Articles written by Michele Smith
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Benjamin Orozco sentenced to thirty-six years and three months for crimes committed in a 1996 shooting
DAYTON-Benjamin Orozco has been sentenced to a gross total of 447 months at a maximum-security prison for the second-degree murder of Lance Terry and the first-degree assault of David Eaton, in a shoo...
Volunteers and donations from the community keep the spirit of St. Vincent de Paul alive in Dayton
DAYTON-If you are looking for gently used clothing, appliances, furniture, toys and games, jewelry, books, appliances, and much more, you don't have to look much further than the St. Vincent de Paul...
Telepsychiatry now available at Blue Mountain Counseling
DAYTON-The ability to deliver quality behavioral health services to southeastern Washington communities just got a boost when Blue Mountain Counseling of Columbia County, added telepsychiatry to its...
Columbia County Commissioners adopt $13.6 million budget for 2020
DAYTON—The Board of County Commissioners have adopted their budgets for next year, and there are some things the budget will allow and some things the budget won’t allow. One thing the county...
CCHS owes CMS less than the $1.5 million originally thought
DAYTON—The Columbia County Hospital (CCHS) Board of Commissioners heard a bit of good financial news at their December meeting. The Finance Committee received an adjustment letter from their...
Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy meeting held in Dayton
DAYTON—The Conference Room at Fire District 3 was crowded with community stakeholders for the Port’s annual Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) meeting, which took place on Dec....
Board of County Commissioners Report
DAYTON—At last week’s city council meeting the Friends of the Community Center President Vicki Zoller spoke about the importance of getting a community center/pool or pool feasibility study done....
Prevention is the goal for the Coalition for Youth and Families
DAYTON—Chelsey Eaton, Columbia County’s Public Health Wellness Initiative/Coalition Coordinator, is leading the charge to help the members of the Coalition for Youth and Families to craft and implement a strategic plan to educate the community...
The Club offers a safe, comfortable environment for youth in the afterschool hours
DAYTON—Jim Pearson manages the afterschool program in Dayton called the Club. When Jim Pearson first started working at the Club in September 2018, the goal for the afterschool program was to...
Project Timothy is Dayton's local organization for people in need
DAYTON-For somebody traveling through Dayton whose car has broken down and who is without funds to spend the night, there is help. For someone who needs help with rent, utilities, prescriptions,...
Dayton considers the benefits of treating wastewater discharge through natural methods
DAYTON- Plans for the City's proposed wastewater treatment plant have evolved over the past year from a dry land application method of treating wastewater discharge, to consideration of a wastewater...
Dayton's Christmas Kickoff
Dayton's the town that still believes. Once again the reindeer were out and the bells were jingling!...
Columbia County Rural Library District addresses wheelchair mobility issues
DAYTON—There are issues with wheelchair mobility for some patrons at the Dayton Memorial Library, and Librarian Dusty Waltner is aware and has been concerned about them, she said. For instance, the...
Dayton Development Task Force is asking you to consider putting your B&O tax dollars to work locally
DAYTON-The Dayton Development Task Force (DDTF) is asking businesses to donate a portion of their B&O taxes to help with projects that contribute to economic development, in the core of Dayton's...
Christmas Kicks off in Dayton Nov. 29 and 30
DAYTON-"The Town That Still Believes" will celebrate the eleventh annual Christmas Kickoff, on Fri., Nov. 29 and Sat. Nov. 30. From early Friday morning, until the end of the day on Saturday the town...
Report from the Board of County Commissioners
DAYTON—On Monday the Board of County Commissioners passed a resolution of intent to adopt legislation authorizing a Sales and Use tax to be used for affordable and supportive housing in accordance w...
Citizens instrumental in bringing Dayton back from the abyss in the early 80s
DAYTON-"The importance of historic preservation cannot be overstated," said Marcene Hendrickson when she spoke at the Dayton Chamber Awards Banquet, on Nov. 7. "It is not just about a way to save old...
Dayton City Council Update
DAYTON—City of Dayton Mayor Zac Weatherford presented the 2020 Preliminary Budget at last week’s city council meeting. The proposed budget for 2020 is $7,058,033 million, which is .3 percent less...
Dayton Chamber celebrates excellence in the community
DAYTON-The Dayton Chamber's Community Choice Award for 2019 Citizen of the Year was presented to Liz Carson, for the decades she has spent researching and documenting Columbia County history. Ginny...
Dayton voters say yes to Mayor Weatherford and Dain Nysoe on the city council
DAYTON—Zac Weatherford will serve a four-year term as Dayton’s mayor beginning on January 1, 2020, according to unofficial results from last week’s general election. Weatherford received 66.49%...
Blue Mountain Regional Trails Plan stakeholders receive 2019 Smart Communities, Smart Partnership award from Gov. Jay Inslee
WALLA WALLA-The Blue Mountain Regional Trails Plan has garnered the 2019 Smart Communities, Smart Partnership award from Washington State Governor Jay Inslee. Over thirty stakeholders were on hand to...
Women were Columbia County Extension Agents, too
DAYTON-Dayton resident Carol Anderson was also a county extension agent, in the Dayton Office. Anderson said she wasn't the only female county agent, here. Rosealee Boyd, and Faye Rainwater served...
Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers visited with Columbia County Commissioners on Monday
DAYTON-On Monday, Columbia County Commissioners Mike Talbott, Ryan Rundell and Chuck Amerein had the opportunity to visit with Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, topics under discussion included th...
Friends of the Community Center looking forward
DAYTON—The Friends of the Community Center’s President Vicki Zoller said their group should hear by mid-November whether, or not they will be awarded a $20,000 grant from the Wildhorse...
TVAC opens their 19th fall musical production Nov. 14 with Mary Poppins
DAYTON-The Touchet Valley Arts Council's 2019 fall musical Mary Poppins promises to be supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. Director Elizabeth Arebalos-Jagelsi said, "It's epic and different than any...
