Neighborhood Watch to help fight crime
MILTON-FREEWATER — Residents wanting to learn what they can do to fight crime in Umatilla County are encouraged to attended a rural Neighborhood Watch meeting on Monday.
Dogs, owners make grade in Canine Good Citizen class
MILTON-FREEWATER — It was class finals for a dozen dogs that were trying to prove they could curb their instinct to bark, growl, lunge or, in Lobo’s case, just have a little too much fun.
Absences crop up as Council issue
Member Shane Laib's temporary job in Olympia has brought matters to a head.
WALLA WALLA — City Council Member Shane Laib’s temporary employment at state Sen. Michael Baumgartner’s Olympia office is forcing an issue that had been overlooked for years by the City Council.
Online auction for girl breezes past goal
MILTON-FREEWATER — Less than a week after opening an online auction to benefit Jessica Schmaltz, the 8-year-old stricken with seizures for most of her life, coordinators said they met their goal.
Birthday bash brings smiles
WALLA WALLA — A local man known for his enthusiastic smile and eagerness to carry groceries celebrated his 50th birthday Saturday, along with a couple hundred people who call Jesse Castro their friend.
Umatilla County residents voice concerns over safety
Friday’s two-hour meeting came 10 days after the home invasion attack of Joyce Key.
Sorority pledges hearts to children, literacy
WALLA WALLA — A sorority sweet on reading spent part of Saturday helping little hands make valentines for sweethearts.
Parks and Rec slates pair of Valentine events
A bowling day and a dance are planned for the kiddos and their grown-up partners.
WALLA WALLA — The Parks and Recreation Department this week will kick off the first of its two annual Valentine’s events, both of which are geared toward parents and their children.
Grant gets film rolling at library
The program will focus on teaching teens how to produce video projects.
The program will focus on teaching teens how to produce video projects.
Rugby referees really rugged
It’s their job to keep the game moving and the players safe.
WALLA WALLA — On a Whitman College field still moist from the Saturday morning mist, eight men readied themselves to make the switch from player to official for what some say is probably the toughest organized team sport.
Beautiful tale of beast to stage
WALLA WALLA — Turning a centuries-old French fairy tale known as “La Belle et la Bête” into a local ballet production has been a beast of a project for The Dance Center director Idalee Hutson-Fish.
Boundary-stretching Sybarite5 headlines chamber music festival
WALLA WALLA — Sybarite5: A cello, a viola, two violins, a bass and “Everything In Its Right Place.”
Friends toss the dice with Game Day
WALLA WALLA — You might say the game of life brought Andrew Holt and Josh Santana together.
City OKs Utility Round-up program for aviary
WALLA WALLA — For the third consecutive year, City Council voted unanimously on Wednesday to dedicate funds from this year’s Utility Round-up donation program to the unfunded Pioneer Park Aviary.
Where's winter
As far as the weather goes, a more typical cold January is predicted for the next few days.
Recycling service in city to move to new schedule
WALLA WALLA — Starting next month, curbside recycling will move to an every-other-week schedule in an attempt to keep customer service fees from increasing too much, city officials said.
Scouts give wildlife Christmas present
WALLA WALLA — How much wood would a Boy Scout chuck if a Boy Scout could chuck wood?
Library district to reimburse patrons for city card
WALLA WALLA — The Rural Library District will reimburse unincorporated Walla Walla County residents who purchase a city library card for their household next year.
If the shoe fits, man goes to jail
WALLA WALLA — A bit of luck and bare feet helped deputies nab a suspect wanted in a high-speed eluding chase on Thursday.
Council goes on record in opposition to court ruling
WALLA WALLA — On Wednesday, the Walla Walla City Council approved a resolution to oppose a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision from 2010.
PHOTOS: Welcome Home!
Marine Lance Cpl. Logan Morris) returned to Walla Walla on Friday to a welcoming crowd of around 50 people at the Walla Walla Regional Airport.
Methane burn-off nets city tidy sum from Seattle
WALLA WALLA — City Council approved a $126,000 sell-off of carbon credits, which the city receives as part of a methane flare-off program at Sudbury Landfill.
Council OKs joining planning group
WALLA WALLA — With no other viable alternative, City Council unanimously approved joining the Walla Walla Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization.
Plan keeps aviary in city nest, for now
WALLA WALLA — The Pioneer Park Aviary is safe for the next six months and possibly longer, but only if supporters can show the city they can raise enough to rebuild and run the facility on a permanent basis.
A whirlwind of dance and music
WALLA WALLA — What could be the largest and most involved regularly performed classical music production for the area came and left this weekend.
Cops, kids connect for a cheerier Christmas
WALLA WALLA — Local cops walked the beat of Walmart’s aisles Saturday on a mission to give toys to those who might have had to do without this Christmas.
City puts out call for proposals to run farmers market
WALLA WALLA — City officials have not renewed the lease for the Walla Walla Valley Farmers Market and are asking for proposals from would-be operators, citing recent issues between vendors and management as the reason.
Trustee slot to open on library board slot to open
WALLA WALLA -- The Walla Walla County Rural Library District -- which has been criticized heavily this year for failing to work out an agreement with the city and moving forward with plans for a new branch -- will soon have an opening on its Board of Trustees.
Roll out the barrel...
WALLA WALLA — The three-day Holiday Barrel Tasting weekend finishes today, marking the end of a season and a welcomed taste of what’s to come.
Christmas Lighting Tour returns
WALLA WALLA — A Christmas tradition of years past is rolling back into town this week with the return of the Christmas Lighting Tour.
Holiday Barrel Tasting decks halls, taps into single varietals
WALLA WALLA — Local wineries will start looking a lot like Christmas this weekend during the three-day Holiday Barrel Tasting.
Walla Walla City Council OKs city budget
WALLA WALLA — City Council approved a $149 million biennial budget that includes increases in street funding, decreases in most other department — including police, fire and library — and an optimistic and possibly controversial goal to raise additional funds through a major annexation along the city’s southern Urban Growth Area boundary.
Aviary group gets initial OK
WALLA WALLA — City Council agreed, in part, to a new plan to save the Pioneer Park Aviary that would not cost the city any additional money.
Parade staging a choreography of chaos
WALLA WALLA — It rained on Macy’s Parade of Lights Saturday night.
Bazaar vendors craft offerings to meet demand
WALLA WALLA — ’Tis the season to shop and not just at stores.
Non-resident library cards OK'd
WALLA WALLA — In an unannounced move, the City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to allow county resident to buy city library cards starting next year.
Walla Walla City Council OKs tax hike
WALLA WALLA — A property tax hike that includes use of banked levy increases passed 4-3 at a City Council meeting Wednesday night.
Artist's line curves back to Walla Walla
WALLA WALLA — The artist who made his local acclaim on the corner of First and Main, usually right in front of or inside Starbucks, released his first series of books this week.
City expects to raise fees
The Walla Walla City Council will review a number of proposed rate hikes for enterprise funds at Wednesday's meeting.
WALLA WALLA — Fees for landfill, cemetery and adult and youth sport programs are expected to increase next year.
Plaid Friday highlights local shops
WALLA WALLA — There is a dark side to Thanksgiving and there is a plaid side.
Turkey talk not all dark for holiday
WALLA WALLA — Americans enjoy turkey, so much so that we eat about 16 pounds of it each year, according to the National Turkey Federation.
Council OKs tax hike
WALLA WALLA — The City Council tackled the 2013-2014 budget on Wednesday night, and along with it approved a highly contested increase in property taxes.
Budget talks include windfall discussion
WALLA WALLA — On Wednesday, the City Council will hold its first public hearing dealing with the 2013-14 budget, in which city officials will face across-the-board department cuts, the loss of one police officer and one fire prevention officer, library hour cuts, the complete closure of the Pioneer Park Aviary and property tax increases.
Veterans honored on Main Street
WALLA WALLA — The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month saw well over 1,100 people scattered mostly along the sidewalks of Main Street between Second Avenue and Spokane Street.
Audiophiles snap up high-value auction items
WALLA WALLA — Probably the largest regional collection of antique recording equipment was sold off Saturday, with many pieces selling for thousands of dollars each at a Macon Brothers Action.
City enterprise funds up for review
WALLA WALLA — On Monday, city officials will review the largest section of the proposed 2013-14 biennial budget.
Sting aplenty in City of Walla Walla budget
WALLA WALLA — More taxes, fewer employees and more program cuts pretty much sums up the bad news for the city’s 2013-14 biennial budget.
Leaf pickup keeps drains, streams clear
WALLA WALLA — Last week city crews kicked off a local fall tradition, one that will cost city residents $124,000 this year.
Water pressure problem forces Athena to boil water
ATHENA — A boil-water order is still in place for those on the city’s water system, though preliminary test show no signs of e. coli.
Fall Release offers break in routine
MILTON-FREEWATER — East and West siders are bumping elbows at some of the busier wine tasting rooms in the Valley that are taking part in Fall Release weekend.
