News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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Sometimes dreams do come true. The Grand Coulee Dam School District’s plans for a new school appear to be a go. After long budgeting hassles in Olympia, the governor, the House and Senate finally agreed today, mostly, on a budget — one that includes enough money to build a new school for the Grand Coulee Dam community. Added to the $14 million already approved two years ago for the project, a $17 million line item in the supplemental capital budget appeared virtually assured of passage early thi... Full story
A determined egg hunter races down field at the Lions Club Easter Egg Hunt Saturday, where some 2,200 plastic eggs were snatched up in less than 10 minutes. For winners’ results see page 4. More photos at grandcoulee.com — Scott Hunter photo... Full story
Getting the city cleaned up was again a topic at Grand Coulee’s city council meeting April 3. Becky Billups, who lives on Burdin Boulevard, appeared for the second time to ask city officials what they were going to do about the mess in her neighborhood. Two weeks earlier she had told the council that it was getting to look like a “ghetto” on Burdin Boulevard. Billups argued last week that if she wanted to improve her property permits would be required and there would be a penalty if she didn’t pay for them. But, she said, “people can let their... Full story
Chief reviewing bids Grand Coulee Fire Chief Rick Paris told the city council last week that he had received three bids from firms on the city’s small works roster to pour the floor for the new steel building that houses the city’s ambulance. He said the bids range from $5,700 to $9,000, and that he was uncomfortable in the range of bids. Paris said he wanted to review the bids before making a decision on what firm to select. Market reopening OK’d Grand Coulee’s council OK’d a request by the chamber of commerce to repeat last year’s Sa... Full story
Recycling was again the main topic at the Regional Board of Mayors meeting on Monday. The mayors all paid lip service to the idea but by the end of the day nothing had changed. The recycling idea had come up at the mayors’ March meeting when Kimberly Christensen informed the mayors that she wanted to start a recycling program in the area. She had already developed her own recycling company called Ever-Green Recycling. Christensen said she wanted to get locations in each of the towns for recycling bins. She also suggested to the mayors that t... Full story
A proposal to spray mosquitoes from the air brought an exchange between Chairman Randy Gumm and new Commissioner Holly Allen at last Wednesday night’s Mosquito District 2 meeting in Electric City. Commissioners, in one of their last actions in November, had budgeted $100,000 for aerial spraying this year in the hopes of controlling the mosquito population and to prevent a serious outbreak again this summer. Gumm, who was elected chair of the group Wednesday, said possibly the only way to prevent another major outbreak of mosquitoes was to s...
World champion bull rider Shane Proctor, left, poses with Austin Gordon, 12, of Ellensburg, to whom Proctor awarded the the Stony Covington belt buckle, the top honor at Proctor’s annual bull riding clinic, which finished up its third year April 4. Gordon, a rodeo competitor for seven years, won after riding 11 head of stock in the two-day clinic. Next year, those will include bulls, said his dad. Proctor noted Gordon was the first non-bull rider to get the Covington buckle. “You just kept getting back on,” he told Gordon. — Scott Hunter... Full story
The keel was laid for the replacement Keller Ferry in special ceremonies March 28, in Rainier, Ore. Washington State Department of Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond took part in fixing the first weld to the keel. The vessel is scheduled for delivery in May of 2013. It then will go through final assembly in Grand Coulee and a number of tests before going into service. The vessel is expected to get its name soon. An online survey that took suggestions has been completed. All but three of the active ferries in the state of Washington carry... Full story
Work has started on Electric City’s arsenic water treatment plant. Here operators use heavy equipment to prepare the site for a large steel building that will house treatment equipment. The $1.3 million project, successfully bid by Clearwater Construction, is scheduled for completion in 120 days. The project, when finished, will bring Electric City’s water into compliance with federal water standards. — Roger S. Lucas photo... Full story
A request for nearly $17,000 for police software was put on hold by Grand Coulee’s city council last Tuesday night. The police department is seeking the funds to pay licensing fees for new software for patrol car laptop computers. The request was for 10 licenses at $1,675 each, prompting Councilmember David Tylor to ask if “police could write more tickets to pay for the licenses.” The new software will allow officers to gain information about vehicles and their owners or drivers before confronting a possible felon or someone wanted by autho... Full story
Oasis Lawn Care was awarded the contract to keep up North Dam Park and the softball fields, Coulee Area Parks and Recreation District Chairman Phil Hansen said last Thursday. Two bidders submitted proposals, Oasis and Mr. E’s. Hansen said the Oasis bid was under $22,500 and details of the bid were more complete. Hansen said the two bids were close. North Dam Park came under the park district’s control last year after Grand Coulee gave up maintenance and the Bureau of Reclamation, owners of the park land, stated that it didn’t have money budge... Full story
As the city of Grand Coulee gets pressured to enforce its cleanup laws, it might consider changing them, if necessary. If city officials are worried about the cost of litigation in forcing residents to clean up their own property, they should at least consider a legal route other towns have taken: put the ordinance in the criminal, rather than civil, code. Doing so no doubt comes with pros and cons on which the city’s attorney can offer advice, but the general thrust of the reasoning for it is that infractions are dealt with in a simpler m... Full story
The Ridge Riders would like to take this opportunity to thank the community for their generous support of our first annual “Kick Off the Rodeo Season in the Coulee” banquet. Thank you for your generosity in the silent and live auction donations. Thank you also for attending our event; we are looking forward to next year and having a larger venue. A special Thank You to Shane Proctor, the 2011 Champion Bull Rider, Lucky, Kathy and Cody Proctor, Bob Garrett our MC extraordinaire, Wayne Fowler, Cindy Edwards, Monty (the Traeger King res...
There’s been some improvements on Burdin Blvd., very few, if any, on A Street, but more needs to be done to not only these areas but so many more in Grand Coulee. Of course, with those improvements comes the silent treatment, the snickers and the disapproval by the neighbors with all the junk. I suppose that’s my punishment for wanting it cleaned up, but in the end it will be well worth it. And there’s even a bright spot in the silent treatments as it is bringing the rest of the neighbors closer to one another. I still expect the city to come...
What would former Mayor Ray Halsey have done? Reg Morgan...
According to national news reports, Mary Brown, the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit challenging the health reform law and owner of a small auto shop in Florida, has had to close her business and file for bankruptcy due to thousands of dollars in unpaid medical bills. My husband and I own a small auto shop too, at the other end of the country in Renton, Wash. Our business is alive and kicking – thanks to the Affordable Care Act. For as long as I can remember, fixing cars in my own small business has been my dream. My dad served 40 years in the m... Full story
The opportunities for young graduates from college are immense. I recently had one of my grandchildren sign up to be a teacher in South Korea. He graduated from college but could find no teaching jobs at the time except helping at the local schools in various jobs. He was not happy and while playing on the computer one day he found that teachers were needed in international areas to teach their children the English language. He applied and was accepted in South Korea. He loves the job and the area and has worked there for two years. He also... Full story
Ten Years Ago Many Grand Coulee Dam area kids spent spring vacation trying to learn how to swing golf clubs bigger than they are. The kids were swinging clubs last week as part of the second annual Banks Lake Youth Clinic at the Banks Lake Golf and Country Club. The opportunity to learn the rodeo sport of “breakaway roping” drew a small group of interested participants to the Ridge Riders Rodeo Grounds last week. Jennifer Casey, a traveling roping instructor, taught 22-23 students in three sessions April 1-3. Middle school student Wade Rob... Full story
Lyle Lee Allstot Jr., born December 8, 1981, slipped his earthly bonds on Monday, April 2, 2012, to go home to be with our Lord and Savior. Now at rest he has the peace, joy and love that he always sought. He is remembered for his genuine caring, compassion and sincere, sweet smile. He was our gentle giant. For those of us that truly loved him, he will be dearly and deeply missed. Lyle leaves behind his parents Lyle Allstot and Linda Wood; sisters: Jennifer and Jillian; girlfriend Kym; aunts,... Full story
Longtime resident of Electric City, Herbert W. “Herb” Horton passed away Friday, Apr. 6, 2012, at his home, with family members present. Herb was born October 13, 1924, in Adrian, Wash. He was the son of Elmer L. Horton and Florence (Humphrey) Horton. On June 13, 1940, he married Clara Harper (Drewer) and had been married for 72 years at the time of his passing. Herb enlisted in the Navy Feb 6, 1943, and served on board the carrier Manila Bay, fighting the Japanese in the South Pacific. At the... Full story
Memorial services for Marion Braun will be held at St. Henry's Catholic Church in Grand Coulee on Saturday, April 14, 2012, at 11 a.m. A luncheon will follow. Braun passed away January 9, 2012.... Full story
Marcella McCraigie, 84, passed away Tuesday, Apr. 3, 2012, in Grand Coulee, with her children by her side, following a courageous 11-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Born March 8, 1928, in the Pahsimeroi Valley community of May, Idaho, to Edward Chisholm and Nina Belle (Smith) O’Neal, Marcella grew up on the ranch her Grandfather O’Neal had settled in 1870. From earliest childhood, Marcella reveled in ranch life especially the horses, which she began riding at around the age of three years... Full story
The Lions Club treated children to their annual Easter egg hunt Saturday at Grand Coulee Dam Middle School, where the club had placed about 2,200 plastic eggs on Ludolph field. Those who found eggs with special prizes inside were rewarded with Easter baskets as well. They are listed below. The top winners are in the photo above. These are the winner for 2012: 1-3 Years 1st Place Lauren Vanzandt Electric City 2nd Place Jaci Clark Coulee Dam 3rd Place Dylan Gumm Grand Coulee 4-5 Years 1st Place Aaliyah Cheeney Grand Coulee 2nd Place Lulu Taylor... Full story
Joseph and Nicole Cleveland of Fort Carson, Colo., are proud to announce the birth of their daughter Addisyn Ashley Cleveland on Tuesday, March 13, 2012. She weighed 7 lbs., 13 oz., and was 20.5 inches in length at birth. Maternal grandparents are Bill and Linda Lindh of Elmer City. Paternal grandparent is Anthony Cleveland of Okanogan.... Full story
Charles Bond, of Coulee Dam, will leave for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Mission Training Center in Provo, Utah, April 18 to prepare for a two-year mission to Lisbon, Portugal. He is the son of Robert and Helen Bond.... Full story
