Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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DAYTON-On Friday May 1 Governor Jay Inslee announced a four-phase plan for reopening businesses in Washington state. That announcement included an opportunity for ten smaller, rural counties to apply for a variance to reopen certain businesses a few weeks earlier than other counties, and Columbia County is on that list. On Monday, Columbia County Public Health Director Martha Lanman presented the criteria needed to comply with requirements to apply for a variance to the Board of County...
WALLA WALLA—The COVID-19 outbreak in our area has risen sharply over the past week, with 92 confirmed cases in Walla Walla County as of May 5 at 11 a.m. This is an increase of 35 cases from April 27. Walla Walla County experienced the first loss of life to the virus, when it was reported that a hospitalized local man passed away on May 4. He was in his late 70s with underlying health conditions. The Tyson Fresh Meats, Inc. plant in Wallula, WA is among many other agribusiness plants across the country who are seeing spikes of the infection. Wit...
Visits to the emergency rooms have declined in Walla Walla county and across Washington since the COVID-19 pandemic began. “Overall, the number of people coming to the Emergency Department are down significantly. On an average, pre-pandemic day, the Providence St. Mary Medical Center Emergency Department sees between 80 and 100 patients. Currently, it is seeing from 40 to 50,” said Kathleen Obenland, Director of Communications for Providence. “A concerning trend we are seeing are people with serious medical emergencies, such as stroke or heart...
On April 7 at around 5:20 a.m., Walla Walla Fire Department responded to a house fire in the 900 block of W. Alder Street. After further investigation, this fire was determined to be an arson. Police have obtained a picture of a person of interest and are requesting help from the public for identification. If you can identify the person in the picture, please contact Walla Walla Dispatch at (509) 527-1960 and ask to speak to an officer regarding case 2020-06070....
DAYTON—The City of Dayton, Dayton Chamber of Commerce and the Port of Columbia launched a promotional campaign called “Big Hearts for Small Business” on Monday, May 4. The campaign was developed to help Columbia County small businesses who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and to encourage residents to love where they live by shopping locally. The campaign kicked off this past Monday on social media. The Dayton Chamber will continue to share posts on its Facebook and Instagram pages every day of the week. Each day has a theme—such as...
WALLA WALLA—The Sherwood Trust’s 2020 general operating grants are now open for applications to qualified Walla Walla Valley nonprofits. Up to 20 local nonprofits are eligible for awards up to $20,000, for a total local investment of $400,000. The 2020 operating grants will replace the foundation’s Core grant cycle for this year, according to Sherwood Trust CEO Brian Hunt. Feedback from nonprofit leaders helped frame the general grant guidelines, he said. “Our 2020 grant cycle is different,” said Board President Chuck Fulton. “These ar...
The Dayton Days parade and rodeo scheduled for May 23 has been postponed until 2021, according to Dayton Days Committee Vice-president Loyal Baker....
OLYMPIA—Governor Jay Inslee, Kelly Susewind, director of the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, Don Hoch, director of the Washington State Parks & Recreation Commission, and Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz on April 30, announced plans to partially reopen some fishing, hunting, and outdoor recreation opportunities in Washington starting Tuesday, May 5. “We’ve had so many people doing their part to stay home, and we’re seeing results. We’re now at a point where we will soon be able to begin welcoming people back outdoors,...
WALLA WALLA—Columbia REA will donate $10,000 to the Providence St. Mary Foundation for the ongoing response to the coronavirus outbreak. The donation will help fund the continuation of the Community Health Worker program, which is part of the Population Health service line operated by Providence St. Mary Medical Center/Providence Medical Group. Community Health Workers (CHWs) are able to link participants to services such as food banks, heating assistance during winter, legal aid and transportation arrangements to/from medical appointments, a...
WALLA WALLA—Walla Walla Community Hospice has transitioned what was to have been a live presentation at the Gesa Power House into an online event. The Live Well—Die Well Webinar will be presented on Thursday, May 7th from 6 - 8 p.m. Guest presenter Kimberly C. Paul is the author of “Bridging the Gap: Life Lessons from the Dying,” a TEDx presenter on end-of-life planning, and the creator and host of the “Death by Design” podcast. Walla Walla Community Hospice will host Paul through an online webinar. Paul will share her wisdom and perspective...
DAYTON—Kari Dingman, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife assistant manager for the Wooten Wildlife Area said all State Lands will be reopened to the public for Day Use, only, on May 5. “Locally that will mean the Wooten Wildlife Area will be open for fishing in the lakes and for Day Use activities,” she said. She said the access roads to Spring, Blue, Rainbow, and Deer Lake, were not damaged by the February flood and the lakes have been stocked with fish. However, repairs have not b...
WAITSBURG—Waitsburg Elementary will hold Kindergarten and Preschool registration for the Fall of 2020 on Monday, May 18th. There will be a drive thru station to pick-up registration packets from 8:00 a.m. to noon. The registration drive thru will be in the bus zone at the elementary school building. There will be another drive thru for drop-off of registration packets from 8:00 a.m. to noon on Monday, June 8th. All children who turn five, on or before, August 31 and live within the Waitsburg School District boundaries are eligible to r...
WALLA WALLA-In less than a week, private citizens, cities, agencies and fire departments in the Walla Walla area stepped up to donate over $174,000 through the Providence St. Mary Foundation to make rapid testing for COVID-19 available in this community. As hospitals across the nation grapple with the economic pressures from the pandemic, it is becoming increasingly difficult to generate the operating revenue needed to invest in technologies and equipment. The hospital's foundation is playing a...
Dear Editor: While the COVID-19 pandemic is constantly evolving, we will continue to respond as quickly as possible using data and current recommendations from public health and government leaders in our on-going commitment to keeping our staff and patrons safe and healthy. Working in collaboration with other libraries across Washington State we have had to adapt to a new reality, develop new and innovative ways to continue to deliver library services, and implement procedures for staff to work remotely, all while continuing to ensure that we f...
To the Editor: I send my condolences to all the individuals who have tested positive at the Tyson Fresh Meat Plant and my wishes for their healthy recovery. Thank you to Walla Walla County Department of Community Health and Benton-Franklin Health District for your collaboration to address this issue and assist affected workers. I appreciate the ongoing work of local health care providers to assist the more than 790 individuals with confirmed cases across our district. This development at Tyson underscores how critical it is to follow the...
February 24 An abandoned vehicle was towed from Cemetery Road, Dixie, WA. April 20 A woman was arrested for possession of a stolen motor vehicle at an address on Blacksnake Ridge Road, Walla Walla County, WA. April 28 Deputies investigated a single vehicle collision with injuries to the driver and passenger in the 4000 block of Cottonwood Road, Walla Walla, WA. April 29 Vehicle was located in the ditch in the 2900 block of Old Milton Hwy, no one around and unable to contact any RO or driver. Fight occurred in C-Tank between two inmates at 300...
May 7: Jake Kibler, Richard Ford, Herb Mettler, Brayden Wood, JoAn Fiala, Rose Rinell, Fred Knudsen, Patty Baker, Lydia Rose Roberts, Della Mae and Daisy Rae Rowson. May 8: Kay Wright, Bonnie Tower, Dean Done, Cathy Williams, Tony Witt, Monika Page and Lindsey Roberts. May 9: Donald Duncan, Patrick Manyak, Valerie Hamann, Dan Havens, Cody Havens. May 10: Walter Vennum, Mary Davis, Kristin Mock, Peggy Hall, and Justin Zuger. May 11: Evelyn Ladd, Vance Price, Donna Hempel, Lynda Patton, Liv Leid, Ronald Leinbach and Melissa Ferrians. May 12:...
OLYMPIA-On April 30, Gov. Jay Inslee announced additional guidance for the existing order on limiting non-urgent medical procedures. The Governor's 'Stay Safe, Stay Home' proclamation ensured appropriate surge capacity and personal protective equipment (PPE) in hospitals and other health care facilities to manage an influx of COVID-19 patients. This new guidance provides clarification on what type of non-urgent surgeries are permitted under the order. "Washingtonians have taken the threat of...
DAYTON—Columbia County Health System officials are working to shore up the system’s finances, which have been negatively impacted due to preparations required for a possible COVID-19 surge. There has been a loss of revenue from a decrease in clinic visits and fewer inpatient and outpatient therapies that depend on lab tests, x rays and other imaging services. In spite of that, CCHS Controller Tom Meyers had some good news to report to the Hospital District Board of Commissioners in April. He...
Readers Bill and Wendy in Vancouver, B.C. caught their dog Dante taking the convertible out for a spin. The mask is either COVID-19 preventative, or an attempt to hide his identity....
DAYTON-Judy Jones an advisor from the Walla Walla Small Business Development Center met with Port of Columbia Director, Jennie Dickinson and local business owners in a Town Hall meeting on April 21. The purpose was to provide strategies to help business owners "survive and thrive" during the nonessential business shutdown, due to the COVID-19 challenge. Jones said the time is now for small business owners to take a hard look at some strategies for staying afloat. She said the most important...
This was actually the title of an "essay" assigned to my sister for Mother's Day when she was in 4th grade. My mother treasured this master literary work, it was the only childhood memento that she saved from any of us. None of our homemade cards, shell art, lariats or wood carvings made at camp were found among her treasures, just this paper. The title aptly suited my mother. She was a superstar; I miss her every day. She was a good sport, had a wicked sense of humor, could hold a grudge...
(On The Road Part Two) Having hunkered down in our peaceful Nye Beach cabin after an exhausting first day on the road, we awoke to a bright winter sunrise and the sound of waves crashing on the shore below. The beach, which had been cloaked in darkness when we arrived, now beckoned irresistibly. We'd already decided to spend an extra night here, so a wide open play day awaited. As soon as we gazed out the living room windows at the unbroken expanse of ocean, sky and sand that spread out from...
Don't do crimes! At the time of this writing, I've finished one three-hour nightmare of a final and have three more such finals in my future. By the time you read this, I'll be done with three and have one left to finish. (And if anybody needs me for anything over the weekend, ask someone else. I'll be asleep.) Seeing as it's getting so close to crunch time, I figured this week's unsolicited advice would do double-duty as a review session. That's right, folks: it's time for some unsolicited...
As high school graduation approaches, Waitsburg's Main Street is getting prepped for a dash of color and a few smiling faces. While the details for a socially-distanced graduation are still being ironed out, the community has been looking for ways to honor the Class of 2020. Last month Senior Advisor, Matthew Wyatt, turned to Facebook to ask the community's help to raise funds for Main Street banners celebrating the seniors. In true Waitsburg fashion, the community rallied together to raise...
