Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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WALLA WALLA - This weekend, the Walla Walla Movie Crush returns with three days of American short films. Curated by co-founder Warren Etheridge, the films will be shown in thematic one-hour blocks beginning on Friday, July 10. The festival has showcased narrative, documentary, animated, musical, and experimental films, over the past ten years. This year, the 100 shorts are from Oscar-winners, rising stars, professional, and student filmmakers. In 2025, "Moviemaker Magazine" named Movie Crush as...
DAYTON - To encourage Columbia County kids of all ages (including adults) to learn to swim, the Friends of the Pool Committee in Dayton has offered to pay for certified swimming lessons. This includes both basic and intermediate lessons through certified Red Cross programs at the Walla Walla YMCA or any comparable certified program. The offer also includes paying for lifesaving skills and lifeguard certification for advanced swimmers. This offer will extend throughout the year. Families and swim...
On July 9, veterans who participated in The Red Badge Project will share their stories with the Walla Walla community. The project was established by former Army Captain Evan Bailey, and actor and Air Force Veteran Tom Skerritt to help improve the lives of veterans by giving them storytelling skills. Storytelling can help participants manage challenges, including those stemming from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury. The project offers classes for veterans through the Veteran Centers in Walla Walla, Seattle, Federal...
DAYTON/WAiTSBURG - It is summer, and there are plenty of events at the Dayton and Waitsburg libraries to entertain all ages. At the Dayton Library Repeating events include Terrific Tuesdays!, the library's game night at 5:30 p.m. On July 7 and 21, enjoy the tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. The second Tuesday, July 14, is an evening of board and card games, and the last, on July 28, is Pokémon night. Toddler Storytime is on every Wednesday at 10 a.m. A story or two is read aloud,...
WAITSBURG — Waitsburg Commercial Club and Waitsburg Town Hall have invited all 2026 candidates for Walla Walla County Offices and Legislative District 16, Positions 1 & 2, to a candidate forum on Wednesday, July 8. The event at Waitsburg Town Hall will begin with an informal meet-and-greet at 6 p.m. Moderators Virginia Romine and Joy Smith will start the forum at 6:30 p.m. Each candidate will have two minutes to introduce themselves to the audience. After introductions, the audience will be invited to ask questions of specific candidates who w...
WAITSBURG — The Waitsburg City Council met on Wednesday, June 17, at City Hall. City Administrator Randy Hinchliffe, Mayor Marty Dunn, and Council members Jen Bishop, Jillian Henze, Brian Richards, Jim Romine, and Kevin House were in attendance. The council opened with a public hearing on the 6-year Transportation Plan, focusing on the Preston Street Bridge. The bridge, located on the state highway, can only be replaced or maintained by the Washington Department of Transportation. Jillian Henze proposed widening the bridge’s walkways and dec...
WAITSBURG —The Columbia Walla Walla Fire District #2 is hosting its annual Firewise meeting on Thursdy, June 25, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m at the fire station on 232 Main Street in Waitsburg. The meeting will focus on issues the FireDistrict #2 will face in the upcoming fire season. Topics will include preparation for the fire season, defensive space, and becoming aquainted with local and regional fire response partners. CWWDF#2 Fire Chief Matt Spring, representitives from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, U.S. National F...
WAITSBURG - The Columbia Walla Walla County Fire District #2, and CCFD #1 from Starbuck participated in a medical emergency transport training on Monday, June 1. Life Flight Network landed one of its transport helicopters on the Waitsburg School District's baseball field on E. 10th St. The training provided by Life Flight began with a classroom presentation, followed by on-site training in assisting with patient loading and unloading, coordinating landing zones, and maintaining radio contact. "B...
WALLA WALLA - This summer, Walla Walla offers a wide range of activities for residents and visitors, including concert series, tours, food truck nights, and curated movie shorts. On June 6, the sixth annual Walla Walla Pride Festival kicks off the summer. This free, family-friendly event celebrates unity and acceptance under the theme "Stronger Together." Enjoy live music, performances, speakers, vendors, and activities from noon to 5 p.m. at Heritage Square Park downtown. On June 12 and 13,...
WAITSBURG - The Columbia Walla Walla Fire District #2 is partnering with the American Red Cross to offer free smoke alarm installations for Waitsburg residents. "Basically, we partnered with the Red Cross, trying to get smoke alarms into homes that may not otherwise have them," said CWWFD#2 Chief Matt Spring. "Bottom line: Smoke alarms save lives. The program involves minimal paperwork; we schedule an appointment and install alarms in homes that have requested them. We do a small in-home fire sa...
WALLA WALLA - The Kirkman House Museum is hosting a week of fun for kids from Monday, June 22, to Friday, June 26. The Kids First Summer Camp offers young campers a variety of activities in history, science, and creativity, including a Bunker Hill water-balloon battle. Here is the line up for the week: Monday, June 22 Learn to write and illustrate a short story, make stick puppets, and put on a puppet show. Tuesday, June 23 Learn about plants and gardening. Make a Macrame hanger and plant a hang...
WAITSBURG - A Hansen family favorite has come home. Pinky was one of Jim Hansen's many International Harvesters, which included Travelettes, Scouts, and Loadstar wheat trucks. After a little modification, Hansen used the 1949 KB-1 half-ton pickup in the wheat fields as a roustabout. Jim's daughter Cheryl knows about homecomings. She returned to the family home in 2017 to take care of her mother, Geraine, soon to turn 103. Since moving back, Cheryl has created Stella's Homestead at Geraine and...
WALLA WALLA - Walla Walla County Sheriff Mark Crider did not file to seek reelection before the Friday, May 8, deadline, according to online data from the Washington Secretary of State. Crider was first elected to the position in 2018, after serving as undersheriff for his predecessor, John Turner. Crider's current term ends at the end of 2026. Candidate filing for the Aug. 4, 2026, primary ended at 5 p.m. Friday. Chief Deputy Richard Schram and Deputy Ashley Daschofsky, both serving under Cride...
WAITSBURG - On April 16 – 18, Scouting America Troop 337 camped at the Lewis & Clark Trail State Park to help prepare the trails after recent spring flooding. The troop trimmed plants back, leveled and filled holes, and finally spread gravel on the trails to make seasonal maintenance easier. The scouts coordinated their clean-up efforts with Washington State Parks Ranger Andrew Johnson. He manages the Lewis & Clark Trail and Sacajawea Historical State Parks. "We were excited to perform this s...
WAITSBURG - Continuing its series, The Circle will host congressional candidate David Womack in Waitsburg on Tuesday, May 5, at 5:30 p.m. This informal gathering is an opportunity for voters to meet, chat, and hear from Womack, who is running for the 5th District Congressional seat in the upcoming midterm election. Womack follows visits by Bajun Mavalwalla in March and Carmela Conroy in April. The Circle is a group of residents drawn together by a desire to be better informed and more engaged...
WAITSBURG - The Waitsburg Historical Society is asking volunteers to come out and help at the Community Yard Cleanup on May 2nd, 9 a.m. to noon. There may be a possible follow-up on May 9 if needed. Its time to get the museum and its grounds showcase ready before the city fills up with visitors and residents enjoying the 2026 Celebraton Days events and parade on May 15 – 17. The Historical Society needs help tidying up the Bruce House and Wilson Philips House, planting, trimming, and raking. B...
April 17-19 and April 24-26 DAYTON - "Hello, My Name is..." This year's TVAC variety show was created around popular songs with names of characters that inspired each act. This year, the show features 60 talented local performers, including many brave newcomers. The cast and crew are comprised of volunteers aged 5 to 80, and include families and couples. This is the fourth year Jae Goodridge and Samantha Steinhoff have directed. Stephanie Snyder is the choreographer, and the talented Mary Luce...
WAITSBURG - The sun is out, and tulips are blossoming, and as usual, volunteers are preparing Waitsburg for spring and summer. Volunteers were out replanting the pots along Main Street. Karen Gregutt was joined by Jim Strawn, Janice McIntyre, Trisha Knee, Richard Hines, Corben Ketelson, Patrick, and Dayna. After the recent flooding, the city's sandbag supply needed to be restocked. Members of the Waitsburg football team came to the rescue, helping Marshall Nechrom and others fill, move, and...
Waitsburg High School qualified three golf players for sub-districts after the match at Columbia Point in Tri-Cities on Thursday, April 2nd. In the 18 holes of golf, Cody Coulston scored 107, Blake Benevides 95, and Jake Lynch 93 to qualify for sub-districts. The three will join teammate Carter Barron, who previously qualified....
DAYTON - Dayton Elementary School's 1st, 2nd, and 3rd-grade students completed swimming lessons at the Walla Walla Y (formerly the YMCA) in February and March. The school provided transportation to the pool. The Friends of the Pool Committee covered transportation and lesson expenses, supported by grants from the Innovia Foundation, Warren Foundation, Columbia County/Dayton Community Foundation, and the Exchange Club of Walla Walla. Dayton School District pays reduced fees for the lessons...
PRESCOTT — In a letter to Superintendent Steve McCullough, Chris Reykdal, Washington’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, informed ESD 123 that the petition to dissolve the Prescott School District had been rescinded. The decision was based on new financial resources identified and the Financial Oversight Committee’s recommendation. In the letter dated March 25, 2026, Reykdal summarized a series of events that demonstrate the district’s financial viability through the end of the 2026-27 school year. Between January 12, 2026, and March 25, 20...
OLYMPIA - Trump issued an executive order on March 31, 2026, directing the creation of a national voter list and restricting mail-in voting. The order calls on the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration to make the list. It also instructs the United States Postal Service to send mail-in ballots only to verified voters. Though Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that the order is legally foolproof, legal experts believe it is unconstitutional. A previous...
