Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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Daytrips to lakes and rivers in Columbia County can offer unexpected and welcome wildlife encounters. The best way to observe river otters is to sit quietly above a known feeding area, trail, or slide. Find an angle from which you can avoid surface glare. A pair of polarized sunglasses and binoculars are useful. River otters are wary, and their hearing and sense of smell are well developed. However, they are fairly nearsighted, and they may not notice you if you stay still. Using a 200 – 600 m...
CCPT plans to purchase the port building it leases. DAYTON – The Columbia Port Commissioners held their regular meeting at 5 p.m. on December 10, 2025, in the port office conference room. All Commissioners were present in the Port conference room: Mike Spring, Johnny Watts, and Chair Seth Bryan. Also present was the Executive Director, Jennie Dickinson. There was no public comment during the first public comment period. The commissioners began by approving several routine administrative items. Dickinson briefly discussed Columbia County P...
SPOKANE – Walla Walla Swim Club member, Sydney Smith, took the high point award at the Winter SWAT Swim Invite on December 6 and 7 in Spokane. This is the second year the Waitsburg Elementary student has earned the high point recognition in her division at the Spokane meet. She and her teammates competed against nine other teams, from Walla Walla to Missoula, Montana. Smith swam in the eight and under division and placed first in the 100m individual medley, 100m breaststroke, 100m freestyle, a...
Week of Christmas Tuesday, December 23: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, December 24: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, December 25, Closed Friday, December 26: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, December 27: 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, December 28: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Week of New Years Tuesday, December 30: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, December 31: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, January 1, Closed Friday, January 2: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, January 3: 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, January 4: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m....
PRESCOTT - The Friends of Prescott Schools and the Walla Walla Columbia School Retirees Association held a successful spaghetti dinner fundraiser on December 8, 2025. The event raised funds for the Prescott School District by serving an estimated 140 dinners, hosting a silent auction, running raffles, and selling Christmas ornaments. The lucky raffle winners were Leona Rees, Jim Briggs, Pat Davison, Linda Barker, Nancy Bickelhaupt, Jim Davison, and Laura Chabre. Thanks to the generosity of all...
DAYTON: “Wicked: For Good” will play for two weekends, December 12 to 16 & 19 to 23. For two holiday seasons, “Wicked,” the Tony Award-winning musical, has become a gravity-defying cinematic sensation. After challenging the Wizard’s totalitarian regime in Oz, Elphaba must grapple with her identity as the Wicked Witch of the West. At the same time, “Glinda the Good” is seen as the nation’s defender against Elphaba. The two witches must make decisions that seal their fates in this second musical installment. “Wicked: For Good” is receivin...
SPOKANE, WA — Innovia Foundation is currently accepting scholarship applications for the 2026-27 academic year. Innovia manages over 50 regional scholarships, awarding more than $400,000 to local students each year. Scholarships are available to students within Innovia’s 20-county service area who are college-bound or pursuing vocational or technical training. Single awards range between $500 and $4,000. “In partnership with generous donors, Innovia is honored to provide educational opportunities to local students each year,” says Shelly...
WALLA WALLA — Columbia REA has chosen three local organizations to receive a 2025 Legacy Grant in the amount of $250,000 each. After careful consideration of all applications, the $750,000 Legacy Grant funds will be shared evenly between: Burbank Wrestling Club for facilities improvement/expansion in cooperation with the Columbia School District Starbuck School District for the installation of new playground equipment Walla Walla Summer Theater Group for renovation and restoration of the Fort Walla Walla Amphitheater Columbia REA has a long his...
Ruth Peterson passed away peacefully on December 11, 2025, after a short illness. She died as she lived, with a tenacious, loving, and determined spirit, surrounded by her family. Ruth Ann, as she was known in her early years, was born in Tyler, Minnesota, as the third. daughter of Albert and Edna Schaffer. She spent her formative years in Elkton, South Dakota, where her family ran the local John Deere dealership, and where Ruth Ann was often found helping her dad with the shop books. After...
Michael Allen White, 79, of Waitsburg, Washington, passed away on November 24, 2025, at his residence. Michael was born on March 25, 1946, in Ontario, Oregon, to Jasper Arthur White and Wilma (Hickey) White. He was raised in the Northwest and graduated from Waitsburg High School in 1964. Michael went on to pursue higher education, earning his Bachelor's degree in Education from Eastern Oregon University and a Master's degree from Washington State University. On January 4, 1969, Michael married...
WAITSBURG - Members of the Waitsburg High School band and the middle school's guitar class performed at the school district's Christmas Concert held on Thursday, December 11. Eighth-grade guitar student, Davina Navarrette, was joined on stage by Kate Hockersmith, Carrie Hendrix, Dan Nechodom, and teacher Elizabeth Jagelski. The guitarists entertained the audience with six holiday tunes, including "Ode to Joy", "Angeline the Baker," "Jingle Bells," and "Feliz Navidad". Navarrette represented her...
WAITSBURG - Waitsburg Middle School boys' basketball teams beat the Touchet Redhawks on Kison Court December 10. The B-squad team won their game 25-7. Andre Navarrette led the team with seven points and six rebounds. Able Creeley scored six points and had seven rebounds. Alex Weis and Hayden Gascon scored four points each, and Ryden Huxoll and Josh Dodd contributed with two points each. Dodd also recorded eight rebounds. The A-squad won their game against the Redhawks 27-16. Arrow Groom scored...
WAITSBURG - Waitsburg High School's boys' basketball team was up 30-9 at halftime at Prescott on Monday, December 8. "I wish the game had ended after that," said Coach Wallace. "The first half, we played hard. We ran our stuff and had some genuinely good plays. After halftime, we played ugly and got lucky to get the win," he added. In the 66-45 win, JJ Gleason and Landen Henry scored 17 points each to lead the Cardinals in scoring. Also in double figures were Paco Kenney with 12 points and...
WAITSBURG - Jarod Hankins brought home a gold medal from the Dick Griswold Invitational wrestling tournament hosted at Potlatch High School on December 6. He placed first in the 190-pound division. Graycen Teal and Dylan Guiterez both went 0-2. On December 11, in Pomeroy, Graycen won his match, and teammates Guiterez and Hankins lost theirs. Hankins won four matches, lost two, and placed fourth at Liberty High School in Spangle, Wash., on December 13. Teal won two and lost two, while Guiterez...
In a season of sparkling extravagance, I have always felt that it is often the simplest gifts that can have the sweetest impact. A box of homemade cookies or candy from a neighbor or friend is always among my favorite parts of this time of year. It is always a delight when I am surprised by a new flavor, or a twist on a classic, in an assortment of holiday treats. These playful cookies have the chewy texture of the best fudgy brownie with a perfectly balanced zip of peppermint. The crushed...
Thursday, Dec. 11 Breakfast Pancake on a stick Lunch Chicken Alfredo Breadstick Fruit and Vegetable Friday, Dec. 12 Breakfast Breakfast Burrito Lunch Pepperoni or Cheese Pizza Fruit & Vegetable Monday, Dec. 15 Breakfast Breakfast Pizza Lunch Hamburger Tater Tots Fruit & Vegetable Tuesday, Dec. 16 Breakfast Biscuits & Gravy Lunch Nachos Fruit & Vegetables Wednesday, Dec. 17 Breakfast Ultimate Breakfast Round Lunch Turkey Sandwich Fruit & Vegetable...
WAITSBURG - The Parade of Lights is a highly anticipated event during Waitsburg's Hometown Christmas weekend. This year's entries included: Beka Compton Patriot Jeep Columbia-Walla Walla County Fire District 2 Friends of the Weller Public Library Blue Mountain Shrine Club Feliz Naughty Dogs Waitsburg Scouting Waitsburg Booster Club Muddy Wolf Creative Dance Lower Valley Christmas Trucks Waitsburg Celebration Days Royalty Nancy's Dream Garden Center Charles Stanger Waitsburg Historical Society...
DAYTON—The annual Port of Columbia Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) meeting held last week highlighted significant ongoing and potentially new projects for Columbia County. Billikin Energy Center Consultant Michael Mullaly provided an overview of a dual-fuel combustion turbine generator facility for a site on the Snake River west of Starbuck. The proposed half-billion-dollar peaker power plant will boost power during high demand or power grid emergencies. There are 1,200 s...
WAITSBURG - Waitsburg High School held its annual fall sports awards on December 4. Coach Vickie Hamann started the evening with awards for cheerleaders. Mattilynn Carter was awarded MVP (Most Valuable Performer), Hope Adkins received the Most Spirit Award, and Madison Strickland was named Most Improved. Other fall cheerleaders who lettered were Sarah Daves, Karissa Potts, Ava Childers, and Chloe McCaw. Hunter Wallace presented volleyball awards. Emma Hays was voted MVP, Cheri Mathews was named...
DAYTON: “Wicked: For Good” will play for two weekends, December 12 to 16 & 19 to 23. For two holiday seasons, “Wicked,” the Tony Award-winning musical, has become a gravity-defying cinematic sensation. After challenging the Wizard’s totalitarian regime in Oz, Elphaba must grapple with her identity as the “Wicked Witch of the West”. At the same time, “Glinda the Good” is seen as the nation’s defender against Elphaba. The two witches must make decisions that seal their fates in this second musical installment. “Wicked: For Good” is receiving a...
SPOKANE — Innovia Foundation’s annual Community Grants Program is currently accepting applications from nonprofit organizations serving Eastern Washington and North Idaho. Each year, this program awards more than $1 million to support a wide range of impact areas, including arts and culture, economic opportunity, education and youth development, health and wellbeing, and quality of life. This year’s funding theme, “Building Stability and Belonging,” emphasizes support for programs that increase access to basic needs, including food, housing,...
To the Editor, Due to a recent health issue with my husband and my continued care for my mother, Dave and I have had a challenge keeping up with our yard work. All was manageable until the leaves all fell into our yard after the first frost. It was a huge comfort to be able to call on Nicole Abel’s Waitsburg FFA students to ask for help with leaf raking. In two visits, our front yard was leaf-free; the students had labored in true efficiency- my dad would have called it excellent workmanship. This was a reminder of how important healthy, v...
Mary Liebermann Phillips, nee Mary Margaret Liebermann, was born on February 5, 1940, and passed away on December 3, 2025, at the age of 85. Mary was born in Santa Paula, California, to John and Elizabeth Liebermann and moved to the Waitsburg-Dayton area in the late 1940s when her parents purchased land. Mary attended a two-room schoolhouse in Huntsville, Washington, from grades 2– 4 and then attended Waitsburg schools, graduating from Waitsburg High School in 1957. She attended Eastern Washington State College (now known as Eastern W...
Waitsburg High School started December with three games in four days. On Wednesday, December 3, the Cardinals' varsity boys beat Prescott, the varsity girls lost to the Tigers, and the junior varsity (JV) boys lost to Walla Walla Valley Academy. On Friday, all three Cardinal teams fell to Pomeroy, and on Saturday at Garfield-Palouse, the Cardinals went home without a win. In the first game on the 3rd, the JV boys lost to the Knights 41-20. Camdyn Vories led the team with 10 points, Carsyn...
