Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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WAITSBURG - The Waitsburg FFA Alumni and Supporters Charter held a fundraiser at the Waitsburg Town Hall on Saturday, October 10. The dinner and auction raised an estimated $2,500 to fund activities and experiences for Waitsburg FFA students, including sending 1 or 2 members to the FFA Washington Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C. Started in 2025, the Waitsburg alumni charter is affiliated with the National FFA organization and Washington State FFA Alumni and Supporters. The current...
DAYTON — The Columbia County Pools and Recreation District has been actively raising funds through grants and benefits. Often, the funding the district has been awarded or has submitted applications for requires matching funds. The pools and recreation district has been awarded grants, including $275,000 from the Washington State Legislature, a $9,360 Innovia Reimbursable Grant, a $5,000 Warren Community Grant, and $7,500 from the Dayton/Columbia County Fund. The Friends of the Pool have raised over $22,000 from its Pool Benefit Yard Sale a...
WALLA WALLA - This fall, residents of eastern Washington and Oregon will have a chance to visit remote rivers, wild landscapes, working farms, and novel restoration projects-without ever leaving town. The Wild & Scenic Film Festival is returning to Walla Walla for two special evenings on October 28 and 29 at Whitman College's newly renovated Deshler Auditorium (formerly known as Maxey Auditorium), offering audiences a series of award-winning films that celebrate the natural world while...
Check out the original artwork at the Weller Public Library to pick the one you want. WAITSBURG - The Weller Library Board of Trustees and Library Director Sarah Roberts began a program to display and then auction original paintings at the Waitsburg library. After deciding to exhibit the paintings above the main room bookshelves, they purchased six 24" x 36" canvases. Roberts contacted local artist Lane Gwinn, who created the first set of paintings. Gwinn's paintings highlight six authors, paint...
The 2026 Cardinal Homecoming began Friday, September 25, with a student competition to decorate parts of campus, including the cage. The junior class won "Best Decorations". The school selected daily themes for the following week. Monday was Pajama Day, and at the daily assembly, the sophomores won the cup game. Tuesday was Jersey Day, and the sophomores again won at Musical Chairs at the assembly. Wednesday was Dress Your Age Day, where freshmen were babies, sophomores were toddlers, juniors...
WALLA WALLA — Washington State University Walla Walla County Extension invites the community to its annual Open House on October 10, 2026, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the WSU Extension Office, at 328 W Poplar, Walla Walla, Wash. This family-friendly event showcases Extension programs, including hands-on activities about 4-H, agriculture, STEM, gardening, and more. Attendees can see live poultry, rabbits, goats, and pigs, explore sewing, cooking, and robotics projects, and gain gardening tips from Master Gardeners. Free seeds and expert advice w...
WALLA WALLA - Local volunteers celebrated National Public Lands Day on Saturday, September 26, 2006. This year's theme is "Caring for Our Shared America" in coordination with the nation's 250th anniversary. The event is held each year on the fourth Saturday in September, and is the nation's largest single-day volunteer event for public lands. This year, the National Park Service expanded the event's volunteer opportunities from September 12 through October 10. The Park Service partners with the...
DAYTON-In 2011, as Lisa Naylor and her husband Paul were planning to celebrate her retirement after 30 years of service with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, she was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The disease is progressive, with only two treatment options: dialysis or a kidney transplant. A strong community of friends, family, and neighbors have shared her story and helped look for a living donor. Many offered to donate. However, due to a rare blood type and high antigen...
DAYTON — The Dayton School Board met in the High School Library at 6:30 p.m. on September 16, 2026. Superintendent Jeremy Wheatley, Board Chair Jeffrey McCowen, and School Directors Ryan Paulson, Pat Davidson, and Aneesha Dieu were present. Grant Griffin did not attend. To begin the meeting, the Board approved the consent agenda, including last meeting’s minutes, accounts payable, and payroll. The personnel report listed Nick Phillips as an Assistant HS Football Coach, Kayla Nathanson as an Assistant MS Volleyball Coach, and Amber Olsen as the...
WAITSBURG - The Waitsburg Historical Society enjoyed a beautiful, sunny day as it held its annual Fall Festival on Sunday, September 20. The grass at the Bruce Museum was green, and the windless sky was bright blue. The event included a morning church service, a presentation of the Pioneer Family of the Year, museum tours, live music, antique cars, vendors, a style show, a pie contest, and grilled burgers enjoyed by community members and visitors. Ron and Marilyn Groom were honored as the 2026...
OLYMPIA — On Monday, September 14, the United States Supreme Court ruled that the U.S. Postal Service cannot place new restrictions on mail-in ballots before the Nov. 3, 2026 General Election. Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs issued the following statement: “Today’s decision reaffirms what we already know: the USPS rule would create unnecessary disruption and put our voters at risk. Washington’s election workers are already hard at work preparing to conduct a safe, secure, and accurate election. Now, that work continues without...
DAYTON - Three Waitsburg girls participated in the Columbia County Fair Horse Show on August 29 and 30 at the Columbia County Fairgrounds. Sydney Smith earned 1st place in the Western Pleasure junior class; 1st place in the English Pleasure junior class; and received red ribbons in Fitting and Showing, Halter Mare Class, and Trail class. Ashlyn Brooks was the Reserve Champion in Fitting and Showing intermediate class and received two blue ribbons in Halter Geldings and Western Pleasure...
WAITSBURG - Join us for an afternoon of great food, pioneer craft demonstrations, horse-drawn carriage rides, antique farm equipment and tools, vintage style show and tours of the historic museum, from noon to 4 p.m. in Waitsburg, Washington. Nestled in the rolling hills of southeastern Washington, the Waitsburg Pioneer Fall Festival starts with a Community Church Service at 11 am, followed by the Pioneer of the Year award at noon. Enjoy the sounds of live music, including the fun and unique...
WAITSBURG - Waitsburg students will see three new faces when they start school on September 8. Abby Seney, Christopher Kinnaird and Haden Wegner are starting their careers with the Cardinal staff. Seney will be greeting students at the elementary school as the District/Elementary Administrative Assistant. Before joining the Cardinal staff, Seney worked as a certified medical assistant at Providence St. Mary Medical Center in Walla Walla. Seney was born and raised in Walla Walla with a love for...
WALLA WALLA - The 2026 Walla Walla Fair and Frontier Days, held from September 2 through 6, offered five days of live music, a parade, racing, livestock competitions, and awards. The annual event also honored cancer survivors, veterans, and retirees. Students garnered awards and numerous blue ribbons competing in FFA, Grange and 4-H youth livestock competitions. The fair kicked off on September 2 with a concert by headliner Cheap Trick, on tour since 1974. Thursday was a sold-out demolition...
WAITSBURG - While the end of the school year offers him a chance to relax, Superintendent Monty Sabin recently reflected on how he begins to miss the students and staff as the summer drives on. He was excited to welcome new and returning staff to the school, as they prepare classrooms and programs for the new year. "It's a happy place for me. I look forward to the first day of school and seeing the students excited with their energy and smiles," said Sabin. Sabin is also excited about the new...
Dearest Readers, As you read this, you might have noticed that this week’s paper has landed in your hands a little later than usual. It’s not your imagination. Rather than hitting newsstands and the post office a day early like normal, this week we have arrived exactly on our official Thursday publication date. We don’t take a day’s delay lightly. Particularly when we are so honored to be a part of a proud journalistic lineage. Since 1878, The Times has been produced by an esteemed line of tirel...
OLYMPIA — A divided Supreme Court on Monday, August 24, 2026, allowed the Trump administration to move forward with plans to restrict mail-in voting before the midterm elections. The emergency order stayed one of two injunctions issued by a lower court that prevented the federal government from implementing the new regulations. Two lawsuits, one brought by the League of Women Voters and the second filed by states, challenged the president’s executive order. The Supreme Court ruling only addressed the states’ lawsuit The Court did not rule...
DAYTON - The Dayton School Board met in the High School Library at 6:32 p.m. on August 19, 2026. Superintendent Jeremy Wheatley, Board Chair Jeffrey McCowen, and Board members Ryan Paulson, Pat Davidson, Aneesha Dieu, and Grant Griffin were present. As its first order of business, the board approved the consent agenda, which included the approval of the last meeting's minutes, accounts payable and payroll, the personnel report, the Perkins Grant Assurances for the next school year, and approval...
WAITSBURG - Rural Youth Enrichment Services supports a wide variety of enriching activities for youth in the Touchet Valley. Eight RYES projects are run by volunteers from the areas the community serves. It was founded in 2009 by Leroy Cunningham, Kathy Carpenter, Sarah Groffman, Ane Walsh, and Mickey Richards to provide activities for youth who weren't finding their place in their schools or community. Due to reduced funding to Waitsburg Schools, RYES has brought in several new projects once ru...
DAYTON-Dayton Books and Gifts at 232 East Main Street is now open for business. Owners Rose and Clay Johnson, along with their two daughters, Lily, 18, and Addison, 12, recently moved to Dayton from Albuquerque, New Mexico, seeking a change from the hustle and bustle of city life. Rose said she is excited to be in Dayton and that the girls are adjusting well to life in a small town. "Here, the girls can walk around unattended and experience the freedom and independence that was not available to...
DAYTON – The Port of Columbia Board of Commissioners held its regular meeting at 5 p.m. on August 12, 2026, at the Port’s conference room. Commissioners Mike Spring and Johnny Watts were present in person; Scott Hudson joined on Zoom. Executive Director Jennie Dickinson and Economic Development Coordinator Shane Laib were also present. The commissioners approved the previous meeting’s minutes, the monthly budget report, leases, and a letter to local governments and planning commissions. The letter addressed the difficulty in offering entic...
OLYMPIA — President Trump signed Executive Order 14420, titled “Delivering Gold Standard Childhood Vaccine Recommendations for Americans,” on August 10, 2026. The order aims to change the federal childhood vaccine policy. It revises the recommendations for the childhood vaccination schedule and directs health care providers to administer individual shots for measles, mumps, and rubella, splitting the MMR vaccine. Separate vaccines have not been manufactured in the U.S since 2008, and could take a decade before they are available. The order...
DAYTON — Mayor Michael Smith called the Dayton City Council to order at 6 p.m. on August 11, 2026. Council members present in the conference room were Shannon McMillen, James Su’euga, Glenn Hagfeldt, Joann Patras, Jeff Keating, and Dave Harvey. Kyle Anderson was not present. During public comment, Deanna Peterson said she moved to Dayton last year with her husband. They chose to invest in the community because it’s a small town and they liked its character. The sense of neighborliness and peaceful environment make Dayton such a special place...
WAITSBURG - This year, a visit to Waitsburg was a sought-after auction item at the Artist Trust 40th Anniversary Benefit Art. The Waitsburg Sojourn package offered an art, food, and wine weekend for two couples. On Friday, August 14, the couples who won the trip checked into The Royal Block for their 2-night stay. The winners, Judith Rinehart, John Taylor, Joel Reiter, and Polly Meyer, were welcomed with refreshing cocktails and unique Walla Walla wines. RB owners Joe Roberts and Tiina Jaatinen...
