Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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Board members received engraved leather portfolio holders from the ASB and were served punch and cookies from National Honor Society members in honor of School Board Appreciation Month. Secondary Principal’s Report (Stephanie Wooderchak) -State testing will take place in April and May -Staff has met and will form a committee to provide recommendations for student placement and class schedules at the Feb. board meeting. -Mr. Leahy, Ms. Ball and Mrs. Wooderchak will attend a job fair in Spokane on March 13. -Matt Elder and Bailey Carlson a...
In this multi-part series, The Times visits with businesses, organizations and agencies to learn their plans for 2019. This week, we continue our walk around Main Street. In future issues we will wrap up Main Street and talk with off-Main businesses, churches, clubs and organizations. Nothing New Antiques After 14 years in business, Lupe and Sandra Torres have closed the doors and sold the inventory at Nothing New Antiques, but say they are not going anywhere. "We just want to kick back and...
Survey will help determine direction for valley food hub WALLA WALLA VALLEY – In 2018 the USDA awarded a $100,000 grant, with $33,566 in matching funds, to the Blue Mountain Action Council (BMAC) to evaluate options for creating a food hub for the aggregation, storage, processing and distribution of locally-produced agricultural products to local consumers in the Walla Walla Valley. The planned food hub will complement many years of efforts by groups and individuals in the valley to develop a collaborative food cluster. Specifically, the projec...
PRESCOTT – The Prescott performing group Tiger Beat will debut its one and only performance of the year at Friday's Senior Night basketball game in Prescott. Approximately 30 students in grades two through five have been meeting before school for the last several weeks to hone their drumming and dribbling skills in preparation for Friday night's performance. The group is the brainchild of Prescott's new physical education teacher Tiffany Hedman who began teaching in Prescott last school year. T...
Physical Education teacher Tiffany Hedman joined the Prescott School District staff with the 2017-2018 school year and says she is very happy here. “I love it. I enjoy the small community and knowing all the kids by name. I also love that I see every one of them for at least 30 minutes every day,” she said. Hedman attended college at the University of Montana Western where she earned her master’s degree in elementary reading and math. She most recently taught for three years at Mattawa Eleme...
WAITSBURG – The Waitsburg Superintendent Advisory Committee has met three times and has nailed down a purpose statement and action plan. The committee was formed in the last quarter of 2018 as an advisory committee to the superintendent. Committee Chair Matt Wyatt shared the following goals with the board: Identify all needs and goals among community, parents and students to increase the communication and effectiveness of the district/community Provide the superintendent with feedback and insigh...
DAYTON-Associated Student Body (ASB) Vice-President Kira Boggs shared that group's activities with school officials at last week's school board meeting. She said the ASB has raised $500 for the Cush Family, who lost their home in a recent fire. A tropical poster-making contest for all the classes is currently taking place. The winners of the contest will get to wear "beachy stuff" in the commons. The ASB has been meeting regularly to work on the outdated school constitution. High School...
DAYTON--Since she was hired in November, Dayton School District's athletic director, Vicki Luper, has had her hands full. Although she works on a part time basis, Luper wears many hats, including pitch-hitting for High School Principal Kristina Brown, when Brown needs extra help. And, as Dayton's chief athletic booster, she has a visible presence on game days. "I enjoy being back in a small school," Luper said. "In a small community athletics are a big part of the community feel. I think that's...
WAITSBURG - At the December 20 regular school board meeting, Waitsburg School District Superintendent Jon Mishra surprised school board members by tendering his resignation. Mishra cited family needs as the determining factor in his decision to leave Waitsburg. Mishra will terminate his employment effective June 30 and said he submitted his resignation early so that the district can move forward with the search for a new superintendent. Mishra, along with his wife, Loreena, and son, Aakash,...
On Monday, Columbia County Auditor Anne Higgins (l) conducted a swearing in ceremony for the newly-elected county sheriff Joe Helm, and for Helm's newly-appointed undersheriff, Robbie Patterson (r). Helm said he appointed Patterson based on attributes such as character, honesty, integrity, training, experience, leadership, and proactive drive in the community. Patterson has been a deputy in the sheriff's department for almost two years....
DAYTON—Outside Superior Court last week, Benjamin Orozco’s attorney, Jane Richards, said Orozco’s poor health and the difficulty in locating material witnesses are responsible for the lengthy amount of time it is taking to bring him to trial. Richards said Orozco has suffered ill health ever since being held in a Mexican jail in 2016 while awaiting extradition to Columbia County to answer to charges stemming from the shooting death of Lance Terry and the wounding of David Eaton, for which he has plead ‘not guilty’. Since Dec. 2016, Orozco ha...
WAITSBURG – Friends since first grade, Waitsburg High School grads Colton Townsend and Connor Talbot have built a successful website design business in the Seattle are. Townsend, son of Mike and Carla Townsend of Waitsburg, graduated from WHS in 2007, as salutatorian, and then attended Washington State University where he earned a degree in international business. Talbott, son of Becky Huwe and Jon Talbott, graduated a year later, and also headed to WSU where he earned a degree in a...
LaVerne Filan has been enjoying the company of a friendly moose at his property, just outside of Waitsburg off Highway 12. Filan said the young bull moose has visited several times now and waits for him to feed bread to his peacocks. "He's a pretty good-sized animal. His legs are so long it's hard for him to reach down and get the bread, so he got down on his knees to eat this last time," Filan said. Filan said he's had several moose visit over the years, but this one seems to be staying. "He's...
Friday, January 18 Bluegrass Jam and Artists Reception 10 Ton Press, Waitsburg 6:30 p.m. Grab a coffee or snack and enjoy listening and/or join in with area bluegrass musicians. Artist Carrie Hendrix will be on site to discuss her exhibit of handmade instruments. Saturday, January 19 Women’s March on Walla Walla Crawford Park (4th & Main, Walla Walla) 10 a.m. ‘Hansel and Gretel’ Ballet Fantasy Cordiner Hall (44 S. Park, Walla Walla) 7-8:30 p.m. The Dance Center of Walla Walla, directed by Idalee Hutson-Fish, will present this Brothers Grimm...
Last week’s school district update in the Waitsburg Welcomes 2019 article incorrectly stated that the district would be seeking a levy in 2019. “It will be going to voters in 2020. I got ahead of myself,” said District Superintendent Jon Mishra, who requested the correction....
WAITSBURG – Waitsburg school counselor Rosy Nechodom wants parents to know about two opportunities for families taking place in February. Rodeo clown JJ Harrison will give a bullying prevention and intervention presentation on Feb. 6 and a Strengthening Families program will begin February 14. JJ Harrison While he likes nothing more than making people laugh, Ellensburg's favorite rodeo clown, JJ Harrison, has an important message to share. Harrison, who is a WSU alum and taught middle school f...
DAYTON--Robert Bryant, an independent auto repair mechanic, is opening an auto repair shop in Dayton this week. "It's a fact," said Bryant, who has been in the auto repair business since 1984. Bryant said he first worked in a Pendleton machine shop rebuilding engines, and he received training in auto repair while working at Round-Up City Dodge in Pendleton. That was followed by a brief stint operating his own auto repair business, "Mobile Technology". Bryant said he continued his formal...
Waitsburg students got a lesson in law enforcement on Wed. Jan. 10 as Walla Walla County Sheriff's deputies made an arrest right next to the elementary school playground. Joshua J. Hershaw, driving an older model limousine, was pulled over on an outstanding warrant and cited for driving while license suspended, third degree, and having no interlock device on the vehicle, according to Walla Walla County Sheriff Mark Crider....
My Facebook feed is regularly filled with posts from people who have lost dogs, sighted loose dogs or picked up lost dogs and are looking for their owners. It's always fun to watch dog and owner reunited. This week, I've seen a post searching for the owner of a pair of glasses lost on Main Street in Waitsburg and another by a Mom whose young daughter lost a small purse near Caboose Park in Dayton. The young lady and her purse were quickly reunited. I often see people tagging friends and acquaint...
In this multi-part series, The Times visits with businesses, organizations and agencies to learn their plans for 2019. This week, we continue our walk around Main Street. In future issues we will wrap up Main Street and talk with off-Main businesses, churches, clubs and organizations. Waitsburg City Pool It's business as usual for the city pool according to pool administrator Kelly Steinhoff. If time allows, the City may apply another coat of liner, she said. Steinhoff does want to urge anyone...
DAYTON - Dozens of volunteers from Dayton, Waitsburg, Dixie, Starbuck and Walla Walla, many with no association to the Columbia County equine facilities, pooled resources and labor to remove the old soil and footing in the Columbia County Fairgrounds indoor arena and replace it with a professionally engineered footing. The value of the project is estimated at approximately $70,000, according to Friends of the Columbia County Fairgrounds President Julia Mead. "This project was truly an amazing...
DAYTON—Zac Weatherford was elected Mayor Pro-Tempore for 2019 by the Dayton City Council at their first regular meeting of the New Year. “I’m excited. Zac’s going to do a good job,” said Councilwoman Delphine Bailey who nominated him for the position. Mayor Craig George said that when he moves to Arizona in late spring, the council will have 90 days to appoint a mayor to serve until the end of the year. Affordable Housing The Port’s Economic Development Coordinator, Kathryn Witheringto...
A cowboy silhouette appears to be taking in the devastating scene of a house fire that destroyed the home of Joe and Kandis Cush at 740 S. 4th Street in Dayton in the wee hours of Monday morning. "The home is a total loss but everyone got out safely," said Columbia County Fire Marshal Clint Atteberry who said the official cause of the fire was a wood stove. Donation boxes and accounts for the family of three are in the process of being set up throughout Dayton. More information on family needs...
WAITSBURG – Local entrepreneur Dan Cole said he hadn’t intended to rid himself of more than one business, but when the right offer came along, he and wife Trina decided to accept. After 32 years in business, Cole sold Waitsburg Grocery, Inc. to Jamie Allen and Jesse Smit in September of 2018. On Jan. 1, he handed over the keys of Touchet Valley Communications, a Waitsburg Internet provider, to fellow entrepreneurs, Erik and Diana Young, of Prescott. “Erik approached me and said he heard I had sold the store and asked if I would be inter...
DAYTON-When the Hospital Board of Commissioners met in December, Columbia County Health System (CCHS) CEO Shane McGuire took the opportunity to thank them for their show of support since he has been at the helm of the organization. "You have been great visionaries and you have been very supportive with this community. It has been challenging, but it has been impressive. There are a lot of elements you have allowed me to invest in to enhance services," said McGuire. "We are growing programs, making investments, and bringing on staff." McGuire sa...
