News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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In mid-July, Tim Lynch was headed to the post office, when he saw the smoke. Fast forward to Monday night at the end of December, and Lynch was on hand at the Coulee Dam Town Council meeting to receive a proclamation signed by the mayor to honor his "Extraordinary Bravery and Selfless Service" for having rescued three people from a housefire before emergency services arrived that day. Mayor Bob Poch's proclamation, actually first issued in August but not presented in person until Monday, first...
Coulee Dam's town council welcomed in two new council members just before breaking for cake to honor the service of two who were leaving, especially Merv Schmidt, who, in his second stint on the council, has served for six years. "From the bottom of my being, thanks for all you've done," Mayor Bob Poch said. Newly elected Ronald Toulou will succeed Schmidt on the council. And Brian Quill will take the seat just vacated by Chris Bulger. Those two new council members were sworn in, along with...
The folks in the Wayfinders group walking along Midway Avenue Saturday were dressed more warmly than they were a week ago. Dropping temperatures didn't dissuade too many though; there were still 30 of them with signs protesting the Trump administration's policies. - Scott Hunter photo...
Grand Coulee Mayor Ruth Dalton answered a question about the status of the agreement with Electric City on the operation of the wastewater treatment plant with a short, “It’s in a process.” Renata Rollins had inquired during a public comment period at the last council meeting Dec. 22 about the negotiations, given statements reported in The Star from the last Electric City Council meeting. They are considering taking a disagreement between the two cities to mediation or arbitration after most of a year spent trying to come together to discuss it...
School directors voted to authorize an emergency budget resolution last week that allows the superintendent to issue RIFF-and-recall notices that warn of a possible reduction in force but would not implement them if it can be avoided. Instead, Superintendent Rod Broadnax is instructed to look for other savings and to "maximize revenue" for the Grand Coulee Dam School District. Preferred strategies for this include savings in supplies and operating costs, purchased services, and travel expenses,...
The Grand Coulee Dam School District Board of Directors will meet tomorrow morning, Tuesday, Dec. 30, at 10 a.m. in the high school library. The district's Dec. 22 board meeting was canceled last week for lack of a quorum. Notice was sent by the district office Monday that included the same agenda for Tuesday morning, on next to the last day of the year. The meeting can also be attended online via Zoom: https://gcdsd.zoom.us/j/89474772041?pwd=Zk5pNnB6MWovOUNLMEtUcTR1MEsyQT09 DO NOT CLICK "Sign... Full story
STCU's Lisa Allsbrook and Area Vice President and Branch Manager Beverly Rodriguez present a ceremonial check for $5,000 to Care and Share Food Bank Manager Dave Noggles on Friday. Rodriguez said the credit union starts its "Season of Giving" this time of year, "affording us the opportunity to give back to local non-profits with year-end gifts" and thank local non-profits for their impactful work. - submitted photo...
Douglas County Undersheriff Tyler Caille formally announced Friday that he will be running for Douglas County Sheriff in the upcoming 2026 election. Following Sheriff Kevin Morris' retirement announcement Dec. 8, Caille declared his candidacy to fill the vacant seat. He said he will also submit his name for consideration by the Republican Central Committee for appointment to the unexpired term, beginning March 2, 2026. Caille has spent nearly 20 years in law enforcement and over 29 years in...
LACEY — Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson unveiled a plan Friday to steer $3 billion into preserving the state’s roads and bridges and building three new ferries over the next decade. Ferguson would raise the money through borrowing, with the sale of bonds backed by proceeds from a slew of new and increased taxes and fees lawmakers approved this year. This included an increase in the state’s gas tax. As envisioned, there’d be roughly a billion dollars apiece for paving highways, painting and repairing bridges, and adding three vessels to the Washi...
Ryan Fish and Richard Paris, local emergency medical technicians with the Grand Coulee Ambulance Service, were recently recognized by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians for achieving 30 consecutive years of National EMS Certification, an honor held by few EMS professionals. To maintain their status as a nationally registered EMT, they completed, on a biennial basis, the most comprehensive recertification program for EMS professionals in America. The National Registry of...
Coulee Polar Plunge will be happening at noon on Thursday, January 1 at Spring Canyon. Those wanting to brave the water in a kayak are also invited to attend....
The community was thrown into grief Thursday night as word spread of the death of a mother and her young son in what law enforcement authorities are calling murder. Tribal police found Laura Dick and her 17-year-old son Anthony Vieira, dead in the family home after Damien Martinez Jr. called them and confessed, reported sources, including KXLY, which reported obtaining court records Saturday. Okanogan County Prosecuting Attorney Albert H. Lin issued a statement Monday saying Martinez was being held on two counts of first-degree murder, with...
Chief Paul Bowden said traffic enforcement has gone up in Electric City since two new police officers joined the department. “One is definitely a traffic guy,” said Bowden, who is chief of the Coulee Dam Police Department, with which Electric City contracts for service. Bowden told the city council Dec. 9 that Electric City had had just 14 calls for service in November, but 71 traffic stops had been made. Those included 34 warnings and 37 tickets. “I mean he had one in here that was 96” miles an hour, Bowden noted....
Grand Coulee's Volunteer Fire Department and emergency medical service congratulate this year's recipients of the department's annual awards, Saturday night. From left, Firefighter of the Year Damien Dominguez, Co-Rookie Firefighters of the Year Nate Donn and Isaac McLeod, and EMS person of the year and Member of the Year Kristin Cannon get their photo taken at the station. Their commitment and drive has been exemplary this year, their Facebook site said. - submitted photo...
Updating an interlocal agreement between Electric City and Grand Coulee on running the wastewater treatment plant they both use has been the subject of discussions for a year, but Grand Coulee has decided it won’t move ahead with changes. Under the decades old agreement it supposedly operates on says a joint board made up of representatives of both cities will govern, but just meeting on it has been a challenge, Electric City council members involved in the process said last week. Retiring Mayor Diane Kohout said at the Dec. 9 council m...
Santa gets ready to hear wishes Saturday at the Moose Lodge’s annual Christmas party for kids while also keeping an eye on the Grinch. — Deb Dunlap photo...
The Wayfinders gather on Midway Avenue Saturday from noon to 1 p.m., and have been collecting food and funds for the food bank, plus baby food and diapers for those in need. About 28 people also carried signs about government policies, although one just carried a sign with a broken heart Saturday, for the tragic deaths in Nespelem last Thursday. - Scott Hunter photo...
A local event has been recognized alongside several from across the country as a "champion" of economic impact. Reel Recreation's Triple Fish Challenge was named in the latest issue of Sports Destination Management as a Champion of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism. "We're honored to be recognized alongside events across the country that helped generate over $1.4 billion in economic impact and more than 800,000 hotel room nights over the past year," Reel Recreation, a local non-profit for...
Mayor Diane Kohout presided over her last council meeting Tuesday since taking charge of Electric City six years ago. “I want to thank my council and the staff of Electric City for everything you’ve done over the last six years,” she said. “When I came into this position, it was kind of a rough start. We basically started from ground zero. We had no real staff other than a couple people. We had a whole new council and a brand-new mayor who had never been in city politics before.” The first few months were so stressful, she said, that she got s...
People enjoy the VIP tables at the chamber of commerce's annual Vintners and Brewers Tasting and Auction Saturday at the Coulee Dam Town Hall's ballroom. Although the books are not finalized yet, the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce's largest fund raiser probably realized about $30,000 in support from the community, estimated Co-Executive Director Krystal Fillis on Tuesday. - Krystal Fillis photo...
The federal government will provide $12 billion to U.S. farmers who have been hurt by "unfair market disruption," President Donald Trump said at a White House roundtable event Monday. Trump said repeatedly the funding was available thanks to tariff revenues, framing his aggressive trade policy as a boon to farmers rather than a drag on their global market share as critics of the policy suggest. "I'm delighted to announce this afternoon that the United States will be taking a small portion of the...
Hamming it up for a photographer on Turkey Day, runners in Trot the Coulee at Steamboat Rock State Park ignore a drizzle to complete the 5K run timed for a preemptive strike against later caloric consumption, for which 128 registered. - Rooted Light Studio photo, courtesy of Trot the Coulee...
Coulee Medical Center (CMC) received $3,020,475 in the federal appropriations legislation signed into law by President Trump on Nov. 13, 2025. This funding, which was secured by Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA, 4), Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), will enhance on-site housing accommodations at CMC for healthcare staff serving Grand Coulee and surrounding communities. In recent years, CMC has explored potential projects to increase the safety and accessibility of housing accommodations the hospital provides to healthcare...
The Bureau of Reclamation's new fire station has won a national award for design, taking the gold in Firehouse Magazine's annual contest. The Magazine announced the winners of its 12th annual Station Design Awards program Nov. 9. The program recognizes outstanding architecture and design from fire departments and emergency facilities nationwide. Gold, Silver and Bronze awards were issued across eight categories of facilities: Career 1, Career 2, Co-Located, Combination, Renovations, Satellite,...
In a boost for wildlife, recreationists and public lands last month, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) received from a conservation group the Big Bend Ranch, a 2,135-acre property featuring 1.5 miles of Columbia River frontage, for permanent inclusion with the Big Bend Wildlife Area. Western Rivers Conservancy (WRC) conveyed the project it said conserves excellent habitat for one of Washington's most imperiled species - Columbian sharp-tailed grouse - while opening new...
