Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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Elections tend to be a confusing time for me. Sometimes a friend may be running for office or there may be other people I don’t know. This year has been different because of the fake information issues and hateful commentary! I promised myself that I would not vote for angry candidates, or candidates without positive visions or platforms for the community I love and have chosen to live in. Platforms are created by local people, then go to county, state and national levels and candidates must have an understanding of their Party’s Platform to...
When I was very young, I had two nicknames. The first, Miss Perpetual Motion. From the moment I woke up, I was on the go until I would fall sound asleep wherever I happened to run out of steam. I'd sleep anywhere, at the dinner table, on the floor reading, while playing a game. I was out! The second nickname was Miss Independent. My constant retort was: "I can (and will) do it myself!" Both my energy and fierce independence have been my stalwarts most of my life. But as I have recently learned,...
Congratulations Beka Compton and Lane Gwinn on your designation as a “serial fabulist” as stated in the recent letter to the Times’ editor by Seth Murdock. As a recent witness to the confrontation between Jack Miller and the alt-right conservative group presented to me by Mr. Miller, you continued your history of excellent, concise reporting by representing accurately the viewpoint of the conservative group in Dayton as experienced by Mr. Miller. Dayton is lucky to have leadership who believe in economic development and who are able to lever...
Although Daniel and I enjoy many of the same things, we also have major differences in our personalities and ideas. For example, before he even starts boiling water for his morning tea, he gets dressed. I, on the other hand, can hang out in my PJs for hours. In fact, I’ve become an expert at fitting “sweats” over my PJs when necessary. Daniel considers the back of our dining room chair to be his closet. He neatly stacks his clothes at night in the order he will need them in the morning. On th...
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...
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...
DAYTON—The Economic Development Steering Committee held a regular monthly remote meeting on October 5, 2021. Martha Lanman, Columbia County Public Health Administrator, announced that there were 21 active cases, with more than 20 tests performed that morning. She commended the Columbia County Health System for their ongoing hard work as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. She clarified that the COVID-19 case count is still a roller coaster in the county. She observed that cases seem to taper s...
And the seasons all have their beginnings and endings. The season for driving through the Walla Walla Valley with my top down, the wind blowing in my face, is ending. According to my weather app, it looks like tomorrow will be the end of convertible weather, which coincides with my final push for tomatoes ripening on the vine. Sadly, I am watching my plants shrivel and wither away, as the days grow colder and shorter. I am glad that we at least did have a successful crop of cucumbers, peppers an...
Letter to Editor - We have candidates running for leadership positions in Columbia County and the City of Dayton that profess to be followers of Jesus Christ yet cannot seem to perform the simplest act of loving, Christian kindness towards their fellow man: the wearing of a mask when indoors at public locations such as school board meetings. This basic, simple act of loving-kindness isn’t much to ask of Christians that profess their love of a Savior that willingly died for them. So, it makes it hard to accept that this same Savior wouldn’t be...
My mother drilled certain behavioral lessons into our psyche, starting when we were very young. One that has stuck with me is, “Don’t blow your own horn!” No bragging, boasting, or puffing of the chest. Not only is it bad manners, but you may be setting yourself up for embarrassment or humiliation at some future point. Sorry Mom, but a little brag, I have good intuition and instincts about people. A trait I probably inherited from my mother. During my insurance career, I’ve hired several...
Dear Editor, People are quick to believe the bad things they hear about good people. Never has this been more evident. In the last three years I have seen adults I once respected, actively spread rumors and gossip online. They do this because someone else’s views differ from theirs. They leave no room for real open conversation, because their frustration stems from fear. Fear of what? Change? Progress? Spreading misinformation as a public official is something that we should all take a stand against. Vicki Zoller stands for the truth, she a...
Recently, I connected with friends that I hadn’t had contact with for several years. Our “catch-up” conversation was not the usual, as we all have had significant life changes to share. Without any prompting, they acknowledged mine were more dramatic than theirs. When I told them of my move to Waitsburg, their first reaction was, “where?” I gave them the geographical high points and explained that I am not on the “wet” side of the Cascade mountains but in the country of wheat and wine. Next ca...
Letter to the Editor I have noticed that a number of local shops have discontinued wearing masks and have removed the signs mandating the wearing of masks in public buildings, shops stores, etc. This flagrant defiance of the current law is very discouraging, to say the least. Forgoing all references to science or politics; this is a mandate! Not a suggestion by the State of Washington, but a law. At a minimum, can we all agree that the Miriam Webster dictionary is correct when they define mandate as: Mandate – a verb: to officially require s...
Early this week I had to make another trip to the Tri-Cities, this time to have my car serviced. Another great ride with my top down, music blaring, enjoying the perfect weather and empty highway. Of course, I made a quick Costco run as well. Evidently, the last time I was in Costco, I was either oblivious or disinterested because I didn’t register that they were already selling Halloween costumes. I should have noticed the candy. Yes, the seasons are changing quickly, and I’m almost glad to...
To the Editor, I am writing to express my support for Vicki Zoller as a write-in candidate for Dayton City Council Position #5. I’ve gotten to know Vicki pretty well, working with her on various projects and committees over the last few years. I’ve had ample opportunity to admire her leadership and character, and there are three things that I think make her a great choice for the Dayton City Council. One is that she doesn’t come into a project or decision with an agenda or preconception of what the final solution will be. She is open-...
When I walk through town, I see flags of all sorts waving in the wind; they celebrate with "Small Town, Big Heart," support the Cougars, Seahawks, and of course, Old Glory. Recently, I noticed a flag holder on our front porch post and deliberated joining the flag fliers. Deciding what flag to fly became a small project. Should I fly the California flag, maybe the Italian or European Union flag for Daniel, or a Go Dodgers or Lakers banner. How about designing a Weinhard Café flag so we can...
I’m almost scared to write about my perfect Sunday (yesterday) for fear I will jinx any future Sundays, but I’m not superstitious, so here goes. Our plans for this weekend were to take off a few days and drive to Portland, sort of a Daniel apology and belated birthday trip for me. However, with the uptick in COVID-19 cases and increased mask mandates, we decided to reschedule for a safer time. But all was not lost! As a result of a catering job we did in Dayton, I recently met a lovely lady who...
Shakespeare wrote in his play The Twelfth Night, "If music be the food of love, play on!" Obviously, Shakespeare didn't have to listen to Daniel's playlist. I grew up in a houseful of music and musicians. My maternal grandfather and all his ten siblings were musicians, mostly violinists. Although the musical talent gene skipped my mother, she did appreciate and love music. My father also came from a musical family. Although he never took lessons, he could sit at a piano and plunk out tunes by...
Although I don't have a "charmed" life, I certainly have it easier than many people. I recognize that in the scheme of things, I have no right to complain. But, I admit, there are some days or weeks when frustrations accumulate, and I begin to feel sorry for myself, like today. The frustrations began when a few patrons at the restaurant graciously complimented me and told me they enjoyed reading my columns in The Times. I was flattered, then had a mini-anxiety attack thinking about what I will...
I recently heard an interview on one of my favorite National Public Radio shows, Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me, with Dr. Ellen Stofan. She is currently the Under Secretary for Science and Research at The Smithsonian Institute and was previously the Mars Director of the National Air and Space Museum. The “panelists,” who are comedians, were quizzing her with their space related questions. They asked, “did Matt Damon return from Mars?” and “did we really land on the moon?” along with other profoun...
Included on my cookbook shelf is a small well-worn paperback copy of Elena's Secrets of Mexican Cooking by Elena Zelayeta. Originally published in 1958, this 1973 edition of the cookbook was a gift to my recently married parents from my father's sister, Vicki. The recipes inside are brief, easy to follow, and clearly designed for a mid-century American audience using mild, often canned, ingredients that were readily available in the grocery stores of the time. As an adult, my interest in the...
I’ve found that in owning a restaurant, gardening, and life in general, many of the rules and clichés I’ve learned throughout my eons in the business world still apply. First, the 80/20 rule, which I wrote about recently, and another a former boss always touted and of which I was recently reminded: Don’t rule by exception! There are certain items on our menu at the café that we consider to be “rock stars” because they always sell, one of which is our crispy cod sandwich. Occasionall...
It certainly has been hot lately, not only is it bringing out the sloth in me, but it is also obliterating my garden. The combination of my heat-inspired slothiness and my normal forgetfulness has caused some unfortunate plants on the side patio to wither and die. No eggplant this year, I guess they thrive when they are watered. But, lettuce, not so much. I have four varieties of lettuce, all of which have gone to seed and turned into lettuce trees sporting beautiful royal blue blossoms. Like...
In keeping with my love of old movies, I was recently reminded of: It Happened in Naples. I admit with no hesitancy that I am no Sophia Loren. But sometimes things happen at the Weinhard that are reminiscent of an old movie, and it doesn’t hurt to dream for a minute that I could be a little like one of the most beautiful women in the world. But face it, as lovely as Dayton and Waitsburg are, they’re not Naples. This past Saturday night, a lovely couple came to the restaurant for dinner. As we...
