The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Ten Years Ago

April 28, 2015

Representing the 92nd annual Waitsburg Days of Real Sport are co-queens Brittany Artz and Kimberly Smith.

The 2005-06 City Council was sworn in and Mayor Marty Dunn handed out committee assignments at the April 20 meeting. Sworn in were Mayor Dunn; City Treasurer Jean M. Hinchliffe, and members of the City Council: Orville Branson, Bettie Chase, Larry Johnson, Markeeta Little Wolf, and Mark Shively.

While severe thunderstorms were going through the area last Saturday, so were several hundred bicycle racers. The leading pack of the 9th Tour of Walla Walla had made it through Waitsburg when the intense rain began, prompting race organizers to cancel the event and turn racers around back to Waitsburg. According to Waitsburg Ambulance Service EMT Richard Naumann, an estimated 150-200 cyclists crowded into the fire station for protection from the wet and cold.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

April 26, 1990

Amy Branson, Waitsburg High school senior, was honored by the Exchange Club as Youth of the Year. She was earlier chosen by the club as Youth of the Month in March.

Mrs. Alice Yoder, Supreme Deputy of the Supreme Assembly, Order of the Rainbow was honored at a District meeting held in Kennewick on Saturday, April 21st.

Jessica Hofer presided as Worthy Advisor, and was Hope for initiation. Waitsburg girls also filled the following offices: Jordan Kirk, chaplain; Lynn Pierson, Love; Andrea Jacoy, immortality; Anna Brow, patriotism; Kitzi Hazelbaker, choir director; Jenni Maners, Heather Stephenson, Jessica Smith and Dorothy Hazelbaker, choir.

A new look at the Waitsburg Lions Tuesday came in the form of a sit-in by members of the club who are loudly claiming class discrimination re: the eating sequence of club members. The subversive trio, Thompson, Chase and Hulce, brought along a picnic lunch to keep their energy level high while waiting for everyone else to work their way through the food line.

Fifty Years Ago

April 22, 1965

Waitsburg barber Joe Startin was busy this past week dismantling the old house on his place, and moving it into position to be used as a barn. As fellow barber Ray Bown put it,”It’s the first barn in these parts with hardwood floors and picture windows!”

Larry Conover climaxed a years daily caring and feeding of his FFA Hereford steer by receiving the Grand Champion Fat Steer trophy at the Waitsburg Junior Livestock Show Saturday. Larry also received the FFA Grand Champion trophy for Showmanship. Howard Smith Jr. was the owner of the Reserve Grand Champion Fat Steer of the show. Howard duplicated Larry Conover’s feat by winning the Grand Champion trophy for Showmanship in the 4-H Division.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

April 26, 1940

Lucille Wise has been elected by the girls who made honor roll, to be May Queen at the annual May Day Exercises next week – Wednesday afternoon at Preston Park.

Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Stonecipher entertained at dinner Sunday. Those present were Mr. and Mrs. James Archer, Walla Walla; Mr. and Mrs. R. D. Roberts, Waitsburg; Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Vaughn, and Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Smith, Dayton.

Mrs. Helen Florea was honored with a birthday dinner Sunday at the C. H. Florea home.

Priscilla Club met Wednesday afternoon with Edythe Chew. Delicious refreshments were served by the hostess assisted by Eva Mitchell an Ivy Baxter.

One Hundred Years Ago

April 23, 1915

Fred O. Cox of this city, Road Supervisor of District No. 2, was elected Grand Master Workman at the session of the Grand Lodge at Hoquiam last week, and thus conferred on a Waitsburg man the highest honor the Order in this state can bestow.

John Clodius took a drove of cattle to the Twin Springs farm for summer pasture. The pasture has never been better than it is this year.

George Wood, popularly known as “Blackie” Wood died in the hospital at Walla Walla on Tuesday afternoon after undergoing an operation for gall stones from which he had been suffering for some time past. He was 55 years of age.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

April 25, 1890

Mr. Backus last Saturday bought six acres of land on the Coppei, and will engage in the chicken business. Price paid for the six acres was $850 cash. The land was purchased from Lewis Cox.

Last Saturday evening a number of little girls were playing on and about the Coppei bridge at the lower crossing in the west part of the city, when little Maud Arnold fell overboard into the water which is quite deep. The cries of the other girls attracted the attention of O. M. Conover, who was plowing nearby and he ran to the rescue, arriving just in time to rescue Maud from a watery grave.