Completion of new osteopathic college has been a long journey - Too many doctors lack the kind of bedside manner that most patients want, according to Dr. Stan Flemming, president of Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences. So when the first class of students arrives this summer at the new College of Osteopa...MORE...
Flood worries recede; officials stay on alert - Now it becomes a game of watch and wait as rivers swell with snowmelt from a sudden and rapid temperature rise. Pull up a chair because it could be a long show, one that will extend even after rivers subside below flood stage. Elevated river flows could c...MORE...
A degree worth fighting for - TOPPENISH -- The tears always flowed during her drive. Not during classes, not during community service projects, not during work. But those 20 minutes alone from her house in Yakima to the Heritage University campus gave Ruby Aguilar just enough time to ...MORE...
Yakima's summer school budget takes a hit - This summer the Yakima School District will be offering summer classes at about half as many schools as in past years, but a consolidation plan should allow about the same number of students to be served. In an effort to "fine tune" the program and cut c...MORE...
Grazing lawsuit could have more bite - An Idaho-based conservation group has expanded its lawsuit over cattle grazing on the Whisky Dick Wildlife Area to include the recently purchased Skookumchuck abutting it to the west. Western Watersheds Project's suit accuses the Washington Department of...MORE...
Candidate pool slim for vacant House seat - Two days after Rep. Mary Skinner surprised both Democrats and Republicans with her retirement announcement, neither party has a clear favorite to replace her. With a June 6 filing deadline looming, nobody has declared an intent to run. The only two who ha...MORE...
Convicted murderer gets 19 years in prison - A man who participated in the killing of his girlfriend's roommate only weeks after he was deported and then illegally returned to Yakima was sentenced Friday to 19 years in prison. A Yakima County jury last year convicted Mariano Figueroa Diaz of second-...MORE...
Yakima River Canyon road closed Sunday for bike event - The Yakima River Canyon road will be closed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday for the annual Your Canyon for A Day Bike Tour. The ride is a fundraiser for Yakima County's Crimestoppers program, which offers rewards for tips in felony crimes. The 35-mile round...MORE...
Two men badly injured after high-speed pursuit - PROSSER -- A motorist and his passenger were seriously injured in a crash late Thursday night while fleeing a sheriff's deputy in the Prosser area, the Benton County Sheriff's Office said. The crash culminated a brief, high-speed chase that began at 11:30...MORE...
New high school in Prosser wins board approval - PROSSER -- The Prosser School Board has opted to build a new high school to ease overcrowding instead of renovating and adding onto the existing school. That was the recommendation of a citizens' committee that's been meeting on the issue since last year....MORE...
Is it time for an aquatic center in Yakima? - Can Yakima support a big aquatic center, and is there any hope voters will ever greenlight the project? A much-awaited feasibility study won't be done until at least late June, and there's nothing formal on the table, but a number of scenarios are quietl...MORE...
Major flooding is now feared on Naches River - Major flooding is expected along parts of the Naches River, according to the National Weather Service, which issued a dramatic reassessment Thursday of the effect near-record high temperatures will have on mountain snows. Just what lies ahead for communit...MORE...
Arsonist gets what he asked for: prison time - Moses Kimble finally got exactly what he wanted after lighting a fire at the Savoy Apartments two years ago: a one-way ticket back to prison. Kimble, 44, pleaded guilty Tuesday in Yakima County Superior Court to first-degree arson and was sentenced to 87...MORE...
Bodybuilder hero watches as bandit is sent away - The bandit and the bodybuilder on Thursday got one more look at each other before the bad guy went off to the big house. "He didn't have blood all over his face this time, so it was hard to recognize him, said Todd Jewell, the former Yakima resident and b...MORE...
Sunnyside candidates share ideas with community - SUNNYSIDE -- Over cookies, pretzels and fruit punch, Sunnyside residents mingled Thursday with the four final candidates for their city's new manager. About 200 people -- everyone from housewives to business leaders to school officials -- came and went du...MORE...
Prep track and field -- RC's 300 game - YAKIMA -- For Dana Wells, there was never any question about it, a family calling made it inevitable. For Natalie Nobbs, the process took much longer but considering her athleticism she, too, seemed a natural for it. Riverside Christian's track and field...MORE...
Track and field roundup -- Blanshan scorches at CWAC districts - QUINCY -- A week after his scintillating 10.36-second dash in the 100 meters, Selah's Brett Blanshan popped a state-leading time in the 200 and finished with three wins at Friday's CWAC district track and field meet. Blanshan won the 100 convincingly in...MORE...
Regional tennis roundup -- West Valley doubles team among few bright spots - SPOKANE -- It was a rough day for area standouts in the Class 4A and 3A tennis regional in Spokane on Friday. West Valley sophomore Alexis Filliol, the defending 3A girls champion, was ousted in the first round and will not return to the Tri-Cities to def...MORE...
Prep soccer -- Cheney beats Grandview for state semifinal berth - GRANDVIEW -- Grandview's season ended one game short of making a trip to Sumner for the semifinals of the Class 2A state soccer tournament. Oscar Guerrero struck first for the Greyhounds off Cesar Barriga's assist, but it was all Cheney from there as the ...MORE...
Golf -- Ursino feels at home while winning Blossom - YAKIMA -- A serious shoulder injury earlier this year which was re-aggravated just two weeks ago nearly kept Sue Ursino away from this year's Blossom Invitational at the Yakima Country Club. But in the end, the lure of the tournament, in its 56th year, an...MORE...
Arena football -- Af2 investor meeting delayed - YAKIMA -- Arenafootball2 representatives must wait until Tuesday to pitch a local investor group on purchasing and bringing a team to Yakima. Brady Nelson, majority owner of the Spokane Shock and a member of af2's executive committee, confirmed in a text...MORE...
Sculptor Denali Granholm is good with figures - Of the more than 200 bas-relief sculptures that Denali Granholm has created for Nike's Walk of Fame -- Wayne Gretzky, Nolan Ryan, Lance Armstrong, Tiger Woods, to name a few -- she's only met a handful of her famous sports subjects. Most of the time, Gran...MORE...
Hitting the river? Play it safe - The Cascades Mountains' biggest snowfall in years is generating concern about river safety this summer. Officials with the River Safety Council says that this year the rivers will be particularly cold, fast and high as snowpacks begin to melt. And in a se...MORE...
Shots fired at home in city - Police said a reported drive-by shooting Thursday on Tennant Lane actually involved shots fired from a neighboring home. Officers responded to shots fired in the 800 block of Tennant Lane at 12:15 p.m. and found a home with a bullet holes in sev...MORE...
Officer bitten by pit bull mix - YAKIMA -- A Yakima police officer was bitten by a dog while investigating a shots fired call near Beech Street and Naches Avenue on Thursday. Police were called to the scene after a passing motorist reported that she saw someone holding a rifle and then h...MORE...
Guilty Pleasures -- Spring yard parties - When the weather starts to turn pleasant, as it has for the past few weekends -- hey, there have been a few nonwindy moments -- Guilty Pleasures starts to lament having a lack of yard space to host outdoor get-togethers. Luckily, that's no longer a proble...MORE...
College basketball -- Big Sky's the limit for Blodgett - YAKIMA -- Height has always been a fact but rarely a factor for Andrea Blodgett. So it came as no real surprise when Blodgett, listed at 5-foot-4 on the Yakima Valley Community College women's basketball roster, explained her decision to pursue a career i...MORE...
Cookoff provides $10,000 boost for Lower Valley's Relay for Life - Joanne Looney may have made Relay for Life history. The Wapato woman raised $10,000 during a chili cookoff toward this weekend's American Cancer Society's 10th annual walk in Grandview. It may be the largest single contribution to the Lower Valley Relay....MORE...
Out of sight, out of mind, rural riverbanks get trashed - TOPPENISH -- It's a nice drive down East Branch Road, where towering cottonwoods lining the Yakima River serve as a backdrop to the rural homes that dot the area. But if you hang a right at Wierman Road and follow i...MORE...
Casino doles out money to nonprofits - TOPPENISH -- Yakama Nation Legends Casino has distributed $233,684 to more than 100 nonprofit groups in Yakima Valley. As part of its gambling compact with the state, the casino gives 1 percent of annual slot-machine earnings to charitable organizations....MORE...
Church scandal -- Former seminarian tells his story - YAKIMA -- The 37-year-old at the center of a controversy reverberating through the Catholic Diocese of Yakima blames a local priest for destroying his aspirations to join the Catholic clergy. It began, Juan Jose González...MORE...
Church scandal -- Adult's allegations raise more questions - YAKIMA -- It's a thorny ethical problem, the kind any Catholic would be loath to confront. When a priest engages in a sexual relationship with another adult -- is it abuse? Or isn't it? It's a topic that has been brewing here ...MORE...
Prep baseball -- Heat is on for East Valley, Selah - YAKIMA -- It's the one question baseball coaches who are fortunate enough to make it this far hear the most and the one they're most reluctant to answer. Even, sometimes, with their own players. "Who you going start in that first game, coach?," the inquir...MORE...
Yakima delegation visits Morelia - A delegation of Yakima business and city officials are in Morelia, Mexico, for the next few days to discuss the possibility of developing an exposition to display products from Morelia and the state of Michoacán at the Central Washington State Fair...MORE...
Prep roundup -- Cuillier, EV shut out Ephrata - YAKIMA -- Renee Cuillier's swing and fling got East Valley off to big start in Thursday's opening round of the CWAC district fastpitch tournament. The senior clubbed a three-run homer and went 3-for-4, and she pitched six shutout innings with 11 strikeout...MORE...
Mariners to honor CWU's Holtman, Wallace - The Seattle Mariners will pay homage to the Central Washington fastpitch players lauded for an unusual act of sportsmanship earlier this season....MORE...
Prep report -- World becomes faster and more complicated for Selah, Blanshan - YAKIMA -- Kelly Mattson admits it's been an "educational" week. That will happen when a track athlete of yours goes out and runs 100 meters in 10.36 seconds. When Selah's Brett Blanshan recorded that eye-popping performance at last Friday's CWAC North sub...MORE...
5/16/08 Prep spotlights - CLASS 4A-3A Tommy McLaughlin, Davis soccer, senior A four-year anchor on defense, McLaughlin earned all-league honors every season -- first team as a senior and junior, second team as a sophomore and honorable mention as a freshman. CLASS 2A Wes Ferrell,...MORE...
5/16/08 Yakima Valley track and field leaders - THROUGH WEDNESDAY BOYS 100: Brett Blanshan (Selah) 10.36, Cade Wandling (Prosser) 10.72, Marco Martinez (Toppenish) 10.78, Dana Wells (Riverside Christian) 11.23, Jonathan Newport (Eisenhower) 11.24, Cody Bruns (Prosser) 11.43. 200: Cade Wandling (Prosse...MORE...
Legends Casino distributes $233,684 to charitable groups - TOPPENISH -- Yakama Nation Legends Casino has distributed $233,684 to more than 100 nonprofit groups in the Yakima Valley. As part of its gambling compact with the state, the casino gives 1 percent of annual slot-machine earnings to charitable organizatio...MORE...
Skinner bows out of politics - YAKIMA -- State Rep. Mary Skinner stunned the local political establishment Wednesday, announcing her retirement one month after assuring supporters she would seek an eighth term. Her...MORE...
As mercury soars, rivers could rise - Weather forecasters and emergency managers are keeping an eye on local rivers as mountain snowmelt raises the possibility of flooding. ...MORE...
Ski areas finish strong season - YAKIMA -- Ski areas around the Pacific Northwest had such great snow throughout the 2007-08 winter that neither its November absence nor its road-closing, mid-winter surplus could prevent a banner year for the winter-sports industry. Several resorts -- in...MORE...
Guest worker program gains popularity but could lead to discord - New statewide numbers show that growers are increasingly more comfortable with a federal guest worker program that allows them to hire documented foreign help instead of local workers who may not have legal immigra...MORE...
Arterial to Terrace Heights could run through mill property - With redevelopment of the old Boise Cascade mill property as the jewel in the middle, local officials are again focusing on a new east-west arterial that would serve the property and meet several other transportation...MORE...
Night life spotlight -- Mystery Fluid - Longtime Yakima band Mystery Fluid likes to say it plays metal that would make Ozzy proud. And frontman Joe Alvarez certainly has the long hair, the tattoos, the slightly sinister voice. But it's not like Alvarez is attempting to copy the Prince of Darkne...MORE...
Carrie Underwood gives SunDome a rare sellout - Pop-country sensation Carrie Underwood is the second artist, ever, to sell out the Yakima Valley SunDome. Fellow country star Toby Keith was the first during his 2003 visit. "In our market, we're never very sure" what...MORE...
The 'new' Lonestar set to take the stage at Legends Casino - It might be hard to imagine with all this blustery weather, but the local outdoor summer music season begins this weekend. (Do you even know where your sunscreen and camping chairs are?) Saturday evening, the "new" Lo...MORE...
'Castle Ladyslipper' a medieval romance worth reading - If your cup of mead is history, intrigue and romance, find time this summer for "Castle Ladyslipper," a medieval romance by Marilee Brothers under the pseudonym of Lee Grantier. The Selah writer's first novel,...MORE...
Yakima People: DAR honors locals at state conference - A dozen Yakima-area residents were recognized at the Daughters of the American Revolution state conference in Spokane earlier this month. Eisenhower High School's Paul Schafer won the state Outstanding Teacher of History Award. Cary Campbell won first pl...MORE...
Prosser theater project earns high praise - PROSSER -- The Mercer family, which privately renovated Prosser's Princess Theatre, was recognized Wednesday for an "Outstanding Design and Economic Development Story" at the 22nd annual Downtown Revitalization Training Institute awards banquet in Wenatc...MORE...
Popular Ellensburg art show and auction is this weekend - This weekend, the Western Art Association hosts its 36th annual Ellensburg National Art Show & Auction. Held at the Kittitas Valley Event Center at the fairgrounds in Ellensburg, the popular juried show draws about 4,000 to 5,000 people over its three...MORE...
Summer Campfire Program -- Vineyards, critters and marshmallows - Soon it'll be Memorial Day weekend, which means summer is just around the corner. And summer fun doesn't end when the sun goes down. Just grab your flashlight and favorite camping chair and head to Yakima Sportsman State Park, 904 Keys Road, for the Summe...MORE...
05/15/08 Around the Lower Valley - Grandview readies spring concerts GRANDVIEW -- The city has ironed out its spring concert lineup for Country Park. Nonprofit groups and community clubs will take turns staging free outdoor concerts and meals Tuesday nights at Coun...MORE...
05/15/08 Around the Valley - House shot at, firebombed TOPPENISH -- Police are looking into separate gang-related shootings and a firebombing at the same home over the past several days. The most recent incident was shortly after 11 p.m. Tuesday in the 600 block ...MORE...
Toppenish police investigating incidents at same house - TOPPENISH -- Police are looking into separate gang-related shootings and a firebombing at the same home over the past several days. The most recent incident was shortly after 11 p.m. Tuesday in the 600 block of East First Avenue. Residents in a home there...MORE...
Sheriff's Office seeks suspects in Wapato shooting - WAPATO -- A 32-year-old man is hospitalized in satisfactory condition this morning after being shot in the chest outside of Wapato on Tuesday, according to the Yakima County Sheriff's Office. The incident took place about 5:30 p.m. in the 100 block of Win...MORE...
Sunnyside city manager finalists announced - SUNNYSIDE -- The city of Sunnyside has announced the names of four finalists for the city manager position. They are: * Mark J. Gervasi, city manager of Tillamook, Ore. * Mark Roath, city manager of McAlester, Okla. * Michael Stampfler, owner and managing...MORE...
Brief power outage hits Sunnyside, Grandview - SUNNYSIDE -- A Lower Valley power failure struck about 14,000 customers this morning, according to Pacific Power officials. The power outage started at 9:43 a.m. and affected residents and businesses in Sunnyside, Grandview and the Sulfur Creek area east...MORE...
Ceremony to recognize nation's fallen officers - YAKIMA -- The public is invited to a Thursday morning ceremony to honor the nation's law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. Thursday is National Peace Officers Memorial Day, part of National Police Week....MORE...
Yakima man dies of bullet wounds - Yakima police have opened a homicide investigation after a 31-year-old Yakima man wounded in a drive-by shooting last month died from complications of his injuries. ...MORE...
Winter Relief - YAKIMA -- On the first day of May, the Oak Creek Wildlife Area opened its gates to shed hunters who had waited patiently for the opportunity to scour the hillsides for the prized elk antlers shed over the winter and spring by bull elk. And wildlife area m...MORE...
Northwest Sportsman -- Bass are on the rise - Bass fishing in the Northwest is not nearly as big as it is in other parts of the country. But that's not to say there aren't plenty of bass anglers around. Actually, there are more and more people getting into bass fishing, and according to Mike Meseber...MORE...
Bobo Brayton Day proclamation - A PROCLAMATION WHEREAS, Yakima has great sports legends and heroes with regional, national and worldwide sports acclaim, we honor our Sports Legend, Bobo Brayton. WHEREAS, our community seeks to pay tribute to individuals who lived in the Yakima Valley an...MORE...
Bat sale will benefit PYSF - The Parker Youth and Sports Foundations is taking a swing at fundraising by selling commemorative baseball bats. The wood bats were made by Hillerich & Bradsby, the company that makes Louisville Sluggers, and honor the careers of former Yakima Valley ...MORE...
5/15/08 What's Happening - Local fly guru to show how to catch a salmon A presentation on catching salmon on a fly -- yes, it can be done -- will be the centerpiece of Tuesday's meeting of the Yakima Fly Fishers Association. The meeting, and the presentation by local fly-fishing gu...MORE...
A day all his own - If a marriage of bureaucracy and baseball at first seems a bit odd, consider that the primary proponent of this one, Dave Edler, played third base for Bobo Brayton at Washington State. Also be reminded that Edler, Yakima's mayor, became visibly emotional...MORE...
Local report -- Awards keep coming for Central's Nilsen - SPOKANE -- Central Washington's Jamie Nilsen, coming off a record-setting senior year, has won two significant awards. Nilsen was named GNAC baseball player of the year for the second straight season, the conference announced Wednesday, and later was tabb...MORE...
Rep. Mary Skinner announces she won't seek re-election - YAKIMA -- Two years after she was diagnosed with colon cancer, Rep. Mary Skinner, R-Yakima, announced today that she will retire from the Legislature, ending 14 years of service....MORE...
Fund set up to aid search for 3 missing fishermen - TOPPENISH -- A benefit fund has been established to help in the search for three Yakama fishermen missing since their boat capsized a week ago Tuesday on the Columbia River. Donations will be used primarily to buy food as well as fu...MORE...
Fun's the word in Selah - When asked why folks should check out Selah Community Days, event organizers say the answer is obvious: It's going to be fun....MORE...
05/15/08 Death Notices - Kym Renee Boob Kym Renee Boob, 40, of Yakima died Monday at Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital. Mrs. Boob was born in Sheridan, Wyo., and had been a resident of Yakima for 10 years. She worked for the state of Washington as a community corrections officer. S...MORE...
5/15/08 Valley Sports Weekly bulletin board - BASEBALL: West Valley Little League Juniors baseball registration will be taking place from 6 to 8 p.m. tonight at the West Valley Middle School Commons, and at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Cottonwood Elementary. Players (ages 13-14) can also register online at...MORE...
5/15/08 Valley Sports Weekly results - Fastpitch Pistoresi's 5, Little Brown Smoke Shop 1 Lit. Brn Smoke Shop 000 000 1 -- 1 4 0 Pistoresi's 000 410 x -- 5 5 4 Coleman, George (6) and Foster, Cuillier (6); Seward and Feist. Highlights: P Lyle Carey (P) 2-3, 2 RBI; Tim Lee (P) 1-2, RBI. Golf...MORE...
Brooklyn Baseball teams take second place - YAKIMA -- The Brooklyn Baseball Club's 12-U and 13-U teams both finished second in the Yakima Mothers Day Tournament last weekend at Kiwanis Park. The 13-U team started 5-0, outscoring the opposition 66-16, before losing 11-9 to the Seattle Sting in the c...MORE...
Snow keeps many areas closed - YAKIMA -- It's going to be a scorcher in the lowlands this weekend, but jumping right into those summer activities you've been waiting for might be a problem. Or even impossible. In some cases, they might not even be doable by Memorial Day weekend. In th...MORE...
Judge throws out shooting evidence - An Ellensburg man arrested but never charged in a home-invasion shooting at a Terrace Heights residence in November won a victory in a Kittitas County case that has links to the Terrace Heights in...MORE...
Investing in the green housing movement - Cathy Goshorn buys biodegradable cleaning supplies. She uses cloth bags when she shops, and she shares a compost bin with her neighbor. Her quest to protect the environment also influenced how she remodeled her home in Yakima a year ago. She used recycled...MORE...
05/14/08 Yakima People - Arboretum's rose blooms for Ester Huey The bloom is on the rose -- or soon will be -- for Ester Huey and all women who have a positive influence on their communities. The Zonta Club of Yakima Valley planted a yellow rose Tuesday at the Yakima Area Arboret...MORE...
Armed services honored Saturday at Bickleton museum - The Bickleton Pioneer Carousel Museum is celebrating Armed Services Day on Saturday with music and displays. The museum has received a collection of World War II memorabilia from Darrell Seely, a retired principal of Connell High S...MORE...
Prep roundup -- Grizzlies, Hounds advance - YAKIMA -- Relying on their defenses to do most of the work, Sunnyside and Grandview took care of home-field business on Tuesday and advanced in the state boys soccer playoffs. After a scoreless first half, Sunnyside pulled away for a 2-0 victory over Kami...MORE...
State soccer -- A refreshing win - COWICHE -- They were worn out, they didn't impress their coach with team play and their best shots hit more post than net. But in the first round of the Class 1A state boys soccer playoffs, it would require much more than that to derail the two-time defen...MORE...
Away at School -- Moseley snaps EWU's 1,500-meter mark - YAKIMA -- CAMILLE MOSELEY (Kittitas), a senior distance runner on the Eastern Washington track and field team, set a new school record in the 1,500-meter run this season with a time of 4 minutes, 30.33 seconds, breaking Hannah Lohrmann's 1999 mark of 4:31...MORE...
How students rate on financial savvy - According to the JumpStart Coalition's 2008 Financial Education Survey, high school seniors have a lot to learn about managing money. The survey was administered to 300 students across the state. It consisted of 31,...MORE...
Union Gap tightens animal laws - UNION GAP -- Tired of wearing earplugs to drown out your neighbor's cock-a-doodle-dooing rooster every morning? Good news. If you live in Union Gap, those days are drawing to a clos...MORE...
05/14/08 Wine Q&A - Q. A recent wine column in the Wall Street Journal stated a large disappointment in merlots that cost $20 to $50. The final listing of nine were California only despite the authors including Washington labels in their tastings. I'm not too sure how much I...MORE...
Prosser reaches to Bellevue for new administrator - PROSSER -- The city of Prosser has selected its new administrator. Mayor Paul Warden has chosen Charlie Bush, currently an assistant to the city manager for the cit...MORE...
Program focuses high-schoolers on finance - YAKIMA -- Eduardo Mejia was clueless about money. He never heard of interest rates and finance charges. He didn't know how to budget his income, yet alone invest it. Credit cards, too, were a mystery....MORE...
Sunnyside narrows city manager choices - SUNNYSIDE -- The city of Sunnyside is getting closer to hiring a new manager and residents will have an opportunity to interview the final four candidates. A series of interviews and meetings is scheduled later thi...MORE...
Stock spring picnic with affordable Washington wines - A few weeks ago, I was asked to organize a wine tasting for a private event. The table was laid out with an assortment of picnic foods: olives, nuts, cheeses, pâté, salmon spread, various dips and salads and a cold pork tenderloin. Rather t...MORE...
Search goes on for missing fisherman - HOME VALLEY, Wash. -- A search will continue today for three Yakama tribal fishermen whose boat was found capsized last week on the Columbia River. Officers with both the Yakama Nation and Colum...MORE...
Downtown fun back in season at farmers market - An Elvis impersonator, brandywine tomatoes and teriyaki jerky, with a little jewelry and custom artwork thrown in for good measure. All that and more -- don't forget the fresh-baked bread -- could be found at the opening day of the Yakima Farmers Market. ...MORE...
Costco looking for call center workers - Costco is now accepting applications for its new call center in Yakima. WorkSource Yakima, a job agency, has already received several inquires about the call center....MORE...
NEW: Truck driver's death under investigation - ELLENSBURG -- State Patrol troopers are investigating what caused the death of a truck driver who was found in his vehicle on the side of Interstate 82 in Kittitas County on Monday night. Scott E. Waser, 54, of Washougal was found 11 miles east of Ellensb...MORE...
Alternative school asks former grads to return - When the Toppenish School District's EAGLE Alternative School first opened in November 1988, the aim was to give students at risk of not finishing school a path to a diploma. Now, 20 years later, school officials are inviting all past graduates to return...MORE...
PREP REPORT -- La Salle shuts out Bridgeport in district opener - UNION GAP -- Whitney Anderson and Elise Fenich drove in two runs as the La Salle fastpitch team beat Bridgeport 9-0 in a loser-out Class 2B district game Monday. Anderson went 3-for-3 at the plate and also scored a run, and teammate Lauren Nichols added a...MORE...
Chinook Pass workers are the real snow men - CHINOOK PASS -- When April arrives, Rick Lawson and several other state Department of Transportation workers leave their routine highway maintenance chores and head for Chinook Pass to remove snow. Using large excavators, snowplows and snowblowers, a crew...MORE...
Child in serious condition after crash - SUNNYSIDE -- A 4-year-old Mabton boy was in serious condition Saturday evening at a Seattle hospital after a two-vehicle crash, officials said. Jose Birrueta was being treated at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle after first being taken to Sunnyside C...MORE...
Protect kids from hazards on the farm - Ahhh, springtime on the farm. Open fields, fresh air, peaceful winds, flowers ... what's not to love? Children living in rural areas, such as Yakima, are at a greater risk of unintentional injury than city kids. According to Safe Kids USA, each year in t...MORE...
05/13/08 Around the Valley - North First Street to be cleaned up YAKIMA -- North First Street is about to get its spring cleaning done. Organizers are hoping at least 150 volunteers will take part Saturday in the third annual effort to increase the visual appeal of...MORE...
Wrecking yard opponents fight on - WAPATO -- Opponents of Yakima County's plan to move a wrecking yard on the road to wine country spent an afternoon at the disputed site recently, discussing landscaping details with county officials. But they were adamant their cooperation does not mean ...MORE...
Scholarship available for low-income students - Middle-schoolers are invited to apply for the Washington State College Bound Scholarship. The four-year scholarship pays for tuition, books and fees not covered by other state and federal aid for students from low-income families. As part of the applicati...MORE...
Soroptimists honor local students - Soroptimist International of Yakima recently awarded several scholarships. Amber Baumgarden, a senior at Naches Valley High School, received the Violet Richardson Award and $500 in recognition of her volunteer work in the community. Mireya N. Galvez, re...MORE...
Caffeine a necessary evil for teens - Starbucks, Rockstar, Monster, Red Bull. These are teens' fuels of choice. With the WASL, SATs, college courses, homework, sports, deadlines, college applications and other extracurricular activities, today's high school students are staying up late just...MORE...
Guest speaker sheds light on squirmy subject - Even for abstinent teenagers like me, the topic of sex is a big one. So there was a feeling of excitement when the student body of La Salle High School gathered on a recent morning to listen to a presentation by Brad Henning on exactly that topic. Hennin...MORE...
Senior project is the Ultimate rush - One of the new graduation requirements for 2008 graduates in the Yakima School District is completing and presenting a senior project. These projects can be anything the student chooses as long as they're geared toward community-mindedness. To that end,...MORE...
Prep fastpitch -- Going the distance for split - ELLENSBURG -- Renee Cuillier's facial muscles have as much wear and tear on them as her arm this year. Because the East Valley starter smiles after every delivery home no matter what happens with the batter. She grinned right through a 1-0 loss to Ellensb...MORE...
LOCAL REPORT -- Longton takes Late Model race - Yakima -- Moxee's Mike Longton made an outside pass with 30 laps remaining and took the 75-circuit ASA Late Model race Saturday at Yakima Speedway. Longton, who had the second fastest time in qualifying, passed Mike Zamora to the lead. Zamora finished sec...MORE...
College football -- Spring in their step - ELLENSBURG -- The whole point of spring football games is to not pay too much attention to them. To the points, that is. What counts is whether experienced players perform to expectations, whether newcomers show promise and whether anyone gets hurt. So ba...MORE...
Prep soccer -- Grizzlies win regional title - SUNNYSIDE -- It's been home sweet home for Sunnyside's boys soccer team. Playing on their home field for the third straight regional game, the Grizzlies once again rode their powerful defense to a 2-0 victory over Eastmont in the championship match Saturd...MORE...
Baseball roundup -- Forgey fans 10 as Rangers claim SCAC district - MOSES LAKE -- Lucas Forgey scattered five hits and struck out 10 as Naches Valley claimed the SCAC District baseball title with a 3-1 win over Connell on Saturday night. The win earned the Rangers, Class 1A state runners-up last year, the district's No. ...MORE...
Fastpitch roundup -- Powers helps NV claim share of SCAC West - NACHES -- Stephanie Powers collected four hits and three RBI, and pitcher Casi White struck out 15 for the day as Naches Valley swept Goldendale 7-6, 12-10 to earn a share of the SCAC West fastpitch title on Saturday. Powers finished 4-for-6 for the day...MORE...
Tennis/Golf roundup -- Davis' Chang, Ike's Bemis reach 4A semifinals - YAKIMA -- Davis' Abe Chang and Eisenhower's Eric Bemis stormed through their respective singles brackets to reach the semifinals of the CBL 4A boys district tennis tournament Saturday at Kissel Park in Yakima. After first-round byes, both players posted t...MORE...
Local report -- CWU's Nilsen shines in finale, despite losing pair to NNU - NAMPA, Idaho -- Central Washington lost both games of a doubleheader to Northwest Nazarene on Saturday to end its season, but CWU senior Jamie Nilsen nonetheless went out in a blaze of glory. Though the Wildcats fell 10-8 and 6-5, Nilsen's remarkable care...MORE...
Semi-pro football -- Mavericks still undefeated - SPOKANE -- The Yakima Mavericks inched closer to matching the program's best start with a patient 26-16 victory against the State Line Miners on Saturday at North Central High School. Jesse Cardenas scored rushing touchdowns of 4 and 5 yards to go with Mi...MORE...
PNGA Cup -- Washington team rallies to beat Oregon - BEND, Ore. -- Dan Whitaker and his Washington teammates staged a stunning rally Saturday to capture the PNGA Cup in a sudden-death playoff over two-time defending champion Oregon. Whitaker won his singles match Saturday, 2 and 1 over British Columbia's Cr...MORE...
5/11/08 Letter to sports - CWU women set records as well To the sports editor -- I really enjoyed Roger Underwood's column about the first 49 years of CWU's Nicholson Pavilion. Yes, the men's teams were quite dominant. I also remember a women's team that holds a record on that co...MORE...
5/11/08 Prep standings - CWAC Final W L x-Othello 17 1 x-East Valley 15 3 x-Ellensburg 15 3 x-Selah 13 5 x-Quincy 7 11 x-Ephrata 7 11 x-Grandview 7 11 x-Prosser 5 13 Toppenish 2 16 Wapato 2 16 x-qualified for district Saturday's results Ellensburg 1-0, East Valley 0-3 Grandview...MORE...
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