Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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While nearly all communities depend on volunteerism in some form or another, I don’t think it’s an overstatement to say that small towns like Dayton and Waitsburg would fail to function without the concern and dedication of the many volunteers that help keep them running. In this monthly column, The Times will highlight local volunteer opportunities in Waitsburg and Columbia County. With the annual Pioneer Fall Festival justcompleted, it seems appropriate to highlight the Waitsburg His...
WAITSBURG-Community members and visitors can take a step back in time on Sun., Sept. 15 when they join the Waitsburg Historical Society for the City's 47th Annual Pioneer Fall Festival on the Bruce House Museum Complex lawn. The annual event, held on the third Sunday of September, is an opportunity to celebrate the local history that helps make Waitsburg one-of-a kind. This year's celebration kicks of at 11 a.m. with the Pioneer of the Year Award ceremony. This year's honorees are the...
LYONS FERRY—Columbia Pulp stands on the threshold of its facility startup with a “go live” date the week of Sept. 15, According to Columbia Bio-Polymers Product Manager K.C. Kuykendall. Kuykendall said the Lyons Ferry facility has transitioned the site safety program from the general contractor (PCI) to the Columbia Pulp program and oversight. In addition, the Pomeroy pilot plant has temporarily delayed operations as of the end of August in preparation for the Lyons Ferry facility startup. “All operational maintenance staff are reporti...
When I returned to The Times in January of this year, it was with the goal and intent of helping new publisher Lane Gwinn and The Times staff achieve a shared vision of what The Times should and could be. In my first editorial of this year I wrote, “Our hope is that our readers walk away from each issue with something new to think about, talk about or apply to daily life.” I think we have accomplished that goal, and I hope that you, our readers, do as well. It is with some regret, that I ann...
WAITSBURG/PRESCOTT-Both Waitsburg and Prescott school districts brought new teachers on staff this year. Several were kind enough to take time from their busy beginning-of-the-year schedules to introduce themselves to the community on the pages of The Times. In addition to the new teachers listed here. Waitsburg welcomes Mike Speiss, former DeSales head football coach, teacher and dean of students, who will teach middle school math, social studies and art and Colby Starring who will teach...
DAYTON-"The start of a playground kicked off one idea, which led to another, which led to a beautiful town center for all to use," said Dayton Development Task Force (DDTF) Chair Bette Lou Crothers. Caboose Park has been several years in the making and started with a desire by former task force member Cara Watts, to build a small playground in the empty lot near the caboose at the Dayton Historic Depot. From there, the project continued to bloom and grow. A public restroom was added in 2016. In...
COLUMBIA COUNTY—Comprehensive plan updates for Columbia County, the City of Dayton, and the Town of Starbuck are wrapping up with final public hearings planned for September and October, according to Columbia County Planning Director Meagan Bailey. “All three plans were submitted for 60-day review at the end of May and that review period closed the end of July. All three plans received, essentially, accolades from the state with no required updates, indicating that all Growth Management Act req...
DAYTON/WAITSBURG-Rather than having separate athletic directors for both Dayton and Waitsburg, the athletic combine advisory committee recommended hiring one director to oversee the combine. Both school boards approved the recommendation and Luper was selected and accepeted the position in June. Luper was hired as the Dayton School District Athletic Director in November of 2018. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in physical education and health from the University of Idaho and a Masters...
DAYTON—Barring a majority of ‘nay’ votes, Columbia County Planning Director Meagan Bailey will become the new City of Dayton Planning Director next month. Mayor Zac Weatherford called an Aug. 27 special meeting with two actions items; the affirmation of Weatherford’s appointment of Bailey to serve as the Director of Planning and Community Development and approval of a Resolution authorizing Weatherford to sign an employment contract with Bailey. In June, the Dayton City Council voted to terminate interlocal agreements with the County for Pla...
DAYTON—Dayton artist Steve Henderson’s art has gone big – literally! As a winner in a Fine Art America contest, his image, Ocean Breeze, will grace a Los Angeles billboard this fall. Ocean Breeze received the required popular votes to advance to the final selection stage of the 2019 Pixels Billboard Contest where it competed for one of five 24’ by 12’ billboard spots. “I don’t remember the initial number of images entered into the contest, but I think it was around 20,000. In order to adva...
DAYTON/WAITSBURG-Medical students Taylar-Rhea McGuire and Alexandra Drury spent three days working in Dayton and Waitsburg last week to experience rural healthcare firsthand. The WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine students worked with local physicians and other local healthcare providers as part of their Clinical Campus Week experience. During the first and second years in the medical school program, students complete foundational science studies at the school's Health Sciences Campus in...
WAITSBURG-Using a bit of creativity, the Waitsburg City Council was able to fill one empty seat on the City's planning commission with two new members, while remaining within the bounds of the City's Territorial Charter, under which Waitsburg operates. Words-n-Print owner Pam Chapman and Times publisher and Ten Ton Press owner Lane Gwinn both applied to fill the empty planning commission seat. Standard procedure is for the mayor to recommend one candidate to the council for approval, said City...
DAYTON-Craig George, who served as Dayton's mayor from 2008, until his resignation on April 30 of this year. He passed away at his new home in Tucson, Arizona on Aug. 15. George and his wife, Kathy, were well-loved Dayton citizens and civic volunteers. George first served on Council in 2004, until he was elected mayor in 2008. In April, County and City staff friends and colleagues gathered to show appreciation for George's 15 years of service to the City. City employees presented him with a...
WAITSBURG-Times reader Wayde Morris struck and killed a juvenile cougar at approximately 9:15 p.m. on the evening of Sun., Aug. 18. "I was traveling south on Middle Waitsburg Road towards Walla Walla when she suddenly crossed the road. I struck the cougar and pulled over. She was killed instantly," Morris told The Times. Morris contacted the Walla Walla County Sheriff's Office and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. He said the sheriff's office transported the cougar to local...
DAYTON/WAITSBURG-The DW cheer squad kicked off its season with a two-day Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) camp in the Preston Hall gymnasium on Monday and Tuesday. Official practices started on Wed., Aug. 21. Twelve-year head coach Vickie Hamann will lead the 15-member team, assisted by Kayla Lewis. Lewis, who assisted during basketball last year, will coach all year the full 2019-2020 year. Hamann said this is the largest turnout she can recall. "We are fortunate to have good numbers,"...
Council members present: K.C. Kuykendall, Kevin House, Terry Jacoy, Jim Romine, Kate Hockersmith, Mayor Marty Dunn. Public comment Don and Olga Clarke approached the council regarding a sound nuisance from trucks parking across the street from her home on Highway 12, near Waitsburg Mini Storage. New Business Unanimously approved final payment on Main Street Bridge. The Wastewater Treatment Plant will be open from 8 a.m.-noon on Saturdays and Mondays for yard debris (limbs/brush) and cardboard drop off. See story on Page 1. Tabled a discussion...
WAITSBURG—After receiving news that the asking price for the former Jehovah’s Witness church building has dropped significantly, and is now below assessed value, City Administrator Randy Hinchliffe asked that the discussion of a possible purchase and City Hall move be placed back on the Council’s agenda. The Waitsburg City Council voted unanimously against pursuing the purchase in January of this year. At the same time, the Council voted not to retain loan funds for upgrades to the curre...
WAITSBURG-On the afternoon of Aug. 8, Jake Adams got the phone call no one wants to receive. The Papé territory manager was working near Minnick Hill when his wife called to say there was a wheat fire and flames were heading toward their home. Moments later, the Fire District No. 2 volunteer received a call from dispatch. "The fire was initially toned for Miller Road, which is just over the hill. The house wasn't even in the picture yet. When I heard that, I called dispatch and let them know...
DAYTON-The Dayton Chamber of Commerce announced the resignation of Executive Director Melissa Bryan in an Aug. 12 in a Chamber press release. Bryan, who served as assistant director prior to stepping into the role of executive director in March of 2018, will leave her position effective Aug. 31. "Melissa has worked hard to keep the Chamber office looking professional and welcoming. Many improvements have taken place under her direction," said Chamber President Brian St. Clare. Assistant...
DAYTON-Fifty-three Touchet Valley kids enjoyed performing live on stage in the Missoula Children's Theater (MCT) adaptation of Pinocchio last week. Of those, about a dozen were new to the stage according to Liberty Theater Manager Mike Ferrians. Ferrians said the MCT visits began taking place shortly after the theater's remodel in 2001. For many children, a part in an MCT production is the first step towards participating in Touchet Valley Arts Council (TVAC) live productions. The MCT, a...
DAYTON-Incumbent Dayton Mayor Zac Weatherford received a strong show of community backing in last week's primary elections for city mayor, with a 66 percent support vote. Weatherford garnered 504 of the 759 preliminary votes cast with Mayor Pro-Tem Delphine Bailey receiving 168 votes, or 22 percent. Both Bailey and Weatherford earned spots on the November general election ballot. Third candidate, city council member Michael Paris, received 10 percent support with 82 votes and has been...
WAITSBURG—The Touchet Valley was buzzing with police activity on Saturday as a a manhunt in Waitsburg Saturday morning was followed by a multi-county high-speed chase and officer-involved shooting Saturday afternoon. Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to both events. Vehicles from Columbia County, the Walla Walla County Sheriff's Office (WWCSO) and the Washington State Patrol slowly patroled, with lights flashing, the area between Main Street and Highway 12, between third and fifth streets in Waitsburg late Saturday morning. Law e...
While nearly all communities depend on volunteerism in some form or another, I don’t think it’s an overstatement to say that small towns like Dayton and Waitsburg would fail to function without the concern and dedication of the many volunteers that help keep them running. Once one begins brainstorming all the volunteer-based organizations, programs and even individuals that take care the many needs in our communities, it’s hard to find an end to the list. It is our local firemen, board, committee and club members, event organizers and “just...
HUNTSVILLE, Ala.-Ten-year-olds, Ava Atwood and Skylar McCann heartily agree that their weeklong Space Camp experience at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala. was out of this world in more ways that one. The Dayton fifth graders say the experience was more than they ever hoped for or imagined. The girls spent the week training with Team Aries, a group of 16 students. They flew a simulated space mission to the International Space Station (ISS), participated in experiments,...
DAYTON-Following a successful stint as interim Columbia County Public Transportation (CCPT) General Manager, David Ocampo was officially named to the position at the July 22 CCPT board meeting. Former lead dispatcher Darla Brown is the new transit supervisor. Ocampo was the district's safety and maintenance coordinator until he was pulled in as interim GM following the resignation of GM Dwight Robanske wo resigned in Dec. of 2017 after being placed on paid administrative leave in Oct. of that...
