News Briefs

TV program on dam set for April

Amercian Experience will air a new documentary on Grand Coulee Dam April 3. It will be carried on Spokane’s KSPS-TV public television station at 7 p.m. A repeat broadcast is scheduled for April 7 at 2 p.m.

“Grand Coulee was more than a dam; it was a proclamation,” begins the literature describing the program. “In the wake of the Great Depression, America turned from private enterprise to public works — not simply to provide jobs, but to restore faith.”

KSPS will also air its Northwest Profiles on Marcus, Wash., and on the dam’s laser light show March 29 at 7 pm. and April 2 at 11:30 p.m.

ID badge

found in tree

A Grand Coulee city employee reported to police that he found a Bureau of Reclamation identity badge hanging from a tree behind The Star newspaper office. The card for Thomas Clark had expired Jan. 31, 2012. The card was given to a supervisor at the Bureau. It wasn’t explained how the card got into a tree.

Coulee Dam gets clean audit

The town of Coulee Dam received a clean audit for the years 2009 and 2010, according to an audit report from the State Auditor’s office. “In areas we examined, the Town’s internal controls were adequate to safeguard public assets. The Town also complied with state laws and regulations and its own policies and procedures in the areas we examined,” the report stated.

The town is audited every two years, and the auditor’s office has not reported any “findings” in the past four audits.

EDC may

be OK in EC

After an appearance by Grant County Economic Development Council Executive Director Jonathan Smith and Small Business Director Allan Peterson, Electric City Councilmember John Nordine asked that an earlier request from the EDC for funds be placed back on the agenda for the next council meeting. Earlier the Electric City Council had voted not to help fund the EDC.

Morgan to run VC

Reg Morgan has been named by the town of Coulee Dam to head the Mason City Park Visitor office. The visitor office is staffed with volunteers. Morgan indicated an interest in running the office after last season’s manager, Nora Jenn, indicated that she wouldn’t return.

Flint seeks

re-election to PUD

Tom Flint, who serves Grant County PUD as commissioner of the A-At Large district and as president of the commission, will seek the office again this fall, he announced last week.

Flint is founder of the Save Our Dams organization and is involved with the Blacksands Irrigation District, the Columbia Basin Development League and Agfarmation. He is a past president of the Washington Public Association representing 27 separate PUDZ in Washington State.

Flint says he is committed to rebuilding the Wanapum and Priest Rapids turbines and generators and 50-year-old infrastructure, to insure reliability. Maintaining a strong financial rating and finishing the fiber optic build out will continue to be his major goals.