Coulee Recollections

Ten Years Ago

Messy home owners in the town of Elmer City will soon receive a notice at their home or a property they own which states that they must clean up or pay.

Due to the overload on the town’s water pump, caused by the hot weather, the Town of Nespelem is asking residents to follow the following schedule for outside water use - Morning Hours 6-9a.m.; Evening hours 6-9p.m.

Basketball players of all ages will be at the hoops in and outside of the Center School this weekend to participate in the inaugural Grand Coulee Dam 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament.

Many televisions could go blank in the next several years due to a lack of interest from the community in the association that provides the reception. Grand Coulee Television Association member Michael Lowry said only four people attended the association’s meeting last week. The meeting had been intended to discuss what to do when the Federal Communications Commission requires all television stations to turn from analog to digital signals.

Twenty Years Ago

Evelyn Easling and Charlie Smith were united in marriage August 22 at the home of Linda and Danny Zlateff.

Dr. Vicki Black, Coulee Dam, has accepted a position on the staff of a new family practice residency program in Yakima.

Steve and Lori Beaty of Spokane are proud to announce the birth of their son Matthew Steven born July 23. He weighed 5 lbs., 13 oz. Maternal grandparents are Rod and Barbara Rederick of Electric City. Paternal grandparents are Luther and Linda Beaty of East Wenatchee.

Randy Spotts is offering a free boardsailing workshop to area residents who would like to learn how to boardsail. It will be held at Spring Canyon boat launch and is sponsored by the National Park Service. All equipment for the workshop will be provided.

Thirty Years Ago

Residents of the Grand Coulee Dam area were subjected to one of the worst windstorms in history shortly after 6:30 Monday evening. Winds came crashing into the area with tornado velocity causing much property destruction.

The Colville Confederated Tribes Business Council has decided to accept a $7 million negotiated settlement with the federal government.

William Canady, son of Louis and Diane Canady of Grand Coulee, was presented a certificate of appreciation and a Navy belt.

Water plunging through penstocks and turbines at the USBR hydroelectric plants produced a record 47 billion kilowatt hours of electricity in 1981, sufficient to meet the combined residential needs of Chicago, Dallas, Fort Worth, Boston and Washington D.C.

Forty Years Ago

Kerry Bowman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Bowman of Coulee Dam was the recipient of a scholarship in the amount of $350. Bowman will attend Mr. Lee’s School of Beauty in Spokane.

Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Desautel of Nespelem celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary at a reception held at the Sacred Heart Mission in Nespelem. Their children Deborah Friedlander, Karen Marchand, Gibert Jr. and DeWayne gave the reception.

The burning of the Keith Fish boat at Banks Lake Saturday caused a traffic pileup which extended for some miles on the lakeshore near Electric City. The boat was a total loss.

Fifty Years Ago

A thunderstorm that passed over the Rex-Delrio area Saturday night brought a heavy shower that again delayed the harvest. Fred Rice went out to check his combine during the storm and was knocked off his feet by a bolt of lightning that struck near the combine.

Sixty Years Ago

Button’s Jewelers has been newly painted on the exterior. The store is now bright yellow with green trim matching the color scheme on the attractive neon sign.

Seventy Years Ago

Among local students who will enter EWCE next fall are Harvey Henke and Pauline Aaberg of Grand Coulee and Donald Bonertz of Elmer City. Freshmen of WSC include Howard Lucas of Coulee Dam, James Hagy of Electric City and Shirley Mangus and Philip Whitney of Grand Coulee.