Talk:Yakima, Washington

message: The New York Times recently mentioned Yakima, WA, as the location of an NSA "listening post" for the west coast.  I think this merits inclusion, but am not sure where it should go.  Below is the citation from the NYTimes.com site: THE NATION: Private Lives; The Agency That Could Be Big Brother; December 25, 2005, Sunday; By JAMES BAMFORD (NYT); Week in Review Desk; Late Edition - Final, Section 4, Page 1, Column 5, 1715 words.  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 130.132.143.49 (talk • contribs) 12:44, January 3, 2006
Suggestion: Two areas of particular social concern may be the number of homeless and the average income.  When I compare census data for Yakima and Seattle, the Yakima income is nearly half.  This source details other issues, such as drug dependency, homelessness, poverty and the like which are all significantly "high" compared to elsewhere in the nation. www.endhomelessness.org/files/591_file_YakimaCo_WA.pdf  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 97.115.184.69 (talk) 23:06, 11 April 2009 (UTC)
thread_title:  NSA Listening Post 

message: The table says December 1, 1883.  The article says January 27, 1886.  The former is when Yakima was founded in present-day Union Gap, WA and the latter is the incorporation of the town after it was moved north 4 miles.  Essentially both dates are correct, but I propose January 27, 1886 be the normalized date and the official date for the table because I can remember the city's official centennial celebration happened in 1986. Although January 27, 1883 could perhaps also be mentioned in the article Rupertg 20:08, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Incorporation Date 

message: Why isn't there a larger discussion about illegal immigration? Though not politically correct to acknowledge reality, every objective person who lives in this town is aware of the tremendous negative impact illegal immigration has had on our town. Our gangs? Not black, white, native american or asian, our gangs are mexican. The yakima public schools fail everyone because they are forced to spend so much of their resources on teaching english. The welfare office and emergency rooms? Overwelmed by illegal immigrants and their offspring. Illegal immigrants are not bad people, but they have certainly impacted our town in a negative fashion.—Preceding unsigned comment added by 216.178.50.218 (talk • contribs) 
:Well, there are two issues here: scope and facts.  You're right in that it is a "larger disucssion", out of the scope of an article about Yakima.  The opinions range across the spectrum on this subject, and many of them are based on politics more than facts.  Looking at your edits to the article, it seems that you might need to do more to separate the two.  Most of the social issues you attribute to illegal immigrants are actually related to poverty (lots of cities that don't have a large number of illegal immigrants still have gangs, overcrowded schools, and low academic acheivement).  Granted, the language barrier in schools poses another difficulty, but that's not because they are illegal, it's because they are immigrants.
:Of course, I'm no expert in sociology or economics, so what I say has no particular weight beyond my own experience.  So you go ahead and add whatever you want to this article that is: 1) factual (if you can find a study or well-researched paper that blames gangs on undocumented Mexicans, knock youself out - just be sure to cite it in your entry), and 2) directly related to Yakima. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.189.201.135 (talk • contribs) 20:36, January 16, 2007
::I have repeadedly removed such comments not some much because they are xenophobic, but because they violate all three content policies of Wikipedia.  Namely they are "personal theories attempting to use Wikipedia to draw attention to their ideas", only presenting one side of the story, and most importantly unverified.  If you would like to include a discussion about immigration in Yakima please cite reliable sources and balance the benefits as well as the drawbacks of immigration.  For instance, consider the reliance of the fruit industry on migrant workers.  The fruit industry (and with it the economy of the region) would crumble were it not for the availibility of Mexican immigrants that are willing to work long hours in the hot sun for next to nothing.  Immigrants have also contributed much to the local culture of Yakima.  
::This essay gives a good suggestion.  What do you say you write about the positive contributions of Mexican immigrants to the Yakima Valley, and I will write about the negatives?  Cacophony 06:04, 17 January 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Illegal Immigration 

message: I am changing: "Dave Edler, Former Major League Baseball Player, former anchor of KNDO evening news,City of Yakima Mayor, Pastor" to "Dave Edler, Former Major League Baseball Player, City of Yakima Mayor, Pastor" because Dave Ettl is the former anchor of KNDO evening news.  Common mistake among Yakimaniacs. We in Spokane understand..... -- 67.185.75.97 20:48, 7 February 2007 
Sorry, but no one from Yakima or a true 'Yakimaniac' would confuse Dave Edler with Dave Ettl. Not disrespect to either; they've both earned their individuality and those in Yakima know the difference. TheeBurnz (talk) 03:17, 11 April 2016 (UTC)
thread_title:  Edler vs Ettl 

message: I've noticed there isn't anything about North Yakima - you know, what is now Union Gap?  I'm pretty sure North Yakima and current-day Yakima is one of the most famous aspects of the city - the fact that the whole city was moved from one location to the other, and the hotel actually stayed open the whole trip!  When I have time, I'll find the specs and edit it myself, but I was quite surprised that wasn't even in the trivia! —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 66.189.199.180 (talk) 21:25, 6 April 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  North Yakima?? 

message: I've been watching the changes to this page for quite some time now, and something just doesn't sit right with me.  I am not sure how to fix it, but I have a few ideas...
The overall tone of the article isn't consistent.  It is often either very negative or excessively positive.  I've especially noticed this in the Economy section.  I'm the first to admit that Yakima has its share of economic and social problems, but the alternating edits by the "glass is half-empty" and "glass is half-full" contributors have turned it into a roller-coaster.  It's almost starting to sound a bit like a debate between two people who disagree on how the economy should be handled.
Example (the negative): "In the last five years, three major department stores and an entire shopping mall have closed for business. While several theories to 'revitalize' the city's downtown have been put forth by civic leaders, none has proven effective."
Problem: The first statement is true (at least, it is until the events pass beyond the five-year-window of accuracy... might have already).  The second statement is someone's negative opinion ("effective" is a subjective term in this case, and judging whether any scheme is or is not effective would depend on who you ask).  For all we know, this contributor wouldn't consider any plan "effective" unless The Bon, Mervyns, Penneys and Nordstrom all came back to Downtown.
Example (the positive): "The early 2000s have seen the return to the downtown of the Sports Center Tavern, a local landmark, as well as the opening of The Hilton Garden Inn, The Speakeasy Bar, ... and The Barrel House. Developers are aiming for an early 2008 completion for condominiums in the Bon Marche building of the former Yakima Mall."
Problem: Reads like a promotion, not like an encyclopedia.  The business names should probably be pulled, and the text rewritten to something more general like "In the early 2000s, Downtown Yakima showed some signs of returning life in the form of restaurants, hotels, pubs, and new housing."  Being less specific also allows the article to be accurate for a longer period (if "The Lofts" is a bust and isn't finished, someone will have to edit it again).  Oh, and "the return to the downtown of the Sports Center" is very awkwardly worded.
In view of that, I think the following ought to be considered:
1.  Create a "Tourism" section and move everything related to it (like the trolleys) into that section.  Write a paragraph or two in "Economy" on tourism's impact on it (if anyone's got figures for what wine tasting, outdoor recreation, the trolleys, etc contribute, that's where it should be).  Conventions and their economic impact would be good subjects here, too.
2.  Create a "Neighborhoods" section and add a subsection for Downtown.  Describe the changes (rolling north from Yakima City, fires, booms, busts, the goal of transitioning from retail to urban neighborhood), why people go there.  Other neighborhoods could be added as well, resulting in a more complete view of the city.
3.  In "Economy", downtown could still be mentioned in the context of it's large employers, convention draw, etc.  Maybe someone's got numbers as to how many people work there?
4.  Get rid of the opinions, and clean up the dates (this "in the last five years" stuff has to go).
5.  Create a "Social Issues" section (or some such thing) and move statements like the final paragraph of Economy (about illegal immigration) into it.  The fact that the issue is debated in the press has nothing to do with the economy.
I've tried doing this myself, but ended throwing away the changes because it was too daunting a task.  I figured changes as drastic as what I was attempting would end up getting undone by somebody.  So I decided to share my plan with everyone, instead... Thoughts? -- 75.165.142.199 08:16, 28 July 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Overall Tone 

message: I am sad to see the section about that ridiculous sign has been removed. As a Yakima resident I found it to be hilarious, and also vindicating, as it established that no one in our city's local goverment (past or present) had a part in that sign being erected. --66.189.197.220 06:16, 5 August 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: The Palm Springs sign was originally erected as the Yakima Centennial celebration sign.  A couple years after the passing of the centennial the sign was changed from Yakima Centennial Celebration to Yakima the Palm Springs of WA.  It is a significant landmark in Yakima because of its visibility and size.  It also has been in the same location more then 20 years.Mrhyak 00:20, 10 November 2007 (UTC)
replies: text:  It's been restored, because I saw it in the article's intro section. Yakima's large Hispanic/Mexican population (about one third/34% of the city's population) from recent decades of migrant labor in the Yakima valley earned the city another nickname: The "Latin America of the Northwest". Yakima has a "Cinco de Mayo" celebration and the Mexican Independence Day Fiesta, but other multicultural events and observances are also present.+ 71.102.53.48 (talk) 09:48, 6 May 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  "Palm Springs" sign 

message: The article has West Valley and Terrace Heights listed as unincorporated suburbs, but in fact they are neighborhoods right in Yakima.  There was actually a debate a couple years back where residents wanted to make West Valley its own town but the motion was rejected and it remained a part of Yakima Proper.  Kristamaranatha (talk) 14:15, 28 May 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: They are not part of Yakima. They are in unincorporated Yakima County. They do not pay city taxes or receive city services. Mlmichelson (talk) 00:32, 21 June 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: Do you have a source to verify?  I am new to the area, but I know that everything in Terrace Heights, for example, is addressed "Yakima, WA"... I have consulted people who have been here much longer than I have who insist that West Valley tried to disassociate but is still considered a party of Yakima; also the addresses remaining "Yakima, WA" and not "West Valley, WA".  I cannot find any source that says Terrace Heights and West Valley are their own municipalities.  Kristamaranatha (talk) 16:49, 19 July 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: http://gis.yakimawa.gov/cityflex/ is the online version of City of Yakima Geographic Information Systems mapping service.  It has many, many layers that are not on by default (and regrettably cannot be incorporated into the url) including the current city limits.  http://yakimap.com/servlet/com.esri.esrimap.Esrimap?name=YakGISH&Cmd=Map likewise for Yakima County GIS, and shows the city limits of every incorporated city in Yakima County.  West Valley is unincorporated and the eastern portions have been gradually being annexed for at least the last decade, including at least three of the schools in their school district.  I'm not entirely sure where the boundary is considered to be between West Valley and the other unincorporated areas like Tieton and Cowiche which also lie to the west of Yakima.  Terrace Heights lies easterly of the Yakima River from Yakima and is unincorporated.96.39.156.23 (talk) 07:35, 9 April 2016 (UTC)
thread_title:  West Valley and Terrace Heights 

message: This section is out of control  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.186.91.198 (talk) 08:04, 16 March 2010 (UTC)
replies: text: I agree. I removed the addition of all the local tv reporters (mostly former). Mrhyak (talk) 15:27, 17 March 2010 (UTC)
replies: text: For the person who keeps putting in local TV reporters and anchors, they do not reach the point of national notability.  If local folks start getting added then where does it end?  Local notable people would count into the thousands, and TV/Radio folks are no more notable then local musicians, business owners, etc.;;;;  —Preceding unsigned comment added by Mrhyak (talk • contribs) 01:15, 20 March 2010 (UTC)
thread_title:  Notable current and former residents 

message: What does it mean to say that "Yakima Valley soil... is very similar to the soil conditions of France"? France has a lot of different soil types. Which type, specifically, does Yakima have? I don't mean to sound overly critical, but this is really vague and just sounds self- congratulatory. Mikemikemikea (talk) 08:19, 31 July 2010 (UTC)
thread_title:  Yakima wine section 

message: The information on the (old grave pit) lakes on the north side of Yakima is a bit in error, but more amusing is Wikipedia's refusal to accept an objective edit informing readers of the largest (old gravel pit) lake in Yakima (50 acres, 120 feet deep), LL Buchanan Lake, on the east side of Yakima, within the City limits.  The lake has its own website (BuchananLake.com), and three floating islands that have become acknowledged as the most commonly mentioned visual image of Yakima.  Now, just who deleted the flawlessly factual and objective edit if there is no editorial board?  Wikipedia has a growing sector of detractors pointing out verifiable errors and omissions that Wikipedia refuses to correct.  It will require a few more decades for Wikipedia to become reliable for useful information.  I hit the "Save" button on this once, by it did not appear on Wikipedia.  I will try again.  This comment was written by Doug@DougBuchanan.com.  You can ask him any questions, and he will respond with the most accurate answer his mind can devise.
::Doug, I think the problem is that you are giving information on your own lake and adding your website for information. This seems more like self promotion more then providing relevant information. Just my perspective about the issue.Mrhyak (talk) 23:56, 24 June 2011 (UTC)
thread_title:  Bodies of water 

message: The passage following passage was contradictory, implying that Fort Simcoe was established in "1856" as a "cause" rather than a result of the "Yakama Indian War of 1858": 
"The arrival of settlers and their conflicts with the natives resulted in the Yakama Indian War of 1858. The U.S. Army established Fort Simcoe in 1856 near present-day White Swan as a response to the uprising." 
I changed this name of the war to the "Yakima War", linking to an existing article here and at the same time doing away with the dating problem.  — Preceding unsigned comment added by Jah59 (talk • contribs) 17:56, 30 May 2012 (UTC)
thread_title:  History 

message: I am going to attempt to clean up this article and would appreciate any feedback and collaboration.
Here are some the objectives, in no particular order:
*Update demographics
*Add to the History section
*WP:MOS edits
*General copy editing
*Reduce the amount of non-relevant/non-encyclopedic information (media section, notable residents
*WP:POV adjustments
*Remove some external links (possible WP:LINKSPAM) in the body of the article
*Address issues already identified on this talk page
*Improve the article to B Class
*Add relevant images
As I plan to be bold, please post here if there are concerns. I'm specifically going to remove a fair amount of material lacking citations. MrX 18:34, 19 July 2012 (UTC)
thread_title: Cleanup

message: I have made a number of changes and updated most of the demographics. I have collapsed the climate data weather box and plan to completely move the media listings to appropriate category pages where they belong.
I am using the Spokane, Washington article as a prototype for this article, as it has an 'A' quality rating. MrX 16:26, 20 July 2012 (UTC)
thread_title: Update

message: the following section contains no references, and appears to be entirely trivia. a film or book that centers on yakima, and shows the culture (or lack thereof) would be an appropriate listing. i put it herre in case someone feels a listing is truly relevant, and can then add a source, NOT just proof that the city is in the media, but that its presence is discussed. Mercurywoodrose (talk) 17:34, 26 March 2016 (UTC)
replies: text: You have my full support.- MrX 18:59, 26 March 2016 (UTC)
thread_title: removed the pop culture section

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thread_title:  External links modified 

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thread_title:  External links modified 

message: What is the relevavance of listing the Target shooting in the history section? This happens every weekend in Yakima TheBigRedTank (talk) 18:20, 13 May 2023 (UTC)
replies: text: Agree, it is :WP:UNDUE for a history section, and is now removed.--☾Loriendrew☽ ☏(ring-ring) 14:03, 14 May 2023 (UTC)
thread_title:  Target shooting 

message: The section on bodies of water briefly mentions, "A 10-mile (16 km) walking and cycling trail, a park, and a wildlife sanctuary are located at the river's edge." This walking path is actually a 20 mile system of parks and pathways along the Naches and Yakima river. The Greenway is a huge part of the community and parts of it are a reclaimed dump. https://www.yakimagreenway.org/ Farrisj6 (talk) 01:38, 23 April 2024 (UTC)
replies: text: See WP:USCITIES and create a Parks and recreation section. The existing citation, "It Happened Here: Greenway Park named for businessman, civic fixture Sarg Hubbard", can be used and more media coverage can be found. Use prose to describe the facilities, lists are boring and not preferred for an encyclopedia. 〜 Adflatuss • talk 03:16, 23 April 2024 (UTC)
thread_title:  Greenway Walking Path