Articles written by michele smith
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Feasibility study shows how to turn the childcare desert to into an oasis
DAYTON—A 2020“Washington Child Care Industry Assessment” sponsored by the Washington Department of Commerce characterizes Walla Walla and Columbia counties as childcare “deserts.” This means 96-...
Vaccinating health care workers a slow process in Columbia County
DAYTON—A question on the minds of many in our community is why the Columbia County Health System (CCHS) does not require its employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Back in January, CCHS e...
Things will be different when school begins in Dayton on Aug. 24
DAYTON--Guy Strot sat down with me last week to talk about his first year as the Dayton School District Superintendent and Elementary School Principal and his thoughts about the upcoming 2021-22...
Port of Columbia recipient of $2 million grant for broadband
DAYTON—The Port of Columbia has taken a significant leap forward in its quest to bring broadband, high-speed internet access to the local community. In Olympia last week, the Port’s Executive Dir...
Dayton City Council approves ILA with Columbia County for Planning Services
DAYTON—The Dayton City Council has passed a resolution authorizing Mayor Zac Weatherford to execute an Interlocal Agreement (ILA) between Columbia County and the City of Dayton for temporary P...
Future staffing at City Hall discussed in a special meeting
DAYTON-A special City Council meeting took place on Wednesday, June 30, to discuss future staffing at Dayton City Hall. The meeting was scheduled in the aftermath of the termination of the City...
Uncertainty after termination of key employees at Dayton City Hall
DAYTON-It has been two weeks since Dayton Mayor Zac Weatherford terminated the employment of the City Administrator, Trina Cole, the Planning and Community Development Director, Meagan Hayes, and the...
Hospital board report for April
DAYTON—The Hospital District’s board of commissioners have authorized a request from Columbia County Health System (CCHS) CEO Shane McGuire to spend $250,000 from CARES Act funds allocated to the Dis...
Free Little Libraries are popping up everywhere
DAYTON-Perhaps you have noticed the Free Little Libraries located at Steve's Grocery and the Dayton Historic Depot. There is another one in Starbuck, which is soon to be relocated to the Starbuck...
Dayton School District board meeting in April
DAYTON—June 5, at 1 p.m., has been tentatively selected for this year’s senior class graduation ceremony, according to DSD Supt. Guy Strot, at last week’s school board meeting. Strot was short on deta...
Touchet Valley Trail information meeting well attended
DAYTON-On Monday, as many as 101 people attended the Port of Columbia Touchet Valley Trail (TVT) information meeting and to ask questions of the presenters. Brian Hansen, Principal Engineer for...
Port discusses trail meeting, Columbia Pulp, broadband
DAYTON—The Port of Columbia Executive Director Jennie Dickinson reminded those in attendance at the Port Commissioners meeting last week about the Touchet Valley Bike Trail informational meeting, w...
Dayton City Council report for April
DAYTON—Vicki Zoller from the Friends of the Dayton Community Center was a special guest at the Dayton City Council meeting last week. Zoller said fundraising efforts for the feasibility study for the...
One new case of COVID-19 in Columbia County
DAYTON—Only one COVID-19 vaccine clinic was scheduled this week. That clinic took place at the county fairgrounds on Tuesday, when 91-second doses of the Pfizer vaccine were administered. S...
CCHS participating in group studying regional childcare issues
DAYTON-There will be a licensed daycare vacuum in Dayton, when the only current licensed provider drops out of the business at the end of June, said Paul Ihle, a Community Health Worker for the C...
New concessionaires at the Touchet Valley Golf Course restaurant
DAYTON-If you find you love the food prepared by Sid Highsmith and Nathanial Steen at Blazin Burgers, you should let them know so they will be encouraged to stay. Steen said when the golf course...
Pending legislation has the county treasurer scratching her head
DAYTON—Columbia County Treasurer Carla Rowe believes the duty of the treasurer’s office is to collect taxes, not to make judgments on who is, or who is not, qualified for delinquent tax def...
For the love of Dayton
When I first landed in Dayton in 2012, I didn’t know anybody and wasn’t sure how I was going to find out anything about my new community. I got my first insight into the community through reading a c... Full story
FCZD update on flood damage repair
DAYTON-Work to remove sediment from the Touchet River, in the area of the Hwy. 12 and railroad bridges and the confluence of the Patit Creek, is on hold until the Columbia County Flood Control Zone...
Local Prosecuting Attorney drafts ordinance to replace overthrown possession law
DAYTON—Columbia County Prosecuting Attorney Dale Slack has wasted no time heading off a headache for local law enforcement due to the State Supreme Court ruling Washington State v. Blake on F...
County Commissioner Ryan Rundell speaks to the city's reluctance to approve ILA
DAYTON—At their meeting on March 10, the Dayton City Council expressed reluctance to sign the Interlocal Agreement (ILA) with the County for Law Enforcement, Dispatch, and Municipal Court services. C...
New deputies hired in the Sheriff's Office
DAYTON-The Columbia County Sheriff Office has hired David Walling and Riley Conahan as new deputies for the county. David Walling was raised in the Ellensburg area, graduating from Kittitas High...
Dayton School District board meeting report
DAYTON—At the Dayton School District (DSD) board meeting last week, Superintendent Guy Strot provided a COVID-19 update, impact to the athletic program, how federal COVID relief funds will be s...
Washington State v. Blake has big impact on communities
Columbia County Prosecutor looks for options to mitigate ruling's impact on county. DAYTON—On Feb. 25, the Washington State Supreme Court struck down as unconstitutional a law that makes it a f...
City, County, and FCZD on board with plans for emergent removal of sediment from the Touchet River
DAYTON—The Flood Control Zone District (FCZD) board of supervisors and the manager, Charles Eaton, are meeting before the regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) on t...
