Coulee Recollections

Ten Years Ago

A tense situation came to a peaceful conclusion last Thursday as a Coulee Dam girl, who was feared missing returned safely. Approximately 40 minutes after Tonya Timentwa reported that her 4 year-old daughter Alahna Timentwa was missing, the girl returned to the 1101 Camas Street home.

A Grand Coulee Dam Area woman cut off four of her fingers and was still able to drive herself to Coulee Community Hospital for assistance. CR Lumber owner Cindy Corpe said the accident occurred on July 26 while she was cutting stakes for the Mt. Tolman Fire Control Center.

Village Cinema movie for the week: Bad Boys II.

Twenty Years Ago

No one declared a candidacy for the Electric City mayors’ position last week even after Grant County gave residents a second chance in a special three-day filing period.

The Over-the-Dam-Run will hold its 17th running this Saturday.

Nespelem Elementary School expects more than 40 seventh and eighth grade students this fall.

Coulee Medical Foundation Festival in the park will be held on Labor Day, Sept. 6. The festival scheduled for North Dam Park will include a barbecue dinner, pie sale, music, auction and children’s games.

Thirty Years Ago

Plans are underway to develop a golf course out in the Coulee Grande area, which was recently purchased by Grant County Port District No. 7.

The GCD Area Chamber of Commerce is making plan for its fifth annual community picnic.

In Electric City the town council is looking into a grant to reactivate the Palmer well for use as a backup well for the town.

The LRHS class of 1973 celebrated its 10-year reunion this past weekend. Awards went to: Shannon (Duncan) Hearne, least changed female; Sheryl (Smith) Brown for most changed female; Gary McClure for least changed male; Mike Bute for most changed male; and Sharon Olson for traveling the farthest (from Vermont).

Forty Years Ago

Four young men from Coulee Dam have graduated from recruit training at the Naval Training Center in San Diego. They include Navy Fireman Recruits Robert J. Hullett and Roy E. Golden. Navy Seaman Recruit Jerry G. Birdwell and Navy Hospital-man Recruit Alan L. Grier.

The wheat harvest is all but over for the area. Crops were reported from 40 bushels to eight bushels to the acre.

Linda Nelson, granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. A.O. Brado, Grand Coulee, won first place at the Grand 1973 National Baton Twirling competition in Milwaukee, Wisc.

Fifty Years Ago

According to information from the office of Senator Henry M. Jackson, President John F. Kennedy is considering a visit to Grand Coulee Dam in September.

Mr. and Mrs. Earl Brittain were guests at an open house at their home in Grand Coulee honoring their 50th wedding anniversary.

School buildings in the Grand Coulee system have had a face-lifting during he summer vacation months. The custodial staff has been busy getting the facilities in readiness for the new school year. Center School has been completely repainted, while all desks and tables have been sanded and varnished. The high school has received new paint also; and the roof of the gym has been recoated with asphalt. Floors in the school in Electric City have been given a new coat of varnish.

Sixty Years Ago

At their regular meeting Thursday, the Grand Coulee Chamber of Commerce passed a resolution to petition the superintendent of the Colville Indian Agency in setting aside a block of timber on the reservation for use of the local sawmill.

A change in the organization at Coulee Dam has gone into effect since the town of Coulee Dam will be segregated from the power division and will become a municipality independently governed and no longer meshed with the Bureau in the new division.

Unless the Bureau of Reclamation can come up with a satisfactory solution in the townsite problem they created at Grand Coulee Dam, the agency is going to be the object of skepticism and suspicion by residents of future project areas.