Newsbriefs

Star closed for holiday

The Star newspaper office will be closed Thursday and Friday, Nov. 27 & 28 for the Thanksgiving holiday. The office will open for business again on Monday, Dec. 1, at 9 a.m.

Local will march

in Macy’s Parade

Lynda Nutt, who worked for the Bureau of Reclamation’s Visitor Center, will be in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City as part of the “Red Hot MaMas.” She says the group will be on directly after the 121st commercial, behind the Paddington Bear balloon.

The group was also in the 2005 Macy’s Parade.

Ambulance

rates to rise

Ambulance rates are going up in Coulee Dam. By ordinance the town council moved the basic life support charge (emergency) from $275 to $450; the basic life support (non-emergency) from $175 to $280; and the ground ambulance service, per mile, one-way, from $8 to $10. The call-out charge remains the same at $77.

No-pot hearing

coming up

Electric City will have a public hearing on its recent passing of a six-month moratorium on marijuana business at 5:45 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9, just before its regular council meeting at city hall. The moratorium passed by the council at its last meeting prohibits marijuana production, processing and retail sales and more. Residents will have the opportunity to speak or provide written comments about the moratorium.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in Grant County, license applications indicate that businesses want to produce and process weed. Cascade Gnome wants to both grow it and process it in Moses Lake. Higgs and Boson, of Soap Lake, wants to produce it. Their applications to the state Liquor Control Board were in the “consent agenda” (typically meaning no discussion) for county commissioners to pass Tuesday.

PUD closures

With holidays falling on late in the week this year, those who pay their bills in person may want to take note of extra closures for local Grant PUD offices. That goes for Thanksgiving, of course, but also Christmas (Thursday and Friday closed), and New Years (Wednesday, Dec. 31, closed at 3 p.m. as well as all day Jan 1.)

Civil service to meet

Grand Coulee’s Civil Service Commission will meet at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 3, in the city council chambers.

Student numbers up

Attendance numbers show growth at both Grand Coulee Dam and Nespelem schools. Coulee Dam numbers for November this year show attendance at 721, compared to 678 for last year, a gain of 43 students. The district budgeted an average of 660 students for the current school year.

Nespelem School attendance numbers are also up somewhat. The number had dipped to 110, but stood at 114, the school board was told Monday night. That district had budgeted for a drop of 10 students, to 120, in anticipation of students transferring to the new school in Coulee Dam.

Port moves up meeting

Grant County Port District 7 is moving its December meeting to the 18th since its regular meeting date falls on Christmas day.

Flo’s to raise funds for two charities

A spaghetti feed to raise money for the Trees of Sharing and the Care and Share Food Bank will be held at Flo’s Cafe, Friday, Dec. 5, from 4:30 to 7:30. All proceeds will go to the two charities. Those who can’t attend are encouraged to make donations at North Cascades National Bank or the Coulee Dam Federal Credit Union.

New event

planned for

this weekend

A vintage Christmas market is planned for Saturday, Nov. 29, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Coulee Dam Town Hall. There will be handmade gifts, and other items. Photos with Santa can be arranged at the event.