Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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Dear Editors, Libraries are filled with words. All along the shelves are bound series of words that tell stories of all kinds. Libraries have always been places where words are important even when a reader or a patron disagrees with those words. Libraries are supposed to be the last bastion of banning of words. They are the fortress against the silencing of voices. They allow all to be heard. Perhaps at one time that is what Dayton Memorial Library was like. But things have changed. The Board of Directors at CCRLD have decided that public comme...
Dear Editor, We are writing in support of the upcoming Dayton School District Levies. Nothing is more important than the children of our community! The EP&O Levy supports Educational Programs and Operations that are not funded by the state. This levy is a replacement for the previous 2016 M & O Levy. The Capital Levy has two parts. One is a 4-year Technology Levy, which is needed to maintain and improve the use of technology for teaching and learning. The second is a one-year Elementary Building Electrical & HVAC Study. It is our...
To the Editor: I would like to urge voters to pass the Dayton School Levies during the February election. These levies are needed for our schools to continue to provide a quality education to our youth. We are quite lucky to have programs in our schools which are difficult to find elsewhere and are only able to continue with the valuable funds these operational and facilities levies bring. These programs include: -Agricultural Education -Wood Shop -Metal Shop -STEM programs -Athletics Support services for students also require levy funds:...
Dear Fellow Taxpayers, We are urging you to continue your support of Dayton schools and students by voting YES for the upcoming Capital Projects and Educational Programs and Operations (EP&O) Levies. Continuing these existing levies will help maintain programs not funded under “Basic Education” in the State of Washington. These programs are important to our students and our communities and continuing them will not increase taxes in Columbia County. In fact, local taxpayers will find themselves paying LESS than they have been the past 4 yea...
To the Editor: The Dayton School District is running replacement levies and a Capital Levy (a feasibility study to improve electrical outlets in the Elementary/Middle School building to be able to install air conditioning). During our last “community meeting” a few years ago, this was one of our (yours and the district’s) major concerns. I am in favor of and will vote for the future of our school district by always supporting the education of our students. Please check out the District website, the Citizens for Education website, and the Faceb...
Dear Editor: We would like to offer accolades about the show stopping flower hangings that adorned our Main Street this past Summer and Fall. The baskets were all propagated, planted and maintained by local gardeners and were a joy to see throughout their growing season. We want to thank everyone who provided their hard work and expertise and look forward to the coming season’s beautiful displays. Bruce & Heather Hiebert...
To the Editor, The Dayton School District needs your support with the upcoming replacement levies. The State of Washington is committed to providing the costs of basic education. The local levies help to support the parts of public education that are not fully funded by the state allocation. Here are just a few of the many ways the levy funds are used: Smaller class sizes Counselors and Nurses Transportation for field trips and club activities Athletics Classroom supplies CTE Classes- Home Ec, Wood Shop, Ag Shop, Business Education...
Dear Editor, Four generations of my family attended Dayton Schools and received a solid education here. I want to ensure that the children in our community continue to have the same opportunity for a quality, well-rounded education. That is why I am supporting the upcoming levy for Dayton Schools. This renewal levy will provide needed funds to bridge the monetary gap left by the state’s funding formula. The Educational Programs and Operations (EP &O ) levy will support maintaining smaller classroom staffing, Career & Technical Education (...
Dear Editor: Walla Walla’s struggle to retain its curbside recycling program has rightfully overshadowed our efforts to resuscitate glass recycling in our community. In many ways, this new struggle is repeating the one that resulted in the abandonment of glass recycling in 2012. In both cases, the problem is lack of cost-effective markets for the waste product. While wholeheartedly supporting the efforts of the Sustainability Advisory Committee to retain the curbside recycling program, Ted and I and friend Philippe Michel are persisting in o...
Dear Times Editor, We at the Waitsburg Resource Center thank you (the Times) and the community for your support, especially this December. Community members donated 311 pounds of items for the 12 Days of Christmas. The Leos Club (Waitsburg High School students) / Waitsburg Lions Club collected over 700 pounds of food items, and Mrs. Hinchliffe’s first grade students over 176 items (145 pounds). Thanks also to those who faithfully contribute to the center throughout the year with food and hygiene products and monetary donations. In addition, w...
Touchet Valley Arts Council and the Liberty Theater concluded its last performance of Mary Poppins on December 7. It was our 19th fall musical production, and one of our most successful. When I say “our” I’m referring not only to the TVAC Board or even the Productions group who produced the show. I’m referring also to everyone from the stage crew to the audiences which made it happen. In fact, audiences are a key component to live theater. They are not passive viewers; they are active characters. Each audience brings a unique persona and energy...
Dear Editor: Full disclosure, while never descending to the level of a Grinch, I never could really fully celebrate the spirit of Christmas. I raised children and hopefully provided for them a Christmas-ish foundation, but personally never quite got it. That is until this weekend in Waitsburg. What a charming couple of days, from the wonderful vendors at Town Hall, to Santa at Ten Ton Coffee, to the grand finale of the parade, it had the magic I have been largely denied all of my many Christmases. At least in part it was knowing a bit about...
Dear Editor, Theater at its Best!! From the front rows I witnessed a full house at Dayton Liberty Theater, presenting Disney’s Mary Poppins musical. One could not have enjoyed more if seeing it on Broadway. The cast of 59 was magnetic, makeup artist, costumes, staging, design, pianist, everything was suburb and, selflessly given. Team-work was professionally over the top. More powerfully presented than one experiences today in most churches. Phillip Montfort Waitsburg...
By Rich Lowry The economy is in robust good health, but our social fabric isn’t. By two basic measures of social vitality, births and deaths, American society is faltering. Both the fertility rate and life expectancy are declining, in a sign that people feel less secure and, in some cases, have no hope at all. We are attuned to headline-grabbing economic statistics—GDP growth, the unemployment rate, wages—as monthly and quarterly metrics of American well-being, but they aren’t as telling as these more fundamental indicators. To put it bluntly...
Dear Editor: At this time of Thanksgiving, we pause to give thanks to those who enrich our lives. At the University of Washington School of Medicine in partnership with Gonzaga University, we are especially grateful for the growing community of friends, professionals and partners in Waitsburg, Dayton, Clarkston and Pomeroy who help us deliver top-ranked medical education every day. Thank you to the Waitsburg, Dayton, Clarkston and Pomeroy communities and physicians for warmly welcoming our medical students and enriching their education...
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...
As we prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday we have been reflecting on what we are thankful for and wanted to update you on the what we have been up to at Ten Ton. Two years ago a plan was hatched in Seattle and a couple of city slickers made the journey east to a small town on the other side of the state. Using our combined years of experience in food service, the goal was to create a coffee shop within an existing, family-owned art studio. We dreamed of creating a beautiful, inviting space where people from all different walks of life could...
Politics can be a tough subject to talk about, regardless of where one falls on the political scale. As tough as it can be, politically-focused discussion is necessary, and an important part of our society. Jim Peitersen, a History and Politics college instructor for 23 years, who currently teaches at Walla Walla Community College, spoke to a crowd of roughly 30 people at the Dayton Memorial Library on Thursday at the Big Ideas talk, and left listeners with some great tips on how to discuss...
Now, with Washington mired in a Congressional impeachment inquiry that’s investigating the dealings of President Donald Trump, that divide has grown ever wider. Americans on all sides express a mixture of anger and frustration that they have been betrayed by their country, by their leaders or by their fellow Americans. That raises a question: Can the nation find its way back to some semblance of civility and reconciliation, or have things gone too far? “Even in down times, there’s always a road back if we give each other the courage to both loo...
To the Editor: First of all, I would like to thank the voters in Dayton, for turning out during our recent elections. Our participation was the third highest in the state. During the local campaigns for Mayor and City Council members, there was an endless amount of false information posted on social media. False accusations, misleading or erroneous information, did not afford the public the necessary and factual information they needed, prior to casting their votes. This demonstrated that social media is not the most reliable source of...
Dear Editor: Thank you so much to all the voters and supporters who helped me along the way to win this election. I couldn’t have done it without you. I’m excited to move forward with serving this community and continuing to work on improving Dayton. Along my campaign trail, I have had the opportunity to speak with many of the residents who live and work here and who have given me insight on what concerns our community. I have been in contact with the various entities that serve the people and continue to fuel our city with great res...
With the cold weather comes an array of options to help those less fortunate. You can start assembling your 12 Days Box, by adding a shelf-stable non-perishable item to your box once a day for 12 days to donate to the Waitsburg Resource Center’s food bank. One can also sit down with your loved ones and do a little holiday charity shopping. Think about what local nonprofit agencies you already support. Do you spend your Friday evenings at the Mythical/Moveable Blue Mountain Blue Grass Jam? Like to go swimming here in Waitsburg? Consider d...
Our state’s economy and way of life hinges on low cost and reliable electricity. Since Grand Coulee and Bonneville dams were completed in the early 1940s, Washington has enjoyed both. We are accustomed to flipping a switch and our lights illuminate. Our state’s electricity supply is abundant and our transmission system is dependable. Washington is heavily reliant on hydroelectric generators----many of which are located in powerhouses on the Columbia and Snake rivers. Only during the severe dro...
Dear Editor: Over the course of the campaign, I’ve canvassed neighborhoods across the county and met with more than 2,200 residents on their front porch. I’ve also held meetings with major employers, institutions (colleges, university, school districts, etc.), governmental agencies, civic organizations and leaders from the business community. Through these conversations, I’ve heard a near-universal desire for expanded economic opportunity across the county. The world of economic development is highly competitive. Our country competes with...
Editor, In an October 13, 2019 Walla Walla Union Bulletin article outlining various candidates in the upcoming election, Dain Nysoe, incumbent candidate for Position 4 on Dayton City Council, had various comments on the proposed Touchet Valley Trail. I encourage you to read the full article for additional context, but among Nysoe’s comments was the following quote: “It’s a new idea, so some have expressed their opposition to the idea, and have either misunderstood the scope of the plan, or are just closed minded to new ideas.” The “scope...
