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 1382
The 2015-16 influenza season is past, according the Grand County Health District, but people are cautioned to get their flu shots when they are available for the next flu season. Health Officer Dr. Alexander Brzezny said this week that reports of flu have settled down in numbers to the pre-epidemic level. During the influenza season, Grant County Health District received notification of 396 positive influenza lab reports. Brzezny stated that it isn’t uncommon for the flu season to last until mid-May. GCHD has only received one positive i...
The Ridge Riders are putting the final touches on the Cleatis Lacy Memorial Bull Ride, coming to the rodeo grounds Friday, June 17, at 7 p.m. Lacy, a well-known rodeo cowboy from Grand Coulee, died May 14, 2011, at 89. He was still involved in helping on the rodeo circuit at the time. This will be the fourth annual bull ride honoring Lacy, who was a long-time rodeo participant, starting at an early age. As a youth, his family gave him the nickname “cowboy” because he rode every animal on the farm — calves, pigs, sheep and an old pony. Lacy...
The Almira Community Church may become the new owner of the formerly Presbyterian Coulee Dam Community Church in Coulee Dam. Jerry Kennedy, who sits on the Presbyterian advisory committee, said last Tuesday that the current owners of the church are willing to gift it to the Almira Community Church. "They have all the resources that we needed, but didn't have," said Kennedy, who attended church there. Almira Community Church Pastor Paul McArthur said last Thursday that his church looks forward...
Where would you like to spend your 100th birthday? Edwin Kerns, from Odessa, turned 100 last Wednesday, and he returned to Grand Coulee Dam, where he has spent his birthday for the last several years. There's a purpose to the visit. Kerns worked on the dam, starting in 1935, and spent four years here. Kerns is the oldest living person who worked during construction of the dam, according to CNN, Kerns stated. "They interviewed me and told me I was the oldest survivor," he said. He plans on...
The Grand Coulee Dam School District received a clean audit for its financial statements and for federal grant compliance for 2015, according to a preliminary report that was shared with the school board last Tuesday night. The audit from the Washington State Auditor’s office cost the district an estimated $9,500. The report stated that the next audit will be in 2017, and cover accountability for public resources, financial statements and federal programs. The district was advised that this future audit would cost about $19,500. The current a...
Grand Coulee Dam School District’s board of directors hired Menehune Consultants, LLC, of Electric City, Monday night, to help with the transition of changing superintendents in the district. Principal party in the firm is Dr. Dennis Carlson, the present superintendent. Board member Ken Stanger said it would be very helpful for Carlson to assist in the changing of administrations and that the new superintendent, Paul Turner, welcomed the decision, providing a mentor for the initial changeover period. “I want to utilize Dr. Carlson’s contacts, a...
Fireworks will be prohibited in Grand Coulee without a permit after an ordinance passed last week takes effect next year. The city council passed a new fireworks ordinance May 17, banning fireworks without a permit. The ordinance does not go into effect for a year, City Clerk Carol Boyce said. The new ordinance prohibits the sale and use of fireworks in the city except for limited purposes or in specific locations authorized by a city-issued permit for a public display after review by local fire officials. The exception is North Dam Park, where...
Nineteen new flags will be dedicated during the "Isle of Flags" Memorial Day ceremony next Monday, May 30, at Spring Canyon Cemetery. Flags for the following are being dedicated: Harold A. Blanchard, Bruce A. Brandstrom, Alfred Braaten, R.I. Button, Warren H. Byam, James Bradley "Brad" Combs, Douglas Gronski, William R. Hart, Jack A. Hilson, James Timothy Hurley, David A. Kelley, Marvin E. Kuest, Aleck T. Musyt, Diana M. Meyer, Leon Lee Nuehring, W. "Steve" Nuehring, Clark C. Reynolds, Ernie...
A move is currently underway to get a people’s initiative on the ballot in November that deals with giving grandparents and other family members the right to visit children where relationships have been severed by death, divorce, or disagreement. Initiative 1431, if passed by voters, would restore an earlier law that allowed relatives to petition the court for visitation rights. Carol Winfrey, a local Farmers Insurance agent, took up the cause recently and is trying to create interest in the initiative. Before the initiative could be presented...
A trip by the senior class at Lake Roosevelt High School to San Francisco was approved the the school board May 23. The trip had been outlined to the board earlier, but approval was held up pending completion of paperwork. The board learned that 25 seniors have signed up for the trip and will take off for California on Sunday, May 29, along with five adults who will be accompanying this year’s senior class. The seniors and adult chaperones will leave by school bus at 3:30 a.m., Sunday to go to Seattle, where they will catch a flight to San Jose...
The chamber of commerce has signed a contract with Electric City for use of the city’s hotel/motel tax dollars for 2016. The contract is for nearly $27,000, to cover qualified promotional expenses for the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce to advertise various festivals in the area. The contract had been issued early in the year and returned in April, but with its language altered in a bid to loosen up restrictions on the use of the money. The Electric City Council voided the contract because of the language being altered. Everything i...
The chamber of commerce’s 2016 contract with Electric City, good for nearly $27,000 for advertising use, was voided last Tuesday night by city council members because the wording of the contract returned to the city in April had been altered. The city is sending out the original contract again this week. If it isn’t signed and returned, the hotel/motel funds will continue to remain with the city. The council had agreed to provide the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce $30,000 for this year but would take back $3,208.51, the amount the...
About 40 people showed up Saturday at the Vet's Center to hear and take part in discussions about the revitalization of Electric City. The meeting, the first of two scheduled, was to get input on what residents would like to see in the future for the city. Washington State University professor Kathleen Ryan conducted the meeting after Electric City Deputy Clerk Russell Powers explained the reason for the meeting - to get ideas from the public of what they would like to see Electric City become...
The Mobile Food Bank of 2nd Harvest will distribute free produce, nutritious perishable products and other groceries for families in need at Zion Lutheran Church, Tuesday, May 24 from 10 a.m. to noon. Last year’s 2nd Harvest visit distributed 7,230 pounds of vegetables and perishable foods, and officials here said that about 10,000 pounds of free food should be available this year. Those attending the free food distribution are asked to bring their own boxes. This year, there will be two such free distributions of food by 2nd Harvest. The s...
All of the incumbents who filed for re-election in the Colville Tribal Business Council primary election last week made it into the general election, scheduled for June 17. Only one councilmember up for election, Nancy Johnson, for the Nespelem District Position 2 seat, did not file. The top vote getters for that seat — Sheliah Cleveland with 177 votes, and Brian Nissen, a three-time former council member with 164 votes — will make it into the June general election. Others in that race were Charlene E. Bearcub, 151 votes; Cory Christman, 114...
The Regional Board of Mayors learned Monday of a proposed Banks Lake Pumped Storage Project that could employ 2,500 people during construction and end up providing permanent employment for 150-200 workers. Columbia Basin Hydropower managers told the mayors that the project could run as high as $1 billion and take several years to complete. The target date for completion would be 2025, representatives stated. But there’s a long way to go before anything could be declared “shovel ready.” The permit process and finding the money for the proje...
A risky first-time replacement to the traditional Colorama carnival came through as a big positive for most families with children and even helped the fund-raiser's bottom line, the chamber of commerce reported Tuesday. The Fun Zone, home to nine big, inflatable slide-and-jump attractions, was a major hit with families, Peggy Nevsimal, executive director of the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce stated Tuesday. The rented attractions were a last-minute replacement for the carnival, which...
A young driver died as a result of a single-car accident 10 miles north of Nespelem Sunday afternoon. The Washington State Patrol said the car, driven by Thomas C. Jacobs, 17, Tonasket, was going too fast for road conditions in the area. The driver was taken to Coulee Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. The WSP said the 1996 Honda Civic was southbound about 3:17 p.m. on highway 155 near milepost 55, when the driver failed to negotiate a curve, lost control and struck a tree....
The Colorama Pro-West Rodeo was a great success, according to Ridge Riders President George Kohout. "I think it was one of the best rodeos we have had here for a long time," Kohout said early this week. The "Rattlesnake Saloon" lived up to its name again this year and rodeo hands had to dispatch a rattlesnake that wandered into the refreshment tent. That's the second time this has occurred. "The rattlesnakes are bad this year," Kohout stated. "We had to kill four or five as we were getting...
Electric City will hold the first of two planned community meetings to discuss its plan for a Pathway Trail through the city. The full topic will be parks, recreation and revitalization. The meeting will be from 1-4 p.m., Saturday, May 14, in the Veteran’s Hall in Electric City. The public is invited to participate by offering ideas they might have about any possible trail system. Running the meeting will be a team from Washington State University’s Rural Communities Design Initiative, made up of two professors and several students. A sec...
Grand Coulee won hands down the blue ribbon for producing the highest tonnage of garbage for 2015, a Sunrise Disposal report to the Regional Board of Mayors indicated. The disposal company reported that it picked up 700.77 tons of garbage in Grand Coulee last year. Coulee Dam was a close second, with Electric City third and Elmer City fourth. The four municipalities together operate the Delano Transfer station through the RBOM. Sunrise presented their report at Monday’s meeting of the mayors. Coulee Dam contributed 609.73 tons of garbage, a...
About 60 sixth graders from Lake Roosevelt Elementary and Nespelem Schools will be trekking to the Tall Timber Ranch, near Leavenworth, next week. Sixth graders from the two schools have been going to the ranch for the past several years to learn about teamwork and outdoor experiences. Lake Roosevelt Elementary has 51 sixth graders, and Nespelem eight. School officials here said six adults will go with the students, and all will travel by school bus. The outing is for May 18–20. While there, students for the local schools will be the first t...
An Electric City councilmember was admonished by the full council at a special public hearing last Wednesday night for activities judged to be beyond her authority. Reprimanded was Councilmember Birdie Hensley, who became a member of the council for the second time this last January. The mayor, John Nordine II, asked councilmembers Aaron Derr, Brad Parrish, Lonna Bussert, and Richard McGuire, to vote to reprimand Hensley in a public hearing that she had called for. At issue were inquiries Hensley made of other agencies regarding the use of hote...
Get ready for the 60th running of Colorama, May 6-8, with a special guide to the event inside this issue of The Star. There's a big parade, a rodeo, craft booths with food and gift ideas, and a newcomer - The Fun Zone - an inflatable event of its own, providing fun for all ages. And if that isn't enough, you can take a helicopter ride and get a bird's eye view of the fun. A beer tent and a cowboy saloon will be featured - the latter for the Ridge Rider's Colorama Rodeo, and the former sponsored...
Colville Tribal members go to the polls Saturday to vote on 28 contenders for positions on the Colville Business Council. The primary vote will reduce candidates for each contended office to two who will face off in the general election in June. Poll voting will begin at 8 a.m. Certification of poll voting will be held at 10 a.m., on May 9. Absentee ballots will be certified May 12. Twenty-eight contenders have filed for seven positions in the tribal council. Six of seven incumbents have filed for re-election. Councilmember Nancy Johnson, who n...
