Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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WAITSBURG - Rain and warmer weather over the weekend of March 14 and 15 caused flooding in Walla Walla and Columbia counties. In Waitsburg, city workers monitored the Touchet and Coppei rivers as rain and snow melt raised water levels. Waitsburg City Administrator Randy Hinchliffe said the city reached out early Saturday morning to warn residents in the areas most likely to flood. Overtopping from the Touchet River surged onto properties east of the Preston Bridge, on Highway 12. Many of the...
WALLA WALLA — The Walla Walla County Master Gardener plant clinics will begin on April 7 at the Washington State University Extension Office. The clinics will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. The plant clinics are run by university-trained Master Gardeners, who volunteer to help residents cultivate healthy, productive, and resilient landscapes. Master Gardeners undergo extensive training in plant science, horticulture, and integrated pest m...
OLYMPIA—Students in Washington have a variety of graduation pathways established by the state legislature in 2019. Among these is achieving a qualifying score on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery. Since 2019, an increasing percentage of graduates have completed the ASVAB. The Office of Superintendet of Public Instruction reported that over 5,400 graduates (7.2%) reported completing the ASVAB as a graduation pathway in 2025. With more graduates completing the ASVAB each year, the OSPI has not had data to determine whether ASVAB c...
OLYMPIA—The Washington State Department of Health has extended RSV immunizations for infants through April 30. RSV immunizations are usually available from October to March. This extension gives parents more time to protect infants who have not received RSV protection. “Extending RSV immunizations helps keep babies out of the hospital while disease activity remains high,” said Dr. Tao Sheng Kwan-Gett, State Health Officer, DOH. “If your infant is younger than 8 months or a higher-risk toddler between 8 and 19 months old is not immuniz...
DAYTON-The regular meeting of the Columbia County Parks and Recreation Pool District was held on February 26 at 5 p.m. Topics of discussion included fundraising opportunities. The district recently learned that it did not receive the $600,000 Capital Campaign legislative grant it applied for. There are three other grants in process. The district will continue to pursue fundraising opportunities and grants needed to build the pool. In May, the district will hold a yard sale to benefit the pool du...
DAYTON - The Dollar General store at 221 West Main Street in Dayton is now open. To celebrate, the company invites the community to a grand opening event on Saturday, March 14, at 8 a.m. Join the Dayton Chamber of Commerce for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to welcome the new business. The first 50 adults will enjoy $10 gift cards, and the first 100 customers will receive a DG tote bag. "At Dollar General, we believe the addition of our new Dayton store provides positive economic growth for the...
WALLA WALLA - The Walla Walla – Tambasasayama Sister City Committee will unveil two bronze statues of Japanese Dekansho dancers on Saturday, March 21, at 4 p.m. on the Friendship Bridge in downtown Walla Walla. A delegation of Tambasasayama high school students and chaperones, in Walla Walla for a week-long cultural exchange, will be present for the unveiling. This marks the completion of the Friendship Bridge Project, celebrating the 50th Anniversary (1972-2022) of the Walla Walla and T...
NEW YORK, NY - This month, items from the Jim Irsay collection are being auctioned by Christie's. Jim Irsay inherited the Indianapolis Colts from his father and served as the principal owner, chairman, and CEO until his death in May 2025. The billionaire built a collection based on his interests in popular culture and music. It is considered one of the largest and most significant guitar collections, including instruments originally owned by Elvis, Prince, The Beatles, The Stones, and Johnny...
WAITSBURG - The Columbia Walla Walla County Fire District #2 holds between two and four trainings a month to learn and maintain essential skills. Last week, the district's Assistant Fire Chief, Dane Henze, ran an innovative training to familiarize the firefighters with the efficient use of their Personal Protective Equipment, including Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus. At the Waitsburg station, eleven firefighters participated in a game of dodgeball while wearing full firefighting PPE and...
WAITSBURG - The Waitsburg Commercial Club is reminding the public to send in nominations for this year's Community Service Awards. Don't delay, as the deadline for nominations is March 25, 2026. There are four awards, which will be presented during the club's annual meeting and dinner on April 21, 2026. The nomination letters should include a statement on why the person or business deserves recognition in one of the following categories: • Community Service Award – Recognizes a person who has...
WAITSBURG - After a two-month winter break, Simply Sawdust will reopen on Thursday, March 5. Owner Gloria Wilson used the break to enhance the shop both inside and out. Wilson sold her CNC router, lathe, and milling machines to expand her workspace. She refreshed storefront displays and added products, all with shop-dog Kate's guidance. Customers will find new products, such as cloth bread bags paired with matching wooden spoons. The shop continues its commitment to supporting community makers,...
WAITSBURG - A group of Waitsburg citizens has been meeting to foster community connections and strengthen civic engagement and political change. The group, known as The Circle, was formed by Tom Elstrom, the Walla Walla Democratic Precinct Officer. And though many attendees identify as Democrats, Elstrom said people of all political stripes who are unwilling to give up on the Republic are welcome. The meetings are held on the first Tuesdays of the month at 5:30 p.m. at Ten Ton Art, 216 Main Stre...
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Buddhist Monks have completed their 2,300-mile, 108-day walk for peace from Ft Worth, Texas, to Washington, D.C. They walked into the nation's capital on February 10, 2026. The nineteen Buddhist monks, led by the Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara from the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center, made the journey to promote compassion and unity. Law enforcement presented them with many police badges and pins, symbolizing protection, respect, and solidarity. After arriving in Washington,...
WAITSBURG - The IRS has warned that any emails, texts, or social media posts claiming that you must "act now" to receive a $2,000 check are scams. Below is an example of the scam, which was sent by text to "The Times". "June, we can't release your $2,000 Trump Check until you reply. Your response is OVERDUE. Deadline extended to 9pm: https://red1st.net/wy44oeKT" As of February 2026, the administration has not mailed any $2,000 checks, and neither Congress nor the Internal Revenue Service has...
PRESCOTT - Efforts by the Prescott School District, Parents and Teachers Organization, City of Prescott, and community members continue to work hard to save the Prescott schools. Creative fundraising ideas include the City of Prescott purchasing the school district's Teachers Cottage to relocate city hall, and the successful Brick Fundraiser. Upcoming events include a Community Indoor Sale, featuring donated items. All proceeds will go to the school district's general fund. The sale will be at...
WALLA WALLA - Blue Mountain Heart to Heart has been awarded $1,000,000 from a congressionally directed appropriation sponsored by Senator Maria Cantwell. The funds are to be used towards a new BMH2H facility in Walla Walla. The proposed project will convert a 14,000 sq. ft. warehouse at 3 W. Poplar to a state-of-the-art clinic, classroom, social services, and case management facility. Outpatient services at this site will include substance use treatment, individual and group counseling, a small...
Waitsburg City Council met for the first meeting of the year on January 21, 2026. Council members Jennifer Bishop, Kevin House, and Brian Richards, Mayor Marty Dunn, and City Administrator Randy Hinchliffe met at City Hall. Jim Romine and Jillian Henze were in Olympia, Wash., for City Action Days, a conference hosted by the Association of Washington Cities. Romaine joined the meeting in progress via Zoom. After approving the minutes from the December meeting, the council heard year-end reports from the Walla Walla Sheriff’s Office, Weller Publi...
WAITSBURG -Last Saturday, January 24, the Waitsburg Alumni Association President, Deanna Tipton, presented a $1,000 donation to Ross Hamann, President, and Julie Karl, Vice President of the Waitsburg Booster Club. The Waitsburg Alumni Association's mission is not only to support graduates through scholarships and financial support but also to foster a sense of community through events and gatherings, and to facilitate networking opportunities for alums. "The board feels that it's important to...
COLUMBIA COUNTY - Bluewood Ski Resort offers a variety of racing programs, skiing and snowboarding, and accessible programs. Pete Korfiatis, Bluewood's general manager since 2021, has extensive experience in alpine racing and coaching. He was a nationally ranked alpine ski racer by his late teens and later held multiple positions with the U.S. Ski Team, including coaching for the men's team at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Korfiatis brings a wide range of winter sport experiences to the mountain...
WAITSBURG - After a kitchen fire in November, Whiskey C is open with a remodeled kitchen and new menu items. The hours are limited as staffing is built back up to pre-fire levels. Owners Corben Ketelsen and Tommy Long reopened last week, and the parking lot was full. Hours are Wednesday and Thursday from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Closed Sunday through Tuesday....
WALLA WALLA — At its January 12 meeting, the Walla Walla Board of County Commissioners postponed making an appointment to fill the county auditor vacancy. The previous auditor, Karen Martin, retired on December 31, 2025, leaving a year till the end of her term. The commissioners have 60 days to fill the vacancy that runs through December 31, 2026. The next election for the partisan seat will be the November 2026 general election. Martin, a Republican, was reelected in 2022. Since the auditor position is a partisan seat, the Walla Walla County R...
WAITSBURG — Waitsburg School District has a two-year replacement Educational Programs & Operations (EP&O) Levy on the Feb. 10, 2026, ballot. This levy will replace Waitsburg’s current levy, which was approved by voters in 2024 and is up for renewal. This is NOT a new tax. If approved, the levy funds will be used to support school programs not fully funded by the state. Please feel free to contact the Waitsburg Superintendent’s Office at 509-337-6301 with questions or to learn more about the school levy. A levy is a locally approved tax based...
WALLA WALLA — The February 10, 2026 Special Election will decide a levy for Walla Walla County emergency medical care and services, replacement and supplemental levies for school districts including Dixie, College Place, Prescott, Waitsburg, and the dissolution of several fire districts. The county will mail ballots to registered voters by Friday, January 23. Military and overseas ballots were mailed on January 9, 2026. All ballot testing, processing, tabulation, and canvassing meetings take place at the elections office at 315 W. Main St, W...
WASHINGTON —The Washington State School Retirees and the Walla Walla-Columbia School Retirees Associations are now accepting applications for scholarships. The WSSRA is accepting applications for four grants: the WSSRA–Foundation, the Robert J. Handy, the Gene Forrester Memorial, and the Neil D. Prescott Scholarships. • WSSRA – Foundation Scholarship – eight $2,500 awards • Robert J. Handy Scholarship – 16 grants for $900 per year, renewable for up to four years. Awarded to students whose degree will be in one of the following areas: teache...
WAITSBURG - The first supermoon of the year was also the last in a series of four following October, November, and December 2025. Supermoons appear brighter and larger as they are full, while they are at their closest orbital point to Earth. The January Wolf Moon coincided with the peak of the Quadrantid meteor shower. The next supermoons will be at the end of the year: November 24 for the Beaver Moon and December 23 for the Cold Moon. The photo below was taken by Waitsburg resident Carrie...
