• Senator Patty Murray sent some of her staff to a VA Medical Center discussion yesterday at the National Guard Armory to convey her support of the facility
• St. Mary Medical Center will become Providence St. Mary Medical Center
• Vicki Hillhouse writes about her experience on some of the fair rides
• David Carlisle, accused of possessing child pornography on a computer, is also suspected of possessing steroids allegedly sent to his address from Thailand
• In Sunday’s Panorama section read about local artists The Garden Guys and see some of the lawn art they produce using leaves and concrete
• Read Karlene Ponti’s story about the increase in Type 2 diabetes which affects millions of people, many who are 55 and older

• Last night Tracy Lawrence and Chris Cagle hit the stage at the Walla Walla Fairgrounds
• The Walla Walla City Council heard from supporters for a Sustainability Committee and voted to create the ad hoc committee and task force
• People met at the Touchet Community Park for a genealogy workshop thanks to a grant received by the Walla Walla Rural Library District
• Claire Johnston and Jim German opened the AMO art gallery in Waitsburg in an effort to create an art mecca
• Fort Walla Walla Museum presents Living History peformances
• Check out the Columbia County Fair preview in today’s Marquee

• The Walla Walla Fair and Frontier Days kicks off today
• Rodeo competition started yesterday
• College Place School District still discussing options for elementary and middle school kids
• Day on a Dime - Free music at Sapolil Cellars
• Don Davis and Nora the Schnauzer venture on the Meadow Creek Trail

Listen to the audio-only version (or right-click and save the MP3 to your computer):

The Daily Byte - August 27, 2008

• It’s back to school today and Maria Gonzalez has some traffic reminders plus the latest WASL test scores
• The project using Penitentiary inmates to help index old area newspapers is being extended thanks to the Sherwood Trust extending it’s funding for another three years
• Demencio Venecia entered guilty pleas to three home break-ins in June and is suspected of committing about a dozen more
• Richard Travis Berglund, who escaped from a jail work crew assignment at the county fairgrounds a year ago, pleaded guilty to a reduced charge last week
• Alfred Laggner, a health-care provider accused of causing two patients to have sexual contact with him, is scheduled to go to trial starting Jan. 20
• Read Sheila Hagar’s column where writes about a weekend she spent in Seattle where she spent nearly all her money at a fancy makeup store

• 72-year-old motorist suffered medical problems that led to a crash in Walla Walla Saturday
• Public information workshop will be held at WWCC water and environmental center on Tuesday at 6 p.m. to discuss update of critical areas ordinances
• Walla Walla children form organization to send stuffed animals to victims of the Sichuan Province earthquake in May
• VA Regional network Director Max Lewis told employees that no further cutbacks are slated for Walla Walla but veteran’s advocate Ron Fry is convinced there are plans to shut down the local medical center
• Read Sunday’s story about options to deal with the city’s budget shortfall which include the closure of the Pioneer Park Aviary
• Milton-Freewater will hold a concil meeting today to discuss a proposal for the city to provide $70-100 thousand dollars annually to help pay for ambulance service

The Daily Byte - August 22, 2008 from Walla Walla Union-Bulletin on Vimeo.

• Health officialsin Umatilla County and West Richland detected live mosquitoes that have tested positive for West Nile virus
• A free school immunization clinic drew 110 families in Walla Walla
• A couple of meth labs and several suspects were nabbed in Columbia County this week
• Gov. Chris Gregoire will tour downtown Walla Walla today and hold a community forum of sorts at the Verve Coffee House
• On the cover of Panorama Sunday, read a preview of the Community Hospice Pond and Garden Tour on Sept. 6
• Also in Panorama, read a feature on Lois Gaddy who will be the elevator attendant at the new restored Walla Walla Fairgrounds Pavilion

The Daily Byte - August 21, 2008 from Walla Walla Union-Bulletin on Vimeo.

• Advocates for people with intellectual disabilities picketed outside Grand Cinemas on Poplar St. where “Tropic Thunder” is playing
• A couple of apple maggots were detected in Walla Walla county and authorities are moving to get rid of the pests before they bore into the commercial apple industry
• Cowboy storyteller Rick Steber helps kick off the Walla Walla Fair and Frontier Days with a program at the Public Library
• In Marquee, read a feature on country music artists Tracy Lawrence and Chris Cable who will also be performing at the Walla Walla Fair and Frontier Days
• Also in Marquee, read a preview of Steve Henderson’s art show at the Wenaha Gallery

• John Lohrmann beat out opponent Richard Wernette in Tuesday’s election to replace retiring Walla Walla County Superior Court Judge Robert Zagelow
• Gov. Chris Gregoire will be in town on Friday with a tour downtown from 5:45 to 6:30 p.m. and a meet-and-greet at the Verve Coffee House
• Walla Walla School District is still working on new school boundaries
• Eddie Sardina was formally charged in court for allegedly stabbing Leo Aguilar in the head and neck
• A Day on a Dime - Pendleton Underground Tour
• Don Davis and Nora the Schnauzer make an excursion to Mirror Lake in the Eagle Cap Wilderness

• City officials will start reminding local business what kinds of displays are acceptable on the downtown sidewalks
• The Calzaretta family has completed its cross-country bicycle trip as they reached the Atlantic Ocean. They head back home later this week
• Summer Daze held at Garrison Middle School was a success and organizers hope to do it again next summer
• Penitentiary employees rounded up  school supplies and delivered them to the Walla Walla School District office
• Octavio Meza entered guilty pleas and was sentenced to 300 days for robbing and assaulting Manuel Ponce in February
• Supporters lined Main Street  Monday to cheer 35 members of the National Guard as their bus passed through downtown on their way to deployment to Iraq

• Weekend temps topped 108 degrees but still didn’t break any records
• WW Community Center for Youth celebrates Summer Daze for kids
• Tomorrow is last day to vote in primary
• Is school-based heath care what the doc ordered for Lincoln Alternative High?
• Unicel phone signs agreement with Verizon
• Clydesdales to prance into town for fair
• New menu at Crossroads
• Buddhist monks bless opening of new Thai restaurant