News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 32
Grand Coulee came very close last week to changing local law to allow the licensing of a marijuana retail store in the city. An ordinance before the city council Sept. 15 originally would have restricted any such license if it was illegal under state or federal law. But that quickly changed when Councilmember David Tylor made a motion to remove the reference to “federal law” from the ordinance. Voters passed Initiative 502 in November 2012, making it legal in the state of Washington to open such stores. Although it is still against federal law,... Full story
Eastern Washington University is proud to announce an academic and community program to honor the legacy of Lucy Covington, a Colville Tribal Council member who changed the course of American Indian history through her courageous and selfless style of leadership in the face of great odds. Covington was instrumental in reversing the United States government’s effort to extinguish its unique relationship to American Indian tribes. The Lucy Covington Center at EWU will honor Covington’s place in history by working to educate the next gen...
Shep Douglas blocks a kick from Elizabeth Piturachsatit in the championship game of human foosball at the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce's Harvest Festival last Saturday. The tabletop game, popular since the 1970s in basement rec rooms and taverns, grew to life size at the event with four teams competing. Winners of that and other festival contests are included in this issue. - Scott Hunter photo... Full story
A Grand Coulee couple has indicated an interest in purchasing Center School and its property. Mervin and MaryJo Monteith, who represent the North American Wool Cooperative, told Grand Coulee city officials last week that they will seek a rezone of the Center School property so they can purchase it for a fiber mill and education center. The Monteiths have an alpaca operation in Lincoln County and also own an airplane parts operation in Grand Coulee that supplies small parts for both commercial and military operations. The Grand Coulee couple... Full story
The members of the Regional Board of Mayors are trying to wrap their arms around recycling again. This time they are talking about budgeting for a recycling program of sorts for 2016. First, the mayors of the four towns making up the board will need to go to their respective councils to get an OK to spend some $13,000 for a recycling bin. All four councils need to approve the expenditure before the RBOM can purchase a bin. Or, as Electric City’s clerk, Jackie Perman, pointed out, the RBOM might be able to rent a bin. Recycling dominated M... Full story
The Bureau of Reclamation will install wooden log booms across Moonbeam Bay and the bay at Redford Canyon beginning in late October, the agency announced Tuesday. During construction, and upon completion of the project, motorized watercraft will be prohibited in each of these areas. Non-motorized activities will continue to be allowed in both bays, the bureau press release said. The log booms are being placed to reduce shoreline erosion from wave action to protect critical resources in these... Full story
Ambulance busy Grand Coulee’s ambulance made 40 calls during August, Fire Chief Richard Paris reported at the last city council meeting. Six of the calls were in Coulee Dam, 25 in Grand Coulee and nine were transports between medical facilities. He also reported that the volunteer fire department made two one-alarm calls, one mutual-aid call and one run into Lincoln County. Trucks and personnel from the department assisted in wildland fires in Okanogan County and on the Colville Reservation. Senior center parking restricted There are new p... Full story
Coulee Dam has a code enforcer. Mayor Greg Wilder told the council last Wednesday night that Gary Haven has been hired to enforce the town’s civil ordinances, all except for those concerning dogs. Haven also is the code enforcer for Electric City, and has had a number of successes in getting people to conform to that city’s codes. Haven will work 25 hours a month for Coulee Dam, receiving $22 an hour. He will work to get people to clean up tall grass and garbage piled around their buildings. The dog issue won’t come into play, at least for now,... Full story
Brooklyn Tillman delights in making a very big bubble at the Harvest Festival Saturday, where kids activities also included pumpkin decorating, sumo wrestling, looking at the sun with a special telescope, and a ride on a horse-drawn hay wagon. Her mom, Emily Tillman, helped a little. — Scott Hunter photo... Full story
Coulee Dam police Chief Pat Collins has retired. “I would like to thank you all for the many years I have been with Coulee Dam,” Collins stated in a brief letter of resignation. “It is now time for me to move on. I have been offered another position and, after careful consideration, I have decided to accept the new position.” Collins stated that his final day would be Sept. 25. Mayor Greg Wilder put Collins on paid administrative leave through the remainder of his time. Collins has been with the town for 26 years. The town started adverti... Full story
It’s not often the stars align in such a way as to guide the steps of our local leaders, but right now might be a good time for them to look up. In an area that can benefit from every scrap of efficiency it can find, it might seem obvious that similar services two miles apart could benefit by joining forces. Now think about the local police departments. Coulee Dam has one; so does Grand Coulee. Electric City does not, but Coulee Dam recently learned their police would be servicing that city on the other side of Grand Coulee via a bid that was m... Full story
While I was packaging up some recently smoked salmon, I thought, “Why not take it to the staging area in Nespelem and see if these folks might just like this little snack?” Wow, did they. I think before I was out of the parking area, most of 50 bags were being devoured. With no more fish to smoke, Frank Thomas suggested a trip to the net pens on Rufus Woods to solicit a triploid donation. They really stepped up to the plate. All told, pens manager Bill Clark of Pacific Sea Food donated over 260 pounds of these great smoking triploid. A big tha... Full story
During debates over expanding Medicaid to uninsured, low-income families, expansion opponents argued it doesn’t provide quality healthcare coverage, and low-income residents would be better off uninsured. Reports of organizations such as The Buckeye Institute (from Ohio, which has expanded its Medicaid program) make such claims. They have been repeated across the nation by anti-Affordable Care Act and anti-Medicaid expansion politicians and groups. These arguments are nonsensical. Myriad economic and health benefits accompany health insurance.... Full story
The U.S. healthcare system is afflicted with a debilitating chronic illness — rising costs. Health spending could top $10,000 a person this year. Fortunately, there’s a cure. It’s called value-based care, and it represents a fundamental change in how we pay for health care. Instead of paying healthcare providers for what they do to a patient, value-based care compensates them for how their patients do after they leave the doctor’s office. By emphasizing outcomes instead of inputs, value-based care can improve patient health — and cure our... Full story
If I said the words, “Faith Community Church,” one of your first thoughts would be the Archers. They have been here since the beginning. In an era that pastors don’t usually stay in one place longer than 10 years, the Archers have been here over 30. They raised their kids here and now their grandkids come to visit here. All the while, they pastor the little church in Electric City. Faith Community started in a home many years ago. It grew and soon was in a garage. It grew again and the members said it was time for a building and a pasto... Full story
This photograph, taken from the intersection of First Street and Ickes Avenue, looks to the northeast, a part of the area to be developed as an extension to the Right 230-kv Switchyard. First Street is to the right, Ickes Avenue enters from the left. The contractor has removed all the trees along First Steet, preparatory to moving out of the temporary type "A" houses. Contractor: Mk-Pk, Specifications No 2933 - April 26, 1950... Full story
Pat Zlateff, present owner of Riverside Lanes, asked the Coulee Dam Town Council to grant him six months of free rent to get the bowling alley cleaned up for a possible sale. A story in the Sept. 16 issue stated the request had been made for two people who have indicated an interest in purchasing the bowling alley. Town officials have not made a decision as yet on the request.... Full story
Devon Beekler is in awe of coulee country. She hails from Lancaster County in Pennsylvania, a garden of sorts. Lancaster is right in the center of Amish country, where farmland is tailored, farm buildings are kept better than houses, and people in old-fashioned buggies may have the right of way. By education, Beekler is a landscape architect, a graduate of Penn State, and is locked into a year-long position with the National Park Service here to help the agency promote its 100th anniversary.... Full story
No Chamber This Week The Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce will not be meeting this Thursday. Regular meetings will resume Thursday, Oct. 1, at noon, at Pepper Jack’s Bar & Grille in Grand Coulee. Grant County Fire Dist. 14 to Meet Grant County Fire District 14 will hold its regular monthly meeting at 7 p.m., on Monday, Sept. 28, at the Electric City fire station. Okanogan County School Retirees Association to Meet Members of the Okanogan County School Retirees’ Association will meet at 11 a.m., Friday, Sept. 25, for a no-host lun... Full story
Wed., Sept. 23 - Dinner St. Januarius Feast Day. Italian Night! Manicotti, Tortellini, Fettucine, Pamzamella, Zucchini Salad, Italian Ice Cream Thurs., Sept. 24 - Dinner Chicken Fried Steak, Mashed Potatoes & Gravy, Steamed Vegetables, Fruit Cup, Rice Krispy Treats Fri., Sept. 25 - Breakfast Biscuit & Sausage Gravy, Eggs, Fruit Bowl, Orange Juice Mon., Sept. 28 - Breakfast Breakfast Sandwich (Eggs, Canadian Bacon, Cheese), Potato Cakes, Fruit Bowl, Orange Juice Tues., Sept. 29 - Dinner Stuffed Bell Peppers or Chicken Salad, Salad & Fruit Bar,... Full story
An Electric City woman has been selected as the new head librarian at Grand Coulee. North Central Regional Library officials announced this week that Lisa Moore has been selected after a lengthy process of interviews. NCRL spokesperson Angela Morris said Monday that there was a large number of applicants and that it was a difficult decision because of the quality of the candidates. Moore replaces Joette Barry, who has moved to the number-two position at the Moses Lake library with a step up in grade. Morris said that Moore begins her new... Full story
EPHRATA — Wanted: volunteers interested in helping preserve Grant County’s historical heritage. Prospective candidates are being sought for the Grant County Historical Society’s board of directors, who oversee operations at the county museum in Ephrata. President Rita Mayrant said several current board members have ongoing medical issues which limit their participation, and the group, overall, is aging. “We’re hoping some area residents would be interested in serving, and that would include younger people with an interest in the county’s... Full story
The school district has hired a new head boys' basketball coach. Lake Roosevelt High School Coach Mario Adams arrived in the coulee area last week and plans to be a substitute teacher in the district. "He is passionate about helping develop young men into responsible adults and successful athletes," Athletic Director Rich Black said of Adams in recommending him to the school board for confirmation. Adams, 25, comes to his Lake Roosevelt assignment from California where he had built up seven... Full story
Steven Flowers' touchdown with 42 seconds left in the game kept the Raiders from a scoreless loss against Soap Lake Friday night. Flowers ran the ball in from 54 yards out, and the kick was good to give Lake Roosevelt seven points to the Eagles' 34. The Eagles had come to town with a 2-0 win-loss record and showed up ready to play. The Raiders played hard and kept trying to get back into the game. The Eagles were too much, however, and the Raiders dropped to 1-1 overall. "We played hard to the... Full story
Wed., Sept. 23 5 p.m., JHS Volleyball here with Brewster 5:30 p.m., JV Football at Omak Thurs., Sept. 24 5:30 p.m., JHS Football at Liberty Bell. 5:30 p.m., HS Volleyball here with Tonasket Fri., Sept. 25 7 p.m., HS Football here with Manson Mon., Sept. 28 6 p.m., JHS Volleyball at Omak Tues., Sept. 29 5 p.m., HS Volleyball at Brewster Wed., Sept. 30 5 p.m., JHS Volleyball at Oroville 5:30 p.m., JV Football at Omak Thurs., Oct 1 5:30 p.m., JHS Football at Okanogan 5:30 p.m., HS Volleyball here with Okanogan Fri., Oct. 2 7 p.m., HS Football... Full story
