Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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Teachers and administrators in Waitsburg are concerned about the ability of their students to succeed with the "Smarter Balanced" testing that is now a requirement in Washington State. Dena Wood's front page article discusses their dilemma and their hope that parents will step in and help prepare students, particularly with computer skills. The Smarter Balanced website has a practice test. Its address is sbac.portal.airast.org/ practice-test. I thought it might be fun for someone who completed third grade about 50 years ago take a shot at...
Nearly 2,000 animals have been placed in “forever homes” WAITSBURG – A newcomer stepping into Waitsburg Hardware and Mercantile for the first time is apt to be a bit taken aback. They’ll find themselves in an old-fashioned general store, filled to the brim with all manner of goods, replete with a group of locals gabbing amiably around a table filled with coffee and treats. They’ll probably be greeted at the door by a dog or two and will surely notice the large cat lying in his bed on the cou...
WAITSBURG - Saturday's pre-league girls' basketball game between Dayton and WP was a success for the Lady Bulldogs. Though the Cardinals were on their home court, Dayton girls won the game 37-22. The victory wasn't as sweet as it could have been for Bulldog Coach Clayton Strong, however. "The game did not have a lot of flow to it as neither team shot the ball well or took care of the ball," Strong said. "We are glad that we won a rivalry game away from home, but I don't think that we are sati...
WAITSBURG - If you happen to see what appears to be a scene from Pied Piper (on bikes), don't be alarmed -- the children are safe. In fact, they're safer than ever. That string of red-helmeted student bikers, led by physi- cal education instructor Jeff Bartlow, is out practicing the rules of on and off-road safety. In 2011, Waitsburg School Superintendent Dr. Carol Clark wrote for and received a grant to implement a Safe Routes to School Bike and Pedestrian Safety Education Program. The grant,...
WAITSBURG -Waitsburg senior Beka Adams' childhood dream of serving as Walla Walla Fair and Frontier Days Royalty - a reality she's spent the last year fulfilling - culminates this week at the Walla Walla County Fair. With only a few post-fair events on the itinerary, Adams is amazed at how quickly the year has flown by and how much she has learned. Adams earned her spot on the court last October. Returning home from a National FFA Convention in Indianapolis the night before, Adams rose the next...
Larry Davidson: On Music How many of you have a guitar in your closet that you used to play, or that you thought you'd put time in learning to play someday? That's a lot of hands that just went up! I thought as much. Waitsburg's newest artisan business - Joe's Guitar Repair Shop - can work miracles on that dusty old gem hiding in the shadows behind your old winter coat. You know which one I'm talking about - the one that you haven't worn for the last 10 years. Resurrecting that old guitar is...
It's hot, it's humid, you've been working out in the back 40 all day, you're tired, thirsty and if you're anything like me, somewhat cranky too. The worst part is you're also out of ideas. You've had more lemonade than humanly possible over the first half of summer, drank 9 bottles of water this morning, soda is just too sweet for the heat and a beer just isn't doing the trick. Where to turn? This is a serious problem I know but bear with me - I have a solution and it works using a rather maligned grape from right here at home -...
DAYTON - Sixty- plus aspiring golfers aged 7- 17 took to the links last Wednesday through Tuesday at Touchet Valley Golf Course to learn golf basics from a professional- club pro Max Reinland of Veteran's Memorial Golf Course in Walla Walla. The 60 young people learned grip, swing mechanics, and etiquette in groups of about 20 in three morning sessions. Lessons took place on a make-shift driving range at TVGC-the fairway of the seventh hole inside the race track at the Columbia Country fairgroun...
DAYTON - "I do have an unwanted visitor that we're hoping to get rid of shortly," is Deb Hays' stan- dard response to the many concerned citizens who visit Dayton's City Hall, where Hays works as Depu- ty Clerk. "People look at me like I'm crazy, but I think it's important to stay posi- tive and upbeat as much as possible." says Hays. "With so many people asking how I'm doing every day, it's not as if I can put it out of my mind." Hays is on a mission to eradicate the tumor that has lodged...
-LESS-THAN-0096-Author's note: Current Times publisher Imbert Matthee asked me to pen a few words about the Days of Real Sport since this does appear to be the 100th anniversary of the event. My perspective is mainly from the point of view of our participation in producing the programs for each year's races and how that changed over the years.-GREATER-THAN-0096- O rin Walker, a former county commissioner and local historian, explained to me where the title of the meet came from. A cartoonist for...
It is sad when the old generation goes. Even in the greatest weakness and mis- ery they give shelter from the wind, and a special world lives around them. And that kind of person will never come again. - Isak Dinesen B ettie Lloyd Chase left us on April 20, 2013. As Waitsburg has been described as "One of a kind," so we would have to characterize Bettie Lloyd Chase. She was a true Waitsburg native, born here in 1920 and lived her life as a credit to her hometown. She married Berger Chase and...
DAYTON - Dayton track and field head coach Dan Nechodom isn't training athletes to sprint toward districts in May, he's training students to be athletes for life. Nechodom is new to the high school scope of track and field, but the sport is old hat for the former middle school track and field coach of 16 years. For his relatively young team however, that may not be the case. With only two students returning from last year and one other with previous track and field experience, Nechodom has...
Ten Years Ago March 13, 2003 Seventeen-year-old Jessica Smith will reign as Queen of the 2003 Walla Walla Fair And Frontier Days, which will feature Diamond Rio in concert and Don Johnson as parade marshal. Princesses on the court include two Days of Real Sport alums, Chelsey Murdock of Waitsburg and Amy Smith of Walla Walla. There is only a week remaining until the City Causus, to be held March 20 at 7 p.m. in Ye Town Hall, 121 Main. Incumbents who have committed to re-election are Mark Shively, Marty Dunn, treasurer Jean Hinchliffe, and Debar...
DAYTON - The Dayton girls basketball team faced a strong district seven team Saturday, and while the lady Bulldogs were able to hold some ground, they weren't able to pull ahead, falling 50- 36 to the Colfax Bulldogs. Both teams opened taking shots at every opportunity. But Dayton struggled to hit the net taking 14 attempts and hitting only two for five points. Colfax took 18 attempts and hit seven, helping their ladies pull ahead of Dayton before ending the first period 18-7. The score gap d...
High School athletics are a funny thing. In high school, I was more involved with band and the occasional theater production than I was with sports. Plus, golf was my sport and it's not as geared toward spectators as basket- ball, football or volleyball at the high school level. In towns like Waitsburg, Dayton and Prescott, high school sports are important because we don't have quite as much going on every night like we would in a bigger city like Walla Walla. Don't get me wrong, we have a lot...
Last week I wrote about how Dayton’s kids— especially boys— aren’t turning out in numbers for sports compared to years past. I also noted that the lack of turnout had nothing to do with school size, which has remained fairly consistent over the years. Today I stop reminiscing and kvetching and get down to the big question: ‘Why?’ As I put together my original article on Dayton’s school board voting to let eighth- graders play up on the high school team four weeks ago, I asked several int...
DAYTON - The thought of walking through a hospi- tal may not inspire thoughts of happy staff members and warm greetings. But for Dayton resident Evelyn Himmelberger, visits to the Columbia County Health System are all smiles. Himmelberger has been through a lot in the last few years but inspires an affectionate reception from everyone who came out to greet her during a walk through the hospital hallways on Friday, Jan. 17. Himmelberger was al- ready more familiar with the hospital than most,...
It was a bloody good life: Dona Little Wolf was born to Jack and Margaret Corner in Wychitella, Vic- toria, Australia on March 8, 1923. Jack, so happy to have his first child, stopped at a few pubs on his way to town to register Dona's birth so that by the time he arrived at City Hall it was March 10. Jack reckoned that birthdate was as good as any. Dona had three sisters, Joy McLaugh- lin, Ail e e n Frost and Joanne Corner, all of whom preceded her in death. Dona was a tomboy, be- ing the son...
Chamber Youth Of The Year 2012 Award Goes To Martin, An Avid Volunteer DAYTON - For Day- ton High School's senior Chelsey Martin, commu- nity recognition means more than any state-wide award could. So when Martin took a break during the Dayton Chamber of Commerce awards banquet to listen to the youth of the year announcement, hearing a description of herself just before she was awarded youth of the year was an incredible feeling. Martin was working on behalf of Future busi- ness Leaders of...
Editor's Note: Genie Crowe is a volunteer for the Blue Mountain Chapter of the American Red Cross H urricane Sandy made landfall in the mid-Atlantic on Monday, October 29, with particular damage to New York and New Jersey. Al- though it was only a category 1 hurricane, it was the largest Atlantic hurricane in history with winds covering 1,100 miles wide. Sandy affected 24 states, including the entire eastern seaboard from Florida to Maine, and as far west as Michigan and Wisconsin. Superstorm...
DAYTON - Dayton's Lady Bulldogs hit the court with aggressive speed last Tuesday night to take down the River View Panthers, 48-24. The Bulldogs wanted the ball right out of the gate and worked to keep the Panthers from scoring. The Dogs opened the second period leading the Panthers, 11-7. The Panthers lost steam, unable to hit the net or even maintain possession of the ball. The Bulldogs put the ball up to score in circles around the Panthers. The Panthers were only able to put up three...
WAITSBURG - It has been estimated that as much as 80 percent of childhood learning is done with the eyes, according to the Opto- metric Physicians of Wash- ington. When a child's vision is not functioning properly, education and participation in sports can suffer. This is why Dr. Angela Ferguson, an optometrics physician, brings a small staff with her once a year to Waits- burg Elementary School to provide free vision checks for students. "If you can't see well, you can't learn as well,"...
WALLA WALLA - When about 20 women take the stage in harmony the sound sure is sweet. The Blue Mountain Chorus Sweet Adelines have been hitting the high and low notes since 1975 and have several awards to prove their musical chops. Just this year the group placed third for small chorus at the annual contest the group participates in. The Sweet Adelines proved their musical skills to the community in their recent Broadway music con- cert last weekend in Walla Walla. Chorus member and Waitsburg...
SEATTLE - Kirby Kallas-Lewis wanted to operate his boutique distillery in Waitsburg. He and his wife KT Niehoff bought the Lounda- gin Building on Main Street four years ago to redevelop as a hotel just at the time Kallas-Lewis began to take an interest in making spirits. For a while he explored the idea of setting up his operation in the basement. Regulations for a distillery on the premises of a lodging establishment, however, proved tough. So, he abandoned his vision for the distillery,...
DAYTON - The Day- ton City Council voted to reopen the city's skate park for a two-week trial Monday night. The unanimous vote was met with cheers from the several young students who spoke in defense of the park. The council meeting was held at the Catholic Church across the street from City Hall to accommodate the large public audience, which was supportive those who came to the meeting to speak on the park's behalf. Skater and student Mi- chael Milan opened the discussion stating that he be- lieved the skate park should be reopened. "I think...
