Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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GRANGER—The Dayton-Waitsburg girls basketball team put its entire heart and soul into its final contest of the season in a difficult loss to DeSales 60-43 at the 2020 Eastern Washington Athletic Conference tournament. Part of the difficulty was coming off a brutal loss to Tri-Cities Prep Jaguars the night before and having to face the DeSales Irish for the second time in a week. “The D-W ladies went down fighting and played with a lot of heart,” said Assistant Coach Desirae Jones. “We got within six in the third quarter, but the Irish pulled...
Saturday night felt like the Dayton-Waitsburg girls basketball team took a big leap forward despite a setback to the visiting White Swan Cougars 64-39. Oftentimes this season things have gotten away from D-W early, Saturday was different. The team stayed close for the entire first half after a 9-6 deficit after one quarter they were still in it at the intermission 20-15. One of the huge differences was the existence of a defined team unity. "Our team has come a long way and we will continue to...
Christmas Miracle This is a story about a little girl named Ellie who wanted to meet Santa. Her friend had a plan to catch the big man in red.” So this is the plan,” Ellie said. “Jane, this is what you’re going to do. You’re going to get tickets.” “Where am I going to get the money for that?” Jane asked. “Here, $100 dollars each for us okay.” To be continued... By Sawyer Harshman The Seven Days of Christmas On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me a partridge in a pear tree. On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to m...
This has been one of the most challenging and rewarding years of my life. Since deciding to purchase the Waitsburg Times my main objective was to ensure the continuation of publication which began in 1879. Prior to owning the paper my only journalism experience was being an avid reader who appreciated the cultural and political relevance of print journalism. The Times is a paper of record, for Columbia County and Walla Walla County, and is vital to the communities that it serves. Papers of record are used to post important notices, record...
Blue Mountain Humane Society Executive Director Sara Archer brought a mighty crew of staff and volunteers to Walla Walla's McCurley Integrity Toyota on Saturday, September 21 for the Second Annual Wags and Wheels event. The dealership underwrote the event to the tune of $5,000, providing the adoption fees for anyone interested in bringing home a new pet from the shelter. "I think it's fun because it's just a good cause," said McCurley employee Steve Phillips. "A lot of people that hold back from...
By Don C. Brunell Many years ago, a reporter asked George Weyerhaeuser, then CEO of Weyerhaeuser Co., why his company spent so much time and money informing its workers, public officials and people about its business of growing trees and converting those trees into lumber and paper products. His answer was simple. “People need to know what we do and why what we do is important to them.” He believed if people and elected officials understood Weyerhaeuser, they would make thoughtful decisions bas...
Dear Editor: The Touchet Valley Trail public meeting in Dayton Sept 16 was great. The Port of Columbia and Waitsburg Commercial Club put together informative presentations by staff, planners and technical experts and the audience was receptive. I enjoyed encountering and discussing more issues and answers than I expected to hear about because citizens who wanted evidence of intense due diligence got it. The trail is a complex project equal to any major infrastructure investment providing important outcomes to our communities and this is the...
COLUMBIA COUNTY—Comprehensive plan updates for Columbia County, the City of Dayton, and the Town of Starbuck are wrapping up with final public hearings planned for September and October, according to Columbia County Planning Director Meagan Bailey. “All three plans were submitted for 60-day review at the end of May and that review period closed the end of July. All three plans received, essentially, accolades from the state with no required updates, indicating that all Growth Management Act req...
As longtime volunteer firefighters are retiring, the local volunteer pool continues to dwindle. With less than 20 active volunteer firefighters and four EMTs, Columbia-Walla Walla Fire No. 2 is actively recruiting new volunteers. Over the past few weeks, The Times has profiled some current department volunteers to learn about their experience and how they work volunteering around their other responsibilities. Miguel Castillo This week, we check in with Miguel Castillo who grew up in Touchet and...
WALLA WALLA-Visitors were welcome to tour the new Doughty Home for Veteran Women (DHVW) and browse literature at their grand opening Sun., June 23. The Doughty Home for Veteran Women is a nonprofit, nonpartisan corporation whose mission is to provide a safe group home for women veterans who are homeless, struggling with legal issues, and/or have difficulties with drugs/alcohol. By providing education about money management, time management, self-care, and recovery-oriented issues, the group...
DAYTON-Personnel from the Pomeroy and Walla Walla Ranger Districts of the Umatilla National Forest hosted a public meeting in Dayton last week to share information about the Districts and discuss upcoming projects during the 2019 field season. The meeting was facilitated by Tyson Albrecht Fire Management Officer with the Pomeroy Ranger District. "Both Pomeroy and Walla Walla are unique in the Pacific Northwest, in that we manage land in both states, Oregon and Washington," said Walla Walla...
WAITSBURG-It was a full house in the Lions Memorial Building as the Waitsburg Lions Club wrapped up its year with the annual Ladies Night dinner, award ceremony and induction of new officers. Following a thank you dinner of oysters and hamburgers, special awards were presented to Olson Brothers Exhaust Systems for its outstanding business partnership with the Waitsburg Lions, Kevin House was named Lion of the Year and Ken Cole Jr. received the distinguished Melvin Jones Award. Outgoing...
WAITSBURG-All over town irises are in bloom, but none quite so plentiful as Bill Rodger's Secret Garden. Waitsburg's own photographer is changing the landscape by hand. Rodgers is in the process of moving his iris garden from a friend's horse pasture in College Place to an undisclosed location in Waitsburg. Irises are perennial plants, growing from creeping rhizomes (rhizomatous irises) or, in drier climates, from bulbs (bulbous irises). Rhizomes put out lateral shoots and adventitious roots at...
DAYTON-May is National Foster Care Month, a time to celebrate and appreciate foster parents, family members, volunteers, mentors, policymakers, child welfare professionals, and other members of the community who help children and youth in foster care find permanent homes and connections. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services has partnered with the Administration for Children & Families and the Children's Bureau to acknowledge the immense undertaking of safely caring for the needs of...
WAITSBURG-The Waitsburg School Board announced the selection of Garrison Middle Assistant School Principal Mark Pickel as the new District superintendent and elementary school principal on May 1. Pickel has accepted the position and will assume duties July 1, pending successful contract negotiations. The District held preliminary interviews with four applicants and narrowed the field to two finalist, Pickel and Guy Strot of Kalama, Wash. Each candidate spent a day in the District, meeting with...
STARBUCK, Wash.- Wally and Joanne Knouff are starting their first season as owners of the Starbuck/Lyons Ferry Marina KOA. The couple purchased the business in November after realizing they were here to stay. "Our kids make fun of us because we sold our home in Wenatchee and downsized to an RV with plans to camp in the north in the summer and head south in the winter. This was our first stop and we never left. We fell in love with it and stayed," Joanne said. The Knouffs came to Lyons Ferry...
WAITSBURG-Two new faces have thrown their hats in the ring seeking a seat on the Waitsburg City Council. Pam Chapman and Jim Elgin will join incumbents K.C. Kuykendall, Terry Jacoy, Kevin House, Jim Romine and Kate Hockersmith to run for a one-year term on the Waitsburg City Council. Incumbent Marty Dunn is running unopposed for mayor. Council candidates fell one seat short as of the original March 10 deadline. The filing deadline was extended three days during which time incumbent K.C....
WAITSBURG – At the close of nearly every winter, Waitsburg residents surmise about the likelihood of a high-water event like the Food of 1996. With a high snowpack and anticipated warming temperatures, this year is no different. Statistics can be frightening. Washington’s snowpack contains 30 million-acre feet of water, which is nearly the amount of water stored behind Grand Coulee Dam. Eight million of that was gained between Feb. 5 and 20, during record snowfalls, according to the Department of Ecology (DOE). That said, the state’s snowpack w...
WAITSBURG – With Waitsburg's city election process gearing up, The Times asked the sitting council and mayor to share their personal experiences as well as the pros and cons of serving as a community representative. Each council member responded to the same set of questions. Mayor Marty Dunn – Served since early 2000s. Mayor from 2004 to 2007 and 2016-2018. The Times: Why did you originally run for council? Dunn: Originally, I was on the planning commission and several council members were retir...
WAITSBURG – With over 20 years’ experience in the veterinary field, Sandra Farley feels she has finally found her niche in helping to strengthen the human-animal bond. Through her new business, Balanced Animal Massage, Farley strives to promote wellness while reinforcing the special connection between animal and owner. Farley graduated from Waitsburg High School, earned her veterinary technology degree at Eastern Wyoming College and became licensed in Washington state before going on to ear...
Talk about Art By Carolyn Henderson When life handed Barbara Coppock a bushel of lemons, she didn't stop with just making lemonade. The Clarkston artist, who creates intaglio print etchings of cherished buildings, landscapes, and landmarks of country scenes, set up a (figurative) lemonade stand and started a profitable business in the midst of personal tragedy. It started after Coppock's children graduated from high school and flew the nest, leaving her time to pursue her printmaking interests...
WALLA WALLA—Bluegrass group Grandma and the Boys has released a new album with classic gospel favorites. The band is led by Grandma Jo Shay, who plays mandolin and 12-string guitar. Grandma is accompanied by Joe McCutcheon, who plays lead guitar and her son, Shawn Wray, on bass guitar. Grandma and the Boys have been making music together for eight years. They play regular gigs at assisted living facilities and attend the annual Blue Mountain fiddlers’ jam. Shay is also a familiar face at the Mythical Movable Bluegrass Jam hosted by Kate Hockers...
I am thankful for my friend, Mason. He plays tag with me. We play GTA and Call of Duty together. We also play soccer and football. That is why I am thankful for Mason. Ryder Hubbard I’m so thankful for my grandma. She made me and Ty’s mom who made Ty and me. You bought your phone that you gave to me, that you have taken away from me. Can you give it back please? That is why I am thankful for you. William Harmon My teacher told my class we had to write about a family member who I am thankful for. I chose my papa because he is the only person tha...
WAITSBURG – The College Football National Championships played second fiddle for community members concerned about the fate of the proposed 2018-19 Dayton-Waitsburg full athletic and activities combine. Local sports took precedence as more than 50 people skipped the NCAA game in favor of speaking their mind at a community meeting held at the Waitsburg Elementary School library on Jan. 8. One of the most repeated and passionate sentiments expressed at the meeting was that parents should bow out, trust their elected officials, and allow both s...
DAYTON-Columbia County was a happening place in 2017. Columbia Pulp "Pulp Fiction" became fact in July when Columbia Pulp I, LLC secured financing for its $184 million straw pulp manufacturing plant near Starbuck. Excavation began in earnest in August, and the official groundbreaking ceremony and site tour took place in October. The $184 million facility will produce 149,000 tons per year of market pulp from wheat and alfalfa straw and 95,000 tons per year of carbohydrate-lignin co-product....
