News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area

Articles from the August 31, 2022 edition


Sorted by date  Results 1 - 22 of 22

  • Regional EMS district idea floated to city leaders

    Jacob Wagner|Aug 31, 2022
    1

    With emergency medical services, such as ambulance services, being desired everywhere in the Coulee, it’s important to have a successful EMS system in place, city leaders heard last week. Nic Alexander, who serves as assistant fire chief to Chief Ryan Fish for the Grand Coulee Volunteer Fire Department and the Grand Coulee Ambulance, spoke at the city’s Aug. 23 council meeting. “We need to be ready for the future,” he said. Alexander noted forming an EMS tax district is just one option for providing support to the service that is current...

  • Worth the hike

    Aug 31, 2022

    Monte Murbach gives a "look at this scenery" gesture as his wife snaps a photo on the Candy Point Trail in Coulee Dam Aug. 24. Starting from a trailhead behind a residence at the end of Columbia Avenue, hikers can detour up to Crown Point or continue toward Fiddle Creek, city hall and the old railroad tunnel. - Diane Murbach photo...

  • Local health leader explains ailing system to Medicare head

    Scott Hunter|Aug 31, 2022

    When the head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services flew from Washington, D.C. to Seattle a couple weeks ago on a fact-finding mission, the CEO of Coulee Medical Center was on hand to give her some. Like the fact that in 2019, only fog or wildland fires could stop the transfer of a patient to another hospital for needed care, and that was rare. Now it happens from three to 10 times a week, and not because anyone is overrun with Covid-19 patients. Chief Executive Officer Ramona Hicks...

  • Tribe sets grand opening of Nespelem softball/baseball field

    Aug 31, 2022

    A grand opening of a new Nespelem Softball/Baseball Field will be held Friday, Sept. 16, at 1 p.m. “Fun events are planned, and additional details about the celebration will be shared in the near future,” a press release from the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation reads. “The field is Little League and standard high school softball size,” the release continues. “It is multi-purpose and can be used for sports such as soccer or flag football. It features synthetic turf and a large scoreboard. The turf will allow for minimal m...

  • School enrollments noted

    Aug 31, 2022

    Some 820 students have enrolled in local schools for the 2022-23 school year, including Lake Roosevelt Schools and Nespelem Elementary School. There are 689 students at Lake Roosevelt Schools. The junior/senior high side of the school has 352 students enrolled, according to a report submitted by Principal Natalie Kontos included in the Grand Coulee Dam School School District’s Aug. 22 board meeting packet. Those 352 students include 47 in seventh grade; 55 in eighth; 66 freshmen; 74 sophomores; 65 juniors; and 45 seniors. Those numbers do n...

  • Local nominated for regional award

    Aug 31, 2022

    A local restaurateur is among those nominated by a Wenatchee organization as “Entreprenuer of the Year.” Patty Oliver, who with husband Brad Oliver owns PK’s Cullinary in Grand Coulee, is up for the honor to be awarded later in September at the NCW Tech Alliance’s Annual Innovator Awards Luncheon at the Wenatchee Convention Center. Oliver is one of three nominated for the award. “Entrepreneurs are people with vision and the ability to see a need and fill it. They have the courage to make change and the stamina to await results. This individua...

  • Raider Rock Band goes from club to class

    Jacob Wagner|Aug 31, 2022

    Rock ‘n’ Roll has come a long way since LIttle Richard, continuing to both dazzle and offend, allowing young people to express themselves, and now, earn credits in high school. Raider Rock Band started as a club last year with history and creative writing teacher Justin Thompson leading the group, and now it is an actual class taught on the stage at Lake Roosevelt Jr/Sr High School, open to grades 9-12 for the year-long course that applies to a student’s art credits. “Last year, rock band club became something really special, although not ent...

  • Good luck to labor

    Scott Hunter|Aug 31, 2022

    President Joe Biden likes to promote “union jobs” whenever he can, recognizing the tremendous contribution the union movement made in American history in the last century. This century, it’s less clear cut, as union numbers were decimated in most industries over recent decades, but it’s still worth recognizing and pondering. Today, some argue that with the emergence of artificial intelligence and robotics coming on, the role of human workers is actually somewhat questionable. Note that China is planning a large new hydroelectric dam — to be...

  • Re: "The facts on school discipline" Aug. 24 Star

    Amanda Burton|Aug 31, 2022

    I appreciate these letters and I hope people are reading them. So far, we have been lucky in our interaction with the school, and I hope to see that continue — and that is the point of view that I am commenting from. There have been issues here and there but they have ultimately been handled appropriately. I think that an explanation of the specific ways in which the district’s hands are tied with respect to discipline would help the community understand why the school handles certain behaviors in the way they do rather than how people may thi...

  • Travel floodgates have opened

    Roger Lucas|Aug 31, 2022

    With covid numbers down, people have resumed long delayed travel interest. My family is no exception. It’s a test to balance caution and adventure. It started with my grandson, William, from Portland, closing out last year with a nine-week trip through Europe. How you can talk an employer into letting you go for nine weeks and still have your job waiting for you is beyond me. But he did. As a caution, William donned a mask when around large numbers of people and made the best of it. The overwhelming interest on the trip, which included n...

  • Don't relapse into eugenics

    Jack Stevenson|Aug 31, 2022

    In the early part of the 20th century, some people developed the notion that they could improve society by preventing undesirable people from reproducing. They called their idea eugenics, which means the good gene. The concept was widely adopted by the elite of American society. They would sterilize undesirable people so that those people could not reproduce. The idea won favor with U.S. Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson. It was endorsed by various members of the American Academy of Medicine and the...

  • Ignore China's threat to our own peril

    Dan Newhouse|Aug 31, 2022

    Tensions have steadily risen between the United States and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) for years now. From the pandemic-era trade wars to military drills around Taiwan, it’s clear the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which controls the PRC, is pursuing its goal of creating a new world order relentlessly. What many aren’t aware of, however, is China has already begun making moves within our own borders. For over a decade, China has continued to expand its global reach with its Belts and Roads Initiative, now with new energy and infra...

  • Darrell Alan Stensgar

    Aug 31, 2022

    Darrell Alan Stensgar, 68, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and member of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville, peacefully passed away in his Coulee Dam, Washington home Monday morning, August 15, 2022. He was born Sunday, September 27, 1953 in Nespelem, Washington to James F. and Donna Wilson-Stensgar. After retiring in 2012 after 30 years as a Civil Engineer with the BIA (Bureau of Indian Affairs), Darrell was a member of the Grand Coulee Moose Lodge and the Grand Coulee Eagles. When...

  • A Celebration of Life for Pine/Bill Desautel

    Aug 31, 2022

    A Celebration of Life for Pine/Bill Desautel Saturday, September 10, 2022 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. at the north end, (downriver, left side) Lake Roosevelt SpringCanyon National Park BYOB, your lawn chair and your great memories of Pine. He wanted everyone to have fun, celebrate and share good times. A taco bar will be provided. This event willbe on the beach and very casual. Boat in or walk in....

  • Summer pleasures

    Aug 31, 2022

    Remmi Cruz enjoyed the watermelon at last weekend's annual Moose Picnic at North Dam. The turnout was larger than ever with great food, drinks and fun. - Gwen Hilson photo...

  • AA Meetings in the Local Area

    Aug 31, 2022

    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. A new Alcoholics Anonymous group is meeting each Saturday at noon at the Grand Coulee Community Church, 405 Center St. Meetings are open. More information call 509.680.9549 In Nespelem, the group Bound and Determined holds its meetings Monday evening at 7 p.m. at the Catholic...

  • Free COVID-19 Vaccine available this Saturday at Grand Coulee Library

    Aug 31, 2022

    Grant County Health District (GCHD) is offering free COVID vaccine clinics at NCW Libraries Grant County community library locations. This Saturday the clinic will be available from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the Grand Coulee Library (across from Les Schwab). These clinics o fer COVID-19 primary and booster doses for all ages, 6 months and older. Only Moderna vaccines will be offered but anyone looking to get a booster can get a Moderna dose (regardless of previous vaccine types received). The clinics are walk-in only, no appointment is needed. No...

  • Household hazardous waste disposal coming up 

    Aug 31, 2022

    Grand Coulee Dam area residents may dispose of household hazardous waste for free on Friday, September 16 from 12 pm to 4 pm at the Delano Regional Transfer Station. This event is for waste generated by households only. Participants must remain in their vehicles and all waste must be in the trunk or the bed of a pickup. Containers will not be returned. Hazardous products have labels with words such as danger, caustic, flammable, and poison. Examples include oil-based paint, used automotive oil, paint thinner, rechargeable batteries, solvents, b...

  • Coulee Cops

    Aug 31, 2022

    Grand Coulee Police 8/24 - A garbage truck backed into another vehicle on Continental Heights that was in the garbage truck’s blindspot. Police helped the drivers exchange information. The other car had damage to the hood, bumper, and headlights but was able to be driven from the scene. 8/25 - Police responded to the Coulee Playland area where a camper turning into the campground was rear ended by a pickup while the driver was adjusting the volume of her music. There was significant damage to the pickup which was towed from the scene. 8/26 - Po...

  • It's a stretch but worth it

    Aug 31, 2022

    A mule deer doe reaches for fruit as high as she can into an ornamental crab apple tree on Grant Avenue in Coulee Dam as fawns see how it's done. That's The Star's delivery pickup behind them, which sometimes serves as a steadier for hooves involved in the process - with no damage to the hood. - Scott Hunter photo...

  • Legal Notices

    Aug 31, 2022

    Grand Coulee-Electric City Wastewater Treatment Plant Notice of Application for coverage under the Statewide General Permit for Biosolids management Notice is hereby given that the Grand Coulee-Electric City Wastewater Treatment Plant [WWTP] is applying to the Washington State department of Ecology for coverage under the statewide General permit for Biosolids Management. Biosolids are produced at the Grand Coulee-Electric City WWTP, located inside the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Compound c/o City of Grand Coulee, 306 Midway Ave / PO Box 180,...