News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
Sorted by date Results 301 - 325 of 330
The new owners of the former Shaw's Fruit and Produce in Delano, Dave and Alma Draper, plan a Grand Opening June 1. The name of the business will be Alma and Dave's Fruit and Produce. The couple bought the property from long-time owner and operator Roy Hamilton earlier this year. And kids, the Drapers wanted you to know that the "Pumpkin Patch" will return. The space is all ready to be planted. Plans for the future call for the addition of an espresso stand layout with pastries, sandwiches and... Full story
POWER, the organization that manages the fish pens in Electric City, was advised last week that it has received an $8,275 grant. The Department of Fish and Wildlife stated in a letter to Carl Russell, longtime POWER (Promoters of Wildlife and Environmental Resources) member, that the local grant request ranked high enough to receive the grant, despite cuts in funding. The “Banks Lake Rainbow Trout Net Pen Project” was one of 91 groups seeking funding for various wildlife projects in the state. The local fish pen operation receives about 150... Full story
Electric City council plans to review, again, benefits for its employees at its June 13 meeting. The council is looking at providing 11 paid holidays and several other benefits when they pass the final employee package at the next council meeting. The 11 holidays are: New Year’s Day; Martin Luther King’s birthday (third Monday of January); Presidents’ Day, (third Monday of February); Memorial Day (last Monday of May); Independence Day (fourth day of July); Labor Day (first Monday of September); Veterans Day (11th of November); Thank... Full story
“We will have a balanced budget next year,” Superintendent Paul Turner stated last Friday. He confirmed this before the Grand Coulee Dam School District board Monday night, going over a number of steps he is proposing to eliminate what he sees as a potential shortfall of about $740,000. Turner said changes to personnel and programs that he hopes to implement have moved the district to within $100,000 or so of his goal. The district will have until July to make final adjustments to its budget, but has until June 15 to notify teachers if the... Full story
You will be able to drive “street ready” ATVs in Grand Coulee beginning May 31. Grand Coulee’s city council approved an ordinance last Tuesday night that allows all-terrain vehicles on city streets and on state highways, as long as they have the appropriate equipment. The council took a page — in fact, took the entire ordinance — from Electric City, and passed it without fanfare. Two area citizens — Bill Moore, from Grand Coulee, and Ron Pulsipher, of Electric City — spoke before the council voted, encouraging the elected officials to... Full story
There's a new restaurant in town. The Coulee Dam Casino's Spillway Bar and Grill had its "soft" opening May 15 and is now open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Casino's new format upstairs, where Colville Tribal Federal Corporation offices were once located, is a mixture of gaming and food service. The tribal business arm offices have moved to the new tribal headquarters building on the Colville Indian Agency campus near Nespelem. Meanwhile, the casino downstairs is getting a facelift. The... Full story
Twelve new flags will be dedicated on Memorial Day, May 29, at the special Isle of Flags ceremony at Spring Canyon Cemetery. The ceremonies kick off at 11 a.m. with master of ceremonies Richard Black (Navy captain retired) getting the program started. He will deliver the memorial address. The 12 new flags honor Brandon W. Buche, Bert E. Carley, Jimmy Lee Easling, Larry M. Haag, Rodrick B. Hartman, Michael “Mick” McNeilly, Erskin R. Prevett, Michael N. Somday, James A. Stansfield, Mary E. Muller Sullivan, Patrick M. Sullivan, and Mike Tow... Full story
A few races for local public office will be contested in this year’s primaries, but the real issue is the number of offices for which nobody filed a candidacy. A special three-day filing period has been set up, May 23-25, for those who would like to file for offices currently slated to remain empty. Okanogan County announced a special three-day extended filing period May 23-25 until 4 p.m. They can file online, but filers must still appear in person at the auditor’s office by 4:30 that day, which is also the deadline to pay any fees. The top... Full story
Colorama was a huge success! That assessment came early this week from a variety of sources, not the least from the chamber of commerce and Ridge Rider officials, the two sponsoring groups. Even Grand Coulee Police Chief John Tufts commented on how busy traffic was during the Colorama events. "We didn't have any major problems, but the area was very busy," Tufts stated. Chamber Executive Director Peggy Nevsimal was quick to point out that 123 turned out for the first-ever Color Run, and 68... Full story
Those rodeo cowboys didn't waver, even with threatening skies both Friday and Saturday, as they competed for a lot of money in the 61st Colorama Pro-West Rodeo at the Ridge Rider grounds in Delano. One Ridge Rider spokesperson said that the club was pleased with the turnout and enthusiasm despite the inclement weather pattern. First-place winner for each event are listed here. For the complete listings, see page 8. One of the big winners was bull rider Wyatt Wilks, the lone bull rider to make... Full story
There will be some changes on the Colville Business Council as two vacated seats will be filled and some incumbents could be in trouble after the May 6 Primary Election absentee votes were totaled. There will be new business council members in the Inchelium District Position 1, and in the Omak District Position 2 races. Ricky Gabriel, incumbent in Nespelem District Position 1, faces a real test as Rodney Cawston received over 50 more votes than he did, 164-208. Others running and their vote total in that district were Amelia (Moses) Marchand... Full story
A Kelso Street resident appeared at Electric City’s last council meeting to suggest that if Grand Coulee adopted an ATV ordinance, he would like to see the speed limit between the two cities dropped so those owning all-terrain vehicles could travel on SR-155. Making the suggestion was Ron Pulsipher, who joins a handful of Grand Coulee residents who have been making the same pitch to their city council. That council has researched the idea using Electric City’s ATV ordinance as an example of what Grand Coulee might do. The ATV ordinance was on... Full story
Tribal members went to the polls Saturday in the primary election to determine who will run in the general election June 24. Six positions will be open this year, two that currently do not have incumbents. The vote totals are from the poll voting. Absentee ballots will be counted later this week. In the Nespelem District, incumbents in both Position 1 and 2 are trailing. In Nespelem Position 1, incumbent Ricky Gabriel collected 47 votes, with challenger Rodney Cawston getting 52. Others filing for Position 1, and their vote totals, were:... Full story
The Cleatis Lacy Memorial Bull Ride, happening June 16, will move into the big time this year with a giant replay screen, rodeo officials said this week. George Kohout, president of the Ridge Riders, said last week that an agreement has been made with a Montana firm to provide a 12- by 24-foot replay screen to show off attempts by cowboys to ride their bulls. The big replay screen agreement was developed by Shane Marchand, who is coordinating the bull ride. Marchand had been in touch with Marty Lyon, of Lyon Productions, out of Montana, to... Full story
Say you attended Center School in Grand Coulee and you have always wanted something to remember your days there. Now is your chance! The Grand Coulee Dam School District directors have OK’d a long list of surplus materials from Center School, and one day soon you could maybe pick up an item you are interested in, perhaps even a desk that you occupied while there. Items are listed from “fair” to “very good”and by rooms, so you can have easy access. You could even get a teacher’s metal desk, a kidney table or a large eight-foot movie screen. A s... Full story
Several positions and some programs will be cut back as officials of the Grand Coulee Dam School District try to erase a potential $745,000 budget deficit they are facing for the 2017-18 school year. Superintendent Paul Turner shared his concerns over the potential deficit with members of the school board Monday night. Cuts include one assistant principal, the high school registrar position, one librarian, an alternative school teacher and a paraprofessional from that program, a change in the way the athletic director position was handled,... Full story
Things are getting serious about allowing ATV travel in city streets in Grand Coulee. And a new twist was added at Grand Coulee’s council meeting a week ago. An idea surfaced to allow all-terrain vehicles to travel between Grand Coulee and Electric City. Part of the idea would be to slow traffic from 45 mph down to 35 mph, the speed that ATVs can travel. It all started several weeks ago when Grand Coulee resident Bill Moore attended the council meeting and brought up the idea of ATV travel in the city. Moore and several others appeared at t... Full story
The idea of creating a “Transportation Benefit District” in Grand Coulee is still alive, but not certain. Cities form TBDs usually add a license plate tab charge to those within their jurisdiction to develop special monies for roads. Electric City and Elmer City both have TBDs, and Coulee Dam’s council has discussed it but has not moved forward with the formation. Grand Coulee’s council is discussing forming such a district, but is lukewarm on the license tab fee. If previous discussions are a clue, Grand Coulee is more interested in the sal... Full story
Some 60 sixth-graders, 50 from Lake Roosevelt and 10 from Nespelem, will get the “Tall Timbers” experience May 17-19 when they head for the outdoor education location near Leavenworth. Each year, for the past several, Lake Roosevelt and Nespelem sixth-graders have traveled to Tall Timbers, an outdoor recreation/education resort nestled in the mountains about 10 miles out of Leavenworth. The program there is designed to provide an opportunity for personal growth and team building by participating in a number of outdoor activities. The exp... Full story
What would you have done? James A. Fox, from Grand Coulee, turned in to put some gas into his car last Tuesday at Coulee Gas and found a wad of cash totaling $1,000. Fox promptly went to the Grand Coulee Police Department across the street and gave the money to officer Tom Johnson, who promptly put it into found property. Later, police sgt. Gary Moore went to Coulee Gas to review the firm’s security tape and saw that Everett Leishman (Mr. E) had dropped the money while gassing up his vehicle. Leishman went to the police station to describe h... Full story
It’s time to clean up your lawn and flower beds and take advantage of the area spring cleanup, and free dump at the Delano Area Transfer Station. The free dump privilege will be April 8–15. Coulee Dam will pick up limbs only, which will need to be stacked at the curbside on the following schedule: Tuesday, April 4 - Mason City Addition - Aspen, Birch, Cedar, Fir, Holly, Pine, Spruce, Civic Way and west side of Central Drive from Civic Way south. Wednesday, April 5 - Airport Addition - Tilmus, Camas, River Drive, 11th and 12th Streets, Cre... Full story
Monday was a busy day at the Grand Coulee Dam Senior Center. That was the day that Easter baskets went on sale. The place was filled with 371 Easter baskets, and accordingly, people. Workers started putting the baskets together last Friday, and finally finished Sunday afternoon. The baskets are colorful, wrapped in various colors of see-through material, with soft animals, candy, coloring books and a wide variety of items that capture the attention of children. This year's total of 371 baskets,... Full story
City officials in the four towns will be more than happy to see winter end, but they all fear what is going to happen to city streets in the region. Ken Dexter, public works director for Electric City, summed it up last week when he stated, "It has been the worst winter I've seen in 20 years or so." Dexter has been with Electric City for over 30 years and will be retiring at the end of March. City streets there are showing signs of breaking up, with frost heaves just showing up. Typical of... Full story
A marijuana retail store in Grand Coulee is now possible. The city council removed any roadblocks by a 3-2 vote last week. The Oct. 6 vote took the words “federal law” out of the city ordinance and declared that if a business license application met state law restrictions, a license “must” be issued. Prior to this vote, a decision on such an application had rested with the city clerk. Although federal law does not allow marijuana sales, the U.S. attorney general has made it clear the Justice Department will not pursue prosecutions in states... Full story
Elmer City’s sidewalk project is up in the air as the lone bid for the work was far too high, council members were informed Thursday night. The bid was for $306,000, far above the engineer’s estimate of $159,000. Public works director Jimmer Tillman said the town will try again, this time allowing those on the town’s small business roster to bid on the project. The town has a $225,000 grant from the state’s Transportation Improvement Board and was advised to reject the lone bid. The work includes sidewalks on Front and Williams Streets and prov...