Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Sorted by date Results 544 - 568 of 997
WALLA WALLA - Frank Brown wants to be clear about why he wants to be a Walla Walla County Commissioner - and that's to serve people. "I want to work for the people," he said. Brown, who is 58 and lives on Blue Creek Road, is a 1973 graduate of Walla Walla High School and has lived here most of his life. He did leave the area for college in St. Louis and Seattle to study forensics and engineering, but since 1989 he has lived on his current 20 acres in the Mill Creek area. Brown is the third...
DAYTON - Dayton's alleged elusive squatter-burglar Daniel Baxter has reached a plea agreement with the prosecutor's office that will put him in prison for 40 months. According to Columbia County Prosecutor Rea Culwell, the state and Baxter, with his attorney Andrea Burkhart, reached a plea agreement last week. The agreement says Baxter will plead guilty to seven of his 28 total burglary-related charges. Culwell said he will plead guilty to making false or misleading statements to a law...
DAYTON -- The Dayton School Board is looking at next school year's budget trying to figure out whether to offer full-day kindergarten or employ a second fourth grade teacher to keep up with projected enrollment for that grade. This decision is a tough one and Superintendent Doug Johnson said he wants to hear from staff members, parents and community members to help the school board decide what is more important. Johnson said he has concerns about fall enrollment and the budget that will accompany it. The current full-time equivalent enrollment...
DAYTON - Not long after the smoke clears from the Friday night All Wheels Weekend fireworks on the corner of Fourth and Main streets this year, the property from which they're launched will be the scene for another milestone celebration. At 11 a.m. the next morning, local officials and Daytonites will help investors Darrek and Christina Duke from Anderson, Nev., break ground for the new 50-room Best Western hotel expected to be up and running in the spring of next year. "We're looking forward to seeing the dirt moving and the sticks go up,"...
WAITSBURG - For the first time in the history of Waitsburg's Memorial Day ceremony, those who currently serve their country received special attention along with veterans past and present. Seventeen local families received a Blue Star Service Banner from the American Legion Auxiliary Chapter 35, a recognition the service men and women usually receive at a muster but not on Memorial Day. The Blue Star Service Banners were created in 1917 and were a common sight during World Wars I and II....
WAITSBURG - Last week, new City Councilman KC Kuykendall asked the council whether it would like to add a prayer or invocation to the opening procedures of the monthly council meeting. The council did not make a decision last Wednesday on whether the members would like a prayer to be added to the proceedings because it would like to hear from community members on the topic. "It was an obvious gap in our proceedings," Kuykendall said the morning following his proposal. "It has an obvious benefit to our process." Kuykendall said the benefit that...
DAYTON -- The Columbia County Sheriff's Office announced Tuesday it arrested two juveniles, age 15 and 16, in connection to a burglary early May 25 at Fiesta En Jalisco on Main Street in Dayton. Reportedly, two bottles of high-end liquor were stolen. Both suspects have been arrested on suspicion of burglary of the second degree, theft of the third degree, malicious mischief of the third degree, possession of stolen property and minor in possession of alcohol. They are in custody at the Walla Walla Couny Juvenile Justice Center. More...
DAYTON - Welcome to all. Dayton's new Pastor Marj Johnston at Dayton's First Congregational Church says that is the no. 1 message she wants to convey. Johnston, who grew up in the small town of Raymond on the coast, is 52 and has already lived more than most people her age. Johnston, who grew up in a Christ-loving household, fought the ever-present desire in her to become a pastor for most of her life. Her journeys down other roads working at a funeral home and later with the homeless and in...
DAYTON -- Feral cats have become a public nuisance in the city of Dayton and the Dayton City Council agreed at its last meeting the issue needs a public forum to get community input and find a solution. Currently, there is no city policy or any holding facilities for feral cats in the city of Dayton. "From a personal standpoint, we've got feral cats crawling up on the roof of the house, sneaking into the basement, getting into the garage and attacking our cat, so it has become a real issue," said Dayton resident Dain Nysoe. "Those cats tend to...
The annual Waitsburg One-Of-A-Kind parade was held last Saturday on Waitsburg's Main Street. There were about 150 parade participants ranging from local rodeo princesses to the middle school band and plenty of classic cars. For the first year, the Fifth Annual Classic Auto Show was also held the traditional Days of Real Sport Weekend to provide more activities in town. The parade marshalls this year were Mr. and Mrs. Roger Hevel. The Hevels were nominated for the award because in addition to...
DAYTON - After 16 months in the executive director position for the Dayton Chamber of Commerce, Claudia Nysoe has resigned just two weeks before Dayton Days -- one of the organization's biggest events. Neither Nysoe nor the board would offer public comment as to the reason Nysoe resigned. "I really did enjoy the position," Nysoe said last Monday. "I'm confident in what I accomplished." Nysoe said she will remain in the Dayton community because she loves the lifestyle it provides. Chamber Board President Bev Rising said in a message to chamber...
WAITSBURG - City Councilman and longtime Waitsburg resident Scott Nettles has thrown his hat in the ring to run against incumbent Mike Hewitt for State Senator of the 16th District. He announced his candidacy last week but has not yet filed to run. Nettles said he will run on the Democratic ticket. "I've been kicking the idea around for the last couple of year," Nettles said. "I want to make sure (working people) have a voice." Nettles said because Hewitt has recently run unopposed, it felt...
WAITSBURG - For the first year ever, the Waitsburg annual parade and Classic Auto Show will be held on the same weekend, so dust off your parade floats and wash and wax your classic car because it's going to be an event like this town has never seen. This Friday and Saturday will be jam-packed with autos, music, parade entries, candy and plenty of vendors and activities. This weekend marks the annual occurrence of Waitsburg's horse races, the Days of Real Sport. Because the past two years have...
DAYTON - The trial date is set for Daniel Baxter, a transient man charged with eight counts of burglary who had eluded police for many months in Columbia County. Baxter, a 34-year-old drifter with ties to Montana, California and Pennsylvania, will appear in front of a judge for his bench trial May 30, 31 and June 1. Baxter is facing 28 different charges from the Columbia County Prosecutor's Office. Those charges are eight counts of residential burglary, six counts of possession of stolen...
STARBUCK - The Starbuck community received some good news last week that its post office, which was in danger of being closed, will stay open. But, this good news is mixed with bad news because the post offices in Prescott, Dixie and Starbuck will see their operating hours reduced. Verna Foley, a Starbuck community member who runs Darver Tackle with Darcy Linklater, said she was thrilled to hear the news last Thursday that the small town's post office would stay open. "I do everything through the post office," Foley said. "I don't trust the...
DAYTON - Tipsy, deep in debt, recovering from a winter car accident and stressed out from a fight with his wife, Joseph Shuba snapped on the evening of Sunday, April 29, went into the couple's bedroom to get his .22-caliber pistol, returned to the kitchen where the couple had been preparing dinner and shot Suzanne Shuba in the head, according to police reports obtained by the Times. "Nothing could stop me from walking into that bedroom and doing what I did," Shuba is quoted as telling Columbia...
Ten Years Ago May 9, 2002 Wanted: Your comments on Corps' Coppei Creek Flood protection proposal. The Coppei River left the stream bed, going over the north bank in the vicinity of the Days of Real Sport fairgrounds, flowing over and down Highway 12, through a residential area and collecting in the downtown area next to Preston Park, inundating the park, city pool and several Waitsburg Businesses. Twenty-Five Years Ago May 14, 1987 Days of Real Sports all set for this weekend; Fun Run, Drawings,...
DAYTON - One could find Rep. Terry Nealey on the court shooting hoops, talking about job creation at the Economic Development Steering Committee meeting, painting a wall to help a Dayton teen with his senior project or taking a ride around Dayton in his restored 1931 Hupmobile. Nealey, who has served on the state legislature since 2009, has announced he will be running again for his position in the 16th District. Nealey said he has worked hard on the state's budget and is focused on improving...
WAITSBURG - The Waitsburg School District enacted a new policy relating to how and how close students can dance together at school events that has caused some tension between students and staff, and even between parents with different opinions, in the community. Secondary Principal Stephanie Wooderchak said last fall some parents of students at the high school and the middle school were complaining about the style of dancing taking place at school functions after hours. The dances had occurred in the fall and some parents said they had found th...
DAYTON - The Columbia County Prosecutor on Wednesday was expected to file first-degree murder charges against a Dayton man accused of fatally shooting his wife at the couple's home on South Third Street Sunday evening. A new police report from the Columbia County Sheriff's Office indicates the alleged murder may have been premeditated and will help form the basis for the upgraded charges, Prosecuting Attorney Rea Culwell said on Tuesday. "The state will be filing murder one charges tomorrow...
The Times DAYTON - Tipsy, deep in debt, recovering from a winter car accident and stressed out from a fight with his wife, Joseph Shuba snapped on Sunday evening, went into the couple's bedroom to get his .22-caliber pistol, returned to the kitchen where the couple had been preparing dinner and shot Suzanne Shuba in the head, according to police reports obtained by the Times. quot;Nothing could stop me from walking into that bedroom and doing what I did,quot; Shuba is quoted as telling Columbia County Sheriff's Deputy Don Foley on Monday mornin...
WAITSBURG - The Waitsburg School Board voted unanimously Tuesday night in a special meeting to make several cuts across the spectrum that will impact personnel, elective courses, counseling for students and other areas and will hopefully save the district $330,000 in 2012-13. "Everybody (will) feel the reduction," said Board Member Christy House. "It's not just teachers." The budget was recently re-evaluated because the district received new budget projections that showed a drop in student enrollment from more than 300 this year to 279....
WAITSBURG - A youth choir that has brought many Touchet Valley teens together for a positive purpose is embarking on its last tour after 15 years. Pastor Mike and his wife Melissa Ferrians of the Waitsburg Christian Church have turned 15 groups of local teens into a singing sensation. The final tour of the Salt & Light Music Ministry embarks June 15 and ends with a home performance on June 21 at 7:30 p.m. at the Christian Church. "There's something about kids and music and getting them up there...
DAYTON - A Dayton man was taken into custody early Monday morning on suspicion of fatally shooting his wife at the couple's 3rd St. home on Sunday night, according to the Columbia County Sheriff's office. Joseph Vernon Shuba, 58, who had moved to Dayton from Northern California several years ago, was booked into Columbia County jail on suspision of second-degree murder after deputies found the body of his wife, Suzanne Shuba, 59, in the home's kitchen. According to law enforcement officials and neighbors, the shooting took place at around 9...
