Inslee to visit Walla Walla County Tuesday
By Terry Murry on Tuesday, March 14th, 2023 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
OLYMPIA – Washington Gov. Jay Inslee will visit Walla Walla County today (Tuesday) to tour new affordable housing development, conduct an interview with student journalists at Whitman College, visit an early childhood education center, and learn about volunteer efforts to improve fish passage.
The governor will begin his visit at 9:30 a.m. with a tour of Evergreen Commons, a new development with 29 units of subsidized housing. At least six units will serve as supportive housing for tenants with chronic mental illnesses. The Washington Housing Trust Fund contributed $3.1 million in support of the $10 million total cost of development.
The governor will then continue to Whitman College, where at 10:45 a.m., he will participate in an interview with student journalists. The discussion will cover climate change, housing, and other topics.
Inslee with next visit the Walla Walla Center for Children and Families at 1 p.m. The center is a hub for early learning and accessible child care, offering birth-to-five child care, early learning programs, and transitional kindergarten. Head Start programs support children with disabilities, and the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program supports children from low-income families.
The governor’s visit will conclude at 2:30 p.m. with a tour of the Mill Creek flood control channel to review the work of the Tri-State Steelheaders to improve fish passage. The community nonprofit group supports local salmon and steelhead through habitat improvement projects and educational outreach. The Washington Recreation and Conservation Office has invested more than $15 million in the Mill Creek project as part of its efforts to improve fish passage and restore habitats for endangered salmon statewide.
