Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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DAYTON—The Columbia County Board of Commissioners (CCBC) has rescinded a nine-year-old agreement with the Columbia County Rural Library District Board of Trustees, regarding how appointments to the CCRLD board of trustees are made. In the past, interviews have been conducted by the CCRLD board of trustees, and their recommendations have been brought before the CCBC for tacit approval. Commissioner Ryan Rundell said he didn’t believe the agreement was adequate in the first place. He said it rem...
DAYTON—The staff at Blue Mountain Counseling of Columbia County have been discussing ways to maintain good emotional health during this time of required social distancing, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinic Director Chrisann Christensen said she has some ideas to share. First of all, check in with friends and family routinely through phone calls, FaceTime, through text messages or by snail mail. Limit media coverage. “Information can be good, but there is so much information being pus...
DAYTON—A revenue shortfall associated with the costs for mitigating damage to county infrastructure due to the recent flood, and from economic impacts due to the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted the Columbia County Board of Commissioners to take an early look at cutting department budgets. County Treasurer Carla Rowe said she is anticipating a possible 15 to 20-percent loss of sales tax revenue which could impact distributions for May, June, July, and possibly August. The revenue from sales taxes...
DAYTON—Fred Crowe, Port of Columbia Commissioner representing District 3, has resigned from the Port Commission effective Thursday, April 9. “It has been a pleasure and honor to serve with the current and past staff and commissioners of the Port over several years,” Crowe said in his resignation letter. “We together have accomplished many worthy projects in support of economic development in Columbia County.” “I am supportive of projects currently in development and am confident the Port will c...
DAYTON—Columbia County Health System officials have been concerned about the financial health of Dayton General Hospital, the Waitsburg Clinic, Columbia Family Clinic and the Booker Rest Home, because of the high costs associated with preparing for a possible surge in patient care due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their concerns were reported in the Times on Apr 2. A special emergency meeting of the Health System Board of Directors took place on Wednesday, April 8. The purpose of the meeting was t...
DAYTON-The Blue Mountain Artists Guild has been adorning Dayton's public spaces with their artistic endeavors every month, since the Guild was started by local artist Vivian Eslick McCauley, in 2008. This is how it works: The artists paint according to monthly themes, which are selected for the entire year, usually in November. The current month's theme is hung in the Delany Building, during the Guild's regular business meeting, which takes place on the last Tuesday of each month. The prior mont...
DAYTON—Dayton Historic Depot Manager Tamara Fritze is busy with important behind the scenes museum work, pending museum reopening on May 4. She said work continues on inventory of the museum’s entire collection of artifacts. Fritze said thorough historical research must be completed and a written description of all that is known about the artifact will be included in their database. “This helps us create interesting exhibits and helps us provide answers to our visitors’ questions,” Fritze sa...
DAYTON—At the Columbia County Health System board meeting last week, CEO Shane McGuire shared his concerns about financial stability, emergency preparedness, and possible impact on patients and health system staff, in light of the potential for a serious local outbreak of COVID-19. McGuire said, “We have stopped all non-essential visits in physical therapy, imaging, and the clinics. This volume generates about half of our monthly revenue. . .This is happening at the same time that we are spe...
DAYTON-Shellie McLeod brings her experience as an innkeeper to her new job as Events and Membership Coordinator for the Dayton Historic Depot Museum and the Boldman House Museum. She said she worked at the Weinhard Hotel for Dan and Ginny Butler for ten years, before she and her husband, Gary, bought the hotel from the Butlers in 2008. "As an innkeeper I organized events for our guests such as Murder Mystery Weekends, private retreats for clubs and organizations, as well as weddings, memorials,...
One of the Dayton Depot Gallery exhibits this year is called “Romping in the Blues,” and features photos, camping gear and journal entries from the early 1900s. Membership and Events Coordinator Shellie McLeod has kicked that off on Facebook with a Caption Contest. This photo from the G.F. Jackson Family Photo Album from 1910, yielded the most likes for Paisley DeSiga’s caption, which read “When It Came to Setting Up Camp, Harold was always draggin’ his behind.” DeSiga won a $10 gift card t...
DAYTON—On Tuesday, Martha Lanman, Columbia County’s Public Health Director, discussed the Health Department’s response and activities regarding COVID-19 with the Board of County Commissioners. She stated that there has only been one positive case of COVID-19 in Columbia County as of March 30. This individual has since recovered. Thirty-five tests have come back negative and there is one test pending. The department goal is to “be prepared”, she said. Department staff has been getting the word...
DAYTON—Washington State Governor Jay Inslee’s March 15th proclamation calling for the mandatory closure of bars, restaurants, recreational facilities and large social gatherings, is scheduled to run through March 31. The Port of Columbia County’s Executive Director, Jennie Dickinson and the Dayton Chamber Manager, Molly Weatherill-Tate, are busy locating resources for business owners who are impacted by the closures and are making a plea to the community to shop locally. “Many local busines...
DAYTON—Government, businesses, and services are being impacted by COVID-19. Here’s a run- down of impacts: On March 18 the Dayton City Council closed the Dayton City Public Works Facility and the City Hall to the general public. Permit applications, and other City business can be conducted via telephone at: (509) 382-2361. Utility bills can be placed in the payment drop box located along the alleyway adjacent to the City Hall. The City will waive any late fees for utility accounts as a result of...
DAYTON—The thought never crossed my mind that COVID-19 would infect anybody at the senior living center where my 92-year-old mother lives. I just didn’t think it was likely because most of the infections have been concentrated on the West side of the state. But, last week an 80-year-old resident at the Bonaventure of Tri-Cities, senior living community in Richland, Wash., where Mom lives, died after contracting the infection probably through travel to the West side of the state. Mom said she...
DAYTON-Jeanne Walter, Coach of the FIRST Tech Challenge and Columbia County 4-H leader, said the 4-H Robotics Club will be focused on fundraising activities during the 2020-21 school year. The Club will need to pay for new robot parts, controllers, a 3-D printer, and state and national registration fees, so they can continue to compete in local, state, and national robotic competitions. To help offset costs, there will be an 'Egg Your Yard' fundraiser for Easter Sunday. For twenty dollars the...
DAYTON—On Monday, March 16, Dayton Schools Superintendent Doug Johnson announced Dayton schools, athletics, activities, and clubs are closed to student participation beginning on Tuesday, Mar. 17 through Friday, April 24. In his statement to the community Johnson said, “We know this mandated closure may create hardships for many families, and we plan to do our best to serve you during these challenging times.” Johnson said parent teacher conferences will most likely take place remotely, via p...
DAYTON—Special Guest Juan Sanchez, Columbia County Census Coordinator, discussed Census 2020 at the Dayton City Council meeting on March 11. Sanchez said census letters will be mailed out in mid-April and will provide a website for people to answer the ten questions asked. He said a paper form can be requested. If necessary, an enumerator will come to the door in person. Sanchez said he doesn’t like to use fear as a tactic to get people to fill out the census. “If we can help people fill it ou...
DAYTON-"I'm very excited to become part of the Port family. I have a lot of great ideas and creativity and look forward to working with other community partners in Dayton," said the Port's new economic coordinator Jennifer DeLannoy. DeLannoy has many years of retail and restaurant management experience under her belt. She also has experience in accounting and finance and is working toward a BA in Accounting. For the last six years DeLannoy has been a small business owner, marketing Kid Hub. She...
The Department of Health (DOH) advises taking the same preventative measures as those for the prevention of viruses during the regular cold and flu season, with the following guidelines: The most important thing is to stay home if you are sick with symptoms such as sore throat, dry cough, fever and shortness of breath. •Proper hand washing is essential. People need to wash their hands, including the back of the hands and between the fingers, for 20 seconds. •Use alcohol-based sanitizers if soa...
DAYTON-Public Health Director Martha Lanman told the county commissioners on Monday that steps are in place to deal with a possible COVID-19 outbreak in Columbia County, and that her department is following guidelines issued by the State Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Board of County Commissioners processed a request by Lanman, which will allow her to hire additional staff and acquire supplies as needed. Lanman said one local person is in the...
DAYTON—During the February meeting of the Hospital District commissioners, Columbia County Health System CEO Shane McGuire said John McLean of Blue Room Architecture in Spokane has submitted the sole bid for architecture services for the planned dental office project. The dental clinic for Medicaid patients will be located at the Columbia Family Clinic, adjacent to the hospital. McGuire said construction bids will be solicited, shortly. The clinic should be operational at the end of 2020. A n...
DAYTON-Judi Pilcher is a Kiwanis Club of Dayton Director and she would like people to know the organization is more than just a hamburger cooking organization. They do, however, sell hamburgers and hotdogs, at community events, and they sponsor the annual Turkey Bingo fundraiser, all to help pay for programs for local youth. Pilcher said, with the exception of Club dues, all the money made through fundraising efforts goes to programs for youth. About $18,000 is generated each year through...
DAYTON—During their regular meeting on Tuesday of last week, the Board of Columbia County Commissioners discussed the aftermath of the Feb. 6 flood with County Emergency Management Director Ashley Strickland, and County Public Works Director Charles Eaton. “For as much water as we had, we got lucky. Other than our roads, we really don’t have a ton of damage. We had a lot of houses that had water in them, but not a lot of houses that are total losses. Some need drywall four feet up the wall,...
DAYTON—On Wednesday of last week Mayor Zac Weatherford provided information to the public about the flood damage to city infrastructure. Weatherford said the City has determined there are roughly thirty primary residences along the Patit Creek that sustained damage in the recent flood. Additionally, several areas of the Touchet River levee system have received significant damage. County crews shored up an area of the levee near the Kiddie Pond next to Pietrzycki City Park, but the repair is a t...
DAYTON-The Board of Columbia County Commissioners called a special meeting last Thursday and passed an emergency resolution allowing money to be freed up to purchase materials to help mitigate a possible flood, after water in the North and South Touchet Rivers and Patit Creek began rising faster than usual, because of rapid snow melt caused by rain and warm temperatures. At that meeting Emergency Management Department Director Ashley Strickland told the commissioners the U.S. Army Corps of...
