Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - February 2, 1999
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Governor Locke to visit Othello

OLYMPIA — Gov. Gary Locke will travel to Othello on Thursday, Feb. 4, in a trip that includes a visit to Lutacaga Elementary and a community leaders meeting at city hall.

"Othello, and Adams County as a whole, are a very important part of our state," Locke said. "From crop prices to public education, many of the most pressing issues facing Washington directly affect this region. I look forward to meeting with local citizens and hearing their concerns and ideas on these and other issues."

The first part of Locke's trip will be a 10 a.m. tour and meeting with educators at Lutacaga Elementary School, whose principal, Mary Ann Nielson, invited Locke to visit in a letter last December.

The meeting at Lutacaga will focus on the implementation of Washington Reading Corps at area schools. Locke developed the Reading Corps, a volunteer-based tutoring program, in response to declining reading scores statewide. The Reading Corps has already shown outstanding success at Lutacaga Elementary, as well as other area schools.

At 11 a.m., Locke will visit the Othello City Hall to discuss local issues with community leaders. The meeting is open to the public and will take place in the city council chambers at 500 E. Main St. The audience is encouraged to ask questions at the end of the meeting.

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