Yakima County Prosecutor Joe Brusic was back on KIT this morning for his bi-weekly visit. There is a backlog of cases due to the delays caused by health & safety considerations driven by the Coronavirus pandemic.
The Yakima Sundome is still the place where jury selection occurs and given the hassles and delays to the process, some defense attorneys are of the opinion that their clients can t get a fair trial.
Another part of the problem is the overwhelming caseload for both prosecutors and defense counsel. Due to the backlog of cases, the threat of a jury trial is not as pressing for the defendants or as much leverage for prosecutors in negotiating for a plea deal.
Space Heater Blamed For Deadly Shed Fire
Fire investigators in West Valley say they believe a space heater was the cause of a fire in a shed on Ahtanum Road last Friday that took the lives of a father and daughter. The State Fire Marshals office is now handing the investigation with help from officials from the Federal Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms or ATF office. The wooden shed was in the backyard of a home in the 7600 block of Ahtanum Road when it caught fire last Friday morning. Firefighters arrived to find the shed engulfed in flames. They were unable to get inside because the fire was too intense.
City, County, State and Federal Offices Closed Monday
Where you hoping to get some business done on Monday? Don t forget Monday, February 15 is a National Holiday for Presidents Day which means city, county, state and federal offices will be closed. Many of the cities non-emergency services will be closed for the day resuming normal operations on Tuesday, February 15. Along with offices don t forget the holiday also means you won t be able to go to the bank or the post office. Banks and post offices are set to close on Monday but will resume normal business on Tuesday.
Along with city, county, state and federal offices Yakima Transit will not be providing bus service on Monday. If your garbage day is Monday it will continue as scheduled. The city senior center the Harmon Center will also be closed for the Holiday.