News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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Members of the Colville Tribes gather in protest outside the tribal government headquarters Wednesday, objecting to leaders’ decision to stick to an earlier decision on allocation of a $193 million settlement with the federal government. Those calling for recall of elected officials wanted all of that amount paid to tribal members. The Colville Business Council decided in October that half would go to tribal programs. — Roger S. Lucas photo... Full story
I am writing to counter Yvonne Swan’s statements in The Star newspaper and advise that many, many Colville Confederated Tribal Members were quite happy to receive the first 50 percent of the Salazar Settlement funds and want the remaining 50 percent to remain with the Tribal Government. More than 9,400 Tribal Members received more than $10,000 each in the past three months. Most of these funds were well spent to help improve the conditions of our membership. While another $10,000 would be a boon to our personal incomes, our Tribal Leaders p... Full story
The town of Elmer City last week took the first steps towards developing its own wastewater treatment plant and leave Coulee Dam to pay all of the costs of a plant upgrade its been planning for both towns. The town council and Mayor Mary Jo Carey expressed disappointment Thursday night in the way officials in Coulee Dam the night before had treated Elmer City. They see development of their own sewer facility as the best alternative they have. Town officials agreed to look at a site between Elmer City and Seaton’s Grove, get an engineering f... Full story
A letter Coulee Dam prepared for interested parties in its wastewater treatment plant project drew reaction from the town of Elmer City last Wednesday night that would eventually lead to a decision to end a decades-long collaboration. The letter, designed to advise all parties that the ownership of the plant would rest with Coulee Dam, and that the only official representatives of Coulee Dam authorized to speak on the project were elected officials, the town’s attorney, engineers from Gray & Osborne, Public Works Director Barry Peacock and C... Full story
The town of Elmer City has worked tirelessly to find financial assistance to help fund the improvements to the sewer treatment plant it jointly operates with Coulee Dam. And for good reason, they can’t afford what Coulee Dam is building! On the other hand, Coulee Dam has not put any meaningful effort into a search for “grant” monies. Even their Project Plan discounts the “free” money as too difficult to bother with. They remain content with their own “success”… borrowing another $5 million and adding to an already burdensome debt on the tow... Full story
To the Office of the Reservation Attorneys, through the news media, on behalf of Colville Indians for justice. In light of precedents set by former Colville Business Council who in the 1950s and 1990s immediately informed tribal members of claims settlements, called general membership meetings, and in the 1990s put the issue to a vote, I and other elders expected this example to be followed by current Colville Business Council regarding the recent (2012) $193 Million claims settlement. Also, in the light of the above-mentioned decisions by... Full story
A rally of tribal members who have sought by petition the other half of a $193 million settlement with the United States government, will be held at 10:30 a.m. in front of the Colville Tribal Administration building Wednesday, Dec. 19. Yvonne Swan, coordinator/moderator, said that members of the group plan to appear before the Colville Business Council on Thursday. Swan said over 2,700 Tribal members have signed the petition. The Tribes received the one time $193 million payment for the mismanagement of tribal natural resources. The council...
A group that has been studying the feasibility of building a community/wellness center in the area decided Thursday to push ahead with the effort, citing a very favorable feasibility study and a growing need in the area. Full disclosure: Readers should know I’ve been a member of that group since its inception and have been one of many considering the idea since long before that. After deciding by consensus to move ahead, the steering committee for the effort decided where it should be located and gave it a temporary name. The Coulee Regional We... Full story
The same day tribal members submitted a 2,600-signature petition, the Colville Business Council rejected the petitioners’ plea to pay out all of a $193 million settlement with the U.S. government. The council will stand by an October resolution on the use of the half of the settlment that remains after already having put $96.5 million into the hands of some 9,600 members. The Qwam Qwmpt’ Plan was adopted by unanimous resolution Oct. 5, a statement from the tribes said Monday. It “allocates the remaining 50% of the settlement money for activ... Full story
Colville Tribal officials on Friday unveiled a new solar array to power the Fish and Wildlife Program building near Omak and the Hearts Gathered immersive Salish language school. Located on the campus of buildings behind the Paschal Sherman Indian School at St. Mary’s Mission, the group of five towers each hold two panels that turn sunlight directly to electricity and feed it into Okanogan County PUD’s grid, when they’re actually producing. Friday’s snowy weather didn’t make for much of a demo... Full story
Odessa to get meat plant The Odessa Public Development Authority (OPDA) has signed a design-build contract with Spokane based Garco Construction for a new 7,000 square foot USDA livestock processing facility to be built in the Odessa Industrial Park. The facility will serve small to mid-sized producers. The new plant will offer USDA carcass inspection, processing, packaging and improved access to retail markets previously unavailable to local producers. It’s scheduled to open in May. The new facility will reportedly bring 10 to 15 jobs to b... Full story
A documentary video, about a concerted cross-reservation effort to reduce traffic deaths from a high of about one every other week to two last year, has won an award. “Traffic Safety Successes on the Colville Reservation”, produced by the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, received recognition from filmmakers earlier this month. During the 37th Annual American Indian Film Festival in San Francisco, California, the documentary won the award for Best Industrial. The film was directed by M. J. Haught. “I am thrilled this film has helped to re... Full story
Grand Coulee Police 11/18 - Police confronted a driver known to have a suspended license. He said he had a new license. When asked for his new license the driver produced a license issued in 2009. The man couldn’t produce an insurance card, and will likely be charged with driving without a valid license, driving while suspended, having no insurance and giving false statements to an officer. The man’s mother came to take control of the car. - A motorist was stopped because his license tabs didn’t correspond to the vehicle he was driving. The o... Full story
A documentary video, about a concerted cross-reservation effort to reduce traffic deaths from a high of about one every other week to two last year, has won an award. “Traffic Safety Successes on the Colville Reservation”, produced by the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, received recognition from filmmakers earlier this month. During the 37th Annual American Indian Film Festival in San Francisco, Calif., Nov. 10, the documentary won the award for Best Industrial. The film was directed by M.... Full story
Sewer ratepayers in Coulee Dam and Elmer City won the day last Wednesday night when many of the major parties in the wastewater treatment plant were on hand and agreed to work together. The scene was Coulee Dam’s council meeting with a presentation by Gray & Osborne, the town’s engineering firm, which was reporting on its progress on the design phase of the project. Engineer Jeff Stevens made a short presentation and then stated, “We need direction from the council on where we go from here.” Local resident Greg Wilder had preceded Stevens and l... Full story
Elmer City had stated that it wanted a seat at the table. Last Wednesday night, its town council met with Coulee Dam’s council, and it got a seat at the table, but significant questions remain. At issue is a $4.92 million wastewater treatment plant upgrade now under design. Foremost in Elmer City’s mind was whether it was a partner in Coulee Dam’s wastewater treatment plant, or merely a customer. While that wasn’t answered directly, Elmer City was advised that anytime in the future that Coulee... Full story
Ten Years Ago It’s not like the lake is overwhelmed with jet skiers this time of year anyway, but they’re banned from Lake Roosevelt starting Nov. 6. Jail time for some Colvile tribal members will soon take place closer to home following the symbolic first step to construction of a new correctional facility near Nespelem. Middle school students spent a day laughing, crying and being painfully honest last week in a program designed to break down social barriers. Two pit bull dogs with a history of harassing GCD area residents were shot by pol... Full story
Francis Somday has been named the new executive director for the Colville Tribes, Colville Business Council Chairman John Sirois announced Friday. “We are very excited to have Francis home, working for the Tribe, and leading the organization in the direction of expanded success and prosperity,” Sirois said. “His vision and work ethic will help set the tone as we move forward together as a Tribe. We have every confidence that our challenges and successes are in very good hands with Mr. Somday.” The Colville member has previously worked for the... Full story
Meeting moved Action on issues before a Grand Coulee Dam School District meeting last Thursday were moved to Monday, Oct. 22, because of a lack of a quorum. The school board meets at 6 p.m. at the district office. City planner hired Electric City has hired SCI Alliance of Wenatchee as its city planner. The firm will represent the city in the current Shoreline Management Plan and keep the city’s comprehensive plan up to date. SCI replaces Daryl Piercy, who has been handling the position for the past few years. The new firm will get $95 an h... Full story
The town councils of Coulee Dam and Elmer City and their attorneys may finally getting together to work through questions about their 50-year sewer service contract. Coulee Dam sent an invitation for Elmer City officials to join its council in a special meeting at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 7, for discussions. That date is not confirmed. Elmer City has maintained that it is a partner in the Coulee Dam Wastewater Treatment project, not just a customer, and therefore should have been part of the planning process for the new plant. Currently Coulee... Full story
Ten Years Ago The town of Coulee Dam has all of the money it needs now to begin building a water filtration plant by the end of this year. While most people in their 70s might spend time with their children and grandchildren in the comfort of their homes, an Elmer City woman spends her reunion time with her children hunting moose in the wilds of Alaska. Every year for the past six or seven years, Jean Nelson has gone up to a shack made of tar paper, a couple of boards and a plastic tarp located approximately 70 miles north of Fairbanks,... Full story
Keller, WA (October 10, 2012) – Students in Keller Elementary school, located on the Colville Reservation, joined millions of young people across the nation to become scientists for the day during the fifth annual 4-H National Youth Science Day (NYSD). As part of the Colville Reservation Extension STAR (Science & Technology Across the Reservation) program, this annual event seeks to spark an early youth interest in science and future science careers, and to reclaim the nation's position of l... Full story
A wildfire that started last Tuesday north of an around Omak Lake is now 60 percent contained after burning two homes, more than 16,000 acres of grass and timber and eight structures, and evacuating a school. A Washington Incident Management Team fire official stated Tuesday that they hope to turn the The St. Mary’s Mission Road Fire over to local resources within a day or two. The fire started last Oct. 2, and shutdown Paschal Sherman Indian School for several days. Students returned to c... Full story
Ten Years Ago Coulee Community Hospital has some changes in progress designed to make a trip to the hospital drier and a parking spot easier to find. Parking lot expansion and replacing the tiles and insulation on the hospital clinic’s roof began Sept. 30. Both projects should finish this week. Ocras Island handed the Lake Roosevelt football team their second loss of the season with a 34-15 Viking victory. Twenty Years Ago Gary and Tammy Norris are the new owners of H&H Grocery in Electric City. The new owners took over the store last month. T... Full story
There are an estimated 1,000 wild horses roaming free on the Colville Indian Reservation that have caused significant damage to certain areas they occupy, the tribal Fish and Wildlife Dept. says. The areas that have become overgrazed contribute to the spread of invasive species, compaction, and erosion. The horses also compete with big game animals for forage, the department stated in a press release. “The forage resource is being harmed because the horse is re-grazing the new growth as soon as... Full story
