The Hoedown in the Downtown is back Saturday evening. It runs 5 to 10 in downtown Ellensburg, it's free, and it's open to all ages. Line-dancing lessons kick it off, and then there's live music from American Honey and Jukebox Central, along with local food, drinks and rodeo-themed games. LISTEN TO THE NEWS HERE NEWS Part of the new pavement on Canyon Road is coming back out tonight, and the contractor is paying for it. The city inspected the freshly paved stretch between Umpt

In Cle Elum, they turned the first dirt last week on forty-one new affordable homes. HopeSource and city officials held a groundbreaking for Teanaway Court on North Short Avenue — a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom units for households earning up to sixty percent of the area median income. LISTEN TO THE NEWS HERE NEWS There's smoke in the valley again today, and there are now two fires in the mountains northwest of us. The Three Queens Fire, burning six miles east of Snoqua

The Music in the Gardens series continues tonight at 6:30 at Brick House Gardens and Nursery. LISTEN TO THE NEWS HERE NEWS The Three Queens Fire is still burning in the mountains six miles east of Snoqualmie Pass. As of the latest update from fire managers, the fire covers about three thousand seven hundred acres and is two percent contained. More than eight hundred people are working it. The fire started July 15th from lightning, and it's been moving through steep, high coun

The public library in Kittitas is opening its doors again. The Gilmour Memorial Library has moved into the Catalyst building at 117 North Main Street — the old hardware store the Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce renovated into offices. T LISTEN TO THE NEWS HERE NEWS The Three Queens Fire west of Cle Elum has grown to about thirty-six hundred acres and is two percent contained. More than six hundred firefighters are assigned to the fire, which was started by lightning on Ju

The Summer Concert in the Park is tonight, but it's moved indoors. Because of the air quality, the city has shifted the Rodeo City Bluegrass Concern show to the Hal Holmes Community Center at 209 North Ruby Street. Music starts at 6:30. It's free and family friendly. LISTEN TO THE NEWS HERE NEWS Kittitas County commissioners have put a stop — at least a temporary one — to data centers. On Monday, commissioners unanimously approved an emergency six-month ban on accepting data

AIR QUALITY ALERT IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM PDT THURSDAY An Air Quality Alert has been issued for Benton, Columbia, Franklin, Kittitas, Klickitat, Walla Walla and Yakima Counties until further notice due to expected wildfire smoke from regional fires. Expect some clearing out and intermittent good air quality but with significant fires on the landscape conditions can worsen quickly to unhealthy air. Be sure to check air monitors in your area before outdoor activities. LISTEN TO T

There's coffee in the old depot in Cle Elum. Tim and Charis Dion have opened Division Point Coffee Bar and Crêpes inside the historic South Cle Elum train depot at 801 Milwaukee Avenue. They're open 8 to 4 every day but Tuesday. LISTEN TO THE NEWS HERE NEWS Kittitas County has narrowed the field for its next prosecuting attorney. Republican Jodi Hammond and independent Aaron Reiman led Tuesday's first count in the race to replace retiring prosecutor Greg Zempel. Hammond took

Today is the last day to turn in your August 2026 primary election ballot. Dropbox locations include: Roslyn City Hall/Library, South Cle Elum Town Hall, Cle Elum - Upper District Court, Easton Fire Station, Ronald Fire Station #1, Thorp Fire Station #1, Central Washington University, Kittitas County Courthouse and Kittitas City Hall. Election results will be released by the Kittitas County Auditor after 8 p.m. tonight. LISTEN TO THE NEWS HERE NEWS About 5,000 homes have bee

Looking to the weekend, the Upper Kittitas County Bocce Tournament returns for its fourth year Saturday, August 1st at Fireman's Park in South Cle Elum. LISTEN TO THE NEWS HERE NEWS Voters will weigh three local funding measures in Upper County in the upcoming primary election. The proposals would support library services in Roslyn, renew Snoqualmie Pass Fire & Rescue’s funding model, and provide additional funding for the Cle Elum Volunteer Fire Department. Ballots were mail

Central Washington University is opening a new Aviation Training Center at Bowers Field this year. LISTEN TO THE NEWS HERE NEWS Central Washington University is opening a new Aviation Training Center at Bowers Field this year. The state put up nine-point-nine million dollars for the building through the capital budget, almost ten years after CWU first asked for it. Until now, flight instructors were spread across three separate buildings, and students had to walk between them

Kittitas County has a new tool for growing the local economy. The Conference of Governments has launched the Kittitas County Economic Development Partnership, a countywide group built to carry out the shared economic strategic plan. County Commissioner Cory Wright has been named its first executive director and steps into the job August 1st. LISTEN TO THE NEWS HERE NEWS Kittitas County has a new tool for growing the local economy. The Conference of Governments has launched th

The forecasted high today in Ellensburg is 97 degrees, with a low around 68 tonight. Expect mostly sunny skies with patchy smoke and light, calm winds. Sunset is at about 8:40 p.m. No rain in the forecast — just heat, so drink your water and check on your neighbors. LISTEN TO THE NEWS HERE NEWS County commissioners meet today to decide whether to create a new taxing district that could pay for three big recreation projects. The commissioners are set to vote on a resolution es

The 2026 Northwest Carving Academy continues today at 8 a.m. at the Kittitas Valley Event Center. The Northwest Carving Academy is a world-class carving event that features instruction on hand and power carving, pyrography, painting, design and basket weaving. LISTEN TO THE NEWS HERE NEWS The weather this weekend could be a recipe for rapid wildfire spread in Eastern Washington, according to state officials. With a potential for record-high temperatures across the state Sund

Down at the Hal Holmes Community Center last week, a beaded lizard named Tepe made some new friends and made a few kids squirm. Dan Beck, a retired CWU biology professor, brought the 11-year-old reptile in for two shows as part of the Ellensburg Public Library's summer reading program. The program, called Unearth a Story, runs through August. Next up is an all-ages show, Tricks and Tales with Leapin' Louie, at 11:15 tomorrow morning at the library. LISTEN TO THE NEWS HERE NEW

Pints for Paws takes place at 4 p.m. today at the Iron Horse Brewery. The fundraiser supports Toby’s Hope Cancer Care of Washington. It’s dedicated to help families and their dogs fight navigating Lymphoma. LISTEN TO THE NEWS HERE NEWS A former Sunnyside fire chief, a fire protection engineer at Hanford, and a fire chief from Idaho are the three finalists in Kittitas Valley Fire & Rescue’s search for a new chief. Fire commissioners for Kittitas Valley Fire & Rescue publicly

The Master Gardeners hold their Plant Diagnostic Clinic at 11:30 this morning at the Armory — bring in whatever's ailing your garden and they'll help you sort it out. LISTEN TO THE NEWS HERE NEWS Drivers who cross the Columbia should plan ahead. Traffic restrictions return to Interstate 90 near Vantage this Wednesday, July 9th, as crews restart repair work on the Vantage Bridge. Expect lane reductions and slower going, so give yourself extra time if you're headed east. Kittit

Starting this week, the speed cameras in those zones come with a 125-dollar fine. Until now, first-time offenders got a warning, and the state handed out more than 85,000 of them since last spring. A second ticket runs 248 dollars. LISTEN TO THE NEWS HERE NEWS The Ellensburg School Board is set to give Superintendent Troy Tornow a raise and a longer contract. The new deal runs through June 2029 and bumps his salary by 6,500 dollars, to 216,500. Tornow started as interim super

Looking ahead to the holiday, the City of Ellensburg and Kittitas County host a free America 250 Community Picnic Saturday, July 4th, from 2 to 6 p.m. at Unity Park LISTEN TO THE NEWS HERE NEWS The Ellensburg Public Library’s Summer Reading Program kicked off this week with a wide range of activities for kids and adults under the theme “Unearth a Story.” On Wednesday, July 22, kids will get to take shovels to a mountain of dirt to hunt for dinosaurs. While most of the childre

The Roslyn Public Library hosts its summer reading program, "Unearth a Story," at 11 this morning LISTEN TO THE NEWS HERE NEWS A bankruptcy judge has cleared the way for Cle Elum to move forward. After a two-day hearing in May and more than two hours of argument this week, Judge Whitman Holt ruled from the bench that the city qualifies for Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection, overruling every objection from City Heights Holdings. City Heights is the developer still waiting on nea

The city is asking neighbors to let their lawns "go blonde" this summer. With the Yakima Basin in its fourth straight year of drought and mountain snowpack at just 36% of normal, Water Resources Manager Rebecca Springer told the council the city wants to cut peak summer water use by 10%. The voluntary "Go Blonde" campaign asks folks to keep lawns dormant but not dead — watering no more than three days a week, before 9 a.m. or after 7 p.m., and fixing leaks within two days. Si