News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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Multiple and prolonged critiques of Coulee Dam’s proposed upgrade of its decades-old wastewater treatment plant; reasonable doubt cast by a seemingly less expensive, yet comparable, plant at Rock Island; possible funding partners who would like another study; and now a citizens’ petition asking the council take another look at the plans all seem to suggest strongly that the town council do just that. Surely no one thoughtful enough to serve fellow citizens by taking a seat at any town council post would turn away from ways to save citizens sig... Full story
Coulee Dam’s town council will meet in a special meeting Monday at 2 p.m. with one item on the agenda, the wastewater treatment plant, according to a notice delivered late Friday. A notice faxed to The Star Friday afternoon did not elaborate or offer a reason for calling a town council meeting in mid-afternoon on a federal holiday. Monday is Martin Luther King Day. Controversy over the planned upgrade of the plant, and associated costs, and the town’s contract with Elmer City are at the heart of a petition circulating in the town asking the...
A killing in Connell resulted in a lockdown in Grand Coulee Dam School District schools Friday after police notified the district that the suspect could be in the local area. Authorities in Connell were reportedly looking for 40-year-old Julio Cesar Hernandez after a 30-year-old hispanic man was shot to death Thursday night in Connell. Police “pinged” his cell phone, and believed he was in Electric City. Grand Coulee Police were notified of the suspect’s possible presence. They notified the school district, said Superintendent Dennis Carls...
School patrons will have an opportunity to see the final K-12 school plans tonight (Wednesday). The meeting for the plan review will follow a 6 p.m. school board meeting in the library at the Grand Coulee Dam Middle School. School officials said the school plan meeting will take place shortly after the school board meeting. Patrons will get a chance to see some final adjustments to the new school plan, plus a rundown on color schemes and different materials to be used in the new complex.... Full story
Elmer City’s town council is divided about what to do in regard to Coulee Dam’s proposed wastewater treatment project. Both Mayor Mary Jo Carey and Councilmember Larry Holford indicate interest in proceeding along parallel lines, trying to move forward with Coulee Dam while progressing on a plan to build their own sewer treatment plant. Newcomer to the council Gail Morin, who was sworn in last Thursday night, was adamant about Elmer City going its own way. Shortly after being sworn in, Mor... Full story
Elmer City Mayor Mary Jo Carey said her town would rather be part of Coulee Dam’s wastewater treatment plant project than develop its own plant. In an interview, she said Elmer City’s council voted to move forward investigating its own plant as a safety valve in case the town can’t work out its problems with Coulee Dam. “It’s all about money and how we have been treated,” Carey stated. “Our citizens can’t afford the high monthly wastewater treatment costs as outlined by Coulee Dam.” “What we’d like to see is for Coulee Dam to stop its plan... Full story
A petition asking Coulee Dam’s town council to reconsider it current course to upgrade the town’s wastewater treatment plant is being presented door to door by a half dozen people. Greg Wilder, a resident who has been skeptical of the proposed design and critical of the town’s process in the matter, said the group hopes to present signatures from 90 percent of the town’s households to the council at its Jan. 23 meeting. Monday afternoon, he said, some 200 signatures were in hand. The petition drive was started by Kathy and Tom Skordas, he said... Full story
Dan Foster has been named superintendent of the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area and Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail, it was announced last week. Foster is currently superintendent at Niobrara National Scenic River in Nebraska, a 76-mile-long free flowing river recreation area. Chris Lehnertz, Pacific West Regional NPS director, made the announcement and said Foster will take over his new duties here in February. Foster said last Thursday that he knows the area well, having lived i... Full story
Police arrested a 50-year-old transient after responding to a fire at a small house at 329 Tyne Avenue in Grand Coulee Monday night. The house had already been partially gutted by fire two years ago, and had been boarded up. Police officers Gary Moore and Joe Higgs arrived at the fire site at the same time as firefighters and discovered that there was someone in the house. Trang Hoa Minh exited the house and refused to tell officers if there was anyone else inside. Officers learned that Minh... Full story
A local man wanted here for a November armed robbery of the Smoke Shop in Coulee Dam was arrested over the weekend by police in Spokane, where he was allegedly involved in what is thought was a gang-related double shooting, the Spokesman Review newspaper reported. Spokane police arrested Phillip Cody Ruiz, 23, early Saturday, and, later that day, another man, Daniel J. Dublin, 33, on two counts of first-degree assault after two people were sent to a Spokane hospital with gunshot wounds. Both were reported in critical condition but expected to... Full story
Assignments made Electric City made council assignments for the new year at its meeting last Tuesday night. Assignments made were: Bob Rupe and John Nordine, health and welfare committee; Brad Parrish and Lonna Bussert, parks; Rupe and Nordine, city streets; Jerry Sands, Rupe and Parrish, water and sewer; Marie Chuinard and Nordine, tourism and hotel-motel; Bussert and Chuinard, audit. The city’s building inspector is Ken Anderson; the city’s code compliance officer is Gary Haven and City Clerk Jacqueline Perman is public records officer. Sho... Full story
You might get a “cackle” out of this. The chickens could come home to roost in Electric City sometime this spring. The city council will likely take the issue up Feb. 12, after a favorable recommendation from the planning commission. While the greater issue of “What came first, the chicken or the egg?” won’t be part of the city’s determination, how many chickens you can have will. If the council passes the chicken ordinance, residents who live on at least 6,000-square-foot lots will be allowed six chickens, all hens. There will be no roosters... Full story
A couple years after it burned the first time, firefighters had to answer another fire call to what is arguably Grand Coulee’s biggest eyesore Monday night, one that shouldn’t be there at all. The little green house at Van Tyne and Spokane Way has been just a shell after burning the first time. It should have been torn down long ago. Not tearing it down leaves not just an eyesore but what insurance carriers call an attractive nuisance, one that could cause injury. And it probably leaves someone, possibly the city of Grand Coulee, in a pos... Full story
As many in the Colville Tribe and surrounding communities are aware of, there is currently a Tribal Council Recall effort under way. It is within the constitutional rights of the membership to initiate such an action when there has been a breach in the leadership amongst Council representatives. This letter is not to provide evidence of what those breaches are, but to provide support and documentation of this legal effort amongst tribal members. While all members do not share the viewpoint that there has been any wrongdoing within the tribal... Full story
This thank you letter is long past due, but I’m getting slower as the years go by. When was the last time that you said a thank you to a volunteer? At this time I would like to say a big thank you to all of our volunteers! Our veterans are on top of the list for serving our country during a war or in peace time. Our volunteer firemen and EMTs who are there to help us anytime we need their help. These two groups of volunteers spend a lot of time away from family and friends when they are needed! Next would be all of our community volunteers w... Full story
Sports has been a major part of my life as long as I can remember. My first memory of sports is playing Little League Baseball. My first team was Birds’ Auto Body. Back then, instead of a tee, your coach pitched underhand to you. Bob Riley was our coach then, and we had an undefeated season. I remember Rob Williams, Shawn Garvin, John Kelly, and Willie Moore being on the team. The hook was set and I played many more years of baseball after that. Basketball, football, volleyball and softball w... Full story
Ten Years Ago A group trying to bring a swimming pool back to the Grand Coulee area recently received gestures of support that could bring them closer to their goal. The town councils of Elmer City and Coulee Dam voted last week to support the forming of a joint parks and recreation district. People in the Grand Coulee Dam area who do not like driving themselves to Spokane, but still need to go, will soon have a way to get there without paying a cent. The non-profit People for People announced Monday that they will offer round-trip bus service... Full story
Chamber to Meet at Noon at Pepper Jack’s The Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce will meet Thursday, Jan. 17, at noon at Pepper Jack’s Bar & Grille. General chamber business. March for Life in Omak A March for Life for the defense of the unborn will be held Tues., Jan. 22, the infamous anniversary of Roe vs Wade decision legalizing abortion in this country. It will be at the Omak City Park at noon. Call Al or Judy Bosco 826-2736 for more information. TOPS Meetings TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) Chapter meets on Tuesdays at 9:15 a.m. at G... Full story
The board of trustees of the North Central Regional Library has announced the retirement of Director Dean Marney, effective Jan. 1. Named to replace Marney is Dan Howard, who had served in a management position along with Marney for several years. The vote to appoint Howard was unanimous. Marney had been with the library system for 35 years. “I am so fortunate being able to work for the communities I love, promoting my passion for reading and lifelong learning. I’ve worked for the strongest and most visionary board of trustees and the most ded... Full story
A group of young Raider fans attend the girls’ basketball game at Lake Roosevelt High School Friday. — Scott Hunter photo... Full story
Farrah Vargas and Justin Larsen of Newspelem are proud to announce the birth of their son Theron Zeel Larsen on Monday, Dec. 31, 2012, at Coulee Medical Center in Grand Coulee. He weighed 3 lbs., 15 oz.... Full story
Diane M. Leach of Nespelem is proud to announce the birth of her daughter Harriett Larae Abigail Owhi Leach on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2013, at Coulee Medical Center in Grand Coulee. She weighed 6 lbs., 8 oz., and was 19 inches in length at birth. Siblings include Roscoe Owhi, 6 and Walter Owhi 3. Maternal grandmother is Arlene Owhi of Nespelem. Great-grandpa is Harry Owhi of Coulee Dam.... Full story
by John R. McNeil II The Lady Raiders rebounded from the loss to White Swan by knocking off the Manson Trojans and Kittitas Coyotes last week to improve their win-loss record to 7-4. Head Coach Wallace Pleasants attributes some of the better play in both games to watching the film after White Swan. “The girls made a commitment that they are not going to look that bad again,” he said. At Manson Jan. 8, the Lady Raiders started off slow due in part to Manson’s quick girls upsetting the Lady Raider... Full story
The Raiders went on a two-game win streak, posting victories over Manson and Kittitas last week. The wins improve the Raiders’ win-loss record to 4-8 overall and 2-1 in Central Washington 2B play. At Manson Jan. 8, Chance Garvin scored 27 points to lead the Raiders to a 66-60 win. Head Coach Jeff Brisbois said a big reason for the win was that “we started to run our plays and scored every time.” The Raiders also exploited a hole in the Trojans’ defense. “They could not stop us when we attacked t... Full story
Raider wrestlers had their last multiple match week as they travelled to Kettle Falls for a mix and match on Jan. 8, hosted Okanogan on the Jan. 10 for senior night, then travelled to Rainier for last Saturday’s Sgt. Justin Norton Memorial Tournament. At Kettle Falls, the Raiders went up against five other squads; Kettle Falls, Selkirk, Republic, Oroville, and Colville’s JV. At Kettle Falls, Raider Zack Erickson recorded his first pin ever by defeating Meric Merkley of Selkirk in the first round. “Zack went out and got a takedown and then... Full story