Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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The lobby of the theater was cold despite being full of bodies in a line that snaked around on the concrete floors, trembling with anticipation almost in unison. The open call for AMC’s traveling talent show started at 9 a.m. at the Gesa Power House Theatre in Walla Walla. By the time I was all checked in and getting in line – about 9:15 – I had a numbered wristband, 97, and the crowd was still growing behind me. The camera crew seemed larger than life. A man wield- ing a massive and heavy...
Those of us who help make newspapers spend a lot of our time observing what the rest of you are doing. We're like spies, or voyeurs. And, best of all, we get paid for it. As a newspaper editor, I try to make sure that, when we report those observations as "news", we are as objec- tive and unbiased as we can be. When you read a news story, you should expect a clear and concise description of what happened, without the writer's opinions and biases seeping in. But all of this objectiv- ity and...
By necessity, the economies of rural communities rely on entrepreneurs running small businesses. They might be farmers, restaurant owners, store owners or other service providers. Even newspapers qualify. Boeing and Microsoft don't have operations in the Touchet Valley, so small businesses provide the employ- ment base for our towns. When Blue Mountain Station completes its first build- ing later this year in Dayton, it will provide a home for five new small food-processing businesses. Most of the owners of those businesses are newcomers who...
Dear Editor: Years ago a co-worker completed a master's degree, earning a boost on the pay scale-and into the next higher tax bracket. After receiving his next paycheck (with less take-home) he commented he wasn't sure he could afford many more raises like that. Hearing the President's praise of legislation passed to "reduce the deficit" reminded me of that incident. A CBS news report stated that piece of legislation contained $70 billion of tax loopholes, including for rum, wind energy, race car owners, and Hollywood movie produc- ers. (These...
I n 2007, a young man with lots of optimism and no experi- ence started a newspaper called Blue Mountain News. (OK, I was already old enough to join AARP, but you're as young as you feel. And being optimistic and mostly clueless made me feel younger.) Blue Mountain News lasted five years and it was great fun to produce. And for the most part it was well received. It definitely gave me lots of good ex- perience. I decided to start BMN, in part, because I love newspapers. I've read them enthusi-...
During a visit to The Times office this week, State Rep- resentatives Maureen Walsh and Terry Nealey talked about the three-month legislative session which be- gins Monday in Olympia. In a wide-ranging discussion, the two touched on many of the issues they'll be facing between now and early April. Nealey pointed out that the legislature goes in facing a budget shortfall of about $1 billion. This compares to a nearly $5 billion dollar hole the legislature faced entering last year's session. "It's 'only' $1 billion," Nealey and Walsh both joked....
The calendar in the Dec. 27 issue stated incorrect show dates for "Nunsense II." The show will take place on Jan. 18-20 and Jan. 25-27....
"It's a sign of the timeshellip;" we often hear and say in observance of just about anything we don't particu- larly agree with. The irony of course is that the criticism comes equally from oppos- ing views on the same issue. Both young and old, conser- vative and liberal, religious and atheist alike claim this judgmental position as their own; neither admitting fault in their perspective; both claiming moral superiority, albeit from differing authori- ties. Gun-control, National debt, Fashion-styles, music, language, and love - all draw ample...
We issue a sigh of relief at the news that a group of Waitsburgers has sunk their teeth into plan- ning for a landmark 2013 event in town: the 100th anniversary of the Days Of Real Sport. The group, which includes Mayor Walt Gobel and his wife Gwen, head of the Waitsburg Parade; Dan McKinley of the Days Of Real Sport; Jeff Broom of the Waitsburg Historical Society, Joy Smith of the Waitsburg Commercial Club, Carl Newell of the Waitsburg City Council, Lisa Naylor of the Blue Mountain Rural Conservation & Development Council, community activists...
Nealey’s New Top Job Area Rep. Named To Key Post, While Holding On To Existing Committee Assignments Editor’s Note: This article was submitted to The Times by John Sattgast, senior information officer and broadcast coordinator for the Washington House Republicans. Terry Nealey (R-Dayton), has been named ranking Republican on the Fi- nance Committee of the state House of Representatives. He was appointed to the top position by House Republican Leader Rep. Richard DeBolt, R-Chehalis. The com...
Editor: Politicians seek the wrong solution to our economic woes. The income tax has failed. It has driven business away from the US. The only proposal before Congress that will fix our econ- omy is the Fair Tax (HR25) not to be confused with the Flat Tax. The first year of enactment will produce 10.5% increase in the economy along with 36% increase in exports. Workers will keep their full paycheck with no deductions for Uncle Sam. Business will no longer have to keep mounds of records and report them to the IRS. That alone will save more than...
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...
I n all our community news coverage this year, we've overlooked an important landmark - a birthday. Waitsburg's venerable Commercial Club is more than a century old. Its current stationary lists its origin as 1912 and Waitsburg's "One Of A Kind" history indicates it dates back to 1911. According to the book compiled by Vance Orchard and published by the Waitsburg Historical Society, a special meeting of the Improvement Club on March 18, 1911, brought an end to that entity and launched the Waitsburg Commercial Club. At the time a small group...
Since we bought The Times more than three years ago, we've made a lot of changes we believe have improved local readers' access to good and timely information. One of those changes is more indepth and, at times, critical reporting of public agencies such as the hospital district, schools, city governments, county government and so on. One of the most important reasons for this approach is the need for local residents and tax payers to know how their hard-earned contribu- tions to these agencies are be- ing spent and what decisions their...
I , like you, am sickened by yesterday’s events at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. I want everyone to know that the victims, their families and all who are affected by such a horrific event are in the conversations, thoughts and prayers of our Sheriff’s Of- fice and myself. Events such as yesterday bring home the realities of this world and strengthen our resolve as a law enforcement agency to protect and serve our own wonderful community here in Walla Walla County. The rea...
We don’t comment very often on national news, but we make an exception for the tragedy in Connecticut because there’s not a soul in our local communities untouched by the senseless death of 20 innocent children and eight adults. Our thoughts and prayers are with the survivors and the members of their community. News of the shooting came on Friday as we began preparing this week’s special Christmas edition with all the elementary school kids’ letters and poems to Santa. It’s the most precious publication we do each year. The news spilled over in...
TOUCHET - Chuck Car- ruthers remembers how doz- ens of residents of Prescott volunteered their time and resources to launch the city's library in a space donated by the Lions Club. "There were 66 people who donated their time and skills," said Carruthers, who was mayor of Prescott at the time. "The district provided the books. It was a coopera- tive effort." The year was 1999 and the space was 900 square feet. More than a dozen years later, the community has far outgrown its little library, so its residents are thrilled they will get a new one...
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...
Read this first, then turn to page 15 for your local shopping guide. It's no secret that this has been a tough year for local businesses. This time of year, it gets even tougher. At the same time, 2012 may go down in history as the most dif- ficult year yet in recent memory. In one respect, that might be a good thing as things can only go up from where they bottom out. But in other ways, it's bad news because some businesses may not be there for the upswing. They'll simply be shut- tered and become one more empty store front. As winter is...
As Mayor of the City of Waitsburg, I am proud of all of the folks that worked so hard to once again bring our tradi- tional "Hometown Christmas" to town, on December 2. The efforts were led by the Com- mercial Club, and its president, Joy Smith. Great job, Joy! The Ye Town Hall was buzz- ing with vendors, music and ac- tivities, it was a lot of fun! I was really impressed with the new FFA Festival of Trees project, it was a wonderful idea and one that we hope will continue to be a part of our traditional Home Town Holiday! Thank you FFA and...
