News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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Electric City Mayor Jerry Sands’ attempt to influence how Grand Coulee police pursue noise complaints has fallen on deaf ears, at least for the short term. He went to the Grand Coulee police department office recently and told officers there to back off responding to noise complaints from local taverns who have live music. Grand Coulee Police Chief Mel Hunt said he and his officers take an oath to uphold the laws and nothing has changed. “If Electric City’s legislative body (the council) wants to amend its noise ordinance, then that might... Full story
The Keller Ferry vessel, Sanpoil, is out of service with mechanical issues until further notice, the state Department of Transportation said late Monday afternoon. With the ferry that carries vehicles on State Route 21 across Lake Roosevelt out of service, anyone who travels that route will will need to use alternatives to reach their destinations. There is no estimate on when the vessel will return to service. Several miles of highway 21 are currently closed due to the fires of the Devil's Elbow Complex burning 10 miles north of Keller. Some...
Some of the smoke choking the area from The Devil's Elbow Complex fires north of Keller may come from firefighters' efforts to battle the blaze, as they burn out fuel to deny the fire a way to spread. It has consumed more than 17,000 acres so far and still threatens about 150 homes and 90 other structures. Highway 21 is closed and evacuations along it have extended north from Capoose Creek/Meadow to the Bear Creek campground. More than 100 firefighters took part in a burnout operation Saturday...
Update As of 9 a.m., Thursday, Aug. 7, the fires had consumed nearly 8,300 acres and was threatening some 50 homes and 50 other structures. One outbuilding has burned. San Poil Valley residents were ordered to evacuate Tuesday due to several fires on the Colville Indian Reservation that have burned about 2,000 acres, according to officials at the Mt. Tolman Fire Center. Some 20 to 25 homes are threatened, along with cultural resources, power lines and commercial timber. One fire, burning in... Full story
Grand Coulee’s Civil Service Commission will begin work soon to hire a new police chief. That task was handed to them as the result of a memo from Mayor Chris Christopherson on advice from the city’s attorney. The commission took quick action Monday evening and scheduled a special meeting of the commission for Monday, Aug. 11, at 5:30 p.m. in the city council chambers. “The public is invited,” Chairman Alan Cain stated. At that meeting, the commission will come up with the qualifications they will seek in a new chief so advertisements on the... Full story
Thanks to the observations of our astute community members, we can classify that remarkably weird little storm that blew through Aug. 2 as a type that is more common to Africa, the arid Middle East, Central Australia and the American Southwest. Using the photo shared on The Star's Facebook page by Erika Jennings and the quick research of Glo Carrol, what we could just call a dust storm might more accurately be called a "haboob." The Wikipedia entry on this phenomenon says, "During thunderstorm... Full story
Coulee Dam’s Civil Service Commission is up and running. Mayor Greg Wilder named the third member of the commission a week ago and the first task of the three-member group is to hire a third police officer. “In order to remove nepotistic hiring practices, inappropriate selection of friends or other practices that may not serve us well, I have adopted a new policy relating to the selection process,” Wilder stated. Then the mayor went on to detail his hands-off policy. “All applications for openings for sworn officers in our police departm... Full story
A Western Washington woman has agreed to gift a piece of property on Coulee Dam’s north entrance to the town, Mayor Greg Wilder stated last week. Diane Hartzell, whose parents lived here during construction of Grand Coulee Dam, will be in Coulee Dam Aug. 21, when the property gift clears legal hurdles. A public ceremony is planned, with details to come later. Hartzell has advised that she will also be donating a heavy box of tools her father used while working on the dam site, as well as photographs and copies of scrapbooks. Wilder stated t...
The Grand Coulee Dam School District's new school complex in Coulee Dam stands close to completion Tuesday morning. The K-12 school is on schedule for its mid-September opening. Said one construction worker as he passed by a photographer taking pictures of the progress: "Taking pictures of the beautiful new school? You should. We're changing lives here."...
Bank holds school supplies drive North Cascades Bank in Grand Coulee began its month-long “School Supplies Drive” last Friday. The bank will be accepting through the month of August any school supplies, or monetary donations to use towards buying supplies, to support local schools. Sports physicals offered Coulee Medical Center is offering sports physicals on Aug. 13 and 20 from 9 a.m, to 1 p.m. and from 2 p.m. until 4:30. Cost of the physical is $20. No insurance will be billed and no immunizations are given with the physical. Patients wil... Full story
When her sister died suddenly in June, Carla Kneeland had already happened to have had a conversation with her about what to do next: give the contents of the home she and her husband made in Grand Coulee to the Grand Coulee Dam Senior Center. That’s why a big yard sale coming up Saturday is a special one. Kneeland's sister, Christie Arbaugh died of a stroke June 14, six months after her husband, Pete Arbaugh had died while fishing at Crescent Bay. “We believe the stroke was caused by a broken heart,” Kneeland said. Pete would fish just about... Full story
Recent leadership exhibited by many on municipal councils indicates what we hope is flowering trend in local governance: intelligent cooperation toward common goals. Within the space of a few months, at least two examples, involving a total of four local legislative bodies, show that problems can be addressed when cool heads come together and work to work on them. The council committees of John Nordine and Aaron Derr of Electric City and David Tylor and Erin Nielsen of Grand Coulee were able to work together and make progress on the police... Full story
Several weeks back, Jess Utz wrote an article in The Star about the merging of Coulee Dam, Electric City and Grand Coulee into one town. I know this is a subject that has been brought up many times in the past, and it’s never gone anywhere for one reason or another. I am hoping that everyone will take a second look at the pros and cons of such a merging. Each town has its finer points and also weaknesses in city governing than the next. By merging all of the towns to one, we could take all the finer points from each town and make this a beautif... Full story
Subject: The Star Newspaper Problem: None I’m an old Coulee Dam High School Class of 1954 graduate. I live in Minnesota now but I sure do like to get The Star. It brings back lots of old memories of the dam building time. So keep up the good paper – I like to get it every week. Thanks a lot. An old Coulee Dam customer Bill Neuhauser... Full story
Much as we may hate to admit it and don’t want to think about it, our burning of fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, increasing the greenhouse effect. This warms the Earth, which costs us in many ways. Forest fires are more likely as less snowmelt is available in the spring and summer to moisten the soil because more winter precipitation falls as rain rather than snow in a warmer climate. Warming has made fire-prone areas more vulnerable to “mega-fires” like the Carlton Complex Fire that are unprecedented in their socia... Full story
Most of you may never have met him, others just once or twice. Some will know the name only. Most will know at least one of his boys, some all three, but everyone will know Siam Palace. If you have lived here ever in your life and moved away, one of the first things you do when you come home to Coulee Country is to get some Siam Chow Mien. My sister does, the Seekins boys do and travelers from all over the area do. Kachane has done something right in those noodles but that is not why he is a... Full story
1 Years Ago Over 1900 acres outside of Elmer City has burned and hundreds of firefighters from the area and surrounding communities have combined in the effort to stop it. Many citizens had to be evacuated but no homes were lost. The official cause of the fire is “human caused.” Coulee Dam officials opened up the town’s new filtration plant to a tour, after a brief ribbon cutting ceremony Wednesday morning. The “state-of-the-art” plant cost about $5.9 million, of which Coulee Dam water consumers will pay $1.3 million. 20 Years Ago In June o... Full story
Marlin Russell Newnam, 79, born August 13, 1934, in the Epworth, N.D., home of Russell H. and Vina Mae Newnam, passed away in his Electric City, Wash., home Wed., July 30, 2014. In 1974 Marlin married Dorothy Gartrell in Elko, Nevada and worked as a Ford mechanic for 40 years, then as a mechanic for Boeing Aircraft Manufacturing. While he could fix anything with a motor, Marlin lived for fishing anywhere there was anything to catch. He also belonged to the Moose and Eagles clubs, enjoyed... Full story
Stephenie and Joel DeWinkler of Coulee Dam are proud to announce the birth of their daughter Nova Rozlynn DeWinkler on Monday, July 28, 2014, at Coulee Medical Center in Grand Coulee. She weighed 8 lbs., 4 oz., and was 21.5 inches in length at birth. Siblings include Savannah Hobrecht Chloe Hobrecht, Jazzlynn Hobrecht and Kirah Lukin. Maternal grandparents are Molly Morris-Hobrecht and Steve Hobrecht of Coulee Dam. Paternal grandparents are Donna and Jeff Dewinkler of Elmer City.... Full story
The LRHS Class of 1984 will be celebrating its 30 year reunion the weekend of August 23. Friday night the group will meet at the Electric City Bar and Grill. On Saturday a gathering at Spring Canyon will be held left to where the boats can come ashore. Saturday night a banquet dinner at Pepper Jack’s begins at 6:30 p.m. with Love Stitch at 9 p.m. The cost for the dinner is $25. Please RSVP banquet on Facebook at 1984 class reunion or call Mark at 631-2039.... Full story
Wed., Aug 6 - Dinner German Sausage with Sauerkraut, Butter Seasoned Potatoes, Seasonal Veggie Platter, Fruit Cocktail Cake. Thurs., Aug. 7 - Dinner BBQ Chicken, Garden Salad, Cheesy Potatoes, Broccoli, Ice Cream with Fruit Topping. Grocery shopping and errands. Fri., Aug. 8 - Breakfast Biscuit and Sausage Gravy, Eggs, Bowl of Fruit, Oatmeal, Orange Juice. Senior Center General meeting at 10 a.m. Mon., Aug. 11 - Breakfast Breakfast Meat Scramble, Waffles, Apple Slices, Oatmeal, Orange Juice. Tues., Aug 12 - Dinner Taco Salad in a Tortilla... Full story
Chamber This Week The Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce will meet Thursday, August 7, at noon, at La Presa in Grand Coulee. Natalie Dennis will be speaking about the Vintage Christmas market planning. OES to Meet Grand Coulee Dam Order of Eastern Star will be holding an Education Night on Thursday Aug. 14 at the Masonic Lodge. It will be in chapter dress and long form. Refreshments will be provided by Vivian Dugan and Jo Ayers with birthday cake provided by Joyce Moore. Grant County Mosquito Dist. 2 to Meet Grant County Mosquito Dist.... Full story
The Grand Coulee Dam area has some spectacular views of the night and daytime sky. The peak of the Perseid Meteor Shower is the early morning on August 12 and 13. So come join local astronomers and National Park Service Sky Rangers scan the sky for these observation events! On August 8, at the Spring Canyon Day Use Area and August 9 at the GCD Visitor Center there will be Solar Observations from 1-3 p.m. Come find out what the closest star is and what the sun looks like. Solar filtered telescopes and solar glasses will be available to view the... Full story
DSHS Staffers the the state’s Department of Social and Health Services will be at the Grand Coulee Dam Senior Center’s Thrift Store at 203 Main Street, Grand Coulee from noon to 3 p.m. on Thursday Aug. 28. They will take applications for cash and food programs, including: • TANF and associated emergency assistance for eligible persons/families, such as those who have emergent needs. • Aged, Blind, Disabled cash assistance for eligible individuals. • Snap-Food Stamp assistance benefits. This includes ordering replacement EBT cards. • Electro... Full story
Summer events continue at the Grand Coulee library with this Wed. Aug. 6, 10:30 a.m., Craft Day with Spinning Wheels and Thaumatrope. Fri., Aug 8, 10 a.m. Reptile Man will be at the library. Wed., Aug. 13, 10:30 a.m., Build a robot. Fri., Aug. 15, NCRL Puppeteers will be at the library, beginning at 10 a.m. Fri., Aug. 22, beginning at 10:30 a.m., the Summer Reading Program Gala – Science: Weird, But True. There will be a drawing for bicycles, donated by the local Free Masons of Wasington.... Full story