Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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WALLA WALLA—The Gang Intelligence Team, a division of the Walla Walla County Sheriff’s Office, working with multiple regional partners, arrested two men in the early hours of the morning last Thursday. The sheriff’s office has spent the past several months collaborating with the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office in Griffin, Georgia, as well as federal law enforcement agencies. Intelligence generated from traffic stops in Walla Walla County led to a joint investigation into two local members of the Pagan’s 1% Outlaw Motorcycle Gang (OMG). Th...
Get out and explore with the Blue Mountain Land Trust this fall, with one of the many upcoming, outdoor-oriented classes. Explore: Stand-Up Paddleboard, September 11 Spend the afternoon paddling up the lower Palouse River on a stand-up paddleboard or kayak with Adventure-Fit, a local outfitter. Before entering the water, Greg Jacob from Adventure-Fit will provide instruction on how to stand-up paddleboard and kayak, followed by a leisurely paddle as a group. The paddle will begin at Lyons Ferry...
WALLA WALLA—The rapid increase in COVID-19 cases primarily among unvaccinated individuals hinders timely access to a broad spectrum of healthcare in Walla Walla. This is coming in the form of long wait times, delays of some non-emergency surgeries, and a higher likelihood of patients being transported to other hospitals searching for an available staffed bed. As COVID-19 rises, Providence St. Mary Medical Center and clinics also face staffing challenges from caregivers becoming ill, struggling to secure childcare, having sick family members, o...
Over the weekend, a concerned citizen asked The Times for help locating owners of a distressed hog at the fairgrounds. The resident was out walking their dog in the early morning, could not readily see the emergency numbers at the barns. After reaching out to various people, the responsible parties for that animal were located and took appropriate action that morning. There are two hog barns located at the Waitsburg Fairgrounds. The Waitsburg FFA uses the yellow barn at the northwest corner of t...
WALLA WALLA— Two funds made available by Congresses’ CARES Act can help decrease the housing cost burden for low-income renters and homeowners. “Congress provided $5 billion in the CARES Act for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) made available to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus (CDBG-CV funds) program to states, metropolitan cities, urban counties, and insular areas,” according to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. Available assistance through Walla Walla County and the City of Walla W...
WALLA WALLA—Walla Walla Fair & Frontier Days have officially kicked off their 155th Fair season. At the annual Showcase fundraiser held Saturday, June 5th, 2021, Frontier Days Foundation board members, Walla Walla Fair & Frontier Days board members, and manager Greg Lybeck unveiled the 2021 fair theme. The lineup for 2021 featured concert artists and grounds acts, and the annually recognized Rodeo Legends, Parade Marshal, and Distinguished Sponsor. The Fair announced its theme for 2021, “Stars & Stripes and Country Nights,” honoring the first...
WALLA WALLA—In an attempt to normalize discussions regarding end-of-life, Walla Walla Community Hospice has started a book club. The structure of the club is relatively informal. Group members are encouraged to read a selection of the assigned book before each meeting and some thought-provoking questions are supplied ahead of time to guide the discussion. According to Brad McMasters, Community Outreach Coordinator for Hospice, the discussion ends up being pretty organic and free-flowing. The questions just fill in the gaps. The book clubs are o...
WALLA WALLA—Walla Walla County Department of Community Health (DCH) and county health partners will be holding a second-dose vaccination clinic on February 13 at the County Fairgrounds for those who received their first dose on Saturday, January 23. Those who received their vaccine that day should arrive at the fairgrounds at the same time as their original appointment with the CDC vaccination card that they received at that appointment. That card is important for verifying the date of their first vaccine. Walla Walla DCH was notified last wee...
WALLA WALLA—The Jonathan M. Wainwright Medical Center in Walla Walla received a shipment of COVID-19 vaccines just before Christmas, on December 22, and is currently in the process of vaccinating all Walla Walla VA essential health care staff. “The Walla Walla VA is pleased to be offering the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to its health care personnel,” said Chris Bjornberg, Medical Center Director. “Receiving the vaccine is like having hope delivered. As vaccine supplies increase, our ultimate goal is to offer COVID-19 vaccination to all Veteran...
WALLA WALLA—It’s just after 10 a.m. Monday morning, and Kathryn Witherington, Executive Director of the Downtown Walla Walla Foundation (DWWF), is already brimming with ideas. When we met back in August 2019, Witherington worked for the Port of Columbia and kindly escorted me through all the businesses that seemed to be thriving at the Rock Hill Industrial Park. Since then, her talent for ideation has led her to Walla Walla County, where she is still finding personal ways to connect local bus...
WALLA WALLA—“Emily Anne McClenny had not set the world on fire with accomplishments at the young age of 7 1/2 years old, but she had worked her way into the hearts of many with her infectious smile,” wrote Nancy McClenny-Walters on what should have been her daughter’s 40th birthday. “While her life ended at 7 1/2, her story did not.” For the past 32 years, McClenny-Walters has put Christmas decorations up on her daughter’s birthday, pausing for a moment from advocating against impaired driv...
WALLA WALLA-Walla Walla Community Hospice (WWCH) has chosen to cancel their annual Evening of Elegance dinner and auction in February. Though this event has brought in record revenue for the non-profit agency in the past two years, it was a decision WWCH felt they had to make. "Not only did we believe we would have lackluster results, but more importantly, we couldn't imagine burdening the generous small businesses for donations after the year they've experienced and the ambiguity of our...
WALLA WALLA—Walla Walla County has signed a contract with Providence St. Mary Medical Center to provide COVID-19 quarantine housing at the Providence Southgate Medical Park’s main building (the former Walla Walla General Hospital) in the 400 unit. The unit would provide voluntary housing for COVID-19 positive individuals who cannot successfully quarantine in their current living situation and are not ill enough to require professional care or hospitalization. The unit will serve as a small motel. Walla Walla County previously provided qua...
WALLA WALLA—Walla Walla County has seen a drastic uptick in COVID-19 cases, with more than 300 cases being reported over the past two weeks. On Sunday, November 1, sixty positive cases were reported, which has been the largest daily case count for the county since the beginning of the pandemic. Health officials say they are seeing evidence of increased transmission at social and religious gatherings, long term care facilities, and institutions. Smaller outbreaks are occurring at some businesses, with the larger outbreaks at institutions and l...
WALLA WALLA—The Providence St. Mary Gran Fondo fundraiser for local cancer patients this year has been transformed into a month-long event that includes a free virtual town hall Sep. 16 sharing the latest advancements in cancer care. “We can all do our part to help finish cancer together.” That’s the motto for this year’s #FINISHCANCER fundraiser hosted by Providence St. Mary Foundation. Annually in September, Walla Walla Valley residents traditionally unite to walk, run or cycle and join hundreds of others at the Gran Fondo to raise funds for...
WALLA WALLA—I first learned of “Gross Out” in Seattle. My roommate Jeff, a produce guy to elite Seattle restaurant owners, had sous vide another delectable cut of meat. He was always in the kitchen, cooking up some chef-level deliciousness. I wondered aloud how he was getting these amazing meat deals in a city so expensive, and he described to me a magical place where perishable and nonperishable foods alike, alongside plants and some truly random housewares, were all for sale at reaso...
WALLA WALLA—Did you think this year’s Pond & Garden Tour was canceled? In light of the pandemic and social distancing mandates, Walla Walla Community Hospice considered forgoing the 19th annual event. However, there were still some beautiful gardens to spotlight in the Walla Walla Valley Traditionally the event features ten properties and consists of a self-guided tour, vendors, working artists, live music, Master Gardener presentations, and multiple raffles. It attracts three to four hundred attendees. This year, the event will be, like mos...
WALLA WALLA—Sherwood Trust is convening a group of community-minded leaders of all experience levels for its 2020 Community Leadership program. The program begins in September and culminates in the summer of 2021 with a collaborative project. This year, the program will be online, with 45 people participating. Meet the 2020 Community Leadership program participants below. Alayna Brinton, Ali Rodgers, Alicia Western, Amy Watkins, Ana Aguilar, Anastasia Curtis, Angie Peters, April Martinez, Candi Walmsley, Catalina Garza, Chris Hyland, C...
WALLA WALLA-Kathryn Witherington stepped into her new job as Executive Director of the Downtown Walla Walla Foundation in early February of this year. Previously the Economic Development Director of the Port of Columbia, Witherington, joined the Foundation just in time to help merchants handle the damages of February's flooding. And then in March came the coronavirus pandemic. Earlier efforts this summer to boost businesses downtown included the creation of extra dining space in front of six...
WALLA WALLA-The Walla Walla Fair and Frontier Days board of directors discussed the livestock sale, among other items at the last fair board meeting. As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 Walla Walla Fair and Frontier Days was canceled in early June. Shortly following the cancellation announcement, the board of directors began exploring options for a virtual livestock sale. The board quickly learned that the Fair was unable to host a sale for a multitude of reasons. In years past,...
WALLA WALLA —The Walla Walla City Council’s second Town Hall held to address police policies and other issues in the region took place over Zoom on Thursday, July 23. Fifty-four individuals spoke, having previously signed up in advance for the opportunity. They were each given three minutes to speak, and as Mayor Tom Scribner said, the council “made no attempt to order the comments in any fashion.” The remaining council members were also in attendance at the virtual gathering, as was the City Attorney, Tim Donaldson, and City Manager, Nabiel Sh...
WALLA WALLA-Clearing brush and fallen trees is a task that makes most people shake their heads. For Blues Crew volunteers, though, it's an excuse to head to the mountains and explore the Umatilla National Forest while making the trails enjoyable for all. The Blues Crew came to be in 2018 after an outdoor recreation initiative went through at the Blue Mountain Land Trust (BMLT). Coordinator Greg Brown said he thought about getting a group together to clear already-established trails from winter...
WALLA WALLA—The Walla Walla YWCA is putting forth a challenge to anyone who wants to accept it; spend twenty-one days deepening your understanding of, and willingness to confront, racism. Those who accept the Challenge can sign up on the YWCA’s website to receive curated articles, podcasts, activities, and more, right to their inbox. The Challenge creates dedicated time and space to build more effective social justice habits and bring awareness to issues of race, power, privilege, and leadership. This program was first adapted by YWCA Cle...
WALLA WALLA—The Walla Walla City Council held the first of three Town Halls in response to a large community outcry over-policing policies and the issue of a police officer’s tattoo which incorporates a symbol which is firmly linked to Nazi Germany. City Mayor Tom Scribner welcomed citizens to the Zoom event, noting that “after the first two Town Halls we will consider what we have heard and what you have told us and we will respond and tell you what we aim to do and what we will try to do to...
WALLA WALLA—City of Walla Walla officials have finalized plans for a three-part virtual town hall series to address topics relating to local policing including a local officer’s tattoo, police practices, policies, and funding. The meetings will be conducted online via Zoom, and the schedule will be as follows: Thursday July 9 at 6:30-8:30 p.m. — Presentations by City Manager Nabiel Shawa on City budget and police funding; City Attorney Tim Donaldson on legal issues surrounding Officer Nat Small’s tattoo; and Police Chief Scott Bieber on Wall...
