The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

NEW LIBRARY MANAGER

WAITSBURG - Longtime Waitsburg resident Rosie Warehime has been hired by the City of Waitsburg to be the new manager of the Weller Public Library.

Warehime, who succeeds Su Alexander after her departure in June, was selected from two candidates who applied for the position.

The new manager held numerous clerical positions at companies in the area, including Touchet Valley Grain Growers, Green Giant and National Bank Of Commerce, which is now Sterling Savings. Most recently, she worked at the Cenex gas station on the corner of Preston Avenue and Coppei before the retail portion closed.

SWASTIKA ON CHURCH

WAITSBURG - A police report indicates that some time on the night of Aug. 3, "unknown suspects" drew a swatstika on the door of the Jehova Witness Church at 121 Coppei Ave.

By the time a deputy showed up to investigate the incident, church members had already mostly buffed out the imagine, whose depiction could be considered a hate crime under state law.

Church elders said they requested a report on the incident to prompt more patrols. They also said they would put up more visible "No Trespassing" signs.

MORE DUI PATROLS

WALLA WALLA - A total of 230 people died in Driving Under the Influence (DUI) crashes last year in Washington. In an effort to save lives, extra officers will be looking for DUI drivers between August 19 and September 5 during the annual Drive Hammered, Get Nailed campaign.

Last year in the region including Walla Walla, Garfield and Asotin Counties, during the same time period, officers on routine and extra patrols arrested 26 people for DUI. For all of 2010, in Walla Walla, Garfield and Asotin Counties, 417 people were charged with DUI.

A new law called "Hailey's Law" went into effect on July 22, 2011. Now all DUI arrestees' cars will be towed and impounded for at least 12 hours. Only a registered or legal owner who was not in the car at the time of arrest is allowed to get the car out of impound before the mandatory 12 hours.

DAYTON HIT BY PROWLS

DAYTON - Columbia County Sheriff Walt Hessler reported Dayton was hit by nine vehicle prowls over the weekend (see Police Report on Page 12).

Most of the thefts and attempted thefts occured on Second Street and West Richmond early on Sunday morning. Several of the vehicles did not have their door locked, Hessler reported as a reminder to motorists to be more careful about leaving any valuables in their vehicles.