News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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As the summer comes to a close and the new school year is looming, excited children are buying backpacks, going over their class schedules, and anticipating all the new things they are going to learn. But with the year beginning, I would be remiss if I did not discuss the elephant in the room —Washington’s education report card. In yWashington state, children ages K-12 are failing to meet the basic math and reading proficiency requirements, test scores are still far below where they were before the COVID-19 pandemic, enrollment is down 4%, and...
We would like to thank our wonderful community members who donated to and patronized our ‘every Saturday summer yard sale.’ It was a great summer for your local veterans organization and appeared to have been well received by the community once again. Your generosity will be returned 100% to our community through our support of local veterans, local American Legion baseball team, Isle of Flags support, volunteering at the food bank, meeting space for AA, blood bank venue, community event space and much more. We are so proud of our com...
While preparing for one of my trips to the Far East, I learned that Myanmar (then Burma) had opened up its borders to allow 72-hour visits. I jumped at the chance. Burma had been a British colony. I was surprised that there didn’t seem to be any strings attached. I asked Pan American Airlines officials if it was a good idea to stop over there. I had booked my trip with Pan Am since they had route privileges everywhere I was planning to go. My contact there was Willard Marsh, who said things were a little strained but a visit might be i...
Kelly Ortberg’s appointment as new Boeing CEO and the company returning its headquarters to Seattle are promising steps toward rehabilitating the aerospace giant started over a century ago. The Seattle Times editorial summarized it best: “Dare we hope?” Ortberg has a sterling reputation, vast aerospace experience, and a record of accomplishment. Hopefully, his experience and success pave the way for Boeing to re-emerge as the pinnacle of aerospace — where it was before the Chicago move in 2001. Boeing knows how to build good, safe airplan...
Throughout the nation and right here in Central Washington, our Native American communities are disproportionately impacted by lower rates of positive healthcare outcomes and violent crime. Throughout my time in Congress, I have built strong relationships with tribal partners and have worked on comprehensive legislation to address some of these challenges. In rural communities, healthcare continues to be a challenge, and given the health disparities that exist in tribal nations, recruitment of quality health personnel should be a priority. The...
Soon you will see homemade signs popping up in areas where we have had major wildland fires. It’s difficult to find a way to adequately share our thanks to firefighters who man the fire lines and in many cases risk their lives to protect homes and properties of those they have never met. High temperatures these past weeks have made the woods and grasslands tinder dry. We have been spared of major fires here for a couple of years, but fires at Swawilla Basin and Bridge Creek on the reservation and the brief fire that started near Sunbanks r...
I must commend the editor for printing the letter from Carl Russell in the July 24th issue of The Star. It illustrates the incoherent and misinformed ramblings and disjointed thoughts of a third grader. I’m sure the editor cringed or shuddered when he sent this tripe to print. If this guy sends any more letters, spare us all and round file them right where they belong. We are all dumber for having to read it. I won’t deign to respond to Carl, other than to suggest he shuffle into the dust bins of history, along with his buddy Trump. To rea...
States across the western United States are being ravaged by intense wildfires, especially here in Washington. Every day, our wildland firefighters, pilots, and emergency response teams are on the front lines trying to suppress damaging fires while protecting communities across the state. This year, wildfires have already burned over 230,000 acres in Washington, and as summer temperatures stay hot and winds pick up, they have the potential to destroy even more of our forests, ranches, and communities. Our area has unfortunately suffered extreme...
Our national debt is spreading out of control like a raging wildfire. Among other things, that added liability impacts our ability to fight those fires and reforest those scorched woods and range lands. Replanting trees is necessary to prevent erosion, provide clean drinking water, reduce CO2, protect fish and wildlife habitat, and rehabilitate public open spaces. It is very costly and under current funding schemes, the money is not available. Our national debt just surpassed $35 trillion for the first time in history. Those we elect brush...
Carl, I always find your letters to The Star newspaper curious. They contain several statements as fact about specific issues and or political personalities. Those on the left side of the political spectrum may say your statements are from only sources found on the right side of that spectrum. So, a thought you might consider when making statements as fact: Could you provide the source(s) you used to support those statements? For so many of us, we are swamped by the 24-hour news cycle, and the shrill noises that social media provides. Today, mo...
I have not given up and I won’t. Ten years ago, I filed an EEO claim against the Grand Coulee Project. At that time, I chose to be represented by Brook. His specialty is government law, and I still have him on retainer. We were talking this weekend, and I brought up this pile of concrete. I sent a picture. The first thing out of his mouth was what if kids decided to play on it? It is a safety hazard. I told him that I can’t contact managers on project because they will not accept my calls. I can’t go on the project, it’s locked up like Fort Kn...
I am supporting Soo Ing-Moody for the 7th legislative district State Representative, Position 1. This is why: I’ve personally worked with Soo through the Carlton Complex fire of 2014 and the recovery efforts that followed, which included the creation of the new Twisp Civic Center. Soo is a proven leader well known for “doing her homework first” and then following through with determination and tenacity in a graceful way. Soo will be an effective legislator immediately with the skills to work across the aisle whenever needed to deliver resul...
Plan to travel? Then read everything you can find about your destination. I was asked recently about my favorite place among my travels to Asia. That was easy after I gave it some thought. Hong Kong is probably my favorite. I spent a year reading about the places I planned to go. It’s easy to travel to Hong Kong. There’s no language barrier. English is the second language. After many years under British control almost everyone spoke English. The colony is now under Communist Chinese control and many of its attractions have been changed. Eve...
August 3, 1934, President Franklin Roosevelt visited the Grand Coulee Dam project. A massive project to ease joblessness during the Great Depression. Advocates for the construction of the dam lobbied for federal support for years. Roosevelt’s predecessor, Herbert Hoover, an engineer, had rejected plans to construct the Grand Coulee Dam and the related Columbia Basin Irrigation project. Hoover said it was too expensive, and there would be no market for power produced by the dam. He also felt t...
The next generation has the answer. Most of them call this area Grand Coulee Dam. If the police departments were to merge (yes that ugly word: consolidation) the entire area would have better coverage with one chief and more officers to provide 24/7 patrols, and none having to be concerned about where they can patrol or serve as back up. Carol Schoning...
I see The Star newspaper had to go clear to Philadelphia Political columnist to report what the Star Thinks. However, there are several Exaggerations and some outright lies. (Dick Polman called Trump a Pathological Lier). I would like to know what he was referring to. He didn’t mention Biden being a pathological Lier. Biden has been telling us the border is closed and the border is secure, the biggest lie ever with over 15 million illegals crossing the border. Telling us he was the top 10% of his class when he was the lowest 10%. He said he h...
A friend in Woodinville once visited with me about a job therapy program in the state prison at Walla Walla. Basically, it was a program designed to make it easier for prisoners to be ready for a job after their sentence was up. I got on the phone and called B.J. Rhay, the warden at the prison. I was a little surprised when he took my call and indicated he would be happy to explain what they were doing at the prison, and invited me to Walla Walla to chat with him. He explained that the prison was partially run by the prisoner’s council. It w...
Since the beginning of American history, the responsibility of preserving our freedoms has befallen the brave men and women who dedicate their lives to serving this country. In Washington State, there are over 509,700 veterans, and it is imperative they have the support of a grateful nation and the care promised to them by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). We are forever indebted to our veterans, and part of this debt includes ensuring that their healthcare benefits work for them, and currently, they do not. During my time meeting with...
We like to go about our business believing that things are working as they should — and they seem to, mostly. Until they don’t. That can be when we have to realize some foundation of stability in our experience just wasn’t so stable after all. Take our local police forces and the way our firefighting infrastructure is set up. Yesterday’s wildfire at Sunbanks in Electric City (actually outside town at the moment) was prolonged due to — well, that’s uncertain at this point. But a nearby firefighting helicopter sat on the ground at Grand Coule...
The purchase of Banks Lake Golf Course by the Colville Tribes ends seven years of service to the course by Jim and Rose Keene. They took over management of the course under difficult conditions and put in countless hours of work to keep the course up and running. They have worked together with a mostly volunteer crew overseeing the everyday operations of the facility. Running a course is no easy task. It is a seven-day-a-week commitment for most of the year with some activity even when the course is closed. They deserve a very large “Thank Y...
During my time in Congress representing Washington’s 4th Congressional District, addressing the fentanyl crisis has been one of my top priorities. I have introduced legislation such as the Stop Overdose in Schools Act, fought the policies of unelected federal bureaucrats including Department of Homeland Security Director Alejandro Mayorkas, and even established a Central Washington Fentanyl Task Force to find new solutions with members of our community. But most recently, I was appointed to lead the House Select Committee on the Chinese C...
There are a number of reasons why I am now afraid to fly. My first flight was with an Alaskan “bush” pilot who emphasized “local” conditions. He said conditions can change quickly and you have to be ready for change. He pointed this out as we approached the small airfield in Orofino, Idaho. The airfield is surrounded by high hills. He said many pilots go over the hills and try a direct line to the airfield. He said that you should come over the hills and circle the space before you line up to the single runway. So we did. He said that it puts...
We are writing this letter in support of and praise of our daughter Amelia Moses Marchand regarding her four-year appointment by President Joe Biden as Chairwoman on the Advisory Council of Historic Preservation. Amelia is a Colville Tribal member and a graduate of Lake Roosevelt High School, Eastern Washington University (BA) in Archaeology and Native American Studies. A Master’s Degree from Vermont Law School for Environmental Law and Policy. Amelia presently works for the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, (ATNI) and advises government...
Why in the world the police didn’t the police give a fine to the visitors on Wetzel Street in Grand Coulee for having illegal fireworks with them. This should have been done due to the fact they light them in a mild wind, and they ended up in a pile of really dry tumble weeds, which then blew down the hill and towards Tom Schloss’ house. We had eight people with hoses trying to control it until the fire department arrived, and all of us were thankful for them. I feel the 21- and 23-year-olds should have been held responsible for nearly bur...
Scott, thank you for the article and picture of the placing of the Nespelem old school plaque. Sorry we didn’t get a picture of all the attendees. It was a great reunion. It was great seeing so many friends from our 24 years living there. It has been 10 years since we moved to Vancouver. Margaret Moses...