The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON—Columbia County Hospital System (CCHS) CEO Shane McGuire is concerned about how the Flood of 2020, COVID-19, wildfires, and the smoke from them, is impacting the emotional health of CCHS e...

Landowner participation is crucial COLUMBIA COUNTY-Columbia County is in the beginning stages of gathering the data required to determine if the Voluntary Stewardship Program has met its initial goals...

DAYTON—Despite economic challenges, building activity in Columbia County and neighboring jurisdictions is going strong, according to Columbia County Planning Manager Dena Martin. In her department u...

Thursday morning, I met up with my friend and local businesswoman, Regina, to have breakfast at Locally Nourished in Dayton. As soon as I drove up and parked in front of this café, I felt welcomed...

Stubble and Clouds, 2020. A beautiful fall landscape, photographed from Middle Waitsburg Road by local photographer and accomplished home chef, Bill Rodgers....

DAYTON-The Columbia County Public Health Administrator shared information about COVID-19 at last week's meeting of the Board of County Commissioners, and it was mostly positive. Martha Lanman said the...

DAYTON—Shane Laib is leasing the building at 262 East Main Street for use as an indoor marketplace. For the past several months, he has been busy with painting, installing new carpet and lighting, a...

DAYTON-Librarian Kristie Korslund said Dayton Memorial Library staff attended a conference on Space Planning Progress last November. They learned about traffic flow and how to maximize patron...

DAYTON-Kim Clark, General Manager of Bluewood Ski Resort, said the forecast is for a "good, strong snowfall all winter long," and he is keeping his fingers crossed. Clark said the goal for the upcomin...

DAYTON-Dayton is becoming a magnet for people who are attracted to the rural lifestyle. Dayton Chamber of Commerce Manager Molly Weatherill-Tate said a couple from Colorado recently moved to Dayton,...

DAYTON—City Administrator Trina Cole provided the Dayton City Council with an update about the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) project at last week’s council meeting. “We are moving forward with...

DAYTON-Things looked a little different at the Columbia County Fair last weekend. There were no spectators, still-life exhibits or fair food, but that didn't stop the livestock classes or sale....

DAYTON—In the aftermath of the Flood of 2020, and during the COVID-19 shutdown, Columbia County Commissioner Mike Talbott expressed the following sentiment. “All we need now is a trifecta.” Talbo...

DAYTON—Columbia County Prosecuting Attorney Dale Slack said it took jurors just 45 minutes to return a verdict of Guilty of Assault in the First Degree in the trial for the State vs. William F...

DAYTON—On Tuesday of last week, Columbia County Commissioner Ryan Rundell reached out to the Times to present the County’s side of the story regarding talks with the City of Dayton for law enf...

DAYTON—Dayton School District Superintendent Guy Strot presented updates on the opening of schools to the board of directors at their workshop last week. “The beginning of the school year has been rel...

DAYTON—Who is caring for the kiddos when mom and dad go back to work, now that there are only two licensed daycare providers in Dayton, Susan’s Home Daycare and Demaris Daycare? Demaris Daycare is...

Recently the Liberty Theater in Dayton received a message from a woman in Walla Walla: "My friend told me she was getting rid of some old puppets that belonged to her parents. She said she was going...

DAYTON-Whiskey and brandy distiller "Rusty" Figgins has sold XO Alambic to a large distillery, in the Salem, Ore. area, and he is moving with his family to the Isle of Man, U.K., where he will be the...

DAYTON—The Port of Columbia held a public information meeting last week to share the results of a broadband feasibility study with the public and to answer questions. Fifty-seven people attended t...

DAYTON—The Dayton City Council is seeking mediation with the County over the Interlocal Agreement (ILA) for Law Enforcement, Dispatch, and Court services after talks have stalled. The decision was m...

DAYTON-The Texaco truck stop at 533 W. Main St. is now open for business as the Shop 'n Go 2. The new owners are Gurmit Ghuman, Victor Virk, and Paul Soh, and they held a grand opening for their...

DAYTON—Last week, the Hospital District board of commissioners was invited by Commissioner Bob Hutchens to share their thoughts about whether some of the remaining Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economi...

DAYTON-The separation from family and friends and decreased socialization with each other have been difficult for Booker Rest Home residents since the facility was locked down in March to protect its...