The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Ten Years Ago

October 7, 2010

Shortly before midnight Tuesday, an empty boxcar broke free on the main rail line in Dayton and made a freak, high-speed getaway, waking residents throughout the Touchet Valley and eluding sheriff’s deputies before it finally slowed enough to be secured just past Prescott.

A wave of burglaries has hit Walla Walla, Columbia, and Garfield counties in the past few months, prompting some local law enforcement officials and citizens groups to get better organized.

The Dayton Farmers Market on the lawn in front of the Seneca Administrative building will continue for another two to three weeks into October. The market is now offering pears, pumpkins, apples, and squash along with some corn, potatoes, and plums—all locally grown.

Columbia County Commissioners fired Public Health Director David Riggs last week in an effort to fix a budgetary crisis in the department that’s been escalating since the spring.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

October 12, 1995

[Headline] Animal control officer expects to trap 100 skunks as Dayton is being overrun

Waitsburg sixth-grade teacher Pam Conover recently attended a workshop for science teachers. Elementary School principal Russ Knopp told members of the Waitsburg school that knowledge brought back by Conover will be used by others at the school as well. Conover and other teachers learned about water quality and testing.

While Columbia County has a higher incidence of child abuse than the statewide average, Walla Walla County has two other unfavorable distinctions, according to a child welfare organization: teen pregnancy beats the state average in Walla Walla, and the arrest of juveniles is higher than the state’s rate.

Fifty Years Ago

October 22, 1970

A tragic Friday accident sent shock waves of sorrow and grief through the community as three graduates of the Wait-Hi class of 1970 were fatally injured in a head-on collision 6 miles east of Burbank on Highway 124. Marjorie Ann Baker, 18, Deborah Lynn Brown, 18, Carol Lynn Shively, 18, were victims of the 7:50 p.m. crash, which injured Roy Maag, 44, of Burbank, who was driving a pickup truck eastbound on the highway.

Phil Monfort, who is razing the former Methodist Church, came into the office this week with a pumpkin seed flask, which he found in the attic of the old structure. Phil surmised that it must have been left there by an early-day workman who may have had a bit of a thirst—though the cork was gone, and a small residue was all that was left of the original contents.

A former Waitsburg resident, Mrs. Delores Wilson, was apparently bludgeoned to death in her Walla Walla home sometime last Saturday night or Sunday morning. Mrs. Wilson was the owner of Dee’s Purple Poodle, a beauty salon in Walla Walla.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

October 26, 1945

Apple picking is over in this vicinity, and all apples have been delivered to the packing houses, which is two weeks earlier than last year.

The Tanda Camp Fire group met in the grade school basement this week. They worked on their year’s program and planned their Halloween party.

Donna Price showed some pictures that she took at Camp Kiwanis.

Robert McCoy and Stanley Barney of Tacoma spent the weekend at the Orville Fullerton home.

The new coffee shop and community bus depot will be opened on Dec. 1.

One Hundred Years Ago

October 29, 1920

Mr. and Mrs. H.W. Champneys of Okanagon, Wa. arrived last Friday and are visiting Mrs. Champneys parents and other relatives. Mrs. Champneys was formerly Miss Emily Meinberg.

Little Eunice Quigg, whose parents reside on Preston Avenue, was playing in the street in front of her home a few days ago when she was struck by a passing car and badly bruised about the face and head. Fortunately, the wheel of the car did not pass over her body. The driver of the car, whose name was unknown, picked up the child and helped get her to a doctor as quickly as possible.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

November 1, 1895

Petty thieves still continue to ply their vocation in and about this city. Last Tuesday night, they quietly removed a fair-sized washing of clothes from the clothesline at C. W. Wheeler’s house.

Harry White and wife and Miss Dollie White arrived home from their up-country trip on Sunday evening. One night while Harry was soundly sleeping in his wagon, somebody relieved him of what loose change he had in his pants pocket—about $12.

Smoke Marble Head, the best 5 cent cigar on the market for sale by O.B. Smith.