RSSYakima Valley's economy may see better times ahead
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YAKIMA, Wash. -- As 2009 draws to a close, Far West Fabricators in Moxee is busy making retail display shelves and other metal parts now that business has picked up with new job orders.
Retailers in Yakima and Union Gap saw more people scooping up gifts and buying items for themselves during the holidays. And real estate agents and brokers are buoyed by Yakima County's home sales in November jumping more than 26 percent from the same month a year ago.
While these may be positive signs of better times ahead, no one is ready to declare full recovery just yet.
"It's a slow process because coming out of a recession, everyone sees things quite differently," said Jeff Carter, owner of Far West Fabricators, which is based in Moxee. "(Customers) are just being a lot smarter with their money and more cautious because nobody knows if this going to continue. Is this a recovery, or is this a temporary bubble?"
As weak as the economy is in Washington state and across the country, Yakima County has managed to hold up relatively well.
Despite increasing unemployment -- now 9.6 percent -- Yakima County remained below the state unemployment rate for several months in 2009.
The average home price, currently $163,815, according to Headwaters-The Source, a Selah-based firm that tracks real estate sales, also has remained nearly flat, quite a feat when one considers that larger metropolitan areas throughout the country have seen several years worth of price drops.
"We're really well off," said David McFadden, president of New Vision-Yakima County Development Association, the county's economic development arm. "But we're not out of the woods yet."
Throughout 2009, Yakima Valley saw signs of an economic slowdown.
Taxable retail sales declined at record rates during the first six months of the year -- bleak news, not just for retailers but local governments that rely heavily on sales tax revenue.
And despite the recent one-month spike in home sales, the dollar value of Yakima County's real estate sales this year declined nearly 33 percent when compared with sales in 2008, according to Headwaters-The Source.
That means far fewer people are buying -- or selling -- residential and commercial property. Many are opting to wait things out until the market improves.
Unemployment, meanwhile, has inched up, and the county saw a drop in nonagricultural jobs during every month of 2009. Modest gains in health services, wholesale trade and government could not make up for the jobs being shed across the board.
Manufacturing suffered the most, losing an average of 900 jobs every month.
But those numbers don't seem as bad when compared to other areas of Washington state and even other areas of the country.
The ag factor
Many credit the agriculture industry for a less-brutal downturn in the Yakima Valley.
While the Valley is home to a variety of fruits and vegetables, this year's profits have been driven mostly by apples. As of this month, domestic shipments of apples harvested this fall were up 6.5 percent from the same period in 2008. And exports were up 3.3 percent from the prior year.
As consumers re-evaluate their budgets, they're turning away from more fancy and novel items like $3 coffee drinks to basic foods, such as apples, because of the health benefits.
The industry, meanwhile, has also been aggressive about growing and marketing varieties beyond Red Delicious.
"(Growers and shippers) feel there's a strong and growing demand for fruit. They're convinced we're going to continue to do well," said Jon DeVaney, executive director of the Yakima Valley Growers-Shippers Association.
And given the traditionally volatile nature of agriculture, "growers and shippers are more prepared for surprises than other sectors of the economy," he added.
Many are watching to see whether agriculture will stay strong in 2010 and can help improve the local economy, or at least keep it from declining further.
"Our boats rise and fall on how our ag economy does overall," McFadden said.
The prosperity of the agriculture industry next year will largely depend on consumer demand, government regulation and the willingness of banks to lend, DeVaney said.
And of course, there are perennial factors, such as crop size, weather, available water and workers.
Mark Barrett, a grower and co-owner of Washington Fruit Place & Gift Shop at Barrett Orchards in Yakima, has already begun to think about how to stay viable in 2010.
One of his concerns for the industry is continued record or near-record crop yields for tree fruit.
While a large yield of fruit, such as apples or cherries, requires more workers and keeps unemployment down, it also drives prices down, making it tough for growers to pay their costs, let along retain a profit, Barrett said.
He's managed to keep his business viable despite lower commodity prices and record-level supply. While most of his apples, cherries and pears go through the traditional distribution system, the rest -- all his peaches, nectarines and apricots and a smaller supply of cherries, apples and pears -- is sold directly by Barrett either though his retail operation at Washington Fruit Place or wholesale to other fruit stands throughout the state.
In 2010, it's likely that more of Barrett's fruit will be sold directly to retailers and consumers.
"The ag industry continues to go to the more corporate farms and less to the small farms," he said of the market's evolution. "The small farms have to be vertically integrated, where you're in charge of some of your marketing and some of your sales, in order to grow."
What about real estate?
Though the Valley has not seen the dramatic rise and fall of housing so familiar now to people in California and Florida, the local real estate market took a hit in 2009.
A major bright spot both locally and nationally was a federal first-time homebuyer tax credit. The credit gave qualified buyers up to $8,000 if they purchased a home by the initial deadline of Nov. 30.
It's hard to determine whether an extension of the first-time homebuyers credit or a new credit designed for repeat buyers will have an impact on sales early in 2010, in what is usually a slow time of the year for the real estate industry.
"People that need to buy are going to go ahead and buy and those who want to buy aren't necessarily going to do so because of that tax credit," Doug Rich, broker for Prestige Reality in Yakima.
Qualified first-time buyers who purchase a home (or enter into a binding contract) by April 30 will be able to qualify for the $8,000 tax credit. A second credit of up to $6,500 is available to buyers who have owned a home in five of the last eight years. To qualify in either program, homes must be purchased (or under contract) by April 30.
Regardless of the government incentives, other factors, such as whether people are finding jobs or if banks have money available to lend, will influence people's decision to buy or sell, real estate agents say.
"They're (going) to look for things that create stability in the marketplace," Rich said.
Growth in 2010?
Susan Richmond, owner of Inklings Bookshop in Yakima, was prepared to see holiday sales for her store remain flat.
To her surprise and puzzlement, sales for the season were up 18 percent from a year ago. And sales for all of 2009 are up 8 percent from the previous year.
That's given her a boost in confidence and firmed up her decision to maintain higher inventory levels next year to meet customer demand.
In Union Gap, the Valley Mall will see new tenants move in this spring, including Bed Bath & Beyond and Ulta, a cosmetics store. Further west off Longfibre Road, work on Union Gap Promenade continues. And WinCo Foods, a bulk foods grocer, will likely anchor the shopping center.
That new retailers are choosing to locate here reflects their continuing confidence in the Yakima market, said Fred Bruning, president of CenterCal Properties, the Portland-area firm that owns the firm.
"Now that retailers are getting confidence that the downturn is bottoming out, markets like Yakima/Union Gap are being put higher in the pecking order," he said.
But with consumers still generally cautious, it's impossible to predict whether retail will see a boost or drop in 2010, so it's important for the local industry to maintain a solid business strategy, said Lynn Giraud, manager of J.C. Penney in Sunnyside.
"The main focus is just to make sure we're maximizing and we're getting the right product that consumers are looking for at the right price," she said. "... Right now, there are a lot of good people that are looking for work."
Forget indicators
With negative and positive indicators on the local economy in the mix, some businesses are choosing to wait and see.
After having to cut its workforce by 60 percent earlier this year, Far West Fabricators was able to hire 15 percent of its current workforce in the last few months when new orders came in.
The company's metal fabrication business serves customers in a variety of industries, including construction and retail.
Business is still below last year's levels overall, said Carter, the company owner. But he's hopeful that the recent boost in business is an indicator of better things in 2010. He also wonders if it's unrealistic to expect business to go back to what it was before the recession, given the change in his customers' spending habits.
He doesn't dare predict anything.
"What is ahead?" Carter said. "We don't know today any more than we did a year ago."
* Mai Hoang can be reached at 577-7685 or mhoang@yakimaherald.com.
Wow, this is good news. I hope the businesses above will keep in mind that employing illegal aliens is not a good thing and will make efforts to avoid it. After all, illegals already have a strong safety net, as the father can live with the mother drawing full welfare, because if he is illegal he doesn't count to Patty and Christine.
The people in real need of employment are legal citizens who don't have the luxury of such a safety net. Employers, care about your community and don't cave to extremist groups.
Revelatory, it's called E-verify. not many employers use it b/c their not mandated to. i know of several top corporations that employ workers given a fake social security. great accounting skills right? wrong..
leave the field work to the mexicans, besides you're never going to see any other color out there.
we take pride in our relationship with the land, something everyone else should take note on.
Shenendoa
Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you or seem to be against or people who work the fields, I know some of them are our greatest people. But I wasn't referring to them.
As far as the E verify that would be great. I know personally a bookkeeper with children , just a little person like us, who was forced to have 15 workers using one social security number. I'm sure that isn't an isolated case. My point was, that in Yakima a woman on full welfare can have as many illegal alien working men living with her and the state doesn't care. A citizen would go to the pen. So, it's very, very important that these new jobs go to citizens. And until "certain people" quit using intimidation tactics, it's up to the owners of the companies to make sure of that if we want true economic growth, and not just babies to fill our $2500 a month preschools. You see there's two different types of industries vying for your heart in Yakima. Ones that are truly productive and those in the, shall we say, counseling business, who profit from poverty, depression and mayham.
shanendoah:
"we take pride in our relationship with the land, something everyone else should take note on"
the land.... also the businesses, the offices, the schools, the courts, the hospitals ....
Legal immigration is great. This nation should not be the dumping ground for every poor nation in the world.
California is asking for 8 Billion in Federal aid to balance it's budget.
"Illegal Immigration Costs California Over Ten Billion Annually " http://tinyurl.com/mvobc
DUH.....
It always amazes me how quickly people can turn such good news into something negative here in Yakima.
2009 was a good year for my family and we're excited to begin 2010 in this valley. I heard people complain about the "recession," but when I went Christmas shopping the stores were still packed! The lines at the Mall are still longer than the lines at the food banks....What recession?!?!
Read2Learn
I think what they were trying to say is that it's very important for stability and true growth that we make sure that we hire legals. Illegals, are unfortunately becoming something of an "elite" and competing unfairly with all legal people. I think it's because of the all powerful and unethical "preschool and mental health" operation in Yakima and maybe "over creative" realtors. There is so much more money in getting an illegal up here and forcing all the babies (endless) into the preschools. Rev is right, they get $2500 per month and start them at 18 months. So naturally greedy preschools are down there south of the border with megaphones hooking all those ladies that want babies but don't have a hubby up here. So every person you can run out of Yakima, including unemployed people, leaves room for that much more women and that much more babies. Who wants regular people and regular kids when the above are truly a jackpot, and that doesn't inmclude charges on medical coupons cause most of the kids end up on SSI (strangely enough the preschools have at their heads mostly female clinical physchologists who declare the babies elligible for disability.
BTW, you don't work for one of these "preschools", do you? Just wondering because of your name, you know.
read2learn:
"it always amazes me how quickly people can turn such good news into something negative here in Yakima"
==========================================================
It amazes me that people think the economy is getting better.
California's Treasurer, Bill Colyer, says California's debt is nearer $500 Billion dollars.
40 states are asking for Federal aid for their budgets.
Many states are not sending money to counties and cities because there isn't the money to send.
Unemployment is estimated at 17% nationwide rather than 10.9 because of benefits that expired.
Because the repeal of the Glass-Stegall act giving Wall St. access to the citizens funds, these funds are being invested (gambled) by Wall St. in many other countries.
Now Congress is acting to renew "the Glass-Stegall act" with new legislation. They will succeed.. They will pass just what Wall St. wants and then tell us what a wonderful job Congress has done with the economy.
Our jobs have been sent overseas where labor is 1/10th that of the US.
Our manufacturing base is nearly gone.
Anything that can be done in a foreign country cheaper will be done there, from reading CAT scans to building solar panels.
We are besieged with burdensome regulations that keep us dependent on foreign energy sources, touting instead, a "Green" energy plan. We could be energy self-sufficient.
Yes... there were store sales.. prices were drastically dropped in most cases to rid the inventory.
House sales... yep... give a person $8000 to buy a house at 5% or less gets that person into a house at little to no cost. Congress just passed a bill granting Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac continuing access to public funds without coming to Congress for more. (Not much fanfare there.... few noticed.)
Every "rebate" or "credit" issued by the Federal government comes out of you pocket in the terms of more taxes and weaker dollar.
Congress has announced there will be a new "Jobs" bill.
Excuse me, but isn't that what the original "Stimulus" bill was for. It was used for political payoffs for this administration's supporters so now we need a "new" one.
The new "Job" bill won't be released until about April, just in time to get it going in time for the mid-term elections. It will put a "happy" face on the economy.
It won't do much for the average citizens with most of the money going to union projects or "Davis-Bacon" jobs requiring higher wages and benefits.
Many give Obama credit for saving the economy... Wall St. saved the economy through the Federal Reserve.. we got the bill.
Public employees... where is your pension money invested?? China, Russia, Brazil, or some other country. It probably isn't invested here in the US.
(By the way... would you like a raise?)
Yea... it is getting better... NOT!
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/may/23/report-illegal-immigrants-contribute-billions-stat/
Hmm, Moxeekid is freaking out about illegals costing Cali 9 billion a year... yet fails to mention that illegals put over 25 billion back into the economy.
Heck, they put over 9 billion a year in Nevada's economy alone.
Remove your tin hat, the economy IS getting better. Maybe you're running out of reasons to dislike liberals so you're in what people call a state of denial.
undocumented aliens also put 551 billion dollars in spending money into the economy. I don't know about you, but a labor force that puts money into a system more than it takes out, is inevitably helping out the economy.
Also keep in mind that a major contributor to the unemployment rate was the oversaturation of America's car industry, billionaires losing money by the percentages (which prompts many pink slips), and the U.S's overburdoning of the credit and housing markets.
Housing prices are improving, banks are slowly starting to lend more, people that got laid off in detroit are finding jobs else where...ect.
The US was never in a depression, just recession, and recessions tend to recover rather quickly.
Ogre is crazy, she comes up with facts and figures and she has no idea where she got them. Or perhaps she actually hates illegal and this is race baiting. After hearing her, your frustration level is so high that you become a racist.
Report ViolationRead2Learn...
"What recession?!?!"...
Wow...you really must of had a good year!!! You might not of seen as long of lines at the food banks as you did at the mall..(lucky you)..but hopefully you will try to remember...Christmas comes and goes, but the "need" and the "lines" at the food banks goes on all year long.
Did you even go to a food bank while out doing your Christmas shopping???...(just curious).
overfifty
All that talk of food banks, I bet you would have liked to include Hispanic in that sentence. Just for the record
99.9999% of illegals never go to food banks
99.99% of illegal women never have a baby
99.99999 learn English within two months, practically perfect
ogrre writes...
overfifty:
"All that talk of food banks,I bet you would have liked to include Hispanic in that sentence."
Oh really? Why would you bet such a thing? Nothing I wrote was remotely in reference to "Hispanics". Just for the record ogrre... you know NOTHING about me, so don't even try to speak for me, or assume you know what I'd like to say.Furthermore I've always been under the impression that my food bank donations will be given out to "A-N-Y-O-N-E" that is hungry or in need. Good grief...did Santa leave coal in your stocking or what?!
overfifty
Sorry, I guess it seemed like everyone was picking on Granato and I got carried away.
Just because Granato works with the battered women's group and helps to get the south of the border women up here is no reason to criticize him. There are all kinds of ways to qualify, you don't have to have any bruises, it could be mental abuse. And because they are illegal is no reason to turn your back on a human beeing. Their network of shelters and buses is the perfect solution to give them safety. When they get up here they can relax and decide what to do with their lives. If it wasn't for them all of these learning daycares would be empty.
Report ViolationWow,it's amazing how off-topic some of these posts have gotten. Also amazing when people drop statistics like "99.999%". Sources, please? I'd like to know how the author of this post got his data...
Personally, I think Yakima survived the recession better than most towns, but of course, that doesn't help the folks who were laid off, nor the folks who saw a drastic drop in income. Glad it looks better, but I think it's still too soon to tell. Mostly just typical New Year's optimism. We'll see what everyone says in June.
I'm pretty sure Ogrre is either readerone or one of the many right wing folks on here who dont like facts. I find it kinda funny actually. someone must be getting frustrated with me always proving them wrong.
Report ViolationThere is nothing wrong with Granato helping battered women from Mexico and anybody that thinks so is a racist. He can have his right wing philosophy and this line of social work is perfectly acceptable.
Plus, if you go through ogre's comments you will get a new perspecitve here. Anybody that says ogre shouldn't be calling everyone a racist has just proved her point.
Plus anybody whose says these women's children are going into the $2500 a month "learning daycares" and that somehow Granato may be profiting is a racist. Anybody who says that red, white, and blue Americans are getting run out of town if they won't put their children into these "experimental schools" is a racist.
And just because Granato hates illegal immigration is no reason to say he shouldn't be helping these illegals get up here. The men don't overcrowd our housing and have babies. Granato only wants to help babies and that is one of the reasons all the level 3 sex offenders are clustered around the illegal "youth centers" he and Zais allow in the city. They have learned their lesson in prison and the $250,000 per year treatment they get in Yakima has cured them. Now they cluster around youth centers only to protect children. And anybody that says that Sheriff Irwin's maps don't show it, should dig harder. Anybody that says this is wrong is a racist and maybe a pervert.
Anybody that says red, white and blue people with children are being harrassed by Granato and their neighbors told they are under investigation for child abuse and that there is an illegal adoption ring in Yakima is a racist. And anybody that tries to see if Granato's networth is reasonable for his salary is a racist.
Really Ogre
You are out line. You are suggesting that just because our preschools cost taxpayers $2500 a month and that our enrollment is almost all illegal alien children, that we our somehow not worth the money. We believe firmly in ourselves and think that every child could benefit from our new-age techniques. Therefore we must purchase for ourselves fine clothing because we want to make an impression when we go door to door and inform mothers that they must put their children in our schools. Why would they not want too if there are caring mothers? True a high rate of children receive SSI that we have obtained for them, but why nickel and dime impoverished illegals? And it is also true that sometimes we must put 45 children in a trailer on wheels. This is because, you see, most of our women were emotionally "battered" and battered women must be secretive, so we are only trying to help.
If Granato helps us and is a man of wealth than I do agree with Ogre that anybody who thinks our schools are wrong or that Granato is cheating the people of yakima is a racist. Anybody who cares about battered illegal aliens deserves to be a millionairre.
You know our economy might suffer if these things were closed down? Does this have anything to do with rumors that Granato and Zais use druggies to run seniors out of their homes (making room for illegal moms). I know a lot of women's groups are involved with Triumph Treatment and they bring drug moms here. I know Jim Beckett is their pres., kind of figures, probably the whole thing could prop the market up, but when it crashes, we won't have a tarp.
Truthfully, I can see why Yakima's finest won't do UA's. Granato's constant rantings that his people are druggies seems overdone. Why isn't Zais man enough to fire Granato? I've never heard of a chief slandering his men like that and if Granato is associated with Beckett and Triumph than it would most definetly be nothing more than a tool of harrassment. These, shall we say, "type of women" would get deep satisfaction out of castrating a police department and holding them in bondage. let's get rid of Granato and Zais. And let's let Jim Beckett go back to peddling real estate instead of emptying homes.
Don't get the bleeding heart ogre <<< that one<< mixed up with readerone's attempt at satire.
Though, its still cute. Some little kid out there is obsessed with what I think. Never thought I would impact their lives so much.
Not really sure how this relates to the economy, unless you're talking about the above schools employees becoming unemployed. They don't really have many employees, just lots of kids.
I know there's three unzoned, uninsured centers, though. One by Barge Lincoln, one in the 300 block of S. 4th st,. and I don'tknow if the S.E. Center is zoned or insured. I know one lady though that a level 3 offender tried to say she abused her child. The cop didn't believe him though. I wonder if it's these good cops that Granato is saying are on drugs. Truthfully I don't think any cops are on drugs, I think Zais and Granato put so much perverted pressure on them and it might make them nervous.
Call me ignorant but what sort of drug testing are they doing? IF standard blood or saliva testing ouccours, the cops shouldn't be worried if all they've been exposed to is Marijuana or harmless (albiet powerful) psychedelic drugs.
If drug testing consists of simple urine analyzis, then I'm inclined to believe that the department might have some drugged up officers. Since UA's are only capable of examining short term usage.
(This comment has been removed by a Yakima Herald-Republic moderator)
Ogre, please your not that stupid. Jim Beckett with Remax realtors ownes Triunph Treatment and is one of the main people profiting from drugs and illegals. He could easily "fix" a UA. The sensible people in Yakima know there's something very wrong and they don't think it's the cops on drugs. I think the only people that think that are you and shenendoah. I'm telling you Ogre, it's over for you and your fake statistics and other whining. I know Nick will get upset at me saying this, because he worships Sam, but there are some big guns much, much bigger than Sam who do care about our men and women in uniform and know what's going on.
My sources tell me that Granato, Zais, and Rosenow have no power, real power at all now. The men don't have to take order from them anymore. So what their trying to do is get some public sympathy and have Zais slam thru something without going to court. Then he'll try to get it in the paper, even though it's not legit. Granato plans to immediatley UA his most hated people and then get some sort of restraing order on them. If he can do this, he may get some power back. But the chances of him doing it are almost nothing, just wanted to let people know what all the gossip was really about. And coupled with the crooks listed above are some womens groups you have been hearing about on the forum. That may be why they think they could pull something like this.
(This comment has been removed by a Yakima Herald-Republic moderator)
"Ogre, please your not that stupid. Jim Beckett with Remax realtors ownes Triunph Treatment and is one of the main people profiting from drugs and illegals. He could easily "fix" a UA. The sensible people in Yakima know there's something very wrong and they don't think it's the cops on drugs. I think the only people that think that are you and shenendoah. I'm telling you Ogre, it's over for you and your fake statistics and other whining. I know Nick will get upset at me saying this, because he worships Sam, but there are some big guns much, much bigger than Sam who do care about our men and women in uniform and know what's going on.
My sources tell me that Granato, Zais, and Rosenow have no power, real power at all now. The men don't have to take order from them anymore. So what their trying to do is get some public sympathy and have Zais slam thru something without going to court. Then he'll try to get it in the paper, even though it's not legit. Granato plans to immediatley UA his most hated people and then get some sort of restraing order on them. If he can do this, he may get some power back. But the chances of him doing it are almost nothing, just wanted to let people know what all the gossip was really about. And coupled with the crooks listed above are some womens groups you have "
Fake statistics? At this point I don't know if you're reffering to readerone's fake "ogrre" account, or my citing of government agencies?
In either case, I'm only here to prove people wrong.
I think Ogre what you're hear to prove is that normal "red, white and blue" Americans should be mistrusted in everything they do and say. That the innocents of the world "illegal aliens" are they most mistrusted, downtrodden people in the universe and they are not harming our system or town in anyway, shape, or form. I also suspect you work for the named daycares or treatment places. You must be profittng somehow and your statistics are simply made up out of your head.
Report ViolationI would like to clear something up...Somebody else posted this comment...Please knowtice how this person spells their username compared to how I do mine.
PLEASE don't confuse me with this person!!!
I'm curious what the heck is going on here??????
Posted by overfiftty at 01/02/10 06:55AM
Post ID#: #21983
Just because Granato works with the battered women's group and helps to get the south of the border women up here is no reason to criticize him. There are all kinds of ways to qualify, you don't have to have any bruises, it could be mental abuse. And because they are illegal is no reason to turn your back on a human beeing. Their network of shelters and buses is the perfect solution to give them safety. When they get up here they can relax and decide what to do with their lives. If it wasn't for them all of these learning daycares would be empty.
"I think Ogre what you're hear to prove is that normal "red, white and blue" Americans should be mistrusted in everything they do and say. That the innocents of the world "illegal aliens" are they most mistrusted, downtrodden people in the universe and they are not harming our system or town in anyway, shape, or form. I also suspect you work for the named daycares or treatment places. You must be profittng somehow and your statistics are simply made up out of your head."
HMMMM... where do you come up with that conclusion? Wishing that racist and xenophobic views weren't widespread is one thing... assuming that I hate most Americans is another.
Considering that the grand majority of the people I know are NOT illegal aliens, Mexican, brown, hispanic, or racist... I have a feeling that your punctuation and sentence structure are far too similar to readerone's and REVELATORY...
Which brings me to one conclusion, you are a racist and can't handle opinions that DON'T hate minorities.
My only responses in this topic have been corrections about widespread misconceptions about minorities.
Only problem is that certain folk here would rather pin the blame on brown folk that can speak spanish! If this wasn't the case, I wouldn't be posting so much
Yep... the economy is getting better..
The Daily Journal of Commerce ..
http://tinyurl.com/yboz6bj
Read the links at the bottom of the page.
overfifty
I don't want to get on your bad side, but didn't you make some sort of comment about battered women.
I think what's going on is that in a lot of forums you're there with a conservative message and then ogre always follows and she says a lot of people are racist and probably someone's just making fun of you guys.
But ogre, I don't want to get on your bad side, but you do seem to feel that a lot of people in Yakima are racist, and your figures seem way off, you should post where you're getting them.
Anyway I don't see what all the fuss about Granato is. So what if he is chubby or has a glandular problem or smokes pot, what's the big deal? Well , I guess he shouln't smoke pot. But as far as being over weight, I think that the officers have to stay in shape, but I've never heard that the chief does. You know, it's a quasi military organization. Come to think of it though the military does have to stay in shape. I remember Norman Swarskophf, the General that won the first gulf war, somebody said he was a little hefty so he took a body fat test and proved he was all muscle, so the military changed some things. I don't know if Granato is muscle or fat, and personally I don't care.
I do think that Big Daves comment about him being a seal and starting Delta Force can't be true. I've never heard of Mr. Ganato being in the Navy and I've read a lot of books about Delta Force and I know he didn't start it.
Ogre and overfiifty
I wouldn't worry too much if somones got a name kinda like yours, I don't think anybody really pays that much attention.
But I can tell you that Sam Granato was definetly not a Seal or with Delta Force. I don't know who that guy is saying, but it is against the law to claim military honors that are not yours, and Granato should correct it immediately. Again, the best way to get a life history of someone you're fascinated with and who was a public figure is to get a microfisch account for the city or state you're interested in. There's gonna be lots more than you could ever find on a search. It's only about $12.95 annually and you can get it right over the internet.
texascops
Look you're trying to make us think that you have secret info on Sam, well we love our chief. And contrary to what you hear about him slandering all the force, that's mostly coming from Dick Zais. Now about all this fancy stuff of whether or not he's fat or muscular, we don't give a heap about that either. Why don't you just stay in Texas with all your secrets and leave us alone. And if Sam likes to help battered women from Mexico and the gals get up here and all and have a great big family, well I say, this is one oldtimer that says go for it! Anything that will make the gals happy is alright with me. So were failing in math and science, that had nothing to do woth Granato.
(This comment has been removed by a Yakima Herald-Republic moderator)
Yakima critic
Most of your comments have always been conservative, so what's going on with this? Surely you realise that these gals will get up here and their status is illegal. That means that they can never betaken off welfare. In addition there have been alarming figures of sexual explotation of the women by women in the shelters or running them. Most people think that it is Christian women doing this, but that was in the old days. I'm not saying homosexuality is wrong, but if someone is in a vulnerable position and you have power over them, that is very wrong. It seems you've gone off the deep end today.
(This comment has been removed by a Yakima Herald-Republic moderator)
hopezzz wrote...
overfifty
I don't want to get on your bad side, but didn't you make some sort of comment about battered women.
NO I did not, and I did not post the comment about our police chief either. I think one person is posting comments under several usernames. Who ever it is really needs to get a life!
OVERFIFFTY
I wouldn't let it get you upset, it's probably easier to just get a new screen name. I'm going to go back and see what you're talking about. Maybe they just wanted that screen name and got it by accident. I noticed Ogrre was complaining about the same thing. But I wouldn't be so ashamed if Granato helps bring emotionally battered women from Mexico up here to relax and think and maybe start a family of their own. I mean it costs the taxpayers a fortune and no matter what ogre or ogrre thinks, increases crime and violence against police. That's the difficult thing to deal with, it actually increases violence against Granato's own men. But about your comment about Granato starting Delta Force, where did you get your info?
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