Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Sorted by date Results 201 - 225 of 366
OLYMPIA – Waitsburg City Councilmember KC Kuykendall breathed a sigh of satisfaction in April when the Washington State Public Works Board approved 12 jurisdictions for approximately $6 million in low-interest pre-construction loans for 2018. This is the first time in five years the board has had state funds to issue loans. Now the City is hopeful that the Taggart Road Project will be among those projects first in line for subsequent approvals. Kuykendall, who serves on the Board of Directors f...
WAITSBURG – Waitsburg Planning Commission Chair Karen Gregutt reminded City Council members at their June 20 regular council meeting that a full review of the city's comprehensive plan and development regulations is just around the corner. She said the commission is hoping for strong public participation throughout the process. "It's a very extensive effort. We need people to roll up their sleeves and participate in order to have a very proactive, citizen-based and robust advisory committee," G...
WAITSBURG – A vital and active parks & recreation department may or may not become a reality for Waitsburg, but the Waitsburg City Council agreed to give it a go. At their June 20 meeting, the council voted unanimously to request that Walla Walla County reactivate the Waitsburg Parks & Recreation District. Approval was granted in order to give interested parties the time necessary to gather information on revitalizing the department and to submit it to the county in order to run a levy on the November ballot. “Whether parks and rec is the sil...
WAITSBURG – For Russ Knopp, "retirement" may have meant stepping away from his official duties, but it hasn't slowed down his passion for helping kids. On June 14, the former Waitsburg Elementary School principal, Preston Hall teacher and current school board member was awarded the Southeastern Washington Association of School Administrators Community Leadership Award at the 2018 SEWASA Annual Honorary Banquet held at the Meadow Springs County Club in Richland. Knopp was one of 13 individuals a...
WAITSBURG – The Waitsburg City Council moved forward with the annual state-mandated adoption of the city's six-year transportation plan at their July 20 regular meeting. No public comment was received in the public hearing preceding the plan adoption, and no new projects have been added to the plan. Two items – widening of East 7th Street, and Park and Ride Development – were removed from the plan, which now lists seven projects: City-wide street maintenance – projects will continue to be ongo...
WAITSBURG – On June 5, the Waitsburg Lions Club wrapped up their season with a Lady's Night dinner, award ceremony and induction of new officers. Following a thank-you dinner for the ladies for their behind-the-scenes help and support, Jesse Smit was named 2017 Lion of the Year, and Dan McKinley received the club's Melvin Jones Award. Outgoing President Randy Farley announced Smit's award. Smit has been a Waitsburg club member for only three years, but has shown great commitment. He is an a...
WAITSBURG – Rainy weather didn't put a damper on Waitsburg's 64th-Annual Waitsburg Livestock Show and Fair on June 9. A longstanding Waitsburg tradition, the event was well-attended by competitors and spectators alike. It was once known as the Waitsburg Livestock Show, and open only to 4-H and FFA members. However, the name was changed a few years ago to be more inclusive, and now welcomes open class entries. Walla Walla County youth and adults of all ages compete in a variety of animal c...
WAITSBURG – Nineteen anxious seniors, surrounded by friends and family, walked the length of Kison Court to receive their diplomas in Waitsburg High School's 122nd commencement ceremony on Friday evening. Music teacher Brad Green directed the band in Pomp and Circumstance for the final time before his upcoming retirement, as Class Marshals Seamus House and Bradley Sandau, siblings of the graduating seniors, led the proud processional of soon-to-be graduates. Associated student body president f...
May 17, 2018 Secondary Principal’s Report: -Students are finishing Smarter Balanced testing. -Youth and Government students traveled to Olympia with Kathy Carpenter and Heather Baker, May 3-8. Waitsburg’s team was voted Most Outstanding Delegation. -FFA members traveled to Pullman May 10-12 for the State FFA Convention. -Graduation is June 1 at 8 p.m. -Eighth grade promotion is June 7 at 7:30 p.m. Athletic Director’s Report: -Spring football will be starting soon. -Football and volleyball schedules are available on request. Elementary Princ...
WAITSBURG – After 22 years teaching at Waitsburg High School, music and math teacher Brad Green will retire next month on a high note. "Just this year, my seventh-eighth grade band got a superior rating at the band festival in Palouse, we had a great Christmas concert, my Knowledge Bowl team came in fifth in State, and my math classes are awesome! Plus, I get to play jazz with my high school band every day. These are things I'll remember, plus some really special students along the way," G...
May 16, 2018 Members: KC Kuykendall, Terry Jacoy, Kevin House, Jim Romine, Kate Hockersmith and Mayor Marty Dunn were all present. Public Comment: - Danielle Carpenter let the council know that she was willing to serve on a Parks and Recreation board if the board was resurrected. - Jim Davison said that it is time for a deadline to be set for making a decision regarding the fate of the fairgrounds grandstands. -Waitsburg Commercial Club President Joy Smith gave an update on the upcoming Waitsburg Celebration Days. Unfinished Business: -The...
WAITSBURG – The 'Burg will be hopping this weekend as folks come from far and near to participate in Waitsburg Celebration Days. The three-day event, held the third weekend in May, was organized as a placeholder for the former popular Days of Real Sport which featured horse racing at the Waitsburg Fairgrounds. State spending cuts forced horse racing to fall by the wayside for smaller venues, but WCD organizers jumped in to offer another kind of ride. Karen's Ride, a poker run named in honor o...
WAITSBURG – The Bruce House Museum and adjoining Wilson-Phillips House, which features revolving displays, will be open to the public following the Waitsburg Celebration Days parade on Sat. May 19. Waitsburg Historical Society member, Mary Phillips, has been hard at work organizing a new display in the Wilson-Phillips House, featuring the history of the towns of Prescott and Lamar. Prescott native Mary Grant Tompkins, who donated several items in the display, will be on site at the museum to sha...
WAITSBURG – Luke Chavez and John Avery are hoping to celebrate in a big way over Waitsburg Celebration Days weekend: with the opening of their brand-new coffee shop. Ten Ton Coffee, located in the Ten Ton Press building on Waitsburg's Main Street, is slated to open this weekend. Renovating the building has involved a lot of blood and sweat (if not tears), and has been a true family endeavor. Chavez' mother, Lane Hill, allowed the partners to transform half of her building's first level into a w...
WAITSBURG – Jill Wood couldn't hold back the tears when she learned that she and her husband John had been selected the 2018 Waitsburg Celebration Days parade marshals. "It means a lot because of the history. We lived Days of Real Sport from the time the girls were selected to court in the spring until the end of September. Days of Real Sport was a huge part of our lives," said Jill, who spent 20 years chaperoning DRS courts with John by her side. John and Jill have strong community roots. T...
WAITSBURG – In spite of a strong public response in favor of tearing down the Waitsburg Fairgrounds grandstands on an advisory ballot item vote last month, the Waitsburg City Council is still torn on how to move forward. The recurring action item was once again tabled on the April 18 council agenda in order to take a closer look at the possibility of reinstituting a Parks & Recreation District to raise funds for the fairgrounds. Of the 211 citizens voting on the April advisory ballot item, posed to gauge community opinion on whether to demolish...
Council members: KC Kuykendall, Terry Jacoy, Kevin House, Jim Romine, Kate Hockersmith; Mayor Marty Dunn; Student Representative Leena Baker were all present. New Business: -WWCSO Update: Walla Walla County Sheriff John Turner presented statistics for 2017 calls for service and crime reports. A total of 576 calls for service (a call generated by dispatch and responded to by deputies) were placed in 2017 in Waitsburg. A total of 119 crime reports were submitted. The highest number of reported inc...
WAITSBURG – “I love the idea of kids starting the day well-fed, and I love the idea of older students eating alongside younger students. The more I think about this, the more excited I get!” Those were the words of Waitsburg junior high and high school principal Stephanie Wooderchak during a discussion on food service at the April 19 school board meeting. Food Services Manager Susan Wildey approached school board members at their March 15 meeting requesting that they consider participating in the Provision 2 food program. The program provi...
Board members present: Christy House, Russ Knopp, Ross Hamann. Marilyn Johnson and Randy Pearson were absent. Secondary Principal’s Report: -Prom will be held April 28 at the Preston Hall gym. Dayton and Waitsburg will hold a joint prom. The prom will be held in Waitsburg with the theme “A Night in Paris,” chosen by Dayton. -The junior high band traveled to Dayton for a junior high mass band on April 19. -WHS students participated in the “Every 15 Minutes” program April 19-20. -Youth and Government students will travel to Olympia for the YMCA...
WAITSBURG – Two years ago, Waitsburg School District staff, administration and community members participated in a visioning process coordinated by Educational Service District 123, which oversees schools in southeast Washington. A top priority identified through that process, was that the Waitsburg district should not only educate and engage students, but also the community at large. In recent months, the district has made great strides in meeting that goal. In his first year as Waitsburg School District superintendent, Dr. Jon Mishra has o...
WAITSBURG – This year's annual Waitsburg city ballot included an advisory item, with the city council seeking community input on whether to demolish, repair or replace the unsafe grandstands at the Waitsburg Fairgrounds. One hundred twenty-four citizens, 59% of the total, voted to tear down the grandstands, 81 voted to repair the facility, and six voted for complete replacement. "Though it was an advisory vote and the City Council has the final decision, I would like to think that since it w...
WAITSBURG – Preliminary results for the City of Waitsburg’s annual city elections were tallied last week. With a total of 222 votes cast, the current council remains intact. Final results will be tallied April 18, but outstanding votes will have no impact on the results. Marty Dunn In the only contested race, incumbent mayor Marty Dunn received 184 votes to challenger Debra Callahan’s 34 votes. This was Callahan’s third bid for mayor and her second race against Dunn. Last year Dunn won the race with 239 votes against Callahan’s 66 votes. Ca...
WAITSBURG – Plans are falling into place for Waitsburg’s fun-filled Celebration Days weekend, May 18-20. The Celebration Days Committee has been working all year to make this celebration the biggest and best yet. Celebration Days will once again take place on Armed Forces Day, with the theme “Celebrate Waitsburg, the American Way.” In addition to oldie-but-goodie events like the parade, Classic Car Show, Karen’s Ride ATV Poker Ride, the sunset cruise, brewfest, and plenty of music, food and dancing, this year’s event will feature some fun ne...
WAITSBURG – At their regular March meeting, the Waitsburg City Council opened the floor to the public prior to adding an advisory item to the April 3 ballot seeking community input on how to progress with the grandstands at the Waitsburg fairgrounds. "Before we can move onward, we need to move forward," said Mayor Marty Dunn. Dunn explained that the council has been struggling with what to do with the fairgrounds grandstands and gathering information on options for years. He read a letter f...
WAITSBURG – At their regular March meeting, the Waitsburg School Board opted to table discussions about the possible sale of several school properties, including the District House located next to Preston Hall. Discussions were set aside due to a strong initial negative response from some community members. Late last year, the District began evaluating the possible sale of two parcels of land on Coppei Avenue, along with the District House. In January, the board voted to have the properties appraised and requested that Maintenance Supervisor Co...
