Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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Dayton School District Superintendent Guy Strot has submitted his resignation to the board. A special School Board meeting was held April 27 to accept the resignation effective June 30, 2022. Strot joined the Dayton School District following the retirement of Superintendent Doug Johnson in 2020. During his tenure he created a restructuring plan and a retention plan for the district. The district has faced many challenges in the last few years, including a large number of students choosing to...
DAYTON – The Dayton City Council met at 6 p.m., April 12, 2022. All Council members were present, Misty Yost, Tiger Dieu, Marchand Hovrud, Dain Nysoe, Laura Aukerman, Teeny McMunn, Kyle Anderson, and Mayor Zac Weatherford. The Chamber of Commerce Director, Belinda Larsen, announced their awards presentations would be held on April 20, 2022, and they are working on the Dayton Days and All Wheels Weekend events. The Chamber is discussing parade routes with the County. The City Council handled s...
DAYTON—Winston Churchill once said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Since 1995, the Columbia County Community Network, ComNet, has provided “umbrella” agreements under its 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status to local organizations that cannot afford or maintain non-profit status or waiting to file for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt determination. ComNet Board President Vicki Zoller explained that under the ComNet umbrella, smaller entities can apply for grants as a 501(c)(...
Bill and Teresa Ayotte have brought the beloved cafe back to Dayton DAYTON-After more than a year, Dayton-area golfers and foodies alike can finally enjoy their favorite Chicken Bill burger, breakfast, or chicken fried steak once again. Returning to the Touchet Valley Golf Course after taking a pandemic-year off, Chicken Bill's Cafe had its soft opening on March 31, and owners Bill and Teresa Ayotte have been busy ever since. "It's been so busy!" Ayotte said. "So many familiar faces are back."...
DAYTON—Columbia County is just one of many Washington government entities that received a Public Record Request from self-proclaimed ‘government transparency advocate’ Eric Hood. The state Public Records Act requires that state and local agencies disclose all records to the public unless the law specifically exempts them. Agencies must reply to requests within five business days to give an estimate of when records will be available and later provide a log to explain any redactions or exemp...
DAYTON-The Port of Columbia Commissioners met Monday, March 21, for a workshop to discuss Touchet Valley Trail. As many as 39 people attended via Zoom, in addition to a packed conference room at the port. Public comment was not allowed at the workshop meeting. Executive Director Jennie Dickinson was joined by Ken Van Voorhis from SPVV Landscape Architects, Brain Hansen, and Adam Schmidtgall, from Anderson Perry (A.P.). Dickinson began the meeting going over a brief history of the trail,...
DAYTON—The Dayton School Board held its regular board meeting at 6 p.m. on March 16, 2022. All members were present, Chair Jeffrey McCowen, Aneesha Dieu, Zac Fabian, Grant Griffin, and Korinda Wallace. Superintendent Guy Strot was also present in person, as was student representative Madison Richardson. The board approved the Consent Agenda without debate. During public comment, Pearl Dennis suggested the board consider hiring a non-certified superintendent as it appears to be allowed by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (...
DAYTON—The Northstar Digital Literacy Assessment, offered through Columbia County Library, is aimed at helping adults acquire the skills they need in today’s workplace. “People without basic computer know-how are at a disadvantage when it comes to finding a job because employers expect basic computer skills for most jobs, including many entry-level positions,” said Todd Vandenbark, Library Director. “We joined Northstar because it will help our patrons have a better chance at getting jobs and getting ahead.” The free set of assessments includes...
DAYTON – The Port of Columbia held its regular meeting at 5 p.m., March 9, 2022. Chair Genie Crowe, Commissioners Johnny Watts and Seth Bryan, and Port Director Jennie Dickinson, were present. There were members of the public attending in person and over fifty joining on Zoom. Board Chair Crowe opened the meeting with public comment. Dickinson began by reading two from many letters submitted to the board. County Commissioner, Charles Amerein, wrote of his fear that leasing port property to the H...
DAYTON – The Dayton School Board held a regularly scheduled work session meeting at 6 p.m. on March 2, 2022. All Board members were in attendance. The night before, the School Board held a two-and-a-half-hour special board meeting which consisted of a long executive session. At the beginning of the meeting, Board Chair Jeff McCowen announced an executive session would be held under IAW RCW 42.30.110 (f). This section of the Open Public Meeting Act (OPMA) allows a closed session specifically t...
DAYTON-The Columbia County Rural Library District welcomes the WSU Extension's Master Gardening Program for a four-week intro into all things gardening, starting with the dirty work- literally! The program begins on March 7 and the first Monday of each month, through June. Director of Library Services Todd Vandenbark said the first class would be about seeds and soil. An introduction to soil, additives, composting, and the benefit of worms will be the second session's topic, and the third...
A news brief titled Dayton Historical Depot Society director leaving post was accidentally included in the March 3, 2022 print edition. The March 11, 2021 news brief announced the resignation of past director Tamara Fritze. Shellie McLeod is the current Depot Director & Events Coordinator of the Depot. Our apologies for any confusion....
DAYTON – The Dayton School Board convened their regular meeting, both in-person and over Zoom, at 6 PM, February 16, 2022. Present were Superintendent Guy Strot, Chair Jeffrey McCowen, Vice-Chair Grant Griffen, Zac Fabian, Korinda Wallace, and Aneesha Dieu. The meeting was well attended by the public, both in-person and online. The Consent Agenda, consisting of past minutes and several personnel changes, mainly in the coaching staff, was approved unanimously by voice vote. Before the first public comment portion of the meeting, McCowen gave an...
DAYTON—Columbia Pulp, LLC, announced in a press release on February 12 that it would idle operations, effective February 18. The decision will affect approximately 80 employees over the next several weeks. The reduction in workforce will affect employees at the company’s headquarters in Dayton and the production plant at Lyons Ferry “We made this very difficult decision while continuing to evaluate our strategic options,” said Terry Ryan, Columbia Pulp’s Interim CEO. “We are acutely aware that...
DAYTON- The Port of Columbia Commissioners held their regularly scheduled meeting at 5:02 p.m., February 9, 2022. For the opening public comment period, Jorie Aukerman, a resident of Dayton for four years and Executive Assistant at Columbia County Health Systems, spoke on the need for a childcare center in Dayton. She is the mother of an eleven-week-old child and said she is very interested in hearing the Port's presentation about the childcare center. Aukerman said she hopes to remain in her...
DAYTON-At a Monday morning meeting on February 14, The Club President, Jim Pearson, presented to the Columbia County Commissioners on The Club, following its request for $5,000 from the Juvenile Justice Fund. The Club provides affordable afterschool and school break programs for more than 100 area youth. At its peak before COVID-19 restrictions, The Club had more than 200 members enrolled. Pearson told the commissioners that the past couple of years had been challenging for The Club, facing chal...
DAYTON—The City Council meeting went into session at 6:07 p.m., February 9, 2022. Mayor Zac Weatherford, Council members Teeny McMunn, Dain Nysoe, Laura Aukerman, Misty Yost, and Tiger Dieu were in attendance. The Columbia County Emergency Management Director Ashley Strickland reported that contracted maintenance on the communications systems should be complete by the next City Council meeting. The Consent Agenda was approved with Laura Aukerman abstaining because she said she did not receive a copy of the claim vouchers to review. Mayor Zac W...
DAYTON—The Dayton School Board convened a regular work session at 6 p.m. on February 2, 2022. Although both in-person and Zoom participation by the public was available, the meeting was sparsely attended by the public. There were two topics on the agenda this evening for discussion. The first topic for discussion was the sexual health curriculum. This topic consists of sex education for grades five through twelve and Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) for kindergarten through third grade. Senate Bill 5395, passed by the Legislature and W...
DAYTON-Hail, fire, and drought are all words that make farmers shudder. Thankfully, farmers in the Touchet Valley can have a little more peace of mind, thanks to Obenland and Low. Pomeroy residents Tara and Adam Hodges are the owners of Obenland and Low Agency, offering small and large farm insurance, equine insurance, and home and auto insurance. The original company was founded in 1921 by C.E Obenland and became Obenland and Low in 1981. The couple purchased the agency in 2013 and has...
'If you see a need, plant a seed' has become the driving force behind Dayton's Bulldog Brigade. Organizer Peggy Eakin was the speaker at the January 27 Dayton Kiwanis Club, and she is on a mission to gather volunteers for just about everything in Dayton. Eakin started her presentation emphasizing community support, expressing her excitement to speak to club members who had once made it possible for her granddaughter to visit Washington D.C, take her first flight, and see the world outside of...
DAYTON- The Port of Columbia Commissioners held their monthly meeting Wednesday, January 12, 2022. The meeting was held virtually on Zoom. Two commissioners, Seth Bryan and Johnny Watts logged onto Zoom from the Port conference room. The third commissioner, Genie Crowe, attended remotely. The Zoom meeting was attended by over 40 community members. Executive Director Jenny Dickinson said she had sworn in new commissioners, Seth Bryan and Johnny Watts, before the meeting. Dickinson explained that rules mandate a board secretary be appointed....
DAYTON—The Dayton City Council convened its monthly meeting at 6 PM on January 12, 2022. Four new city council members, Laura Aukerman, Teeny McMunn, Marchand Hovrud, and Tyler Dieu, were sworn in at the January 12 meeting. Misty Yost and Dain Nysoe remain in their seats through 2023, and position six is vacant. Mayor Zac Weatherford announced the passing of City Council Member Byron Kaczmarski, leaving position six vacant. He also reported that Hovrud plans to serve on the council until her move from the area. The council elected Dain Nysoe to...
DAYTON-In 2019, Touchet Valley Golf and Recreation (TVGR), formerly known as the Dayton Country Club, created an aggressive five-year strategic plan for the golf course. The plan includes partnering with multiple organizations to fund and construct an underground irrigation system and potentially expand the existing golf course. The Underground Sprinkler System Installation project consists of planning and fundraising, irrigation reservoir construction, and underground sprinkler system...
DAYTON—The Dayton School Board held its work session meeting at 6 PM on Wednesday, January 5, 2022. The work session meeting was held in person and on Zoom. All the directors were in attendance, opted to meet in person except for Grant Griffin, who chose the remote option. In November, the superintendent administered the Oath of Office to Aneesha Dieu, Jeffrey McCowen, Grant Griffen, and Korinda Wallace. The newly elected directors swore to support the Constitution of the United States and the State of Washington and faithfully discharge the d...
The Dayton City Council convened its regular meeting at 6 p.m. on December 15, 2021. All members of the city council were present except for Byron Kaczmarski. The city council discussed Resolution 1484, which would allow the mayor to execute an interlocal agreement with Columbia County for shoreline planning and master plan updates. Councilmember Mike Paris moved to approve, and Misty Yost seconded. Council passed the resolution unanimously. Next, the Council considered approving a new contract with the union representing the city’s public w...
