Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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Dear Editor, I am writing this letter to voice my support for Cathy Loftus Shochet to be our next Columbia County Treasurer. I have known Cathy from the time she was in school with our kids, and now I know her on a professional basis. She’s in her third year as Columbia County Deputy Treasurer. I’m the treasurer for our Senior Center, which is also a County department, so I have contact with her on a regular basis. I think she has a great work ethic. I have found her to be knowledgeable and efficient with a pleasant professional attitude. I’v...
Dear Editor, An advertisement for the Stroe candidacy appeared in the Union-Bulletin on Sept. 17. This announcement touted the many volunteer hours Mr. Stroe has put into the community, his time at the Walla Walla County Sheriff’s Office, and his current position as Director of Security at Whitman College. The ad then stated, “The most powerful person elected is a Sheriff – you should know the person you are voting for!” The implication being that the voters of this county don’t know who Mr. Stroe’s opponent is. I find this puzzling, b...
Dear Editor, Community vitality is essential. Without it we jeopardize our future. If you ask your friends what it means, you will hear a variety of answers. Jobs, careful use of public funds, support for new and existing business opportunities are essential to our future. I believe in supporting Dain Nysoe for County Commission. He will foster community vitality so we not only survive, but thrive. Back when I managed Seafirst Bank here, I got the opportunity to do home loans after some training; I was excited because I could see how it would h...
Dear Editor, I have known Dain Nysoe and his family since we were classmates in grade school. Since then, he has served his country and this community for many years, always willing to listen and to do what is best and necessary. Nysoe knows the issues facing this region. He understands the need to plan for the future while respecting the past, and he deeply cares about the land and the people. He knows how to work with both the City and the County government to solve problems and to create opportunities for the community. Being a County...
Dear Editor, My professional law enforcement career has been spent patrolling the highways of the great State of Washington. Twenty-five of my 33-and-a half-years with the Washington State Patrol have been spent serving and protecting the citizens of this great county. Being a Walla Wallan is, literally, in my blood. My uncle, Art Klundt, was Sheriff of Walla Walla County for 16 years. His son, my cousin, Kenneth, was Sheriff for four years. I was born and raised in Walla Walla. In my 56 years, I’ve had both successful and failing attempts a...
Dear Editor, Dain and I would like to thank everyone who stopped by the “Nysoe for County Commissioner” booth at the recent Columbia County Fair. It was great to be on the main fairway to see and greet so many people. The weather was perfect, and while Dain was busy listening to people express their thoughts about problems in the county, I had a fun time giving out honey sticks with little notes on them saying “BEE WISE, VOTE FOR NYSOE” Some of the kids came back many times, getting a handful for their “brother,” and that was great because we...
Dear Editor: I write urging readers to vote for Dain Nysoe as Columbia County Commissioner. As noted by previous writers, Dain Nysoe is uniquely qualified by his education, his leadership in economic development, and by his keen perspective on our county as a fourth-generation resident. To get things done as a county-level leader today, these factors are necessary and important. And so is character. I know Dain well. As cousins, we grew up together on what was a larger Donohue farm during the 1950s and 60s. We hauled hay, drove trucks and...
Dear Editor, Please elect Everett Maroon to represent the 16th Legislative District in Olympia. A 1992 graduate of Syracuse University, he is devoted to public service and is eminently qualified to serve. Before moving to Walla Walla, Maroon was the lead manager for ORC Macro’s Interface Design and Evaluation Group, responsible for the transition of many public health and health research systems to the internet. In 2003, he won the company’s Employee of the Year Award. Maroon is now the executive director of Blue Mountain Heart to Heart. Und...
Dear Editor, This is a letter of thanks and acknowledgement. We staff members at Booker Rest Home were overjoyed with how our wonderful community pulled together to help our residents. On Friday, Sept. 7, BRH (Booker Rest Home) was able to take 21 residents to the Columbia County Fair. This was an unprecedented number of residents to go on an outing. This feat would have been impossible without the support of the Columbia County Fair Board. The Fair Board accommodated the various needs of our residents and staff to make this a successful...
I want to first take the opportunity to assure City of Waitsburg residents that our current situation with the wastewater treatment plant is not something to panic about. Yes, the pressing system needs to be replaced, but no, we will not be dumping directly into the river; in fact, that would never be an option. Nor are you going to have to stop flushing your toilets anytime soon. We have reached a point with our pressing system where we are looking at an emergency-type situation IF we do not get it replaced, but we are currently working on...
Dear Editor, Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers has many noteworthy achievements. She has had 10 bills passed out of the U.S. House of Representatives, five of which have cleared the Senate and been signed into law by the President. Did you know she fought for and passed the Faster Care for Veterans act, authored major new laws to help people with disabilities to become independent, helped pass legislation to protect our Columbia and Snake River dams, won expanded support for the Spokane Teaching Health Center and community clinics to bring more...
Last April, Washington wheat, apple and cherry growers hoped U.S. and China trade negotiators would resolve differences and prevent imposition of damaging tariffs on our state’s leading crops. Unfortunately, that did not happen, and the costs are adding up. Thousands of Washington farmers now find themselves on the front lines of a battle between the two largest economies in the world. Here’s what has happened so far. Earlier this year, President Donald Trump imposed a 25 percent tariff on $34...
Dear Editor, I read the recent article on Waitsburg School District considering dropping Life Management Skills (LMS) as a requirement with interest and concern. I am a WHS graduate who benefited from taking Running Start classes in the mornings my senior year. Having exhausted most of my class options at the high school, my Running Start classes helped fill out my schedule, allowed me to earn some transferable college credits, and eased my transition to a four-year college. Now, as a college professor, I may seem like the perfect advocate for...
Dear Editor, This last Waitsburg City Council meeting, held August 15th, left me with some serious concerns about city maintenance in general and the wastewater treatment facility specifically. The discussion revealed a problem with equipment that was identified years ago as being a problem. The immediate problem has now become an emergency situation, the outcome if no solution is found within the next 2-3 weeks is potential release of untreated or partially-treated waste into the river. This I believe comes with a $10,000 a day fine. There wer...
Dear Editor, Thank you to the Waitsburg, Dayton, Walla Walla County, and College Place fire districts for responding to the many fires on Highway 124 in late July. Also, special thanks to our neighbors and friends who helped us fight these fires. The McCaw family Waitsburg...
Dear Editor, I am writing this letter in support of Dain Nysoe, for Columbia County Commissioner. Dain is a fourth generation resident of Columbia County. He is the manager of his family farming operations, therefore very familiar with the geography and the roads of the area and the needs of the agricultural community. Mr. Nysoe has been a viable member of the Dayton City Council for several years and is aware of how city government operates and of the challenges people of Dayton and the county face. He has served on the Finance committee as...
Dear Editor, I am asking you to support and vote for Dain Nysoe for Columbia County Commissioner. As a fourth-generation resident of the community, his educational and public service background make him an ideal person for the position. As manager of his generational family farm and a seven-year member of Dayton City Council, he is fully aware of the problems and assets of our county. He will bring a level-headed and non-partisan attitude to the Commission. Please vote for Dain and elect a person who is not only approachable, but responsible....
Dear Editor, Thank you for placing my article about the Winder family in your paper. I have received good information from two sources that is very helpful in continuing my family History. My wife and I will still be in Dayton on the 12-13th of September to see and photograph my family grave sites for our book. Thanks Again Melvin (Mel) Jasmin Warrenton, Ore....
Dear Editor, Recently, our household received a colorful mailer from the “PAID FOR CATHY McMORRIS RODGERS FOR US CONGRESS” campaign, indicating that “Liberal Lisa Brown chose to protect dangerous sex offenders instead of our children.” What this mailer doesn’t say is 1) Lisa Brown voted against the 1996 WA State bill because it did not provide protection for pre-schools or child care centers, and would not have accomplished more safety for children, 2) the 1996 bill passed the house, but was never voted on by the Senate, apparently because no o...
Dear Editor, My son is a Walla Walla County Sheriff’s Deputy. Every day, I pray the safety of every deputy because their job is inherently dangerous, unpredictable, and mentally and physically taxing. They do their job without complaint and without looking for any thought of reward. I know they appreciate the public’s support as we are fortunate to live in a county where law enforcement is respected and valued. In recent weeks, however, I have seen a few members of the public take to social media sites and other news outlets attacking the dep...
Dear Editor, I know most of you have received your ballots by now and many of you have already voted. If you haven’t, first and foremost, please vote. Every election is an important election and your input is needed. I want to address specifically those people who are still researching for whom to vote. I feel this election is very important for the direction of the Walla Walla Sheriff’s Office (WWSO) and for the citizens of Walla Walla County. I’ve been in law enforcement for over 35 years. I was a law enforcement officer for 30 years and t...
Dear Editor, “Cease fire!” The firearms instructor roared. Nervously we looked down the firing line, wondering which cadet had messed up. A mistake was made and now collectively, we were all going to pay. “If you’re not competent with your weapon, you’ll get killed! Holster and assume the position!” We holstered our handguns and knelt down on the snow-covered gravel of the police academy range. On the instructor’s count, we did pushups until we were exhausted and he was satisfied. He ordered us up, took a softer tone and explained. “G...
Dear Editor, Matt Stroe will be a strong sheriff that will serve with honesty and dignity. Matt started his criminal justice career as a juvenile corrections officer, completing the state academy in 2006. Sheriff Humphreys hired Matt in June 2007 as a deputy sheriff. After months of field training Matt was cleared to patrol prior to going to police academy in the late fall of 2007. At police academy, Matt completed all but the last two-and-a-half weeks of a 20-week academy in 2008 before he was injured by an overzealous instructor during...
Dear Editor, Dain Nysoe will be a good county commissioner. His educational background in business and public administration are perfect for the job. He’s a local boy and knows the community. Also, spending the last seven years on the Dayton City Council has given him plenty of experience in local politics. He was involved in the decision to consolidate planning, inspection and compliance services with the county. This has saved thousands of dollars for both the county and the city. Having a good working relationship with the city and county w...
Dear Editor, I am the wife of a United States Marine and a Sheriff’s Deputy. In years past, I watched my husband mount up and go to war. I knew he was fighting alongside the best men America had to offer and I knew the leadership he served under was well prepared, experienced, and qualified to get the mission accomplished. Now I watch my husband go out shift after shift and proudly serve the citizens of Walla Walla County. Like his combat deployments, I know my husband is working with an assortment of exceptional men and women and has l...
