Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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WAITSBURG – Strong community support sends incumbent Waitsburg Mayor Walt Gobel into his sixth term after receiving 213 votes in Waitsburg’s preliminary city election results calculated Monday night. First-time mayoral challengers Debra Callahan had 63 votes and Delores Nettles had 34 votes. Based on preliminary results, the council will remain unchanged, with the exception of Kate Hockersmith, who will replace Callahan. Hockersmith gave longtime Waitsburg council frontrunner Kevin House a run for his money this year by receiving 254 votes to...
DAYTON – Columbia County Prosecutor Rea Culwell announced on Friday that Mexican law enforcement officials have arrested 42-year-old Benjamin Orozco, who is wanted for a 1996 murder in Dayton. Orozco was taken into custody last week in San Francisco, Nayarit, Mexico. He is expected to be extradited to Columbia County within the next two months. Orozco faces a charge of second-degree murder in the shooting death of Lance Terry in downtown Dayton on July 7, 1996. He is also charged with first-degree assault for wounding David Eaton. In a press r...
WAITSBURG – Spring is in the air and Waitsburg Celebration Days is a mere six weeks away. Tickets are already on sale for several highlight events of what looks to be a fun-filled family weekend, May 20-22. The weekend's signature event – the 35-mile Karen's Ride ATV Poker Run – has been adapted to allow participants to play an unlimited number of poker hands this year. Hands may be purchased at a discounted $10 rate through May 16, and will be $15 each after that date. And an additional ride,...
(l to r): Drew Farley, Austin James, Riley Witt, and Scott Leamy (back row with tuba) blew some tunes at the SEWMEA High School Large Group Band Festival at Clarkston High School last month. See story on Page 2....
WAITSBURG – On Thurs., March 17, the Preston Hall 7th-8th grade band traveled to Colfax to compete in the Middle School Large Group Band Festival. They performed their concert pieces, "Forge of Vulcan" and "Jump Street Boogie" and received a superior rating, with top scores from both judges, according to Band Director Brad Green. On March 22, the WHS band took their turn, competing in the SEWMEA High School Large Group Festival at Clarkston High School. The band played their concert pieces: "...
A group of Waitsburg folks (and a WSU student from India) kicked off spring break by running the 62- mile Palouse 100K Relay in Pullman on Sun, April 3. The race was originally called the Washington State University 100K Relay & Solo Race and was started by the Palouse Road Runners and WSU in 1990 as part of the WSU centennial celebration. Waitsburg resident Christy House said a group from Waitsburg, with the name BEERRUN, has participated in the race for the last five years, though the...
Jacci's Yarn Basket was Jacci Wooten's Third Career DAYTON – After several failed attempts to sell her business over the last three years, Jacci's Yarn Basket owner, Jacci Wooten, is closing her doors. The store's stock and fixtures are marked at 40% off now through April 16, when Wooten will officially retire. Wooten said the yarn shop is her "third career." She spent three years as a librarian at the University of Idaho Law Library, and then spent 16 years as a hairstylist in Moscow, Ida. Woot...
DAYTON – Alder Family Dental has announced that Dr. Rachel Deininger has begun serving patients in their Dayton office and will soon become the primary dentist in that office. Dr. Deininger will take over the practice that Alder purchased from Dr. Norm Passmore last year and continues to operate at its Main Street location in Dayton. Dr. Deininger has been in practice for about seven years, and joined Alder Family Dental in September. She is a California native and a graduate of Walla Walla Univ...
DAYTON - Dr. Norm Passmore told The Times on Tuesday that he plans to run for the District 1 seat on the Columbia County Board of Commissioners. That position is currently held by Dwight Robanske. “This is something that I’ve been considering for quite awhile,” he said. “I think it’s time.” Passmore sold his Dayton dental practice to Alder Family Dental late last year, and is currently working part time in that office during its transition period (see article at left.) Filing for elections this year begins May 16. Robanske’s position, as...
WAITSBURG – The Waitsburg Commercial Club awarded the 2016 Waitsburg Community Service Award – formerly known as the Citizen of the Year Award – to longtime resident and tireless volunteer, Mary Phillips, at their annual meeting on Tuesday, April, 5. Phillips joins the ranks of more than 50 individuals to receive the award, beginning with Ernest Kison in 1962 and continuing through Kate Hockersmith in 2015. Beginning in 2015, the Commercial Club decided to broaden their recognition base and h...
WAITSBURG – Walla Walla High School senior Madeline Erikson officially accepted her appointment to the US Military Academy at West Point by signing her letter of intent to compete on their NCAA Rifle Team on March 29. Erikson did not attend school in Waitsburg, but three previous generations of her family did. She is the daughter of Ellis and Kristin Erikson of Walla Walla and Trisha Maxwell of Walla Walla; granddaughter of Roland Erikson and Sherri Erikson, both of Waitsburg; and g...
WAITSBURG – Former Waitsburg teacher, principal, and superintendent Ed Larsen and wife Lynna were pleased to learn that former Waitsburg teacher Art Jarvis was selected as Renton, Wash. School District interim superintendent through 2017. Jarvis and Larsen began their education careers together in Waitsburg in 1965 where Jarvis taught high school classes, was assistant football coach and girls' basketball coach. Larsen taught middle school social studies before becoming high school principal a...
Three-year-old Joshua Magana gives his egg-gathering strategy some serious thought during last Saturday's Easter Egg Hunt at Waitsburg's City Park....
WAITSBURG – Due to conflicts with sports and a lack of applicants, Waitsburg Celebration Days does not have a royalty court at this time. Instead, the Celebration Days Committee has planned something extra-special for the Celebration Days Parade on May 21, 2016. The committee is inviting all former Days of Real Sport and Waitsburg Celebration Days court royalty to represent Waitsburg in the parade. This will be a fun way to remember and recognize the many past queens and princesses who are still an active part of the Waitsburg community. C...
WAITSBURG – State Representatives Terry Nealey and Maureen Walsh stopped by The Times' office last week to discuss the on-going 2016 legislative session and some of the sticking points that are keeping legislators at work past the scheduled 60-day deadline. Nealey and Walsh are both Republican members of the House, representing the 16th Legislative District, which includes Columbia and Walla Walla Counties. The Republican-led Senate and the Democratic-led House of Representatives failed to a...
DAYTON-At their meeting last week, the Columbia County Hospital District commissioners gave the go-ahead for Jeff Jurgensen, from OAC Construction Management Services in Spokane, to move forward as the construction manager for the hospital remodel/redesign project. Jurgensen was on hand to talk about his role on the project. He told the commissioners that the general contractor/contract manager project delivery method the hospital officials have chosen for the project makes the construction...
Sentencings/Resolutions Austin Michael Kimmons, 19; pled guilty to two counts of possession of a stolen firearm. A third, possession of marijuana charge, was dropped. As a first time offender Kimmons was sentenced to 60 days in jail, with 30 days converted to 240 hours of community service. He must pay $1,680 in fines, fees, and assessments. Aidan Joseph Gemmell, 18, Dayton, entered a guilty plea to two counts of child molestation in the 1st degree. Sentenced to 50 days in jail for each charge. Ten days to be served in jail; 40 days served...
WAITSBURG – Joe Jacobs from the Small Business Administration will hold a workshop on Google Suite for Waitsburg Commercial Club members on Tues., April 12 from 8:30-10:30 a.m. at The Q Wood Fired Grill in Waitsburg. The workshop will include a hands-on tutorial analyzing many of Google’s online tools for business including Google Places, Google +, Google Analytics as well as other important tools such as Chrome browser, Chrome cast, Last Pass, Gmail, and Google Drive and Photos. The workshop is free to Commercial Club members and $10 for non...
The weather was cooperative as parents of tiny tots offered egg-hunting advice and took plenty of photos at last Saturday's Easter Egg Hunt in Waitsburg's Preston Park. The annual hunt is a joint effort of the Waitsburg Grange and the Waitsburg Commercial Club....
DAYTON-You have heard it said that it takes a village to raise a child, and this is true for 48 students in the Dayton School District who were enrolled in the after school pilot program during March. Blue Mountain Station, the Dayton School District, Columbia County Health Department, the Dayton Memorial Library, and the Coalition for Youth and Families, are just a few of the partnering agencies donating time, money, and talent to make the program a success. Since the program started on March...
WAITSBURG – Art lovers from across the valley gathered in the new Ten Ton Press building on Waitsburg's Main Street to welcome Seattle Artist David Allison at an artist's reception on Saturday afternoon. The well-established Seattle-based artist is the first of several solo artists to be featured in the new Waitsburg Windows of Art program, organized by Waitsburg resident Karen Gregutt. Gregutt said City Administrator Randy Hinchliffe had approached her with the idea after he'd heard of other t...
WALLA WALLA – Nothing New Antiques may look the same from the outside, but a few things have changed on the inside. Owners Lupe and Sandra Torres have been looking to retire from operating the store for some time and have worked out a mutually beneficial agreement with Waitsburg newcomer, Melanie Wilkinson, who will continue to operate the store. Wilkinson is a fourth generation Touchet native, who spent a good part of each year working in Alaska. This year, however, she decided not to return t...
Nearly 30 people showed up Thursday for a candidates' forum put on by the Waitsburg Commercial Club at The Q restaurant. The forum, moderated by Jim Davison, allowed the three candidates for mayor and five of six candidates for city council positions to speak for two minutes each about their qualifications and goals. Audience members were then able to ask questions of the candidates. Voting in Waitsburg elections ends Monday. The Times will provide complete results in our next...
Weller Public Library 212 Main Street, Waitsburg Hours: Mon. and Thurs. 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Storytime: Mon., 10:30 a. m. “As Close to Us as Breathing,” by Elizabeth Poliner (Adult Fiction): In 1948, a small stretch of the Woodmont, Connecticut shoreline, affectionately named “Bagel Beach,” has long been a summer destination for Jewish families. Here sisters Ada, Vivie, and Bec assemble at their beloved family cottage, with children in tow and weekend-only husbands who arrive each Friday in time for the Sabbath meal. During the weekdays, freedom r...
Dayton Memorial Library 111 S. 3rd Street, Dayton Hours: Mon., Wed., Fri., 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Tues. & Thurs., 12-8 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Storytime: Tues., 10 a.m. “The Dogs of Littlefield,” by Suzanne Berne (Adult Fiction); Littlefield, Massachusetts, named one of the Ten Best Places to Live in America, full of psychologists and college professors, is proud of its fine schools, its girls’ soccer teams, its leafy streets, and charming village center. Yet no sooner has sociologist Dr. Clarice Watkins arrived to study the elements of “good q...
