The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Ten Years Ago

September 28, 2006

Yellow shirts, green pants and red fire trucks have all but disappeared from around Waitsburg, Dayton and the Blue Mountains as the 109,402-acre Columbia Complex fire shifted from a Type II incident to Type III earlier this week. Personnel on the fire, at one time numbering about 1,700, dropped from 559 on Saturday to 67 as of deadline Tuesday.

Sophomore quarterback Jeff Hofer can now be dubbed “The Heart Attack Kid” as he held coaches, fellow players and fans in disbelief for 59 seconds, before coming back with an awesome interception at just the right time.

At Waitsburg’s last two cross country meets, freshman runner Maya Garcia has finished third and second, respectively. She finished a three-mile course at St. John on Sept. 21 third out of 18 and a 5 K course Pasco’s Big Cross, second out of 13 Sept. 23.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

Thursday, Sept. 26, 1991

A husband and wife team has purchased the Jackpot convenience store at 715 Preston Avenue. Bob and Carol Patton of Waitsburg bought the store on Sept. 10 from long-time owner Bob Jameson.

Jocelyn Leid, an eighth-grader in Waitsburg, won a first place Saturday in the 20th anniversary Eddie MacMurdo Memorial Horse Show at the Southeastern Washington Fairgrounds in Walla Walla.

The first rehearsal for a new community choir is scheduled for Oct. 2 at the First Presbyterian Church in Waitsburg. The public is welcome to join the choir, forming under the direction of Melissa Ferrians, of the First Christian Church and Anita Baker of the Presbyterian church.

City Councilman Bob Abbey says something has to be done about the lack of public restrooms at the city park. He said recently members of the 55 Club, the senior citizens group. had to clean the restrooms at the city pool so they could be used by members who attended a club get-together across the street in the park.

Fifty Years Ago

September 22, 1966

Cathy McCown, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joe McCown and a 1963 graduate of Waitsburg High School was selected this week to represent Columbia County as Wheat Queen. Runner up for the queen spot was Margaret DeRuwe, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Elmer DeRuwe of Dayton.

Capt. Jack H Roberts, son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Roberts of Waitsburg, has recently been awarded the Air Medal for his performance during 19 missions flown from his base on Guam over Viet Nam.

George Wood, son of Mr. and Mrs. Francis Wood, who is now program coordinator for Western Wheats Associates, is leaving Sept. 22 for a round-the-world trip in the interests of the association.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

September 26, 1941

Miss Gwendolyn Elaine Wickland became the bride of Lawrence Eugene Duckworth at the First Presbyterian Manse in Walla Walla Wednesday afternoon.

Miss Frances Adelle Conover became the bride of Morris A Ganguet n Friday, Sept. 19, at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Glen Conover.

Ted Bachmann met with a painful accident last Thursday while working out at the Alto warehouse. He was helping to load a car of wheat with a hand truck when his feet slipped injuring his knee.

One Hundred Years Ago

September 29, 1916

A. J. McLaughlin this week purchased a Maxwell touring car through Jonas & Riggs, and by so doing joins the ranks of the vast majority of our farmers who have dispensed with the team as a mode of conveyance.

Miss Vivian Ernstberger, formerly with the McSherry general store at Prescott, and a young lady of several years’ experience in merchandise has opened a 5 and 10 cent store in the Giles building on the east side of Main Street.

There was much discussion at the Commercial Club meeting Tuesday evening as to the advisability of holding a racing matinee and fruit exhibit in this city this fall. A committee will report back to the Club at the next meeting.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

October 2, 1891

J. H. Harmon and William Bruce met with the misfortune to lose a $2,000 Clyde stallion on Tuesday night. He died suddenly, and what ailed him is a mystery. Fortunately, they had a life insurance policy on him for $1.000.

When the clouds of last Monday night cleared away a new coating of snow was plainly visible on the Blue Mountains and the atmosphere was delightfully cool and bracing.

Just to show us how ranchers live in this country, and thereby make us feel bad, our friend Milt Jonas last Saturday brought to this office a box of “pickings from the farm.” The box contained corn, equal to the best Iowa production, potatoes and more than a dozen kinds of fruit - apples, plums, etc. Joking aside, we don’t believe there is a country on earth, the farmers of which live so well as do the farmers in our own beloved state of Washington.