01/28/10 Lower Valley briefs

Sunnyside fills human resources job

SUNNYSIDE -- This city has found a new human resources specialist.

Sunnyside Interim City Manager Jim Bridges has hired Anna Bullock to replace Terri Rhode.

Bullock worked as a human resources specialist for the city of Richland for 17 years and a number of years after that as a human resources and office manager for a consortium of physicians. She currently lives in Kennewick.

Earlier this month, Bridges fired Rhode from her post as assistant to the city manager for human resources for reasons he has not disclosed.

Rhode and Pam Sandifer, an administrative assistant in the public works department, were placed on administrative leave in November pending an internal review.

Sandifer was suspended for two weeks without pay.

Heritage opens economic project

TOPPENISH -- Heritage University will celebrate the opening of its Community Economic Development Clinic on Friday.

The clinic is a pilot project that uses students, with the help of experts, to consult with low-income groups for the purpose of spurring economic growth.

The free event will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will include lunch at the university's Smith Family Hall, Arts and Science Center at 3240 Fort Road.

John A. Powell, executive director of the Kirwan Institute on Race and Poverty of Ohio State University, will be the keynote speaker.

For more information, call Heritage University at 509-865-8500.

Miss Prosser contest features five

PROSSER -- Five girls will compete for the title of Miss Prosser on Sunday.

The five girls, all juniors in high school, will perform in the annual pageant at 4 p.m. in the Prosser High School multi-purpose room.

Tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for kids 12 and younger. They are available at the Prosser Chamber of Commerce.

This year's contestants are Kirsten Alter, Esmy Jimenez, Whitney Milne, Jori Sherrill and Tanner White.

For more information, call the chamber at 509-786-3177.

Interest in grapevine book ferments

PROSSER -- A book by a Washington State University viticulturist here is a category best-seller on Amazon.com.

And it hasn't even been published yet.

Markus Keller, a grape researcher at WSU's Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center in Prosser, has written "The Science of Grapevines: Anatomy and Physiology."

It's scheduled for release Feb. 16, according to the Amazon.com Web site. But it was ranked No. 3 in sales -- all pre-orders -- in the plant physiology category Wednesday.

The Swiss-born Keller has worked in Switzerland, Australia and Argentina, as well as the Yakima Valley.

His book explores the physiology of grapevines around the world and deals with water, temperature and the possibility of global climate change, according to a review on Amazon.com.

It retails for $139.95.

Prosser levy topic of meeting

PROSSER -- Prosser School District leaders will hold one more informational meeting tonight about the upcoming maintenance and operations levy.

The meeting will be at 7 p.m. at the Whitstran Elementary School multipurpose room.

The district is asking voters on Feb. 9 to approve a two-year replacement levy to fund everything from educational programs to transportation and textbooks to sports.

For more information, call the school district office at 509-786-3323 or visit www.prosserschools.org.

Prosser citizens honored by chamber

PROSSER -- The Prosser of Chamber of Commerce held its 54th annual Community Awards Banquet on Tuesday.

Win Taylor, a Prosser School Board member and the city's former police chief, won two awards -- the Kiwanian of the Year and Distinguished Service Award.

Award winners were Barb Becken and Helen Willard, Farmers Market Star of the Market; Kathy Corliss and Wyatt Cone, Rotarians of the Year; Get a Grip, owned by Linda Lusk, Small Business of the Year; Joan Otness, Prosser's Outstanding Lady of the Year; and Freda Sensney, Outstanding Citizen Award.

A silent and live auction raised more than $12,000 for chamber activities.