Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Sorted by date Results 327 - 351 of 540
WAITSBURG—Waitsburg Elementary Friday announced that the school would be closed to in-person instruction, effective June 1. All students in grade pre-k through fifth-Grade will participate in remote instruction until the end of the school year. The last day of school is June 15. The closure came after a drastic increase in COVID-19 cases in the district’s elementary population, resulting in multiple exposures and close contacts. On May 25, the school was informed that the entire second-grade class must be quarantined, along with their fam...
WAITSBURG-The Columbia-Walla Walla Fire District 2 met Wednesday, May 12, for a regularly scheduled meeting. Fire commissioners discussed the upcoming elections in each county and a new vehicle that Commissioner Jake Long was able to secure. District Clerk Anne Higgins provided a financial report following the approval of minutes. She noted that the report was missing several Columbia County expenditures because the county had not yet processed them. Commissioner Deb Fortner reported that...
WAITSBURG—Librarian Rosie Warehime has waited a long time to welcome patrons back into the Weller Public Library. She has waited over a year since being closed down by restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Warehime was excited to share that the little library is open 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays, with a max capacity of five visitors at a time, with a time limit of 15 minutes. The online library is still available as long as you have an internet connection, and Warehime said s...
WAITSBURG-The Waitsburg City Council set a May 19 public hearing date to discuss the future of 212 Main Street, the 1905 Exchange Bank building, which currently houses the Weller Public Library. At the April City Council meeting, council members discussed the potential of selling the historic property in a city surplus sale. Discussions with the city council have included updating the building, which houses the Weller Library, for American Disability Act (ADA) compliance and the need for extensi...
WAITSBURG—Volunteers stepped up to begin the process for selecting a new fire chief at the Columbia-Walla Walla County Fire District 2 meeting on Wednesday, April 14. Commissioner Deb Fortner gave a brief update on the ongoing repairs at the fire station. Projects to complete include updating exterior doors and installing handrails along the stairs. Commissioner Jake Long said that he stopped by the station prior to the meeting and thought the kitchen looked close to completion, however, a f...
WAITSBURG—The Waitsburg School Board had a full agenda for the April 15 meeting, including approval of a comprehensive sexual health curriculum and discussing athletic combine matters. During the secondary principal’s report, Principal Stephanie Wooderchak shared that the senior class has been planning for graduation. Currently, the 2021 graduation is on the school’s calendar for June 4. Superintendent Mark Pickel reported that there would be a meeting with the DW Administration team on April...
WAITSBURG—A committee consisting of parents and teachers has spent the past few months exploring comprehensive health education after Washington voters passed Senate Bill 5395 in 2020. The bill, which went into effect on December 3, 2020, requires that Washington public schools provide comprehensive sexual health education (CSHE) by the 2022-2023 school year. Early requirements, including consultations with parents and guardians, local communities, and the Washington State School Directors A...
WAITSBURG-Late in the night on Friday, April 9, multiple properties were vandalized in Waitsburg, including the baseball fields, the football field, and the horse track. With the first home baseball game scheduled in less than a week, athletes, parents, and friends rallied on Sunday to repair the field to a playable state. The damage included deep ruts caused by a vehicle spinning 'brodies' on the grass and infield, with deep tire marks which appeared to be caused by spinning tires. Witnesses...
WAITSBURG-Seventy-five thousand pounds of food from participating sponsors was dropped off at the Waitsburg Elementary School parking lot over the weekend. The semi-trucks that hauled it disappeared as soon as the trailers were empty. Countless smiling volunteers helped distribute every single bit of food to anyone and everyone who drove up. The food was prepackaged in 30-pound boxes. Dairy staples, including yogurt and butter, and other essential pantry items like fresh potatoes, onions, and...
WAITSBURG—On March 15, Washington State Governor Jay Inslee released an emergency proclamation concerning updates to school reopening plans. The directive stated that all schools in Washington State must offer in-person instruction for elementary students by April 5, and in-person instruction for high school students by April 19. On March 25, the Washington State Department of Health adopted guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) that lessened the six foot physical distancing requir...
WAITSBURG—House Bill 2005 was introduced in 2017 to improve the business climate in Washington State by simplifying the administration of municipal business licenses. The bill went into effect in July 2017. The Waitsburg City Council officially voted to align with the state’s business license system in November of last year. The bill stated that cities that require a general business license must partner with the Department of Revenue for issuance and renewal of any business license through the...
WAITSBURG—Spring has sprung, and daffodils aren’t the only things popping up around town. Last week, a couple of Waitsburg residents posted on social media, warning of solicitors going around town selling air purification products. According to the Waitsburg Municipal Code, solicitors are defined as: ‘Any person who goes from house to house or place to place in the City of Waitsburg selling or taking orders for or offering to sell or take orders for, goods, wares or merchandise, for prese...
WAITSBURG-Monday, March 15, was the first day of the 2021 Homecoming Week at Waitsburg High School. The first costume challenge was Zoom Call Dress Up: Business on the top half, casual on the bottom. The Senior class won both the dress-up contest and the BuffPuff volleyball game, giving them a strong advantage over their lowerclassmen. Sophomore Natalie Teal was voted the "Best Dressed Girl," while Senior Shawn Evans was voted the "Best Dressed Boy." On March 16, the Seniors won the Spirit Day d...
WAITSBURG—Equipment purchase and financing, and ongoing flood control efforts were discussed at the Waitsburg City Council meeting on March 17. Meeting in person for the first time in over a year, councilmembers present were Mayor Marty Dunn, Kevin House, and Jim Romine, with Karen Gregutt joining the meeting via phone call. City Administrator Randy Hinchliffe and two community members were also present. Waitsburg City Council will continue to hold their monthly meetings in-person at the W...
WAITSBURG—Between a major flood event and a global pandemic, repairs, and improvements for the levees surrounding Waitsburg have been slow going. At the March City Council meeting, City Administrator Randy Hinchliffe shared an in-depth look at some of the issues, like easement rights and costs, that have impacted flood repair. A significant breach along the Touchet Riverbank, which runs along Preston Avenue, has been a major concern for years, especially after the February 2020 event. H...
WAITSBURG—The Waitsburg School Board met Thursday, March 18, for a regularly-scheduled meeting. Board members Christy House and Ross Hamann were unable to attend the March meeting. The school board is currently meeting in-person, with a Zoom option for anyone interested in attending virtually. Before the business meeting, the school board held a public hearing to discuss whether or not to sell two district-owned properties. The two properties in question were willed to the district in 1975 as p...
WAITSBURG—The Waitsburg School District is in the final stages of planning for the high school’s roof repair, a project that the board voted to approve in April 2020. Currently, the district is working with Design West Architects, based in Kennewick, WA, to complete the schematic drawings of the high school’s roof. Superintendent Mark Pickel said plans are being prepared for the bid process, but exactly when they would be complete was unclear. He plans to have information available at the upcom...
WAITSBURG-The students at both Dayton and Waitsburg School districts have selected a new mascot for the Dayton-Waitsburg Athletic Combine, Waitsburg School District announced Monday. The process for selecting a new mascot began in November 2019, when the Dayton Waitsburg Athletic Combine Committee voted to continue the combine indefinitely. Both schools allowed their respective student bodies to submit mascot suggestions before voting. In March of 2020, the DWACC postponed the final selection...
WAITSBURG—Columbia-Walla Walla County Fire District 2 met for a regular meeting on March 10, 7 p.m. Commissioners Jake Long, Deb Fortner, Bruce Abbey, Randy Charles, and Randy Farley were present. Eight other district members attended the meeting. Sabrina Smith of Waitsburg joined the meeting as a new volunteer. District Clerk Anne Higgins gave a brief update on monthly expenses, reminding members that they needed to go to the Main Street Station to sign vouchers. Fortner also reminded d...
WAITSBURG—Fresh produce, hand-crafted soaps, and local art are just a few of the items that Noelle Olson, Doug Biolo, and Janet Lawrence hope to see at the upcoming Waitsburg Farmers Market. Olson, owner of Dusty Britches Farm in Waitsburg and market manager; and Biolo and Lawrence, co-owners of Nancy’s Dream Garden Center in Waitsburg, are excited to announce plans for a summertime market that focuses on locally grown fruits and veggies, local art, handicrafts, and foods, featuring bus...
WAITSBURG—Spring is here, and Waitsburg businesses are welcoming the season with new products, and a few lifted restrictions under Phase 2 of the Roadmap to Recovery reopening plan. As the weather warms up, enjoy the sunshine, grab a cup of coffee and visit the many Main Street businesses! Laht Neppur: Burgers and microbrews are going strong at Laht Neppur Brewing Company. Indoor seating is limited to 15 customers, and bar seating is still unavailable. Glen’s grill fires up again this Thu...
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...
