Coming up on your local news, the big three hit Capitol Hill again today with the feds
saying they can give to keep the automakers afloat.
Misdemeanors versus mental health, the laws are changing.
We'll tell you how.
Well it's going to be chilly tonight and tomorrow night, but will things warm up this weekend?
I'll let you know in a bit.
And 20 million reasons to remember a local philanthropist, who she is and where the money
is going that she left to Yakima in her will.
Live from Yakima and the Tri-Cities, CapTV Local News at 11 starts now.
Good evening, I'm Stacy Vasco.
Thanks for staying up with us tonight.
The heads of the big three auto companies drove up to Capitol Hill today to plead for
massive government loans, but once again they faced tough scrutiny even from lawmakers
sympathetic to their case.
ABC's T.J. Winnick has that story.
It's nice across America.
Perhaps their last chance to save the American auto industry, the CEOs of GM Chrysler and
Ford were asked about a Plan B if Congress did not cough up the $34 billion collectively
sought by the big three.
We want to focus on Plan A today.
Senate banking chairman Chris Dodd opened the hearings by issuing a warning to those inclined
to let the automakers slide into bankruptcy.
That plays Russian roulette with the entire economy of the United States.
Inaction is no solution.
The executives defended their new and improved business plans highlighted by massive cost
cutting and faster production of alternative fuel vehicles, and they argued their current
predicament was not of their own doing.
We produce more vehicles than our customers wanted and then slash prices.
We're here today because we made mistakes, which we're learning from, because some forces
beyond our control have pushed us to the brink.
The ranking Republican complained the price tag on the package had jumped $9 billion in
just two weeks.
If you made this presentation to get a bank loan, I suspect that any sensible banker would
summarily dismiss your request.
Even the head of the United Auto Workers Union came under fire for not making large enough
concessions on wages and benefits, but Ron Gettelfinger fired back.
UAW vigorously opposes any attempt to make workers and retirees the scapegoats.
One proposal raised at the hearings is to follow the 1979 Chrysler bailout model by
having a government panel or a single CARSAR create a restructuring plan for the auto companies.
TJ Winnick, ABC News, Washington.
And stocks tumbled during the last hour of trading today.
The Dow Jones is down 215 points and all other major indexes fall over 2.5%.
Investors are worrying about November's employment report due out tomorrow.
It could show that the job market is getting worse.
A federal judge in California is ordering the toy company MGA to stop producing the
popular Bratz dolls.
The ruling comes after another ruling saying that the dolls were developed by a designer
while he was working for Mattel.
The judge found that hundreds of Bratz products and fringe copyrights owned by Mattel.
He organized MGA to recall all Bratz dolls from retailers and to destroy equipment used
to make the dolls.
The ruling, if upheld, would mean good news for Mattel's iconic Barbie, which has lost
market share to the Bratz dolls since their launch back in 2001.
Well, closer to home tonight, changes are on the way for education in Prosser.
The Prosser School Board is asking the public to approve a $47.6 million bond.
It would pay for a new high school to be built on district-owned property.
In addition, Columbia Basin College plans to offer an English and second language class
this winter quarter.
Columbia Basin College has also expressed serious interest in taking over a part of
the existing school if a new one is built.
We have access to courses and training and those types of things here in our community
with connection to CBC, that's a great thing.
The bond will be on the March ballot.
Now, regardless of voters passing the bond issue, the college is moving forward with
providing classes in Prosser.
Incoming Washington State School Superintendent Randy Doran says the state needs to look at
raising taxes to meet its commitment to education.
Doran told the Associated Press that the state constitution says education is the paramount
duty of the government.
Right now, Governor Gavar is looking to cut the education budget.
Her budget proposal is expected sometime in the next two weeks.
With less than four weeks left in the year, the city of Mabton has yet to come up with
a preliminary budget for 2009.
The budget must be passed by December 31st.
Now, before that can happen, though, there must be at least two weeks of public hearings
to go over it.
The city council must also approve it.
If a budget is not passed, the city can't spend any money.
The only progress that's been made is some discussions on past budgets and some funding
requests from department heads.
Councilmembers will meet again tomorrow for a budget workshop.
There's lots of changing faces for downtown Yakima Economic Development Group.
Leaders announced the resignation of Director Sean Hawkins.
He was one of two people hired last year to run the Committee for Downtown Yakima.
Hawkins' partner left earlier this year.
Board members already hired her replacement.
The board will soon look for his replacement.
Leaders say funding for the committee is more stable and that will make the job look more
attractive to applicants across the nation.
Hawkins leaves for a new job in Kentucky next month.
A Yakima woman leaves her mark on the community with a $20 million donation for education.
Family lawyers gave details of the gift left by Mary Monroe Molly Davis.
The money will be used for college scholarships.
Mary Tech is getting $4 million of it.
The donation puts her in the same league of another Yakima philanthropist.
Helen Jewett gave millions.
Some of it was used to open facilities like daycare centers.
What makes Davis slightly different though is that she kept her donation a secret.
It was only made public after her death last month.
And someone who I think deserves a million bucks for bringing us the sunshine today are
Jason Valentine who is in the Weather Center tonight.
And Jason hopefully you would use that million bucks to buy us more sunshine for this weekend.
Absolutely and I'd probably buy some stock in our car companies because they need it.
But anyways who cares about that.
It is cold right now and it's going to be the same thing tomorrow but it is beautiful.
So we got kind of two things together.
Look at that morning we had here at Yakima.
Actually I'm sorry that's sunset but it's beautiful.
Just look at that blue sky.
We're going to see a lot more of that.
Let's take a look at the Almanac for the day.
Actually we're hitting right now the low for Yakima but things are pretty much average
for Yakima and the Tri-Cities as well.
But look at that.
Ten degrees off the norm.
So it is chilly out there.
I'll have more on if it's going to continue and some precipitation on the way.
Back to you Stacey.
Thank you Jace.
Mental illness versus misdemeanors.
The hot issue in Yakima tonight.
Our Lindsay France joins us live from Yakima tonight to tell us how criminal justice is
changing in the area.
Lindsay?
Stacey, it's called pre-arrest jail diversion.
A new way of catching mentally ill criminals and apparently it's working really well.
Tonight law enforcement and mental health professionals gathered to say the program is here to stay.
Is that full movement of criminalizing mental illness?
Rather than having them cycle in and out of the criminal justice system.
Think of revolving doors.
That's exactly what happened.
Here's what it looks like.
Officers head to the scene, check out the mental health situation, and get an expert immediately on site.
Then the person chooses treatment or jail.
One client we had had been arrested up to a hundred times and since being involved in diversion
hasn't ended up back in trouble with law enforcement.
The sheriff's office is a huge fan.
Sergeant Mike Russell's got plenty of stories.
We arrested her and gave her the option of going through mental health treatment as opposed to incarceration.
She chose that option and the father, the husband rather, was literally in tears that she finally accepted this.
There's a lot of dynamics right now that are happening across the United States.
You're dealing with veterans going across, coming back from the war.
Are they criminals or do they have something that can be dealt with by a professional?
Here's the numbers.
Every arrest costs you, the public, 4,000 bucks.
In one year the diversion program has gotten 205 people off the street and into treatment,
which has saved you $800,000.
It's a big number.
As it stands right now, the average arrest numbers for the 205 people brought into the program
are anywhere between 4 and 14.
Stacy?
Thank you, Lindsay.
Now if you'd like to learn more about this new program, just log on to our website,
CAPTV or kvtv.com.
Just click on Newslinks.
Criminals will have a harder time eluding police across the Western region.
Today the Washington State Patrol announced an improved fingerprint identification system.
Police in eight Western states will be connected to a much larger and more effective fingerprint database.
If Washington authorities catch someone wanted in Idaho, police will know who they have.
It cuts down on the chances of releasing a fugitive.
...into other states, other Western states like in Idaho or Oregon,
and see if this person is wanted in those states also.
And this allows us to look instantly.
Now in 2005, a fingerprint mishap led Oregon authorities to release Lauren Moreno,
a man wanted for killing his Kennewick in-laws.
This new fingerprint system also reduces costs for local departments
relating to computer software, hardware, and maintenance.
Also ahead on Local News at 11, recommendations for a cleaner Washington state,
what the governor says, needs to happen in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2020.
And a local business is up for national marks, how you can help Beaver Bark take home the national award.
Stay with us.
...
Live from Yakima in the Tri-City, you're watching Camp K-View Local News at 11
with Stacy Vasco, Weather with Jason Valentine, and Chris Bott Sports.
...
This portion of the news brought to you by Regis and Jellie.
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Welcome back and look what we caught outside the KVU SkyCam.
The morning! It's just looking fantastic tonight.
Actually, tonight is a perfect night to take out the telescope and do some sky watching, because it is absolutely clear, but it's also absolutely cold.
Let's take a look at the local conditions.
20 degrees. Yes, we've hit our low for the day this hour in the Yakima Tri-Cities.
It was actually up. We were at 22 last hour, so things are at least heating up a little bit, but it's still going to be quite cold tonight, and it's going to be quite cold tomorrow night.
Now the reason we're not getting any precipitation ended being cold.
We're getting a jet stream from the Pacific, and we got a low pressure system and a high pressure system, so we're kind of in a safe pocket, if you will.
And you know how it is. When it's clear, there's no clouds to keep in the heat, so it gets cold at night.
So we're going to experience that the next two nights, but this is Friday.
There's that low pressure system coming down. This is also going to bring us some moisture coming in to next week, possibly starting with the weekend.
Now as you can see, the storm tracker radar, it is dry in Washington, and it's going to be tomorrow.
So it might be a good time. Hopefully you're leaving tomorrow to watch Prosser play in the Tacoma Dome for the state championship.
So it'll be a good day tomorrow because there might be some precipitation coming over the weekend.
Tonight, what's happening in Yakima, again, 20 degrees is the low for Yakima, so we've hit our low.
Make it even lower, so watch out.
But please remember also the outdoor burning van is in effect for Yakima Reservation, and it's going to go through tomorrow, and it could continue.
We'll let you know about that.
Expect some fog tonight and tomorrow as well.
But we've been experiencing that in the morning for the past week and a half, about 39 in Yakima.
On the way down to the mid-Columbia, same story, very cold, 22 in the Tri-Cities, 23 in Pendleton, fog tonight and fog tomorrow morning.
Winds are light, so that's nice. 38 in Tri-Cities. It's going to be a lot like today.
There's a few more clouds. Your travel forecast for tomorrow is going to be clear and mild.
Spokane continues to be the coldest spot in Washington.
Your Sunday forecast for Yakima, look at that.
Things heat up a bit if you consider 49 to be heating up on Saturday, but it is a 10 degree difference.
And we're going to have 40s and 30s pretty much for the entire week, and we have a chance of rain starting Saturday.
It hits its apex on Tuesday, where we've got 40 percent showers.
So we're going to see some precipitation coming up, and the same thing for Tri-Cities.
We're going to warm up on the weekend, and then we might see some rain as the week starts.
Not so much sunshine this weekend.
But tomorrow, Mr. Sun will come out and say hi. Maybe au revoir. We'll see you later.
I think that's what it is. Adios, sunshine.
Yes, absolutely.
All right, thank you, Jason.
You bet.
Still ahead on News of the 11, it's enough to clean up our act.
What new recommendations show about how much Washingtonians may have to cut back to help the planet go green?
And there's a new face leading the Washington Apple Commission, who he is and what he plans to do to boost international sales at a time of economic crisis.
This portion of the news is brought to you by Entertainment Tonight, weeknights at 7.
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A governor appointed task force releases its final recommendations on protecting the environment in Washington State.
But not everyone on the panel agrees with the proposals or how Kwong explains why the report is already coming under fire.
After nearly two years on the job, the climate action team unveiled its final report.
It's five hundred ninety seven pages long, entitled Leading the Way, Implementing Practical Solutions to the Climate Change Challenge.
Our government is out of touch with what the small business owners are going through, what our costs are.
Steve Dilley owns Homs Pacific Transport in Pasco.
He has about 30 drivers who trek three million miles a year.
They rang up a two hundred twenty five thousand dollar fuel bill in September.
We cannot afford to tax. We cannot afford any more taxes, especially for a cap program carbon expense.
Sharing Dilley's sentiments is State Senator Jerome Delvin, who sits on the task force.
In a dissenting opinion, he says the recommendations limit the number of miles people can drive, crippling those dependent on travel for their livelihood, such as salespeople and truckers.
But other members of the task force say the report is a sensible approach to climate control.
From agriculture to recreation to tourism, all of these facets depend on environmental health.
So as our environment suffers, so does our economy.
The report calls for utility tax credits for energy efficient buildings, compact urban development, improved recycling campaigns and polls to cut down driving.
In Pasco, Hal Kwon, KAP, KV Local News.
Governor Gwagwai wants the state to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to the year 1990 levels by the year 2020.
Now, these are only recommendations. Some will be turned into bills during the next legislative session in January.
The federal government plans to find Hanford a Hanford contractor.
The U.S. Department of Energy wants to issue a three hundred eighty five thousand dollar fine to the contractor building a nuclear waste treatment plan at the Hanford site.
The fine is for failing to improve quality and solve problems relating to the piping used in areas that are so radioactively hot that workers can't even enter them.
An energy department official says the Bechtel National has had numerous chances to correct those problems.
The Washington Apple Commission names Todd Friover as its new president.
With stiff competition in foreign markets, Friover will have his hands full in growing sales internationally.
The president is bringing a plan to the table to focus on international sales, which makes up almost 30 percent of total sales.
The commission has an eight million dollar budget and plans to use over 80 percent of that on international marketing.
Mexico was the top importer of Washington Apples last year with eight million boxes.
Friover hopes to increase that number to eleven million this year.
Beaver Bark in Richland is up for a national award.
The gift in Garden Center is up for Merchandiser of the Year from lawn and garden retailer.
Beaver Bark is competing against two other U.S. retailers. To get the award though, the store needs your help with online votes.
Now to vote for Beaver Bark, log onto our website kbtv.com and click on Newslinks. Polls close December 22nd.
A possible big news surfacing out of Montlake today are the Huskies may have found their new head football coach.
We'll tell you who the man is and why you could be seeing a whole lot more of him on the sidelines for years to come.
This is Back with Sports after the Bay.
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A portion of the news is sponsored by Bud Clary's Toyota of Yakima.
Time for sports with Chris Budd.
Today, Pat Hill and Mike Leach both said they're not interested in becoming the new head football coach at the University of Washington.
So at that point, it may seem like the Huskies weren't ready to make a decision.
Apparently Hill and Leach knew something we did not know.
Because ESPN is reporting USC offensive coordinator Steve Sarkazian will be the next head...