Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Sorted by date Results 599 - 623 of 864
WAITSBURG - With Councilman K.C. Kuykendall in lone opposition, Waitsburg's City Council agreed to retain the City's current billing arrangement for multi-dwelling utility rates. The decision was in response to previous appeals by Keith Parkins who has converted the Preston Avenue inn into individual apartments and requested a rate break for multiple units sharing one meter. Currently, individual consumers, including occupants of apartments, duplexes and trailers, pay a separate base rate for...
DAYTON - "I don't coach Bulldogs or Cardinals - I coach kids," said Dan Nechedom. In a way, it's back to the beginning for Nechodom, who co-opped with Waitsburg in 2004 when he first got his feet wet coaching Cross Country. Halfway through that 2004 season, Dayton split off and has had its own team since. This year, due to an increased work schedule for former WP coach Joanna Lanning, Dayton and WP will once again co-op for practices, this time with Nechedom as head coach. A co-op is different...
WALLA WALLA - Local students and parents got a sneak peek at the brand new Southeast Area Technical Skills Center (SEATECH) located on the Walla Walla Community College Campus Monday night. The Skills Center will be open to the public for tours during a dedication ceremony on September 18, but students who will begin classes in the facility on Tuesday were able to tour the $11.5 million facility and talk with teachers at an Open House on Monday night. The Center is a branch campus of the...
WAITSBURG - It was an unusually full house at last week's City Council meeting, at least through the first item on the agenda: discussion and action on the new public art selection finalists. Members of the Waitsburg Art Commission, community members and artists alike were on hand to offer input on the final Council approval of the two bronze sculptures -- to reside on Main Street -- selected by the Commission earlier this month. On August 13 artists Jeffrey Hill and Squire Broel presented...
WAITSBURG - Most parents want to teach their children compassion and generosity, but it's often difficult to involve young children in service ministries. That's what led Jamie Gleason and Angela Jones to organize The Kids' Big Give last Thanksgiving. Both mothers wanted to serve alongside their children, teaching them the joy of giving in a practical way. That project, which was initially intended to provide a Thanksgiving dinner for two families, took a life of its own. Dozens of local...
WAITSBURG - In April, Waitsburg FFA members taught local students about the importance of soil (not dirt!) as part of a Helping Communities Grow competition sponsored by the Nutrients for Life Foundation. In May, Waitsburg won $5,000 at the State FFA Convention for placing first among 23 projects in the state. Last week, Waitsburg School District received a letter notifying them that the national Nutrients for Life Foundation office has chosen Waitsburg's project as the best all-around project...
WAITSBURG - Keith Parkins, owner of the apartments located at 731 Preston Avenue, approached the City Council at the July meeting regarding their prior decision not to renegotiate utility rates for his building. "I can't afford to pay over 25% of my gross for water/sewer/ garbage," he said. "Especially when I'm not using it." Parkins sold and then repossessed the property that he described as a "real dump" prior to taking back what was previously the Waitsburg Inn. He made extensive...
WAITSBURG - In May, Waitsburg's City Council updated the municipal code to allow "only licensed monument companies familiar with the City's requirements" - as opposed to family members or contractors -- to set headstones in City cemeteries. At the July 16 City Council meeting, Waitsburg resident Cindy Hofer appealed to the board to take another look at that decision. At May's Council meeting, City Clerk Randy Hinchliffe relayed that the city had received occasional requests for family members or...
WAITSBURG - "It was honestly scary. I don't even know what I'd do," said Walla Walla FFA Chapter Sentinel Reed Curcio as he described the scene that he and Waitsburg Chapter President and District Sentinel Mikala DeRuwe drove through while delivering thousands of pounds of goods to those affected by the Carlton Complex Fire near Pateros on Thursday. An email from State FFA officers asking if District 6 could do something to help sent Waitburg and Walla Walla FFA members scrambling to provide...
WAITSBURG - Wouldn't it be fun to relax with library namesake Fanny Weller over a game of checkers or to stand alongside Waitsburg founding fathers, William Preston, Sylvester Wait and William Bruce as they peruse the town? Soon, you will be able to do just that. Waitsburg's Main Street Art Project, which will commemorate these historical figures, is finally underway. The city first approached Sherwood Trust for public art funds last year, but withdrew the application when they realized they...
DAYTON - It may not seem like wood carving and gardening have a lot in common, but for 19-year-old Jordan Henderson they each provide a creative outlet and are steps on the path to entrepreneurship. Henderson has spent this spring and summer gardening and selling his organic produce from Deer Pond Gardens while the wood carvings he crafted over the winter are on display at the Wenaha Gallery. Both are businesses he's envisioned for some time. Following his senior year in high school, Henderson...
WAITSBURG - A fire on the south end of town was quickly contained early Saturday evening, but not before raising the heart rates of nearby neighbors. Perry Dozier's harvest crew took a break from their work, just south of town, to keep an eye on the black plume of smoke rising over the recently harvested hill of pea stubble to their northwest. Residents on the south ends of Orchard and Main Street, watched from their yards as leaping flames licked the hillside on the far side of Coppei Creek...
WAITSBURG - "I'm so great at swim lessons!" announced Alyssa Araya as she exited the dressing room following her Level 3 swim class at the Waitsburg City Pool on Tuesday morning. That statement - along with the fact that 60 children participated in lessons this year -- is a testament to the success of Waitsburg's swim program. This year Waitsburg offered one two-week session of swim lessons, from beginners at Level 1, to the more advanced Level 4 swimmers. Lessons are taught by guards Zac...
PRESCOTT - Two lifeguards and a young mother turn circles in the pool and gently tap their hands on the water while singing "The Wheels on the Bus" in an attempt to coax a reluctant preschooler into the water. Soon, a young Jess Winona hops in the pool to provide another dose of encouragement. Across the pool, another guard instructs a group of advanced swimmers in the intricacies of the breaststroke kick. So begins the second session of swim lessons at the Prescott pool. The Prescott pool...
WAITSBURG - Waitsburg's school board agreed last month that the District's 2001 Montana passenger van is due for replacement. Transportation supervisor Colter Mohney has since learned that finding the right rig for the job is more of a challenge than anticipated and is still on the hunt. The eight-passenger Montana is used regularly by District staff traveling to professional development workshops as well as by smaller groups such as FFA and Cross- Country. Mohney said the van has outlived its...
WAITSBURG - West Nile Virus is not as deadly or exotic as it sounds, but with three suspected cases recently diagnosed at the Waitsburg Clinic it's a good idea to know what to look for and how to treat and prevent infections. Mosquitoes that have become infected by feeding on diseased birds spread the disease, which is most prevalent May through October. The Washington State Department of Health is currently reporting no confirmed West Nile Virus infections in 2014 but mosquito samples recently...
PULLMAN - College is typically a time for growth and new experiences. But for former Dayton High School valedictorian and athlete Malia Frame, tougher academics and new friendships weren't enough. The Business Administration and Agriculture Technology and Production Management double-major decided to experience a whole new world as an athlete as well - collegiate rowing. Frame said she heard about WSU's rowing team long before she considered trying out. She knew of several Dayton alumni who...
WAITSBURG - Five Waitsburg teens returned home last week following a two-week mission trip to Guatemala. The youth are pleased with the work they accomplished there, but all five agree that they were receivers as well as givers. While those they served lacked material possessions, the teens learned the Guatemalans are rich in ways many Americans aren't. Chad (18), Nick (18) and Chloe Pearson (14) and Kavin (18) and Kassidy (17) Kuykendall, along with 13 other Walla Walla area teens, formed the...
WAITSBURG - "Can I see you put some fruit or a vegetable on your plate? How about an orange?" encouraged a smiling Susan Wildey. The Summer Food Services Program Supervisor laughed as she turned her attention to the trio of boys anxiously awaiting seconds. "You beasts! Five more minutes and you're first in line." Waitsburg's first Summer Food Program has been a hit with many local kids, but Wildey says numbers will need to double in order to ensure the program continues next year. State...
HUNTSVILLE - Huntsville residents Bill Beckmeyer and grandson Alex Breland kicked off their summer by fulfilling a longtime dream. The pair -- who "do everything together" -- added a new adventure to their resume - a week-long fishing trip in Soldatna, Alaska. Beckmeyer and Breland - dubbed "the boys" by Breland's mother, Cara Watts - live next door to one another in Huntsville and love spending time together. Their favorite pastimes are hunting and fishing. When asked their favorite hunting...
DAYTON - Two Touchet Valley teens quite literally "brought it home" this month. Waitsburg's Emma Philbrook attended Evergreen Girls State while Dayton's Matthew Warren attended Evergreen Boys State - and each walked away with the state Samsung Legion Scholarship. High school juniors who are a direct descendent of a U.S. veteran who served during a period of war and are delegates to either American Legion Boys State or American Legion Auxiliary Girls State programs are eligible to apply for the...
WAITSBURG - When Imbert Mathee, former publisher of The Times, interviewed artist Gail Gwinn last August, Gwinn wasn't yet ready to display her art publicly. The move from Whidbey Island to Waitsburg, followed by home renovations and the building a studio left her needing time to ease back into her art. Time must have done its restorative work because Gwinn's works are now on display at both the Coppei Café and Treasure Artists Cooperative next door. Gwinn once painted photorealistic...
WAITSBURG - Well-wishers bid a fond farewell to Coppei Café owner Allison Bond, while serving up a warm welcome to new operators Emry and Sandy Kleck, at Sunday night's welcome/ farewell party. The café was filled with patrons who mingled, visited and laughed as they enjoyed good drinks and tasty tri-tip. "It was a great party! We even had people stop in who had never been down before," said Bond. Emry Kleck prepared specially seasoned tritip steak on his custom grill before a rotating a...
PRESCOTT - For several years the Prescott Joint Parks & Recreation District (PJPRD) has designated one day each summer as a Safety Day to teach children about pool safety. Last year the district expanded that program and joined forces with area agencies who addressed additional aspects of safety. This year's Safety Day took place on June 24 and, with children from Walla Walla's Campfire program, youngsters from Vista Hermosa and Prescott locals, PJPRD Administrative Assistant Yvonne Jackson...
WAITSBURG - Most 18-year-olds don't celebrate high school graduation by running a marathon -- but then most 18-year-olds aren't E.J. Meserve. On Sunday,June 22, Meserve ran as the youngest runner in the San Juan Island marathon, placing 15th out of 60 competitors. Meserve's longtime coach, Joanna Lanning and her daughter Marci Jo (Lanning) Martinez, went along to offer moral support and challenged themselves by participating in the Three Lakes Sprint Triathalon on Saturday. "I've wanted to run a...
