News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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After two school levies failed in February for the Grand Coulee Dam School District, school board directors are looking to run just one levy election in November. Roughly 56% of voters voted against two levies the district proposed in February — the Educational Programs and Operation Levy, and the Capital Levy for Safety, Technology and Facilities Improvements. The board of directors, in their July 11 meeting, told Superintendent Paul Turner they would like to pursue a $2 educational levy for three years, a significant drop from the $4.20 t...
Staff at Lake Roosevelt Schools say that student cell phones have been a major issue in the classroom, and options for addressing the issue were discussed at the latest Grand Coulee Dam School District meeting. On Monday, school board directors discussed the issue of cell phones in the classroom when the topic of student and staff handbooks came up for discussion. The current cell phone policy in the elementary school’s handbook states that students can bring their phones to school, but can only use them before 8 a.m. or after 3 p.m., before a...
There are some who have what it takes. I'm not talking about outstanding pro athletes, astronauts, or mountaineers. I am talking about weather forecasters. I recently visited the Spokane National Weather Service office and spoke with Steven Van Horn, a forecaster a that office. He has what it takes. Van Horn shared with me the requirements needed to become a weather forecaster. "I went to University of California, Davis to get my bachelor's degree in atmospheric science." He explained that...
The Coulee Area Park and Recreation District will hold a meeting at the former middle school in Grand Coulee tonight at 6:30 p.m. Commissioner Kevin Portch said previously that the financial viability of the group’s ability to continue maintaining North Dam Park would be discussed at the meeting, with the group’s budget being in precarious standing as described in recent issues of The Star. Things have been looking up for the group, however, with a GoFundMe page having raised $5,600 towards the cause, and the group needing an estimated $7,...
Lake Roosevelt's new principal, Natalie Kontos, has worked in the Grand Coulee Dam School District for several years and plans to be here for several more. Kontos had taught elementary school physical education and health at LR Elementary for the past eight years before being approved by the school board as the new junior-senior high school principal in June. "During this time, I have had the privilege of teaching and building relationships with every student in our school," she wrote to The...
Vacant positions are getting filled in the Grand Coulee Dam School District. Natalie Kontos, who previously taught physical education at Lake Roosevelt Elementary, was hired as the new principal of the junior/senior high school. Taking on the athletic director and facilities coordinator positions is Nancy Kuiper, who is also the director of the SHARP Kids programs. Wade Magers, who just retired from his position as Lincoln County Sheriff, will serve as the school safety officer. “We’re excited to get him on board as our safety officer,” Turne...
Joey Kriete knows the ins and outs of Grant County law enforcement, having worked in multiple aspects of it for 29 years, and now he wants to be sheriff. "I'm very passionate about the county," Kriete told The Star, describing his history in the county dating back to his great grandparents who ran a dairy in Ephrata. "I believe I put myself on the career path to becoming the next Grant County sheriff and my track record shows for that," he said. That track record includes serving as a patrol...
With COVID-19 rates slowing down in recent months, The Star hasn’t published an update on local conditions since April 6, but the disease certainly hasn’t gone away. In Grant County, the two-week incidence rate was only 26 cases per 100,000 residents on March 31, but on July 8, that number is up to 178, and was 227 on July 7. Official case rates are widely viewed as undercounted due to home testing kits and an associated lack of reporting. Four covid deaths occurred since March, bringing the total Covid death count in the county to 261, wit...
This week marked the conclusion of the public comment period for Governor Inslee and Senator Murray’s recently released draft Lower Snake River Dams Benefit Replacement Report. I have read the Inslee-Murray report, and while I could comment on the missing data points or perspectives that are found on every single page, it is also clear this draft report has come to the same conclusion that I, along with federal scientists, engineers, and fish biologists, have understood for many years now: Our communities cannot afford to breach and remove t...
Autonomous Sinixt recently self-identified as Autonomous, despite functioning as autonomous for over 35 years in British Colombia (BC). Beginning with the occupation at the Vallican Heritage Site, to prevent road construction from destroying one of our ancient burial and village sites, our deceased Elder, Eva Adolph Campbell Orr, led a collective of Sinixt Peoples to occupy this site: The longest, ongoing peaceful occupation of unceded Indigenous lands in Canada. Our Sinixt ancestors’ spirits, and descendants’ attention towards overcoming the 1...
I have taken a lot of fishing tips over the years. Only one was successful. This was in Kodiak, Alaska. I was there to help the owner of the daily paper prepare her newspaper property for sale. It needed a lot of tweaking. I had been up there on several occasions, and on one of these trips the owner of the paper scheduled me to go out on a charter boat for halibut. The day of the trip, she showed up at the dock to introduce me to the skipper of the boat. They were obviously friends, and the skipper said he would look after me. The boat was 50...
Summer is in full swing and with that comes cookouts and gatherings where food is featured. As you plan your menu, keep local farmers in mind. Buying locally produced food strengthens the local economy. According to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, on average, every $100 spent at a locally owned business results in $45 flowing back into the local community. This is much higher than the $14 that stays in the community when we spend our $100 at a business that isn't locally owned. More...
William Merle Desautel Jr. was born on December 8, 1953, in Battle Creek, MI to William (Merle) and Matsue (Peggy) Desautel. On Sunday, July 3, 2022 he succumbed to his courageous battle with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, Washington. On July 1, 1978, he married Carla Scallan in Coulee Dam, Washington. In the early years, they enjoyed playing organized community sports, participating in racquetball tournaments, camping, and many other outdoor activities with fa...
Jeanne Marie Arnold Jerred was born on November 9, 1943, to Ruth Stensgar and Arthur "Archie" Arnold. Jeanne spent her early childhood years on the ranch, on Kelly Hill. She loved this place and had fond memories of growing up there and roaming the picturesque hillsides. Later, she and her family moved to Keller where she attend elementary and middle school. In October of 1961 Jeanne married LeRoy Jerred. Together they made their home in Keller and began raising their family. They had three...
Johnny Ray "JC" Craig, 33, a member of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville passed away Thursday, June 30, 2022 in Spokane, Washington. Johnny was born Thursday, November 24, 1988, in Toppenish, Washington, to John R. & Anita Frank-Craig Jr. Johnny enjoyed video games, watching TV, listening to Rap music and experiencing the beat of music with no words. Johnny's greatest joy though was spending time with his children, whom Johnny loved. Predeceased by both of his parents; Johnny's legacy live...
World War II Veteran Fred R. Long, 99, was born near Oroville, Washington on November 6, 1922 to Harry L. and Virgie Lea (Wright) Long. On June 16, 2022 he left his home in Grand Coulee, Washington for Heaven to join his beloved wife of over 70 years Val (Valeta) and his Lord and Savior. The depression caused Fred's father's shoe repair business to close due to customer's unpaid bills. The family moved and homesteaded near MauriceTown, B. C. Canada in 1930. In 1932 they moved to the...
Coulee Dam Police 7/4 - An officer responded to Spruce Street, where he saw fireworks casings in the driveway. He told a woman that fireworks were not allowed to be lit off in the city of Coulee Dam. The woman said she understood. Police also told several Fir Street residents the same thing. 7/6 - A car parked on Columbia Avenue with expired tabs was towed away. - A Fir Street man reported that two cars of his had had tires punctured, possibly by knives. He told police that there was no one he had angered, and that he keeps to himself. There...
Grant County Mosquito District 2 to Meet The Grant County Mosquito District #2 will hold its monthly meeting at 4 p.m., Thursday, July 14, at 210 W. Coulee Blvd., in Electric City. AA Meetings for GCD and Nespelem Area Confused in the Coulee AA meetings are held on Mondays and Fridays at 6 p.m. at the Vets Center in Electric City. Call Paul at 633-3377 days or 633-3345 evenings. New Hope Group meetings are held Wednesdays at 6 p.m. at the Vets Center. These are open and non-smoking. A new Alcoholics Anonymous group is meeting each Saturday at...
A fun-filled summer of reading challenges, arts and crafts, science demonstrations, story times, have kicked off at all 30 NCW Libraries locations and the two community bookmobiles! Sign up for our free, all-ages Summer Library Program to set reading goals, engage with your library and community, and win prizes. To check out these programs and also to sign up go to: https://www.ncwlibraries.org/slp/ or call the local library at 509.633.0972....
Lake Roosevelt High School graduate Kaitlyn Nordine participated at the national Future Business Leaders of America competition in Chicago, Illinois that took place from June 29-July 2. Although not placing, Nordine competed in the journalism category in a test covering the economics of journalism, grammar and format, law and ethics, the business of journalism, and the history of journalism. The test focused "on the principles of journalism, such as the laws pertaining to journalism, and the...
Beating the summer heat can add costs to your electric bill, but Grant PUD has some tips to save energy in the summer. On their website at grantpud.org, the local utility district offers some tips to save energy and keep your electric bill low. “Today, the most affordable form of new energy is conservation — using what we already generate as efficiently as possible,” their website reads. Summer saving tips include: If you have air conditioning, set your thermostat as high as comfortably possible. A recommended 78 degrees if you are home and w...
City of Electric City SEEKING LETTERS OF INTEREST The City of Electric City is seeking letters of interest from individuals willing to serve on the City Park Advisory Committee. The advisory committee will review, assess and make recommendations to the City Council regarding the development of a city Park. You must be a resident of the city to apply for this position. Please submit letters of interest to the attention of Peggy Nevsimal, City Clerk/Treasurer, PO Box 130, Electric City, WA 99123 by July 15, 2022. (Publish July 6 & 13, 2022) WAC...
The National Weather Service in Spokane has issued a Red Flag Warning for wind and low relative humidity, which is in effect from noon today to 8 PM PDT this evening. * Affected Area: Fire Weather Zone 703 Okanogan Valley (Zone 703), Fire Weather Zone 705 Foothills of Central Washington Cascades (Zone 705) and Fire Weather Zone 706 Waterville Plateau (Zone 706). * Winds: For the Foothills of Central Washington Cascades and Waterville Plateau, northwest 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph. For the Okanogan Valley, south-southwest 10 to 20 mph...
