Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Sorted by date Results 101 - 125 of 470
DAYTON—The Dayton School Board met at 6 p.m. on August 16, 2023, in the High School library. School Board members present were Chair Jeffrey McCowen and Grant Griffen. Superintendent Rich Stewart was also present. Zac Fabian and Aneesha Dieu used Zoom to establish a quorum. One seat on the board remains vacant. The board approved the consent agenda, which included approval of prior minutes, bills, and payroll, hiring Kerry Johnson as a Title 1 Paraprofessional, and accepting the resignation of Amber McDonald as a Title 1 Paraprofessional. I...
WAITSBURG-Waitsburg City Council convened at city hall for its regular meeting on August 16, 2023. Present were Mayor Marty Dunn, council members Randy Charles, Jillian Henze, Court Rupenthal, Jim Romine, City Administrator Randy Hinchliffe, and city attorney Jared Hawkins. City attorney Jared Hawkins was also present. Member Kevin House was absent. Hinchliffe gave an update on the city's Public Hearing Capital Facilities Plan. Hinchliffe said there are minor updates from last year. The council...
WAITSBURG - When Andrew Knee and his wife, Tricia Adams-Knee, moved from Seattle to Waitsburg earlier this year, it signaled the start of a new chapter in their lives. Little did Andrew know that it would include a summer side hustle. Knee described that their search for a new home had not been straight-line process. Having decided to move to the Walla Walla Valley, looking online at homes for sale, Andrew would show Tricia a house in Walla Walla. "She would say, 'Oh, that's nice.' Then she...
WAITSBURG-Dr. Paula Strait wants folks of all ages, to come out for a Round Traditional Folk Dance at Waitsburg's Preston Park on Sunday evening, August 20. You could be one of those dancing in that circle. That is, if you accept Dr. Paula Strait's invitation to participate in this fun, healthy, and social event. After practicing medicine for nearly 40 years, Dr. Strait, DO, retired to the Touchet Valley in April of this year. She brings a lifetime of concern about what really ails us. "The...
Waitsburg City Council met for its regular meeting on July 19, 2023, at city hall. Kelly Steinhoff will be returning to Waitsburg City Hall. City Councilmembers Jillian Henze, Randy Charles, Jim Romine, Court Ruppenthal, Kevin House, Mayor Marty Dunn, and City Administrator Randy Hinchliffe were in attendance. The council approved Ordinance 2023-1082 updating the Waitsburg Municipal Code regarding nuisance abatement and imposing a fine for non-compliance after the first notice. The council approved contracting with Vision Municipal Services to...
WAITSBURG—The Waitsburg City Council held its regular meeting at city hall on June 21, 2023. City council members Jillian Henze, Jim Romine, Kevin House, Court Ruppenthal, Mayor Marty Dunn, and City Administrator Randy Hinchliffe were present. Council member Randy Charles was absent. Washington State Senator Perry Dozier presented a recap of the recent legislative session. He discussed the capital, operating, and transportation budgets. Dozier worked to replace $21 million diverted from the 2015 “Connecting Washington” transportation packa...
Adult Fiction "The Swimmers" by Julie Otsuka This short novel begins with the unspoken rules and norms used by a community of swimmers at an aquatic center. A crack that forms in the pool's floor unhinges the rules and coincides with one swimmer's battle with dementia-a powerful and heartfelt story. "The Covenant of Water" by Abraham Verghese The follow-up to Verghese's bestseller "Cutting for Stone," his new book follows three generations of a family, from 1900 to 1977, that suffers a peculiar...
WALLA WALLA-Blue Mountain Land Trust partnered with the Umatilla National Forest to bring BioBlitz to children in the Walla Walla Valley. This Nature Kids event was supported by Blue Mountain Audubon Society, Sustainable Living Center, Tri-State Steelheaders, WWCC Water and Environmental Center, US Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla County Conservation District, Whitman College, Walla Walla Basin Watershed Council, and Outside the Lines Art Studio. The event, held at Rooks Park in Walla Walla...
Congratulations to the Waitsburg Elementary School students who celebrated moving up at a celebration held on Monday, June 5. The public is invited to the elementary school's Spring Concert on Wednesday, June 7, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Join music teacher Elizabeth Jagelski and her students for an evening of music. Preston Hall Middle School students will enjoy a day of fun at the Milton-Freewater Park and Pool on Thursday, June 8. They are scheduled to depart from the school at 10 a.m., retu...
WAITSBURG-Weller Public Library began its Summer Reading Program on June 1, 2023, offering every K-12 student in the Waitsburg school district a summer reading kit. Students received a nylon drawstring backpack, a Bingo Summer Reading Activity sheet, a pencil, a booklight for reading, a journal notebook, and a quilt-square coloring page. When students participating in the Reading Bingo activity complete a line across, up, down, diagonal, or a blackout they will receive a free book and be...
WAITSBURG-The Waitsburg FFA held its annual Awards Banquet on May 24 in the elementary multi-purpose room. FFA President Garret Palmer began the opening ceremonies before guests and members enjoyed dessert. A list of names, including parents, community members, and businesses, was read in appreciation for all they do for the Waitsburg FFA Chapter. FFA members of numerous career development events were honored and received certificates and pins. The guests heard the FFA Creed before members were...
WAITSBURG-Dayton native Dave Woolson and Waitsburg's Paul Gregutt founded their band - the DavePaul5 - in 2015. Accomplished songwriters and lifelong guitar players, they weren't afraid to dream big - hence the band name for an upstart duo. Sometimes dreams take a while, and as the band prepares to celebrate the release of its first studio recording this Friday at the Royal Block, some long-awaited goals are about to come true. During the past eight years, the duo grew to a trio with the...
WAITSBURG-The Celebration Days Committee will honor Bill and Linda Stonecipher as the 2023 Parade Marshals this year. The couple are fourth-generation farmers related to Waitsburg's early pioneer families. When Bill was young, he was involved in 4H, FFA, and activities on his family's farm. As an adult, he was on the FFA Advisory Board for many years. He attended Waitsburg Schools, later graduating from St. Patrick's High School, Walla Walla, in 1958. Bill graduated from Seattle University in...
WAITSBURG-The Waitsburg high school and middle school bands and choir, with director Elizabeth Jagelski, presented a spring concert on Monday, May 8, in the Waitsburg High School Auditorium. The sixth-grade band began the program by playing "Symphony No 1" by Brahms, "Erie Canal Capers," and "Bungo." The choir sang "The Old Mill" and "Shenandoah." The sixth and seventh grade mixed intermediate band presented "Frere Jacque" in a round, "Sawhill Mill," and "Jump Street Boogie." Senior Natalie...
WAITSBURG - The Royal Block Reading Series celebrates World Collage Day with its inaugural CollegeCollage event at the Royal Block in Waitsburg on Saturday, May 13, 2023, from 2:00 to 8:00 p.m. The event is free to 21+ public. CollegeCollage is the Royal Block's inaugural contribution to World Collage Day to celebrate the poetry, wine, art, and food created by local college students and their professors. This year's line-up includes: • 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. - Walla Walla Community College stu...
WAITSBURG-The eighth-grade Intro to Ag class organized a fundraiser to benefit the building of a community swimming pool. For ten dollars, a student could "pie a staff member." The event was held on Thursday, April 27, with eight staff members ending their day with a smile and pie on their faces. The event raised $210!...
WAITSBURG-"Through the Looking Glass," inspired by Alice in Wonderland, was the theme for the 2023 Prom held in the Waitsburg High School Cage on Saturday, April 29. This will be the last Prom the Dayton and Waitsburg High Schools will share as the athletic combine will end this school year. Waitsburg crowned Garrett Palmer as King and Natalie Teal as Queen. Vaughn Walter and Milena Gemmell were crowned King and Queen for Dayton. Teal said that everyone had a blast hanging out with friends and...
WAITSBURG—The Waitsburg City Council accepted an offer on Waitsburg’s former city hall at 147 Main Street. The offer made by Mark and Miriam Grant is for the listing price of $210,000. The council approved accepting the offer, adding a provision requiring occupancy of the ground floor commercial space within one year, with a possible one-year extension. There is no occupancy timeline requirement for the upstairs portion of the building. In October 2021, the city council first adopted Resolution 2021-735 to surplus the property after the cos...
WAITSBURG-On Wednesday, April 19, Waitsburg FFA competed at a local district contest in Dayton. Jessika Lambert, William Daves, Marion Duncan, Alyssa Hollingsworth, Cedar Stegall, and Sarah Daves placed first in Vet Science. Individually, Hollingsworth placed ninth overall, W. Daves placed eighth, Duncan placed fourth, and Stegall placed third. They will compete at the State FFA Convention in May. First-year members participated in a Career Development Event (CDE), taking a comprehensive exam...
WAITSBURG-This Saturday, businesses in Waitsburg are extending hours, offering pop-up retail, live music, food and drink specials, and art for the first of three Waitsburg Happenings. Here are only a few treats in store for visitors and guests. Visit the Grand Opening of the Touchet Valley Accoustic Music Project (TVAMP) studio at 141 Main St. Project founder and leader Kate Hockersmith has taught and arranged international travel for youth bluegrass bands through her program under RYES. Be...
WAITSBURG-Beekeepers Mark and Eleanora Montgomery held the beekeeping club's first field class on Tuesday, April 18. Three school club members were available to witness the release of the queen bee. Students Reagan Milliman, Dexter Collins, and Verbena McLaughlin donned new bee suits while Mark started the smoker. He said using the smoke makes the bees gorge with honey and masks alarm pheromones. Montgomery discussed smoke temperature; you do not want to shoot flames from the end of the smoker....
WAITSURG-About 120 people came to Waitsburg's Town hall making the Waitsburg Celebration Days spaghetti feed fundraiser a success. Lanny Adams was the emcee for the April 15 event, including a spaghetti dinner, silent auction, and lively dessert auction. Mark Holtz provided live music. The spaghetti dinner, silent auction, and live auction for desserts raised money to support the Waitsburg Celebration Days Queen. Queen Hannah Peralez and her advisor Cheyenne Reed thanked Table Rock Meat Company...
WAITSBURG-This year's Business of the Year is Nancy's Dream Garden, owned by Janet Biolo Lawrence and her brother Doug Biolo. The business was nominated by Waitsburg City Council member Jillian Henze who presented the award. From providing beautiful plants and trees to hosting the Waitsburg Friday Market, Henze noted how the business had contributed to the town. After moving to the current location, the garden center has worked towards expanding its operations. It is a work in progress that...
WAITSBURG—At the April 18 meeting, the Community Health and Protection Committee (CHPC) discussed drug use, overdoses, and the use of naloxone to prevent deaths from opioid deaths. The CHPC was concerned about the increase in fentanyl use in the community. According to data from the Washington State Department of Health (DOH), fentanyl replaced methamphetamines as the drug most involved in overdoses in Washington state in 2020. A big concern for local healthcare and law enforcement organizations is that people unknowingly purchase and use fake...
WAITSBURG-Waitsburg District students were the first to receive new electronic library patron cards donated by anonymous donors. The donation of $1,000 allowed the library to purchase 1,500 cards, more than enough for every Waitsbrug resident to have one. Library staff member Sarah Roberts visited K-5 classes between April 10-12 to present students with the new colorful plastic cards. Roberts also shared a Burke Box, the visiting exhibit on whales provided by the University of Washington's...
