BRIEFS

TOURISM ALLIANCE ELECTS OFFICERS

WAITSBURG - The Touchet Valley Tourism Alliance on Thursday elected its first officers for the working board of directors.

Times Publisher Imbert Matthee was elected chair with Joy Smith, owner of Hugs, Gifts & Collectibles, as first vice chair, and Leroy Cunningham, founder of Rural Green Youth Enterprises, as second chair.

R.L. McFarland, former tour operator, was elected treasurer. Dayton Wine Works Manager Carl Cramer and Nancy Wells, owner of Walla Walla Dance Company, will share the position of secretary.

The next regular meeting of the alliance is at 9:30 a.m., April 6, at the Waitsburg Business Center, Preston Avenue, Waitsburg.

PORT BREAKS GROUND

DAYTON - At 2 p.m. on Friday, April 15, at the corner of Highway 12 and Wagon Road in Dayton, the Port of Columbia will host the official Phase 1 Infrastructure groundbreaking ceremony for Blue Mountain Station.

Special guest speaker will be Dan Newhouse, Director of the Washington State Department of Agriculture.

Approximately three years in the making, Blue Mountain Station is designed for guest from around the world to visit Dayton and learn about agriculture, natural and organic food processing, tour specialty food companies, sample and purchase healthy food at the on-site market.

The Groundbreaking Ceremony is open to the public. Refreshments will be provided next door at Harvest Christian Center immediately following. For more information contact Dickinson at 509-382-2577 or jennie@portofcolumbia.org.

BMEC MOVES TO MAIN STREET

WAITSBURG - Blue Mountain Environmental & Consulting Inc., whose building on Willard Street in Waitsburg lost its roof in a recent wind storm, has moved into the office portion of the Main Street building owned by Jeff Broom.

"It's a good location," said company owner Ken Cole, whose team of four professionals also work from offices in Spokane, Tri Cities and Walla Walla.

Cole said Broom temporarily accommodated his firm on short notice, but he hopes to make a long-term arrangement for the 900-square-foot space.

"It's good to have somebody in there," Broom said. "It's another tooth for Waitsburg's toothless grin."

BMEC provides environmental consulting services, such as site assessments; water, soil, air and materials sampling and site cleanup management.

MCCLURG JOINS BLUE MNT NEWS

DAYTON - Times Managing Editor Dian McClurg will become editor of the Blue Mountain News starting April 1.

For the time being, she will also remain on the staff of the Times until her replacement can be found.

"We're going to miss the many contributions Dian has made to the Times and the improvement in its news coverage, particularly in the Dayton area," Times Publisher Imbert Matthee said. "We're glad she's staying in our community and wish her all the best in her new endeavor."

McClurg, a graduate of Western Washington University's School of Journalism and former reporter for the Centralia Daily Chronicle, joined the Times last June.