Coulee Recollections

Ten Years Ago

Riding the ski slopes and keeping good grades have been combined in a program for students from Nespelem and Grand Coulee Dam School Districts. The club of 89 kids have academic requirements intended to keep their English skills, overall grades and attendance up. In return they get a day on the Loop Loop Slopes every Saturday for five weeks.

A local man wants the stray cat problem in his neighborhood solved. Fred Long counted 14 stray cats near the Senior Manor recently, he lives just down the street from where the cats are getting free meals due to the residents feeding them. The problem for Long is they leave little “blessings” all over his yard. Grand Coulee Council is looking into it.

Regional wrestling finals finished this weekend with 16 Raider wrestlers moving on. They are: Danial LaPlant 103, Chauncy Cawston 113, Johnny Berg 119, Victor Camarena 125, Kerry Green 130, Mike Stanger 130, Nick Stanger 135, Shane Marchand 140, Brandon Houston 145, Billy Drywater 171, Chase Abbot 171, Robbie Seyler 189, Micah Seekins 189, Bronson Kiser 215, Sam Rise 215 and Kevin Duclos 275.

Raider boys’ basketball dropped two games this week and the girls split as they both try and make the playoffs in league. The boys lost to Brewster 82-55 as David Pendergraft of the Bears dropped 26 points and his teammate Gebbers scored 18. Steve Breeze finished the night with 28 points in the losing effort. The girls had a closer game against the Lady Bears but lost 69-56 with Jessica Loe being the high scorer with 18 points, 12 rebounds and 3 blocked shots. Both teams are now 4-4 in league. The boys are 12-6 over all and the girls are 11-7.

Twenty Years Ago

  David Schmidt, President of the Coulee Dam Federal Credit Union and Grand Coulee Chamber of Commerce President sat down in an interview this week with the Star. “The number one thing that the chamber needs to step up to the plate to do is to support the Cresent Bay area project.” The National Park Service has been searching for a private developer to build a marina and resort in Cresent Bay since the early 80s.

The new prospectus for a development at Crescent Bay, delayed for nearly four years, should be available within two weeks according to local National Park Service officials. Since the 1980s the Park Service has sought development of the Crescent Bay area that could develop commercial growth in the Grand Coulee Dam area.

On Friday, the Washington State Liquor Board suspended the license of Nespelem’s War Bonnet Tavern after a series of violations of “over serving” This marks the second time this year that the board implemented an emergency suspension of the tavern’s liquor license. 

Jeremy Hansen was named Chamber of Commerce’s Student of the Month for January. They also wished him luck as he enters college next year.

Both Raider basketball teams continue to slide down the rankings as they both lost two games this week. The boys lost to Cascade 91-66 and to Quincy 74-58. The girls losses were to Cascade 61-56 and to Quincy 62-52. Both teams are slipping out of the playoff picture.

Thirty Years Ago

Gerry Beck retired from the Grand Coulee Post Office this week after working twenty years for the Postal Service. She began her career in 1963.

The annual Cub Scout Pinewood Derby was held last week and the winners were: Daniel Kaupie first place, Craig Zlateff second place and Brian Stine third place. Zlateff also won Best of Show for his pine wood racer.

Raider Wrestling advanced five to regionals this week. Ty Tipps at 115 lbs, Greg Springer at 108 lbs, Scott Foster at 135 lbs, Mark Payne at 141 lbs, Les Moses at 148 lbs and Jeff Konzal at 122 lbs.

Forty Years Ago  

A new building is almost complete and will be ready March 1, for occupants. The Grand Coulee Manor has 40 one-bedroom apartments and will be taking applications for area senior citizens to move in. 

Students at Lake Roosevelt High School participated in a wide variety of “mini-courses” held during the semester break. Courses included “witchcraft, hypnosis, glass blowing, girls’ auto mechanics, interior decorating, scuba diving, photography, mountain climbing, welding, karate and taxidermy. 

The Lake Roosevelt Raiders burned the scoreboards Friday evening as they scorched the Chelan Goats 96-51 in basketball. There were five double-figure scorers for the Raiders led by Tom Johnson with 18 and Bob Drake with 16.  The following night they took on the Liberty Bell Lions and squeaked out a win 55-52, which puts the Lions and the Raiders in a tie for first place with one loss apiece.  

Fifty Years Ago

  Students of the Grand Coulee Junior High held the 6th annual Basket Social Friday. During the dance, three judges evaluated the baskets that were auctioned off during the first intermission. First prizes were awarded to Laurel Boll and Laura Schreiber, second prizes to Katharine Bisson and Connie Jasper, and third to Martha Gray, Judy Nolan and Karen Hudnall.

A 20-year-old local man was charged with burglary this week for stealing several bottles of liquor from the local state liquor store. The same man was on parole for negligent homicide when the crimes occured and is now in Ephrata Jail until his court hearing on both offenses.

Sixty Years Ago

The Coulee Dam Beavers swept the competition this week in two games with Riverside Cougars, 44-40, and Hartline 51-41. The Player of the Game against the Cougars was Gene Eggleston with 14 points for the night. Against Hartline, Gary Whiting was named Player of the Game for his 15 points and outstanding defense.

The Grand Coulee Tigers beat Ephrata 67-65 Saturday night in a back and forth contest. Roy Pryor played a terrific game for Grand Coulee scoring 19 points and controlling the boards all night but Roy Rice was the star of the game with 27 points including the final two free throws of the night to win the game.