Walsh spoke to the Whitman community on the evening of Wednesday, March 28.Her lecture addressed the state of politics in Olympia, as well as her personal support for same-sex marriage. As a member of the Republican caucus, Walsh was one of the few in her party to vote for marriage equality in Washington State, a move which drew criticism from some of her constituents. Walsh said that in 2009, voters in her district voted 71 percent in favor of repealing domestic partnership benefits for same-sex couples.

When the new facility for the SOS Medical Clinic opens, it will provide a much-needed expansion of uninsured health care services in Walla Walla. The larger facility, with a new adjacent dental clinic, is tentatively scheduled to open in early to mid summer of this year.