News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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Two fires were started early Tuesday by suspected arson in the Osborne Bay area near the gravel pit on the east side of SR-155 on July 30. Electric City Fire Chief Mark Payne said there were two fires started about a quarter mile apart in the area. Outbuildings and recreational vehicles in the area were threatened, he said. A man camping there told police he smelled smoke half an hour after a vehicle, possibly a Jeep, had driven through his camp early in the morning, according to Officer Adam Florenzen of the Grand Coulee Police Department....
A wave boarder gets up to speed on Banks Lake Monday afternoon in not-too-hot conditions. Check the mostly sunny weather forecast on page 8. - Scott Hunter photo...
The school district will draw on reserves to run Lake Roosevelt Schools for the next couple years, a budget approved last week shows, but financial losses are projected in later years, an issue the superintendent hopes to solve. Grand Coulee Dam School District directors at a July 22 meeting approved a 2019-20 school year budget of approximately $12.9 million in expenditures, up from $12 million last year. With an anticipated enrollment in kindergarten through 12th grades of 701 students, that makes for an average of $18,400 per student. Much...
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) introduced a bill in Congress last week that would rename the Third Power Plant at Grand Coulee Dam as the “Nathaniel ‘Nat’ Washington Power Plant.” “The designation recognizes the work of Nathaniel “Nat” Washington, Sr., and his son, Nat Washington, Jr., who were instrumental in the construction of the Grand Coulee Dam and in harnessing hydropower as a renewable energy source for the Pacific Northwest,” a press release from Newhouse’s office states. Introduced on July 23, H.R. 3937 recognizes lif...
Planning the future of the Grand Coulee Dam Airport was the topic of discussion at a July 29 Grant County Port District 7 meeting, where commissioners were joined by citizens, the airport manager and members of J-U-B Engineers, the consultants working on the airport master plan. The master plan is in the works, and members of J-U-B explained where they were in the process, what the next steps are, and took comments from those present. Ideas discussed for the future of the airport include making fuel available at the airport, installing...
A paraglider comes down from the sky into a field on Strahl Canyon Road just north of SR-174 in Douglas County, after taking off from Chelan Butte July 13, the final day of the US Open of Paragliding. - Chelan 2019. The seven-day event tested the skills of about 170 participants. Seventy of them made their goals on this Saturday. Other tasks on earlier days included flights from Chelan to Omak, Wilbur, Brewster and elsewhere. "Really good day, a lot of happy people," said Matt Senior, organizer... Full story
Coulee Dam's wastewater customers will shoulder an additional $2 a month on their sewer bills after the city council solved two big problems with one vote last Wednesday. The council voted 3-1 to accept an additional $1.2 million in loan and grant money to pay for two new lift stations for pumping sewage to the new wastewater treatment facility. The additional $304,000 in a 40-year loan and $909,000 in grant money, with an additional $39,000 from the town budget, brings the total project cost to...
In this issue we welcome back the latest iteration of Them Dam Writers, a group that has sought to provide local history to local people for decades. The column in the lower right corner of this page will, several times a month, present you with a photograph along with text explaining its significance. These days, the group is more far-flung than in its most recent past, with a couple of its members writing from Coulee City or another state. Nevertheless, they share an enthusiasm for local history. We hope our readers benefit from their...
We have two kinds of water problems: too much and not enough. The oceans cover 70 percent of our planet, and they contain 97 percent of the water on Earth. Samuel Coleridge in the Rime of the Ancient Mariner: “Water, water every where, Nor any drop to drink.” The remaining 3 percent is freshwater (no salt), and approximately 69 percent of that freshwater is ice at the South Pole (Antarctica) and the Greenland Ice Sheet. The remaining fraction of freshwater provides life to all of the vegetation and animal life that requires freshwater. The wat...
In oil rich West Texas, shale producers and pipeline owner Williams Co. are fighting over whether new “burning off of natural gas” permits should be approved. It is a battle between companies which are usually aligned. Flaring happens primarily when there is insufficient pipeline capacity to carry natural gas from wellheads to natural gas markets. Allowing the gas to build up at the derrick is a serious safety risk. Even though Williams already has an extensive pipeline network in western Tex...
Every once in a while, an opportunity walks down the street, looks you in the face and extends a hand. A pivotal moment looks upon you and smiles. This is when making the wrong choice can be detrimental to your future, to someone else’s or to someone watching. An opportunity also can wear many different hats and look very differently. It could be a word of advice, an employment change, a chance to spend time with someone or to have dinner with interesting people. There are many other faces of o...
The first train to Grand Coulee was a momentous occasion, as it marked the beginning of serious construction on the dam. The 30 mile line was to be built by the mighty Northern Pacific Railway, which had a branch that ended in Coulee City. They wanted exclusive rights to haul all construction supplies to the dam by rail, at which the U.S. government balked. A private contractor built the line instead, connecting to the NP at Coulee City. Over two million pounds of cement were hauled in,...
A celebration of life for Cindy Snow will be held at noon, Saturday, August 3, at the Grand Coulee Senior Center, 203 Main Street.... Full story
Jerry Lee Heilman, 55, of Grand Coulee, Washington, passed away at his home Tuesday evening, July 23, 2019, surrounded by the family he loves, following a courageous five-year battle with cancer. Jerry was born Thursday, December 19, 1963, in Pasco, Washington, to Glenn and Grace Heilman. Following graduation from Lake Roosevelt High School in 1983, where Jerry was on the wrestling team, he served as an infantryman in the United States Army. Jerry worked in the restaurant industry as a cook in... Full story
Joan “Grams” Barnes, 96, passed away Saturday morning, July 20, 2019, in the long-term care unit of Coulee Medical Center, Grand Coulee, Washington. She was born along with her twin brother, Roy, on October 24, 1922, in Widnes, England, to Robert William and Edith Jennie Angus. Joan. Joan was preceded in death by her husband, J.A. “Fred” Barnes; son, Kevin Barnes and twin brother, Roy Angus. She is survived by her daughters: Jackie Perry (Fred) and Ketha Williams (George); daughter-in-law, Gwynn Barnes; five grandchildren and 10 great-g... Full story
The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture will make a second visit of the summer North Central Regional Library branches, this time bringing its Living Traditions program. It will be at the Grand Coulee Public Library on Monday, August 5, beginning at 11 a.m. The program brings Burke educators and real museum objects and invites people of all ages to engage with cultural objects and learn about traditions still practiced by contemporary Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest. See how...
Chamber Taking a Break Chamber will not be holding meetings through the month of August. They will resume in September. 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. In Nespelem, the group Bound and Determined holds its meetings Monday evening at 7 p.m. at the Catholic Church. Contact...
Coulee Dam Community Church and Faith Community Church are partnering to bring “Believe in God’s Love: Vacation Bible School” to the community in August. Vacation Bible School runs Monday, Aug. 12 through Thursday, Aug. 15 from 9 a.m-noon at the Coulee Dam Community Church in Coulee Dam. This faith-based program is open to children from age 3 up through sixth grade. It is free to the public. For more information, or to pre-register your child, contact Faith Community Church at 633-3044 and leave a message for Lee Seekins....
Every two years, the Washington State Legislature’s House Healthcare and Wellness Committee takes a tour of facilities in rural areas, but they’ve never been to Grand Coulee. That will change Sept. 23, when the committee led by Rep. Eileen Cody ends a tour here with a “robust” meeting at the end of the day. Cody’s staff asked if Coulee Medical Center would be willing to participate, Chief Executive Officer Ramona Hicks told the commissioners of Hospital District 6 Monday. “They’re bringing 20 people in a bus,” Hicks said. In other business at t...
Alumni of the Lake Roosevelt High School class of 1974 pose for a photo last Saturday during their 45-year reunion at The Eagles in Grand Coulee. From left, in the front row: Guy Wilson, Kevin Long, Candy Dorn, John Smith, Lee Sammons, Tom Goodwin, John Miller, Brenda Busenbark, Connie Palmer, Ken House. In the back row: Dan Rawley, Steve Hood, John Finch, Tom Johnson, Adam Bearcub, Bob Drake, Jim Truax, Kristy Haegen, Charlie Baird, Carla Desautel, and Christine House. - submitted...
There’s no rest for the wicked wrestlers who stay busy year round, with Raiders attending camps and competing in tournaments near and far. Six Raider wrestlers went to the Camas Camp of Champions at the Kalispel Tribe’s powwow grounds north of Spokane June 24-28. The wrestlers camped at the grounds for the week, improving their wrestling at the camp where 65 total wrestlers took part. Incoming Raider freshman Landon Krohn won the Workout Warrior award, which “goes to someone who was always working really hard, trying to find the best workout pa...
CALL FOR BIDS City OF GRAND COULEE 2019 FEMA STREET REPAIR Sealed Proposals will be received by the undersigned at the City of Grand Coulee, 306 Main Street, Grand Coulee, Washington 99133, up to 11:00 A.M.; local time on Thursday, August 1, 2019, for furnishing the necessary labor, materials, equipment, tools, and guarantees thereof to construct 2019 FEMA Street Repair. This Contract provides for the repair of pavement and subgrade, adjusting of manhole rims to finished grade elevation, and adjusting of valve boxes to finished grade... Full story
Grand Coulee Police 7/22 - A man on Federal Avenue requested police assistance debugging his truck, which he said his parents bugged. Police told the man they don’t do such tasks and suggested he find a private business to do so. - Police were told a man was driving a power scooter drunk and throwing beers at people. Police were unable to locate him. 7/24 - A syringe was found near the pumps at a gas station on Grand Coulee Avenue. Police collected it to be destroyed. 7/25 - The panic alarm at the credit union’s ATM machine on Midway Ave...
The Colville Tribal Museum in Coulee Dam is hosting a series of events coming up this summer. Lawney Reyes will be at the museum at 1 p.m. Aug. 3. “Lawney Reyes is a celebrated Native American sculptor, designer, curator and memoirist based in Seattle,” reads a description of the museum events. “His writing and sculpture draw great influence from his Sinixt culture, part of the Colville Confederation of Tribes of Northeast Washington. He will be at the Colville Tribal Museum for a book signing.” Bill Layman will be at the museum on August...
A wildfire in the Hellgate Game Preserve on the Colville Reservation has burned about 2,500 acres, pitting firefighters against steep, rocky terrain, and rattlesnakes. About 45 firefighters are working on the Williams Flats fire some 7 miles southeast of Keller. A press release from the Colville Tribes Dept. of Natural Resources Friday afternoon said one evacuation had been ordered and that one home was threatened in the remote area north of Lake Roosevelt. Tribal officials are asking boaters...