The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Ten Years Ago

August 16, 2007

Grain prices have been ratcheting up each day, jumping 15¢ on Tuesday, August 14, said J.E. McCaw, local manager of Northwest Grain Growers, as harvest operations in the Touchet Valley and surrounding area begin to curtail activities. Soft white wheat closed Tuesday at an all-time record high of $6.47, McCaw said.

Sparks from an electrical tool are suspected as the cause of a fire which destroyed a pleasure boat and caused minor burns to the boat owner’s hands and arms last Thursday. Casey paul, no age available, 810 Walnut, Waitsburg, was believed to be working in the engine well of his twin-engined power boat, which was trailered near his house, when sparks from the tool possibly ignited fumes from fuel and started the interior of the boat alight, said Neil Henze, Chief of the Waitsburg Fire Department. Paul quickly moved the boat aay from his residence to prevent flames from spreading to the structure.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

August 13, 1992

Waitsburg is a step closer to hiring a new dispatcher to replace Dorothy Donnelly, who is resigning. Pat McGraw, of Waitsburg has applied to replace Donnelly as the city’s $600-a-month dispatcher.

Heather Ferguson, a freshman at Waitsburg High School, was selected “Teen-ager of the Year” by the national Grange last weekend in Portland, making her one of five winners in the United States for 1992.

Don’t jump! Cooling off by tossing their bodies off bridges into the shallow waters of the Touchet River is now against the law in Waitsburg. On Aug. 5, the City Council passed an ordinance sought by Marshal Michelle Long banning jumping from the city’s bridges into the Touchet and into Coppei Creek. . . Violators can be fined as much as $300.

Bill Hinchliffe, a retired school superintendent, was selected Aug. 5 to replace John Lindsey on the Waitsburg City Council. Hinchliffe was nominated for mayor earlier this year. Then, he said, he should serve on the council before thinking about being mayor. Lindsey left the council after moving outside city limits.

Fifty Years Ago

August 10, 1967

Photo caption: At a recent breakfast meeting held between President Lyndon B. Johnson and farm leaders, Glen Hofer shakes hands with the chief executive while Agriculture Secretary Orville Freeman looks on. Glen, as Executive Vice-President of the National Association of Wheat Growers, is working out of the Wheat Growers national office in the capitol.

A visit to Frank Zuger on Wednesday morning revealed that he is almost back to normal after a couple of weeks stay in the hospital. Frank is sporting a new walking stick carved out of a thorn branch by Vernon Bain of Waitsburg. Frank has been out of the house a couple of times in the past few days – and threatens to have a foot race with neighbor Roy Reed about Wednesday of next week. It does us good to see an ornery fellar like Frank back up to his old tricks.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

August 14, 1942

With the problem of transportation looming all-important in high school athletics this year, Waitsburg High School may inaugurate intramural sports. The situation is uncertain at the present time.

As the grain harvest draws to a close in Walla Walla County, it has been called to attention of the Agricultural board that some crops as yet have no way of being harvested.

Bob Wilson is home after a stay of 5 weeks at Camp Wallowa, the summer camp for Scouting in the Blue Mountain Council. Bob was on the staff as bugler.

One Hundred Years Ago

August 17, 1917

Wednesday, Aug. 15, marked the opening of the season for native pheasants and the blue grouse. There will be no open season for quail or prairie chicken this year.

A. C. Garner and Ralph McKenzie spent Saturday night and Sunday on the headwaters of the Touchet. They report fishing pretty good at this time having landed 77 of the speckled beauties Sunday.

Miss Anna Arnold returned Sunday from Spokane where she spent a week attending the corset fitting school under the management of the Gossard Corset Co.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

August 19, 1892

D. H. Harris made us a visit on Tuesday. He says Whetstone Hollow is turning out the best wheat of the county this year.

Hon. E. L. Powell came down from Spokane on Tuesday evening on a flying business trip. He returned home by this morning’s train.

Mayor Frank Parton has vastly improved his residence property, by building a beautiful picket fence and laying a good walk in front of it.

Perry C. Perkins has sold out his interest in the Main Street livery stable and on and after Monday next, be at his old stand on 2nd Street with a line of splendid buggies, carriages and saddle horses. Give him a call.

D. A. Small tore up the railroad track thru Small’s Addition causing the west bound train to be halted until an agreement could be reached. Mr. Small maintains that he has not been paid for the right of way.