Pioneer Portraits

Ten Years Ago

April 7, 2011

What’s the Point? Cardinal pierced by javelin wonders why Oregon still allows use of dangerous steel-tipped spears.

Preliminary election results for Waitsburg’s city government show incumbent Mayor Walt Gobel and the current five city council members returned to office by a landslide. With 357 votes cast, Gobel obtained 276 votes compared to challenger Bart Baxter’s 64 votes.

[Photo caption] Karen Mohney and Skip Carpenter in front of Preston Park tile display which brought together student artists from the three Touchet Valley schools in a community leadership project they both supported.

Cardinal Kayla Huxoll’s unfortunate javelin accident aside, the Carnival of Speed track meet in Oregon Friday was a success for W-P, bringing the Lady Cardinals to the top of the heap.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

March 30, 1995

[Photo caption] Front view of Preston Hall shows new windows, top photo, while framing of east classroom wing at elementary school in Waitsburg includes new energy-saving windows as well. Preston Hall is being restored into a junior high. The grade school is being rebuilt. Schools are expected to open this fall.

The state auditor reported that loss of public money due to fraud reached a record in Washington last year—thanks to the city of Walla Walla. Auditor Brian Sonntag said in a statement that his office’s “annual report on fraud” reports that $903,304 was “misappropriated” from state and local governments in 1994.

Dayton Police Chief Larry Groom has introduced Ron Gilbreath as the department’s newest officer. Gilbreath previously worked in Walla Walla. He replaces George Daniels, who took a job with College Place Police Department recently.

Fifty Years Ago

April 2, 1970

Citizens of the City of Waitsburg will go to the polls on Monday, April 6, to cast their ballots for mayor, treasurer and five councilmen. The candidates for office include Roy Leid for mayor; Julia Davis, treasurer; Joseph Bodman, King Witt, Gilbert Sharpe, Don Hinchlife, and Joe Abbey, councilmen.

[Photo caption] Young Mr. Larsen filled his plastic bucket to overflowing with the hard-boiled, multi-colored hen fruit.

Mr. and Mrs. Walter Warehime of Waitsburg are the parents of a daughter, Tamara Sue, born March 27, at Dayton General Hospital. Birth weight was 4 pounds, 5 ¾ ounces.

A farmer wrote to a local paper to ask, “How long cows should be milked?” “Why the same as short cows, of course,” advised the editor.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

April 6, 1945

Miss Ethel Webber of Seattle became the bride of Donald Allen Wills, S 1/c on Thursday, March 29 at Oakland, Ca.

Colleen Collins, Phyllis Anderson and Gloria Jean Ray of Washington State College are spending spring vacation at their homes in Waitsburg.

Mrs. Dorothy B. A. Weintrob passed away in Oakland, Ca. on March 27. She came to Waitsburg in 1920 with her husband, David, when they established a clothing store here.

One Hundred Years Ago

April 9, 1920

On Sunday evening of last week the dwelling on the Wes Manning ranch, on Eureka Flat, which is farmed by Roy Pollard, of Hunstville, took fire and was burned to the ground with all its contents. Mrs. Pollard was severely burned on her hands and forearms.

Sunday evening at the Christian Church the choir, composed of twenty-five voices under the direction of Mr. and Mrs. L. R. Perrine gave an Easter Cantata entitled “From Death Unto Life,” by Bartlet.

Mrs. S. F. Patton and children of Greenacres, Wash., has been visiting Mrs. Patton’s mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Neace.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

April 12, 1895

In passing through Huntsville this week we noticed, among other improvements, that Bro. Alcorn has a new woodshed.

Most of the time of the court lately has been occupied in hearing cases against cattle thieves, and in most cases the culprits are young men. But what is the country coming to?

The Kickapoo Medicine people left on Thursday. If medicines are no better than their shows, a very little of them ought to last a long time.

Our fire boys will have a new hose cart, and instead of sending their money out of the country they will have it made at home. Will Singer and Brand & Smith have the contract at $120.