News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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Music, food and fireworks. Sounds like Festival of America time in the coulee, when patriots can celebrate America Friday and Saturday at the park below the Visitor Center, with a guide to the action below. The Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce, the organizer of the event, has put together live music, kids activities, a big show in the park, fireworks and more to entertain local residents as well as the thousands of visitors who crowd the park and surrounding areas each year. Listen to the music of MacDaddy, Tuxedo Junction and the Olso... Full story
A Nespelem man jumped off the Columbia River Bridge in Coulee Dam Friday morning, reportedly because he thought he could make it. The 28-year-old jumped from the bridge around 7 a.m. Another person was trying to keep him from doing it, said Coulee Dam Chief of Police Pat Collins. Soon, three boats were in the river searching for Jamie Williams, but by 9:30, it was more likely a recovery effort than a rescue, since the man had been in the river for hours, Collins said. The jump was not a suicide... Full story
Response to a fire in the heat of Monday afternoon in Grand Coulee underscored the nervousness of local fire fighters in the current, extreme heat conditions, with fireworks legal. As a summer thunderstorm rolled through the area at just after 5 p.m. downpours heralded thunderclaps, and lightning may have lit up a mostly empty lot on B Street, empty except for several large piles of firewood. Even with the downpour, the fire caught, and high winds fanned it. "It does show the extreme fire behavi... Full story
Grand Coulee Dam area fire fighters are concerned because of the extreme, hot weather we have been experiencing, which is predicted to continue for the next 10 days. Any fire activity will put extra stress on the firefighters because of the high temperatures. We are asking everyone to be extremely careful during all their outdoors activities. The probability of fire starts are extremely high from any ignition sources, even small sparks. Fireworks need to be used very carefully; even legal “Safe and Sane” fireworks will start fires very easily.... Full story
Port hears report on course Grant County Port District 7 commissioners heard at their meeting last week a report that there are 84 members of the golf course, on a par with last year’s membership total. They also heard that the golf course is in good shape and that several tournaments are scheduled for the near future. The Port District is in its third year of managing the course. The Port District is running the course largely with volunteer help. Fireworks banned The Douglas County fire marshall has placed a ban on all fireworks from u... Full story
by Roger S. Lucas Coulee Dam Town Council members may get an earful about chickens at a public hearing next Wednesday, July 8, at 6 p.m. The entire town should take a page from an Electric City couple with five chickens. Eric, Misty and son Logan Braaten live on 10 acres on the edge of the city, and they can tell you that chickens are nice people. That is, each individual chicken has its own personality. The Braatens have all their chickens named, and Eric explained, "They have their own pecking... Full story
Discussions are going on to develop a school uniform program for Grand Coulee Dam district schools. The issue has come up at the past two school board meetings, and indications are that the idea is alive and moving forward. The teaching and support staff are generally in favor of the idea. The board is moving forward slowly, and, as suggested by outgoing high school principal, Brandon Byers, the district should take this next year in fleshing out the idea. The public and student body to date haven’t had an opportunity to express their f... Full story
Lake Roosevelt High School will get its first woman principal, ever, for the 2015-16 school year. Superintendent Dennis Carlson named Ronanda Liberty as principal of Lake Roosevelt Junior/Senior High School at a school board meeting Monday night. She replaces Brandon Byers, who took a position as assistant principal at Frontier Middle School in Moses Lake, a school of about 800 students. Byers came to the district here in 2008 as an English teacher and served as principal of the Grand Coulee Dam Middle School for a year before moving to the... Full story
If there was ever a good argument for expressing your patriotism and love of explosives in a big group, the weather is providing a better one. Frankly, the current heat wave is scary, especially remembering the wildland fires the local area has experienced over the last few years. Fireworks are fun, and as kids many of us had a blast taking stupid risks. But this week would be a good time for putting childish things behind us. It’s a little surprising that local fire chiefs have not called for an all-out ban on private fireworks, given the t... Full story
Yakima Valley farmers have the same problem as their California counterparts: there just isn’t enough water for crops, migrating fish and people. In California this year, an estimated 564,000 acres of prime cropland will be left unplanted because of the fourth straight year of drought. Economists at the University of California, Davis estimate the drought has caused $2.7 billion in economic losses and cost 18,000 farm workers their jobs. The water shortage is so acute in California that Gov. Jerry Brown ordered a 25 percent reduction, which has... Full story
Members of Congress get categorized in all sorts of ways. They’re liberal or conservative; Republican or Democrat; interested in domestic affairs or specialists in foreign policy. There’s one important category, though, that I never hear discussed: whether a member wants to be an inside player or an outside player. Yet where members fall on the continuum helps to shape the institution of Congress. Insiders focus on making the institution work. They give fewer speeches on the floor, issue fewer press releases, and spend less time con... Full story
It’s hotter than a woolly mammoth in a sweater factory. There are lots of classic sayings out there to describe the current heat wave. Has anyone tried frying an egg on the sidewalk yet? Or barbecuing without turning on the gas? Just curious because it has been that hot. Most are probably sitting in our “cool spot” in the house with a wet rag on your head, a mason jar of ice water in your right hand and an icepack under your undercarriage. If you’re lucky, you don’t have to go outside too much. Just long enough to water plants and move spri... Full story
1 years ago The Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce said this year’s giant fireworks show, sponsored by the Coulee Dam Casino will be about twice as large as last year’s with some special effects at the end. This year’s musical groups, sponsored by the Coulee Dam Federal Credit Union, include Grand Coulee Dam’s own, Street Legal, in a four-hour show July 2, featuring local musicians, Sean Reed, Will Weatherby and Bob Acklehy. The headliner 3-hour show on the 4th: “An Dochas,” a returning Colville-based, five-person band that specializes... Full story
No Chamber This Week The Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce will not meet this week due to getting set for the festivities this weekend. Come enjoy the holiday below the visitor center at Grand Coulee Dam. American Legion Post 157 Meets The American Legion Post 157 holds legion meetings on the second Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Vets’ Center in Electric City. All veterans are welcome. The next meeting will be held Tuesday, July 14 and will be held at St. Dustan’s Episcopal Church, Grand Coulee Ave., across from Jack’s Sprin... Full story
The summer reading program is full swing at the Grand Coulee Public Library. It is for children of all ages, 0-18. Sign up is free. There are activities, great programs, prizes from books to ice cream and incentives - plus it is free AND fun. Parents or older siblings can be Reading Partners. The importance of reading aloud to children of all ages cannot be stressed enough, even for children who can read on their own. There are great benefits to be gained from reading aloud: Instilling a love of reading in your child, sharing more difficult... Full story
Alanna Picard and Alfredo Labro of Nespelem, are proud to announce the birth of their daughter Junie-Lynn Sioux Labro born Thursday, June 18, 2015, at Coulee Medical Center in Grand Coulee. She weighed 8 lbs., 3 oz., and was 21 inches in length at birth. Siblings include William Labro and Blayne Picard. Maternal grandparents are the late Vickie Circle and Mark James Picard Jr. Paternal grandparents are Daniel Conant and Patricia Conant. Great-grandparents are Kenneth “Pat” Bray, Hazel Whitney, Stretch and Sheila Cleveland, Joanne Leith and Ger... Full story
Friday night July 17th there will be a social hour at the home of Wayne & Lila Snyder from 7 pm until 10 pm. We will provide snacks, cookies and fruit. Please BYOB. Saturday July 18th there will be a catered picnic at the North Dam Park from noon until 4 pm. Please plan to attend as this will be our last reunion, so let’s make it our best!... Full story
Bruce and Ida Gamboa of Electric City, Wash., are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter Jewel Noelle, to Cameron James Stevenson of Ritzville, Wash. Jewel is a former graduate of Wilbur High School and Cameron graduated from Lind/Ritzville High School. Jewel and Cameron are both currently employed and reside in the Seattle area. They will be married on September 19, 2015, in Seattle at the Ballard Bay Club.... Full story
Forests across America are a prized natural resource, and anyone can help plant trees in these vital areas by joining the Arbor Day Foundation this month. Through the Replanting Our National Forests campaign, the Arbor Day Foundation will honor each new member who joins in July by planting 10 trees in forests that have been devastated by wildfires, insects, and disease. The cost for joining the Arbor Day Foundation is a $10 donation. America’s national forests face enormous challenges, including unprecedented wildfires that have left a b... Full story
The following is the honor roll for Lake Roosevelt Jr./Sr. High seond semester. High Honors 3.500 – 4.000 SENIORS Shaine Thomas, Anthony Desautel, Brandon Jordan, Bailey Stanger, Theron Nault, Steven Joseph, Riley Stout JUNIORS Devan Black, Scott Abrahamson, Michael Reyes, Lachelle Bearcub SOPHOMORES Matthew Tillman, Cameron Tillman, Jazmine Reed, Charlie Michel, Tristen Adolph, Robin Matt, Marianna Clark FRESHMEN Rylee Pitner, Khani Priest, Malcolm Carson, Madeline Piccolo, Russell Nanamkin EIGHTH GRADERS Stephen Flowers, Hannah Wapato, K... Full story
Local students were named to the spring, 2015 honor lists at Big Bend Community College, the school announced last week. On the President’s List are: Melissa Boord, Electric City; Kyle Peterson, Almira; Dylan Crow, Wilbur; Carl Duvall, Coulee City; Robert Beatty and Zachary Dye, Hartline. To qualify, students on the President’s List completed 12 or more graded credits with a GPA of 3.75 or above.... Full story
The Nespelem Celebration Rodeo will be held July 10 through 12 at the rodeo grounds in Nespelem. Stock contractors are Red Knection of Keller and Palmer Ranch Nespelem. Friday events are non-sanctioned and open to everyone - bulls broncs, steer ride and jackpot barrels. Saturday and Sunday grand entry begins at 1 p.m.... Full story
Grand Coulee Police 6/21 - USBR Plant Protection advised police that a group was preparing to go fishing at North Dam Park as the sun was just setting. Police advised the group that it was a daylight-only area and members of the group packed up and left. 6/22 - A man told police that a neighbor’s dogs had been barking for three hours. The officer arrived and could hear the dogs, but no one answered the door. - A woman on “E” Street advised police of a warrant out for her arrest and said she wanted to take care of it. Police found the warra... Full story
Halme Builders workers hammer in concrete forms to prepare for new sidewalks on Federal Avenue in Grand Coulee Tuesday. The job will replace sidewalks on Federal and on Main Street for just under $390,000, funded by a grant from the state Transportation Improvement Board.... Full story
Notice of Public Hearing Town of Coulee Dam NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Public Hearing will be held to consider the Six-Year Comprehensive Street Program (TIP) for 2016 – 2021. The Public Hearing will be held in the Coulee Dam Town Hall Council Chambers, 300 Lincoln Ave, Coulee Dam Washington, at the regular council meeting of Wednesday, July 8, 2015 at 6:00 p.m. at which time the public may give written or oral testimony. Stefani Bowden Clerk/Treasurer (Publish June 24 & July 1, 2015) Nespelem School District #14 NOTICE OF BUDGET HEARING 201... Full story