03/26/08 Around the Valley

First Tee is strong off the tee in fundraising

YAKIMA -- At its first Breakfast with the Pros fundraiser, The First Tee of Yakima raised $37,000.

The event took place Friday at the Yakima SunDome and was attended by about 270 paid guests. It featured nearly 20 Yakima Valley sport professionals, including former Seattle Mariners pitcher Bob Wells and third baseman Dave Edler, Olympic skier Steve Mahre and NFL all-pro lineman Jake Kupp. Local PGA and LPGA golfers were also in attendance.

Proceeds will be used to operate The First Tee of Yakima program. The nonprofit group --which recently became a chapter of the national organization -- uses the golf to teach integrity, honesty, respect and other positive character traits to youths between the ages of 8 and 18.

Classes will be taught at Suntides Golf Course, Fisher Park Golf Course and Kiwanis Park this summer. For more information, call Executive Director Del Rankin at 949-6349.

Legislators to meet with public Saturday

YAKIMA -- Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, and Rep. Charles Ross, R-Naches, have scheduled town hall meetings Saturday to report on the recently concluded legislative session.

The 14th District legislators will meet with residents from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Southeast Yakima Community Center, 1211 South Seventh St., and from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. in the auditorium at West Valley Junior High School, 7505 Zier Road.

For more information or to arrange special accommodations for people with disabilities, call the Olympia offices of King, 360-786-7626, or Ross, 360-786-7856.

The hearing-impaired may call the TTY-TDD legislative hotline at 800-635-9993.

Mabton official assumes duties

MABTON -- Kitty Zavala Curtiss, a lifetime resident of this small town, began work as the new city clerk-treasurer Monday.

Curtiss, 32, previously worked two years as a teachers aide in the Granger School District and spent 12 years as a vault teller at the US Bank in Sunnyside.

She will make $3,142 per month at Town Hall.

The city has been without a clerk-treasurer since October, when Mayor Velva Herrera fired Sharon Roy.

Herrera said Roy did not follow through with her duties. Roy blamed it on an innocent bookkeeping mistake.

Herrera also fired City Administrator Ildia Jackson in August 2006 for irregularities over the promotion of a police officer. The city does not plan to replace the city administrator, Herrera said.

Presbyterian church starts weekly sessions

SUNNYSIDE -- Sunnyside Presbyterian Church is hosting an informational night Thursday.

The 7 p.m. program takes place in the church's Calvin Hall. Up for discussion: "Twelve Keys to an Effective Church" by Kennon L. Callahan.

Attendees will learn about the importance of revisiting their church mission statement and look at long-range goals for the future of their church.

The informational meeting will continue once a week for six sessions. The meetings take place at the church, 737 S. 16th St.

For more information, call the Rev. Katie Haney at 837-4314.

Climate and creation will be topic of talk

YAKIMA -- Is man causing global warming? Does the Bible speak of global warming?

These questions will be addressed by John Mackay during a "Climate Change and Creation" lecture at 7 p.m. Friday at Yakima's Meyer Auditorium, 215 N. 40th Ave.

Mackay is the Australian director of Creation Research, which seeks evidence for the Biblical account of creation.

-- Yakima Herald-Republic