News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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A loud US Army training exercise on a hillside above town drew a different kind of fire at Coulee Dam’s city council meeting July 28, a small-caliber complaint compared to the big guns that alarmed citizens late at night July 22. Bob Hendrickson told the council he was disappointed that people had not been given any notice that a training was about to happen that might sound like a terrorist attack against Grand Coulee Dam. He said that he and many other people he talked to had worried about that as they listened to automatic weapons and w...
The Whitmore Fire is located on the Colville Reservation south of Omak Lake and west of Nespelem, WA. The Incident Command Post at Nespelem Community Center is closed to all but essential personnel to help ensure the health and safety of firefighters and community members. Operations Yesterday, fire fighters took advantage of cooler temperatures, higher moisture levels, and less active fire behavior to secure stretches of fireline. The southwest to southeast borders of the fire along Columbia... Full story
Inchelium, Wa. – The cold front that moved into the area yesterday brought measurable rain to the Summit Trail Fire, Upper Lime Creek Fire, and Chuweah Creek Fire. This moisture gives firefighters the opportunity to build direct fire line, while fire behavior is still moderate. Even though this moisture is helpful, the fire is not yet out. A drying trend will start today and continue with warmer temperatures throughout the week which will increase fire activity. Firefighters will hit the fire hard today with more direct attack in areas where p... Full story
A Level 2 notice to evacuate, meaning be ready, has been issued for the SR-155 corridor from the Colville Agency at the Columbia River Road to Nespelem to the Mission turnoff. The notice was issued at 9:18 p.m. Saturday due to the advance of the Whitmore Fire north and east from the Kartar Valley. In addition, the Washington State Patrol reported at 9:34 p.m. that SR-21 is closed at Keller due to wildfire, from MP 117 to MP123.5. WSP said residents are being evacuated immediately (level 3) by... Full story
Several new fires have started on the Colville Reservation following a lightning storm Tuesday night, and evacuations are in effect, with the largest of the fires already estimated at 2,000 acres. Residents from Kartar Valley, Goose Flats East to the net pens on the Columbia River Road and everything north of that road have been notified of a Level 3 Evacuation, meaning leave immediately, the Mt. Tolman Fire Center said in a release Thursday afternoon. Kartar Road is closed. Residents south of C... Full story
Everyone who enters Lake Roosevelt Schools’ indoor areas this year should expect to wear a mask regardless of vaccination status, including staff, students, and visitors. Grand Coulee Dam School District Superintendent Paul Turner told The Star on Monday that he intends to follow the masks-for-all guidelines from the Washington State Department of Health and State Superintendent Chris Reykdal. The DOH guidelines state that “all staff and students must continue to wear face coverings/masks, regardless of vaccination status.” A letter from Reykd...
"If you smell smoke, you're breathing smoke," a smoke outlook report from fires.airfire.org says. Today, Wednesday, Grand Coulee is projected to have air that is "unhealthy for sensitive groups," according to the report, and those sensitive groups should avoid physical activity outdoors. Fires producing smoke in the air include the Summit Trail Fire near Inchelium, which on Tuesday morning was at 22,305 acres and 15% contained; and the Cheweah Fire, which is holding at 36,752 acres and is 90%... Full story
At their July 28 meeting, the Coulee Dam City Council accepted a bid of $102,200 from Tomer Construction for a seal coat project on Roosevelt, Mead, Central and Crest Avenues in 2022. The cost will be paid for with grant money from the Washington State Transportation Improvement Board....
Grand Coulee has decided to allow local property owner Sam Hsieh to continue to display multiple advertising signs along his lot located on Main Street called “Coulee Plaza.” “I would like to thank the mayor and the city council for working together with me through this,” Hsieh told The Star on Tuesday. “I’m excited to see Coulee Plaza continuing to serve the community!” The issue has been ongoing since October of 2020 when the city council had initially voted against allowing the signs to stay. Hsieh was told by the city following a c...
There have only been a few cases of Covid locally in the past month. Since June 30, when The Star last reported local covid numbers, there have been zero cases reported from Grant County Public Health for the Grand Coulee and Electric City area of the county, with a total of 48 in those cities since the pandemic began. According to Okanogan Public Health, Coulee Dam has seen 68 total cases, up one since June 30, and Nespelem has seen three new cases since that date for a total of 83. Elmer City has stayed at a total of 20 cases. OPH breaks... Full story
Thursday night some of us woke up to the fire fight. Thank you, Chief of Police and Mayor for telling us, the people in this sleepy little town, that this would take place for about three hours. Am I wrong in thinking the U.S. Army has an area in Yakima for just these kinds of games? Just to let you know, that was the rudest thing you could have done. All those that woke up to that. Old people, and let’s not forget all the combat veterans we have in this area. Carol Daily...
Governor Jay Inslee, I ask what do the powers to be think they can do to offset the so called climate change. I ask how many times the climate of the earth has changed over the Billions of years? This area was once covered with Ice 14,000 years ago, before that this area was a tropical forest there were Gingko forests Mammoths, Rhinoceros. As far as I am concerned the so called climate change is the natural process of the earth. One volcano will produce more greenhouse gasses in 24 hours than all the cars on earth in several years. The climate...
I was lucky to travel when the best hotels were still inexpensive. The Okura Hotel in Tokyo was part of the International Hotel chain. Cost for an overnight stay today would be from $400-$600. I paid $18 for a first-class room with all the amenities that only the Japanese can think of. When I arrived, a small army of nurserymen were building a small forest in the lobby area. By the time I left, their forestry project was done and a beautiful Japanese garden was there for patrons to enjoy. I stayed in the Grand Hotel in Taipei, Taiwan, a...
For months, activists and bureaucrats alike have told the American people to “believe in science” – to take the pandemic seriously, to practice social distancing and handwashing, and to wear masks and get vaccinated. I have consistently called for these same things, and thanks to the remarkable efforts of private industry and government regulators through Operation Warp Speed, we are fortunate that Washington State has one of the highest vaccination rates in the country, with 57.3% of the population fully vaccinated, exceeding the natio...
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics were billed as the “Hydrogen Olympics!” Then along came COVID and sporting events worldwide were put on hold. The summer games were delayed until 2021. Postponing the games cost Japan billions and thwarted its efforts to showcase the Japanese “Green Growth” strategies. Japan, like the United States, plans to become carbon-neutral by 2050. While countries like China are betting on lithium batteries, Japan’s centerpiece is hydrogen. As Japanese researchers develop new technology using renewable electricity generated...
When conventional food supply chains had difficulties adapting at the start of the pandemic, farmers markets and local food systems clearly displayed the resiliency of short supply chains as interest in local foods spiked nationwide. Farmers markets across the country did what they could to safely open for the farmers and the customers who had come to depend on them, with 72% of market organizations in the U.S. operating the same number or more market days during summer 2020 as in summer 2019, according to the Farmers Market Coalition. The...
Darlene V. Bott, 76, of Electric City, Washington, passed away Friday evening, July 30, 2021, in Wenatchee, Washington. She was born Monday, October 2, 1944, in Lovell, Wyoming, to Lewis & Virginia Banks. Shortly following her graduation from Rocky Mountain High School in Cowley, Wyoming in 1963, Darlene Banks married Wilbur Bott in her hometown of Lovell, Wyoming that same year. Well known and loved by Lake Roosevelt School District students and staff as School Secretary, Darlene retired after... Full story
Pastor Bob Phillips, 72, minister and member of the Cherokee Nation of Tahlequah, OK, met his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ face to face, Friday morning, July 23, 2021, from Spokane, Washington. Bob was born Saturday, March 12, 1949, to Job & Eva Sunday-Phillips in Porum, Oklahoma. A 1969 graduate of Porum High School, Bob went on to graduate from Baptist Bible College, Springfield, Missouri. In November of 1976, Bob married Charlene Drywater, in Tulsa, Oklahoma at the New Life Indian Baptist Chu... Full story
Gwenneth B. "Gwen" Wright, 74, born Friday April 18, 1947, in Binger, Oklahoma, to Kenneth R. and Prudence Edmonds; passed away last week in Electric City, Washington. She was a member of the "Caddo Tribe" and 1963 graduate of Ponca City High School in Ponca City, Oklahoma. On Saturday, March 13, 1976, in what would be her home for the next 45 years, Gwen married the "love of her life" John T. "Jack" Wright. She and Jack ran Grand Coulee, Washington's Teepee Drive-in for many years. After sellin... Full story
William E. "Bill" McCarty, 79, passed away Tuesday afternoon, July 20, 2021, in Grand Coulee, Washington. Bill was born Sunday, June 28, 1942, in London, Ohio, to William E. & Emma L. Holcomb. His mother later remarried - Ross McCarty, Jr. and Bill chose to officially change his last name to "McCarty." Bill graduated from Union High School in Milford Center, Ohio, and in 1961 enlisted with the United States Air Force. He served his country as jet fighter mechanic for four years, completing his... Full story
The sixth all-class reunion sponsored by the Grand Coulee High School Alumni Association will take place August 13-14th, 2021. Held every fourth year to coincide with the Olympics, the reunion was cancelled last year because of Covid-19, but so were the 2020 Summer Olympic Games! This year’s reunion will begin at 6 P M on Friday, August 13, 2021, with registration and a time of visiting at the covered picnic area above the Gehrke windmills at North Dam Park. Some individual classes will hold get-togethers Friday or Saturday evening at the h...
Grand Coulee Eagle Auxiliary will be holding a 2 p.m. meeting on the first and third Monday of the month. Applications are now being accepted for membership. For more information call Margie at 633-3443....
Town of Elmer City Notice of SPECIAL MEETING For a Public Hearing The Town of Elmer City will conduct a Special Meeting for a Public Hearing to consider the Six Year Comprehensive Street Program for 2022 – 2027. The Public Hearing will be held remotely on Zoom on August 12, 2021 at 6:55 P.M. All interested persons will be given opportunity to provide written or oral comment at said meeting. For instructions on how to attend the meeting, please contact Gary at 633-2872. Gary Benton Clerk/Treasurer 509 633 2872 (Publish August 4 & 11, 2... Full story
Story times are some of the most popular and well attended programs in our libraries, and we’ve missed doing them as much as you’ve missed bringing your children to them. We are happy to announce that some of our libraries are once again offering in-person story times with some modifications to keep staff and patrons safe during the pandemic. For now the story times will be outside at our libraries or at community venues near our libraries. Here is the August schedule: Cashmere: Yoga story time, 10:30 a.m. Aug. 11 and Aug. 25 at Riverside Par...
Grand Coulee Police 7/27 - A Cheney man crashed his convertible into a parked car outside of the ice cream shop on Midway Avenue. The second vehicle moved approximately 50 feet, hitting another parked car. The driver was the only one hurt. He said his head hurt and was taken to the hospital. The owners of the other two cars were in the ice cream shop at the time of the accident. There was no sign of the driver being intoxicated, and he didn’t know what had happened. It appeared to officers he wasn’t paying attention. The 22-year-old driver was...