Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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OLYMPIA—As part of a new plan to increase the number of Washington residents vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus, Governor Inslee Monday announced changes to state infrastructure for increased vaccinations. To assist with the administration of vaccine doses currently on hand, the Department of Health (DOH) will coordinate volunteer vaccinators in Spokane, Kennewick, and Bellevue. It will connect all vaccine administrators across the state to assess where additional assistance is needed to reach the new goal of 45,000 Washingtonians v... Full story
WALLA WALLA—Walla Walla Community College is recruiting area students and parents for its American Dream Academy. This program prepares families with little or no higher education experience to successfully manage their students’ transition from high school to college. WWCC offers a series of five free classes designed to provide all the information students need to make college a reality. These half-hour to 45-minute sessions will be offered online over Zoom beginning Feb. 1 through Feb. 5. The evening sessions will be offered concurrently in...
So far, 2021 has done a fine job of proving itself. From national headlines to local weather, it has been textbook crazy. On January 13, an atmospheric river flooded over the Pacific Northwest, pelting residents with extreme winds and heavy rains. The weather triggered landslides that eventually closed I-84. Data provided by the U.S Weather Service (USWS) Pendleton showed gusts peaking at 70 mph in Walla Walla. Data specific to Waitsburg was unavailable, as there is not a USWS in the area. Some...
A train derailed just outside of Waitsburg last Friday, along Bolles Road. It was a non-injury event, and crews were on site with cranes to lift the car back onto the track....
PRESCOTT– Pasagna to Go, a Walla Walla based food truck, was in Prescott on January 16. According to posts on the Prescott Happenings Facebook page, organizers are already planning on a second food truck event....
AUBURN—Junior Achievement of Washington is partnering with the Office of the Governor and the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the STEM Education and Innovation Alliance, and Career Connect Washington to launch the State of Innovation Challenge. This virtual, career-connected problem-solving challenge invites Washington state youth to design and share their solutions to some of the biggest issues Washington’s employers and communities are facing now. Issues including COVID-19, the state food supply, and creating sus...
WAITSBURG—Waitsburg community members are encouraged to attend this month’s Columbia-Walla Walla County Fire District 2 Fire Commissioners meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 13 at 7 p.m. via Zoom. Call information is available by emailing clerkfire2@hotmail.com. Fire Commissioner meetings are typically held on the third Wednesdays each month, at 7 p.m. The Waitsburg City Council also meets the third Wednesday of the month, at 7 p.m., via conference call. Call-in information is available at www.cityofwaitsburg.com....
WAITSBURG—A Walla Walla man was arrested last week near Waitsburg after leading law enforcement on a chase from Columbia County. On January 7, 2021, at approximately 7:30 p.m, Walla Walla County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 500 block of Bolles Road, near Waitsburg, to assist the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and Washington State Patrol in locating a suspect that fled on foot from a stolen vehicle. The suspect, Joseph A. Abbott, 25, of Walla Walla, led law enforcement officers on a pursu...
The Blues V, John Day Country by the Blue Mountain Land Trust is the fifth book in their series area landscape photography. The edition features dramatic landscapes of the John Day River Basin and surrounding areas. Volume Five contains 30 images of the mountains, canyons, lakes, rivers, prairies, ranches, and the gorgeous John Day Formation, which contributes so significantly to many of the unique landscapes of this magnificent chunk of geography—featuring photography by Bill Rodgers and S...
DAYTON—At a Town Hall meeting on Tuesday, the Columbia County Health Department released new information from the Washington Dept. of Health for vaccination phases. There has been a change regarding which group is next in line to be vaccinated, after vaccinations for healthcare workers, first responders, who are at high risk, residents in long-term facilities, and other workers in healthcare settings. The Dayton General Hospital Vaccination Team has decided that our first focus will be to v...
WALLA WALLA—The Washington State School Retirees Association is currently accepting applications for three scholarships. The Robert J. Handy and Washington State School Retirees Foundation scholarships are available to high school seniors who are seeing a career in the field of education. This includes teacher, counselor, speech therapist, occupational therapist, or psychologist careers. The Neil D. Prescott Student Teaching/Internship Scholarships are available to college students who are planning on student teaching during the 2021-22 s...
A safe, comfortable space is being prepared for those who are grieving a loved one at Walla Walla Hospice. Following the writings and journals of Dr. Alan Wolfelt, “Understanding Your Grief” is the first ten-week long grief support group of the year. For two and a half months, individuals grieving a lost loved one will have the chance to understand the ‘ten essential touchstones to healing your heart, which include dispelling the misconceptions of grief, exploring your feelings of loss, and u...
Waitsburg Presbytarian Church has been handing out monthly goodie bags to Waitsburg kids. January's bag included gloves, coloring pages, and craft kits. The next bag giveaway is tentatively scheduled for February 2, 2021....
The position was left vacant in 2020 after then-manager Bill Ogg accepted a position in Nebraska WALLA WALLA—On January 4, 2021, Walla Walla County announced Gregory (Greg) S. Lybeck, CFE (Certified Fair Executive), has been selected for the Fairgrounds Manager position. Lybeck will start his new role with the County on January 19, 2021. “I am very excited about this opportunity to get back into the fair industry and be part of the oldest fair in Washington state that has such rich tradition and community support. Walla Walla is a place my wif... Full story
WALLA WALLA—Common Roots Housing Trust will hold a town hall meeting on Monday, January 11, via Zoom call, at 6:00 p.m. Common Roots Housing Trust is a Walla Walla-based community land trust that has been formed to provide affordable housing options for Walla Walla and Columbia County residents, as well as residents in the Milton Freewater, Ore., area. In a study completed in 2018-19, the Walla Walla Community Council found that more than 52% of Waitsburg renters and 46% of Dayton renters were living in housing that, by definition, was u... Full story
DAYTON—The number of households served by the Dayton Food Bank has shot up from 160 each month before the COVID-19 pandemic began, to now serving 588 each month. “In seven months, we have distributed 269,061 pounds of food in Columbia County,” said Judi Pilcher, Vice-president/Branch manager of HomeStreet Bank and board member overseeing the food bank. In March 2020, the food bank operated as a drive-through at the Columbia County Fairgrounds, with help from Blue Mountain Action Council, the N... Full story
DAYTON—The Dayton Chamber of Commerce has contracted to purchase the former Alder Dental building at 202 E. Main St., pending necessary inspections. Closing is scheduled for March 2, 2021 and the Chamber will move from its current location later this spring.... Full story
DAYTON—Columbia County Public Health (CCPH) will host a town hall meeting on Tuesday, January 12, 2021, at 12 p.m. The meeting is open to the public and CCPH officials will discuss Governor Inslee’s two-phase Healthy Washington – Roadmap to Recovery plan. The plan can be reviewed at https://tinyurl.com/yymgvd3e. The county will also share updates on the vaccine phases for distribution and vaccine sign-ups for county residents. To join, visit: http://bit.ly/PortZoom on your smartphone, tablet or computer. To join via phone call, dial 1-253... Full story
WAITSBURG—Starting January 4, 2021, The Times office will be located inside Ten Ton Coffee, 216 Main Street. The office is currently closed to the public, however, payments related to the newspaper are now being accepted at the front window of Ten Ton Coffee from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily, and subscriptions will remain available for purchase on the website, www.waitsburgtimes.com. For questions or inquiries, call The Times at (509) 337-6631.... Full story
Duke had a short stay at the Blue Mountain Humane Society before joining his new family on the farm. Equal parts handsome and goofy, Duke's family raves about him, saying he is the "awesome farm dog" and a "blessing for the family." His hobbies include overseeing day-to-day farm chores, camping, and hanging out with his girl, Katie. Have a pet who deserves recognition? Send a photo and information to beka@waitsburgtimes.com to be featured in the Pets of the Valley series.... Full story
In a “normal” year, a candlelit Christmas Eve service would have been held indoors. This year, Pastor Matthew Wyatt and Pastor Stan Hughes shared their Christmas message from a makeshift pulpit at the Waits Mill site. They were joined, in person, by a handful of community members while many more tuned in to the live stream from their homes. Immediately following the pastors’ messages, those in attendance gathered with their families to release sky lanterns, some with messages written on them....
WASHINGTON—The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is accepting grant applications for volunteer projects that benefit the state’s fish and wildlife resources and the public’s enjoyment of them. WDFW estimates having approximately $867,000 available for grants, funded through the state’s Aquatic Land Enhancement Account (ALEA), for projects occurring between July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2023. (Applicants should note that the ALEA program may see its funding impacted by budget reductions due to decreased state revenues resulti...
Season’s Greetings! I hope this winter is keeping you and yours healthy and happy, and that you are still getting out to enjoy Washington’s outdoors. 2020 has been a year like no other. Here at WDFW, we’re trying to focus on our mission to preserve, protect, and perpetuate the state’s fish, wildlife and ecosystems and provide sustainable opportunities despite the destabilizing influence of a global pandemic. We’ve appreciated your support as we collectively navigate this hopefully once-in-a-century crisis. This year we set a long-term...
The season for the Bluewood Ski Resort opened strong, and is still holding, according to Kim Clark, General Manager. It was partly cloudy and 30 degrees on Sunday afternoon with 5 inches of new snow and 36 inches at the base....
Daily case numbers in Walla Walla County 12/29, Tuesday – 44 12/28, Monday –73 12/24-26, Thursday-Saturday – 92 12/27, Sunday – 20 Hospitalized as of 12/29 – 16 Cumulative Confirmed Cases by Community of Residence: Dixie: 15 Prescott: 63 Waitsburg: 54 Walla Walla: 2679 Current Cases Columbia County Active cases: 8 Pending Tests: 2 Recovered Cases 76 Deaths 4 Total Tests 1812...