News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
Sorted by date Results 951 - 975 of 3351
We aren’t out of Autumn yet and already we’ve had a reminder of winter weather. Though, our recent “winter” weather event wasn’t unprecedented. The records show that we’ve had five occurrences of snow in October dating back to 1934 when records started. In fact, in 1971, we had 1.3 inches of snowfall. John Steinbeck once said, “What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.” Winter will arrive soon enough. Let us take a look at what we might expect to see....
Over the past few months, catastrophic wildfires raged – once again – throughout Central Washington and across the West. Smoke blanketed the Pacific Northwest, and whole towns were essentially wiped off the map. Unfortunately, we are not strangers to the devastation of catastrophic wildfires. This year, in the midst of a global pandemic that already put strain on our local economy and agriculture industry, the damages seem even greater. While the fires may no longer be burning here at home, the impacts on our communities remain. I recently vis...
SUNNYSIDE—At 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1, daylight saving time for 2020 will come to an end, clocks will turn back an hour, and State Sen. Jim Honeyford, R-Sunnyside, will once again lament that this annual ritual is even still a thing Washingtonians must do. The Republican lawmaker has been working for several years, with numerous states, to develop language to move to permanent daylight saving time. That effort was thwarted during the 2019 session, when the Democrat majority co-opted the issue and passed a measure of its own, which Honeyford s... Full story
Voting is our civic obligation, but loving our neighbors is our moral duty. One does little common good without the other in a democracy. If you have not yet voted, you should. At this point in the week, you might be better off putting your ballot in one of the several collection boxes available. Those will be emptied for the final time on election night at 8 p.m. U.S. Postal Service officials earlier this week recommended mailing ballots at least a week in advance, but we’re past that point. No matter which way you vote, bear in mind that t... Full story
Sixty-four days and 2020 will be gone, and we all hope that 2021 will be a lot better year for everyone and everything. As I am sure you are aware, the Grand Coulee Dam Area organizations have taken a very large hit. They have not been able to hold their annual money raising events, so their treasurers are short. Even though several organizations have not had events, the volunteers have still been very busy trying to keep the clubs going. The holidays are almost upon us, so now is the time to dig a little deeper into your pockets and support...
I see that the Ice Age Park is now coming up for a vote with the final decision being left to the Electric City Community but the enjoyment of it being shared by many of those passing through. A few months back, Harvey Haven of Amboy, Washington, a former resident of the area during our growing up years, penned a letter to the editor extolling the virtues of having such an attraction to the area. Even though the letter was sent to The Star, it was directed to the citizens of Electric City and at that time to the Powers that Be. I felt it was...
Wow, it was great to hear from Ray Gilman in The Star newspaper last week. Ray served the Grand Coulee Dam School District as an administrator for decades. His loyalty and longevity were amazing. He is aware of what is going on with funding in our local school district, regionally and statewide. Our school district is in the “B” school classification. “B” schools are the smallest size-wise in Washington state. With our student population, we are grossly over-staffed with administrators. Ray is spot on about the district office, but there is ove...
If you really want to know when the Bureau of Reclamation fire station will be completed, keep track of the sani-cans outside. Star reporter Jacob Wagner gave a good rundown of the history of the project in the newspaper a couple of weeks ago. I would like to fill in the story a bit. The estimated cost of the project was $13.6 million. It is now estimated that the fire station will be completed in 2021. The project was started in 2016, with the awarding of the construction contract. Total cost is a number that would be embarrassing even for any...
I have often said that small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and that could not be truer in Central Washington’s rural communities. The owners and employees of Main Street businesses are integral to the well-being of our communities, and the support for small businesses I have witnessed during my travels throughout our district is inspiring. We are in the midst of an unprecedented pandemic, which has affected nearly every aspect of our daily lives. Unfortunately, our small and local businesses – from restaurants and clothing ret...
I would like to give big thanks to the Grand Coulee Firefighter-EMTs. They are covering double the area by covering Coulee Dam and were so helpful and comforting when I had a medical emergency recently. I wish I had gotten all their names. Thank you, Tyler! So happy to know these fine gentleman (and ladies) are there for us, volunteering their time to keep the community safe. Winona Simons...
Our local Star newspaper has always done a good job of sharing a diversity of viewpoints: It is extremely hard for me to share these thoughts. Numerous people over the last few years have shared frustrations with me about our local school district. Many have felt they were treated poorly or even ignored. Some have taken their students out of our district. I’ve listened and shared productive solutions. I have lived in Coulee Dam for almost 40 years and have always supported our school district no matter what. I also show up and cheer on our R...
The Grand Coulee Dam School District received approximately $127,000 tax money from the Federal Government under the P.L. 874. You cannot tax the Dam etc. The district will receive at least this amount for this budget year. We are currently paying $3.20 in Levy. The district is asking another $1.00 per thousand for a total of $4.20 per thousand. Don’t forget that the state is obligated to fund education 100%, so the district receives money for “Full Time Equivalent” (FTE) students. The Board of Directors negotiated a $123,500 three-year salar...
Some of my opponent’s supporters seem to have false information about my eligibility to serve as Grant County Commissioner. In fact, I was asked a question about it at a forum(recently). Apparently, they’ve been led to believe I don’t live in Grant County. Unfortunately some folks don’t consider this area (northern Commissioner District 1) as part of the county, but I love this region and am proud to be from “up north.” I serve as the GOP Precinct Committee Officer from Hartline Rural North (Precinct 73) and serve as the 12th Legislative...
Call it American exceptionalism or not, the American people have always embraced the idea that we live in an exceptional country. We are grateful to be Americans. We take a lot of pride in our country, as we should. Pride and patriotism are among America’s greatest strengths. Having said that, we need to be clear-eyed about our limits. Sometimes we tend to think we should always be No. 1, no matter what metrics we apply. That attitude can lead to arrogance and a lack of interest in the world. There are always things we can learn from other c...
The General Election Day is near, and our ballots and the Voters Pamphlet are here. Read it and learn about the issues and candidates. Go to votewa.gov to check out your own voter registration status, see your voting history, and learn more about voting. Make sure you fill out your ballot correctly and, if you change your mind on a candidate or issue, draw a line through it and choose again. Look on both sides of the ballot. Then place it in the pink envelope, which is placed inside the white return envelope. Be sure to sign and date it. With...
Ballots are coming soon. In 10 years of working for John Knodell, I was able to observe a true professional, a master of the art, craft and science of a trial lawyer, brilliant not just at interpreting the law and applying the facts and evidence, but also in advocating for crime victims at trial, but fair to ensure that the accused’s rights were protected. John was also a brilliant defense attorney, having represented many in Grant County; that is why he could always look at both sides, the strengths and weaknesses of a case, and make the t...
After reading last week’s letter submitted by the Bjorklund’s I experienced a few emotions. It is safe to say that any letter in the opinion section which stirs up any kind of feeling is achieving its goal. The emotions I felt were anger, frustration, and a feeling of not being surprised. I am angry anytime somebody takes something that isn’t theirs. That is theft and is illegal. Freedom of speech is arguably the most important of the five rights given in the 1st Amendment of our Constitution. Any attempt to suppress this right is wrong, no ma...
In just a few weeks, area voters will not only decide who to back in a presidential and gubernatorial election but will vote on the approval of a levy for the Grand Coulee Dam School District. This levy would be one additional dollar per thousand dollars of assessed property value. It requires a simple majority to pass if there is participation from a minimum of forty percent of voters who turned out in the last general election. Please vote! If you’ve had the chance to get to know some LR students, you know how fun they are to talk to and h...
I listened in on the meeting last night. I was appalled by their decision. You have committees to do research and send recommendations to the City, which generally are accepted. I cannot believe that the Boys would rather spend approximately $9,000 a year to do approximately $3,000 of maintenance for a park is not in best interest of the City, especially when there is $22,000 in the Park Budget, so that figures out to be seven years at estimated costs. This is not a Russ Powers Park, the Park generated from a Survey off of Survey Monkey the...
For the past couple months candidate Katie Haven, running for the District 2 Okanogan County Commissioner position, has been reaching out to voters in the County. She has been listening to us – our concerns, hopes, and needs, both individually and for the County’s future. She has done this through phone calls, online chat sessions, and walking neighborhoods to distribute her campaign literature that addresses her priorities, issues, and plans. In every major town, residents have been interested and engaged. They have shared their ideas and ask...
Ballots are coming soon. In 10 years of working for John Knodell, I was able to observe a true professional, a master of the art, craft and science of a trial lawyer, brilliant not just at interpreting the law and applying the facts and evidence, but also in advocating for crime victims at trial, but fair to ensure that the accused’s rights were protected. John was also a brilliant defense attorney, having represented many in Grant County; that is why he could always look at both sides, the strengths and weaknesses of a case, and make the t...
The Endangered Species Act was signed into law to help protect and recover animals and wildlife facing critical threats or risk of extinction. As Americans, we share the common goal of protecting our environment, creating healthy ecosystems, and ensuring that our growing human populations can live in tandem with the plants and animals around us. While the law was well-intentioned, the ESA has not seen meaningful reforms since 1978. Our country has grown and evolved immensely in the last four decades, and it only makes sense to bring this...
Although this truck alone weighs almost 60,000 pounds, it is not unusual for one or two huge granite armor rocks to lift the front wheels from the ground. The truck can carry a load of from 20 to 30 tons if properly balanced, and frequently a single boulder constitutes a complete load. -- July 11, 1950....
For as long as I can remember, political signs have been a staple during the campaign season. And, historically, both parties and candidates have respected the First Amendment rights of one another to support their candidates by displaying campaign signs. These are often displayed in citizens’ yards, on their private property or on public land where allowed. Although, some neighborhoods, such as ours, have a covenant that prohibits yard signs. We were made immediately aware of this fact after putting two Biden-Harris signs and Gov. Inslee s...
Let’s not risk losing Chris Branch as Okanogan County District 1 commissioner. I can confirm the complexity of an Okanogan County commissioner’s job, having taken notes at commissioners’ meetings since 2014. It includes such duties as writing and repealing laws; land use decisions; economic planning; coordinating over 20 departments, such as public works, the judicial system, emergency management; and more — including responsibility for an approximately $70 million budget. With this job, varied and extensive experience are crucial. Previou...