News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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The Grand Coulee Dam School District will pay more than $400,000 a year for services ranging from information technology management to bookkeeping under a contract approved in June. The disctrict board approved a $406,618 service agreement with the North Central ESD (Education Service District) for the 2016-17 school year at its June 27 meeting. The major services contracted for include network services, $106,657; and business management, $73,250. Other major areas under the agreement include Worker’s Compensation Trust, $79,406; and a S...
A second Electric City Pathways and Parks meeting has been scheduled for Saturday, July 16, in the park-like grassy area behind city hall, where residents can see how well the city’s Pathways and Parks Revitalization plan is coming along. Ice cream will be provided by MJs Bistro. The futuristic plan has been shaped by a Washington State University team from the school’s Rural Communities Design Initiative, after an earlier public meeting in May. A local committee, appointed by the city council, has reviewed some of the plans from the WSU gro...
Grand Coulee and Electric City continue their disagreement over a $39,000 arsenic treatment dispute. Grand Coulee Mayor Paul Townsend proposed to his council that maybe it would be a good thing to meet Electric City halfway on the disputed $39,000. His suggestion got nowhere at the last council meeting. In fact, it prompted Councilmember Erin Nielson to move to stand firm on the city’s contention that it doesn’t owe Electric City the $39,000. His motion passed unanimously. Accordingly, Townsend sent Electric City the bad news by letter. The...
Grand Coulee residents may soon face a water rate increase. City Clerk Carol Boyce said last week that she will propose to the council July 19, that the city increase its water rates by $3 a month, beginning in September. The increase would help the city replenish its water reserve account, which was depleted during several water service repairs back in 2014. That year, the city made major water delivery improvements near Jess Ford, city hall and East Heights. “We paid for those improvements out of our reserves,” Boyce stated. Those imp...
Grant County Mosquito Control District 1 has reported a mosquito sample collected west of Moses Lake has tested positive for West Nile virus, making it the first detection of the virus in the county this season. Mosquito District 1 covers the Greater Moses Lake area, including the Moses Lake Sand Dunes and Potholes areas. The positive sample is an indication that WNV is present in this area and potentially other areas of Grant County. During the 2015 season, four humans, seven horses and 107 mosquito samples were found to be infected with WNV,...
You just bought a bag of fireworks and are wondering where you can set them off. Here’s your answer: Fireworks are banned from the Colville Tribes’ reservation this year. Likewise in Elmer City and Coulee Dam. Fireworks are also banned in the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area. You can let fireworks off in Electric City if you adhere to the state law covering fireworks. In Grand Coulee, North Dam is still open to fireworks, subject to fire department approval; anywhere else in the city is off limits. The Colville Tribes on June 17 issued a...
There are not enough superlatives to accurately describe Bob and Bev Bruno's rural log home. You could take the view. Or the careful detail of their home. Or even the house for their five banties. Nothing by itself will do! Bob, a log-house builder now semi-retired, has put all the things he has learned about log- house construction into one. The view is so outstanding that one room is designed for two cushioned chairs, providing comfort, and a place to stare at the view. The view is not only of...
There will be some changes on the Colville Business Council as a result of the general election tally over the past week. During the tally, it was announced that Chairman Jim Boyd had died. Boyd was running against Georgia Simpson in the Inchelium District Position 1 race, and lost the count 268-184. In other races, William “Billy” Nicholson II, lost his Nespelem Position 1 council seat to Willie Womer 409-346. Sheilah Cleveland captured the Nespelem Position 2 seat over former councilman Brian Nissen 416-333. In the Inchelium Position 2 rac...
Lake Roosevelt High School could field a girls’ soccer team this year. The Grand Coulee Dam School District board is dealing with the cost and plans to review the soccer request at its July 11 meeting. Six schools in the North Central Washington 2-B League already have girls’ soccer teams — Brewster, Bridgeport, Liberty Bell, Manson, Oroville and Tonasket. Making the presentation before the board Monday was Casey Moore. She explained that the current youth soccer program had 120 kids involved and has become highly successful. The distr...
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...
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....
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Margo Piver, from the Walla Walla School District, will be the assistant principal at Lake Roosevelt Elementary School. The Grand Coulee Dam School District board decided May 23 to hire Piver, who has had extensive experience in special education, as well as in early childhood and behavior support, according to school district sources. She will take over her new duties for the 2016-17 school year. Piver replaces Nate Piturachsatit in that position. Piver earned her bachelor of science degree in...
What happens when the area’s best bull riders face the area’s meanest bulls? You can find out, Friday, June 17, at the Ridge Rider Rodeo Grounds, when the Fifth Annual Memorial Cleatis Lacy Bull Riding event is held. Ridge Rider officials have posted some $2,500 added money for the bull riders, which is attracting interest in the Lacy event. Lacy, a “cowboy’s cowboy,” was a regular on the rodeo circuit, both participating and helping in the chutes. He died in 2011, at 89, living his last 65 years in Grand Coulee. Bulls for the event are being s...