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By Loyal Baker DAYTON–All of the Primary Electon ballots recounted by hand by Columbia County Auditor's Office elections officials tallied with the initial machine count, according to Auditor Will Hutchens. The statewide hand recount was ordered by the Secretary of State when two Commissioner of Public Lands candidates vying for the second of Washington's "top two" primary system, Democrat Dave Upthegrove and Republican Sue Kuehl Pederson, were separated by 51 votes, a statistical dead heat o...
By Loyal Baker DAYTON–The 136th edition of the Columbia County Fair will highlight those "Buckles, Boots and Rodeo Chutes," highlighting those traditional symbols of one of the fair's annual attractions–the rodeo–when it gets underway this weekend, Friday through Sunday, September 6-9, at the Columbia County Fairgrounds. Fair Hostesses Cedar Stegall, Makayla Mikesell, Alyssa Hollingsworth and Sara Ann Wilson invite everyone to partake of the activities, entertainment and fun events planned for t...
DAYTON–The Granny Caravan prevailed upon the Dayton community on Thursday, August 29 at Flour Mill Park to ask citizens to come out and "talk like a neighbor" about the issues that tend to polarize society and to help bridge the gap through civil discussion. In turn, they promised to bring those issues to elected representatives. A few stopped by during the hour I spent with Roz Luther and Shirely Grossman of Spokane. They stopped in Dayton as part of their Unity Tour of Eastern Washington w...
DAYTON–The Dayton Chamber of Commerce's annual Awards Banquet will be November 7, 2024, at the Columbia County Fairgrounds Pavilion. Festivities including dinner and awards will commence at 6 p.m. Nominations for Dayton's Community Choice Awards are being solicited by the Chamber of Commerce for several honors: Citizen of the Year, Business of the Year, Employee of the Year, Youth Citizen of the year, Non-Profit of the Year and Startup of the Year. The public is invited to nominate a c...
OLYMPIA - The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission met virtually on July 19 to discuss several carnivore topics including proposed changes to cougar hunting seasons and the state listing status of gray wolves. First, the Commission delegated a rule making petition to establish a spring black bear depredation permit season to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) director. The director will review the merits of the petition and decide whether to accept the petition to initiate...
OLYMPIA–The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) offers in-person and hybrid courses for prospective hunters to utilize when completing mandatory hunter education courses. WDFW offers fully in-person hunter education courses as well as hybrid courses that combine online and in-person learning. The in-person course, consisting of roughly 15 hours of instruction, is taught over multiple days and includes a field portion. This course is highly recommended for students seeking a valuabl...
OLYMPIA–The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will be deploying body-worn cameras to all 152 commissioned law enforcement officers beginning in September. The program aims to boost accountability, transparency, and safety in natural resource law enforcement. The body-worn camera program is being implemented next month, following a comprehensive review and trial period, during which feedback from officers and stakeholders was incorporated to ensure that the technology meets the needs of the agency and the community. “This program...
DAYTON–What is as striking as the longevity of a 111-year-old local business operated by three generations of one family is the fact that Suffield Furniture endured not only the Great Depression and not one, but two devastating fires over its lifespan, and each time bounced back to continue serving the residents of Dayton and Columbia County with their furniture, household and appliance needs. Al and Carolyn Suffield locked the doors to Suffield Furniture for the last time in late July after c...
DAYTON-The Columbia County Rural Library District Board of Trustees reviewed and approved a series of business items including the Collection Development Policy on August 17. Library Director Ellen Brigham presented her report along with the financial report. The Board approved a second public comment period to continue. The Collection Development Policy was approved following months of review with only minor edits. The policy includes several chapters guiding the selection and maintenance of...
DAYTON–The Granny Caravan is coming to Flour Mill Park on August 29 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Come meet with Roz Luther and Shirley Grossman for meaningful conversation about politics, initiatives, policies, and the upcoming general election. They are extending an invitation to every person here because they are worried about the polarization of our society. They want to change the trajectory and bridge that gap. Two Spokane octogenarians Grossman and Luther, "are on their remarkable journey to b...
DAYTON–The School Board met on August 21 for the final meeting before the start of the 2024-25 school year on Tuesday, August 27. They approved Resolution 2023-12 which will extend $390,000. At the recommendation of Business Manager Jana Eaton, the Board approved Resolution 2023-12 for a General Fund Budget Extension of $390,000 for the 2023-24 budget year. August is the final month in the budget year. Eaton cited three reasons for the extension. The first was because of grants received d...
DAYTON–Long time and now retired Dayton School District teacher Gordon Gerlitz was celebrated for refurbishing his one hundredth computer, which he in turn donated back into the community at Locally Nourished recently. Gerlitz's experience began around 1977, when he used a Radio Shack TRS 80 and Commodore 64 to introduce computers to his students. Naturally, upon his retirement in 2000, the obvious next step was to start a computer business which was the birth of G Whiz Computing in 2010, which...
Washington Policy Center is challenging the legality of the ban on natural gas brought forth by the Washington State Building Code Council (SBCC). SBCC failed to properly calculate how much small businesses will be harmed in complying with these new regulations. The State Regulatory Fairness Act (RFA) says that the impact on small businesses must be considered with all rule changes. The Washington Policy Center requested the Joint Administrative Rules Review Committee (JARRC) to review these regulations and hold the Code Council accountable...
PENDLETON, Ore.–The Umatilla National Forest officials returned to Phase B Public Use Restrictions on Monday, August 26, due to reduced fire danger, the potential for human-caused fires, and concern for public safety. The restrictions pertain to the use of campfires, smoking, chainsaws, internal combustion engines, and generators. Beginning August 26, 2024, campfires will ONLY be allowed in designated campgrounds and recreation sites. Liquefied or bottled gas stoves and heaters are allowed f...
An adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's "Treasure Island," that timeless tale of swashbuckling adventure, mystery and intrigue involving the adventuresome Jim Hawkins's throwing his fortune in with the diabolical Long John Silver was staged at Dayton's Liberty Theater by the Missoula Children's Theater last weekend, August 9 and 10. The production was enjoyed by audiences during both performances, who were wowed by the story of a far-flung treasure hunt put to song. -Submitted...
By Jessica Ruffcorn Dayton Chronicle Reporter DAYTON-–City Council discussed multiple local projects in process and soon to begin, the Wastewater Treatment Plant Project, and a fireworks ordinance complaint expressed during the meeting August 13. Public Works Director Ryan Paulson advised the Council that the first phase of the OTTA Seal Road project was fifty percent complete and was going well. He stated that the 4th Street project is moving along at a steady pace and estimates work will begin this fall to make the sidewalks ADA compliant. O...
DAYTON–The Port of Columbia Director Jennie Dickinson advised the Port Commissioners the entity will undergo a federal financial audit in September. This will be the first federal audit during Dickinson's tenure as executive director. Dickinson has done many state audits before but wanted to let the Commissioners know what to expect from the federal audit. She has started gathering the information that has been requested so that she is ready when they meet in September. She has also begun w...
DAYTON–The Parks and Rec District Commissioners met to work on the upcoming levy and grant opportunities at a work session on August 15. The commissioners are currently writing a grant application to Blue Mountain Foundation Discretionary Grant which the award is up to $20,000. Commissioners Terry Hessler and Katie Leid are working on this application. The board will need to approve the application before they can send it in. Their next board meeting is August 29 which is the same date the application is due. A decision on this grant is expecte...
DAYTON–A USDA program to provide low-interest physical-loss loans to producers located primarily to 26 Oregon counties is also available to Columbia County producers, if eligible. Physical loss loans through the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) can help producers repair or replace damaged or destroyed physical property essential to the success of the agricultural operation, including livestock losses. Examples of property commonly affected include essential farm buildings, fixtures to real estate, equipment, livestock, perennial crops, fruit a...
POMEROY––The Cougar Creek Fire, located in the Umatilla National Forest primarily in Asotin County and north of the Washington-Oregon border, has topped 24,000 acres since it began July 15 of unknown origin. Suppression efforts have been fruitful as crews on the fire begin demobilization activities. Containment is estimated at 80% as of the Washington Department of Natural Resources incident report on August 19. There are 226 fire personnel on the job, working toward full suppression with fou...
By Lisa Naylor Special to the Dayton Chronicle LYONS FERRY–The eleventh annual SWIM the SNAKE event, an open water swim and paddling event, was successfully held last Saturday at Lyons Ferry State Park and Lyons Ferry Marina in Lake Bryan, Snake River. The event, sponsored by the Blue Mountain Resource Conservation & Development Council, is a fund-raiser for area youth competitive summer swim teams and the regional non-profit. The event started in 2013. New participants this year were Carol N...
DAYTON–Navy veteran Bill Carter is home, escorted through Dayton's Main Street last Thursday on his way to his North Touchet Road residence where the ailing former plumber will be under palliative care at home instead of the Portland Veterans Administration hospital. Supportive Daytonites stepped out of stores and buildings along Main Street and gave Carter's ambulance a flag-waving, patriotic reception. Carter's entourage was led through town and out 4th Street by a Columbia County Sheriff's Of...
DAYTON–The traditional celebratory signing off was broadcast over Columbia County Dispatch's frequency announcing Chief Civil Deputy Tim Quigg final day of work on August 7, 2024. He served the citizens of Columbia County for 43 years under seven different Sheriffs. Quigg began his law enforcement career on November 21, 1981, as a Reserve Deputy Sheriff under Sheriff Ed Britton. He was selected as a Clerk/Dispatcher for the Columbia County Sheriff's Office on March 23, 1982. This provided Q...
DAYTON–Attorneys handling the liquidation of assets of Columbia Pulp I, LLC, recently issued a notice to all concerned parties that the receivership has fulfilled its duties, the receivership is terminated and the actions pertaining to selling Columbia Pulp I, LLC's assets are complete and closed. The filing in King County Superior Court, the Honorable Leroy McCulough presiding, was filed June 6, 2024. On September 19, 2023, following the sale of all of Columbia Pulp I, LLC's assets, the r...
By Loyal and Charlotte Baker DAYTON–This July marked the tenth anniversary of the change of ownership of Dayton's and Columbia County's weekly community newspaper, the Dayton Chronicle. Loyal and Charlotte Baker took over publishing duties from 30-year publisher Jack Williams in early July, 2014. Williams enjoyed a few weeks of retirement before health issues arose and he passed away July 8, 2014. The Bakers operated the 147-year-old business, which includes a full-service print shop, at the C...
