The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON-Charles Eaton and his wife, Nancy, are looking into housing availability before they leave their home in the Portland area and he begins work as Columbia County's new public works director on Dec. 3.

Friday will be Eaton's last day as the Engineering Director for the City of Milwaukee, Ore, he said.

The Eatons both agree that living in a small community is preferable to the Portland "rat race."

"This looked like the perfect job for me," said Charles Eaton. "I worked in Amity, Ore. for a little while. The population was 1,700, and I really enjoyed it."

Nancy Eaton said it is a 25-mile...