Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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Waitsburg School District honored the Waitsburg High School Class of 2020 with a 'Be The Light' display at the school football field on Friday, April 10 at 8:20 p.m. for 20 minutes. The scoreboard display read 20:20 and students parked alongside the field while community members stopped their cars and honked in support....
WALLA WALLA—Walla Walla County health officials confirmed on April 12 that the local case count for COVID-19 has more than doubled in the past week. Twelve additional residents have tested positive for COVID-19 since Friday, April 3rd. This brings Walla Walla Counties case count to 21. Columbia County, as of April 12, still has one positive test-case for the coronavirus. Six of the Walla Walla County cases are from the Burbank/Wallula area and are related to a workplace exposure (see Tyson Fresh Meats). Five of Walla Walla County cases are f...
WALLA WALLA—Walla Walla County health officials confirmed on Monday, April 13 that six positive cases of COVID-19 in Walla Walla County are linked to employment at Tyson Fresh Meats in Wallula. In addition, the Benton- Franklin Health District is reporting 28 lab-confirmed cases in Benton and Franklin Counties, with two additional probable cases, bringing the total number of cases to 30. This is considered a multi-county outbreak. Tyson is taking the situation very seriously and conversations with local and corporate leadership began early l...
DAYTON—The Columbia County Board of Commissioners (CCBC) has rescinded a nine-year-old agreement with the Columbia County Rural Library District Board of Trustees, regarding how appointments to the CCRLD board of trustees are made. In the past, interviews have been conducted by the CCRLD board of trustees, and their recommendations have been brought before the CCBC for tacit approval. Commissioner Ryan Rundell said he didn’t believe the agreement was adequate in the first place. He said it rem...
WALLA WALLA—Providence Medical Group patients now can have their medical appointments with many providers via a smartphone, tablet or computer for the same price as a standard office visit co-pay. These appointments include primary care and some specialists. Providence is offering the telehealth visits as an option to allow patients to remain safely in the comfort of their homes and still see their providers. When patients call for appointments, if their provider is participating, they will be given the choice of an in-person visit, t...
Columbia County Food Bank's distribution center moved from downtown Dayton to the Columbia County Fairgrounds on Tuesday, April 14. Distributions will be available every Tuesday from 2 - 4 p.m. with a drive by pick-up option. Blue Mountain Action Council (BMAC) Food Bank Director Jeff Mathias said that the distribution at this site will continue at least through the end of April. Members of the Army National Guard were on hand on Tuesday, April 14, helping to direct traffic and to pass out food...
Deb Callahan is excited about the opening of her new restaurant in downtown Waitsburg, the Millstone Cafe & Bakery, located at 206 Main Street. She is inviting all children in Waitsburg to... “get busy and make some money for our Resource Center,” by running a ‘backyard marathon.’ “Call all your family and friends to get sponsors for each lap you walk around your own yard. Example: grandma sponsors you for 10 cents per lap, you walk 20 laps, grandma will give you a $2.00 donation. Between Wednesday April 15 and Tuesday April 22 walk laps arou...
DAYTON—American Legion and Auxiliary Post #42 of Dayton has canceled their annual Spring Bingo event which was to be held on April 23. Commander Amerien states that “when it can safely be determined that the threat of infection has been mitigated sufficiently, we will happily reconvene and host our event.” Amerein asks that those who have already responded with donations and pledges, to “let us know how you would like us to proceed with your gift, as we do intend to hold the Bingo at a later date....
CAMP MURRAY, WA—After consulting with local authorities, Gov. Jay Inslee and Vice Admiral (ret.) Raquel Bono, M.D, announced on April 11 a decision to utilize Central Washington medical resources to ensure our most vulnerable are protected. The state has requested about 100 U.S. Health and Human Services (HSS) personnel and other resources recently deployed to the former Astria Regional Medical Center in Yakima now focus on long-term care facilities where COVID-19 is occurring in other parts of the state. The number of nursing homes and o...
April 16: Carol Anne Fortner, Lynne Jones Simpson, Dora Loveall, Sandy McCaw, Taryn Chromy, Christina Page, Naomi Kulp, Kelsey Alleman,Butch Peck and Kate Hockersmith. April 17: Daniel Baker, Melissa Huwe, Martin Huffman, Joseph Wood, and Drew Herion. April 18: Doris Saunders, Wayne Boyles, Margaret Baird, Tylor Abel, Dick Peterson, Jeff Presler, Emily Jansen, Russ Knopp and Josh Hunter. April 19: Stephanie Hinchliffe, Ross Hamann, Bruce Abbey, Frank Brown, Jon Cano and Sabrina, Leslie Lambert, and Chandler Savage. April 20: Chris Shaffer,...
Waitsburg Garden Club President Susan Donegan sent an invitation to her members recently announcing that "It's time for our annual beautification project for downtown Waitsburg – planting out the pots that line our Main Street." The plants have been selected and were ordered through Nancy's Dream Garden Center. Karen Gregutt will set out the plants for each individual cement container early on Saturday morning (April 18th). Those who would like to help get the new plants into their new home, i...
DAYTON—The staff at Blue Mountain Counseling of Columbia County have been discussing ways to maintain good emotional health during this time of required social distancing, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinic Director Chrisann Christensen said she has some ideas to share. First of all, check in with friends and family routinely through phone calls, FaceTime, through text messages or by snail mail. Limit media coverage. “Information can be good, but there is so much information being pus...
WAITSBURG—The Waitsburg School District began serving sack breakfast and lunches following Governor Jay Inslee’s mandatory school closure in March. Originally the service had designated areas around Waitsburg for families to pick up meals, however, the district has decided to make changes to help further prevent the spread of the COVID-19 disease. Starting April 20, the school district will bring meals directly to the doorstep of each student’s home. The meal pick-up has been well-attended by students. Food service supervisor Susan Wilde...
Dear Editor, Once again, we at the Waitsburg Resource Center (the food bank) extend gratitude to the Waitsburg Community. Ten Ton Coffee gave out 85 free bag lunches and raised $523 for the Waitsburg Resource Center. At this time, our neighbors are in extra need. And we find that some of the supplies we usually receive from BMAC are not available, and as a result require extra purchases from our food bank account. It is our hope, that we reach those neighbors in the Waitsburg/Prescott School boundaries who normally do not need the food bank,...
Dear Editor, My mother, Doris Huffman, is going to be 90 years old on April 20th. Due to COVID-19 we can't have a party, but I was wondering if you could put an announcement in The Times and ask people to drive by her home at 9 a.m. on Monday, April 20th and honk their horns and wave, and shout Happy Birthday to her. She lives at 416 Orchard street. Signs on your vehicle would also be greatly appreciated. And you can go around the block and say it several times. Thank you! You are so welcome,...
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Trump on March 27, 2020. This over $2 trillion economic relief package is intended to protect the American people from the public health and economic impacts of COVID-19. Information about the $1,200 economic impact payments as part of the CARES Act, is detailed below. No action is needed by most Americans to receive a payment. However, the IRS recommends that everyone file...
WALLA WALLA—In 2019, 326 women and 174 children spent a total of 8,268 nights of rest in Walla Walla YWCA Domestic Violence shelters. Additional support this organization provides individuals in Walla Walla and Columbia County include sexual assault counseling, legal assistance in completing protection orders and support for victims during legal proceedings. With Governor Inslee’s 'Stay Safe, Stay Home' declaration in place, area residents are finding themselves in their homes 24/7, and that has some serious implications for providers of dom...
The National Domestic Violence Hotline's website provides a list of ways that the virus could uniquely affect intimate partner violence survivors: Abusive partners may withhold necessary items, such as hand sanitizer or disinfectants. Abusive partners may share misinformation about the pandemic to control or frighten survivors, or to prevent them from seeking appropriate medical attention if they have symptoms. Abusive partners may withhold insurance cards, threaten to cancel insurance, or...
DAYTON—A revenue shortfall associated with the costs for mitigating damage to county infrastructure due to the recent flood, and from economic impacts due to the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted the Columbia County Board of Commissioners to take an early look at cutting department budgets. County Treasurer Carla Rowe said she is anticipating a possible 15 to 20-percent loss of sales tax revenue which could impact distributions for May, June, July, and possibly August. The revenue from sales taxes...
DAYTON—Fred Crowe, Port of Columbia Commissioner representing District 3, has resigned from the Port Commission effective Thursday, April 9. “It has been a pleasure and honor to serve with the current and past staff and commissioners of the Port over several years,” Crowe said in his resignation letter. “We together have accomplished many worthy projects in support of economic development in Columbia County.” “I am supportive of projects currently in development and am confident the Port will c...
DAYTON—Columbia County Health System officials have been concerned about the financial health of Dayton General Hospital, the Waitsburg Clinic, Columbia Family Clinic and the Booker Rest Home, because of the high costs associated with preparing for a possible surge in patient care due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their concerns were reported in the Times on Apr 2. A special emergency meeting of the Health System Board of Directors took place on Wednesday, April 8. The purpose of the meeting was t...
Last July 4th holiday was the first time Daniel visited Waitsburg since we originally bought the house around 15 years ago. But, like the movie The Moneypit, the work and financial outgo is still ongoing and outgoing. During that first visit, even in the heat of the summer, he took it upon himself to build bookshelves for my 25 boxes of books. Floor to ceiling shelving against every wall in the upstairs bedroom and it is now our upstairs "library." His vacation was spent at Home Depot, behind a...
Chapter Three – Mr. B N'est Pas Une Boule! Mr. B is the name we gave to Cookie's ball in a failed effort to keep her from going ballistic every time we said the word ball. But more importantly, we've come to discover that the name represents something much more significant than any one particular object. In fact it's a transferable title, like Your Majesty. It is only given to one ball at a time, but once that ball has been lost or destroyed, the next one is now Mr. B, and Cookie seems not to m...
I've been home for just over a month now-and I mean that quite literally. Our family picked a "designated extrovert" to do all the errands fairly early on, and those of you who know me know that my extrovert qualifications come up short. So with the exception of one trip to get coffee back when Ten Ton could still offer sit-down service, my house is the only building I've been in since I got back from Seattle. I'm still adjusting-not so much to being stuck at home as to being home in the first...
There is not much one can control during a pandemic. Many people have lost something 'normal' during these times, but the Class of 2020 has lost the last few months of their senior year. Community members around the nation are banding together and thinking of creative ways to honor students in their final year of high school. Social media has served as a great rallying platform for Class of 2020 parents from all over. A little over a week ago, a 'Be the Light' movement emerged on Facebook. Last...
