Volunteer Program Pairing Adults With At-Risk Youth, More Briefs

The Restorative Community Service Co-worker Training Program pairs adults with juvenile offenders who need a positive influence.

Spokesman Johnathon Umana says adults serve alongside the kids even working community hours with the kids. “As an adult you’re spending time with the kids encouraging them and helping to change minds and lives with a positive influence.”

Umana is looking for adults 21-years-old or older to be a volunteer and work beside the at-risk kids to provide positive feedback and interaction.

The public can learn more about the program next from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 19 at Yakima County Juvenile Court on Jerome Avenue.

Yakima Police are investigating a break-in at Dunbar Jewelers at 40th and Summitview in Yakima.

Store spokesman Mat Gilmore says it happened Sunday morning when the thieves drove a vehicle into the front door and gained access. “There was just a lot of property damage and that’s what delayed our opening this week.”

Gilmore says fortunately all the valuable jewelry was put away in a safe and the thieves stole only costume jewelry. He says damage to the store was the biggest problem and the reason why they did not reopen on Tuesday.

Police are investigating the burglary today.

Yakima Valley Community College is celebrating the start of a project that's more than eight years in the making.

YVCC officials broke ground on the new Palmer Martin Hall on the south side of campus Tuesday. KNDO reports that the project is expected to take several years and cost nearly $20 million.

Representatives say the project was well worth the wait. "We wondered if we would ever see this building even though it was fully designed," President Linda Kaminski said. "But we're very pleased that after that long wait it has arrived."

The 40,000 square foot hall will be environmentally friendly with solar panels installed on top of the building will provide power for the students.

With the unemployment rate rising and cuts in the food stamp program, Northwest Harvest in Yakima is expanding to help more people in need.

Sherri Bissel with Northwest Harvest in Yakima says they are expanding the Yakima warehouse to double the size and double the help to area food banks. “Hunger is a big problem in Yakima. Right now in our community one in five people are hungry.”

In 2012 Northwest Harvest distributed more than 30 million pounds of food statewide. The year before that the number was 28 million.

Northwest Harvest is holding an open house next Nov. 21 from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The warehouse is located at 911 S 3rd St. in Yakima.