Pioneer Portraits - July 23, 2015

Ten Years Ago

July 28, 2005

Michael Turner has already coined a new moniker for folks who live in Waitsburg. No, not Waitsburger; not Waitsburgite. True to his wine-making passion, he wants to welcome “Waitsburgundians” to the Bodega-Turner Winery, newly located in the former Bev’s Diner, Main Street Pizza or the Waitsburg Pharmacy at 222 Main. Turner, 36, is a biochemist with a love for winemaking and entertaining, and is taking over ownership of the 1888 Royal Block to house his tasting room and production winery.

Margery Kuehn-Tabor of Waitsburg remains hospitalized in a Las Vegas hospital for injuries received when the airplane in which she was a passenger crashed attempting to take off from the North Las Vegas Airport last Thursday, July 21. Kuehna-Tabor, a smokejumper with the U.S. Forest Service, was in training as an Air Tactical Group Supervisor at the time of the accident.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

July 26, 1990

Waitsburg Junior Grange #106 earned a number of awards at the Washington State Grange Convention on June 17-23. As a group, they received a second place and $20 for membership building; good of the order judging; and a Grange Booster Certificate for National Grange Week. Casey Hazelbaker won a third place and $10 for individual builder. Heather Ferguson won a third place and $10 for Jr. Granger of the Year. Brandon Crawford won a blue ribbon for Class D, group 1, PB surprise cookies. Jessica Doon, red ribbon for oatmeal cookies in Class D, group 2. Angela Ferguson is Queen and Frank McClintock King for the 1990 Grange Youth Royalty. Angela is the youth secretary and Kitzi Hazelbaker, treasurer.

Harvest was shut down on The Times press day, Wednesday, because of a cooling rain shower which covered the valley. Prior to that time it had been in full swing, reported Bob Abbey, Manager of the Touchet Valley Grain Growers. Yields appear to be 20-30% above average in the Prescott and Eureka areas, with about a 5-8% increase in the immediate area. The price could be better, as most of the farmers could tell you. As of Wednesday morning, the local price was $2.97 per bushel, up from a Tuesday low of $2.95.

Fifty Years Ago

July 22, 1965

Ellsworth Conover started harvesting Thursday morning on the south slope of Buttercup Hill. Other area farmers are preparing to follow suit as the continuing warm weather ripens barley and wheat.

Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Maib and family vacationed at Sun Lakes Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.

Taking auto excursions in the Blue Mountains this last weekend were the Bill Petersons and the Tom Bakers.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

July 22, 1940

Mr. and Mrs. Jake Smith are the parents of a daughter, born July 21, at St. Mary’s Hospital. The little miss has been named Angalie Frances.

Miss Shirley Jo Mays was married in Walla Walla last Sunday to Wendall Dunham of Flint, Michigan.

Miss Aldene Smith, in company with other Farmerettes from the Southeastern Washington Fair, spent two days at the annual Spokane Stampede.

Mr. and Mrs. R. D. Roberts, and Mr. and Mrs. James Archer returned home last Thursday from a trip of several days spent in Portland and vicinity. They enjoyed a trip around Mt. Hood on the loop drive one day and on the way home on the north bank highway they spent several hours at Maryhill Museum.

One Hundred Years Ago

July 30, 1915

Fire, which started presumably from a hot boxing, burned out the big Case separator belonging to Wisdom and Clark last Thursday afternoon, besides destroying the derrick, feeder an about six acres of standing wheat on the W. G. Preston ranch, which is farmed by Pearl Clark.

Alfred Phillips, County School Superintendent of Whitman County, came down Saturday from Colfax to visit his parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Philips, and sisters and brother here.

Among the Waitsburg families who went into camp at Thayer’s this week to spend a few weeks of the “good old summertime,” were J. D. Taggard and family, F. O. Cox and family, Rev. and Mrs. R. C. Harding, and Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Stonecipher.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

July 25, 1890

Rev. W. G. M. Hays spent last Sunday night with Wm. Bruce and family and preached at Alto on Sunday.

A very large minority of our town people are camping in the mountains. Hope they will keep cool, but to keep clean, of course they can’t.

L. T. Paker was again this year the first to get a load of new wheat into town. For five successive years he has made such a record.

Mrs. A. L. Matheny came home from Walla Walla last Saturday where she has been for several weeks taking treatements from Dr. N. G. Blalock. She is very much improved and expects to soon be sound and well again.

John Neace and Chas. A. Hauber made a trip across the Snake this week.