YAKIMA, Wash. -- This from Adam Wilson’s April 2 blog in The Olympian. Speaker of the House Frank Chopp said he wants to visit any state park or institution before making a decision to close it.

“Yakima School, is one I hopefully plan to go visit,” he said. “That was one of the Senate proposals to close, but I had hesitated because I had never visited it.”

The House budget leaves the school open; the Senate phases it out by 2011.
 
Chopp, D-Seattle, was asked about the House budget proposal to close Naselle Youth Camp, a medium-security facility for juveniles in Naselle. The Senate proposed closing Green Hill School, a more secure juvenile facility for older males in Chehalis.

Rep. Norm Johnson, R-Yakima, was on KIT this morning suggesting that Chopp and Gov. Chris Gregoire would visit the Yakima Valley School in Selah before their May 9 trip over the mountains for the memorial for the late Mary and Hal Skinner.

-- Leah Beth Ward