Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Sorted by date Results 1062 - 1086 of 5665
DAYTON—The Friends of the Dayton Memorial Library have installed their first free Little Library in the courtyard of the Historic Dayton Depot Museum. Books for children and adults stocked in the Little Library are provided by the Friends of the Library. The books come from donation and from library books which have not sold in their book sales. People who take a book can also leave a book. The main goal is to get books into the hands of the public and let them travel among readers instead of be...
WALLA WALLA—Sherwood Trust is convening a group of community-minded leaders of all experience levels for its 2020 Community Leadership program. The program begins in September and culminates in the summer of 2021 with a collaborative project. This year, the program will be online, with 45 people participating. Meet the 2020 Community Leadership program participants below. Alayna Brinton, Ali Rodgers, Alicia Western, Amy Watkins, Ana Aguilar, Anastasia Curtis, Angie Peters, April Martinez, Candi Walmsley, Catalina Garza, Chris Hyland, C...
PENDLETON—On Monday morning, the Northern Rockies Incident Management Team (IMT) 3, took command of the 400-acre Rattlesnake Fire, located approximately 20 miles south of Pomeroy. Firefighters initiated suppression efforts on Sunday afternoon. A twelve-person crew was transported to the fire by helicopter to begin building containment lines along the southwestern edge of the fire. Two helicopters supported ground resources by dropping water on the fire to slow the spread and cool down hot spots. Fire behavior was low to moderate on Sunday e...
WAITSBURG-The Walla Walla Regional SWAT Team raided a home on Main Street in Waitsburg last Thursday. Skylar I. Glasby, 32, originally from Dayton, was arrested on suspicion of unlawful imprisonment and domestic violence assault charges following an investigation performed by the Walla Walla County Sheriff's office (WWCSO). The regional SWAT team included deputies from WWCSO, officers from the Walla Walla Police Department, and a police K9 from the Pasco Police Department. Armored SWAT...
Virtual activities planned DAYTON—It has been “overwhelmingly” decided by The Club’s board of directors, not to open to coincide with the Aug. 25 start of school, but to delay opening for up to four weeks, depending on the local COVID-19 situation. “I agree with their very thoughtful decision. It wasn’t an easy one to come to,” said Jim Pearson, Director of The Club, on Monday. The board met on Aug. 11 and discussed all the complicating factors, as they considered whether to open or not. He sa...
WAITSBURG—Waitsburg Elementary will hold preschool-5th grade registration for Fall of 2020 on August 25th-27th from 9-11 a.m. and 1-3 p.m. Registration will be held in the Multi-Purpose Room (MPR) at the elementary school. The registration dates are for new and returning students. Face masks will be required for entry into the building. If you cannot wear a face mask, the school will deliver a registration packet to you outside of the building. All children who turn 5, on or before, August 3...
Paige's Floral and Gifts to open the end of Sept. DAYTON-"Who can go into business with their daughter? How often does that happen?" asked Laura Auckerman, who took time out from learning the business at SnapDragon Floral and Gifts for an interview last Friday. Laura Auckerman and her daughter, Paige Auckerman, will be taking the business over from mother/daughter dynamic duo Vicky Beckmeyer and Cara Watts at the end of September. The Auckermans have to jump-in the same way Watts and Beckmeyer...
WAITSBURG—The Waitsburg City Council met August 13 via conference call. The Council discussed many resolutions and agreements, and heard public comments from concerned citizens. Former Councilmember Terry Jacoy spoke during the public comment, with questions about the recent utility tax increase. At the July meeting, the Council approved a $5/month utility tax that would increase in January 2021. The Council approved the tax increase to help fund flood control efforts. Jacoy stated that he was o...
DAYTON—During the regular Dayton City Council meeting last week, special guests Judi Pilcher and Dianne McKinley requested and received authorization to move forward with a research and compatibility study to use the two most southern bays of the City Hall Fire Department garage for expansion of the Food Bank. The Columbia County Food Bank has seen an increase in service from 40 families each week to 185 families, and the current facility is not adequate to meet the increase of needed food stock...
Dayton-Licensed Massage Therapist Kahla Harrington describes herself as an introvert. She can appear shy, but she's acted on stage before. She's apprehensive about being in front of crowds, but her smile can light up a room. And behind that smile lies a competitive spirit that strives for excellence. She has been an athlete all her life, playing soccer for 15 years and then distance running. In the first year of her work as a massage therapist, she once was told, "You'll never be better at this...
DAYTON—Museum Event Coordinator Shellie McLeod said the Sat. Aug. 1 benefit for the Dayton Historic Depot was a resounding success. A game was played where attendees were shown an architectural element of a particular Dayton building, and then asked to identify it, using the chat function on Zoom. The first person to answer correctly won a pair of Depot wine glasses, beer glasses, or coffee mugs, of their choosing. McLeod said Emcee Shawn Brown did an outstanding job of keeping things light and...
Many Waitsburg youth have spent the summer raising animals with the hope of selling at local Fairs. As local events have canceled, many market animals have gone without buyers, and youth are hoping to recoup some costs so they can continue to raise quality animals for future events. The following animals will be available after Labor Day weekend unless otherwise arranged. Raising a market steer is no easy task. On average, a steer costs more than $4,000 to raise, vet, and feed. The Daves family...
DAYTON—The Columbia County Youth Livestock Sale Committee announced on Monday that there would be a youth livestock sale. The fair board has had to make some significant changes to comply with state restrictions. The sale will be held on Sunday, September 13, at 1 p.m. Traditionally, the sale is held on Saturday following the Fair BBQ. There will be no food vendors on the grounds, so buyers and supporters will need to plan accordingly. All attendees must wear a face mask or covering. The physical sale will be held in an outdoor ring, and the s...
DAYTON—With less than two weeks before the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year, Jan and Sterling Leonard are concerned about sending their two children, Leann, and Christian, back into the classroom, considering the COVID-19 outbreak. “I constantly question if we are making the right choice to have them return to school,” Leonard said. “It’s my biggest hope that all school personnel will do whatever they can to take social distancing and mask-wearing seriously, to keep everyone safe.” Pa...
WAITSBURG—The Waitsburg School board called an emergency meeting on Friday, August 7, to discuss the Fall 2020 reopening plan. The board voted to adopt an online reopening plan for the beginning of the 2020-21 school year. The recommendation for an online-only opening was made following the announcement of online plans from other schools in the county and a sharp increase in coronavirus cases in Walla Walla County. As of Monday, August 10, there was only one confirmed case of the virus in W...
WAITSBURG—The long list of renovations for the Waitsburg Town Hall is quickly getting shorter. Board members have been busy painting, installing new fans, and completely remodeling the commercial kitchen. Right now, the kitchen at the Main Street building is nothing more than an empty shell with a couple of exposed water pipes. Even most of the sheetrock has been torn down, but it’s all with the promise of a more accessible, user-friendly space. The remodel starts at the kitchen’s door, with...
Testing sites for COVID-19 are available in Walla Walla and Columbia Counties. As COVID-19 cases continue to rise, be aware of symptoms, and know where to test if necessary. Providence St. Mary’s Medical Center- W Poplar St, Walla Walla 24 Hour ER Access • Appointment required • Referral not required • Testing for all patients Remain in your vehicle and call the hospital for further instruction (509) 897-3320 Providence Urgent Care- 1025 S 2nd Ave, Walla Walla • Appointment not required • Referral not required • Testing for certain patie...
WAITSBURG-Many parents within the Waitsburg School District questioned a levy line item, STEM/Fine Arts, following the resignation of the STEM teacher Pam Beasley. At the beginning of the 2019-20 school year, music teacher Shelby Pomerinke resigned. It was decided to postpone hiring a music teacher until the next school year, and the board opted to offer a one-year, K-5 STEM program, taught by Beasley. A former kindergarten teacher, Beasley has always been an advocate for the Science,...
DAYTON-In a diary entry dated March 5, 1933, Marie Boldman mentions making the "Flower Garden Quilt," similar to the raffle quilt, which was on display at last Saturday's quilt show at the Boldman House Museum. Sylvia Beuhler said Marie Boldman saved quilt patterns from newspapers during the 1920s and 1930s. Ruby Short McKim published the "Flower Garden Quilt" pattern, sometime in 1929 or 1930. The Spokesman-Review published in their newspaper between 1930 and 1933 and Boldman saved it. "She...
WALLA WALLA—Walla Walla County 4-H is not going to let a pandemic steal success from the youth in the area. A virtual showcase will be held in response to the cancellation of the Walla Walla Fair and Frontier Days. The virtual showcase is open to all Walla Walla County youth with a current 4-H project. Inspired by exhibits and classes from a traditional fair, the exhibition will feature both livestock, small animals, and still life exhibits. “We want to make this as fair-like as pos...
WAITSBURG-Waitsburg community members were slinging sandbags again over the weekend, but this time, there was no threat of flooding. Volunteers were busy removing the last bit of flood devastation from Waitsburg's Preston Park on Saturday. Matthew and Krystal Wyatt were walking through Preston Park last week and had to climb over a sagging wall of sandbags and weeds to get to the river to go fishing. "We have this motto that we've lived by for a long time, 'if you see a need, fill a need.' We...
DAYTON-Jurors are seeing some changes in the county courtroom layout, practices, and procedures, now that trials are resuming in Superior Court, and in Municipal Court, after a long recess due to the COVID-19 shut-down. Jury Coordinator Jessica Atwood said Superior Court Judge Gary J. Libey has visited the courtroom and taken measurements to make certain social distancing requirements will be met. The state's Chief Justice Debra Stevens has appointed Libey to Presiding Judge for the Columbia,...
WAITSBURG—The Waitsburg School District is preparing for an uncertain school year, as they develop a plan to safely reopen the school’s doors this fall. The district is adding two online curriculum options, so parents and children can attend school in whatever way they feel is safest. “We want to make sure our kids are safe, and we want to make sure the protocols in place keep everyone safe,” Superintendent Mark Pickel said. The district will be offering online education opportunities through...
DAYTON-What better location for the County's Public Health Department than the building on North Second Street, which has been a medical clinic, serving Dayton residents, since the 1930s? "I think it's going to be a great move for the community," said County Public Health Director Martha Lanman standing inside the building at the end of July. When the full-scale interior remodel is finished, there will be enough room for all the Health Department staff. Some of the team are working at the County...
WALLA WALLA-Kathryn Witherington stepped into her new job as Executive Director of the Downtown Walla Walla Foundation in early February of this year. Previously the Economic Development Director of the Port of Columbia, Witherington, joined the Foundation just in time to help merchants handle the damages of February's flooding. And then in March came the coronavirus pandemic. Earlier efforts this summer to boost businesses downtown included the creation of extra dining space in front of six...
