jhancock@journalnet.com

POCATELLO - A good crowd from three states is expected to attend the NAACP Tri-State Conference of Idaho, Nevada and Utah being hosted in the Gate City this weekend, an organization official said Friday.

"How many actually attend depends on the number of local people coming," said Jeanetta Williams, president of the Tri-State Conference. "From out of state, we have about 50 people, which is pretty good."

The Tri-State Conference includes members of NAACP chapters in Idaho, Nevada and Utah, six chapters in all with two in each state.

The Tri-State conference is hosted annually and rotates among the six cities, which include Las Vegas and Reno in Nevada, Salt Lake City and Ogden in Utah, and Pocatello and Boise in Idaho.

Williams said those conferences hosted in Nevada are typically have a higher attendance, but she never has difficulty getting good speakers wherever the event is hosted.

"Getting quality speakers is never a problem," she said.

Among those speaking Friday evening during a welcoming dinner that kicked off the three-day conference were Matt Hunter, executive director of the Greater Pocatello Chamber of Conference; Rebecca Satter, executive director of the Greater Pocatello Convention and Visitors Bureau; and Pocatello Police Chief James "J.R." Miller.

Miller spoke of how much he has come to love Pocatello during the two years he has lived here and encouraged those from out of the area to take advantage of any opportunities to check out the town and surrounding areas.

Miller, an NAACP member, then read from a card he pulled from his wallet that listed the objectives of the NAACP. After reading from the card, he encouraged those in attendance to live up to those objectives while in the Gate City.

Lela Liggins, president of the Pocatello NAACP branch, said it was an honor for the Gate City to host the Tri-State Conference.

"Especially when it falls on the year we are celebrating the 100th year since the founding of the NAACP," she said.