PIONEER PORTRAITS

Ten Years Ago

January 20, 2011

Reid Helford, the popular and award-winning manager of the Liberty Theater, has announced his resignation and will leave his position by the end of April.

When a building grows to be as old as the First Christian Church in Dayton, it collects stories. The 125-year-old structure has stood on the corner of Third and Park Streets in Dayton, overlooking the schoolyard across the street for so long, it has seen generations of Columbia County residents come forth into the world, mature to adulthood, and sometimes move on.

Glen Hagfeldt, member services engineer at Columbia REA, is retiring from the rural energy cooperative at the end of this month after 37 years of service to the company and in the community.

Marci Jo Lanning and Jorge Martinez were married Oct. 2, 2010, on a beautiful day at Lewis & Clark State Park in Dayton. The bride graduated from Waitsburg High School, and the groom graduated from Touchet High School and currently manages The Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning in Walla Walla.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

January 25, 1996

[Photo caption] Youngsters at Waitsburg Elementary School made a giant snowball last Thursday during the snowstorm. At least 3 inches of new snow fell on Waitsburg Tuesday night, closing local schools.

Publisher of The Times Jane Smith of Waitsburg has been elected to the board of trustees of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association. She was elected by the association’s membership. She will serve a three-year term. The association promotes community newspapers in the state and offers such services as the statewide classified ad network and a “hotline” for editors to get answers to libel and privacy legal questions.

The brightness of street lights is increasing in Waitsburg. City Council members have agreed to allow Pacific Power to put 22,000-lumen street lights along Main Street, beginning at 4th Street and running south. A lumen is equivalent to one candle.

Fifty Years Ago

February 4, 1971

[Photo caption] A bit of action in the Pee Wee circuit between the shirts and the skins took place in the Wait-Hi gym last weekend between halves. Here is a small tussle for a loose ball —which takes place quite often as the Pee Wee style lends itself to quite a few run and gun situations.

Alton Filan of Waitsburg received an award of $100, and the designation of the Best Invention of 1970 for his “Slope Water” irrigator at the Horticulture Show held last week in Portland, Ore.

Mrs. Rodney Miller, nee Joan Land, has been accepted for enrollment at the University of Washington medical school. Mrs. Miller is presently doing graduate work at Washington State University.

People who cough never go to the doctor. They go to the theater.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

February 8, 1946

Ernest Kison, who was Scout Master of the local troop prior to entering the service, has again assumed responsibility of that organization, following a meeting of the Scout committee Tuesday evening.

Mrs. Byron Gusse has been ill with the mumps for the past week.

Donald Ford is now employed as a clerk at Waitsburg Grocery.

At St. John’s Congregational Church near Dusty Sunday, Jan. 20, Miss Elsie Broeckel became the bride of Darrell O. Mock of Waitsburg.

Mrs. Clifford Hermanns underwent surgery at St. Mary Hospital in Walla Walla last Wednesday.

One Hundred Years Ago

February 18, 1921

Wheat prices have “bobbed back” to about the $1.50 mark this week. A number of farmers are anxious to let go at this price, but so far, no buyers have been in the market.

The Willing Workers of the Methodist Church held their regular meeting at the home of Mrs. J.W. Morgan last Wednesday afternoon. About 60 ladies were present, and the afternoon was spent making rugs.

Miss Carolyn Bickelhaupt is spending a few days vacation with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. G. G. Bickelhaupt. She is attending school at W. S. C. this year.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

February 14, 1896

Our public schools are now running without friction with regular and prompt attendance and good work among all the students. May it ever be thus.

Yesterday afternoon the Ladies Aid Society of the First Presbyterian Church had a royal good social time and served an elegant lunch at Riverside Farm, the home of Mr. and Mrs. J.D. Laidlaw.

L.T. Parker this week purchased H.D. Conover’s place, seven acres on the Coppei adjoining the city on the south, consideration $1,700.

The Pomeroy council has removed City Marshal Labin from office for leaving town without permission.

Miss Bertha Latimer is attending teachers’ examinations this week, her place is being filled acceptably by Mrs. Mary Weller.