|
The new Dayton Schools' Communications Advisory Committee will meet Wednesday, December 10, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. All interested parents, teachers and other community members are invited to attend.
According to Dayton School Superintendent Rich Stewart, the purpose of the committee is to help get the word out about all of the positive things going on at the school and to help improve the school's image in the community. "And when issues or concerns come up among parents, teachers or community members, we want to be able to address them in a prompt and positive way," says Stewart.
Stewart hopes to create three subcommittees within the group. These will address issues relating to individual classrooms, the overall school, and issues of concern to the community. "We're hoping to create an environment where everyone in our community likes and supports our schools," says Stewart.
A new restaurant has opened behind the Village Shoppes on Main Street in Dayton. Mom's Café serves food that is strictly homemade, fresh and "down home good". The Café offers daily specials like Chicken & Dumplings, Beef Noodles (with homemade noodles, of course), meatloaf and even a crab sandwich that Village Shoppes owner, Candy Jones, says is divine.
Owner Sheila Silburn has worked in the restaurant business since she was 14 years old. She owned a restaurant in Bandon, OR and recently managed the restaurant and lounge at Crooked River Ranch golf resort south of Madras, OR. She moved to Dayton three months ago.
Sheila's son, Rob Johnson, and his family live in Columbia County and have been trying to get her to move here for about three years. Another son, Emil Johnson, and his family have also recently moved to Dayton. Emil helps cook and Sheila's niece, Melissa Marshall, helps behind the scenes with dishes. Rob and his family plan to help out as they can.
Mom's Café is open seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. for breakfast and lunch. "The plates come back empty," says Emil. "We must be doing something right."
Amber R. Dobbs-Woodworth, of Dayton, received Whitman College's 2008 Town-Gown Award at the Walla Walla Valley Chamber of Commerce annual awards banquet on November 5. Dobbs-Woodworth is the daughter of Lori and Terry Dobbs of Dayton and graduated from Dayton High School in 1989. She has worked for Whitman College since 2001, and is currently the communications operations manager.
Dobbs-Woodworth was recognized for her outstanding service to Walla Walla while a member of the Whitman College staff. "We need more people like you, Amber," said Whitman President George Bridges.
Dobbs-Woodworth has been an active volunteer in the Walla Walla community for more than ten years. In 2002 she received the Blue Mountain Action Council's Volunteer of the Year award for her work in the adult literacy program. She was very involved in the Dayton High School's 2008 "safe and sane" graduation party, including raising funds and supervising the evening's activities. In addition, she surveyed the students to find out what they wanted at the party, so they would actually attend.
Dayton School District Superintendent Rich Stewart has submitted his resignation, effective the end of the 2008-09 school year. "I will probably retire," says Stewart, "but I'm open to taking a position on the west side of the state if the right opportunity comes along." Stewart's family circumstances have changed, since his wife, Deanna, is working exclusively in the west side of the state. Stewart has been superintendent in Dayton since 2004.
In other Dayton school news, the school district's Business Manager, Mona Himmelberger, resigned this fall. Himmelberger accepted the position of Payroll Manager at Walla Walla Community College. Her position there begins December 1. Three applicants have been interviewed by the selection committee to fill the Business Manager position. The Dayton School Board is expected to approve the committee's selection at its meeting on December 3rd.
Also, Dayton resident Garry Snyder has been appointed to the Dayton School Board to fill the position left vacant by the resignation of Pat Herrin in September.
On December 15, the 21st Century After School Program at Dayton Schools will offer a special presentation by Dale Ingram from the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) at Hanford. LIGO is used to measure black holes and other phenomena in the universe by measuring gravitational waves. Ingram will present a 15 to 20 minute video showing what LIGO does. He will also present experiments to be conducted by kids and adults, and he will answer questions about what scientists do with LIGO.
Parents, students and other interested community members are invited to the 5:00 p.m. presentation which will be held at the Dayton Elementary School multi-purpose room. It is expected to last approximately two hours, and snacks will be provided.
Valley Vision Clinic announces the opening of its new Dayton location. Dr. Bradley Nielson will see patients every other Monday at 1002 S. Third St., Suite 2, in the same building as Dr. Michael Strang's Dayton Dental Care. Dr. Nielson worked at Walla Walla Shopko Eye Care Center before joining Valley Vision Clinic earlier this year.
The Dayton Valley Vision office offers comprehensive eye examinations and one of their licensed dispensing opticians is on site for glasses ordering, repairs and free adjustments. Office hours are 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., every other Monday. For appointments go to www.valleyvisionclinic.com or call 529-2020.
Back to Top
The Community Food Bank of Dayton is moving to the old city fire station located next to Dayton City Hall at 111 S. 1st Street. They hope to be moved before January 1st. The Food Bank Board is asking for donations of lumber to help build a partition wall in the ground floor truck bay.
The Food Bank is currently housed under the East Grandstands at the Columbia County Fairgrounds. It is open Tuesdays from 2 to 4 p.m.
Manager Laura Thorn reports a significant increase in the number of families needing food this fall. Donations are always welcome, especially tomato products, peanut butter, soups, protein sources and other basic food items. Homemade or home canned items cannot be accepted.
Food Bank volunteers will gladly pick up your donation. Simply call Food Bank President Aleta Shockley at (509) 382-2137 or Laura Thorn at (509) 382-2322 for more information or to arrange for a donation pickup.
"The Shadow", a play based on a Hans Christian Andersen story, will be performed on the Alexander Stage at Harper Joy Theatre Thursday, Dec. 11 through Sunday, Dec. 14. The curtain rises nightly at 8 p.m. with a matinee finale on Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are available by calling the box office at 527-5180.
Hans Christian Andersen is best known for his children's fairy tales, but only as adults do we realize how dark some of his tales are. "The Shadow" is the story of a man whose shadow comes to life and embodies the opposite ideals of its master. Whereas the man is preoccupied with contemplating "the good, the beautiful and true," his now-sentient shadow claims knowledge of a world that is actually filled with wickedness. In a tragic acknowledgment of the power of evil, the man is ultimately dominated and oppressed by his shadow.
This sinister morality tale is given a modern twist by Russian playwright Yevgeny Schwartz, who sets it against the social and political backdrop of the Soviet Union. His telling combines the classic storytelling of Andersen with the bleak realities of a nuclear world.
The Columbia County Sheriff's Office Citizens' Academy for 2009 will begin on Wednesday, February 25 and conclude with graduation and a reception on Wednesday, June 10. Classes will be held every Wednesday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Since this is the only academy class that will be offered in 2009, interested persons are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.
The Citizens' Academy is a 32-hour training program that combines classroom and "hands-on" instruction and gives participants an opportunity to observe the inner workings of the Sheriff's Office. Topics in the academy will include the 9-1-1 public education program, patrol procedures, public information disclosure laws, criminal law, court procedures, use of force and deadly force, criminal investigations, traffic accident investigations, narcotics and alcohol enforcement, sex offender information, communications, National Night Out, Emergency Management, juvenile justice, domestic violence, the Reserve Deputy Program and Search and Rescue.
Students will learn about various types of law enforcement equipment, have the opportunity to ride along with a deputy on patrol, and tour the Sheriff's Office, the Columbia County Jail, the 9-1-1 Communications Center and other criminal justice facilities.
To be eligible for the Citizens' Academy, participants must be at least 18 years of age and have no felony convictions. Additional information and applications can be obtained at the Columbia County Sheriff's Office, located in the Courthouse at 341 East Main Street, or by contacting Academy Coordinator Tim Quigg through the Sheriff's Office at 509-382-1100.
Fort Walla Walla Museum's Services & Facilities Enhancement Project is moving forward, thanks to a recent anonymous donation of $40,000. With an end-of-the-year deadline for fundraising for the project, the gift comes at a good time for the museum.
The project plan includes 7,600 square feet of new exhibit space, an orientation theater and many other improvements. "We hope to make the museum a major regional destination by the time we've completed the project," said Museum Executive Director James Payne.
The deadline facing the Museum comes from the matching requirements of two grants the project received. The Sherwood Trust provided $500,000 and the Washington State Heritage Capital Projects Fund contributed more than $850,000. Unless enough money is raised by December to begin a significant stand-alone part of the project, the Sherwood money would be forfeited, thereby jeopardizing the State's funding. The Museum has raised $2.2 million to date and has spent more than $300,000 on design work and other project expenses.
"We have a December deadline to raise nearly $700,000, and I'm hopeful folks will support the project," says Payne. "It really is a community enhancement project."
Back to Top
|
