Coulee Recollections

Ten Years Ago

Several local firefighters recently completed a mandatory course that taught them how to improve their skills in fighting wildland fires and their safety. Firefighters included Gerald Sands, Brent Haley, David Bjorson, Scott Kentner, Gary Rosco, Kenneth Dexter, Dale Wilson, Robert Carlson, Brian Warnecke and David Finch.

A boat and a personal watercraft collided on Banks Lake Saturday critically injuring a 16-year-old girl.

Decreasing attendance at the Nespelem School has led to one of the lowest budgets in years in preparation for the upcoming school year.

The months of waiting for the tours at Grand Coulee Dam briefly ended last week before a problem with the elevator forced its temporary closure.

Twenty Years Ago

A bomb discovered in a controversial old building was destroyed last Friday after a Walla Walla bomb squad removed it from the B Street structure. Mom’s Tavern had been scheduled to be burned down the same day. The city of Grand Coulee condemned it as a nuisance earlier this summer, but building owner Doug Meyer stopped the demolition in court last week saying he was denied due process in the hearing to appeal the building inspector’s decision.

Thirty Years Ago

The Coulee Dam Area Youth Baseball team ended the season with Gene’s Place taking first in the Majors, Palanuk taking first in the Minors and Birds Auto taking first in the Pee Wee league.

Fifty Years Ago

Wheat fields in the Rex-Delrio area are rapidly turning color and prospects are good for an early harest.

Sixty Years Ago

Severe damage to the Big Bend wheat crops by a June 13 frost has been reported with growers in some cases now plowing their shriveled grain into the ground.