Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Sorted by date Results 83 - 107 of 997
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...
NEZ PERCE COUNTY, Ida. - The body of a Dayton woman missing for nearly a week was recovered Saturday along the Snake River here. She was presumed to have drowned. Sharon Matthews, 66, was last seen July 6 at Geneva Bar, on the Oregon side of the river, about 50 miles south of Lewiston. Her body was discovered several miles downstream at a spot called Buffalo Bar, on the Idaho side of the river, by officers from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and the Nez Perce County Sheriff's Office. Local search and rescue officials from Oregon and...
DAYTON - Frog Hollow Band, one of the northwest's favorite alternative country bands will perform a free concert Saturday night at the Columbia County Fairgrounds during Mule Mania. The show will run from 8 p.m. until midnight and will include dancing in the beer garden. Frog Hollow Band includes musicians from Walla Walla and Waitsburg. They have a busy schedule this summer, including performing at the Umatilla and Walla Walla County Fairs....
DAYTON - Mule and donkey owners from the northwest and the U.S. are preparing to invade the Columbia County Fairgrounds for next weekend's fourth annual Mule Mania mule and donkey show in Dayton. The show runs July 17 through 20 and is free to the public. More than 150 mules and donkeys are expected to take part. Beginning early Thursday, mule and donkey owners will take part in a wide variety of competitions, from English Dressage and driving to barrel racing and the Fast Ass Express. Riding an...
WAITSBURG - Five Waitsburg teens returned home last week following a two-week mission trip to Guatemala. The youth are pleased with the work they accomplished there, but all five agree that they were receivers as well as givers. While those they served lacked material possessions, the teens learned the Guatemalans are rich in ways many Americans aren't. Chad (18), Nick (18) and Chloe Pearson (14) and Kavin (18) and Kassidy (17) Kuykendall, along with 13 other Walla Walla area teens, formed the...
DAYTON - The city of Dayton planning commission will hold a continuation of a public hearing next week regarding updating the city's zoning code to address marijuana production and sales. The hearing will be held during the commission's regular July meeting on Tuesday, beginning at 6:30 p.m. in City Hall. A revised draft city zoning ordinance will be presented during the meeting. Under the proposed rules, marijuana retail stores will be a permitted use in commercial zones in the city, but not...
Waitsburg Celebrates with Veterans' March WAITSBURG - Waitsburg residents are invited to join the Veteran's March on Main Street at noon on July 4, followed by a potluck in the park . A brief ceremony will take place in front of the Waitsburg Hardware Store before the march. All are welcome to participate - just grab a flag and join the parade. A potluck lunch will take place at Preston Park following the parade. Bring lawn chairs and a side dish, chips or dessert to share. Waitsburg Hardware...
DAYTON - During a special meeting on June 25, the Columbia County Commissioners heard a proposal from members of the Dayton Country Club to make significant changes to how the Touchet Valley Golf Course in Dayton is operated. The group, which included Country Club board member Bill Savage and President Roger Trump, asked the commissioners to consider contracting grounds maintenance along with course management, beginning in 2015. Groundskeeping is currently done by county employees. The Country...
