The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

I n this week's edition, we're carrying an update on the prosecution of three suspected marijuana growers who were arrested in or near the Umatilla National Forest during several raids this summer.

The case of the first suspect, Santiago Orozco Contreras, has since been turned over to the U.S. Attorney's Office, which is seeking an indictment against the Mexican national that could lead to a prison sentence of up to five years.

Columbia County Prosecutor Rea Culwell had also forwarded case information on the two other suspects, Jose Meraz Farias and Martin Chipres Madriz, but learned that the federal government will not pursue the charges against them for "lack of resources," understood to be a shortage of manpower to administer the case.

The end result of this is the continuation of their case in Columbia County Superior Court, which will yield at most a six-month jail term for the men. All three men are expected to be turned over to federal immigration authorities for deportation at the end of their sentences.

There is a bit of a distinction between the cases. The first suspect was charged with manufacturing marijuana on U.S. Forest Service land, the other two were charged with operating their grow on other land, though that does not typically preclude the federal government from seeking an indictment against them.

Perhaps it's a sign of the times.

The impact of federal, state and local budget cuts on our communities is being felt in many ways. This is just one small example.

Last week, we reported on supporters of horse racing on the bush circuit. Waitsburg, Dayton and Walla Walla all lost their long-held tradition of pari-mutuel racing events this year after the state's horse racing commission decided not to help organizers with their usual funding and oversight. Income from Emerald Downs has dropped to such a degree that there's not enough money to go around for these important community events. Local supporters are trying hard to reorganize the way these events are funded and make their case with the commission that it's our turn in 2012 to get some of the small amount of money for the races after it went to Sun Downs in Kennewick this year.

Meanwhile, state lawmakers are being called back to Olympia for a special session to figure out how to make up for a $2 billion gap in the state budget.

The end of these tough times is nowhere in sight and they're being felt not just in the Touchet Valley, but worldwide. These problems are partially cyclical and partially the result of a financial crisis wrought by destructive business practices rampant in insurance and banking industries that went unchecked.

For the most part, cities like Waitsburg and Dayton are doing all right, thanks to careful and conservative fiscal management. And for our city governments, less state support will be forthcoming for local projects and programs in the coming years.

What that means is a greater demand for local selfsuffi ciency and lowered expectations for a return to the way things used to be. Right when they are facing some tough times themselves, individuals and businesses are being asked to step up to the plate like never before.

We reported, for example, on the elimination of the state's tourism office, for decades a shrinking presence in international market for tourism and travel. The private sector stepped into the breach to retain programs and momentum in promoting our state as a travel destination.

Locally, groups such as Tourism Walla Walla and the Touchet Valley Tourism Alliance now rely solely on homegrown initiatives to do what state officials were mandated to do before.

A similar demand is being placed on communities and non-profit organizations to come through on the social front for groups and individuals who are in dire need of assistance.

Fundraisers like those for Dennis Nostrant and later this month for Tim Fuller are just some examples of local families reaching out to their communities for help.