Beginning of renewal?

Rick Rose, of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development office takes notes as schools Superintendent Dennis Carlson begins a discussion among a group of people, representing many different agencies, on the future of the old middle school in Grand Coulee. The "summit, organized by an ad hoc economic development committee of the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce, invited 22 agencies to tour the school Thursday and talk about possibilities for using the 90,000 square feet of space, and gather ideas for paying for its redevelopment into another type of community asset. After the event, which lasted from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., committee members were upbeat and said something good will come from the information gathered. - Scott Hunter photo