BRIEFS

WAITSBURG WOMAN CHARGED

WALLA WALLA - A Waitsburg woman charged last month with first-degree theft in Walla Walla County Superior Court will make her first appearance on the charge Jan. 10.

Michelle M. Paul, 36, of 810 Walnut Street, Waitsburg, has not been arrested, but she was charged with stealing more than $9,145.13 in June from the Eastgate branch of Community Bank where she worked in Walla Walla, according to the Walla Walla police report.

Paul, who was operations supervisor and a teller prior to being fired June 22, is accused of "redepositing" four checks presented by three customers and processed about two months earlier. Paul cashed the checks, according to police, and kept the money.

The checks should have been shredded 30 days after they initially were presented, but "were somehow kept in a separate place, known most likely only to Michele Paul," the police report says. DISCARD YOUR HOLIDAY TREE

WAITSBURG - The City of Waitsburg is having a Christmas tree collection this month. All citizens of the city can leave their discarded trees on the curb, and the city crew will come by and pick them up. Elderly people who need assistance can call city hall, at 337-6371, for pick up scheduling. YOUNG MUSICIANS WANTED

SEATTLE - Young musicians in Washington, Oregon and Idaho are invited to vie for a $1,000 scholarship and a chance to perform on stage at Benaroya Hall during the fourth annual "Ten Grands" concert on April 1, 2011.

January 14 is the entry deadline for the second annual Ten Grands Young Artist Awards sponsored by 98.1 Classical KING FM. Official contest rules and entry form, plus the judging timelines, are online at www.king.org.

The competition is open to all non-professional acoustic, instrumental, and vocal musicians ages 6-18. Entries in the form of YouTube clips lasting no more than five minutes will be accepted through the KING FM website at KING. org until Jan. 14. NEALY TAKES ON LAW

OLYMPIA - State Rep. Terry Nealey has picked up a new committee for the 2011 legislative session.

Nealey, a longtime attorney in a Dayton law office, has been chosen to serve on the House Judiciary Committee. This committee considers a wide variety of subjects relating to civil and criminal law, including issues involving commercial law, landlord/tenant law, torts, probate, guardianships, drunk driving, courts and judicial administration, and family law issues such as marriage, marriage dissolution, child support and adoption.

He will continue serving on the House Education Appropriations and Oversight Committee, as well as the House Technology, Energy and Communications Committee.

Nealey was first elected as 16th District state representative and took office in Dec. 2009. He was reelected to the position in Nov. 2010 and begins his first full two-year term in office next week. The scheduled 105-day legislative session begins Jan. 10 in Olympia. EAT, DRINK & TALK TOURISM

WALLA WALLA - Tourism Walla Walla reports that 2010 was a bounce-back year for tourism in the Walla Walla Valleyasvisitorsreturnedata9percentlastyearandmany new initiatives were undertaken or completed. To learn the latest tourism news while socializing over a sumptuous spread and drinking top local wines, folks can attend the Tourism Walla Walla annual meeting on Thursday, Jan. 6.

After the catered social hour, a short series of informative and entertaining presentations will be provided by the consultants working on the Regional Signage Program, Shakespeare Uncork'd officials and President and CEO of Tourism Walla Walla, Michael Davidson, who will deliver a quick and entertaining "year in review."

The event will take place at the WWCC Health Science & Performing Arts Center from 4-6 p.m. Admission is free but RSVPs are appreciated. Contact the Tourism Walla Walla office at 525-8799. ONE FISH, TWO FISH

DAYTON - The Salmon Recovery Board and Washington State Fish and Wildlife have announced a website for citizens to monitor the progress of efforts to protect and enhance native fish populations in Columbia and Walla Walla counties. Anyone can visit www.snakeriverboard.org/ Salmon/Salmon.html to access current fish counts at traps in the Touchet and Walla Walla valleys.

Glen Mendel, a state fish management biologist in Dayton, said counts of adult steelhead caught in adult traps on the Touchet River at Dayton were up from last year - 828 adults were counted in 2010.

Last year was the first full-season count of adult steelhead in the Coppei - 223 were counted. And at the Nursery Bridge Ladder in College Place, over 1,100 adult steelhead were counted.

One of the biggest success stories of 2010, Mendel said, happened on the Tuccannon River, where 2,500 spring Chinook salmon were counted. This was a 30-50 year high. Usually, between 400 and 800 Chinook migrate through. EARLY BIRDS WIN PRIZES

WALLA WALLA - The Blue Mountain Chapter of Pheasants Forever will present their 19th annual banquet on Saturday, Feb. 26, at the Walla Walla Fairgrounds Community Center. The dinner will be prime rib and salmon with a variety of salads. Donations benefit habitat and youth projects through this organization which serves Walla Walla and Columbia counties. All registration forms received before Feb. 10 will be entered in a special drawing for cash or a prize. Contact Alison Brugeman, banquet chair, at 509-432- 6425 or ali_ rose01@hotmail.com.