Ten Years Ago

August 13, 2009

Kurtis Reser, son of Frank and Judy Reser of Waitsburg graduated Magna Cum Laude from Eastern Washington University with a Bachelor of Arts in Education (BAE) in English Education. Dustin Smith, son of Janet and Red Smith of Waitsburg and Seattle, Wash, received his Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration.

Wheat harvest in the Touchet Valley area is 60% complete, despite a rain delay. Countywide, harvest is about 75% complete, according to J. E. McCaw, local manager of Northwest Grain Growers.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

August 4, 1994

Photo caption: John Brown, of Waitsburg, discusses safety of wheat trucks during farm safety classes for children at McGregor Co. in Waitsburg July 27. The program, organized by Andy Winnett of Waitsburg, was part of the Readiness to Learn summer enrichment program. Winnett hopes the farm safety classes will be a yearly event.

Justin Gagnon is a tinkering teenager. The 13-year old has a budding business repairing and servicing lawn mowers of all shapes and sizes in a shop at his Waitsburg home. Gagnon developed an interest in small engines several years ago, fostered by the late Berger Chase, who was a skilled hand at repairing small engines and appliances in Waitsburg.

Photo caption: Clowns “Omar Gosh” were in Waitsburg last week to remind everyone that the Allen Bros. Circus was to be in Dayton, Thursday Aug. 4 at 6 and 8pm at the Port of Columbia property on West Cameron St.

Fifty Years Ago

August 7, 1969

Photo caption: Katsel stationary threshes oats—1915 style. Gary Lucas hands up a bundle of oats to Buster Katsel as they get harvest underway on the Orlie Katsel ranch. The ancient Case (conglomerate of more than one old machine) puffed, grunted and fogged its way through a field of oats. This is one of the very few operational stationary units in existence today.

MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. “Green Giant is optimistic about the balance of the fiscal year,” Robert C. Cosgrove, chairman and chief executive officer, Green Giant Company, said today when he released the company’s first quarter figures for the period ending June 30, 1969. Green Giant Company reported today net sales of $36,184,000 for the first quarter ending June 30, 1969.

Representatives of several governmental units met on July 24 to discuss the future of ambulance service in this area, and at this time no solution has been found. Duckworth Ambulance Service of Waitsburg has been providing service on a deficit basis since the first of the year when Medicare froze its rate and the State Department of Public Assistance put a ceiling of $18 on ambulance recipients. Medicare only pays 8% of a bill providing that the $50 deductible has been met.

There will be a “Hamburger Fry” at the Touchet Valley Golf Club in Dayton Friday night, Aug 8. Bring your own hamburger and buns. Tournament play begins at 5:30. Wives and guests are always welcome.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

August 14, 1959

John Egli assisted by John Appleton will manage the Touchet Valley Grain Growers following the resignation in September of Roy Reed, who has been with the corporation 14 years.

Wheat yields in this area are running between 60-70 bushels to the acre, which is a record-breaking yield due to ideal spring weather conditions and the use of fertilizers.

Miss Beverly Jean Rich of Sherwood Oregon became the bride of Frank Donnelly, Tues, August 3rd at the Campbell home on Preston Ave. Hostesses were Mrs. Wm. Augustine and Mrs. Julia Grandorff who served angel cake and ice cream. Guests were Amelia Stark, Lena Bachmann, Ruth Bode, Alpha Gardner, Gladys Clark and Marjorie Tomlinson and children of Walla Walla.

One Hundred Years Ago

August 15, 1919

Following a smut explosion about 3 o’clock Saturday afternoon, the separator belonging to Dahl Jones who was threshing on the Price place six miles southeast of this city, farmed by Rufus Johnson, was a total loss and three acres of standing grain was burned with a straw stack.

For Sale-Apricots at 2 cents a pound at Huntsville, Mrs. A. D. Gould.

Norman E. Coles, state organizer of the American Legion and an ex-aviator is in Waitsburg helping to organize a post of the American Legion.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

August 10, 1894

One of the most appalling accidents in the history of the O. R. 7 N.road occurred last Sunday morning about 11 o’clock when a freight train of nineteen cars went crashing through what is known as the McKay trestle at the mouth of McKay hollow ten miles north of this city. The most marvelous thing in connection with the wreck is that no lives were lost, though the conductor and two brakemen were considerable injured

Frank Billups, brother of our W. H. Billups, was in the city from Dayton on Tuesday, the first time in twenty years.

J. L. Harper, and wife, S. A. Esry, E. C. Mills, Miss Lulu Cox, and Miss Emma McKinney spent part of Saturday night and Sunday in the mountains.