News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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Following poll votes last Saturday, unofficial election results for the Colville Business Council came in showing a squeaker in the Keller District, a challenger ahead of the current CBC president and two Finleys leading in Inchelium’s districts. Absentee votes will be certified Thursday, June 24 and could make a difference in results. In the Nespelem District, Allison Boyd-Ball was leading 64-50 over CBC Chairman Rodney Cawston for Position 1, but Jarred Erickson had a healthy lead over Randy Friedlander, 74-44. For Keller’s Position 1, inc...
A fire broke out along SR 174 on the hill in the canyon between Grand Coulee and Wilbur about 4:30 p.m. The road was closed and traffic continued to back up until at least 6 p.m. while firefighters fought the blaze. A large helicopter equipped with an attached bladder and a hose for loading it repeatedly dropped loads of water on the fire, high on the steep, rocky hillside. Another aircraft, a fixed-wing plane reportedly joined the fight about 7 p.m. At one point a Level 1 Evacuation notice had...
An additional 25 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in local towns in just over a month. There have been 48 COVID-19 cases in the Grand Coulee and Electric City areas of Grant County since the pandemic began over a year ago, with nine of those cases coming in the past month. On May 19, when The Star last compiled an update on local numbers, Grant County Health District was reporting 39 cases in the Grand Coulee area. Since then, GCHD has listed cases in the local area on May 27, June 3, and June 21. GCHD recently switched to only reporting ne... Full story
With a historic vote finalized Monday night, the 80-year-old credit union that originated in Coulee Dam will merge with one 23 times its size based in Spokane. After 1,045 votes cast either by paper ballot sent in or online through a third-party election firm, 84% of those voting found the benefits of joining with STCU outweighed the loss of the name Coulee Dam Federal Credit Union. At a member meeting on the front patio of the Coulee Dam headquarters, CDFCU CEO Collene Manley urged people to...
Two new city leaders have been sworn in this month in two local cities. Kevin Black was selected two weeks ago to fill Council Position #1 in Coulee Dam, left vacant by Fred Netzel's resignation last month. The city council voted to put Black in the seat, which will be up for election in November for a four-year term. Councilmember Merv Schmidt said that he felt both candidates who applied were qualified, but that Black's experience with utilities, being the manager at Nespelem Valley Electric,...
“Koulee Kids Fest was such a great time!” Grand Coulee Dam Area Executive Director Rachel Haven about last Saturday’s event. “I believe it was a success. Kids were smiling from ear to ear all over town.” Three-year-old Cairo Billups won the iPad Mini and Beats headphones grand prize drawing that kids entered by participating in the event. This year’s Koulee Kids Fest featured L-Bow the Clown. “L-Bow the clown was so much fun!” Haven said. “L-Bow’s act included unicycling and juggling, making balloon animals and hats, and the grand finale of a f...
With temperatures set to soar to record-breaking levels in the next week, all fires at Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area are prohibited effective 12:01 am, Friday, June 25, 2021 until further notice. No open flames are permitted. This includes, but is not limited to, all fires in NPS provided fire rings and boxes, shoreline fires, charcoal fires, tiki torches, incense burners, candles, and propane campfires. Self-contained propane or gas stoves and lanterns are still allowed during the full fire ban. For the most current information... Full story
After growing up in Grand Coulee, Michael Thomas now jumps out of helicopters in Bahrain. After graduating from Lake Roosevelt High School in 2016, Thomas went to Western Washington University to pursue a computer science major. But after a semester there, Thomas headed in another direction. His father Dale Thomas had been in the Navy, and friends had joined other branches of the military, so Thomas spoke to a recruiter who showed him the path to becoming an aviation rescue swimmer, someone who...
Remember when weather forecasters were right only about 30 percent of the time, or so it seemed? Let’s hope those days come back this week. With a mean look ahead, the weather experts are warning of highs reaching in the hundreds, with a 112-degree high possible next week, and the days between now and at least next Tuesday scorchers. That kind of heat must be taken seriously, and we have advice from health experts on page 5 on what to watch for and how to deal with it. Unfortunately, in this case, weather forecasters seem to be getting a w...
I have spent a lot of good times along the Snake River, from its source to where it empties into the Pacific Ocean. It’s one of the longest rivers in the country and flows from one end of Idaho to the other. Its major source is at the south end of Jackson Lake. Actually, it’s said that the original source is from two small streams near Yellowstone Park. I have white-watered a good stretch of the Snake. The first time was out of Jackson, Wyoming during the high spring runoff. We entered the float trip out of Jackson and exited well into eas...
As climate change concerns grow, researchers are turning to small tree farmers for help. Actually, they have been helping for nearly a century, but their efforts have largely gone unrecognized. For decades, the American Tree Farm program has emphasized sustainability and managing lands for water quality, wildlife, wood, and recreation. Now, it is adding climate change. According to the American Forest Foundation, families and individuals collectively care for the largest portion of forests in the U.S., more than the government or corporations...
President Biden is stretching the limits of his executive authority – and this time, the livelihoods of farmers and rural communities across the nation are at stake. As a lifelong farmer, representative of this area, and Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus, I understand firsthand the vested interest we all have in how the federal government’s regulations impact water, agriculture, and natural resources across the country – especially when these regulations burden our rural communities. Under Obama, WOTUS was a thinly-veiled land grab...
No matter how hard we try, we really can’t avoid one another. We live in a world where what takes place somewhere else on the globe has a very good chance of affecting us. The pandemic, of course, is a perfect example. A virus that infected humans in one city in China spread with breathtaking speed around the world, beyond the power of governments — or anyone else — to stop it. But then, it often seems like everything is interconnected these days: workers, tourists, ideas, commerce, communications, drugs, crime, migrants, refugees, weapo...
A celebration of life for Doris Ann Bonertz will be held at 10 a.m., Saturday, June 26, at Faith Community Church, 16 Grant Ave.Electric City. Doris passed away Tuesday, March 16, 2021, surrounded by her loving family in her Elmer City home.... Full story
Betty Jean (Little) McNeil (98) was born on May 12, 1923, in Endicott, Washington and passed away on Saturday, June 12, 2021, in East Wenatchee, Washington. Her parents were Harry and Beatrice (Bock) Little. She was raised in Almira, Washington, and along with her sister Mary, enjoyed being raised in a small town. Betty graduated from Almira High School in 1941. After high school, she attended Washington State College for two years before marrying her husband of 56 years, John Richard McNeil on... Full story
Eric Charles Smiskin, 50, Loving Son, Brother, Uncle and Faithful Friend, left us all much too soon, Saturday afternoon, June 19, 2021 from Nespelem, Washington. Born Monday, April 26, 1971 in Roswell, New Mexico to William "Bill" George and Sandra Mae Clark, Eric attended Lake Roosevelt School in Coulee Dam, Washington and went on to earn his GED from Washington State University. A proud member of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville and the Catholic Church, Eric enjoyed spending time... Full story
OLYMPIA – June 2, 2021 – Washington State Parks announces it is now selling gift cards that can be used to reserve campsites, cabins and vacation homes and purchase Parks merchandise, and more. Gift cards will be available in plastic or electronic form. Electronic gift cards can be purchased online. Plastic cards can be purchased in person at State Parks’ Headquarters building at 1111 Israel Road S.W., Tumwater. Due to current COVID precautions, those wishing to purchase a plastic gift card should contact Parks’ Information Center to schedul...
Grand Coulee Police 6/15 - Police didn’t observe any puppies at large near Bachelor Square but did talk to the owner who wasn’t sure how the puppies could have gotten out. - A woman was pulled over on Midway Avenue for driving with a shattered windshield. An officer noted that she seemed indifferent about the shattered windshield. She was cited for the windshield as well as for driving without insurance. 6/16 - A woman on Electric Boulevard reported that she never received a package from her aunt containing stitched fabric of a family tre...
OMAK, WA --- If you are interested in, or have experience with, community behavioral health services, Okanogan Behavioral HealthCare (OBHC) is seeking volunteers to serve on its community advisory committee. Committee members will meet to share their input and ideas to help maximize the quality and availability of behavioral health services throughout Okanogan County. Topics to be discussed include access to services, service needs and capacity, and opportunities for enhancement. The committee will be balanced with individuals who are...
GRANT COUNTY, WA – In response to the high temperatures we are experiencing across the Columbia Basin, the Grant County Health District is issuing a heat advisory and urging people to take extra precautions to avoid heat related illnesses. Extreme heat often results in the highest number of annual deaths among all weather-related hazards. Heat-related illnesses are preventable. It is important to learn the symptoms and what to do if you or a loved one shows signs of having a heat-related illness. In extreme heat, evaporation is slowed, and t... Full story
Public Notice Town of Coulee Dam To the citizens of the Town of Coulee Dam, Washington, the Town Council of the Town of Coulee Dam, Washington will resume conducting Regular Council Meetings in person beginning Wednesday, June 23, 2021 in the Town Hall Ballroom located at 300 Lincoln Ave, Coulee Dam, WA. Space will be limited due to social distancing requirements. A teleconference option will also be available for those who wish to attend remotely. In following the Governor’s orders, face masks are required to be worn by any person who has n... Full story
This past week the Raiders wrestled in the North Central Region qualifier event in Omak on June 15 before the NCR main event in Tonasket June 17 where six Raiders placed to finish the season. In Tonasket, LR placed fourth as a team with 78.5 points, with Royal High School winning the event with 136.5 points. Placers for LR include Colton Jackson, who placed first wrestling in the 120-pound division; Sergio Galacia, first at 195; Arianna Waters, first at 190; Kaylee Landeros, second at 190; Rock...
The Lady Raiders won their final basketball game of a brief season on Friday when they defeated Manson in a home game, 63-22. The strong finish to the season resulted in an overall 5-1 win-loss record for the Lady Raiders. The Raider boys missed their Friday night game, which had to be canceled after a player tested positive for the coronavirus. Games scheduled for Saturday for both the boys' and girls' basketball teams had to be canceled anyway due to a lack of referees. Two from the Yakima...
Attending Lake Roosevelt sporting events is much different this year than in previous years due to COVID-19. Each player is allowed only two guests per game for home games, while there will be no away team fan attendance for road games. The limits are in keeping with social distancing protocols enacted by the state. But even if you don’t have a ticket from a player, you have a new option brought about by the magic of technology. Games will be streamed online at www.lrraiders.com with staff, students, or parents being able to use smartphones o...
