Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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Waitsburg - A busy weekend in Waitsburg included an all-ages block party, the Lions Club Salmon Feed, and the Waitsburg Historical Society Fall Festival. The first annual Royal Block Party was held in the alley behind the hotel, Ten Ton Studios, Plaza Theater, and Wolfling Coffee. There was food, music, alley bowling, and ring toss from 5 until after 9 p.m. Wolfling Coffee opened its back door for in-progress shop tours and a chance to meet owners Caitlyn Potts and Trevor Corbin. Next door,...
DAYTON - The Dayton City Council met on September 9, 2025. Mayor Roger Trump, council members James Su’euga, Michael Smith, Glenn Hagfeldt, Kyle Anderson, Shannon McMillen, and Joann Patras were present. Laura Aukerman did not attend. Port of Columbia Economic Development Coordinator Shane Laib presented plans for the 150th Anniversary (Sesquicentennial) of Columbia County celebration scheduled for October 4, 2025. The council expressed interest in the commemorative mural at the Palus Museum and was told the mural will be unveiled at the c...
WALLA WALLA - Twenty-four pets, including 12 cats and 12 dogs, went to loving homes during the Blue Mountain Humane Society's Adoption Event at Walla Walla Toyota on Sunday, September 14. Everyone who drove into the busy Toyota dealership was greeted with barks and smiles. The event is made possible with the support of Walla Walla Toyota, which hosts the adoption event, and media sponsor Elkhorn Media Group. Generous private and community sponsors covered adoption fees for many of the dogs and...
WAITSBURG - On Sunday, September 21, the Waitsburg Historical Society will host the Pioneer Fall Festival, with an afternoon of food, horse-drawn carriage rides, pioneer craft demonstrations, antique farm equipment, museum tours, and the "Vintage Style Show." The Style Show begins at 1:30 p.m. and will feature clothing from the late 1800s to the Roaring Twenties-a journey from hoop skirts that concealed a woman's shape to more modern styles that accentuated it. Generous volunteers will model...
WAITSBURG - This year, the Waitsburg Historical Society has selected the Gagnon Family as the Pioneers of the Year. Members of the family will be honored at Fall Festival on September 21 at the Bruce House Museum. The Gagnon family's deep roots in the Walla Walla Valley farming community date back to the arrival of Marcel Gagnon in 1855. He immigrated from Quebec to the United States and became a citizen at the age of 18 in 1849. Along with other retired Hudson Bay fur trappers, he settled in...
WAITSBURG - September is the American Library Association's Library Card Sign-up Month. The theme "One Card, Endless Possibilities" is a reminder that signing up for a library card can be the first step toward academic achievement and lifelong learning. Weller Public Library Director Sarah Roberts visited Waitsburg Elementary classes on Monday, September 8, to show students how library cards can give them access to books, ebooks, audiobooks, games, and other resources. Roberts also helped new...
WALLA WALLA - This year, the Walla Walla Fair and Frontier Days lived up to its theme "Hotter than Ever" with high temps and blazing excitement at the Walla Walla Fairgrounds from August 27 to 31. Despite the heat, crowds came to enjoy the show animals, carnival rides, live entertainment, and family-friendly activities. "The Sea Lion Splash!" and the "All-Alaskan Pig Races" were big hits. The farm center's hands-on activities for kids, were updated with the addition of a combine harvester...
WALLA WALLA COUNTY - The Waitsburg and Prescott School Districts are starting the 2025-26 school year with changes in leadership. Monty Sabin has stepped into the roles of superintendent and elementary school principal at the Waitsburg School District. Prescott's K-12 principal, Jeff Foertsch, was selected by the school board to replace Justin Bradford as superintendent. Sabin, a Washington native, brings 26 years of administrative experience to the district, last serving as superintendent for...
WAITSBURG - The Waitsburg School Board held its regular business meeting on Wednesday, August 20, at 6 p.m. Superintendent Monty Sabin, Board Chair Christy House, and board members Charlie Barron, Julie Karl, and Abby Grende were present. After adopting the agenda, the board entered an executive session to discuss candidate interviews for the open board seat. The session ended, and the board voted unanimously to appoint Tylor Abel as School Board Director for position 3. Secondary Principal Joe...
DAYTON — The Dayton School Board met in the high school library at 6:30 p.m. on August 20, 2025. Superintendent Jeremy Wheatley, the Board Chair Jeffrey McCowen, board members Pat Davidson, Grant Griffin, and Ryan Paulson were in attendance; Aneesha Dieu was not present. The board passed the consent agenda, which included the new student handbooks. There was discussion on the implementation of the new no-cellphone policy, which Principal Cox described as a “zero tolerance” policy. Cox said an assembly would be held at the start of school on Tu...
WAITSBURG - After surveying Waitsburg residents in 2022 and 2023, the Waitsburg Parks and Recreation District identified a city pool as a top priority. The district was joined by Rural Youth Enrichment Services, Waitsburg Commercial Club, City of Waitsburg, and the Walla Walla YMCA to develop the five-year plan to relocate the city pool. After the district and city agreed to locate the new pool on city property on the north side of the Touchet River, the district selected WMS Aquatics to...
DAYTON-Local winemaker Dave Harvey is running for Dayton City Council, Position 1, against the incumbent Laura Aukerman, who has served on the council since 2022. When asked to talk about the most pressing issues facing the city, Harvey responded, saying the city is facing "skyrocketing" costs for services provided by the county for law enforcement, municipal court, and emergency dispatch. The city's share is around $700,000 this year. The contract between the city and the county for those servi...
DAYTON – The Columbia Port Commissioners met at 5 p.m. on August 13, 2025. Commissioners Seth Bryan, Mike Spring, and Executive Director Jennie Dickinson were present, and Johnny Watts joined using Zoom. To accommodate all the members of the public who wanted to attend, some watched on Zoom from the port’s office. The high turnout was likely due to the sale of the railroad and right-of-way property. County Commissioner Marty Hall was the first to speak during public comment, stating that he believed the sale would be a disservice to both the co...
DAYTON – The Dayton City Council met at 6 p.m. on August 12, 2025. Mayor Roger Trump and council members James Su’euga, Michael Smith, Glenn Hagfeldt, Laura Aukerman, Kyle Anderson, Shannon McMillen, and Joann Patras were in attendance. During public comment, one resident said they were concerned about two properties they felt were fire hazards due to tall, dry, overgrown weeds. Another citizen called the city’s water bills an obscenity and asked for city assistance to find landscaping alternatives to dead grass. He said, in relationship to fi...
WAITSBURG - The Waitsburg City Council met on Tuesday, August 12, at City Hall. Jillian Henze, Jim Romine, Kevin House, Cindy Bishop, Mayor Marty Dunn, and City Administrator Randy Hinchliffe were in attendance. Court Ruppenthal was absent. The council unanimously approved the Capital Facilities Plan update for 2025. Resolution 2025-794 was passed authorizing Hinchliffe to sign documents for the transfer of property from the Washington State Department of Transportation. The property at the end...
LYONS FERRY, WA - The 12th Annual Swim the Snake was held on Saturday, August 9, at Lyons Ferry Marina. The event raises funds for a regional non-profit, youth educational programs, and a summer swim team. Almost 50 participants swam and paddled the 0.7-mile course between Lyons Ferry State Park and Lyons Ferry Marina, and some made it round-trip. Hannah Holman swam three legs for 2.10 miles. The Blue Mountain Resource Conservation and Development Council organizes the event with local...
WAITSBURG — Since 2021, Columbia Walla Walla Fire District #2 has been looking for a full-time fire chief. The commissioners, volunteers, and community members have worked on a job description that would best serve the community. In February, the board hired Assistant Fire Chief Matt Spring to take over as chief. Spring is a Waitsburg resident with deep roots in the community and firefighting. “I grew up in a household watching my father work as a firefighter, then a fire chief, my entire childhood,” said Spring. Spring began volunteering in Wa...
DAYTON - On August 2, The Scotsman, a new wedding and community events center in Dayton, officially opened. Emma Schutt, Kelli Schutt, and Gerrit DeVos did the honors at Saturday's ribbon-cutting ceremony sponsored by the Port of Columbia in celebration of their achievement. Guests were invited to tour the remodeled space and meet local vendors, including Hotel Hardware, Tipsy Boards, and Fifth & Willow, that are available for events at the new venue. DeVos, owner of DeVos Builders, said it...
WAITSBURG - The week of July 28 was busy for many Waitsburg youth. A play in Dayton, a band concert in Walla Walla, Vacation Bible School in Waitsburg, and a basketball skills camp in the Tri-Cities. The Red Truck Tour, from the Missoula Children's Theatre, brought "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" to the Liberty Theater in Dayton. Two MCT directors worked with over 40 kids, including eight from Waitsburg, to learn lines, choreography, and build stage skills. In only one week, the students...
DAYTON - The Harting Grade Fire was first reported around 4 p.m. on Friday, July 25, less than three miles from Dayton. After burning 336 acres, the fire was contained on Sunday, July 27. Acting Columbia County Fire District 3 Fire Chief Michael Field requested that the Washington State Fire Marshal implement the Fire Service Resource Mobilization Plan to provide resources to assist local firefighters, including air support. The Columbia County Sheriff's Office contacted residents on S....
DAYTON - "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" has come to The Liberty Theater with creatures, forest animals, a queen, and diminutive miners. The familiar red truck from the Missoula Children's Theatre arrived in town on July 27. This year, the talented duo who will produce the show are friends who met at Central Michigan University. They graduated in 2024, where Ashley Chalela, 23, earned a BFA in acting/directing, and Willem Jewell, 23, a BAA in theatre and interpretation with a minor in...
WAITSBURG - The increased activity in Preston Park has been noticeable this year, with lots of action at the splash pad and pickleball courts. In addition, weekly camps have been organized by Waitsburg's Parks and Recreation, held in the park and at Simply Sawdust's "Slab." Adding to the Cheer Camp the P&R held last year, are pickleball, skateboarding, fly fishing, and soccer. Across from Preston Park, Palouse Valley Community Center is offering weekly summer camps with activities including...
DAYTON & WALLA WALLA - Local kids are in for a week of theater and music, including live performances to share what they've learned with the community. The Missoula Children's Theatre and Walla Walla Symphony and Music Organization's Rock Camp are offering free summer programs the week of July 28. The Missoula Children's Theatre is returning to Dayton's Liberty Theater with a production of "Snow White". The program is open to kids entering first grade through 12th grade. Pre-registration is...
SNOHOMISH, WA - Scouts from Scouting America Troop 337 just returned from Camp Pigott, a camp organized by the Chief Seattle Council. The eight scouts participated in classes including archery, canoeing, kayaking, leatherworking, and swimming. Each scout who attended camp earned between two and four merit badges during the week. Sidian Stegall, Katherine Roberts, Natalia Alleman, and Caedmon Gagnon all received awards for Archery Marksmanship. Troop 337 is part of Scouting America's combined...
DAYTON — The Friends of the Pool Committee in Columbia County, Washington, was awarded several grants for its program to provide basic swimming lessons for area youth, and advanced training for older kids wanting to be certified as lifeguards and swimming instructors. Dayton and Columbia County have not had an operational public swimming pool since the end of 2017. Since then, many local kids have not had the opportunity to learn how to swim and are at risk of drowning. The Innovia Foundation awarded the committee $13,000. The committee r...
