The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Ten Years Ago February 13, 2003 After hearing three hours of impassioned, sometimes harsh public testimony, the Waitsburg City Council voted 4-1 to proceed with the hotly contested SR 12-Coppei Avenue improvement project. Nearly 80 concerned individuals at- tended the marathon 4 ½ hour meeting Feb. 5 where more than a dozen people - about half in favor, half opposed - voiced opinions, feelings and facts that ran the gamut from orderly information about the Coppei improvement project to heartfelt memories of the 1996 flood.

Twenty-Five Years Ago February 11, 1988 Welcome a new State Patrol officer to the area in the person of Rocky Miller, now a resident of Turner, who will be working in this area and Dayton. This represents a "big" addition to the force, and you have to see Rocky to appreciate that description. He stands 6 foot five inches tall, and our first question to him was about football. Yes, he played football in high school at Richland and had a football scholarship to the University of Montana. But football playing is not just in his past. He participates each year in the alumni-varsity game and boasts that the alums beat the varsity for the past two years. He attended the University from 1979 to 1982, gradu- ation with a degree in psychology and secondary science education. Rocky (his real name, not a nickname) said while he was applying for work as a teacher, following his major he applies for the Washington State Patrol and was accepted. He went to work for WSP in March of 1987, and did six months of cadet time at Colfax. He attended Patrol Academy in Shel- ton, starting in September, and graduating after 4 months of training on January 8. He replaces Mark Arras, formerly in this area, who has been transferred to Colfax. Rocky is single, 26 years old, and enjoys all kinds of outdoor sports. He likes to fish, hunt and is an avid motorcyclist. He said he went skiing while he was in college, but felt that his speciality was "falling," and that he tried it primarily for comic relief of his friends. He thinks that he would like to try to develop some skills in this sport, since it does fit his pattern of love of anything done outdoors. He is one of four troopers who cover Asotin, Garfield and Columbia Counties. Rocky will assist in other areas when needed. We welcome the new Trooper to our area, and wish him well as he pursues his goal of service to the public, a feature of the Patrol which really appeals to him. We have to admit that he would be a hard person to "overlook" if you will pardon the pun.

Fifty Years Ago February 15, 1963 Prescott's community building will benefit by the pro- ceeds from a dance sponsored Saturday, Feb. 16 from 9:00 to 12:00 p.m. by the Prescott Lion's Service Club. The affair will be a general housewarming following the Columbia- Prescott basketball game at Prescott. Dancing will be an admission affair with refreshments of sandwiches and cof- fee. Music will be furnished by Chuck Erwin and his gang. Prescott's community building which was the old post office has been remodeled, and is nearly completed except for the new tables and chairs which will be provided by the proceeds from the dance.

Seventy-Five Years Ago February 18, 1938 Waitsburg's newest business which is to be thrown open to the public Saturday morning. The station and garage have been erected by Percy Muirhead on the corner of East Eighth and Coppei Avenue. Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Jones of Okanogan are the parents of a son and he has been named William Marcus. Mrs. Jones was formerly Margaret Zuger, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Marcus Zuger. An "old-time" Waitsburger" in the person of U. S. Logs- don, wsa in town last Thursday evening and attended the meeting of Delta Lodge, Knights of Pythias. The Alto Club met last Thursday at the home of Mrs. JosieGilesata1p.m.luncheonwithMrs.MethaHermanns assisting. The rooms and tables were beautifully decorated in the Valentine motif and after the luncheon, there were three tables of bridge with prizes going to Mrs. Grote, Mrs. Evelyn Harris, Mrs. Doris Talbott and Mrs. Aletha Shaffer carried away the traveling prize.

One Hundred Years Ago February 14, 1913 Representative W. A. LaFolette has been successful in securing elk for this county which are to be turned loose on he Wenaha forest reserve. The number secured for ths county is 25 and are to be delivered within 60 days. An 8 ½ lb. son was born to Mr. and Mrs. L. J. Buroker Thursday, Feb. 6. All concerned are doing well. Bert Johnson came down from his mountain ranch this week where he has been for some weeks. He reports there is fully four feet of snow in the timber on the first ridge. Back a little further six or seven feet of snow would be more nearly correct. If you are hungry, stop in at Woodies's and get an elec- trocuted egg sandwich. Mr. and Mrs. Gustav Vollmer and son Charlie arrived home Tuesday evening from a ted-day visit to Olympia.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago February 17, 1888 There was a crazy man in town last Tuesday; at least he came to this office to get a $300 check cashed. A sane man would have known better. We have been requested to state that those young ladies who parade the streets of Huntsville at night, attired in men's clothing, are known and unless they discontinue their noctur- nal wanderings they will see their names in print. A word to the wise ought to be sufficient. The Ladies' Library Association held a regular meet- ing and elected the following officers: president, Mrs. D. G. Ingraham; vice president, Mrs. Frank Parton; secretary, Mrs. George Brown; treasurer, Mrs. C. W. Wheeler. The society will hold its next regular meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 29, at half past two.