DAYTON-Judy Jones an advisor from the Walla Walla Small Business Development Center met with Port of Columbia Director, Jennie Dickinson and local business owners in a Town Hall meeting on April 21. The purpose was to provide strategies to help business owners "survive and thrive" during the nonessential business shutdown, due to the COVID-19 challenge.

Jones said the time is now for small business owners to take a hard look at some strategies for staying afloat.

She said the most important thing small business owners can do is to find ways to increase cash flow, enough for a six- month per...