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Articles from the February 22, 2024 edition


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  • Presidential Primary ballots mailed this week

    Feb 22, 2024

    DAYTON––Ballots to Columbia County voters for the 2024 Washington State Presidential Primary will be mailed by February 23, 2024. Candidates listed on the ballots include Democrats Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Dean Phillips and Marianne Williamson. Republican candidates are Chris Christie, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy and Donald J. Trump. Trump and Haley are the only two candidates still in the race. Ballots are due to be either delivered to the County Courthouse or an approved drop box...

  • Citizen presses Council for city-wide library annexation conversation

    Jessica Ruffcorn|Feb 22, 2024

    DAYTON–The City Council discussed a previously made request regarding the Columbia County Rural Library District annexation issue and heard a formal complaint of an alleged ethics violation at the February 13 meeting. Katie Roughton of Dayton, who had asked the Council to address two topics relating to the Rural Library District at a meeting in January, again asked the Council consider adding the issue of annexation of the library district to the November ballot so city residents could vote o...

  • Port Commissioners change Executive Director's contract

    Jessica Ruffcorn|Feb 22, 2024

    DAYTON–Port of Columbia Commissioners voted 2-1 to change the status of the position of Port Executive Director from contracted to a non-contracted, at-will position following an executive session during the Commission's regular meeting February 14. The executive session was called to discuss Executive Director Jennie Dickinson's contract. Dickinson has led the Port administration since 2007. The contract under which Dickinson worked ended the end of January, 2024. "I don't believe that there i...

  • Port of Columbia Executive Director Jennie Dickinson -Submitted photo

    Jessica Ruffcorn|Feb 22, 2024

    DAYTON–The City of Dayton Public Works Department was approved for a $2 million grant and addressed surplus property during the meeting February 13. Public Works Director Ryan Paulson notified the council that Public Works have been approved for a $2 million grant to cover the cost of approximately 90% of street resurfacing in town. According to the information presented to the Council, the grant covers the cost of a new type of road seal called OTTA Seal. It is considered more cost e...

  • Weeeeeee're Off to See the Wizard

    Feb 22, 2024

    DAYTON–In celebration of eastern Washington philanthropic organization Innovia Foundation's fiftieth anniversary, a free screening of The Wizard of Oz will be held Saturday, February 24 at 3:00 p.m. at the Liberty Theater. Entry is free and open to all, including a free small popcorn and soft drink per person. Attendees are invited to submit photos from the event for the chance to win a $250 grant to a nonprofit of their choice. As a gift to communities across eastern Washington and North I...

  • Quote of the Week

    Feb 22, 2024

    “Blessed are the young for they shall inherit the national debt.” – Herbert Hoover...

  • Citizen initiatives to the Legislature: Let Washingtonians be heard!

    Rep. Joe Schmick|Feb 22, 2024

    OLYMPIA–It is with a mix of encouragement and disappointment that the Senate majority leader says four of the six citizen initiatives to the Legislature "might" have public hearings scheduled before the end of the 2024 session. But don't hold your breath. We are now nearly two-thirds into a 60-day session, with only a handful of committee meetings remaining before adjournment on March 8. Despite repeated efforts by Republicans asking for majority Democrats to hold hearings on the initiatives, w...

  • Commentary

    Charlotte Baker|Feb 22, 2024

    Have you noticed the same ol’ message; that of what is constantly rehearsed in the media over and over and over again, has become so very tiresome? It sure has with me. I am tired of hearing how awful the right is, and, in turn, how awful the left is, and how they are wrong and we are right and vice versa. It seems for the last two decades, the ability to express one’s opinion has been slowly and methodically stifled. An opposing opinion becomes racist, transphobic, antisemitic, misogynistic, or whatever the latest trend is to close the door of...

  • Letters to the Editor

    Feb 22, 2024

    To the editor, While driving down the road to I-90 from Cheney, I saw KC 135 refueling planes circling around Fairchild Airforce Base. It occurred to me that there are many military airplanes waiting to be deployed. These airplanes could be used to avoid further starvation and death in Gaza by airlifting food, water, and medicine in this war-torn region. And, to help Americans to honor our value for human life, we could send hospital ships like Mercy Corp, to the Mediterranean Sea to treat...

  • What's New at School?

    Wyntr McCauley|Feb 22, 2024

    DAYTON–After students come back from mid-winter break, the local FFA members will prepare to celebrate National FFA Week on February 19-23. The theme for Dress Up Day is "Crazy Socks," and Dayton FFA will host a Middle/High school staff breakfast in the lounge at 6:45 a.m. on Wednesday, February 21. The theme for Dress Up Day on Thursday, February 22, is "Animal Print," and FFA members will host the Farmers and Friends Dinner at 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. (invite only) in the Youth Building at the C...

  • Pastor's Corner

    Greg Brownell|Feb 22, 2024

    In the story "Acres of Diamonds" a farmer heard about other farmers who became wealthy by discovering diamond mines. He sells his farm to search for diamonds himself. Unable to find any, he became depressed and drowned himself. The irony of the story is that the farm he sold was later discovered to have one of the most productive diamond mines in Africa. The "acres of diamonds" were in his backyard all the time! We don't have to travel to the ends of the earth to be blessed! The Lord blesses us...

  • From the Dayton Chronicle archives

    Kaye Eaton|Feb 22, 2024

    Ten Years Ago February 19, 2014 The 2014 Columbia County Fair Hostesses have been selected to represent the county: Haley Jo Puckett, 16, daughter of B.J. Garcia and Amanda Dobbs; Stephanie Nerf, 16, daughter of Belinda Cook and a student at Waitsburg High School; Sam Sweetwood, 15, daughter of David and Leslie Sweetwood; and Carissa Price, 15, daughter of Derrick and Zandra Price. Twenty-Five Years Ago February 17, 1999 Gov. Gary Locke visited Port facilities here in Dayton and voiced his...

  • D.H.S.'s Sam Korslund named Dist. 9 Athletic Director of the Year

    Loyal Baker|Feb 22, 2024

    DAYTON–Athletic Director for Dayton Schools, Sam Korslund, has been named the District 9 A.D. of the Year. The honor makes Korslund eligible to be considered for State A.D. of the Year by the Wash. State Athletic Administrators Association when it meets in late April. Korslund started his A.D. apprenticeship with the Dayton-Waitsburg Athletic Combine just as COVID-19 was wreaking havoc with high-school athletics seasons in the 2020-21 school year, and worked amid "the every-shifting" COVID l...

  • Denver Hutchens named to All Conference Team

    Feb 22, 2024

    Dayton Bulldog Denver Hutchens (standing, fourth from left), was named to the SE1B Wheat Division All-League Team and certificates awarded during the District Tournament here last week. "It's a well-deserved honor for him and showed that his hard work paid off," commented Hutchens's coach Clayton Strong. "The whole team is extremely proud of him and he has a bright future ahead of him." Front row, from left: Trace Roberts, Pomeroy; Lane Collier, Gar-Pal; Jett Slusser, Pomeroy; Logan Grown,...