News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
Sorted by date Results 4126 - 4150 of 6969
Over the past three years, the current county commissioners have outsourced jobs to contractors in other counties. I assume they want to reduce the size of government and lower expenditures. But this has very negative outcomes on all of us. Okanogan County has the lowest annual income average of its citizens, the smallest population and largest land mass of any of Washington’s counties. Does it make sense that decent middle-class salaries of county workers are sent to and spent in other counties? We don’t like this type of action when big bus... Full story
Five of six administration positions in the Grand Coulee Dam school system will change for the new school year. Superintendent Dr. Dennis Carlson concludes his six years here June 30, and is being replaced by Paul Turner. Turner was hired by the board to follow Carlson this spring, after it was learned Carlson planned to retire. This year Turner was assistant principal at the junior/senior high school and prior to that principal at Tonasket. Things moved fast at the school board meeting Monday night. The board accepted the resignation of... Full story
Chamber of commerce members Thursday heard details on a proposed project that could put huge conduits for water under the community to produce more power and create jobs. The proposed Banks Lake hydroelectric pumped storage project could be operational by the year 2025. Tim Culbertson, and a team from Columbia Basin Hydropower, outlined a project that could require some 2,600 workers during construction and as many as 100 permanent employees. Culbertson spoke at the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce’s weekly luncheon at The Siam Palace.... Full story
The Colville Tribes announced this morning (6-22-16) that Chairman Jim Boyd has died at the age of 60. What follows is the tribal press release: Chairman Boyd walks on NESPELEM, WA - The Colville Business Council has announced today that the Chairman of the Colville Tribes, James L. Boyd, has passed on. He was 60. Boyd, a prolific songwriter and entertainer, was well known throughout Indian Country. He travelled throughout the United States, was known for his love ofHarleyDavidson Motorcycles,... Full story
It takes a lot of coordination and planning to put on the fireworks display over Grand Coulee Dam on July 4, according to Rocketman Pyros owner Dan Verheul. It all begins with the firm’s broker in China, and the selection of some 40 cases of carefully selected fireworks. Then when it’s time to set up, it takes 6-8 people to lay out the fireworks, starting at about 9 a.m. and getting done about 12 hours later. “We will lay out the displays from one end of the spillway to the other,” Verheul said last week. The fireworks display “will last about... Full story
The Almira Community Church will soon occupy the former Presbyterian Community Church in Coulee Dam. The Almira congregation voted overwhelmingly June 12 to acquire the historic stone church and develop a second campus. Almira pastor Paul McArthur said Tuesday that the congregational vote was 49-0 in favor, with one undecided. “We plan to have our opening in Coulee Dam on Oct. 2,” McArthur stated. The church plans later to address a roof problem, and plans some work days. “We are very happy to add the new campus, and look forward to servi... Full story
Hospital officials met last week with Washington State University officials working to make that institution's new medical school a reality. Kenneth Roberts, the vice dean for academic and community partnerships for the WSU College of Medicine, along with Jeffrey Bell, a partner at Gallatin Public Affairs, stopped at CMC to give officials there an update on WSU's progress in launching the new medical school. They've also been touring rural hospitals to undertand the needs and capabilities they h... Full story
A major art show, drawn in cloth and stitches, and honoring the National Park Service in its 100th year, will arrive in Coulee Dam just in time for the Fourth of July. The "Inspired by the National Parks" Quilt Show will be on display in the Lake Roosevelt Elementary School gym July 1-4, with more than 180 art quilts. Don't think about those warm blankets sewn from scraps that may first spring to mind. These quilts depict something inspirational from the nation's most beautiful places. Detailed... Full story
Most races were close, and all incumbents but two appeared to be headed for re-election in the Colville Business Council general poll election Saturday. Absentee ballots could change most races, but the unofficial tally Monday showed that incumbents in Inchelium District, Position 1, and Nespelem District, Position 1, were both in doubt. In the Inchelium District 1 race, incumbent Chairman Jim Boyd trailed challenger George Simpson, 95-49. In the Nespelem District 1 race, incumbent William “Billy” Nicholson II trailed Willie Womer, 113-94. In... Full story
The three top winners in the Fifth Annual Cleatis Lacy Memorial Bull Riding event last Friday picked up nearly $3,200 in prize money. The Friday night event at the Ridge Rider Rodeo Grounds was a memorial to the Grand Coulee cowboy whose friendliness and rodeo fame touched a lot of people during his 86 years. The Ridge Riders had added $2,500 to the prize money for the event. Placing first was Ryan Prophet, of Rigby, Idaho, who picked up $1,596.76, in prize money. Second was Wyatt Wilks, of... Full story
On June 14, I was part of a group of interested people who met with the Okanogan County Commissioners and staff members of the Juvenile Justice Center to listen to a presentation of their work with our troubled kids. The presentation included statistics, but most interesting was a description of how the group worked with our kids. Two statistics did stand out to me. The Center, over the past four years, has served an average of 16 kids daily. Over the past month there were 73 visits to the kids by family members. This, to me, indicates that a... Full story
It was an honor to accept the award for POWER as Organization of the Year, but the real honor goes to all the volunteers over the years who have made the projects possible. A special thank you to Pat Holbert, Dick Berry, Ray Burge and Doug Patrick for all the years they spent feeding the fish; without their dedication to take control of the feeding for years, POWER could not have accomplished that. Also, thanks to the Bureau of Reclamation here in Grand Coulee & Ephrata for all their help and cooperation — very much appreciated. A special n... Full story
Once again, I would like to applaud the Ridge Riders for a very successful Memorial Bull Riding tribute event for my dad. A thank you also to the community for the support and attendance. It is very time-consuming to manage an event like this, and they did an excellent job with not a lot of members. Also, a clarification: I presented the belt buckle to the winner, but it was donated by my mother, Betty Lacy. Keep up the good work, the community needs you. Clea Pryor... Full story
Ask someone to recite our national motto, and you might just get a couple different responses. Such has been the confusion about our national motto that in a speech President Obama delivered in 2010, the President even said, “In the United States, our motto is ‘E pluribus unum’ — out of many, one.” Actually, “E pluribus unum” is the phrase on the official Seal of the United States. In fact, our official national motto has been “In God We Trust” for decades. This July will mark the 60th anniversary of its official adoption, but sadly the mot... Full story
Two major resignations within the athletic department at Lake Roosevelt High School were received last week. Resigning was Athletic Director Richard Black, who has held that position for the past five years. The second resignation was from Mario West, Lake Roosevelt’s head boys’ basketball coach, who coached here a single season. Both resignations will go before the school board when it meets Monday, June 27. Black, a retired Navy captain, was dean of students and associated with the district’s 21st Century after-school program for two years... Full story
If you see a huge aircraft flying low over the Colville Indian Reservation from now through next Tuesday, you're seeing the world's largest supertanker aircraft and crews practicing in a firefighting training exercise. Global Supertanker Services will fly over the Keller Butte area Saturday with a Boeing 747 tanker to practice flying in a mountainous area in advance of the coming fire season. A lead plane and possibly a photo plane likely will also be in sight. On some flights, potable water... Full story
Update: Despite a rainy day, the Wenatchee Youth Circus is performing at Lake Roosevelt's football field with a few umbrella protected fans in the stands. The current local forecast predicts drizzle until about 6 p.m., which is the time the second performance is scheduled. Either way, the old saying "The show must go on," is thought to have originated with the circus in the 1800s. --- This weekend is for kids, cowboys and classic car lovers. Saturday is the 12th annual Koulee Kids Fest,... Full story
A new feature for the July 4 Festival of America celebration will be a number of inflatable water slides in a water park. The Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce, sponsors of the event, stated that Jump N2 Fun, from Post Falls, Idaho, will bring a number of inflatable water slides for a two-day show, July 3 and 4 in the Visitor Center park at Grand Coulee Dam. Michael Hunt, who provided nine inflatables for the Colorama event, said that he was looking forward to returning to the coulee area. For Hunt and his wife, Julie, the event will... Full story
The Regional Board of Mayors Monday approved a plan to have Sunrise Disposal provide backup hauling services for the Delano Transfer Station. The RBOM had advertised to find someone with a commercial driver’s license (CDL) who would be available to make occasional hauls to the Grant County Landfill, just out of Ephrata. There were no takers. The mayors were concerned with the need to have someone in place to drive the transfer truck when manager Randy Gumm was sick or on vacation. Under the agreement, if approved by the four city and town c... Full story
The Coulee Dam Town Council approved a chamber of commerce request to move its “beer garden” to the Melody Restaurant front parking lot during the upcoming Festival of American celebration. The beer garden will be open both Sunday and Monday, July 3 and 4. The chamber held its beer garden in the parking lot of the town’s maintenance garage last year. Some details are still being worked out, but the plan is for the Melody Restaurant to provide a light food menu during the hours the tent is in operation. The restaurant would also provide some... Full story
Pop quiz: How would you feel about merging local towns? That’s the essence of a new, very short survey that likely arrived in your mailbox early this week. It’s being asked by the local chamber of commerce in order to gauge the interest local citizens have regarding the subject, and what their feelings are. The chamber was approached by elected leaders in Grand Coulee and Electric City some time ago and asked to facilitate a community discussion on the subject. Evidently, they, like many business people in the area, saw a potential for better s... Full story
To face a threat, we must begin by calling it exactly what it is. Our nation has once again been attacked by radical Islamists. Early Sunday, Americans woke up to the horror that 49 innocent individuals had been killed and dozens wounded in an insidious terrorist attack on a “soft target,” an Orlando nightclub. The attack in Orlando was an attack on all Americans. We mourn the victims, and we cannot comprehend the pain that their families and loved ones are now facing. They will need our prayers in the days ahead. The federal investigation in l... Full story
A highlight of this year’s 12th Annual Koulee Kids Fest will be two performances by the Wenatchee Youth Circus. And the performances are free! The popular youth circus will perform at both 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., at the Lake Roosevelt football field, Saturday, June 18. The Wenatchee group is sponsored by Coulee Dam Federal Credit Union as part of its 75th year anniversary celebration. There will be aerial arts, wire and fire acts, flying trapeze, acting, singing, clowning and other acts. Each summer the youth circus performs throughout the P... Full story
Grand Coulee residents could be looking at significant water and sewer rate increases soon. The city council, in its meeting June 21, will determine whether there will be incremental increases or if the city will make a significant increase. At the beginning of the meeting there will be a public hearing on rate adjustments. Councilmembers took a look at the problem at their May meeting when they learned that revenues from their water service were not sufficient to cover expenses. In 2015, water revenue was about $29,000 short of meeting... Full story
Electric City and Grand Coulee have agreed to disagree over the startup costs of the arsenic treatment plant. Grand Coulee argues that it has paid all but one month from Sept.1, 2014, when the two cities signed a new formal agreement about how charges are to be made. Electric City contends that Grand Coulee needs to pay its share of the maintenance and operation of the arsenic treatment plant from the time it started receiving treated water. The difference in time is about 18 months, and in money about $29,000. The two councils have turned the... Full story