Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Sorted by date Results 501 - 525 of 792
DAYTON – The Columbia County Commissioners and the Dayton Country Club Golf Board have been meeting to discuss contracts and agreements and to establish policies to satisfy state requirements that the county not gift public funds to the golf course operations. The county's maintenance department manager, Dave Finney, summed it up: "The subsidization by the county is too much. What is the responsibility of the county and stakeholders, so it is not so burdensome to the general taxpayer? We need to...
DAYTON – A public hearing for the proposed Six-Year Transportation Improvement Program 2018-23, the proposed 2018 County Arterial Preservation Program, and the proposed 2018 Annual Construction Program, will be held on Dec. 4, as set by the BOCC in October. County Engineer Andrew Woods said funding has been secured for the first six projects on the TIP. Number one on the TIP list is the South Touchet Road Project, which calls for improving the intersections at Harting Grade Road and Robinette Mo...
DAYTON--Ladies grab your daughters, sisters, mothers, and friends and head out for some fun on Monday, between 5 and 8 p.m., for Dayton's annual Ladies Night Out event. The idea for Ladies Night Out originated at a quilt shop called the Hawthorne Gallery, owned by Patti Eaton. Ladies would stop by the shop for wine and appetizers, and create a wish list for Christmas and for other occasions for family members to fill, said Village Shoppes owner Candy Jones. It has been an annual tradition ever...
DAYTON—There will be a public meeting at 6 p.m. on Wed., Nov. 29 in the Dayton High School auditorium to discuss the DW athletic combine. An update will be given by the combine committee, with a question and answer period to follow. “The committee has agreed upon many parts of the combine, including how to hire coaches, where some of the practices and contests will be held, and how to deal with mascots, name and colors. More work needs to be done as the combine becomes closer to reality for the...
Wildmans hope new gathering spot will preserve history and create jobs STARBUCK-When Carol and Floyd Wildman open a restaurant in the century-old building at 211 Main Street in Starbuck, they hope to provide a much-needed gathering place and create a few jobs for some local people. Carol Wildman said the building was originally the Starbuck Drug Store and was owned and operated by Vernon Whiting and Son until 1926 when the building was purchased by the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and was...
DAYTON-The City of Dayton is known as "The Town that Still Believes" and to celebrate, the Dayton Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring the 11th annual Christmas Kickoff, which will take place on Fri., Nov. 24, and on Sat., Nov.25. From early Friday morning, until the end of the day on Saturday, the town will come alive with fun-filled activities for everyone, young and old. This year Santa's workshop will be at 250 E. Main St. from 1 - 5:30 .pm. on Friday, and from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Saturday....
DAYTON – The Board of Columbia County Commissioners is in the process of deciding how to fill Director Kim Lyonnais’ position at the county Building and Planning Department after Lyonnais retired from the county two weeks ago. Commissioner Norm Passmore said the BOCC is looking at a couple of ideas, including hiring someone new to replace Lyonnais or just going with the staff already at the department. Passmore emphasized the importance of providing the planning and permitting needs of the cou...
DAYTON-The Dayton Chamber of Commerce held its annual awards banquet last Thursday at the fairgrounds Pavilion. The Chamber's Citizen of the Year Award was presented to Paula Moisio by city councilwoman Kathy Berg. Berg said Moisio had an outpouring of support for her nomination, because of her dedication to the Dayton School District, where she is the business manager, and for her volunteer work with the Blue Mountain Heritage Society and with the American Legion. "It seems every community...
DAYTON--Mayor Craig George presented the budget for 2018 at last week’s council meeting. Changes to the budget are possible pending contract negotiations with the union, he said. Chamber Director Justin Nix presented his third-quarter report to the council. Nix said marketing is working well. An email blast about Christmas Kickoff went out to 40,000 people in Pacific Northwest and there were 970 hits within two days, he said. Bookings at both hotels were made within three days of the blast a...
DAYTON – Gary Snyder, owner of Christy’s Realty in Dayton, said there has been a slight uptick in home sales since Columbia Pulp at Lyons Ferry broke ground in October. There have been a few sales to Columbia Pulp department heads, but most sales have been to people who are downsizing, are new to the area, and are here for jobs, or retirement. “It’s a little bit of everything,” Snyder said. Snyder said he showed one property to two prospective buyers and had bids from both before he got the p...
DAYTON – Staff at the WSU Dayton Extension Office are concerned that membership in 4-H could dwindle after the WSU Youth and Families Program enacted a $25 per-member annual enrollment fee beginning on Oct. 1, 2017. All enrolled 4-H youth ages 5 through 19 are now charged the fee, according to WSU Dayton Extension Agent Paul Carter. Five dollars of the $25 fee will be allocated to the county to support 4-H programing at the local level. The remaining $20 will be used by the Washington State 4...
DAYTON – If you have ever thought about training as an Emergency Medical Technician, Fire District No. 3 will be more than happy to help out, provided you make a two-year volunteer commitment to the district after certification. The shortage of EMTs is real, said Dayton Fire District No. 3 Chief Fire Chief Jeromy Phinney. Phinney said he is hoping to have a new resident program at fire department headquarters up and running by the first of the year, and new trainees will be able to stay and gain...
Board Looks at Budget and Renovations DAYTON-The first reading of the preliminary budget for 2018 was held at the Public Health District board meeting in October. The commissioners have approved a special meeting for November 15, at 3 p.m. in the Administration Board Room at Dayton General Hospital for the second reading and adoption of the 2018 budget. Palliative care Stephanie Carpenter, RN, CNO talked about progress on the development of the new Palliative Care program at CCHS, targeted for 2...
DAYTON-Lyons Ferry Marina employees held a going away potluck at the marina on Sunday for Jim and Angela McArthur, the port's concessionaire at the KOA there for the past nine years. Seven K's Enterprises of Washington, Inc., whose president is Steve Klontz, is stepping in as the new KOA concessionaire, and Joanne and Wally Knouf will manage the day-by-day operations, said Port Manager Jennie Dickinson. The port has signed a long-term lease with the corporation, she said. Speaking at the gatheri...
DAYTON – Brad McMaster's last civic activity in Dayton will be handing out candy to kids on Main Street during Halloween, and it will also be his last day on the job. McMasters, who has been the Economic Development Coordinator for the Port of Columbia County since Feb. 2015, said he will join United Way of Walla Walla as the Director of Development on November 13. "So much of the work in economic development is capacity building and community development and making the community a more vital an...
McMasters also announced that Melissa Weatherford is leaving her position as the Blue Mountain Station market manager, for a job with the veteran's administration in Walla Walla. "This new opportunity will offer her more quality time with her family, benefits and security," McMasters said in his most recent BMS E-Newsletter. McMasters said, "Change is hard, and change can be scary (both Melissa and I are feeling that), but as Bernard Shaw wrote, 'Progress is impossible without change.'"...
DAYTON—In October, the Board of Columbia County Commissioners received exit recommendations from personnel with the state auditor’s office, for the audit period Jan, 1, 2015 – Dec. 31, 2016. There were no significant deficiencies or material weaknesses for cash, revenues, and expenditures, and controls were in place to ensure financial statements are materially correct, and which had no material misstatements, according to the auditors. It was recommended that the county work to track internal t...
DAYTON—Speaking before the Board of County Commissioners at last week’s regular board meeting on Mon., Oct.16, County Planner Meagan Bailey said some language was changed in the county’s Facilities Improvement Plan regarding potential impacts to the horse stalls ‘in order to be sensitive to the wishes of a select group”. Bailey also said language had been added stating, “The County will not and does not have any intention of competing with local enterprise regarding a possible RV Park.” The fairgrounds RV Park will only be open and available...
DAYTON-Since being elected to the Dayton City Council in 2000, nobody has run against her, until now, said Kathy Berg. Dayton business owner Kyle Anderson is in the running for that position. Kathy Berg Berg said the most important skill she brings to the city is her years of experience. Even before she was elected to the city council eighteen years ago, Berg said she attended council meetings to try and understand the issues. Berg said she has been on most of the committees and she has always...
DAYTON—At the outset of last week’s school board meeting, two candidates for the position vacated by Dan Andrews were interviewed by the Board of Directors. The candidates, Fred White and Amy Rosenberg, were asked a series of five questions regarding the role of the school board, the role of an individual on the school board, and how best to build relationship between the board and the community. They were also asked to identify the issues and challenges facing the board, and explain why the...
DAYTON--If passed by voters in Columbia County, Proposition 1 will provide for ongoing, stable funding for improvements, and maintenance of the county’s emergency response radio system and 911 emergency services operation through a county-wide sales and use tax of one-tenth of one percent. For every ten-dollar retail purchase, Columbia County would receive 1 cent in sales tax. The impact to the average household is approximately $1 each month, or $12 a year,” according to Emergency Man...
DAYTON - County Planning and Building Department Director Kim Lyonnais came before the Dayton City Council last week seeking approval to proceed with a proposed change in the Urban Growth Area (UGA) Boundary. Lyonnaise presented a plan to remove from the existing UGA, 19.07 acres located downstream from the waste water treatment plant and partially in the river, and 20.51 acres, where the county's public works department and rock quarry are located. The plan adds to the UGA roughly 32 acres...
The Blue Mountain Station Food Co-op Market partnered with Dayton Kiwanis and the Dayton Chamber of Commerce for Saturday's Oktoberfest festivities at the Blue Mountain Station. The event was the most well-attended event the Co-op has organzied at the Food Park. Approximately 300 meals were served and 150 souvenir glasses were purchased in the beer garden, with people visiting from across the state, according to Port of Columbia Economic Development Coordinator Brad McMasters...
DAYTON--Kurt Campbell is in his counting house, counting out his money after cracking a floor safe he found in the basement of Woody's Bar & Grill, thirteen years ago. Campbell cracked the safe as part of his Century Celebration at the restaurant and lounge, which took place during the Dayton on Tour festivities. To his amazement there were numerous old quarters, dimes, pennies and silver dollars inside, he said. Campbell said there was a total of 152 silver dollars, the oldest of which was a...
DAYTON--When local artist Steve Henderson was an art student at Central Washington University in the 1980s, the emphasis was placed on fine art. "The attitude was that working in commercial art would destroy an artist," Henderson said. Over the years, Henderson and his wife and manager, Carolyn Henderson, have found a way to meld the two. Carolyn said changes in technology are allowing Henderson's original fine art to be easily accessible to anyone through print on demand. Henderson's career as...
