The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON—WSU Extension Agent Paul Carter is retiring, effective Jan. 4, after over fifteen years of service to Columbia County. Carter came to Dayton in April 2005, as a 52-year-old college graduate,...

DAYTON—The Dayton School District board of directors will meet on Friday to determine whether students can safely return to in-person learning on Dec. 7. The board met with Superintendent Guy Strot...

DAYTON—On Sunday, November 22, the Columbia County Public Health Department reported sixteen new positive cases of COVID-19; two cases are associated with Dayton schools. Dayton schools were closed...

DAYTON—Mason Finney, a senior at Dayton High School and the ASB public relations manager, spoke at the Dayton School District board meeting last week. Finney said the middle school and high school...

DAYTON—An employee working in the Booker Rest Home tested positive for COVID-19 last week, which led to mandatory testing of all staff and all residents on Friday, November 20, and again the...

DAYTON—A new five-year Interlocal Agreement (ILA) with the County for Law Enforcement, Dispatch, and District Court services was the main topic of discussion at the Dayton City Council meeting last...

DAYTON—One hundred and nineteen people placed bids during the online silent auction for Brix and Brew Home Edition. Chamber manager Molly Weatherill-Tate said over $24,000 was raised during the...

DAYTON-The Town That Still Believes still does, but because of the COVID-19 situation, things will look a little different this year. Instead of the usual Christmas Kickoff over Thanksgiving weekend,...

DAYTON—Columbia County and the City of Dayton have reached an agreement regarding the terms of an Interlocal Agreement (ILA) for Law Enforcement services, Emergency Management/Dispatch services, and...

DAYTON—After several years of wrangling with Medicaid managed care organizations for underpayments to the Hospital District, Molina Healthcare has come through with a substantial payment. CCHS CEO...

DAYTON— In March of 2018, Columbia County, the City of Dayton, and the Town of Starbuck entered into interlocal agreements for the 2019 Regional Comprehensive Plan Update, with Columbia County...

DAYTON-Mandi Wendt has announced the closure of the Weinhard Café and Bakery. Wendt said in a Facebook post, there is more to running a small restaurant than just serving people. The time spent...

DAYTON—There are six new cases of COVID-19 since Tuesday, October 29, as reported by Public Health Administrator Martha Lanman to the County Board of Health on Monday. She said the six cases in...

DAYTON-Columbia County Emergency Management Director Ashley Strickland usually devotes ninety percent of his working time to the E911 Dispatch Center and the remaining ten percent to emergency...

DAYTON—Only the top seven applicants out of a field of thirty have been chosen to receive funding from the Washington State Public Works Board for their broadband projects. The Port of Columbia was...

DAYTON—Dayton School District Superintendent Guy Strot talked about the effect the COVID-19 challenge was having on staff and students when he addressed the school board at last week’s meeting....

DAYTON-Since he was hired in Dec. 2018 as the Columbia County Engineer and Public Works Director, Charles Eaton finds himself wearing more hats than ever. His responsibilities include multiple...

DAYTON—County Treasurer Carla Rowe presented the third-quarter financial statement to the Board of Columbia County Commissioners last week. She provided them with the following predictions based on...

DAYTON—Mike Ferrians has resigned as the manager of the Liberty Theater. Management of the theater will be by committee, for the time being, according to Dave Molesh, Touchet Valley Arts Council...

DAYTON-Trina Cole, Administrator for the City of Dayton, told attendees at the city council meeting last week about plans for city and county representatives to enter into mediation over the terms of...

STARBUCK-Gerry Grubbs has been hired by the Starbuck School District as the next superintendent to take over for retiring superintendent Kevin Graffis. What does he think of Starbuck? "It is a...

DAYTON—Dayton School District Superintendent Guy Strot talked about some loosening of school sports restrictions by the state when the Dayton School District Board of Directors met in a work session...

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...

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...