PIONEER PORTRAITS

Ten Years Ago

December 30, 2010

Walla Walla County passed its annual audit with no complications, according to a report released from the State Auditor’s office Monday.

New library manager Su Alexander has plenty of new ideas in store for the Weller Public Library in downtown Waitsburg. Alexander, who took over as manager after Jan Cronkhite retired in October, has plans to make the library new and improved while retaining its historical aspects.

Duane and Brenda Lowe will close shop on Brenda’s Discount and Antiques on the corner of 4th and Main in Dayton next month, but it likely won’t be the last time this couple “retires.”

Twenty-Five Years Ago

January 4, 1996

Abelina Poirier of Waitsburg became an American citizen during naturalization ceremonies Dec. 13 in Walla Walla.

The dike next to the bridge in Starbuck has been “weakening and was endangering the city,” officials in Columbia County said recently. Starbuck did some emergency repair, but the dike needs more. Now city and county government people are looking around for a source of riprap (broken stones) to shore up the dike. Oh, and they are also looking for the money to do the job.

Cathy Schaeffer and Phillip LaRogue of Graham, Wash. were married in Puyallup, on Nov. 4, 1995, at the Puyallup Church of Nazarene.

Works by three area artists will be featured from Jan. 15 to Feb 29 at the Paula Ray Gallery on Main Street in Walla Walla. The artists are Brenda Trapani, Melissa Wolfe, and Paul McCaskills.

Fifty Years Ago

January 14, 1971

Don Hinchliffe and Don Thomas were elected to serve on the board of directors of Waitsburg Commercial Club for 1971-72 at the regular Tuesday meeting. New Club president will be selected by the Board at a later date.

John M. Settle 92, one of the area’s best-known raisers of saddle horses, died Friday in a Dayton nursing home. His home was at 300 E. 7th, Waitsburg, where he formerly managed a lumber yard.

The Richland Lutheran Church was the scene of the double-ring marriage ceremony December 27, when vows were exchanged by Miss Elizabeth Ann Pedersen and Mr. Richard Leland Baker. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hans S. Pedersen of Richland, and the groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Roland Baker of Waitsburg.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

January 18, 1946

Those wishing Grandpa Boney Atkinson a happy birthday on his 87th were Dina Hirsch, Gladys Ford, Nada Howard, Don Ford, Howard Laughery, Nora Kinder, and Donnie Glover.

Miss Frances Clara Kamp became the bride of L. J. Rousseau on January 5.

Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Ganguest have moved their sheep ranch near Pasco, preparing for the lambing season.

Jacqueline Archer, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hesper Archer, has been ill with the mumps.

One Hundred Years Ago

January 28, 1921

A heavy snowstorm visited this valley Monday afternoon, and for a few hours, it recalled some olden times to some of the first settlers as the air was so filled with flakes the opposite side of the street was barely discernible.

Nightwatchman W. H. Dickenson has been appointed constable of East Waitsburg Precinct by the board of County Commissioners.

The Willing Workers of the M. E. Church met at the home of Mrs. C. W. Smith Wednesday afternoon. There were 58 present.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

January 17, 1896

Rev. J. V. Crawford is holding a series of meetings in Spring Valley at the Blue School House. We are reliably informed that the meeting is well attended and that there is universally good attention and the best of order. Two additions were reported up to Wednesday night.

Last Saturday, during the reign of the balmy chinook wind, snowballing was the amusement—engaged in by all sexes, all ages.

The County Commissioners are in session listening to the pleas of farmers for a bounty on squirrels. Monday, they repealed the coyote and lynx bounty and appropriated $2,000 for the purchase of strychnine.