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Articles from the January 14, 2021 edition


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  • County doing well, so far; 70 Zoom attendees of COVID Town Hall hear

    Melissa Gemmell|Jan 14, 2021

    DAYTON–A community-wide Town Hall Meeting was hosted by Martha Lanman, Public Health Administrator for Columbia County, with Columbia County Health System’s CEO Shane McGuire and COO Stephanie Carpenter on Tuesday, January 12. Some 70 Zoom meeting participants heard topics including Governor Inslee’s new phases as laid out in his “Healthy Washington-Roadmap to Recovery Plan,” the vaccine phases and a vaccination sign-up. The Governor’s new two-phased approach to easing the current COVID-19 restr...

  • Widespread disapproval of Inslee's new COVID-19 recovery plan

    Melissa Gemmell|Jan 14, 2021

    DAYTON–Columbia County has been placed in a region that includes Yakima, Benton, Franklin and Walla Walla counties, and Governor Jay Inslee's recently launched recovery plan requires the region to qualify as a whole before all counties can progress to a higher phase, and local officials are not happy with this situation. Inslee's plan separates the State into eight regions, and Columbia County is in the South-Central Region together with other well-populated counties such as Yakima, Benton a...

  • Rep. Mark Klicker takes oath of office

    Jan 14, 2021

    WALLA WALLA–Republican Mark Klicker was officially sworn into office as a member of the Washington State House of Representatives, Friday, to serve the 16th Legislative District. Klicker was elected in November and will take over the seat previously held by former state representative Bill Jenkin, R-Prosser. "I am very humbled and honored to serve the people of the 16th District," said Klicker, R-Walla Walla. "These are challenging and unique times in the state. We need to come together on b...

  • Dayton Schools still in "in-person" instruction; discusses School Resource Officer

    Melissa Gemmell|Jan 14, 2021

    DAYTON–Classes at the Dayton School District have resumed for in-person learning following the winter break for the week of January 4, School Directors heard at a Work Session January 8. However, the District notified patrons that six members of its staff are being quarantined with four tested positive for COVID-19. Also, one student had tested positive. All contact tracing is done through Public Health. Superintendent Guy Strot said that the District was fortunate to have substitutes for all si...

  • A look back at 2020

    Kaye Eaton|Jan 14, 2021

    The year 2020 started as most any other year then, for both Columbia County and the nation, went off the rails. If February, conditions were right for a flood event which devastated county roads, some properties and did millions of dollars of damage to the county and region. Then came snippets of information about a potentially deadly virus from China, and by March, schools and most businesses were shut down. It was a tumultuous year and one which won’t be soon forgotten. Here we recount the events, week by week, from 2020, continued from t...

  • Quote of the Week

    Jan 14, 2021

    “A child of five would understand this. Send someone to fetch a child of five.” – Groucho Marx...

  • Commentary

    Loyal Baker|Jan 14, 2021

    These are indeed interesting times. Liberty in the United States is under threat and it is because the communication channels are held in too few hands. Those who control the news media have manipulated public opinion and swayed voters. It’s Google, FaceBook, Twitter, Apple, and the alphabet soup of national news organizations–once highly esteemed–which now in control the message that the majority of Americans hear. Google owns YouTube, so if you want to see and hear Donald Trump’s speech on January 6, good luck. Last week, following the inc...

  • A. F. Branco

    Jan 14, 2021

    A. F. Branco...

  • On the Edge of Common Sense

    Baxter Black|Jan 14, 2021

    Grandpa Tommy’s dad used to say “A cowful is a substantial quantity.” According to my research, the rumen on a mature cow can hold up to 300 pounds. And by anybody’s standards that is quite a bit. Say you had a cowful of pocket change. You’d almost need a cow to keep it in. Say you had a cowful of wet laundry. It would take a forklift to get it in the dryer. Say you had a cowful of manure. Well, I guess a lot of us do. If cowful became an accepted unit of measure it could replace the antiquate...

  • OPINION

    Jason Mercier|Jan 14, 2021

    OLYMPIA–The Senate Ways & Means Committee will hold a public hearing on January 14 at 4 p.m. on the Governor’s proposed income tax on capitals gains (SB 5096). Remote testimony is available and it is super easy to sign up for (I’ve already registered). The bill defines “Federal net long-term capital gain” as “the net long-term capital gain reportable for federal income tax purposes…” Senate Bill 5096 also says “taxpayers owing tax under this chapter must file, on forms prescribed by the...

  • Letters to the Editor

    Jan 14, 2021

    To the editor, I was surprised to find an article from our Port of Columbia in the Walla Walla County paper. It was asking Columbia County for input to the region-wide active transportation plan. I’m not sure why Palouse RTPO needs our input on their project. I think they should be capable and informed enough to do it by themselves. From the first meeting that Columbia County had in Dayton in regards to the Touchet Valley Trail, it appeared they had no clear direction on the project. The presentation in Waitsburg was consistent with the Port’s...

  • HOSPITAL CORNER

    Jan 14, 2021

    Columbia County Health System (CCHS) has been providing COVID–19 vaccinations for the past two weeks according to Washington States Department of Health (DOH) Phase 1A guidance which includes the following individuals: High-risk workers in health care settings; high-risk first responders; residents and staff of nursing homes, assisted living facilities, congregate living settings where most individuals over the age of 65 of age are receiving care, supervision, or assistance. The Governor s...

  • What's New at School?

    Trista Villaro|Jan 14, 2021

    DAYTON-After recovering from some time in remote learning, and taking a much-needed winter break, school is up and running once again. Last week on Monday, the district returned to in-person learning. It was discovered two staff members had tested positive for COVID-19, putting four staff members into quarantine. This then led to many students, and some staff questioning whether the upcoming semester would be started in-person, or from home. As the week went on six staff members were affected ov...

  • SCHOOL MENU

    Jan 14, 2021

    BREAKFAST Wed, Jan 20: Breakfast Sandwich, Fruit, Milk Thur, Jan 21: French Toast, Fruit, Milk Fri, Jan 22: Pita w/Scrambled Eggs, Maple Bar, Fruit, Milk Mon, Jan 25: Pancakes, Fruit, Milk Tue. Jan 26: Muffin, Scrambled Eggs, Fruit, Milk Wed, Jan 27: Breakfast Stick, Fruit, Milk Thur, Jan 28: Cheddar Omelet, Toast, Fruit, Milk Fri, Jan 29: Scrambled Eggs, Maple Bar, Fruit, Milk LUNCH Wed, Jan 20: Meatballs in Gravy, Mashed Potatoes, Veggie, Fruit, Milk Thur, Jan 21: Corn Dogs, Chips, Veggie, Fruit, Milk Fri, Jan 22: Cheese Burgers, Tator Tots,...

  • Three $2,000 scholarships available

    Jan 14, 2021

    WALLA WALLA VALLEY–The Washington State School Retirees Association (WSSRA) has the Robert J. Handy and the WSSR Foundation scholarships available to high school seniors seeking a career in the field of education. That includes teacher, counselor, speech therapist, occupational therapist, or psychologist. The Neil D. Prescott/Student Teaching/Internship Scholarships are for college students going to student teach during the 2021-22 school year. Candidates need to be a graduate of a Washington state high school, presently enrolled in a c...

  • Sherwood Trust releases 2021 grant guidelines

    Jan 14, 2021

    By Brian Hunt Special to the Dayton Chronicle WALLA WALLA–Virtual informational meetings to review the 2021 grant guidelines are scheduled for Wednesday, January 13 at 1 p.m. and Thursday, January 14 at 5 p.m. Pre-registration is required and available at sherwoodtrust.org. It is not necessary to attend both, as each will present same information. Guidelines and schedules for Sherwood Trust 2021 grant opportunities are now available at www.sherwoodtrust.org. The Guidelines include details and eligibility requirements for approximately $1 m...

  • Clarification

    Jan 14, 2021

    In the December 24 school board story, indication was school administration was waiting until Spring Break to extend the school day for middle and high school students from the present 12:30 p.m. release to 2 p.m. The School Board, according to Superintendent Guy Strot, will be making a decision of when the middle school and high school will change to being released at 2 p.m. at its meeting January 20. It’s possible the date could range from January 21 to after Spring Break, Strot said. At the December board meeting, MS/HS Principal Kristina B...

  • OBITUARY

    Jan 14, 2021

    Sally Jane Ogden December 7, 1942–December 27, 2020 Sally Jane Ogden, age 78 years, passed away December 27, 2020, in Granite Falls, Wash., after a battle with cancer. Sally was born December 7, 1942, in Spokane, Wash., to Otto and Mary (Dixon) Fitzgerald. She attended school in Pomeroy. She was a drummer in the band and a member of Job's Daughters. She graduated from high school in 1961 and attended WSU. She met Gary at a Grange dance when in high school and they married on July 1, 1962. E...

  • OBITUARY

    Jan 14, 2021

    Marion Gladys Anderson August 7, 1930-January 7, 2021 Marion Gladys (Mortimore) Anderson went home to be with Jesus on January 7, 2021. She was born August 7, 1930, to Hugh and Margaret Powers Allmon in Dayton, Wash. Her husband, Estol Mortimore, preceded her in death in 1961, and she then raised and provided for her five children as a cook. She grew up in the Dayton and Waitsburg area, graduating from Waitsburg High School in 1948. She moved with her young family to Spokane, Wash., in 1965,...

  • From the Dayton Chronicle archives

    Kaye Eaton|Jan 14, 2021

    Ten Years Ago January 12, 2011 Love and food and cooking drives Brad McMasters, now a new partner in the Weinhard Café at 258 East Main. Representative Terry Nealey, a long-time attorney in a Dayton law office, has been chosen to serve on the House Judiciary Committee. Twenty-Five Years Ago January 10, 1996 Sheriff’s Department dog used to check lockers. According to school board policy, student lockers are the property of the school district and can be searched if necessary. Due to the dedicated efforts of Georgina Kinyon, the Blue Mountain Ro...