Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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WAITSBURG – At their Aug. 19 meeting, Waitsburg's City Council approved a pre-annexation agreement, subject to minor revisions, with Walla Walla County Fire Protection District No. 2 and passed a resolution to surplus the Waitsburg fire station and equipment, allowing for its eventual transfer to the District. Both the agreement and resolution are contingent on city and county voters passing the proposed annexation which will appear on November's special election ballot. A top concern of council...
Emma is saying farewell this week. Our Student Life columnist, Emma Philbrook, plans to keep in touch with us, perhaps submitting a column on a monthly basis, but it just won't be the same. While we're pleased to see her set forth on her college adventure, it's hard to say good-bye to someone who has become such a familiar face on the pages of The Times. As a matter of fact, Emma has been here longer than the rest of us. Her first published column, featuring gift-giving tips, was printed on...
DAYTON – They say that 'absence makes the heart grow fonder,' and that truism turned out to be a career-changer for Dayton's new library director, Dusty Waltner. While pursuing a doctorate degree in geography, Waltner found herself, for first time since her teens, not employed by a library. The realization of how much she missed that work eventually resulted in Waltner earning a library degree and landing her role as the current director of the Columbia County Rural Library District (CCRLD). W...
WAITSBURG – Due to the dwindling number of middle school players at both schools, Waitsburg and Dayton school boards have agreed to form an athletic combine for middle school football for the 2015-16 school year. "This will benefit our kids big time," said Waitsburg middle school football coach Jeff Bartlow, who spearheaded the idea. "We want to continue playing 11-man football at the high school and it allows us not to slip down to 8-man. Dayton is playing 8-man right now, but over time, w...
WAITSBURG – About a half dozen people turned out for the organizational meeting of Friends of the Waitsburg Pool, which they hope will become part of the Rural Youth Enrichment Services 501c3, earlier this month. The group nailed down their priorities and immediately began work on their first fundraiser, a pie baking contest, to be judged at Waitsburg's Fall Festival on Sun., Sept. 20. The Friends agreed that their first priority is meeting the needs of children, followed by providing funding a...
WAITSBURG – Jim German and Claire Johnston plan to continue living in Waitsburg while striking out on new, not yet fully determined, adventures. But the owners of Waitsburg's jimgermanbar will close that establishment at the end of August. German is in the process of having a "monolithic" pizza oven built on the patio behind jimgermanbar but is not sure that he'll be the one operating it. He is also actively involved with an exciting restaurant transformation in Walla Walla. While he's not f...
SEASIDE, Ore. – The kids and I spent much of last week lapping up the sunshine (yes, there was sunshine!) and playing on the beach during a much-needed getaway to Seaside, Ore. Since I was on vacation, I wasn't required to submit much writing for this week's issue of The Times, but I did promise to return with a travel piece. Let me start out by being honest – I have avoided Seaside for years. In fact, the last time I visited, my son, who turned 16 during this trip, was in utero. I enjoy the...
PRESCOTT – Best known locally as western singer Cimarron Sue, of the traditional cowboy music duo Nevada Slim and Cimarron Sue, Prescott's Susan Matley has been acting, singing, and writing most of her life. With the release of her fiction novella Small-g City later this week, she will add the title of published novelist to her long list of achievements. Matley says her love of creative writing began when her sister taught her the alphabet at three years old, but she began writing with the inten...
Members of the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) battled it out at the Wastekeep Sergeantry Trials on the Waitsburg Elementary School playground on Saturday afternoon. Candidates for sergeant, gallant, yeoman, lancer, steward, and artisan had the opportunity to participate in the trials. Candidates were tested on fighting, dancing, history, heraldry, armor, games, service, and courtly behaviors....
WAITSBURG – Waitsburg is no stranger to horse shows, but this weekend may be the first time one has taken place indoors. On Aug. 8 and 9, hundreds of horses – some extremely valuable – lined tabletops in Town Hall to compete in the Sweet Onion Live model horse show. The event, which is hosted by the North American Model Horse Shows Association (NAHMSA), was organized by Shana Bobbitt of Walla Walla. This is the fourth year for the Sweet Onion Live two-day show, and Bobbitt said she broug...
The Prescott Joint Parks and Recreation Department hosted its fourth annual car and truck show at Field View Park on Saturday. Turnout was light, with seven vehicles and two motorcycles entered, but spectators and participants enjoyed an afternoon visiting in the shade with free hot dogs, chips and soft drinks. Entries included: #1 Rat Rod – Bill Hayes #2 Cream Chrysler – Butch Hayes #3 '53 Blue Chevy Pickup – Bob Hillweg #4 Honda Motorcycle – Bob Hillweg #5 Harley Davidson – Bill Hayes #6...
WAITSBURG – Waitsburg School District's July 29 budget hearing was followed by a brief public discussion "entertaining the idea" of combining Waitsburg and Dayton for middle school football. Those in attendance responded in favor of the suggestion. Superintendent Carol Clarke stated the concerns of Waitsburg middle school football coach Jeff Bartlow, who was unable to be present at the meeting. With only 44 seventh- and eighth-grade students (about 52 percent boys), Bartlow is worried about t...
WAITSBURG – During the months of July and August, the Touchet Valley is buzzing with activity as farmers harvest their crops, reaping the rewards of the year's labor. Even those not actively involved in the process take part as witnesses. Drivers respectfully give heed as combines crawl along highways, making their way between fields, and children pump their arms in the air, begging truck drivers to blow the horn on their way through Main Street. And while it doesn't require grain elevators or b...
WAITSBURG – During the July 29 public budget hearing, the Waitsburg School Board unanimously approved the proposed $4.1 million budget for the 2015-16 school year. The 2015-16 budget is based on a total K-12 projected enrollment of 281.75 full-time-equivalent (FTE) students. For the 2014-15 school year, the district budgeted for 269.4 FTE and ended the year at 292.48. Total expected revenues for 2015-16, based on projected enrollment and anticipated grant funds, is $3.9 million. Total p...
WAITSBURG – Whiskey Creek Sports Bar & Grill was thrown a curve ball when their general manager was benched due to health problems just as the restaurant opened. But the restaurant's owners think they've hit a home run with new general manager, Sara Cunnington. Cunnington lives in Walla Walla and was formerly employed at Applebee's where she says she began as a server, moved to the bar and then into management. "When I heard about this position, I went for it. I'm really excited about it," s...
PRESCOTT – Prescott school board members wrapped up their July 23 board meeting with a walk outside to inspect some of the many improvements that have been made to the school grounds and facilities over the summer, including the renovation of what will soon become the new ag building. The district is looking forward to a year of growth, with the addition of a new agriculture economics program, the school's first FFA chapter, and an ECEAP preschool program. Superintendent Brett Cox said that h...
WAITSBURG – In response to a delayed pool opening, followed by a quick closure and re-opening, Waitsburg's city council agreed to allow free swimming for the remainder of the summer, at their July 16 meeting. City Administrator Randy Hinchliffe said that, typically, the first month of the pool being open is busiest and that's also when family passes are sold. With the late opening, missed rentals, and pass refunds, Hinchliffe said the city has probably already missed out on well over half the t...
WAITSBURG – The proposed annexation of the City of Waitsburg Fire Department into Walla Walla County Fire Protection District No. 2 is just one step away from making it to the voters. Walla Walla County Commissioners are slated to take action on the proposal Monday morning and will determine whether or not it makes the ballot. The City of Waitsburg initiated the official annexation process when the council approved Ordinance 2015-1031, on June 17, which stated the city’s intent to annex. The ord...
New service will specialize in providing care to clients in Waitsburg and Dayton WAITSBURG – Elizabeth Gonzalez hopes to put her 21 years experience as a Certified Nurse's Assistant (CNA) to work by pairing reliable home health care providers with patients in the Touchet Valley. Her new agency, Ameri, will provide in-home care services not only in Walla Walla, but also in Waitsburg and Dayton, where it can be more difficult to find reliable care. Business owners Elizabeth and Fred Gonzalez moved...
SEATTLE/PORTLAND – Lael Loyd, manager of Dayton's Wenaha Gallery, may have not known anyone else who took part in the Cascade Bicycle Club's 2015 Seattle-to-Portland ride, but she says she was far from alone. Loyd said she felt and experienced the presence of friends and family with every push of the pedal during the 206.2 mile ride earlier this month. "It was literally the best experience of my life," Loyd said of the ride. "I've finally found my thing. It took me 30-plus years to realize I h...
WAITSBURG – Waitsburg’s school board continues to seek clarification and possible alternatives to the Conceptual Opinion of Probable Cost – which includes a $1.5 million line item just to provide air conditioning for the elementary school – submitted by Design West Architects in June. The board will use the analysis to determine what amount to bring before voters in an upcoming capital bonds request. Building bonds, used for the modernization of the elementary, middle and high school, will re...
WAITSBURG – Waitsburg resident, Tysen R. Beckner, now faces additional charges for possession of child pornography, according to Walla Walla County Sheriff John Turner, who spoke at Waitsburg’s July 16 city council meeting. Beckner previously faced charges for severely beating his girlfriend’s child, who was left in his care on the night of June 17. According to a Walla Walla County Sheriff’s Office report, medics were called to Beckner’s apartment on the morning of June 18, after a family membe...
WAITSBURG – Walla Walla County Sheriff John Turner presented his quarterly report at the July 16 Waitsburg City Council Meeting, reporting that crime stats were “on par” to date as compared to last year, and that the WWCSO had worked 306.80 hours above the contracted hours in Waitsburg. Turner said that crime stats can be deceptive in that they don’t reflect things like the increase in illicit and prescription drug use and gang activity. Turner said crime stats were up in the cities of both Wa...
WAITSBURG – For years now, elementary-age kids who wanted to play tackle football had to join a Walla Walla or Milton-Freewater team to compete in the Walla Walla Youth Football League (WWYFL). But Bryce Scott, who has fond memories of playing with the Waitsburg Giants when he was in 3rd and 4th grades, has decided to coach a Waitsburg-based team that will bring youth football back to the area. Scott, who currently lives with his grandparents, Jerry and Karla Scott, in Waitsburg, lived in D...
DAYTON – Scouts from Dayton Boy Scout Troop 332 returned home Saturday, following a week at BSA's Camp Baldwin, a high-adventure camp located on the eastern slope of Mt. Hood. The boys reported having a great time at what may be the troop's last campout, unless new leadership steps forward. Camden Costello of Dayton, and Tom and Seamus House, Skylar and Brayden Wood and Daltin Lambert, all of Waitsburg, spent last week at Camp Baldwin with Assistant Scoutmaster Bill Warren and parent c...
