BRIEFS

LEO'S PENNY DRIVE SUCCESS WAITSBURG - Waitsburg High School's Leo's Club recently ran a penny drive and brought in $156.99. Pennies were collected in December and it was a class competition. The freshmen won the overall competition. Seniors brought in $9.07; juniors brought in $43.60; sophomores brought in $11.90; freshman brought in $68.42. The Leo's club members chose to split the $156.99 between the Black Dog Rescue Program and the Waitsburg Resource Center. They will give the rescue program 30 percent of the money and the food bank 70 percent of the money. The Leo's president is Seth Deal and our vice president is Emma Philbrook.

WATER RATE INCREASES WAITSBURG - The Waitsburg City Council voted unanimously last Wednesday night to raise the cost of water from the city's water stand pipe next to the fire station. City Administrator Randy Hinchliffe said the water was costing customers only $5 for 1,000 gallons. If a residential customer had used 1,000 gallons of water at his or her home, Hinchliffe said it would cost that customer $50. The council voted to raise the cost of the bulk water dispenser to $50 per 1,000 gallons.

BUNKHOUSE TO REMAIN AS-IS WAITSBURG - The city's bunkhouse recently collapsed and the Waitsburg City Council voted unanimously last week to leave it as is. The council members agreed that there is no money to correctly remove the bunkhouse, which is rumored to have asbestos and lead in its structure.

AUDITOR QUESTIONED DRUG PROGRAM WAITSBURG - Mayor Pro Tem Marty Dunn said last Wednesday a recent audit of the city's finances provided information supporting the city's decision to stop funding the prescription drop-off program between Elk Drug and Waitsburg. "It did get looked at by the state and it's a good thing we (didn't continue it)," Dunn said. The council voted in late 2011 to discontinue the service for residents. Dunn said the auditor thought doing so was a gift of public funds. A group of community members has pitched in to continue the service for residents who have trouble obtaining their medications.

DAYTON BURGLAR UPDATE DAYTON - If found soon, the elusive Dayton burglar who has been squatting in vacant houses will face 19 counts of burglary, a member of the Columbia County Sheriff's Offi ce said Monday night at the city council meeting. Cameras and alarms have been set in the vacant houses the suspect has frequented and while cameras have caught him, no pictures are clear enough to provide a better description of the man at this time.

PRESCOTT PARKS BOARD OPENING PRESCOTT -- Applicants are being sought for a commissioner opening on the Prescott Joint Park and Recreation District Board. This is a junior taxing district located in North Walla Walla County and a small portion of Western Columbia County. Applicants must live in the Prescott School District, which is the same footprint as the park and recreation district map. Board meetings are held the second Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. in Prescott. Letters of application need to be mailed to PJPRD, P. O. Box 30, Prescott, WA 99348 or emailed to prescottparkrec@gmail.com. Deadline for receipt of letters of interest is Monday, Feb. 6. Any questions about this position, please email prescottparkrec@gmail.com.

ANNUAL MEETING COMING UP WALLA WALLA - The Walla Walla Watershed Management Partnership is having its annual meeting from 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 7, at Walla Walla Community College's William A. Grant Water and Environmental Center. The partnership works to solve water management issues in the Walla Walla and Touchet rivers, Mill Creek and other local tributaries. Information, call 509-524-5216.

FIRST THURSDAY CONCERT WALLA WALLA -- A First Thursday concert will be held Feb. 2 at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 323 Catherine Street, beginning at 12:15 p.m. Josh Melander, a violin student of Dr. Susan Pickett, will be performing works by Vivaldi, Franck and de Falla. He will be accompanied on the piano by Melissa Loehnig of the Whitman College Music Department. The concert is free.