BRIEFS

SALES TAX FORUM WAITSBURG - The City of Waitsburg will hold a forum at 7 p.m. on March 29 at the Lions Club building to discuss the proposed 1/10 percent sales tax increase that is going to be on the upcoming special election ballot. The forum will give citizens a chance to hear about our maintenance program and what the city plans on doing with the money should the tax increase be approved. Anyone who has questions and can't attend can always call City Administrator Randy Hinchliffe at City Hall.

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION WAITSBURG -- All parents of children planning to attend kindergarten next year need to complete registration forms and set up an appointment for an individual kindergarten screening to be held in April. Please bring your child's offi cial birth certificate and immunization records. Copies will be made for your child's school records and the originals returned to you. All children who turn 5 on, or before, August 31, are eligible to enter kindergarten in the fall of 2012. Appointments can be made March 26-27 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and March 28-29 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

FREE SCREENING CLINIC WALLA WALLA - A Shriners Hospitals for Children free screening clinic will be held from 1 to 4 p.m., Saturday, April 14, at the Adventist Health/Medical Group facility at 1125 South Second Avenue in Walla Walla. No appointment is necessary. If you know of a child who may be in need of help, please let their family know about this free screening clinic. For more information, call Tim Elliott at 509-525- 4294. The clinic is sponsored by Blue Mountain Shrine Club.

CONTRA DANCE WEEKEND WALLA WALLA -- Walla Walla Friends of Acoustic Music will present WallaDance, a dance weekend in Walla Walla on Friday and Saturday, March 30-31. The weekend will feature contra dances on Friday and Saturday nights, Saturday workshops on English country dancing, squares, contras, fancy dance moves and a musician's workshop. Lunch, dinner, and wine tasting opportunities are also available. Music for the weekend will be by Carla Arnold and Friends from La Grande, Ore., and the Wednesday Night Band from Walla Walla, with six callers and instructors from the region. All WallaDance events will take place at the former black soldiers theater, now the Unity Church of Peace, 810 C. Street at the Walla Walla Regional Airport. A registration form and more details on the WallaDance weekend are available online at www.walladance.org or by email to clarkdn@charter.net, or phone to 509-522-0399. Prior experience with contra dancing is recommended.

BOARD OPENING WALLA WALLA -- The Walla Walla County Board of Commissioners is seeking applicants to fill one position on the Walla Walla County Planning Commission. To maintain statutorily balanced representation, for this opening applications from residents residing in any area of the county (within either District 1, District 2, or District 3 County Commissioner boundaries) will be considered to fill the upcoming vacancy. Information for applicants, the application form, and a questionnaire to be completed as part of the application process will all be available on the county's website (www. co.walla-walla.wa.us), or interested persons can contact the county commissioners' office at 509/524-2505.

GRANT MONEY AVAILABLE WALLA WALLA - The Eastern Washington Partnership Workforce Development Council has funds available to assist business owners with training current employees. They must be workers who are regular employees and have a future with your company. The WDC is seeking proposals from employers who can arrange specialized short-term training for employees to enhance on-the-job skills.