Coulee Recollections

Ten Years Ago

Armed with only garden hoses, several Coulee Dam residents helped prevent a fire from destroying two Coulee Dam homes last Friday. Coulee Dam Mayor Quincy Snow said strong winds knocked a poplar tree over on Yucca Street. That caused a short in the line at the pole behind Dennis King’s home at 702 Tulip Street and started the fire.

Village Cinema - Movie of the week: Bruce Almighty.

Starting next year, when a student puts money into a vending machine to buy a candy bar, someone will keep a closer eye on how it’s counted. That’s one of the changes the State Auditor’s Office recommended to the Grand Coulee Dam School District in the audit findings released last Friday.

Under sunny skies, 62 beautiful vehicles registered in a variety of classes at the annual Coulee Cruisers car show, “ Best Rod Run by a Dam Site.” It was once again held on Father’s Day Weekend, Friday and Saturday, June 13 and 14 in North Dam Park in Grand Coulee.

Twenty Years Ago

Sightings of at least three tornados were reported last Friday as storms and cool weather moved through the area.

Col. Robert Forester, director of admissions, announced the appointment of William M. Evans Jr. of Grand Coulee, to the United States Air Force Academy as a member of the Class of 1997. Evans was the valedictorian for the LRHS class of 1993.

Myrtle E. Buchanan Flood, a resident of the Grand Coulee Dam area, died at her home in Coulee Dam on June 10, at the age of 105.

Siblings Jackie and Jason Jackson are both competing in rodeo finals this weekend. Jackie will compete in barrel racing at the state high school finals in Kennewick and Jason is competing in both bull riding and bareback events in the collegiate national finals in Bozeman, Mont.

Thirty Years Ago

Bid proposals for the development of the area known as Crescent Bay will be studied next week by officials of the Coulee Dam National Recreational Area. With facilities on the 150 mile long Lake Roosevelt limited, the National Park Service is hoping to establish a suitable facility at the lower end of the lake at Grand Coulee Dam.

In a cooperative move, the GCD Area Chamber of Commerce and the 50th Anniversary Committee have opened up an information center at the Four Corners in Grand Coulee.

Jinger Higginbotham, 17, daughter of Rod and Deana Ladwig of Coulee Dam, was selected as a State Finalist in the 1983 Washington National Teenager Pageant held in Everett on June 10-12.

Forty Years Ago

Construction of the third powerplant and forebay dam are in progress by Vinnell-Dravo-Lockheed-Mannix.

The Coulee Dam city council approved an increase in ambulance rates, to be effective July 1. The base rate will be $35 plus 40 cents per mile instead of $20 plus 30 cents per mile.

The Postmaster General is advocating the raising of the first class rate from 5 cents to 10 cents.

Bowling celebreties Bob Dennis Sr. and Bob Jr. placed first in the doubles event with a score of 1506 at the state bowling tournament at Longview.

Fifty Years Ago

According to Columbia Basin Project Manager W.E. Rawlings of Ephrata, Project farmers may need to utilize fully their irrigation water 24 hours a day during the peak irrigation water demand starting today to prevent or minimize crop losses.

Nespelem is gearing up for its Wild Horse Rodeo July 13-14 during the Indian Encampment celebration.

New to Elmer City this week is Mr. and Mrs. Leroy Hood and children Ray, Steven and Laurie. Mr. Hood is superintendent for Mardix.

Sixty Years Ago

From reports obtained from the upper tributary area of the Columbia River, it appears that the river at Grand Coulee Dam is close to its peak flow for the season.

New officers installed at the Grand Coulee Dam Lions include president Virgil Kiesz, first vice president R.N. Button, second vice president, Don Stamper, secretary W.M. Foisy, treasurer W.V. Stenton, Lion tamer Clayton Lindbergh, tail twister Jack Hilson, new directors Conrad Jacobson, and Lynn Frasher. Hold-over directors are Henry Hays and Bob Hilson.

On sale at the local grocery store were Luckies, Chesterfield, Old Gold, Camels and Philip Morris cigarettes for $2.17 per carton, regular size.