Ellensburg Community Morning Show, Tuesday, June 9th

Habitat for Humanity broke ground last week on three new homes in Ellensburg at 510 South Willow Street, across from Mountain View Park. The two-bedroom, one-bath homes — 975 square feet each — are expected to be finished by fall 2027.

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NEWS

Habitat for Humanity broke ground last week on three new homes in Ellensburg at 510 South Willow Street, across from Mountain View Park. The two-bedroom, one-bath homes — 975 square feet each — are expected to be finished by fall 2027. Site manager Nick Nelson put out the call for volunteers from the community, businesses, and churches, saying the project will take hundreds of hours to complete. Area director Stephanie Bohman noted that rental prices in the region have risen 50 percent in the last six years. "The people being priced out are not strangers," she said. "They are our co-workers, they're our neighbors." The city of Ellensburg is the primary funder of the project.

The Kittitas County Law and Justice Council is accepting grant applications from community and local government organizations. The grants are funded by the county's 1/10th percent law and justice sales tax and can cover equipment, materials, programs, and projects — but not salaries or leases. Applications are due July 24 and can be picked up at the Kittitas County Sheriff's Office at 307 West Umptanum Road or on the sheriff's office website.

The City of Ellensburg wants to hear from residents about what a new or renovated aquatic facility should look like. A community survey is open now through June 21 as the city continues exploring the idea, which came out of the 2026-2032 Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and Sustainable Funding Plan. Sticker-dot priority boards are also posted at the Kittitas Valley Memorial Pool.

The Ellensburg City Council has unanimously appointed Jeffrey Snedeker to a new term on the Ellensburg Arts Commission. Councilmembers voted 6-0 to retain Snedecker during the council meeting Monday. Snedecker, a music professor at Central Washington University, is an accomplished professional musician and recording artist. He is an inductee of the Washington State Music Educators Hall of Fame as well as a published author. He is also principal horn with the Yakima Symphony and is active in national and international organizations.

LOCAL EVENTS

The Master Gardener Plant Diagnostic Clinic is today at 11:30 a.m. at the Armory. Bring your sick plants and garden questions.

The Ellensburg Chamber of Commerce hosts Chamber After Hours at 5 p.m. at PUNCH Projects in Thorp.

The Harvest Place Speaker Series is at 6:30 p.m. at the Family Christian Center, featuring lectures and discussion open to the community.

Valley Voices Community Choir holds rehearsal at 6:30 p.m. at Ellensburg Presbyterian Church. New voices welcome.

IN SPORTS

CWU Wildcat athletics are in the off-season, but there is Wildcat news to report. Registration is now open for the 24th Annual Kitna Wildcat Classic golf tournament. And a former CWU sprinter is building her profile with Team USA ahead of the USATF Outdoor Track and Field Championships later this month in New York. Three Wildcat baseball players — Blank, Garza, and Swenson — earned CSC Academic All-District honors to close out the season.

WEATHER                                                                                          

The forecasted high tomorrow in Ellensburg is 62 degrees with a low of 43 degrees. Partly cloudy and windy with gusts up to 28 miles per hour. The sunset is at 8:56 p.m. There's a 24 percent chance of rain, so keep a jacket handy.

WHAT'S FOR LUNCH AT THE FISH OPEN TABLE?

The FISH Open Table lunch today is Chicken and Sausage Gumbo over rice with pears. The senior lunch is open to all seniors age 60-plus from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Ellensburg Open Table at 204 North Main Street, and noon to 1 p.m. at the Cle Elum Seventh Day Adventist Church. The community lunch for anyone needing a hot meal is from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Ellensburg Open Table.