Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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From the Editor: A new resident to Waitsburg Randy Charles, and his wife Antoinette, joined the community in August of 2018 after purchasing the Fifth Street home formerly belonging to Larry and Deanne Johnson. The Charles’ moved from Key West, Fla. where Randy was a firefighter and paramedic for the City of Key West. Though moving from Florida, Randy is a native of Washington State, having grown up in Clarkston and Yakima. He is a proud Alumnus of Washington State University. From Randy: When a medical emergency occurs the city of Waitsburg a...
WAITSBURG-Most aspiring musicians are eager to run down to the music shop, buy a guitar and play songs for screaming fans, and start selling out concert halls. Few give thought to where instruments come from: through the care of know-how of a luthier. A luthier builds and repairs stringed instruments using their understanding of musical scales combined with the materials of the trade such as metal hardware and hardwoods, as well as craftsmanship to create a work of art you can play for years....
WAITSBURG – The Waitsburg City Council was in full agreement not to move forward with the proposed purchase of the former Jehovah’s Witness church building, across from Preston Park, as the new location for City Hall. They also said ‘no’ to retaining loan funds for upgrades to the current facility on the corner of Main and Preston Avenue at the Jan. 17 council meeting. City Manager Randy Hinchliffe proposed purchase of the former church building, which is also located next to the City Shop, as an alternative to performing extensive repairs...
In this multi-part series, The Times visits with businesses, organizations and agencies to learn their plans for 2019. This week, we wrap up our walk around Main Street. In future issues we will talk with off-Main businesses, churches, clubs and organizations. Waitsburg Town Hall Waitsburg's Town Hall operates on a one hundred percent volunteer basis and is supported solely by community donations. The building was donated to the city by the American Legion in 1976 and the Town Hall Association...
Nelson & Moreno is prepared to begin construction in February WAITSBURG – After spending more than an hour weighing the pros and cons, the Waitsburg City Council approved Resolution 2019-692, awarding the Taggart Road Extension Project to Moreno & Nelson Construction, at their Jan. 16 council meeting. The approval, which is contingent upon a release for construction package being completed and available for review at the February council meeting, passed with a 3-2 vote. Council members KC Kuykendall, Kevin House and Jim Romine voted in favor o...
City looks at incentives to help fill empty buildings WAITSBURG – City officials across the country are faced with the problem of what to do about empty storefronts in their business districts and Waitsburg is no different. A Main Street filled with vacant storefronts is a visual blight and leaves tourists and residents looking elsewhere for something to do or buy. The topic of how to fix the problem was on last week’s city council agenda. The council had previously requested that City Manager Randy Hinchliffe look into what could be done abo...
DAYTON – There is a kitchen, but there is no breakfast or lunch program for the 18 K-8 students and seven preschoolers enrolled in the Starbuck School District. Surprisingly, that's nothing new. There hasn't been for about 15 years, according to Starbuck School District Superintendent Kevin Graffis. "That's just not acceptable," said County Public Health Director Martha Lanman. "We don't know how many are coming to school without breakfast." That could be remedied if school and public health o...
WAITSBURG – Waitsburg fourth grade teacher Deanna Coulston has reason to celebrate. After three years of hard work, Coulston is now certified as a National Board Middle Childhood Generalist. National Board Certification is the highest professional distinction available in education, according to Waitsburg Superintendent Jon Mishra, who congratulated Coulston at the January school board meeting. Coulston said she was willing to work around her job and family to pursue National Board c...
WAITSBURG - Waitsburg High School senior Loren Negron has been awarded the Washington State University Distinguished Regents Scholars Award. The scholarship covers full WSU tuition and mandatory fees for four years. Negron is currently taking classes full time at Walla Walla Community College through the Running Start program but the honor students has been an active part of the Waitsburg High School student body during her years at WHS. Negron won the creed competition at the Washington State...
Thursday, January 31 Wine Valley Comedy Courtyard by Marriott (505 W. Rose St., Walla Walla) 7-8:30 p.m. South Carolina comedian Harry J. Riley will headline for this 21-and-over show. Tickets are $12, available at ubne.ws/2CTLtRl Tuesday, February 5 Rodeo Clown JJ Harrison Waitsburg High School Auditorium 7 p.m. JJ Harrison presents bullying prevention and intervention strategies. Saturday, February 9 Daddy-Daughter Fundraiser Dance Waitsburg Elementary Multipurpose Room 6-9 p.m. Daddy figures and daughters, dress your best and climb through...
Correction: A press release submitted to The Times incorrectly stated that the supported charity for the Jan. 19 Women’s March on Walla Walla was the Children’s Home Society at Valle Lindo. The supported charity is actually the Children’s Home Society of Washington Walla Walla....
Blah. That's how some people, in one word, encapsulate the month of January – it's cold and bleak, the holidays are over, and spring is maddeningly distant. "What on earth could possibly be exciting about January?" That's a good question, and at Wenaha Gallery, the answer every year is the Annual Canned Food Drive, with all the food brought into the gallery during . . . January donated to the Dayton Community Food Bank. "When we started the Canned Food Drive at the gallery – it was ten years ago...
DAYTON - The Dayton School District Board of Directors announces a vacancy for a Position 3 Director. Any Columbia County registered voter who lives within the boundaries of District 3 may apply. For more information contact Superintendent Doug Johnson at 509-382-2543...
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...
