12/06/06 WSU Mount Vernon facillity

Washington Ag December 6, 2006 An invitation only celebration is being held this evening for Washington State University's Agricultural Research and Technology Building at Mount Vernon. The new facility is the centerpiece in the eight-million dollar revitalization of the WSU Mount Vernon Northwestern Regional Washington Research and Extension Center. Completion of the building represents a critical achievement in revitalizing the 59-year old research unit as a modern full service research and extension center to serve the state`s agriculture industry and the needs of northwestern Washington growers. The new facility includes labs for entomology, fruit horticulture, vegetable horticulture, vegetable pathology, seed pathology, water resources and weed science. Also today is the scheduled lighting of the National Christmas Tree in Washington D.C. The 65 foot silver fir is from Washington's Olympic Peninsula and Capitol Grounds Deputy Superintendent Ted Bechtol explains some of the work his crew has been doing in preparation. Bechtol: "A lot of times we will kind of primp and try and make things look the best. We may make some adjustments in the lights. Once we test the tree the lights may be too thin or too dense in some places and we will make adjustments in that. So we continue to adjust things to try to get the most beautiful appearance we can achieve." Washington State University scientist Gary Chastagner played a role in the tree's selection and care and the tree's cross-country journey was chronicled by WSU Extension`s 4-H Network News crew. I'm Bob Hoff.