Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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WAITSBURG-Whether you're a soup-season person or a spooky-season person, there's no arguing that autumn is here! If you're a spooky-season person, it is time to head down to Mr. C's Smoking Co. or Nancy's Dream Garden Center. Each business received plenty of Schulke Pumpkins to go around. The Schulke Pumpkin Fundraiser is in its fourteenth year of fundraising for the Ronald McDonald House in memory of Cooper Schulke, who passed away in 2002 after a long battle against a brain tumor. In 2007,...
WAITSBURG—A letter signed by the Waitsburg City Council and the Mayor was published in The Times and sent out to residents of Waitsburg last week. The letter referenced the 2020 flood and the city’s need to make repairs to the affected areas of the levee within city limits. The letter said the city could not make the necessary repairs unless they received approval from all property owners in the affected area. The letter said that while 75% of the property owners in the area had agreed to gra...
DAYTON – The Dayton School Board met for a work session at 6 p.m. on October 6, entirely online using Zoom. Including the school board members, about 22 people participated in the Zoom meeting. The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance. Superintendent Strot began with a brief discussion of his plan to share substitute teachers between the Dayton, Prescott, and Waitsburg school districts in an attempt to ameliorate the shortage of substitutes. Next, Strot moved on to a discussion of r...
DAYTON—Bluewood announces Peter Korfiatis as the ski area’s new general manager, effective immediately. With a lifelong love of skiing and nearly a decade of experience in mountain managerial roles at Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, Korfiatis has returned to Washington State, where he was born and raised. “We are pleased and excited for Bluewood to welcome Pete to our family,” says Mike Stephenson, managing partner of the Bluewood ownership group. “He brings a huge wealth of knowledge and experience in the snow sports industry.” Korfiatis filled the...
DAYTON—The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office is pleased to announce that they will be trick or treating all of the little ghouls and goblins in the neighborhood this Halloween! The CCSO is currently accepting candy donations at the front counter of the Sheriff’s Office now through the close of business day on Wednesday, October 27th. The Sheriff’s Office is unable to accept cash donations. Columbia County Fire District #3 will also be helping serve up hotdogs again this year, and Sheriff’s Office volunteers Liz Quigg and Vickie Zoller have a lo...
Carol was born on April 28, 1928, in Yakima, WA. to Verna and Jesse Comer. She attended schools in the Yakima Valley and graduated from Naches High School in 1946. She attended Whitman College and graduated in 1950. Like her mother, Carol became a schoolteacher, first in Chelan, WA. and then Toppenish, WA, before moving to Waitsburg, WA. to teach there in 1953. She married Robert (Bob) Weir in June of 1955. They farmed in Prescott, WA, and in Waitsburg until Bob’s retirement in 1992. Carol started an antique cut glass business in 1972, s...
DAYTON-A Special Meeting of the City Council was held both in person and on Zoom at 6 PM, October 7. The single agenda item, Resolution No. 1480, would authorize the mayor to execute a Public Works contract with Don Jackson Excavation for the 1st Street Bridge riprap repair. Anderson Perry & Associates opened the bidding on September 30 receiving two bids. Don Jackson Excavation submitted the lowest bid for $52,300. FEMA will fund 75 % of the repair cost. Riprap is loose stone used to form a...
Celebration of Life. Please join friends and family at the Waitsburg Town Hall on Main Street. Sunday, October 24, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Refreshments will be served....
To the Editor, The ballots will soon be arriving for the local general election. Voters have 2 very different groups of candidates to select from. One group, the Columbia County Conservatives, is against a long list of projects and proposals. As a group, the members can be described as angry, aggressive towards their own local government, and disruptive to the process of decision-making. As described in an article in The Waitsburg Times, Jack Miller divorced himself from the group when he was verbally attacked in one of their meetings. One of... Full story
Editor, In regards to the Times’ 10/7 article “Port of Columbia candidate cuts ties with local conservative group”, it seems that your reporter has been wooed by the wild successes of the failing NY Times and decided to wear the hat of serial fabulist for the week. From the article: “The group [Columbia County Conservatives], which has become known for its anti-vaccination and anti-masking rhetoric, has been regularly meeting at … [my place]” Become known by whom? Did Stephen Glass whisper that into your reporter’s ear? Or was it Jayson Blair?... Full story
To the Editor, A recent letter from a well-intentioned newcomer to Waitsburg unfortunately accused the Mayor, the City Council and City Staff of allowing the swimming pool, and Fairgrounds to fall into disrepair and close. And suggested that the Weller Library is being sold. As the husband of a City Council member I have a bit of insight into these issues and would like to correct some misapprehensions. These issues are much more complex than can be addressed in a letter. They are the cumulative result of decades of cost-cutting and postponing... Full story
To the Editor: I wish to strongly endorse Karen Gregutt for re-election to the Waitsburg City Council. As a member of the Planning Commission, which she chaired several years ago while we updated our Development Code, I can attest to Karen’s deep commitment, and thoughtful, conscientious effort to ensure that the revised Development Code would be realistic, reasonable, and fairly applied to everyone. As a member of City Council this past year, Karen’s dedication to researching and understanding various issues was always evident in her inf... Full story
Letter to the editor, I am writing in support of Shawn Brown, candidate for Port Commissioner seat 1. Shawn brings depth of knowledge and a holistic approach to the economic health of the county that extends beyond a single issue, or series of pet issues. He understands that in order to accomplish the growth and prosperity that we all want in this county, we need to expand our tax base and bring in businesses. He also understands that we can’t just wave a magic wand and make businesses want to move here. We are missing critical infrastructure t... Full story
To the voters of Waitsburg, Here is the dream team I’d like to see on the Waitsburg city council: Kate Hockersmith for Mayor; Karen Stanton-Gregutt, Jim Romine, and Jillian Henze to continue as council members; Randy Charles for the newly opened position #3. They have my support because they have demonstrated through their work in the community that each of them has a hands-on commitment to our town. Each has shown up when needed, whether it is for the planning commission, flood relief, fire and emergency services, RYES. During the nine y...
Dear Editor: Teeny McMunn worked for me for about three years as office manager, bookkeeper and salesperson for The Times newspaper in Waitsburg. On top of that, she wrote a well-loved recipe column for the paper. She was the best employee I could have had in that position. Teeny came to The Times after retiring as co-owner of Hometown Carpets and Trade Center, which she helped run for nearly 30 years, including the last ten in Dayton. Teeny’s entrepreneurial and business experience as well as her conservative but compassionate outlook and h... Full story
We need Karen Gregutt to continue her outstanding service in our Waitsburg government. While on the Waitsburg’s Planning Commission and City Council, Karen has effectively and tirelessly worked on behalf of our town for many years. Her beautiful Waitsburg Cottages are a shining example of her ability to create a thriving business, restore classic Waitsburg homes and bring new people and interest to our community From her experience as a producer and director of many documentaries and commercials, she knows how to get things done within a g... Full story
Dear Editor, I am supporting the following candidates for various offices in Columbia County, the City of Dayton, Dayton School District Board, and the Public Hospital District: Shawn Brown, Commissioner #1 Columbia County Port #1 Jack Miller, Commissioner #3 Columbia County Port #2 Teeny McMunn, City of Dayton Council Member #3 Write In Candidate Vickie Zoller, City of Dayton Council Member #5 Fred Crowe, City of Dayton Council Member #7 Grant Griffen, Dayton School District Director #3 Jeff McCowen, Dayton School District Director #5 Jim Kime... Full story
WAITSBURG-Candidates Kate Hockersmith and Marty Dunn were asked what they saw as challenges to the city in the next four years and how they would address those concerns. Kate Hockersmith What challenges do you see for the city in the next four years? Infrastructure issues have been on my mind since I first ran for City Council in 2016. Many of Waitsburg's assets and much of the essential infrastructure is either beyond its expected lifespan or it hasn't been routinely maintained. The City... Full story
DAYTON-Several candidates are running for a position on the Dayton City Council, including one write-in candidate. Laura Aukerman and Boe Stevenson will face off for Position 1, a four-year term on the Dayton City Council. Aukerman calls herself a critical thinker. With a thirty-year career in the nuclear industry under her belt, she says she knows how government processes work, and how and when they don't. She thinks it is very important to look at issues, utilize all the facts and data, gather... Full story
DAYTON-This election year, there are some hotly contested races for Port commission offices. In District 1, Seth Bryan is running for a four-year term against the incumbent Shawn Brown. Bryan said his top priority if elected, will be improving the local economy by working to provide a solid foundation on which to grow. He said the most pressing concern for the Port is recovery from damage caused by the COVID-19 situation including overreaching regulations imposed by the government. "Up to this p... Full story
November 2 is Election Day, and candidates vying for seats on the Waitsburg City Council and Mayor positions are participating in the city's first county-run election. Ballots were mailed out on October 13. This year, citizens interested in serving on the city council had to specify which seat they were running for when they declared candidacy. In the past, the city's elections were held annually and the top five vote earning candidates were elected to the city council. This year's election... Full story
Ten Years Ago October 13, 2011 It has been 25 years since Markeeta Little Wolf has belted out songs with her powerful voice to an audience. Little Wolf performed on TV, in club acts and even on the theater stage in musicals from age 12 to 28, when she gave it all up to sell real estate and have a different kind of life. Little Wolf realized about one yar ago that she still has one more show in her, she said. And she's been working since on songs, lighting, and costumes to give her friends in...
Autumn, with its crisp sunny days and frosty nights, such as we have had this past week, is my favorite time of year. Watching the leaves change color, donning cozy sweaters, and tending bubbling pots of soup, are how I celebrate this season. Of all the ingredients used in the fall kitchen, winter squash is probably the most versatile. Sweet or savory, there are countless ways to enjoy the many shapes and colors of the squash family. Here the squash is roasted before being pureed into a silky...
Seattle (2-3) travels to Pittsburgh (2-3) this Sunday to play at 5:20 pm on NBC. This is the first game in Russell Wilson’s career that he will miss. Until now, he had played in 149 straight games to start his career. The injury is a ruptured tendon on the middle finger of his right hand, and the Seahawks don’t have a clear timetable for his return. According to ESPN, Wilson is expected to be out somewhere between four to six weeks. If it turns out to be only four weeks, Wilson will only miss three games since Seattle has a bye week in wee...
