Good morning, Yakima.

The Yakima Valley Trolley Museum on South Third Avenue and Pine Street is hosting Halloween-themed trolley rides with a 25-minute round trip today and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for $5 per ticket + attendees can also enjoy fortune telling, a costume photo op, face painting, and the first 100 children will receive a free pumpkin.

Officials from Safe Yakima Valley and the Washington Traffic Safety Commission launched a public awareness campaign called Catch a Ride, Not a DUI — Most Drive Sober to correct misperceptions about impaired driving among local youth.

The campaign highlights survey findings showing 94% drive sober, 87% plan ahead for rides, and most feel ready to help friends avoid impaired driving.

Officials warned Yakima residents that scams are increasing and urged caution after alerts from the court and police.

On Friday, Solarity Credit Union held a fraud protection seminar for seniors at Harman Senior Center—experts advised not to share personal information with unknown callers—helping locals guard against scams.

State agencies warned that Eastern Washington's low-cost energy could face rolling blackouts during dry hydropower years and extreme weather conditions.

The report shows shortages may occur in the next five years as rising demands and a lack of new infrastructure challenge the power grid—officials say quick action is needed.

The government shutdown has kept key economic data hidden and left the Fed to rely on private reports + the Consumer Price Index as it prepares for its meeting on Oct.

28th and 29th where a 25 basis point rate cut is expected. Officials will weigh a cooling labor market against rising inflation as this decision could affect loan and savings rates.

Officials signed a memorandum of understanding earlier this month to form a Veterans Therapeutic Court that gives veterans a structured alternative to jail.

The new court will connect veterans with support services for mental health and substance abuse issues—helping them return to community stability.

City officials in Yakima said they completed a project at several busy intersections to improve pedestrian safety.

The federally funded upgrade installed new signal controllers and conflict monitors that adjust timing using the Leading Pedestrian Interval method—ensuring pedestrians step into crossings before vehicles see a green light.

A study from MD Anderson found that advanced lung and skin cancer patients who received a COVID mRNA vaccine within 100 days of starting immunotherapy lived longer than those who did not—patients had a median survival of 37.3 months versus 20.6 months.

Researchers said the mRNA vaccine appears to boost the immune system to work better with cancer treatments.

On Halloween, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission reported that 55 percent of emergency room visits were linked to pumpkin carving accidents—sharp knives and falls while handling decorations caused about 3,200 injuries over the past three years.

Dreams and Fairy Dust Painting Event

2-4 p.m. — 5th Line Brewing — Ticketed event — Unleash your creativity with a guided painting session while enjoying the brewery's offerings.