Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 1899
DAYTON - The Friends of the Pool Committee in Dayton promotes and raises funds to ensure kids in the community get swimming lessons. Many Columbia County kids are at risk without access to swimming and water safety lessons since the Dayton Pool closed in 2018. "We have worked with the new school administration here in Dayton, resulting in Dayton school kids in grades 1 and 2 having been bussed to the Walla Walla YMCA in the last few weeks," said Chairperson Fred Crowe. "It was very successful,...
DAYTON—The Port of Columbia Board of Commissioners held its regular meeting at 5 p.m. on April 9, 2025, at the port’s conference room. Commissioners Seth Bryan, Johnny Watts, Mike Spring, and Executive Director Jennie Dickinson were present. Dickinson presented the director’s report. She said there were two new leases, a residential property and the Red Band Cellars units at the Rock Hill Industrial Park. Red Band signed a one-year lease for the three units with a one to two-year option and ended the lease for its tasting room at Blue Mountain...
DAYTON—Columbia County Hospital District CEO Shane McGuire doesn’t think the federal government plans to cut Medicaid benefits to individual healthcare users. Still, he is concerned about the effect on the hospital district’s budget if cuts are made to state direct-funded Medicaid programs, which the federal government heavily subsidizes. McGuire said the health system has “no slack” to absorb additional revenue cuts without cutting services. “I believe that these types of funds are going to be...
COLUMBIA COUNTY - Scott Hudson, a lifelong resident and community leader in Columbia County, announced his candidacy for Port of Columbia Commissioner, District 1. In his announcement, Hudson said his background in accounting, real estate, and community service makes him well-qualified to address the challenges and opportunities facing the port and the county's economy. Hudson said his nearly 30 years in accounting and tax preparation have given him the financial expertise to oversee port...
DAYTON - A helicopter spraying weeds along the South Touchet River south of Dayton flew into transmission lines and crashed March 19. The unidentified pilot of the Bell 206B helicopter, who was the only occupant, was killed. The crash occurred shortly before 12:30 p.m. about six miles south of Dayton across the river from the South Touchet Road. Numerous emergency vehicles from the Columbia County Sheriff's Office and Columbia County Fire District 3 were at the scene most of the afternoon. Accor...
DAYTON – The Port of Columbia Commissioners held their regular meeting at 5 p.m. on March 12, 2025, at the port’s conference room. Commissioners Seth Bryan, Mike Spring, and Executive Director Jennie Dickinson were present. Commissioner Johnny Watts was absent due to a scheduling conflict. The commissioners approved the last meeting’s minutes, monthly budget, vouchers, and leases. Dickinson said CHS had an automatic lease renewal with a 3% rent increase. The commissioners approved the port taking electronic payments. Dickinson addressed the t...
DAYTON—When her alarm goes off at 5:45 a.m., Carol Anderson, 80, rises, washes her face, makes her bed, empties the dishwasher, and then calls for the Ski Bluewood daily report. She is going skiing! Breakfast is first. Then she dresses in long johns, a ski turtleneck, and very tight ski socks, carefully working them over her feet so there are no wrinkles. Then she starts loading the car, first with her skis, poles, and a small gear bag to the car. Helmet and goggles go into the car next. She p...
DAYTON – The Port of Columbia Commissioners held a workshop to discuss the potential sale of its railroad assets on February 5, 2025. Commissioners Seth Bryan, Johnny Watts, Mike Spring, and Executive Director Jennie Dickinson were present. The meeting was a workshop for the edification of the commissioners, and public comment was not available. Stakeholders were invited to participate, including the rail operator, customers, and the city. Ryan Paulson represented the City of Dayton, which holds utility rights-of-way along and across the r...
DAYTON — The Dayton School Board met in the high school library at 6:30 p.m. on January 22, 2025. Superintendent Jeremy Wheatley, Business Manager Jana Eaton, and Student Representative Lila Hutchens were present. Board Chair Jeffrey McCowen and board members Aneesha Dieu, Grant Griffin, and Ryan Paulson were present. A board position remains vacant, and persons interested in volunteering should contact the district office for more information. The board re-elected McCowen as board chair and Griffin vice chair. In the consent agenda, the b...
DAYTON – The Columbia Port Commissioners held their regular meeting at 5 p.m. on January 8, 2025, at the port’s conference room. Commissioners Seth Bryan, Johnny Watts, Mike Spring, and Executive Director Jennie Dickinson were present. The meeting began with public comment. Some concerns regarding the potential sale of the port’s railroad included the loss of the railroad and the effects on grain transport if the Snake River dams were to be removed. Seth Murdock spoke first, saying that with continued government ownership, he was concerned that...
DAYTON- Mayor Roger Trump called the Dayton City Council meeting to order at 6 p.m. on December 3, 2024. Trump and council members Teeny McMunn, James Su’euga, Laura Aukerman, Joann Patras, Kyle Anderson, and Shannon McMillen were present at City Hall. Michael Smith was not present. Sheriff Helm kicked off the meeting by reading monthly statistics. He mentioned positive comments he’d received regarding the city’s new radar speed signs installed at both ends of Main Street. Helm said the sheriff’s office is participating in “Toys for Tots,” an...
DAYTON - The health system in Columbia County is tackling a growing challenge with a blend of innovation and compassion. With 28.6% of the county's residents aged 65 or older-a figure expected to rise to 32% by 2030-the Columbia County Health System prioritizes the needs of the county's aging population. To address healthcare challenges and improve patient outcomes, the critical access hospital district launched the multi-disciplinary Population Health Team. "Our community's aging presents...
DAYTON – The Columbia Port Commissioners met at 5 p.m. on November 13, 2024, at the port’s conference room. Commissioners Seth Bryan, Johnny Watts, Mike Spring, and the Executive Director, Jennie Dickinson, were present. Gerry Kaiser spoke during public comment, asking the commissioners to direct Dickinson and her staff to pursue state and federal grants to repair the port’s rail system. He said the federal government has given $150 million to nine municipalities in the state of Washington for rail improvements. Dickinson presented the month...
DAYTON — The Columbia County Parks and Recreation Pool District will host a town hall meeting to present and discuss the proposed excess levy on the November 2024 ballot. The public meeting will be held at the Dayton Multipurpose Room at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, October 16, 2024. The Parks and Rec commissioners encourage community members to come and learn first-hand about the proposed excess levy, ask questions, and have an open conversation about the pool district’s needs, goals, and pri...
DAYTON- Mayor Roger Trump called the Dayton City Council meeting to order at 6 p.m. on September 10, 2024. Trump and council members Teeny McMunn, Michael Smith, Kyle Anderson, James Su’euga, and Shannon McMillen were present at City Hall. City Council members Laura Aukerman and Joann Patras were absent. During the first public coamment period, Dayton resident Theresa Eier spoke on concerns over the city’s contract negotiations with Columbia County for policing services by the sheriff department. Sheriff departments in Washington state are mor...
DAYTON – The Columbia Port Commissioners held their regular meeting at 5 p.m. on August 14, 2024, at the port’s conference room. Commissioners present were Seth Bryan, Johnny Watts, Mike Spring, and the Executive Director, Jennie Dickinson. There was no public comment during the first opportunity to do so. The commissioners handled the usual administrative items, including approval of past minutes and the monthly budget. The commissioners briefly discussed next year’s budget, due this November. This fall, a federal financial audit of the port...
DAYTON - The Touchet Valley Café at Dayton General Hospital once served staff, visitors, local students, and the public. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the café has been closed to the public. In a recent letter to the editor in The Dayton Chronicle, a community member questioned why the beloved café remains closed. The writer reminisced about meals at the café, and particularly the clam chowder on Fridays. They wrote that reopening the café could benefit the hospital district fina...
DAYTON—Ryan Rundell and Marty Hall are running unopposed for four-year terms on the Board of Columbia County Commissioners, representing Districts 1 and 2, respectively. When elected in November, January 1 will be the start of Hall’s second full term in office. Hall looks forward to continuing the daily tasks associated with his position on the board and wants people to know about three of the most important accomplishments during his time in office. In a prepared statement, Hall said the cou...
DAYTON — Since opening in 2017, the Wound Care and Hyperbaric Center at Columbia County Health System (CCHS) has become a beacon of hope and healing for residents in Southeastern Washington. This state-of-the-art facility specializes in providing advanced treatment for chronic and non-healing wounds. The CCHS wound care center is part of a network of over 600 facilities partnered with Healogics, a national provider of advanced wound care services. With a commitment to evidence-based treatments and patient-centered care, the wound care center b...
DAYTON – The Dayton School Board met in the Dayton High School Library at 6:31 p.m. on July 17, 2024. School board Chair Jeffrey McCowen, board members Zac Fabian, Ryan Paulson, and Aneesha Dieu present. Grant Griffin was not present. The session was Superintendent Jeremy Wheatley's first board meeting. The board passed the consent agenda, which included the resignations of Danica Porter, H.S. science teacher, and Susan Richter, food service assistant. Wheatley also announced Tanya Patton's resi...
DAYTON – The Port of Columbia Commissioners held their regular meeting at 5 p.m. on July 12, 2024, at the port office. Commissioners Seth Bryan, Johnny Watts, Mike Spring, and the Executive Director, Jennie Dickinson were present. The Commissioners first dealt with several administrative items, including a detailed examination of the monthly budget report and the 2023 annual report. There were no new leases to announce. Next, the meeting shifted to the public hearing on the Comprehensive Parks Master Plan. There was no public input, so the comm...
DAYTON - An innovative diabetes education program at Columbia County Health System shows promising results in managing diabetes for residents. Spearheaded by Ruth Yutzy, RN, a Diabetes Education Specialist, the program is part of the health system's broader effort to address chronic health conditions in the community. The diabetes education program offers comprehensive support and education for individuals diagnosed with diabetes. It aims to improve their quality of life through better blood...
DAYTON — Columbia County Health System (CCHS) is taking significant strides to enhance the health and well-being of the local community through its innovative Population Health Program. This initiative aligns with the national Healthy People 2030 campaign, which aims to improve health outcomes, eliminate disparities, and create environments that promote health for all individuals. Population Health is a national, comprehensive approach designed to improve the health of all individuals within a human population. The program focuses on three k...
DAYTON — The Port of Columbia Commissioners held their regular meeting at 5 p.m. on June 12, 2024, at the Lyon’s Ferry Marina. Commissioners Seth Bryan, Johnny Watts, Mike Spring, and Executive Director Jennie Dickinson were present. Watts arrived near the end of the meeting, saying he stopped to assist at a vehicle accident scene. There was no public comment during the first opportunity to do so. In the budget report, Dickinson said it was a low-expense month. Nothing unusual, she commented on the progress of the lighting project. Dic...
DAYTON – The Dayton School Board met in the high school library at 6:30 p.m. on May 22, 2024. School board members Chair Jeffrey McCowen, Zac Fabian, Ryan Paulson, Aneesha Dieu, Grant Griffin, and Superintendent Rich Stewart were present. The board approved the Consent Agenda, which included administrative items and the approval of Polla Laib’s retirement at the end of this school year. Laib has been a teacher for 43 years, the last 38 years at Dayton Elementary. Much of the board meeting consisted of two insightful presentations. The fir...
