Raines Concedes Sunnyside Council Race To Hancock

Posted on November 8, 2009 by Jason R. Raines

**For Immediate Release**

2009 Sunnyside City Council District 1 Election

The past few months have afforded me the opportunity to meet many of the citizens of Sunnyside, to hear their concerns, and voice them throughout the campaign. For the first time, my opponent in the race, Theresa Hancock, has had competition on the ballot.

The race for office has been a learning experience, and I hope that Ms. Hancock and I are both the better off for having gone through it. As the late returns have come in, it is now clear that Ms. Hancock has been re-elected to office as Council Member for District 1.

Earlier today, I called Ms. Hancock to congratulate her on her victory, and wish her luck in her continuing service to the City as a Council Member. Although there are points about which we have disagreed in the past, there are many things about which we do agree.

Ms. Hancock’s conservative approach in evaluating budget increases will be needed to keep the tax burden on our citizens to a minimum. I am also supportive of her efforts to restore customer service at City Hall five days each week.

The single issue where I think the campaign has had the biggest impact, is on making law enforcement a higher priority for the City Council. Ms. Hancock has assured me that if another budget crunch occurs, the Police Department will be better protected from the layoff of officers.

By this measure, I would consider my campaign to be a success. I am excited about where the City of Sunnyside is currently positioned, and am very optimistic about the future. I wish to thank all of my campaign supporters and volunteers for all of the hard work they contributed during this election cycle. Without your contributions, encouragement, hard work, and activism, the campaign would not have been possible.

Now that the race is over in District 1, we can move on to making good things happen in our City government. Please join me in congratulating Ms. Hancock, and thanking her for being willing to continue to serve.

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Unknown Hispanic Female Robs Banner Bank In Sunnyside

Posted on November 7, 2009 by Jason R. Raines

The photos of the suspect have been released by the Sunnyside Police Department.  Here is the text of the police press release:

Bank Robbery

Sunnyside, WA- At approximately 11:30 this morning (Editor’s Note: Friday, November 6, 2009) an unknown female entered a bank in the 900 block of Edison Ave in Sunnyside wearing black sweatpants, a black sweatshirt, a blue bandana, black gloves and a yellow surgical mask. The suspect presented a note to the teller demanding money, displayed a firearm and left the bank with an undisclosed amount of money. No one was injured in the robbery. The investigation is ongoing; however there are no suspects at this time. Anyone with any information about this robbery should call the Sunnyside Police Department at 509.836.6200.

Suspect Description:

Hispanic Female

5’05 tall

120-130 lbs

Additional Information:

This is Sunnyside Police Department case number 09-10605.

Sunnyside Police are being assisted by the FBI.

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Carol Stone Pulls Within Five Votes Of Don Vlieger

Posted on November 6, 2009 by Jason R. Raines

The race for Sunnyside City Council District 3 is now separated by a mere five votes.  BLOGSUNNYSIDE estimates that the auditor’s office has 17 votes left on hand that could potentially be counted for Sunnyside voters.  If there is a problem with the ballot, it may not get counted in the final total.

If the election is within one-half of one percent (0.5%) a machine recount will be conducted under state law.  If the difference is one-fourth percent or less (.25%) a manual hand recount will be done.

Here are the updated numbers from the Yakima County Auditor:

  • City of Sunnyside; Council, District 1

Jason R. Raines 619 47.25%

Theresa Hancock 683 52.14%

Write-In 8 0.61%

  • City of Sunnyside; Council, District 2

Mike Farmer 765 57.22%

Jesse Hernandez, Jr. 566 42.33%

Write-In 6 0.45%

  • City of Sunnyside; Council, District 3

Carol Stone 649 49.17%

Donavon (Don) Vlieger 654 49.55%

Write-In 17 1.29%

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Shocking Soldier On Soldier Violence At Ft Hood

Posted on November 6, 2009 by Jason R. Raines

The shocking events that occurred yesterday at Ft. Hood, Texas are a reminder that bad things can happen both at home and abroad.

At this early stage, it is not entirely clear what the motivation was for a man to commit such an act against his fellow soldiers.  The chief suspect, Major Nidal Hasan, is reportedly a psychiatrist that previously served at Walter Reed.  He appears to be a convert to Islam, and some reports say he shouted “Allahu Akbar!” as he began to open fire.  The words are Arabic for “God is Great!”.

Major Hasan was apparently a critic of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  He may have been upset over new orders that would have had him deploy to serve in Afghanistan.

Some question how Hasan made the rank of Major, when he reportedly had a bad performance review.  In most cases, doctors and other professionals enter the military with the rank of Captain, following medical school.  Once they are board certified, they are almost automatically promoted to Major.  This is quite a bit different from how the members of the officer corps are promoted in combat arms.

Today, the Army held a world-wide moment of silence for their fallen comrades.  At least 13 are dead, and another 30 wounded as a result of this unfortunate incident.

Please take a moment to offer your own prayers for everyone effected by this tragic event.

Reference:

Fox News:

Army Chief of Staff: Fort Hood Massacre is a ‘Kick in the Gut’, as Investigators Search for Answers

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Change In Lead For Sunnyside Council District 1

Posted on November 4, 2009 by Jason R. Raines

After receiving updated information on the Sunnyside City Council races, I am now down 20 votes against incumbent Theresa Hancock.  Here is the updated info:

  • City of Sunnyside; Council, District 1,

Jason R. Raines 505 48.65%

Theresa Hancock 525 50.58%

Write-In 8 0.77%

  • City of Sunnyside; Council, District 2

Mike Farmer 626 58.89%

Jesse Hernandez, Jr. 433 40.73%

Write-In 4 0.38%

  • City of Sunnyside; Council, District 3

Carol Stone 504 47.95%

Donavon (Don) Vlieger 535 50.90%

Write-In 12 1.14%

Filed under: 2009 Election, Sunnyside Council, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Challengers Lead In Sunnyside Council Races

Posted on November 3, 2009 by Jason R. Raines

All three contested City Council seats in the City of Sunnyside have the challengers leading the incumbents in votes on Election Day.  While I lead my opponent by only one vote, the other two districts have a larger margin separating the candidates.

Almost 900 ballots have been counted.  We will have to see how the late arriving ballots break during the count tomorrow.

The bottom line is that the challenger is leading in every race, just like we would like.

Thanks to everyone that has supported the campaigns in each district, your hard work is appreciated.

Here is where we are right now:

  • City of Sunnyside; Council, District 1

Jason R. Raines 427 49.71%

Theresa Hancock 426 49.59%

Write-In 6 0.70%

Cast Votes: 859

  • City of Sunnyside; Council, District 2

Mike Farmer 519 59.18%

Jesse Hernandez, Jr. 356

Write-In 2 0.23%

Cast Votes: 877

  • City of Sunnyside; Council, District 3

Carol Stone 419 48.00%

Donavon (Don) Vlieger 445 50.97%

Write-In 9 1.03%

Cast Votes: 873 97.87%

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A Stone Lies In Sunnyside

Posted on November 2, 2009 by Jason R. Raines

Vlieger Family Lives In Sunnyside

In response to a request from City Council candidate Don Vlieger, I am posting an open letter to the citizens of Sunnyside on this blog.  Mr. Vlieger informed BLOGSUNNYSIDE that his opponent spread malicious rumors that he and his family do not live in the City of Sunnyside.

Mr. Vlieger told me personally that this is not true.  In fact, he is calling Ms. Stone a liar.  It appears this is not an isolated incident.  At least one other local elected official has been going door-to-door spreading the same misinformation.

BLOGSUNNYSIDE has confirmed by information obtained through the Yakima County Auditor’s office that Mr. Vlieger has voted in every election since at least the year 2000.  While even more voter history information may be available, I think that 9 years of voting history should be sufficient to end this pathetic attempt to smear a man and his family.

There is much more I could say about this, but I think the man can speak for himself.  Here is Mr. Vlieger’s letter:

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE CITIZENS OF SUNNYSIDE

People used to yell at President Harry Truman, “Give ‘em hell Harry”. He would answer, “I just tell the truth, and they think its hell”

That is how I feel about the current City Council election. I hear some people complaining that comparing the incumbent’s record to mine and detailing what she supported or how she voted is negative campaigning. I have not been personal,only factual. That is why I put the date next to every position that she took, so anyone can go on the city’s web site, listen to the archived meeting and hear for themselves.

As for my time on City Council, I am very proud of my record of lower crime, enough cops on the street, low taxes and fees, with budget surpluses six out of seven years. Regarding the Monson purchase, getting rid of the biggest eyesore and public health problem in Sunnyside is something I will never regret. Also, we will get all or most of our money back from selling the land. That can’t be said of all the money the incumbent authorized to spend on new vehicles and new employees. The positive results of my time on council are a matter of public record.

I feel compelled to answer a personal charge that has been made against me in a whisper campaign. That charge is that I don’t live in Sunnyside. Short of photo copying my driver’s license, my voter record and my children’s school records, all I can say is that I have lived in Sunnyside continuously since 1996. Those who are saying otherwise are lying. One of the people saying this is Carol Stone (I have the e-mail she sent out saying I live in Idaho). Now, I just called her a liar in public. If I am not telling the truth, then she has a great case to sue me. I can’t wait!

My dad taught me that you can judge the quality of a man by the character and integrity of his enemies; I think I am doing just fine. I am willing to tolerate honest criticism; however I will not stand by quietly when my character and reputation are being attacked. This letter is probably too late to effect the election either way, but it is not too late to square my reputation.

Thank you

Don Vlieger

Filed under: 2009 Election, Sunnyside Council, Traditional Values, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Straight Talk In Sunnyside

Posted on October 30, 2009 by Jason R. Raines

Back on June 11, 2009, the Yakima Herald-Republic ran an editorial entitled:

Straight Talk May Clear the Clouds Over Sunnyside

In it, the Herald criticized the talent of the Sunnyside City Council for grabbing headlines, in part by saying:

The City Council has proven that grabbing headlines may not be the best way to conduct its business. It all started June 2 when the council, in a 4-2 vote, decided to fire its city manager, Eric Swansen, who had been on the job only 11 months.

The editorial then goes on to recap the resignations of the City Attorney (with 17 years experience working for the City of Sunnyside), the Finance Director, and Council Member Bill Gant, who all quit in protest over the firing of Mr. Swansen.

The Herald went on to ask if it is fair to blame Mr. Swansen for the stormwater plan that they approved.  I would like to point out that my opponent not only supported the flawed plan, but praised it, saying other communities would emulate the Sunnyside model for stormwater plans!

The editorial closes by suggesting Council Members need to be more forthcoming with the citizens of the community.  They also ask for more open government so the public will know why such major decisions are being made.

The current City Council cut the police department, despite public outcry to keep the officers on our streets.  Public safety, in my opinion, should be the number one priority in our City Budget.  The failure of this Council to protect its citizens and businesses has been a major focus of mine.

However, the “implosion at City Hall” as the Daily Sun News referred to it, can not be overlooked.  In the last four years, we have had four different City Managers/Interim City Managers.  We have seen the departure of senior staff, not because of the pay they received, but because of a revolt against the bad leadership decisions of the current City Council.

It is time to make some positive changes.  That is why I am running for City Council.  It is time to vote out the incumbents.

If elected, I will stop the practice of blaming past Council Members, former City Managers, and City Staff for problems.  I will take personal responsibility for my voting decisions.

It is time to do as the Yakima Herald suggested we do.  It is time for some straight talk with the public, and time to end the blame game.

We Deserve Better Government!

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Sunnyside Traffic Stop Leads To Drug Bust

Posted on October 29, 2009 by Jason R. Raines

In a press release dated October 28, 2009, City of Sunnyside Police announced that a traffic stop lead to a drug bust.  During the stop, initially made for a defective brake light, the officer noticed baggies (used for packaging drugs for sale), and the smell of marijuana.

Sunnyside Police Drug Bust Photo

Sunnyside Police Department Photo

The vehicle registration even had bits of marijuana in the folds, as it was pulled out of the vehicle glove box.  Three of the four occupants of the vehicle were eventually charged with possession of marijuana.  $1,200 of cash was seized, as well as a box of .22 caliber bullets, and other drug paraphernalia.

This is further evidence of drug trafficking in the City of Sunnyside.  As police make traffic stops, and smell marijuana, drug busts can be made.  If this kind of bust can be made, just from what an officer smells, imagine how much more can be done with a fully staffed police department equipped with drug dogs!  With new leadership on the City Council, we can make that happen.

Congratulations to the officers involved in this most recent drug bust.  It is an example of what can be accomplished with greater frequency, with proper leadership on our City Council.  Vote out the incumbents.

We Deserve Better Government!

Filed under: 2009 Election, Sunnyside Council, Sunnyside Crime Issues, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Drug Dogs Show Success In Yakima County

Posted on October 26, 2009 by Jason R. Raines

The Yakima Herald-Republic reported recently on the successful use of drug dogs in Yakima County.  The dogs are part of the Yakima police force, and were temporarily reassigned to duty on highways in Yakima County.

During the month of September, the two dogs used in the interdiction effort resulted in 21 drug arrests being made.  $2,800 in cash was also seized, along with a variety of different drugs, and two pistols.  In addition, three vehicles were also seized.

The operation was conducted with help from the DEA, as well as Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Officers assigned to the drug dogs have extra training in interdiction, which focuses on making traffic stops that are intended to look more closely for drugs.

Interlocal agreements, mutual aid pacts, and other legal instruments can allow for officers to work outside of their normal jurisdictions.

This is a good thing, because as we all know, gangs and drug dealers do not stop at the city limits sign when in the act of committing a crime.

In Sunnyside, we have a tremendous opportunity to make a positive change for our community by restoring our police department to full staffing.  After reversing the damaging cuts inflicted by the current City Council, we can obtain drug dogs of our own to fight crime in the Lower Valley.

With teamwork, we can potentially conduct operations like the one mentioned in the Yakima Herald article.  It is time for better results.  We simply can not afford to allow the criminals to continue to gain the upper hand by having a  Council that is not focused on public safety.

This is why I support the proposal by some of the other candidates to obtain and use drug dogs during traffic stops in Sunnyside.  With a fully staffed, and better resourced police department, we can turn the tide against gangs and drugs.

Vote out the incumbents.

We Deserve Better Government!

Reference:

Yakima Herald-Republic: YPD reports results from interdiction on highways

Filed under: 2009 Election, Sunnyside Council, Sunnyside Crime Issues, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

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