2011 NEWS IN REVIEW

1

One Of The Best Years For Harvest Despite numerous challenges, including fires and rust, 2011 yields and crop prices went up and up. It was a great year for growers in the Touchet Valley.

2

Pot Busts

Local, state and federal law enforcement officials took 37,000 marijuana plants worth $37 million this summer from several grows in Columbia County. They arrested three suspects who were later charged with manufacturing marijuana and being aliens in possession of firearms.

3

Triple Grand

Opening In Waitsburg

Hundreds turned out for the annual car show and to celebrate three grand openings in Waitsburg. In early August, Betty's Diner, the Anchor Bar and Coppei Coffee Co. opened their doors. Observers likened it to watching a town wake up after a long sleep. Some came because they were intrigued by the new 1950s diner. Some came from the Tri Cities, Walla Walla, Seattle and even further afield to see the new Anchor Bar and its live rockabilly music. Finally, visitors and community members came out to mark the opening of the new coffee shop doubling as a community gathering place.

4

Mark Franklin

Investigation

Former Columbia County Sheriff 's Deputy Mark Franklin resigned in early June pending an investigation by the Asotin County Sheriff's Office into allegations that he conducted himself less than professionally during an incident at and near the Midway convenience store and fueling station in Waitsburg in February. Sheriff Walt Hessler said Franklin mistreated members of the public by using verbally abusive language; was dishonest by not properly identifying himself and by submitting misleading accounts of the incident; and took on an unsanctioned investigation. Franklin denied the allegations.

5

No Horse Racing

Following the announcement that there was to be no pari-mutuel horseracing this year in Waitsburg, Dayton and Walla Walla, the boards of the Days of Real Sport and Dayton Days canceled their annual racing events for 2011. The boards hope to return horseracing in 2012.

6

Limagrain Opens Office In Waitsburg

Group Limagrain, the biggest plant breeder and seed company in Europe, chose Waitsburg as the site for one of five new seed research and development stations in the United States.

7

Sproul Beats Incumbent Bickelhaupt For Hospital Seat

Election Day was great for Dayton's Colleen Sproul, a retired nurse who took a shot at running for a position as commissioner for the Columbia County Health System and found herself ahead of her opponent by 61.03 percent on Election night.

8

Best Western Coming

To Dayton

A Best Western Hotel, with up to 50 rooms, will be built at the current location of Dayton Wineworks by 2013.

9

Circus Comes To Town

More than 3,000 visitors took in one of two Carson & Barnes circus shows that ran the gamut from spectacular trapeze and trampoline acts to elephant rides and skateboard gymnastics. Locals said it was the first circus to come to town in about 15 years.

1 0

Dayton Hosts Mule Mania In July

For the first time, Dayton held a mule festival over the summer. The mules competed in a plethora of runoffs during Dayton's first Mule Mania gathering July 14- 17. Activities from Friday through Sunday ranged from the must-see, must-eat chuck wagon cook-offs, to the parade, workshops and mulemanship races.