www.OthelloOutlook.com Thursday, October 15, 2009

OutlookOutlookOutlookOutlookOutlookOutlookOutlookOutlookOutlookOutlookOutlookOutlookOutlookOutlookOutlookOutlookOutlookOutlookThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloOutlookOutlookOutlookThe OthelloOutlookOutlookOutlookThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe Othello

THURSDAYMarch 12, 2009March 12, 2009March 12, 2009

See Railroad, Page A5

See Superintendent, Superintendent, Superintendent Page A5

Opinion A2 | Community A3–A5 | Schools A6 | Sports B1–B3 | Neighbors B4 | Cops & Courts B5 | Records & Legals B6 | Classi� ed Ads B7 | Outdoors B8

Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1Spring Sports Preview B1

Contributing writerThe Port of Royal Slope is at-

tempting to lease the old Mil-waukee rail line from the state Department of Transportation.

The goal is to reopen the route from Othello to Royal City, which was abandoned in the 1980s.

However, DOT has yet to re-spond to the request.

Ò WeÕ ve thought we should just start to use it until they kick us off,Ó said Port commissioner Dave Miller. Ò That would get their attention.Ó

The Port held a special meet-ing on Thursday, March 5, to dis-cuss what the next step should be. They have been working on plans since 2004 when Clark County asked to take the rails.

The commissioners were able to procure an extension at that time.

They have now applied for a

lus package in hopes of gather-ing enough funding to begin the project. At this point, they are soliciting businesses that would show a defi nite interest in using the line, as well as let-ters of support.

Ò One board member of the Big Bend Economic Develop-ment Council suggested we in-undate them with letters,Ó com-missioner Alan Schrom said. Ò He told us it would help our request carry more weight.Ó

Since beginning the plans, the Port has built up their busi-ness park west of the city. Cathy Porter, executive director for the Port of Royal Slope, said four acres on the tracks were pur-chased at the park.

Ò WeÕ ve had interest and our business park is ready,Ó Porter Photo by LuAnn Morgan

A lone diesel engine sits on the side of the Hiawatha Business Park west of Royal City waiting for the rail line to reopen to Othello.

ItÕ s only two weeks until the 12th annual Othello Sandhill Crane Festival.

Tours are fi lling fast, but there are still seats available on some of the crane viewing trips. Reg-istrations are available by call-ing toll free (866) 726-3445.

Again this year, the Othello Rotary is serving breakfast Sat-urday, March 21, during the fes-tival from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m. The menu includes eggs, sausage

and pancakes for $7.To support the local Rotary,

you donÕ t have to pay admission to the festival.

General admission to the fes-tival is $7. Seniors are $5 and children 12 and under are free with paid adult admission.

Throughout the day, children will have the opportunity to take part in projects that teach them about Columbia Basin wildlife.

There are several new lectures

this year, which take place at Othello High School. Also, stop by the vendor exhibits featuring non-profi t organizations, which provide information about wild-life, and commercial displays.

Several noted authors will be on hand throughout the day signing their books. Authors this year in-clude Mike Denny, John Clement, Paul Bannick, Steve Shunk, Rich-ard Scheuerman, Mark Amara and John Soennichsen.

There will be a list of times when authors will be available at the signing table, located next to The Old Hotel Art Gallery booth near the gym entry.

Also, volunteers are needed to help the day of the festival. There are a variety of positions that provide opportunities to give back to the community.

For more information on volun-teering, contact LuAnn Morgan at 855-6677 or Jane Grant at 346-2316.

By LuAnn MorganContributing writer

Hayden Homes in Moses Lake wants to construct a roadway for a development located at Highway 17 and Nelson Road that would cross over a pipeline belonging to the East Columbia Basin Irrigation District.

But, district commissioners are against the proposal and expressed their views to Russell

Brown, with the City of Moses Lake, at their March 4 meeting in Othello.

Ò Water pipelines are not in-stalled with that kind of com-paction in mind,Ó said Craig Simpson, manager of the district. Ò Also, if we have to do a repair, we canÕ t shut down a city street.Ó

Brown said the developer is planning to build a park for chil-dren living within the develop-

ment. Current plans run the road through the center of the park, which is against protocol.

At this time, the pipeline serves one customer Ð Edwards Nursery. There is an active wa-ter turnout going north.

Commissioner Roger Wat-kins asked Brown why the road couldnÕ t be built along the ease-ment, rather than over the pipe.

Brown indicated it would

cut off part of the backyards of some lots.

The other option proposed would be for the city to take over the pipeline.

Ò If the city is interested in mak-ing water delivery to Edwards, you could probably make a deal with her,Ó Simpson said.

Brown didnÕ t agree with that idea, either.

capacity.Ò I am glad to be

able to serve on the committee,Ó Search said. Ò I was approached by Dr. Terry Bergeson, the former state superintendent of public in-struction (OSPI) who asked me to consider the position. I have worked with a lot of bilingual students in the past 27 years, so I think my energy... my passion for bi-lingual education should be benefi cial to the committee.”

Washington. Ò Your past and

present work is highly commend-

able, as well as your support for students and parents,Ó he stated in a March 5 press release.

The purpose of BEAC is to help facilitate the provisions of bilingual education and re-lated services in order to meet the needs of students who donÕ t speak English as their primary

Ò You have to get to them ear-ly,Ó he said. Ò We spend a lot of time in the elementary schools talking to the kids, teachers and

wound? Well, part of it is com-munity service É giving back to the victim or the community that has been injured or dam-

aged.ÓIntervention also includes es-

tablishing and obeying a curfew, attending schools and obeying house rules and participation in the graffi ti abatement program.

If the interventions donÕ t work, the next step is suppres-sion Ð lockup in Martin Hall for 30 to 60 days or longer.

Irrigation district nixes roadway Royal super joins

Sandhill crane festival is just around the corner

A rude awakening awaits repeat o� enders

Photo by Bob Kirkpatrick

Martin Hall Regional Juvenile Detention Center in Medical Lake.

Picture yourself getting away for the day or a whole weekend.

Golf one of Washington’s top-ratedcourses. Dine in style at our award-

winning steakhouse. Swing into spring with an annual pass (starting at $880) or a punch card (starting at $275).

WoWorlds aparlds apart. Just miles away.

M oM oM oM o s es e s s PoPointe

www.MosesPointe.com for more info. for more info. for more inf

~ A Special Section of the Othello Outlook ~

See Roadway, Page A5

cut off part of the backyards of some lots.

The other option proposed would be for the city to take over the pipeline.

Ò If the city is interested in mak-ing water delivery to Edwards, you could probably make a deal with her,Ó Simpson said.

Brown didnÕ t agree with that idea, either.

By Bob KirkpatrickStaff writer

Rosemarie Search, superin-tendent of the Royal School Dis-trict, has been selected to serve a three-year term on the Washington state Bilingual Education Advisory Committee (BEAC). Search joins 13 other regional com-mittee members cur-rently serving in this capacity.

Current state Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn congratulated Search, the former assistant superintendent of the Othello School District,

for her willingness to work with his of-fi ce in the develop-ment and operation of educational pro-grams for English language learners (ELL) in the state of Washington.

Irrigation district nixes roadway Royal super joins advisory committeeRoyal super joins advisory committeeRoyal super joins

Sandhill crane festival is just around the corner

Design: “This is an outstanding paper. My hat is off to you for all the good work you do.”

Intervention also includes es-tablishing and obeying a curfew, attending schools and obeying house rules and participation in the graffi ti abatement program.

If the interventions donÕ t work, the next step is suppres-sion Ð lockup in Martin Hall for

A rude awakening awaits repeat o� enders

Photos and graphics: “Several outstand-

ing photos, excellent color throughout.”

See Gangs, Page A4

Opinion A2 | Community A3–A5 | Schools A6 | Sports B1–B3 | Neighbors B4 | Cops & Courts B5 | Records & Legals B6 | Classi� ed Ads B7 | Outdoors B8

wound? Well, part of it is com-munity service É giving back to the victim or the community that has been injured or dam-

sion Ð lockup in Martin Hall for 30 to 60 days or longer.

Ò We donÕ t want to use sup-pression unless we have to,Ó Gowan said. Ò But some kids are a threat to the community, to other gangs and are bent on destruction and have no desire to be good citizens.”

Martin Hall Regional Juvenile Martin Hall Regional Juvenile Detention Center in Medical Lake.

sion Ð lockup in Martin Hall for

to other gangs and are bent on destruction and have no desire to be good citizens.”

Advertising: “I applaud page 1

ads. Good use of color throughout.”

“The Rotary Rose sale ad is out-

standing. Full page ads mean re-

spect from your advertisers and

recognition of quality work.”

PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢

Old Milwaukee rail could be back on trackNews and Commu-nity Events: “Excel-lent gang series with tips and good photos.”“Good balance of

feature articles. Could use more g o v e r n m e n t coverage.”

By Bob KirkpatrickStaff writerPart four of a four-part series exam-ining gang-related activity in our community.

The battle to reduce gang ac-tivities and juvenile crime in Othello is never ending.

But over the years, Dave Gow-an and his staff at Juvenile Ser-vices have come to know three ways to combat the problems: prevention, intervention and suppression.

Ò You have to get to them ear-

parents.ÓIntervention, Gowan said,

includes conducting classes on anger replacement training, victim offender mediation and community service by having kids help at the food bank, dis-tributing food and clothing to needy families.

Ò When there is a crime, the whole idea of restorative justice is thereÕ s been a wound to the community and to families É someoneÕ s become a victim,Ó he said. Ò So how do you repair that wound? Well, part of it is com-

aged.ÓIntervention also includes es-

tablishing and obeying a curfew, attending schools and obeying house rules and participation in the graffi ti abatement program.

If the interventions donÕ t work, the next step is suppres-sion Ð lockup in Martin Hall for 30 to 60 days or longer.

A rude awakening awaits repeat o� enders

Ò When there is a crime, the whole idea of restorative justice is thereÕ s been a wound to the community and to families É someoneÕ s become a victim,Ó he said. Ò So how do you repair that wound? Well, part of it is com-

30 to 60 days or longer.Ò We donÕ t want to use sup-

pression unless we have to,Ó Gowan said. Ò But some kids are a threat to the community, to other gangs and are bent on

Advertising:said. Ò So how do you repair that Advertising:said. Ò So how do you repair that to other gangs and are bent on Advertising:to other gangs and are bent on

destruction and have no desire Advertising:destruction and have no desire

Opinion: “Not as good as the rest of the paper. Need to develop eight to 10 commu-nity leaders to write columns.”

OutlookOutlookOutlookOutlookOutlookOutlookThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe OthelloThe Othello

Girls second seed to state tournamentPage B1Page B1Page B1Page B1Page B1Page B1Page B1Page B1Page B1

PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢ H 49º / L 25º H 53º / L 30º H 53º / L 28º H 51º / L 34º

Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Mostly Sunny Partly Cloudy Mostly Cloudy Cloudy, Breezy

By LuAnn MorganContributing writer

portion of the economic stimu-lus package in hopes of gather-

Old Milwaukee rail could be back on trackPUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 73 NO. 11 • 75¢

Old Milwaukee rail could be back on track

The Othello Outlook is the recipient of eight awards pre-sented by the Washington Newspaper Publishers Asso-ciations “Better Newspaper Contest,” held Oct. 2 at the Red Lion Hotel in Olympia.Top on the list is a second-

place fi nish in the General

Excellence category, which critiques the paper’s news, sports, editorial content, photos and layout design. Other awards include a sec-ond place for the Best Sports Page, two fi rst-place awards for Best Single Special Pro-motion and Best Community Service Ad, a third place for

Best Promotion of a News-paper, third place for Best Investigative Reporting, a second place for Best Spot News Photo, color and a third place for Best Gen-eral News Photo, color.More than 2,400 entries

from 80 different newspapers in Washington state took part in the annual contest.

Outlook among the best

www.OthelloOutlook.com

SS p o r tp o r tp o r tp o r tp o r tp o r t SSSECTION B — THE OTHELLO OUTLOOK — THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2009

SPORTS@OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM

By Bob BarrettStaff writer

The Lady Huskies played like a team that had never been in a title contest when they played

for the CWAC District champi-onship Saturday in Sunnyside. The poise and patience that produced a strong inside game from posts Allison Walker, Kylee Mollotte and Tiffany Mar-

tinez during the regular season were not in evidence when Othello lost to Prosser 63-53 to end up the second seed to next weekÕ s 2A state tournament in Yakima.

The harassing full-court de-fensive pressure by the Mus-tangs forced Othello into 26 turnovers that produced 26 Prosser points.When the Huskies were able

to break the press, they forced hurried shots from 3-point land that missed their mark. Sixteen of OthelloÕ s 43 shot attempts came from beyond the arch as Prosser did a good job of keep-ing the ball away Walker. The senior post and CWAC Co-Player of the Year entered the contest averaging 18 points per game. She was limited to four shot attempts and did not score until she stole the ball and drove in for a lay-in the final 30 seconds of the game.

“We took a lot of first chance shots and did not run our of-shots and did not run our of-shots and did not run our offense,Ó Othello coach Laurie Stickel said. Ò I am disappoint-Stickel said. Ò I am disappoint-Stickel said. Ò I am disappointed when my team does not play like a team when we have been pushing that all year.Ó The loss denied the Huskies their first ever district title and sends Othello to the 2A state tournament in the SunDome as the No. 2 seed from the CWAC. The team will face Hockinson, from Brush Prairie, at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, in the opening round. Hockinson won the Greater St. Helen League with a 10-0 mark and finished the regular season 18-2, losing two close non-conference games to River Ridge and Kennewick. Hockinson missed 21 con-secutive shots, including all 17 they took in the second quarter, to lose a semifinal game in the District 4 tournament to Elma, 55-46. The Hawks came back to beat Ridgefield to claim the districtÕ s fourth seed and earn their first berth into the 2A state tournament.

For Othello to be successful in the state tournament, the Lady

Huskies will need to handle the pressure from their opponents press and play with poise and patience to get the ball inside to their post players for the higher percentage shots. Stickel summed up the Hus-kies game plan for the state opener.Ò Not to play like tonight,Ó she said. Ò Play as a team. Win as a team. And if somebody beats us, hopefully, we lose as a team.ÓA win against Hockinson would send the Huskies to a Thursday evening quarterfinal game at 5:30 against the winner of the Burlington-Edison, West Valley game. An opening round loss would drop Othello into a consolation bracket game at 10:30 a.m. Thursday morning.ScoreboardProsser 63, Othello 53Prosser

Lacie French 23, Wilson 5, Hunt 7, Petersen 7, Jones 18, Anderson, Roberts, Evans 3.

Othello Christine Kirkwood 18, Mollotte 10, Walker 2, Juarez 3, Villarreal 12, Martinez 2, L. Garza 6.

Othello 14 12 12 15Prosser 13 9 18 23Highlights3 point attempts-Othello 5-16, Prosser 6-20. Rebounds: Othello 40, Prosser 38. Turnovers: Othello 26, Prosser 16.Othello highlights: Allison Walker 20 rebounds, 4 steals; Kirkwood 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks.Prosser highlights: Tayshia Hunt 9 rebounds, 6 steals; Tamara Jones 8 rebounds; Kelli Wilson 4 steals, Petersen 3 assists.

Huskies second seed in state tournament

Photo by Bob Barrett

Othello’s Kylee Mollotte, Allison Walker and Christine Kirkwood get their hands up to defend Prosser’s Tamara Jones.

By Bob BarrettStaff writer

The 2009 version of the Othel-lo softball team is going to have a lot of new faces. But the Huskie coaches, play-But the Huskie coaches, play-But the Huskie coaches, players and fans are used to seeing their team on top of the league standings and this yearÕ s squad hopes to continue that tradition. Coach Rudy Ochoa knows

to be tough to repeat as league champions.ÓThe Huskies return starting outfielders Kylee Mollotte and Eden Garza and third baseman Brenda Rodriquez. Catchers include Breanna Montemayor and Alyssa Martinez. Othello infielders include Miranda Mar-tinez, Marissa Martinez, Lorena Garza, Laura Garza and Nicole Valdez. Joanna Quezada and Jasmine Gallardo are among the

players include Julyssa McKer-lie, Amy Bullis, Chelsea Jahns, Jacky Valdez and Evelyn Miron. It will take a total team to re-peat as league champions this year because Othello lost the dominant pitching of 2A Ò Player of the YearÓ Nina Gonzalez and All-CWAC First Team Michelle Wheeler and the home run power of Gonzalez, Michelle Wheeler and BiBi Villegas. So, Othello plans to play more

hit or two to manufacture runs. It is a style of play suited to OthelloÕ s team speed and it is a style of play the Huskies have been successful with over the years.The Selah Vikings and the El-lensburg Bulldogs are the favor-ites to win the CWAC title this year. Selah returns second team All-League pitcher Monica Stout among their seven All-League players and Ellensburg returns first team All-League pitcher

Huskie softball will feature small-ball this season

2008–2009 Spring Sports Preview2008–2009 Spring Sports Preview2008–2009 Spring Sports Preview2008–2009 Spring Sports Preview2008–2009 Spring Sports Preview2008–2009 Spring Sports Preview2008–2009 Spring Sports Preview2008–2009 Spring Sports Preview2008–2009 Spring Sports Preview2008–2009 Spring Sports Preview2008–2009 Spring Sports Preview2008–2009 Spring Sports Preview2008–2009 Spring Sports Preview2008–2009 Spring Sports Preview2008–2009 Spring Sports Preview2008–2009 Spring Sports Preview2008–2009 Spring Sports Preview2008–2009 Spring Sports Preview2008–2009 Spring Sports Preview2008–2009 Spring Sports Preview2008–2009 Spring Sports Preview2008–2009 Spring Sports Preview2008–2009 Spring Sports Preview2008–2009 Spring Sports Preview2008–2009 Spring Sports Preview2008–2009 Spring Sports Preview2008–2009 Spring Sports Preview2008–2009 Spring Sports Preview2008–2009 Spring Sports Preview2008–2009 Spring Sports Preview2008–2009 Spring Sports Preview2008–2009 Spring Sports Preview

it will not be easy to replace Jasmine Gallardo are among the Jasmine Gallardo are among the So, Othello plans to play more

So, Othello plans to play more first team All-League pitcher first team All-League pitcher

B Thursday, October 15, 2009

Find Your Balance

Play golf at one of Washington’s top-rated courses. Annual passes start at $880 and punch cards start at $275.

The Steakhouse is known far & wide for succulent,

juicy steaks in addition to the freshest seafood

entrees in the area.

~ A Special Section of the Othello Outlook ~

The Weekender for the Othello OutlookB2 | Friday, March 27, 2009

STUNNING 4 bedroom home w/daylight basement crested on 2.5 acres. Beautiful vaulted living room warmed by full marble fi replace, hardwood fl oors, generous formal dining, modern kitchen w/dbl ovens. Superb mastersuite, balcony w/panoramic views. Walkout daylight basement to inground swimming pool & patio area. Entertaining family room w/wet bar & pool table. Full tennis court, 4 car garage, U.G.S. & much more. $430,000

COUNTRY ELEGANCE

610 E. Main, Othello (509)989-1905 Owner/Broker

To view ALL LISTINGS visit our website: www.othellorealtygroup.com

Member of Northwest Multiple Listing

Your Local Real Estate Team!

Spectacular & Panoramic Views describe this 1+/- acre lot with 3 bedrooms, 2 full bath home. Underground sprinklers, large patio, storage building & riding lawn mower to boot. Vaulted ceilings, open kitchen w/cupboards galore, all appliance pkg. Relaxing garden tub in Master Bath with separate shower and dual vanities. Walk-in closets. $124,900

Take Your Breath Away

Immaculate home on 2.04 irrigated acres with 2400 +/- sq. ft. of living space. Interior features include spacious family room w/ gas fi replace, arched bay/window seat, 3 bedrooms, 2 bath, 2 brick fi replaces, vaulted bonus room and offi ce area. Outside enjoy a large deck, balcony off master bedroom, private tree-lined backyard, beautiful landscaping, underground sprinklers, fenced pasture. $279,900

Country Wooded Estate

Sitting on 5.1 acres, 4 bedroom, 2 bath manufactured home w/in minutes from town. Open fl oor plan w/large master suite, walk-in closet, living room, family room, dining area w/built-in hutch. Metal barn w/5 stalls, tack room, corrals, outdoor arena, irrigated pasture w/above ground sprinkler system. Hobby Farm Opportunity! $165,000

Horse Lover’s Haven

Quality constructed 2611 sq ft. home featuring sunken living room, formal dining room, breakfast nook, family room w/gas fi replace, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bath and a spectacular master suite w/dual vanities, jet tub and separate tiled shower. Mature landscaping, underground sprinklers, 2 decks & triple car garage all setting on a spacious lot located close to the hospital. A showcase for only $295,000.

Luxuriant Living!

22.5 Country Acres• Spectacular Settings for Home sites• Incredible Views, Sunset Evenings• Large Outbuildings, Irrigation Rights• Zoning is Rural Residential• Property Needs Some Freshening Up$96,500 Reduced $86,500

Build your dream home on an attractive 1+/- acre lot. Irrigation Water, Cul-de-sac. Located approx. 4 miles South of Othello. Power lines are in. Great country lots. CCR’s. Call for Details!! $32,000 - $42,000

Country Living Lots

Spacious dining room area. Living room with wood insert. 3 bedrooms, 1.75 bath. Enclosed back porch area, dbl carport. Nice size backyard w/ alley access. BONUS … 2 rooms w/separate entrance for endless opportunities. (Offi ce, daycare, dance, music lessons … ) $149,900

Unlimited Possibilities

LARGE backyard fully fenced w/alley access, dbl. car garage w/separate doors. 2 city lots, 14,000 sq ft. Tiled kitchen with newer oak cabinets thru out. Tiled fl ooring in dining room area and living room, bay window, fi replace. Central Heat/Air. Full basement. 4 bedrooms, 1 3/4 bath, large covered patio. So much to offer for the price. $149,900

Delightful Deal!

Located on 2.5 acres, large fenced area. 1080 sq. ft. retail offi ce, 6000+/- warehouse and scale. Zoned Rural Community – Many uses. Manufactured home and trucks OK. $125,000

Royal CampWarehouse

An extra large corner lot in great location. Chain link fenced backyard, deck, alley access. Covered porch, carport. 3 bedrooms and 1.75 bath. Family room or use as 4th bedroom. (Or rent as studio!) $129,000

Welcome Home

PENDING

This darling 3 bedroom, 1.5 bath home is in immaculate condition and is ready for you now. A fi replace in the living room, open kitchen and dining are inviting. Hardwood fl oors. New hot water tank, dishwasher, and vinyl fl ooring are just a few updates. Well maintained yard, U.G.S., storage shed and fenced backyard. Patio off of kitchen for barbecues and entertaining. Walking distance of schools. $132,500

Ready and Waiting for You

Check out this rare fi nd, a level 3.65 acre lot. Located 4 miles S. of Othello toward Connell on Scenic Hwy 17. Manufactured homes O.K. A Bargain at $39,000

Highway Lot

Got Money to Burn?Yeah? Run your classifi ed somewhere else.

No? Run your classifi ed ad in the Othello Outlook. Our new 5 for $5 rate lets you run a fi ve-line ad for just $5 a week. And ad gets seen three ways in three days.

Do you really want the only people who see your ad twice to be the guys who dump the trash at the post offi ce? No? On Wednesday, Th e Outlook appears on newsstands all over town and people pay good money to read what’s inside. On Th ursday, our paid subscribers receive Th e Outlook in their mailboxes at home. And then, on Fridays, just when people have the time to shop and are in the mood to peruse the ads, Th e Weekender for the Othello Outlook arrives in every household in the 99344 Zip Code.

Professional advertisers know the key to success is repetition. Take your cue from them and place your ad where it will be seen & remembered. Or don’t. It’s only money…

( 5 0 9 ) 4 8 8 - 3 3 4 2

B2 | Friday, riday, riday March 27, 2009

GoGo

www.OthelloOutlook.com

The Othello Outlook – Thursday, April 9, 2009 A7

Please,Don’t Make Us

Have to Beg.

Place your order before April 13.

Roses will be delivered April 23.

Order by phone at 488-3342, ask for Eric

Proceeds bene� t Adams County Pet Rescue

2009 Rose SaleA Rotary Project

$25/dozen

Third place, best promotion of newspaper in a single ad“Eye catching, contrast of the colors, good concept that

catches people’s attention in these economic times. Suggest body text being a little larger”

Second place, best sports page“One of the better

sports sections.”“Clean consistent pack-

age on the Preview sec-tion. Easy to read. Infor-mation and schedules are presented in useful style. Good job.”

First place, best single ‘Special promotion’

“Great headline! The entire ad is eye-catching and written to draw them in. Easy pick for fi rst!”

First place, best community service ad“Eye catching. Bold use of graphic and white space. Good tie in with

animal rescue. And a sense of humor!”

Outlook excels by design

PUBLISHED SINCE 1947 • HOME OF THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL • WWW.OTHELLOOUTLOOK.COM • VOL. 75 NO. 42 • 75¢

Rediscovering a classic tale of intrigue and betrayal

www.OthelloOutlook.comC o m m u n i t y www.OthelloOutlook.com Thursday, October 15, 2009 C~ A Special Section of the Othello Outlook ~

The juvenile crime rate is on the upswing as three sepa-rate gang cells vie for Othello’s youth. That may seem hard to believe, but it’s a fact. Just ask Dave Gowan, administrator, Adams County Juvenile Court.

“It’s amazing that we have a town of 6,500 people, and maybe a total of 7,500 in the area, and we have such a big problem,” he said “If you didn’t know better, you’d think this was east L.A.”

The South Mexican Loco’s is one of Othello’s gangs. Their tag is SMLX3. Their color is blue. Another gang in town is called the Poncho Villa Loco’s. Their color is red and tag is PVL X4. Both gangs seem to have a turf war going on in the alley off of Juniper Street and Fourth Av-enue, as each other’s markings resurface on a daily basis.

A third gang in Othello is One Single Threat. Their tag is OST X3. They are an off-shoot of the South Mexican Loco’s. Their color is also blue, but the two cells don’t get along.

Gowan said all are having a heavy influence on ele-mentary and teen-aged kids in the community.

“They are recruited at a very young age,” he said. “Some as early as the fourth or fifth grade.”

The indoctrination of lo-cal youth into any one of the gangs varies and is often more dangerous than some of the crimes they commit.

“Prospective members get jumped in to gang status,” Gowan said. “That means members of the gang you want to join take you out somewhere

and beat you up for 30 seconds to 2 minutes at a time. You can fight back or take it, but either way, they want to know if you are tough enough and loyal enough to make it.”

He said he’s seen video foot-age of the jumping and it is pretty violent. Girls, he said, are inducted in an entirely different way.

“They get sexed in,” Gowan said. “And the way they move up the ladder … the younger ones steal and paint graffiti.”

He said the perception in the community is gang graffiti is a nuisance, with many won-dering, why can’t they all find something better to do? But graffiti in a gang member’s mind is not a nuisance, he said, because they are mark-ing their territory and telling others to stay away and not disrespect it. The worst sign of disrespect, Gowan said, would be a rival gang painting over the tag of another.

Graffiti also sets the tone for the future, he said, so if you can limit the graffiti in the com-munity, you limit the disrespect and you can limit the violence.

“When we see graffiti, we try to paint over it as fast as we can … before any disre-spect is written,” Gowan said. “But we are way behind on it.”

Over the past few months, Othello has seen an escalation in residential burglaries, as-saults, motor vehicle theft, ma-licious mischief (paint graffiti) and possession of firearms.

Last week, 19 juveniles ap-peared before Superior Court Judge Richard Miller to offer pleas for various charges, in-

Gang activity on the riseBy Bob KirkpatrickStaff writer

First of a four-part series on gang activity in Othello Photos by Bob Kirkpatrick

These are some of the weapons and contraband recently confiscated from three different gang cells in and around the Othello area.

cluding a drive-by shooting by a 15 year old named Guadalupe “Spider” Campos, gang member with SML , who has a repeated history of assault behavior.

Gowan, who has been work-ing in the juvenile court system since 1988, said the rise in gang-related problems hasn’t suddenly appeared over night.

“The governor’s Juvenile Advisory Council puts out a report on juvenile crime in the 39 counties,” Gowan said. “Our county always has the highest juvenile arrest rate per capita.”

He said it’s sometimes by a little, but sometimes, by a lot. The majority of incidents are property-related crimes, which Gowan said are often gang related. He said kids are also being arrested for minor in possession of alcohol.

“We’re high on the arrest rate right now,” he said. “We’re down a position and it’s hurt-ing us.”

The Adams County Juvenile Services staff in Othello has four probation officers cur-rently monitoring more than 100 kids.

Gangs started to come into play in Othello about 20 years ago, Gowan said. They built strength into the mid-90s and his department saw a huge in-crease in juvenile arrests and juvenile crime.

“That’s because the county added staff to the juvenile court to help combat the prob-lem and also to be a little bit more proactive by providing

interventions for the youth and their families,” Gowan said. “As a result, gang related activ-ity subsided for a few years, but gang issues still existed.”

However, in 2000, staff was reduced and activity began to pick back up.

“I don’t know if it totally correlated with staffing,” he said, “but gang activity in-creased again.”

So, staff was beefed up again in 2002 and things stabilized.

But his department is down a position again because one of his probation officers went to work at Coyote Ridge Cor-rection Center in July of 2008 and wasn’t replaced. The posi-tion is not budgeted for 2009, Gowan said, so that still leaves Othello’s Juvenile Services Department short-handed in the battle against juvenile and gang-related crimes.

The person who held that particular position not only had their own caseload, he said, but was also responsible for super-vising the workers after school, weekends and nights. Being down a person means they have to scramble to keep the com-munity services part going.

Gowan said the city has brought in juvenile gang spe-cialists in the past who’ve said Othello has gang-related is-sues but not gang problems. However, he said, when pre-vention is reduced (office not properly staffed), that’s when the issues become a problem.

“With the drive-by shooting that occurred last year, and all

of the knives being pulled lately, to me,” he said, “that’s a signal the so-called issues are gravitat-ing toward bigger problems.”

Although juvenile crime and gang-related activity is on the upswing in Othello, Gowan said he wants people to know not ev-ery kid in town is a bad apple.

“I want people to be in-formed, but I don’t want any-one to be overly alarmed,” he said. “There are a lot of good kids in the community. Unfor-tunately, in juvenile court, we are dealing with a lot of the ones who are making some rough decisions.”

He said if people in town be-come more proactive and call the police when they see some-one walking around their neigh-borhood at night they don’t rec-ognize, it would help their effort to curb the malicious mischief. Establishing a neighborhood watch program, making sure the perimeter of your house is well lit and a barking dog are all good deterrents.

Gowan said it’s important to let the community know of the resurgence of gang-related ac-tivities. He said if you find graf-fiti in your neighborhood or on your property, you should cov-er it up (paint over it) or call his office and they’ll respond to it — but not as quickly as they had in the past when they had adequate staffing.

He said property owners who paint over the graffiti are safe from retaliation, as gang mem-bers have a peculiar sense of whose property it really is. They

just don’t want rival gangs to disrespect their markings.

Gowan said it’s been his ex-perience that, in general, most kids are not bad individually, but when they congregate in groups and start showing off to each other, that’s when most of the trouble begins.

“The majority of gang activ-ity is conducted by younger members trying to make a name for themselves,” he said. “It’s not the OG’s … original gang members, and when I say older, they may only be 18 to 23 years old, but it’s the younger kids who have to prove their worth. They are the ones doing all the bur-glarizing, selling the drugs, stealing the beer, painting the graffiti, wielding the knives and pulling the triggers.”

Plenty of challenges lie ahead for the short-handed staff at Othello’s Juvenile Ser-vices Department in the days to come as they combat the rise of gang activity in and around town.

“Dealing with the budgetary constraints we have right now, we are doing the best we can,” Gowan said.

Next week: A peek into the school district’s role to help stu-dents identify gang members in and out of the classroom and what to do about it, and local law enforcement efforts to re-duce juvenile crime and gang activity in Othello.

Part two of a four-part series on gang activity

By Bob KirkpatrickStaff writer

Police Chief Steve Dunnagan agrees there has been a recent increase in the number of cas-es of graffiti around town. He also acknowledges Othello’s

juvenile arrest rate has always been among the highest in Ad-ams County when compared to the statewide average.

But Dunnagan, who has been

the head of the OPD for the last four years, said he doesn’t nec-essarily think the two equate to gang-related issues.

“I think the arrest rate

is high because we have a school resource officer and we take a fairly non-tolerant attitude when it comes to ju-venile crime,” he said. “As far a gang activity, what we really have going on right now, the crux of it is graffiti.”

Dunnagan said the juvenile crime trend is a national one, so it’s not just happening here in Othello. As far as the inten-sity level of juvenile crime in the city, he said things need to remain in context.

“Their department (Juve-nile Services) solely revolves around the juvenile world; we have to look at the big picture,” he said. “Where as they may be seeing an increase in juvenile burglaries for the filings they get, overall, we are actually down 50 percent for the same time period over last year.”

Adams County Sheriff Doug Barger has been in the area since 1976. He said the activity he sees today is nothing com-pared to what he witnessed 18 years ago.

“I don’t know that we’ve seen an increase in gang-related activity,” he said. “In the early 90s, we had a definite problem. In fact, Kiwanis Park didn’t be-long to the citizens of Othello, it belonged to the gangs.”

Both the city and the county, he said, had to assign person-

nel to eradicate gang activi-ties. It took a little time, but they were able to do that. But since that time, he said he knows there is gang activity going on in Othello but dis-agreed to the degree of inten-sity that was expressed by in the previous article.

”I think we have gang mem-bers living in the county just like they (OPD) have mem-bers that live in town,” Barger said. “But I also think there is a big difference between gang activity and juvenile ar-rests. Just because you are a juvenile, it doesn’t make you a gang member and just be-cause you are a gang member, it doesn’t mean you are doing gang crime at the time.”

Barger does, however, believe there is a common thread between juvenile crime and gang associations.

“I think as a society as a whole, we have a lot of issues with young people because we’ve quit taking responsi-bility for our kids,” he said. “There are more single parent families and probably a gen-eration of us who’ve detached from our kids and there is no buy in with them, so they naturally ‘test the envelope’ to see how much they can get away with.”

Law enforcement role to curb juvenile crime & gang activity

See Gangs, Page D

Best investigative reporting, third place“A real wake up story about problems in

America’s small towns — gangs just aren’t for cities anymore.” “Good choice of photos and information, pre-

sented to reach the everyday citizen.”As a service to the community, we have re-

printed the first articles in their entirety and have provided Internet links to the stories not reprinted in full.

Photo by LuAnn Morgan

Best spot news photo – color, second place: “You captured the exciting moment. Good photo!”

www.OthelloOutlook.com

Photo by Bob Barrett

Best general news photo – color, third place: “Nice night shot — good way to draw folks to a big community event.”

He said schools are often the best contact the kids have with somebody of an adult nature.

Dunnagan agrees.“Absolutely,” he said. “Edu-

cation and early development are also issues. We have a mo-bile society as well. And while I don’t believe there are any for-malized or structured organi-zational ties between here and California, there are folks who come to this area and stay for a length of time because they are working migrant situations. So, there is influence for other lo-cations, but not necessarily an organized tie.”

Although Dunnagan and Barger don’t experience the same intensity level as the Juvenile Services, they do agree juvenile crimes and gang activity do exist in and around Othello.

They also know it takes a joint effort between their de-partments and Juvenile Services to suppress the activity and to help educate the community.

The person charged with a big part of that responsibil-ity from the law enforcement side of things is Officer Jason Corcoran, with the OPD. He is school resource officer for the Othello School District and is both a physical deterrent in uniform and an educator who tells to students about the dangers of gang involvement and juvenile delinquency.

“I talk to them about my personal experience dealing with at risk kids in a heavy gang populated area of Chi-cago,” he said. “I have friends who are former gang mem-bers who now work in gang

resistance programs, so I have a unique perspective to offer.”

Corcoran said he under-stands how kids without a family structure yield to the temptation of becoming a gang member.

“In the short-term, it’s very appealing to them because it gives them an immediate peer group,” he said. “But in the long term, I want them to think about how certain things may be perceived, especially to fu-ture employers who happen to notice things like tattoos. They may associate you with be-ing in a gang even though you might not be.”

Building and maintaining relationships with students in and out of the classroom is key to keeping the kids on the right path, Corcoran said, but he doesn’t necessarily want to befriend them because he would lose their respect.

As he is patrolling the hall-ways, he is always mindful of the way kids are communi-cating and the company they are keeping.

“I look for specific details,” he said. “I am keeping an eye on what type of clothing they are wearing and I look at their body language … how they are carrying themselves … and the attitudes they display.”

He said it can a bit more diffi-cult these days to spot individu-als with questionable character.

“Things are ever evolving and kids are more discrete than they have been in the past,” he said.

Corcoran said pop culture has a heavy influence on to-

day’s youth, but it doesn’t mean all kids are involved in gang related activities.

“Rap music has an effect on fashion and kids like to emulate their favorite rapper, so even though the way they dress might give the appear-ance they are affiliated with a gang, they may not be.”

But, he said, if a kid is ex-pressing gang-related behav-ior or juvenile delinquency, that is a cause for concern.

“It’s a fine line,” he said. “Kids are very impressionable at a young age. And by the time they reach junior high, the peer pressure can be tre-mendous as they are discover-ing who they are.”

If children don’t have a strong family structure where they loved and have a strong sense of self-worth, Corcoran said, it’s easy for a kid who is lacking an emotional connec-tion with their parents to fall into precarious situations.

“Gangs can fill in the gap and give kids an instant ac-ceptance into a system where people look out for each oth-er,” he said. “Kids then con-sider the gang members as part of their extended family.”

But gang affiliation doesn’t last long in a school setting, he said, because it is unaccept-able behavior and the schools have a zero tolerance policy.

Next week: What the Othello School District is doing to edu-cate students to prevent gang activity on school grounds.

Gangs: ‘…kids like to emulate their favorite rapper’continued from page C

By Bob KirkpatrickStaff writer

Part three of a four part series on gang activity and juvenile crime in Othello

Efforts to turn young stu-dents into responsible citizens and stave off gang associa-tions begin at an early age in the Othello School District.

“It starts at the elementary school level with our Char-acter Counts program that teaches kids respect and responsibility,” Mike Villar-real, assistant superintendent, Othello School District, said. “We also hold assemblies to get all the kids involved, which is a real key to combat-ing behavioral problems.”

Villarreal said over the past two years, the district has brought in keynote speakers to address the Parent Advi-sory Committee (PAC), such as Dr. Arevlo, president at East-ern Washington University, and Dr. Uriel Iniquez, who is the executive director of the Washington State Commission on Hispanic Affairs, to help get the message across.

“They spoke about kids set-ting goals to go to college and parents’ civic responsibility to get involved in their child’s life,” Villarreal said. “He told the kids to take care of their schools and be proud of what our community has to offer.”

Villarreal said not all kids buy into the positive reinforce-ment, however, and choose to branch off into select groups because they do not have a good support system at home, so they tend to gravitate to-ward bad behavior.

When that happens, Villar-real said he is glad to have SRO Jason Corcoran on hand.

“He really knows how to con-nect to kids,” he said. “He has a good relationship with them ... and they trust him. He is a real asset to the district and we are fortunate to have him here.”

The education continues at McFarland Junior High.

“The school adopted a strict dress code to curtail to some degree, the gang demonstrations that were going on at school, before I got here,” said Dennis Adams, principal, McFarland Jr.

High. “There can be no writing on any clothing unless it falls within a two-inch square patch, unless they are wearing Othello School District apparel. No baggy pants, no sport endorsed T-shirts and no more than three kids assembled together wearing the same type of clothing.”

That’s because it is considered a demonstration of membership to some sort of group, he said. It might not be gang-related, but it is an intimidating factor.

Tagging on notebooks is not allowed at any of the schools in the district, because it may appear gang-related. Adams said the school also offers training to students to help them recognize gang activity and other things to look for.

Corcoran is also available every day as backup if need be.

“He does a great job helping the kids associate the OPD as not a punitive organization,” Adams said. “He’s visible, ap-proachable and compassion-ate. He does a good job with public relations and with par-ents and students to help them fight the temptations of gravita-tion toward gang association.”

The school district also has a character education pro-gram called Rachel’s Chal-lenge, which Adams said has had a tremendous impact on the climate at McFarland.

“Rachel Scott was one of the first kids killed at Columbine,” he said. “As a 15 year old, she was a tremendous influence at the time and had a desire to make her school a friendly place. One of her relatives gave an assembly at our school three years ago and the follow-ing year, her sister came and kicked off the school year.”

Adams said the school also has clubs to help students get comfortable with the atmo-sphere, which can be tough on incoming kids as it helps to diffuse and decrease fighting.

He said teachers also buy into the clubs because it cur-tails the desire for kids to bully others.

“So far this year, things have been going great,” Ad-ams said.

One of the biggest challeng-es he said kids face today that is having a tremendous impact

on behavior is the poor shape of the nation’s economy.

”Parents are losing their jobs and not finding replacement work and that has an effect on their child’s learning ability,” Adams said. “Sometimes, the atmosphere is so bad at home because their parents are un-employed, the kids don’t want to go home.”

He said parents need to al-ways stay involved with their kids in and out of the class-room and to take an interest re-gardless of their work schedule.

OHSOthello High School prin-

cipal Matt Stevens said gang-related issues have been mini-mal over the last three to four years as administration and staff have taken a proactive approach to educate students on criminal affiliations.

“The primary problems we are having are taggings and markings in the bathrooms,” Stevens said. “It’s usually once or twice a year and every once in a while, the outside of the building gets hit on a weekend. But the district maintenance crews have it removed before 8 on a Monday morning.”

Stevens said the school has brought in speakers in an assembly setting to educate students on gang awareness but admits it hasn’t produced many results for the “hard-core individuals.”

However, he said indi-vidual counseling, which is offered at OHS, is more pro-ductive because it is done one-on-one in private and the counselor has a better opportunity to observe be-havior and body language.

“We also have a program called C.H.A.O.S,” Stevens said, “Creating Hope at Our School that deals with bullying and harassment by students.”

In addition, the SRO has estab-lished a relationship with kids in and out of the school, which has been very helpful, Stevens said, because he does presentations and the kids say they feel safer when they see an officer in uni-form on the school grounds.

“I talk to the kids about their future … what they are going to do when they are 18

or 20 and they realize they don’t have many job oppor-tunities without a high school diploma,” Corcoran said.

So far this year, there hasn’t been any multiple-person gang fights and no weapons or drugs confiscated, Stevens said. And in the grand scheme of things, he doesn’t see much, if any, gang recruiting going on because he said members are usually recruited before they reach high school

“The hardcore members are typically approached in the fifth and sixth grade,” he said. “Most are introduced by family mem-bers, like a cousin, an aunt or uncle or brother or sister.”

Stevens said wannabes, or pledges, form permanent groups, friends and affili-ates by the eighth and ninth grade and several groups are formed within the groups.

But in general, he said kids involved in gangs don’t engage at school because it can lead to expulsion and if you are not in school, it is hard to make contact.

“Most of the kids in Othello are not hardcore gang mem-bers,” Stevens said. “They are just kids looking for a little ex-citement. And those who are, are being manipulated and don’t understand the full pic-ture they are participating in.”

He said Othello, when compared to Grandview and Sunnyside in the Yaki-ma area and even in Moses Lake, does not have a high volume of gang activity.

“That’s because Dave Gowan with Juvenile Court has done a good job of identifying key players and either monitors them or has them removed from the community.”

ALPSThe common perception of

the alternative public school (ALPS) has been all the trou-bled youth in the community end up there because they cannot function in the typical learning environment or in society as well.

But, Leonard Lusk, principal at ALPS, said that’s just not the case.

“We don’t allow the bad apples here, either,” he said. “A lot of our students here are

ELL learners who are at a dis-advantage because they don’t speak English very well.”

Lusk said most students at-tending ALPS know it’s their last chance for an education outside of a community col-lege setting, so the gang-relat-ed behavior is not an issue on school property.

“With the smaller student-to-teacher ratio here and an edu-cation assistant in every class, we have a lot of hands-on edu-cation going on so it’s easier to recognize trouble before it has a chance to escalate.”

ALPS has approximately 75 kids enrolled, compared to 800 or so at OHS. Although the class size of 25 kids is similar to the class size at OHS, he said the EAs give teachers another set of eyes in the room.

However ALPS does have its share of discipline problems and when something does arise or a student is falling behind at ALPS, Lusk does have an option to exercise to get the students back in line.

“They get sent to SEEPs and if they fail there, they are ex-pelled from the school system,” he said. “If they want to come back to school, they have to re-apply to at the district level.”

The SRO is also an important cog in the success rate of stu-dents who graduate from ALPS.

“Jason (Corcoran) is a great resource to have here,” Lusk said. “He’s only a phone call away and will answer any questions the kids have.

Whether it is dealing with il-legal contraband, the penalty for possessing marijuana, sit-uations dictating consensual sex or the penalty for painting graffiti, he makes the students aware there is a consequence for every action they take.”

Corcoran said he hasn’t expe-rienced much gang-related ac-tivities or juvenile crime at either Othello High School or ALPS.

“Kids tend to be respectful of the school grounds because we (I) take the time talk to them and help them make sound decisions,” he said. “And they know if they commit a criminal act on school property, there is a double consequence.”

He said he can always tell when kids don’t have a

positive role model at home watching out for them.

“It’s really sad because they don’t stay in school very long. They usually don’t eat break-fast and oftentimes, live in a car because they’ve been kicked out of the house,” Corcoran said. “But when or if they do stay in school, it’s a safe environment and we can keep an eye on them.”

Corcoran said he wants all kids to be successful and he’s hoping that talking with stu-dents on a daily basis will make a positive impression on them and will allow them a better opportunity to make good de-cisions at an early stage in life that will help them to lead pro-ductive lives as adults.

He said the SROs have something in common with every parent in Othello.

“My job is to protect their chil-dren while they are in school,” he said. “This is a sacred re-sponsibility and I really enjoy it. It is easy to come to work and it’s important to keep kids in a safe learning environment.”

For the rest of this ar-ticle, visit othellooutlook.com/?p=259

Schools doing their part to discourage delinquent behavior

A rude awakening awaits repeat offendersBy Bob KirkpatrickStaff writer

Part four of a four-part se-ries examining gang-related activity in our community.

The battle to reduce gang activities and juvenile crime in Othello is never ending.

But over the years, Dave Gowan and his staff at Juvenile Services have come to know three ways to combat the problems: prevention, inter-vention and suppression.

For the rest of this award-winning series, including an in-depth interview with a former gang member, visit othellooutlook.com/?p=257

D Thursday, October 15, 2009

~ A Special Section of the Othello Outlook ~