Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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WAITSBURG-Waitsburg Elementary students spent the first couple weeks of the year raising funds for the American Heart Association. The students raised a grand total of $5,185.96, breaking the school's record with ease. Established in 1983, Jump for Heart is an AHA program that raises vital money for research, while simultaneously encouraging exercise and healthy diets while teaching about heart health. The Jump for Heart program ends with a Jump-Off Day, where kids get to play jump rope games....
WAITSBURG-218 Main Street has contributed its fair share to Waitsburg's history. Built in 1888 by G.W Loundagin, the Royal Block has housed many businesses including a hotel, multiple pharmacies, apartments, restaurants, a craft store. According to a souvenir booklet printed by the Oregonian in 1904, the building was known as the Loundagin Block & Hotel Royal. In 1977, Sid's Pharmacy, Treasures in Tole, and 'apartments' were listed on a Historical Registration application that encompassed the...
WAITSBURG—A hybrid meeting was the first glimpse into a return to normal at the Waitsburg School Board’s monthly meeting last Thursday. The board was able to meet in person while guests tuned in via Zoom. Secondary principal Stephanie Wooderchak reported that high school students took the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test on school-supplied Chromebooks. Typically the test is taken on paper and on-site. The secondary school staff has been reviewing traditional spi...
WAITSBURG—With the pandemic’s hardships in mind, Waitsburg Elementary set a goal of $2,500 for the annual Jump for Heart fundraiser. Superintendent Mark Pickel was pleased to share that the students raised a whopping $5,138, shattering the school’s record. This year, the event was held on two days, so Group A students and Group B students could participate during their respective in-person instruction days. To celebrate, the school will be hosting a pizza party for the highest-earning class...
WAITSBURG—At the Waitsburg City Council meeting on February 17, agenda items included municipal code changes to electronic signs, city elections, and zoning. Mayor Marty Dunn addressed recent posts on social media concerning snow removal in the city. Walla Walla County Sheriff Mark Crider was scheduled to give the council an overview of last year’s criminal and other activity in Waitsburg. Sheriff Crider was unable to attend the meeting and did not submit a report. City Administrator Randy Hin...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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....
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...
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—The Waitsburg City Council met January 20, 2020, for its regular meeting via conference call. All council members were in attendance. Before public comment, Mayor Marty Dunn offered some clarification on projects under consideration under the 2021 City Budget, which was passed in December. One project listed in the budget is the widening of West Fifth Street from Main Street to Arnold Lane. On Fifth Street, homeowners circulated a petition against the project, voicing a strong s...
WAITSBURG—The Columbia-Walla Walla County Fire District 2 (CWWCFD2) Board of Commissioners met on January 13, 2021, via Zoom call. More than 20 community members, commissioners, and volunteers logged in to attend the meeting on Zoom. Columbia-Walla Walla County Fire District 2 commissioners are Chairman Jake Long, Randy Farley, Randy Charles, Deb Fortner, and Bruce Abbey. Anne Higgins serves as the District Secretary. All commissioners were present, with the exception of Commissioner Deb F...
As he enters into his third year of racing, Koby Harris will represent three racing companies WAITSBURG-Waitsburg's favorite remote-control car racer has signed yet another racing contract as he heads into his third year on the track. Koby Harris, a senior at Waitsburg High School, signed a progressive deal with Tekno RC, an RC car parts company known throughout the industry for its proven car body styles and parts. A progressive deal means that as Harris' racing career continues to excel, he...
WAITSBURG-Keeping with the 'chaos' theme of the year, 2020 offered some extreme weather events. On Tuesday, February 4, the National Weather Service reported 3.8" of snowfall in the area. On February 5, the snow was washed away by .69" of rainfall, setting a short-lived record. On Friday, February 6, the rainfall record was surpassed once again, with the area receiving .91" in less than 24 hours. The frozen ground, paired with heavy precipitation and sudden, warm weather, created the perfect...
WAITSBURG - "Two weeks to flatten the curve." In March, Washington State enacted a "Stay Home, Stay Safe" mandate as the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the globe. Now, as 2021 knocks loudly, we are still staying home, and Waitsburg has done what Waitsburg always does in a challenging situation: Rolled with the punches It became apparent early that two weeks might have kept the local hospitals from being overwhelmed and kept cases low in our little town, but it wasn't going to stop this virus. Our...
WAITSBURG—The Waitsburg City Council met on December 16 for a regular meeting. The board discussed an inter-fund loan and reviewed budget amendments. The Council also held the final public hearing for the 2021 City Budget. At the November 2020 meeting, the City Council discussed a potential second round of business grants to use the remaining amount of the CARES Act funding the city received. Due to time constraints, it was decided to use the money for infrastructure purposes, focusing on w...
WAITSBURG—The Waitsburg School Board met on December 17, 2020, for a regularly scheduled meeting. Chairman Ross Hamann announced that he would not be running for another term after 18 years of serving on the board. He stated that he is looking forward to spending time with his family, especially his grandkids, and that being on the board for nearly 20 years has been a great joy. The board elected Pam Chapman as the new Board Chair. Secondary school Principal Stephanie Wooderchak reported a...
WAITSBURG – As reported on Helping Hands of Waitsburg Facebook page, George Downing, a local 84-year-old has been missing since 3:50 p.m., Friday, Dec. 18, 2020. Downing has dementia and his friends and family are asking for help in locating him. He was on foot and was wearing a black and white plaid jacket, brown pants, brown boots, and gloves. He may be carrying a pink coffee mug. If seen, please call (206) 290-6507 or the Walla Walla Sheriff Department or 911. He may have been spotted at around 5:15 p.m. Friday, near main and 9th, walking s...
WAITSBURG—A little sadness hung over the Touchet River this weekend. Reports of a beaver making its residence near Preston Park were short-lived, and on Saturday, the young mammal was found dead and left in the river. Residents who discovered the beaver reported it midweek last week, and on Saturday, it was reported that the beaver was dead from an apparent gunshot wound. The beaver was relatively small, and observers guessed it to be on the younger side. It was suspected to be building a dam o...
WAITSBURG—The Waitsburg School District announced over the weekend that secondary students would continue learning from home through December 18, as COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the area. Shortly before students departed for Thanksgiving Break, the school district announced that students would temporarily return to the virtual learning model out of an abundance of caution as COVID-19 cases surged in Walla Walla County. That temporary return has been extended for Preston Hall Middle School...
WAITSBURG-The Waitsburg City Council met Wednesday, November 18, via conference call. The council heard from City Administrator Randy Hinchliffe as he led a public hearing regarding property taxes. There is no recommendation to raise property taxes within the City of Waitsburg; however, due to the increase in the district's assessed value, partly based on nearly $1 million in new construction, the levy per thousand will be raised from $2.05 to $2.07/.08. An in-depth view of the levy...
WAITSBURG—The Waitsburg School Board met Wednesday, November 18, for a regular board meeting. The board met via Zoom conference call. During the meeting, secondary principal Stephanie Wooderchak reported that the secondary staff has been having conversations about moving back to online learning should the circumstance arise. She said if the school goes back to online learning, teachers would likely go with smaller ‘pod’ classes instead of having the entire class online at once. The pods were...
