News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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Kaylee Landeros, 7, a second-grader at Center Elementary, and resident of Coulee Dam, brought in the first notable buttercup over the weekend. Kaylee found the buttercups behind the water tanks off Pearl Avenue in Electric City while on a hike. She is the daughter of Victor and Ashlee Landeros. — Roger S. Lucas photo... Full story
Port District commissioners will host a meeting of golfers and those interested in keeping Banks Lake Golf and Country Club open this Thursday, March 8, at 5 p.m. at Pepper Jack’s Bar & Grill in Grand Coulee. Speaking for the commissioners, Larry Maier stated that golfers who have prepaid memberships and golf cart storage are particularly invited. Maier said Port District attorney Chris Ries would be there to help answer questions. The community found out in late February that majority shareholders Russ and Ida Horn planned to turn the course b... Full story
The public is going to be able to take part in naming a new Keller Ferry that will replace the Martha S. next year. The state Department of Transportation is asking the public to submit names for the 116-foot ferry now under construction in Rainier, Ore. A DOT spokesperson stated that the name of the ferry should carry “statewide significance and represent our state’s image and culture.” Specifically, the DOT announcement stated the name should represent state adopted symbols, tribal names, name...
Local schools could see a boost in energy efficiency under a proposed project. Grand Coulee Dam School District Superintendent Dennis Carlson was instructed by the board at its late February meeting to work with McKinstry, an energy company, to pursue incentives and a grant to improve lighting and controls in its three schools. Jayson Schmidt and Mike James, from McKinstry, made presentations at the board meeting about a grant from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to bring energy savings to the district. The project could... Full story
Horse enthusiasts from far and near can saddle up “Old Paint” and join both youngsters and adults in the Ridge Riders riding clinic, March 31- April 3. It will be Janet Doughty’s 36th year as head organizer of the clinic, which attracts riders of all ages from all over central Washington and beyond. Doughty said she plans four categories: Intermediates (from 9 a.m. to 11); beginners (from 11 a.m. to noon); advanced riders (1-3 p.m.); and adults (3-5 p.m.). It becomes somewhat a family thing... Full story
Coulee Dam plans to submit an application for a 1.5-percent loan from the State Drinking Water Revolving Fund, which would enable the town to refinance a current U.S. Department of Agriculture loan on which it is paying 4.5 percent. Jeff Stevens of Gray & Osborne, the town’s engineering firm, advised town officials that the application was due March 1, and if Coulee Dam is successful in its request, it would save the town some $800,000 and cut 12 years off its present loan. The town currently pays nearly $80,000 a year now on the $1.35 m... Full story
The Colville Business Council of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation will seek opinions of tribal members 13 and older on the release of “Minor Trust Account” payments, CBC Chairman Michael O. Finley said. “The Council will issue a survey to our membership, asking for their help in addressing the issue of lump-sum trust account payments to our young people when they reach 18,” Finley said in a press release. “The lump-sum payments to 18-year-olds have been a cause for concern among some of our CBC. We are considering ways we m... Full story
It could be the largest concrete pour since the Third Powerhouse project in the 1970s. An official from Wilson Construction, Gerald Turner, said that pours in late spring on the six towers in the Bonneville Power Administration powerline replacement project will require continuous pours on each footing under the new 300- 350-foot towers. Turner said each leg of each tower will require a hole eight feet across and from 46 to 50 feet deep, filled with steel and concrete to support the tower. Once the pour is started on a hole, the pour will be... Full story
Electric City accepted a contract with its engineering firm for design of a new plant to treat drinking water for arsenic. City council members OK’d the contract with Gray & Osborne last Tuesday night for $176,119. Another $34,352 was approved by council for specialty services associated with G&O. Mayor Jerry Sands advised the council that officials from Clearwater Construction, the successful bidder on the project, will be in town March 8, to review details of the job. Clearwater submitted the lowest bid of 14 companies hoping for the p... Full story
A local man said Monday that he was “almost” the victim of a scam. Everett Leishman had advertised a snow blower on craigslist, an online classified ad service, for $200, and got a suspicious response. The interested party sent two postal money orders for $950.25 each to Leishman with the instruction to cash both, keep his $200 for payment of the snow blower, and send the remaining funds ($1700.50) to a Missouri address. “Everything seemed strange to me,” Leishman stated. Leishman ended up turning over all the postal money order forms and ema... Full story
Thrivent Financial, working through the Zion Lutheran Church, gave over $9,000 to local charities in 2011, church officials reported. The Care & Share Food Bank received a cash donation of $3,120 last December in addition to food items. The senior Meals on Wheels was also the recipient of a check, this one for $2,512. Partnering with Second Harvest Mobile Food Bank program, enough fresh produce, bread, beverages and beef (nearly 3.5 tons) was brought in to help feed 148 households. Thrivent also presented Second Harvest with a check for... Full story
Grand Coulee Fire Chief Rick Paris got the go-ahead from the city council to fix three projects he brought up before council members. He explained to council that the second bay in the city’s fire station had developed what he feared was a “sink hole” in the floor where the city’s new fire engine is situated. He said the floor had sagged about eight inches. Paris estimated it could take $10,000 to get the floor fixed. Paris said last Wednesday that workers would have to remove the 14- by 32-foot slab the fire engine is parked on, take care of... Full story
For the last quarter century or so, Reg Morgan has managed to turn out a column in The Star just about every week. That’s a lot of “musings” to scratch out into a collection of observations that folks want to read as part of their weekly routine. Morgan’s Musings has morphed over the years from a column primarily about hunting and fishing in the region to just about anything that fired up the neurons of its author, from flag protocol to federal finances to the ambulations of his cat. This week, Reg decided to give the keyboard a rest, more or... Full story
Given the recent decisions of the Coulee Dam Town Council, I must admit that I’m feeling empowered! That I could almost single handedly force the Town of Coulee Dam to create a new position to deal with their legal and ethical responsibility is, well, entertaining if not downright laughable. The mayor, some of the Town Council, and the Town Clerk would like you to believe that my involvement, my probing, my research, is the cause of their own inability to get their day-to-day work done. Of course it is not! The Public Records Act in W... Full story
Voters overwhelmingly supported their local schools and voted for $2.6 billion in taxes to support education. You may have read reports about levies in a particular district or county, but there was precious little attention paid to what happened all across the state. What happened was that voters overwhelmingly supported their local schools and voted for $2.6 billion in taxes to support education. Out of 295 school districts, 157 went to their local communities seeking support to the tune of over $2.7 billion dollars in property taxes. Out of... Full story
Ten Years Ago Two Coulee Dam residents have worked hard for the last nine years to convert what was the Ponderosa Motel into the technologically state-of-the art Columbia River Inn. Three weeks ago, Ron and Diane LeMay took a large technological leap forward with the installation of fiber optics in every room and even in the laundry room. Last Saturday could mark the final time an annual children’s theater will come to the Grand Coulee Dam area. The cost of offering the Missoula Children’s Theater locally started at a manageable level. Co-... Full story
Velma Mae French 84, passed away at home surrounded by her loving family on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012, following an extended valiant fight against cancer. She was born July 12, 1927, in Sturgis, S.D., to Roy and Blanche Ness. Velma married Marshall (Marty) French Oct 19, 1947, in the Presbyterian Church in Sturgis. They later moved to Washington state with their expanding family and finally settled in Electric City. Velma was active in Eagles and the American Legion Auxiliary. She enjoyed... Full story
Larry Neal French, 62, passed away at his home Aug 19, 2011, in the presence of his family. He was born January 28, 1949, to Marty and Velma French in Sturgis, S.D. Larry married Nancy Epperson in Grand Coulee, Wash., in 1972 and moved to Port Orchard, Wash., in 1979 with two of their to-be three children. It was there he started his new career working mostly as a Nuclear Certified Rigger. Larry retired from the Bremerton Naval Shipyard after 28 years of service in Oct. 2007. After retiring, he... Full story
Services for David Doppler will be held Saturday, March 10, 2012, at 11 a.m. at St. Dunstan’s Church in Grand Coulee. Doppler, the son of Alice Doppler, passed away Dec. 23, 2011.... Full story
Ernest “Ernie” Sprugel, 89, passed away Tuesday, March 6, 2012, in Spokane. Services are pending and a complete obituary will appear in next week’s Star.... Full story
Chamber to Meet The Chamber of Commerce will meet at noon on Thursday, March 8, at Pepper Jack’s Bar and Grille. Free Tax Help Income tax time is here!! Free tax preparation is once again being offiered at the senior center in Grand Coulee every Tuesday now through April 10 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Volunteers trained in cooperation with the IRS will offer free help to taxpayers with low to middle incomes in preparing their federal income taxes. Special attention is given to those 60 and older. Free e-filing is also available. Taxpayers s... Full story
WED., MARCH 7 - DINNER Pork Roast, Rice Pilaf, Buttered Carrots, Cinnamon Applesauce, Watergate Dessert. THURS., MARCH 8 - DINNER Mexi-Chicken Casserole, Green Salad, Corn, Chips, Salsa, Fruited Jello with Whipped Cream. (Grocery Shopping & Errands With Sara). FRI., MARCH 9 - BREAKFAST Biscuit and Sausage Gravy, Eggs, Peaches, Orange Juice. (Senior Center General Meeting, 10 a.m.) MON., MARCH 12 - BREAKFAST Bacon and Eggs, Hashbrowns and Toast, Fruit Bowl, Orange Juice. TUES., MARCH 13 - DINNER Chicken Chow Mein, over a Bed of Noodles, Tempura... Full story
New speed limit signs on SR 155 change the speed limit earlier for drivers approaching Electric City from the south. This 50 mph sign will slow down motorists who will also find a 35 mph limit coming up earlier than it has been. — Scott Hunter photo... Full story
The Raiders dropped two state tournament games in Spokane last week to end a two-month winning streak and leave the tournament without a trophy for the fourth time in five years. In the opening game against Northwest Christian Thursday night, Keith Rosenbaum opened the scoring with a steal for a layin early and went on to score eight of the 12 Raider points in the first quarter. The Crusaders answered with 18 points and effectively shut down Ty Egbert as an offensive threat with a double team.... Full story
The Grand Coulee Dam School District has entered into an agreement to provide facilities and coaches for junior high and high school track and tennis with Almira-Coulee-Hartline schools. The board made the decision at its February meeting. The ACH schools made the inquiry because they don’t have track or tennis facilities. The agreement would allow parents of students turning out for those sports to transport them to this area, be coached by GCDSD coaches, and then be transported to meets where they would compete under their own school name. T... Full story
