Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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February 10, 2021 Dear Editor, Over the past 18 months, there have been several inaccurate headlines and stories printed in the Dayton Chronicle related to our work at the Port of Columbia. This misinformation has caused unnecessary concern among citizens and has inaccurately portrayed the intent of our work. One example is the recent headline stating “Port Proposes Annexation.” The Port did not propose annexation, and this fact could have been verified with a quick phone call or email to the Port office for confirmation. This headline cau...
Dear Editor, The decision to fire Walla Walla Columbia County Dist. 2 Fire Chief, Michael Moynihan, should be rescinded immediately. It was made secretly in executive session at the Fire Commissioners' most recent board meeting. This amounts to character assassination despite the fact that section 5 in Moynihan’s contract states that termination can take place at will, without cause for any reason, and without available grievance procedures. Even he has no explanation as to why he was dismissed. Moynihan knows his position as a Chief and how t...
Waitsburg Community, Pastor Matt Wyatt and his wife Krystal have a new adventure ahead. How profound a contribution they have made in the life of the Christian Church and in the life of Waitsburg! They will be missed greatly. But not too fast! With their departure set for August we will still benefit greatly from their friendship and their ministry. Stan Hughes Pastor, Waitsburg Presbyterian Church...
Dear Waitsburg Community, We are writing you on behalf of the Waitsburg Resource Center and the Waitsburg Ministerial Association. We want to thank you all so very much for your generosity. These have been difficult times, but because of your gifts, we have been able to help meet the needs of many. Yours, Pastor Matt Wyatt, Waitsburg Christian Church, (916) 622-9932 Pastor Stan Hughes, Waitsburg Presbyterian Church, (509) 607-5409 (Please do feel free to contact either of us.)...
Washington State, under the leadership of Governor Jay Inslee, recently received national recognition for adopting the pandemic protocol established by scientists and health care professionals: “Against all odds some states have managed to keep the virus under control. Washington State, which recorded 37 of the nation’s first 50 coronavirus deaths, has kept in place a steadily adjusting suite of mitigation measures and now ranks 44th in deaths per capita. If the nation had achieved a rate comparable to Washington’s, about 220,000 fewer peopl...
This is the insert I wrote on my New Year’s cards for 2021. Since last year was so depressing, I wanted to do something positive, and this has helped me as well as several of my friends, so I thought I would share it with you so more people can benefit from it. Most of my friends have put the card where they can read it each day. I hope it will help others! Let’s make 2021 productive and fun! Let us not dwell on this past year for what might have been. We cannot change it, but we can learn from it and enter into 2021 with strong desires to ful...
Dear Neighbors, I am writing to express my concern for this lovely community that I have just become a part of. May God bless and protect you because I have some serious doubts that the Fire Department knows how. As you may be aware, my husband, Michael Moynihan, was recently let go from the Columbia-Walla Walla Fire District after only three short months of employment. Since he has yet to learn why he was let go, I can only assume it has something to do with the transition to a more professional fire department, one that would be respected by...
Change is the only thing permanent in the world since the beginning of time. Though not popular or easy, it can be progressively profitable. Absolute honesty and unselfishness are usually the missing factors omitted from decisions made in secrecy. Discharging Fire Chief Michael Moynihan is a blemish on the character of Waitsburg’s “One of a Kind” pride. It must be challenged. Sincerely, Phillip Monfort Waitsburg...
Over the last four years, there has been an increased narrative that the mainstream media and print journalism are purveyors of ‘fake news.” The news media has repeatedly been presented as “the enemy of the people” by our president; when, in fact, it is one of the most essential and critical elements of our success as a democracy. The Constitution protects and encourages the free press. Without this protection, the press would not be able to alert citizens to government abuses and corruption. As a locally published paper, The Times works u...
Dear Waitsburg Parents, We want you to know that we are thinking of you every day. We thank the reporting from the Waitsburg Times which helped us do that. We have copied the pictures the paper published of each of your elementary children, and every week are stapling a photo to each bulletin. This past Sunday we encouraged this week’s prayer be for 2nd graders and their families. A number of our congregation, out of health concerns, are viewing our messages online. They all are receiving our bulletins by mail, including the photo of a child t...
Affordable housing means stability for families and community members; homeownership is one of the best ways to build financial comfort. The availability of affordable housing attracts families to help support our schools and businesses. Many local employers have difficulty attracting qualified, quality employees when housing is at a premium. Rents and home prices in our region have increased faster than incomes. In Walla Walla County, the median home resale value increased from $174,700 in 2013 to $249,300 in 2018, a 43% increase over five...
To the Editor: Obedience is not a virtue. Exacted from slaves, dogs, and very young children, obedience is an essential component to a well-run society, but not necessarily a free one. For the tyrant, the despot, the emperor, a well-run citizenry results when its people are taught to do what they are told. This is more easily achieved when the people implicitly and unquestioningly trust their political, religious/scientific, financial, and medical leaders. These leaders generally communicate with the citizenry via mass media, oratory crafted...
Dear Sirs, With all our challenges these past nine months, my “self” returns to Waitsburg, my favorite place of choice. My name is Dorothy Mock Shepherd. Onset of 1947, my family traveled to Waitsburg to live with my grandparents, Alex and Lilliam Mock, my dad’s parents, for the summer months. He worked the three months for the Parks & Recreation program to supplement his income as a teacher in Kirkland Wash. Established in the early 1900s, my grandparents’ farm was located on a gravel road close to what was then the cannery. My dad, Hunter,...
Letter to the editor My name is Sharon Eaton, and I do not like to cause problems or arguments. However, there was an incident at the Dayton Senior Center on Dec. 15 that has caused me concern. Because of COVID-19, we are not going into the Senior Center Building. We are able to pick up meals safely on Tuesday and Thursday thanks to Orinda Woods and other volunteers. (Most of whom are over 65.) The senior citizens do this by driving up in their cars and are given a meal by volunteers- all wearing masks. When we pulled up, on Dec. 15, we...
I had the nicest surprise last week. UPS had a Christmas mix-up and delivered a package for me to the wrong address, here in Waitsburg. The lovely person who received it took it to the Post Office so I could be found. I was delighted when I got a call from Sarah at the P.O. telling me my package was waiting for me there. Thank you, Sarah and a BIG thank you to the person who dropped my Cougar Gold cheese off at the Post Office. I love our little town! Kate Hockersmith...
Dear Editor, We at the Waitsburg Resource Center (the Food Bank) are so grateful for the donations made during this challenging 2020 year of the pandemic. As a non-profit we also thank all who volunteer (20+) at the WRC. Each month the WRC serves about 100-150 neighbors in Waitsburg and Prescott, distributing over a ton of food each month. With the generous monetary donations received, we purchase other food and hygiene supplies as needed. The support from community members, businesses, youth gr...
It seems common sense and decency have been upstaged by rule changes at the USPS. In our small town of 1,200 we do not have mail delivery to our homes as an option. The two choices are a mailbox at the end of the street, if living far enough away from the Post Office, or a Post Office Box. With COVID-19 restricting so many folks to shopping from home due to store closures to in-person shopping we are having problems. Sellers want to know a street address, even though their shipper sometimes drops packages off at the local Post Office. At the...
Let me begin by saying I know this policy of returning items has caused a huge inconvenience for many Waitsburg Postal Customers, and I am sorry. Also, we at the Post Office appreciate the support many of you have extended. The Waitsburg community has been overwhelmingly kind while trying to deal with this problem. After talking with some of our valued customers, we have decided to suspend the practice of returning items through December so patrons will not have to worry about this through the holidays. Over the past two-plus years, we have...
Mail delivery is deemed an essential service by the government. Americans rely on the timely delivery of everything from prescription medications to Social Security checks. Many residents in our community must go to the post office to pick up or send mail and packages. Residents who are older or have underlying conditions do not always have the option to avoid making a trip to the post office. Our local postal workers work hard to ensure the facility, including the post office boxes, lobby, and...
Finished in 1887, the Columbia County Courthouse is a beautiful piece of history, a boon to the tourist industry, and a general point of pride for the citizens of the county. From its stately position and through several facelifts, the courthouse has witnessed the ebbs and flows of history come and gone. In celebrating statehood in 1889, railroad booms in Dayton and Starbuck, the arrival and evolutions of the Blue Mountain Cannery to Green Giant to Pillsbury to Seneca, the building of Little Goose Dam, and the growth of agriculture as the...
I’ve known Mark Klicker for many years and his trustworthiness and integrity is unmatched. I’ve had business dealings with Mark and his word can be trusted. Our district needs Mark to represent our farms and businesses to help solve the tax, regulations, and spending problem in Olympia. Our businesses are crippled with regulations and taxes. Education, Farming, Healthcare, Businesses, etc will be well represented with Mark’s expertise and experience as our new state representative. Urging my family, friends, and the public to vote for Mark...
Several years ago a friend of mine was involved in a controversy that went to trial before Judge Robert Zagelow, who was an exceptionally well liked and respected Walla Walla Superior Court Judge. After the trial, I asked how it went. My friend said, “We don’t have his decision yet, but he really listened to both of us, and whatever he decides, I know it will be fair.” It’s an extraordinary judge who inspires such confidence that a litigant accepts the decision before she knows if she won or lost! My friend was confident in the judge because he...
My daughter, Jenny Mayberry, is running for Walla Walla County Commissioner for District 1. Jenny is a strong, confident woman who believes everyone is important and should be listened to. She’s a woman who will stand her ground when the going gets tough. She is always looking to better herself in the world around her. As far as what she’s done for the community? Let’s start with her Volunteer Firefighting/EMT for 18 years in District 4. Did you know 80% of firefighters in Walla Walla County are volunteers? They train constantly in class...
Perry Dozier, as a county commissioner and citizen, has provided many benefits to our communities. The completion of 7th street rebuild in Waitsburg with streets, sidewalks, etc. was aided by Perry, while a commissioner, to secure funding for this project to aid in its completion. I question the validity of many items our media reports now days as most appear one sided and biased instead of letting the reader draw their own conclusion as reporting used to and still should be done! What would Edward R. Morrow do if he witnessed the true lack of...
Mike Mitchell misrepresents Brandon Johnson’s experience for Walla Walla Superior Court Judge. Johnson has broad experience in our judicial system. He earned a criminal justice degree. He graduated with honors from Gonzaga Law School. He served two years as a law clerk with the Washington Court of Appeals researching the law, reviewing the facts, and preparing the initial analysis for appealed Superior Court decisions. (50% were criminal cases.) He practiced thirteen years representing clients in civil and criminal cases. In 2015 Brandon, to b...
