News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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Two Ice Age floods hikes and lectures are scheduled for the Grand Coulee area within the coming week. The hikes and lectures are part of several Cheney-Spokane Chapter of the Ice Age Floods Institutes efforts to give interested parties a hands-on experience to learn about the floods that scoured the area about 15,000 years ago. Saturday, Oct. 8, beginning at 9:30 a.m., two geologists-authors, Gene Kiver and Bruce Bjornstad, will lead a hike and provide information on a 7.2-mile trek up Northrup Canyon to the lake and back. The hike is listed... Full story
A woman's home in east Coulee Dam caught fire Friday evening, drawing a quick response from every local fire department. Susan Lynch's house at 611 Birch Street drew 11 fire engines, first responder vehicles and ambulances when the call went out at 6:10 p.m. "People keep telling me it can all be replaced," Lynch said, watching firefighters answer with torrents of water flames coming from inside her home, "but it can't." Lynch said photos and annuals can't be replaced, and she worried whether... Full story
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION Columbia Basin Hydropower Project No. 14329-002 NOTICE OF INTENT TO FILE LICENSE APPLICATION, FILING OF PRE-APPLICATION DOCUMENT, APPROVING USE OF THE TRADITIONAL LICENSING PROCESS (August 31, 2016) a. Type of Filing: Notice of Intent to File License Application and Request to Use the Traditional Licensing Process. b. Project No.: 14329-002 c. Date Filed: June 27, 2016 d. Submitted By: Columbia Basin Hydropower e. Name of Project: Banks Lake Pumped Storage Project f. Location: On... Full story
Two large airplanes were on the tarmac at the local airport last Thursday morning. One, a Metroliner owned by the Army Corps of Engineers out of Omaha, Nebraska, and the other a King Air 350 that brought a number of Bonneville Power Administration officials from Portland for a tour of Grand Coulee Dam. The Metroliner is configured for 19 passengers and brought a group of Army Corps officials for a tour of Chief Joseph Dam. Later, a second King Air plane arrived from Boise to transport a number... Full story
Early deadline for Labor Day The Star newspaper will be closed Monday for the Labor Day holiday. Deadline for news and advertising for the Sept. 7 newspaper is 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 2. Parent night at LR schools tonight Tonight (Wednesday) is parent night at Lake Roosevelt Schools from 5-7 p.m. A representative from Hoffman’s Music of Spokane will be on hand in the elementary cafeteria to talk about renting or purchasing a musical instrument. Anyone wishing to sponsor a student’s rental for the year can call Karen Pace at 633-1442 or email her... Full story
The Bureau of Reclamation awarded a $19 million contract to replace and upgrade two pump-generating units at Grand Coulee Dam, the bureau announced Monday in a press release. The contract awarded Aug. 11 to American Hydro, of York, Pennsylvania, calls for replacing and updating equipment for pump generating units 5 and 6 at the John W. Keys III Pump Generating Plant. “This effort is pivotal to the infrastructure modernization at the Keys Plant,” said Reclamation Commissioner Estevan López. “The pump units will provide greater effici... Full story
EPHRATA, Washington - The Bureau of Reclamation is alerting users of Scooteney Park recreation area, located 36 miles south of Moses Lake on Highway 17, that the Benton Franklin Health District has identified a toxic algae bloom on Scooteney Reservoir. The Health District is warning that current algae levels are not safe for humans or animals and could be deadly. Warning signs stating that all people and pets remain out of the water have been posted around the reservoir. Scooteney Park campgrounds and recreation area remains open, as do... Full story
Roads leading to the Bureau of Reclamation's east gate near Pole Park are closed today (Thursday) from 10 a.m. until about 3 p.m., the USBR said. Industrial Road from highway 155 and B Street are closed from Division Street. Potential contractors who may bid on building a new Reclamation Fire Station will be at the Grand Coulee facilities for an on-site visit....
Councilmember resigns Erin Nielson has resigned his position on Grand Coulee’s city council. Nielson was in his second four-year term and submitted a resignation letter to the city this past week. Nielson, a Bureau of Reclamation employee, stated that he has taken a job in Boise, Idaho. EDC excited to work with city Economic Development Councilmember Bob Valen said last week that he was encouraged by Grand Coulee’s planning commission interest in their ideas. He told the chamber of commerce that the EDC had been “received very well” when pr... Full story
Grand Coulee 8/5 - USBR Plant Protection told police that there were two men walking around behind the administration building. The officer found two men from a landscaping crew who had proper badges allowing them to be on the property. - Police checked on a report that a “scruffy, tall male” had caused a disturbance at the public library. An officer looked for the man, who had apparently left the area. - A man called police to report the theft of a $500 cell phone. Police are trying to get more information. - A man called police to com... Full story
Grand Coulee Police 7/22 - A local resident complained to police that he had a protection order against a woman. Police found out that the protection order had never been served. 7/24 - A Keller man who was stopped near Four Corners for a faulty head lamp was found to be driving with a suspended license. He was cited. 7/25 - A citizen advised police that a pole saw was in a location on Bureau of Reclamation property where it could easily be stolen. The officer found that the saw was secured inside the fence and advised the BOR of the concern.... Full story
An area of approximately 7-1/2 acres, upon which several thousand workers were housed during the construction days of Grand Coulee Dam, was converted into a number of individual Victory Gardens. The ground and the water necessary for irrigation were made available to employees of the Bureau of Reclamation at a nominal cost. Water for the project was drawn through the dam from the reservoir. – August 1, 1943 photo... Full story
Tribe plans small casino at Twin Lakes The Colville Business Council voted Thursday to allow a small casino to be developed at Rainbow Beach Resort near Inchelium, the Tribal Tribune reported. With fewer than 50 games offered, the enterprise would be the tribes’ first venture in “Tier A” casinos and would require no more than 30 customers a day to make a profit. The CBC vote was one of several steps in a startup process for the venture, the costs for which were estimated at about $1 million by 12 Tribes Colville Casinos’ Chief Operati... Full story
An environmental group has sued the Bureau of Reclamation to force compliance with the Clean Water Act, which it contends Grand Coulee Dam and other big dams are not meeting. Pollution discharges from the USBR’s operation of the dam “contribute to the pollution crisis on the Columbia River,” the suit brought Thursday by Columbia Riverkeeper says. The group wants Reclamation to switch to using so called eco-friendly oils and greases as lubricants in machinery that contacts water and file for a pollution permit under the Clean Water Act. In 20... Full story
Grand Coulee Police 6/6 - A man on Spokane Way told police that someone keeps moving the remnants of his chain link fence he is putting up. He said it has occurred twice. 6/26 - A Pleasant Valley car owner was advised that his vehicle needed to be moved from North Dam Park or it would be towed. The vehicle had been there for two weeks and had a bad clutch. - A woman at a Hill Avenue apartment told police that someone had kicked open the door to her apartment. She said that two people saw her boyfriend in the area at the time but didn’t see him... Full story
Chamber of commerce members Thursday heard details on a proposed project that could put huge conduits for water under the community to produce more power and create jobs. The proposed Banks Lake hydroelectric pumped storage project could be operational by the year 2025. Tim Culbertson, and a team from Columbia Basin Hydropower, outlined a project that could require some 2,600 workers during construction and as many as 100 permanent employees. Culbertson spoke at the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce’s weekly luncheon at The Siam Palace.... Full story
Celebrating 80 years The Moose Lodge will celebrate its 80th anniversary Saturday, June 25, with a potluck dinner from 4-7 p.m. The dinner will be followed by live music from 7-11 p.m. Potentially cool deal Three air-conditioning units now servicing city hall in Electric City, which will soon be replaced, have been declared surplus by the city council. Anyone interested in acquiring them can contact city hall. Navy brass to play A Navy brass quartet will give a 45-minute concert just before the Laser Light Show Sunday, June 26, beginning at 9... Full story
It was an honor to accept the award for POWER as Organization of the Year, but the real honor goes to all the volunteers over the years who have made the projects possible. A special thank you to Pat Holbert, Dick Berry, Ray Burge and Doug Patrick for all the years they spent feeding the fish; without their dedication to take control of the feeding for years, POWER could not have accomplished that. Also, thanks to the Bureau of Reclamation here in Grand Coulee & Ephrata for all their help and cooperation — very much appreciated. A special n... Full story
A Navy brass quartet will perform an open-air concert just prior to the laser light show, Sunday, June 26, according to Bureau of Reclamation Public Affairs Officer Lynne Brougher. The quartet is part of a 35-piece Navy band stationed at Silverdale, Wash. Different groups of the band make some 400 appearances a year in and around the Northwest. Ivan Snavely, who heads the Visitor Center at Grand Coulee Dam, helped make arrangements for the June 26 performance. Navy Band Northwest is under the leadership of its director, Lt. Bruce Mansfield,... Full story
Grand Coulee Police 5/14 - A Spokane Valley driver was cited for going 50 mph in a 40 mph zone near the top of the dam. 5/17 - A man on Ronald Drive reported a suspicious vehicle in the area. It was stated that the vehicle had sped through the alley three times. - A woman reported from jail that her vehicle had been stolen. - The owner of H&H Grocery reported a person who took two packages of danishes without paying for them. Police asked for a copy of the security tape. 5/18 - Police advised two tenants at Continental Heights to stay away... Full story
Fireworks will be prohibited in Grand Coulee without a permit after an ordinance passed last week takes effect next year. The city council passed a new fireworks ordinance May 17, banning fireworks without a permit. The ordinance does not go into effect for a year, City Clerk Carol Boyce said. The new ordinance prohibits the sale and use of fireworks in the city except for limited purposes or in specific locations authorized by a city-issued permit for a public display after review by local fire officials. The exception is North Dam Park, where... Full story
About 40 people showed up Saturday at the Vet's Center to hear and take part in discussions about the revitalization of Electric City. The meeting, the first of two scheduled, was to get input on what residents would like to see in the future for the city. Washington State University professor Kathleen Ryan conducted the meeting after Electric City Deputy Clerk Russell Powers explained the reason for the meeting - to get ideas from the public of what they would like to see Electric City become... Full story
Bureau of Reclamation workers are lowered from the top of Grand Coulee Dam Tuesday to dissemble catwalks on which they've been working for weeks along the bottom of the drum gates. The walkways are put in place at the top of the spillway whenever maintenance work on the drum gates is taking place. At the end of Tuesday, catwalks remained along three drum gates. - Nora Jenn photo... Full story
Electric City will hold the first of two planned community meetings to discuss its plan for a Pathway Trail through the city. The full topic will be parks, recreation and revitalization. The meeting will be from 1-4 p.m., Saturday, May 14, in the Veteran’s Hall in Electric City. The public is invited to participate by offering ideas they might have about any possible trail system. Running the meeting will be a team from Washington State University’s Rural Communities Design Initiative, made up of two professors and several students. A sec... Full story
Grand Coulee won hands down the blue ribbon for producing the highest tonnage of garbage for 2015, a Sunrise Disposal report to the Regional Board of Mayors indicated. The disposal company reported that it picked up 700.77 tons of garbage in Grand Coulee last year. Coulee Dam was a close second, with Electric City third and Elmer City fourth. The four municipalities together operate the Delano Transfer station through the RBOM. Sunrise presented their report at Monday’s meeting of the mayors. Coulee Dam contributed 609.73 tons of garbage, a... Full story