News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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Bob, Washington? That could be the new name of a consolidated Grand Coulee and Electric City, chamber representative Bob Valen laughingly told Grand Coulee’s council last Tuesday night. He and Kevin Portch appeared before the council to make a pitch for consolidation discussions. The chamber had earlier appeared before the Electric City council. This time, the issue got some action, with the council agreeing to prepare a letter of support. It’s a first step. Valen had proposed that the chamber hold a community meeting for residents of the two... Full story
There couldn't be more concrete evidence of the Pacific Northwest's support of the Seattle Seahawks for their bid to repeat last year's Superbowl victory tomorrow, than a big 12 emblazened on the great Grand Coulee Dam. Friday night, as workers doing maintenance work on the largest nightly laser light show in the country tuned the lasers at Grand Coulee Dam 90 miles east of Spokane, Wash., they made a 300-foot tall blue and green "12" light up the spillway on the face of the dam, presumably to... Full story
She was selected, by a vote of local citizens to be awarded the "volunteer" for 2014. Rice was among a list of nine that had been nominated for the honor, and received almost a third of the total 182 votes. Others nominated include Karen Depew, Emily Robinson, Earl Cole, Donna White, Fern Blaylock, Donna Shear, Bubba Egbert and Zekkethal "Val" Vargas-Thomas. As this was being written, you could have found her at the Grand Coulee Dam Senior Center training to help people prepare their income... Full story
The Electric City Planning Commission will submit a number of changes to the city council as a result of its public hearing held at the fire hall last Thursday night. Major among the changes is the doubling of the size allowable for accessory buildings, a hot topic for nearly two years at both the planning commission and city council meetings. About 30 local residents turned out to hear planner Kurt Danison, of Highlands Associates of Okanogan, walk through the changes that the planning commission will propose to the city council. The planning... Full story
School district patrons received their official mail-in levy ballots this week and will need to return them by Feb. 10, in order for them to be counted. At issue is a four-year replacement levy that would provide $1.13 million each year, 2016-2019, for maintenance and operation costs for schools and programs. The levy provides additional funding for underfunded school programs, and is in fact a reduction in the rate at which taxes are levied on property owners currently. A successful vote also... Full story
The Grand Coulee Dam School District is loaning itself the money to truly own Center Elementary School and the surrounding property. The board voted last Wednesday to move $155,000 from the district’s general fund to its capital fund to purchase the property. Then later in the meeting the board authorized the superintendent to sign the necessary documents. The district will actually purchase a “reverter clause” in the existing title, and when this is completed will be the owner of the Center School building and surrounding property. The distric... Full story
Town seeking EMT trainees The town of Coulee Dam is redeveloping and growing its ambulance and emergency medical technician program and looking for professional and responsible volunteer staff. “We need about three to five (or more) EMTs ready for training certification,” Mayor Greg Wilder said. “If you are interested, send us a request.” He said the EMT and First Responders examination “may just be your ticket to a Washington (national) certification. We will provide the training, wages/benefits,” with conditions, he said. “With your service,... Full story
It looks like a new gym, at least on the outside. A large part of the new siding has been completed on the old Lake Roosevelt High School gym and, according to school officials, the new metal roof will soon follow. Walker Construction, the general contractor, has indicated that the new metal roofing will be arriving from Montana in about a week. Superintendent Dennis Carlson told the school board Monday night that the interior of the gym has been cleared of any trace of asbestos and games are... Full story
by Roger S. Lucas An Electric City man was arrested last Thursday on charges of possession of a stolen vehicle and trafficking stolen property. Anthony Kelly, 31, was taken to Grant County Jail after he was apprehended during a routine traffic stop. Police pulled over a pickup truck because of a broken tail light and found Kelly, a passenger in the vehicle. The police had been looking for Kelly in relation to a vehicle reported stolen by the Colville Tribal Police, Nov. 12. Police were contacted by a woman who said that they might want to look... Full story
Local school district patrons this year have been given a huge, remarkable gift the benefits of which we are still discovering. And we will still have the privilege of maintaining it for a long time to come. Renewing the tax levy that helps do that is a must. Seeking a lower rate than the last four-year levy, school district leaders demonstrate admirable restraint and sensitivity to taxpayers. The slight increase in the total amount the district will take in comes from increased value across the district. Some property owners will likely pay... Full story
School districts in the state of Washington continue to rely on a partnership for funding between state and local resources. Local communities through a levy provide essential resources to augment the basic state school support. Our community has responsibly renewed the local commitment to assure that Grand Coulee Dam Schools are able to depend on stable local funding to enhance the basic state support. Our school board has established a pattern of submitting four-year levies with strong community support. The benefit to the community is... Full story
The reason I accepted the position of chair for the Levy Committee is because I feel that supporting strong schools means … Our kids benefit directly because: • The money stays in the community. • This levy is replacing the existing one, and there isn’t a hike in our rate — it is actually lower. • The state will give our school district over $535,000 when we pass this levy. Our school was completely paid for with state monies. This is our opportunity to maintain and keep it operational so our kids can have a safe, healthy and encouraging... Full story
In the past weeks, we have had a few city council meetings and committee meetings at the local cities. As usual, sometimes things are said that have been taken wrong. Remember, most of these people on the local city councils, city committee are working as a volunteer, and if they are getting paid it is way below minimum wage. The important word is VOLUNTEER. These dedicated people are people that are dedicated and have a love for their communities. At a couple of the meetings in the past weeks, citizens who have only been to two or three... Full story
Please provide your readers a follow up on charges brought against the alleged car thief. Please include in the update, what, if any, disciplinary action has been brought against the police officers that participated in the high-speed chase. The high-speed chase endangered innocent citizens of the community. I believe your readers will be interested in the rest of the story. Art Harding... Full story
Anyone who knows anything at all about our history in the Coulee area knows that volunteerism is what made the heart start beating and thriving in this area. Sure, the great Grand Coulee Dam brought thousands into the area but if not for the local volunteer the towns would never have grown. Business men and farmers and workers on their days off put in time building schools, moving businesses, graveling roads and helping others homestead. It was a time where if you saw someone or somebody that needed help, you jumped right in. That sense of... Full story
1 years ago Yvonne Kilsmoola-Quilachin St. Pierre is the first born baby at Coulee Community Hospital for 2005, the daughter of Yalonda and John St. Pierre of Elmer City. Marvin and Marilyn Farver of Nespelem celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Jan. 23. The sale of the Banks Lake Golf Course is on the agenda at the Grant County Port District 7 special meeting this month. Port Chairman Dennis Wiese said commissioners will discuss selling the business and/or the land, and whether the golf course lease with the port is transferable. CCH... Full story
Phyllis Aldean (Metz) Billups, 90, of Omak, Wash., passed away on Monday, Jan. 19, 2015. Phyllis was born on September 12, 1924, to Orvil and Muriel Metz in Hardesty, Alberta, Canada and was the oldest of five siblings, including Raymond Metz, Duane Metz, Virginia (Metz) Montague and Sharon (Metz) Powell-Phyllis. She attended grade school in Hardesty and often rode her beloved horse to school with brother, Raymond. The family moved from Hardesty to Oroville, Wash., where her family owned and... Full story
Sherrie Rene Reyes–Palmanteer, 56, left us during the evening hours of Sunday, Jan. 18, 2015, from her hospital bed at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, surrounded by her loving family to bid her farewell. Born March 22, 1958, in Portland, Ore., into the loving home of Francis and Bonnie Overberg-Reyes, Sherrie graduated with the Bicentennial Class of 1976 from Lake Roosevelt High in Coulee Dam, Wash. Sherrie learned at the side of her mother Bonnie – "The Best Cook Ever" and... Full story
Cheryl Ann Garvin, 60, passed quietly away at her home on Monday, Jan. 19, 2015. Cheryl was the mother of two sons: Eric and Shawn; grandmother to six children: Eric, Tyler, Brandon, Scotty, Chance, and Sean (Sissy); and mother-in-law to two daughters, Alicia and Kasey Garvin. Cheryl moved to the Grand Coulee area in 1974 with her parents, Tom and JoAnn Garvin. She worked at various places, including; Vordahl's, the liquor store, 1-hour photo, David Comrie Licensing, Tri-County Licensing, and th... Full story
Ethel Y. “Vonnie” George, 71, died Sun., Jan. 25, 2015, at her Elmer City, Wash. home. A visitation will be held Friday, Jan. 30, at Strate Funeral Home in Grand Coulee, Wash., from 4-7 p.m. Funeral Services will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 31, 2015, at Grand Coulee Methodist Church in Grand Coulee. Strate Funeral Home of Grand Coulee is honored to be serving Vonnie’s Family.... Full story
Freida Leona Slattery passed away on Monday, Jan. 19, 2015, in Gig Harbor, Wash. She was born July 16, 1923, in Thermopolis, Wyo., to Hazel and Clarence Cowan. Freida’s father passed away when she was very young. She lived her first 18 years in Thermopolis and graduated from high school there. Upon graduation, her mother Hazel and grandmother Sadie moved to Spokane, Wash., where Freida graduated from Holy Names College with a teaching degree in elementary education. She was introduced to Clark (the love of her life) by her good friends Joan a... Full story
Income tax time is nearly here and free tax preparation will be offered again at the Grand Coulee Dam Senior Center. Volunteers trained in cooperation with the Internal Revenue Service and AARP will be available every Tuesday from Feb. 10 to April 7, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The service is available to anyone with low or middle income. You do not need to be seniors or members of the senior center to take advantage of the free help, says volunteer Hazel Johnson, although special attention is... Full story
Chamber at Pepper Jack’s The Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce will meet at noon this Thursday, Jan. 29, at Pepper Jack’s Bar & Grille in Grand Coulee. On the agenda Launi Ritter of Heaven Scent Computer Services will be giving a presentation on internet scams.... Full story
Financial Literacy is an important skill, but is not usually "fun" to learn about. Not so for 193 Lake Roosevelt High School students who took part in a "Spending Frenzy" last week, learning about money management and having fun while doing it. Spending Frenzy is an interactive, life-sized version of the board game called "Life." Students were given a check, which they took to the bank and cashed in for a return of $40,000 in play money. They were then given certain tasks to complete. By the... Full story
This brass plaque was recently placed in a concrete stand in front of the Lake Roosevelt High School entrance. The plaque provides an historical record of the school's opening date, September, 2014; the board of directors, Joette Berry, Susan Chaffee, Carla Marconi, Ted Piccolo, and Ken Stanger; the superintendent, Dr. Dennis Carlson; the architects, Design West; and general contractor, Walker Construction. - Roger S. Lucas photo... Full story
