Murray touts role in fighting gang problems

YAKIMA -- When U.S. Sen. Patty Murray dropped into the Southeast Yakima Community Center on Friday, she was swarmed in a warm reception by boys and girls.

She dropped into the center at 1211 Seventh St. to see how federal dollars were helping youth stay out of gangs.

After she promised to stay committed to helping Yakima solve its gang problem during a brief news conference, boys and girls who were playing ball in the gym smiled as they gathered around her.

Murray paused for a moment while a few others standing by took photos.

"I'll tell you from what I saw today, we couldn't be making a better investment," she said.

At the center, Murray met with Yakima County Commissioner Kevin Bouchey, Yakima County Sheriff Ken Irwin and school safety coordinator Randy Town.

They all thanked her for the $500,000 she was able to secure in federal funds for gang prevention programs in Yakima last year.

"Sen. Murray, I want to thank you for providing funds so that I can help kids," said Junior Burson, a reformed gang member who now works as a case manager at the center to help kids either steer clear of gangs or get out of them.

He also helps them find jobs.

Of the $500,000, roughly $165,000 was shifted to the center's program, which also coordinates services to youth in the Lower Valley.

The dollars not only pay for the outreach program at the center, but also helped with the formation of the Yakima County Gang Commission, a contingency of law enforcement agencies, city and county leaders in 14 cities and towns including the Yakama Nation in the Yakima Valley.

As Murray makes her way through communities in a bid for a third term, her Republican opponent, Dino Rossi, said he too is committed to combating the gang problem.

"He wants to get it cleaned up -- he realized that there are problems all over the state and that this is high interest," said campaign spokeswoman Erin Daly. "He is definitely interested in fighting crime and making streets safe."

As Murray campaigns in Valley communities, she is touting her successes in securing $750,000 in federal dollars last year for gang prevention in this area.

"I am going to go back to D.C. and make Washington (D.C.) continue to work for this community," Murray said.

Some of that money will go toward a transitional school in Sunnyside to help keep kids caught in gangs and facing expulsion in the district, Town said.

"This will be a mechanism where we can pull them back in," Town said.

Earlier, she was given a brief tour of the center, and told how a program being funding by federal dollars she secured was working.

Standing in one corner of the gym as youth were playing volleyball, center director Ester Huey told Murray how the center's gang prevention-intervention program was working.

Youth are surveyed about their experiences with gangs, alcohol and drug use and violence. They are then diverted to programs to help them with whatever problems they may be dealing with.

High school students drop into the center to help students with homework.

So far, the center has 50 youth somehow impacted by gangs that it's helping return to school. It anticipates helping about 200 youth within the next year, Huey said.

This is the second time Murray has visited the center in as many years.

"I think it's good for her to see her dollars at work," Huey said.

* Phil Ferolito can be reached at 509-577-7749 or pferolito@yakimaherald.com.