Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 25
'Tis the season! Volunteers from Columbia-Walla Walla County Fire District 3 set up the Main Street Christmas tree, officially welcoming the Christmas season in Waitsburg....
The famous Tuxedo Bar and Grill announced they will be temporarily closing, taking a breather until the COVID-19 pandemic-related dining restrictions are lifted. Owner Pam Stueckle took to social media to make the announcement, saying that it’s ‘not goodbye, just see ya later!’ The closure went into effect on December 1, 2020. It is unclear when the dining restrictions will be lifted enough for the Tuxedo to reopen. The little bar and grill, located at 105 D Street in Prescott, has drawn diner...
DAYTON—WSU Extension Agent Paul Carter is retiring, effective Jan. 4, after over fifteen years of service to Columbia County. Carter came to Dayton in April 2005, as a 52-year-old college graduate, from southern Indiana. He said he was looking for an Extension position somewhere in the west. He found that opportunity in Columbia County. “For me, it could not have turned out better, one of my passions is farming, and this position has given me the opportunity to be very close to that occupation a...
DAYTON—Steve’s Grocery on Fourth Street in Dayton has always been a unique gathering place, a neighborhood market where you can grab a gallon of milk, a Hermiston watermelon, a Christmas tree, or an ice-cold beer straight from the cooler. It even housed a little free library back in the ‘70s. The store’s original owner, Gail Bennett, had a shelf in the back of the store right by that beer cooler with the watermelons where customers could exchange books. “That shelf turned into a room of books,...
WALLA WALLA—Irish classical crossover trio Affinití will be returning to Walla Walla for the seventh year in a row—only this year, the holiday concert, A Celtic Christmas, will be virtual. The concert will be filmed at the stunning Powerscourt Estate in Ireland’s Ancient East. The trio will go live on December 17, at 12 p.m. The performance will be available to view for 72 hours, so it can be watched when you are ready. Gesa Powerhouse Theater announced that tickets to the virtual concert...
DAYTON—The Dayton School District board of directors will meet on Friday to determine whether students can safely return to in-person learning on Dec. 7. The board met with Superintendent Guy Strot and Columbia County Public Health Administrator Martha Lanman over the weekend and decided the District would remain in distance learning mode this week. The board agreed to switch students to remote learning on Monday, Nov. 23, because of an uptick in COVID-19 in the community. On Wednesday, Nov. 2...
WALLA WALLA—Holiday cheer is still in Walla Walla! Title Sponsor Nelson Construction and the Downtown Walla Walla Foundation invites you to join them for a holiday driving tour on Saturday, December 5, from 6 p.m- 8 p.m. Downtown Walla Walla events have been postponed in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, and that included the annual Parade of Lights that draws thousands to Main Street. Nelson Construction and Downtown Walla Walla Foundation have $5,000 in prizes for participating homeowners. Winners will be announced on December 12. D...
WALLA WALLA—The Downtown Walla Walla Foundation wants gifting locally to be easy this holiday season. In order to facilitate the process, they have created the Gift Local Gift Line for residents to simply call or text or email for local suggestions. Tell the gift line specialists about the person the gift is for and include budget anywhere from ($0 to $10,000). The gift line will provide three options for gifts near downtown Walla Walla. Need gift wrapping or delivery? Just ask. For more information or to make requests call or text (509) 2...
POMEROY—The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is implementing a $20 million Floodplain Management Plan for the W.T. Wooten Wildlife Area that complements ongoing habitat restoration efforts to recover spring Chinook salmon and other Endangered Species Act-listed fish species within the Tucannon River Basin. Construction on Rainbow Lake was completed in the fall of 2018, with some minor finish-work completed in 2019. Rainbow Lake was reopened to the public and stocked with fish in 2019 and 2020. During the 2020 February flood e...
An ornament depicting a train going off the rails due to COVID-19 is for sale at the Historic Dayton Depot Museum Christmas Marketplace. The marketplace is open on Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. According to the museum’s event coordinator, Shellie McLeod, four people are allowed inside the Depot at a time. “Please practice social distancing,” she said. “If the Depot’s door is locked, that means we have reached our maximum capacity. Wait just a few minutes, and we will welc...
OLYMPIA—More Washingtonians voted in the 2020 General Election than in any election in the state’s history. According to vote totals certified today by Secretary of State Kim Wyman, 4,116,894, or 84.14%, of Washington’s 4,892,871 registered voters made their voices heard Nov. 3. The 84.14% turnout rate is less than half a percent shy of the record (84.61%, set in the 2008 General Election). “Throughout this election season, voters were energized, engaged, and eager to make their voices heard,” said Wyman. “The nearly 4.2 million people who...
OLYMPIA—The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) continues to make progress with the COVID-19 vaccine distribution planning efforts. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) received its first Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) application from a COVID-19 vaccine manufacturer on November 20. This is encouraging news about the potential for vaccines as a prevention tool to control the pandemic. An EUA allows the FDA to make a product available during a declared state of emergency before it has a full license. The FDA’s Vaccines and Rel...
WAITSBURG—The Waitsburg School District announced over the weekend that secondary students would continue learning from home through December 18, as COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the area. Shortly before students departed for Thanksgiving Break, the school district announced that students would temporarily return to the virtual learning model out of an abundance of caution as COVID-19 cases surged in Walla Walla County. That temporary return has been extended for Preston Hall Middle School...
WALLA WALLA—Last week, The Times and other local newspapers included the Charitable Giving Guide, presented by the Blue Mountain Community Foundation. The Charitable Giving Guide offers a one-stop-shop for donors to select their favorite nonprofits and make one payment through a secure, trusted website. Through a partnership with the All in WA Initiative (www.allinwa.gov), every donation made through the Charitable Giving guide to nonprofits in the BMCF service area in Walla Walla, Columbia, and Garfield counties will receive up to a 100 p...
OLYMPIA—Governor Jay Inslee recently announced a $135 million assistance package to target the hard-hit small businesses and families. The relief package breakdown includes $50 million in emergency relief grants, allocated for businesses most impacted by the current public health measures with annual revenue of $5 million or less in 2019. Application for the Round Three Working Washington Small Business Grants opened early this week/ This grant prioritizes restaurants, fitness centers, bowling alleys, and music and event venues. Round Three i...
Arnella Nadine Magill Warren, "Nadine," passed away, at the age of 94, on November 16, 2020, at Booker Rest Home in Dayton, WA. Nadine was a Dayton native, born in November 1926. Her parents, Benjamin Magill and Anna Hatfield Magill, were also born in Dayton, WA. Nadine attended Star Country School and graduated from Dayton HS, class of 1944, during WWII. She had two brothers, Rolla & Glen, who were 17 and 10 years older than her. After HS she attended Kinman Business College in Spokane. She...
Seattle’s win last week, coupled with San Francisco’s win over the Rams, put the Seahawks into first place in the NFC West. It also moved them up three positions into the second seed for the playoffs. Only the New Orleans Saints are ahead of them with a 9-2 record. Being the top seed in the playoffs is more important than in past years with the expanded playoffs in place this year. Since seven teams in each conference make the playoffs this year instead of six, it means only the top seed will ge...
With the holidays upon us, the sights and sounds of Christmas surround the Waitsburg community. From glittering street decorations to themed music taking over our favorite radio stations, the magic of December can be neither escaped nor denied. Of the many celebratory songs, I am willing to place a wager on literally everyone knowing the "Twelve Days of Christmas." It's a timeless standard. And, love it or hate it, it shall be heard again this year. And what do we all expect on the first of the...
I've known Waitsburgian Erin Murphy and her husband Nathanial for many years. It occurred to me recently: these people are always in school, always taking classes, always working toward another degree. I sat down with her recently to ask about her commitment to learning. Last year she earned her Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Educational Studies and began teaching music at Starbuck school as a paraprofessional. It was the realization of a childhood dream, but other degrees came first-along with...
I don’t usually believe in karma, probably because I just don’t want to experience the wrath of someone imposing a karma curse on me. Lately, though, I am beginning to feel my sister may be getting me back with some sleep karma. I’ve recently experienced insomnia, which is not something I’ve ever had. Until recently, I was the best sleeper ever. My mother used to say that I could sleep anytime, anywhere, and on anything; a bed, floor, bed of nails, in a car, plane, tent, it didn’t matter. I...
A great thing about small towns is knowing the shop owners. They are our neighbors, our family, and friends. 2020 has been hard for everyone, and many small shops and businesses feel the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically. If Waitsburg, Prescott, and Dayton are lucky to have one thing, it's a long list of great businesses. This year, The Times team encourages locals to check out their hometown shops before browsing sites like Amazon for stocking stuffers, care packages, and unique...
Washington State Parks (WSP) are ratcheting up their virtual amenities for those who, due to adverse weather or COVID-19, cannot visit the parks in person. WSP recently launched new learning opportunities to connect students and families to parks via their new Virtual Learning Parks webpage. There and on the WSP YouTube channel, students and park patrons will find videos produced to be used at home, in a virtual classroom, or as part of any online learning. Essentially, a field trip with no perm...
Ten Years Ago December 2, 2010 Valley Girls Barrel Racing members, from left: Rosie Gallaher, Kelli Currin, Josilyn Fullerton, Sidney Andrews, Kyla Connell, Shayla Currin, Emily Adams, and Ellie Johnson Twenty-Five Years Ago December 7, 1995 Waitsburg's annual Hometown Christmas celebration, including the lighted parade on Main Street, is Sunday. Dec. 10. This is the 10th year for the popular event sponsored by the Waitsburg Commercial Club. It is the fifth year for the lighted parade....
A recipe from England This recipe is shared by Susan Jensen. In our delightful conversation, it turned to recipes. I asked her if she had any to share. She shared several, which will be fun to try. She sent this one for shortbread and it reminded me I used to make it around Christmas. There are many shapes one can do. Susan said it is called Petticoat Tails as it baked in the round with the ends looking like petticoats. The recipe is in grams so I looked up the conversion. I like watching...
Remember when holiday greeting cards were simple? Down the stationery aisle, one could find a box that had the card, matching envelopes, and, with a book of stamps in hand, you're all set. Yeah, well, that ship sailed, and these days my mailbox is filled to the brim with beaming smiles from custom printed photo postcards. And since we haven't been allowed within six feet of extended family and friends for much of the year, this may be the perfect time to join the photo postcard trend. Get the...
