News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
Sorted by date Results 726 - 750 of 6403
The Coulee Area Parks and Recreation District, which manages North Dam Park, is meeting tonight, June 22, at 6:30 p.m. at the former middle school in Grand Coulee in the former teachers’ lounge. The group is in a tough position as they haven’t secured funding from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which owns the land at North Dam, for 2022, which means they can’t fund maintenance at the park such as watering the grass, garbage service, powering the lights, and general yard work. Commissioner Kevin Portch told The Star last week that the group...
Children on the Colville Indian Reservation have been dispersing "seed bombs" in areas affected by wildfires in recent years to help restore native species to the areas. The "Healing the Earth" program is conducted by the Washington State University Colville Reservation Extension 4-H program, which partners and collaborates with the Colville Confederated Tribes and Bureau of Indian Affairs natural resource programs, including Environmental Trust, Range, Fish & Wildlife, and Mt. Tolman Fire...
Girls and boys who will be in 3rd-8th grade in the 2022-2023 school year can sign up tomorrow, June 23, for a basketball camp that takes place in July. Signups will take place June 23 at the Lake Roosevelt gym from 6-7 p.m. for a $75 signup fee. All proceeds will benefit local basketball teams, according to organizers. The camp itself will take place July 11-13, with 3rd-5th grade participating from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., and 6th-8th grade from 3-6 p.m. Local coaches will be joined by Jeff Niemi of Grays Harbor College. The fundamental games and...
North Dam Park, which hosts numerous events in the area, including Colorama, markets, softball tournaments, and more, is in danger of no longer being maintained, but funding could still be secured for 2023. A special meeting is scheduled for the local park district in charge on June 22 at 6:30 p.m. at the former middle school in Grand Coulee in the former teachers’ lounge there, which the public is welcome to attend. Years ago, the city of Grand Coulee had responsibility for the park, but relinquished control to the US Bureau of Reclamation, w...
The class of 2022 follows the lead of class President Audrey Hansen in moving their mortar board tassels over to the graduated side at Saturday's ceremony at Lake Roosevelt High School. More photos of the annual event, held inside the gym for the first time since 2019, are available on page 7. - Scott Hunter photo...
A UH60 Blackhawk helicopter demonstrated its fire-fighting abilities last week by sucking water out of Banks Lake through a "snorkel" into its 1,100 gallon tank, then dumping the water onto the runway at the Grand Coulee Dam Airport. The Washington State Department of Natural Resources contracts with the California-based company High Performance Helicopters to station aircraft throughout the state, including at the Grand Coulee Dam Airport, in case of wildfire. Administrative and Accounting...
People agree that housing for seniors in the area is needed, but the effort comes with a hefty price tag in the $15-$20 million range. The Grand Coulee Dam Area Senior Center spent $7,500 on a feasibility study for senior housing in the area in collaboration with Centerline Development, which owns the former Center School and surrounding land on Spokane Way in Grand Coulee. The study’s conclusion that there would be demand for such a facility and service led to a $20,000 engineering study. The senior center contributed another $17,500 toward t...
The town council in Coulee Dam Wednesday night approved spending $3,020 to "move dirt" in a canyon just above the city hall, a residential neighborhood, and a motel so that police can use it for a shooting range. Officer Josh Watkins introduced himself to the council as the firearms instructor for Coulee Dam's two-officer police department and explained the need for such a space. Watkins said the biggest benefit would be the ability to get free training. Police have training requirements to...
The Grand Coulee Dam area is in the spotlight of a new video being made to highlight the attributes of the area. Voortex Productions, out of Wenatchee, is working with the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce to produce a promotional video. "I am so excited about this project!" chamber Executive Director Rachelle Baughman said. "The purpose and mission behind this video is to highlight the Grand Coulee Area and unite the community. We want to give our community something to be proud of, as...
A storm that ripped through the area Sunday afternoon toppled a tree that pulled down a powerline in Coulee Dam, closing River Drive and leaving the area without power for several hours. A 60-foot evergreen tree fell across a front porch at 1015 River Drive but didn't damage the house or a pickup parked in the driveway - under the downed tree. But it did pull down power lines crossing River Drive, which is also SR-155 through town. Coulee Dam fire trucks closed the road while Nespelem Valley...
Officials for the barely funded public agency currently responsible for managing the park that holds major events in the area said Tuesday they may have to close it down. North Dam Park, which is owned by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation but managed by the Coulee Area Park and Recreation District (CAPRD) is the venue for events like Colorama, Run the Dam, summer softball and baseball games, a skate park, the Gehrke Windmills display, countless private events, and more. But CAPRD commissioners Brian Warneke and Kevin Porch said Tuesday that USBR...
The Diversity Divine Auto Show returns this year to Coulee Plaza where car enthusiasts can show off their prized vehicles. On June 18, the DDAS, hosted by Coulee Medical Center's Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sam Hsieh, will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on his property on Main Street in Grand Coulee known as Coulee Plaza. "We are very excited!" Hsieh said. "We are just hoping that the recent spike in gas prices doesn't affect people from bringing their cars to the show." Categories in the car show...
There are multiple political races in local counties, including for sheriff positions, county commissioners, judges, clerks, and more. An Aug. 2 primary will narrow any races with more than two candidates down to just two, and the general election will take place on Nov. 8. In Grant County, running for sheriff are three Republicans: James Baker of Moses Lake, Joe Harris of Quincy, and Joey Kriete of Ephrata. Current Sheriff Tom Jones announced Tuesday that he is retiring July 1. Okanogan County...
Morgan Tillman, right, poses with her niece Avery Tillman and her new added braids, left, and her friend Hannah Heintz, who were customers at Morgan's Auntie's Salon booth at last week's first First Friday event, which she helped organize. With 10 vendors and two food trucks it was deemed a success despite moving inside the old Center School at the last minute for rain. "We are so excited for our next one on July 1 back at North Dam Park, featuring Republic Brewery in our beer garden, as well...
The town council in Coulee Dam Wednesday night approved spending $3,020 to “move dirt” in an area just above the city hall, a residential neighborhood, and a motel so police can use it for a shooting range. Officer Josh Watkins introduced himself to the council as the firearms instructor for Coulee Dam’s two-officer police department and explained the need for such a space. Watkins said the biggest benefit would be the ability to get free training. Police have training requirements to keep up with, but scheduling time at the U.S. Bureau of Re...
Scouts in Pack 24 and Troupes 24 and 52 reveal an unfolded American flag before demonstrating the 13-fold process of folding it, with the meaning of each step narrated by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class (retired) Sara Zlateff. More photos of the 46th annual Isle of Flags ceremony on Memorial Day are on page 5. - Scott Hunter photo...
With public health agencies now reporting two-week-old covid case rates and home testing widely available, hospital admissions seem a more reliable indicator. Those are trending up, even locally. Coulee Medical Center CEO Ramona Hicks told hospital district commissioners Monday that more tests at CMC for COVID-19 are showing its presence, with the positivity rate rising from 10% last Friday to 18% by Tuesday, including some admissions to the hospital. Statewide, too, hospitals are recording an...
There’s a lot of turnover this year at Lake Roosevelt Junior/Senior High School. The Grand Coulee Dam School District board of directors accepted the resignations of Junior/Senior High Principal Sara Kennedy, Dean of Students Billy Monroe, and Athletic Director Tim Rasmussen, as well as math and drivers’ ed teacher Jeff Piturachsatit. The school board got the news at their meeting May 23. Although they didn’t discuss them publicly following a private executive session that preceded the acceptance of the resignations, Board Director Butch Stange...
Update: This Friday's June 3 event has been moved to the inside of the former Center School on Spokane Way in Grand Coulee due to the rainy weather. This Friday marks the first First Friday event for the Coulee, with vendors, food, and more to provide a fun time to start your weekend. The first Friday of each month means shopping and entertainment from June through October in a new kind of event for the area. This Friday, June 3, is the first of its kind, and future “First Fridays” will be held on July 1, Aug. 5, Sept 2, and Oct. 7. Vendors and...
Grand Coulee City Park is receiving upgrades this year including a half-court basketball court, a new barbecue pit area, walkways, and playground equipment. The park, located along SR-174 between a gas station and Mexican food restaurant, is benefiting from a $162,000 grant that the city was awarded last year from the Ephrata-based Paul Lauzier Foundation. Old playground equipment, including swings, teeter-totters, and a slide have been removed to make room for new playground equipment, while a “merry-go-round” device still remains. The cur...
Ashley Atkins took on the role of Indian Education director this school year at Lake Roosevelt Schools and spoke to The Star recently about the importance of teaching Native American culture and history. "I will introduce myself in my language (Crow) first," she wrote in an email to The Star. "Kahay! Baalaashe' Amiiaxxisesh huuk, baashchiilitaailia, 'Lucky and Receiving' huuk. I am Apsaalooke from the great Crow Nation of Montana. My husband [LR science teacher Derek Atkins] is Psquosa...
The Bureau of Reclamation announced last Wednesday that the Grand Coulee Dam “One River, Many Voices” laser light show and the John W. Keys III Pump-Generating Plant public tours would come back on May 28, in time for the Memorial Day weekend. Tours were not allowed in 2020 or 2021 due to restrictions under the health emergency due to COVID-19, and the bureau warned that those could be re-imposed if necessary. The light show will run nightly at 10 p.m. Pacific Time through July 31. Beginning Aug. 1, the show will start at 9:30 p.m., and beg...
Two school boards learned Monday night that a major source of funding education for local students is apparently coming to an end if local officials can’t find a way to appeal a recent “review” of their method of sharing federal funds. An agreement to funnel “Impact Aid” from Nespelem School District to Grand Coulee Dam School District hasn’t been correct for years, a federal “reviewer” recently informed the Nespelem superintendent, a finding that will have a large financial impact on Lake Roosevelt Schools. For decades, the two districts h...
The Grand Coulee Dam School District Board of Directors will be holding a special board meeting this Thursday May 26, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. to approve the staff salary increase. This meeting will be a Zoom meeting....
The annual Isle of Flags, with its Memorial Day ceremony, will honor 15 more veterans whose families have requested a flag be flown in their honor. The annual event, which started in 1976, continues to add more flags every year to the spectacle that community volunteers (more needed) will start putting them up at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 28, at the Spring Canyon Cemetery. They will be flying 599 American flags. A Veterans’ Center Memorial Day Breakfast will be offered free of charge to all Saturday from 7 to 11 a.m. at the Vets Center in E...