Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Sorted by date Results 376 - 400 of 788
DAYTON-Chelsey Eaton has been busy since beginning work three months ago as the program coordinator for the county public health department. Eaton said the health department just received a grant for $6,000 from Puget Sound Energy Foundation to purchase automated external defibrillators (AEDs) replacement batteries and pads, for the ones already in use, and for training personnel in how to use them in real life situations. "I went around the community and quite a few were expired," said Eaton....
DAYTON—The state of Washington has recognized the Dayton Elementary and Dayton Middle School for sustained improvement in student assessments over a five year period. “So that’s something to be happy with,” said Superintendent Doug Johnson at last week’s school board meeting. The Educational Service District will host an award ceremony for the schools in their region sometime in the near future, he said. Johnson also said that there are some students in the district experiencing homelessn...
DAYTON—The Washington State Department of Archaeology & Historic Preservation has released a list of ten courthouses to receive grants for rehabilitation projects, and the Columbia County Courthouse is on the list. If state legislators include the rehabilitation projects in their Capital Budget for 2019-21, there could be a new HVAC system installed at the courthouse in November 2019, said county Maintenance Director Dave Finney. Finney said the county has been talking about replacing the aging...
DAYTON—Forty businesses participated in the first of its kind Main Street Open House, during Dayton on Tour, according to Chamber Director Melissa Bryan. And as a result, there are several sale offers pending, she said. Bryan said that local hotels and motels were at, or close to, full occupancy during the event. “The Art show at Wenaha Gallery was a smashing success, with 75 folks listening to the astronaut (Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger),” said Bryan. AJ Carriages provided event goers free...
DAYTON—The Dayton chapter of the American Association of University Women held a Candidates’ Forum to allow voters in Columbia County to hear from and ask questions of candidates for local races. Candidates for Columbia County Sheriff, Columbia County Commissioner from Dist. 3 and Columbia County Treasurer all appeared, along with candidates for two local seats in the Washington State House of Representatives. Columbia County Sheriff Columbia County Chief Deputy Joe Helm and Narcotics Deputy Jeff Jenkins share many ideas on how to move the She...
DAYTON-Former astronaut Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger was at the Wenaha Gallery Saturday during Dayton on Tour to present "Rocks to Rockets," the story of her evolution from a third grader inspired by geology and the astronaut Sally Ride to becoming part of a crew aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. In April 2010 the Discovery, with a crew of 13, lifted off from Kennedy Space Center with six tons of equipment and supplies for the International Space Station. "This was really an awesome time,"...
On Saturday, founder and master distiller Rusty Figgins released his new brandy, Clos Sainte-Rose XO, Edition No. 2, at XO Alambic, a distillery located at the Blue Mountain Station in Dayton. Figgins said this brandy is named after the historic St. Rose Mission in the Walla Walla Valley. Figgins said mission clergy blessed and served their own supply of brandy, after their communion wine had spoiled during the long trek westward. Clos Sainte-Rose XO received the Gold Medal for Best Brandy in...
DAYTON-Confectioner Nancy Monacelli said she is looking forward to moving into her new production and retail space in Suite H at the Blue Mountain Station this month. Mama Monacelli's Kitchen won't be open in time for BMS's Oktoberfest event this weekend, but will be open next week, and will be ready to help customers with all their daily and holiday needs, she said. "I'm looking forward to having my whole line in the suite," said Monacelli. The 1,080 sq. ft. suite will have clear sight lines,...
DAYTON-The Rehabilitation Department at Dayton General Hospital is staying open late to help accommodate customers' schedules. The department is now open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, according to Physical Therapy Assistant Bryce Scott. Scott, along with his partner Jessica Parry, who is also a licensed Physical Therapy Assistant, have been assisting the physical therapists on staff at Dayton General Hospital with an increasing patient load. At the...
DAYTON—Columbia County Planning Director Meagan Bailey told County Commissioners last week that the county’s Voluntary Stewardship Plan has been approved by a state technical panel on the Washington State Conservation Commission. VSP is an optional incentive-based program to assist landowners in protecting and enhancing critical areas, while promoting agriculture in the county. It is allowed under the state’s Growth Management Act, with the goal to reduce tension between competing GMA goals related to agricultural viability and protection of cr...
DAYTON—Dayton Elementary Principal Denise Smith and High School Principal Kristina Brown both gave reports during the Dayton School Board meeting last week. Sept. 19 was a late start day, and a trainer for the iReady assessment tool was on hand to help staff with the data, and how to use the software appropriately for assessing students in Reading and Math. Elementary Principal Denise Smith said the first benchmark testing for iReady is complete. “We are starting to dig into the data, to dev...
DAYTON—City Administrator Trina Cole told the Dayton City Council last week that her staff has been working to tie up “loose ends from the summer,” which includes the Washington Street FEMA project, and continuing work on the proposed water and sewer projects. Work also continues on the 2019 Preliminary Budget, she said. Cole said the city has just been approved for a $211,000 grant from the Regional Transportation Planning Organization, RTPO, for sidewalks on South 3rd Street, from Main Street...
DAYTON—The Dayton Historical Depot Society is inviting you to come out October 6, from 1 to 4 p.m., and take a tour of some of the beautiful historic homes in Dayton. “This year, a select group of four homes, from the late 19th and early 20th centuries has been chosen,” said Dayton Historical Depot Museum Director Tamara Fritze. “The homes showcase excellence in historic preservation and restoration, and creative modern interpretation of diverse architectural styles.” Fritze said the homes on th...
DAYTON-There is a for sale sign on Kathy and Craig George's lawn on S. 2nd St. in Dayton. Craig George has announced that he will resign his post early next year as Dayton's mayor. He told The Times that he and his wife, Kathy, will be moving to Tucson, Ariz., to enjoy the health benefits of living in a drier climate. He said they are in the process of having a home built in the gated community of Saddle Brooke Ranch, north of Tucson. "This is the first time we have really bought anything for...
DAYTON-Are you interested in bird watching, hiking, fishing, geocaching, sewing, canning, or playing the ukulele? Are your children interested in fossils, rocks and minerals, human anatomy, bugs, butterflies, chemistry, forensic, microscopes, or something called Ozobots? All you need is to be is 18 or older and possess a valid library card to participate in a new program at the Dayton Memorial Library called Library of Things. The Library of Things contains kits for children and backpacks for ad...
DAYTON—Topics of discussion at last week’s meeting of the Dayton School Board included how to tackle the district’s budget deficit for the 2018-19 school year, as well as a facilities update, athletic combine update and enrollment update. Budget Superintendent Doug Johnson said because budgeted expenditures exceed revenue by $225,000, the district will need to consider implementing cost savings in order to maintain its financial health. Johnson and the Board will take a “deeper dive” at the October 3rd workshop meeting. The elementary and high...
DAYTON-It will take teamwork between Elsie Mann and her horse, and the support of a community of caring people, for this 12-year-old barrel racer to achieve her dream of qualifying for Junior National Finals Rodeo. Mann, of Dayton, and her parents, Jeni Ritchie and Christian Mann, have been working to help her achieve that goal since she climbed aboard her first pony, Annie, at the tender age of 2 ½. It was then that she ran her first barrel race, at the Milton-Freewater Pioneer Posse...
DAYTON-"Dirty Hands and Country Fans" is the theme of this year's 128th Columbia County Fair. From the opening ceremonies at 9 a.m. on Sept 7 until the fair closes at 5 p.m. on Sept. 9, expect to see a mix of new and traditional activities. "Things are coming together. We have a pretty good team right now," said Fair Board President Matt Johnson. Johnson said a few more reliable volunteers would be welcome, to help with fair activities. "There will be even more variety at this year's fair,"...
DAYTON—During a special meeting last week, Port of Columbia commissioners voted to move forward with purchasing Building No. 2 at Blue Mountain Station in Dayton. Port officials say they have determined that owning the building will assist in the continued development of businesses at the BMS. The Port’s Executive Director, Jennie Dickinson, and private developer Colby Litzenberger have negotiated a purchase price of $264,000. Dickinson said the building was recently appraised at $270,000. Kathryn Witherington, the Port’s Economic Devel...
DAYTON-Sometimes you have to leave home before you appreciate it. Suzi and Duane Tasker and their 11-year-old son, Noa, did just that, and are now happy to be back in Dayton. The Taskers called Redding Calif. home for ten months, but realized quickly that Redding was not going to be their forever home. After 10 months of "healthy perspective," and a visit to Dayton this spring to ready their home for sale, the couple realized how much they missed living here. "When we came home, we recognized a...
DAYTON-Clint Atteberry is well into his second year working out of the county Planning and Building Department as the Code Enforcement Officer for both the City of Dayton and Columbia County. Atteberry said he patrols all eight zones in the city, tackling one zone every day, looking for violations of Dayton's municipal code. He also investigates citizen complaints for both the city and county. "It's an ongoing process," said Atteberry. "We're doing everything by the code, and I'm doing as much...
Washington Army Guard pilot Chief Warrant Officer Melissa Coombs and her co-pilot, Major Ray Leonard, flew this Lacota UH-72 light utility helicopter to Dayton for the Aug. 7 National Night Out celebration in Dayton city park. They said the helicopter is used for homeland security, disaster response missions, and for medical evacuations. National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police, emergency personnel, and community partnerships to make neighborhoods safer...
DAYTON-Vicki Zoller, President of the Friends of the Dayton Pool Committee, spoke to the Dayton City Council last week about work the committee is doing to help the community build an aquatic center in Dayton. The city pool was closed this year because of infrastructure issues, and youth in the Summer Recreation program have been swimming in the Prescott Pool, she said. Zoller said the committee used funds from grants to pay for their swim passes, and to bus them from Dayton to Prescott and...
DAYTON-Jim Pearson, Program Director at The Club, Dayton's new after school activity center, has been busy helping the team get the program up and running for a Sept. 4 opening. Pearson said building construction at The Club has entered its final phase. "Last week a lot of elements have come together," he said. Pearson said the goals for the program are to help students take pride in ownership, develop healthy self- esteem, and learn how to get along well with others. While students will...
