Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Sorted by date Results 3112 - 3136 of 5684
WAITSBURG – With six weeks on-the-job under his belt, new Waitsburg School District Superintendent Dr. Jon Mishra says his welcome has been "excellent" and he is excited about his future in Waitsburg. Mishra pointed to Aesop's Fable, The Tortoise and the Hare, as the guideline for the district. "That's what's going to drive our journey forward. We're going to take our time. Slow and steady wins the race. I've been an educator for 25 years and I've been through the system as a student and o...
Waitsburg School District Superintendent Dr. Jon Mishra reached out to The Times about offering some back-to-school suggestions for parents and students as they begin thinking about coming back to school. -Start getting back into school year sleep patterns. -Establish meal times that coincide with school meals. We don’t want kids missing breakfast, whether they eat at home or at school. -Get out and get some activity. -Pull a book off the shelf. -Parents should start thinking about what the school year routine will look like and get ahead of i...
Bailey Carlson is New Fifth Grade Teacher WAITSBURG – New Waitsburg Elementary School fifth-grade teacher, Bailey Carlson, shares a similar philosophy as her predecessor, Gabe Kiefel, who will teach high school science this year. "My favorite part of teaching is building relationships with kids and their families. I love getting to know the students and helping support them through education, life, sports, every aspect of a healthy lifestyle. I enjoy being another support system for them," s...
A harvest truck garnered plenty of attention earlier this month when its driver cut the corner from 7th Street onto Coppei a bit too close and got hung up on a fire hydrant. Interestintly enough, at their July meeting, the Waitsburg City Council adjusted the city's 6-year Transportation Plan to include widening this section of 7th Street for this very reason....
Zach Bartlow said his summer got "flipped upside down rather quick" when he received a surprise call from Finland asking him to play quarterback for the Turku Trojans, part of the country's Maple League. The Vaahteraliiga (Maple League) is the highest level of American football in Finland played under the American Football Association of Finland. The winner of the Maple League is the Finnish champion. The season is played in summer, with a schedule usually from May to September, and this year's...
WAITSBURG – A fast-moving wheat fire northwest of Waitsburg resulted in about 12 Weller Canyon homes being evacuated Saturday afternoon, but thanks to a fast-acting command and support from area agencies, the blaze was quickly contained. The 1280 acre fire burned mostly conservation reserve program (CRP) land and there was no known loss of structure or equipment according to Columbia-Walla Walla Fire No. 2 Assistant Chief Brian Callahan who served as Incident Command. The fire started about t...
DAYTON-Denise Smith of Deer Park, Wash., has been chosen by school officials to be the new Dayton Elementary Principal, and she will begin work , officially, on Monday, Aug. 7. "I'm so excited. I'm getting ready to move," said Smith speaking from her home in Deer Park, where she was busy packing her household. Smith plans to rent a home in Walla Walla for herself and her 16 year old son, Michael, who is a high school junior. Smith also has a 20-year-old daughter, Lexi, who is an incoming junior...
HUNTSVILLE – For those looking to add a bit of adventure to the camping experience, two teepees have been installed at Lewis & Clark Trail State Park and became available for rent Aug. 1. The teepees will be rented on a first-come, first-serve basis through Oct. 31. Washington State Parks Program Specialist Clara Dickinson-McQuary said employees have spent the last two months establishing the sites and installing the teepees that had previously been used for events at Sacajawea State Park in Pas...
Aug. 3 Adult male arrested in Waitsburg on a warrant out of College Place....
WAITSBURG – It was four years in the making, but 2017 Waitsburg High School graduate, Analisea Araya, spent part of her summer making a dream come true. The wait was worth it, and her three-week adventure spent serving children in Uganda, Africa was everything she hoped it would be. Araya said she has "always" wanted to go on a mission trip, but narrowed her destination to visiting Uganda after she was inspired by a good friend who served there when Araya was a freshman. Unlike most teens t...
DAYTON-Not only is Rachel Hutchens the WSU Extension Office Weed Control Board coordinator, but she is also the extension office manager, assisting WSU Extension Agent Paul Carter with accounts payable, writing publications, and planning for special programs like the Wheat and Legume Variety Tour which took place at the end of June. "We're a resource for information. I like being able to help people. I like the interaction with the public, and I like agriculture," said Hutchens, who paused...
DAYTON – Almost everyone in Dayton (and probably the surrounding areas) is aware that Dayton is home to the Columbia County’s Washington State University Extension Office. What many people may not know is that the office is also home to the County Weed Board, which is funded by a county assessment and tries to control weeds, as well as reaching out and educating the public on noxious weeds. Rachel Hutchens, who has been the County Weed Board Coordinator since October 2013, also recently became the Extension Office Manager, and combined the two...
DAYTON—The Columbia County Rural Library District Board of Trustees met last week to evaluate and discuss the structure of the staff positions and job descriptions, after the library lost two key staff members this month. Adult Services Specialist Howard Beuhler’s last day on the job was Aug. 4, and the last day for the Children/Young Adult Services Specialist Carolyn Laib was Aug. 11. “The board needed to add staff, sooner, rather than later,” according to Tanya Patton who serves as chairpe...
WAITSBURG – It may not be back-to-school time for Waitsburg students yet, but kindergarten teacher Pam Nolan-Nolan-Beasley spent last week in "school," honing her skills along with other select teachers from across the state. She spent the week at the Pacific Northwest National Lab in Richland, Wash. as part of the STEM-IT Now Project, which aims to strengthen the content knowledge and skills of selected expert teachers who are part of the SE LASER (Leadership Alliance for Science Education R...
WAITSBURG – Trevor Johnson, owner and operator of Johnson Family Towing, approached the Waitsburg City Council about the possibility of using an unused plot of land, between Midway Food Mart and Waitsburg Mini Storage as a specialized storage lot for his business. The council agreed to look into a lease of the property. City Manager Randy Hinchliffe said the parcel of land, approximately 60 feet wide, was reserved for an undeveloped street and there is already at least one shed over the right of...
New Business: -Held a public hearing on the city’s 6-year Transportation Plan. No one from the public spoke. -Adopted the city’s 6-year Transportation Plan. See full story in Aug. 3 issue. -Approved the Sidewalk Projects Award which will allow the installation of multiple sidewalks paid for largely by federal funding. Approximately, $30,000-$40,000 will come from city funds, according to City Manager Randy Hinchliffe. -Approved Ordinance 2017-1042 to do away with utility water deposits. -Approved payment #2 on Main Street Bridge Rep...
Before you serve up any patties to your guests, commit these six commandments to memory. 1. Your meat matters. Choose wisely. If you want a really juicy hamburger, use ground beef that's a combination of 80 percent meat to 20 percent fat. The less fat, the drier the burger. 2. Handle with care. Throw out the hamburger press. The best burgers are hand formed using just enough pressure and taking no longer than necessary to form a patty. Don't press, mold and overwork. In your efforts to get a...
Dayton's National Night Out, held at the Dayton City Park on Aug. 1, was well attended....
Waitsburg's summer reading program wrapped up with stories, prizes, and a pizza party in the Weller Public Library on Monday....
WAITSBURG – How will the recent closure of Walla Walla General Hospital impact the Columbia County Health System, as well as Waitsburg and Dayton residents? CCHS CEO Shane McGuire was invited to a July 27 meeting of the Waitsburg Commercial Club executive board to address just those questions. McGuire attributed the closure of WWGH in large part to a lack of cooperation between WWGH and Providence St. Mary’s Medical Center, saying the two hospitals were in a constant battle over a rel...
DAYTON- City council meetings will take place at 7 p.m. on the second Wednesday of the month, beginning on Aug. 9, as approved by the city council at last week’s meeting. The city hall business office will be closed on Fridays, returning to Mon. -Thurs. hours beginning on Aug. 4, according to Mayor Craig George. George said there have been 20 hours of productive time lost due to the Friday business day. He also pointed out there had only been one customer on the prior Friday. Also, swimming pool hours have been changed to reflect an a...
DAYTON - Columbia Pulp I, LLC announced last week that it has entered into agreements for the debt and equity financing required to commence construction of its new straw pulp manufacturing facility near Starbuck. According to Columbia Pulp CEO John Begley, $133.6 million in tax-exempt bonds and $36 million in equity financing are expected to close simultaneously on Aug. 9. Construction should begin shortly thereafter, he said. If plans hold, the pulp mill will be completed and begin operations in the fourth quarter of 2018. Begley said the...
July 31 Simple assault on Lyons Ferry and Pickard roads. Reporting party was heading to Columbia County and was contacted by CCSO for statement and pictures. July 29 Vehicle prowl on E. Seventh St. Two victim’s vehicles were entered. One victim reported various items were stolen from their vehicle. July 21 Received a call reporting a lost wallet on Coppei Ave....
Arraignments -Edward William Terry, 31, Dayton; charged with three counts of first degree assault with a deadly weapon, third degree assault of a law officer, harassment of a criminal justice participant, and resisting arrest. Charges stem from an event on July 20 when Terry allegedly yelled threats at a woman who was talking on her cell phone in her parked car. When officers arrived Terry left the scene. When he was approached by a deputy his allegedly raised a machete, yelled, and came aggressively toward the officer. The officer, drew his...
On Wednesday, Aug. 9, at 2 p.m., youth will learn some basic programming with Scribble Bots. On Wed, Aug. 16, at 2 p.m., youth will learn about the importance of recycling, and how to be good stewards of the planet. Wed., Aug. 18, at 4:30 p.m. is the deadline to complete and turn in Summer Reading Bingo Cards and be entered into the grand prize drawings. Winners will be notified on that day. The library will provide safe solar eclipse glasses for viewing the eclipse at the Blue Mountain Station on Aug. 21, at 9 a.m. The eclipse begins at 9:11...
