Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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First girl wrestler for the Cardinals Feb. 20 – Karissa Potts made Cardinal history by joining the H.S. wrestling team. Coach Lash LaRue described Potts as a pleasure to work with and hoped other girls would join the team the following season. Former City Hall building sale closes April 10 – Waitsburg City Council accepted Chet Childers' second offer for Waitsburg's former city hall property. The $130,000 sale closed on April 7. Childers said he looked forward to learning more about the bui...
DAYTON — The Dayton School Board met in the high school library at 6:30 p.m. on December 17, 2025. Superintendent Jeremy Wheatley, Board Chair Jeffrey McCowen, Board Members Pat Davidson, Grant Griffin, and Ryan Paulson were present, with Aneesha Dieu via Zoom. The first order of business was to swear in the three re-elected board members. With the members sworn in, the board duties were reassigned by vote or affirmation: •Chair: Jeffrey McCowen •Vice Chair: Grant Griffin •Facilities: Grant Griffin, Pat Davidson, Ryan Paulson •Budget and Finan...
DAYTON — Mayor Roger Trump called the Dayton City Council to order at 6 p.m., December 16, 2025. Council members James Su’euga, Michael Smith, Glenn Hagfeldt, Kyle Anderson, Laura Aukerman, Shannon McMillen, and Joann Patras were present. Sheriff Helm reported that his department handled 515 total incidents in November, broken down as follows: 202 traffic stops, 21 other traffic calls, and five traffic accidents. Sheriff Helm said his deputies would focus on DUI enforcement patrols this month as part of a Statewide push. He also said there was...
CCPT plans to purchase the port building it leases. DAYTON – The Columbia Port Commissioners held their regular meeting at 5 p.m. on December 10, 2025, in the port office conference room. All Commissioners were present in the Port conference room: Mike Spring, Johnny Watts, and Chair Seth Bryan. Also present was the Executive Director, Jennie Dickinson. There was no public comment during the first public comment period. The commissioners began by approving several routine administrative items. Dickinson briefly discussed Columbia County P...
SPOKANE – Walla Walla Swim Club member, Sydney Smith, took the high point award at the Winter SWAT Swim Invite on December 6 and 7 in Spokane. This is the second year the Waitsburg Elementary student has earned the high point recognition in her division at the Spokane meet. She and her teammates competed against nine other teams, from Walla Walla to Missoula, Montana. Smith swam in the eight and under division and placed first in the 100m individual medley, 100m breaststroke, 100m freestyle, a...
WALLA WALLA — Columbia REA has chosen three local organizations to receive a 2025 Legacy Grant in the amount of $250,000 each. After careful consideration of all applications, the $750,000 Legacy Grant funds will be shared evenly between: Burbank Wrestling Club for facilities improvement/expansion in cooperation with the Columbia School District Starbuck School District for the installation of new playground equipment Walla Walla Summer Theater Group for renovation and restoration of the Fort Walla Walla Amphitheater Columbia REA has a long his...
DAYTON—The annual Port of Columbia Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) meeting held last week highlighted significant ongoing and potentially new projects for Columbia County. Billikin Energy Center Consultant Michael Mullaly provided an overview of a dual-fuel combustion turbine generator facility for a site on the Snake River west of Starbuck. The proposed half-billion-dollar peaker power plant will boost power during high demand or power grid emergencies. There are 1,200 s...
WAITSBURG - The 40th Annual Hometown Christmas brought holiday activities throughout town over the weekend. The fun started on Friday with a soft opening of the city's skate park. The synthetic ice rink was free for skaters of all ages, including the use of skates. The city held the official ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday. At Town Hall, vendors offered a variety of gifts from local businesses and craftspeople. Dusty Britches Farms served a wide menu of tasty treats, including biscuits and...
WAITSBURG - On November 25, the Cardinal's Amazing Shake mini-gauntlet brought a creative twist by introducing a Monopoly Edition theme. Waitsburg students stepped into a life-sized version of the classic board game, navigating stations inspired by the game's properties and elements, designed to test their communication skills, professionalism, confidence, and quick thinking. Twenty-one community volunteers served as judges at 14 stations, scoring students who were challenged to adapt,...
WAITSBURG - Since 2014, the Waitsburg High School Alumni Association has awarded an estimated 50 scholarships to WHS graduates for college and postsecondary education. The first recipient of the program was Nicholas Pearson, a member of the class of 2014. Following graduation, Dr. Pearson earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Whitworth University in 2018 and a Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of Washington School of Dentistry in 2024. At the UW, Pearson was one of 8 of 72 de...
DAYTON — The Dayton School Board held its regular meeting on November 19, 2025. Superintendent Jeremy Wheatley, Board Chair Jeffrey McCowen, and board members Pat Davidson, Grant Griffin, and Ryan Paulson were present in the school library. Aneesha Dieu joined via Zoom. The board approved the consent agenda, including Shannon McMillen as a volunteer HS Girls Basketball coach and accepted a $1,000 donation from Puget Sound Energy for warm winter clothing. Lucy Trump gave the ASB report, covering homecoming week activities, including the dance a...
DAYTON- The Dayton Memorial Library hosted speakers from the Washington Department of Ecology's Nuclear Waste Program on November 7 and 15. Community Outreach and Environmental Education Specialist Sarah Williams, and Communication Manager Ryan Miller presented the department's progress on clean-up efforts at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. From 1945 to 1988, plutonium production at Hanford resulted in more than 400 billion gallons of contaminated liquid waste. That waste was stored in undergro...
DAYTON – The Port of Columbia Commissioners held their regular meeting at 5 p.m. on November 11, 2025, at the port’s conference room. Mike Spring attended in person, and Johnny Watts joined the meeting on Zoom. Chair Seth Bryan did not participate, and Spring led the meeting. Also present were Executive Director Jennie Dickinson and Economic Development Coordinator Shane Laib. Spring and Watts handled administrative tasks, including reviewing the monthly budget and approving vouchers. Spring was selected to provide the digital signature for...
PRESCOTT - The Prescott School District is at risk of dissolution after ending the 2022-23 school year in a deficit. Since then, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction has placed Binding Conditions on the district, allowing OSPI and ESD 123 to help restore financial health within two years. After additional liabilities were identified, the district was unable to meet year-end requirements for the 2024-25 year. At a school board meeting in September 2025, Shawn Lewis from OSPI...
OLYMPIA – The health insurance marketplace opened for the 2026 coverage year on November 1, 2025, and will remain open until January 15, 2026. To have coverage begin on January 1, 2026, you must enroll by the December 15, 2025 deadline. According to the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, more than 270,000 Washingtonians, including cancer patients and survivors, may face significant premium increases should the enhanced premium tax credits not be extended by the U.S Congress. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS C...
WAITSBURG - The Waitsburg Commercial Club is hosting a candidate forum at its monthly meeting on Thursday October 30, at noon, at Ten Ton Studios. All candidates for Waitsburg office were invited. Bart Baxter, Marty Dunn, and Brian Richards confirmed they will be in attendance. Wendy Richards and Wendy Carter will give presentations on the Parks and Recreation District levy. The public is invited to attend and learn more about the Waitsburg candidates and levy. Ten Ton Studio is at 216 Main...
WAITSBURG - Anyone with a cellular or internet connection has most likely experienced scam attempts. These attempts take many forms and keep changing as safeguards are put in place. On November 5, 2025, Karen Huwe, Pastor Heidi Lum, and the Town Hall Board are hosting a scam intervention and information meeting for seniors. The event will take place at 10:30 a.m. at the Waitsburg Town Hall. Speakers will include representatives from the Waitsburg branch of Banner Bank and the Walla Walla...
WALLA WALLA— Dozens of community organizations announced a coordinated response to fight hunger through the Walla Walla Valley Hunger Relief Coalition (WWVHRC), led by Blue Mountain Action Council. The coalition is asking community members to donate funds and food to the WWVHRC to address the possibility that the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps, will not issue benefits on November 1 due to the federal government shutdown. SNAP benefits help over 42 million Americans, including seniors, v...
DAYTON - Three students from Waitsburg High School had the opportunity to attend the Southeast Washington Music Educators Association (SEWMEA) Mass Band event in Dayton on October 22. "When students participate in mass band concerts, they get to feel and play what the composers wanted their pieces to sound like when a large band executes the piece with all instrumentation. The sound becomes magical and expressive with meaning. I was very proud of our three girls from the high school band," said...
OLYMPIA – County elections offices throughout Washington have mailed ballots to all voters for the Nov. 4 general election. More than 5 million voters will receive a ballot for the November general election, when voters will decide on a statewide constitutional amendment, along with local offices and measures. Voters participating in the election must return their ballot by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Ballots can be returned by mail, placed in an official ballot drop box, or hand-delivered to a county voting center. Ballots returned by mail m...
The successful annual fundraiser for RYES will feature four local bluegrass bands and a silent auction. WAITSBURG - BooGrass is coming back to The Plaza in Waitsburg on October 26 at 4 p.m. The annual bluegrass concert and silent auction is a fundraiser for Rural Youth Enrichment Services, a local 501 (c) (3) non-profit established in 2009. The Plaza Theater was built in 1928 and has always hosted BooGrass on the Sunday before Halloween. Projects under RYES include Touchet Valley Acoustic Music...
DAYTON — The Dayton School Board met in the high school library at 6:30 p.m. on October 15, 2025. Superintendent Jeremy Wheatley, Board Chair Jeffrey McCowen, and board members Pat Davidson and Ryan Paulson were present. Aneesha Dieu joined via Zoom, and Grant Griffin was absent. The board approved the consent agenda, including the CTE Career & Technical Education and the four-year plan. Dieu asked that it be removed from the consent agenda and designated as an action item so it could be covered more thoroughly. Wheatley offered to make a p...
DAYTON - Mayor Roger Trump called the Dayton City Council to order at 6 p.m., October 14, 2025. All council members were present: James Su'euga, Michael Smith, Glenn Hagfeldt, Kyle Anderson, Laura Aukerman, Shannon McMillen, and Joann Patras. Sheriff Helm reported his department handled 579 total incidents in September, broken down to 103 traffic stops, 29 other traffic calls, 4 DUI investigations, and eight traffic accidents. Helm spoke about the training, including advanced training in drug...
DAYTON – The Port of Columbia Commissioners held their regular meeting at 5 p.m. on October 8, 2025. Commissioners Johnny Watts, Mike Spring, Executive Director Jennie Dickinson, and Economic Development Coordinator Shane Laib were present. Chair Seth Bryan attended via Zoom. During public comment, Skip Mead expressed frustration that he was speaking for the third time on the same issue and asked, “How many times do I have to say it? Don’t sell the railroad.” Commissioners handled several administrative items, including setting a public...
COLUMBIA COUNTY - At the Port of Columbia's Economic Development Steering Committee meeting last week, Katie Leid provided an update on progress made by the Board of Commissioners for the Columbia County Parks and Recreation Pool District (CCP&RPD) to build a community pool. Leid, board Treasurer, told the committee about the plan to build a new pool at the site of the old Dayton Community Pool and to upgrade the existing pool house. She said Lyle Smith, CEO of WMS Aquatics, met with the pool...
