Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 1887
DAYTON-It takes an army of good-natured volunteers to put together the displays for the Columbia County Fair at the Pavilion. There are over thirty booths and displays in the Pavilion, featuring food preservation, garden and produce, baking, floral, fine arts, needle craft and sewing, photography, quilting as well as booths advertising businesses and fraternal organizations. For each, there are superintendents who are there to accept the entries and display them to be judged. Rose Englebrite... Full story
Dayton — Neighbors United for Progress (NUP), Columbia County’s bipartisan political action committee, has filed a lawsuit that may save the Columbia County Library. The group filed a suit on August 29, 2023, asking the Columbia County Superior Court to issue an injunction prohibiting the Columbia County Auditor’s Office from placing Proposition 2—a ballot measure to dissolve the Columbia County Rural Library District—on the November 2023 ballot. The suit also asks the court to recover a... Full story
DAYTON—The Washington State Library falls under the auspices of the Office of the Secretary of State, and due to concerns over recent attempts to ban books, staff in that office has begun drafting bills to provide librarians with more autonomy over collection development and to strengthen current nondiscrimination laws. Since a qualified petition has been submitted to the county, the state cannot intercede in the upcoming ballot measure (Proposition 2) asking voters to dissolve the Columbia C...
DAYTON-The group, represented by Dayton resident Jessica Ruffcorn, continues to garner attention from national print and televised media over efforts to dissolve the Columbia County Rural Library. The Seattle Times is the most recent newspaper outside of Columbia or Walla Walla Counties to publish an article about the potential of Dayton's public library becoming the first in the country to be closed due to collection content. The article is available at https://tinyurl.com/5nscwbck. Allen Leist... Full story
DAYTON – The Columbia Port Commissioners held their regular meeting in the port conference room on August 9, 2023. Commissioners present in person were Genie Crowe, Seth Bryan, joined by the Executive Director, Jennie Dickinson. Johnny Watts participated over Zoom. Dickinson began preliminary budget discussions by saying she anticipates an insurance rate increase of about $1,500 for additional coverage for the broadband project. An offset could come from revenue generated from broadband after it becomes operational. Dickinson said she would h...
Columbia CountY-Wynter McCauley, Kilee Henry, and Bailey Standring were selected to represent Dayton as Fair Royalty last October. The "job" is so much more than just waving in parades. The fair's royalty learn life-long lessons throughout the year. Starting early to prepare for the day, always ready to smile for a photo, learn about and work with livestock, and spend time as ambassadors for the Columbia County Fair. Their duties include assisting at various local events including Brix and...
Walla Walla, WA – Blue Mountain Action Council (BMAC) is pleased to announce the hire of Michelle McCleary as BMAC Services Coordinator for Columbia and Garfield Counties. McCleary will serve the region out of BMAC's office in Dayton, primarily providing housing support and connecting Columbia and Garfield County residents to other BMAC services. "We are delighted to have Michelle joining our Dayton office so we can improve our outreach and services in Columbia and Garfield Counties. With her k...
DAYTON - The second petition submitted to put a proposition to dissolve the Columbia County Rural Library District on the November ballot has been certified. The Columbia County Auditor's Office found 163 signatures of the 186 submitted on the petition were from qualified voters registered in the county's unincorporated areas. Petitioners needed at least 107 qualifying signatures, representing 10% of registered voters in the unincorporated areas of the county to be certified. The library board...
DAYTON-The Board of Directors for the Columbia County Rural Library held their regular meeting on Monday, July 17, in the Delaney Room. The meeting was attended by the public, in person and on Zoom. Board Chair Jay Ball, board members Chuck Beleny, Kevin Rust, and Sharon Mendal were joined by Interim Director Ellen Brigham. Vice Chair Karin Spann was not in attendance. The meeting opened with Tanya Patton presenting a detailed history of Dayton's library and the community's efforts to secure... Full story
COLUMBIA COUNTY—On June 21, 2023, Jessica Ruffcorn submitted a petition to dissolve the Columbia County Rural Library District to the Columbia County Auditor’s Office. The auditor’s office began the process of verifying the signatures on June 22. Addresses and signatures were compared to those stored on the Secretary of State’s official voter information database. Voters can register, update, and verify their voter information on the official database at VoterWA.gov. In a letter to the Rural Library District Board Chair, dated June 27, 2023, C... Full story
DAYTON – The Port of Columbia Commissioners held their regular meeting at 5 p.m. on April 12, 2023, in the port’s conference room and on Zoom. Commissioners Genie Crowe, Johnny Watts, Seth Bryan, and the Executive Director, Jennie Dickinson, were present. The commissioners discussed the Procurement and Public Works Policy to refine it before approval. Eventually, the commissioners decided to table the matter until the next meeting to have more time to study the issue. Reporting on port facilities, Dickinson said Columbia County Public Tra...
DAYTON – The Port of Columbia Commissioners held their regular meeting on March 8, 2023, at the port’s conference room and on Zoom. Commissioners Genie Crowe and Seth Bryan were present, and Johnny Watts attended using Zoom. Executive Director Jennie Dickinson was in attendance, and members of the public joined remotely and in person. The commissioners approved the last meeting’s minutes, monthly budget report, and vouchers without debate. Dickinson gave an update on port assets, including the seasonal opening of the store and restaurant at Ly...
DAYTON – Starting on March 10, the Warren Community Action fund will accept grant applications from nonprofit and charitable organizations serving Columbia County and the surrounding area, including Waitsburg. The deadline for applications is March 31, 2023. The Warren Community Action Fund honors the deep roots of the Warren family and is focused on continuing the tradition of community service that Robert and Nadine Warren were passionate about. The Fund will award grants to support p...
COLUMBIA COUNTY—County Commissioners Ryan Rundell (Chair), Jack Miller, and Marty Hall attended the March 6, 2023, regular commissioner’s meeting. The commissioners approved two public works contracts, first for constructing ADA ramps and stairs at the fairgrounds’ Pavilion. Engineer/Public Works Director Grant Morgan recommended accepting the bid from Conframe Construction LLC, which was over $40,000 lower than the other two bids. The Commissioners unanimously approved awarding the contract to Conframe. The second approved bid was for a two-y...
DAYTON – Port of Columbia Commissioners held its regular meeting on Wednesday, December 14, 2022, at the Port of Columbia conference room and on Zoom. Commissioners Genie Crowe, Seth Bryan, Johnny Watts, and Executive Director Jennie Dickinson were in attendance. Port Director Dickinson gave an update on the ongoing scheduled State audit. She said the Port staff works remotely with the state auditors, who expect the work to be completed in January. Dickenson estimates the cost may be $8,000. T...
COLUMBIA COUNTY-Jack Miller has defeated the incumbent Charles Amerein in a tight race for a seat on the Board of Columbia County Commissioners, representing District 3. Miller garnered 51.95 percent of the vote, narrowly defeating incumbent Amerein by 89 votes. Sheriff Joe Helm has defeated Deputy Jeff Jenkins for his next four-year term as Sheriff in Columbia County. Helm received 61.95 percent of the vote. Former County Auditor Anne Higgins resigned from the auditor's office last August, afte... Full story
DAYTON – The Columbia Port Commissioners held their regular meeting at 5 p.m. on September 14, 2022, at the Port of Columbia and on Zoom. Commissioners present were Genie Crowe, Seth Bryan, and the Executive Director, Jennie Dickinson. Members of the public attended using Zoom and in person. Johnny Watts did not attend. Dayton Resident Teresa Eier addressed her comments during public comment to Commissioner Bryan. She said Columbia County Commissioner Chuck Amerein told her to investigate issues for herself, which she said she had. The c...
DAYTON--Last week, Columbia County Health System CEO Shane McGuire provided updates on different initiatives at the monthly meeting of the hospital board of commissioners. He spoke about the partnership with Walla Walla University in College Place for CCHS to operate its on-campus health care clinic. CCHS had been working on the partnership for over a year. The University clinic is located near campus and had been without an operator since COVID-19. Many of the current CCHS providers and...
The Times reached out to Todd Vandenbark, MLS, Director of Library Services for Columbia County Rural Library District to respond to the recent requests to remove content from the collection during public comment at the last Library Board meeting, The following is a statement “The Columbia County Rural Library District welcomes feedback from patrons, community members, and others regarding its collections and services. The presence of visitors at this and other Board meetings demonstrates that the library is an important institution in the life... Full story
DAYTON – The Columbia Port Commissioners held their regular meeting at 5 p.m., July 13, 2022, at the Port of Columbia and on Zoom. All Commissioners were present in person, Genie Crowe, Seth Bryan, and Johnny Watts, along with the Executive Director, Jennie Dickinson. Members of the public attended using Zoom and in person. Dickinson reported that Dayton Electric will vacate its lease at the Port to move into a duplex the company purchased. Red Band Cellars has agreed to expand its operation into the unit vacated by Dayton Electric. D...
DAYTON – The Dayton School Board met for their regular meeting at 6 p.m., June 15, 2022. All board members were present in the auditorium, Aneesha Dieu, Zac Fabian, Grant Griffen, Chair Jeffrey McCowen, Korinda Wallace, Madison Richardson (Student Representative), and Superintendent Guy Strot. The meeting was also available on Zoom. At the start of the meeting, Superintendent Strot announced four changes to the agenda. First, Strot said he plans to schedule a joint board meeting with the Waitsburg School Board to further discuss the athletic c...
The comprehensive plan, and potential litigation are discussed in public and executive sessions. LYONS FERRY MARINA– The Columbia Port Commissioners held their regular meeting at 5 p.m., June 8, 2022, at the Lyons Ferry Marina after having a tour of that facility. The operators lease the marina and camping area from the Port of Columbia. All Commissioners were present in person, Genie Crowe, Seth Bryan, and Johnny Watts. The Executive Director, Jennie Dickinson, was also present. Some members of the public attended using Zoom. The C...
DAYTON—The Columbia County Commissioners met on Monday, May 9, for a short work session. The only item on the agenda was ‘general discussion.’ Commissioner Marty Hall shared that he was heading to Pomeroy to meet with a representative concerning the Turkey Trail Restoration Project funding redirection. Initially, the project was supposed to take place in 2021 but was canceled by the Turkey Trail/Green Ridge Fire that burned last summer. Hall did not specify where project funds would be redirected, but he did note that they would still benef...
DAYTON – Actions taken by the Port Commisioners at the April 13, meeting may have ended years of work on the Touchet Valley Trail Project. The meeting at the Columbia County Fairgrounds Youth Building was standing room only and well attended on Zoom. Director Jennie Dickinson, Chair Gene Crowe, and Council Members Seth Bryan and Johnny Watts were present. The meeting began with public comments focused on the Touchet Valley Trail Project (TVTP). Concerns from those against the project included f... Full story
DAYTON—The Columbia County Commissioners met Monday, February 7, for a regular meeting. Equipment use and acquisition, and real estate acquisition were a few of the topics covered. The commissioners were presented with a real estate acquisition firm recommendation, signed by the County Engineer and the acting Public Works Director, for needs related to three projects; Bowman Grade, Barnes Smith Bridge, and Starbuck Bridge projects; for the necessary right of way acquisition. Hiring a real e...
