Happy April, everyone! As a reminder for City of Walla Walla utility customers, the April newsletter is available for viewing or downloading at wallawallawa.gov/newsletter. 

The Walla Walla Public Library has a week of awesome activities planned for residents of all ages during Spring Break, April 7-11. Visit the library's website to see the full schedule.

As the weather warms up, softball season kicks into gear. This means the Parks and Recreation Department needs umpires for Youth 10U/12U Fastpitch, Adult Women's, Co-Ed, and Men's Slow-pitch. If you're interested, please contact the department at 509-527-4527 or recreation@wallawallawa.gov.

The spring Take Back Weekend event will happen on April 26 at the Walla Walla Police Department and April 27 at College Place Walmart, running 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day. At these popular events, residents can get rid of expired medication, old cellphones, computers and electronics, sharps, and paperwork for shredding. Take Back Weekends are a fundraiser for Walla Walla Area Crime Watch.

The Myra Road South Extension project is scheduled to begin in April, with construction starting south of State Route 125. Extending Myra Road will unlock more than 50 acres of commercial and residential zoned vacant land just south of SR 125, encouraging future economic development. Visit GoWallaWalla.us for project information and updates.

The Pine Street Reconstruction Project will transform the Pine Street corridor between 2nd Avenue and Cayuse Street. The aging pavement and utility infrastructure will be replaced, and safety will be improved with the addition of buffered bike lanes, pedestrian bulb-outs, and a roundabout at the intersection of Pine and 9th Avenue. For more details about this upcoming project, please visit the Pine Street Project Virtual Open House.

As part of an update to its Comprehensive Plan, the City is developing an element that will focus on protecting our community from natural hazards, preserving natural areas, and helping us prepare for climate-related impacts. The goal of this Climate Resilience Element is to guide decisions that make Walla Walla a safer, more sustainable place to live. Visit the project's web page to learn more and provide feedback that will directly shape the element's goals and policies.

Last week, the Water Distribution Division completed the replacement of an aging valve cluster and water main at the Clinton-Melrose intersection. The contractor is now rebuilding the intersection, which is expected to remain closed through May 2.

Walla Walla and College Place are partners in the CoWalla Creative District, a defined area of cultural and economic activity. CoWalla is holding a design contest to create a logo that captures our communities' creativity, collaboration, and artistic and cultural charm. Residents are invited to submit up to three logo designs for possible selection, with the winner receiving $500. The submission form is available in English and en español.

Last month, Jefferson Park's pond was stocked with rainbow trout by the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Daytime fishing at the pond is open for juvenile anglers, senior anglers and anglers with a disability who possess a designated harvester companion card.

All community households are invited to pick up to five free seed packets at the Walla Walla Public Library's annual Seed Library. In addition, Master Gardeners will bring their popular free “plant clinic” to the library every Saturday through April 26. Bring your thorniest gardening problems and get ready for a great growing season.

The Cemetery team has started the third phase of WWI Veteran headstone restoration work at Mountain View Cemetery. Damaged headstones and bases have been removed and disposed of. A contractor will form and pour new bases for 173 replacement headstones.

Last week, the Street Division completed overhead street light upgrades on Myra Road. This grant-funded work replaced 37 lights with LED fixtures. The upgraded lighting is more energy efficient and improves roadway illumination.

On March 25, the City's Leadership Team welcomed the members of Wa-Hi's FFA Ag Issues team to rehearse their presentation for a statewide competition in May. Wa-Hi's team is presenting the viewpoints of people involved in a proposed annexation and development of farmland into a city. The Leadership Team provided feedback and additional information for the students to consider as they work toward the competition.

A group from Tambasasayama, Walla Walla’s sister city in Japan, visited our area last week to experience the region and learn about American culture. On Monday, they began their day with a visit to City Hall, then the Police Department and City Service Center. On Tuesday, the group visited Fire Station 2, where they tried on firefighting gear and took a ride on the 109' aerial ladder. Staff had a great time interacting with the guests and showing them a few of the many things City employees do for residents.

On March 27,  staff from the Engineering Division engaged with students from College Place High School who are interested in pursuing engineering in college. The visit was in coordination with the GEAR UP program through WSU, helping students gain more information regarding their future careers.

More than 120 community members stopped by an open house at the library on March 6 to see plans and designs for the Library Renovation Project, which is tentatively scheduled to break group next spring. Attendees had the opportunity to talk with the architects, ask questions, and share feedback on what they’d like to see in our future space. Follow the library on social media for announcements about upcoming open houses and listening sessions; next up will be an overview of interior design options in June.

Picture Lab brought "Wild Silk from Madagascar” to the library on March 1 so families and kids could learn all about this amazing textile. Through hands-on art activities, video presentation, and a beautiful display of photos and textile samples, Picture Lab volunteers brought an amazing and engaging story to our patrons. Check out the library's calendar or visit its Facebook page for information about all the fun events coming up soon for members of the entire family.

On March 15, Parks and Recreation staff participated in two community events — the annual St. Paddy's Day Dash and a tree planting at Eastgate Lions Park. The department joins with members of Noon Rotary twice a year to plant trees in Walla Walla’s parks and rights of way. 

The final meeting of the Parks & Rec Visioning Task Force took place on March 13. This group of residents has helped to prioritize future parks and recreation projects and evaluate potential funding sources. Staff and Task Force representatives will share the results of their work at the City Council Work Session at 4 p.m. on April 7.

On March 5, City staff and Arts Commission members hosted the previous and current showcased Council Chamber artists with a reception. Residents may view the artwork during public meetings, and during the First Friday Art Tour from 3:30-5 p.m. on the first Friday of each month, May through September.

Park Maintenance and Cemetery Maintenance crews performed irrigation repairs at Veterans Memorial Golf Course in March. Check out the recording of the March 24 City Council Work Session for information about the Parks and Recreation Department's future plans for the course and facilities.

On March 24, a crew cut an access into one of the City's Water Treatment Plant storage tanks to allow for upcoming interior repairs and painting. The other storage tank was painted in 2024. Since both tanks cannot be offline at the same time, the project has a narrow window for completion.

The Walla Walla Fire Department had a great training session in March, focusing on live fire attack techniques and search-and-rescue procedures. Two new recruits were part of the training, which is a fantastic opportunity for them to get valuable hands-on experience and start to bond with the rest of the WWFD team.

Last week, WWFD CARES Team members Paramedic Cody Maine and RN Navigator Kristy Capps participated in training at the University of Washington's school of social work. The training is focused on firefighters' increasing need to respond to behavioral health and crisis-related calls. Cody also presented at the Northwest Rural Health Conference in Spokane as part of a panel of CARES and Mobile Integrated Healthcare providers. 

After 10 weeks of classroom instruction, the Walla Walla Police Department's Community Police Academy concluded on March 19. The class is an opportunity for residents to learn from every division in the department about how WWPD operates. The concluding session is always one of the most fun and exciting, as participants are able to see all the tools that SWAT and drone operators have. Shown here, the class observes the night-vision capabilities of the department's drone.

In March, WWPD officers had extensive training in the PIT maneuver. This is a law-enforcement pursuit tactic in which a pursuing vehicle forces another vehicle to turn sideways abruptly, causing the driver to lose control and stop. The goal is to have tools trained and available in the event officers need to stop a dangerous individual from continuing to put the community at risk.

The City is currently hiring for a variety of full-time and part-time positions, including temporary employees in Public Works, Parks and Recreation, and more. For details and to apply, visit our Human Resources page.