http://www.dailysunnews.com/ Stories from the Daily Sun News (c)2010, Eagle Newspapers, Inc. All rights reserved In the Daily Sun News story yesterday, Wednesday, about the state test scores released the day before, it should have been noted that Sunnyside eighth graders made progress in two of the three areas tested. There were 53.7 percent who passed the reading portion of the state-mandated test administered this past spring and 36.6 percent who passed the math portion. The only decline was in science, where 20.2 percent passed that portion of the exam. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19216/correction Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:29:59 GMT 19216 The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather station in Pendleton, Ore. last month recorded lower than normal temperatures in Sunnyside. The average temperature for August in the Sunnyside area was 67.9 degrees, 4.1 degrees below normal. The average high temperature in Sunnyside was 84.5 degrees. Normally the high temperatures are 4.5 degrees higher. Aug. 17, the highest temperature of the month was recorded at 95 degrees, the lowest temperature was 42 degrees on Aug. 23. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19215/august-temperatures-colder-than-normal-in-sunnyside-area-more-of-the-same-forecast-for-rest-of-the-month-of-september Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:23:47 GMT 19215 Sunnyside High School sophomores are not alone in dealing with declining test scores, as their counterparts in Mabton and Grandview also showed signs of struggling. In spring of this year, sophomores around the state took a mandated test called the High School Proficiency Exam (HSPE). Previously, the WASL exam was taken by students throughout the state. In almost every area tested, the percentage of sophomores in Mabton and Grandview passing the HSPE dropped compared to those passing the WASL in the spring of 2009. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19214/test-scores-down-in-grandview-and-mabton-schools Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:23:12 GMT 19214 Jamey Ayling has been the city of Sunnyside's senior city planner for a few years now, but he was recently given an additional title, taking on more responsibilities as the community development supervisor. His promotion was official July 1, and with it came the responsibility of overseeing four other supervisors and the building and code enforcement divisions. Besides his administrative assistant Pam Sandifer, Ayling now is turned to for direction by Code Enforcement Officer Jim Rivard, Building Department Supervisor Mike Storms, Building Inspector Andy Stamschror and Plans Examiner Leonard Hall. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19213/city-planner-picks-up-new-duties Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:22:09 GMT 19213 GRANDVIEW - Approximately 30 citizens, mostly retirees, attended a citizen input meeting last night to discuss the design of Grandview's new community center. Interim City Manager Cus Arteaga began the meeting, explaining the city wanted to hear from the citizens before the architectural firm of Brockway Opfere Raab designed the new facility. "The downtown project is well underway...now we are preparing to get started on the Grandview community center...it's a great day in Grandview," he said in his introduction. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19212/citizens-share-design-wishes-for-grandview-community-center Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:20:21 GMT 19212 Jose D. "Lolo" Tovar, 71, of Sunnyside beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend passed away unexpectedly of natural causes on Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2010, at his home. He was born March 31, 1939 to Manuel and Catarina Alejandro Tovar in Bustamante Nuevo Leon, Mexico. On Nov. 20, 1960 he married Manuela J. Becho. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19211/obituary Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:13:54 GMT 19211 Reta Laverne (Henley) Drollinger-Nelson, 80, of Kennewick, our beloved mother, LaVerne, peacefully went to her eternal reward Tuesday morning, May 4, 2010, at Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland, lovingly surrounded by family and friends. Following her stroke on Aug. 27, 2009, her health rapidly declined, finally ending in cardio-pulmonary failure. She will be greatly missed, but leaves behind a lasting legacy of accomplishments and many fond memories. Mom was born Feb. 17, 1930, in Ava, Mo., the second of two children to Arnder Robert Paul Henley and Nelia Ivory Bernice (nee Slate) Henley. Her family migrated to Sunnyside in 1934 and then moved to Bremerton from 1940 to 1945, where her father worked in the shipyards. They returned to Sunnyside at the end of WWII in 1945. Mom met Lynn Howard Drollinger during her senior year at Sunnyside High School and they were married Nov. 19, 1948 in Sunnyside soon after her graduation. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19210/obituary Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:12:47 GMT 19210 New SHS Principal Chuck Salina has a more difficult job than previously thought, as Sunnyside sophomores for the most part showed dramatic declines in test results released yesterday by the state's superintendent office. Salina, a Gonzaga University professor, is at Sunnyside High School to raise test scores to the point where 85 percent of students are passing state-mandated reading and writing exams and 100 percent of them graduate high school. Yesterday's results are from tests called the High School Proficiency Exam (HSPE) that were administered to sophomores in the spring. In all four areas tested, the percentage of Sunnyside sophomores earning a passing score dropped compared to WASL scores from spring 2009. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19209/state-test-scores-down-for-sunnyside-high-sophomores Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:14:18 GMT 19209 YAKIMA - As promised during a packed public meeting in June, Yakima County is moving forward with a plan to establish a groundwater management area. The action was taken yesterday, Tuesday, by Yakima County commissioners. It is a first step towards finding out what's wrong with the Lower Valley's groundwater. Federal officials estimate that one-in-five rural wells in the Lower Valley are contaminated with nitrates, E Coli or both. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19208/county-takes-first-step-to-address-groundwater-woes Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:12:57 GMT 19208 A Sunnyside man is currently under suspicion by the Sunnyside Police Department after it was reported he raped a 2-year-old child at his home. The incident was reported to Sunnyside police yesterday (Tuesday) at about 7:15 p.m. and police located the man shortly after. The case is currently under investigation by Sunnyside police. Also since yesterday three thefts have been reported to Sunnyside officers. Tires were reported stolen from a carport in the 1400 block of East Gregory Avenue, items from a vehicle in the 200 block of East Linden Way were reported stolen and an adult female shoplifter was detained by Walmart employees. This past Monday a burglary was reported in the 1700 block of Cascade Way at about 8:15 p.m. A stove was reported stolen in the incident. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19207/sunnyside-man-suspected-of-raping-2-year-old-child Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:09:23 GMT 19207 Yakima County Sheriff's deputies investigated a report of shots fired near Sunnyside yesterday (Tuesday). Deputies were called to the 1800 block of Snipes Pump Road at 1:31 p.m. for what the reporting party said were four to five shots fired. The witness couldn't tell deputies which directions the shots came from. In other Lower Valley news, deputies since yesterday have dealt with two animal complaints, two suspicious people or situations, one threat and two traffic accidents. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19206/shots-fired-report-orginates-from-snipes-pump-road-area Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:08:35 GMT 19206 After spending a half century together, Tom and Rose Roosendaal will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary Thursday, Sept. 2. Tom Roosendaal grew up in Lynden, and Rose (Gortsema) grew up in Grangeville, Idaho. Both moved to Sunnyside and met while in high school. The happy couple married in 1960 at the Sunnyside Christian Reformed Church. They have three children; Steve, who is married to JoAnn and is currently living in Colorado, Gloria, who is married to Vance Nordine and is currently living in California, and Melinda, who is married to Eric Parkes and is currently residing in Oregon. Tom and Rose Roosendaal also have eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19205/roosendaals-celebrate-golden-anniversary Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:07:31 GMT 19205 GRANDVIEW - Fighting for the citizens of Grandview has only been part of the responsibilities of Attorney Jack Maxwell. After 30 years representing the city's interests in court and at city council meetings, helping to enact city laws to keep the citizens safe and supporting efforts to promote community development, he is retiring. A retirement party was held in Maxwell's honor Tuesday, giving citizens and community leaders an opportunity to wish the longtime city attorney well. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19204/after-three-decades-of-service-to-grandview-city-attorney-retires Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:05:53 GMT 19204 Central Washington is one of the most agriculturally diverse regions of our nation. Whether it is apples, cherries, potatoes, mint, dairy or pears - local farmers and ranchers produce the food that feeds the world. Their hard work creates new jobs and forms the foundation of our entire state's economy. And, our agriculture economy is dependent upon a level playing field and a fair opportunity to participate in the global market. Since March 2009, however, Mexico imposed 20 percent tariffs on 90 American products, including potatoes, pears, cherries and apricots - costing American farmers millions and putting jobs here at risk. These tariffs are in retaliation for the United States failing to meet international trade obligations. Mexico imposed new retaliatory tariffs on American agriculture products earlier this month, including a 20 percent tariff on fresh apples. Mexico is Washington's largest apple export market, and it is estimated that this new tariff will cost our growers up to $44 million per year. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19203/words-from-washington Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:04:55 GMT 19203 Nothing makes parents reflect on days gone by quite like the start of a new school year. Last week children, including my three, returned to schools across the nation. My friend Sherri, whom I haven't seen in 20 years, posted a photo of her 13-year-old daughter on her first day of school, online. That young eighth grader reminded me much of two 14-year-old girls laughing in Sunday school and frolicking on the lawn at Mt. Shasta First Baptist Church all those years ago. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19202/jennies-journey Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:03:04 GMT 19202 The Sunnyside City Council last night held a special session to make a decision in adopting a resolution for its insurance carrier. The discussion was at times volatile, with council members bringing up first the right to call the special session and later whether or not the city's attorney had any stake in the decision. Councilman Don Vlieger was the first to call into question whether or not the special session was appropriately called by Mayor Jim Restucci. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19201/heated-special-session-results-in-approval-of-new-insurance-carrier Wed, 01 Sep 2010 09:17:12 GMT 19201 The Yakima County Sheriff's office fielded five reports of gunfire from the Lower Valley since this past Friday. A Grandview-area woman was injured in one of the shootings, when someone shot at a house at 371 Woodworth Road early this morning, Monday. The woman was shot in the head when 15 shots were fired at the house. The woman and the other occupants of the home were asleep at the time of the attack. On Saturday, the same neighborhood was also hit with bullets, when a nearby resident reported hearing two shots fired. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19200/gunfire-erupts-in-lower-yakima-valley Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:53:16 GMT 19200 YAKIMA - A judge in Yakima County Superior Court last Friday set bail for Juan Balverde Lopez, 18, of Sunnyside at $1 million during a preliminary hearing. Lopez is accused of beating 2-year-old Benjamin Miron of Sunnyside severely enough to cause the toddler's death last Wednesday. Yakima County Coroner Jack Hawkins completed an autopsy of the youngster's body last Thursday and concluded the child had suffered severe blows to his upper torso, a beating that was conducted with force inconsistent with child play. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19199/bail-set-at-1million-for-suspect-in-child-murder Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:52:17 GMT 19199 WALLA WALLA - Justin Bos, the assistant PGA club pro at Sunnyside's Black Rock Creek Golf Course, notched a 46th place finish from a 120-golfer field at last week's Pacific Northwest PGA Open. The three-day tourney at Walla Walla's Wine Valley Golf Course, a links-style layout, was open to PGA professionals and apprentices, as well as a handful of select amateurs. Bos opened with an even-par 72 (37-35), slipping one stroke to a 1-over 73 (37-36) the second day. His two-day total of 145 was five shots under the cut line, which easily advanced him to Wednesday's trophy round. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19198/local-pga-pro-46th-at-northwest-open Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:48:40 GMT 19198 Meadow Springs Country Club member Chris Indall shot an even-par 144 to win top honors in the 2010 Banana Belt, the most prestigious event that Sunnyside's Black Rock Creek Golf Course stages each year. The Tri-Cities golfer forged a two-stroke lead on the eventual runner-up, Yakima's Joel Elder, by carding a 1-under-par 71 on the opening day of the tourney this past Saturday. Indall, on Sunday, again posted the low score from the 32-person field by touring the 6,286-yard track with a 1-over-par 73. Elder backed up his opening round of 73 with a 75 on Sunday, leaving him four shots back of the winner but two shots in front of third-place finishing Trini Madrigal of the Lower Valley (76-74). http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19197/tri-cities-golfer-banana-belt-winner Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:46:33 GMT 19197 Lucky 7 Bikes, a division of Sunnyside's Promise, has immediate openings available for boys and girls interested in earning a new bicycle. More than 135 boys and girls have entered the program since its inception, where they choose a bike, disassemble it, clean it and reconstruct it under the supervision of Sunnyside authorities and volunteers. The goal of the program is to allow kids to meet prominent city authorities and, through trust, be able to relay criminal information to these authorities with the intent of stopping or preventing crime before it happens. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19196/free-bicycles-for-kids-between-8-and-18-years-old-through-sunnyside-lucky-7-bikes-shop Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:44:28 GMT 19196 Roberta Monroe Graham, 93, of Sunnyside passed away on Saturday, Aug. 28, 2010. She was born May 9, 1917 in Milton-Freewater, Ore. to Nathan and Libby Monroe. They settled in the Granger- Alfalfa area, where they farmed. Roberta attended Alfalfa School and graduated from Granger High School in 1935. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19195/obituary Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:43:46 GMT 19195 Benjamin G. "Benji" Miron, 2, of Sunnyside went to be with our heavenly Father on Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2010, in Toppenish. He was born Feb. 19, 2008 in Toppenish to Ulises and Pia (Randall) Miron. Benjamin was a happy boy, never sad his beautiful smile would lighten up your day. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19194/obituary Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:41:45 GMT 19194 Timoteo Mercado Garcia, 72, of Sunnyside died on Thursday, Aug. 26, 2010, in Sunnyside. Viewing and visitation will be held Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2010, from 2 to 8 p.m. with a Rosary to be recited at 6 p.m. at Smith Funeral Home in Sunnyside. Mass of Christian Burial will be held Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2010, at 10 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Sunnyside, with burial to follow at Lower Valley Memorial Gardens in Sunnyside. Smith Funeral Home LTD and Crematory in Sunnyside is in charge of arrangements. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19193/death-notice Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:41:09 GMT 19193 It's been more than a year since his brief stint as Sunnyside's city manager, but the city's residents are today experiencing an apparent victory because of Eric Swansen's work. Five months before he was fired, Swansen along with city staff and the planning commission, were praised by the city council for bringing forward a revised ordinance regulating businesses that want to offer what some would label as adult entertainment. That was in January 2009. The new law and Swansen's quick action six months earlier to propose a moratorium on adult entertainment businesses protected downtown Sunnyside from being host to a strip club. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19190/f-as-in-frank Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:29:57 GMT 19190 Anita G. Pacheco, 49, of Grandview passed away on Thursday, Aug. 26, 2010, after a courageous battle with cancer, at her home surrounded by her loving family. Anita was born Dec. 28, 1961 in Riverside, Calif., the daughter of Alex and Enedina (Guel) Garcia. Anita received her education in Grandview. Following high school she attended college at Pullman and Yakima Valley Community College. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19191/obituary Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:29:57 GMT 19191 Loren J. (Bud) Swigart, 85, passed away in Yakima on Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2010. He was born Dec. 2, 1924 in Sunnyside to James H. and Rena (Young) Swigart. He was orphaned at an early age and was raised by family in the Sunnyside and Granger area. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19192/obituary Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:29:57 GMT 19192 With the ink barely dry on his divorce papers, Tiger Woods now has every right to date as many strippers, skanks and porn stars as his heart desires. If the one-time-great golfer wants to become involved with two Kardashian sisters, a handful of "Hills" castoffs and the entire waitstaff of the Indianapolis Hooters, Woods can fill his every waking moment with a flood of breast implants, hot pants, spray tanner and giant sunglasses. What Woods should not be able to do again - at least for some time - is get married. If you get convicted of drunk driving then you lose your license for a period of time. The same should apply to marriage as Woods has certainly been convicted of being a bad husband of epic proportions. As part of any divorce decree, judges should have the right to assign blame and impose a waiting period before each divorcee can marry again. Since Woods was a serial cheater who clearly placed little value in his wedding vows, he would be banned from remarrying for, let's say, five years. His wife, however, whose only crime was being way too trusting and ignoring some pretty obvious signs, would receive a lesser sentence of perhaps six months. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19189/new-law-would-keep-tiger-woods-single Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:29:21 GMT 19189 Aug. 25 - First day of school Sept. 6 - Labor Day (no school) Sept. 24 - No school (teacher's in-service) http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19187/sunnyside-school-district-2010-11-calendar Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:27:20 GMT 19187 I hope they know what they're getting themselves into. I speak of same-sex couples who are hoping to marry. Longtime conservative litigator Ted Olson says it is just a matter of time before they'll be free to do so. Olson argued successfully against California's Proposition 8 -- a ballot measure passed overwhelmingly by voters -- which banned same-sex marriage. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19188/guest-column Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:27:20 GMT 19188 The Girl Scouts is an organization that has served girls for nearly 100 years. Lower Valley girls are being encouraged to find out for themselves what the Girls Scouts can do to enhance their lives. Girls Scouts is open to all girls between the ages of 5 and 17 with a membership cost of $12 per year. Interested girls can register by e-mailing joinnow@gsewni.org. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19185/girl-scouts-sign-ups-ongoing-in-lower-valley Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:24:53 GMT 19185 The Sunnyside School Board approved the appointment of Jeff Loe as the business manager in the finance and operations department during its Thursday, Aug. 26, board meeting. Loe will be coming to the Sunnyside School District from the Grand Coulee Dam School District. He has 16 years experience as a business manager. Board director Stephen Carpenter, who sat in on seven of the eight interviews held for the position, reported, "We found him to be of high integrity and high character." http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19186/sunnyside-school-board-approves-hiring-of-new-manager-for-business-finance Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:24:53 GMT 19186 She feels it is important for every citizen to step up in service to their community and Maria Elena Sosa is working to do just that as a candidate for the 2010-11 Miss Sunnyside title. She said Miss Sunnyside is a role model in the community, and the members of the court are actively involved in serving those around them. Sosa wants to fill that role, becoming a role model to her peers and those with whom she comes in contact on a daily basis. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19184/miss-sunnyside-candidate-maria-elena-sosa Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:24:05 GMT 19184 Sunnyside detectives have been busy gathering facts and evidence related to the death of two-year-old Benjamin Miron, who was believed to be killed by Juan Balverde Lopez, 18, of Sunnyside. The Sunnyside toddler was Wednesday afternoon taken to Toppenish Community Hospital for a visit with his mother, but he is believed to have been dead before being transported there, according to authorities. According to Sunnyside Police Department Public Information Officer Charlotte Hinderlider, Lopez claimed the child had been playing with other children at home Tuesday night. The children, he said, were being rough and he said injuries on the child were caused by the activity. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19183/second-degree-murder-charge-sought-in-death-of-local-toddler Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:23:03 GMT 19183 Sunnyside tavern owner Chuck Egley thinks he might have a cure for what's ailing his downtown establishment. That would be adult entertainment in the form of barely-dressed men and women dancing for customers at his sports bar near Sixth Street and Edison Avenue. For the second time in two years Egley, who lives in Yakima, is proposing adult entertainment in downtown Sunnyside. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19182/bar-owner-likely-stalled-in-effort-to-bring-adult-entertainment-to-downtown-tavern Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:21:57 GMT 19182 Yakima County District Court is hoping to get a grant to fund a special court that will help monitor those convicted of DUI offenses. That's according to Don Engel, a Yakima County District Court judge who is a candidate for the court's No. 3 position in the November general election. Engel's comments came this morning, Friday, during a breakfast visit with the Sunnyside Republican Club. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19181/dui-court-proposed-for-yakima-county Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:21:01 GMT 19181 The Sunnyside School Board held its budget hearing yesterday, Aug. 26, at 6 p.m., just before the regularly scheduled school board meeting. Joining them for the budget hearing were Tammy Thompson and Rosa Tiliano from the district's finance and operations department, and Brenda Meyer and Debbie Holwegner from the human resources and payroll department. Thompson and Tiliano were present to submit the proposed 2010-11 school budget to the board of directors. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19180/sunnyside-schools-2010-11-budget-tops-110-million Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:19:41 GMT 19180 Maria "Lydia" Guzman, 63, of Granger went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2010, at Harborview Medical Center, surrounded by her loving family. Lydia was born Sept. 13, 1946 in Relampago, Texas to Augustine and Ramona Fonseca. The family settled in Granger. On June 20, 1965 Lydia married Julian "Jr" Guzman. Together they had two children, Tammy Guzman and Vickie Tellez. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19179/obituary Fri, 27 Aug 2010 07:51:24 GMT 19179 The weather isn't humid, but Sarali Phutiphat still thinks it's hot in Sunnyside. The 16-year-old Thai exchange student knows something about hot weather, hailing from the east coast of Thailand in the city of Trat. Trat is known for its weather, its markets and its close proximity to Koh Chang, a resort island in the Gulf of Thailand. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19178/thai-exchange-student-adjusting-to-life-in-sunnyside Fri, 27 Aug 2010 07:50:06 GMT 19178 Starting Monday, Sept. 13, the Sunnyside High School Grizzly Dance Team will be holding its ninth annual Little Grizz Dance Camp. Camp will be held from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Sept. 13-18 in the Lincoln building gym at 1110 S. Sixth Street. Registration is open to kids from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade. Campers will learn a dance routine they will perform at a high school football game on Sept. 17. They will also get to march in the Sunshine Days Parade on Sept. 18. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19176/shs-dance-team-hosting-little-grizz-dance-camp-in-september Fri, 27 Aug 2010 07:48:48 GMT 19176 The Lower Valley was in the winner's circle this past week as two local residents won regional drag racing events hosted by the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA). Wayne Linder of Outlook drove his '57 Chevy to victory in Seattle last Thursday in the Division 6 (Northwest region) Super Street competition. It's the first time Linder won with his Chevy, a car he's owned since high school. The victory, his first of the current season, advanced him to first place overall in Division 6 with three races remaining. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19177/local-dragsters-in-the-hunt-for-2010-nhra-titles Fri, 27 Aug 2010 07:48:48 GMT 19177 GRANDVIEW - Four times since yesterday, Wednesday, Grandview Police were called to the scene of vehicle windows that were smashed out. The string now tallies eight vehicles in the past three days that have been vandalized with broken windows. The vandals are getting braver, as two of the four reports yesterday involved windows that were broken by shots from a BB gun. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19174/vandalism-string-grows-in-grandview Fri, 27 Aug 2010 07:45:36 GMT 19174 Sunnyside City Councilwoman Theresa Hancock recently received an Advanced Certificate of Municipal Leadership from the Association of Washington Cities. Hancock completed more than 60 hours of training credits to earn this distinction. The certificate of municipal leadership program is designed to enhance the ability of elected municipal officials by providing knowledge and skills to effectively operate within the law, plan for the future, secure and manage funds and foster community and staff relationships. To earn this certificate, Hancock attended a variety of Association of Washington Cities sponsored municipal workshops; including sessions on budgeting, land use planning, personnel and leadership. The courses help mayors and council members learn the essentials of municipal service and improve their ability to work with council colleagues, city staff and citizens. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19175/sunnyside-councilwoman-earns-advanced-certificate-of-municipal-leadership Fri, 27 Aug 2010 07:45:36 GMT 19175 A two-year old boy, who was taken to Toppenish Community Hospital yesterday (Wednesday), is believed to be a homicide victim, according to Sunnyside Police officials. The exact cause of the child's death, police say, have yet to be determined. He was already dead when he was admitted to the hospital. An autopsy is scheduled for today. Sunnyside officers were called into the investigation after Toppenish police determined the incident that led to the toddler's death occurred in the 1100 block of Decatur Avenue in Sunnyside. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19172/man-arrested-in-connection-with-toddlers-death Fri, 27 Aug 2010 07:45:36 GMT 19172 The Washington Department of Ecology is seeking the public's help in finding ways to improve its management of water resources in Washington state for the benefit of current and future water users. "The era of cheap, abundant water supplies is over," said Ecology Director Ted Sturdevant. "With population growth, the need for economic development, the challenges of restoring fish runs and coping with climate change, unless we change the way we manage our water resources, there won't be enough water to meet essential needs. Washington's future quality of life depends on water, and if we don't make some changes, that quality of life will suffer." http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19173/water-management-officials-seek-publics-help-in-drafting-new-policies Fri, 27 Aug 2010 07:45:36 GMT 19173 Aletta Ruth (Bigelow) Fortune, 85, of Sunnyside died on Monday, Aug. 23, 2010, at Hillcrest Manor. She was born Aug. 20, 1925. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Colorado State University. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19170/death-notice Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:58:32 GMT 19170 Erlinda Mildred (Marquez) Stryker, 67, of Othello, died Thursday, Aug. 20, 2010, at home. She was born Oct. 28, 1942 in Valier, Mont. to Antonio and Concha Marquez. She is survived by her four children, Randy Wright of Warden, Donnie Wright of Elko, Nev., Lori Jahns of Othello and Linda Fuchs of Moses Lake; her siblings, Robert Marquez, Norbert Marquez and David Marquez, all of Sunnyside, Alonzo Marquez of Yakima, Antonio Marquez of Vancouver, Pedro Filipe Marquez of Sunnyside, Becky Kamp of Redding, Calif. and Mary Marquez of Sunnyside; 13 grandchildren; and 12 great- grandchildren. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19171/death-notice Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:58:32 GMT 19171 There was a moment this past week when I suddenly felt every ounce of my age, which is 50 for just a couple more weeks. It wasn't because I was tired or anything creaked or ached. I was in a marketing meeting with a group of twenty-something's when it happened. Just as we were about to get started one of them announced she'd need our phone numbers again. Her Blackberry had been stolen and she was truly wireless and had been for an entire day. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19169/going-wireless Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:56:45 GMT 19169 I understand politics can be especially brutal but I really thought I had heard the last of the old 'Obama is a Muslim' issue. It worries me that after more than two years there are still people who believe that. I imagine many people are saying to themselves, "Who is stupid enough to believe that, Corey?" I'll tell you who's stupid enough to believe that. Nearly one in five Americans are ignorant enough to believe that. Not one in five Republicans, but one in five Americans. The Christian Science Monitor is reporting 18 percent of the United States, or roughly 55,813,565 Americans, believe Obama is a Muslim. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19168/spreading-lies-will-hurt-the-right-come-november Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:55:47 GMT 19168 GRANDVIEW - Nearly 25 teachers have joined the Grandview School District for the 2010-11 school year, which began yesterday (Tuesday). The teaching staff now includes Brian Barcello, Tamara Brader, Arick Branen, Frank Cheyney, Genaro Garza Jr., Kyle Gilliss, Jolynn Hammer, Sarah Huntsman, Patty Hurin, Vanessa Jones, Michael Kantman, Michaela Leyendekker, Anna Lodahl, Brian Marceau, Sara McMullin, Frankie Ochoa, Salvador Padilla, Becky Ramirez, Teresa Santoy, Lauren Smith, Stacy Stearns, Cody Swearingen and Veronica Zapien. Nine of the new teachers will be at Grandview High School, one will teach at Compass High School, three will be teaching students at Grandview Middle School and one teacher will be shared by both the middle school and Compass. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19167/more-than-20-new-teachers-on-board-at-grandview-schools Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:53:01 GMT 19167 Grandview's Greg Pickel, an avid mountain climber, was the featured guest at Monday's Sunnyside Noon Rotary Club meeting and relayed his experiences of climbing Mt. Aconcagua, the highest mountain in the Andes mountain range and the highest mountain in the Americas at 22,841 feet. The mountain lies inside Argentina. Pickel said he made the trip at the beginning of this year and spent 16 days in the area. It took Pickel and his team 13 days to climb the mountain, including three days where the hikers couldn't move due to weather, and three days to get down the mountain. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19166/grandview-mountain-climber-details-ascent-of-mt-aconagua Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:47:12 GMT 19166 This past Monday the Sunnyside City Council was unable to reach a decision in deciding to approve Washington Cities Insurance Authority (WCIA) as its new property and casualty insurance carrier. Much controversy surrounded the decision. A special session will be held Monday, Aug. 30, at 7 p.m. in the council chambers to readdress the issue. The city's insurance carrier has been Cities Insurance Authority of Washington, which in January of 2010 was served a cease and desist order by the state risk manager. That order was issued because the 2008 financial statements of the insurance carrier contained uncollectable insurance receivables, according to Sunnyside Finance Director Byron Olson. He said the issue has been resolved, but the insurance carrier has had to also change its policies in regard to cities like Sunnyside. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19165/special-session-will-address-which-firm-will-provide-city-of-sunnysides-insurance-coverage Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:45:45 GMT 19165 MABTON - Via a 4-0 vote the Mabton City Council authorized the hiring of two new police officers at last night's meeting. Both officers are currently working in Granger and will begin in Mabton on Sept. 1. Cas Cedillo, a veteran police officer with more than five years of experience in Granger, was hired on as the city's new sergeant. He spent two years at the Yakima County Juvenile Detention Center and two years at the Benton-Franklin County Juvenile Detention Center before working at Granger. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19164/mabton-hires-new-cops Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:43:34 GMT 19164 GRANDVIEW - The Grandview City Council handed its staff a new tool to address nuisances in town. Tuesday night's action approved a new ordinance that authorized staff to levy fines for non-compliance with city codes. Cory Taylor is the city's building official, and he told council last night the goal isn't to raise revenues through fines, but for compliance with city codes. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19163/grandview-beefs-up-code-enforcement Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:41:05 GMT 19163 Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn kicked off the 2010-11 school year in Sunnyside yesterday with a rousing speech that included music from the movie Flash Dance and some help from the blues. "Thank you," he shouted to the Sunnyside School District staff. "I'm excited to be here." At one point during Dorn's act he pulled up two staff members and dressed them as the Blues Brothers. Dorn and the two staff members danced to the blues. His goal, to get the staff enthused. It worked. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19162/sunnyside-school-district-kicks-off-2010-11-with-district-wide-rally-for-staff Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:37:39 GMT 19162 Monday, the Sunnyside City Council during its workshop heard from Sunnyside Police Chief Ed Radder regarding laws pertaining to the licensing of pawn shops. He said the ordinance currently in place is outdated and some adjustments are needed. "We used to have a couple of pawn shops, but we haven't had any for quite some time," said Radder. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19160/pawn-broker-licensing-laws-to-go-before-council-sept-13 Tue, 24 Aug 2010 15:13:48 GMT 19160 GRANDVIEW - At Monday night's Grandview School Board meeting, the board of directors acknowledged the service of retiring high school teacher Perry Hackett. Hackett taught automotive technology and applied mathematics with the Grandview School District for 35 years. In addition to his retirement, the school board also approved the hiring of two new teachers. Michaela Leyendekker was accepted as a temporary third grade teacher for Harriet Thompson Elementary and Rebecca Kinney was approved to be a signing paraprofessional for the middle school. With these two final additions, Superintendant Kevin Chase announced that they were fully staffed for the coming school year. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19161/35-year-veteran-officially-retired Tue, 24 Aug 2010 15:13:48 GMT 19161 With three dance halls in the city of Sunnyside and no particular laws regulating them, the Sunnyside City Council is eying a new ordinance that will hold owners of such establishments more accountable. Interim City Manager Jim Bridges last night (Monday) said council established definitions of cabarets and dance halls last year. The dance hall ordinance will take the city one step further to establishing guidelines specifically meant for dance halls. Dance halls, said City Planner Jamey Ayling, are different from cabarets in that they are facilities owned by one party and rented out by another. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19159/city-one-step-closer-to-adopting-dance-hall-ordinance Tue, 24 Aug 2010 15:12:51 GMT 19159 MABTON - The Mabton School Board last night, Monday, approved several new contracts for the 2010-11 school year. Most of the contracts were related to administrative positions. The contracts approved last night included $93,570 per year for high school principal Jay Tyus, $85,774 for elementary school principal Angie Ozuna and $80,774 for middle school administrator Denny Brown. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19158/mabton-school-board-approves-contracts Tue, 24 Aug 2010 15:11:05 GMT 19158 GRANDVIEW - When former Grandview School District Superintendent Darrell Smith left the district with a generous donation for scholarships, he did so with no stipulations on how the money should be distributed. At yesterday's Grandview School Board meeting, the $400,000 left by Smith was the main topic of discussion. Current Superintendent Kevin Chase informed the Grandview School Board they would need to decide how they would like to distribute the scholarships. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19157/school-board-considers-criteria-in-awarding-scholarship-monies Tue, 24 Aug 2010 15:08:31 GMT 19157 YAKIMA - The nearly completed new office and meeting facility at Educational Service District 105 now has a name: the Maggie Perez Student Success Center. Perez is a Sunnyside High School graduate. The name selected by the ESD 105 Board of Directors honors the memory and contributions of its former member who passed away on July 4 of this year. Also, the ESD Board set the new building's ribbon cutting ceremony for Thursday, Sept. 23, at 10 a.m. Perez served the seven-member ESD 105 Board from 2003 until this past May, representing the west portion of the Yakima School District. She also served the statewide Association of Educational Service Districts' Executive Board for seven years, including a term as its president during 2005-2006. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19156/esd-105-names-new-building-in-honor-of-shs-grad Tue, 24 Aug 2010 15:06:22 GMT 19156 William (Bill) Burgard, 62, of Mabton passed away on Saturday, Aug. 21, 2010, at his home. Bill was born July 18, 1948 in Harvey, N.D. to Mike and Gertrude Burgard. On June 19, 1982 he married Janet Bingham in Sunnyside. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19154/paid-obituary Tue, 24 Aug 2010 15:04:11 GMT 19154 Eva Garcia Sanchez, 72, of Yakima and a former Sunnyside resident went to be with her Heavenly Father on Saturday, Aug. 21, 2010, at Yakima Regional Hospital. Eva was born April 22, 1938 in Eagle Pass, Texas, the daughter of Jose Maria and Altagracia (Lopez) Garcia. She received her education in Texas. On Oct. 19, 1955 she married Pedro Sanchez in Burley, Idaho. For a short time the Sanchez family lived in Arizona before settling in Sunnyside in 1956, where they worked and raised their family. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19155/obituary Tue, 24 Aug 2010 15:04:11 GMT 19155 KENNEWICK - A second-place finish at last week's stop on the 2010 Mid-Columbia Senior Golf Tour keeps the Black Rock Creek team atop the standings. The Sunnyside-area team, seeking a fourth consecutive senior tour title, has tallied 144 points thus far this summer. The Pendleton Country Club and Columbia Point squads sit in second place in the tour standings with 129.5 points apiece. In notching a runner-up finish in last week's senior tour competition, staged at Kennewick's Canyon Lakes Golf Course, Black Rock Creek posted a team score of 742. Only the host Canyon Lakes team finished with a lower score, shooting a 721. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19153/black-rock-creek-still-atop-senior Mon, 23 Aug 2010 14:43:41 GMT 19153 Eva Garcia Sanchez, 72, of Yakima and a former Sunnyside resident died on Saturday, Aug. 21, 2010, at Yakima Regional Hospital. She was born April 22, 1938 in Eagle Pass, Texas, the daughter of Jose Maria and Altagracia (Lopez) Garcia. She received her education in Texas. On Oct. 19, 1955 she married Pedro Sanchez in Burley, Idaho. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19150/death-notice Mon, 23 Aug 2010 14:22:05 GMT 19150 Gary E. Miller, 55, Anne Elizabeth Miller (Hewitt), 54, and Kristopher Sperry, 30, passed away tragically in a house fire on Monday, Aug. 16, 2010. Gary and Anne were married in Reno, Nev. on July 8, 2002, and had made their home in Zillah. They were a very unique couple in that both worked for the Washington State Patrol, Gary as a State Patrolmen and Anne as the manager of the State Patrol Emergency Center in Wenatchee. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19151/obituary Mon, 23 Aug 2010 14:22:05 GMT 19151 On Saturday, Aug. 14, 2010, Rosie Lee Trupp, 71, of Prosser was reunited with her father and mother (Dave and Alice Osborn), sister (Alice Marie Osborn Wilson) and father and mother-in-Law (Dan and Betty Trupp). In May of 2008, she was diagnosed with small-cell lung cancer, which she managed to fight off until now. She was born Nov. 10, 1938 in LaGrande, Ore. She graduated from Sunnyside High School in 1957. That same year she married the love of her life and best friend, Jerry Trupp. They have called the Prosser area their home for 50 years. Rosie referred to herself as a domestic engineer; helping Jerry on the farm, driving truck during beet, wheat and corn harvest, feeding the cattle and still finding the time to perform the everyday duties of a homemaker (domestic engineer). http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19152/obituary Mon, 23 Aug 2010 14:22:05 GMT 19152 Sunnyside's Promise has completed its summer programs at the Sunnyside Community Center, but today marks the beginning of its fall programs. The center will be open from noon to 9 p.m., providing programs for youth that include tutoring, "Teen Talk," open gym, arts and crafts, dancing and exercise, sports training, X-Box, Wii, nutrition and more. The programs will take place Monday through Friday at a cost of $5 per participant or $10 per family. Snacks will be made available during the programs, as well. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19149/community-centers-fall-programs-begin-today Mon, 23 Aug 2010 14:20:11 GMT 19149 Longtime Sunnyside resident Jeremy Hazzard was recently promoted to the post of facilities director for the Sunnyside School District. A graduate of SHS, Hazzard has worked in building maintenance for the district for 16 years. Not long after graduating high school, he completed a program at Perry Tech in HVAC and refrigeration. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19148/shs-alum-school-districts-new-facilities-director Mon, 23 Aug 2010 14:17:04 GMT 19148 Working with her church, the Neighborhood Church Assemblies of God and the organization King's Castle, Outlook's Tarah Cruz recently returned from her second trip to El Salvador where she helped spread the word of God. During the summer of 2009 Cruz went on a two-week mission trip to El Salvador. Most recently, Cruz was an intern for King's Castle. She spent June and July of this summer in the Central American country. "We did spectacle evangelism," Cruz explained. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19147/outlook-woman-finds-happiness-in-spreading-the-word-of-god Mon, 23 Aug 2010 14:14:44 GMT 19147 Port of Sunnyside commissioners Wednesday night approved a contract with Tetra Tech not to exceed $184,049. The firm works with the Army Corps of Engineers, said Port of Sunnyside Director Amber Hansen. She explained the port district is looking to develop a wetland area along the Yakima River near Emerald and Murray roads. That land consists of 220 acres owned by the port, but the district is seeking to "work out all the kinks" before moving forward with the project. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19146/three-acre-wetland-project-first-step-for-port Fri, 20 Aug 2010 13:09:56 GMT 19146 A group of Sunnyside business people is so frustrated with crime in the city that they are willing to pay for video cameras to be placed around town. Members of the Sunnyside Daybreak Rotary Club recently gave approval for its leaders to move forward in discussions with the city about purchasing and installing cameras. "People are getting tired of the gangs and the crimes and wanted to start doing something about it," said Ted Durfey, the club's president. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19145/smile-youre-on-crooked-camera Fri, 20 Aug 2010 13:08:52 GMT 19145 As a person who cares how others view the community to which she belongs, Victoria Schmidling wishes to be an ambassador for Sunnyside. She said Miss Sunnyside serves in that capacity, showcasing all that is good about the community. "I am proud of my hometown and I want to show others Sunnyside is a great place," she stated. Schmidling is a 2010-11 Miss Sunnyside contestant, who believes the Miss Sunnyside court provides teens like her the opportunity to stand out and educate others. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19144/2010-miss-sunnyside-candidate-victoria-schmidling Fri, 20 Aug 2010 13:07:35 GMT 19144 Sunnyside's Our Saviour's Lutheran Church has for some time been without a pastor, but that recently changed with the arrival of Pastor Katrina Walther and her young family. Approximately three weeks ago she, her husband and infant daughter arrived in the community. Walther this past May graduated with her Master's of Divinity from Lutheran Seminary Program of the Southwest in Austin, Texas. Her graduating class was the last to receive the degree from the school as it seeks to focus on other programs in the coming years. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19143/seminary-graduate-takes-on-pastoral-role-at-our-saviours-lutheran-church Fri, 20 Aug 2010 13:03:41 GMT 19143 President Obama couldn't bring himself to observe the National Day of Prayer or spend time with the Boy Scouts of America, but God forbid, he couldn't miss the Muslim Iftar Ramadan dinner, or pass up a chance to praise an Islamic center a stone's throw away from Ground Zero. He later backed down -- a bit. One has to wonder exactly who is this Barack Obama? Is he the Muslim-educated student who has repeatedly proclaimed his Christian beliefs while finding himself unable to put a foot in a Christian church in Washington D.C. he can call his own, or is he an adult still motivated by the Muslim faith he learned and practiced as a young man? http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19142/guest-editorial Fri, 20 Aug 2010 13:02:32 GMT 19142 In every part of my life I grow more frustrated with those who expect others to clean up their messes. At home, my children seem to think it is my husband's and my job to go behind them picking up everything left in their room. They have a tendency of taking a beverage or morning meal into their bedroom so as to not disturb the rest of the house. The problem is they forget to take the dirty dishes back to the kitchen for washing. We constantly try to get the messy little piggies, I say that lovingly, to clean up after themselves. It never fails, however, that we can traipse through the disaster area of their bedroom and find much more left behind. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19141/jennies-journey Fri, 20 Aug 2010 12:59:36 GMT 19141 Junior Achievement has made big inroads with schools in Kittitas County and the Yakima area. Now the organization, which encourages career and personal financial management among K-12 students, is hoping to extend its reach into the Lower Valley. That was the message this past Wednesday morning from Kim Clasen, the agency's regional manager for Central Washington. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19140/junior-achievement-seeks-to-expand-in-yakima-county Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:49:33 GMT 19140 For the past three days nearly 170 freshman students that will begin studying at Sunnyside High School next week have been attending the first ever Grizzly Academy. There is a casual attitude in the air as students prepare for their high school career. There is a sense of camaraderie in the air and that is just what organizers of the academy were hoping for. "The purpose of the academy is to make all the students feel like they belong and have someone they can talk to," said Toni Castillo, a Sunnyside High School leadership class student. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19139/grizzly-academy-helping-freshmen-settle-in-at-high-school Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:47:44 GMT 19139 With removal of Condit Dam set to begin next fall, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will hold a public meeting Tuesday, Aug. 31, in Underwood to discuss the future of sport fisheries on the White Salmon River. The informational meeting is scheduled from 6-8 p.m. at the Underwood Community Center in east Skamania County, off the Cook-Underwood Road. John Weinheimer, a WDFW fish biologist, said anglers will see significant changes in fishing opportunities on the White Salmon River with the removal of the 97-year-old hydroelectric dam that now stands 3.3 miles from the mouth of the river. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19138/meeting-set-to-discuss-future-of-fishing-on-white-salmon-river-without-condit-dam Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:44:52 GMT 19138 The Yakima Valley Team Penning Club will this coming weekend (Saturday and Sunday) be hosting its largest ever competition in Sunnyside. Team penning is a sport for western horseback riders, evolved from penning cattle for the purpose of branding, transporting or providing medical attention. Competitors work at breakneck speeds in teams of three to separate specifically identified cattle from a herd. The cattle are herded into a pen at the opposite side of an arena. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19137/team-penning-contest-in-sunnyside-this-weekend Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:44:19 GMT 19137 GRANDVIEW - Grandview's Harriet Thompson Elementary School is providing parents an opportunity to meet their students' teachers next Monday, Aug. 23. Parents will be able to meet the teachers of their students in addition to organizing going home plans. While visiting with the teachers health concerns, curriculum and classroom schedules may be discussed. Parents can also deliver their child's school supplies at the event, which will take place Monday from 1 to 3 p.m. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19136/harriet-thompson-parents-invited-to-meet-teachers Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:42:35 GMT 19136 Sunnyside High School is hosting an orientation session for all incoming freshmen this Friday, Aug. 20, at 7:30 a.m. Freshmen are asked to have their completed registration forms with them, which must be signed by a parent. Students without a completed registration form will not be admitted into classes on the first day of school, scheduled for next Wednesday, Aug. 25. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19135/freshmen-orientation-this-friday Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:41:54 GMT 19135 Audrey Lucille Castle, 94, of Grandview died peacefully on Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2010, surrounded by her family. Audrey was born Dec. 22, 1915 in Rochester, Minn. to Adolf and Eleanor Lydia Meyers. Her family moved to Montana in 1916 then moved to Harrah in the Yakima Valley in 1920, where she grew up. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19134/obituary Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:41:07 GMT 19134 Guadalupe Castaneda, 89, of Grandview passed away on Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2010, at Kadlec Medical Center. Guadalupe was born on Nov. 5, 1920, in Zacatecas, Mexico, the son of Alvino and Maia de Jesus (Guzman) Castaneda. On Dec. 27, 1952 he married Elisa Guzman in Mexico. Following their marriage they made their home in Mexico until 1976, when they, with their children came to the U.S. making their home in Grandview, where he worked as a farm laborer. His wife Elisa died in 1982 and Guadalupe continued to make Grandview his home. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19133/obituary Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:40:17 GMT 19133 Emilia Palacios Mireles, 91, of Sunnyside died on Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2010. She was born Jan. 5, 1919 in Dr. Arroyo, Neuvo Leon, Mexico, the daughter of Lucio and Concepcion (Telles) Palacios. She is survived by one son, Gabriel P. Mireles, of Mabton; one daughter, Alma E. Mireles, of Sunnyside; eight grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and one sister, Natividad Palacios. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19132/death-notice Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:39:41 GMT 19132 YAKIMA - The Yakima County Prosecuting Attorney's office this week secured a sentence for crimes committed by a Grandview man, while at the same time taking on a case involving a Sunnyside man. Mario Michael Rodriguez, 22, of Grandview was sentenced this past Monday to five years in jail for third degree rape of a child. The crime was reported to Grandview detectives this past March. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19131/grandview-man-sentenced-to-prison-for-child-rape-sunnyside-man-charged-with-possessing-14-lbs-of-marijuana Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:22:26 GMT 19131 With no local school or city offices up for grabs the spotlight was on national campaigns during yesterday's primary election. Dino Rossi, a Republican, sailed through to the November general election by grabbing 34 percent of the vote statewide Tuesday night, second to incumbent Patty Murray, a Democrat. Despite being the leading vote-getter in the crowded U.S. Senate race, Murray garnered just 46 percent of the ballots cast. Besides Rossi, 12 percent of the statewide Senate vote went to another Republican, Clint Didier. Assuming Didier's votes go to Rossi in the general election that means Rossi and Murray figure to be in a tight race this November. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19130/rossi-vs-murray-this-november Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:18:54 GMT 19130 There have been over the years many local residents who have been frustrated with power bills that were first estimated, then corrected with an actual meter reading. That frustration will soon be a thing of the past as Pacific Power this month begins installing more efficient automated meters. These meters will not require a meter reader to walk on to a homeowner's property, according to Pacific Power Regional Community Manager Clark Satre. "There are benefits to the meter readers, too. There won't be any more dog bites," he said. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19129/pacific-power-set-to-begin-installing-new-automated-meters Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:16:56 GMT 19129 Instead of speaking in depth about recent problems the city has been having with gang members, Sunnyside Police Chief Ed Radder spoke to the Sunnyside Noon Rotary Club this past Monday about some recent events that have put Sunnyside into a positive light. Radder told the Rotarians that gang activity is still being reported in Sunnyside but he noted that more and more of those incidents are coming from outside Sunnyside. "We're giving them a lot of our attention and our energy," Radder said of the gangs. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19128/local-youths-accentuate-the-positives-in-sunnysidereports-police-chief Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:15:40 GMT 19128 The city of Sunnyside will perform a water system flushing next week, from Monday, Aug. 23, through Thursday, Aug. 26. The hydrant flushing will take place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. throughout the city each of those four days. City staff flushes the water system to rid it of iron and manganese deposits, which cause local drinking water to appear "rusty" looking. The city-wide flushing also affords city employees the opportunity to test the flow from local hydrants. Local residents are advised that during next week's flushing procedure some turbidity will occur, which might cause temporary discoloration of the water. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19127/flushing-of-hydrants-to-be-conducted-throughout-sunnyside-starting-next-monday Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:13:25 GMT 19127 Friends and family members of Jose Saenz of Mabton are being encouraged to turn out this coming Saturday for a spaghetti feed fundraising dinner at the Sunnyside Fraternal Order of Eagles lodge. Three months ago, say family members, their world was turned upside down when Mr. Saenz was diagnosed with cancer. Since then, they add, they have learned more than they ever thought they wanted to know about the disease. Sophie Martin, one of Saenz's daughters, said in the effort to learn what they could do to help their father fight the disease, the family found that patients who use a holistic approach have the highest survival rate. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19126/spaghetti-feed-fundraiser-on-tap-saturday-for-mabton-man-diagnosed-with-cance Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:11:45 GMT 19126 The 2010 Grandview Fair and Rodeo Parade is now just a memory. The parade committee would like to extend a huge thank you to the following people/groups whose assistance made the parade's success a reality...the Grandview police and fire departments, the Grandview Public Works staff, Chamber of Commerce President Brad Smith, Grandview School District staff, Anderson Motors, Desert Valley Powersports, The Lockshop, Gloria Mendoza and the Vineyard restaurant staff, the anonymous donor for the volunteers' lunch, parade judges Miranda Stokes, Lynn Barley, Joan Sowers, Alex Contreras, Lou Garcia, Debbie Alderman and Dottie Cervantes, Dale Bergeson, Mary Barrett, Tolan Barrett, emcees Norm Childress and Jan McDonald, Antonio and Grace Sanchez and their daughters, Madeline and Rochelle, Aimee Souders, Gordon Franks, Daniel Valle, Michael Coronado, NNick Werrion, along with donations/contributions for trophies, plaques and rosettes from the Grandview Safeway store, Grandview Market, Lower Valley Credit Union, Renton REA, Grandview Pizza Hut, Mid Valley Dodge, Sheffield Mantor and two Grandview City Council members. Without the time, energy and donations of these people and groups, the parade would not have happened. We truly appreciate the patience and understanding of the parade participants as we worked through some "staging" issues. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19125/forum Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:09:15 GMT 19125 Two weekends ago I was invited to the Mabton Community Days festivities. I have to say, the community of Mabton put on a very enjoyable festival...from the car show, the bike show, the jerking dance, bingo, the many carnival-like games and all the other activities. It was a real joy and I can't wait until next year's festivities. /s/ Jammie Paradise, Mabton http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19124/forum Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:08:41 GMT 19124 The revival of our Mabton Community Days, which was held on Aug. 7, was a great success. We owe it all to those who made it possible. Without their donations and volunteer help, it would not have been a success. On behalf of the city of Mabton and the Mabton Community Center, we would like to thank the following individuals and businesses for their support and donations...from Mabton American West Bank, Blue Sky Market, Mike Britton, the Mabton Education Association, Mabton Food Bank, Mabton Garden Center, Mama J'z, Northwest Horticulture, Silver Dollar, Su Mercadito and Sunny Dene Ranch; from Grandview Ace Hardware, Carpellis, Country Mercantile, Dairy Queen, Les Schwab, Marchant Home Furnishings, Molcajetes, Mystique Salon and R.E. Powell Distributing; from Prosser Airfield Estates Winery, Hall Chevrolet, Hopfengarten, Jagged Edge Salon, Milbrandt Vineyards, Amber and Shannon from Out West Grooming, the Prosser Family Fun Center, Sister to Sister, Starbucks, Taste of Heaven Cookies, Thurston Wolfe, Tom Denchel Ford, Willow Crest Winery and Yellow Rose Nursery; from Sunnyside Ace Hardware, Roy Anciso, Roy Anciso Jr., Burger Ranch, C. Speck Motors, Caesar's Pizza, Catalina's Hair Care, China Buffet, China Grove, China Wok, Commercial Tires, Dairy Fair, El Conquistador, El Valle, Guerra's Deli & Café, Hallet Cinemas, Skippers, Lava Rock, Les Schwab, The Lockshop, Lower Valley Credit Union, Medelez Automotive, MyT Sharp Edges, NAPA Auto Parts, Noble's, Pizza Hut, the Safeway store and Sunnyside Tire Factory; and from out of the area the Seattle Mariners and Yakima Valley Credit Union. Special thanks to KFC/A&W of Sunnyside, Canyon Edge Winery of Prosser, Mensonides Dairy of Mabton and McDonald's of Sunnyside for their generous donations. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19123/forum Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:07:51 GMT 19123 It was a source of national pride stretching high into the sky. But foes from the east fell upon it and changed history. Destruction of the Twin Towers on Sept. 11, 2001? http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19122/f-as-in-frank Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:05:50 GMT 19122 Over the last several years, Americans have heard repeated promises from those who control Washington D.C. that a comprehensive health care law would allow them to keep their health care plan if they liked it, would not raise costs for families and would strengthen Medicare for seniors. They also said that the bill would be fully paid for, would not increase the deficit and would create jobs. Not six months after the government takeover of health care became law, it's clear that each of these promises has been broken. Since the law has begun to take effect, numerous studies have examined this new law. Most importantly for those families already overburdened with the rising cost of health care, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office has said that the new law will increase premiums for a typical family by $2,100 over what they would have been had the bill not been enacted. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19121/words-from-washington Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:04:10 GMT 19121 Guadalupe Castaneda, 89, of Grandview passed away on Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2010, at Kadlec Medical Center. Guadalupe was born Nov. 5, 1920 in Zacatecas, Mexico, the son of Alvino and Maia de Jesus (Guzman) Castaneda. On Dec. 27, 1952 he married Elisa Guzman in Mexico. Following their marriage they made their home in Mexico until 1976, when they with their children came to the U. S. making their home in Grandview, where he worked as a farm laborer. His wife Elisa died in 1982 and Guadalupe continued to make Grandview his home. He is survived by two daughters, Leovijilda Cortes and Maria Mariscal, both of Grandview; four sons, Daniel, Abel, Adel and Angel Castaneda, all of Grandview; 17 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; six brothers; and one sister. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19120/obituary Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:02:21 GMT 19120 Guadalupe Castaneda, 89, of Grandview passed away on Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2010, at Kadlec Medical Center. Guadalupe was born Nov. 5, 1920 in Zacatecas, Mexico, the son of Alvino and Maia de Jesus (Guzman) Castaneda. On Dec. 27, 1952 he married Elisa Guzman in Mexico. Following their marriage they made their home in Mexico until 1976, when they with their children came to the U. S. making their home in Grandview, where he worked as a farm laborer. His wife Elisa died in 1982 and Guadalupe continued to make Grandview his home. He is survived by two daughters, Leovijilda Cortes and Maria Mariscal, both of Grandview; four sons, Daniel, Abel, Adel and Angel Castaneda, all of Grandview; 17 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; six brothers; and one sister. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19119/obituary Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:01:50 GMT 19119 After being dinged in past years with findings by the state auditor's office, the Sunnyside School District's books received a clean bill of health according to the state's most recent audit. "We're thrilled there are no findings," said Superintendent Dr. Rick Cole. "Historically the findings have been in accountability and to have none in accountability is a step in the right direction." The latest state accountability audit was released yesterday, Monday, and covers the years 2007 through 2009 for the Sunnyside School District. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19118/state-auditors-give-sunnyside-schools-squeaky-clean-report Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:41:21 GMT 19118 It's an annual tradition for the Port of Sunnyside in getting a good report from the state auditor's office. Yesterday, Monday, the auditor's office released its latest results after reviewing the port's books and found no issues with the bookkeeping. The 33-page report on the port's financial statement included detailed figures for 2009 and 2008. http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/story.aspx/19117/port-of-sunnyside-books-get-a-thumbs-up-from-state-auditors Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:39:26 GMT 19117