Cantwell speaks, Best of 2004 honored in Othello

Resurrected Othello Chamber making growing community viable

OTHELLO — Some Othello High School student lockers got to be in close proximity with Sen. Maria Cantwell over the weekend.

The U.S. Senator, D-Wash., was the guest speaker at the annual Othello Chamber of Commerce banquet, held Saturday evening in the high school corridor.

Cantwell, who has been to Othello five times over the past five years, with the most recent visit in September relating to continuing the Columbia Basin Irrigation Project, addressed several items during her speech, including her plan to fight President George W. Bush's proposed energy rate increases and dedication to preserving the state's agricultural jobs.

After the commitment to allow expansion, economic development and growth to the part of the state impacted by the irrigation project, things are at the point where a premature cut-off due to lack of water rights access and capacity would have a devastating impact, Cantwell told the audience.

"We are going to move forward on this and we are going to move forward on putting some real financial support behind it, and $250,000 is the first step," Cantwell said, referring to the funding she and Congressman Richard "Doc" Hastings, R-4th District, successfully included in the congressional budget in October.

Cantwell also discussed the opening of several foreign markets to Washington agricultural products, including fresh potatoes to Mexico and peas, lentils and apples to Cuba, Washington being the first state to sell products to Cuba in 40 years.

Cantwell also discussed successful efforts to get a two-year extension to allow Washingtonians to deduct the sales tax from their federal income tax. It's part of an economic case she's trying to make that the state's economy will be stimulated as a result, she explained.

Several of the Othello Chamber members said that the organization was coming off a strong year, and the outlook was good for the coming months.

New Chamber president Chasity Krebs said that the Chamber had formed a number committees focusing communication, economic development and tourism. The tourism committee developed Othello Chamber coffee mugs, complete with local business coupons, to put into Othello's hotels and motels for tourists to come and be encouraged to return to town.

"That's one of our biggest successes this year, as far as things that we've been able to do," she said. "Our economic development committee has put together an Othello brochure, and it will be hitting newsstands and stuff here pretty soon … We're growing. Every year, we're adding more and hopefully this year, with the proceeds from this banquet, we'll be able to add another benefit that we can give to our Chamber members and help the city of Othello to grow and be a stronger community."

Chamber member and president-elect John Lackie called the past year a growth year.

"We've been through several growth years and we're catching hold," he said. "We're climbing a mountain, and we slip a little bit, then we grab on. I think that with the current board we have, we've got some really strong people that see Othello as moving forward and trying to get the businesses to move in that direction. All I can see for the future is more of the same."

Othello city administrator Ehman Sheldon said that 22 new members joined the Chamber over the year.

"The Chamber's really coming alive," he said, adding that it needed to be resurrected about three years ago from becoming "kind of flat. It's got a lot of life in it now. It's very strong and it's very viable in our community."

Also at the banquet, Lynda Bowers and Laurie Stickel were named Teachers of the Year for grades kindergarten through sixth and seventh through 12th, respectively; Jason Corcoran was named Law Enforcement Officer of the Year, Dean Erickson was named Citizen of the Year and McCain Foods USA, Inc., was named Business of the Year.