Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Sorted by date Results 76 - 100 of 997
WALLA WALLA - Local students and parents got a sneak peek at the brand new Southeast Area Technical Skills Center (SEATECH) located on the Walla Walla Community College Campus Monday night. The Skills Center will be open to the public for tours during a dedication ceremony on September 18, but students who will begin classes in the facility on Tuesday were able to tour the $11.5 million facility and talk with teachers at an Open House on Monday night. The Center is a branch campus of the...
WAITSBURG - It was an unusually full house at last week's City Council meeting, at least through the first item on the agenda: discussion and action on the new public art selection finalists. Members of the Waitsburg Art Commission, community members and artists alike were on hand to offer input on the final Council approval of the two bronze sculptures -- to reside on Main Street -- selected by the Commission earlier this month. On August 13 artists Jeffrey Hill and Squire Broel presented...
PRESCOTT - "Being out of balance - everyone has their own version of what that is," Melissa Lee told the group that gathered last week at Prescott's Lions Hall. "But they're usually uncomfortable." Lee, owner of Walla Walla based Melissa Lee Acupuncture, gave a presentation and workshop on "The Science of Acupuncture and Eastern Medicine" in Prescott last Monday night. The free event began with a brief presentation on acupuncture, its history, and its benefits. Acupuncture, Lee said, was...
DAYTON - The Columbia County Sheriff's Office arrested 31-year-old Dayton resident Brandon John on Monday following two suspicious fires reported early that morning on Pettyjohn Grade Road and Robinette Mountain. Columbia County deputies have been investigating a series of suspicious fires over the last few months, according to court documents. John became the primary suspect after deputies and fire fighters noted the presence of his girlfriend's car near the scene of the Pettyjohn Grade fire,...
DAYTON - The Columbia County Auditor's Office announced Tuesday that Randy O. Lewis's name will be added to the general election ballot this year as a challenger to County Prosecutor Rea Culwell. Lewis, who challenged Culwell in her 2010 reelection bid and lost, received 18 write-in votes in this year's primary election. Culwell was running unopposed. According to Washington State law, if a write-in candidate receives at least one percent of the total votes cast in a race, he or she is eligible...
WAITSBURG - Most parents want to teach their children compassion and generosity, but it's often difficult to involve young children in service ministries. That's what led Jamie Gleason and Angela Jones to organize The Kids' Big Give last Thanksgiving. Both mothers wanted to serve alongside their children, teaching them the joy of giving in a practical way. That project, which was initially intended to provide a Thanksgiving dinner for two families, took a life of its own. Dozens of local...
DAYTON - The Dayton City Council has scheduled a public hearing August 25 to take comments on the City's draft marijuana ordinance. The hearing will be held at 7 p.m. during the council's regular meeting at City Hall. During their meeting Monday night, the council approved the first reading of the draft ordinance, but took no action. According to City Planning Director Karen Scharer, members of the public are invited to make oral comments during the upcoming public hearing. Written comments are...
DAYTON - During their August 6 meeting, the Columbia County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to deny a zoning text amendment that would have significantly changed the land use in the AR-1 zone in Columbia County. The amendment, which was requested by Monteillet Fromagerie owners Pierre Louis and Joan Monteillet, would have allowed on-site sales of any agricultural-related product in the AR-1 zone, regardless of where it was produced. Prior to the commissioners' vote, County Prosecuting...
WALLA WALLA - Incumbent Sheriff John Turner received less than half of the votes cast in Tuesday's primary election, but easily outpolled his two challengers. Tom Cooper appears to have bested fellow deputy Barry Blackman, by less than five percentage points, and will move on to face Turner in the general election in November. All three candidates were running as Republicans. Preliminary results Tuesday show that Turner received 4,874 votes, which was 45.5% of the votes cast. Cooper received...
DAYTON - Republicans Merle Jackson and Dwight Richter will face off in November for the open District 3 position on Columbia County Board of Commissioners. In Tuesday's primary election, Richter, who wasn't on the ballot but filed as a write-in candidate last month, placed second in the balloting, beating Dain Nysoe, who filed as a Democrat. Jackson was the top vote-getter, receiving more than 50% of the votes cast. Only voters in District 3 cast ballots for commissioner in the primary...
WAITSBURG - In April, Waitsburg FFA members taught local students about the importance of soil (not dirt!) as part of a Helping Communities Grow competition sponsored by the Nutrients for Life Foundation. In May, Waitsburg won $5,000 at the State FFA Convention for placing first among 23 projects in the state. Last week, Waitsburg School District received a letter notifying them that the national Nutrients for Life Foundation office has chosen Waitsburg's project as the best all-around project...
DAYTON - The Columbia County Health System Board last week agreed to ask voters to approve a capital bond levy of $5.5 million in the November general election. The funds would finance remodeling of Dayton General Hospital. The vote on the resolution was unanimous. Voters who live within the Columbia County Hospital District boundaries will vote on the measure in November, and all property owners in the district would be affected by the new tax levy, if it passes. A 60% yes vote is required for...
WAITSBURG - In May, Waitsburg's City Council updated the municipal code to allow "only licensed monument companies familiar with the City's requirements" - as opposed to family members or contractors -- to set headstones in City cemeteries. At the July 16 City Council meeting, Waitsburg resident Cindy Hofer appealed to the board to take another look at that decision. At May's Council meeting, City Clerk Randy Hinchliffe relayed that the city had received occasional requests for family members or...
WAITSBURG - "It was honestly scary. I don't even know what I'd do," said Walla Walla FFA Chapter Sentinel Reed Curcio as he described the scene that he and Waitsburg Chapter President and District Sentinel Mikala DeRuwe drove through while delivering thousands of pounds of goods to those affected by the Carlton Complex Fire near Pateros on Thursday. An email from State FFA officers asking if District 6 could do something to help sent Waitburg and Walla Walla FFA members scrambling to provide...
WAITSBURG - Primary election ballots have been mailed to voters in Walla Walla and Columbia Counties. The voting deadline is August 5. In Washington's "top-two" primary system, the top two vote-getters in each of the contested races will move on to the general election. Most of the local races in the two counties are uncontested, but Walla Walla County voters will face a choice of three candidates in county-wide races for sheriff and coroner. Three candidates have also filed for the District 3 position for the Walla Walla County Board of...
WAITSBURG - A fire on the south end of town was quickly contained early Saturday evening, but not before raising the heart rates of nearby neighbors. Perry Dozier's harvest crew took a break from their work, just south of town, to keep an eye on the black plume of smoke rising over the recently harvested hill of pea stubble to their northwest. Residents on the south ends of Orchard and Main Street, watched from their yards as leaping flames licked the hillside on the far side of Coppei Creek...
DAYTON - The primary race for Columbia County Commissioner appears on ballots only in District 3, but it gained visibility earlier this month with the filing of a write-in candidate. Republican Merle Jackson and Democrat Dain Nysoe filed for the position in May, and only their names appear on ballots. Republican Dwight Richter said he intended to file in May, but held off because of health issues that could have been serious. He was later given doctor's clearance, he said, to go ahead and run....
WALLA WALLA - Walla Walla County Sheriff John Turner faces two challengers in his race for re-election to a second term this year. Patrol Sergeants Barry Blackman and Tom Cooper both filed this year to challenge Turner. All three candidates are running as Republicans. After the August 5 primary ballot count, the top two vote-getters will move on to the general election in November. The three candidates have run a contentious campaign so far. Both Blackman and Cooper have accused Turner of mishan...
DAYTON - Main Street will be alive with mules and former students Saturday morning, as the annual alumni and Mule parade rolls through town, beginning at 10 a.m. Mule Mania kicks off Thursday at the Columbia County Fairground, with more than 150 mules and donkeys, along with their owners, expected to participate. Many of the mules from the show will participate in the parade, including at least one eight-up team. Members of several of Dayton's graduating classes celebrating milestone year, will spend Friday evening assembling floats for the...
DAYTON - Sixty years ago this summer, Bud Groom and Marilyn Fletcher were preparing for their senior year at Dayton High School. This summer, Bud and Marilyn, who have been married 58 of those years, will lead the Dayton Alumni Parade as Parade Marshals. The combined Dayton alumni and Mule Mania Parade begins at 10 a.m. Saturday on Dayton's Main Street. Many of the graduating classes with milestone anniversaries will prepare floats Friday night and ride them in the parade Saturday. When asked wh...
WAITSBURG - West Nile Virus is not as deadly or exotic as it sounds, but with three suspected cases recently diagnosed at the Waitsburg Clinic it's a good idea to know what to look for and how to treat and prevent infections. Mosquitoes that have become infected by feeding on diseased birds spread the disease, which is most prevalent May through October. The Washington State Department of Health is currently reporting no confirmed West Nile Virus infections in 2014 but mosquito samples recently...
