WAPATO — Despite rumors of coming violence, a slain teenager’s funeral and burial went off without incident today.

Police from the city of Yakima’s gang enforcement division joined Wapato police and Yakima County sheriff’s deputies in patrolling the area outside St. Peter Claver Catholic Church and later outside the Reservation Community Memorial Park where 16-year-old Ricardo Cabrera was interred.

Cabrera was shot and killed last Wednesday in ... Read this post

Text of Republican John McCain's concession speech Tuesday in Phoenix.
___

MCCAIN: Thank you. Thank you, my friends. Thank you for coming here on this beautiful Arizona evening.

My friends, we have — we have come to the end of a long journey. The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly.

A little while ago, I had the honor of calling Senator Barack Obama to congratulate him.

Please.

To congratulate him on being elect... Read this post

Remarks of President-Elect Barack Obama
Election Night
Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008
Chicago, Illinois
 
 
If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.
 
It's the answer told by lines that stretche... Read this post

Speaking of voting, Moxee’s Toby Bradley has made it through the first round of Country Music Television’s “Music City Madness,” a national online talent search now in its third year.

Bradley’s video for his song “Bill Mack Won’t Play My Track” is now among the 32 hopefulls battling it out in a bracketed-style competition. Bradley made it to the top four in last year’s competition.

This second round of voiting is o... Read this post

Local Republican volunteers got a visit from a couple of heavy hitters this afternoon.

State party Chairman Luke Esser, wearing boxing gloves and entering to the “Rocky” theme, joined U.S. Rep. Doc Hastings at a GOP campaign office in west Yakima for a pugilism-themed pep rally of sorts.

Nearly two dozen campaign volunteers — including 14th District state House candidate Norm Johnson and Yakima County Commission candidate Kevin Bouchey — took a... Read this post

Update: We've just heard from David Ammons again, and Starbucks has decided to give all patrons a free tall coffee on Election Day. Ammons' e-mail included this statement from Starbucks' spokeswoman Tara Darrow: "To ensure we are in compliance with election law, we are extending our offer to all customers who request a tall brewed coffee. We're pleased to honor our commitment to communities on this important election day. We hope there is a record turnout on Tuesday and l... Read this post

The Yakima City Council will meet earlier than normal Tuesday because it is Election Day.

The council’s regularly scheduled bi-weekly business meeting will get under way at 2 p.m. instead of the usual starting time of 6 p.m.

A member of the council, Norm Johnson, is running for a seat in the state Legislature.

-- Posted by Chris Bristol

No, it wasn’t your eyes playing tricks on you; it was Norm Johnson.

The Republican candidate for an open 14th District state House seat printed up a couple of dozen paper masks with his face on them for a little Halloween fun on the campaign trail.

So if you drove by a busy Yakima intersection today and said, “Hey, that’s Norm Johnson. Wait, that’s Norm Johnson. No, that’s Norm over there,” well, now you have your explanation.

Joh... Read this post

McCain? Obama? Let the pumpkins decide.

Country radio station KXDD is hosting a Presidential Pumpkin Drop from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 4., at the fire station at 40th and Englewood avenues.

Voters will be lifted up in a cherry picker and drop a pumpkin on the campaign sign of their presidential choice — now that sounds about as folksy as you can get.

For more information about the pumpkin drop, call New Northwest Broadcasters at 248-2900.

Read this post

By JOEL CONNELLY
SEATTLE P-I COLUMNIST

YAKIMA -- The measure of the 2008 presidential campaigns' on-the-ground effectiveness calls to mind the mystery in which Sherlock Holmes' key clue was the dog that didn't bark.

Hillary Clinton's top aides yowled and bared teeth at each other in leaks to the media, long before the campaign ended. Lately, John McCain aides have pummeled Gov. Sara... Read this post