Coulee Recollections

Ten Years Ago

Firefighters saved a dog from flames and smoke Monday night after Electric City residents spotted their neighbor’s home on fire. Jason Olsen’s rented single-wide home at 217 Lincoln Street was burning about 6:45. The fire appeared to have started in a computer room.

A man who spent more than half his life in the area will soon celebrate a special birthday. W.O. Kurth, a former Grand Coulee Dam area resident who worked at the Grand Coulee post office for 32 years, turns 100 years old on May 28.

Students of the month 5th Grade, Kasey Green, 6th Grade, Willis Quill, 7th Grade Nick Stanger, and 8th Grade Joel DeWinkler.

On Thursday, May 30, at 7 p.m., the Grand Coulee Dam Middle School 5th Grade Band and the 6th Grade Band will perform in the annual Lawn Chair Concert in front of the GCDMS building.

A Lake Roosevelt freshman surprised many people at the Regional Track and Field competition last week with an excellent performance in her event. Tiffany Barry improved 12 seconds on her District 6 time of 5:41.5 with a 5:29.5 in the 1600-meter race to finish in first place at Tonasket High School last Saturday.

Twenty Years Ago

Dumping used motor oil on the ground is illegal, but what can be done with it when service stations stop accepting it from do-it-yourself mechanics? That question inspired local Rotarians, who have launched a project to solve the problem. By mid-June, local Rotary Club President-elect Sid Saunders hopes to open up to the public a 1,000 gallon storage tank for used motor oil. Private citizens will then be able to dump their motor oil in the tank. Businesses and government agencies are already required to recycle and will not be able to dump int the public tank.

A community-wide campaign to keep the municipal swimming pool open in Coulee Dam now has a total of $2,538.19, according to Dixie Hauser of the Coulee Dam Federal Credit Union. The town of Coulee Dam is looking to the community to donate $10,000 to help pay pool expenses.

Sixty-nine law enforcement officers were killed feloniously in the line of duty during 1991, according to preliminary national figures released recently by FBI Director William S. Sessions. The total is four higher than the 1990 annual count of 65.

Congratulations to Amy, LRHS Valedictorian! Amy Alling is bound for Washington State University after a sterling career at Lake Roosevelt High School.

Thirty Years Ago

An art contest was recently held by Eagle’s Grand Aerie for children in the 3rd thru 6th grade. Winners are as follows: 1st place Tammy Siegworth, Center School; 2nd place Amy Regruto, Center School; 3rd place Matt Griese, Wright School; and 4th place Shawna Quinton, Center School.

John Weber of Elmer City wins “The Worst Old Hat” contest at Beth West over the Colorama weekend.

Recently moved into the new Coulee Dam Credit Union is the pioneer insurance business of Foisy and Kennedy.

Bowling news: First place trophies were issued to: Jim Oliver, Nancy Fountain, and Jacki Palmer. In 2nd place, trophies were issued to: Robert Hendrickson, Robby Brown and Ed Gravie.

Forty Years Ago

Harold Bucholz, with his Gay 90’s float, was the recipient of 2nd place Apple Blossom Festival and Grand Coulee’s Colorama float won 3rd in its division.

Valedictorian for the Class of 1972, Lake Roosevelt High School, is Gary Alan Jackson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jesse I. Jackson, Nespelem. Gary has achieved a grade point average of 3.88. Salutatorian for the class of 1972, Lake Roosevelt Highs School, is Sandara Sue Olson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henery R. Olson, Coulee Dam. Sandra has achieved a grade point average of 3.86.

Mr. and Mrs. Simon (Lulu) McSweeney of Mattawa are celebrating their fiftieth wedding anniversary at their home Sunday, May 31st, at an open house Rreception. The McSweeneys are former residents of Electric City, where they were active in community affairs and operated McSweeney’s Hardware there.

Fifty Years Ago

Charles Perkins of Delano and Larry Matthiesen of Elmer City were winners of this area for the contest sponsored by the Spokane Chronicle for a free trip to the World’s Fair. The boys will leave from Spokane and return by chartered bus May 11, 12 and 13.

Last Wednesday morning postal patrons of the Grand Coulee area were treated to their first new post office. The concrete block structure features every modern convenience. Postmaster Bill Kurth, along with the rest of the crew, Martha Glick and Andy Pachosa, are justly proud of Grand Coulee’s newest structure and welcomes the public to come and see it.

With excavation work completed and forms readied the first concrete was poured yesterday on the new Grand Coulee Dam Area Hospital. Preliminary work is going along nicely on schedule and main construction will start with in the next few days.

Sixty Years Ago

The Coulee Dam High Junior Prom will be held on Saturday evening. May 17. Princess Helen Moore was chosen by the freshman class. Princess Julia Barbier by the sophomore class and Joan Jabbusch by the juniors. The name of the queen for the evening will not be announced until the night of the prom. The queen is elected by the student body from three nominees from the senior class. She will be crowned during the prom.

Dinninson-Carlson Lumber company received their first raft of logs for their lumber mill here at noon yesterday. The logs were towed from near Kettle Falls by a cruiser of the Coulee Dam seaplane base and were cut and put into the lake by the mill’s own logging crew.

Twelve members of Electric City Boy Scout troop 39 spent Friday night camping in Northrup Canyon to earn points for the Boy Scout annual camporee which will be held next weekend. Those participating were Allan Hansen, Don Cole, Gary Ratliff, Douglas Cole, Mark Whitehall, Gilbert Whitehall, Lee Landis, George Miller, Tommy Trotter and Richard Benton.