Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Sorted by date Results 556 - 580 of 1893
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...
This drone's-eye view shows Columbia Pulp's nearly-completed straw pulp plant along the Snake River near Lyons Ferry. The plant is expected to be fully operational by the end of the year....
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—On a 2-1 vote, the Board of Columbia County Commissioners on Monday upheld a one-year ban from the Columbia County Fairgrounds for Dayton resident Lee Ann Literal, following an administrative hearing. Literal appeared at the hearing with her attorney, Mona Geidl, to address the county’s assertion that she was consuming alcohol during a celebration of life memorial service at the fairgrounds on July 21. County Facilities Maintenance Director Dave Finney imposed the ban on July 23 after two incidents in which Finney claimed Literal was in...
Long before there were machines, there was – and still is – the human hand. And as miraculous and wonderful machinery is, it does not begin to compare with the creativity of the hand, impelled by the human heart and brain. For Portland potter Dave Raynalds, ceramic plates, platters, and even globes, benefit from the direct interaction of clay and hand. Raynalds specializes in a technique call slab-built ceramics, which involves hand shaping clay – as opposed to using the pottery wheel – into it...
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-The mural on the west side of the Broughton Land Co. has received a much-needed restoration, which included repair to the wall and repainting to brighten the mural images. Kennewick mural artist Don Brown is almost finished with the work. He was selected by the Dayton Development Task Force, which raised nearly $10,000 for the project. Much of the funding came from donors to the Task Force's B&O tax incentive program. Brown repaired the stucco and bricks on the lower part of the wall in e...
Things have changed a bit in the Old West over the last two centuries. While we don't ride horses as much as we did then, we still admire the life of the cowboy, the vast expanse of mountains and prairie, and the wildlife of the area. This is the New West, a subject close to the heart and hands of oil painter Tobias Sauer. Sauer has spent a major portion of his life residing near the route taken by the Lewis and Clark Expedition. "I paint scenes from the West because I love it," says the Coeur...
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...
DAYTON—Preliminary results from the Aug. 7 election showed that the Columbia EMS Levy is passing with just over 71% yes votes. A 60% yes vote is required for passage. Fire District 3 Chief Jeromy Phinney said that although there are still votes out there to count, it is safe to say it is passing. “I’m most happy to have that kind of support from the community. It looked like the precincts in all areas of the county were supportive,” he said. “I think that’s huge. It will help us with our staffing and equipment needs and generate the funds t...
Authorized Anderson and Perry and Associates, Inc. to complete engineering services associated with Inert Waste Landfill Project. Authorized Change Order No. 1 for the FEMA Street Repairs Project – FEMA portion Authorized Change Order No. 2 for the FEMA Street Repairs Project – City/Seneca portion Authorized Ordinance No. 1937, amending certain sections of Title 11 of the Dayton Municipal Code – Zoning. Planning Director Meagan Bailey referred to this a general housecleaning of the DMC. Authorized Pacific Power to replace all street light...
DAYTON—On Monday, the Columbia County Civil Service Commission ruled that Columbia County Sheriff Rocky Miller was justified in firing deputy Don Foley earlier this year. Foley was terminated by Miller in May for overstating his time on timesheets. A letter signed by commission members Craig George, Richard Di Lorenzo, Jeff McCann and Bonnie Williams said, “Mr. Foley’s termination was made in good faith, and his dismissal was substantiated.” At an August 8 hearing in front of the commission, Foley’s attorney, David Rose, said that the Sheri...
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...
DAYTON-Since purchasing the old Dayton Chronicle building at 358 East Main St. in September, Vonda and Mark Anderson have put in long hours, and have used lots of elbow grease, to renovate the building to accommodate their residence and her quilting business. It took three months to strip everything down to the floor joists and expose the original brick walls, said Vonda Anderson. During that process a 130-year-old fireplace was discovered on the main level, and another, older stone foundation...
If you're outside, look up. If you're inside, look out the window, and up. What do you see? Sky, hopefully. And probably, somewhere, clouds. Poofy or wispy, blazing white or thundering grey, here and there or blanketing the air, clouds are so ubiquitous that we frequently forget they're there. Artworks in the sky, clouds shift and change their shape in a moment, never staying long in one place. They're fascinating. "I find myself easily distracted now when I see clouds," says Walla Walla...
DAYTON-Newly elected Dayton High School Alumni Association President Cara Watts has some ideas about how to infuse the association's coffers with some much-needed cash so that giving back to DHS students can continue. "I don't think people understand how much the Dayton Alumni Association gives back," she said. Historically, the association has provided funds through membership dues, donations and memorials, for Youth and Government, FBLA, uniforms for Dayton cheerleaders, and scholarships for...
