Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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DAYTON-Shellie McLeod brings her experience as an innkeeper to her new job as Events and Membership Coordinator for the Dayton Historic Depot Museum and the Boldman House Museum. She said she worked at the Weinhard Hotel for Dan and Ginny Butler for ten years, before she and her husband, Gary, bought the hotel from the Butlers in 2008. "As an innkeeper I organized events for our guests such as Murder Mystery Weekends, private retreats for clubs and organizations, as well as weddings, memorials,...
One of the Dayton Depot Gallery exhibits this year is called “Romping in the Blues,” and features photos, camping gear and journal entries from the early 1900s. Membership and Events Coordinator Shellie McLeod has kicked that off on Facebook with a Caption Contest. This photo from the G.F. Jackson Family Photo Album from 1910, yielded the most likes for Paisley DeSiga’s caption, which read “When It Came to Setting Up Camp, Harold was always draggin’ his behind.” DeSiga won a $10 gift card t...
DAYTON—On Tuesday, Martha Lanman, Columbia County’s Public Health Director, discussed the Health Department’s response and activities regarding COVID-19 with the Board of County Commissioners. She stated that there has only been one positive case of COVID-19 in Columbia County as of March 30. This individual has since recovered. Thirty-five tests have come back negative and there is one test pending. The department goal is to “be prepared”, she said. Department staff has been getting the word...
DAYTON—Washington State Governor Jay Inslee’s March 15th proclamation calling for the mandatory closure of bars, restaurants, recreational facilities and large social gatherings, is scheduled to run through March 31. The Port of Columbia County’s Executive Director, Jennie Dickinson and the Dayton Chamber Manager, Molly Weatherill-Tate, are busy locating resources for business owners who are impacted by the closures and are making a plea to the community to shop locally. “Many local busines...
DAYTON—Government, businesses, and services are being impacted by COVID-19. Here’s a run- down of impacts: On March 18 the Dayton City Council closed the Dayton City Public Works Facility and the City Hall to the general public. Permit applications, and other City business can be conducted via telephone at: (509) 382-2361. Utility bills can be placed in the payment drop box located along the alleyway adjacent to the City Hall. The City will waive any late fees for utility accounts as a result of...
DAYTON—The thought never crossed my mind that COVID-19 would infect anybody at the senior living center where my 92-year-old mother lives. I just didn’t think it was likely because most of the infections have been concentrated on the West side of the state. But, last week an 80-year-old resident at the Bonaventure of Tri-Cities, senior living community in Richland, Wash., where Mom lives, died after contracting the infection probably through travel to the West side of the state. Mom said she...
DAYTON-Jeanne Walter, Coach of the FIRST Tech Challenge and Columbia County 4-H leader, said the 4-H Robotics Club will be focused on fundraising activities during the 2020-21 school year. The Club will need to pay for new robot parts, controllers, a 3-D printer, and state and national registration fees, so they can continue to compete in local, state, and national robotic competitions. To help offset costs, there will be an 'Egg Your Yard' fundraiser for Easter Sunday. For twenty dollars the...
DAYTON—On Monday, March 16, Dayton Schools Superintendent Doug Johnson announced Dayton schools, athletics, activities, and clubs are closed to student participation beginning on Tuesday, Mar. 17 through Friday, April 24. In his statement to the community Johnson said, “We know this mandated closure may create hardships for many families, and we plan to do our best to serve you during these challenging times.” Johnson said parent teacher conferences will most likely take place remotely, via p...
DAYTON—Special Guest Juan Sanchez, Columbia County Census Coordinator, discussed Census 2020 at the Dayton City Council meeting on March 11. Sanchez said census letters will be mailed out in mid-April and will provide a website for people to answer the ten questions asked. He said a paper form can be requested. If necessary, an enumerator will come to the door in person. Sanchez said he doesn’t like to use fear as a tactic to get people to fill out the census. “If we can help people fill it ou...
DAYTON-"I'm very excited to become part of the Port family. I have a lot of great ideas and creativity and look forward to working with other community partners in Dayton," said the Port's new economic coordinator Jennifer DeLannoy. DeLannoy has many years of retail and restaurant management experience under her belt. She also has experience in accounting and finance and is working toward a BA in Accounting. For the last six years DeLannoy has been a small business owner, marketing Kid Hub. She...
The Department of Health (DOH) advises taking the same preventative measures as those for the prevention of viruses during the regular cold and flu season, with the following guidelines: The most important thing is to stay home if you are sick with symptoms such as sore throat, dry cough, fever and shortness of breath. •Proper hand washing is essential. People need to wash their hands, including the back of the hands and between the fingers, for 20 seconds. •Use alcohol-based sanitizers if soa...
DAYTON-Public Health Director Martha Lanman told the county commissioners on Monday that steps are in place to deal with a possible COVID-19 outbreak in Columbia County, and that her department is following guidelines issued by the State Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Board of County Commissioners processed a request by Lanman, which will allow her to hire additional staff and acquire supplies as needed. Lanman said one local person is in the...
DAYTON—During the February meeting of the Hospital District commissioners, Columbia County Health System CEO Shane McGuire said John McLean of Blue Room Architecture in Spokane has submitted the sole bid for architecture services for the planned dental office project. The dental clinic for Medicaid patients will be located at the Columbia Family Clinic, adjacent to the hospital. McGuire said construction bids will be solicited, shortly. The clinic should be operational at the end of 2020. A n...
DAYTON-Judi Pilcher is a Kiwanis Club of Dayton Director and she would like people to know the organization is more than just a hamburger cooking organization. They do, however, sell hamburgers and hotdogs, at community events, and they sponsor the annual Turkey Bingo fundraiser, all to help pay for programs for local youth. Pilcher said, with the exception of Club dues, all the money made through fundraising efforts goes to programs for youth. About $18,000 is generated each year through...
DAYTON—During their regular meeting on Tuesday of last week, the Board of Columbia County Commissioners discussed the aftermath of the Feb. 6 flood with County Emergency Management Director Ashley Strickland, and County Public Works Director Charles Eaton. “For as much water as we had, we got lucky. Other than our roads, we really don’t have a ton of damage. We had a lot of houses that had water in them, but not a lot of houses that are total losses. Some need drywall four feet up the wall,...
DAYTON—On Wednesday of last week Mayor Zac Weatherford provided information to the public about the flood damage to city infrastructure. Weatherford said the City has determined there are roughly thirty primary residences along the Patit Creek that sustained damage in the recent flood. Additionally, several areas of the Touchet River levee system have received significant damage. County crews shored up an area of the levee near the Kiddie Pond next to Pietrzycki City Park, but the repair is a t...
DAYTON-The Board of Columbia County Commissioners called a special meeting last Thursday and passed an emergency resolution allowing money to be freed up to purchase materials to help mitigate a possible flood, after water in the North and South Touchet Rivers and Patit Creek began rising faster than usual, because of rapid snow melt caused by rain and warm temperatures. At that meeting Emergency Management Department Director Ashley Strickland told the commissioners the U.S. Army Corps of...
DAYTON—Alicia Walker wants to continue her family’s philosophy of providing organic, locally sourced, nourishing food to the community. Her goal is to open, ‘Locally Nourished’, a new breakfast and lunch café, in the building formerly occupied by Winter Rose Boutique, on Main Street. Until recently, Walker has been the proprietor of a slightly similar business on Main Street called ‘Noble Hunt’ and she is in the process of downsizing from that. She said she is looking forward to occupying th...
DAYTON-Lions Club International (LCI) is the largest and most active community service organization in the world, according to Glen Mendell Vice-president of the Dayton Lions Club. Mendell said the Lions Club motto is "We serve," and they do. There are 1.4 million members in 46,000 clubs, in 210 countries, working to provide people with vision and hearing assistance, to help people dealing with pancreatic cancer, and diabetes and working to reduce hunger. He said the Lions Club International Fou...
WALLA WALLA—Invitations will be sent to residents in Columbia, Garfield and Walla Walla Counties in March asking them to fill out the online 2020 census, according to Juan Sanchez who is the Census 2020 Coordinator for our region. “The portal for people to officially fill out the census opens on March 15,” he said. Failure to complete the census will yield a flurry of follow-up notices, and any households that fail to respond by April 27, will be visited in person, he said. “Right now, recruit...
DAYTON—I suffered from a headache after hanging out in the office of the county commissioners for most of the day, last Tuesday, and I wasn't looking forward to doing another interview. But I had already scheduled one with Lorraine Ortega, the owner of a new spa in Dayton called Purple Sage Day Spa. During our interview, Ortega was kind enough to offer me a complimentary waterless pedicure. How could I say no to that? So, while I kicked back on a heated table and listened to the soothing s...
DAYTON—Columbia County Health Sytstem CEO Shane McGuire has announced plans to fill a gap in care for people who don’t need skilled nursing care, but who fail to thrive at home, with an option for assisted living. The plan is to have two “units” built and located just to the north end of the CCHS campus. This would place residents close to the walking paths and health system resources, such as dietary services, he said. “We have had conversations with more than one developer that would be willin...
DAYTON-Patients who need pre-operative and post-operative orthopedic care can now receive that care from a board-certified orthopedic surgeon, and certified physician assistants, at Dayton General Hospital's Physical Therapy Department. The hospital district has contracted with Lewiston Orthopedics for this service. Physical Therapy Department Manager Michael Schwarz said he approached Columbia County Health System CEO Shane McGuire about a year ago regarding the possibility of bringing...
DAYTON—The Columbia County Health System (CCHS) board of commissioners began their January meeting with a few changes. Wes Leid is now the President of the Commission, taking over from Bob Hutchens. Jim Kime was appointed by the board to fill the remainder of Ken Dyball’s term in District 3. Dyball has resigned from the board, but his term won’t expire until Dec. 31, 2020. This first meeting was a busy one, lasting over two hours. During the meeting the commissioners finalized their monthly cale...
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 shooting that took place in Columbia County, on July 7, 1996. Orozco, now 46 years old, will serve 192 months for the second-degree murder charge, and 123 months for the first-degree assault charge. Each charge carries an additional sixty-month firearm enhancement, and these sentences will run consecuti...
