News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area

Articles from the June 8, 2016 edition


Sorted by date  Results 1 - 25 of 28

  • Youth Circus to highlight Kids Fest

    Roger S Lucas|Jun 8, 2016

    A highlight of this year’s 12th Annual Koulee Kids Fest will be two performances by the Wenatchee Youth Circus. And the performances are free! The popular youth circus will perform at both 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., at the Lake Roosevelt football field, Saturday, June 18. The Wenatchee group is sponsored by Coulee Dam Federal Credit Union as part of its 75th year anniversary celebration. There will be aerial arts, wire and fire acts, flying trapeze, acting, singing, clowning and other acts. Each summer the youth circus performs throughout the P...

  • Grads and roses

    Jun 8, 2016

    Seniors about to graduate take roses from a vase to give to family members during Lake Roosevelt High School's ceremony Saturday, just before joining them in the audience to watch a video to recall each of the 37 graduates. The class was honored for numerous academic and athletic achievements, including 2,863 hours of volunteer community service between 14 of them. As a group, the class garnered scholarship offers totaling $215,411. Pictured from left are Alexis Tanphantourath, Joshua Wilder,...

  • Grand Coulee to look at utility hike Rates not keeping up with expenses

    Roger S Lucas|Jun 8, 2016

    Grand Coulee residents could be looking at significant water and sewer rate increases soon. The city council, in its meeting June 21, will determine whether there will be incremental increases or if the city will make a significant increase. At the beginning of the meeting there will be a public hearing on rate adjustments. Councilmembers took a look at the problem at their May meeting when they learned that revenues from their water service were not sufficient to cover expenses. In 2015, water revenue was about $29,000 short of meeting...

  • Cities disagree over arsenic plant cost

    Roger S Lucas|Jun 8, 2016

    Electric City and Grand Coulee have agreed to disagree over the startup costs of the arsenic treatment plant. Grand Coulee argues that it has paid all but one month from Sept.1, 2014, when the two cities signed a new formal agreement about how charges are to be made. Electric City contends that Grand Coulee needs to pay its share of the maintenance and operation of the arsenic treatment plant from the time it started receiving treated water. The difference in time is about 18 months, and in money about $29,000. The two councils have turned the...

  • Piver chosen as vice principal

    Roger S Lucas|Jun 8, 2016

    Margo Piver, from the Walla Walla School District, will be the assistant principal at Lake Roosevelt Elementary School. The Grand Coulee Dam School District board decided May 23 to hire Piver, who has had extensive experience in special education, as well as in early childhood and behavior support, according to school district sources. She will take over her new duties for the 2016-17 school year. Piver replaces Nate Piturachsatit in that position. Piver earned her bachelor of science degree in...

  • Water park fun during the Fourth

    Jun 8, 2016

    A new feature for the Festival of America July 4 celebration will be a number of inflatable water slides. The Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce, sponsor of the event, stated this week that Jump N2 Fun, from Post Falls, Idaho, will bring a number of inflatable water slides for a two-day show, July 3 and 4. Michael Hunt, who provided some nine inflatables for the Colorama event, said last week that he was looking forward to returning to the coulee area. The event will be more than pumping...

  • Newsbriefs

    Jun 8, 2016

    Housing hope lists fill up The Housing Authority of Okanogan County will actually close its waiting lists for housing assistance programs on June 30 because it has a list that will last two years. The agency says it will cut off its waiting lists for Section 8 Housing, Tenant Base Rental Assistance and 5-Year Mainstream Voucher Program at 4 p.m. June 30. Applications will be taken until then, and those postmarked before that time will be accepted. “We have no idea how many years it will take for us to re-open the wait list again,” said the age...

  • Hydros on the lake, planes in the air

    Jun 8, 2016

    If you like to watch small and fast, you're in luck this weekend. Small plane pilots will flock to the local airport and organized hydroplane races will hit Osborne Bay on Banks Lake, both free for spectators. The Stateline Outboard Racing Association will hold races on Saturday and Sunday, June 11-12, on Osborne Bay at Sunbanks Lake Resort. Spectators are welcome to watch at the resort. If you enjoy small planes and like to watch them land, then Saturday is the day, and our local airport is...

  • Bull ride and wild horse race coming

    Roger S Lucas|Jun 8, 2016

    What happens when the area’s best bull riders face the area’s meanest bulls? You can find out, Friday, June 17, at the Ridge Rider Rodeo Grounds, when the Fifth Annual Memorial Cleatis Lacy Bull Riding event is held. Ridge Rider officials have posted some $2,500 added money for the bull riders, which is attracting interest in the Lacy event. Lacy, a “cowboy’s cowboy,” was a regular on the rodeo circuit, both participating and helping in the chutes. He died in 2011, at 89, living his last 65 years in Grand Coulee. Bulls for the event are being s...

  • Health district: Flu season over

    Roger S Lucas|Jun 8, 2016

    The 2015-16 influenza season is past, according the Grand County Health District, but people are cautioned to get their flu shots when they are available for the next flu season. Health Officer Dr. Alexander Brzezny said this week that reports of flu have settled down in numbers to the pre-epidemic level. During the influenza season, Grant County Health District received notification of 396 positive influenza lab reports. Brzezny stated that it isn’t uncommon for the flu season to last until mid-May. GCHD has only received one positive i...

  • Proposals sought for marina

    Jun 8, 2016

    The National Park Service is soliciting proposals for operation of the Kettle Falls Marina. The operation contract is for a 10-year period and will begin May 1, 2017. The NPS plans a site visit for interested concessionaires for June 14, 2016, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The operation includes the waterfront marina system, including fuel and some 58 canopy-covered and uncovered rental slips for seasonal and long-term moorage; the store building and visitor operations, about 1,140 square feet; and concession support facilities. Concessionaire costs...

  • Ceremony brings another challenge to center stage

    Scott Hunter|Jun 8, 2016

    She described it perfectly, although few could hear her. “Everybody’s worst nightmare,” was the way Principal Ronanda Liberty pegged the experience she was having in front of a gymnasium full of people anxiously waiting to see and hear the names of their sons, daughters, friends, relatives at a key life passage — high school graduation. Liberty had stepped up to the microphone, ready for the happy event, only to discover the sound system didn’t work. Batteries were changed. Nothing. Switches and settings checked. Nothing. It had worked ea...

  • My pay-it-forward experience

    Darlene Morava|Jun 8, 2016

    A friend and I stopped at a fast food drive-in recently for something to drink. I put in my order, “a small soda,” and waited for the cashier to tell me the cost. “One dollar and forty cents,” she said. I looked in my purse and remembered I had cleaned out all the change earlier, so I handed her two dollar bills. She opened her cash drawer and a stricken look came over her face. “I have no change,” she said. (Now, that is a first— a busy fast food place with no change.) “I’ll have to call someone.” A voice behind me asked, “What is the proble...

  • The disappearing classes

    Jesse Utz|Jun 8, 2016

    With the recent class of graduates surviving the sticky heat in the gym and receiving their neatly bound diplomas, I decided to look back at some of the subject courses throughout the years that have mysteriously disappeared from the schedules of students. First, I must say that I am fully aware that there is a budget involved here. I realize that some classes do not make the cut and we must focus on the state-required mandates of education requirements, first and foremost. I also realize that you must have a teacher to teach said subject. OK,...

  • Equip our troops and rebuild our military

    Dan Newhouse Congressman|Jun 8, 2016

    From our founding to the present, American history is filled with reminders of the sacrifices of patriots who took up arms when the call went out to defend their country and the principles that we hold dear. We just observed Memorial Day, when we recognize the high price paid by more than one million men and women in the Armed Forces. This week, we commemorate the 72nd anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normandy. We are reminded that when the call comes for the common defense, the men and women of our Armed Forces continue to fulfill their d...

  • Nichole Joanne (Sanford) Seylor

    Jun 8, 2016

    Nichole Joanne (Sanford) Seylor passed away on Monday, June 6, 2016. Funeral services will be held at the Coulee Dam Community Church Friday, June 10, 2016, at 11 a.m., with graveside services at Spring Canyon Cemetery. A luncheon will follow at the Eagles Lodge in Grand Coulee. A complete obituary will appear in an upcoming issue of the Star....

  • Meetings and Notices

    Jun 8, 2016

    Chamber This Week The Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce will be meeting this Thursday, June 9, at Siam Palace in Grand Coulee. Stacie Nicholson, Sexual Assault Advocate at The Support Center in Omak, will be presenting “To break the cycle of violence we must break the cycle of silence.” Price to Present Family History The Grant County Historical Society Board will hold their regular board meeting Tuesday, June 14, at 11 a.m., at the American Legion Post in Ephrata, 276 8th Ave N. Following lunch, Carol Price, of Wilson Creek, will talk...

  • STEAM Summer Day Camp, set for July

    Jun 8, 2016

    Okanogan County 4-H will hold a fun and new STEAM day camp July 18, 19, 20 & 21, 2016, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Youth will learn how Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math are required to create clothing and other textile products. This day camp is open to all youth who have completed third grade. Youth do not have to be currently enrolled in 4-H to participate in STEAM Sew FUN 4-H Day Camp. Non-4-H youth ages 8-11 must be accompanied by an adult. Registration is limited. Participants will be taken on a first paid, first registered basis. F...

  • It's a boy for the Seekins

    Jun 8, 2016

    Lee and Jeremiah Seekins, of Electric City, Washington, are proud to announce the birth of their son, Enoch Christopher Seekins, born Wednesday, May 25, 2016, at Coulee Medical Center in Grand Coulee. He weighed 7 lbs., 14 oz., and was 21 inches in length at birth. Sibling is Emmanuel Seekins, age 2. Maternal grandparent is Chris Stockhorst of Armstrong, Missouri. Paternal grandmother is Janet Seekins of Elmer City, Washington. Great-grandparents are Darrel and Mildred Asbury of Missouri; Terry and Bonnie Westhues and Lloyd Wagner of...

  • Kehoe and Turner have a girl

    Jun 8, 2016

    Celeste Kehoe and Tommy-Lee Turner, of Coulee Dam, are proud to announce the birth of their daughter, Grace Marie Turner, born Wednesday, May 25, 2016, at Coulee Medical Center in Grand Coulee. She weighed 6 lbs., 10 oz., and was 19 inches in length at birth. Maternal grandparents Monica Carden-Conant and Jeff Kehoe. Paternal grandmother is Marilynn Turner....

  • It's a boy for Adkins and Gorr

    Jun 8, 2016

    Tiffany Adkins and Sean Gorr, of Elmer City, Washington, are proud to announce the birth of their son, Ashton Ray Gorr, born Saturday, May 28, 2016, at Coulee Medical Center in Grand Coulee. He weighed 8 lbs., 3.7 oz., and was 21 inches in length at birth. Sibling is Sean Gorr, age 5. Maternal grandparents are John and Lori Adkins. Paternal grandparents are Tillie and Ken Gorr....

  • Blums celebrate 64 years together

    Jun 8, 2016

    Marty and Sally Blum are celebrating 64 years together, 60 as husband and wife. The two married June 8, 1956, at Grand Coulee Dam Community Church. Sally Ann Foisy was born in Mason City, Washington and Martin Leroy Blum in Spokane, Washington. The couple has two children, Kathy Marie Wang of Spokane Valley, Washington, and Martin Robert Blum of Coulee Dam, Washington. Marty and Sally have resided in Coulee Dam since 1991. A celebration will be held at the family's residence with close friends...

  • Lake Roosevelt Schools honor Supt. Dr. Dennis Carlson

    Jun 8, 2016

    Tuesday afternoon school staff and officials started to say farewell to Supt. Dr. Dennis Carlson, who retires at the end of June. Here incoming Superintendent Paul Turner, left, presents a framed picture of the new school to Carlson. He also received a proclamation from State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Randy Dorn, and ESD Superintendent Dr. Richard McBride, proclaiming Wednesday, June 8, "Dr. Dennis Carlson Day." He also received a Pendleton blanket from the Colville Business Council...

  • Reunion planned, scholarships awarded

    Jun 8, 2016

    The Grand Coulee Alumni Association May 18 finalized plans for an all-school reunion and awarded more than double the number of scholarships they have in recent years. The all-school reunion will start Friday, Aug. 12, at 7 p.m., and continue with a potluck on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. Scholarship applications were read with the purpose of selecting one male and one female student of Lake Roosevelt High School to receive the two $500 scholarships normally awarded by the alumni association. After much deliberation, the association decided to award...

  • You could win this playhouse

    Jun 8, 2016

    Built by DWK Fowler Construction, the playhouse will be raffled off at the Ridge Rider Junior Rodeo in July as a fund-raiser for the saddle club. Tickets are on sale now at Loepp Furniture and Appliance at $1 each. For years, Fowler has built unique playhouses for a raffle held at the Junior Rodeo. This year's playhouse takes the form of a travel trailer pulled by a car. Dennis Jones was given the assignment to build the trailer-car playhouse and said the thick lumber came from a logging...

Page Down