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Articles from the November 6, 2019 edition


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  • Landslide vote brings in new Electric City leaders

    Scott Hunter|Nov 6, 2019

    In a strong show of disapproval for current government, Electric City voters have chosen a new city council and mayor, casting about four or five times as many votes for the challengers as for incumbents. They selected Diane Kohout as the new mayor over incubent Aaron Derr, 238-33; Bob Rupe for city council position 2 over Birdie Hensley, 217-53; Cate Slater over Carol Nordine for council position 4, 221-49; and Cheryl Hoffman over Lonna Bussert 210-55. The challengers have been campaigning on a platform of changing the direction, and the...

  • Daylight Savings ended but could become permanent

    Jacob Wagner|Nov 6, 2019

    Daylight Savings Time ended on Nov. 3 when we rolled our clocks back an hour. Could this be the last time we “fall behind?” Legislation signed by Washington Gov. Jay Inslee earlier this year to permanently adopt Daylight Savings Time, in other words to “spring forward” but not “fall back” an hour, still requires the OK from Congress on the federal level, with President Trump saying he supports the idea. According to a recent KING5 news article “thirty-six other states have either had bills passed or proposed to make daylight saving time p...

  • Caretaker class hopeful at LR

    Jacob Wagner|Nov 6, 2019

    A new class at the high school could certify students to be home caretakers. Lake Roosevelt High School is working on crossing the t’s and dotting the i’s of implementing a home caretaker class into offered curriculum. The move would be the first program implemented in a drive to add CTE (Career Technical Education) instruction at the school. A previous attempt by the district to include a Certified Nursing Assistant class in the curriculum fell short when an instructor couldn’t be found. The one-semester class would prepare students to take...

  • Honoring honor is important

    Scott Hunter|Nov 6, 2019

    If someone asked you if you would commit to a job that could send you to anywhere in the world, even some of its worst places, for years, and that you had to obey orders of your supervisors at all times or there could be serious repercussions, and that the pay wasn’t great, and that it would be entirely possible that you could be in serious danger, even killed, would you jump at the chance? You might, if, like the men and women depicted in our special section honoring veterans this week, you found that the job also allowed you to serve the n...

  • Felt privileged to show young how we must work together

    Deidre Ellsworth|Nov 6, 2019

    I wanted to thank the students and parents who allowed me to be a part of your lives for the last three years as the GCDJH eighth-grade girls basketball coach. It has truly been a pleasure to put that time into our youth by either working on their basketball skills or just being there as a leader. I’m seeing more and more that guidance and leadership is something that our youth need, not only as encouragement but as stability. Being told over and over that you’re not good enough is just as bad as being told over and over that you’re the best an...

  • A real, meaningful solution for America's farms

    Dan Newhouse|Nov 6, 2019

    When I talk to farmers in Central Washington and across the country, having access to a stable and legal workforce is often their number one concern. Each year, it becomes harder to hire domestic workers, and farm owners have become increasingly dependent on the H-2A agricultural guestworker program to grow and harvest their goods for market. This has amounted to a critical labor shortage for our agriculture industry – one of the most important sectors of our nation’s economy. Since I was elected to Congress, making reforms to our nat...

  • Brrr, a short autumn?

    Bob Valen|Nov 6, 2019

    Scientists have been coring glacial ice fields for some time now. One objective is to analyze the small atmospheric gas bubbles that got trapped as the ice formed. These gas bubbles contain atmospheric gases from our ancient past. Much of the research is done to address climate change. The Antarctic has proven to be the place where past climate clues can be found and by past, I mean long, long ago. Up until recently, the oldest complete Antarctica ice core data took the research back some...

  • Programs could help veterans become next generation of producers

    Teresa Hoffman, policy communications associate, Center for Rural Affairs|Nov 6, 2019

    With the average age of a U.S. farmer at nearly 60 years, and millions of acres expected to change hands over the next few years, military veterans have a key role to play as the nation looks for the next generation of producers. To do so, veterans will need assistance overcoming barriers, such as accessing land and the lack of assets or cash flow to purchase land, equipment, and farm inputs. Access to credit is an important component of most farming operations, especially for new and beginning producers. Farm Service Agency (FSA), a branch of...

  • They crossed that bridge when they came to it

    Jacob Wagner|Nov 6, 2019

    Bridge girders heading toward the West Fork area of the San Poil river along highway 21 between Keller and Republic crossed the bridge at Coulee Dam recently. The girders, six in total, each measure 114 feet long. The former bridge at West Fork washed away in the spring of 2017, at which point a single-lane "Bailey Bridge," a type of bridge constructed for World War II, was put there to allow traffic to drive through. This week the girders will be put up for the new, two-lane bridge, according t...

  • Special forces veteran honored for his service

    Jacob Wagner|Nov 6, 2019

    James Duranceau attended an event last month hosted by the Special Forces Association where he was honored for his 16 years as a Green Beret in the United States Army. Duranceau joined the army in 1962, starting his first tour of Vietnam on Christmas Day of 1965. He became a part of the 173rd Airborne Brigade as a Ranger and an Airborne Ranger in the 2nd Battalion of the 75th Regiment, starting his second tour of Vietnam with the Korean Rock Ranger Battalion in 1968 when he became a Green...

  • Tale told of new-store adventure

    Scott Hunter|Nov 6, 2019

    It took a lot of thought and prayer last February before Doug and Mary Lou Lockard and daughter Launi Ritter took a leap into a retail business with no experience. Five months after opening their new Coulee Wall Variety Store, Ritter recalled for chamber of commerce members the story of starting up a complex store with nearly 12,000 individual items on its shelves - before there were any shelves, or anything, in the cavernous 4,400 square feet of open space in the building. The family had...

  • A day for writers

    Nov 6, 2019

    Writers pose for a group photo for Writers Day in the Coulee at the Grand Coulee Dam Senior Center Saturday. From left, Sheri Edwards, Bob Manion, Gerry McClure, Don McClure, Birdie Hensley, Darlene Morava (in front), Peter Dunlap-Shohl, Connie Schultz, Dave McClure, J. Kemble, Carmen Peone and Amanda Covey. Several brought their published works, others brought works in progress or just a willingness to share with fellow writers. The event was sponsored by Them Dam Writers Online, Coulee...

  • Recycled bridge

    Nov 6, 2019

    During World War II, construction material was becoming scarce. Support buildings were needing to be erected for the finishing of Grand Coulee Dam. An idea was introduced, where the old Great Northern Railway bridge, up the Columbia River and then over the Kettle River at Marcus, could be reused to provide steel and wood beams needed for these buildings. The bridge was purchased by the government for this plan. By June of 1942, the rising water of the reservoir had backed the Kettle River up to...

  • Meetings & Notices

    Nov 6, 2019

    Chamber Meetings at Pepper Jacks in November Chamber will be meeting at noon, this Thursday, Nov. 7, at Pepper Jacks Bar & Grille. General business is on the agenda. American Legion to Meet The American Legion Post 157 next meeting will be at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 12, at the Vets Center in Electric City. Food Bank Hours Normal operating hours are every Friday from 2 to 4 p.m. It is located at the Church of Nazarene, Hwy 174, Grand Coulee. Thanksgiving food will be handed out on Friday, Nov. 22, from 1-4 p.m. The food bank will be closed...

  • Dam bubbles

    Nov 6, 2019

    Ellen Arment uses equipment she has put together to produce giant bubbles at the "Riley Point" overlook just below Grand Coulee Dam Saturday. Arment has been into making bubbles for about 30 years, but only started producing giant ones two-and-a-half years ago. "It's way fun," she said. "I do it to bring people smiles." Arment, of Spokane, grew up in Coulee Dam, the daughter of Edward and Josephine Ayers. - Scott Hunter photo...

  • Raiders are football league champions

    Jacob Wagner|Nov 6, 2019

    The Raider football team returned from Brewster with a new Bear-skin rug, having killed the Bears 57-6 in the final game of the regular season last Friday, finishing as the undisputed champions of the Central Washington 2B league, undefeated in league play. In the first quarter, Cameron St. Pierre scored a touchdown on a 38-yard run, and later quarterback Hunter Whitelaw ran in one-yard touchdown. In the second quarter, St. Pierre ran an 11-yard touchdown run, and Whitelaw carried the ball in for 15-yard run. Malachi Rasmussen, also in the...

  • Kyle Edmo to run at state meet

    Jacob Wagner|Nov 6, 2019
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    Kyle Edmo will run in the state cross country competition Saturday, after making the cut at Moses Lake last week. The senior placed 27th out of 88 runners in the 5,000-meter race at the District 5-6 1B/2B competition at Blue Heron Park in Moses Lake on Oct. 30, from where the top 28 placers advance. Edmo finished in a time of 19 minutes, 19.34 seconds and will compete at the state race Nov. 9 at the 1B/2B Washington Interscholastic Activities Association State Cross Country Meet at Sun Willows...

  • Lady Raiders head into post season third in league

    Jacob Wagner|Nov 6, 2019

    The Lady Raiders volleyball team swept away the competition in their league tournament after wrapping up their regular season with a victory last week. LR came away with a 3-0 victory in Soap Lake against the Lady Eagles to finish their regular season third in the Central Washington 2B league, with a win-loss record of 6-2 in the league, 10-3 overall. At the league tournament Nov. 2, the Lady Raiders beat the Tonasket Lady Tigers 3-0, then prevailed over the Liberty Bell Lady Mountain Lions,...

  • Ski Club parents meeting Nov. 19

    Nov 6, 2019

    The Grand Coulee Area Ski Club will be having its annual parents informational meeting and sign ups on Tuesday, November 19. They will be meeting at Nespelem School at 5 pm, and Lake Roosevelt High School at 6:30 pm. For more information please visit their face book page “GCD Ski and Board Club”....

  • This week in sports

    Nov 6, 2019

    Thurs., Nov. 7 TBD, Volleyball Districts at Wenatchee Fri., Nov. 8 7 p.m., Football here with Liberty Christian (Richland) District 5-6 Cross-over game Sat, Nov. 9 11:30 a.m., State Cross Country, Pasco...

  • Lady Raiders team kicks off postseason with victory in soccer

    Jacob Wagner|Nov 6, 2019

    The Lady Raiders soccer team won a close playoff game in Bridgeport to move onto the next round. The Ladies played their last regular-season game Oct. 29, losing 4-0 in Liberty Bell against the Lady Mountain Lions. Finishing the regular season ranked fifth in the Central Washington 2B league with a win-loss record of 4-7 in league, 5-7 overall, the Lady Raiders then faced off in the postseason against the number-four Bridgeport Fillies (6-6, 8-8), in Bridgeport Nov. 2, defeating them 3-2. “We had a nice 2-0 lead at halftime,” Con...

  • Legals for November 6, 2019

    Nov 6, 2019

    Public Notice Town of Coulee Dam Notice is hereby given that the Town of Coulee Dam will hold a 2020 Preliminary Budget Hearing on Wednesday, November 13, 2019, 6:00 p.m. at Town Hall. All interested persons will be given the opportunity to provide either written or oral comments concerning the 2020 Budget at said Hearing. Stefani Bowden Clerk/Treasurer (Publish October 30 and November 6, 2019) Okanogan County Fire District 2 NOTICE OF BUDGET MEETING Okanogan Co. Fire District 2 will hold its budget meeting at 7:00 pm, Tuesday, November 12th,...

  • Coulee Cops

    Nov 6, 2019

    Grand Coulee 10/29 - A woman reported that rims and tires on a pickup truck on Coulee Boulevard were ones stolen from her in September. The owner of the truck said he had bought them for $50 from someone, and agreed to give them to the woman. The man he said he bought them from denied any involvement. - A woman was arrested and taken to Grant County Jail following an incident in which she allegedly threw a vacuum cleaner at a man, and a toy at his car. 10/29 - A Grand Coulee woman reported that another Grand Coulee woman, who was watching her...

  • Washington State Parks announces winter schedule

    Nov 6, 2019

    OLYMPIA – Oct. 21, 2019 – Washington State Parks today announced its 2019-2020 winter schedule, with more than 100 parks remaining open for camping or day-use activities. The winter schedule is available online at www.parks.state.wa.us/Winter-schedule. More than 100 parks will remain open during the winter, while about 19 parks are closed until dates in March, April or May, due to weather and other circumstances. Each year, Washington State Parks identifies which parks will remain open and which will offer limited or partial services, such as...