The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Ten Years Ago

December 8, 2005

The first time Waitsburg Councilwoman Bettie Chase crossed the Coppei Bridge was by a Model T driven by her father, “who drove cars by saying ‘giddy up and whoa.’” Now that the new 2005 bridge is complete, Chase, 85, has outlived the old Coppei bridge that was built the year she was born, 1920.

Three Waitsburg Elementary School vocalists will have an incredible musical experience next February that may lead them on a successful career in music. Samantha Henze, Katy Hofer, and Maddy Witt are three Waitsburg Elementary sopranos who will join 1,100 other outstanding student musicians in Yakima in mid-February.

Carley Horlacher of Waitsburg won the senior division in the Washington state Make It Yourself With Wool competition held on November 5 in Colville, Wash. She will represent Washington at the National competition in Phoenix, Arizona, January 26-28, 2006.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

December 6, 1990

The gala 1990 Hometown Christmas celebration is scheduled to begin next Sunday, December 9, at 1:00 p.m. at the community tree in front of the Plaza Building. Mayor Roy Leid will throw the switch lighting both the star on the tree and the star on the water tank promptly at 1:00 p.m.

Three score and thirteen friends and business associates of Tiny and Irene Jorgensen gathered for a special Commercial Club dinner Tuesday night to mark farewell to the couple who are moving to Spokane and retirement simultaneously.

Allen Ford and Scott Erwin were elected to board spots at the annual meeting of the Touchet Valley Grain Growers Board last Saturday. New board president is Scott Erwin; Vice-President, John Payne; Secretary, Joe Thomas; and Treasurer, Bob Abbley. Other board members are David McConnell, Joe Thomas, Jay Penner and Guy McCaw. Howard Smith won the main door prize which was a Makita cordless drill.

Fifty Years Ago

December 9, 1965

Mrs. Gordon Leid was the victim of a rather harrowing experience Friday afternoon. She was seated in the family car which was parked on Second Street by Touchet Valley Hardware when a truck and trailer cattle outfit came into town from the west. When the truck turned unto Main Street, it hooked the back end of the Leid car turning it completely around. Damage to the Leid car was negligible but the nerves of Mrs. Leid and the driver of the truck were both slightly strained.

Local boy makes good – Mike Vennum who is presently attending Whitworth College in Spokane, has an excellent article about the Waitsburg Centennial published in the Inland Empire Magazine of the Spokesman-Review on Sunday, November 28. Local people who got some pictoral publicity were Orlie Katsel, Bill Peterson, Mrs. Lloyd Johnson, Mrs. Anna Wise, Mrs. Iva Quigg, Mrs. Denzil Mock, and Miss Marion Kingman.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

December 13, 1940

High school students who made honors for the six-weeks period just closed are Glen Hofer, Raymond Jeremiah, Colleen Collins, Bettie Pearson, Ruth Phillips, Clora Jean Eaton, Noami Stanley, Elizabeth Sutton, Donald Gagnon, Mary Frances Conover, Pat Hirsch, Helen Lloyd, Gladyce Stark, and William Michael.

The Student Body of the Walla Walla Business College elected officers a few days ago. Donald Davis is president and Ivan Keve vice president.

James Longanbach, a member of the Coast Guard who has been spending a 20-day leave of absence with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. O. Longanbach, left Monday to return to his duies at Neah Bay, on the Strait of north Seattle.

One Hundred Years Ago

December 17, 1915

Miss Ruth Loehr, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lew Loehr of Walla Walla, was married last Friday afternoon to Louis Winnett of near this city.

John Baxter of Walla Walla had the misfortune to break a wheel off his auto as his machine skidded into a curb.

Twin boys were born to Mr. and Mrs. Allen Brunson Sunday morning, Dec. 12 at the farm home in Wilson Hollow. The young men weighed exactly 5 pounds each and both appear to be fine, strong babies, so that they have an even start on life’s voyage.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

December 5, 1890

At a meeting of the school board last Saturday the tuition in the principal’s room was advanced to $10 a quarter for pupils residing without the district. This advance was deemed necessary on account of the terribly crowded condition of our schools – it is merely tariff for protection, notwithstanding the entire board are democrats.

The impression has gone abroad that Dr. Hudgin will leave Waitsburg for good. We are pleased to state that this is not a fact. The doctor and his family will remain with us, he only devoting a short time each month to his duty as traveling lecturer for the Masonic fraternity. He will leave Tuesday for the upper country to be gone a short time.

Mrs. Times, a few days ago, had the cradle, which has been loaned out for several years, brought home. Friends for goodness sake, pay up your subscription.