RSSTHIS WEEK IN LOCAL NEWS
UPDATE I-90 now open in both directions at Snoqualmie Pass - The eastbound lanes of Snoqualmie pass have been reopened, the department of transportation said this afternoon. Travel lanes will be narrow and oversized vehicles are prohibited. Motorists are advised to use traction tires....MORE...
NEW Ellensburg robbery may have been set up via Craigslist - Ellensburg police are investigating an attempted robbery that may have been set up via Craigslist....MORE...
NEW Judge puts Lung Assn.’s NW chapter out of business - SEATTLE — A judge has essentially put the Northwest chapter of the American Lung Association out of business, after the chapter got into hot water for giving its Seattle headquarters and $600,000 to different, newly created charity....MORE...
Jan. 5, 2009 Afternoon roundup - Word on the street is that Masset Winery is closing its downtown location. But wine lovers, no need to worry. It looks like Tim Cook, the former partner for the downtown location, is going to reopen it as a wine cooperative....MORE...
Retired doctor compiles medical humor book - * A person walks into a medical library and asks, "Do you have any books on spinal surgery?" The librarian responds, "We did until we cut back."...MORE...
Washington proposal could ban smoking in cars with children - OLYMPIA — Anti-smoking groups are rounding up sponsors for legislation that would outlaw smoking in vehicles when children are passengers....MORE...
Budget could cut supervision of Washington ex-cons - OLYMPIA — To help balance the budget Gov. Chris Gregoire has asked the Department of Corrections to cut $125 million from spending plans....MORE...
NEW Push on to stave off logging - STEVENS PASS — Conservationists are scrambling for money to buy property in the Skykomish Valley to preserve old-growth forests, roadless areas and river shores....MORE...
Cle Elum schools closed, Yakima schools delayed two hours - Heavy snow has prompted the Cle Elum-Roslyn School District to close today....MORE...
01/03/09 Death Notices - Sloane Madison Dwinell Sloane Madison Dwinell, 16, of Seattle died Dec. 29, 2008, at her home. Ms. Dwinell was born in Yakima. She attended the French-American School of Puget Sound, Seattle Girls School and was currently attending Seattle Academy of Arts...MORE...
1/5/09 Death Notices - Gerald Richard Hengeveld Gerald Richard Hengeveld, 70, of Yakima died Friday at Yakima Regional Medical and Cardiac Center. Mr. Hengeveld was born in Long Beach, Calif. He was a truck driver for most of his life. Survivors include two daughters, Suzanne B...MORE...
Mail thieves return stolen loot to homes - YAKIMA -- The Christmas card may still be in the mail. Thieves stole a large quantity of mail from addresses around Yakima, Terrace Heights and Moxee, then left it to be found by residents on Sunday morning, according to a news release from the Yakima Cou...MORE...
Sprinkler malfunction damages steakhouse - YAKIMA -- An accidental sprinkler discharge damaged a computer control room and electrical panels for a recently opened downtown restaurant, forcing a temporary closure, authorities said. Yakima firefighters discovered the problem late Sunday morning aft...MORE...
Unsolved murders on tribal land to be reopened - More than 15 years has passed since Shari Dee Sampson Elwell's strangled and sexually mutilated body was found in a remote area of the Yakama reservation, but the family is still awaiting closure in the case. Her homicide capped a decade-long string of m...MORE...
Community steps up to help unfortunate family - Despite tough economic times, people are still willing to help others, something that 18-year-old Alison Seaton can testify to first hand. Two months ago, her outlook was pretty bleak. Her mother is ill with a tumor and can't work. Mortgage and utility...MORE...
Frozen rain could coat fresh snow early today - A crust of frozen rain may land this morning on top of 2 to 4 inches of snow that was expected to cover the Yakima Valley overnight Then again, maybe not. Different forecast models were slightly at odds Sunday as snow began falling...MORE...
On Parenting: Set achievable goals to tackle major tasks - As we cleaned up the gift wrap and ribbons from the hill of gifts that invaded our living room a few days ago, I gave myself a small pat on the back. My goal, as always, was to avoid the mountain of stuff normally given. Mountain to hill ... that's progre...MORE...
The (quiz) answers to what's puzzling you - 1. Which veteran is retiring from his profession after 47 years? A) Bill Lee (Yakima Herald-Republic) 2. Which of these restaurant operators still owes thousands of dollars in unpaid wages to employees of his previous restaurant that went out of busines...MORE...
01/05/09 Senior Lunch Menus - Older American Nutrition Program (Call 574-2200 the day before by 4 p.m. to register for lunch.) Today: Chicken fettuccini, carrots, broccoli, tropical fruit, cookie. Tuesday: Tomato soup, half ham and cheese sandwich, tossed green salad, pears, apple j...MORE...
01/05/09 In Basket - Finance Edward Jones has awarded Bill Jenkin with its Pacesetters Award. Jenkin, a Selah-based financial adviser for the St. Louis firm, is one of only 157 financial advisers nationwide to receive the award. Restaurants The Greater Yakima Chamber of Comm...MORE...
Spanish-language radio stations refocus their missions - Each week, hundreds of messages pour into the radio station's tiny Yakima office. Not too long ago, one woman sent this: "I have a room for rent. Single person only, no children." Then, the woman explained, she needed a dining-room table. Then, "I also gi...MORE...
Jones guides Mustangs past Bulldogs - PROSSER -- Sophomore Tamara Jones scored 10 of her season-high 32 points in the fourth quarter to lead unbeaten Prosser to a 68-59 win over Ellensburg in CWAC girls basketball Saturday night. Jones converted three 3-point plays in the game and complimente...MORE...
Borton scores 22 as Rams win - SUNNYSIDE -- Matt Borton scored 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead West Valley past Sunnyside 55-45 in non-league boys basketball action Saturday night. The win improved the Rams to 8-1 while the Grizzlies slipped to 4-3. Taylor Berndt added 11 poi...MORE...
Eisenhower-Davis tickets on sale starting Monday - YAKIMA -- Ticket sales and exchanges for Tuesday's Eisenhower-Davis basketball games will be available starting Monday at 1:30 p.m. at both schools. The doubleheader at Davis Gym, where seating is limited, will start with the girls contest at 6 p.m. follo...MORE...
A cold night for EV girls - YAKIMA -- There were long stretches in Saturday's game against Othello when East Valley's girls basketball team was getting its way. Completely. Like with its pressure defense, which forced 28 turnovers -- double the Red Devils' total. And with its ball ...MORE...
Ellensburg, Davis go 1-2 at Cat Classic - EAST WENATCHEE -- Champions Tait Tucker, Josh Cole and Blake Nichols led Ellensburg to the team title in Saturday's 14-team Cat Classic wrestling tournament at Eastmont High School. The Bulldogs racked up 178 1/2 points to push ahead of Davis, which was s...MORE...
Sunnyside man is first homicide victim of 2009 - Sunnyside police are investigating Yakima County's first reported homicide of 2009. Jesus Sosa, a 23-year-old Sunnyside man, was shot to death Saturday night near the intersection of Waneta Road and Picard Place, according to a news release issued Sunday...MORE...
Test your knowledge of local events - Yakima Herald-Republic weekly news quiz 1. Which veteran is retiring from his profession after 47 years? A) Bill Lee (Yakima Herald-Republic) B) Mike Holmgren (Seattle Seahawks) C) George W. Bush (U.S. government) D) Ron Zirkle (Yakima Co...MORE...
Career choice then was more promising - Eavesdropping can be downright depressing, especially when it has to do with your chosen career. "There's no future in journalism," a man stated bluntly. He was chatting with a young woman who had mentioned she was thinking about taking some college cou...MORE...
1/4/09 Death Notices - Edward G. Blondo Edward G. Blondo, 90, of Prosser died Wednesday in Prosser. Mr. Blondo was born in Bowdle, S.D., where he was raised and educated. He served in the Civilian Conservation Corps in Columbia, S.D., from 1936-1938 before moving to Prosser. He...MORE...
Sonia Rodriguez brings a fresh perspective to Yakima City Council - For those who have never been there, Borderland is a mythical place in America where the children of minorities and immig-rants live. The ambitious ones, anyway. One foot in, one foot out. Catch a break but don't blow it. Try hard to get ahead, shrug off...MORE...
Recycle those computers and other electronics for free - Beginning this year, people can recycle their computers, monitors, laptops and televisions -- for free. The statewide program was created from a law passed in 2006, which requires electronics manufacturers to pay to recycle these products. Everyone from ...MORE...
Heavy snow causes power outages in White Pass area - Heavy snow and high winds have caused a series of power outages in the White Pass area, affect-ing 374 customers since Thursday. Chuck Dawsey, general manager of the Benton County Rural Electric Association, estimates some members have been without power...MORE...
Two sides of the minimum wage coin - Nichole Lopez is happy about a nearly $1,000 pay increase she'll get this year because of a 48-cent hike in minimum wage. "It's actually a plus that we're getting a raise because I have two kids and it's kind of hard to support them just off of $8.07 an h...MORE...
The influence of gangs - The lure is "life with no limits," says Alex Santillanes. Drugs, alcohol, adrenaline, and a sense of belonging or feeling that the group has got your back. These are the things that attract people, particularly teenage boys and young men to gangs, accordi...MORE...
Nob Hill overpass help on the way - The city of Yakima will get more than $1.7 million to repair a Nob Hill Boulevard railroad overpass, the state Department of Transportation announced Friday. In addition to the city's money, Yakima County will get nearly $400,000 to repair a bridge on Ter...MORE...
Police chief out in Mabton - Robert Perales is out as Mabton police chief, according to City Council members. The chief's job, which the controversial Perales assumed on a part-time basis in 2006 while remaining chief in Granger, has been left out of the city's 2009 budget entirely....MORE...
Snow jobs plow through budget - Dry conditions this weekend should give city and county road maintenance crews a break from long days, but it will be short lived. A fast-moving storm is expected to bring a couple of inches of snow early Monday. The city of Yakima has already exceeded it...MORE...
Bail set in bike-jacking - YAKIMA -- An 18-year-old Wapato man has been identified as a suspect in a bike-jacking at knifepoint early Thursday in Toppenish. Ernesto Ruiz Cervantes was charged with first degree robbery, and his bail was set at $500,000 Friday. Arraignment is schedu...MORE...
Diocese not ready to give up on old Cowiche school building - The fate of the aging St. Peter the Apostle Church and Retreat Center has been decided -- at least for the near future. A Catholic retreat planned for mid-February will likely be the la...MORE...
The January garden - Maybe this article should be titled "The January gardener," because really, there's not much going on in the January garden -- at least not much that you can see under that blanket of snow. But the January gardener might be very busy indeed. Read on if yo...MORE...
01/04/09 Volunteer opportunities - Here are this week's volunteer needs in the Yakima Valley: * RECYCLE STORE: ReStore, a home improvement recycling center that's part of Habitat for Humanity, needs volunteers to sort and help with intake and delivery of products brought into the store. Vo...MORE...
01/03/09 Faith Happenings - 'Journey to Financial Freedom' is set for next wekeend First Presbyterian Church of Yakima is hosting a Crown Financial seminar next Saturday. Crown Financial Ministries is a non-denominational Christian organization. Its workshops feature scripture verse...MORE...
White Pass now open to traffic - U.S. 12 over White Pass has reopened to vehicles, the state Department of Transportation says. Avalanche control teams and maintenance crews have cleared slides from the roadway near the summit. Traction tires are required on the highway....MORE...
Electrical fire damages home on Ninth Avenue - Yakima firefighters evacuated residents from an apartment early this morning in the first block of North Ninth Avenue after arriving to find smoke coming from the exterior of the two-story structure. There were no injuries....MORE...
NEW Feb. 23 trial set for man facing sixth DUI charge - A habitual drunken driver pleaded innocent to charges he was under the influence when his car hit several other vehicles on Kennewick streets before smashing into a telephone pole....MORE...
NEW Bug expert: Deep freeze may kill off pests - WENATCHEE — December’s subzero weather led to plenty of cold fingers and toes, frozen water pipes and high heating bills. But to one North Central Washington resident, the cold spell had a silver lining....MORE...
Suspect arrested in bike-jacking - TOPPENISH -- One man is in custody and a second is being sought in connection with a bike-jacking at knifepoint early Thursday. In a news release, police said the robbery occurred at 4:15 a.m. when a "juvenile male" riding a bicycle was confronted by the...MORE...
Union Gap duplex fire 'suspicious' - UNION GAP -- The cause of a fire that injured the occupant of a duplex on Washington Avenue is under investigation, authorities said. The fire was reported at 1:24 a.m. Thursday and damaged a rental unit at 30 Washington Ave., described as a garage that...MORE...
Shop Talk: Shopping after Christmas has its benefits - To the penny-pinching, delayed-gratification shopper, I salute you. You didn't let many of your dollars leave your purses and wallets. You didn't flinch when retailers started marking inventory down 10 or 20 percent. When retail...MORE...
There's always time for exercise - A vigorous weight-lifting session really seals a day for Nathan Esparza. It helps him sleep. "I like to end my day with a good workout," says the 26-year-old single father. The trouble is, his days sometimes last into night and the next morning. He has w...MORE...
Welcome to the world: Toppenish infant is Valley's first in 2009 - His original due date was Jan. 9. The C-section was planned for Jan. 2. Zachary Michael Bangs had other plans, however. Kicking and squirming all day Wednesday -- aka New Year's Eve -- Zachary became the first Yakima baby of 2009 when he was delivered at ...MORE...
Interstate 90 reopens on Snoqualmie Pass - Interstate 90 across Snoqualmie Pass has reopened to traffic in both directions, the state Department of Transportation reports....MORE...
Pipes a growing problem in Yakima schools - Despite numerous problems with water and steam pipes throughout the Yakima School District during the holiday break, classes will resume as scheduled on Monday. Cold weather contributed to problems at Davis and Eisenhower high schools, which have aging a...MORE...
Hagarty, Bouchey take oath of office - It's official; Yakima County's new prosecutor and county commissioner were sworn in Wednesday morning. Prosecutor Jim Hagarty and Commissioner Kevin Bouchey joined re-elected Commissioner Mike Leita in taking the oath of office in front of Superior Court...MORE...
Zirkle rests his case after 28 years - Ron Zirkle's got some old broken-down engines he's finally going to get around to fixing. After 28 years in the Yakima County prosecutor's office, including the past seven as prosecutor, Zirkle served his last day Wednesday. He's off into retirement now,...MORE...
KAPP Television building for sale as station cuts back - The building that currently houses the local ABC affiliate is for sale. The KAPP-TV property on 1610 S. 24th Ave. in Yakima was placed on the market at the end of November, said Anne Eichler of Almon Commercial, which listed the property. The KAPP-TV st...MORE...
Changing the (inter)locks - If random checks are any indication, many drunken-driving defendants in Yakima County aren't taking advantage of a program that lets them drive legally. Authorities are hoping changes to the law, which go into effect todayJan. 1, will help improve the co...MORE...
01/01/09 Death Notices - Harold J. Alexander Harold J. Alexander, 92, of Toppenish died Wednesday in Yakima. Mr. Alexander was born in Toppenish and served in the Army Engineers during World War II. He worked for Northern Pacific/Burlington Northern as a foreman, retiring in the...MORE...
West Valley Middle School plans to build new sports fields - If all goes according to plan, West Valley Middle School soccer and baseball players will practice and play at their own campus by next summer's end. The district is in the early stages o...MORE...
Travelers warned to tread carefully in mountains - It's a very bad New Year's Day to be a daredevil. The Cascades are experiencing the most unstable snowpack conditions in years -- worse in some ways than last ye...MORE...
Guilty Pleasures-- Resolving to ... try harder - For the past two years, Guilty Pleasures has rolled over New Year's resolutions that never materialized: taking guitar lessons and traveling out of the country, for example. But this form of recycling, well, it gets downright depressing after a while. So...MORE...
01/02/09 10 Days Out - Friday, Jan. 2 * It's the First Friday of the New Year in downtown Yakima. Details weren't available at press time, but visit www.downtownyakima.com or call the Committee for Downtown Yakima at 225-2485 for a rundown of tonight's activities. Thursday, J...MORE...
Masks will be unmasked at Simon Gallery - The Simon Gallery's second annual Mask Show opens with a reception from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the downtown show space, 321 E. Yakima Ave. The show features works by local and regional artists such as Erick Amundson, Ann Marta Bowker, David Caricato, Gar...MORE...
Vote on your choice for libraries' new logo - Nine designs have made the cut in the search for the Yakima Valley Libraries' new logo. And now you can vote for your favorite. Visit www.yvl.org or stop by your nearest library to view the designs and rank your top choices, as well as comment about what...MORE...
01/02/09 Film clips - HELD OVER "AUSTRALIA" -- Director Baz Luhrmann's tale of an English aristocrat (Nicole Kidman) who inherits a ranch and with a rugged stockman (Hugh Jackman) drives 2,000 head of cattle across Australia. (PG-13, for some violence, a scene of sensuality a...MORE...
01/02/09 Theater - "MOVIN' OUT." 7:30 p.m. Jan. 9 and 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Jan. 10. Capitol Theatre, 19 S. Third St. Tickets: TicketsWest, 800-325-7328, Capitol Theatre box office, 853-2787. Part of Capitol's Best of Broadway series....MORE...
01/02/09 Nightlife - NIGHT LIFE Blues/Jazz/Swing THE DEPOT RESTAURANT AND LOUNGE. 32 N. Front St. 469-4400. * 7-9 tonight: David Aggett. (Jazz, blues electric guitar.) * 7-9 p.m. Jan. 10: Dennis Clauss & Laurel Cawley. (Blues, soft rock, jazz.) JACK-SONS SPORTS BAR: BL...MORE...
01/02/09 Art - ART WALKS FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK. 5-7 p.m. the first Friday of each month, Ellensburg. 15-plus galleries and nontraditional art spaces. List: www.ellensburgarts.com. OPENINGS SECOND ANNUAL MASK SHOW. Simon Gallery, 321 E. Yakima Ave., suite 101. Artists...MORE...
01/02/09 Planner - AUDITIONS BEL CANTO OF YAKIMA. 7-9 p.m. Mondays. Yakima Evangelical Church, 7901 W. Nob Hill Blvd. Women's choir. 575-5762, www.belcantoyakima.com. YAKIMA CHAPTER OF THE BARBERSHOP HARMONY SOCIETY. 7 p.m. Mondays. St. Timothy Episcopal Church, 4105 Rich...MORE...
01/02/09 Books - DISCUSSION BORDERS. 1700 E. Washington Ave., Union Gap. 248-4018. * Multi-Faith Book Discussion: 4 p.m. the first Tuesday of every month to read and discuss books dealing with spiritual issues. * Passionate Readers Book Club: 7 p.m. the second Wednesday...MORE...
BPA fiber optic line near Selah shot - Somebody shot a fiber optic transmission line Monday morning five miles north of Selah, disrupting phone and Internet service for an unknown number of people....MORE...
We want to hear your resolutions - Do you keep your promises to yourself or do you make the same resolution every year? Let us know what your resolutions are!...MORE...
West Richland Golf Course clubhouse burns down - WEST RICHLAND -- The West Richland Municipal Golf Course clubhouse fell to flames Tuesday morning, leaving its owner with charred rubble and no explanation for the blaze....MORE...
Wash. drunken drivers hitting more troopers - SEATTLE — The Washington State Patrol says the number of troopers hit by drunken drivers more than doubled from 2007 to 2008 — from 11 to 25....MORE...
12/31/08 Death Notices - Kathy C. Valler Kathy C. Valler, 49, of Grandview died Sunday in Richland. Mrs. Valler was born in Sunnyside. She worked as a secretary and bookkeeper. Survivors include her husband, Thomas Valler; three children, T.J., Cassandra and Christopher Valler; h...MORE...
Folkloré Foods founder Hanson favored new soda flavors - George Hanson, founder of Folkloré Foods in Toppenish, will always be remembered as the guy who toiled for hours in his lab coming up with new twists in his soda flavors. After operating his soda and coffee syrup business in Toppenish for 17 years,...MORE...
County political parties name new leaders - The November election energized both parties, according to their newly chosen leaders in Yakima County. For new Democratic Party Chairwoman Mary Stephenson, that means fostering communication among party members to build on a relatively successful local...MORE...
Proposed closure of Yakima Valley School upsets many - SELAH -- It's the kind of calculation that makes even the most hard-boiled budget writer wince. Is it worth closing a beloved home for profoundly developmentally disabled people because it would save millions of dollars at a time when the state is look...MORE...
Look for rain to greet the new year - The weather should be fairly decent in the Yakima Valley for the rest of the week, considering it's winter. The National Weather Service was predicting a slight chance of rain or snow for today, with temperatures between 23 and 37 degrees. Rain is likely...MORE...
Tony Rios 'making good progress' - From his bed in the intensive care unit at Yakima Regional Medical and Cardiac Center, Tony Rios gave his mother a gift. He opened his eyes and gave her a thumbs-up sign with his left hand. "Pretty good Christmas present, huh?" she says. Her son, who go...MORE...
More local libraries get high-speed Internet - Three more Yakima County libraries got high-speed Internet connections this month, with the rest soon to follow. The Yakima Regional Library branches in Granger, Mabton and Terrace Heights were added to the county's high-speed system, bringing the total...MORE...
Governor says so: It's Bill Lee Day! - Move over New Year's Eve; today is Bill Lee Day. Gov. Chris Gregoire has proclaimed it so in honor of Lee, who is retiring after 47 years with the Yakima Herald-Republic. Lee was given a copy of the proclamation Tuesday in a newsroom retirement ceremony t...MORE...
UW seeks infants for brain scans for autism study - SEATTLE — Autism researchers at the University of Washington are seeking parents who will allow them to do brain scans of their infants....MORE...
Sale of Maine newspapers delayed - PORTLAND, Maine — An investment group says it won’t be able to finalize its purchase of Blethen Maine Newspapers by year’s end, but remains confident it will secure needed financing and complete the deal early next year....MORE...
Low-income patients sometimes receive huge bills - SEATTLE — When Barbara Gamba went to Valley Medical Center in May 2007 with a gallbladder attack, she told everyone within earshot that she had no job and no health insurance....MORE...
Plan for new cell tower receives environmental approval - The city of Yakima has approved a plan submitted by US Cellular to erect a 100-foot tower at the Chinook Business Park in northeast Yakima....MORE...
Fire forces man to flee Toppenish home - TOPPENISH — A house fire Monday afternoon on Washington Avenue forced the adult male occupant to flee the premises with superficial burns and singed hair. He was able to save his two dogs from the blaze, which took firefighters 20 minutes to control....MORE...
Tri-City emergency rooms report record number of visits - Hospitals across the Tri-Cities are seeing record numbers of emergency department patients this year. "We've been seeing significant growth for nearly a decade," said Dr. John Matheson, Kadlec Medical Center's emergency department director....MORE...
Washington gets $28 million in federal foreclosure aid - OLYMPIA — Washington will receive $28 million in federal home foreclosure aid....MORE...
New DUI law allows suspects to keep licenses - Suspected drunken drivers will have a chance to quickly regain their driving privileges under a new state law aimed at reducing the number of people who drive with a suspended license....MORE...
Home-care union sues Gregoire - OLYMPIA — Gov. Christine Gregoire is facing another lawsuit from notable political supporters over her decision to skip agreed-to raises and benefits for government workers....MORE...
Apple industry icon dies - WENATCHEE - Tom Mathison, founder of Stemilt Growers and one of the Washington apple industry's true giants, died Friday at his home on Stemilt Hill. He was 82 years old and had been suffering from cancer....MORE...
Judge scraps suit over moving wrecking yard - A judge has dismissed a lawsuit from opponents of Yakima County's controversial wrecking yard relocation, but the group may appeal that ruling. In a Christmas Eve decision, Yakima County Superior Court Judge Michael McCa...MORE...
Weather gets wacky across Valley - It's perfect igloo weather. Must be, since Charles Nelson and a few kids were building one in his mother's front yard on Monday, after the latest round of snow to hit the Yakima Valley. Nelson built his first igloo when he was 8 years old in Mount Vernon,...MORE...
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