News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area

Articles from the August 19, 2015 edition


Sorted by date  Results 26 - 38 of 38

Page Up

  • Coulee Cops

    Aug 19, 2015

    Grand Coulee Police 8/10 - Some juveniles were banned from a residence on “D” Street at the owner’s request. - A woman evicted from a trailer park on Mead Avenue made a 911 call, then later was charged with obstructing a police officer and resisting arrest. She was taken to Grant County Jail. 8/11 - Police responded to a woman’s call for help but it couldn’t be determined where the call was coming from. A woman was later seen leaving the area and police think the issue was staged. - A man at Continental Heights made a 911 call to complain that...

  • Over the top

    Aug 19, 2015

    Scott Abrahamson, middle, begins the plunge on Eagle Boy toward the Okanogan River Saturday night on his way to a tie for first place in the 80th World-Famous Suicide Race at the Omak Stampede. The 17-year-old senior at Lake Roosevelt High School this year tied with Loren Marchand on Taz in the first tie since 1979. The complete story of just how that happened is in this week's Omak Chronicle. - Courtesy of Al Camp, Omak Chronicle...

  • Canning workshops coming

    Aug 19, 2015

    A workshop to learn the basics on water bath canning and canning jams will be held in two different locations August 25 and 26. On Tuesday, Aug. 25, the workshop will be held from 4:30 - 8 p.m., at the Diabetes Prevention Program in Nespelem. Wednesday, Aug. 26, it will be held at the Omak Senior Meal Site from 4:30 - 8 p.m. These workshops are open to everyone and are free of charge. To pre-register, contact Kayla Wells, Family & Consumer Science Educator, WSU Colville Reservation-Ferry County Extension, 509-634-2306 or kay...

  • State fire assistance authorized for North Star Fire

    press release, State Emergency Operations Center|Aug 19, 2015

    State fire assistance has been mobilized under the Washington State Fire Services Resource Mobilization Plan in support of local firefighters working to contain the North Star Fire near the city of Nespelem. Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste authorized the mobilization of state firefighting resources on August 19, 2015, at 5 pm at the request of the city of Nespelem Fire Department. The fire started on August 13, 2015, at approximately 3:30 pm. The cause of the North Star Fire is cause of the fire is under investigation. The fire has...

  • Shelter ready for evacuees if needed

    Aug 19, 2015

    The American Red Cross has set up a shelter for people displaced by the raging wildfires in the area at the new school complex in Coulee Dam. Sue Wayland, Red Cross shelter manager, said that four workers from her unit set up about 35 cots in the elementary gym to accommodate those who could come to the facility as early as sometime Thursday. The gym has some 35 cots set up and another 35 are available to be set up if needed. Some residents of the Nespelem Convalescent Center will likely be...

  • Medical center accepting fire evacuees

    Scott Hunter|Aug 19, 2015

    With most of Nespelem in level 2 evacuation status, Coulee Medical Center has accepted several residents of the Colville Tribal Convelscent Center, and the hospital has set up an incident command center to be ready for more should the need arise. "As part of a mutual aid agreement we have accepted a number of residents from the Colville Tribal Convalescent Center as they have been evacuated," a CMC press release stated this afternoon. Friends and family are welcome to visit, but are asked to sign in for a visit. While "operations at CMC are...

  • American Legion accepting donations for evacuees

    Scott Hunter|Aug 19, 2015

    Good people of the coulee area have already sought a way to donate clothing and other items for any evacuees from the fires, but the Red Cross shelter at the school is not the place to take them. Stepping up to fill that role is the American Legion Post 157 in Electric City, which will take such donations in clothing and other necessities, or in cash, to give to people in need because of the fire. The post doesn't have manpower to staff the center all the time, but will meet people there...

  • Woman, like others, refusing to evacuate her home

    Scott Hunter|Aug 19, 2015

    Mona Berland is in a red zone, ordered to leave, just like everyone else at Owhi Lake. She’s not going to, but she’s convincing her neighbors they must in advance of a day firefighters are saying could go badly. As I write this at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, winds in the Nespelem area is blowing from the south, holding the now 75,000-acre North Star Fire at bay. But tonight, they’ll probably turn around, experts say, and tomorrow the town of Nespelem could be in real danger as a coming northern front billows the fire from northwest toward the town...

  • Relatively calm day for North Star Fire, but the wind is shifting

    Scott Hunter|Aug 19, 2015

    The North Star Fire grew by only a few thousand acres today to a little over 78,000, reported lead Public Information Officer Iris Estes, just coming out of an end-of-day briefing about 9 p.m. tonight at the Nespelem Community Center. With 331 personnel now working the fire, the fight has gained priority on a national list, and the state mobilized it yesterday; it's in the pool for shared and shifting resources, coordinated through the the state's Emergency Operation's Center. Today more people...

  • [UPDATED 8-21, 2 p.m.] Fire closes highway 155 and evacuations ordered along River Road

    Scott Hunter|Aug 19, 2015

    Update: The River Road remains open but evacuation has been ordered from highway 155 at Omak city limits out to the Kartar Valley and to Camp Progress Road and highway 155. Residents in that area are instructed to go to Brewster and not wait for door-to-door notification. Update on North Star fire: The Tunk fire In the Okanogan Valley area has jumped Highway 155 near Omak, and the highway is now closed from the Colville Indian Agency to Omak. A detour is available on the river road. Fire...

  • [UPDATE] Fire merger "inconclusive", no structures lost

    Scott Hunter|Aug 19, 2015

    [UPDATE 9:45.a.m 8/22] Initial reports indicated that the Tunk Block Fire and North Star Fire had merged, however this proved to be inconclusive. When more precise mapping is available, fire managers will able to more accurately determine the perimeters of the fires. The size of the fire is estmated at 126,522 acres, but it is "very difficult to verify where the fire edge is due to smoke and fire behavior," a management report states. [Earlier report] A community meeting on the now 108,000-acre...

  • After fire closure, highway re-opens to Omak

    Aug 19, 2015

    Highway 155 is now open from Nespelem to Omak. The road has been closed for days due to the 147,000-acre North Star Fire and the Tunk Block Fire, which together have burned 280,000 acres. The highway was opened early Monday morning, although an earlier information release erroneously stated otherwise, officials stated. The North Star Fire experienced low to moderate growth yesterday. Helicopters dropped water near Nespelem to support ground crews strengthening fire lines there. And an anchor...

  • North Star Fire Tuesday morning report released

    Aug 19, 2015

    Here's the latest from the North Star Fire incident command: NORTH STAR FIRE UPDATE Tuesday 08/25/2015 –9:00AM Acres: 150,000 Start Date: August 13, 2015 Cause: Under investigation Location: Approximately 12 miles north of Nespelem, WA. Containment: 5% Fuels/Topography: Timber, grass and understory Structures Threatened: 2000 + Total personnel: 539 Community Meeting Tonight, August 25, 2015, 4:00 PM Republic Elementary School, 30306 East Hwy 20 Republic, WA 99166. Today's Actions: Red flag c...