Tri-Cities’ last stop for collectible car parts is for sale

By Laura Kostad for Senior Times

A sturdy man, long of beard and hair, walked before a lineup of American metal, wearing an insulated plaid flannel, reinforced work pants secured by a GMC belt buckle, and dusty engineer’s boots.

A late model Audi pulled up and a man leaned across the console to call out the window, “Are you Dan?”

“I am,” he replied, and they began talking cars and parts.

“I have to keep a low profile,” said Dan Stafford after the car pulled away.

“That happens a lot.”

Stafford is the longtime owner of Dan’s Garage in Kennewick. It’s tucked in alongside Twin City Metals and between two sets of railroad tracks in an old Union 76 Gas Station, fronted by a row of aging muscle cars spanning the decades.

After over 40 years of collecting an extensive repository of automobile history from around the Northwest and more than 4,000 vehicles passing through his yard, Stafford said it’s time to pass the labor of love on to someone new. He’s ready to sell the business. Behind the unassuming old gas sta- tion stretches stacked antique and vintage car bodies and parts, some outside, some in outbuildings, all meticulously labeled and identified with wax pencil and organized by type of part.

Once upon a time, there were homes on the property. Their long-ago tree plantings now tower over, dropping leaves on the vehicles preserved by the dry climate.

It’s a 2.5-acre car restorer’s paradise, especially for General Motors enthusiasts.

“It’s kind of like an amusement park, except all the rides are broken,” Stafford quipped.

The 71-year-old said wrecking yards devoted to restoration are a vanishing species.

“Sometimes the property gets too valuable to stay in business. They sell off and the buyer usually has the cars crushed up and the ground cleaned up and that’s the end of it. Sometimes I don’t hear about it until it’s too late. A lot of great stuff has been lost that way,” he said somberly.

“If you want a wrecking yard, it’s easier to buy an existing one than to start a new one. Zoning has to be

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Making albums and moving on The quartet — which included tenors Ron Hicklin and Stan Farber and baritone Bob Zwirn, along with Rolla — also made albums. The first was a Western album for Capitol Records called “Along the Trail.”

On the cover, Rolla and the crew — decked out in cowboy hats, with Rolla in the white shirt — are described as “a smooth new singing group from out of the west.”

The albums “Love is a Gamble” and “Mike Fright! The Eligibles at Vegas’ New Frontier,” for Capitol Records and Mercury Records, respectively, followed.

The group also was featured on a number of other releases, backing up artists including Sonny James. They appeared on the small screen, including in “The Danny Thomas Show,” where they performed as a singing telegram group, and on a variety show hosted by Bob Newhart. And, they’re in the clas-

Chiawana High School’s plant sale is May 5-6

Chiawana High School’s plant sale is from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday, May 5, and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, May 6. Students will be selling hanging sic movie “The Music Man,” singing in the background.

It was a thrilling time— personally as well as professionally.

While in Los Angeles, Rolla fell in love.

He performed one last gig with The Eligibles before going off to get married, and it was memorable. They sang on a cruise ship to Hawaii. “Our payment was, we had the ride over and then we stayed in Hawaii for about four weeks and performed there” before sailing back to California, Rolla said.

A new chapter

After The Eligibles, Rolla signed on with The Johnny Mann Singers.

“We sang up in Lake Tahoe, at the Cal Neva (resort and casino), with a fellow, Vince Edwards. Then we went to the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. Then after singing with Johnny Mann for a while, I went with Jimmy Wakely,” another star of the era, Rolla recalled.

When his kids came along — he’s baskets, annuals and perennials, succulents, veggies, herbs and geraniums.

The plants sold during the sale are all grown and cared for by agriculture students throughout the school year. Students gain hands-on experience by planting seedlings at the beginning of the year, using techniques learned in horticulture classes to nurture the plants to full bloom.

The sale is at the school, 8125 W. Argent Road, Pasco.

Cash or credit cards are accepted.

All proceeds will go to supporting student activities through the national FFA organization and school agriculture programs.

Vietnamese Heritage Day scheduled for May 6

A Vietnamese Heritage Day event is planned from 2-4:30 p.m. May 6 at Chúa Việt Nam, 1105 N. 26th Ave., Pasco.

The event will include a founding fathers commemoration, an exhibition on the culture and ancient history of Vietnam, speeches, slideshows, musical videos, a proclamation from the city of Pasco, and food and beverages.

There’s no charge for admission, although donations are welcome.

The event is presented by the TriCities Vietnamese Buddhist Association and the VietnameseAmerican Senior Association of Spokane.

Participants 50 and over sought for research study

The WSU Neuropsychology and Aging Lab is seeking participants 50 and over for research studies that can be done remotely or at home.

dad to son Hans and daughter Kristine with his first wife — he moved into film editing. That career eventually took him back to the Seattle area, and then Alaska. Rolla also spent time in Oregon before settling in the Tri-Cities, where he lives with his significant other, Karen.

He has five grandchildren.

Rolla is a leader in the local Sons of Norway lodge, where he celebrates his Norwegian heritage.

And music remains a significant part of his life, decades after his time in the spotlight with The Eligibles. He now sings with another group: the choir at Kennewick First Lutheran Church.

Asked why he loves music, Rolla couldn’t help himself.

“It brings that joy, joy, joy, joy down in your heart,” he sang, in that booming bass.

“It’s just joyful,” he added. “I don’t know what else to say about that.”

Participation is free and those who participate in the study receive a cash honorarium and a cognitive assessment report to take to their doctor.

Participants can be cognitively healthy or reporting memory complaints. Those who are hoping to receive help in improving memory are encouraged to participate.

The long-term goal of the work in the lab is to keep older adults functioning independently at home with high quality of life.

The duration of the studies varies. Meetings with researchers are held via Zoom.

Call 509-335-4033 for more information.

Steptoe-Gage intersection construction is underway

Construction is underway on improvements to the Steptoe StreetGage Boulevard intersection in Kennewick.

Work will occur between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. and will require temporary single lane and sidewalk closures northbound between Tucannon Avenue and Gage. Drivers can expect delays and using an alternative route is recommended.

The project will add double left turn lanes, double through lanes and right turn lanes in all directions of the intersection.

The project will consist of widening on all corners of the intersection, new curb, gutter and wider sidewalks, retaining walls, landscape revisions, a new traffic signal, an asphalt overlay and lane striping revisions.

The estimated completion date is January 2024.

For updates, go to: bit.ly/SteptoeWork.