News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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EPHRATA — Three of the world’s top bond-rating agencies have affirmed strong credit ratings for Grant PUD, as the utility readies to pay down debt for long-term savings that will help keep electric rates low, the utility said Tuesday. The PUD’s $1.3 billion in debt was a point of contention in the 2018 commissioner election when one incumbent lost insisting it was reasonable level for the utility to carry that helped to keep rates lower. The high ratings enable Grant PUD to take fuller advantage of current market conditions to refinance $200...
Tim and Jennifer Scheib (and Clover) finish up nine holes at Banks Lake Golf Course Jan. 1, 2020, when the day's high temperature reached 54 degrees. Scheib said he'd actually dressed a little too warmly for the outing and was surprised to find no one else on the course. - Scott Hunter photo...
Grand Coulee Police 12/30 - Police were unable to locate a juvenile said to have thrown a snowball at the reporting party’s car near Center Elementary. 12/31 - A man at a Coulee Boulevard apartment agreed to turn his music down following a complaint from a neighbor. - Police attributed a report of a weapon firing in the Sunny Drive area to fireworks being lit off for the new year. 1/1 - A man on Dill Avenue was arrested and taken to jail following a fight with his wife and stepson. 1/3-4 - A man brought a container to police containing s...
Here are the students of the month at LR for December...
Recent fires investigated Colville Tribal Police Chief Dustin Best told The Star Monday that the agency has “looked into” recent fires in empty buldings in the Lone Pine area near Elmer City, but he couldn’t disclose any details. Hospital awarded opioid response grant Coulee Medical Center is one of seven regional entities this month to be awarded a grant for efforts to deal with opioid addiction. The The North Central Accountable Community of Health (NCACH) awarded $58,540 in Rapid Cycle Opioid Project funding to support local opioid respo...
Chief Henry Hix of the Colville Tribal Natural Resource Enforcement Department, identified the body of 41-year-old Leonard “Junior” Simpson Tuesday afternoon. Simpson was found by two volunteers of the search-and-rescue team organized by Chief Hix. “We are thankful to all the volunteers that showed up to help with the search and rescue,” Chief Hix stated. “Although it was not the ending we had hoped for, the body of Mr. Simpson has been returned to his family and friends. We appreciat... Full story
If you'd like some active fun on New Year's Day, here are a couple local options: Pretend you're a polar bear Meet at Spring Canyon at noon for a polar bear plunge into Lake Roosevelt or join a few crazy kayakers braving the cold. They're both happening at noon. Spring Canyon, the National Park Service's closest campground in the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area to Grand Coulee, isn't open with full service now, so plan on taking any trash with you when you leave. And be sure to bring a t...
Grand Coulee Volunteer Fire Department Chief Rick Paris will be retiring as chief at the end of the month, but will still be on the department as a fireman and emergency medical technician. Paris announced his retirement at the Dec. 17 Grand Coulee Council Meeting. Having retired from his job after 35 years as an electrical planner at Grand Coulee Dam in 2018, Paris said he will be out of town often during the year, so he felt it was best to retire as chief. Following his father's example,...
It's been a year filled with news. The Star carried more than 1,200 stories in 2019. Here's a look back at some of them that range from city council dramas to national music awards. Jan. 16 - Bob Poch named mayor in Coulee Dam Coulee Dam has a new mayor. Bob Poch was elected by the city council last week to take the place of Larry Price, who resigned Dec. 6, 2018. - New operator will re-open Grand Theatre - The Coulee will see an increase in arts and culture with the return of the Grand Theatre... Full story
Coulee Dam’s town council passed new rates and a budget this month that included utility rates increases following a series of budget workshops the council worked on in November and December. A flat increase for garbage pickup of $3 per container will be implemented in March and leave about $13,000 next December in the garbage fund that was in the hole at the end of this year. The base rated for electric service will also rise, by $6 per month, to increase the fund accumulated in anticipation of needed maintenance by $38,000. Sewer rates w...
Grand Coulee 12/21 - A man driving without headlights around Martin Road told police he had been dumping old tires near Les Schwab’s trailer. He said his new tires weren’t from Les Schwab but his old ones were and he didn’t think they would mind. Police told him they would check with Les Schwab to see if they wanted to press charges. 12/23 - Police were told of a possible DUI leaving the Hi Dam Tavern toward Coulee Dam. Police didn’t locate the vehicle but informed Coulee Dam and tribal police departments about it. 12/24 - Police pulled...
KELLER – Keller Ferry service, on SR 21, will resume service at 6 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 6, 2020. The M/V Sanpoil was removed from service starting Wednesday, Dec. 4 for repairs to strengthen the hull. During the course of that work, contractors working for the Washington State Department of Transportation discovered that both propellers and drive shafts needed to be refurbished. Initially, the run was planned to reopen Monday, Dec. 23. Service will resume when repairs are complete and the vessel passes Coast Guard inspection. Before heading o... Full story
Quick thinking and some downright neighborly effort saved the day last week when hundreds of frozen turkeys could have spoiled instead of finding hungry families. Pacific Aquaculture, which operates the fish-raising farm in Lake Rufus Woods under contract with the Colville Tribes, each year spends $10,000 worth of turkeys to distribute through the tribal food bank operation, usually at Thanksgiving. This year, however, the tribes had decided to match that effort, so about 600 turkeys were still...
The Grand Coulee City Council discussed the root of all evil at their Dec. 17 council meeting when they approved the city's 2020 budget of nearly $4.7 million. The topic of money came up multiple times at the meeting in relation to sewer rates being raised $5, ambulance services being treated like a utility, city employee raises, and more. Sewer Sewer rates, having been raised $20 a month last year, will be going up another $5 per month in 2020 for a total rate 79% higher than it was a year...
Hansen receives state honor in volleyball The Washington State Volleyball Coaches Association, in giving honors to 2B athletes, gave an honorable mention to Jozlyn Hansen who played the libero position for Lake Roosevelt this fall. Liberos specialize in defense. “Jozlyn is one of the best liberos in the state,” LR Head Coach Teri Sue Reed said. “She is a gifted athlete with agility and quickness. Her ability to read a hitter and pass the ball to the setters box is like very few. She is such an asset to our program. I can’t wait to see what he...
More recycling will be available locally at the beginning of 2020, but there are steps for recyclers to take to do it right. A new receptacle will be placed outside the gates of the Delano Regional Transfer Station and will accept mixed paper, #1 and #2 plastics, tin cans, and aluminum cans. The transfer station also accepts cardboard in a receptacle within their gates. The receptacle is being placed there as part of Sunrise Disposal’s newest contract with local towns. Dion Gotti, who owns Sunrise Disposal, said they plan to put it out there o...
The second fire in the neighborhood just above the Columbia River along the Lower River Road in about three weeks brought a quick response from firefighting agencies last Wednesday evening and was quickly brought under control. Like the fire just down the road Nov. 25, the blaze Dec. 18 affected a building that had been unused for some time, this one a small apartment building that had just been sold this month. Firefighters from Okanogan County District 2 and elsewhere responded about 5:15...
KELLER – Keller Ferry users who travel across the Columbia River on State Route 21 will need to find alternate routes until early January because of additional issues uncovered during repairs to the M/V Sanpoil. Service on the run is now scheduled to resume Monday, Jan. 6, 2020. The M/V Sanpoil was removed from service starting Wednesday, Dec. 4 for repairs to strengthen the hull. During the course of that work, contractors working for the Washington State Department of Transportation discovered that both propellers and drive shafts needed t...
Grand Coulee Police 12/17 - A driver was reported slumped over in his white Jeep partially in the roadway at Midway and Federal Avenues. The driver was on his phone, and an officer tapped on his window. The driver said he was testing cell phone towers, and had a black electronic case and laptop in his passenger seat. The officer told him to move further off the roadway as he was partially blocking traffic from the stop sign at that intersection. 12/18 - The property manager for apartments on Hill Avenue was concerned about the number of people...
I have a few dreams for Christmas this year, and I thought it only fair to share with you all. I know this list may step on some toes, but I hope we can take this all in good fun and fair taste. The taste of a fresh pecan pie and the toes of a brand-new pair of work boots. Here we go. My first dream is a dream Super Bowl prediction. First, I will make most of you happy and say the Seahawks will represent the NFC in the big game. In the AFC, I pick Kansas City Chiefs. I must be honest; I have not...
The city administrator in Electric City, who has shepherded through many of the projects that have turned out to be the most contentious in the last few years, will resign in January to work for the engineering firm that designed them. Russ Powers delivered his letter of resignation Tuesday night, effective January 31, 2020, to the city council he admired during its last meeting before four new members take the place of the members they defeated in the election last month. Some of them had said...
KELLER – Keller Ferry users who travel across the Columbia River on State Route 21 will need to find alternate routes until early January because of additional issues uncovered during repairs to the M/V Sanpoil. Service on the run is now scheduled to resume Monday, Jan. 6, 2020. The M/V Sanpoil was removed from service starting Wednesday, Dec. 4 for repairs to strengthen the hull. During the course of that work, contractors working for the Washington State Department of Transportation discovered that both propellers and drive shafts needed t... Full story
Lake Roosevelt High School has a new journalism class and a website where you can view their content published under the name "The Galleon." The class has around 20 students writing and contributing content. "We still have a long way to go and much to learn, but it has been a fun and rewarding process so far," said Steve Files who teaches the class, adding that they hope to upload some new content weekly. "Journalism is an elective class, and the online newspaper work is the featured aspect of...
Students are vaping at Lake Roosevelt Schools, and in schools around the nation. The nicotine in vape products, just as with tobacco, is said to harm developing adolescent brains. The topic of vaping was discussed at the Dec. 9 Grand Coulee Dam School District board meeting during a discussion of policies, including a policy on nicotine products that was amended to include a clearer definition of nicotine products and devices that includes vaping and vaping products. The group discussed vaping at some length, including its prominence in the...
Some $5 million in grant money will go towards building more affordable housing at the Colville Indian Agency in the Nespelem area next year. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced last week that several Native American communities will receive grant awards with a combined total of nearly $200 million to go towards building approximately 1,200 new housing units. The Colville Indian Housing Authority will receive $5 million, one of 52 tribes chosen out of over 200 applicants, a HUD press release press release shows....