Eagle Scout Joseph Marsh was on vacation on the island of Maui with his family this past December. While swimming in the ocean and taking pictures of fish and turtles, Joseph displayed great courage and preparedness, for which he credits time spent Scouting with Troop 249 in Richland and serving on summer camp staff at Camp Grizzly near Potlatch, Idaho.

As he was returning to shore, about a hundred yards from the beach, he noticed a middle-aged man struggling in the water and shouting for help. As a trained BSA Lifeguard and recent Eagle Scout, as of December 2017, Joseph instinctively swam toward the distressed swimmer, who was already vomiting and
struggling to stay afloat. Knowing that approaching a struggling swimmer can be hazardous, he swam behind the man and assured him he would be okay. The man struggled for a moment as Joseph placed his left arm around his chest and began a one person rescue.

Joseph still remembers feeling the victim’s heart beating rapidly as he swam with him toward the beach, which was still roughly
a hundred yards away. When they finally reached shallow water, Joseph helped the man onto the beach, where he helped position him onto his side to keep his airway clear. He continued to vomit profusely, but with reliable beach staff now there to assist him, it appeared he was in good hands.

​The victim had a limited command of English and was apparently a tourist at the resort, so Joseph didn’t have much communication with him, but the beach staff notified him later that the man was doing well.

Thinking back on the incident that day, Joseph says, “I wasn’t scared then, but now I appreciate that I did what needed to be done. I was considering working as a sales representative this summer. Now I am committed to be a lifeguard again at Camp Grizzly. Since earning [my] Eagle Scout, I really want to continue my Scouting career. I treasure the friends, skills and experiences that Scouting has given to me.”

​For his heroic actions that day Joseph Marsh has been presented the BSA Medal of Merit—another incredible example of a young man PREPARED FOR LIFE through Scouting in the Blue Mountain Council.

Mid-Columbia Libraries (MLC) invites community members to take the next step in life with digital resources from their library.
MCL offers library customers access to Pronunciator, a fun and free way to learn any of more than 80 languages, from Spanish or French to Uzbek or Swahili, with self-directed lessons, live teachers, movies, music, and more. Customers can learn online, or get the app for learning on mobile devices! The service is free with a Mid-Columbia Libraries library card.

Pronunciator features access to more than 80 languages; thousands of language courses for all ages and skill levels; travel prep courses; ESL courses for 51 languages; and more. Registering allows users to track their progress across different devices.

Furthermore, library customers preparing for U.S. citizenship can study for the civics, reading, and writing portions of the naturalization test with Procitizen. Also available on computer or mobile device, this free service offers users informative videos, practice exercises, and quizzes.
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Both services are also available in Spanish. More information is available at midcolumbialibraries.org/pronunciator.

​WEST RICHLAND, Wash. — Benton County Fire District 4 invites the public to its annual open house on Saturday, June 9 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will take place at Station 420 at 2604 Bombing Range Road in West Richland (99353).
 
“This is a great community event; one we look forward to every year,” said Chief Bill Whealan. “We get the opportunity to thank our community in person for their support of emergency services.”
 
The fire district wants community members to know how their taxpayer dollars are spent to save lives and property. This includes an extrication demonstration of removing victims from motor vehicle accidents, how to provide cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR), blood pressure checks, as well as fire engine and station tours.
 
“These facilities are paid for with taxpayer dollars,” said Chief Whealan. “We want you to come and see how we save lives and property.”
 
Benton County Fire District 4 also will provide snacks and refreshments during the event. Children and adults will all have the opportunity to participate in fire and injury prevention programs sponsored by the fire district. There will also be information about the newly launched app in Benton County, called PulsePoint.
 
“We save money for our taxpayers when we prevent fires and injuries before they happen,” said Chief Whealan. “Please come, have fun and learn safety practices along the way.”

Hanford Site services provider Mission Support Alliance (MSA) has announced the retirement of two longtime employees in June and has named their successors.

Vice president of Portfolio Management, Steve Young, will retire on June 15 and MSA will welcome Rick Millikin as the incoming vice president in this role. Steve has been with MSA for 7 years and at the Hanford Site for more than 30. Rick Millikin is coming to MSA from CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company where he most recently served as the vice president of Prime Contract and Project Integration. Rick has more than 28 years of business and program management experience, working at some of the most technically complex sites in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Environmental Management complex.

After 27 years leading the Volpentest HAMMER Federal Training Center, Karen McGinnis will also be retiring in June. Effective June 7, Paul Vandervert will become the director of HAMMER. Paul has been with HAMMER for 26 years, from concept and design to construction and operations. Paul has served as operations manager since HAMMER opened and has been recognized for his leadership in developing HAMMER as a model for performance and customer service. Paul’s extensive experience and strong relationships with Hanford Site leadership, labor and the community, will serve him well in his new role.

MSA is excited to welcome Rick and Paul into their new positions and we are grateful for the years of service from both Steve and Karen.

The City of Kennewick Parks and Recreation Department and Gesa Carousel of Dreams are pleased to announce the largest food truck event series in the area, Sunset at Southridge sponsored by Toyota of Tri-Cities and Retter and Company Sotheby's International Realty, kicks off Friday, June 1st. Event hours are 5:30pm-8:00pm. 
 
Held the 1st, 3rd and 5th Fridays of the month, June – August at the Southridge Sports and Events Complex.  In addition to their regular menu, every food vendor offers a $7 dinner special which includes a free carousel ride. Every week features live music and a free kid’s activity.  This week’s entertainment is the Tri-Cities Steel Drum Band.  The free kid’s activity is interactive cooking and a visit from Queen Elsa.  Visit the Sunset at Southridge Facebook page for weekly updates and a list of food vendors. 
 
Banquet tables and picnic benches are available but in limited quantities so attendees are encouraged to bring their own chairs and blankets.
 
Southridge Sports and Events Complex is located at 2901 Southridge Blvd.