NEWS BRIEFS
Wind Project Appeal is Rejected and Construction Begins
On Friday, August 31, a Judge in Walla Walla dismissed an appeal of the Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for the Dayton Wind Project west of Dayton. The appeal suit had been filed in May by members of the group Friends of Scenic Columbia County against the county, project developers and landowners.
In rejecting the appeal, Superior Court Judge Donald Schacht said that Columbia County had taken the appropriate steps to properly review the permit application prior to issuing the CUP. He ruled that the objections raised in the appeal suit were without merit. The judge's ruling came from the bench immediately following a onehour hearing in which attorneys from both sides argued their cases.
Initial road construction at the Dayton project site commenced the week following the judge's ruling. According to Chris Fox, the construction manager for RES, the project's developer, road construction was to be more than half completed by the end of September. Pouring of foundations for the turbine towers will begin in early October. "We're trying to get as much of the civil work done as we can before winter sets in," says Fox. Fox also says that initial construction has begun on the project's substation.
According to Fox, more than 25 construction employees will be working at the site this fall – primarily equipment operators and truck drivers. Most will be employed by subcontractors.
Installation of turbine equipment for the Dayton Wind Project will not begin until early spring of 2008. Fox expects that the entire project will be completed and operational by the end of summer next year. Once the project is completed, ownership will be transferred to Pacificorp.
County Fair a Success
The Columbia County Fair Board met September 17th for their annual "pickin' and grinnin' meeting" (grinning about the good things and picking apart the bad). The group spent considerable time discussing the revised admission fee system and its impact on attendance.
Admission revenue this year was $21,954, compared to $15,427 in 2006. More passes were sold last year, but fairgoers who attended an arena event had to buy multiple passes. This year one pass got attendees full access to all events.
Overall the fair board was very happy with the entertainment. Members agreed that such attractions as the steel drum band, lumberjack show, professional storyteller and bagpipe band were a big improvement from previous years. The mechanical bull and the concerts in the infield were both big hits with the public.
Members of the board presented several suggested themes for the 2008 fair. Next year's theme will be chosen by a vote of the board at their next meeting, on October 15th.
Election News: Mail-out Ballots & Candidate Forum
Election Day this year is November 6th. For Columbia County voters, the general election is mail-only, with ballots going out to voters October 15. Completed ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day.
The only contested race in Columbia County this year is for Dayton's Mayor, with City Council member Craig George challenging incumbent Mayor Bill Graham. Several other positions are on the ballot, with candidates running unopposed. These include five Dayton City Council positions, Starbuck Clerk/Treasurer and City Council positions, positions on the Dayton and Starbuck School Boards and Fire District 1, 2 and 3 Commissioner positions. Several statewide initiatives and referenda will also be on the ballot.
On Wednesday, October 10, a Candidate Forum will be held at Dayton's Liberty Theater, hosted by the local chapter of the AAUW. Both of Dayton's mayoral candidates are scheduled to speak, and all those who have filed for other Dayton and county positions have been invited to make a statement as well. The forum begins at 7:00 p.m. and is free and open to the public.
Senior Group Exercises
The Columbia County Health System (CCHS) is offering senior group exercises at the Dayton Senior Center, beginning this fall. Sessions will be held on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Tuesday of each month from 10:00 to 10:30 a.m., and will be led by Clair Lee, Physical Therapist Assistant with CCHS. The sessions will feature strength and balance exercises designed to reduce the chance of injuries related to falls.
According to Lee, falls are the leading cause of injury deaths for people 65 and over. She says that, each year, nearly one-third of older adults in the U.S. experience a fall with at least minor injuries.
The Senior Center is located at 403 E. Patit Street. For more information on the exercise sessions, call Claire Lee at 382-2531, extension 332, or the Therapy Department at CCHS.
Keith McMasters Opens Sculpture Studio and Gallery
Local bronze sculptor Keith McMasters has recently opened a new studio and gallery in the Dantzscher Building next to the Columbia County Courthouse. McMasters says that this will be a working studio, where he will be "playing with clay", along with displaying some of his finished work. Paintings by friends who are western artists will be displayed on the gallery walls. McMasters is a long-time Dayton resident who recently returned after three years living in Idaho and Vancouver, WA.
"Like most artists, I was always drawing as a kid," says McMasters. "And I always loved western art. My dad and granddad were both cowboys, and I grew up around that." McMasters decided to take the leap to become a professional artist in 1999, when he cast his first piece. He received a great honor when his sculpture, "Good Medicine" won first place at a major western art show in Prescott, AZ in 2001. "That gave a huge boost to my career," he says.
McMasters travels to about four major western art shows each year, where he sells much of his work. "There are several collectors I've met at shows who now regularly buy new pieces as I release them," he says. McMasters also sells his work through the Coeur d'Alene Gallery in Idaho and a couple of other galleries in the Northwest.
Since it is a working studio, McMasters says his gallery won't have set hours. However, he plans to be open several hours each weekday, except when he's traveling to shows. Visitors are invited to drop in any time. McMasters can be reached at (509) 540-9060.
Planning Workshops to be Held with U. of I. Students
Students and Professors from the University of Idaho's Department of Conservation Social Sciences have been working in Columbia County for the past several months, learning about the values, beliefs and lifestyles of local residents. The information they are gathering will be given back to county officials to help form local growth and development plans.
Columbia County residents are invited to two workshops in October to share their ideas about the future of the county. The meetings will be at 7 p.m., Friday Oct. 12, and at 3 p.m., Saturday Oct. 13 in the Youth Building at the Columbia County fairgrounds, and will be hosted by the students. Participants will discuss several topics relating to how they see our community in 20 years. Students will record the discussions, which will then be reviewed by the Conservation Social Sciences group and presented to local residents and county officials at a later meeting.
One of the students leading the project is Dana Coombs, a 2001 Dayton High graduate who is now a Senior at U of I. Coombs says the project is based on an approach called "Green Infrastructure", which combines the efforts of natural resource conservation and land use planning.
The Department of Conservation Social Sciences is recognized as the people side of natural resources, where students are trained in an interdisciplinary perspective that includes natural resources, psychology, sociology, political science, ethics, economics, geography, law and philosophy. For the 29 students and four instructors from the University of Idaho, this project enhances their academic curriculum and provides county residents with data and insights that will help local planning efforts. For more information about this project, please call Dana Coombs at (208) 596-1214.
Heritage Society's Oral History Project
With a grant from the Dayton/ Columbia County Washington Fund, administered by the Blue Mountain Community Foundation, the Blue Mountain Heritage Society (BMHS) continues to interview long-time Dayton and Columbia County residents. School and area experiences are being recorded on DVD discs. The interviews will be used in a variety of BMHS's community projects.
"Right now we're focusing on country school history," said Elizabeth Thorn, president of the BMHS. "But, while recording these fabulous first-hand early school memories, other fascinating family stories and community history come up in the process. These stories will be edited and prepared to supplement various planned exhibits, such as for our Smith Hollow School project."
The Smith Hollow School, which was built in 1900, is a one-room school currently located on Smith Hollow Road. The building was donated to the BMHS by Van and Deb Seney. It will be moved into Dayton and placed on the organization's Commercial Street lot next to the Touchet River. Money needed to move and restore the school is being generated through donations, fund raisers and grants. Once in place, the Smith Hollow school house will be part of the courthouse-to-the-river Historic Pathway project funded in part by a grant from the Washington State Department of Transportation.
For details about the BMHS's Oral History Project, or to help with the Historic Pathway and Smith Hollow School, contact Elizabeth Thorn at 509-382-4820.
October is National Fire Prevention Month
The fire fighters of Fire District #3, which is the largest fire district in Columbia County and includes the city of Dayton, are planning several fire safety and prevention programs for local schools. A pair of fire fighters will dress up in their full gear, including respirator, and go to Dayton Elementary School classrooms to talk with kids about home fire safety and prevention. The firefighters in their gear hope to impress on the children that the fire fighters are there to HELP them regardless of how they are dressed.
According to District #3 Fire Chief Rick Turner: "We want kids to understand that if they see someone dressed like that, it's a firefighter there to help them, not frighten them." Of course, they demonstrate and practice the classic "Stop, drop and roll" technique too. After the firefighters talk to the kids in the classroom, they plan to go outside and show off a fire engine and other fire fighting equipment or gear. They will be at the Dayton Schools all day on Oct 8 focusing on classes K-6--including the classes at the Blue Mountainn Christian School. And then Oct 10th, they will be at the Seventh Day Adventist School on 4th Street. Turner says that firefighters are also willing to give presentations to local civic groups.
Photo Exhibit During Dayton on Tour Weekend
Palouse Falls is the subject of a photo exhibit that will be on display at the Palus Museum Friday, October 12 through Sunday, October 14 during Dayton on Tour weekend.
Mike Huntington, a Tri-Cities photographer, avid hiker, and history buff, has been taking pictures of Palouse Falls and the Columbia Plateau region for 30 years. This display of his work will feature the falls, the surrounding plateau and area wildlife in a variety of seasons. Palouse Falls is located about 35 miles northwest of Dayton across the Snake River in Whitman County near the confluence of the Snake and Palouse Rivers.
The Blue Mountain Heritage Society's Palus Museum (located on the corner at Dayton's only traffic light) will be open Friday, October 12th from 1:00-4:00 pm; Saturday, October 13th from 1:00 to 6:00 pm; and on Sunday, October 14th from 1:00-4:00 pm.
For more information contact Elizabeth Thorn at 509-382-4820.
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