Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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I read with real interest the guest editorial written by Sheriff John Turner (that ran in the Walla Walla Union- Bulletin). Although the article left me with more questions that I had previously, I was intrigued to learn the miscommunication between Sheriff Turner and the county commissioners. It is without integrity for a county commissioner to serve as a liaison for a department, discuss ideas for securing sorely needed equipment for the deputies, take credit for appearing as if he is on their side, and then later conveniently fail to recall...
Pioneer Portraits used to be interesting news of yesteryear, not just morbid rehashings picked up from the police blotter. Maybe this negative fixation is necessary to market newspapers today, and, too, it's bound to be grander entertainment for those of us who've led spotless lives; who have never done anything for which we've needed to be forgiven, anything we've had to pay society our dues for, to atone for, to regret, and finally, for those with the strength to work our way back into that society as useful and reliable and respected...
Correctional Industries (C.I) provides jobs and skill training for inmates at the correctional facilities administered by the Department of Corrections. These jobs provide employment and a modest income for the inmates, a skill that is transferable when seeking employment once released, and provides a savings to the taxpayers in the products they produce. I served as the General Manager for C.I. at the WSP until budget cuts resulted in the loss of my job back in 2010, so I am familiar with the local operations. I question then, why C.I. is...
There are many ways I'm patriotic. I can let people know how I support and respect our country. I can celebrate holidays that show patriotism. I can always support the flag. Those are the three ways I will give in detail on how you and I can show patriotism. It is easy to let someone know you are patriotic because there are many ways. One way is to tell someone that you're glad to live in America. Or you could say that you believe America is a great country. Lastly, you could say that you prefer America over other countries. Those are three...
Two weeks ago, the Times ran its weekly Pioneer Portraits column as it has for many years. For the second time since the newspaper changed hands in late 2009, it prompted a letter to the editor, which we have published on this page. The letter from Kate Reeve objects to rehashing local residents' past offenses, particularly for those who have since bettered their lives and become contributors to the community. She also asks for the same exception for those who have since passed away. Before we get into our response to the letter, it's worth...
In the May 24 issue of the Times, a story titled "A Church 'Welcome To All'" we misspelled the last name of the pastor Marj Johnston....
Pertussis, or "Whooping Cough", has reached epidemic levels in the state of Washington. According to the Washington State Department of Health, as of May 19th, there have been 1,738 cases reported statewide, compared to 148 reported cases in 2011 during the same time period. Infants and children have been hit hardest, both in number and in severity of the illness. The majority of these cases have been in counties with larger cities. Walla Walla County has reported 12 cases to date in 2012. Most of these cases have been in Walla Walla City, but...
He's The Voice For Booker Residents DAYTON -- Eightyone year-old Booker Rest Home resident Louis Razzolini is no stranger to making his opinions known. But to Razzolini's fellow tenants he is more than just a friendly neighbor; he's a megaphone for people who often can't speak up for themselves. Razzolini, who is best known as just "Louie," is a representative to the Columbia County Health System's board of commissioners for the Booker Rest Home. He visits board meetings on the fourth Thursday...
Last week, the Times carried a news story about new Councilman KC Kuykendall asking the Waitsburg City Council to consider adding a prayer or invocation to the opening of its meetings. Wisely, the council postponed a decision on the question because several council members wanted to hear from members of the community on the subject. From the research we've done, it appears the addition of prayer would be legal. Government entities can start their meeting with a non-denominational prayer or invocation that acknowledges God but does not reflect a...
In just five trading sessions during the last week, July Chicago wheat futures moved up a dollar per bushel, a fairly rapid move by most standards. White wheat in Portland managed a 60-cent move up for August delivery, from about $6.50 per bushel to $7.10 or so in response, suggesting that Chicago's jump was a little exaggerated. Usually the first move up from what now appears to be the seasonal lows takes a little more time to play out, say more like three weeks or a month. Most years, if climate conditions are average-togood, it is normal...
A Place For Teens In The Summer DAYTON - During the summertime, there is a group where teens can participate in fun activities and step outside their comfort zones while making new friends. The group is called Teen Scene, and it is run by Peggy Gutierrez, a prevention specialist with Blue Mountain Counseling. Gutierrez works with local kids to choose weekly activities and finds volunteers who can help chaperone. "It's designed to bring kids together during the summer and to provide recreation ac...
The view of the 2012 Waitsburg parade from inside the Coppei Cafe on Main Street was colorful and festive, but the staff behind the espresso bar didn't have much time to enjoy it on Saturday morning. They were busy serving the many customers who wanted pastries, coffee and other drinks before the National Anthem reverberated through down town and the floats began to make their way past the businesses shortly after 10 o'clock. Only for the duration of the parade itself was the coffee shop somewhat quiet, with customers walked out to the...
In the March 10 issue of the Times, the story "Shuba: 'I Ruined Everything'" misstated who had not been arrested or convicted of a crime in Columbia County. The report from Prosecuting Attorney Rea Culwell said Joseph Shuba had not been arrested nor convicted of a crime since moving to Dayton....
Risk...something that is always present in our world, sometimes less and sometimes more. The term gets used as if it is a kind of boogeyman monster that'll getcha if you don't watch out, so "it" has to be avoided at all costs. The reality is that risk is welded to reward. There is no return on any investment, including time, effort or money, without some form of risk. Even hiding gold coins under the floorboards of the back porch has its risks. Since most of us have some kind of investment, i.e. 401(k) or savings accounts, we all have to at lea...
Supporting Our Students During Standardized Testing W AITSBURG - As the Waitsburg School District middle and high school students begin standardized testing each spring, they know they have support. The Odako Club, a women's service organization that has been in town for about 60 years, assembles goodie bags and writes encouraging messages that are handed to students when testing begins. "They know that somebody is encouraging them," said Jean Miller, a member of the Odako Club. "They know...
The Dayton City Council last Monday night voted unanimously to award its yearly contract to publish legal public notices in the "legal" newspaper that offered the best rate, which was the Times. Our team is grateful and honored to fulfill this role. The Times has a long history of publishing legal notices for Walla Walla County and its agencies. Last summer, Columbia County Superior Court Judge William Acey designated the Times a legal newspaper of record for Columbia County as well, prompting the city and the Columbia County to put out...
Thirty-nine months have passed since February of 2009, when the stock market was at its lowest point since spring of 1997, a 15-year low! Twenty-five of those recent months ended higher than the previous month, 14 ended unchanged or lower, as the Dow Jones Industrial average has climbed more than 6,000 points, an 87 percent increase! It has been a profoundly powerful move right into an election year. Investors, even the small 401(k) kind, are feeling relatively relaxed today. All eyes on Europe. What does it mean, "antiausterity"? Will the...
Dayton Street Sale Has Big Benefits DAYTON - The ninth annual sidewalk sale on Third Street in Dayton went off without a hitch last Saturday. The sidewalk sale involves all sorts of entities, including churches, non-profit and community organizations like the Columbia County Senior Center and the hospital, regular retail businesses and even residents who want to make some money. "It started nine years ago to give churches an opportunity to make funds for their organizations," said Ted Paterson,...
I n the 1980s and early 1990s, Prescott and Waitsburg high schools experimented with a sports combine, but things didn't go so well. The first try failed and the teams went their separate ways. It wasn't until the mid 2000s that the schools made a second attempt at pooling their sports teams and by then it had the driving force of Prescott athletic director Jack Smiley behind it. Smiley worked with Waitsburg's athletic director Chris Pearson and others to build a viable combine. And, according to longtime friend, colleague and head coach Jeff...
The single, largest potential market mover for wheat (and many other commodities) today is China. This is a very old story, told over and over again through the years. Most market observers have become indifferent to melodramatic analyses of Chinese buying power for grains, as the reality never quite seems to reach the level of enthusiasm forecast. Recent developments have started up the talk again. Late last week there was a large sale of corn to "unknown destinations" announced by USDA's reporting system which the trade has assumed it to be...
