Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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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...
WALLA WALLA—The Jonathan M. Wainwright Medical Center in Walla Walla received a shipment of COVID-19 vaccines just before Christmas, on December 22, and is currently in the process of vaccinating all Walla Walla VA essential health care staff. “The Walla Walla VA is pleased to be offering the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to its health care personnel,” said Chris Bjornberg, Medical Center Director. “Receiving the vaccine is like having hope delivered. As vaccine supplies increase, our ultimate goal is to offer COVID-19 vaccination to all Veteran...
WALLA WALLA—It’s just after 10 a.m. Monday morning, and Kathryn Witherington, Executive Director of the Downtown Walla Walla Foundation (DWWF), is already brimming with ideas. When we met back in August 2019, Witherington worked for the Port of Columbia and kindly escorted me through all the businesses that seemed to be thriving at the Rock Hill Industrial Park. Since then, her talent for ideation has led her to Walla Walla County, where she is still finding personal ways to connect local bus...
WALLA WALLA—“Emily Anne McClenny had not set the world on fire with accomplishments at the young age of 7 1/2 years old, but she had worked her way into the hearts of many with her infectious smile,” wrote Nancy McClenny-Walters on what should have been her daughter’s 40th birthday. “While her life ended at 7 1/2, her story did not.” For the past 32 years, McClenny-Walters has put Christmas decorations up on her daughter’s birthday, pausing for a moment from advocating against impaired driv...
WALLA WALLA-Walla Walla Community Hospice (WWCH) has chosen to cancel their annual Evening of Elegance dinner and auction in February. Though this event has brought in record revenue for the non-profit agency in the past two years, it was a decision WWCH felt they had to make. "Not only did we believe we would have lackluster results, but more importantly, we couldn't imagine burdening the generous small businesses for donations after the year they've experienced and the ambiguity of our...
WALLA WALLA—Walla Walla County has signed a contract with Providence St. Mary Medical Center to provide COVID-19 quarantine housing at the Providence Southgate Medical Park’s main building (the former Walla Walla General Hospital) in the 400 unit. The unit would provide voluntary housing for COVID-19 positive individuals who cannot successfully quarantine in their current living situation and are not ill enough to require professional care or hospitalization. The unit will serve as a small motel. Walla Walla County previously provided qua...
WALLA WALLA—Walla Walla County has seen a drastic uptick in COVID-19 cases, with more than 300 cases being reported over the past two weeks. On Sunday, November 1, sixty positive cases were reported, which has been the largest daily case count for the county since the beginning of the pandemic. Health officials say they are seeing evidence of increased transmission at social and religious gatherings, long term care facilities, and institutions. Smaller outbreaks are occurring at some businesses, with the larger outbreaks at institutions and l...
WALLA WALLA—The Providence St. Mary Gran Fondo fundraiser for local cancer patients this year has been transformed into a month-long event that includes a free virtual town hall Sep. 16 sharing the latest advancements in cancer care. “We can all do our part to help finish cancer together.” That’s the motto for this year’s #FINISHCANCER fundraiser hosted by Providence St. Mary Foundation. Annually in September, Walla Walla Valley residents traditionally unite to walk, run or cycle and join hundreds of others at the Gran Fondo to raise funds for...
WALLA WALLA—I first learned of “Gross Out” in Seattle. My roommate Jeff, a produce guy to elite Seattle restaurant owners, had sous vide another delectable cut of meat. He was always in the kitchen, cooking up some chef-level deliciousness. I wondered aloud how he was getting these amazing meat deals in a city so expensive, and he described to me a magical place where perishable and nonperishable foods alike, alongside plants and some truly random housewares, were all for sale at reaso...
WALLA WALLA—Did you think this year’s Pond & Garden Tour was canceled? In light of the pandemic and social distancing mandates, Walla Walla Community Hospice considered forgoing the 19th annual event. However, there were still some beautiful gardens to spotlight in the Walla Walla Valley Traditionally the event features ten properties and consists of a self-guided tour, vendors, working artists, live music, Master Gardener presentations, and multiple raffles. It attracts three to four hundred attendees. This year, the event will be, like mos...
WALLA WALLA—Sherwood Trust is convening a group of community-minded leaders of all experience levels for its 2020 Community Leadership program. The program begins in September and culminates in the summer of 2021 with a collaborative project. This year, the program will be online, with 45 people participating. Meet the 2020 Community Leadership program participants below. Alayna Brinton, Ali Rodgers, Alicia Western, Amy Watkins, Ana Aguilar, Anastasia Curtis, Angie Peters, April Martinez, Candi Walmsley, Catalina Garza, Chris Hyland, C...
WALLA WALLA-Kathryn Witherington stepped into her new job as Executive Director of the Downtown Walla Walla Foundation in early February of this year. Previously the Economic Development Director of the Port of Columbia, Witherington, joined the Foundation just in time to help merchants handle the damages of February's flooding. And then in March came the coronavirus pandemic. Earlier efforts this summer to boost businesses downtown included the creation of extra dining space in front of six...
WALLA WALLA-The Walla Walla Fair and Frontier Days board of directors discussed the livestock sale, among other items at the last fair board meeting. As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 Walla Walla Fair and Frontier Days was canceled in early June. Shortly following the cancellation announcement, the board of directors began exploring options for a virtual livestock sale. The board quickly learned that the Fair was unable to host a sale for a multitude of reasons. In years past,...
WALLA WALLA —The Walla Walla City Council’s second Town Hall held to address police policies and other issues in the region took place over Zoom on Thursday, July 23. Fifty-four individuals spoke, having previously signed up in advance for the opportunity. They were each given three minutes to speak, and as Mayor Tom Scribner said, the council “made no attempt to order the comments in any fashion.” The remaining council members were also in attendance at the virtual gathering, as was the City Attorney, Tim Donaldson, and City Manager, Nabiel Sh...
WALLA WALLA-Clearing brush and fallen trees is a task that makes most people shake their heads. For Blues Crew volunteers, though, it's an excuse to head to the mountains and explore the Umatilla National Forest while making the trails enjoyable for all. The Blues Crew came to be in 2018 after an outdoor recreation initiative went through at the Blue Mountain Land Trust (BMLT). Coordinator Greg Brown said he thought about getting a group together to clear already-established trails from winter...
WALLA WALLA—The Walla Walla YWCA is putting forth a challenge to anyone who wants to accept it; spend twenty-one days deepening your understanding of, and willingness to confront, racism. Those who accept the Challenge can sign up on the YWCA’s website to receive curated articles, podcasts, activities, and more, right to their inbox. The Challenge creates dedicated time and space to build more effective social justice habits and bring awareness to issues of race, power, privilege, and leadership. This program was first adapted by YWCA Cle...
WALLA WALLA—The Walla Walla City Council held the first of three Town Halls in response to a large community outcry over-policing policies and the issue of a police officer’s tattoo which incorporates a symbol which is firmly linked to Nazi Germany. City Mayor Tom Scribner welcomed citizens to the Zoom event, noting that “after the first two Town Halls we will consider what we have heard and what you have told us and we will respond and tell you what we aim to do and what we will try to do to...
WALLA WALLA—City of Walla Walla officials have finalized plans for a three-part virtual town hall series to address topics relating to local policing including a local officer’s tattoo, police practices, policies, and funding. The meetings will be conducted online via Zoom, and the schedule will be as follows: Thursday July 9 at 6:30-8:30 p.m. — Presentations by City Manager Nabiel Shawa on City budget and police funding; City Attorney Tim Donaldson on legal issues surrounding Officer Nat Small’s tattoo; and Police Chief Scott Bieber on Wall...
WALLA WALLA-The Walla Walla YMCA is currently open with significant Phase 2 restrictions in place. Only members may visit, locker rooms will have limited access, there is a health screening at entry, and reservations are required for most areas. In order to provide fitness opportunities for a greater number of people, the YMCA is now offering a Virtual Membership for a $25 monthly fee. The Y's online offerings provide a way for people to maintain their physical health from the shelter of their...
WALLA WALLA—Individual business owners in Walla Walla are all managing Governor Inslee's mask wearing proclamation in their own unique ways. Cugini's Italian Import Foods on Wallula in Walla Walla posted a sign noting masks were required, but clothing was optional! At Ellen's Cutting Edge Barbershop, notices on the door required masks, as well as a prior appointment to get a cut. I had been a frequent customer of Saager's since I moved to town nine years ago-as it was where I had my two young s...
WALLA WALLA—Whitman College and Northwest Archives is creating a digital archive of the Walla Walla community’s experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. As our community begins to reopen, it is important to reflect on our experiences of the pandemic, including our experiences at work and school, our social and family interactions, and the changes to our routines. The college welcomes submissions in all languages from all members of the Walla Walla and regional communities. In partnership with the Walla Walla Mutual Aid Network and the Soci...
WALLA WALLA—At the Walla Walla City Council meeting held on June 24, plans were outlined for three, possibly four, virtual Town Hall meetings. The meetings will be held in July and August to address public concerns over a variety of law enforcement issues. Council members were all in agreement with the need to schedule the meetings “sooner, rather than later,” and opted for the virtual meeting plan due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions. The plan came as a response to local protests, rallies, phone calls, and over 1,891 emails received relat...
WALLA WALLA-Two U.S. Army Corps employees at Little Goose Lock and Dam created a device that removed debris blockages within the dam. Mechanical Engineering Technician Jay Haugen and Maintenance Worker Kreg Buryta combined their talents in 2019 to design and fabricate a tool that could be used to remove debris from orifices (openings) within the dam. Logs, trash, and other debris adversely affected the Endangered Species Act (ESA) listed salmon and steelhead along the Snake River. Successfully c...
Skills and experience gained along with bonds of friendship WALLA WALLA-A Walla Walla native and WA-HI graduate, Jenna Watts was just finishing up a nine-week traveling nurse stint at Harlem Hospital in New York City when she and I spoke a week ago. "New York has a special place in my heart, my dad lives here, and I spent all of my summer's here growing up," she said. The coronavirus crisis and Governor Cuomo's appeals for doctors and nurses to help, resonated with her. In early April, The New...
WALLA WALLA-The cancellation of the Walla Walla Fair and Frontier Days was met with both a sigh of relief and a breath of frustration. Youth exhibitors, especially market animal exhibitors, are hopeful an alternative sales opportunity will be found. Raising a market animal is expensive. Hogs, for example, are purchased in early to mid-March as weanlings. From the day the animal arrives, the 4-H or FFA member has to care for and work with their project. FFA and 4-H members must purchase special...
