Good morning, Yakima.

Central Washington State Fair opens Friday at noon at State Fair Park and runs through Sunday, Oct.

4. The fair, celebrating America’s 250th birthday, features racing pigs, live rodeos, demolition derbies, special ticket deals (only $17.76 entry combo), and a new exhibit titled Moments that Made US.

A cougar was spotted in a Yakima neighborhood near 46th Avenue and Summitview Avenue on Tuesday night.

Yakima police said the Department of Fish and Wildlife attempted to capture the animal — it has evaded capture so far — and urged residents to keep pets inside and call 911 if spotted.

Yakima police are warning residents after a cougar was seen on 46th and Summitview this week; the animal evaded capture by the Washington Department of Fish + Wildlife and locals are urged to secure pets and exercise caution outdoors.

Washington state will provide 2,400 free preschool slots this school year to low-income children through 42 new and existing providers, restoring cuts made last year with over $251 million in public and private funding.

The move boosts early learning for families (earning up to about $50,000 annually).

Judges sided with the Yakama Nation and two environmental groups Monday, ordering Ecology to revise the water quality certification for the Goldendale Energy Storage Project near Pushpum, a sacred site along the Columbia River.

The decision imposes new monitoring measures to detect tunnel leakage and protect water quality.