News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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Eleven people in a Tonasket facility have died of COVID-19, Okanogan County Public Health, stated in a press release Monday night. All of the them were residents at North Valley Extended Care, a 42-bed facility where 32 residents have tested positive for the illness. “Multiple caregivers” are also under quarantine and two employees have been hospitalized, “reportedly doing well,” the agency said. “OCPH sends their heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones,” the release stated. The 11 confirmed deaths bring the t... Full story
The Grant County Sheriff’s Office in Ephrata will be closed as staff tested positive for Covid. The closure is in effect as of Dec. 8 until further notice, GCSO said in a notice Monday evening. “This temporary closure is due to four members of Corrections Division who have tested positive for COVID-19,” GCSO said. “Close contacts of any of these four people have been notified. There are no reported cases with any inmates.” Front office support staff will be working remotely, and the public will still be able to reach the administr... Full story
Free COVID-19 testing will be offered to all community members in the Grand Coulee Dam area tomorrow, Dec. 8, from 3-8 p.m. at Lake Roosevelt High School. Look for Lifeline Ambulance in the athletic field parking lot. All are welcome, not just residents of Okanogan County. The testing will be drive-thru, at the football field parking lot near the tennis courts. Look for LifeLine Ambulance vehicles and personnel on site. Pre-registration is encouraged at https://forms.gle/UMVVBjjf8f9GBeut8 but on-site registration also available. "Results will... Full story
The return to school for seventh- through 12th-grade Lake Roosevelt students on Dec. 7 will continue under a plan modified in an emergency school board session Friday night that sets a much higher threshold for the number of local Covid cases it would take to stop in-person schooling. The Grand Coulee Dam School District Board of Directors held an Emergency Board Meeting tonight via Zoom where they voted 4-1 to modify the plan, previously approved on Nov. 9, for junior/senior high students to return part time to physical school on Dec. 7.... Full story
The Grand Coulee Dam School District Board of Directors will be holding an Emergency Zoom Board Meeting today, Friday Dec. 4th at 5:00 p.m. to discuss 7th-12th grade re-opening. The meeting can be accessed via Zoom at https://gcdsd.zoom.us/j/677070515 The board previously decided on Nov. 9 for 7th-12th grade students to return to in person school, starting with one day per week, beginning on Dec. 7. Kindergarten through sixth grade students have already been going to in person school part time. Since then, there has been a surge in COVID cases... Full story
With the surging of the coronavirus around the country and even in local counties, there’s still enough evidence to give experts confidence that schools are not major spreaders of the illness, if managed for it and if local COVID cases aren’t out of hand. So what, exactly, do Lake Roosevelt Schools do to keep COVID off the campus? Health officers from Region 7 (Okanogan, Grant, Douglas, Chelan, Kittitas) counties have set up a protocol for screening for COVID-19 at schools, which Lake Roosevelt follows. The protocol allows students and sta... Full story
Nespelem School, which had planned to start bringing students back to part-time, in-person school in November and to have them all back full time in January, delayed those plans indefinitely. A Zoom meeting on Nov. 4 between the school district and parents and community members was held to see how they felt about returning to school. Principal and Superintendent Effie Dean told The Star on the phone on Tuesday that on that day COVID rates started “going through the roof,” which changed how people felt about returning to physical school. Dean sa...
Local boys and girls this weekend will be delivering grocery bags to the doors of the community that they hope you will fill — with food. The BSA Boy and Girl Troops will come back the following Saturday to pick up your bag of food items to help the families of the Grand Coulee Dam Area. The local food bank is particularly looking for canned vegetables, canned fruit, and boxes of Mac’n’cheese. Note that they don’t want Costco giant sized cans, and that they can’t accept expired food items. Donations will be picked up on Saturday, Dec. 12,... Full story
COVID rates are up across the map in local counties. As of Nov. 30, Grant County had reported 5,019 total cases, including 36 deaths. There have been 21 cases in the Grand Coulee Dam area, 18 in the Coulee City area. The county has had 1,060 cases in the prior 14 days for an incidence rate of 1,085, up from 565 on Nov. 17. Grant County Health said in a Facebook post Tuesday night that rate may be starting to trend downward, but it was too early to tell if that was due to a Thanksgiving lag in testing. The incidence goal is 25 or fewer cases... Full story
The Hughes household in Grand Coulee includes two geese and a duck, all named after violent gangsters. A duck named Allie was originally named Al Capone, but when she started laying eggs, her name was changed. "Duck eggs are delicious," Ben Hughes noted, speaking with The Star about his family's pet flock over email. Allie, along with a goose named Pablo, after Pablo Escobar, both came from North 40 Outfitters in Omak. The other goose, named Chapo, or El Chapo, comes from NorthWest Seed & Pet...
Lake Roosevelt High School’s Associated Student Body will lose revenue from restrictions imposed from a new state law. House Bill 1660, which passed the state Legislature earlier this year and affects the current school year, will prevent schools from charging students who qualify for free or reduced lunches for ASB cards, as well as for admission into sports games. Their guests over the age of 65 might also not have to pay admission into sports events, or would pay a reduced entry fee. The bill aims to create more equity in schools, saying tha...
Keller Ferry users who travel across the Columbia River on State Route 21 will need to find alternate routes beginning Saturday, Dec. 5. The M/V Sanpoil will be removed from service on Saturday, Dec. 5, and Sunday, Dec. 6, for crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation to replace the roller assemblies on both terminals and realign cables. The work being done is part of the Keller Ferry pontoon and terminal replacement project that began in 2019 and replaced both terminals on both sides of the river. The ferry is...
I just can’t shake it! I have a suggestion for Bureau officials concerning the stalled fire station. It would be incredible if someone from the Bureau would step up to the plate and tell the story of what went wrong at the fire station, what this is costing us taxpayers and what will be done about it. Dream on! Transparency ...
A new study was recently published in the journal Science that chronicles three decades of arctic animal movements. The study is called Arctic Animal Movement Archive. There have been over 200 studies addressing the impacts on 86 species of animals that call the Arctic home. "There's changes everywhere you look – everything is changing," said Dr. Gil Bohrer, an author of the new archive. The culmination of 30 years of studies had been carried out by more than 100 universities, government a...
Native American history is engrained in the culture of the Pacific Northwest. Throughout our region, we are reminded of Tribal culture and heritage which greatly influence our way of life. November is Native American Heritage Month, and in Central Washington, we have a rich, storied Tribal history that should be recognized. The federal government has a unique relationship with Native American tribes as we work in tandem to respect their culture, traditions, and treaty rights. The Confederated Bands and Tribes of the Yakama Nation (Yakama...
Town of Coulee Dam NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING 2021 Final Budget Hearing Notice is hereby given that the Town of Coulee Dam will hold a Final Budget Hearing on, December 7, 2020, 5:00 p.m. at Town Hall. Copies of the 2021 Preliminary Budget are available by contacting Town Hall during normal business hours. All interested persons will be given the opportunity to provide either written or oral comments concerning the 2021 Budget at said Hearing. Stefani Bowden, Clerk/Treasurer (Publish November 25 and December 2, 2020) City of Electric City PUBLIC... Full story
John Baughman and Rachelle Haven of Grand Coulee, are proud to announce the birth of their son, Porter Edward Baughman, born at home, on Sunday, October 18, 2020. He weiged 9 lbs., 6 oz., and was 21 inches in length at birth. Emma Baughman is the proud big sister. Maternal grandparent is Shelly Haven of Puyallup, Washington. Paternal grandparents are Mark Baughman of Electric City, Washington and Patsy Baughman of Modesto, California. Great-grandparent is Carolyn Haven, of Coulee... Full story
The ladies of the Grand Coulee Community Church regret to announce that we cannot complete our usual cookie delivery like we have every Christmas season for many years. Many household in the Grand Coulee Dam area are usually included and it always brings joy to all involved. We will be thinking of all of you and miss the visits very much. We also apologize for not holding our annual rummage sale and bazaars. When this coronavirus has ebbed away we will be seeing all of you again!... Full story
Grand Coulee Police 11/23 - A man and woman started arguing because her child was throwing grapes while they were travelling together. They stopped at the gas station. Police spoke to both of them. The woman didn’t want to travel with the man anymore. She arranged for a ride to Omak. 11/24 - A woman on Silver Drive said her husband wouldn’t unlock their car for her to get some belongings to leave the house following an argument. The man unlocked the car and the woman took off on foot after gathering some belongings. - A woman checking on her...
Free, community COVID-19 testing in Okanogan County continues on Tuesday December 8 in Coulee Dam, Okanogan County Public Health announced Friday. That agency, in collaboration with local healthcare, schools, and city partners, continues free COVID-19 testing throughout Okanogan County during December. All are welcome. The test is easy, safe, and doesn't hurt--it is a self-administered nasal swab. The next testing event will be at Lake Roosevelt High School on Tuesday December 8 from 3 to 8pm. Testing will be drive-thru, and will be in the... Full story
