Coulee Recollections

Ten Years Ago

The city of Grand Coulee’s police department will return to policing Grand Coulee Dam next year under an agreement the city reached with the Bureau of Reclamation.

A program started locally gives families unable to afford fishing gear for their children at Christmas the chance to give the gear gift wrapped at no cost. The Rod and Reel program accepts rods, lures, bait and any other gear dropped off at NAPA Auto Parts in Grand Coulee, Quincy, Ephrata, Moses Lake and Omak year-round.

The Grand Coulee Volunteer Fire Department and Ambulance Service honored several members at their annual award banquet Saturday. Gordon Deppman earned the Terry Sicker Fire Fighter of the Year Award. Emergency Medical Technician Jim Ward earned the Robert McGuire EMS Award “for his continued exemplary service.” Gerald Sands was named rookie of the year “for his continued exemplary service.” Chris McCuen and Frank Turner were given certificates for their extra efforts and service. The department recognized Melvin Harrell for his 30 plus years of service, the most of any active members.

Twenty Years Ago

A contract to split preliminary engineering costs of a new water filtration plant between Coulee Dam and Grand Coulee may be considered at the next Grand Coulee City Council meeting.

The Grand Coulee City Council approved payment of a bill for $40,700 to Green’s Excavation and Supply for digging a new cell at the landfill.

Signs of winter covered the coulee area, even the trees. Local residents woke up to as much as 12 inches of snow in the local area, almost overwhelming snow plows.

Thirty Years Ago

Winners in the Star Newspaper annual coloring contest included: first place Richard Axtell of Elmer City, second place Brandy Flowers of Coulee Dam and third place Tanya Lynne Jerred of Keller.

Winners in the house decoration contest were Michael and Barbara Lackner of Coulee Dam 1st; Roy and Vi Jensen of East Grand Coulee second; and Bob and Diane Babler of Grand Coulee third.

Forty Years Ago

Mayor and Mrs. Edwin Rice of Electric City will host an open house in the dining room at the Davenport Nursing Home in honor of her parents Mr. and Mrs. Roy Rankin’s 70th wedding anniversary.

Nancy L. Zimmerman, Almira, is enrolled in the honors program at WSU.

John B. Heckart of Coulee Dam was named “Man of the Year” by the Inland Empire Chapter of the Associate General Contractors.

Fifty Years Ago

In Grand Coulee, construction of the new Barnes Funeral Home was getting underway with A.J. Gerard Builders as the contractor.

In Coulee Dam, Bill Thomas, Mick Dennis, Dick Berquist, Gene Hakola, Bob DePoe and Bill Lucas formed the Auxiliary Police to act with or in the absence of the regular police.

Sixty Years Ago

On Tuesday night at the Wilbur gym the Redskins came from behind to beat the Coulee Dam Beavers by a score of 48-56.

The first television signal sent out by KHQ-TV was received by dealers in the Grand Coulee Dam area who took advantage of the opportunity to experiment with the aerials and gadgets.

The new 1953 Ford - marking the 50th anniversary of the Ford company will be on display soon.