Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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DAYTON – The Port of Columbia Board of Commissioners held its regular meeting on February 8, 2023, at the Port of Columbia conference room and on Zoom. Executive Director Jennie Dickinson and Commissioners Genie Crowe and Seth Bryan were present, and Johnny Watts attended remotely. Members of the public attended remotely and in person. Cedar Rain, a tenant at Blue Mountain Station (BMS), increased the square footage of their lease this month, returning BMS to full occupancy. Dickinson reported the State audit is complete and that it went w...
WAITSBURG—Twenty-four years ago, the Waitsburg Booster Club was formed. Ross Hamann was elected president and has continued in the role over the years. Even though the club lost momentum about five years ago, Hamann and 12-year veteran treasurer Becky Harshman kept the club alive as they knew “this club will come back!” About thirty supporters met on Monday, February 7, to get the Booster Club active again. Hamann started the meeting by giving the group a brief review of the club’s history, current status, and a treasury update. When the clu...
DAYTON-The Columbia County Health System community has looked forward to the opening of the River Walk Assisted Living facility since construction began in 2021, After weeks of anticipation and preparation, Rivers Walk Assisted Living welcomed all 18 residents from Booker Rest Home in time for Valentine's Day. The residents have moved into cottages B and C at the new facility. "A wonderful atmosphere filled the air on this momentous occasion - big bay windows allowed plenty of sun in while...
DAYTON – The Dayton School Board held a work session meeting at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, February 1, 2023, in the High School library. School board members present were Chair Jeffrey McCowen, Grant Griffen, and Zac Fabian. Korinda Wallace attended on Zoom. Aneesha Dier was absent. Also present were Superintendent Rich Stewart and Business Manager Jana Eaton. The Board approved the consent agenda, which included approval for an FFA overnight trip to Olympia and the resignation of Carlos Norris as HS Head Wrestling Coach. Next, the Board listened t...
MILTON FREEWATER–What would you do with a highly productive dairy cow? For Jeff and Andrea Adams, the answer was cheese making. Their son's dairy cow, Toasty, gave the couple plenty of raw material, up to 12 gallons a day. Since then, the hobby has become a full-fledged business. After 25 years of running their dairy farm in Tillamook, Oregon, the couple moved to Milton-Freewater in 2005. Jeff found work at a dairy-cow replacement farm, and Andrea offers veterinarian services at a Walla Walla a...
WALLA WALLA–The Foundry Vineyards is celebrating its 20th Anniversary with a juried regional art show. The exhibition’s reception will be held on Friday, February 3, 2023, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Art has been a big part of the vineyard. In 1980, Mark and Patty Anderson opened the Walla Walla Foundry, a contempory art production facility. Internationally recognized artists bring projects to be fabricated in resin, bronze, wood, glass and other materials. Work from artists including Deborah Butterfield, Yayoi Kusama, Paul McCarthy, and Isa...
WAITSBURG-Weller Public Librarian Twila Tate presented the library's 2022 year-end report to the Waitsburg City Council at its regular meeting in January. The report included data on the collection status, staffing, programming, and grants. At the end of 2022, the current collection at the Weller Public Library included 7,776 physical items. In the summer of 2022, the library staff began assessing the materials in the collection. The materials are reviewed for age, accuracy, duplications,...
WAITSBURG-The Waitsburg Commercial Club has asked the public for nomination letters recognizing Waitsburg community members in three categories, Community Service, Business of the Year, and Employee of the Year. Awards will be presented at the club's annual meeting in April. This is a chance to let community members in Waitsburg know they are appreciated and valued for the excellent work and service they provide. Nomination letters are due by March 15, 2023, and can be mailed to the Waitsburg...
DAYTON- Now that the ski season is in full swing, visitors at Bluewood Ski Resort are enjoying an array of recent improvements and upgrades, including a revamped food service area, additional parking options, an improved and newly named terrain park, and new program offerings. The third floor of the lodge has undergone a complete overhaul, featuring draft beer and wine, and new seating options. R&B Barbecue has brought BBQ to the mountain. The resort has added an overflow parking lot with a...
DAYTON – The Dayton School Board held a regular meeting at 6 p.m., on January 18, 2022, in the high school’s library. All members of the school board were present, Chair Jeffrey McCowen, Grant Griffen, Aneesha Dieu, and Zac Fabian. Korinda Wallace attended using Zoom. Also present were Superintendent Rich Stewart and Business Manager Jana Eaton. After receiving some items from representative K-12 students in appreciation for the Board’s service, the Board passed the consent agenda without discussion. During the public comment period, Pasto...
WAITSBURG—The Waitsburg City Council met for its regular meeting on Wednesday, January 18, at City Hall. Mayor Marty Dunn, City Administrator Randy Hinchliffe, and all council members were in attendance. After approval of the agenda and the last meeting’s minutes, the Mayor opened public comment. Stephanie Cole and Katelyn Stahl, representing Touchet Valley Soccer League, and Stephanie Ruffcorn for the Snake River Little League, asked the Council for help with the youth athletic fields at the fairgrounds. Concerns included field con...
DAYTON- The Dayton City Council held its regular meeting at 6 p.m. January 10, 2023. Mayor Zac Weatherford and council members Teeny McMunn, James Su’euga, Kyle Anderson, Dain Nysoe, Shannon McMillen, Laura Aukerman, and Tiger Dieu attended in person at City Hall. Sheriff Helm attended and gave his department’s report. He said Deputies Bruce and Wagner are doing well with their training at the academy. Helm said the department would hold a citizen’s academy sometime this spring. The academy is a chance for citizens to learn more about law enfor...
DAYTON – The Columbia Port Commissioners held their regular meeting at 5 p.m. on January 11, 2023, at the Port of Columbia conference room and on Zoom. Commissioners present were Genie Crowe, Seth Bryan, Johnny Watts, and the Executive Director, Jennie Dickinson. Members of the public attended using Zoom and in person. The Commissioners first dealt with several administrative items and were briefed by Dickinson on the status of the State audit and the year-end financials. Dickinson gave a brief background on the proposed property sale to T...
WALLA WALLA-At least two national chains are opening locations in Walla Walla. As reported in The Union-Bulletin on January 5, Planet Fitness and Burlington opening stores at the Walla Walla Town Center. Big Lots and Home Goods also leased space at the shopping center once the location of the fr Blue Mountain Mall on Rose Street in Walla Wash. Burlington, formerly Burlington Coat Factory, will lease space in the former Shopko building. According to the company's website, it has over 650...
WAITSBURG-Local entrepreneurs Erin Elsey and Kimberly Smith are opening a new shop in Waitsburg. The shop, 131 Main, is full of products from the two owners' businesses, A-Ron's Rustic Designs and Smith Craft. The shop will also include a selection from Hugs Gifts & Collectables. Owner of A-Ron Rustic Designs, Elsey has participated in local vendor events offering decorative dish towels, potholders, aprons, and clothing. Her humor is evident on the selection of children's t-shirts and onesies...
WAITSBURG—The Waitsburg School Board held a special meeting on Monday, January 2, 2022, to discuss the school’s administration and superintendent search. Six members of the staff and two community members attended in person. Currently, the District has two full-time administrators, which the Board would like to maintain. The discussion, which School Board Chair, Dr Carol Clarke said, was a great brainstorming session on maximizing resources. One suggestion was to follow Districts that have two buildings for K-12. Sixth graders would move int...
WAITSBURG—The Waitsburg School District Board of Directors is asking the community to participate in a superintendent profile survey. The online survey is available at tinyurl.com/wsdinput and is also available through the District website homepage at www.waitsburgsd.org. All surveys must be completed by January 10. Your input will help identify the qualifications and characteristics of the next Waitsburg School District Superintendent. The Board of Directors values community input and guidance, and strongly recommends taking advantage of t...
WAITSBURG-The Waitsburg School Board held its regular meeting on December 15. Board members and attendees heard updates from Carol Clarke, who was nominated and approved by the board to serve as the Board Chair for the 2023 year. Stephanie Cole was selected and agreed to serve as the vice chair. The organizational vote is held every year and confirmed by a roll-call vote. School Counselor Rosy Nechodom and high school students gave a presentation on the Sources of Strength program, which is new...
DAYTON – Port of Columbia Commissioners held its regular meeting on Wednesday, December 14, 2022, at the Port of Columbia conference room and on Zoom. Commissioners Genie Crowe, Seth Bryan, Johnny Watts, and Executive Director Jennie Dickinson were in attendance. Port Director Dickinson gave an update on the ongoing scheduled State audit. She said the Port staff works remotely with the state auditors, who expect the work to be completed in January. Dickenson estimates the cost may be $8,000. T...
DAYTON—The Dayton School Board held its regular meeting in the High School library on December 21, 2022. School Board Chair Jeffrey McCowen, board members Grant Griffen, Aneesha Dieu (attended using Zoom), Zac Fabian, Superintendent Rich Stewart, and Business Manager Jana Eaton were in attendance. Board member Korinda Wallace was absent. The first order of business was to establish the board organization for the coming year. For the two elected positions, McCowen was re-elected Board Chair, and Griffin was elected Vice Chair. Other positions w...
WAITSBURG-Results from a community survey sent to the public by the Waitsburg School Board last month showed overwhelming support for continuing the athletic combine severed in November, according to results presented at the December 15 Waitsburg School Board meeting. Last month, the Dayton School Board voted to end the DW Wolfpack athletic combine, effective January 2023, for middle school programs. This allowed the middle school boys' basketball team to finish the season as a combine but...
WAITSBURG—Staff, and students from Waitsburg High School participated in a Sources of Strength (SOS) training this past Wednesday, December 7. The Waitsburg Presbyterian Church hosted the event. Students received training to help fellow students recognize their full range of resilience through the areas and relationships discussed: family support, positive friends, mentors, healthy activities, personal expressions of generosity, spirituality (that can include the practice of gratefulness), physical health, and mental health. Sources of S...
DAYTON-The Tri-City Steel Band entertained a crowd of music enthusiasts at its 9th annual concert at Faith Chapel in Dayton on Saturday, December 10. Twenty-seven members and their instructor Ben Leggett played upbeat music in the first set. After a brief intermission, the crowd enjoyed Christmas music ending with a four-song Christmas Carol mashup. Attendees interested in learning about steel drumming were assisted by band members during the intermission to play the drums and ask questions....
WALLA WALLA-The Valley Gift Guide, online and in print, gives donors an easy way to support the many nonprofit organizations that support health, education, daycare, food security, animal welfare, and arts and sciences. The program not only brings awareness to organizations that work in our community but includes a match from a pooled bonus fund. The Valley Giving Guide 2022 Match is not a dollar-for-dollar match; it will be a percentage match, such as a 15% match. That means that if you donate...
DAYTON-The Dayton Chamber of Commerce brought Ladies Night Out back on Monday, December 5. Girlfriends and Shopping was a night for participants to relax, rewind, and reboot this holiday season. For those who came out, it was an opportunity to find something special for hostess, birthday, holiday, and children's gifts from carefully curated items at Dayton's shops. After visiting eight of the participating businesses, attendees for the event could enter the Grand Prize Draawing. A win/win for...
