News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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Easter is when potted Easter Lily plants start showing up in nurseries and supermarkets like poinsettias during the Christmas season. They adorn the altars and pulpits of most churches on Easter Sunday, but why don’t sightseers flock to fields to enjoy the spectacular sea of white blooms? The answer is a small group of family lily farmers who are bulb producers. They need to clip the flowers to concentrate the plant’s nutrients on bulb development. Fields of white flowers on the ground are not...
Who would have thought that a small Oregon natural grain mill owner’s death would make national news or be the subject of a lengthy feature article in the New York Times (NYT)? However, 94-year-old Bob Moore’s passing in February did. The Times is published just off Broadway in the heart of Big Apple’s network television and theater district. Moore, with his white beard, wire-rim eyeglasses, newsie cap and bolo tie became a “food poster person” approaching the notoriety of KFC’s Colonel San...
Sometimes city governments run smoothly, but as they operate with humans in a democracy, rough patches happen. Balancing human needs, egos, ambitions, desires, skills, or a lack of them, all within the confines of public perceptions, budgets, legal restrictions, and politics sounds like the kind of idea that might cause many stalwart business pros to run screaming from the room where it was suggested. But that’s exactly what it takes for a city, or any municipality that serves us, to operate. It’s natural when tensions rise, and they can be...
We view voting as an acknowledged right here in the United States. In Washington state, we receive our ballot in the mail, we do our personal research, make our choices, and mail in our completed ballot. Currently, eight states allow mail in ballots for all elections, while two states allow counties to opt into conducting elections by mail. Nine states allow specific small elections to be conducted by mail, and four states permit all-mail elections for certain small jurisdictions. The remaining...
In 2017, I wrote a column titled: “America needs more welders and fewer philosophers.” It was a slogan Florida Sen. Marco Rubio used in his 2016 presidential campaign to call attention to the need for more skilled workers. Rubio hit the nail on the head without disrespecting philosophers. The American Welding Society (AWS) estimated our country now requires 400,000 new welders. This scarcity is primarily due to the substantial number of skilled workers retiring and fewer young men and women entering technical training programs. The enc...
It became clear as crystal last night. Within the time allotted for one city council meeting in Electric City, at least three issues were discussed that require regional attention of two, three, or four local cities, all of which would benefit from cooperation among or between them. That’s why interest in at least one meeting among all their leaders, with the public invited, is an encouraging sign. The new kid on the block, Grand Coulee Mayor Mike Eylar, proposed last week at the Regional Board of Mayors meeting, that all the councils come t...
Each year, Americans throw away more than three billion batteries constituting 180,000 tons of hazardous material. The situation is likely to get worse as the world shifts to lithium batteries to power a massive influx of electric vehicles (EV). It needs immediate attention. Everyday-green.com reported more than 86,000 tons of single-use alkaline batteries (AAA, AA, C and D) are thrown away yearly. They power electronic toys and games, portable audio equipment and flashlights and make up 20...
After a brief hiatus, those pesky citizen initiatives are back, much to the chagrin of three-term Gov. Jay Inslee and Democrats who have an ironclad grip on our state Legislature. Lawmakers, currently meeting in Olympia, are dealing with six initiatives aimed at altering or overturning laws jammed through the Legislature in recent years. Those laws add billions in taxes and costs, restrictions on parental rights, police pursuit limits, and a troublesome government long-term care policy required...
The $33 billion secret Snake River Dam plan that President Biden and friends cooked up in the White House basement needs to be exposed to the light of day and thoroughly aired by all. It is time to assess how it might work in the real world rather than wait and see what happens once it is implemented. While $33 billion may seem like “walking around” money to a President who tosses around trillion-dollar programs like horseshoes at the church picnic, the amount is equal to the yearly ope...
In the 1990s, “Things go better with Coca Cola” was the catchy slogan that dairy farmers dreaded. At the time, milk producers were in a head-to-head battle with soft drink giants and losing market share. Milk consumption had steadily declined over the previous two decades. One key reason was aggressive advertising by bottlers of iced tea, water, and soda pop. By 1993, nationwide milk consumption declined 20 percent and was down to less than one cup per person per day, Savuer.com reported. So,...
For 2024, Lincoln County will be paying over $1,500,000 in risk insurance premiums. This represents a drastic increase of over 83% from just two years ago and 53% over 2023. And … these rates are expected to escalate next year as well, with no end in sight. Next to wages and benefits, risk insurance represents the second largest expense for the county. One might wonder why such dramatic increases are happening. There are multiple factors at play, such as the state Legislature passing laws that de-criminalize property crime, joint and several l...
It is that time of year when people put up their outside holiday lights and displays. Judging from our neighborhood, they are decorating more than usual. In our country, 90 percent of individuals say they plan to celebrate the holidays this year. Total retail sales between Thanksgiving and Christmas are projected to reach $957 billion. The setting for the National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is reminiscent of bedecked suburban communities. Clark Griswold decorates every foot of his home and f...
As we prepare for the upcoming holidays, we must be grateful for what we have and focus on our needs rather than fixate on what we want and crave. Being thankful starts with an appreciation of why our families came to America in the first place — our freedoms and opportunities. Legendary singer-song writer Neil Diamond hit single “America” was performed in 1981 to help welcome home 52 American hostages that Iranian militants held for 444 days at the U.S. Embassy in Teheran. All they neede...
Congratulations on your prestigious WNPA award. You are sooooo worthy of being recognized for all the hard work you have put into The Star for so many years. We certainly recognize the problems that go with owning a business. But providing local information in an unbiased way is a big talent. We also thank you for all of your work promoting and improving the Grand Coulee Dam community. Jim and Mary Jane Bailey...
Congrats on the Turnbull Award. Journalism is a tough gig right now and rural journalism even tougher. You’ve managed to keep the community informed and educated and entertained despite their resistance at times. The Star is really a hub for the whole area and you are doing consistent, outstanding work. I’m pleased it has been recognized by your peers. It’s well earned. And ask Carl Russell if he’s ever heard of James Buchanan, Andrew Johnson, John Tyler, Millard Fillmore, Zachary Taylor or Herbert Hoover. You should know all the preside...
While the last veterans who survived the “surprise” Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor are dwindling rapidly, we cannot let their sacrifices and the memories of that horrific day that propelled America into World War II fade into history. On December 7, 1941, 350 Japanese aircraft descended on Honolulu’s military installations in two shocking waves. More than 2,400 Americans were killed, and 21 ships were sunk or damaged. Our soldiers, sailors and pilots who fought and won WWII are now 90 or older,...
In 1992, a single male sockeye salmon managed to swim 900 miles from the mouth of the Columbia River to Redfish Lake located deep in Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains — the end of his migratory journey. Biologists dubbed the sole survivor, “Lonesome Larry.” By 2010, the Northwest Power and Conservation Council happily reported record-setting runs for sockeye —387,000 had climbed the fish ladders at Bonneville Dam. Last year, 751 sockeye were trapped at Redfish Lake Creek and taken to nearby Sawtooth...
President Biden’s $65 billion infrastructure bill contains $8 billion for regional hubs to develop ways to produce and distribute hydrogen fuel. One is planned for the Pacific Northwest and should help haulers and truck manufacturers in Renton and Portland in their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Specifically, long-distance haulers need a network of hydrogen fueling stations (like today’s truck stops) along with affordable trucks and fuel. Hub researchers’ added challenge is 95 pe...
Recently while visiting Cole Memorial Park in Coulee Dam, I noticed a few small decorations at the edge of the swimming pool, now a beach volleyball court, along with the following note: "I tried to beautify this area of memories. I wanted to bring back the joyful laughter and energy that used to echo off the walls. It was a safe place for kids to splash and holler and play with their school friends during the heat of the summer. "Because of the lifeguard, it was a place kids walked to for...
On Homecoming night October 7, 2023, at about 11 p.m., I witnessed a Coulee Dam Police SUV travel through Grand Coulee at a very high speed with blue lights on. I would guess 70 miles per hour or more. If there would have been anything in his way it would be roadkill. To Coulee Dam, get a hold of your officer. Our officers in Grand Coulee may not do the traffic control that I like but they do show common sense. Robert Fields...
While media focus was on Joe Biden’s decree putting a tiny plot of land within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) off limits to oil and gas exploration, reporters ignored the bigger story. Biden’s other proclamation forbids tapping more than 10 million acres within the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, a 23-million-acre area on Alaska’s North Slope. That is the area which should replenish the crude oil drawdown stemming from Biden’s oil withdrawal from strategic wells establi...
It is with great gratitude, humbleness and excitement that I submit this letter of thanks to the vendors who donated and made our first Grand Coulee Dam School District Superintendent’s Back to School Kick Off a huge success. We could not have done it without them. On the behalf of the GCDSD Board of Directors and our administrative team, we would like to thank the Tee Pee for donating all of the food, which included 250 hamburgers, hotdogs and buns. We would also like to thank Harvest Foods for donating all of the water and soda for the e...
There is an axiom: Don’t let the perfect get in the way of the good! That is important to remember when it comes to improving our air quality. While climate activists want to banish all fossil fuels to control greenhouse gas (GHG), it is not possible today without epic disruption to our economy, supply chains, jobs, and quality of life. Simply, getting to “zero emission” cannot happen by government edicts. It takes innovation driven by the private sector. For example, the California Air Resou...
With students returning to college campuses, it is time to consider other ways for them to pay for tuition, books and living expenses. Too often, they resort to borrowing. Now, student loan forgiveness is spotlighted as the solution when it is only part of the answer. There are other ways. Student indebtedness is mounting. It is exacerbated by rising “total costs to attend” college (COA). The growth rate exceeds inflation, and interest rates on student loans are often higher than on homes. It...
Many fingers are again pointed at electric utilities because downed power lines are suspected of starting another horrific wildfire — the one that raced through Lahaina killing hundreds of unsuspecting people. Who would have imagined that one day, the historic Hawaiian capitol on Maui would be a thriving tourist destination and 24 hours later it would be piles of smoldering rubble and ashes that included remains of people? Cellphone video reveals that high winds downed live electric lines, which...