Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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During the Columbia County Fire District Three open house on Sunday EMT Darvin Parvinen demonstrated Lucas, the new mechanical chest compression machine, which was purchased with EMS levy funds. Lucas attaches directly to the patient and provides uninterrupted, steady compressions while en route to the hospital, Parvinen said. He said before purchasing Lucas it took seven to eight EMTs to provide chest compressions on patients during a forty-five minute run to the hospital. With the help of...
DAYTON-Roughly ninety people attended the Touchet Valley Trail open house, at the fairgrounds Pavilion, in Dayton, on Monday, Sept. 16. Joy Smith President of the Waitsburg Commercial Club spoke to the attendees about the importance of outdoor recreation and trails to the economic vitality, health, and safety, of the local communities. Smith said she ran an overnight rental for seven years, in Waitsburg, and two thirds of the overnight guests came with bicycles. Also ten percent of renters were...
DAYTON—During their regular session on Monday, Sept. 16, the Board of Columbia County Commissioners adopted the county’s 2019 Comprehensive Plan Update, and its three new ordinances regarding; water availability for the new building, critical areas, and zoning. Some of the Hirst decision language was incorporated into Ordinance 2019-04, regarding water availability for the new building, said Dena Martin, Planning Associate. “It generally doesn’t affect us, but it is in there,” she told the...
DAYTON—There was no unfinished or new business at the Dayton City Council meeting last week. The majority of the meeting time was spent addressing a letter written by Dayton residents Chuck and Peggy James about the alleged lack of qualifications of the City’s new Planner, Meagan Bailey, and the allegedly poor conduct of the City’s Administrator, Trina Cole, when Ms. James reached out to her by phone, the first week of September. The James’ letter was published in the Dayton Chronicle on Sept. 12. Councilman Mike Paris said, “I was appalled...
DAYTON— With the budget deficit in mind the Dayton School District Board of Directors and Administration have agreed not to fill the vacant position for elementary school principal. At their monthly work session last week, Superintendent Doug Johnson discussed with them his plan to reassign some of the duties and responsibilities of that position. “Fortunately, there are many experienced and talented employees willing to accept new responsibilities,” Johnson said. At that meeting the board approved a plan for compensating those who are accep...
DAYTON-"Timeless Traditions" is the theme of the 130th Columbia County Fair, and from the time of the opening ceremonies at 9 a.m., on Fri. ,Sept. 6, until the fair close, at 5 p.m. on Sun., Sept. 9, young and old alike are sure to enjoy this year's line-up. Entertainment Freddie Prez's popular Crazy Contests will return this year. See Freddie Prez at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., on Friday, at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., on Saturday, and at noon and 4 p.m. on Sunday. Also, catch Freddie Prez's $5,000 Frisbee...
DAYTON-"It's been a long time coming," said Ed Terry last Friday, when a jury returned verdicts of "guilty" to all three charges in the Benjamin Orozco case. Orozco has been charged with second degree murder of Ed Terry's son, Lance, first degree assault of David Eaton, and unlawful possession of a firearm in a shooting that took place in Columbia County, on July 7, 1996. Terry's father said every human has his doubts, but he had faith that Orozco would be brought to justice. Lance Terry's...
DAYTON-At last week's Dayton City Council meeting Mayor Zac Weatherford said he has received three applications for the position of Community Development Planning Director, and he has formed a committee to interview the applicants. He said a special council meeting will be called, within the next week, to ask the council to confirm his appointment to the position. Mayor Weatherford has met with the City Planning and Economic Development committee and received support for his letter of intent to...
DAYTON—At last week’s Dayton City Council meeting Planning Director Meagan Bailey talked about the perception most people have regarding what defines affordable housing, saying most people think it relates to low-income housing. Housing is considered affordable if the household is paying no more than 30% of their income, for housing costs, for rent or mortgage plus utilities, she said. She said subsidized housing is made affordable to occupants through direct government financial support, tar...
DAYTON-At their regular meeting last week, Port Commissioners Earle Warren and Fred Crowe appointed Dan Aschenbrenner to fill the remainder of Gene Warren's term on the commission, which was to end on Dec. 31, 2019. Port Executive Director Jennie Dickinson said Warren and his wife, Mary, have moved to the Warren Farm, outside of town. In May, Aschenbrenner filed for the District 1 position, and is running unopposed for the six-year term, which begins on Jan. 1. "Since he is the one that will be...
DAYTON-Dayton Cut and Wrap has a new name and is under new management. Derek Katsel and his wife, Savana Cole, have received their custom meat facility and custom farm slaughter license through the state Dept. of Agriculture, along with their business license, and are now open under the name Katsel's Cut and Wrap. Derek Katsel said his interest in the meat business began when he worked for Jim and Connie Westergreen, as their main meat cutter. The Westergreens operated Dayton Cut and Wrap,...
DAYTON-The Dayton Dog Park has been a godsend for Dayton's four-legged friends and their owners, since it officially opened in Sept. 2017. The early morning hours, and the hours after supper are a testament to its popularity, said Charlie Oribio, the Friends of the Dayton Dog Park's (FDDP) board chairman, who is also a happy Labrador owner. Oribio said during the summer months it is common to see four or five people, and their dogs, in the park, on any given day. Since its inception in 2017...
DAYTON-Incumbent Dayton Mayor Zac Weatherford received a strong show of community backing in last week's primary elections for city mayor, with a 66 percent support vote. Weatherford garnered 504 of the 759 preliminary votes cast with Mayor Pro-Tem Delphine Bailey receiving 168 votes, or 22 percent. Both Bailey and Weatherford earned spots on the November general election ballot. Third candidate, city council member Michael Paris, received 10 percent support with 82 votes and has been...
DAYTON-—A trial in the case of the State vs. Benjamin Orozco is going forward, with jury selection taking place on the morning of Tues., Aug. 20, in Columbia County Superior Court, according to the County Prosecuting Attorney Dale Slack. Orozco was taken into custody in San Francisco, Nayarit Mexico in March, 2016. He was brought to the U.S. and served at the Tri-Cities Regional Airport on Dec. 15, 2016. He was arraigned in the Columbia County Superior Court, on Dec. 21, and charged with second degree murder, in the July, 1996 shooting death o...
I have long thought about fly fishing on the Wenaha River but hadn't had the opportunity until last week when my husband and I camped at Fields Spring State Park for a few days. Fields Spring State Park is an 826-acre forested camping park located in the Blue Mountains of southeastern Washington, 30 miles south of Clarkston on Highway 129. Named for early settlers, Ben and Mary Fields, who developed the spring and used the water for their ranch and home, the park is on one of the routes...
COLUMBIA COUNTY—When they met last week, the Columbia County Health System (CCHS) District Board of Commissioners signed off on medical privileges for physicians associated with Providence St. Mary’s Hospital in Walla Walla, for the purpose of providing telehospitalist services at Dayton General Hospital, during the hours of 7 p.m. - 7 a.m. CEO Shane McGuire said that adding telehospitalist care at night will give Dayton General Hospital physicians some relief and rest from their duties, during those hours. “It was becoming overwhelming for t...
DAYTON-Tamara Demean ARNP has been hired to provide medical care to Columbia County Health System patients in both primary care clinics in Dayton and Waitsburg and in the Emergency Department. "They are working on getting a template into place for me to be able to have my own patient load," Demean said. Demean will be taking some walk-in patients starting on Aug. 1. Plans call for her to work three days a week in the Dayton clinic and one day a week in the Waitsburg Clinic. She said that...
DAYTON-When Levi Sowerby was given the news that he wouldn't walk again he got to work exploring alternative methods of healing, and within one year of receiving that diagnosis, it no longer applied. In 2005, 17-year-old high school gymnast Sowerby was representing the state of Texas at the National High School Gymnastics Invitational in Orlando, Fla., when things went awry for him. Sowerby was warming up for floor competition with a double back flip when he felt something in his spine slip....
DAYTON-John Laib is a third-generation Columbia County farmer. He and his wife Carolyn farm the 2,500 original acres on his grandfather, Albert Laib's, home place, and they lease and farm an additional 2,500 acres, growing mainly dry land wheat and alfalfa. They also raise cattle. Laib said the challenges facing farmers today are many, but the biggest frustration for him is that the state legislature is setting policies without understanding how rural communities in eastern Washington live. "It'...
DAYTON— At last week’s Dayton City Council meeting Christine Broughton was selected by the council to fill the remainder of Zac Weatherford’s city council term, which was created when he became Dayton’s Interim Mayor. The council interviewed Broughton and two other applicants, Cara James and Charity Herren. Mayor Weatherford thanked James and Herren for their interest in serving on the city council and encouraged them to apply for the seat recently held by Kathy Berg. Berg has submitted her resignation from the council effective June 30. Art...
DAYTON—“Once a Bulldog, Always a Bulldog” is the slogan for the 43rd Annual Dayton High School Alumni Weekend which takes place on Sat., July 20. Alumni will gather from near and far for Saturday’s 10 a.m. parade, for the 11 a.m. annual meeting at the Dayton Historical Depot, and at the block party to follow the meeting. Parade entrants must include the crimson and gold colors in their designs, said Dale Groom, who along with Roseann Groom, are the Parade Committee Co-chairs. Participants are asked to have their floats ready prior to the jud...
DAYTON—The Touchet Valley Golf Club board has developed an aggressive five-year strategy, and is now working on implementation of one of its first priorities, which is to raise money for an underground irrigation system at the golf course. Golf course concessionaire Bill Ayotte said the June 22 First Annual Gene Crothers Memorial Golf Tournament was hugely successful in raising money for the irrigation system. “This is the first time there has been a project to benefit the club,” he said. But i...
DAYTON—Columbia, Asotin and Garfield counties will share an award in the amount of $110,000 from Greater Columbia Accountable Communities of Health to be spent on social determinants of need, said Columbia County Public Health Care Director Martha Lanman, last week. Lanman said Columbia County’s share is $58,763 and the award will be split between the County Health Department and Columbia County Health System (CCHS). Of that share, $10,013.96 will benefit the public health department’s insur...
Starbuck has given a warm welcome to Spinners Tackle, Grocery & Deli owners Mike and Jackie Lattimer, in Starbuck. The store fills a large void, serving locals, travelers and pulp and straw mill workers. See story on Page 12....
DAYTON-Since Charles Eaton and Ashley Strickland have stepped into their respective roles as the county's Public Works Director and Emergency Management/E-911 Director, they have been busy assessing and tackling the issues in their departments. Eaton told the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC), on Monday, that his department is seriously understaffed. He said Public Works Lead Inspector Robert Yates announced his retirement from the department that very morning. Yates has worked for the...
