Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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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...
WAITSBURG—The City of Waitsburg asks that residents stay close to home this Thanksgiving season and follow Governor Jay Inslee’s recently announced travel and shopping restrictions. To date, there have been 13 Waitsburg residents that have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. To help slow the spread, City Hall will remain closed to the public. Employees will be in the office, but residents are asked to contact City Hall via phone call or email for questions, concerns, and bill services. Cit...
With rising positive cases in the City of Waitsburg, the City would like to remind all citizens to stay home unless the travel is essential, wear your mask and maintain social distancing whenever possible....
WAITSBURG-The U.S Army Corps of Engineers' Walla Walla District has awarded a $1.5 million contract to Northbank Civil and Marine, Inc. for levee repairs along the Touchet River in Waitsburg. Northbank Civil and Marine is a Vancouver, WA based company with a primary focus on marine, heavy civil, and industrial construction. Established in 2014, Northbank Civil and Marine has assembled a team that specializes in projects like dam and navigational locks rehabilitation, hydro-electric related...
WAITSBURG-Columbia/Walla Walla County Fire District 2 recently reviewed an Emergency Medical First Response Contract to decide whether the fire district would renew the agreement with Columbia County Fire District 3. The current contract expires on December 31, 2020. Columbia/Walla Walla County Fire District 2 (CWWFD2) is based in Waitsburg and covers Waitsburg-area 9-1-1 calls. Most of the area District 2 covers is in Walla Walla County, however, a portion of the district north of Waitsburg and...
WAITSBURG—The Waitsburg City Council met Wednesday, October 21, for a regularly scheduled meeting. Due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, the council is meeting via phone conference. Call-in information is available on the City’s website, www.cityofwaitsburg.com. City Administrator Randy Hinchliffe reviewed the second payment application for the Taggart Road Waterline/Extension project. The second payment included paving services on the new Hazelbaker Road and water line repair/replacement. Con...
WAITSBURG-The Waitsburg School Board met Thursday, October 15, for a regularly scheduled meeting. The Board is still meeting via Zoom video call. Secondary Principal Stephanie Wooderchak reported that school has been going well overall, given the circumstances. She said that the parents had been a huge help troubleshooting the technology problems that sprung from the Chromebook distribution and remote learning. "People are having honest conversations and are making adjustments when we experience...
Those of us who may be familiar with one Becky Wilson in Waitsburg will be tickled to learn that there is now a second Becky Wilson in town. Recently, this Becky Wilson purchased the old Hofer farm property on Highway 12, about a mile south of Waitsburg. The four-acre property includes the house, a massive barn, garage, a large shop building, and two towering Locust trees. Wilson closed on the place in June, parked her Airstream trailer next to the house, and went right to work on restoration....
With eight grandsons and nine great-grandkids, Norma Jo Shay has more than earned the title of Great Grandma. For many years she's been the mandolin strumming frontwoman of the band Grandma & the Boys and is affectionately known in all the local bluegrass jams. Grandma Jo is a friend to many Waitsburgers. She shares old songs and fresh fish, the winningest combination. She's been a tournament toxophilite, a skilled hunter with bow and arrow, rifle, or fishing rod in her illustrious past. The...
WAITSBURG-Last Friday, the Washington State Penitentiary Employee Association (WSPEA) presented the Waitsburg Resource Center with a $500 donation. "Originally, the money was intended for the flood relief efforts," said President Lanny Adams. "By the time we were able to meet with the correct organizations, they had a surplus of donations. We decided it would be best to hold onto the money and get it into the community through another entity." The WSPEA is an organization within the Washington S...
WAITSBURG–Waitsburg's fire hydrants are getting a much-needed flushing. It is important that all hydrants receive semi-annual maintenance by the city water utilities or local fire departments. Hydrants need to be checked for leaks, debris build-up, damage from accidents and any other issue that would be the difference between a home saved or destroyed. This month the District #2 fire department has taken on the job and there is discussion that a more robust type of flush will also be needed t...
WAITSBURG-At the September City Council Meeting, Waitsburg City Council members voted to memorialize Elmer Hazelbaker, a man with a rich history in Waitsburg. The Taggart Road Extension, which connects Taggart Road and Highway 12 at the end of the city limits, was named Hazelbaker Road in September. The project, which began in 2019, is getting close to being finished with crews moving in to pave last week. The road extension aims to improve traffic safety along Taggart Road. At the regular City...
Things will look different, but Waitsburg students will return to the classroom on Monday WAITSBURG—Starting October 5, the hallways at Waitsburg schools will be full of students again, actually half of them at a time. Students will return to class two days a week, in ‘A’ or ‘B’ groups. On Monday and Tuesday, group A will attend classes at their respective school. Group B is scheduled for Thursday and Friday. Wednesday is reserved for independent work and targeted assistance, as well as deep c...
WAITSBURG-The Waitsburg Gun Club has a busy schedule for October. With hunting season just around the corner, the volunteer-run gun range has training, sight-in days, and trap shoots planned. On October 3, at 9 a.m, the Waitsburg Gun Club will be hosting a Range Safety Officer (RSO) training. Range Safety Officer training teaches volunteers the necessary knowledge, skills, and temperament essential for organizing, conducting, and supervising safe shooting events and activities, as well as range...
WAITSBURG-Columbia-Walla Walla County Fire District 2 is excited to announce the new fire chief, Michael Moynihan, from San Francisco, California. Chief Moynihan began his position as the first paid fire chief in the history of CWWFD2 on Monday, September 21. Born and raised in San Francisco, Moynihan has more than 30 years of firefighting experience. He began as a firefighter/EMT with a volunteer fire department, very similar to the one that serves Waitsburg and the surrounding area. He took...
WAITSBURG—Waitsburg School District will be returning to in-person instruction on Monday, October 5. The decision to reopen schools for in-person instruction, which many school and health department officials believed would wait until the end of the first quarter, was an ‘unexpected surprise’ to Superintendent Mark Pickel. Superintendent Pickel announced the reopening on September 17, following a school board meeting. In a public notice, he stated the decision was made in collaboration with the faculty, school board, and the Walla Walla Count...
WAITSBURG—The Waitsburg School Board met September 17, via Zoom meeting. High School Principal Stephanie Wooderchak said that the school year was going smoothly though there have been some issues with the students’ Chromebook laptops. Some computers were equipped with the wrong cords, and some had login issues. Wooderchak noted that the IT provider, NexGen, had installed shortcuts for Zoom and Google Classrooms, which many of the students reported they appreciated. Waitsburg FFA will be att...
WAITSBURG—The Waitsburg City Council met Tuesday, September 15, via conference call. All members of the Council were present. The Council reviewed an application for the first of a series of payments for work done on the new Taggart Road extension. Sharpe & Preszler Construction Company requested a payment of $345,066.74 to cover the cost of total work completed and materials on hand, to date. The Council approved the Taggart Road extension in 2019; however, construction was paused due to the f...
