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  • Made In Florence, Italy

    Imbert Matthee, The Times|Jun 16, 2011

    Cutting-edge La Marzocco Espresso Machine Will Help Us Serve You The Best WAITSBURG - Ron Smith, our contractor on the coffee shop, opened the door to the Times office and could barely contain himself. We stared at him in suspense. "The espresso machine is here," he said with a big grin on his face. I dropped everything and rushed outside with him. A big rig from Peninsula Trucking was double-parked in front of the future Coppei Coffee Co. store on Main Street and its rollup door revealed the...

  • Why We Wear Red Poppies

    Commander Stefan Xaudaro, Guest Column|Jun 16, 2011

    Editor's Note: Navy Commander Stefan Xaudaro gave the keynote address during Memorial Day at the Waitsburg Cemetery. It is reprinted here in its entirety with only minor editing. G ood morning, I hope everyone is enjoying their Memorial Day weekend. I would like to thank the good people of Waitsburg for inviting me to address this year's ceremony honoring our fallen veterans and especially those who have passed on since last Memorial Day. Last year, I attended this same ceremony as my father's name was added to the wall here behind me. While...

  • Political Cartoon

    Jun 16, 2011

  • Say It With Pride

    Jun 9, 2011

    Editor's Note: Waitsburg eighth grader Troy Anderson is one of two winners of this year's American Legion Auxiliary Americanism essay contest. He placed first in the state for grades 7-8. The other winner, Jacob Dunn, was featured on this page last week. "How Can I Encourage My Friends To Show Pride In Being An American?" H ow can I encourage my friends to show pride in being an American? You can talk to them, tell them how lucky we are to be Americans. How free we are and all of the rights we have. Every day when we say the Pledge of...

  • Dream Your Greatest Dream

    Imbert Matthee, The Times|Jun 9, 2011

    Editor's Note: This is the last of our profiles about the winners of this year's Times $500 Community Service scholarships to students from Prescott, Dayton and Waitsburg. Senior Christy Poirier is the scholarship winner from Waitsburg High School. WAI T SBURG - For Christy Poirier, giving back started when she was about five. She would accompany her dad, Roy, on service projects for the Christian Church of Waitsburg. Handing him tools or nails, or helping him put in an elevator for elderly memb...

  • And Stay In Touch!

    Jun 9, 2011

    You don't have to be related to a senior to be moved by one of the graduation ceremonies in the valley this past weekend. You don't even have to be a longtime local resident. Graduation, regardless of its place, its year or its class, is a timeless occasion that reminds us of our own coming of age and our own struggles and victories through high school. Of course it's much more interesting to know the Cardinals, Bulldogs and Tigers at least somewhat and see how their lives have evolved in academics and sports. Our highlight is the show that...

  • Touchet Valley Pools Open Letter to the Editor

    Tracy Daniel & Imbert Matthee, The Times|Jun 9, 2011

    PRESCOTT- Summer vacation starts Friday for hundreds of kids in the Touchet Valley. It will be a time filled with family outings, youth programs, sports camps and many other activities, but one summer pass time still is more popular in the valley than any other: swimming. "Our swimming pool is extremely important," Dayton City Clerk Trina Cole said. "This is something the children look forward to." Valley pools are even popular with families in Walla Walla, which no longer has a functional outdo...

  • Giving From The Heart

    Imbert Matthee, The Times|Jun 2, 2011

    Editor's Note: David Brock, senior at Prescott High School is one of four recipients of this year's Times Community Service Scholarships, which contributes $500 to each of the recipients' higher education expenses. PRESCOTT - For David Brock, making a difference in the lives of others started in childhood. His late grandmother, Klara Walthew, and his mom Michelle would pick a family to "adopt" every year for Christmas, preparing numerous presents of toys, clothes and food for the household....

  • Waste Not, Want Not

    Jun 2, 2011

    Let's talk trash. The Waitsburg City Council last month got its first look at a proposed new garbage collection agreement with Basin Disposal Inc. based in the Tri Cities. The current agreement, signed eight years ago, comes to an end in September. The new agreement, a draft of which was presented to the council by company president Darrick Dietrich at the last council meeting, would cover the next 10 years. (see story on page 1) The give and take that unfolded at the meeting - with council members asking numerous questions of Dietrich - may be...

  • With A Little Help From My Friends

    Jun 2, 2011

    Editor's Note: Waitsburg sixth grader Jacob Dunn is one of two winners of this year's American Legion Auxiliary Americanism essay contest. He placed first in the state for grades 5-6. His essay was read by his grandfather, Bill Zuger, at Monday's Memorial Day ceremony at the Waitsburg cemetery. The essay written by Troy Anderson, the other winner, will be featured next week. "How Can I Encourage My Friends To Show Pride In Being An American?" I can encourage my friends to show pride in being an American by not talking bad about our country,...

  • Political Cartoon

    Jun 2, 2011

  • Letter to the Editor

    May 26, 2011

    Dear Editor: I wish to express the City's appreciation for the extra service of it's great employees while recently joining in the joint project with the Commercial Club of the "City Clean Up" on May 18th. The City employees were outstanding in their efforts to do the best job possible ! It was through the extra efforts of Dan Katsel, supervisor, Travis Newman, Jeff Hofer, John Langford, the "crew" and the staff at City Hall, Randy Hinchliffe and Kelly Steinhoff that our city streets and park looked wonderful for the Parade-Waitsburg. I was...

  • The PARADE

    May 26, 2011

    Winners Youth floats: Columbia County Fair, 1st ; Rainbow Girls, 2nd; Waitsburg FFA, 3rd. Youth Groups: Matbirds Wrestling, 1st ; Weller Library, 2nd; Vacation Bible School, 3rd. Float s - Organizations: Blue Mountain Heritage Society, 1st; Booker Rest Home, 2nd; American Red Cross, 3rd. Individual Entry: Karrie Gould , Bicycle, 1st; Madison Gallaher, Horse2nd. Cars: Newer- 1960 & Newer: Jim Bloom, 1970 Chevelle, 1st; Herb Mettler, 1966 Barracuda, 2nd; Leroy Cunningham, 1969 Buick Skylark, 3rd. Vintage-1959 & Older: Dave Partridge, 1927 Model...

  • And The Winners Are...

    Imbert Matthee, The Times|May 26, 2011

    For the first time this year, The Times is awarding its Community Service Scholarship to graduating seniors from Waitsburg, Prescott and Dayton who have made a signifi- cant difference in the lives of others or in their community. Doing the math, this means there should be three recipients. However, we are pleased to announce there are actually four students who will get $500 from our newspaper for reasons that will become evident below. In Waitsburg, we want to congratulate Christy Poirier. In...

  • Of Pink And Blue

    May 26, 2011

    Walk into any Toys R Us store and you'll see it immediately. There are aisles of pink and aisles of blue. The color of boys and girls toys is one of the many ways in which our culture separates the sexes, or at least their perceived preferences, at an early age. It starts even earlier with choices of colors and gifts for a child's nursery or the clothes infants wear. And it continues long into life down to the choices we make when purchasing perfumes - masculine or feminine. Aside from the stereotype tastes these differences perpetuate,...

  • Political Cartoon

    May 26, 2011

  • Parade Day Schedule Sat., May 21

    May 19, 2011

    Cowboy Breakfast 7 - 9:30 a.m. Town Hall. Parade lineup/setup 7 - 10 a.m. North end Main Street. Parade 10 - 10:30 a.m. Main Street Wait's Market 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Preston Park Rezonators Blue Grass 11 - 11:30 am Preston Park Troublemakers Blue Grass 11:30 - noon Preston Park Carnival Games 11:30 - 12:30 Preston Park Field Games 12:30 - 4 p.m. Preston Park Ryegrass String Band 1 - 2 p.m. Preston Park Dennis Sedam 2-3 p.m. Preston Park Heather Stearns 3 - 4 p.m. Preston Park Paul Gregutt & Joe Abrams 4 - 6 p.m. Preston Park Chicken Dinner &...

  • Born Runners?

    Imbert Matthee, The Times|May 19, 2011

    DAYTON - I let Trent Hafen catch his breath after he ran the 800 meters during the season's last Middle School track meet Thursday in Dayton. He pretty much blew everybody out of the field. But that's to be expected for an eighth grader who ranks as 13th in the nation for his age group in the 1,500 meters. I asked him how he did it. Having been a runner myself since I was 18, I had a hunch what he was going to say. "It's hard to explain," he said. "It feels natural to me. It feels like I have...

  • The Show Goes On!

    May 19, 2011

    Commercial Club President Robbie Johnson grew up in a tiny western Washington town called Rosburg, about 20 miles north of the Astoria, Oregon. Drawing from a far-flung population of about 2,500, Rosburg had only one grocery store/gas station not much bigger than Waitsburg's Jackpot and it was better known for the things it didn't have than the things it did. A parade was one of those things Rosburg didn't have. And the proud hometown tradition here is one of the reasons Johnson, who moved to town 11 years ago, appreciates being in Waitsburg....

  • Political Cartoon

    May 19, 2011

  • Help Is On The Way

    May 12, 2011

    Every time a transport convoy with wind mill parts passes through Dayton, we can imagine some Columbia County residents might find the sight bittersweet. The components - giant blades, nacelles, cones and tower sections - are on their way to Garfield County, where Puget Sound Energy is moving ahead with the first phase of its Lower Snake River Wind Energy Project: the construction of 149 windmills. The building of the towers has been a benefit to the entire Touchet Valley as construction workers spend their money on gas, food and lodging in...

  • The Can-can Do-do Man

    Imbert Matthee, The Times|May 12, 2011

    WALLA WALLA - The line stretched out the door outside Charles Smith's wine tasting room on Spokane Street Saturday night. The 20s, 30s and 40s somethings who came for the weekend's hottest spring release party were carefully checked against the reservations list, carded, wristbanded and let into the chic brand-new outlet near the heart of downtown. Waitsburg's own Sharon and Larry Clinton were on hand to help see the guests in. Sharon, of course, works as Smith's business manager. Except for a...

  • Pros & Cons Of Proposed New Medical Marijuna Law

    Sen. Jeanne Kohl- Welles, D-seattle & Sen. Jerome Delvin, R-richland|May 5, 2011

    Washington easi ly adopted medical marijuana by initiative in 1998, with 59 percent of the vote. That strong public support remains today. A recent poll found that 84 percent of Washington voters favor "allowing patients with terminal or debilitating conditions to possess and consume marijuana if their doctors recommend it." Unfortunately, the law is not working as the voters intended. This is why Senate Bill 5073 - currently under consideration in the Legislature - is so important and needs to...

  • Pros & Cons Of Proposed New Medical Marijuna Law

    Rep. Terry Nealey R-dayton|May 5, 2011

    A n Associated Press story recently reported how the federal government would respond if Washington expands medical marijuana dispensaries: "The U.S. attorney for Eastern Washington has warned landlords they could face forfeiture of their properties if they rent to medical marijuana shops." The story noted that federal law prohibits marijuana use, quoting U.S. Attorney Michael Ormsby as saying, "We intend to use the full extent of our legal remedies to enforce the law." Following voter approval...

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