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Dehydrated dad hiking with 11-year-old daughter calls for help, Washington cops say
A hiker with dehydration and his 11-year-old daughter required a helicopter rescue, Washington officials reported. The 36-year-old Olympia man and his daughter were hiking to Tuck Lake on Friday, July 19, when he used his Garmin InTouch to notify authorities he needed help, the Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office said in a July 21 news release.
Man sentenced to 60 days home detention in stuffed goat caper
A Ronald man accused of unlawful trafficking of wildlife was sentenced to 60 days in jail Friday after he accepted a plea deal that saw him charged with a gross misdemeanor rather than a felony. Eric J. Sebade, 58, pleaded guilty in Kittitas County Superior Court to a charge of providing false information. He had been earlier charged with felony unlawful trafficking of wildlife after prosecutors said he illegally sold a stuffed mountain goat to an undercover detective with the Washington Department of Fish &...
East Wenatchee man sentenced to 80 months in prison following ‘net nanny’ conviction
The third man arrested in Kittitas County’s “net nanny” sting earlier this year was sentenced late last week to 80 months in prison. Joel Lozada-Melo, of East Wenatchee, was arrested March 15 following a series of texts he sent to an undercover deputy with the Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office who had been posing online as a 13-year-old Ellensburg girl. He pleaded guilty in May to second-degree attempted rape of a child and communication with a minor for immoral purposes. ...
Judge candidates speak to voters at forums
All three agreed objectivity, equity and respect are key. Margie Alumbaugh, Chris Herion and Matt Mills are vying for Kittitas County Superior Court, Position 1 Judge this election season. Judge L. Candace Hooper is not seeking re-election and has announced plans to retire. The Kittitas County League of Women Voters hosted two primary candidate forums Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. The first, held at the Hal Holmes Community Center, drew a...
Another hot and hazy day. Extreme heat poised for Sunday.
Today: Friday will be another hazy and hot day, for most. Highs will still be about 5-10 degrees above average. It’ll be in the mid-70s to low-80s in the mountains, with mid to upper-90s for the Kittitas/Yakima valleys and Blue Foothills. The Lower Columbia Basin will likely be in the low-100s. Haze and smoke will mainly impact Benton, Franklin, Walla Walla, Morrow, and Umatilla counties. The worst air quality today will likely be in either Umatilla or Morrow counties, given all the recent fire starts down that way. We’ll also have the chance for more fire starts, as fire fuel energy (compared to historical values) will be in the 97th - 99th percentile. In essence, fires could start and spread quickly. Winds will be fairly light for most spots, although northwesterly gusts could reach 25 MPH in the Kittitas Valley.
Kittitas County approves funding request for Odd Fellows affordable housing project
One step closer to more affordable housing in Ellensburg. Earlier this week, the Kittitas County Board of Commissioners approved a six-figure funding request from the Odd Fellows Lodge 20 to build 20 to 30 new units of affordable housing on its three acres of unused cemetery land on Brick Road. The total project is estimated to cost upward of $7 million, according to the lodge’s proposal. ...
Senate candidate steps through Ellensburg on ‘Freedom From Fentanyl Walk’
Sixty-nine miles done. Now, just another 98 miles to go. Dr. Raul Garcia was standing just off Reecer Creek Road in Ellensburg, ready to start the second day of his “Freedom From Fentanyl Walk.” A Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, Garcia said the walk from Kittitas County to Seattle will draw attention to the fentanyl...
Sleep center plans on hold, city and county staff seek partners for temporary winter shelter
Plans are on hold for the year-round sleep center project. Now, Kittitas County and Ellensburg city officials are seeking proposals from qualified organizations to manage a temporary cold weather shelter for this coming winter. The temporary shelter would replace the services formerly provided by the local faith community — the Kittitas Valley Ministerial Association recently voted to no longer operate its seasonal shelters after nearly 10 years of service due to lack of volunteer staffing and schedule conflicts. ...
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