Accident Kills 94-Year-Old Man, More Briefs

Washington State Patrol troopers say a 94-year-old man was killed after being hit by a car in Terrace Heights Thursday.

Troopers say 71-year-old Gloria Blisard's 2010 Chevrolet Impala was stuck in the brush next to a driveway along S 43rd St. just before 7:00 p.m.. When she was able to break free of the brush her car hit 94-year-old Kasper Kautzman and 80-year-old Herbert Blisard. Kautzman died at the scene.

Both Herbert and Gloria Blisard were taken to the hospital with injuries.

An investigation is underway today.

City Manager Tony O'Rourke says the next step is a vote on November 19 to put into motion the creation of two committees. A downtown committee and a retail committee to further explore the plaza idea.

“We want these committees formed to be able to explore how other communities are using plazas. We want them to travel to those communities to see the successes those other communities have had with plazas.”

O'Rourke says the city will also be working closer with downtown business owners in the near future, especially those whose businesses surround the parking lot that the city wants to turn into a downtown plaza.

It will now take two-thirds of the Yakima City Council to raise city taxes.Voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 1 in Tuesday's general election. It passed with 69 percent of voters gave thumbs up to Prop 1 with 31 percent against the measure that changes the city charter.

City officials say they are not surprised people voted yes to making it harder to raise taxes. The new law takes effect in the new year.

The Yakima City Council heard from downtown business owners and residents during a public hearing Tuesday about the downtown master plan.Many on both sides of the measure say they want more information and to be involved in the process.

Both supporters and detractors talked to council members. Many who were skeptical of the plan to create a plaza downtown were concerned about the loss of parking spaces and how that would affect business. City officials say the parking will be replaced with on and off street parking and in parking garages.

The council is expected to vote on the plan on Nov. 19.

A father and son duck hunting on the Yakima River had to be rescued on Sunday by members of the Yakima County Sheriff's office Marine Patrol.Sam Hitchcock and his 13-year-old son were out duck hunting in a drift-style boat when one of the oars broke and he lost control of the boat. The boat got caught in a current and submerged. The pair made it to an island down the river.

The teenage son was wearing a life vest the entire time and neither were injured. The water temperature was around 44 degrees at the time.

Deputies picked up the Hitchcock and his son and took them back to the landing.

Parents from an Oregon high school say their kids were inappropriately grabbed and groped by members a Washington school's marching band.A letter from the St. Helens Band Patrons Parent Organization describes the behavior of Kennewick High students during a band retreat in Yakima last month.

The organization sent the letter to the school district and the state Board of Education, which has forwarded the complaint to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to be reviewed.

Kennewick officials said in a statement that several marching band members admitted to giving congratulatory "pats" or "slaps" on the backsides of other participants at the retreat.

Some students have been disciplined, although details of the punishment were not released.

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