after British Admiral Peter Rainier. The first European to see the volcanic peak was explorer George Vancouver in 1792. A century later, naturalist John Muir visited the Mount Rainier region. He recommended that it be designated a national park. Following the designation as a national park, some critics charged the act was merely...
Citizens unhappy with the direction of the federal government under President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, who heads up the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, marched with signs Monday from noon to 1 p.m. along Midway Avenue in Grand Coulee. A week earlier, Sheri Edwards had walked the route alone. On Monday, President's Day, the number climbed to 13 like-minded people. Several said they were pleasantly surprised by positive responses, and no negative ones, from passersby honking horn...
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...
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...
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...
I pick the Grand Teton National Park as one of my favorite places. The scenery, the animals and that wonderful range of mountains make it a grand place to visit. The biggest attraction is how the mountains make you feel. On one visit, I took the raft float trip through the park on the Snake River. It was dirt early in the morning, scheduled so you could see the sun illuminating the snow-capped mountain range. It seemed to change color as the sun had its way with the view. It was cold – bitter cold. There was just me and my oldest son, Paul, t...
Effective 12:01 am Friday, Oct. 18, campfires throughout Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area will be allowed again in established fire rings in campgrounds and day-use areas and on lakeshores below the high-water mark, the National Park Service announced Tuesday. Charcoal grills will also be allowed. Regulations require that beach campfires be less than 3 feet in diameter and at least 10 feet from the nearest beach logs, structure, or vegetation. “In addition, do not use or create rock rings for beach fires or dig pits for fires,” a rel...
The National Park Service for the next month is accepting public comments on its proposed fee increases throughout Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area. One of the stipulations of charging user entrance and amenity fees, such as camping and boat launch fees, is that federal agencies are to charge fees commensurate with the local area, so as to not undercut the local markets, the NPS said in a press release. Comments will be taken through Sept. 26. Camping fees at Lake Roosevelt have not been adjusted since 2021, and boat launch fees have...
August 11, 1934, 137 prisoners arrived at Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay. They were the first prisoners to arrive and be housed in the new Federal Penitentiary. The majority were transferred from Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary in Kansas. Prisoners continued to arrive; they were the incorrigibles. Among their ranks were notorious bank robbers, gangsters, murderers and counterfeiters. By the first anniversary of “The Rock” being opened, it had a population of 242 prisoners. Frank Weatherman was the last prisoner to leave the Federal Pen...
Grand Coulee volunteer firefighters responded to 526 Wetzel Street for a fireworks-related blaze reported at 8:41 p.m. They were on scene by 8:46. Douglas County Fire Disrtrict 3 also responded. It was one of several fires that burned in region over the last several days. The fire was put out quickly and all crews left by 9:09 p.m., a department Facebook post said. Police at the scene said it was believed to have been started by people under the age of 18 and that no infraction would be issued s...
For decades, the debate over grizzly bear introduction into the North Cascades ecosystem has raged on, and I have been fighting tirelessly to ensure that the voices of Central Washingtonians are heard. Regrettably, last week saw the release of the U.S. National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) with proposed action on the question of introducing grizzly bears to the region. This proves that—once again—the Biden Administration is acting without due consideration for the concerns of Ce...
Teresa Puyear died early this January. She was 93 years old. Teresa was born in Montana's Bitterroot Valley and graduated from high school there. She eventually earned an Associate of Arts degree through a program at Eastern Washington University. She was employed by the federal government for over 30 years. She worked for a variety of federal agencies. Initially, she worked for the United States Forest Service (where she met the bear cub Smokey Bear). She transferred to the National Park...
The National Park Service (NPS) at Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area seeks public input on replacing and improving houseboat docks at the Keller Ferry Marina to provide a safer and more diverse visitor use experience. NPS moved houseboat operations to the already congested Seven Bays Marina in 2017 when the Keller Ferry houseboat dock was destroyed in a storm. NPS proposes to improve the Keller Ferry Marina by replacing parts of the aged docks with houseboat and potentially short-term and transient moorage, as well as grading the marina...
The debate surrounding grizzly bear introduction into the North Cascades ecosystem is far from new. For decades, Central Washingtonians have been fighting to ensure their voices are heard in opposition to this ill-conceived plan. Regrettably, last week’s announcement from the U.S. National Park Service and U.S Fish & Wildlife Service, which outlines their plan to introduce grizzly bears to the North Cascades, proves—once again—our voices are being ignored. Last week, the Biden Administration began seeking public comment on a proposed ruled...
Hundreds turned out for the Fish Fest at Spring Canyon last Saturday for what Emilee Franklin hopes will become an annual event. Franklin, and education specialist at Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area, said the event drew over 500 people into the park. Five of them actually caught fish, but 175 caught free fishing poles at the event that was put on to help kids learn to fish. "I think for the first year of the park ever doing anything like this in the community, it was a pretty big...
If you've ever wanted to fish but don't really know how, now's your chance to fix that. The Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area is offering "Fish Fest" this Saturday at Spring Canyon, and they'll be giving away free fishing poles to the first 300 kids 14 and under. If you're ready to get "SCHOOL-ed in how to fish," as the National Park Service folks teased on Facebook, show up early during the 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. event to "to learn how to cast, reel, and tie knots." At the free family friendly f...
Firefighters from at least 10 different agencies fought a "stubborn" fire on a windy Friday weather forecasters had predicted could be a bad one. It was. The fire dubbed the Plum Point Fire erupted the same afternoon fires near Coulee City, Quincy, Medical Lake, and Elk started amid a Red Flag warning by the National Weather Service that fires that starting in the windy, dry conditions could spread rapidly. Initially estimated at 60-80 acres about 1:15, the Plum Point Fire was finally kept down...
Fire fighters scrambled to attack five fires that started Sunday afternoon as a slow-moving lightning storm torched brush and grass in Douglas and Grant counties and prompted a "county-wide" call from local fire chiefs. In Douglas County, a fire at Road 28 Rex was first reported at 4:26 p.m., followed seven minutes later by reports of fires at Pendell Road, two in Grant County in and near Pleasant Valley on the north side of Banks Lake, and another at Barker Canyon at 4:35. Douglas County Fire...
ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS Town of Nespelem 2022 Reservoir Slope Stabilization Project Sealed bids will be received until 10:00 AM, Thursday August 24, 2023 at the Nespelem Town Hall, located, at 330 9th St, P.O. Box 240, Nespelem, WA 99155. No proposals will be accepted after the above-stated time. Immediately following the above stated time, the bids will be publicly opened and read aloud. Each proposal must be submitted on the prescribed form and accompanied by cash, a certified check, cashiers check, or bid bond, payable to the Town of...
Families mingled as a live band played, kids cooled on an inflatable water slide, and fire fighters practiced tearing apart a car during a National Night Out event put on by the Grand Coulee Police Department Tuesday night. Police officers of many kinds also mingled or offered information from booths, including Colville Tribal Police, National Park Service rangers, State Parks rangers, and, of course, the sponsoring Grand Coulee officers. They had closed Midway Avenue and diverted traffic for...
TOWN OF ELMER CITY REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS FORPLANNING SERVICES COMPREHENSIVE PARKS & RECREATION PLAN The Town of Elmer City, Washington is seeking to enter into a services contract with a qualified planning consultant, and/or multi-disciplinary firms or teams to conduct and assist in the update of the Elmer City Comprehensive Recreation Plan (2018). The update must provide guidance to the Town on appropriate implementation for development or redevelopment plans for the parks, while also meeting the service demands that come with additional... Full story
