Newsbriefs

Powwow this weekend

The Nespelem July Celebration and Powwow takes place this Friday through Sunday, July 12-14, at the powwow grounds where there’ll be traditional Native American drumming and dancing, as well as food and items to buy.

Grand entry for the powwow will take place at 7 p.m. on July 12, at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. on July 13, and 1 p.m. on July 14.

Police to offer “night out” for community

The Coulee Dam Police Department will take part in the National Night Out Aug. 6 at 6 p.m. at the department at town hall.

The free event is a part of “a national community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships,” as stated by a website for the event, which started in 1984. “Furthermore, it provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances.”

Those circumstances will include food, drinks, games and activities for “families and children of all ages,” according to a notice mailed out in utility bills last week.

Golf tournament raises $77k for causes

Grant County Sheriff Tom Jones presented a $2,000 check last week to the Columbia Basin Foundation to be added to the John Bernard Memorial Scholarship Fund, the sheriff’s office said.

In addition, a check for $75,000 was presented to the Behind the Badge Foundation to help continue their mission of assisting families of law enforcement officers killed or seriously injured in the line of duty.

The funds were raised during the John Bernard Memorial Golf Tournament last April.

Deputy Sheriff John Bernard died in the line of duty on Jan. 3, 2010.

PUD gets national award

The efforts of Grant PUD and its employees to give back to their communities were recognized June 11 with the American Public Power Association’s (APPA) 2018 Community Service Award, the PUD announced Tuesday.

Grant PUD and its employees’ community outreach includes fundraising for cancer care and treatment, support for Seattle Children’s Hospital, scholarships for students with an autistic sibling, school and library education programs about energy and salmon survival, support for water safety via The World’s Largest Swim Lesson event, and Archaeology Days, a celebration of Native American culture, area geology and history, and more.

“We commissioners have enjoyed enough VoltsWalkers’ cancer-care fundraising luncheons, barbecue fundraisers and turns in the Grant PUD booth at the fair to know that this utility and its employees go the extra mile for this community,” said Commission President Dale Walker. “We’re proud of them.”