March

Pipes on a diet

The Washington State Department of Ecology (DOE) has started a campaign called "Put Your Pipes on a Fat-Free Diet," encouraging communities to make wiser choices about what they pour down the drain.

"It's a concern for every community, but it is of particular concern for smaller communities," Joye Redfield-Wilder, public information manager for the DOE's Yakima office, said in an interview.

The campaign wants to curb the dumping of oils, fats and grease, which block sewer systems, causing sewage spills and sewage overflows, according to a DOE press release.

The program is mostly aimed to small communities, as they may not afford a program of this nature on their own.

"Many big cities may have their own programs, but the smaller communities don't have as much money and resources, said Lynda Jamison, a water quality specialist at the DOE.

Some restaurants, delis and grocery stores have "grease traps," keeping large amounts of grease, oils and fats away from the sewer systems. Not everyone uses these traps, Jamison said.

Mark Botello, the city's planning director, said city employees would begin inspecting restaurants' use of these traps. Businesses that don't use one might potentially be fined $250 per day, he added.

Tom Dew, manager and owner of Country Boys, said that the business had to have a grease trap in order to open three years ago.

Olguin to parks committee

Soledad Olguin, a Mexican-born housekeeper made history in late February by becoming the first Latino woman to join the Cashmere Parks and Recreation Committee, in passing becoming the highest-ranking Latino in Cashmere' s civic life.

"I've always liked to be involved in everything that has to do with the welfare of the children," Olguin said Wednesday in an interview conducted entirely in Spanish.

She does not see herself as a trailblazer but as someone who has always loved being there. She has been attending PTO meetings, and Head Start meetings. Now she has another meeting to attend.

Finding time for everything has been a struggle, she said. A packed schedule, she notes, is the main reason why people don't get involved. Why Latinos don't get involved is a different story.

"It's a cultural thing," she said. "If you take a look, our meeting today was at 5:30 and I showed up six minutes late."

She does not know if the spot in the parks commission will serve as a steppingstone to a council spot someday, but for now she wants to see children involved, at all times, and of all ages.