Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Sorted by date Results 278 - 302 of 307
DAYTON-Chair of the Board of Commissioners, Earle Marvin, opened the May 12 meeting with public comment. Betty Longren spoke, urging the commissioners to respect all community members and get behind local businesses. She wanted the Port to listen to businesses and those in the community who are against the trail project. Dayton Chronicle reporter, Melissa Gemmell, asked if the commissioners had any comments they would like to make to those protesting the trail. Commissioner Sean Milligan...
I ran across Hyperbole and a Half, by Allie Brosh, shortly after it was published in 2013. At the time, it seemed like graphic novels were replacing the written word. I have to say I was not a big fan of the genre. The books either had great drawings and boring text or vice versa. Hyperbole and a Half has brilliantly funny drawings and a clever, intelligent narrative. They work perfectly together, and the book is full of pleasant surprises. Brosh presents the autobiographical stories grouped by...
When I took over The Times in 2019, I was an avid newspaper reader, not a newspaper journalist. Just because you've eaten in a restaurant doesn't mean you can run one. Michele was one of the constants as I began my new endeavor. She covered Dayton and Columbia county in a comprehensive way, as a citizen, friend, and civic member who cared about her community and journalism. You couldn't read her articles and say you weren't well informed about the issues. Michele joined the paper in October...
The Painter and the Thief, Hulu This Norwegian documentary is a story of friendship built from art and theft. The painter is Czeck artist Barbora Kysilkova whose natural curiosity leads her to a friendship with one of the men who stole two of her most valuable paintings. The thief is Karl Bertil Nordlund, one of two thieves who opportunistically, yet carefully steal Kysilkova's paintings from an Oslo gallery. His need to be seen is offered by the filmmaker as one reason he may have accepted...
Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford Though this best-selling book was published in 2005, I didn't read it until 2009. Before then, my reading material rarely included invading empire-building conquerors. This was before Game of Thrones (GOT), both the books and HBO series, became an addiction in my household. What little I had learned about Genghis Khan was that he was a violent and ruthless invader, on horseback, wearing fabulous fur fashion. I especially loved...
Michele Smith’s picks Caste by Isabel Wilkerson The concept of caste has been around long before the concept of race. In her book, Caste, Isabel Wilkerson takes us on a trip through the Hindu caste system, the Nazi plan to exterminate Jews and others deemed inferior, and through to the caste system in America, which is based on race. As an artificial hierarchy, caste determines one’s place in society and which members will benefit from having better access to resources. Tecumseh and the Prophet:...
Having a dog who requires long and frequent walks, I have begun listening to audiobooks. Often, if the book is a good one, I continue listening after our walks. I tend to rotate the selections between historical non-fiction and Scandinavian murder mysteries. The last book falls into the former category. The Space Race is a documentary-drama series released to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the 1969 moon landing. The ten episodes cover the space program focusing on the relationship...
4 Streaming on PBS, BBC, Britbox and Prime Video This series may feel familiar; there was a long-running British series of the same name from 1978 to 1990. The new series has just been picked up for a second season and is currently streaming season one on PBS and the BBC. The story follows the adventures of James Herriot, a veterinarian in 1930s Yorkshire. It is based on the books by British veterinary surgeon Alf Wright, who wrote under the pen name James Herriot. In the first episode, we...
Over the last four years, there has been an increased narrative that the mainstream media and print journalism are purveyors of ‘fake news.” The news media has repeatedly been presented as “the enemy of the people” by our president; when, in fact, it is one of the most essential and critical elements of our success as a democracy. The Constitution protects and encourages the free press. Without this protection, the press would not be able to alert citizens to government abuses and corruption. As a locally published paper, The Times works u...
Growing up, my family loved to find ways to make our Christmas trees unique. Not always successfully or safely. In the sixties, my mother turned one tree into Pop Art bordering on Psychedelic Art. Brightly colored giant paper flowers in orange, pink, and lime green, love beads, and loads of lights covered the tree. It was so mod, reminding us of the 'Joke Wall' on T.V.'s Laugh-In (look it up). We were so excited to plug in the lights and enjoy its grooviness. It took less than four minutes for...
Mail delivery is deemed an essential service by the government. Americans rely on the timely delivery of everything from prescription medications to Social Security checks. Many residents in our community must go to the post office to pick up or send mail and packages. Residents who are older or have underlying conditions do not always have the option to avoid making a trip to the post office. Our local postal workers work hard to ensure the facility, including the post office boxes, lobby, and...
I was one of those early nerds who couldn’t wait to get my hands on the first Apple iPad. I had been using my iPhone to draw using an app called Brushes. One of my art heroes, David Hockney, had been doing daily drawings on his iPhone and sending them to friends. I was intrigued by the images. The phone was too small for me, and I embraced the larger iPad immediately. I took it traveling and found I could have full color to work with. Because the app allows for layers and transparency, it was m...
For over a quarter of a century, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Ann Lamont has inspired new writers with honest and down to earth advice, written with humor and experience. The title refers to advice Lamott’s father gave her brother, who was struggling with a school paper on birds. Just write one bird at a time, and don’t get overwhelmed. “Thirty years ago, my older brother, who was ten years old at the time, was trying to get a report on birds written that he’d had three months to write. It was due the next day. We...
Thursday morning, I met up with my friend and local businesswoman, Regina, to have breakfast at Locally Nourished in Dayton. As soon as I drove up and parked in front of this café, I felt welcomed by the beautiful greenery forming an arch over the doorway. Walking in, I was struck with the casual and elegant design of the dining room. The menu and menu boards are clear and easily read from a distance. There is a display case with the daily specials and staples promising fresh seasonal treats...
WORLD WIDE WEB—Recently I watched The Social Dilemma, a documentary-drama directed by Jeff Orlowski, currently available on Netflix. The movie presents a series of interviews with Silicon Valley engineers and tech experts discussing the science behind technology addiction, surveillance capitalism, and other dangers embedded in popular social media platforms. There is also an acted and scripted story interspersed between interviews, illustrating how a family faces the effects of their social media use. The interviews are harrowing; they cover wh...
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the second woman to serve on the Supreme Court and a pioneering advocate for women’s rights, died on Friday at her home in Washington, D.C. She was 87. The cause was complications of metastatic pancreatic cancer, the Supreme Court said. “Our nation has lost a justice of historic stature,” Chief Justice John Roberts said. “We at the Supreme Court have lost a cherished colleague. Today we mourn, but with confidence, that future generations will remember Ruth Bader Ginsbur...
I am not a big fan of nature documentaries. Being an animal lover, I cringe at the depiction of the food chain in cinematic realness. Like the unnamed Star Trek crewmembers chosen to beam to a planet, my favorite characters are always first to be killed off. It takes a lot for me to make an exception. Based on the recommendation of my brother-in-law, an avid snorkeler, I gave this movie a chance. I am so glad I did. Not that it doesn’t have sharks and all that that implies. There is a real t...
The River Cottage Preserves Handbook, by Pam Corbin, (Ten Speed Press, 2010). The British have a knack for preserving, and author Pam Corbin has created easy steps with gorgeous images in this book. There is nothing more rewarding than preserving fruits and vegetables from the garden, so get out the kettle and grandma’s canning jars! My favorite recipe from the book is Bachelor’s Jam; a recipe with fruit, sugar and rum, brandy, or gin. You can sign up for the River Cottage Newsletter or che...
A typical 'traffic jam" in downtown Waitsburg, during Harvest. Alway a show and always fun to see as larger and larger equipment navigates the tricky turns through town....
Springtime in Waitsburg is official when there is a sighting of the miniature horse and cart making its way to the grocery for treats....
Participate in our photo challenge!...
Every holiday season I imagine showing up to a party bringing an incredible dessert. Historically I am asked to bring wine or extra chairs to potlucks as my baking skills are notoriously weak. This year I decided to do a little pre-holiday research by watching two of the most popular baking shows currently available on Netflix. The first, The Great British Baking Show, is a long running competition filmed under a big tent and featuring talented amateur bakers. The tent is not the only difference...
This has been one of the most challenging and rewarding years of my life. Since deciding to purchase the Waitsburg Times my main objective was to ensure the continuation of publication which began in 1879. Prior to owning the paper my only journalism experience was being an avid reader who appreciated the cultural and political relevance of print journalism. The Times is a paper of record, for Columbia County and Walla Walla County, and is vital to the communities that it serves. Papers of record are used to post important notices, record...
A view of the Columbia County Fair's derby champs....
Yesterday is such a charming movie with an (almost) all-Beatles soundtrack that is hard to be too tough on it. So as long as you aren’t a stickler for logic, it is fun ride with an interesting premise. After a worldwide blackout, the Beatles and their music are completely wiped from existence, except in the memory of one man. Singer songwriter, Jack Malick (Hamish Patel) has been struggling to make a career in music by playing to less than enthusiastic, local audiences while working part-time i...
