Yakima Wa

To a casual visitor, this rural central Washington town doesn't look like it is experiencing a crisis. Along the Yakima Valley Highway, lined with tractor dealers, fast-food restaurants and strip malls, there are few signs of the gang activity that scares and frustrates residents, police and city officials. But in neighborhoods north and south of town, graffiti, fights, vandalism and theft are commonplace.

To a casual visitor, this rural central Washington town doesn't look like it is experiencing a crisis. Along the Yakima Valley Highway, lined with tractor dealers, fast-food restaurants and strip malls, there are few signs of the gang activity that scares and frustrates residents, police and city officials. But in neighborhoods north and south of town, graffiti, fights, vandalism and theft are commonplace.

While much of the country frets about too many illegal immigrants, farmers in this famed apple-growing region east of the Cascade Range complain they can no longer find enough. During the last two years, Yakima-area apple growers were so short of the migrant field hands they rely on to prune and pick their prized crop that a few brought in workers from Thailand. Others said they never did find enough workers and watched in anguish as precious fruit was left dangling on trees.

While much of the country frets about too many illegal immigrants, farmers in this famed apple-growing region east of the Cascade Range complain they can no longer find enough. During the last two years, Yakima-area apple growers were so short of the migrant field hands they rely on to prune and pick their prized crop that a few brought in workers from Thailand. Others said they never did find enough workers and watched in anguish as precious fruit was left dangling on trees.