This fall, Columbia Basin College's Dental Hygiene program is focusing on dental care for adults age 18 or older.

Many services are offered at a reduced rate, including cleanings, exams, x-rays, fluoride treatments, and sealants.

Fall clinic hours are 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesdays, and 8-11 a.m. Fridays through December 4. All appointments are held at the dental clinic located on the CBC Pasco campus.

Estimates are available to determine the needs of the patients, the timeframe for patient care, and the cost for services. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call 542-4571 or visit www.columbiabasin.edu/dentalclinic.

Columbia Basin College has recruited two dozen professionals from Tri-City public agencies and businesses to be the first students in a new yearlong leadership course.

Maj. Doug Crandall, a former leadership instructor at the West Point Academy, will teach the group, which will meet for nine months.  Guest lecturers will come from business schools at Harvard and Stanford universities, the University of Washington, the Air Force Academy and West Point.

Students also will go on a field trip to Seattle, have coaching sessions with Crandall and be mentored by a community leader or sit on a nonprofit agency’s board.

CBC President Rich Cummins said he and Crandall came up with the idea for the Leadership Fellows Program last summer and began looking for potential sponsors who would pay to send professionals to the training.

The group’s first session is at 7 p.m. today in the college board room on the Pasco campus.

Cummins said if all goes as planned the college will offer a leadership certificate next year.

The program is designed to be self-supporting under the college’s community education program.  Tuition pays all costs.  Business sponsors pay $6,000 per student, while nonprofit groups pay $3,000.

The first class has 24 students.  They are:  Terri Cole and Christie McAloon from Benton PUD; Kris Stauffer from City of Richland; Gary Deardorff, Evelyn Lusignan and Maxine Whattam, from City of Kennewick; Randy Hayden for Port of Pasco; rick White from City of Pasco; Nikki Gerds from Pasco Chamber of Commerce; Martin Valadez from Columbia Basin College; Tyler Gilmore from Pacific Northwest Laboratory; Theresa Richardson from Habitat for Humanity; Cory Hatcher from Cadwell Labs; Keith Zink from Pay Plus Benefits; Jex Biorn and Ian McGregor from The McGregor Co.; Kyle Barclay, Mark Knight, Brandon Price and Pamela Stowers from AgriNorthwest; Martin Bertsch, Sue Duffy and Mark Schuster from ConAgra Foods; and Kirt Shaffer from Tippett Co.

Additional news stories can be accessed online at the Tri-City Herald.

Columbia Basin College has set an admissions application deadline of December 11, 2009 for winter quarter.  In the past, potential students could apply for enrollment right up until the time classes started each quarter.  Winter quarter begins January 4, 2010.

After students apply for admission, they must take placement tests to determine if they are prepared for college math, English and reading.  Research shows that those applying for admission late, register for classes late, and have the highest rate of failure among college students.

In addition, with classes filling up, it’s important that students apply as soon as possible to be able to register for their classes. 

For more information, contact Enrollment and Admissions at CBC, 542-4524.

Additional news stories can be accessed online at the Tri-City Herald

KENNEWICK -- Julie Rivett has only two memories of her famous grandfather, author Dashiell Hammett.

Paul T. Erickson/Herald-Julie Rivett, granddaughter and biographer of author Dashiell Hammett is in town to discuss her grandfather's writing career as part of Mid-Columbia Libraries' Big Read Event.

Rivett is Hammett's granddaughter by his daughter, Jo Hammett, and was 3 years old when Hammett died in New York City in 1961.

She had met him just once during a week-long family trip from Southern California to visit Hammett and playwright Lillian Hellman on Martha's Vineyard off the Massachusetts coast.

The two things she remembers are that Hammett showed her how to hold her hand out flat to feed his poodles, and him taking her up into a round room in a tower to make echoing noises.

After he died, she was left with Hammett's short stories, novels and letters as her only means to get to know him.

Rivett was in Kennewick on Friday to celebrate what could be considered Hammett's greatest work -- The Maltese Falcon -- the featured book for the Mid-Columbia Libraries' Big Read in October.

The novel is considered the first in the hard-boiled detective genre, and has spawned more than 100 printed editions, two radio spin-offs, three films, countless imitations and a recent prequel, Spade & Archer, written by mystery writer Joe Gores with the permission of Hammett's literary estate.

Rivett said the estate has returned to the control of Hammett's family after years in the hands of Hellman and her estate after her death in 1984.

Hellman and Hammett were lovers for three decades, although they never married. Hellman's career was on the rise while Hammett's had halted abruptly after the publication of his last novel, The Thin Man, in 1934.

"He didn't stop writing so much as he stopped finishing," Rivett said of Hammett's literary efforts after 1934.

She said he had hoped to write a mainstream novel instead of another piece of crime fiction, but his desire to produce something great overwhelmed his ability to complete another book.

"Sometimes ambitiousness and aspiration can get in the way," she said.

Fragments of later literary attempts exist in an archive at the University of Texas at Austin, and some it appears Hammett gave to Hellman to use as the basis for her own work.

Rivett said one story referenced in Hammett's letters called My Brother Felix became the plot for Hellman's play Watch on the Rhine, later adapted into a film.

Not enough of Hammett's fragments remain to consider publishing, and Rivett said the family would be unlikely to do so out of concern for diminishing Hammett's literary reputation by releasing writings never meant for public consumption.

Hammett became a political activist after he stopped publishing, but his communist views brought him trouble during the McCarthy era of the 1950s.

He went to jail in 1951 for refusing to testify in a federal court about the location of some political fugitives. In 1953, he bumped heads with notorious Communist hunter Sen. Joseph McCarthy, who was spearheading an effort to have books written by authors with communist leanings removed from overseas libraries for servicemen.

Hammett was blacklisted and found himself under the scrutiny of the Internal Revenue Service. Rivett said at the time of his death, the IRS claimed he owed $160,000 in back taxes and the rights to all of his works were auctioned to pay the debt.

That's how Hellman and a friend picked them up for $5,000. Hellman, and later her estate, held the rights for decades until Rivett's brother began the fight to have them returned to the family.

Rivett became involved with Hammett's literary estate 12 years ago, and in 2001 edited and published her mother's memoir and a volume of Hammett's letters.

It was through those letters that she came to understand her grandfather's literary talents.

"I really developed an understanding how ambitious he was," she said. "I developed an understanding of how deep this book is."

She described The Maltese Falcon as a complex work that can offer different layers to different readers, or to the same reader on subsequent reads.

"This book is revered by crime writers but is also very well-respected by writers of all kinds because it is concisely written," she said. "It has earned a respect far beyond the mystery marketplace."

The Mid-Columbia Libraries have given out 2,500 free copies of the book during October and had a series of events celebrating the novel.

Upcoming events include:

-- Special free showings of the classic 1941 Oscar-winning film, The Maltese Falcon, starring Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade and Mary Astor as the femme fatale at 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday at Fairchild Cinemas, 5020 Convention Drive, Pasco.

-- Book discussion at 7 p.m. Thursday in Spanish at Columbia Basin College, Pasco.

Additional news stories can be accessed online at the Tri-City Herald.

Eleven of the twelve recent (August 22, 2009) graduates are employed at local hospitals and clinics.  The twelfth was offered a position but chose to explore other options. 

Marisol Madrigal, a married mother of one, accepted full-time employment with Kadlec Medical Center.  The former stay-at-home mom is now able to contribute financially to her household and fill a need in the healthcare community. 

Prior to enrollment in the Medical Assistant program, Angela Gant worked at a local pizza restaurant for more than four years at minimum wage.  She sought a career with regular hours, one that would be fulfilling, and able to support her two-year-old daughter.  Angela was hired, prior to graduating, as a full-time medical assistant by a local pediatrician in the Kennewick General Hospital (KGH) network. 

“This is the most fun I’ve had in a job.  I’m putting my knowledge to good use every day,” states Angela. 

Both graduates were hired from their program externships.

CBC Medical Assistant program graduates are highly sought after.  KGH Physician Clinics currently have 20 Medical Assistants on staff—more than half (13) are CBC Medical Assistant graduates. 

“We have a wonderful working relationship with CBC,” state Office Manager Tina O’Brien, Columbia Family Medicine. “We know when we hire a CBC graduate (Medical Assistant), they are well-trained.”
 
At program completion, CBC graduates can sit for the Certified Medical Assisting test through the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), a national recognized test.  Certification allows for a professional edge, better job security, and greater career advancement opportunities. 

The next exhibit at Esvelt Gallery on the Columbia Basin College campus features an eclectic mix of works by seven urban contemporary artists who are influenced by graffiti/street art, pop art, and the Surrealist and Neo-Expressionist movements.

Urban Contemporary Voices opens November 2 at Esvelt Gallery and runs through December 3. These artists' work offers a fresh, sharp, and stimulating visual language that explores not only socio-economic issues such as globalization and consumerism, but also the individual psyche, Americana, and spirituality. The artists include: Zac Boetes, Warren Dykeman, Robert Hardgrave, Charles Krafft, Laura Loverich, Jesse Reno, and Marco Zamora.

A live action painting and discussion will be offered November 2, 1 p.m. in Esvelt Gallery. An artist presentation will be held at 6 p.m. in room L-102 and an opening reception will begin at 7 p.m. in the Gallery. All events are free and open to the public.

Columbia Basin College is offering an information session on November 4th at 3:30 p.m. in room 141 of the Richland CBC Health Science Center for those interested in a career as a medical assistant.

Heidi Clarke, Medical Assistant instructor will be on hand to present this program and answer questions.

Can’t make this information session?  Then attend the December 8th information session in room A-330 on the Pasco CBC Campus at 4 p.m.

For more information call 544-8322 or email at hclarke@columbiabasin.edu.

Bechtel National Inc, which is designing and constructing the Hanford Waste Treatment Plant (WTP), has donated $15,000 to the Columbia Basin College Foundation to support the CBC Welding department for the purchase of needed equipment.

Hanford Waste Treatment Plant (WTP) Construction Site Manager and Foundation board member, Max Hammond, presented the check to the CBC Foundation at a recent meeting.

CBC Assistant Professor of Welding, Chris Mitchell, says the money is being used to purchase four Victor track torches and a vertical belt sander. Welders are needed for construction of the waste vitrification plant at Hanford. CBC has a long history preparing welders for work at Hanford, dating back to the 1950s. 

"Bechtel National Inc. recognizes the importance of growing the next generation of workers," Hammond says. "The demand for skilled trades is on the rise, and it is becoming more difficult to fill our industry's needs around the world. Therefore, the ability to attract, train, and retain these workers is extremely important, and Bechtel is pleased to make this donation in support of that."

PASCO -- As hundreds of higher-ed hopefuls fill an auditorium at Columbia Basin College, university recruiters are armed with informational ammo to grab students' attention.

But with a recession leaving more students with less cash, many recruiters are changing the way they sell their schools.

"That initial price tag is often times a little daunting for many families, so it's important for us as admissions counselors and recruiters to help unpack that message and help students understand that even though our costs are high, many students are able to receive large financial aid packages," said Bryan Jones, Seattle Pacific University.

More recruiters are using scholarships and financial aid as their top selling points. And that's good for students who are looking to create a full educational future with a nearly empty wallet.

"I wanna go to a good college, so I wanna make sure I can afford a good college," said Andrea Rose, 8th grader.

Other college recruiters from the state are focusing their efforts on getting more local students from Washington to attend their schools. That's because many times it's cheaper to go to a college in the state, compared to paying out of state college fees to attend other schools.

"We focus on recruiting in-state students. That's the majority of our class, so we are making sure that parents are comfortable about choosing us," said Carlos Gonzalez, University of Washington, Seattle.

Gonzalez says the University of Washington partners with local educational programs and schools to spread the word about in-state colleges.

Other recruiters say there is a lot of money out there for students in need, they just need to know where to look and how to get it, something recruiters can help them do.

PASCO -- The president of Columbia Basin College, Rich Cummins, says the budget crisis at the school isn't over yet.

Cummins held a forum about the college's financial issues with students today.

He says the school will face at least a 2% budget cut in 2010.

Many students asked Cummins why the school can afford to build buildings while facing a budget shortfall. He says the money for those new facilities is from the school's capital budget, which can not be mixed with it's operating budget.

A publication focusing on the diversity of Columbia Basin College put out its fourth issue Monday.

Download  Outlook Magazine [pdf]

The purpose of the semi-annual Outlook Magazine is to inform students, faculty and staff about the various diversity programs and grants CBC offers, said Martin Valadez, vice president for diversity and outreach.

A cover story on Debjani Chakrabarti, an assistant professor in sociology, explores CBC's multicultural diversity emphasis in student body and staff.

"We live in this increasingly global world," Valadez said. "We want to make sure our students learn from different cultures. Understanding them will make them better students, workers and better citizens."

Articles on support services and the College Assistance Migrant Program are intended to provide students a better understanding of the programs so they can determine which options would be best for them, said Dawn Alford, assistant director of college relations.

Short translations of the articles are available in Spanish for students in CAMP and others who read only Spanish, said Valadez.

Copies can be found in the College Relations and Diversity and Outreach offices.

Additional news stories can be accessed online at the Tri-City Herald.

The college releases a new issue of it's Outlook Magazine, which focuses on the multicultural aspects of the campus population.

The magazine is meant to help break down myths, stigmas and stereotypes of different cultures.

Teachers and students say each year, the school gets more diverse, and cultural awareness benefits the entire community.

"As we globalize and as we open up our borders more and more and have multi-racial, multi-ethnic communities live together with us, we will prosper much better if we understand and speak to each other and understand each other's cultures" said Dr. Debjani Chakrabarti, sociology professor.

CBC celebrates different heritage months throughout the year.

This month is Hispanic Heritage Month.

November is Native American Heritage Month.

Lynne Bitten, far left, leads the Columbia Basin College Parenting and Early Learning Program class in song. Her daughter-in-law Kirsten Metcalf and grandson Izach, 8 months, front, follow along with Bree Kogan and her son Bryson, 9 months. The classes have been around for 30 years. --Richard Dickin/Herald

PASCO — Lynne Bitten pulled out an acoustic guitar and started strumming. And in no time her audience was singing along with her playlist of familiar tunes -- or at least smiling and waving their arms to the beat.

Bitten was playing for the moms and infants in a Columbia Basin College Parenting & Early Learning Program class.

"Music with infants is so amazing," she said. "It's such a wonderful way for them to learn the language and bond with their parent."

The six moms in the class held their babies on their laps and sang songs such as Row, Row, Row Your Boat and The Grand Old Duke of York.

The group meets for two hours on Friday mornings. The program also offers sessions for parents and toddlers and has a preschool.

There's still room in the classes and parents can sign up anytime. Both mothers and fathers are welcome.

The program has been around for more than 30 years. It's unique because parents come to class with their children, where they get tips on parenting techniques and strategies from experts and the chance to bond with other parents who have kids the same age, said Carolyn Fazzari, director.

"People who come to class meet each other. They bond incredibly well," she said.

The infant and toddler classes meet once a week. The preschool has two- and three-day-a-week tracks; preschool parents don't come every day.

Classes meet on the college's campus in Pasco. The digs include a large playground and rooms filled with books, toys and even furniture designed to help kids feel comfortable and learn.

Parents in the infant class took a break on a recent Friday for snack time. Some of the babies were so young their moms gave them bottles. Others were old enough to sit at a tiny table and munch on solid food.

Bitten, the instructor, made sure the moms got a snack too -- apples and protein bars. The women talked about how their weeks had gone and shared news of good deals they'd gotten at the grocery store.

Brook Spears of Richland, who came to class with her son, Jeffrey, 51/2 months, said that's part of the fun -- commiserating or celebrating with other parents about life with a new baby.

Parents in the classes often feel that way, Bitten said. She did when she took the class years ago as a parent.

This year, her daughter-in-law, Kirsten Metcalf of Richland, is in the infant class with her 8-month-old son, Izach.

Metcalf works and has an older child, but it was important to her to fit the class into her schedule, she said.

"This is a set time of day that I spend one on one with (Izach)," she said.

She sat with some other moms after snack and music time and got him ready for a trip to the playground. The moms said that so far the class has been valuable and fun.

"I'm a first-time mom," said Bree Kogan of Richland, who brought her 9-month-old son Bryson. "Anything I can learn to help him get ahead -- that's great."

Tuition costs $117 to $240 per quarter, depending on the class. Scholarships and payment plans are available.

For more information, call 542-4640 or go to www.columbiabasin.edu/parented.

Additional news stories can be accessed online at the Tri-City Herald.

A release party will be held today at 10:30 a.m. in the Columbia Basin College HUB to announce CBC’s latest Outlook magazine.  The fall 2009 Outlook magazine’s theme is exploring and celebrating the rich multicultural diversity that makes up CBC. 

Vice President for Diversity and Outreach Martin Valadez will speak to the importance of diversity on college campuses, particularly CBC, and explain the role of his office to reach those goals.  Dr. Debjani Chakrabarti, Assistant Professor for Sociology and the magazine cover story, will also speak about her bi-continental experience, having come from India to the United States.

The magazine contributors and many of those featured in the magazine will be on hand to talk to attendees.  The fall 2009 Outlook will also be available for distribution.

Outlook magazine is a semi-annual publication that focuses on diversity within CBC, its students, staff, and faculty. 

In this engaging and informative program, Eva Abram uses stories such as The King of the Birds, Katchie Katchie Blue Jay, and How Animals got their Coats to explore where stories come from, why we tell them, and how tone of voice, gestures, and body language heighten storytelling impact. Students learn how they can teach kindness, respect, fairness, sharing, and other lessons, and are encouraged to try it for themselves.

A native of New Orleans, Eva Abram has lived in Seattle for more than 30 years. Upon graduation from the University of Washington, she worked as a public administrator for 10 years. She then operated her own massage therapy healthcare practice for 11 years. Abram began training as a storyteller in 2000, after identifying storytelling as a wonderful way to share historical and cultural information in an acceptable, non-threatening way to people of all ages. She researches, writes, and presents stories of American history and multicultural folktales to enhance school, museum, and library programs.

A Student on the Columbia River: Sacagawea in the Pacific Northwest
A presentation by Robert Carriker
Thursday, November 19, 2009
7 p.m., Mid-Columbia Libraries - Kennewick (on Union)
Hosted by East Benton County Historical Society

Sacagawea, the only female member of the Corps of Discovery, was a teenager in the fall of 1805 when she arrived in the Pacific Northwest. Her entire time with the Lewis and Clark Expedition was a tutorial, but her time on the Columbia River was exceptionally educational. Who was Sacagawea and what was her role with the expedition? In what ways did she gain wisdom as the miles added up? Quotations from the journals of Lewis and Clark provide an answer.

Robert Carriker teaches at Gonzaga University in Spokane, where he is the Alphonse and Geraldine Arnold Distinguished Professor of the College of Arts and Sciences. He is the author of several books on Pacific Northwest history, having written on Lewis and Clark in Washington, the Kalispel Indians, and a biography of 19th century missionary Peter John De Smet. An experienced Inquiring Mind speaker, Carriker has also lectured on cruise ships and private trains for a variety of educational tour agencies including Smithsonian Journeys. He has directed eight National Endowment for the Humanities summer seminars for teachers.

This presentation describes how fish and fishing are intertwined with the lifestyle and culture of Pacific Northwest residents. It provides background on historical fishing practices of American Indian tribes, shows the influence of white settlement on fish populations, and discusses how modern-day water-use practices lead to conflicts between resource management policy and public values. The presentation is made up of primarily PowerPoint slides interspersed with selected readings from historical literature such as the journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition and the Railroad Surveys.

Dennis Dauble has studied fishes of the Columbia and Snake rivers as a researcher for more than 30 years. He currently teaches a course in fish ecology at Washington State University's Tri-Cities campus and writes about natural history of fishes for regional publications. He is also author of a field guide, Fishes of the Columbia Basin, published in 2009. In addition to scientific symposia, Dennis regularly presents at conservation and civic clubs, including the Audubon Society, Kiwanis, and Columbia Basin Flycasters.

Carl Maxey: Washington's Fighter for Civil Rights
A presentation by Jim Kershner
Thursday, February 18, 2010
7 p.m., Richland Public Library
Hosted by Friends of the Richland Public Library

The story of Carl Maxey's life is the tale of a lifelong struggle to protect the underdog. Despite being kicked out of a Spokane orphanage during the Great Depression because of the color of his skin, he went on to become an undefeated boxing champion, Eastern Washington's first prominent African-American lawyer, a crusading civil rights leader, a controversial figure in the state's anti-Vietnam War movement and a flamboyant defense attorney. Maxey's story, set mostly in Spokane, is a compelling personal drama that demonstrates how one person's powerful belief in social justice and a pugnacious fighter's attitude can make a significant difference.

Jim Kershner has been a staff reporter for Spokane's Spokesman-Review newspaper for more than 20 years and has written many articles about Spokane and Eastern Washington history. He is also a staff historian for HistoryLink.Org, the online encyclopedia of Washington State history, having written dozens of historical essays. In 2008, he published the biography, Carl Maxey: A Fighting Life. Since then, Kershner has delivered many talks about Maxey, including presentations at the Northwest African-American Museum in Seattle and the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture in Spokane; as well as the William J. Davis, S.J. Lecture at Gonzaga University, and the Black History Month Lecture at Whitworth University.

Eleanor Roosevelt: No Ordinary Woman
A presentation by Joan Wolfberg
Thursday, March 18, 2010
7 p.m., CBC HUB Main Stage
Hosted by Franklin County Historical Society/Soroptimist International of Pasco-Kennewick

For more than 30 years, Eleanor Roosevelt was the most powerful woman in America. She comes to life before your very eyes when Joan Wolfberg takes you on an amazing journey, from Eleanor's shy, awkward childhood, to life as the First Lady, and later to the United Nations. Along the way you'll learn about her belief in the equality of women, civil rights, human rights, politics, and freedom. You'll discover her relationship with FDR and others, her strengths, her weaknesses, her sense of humor, and her ideals for justice and decency.

Joan Wolfberg is a Chautauqua scholar and professional actress formerly with the New Mexico and Florida Humanities Councils. Currently serving on the National Speakers Bureau of United Jewish Communities, Wolfberg travels throughout the country weaving a tapestry of drama and history into an educational and inspirational tale that focuses on the growth and development of the women she portrays. Through the magic of make-up, along with her acting ability and her heartfelt affinity for her characters, Wolfberg is able to convince audiences that they are, in fact, in the presence of Eleanor Roosevelt or Golda Meir.

The 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition; Washington's First World's Fair
A presentation by Alan Stein
Thursday, April 22, 2010
7 p.m., Mid-Columbia Libraries - Kennewick (on Union)
Hosted by Friends of the Mid-Columbia Libraries

In 1909, more than 3.7 million visitors attended the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition in Seattle. HistoryLink staff historian and storyteller Alan J. Stein uses anecdotes and period photographs to bring the fair alive as visitors beheld a cornucopia of buildings and exhibits and as they enjoyed the carnival-like, and often controversial, entertainments on the Pay Streak.

Alan Stein has worked as a staff historian for HistoryLink.Org since 1998 and has written a vast amount of material on all aspects of Washington state history. In 2005, he began researching the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition in preparation of its 2009 centennial. A book based on this research, Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, Washington's First World's Fair, was published in 2009. Alan has given hundreds of talks on a variety of historical subjects, presenting to many local organizations. He is also a frequent speaker on KUOW Radio, and a listener once compared his radio voice to "honey over warm rocks."

Speaking Truth to Power: Modern Lessons from an Historic Injustice
A presentation by Jack Hamann
Thursday, May 20, 2010
7 p.m., CBC HUB Main Stage
Hosted by Lit Fest/CBC English department

An epic struggle between truth and justice forever changed the lives of dozens of African American soldiers stationed at Washington's Fort Lawton. Charged with rioting and with the lynching of an Italian prisoner of war, the soldiers endured the largest and longest Army court-martial of World War II. More than six decades later, the discovery of formerly top secret documents in the National Archives led to an historic verdict reversal and an unprecedented apology from the U.S. Government. Based on his book, On American Soil: How Justice Became a Tragedy of WWII, Hamann's presentation is appropriate for teenage audiences and up. It has been particularly well-received by schools, colleges, and universities, plus those with interest in military history, N.W. history, civil rights, legal history, black history, and Italian-American history.

Jack Hamann is an author, documentary producer, and journalist. His career spans 29 years, including a decade as a network correspondent and documentary producer for CNN and PBS. His work has earned dozens of journalism honors, including ten regional Emmy awards. Hamann's assignments have taken him inside a pen with wild wolves in Yellowstone National Park, inside a prison with convicted killers in Siberia, 30 miles offshore with fishermen chasing giant tuna in the North Atlantic, three miles above sea level with peasants battling blight in Peru, and miles from nowhere mushing a team of champion dogs in the Yukon. His book, On American Soil: How Justice Became a Casualty of WWII, was named Investigative Book of the Year in 2005 by Investigative Reporters & Editors, Inc.

Website:  www.jackhamann.com

Cowboys and Cowgirls in Story and Song
A Presentation by Bruce and Susan Matley
Thursday, June 17, 2010
7 p.m., Mid-Columbia Libraries - Kennewick (on Union)
Hosted by Three Rivers Folk Life Society

Contemporary life in the American west is profoundly influenced by our rich heritage in the legend and lore of the early cowboys and cowgirls. In song, cowboy poetry, and story, this colorful program relates expressions of the work ethic, hardships, and joys of frontier life. These traditions continue and are strong and vibrant in present day agricultural life. The Matleys' storytelling approach combines narrative, poetry, and music.

Bruce and Susan Matley perform an average or 175 times each year at fairs, festivals, libraries, schools, and other events. They share in singing, narrative, and live instrumentation. Bruce is a third generation Nevadan and fourth generation rancher and has worked with cowboys who started their careers in the 1890s. He has 40-plus years of musical performance and professional theatre experience in both acting and academics. Susan has directed and performed in college, semi-professional, and community theatre productions and has played in orchestras and bands. Working as Cimarron Sue has fueled her passion for western history and she has expanded her studies in that direction, including five generations of family history in Washington state.

A six-week series of financial forums for students and community members starts Tuesday at Columbia Basin College in Pasco.

The forums will feature financial experts who'll give tips on everything from basic budgeting to buying a new home and identity theft. The forums are free and are being put on by the Columbia Basin College Foundation.

They're at 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Tuesdays in the HUB congress room through Nov. 17.

Additional news stories can be accessed online at the Tri-City Herald.

Kevin Prentiss of Swift Kick will answer your questions while discussing the current trends in social networking and how to use these sites effectively. The Facts Behind Facebook and MySpace is 6 p.m. this Thursday, October 15, in the Byron Gjerde Center on the CBC Pasco campus.

This event is sponsored by Associated Students of Columbia Basin College, Benton-Franklin Community Action Committee, Catholic Family & Child Service, Family Policy Council, Care About Kids, and Benton-Franklin Health District.

1.5-2 STARS hours are available.

For more information, please contact Sivya Leventhal at sleventhal@columbiabasin.edu or (509) 542-4828.

PASCO, Wash. -- Like many others did around the world, a group gathered to watch a rocket hit the moon at the Columbia Basin College observatory Friday morning.

Early reports from NASA indicate the crash was a success, but people at "watch parties" who tuned in to see signs of impact were mostly disappointed. NASA scientists claimed the crash would emit plumes of smoke up to 6 miles in the air, but initial images showed next to nothing. A telescope at CBC was looking at the target zone, but nothing was seen there either.

"For us, astronomy is 'sometimes you see things and sometimes you don't", said Tony George, astronomy instructor. "We were prepared to go either way".

The rocket struck the moon's surface at about 4:31 a.m. pacific. Scientists want to find out if there is water on the moon by testing dust kicked up from the explosion. Even without a big plume of debris, NASA scientists believe they have enough dust to answer that question.

The Community Lecture Series 2009-10 season will begin with some funky storytelling when Eva Abram weaves an engaging tale of where stories come from at 7 p.m. Oct. 15 in the Richland Public Library.

This year's series is a partnership between Soroptomist International of Pasco and Kennewick, Friends of the Mid-Columbia Library, Three Rivers Folklife Society, Lower Columbia Basin Audubon Society, East Benton County Historical Museum, Franklin County Historical Museum, Friends of the Richland Public Library and Columbia Basin College.

The lectures, scheduled once a month with the exception of December, are free and cover a wide range of topics.

"We choose our presenters each year from a pool of speakers compiled by Humanities Washington," said Maria Allan, of the lecture series committee.

Humanities Washington is a nonprofit agency supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities and private contributors.

Each partner in the series will play host to a different topic, Allan said. All lectures start at 7 p.m. at various locations and are open to all ages.

Here's a look at the rest of the season:

-- Nov. 19: A Student on the Columbia River: Sacagawea in the Pacific Northwest, by Robert Carriker, at the Mid-Columbia Library, Union Street and 19th Avenue in Kennewick. Carriker, from the Tri-Cities, talks about Sacagawea when she accompanied Lewis and Clark on their expedition.

-- Jan. 21: History of Fish & Fishing in the Columbia River Basin, featuring Dennis Dauble, at the Mid-Columbia Library, Union Street and 19th Avenue in Kennewick. Dauble, a fisheries biologist, will describe how fish and fishing are intertwined with the lifestyle and culture of Pacific Northwest residents.

-- Feb. 18: Carl Maxey: Washington's Fighter for Civil Rights, featuring Jim Kershner, at the Richland Public Library, 955 Northgate Dr. Kershner talks about Maxey's lifelong struggle to protect the underdog despite being kicked out of a Spokane orphanage during the Great Depression because of the color of his skin.

-- March 18: Eleanor Roosevelt: No Ordinary Woman, featuring Joan Wolfberg, in the Hawk Union Building on the Columbia Basin College campus in Pasco.

w April 22: The 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition: Washington's First World's Fair, featuring Alan Stein, at the Mid-Columbia Library, Union Street and 19th Avenue in Kennewick. Stein will talk about the 1909 World's Fair in Seattle.

-- May 20: Speaking Truth to Power: Modern Lessons from a Historic Injustice, featuring Jack Hamann, in the Hawk Union Building on the Columbia Basin College campus in Pasco. Hamann will talk about the dozens of black soldiers stationed at Fort Lawton who were charged with rioting and lynching an Italian prisoner of war during World War II but were exonerated 60 years later.

-- June 17: Cowboys and Cowgirls: In Story and Song, featuring Bruce and Susan Matley, at the Mid-Columbia Library, Union Street and 19th Avenue in Kennewick. The Matleys will sing and talk about the contemporary lifestyle of the American West and how it influences life today.

Additional news stories can be accessed online at the atomictown.com

Local financial experts will enlighten students and community members on everything from the basics of budgeting to driving issues on buying a new car, to buying a new home, identity theft, and other important financial issues facing consumers today.

Two different 50-minute sessions will be held each Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. in the CBC HUB congress room. The 12 workshops are free to students and the community and will run October 13 through November 17.

Sponsors for the event include: Numerica Credit Union, Micki McKinnon-State Farm Insurance, Gesa Credit Union, Global Credit Union, Sterling Savings, Banner Bank, Numerica Financial Services, AmericanWest Bank, SE Washington Credit Union League, Roth*Coleman Attorneys & Counselors, and Ben Franklin Rental Owners Association.

For more information, contract Nancy Adams at 542-4721 or email nadams@columbiabasin.edu.

The following students were named on the president's and dean's lists at Columbia Basin College.

President's List
Students who earn 12 credits in courses 100 or above within the quarter and achieve a quarterly grade-point average of 3.85-4.00 are named to the President's Honor Roll.

Joseph Antonowicz, Nakia Becerra, Scott Birks, Paden Bosworth, Zackary Christian, Jamie Crites, Lindsey Day, Amy Durham, Irina Foley, Ryan Gardner, Leonela Garza, Megan Gifford, Erienne Harding, Adam Haun, Kenneth Helland, Summer Imran, Angela Ingalls, Thomas Jenkins, Jessica Kaiser, Peter Kay, Miamae Kiamco Kiamco, Chris Koenig, Snezhana Kucheryavyy, Yee Leung, Luke Mcalister, Blanca Mokler, Deborah Moles, Brittney Molina, Eldon Otta, Earl Penor, Thomas Powers, Callie Qualheim, Cayiah Ramble, Eustorgio Rodriguez, Jared Sanders, Joan Sheldon, Danielle Smith, Collette Tallman, Nicanor Tejeda, Austin Thomas, Marlena White, Jedd Wright.

Dean's List
Students who earn 12 credits in courses 100 or above within the quarter and achieve a quarterly GPA of 3.50-3.84 are named to the Dean's Honor Roll.

Nicole Anderson, William Anderson, Hannah Anthony, Carina Anzures, Rosio Avila, Jennifer Becker, Shawn Berry, Doreen Bettencourt, Michael Boulton, Kendra Brewer, Heather Brower, Shelby Case, Bernice Cave, Rosabel Chavez, Emily Clark, Ardythe Cleary, Ana Cruz, Sara Daily, Carmen Delosier, Joseph Elerding, Lisa Estey, Delia Garza, Elizabeth Garza, Andrea Gizzarelli, Julissa Gonzalez, Tanna Gore, Susan Graf, Riley Gray, Anna Gusar, Denis Gusic, Zixu Ha, Shelby Harrow, Reynaldo Hernandez, Sharon Hughes, Amy Jensen, Cambria Johnson, Dawn Johnson, Zea Kiamco, Cristeen Kinghorn, Vyacheslav Kolesnikov, Luke Konzek, Daryl Lanphear, John Lawton, Jeanne Lechelt, Claudia Leon, Robert Mace, Joseph Maier, Vanessa Manolopoulos, Sebastian Martin, Karyn Mcgary, Megan Moore, Anna Morrison, Zaven Muradyan, Sharon Olson, Nicole Osborn, Andrew Pascual, Victoria Paxton, Frieda Perkins, Nathan Robles, Krystal Rosenau, Ben Sachs, Chanse Shepard, Robert Siegel, Chelsie Silva, Maurice Smiley, Nadia Soto, Katherine Swift, Christy Thompson, Delia Tobon, Kimberly Trent, Kasey Turner, Michelle Ursua, Alisa Valdivia, Rubi Vargas, Angela Velasquez, Antoine Vetrano, Susan Wagner, Amanda Walker, Timothy White, Vermonica Zavala.

Additional news stories can be accessed online at the Tri-City Herald.

The Monsanto Fund has awarded a two-year, $10,000, agriculture transfer scholarship to Columbia Basin College freshman Emily Tobin of Connell.

Tobin is thrilled with the scholarship. "When I found out Monsanto had decided to sponsor me, it was a big relief. To me, this scholarship means I can focus more on my schooling instead of how I'm going to pay for it. It's also a helping hand I really appreciate on my way to accomplishing my dreams."

The Monsanto Fund is the philanthropic arm of the Monsanto Company. The Monsanto Fund is focused on grant-making to improve the lives of people by bridging the gap between their needs and their resources.

CBC President Richard Cummins is pleased to have a partnership with the Monsanto Fund and the Monsanto Company. "This is a great partnership for CBC with Monsanto. We look forward to a long relationship."

Monsanto Site Manager Kyle Schmidt says, "The best contributions are those that inspire people to do great things. Ever since the Monsanto Fund was established in 1964, our philanthropic goal has been to bridge the gap between people's needs and their available resources. We want to help people realize their dreams, and hopefully inspire them to enroll others in their vision."

Published Oct. 4, 2009
By Pratik Joshi, Tri-City Herald staff writer

The Tri-Cities has grown in the past decade and so has the number of minority-owned businesses.

An influx of new immigrants and a steady increase in population has encouraged many to become entrepreneurs, especially in the retail and service industries.

"The Tri-Cities has become more accepting of minorities, now," said Tiffany Kutzke, an African-American woman who grew up in Kennewick. A few months ago, she started her own beauty salon, Gossip at Tiffany's, in Kennewick.

It was natural to think about owning a salon, said Kutzke, 32, who's been a hairdresser for 15 years and managed salons.

She didn't have to take out a loan, and everything worked out with a little help from her clients and others in the community who wanted her to succeed.

They gave her furniture, a washer and dryer and a TV set for the store, and a dealer gave her special discounts on barber chairs.

"I was blessed," said Kutzke, who invested about $20,000 of her savings in the new venture. The business is doing well and she wants to explore getting a loan through the U.S. Small Business Administration to make it better.

New entrepreneurs, often from minority communities, need help, said Jose Garcia-Pabon with Washington State University Extension in Richland.

He said enthusiasm and entrepreneurial spirit need to be supplemented with the right business plan and training for success.

He's involved in a new pilot program designed to help minorities, particularly Hispanics, start a business and succeed in the Columbia Basin.

The failure rate of business startups is highest among Hispanics compared with other ethnic groups, he said. They don't always have a good understanding of marketing, getting financing and having a strategic plan for growth, he said.

The WSU training program gives them an overview of important concepts they should consider as entrepreneurs.

The first training session for prospective business owners was earlier this week in Benton City. The next sessions are Friday and Saturday in Moses Lake and Oct. 16-17 in Royal City. For more information, call 372-7389.

It's also important for minority businesses to learn to network, said Carl Adrian, president and CEO of the Tri-City Development Association.

TRIDEC helped Columbia Basin College get money to produce a multicultural business guide last year to help Hanford contractors seek out minority resources.

The guide, which lists African-American, Alaska Native, Native American, Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic and other non-U.S. native business owners, was distributed free as a community resource, said Donna Campbell, CBC's vice president for instruction, who oversaw the project.

She said CBC would like to update the guide if the college gets more funding for it.

CBC did recently get $600,000 in federal money to help revitalize Pasco's downtown in partnership with other community groups and to offer seminars to business owners, said Cruz Gonzalez, assistant vice president of grants administration.

It'll help make downtown more of a destination, giving many Hispanic-owned businesses an opportunity to expand their market share, he said.

Most first-generation immigrant or minority business owners start small, such as with a restaurant, a retail store or an auto repair shop, he said.

The right business plan and training can help a small business grow, he said. One local success story is Isidro Ortiz, who started a restaurant in downtown Pasco and over time opened several Fiesta Mexican restaurants in the Tri-Cities.

The Tri-Cities is a nice place to do business, said Hemant Mistry, a mechanical engineer and an immigrant entrepreneur who owns India Palace Restaurant near Columbia Center mall.

"The community accepted us nicely and kept us going," said the native of India, who also owns Bali-Hi Motel in Richland. "We don't feel like foreigners here."

Additional news stories can be accessed online at the Tri-City Herald.