Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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WAITSBURG - Juniper Kerr has joined "The Times" staff as a photographer. Her first assignment was to photograph this summer's harvest with her unique sense of movement and light. She visited the Northwest Grain Growers Turner elevator and the Zuger, Fortner, and Thorn crews working harvest. Kerr said she has been photographing her whole life, beginning when she was three or four years old. She was given a camera by her mother and used it to produce her own postcards to sell. After moving to...
WALLA WALLA - Twenty-four pets, including 12 cats and 12 dogs, went to loving homes during the Blue Mountain Humane Society's Adoption Event at Walla Walla Toyota on Sunday, September 14. Everyone who drove into the busy Toyota dealership was greeted with barks and smiles. The event is made possible with the support of Walla Walla Toyota, which hosts the adoption event, and media sponsor Elkhorn Media Group. Generous private and community sponsors covered adoption fees for many of the dogs and...
DAYTON - Like every industry, farming has changed significantly through the new technologies. Last year, "The Times" accompanied local wheat farmer Deborah Fortner to a field she was analyzing using a spray drone. Fortner won a DJI multispectral surveying drone at a Spray Drone End User Conference. She learned how to fly, land, and use the software for the new drone-using it to analyze the fields she farms. Though she saw the potential, she found the technology lacked the functionality that she...
DAYTON - Working harvest is a shared experience for many students and alums from Dayton, Waitsburg, and Prescott High Schools. There are jobs at the elevators, driving trucks, bankout wagons, and combines. Most kids will come back each year, building skills and confidence. Sage Kilts began working harvest for Deb Fortner when she was 16. Fortner was a horse trainer for her family, and when she asked Sage to work for her, she jumped at the chance. She started as a bankout wagon driver shuttling...
WAITSBURG - This year, the Waitsburg Historical Society has selected the Gagnon Family as the Pioneers of the Year. Members of the family will be honored at Fall Festival on September 21 at the Bruce House Museum. The Gagnon family's deep roots in the Walla Walla Valley farming community date back to the arrival of Marcel Gagnon in 1855. He immigrated from Quebec to the United States and became a citizen at the age of 18 in 1849. Along with other retired Hudson Bay fur trappers, he settled in...
DAYTON/WAITSBURG — Afterschool programs in Dayton and Waitsburg have started the new school year with grant funding. The Club in Dayton recieved funding from the Educational Service District 123’s Cohort 20 program through its 21st Century Community Learning Centers initiative. The ESD123 funding was awarded to programs in three communities, inclucing Dayton, to expand high-quality afterschool and summer learning opportunities. “Cohort 20 allows us to bring more consistent, high-impact learning time to students and families,” said Margari...
WAITSBURG - After surveying Waitsburg residents in 2022 and 2023, the Waitsburg Parks and Recreation District identified a city pool as a top priority. The district was joined by Rural Youth Enrichment Services, Waitsburg Commercial Club, City of Waitsburg, and the Walla Walla YMCA to develop the five-year plan to relocate the city pool. After the district and city agreed to locate the new pool on city property on the north side of the Touchet River, the district selected WMS Aquatics to...
WAITSBURG - The Waitsburg City Council met on Tuesday, August 12, at City Hall. Jillian Henze, Jim Romine, Kevin House, Cindy Bishop, Mayor Marty Dunn, and City Administrator Randy Hinchliffe were in attendance. Court Ruppenthal was absent. The council unanimously approved the Capital Facilities Plan update for 2025. Resolution 2025-794 was passed authorizing Hinchliffe to sign documents for the transfer of property from the Washington State Department of Transportation. The property at the end...
WAITSBURG — Since 2021, Columbia Walla Walla Fire District #2 has been looking for a full-time fire chief. The commissioners, volunteers, and community members have worked on a job description that would best serve the community. In February, the board hired Assistant Fire Chief Matt Spring to take over as chief. Spring is a Waitsburg resident with deep roots in the community and firefighting. “I grew up in a household watching my father work as a firefighter, then a fire chief, my entire childhood,” said Spring. Spring began volunteering in Wa...
This summer has been busy for fire and county emergency management departments. In July, there were fires that resulted in Level 3 evacuation orders. One fire went from Level 1 to Level 3 in eight minutes, according to Patrick Prucell, Walla Walla County Emergency Management Coordinator. Level 1–Be Ready to evacuate by having a plan and a go-kit ready. Level 2 – Be Set to evacuate at a moment’s notice, there is significant danger in the area, and it can change quickly. Level 3 – Go Now! Leave immediately, without delay. Do not stop to gather...
DAYTON - On August 2, The Scotsman, a new wedding and community events center in Dayton, officially opened. Emma Schutt, Kelli Schutt, and Gerrit DeVos did the honors at Saturday's ribbon-cutting ceremony sponsored by the Port of Columbia in celebration of their achievement. Guests were invited to tour the remodeled space and meet local vendors, including Hotel Hardware, Tipsy Boards, and Fifth & Willow, that are available for events at the new venue. DeVos, owner of DeVos Builders, said it...
DAYTON – Columbia County Prosecuting Attorney Dale Slack is leaving the office on September 1, 2025. Slack was in private practice in Dayton for four years as a criminal defense attorney, and a contracted public defender in the Columbia County District and Superior Courts. Slack joined the prosecutor's office in 2015 as a deputy prosecuting attorney was elected to replace Prosecutor Rea Culwell in 2018. "One of the office's deputy prosecutors will fill the position until the Columbia County C...
The opening of Wolfing Coffee on Main St. in Waitsburg is getting closer as this week the building's exterior is being prepped for painting and the interior is framed and being drywalled....
DAYTON - The Harting Grade Fire was first reported around 4 p.m. on Friday, July 25, less than three miles from Dayton. After burning 336 acres, the fire was contained on Sunday, July 27. Acting Columbia County Fire District 3 Fire Chief Michael Field requested that the Washington State Fire Marshal implement the Fire Service Resource Mobilization Plan to provide resources to assist local firefighters, including air support. The Columbia County Sheriff's Office contacted residents on S....
DAYTON - "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" has come to The Liberty Theater with creatures, forest animals, a queen, and diminutive miners. The familiar red truck from the Missoula Children's Theatre arrived in town on July 27. This year, the talented duo who will produce the show are friends who met at Central Michigan University. They graduated in 2024, where Ashley Chalela, 23, earned a BFA in acting/directing, and Willem Jewell, 23, a BAA in theatre and interpretation with a minor in...
DAYTON - The Bobcat Room at Hotel Hardware hosted a pop-up with food from the iconic and sorely missed restaurant, the Whoopemup Hollow Cafe. For those who miss, and those who missed, the Whoopemup when it was in Waitsburg, the Bobcat Room brought one of the owners in for a pop-up event. On July 26, Val Mudry made Whoop 'Em Up gumbo and cornbread for a room full of grateful Bobcat Room customers. Padraic Slattery commented on Facebook that he first read about the Whoopemup ten years ago and...
DAYTON & WALLA WALLA - Local kids are in for a week of theater and music, including live performances to share what they've learned with the community. The Missoula Children's Theatre and Walla Walla Symphony and Music Organization's Rock Camp are offering free summer programs the week of July 28. The Missoula Children's Theatre is returning to Dayton's Liberty Theater with a production of "Snow White". The program is open to kids entering first grade through 12th grade. Pre-registration is...
WALLA WALLA - Brasserie Four is presenting an art exhibit with work by Jim German, on view from June 2 through August 9, 2025. On Monday, July 21, the restaurant hosted an artist reception with champagne and Etruscan snacks, reminiscent of the artist's past cocktail bar in Waitsburg. The exhibit includes a series of large drawings of irises on large, unframed, and unruly paper. By the end of the reception, almost all the drawings had red dots, indicating they had been sold. There were also...
DAYTON — The Friends of the Pool Committee in Columbia County, Washington, was awarded several grants for its program to provide basic swimming lessons for area youth, and advanced training for older kids wanting to be certified as lifeguards and swimming instructors. Dayton and Columbia County have not had an operational public swimming pool since the end of 2017. Since then, many local kids have not had the opportunity to learn how to swim and are at risk of drowning. The Innovia Foundation awarded the committee $13,000. The committee r...
DAYTON -The American Heart Association recognized the Columbia County Health System with five Get With The Guidelines awards. The awards are given to participating hospitals and health systems that demonstrate a commitment to follow the AHA program's research-based guidelines for the treatment of heart disease and stroke. The CCHA participates in the Get With the Guidelines and Mission: Lifeline programs, which provide hospitals nationwide with up-to-date expertise from the American Heart...
WALLA WALLA - On Sunday, July 13, Fort Walla Walla Museum will become the hiding spot for a seasoned criminal, Orvy Whipstitch Horvathan, an escapee from the Washington Territorial Prison. He is a member of the Turkey Creek Gang, known for their horse-thieving, cow tipping, and audacious robberies. Fort Walla Walla welcomes visitors to hunt down clues detailing this dastardly escapee's run from justice. Bring your wits and gumption to follow Orvy's trail and help the territorial sheriff find...
WALLA WALLA — Throughout the growing season, volunteer Master Gardeners share their extensive knowledge in various gardening practices with their local community. Master Gardeners are university-trained volunteers who provide research-based information about gardening, environmental stewardship, and horticulture topics. They receive in-depth training, often offered by universities or their extension services. The Walla Walla WSU Expansion Office in Walla Walla is accepting applications for its 2025/26 Master Gardener Program, which begins in Oc...
WAITSBURG - After the success of last year's cheer camp, Waitsburg Parks & Recreation added six new summer activities. The first was Skateboard Camp, held at The Slab next to Simply Sawdust. For three days, eight beginner skaters worked with coaches John Langford, Austin Casey, and Grant Godard to learn the basics and have a great time. Kids love to jump on a board, but they don't always have the skills or skater's etiquette to ride safely. With a focus on safety, coaches began each day with a...
PRESCOTT- The Prescott High School All-Class Reunion was held on Saturday, June 28, 2025. Along with 1975 and 2000 class members, Jack McCaw was recognized from the class of 1945. Accompanied by his daughter Laurie Withers, McCaw was honored with a slideshow including pictures of his grade school basketball team, his high school and Navy photos, his late wife Lauretta's senior photo, and a video of him singing in a quartet at a Liberty Theater play. McCaw enlisted in the U.S. Navy just before...
WALLA WALLA - Storyteller Warren Etheredge is hosting two short film events that will put Walla Walla's Gesa Power House Theatre at the center of storytelling through short film this July. On Thursday, July 10, the theatre will present "Veterans Tell Their Stories: Red Badge Project" with stories from Walla Walla and Washington wounded warrior veterans. The evening will include an hour of short films and live presentations from veterans who have crafted their stories through the Red Badge...
