News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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How many people are single or married in the local area? How many have a bachelor’s degree? And what is the average income here? On Dec. 15, The Star reported 2019 population data for local zip codes from the American Community Survey, conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, with that data not yet available from the 2020 decennial census. The Zip codes 99123 (Electric City area), 99133 (Grand Coulee area), 99116 (Coulee Dam area), 99124 (Elmer City area), and 99155 (Nespelem area), showed a larger population than just the towns themselves and i...
The Senior Meals Program, based out of the Grand Coulee Dam Senior Center, is in need of volunteer drivers. The Monday-through-Friday program, which delivers to Electric City, Grand Coulee, and Coulee Dam, in addition to having a branch in Coulee City, has been delivering an average of 1,200 to 1,400 meals a month to those 60 and older or disabled. There are no income restrictions for the program, which collects a suggested donation of $4 per meal for seniors, although seniors who can’t afford a donation won’t be turned down. Nutritional Dir...
Before we visit the final 2021 weather data for our region, a dryer, warmer year, we will explore the subject of drought — something we’ve been experiencing for several months now. When we study weather events like tornadoes, thunderstorms, or hurricanes, we need to add drought as a weather event as well. What makes drought different is its longevity and its beginning and ending periods. Drought is the near total absence of rainwater for a prolonged period of time. Looking at our pre...
Corroding concrete may cause trouble for business owners in Grand Coulee who are being asked not to use de-icer on their sidewalks, while also facing possible fines if they don’t clear ice and snow. Sidewalks on Main Street and Federal Avenue were replaced earlier this year after problems arose following the original 2015 installation. Settlement issues causing the concrete to crack were noticed in November of 2016, and a few months later spalling on surfaces was also noted. Halme Builders, who had installed the sidewalks, initially denied r...
Pumped storage hydropower projects that are in planning for the Coulee, as well as for Halverson Canyon north of Creston, may be aided by recent federal legislation. The road to bringing Columbia Basin Hydropower’s $1.4 billion Banks Lake Pumped Storage Project to fruition may have just gotten a little smoother. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was passed by Congress in November 2021. The act authorizes almost a billion dollars for hydropower projects over five years “committing the federal government to supporting hydropower as part...
DARE logos painted on the side of the former middle school and at the Grand Coulee Police Station may be relevant again with the return of the program aimed at teaching youth to make smart decisions regarding drug use. A Grand Coulee police officer persuaded the city council last week to pay for his training. "I believe the DARE program would not only be a great educational tool, but also a great way to get involved in the community," Officer Blake Martin told the council. The program, whose...
When Toyota speaks, car buyers listen. Hopefully, our elected officials will as well. It is one of the world’s two largest auto and truck manufacturers--twice the size of GM, our biggest. Toyota warns the world is far from ready to jettison gasoline and diesel engines and require batteries to run our replacements. For Toyota, it is not just about finding enough critical battery material such as lithium, cobalt and nickel, but it is about having enough electricity in our power grid to recharge them. Specifically, Toyota not only worries about o...
Electric City Councilmember Cheryl Hoffman will represent the north part of Grant County on the Grant County Health District Board during the trying times of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Electric City council approved her appointment, along with Hartline Mayor Andrew Alsbrook as an alternate, at their Dec. 14 council meeting when Mayor Diane Kohout said she will send a letter appointing them as new representatives. To qualify, the representative should be an elected official or person who resides in Grand Coulee, Electric City, Hartline, or Coule...
Major work on hydroelectric generating units has been completed on "one of the most coveted clean energy assets in the world" at the Grand Coulee Dam. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, along with the Bonneville Power Administration, announced Monday that "the major overhaul of hydroelectric power generating units 22, 23 and 24" inside the third power plant, now known as the Nathaniel "Nat" Washington Power Plant, at the Grand Coulee Dam, had been completed. USBR Public Affairs Specialist Erika A....
Ever wonder how your utility rates compare to those in nearby towns? There are some variations in residential water, sewer, and garbage rates between Electric City, Grand Coulee, Coulee Dam, and Elmer City, with rates going up here or there for this or that in 2022. In 2021, the average water rate between the four towns is $44.67 a month for water, $57.38 for sewer, and $30.23 for the average 65 gallon garbage can. The biggest discrepancy in water bills is between Elmer City, where water runs $36.68 a month, compared to Coulee Dam where it is...
The Lake Roosevelt Raiders basketball team defeated both Oroville and Liberty Bell this past week to continue their undefeated status, now with a win-loss record of 6-0. The Raiders defeated the Hornets in Oroville Dec. 14 by 20 points, 67-47. The Raiders led 34-22 at the half before closing out the game, scoring 37 more in the second half to the Hornet's 25. Chase Marchand led the Raiders with 20 points, followed by Brandon Pino with 18 and Alonzo Adams with 17. Defensively, Chase Clark pulled...
The Lake Roosevelt Lady Raiders remain undefeated after extremely solid wins against Oroville and Liberty Bell last week. The Lady Raiders more than quadrupled their Oroville opponents score there Dec. 14, winning 88-19. Point leaders for LR include Audrey Hansen with 15 points, Zalissa Finley and Cylia St. Pierre with 13 apiece, and Sawyer Steffens with 12. The Lady Raiders went 17 for 29 from the free-throw line. LR players pulled down an incredible 58 rebounds in the game, including 36...
Raider wrestlers had a busy week, with both a mix & match event and tournament in Oroville, and the Tri-State Tournament in Idaho. The Raiders participated in a mix & match in Oroville on Dec. 15. Then seven Raiders competed at the Tri-State Tournament at North Idaho College in Coeur d’Alene Dec. 17-18. There, Roger Cate placed fifth at 106 pounds, and Colton Jackson placed eighth at 120. Julian Lopez, Francis Louie, Teyton Flores, Landon Krohn, and Sergia Galicia did not place. Also on Dec. 18, Raiders competed at the North Okanogan Holiday I...
The populations of Electric City, Grand Coulee, and Nespelem have gone down, while the populations of Coulee Dam and Elmer City have gone up. According to 2020 census data, the population of Electric City is 956, down from 968 in 2010. The count in Grand Coulee is 972, down from 988. And the number of people living in Nespelem stands at 180, down from 236. The population of Elmer City, on the other hand, bumped up to 239 from 238; and the population of Coulee Dam rose to 1,211, up from 1,098. That pegs the total residents within the proper boun...
In a space of 7 miles Here’s a further perspective. Four communities, or neighborhoods, that have a combined population of 3,378 (current Census), a distance of 7 miles or 15 minutes from the southernmost to the northernmost town. Today, as Scott states, 20 council members and 4 mayors for a population of less than 3,400 people. Each town competes with the others, duplicating efforts for such things as grant dollars for various and important community needs and improvements. Fire protection, ambulance and police needs are contracts or a...
Call in the cleanup crew because the Lady Raiders completely demolished Omak, Tonasket, and Kittitas this past week. Lake Roosevelt beat Omak Dec. 7 on the Pioneer home court with a final score of 68-49. Cylia St. Pierre and Aaliyah Marchand led LR with 14 points each. Shyanne Marchand pulled down six rebounds in the game. In Coulee Dam on Dec. 10, LR defeated the Tonasket Lady Tigers 57-41. St. Pierre led LR with 16 points, including four free throws. LR hit 12 of 17 from the free-throw line...
The Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce raised $10,000 last Saturday in their annual Vintners & Brewers Auction. "This year's Vintners & Brewers Auction went well!" said Rachelle Haven, executive director for the chamber. "Thanks to our generous community, we raised $10,000! We couldn't be more grateful to our donors and community members for all their support in this event. Without them, we wouldn't be able to continue our efforts in year-round festivals. We so look forward to getting...
After much ado, the city of Grand Coulee has agreed to raise rates 33% at the Delano Regional Transfer Station to keep that facility from losing money, which makes the raise look likely. The transfer station, which is shared by Electric City, Grand Coulee, Coulee Dam, and Elmer City, had been on track to lose roughly $150,000 a year as detailed in last week’s Star article titled “Transfer station needs to raise rates to stay out of the red.” The loss in money results mostly from a 71% increase in rates at the county landfill in Ephrata where...
Several interesting research efforts have provided findings about our atmosphere and its content. Here are two that I found to be noteworthy and wanted to share them here. Just last month the Journal of Climate published the work of five climate scientists. Their work addressed historic Northern Hemisphere large concurrent heatwaves driven by changing atmospheric circulations. Remember the heatwave we witnessed in June 2021? Our new all-time high temperature for that month is now at 112˚F. Up...
To “Build Back America” people must return to work! In a U.S. Chamber of Commerce poll released in early December, the findings spell trouble for America’s employers whether they are in the private or public sectors. It found that over 60 percent of the respondents are in no hurry to return to work and over a third of the unemployed are not actively going after a job or looking at all. The problem is growing worse. A large number of respondents feel they can get by for at least another six months before they have to find employment. The surve...
Raider wrestlers placed first as a team at the Davenport Tournament Dec. 4 when they garnered 262 points, the most out of nine teams, with Reardan placing second with 180.5 points. “We did really well as a team, only losing a few matches all day,” Head Coach Billy Monroe said. Five Lake Roosevelt wrestlers placed first including: Roger Cate, who placed first wrestling in the 113-pound division; Colton Jackson, who placed first at 126; Francis Louis who placed first at 145; Landon Krohn, who placed first at 170; Sergio Galicia, who placed fir...
The Raiders played a tight game with the Reardan Indians Dec. 4 in Coulee Dam, and emerged the victor. LR led 20-13 at the end of the first quarter, but Reardan came back, outscoring LR 16-9 in the second quarter to lead LR 30-29 at the end of the first half. LR found their rhythm again in the second half, winning the game with a 64-57 final. "We made a few adjustments at halftime," Head Coach Jeremy Crollard said. "We put Chase Clark on their post player who was hurting us. Chase darted him...
Off to a great start, the Lady Raiders basketball team won their 2021-2022 season opener Saturday at home against Reardan, 50-30. LR led 10-8 at the end of the first quarter, then 25-15 at the end of the half. They continued to dominate in the second half, leading 41-22 at the end of the third, and finishing the game with the 50-30 final score. LR's defense held Reardan to only 15 points in both halves. "First game of the season is always an interesting one, dealing with nerves, trying to find...
Providing for senior housing needs is one part of plans by local developers for the land at the former Center Elementary School in Grand Coulee, who updated the city council on their project last week. Centerline Development, owned by Nic Alexander and Ian Turner, purchased the former school located on 8.3 acres between Spokane Way and Martin Road in 2019 for $155,000. The pair has planned to develop senior citizen living quarters at the former school, as well as single-family homes on the...
After serving 14 years on the Grand Coulee Dam School District Board of Directors, Carla Marconi will be leaving the board after not filing for reelection this year. At their Nov. 22 meeting, Superintendent Paul Turner, Alternative Learning Environment Principal Mark Herndon, and Lake Roosevelt Junior/Senior High School Principal Sara Kennedy all thanked Marconi for her service to the district. Colville Business Council Chairman Andy Joseph, Jr., as well as CBC Member Jarred-Michael Erickson,...