I was a little disappointed with the yield of my pumpkin crop this year. One plant at home did nothing, and the other gave us only three pumpkins. The Community Garden pumpkin plants were a little better, but I had to remove them due to powdery mildew and ripen the pumpkins at home on a tabl…

My Blacktail Mountain watermelon started off in my pea pots, where the peas did very well this year. The companion plants I wanted to grow along with my peas were okra and watermelon or P.O.W. — peas, okra, watermelon — as I called them. You wait until the peas are almost done for the season…

I grew 1500-year-old cave beans in both my home garden and at the community garden as a part of the three sisters’ companion planting method. The beans really needed a 10-foot teepee support system, but out of a total of four plants, we yielded two shopping bags full of green beans. Only a f…

The Waterville Laundry opened in Waterville this past Saturday, offering self-service laundry and dog washing options to Waterville and the surrounding area.

The Waterville library building was sold this past Friday and the new owner has given the library one year to move before beginning his commercial plans for his new purchase.

For our potatoes this year, if you recall, we upgraded our potato bins by adding all-new bags of soil and stapling a tarp to the bottoms to keep out weeds and to help retain water.

Ahhh, corn! Versatile, filling and delicious. And now, colorful. It was truly a joy growing corn this year. Painted Mountain corn was very easy to grow and is tasty as well. I started my seeds in the house, which I needn't have done. It loves the cold - being cold-resistant - and is also dro…

During Waterville’s September Town Council meeting it was reported that the Pioneer Park trees damaged by the Kopey’s Garage fire will be removed at no charge to the town.

The second and third graders at Waterville Elementary School have once again been invited to submit drawings for the town’s 2022 budget cover.

Gov. Jay Inslee’s end run around the legislature banning natural gas in new homes and commercial buildings is a bad idea. Even though the state legislature adjourned last spring without passing his bill, he unveiled building codes which would accomplish the same thing by fiat.

I have tried growing eggplant in the past, but nothing ever came of it. I thought this year was going to be the same. I started the seeds in Rockwool, back in June, and they took months to start growing. Only recently have the plants taken off, and really started blossoming and producing.

If you have contacted my office in recent years, you know that I pride myself in delivering personal responses to you. My office staff and I work very hard to make sure you receive prompt and detailed information related to your questions and concerns. Despite the high volume of communicatio…

“Steadfast” sounds like “The Little Engine That Could,” and that's what the shiitake is all about. Shiitake is one of the easiest and most productive fungi to grow, producing more flushes of fresh mushrooms for you - up to five on average - when grown in sawdust or grain. When grown on logs,…

Waterville Emergency Medical Services is currently looking for volunteers.

House Bill 1660 (HB 1660) is a well-intentioned bill, aimed at creating equity for all students and families. However, the processes behind it have created large headaches for smaller schools such as Waterville and will have big implications in funding for school athletics and other activities.

This past Saturday saw the last Farmer’s Market in Waterville for 2021. The inaugural series of three events was such a success that the Waterville Mainstreet Association has committed to hosting it again next year.

Carol Cowling was presented the 2021 NCW Fair Volunteer of the Year award on the last day of the fair at the Sunday rodeo.

There are over 2,000 different types of praying mantises worldwide, yet there are only two prevalent invasive species worth arguing about here in the United States! Both species - the Chinese mantis, Tenodera aridifolia, and the European mantis, Mantis religiosa - were introduced to North Am…

The plight of the bees is a topic close to every gardener's heart. I never knew that there were "other" types of bees that didn't make honey; I certainly do know about - and dearly love - honey bees. As a child, I recall vividly that first taste of delightful honey. It was on a soft dinner r…

After a one-year hiatus, the NCW Fair returned to Waterville and it had people from throughout the area excited to be back.

Five years ago, following my election to the state Senate, I organized my first district-wide listening tour, hoping to connect with communities in a meaningful and unique way. My idea was to set aside time each fall when lawmakers traditionally begin looking ahead to the upcoming legislativ…

Douglas County Sheriff Kevin Morris met with the Waterville Town Council during their August meeting to discuss the impacts of the Washington police reforms that took effect July 25. Unfortunately, the new legislation has left local law enforcement with more questions than answers due to wor…

With the NCW Fair returning to Waterville this weekend, there has been a lot of talk about the entertainment that is coming to town. But there are other components of the fair that have people just as excited. This weekend will also mark the return of the 4H and FFA Youth Livestock Auction a…