Yesterday, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee was among the governors who announced their states will change indoor mask requirements as of 11:59 p.m. on March 11. This means when City facilities open on Monday, March 14 (or March 12 for the Walla Walla Public Library), visitors and employees will no longer be required to wear masks! Of course, wearing a face covering will still be an option for those who want or need to do so, and we’ll continue to have masks and hand sanitizer available if someone wants to use them.

Tomorrow will mark the two-year anniversary of COVID-19 entering our area, when a person with the illness was brought to Walla Walla County for treatment. The first case in a county resident was announced a few weeks later, on March 21, 2020. If you'd like to review how COVID has progressed in our Valley since then, check out our regularly updated Timeline of COVID-19 in the Walla Walla Valley page.

As you may know, Walla Walla Police Chief Scott Bieber will retire on April 30, 2022, and City officials are currently in the process of recruiting candidates for the next Chief. As part of that process, we're inviting residents to meet the finalists from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on March 16 at The Marcus Whitman Hotel and Conference Center. We'll release more details in the near future, so keep an eye on our website and social media accounts for info. In the meantime, you might be interested in hearing City Manager Nabiel Shawa and the City Council members discuss the recruitment and hiring process, beginning at 1:55:57 in this recording.

The Engineering Division has launched a virtual open house for the reconstruction project on the Alder and Poplar Street corridors, which is expected to begin this spring and end in the fall. A series of seven short videos introduce and describe the project details, including the schedule, detour plans, landscaping, project funding, and more. You can view the open house here.

In addition to the Alder/Poplar project, there's a lot more construction and pavement maintenance work planned for this year. Your utility bill this month will include an insert with a handy map and summaries of most of the projects, and you can always visit our GoWallaWalla.us website for complete details and current updates.

If you have yet to file your 2021 taxes and need forms 1040 or 1040-SR, you can pick them up for free at the Walla Walla Public Library.

At its Feb. 23, 2022, regular meeting, the City Council approved a contract to construct a new playground at Eastgate Lions Park, to be paid for by a portion of Walla Walla's allotment of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. The playground will include a variety of fun features (including the structure shown above), and was designed to be accessible for kids with all levels of mobility and strength. Construction is expected to take place this year; follow the Parks & Recreation Department on Facebook for updates.

We're seeking applications from volunteers to fill openings on the Arts Commission, Infrastructure Improvement Committee, Transportation Benefit District Improvement Committee, and Water & Wastewater Advisory Committee. The application deadline is March 15. More details and an application form are available here.

The Walla Walla Police Department would like to remind residents that registering burglar alarm systems is free, as is updating your registration information. Knowing how to reach the responsible parties helps WWPD keep you, your belongings, and the responding officers safe. By encouraging system owners to update their contact information with their alarm system provider and with WWPD, we hope to have fewer false burglar alarms. You can learn more and download the alarm registration form here.

Do you have a 0-preK growing reader at home? Make sure they're signed up for the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten Reading Challenge, then add their name to the new tree mural at the Walla Walla Public Library and watch them grow a love of reading. If your child is already enrolled in 1000 Books Before Kindergarten on Beanstack, bring them to make a new name badge for the tree; if not, you can sign up with any library staff member, or online here. 

Along with visiting the library to check out books and read and play with your little one, you can also sign your child up to receive free age-appropriate books, mailed to your home every month until your child turns 5, courtesy of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library and United Way of the Blue Mountains. Visit the library's website to learn more and register.

Thanks to a resolution approved by the City Council on Jan. 26, 2022, the library is no longer pursuing the collection of fines more than 6 years old — stretching back up to 36 years in some cases! Library staff are committed to removing barriers and doing their best to ensure library access for all. You can view a presentation on the topic beginning at 1:22:58 in this recording.

The St. Paddy’s Day Dash (1K, 5K or 10K) will take place on Sunday, March 20 at Fort Walla Walla Park. Registration is open through March 4, but if you want to receive a T-shirt at the event you'll need to register by March 3. Click here for more information and to register. 

A number of recreation programs get underway this month, including fencing, Spring Soccer, the Pee Wee Multisport Series, and more. You can find more information and register here.

The Pottery Painting Studio is partnering with Helpline on its annual signature fundraising event, SoupPort, scheduled for April 20. They're asking residents for help in creating beautiful bowls for event-goers to select and take home. The cost to participate is $10.89 per bowl; you can stop by the studio any time during regular hours to paint a bowl (the deadline is March 27), or set up a private group studio session. Complete details are available here.

The Street Division had a close call in February, when a distracted motorist drifted into the center lane and crashed into the back of a bucket truck while an employee was performing traffic signal maintenance. Fortunately, everyone involved was OK, but this is still an example of how important it is to pay attention to the road, and don't use devices, while you're driving.

In February, Code Enforcement Officer Amy Harris (who somehow didn't make it into this photo) organized a work party from WWPD, Public Works, and Parks to clean up the area below the 2nd Avenue overpass. Everyone involved embodied the PD's core values of Service, Pride and Integrity in their efforts to make our community shine.

Facility Maintenance and Parks staff recently began installation of lighting at Veterans Memorial Pool. This will allow the facility to be used after dark beginning this summer. Season passes for the pool are currently on sale, and may be purchased at the Parks & Recreation office or online.

We're currently hiring for a variety of full-time and part-time positions, including Library Technician, Building Official, Utility Billing Supervisor, temporary employees in Public Works and Parks & Recreation, and more. For more information and to apply, visit the Human Resources page on our website.