Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Sorted by date Results 2662 - 2686 of 5638
DAYTON—In late March, the Columbia County Commissioners met with WSU Extension Agent Paul Carter, who presented 2017 annual report. “It’s a bleak picture,” Carter said about cuts to WSU’s budgets, and possible regionalization of extension agents. Columbia County could lose its local extension agent if regionalization of services is put in place by WSU, said Carter. In that case one agent could be serving several counties remotely, Carter said. He said that despite the uncertain future, “It has been a pretty good year. We focus on the needs o...
WAITSBURG – At their regular March meeting, the Waitsburg City Council opened the floor to the public prior to adding an advisory item to the April 3 ballot seeking community input on how to progress with the grandstands at the Waitsburg fairgrounds. "Before we can move onward, we need to move forward," said Mayor Marty Dunn. Dunn explained that the council has been struggling with what to do with the fairgrounds grandstands and gathering information on options for years. He read a letter f...
DAYTON – Commissioner Merle Jackson formally announced last week he will not seek reelection to the Columbia County Board of Commissioners when his term is up at the end of 2018. He has served one term. He said he is finally going to take life a little easier, to enjoy travels with his wife Joelle, and visits with his sons Dave and Mike and their families. When he is not traveling, Jackson said he will be at home going through the barn, the basement, and the garage which are filled with the b...
Before the TV reality show that had little to do with its title, the simple life was one wise people have lived for thousands of years. It involves a lot of thinking, a sense of gratitude, and an appreciation for day-to-day elements which we tend to take for granted – especially in a corporate-based society emphasizing the over possession of advertised products to achieve happiness. But happiness, as Dixie artist Ellen Heath knows, has nothing to do with owning a particular model of car, d...
DAYTON—Capital projects, the athletic combine and the makeup of the hiring committee for prospective coaches were topics at last week’s Dayton School Board meeting. Superintendent Doug Johnson said the district has enough funds allotted to address the remaining capital projects on its list. Yet to be accomplished this year are upgrading the phone system, repairing and replacing the heating system, and replacing the high school roof. Johnson said 75 phones are to be installed by Tri-Tech Communications on March 26, and cable drops for int...
Attendees: Mayor Marty Dunn, council members KC Kuykendall, Terry Jacoy, Kevin House, Jim Romine, Kate Hockersmith, and student representative Leena Baker. Public Comment: -Commercial Club President Joy Smith presented the 2018 Walla Walla Visitor’s Guide, which includes seven pages of information and advertising on Waitsburg, including a section on Waitsburg Celebration Days. Smith said 35,000 copies are printed and she uses the guide for visitors and business recruitment. Smith said the guide is where the Commercial Club spends the bulk of i...
DAYTON – Comedians Tyler Boeh, from Portland, and Greg Kettner, from Walla Walla, will headline a fundraising event for the Boys & Girls Club of Dayton on April 28, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Columbia County Fairgrounds Pavilion. The evening will feature stand-up comedy, as well as a live auction. The auction will feature a bronze sculpture donated by artist Keith McMasters, creator of the Dayton Historic Depot’s Stationmaster. Also up for bid will be a Coeur d’Alene golf package, a Lake Coeur d’Alene sailing package and a package includi...
WALLA WALLA – On Monday, the Walla Walla County Commissioners voted unanimously to move forward an application by Waitsburg-area farmers Perry and Darlene Dozier to amend the county zoning code to allow use of their owned water rights for water bottling. The application will be included in the final list of proposed changes to the county’s development regulations, to be up for approval later this year. Last month, the Walla Walla County Planning Commission voted 3-2 to recommend denial of the Doziers’ requested zoning change. Two of the commi...
DAYTON— Angie Sanchez, Managing Principal with Financial Consulting Solutions Group in Seattle, has been working with the City of Dayton for the past year to complete a water and sewer rate study. Speaking at last week’s city council meeting, Sanchez said, “The goal of the study is to provide counsel to help the community make informed decisions. Financial sustainability can be achieved over the long term.” The rate study used data which included the city’s population growth, along with utilities revenue, expenses, reserves, contingen...
WAITSBURG – At their regular March meeting, the Waitsburg School Board opted to table discussions about the possible sale of several school properties, including the District House located next to Preston Hall. Discussions were set aside due to a strong initial negative response from some community members. Late last year, the District began evaluating the possible sale of two parcels of land on Coppei Avenue, along with the District House. In January, the board voted to have the properties appraised and requested that Maintenance Supervisor Co...
DAYTON-Kristie Korslund was hired in February to take over for Vicki Zoller, who took a job in the county's Emergency Management Services Department in January.While Korslund is performing many of Zoller's outreach duties, she is also helping with the after school programs and providing general customer service. Korslund is also in charge of the Bookmobile, and will be taking books to the senior center every month, beginning in April. She said working at the library is a good fit for her. "I...
DAYTON—The first quarter of the year has been busy for the staff at the Columbia County Planning and Building Department. Planning Director Meagan Bailey outlined some of the projects her office is working on during a recent interview. Land Swap The planning office is working on an adjustment to Dayton’s urban growth area, involving a land swap. The plan is to incorporate additional land just outside Dayton’s east city limit into the UGA, which is expected to be developed in the next few years. A comparable amount of land just west of Dayton th...
DAYTON – Bill and Teresa Ayotte grew up in food service. "Teresa's mother ran a café in Garibaldi, Ore.," Bill said. "I worked at a Spudnut shop in Richland as a teenager." Bill and Teresa are the new concessionaires at the Touchet Valley Golf Course, and their new venture, Chicken Bill's BBQ Cafe, is open for business. The café is currently open for lunch from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. seven days a week. The menu includes burgers and sandwiches, as well as daily barbeque specials. "I do my own bar...
WAITSBURG – Waitsburg School Board opened bids for the 2017 Bond Project on March 6 and received a pleasant surprise. The project, which includes work on all three district buildings and a new field house at the athletic field, was awarded to DGR Grant Construction, which came in well under the projected cost. Besides DGR, the district received competitive bids from Wellens Farwell Construction and Total Site Services. Base bids ranged from $2,169,000 from DGR to $2,383,897 from Wellens Farwell. “Traditionally, it is considered a very competiti...
WAITSBURG - Para professional Cathy Schirm and students gave a presentation about the morning enrichment program that began in November. Schirm said that six to eight children attend regularly and enjoy help with reading, homework and are building relationships. Secondary Principal Report (Stephanie Wooderchak): -Conferences at Preston Hall and WHS will be completed this month. -National Honor Society inductions will be held March 21. New inductees are Kirsten Miller, Kailyn Lewis, Cason Nichols and Grace Coulston. Current members have been...
DAYTON—Columbia County is currently one of only four counties in the state without an emergency medical services levy. That could change if a proposed ambulance levy is approved by voters in August. The levy would add 50 cents per $1,000 assessed value to county property tax rates in 2019. The proposed levy would affect all property taxpayers in Columbia County, including those in Fire Districts 1, 2 and 3. Fire District 2 residents in Walla Walla County would not be affected. A supermajority of 60% yes votes is required to pass the levy. If p...
WAITSBURG – Unlike last year, the candidacy filing period for Waitsburg's annual elections closed on time this year, with a full slate of candidates. However, the council will look very much like last year, with the possible exception of mayor. And even that is a re-run, as incumbent Marty Dunn will once again run against former city council member Debra Callahan. The deadline for filing Declarations of Candidacy closed March 10 with all of the city council incumbents bidding to re-up their t...
DAYTON--The Board of County Commissioners has signed a two-year lease to rent space next to the Columbia County Courthouse, formerly occupied by Manila Bay Restaurant. The Commissioners will move their offices and meeting room into the new space this spring. The move is designed to make room for Columbia County District Court to move from its current location at the Port of Columbia to the courthouse. "The savings would be considerable, and it will be better for the Sheriff's response time."...
