Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Sorted by date Results 826 - 850 of 5646
OLYMPIA—The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) announced that a hospital in the South-Central Region of the Healthy Washington Plan misreported data, which led to a determination that the region remain in Phase 1 of Governor Jay Inslee’s Roadmap to Recovery phased reopening plan. When the region was the only one not move to Phase 2, it was brought to the attention of DOH that a hospital in the region appeared to be incorrectly reporting its hospital admission data. After learning that the hospital, Providence St. Mary Medical Cen...
DAYTON—City of Dayton Mayor Zac Weatherford provided an update about the Interlocal Agreement with the county for Law and Justice, Dispatch, and Municipal Court services at last week’s city council meeting. The Public Safety Committee has reviewed the contract and provided it to the city attorney for review. It has been sent back to the county with a few minor recommendations, he said. Weatherford agreed with County Commissioner Ryan Rundell, who was at the meeting, about the need for cau...
WAITSBURG-Waitsburg officials met Tuesday in an emergency meeting to discuss flood preparedness measures, as winter weather conditions indicate that a high-water event could be likely. City Councilmember Jim Romine said that the Flood and Emergency Preparedness Committee met and reviewed data and weather from the 1996 flood, finding enough weather condition similarities to be concerned about flooding over the next week. In 1996, the Coppei River experienced extreme flooding after heavy snowfall...
DAYTON-The Feb. 2020 flood that caused $7.2 million in damages at more than 120 locations has added extra work, time, and stress for County Engineer Charles Eaton and staff in the public works department. While much has been accomplished to repair flood-related damage over the past year, there are still roads, bridges, and levees in need of repair. Eaton said Wolf Fork Road, Robinson Fork Road, Tucannon Road, and South Patit Road's upper reach, where the road washed out, are still in need of...
WAITSBURG—The Columbia-Walla Walla County Fire District 2 met on February 10, via Zoom, for a regular board meeting. After the meeting was called to order by chairman Jake Long at 7 p.m, District clerk Anne Higgins presented an accounting report. She reported that some financial statements from both Walla Walla and Columbia County were complete. However, the January revolving account reconciliation from Walla Walla County was not available. She noted that budgetary items would have to be passed...
WAITSBURG—A little more than a year after the City of Waitsburg experienced a major flood event, repair efforts are still underway. Additional flood improvement projects are still being planned. In 2005, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) decided to remove control of the levees surrounding Waitsburg from the inactive Waitsburg-Coppei Flood District. The flood control district had failed to address levee deficiencies found in yearly inspections. As a result, the City of Waitsburg was g...
DAYTON—Middle and High School (MS/HS) Principal Kristina Brown has met with her staff to discuss strategies and interventions they can use to help students struggling with failing grades, she told attendees at last week’s school board work session. During the first semester of the school year, there were 34 middle school students with at least one F grade and 16 middle school students with at least one F. In the high school, there were 18 students with at least one F and 25 students with at leas...
DAYTON-The Dayton Cut and Wrap will be rebranded as the Table Rock Meat Company when Sierra Smith and Michelle Shoun finalize the business's purchase from long-time owners Joe and Sue Nyce. Smith said she and her mother, Michelle, plan for custom cut meats and wrap at the shop. They will offer customers boxed meats and smoked meats, including pepperoni, smoked sausage, and brats, along with newer product lines like brisket bacon and Denver steaks. Fans of Joe Nyce will rejoice to see some...
WALLA WALLA—Walla Walla County Department of Community Health (DCH) and county health partners will be holding a second-dose vaccination clinic on February 13 at the County Fairgrounds for those who received their first dose on Saturday, January 23. Those who received their vaccine that day should arrive at the fairgrounds at the same time as their original appointment with the CDC vaccination card that they received at that appointment. That card is important for verifying the date of their first vaccine. Walla Walla DCH was notified last wee...
WAITSBURG—This past week, suspicious activity involving a resident was shared on Waitsburg’s Helping Hands Facebook page and reported to local law enforcement. Other incidents were reported to The Times concerning the same individual during that same period. According to social media posts made by the individual’s family, he was experiencing a mental health crisis and has now sought help and under medical care. The Times is not releasing the name of the individual and directed concerned parties to contact Walla Walla Sheriff’s department. Those...
DAYTON-The Columbia County Health System's Executive Leadership team participated in a five-day leadership course led by its Semi Bird, Executive Director of Team Concepts Training Services, reported CCHS CEO Shane McGuire at the hospital district commissioners meeting in January. Team Concepts will continue providing training to CCHS staff throughout the year. The goal of the training is to transform workplace culture. Each department-level manager will receive the same training as the...
DAYTON-The Columbia County Public Health Department moves from 270 East Main Street to their new location at 112 North Second Street the week of Feb. 15, with plans for the department to be officially open on Feb. 22. County Public Health Administrator Martha Lanman said there are several benefits to making this move. There is adequate space for all the staff to occupy the new offices while complying with current social distancing guidelines. Lanman said two department staff members are...
Grace Coulston, of Waitsburg, is vivacious, known for her constant smile, and never hesitating to lend a helping hand. Her entire life, she has been active. She grew up on a farm just outside of Waitsburg and loves all-things agriculture. Less than one year out of high school, Coulston is the owner-operator of a successful Boer goat breeding program, Sorghum Hollow Boer Goats, which takes her all over the country for shows and sales. February is a special month for Coulston: It is Turner Syndrom...
WAITSBURG-The Millrace Grade Improvement Project is one of the projects at the top of the City of Waitsburg's 2021 to-do list. The city initially slated the grade improvement project to break ground in 2020, but, it was pushed back after the area experienced extreme flooding in February, followed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Waitsburg's City Administrator Randy Hinchliffe said that a new start date has not yet been determined, though he hopes for mid to late summer. The project will focus on...
DAYTON—The COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the Columbia County Fairgrounds is working well. However, only 110 doses will be administered this week, according to Stephanie Carpenter. Carpenter is the Columbia County Health System Chief Operating Officer and is in charge of the Columbia County Hospital District vaccination plan. Carpenter said Dayton General Hospital Pharmacy Manager Cheryl Pell requested 400 doses of the vaccine for use this week but only received 100 doses. There are ten doses l...
DAYTON—County finances have “definitely” been affected by the flood and COVID-19, said County Commissioner Ryan Rundell, following an update on fourth-quarter finances from County Treasurer Carla Rowe last week. “As Carla said, because we are a bare-bones taxed county, we have been less affected by COVID-19 than some counties who rely on extra taxes, like an entertainment tax, with large venues, and the like. However, the flood coupled with COVID-19 has done visible damage to the county and its...
WAITSBURG-The Waitsburg School Board met on January 21 for a regular meeting. The board is still meeting via Zoom. Secondary principal Stephanie Wooderchak shared that the school is planning on moving forward with state testing over the next two months. Sixth graders will test mid-April, followed in grade order. The testing will take about a week for each class. The second semester will begin February 1, and she reminded the board that it would mark a complete change of classes for students....
DAYTON-When offered a chance to work remotely, more and more people are moving where they choose. If the City of Dayton and the Port of Columbia play their cards right, Dayton, with its beautiful blue skies, friendly people, and green vistas, could become the next little boom, or "Zoom" town. When the question of whether people should consider moving to Dayton was posed to Port of Columbia Executive Director Jennie Dickinson and City of Dayton Planning Director Meagan Hayes last week, the answer...
WAITSBURG—In July of 2020, the Waitsburg City Council voted to implement a $10 utility tax to help fund flood recovery efforts with the increase to be implemented in two phases. The first increase of $5 went into effect immediately after the vote. The second $5 increase went into effect on January 1, 2021, and some Waitsburg residents have voiced questions over slightly higher utility bills this month. At the time of the July meeting, the city estimated it would be responsible for $450,000.00 i...
WAITSBURG-Registered Nurse Heidi Ely, of Waitsburg, has recently completed both rounds of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. She said that it had given her a renewed sense of hope, and she hopes that her story as a nurse, and a mother, will ease minds. Over the past year, Ely, who works in Providence St. Mary's Same Day Surgery department, has seen the effects of the COVID-19 virus firsthand. She watched as the medical facility needed to change protocols, often by the hour, and how the staff adapted...
This past week we have received more information about the subject of last week’s column: Maude (Baim) Brown. Her little autograph book, discovered in Dayton in 2019, holds a series of handwritten messages dated 1912-1923. We received a call from Marilyn Groom, of Waitsburg. Marilyn’s parents, Harold and Marianne White were close friends with Rodney and Donna Belle Brown. Rodney is the late son of Maude and Homer Brown. Maude’s autograph book contains an early message from her future husba...
WAITSBURG-Jen Galicia, an owner of Mae B's Custom Designs, is ready to add a little bit of sparkle and a whole lot of creativity to Waitsburg's Main Street. Nestled in at 101 Main Street, Mae B's Custom Designs uses dye-sublimation printing and vinyl transfers to create custom, well, just about anything! T-shirts or sweatshirts for sporting events? Mae B's can handle it. A custom travel mug or tumbler? Just have to say if you want sparkles or not. Face masks, hats, and baby bottles are just the...
WAITSBURG-United States Army First Sergeant Mitch Kriebel walked 150 miles last week, with a weighted rucksack on his back. Kriebel is the founder of Ruck for the Fallen, a non-profit organization that raises money to support families of fallen first responders and military personnel. The organization also helps veterans face mental, physical, and emotional health challenges by inviting them to participate in 'ruck challenges and races' sponsored by military units and donations. For the...
COLUMBIA COUNTY—The Board of Columbia County Commissioners has gone on record to let Washington State Governor Jay Inslee know they are displeased with the COVID-19 Healthy Washington – Roadmap to Recovery plan. The Healthy Washington – Roadmap to Recovery plan is using a regional approach for a phased recovery. The state has designated eight regions, with Columbia County part of the South-Central Region, Kittitas, Yakima, Walla Walla, Benton, and Franklin counties. All eight regions start...
PRESCOTT—The Prescott School Board met on January 21 for a regularly scheduled meeting. Superintendent Justin Bradford shared COVID-19 vaccination updates, including information on a clinic held at the Walla Walla Fairgrounds over the weekend. He is encouraging school staff to get vaccinated, and he hopes to host a clinic at the school if the Health Department would be willing to allow it. The school’s nurse has agreed to participate, according to Bradford. He said that they are three weeks int...
