Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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DAYTON—Columbia County Sheriff Joe Helm spoke at length in his report to the Dayton City Council last week. Most notably, he reported about traffic stops and criticism he has received from some who say there have been way too many. Since January 1, the road deputies have made 748 traffic stops. Helm said the stops are not only for safety reasons but also to prevent crime and drugs from entering the community. According to the sheriff, Columbia County is a major drug route from the west coast t...
This year's harvest promises a significant increase in yields after a cooler, wetter spring and summer. The weather has also impacted the start time for harvest evident by the activity still going strong in the rolling hills around the counties....
WAITSBURG—On September 21, 2022, Waitsburg City Council will consider bids for 147 Main Street, which until recently housed City Hall. The city decided to surplus the building last year and accepted a bid for the assessed value of $205,000. The accepted bidder planned to build apartments upstairs and create retail space on the ground floor. Unfortunately, the sale fell through in June. The city reopened the bidding process on July 5, 2022, requesting proposals (RFP) for the historic building. Bidders must submit proposals by 2:00 p.m. on S...
We seem to live in an ever-increasing political state of division. But I think it’s an illusion caused by the far-right and far-left and the media that is constantly scrambling for viewers. There are lots of dog-whistles being blown that raise hackles and get people frothing at the mouth about some lefty-libtard or some right-wing-nutjob. But I don’t think that’s where the majority lives. And it certainly hasn’t historically been where the majority lives. Some of us are old enough to remember how closely Republicans and Democrats worked... Full story
To the editor, The following is a letter, dated June 28, 2022, sent to Columbia County Sheriff Joe Helm. The letter pertained to his Under Sheriff wearing the County Law Enforcement uniform and badge while giving a political/religious speech on the streets of Dayton. June 28, 2022 Sheriff Joe Helm Columbia County 341 E. Main St. Suite 1 Dayton, WA. 99328 Sheriff Helm: As an introduction: I left Dayton in 2015 but still remain connected to the community that I lived in and served for 24 years. Additionally, I’m retired with over 28 years in l... Full story
DAYTON—Where the Crawdads Sing, from the best-selling novel by Delia Owens, is a captivating mystery that tells the story of Kya (Daisy Edgar-Jones), an abandoned girl who raised herself to adulthood in the dangerous marshlands of North Carolina. For years, rumors of the “Marsh Girl” haunted Barkley Cove, isolating the sharp and resilient Kya from her community. Drawn to two young men (played by Taylor John Sharp and Harris Dickinson) from town, Kya opens herself to a new and startling world. When one of them is found dead, she is immed... Full story
We are heartbroken to announce the sudden and unexpected death on August 7, 2022, of Glenda Kaye Barron, 65, of Dayton, WA. Glenda was born December 29, 1956, to Norman and Marilyn (Williams) Roff in Dayton, where she lived her entire life. She graduated from Dayton High School in 1975 and married Charles (Bob) Barron later that year. They had two children, Angela and Charlie. Bob and Glenda were married until his passing in 2006. Glenda retired in 2020 after 30 years as a Correctional Officer...
PENDLETON - The Walla Walla Ranger District of the Umatilla National Forest will host a virtual public engagement session on Aug. 18 from 4-6 p.m. for the proposed Tiger-Mill Project. The purpose of the virtual meeting is to introduce the Tiger-Mill Project, discuss project objectives and proposed treatments, and to gather information from the public about values that they would like the Forest Service to consider in project development. The session will be hosted via Zoom and will include...
DAYTON – The Columbia Port Commissioners held their regular meeting at 5 p.m., July 13, 2022, at the Port of Columbia and on Zoom. All Commissioners were present in person, Genie Crowe, Seth Bryan, and Johnny Watts, along with the Executive Director, Jennie Dickinson. Members of the public attended using Zoom and in person. Dickinson reported that Dayton Electric will vacate its lease at the Port to move into a duplex the company purchased. Red Band Cellars has agreed to expand its operation into the unit vacated by Dayton Electric. D...
WALLA WALLLA-The Wine Country Amphitheater has brought familiar and new headliners, including Bonnie Raitt and Aaron Lewis, to the Walla Walla Valley. As part of her Humble Quest tour, Maren Morris will step on the outdoor stage on August 23. Before her solo career took off in 2015, Morris wrote songs for country music stars, including Kelly Clarkson (Second Wind) and Tim McGraw (Last Turn Home). Morris's debut song, "My Church" became her first top 5 hit on Billboard's US Hot Country Songs and...
WALLA WALLA — The Kingston Trio will perform an acoustic concert at Gesa Power House Theatre on Wednesday, November 16 at 7:00 p.m. In 1957, The Kingston Trio emerged from San Francisco’s North Beach club scene to take the country by storm, bringing the rich tradition of American folk music into the mainstream for the first time. During the late 50s & early 60s, the trio enjoyed unprecedented record sales and worldwide fame while influencing the musical tastes of a generation. Through changing times, the Trio has played on, and fifty-eight yea...
WAITSBURG - The Royal Block Reading Series welcomes author James West Nelson (and one of his raptors) for a reading from his magnum opus, Hoods, Hooding, and Hoodmaking, at the Royal Block in Waitsburg Saturday, August 27 at 6:30 p.m. Children and young adults are welcome to meet Mr. Nelson and his Harris Hawk outside the Royal Block on the Main Street sidewalk from 5:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. To attend the reading inside, guests must be 21 or over (because of the wine bar). Now a master falconer,... Full story
WALLA WALLA – Walla Walla Community College (WWCC) continues to find new ways to make college possible for residents. A first-year pilot of the new Warrior Pledge will cover tuition and other educational expenses for as many as 50 students this fall—from the start of their studies through graduation. Residents of Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield, and Asotin counties in Washington; Umatilla County in Oregon; and Nez Perce County in Idaho are eligible for the program. The Warrior Pledge is available to all students who are new to WWCC. “We know...
Jim Romine is not only a Waitsburg City Council member, retired Walla Walla County deputy sheriff, husband, father, and doting grandfather; he is also a skilled combine operator. Since Romine was sixteen, he has had a passion for harvest work, driving trucks, and operating combines on the most challenging wheat fields in the world. "He loves working grain harvest," said Virginia, his wife, who does not share his passion. She knows the dangers of operating combines and worries about Jim almost...
"Phenomenal", "very good, best ever yields," and "fabulous, record yields" were statements received from area farmer's wives regarding this year's wheat harvest. Early summer rains pushed back harvest time for two to three weeks. Farmers from Prescott, Waitsburg, Dayton, and the Colfax area are finishing up harvesting winter wheat and will soon harvest other crops, such as spring wheat, garbanzos, and lentils, and baling a second cutting of hay. Fortunately, most farmers did not suffer any...
Erin and Rhett Elsey took advantage of last week's storm to go "Wheat Field Kayaking" off Lower Waitsburg Road, just north of Ferris Rd. "...
Waitsburg resident and owner of Ironwood Cindy Daves caught spectacular images of last week's thunderstorm as it rolled through town....
OLYMPIA—According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), it will be a banner year for Washington wheat. NASS just published its new harvest forecast based on June 1 conditions. The forecast predicts that Washington growers will produce 131 million bushels of winter wheat this year, up 85% from last year. The 2021 wheat crop was abysmal due to the extreme drought and heat in Washington state. This year, winter wheat is predicted to yield 73 bushels an acre, which is up 31 bushels an acre in 2021. In a separate NASS report on h...
The talented team of winery co-founder Trey Busch and production winemaker Keith Johnson have elevated all of the SoH wines in recent years, while expanding production capacity and opening up new venues across the state. This summertime Riesling is sourced from a vineyard near the Gorge Amphitheater in an AVA called the Ancient Lakes. The calcareous soil is perfect for white wines, as this steely, stony example – dry as an ancient lake – amply demonstrates. The flavors focus on lemony cit...
Ten Years Ago August 9, 2012 [Photo Caption] Inspecting combine 2, David White walks along to make sure the settings are correct on farmland north of Walla Walla recently. Some farmers in the north are battling unripened wheat that is pushing back harvest even further. Twenty-Five Years Ago August 21, 1997 The 1997 grain harvest in the area should be about complete sometime this week, according to J. E. McCaw of the Touchet Valley Grain Growers. "I'd day we're about 95% done," he said. Yields... Full story
Lately, I have been obsessed with galettes, which are sweet or savory free-form tarts that are as much a celebration of good crust as they are about a tasty filling. Balanced and rustic, these baked delights have an inherent laid-back elegance. Here, I make a galette that highlights our region's beautiful sweet onions with a dash of thyme and Gruyère. However, it is the perfectly golden, flakey crust that makes this a truly memorable bite. This dish is a fitting way to pay tribute to our local...
WAITSBURG/LYONS FERRY-This weekend saw medieval sports and crafts at Preston Park in Waitsburg and an open swim across the Snake River at Lyon's Ferry. Residents and visitors to Walla Walla and Columbia counties enjoy a wide range of intesests and skills. Lisa Naylor, an accomplished open water swimmer, brings her love of the sport to her community by volunteering at the annual Swim the Snake event. Swimmers and paddle boarders are given the opportunity to safely swim across the river from...
