­- 2022 - a year in review -

Here’s a look at the most popular stories in The Star over the last year.

January

Stolen car found abandoned at Keller Ferry after chase

A stolen Cadillac that police stopped following because of a new state law was found at the Keller Ferry Marina the next day anyway. Washington State House Bill 1054 took effect in 2021 and limits, among other things, the circumstances in which an officer can pursue a vehicle in a chase, including circumstances related to probable cause, weather conditions, the safety of others, and more.

A local officer had tried to pull the swerving driver over but backed off after the car took off at a high rate of speed.

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office was told about the vehicle. The next morning, they found it at the Keller Ferry Marina, “stuck and abandoned.”

Community leader Colleen Manley passes

Colleen Manley, who started her career as a teller and rose to CEO of the largest credit union headquartered in north-central Washington, died unexpectedly from natural causes.

Manley worked at CDFCU for 43 years, starting in 1979. She became president and CEO in 2008, and saw the credit union triple in size before last year’s merger with Spokane-based STCU.

Omicron COVID variant present locally

In their Jan. 6 update, GCHD reported 502 additional cases since Dec. 30. 

The Grand Coulee and Electric City area of the county shows 173 covid total cases since the pandemic began, up by five since Dec. 30. 

“The Omicron variant of COVID-19 has been confirmed in Grant County,” a Jan. 7 newsrelease from GCHD reads.”

Sport spectator covid restrictions emphasized

School sports restrictions have been tightened up again with the Omicron COVID-19 variant becoming prevalent in the area. 

The Grant County Health District detailed the restrictions for the six-county local region. extra precautions include items like some limits on attendance at games, indoor masking requirements, eating in a designated area, and following the covid attendance rules set by a statewide school activity group.

School board OK’s student representative idea

The Grand Coulee Dam School District approved the idea of a pair of student representatives, a junior and senior, being chosen to represent the student body at school board meetings.

February

Voters say no to school levies

Voters turned down two local school levy proposals by a hefty margin yesterday.

Grand Coulee Dam School District’s Proposition 1 appeared to fail by about 58 to 42 percent, with 570 voters selecting No on their ballots, 418 selecting Yes across the four counties the district serves.

Proposition 2 was also voted down 538-413, about 57% no to 43% yes.

Ephrata man’s life saved by Jess Ford employees

Aaron Murray, Will Murray, and Josh Pitts were carpooling to work at Jess Ford in Grand Coulee when they came across a Honda CR-V, upside down and on fire, and stopped to help.

They got Joshua Bessette out of the car with not much time to spare.

Two Raiders wrestlers crowned state champs

At the state championship in Tacoma in the 2B division, Rodger Cate, wrestling at the 106-pound weight category, and Colton Jackson, wrestling at 120, were both crowned state champions.

Chamber honors business and achiever of the year

Morgan Tillman’s Apothecary Salon was awarded Business of the Year by the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce, and Achiever of the Year award went to Mark Piturachsatit of the Siam Palace.

March

Tribal council members meet with school board

Communication between the Colville Tribes and the Grand Coulee Dam School District should be prioritized, officials from both groups say.

At their meeting Monday night, GCDSD School Board directors hosted the chairman and other members of the Colville Business Council, the governing body of the Colville Confederated Tribes. 

New measures seem to be helping school issues

Incidents of violence and other issues at Lake Roosevelt Junior/Senior High seem to be decreasing after a few measures have been implemented.

April

Ridge Rider Rodeo grounds gets audio system upgrade

Getting ready for next month’s Colorama Rodeo, the Ridge Riders Rodeo Grounds Tuesday saw workers from Spokane mounting new speakers to the light poles for a better sound experience that should save money in the long run.

Car lands in Banks Lake

A local driver ended up in the water last week when her vehicle veered into Banks Lake about 5:44 p.m. Thursday. The Coulee Dam driver got out of the car and swam to shore before the Toyota Highlander sank.

May

Bureau: Fire station construction will resume

The hulking shell of a construction project will be revived at some as-yet-unknown date, but a tangle of legal problems has been resolved to allow the Bureau of Reclamation’s fire station project to move forward. The agency announced an agreement with the insurance company.

Speed limit reduction a topic of concern

Some people aren’t too thrilled about a possible impending speed limit reduction from 45 miles per hour to 35 mph for an 800-yard stretch of road of highway between Electric City and Grand Coulee. 

June

Laser light show and public tours returned Memorial Day weekend

The Bureau of Reclamation announced that the Grand Coulee Dam “One River, Many Voices” laser light show and the John W. Keys III Pump-Generating Plant public tours would come back on May 28, in time for the Memorial Day weekend.

Tours were not allowed in 2020 or 2021 due to restrictions under the health emergency due to COVID-19, and the bureau warned that those could be re-imposed if necessary.

North Dam Park may have to close down

Officials for the barely funded public agency currently responsible for managing the park that holds major events in the area said Tuesday they may have to close it down.

North Dam Park, which is owned by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation but managed by the Coulee Area Park and Recreation District (CAPRD) is the venue for events like Colorama, Run the Dam, summer softball and baseball games, a skate park, the Gehrke Windmills display, countless private events, and more.

Council OKs gun firing range above west Coulee Dam

The town council in Coulee Dam Wednesday night approved spending $3,020 to “move dirt” in an area just above the city hall, a residential neighborhood, and a motel so police can use it for a shooting range.

Medical Center in emergency shutdown from unknown problem

A mystery substance has shut down Coulee Medical Center after three employees in the lab area became ill for unknown reasons Tuesday afternoon. CMC was evacuated and employees sent home, and a hazmat team has been requested to investigate.

July

Community responding to request for North Dam Park help

Several community members met with park district commissioners in a workshop to help solve a funding problem that could potentially close North Dam Park, again. The good news is that the community is responding with money and ideas, and thousands of dollars are already donated.

School hires new principal, athletic director, more

Natalie Kontos was hired as the new principal of the junior/senior high school. Taking on the athletic director and facilities coordinator positions is Nancy Kuiper, who is also the director of the SHARP Kids programs.

New leader appointed at Colville Tribes

The Colville Tribes appointed Cody Desautel to serve as the Tribes’ new executive director.

August

New policy bans student cell phones in school

Students at Lake Roosevelt Junior/Senior High School may feel like something is missing during the coming school year as smart phones will not be allowed during the school day.

Computer system shuts down city water

A computer system shut down the water system supplying Coulee Dam residents with drinking water sometime last weekend, but nobody knew it until pressures dropped low enough Monday morning.

Regional EMS district idea floated to city leaders

It’s important to have a successful EMS system in place, assistant fire chief Nic Alexander told city leaders, floating the idea of forming an EMS tax district as just one option.

September

Federal funding should keep park open through 2027

Local park district commissioners have secured funding from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to help keep North Dam Park alive for several years to come, provided matching funding can be secured for a park that is the center of community-wide events.

Nespelem opens big, new ball field

People in Nespelem opened up a new ball field Friday, complete with dugouts, fencing all around, bleachers, a tall backstop, and synthetic turf, funded largely by $350,000 grant from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office, $100,000 from The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation, and the Colville Tribes.

October

Lake Roosevelt students got a taste of what it’s like to work at a hospital, an environment some could end up working at one day. Coulee Medical Center helped give LR students the experience of what it might be like to be a surgeon, nurse, or medical assistant during a career fair held at the LR gym on Oct. 5.

Final suspect in shooting on reservation arrested

The final suspect in this week’s shootings on the Colville Reservation is now in the custody of law enforcement. The arrest follows the apprehension of two other suspects earlier in the day, suspected in the deaths of individuals in Keller.

Dollar General wants to set up shop in Grand Coulee

Retail chain Dollar General is looking to build a store in Grand Coulee, the city council learned, and city property off Federal Avenue is being eyed.

November

City council member dies unexpectedly

Grand Coulee city council member and business owner Mike Horne died unexpectedly on Oct. 26 at the age of 54. Horne had served on the Grand Coulee city council since November of 2016, and lived and worked in the city, owning both MPH Auto and the Hi Dam tavern. 

School levy squeaking by so far

The school levy was barely passing Tuesday night by a margin of just 1.38% of the 866 votes counted so far. It later increased that margin and held on to the favorable vote to impose about $2 per thousand dollars of assessed value on property in the district.

Shots fired lead to tense evening for police, suspect

Law enforcement officers from several agencies descended on a mobile home in Electric City Monday afternoon, after a bail bondsman reported he’d been shot at from inside the home and returned fire.

He was there with a warrant to collect Christopher Morgan, 38, who had failed to appear for a court date in Spokane, according to Grand Coulee Police.

December

Families lose everything in fire

A trailer housing two families on E Street burned down Thursday on one of the coldest nights of the year so far, burning one man badly.