NEW Latest batch of candidates file for office in Yakima County

YAKIMA, Wash. -- Alberta Redwing filed to run for Yakima County coroner this morning, setting up the county’s first contested coroner race in decades.

Redwing, 45, a former Benton County deputy coroner, was a finalist for appointment to the Yakima County position earlier this year after longtime Coroner Maury Rice retired.

The county commissioners appointed Rice’s former deputy, Jack Hawkins, despite Redwing being the top choice among Yakima County Republican Party precinct committee officers. Both Hawkins and Redwing are running as Republicans.

“I was honored to be chosen by them,” Redwing said, of the party officers. “I believe it was my qualifications that spoke for themselves. … I believe the PCOs got it right.”

The commissioners, though, chose Hawkins because they believed he’d done a good job heading the coroner’s office on an interim basis since Rice’s retirement. Hawkins said he has similar support from local law enforcement, funeral homes and forensic pathologists, all of whom have known him for years. Before becoming Rice’s deputy, Hawkins, 59, was a county sheriff’s deputy and a police officer in Yakima and Toppenish.

“I was born and raised right here in Yakima,” Hawkins said this morning. “I have 30-plus years in public service here in Yakima County.”

Redwing’s filing will set up the first contested election for Yakima County coroner in at least 35 years.

There have been several other notable filings so far today, the final day of the weeklong election filing period.

Former Grandview Councilman Javier Rodriguez, who lost a 2007 re-election bid to Bill Moore, filed this morning to run for the council seat held by Jan McDonald. Ed Wagner filed for that same position on Tuesday. McDonald has not filed.

In Granger, Julie Anderson-Sharp filed to run against Natalie Ybarra for Ybarra’s City Council seat.

In Mabton, the mayoral race got a bit crowded. Mayor Velva Herrera filed for re-election this morning and got some company in the race from Vanessa Cervantes who also filed this morning. Daniel Jun filed for the same position Thursday.

The filing period ends today. There are 112 positions up for election in Yakima County this year, mostly on city councils and school boards.

Candidates who filed this morning are:
Yakima County coroner: Republican Alberta Redwing
Grandview City Council: Position 2, Javier Rodriguez
Granger City Council: Position 3, Julie Anderson-Sharp
Mabton City Council: Mayor, Vanessa Cervantes, Velva Herrera (i)*; Position 3, Maria Cepeda-Rose
Sunnyside City Council: Position 2, Thomas Warren
Naches Valley School Board: Position 2, Bruce Drollinger (i)
Grandview School Board: Position 2, Zulma Reyes (i)

(i) indicates the candidate is an incumbent.

-- Pat Muir