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Articles from the January 2, 2013 edition


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  • A look back at the year that was 2012

    Jan 2, 2013

    January New mayor takes over Chris Christopherson became the mayor of Grand Coulee Jan. 3. after winning the popular vote in November. He and former mayor Tammara Byers traded seats, as she took his old spot on the city council. Sewage plans explained Engineers for Coulee Dam detailed in a public meeting plans to revamp the town’s wastewater treatment plant for nearly $5 million to be financed with a near doubling of sewer bills. The plan drew criticism and is still controversial. February Raider takes championship Orrin Gross won the state h...

  • Nez Perce Longhouse lost to fire

    Roger Lucas|Jan 2, 2013

    An electrical malfunction was named initially as the cause of a fire that destroyed the Nez Perce longhouse south of Nespelem the day after Christmas. Firefighters responded to a 12:30 a.m. call Dec. 26 and found the structure engulfed in flames. Firefighters arrived minutes after receiving the alarm and the fire was so hot that they couldn’t get close to the structure. Soy Redthunder, who has been active in the longhouse, said the structure was 70 feet by 80 feet and insured for $350,000. ...

  • Port district woes

    Roger Lucas|Jan 2, 2013

    The bad news came in waves last Thursday for port district commissioners. First, their hope that they could secure grant funding to put in an RV park at Banks Lake Golf Course to help it pay its bills faltered. Second, airport Manager Bob Babler put commissioners on the spot about an outdated and poorly performing snow plow. And to top the evening off, longtime Secretary/Treasurer Kary Byam resigned. The port district is trying to find a way to keep the 18-hole Banks Lake Golf Course open again this year. But it will have to find a different...

  • Deer story gets response

    Roger Lucas|Jan 2, 2013

    A story about Coulee Dam resident Carol Netzel feeding deer at her home got an unusual and welcome response from a man in Pateros. His letter to Netzel included an $80 check to help her with her feeding chores, and this note: “I read the article in the paper about you taking care of some deer and quail. “I don’t have any deer that come into my yard, but I’m feeding about 50-60 quail a day and some chickadees. “The best value I found for quail is at Big R (Omak) it’s for chickens and poultry and...

  • Newsbriefs

    Jan 2, 2013

    Ice Age map in development The Coulee Corridor Consortium is planning to develop and print an Ice Age Floods driving map with Ice Age Floods identifiers as part of its 2013 promotion of the corridor area between Othello and Omak. Tim Alling, chairman of the Corridor group, advised the councils in Electric City, Grand Coulee and Coulee Dam of the plans for the new year to promote the area. Alling had asked each of the three municipalities that collect hotel/motel funds for a $1,200 contribution to help with the advertising expenses for...

  • City settles pay issue with police chief

    Roger Lucas|Jan 2, 2013

    Grand Coulee’s council made it a “happy new year” for Police Chief Mel Hunt last Wednesday, when in a special meeting it voted to buy up 787 hours of his compensatory time for $42,922.50, according to city officials. In a document signed by Hunt and Mayor Chris Christopherson, Sept. 2, 2011, the city had agreed to 787 hours of compensatory time dating from March 25, 1976, the beginning of Hunt’s employment, to Aug. 1, 2011. Compensatory time is figured at time and one-half the regular hourly rate. Since Aug. 1, 2011, the chief has been under a...

  • Landfill cell officially closed

    Roger Lucas|Jan 2, 2013

    Cell one at the old Delano Landfill is officially closed. All four towns that participated in the landfill, Electric City, Grand Coulee, Coulee Dam and Elmer City, have approved final closure of the seven-acre garbage landfill. Final closure, placing cover material over the landfill was completed a year ago, with minor additional work this year by Halme Construction of Davenport. Then the issue went to the four municipalities that jointly own the landfill project for approval. While covering the landfill is complete, the issue of monitoring...

  • Hopes for the new year

    Scott Hunter|Jan 2, 2013

    After just completing the compilation of “A look back at the year that was 2012” on page 2 and looking back through a year of front-page stories, I have to say it was a year of great highs and real lows, both of which could forecast our future as a community. The high side was peaked by the unexpected news that the state would provide the funds needed to build most of a new school complex, thanks to the leadership of Sen. Linda Evans Parlette, R-Wenatchee. $31 million in a budget year when the final passage came in a second special session of...

  • Article inspired support for deer

    Carol Netzel|Jan 2, 2013

    I want to thank you for the article and the pictures of my deer feeding project. People have been so kind, stopping me to visit in Safeway, sending me notes, asking about them when they meet me out and about. Many gave me contributions toward keeping them through the winter. Right now they are all in good shape, coats good, no ribs showing, frisky and on time every day for breakfast and supper. The fawns are holding up well, the bucks are busy chasing each other away from the best food. I have five big red squirrels and two small black ones of...

  • Wild animals hungry, so keep yours inside

    Mardee Davis|Jan 2, 2013

    Please, for those of you living in the areas of Washington state where we had all the fires! The coyotes are starving! Their food supply was killed off (rabbits, mice, moles), so they are going after outside animals, anything they can kill and carry off! My doctor watched her cat get killed yesterday morning and it’s broken her heart! Please, please, I'm begging you keep your small animals inside or small dogs on a leash; these wild critters are hungry! She ran out in the ice and snow barefoot yelling at the coyote but it was sadly too late! Wh...

  • Thank You from Trees of Sharing

    Jan 2, 2013

    The Trees of Sharing committee extends a heartfelt thank you to our Coulee communities for their outstanding support this season. One hundred seventy children had a merrier Christmas thanks to warm-hearted people in the Grand Coulee Dam area. Many people helped every step of the way by making generous cash contributions, shopping, wrapping, picking up and delivering gifts. As a result, Trees of Sharing elves took gifts to each of the children in 67 families. The “Trees” committee particularly thanks the members of the United Methodist Church fo...

  • Re: Cancellation of the Dec. 19 candlelight vigil

    Loretta Bingham|Jan 2, 2013

    I would like to apologize to the people of the Grand Coulee Dam Area and the wonderful people that were willing to volunteer their time to honor the victims of the Newtown shooting. I realize it was cancelled with very short notice due to the increasing hazardous weather conditions. I contacted the parties that I had been involved with, and it was my understanding that the other parties would be contacted as well. My apology to the people that showed up only to find that it had been cancelled. It is my understanding that it is in the process...

  • Re: “Many tribal members approve of keeping settlement money for programs” (Letters from our Readers, Dec. 26,

    Laurie Kanzleiter Sison|Jan 2, 2013

    I would like to ask both Ms. Joseph and our council who they think these people are? If there are sufficient numbers to counter the petition with over 2,600 signatures on it, many of us who signed would like to see who these people are. More people signed the petition to release funds than voted in the last election, yet council has stated they feel that their “supporters” will vote no and the settlement would be used by council for their “plan” anyway. I want to say that if they are so sure of that, why is our chairman sitting on the petitio...

  • Re: “Many tribal members approve of keeping settlement money for programs” (Letters from our Readers Dec. 26, 2012)

    Tanya Tomeo|Jan 2, 2013

    I completely disagree with my cousin, Yvette Joseph’s evaluation concerning the state of the Colville tribe. She has been away too long chasing her dreams in Washington D.C. and does not see how useless our CBC have become. There was a time when our leaders were honorable and trustworthy. Those days have gone away. We now have 14 tribal council who do not care at all about their tribal membership. They do not answer phone calls, texts, e-mails. The CBC have God Complexes and ignore the tribal people. We wish to be acknowledged! The tribal m...

  • Tribal record doesn’t earn confidence

    RC Covington|Jan 2, 2013

    Houseboats at Keller Ferry and abandoned mills near Omak serve as grim reminders of Colville tribal council’s record of inept spending and intuitive planning. I am not optimistic that council’s approach will maximize use of settlement monies, not during my lifetime, despite observations and opinions of Yvette Joseph et. al. Tribal supported programs have served to justify use of contracted and tribal funds but lasting outcomes are questionable. In fact, a lot of intuitive planning eliminates outcome focus and stresses process. Program sta...

  • Coulee Recollections

    Jan 2, 2013

    Ten Years Ago A painting depicting American military history hangs in the Veterans of Foreign Wars center mainly due to hours of volunteer labor from two local women and a local veteran. Columbia Art Association members Darlene Morova and Edith Lael spent about 150 hours over the last year painting a mural depicting American military involvement in World War I and II, the Korean and Vietnam Wars, Desert Storm and the present day military. Airplane models fill the home of an Electric City man, who restarted his childhood hobby several years ago...

  • George H. “Swede” Walberg

    Jan 2, 2013

    It wasn’t hitting four beach-heads in WWII, alcohol, Copenhagen or cancer that brought Swede down, but the old age of 95. Four months shy of his next birthday, George H. Walberg went home Christmas Eve, 2012. Born April 18, 1917, to Esther and Henry Walberg in Mullen, Idaho, he was raised and schooled in Spokane, Wash., by Aunt Ebba and Stone Henry. Entered the Army and served in WWII. When he was discharged he began working for Walt Disney Studios as an artist, then moved to Coulee Dam, W...

  • Meetings and Notices

    Jan 2, 2013

    Chamber to Meet at Noon at Pepper Jack’s The Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce will meet Thursday, Jan. 3, at noon at Pepper Jack’s Bar & Grille. Eagles #2577 Meetings The Eagles #2577 Aerie meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month. The next meeting is Jan. 8, at 7 p.m. The Auxiliary meets the first and third Tuesday of every month. Next meeting is scheduled for Jan. 15. Free Pinochle at the Seniors Free pinochle is offered at the Grand Coulee Senior Center Monday, Wednesday and Friday beginning at 1 p.m. Library has Friday...

  • Irene DuCette

    Jan 2, 2013

    Irene DuCette, of Wenatchee, Wash., went to be with her Lord Friday, Dec. 21, 2012. She was born in Colville, Wash., February 23, 1923, and attended Colville High School before moving to Seattle, where she met and married William (Russ) DuCette, on January 20, 1942. They moved to Coulee Dam in 1948. She lived there until 2009 when she moved to Wenatchee. She is survived by seven children: Cynthia Best, Roberta Brown, Patricia Mahlum, Gordon DuCette, Donald DuCette, Janice Hendricks and Marian DuCette; 28 grandchildren and 45...

  • It’s a wrap!

    Jan 2, 2013

    Helping wrap gifts on one or more of the days for Trees of Sharing, were from left - Cheryl Anderson, Arlyce Goetz, Carol Whitham, Denise Anderson, Susan Miller and Jean Sanford. — Submitted photo...

  • Downs have a boy

    Jan 2, 2013

    Downs have a boy Heather and Eli Downs of Grand Coulee are proud to announce the birth of their son Henry Stewart Downs, born Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, at Coulee Medical Center in Grand Coulee. He weighed 6 lbs., 9 oz., and was 20 inches in length at birth. Siblings include Jimmy, Rosie and Livvy....

  • A boy for the Cates

    Jan 2, 2013

    Josh and Jarae Cate of Nespelem are proud to announce the birth of their son Brody Terryn Cate, born Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, at Coulee Medical Centerin Grand Coulee. He weighed 7 lbs., 10 oz., and was 20.5 inches in length at birth. Maternal grandparents are John Gallaher and Jacqueline Miller. Paternal grandparents are Hank Cate and Brenda Cate. Great-grandparents include Leroy and Bernice Cate and Jim and Beverly Gallaher....

  • Quills have a girl

    Jan 2, 2013

    Karri and Brian Quill of Coulee Dam are pleased to announce the birth of their daughter Kailey Mae Quill, Friday, Dec. 14, 2012, at Coulee Medical Center in Grand Coulee. She weighed 8 lbs., 5 oz., and was 20 inches in length at birth. Maternal grandparents are Dan and Roxanne Siegert of Davenport. Paternal grandparents are Patrick Quill of Coulee Dam and Linda Bonwell of Wenatchee....

  • A girl for Smith/ St. Peter

    Jan 2, 2013

    Shaylin Smith and Donny St. Peter of Nespelem are proud to announce the birth of their daughter Sha’Kotah Kyler St. Peter-Smith on Friday, Dec. 21, 2012, at Coulee Medical Center in Grand Coulee. She weighed 8 lbs., 1 oz., and was 18-1/2 inches in length at birth. Maternal grandmother is Connie Watt. Paternal grsndmother is Emily Friedlander. Great-grandparents are Thomas Watt and Lena Wynecoop....

  • Coulee cops

    Jan 2, 2013

    Grand Coulee 12/20 - Dispatch advised police that there was a trespass in progress at a Park Avenue house in Electric City. After interviewing the parties, police determined that the problem was a civil matter. - A man told police that he was visiting at a Yakima Street residence when his 1994 Toyota went missing. He said he had just filled the tank up, planning a return trip to Tulalip the next morning. 12/21 - USBR Plant Protection called police to advise that there was a large rock in the roadway on SR-174. An officer found a basketball...

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