Grandview gathered for its centennial photo last Saturday. Photo Brad Smith

Grandview turned out in style for the community photo on Saturday, April 25. The weather cooperated and community members young and old gathered at the center of downtown for the community photo. The photo was taken at the same location as a historic photo taken in 1916.

Teresa Kollmar smiles as she descends from the ladder after taking the official photo. Photo Brad Smith

The official photo was taken by Theresa Kollmar at the top of Fire Department Ladder Truck 18. Kollmar was under the close eye of Craig Taylor, Grandview Firefighter of the Year.

Community members can purchase a copy of the official photo by contacting the city. The official photo was taken from the top of the ladder. The photo at the right was taken from on top of the fire engine.

A presentation on the school safety survey results will be presented. The Healthy Youth Survey is taken by students to find out their perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors regarding a wide range of health-related issues and is a collaborative effort between OSPI, the Department of Health, the Office of Community Development, and the Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse.

Grandview United is currently surveying the community about some of these same issues. Surveys are available online at www.grandviewunited.org. The community is invited to participate in this survey. The data will be used to develop a data bank of people interested in providing mentoring or other skills with the youth of Grandview. The surveys focus on safety and activities that youth of Grandview would like to see in our community.

Grandview United will be hosting a community meeting on May 5th at 5:00 p.m. at Compass High School/Administration Building. The results of the Healthy Youth Survey as well as look at the current responses from the survey underway by Grandview United will be presented. Parents, students, and community members are invited to attend.

The Citizens for Safe Yakima Valley Communities will host their 3rd annual Youth Career and Job Fair from 1–5:00 p.m. on Monday, March 23 at Southeast Yakima Community Center.  Yakima valley high school students are encouraged to attend.  This collaborative community effort aims to employ 150 high school age youth in part-time summer jobs from June 15–July 10. For students to be eligible they must attend the Career and Job Fair on March 23 to participate in the program. The job fair is free to students to attend. Southeast Yakima Community Center is located at 1211 S. 7th Street.

To be successful at our goal, we need your support.  If you have, or can create, a 4-week job at 20 hours a week for a youth, please call us at 248-2021 x112.  For a $685 investment, a youth will experience their first job.  Please join us in supporting and growing self esteem, confidence, and hope for our youth.

To provide youth jobs, contact:
Ken Marble, President, Horizon Distribution, Inc. (HDI) (509) 453-3181 x221
Bill Dolsen, President, The Dolsen Companies (509) 248-2831 x123
Ester Huey, Director, Southeast Yakima Community Center (509) 575-6114

For the past 27 years, the Art Fiker Stadium has been home to what has been billed as the largest outdoor wine and food fair in Washington State. In February, the school board decided not to pass the motion for the waiver. The motion failed when no one would second the motion. Therefore, for now, the Wine and Food Fair is homeless.

Many who have attended the event in the past agree, the football field is not the ideal location. The main complaint is the lack of shade. The stadium meets the potable water requirements by the Benton County Health Department. It also has a cyclone fence, something that some committee members find more attractive than the commercial orange crowd fencing.

During the school board meeting several committee members voiced frustration. One member was so frustrated that she claimed that the event would not be held this year. Other members are looking at this as an opportunity to make changes to the event which has not changed its format in years. Others have suggested that the event take a hiatus and return when the Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center opens. The opening of the facility is projected to be in 2010.

In the meantime, local communities such as Grandview have facilities with parking, fencing, and other amenities that remain under utilized. The City of Grandview went through a survey process last year to prioritize improvements at Country Park, also known as the Lower Valley Fairgrounds. The city hopes to increase rentals of the facility and a wine and food fair would be ideal. The park has a covered area with access to water, restrooms, and electricity. The facility also has something missing from the stadium, an amphitheater with lights, electric, stage, and dance floor. Trees were planted several years ago around the amphitheater and would provide the luxury of shade.

Maybe the two communities could work together this year. Prosser has the experience and history to promote a successful wine and food fair while Grandview has an ideal location. Maybe it is time that Grandview decides to focus on working with one of the growing industries in the valley, the wine industry. After a little mentoring, maybe Grandview could attract some of the 3,000 people that travel from around the state to attend the wine and food fair. These tourists spend thousands of dollars in the local stores, restaurants, bars, and motels.