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Teens with gang ties arrested
3-10
Two Walla Walla teens with gang ties have been arrested after a high speed chase through Walla wall yesterday afternoon. Police spotted a maroon van driving erratically and gave pursuit. The vehicle took off , then turned on Willow street and smashed into a parked car. The 17 year old passenger fled on foot, but was arrested at a residence located at 428 south 8th street. The driver of the vehicle, identified as 19 year old Ricardo Morales was detained at the scene of the vehicle. A search of the van, police found a loaded semi automatic handgun. Both facing felony weapons and burglary charges at this time. Walla Walla police believe the suspects were chasing another vehicle at the time of the high speed chase.
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School reform-Hewitt
3-10
State Senate Republicans are upset with a potential move to consolidate the smallest school districts in the state into one district. Arkansas considered a similar change to cut cost. But the Washington Association of School Administrators came up with a report that indicated that smaller school can be more affective while reducing administrative cost. Walla Walla State senator Mike Hewitt says consolidation of the state’s smallest school districts would be met with a lot of resistance. especially in school districts like Patterson.
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Hanford B tours
3-10
If you didn’t get in on the Hanford site-wide tours, your too late. All 25 hundred slots were filled up by 1 pm yesterday afternoon. But it is not too late to plan for the up coming B reactor tours. On-line registration will start next Tuesday morning at 12:01 am. The Department of Energy Cameron Hardy says the B reactor tours have been so popular, they have been expanded this year.
You will have to register starting Tuesday morning at 12:01 am. The on line registration is at Hanford-dot-gov. This year’s B reactor tour will last from April 6th to September 25th.
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Hanford site tours HOT!
3-9
People waited until one minute past midnight to sign up on line for tours to the Hanford site. Tours are planned from April through September. Cameron Hardy with the Department of Energy said 300 people had signed up in the first 20 seconds of the on line registration this morning. In a half hour, over one thousand slots had been filled. Hardy says there will be a lot to see in the five hour tour including the Hanford 300 area and the B reactor. Hardy says of the 2500 slots available, 760 were left as of 7 am this morning. You need to be a u.s citizen and 18 years of age an older. The site is at Hanford.gov.
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Vista Field left open
3-9
The Port of Kennewick has decided to keep Vista Field open and operating as an airport. The move followed a two hour public meeting in which tenants urged port commissioners to keep the private airport up and running. Port Executive Director Tim Arntzen says there was a real concern that many of the private companies would leave the state altogether if the airport was closed for reuse. Arntzen says it is estimated the closing the airport would cost $1-point-5 million dollars more than the current value of the airport. In the end, the port commissioners said it was clear that keeping Vista Field open was the best option for the region.
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Depot update-Perkins
3-9
The Oregon Department of environmental Quality has extended the public comment deadline for the Trial Burn testing at the Umatilla Chemical Depot. It was originally set for Monday, but was extended until next Monday. The state permitting process will take sixty days and will lead up to the destruction of Mustard Agent in some two thousand one-ton containers. The process has been slower than expected, but Lt. Col. Kris Perkins says safety is their number one priority.
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Grant county homicide
3-8
Grant County authorities are searching for the suspects involved in a shooting in the town of Beverly last night. It happened around 6:18 pm on a county road just north of Mattawa. Sheriff deputies say it started out as an altercation between individuals in a gold or tan colored Nissan and three juveniles that were walking on foot. During a confrontation, gun shots were fired leaving 17 year old Juan Leyva of Beverly dead at the scene. A 2nd male was taken to Samaritan Hospital in Moses lake with a gunshot wound to the ankle. The third victim ran from the scene. The only witnesses so far have been uncooperative with investigators. The shooting is believed to be gang related.
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Hanford Yucca update
3-8
Energy Secretary Dr. Steven Chu vowed to organize a panel later this month to look at options for sending Hanford waste to a burial site. The move follows the Energy Secretary’s decision to remove Yucca Mountain from further consideration as a waste site. Washington Senator Patty Murray said she wonders how a study of the options can be done without Yucca Mountain in the mix.
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Humane Society shelter
3-8
The Benton Franklin Humane Society has purchased three and a half acres of land for it’s new no kill shelter. The shelter is to be located in East Kennewick at 1710 east 7th avenue. Operations manager Ed Dawson says a ground breaking is planned in mid April. Meanwhile, the shelter is still looking to raise half a million dollars for the project. The Humane Society will have a final push to raise money in hopes of avoiding the debt of a bank loan.
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Income tax proposal
3-5
THERE WERE PLENTY OF FIREWORKS IN OLYMPIA LAST NIGHT AS A STATE INCOME TAX PROPOSAL WAS HEARD IN COMMITTEE. THE THREE-STAGE MEASURE INCLUDES A SALES TAX INCREASE IN THE BEGINNING, A PEOPLE’S VOTE IN NOVEMBER, AND A 4-AND-A-HALF PERCENT INCOME TAX ON PEOPLE MAKING MORE THAN 200-THOUSAND A YEAR. SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER MIKE HEWITT SAYS THE FEDERAL INCOME TAX STARTED AS A TAX ON THE RICH TOO…AND NOW EVERYONE PAYS.
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Cruz faces trial
3-5
An 18 year old Kennewick man is facing an April 26th trial for the February 19th shooting of a Pasco man. Cruz Spencer is charged with first degree assault in the shooting of Jesus Rubio at a Kennewick home on South Zillah. The victim was struck by one bullet during the incident. Detectives say Spencer went to the home with the intent of shooting Rubio. No word yet on the motive.
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Dancing with steers
3-5
The line up has been announced for this summer’s Benton Franklin Fair and Rodeo. The concerts include the Beach Boys, Rick Springfield, Ted Nugent, Three Dog Night and country newcomer Luke Bryan Tickets go on sale Saturday April 24th at the fair grounds. Also included is the demolition derby and the Horse heaven Round up Rodeo. The theme this year is “Dancing with the Steers”.
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Murray and Chu Square off
3-4
Washington Senator Patty Murray squared off with the head of the Department of Energy over removal of yucca Mountain as a nuclear waste repository. The Department of Energy has already taken steps to cancel an application on the Nevada waste site. Murray asked Dr. Steven Chu what scientific data was used to remove Yucca Mountain from consideration. Dr. Chu said there was evidence that a multi billion dollar shield would be needed under the Yucca Mountain site to make it compatible with environmental regulations. He said it would be more money spent on a bad investment when other options are available.
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Yucca doc reaction
3-4 nt 2
Congressman Doc Hastings says he agrees with Senator Patty Murray assessment that abandoning Yucca Mountain as a waste site is based not on science ..but politics. During a morning conference call, Hastings said the administration decision to withdraw the license application is being done at the request of Nevada Senator Harry Reid. Hastings says billions of dollars have been spent on plans to store radioactive waste at Yucca mountain. And now the administration is retreating from that goal.
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Richland housing authority
3-4
The Federal agency in charge of section 8 housing vouchers cancelled funding for the Richland Housing Authority last year. Now the local housing authority is thinking of going out of business. Board members discussed the move to disband the agency in light of it’s funding dilemma. The move has prompted Mayor John Fox to hold off on naming a new member to the board until the issue is resolved. The move comes as the Richland Housing Authority is looking for ways to cancel a $900 thousand dollar contract to buy ten homes.
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Yucca lawsuit-Hanford communities
3-2
Support for a state lawsuit over Yucca mountain is growing. Now the Hanford communities plan to send a letter to the Governor urging she take steps to stop plans to take Yucca Mountain off the table as a waste repository. A letter making the rounds to both city and county officials urges the state to move forward with a legal strategy. And find ways to reverse the termination plans for the Nevada waste repository. Pasco city manager Gary Crutchfield said this issue goes beyond the filing of a lawsuit by three local individuals.
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Selph Landing lawsuit
3-3
The family of a young girl killed in a drunk driving accident wants to sue Franklin County over the safety of Selph Landing. 10 year old Nicole Woodbury died in 2008 when a motorcyclist ran a stop sign and struck a vehicle that she was in. Allen Cockrum was legally drunk when he ran through the stop sign near Taylor Flats. But Woodbury’s family contends the accident would have never happened if the two vehicles had full view of each other. They say the county had plenty of chances to set up flashing lights warning people to slow down at the intersection. Both Woodbury and Cockrum died as a result of the crash. Woodbury’s family has now filed a multi million dollar lawsuit in connection with the case.
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Horse lovers unite
3-3
The Richland Riders club and the Tapteal Greenway Association have gone to the Richland city council to get the regulations changed on allowing horse back riding in city parks. Dave Jackson with the Tapteal Greenway Association says with the new trail development, it makes sense to lift the ban on equestrian activity. Some people addressed the fact that W.E Johnson park was being used for Equestrian activity in spite of a ban. Mayor John Fox, who knew Johnson, said it was the original intent to allow horses in the park. He was unaware that city regulations banned Equestrian activity in city parks.
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Jim Bohannon
