News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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For the pennies the Coulee Area Park and Recreation District is seeking in their levy on this election’s ballot, the area stands to gain back much more than the maintenance the money is for — a real beginning. A beginning to an era of unified, pick-yourself-up-by-your-own-bootstraps political will. The Coulee Area Park and Recreation District was formed as a tool to allow the area’s people to give their blessings to efforts that will make life better for everyone in the area, such as a swimming pool. Still seen as their primary goal, commission... Full story
Construction is starting today on new concrete pad and underground electrical installation at the Crescent Bay boat launch on Lake Roosevelt. The 145-foot by 84-foot pad will serve as a site for the later assembly of a new ferry boat for the Keller Ferry. The boat, currently being built in three pieces by Foss Maritime of Oregon, will be delivered for final assembly to the Crescent Bay site operated by the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area. National Park Service spokesman John Edwards said the schedule for that assembly has changed. The...
The Bureau of Reclamation will be adding jobs at Grand Coulee Dam over the next several years, boosting employment at the project by about 40 permanent jobs, plus adding a similar number that will fluctuate as special maintenance projects start and finish, Power Manager Mark Jenson announced Thursday. “We’ve got a good future for Grand Coulee. We’ve got an opportunity to get staff back up to where it needs to be,” Jenson said, speaking to members of the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce at a weekly luncheon meeting at La Presa. Beginni... Full story
A crew of linemen and a helicopter with a very steady pilot assemble high voltage powerlines on new towers above Coulee Dam on the first of three sets of towers. Some drivers on the road below don’t notice the men high above, but the work has been providing quite a show for travelers occasionally stopped for safety as equipment is flown in. The work is scheduled to conclude early this winter. — Scott Hunter photo... Full story
Ballots delivered Ballots for the Nov. 6 general election were mailed last week. If you haven’t received one, you should call your county auditor’s office. One very local issue asks voters to decide on a tax levy for the Coulee Area Park and Recreation District. Anyone not currently registered can still register in person at their county auditor’s office until Oct. 29. Wreck on 17 A man was injured Tuesday afternoon when the 2011 Ford Fiesta he was driving south on SR 17 drifted to the left and rolled onto its right side about 16 miles north... Full story
Coulee Dam resident Greg Wilder, who has opposed the extent of Coulee Dam’s proposed wastewater treatment plant upgrades, has become an ardent advocate for ratepayers who would have to pay for the project. The $4.92 million project is bloated, Wilder claims, and could be built for substantially less, maybe for as little as $2.2 million he says. However, the town continues to move ahead with the design of the project, using Gray & Osborne engineers. Now Wilder is trying to assist in putting together a package of financial backers to lessen t... Full story
The park and recreation district formed in 2003 has accomplished much, and with minimal tax support could provide much more to the community in the future, its chairman said last week. Coulee Area Park and Recreation District Chairman Phil Hansen spoke to chamber of commerce members at their weekly luncheon last Thursday. The district, formed in 2003 with no funding, now seeks a levy of 15 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. The measure, on ballots mailed to voters last week, would cost the owner of a $150,000 home $22.50 a year. That... Full story
A school district “guaranteed graduate program” is back on track after the school board approved a second reading of the proposal at its Monday night meeting. The program was sidetracked for a time by a number of questions members of the Grand Coulee Dam School District board raised after the first reading of the proposal. Superintendent Dennis Carlson brought in Dr. Gene Sharratt, former superintendent of the Educational Service District, to help answer questions board members had at a recent meeting. Sharratt told the board that the pro... Full story
Grand Coulee’s city council adopted an ordinance at its last meeting outlining the conditions under which a person could get a license to operate an adult entertainment business in the city. The council had gone through two moratoriums, a zoning change for such businesses and now the licensing requirements necessary to establish an adult entertainment business. It all came about when the Wolf’s Den bar approached the city to establish a Friday night topless entertainment program at its Main Street location. City officials and local res... Full story
Superintendent Dr. Dennis Carlson got a little help from teachers when he defended his administration plan for Center School before the school board Monday. There’s been a rub between the administration’s plan for covering the principal vacancy at the school and the board since it was announced a couple of months ago. The vacancy came just before school began when it was announced that longtime principal Sue Hinton would not be returning. She had been principal at the school for 13 years. Carlson planned to fill that role by using some of his... Full story
The Grand Coulee Dam School District board accepted Sue Hinton’s resignation Monday night. Hinton was discharged from her position as principal of Center School and placed on administrative leave just before school began in late August. The final settlement was agreed upon by the school board Monday night in executive session and then passed in open session. Hinton remains on administrative leave until Nov. 1, when she will be placed on medical leave through Nov. 30, using up a month of sick leave. Hinton will still have 120 days of sick l... Full story
Ten Years Ago Present or potential small business owners, who need some professional help in starting or running their business, will soon have a place to go. About 20 people went to see tribal officials dig shovels into the grass outside of Colville Tribal Credit building Monday. A change is on the horizon for residents of Grand Coulee that could result in lower, more frequent water bills. Mayor Tammara Byers said the city’s water comprehensive plan calls for the city crew to take out the current water meters and install new ones. Higher garba... Full story
Frances Louise Chigbrow, 93, born October 7, 1919, in Kirwin, Kan., to Charles and Gertrude Townsend passed away on Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2012, at Coulee Medical Center in Grand Coulee, Wash. In Kirwin, Kansas, on October 8, 1939, one day following her 20th birthday Miss Frances Townsend married Mr. Raymond Chigbrow, with whom she would share the next 47 years. During the construction of the third power- house in 1967, they lived next to their daughter Shery in the government housing outside of... Full story
Think of the term “Solid as a Rock” and Jasper comes to mind, and of that Jesse Jasper being the strongest of all. Husband, father of six, grandpa of 16, great-grandpa of two, favorite uncle, little brother and friend to everyone. Jesse Allen Jasper, 71, of Newport, Wash., passed away on Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012. He was born April 18, 1941, to (Charles) Franklin “Frank” and Elizabeth Marie (Johnson) Jasper in Donnelly, Idaho, the youngest of 11 children. The family moved to Grand Coulee, Wash.,... Full story
The International Survivors of Suicide Day is set for Saturday, Nov. 17. This is a day of love and remembrance of those we have lost to suicide. This is a healing conference where survivors of suicide loss come together in the community for support and guidance. There will be a conference at the Nespelem Community Center beginning at 11 a.m. Keynote speaker is Arnold Thomas Jr., MSW, who is a motivational speaker and chaplain. A lunch will be provided. Please bring a picture of your lost loved one for the memory quilt. To RSVP, go the the... Full story
The 2012 Colorama Rodeo Queen Caelan Pitts hands over the chaps to 2013 Queen Erin Wieldraayer as Moses Lake Roundup Queen Jade Thompson lends support to the rodeo cause. Wieldraayer, a senior at Royal High School, was selected Sunday at the Ridge Riders clubhouse. — Scott Hunter photo... Full story
Teachers Lee Largent, left, and Steve Hood stand with some of the woodworking equipment that was recently gifted to the district by Judy Mayne of Meridian, Idaho. The two went to Idaho and returned the equipment to Lake Roosevelt High School’s woodworking shop. Mayne’s connection to LRHS was through Athletic Director Richard Black, who served in the Navy with her late husband. He had developed a woodworking shop during retirement and his wife wanted the equipment to go to some high school. — R... Full story
Hensley to Speak on the Coulee Pioneer Museum At the chamber of commerce luncheon at noon Thursday at La Presa, Birdie Hensley will be speaking on the building of Coulee Pioneer Museum. All are invited to attend. Planet Earth Players to Meet Planet Earth Players will meet Thursday, October 25, at 7 p.m. at the Grand Gallery Theater on Main Street in Grand Coulee to discuss a winter performance. All community members are invited. District Meeting for Eagles District meeting for the Grand Coulee Eagles Aerie will be held Sunday, Oct. 28. Joint... Full story
Raider cross country came home from the Central Washington B League race at Liberty Bell with a second-place finish for the girls’ squad and a third-place for the boys. The Raiders’ times were not as good as they were two weeks ago, but, Head Coach Gary Darnold said, “It was a pretty demanding course and all worked their hardest on it.” “With a fairly tough week of training, I expected them not to necessarily have their best races as we prepare for district and regionals,” the coach noted. He p... Full story
With the victory over the Manson Trojans last Tuesday, LR moved into second place for the North Central B League. The Lady Raiders now have a four-win, two-loss record in league play and are 7-6 overall. The momentum from the night before carried over for the Lady Raiders, who defeated Manson in straight sets to the joy of Head Coach Nate Piturachsatit. “The girls are on a roll, playing very confident” he said, “and they are definitely working as a team.” In the previous meeting between the Trojans and the Lady Raiders, Manson came out on top... Full story
The school board got tangled up in agreeing to name November as “Native American Heritage Month,” at its meeting Monday. The item was on the agenda Monday night, and considered a procedural issue since the observation had waltzed through the board in previous years. This time it got sidetracked. While the board eventually agreed to it, there will be future discussions about Native American Day being in September and “Native American Heritage Month” being observed at a separate time. Board Chair Joette Barry asked why the special month designa... Full story
The Raiders lost to Liberty Bell 12-6 last Friday at Liberty Bell. The Mt. Lions’ homecoming victory keeps them in the hunt for a playoff spot, making their game against White Swan the decider for who takes the numbers two and three spots for playoffs. At the same time, the loss at Liberty Bell crushed any chance of the Raiders going to state playoffs. “Our defense played their best game of the year, by far,” Raider Head Coach Steve Files said. “We competed hard and made Liberty Bell work for every yard.” The Raider defense, according... Full story
A Spokane Valley firm, Engineering Economics, Inc., has been hired by the school district to perform commissioning services for the K-12 school project, a requirement by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The district received two bids for the service. The Spokane Valley firm’s bid of $53,970 was about $13,000 under the second bid. The winning bidder will verify proper installation of equipment, perform on-site testing of equipment, and develop manuals and guides for its proper use. The mechanical equipment subject to t... Full story
Thurs., Oct. 25 TBA, Cross Country District Championships. Fri., Oct. 26 1 p.m., Cross Country - District Championships, Ellensburg’s Rhineheart Park. 7 p.m., Football here with White Swan, (Senior Night) Tues, Oct. 30 5 p.m., Volleyball at Bridgeport. Fri., Nov. 2 7 p.m., Football at Bridgeport. Sat., Nov. 3 10 a.m., Cross Country, State Meet, Pasco.... Full story
Well, yesterday our boy became a man. His 18th birthday and an adult by society standards. Although he has acted and been pretty responsible during the last few years, I can remember when I came into his life. He wasn’t quite a year old yet, and he was chubby cheeked and had more hair than I. Happy is the word I would use; he was a happy baby, even though he was sick a lot. Severe asthma when your a lil’ guy and trying to see the world isn’t fun. I think the first time I knew I loved this kid w... Full story