• Disasters
Floodwaters emanating from the Yakima River threatened several homes in the Wapato area and one in Toppenish in mid-January.  One home was evacuated in the 90 block of Jones Road and the other was evacuated in the 100 block of Brain Lane.
Yakama Nation Police responded to a report of a trapped individual whose trailer was surrounded by water 1200 block of Winaway Road. Upon arrival, police determined the individual wasn’t trapped and encouraged him to evacuate, but the man refused.
A family in Toppenish also evacuated from a home on Blue Heron Road. 
The evacuating families were sent to Toppenish Community Center.
On Thursday, Jan. 8 minor flooding began on Highway 22 and Buena Way and emergency response teams started sandbagging. By Friday, North Camus Road, Phillip John Road, East Wapato Road, Winaway and Oldenway Road all started flooding.
The Wapato Police Department’s jail work trustees filled 600 sandbags that were used to barricade people’s homes along the river from flood damage. 
Thirty-four students from Fort Simcoe Job Corp were at Wapato Irrigation for two days to fill sandbags as part of the flood relief effort. They also filled 2,500 bags that were sent to  East Jones and Camus Road in Wapato.

• Crime
In March, Toppenish police arrested a 20-year-old Hispanic man and a 21-year-old Hispanic woman in connection with the gang-related shooting deaths of two Hispanic males on March 5.
Toppenish Police Chief Adam Diaz said Israel Diaz, 21, and Estevan Silva, Jr., 17, were shot at about 11 p.m. near the intersection of Buena Way and Washington, when they and other individuals were standing on the street and were approached by a dark, four-door passenger car.
After words were exchanged, the passenger in the vehicle opened fire. 
Diaz, no relation to the police chief, was pronounced dead at the scene, and Silva died several hours later at a Yakima hospital.
 “We do know it was gang-related,” Diaz said. “Gang membership was disclosed before the shooting.”
The male suspect was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of first-degree assault.
The female suspect was charged as a conspirator in the commission of those crimes.
In December, a Toppenish man was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting in Toppenish and a White Swan man was shot a week later in what local officials are calling gang-related crimes. On Dec. 5, Toppenish police responded to a shooting on Washington Avenue at 1:15 a.m. Ladislado Avila, 22, of Toppenish was shot when subjects in a car following his vehicle fired a shot that struck Avila in the head. After being shot, Avila drove off the roadway and struck a tree. The three passengers in his car were uninjured. Avila was taken by ambulance to Yakima Memorial Hospital in critical condition and later died from his injuries.
On Dec. 12, local law enforcements including Toppenish police, Yakima County Sheriff’s deputies, Yakima Police and members of the Violent Crimes Task Force served a search warrant on a residence in Yakima and five subjects were taken into custody for questioning in connection with the shooting death of Avila. Rudy Madrigal, 19, has been charged with first-degree murder, Fabian Arredondo, 20 of Zillah has been arrested with charges related to the homicide and Justin Cavasos, 20, also of Zillah was charged with first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm.
Two other subjects arrested at the home were later released. Police also located a car they believe to be the car used during the shooting. The car was been impounded and is being processed for evidence.
Officers from the Toppenish Police Department responded to a shooting on Saturday, Dc. 19 at 8:15 p.m. in the 100 block of North Fir Street. Officers who responded to the call found an 18-year-old Harrah teen shot three times. The victim told police he was walking in the area when he was confronted by a large group of individuals in a car shouting threats and comments. Shots from the car were fired, striking the victim in the leg and lower abdomen. Witnesses reported seeing two cars leaving the area after the shooting at a high rate of speed. Both vehicles were late 1990 model Hondas. One car was described as a white vehicle with a green stripe. The other vehicle was said to be either grey or silver. Police believe the incident was gang related. The victim was taken by ambulance to Toppenish Community Hospital, although his injuries were not life threatening.


Community
• Marty Gunnier of Granger was named Toppenish Jr. Rodeo Queen for the annual event in August.
• Ariel Valdez of Wapato was crowned Miss Wapato during the annual Miss Wapato pageant on Sept. 5.
• Zitali Marquez was chosen as Miss Harrah during the 89th annual Harrah Fall Festival in mid-September.
• Ismael Torres of Granger won the crown of Miss Granger at the community Miss Granger event on April 3.


Toppenish’s Mural-In-A-Day project grew into a two-day affair in 2009. The

The town of Granger celebrated its 100th anniversary on Oct. 17. The daylong event featured tours, informal get-togethers and a large display of historical information and pictures about the community and its early days. The day was capped with a catered dinner at the Northwest Community Center. Ruth Granger Zelenick, the granddaughter of Granger’s founder Walter Granger was one of seven featured speakers.
In April, Granger’s dinosaur count hit 27, as volunteers and community members created an Apatosaurus as its newest member of the dinosaur family in Hisey Park in Granger during Dino-In-A-Day.

Toppenish honored several citizens at the 89th annual Ranch Party in October. Among the winners, Curtis Parrish, Man of the Year; Barb Moses, Woman of the Year; Jim Thomas, Volunteer of the Year; Jeanine Pederson, Retail Person of the Year; and Karen Gully, Community Service award.



Business:
Officials at the Yakama Nation announced the sudden closure of the YakaMart in Toppenish. Yakama National Tribal Council chairman Ralph Sampson said the closure of the local convenience store and fueling station was made to “protect and serve” scarce tribal resources.”

Vintage Valley Medical Center had the official grand opening of its new 6,000 square foot facility in Zillah in August. The facility was built by the Toppenish Community Hospital and will house three physicians at 913 Vintage Valley Parkway in Zillah.