Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Sorted by date Results 2570 - 2594 of 5688
OLYMPIA – Waitsburg City Councilmember KC Kuykendall breathed a sigh of satisfaction in April when the Washington State Public Works Board approved 12 jurisdictions for approximately $6 million in low-interest pre-construction loans for 2018. This is the first time in five years the board has had state funds to issue loans. Now the City is hopeful that the Taggart Road Project will be among those projects first in line for subsequent approvals. Kuykendall, who serves on the Board of Directors f...
DAYTON--The Columbia County Commissioners have placed an immediate six-month emergency moratorium on new marijuana production, processing and sales in the county. The moratorium will give the County Planning Commission time to address deficiencies within the Columbia County Code, according to Planning Director Meagan Bailey, speaking at the regular commissioners’ meeting on Monday. A public hearing on June 28 regarding a request from Walla Walla resident Meri Bush for a conditional use permit to open and operate the county’s first grow fac...
DAYTON—At the regular meeting of the Dayton City Council on July 11, the council approved the following: Resolution No. 1345, Certifying that the city meets the requirements to apply and accept a public works assistance account low-interest loan for wastewater treatment facility land acquisition for up to $1 million. Repayment of the loan will be built into the rate structure, which could be spread over as little as five years, or up to 20 years, said City Administrator Trina Cole. Cole said that if no land is found for the treatment plant the...
STARBUCK-When Steve and Teri Klonz, of Seven K's Enterprises, took over as concessionaires at Lyons Ferry Marina KOA last year, Wally and Joanne Knouf were the work campers for the Klonz's predecessors, Jim and Angela McArthur, who were retiring. The Knoufs were then hired by Seven K's Enterprises to manage the day to day operations of the facilities. Steve Knouf said that he and Teri had an early opening this year, and it has been busy so far. "It's a whole new experience. We're still learning...
STARBUCK-Phil Farmer, CEO of Columbia Straw Supply, said he and business partner, CFO Ben Rankin, were brought in on the straw supply side of Columbia Pulp's business by its CEO, John Begley, four years ago. Farmer said the principals knew, early on, there could be a logistical nightmare for rounding up 500,000 bales of straw each year, having it delivered to the scale, storing it, moving it around, and turning it into a continuous feed for the pulp mill. "The intent in creating Columbia Straw w...
As a bread maker, I've never given much thought to what types of wheat make what kind of flour. My use of baking flour consists of going to the store and getting all-purpose flour and occasionally, venturing out to whole wheat flour. My knowledge of wheat was simply watching the hills go from green to gold. Until last year, I did not know how the wheat got into the grain elevators, visualizing some huge vacuum that took it from the truck to those large cylinders. The business side of me...
By Scott Yates Scott Yates is the director of communications and producer relations for the Washington Grain Commission Eastern Washington's warm days and cool nights allow farmers to grow five of the six classes of wheat raised in the United States: Soft white, hard red winter, hard red spring, hard white and durum. The only class not grown in Washington is soft red winter, a type of wheat mainly found east of the Mississippi River. The predominant wheat class grown in Washington – about 77% o...
Last year, when I talked to ladies about harvest and cooking, I missed Barbara Cockburn Danforth, as she was not available. Her daughter, Susie Payne, shared that her mom was brought up in the days of mules pulling the harvest equipment, so I was looking forward to hearing about those times. As one who didn't live through those times, I'm always impressed at how much work they did and how little they complained. Barbara told me her folks (Jack and Ada Cockburn) moved to Waitsburg in 1928, and...
POMEROY--The Columbia Pulp Pilot Plant, located at the Port of Garfield in Pomeroy, is a hub of activity. "It's busy here, which is good. It's what we want," said Kyler Lovgren, maintenance manager at the plant. Lovgren said that about 20 people are currently working at the pilot plant. "It's moving fast. A couple of months ago we had hardly any equipment, and now it looks like this," he said pointing to all of the workers and complicated machinery. So far, Lovgren said, there have been no...
DAYTON-The Dayton School Board has approved Superintendent Doug Johnson's recommendation of Kristina Brown for Dayton Middle and High School Principal. "Kristina has a strong desire to support teachers as they seek instruction strategies...I believe Kristina will be a strong member of our school team," said Johnson. Board President Dan Butler said Brown was one of a field of 10 candidates for the position. He said three candidates were interviewed, with two advancing to the final interviews on...
WAITSBURG – Waitsburg Planning Commission Chair Karen Gregutt reminded City Council members at their June 20 regular council meeting that a full review of the city's comprehensive plan and development regulations is just around the corner. She said the commission is hoping for strong public participation throughout the process. "It's a very extensive effort. We need people to roll up their sleeves and participate in order to have a very proactive, citizen-based and robust advisory committee," G...
DAYTON – The Dayton Historical Depot Society’s annual Evening at the Depot Auction will be held on August 4, with a social hour and music by Bobby K and Mike McQuary on the Depot’s courtyard at 6 p. m. The live auction will begin at 7 p. m. McDonald Zaring Insurance is providing wine by Dumas Station, microbrew by Chief Springs Fire and Irons, and hors d’oeuvres catered by Grassroot Gourmet. This year’s major auction package is five nights at a Samish Island private waterfront vacation home, for up to six adults in three bedrooms, and with...
By Clint Atteberry, Columbia County Planning and Building Dept. DAYTON -- Sight distance standards help provide safety for vehicles entering roadways from side roads, driveways, parking lots and alleys. Vegetation should be pruned and trimmed for visibility first, and tree health and aesthetics second. Vegetation that obstructs motorist and/or pedestrian view of traffic signs or signals, or obstructs a public facility, should also be trimmed. It is the duty of the property owner of the abutting property to keep the trees on, or overhanging the...
WAITSBURG – After 20 years as a member of the Waitsburg School Board, Dr. Randy Pearson has stepped down, leaving a vacant seat which the district is trying to fill. The reason for his resignation? Pretty simple, he says: "I don't reside in the school district anymore, so I can't legally be on the board. Otherwise, I'd probably still be there." "It is bittersweet," he added. "We love Waitsburg, and we have a lot of friends here. I grew up here, and I raised all my kids here, and it's a bitterswe...
DAYTON-The Columbia County Sheriff's Office has a new deputy in the making. Since he was hired on July 1, 32-year-old Caesar Rivera said he has been getting to know the ropes. "It feels good," he said. "I'm trying to remember names." Rivera is a 2002 graduate of Pasco High School and attended Columbia Basin College in 2005-06. When he was a student at CBC, his uncle, Jesse Romero, who is a Pasco Police Dept. detective, suggested he try a career in law enforcement. Rivera said after a ride along...
DAYTON – The annual Dayton High School Alumni Weekend is coming up on July 20 and 21. Several classes will be holding reunions that weekend, along with the traditional parade on Saturday morning, and many other activities. Longtime DHS Alumni Association members Dell and Phil Groom will serve as parade marshals. The Alumni Association is also giving special recognition to Dayton native Eulalie Schreck, who will be celebrating the 80th anniversary of her 1938 DHS graduation. The Alumni Association has announced some important changes from its p...
WAITSBURG-Last week, on a balmy Wednesday evening, area voters pressed through the propped-open doors of Waitsburg's Town Hall to meet the candidates running for four positions in local, state, and national government. The forum was sponsored by the Waitsburg Commercial Club. Nine candidates, grouped by the office they sought, were seated at folding tables along one wall as the audience settled into rows of folding chairs. Moderator Jim Davison explained the forum's format to the crowd over the...
DAYTON--Stephanie Kubej and Kristina Brown are the two finalists for the Dayton secondary principal position, and they spent the day last Thursday getting acquainted with students, staff and teachers, and the community. Kubej hails from Spokane, where she is an interim elementary principal at Balboa Elementary School. She has served as an assistant principal in the Spokane School District, two years as dean of students and PBIS Coordinator in the Bellevue School District, and has 17 years of...
WAITSBURG – A vital and active parks & recreation department may or may not become a reality for Waitsburg, but the Waitsburg City Council agreed to give it a go. At their June 20 meeting, the council voted unanimously to request that Walla Walla County reactivate the Waitsburg Parks & Recreation District. Approval was granted in order to give interested parties the time necessary to gather information on revitalizing the department and to submit it to the county in order to run a levy on the November ballot. “Whether parks and rec is the sil...
DAYTON-Former Waitsburg Christian Church Pastor Mike Ferrians will become the new manager of Dayton's Liberty Theater at the end of this month. He will replace Kirsten Schober. Schober says she is leaving to enjoy a little time off before exploring interests she has in community development. Schober has been the theater manager since 2011. She took the job after a stint as the executive director of the Kirkman House Museum in Walla Walla. She also managed the Liberty Theater in Ellensburg in...
