News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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The former Center Elementary School in Grand Coulee was broken into for the third time last week, with hundreds of dollars of damage done and questions about the building's future looming unanswered. In addition to damage from the break-in on or about July 25, the building and grounds show windows and doors boarded up, many windows broken, and the grassy areas covered with weeds. Police stated that some youth had broken through a plywood sheet covering a door and gone inside, throwing paint... Full story
Update: One of two suspects in a Soap Lake shooting turned himself in to authorities Sunday night, the Grant County Sheriff's Office said Monday morning. Tomas Miguel Lopez turned himself in about 7 p.m., was interviewed and booked into Grant County Jail. The sheriff's office said they still are seekng information about a second suspect and that tipsters can remain anonymous. Original story: Two people narrowly escaped serious injury after two men reportedly started shooting at them in their veh...
Running Banks Lake Golf Course with volunteers is working, Port District 7 commissioners declared last Thursday. In a financial report to commissioners, treasurer Joanne Davidson noted that the golf course is nearly $40,000 ahead of where it was last year at this time. The course is being managed by commissioners and other volunteers, the first year of operation without paid staff. "We have learned how to run a golf course," commission President James Keene said at the district's Thursday... Full story
Electric City’s fish pen operation is great for fishing in Banks Lake, but it also benefits the area in a different way. A good fishery in Banks Lake adds greatly to the area economy. Currently, the volunteer group that raises some 300,000 rainbow trout annually is looking for a new manager of the fish net pen operation. Former manager Carl Russell is retiring after 25 years tending the enterprise of POWER (Promoters of Wildlife and Environmental Resources). The trout are released from the pens twice a year and, accordingly, the releases have m... Full story
Grant County Mosquito District 2 planned another aerial granular larvicide drop along Banks Lake today (Wednesday), weather permitting. The new treatment, the second aerial drop this year, is necessitated by new evidence of mosquitos from Sunbanks Lake Resort, Steamboat Rock State Park and Electric City. The first aerial treatment was made in May and resulted in a big mosquito larvae kill and reports of mosquito-free patio and camping times throughout the area. But recent tests along the lake revealed mosquito larvae to the extent that another... Full story
Some mosquitos near Kettle Falls day use and group site campground have tested positive for West Nile Virus, the National Park Service said last week. Conditions this summer at Lake Roosevelt have been optimal for mosquitos, the NPS noted. Visitors, park staff, and our neighbors and partners have been dealing with an extraordinarily large mosquito population, especially in the Kettle Falls area, NPS officials have stated. The NPS is encouraging visitors to contact Julie Graham (360-236-4078) at the Washington Department of Health concerning... Full story
A car is about to be hoisted back up a ravine just below the intersection of SR-155 and Peter Dan Road north of Elmer City Tuesday night, following a two-car crash. No other information was available at the time. The Star will provide updates online with information as it becomes available from Colville Tribal Police. - Scott Hunter photo... Full story
The artist who produced the Gehrke windmills could get some overdue attention if the Coulee Area Park and Recreation District can find funding for a few interpretive signs to tell his story. Electric City resident Kristen Heidenthal last month proposed working on four interpretive panels to explain to visitors a colorful history of the artist beyond his time in the Grand Coulee area. Emil Gehrke is recognized as a legitimate American folk artist and his work is more widely known and respected than many appreciate, district President Bob Valen... Full story
Grant County Port District 7 commissioners OK’d a contract with J-U-B Engineers to do an Airport Geographic Information System study during the current year. The project, approved by the Federal Aviation Administration, will begin soon and involves an aerial mapping of the airport and surrounding area, identifying any obstructions that might interfere with airplane activity in the area. Commission President James Keene said at the commissioners’ meeting Thursday that the cost of the project will be about $97,000, and needs to be done while the... Full story
The annual summer softball tournament, now named The Kenny Hearne Summer Classic, will be held from Thursday through Saturday, August 4 – 6, on the North Dam Park upper and lower fields. Twelve teams are signed up to play. On both Thursday and Friday, two games will be played simultaneously on the upper and lower fields at 6 p.m., and two more games at 7:15 p.m. Games are scheduled to start at 9 a.m. on Saturday. Kenny Hearne, who passed away last year, had a love of softball and had played i... Full story
A local baseball player is on the team headed from the Pacific Northwest to the Babe Ruth World Series this month. Dalton Kentner, playing for the Columbia Basin Riverdogs in the 15-and-under bracket, will head to the big Babe Ruth League ultimate competition in Williston, North Dakota Aug. 13-20. The Riverdogs, from the North Washington region, took the championship at the 2016 Pacific Northwest 13-15 Year-Old Babe Ruth Tournament in Camas, Washington July 25-31, winning 2-1 Sunday over Hazel... Full story
Nancy Marie George, 51, was surrounded by her loving family when she passed away Thursday evening, July 21, 2016, in Spokane, Washington. Nancy was born November 7, 1964, in Grand Coulee, Washington to Harold and Barbara Wapato-George Sr. A proud member of the Colville Confederated Tribes, Nancy lived out her strong belief that one should daily give others at least 10 percent of their time. Nancy had served as a teacher's aide; however, her greatest joy was all about spending time with her... Full story
Eleanor Barry Trefry passed away peacefully Wednesday, July 27, 2016, with her family by her side. Eleanor was born May 30, 1924, in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, to William and Columbia Barry. Eleanor was raised and studied in Coeur d' Alene, where she graduated high school. On October 10, 1946, Eleanor married her soul mate and love of her life, Cecil Trefry. The two lived their entire lives together on the Trefry Ranch and homestead. When they retired, they spent their time in Manson, Washington,... Full story
Francine Vargas and Matthew Heppner, of Nespelem, Washington, are proud to announce the birth of their daughter, Brooklyn Kahlise Heppner, born Friday, July 22, 2016, at Coulee Medical Center in Grand Coulee, Washington. She weighed 7 lbs., 8 oz., and was 22 inches in length at birth. Sibling is Alexis Ezell Heppner.... Full story
On Monday, August 8, North Central Regional Library Puppeteers will visit the Grand Coulee Library beginning at 10:30 a.m. with all-new skits. Also a reminder that a craft class is held every Wednesday. Visit Grand Coulee Library on Facebook for additional updates, times and events or call the library at 509-633-0972.... Full story
Five Coulee Dam firefighters who are retiring, and collectively have served over 150 years, were honored last Friday at a North Dam Park barbecue. Pictured from the left, with their years of service, are Robert Carlson (34), Bonnie Femling (34), Ben Alling (40) and Brett Seaver (30). Not pictured is Robert Jackson, who had 16 years service. Others with over 30 years service who are continuing as volunteers are Carl Sheehy, Ken Dexter, Leonard Sanders, Rick Paris, and Dale Carriere.... Full story
Grand Coulee Police 7/22 - A local resident complained to police that he had a protection order against a woman. Police found out that the protection order had never been served. 7/24 - A Keller man who was stopped near Four Corners for a faulty head lamp was found to be driving with a suspended license. He was cited. 7/25 - A citizen advised police that a pole saw was in a location on Bureau of Reclamation property where it could easily be stolen. The officer found that the saw was secured inside the fence and advised the BOR of the concern.... Full story
Chamber This Week The Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce will be meeting at noon this Thursday, August 4, at the Eagles Lodge in Grand Coulee. Launi Ritter of Heaven–Sent Computer Services will be talking about optimizing cell phone battery life. American Legion to Meet The American Legion Post 157 regular meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, August 9 at the Zion Lutheran Church, 348 Mead Ave., Grand Coulee. John Tangin, the HUD-VASH (Housing & Urban Development – Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing) coordinator will be speaking o... Full story
Thursday, August 4 6/7:15 p.m., Local softball tourney, upper and lower North Dam fields Friday, August 5 6/7:15 p.m., Local softball tourney, upper and lower North Dam fields 8 p.m., Karaoke, Cantina, Sunbanks Resort, all ages 8 p.m., Karaoke, High Dam Tavern 8 p.m., live band, LOVE STITCH, Electric City Bar & Grill Saturday, August 6 9 a.m. Softball tourney 8 p.m., Karaoke, High Dam Tavern 8 p.m., Live band The Stoney River Band, Cantina, Sunbanks Resort... Full story
The eventual degradation of an empty building is nothing new, totally expected. Which is why leadership at the Grand Coulee Dam School District and an economic development committee of the chamber of commerce began working, before the new Lake Roosevelt Schools building was completed, on a transition plan for Center School. Like many other aspects of this community, it was complicated. The building and property were not owned by the school district; it had been provisionally deeded to the district decades ago, but only so long as it remained a... Full story
In order to get around the censorship of the Colville tribal members’ newspaper, the Tribal Tribune (TT), I want to specifically thank publishers for printing reports about sordid tribal Colville Business Council (CBC) conduct. So what part of the “Clowncil” trying to protect an impeachable chief judge of the Colville Tribal Court is incompetence-based racketeering? “Grifting” definition: grift (grft) Slang n. 1. Money made dishonestly, as in a swindle. 2. A swindle or confidence game. v. grift·ed, grift·ing, grifts, Grifter v.intr. To... Full story
I am, as an intern, experiencing my first bout of what can only aptly be referred to as Dilbert Syndrome or Office Fatigue. I’ve been here at The Star for about seven months now. The hours, the days, the weeks, the months… all melt off the calendar, and I wonder where the time goes. Time, the thing which when lost, you cannot recover (unlike my jacket, which I lost and then found in the folds of couch and throw pillows in the throes of a panic). Staring at the computer screen … day after day … hour after hour … I have to wonder if I’m fryin... Full story
The heat finally showed up, and now we start limiting our time outside in the middle of the day. Water is the best friend of most of us right now and like a local man wearing his farm boy overalls with the legs rolled up for some air flow, counseled, “Get in the water and just sit there. It is very therapeutic.” That is advice worth receiving. The gardeners are also smiling a bit more now because the extreme sunshine has awakened the tomatoes, strawberries and other planted treasures, and they are now taking off. The fruit trees also sta... Full story
An area of approximately 7-1/2 acres, upon which several thousand workers were housed during the construction days of Grand Coulee Dam, was converted into a number of individual Victory Gardens. The ground and the water necessary for irrigation were made available to employees of the Bureau of Reclamation at a nominal cost. Water for the project was drawn through the dam from the reservoir. – August 1, 1943 photo... Full story