Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Sorted by date Results 4202 - 4226 of 5707
WAITSBURG – Waitsburg residents probably noticed that their utility bills looked a bit different this month. That’s because the city recently upgraded its antiquated software to a more modern program, and is in the process of completing the conversion from old to new. The change will affect residents in a couple of ways. First, the new system assigned all new account numbers. This change only affects residents who use online bill pay, through their banks, to pay their utility bills. “It’s very important that people go into their bank’s...
History lessons are wasted on the young. In high school, I always earned an A grade in history, but I don’t remember actually learning much. You see, I didn’t really understand history, but I was very good at memorizing information. Historical figures and dates, as well as lectures and textbooks full of facts were “caught” then pitched back to my teachers with very little effort or understanding on my part. I found the stories interesting but I didn’t have enough life experience to comprehend the significance of those stories. Taxation...
Weller Public Library 212 Main Street, Waitsburg Hours: Mon. and Thurs. 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Storytime: Mon., 10:30 a.m. “Half Wild,” by Sally Green (Science Fiction): This second book in the Half Bad Trilogy will be enjoyed by fans of dark fantasy. In a modern-day England where two warring factions of witches live amongst humans, seventeen-year-old Nathan is an abomination, the illegitimate son of the world’s most powerful and violent witch. Nathan is hunted from all sides: nowhere is safe and no one can be trusted. Now, Nathan has come into hi...
WAITSBURG – Waitburg's city council expressed support of the proposed Waitsburg Raceway, with Mayor Walt Gobel saying, "It's obvious the council is for you," at the Dec. 17 City Council Meeting. However, official approval was put on hold to allow citizens the opportunity for input at a Jan. 6 public workshop. Walla Walla resident Brandon Kelly was stopped partway through his initial presentation on the proposed raceway at November's city council meeting and asked to return with specific plans r...
DAYTON – When you're browsing in Snapdragon Floral and Gifts shortly before Christmas, you might think you've traveled to the North Pole. Santa's workshop must look something like this. "We love Christmas," says Cara Watts, who, with her mother, Vicky Beckmeyer, operates the recently renamed Snapdragon. It shows. Their store on Dayton's Main Street sells Christmas decorations year-round. But as the holiday season approaches, the Christmas spirit takes over, with beautiful decorations and w...
WAITSBURG – Waitsburg FFA member Sydney Fowble got an extra-special Christmas present this year: a $1,000 grant from the National FFA Foundation for her Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) goat production project. Now she has the enjoyable task of figuring out how to spend the money. Fowble was selected from hundreds of applicants nationwide for her SAE project. An SAE requires a member to create and operate an agriculture-related business, work at an agriculture-related business, or c...
WAITSBURG – Come January, there will be a new face at the Waitsburg City Council table. New student liaison Stuart Walsh will be sworn in at the Jan. 20 city council meeting. The Waitsburg High School senior, and son of Jim and Anne Walsh, is currently president of both the associated student body and the National Honor Society. He is also Knowledge Bowl captain. Walsh was recently featured in a television spot as O'Brien Chevrolet's Student of the Month for October. Last year he served as N...
DAYTON – On Wednesday, Columbia Pulp CEO John Begley presented an updated timeline for groundbreaking for the firm’s straw processing plant, which it plans to build near Lyons Ferry in northwest Columbia County. He also talked about moving the company’s laboratory from Seneca Foods, Corp., to the former Columbia Cut Stock buildings. The discussions took place during the annual Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) meeting, held at the Columbia County Fire District #3 station. (See...
WAITSUBRG - Leona May Clarno passed away, at the age of 90, on Nov. 10, but will leave a lasting legacy. The longtime Waitsburg resident donated $20,000 to the City of Waitsburg, earmarked for use by the Weller Library. Clarno was involved in the Sherwood Trust for many years, and served as both an administrator and Secretary of the Board of Trustees. In her passing, she left substantial donations to many organizations. Waitsburg City Administrator Randy Hinchliffe said the funds will be used...
DAYTON – Community leaders gathered at a luncheon on Dec. 16 at the Columbia County Fire District #3 station for Columbia County’s annual Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) meeting. The purpose of the meeting is to amend and prioritize projects on a five-year economic development project list. Before the priority discussion began, John Begley CEO of Columbia Pulp, Inc., spoke about the latest plans for that firm’s development of a straw pulp plant near Lyons Ferry (see artic...
DAYTON—At a public hearing on December 2, the Columbia County Commissioners considered, and adopted, three resolutions pertaining to road projects for 2016. The Six-Year Transportation Improvement Program covers the years 2016 to 2021. It includes an updated listing of proposed road improvement projects, along with a revenue and expenditure analysis. A bridge inspection report for that was prepared by County Engineer Andrew Woods. The annual construction program for 2016 describes ten road p...
WAITSBURG – Following a second public hearing and two workshop sessions, the Waitsburg City Council approved the city’s 2016 final budget at the Dec. 17 meeting. The 2016 budget of $1.75 million shaved more than $1 million off of last year’s $2.8 million budget. Waitsburg City Administrator Randy Hinchliffe said the drop in expenditures is mostly because there are no large capital projects slated for 2016. “We’ll replace a few small sections of water line, some storm line, some sidewalks...
DAYTON – The southeast Washington ski season begins Friday, as Ski Bluewood opens its mountain to skiers and snowboarders. According to a press release, the Skyline Express and Platter Pull lifts will operate beginning Friday, with the Triple Nickle lift to be determined. The ski area will open at 9 a.m., with rentals, food service and snow sports available. Ski Bluewood will operate daily from its opening Friday through January 3, except for Christmas day. Hours are 9 a.m. through 4 p.m. d...
WAITSBURG – Kindergarten students in Waitsburg now have even more to brag about when they describe their classroom teacher. Presidential Award-winner Pam Nolan- Beasley is now a national semi-finalist, being recognized as a cream-of-the-crop science teacher. Nolan-Beasley was one of two Washington teachers awarded the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching in 2012, She received a $10,000 cash award and a trip to Washington D.C. Last week Nolan-Beasley was n...
WAITSBURG – Late last January, the Waitsburg High School student body "overwhelmingly approved" the addition of FCCLA (Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America) to the school's club and organization offerings. The first big FFCLA event is a Jeans for Teens Drive that kicked off this week. Club Leader Nancy Bickelhaupt says FFCLA is to Family and Consumer Science what FFA is to agriculture. The national Career and Technical Education organization promotes personal growth through l...
DAYTON-Here's the scenario: At 8:00 a.m. a pickup truck pulling a 1,000-pound tank of anhydrous ammonia down South Cottonwood Street in front of Kyle's Towing is backed into by another vehicle, causing the fertilizer tank to overturn. A small leak occurs from a valve at the back of the tank, coming out of the pump. What happens next? It is likely that most of us don't know; but it is a sure bet that there are people who do. On Dec. 9, Columbia County Emergency Management Planner Mike Spring led...
WAITSBURG – Waitsburg's Izzy the Camel will welcome in the new year from his new digs off Highway 124 and Hart Road, just east of Prescott. While some Izzy fans have been vocal in expressing displeasure over the move, Izzy's owners, Mickey and Tawnya Richards, say it will be best for everyone. For the last several years, Izzy and his big, blue trailer have welcomed visitors to Waitsburg from the pasture off Highway 12, just south of the Waitsburg city limits. The land was owned by Waitsburg r...
WAITSBURG – After many months spent deliberating, seeking estimates, and soliciting community input, the Waitsburg School board approved resolutions to place both a replacement M&O levy and a school facilities upgrade bond on the February 2016 special election ballot. The proposed replacement M&O levy would collect $559,000 in 2017 and $570,000 in 2018. The estimated dollar rate of the levy is $3.55 per $1,000 of assessed value in both years. The exact tax levy rate may be adjusted based on t...
New board member Russ Knopp and incumbents Marilyn Johnson and Christy House took the oath of office. Ross Hamann was re-elected as board chairman and Christy house was elected as vice-chairman. Board members reported on the WSSDA (Washington State School Directors Association) annual conference. Approved the closure of the district office from Dec. 21 to Jan. 1. Approved creating an exploratory committee to study and report on the logistics of a football combine with Dayton High School. See story in next week’s issue. Approved placing a r...
DAYTON—At their meeting on Dec. 7, the Dayton City Council approved a $5,765,300 budget for 2016 that places hiring of a part-time code enforcement officer at the top of the list. The code enforcement officer would be the primary contact for land use complaints, and would actively pursue and enforce city health and safety codes and ordinances, according to city officials. City Clerk Trina Cole said that she is receiving more and more complaints from the public about people being out of complianc...
DAYTON – The Dayton High School knowledge bowl team is proving to be tough competition this year. After taking first place at the November east schools meet in Waitsburg, Dayton tied for fourth place at the all ESD schools meet in Walla Walla on Dec. 9. At the Dec. 9, One Team All Schools meet Dayton tied for fourth place with DeSales, out of 14 schools, and ahead of much larger schools such as Prosser, Burbank, and Southridge. Top scores at the All Schools meet were Richland (105), Kennewick (...
