Week of August 20, 2026
Week of August 20, 2026
WAITSBURG - This year, a visit to Waitsburg was a sought-after auction item at the Artist Trust 40th Anniversary Benefit Art. The Waitsburg Sojourn package offered an art, food, and wine weekend for two couples. On Friday, August 14, the couples who won the trip checked into The Royal Block for their 2-night stay. The winners, Judith Rinehart, John Taylor, Joel Reiter, and Polly Meyer, were welcomed with refreshing cocktails and unique Walla Walla wines. RB owners Joe Roberts and Tiina Jaatinen...
DAYTON-Dayton Books and Gifts at 232 East Main Street is now open for business. Owners Rose and Clay Johnson, along with their two daughters, Lily, 18, and Addison, 12, recently moved to Dayton from Albuquerque, New Mexico, seeking a change from the hustle and bustle of city life. Rose said she is excited to be in Dayton and that the girls are adjusting well to life in a small town. "Here, the girls can walk around unattended and experience the freedom and independence that was not available to...
DAYTON — Mayor Michael Smith called the Dayton City Council to order at 6 p.m. on August 11, 2026. Council members present in the conference room were Shannon McMillen, James Su’euga, Glenn Hagfeldt, Joann Patras, Jeff Keating, and Dave Harvey. Kyle Anderson was not present. During public comment, Deanna Peterson said she moved to Dayton last year with her husband. They chose to invest in the community because it’s a small town and they liked its character. The sense of neighborliness and peaceful environment make Dayton such a special...
DAYTON – The Port of Columbia Board of Commissioners held its regular meeting at 5 p.m. on August 12, 2026, at the Port’s conference room. Commissioners Mike Spring and Johnny Watts were present in person; Scott Hudson joined on Zoom. Executive Director Jennie Dickinson and Economic Development Coordinator Shane Laib were also present. The commissioners approved the previous meeting’s minutes, the monthly budget report, leases, and a letter to local governments and planning commissions. The letter addressed the difficulty in offering...
OLYMPIA — President Trump signed Executive Order 14420, titled “Delivering Gold Standard Childhood Vaccine Recommendations for Americans,” on August 10, 2026. The order aims to change the federal childhood vaccine policy. It revises the recommendations for the childhood vaccination schedule and directs health care providers to administer individual shots for measles, mumps, and rubella, splitting the MMR vaccine. Separate vaccines have not been manufactured in the U.S since 2008, and could take a decade before they are available. The...
To the Editor, As a Waitsburg resident who has known Richard Schram for over 20 years, I proudly endorse him for Walla Walla County Sheriff. Long before this campaign, I saw Richard’s true character through everyday life in our county. He is honest, steady, hardworking, and always quick to help a neighbor. That kind of integrity cannot be manufactured for an election; it is simply who he is. Richard’s professional experience is extensive. During more than 23 years with the Walla Walla County Sheriff’s Office, he has served at every...
To the editor: During my service as both a full-time Patrol Deputy and volunteer Reserve Deputy with the Walla Walla County Sheriff’s Office, I have consistently observed Chief Deputy Richard Schram demonstrate the kind of leadership that strengthens an organization from the inside out. His approach is steady, principled, and rooted in the values of honor, courage, and commitment. Richard leads from the front, supports the people under his command, and sets a professional standard that others naturally follow. In demanding situations where...
WAITSBURG - A premier brass-era touring club is bringing its cars to the Waitsburg Historical Society's Bruce Museum at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, August 29. The Horseless Carriage Club of America is dedicated to preserving, restoring, and enjoying automobiles built before 1916. Early motor vehicles powered by internal combustion, steam, or electric engines were called horseless carriages during the transition from horse-drawn vehicles. They were designed to look like traditional carriages but with...
DAYTON — In “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” Peter Parker finds himself fighting crime full-time as Spider-Man in a world that doesn’t remember him. The pressure of seeing his old friends move on without him sparks a change in Peter that he may not have the power to control. But that transformation might also be the only thing that can stop a shocking new threat to the city and those he loves – a powerful villain no one can even see. Cast includes Tom Holland, Zendaya, Sadie Sink, and Mark Ruffalo. Rated PG-13 for sequences of...
WAITSBURG - After fifty years of awarding college scholarships to Waitsburg High School graduates, the board of the Patricia K. Hubbard Memorial Scholarship Fund decided to dissolve the fund and distribute its remaining assets to the Weller Public Library. Director Mike Hubbard said the fund holds $62,247.27 as of the June 2026 statement. Following the award of this year's scholarship and costs associated with dissolving the fund, the balance will go to the library. Hubbard hopes this can be...
WAITSBURG - Teachers Eleanora Montgomery and Allyson Filan held a preschool-kindergarten summer camp on August 10 through 13, from 9 to 11 a.m. The camp was open to students ages three to five who are registered to attend school in the Waitsburg School District. It was an opportunity for students to become familiar with the school facilities and their teachers, in preparation of the new school year. "It is a great camp to get students into a routine and familiar with the building, such as...
Fifteen Years Ago August 25, 2011 It was never Wyatt Withers' sole inspiration for going in the Navy, but once he had decided to join it certainly helped having a grandfather who had served in the same branch many decades ago. Choosing to be "seasick over digging a fox hole," longtime local farmer Jack McCaw went to amphibian training school in preparation of the Allied invasion of Japan when the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Withers' mission will be much different. He...
The last sweet weeks of summer are always my favorite time of the season. The days are still long, yet thankfully, the scorching triple-digit temperatures are mostly behind us. It is also when our homegrown tomatoes are ripe and bursting with sun-kissed flavor. When tomatoes are as good as they are right now, I mostly enjoy eating them as unadulterated as possible – just a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of flakey sea salt is all that is needed. As a result, I am always in search of recipes...
Lee Winnett, 67, passed away on August 12, 2026, at home with his family after a 6-month battle with cancer, which he fought with courage and determination. Lee was born on December 31, 1958, in Dayton, Washington, to Molly and Wallace Winnett. Lee grew up on Whiskey Creek and attended Waitsburg schools and then Walla Walla Community College Ag Mechanics Program. Lee was active in FFA throughout high school, raising sheep and participating at local stock shows. Growing up, the family worked...
Our beloved daughter Charissa Lee Johnson (Prickett), 45, of Mount Vernon, Washington, died on August 7th, 2026, in Seattle, Washington, from an accidental overdose. "The long goodbye" best describes the misery of watching a loved one struggle with addiction and lose the battle. She died alone and without her family, who cherished her and always believed that someday she would overcome her addiction and be with us again. On the surface, her death may be sad, but the limited time we had with her...
Thursday, Dec. 11 Breakfast Pancake on a stick Lunch Chicken Alfredo Breadstick Fruit and Vegetable Friday, Dec. 12 Breakfast Breakfast Burrito Lunch Pepperoni or Cheese Pizza Fruit & Vegetable Monday, Dec. 15 Breakfast Breakfast Pizza Lunch Hamburger Tater Tots Fruit & Vegetable Tuesday, Dec. 16 Breakfast Biscuits & Gravy Lunch Nachos Fruit & Vegetables Wednesday, Dec. 17 Breakfast Ultimate Breakfast Round Lunch Turkey Sandwich Fruit &...
