Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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COLUMBIA COUNTY – Every year, the weekend after Labor Day brings about a sense of joy for those both young and old in Columbia County. A weekend full of fun awaits as kids get a day off school and a chance to make money on the livestock they have been raising for the previous months. Of course, this is the Columbia County Fair. Another fixture of the fair each year, in addition to the livestock showing's and demolition derby, are the presiding Fair Hostesses, which are chosen by the Columbia C...
My second go-around with a small-town newspaper was just as sweet as the first time Last summer, I held my first job in the field of journalism when I became a summer intern as a writer/reporter (and weekly storefront delivery boy) for the The Times while I was home after my freshman year at Washington State University. Due to a change in internship plans, I found myself asking Ken Graham if I could have my position back for one last (planned) summer writing for him. Luckily, he and Dena Martin...
DAYTON – Almost everyone in Dayton (and probably the surrounding areas) is aware that Dayton is home to the Columbia County’s Washington State University Extension Office. What many people may not know is that the office is also home to the County Weed Board, which is funded by a county assessment and tries to control weeds, as well as reaching out and educating the public on noxious weeds. Rachel Hutchens, who has been the County Weed Board Coordinator since October 2013, also recently became the Extension Office Manager, and combined the two...
DAYTON - Dayton hosted league opponents St. John-Endicott-LaCrosse-Washtucna (one combined team) and Colfax on July 25. The meet started with the first heats taking place at 4 p.m., and ended shortly before 8 p.m. Dayton finished third in the overall and women’s standings, while taking second in the men’s rankings on the day. This meet saw more competitors overall present than the first meet, and the day started off with freestyle events. Dayton scored points in the first race, the girls 12 and under freestyle, with Mallory Dowdy and Grace Tru...
WAITSBURG – In a workshop prior to their regular July 12 meeting, the Waitsburg School Board, along with other administrators, staff, and community members, met with architects to go over preliminary plans for a new field house at the WHS football field. The work session included a review of preliminary design elements, as well as discussion on the placement of the new facility at the complex, according to Board Chairman Ross Hamann. “We spent several hours in the work session and reviewed multiple potential elements that will go into the des...
DAYTON – The Dayton Swim Team is under new leadership for the first time in a decade, with new Head Coach Jamie Trump taking the reins for the 2017 summer season. The change in coaching occurred after veteran coach Rosy Nechodom retired following the 2016 season. Following many questions and receiving support from various community members and parents, Trump decided to take on the challenge. "People had been asking me if I was going to coach this year," Trump explained. "I decided to go back t...
DAYTON – The Touchet Valley Golf Course has played host to both a women's and a men's league this summer, and will also host tournaments at the end of the summer. The men's league has been held on Thursdays throughout the summer months, and will wrap up in two weeks' time. The league is made up of multiple teams of three golfers each. The women's league follows the same format, but their weekly rounds are held on Monday evenings, and will also wrap up in the coming weeks. Golfers this year h...
DAYTON – Dayton’s Blue Mountain Station will be home to a new bake shop starting July 15th when Michelle Swan opens the doors of Mama Swan’s Sweet Treats to the public during the station’s FoodStock event. The shop will feature various baked goods, including: handmade cakes, cupcakes, cookies, cheesecakes, and other specialty deserts. Swan says they will also feature her signature sugar cookies, as well as offering wedding cake services. All of the baking done for the shop will be carried out by Swan herself, and the front-of-house will be ran...
DAYTON – Kids in Dayton are spending their weekdays having fun with their friends, while also learning, at Blue Mountain Counseling's Summer Recreation Program. The program, headed by Prevention Coordinators Laura Tolman and Jennifer Price, has signed up 85 kids so far, and more parents have asked about signing their kids up in the coming weeks, according to Tolman. The day starts at 7:30 a.m., when kids can attend free breakfast in the Dayton Elementary School Multipurpose Room. The meal, w...
DAYTON – The 23rd annual All Wheels Weekend was a success, as numbers for the famous Show & Shine on Saturday returned to normal. Last year's weekend was beset by wet weather throughout the three days, while this year saw wind and rain on Friday evening during the downtown cruise. However, sunny skies prevailed Saturday and Sunday, and the number of cars downtown recovered. "Turnout was good, but we've had larger years," said Bette Lou Crothers, committee chair for All Wheels. "It was a...
DAYTON – Friday will mark the beginning of Dayton’s 23rd annual All Wheels Weekend festivities. The events showcase many classic automobiles of all makes and models, and brings as many as 400 participants some years. Early registration will be held Friday from 4- 7 p.m. at the corner of First and Main Streets. An optional scenic cruise around the area is held during the afternoon. The band “Cruise Control” will perform at Second and Main from 6 - 9:30 p.m., coinciding with the presentation of cars from 7:30 - 9 pm in the HomeStreet bank pa...
DAYTON – Dayton High School gave its final sendoff to 34 young adults as they move on to the next part of their lives. The Class of 2017 received a warm welcome from loved ones on Saturday as they entered the gymnasium to the fanfare of Pomp & Circumstance. Following their entrance, Class President Cal Martin led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. Salutatorian Jenna Phillips then walked to the podium to give a speech to her fellow classmates and community members. Phillips spoke of how f...
WAITSBURG – The Dayton and Waitsburg school boards met on May 31 to report back on feedback they received from community members, students, and parents regarding the DW athletics combine, as well as to discuss its future. The meeting, held in theWaitsburg Elementary School library, was also attended by coaches from both schools, and lasted approximately an hour and a half. The meeting began with Dayton School Board Chairman Dan Butler stating that the proceedings should be used to help decide wh...
DAYTON – Dayton will host its seventh annual Mule Mania, sponsored by Columbia REA, from May 26 – 28 at the Columbia County Fairgrounds. The events will begin on Friday at 8 a.m. in the fairgrounds outdoor arena. The mule showings and competitions are expected to conclude around 4 p.m. that day, giving spectators eight hours to watch a wide variety of classes. Friday will also see the first of two nights of the renowned chuckwagon feeds, which feature many traveling groups that cook food using only the materials in their old-fashioned chu...
My name is Ian Smay, and for the last three months, I have spent my summer break as an intern/freelance writer for The Times. In less than a week, I will move back to Pullman to start my sophomore year at Washington State University. I attended Dayton High School where I graduated with the class of 2015. When I was younger, journalism was not the route I had planned in life. I wanted to work in sports as a trainer. Sometime around my freshman or sophomore year of high school, that changed....
COLFAX – Every summer, kids from Dayton and the surrounding areas get the chance to compete against other kids in the Whitman County Swim League. The summer league ends each year with the teams and their members fighting it out for top honors in Colfax, at what is known as the county meet. This year was no different, as the swimmers from Dayton traveled to Colfax on Sunday to showcase their skills one final time for the summer of 2016. Dayton had numerous kids provide strong showings over the w...
WAITSBURG – Youth football in the Dayton-Waitsburg area used to consist of separate teams for each town. That changed last year, when the two towns decided to combine. This year, both of the teams from Dayton/Waitsburg will be known as the “Dayburg Seahawks,” according to General Manager Steve Martin. “The team is full contact and open to both girls and boys,” said Martin. The team plays in the Walla Walla Youth Football League. The Seahawks will be one of six “varsity” (5th and 6th grade) teams, and one of five “junior varsity” (3rd a...
Outlook is good for elevators operating for the first time under NWGG banner DAYTON – Every year in the Touchet Valley and surrounding areas, the second half of summer is known as harvest season, which many refer to simply as "harvest." The season sees many teens and college students on summer break come back to work for local farmers during this labor-intensive season. On top of those who work cutting the fields themselves, are those who work for the elevators that store the product until it i...
DAYTON – Many alumni from various Dayton High School graduating classes made their way back to Dayton for Alumni Weekend. The annual celebration gives old classmates a chance to meet up and reminisce with high school friends. The weekend started with the alumni parade, which featured floats made by classes celebrating milestone reunions, such as 10th, 20th, or 25th. The parade saw a wide range of classes entered, ranging from classes of the 1950s all the way up to the Class of 2006. The p...
DAYTON – Swimming has been a summertime favorite for area youth for many years. The Dayton Swim Team gives those kids a chance to put their skills to the test in a competitive and fun environment. The summer league team that competes from mid-June until the beginning of August has long been a staple of summertime recreation in Dayton. The team takes part in meets against other area teams such as Colfax and Pomeroy. The meets are usually hosted by the teams' local pools. Heats are run at differen...
DAYTON – The summer swim team season is underway, with Dayton playing host to its first home meet of the year on July 12th. The three-team meet also played host to Garfield-Palouse-Plummer-Oaksdale and St, John-Endicott-Lacrosse-Washtucna. Dayton finished the meet in first place, with a substantial 425 team points. This gave them the win over SELW, who finished in second with 375.5 team points. GPPO finished in third with 321.5 points total. The swimmers from Dayton had a strong showing in relay events, which helped elevate them to the top spot...
WAITSBURG – A new football season will also see a new team take the field, as Dayton and Waitsburg High Schools are combining forces for the 2016 season. The kids had a chance to pad-up and play with their teammates for the first time during spring practices and camp. Head Coach Troy Larsen had 53 players sign-up for the team in the spring, showing a great interest from local kids. "Some will disappear and maybe play other sports," said Larsen. The team is made up of a good mixture of kids f...
DAYTON – The Touchet Valley region is the lucky host of the New Old Time Chautauqua on July 18 and 19. The group, also known as NOTC, will be at the Lewis & Clark Trail State Park in between Dayton and Waitsburg. The Chautauqua group follows the social and cultural movements that spawned in New York during the 1870s and experienced great growth until the 1920s. They present many forms of so-called "cultural enrichment," including arts (such as dance and drama), lectures and music. Back in t...
OCEAN SHORES, Wash. – During the summer months, many high school basketball teams hold practices, play in exhibition games, and compete at multi-day camps to help tune their skills during the long break between the end of one season and the start of the next. The boys of Dayton and Waitsburg High Schools just completed one such camp, which took place here last month. The four-day camp is an annual favorite among coaches and players, and this year saw both schools make strides towards next s...
DAYTON – During his time in the United States military, Jeff Monyak had a commanding officer that was interested in taxidermy as a hobby. Eventually, Monyak was sent to the east coast in a new role at Boothbay Harbor, Maine. It was in this so called home of "great white-tailed deer," as Monyak described it, that he decided to take up taxidermy himself. "I got my white-tailed deer and decided that I wanted to do the mounting myself," he said. "So I called up my old CO and asked him for d...
