Selah opening new skate park

SELAH -- Skaters of all skill levels are encouraged to strut their stuff during the Selah Skate Park grand opening celebration Saturday. The event will run from noon to dusk at the new plaza-style park, built on city property near the tennis courts on South Wenas Road and Wood Field baseball park. Free pop and hot dogs will be served all day, while a skate contest and raffle will begin at 1 p.m. and a best-trick contest will start at 4 p.m. Prizes will be awarded.

The park's opening has prompted the Selah Parks and Recreation Department to offer "Intro to Skate Boarding" from 10 to 11 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays from June 24 to July 24. The class is open to kids between the ages of 6 and 12. The cost is $15 for residents, $18 for those living in the Selah School District and $20 for everyone else.

The Selah Skate Park Association and the city of Selah worked together to build the new skate park, which is worth more than $30,000. It will be locked up each night and patrolled by the police department.

For more information, call the Selah Parks and Recreation Department at 698-7300.

Four-legged critters will parade

ELLENSBURG -- More than 200 wiener dogs -- everyone's favorite low-riding canines -- will waddle through downtown Ellensburg Saturday during the fifth annual "Dachshunds on Parade" event.

The daylong festivities, expected to draw more than 2,000 spectators, include a stupid pet tricks and a costume contest. Here's the schedule:

* 8 to 11 a.m. -- "Breakfast with the Dogs," sponsored by Rodeo City Kiwanis

* 9 to 10:30 a.m. -- "Dachshunds on Parade" registration

* 10:30 a.m. -- costume contest

* 11 a.m. -- Parade and poker run

* Noon -- Dachshund races and stupid pet tricks

For more information, contact the Ellensburg Chamber of Commerce at (509) 925-2002. Or, visit www.dachshundsonparade.com, or www.visitellen.com. The pooches even have their own MySpace address: www.myspace.com/dachshundsonparade.

Diversity Dinner books Lt. governor

WAPATO -- Lt. Gov. Brad Owen will headline the Diversity Dinner on Saturday in Wapato.

The dinner, coordinated by the 15th Legislative District Democrats, will also include appearances by U.S. House candidate George Fearing of Kennewick, Yakima County Commission candidate Jesse Farias of Wapato, and state House candidates John Gotts and Tao Berman of White Salmon.

The event will be at the Filipino Community Hall, 211 W. Second St. in Wapato. For ticket information, call Tomas Villanueva at 930-0602.

Yard sale will benefit girl with cancer

YAKIMA -- Holy Redeemer Church is holding a yard sale Friday and Saturday to raise money for a seventh-grader who's fighting bone cancer.

Classmates, teachers and other volunteers have organized the sale to benefit 13-year-old Anelia Botello, who attends Lewis and Clark Middle School. She was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in March and has been living at the Ronald McDonald House in Seattle while receiving treatment.

Anelia's the middle of five sisters, the youngest of whom is an infant. Her mother is staying with her in Seattle. Her dad, a local postman, has been commuting back and forth to maintain work and the rest of the family.

Anelia's had surgery and is undergoing chemotherapy. She's expected to continue treatment in Seattle through October.

All of the money from the yard sale will go directly to the Botello family. The sale takes place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the church parking lot, 1707 S. Third Ave.

Cop on Top raised more than $3,700

YAKIMA -- The amount of money raised by the Cop on Top keeps rising.

The annual Special Olympics fundraiser held June 6-7 by Yakima police Lt. Mike Merryman raised $3,719, according to a final tally released Wednesday.

For the past five years, Merryman has spent most of two days perched on the roof of Top Foods on South First Street. He collects donations for Special Olympics activities in Yakima County as part of the organization's annual Law Enforcement Torch Run.

Altogether, Merryman's efforts have raised $13,597.98 for Special Olympics, which provides sporting opportunities for the developmentally disabled.

-- Yakima Herald-Republic