News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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A majority of hospital district commissioners voted Thursday to immediately hire new legal counsel, then went into closed session with the new attorney. Commissioner Jerry Kennedy said the board’s reasons for changing attorneys had been compounded the week before when the hospital administration mailed a notice of a privacy breach, reportedly to thousands, saying a doctor had violated federal patient privacy rules. “One of the hopes that I had was that … having legal counsel involved in that would help minimize reputational damage to the insti...
Jerry Birdwell is the area's "Volunteer of the Year" for 2013. He was so honored by a vote of the people over three other candidates. Birdwell, 58, of Grand Coulee, could also claim the honors as "Mr. Fixit" of the area, because you can always find him where there's some kind of a problem. Birdwell edged out Fern Blaylock 59 votes to 55. Also nominated were Jan Erickson, who picked up 11 votes, and Heather Downs, who had 20 votes. Those who know him say Jerry can fix anything, but since...
When the mayor’s away… Bob Poch was elected mayor pro-tem at Coulee Dam’s council meeting last Wednesday night. Poch will conduct meetings when Mayor Greg Wilder is unable to attend a meeting. Poch will serve for six months, at which time the council will name a council member mayor pro-tem for another six month term. A chance to serve Think you would like to serve on the city council? Here’s your chance if you live in Grand Coulee. The city is looking for a registered voter who has been a resident of the city for a year to submit a letter...
One of the doctors who felt his reputation was unneccessarily harmed by a notice sent to his patients and placed in the newspaper, last week explained the work he had been up to. In an interview, Dr. Andrew Castrodale said the “HIPAA” notice, made under the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, implied the work had been about figuring out bonus pay, but was actually meant to devise a reliable tool for measuring and reporting the efficiency and productivity of health care providers at Coulee Medical Center. Although it did...
Mayor Greg Wilder marked his turf so there would be no misunderstanding with members of the council, at the town council meeting last Wednesday. Wilder proposed, and the council unanimously confirmed, a number of resolutions during the course of the evening. The new mayor even wrote up motions for council members to make to approve the resolutions. Wilder skillfully wove his way through what could have been a minefield of resistance. The town’s attorney, Mick Howe, was present, but not needed, as Wilder drew from chapter and verse of state l...
Nearly half a century after hundreds of American Indians were arrested during the "Fish Wars" in the Northwest, a proposed state bill would give those who were convicted a chance to clear their records. Along with arrests, American Indians were repeatedly harassed and beaten while trying to exercise their treaty rights to fish, according to Hank Adams, a Sioux-Assiniboine tribal advocate. "Fish-ins"--illegal encampments modeled after the sit-ins of the civil rights movement--were set up by...
Stefani Bowden has been hired as Coulee Dam’s new town clerk/treasurer. Mayor Greg Wilder said that Bowden will begin her new duties, Friday, Jan. 17. Bowden has been assistant city clerk in Wilbur for the past nine years, is a high school graduate of Wilbur and attended both Spokane Falls Community College and Central Washington University. She will lead a team of two others in the town offices. Also hired, as utility clerk, a full time position, is Michelle Bredstrand, who served as manager of Bank of America’s local branch for a number of...
Coulee Dam’s new mayor, Greg Wilder, reduced council committees from seven to four at last Wednesday night’s meeting. The new committees, and council members on them are: - Budget & finance - mayor, town clerk, Ken Miles (chairman), Gayle Swagerty and Bob Poch (alternate). - General government - Swagerty (chairperson), Duane Johnson and Ben Alling (alternate). - Public works & utilities - Poch (chairman), Johnson and Miles (alternate). - Public safety - Johnson (chairman), Alling, and Poch (alternate). The three other committees from pre...
by Scott Hunter A draft budget for the Coulee Area Park and Recreation District could be slashed in half, or not, depending on what other agencies do. The $57,005 bottom line for the agency with no direct revenue of its own would have to be altered substantially if levels of support from local cities stay low, or if Grant County commissioners don’t approve a grant request for work the district would like to accomplish this year. Chairman Phil Hansen’s simple budget includes a donation of $9,000 from Grand Coulee and Coulee Dam, but neither has...
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will seek to purchase some 2,100 acres in northeast Douglas County as part of a plan for long-term protection of sharp-tailed grouse, deer hunting and for watchful wildlife experiences. The 2,100-acre purchase is part of a greater plan that could eventually cover 20,500 acres of shrub steppe habitat. The WDFW stated that it will not use traditional budget funding, but will seek grants to make the purchase. The land in question is known as the Grand...
On Monday January 6th, 2014, I received a letter in the mail addressed to me on a personal note, DEAR BECKY L, signed J. Scott Graham, Chief Executive Officer of Coulee Medical Center. I was kind of taken back by the unprofessional greeting, and got more disturbed as I read this troubling letter. I took the letter personally, and that it was written strictly out of spite, and an attempt to demoralize the honesty of our physicians. I trust Dr. Castrodale explicitly, because he has literally saved my life, with his knowledge, his abilities, and...
My husband and I are patients at CMC and we find the smear campaign disgusting and UNETHICAL. The doctors are very knowledgeable and patient-friendly, not like the big places that herd you through like a piece of cattle. They are the only asset CMC has going for them. Drive them out and you might as well close the hospital and clinic. Mr. Graham should look in his mirror and RESIGN. We fully trust our doctor. Unethical – never – he keeps us well and on our feet. So his wife helped. SO WHAT! Most wives help their husbands. What use would our...
As a child growing up in the Silver Valley (North Idaho) I witnessed union strikes against mining companies. In fact, the first strike in the Valley was over the right to a decent burial. Mostly the union men struck for decent working conditions, but the company officials always tried to make it look like the men only wanted more money. (Of course, they also controlled the local newspaper, so you can imagine what slant they put on things.) I know of many dirty tactics the company officials used and tried to use to break the solidarity of the...
Having recently moved from the Grand Coulee Dam Area, I thought that it was a community to have been proud of for many reasons. However, the recent actions of the new mayor of Coulee Dam and the head administrator for Coulee Community Hospital make me feel like I just got out in time. Mayor Wilder’s grandstand play on the computer issue and Graham’s thinly veiled attack on Dr. Castrodale make it clear to me that neither belongs in the position he holds. Frankly, hurt feelings that can’t be put aside on the part of both men tell me that their...
I wish to sincerely thank my family and friends for the overwhelming support I have received. A famous poet wrote: and if paraphrased – Which gave us the maxim that it is the rare person who supports a struggling, wounded man in his time of direct need. More importantly, thank you for the concern shown for my children and parents after their unfortunate crash. It will be a long road of recovery for them as well. I have been shown, the coulee area has an abundance of such rare and noble people and the effect your support has had on me during t...
One person owns all three service stations in Grand Coulee Area; I wonder if he knows how much business he is losing from local people. Everyone I talk to only purchases enough fuel to get the 20 miles to another service station that fuel is anywhere from 10 to 30 cents per gallon cheaper. I filled up in Coulee City today (1/8/2014) where diesel was $3.95 per gallon; here in Grand Coulee it was $4.27 per gallon. That is 32 cents per gallon. Regular gas in Coulee City was $3.17, Grand Coulee was $3.47. I find it hard to believe it cost 30 cents...
Advice from hunting divas Haley Neddo and Olivia Ludwig As you may know, my success rate for harvesting anything this last hunting season was poor. Honestly, it was less than poor because I did have opportunities but failed to execute. So I searched high and low for local experts in the field of hunting, to give me tips and advice for next season. The rumor was they killed everything this year from lady bugs to Sasquatch, but as I sat down with Olivia and Haley and asked for advice for not only...
Ten Years Ago The Grand Columbian Triathlon is being organized by Jonathan Hopkins. He recently met with the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce to go over the event details and description. Organizers foresee over 500 athletes participating. Lake Roosevelt Boys’ Basketball began Caribou League play last week with a 62-32 win at Tonasket and a 52-41 home loss to state-ranked Brewster. Coach Brad Wilson said the player of the game for Tonasket was Nick Barnaby who only turned the ball over one time, very impressive for a point guard at t...
Rebekah Darlene "Becky" Langstaff, 56, of Grand Coulee, Washington, passed away at Spokane, Washington's Sacred Heart Medical Center during the early morning of Monday, Dec. 30, 2013, following a courageous battle with Krohn's Disease. Born December 14, 1957, in Albany, Ore. Becky studied Medical Records in college, eventually becoming a Medical Records Manager in Corvallis, Ore. A devout member of the Jehovah's Witness Church, Becky, an avid reader, was well known at the Grand Coulee Public...
Golfers and interested parties will have another opportunity to have input for a golf grant application the port district is working on for the Banks Lake Golf Course. The meeting is at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, at the golf course’s meeting room. Frank Andrews, Jr., who works for the Colville Tribes as a grant writer, is spearheading the Thursday meeting and will write the grant. “I need those who are knowledgeable to provide information on the various aspects of the grant application,” Andrews stated. Andrews said Kyle Guglas, who is with...
Felix and Elizabeth "Liz" Marcolin celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary with a 10-day trip to Germany in December with their daughters Kathy and Kerin, Kerin's husband Steffen, and their three children. Much of their visit centered around the home of Steffen's parents, Horst and Anneliese Ludwig, in Saint Julian, Rheinland-Pfalz. Open-air Christmas markets, cathedrals, and castles were highlights of the trip. Future anniversary plans include a celebration with their entire family in July...
The annual Nespelem All Indian Basketball Tournament is set for February 14-16. This is for Men 18-34, Women 18 and up and Men 35 and Over and 50 and Over. Games will be held on Feb. 14 at the Nespelem Community Center and Nespelem Grade School with games beginning at 5 p.m. On Feb. 15, games will be held at Grand Coulee Middle School, Lake Roosevelt High School and the Nespeolem Community Center with 8 a.m. tip-offs and on Feb.l, 16 games will begin at 8 a.m. at the GCD Middle School, Lake Roosevelt High School and the Nespelem Community...
Chamber to Meet at Pepper Jack’s The Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce will be meeting this Thursday, Jan. 16, at noon at Pepper Jack’s Bar & Grille in Grand Coulee. George Kohout will be speaking about the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Okanogan County Democrats to Meet The Okanogan County Democrats January monthly meeting will be held at noon Saturday, Jan. 18, at the Breadline Café in Omak. Eagles #2577 Meetings The Auxiliary will not be meeting the month of January. The next scheduled meeting is set for Feb. 4 at 6 p.m. The Auxiliar...
Adult Basic Skills/GED classes to help adult learners increase college and career readiness skills as well as prepare to take the newly-launched computer-based 2014 GED exams are offered locally through Big Bend Community College. Winter quarter classes are held Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 3:30 to 6 p.m. at the Grand Coulee Dam Middle School. Instruction includes opportunities to improve language arts, math, science, social studies, and computer skills that conform to the new GED testing requirements. Call Linda Black at 633-3611 or...
The following students have made the honor roll for first quarter at Nespelem School. A Honor Roll 3.5 – 4.0 1st Grade Siriana, Simonsen, Jhaylon Tonasket,Lola Yazie 2nd Grade Janie Epperson, mMixat Vargas-Thomas 4th Grade Michelle Luevano 3.6 5th Grade Isaiah Adolph 3.6; Edward Frak 3.8; Moses Luevano 4.0 6th Grade Kyle Edmo 3.6; LorRinda Richardson 3.9 7th Grade Chelsea Timentwa 3.6 B Honor Roll 3.0 – 3.49 1st Grade Zyven Boyd, Aiden Meckler 2nd Grade Virgil Bearcub, Peyton Jake 3rd Grade Nazaire Brisbois, Enid Bearcub, Reese Circle, Bra...