News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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Word that Electric City was going to develop a park along the waterfront of Banks Lake brought a number of opposing letters to the city’s planning commission meeting last Friday. Commission members were as surprised as city officials and acted quickly to put the idea to rest. The planning commission instructed City Clerk Jackie Perman to correspond with the letter writing residents and reassure them that there was no plan to put a park in the area. City officials were quick to sign on to the letter. “We are having a hard time financing the upk... Full story
A giant Chinook salmon was forming from a tall blue spruce in Mason City Park over the weekend. It was being carved by Jacob Lucas, who carved the animal, bird and fish figures through the town of Bridgeport. “I could see the salmon in the stump because it had a knot that stuck out, ideal for a fin,” Lucas said. The project was the idea of Coulee Dam Mayor Quincy Snow, who saw an opportunity after a big windstorm in July damaged two big trees in the park, one falling on the other. Lucas sta... Full story
A planned pet parade has turned into a “pet show” at Skateboard Park, following a city council meeting at which permission for the parade was declined. Police Chief Mel Hunt and Grand Coulee City Council members were hesitant Oct. 2 to approve the plan to parade pets from Pepper Jack’s parking lot to the NCNB parking lot along Midway Avenue during this Saturday’s Coulee Fall Festival. The chief said the parade would require the involvement of six officers, which had not been budgeted. And he said that number of officers were not readily availab... Full story
A wildfire that started last Tuesday north of an around Omak Lake is now 60 percent contained after burning two homes, more than 16,000 acres of grass and timber and eight structures, and evacuating a school. A Washington Incident Management Team fire official stated Tuesday that they hope to turn the The St. Mary’s Mission Road Fire over to local resources within a day or two. The fire started last Oct. 2, and shutdown Paschal Sherman Indian School for several days. Students returned to c... Full story
Port district officials were cautiously optimistic last week about the 2013 golf season. Chairman Orville Scharbach said at the Port District 7 commission meeting Thursday that through a combination of increased membership dues and volunteer labor at the course, the season likely would get underway. He was optimistic despite the $100,000-plus contribution the port district made to this year’s operation and the lack of any reserve funds for next season. Scharbach noted that Banks Lake Golf Course is in much better condition now than it was w... Full story
The town of Coulee Dam is looking at about $75,000 in power pole replacement costs, public works director Barry Peacock told council members last Wednesday night, The Barker Canyon blaze of about three weeks ago severely burned 10 poles and damaged another 15 to the extent that they will have to be replaced. Peacock said the 25 poles are part of the 55-pole line that extends from near the Bonneville Power Administration line at the top of the hill overlooking the town to the river. The cost to replace one pole, including labor, Peacock told... Full story
Will the chickens come home to roost in Electric City? A resident of 56 Sunset Drive, Jeremey Miller, asked the city council last Tuesday night to permit chickens in the city. The idea got a good review from at least two council members. Bob Rupe, and newcomer to the council, Brad Parrish, both had favorable comments. Miller said that some communities, including Seattle, allow residents to own four chickens … no roosters to disturb the peace there. He said that four chickens could supply enough eggs for a four-member family. Miller stated t... Full story
About a dozen people showed up for Electric City’s public hearing on its proposed “transportation benefit district.” Most got answers to their questions, but all they won was a delay in action by council members. The delay, in part, was because the city didn’t have all the answers. An explanation of what a transportation benefit district is and how it operates was elusive. If, or rather when, the city votes for the special district, it will mean that city residents who renew their vehicle license tabs will have to pay an extra $20, which w... Full story
You can hear some of the old cowboy classics made famous by western matinée idol Gene Autry, and put on by the “Grand Dames”, Oct. 11-13. It’s all part of the chamber of commerce’s “Coulee Fall Festival” that includes a wide range of activity for both young and old. The “Short History of Western Music with a Salute to our Hero Gene Autry” will bring back special memories, particularly to the older set who paid a nickel or a bit more to get into Saturday matinées some 50 or more years ago. The younger set also has been touched by the singing cow... Full story
Electric City council approved $10,520 in change orders on the arsenic treatment plant project. Among the change orders, was a $5,536 item to place compacted crushed material four inches deep over an area that had earlier called for hydroseeding. Another change added a new computer and the cost of sending it to a firm that would program it and set it up. This prompted one council member to say, “our present computer is only six years old and already obsolete.” One of the other major changes was $1,809, to modify the electrical installation ass... Full story
A house fire at 611 Holly Street could be a problem for Coulee Dam’s town council. Fire razed the home last Tuesday evening, Sept. 18, and the question of its cleanup will likely fall into the hands of town officials. Seems there’s no owner of the house. Taxes on the house had been paid by a descendent of the former owner of the house so that his daughter, now deceased, would have a place to live. The person who paid the taxes for the past several years didn’t claim ownership of the house then,... Full story
Grant County Health District issued a guide on air quality as a result of smoke from fires in the region. The guide issued by the Health District is based on one’s ability to see through smoke particles to a certain distance. “During this time people with any respiratory or cardiovascular conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, other chronic lung diseases or heart disease should minimize outdoor activity to only necessary tasks,” the report stated. On a developed chart with visibility 10 miles or more, there are no healt... Full story
The “value engineering” firm, OAC of Spokane, has saved the school district a ton of money. The firm was hired in mid-August to review all the plans for the new K-12 school facility, and has come up with revisions and suggestions that could knock $750,000 out of the cost of the project. The school board moved on a number of suggestions made by OAC at its meeting recently. The value engineering group is made up of architects, engineers and other building experts who met with the district’s architects, engineers and education officials at least... Full story
A whole lot of things are happening Saturday, Oct. 13, during the chamber of commerce’s new Coulee Fall Festival. Free hayrides are planned behind a horse-drawn wagon. Another highlight will be a pet parade down Midway Avenue. Chamber Secretary Debbie Starkey said those bringing pets are asked to wear a costume to make the event more colorful. There’s no cost for those taking part in the parade. Staging area will be in Pepper Jack’s parking lot at 9:30 a.m. The 10 a.m. parade will take place on Midway Avenue. Karaoke for kids will be offer... Full story
Nestled in the middle of a small sheep ranch off Peter Dan Road is a surprising little gift shop called Promised Land Harvest. It is part of Leah Arroyo and her father, Daniel — because it reflects who they are. The shop provides a showcase for the father/daughter artistic talent which is displayed in various ways throughout. In addition to everything else, it is an active sheep ranch, albeit on a minor scale. The ranch has 20 breeding ewes, two rams and 19 lambs. The lambs are raised for m... Full story
Brad Parrish was sworn in as a member of Electric City Council Tuesday night. Parrish had submitted his name for consideration for a council appointment but was passed over when the council selected Lonna Bussert, who currently serves. Parrish replaces Birdie Hensley who resigned about a month ago, after serving just over a term. The city had advertised the position asking interested parties to submit letters of interest. Only Parrish responded by the deadline. Parrish is currently a shop... Full story
The Leahy fire is essentially out, but ranchers will be dealing with the effects of it for a long time. One ranch family, Jim and Michelle Hemmer, whose 20,000-acre pastureland was essentially blackened, are trying to deal with the problems the fire caused, one day at a time. They took some time Friday to show a reporter the results of the fire that started from lightning Sept. 9 and consumed more than 91,000 acres in what came to be named the Barker Canyon Complex, most of it in high ranch land... Full story
A dispute over how the administration is being handled at Center School erupted at Monday night’s school board meeting. Grand Coulee Dam School District Chair Joette Barry started things rolling when she told Superintendent Dennis Carlson that she didn’t see any difference between the leadership model now presented from the one presented a month ago. Carlson had told the board last month that he would have an updated version of an administrative plan put together since the departure of principal Sue Hinton. Board members responded by pas... Full story
Electric City citizens will be able to vent their feelings about the city’s plan to charge $20 per license tab for residents within the city limits. The occasion will be a public hearing on the license tab issue at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 25, at city hall. Under Senate and House Bill 1858, counties and communities within the state can vote to form a “transportation benefit district” that allows the entity to charge up to $100 per license tab. The $100 tab takes a vote of the people, but the $20 can be charged by just forming the distr... Full story
Electric City is advertising for a person interested in serving on its city council. The person selected will fill out the Position 4 term of Birdie Hensley, who vacated her seat earlier this month. The council started advertising for the vacancy this week and advises those interested to submit a letter of interest to the city council no later than Monday, Sept. 24. The letter may be sent or hand delivered to city hall. Those interested, but who have questions about the appointment can call the city clerk at 633-1510 for clarification or inform... Full story
Mayors asked Monday what went wrong with the debris from Wright Elementary. The town permit obtained by Elder Demolition to dismantle the old school requires debris from the job go to the Delano Transfer Station. Transfer station Manager Randy Gumm told the mayors Monday that he only received one load, and that Elder Demolition was hauling the debris directly to the Ephrata landfill, bypassing the local collection point. The contractor was advised when it took out the demolition permit that it must haul the debris to the transfer station,... Full story
Birdie Hensley has resigned her seat on the Electric City Council. She stated in her resignation letter, delivered last Friday, that she thought she could do more for the city as a private citizen than by being on the council. Hensley took the opportunity to zing Mayor Jerry Sands, City Clerk Jackie Perman, city insurance carrier Canfield & Associates and the city’s attorney. A lot of the discord started when the council held a retreat in Ephrata, with an emphasis on the roles different people play in city government. It was emphasized at the t... Full story
The Apple Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross has opened an emergency shelter at the Grand Coulee Dam Middle School. By day, the school’s gymnasium is the center of activity for more than 200 students. By night, the gym floor houses a number of emergency cots for those who have either been burned out of their homes or have been ordered to evacuate. Two volunteer workers, Pat Grentz and Lyn Foley, both from Wenatchee, were manning the shelter Tuesday. “We haven’t had any activity yet, but we... Full story
The community will welcome hundreds of athletes from the United States and Canada this week for Saturday’s ninth Grand Columbian Triathlon. Traditionally, athletes show up here a few days early to preview the various venues and practice for Saturday’s event. The starting venues will be scattered with the swim and bike events starting at Spring Canyon. The bike leg will end at the park below the Visitor Center where the run begins (times for the various events are listed in the special section inside this week’s Star). Athletes will have their... Full story
You didn’t train, but still want to take part in the Grand Columbian Triathlon this Saturday? You can; become a volunteer. Those competing will tell you how important volunteers are and how they appreciate them. There’s still time to register as a volunteer. All you have to do is visit the following website: volunteer@trifreaks.com - you can register there. Also, a volunteer meeting is set for 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Pepper Jack’s Bar & Grille in Grand Coulee. Attend the meeting, register as a... Full story