Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Sorted by date Results 438 - 462 of 997
DAYTON - While citizens of Dayton were in the dark during a power outage on Monday, Nov. 19, one of the three pumps that provides clean water for the city was failing, despite several safeguards to protect it, city officials say. As to not put too much work on the one pump the city has left, it is asking citizens to conserve as much water as possible. Water pumps in the city pump water from the ground water into a reservoir. The water in the reservoir is then distributed to customers. The pump, referred to as well pump number one by public...
WAITSBURG - When you mix turkey bingo, a dash of Christmas shopping, a visit with Santa Claus and a lighted parade you get Waitsburg's favorite way to ring in the holiday season. The annual Hometown Christmas events begin this Saturday and run through Monday night. "The nice thing about Hometown Christmas is that it's the same every year," said Joy Smith, the president of the Waitsburg Commercial Club. The festive events kick off with turkey bingo in Town Hall at 4 p.m. on Saturday. Doors open...
WAITSBURG - Some par- ents believe their legal rights were violated when they were asked to leave the Homecoming dance last month because of new rules created by the Associated Student Body and staff members. The new rules were a collabo- ration to help end complaints of inappropriate dancing at school functions. However, after the Oct. 20 Homecoming dance for Waits- burg High School students, school board Chairman Ross Hamann said last week parents complained about having limited access to attend the dance. The new rules, dated Sept. 10,...
DAYTON - The annual Christmas Kickoff returns to Dayton with a schedule so massive, even the Grinch would have to smile. Every year, the Dayton community wastes no time af- ter Thanksgiving, opening the event on Friday, Nov. 23, at 10 a.m. with free make-and-take crafts for kids, a Christmas market at the Dayton Historic Depot and local artists, photography, pottery and live mu- sic at the Village Shoppes. As the weekend continues, more events and venues will help get the community in a festive...
WAITSBURG - Robbie and Mari- lyn Johnson hope the person who buys the Plaza Theatre from them will bring it to life for the community. The couple put the mission-style theater on the market recently for $499,000. "We know that there are people out there (who want it)," Robbie Johnson said. "We hope there's somebody who has the vision." The Johnsons purchased the Plaza on April 1, 2004, from the Sickle Family and have spent the last eight years renovating the apartment upstairs, the bathrooms...
DAYTON - After a nar- row margin of votes between candidates for the Columbia County Commissioner District 1 Seat Two in the first count of the General Election, Mike Talbott main- tained the victory over Tom Bensel by 120 votes in the first recount on Friday, Nov. 9. On the first count Tues- day, Nov. 6, Talbott received 1,029 votes, or 52.45 per- cent of the submitted votes. Bensel received 912 votes, or 46.48 percent. On a second count Nov. 9, more ballots were counted and Talbott received...
WAITSBURG - A lifelong dream has come true for Waits- burg High School student Beka Adams. Ever since she was a little girl, Adams said she dreamed of being part of the Walla Walla Fair and Frontier Days Royalty Court and now, at age 16, she beat out the competition for a spot. Adams, the daughter of Ann and Lanny Adams, said her big- gest influence in being on fair courts was her older cousin who was Miss Pro West in the 1990s. "She was my inspiration," Adams said. Adams, who has been riding...
WAITSBURG - Six residential burglaries have been reported in the Waits- burg area since the end of September and Walla Walla County Sheriff's Office officials say they're con- cerned because in some of the burglaries firearms have been stolen. The first burglary was reported on Sept. 23 on Bolles Road. Since that time, five others have been reported, about one each week, until the most recent burglary on Oct. 27 on Whetstone Road. Undersheriff Edward Freyer with the sheriff's of- fice said a rise in residential burglaries has been occur- ring...
DAYTON - As winter ath- letes prepare for the snowy sea- son, Ski Bluewood is preparing itself for another year in a tough economy by reducing its operat- ing schedule to compensate for a lack of patrons on certain days in prior years. The new schedule for this year's season will be Friday through Sunday, as opposed to Wednesday through Sunday as the schedule had been in the past. The daily operating hours will remain the same, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the resort will open for the Christmas...
Hewitt Tops Nettles For Senate Dozier Beats Blackman For Commissioner Talbott Edges Out Bensel For Commissioner WAITSBURG - Mike Talbott edged out a narrow victory over Tom Bensel for Columbia County Commissioner District 1 Position 1. Talbott came out on top of the General Election last Tuesday by a margin of only 117 votes. One hundred thirty-eight ballots are estimated left to be counted on Nov. 9, which could impact this close race. Talbott came out ahead last Tuesday night with 1,029...
WAITSBURG - The pub- lic works crew for the City of Waitsburg is almost done with a two-year project to remove vegetation from the city's Touchet River levee that would hold back high water and hopefully protect the city from flooding. However, after the veg- etation removal is finally complete, the city still has a laundry list of to-dos ordered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to bring the levee up to the current requirements. Waitsburg City Ad- ministrator Randy Hinchliffe said there is no...
DAYTON - In anticipa- tion of tightening regulations and changes in technol- ogy in the health care indus- try, the Columbia County Health System board voted on Thursday, Oct. 25, to purchase a new intravenous (IV) mixing hood and automatic dispensing machines that will be complete with a round-the-clock tele-phar- macist. Sean Thurston, a doctor of pharmacy for Elk Drug in Dayton, presented two new styles of machines that will help expedite and organize the distribution of medica- tion to patients in the hospital district. The first purchase T...
DAYTON - Students and parents in costumes filled the gym at Dayton High School for the annual fall carnival last Saturday. Parent Teacher Student Organization President Ash- ley Kilts said the event was a success and raised about $1,300 to $1,500 for the or- ganization. The organization uses the money to support the staff and students, Dayton Elementary School Secretary Dallas Dickinson said. In the last few years, the organiza- tion has donated money for accelerated reader awards, helped provid...
WALLA WALLA - When about 20 women take the stage in harmony the sound sure is sweet. The Blue Mountain Chorus Sweet Adelines have been hitting the high and low notes since 1975 and have several awards to prove their musical chops. Just this year the group placed third for small chorus at the annual contest the group participates in. The Sweet Adelines proved their musical skills to the community in their recent Broadway music con- cert last weekend in Walla Walla. Chorus member and Waitsburg...
DAYTON - A group of six students and six parents met at Dayton High School last Friday armed with signs and an agenda to call attention to bullying in the Dayton School District. Parent Kim Suchodolski was one of the leaders of the parent-student group who made the meeting at the high school last Friday a call to ac- tion for parents and students. The group carried signs outside the school that said "National Anti-Bullying Day," "Stop the bullying," "Please help the students" and "We won't stand for it." "I believe our children have had enough...
DAYTON - The Dayton City Council took action Monday night to continue the safety and security of students who use the city skate park. The city council unanimously passed an ordinance during Monday's meeting that could inflict fines on skaters who dis- obey the rules posted at the park. Violations of the ordi- nance may result in a civil infraction and may be pun- ished by a civil fine. The first infraction fine is $100, second infraction is $150 and third and subsequent infractions could be up to $250. City Clerk-Treasurer Trina Cole said the...
WAITSBURG - Deer hunting season opened Oct. 13 and the Department of Fish and Wildlife said the week had been quiet in terms of the numbers of hunters. But, local law enforce- ment still reports instances of trespassing on private lands and poaching in the Touchet Valley area. "Trespass during hunting season is a problem," said Madonna Luers, a public information officer with the Washington State Depart- ment of Fish and Wildlife's Spokane Valley office. "It's their responsibility to know where...
WALLA WALLA - Corn and costumes made a perfect pair- ing last Thursday for the 45 Preston Hall students who visited the corn maze in Walla Walla. It was a warm, sunny fall day for the students who rushed off of the bus at the maze. Many donned costumes. Teacher Maddie Martin sported a crab hat and the kids were dressed as WP football players, serial killer monsters and even a dark fairy. Lori Bartlow, the school's administrative assistant and middle school athletic director said the kids who...
WAITSBURG - An un- usual governor-mandated burn ban in all counties followed by a spurt of wet, windy weather has frustrated local farmers who are afraid they won't get their seed in the ground before the cold weather sets in. Both Walla Walla and Columbia counties had been under a local burn ban since early July. These local burn bans are annual bans set by the area fire districts, and farmers must wait every year until these bans are lifted to do any agricultural burning. And at the end of September, when the local fire districts lifted their...
DAYTON - Interested at- tendees listened to candidate positions and a brief summary of eight measures on the ballot this fall in preparation for the upcoming General Election last Wednesday night at the Liberty Theater. Judge William D. Acey spoke first. Acey, who ran unopposed for his judicial posi- tion, addressed the eight measures on the upcoming ballot. Information about the measures is available on Secretary of State Sam Reed's voter guide website, sos.wa.gov. Columbia County commis-...
WAITSBURG - Waitsburg may have a new team to cheer for this spring. Jorge Martinez and Jeff Knowles, both of Walla Walla, have approached the Waitsburg School Board with their idea of starting a minor-league football team in the Touchet Valley and they want to use Waitsburg's football field for practices and games. The school board last Wednesday night unanimously approved going forward with the proposal for the football team pending final approval of a writ- ten agreement. "The potential for the community is kind of neat," said Stephanie...
DAYTON - The large sliding glass doors framed with gold-hued curtains are more reminiscent of a comfortable living room than a stiff and imperson- al emergency room. And Chief Operations Officer Shane McGuire said it is intentional. "Nobody wants to come to the ER," McGuire said. But when emergencies arise, McGuire said the staff hopes to minimize as much stress as possible. Little details around the updated Columbia County Health System emergency room were made with local patients in mind. The...
DAYTON - Visible progress is being made at the Blue Mountain Station site at the west end of Dayton on Highway 12 and Jennie Dickinson, the manager of the Port of Columbia, is hoping to have more commitment letters signed soon. "I've got more inquiries than I've got space for," Dickinson said last Friday. In July, Dickinson announced two letters of commitment had been signed from businesses interested in moving their food operations into the first build- ing of Blue Mountain Station. The station...
