September is national Hunger Action Month – a month where people all over America stand together to fight hunger. It’s a month to spread the word and act on the hunger crisis to aid in the awareness in finding a solution so no child, adult or senior experiences enduring hunger.

18 years ago, terrorists declared war on America with four coordinated attacks against the United States on the morning of September 11 - taking the lives of 3,000 people, injuring over 6,000 others, and destroying both World Trade Center buildings and severely damaging the Pentagon.

The City of Sunnyside and Port District agencies each share in economic development pursuits; they receive taxpayer monies to move binding interests forward with a goal of generating revenues which strengthen long term growth. The port’s success coupled with its leadership stability has created a powerful authority which rises above their city colleagues.

As the back to school intensity begins to pick up throughout the lower valley for students and parents, there’s a momentum of building advanced programs at area campuses with the construction of facilities. These facilities when complete, will accommodate expanding educational opportunities …

Sunnyside’s National Night Out was a community summer party which brought residents together as neighbors and strengthened the relationship between families and law enforcement while enhancing our hometown values of public safety, education and old fashion fun.

The timing of Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s Federal Civil Rights lawsuit against the city of Sunnyside one week before the primary election day was a well prepared and calculated announcement to bring statewide attention to both parties and their communications breakdown in failing to resolve the city’s Crime Free Rental Housing Program (CFRHP) issues.

Carrying out the duties of public office can be a thankless job. The sacrifice of time lost with family and the disruptive scrutiny of representing your community whether you’re in agreement with constituents or not – all our lower valley elected officials should be thanked for their willingness to serve their respective communities.

Summertime recreational fun of cooling off with family and friends or swimming laps as part of a fitness routine at the Sunnyside pool should be open to all, even on Saturdays – an entire day of private pool rental availability, from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. prohibits community-wide accessibility of the city’s downtown public attraction.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Yakima posted a page with a document listing names of priests and deacons with substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of a minor on Wednesday, July 10 — more than 17 years following the Boston Globe’s investigation of the scandal titled, “Spotlight Investigation: Abuse in the Catholic Church.”

There is no question there is value in having professional police officers in schools.

After more than 100 years of having no Fourth of July celebration in Sunnyside — the Sunnyside Lions in 1995 decided to hold a celebration in the park — just a few games and a couple of eating contests and sack races. Plus, a few speakers, from patriotic to military hometown heroes.

The City of Sunnyside faces tight budget constraints and the allocation of funds to the Parks and Recreation Department is almost non-existent — revenue sources which would result in programs for local youth can no longer be ignored and need to be established.

Sunnyside residents have an opportunity to state their objections about any council member taking part in a public hearing and should not be intimidated by anyone on the dais, or in the audience, when exercising their right.

There was not an empty seat inside the Law and Justice Center’s Municipal Court, which is also used for the City Council chambers, as concerned residents took part in the special meeting regarding the proposed Marijuana Control Ordinance on June 6.

Health insurers have proposed an average rate increase of less than 1 percent for the individual market after three years of double-digit rate increases in premiums – Good news for Washingtonians, at least for now.