Journal of Business - February 2022

February 2022 Volume 21 | Issue 2

Community rallies around downtown Kennewick fire victims

By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz

A dramatic early morning fire on Feb. 4 destroyed a downtown Kennewick building that contained six second-floor apartments and five street-level businesses.

The cause of the fire, which sent flames into the darkened sky and left downtown Health Care

As pandemic pushes people to be healthier, pharmacy is ready to help Page A29

covered with a layer of ash the following day, was unknown, said Kennewick Fire Chief Chad Michael.

The city confirmed the building did not have a sprinkler system or an alarm system.

Eight adults and two children living in the apartments escaped, with at least one taken to a hospital for burns and smoke inhalation.

The building at 304 W. Kennewick Ave. at Cascade Street was also home to The Lady Bug Shoppe, Neal Wilson Insurance Agency, Squeaky Clean Janitorial, Ashiatsu Massage Tri-Cities and The Social Club hair salon.

The fire also forced neighboring busiuFIRE, Page A4

Union Gospel Mission plans to move women’s shelter to Kennewick

By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz

Business Profile

Tri-Cities’ first dedicated electric bike shop opens in Richland Page A42

Real Estate & Construction

Pasco Haven to rise near Columbia River waterfront Page B1

NOTEWORTHY “This will be a phenomenal opportunity to highlight the area."

- Kathy Lampson on campaign to replace cable bridge lights

Page A11

The Tri-Cities Union Gospel Mission is preparing to move its shelter serving women and children to new quarters in central Kennewick in about three years.

The Christian ministry will build a 20,000-square-foot shelter just west of Vista Field to replace the current one at 110 N. Second Ave. in east Pasco.

Andrew Porter, executive director, said the $6 million project will have many of the same features as the mission’s shelter for men on South Fourth Avenue in Pasco – classrooms, a chapel and better amenities for residents who live there while participating in its recovery program.

The mission paid $900,000 for the future home of the women’s shelter, a 1.74-acre site at 533 N. Young St., in 2021.

Its neighbors include the Three Rivers Convention Center to the north, a Trios Urgent Care Clinic and the Tri-Cities Cancer Center to the south and the Port of Kennewick’s Vista Field redevelopment project to the east.

Several hotels and retirement homes are nearby, as is a never-opened 16-bed behavioral health hospital.

Porter said the Tri-Cities Union Gospel Mission has long wanted to expand beyond its base in east Pasco, where it operated neighboring shelters for men, and women and children in buildings that both are more than a century old.

The ministry serves the homeless and people with mental health and substance issues. It has an annual budget of about $6 million and provides uMISSION, Page A5

Photo by Wendy Culverwell Artist Heidi Elkington and her dog, Carmen Electra, pose by her skateboardthemed mural behind Real Deals in the Uptown Shopping Center alley. Gallery in the Alley is an emerging art destination in the heart of Richland. The subject – a lizard riding a board – is a nod to Elkington’s youth, growing up in Richland and skateboarding at the shopping center.

Alley art gallery adds to Uptown’s quirky charm

By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz

The Uptown Shopping Center, Richland’s quirky midcentury retail hub, is being transformed into a living gallery courtesy local artists and business owners.

Gallery in the Alley is a city-supported initiative of the Uptown Business Improvement District to clean up alleys and bring in professional artists to paint murals.

The district has a $19,000 budget to uALLEY ART, Page A26

Prosser Memorial to break ground on $78 million hospital complex

By Kristina Lord

publisher@tcjournal.biz

Prosser Memorial Health plans to break ground this spring on a $78 million hospital complex on 33 acres north of Interstate 82 and to begin seeing patients there in 2024.

Its aging hospital at 723 Memorial St. in

Prosser will close when the new one opens and eventually will be demolished.

A $57.5 million U.S. Department of Agriculture loan (40 years at 2.2% interest) will offset much of the cost, with about 20% coming from PMH and $2 million from the uPMH, Page A32

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

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Port of Kennewick, ex-commissioner spar over legal fees

By Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

The Port of Kennewick commission has agreed to hire an outside attorney after it was faulted by the state auditor’s office for reimbursing a commissioner for $49,000 in legal fees.

The Washington State Auditor issued the port its first such finding in 27 years on Jan. 19, faulting its decision to cover legal fees incurred by now former Commissioner Don Barnes.

The letter said the fees were not reimbursable under state law and that Barnes should not have voted to reimburse himself.

Barnes’ Kennewick lawyer disagreed

with the state’s findings.

In a Feb. 7 letter to the port, Joel Comfort of Miller Mertens & Comfort PLLC advised the port that the fees were Don Barnes reimbursable, that Barnes was not wrong to vote on his own behalf and that he has no intention of voluntarily “disgorging” or reimbursing the port.

He said Barnes will “vigorously” defend himself if the port pursues reimbursement.

“It has already wasted nearly $500,000 in taxpayer dollars related to this matter.

Perhaps it’s time for it to put its money toward more useful endeavors,” Comfort wrote.

The matter stems from an investigation that concluded Moak violated port rules in relation to his opposition to a private land sale near Vista Field involving Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic. He appealed, retained outside counsel and was exonerated by an independent judge.

The auditor’s office advised the port to consider seeking restitution. Lucinda Luke, the port’s attorney, recommended the port follow the auditor’s letter and retain outside counsel to conduct further le-

gal review and advise the port on whether further action is necessary or required by law.

The commission agreed it wanted her to move ahead with the plan.

In 2021, Barnes, together with Commissioner Tom Moak, voted to compensate himself for more than $49,000 in legal fees even after an outside review said the amount was too high.

A third commissioner, Skip Novakovich, abstained, citing legal concerns.

Barnes left the commission at the end of 2021 and was succeeded by Commissioner Ken Hohenberg, who was not a party to the discussion.

State accuses Veterans Thrift founder of pervasive sexual misconduct

By Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

The Washington Attorney General’s Office filed a civil rights lawsuit against Thelbert “Thadd” Lawson Jr. and the Wenatchee nonprofit he founded to serve veterans, saying they discriminated against and sexually harassed at least a dozen women who worked at its two thrift stores.

Operation Veterans Assistance & Humanitarian Aid operates thrift stores at 1219 N. Wenatchee Ave. in Wenatchee and at 908 N. Colorado St. in Kennewick.

The suit was filed Feb. 8 in Chelan County Superior Court, following an investigation by Wing Luke Civil Rights Division, which received the case from the Washington State Human Rights Commission after an employee filed a complaint against Lawson.

It asked the court to enforce the Washington Law Against Discrimination by banning Lawson from working at Operation Veterans Assistance & Humanitarian Aid, financial restitution for victims and legal costs.

The AG’s office is asking individuals with information about the case or who saw or experienced discrimination to contact the Wing Luke Civil Rights Division, 833-660-4877, ext. 6, or the AG’s office, VeteransWarehouse@atg.wa.gov.

“My team will use all the tools we have to stop workplace harassment and discrimination,” said Bob Ferguson, Washington’s attorney general. “Everyone deserves a

safe work environment free from abuse.”

Lawson declined to comment on the allegations, saying he hadn’t received a copy of the lawThadd Lawson suit or hired an attorney.

Lawson had a lengthy criminal history before he and his wife, Karen Monroe, launched Veterans Thrift in 2013 in Wenatchee. Its stated mission is to serve homeless veterans and their families.

The Kennewick store opened in early 2021 in the former Sports Authority building next to Lowe’s Home Improvement.

The 40,000-square-foot store had been empty for more than five years. Veterans Thrift signed a seven-year lease.

Lawson shared his background, including his criminal history, at the time the store opened. He blamed untreated PTSD and a head injury from his Army service for his post-military crimes.

He was convicted in 1992 in Chelan County Superior Court for hiring someone in a failed attempt to murder his then-wife.

He served more than 16 years of an 18year sentence.

Lawson said he reset behind bars. In 2006, while serving at the Monroe Correctional Complex, he was named the incarcerated veteran of the year by Vietnam

Veterans of America. The Everett Herald wrote about the ceremony at the time.

The nonprofit was supposed to carry out his new mission.

But trouble piled up. A post-prison conviction in Chelan County District Court was reversed in 2016. Lawson said he accepted a plea bargain deal for fourth-degree assault to put the incident behind him.

In July 2021, he was convicted by a jury on a count of assault for an incident involving harassment of at least two individuals at the Wenatchee store, according to the AG’s office. The nonprofit posted his appeal bond, which allowed him to stay out of jail.

He continued to work at the thrift stores.

The civil rights case claims Lawson and Operation Veterans Assistance subjected employees to “pervasive, ongoing sexual harassment, including offensive and unwanted touching, sexually charged remarks and inappropriate requests.”

Specifically, the case accuses him of touching female employees without per-

missions, leading female employees into private areas, making sexually explicit comments, requesting sex, asking women to watch pornography with him and similar actions.

The suit alleges he commented on the appearance, size and other aspects of female employees and customers, made overt sexual gestures and commented on employees’ sex lives as part of the larger pattern of inappropriate behavior.

The conduct occurred at both stores, it said.

According to the lawsuit, several employees reported Lawson’s conduct to his wife, Monroe, the nonprofit’s president, and to other managers and supervisors.

The organization took no action to investigate or correct the situation, according to the suit.

The charges maintain he harassed at least 10 thrift store employees and members of the public.

To read the full complaint, go to: bit.ly/ LawsonLawsuit.

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nesses, including Foodies Kennewick and Desert Gem & Appraisal, to close.

Foodies said it would lose all its equipment after the city posted an order to vacate on its door. The restaurant said it would shift its staff to its location at Richland’s Parkway. It is also launching its Foodies On the Go food truck.

In the immediate aftermath, the community was coming together to support victims.

The Historic Downtown Kennewick Partnership, is teaming with 3 Rivers Community Foundation to raise relief money. Donate at bit.ly/KennewickFireFund.

Stephanie Button, executive director, said “every penny” donated will go to victims.

Cindy Mosley-Cleary, owner of the Lady Bug Shoppe, spent the morning of the fire watching crews mop up while smoke and steam still vented from the charred building. Her gift and home décor shop appeared intact, but the 1940-built structure was too unstable to enter and was later fenced off for public safety.

Mosley-Cleary was featured on the cover of the November 2021 edition of the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business, when it published a package of retail stories featuring small businesses in the downtowns of Kennewick, Pasco and Richland on the eve of the holiday shopping season.

At the time, she was having her storefront decorated for the holidays and had just laid in a large inventory of home décor items, gifts, toys and the popular CC beanies she carries – having ordered big when supply chain issues started rattling retailers.

As artist Alicia Michaliszyn of Allusions Art & Design painted a winter scene of white birches with red cardinals, Mosley-Cleary said chose the cardinal as a symbol of hope for a success-

Photo by Wendy Culverwell A two-alarm fire destroyed an apartment-and-retail building at 304 W. Kennewick Ave. early Feb. 4. The 1940-built building was home to 10 people and five retail and professional businesses. Residents escaped, with at least two taken to the hospital, one in critical condition.

ful season.

The birches and the birds remained on the unbroken window after the fire.

Mosley-Cleary said she expected the inventory to be a total loss, but that the business would survive in some fashion.

Neal Wilson said he was unable to get into his insurance office to assess the damage, but he expected it to be a total loss.

Wilson said he was more fortunate than most – his losses amounted to a few computers, desks and other office furniture. He said he can work anywhere he has a phone and laptop, including his home office.

His business insurance policy will cover the damaged property, including renting new space. But even the insurance agent couldn’t cover everything – he’d decorated his one-man office with pictures from his daughters, photos of his father and grandfather and an antique map he bought downtown.

“Those are the things that are the biggest losses. There are some things we can’t insure in life,” he said.

The fire department said it was alert-

ed to the fire at 5:37 a.m. Feb. 4 and responded in just over four minutes.

Unable to safely fight the fire from inside, crews blasted water from above, using ladder trucks.

They were also in neighboring buildings to keep the flames from spreading.

The Pasco Fire Department, Benton Fire District 1 and Richland Fire & Emergency Services responded to the two-alarm fire.

The Red Cross responded to assist the tenants who lived in apartments on the second floor. At least one fundraiser was started for a woman and her cousin, who shared an apartment with their children.

HDKP canceled its 2022 downtown network breakfast, which was scheduled for the morning of the fire.

uBUSINESS BRIEF New flights prop up traffic at Tri-Cities Airport

The Tri-Cities Airport reports a respectable increase in air traffic in 2021 thanks in part to the arrival of new carriers.

With 346,503 people boarding flights, enplanements were up 83% over 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic battered travel and left planes mostly empty.

Buck Taft, airport director, attributed the rebound in part to new routes added in the past year.

Avelo Airlines added a flight to Hollywood Burbank Airport. Allegiant Air added a flight to San Diego International Airport. Aha! Airlines added a flight to Reno-Tahoe International Airport.

Air travel is still below the record 438,123 enplanements recorded in 2019.

“While the Covid-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on the entire aviation industry, it is encouraging to see our passenger numbers trend toward pre-pandemic levels,” he said.

The airport, owned and operated by the Port of Pasco, is also served by Alaska Airlines and Delta Airlines.

The airport said cargo operations increased 12% to more than 3.5 million pounds of goods processed through the Pasco airport in 2021.

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022 MISSION, From page A1 housing, support and recovery services to the homeless and struggling in Southeastern Washington.

It estimates it serves 3,000 people a year, provides more than 41,000 nights of shelter and serves more than 100,000 hot meals.

The Kennewick site is an ideal place to serve women and their children, Porter said.

Demand is rising and women and children are one of region’s fastest-growing homeless populations.

The location also reflects the mission’s desire to reflect its name. It is the “Tri-Cities” Mission, not the “Pasco” one, he noted.

It also moves women and children out of a neighborhood with a troubled history.

The North Young Street address is easily accessible to public transportation and state social services.

The area is part of Kennewick’s Columbia Center commercial district, filled with retail and food service businesses. They are rich targets for the women who need jobs as they work to get into stable housing and employment.

The property is zoned for group living.

Porter said women from Kennewick make up the largest share of people turning to the shelter for a place to stay in a crisis. That’s probably because Kennewick is the largest of the Tri-Cities, he said.

The current women’s shelter was built in 1914. It has 30 beds in seven compact rooms with dressers and closets. They offer families a safe refuge, but little room to spread out. There is a small day room and a play area in the basement.

It isn’t the sort of place women with children stay long enough to go through treatment for addiction, he said. It is a short-term solution for people in crisis, but ill-suited to those wanting to take advantage of the mission’s recovery programs.

The new facility will serve more than 70 people, including single women and women with children.

“We really do need a bigger, better place, a place where we can work with women and children,” he said.

Though it wanted to replace the shelter, the Union Gospel Mission built a new men’s shelter first because the need was more urgent.

The old men’s shelter was built in 1917 as a Masonic Temple and converted into a shelter in 1958. It was regularly full, Porter said, with 50 to 60 men sleeping on the floor most nights.

That didn’t happen at the women’s facility, which is usually full with 25 to 30 people.

The 40,000-square-foot men’s shelter opened Oct. 1, 2018.

Construction, land and soft costs pushed the cost to $11.4 million. Local donations covered about 75%, with grants making up the balance.

Porter said upgrading to the new building is making a difference in the lives of the men, many of them struggling with addiction and needing help to get back on their feet. Men are staying, getting sober and getting jobs in greater numbers, he said.

But it will take time to repeat that for women. The new building is likely at least three years away, with fundraising, planning, engineering and other work still to take place.

Porter said the mission received several

unsolicited contributions to start the project, including a $100,000 gift in December. It welcomes contributions but won’t initiate a public capital campaign until it has spoken with its major donors about lead gifts.

It won’t commission an architect until about a quarter of the money has been raised. Porter called $6 million a ballpark figure based on an estimated cost of $300 per square foot. The numbers can change.

Unexpected costs were one of the prime lessons it learned while building the shelter for men.

“It all worked out, but whatever you think (the cost) is, you probably just need to raise a little more money. Things come up,” Porter said.

The mission receives no public funds.

Community contributions support both the capital and operations costs.

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Photo by Wendy Culverwell The Tri-Cities Union Gospel Mission plans to build a 20,000-square-foot shelter for women and children at 533 N. Young St., near the Three Rivers Convention Center and Vista Field in central Kennewick. The $6 million shelter will replace an aging, cramped building in east Pasco.

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

DATEBOOK

VISIT TCJOURNAL.BIZ AND CLICK ON EVENT CALENDAR FOR MORE EVENTS.

FEB. 15

• PNNL lecture, “Biofouling, the Underwater Battle of Science and Nature”: 5 p.m., via Zoom. Details at pnnl.gov/events.

• Washington Policy Center On The Go: Noon-1 p.m. Details at washingtonpolicy.org/events.

• Franklin County Commission: 9 a.m. Details at co.franklin.wa.us/ commissioners/meeting.php.

• Benton County Commission: 9 a.m. Details at co.benton.wa.us/ agenda.aspx.

• WorkSource Open House for Businesses: 4-5 p.m. WorkSource Columbia Basin, 815 N. Kellogg St., Suite D, Kennewick. RSVP at bit. ly/3gqCsBY. Free. Space is limited.

Email wscbemployers@esd.wa.gov or call 509-734-5953.

FEB. 16

• STCU virtual workshop, “Planning your income for retirement”: 1-2 p.m. Register at stcu.org/learn.

• Virtual seminar, “From Spies to Science: Universal Lessons all Communicators Can Apply”: Noon-1 p.m. Register at prsamidcolumbia.org. Free for

Public Relations Society of America Mid-Columbia members, $10 for nonmembers.

portofkennewick.org/commissionmeetings.

FEB. 17

• Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce Monthly Membership Luncheon, “State of the Ports”: Noon-1:30 p.m. Red Lion Hotel and Conference Center, 2525 N. 20th, Pasco. Register at web. tricityregionalchamber.com/events.

• A Night With Cougar Athletics: 5-10 p.m. Three Rivers Convention Center, 7016 W. Grandridge Blvd., Kennewick. Food and drinks, bid on exclusive auction items and hear from director of athletics Pat Chun, coaching staff as well as current and former WSU athletes. Details at bit. ly/TriCitiesNWCA2022.

FEB. 18

• Coffee with Karl: 9-10 a.m., webinar with president and CEO of TRIDEC Karl Dye and guest.

Facebook.com/tcdevcouncil.

FEB. 22

• STCU virtual workshop, “Protect Your Credit Score.”: 6-7 p.m. Register at stcu.org/learn.

• Franklin County Commission: 9 a.m. Details at co.franklin.wa.us/ commissioners/meeting.php.

• Benton County Commission: 9 a.m. Details at co.benton.wa.us/ agenda.aspx.

• Port of Kennewick Commission: 2 p.m. Details at

FEB. 23

FEB. 24

• Lecture by Bruce Bjornstad “Let’s Talk About Hanford’s Geology: Floods, Lava and More”: 5:30 p.m., via Zoom or Facebook.

Tune in live at fb.me/e/2e5EhEztw.

• Port of Pasco Commission: 10:30 a.m. Details at portofpasco. org/about-us/port-commission.

FEB. 25

• Coffee with Karl: 9-10 a.m., webinar with president and CEO of TRIDEC Karl Dye and guest.

Facebook.com/tcdevcouncil.

FEB. 25-27

• 2022 Regional Home & Garden Show: 10 a.m.- 7 p.m. Feb. 25; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Feb. 26; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Feb. 27; HAPO

Center, 6600 Burden Blvd., Pasco.

Cost: $6 for adults, kids 12 and under are free. $1 off admission price with a nonperishable food item for Salvation Army. Free readmission all weekend with return stamp.

Details at hbatc.com.

MARCH 1

• Franklin County Commission: 9 a.m. Details at co.franklin.wa.us/ commissioners/meeting.php.

• Benton County Commission: 9 a.m. Details at co.benton.wa.us/ agenda.aspx.

MARCH 4

• Coffee with Karl: 9-10 a.m., webinar with president and CEO of TRIDEC Karl Dye and guest.

Facebook.com/tcdevcouncil.

MARCH 4-13

• Academy of Children’s Theatre presents, “The Many Disguises of Robin Hood” by Brian Guehring: 7 p.m. March 4 and 11; 3 p.m. March 5, 6, 12 and 13; 213 Wellsian Way, Richland.

Streaming performances at 3 p.m. March 5 and 12. Tickets at academyofchildrenstheatre.org.

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

OPINION OUR VIEW Kennewick fire reminds us why we need to protect our downtowns

By Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

We were heartbroken to see 10 people lose their homes and at least seven businesses destroyed by a two-alarm fire in the heart of Kennewick’s historic downtown on Feb. 4.

The two-story building that burned was at West Kennewick Avenue and North Cascade Street. Built in 1940, it contained a mix of upstairs apartments and streetlevel retail and offices. The building was still standing but too unstable to enter after the flames were tamed.

One resident suffered significant burns and smoke inhalation.

We send fervent hopes for his full recovery and encourage our readers to contribute to the emergency fund established by the Historic Downtown Kennewick Partnership and 3 Rivers Community Foundation. Learn more about the fire and the fundraiser on page A1.

Our news team visited the building in November for a series of retail stories timed to the holiday shopping season and were there when the birch trees and red cardinals were painted in the window at The Lady Bug Shoppe. Owner Cindy Mosley-Cleary selected the motif as a sign of hope for a holiday season.

The artwork remained intact as water poured out of the building after the fire – a melancholy sight but one we hope will still signal hope to everyone involved.

These charming buildings are popular spots for entrepreneurs who want to operate in downtown settings, with their

historic buildings and pedestrian-friendly vibes. Kennewick, Pasco, Prosser and Benton City all have historic downtowns they want to see thrive.

Many were constructed before modern building codes, and we believe they should be updated with sprinklers and other safety features.

The building that burned did not have a sprinkler system or an alarm system, the city of Kennewick said.

Some Pasco businesses have bristled at the requirements to add sprinklers before they can open restaurants and bars. Leo Morales, owner of Pasco’s Havana Café, has implored the city to help, saying fire codes have prevented him from fully realizing his vision for his business, as we reported last September Without such businesses, Morales and other entrepreneurs say Pasco’s vision of a thriving downtown will never happen.

Officials say sprinklers are not negotiable. The International Fire Code and prominent catastrophes nationwide involving fires breaking out in old buildings only drive home that point.

Our downtowns are worth preserving, and we salute the downtown associations who rally around these special communities to provide support – not just during the bad times but all the time.

The heartache from this fire is a reminder that the people who live and work in our downtown areas must be protected by the same measures that protect those who occupy more modern buildings.

Family businesses must be nimble to survive bad times We aren’t too far into 2022, and it is already shaping up to be another challenging year for America’s 5.5 million family businesses dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.

Rampant inflation, supply chain bottlenecks and acute worker shortages continue.

Family businesses are vital to America. According to the Conway Center for Family Business, they account for two-thirds of our nation’s GDP, just over 60% of U.S. jobs and 78% of all new jobs created.

They’re resilient and nimble.

Family businesses, particularly those which are in their third or fourth generations, have learned from experience to survive through hard times, says José Liberti, a professor of finance at Northwestern University,

Chicago.

One Northwest family which has dealt with many stressful times for over a century is the Campbell Don C. Brunell family. They Business analyst have owned and GUEST COLUMN operated Campbell’s Resort at Lake Chelan since 1901. It is a fifth-generation awardwinning family business.

The family legacy dates to 1898, when Clinton Campbell, a Sioux City, Iowa, magistrate, traveled by train to Wilbur and hiked three days to Lake uBRUNELL, Page A8

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State’s long-term care program needs more than a short-term delay When the Legislature convened the 2022 session in January, lawmakers made long-term care their first order of business.

It’s probably not a topic you thought about much until recently, but news that every employee in the state (except for some who were able to opt out – more about that in a moment) would begin paying a new tax on Jan. 1 caught people’s attention.

Amid an outcry from employees and employers calling for an overhaul or repeal of the program, lawmakers quickly passed and Gov. Jay Inslee signed a bill that would delay implementation of the tax until July 2023, and another bill that would allow for some more people to opt out of the program.

That’s a good start, but it’s not enough.

Lawmakers must address all the flaws with the long-term care fund, known as WA Cares, rather than simply delay the start of the payroll tax and allow for a few more groups of people to opt out of it.

The Legislature established the Long-Term Services and Supports Trust in 2019 to address a real issue: Not enough people have long-term care insurance.

When they end up requiring care, the state is too often left to pay for services out of the general fund.

The original intent of the legislation was to allow employees to opt

out of the state program as they acquired their own long-term care insurance from other places, including the private sector.

Kris Johnson The state Association of program would Washington provide supBusiness port for a short GUEST COLUMN period of time until people became eligible for other programs such as Medicaid, and it would stimulate the private long-term care insurance market.

But changes made to the legislation since it was first adopted – including a bill that lawmakers passed in 2021 – have created a program that is unclear, insolvent and does not address the actual long-term care needs of Washingtonians.

The payroll tax that’s intended to fund the new program amounts to 0.58% of wages, or approximately $435 per year for someone who earns $75,000, with no maximum cap. That’s a lot of money coming out of people’s paychecks, especially if some of them will never receive any benefit from it.

Among those who were stuck paying into the program without seeing a future benefit were workers close to uJOHNSON, Page A8

3 new ways for businesses to engage on policy issues As business owners and workers at businesses throughout the Tri-Cities, you are busy balancing your work and family life while at the same time trying to keep an eye on the issues that impact you.

There are so many issues coming out of local governments in Pasco, Kennewick, Richland, West Richland, etc., and, of course, at the state and federal levels that impact businesses and their ability to grow and hire more workers, which can be overwhelming.

As we start a new year, it is great to see three new organizations that are now operating in our state that can help you stay up to date on issues as well as offering ways for you to engage and get involved.

The Center Square The Center Square was launched to

SHARE-SQUARE Submit a letter to the editor at tcjournal.biz.com

fulfill the need for high-quality statehouse and other public policy news.

The focus of its work is stateand local-level Daniel Mead Smith government and economic Mead Smith Group reporting.

GUEST COLUMN A taxpayer sensibility distinguishes its work from other coverage of state and local issues.

As a result of this approach, readers are better informed about the focus of state and local government and its cost to the citizens and businesses whose tax dollars fund governmental deciuSMITH, Page A10

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

JOHNSON, From page A7 retirement who couldn’t vest, and employees who work their entire career in Washington and then retire to another state.

One of the bills the Legislature took up early in the session partially addresses the issue by allowing for a few more categories of people to opt out, but there are many more issues that need to be addressed, including the financial footing it now sits on.

Last year, more than 450,000 people opted out during a brief window when they were allowed to exit, meaning fewer people are paying into the program. There are also systemic issues around workforce and the definition of long-term care, as well as insurance

regulation issues that affect the health of a private-sector insurance market.

Lawmakers are right to push pause on the long-term care program this year. But it’s critical that they use the additional time to work with employers, regulators and private-sector insurance providers to find real solutions to the real issues surrounding long-term care.

With an aging population, it’s clear that how we plan for long-term care is something that’s not going away.

Simply pushing it off for 18 months is not a solution. Kris Johnson is president of the Association of Washington Business, the state’s chamber of commerce and manufacturers association.

BRUNELL, From page A7 Chelan. He purchased the original hotel property for $400.

In 1901, he and his wife, Caroline, completed construction of a 16-room hotel.

The original property owner, who famously said, “he’d sold a sand dune to a sucker,” would be amazed to see Campbell’s Resort today with its 170-rooms, conference center and restaurant.

That “sand dune” is now part of 1,800 feet of prime waterfront beach along one of the world’s most scenic and pristine lakes.

The couple built a hostelry that has been a credit to the community and accommodated people from all walks

of life. Their only son, Arthur, helped dig out the basement which added to the hotel’s restaurant.

Over the years, the family weathered tough times.

Arthur served in World War I and contracted the deadly Spanish flu and survived.

Later generations struggled through the Great Depression. They had two sons serving in World War II and dealt with disruptions caused by area wildfires and economic downturns. Now, they are confronted by the coronavirus pandemic.

The sudden onset of the Covid-19 pandemic decimated Campbell’s meeting and events business and closed the dining room. The resort has gradually reopened, but inflation, worker and supply shortages, and social distancing limits added to operating costs.

The silver lining is that visitors started returning last year to local wineries and for family vacations.

It helped that Chelan Public Utility District invested in high-speed internet which allowed people to work remotely.

What are the ingredients for family business longevity?

Researchers Josh Baron, adjunct professor at Columbia Business School, and Rob Lachenauer found, on average, family businesses last far longer than typical publicly-traded companies.

“Rather than being obsessed with hitting quarterly earnings targets, as public companies are, family businesses tend to think in terms of generations, which allows them to take actions that put them in better position to endure tough times,” Baron and Lachenauer reported.

Justin Craig, clinical professor of family enterprise at Northwestern University, adds that successful family businesses leverage institutional memory, smart diversification, manage debt and adapt to change and new technology.

Over time, the families which bring the next generation into the business and leverage their abilities have a better chance of succeeding.

They focus on creating various kinds of value (financial, social, relational and reputational) and have an advantage, said John A. Davis, who leads family enterprise programs at MIT’s Sloan School of Management.

Fostering an environment where a sixth generation of the Campbell family can continue to grow, adapt and develop their business is important for America.

Families in business must be able to be nimble and financially strong to weather disruptive times. Don Brunell is a business analyst, writer and columnist. He is retired from the Association of Washington Business. He can be contacted at TheBrunells@msn.com.

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

SMITH, From page A7 sions. They engage readers with essential news, data and analysis – delivered with velocity, frequency and consistency.

They distribute their stories through three main channels at no cost to readers: a news service, TheCenterSquare.com and social media.

The Center Square has launched a new Washington state bureau which includes an editor and reporting staff based here in Washington.

They now produce a weekly email compiling their recent articles and daily stories that are being picked up by newspapers, TV and radio across our state.

I encourage you to sign up for their Washington state stories via their website.

Go to: thecentersquare.com/washington.

Change Washington Change Washington is a strategic communications organization focused on bringing a business perspective and common sense to policy discussions across the state.

Though not directly involved in last year’s Seattle election and not supporting candidates, Change Washington was talking about public safety, homelessness and policing issues for 12 months.

Last fall’s election sent a message that it’s time for a shift in Seattle.

ChangeWA’s work has helped move the conversation toward a more balanced approach to public safety and government accountability and in 2022 they

will be taking that message and ability to educate voters statewide which include providing action alerts to busy people like you so you can quickly and easily make your views known to local and state policymakers.

Go to: changewashington.org.

League of Our Own Washington And for those who want to take their interest and activity with policy to the next level, there is League of Our Own Washington, a new organization focused on recruiting and train women to run for office.

Developed after Major League Baseball’s recruiting and training model, League has already recruited over 80 fiscally-conservative women to run for office now or in the future (prospects),

26 of whom were on the 2021 general election ballot, and more than 50 volunteer scouts and coaches to help these prospects become great candidates and leaders.

The League hit it out of the park in its first year with 17 candidates who went through their training program win their races last fall (seven are new school board members, five are city council members, two new port commissioners and even three will be mayors!), most of whom were first-time candidates.

As the League WA’s executive director Katlin Vintertun said on election night: “This is what it is all about: Talented, smart, qualified women who can relate to voters and win in tough districts/cities.”

So now you have three new ways in 2022 to engage on policy issues, which is encouraging as we start the year. And I hope you will, as the Tri-City area and our state will benefit from business leaders and workers like you getting involved and sharing your expertise.

Go to: leagueofourownwa.org. Daniel Mead Smith was the president/CEO of Washington Policy Center for 20 years before forming The Mead Smith Group last fall and working with groups such as Project 42, a new nonprofit created to change the course of Washington state.

uBUSINESS BRIEFS Communities In Schools celebrates $2M gift

Communities In Schools BentonFranklin, a nonprofit serving students, is celebrating a $2 million gift from Mackenzie Scott, the westside philanthropist who was formerly married to Amazon chief Jeff Bezos.

Communities in Schools said Scott contributed more than $133.5 million to the network with gifts to 40 individual affiliates. In Washington, she gave nearly $6 million to three affiliates, including Benton-Franklin.

“We are honored and humbled to receive this generous gift that will strengthen our capacity to surround students with the support they need to succeed in school and life,” said Lupe Mares, executive director of the Benton-Franklin affiliate.

Yakima Herald-Republic cuts print edition to three days

The Yakima Herald-Republic is cutting its print edition to save money as it shifts to digital subscriptions.

The newspaper, majority owned by the Seattle Times Co., announced that starting April 1, it will print the paper on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

It said Covid-19 cutbacks in local advertising compelled it to take the step to preserve its newsroom staff.

Print subscriptions include access to yakimaherald.com, the publication’s online presence. An e-edition is available as well.

The Tri-City Herald stopped printing a Saturday edition in 2019.

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

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Is the cable bridge ready for the spotlight? Boosters say yes

By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz

A well-connected Tri-City trio is building support to give the iconic cable bridge a glittery update.

Karen Miller, Kathy Lampson and Deb Culverhouse want to replace the sodium vapor lights that illuminate the cables with programmable LED ones that change color with a few taps on a computer.

“Simply put, our lights are totally outdated,” Miller told the Port of Kennewick commission in January. It was one of a series of presentations the women have made around the community as they work to build support for what could be a costly update – $2 million or more.

The port’s commissioners praised the idea but have taken no steps to give it formal or financial support. Still, the port has a vested interest. The cable bridge looms over Clover Island, its home and prized property.

The cable bridge, formally the Ed Hendler Bridge, opened in 1978, a joint venture of the cities of Kennewick and Pasco.

Today, it is owned and operated by the Washington State Department of Transportation.

The 144 sodium vapor lights that illuminate the cables were added in 1996. They are dramatic, but old school. To change the color, technicians must bolt colored glass discs over each light fixture.

The first time that happened was in September 2013, when Ovarian Cancer To-

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I am excited to be a part of this great community.

I am looking forward to some great changes taking place to make your home even more beautiful. For those of you that haven’t met me I have been an executive director for 14 years.

I started my career in Oregon and ended up in beautiful Eastern Washington.

Photo by Kristina Lord The 144 sodium vapor lights that illuminate the cables on the cable bridge over the Columbia River were added in 1996. To change the lights’ colors is a labor intensive, expensive job, as technicians must bolt colored glass discs over each light. The fledgling effort aims to build support to replace the bridge’s aging lighting system with a computer-controlled LED one.

gether turned the bridge teal for an awareness campaign.

Karen Miller pushed the project in honor of her mother, Cathy Morris, who was fighting ovarian cancer. Her mother had seen a similar effort in Minneapolis and wanted to replicate it in the Tri-Cities.

It wasn’t cheap. It cost $5,000 to cover all the lights, to staff a crew to close a lane on the bridge while the work was being completed and to position two men in a rescue boat below – just in case.

My husband, Andre and I have been married for 33 years and we have 2 wonderful children, Andre and Ashlyn and 2 bonus children, our daughter-in-law Angie and soon to be son-inlaw Darius plus our furry baby Romo.

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HAPO Community Credit Union and other donors provided financial support, leading to the lights being teal blue each September though 2017.

The awareness campaign attracted interest from Deb Culverhouse of Domestic Violence Services, but the cost was too steep for a nonprofit to justify.

Together with Lampson, the women teamed up to find a modern, less expensive way to light the bridge for special occasions. They found inspiration in Portland.

Portland’s Tilikum Crossing, a similarly cable-stayed bridge, opened in 2015, spanning the Willamette River. Tilikum and its neighbors have modern light systems.

The city stages a popular annual festival to show them off.

The Tri-Cities could do something similar with its bevy of bridges, they concluded.

Programmable LED lights could turn the cable bridge into a lively backdrop not just for cancer awareness and other worthy causes, but for any special occasion – high school homecomings, civic celebrations, holidays and more.

“This will be a phenomenal opportunity to highlight the area,” Lampson, a marketing executive, told the Kennewick port.

The cable bridge, originally called the Intercity Bridge, replaced the narrow and rickety green bridge that once linked Pasco and Kennewick. The soaring structure instantly became the region’s defining structure. It was the first major cable-stayed bridge in the U.S. and won national acclaim.

DOT rules don’t prohibit lights, but state law sets strict rules on anything that might distract motorists or other bridge users. Lights can’t create glare or be aimed across or into the roadway. They can’t interfere with bridge users and sponsors would not be allowed to advertise on the bridge under the Scenic Vista Act. But with community support, Lampson, Miller and Culverhouse say they will pursue grants and other funding.

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

Tax-Aide program offering tax prep assistance

By Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

Tax season returns, and, once again, the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide program stands ready to assist taxpayers with form preparation.

Tax-Aide sites began taking appointments for free tax preparation and e-filing services in early February. The program has a special focus on assisting taxpayers over 50 or those who have low to moderate income.

Tax-Aide will continue to offer the same suite of options as last year.

That includes: • Low contact models which allow

taxpayers to drop off their papers or have them scanned and return to review.

• Fully virtual service.

• Virtual coaching services.

Much of what is available will depend on local Covid-19 conditions.

Local Tax-Aide sites have the discretion to run their sites in a way that keeps everyone safe, complies with state and local laws, and takes into account the number of available volunteers.

“Tax-Aide is a free service for anyone who needs help completing their tax return and filing it electronically,” said Cindy Gossett, AARP Tax-Aide Washington state coordinator. “Our dedicated

and certified volunteers will provide the same high-quality service as in years past, just in a different way to accommodate Covid-19.”

Tax-Aide sites are encouraged to offer more than one service model, and that information will be available at the TaxAide site locator website.

Those interested in utilizing AARP Foundation Tax-Aide can get more information, including a comprehensive list of documents to bring to the tax site, by going to aarpfoundation.org/taxhelp or calling 1-888-AARPNOW (1-888-2277669).

Tax-Aide is capable of processing most

personal tax returns with some limited exceptions.

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide operates the nation’s largest volunteer-run free tax preparation service. Volunteers are trained and IRS-certified every year to ensure they understand the latest changes to the U.S. Tax Code.

In 2021, a million taxpayers using AARP Tax-Aide Foundation received more than $689 million in income tax refunds. They also avoided any tax preparation fees and pitches for high-interest tax credit or “refund loans.” The service is offered in conjunction with the IRS, and AARP membership is not required.

uBUSINESS BRIEF Ecology hiring youth for summer cleanup gigs

The Washington Department of Ecology is accepting applications through April 1 as its Ecology Youth Corps program returns after a Covid-19 break since 2020.

EYC deploys crews to clean up roadside trash.

The program will hire 40 youth ages 14-17 (as of June 27). Workers earn $14.49 an hour and work up to 32 hours a week, 7 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays, during one of the two fourweek sessions, June 27-July 21 and July 25-Aug. 17.

To be eligible, candidates must be eligible to work in the U.S., have a Social Security card and photo ID, submit two teacher references and work every day with no unexcused absences. Camp and family vacations are not acceptable excuses, it said.

Ecology cautions that the work can be physically taxing, involves working in all weather conditions and walking long distances.

Workers must behave professionally and be willing to pick up all kinds of litter, “including discarded diapers.”

EYC crews picked up more than 1 million pounds of litter along 4,000 miles or roads during the last full season in 2019. About 10% was recyclable.

“Every summer we’re faced with what appears to be a daunting task. And over the last couple of years, due to Covid restricting pickups, litter has really been piling up,” said Rod Hankinson, EYC crew manager for the central region.

The Central Washington crews will be based in Ellensburg, Richland, Sunnyside, Toppenish and Yakima.

Applications are available from school counselors and at bit.ly/WAEcologyYouthJobs.

Support your community Support local business

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

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Moviemakers aim their cameras at the Tri-Cities

By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz

A Tri-City film company is making a name for itself producing short movies featuring local actors, crews and scenes.

The semi-retired partners behind 2047 Productions say they have not made a dime on the undertaking, but they hope to eventually cover the cost of producing one to two short films per year.

Nat Saenz, Randy LaBarge and Greg Martin said they’re having fun filming short productions including Gravity Hill in Prosser, a Richland sci-fi bookstore, coffee shops and shorelines.

What they’d really like is free or lowcost space where they can accommodate up to 30 cast and crew and build sets that do not have to be torn down at the end of each filming session.

They’ve spoken to area property owners, ports, real estate brokers and economic development officials, but have come up empty handed.

So, they decided to share the story of 2047 Productions in the hope someone with spare space (secured, with parking) will step up to support its goal of developing a robust film community in Southeast Washington, and the Mid-Columbia in particular.

The timing coincides with the release of its latest production, “Gamma Man.” The superhero-themed story with a nod to the Tri-Cities’ atomic culture will be released in late February.

2047 Productions has its roots in RadCon, the sci-fi fantasy convention held in February in Pasco, said Nat Saenz, a cin-

Courtesy 2047 Productions 2047 Productions films a scene from “Black’s Treasure,” a short film produced in the Tri-Cities. The local production company is seeking a permanent home to make films.

ematographer and former metallurgist for Battelle. (This year’s event is Feb. 18-20 at the Red Lion Inn in Pasco. Go to radcon.org for details.)

As media chairman, Saenz brought filmmakers to the area to share their knowledge and collaborate with locals on film projects. One effort led to “Clockwork Infinity,” a film made in 48 hours.

Saenz and his team pooh-poohed their first efforts. Every industry has a learning curve and theirs is no different.

“If you watch our films, they get better and better and better,” said LaBarge, producer, writer and producer.

Even so, “Clockwork Infinity,” a time-

2022

travel mystery, stirred a desire to make films in the Tri-Cities.

And so, 2047 Productions was born.

Saenz, together with LaBarge and Martin, say they are not the only film company working in the area.

The Tri-Cities has a well of talent both in front of and behind camera. Local drama clubs and schools are eager to help.

Their productions give people who have the goal of being in a movie a chance to mark it off their bucket list.

While they’re serious about their work and learning more with each production, having fun is the mission for everyone involved. Most retired from more traditional

fields. Saenz was a metallurgist. LaBarge served in the military and worked in the energy lab system. Martin is a retired KONA program director and broadcaster.

“We’re just having fun. We do it as a passion in lieu of working 40 hours,” said Saenz, whose hats include director, producer and cinematographer.

He is also president of the Tri-Cities International Film Festival, so 2047’s films get shown locally in October. 2047 submits its work to Northwest festivals, including the Seattle International Film Festival – fingers crossed for the April 1424 festival, they said.

Saenz runs other festivals, which has led to screenings of 2047 productions in New Zealand and Finland.

Wider audiences can view them on video services once they’re released to Vimeo and YouTube as well as its own site. More recent films are not available.

Festival organizers expect exclusive rights to the films they screen.

LaBarge, who serves as writer, director and producer, came up with the idea for “Gamma Man” and bounced ideas back and forth with Martin. The duo call themselves the “Lennon and McCartney of screenwriters.”

It filmed in a day in Richland – at Xenophile Bibliopole & Armorer, Chronopolis, a Richland bookstore focused on science fiction, fantasy and horror. The location was perfect, they said.

Sci-fi is the common denominator that drew Saenz, LaBarge and Martin together.

The three met more than 30 years ago in a local Star Trek club. u2047 PRODUCTIONS, Page A14

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

2047 PRODUCTIONS, From page A13 Their longest film to date is “Black’s Treasure,” a pirate-themed mystery that clocks in at 22 minutes.

Martin wrote the tale of girls finding a piece of a pirate ship on a beach – which looks a lot like the boat launch at Howard Amon Park – while he personally was trapped in a snowstorm in the Midwest.

The tale follows the explorers up the Columbia River, following clues in search of gold and family connections.

2047 Productions planned to film the indoor scenes for “Black’s Treasure,” at the Richland Public Library, but regrouped after insurance requirements forced them to rethink. They rewrote scenes and asked friends, Jennifer and Kagen Cox, if they could use their business in the Uptown

Shopping Center, Kagen Coffee & Crepes.

“He handed over the keys. It was lovely,” Martin said.

“The Screenwriter” is another collaborative effort. It was their third or fourth film, and LaBarge’s first venture with the group. He’d enjoyed screenwriting so much he went to school to become a certified master.

He has written feature-length movies, but said he prefers working with local cast and crew.

“That’s the really rewarding part. We get to work with people we want to work with,” he said.

When Saenz asked LaBarge to write a horror script, he hesitated. He doesn’t care for the genre.

His compromise was a comedy horror.

His protagonist was a horror writer con-

vert. The story centers on killing “his” zombies.

Spoiler alert: They didn’t want to be killed off.

While “Gamma Man – Anyone Can Be A Hero” isn’t yet released, the trailer is posted to the 2047 website along with links to its other productions.

Go to: 2047productions. net.

RETIREMENT

Courtesy 2047 Productions 2047 Productions films a scene from its latest film, “Gamma Man,” at Xenophile Bibliopole & Armorer, Chronopolis, a Richland bookstore. The film production company is looking for a permanent home to make films in Mid-Columbia.

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How to keep experienced older workers from retiring

Experienced older workers will retire eventually, but a recent study suggests how employers could persuade some of them to stick around for a few more years.

It all comes down to offering a specific type of work environment – one that includes autonomy, participation in decision-making, information sharing, training opportunities and good compensation and benefits.

The nine-year study of more than 750,000 federal workers over the age of 50 found that employees with highquality work environments were especially likely to delay retirement if they didn’t have a college degree and weren’t managers.

“As people age, research shows that they have a stronger preference for autonomy and control in their jobs, they want to feel respected and listened to,” said Kaifeng Jiang, lead author of the study and associate professor of management and human resources at The Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business.

“Jobs like that may be especially appealing to those with less education and who don’t have managerial experience because they may feel the need to keep high-quality jobs more than others.”

The findings were published online recently in the journal Personnel Psychology.

Results showed that older employees were less likely to contemplate retirement after the Great Recession of 2008, especially if they had these high-quality jobs.

The researchers used data from 754,856 employees aged 50 and older from more than 360 U.S. government agencies participating in the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey from 2006-15.

Please recycle your publication when you are finished reading it, or pass it on to a coworker, family member or friend.

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

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Q&A

A15

MATT SWEEZEA

Sweezea Financial Group / Primerica Regional vice president / investment advisor

Team Size: 7 Brief background of your business: Sweezea Financial Group is an independent investment and insurance agency backed by Primerica.

Primerica has been committed to helping families save and invest for their futures since 1977.

Through PFS Investments Inc., Primerica’s broker-dealer, we show people how they can achieve a better financial future by helping them learn our “How Money Works” concepts. With approximately 2.5 million client accounts, we offer the best solutions to help families achieve their financial goals.

With Primerica, no client is too big or too small. I began my career in 2001 working out of Seattle and the Yakima Valley, eventually transitioning to the Tri-Cities full time in 2007.

How did you land your current role?

Primerica provides an entrepreneurial platform for qualified and motivated individuals to open independent offices after achievement of internal promotion guidelines.

In February 2020, I was promoted to regional vice president and expanded into our current regional office in Richland in 2021.

What should Tri-Citians know about your industry?

Our industry is one of the smallest professional service industries in the U.S. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were just over 218,000 personal financial advisors across the country in 2020. With the average age of an advisor pushing 59 years of age, 38%

expect to retire in the next 10 years.

This compares to 660,000 CPAs and over 1 million licensed real estate agents.

In the state of Washington, there are less than three advisors available for every 10,000 adults age 25 and older.

About 10,000 baby boomers turn 65 every day across the U.S. This is a significant challenge as most baby boomers are facing the reality of two to three decades of retirement and without a solid financial strategy they risk running out of money before running out of time. Now more than ever it’s a must that families have a written strategy to accumulate funds and a separate strategy at retirement to properly distribute funds.

A trusted personal financial advisor is key to maintaining confidence throughout your life and your family’s life generationally. Every family has differing values, goals and objectives around their finances. Having the ability to discuss, plan and execute on asset protection, income or cash flow generation, tax mitigation and wealth transfer are where the value of a trusted advisor is truly found.

We’re living in unique times.

What can people do to protect their financial lives when the economy is in such turmoil?

The first thing people can do to protect their financial lives is take an active role in establishing core financial goals for the short term and long term.

We have always had turmoil as a nation and more so a global economy. Data has shown that those who work with a trusted professional have done significantly better over their lifetimes than those doing it alone.

Vanguard provided a recent study of investors on its platform and found those who don’t work with an advisor tend to perform almost 3% lower on an average annual basis due to chasing alpha or best performance over working a complete strategy with a trusted professional.

What is your first question when you’re meeting a new client?

For most of our initial conversations, they start off with “What is the biggest financial goal or challenge you are looking to take care of right now?”

Most initial meetings start due to some sort of urgency created in the client’s life. Career change, major family event, financial windfall or the recommendation from a tax professional to seek out a conversation with a financial advisor.

What is one characteristic that you believe every leader should possess?

I think you’ll find integrity at the top of most lists. I will add one more – encouragement or the ability to push up

Matt Sweezea

people.

Whether you are leading an organization, a family or a sports team, your ability to look beyond personal glorification or recognition and pass that on to those around you will come back tenfold.

The great leaders I’ve had the opportunity to surround myself with have always looked at ways to recognize those who’ve made great efforts and sacrifices for the good of the team and those they serve.

What is the biggest challenge facing business owners/managers today? uSWEEZEA, Page A17

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

RETIREMENT

RETIREMENT SWEEZEA, From page A15 I think one of the biggest challenges facing business owners/leaders today is adaptability.

We have all been thrown into this new normal and not all business models were set up to handle it. From supply chain issues to staffing and now inflation, those who can adapt and rally their teams while providing high levels of communication and care to their client base will continue to succeed. Unfortunately, those who don’t or can’t adapt will have a hard time staying in business or their current roles.

If you had a magic wand, what would you change about your industry/field?

This is a tough question to answer.

Our industry, like most professional industries, sees consistent regulatory changes that don’t always bring the level of consumer protections or enhancements they intend.

The recent WA Cares Act passage is a recent example.

As is, it takes dollars from hard-working families that may never directly see any benefit down the road. The program began taxing Washington workers in January while the state Legislature delayed the actual rollout.

Many workers across the state sought out private or group policies to opt out of the program and now find themselves spending dollars they otherwise would have put toward retirement savings, paying down debt or other financial goals.

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022 Who are your role models or mentors?

John Wooden, John Maxwell, Nick Murray, Hector Lamarque.

What advice would you give someone going into a leadership position for the first time?

Expect nothing but the best from your team.

Be the example of hard work, enthusiasm and delivering on the vision and mission. Whether you were chosen to step up within a company or have ventured out to build your own company, the quality of the leader is the quality of the team.

Every day focus on being the best you you can be.

How do you keep your team members motivated?

Having a fun and rewarding work environment where you can see the tangible difference you make in those you serve is highly motivating.

We highlight wins and milestones internally and externally on an ongoing basis. Beyond that, understanding your team members’ personal, professional and financial goals and keeping them aligned with and moving toward those help drive daily accountability and motivation.

How do you measure success in your workplace?

In our business we measure success first and foremost by the number of families we serve, second by the growth and success of our team, and third by the

direct impact we make in the communities we live in.

How did you decide to pursue the career that you are working in today?

I could write a page on this, but ultimately it fell into my lap, and I ran with it. I had the opportunity to build a strong sense of serving others in high school as an active member and officer in my local FFA program.

What do you consider your leadership style to be?

I consider myself a servant leader.

I really focus on how I can help those around me be the best version of themselves. I seek to ask questions, encourage collaboration, and focus on how I can help my team and ultimately the clients I coach maximize their potential.

How do you balance work and family life?

I would not be where I am today without the support of my wife, who I consider the hardest working career mom I know.

I don’t know that there is truly such a thing as work-family balance for most working households today. My wife and I are far from perfect in this area, but we do all we can to make sure we block quality family time in our schedules.

With three kids ranging from toddler to pre-teen, we are as busy as most. From sports to nonprofit board service, you will fit what you prioritize in life.

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What do you like to do when you are not at work?

Family time – love time and experiences with my family.

What’s your best time management strategy?

Time-blocking – if it isn’t on the calendar it is not a priority.

Best tip to relieve stress?

Everyone needs a healthy outlet, especially in today’s high pace, hightech, high-expectation world. Going back to my time-blocking time management strategy – block out time for your health, both your body and your mind, and make it a regular part of your daily, weekly and monthly schedule.

Most-used app? Favorite books?

Most used app is easily Audible. I am a recovering personal/professional development junkie. I have a huge library both at home and on my Audible app.

A few of my favorite books: “Think and Grow Rich,” “They Call Me Coach,” “Pushing up People,” “Success is Not an Accident.”

Do you have a personal mantra, phrase or quote you like to use?

Both come from John Wooden: “Don’t try to be better than someone else. Always try to be the best you can be.”

“Success is peace of mind that is the direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best that you are capable.”

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Hedging inflation long term: gold vs. stocks?

There’s no lack of financial press reporting on the effect of inflation on our day-today lives. We don’t need to read about it in popular media to feel inflation’s effect each time we fuel up our vehicles, buy groceries for our families, or pay for the variety of goods and services we consume each day.

As a financial advisor, some common questions I receive regarding inflation are about how to deal with the detrimental effects to a client’s portfolio and about how to maintain purchasing power in both the short and long term.

Some of these questions include the following: “What asset classes should I be invested in?”; “Should I sell my stocks?”; and “Is gold the best alternative to cash?”

This last question is what the following column will briefly address.

A look at the numbers in the chart will illustrate the difference in asset class behavior between U.S. stocks (represented by the S&P 500 Index) and the spot price of gold from 1970 (shortly before the U.S. unpegged our currency from gold) through 2021.

Stocks returned an average annual return of 11% over the 50+ year period vs. gold’s return of 7.9%, while also experiencing less volatility, as measured by standard deviations of 15.23 versus 19.11.

Is it true that there are periods of time where gold outperforms stocks during this timeframe? Yes, gold has experienced periods of outperformance as compared to stocks, just like other asset classes have.

However, these time periods are usually short lived and the ability to consistently

capture those returns by timing those markets is incredibility difficult.

In fact, timing those relatively brief periods of outperformance would be based Cory Briggs Peterson, Hastings much more on luck than any GUEST COLUMN acquired skill or knowledge.

On top of that, if someone is purchasing physical gold there are other considerations like storage and insurance to account for, as well as high transaction costs.

Best solution?

So, what is the best solution when it comes to battling inflation over the long term?

I’ve found no better solution than stocks.

As the owner of a stock and therefore part of a company, I’m placed on both sides of transactions: consumer and producer.

Does this always insulate my portfolio?

No. Inflation can erode stock performance in the short term, but as a stock investor, my focus is long term, and I can tolerate these fluctuations within market cycles. As business efficiency increases, margins will expand, and my earnings will reflect that in my long-term return.

What have the actual numbers been for the past year? Investors who stayed

invested in Annualized Returns stocks had a January 1970 to March 2020 to year-end reDecember 2021 December 2021 turn of 26.9% in 2021, CPI 3.9% 4.4% according to the S&P 500 GOLD 7.9% 8.1% Index.

S&P 500 11% 31.9% Inflation was 7%. And client specific financial plan. If you have gold, well, it returned -4.3%, according to the spot price. further questions, reach out to your advisor for additional resources.

It’s important to discuss your investCory Briggs, a certified financial ment strategy with your advisor to find the planner, is a wealth advisor with Petersen right mix of stocks, bonds and other asset Hastings, which has offices in Kennewick classes to fit your needs. and Walla Walla.

A well-designed portfolio is based on a

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Don’t shortchange your retirement dreams by failing to plan

By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz

Tom Black puts out plenty of fires when clients come ready to turn retirement savings into a retirement plan.

Overcomplicated investment portfolios. Ill-advised financial packages. Fear.

But there’s one problem he can’t solve – missing out on dreams out of fear of running out of money.

The eighty-something who never went on that dream safari or didn’t fulfill another retirement goal when they were physically able to is a mistake he can’t undo.

Underspending is one of the more surprising mistakes Black sees in his Kennewick-based retirement planning practice.

Black, president and lead financial planner for The Retirement Solution Inc., helps clients create plans designed to carry them through the ends of their lives. He manages funds as well. Retirement Solution charges a flat fee for its services.

Black said the first thing to know about retirement planning is that the size of the client’s nest egg is far less important than balanced spending. That’s why a plan is the most important way to approach retirement, whether it is 10 years away, five years or sooner. He likened it to constructing a building.

“You don’t buy land and begin building. You always start with a blueprint,”

he said.

People need to know how much is coming in and going out each day, week, month and year.

A proper plan can lay it all out Tom Black through age 100, giving retirees the confidence to enjoy the activities they love when they can. Regret is a terrible thing, he said, noting recent reports that people are dying with more money than when they retired because of fear.

“They’re depriving themselves,” he said. “They have until 75 to really go out there and enjoy their retirement.”

Individual mileage will vary of course, but by the time most retirees enter their ninth decade, the ability to travel is gone.

“They get to 80 and look back and say, ‘I wish...’ ” he said.

Getting the most out of retirement starts with the combination of savings and understanding what resources will be available once the paychecks stop.

The amount of money saved is less relevant than the budget. Black said he has clients with $250,000 saved and no worries because their monthly income outpaces their monthly expenses.

In contrast, he’s seen people with $2 million who are in danger of spending it down to zero.

“It’s that relationship that you want to

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get correct,” he said.

Black offers a commonsense approach to preparing for retirement that begins with understanding your own limits.

Enlist a professional The internet is full of advice, but like any profession, financial planning requires training and experience. “I want to encourage people; this is not their profession. They may have been very good schoolteachers or welders, but the finance market is not something you pick up easily,” he said.

He understands the temptation to self-manage. Fees appear steep. A new federal law requires financial managers to disclose fees.

Understanding fees and recognizing when they’re reasonable – or not – is part of the process.

“Anything is better than trying to handle investments on your own when it’s not your world. It would be like putting me in a high school classroom – it would not be successful for anyone,” he said.

Think ahead Black advises people to begin thinking about a spending plan when they’re 10 years away from retirement age. What will you need to retire when you want to, and what do you need to change to get there?

By the five-year mark, they should have a solid plan that sets them up to walk out the door on the planned date with confidence.

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"Otherwise, you’re going to find yourself trapped in that job by the market,” he said.

Don’t panic A good plan will tame anxiety about downturns, like the one triggered by inflation concerns in the first weeks of January. Yes, the stock market is down, and retirement plans look bruised. That’s not a signal to get out.

“Take a deep breath,” he advised.

“This is hopefully what you planned for.

Stay the course.”

The mistake people make in a situation right now is panic and taking the money out, which is the single worst thing you can do, he added.

He cites recent clients who panicked in March 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic first took hold. A couple pulled their money out of the market, which locked in their losses. Anticipating inflation, they purchased gold.

“They didn’t realize gold is expensive to buy and hard to sell,” he said.

Fortunately, the duo has a sizeable income from their pensions and Social Security – more than they spend.

“As long as they both live, they would be OK because they had $6,000 a month in pensions and Social Security and a budget of $4,800. They knew their budget,” he said.

Enjoy your legacy now The earlier you determine there will be more money than needed, the better, Black said.

With that knowledge, options abound, including making gifts to adult children.

Black is a big advocate of supporting adult children when they need it most – to pay for college, first homes and so forth. Make a difference when you can see the difference, he advised.

The same spirit guides his approach to philanthropy. There are lots of ways to transfer money to charities. Being able to see gifts in action has its own reward.

“Being able to feel like you can do that while you’re alive is very rewarding.

It’s nice to leave a legacy when you’re dead, but you’re dead.”

uBUSINESS BRIEF April 15 is deadline to correct 2021 retirement savings mistakes

The IRS cautions that April 15 is the deadline to correct mistakes in contributions to 401(k), 403(b), SARSEP and Simple IRA plans.

The limit for 2021 was $19,500, plus $6,500 for those age 50 and over.

Those who exceeded the limit must contact administrators to arrange to withdraw the extra, plus earnings, by the deadline.

If the funds aren’t withdrawn, the amount is taxed in the year it was deferred and again in whichever year it is withdrawn.

Go to: bit.ly/IRSDeferralMistakes.

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

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3 Rivers breaks grant record thanks to endowments, donations

By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz

The 3 Rivers Community Foundation launched 2022 on a high note. In early February, it marshalled the resources of 20 funds to present $204,000 in grants to 36 local nonprofits, a record.

Abbey Cameron, executive director of the foundation, said growth in the endowment coupled with direct donations and support from the community allowed it to set a record for its grant-funded donations.

“We have some very cool donors in our world who have given some larger, direct grants to our grant cycle,” she said.

3 Rivers serves as a conduit for donors to support the causes they love during

their lifetimes and beyond.

It operates its primary endowment, which helps fund grants to local nonprofits. Its territory covers Benton and Franklin counties.

It also manages endowments for individual entities, including Senior Life Resources (the Meals on Wheels people), Columbia Industries, the Reading Foundation and Women Helping Women. The list is constantly growing as area institutions see the value of turning over management of their own endowments to professionals.

Gesa Carousel of Dreams and Historic Downtown Kennewick Partnership are the latest to establish endowments to support their respective programs.

For 3 Rivers, the community approach

helps simplify the process for donors who want to help people in the community but are daunted by the need and the number of nonprofits.

By donating to the primary endowment of the grant fund, members of the community entrust professionals to determine where the need is greatest.

“We’re here to help people with longterm and even perpetual giving,” she said.

“Donors have the opportunity to start up funds with their during their lifetime or planning for after. They can be assured their funds with us will do the good the donor wants it to do.”

The 2022 grants were awarded with the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic in mind – organizations that combat domestic violence and sex trafficking, help the

hungry, repair homes and support education, foster children and the arts.

Cameron was struck by the common theme among the requests from arts organizations. Forced to shut down because of the pandemic, they entered 2022 with a mission to resume their work.

“Full stop, their applications were about restarting,” she said.

It sent grants to Richland Players, Rude Mechanicals, Valley Theater, MidColumbia Mastersingers and others.

Cameron welcomes all prospective donors to reach out to 3 Rivers to see if it can help with their charitable needs.

“We love getting to know our donors, learning their stories and what led them to donate,” she said.

Go to: 3rcf.org.

Is moving out of state to avoid the estate tax a good idea?

Does the Washington state estate tax got you thinking of moving away? Maybe other things have you considering relocating and the estate tax is just the straw that broke the camel’s back? Perhaps you are lucky enough to own a second home in Arizona or another state and think you can just spend a little more than half your time at your second residence to avoid the estate tax. The analysis is more nuanced for both the tax issue and for the idea of what it means to be a resident.

But first, a refresher. What is the Washington estate tax burden?

The state imposes an estate tax on es-

Beau Ruff Cornerstone Wealth Strategies

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tates valued at over $2,193,000.

The amount of tax starts at 10% of the first million dollars above the exclusion amount (above $2,193,000) and can go as high as 20%, depending on the total value of the estate.

There are deductions that can

help to reduce or eliminate the estate tax (things like farm deductions and familyowned business interests). But, the state estate tax is the highest marginal estate tax in the country. Keep in mind that the value of the estate includes everything you own and even includes life insurance, which is generally not subject to income tax but is subject to the estate tax.

Can I avoid the tax by moving?

There are nuances to consider. Several states, such as Arizona, do not impose any estate tax burden on residents. Accordingly, some people, who may own a second home in Arizona, choose to formally change their

residence from Washington to Arizona to avoid the estate tax. And it may work, but the plan to move should look to the specific asset ownership (property located in Washington may still be subject to the estate tax even though the owner doesn’t live in Washington) and the circumstances to substantiate the move of “residence.”

On the latter issue, one might appreciate that the state of Washington is in the business of collecting properly due estate tax.

Accordingly, the state might try to assert jurisdiction over your estate (i.e., claim you

uRUFF, Page A22

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RUFF, From page A21 are a “resident”) if you move under questionable circumstances. For example, let’s say you spend 183 days in Arizona – does that alone make you a resident of Arizona?

The state of Washington will ask you (or more precisely your executor) a series of questions to help determine the state of residency of a decedent when residency might be in dispute.

The form is available on the Washington Department of Revenue website for further analysis.

But, in brief, it asks things like: (1) where are vehicles licensed; (2) where did the decedent (the person who died) vote; (3) where did the decedent attend church or other social or community organizations; (4) what property did the decedent own in Washington; (5) an itemized list of every

single visit to Washington in the five years before death and the reason for each, etc.

The form can then potentially be used by the Department of Revenue to assert its jurisdiction if the facts and circumstances warrant it. I, for one, would be extremely uncomfortable if my plan was simply to spend a little more than half time in another state while otherwise maintaining other existing connections with Washington to avoid the Washington estate tax.

Consequences of moving Moving out of state might thwart the Washington estate tax but might subject a person to additional tax or might cause a person to lose out on income tax benefits.

For example, moving to another state might cause a person to start paying a state income tax (Washington has none, except the new capital gains tax). The additional income tax exposure should be weighed against es-

tate tax savings.

One important benefit available to citizens of the so-called community property states (of which there are currently nine) is the benefit of getting a step-up in tax basis on all community property after the death of a spouse.

What this means is there is potential for big income tax savings after the death of a spouse because the tax basis of all community property gets stepped up to current fair market values which can result in the reduction or elimination of income tax on capital asset appreciation.

As a reminder, tax is assessed on the sale of a capital asset based on the difference between the tax basis and the amount paid.

So, if tax basis is stepped up to current fair market value, that difference can become smaller or non-existent. In non-community property states, only the assets owned by

RETIREMENT the decedent spouse are entitled to receive a step-up in tax basis.

What does one do?

From a tax perspective, you may want a state that has no estate tax, no income tax and community property laws. Of course, there are other taxes to consider (property tax, sales tax, etc.), but one piece of advice is to not let the tax tail wag the dog. That is, perhaps tax considerations should take a back seat to other important items – things like community, family and friends. But, for a thorough analysis of your personal tax situation, you should consult a professional tax advisor. Beau Ruff, a licensed attorney, is the director of planning at Cornerstone Wealth Strategies, a full-service independent investment management and financial planning firm in Kennewick.

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What to expect – financially – when you’re expecting When my wife, Leah, and I found out two years ago that we were expecting our first child, I was ecstatic. I could already imagine the joys ahead: holding my tiny newborn for the first time, pushing my laughing toddler in a swing and proudly letting go of the bike as my child wobbled forward independently.

I also imagined the new responsibilities that would come with parenting, including preparing my family for an uncertain future.

Like many expectant parents, I found myself overwhelmed and wondering, “Where do I even begin?”

Fortunately, as a wealth manager for Piton Wealth and a certified financial planner, I’ve helped many clients answer that very question. It’s how I knew my first step should be updating my legal documents.

Whether you’re an expectant parent like I was, or you already have young children, now may be the perfect time for you to take that step too.

I’ll share six tips to help your family prepare for the future. But first, I encourage you to do one thing – seek professional services.

An estate planning attorney can help you understand all the decisions you’ll need to make as you prepare or update legal documents. An attorney can also help you with specific state and federal estate tax planning, potentially saving you tens of thousands of dollars down the road.

While there isn’t time to explain the essential estate planning documents in detail, keep these in mind as you read: a power of attorney, a will or revocable trust, and a health care directive (sometimes referred to as a living will).

Choose carefully Carefully consider who you want to include in your legal documents.

Leah and I met with our attorney

to review and update our legal documents. To my surprise, planning for three was much more complicated than planning for two.

Nicholas Mercer Estate planPiton Wealth ning involves GUEST COLUMN many roles, such as executors, trustees, guardians, beneficiaries, etc. As you consider who you want to fulfill each role, discuss your options with your spouse, partner or family.

Talk about the people in your life who mirror your values the most, the ones who make the best decisions under pressure, and who’s good with money – and who’s isn’t. These decisions may seem straightforward, but they can be stressful if you haven’t considered them ahead of time.

Pick the right people Pick more than one person for each role.

You may already have an obvious first choice, like a spouse, parent or trusted friend. However, I encourage my clients to think about naming at least two people as backup and contingent backup for each role. Why? A spouse may have been in the same accident as you, a parent may have aged, or a trusted friend may have moved away.

Naming more than one person can alleviate the need to update your documents frequently.

Count all your assets Sometimes younger clients tell me, “We just don’t have much to pass down right now.”

I pull out a pen and paper and immediately start adding up their as-

sets. People may have more than they realize, and they often forget to count the value of life insurance. Your estate plan should account for any policies you have, such as group life insurance through work, private life insurance, or even mortgage protection insurance. These assets may not have much tangible value now, but they usually offer a substantial death benefit for a beneficiary.

Include a trust for minors This is one of the most important pieces of estate planning for a young family.

If you and your spouse were to both pass away, naming a guardian for your child would alleviate potential custody battles, but it wouldn’t solve all the financial issues.

In Washington state, guardianship ends at age 18. That means at 18, your child could take ownership of any investment accounts and/or properties you set aside for their future.

While a child this age might be capable of managing assets with sophistication and discipline, it still puts a burden on a young adult who may not have even held a full-time job yet.

A minor children’s trust allows you to set specific guidelines and age limits for when a child will inherit funds. In most cases, I recommend a strategy that allows the child to take ownership of the trust assets gradually, such as 25% at ages 21, 25, and 27, respectively, and then the remaining balance at age 30.

In the meantime, a trustee that you name would be responsible for distributing funds to the child as needed.

Consider a disclaimer trust A disclaimer trust may enable couples of any age to avoid estate tax in the future. While it is a complicated topic, I highly recommend asking your estate

planning attorney to evaluate using it in your final plan.

Meet with a financial advisor Remember to follow up with any beneficiary and account changes.

I’m always happy to see clients walk through the door with their newly signed legal documents. They’ve done the hardest part, and it’s almost time to celebrate.

The final step you’ll take is to meet with your financial advisor, go through your list of assets, and check each account to make sure your beneficiary designations and account registration align with your new legal documents.

In most cases, including a trust will require updating account registration or beneficiaries. Missing this crucial step could negate any intentional planning included in your will.

Some of these concepts may seem overwhelming now, but they’re important pieces in the financial plan you’re building for your loved ones. The biggest mistake you can make is not starting at all.

Leah and I were ready when we welcomed our daughter Eden to our family. As we continue to build our life together as a family, I can look back and see what this process has done for us.

It’s enabled us to plan vacations, continue building financial security and enjoy our time together with the assurance that we’re prepared for the unexpected.

Although we can’t know exactly what the future holds, we can be sure we’ve done everything in our power to take care of the ones we love most. Nicholas Mercer, a certified financial planner, is a wealth advisor at Piton Wealth in Kennewick.

Originally from England, he now calls Richland home after marrying a lifelong Tri-Citian.

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ALLEY ART, From page A1 pay for marketing, benches, a chalk art program, holiday lighting and the alley art program. The city recently contributed $2,000 to help with paint and other costs.

Artwork is vetted by the district and is as individual as the businesses that populate the Uptown.

The project is in its infancy, with about half a dozen murals in various stages of completion.

Real Deals, a boutique and home décor store facing Jadwin Avenue, was an eager participant, said Brittini Van Heel, who owns the business with her mother.

They moved to the Uptown from Kennewick about three years ago.

While they didn’t have much input on the final image – a skateboarding scene with a giant lizard by artist Heidi Elkington – they’re thrilled by the attention the artwork attracts. The alley is a popular destination for students to have school pictures taken.

The artwork cuts down on graffiti as well.

“They don’t touch the art,” she said.

She’s eager to see more of the Uptown covered with artwork if it helps secure an art district designation that could be advertised from the freeways.

“We need to get the whole alley done,” she said.

Elkington is a Tri-City artist whose work is found throughout the community. She didn’t hesitate to join the effort when she heard about it. She grew up in Richland, skateboarding at the Uptown.

She knew its breezeways and alleys intimately and leapt at the opportunity.

The mural behind Real Deal, titled “Atomic City,” is inspired by her experience and is a work in progress.

She plans to finish it when the weather warms up.

“Painting murals is my jam. It’s what I love to do,” she said. She’s thrilled to see the Uptown transformed into a liv-

ing gallery.

“Anyone would be into this project, making the alley a nicer place to walk around. The Uptown is tailor made to be walked around,” she said.

David Dickerson, who owns a piano store facing Jadwin, is another fan who said he welcomes the addition of murals to the alley.

The artwork builds on the center’s “official” murals, which adhere to a midcentury atomic theme.

The mural project, undertaken in partnership with the city, helps brand the shopping district with a formal color palette of blues, yellows, reds, browns, oranges and greens.

The murals are visible to drivers on both sides – George Washington Way and Jadwin Avenue. The art project tackles the less visible alley walls, the ones tucked between buildings.

Business owners expressed interest in extending the mural concept to their blank walls, said Gus Sako of Octopus Garden and chairman of the Uptown Business Improvement District.

Gallery in the Alley is a mostly volunteer effort with a small budget to help offset the cost of paint.

Sako said it is too early to say if the alley art is driving business to the center, but more visitors are strolling the alleys, a welcome development.

“Getting more people circulating through is always good,” he said.

The wall behind the former Amber Rose store sports a colorful mural with angel wings, painted by Cameron Milton, a Tri-City artist. The painting is situated so that visitors can pose in front – and they often do, Sako said.

That pleases Milton to no end. The alleyway project invites the public to engage and interact with art on its own terms. He’s eager to see more walls get painted and is preparing to paint peonies – his favorite flower – on a blank spot next to his wings.

Tagging each piece of art with a white

Photo by Wendy Culverwell Cameron Milton, a Tri-City artist, poses by the angel wings he painted in the alley at Richland’s Uptown Shopping Center. Gallery in the Alley is an emerging art destination that offers an interactive experience for visitors.

bunny is another way to encourage visitors to explore.

“I like that aspect of it. It’s a community scavenger hunt,” Milton said.

Randy Bartoshevich, aka Barefoot Randy, is spearheading the gallery project.

A musician, he doesn’t own a business in the Uptown (Richland, he said, hasn’t lifted its cannabis ban), but he joined the Uptown board when he worked at Emerald of Siam.

He was inspired by a chance visit to Boise’s Freak Alley Gallery while touring with his reggae band. Freak Alley is an endlessly changing outdoor gallery and popular destination for tourists. He was so interested he went back to Boise to take photos.

The Uptown board was intrigued and so were local artists like Elkington and Milton, who were aware of Freak Alley and its potential to draw visitors.

The mechanics of Uptown’s approach are simple.

Business owners who are interested in artwork on their alley walls contact the board.

The board has the outside wall painted a base coat, creating a canvas for artists. Sherwin Williams is donating unused paint to support the project.

Bartoshevich connects with local

artists willing to donate their talents in exchange for a small stipend. Artists develop a concept and once the board signs off, it gets painted. The results are eclectic.

“These aren’t a part of the (mural) theme. It’s to spur creativity. It’s a chance for (artists) to do their own thing,” Bartoshevich said.

Milton, the wings artist, appreciates the space to veer away from the 1950s theme.

One of the first gallery pieces was a swarm of graffiti-style hearts on the wall behind 1324 Jadwin Ave., once Benjamin’s Carpet One and now a jiujitsu academy.

Tri-City Music and a Papa Murphy’s Take ‘n’ Bake Pizza have murals and several walls have been prepared for art.

“We’ve got more spaces and opportunity,” Bartoshevich said. “The goal is to one day have the entire Uptown painted.”

At the end of the day, the Uptown’s alleys exist for a reason, so the gallery has to coexist with typical alley activities.

“There’s still garbage and deliveries, but people walk back there regardless.

They’re taking pictures,” Bartoshevich said.

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022 uBUSINESS BRIEFS Hanford High grad joins Army with $30K bonus

Dylan McElderry, a Hanford High School graduate, enlisted in the Army in January and received a $30,000 signing bonus.

Dylan McElderry The 20-yearold says the Army was able to offer him a job that would get him a step closer to his future goals.

The Army is offering its largest bonus ever for new recruits, with up to $50,000 available to qualified individuals who sign on for a six-year activeduty enlistment. McElderry is one of the first recruits out of the Seattle Battalion to take advantage of the new incentive program.

The total incentive package for a new recruit is based on a combination of incentives offered for the selected career field, individual qualifications, length of the enlistment contract, and the ship date for training. In the past, enlistment incentives for full-time soldiers could not exceed $40,000.

The Army is competing for the same talent as the other services, as well as the private sector and must have the ability to generate interest in the current employment environment, said

Maj. Gen. Kevin Vereen, who leads the Army Recruiting Command, based in Fort Knox, Kentucky, in its mission to fill full-time and part-time vacancies in about 150 different career fields in the Regular Army and the Army Reserve.

Grand jury indicts fraudster who took county for $740K

A scammer who stole more than $740,000 from Benton County by mimicking one of its regular contractors has been charged in a six-count federal indictment with bank fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy in connection with a business email compromise scam.

Vanessa Waldref, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that a federal grand jury returned the indictment against Ayoola Taiwo “Gagi” Adeoti, 41, in a lengthy email issued Feb. 3.

Adeoti was able to scam Benton County by directing an associate to create a fictitious business and bank accounts that led the county to believe an invoice was correct, the indictment alleges. In November 2019, the county paid the $740,216.79 invoice.

The county auditor immediately recognized the possible fraud and notified federal authorities, swift action that let to it recovering $717,201.44 through a civil forfeiture action, according to the U.S. attorney, which called out the auditor’s office for its quick action.

“Because of their prompt response, our office and the Secret Service have already returned more than 95% of the

stolen funds to the people of Benton County,” Waldref said.

If convicted, Adeoti faces up to 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 30 years for conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

The case was investigated by the Secret Service, Spokane Resident Office, and is being prosecuted by Dan Fruchter and Tyler Tornabene, assistant U.S. attorneys in Eastern Washington.

Feds indict 23 on fake accident scheme

The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington unsealed a 138-count federal indictment charging 23 defendants with faking 14 automobile crashes and submitting almost $1 million in false insurance claims, or about $43,500 per defendant.

The defendants hail from Washington, California, Michigan, Nevada and British Columbia, with a large number in the Tri-Cities area.

Mid-Columbia defendants are Ali Abed Yaser, 51, Kennewick; Hussein A. Yasir, 39, Kennewick; Insaf A. Karawi, 52, Kennewick; Hasanein A. Yaser, 20, Kennewick; Ameer R. Mohammed, 45, Kennewick; Mohammed F. Al-Himrani, 33, Kennewick; Maria Elena Sanchez, 41, Kennewick; Farooq S. Yaseen, 32, Kennewick; Khalil Abdul-Razaq, 40, Kennewick; Jesus George Sanchez, 56, Eltopia; and Mohammed Naji Al-Jibory, 54, Kennewick.

If convicted, the defendants face 20 years for conspiracy to commit mail

A27

and wire fraud and two years for conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, 10 years to commit health care fraud and five years for making false statements to the FBI. The FBI with assistance from the National Insurance Crime Bureau investigated the case, which is being prosecuted by George J.C. Jacobs III and Dominique Juliet Park, assistant U.S. attorneys for Eastern Washington.

The U.S. Attorney outlined the case in an extensive press release Jan. 24.

#TBEXTriCities! to connect with travel bloggers

Tri-Cities businesses are invited to engage with visiting travel bloggers by using the hashtag #TBEXTriCities! in April.

TBEX North America 2022, the largest gathering of travel content creators, is happening April 18-22 at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick.

The program is expected to draw about 300 travel writers and presents an opportunity to showcase the region’s attractions.

Visit Tri-Cities is promoting the gathering as an opportunity to share local stories through the visitors’ social channels.

Local residents can engage with attendees by using the TBEX hashtag and by signing up for the conference, using tricitiesbiz at registration to get a $100 discount.

Go to: TBEXcon.com for details.

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

HEALTH CARE

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As pandemic pushes people to be healthier, pharmacy is ready to help

By Robin Wojtanik

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

Since the start of the pandemic, Malley’s Compounding Pharmacy has weathered a prescription-filling rush, a shutdown, a slowdown and then a shift to steady business with more customers focused on prioritizing health and wellness, including adding more supplements to their routine.

“We’ve seen an increase in business with people just wanting to be healthier,” said Anne Henriksen, pharmacist and owner of the Richland pharmacy at George Washington Way and McMurray Street. “People are more in a wellness mindset and interested in supplements to improve their overall health, and we are versed in the different supplements offered, including potential allergens.”

Like all small business owners, it’s been stressful to navigate pandemic challenges. Her team is often stretched nearly to the breaking point with the constant threat of Covid-19 exposures. Then there’s pre-planned vacations or unexpected work absences.

“When you only have six people there on any given day, and then you give lunch breaks, you might have just two people in the front while others are in the back doing other things,” she said. “It’s hard to be able to manage staff, and then do the things you need to do.”

In operation since the 1950s, Henriksen bought the Tri-City landmark with her husband in 2010 after owning another pharmacy location in town.

It wasn’t a dream she initially had

while getting her pharmacy degree at Washington State University in Pullman.

Henriksen returned to the TriCities where she had arrived as a Anne Henriksen teen and come to love the sense of community she found at Richland High.

“I’ve been able to make it what you want it to be,” she said about the drug store she operates with two other pharmacists and a handful of additional staff members, including her husband.

Malley’s stands out for its unique service offering compounding, which includes making medications from raw materials.

“It’s always based on a prescription from a doctor,” Henriksen said. “Compounding is done for a variety of reasons – maybe it’s one particular dose, or a lower dose in a liquid versus a higher dose in a liquid. Often with heart medication for a baby, it’s not made commercially in a low dose a baby would need.” Henriksen said her team works closely with children’s hospitals in Seattle and Spokane to provide medications as prescribed.

Henriksen said typically pharmacies offering compounding services only accept payments in cash, but Malley’s is contracted with all the major insurance companies.

“We work with state Medicaid and all the plans that these children need. I understand how much these bills add up for

Courtesy Malley’s Compounding Pharmacy As one of the only compounding pharmacies in Eastern Washington, Malley’s Compounding Pharmacy in Richland helps with bioidentical hormones, often for menopausal symptoms, and also dispenses veterinary medications.

children with special needs, and it’s important to be able to cover these on their insurance,” she said.

Henriken’s pharmacy recently created medication for a patient in hospice that could be absorbed through the skin instead of by swallowing.

“This helps with agitation that comes with end of life,” she said.

As one of the only compounding pharmacies in Eastern Washington, Malley’s helps with bioidentical hormones, often uMALLEY’S, Page A34

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

HEALTH CARE

Courtesy Trios The city of Kennewick authorized a $4.1 million, 12,000-square-foot expansion of Trios Southridge Hospital in January. The project builds on the hospital's birthing center addition, which debuts in the spring.

Trios Southridge expanding medical floor along with birthing center

By Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

Trios Southridge Hospital is expanding its medical/surgical floor as it adapts the existing hospital for the new birthing center, which opens in the spring.

LifePoint Health, parent to the Kennewick hospital, is spending $22 million on the birthing center and added $6 million to the budget to expand the third-floor medical floor for surgery.

The city of Kennewick issued the $4.1 million, 12,000-square-foot project on Jan. 27. Work should be completed in July.

Work on the birthing center is nearing completion, according to the hospital. The 23,400-square-foot, two-story addition is above the first-floor surgery department and connected to the second

and third floors of the hospital.

Nearly 10,000 square feet at the campus was renovated for the project, which will result in the existing Family Birthing Center and Special Care Nursery moving to Southridge.

The move will bring 37 licensed beds to Southridge but will not change Trios’ overall bed count of 111.

Eleven existing beds on the medical/ surgical floor were converted to postpartum beds.

The medical surgery addition is being built by Layton Construction, which is also building the birthing center.

Once the birthing center opens, Trios will vacate the old Kennewick General Hospital building in downtown Kennewick.

Reach thousands of businesses across the Mid-Columbia Compelling business-focused content provides the perfect avenue for marketing messages.

Contact: Tiffany Lundstrom tiffany@tcjournal.biz cell: 509-947-1712 Chad Utecht chad@tcjournal.biz cell: 509-440-3929

HEALTH CARE

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

A31

Hospital equipment library plans move to Richland

By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz

A Pasco nonprofit that lends medical gear, including wheelchairs, hospital beds, crutches and more, is preparing to turn a vacant site by a busy Richland intersection into its new hub.

Knights Community Hospital Equipment Lend Program, or KC Help, intends to develop its new headquarters and a commercial self-storage facility on five acres at the corner of Van Giesen Street and the bypass highway.

The $2.8 million vision includes a storage business to provide income to support KC Help’s mission to provide hospital equipment to patients who would otherwise go without.

The property is owned by Knights of Columbus, which created KC Help in 1998 to fill gaps in coverage from insurance, Medicare and Medicaid. Tri-Citians who need crutches, canes, wheelchairs, bathtub stools, toilet risers, walkers and other aids but aren’t eligible to have them covered have relied on it for years.

In the years leading up to the pandemic, it served about 2,500 patients annually.

Demand dipped in 2020 to about 2,200 but has been rising since then.

Wheelchairs – both standard and electric – are its most popular offering, with 528 supplied in 2021. Bathtub stools, canes and crutches are also popular items, but its inventory also includes lift chairs, transfer poles and more.

The problem is compounded by the waves of Covid infections that sweep in.

0 “Every time a new variant comes y 24 hwa through, our inventory of beds goes Hig down. And when it passes, it comes back up,” said Rhoads, who likes to think it is because the users recovered and no longer need the beds.

It creates a storage challenge. The Pasco facility is hard pressed to handle the waxing and waning of inventory.

“Expenses have gone up and space has gone down,” he said.

Redeveloping the site was not cost effective, so Rhoads’ KC Help team beVan Giesen Street gan thinking about the 10 acres Knights of Columbia owns at 2500 Chester St. in Courtesy KC Help Richland, where it operates a social club KC Help, a hospital lending nonprofit, is preparing to build a new headquarters and bingo hall on one end. The Knights at the Knights of Columbus property in Richland, near Van Giesen Street and the will donate the land on the other, facing bypass highway.

Van Giesen.

The property is visible from both Van Customers are concentrated in the Tri- the American Care Act would reduce the Cities, but come from as far away as Ida- need for the lending program to fill the Giesen and the bypass highway, across ho, eastern Oregon, western Washington gaps in equipment health care needs. It’s the Port of Benton-owned railroad tracks.

The fraternal organization lost its diand in one case, Alaska. been the opposite, he said.

Jerry Rhoads, a retired electrical enOver the years, Medicare and Med- rect access to the bypass when the road gineer who founded KC Help, said the icaid tightened the criteria to qualify for was widened but retained the right to de5,300-square-foot facility near Pasco City items such as wheelchairs. Private insur- velop a driveway on Van Giesen.

Rhoads spoke with the city and secured Hall that it calls home isn’t large enough ers followed their lead. KC Help always financial support for the Richland project to keep up with demand that isn’t just aimed to fill a gap. Instead of narrowing, from the Home Builders Association of growing but is shifting, courtesy the Co- the gap widened Tri-Cities and Three Rivers Community vid-19 pandemic.

The Covid-19 pandemic is altering deFoundation.

The driveway will enter at It will keep the Pasco center as a dis- mand as well. Patients who might have the far western edge of the Knights proptribution facility and light repair shop. A been hospitalized are being treated at erty.

Premera grant helped add internal space. home. That’s led to a rise in requests for uKC HELP, Page A34 Rhoads once thought – and hoped – hospital beds – nearly 150 in 2021.

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A32

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

HEALTH CARE

Courtesy PMH An 88,000-square-foot Prosser Memorial Hospital and 14,000-square-foot medical office building, pictured at right of main entrance, will be built on 33 acres on North Gap Road north of Interstate 82 rest area in Prosser.

PMH, From page A1 hospital foundation, half of which is already raised. Hospital officials aren’t asking voters for a levy or bond.

“Prosser Memorial Health has been conservative with our money and expenditures anticipating the need to make a significant investment in a new hospital facility. It is important for the community to know the hospital will not bring a levy or bond to taxpayers to fund this project.

One hundred percent of our financing will come from the USDA and our own cash contribution. We are growing to meet the growing health care needs of the communities we serve with new services and providers and a new hospital is needed to meet these needs effectively,” said PMH CEO Craig Marks.

The state Department of Health pointed out that PMH’s certificate of need application for the new hospital is unusual for several reasons: It’s the only replacement facility of its size reviewed in many years; similar-sized replacement facilities were hospitals that leased the new facilities back to other entities; and it is only the second new or replacement hospital reviewed in many years that wasn’t part of or subsidized by a larger system.

The state noted that PMH, or rather its parent, Prosser Public Hospital District, cannot rely on the borrowing capacity of a large health care system. It must incur debt on its own behalf.

The hospital district collected $862,000 in property taxes in 2021.

Anticipating the need for a new facility, PMH bought 33 acres north of I-82 for $1.7 million in 2017. It’s across the interstate from the Prosser rest area and about 3 miles from the existing hospital.

Prosser Mayor Randy Taylor said Prosser Memorial Hospital has a great reputation in and outside the community of 6,200 people.

“They’ve recruited top-notch specialists and doctors. They’ve got the right combination of skill. Their facility is a little old and dated. This is going to bring them up to modern times, not that they’re not now but this will be a huge improvement. They’ve got the right administration, the right doctors and nurses and care, and wherever I

go, people talk about that hospital. I think it’s just fantastic that they’re building a new one,” he said.

Features of the new PMH complex, to be located on North Gap Road in city limits, include: • More space. The $62.7 million hospital will have 88,000 square feet. The existing hospital is 54,000 square feet.

• State-of-the-art surgical suites and technology.

• New birthing suites that can accommodate water births.

• All inpatient rooms will be private.

Existing rooms are double occupancy.

• 16% of rooms will be equipped for ICU, providing a higher level of care for patients closer to home.

• An expanded cardiology clinic to include cardiac rehab and pulmonology, allowing patients recovering from a heart attack or pulmonary issues to stay in Prosser for rehabilitation.

• An expanded emergency department.

• The $15.7 million medical office building for specialists, including cardio/ pulmonary, oncology, sleep and surgeons, will include 14,000 square feet.

PMH leases a medical office building adjacent to the existing hospital from the Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic. PMH plans to move its patient financial services department there.

Prosser Memorial Hospital will remain a 25-bed acute care hospital.

Several letters of support were included in the state application, including from U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Sunnyside, and state Sen. Maureen Walsh, R-Walla Walla, and Rep. Bill Jenkin, R-Prosser.

Hospital history, growth The existing hospital celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. It opened its doors in 1947 as a 19-bed facility dedicated to the memory and service of World War II veterans.

Since then, the hospital has grown and expanded services.

PMH employs 325 full-time staff and pays $35.3 million in annual salaries and wages.

Marks noted in a recent newsletter that 2021 saw a record number of inpatients, outpatients, ER visits and babies born at the hospital.

PMH’s net profits totaled $10.2 million in 2021, up from $3 million in 2020 and 2019, according to its certificate of need application to the state. PMH expects to receive forgiveness for the $6.4 million it received from the federal Paycheck Protection Program in 2020 during the start of the pandemic, noting the influx of cash helped avoid layoffs and staffing disruptions.

PMH revenues from payers are nearly evenly split between Medicare, Medicaid and commercial insurance, with a small percentage coming from self-pay.

Hospital admissions and outpatient services have increased since 2015. Births have increased 24% since 2013. In 2021, more than 583 babies were born at PMH. PMH doctors performed 1,418 surgeries in 2019. In 2020 that number declined slightly due to the Covid-19 shutdown of surgery cases. PMH performed 2,148 surgeries in 2021.

From 2019-20, PMH’s digital imaging volume grew 15%, to 27,538 procedures performed. It performed 35,907 procedures in 2021.

PMH performed 141,216 laboratory procedures in 2020, up 6% from 2019. It performed 171,918 procedures in 2021.

The hospital recorded 13,258 emergency room visits and 1,397 inpatient admissions in 2021.

“We continue to grow even in the pandemic. One of our best years ever was 2021, adding specialties and adding them in a strategic and mindful way so that it does serve a need in a community,” said Shannon Hitchcock, PMH’s spokeswoman, who also serves as executive director of the PMH Foundation.

PMH wants to position itself to serve even more patients, she said.

Tri-Citians and those living in Yakima County seek care at PMH because it can take a long time to get an appointment to see specialists closer to home, Hitchcock said.

PMH recently opened a digestive health center, offering upper endoscopies, colonoscopies and more, and a dermatology center in Benton City, offering a blend of medical and cosmetic services.

PMH operates primary care clinics in Grandview, Prosser and Benton City, as well as a Women’s Health Center on Char-

donnay Avenue in Prosser.

Growth mindset The existing hospital can’t expand at its current location.

Built on a hillside surrounded by residential neighborhoods, the PMH campus is boxed in and has no room to grow. It lacks adequate parking.

Its medical staff meetings must be held off site to accommodate all the providers.

By the end of 2026, PMH plans to add 37 staff, the majority in its clinics, according to its state application. In 2021, it recorded 55,882 clinic visits.

The facility is not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and struggles to meet state and federal regulations for hospitals. To make improvements wouldn’t be cost effective, Hitchcock said.

Additions made over the past 70 years have created inefficiencies, safety and security concerns and other problems.

Merry Fuller, a registered nurse who serves as PMH’s chief nursing officer and chief operating officer, wrote in her letter of support about the challenges of working in an aging and undersized facility.

“Patients and staff share corridors with the public; certain departments are undersized; we lack the space for staff to coordinate during shift changes; many areas are required to limit families because of space; and inefficiencies in staffing result because of the physical layout,” she said, noting that research supports the link between patient experience and outcome to their physical environment.

Brian Sollers, PMH’s chief medical officer who is an obstetric provider, said in his letter of support it’s nearly impossible to find space to meet privately with patients and their families. “The bottom line is that the hospital has reached the end of its useful life,” he said.

Hitchcock said PMH reached out to long-term care, mental health and substance abuse providers to gauge their interest in the old hospital.

“Nobody is interested in the existing building,” she said.

She said PMH would hold onto it for a while, but it plans to spend a couple million dollars to knock it down, raze it and turn it back over to residential property.

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

HEALTH CARE

A33

Eye, ear specialists team up to offer seniors one-stop care

By Kristina Lord

publisher@tcjournal.biz

A Kennewick audiologist and a Pasco optometrist have teamed up to launch a new business model to make it easier for seniors to receive care.

The Columbia Basin Hearing Center and Mid-Columbia Eyecare Center will host the other doctor once a week, starting in mid-February.

Optometrist Niccholas Gubler will do eye exams in Kennewick.

Audiologist Shannon Aiello will do hearing exams in Pasco.

“I’m taking one of his rooms, and he’s taking one of mine,” Aiello said.

Aiello knows Gubler through the Abundance Healthcare Alliance, a group of independent wellness practitioners focused on prevention instead of “treating individual health fires,” said Aiello, who founded the alliance in 2019.

When the ear and eye specialists learned they shared many of the same senior patients, they hatched the plan.

“It’s something that’s been done in other places but not in the Tri-Cities yet,” Gubler said. “We thought it would be a great to service to the elderly population.”

After all, hearing and seeing loss become more common with age.

Aiello hopes the one-stop shop for eye and ear health means patients won’t skip their annual wellness exams. Hearing exams should be held annually, same as eye exams, she said. This allows audiologists

to treat hearing loss early and to provide Aiello said she’s also pleased the coltips to prevent it. laboration will give her clinic a footprint “Numerous research shows that los- in Pasco as there aren’t any other hearing ing your hearing and getting cut off from providers in the city. world around you, there’s a higher chance Mid-Columbia Eyecare Center, which of develophas been on ing demenCourt Street tia.

Same since the “It’s something that’s been thing with early ’80s, vision, lose observes its done in other places but not in 40th annione or both, and you can this the Tri-Cities yet. We thought versary become cut year. Gubler off from outhas worked it would be a great to service side world,” there for to the elderly population."

Gubler said. nearly 10 Consoliyears.

-Optometrist Nicholas Gubler, dating their Columbia Mid-Columbia Eyecare Center care has othBasin Hearer benefits. ing CenAiello ter, which said her patients frequently lament about opened in 1978 and has an office in Walla having to travel to multiple doctors on Walla, launched a mobile hearing clinic different days, their weeks filling with last year that makes house calls to padoctor appointments. tients.

Senior patients also often rely on pubAiello said the service has been well lic transportation to get to appointments, received but the center needs more prowhich can eat up a chunk of their day, she viders before it can expand. said.

Her husband, longtime audiologist Aiello said patients who care for part- Neil Aiello, plans to retire April 1 after ners who must be dressed, fed and then a 30-year career. Shannon said she is acdriven to appointments – a lengthy pro- tively recruiting for an audiologist. cess that can take several hours – said “We’re going to have a huge year of they’d be grateful for a one-stop shop. growth and be able to help more people,” “We’re really excited to see what this she said. is going to offer our senior population at She’s excited about what the future both of our clinics,” she said. holds. New at the hearing clinic is a de-

vice called Earlens, a nonsurgical, implantable hearing device.

“It’s been a game changer. It’s so much better than a hearing aid,” she said.

Shannon Aiello Anticipating a successful collaboration with Mid-Columbia Eye Care, Shannon said her five-year plan includes expanding the building on their existing Kennewick propNicholas Gubler erty to add additional services from other providers that could benefit her patients.

“This collaboration is a tip toe into it and I’m sure we’ll learn a lot of lessons as it grows. It lays the groundwork for future collaboration and a bigger model in the future,” Shannon said. search Mid-Columbia Eyecare Center: 4403 W. Court St., Pasco; 509-547-9695; mceyecare.com. search Columbia Basin Hearing Center: 4015 W. Clearwater Ave., Kennewick; 509-736-4005; columbiabasinhearing. com.

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A34

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022 MALLEY’S, From page A29 for menopausal symptoms, and also dispenses veterinary medications.

The onset of the pandemic brought an initial rush to Malley’s as people hurried to fill 90-day supplies of their prescriptions and then hunkered down. The pharmacy pace was temporarily slower than normal for several months in 2020 before rebounding.

Without a drive-thru, Malley’s offered curbside service before the pandemic and

Courtesy Malley’s Compounding Pharmacy

Malley’s Compounding Pharmacy at 1906 George Washington Way in Richland is a longtime Tri-City pharmacy, filling a wide variety of medications, including custom doses for children and pets.

HEALTH CARE still provides the option to customers today.

It tries to offer a more personal relationship with customers. Henriksen described the chain pharmacies as “overwhelmed” and often the only option for patients.

“People often lack a choice in pharmacy,” she said. “We have been pushed out of insurance networks to where people can’t use us. When there’s a level playing field, smaller pharmacies are going to win.” Henriksen is active in state legislative efforts to avoid the squeeze on independently owned drug stores. She encourages people to let her staff check on coverage before allowing an insurance company to tell them a prescription isn’t covered unless filled by a chain pharmacy.

“It’s often said to be more expensive to come to us, and it’s either a negligible amount or not higher at all. Don’t pay a cash price without talking to an independent pharmacy first. We will never do that to you,” she said.

Like all pharmacies, Malley’s has struggled to keep at-home Covid-19 tests in stock. “Our ability to buy them has been extremely difficult,” she said.

Malley’s is open weekdays 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and by appointment on Saturdays for urgent needs. search Malley’s Compounding Pharmacy: 1906 George Washington Way, Richland; 509-943-9173; Malleyspharmacy.com; @ malleyscompoundingpharmacy.

KC HELP, From page A31 The property is served by city water.

But sewer lines stop on the other side of Van Giesen, near the Columbia Basin Racquet Club.

Rhoads said the city is supportive of the plans. He expects to have site plans approved around March. He will not launch a capital campaign until permits are in hand, but several supporters have already sweetened the pot with more than $100,000 in donations and another $100,000 in commitments.

The plan includes two buildings totaling 16,000 square feet to serve as corporate offices and other facilities for KC Help.

The self-storage facility will have 250 or more units, a storage yard for boats and recreational vehicles, and will be selfmanaged by KC Help, with a big assist from technology. The site has room to expand. The committee includes storage industry experts, who note the region is underserved for ministorage.

The for-profit business is an innovative approach, conceived to bring in money and reduce KC Help’s reliance on fundraising to support its mission. It spent about $101,000 in 2021, Rhoads said.

Rhoads cites Columbia Industries as an inspiration. Columbia Industries, a Kennewick nonprofit serving Tri-Citians with intellectual disabilities, has bought several for-profit businesses, including Round Table Pizza, to not only raise money, but provide an outlet for its clients to work.

HEALTH CARE

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

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Tri-City health care has grown fast. Can the workforce keep up?

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to the rapid population growth in the area.

As the Trends population data shows, over that same two decades the two counties gained D. Patrick Jones about 98,000.

Eastern This singled out Washington the area as the University fastest growing GUEST COLUMN in the state. With a substantially larger population comes a greater need for specialty care. We have no measure that confirms this, but it seems highly likely that much of the growth has come from tertiary care providers.

A third reason can be tied to the graying of the greater Tri-Cities. The area, as we’ve noted in prior columns, sports a median age that is far lower than that of the U.S. or Washington.

But as other data shows, the share of the population age 65+ has picked up over this century. Between 2003-20, the percentage of seniors living in the two counties has climbed from 9.8% to 14.5%. It’s undeniable that as we age we consume more health services, very often from specialists.

Which occupations make up this workforce? We have a good idea, thanks to the ESD’s Occupation Employment & Wages Statistics (OEWS)

Share of Employment: Top-5 Sectors

If there’s an economic competition at play in Benton and Franklin counties, the winning sector for the century to-date is health care.

At least, if we measure performance by the number of people employed.

As Benton Franklin Trend data illustrates, health care’s share of the twocounty workforce clocked in at 13.8% in 2020. Compare that to its 2003 standing of 8.3%. It is now the secondlargest sector in the local economy and no other sector in the greater Tri-Cities has grown as fast.

Washington’s Employment Security Department (ESD) put the average headcount in 2020 at 16,650. Since 2003, the number of people employed in health care has more than doubled, or increased by 121%. The only other sector that has come close matching such long strides has been construction, increasing its headcount by 114%.

Why and how has this happened?

One reason lies in local health care simply catching up to the rest of the state.

Early in the decade of the 2000s, health care here was likely “undersized,” compared to the state. Throughout all of Washington in 2003, health care took up 10%.

So now the relationship is reversed: health care in the greater Tri-Cities is relatively more important than throughout Washington.

Another reason can likely be traced

Benton & Franklin Counties - Government Benton & Franklin Counties - Health care and social assistance Benton & Franklin Counties - Agriculture forestry fishing and hunting Benton & Franklin Counties - Retail Trade Benton & Franklin Counties - Admin & Waste Services Washington State - Government Washington State - Health care and social assistance Washington State - Agriculture forestry fishing and hunting Washington State - Retail Trade Washington State - Admin & Waste Services

Courtesy Benton-Franklin Trends

survey.

According to the most recent survey (2021, based on 2020 responses), the largest health care occupation wasn’t physicians or nurses, but home health care aides. Registered nurses ranked second, however. Nursing assistants followed.

It appears that the category of physicians took fourth place, with a reported 866 of MDs or ODs. We write “appear” because the source, Office of Financial

Management (OFM), is different. And it may count some physicians who remain licensed but are not practicing.

Rounding out the top five occupations in the sector were medical assistants.

The growth of the sector did not appear let up in 2021, no surprise in a pandemic year. The ESD tracks jobs wanted for every county in the state and publishes the top 25 results monthly. The tallies are based on the

uJONES, Page A36

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

National company acquires Oasis Physical Therapy

By Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

An established physical therapy clinic with offices in Pasco, Kennewick and Walla Walla and two in Richland has joined an Alabama-based physical therapy provider network.

Walla Walla native Mindi Irvine started Oasis Physical Therapy & Sports Rehab with a single outpatient clinic in 2002, growing it to five locations.

As Oasis marks its 20th anniversary this year, Irvine knew it was time to work with a partner that could provide the additional resources needed to continue her growth and expansion strategy.

Oasis plans to add more clinics and expand patient access to care through its

new partnership with Upstream Rehabilitation, the nation’s largest dedicated physical therapy provider, according to a news release from the Mindi Irving company.

“Upstream is an incredible company and shares our passion for serving local communities and for helping patients reach their goals and get their lives back,” said Irvine, who earned a master’s degree in physical therapy from Loma Linda University.

Terms of the acquisition, which closed

on Dec. 15 after several years of discussions between the privately-owned companies, were not disclosed.

Irvine noted that Upstream provides a structure for Oasis to add more locations but also for its physical therapists to hone their clinical skills and realize leadership opportunities that otherwise wouldn't be available to them.

Other Upstream brands in the region include BenchMark Physical Therapy, People's Injury Network Northwest, NW Sports Physical Therapy, PT Northwest Physical Therapy and Sound to Summit Physical Therapy.

Based in Birmingham, Alabama, Upstream comprises more than 1,100 owned or managed clinics in 28 states.

Here’s how to order free at-home Covid tests

By Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

Washington residents can request free at-home Covid-19 tests online at sayyescovidhometest.org or sayyescovidhometest.org/casa.html for Spanish speakers.

The initiative by the state Department of Health provides rapid-antigen tests to help individuals and families monitor for potential exposure to the coronavirus.

People can order up to five free tests.

The program expands on an existing partnership with CareEvolution and Amazon. The pilot project through the

National Institutes of Health delivered 800,000 tests in parts of Eastern Washington, including the Tri-Cities.

Under the new program, the test kits now are available to all state residents.

The program is one of several ways to acquire free tests for home use.

Order free Covid-19 tests through the federal program at COVIDtests.gov or buy them from stores and pharmacies.

Insurers will pay for up to eight at-home tests per month per individual under federal rules, so save those receipts.

Area residents also may get tests at pharmacies and walk-thru and drive-thru

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Those who test positive are encouraged to report results through WA Notify to alert those they’ve been near of potential exposures.

WA Notify is a smartphone app that uses anonymized location data to track contacts and notify users when they’ve been in close contact with someone who tested positive.

Go to doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/COVID19/WANotify.

HEALTH CARE JONES, From page A35 Conference Board’s web-scraping of real time online job ads.

For the year January through August, health care openings made up slightly over 20% of the top 25 openings in the two counties. Leading the help wanted list every month were registered nurses, followed by nursing assistants. In third place for health care openings most months were health service managers. Licenses practical nurses followed. Interestingly, physicians rarely appeared on the list.

And the future? For sure, demand will continue to be strong.

As of 2017, demographers at OFM predicted an increase of nearly 50,000 between 2021-30. It is this columnist’s hunch that when the next estimates are released later this year, for Growth Management Act purposes, the number will nudge up a bit.

Think of this forecast as a new town over 50,000 materializing in the two counties over the next decade. Then imagine how many professionals will be required to provide the level of health care we are accustomed to.

Further, add the pandemic effects on the health care workforce to the population forecast. As is well-known, caregivers and especially nurses, are leaving the field due burnout. Let us hope that greater masking and vaccinating efforts lead to a pullback of the crush at local hospitals in the near future and ensuing resignations. But undoubtedly some caregivers, especially those of retirement age, aren’t likely coming back.

So the health care sector, now the second-largest and possibly the largest in a decade, will confront a yawning gap between workforce needs and supply.

Let us hope that the gap will narrow so that patient care will not be compromised. D. Patrick Jones is the executive director for Eastern Washington University’s Institute for Public Policy & Economic Analysis. BentonFranklin Trends, the institute’s project, uses local, state and federal data to measure the local economic, educational and civic life of Benton and Franklin counties.

HEALTH CARE

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

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I had a pandemic baby and Covid three times. Here’s what I learned

By Laura Kostad

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

My 10-month-old daughter is a pandemic baby through and through.

She was conceived during the pandemic, she encountered the virus in the womb, and she tested positive for omicron at the beginning of this year.

I’ve also gone toe-to-toe with the virus three times.

My Covid-19 story begins with a Hawaiian vacation.

Mentions of a novel Coronavirus outbreak in China were in the news, but in early 2020, concerns were relatively low-key in the U.S. Photos I snapped at the Kona airport in March 2020 show travelers making their way through the concourse without masks or social distancing.

They are scenes from the Before Times.

During our week in paradise, the nightly news reports became increasingly frantic.

Our alarm grew as the virus’ landfall was reported in Washington state, with SeaTac Airport identified as a major gateway.

A couple of days later, the first case was reported on Oahu and the islands began to shut down. We worried about getting home.

The night before we left, I awoke with a sore throat and lay awake gripped with fear I was infected with the virus that had

already claimed lives back home and that I may have unknowingly spread it to my husband and parents.

The following evening, as we sat in the terminal waiting to board our red-eye flight, chills and body aches swept over me and I could feel it beginning to take hold of my sinuses.

The whole flight to Seattle I writhed with fever and discomfort, disembarking tired and weak into an eerily empty airport, where TSA agents seemed to outnumber travelers.

Our flight to Pasco was delayed, so I spent hours in a fetal position, sipping orange juice and sleeping.

I had never experienced such severe body aches in my life.

By the time we made it home, my fever dissipated, but the cold-like symptoms set in.

A couple days later, my husband began to experience the same. We went to an urgent care clinic, but Covid tests were not readily available then. We were told we likely had colds – a diagnosis I didn’t trust.

Four months later, we were unexpectedly pregnant with our first child.

We were trepidatious about what world our baby would be born into.

While five months pregnant, in November 2020, and still months away from a vaccine, my husband contracted Covid at work. I soon became symptomatic, as did my in-laws.

Both of our initial PCR tests came

Courtesy Laura Kostad Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business freelancer Laura Kostad of Kennewick had her first child during a global pandemic, and contracted Covid-19 three times in the past two years.

back negative, despite multiple days having passed since exposure, but our second tests were positive.

Our respective onset and symptoms were identical to what we experienced after our Hawaii trip eight months earlier,

though my fever lasted an extra day and my cold symptoms lingered for weeks.

My in-laws also had minor cases, and our unborn baby was not adversely affected.

Our girl was born two and a half weeks past her due date in late April as healthy as can be.

I hoped the antibodies I had generated stoked her fledgling immune system – and would like to think they did.

I rolled up my sleeve to get both rounds of the vaccine and the booster to keep those antibodies flowing to her.

Yet despite these efforts, my daughter woke up very sluggish on Jan. 10, 2022, and throughout the rest of the day was alarmingly drowsy and lethargic.

She was running a moderately high fever, and so I spent the afternoon and evening cuddled on the couch with her nursing and sleeping off and on until the fever came down.

The next day, I began to experience chills and fatigue, but nothing like I’d experienced in past cases.

On Jan. 12, we stood in line for over an hour at the Richland community testing site, uneasy and trying to put as much distance between ourselves and the dozens of others waiting their turn.

Surprisingly, my daughter didn’t put up any fuss at having her tiny, plugged nose swabbed. Our results both came back positive, as did my husband’s a few days later.

uKOSTAD, Page A39

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

HEALTH CARE

What is naturopathy? Who is allowed to practice it in Washington state?

By Arielle Dreher The Spokesman-Review

Washington was one of the first states to regulate naturopaths, and even today, the law requires providers to attend an accredited four-year graduate program before being eligible for a license.

It is an unusually strict approach for a medical industry that is loosely regulated in many states.

Naturopathic medicine is not licensed or regulated in every state, and nationally, there is no standardized credentialing system.

It is considered complementary or alternative by the National Institutes of Health, depending on how a person uses it.

That leaves it up to states to determine how to issue credentials and licenses. In Washington, naturopathic physicians can practice medicine along similar lines as primary care physicians. They can perform routine medical exams, order bloodwork, suture minor wounds and prescribe noncontrolled medications, including antibiotics, antivirals, insulin, birth control and antidepressants.

In Washington, naturopathic physicians can prescribe testosterone and codeine, but not controlled substances.

Angela Ross, a naturopathic physician and executive director of the Washington Association of Naturopathic Physicians, said that when appropriate, naturopathic physicians explore other options for

Courtesy Christopher Anderson / The Spokesman-Review Naturopath Michael Whitney tests the arm strength of patient Susie Rathbone in his north Spokane office in this file photo. Rathbone was seeing Whitney for an allergy treatment.

health, such as changing diet, exercise or supplements and herbal formulations, before recommending pharmaceuticals as the only or first option for patients.

The focus of naturopathic medicine and what sets it apart from traditional medicine is the integration of botanical medicines, from herbs to supplements, used to treat common ailments, alongside more traditional treatments.

One main difference between a medical doctor and a naturopathic physician’s training is the residency requirement, which happens after medical school.

All medical doctors in the United States must attend a four-year medical school,

pass specific exams and be matched into a residency, which can last from three to seven years, where they train under physicians and sometimes learn specialties.

Only after that residency can they be licensed to practice medicine in a state or become board-certified in their specialty.

Naturopathic physicians cannot participate in residency programs for the most part, however.

“Residencies in the conventional realm are funded by Medicare, which is a federal program, and because naturopathic medicine is not regulated at the federal level, only the state level, we’re not eligible to work in the federal Medicare pro-

gram,” Ross said.

Medical doctors and doctors of osteopathic medicine have much larger scopes of practice under Washington state law that allows them to prescribe more medications than naturopaths.

Prevention medicine and whole health are at the heart of naturopathy.

“The No. 1 foundational tenet is to remove obstacles for care and establish conditions for optimal health, and that’s prevention,” Ross said.

Not all states have regulations and licensing in place for naturopathy, and in states without regulations, Ross says public safety is at risk if anyone can call themselves a naturopath and practice on patients. There are 22 states with regulations and licensing requirements for naturopathic physicians. Idaho enacted state licensing procedures for naturopaths in 2020.

In the four years of graduate training required in Washington to become a naturopathic physician, Ross said students learn how herbs and plant-based medicines interact with pharmaceuticals, an important skill for many naturopathic physicians who practice in a primary care setting.

In Washington, some private health insurance companies cover naturopathy, and in 2013, licensed naturopathic physicians could enroll to take Medicaid patients as well.

Technically, naturopathic physicians uNATUROPATHY, Page A39

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

HEALTH CARE

A39

KOSTAD, From page A37 For a week and a half after our tests, we slogged through congestion and other cold-like symptoms.

I’m happy to report we are back to normal and relieved to be through our bout with omicron.

We joke that my daughter put her mouth on the shopping cart at the hardware store a couple days before she came down with Covid – but it could have come from anywhere.

We aren’t particularly social people to begin with, but we have been very cautious about social gatherings because babies are so vulnerable to more severe forms of illness.

However, we also want our daughter to experience life as normally as possible, so we still go into stores, attend toddler story time weekly at the Richland Public Library and get together with friends and family in small groups.

It hasn’t been without risk, obviously, but I’d like to think that over the past two years we’ve all become more sensible and conscientious about safely attending work, events and get-togethers.

As we enter the pandemic’s third year, I am grateful we haven’t lost a loved one to Covid, that my husband has remained employed and that our baby has been healthy and happy. I know not everyone has been as fortunate.

Today, as I watch my pandemic baby crawl across the house, pull herself up on every piece of furniture and smile big with her seven little teeth, I find my challenge all along has been savoring all the special moments and finding balance amid continuous change. That’s life in a pandemic, right? But really, it’s life every day. Let’s savor it. Laura Kostad of Kennewick has been a freelance writer for the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business since 2017.

NATUROPATHY, From page A38 are required under state law to be vaccinated against COVID-19, although vaccination across providers in this field is far from a unanimous discussion point.

The state association was established in 1935 and has never taken an official position on vaccinations.

“It is a very heated issue within our community, right, wrong or indifferent,” Ross said.

Even though it is complicated, the association did sign on to a Department of Health initiative encouraging providers to ask their patients’ vaccination status and to offer resources should they want more information. Arielle Dreher’s reporting for The Spokesman-Review is primarily funded by the Smith-Barbieri Progressive Fund, with additional support from Report for America and members of the Spokane community. Dreher, who grew up in the Tri-Cities, is a former freelancer for the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business.

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

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5 ideas to improve schools battered by Covid-19 Like so many other states, the teacher shortage is hitting Washington hard.

Staffing shortages in our schools have resulted in multiple cancellations of classes, leaving students and families to navigate shifting schedules and academic interruptions.

The crisis has led the state to approve 10% more emergency substitute certificates, according to state schools Superintendent Chris Reykdal.

The economic impact alone is reason to pause and assess how the state can ensure our youth and workforce have access to the education they need and deserve to ensure we can all thrive into the future. Here are five ideas for educators and policymakers to consider.

Improve digital learning infrastructure In the urgent shift to remote learning during the pandemic, it became painfully clear that we live in a technology landscape of “haves and have nots.”

According to Connect Washington, 20% of households in tech-hub King County have no broadband or have services that are expensive, slow or underused. It is estimated 735,000 people in the state do not have internet connection in their homes, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Through the Federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, there’s $100 million to expand access to broadband internet to nearly a quarter million state residents who don’t have it. The Washington State Broadband Office mapping initiative will help identify gaps in high-speed internet service and areas of broadband infrastructure needs to advance the state’s goal to have universal broadband access in Washington by 2024. This will be especially critical for low-income families. It is essential that educational institutions partner with associations and government entities to remove technology and affordability barriers to digital access for learners of all ages.

Reimagine learning models There are many organizations and community leaders looking at ways to reimagine education. New curricula, technologies, pedagogies, and programs have the potential to support the college readiness of historically under-represented students, including low-income populations, students of color and those who will be the first in their families to attend college.

One model worth exploring is mastery learning, which allows educators to build a system of learning in which students are rewarded for perseverance.

The Mastery Transcript Consortium comprised of public school districts,

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private schools and leading universities is developing this idea.

Encourage educator self-care A recent Tonya Drake RAND CorWGU Washington poration surGUEST COLUMN vey found that while 40% of all employed adults reported experiencing significant job-related stress during the pandemic, this figure was almost double for K-12 teachers (78%). Many pandemic-era teaching issues, such as stressed and confused students, technology challenges and new learning systems are linked to significant job-related stress, depression and burnout.

District leaders would do well to design and implement mental health and wellness initiatives for educators.

Hiring behavioral health counselors not only for students but also for teachers and paraprofessionals can help, as well as listening with empathy to and acting with urgency on teachers’ concerns around pay, time and support needs.

Champion healthy learning Today’s students have reported heightened feelings of anxiety, depression and isolation. As we reimagine K-12 education in the wake of the pan-

demic, healthy learning is needed more than ever. School leaders should develop methods and processes that emphasize a learning Mark David Milliron environment WGU Washington that provide GUEST COLUMN holistic support for a student’s academic, physical, psychological, and social self. To prioritize healthy learning, schools, colleges and universities can bring together the research and practices of initiatives addressing basic needs; diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI); social and emotional learning (SEL); mental health; and character education. This work should extend into governance and community engagement, particularly in our current politically charged environment.

Embrace regional education ecosystems All parts of a regional education ecosystem – early learning, K-12, community colleges, colleges and universities – are interconnected. Each of these interconnected entities has the power to effectively partner or painfully disrupt and disconnect learner journeys. Our outstanding colleges and universities are continuing to provide life-changing

education for many, making a positive difference for individuals, families and communities.

As Washington moves forward, dramatically changed by Covid-19, it’s critical for higher education institutions to establish alliances with local school districts to support their human resource objectives and elevate the teaching profession. Partnerships like this can include professional development of current or aspiring teachers and school districts serving as clinical learning sites for pre-service teachers, our next-generation educators.

Adopting and fulfilling these five ideas depends on educators and their communities working together. We need set aside the historic “better than” arguments and embrace a “better with” reality: We’re all in this together. Education is a game changer, door opener and playing-field leveler. As such, let’s commit to substantive conversations and good work in each of these areas.

Making progress together will support our shared journey toward new possibilities in 2022. Tonya Drake is the regional vice president, Northwest region, and chancellor of WGU Washington, and Mark David Milliron, is senior vice president and executive dean, WGU Teachers College.

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

BUSINESS PROFILE

Tri-Cities’ first dedicated electric bike shop opens in Richland

By Laura Kostad

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

A California couple sold their home and moved to the Tri-Cities to open an electric bike shop in Richland.

The empty nesters wanted a new adventure after their daughters grew up and left home, so they began scouting places to launch a Pedego e-bike franchise.

Troy and Erin Franzen had never been to southeastern Washington before, but they were smitten after their first visit.

They visited for an extended weekend in April 2021 and “acted like we lived here,” as Troy described it, “visiting the restaurants, walking the paths and taking in the beautiful weather and beautiful city.”

“The people we ran into were wonderful,” Erin said.

In May they visited again “and loved it again,” Troy said. “So, then we contacted Pedego about what it takes to open a store.”

They opened Pedego Electric Bikes on Jan. 25 at 1084 George Washington Way in Richland.

Their franchise is part of a network of 200-plus Pedego shops across the U.S. to exclusively sell, rent and service Pedego e-bikes.

The Franzens said they were drawn to the area because of its trails, recreationfriendly 300 days of sun, and existing and promising future bike infrastructure.

The shop backs up to Richland’s Riverfront Trail and there’s a nearby access path to it, which is perfect for test riding bikes

we contacted Pedego about potentially becoming a dealership,” Troy said.

“We really liked the (Pedego) bikes, the dealership, the whole experience,” Erin said.

Pedego perks The 1,445-square-foot modern showroom features rows of shiny new bikes, as well as previously-owned options, ranging in price from $1,895 up to nearly $5,000, based on the model, features and battery size.

Troy said most Pedegos are in the mid$3,000 range.

“It’s a high-quality bike,” Erin said.

Pedego sells only Level 2 electric bikes (there are three levels), whose throttle and assist can propel the bike up to 20 mph, meaning it is legal to ride on all pedestrian trails.

Level 3 bikes are not allowed on pedestrian paths because they go faster.

Photo by Laura Kostad Troy said Pedego’s after-sale service Troy and Erin Franzen sold their home north of Sacramento, California, sets the business apart from other e-bike and moved to West Richland to open a Pedego Electric Bikes shop manufacturers. at 1084 George Washington Way in Richland, bordering the Riverfront “‘How do I get it fixed?’ and ‘what’s Trail. They opened Jan. 25 and look forward to outfitting and serving the the warranty?’ are the two questions you region’s growing community of e-bikers. should be asking before you buy an ebike,” he said. or group ride meetups. like, ‘Oh my gosh, what a joy this is!’ ” Pedego offers a lifetime warranty on “We got lucky,” Erin said of the Rich- Troy said. the bike frame, a five-year warranty on land location and finding housing in the Then when they’d vacation in different the battery and other parts, and an antitheft highly competitive market. cities, they searched for Pedego stores and program. If customers buy their lock and About eight years ago, they were on renting bikes. the e-bike is stolen, Pedego will replace the vacation with friends in Catalina who sug“We had done that for a while when we bike with almost no questions asked, Tony gested they rent e-bikes. decided it was about time to buy a couple said.

Pedego also boasts a network of shops “It was for just an hour, but we were for ourselves. We did, and in that process, across North America, all of which are exclusive servicers of Pedego e-bikes.

“I’d say 25% of our phone calls are from people wanting to get their e-bikes fixed,” Erin said.

“Even if you just need an adjustment, a lot of shops won’t work on them,” Troy said.

The Franzens have one employee, their mechanic Tony Saugar, an e-bike enthusiast. Though he doesn’t yet own a Pedego, he has built his own e-bikes and is passionate about electric technology in transportation.

Isn’t it cheating? Nope What is it about the increasingly popular activity that’s compelling people to drop thousands of dollars on a bike?

It might have something to do with the words printed on the front doors of Pedego Tri-Cities: “Hello, fun…”

Troy sums up the joys of e-biking in three words: fun, fitness and freedom. “‘Freedom’ is the word we hear all the time from other e-bike owners. They’ve really taken off with the baby boomer generation. If you have a bad hip, bad knees, or if you have had any sort of injury, or are just getting old like us, then you don’t want to take a 25-mile bike ride because later you’ll be sore ... e-bikes level the field.”

“The other thing is you can easily ride together with others who ride at different paces. People who ride e-bikes versus acoustics (non-motorized bikes) are more likely to ride more often and ride longer because they’re having more fun, leading to more health benefits, according to studies,” he said. uPEDEGO, Page A45

BUSINESS PROFILE

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

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Kennewick baseball bat maker swings for the rafters

By Jeff Morrow

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

Kennewick’s Jordan DeVoir absolutely loves baseball.

He loves everything about it. Playing it. Coaching it. Watching it.

But perhaps making baseball products is where he’ll make his biggest mark in the game.

DeVoir founded DeVo Bat Company in 2008. He makes wooden baseball bats for players ages 10 up to adults.

Give him a chance to talk specifics about baseball bats, and he’ll geek out on you with stories on bat balance, weights, etc.

He made his first bat in 2007, making it for himself to use playing in local rec leagues.

“I loved it. I wasn’t sure I was going to sell a bat,” he said. “But I loved swinging them.”

Others noticed his work, and “I sold my first bat in 2007.”

It also gave him an excuse.

“This has been a hobby for a long time,” DeVoir said. “It’s a way to stay involved and around baseball.”

But each year, he’s gotten more serious.

“It’s a lofty goal, but this year, we’re looking to sell between 1,500 to 2,000 bats,” DeVoir said. “That would be like killing it.”

It’s still not enough to make it full time – he’s taught physical education for 11 years, including the last nine at Pasco High School.

But he’s getting closer.

DeVoir’s playing days DeVoir graduated from Southridge High School in 2000, where he had been a solid infielder for the Suns.

From there, he spent two years playing at Columbia Basin College before trans-

ferring to the University of Illinois-Chicago to finish his college career.

The New York Yankees drafted him in the 19th round of the 2004 Major League Baseball first-year player draft.

For the next few years, DeVoir played on Yankees’ minor-league teams, places like Staten Island, New York and Charleston, South Carolina.

But injuries always seemed to hamper his play.

“I injured my shoulder while playing in the Yankees farm system,” DeVoir said. “I ended up having shoulder surgery. When I got healthy again, the Yankees released me.”

That was 2006, and he decided to go to the Arizona Winter League as a free agent to play and see if some team might pick him up.

“I did well enough to sign as a free agent for the independent Reno Silver Sox (of the Golden Baseball League),” DeVoir said.

He was with Reno for three months when one day, during a game, he fouled a pitch off his shin, breaking it.

That was it for him.

“I was 26, and I was injured more of the time than I played. I was going to get married, and I wanted a family,” said DeVoir, who now has five kids.

He returned to the Tri-Cities, and CBC, where he completed the remaining credits for an education degree.

He also served as an assistant to CBC athletic director Scott Rogers and baseball assistant Jeremy Beard.

“I’d run around as a gopher, getting things done for them,” he said.

It was another way to stay involved around baseball.

Beard, now the head baseball coach at California State University, Bakersfield, challenged DeVoir to get into the batmaking business.

DeVoir had mentioned out loud that he might start his own company.

“Beard challenged me. He said, ‘Why do you want to start a baseball bat company? That won’t work,’ ” DeVoir said.

That’s all he needed to hear.

“I’m just a competitive guy,” he said.

So, with the help of $2,500 on his father’s credit card, he dived into the business in 2008 as a part-time gig.

The bat business The biggest-selling company of baseball bats is Marucci. The company has 28% of the market to sell to Major League Baseball players, according to Batdigest.com.

Photo by Jeff Morrow Victus is second, with Kennewick’s Jordan DeVoir stands in front of his 18%, followed by Louislathe that creates wooden baseball bats. DeVoir owns ville Slugger at 13%.

DeVo Bats.

There are 30 companies that are licensed to you get approved by MLB. supply bats to major league players.

Not that DeVo Bats doesn’t have a But there are numerous other small, good product. startup companies around this country.

Former Major-Leaguer Shawn It’s pretty cost prohibitive to be a supplier to MLB players – thousands of dol- O’Malley, another Southridge graduate, lars in licensing fees alone – and that’s if uDEVO, Page 44

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

DEVO, From page A43 tested his bats. So did former Seattle Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager.

“We had them practice with the bats.

Seager asked us if he could order some of our bats. We had to tell him ‘No.’ But Shawn had been swinging our bats through high school on.”

DeVo Bats caters to the youth baseball market.

“Our market is from players 10 years old to college age,” DeVoir said.

A large of leagues – such as the local high school leagues in the spring – use aluminum bats.

But there are numerous summer youth wood baseball bat tournaments around the Pacific Northwest. And college summer leagues use wood bats.

DeVo has sold its products to the Cascade Collegiate League, a college summer league based out of Seattle. The Walla Walla Sweets and the Yakima Valley Pippins – two of the higher quality West Coast League summer college league – have used DeVoir’s bats.

The operation Laying on DeVoir’s garage floor are 36 new baseball bats just about ready to go. This is the Columbia Basin College baseball team’s order for the 2022 season.

“It’s a great product, and I’m always looking to support CBC alumni,” said CBC baseball coach Stefan McGovern.

DeVo Bats’ product list ranges from $90 fungo bats (used by coaches to hit ground balls and fly balls to his fielders), to youth bats at $100 up to adult bats at $150.

DeVo also makes accessories – bottle openers, coaster sets, fire starter pucks with the sawdust from the bats, logo golf balls, leather keychains, mugs; and apparel consisting of hats and socks.

It was about three years ago when DeVoir’s wife, Katie, challenged him to identify what he needed to properly launch the business – just as Beard had done years before.

“I still had repeat customers. But Katie asked me if this was more than a hobby or not,” DeVoir said. “She asked me, ‘What do you need to make a go of it?’ ” The answer was the equipment to make the bats.

The DeVoir’s purchased over $100,000 for the equipment to make the bats. That includes a lathe that is programmed and can carve out a bat from a long, round

wooden billet in about 4 minutes.

“We got this lathe machine one month before covid started,” DeVoir said. “The guy who was going to come out to train us on the machine couldn’t come. So he’d send us links on YouTube and we worked through it. I’m out here every day, turning bats.”

Those wooden billets come from two different suppliers.

“There was only ash bats when I played in the Yankees farm system,” he said. “Now there is maple and birch, too.

The wood comes from two suppliers in the upstate New York area and the New England region.”

He was expecting another order of 450 billets to be delivered soon. But like everything else, the supply chain has slowed things down, and price of billets has increased.

DeVoir has all the bat products entered in a program in the lathe. That includes the weight of the bat, the length as to whether it’s for adults, youngsters or fungo bats for coaches.

Once the bat is created in the lathe, it needs to be sanded on a machine. Then it’s varnished and then painted. After it gets dried, the bat is finally engraved with the DeVo Bat logo.

It’s quite an operation, all run out of the garage.

And it’s gotten big enough that he’s taken on a partner. Troy Martin, a former CBC teammate who currently sells real estate in the Seattle area, became a partner about six months ago. And Chris Reidt concentrates on sales.

“We started pounding the pavement, looking for sales,” DeVoir said.

That includes attending trade shows.

They’ll hunt for indoor facilities, batting cages, around the Northwest. Or go to a couple of summer youth wood bat tournaments.

“We set up a booth there, and teams order,” DeVoir said. “There are usually about 36 teams at these tournaments.”

The company’s marketing on social media is taking off too.

“Now we’re getting orders from all over the country,” DeVoir said.

As the little-baseball-bat-companythat-could, DeVo Bats is starting to increase its clientele.

“I actually feel like we’re gaining some momentum and some traction,” DeVoir said. “In the Pacific Northwest, we want to dominate our back yard.” search Go to: devobats.com.

Have an event coming up?

Submit to: bit.ly/tcjournalevents

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022 PEDEGO, From page A42 Pedego e-bikes can get up to 60 to 70 miles on one charge when pedaling with the bike, though the range depends on a number of physical factors such as weight, battery capacity and wind conditions.

The Franzens feel it’s a myth that riding an e-bike versus non-motorized bikes is “cheating.”

“You’re still lubricating your joints and ligaments, everything you want to do to stay limber and in shape,” Troy said. “It’s exercise disguised as fun.”

“You can work as hard as you want or

uBUSINESS BRIEFS Visit Tri-Cities launches its latest, greatest IDEA

Visit Tri-Cities is highlighting business owners, community leaders and others with a weekly interview as part of its new Tri-IDEAs program to promote diversity in tourism.

The program celebrates Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) through tourism.

The debut programs feature Shae Frichette of the International Winemakers Summit, Vanessa Moore of the African American Community, Cultural and Educational Society, and Antonio Smith, a travel influencer who discusses his visit to the Tri-Cities to promote “National Plan Your Vacation Day.” Tri-IDEAS can be viewed at VisitTriCities.com.

A45

take a break,” Erin said, noting that all Pedego e-bikes come with the option to set the assist to zero and pedal it like a regular bike, albeit a 50- to 60-pound one.

Even 90-year-old William Shatner, who played Captain Kirk on the original “Star Trek” TV show, rides Pedegos. He is an official spokesperson for the brand. He bought over 20 bikes so he, his grandkids, nephews and nieces could all ride and keep pace together.

Visitors to the Pedego Tri-Cities can take their picture with a life-size cardboard cutout of Shatner.

In addition to their popularity among

mountain bikers, Troy said hunters are starting to use e-bikes because of how quiet and non-disruptive they are.

Rentals are a great way to try them out.

They cost $25 for one hour, $60 for three hours, or $99 for six hours.

The Franzens recommend cycling Richland’s Riverfront Trail and Sacagawea Heritage Trail, which connects Richland to Kennewick and Pasco.

Test rides are free and the Franzens work with customers to find the right bike for them. The shop also sells accessories, including baskets, seats and Bluetoothenabled helmets.

The couple hope to hold a grand opening in the spring.

In the meantime, they plan to start organizing group rides for Pedego owners and non-Pedego e-bike owners.

“We are still really happy with where we landed in our quest to make a big change,” Erin said.

The program is available on the tourism bureau’s Facebook and YouTube channels as well.

nikkih@jawashington.org or 509-7837222 to confirm your new date.

Go to: jawashington.org/ja-bowlingclassic-2.

Superstores, Motor Home Specialist, ExploreUSA, Sonny’s Camp-N-Travel, Cousins RV, Camper Clinic, Lifestyle RVs, Family RV Group, Northgate RV, Tom’s Camperland and Blue Dog.

JA postpones Bowling Classic to May

Junior Achievement of Washington has postponed its annual JA Bowling Classic: Back to the 90s to May because of rising Covid-19 numbers in the region.

New event dates are May 12-13 at Spare Time Lanes, Kennewick, and May 17-22 at Atomic Bowl, Richland.

New auction dates are May 11-25.

The fundraiser is a popular corporate employee engagement event, and what organizers call a critical fundraiser for JA programs across the state. JA offers youth programs in financial literacy, career readiness and entrepreneurship.

Registration is underway for the event. If you already registered, contact

Appleway RV sold to national retailer

The Appleway RV business, including locations in Pasco and Spokane Valley, has been purchased by RV Retailer LLC, a national recreational vehicle business with nearly 100 locations in 29 states.

The move expands its presence in the Pacific Northwest, said Jon Ferrando, CEO and president.

Terms were not disclosed.

Appleway sells the Tiffin, Newmar, Jayco, Thor Motor Coach, Dynamax and Forest River Sunseeker lines, complementing RVR’s Blue Dog RV business in Washington and Idaho.

Its regional brands include RV One

search Pedego Tri-Cities: 1084 George Washington Way, Richland; 509-4204824; pedegoelectricbikes.com/dealers/ richland. Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. TuesdaySaturday; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. Closed Monday.

Wine Fete benefit postponed to March

The Children’s Developmental Center has postponed its 20th annual Winter Wine Fete to March because of high rates of Covid-19 in the community.

The benefit dinner and auction support the nonprofit, which serves young children with developmental delays and other special needs.

The event will now be held from 5:30-11:30 p.m., March 19 at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick. Tickets are $140 and are available at childrensdevelopmentalcenter.org.

A46

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

Here are the Tri-Cities’ most popular books of 2021

By Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

5.

Tri-City libraries have shared their 10 most popular fiction and nonfiction titles checked out in 2021 – in print and audiobook formats.

The top 10 lists from Mid-Columbia Libraries and Richland Public Library feature an eclectic collection of popular New York Times bestsellers, biographies, romance, self-help and thrillers.

Popular business magazines can be found at bit.ly/MCLbizmags.

6.

MID-COLUMBIA LIBRARIES

7.

8.

9.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

THE FOUR WINDS,

by Kristin Hannah

A TIME FOR MERCY,

by John Grisham

2.

3.

DAYLIGHT: ATLEE PINE SERIES, BOOK 3,

by David Baldacci THE SENTINEL: A JACK REACHER NOVEL,

by Lee Child and Andrew Child

THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY, by Matt Haig THE QUIET GIRL,

by S.F. Kosa

LOVE LETTERING: A WITTY AND HEARTFELT LOVE STORY,

by Kate Clayborn THE RETURN,

by Nicholas Sparks

10. FORTUNE AND GLORY: STEPHANIE PLUM SERIES, BOOK 27,

by Janet Evanovich

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

2.

3.

4.

NOMADLAND: SURVIVING AMERICA IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY,

by Jessica Bruder MAYBE YOU SHOULD TALK TO SOMEONE: A THERAPIST, HER THERAPIST, AND OUR LIVES REVEALED,

by Lori Gottlieb

EDUCATED: A MEMOIR, by Tara Westover GREENLIGHTS,

by Matthew McConaughey

BORN A CRIME: STORIES FROM A SOUTH AFRICAN CHILDHOOD,

by Trevor Noah THE 5 LOVE LANGUAGES: THE SECRET TO LOVE THAT LASTS,

by Gary Chapman

6.

7.

8.

9.

WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING,

by Delia Owens THE FOUR WINDS,

by Kristin Hannah

COLD MOURNING: STONECHILD AND ROULEAU MYSTERY SERIES, BOOK 1,

by Brenda Chapman THE SILENT PATIENT,

by Alex Michaelides

1.

3.

4.

5.

7.

READY PLAYER TWO: READY PLAYER ONE SERIES, BOOK 2,

by Ernest Cline THE GUEST LIST,

by Lucy Foley

8.

9.

2.

3.

4.

5.

GREENLIGHTS,

by Matthew McConaughey

THE SUBTLE ART OF NOT GIVING A F*CK: A COUNTERINTUITIVE APPROACH TO LIVING A GOOD LIFE,

by Mark Manson

TALKING TO STRANGERS: WHAT

HANFORD EDITION In the April 2022 issue of the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business, we will take a closer look at Hanford’s profound influence on our community.

We will provide updates from regulators and contractors, and the latest on cleanup efforts.

DARE TO LEAD,

by Brené Brown

3.

4.

5.

THE BRAVE LEARNER,

by Julie Bogart

6.

THE HOME EDIT LIFE,

by Clea Shearer

7.

THE BOMBER MAFIA,

by Malcolm Gladwell

8.

AWESOME LEGO CREATIONS WITH BRICKS YOU ALREADY HAVE,

by Sarah Dees

9.

TOKYO GHOUL,

by Sui Ishida

10. KILLING THE MOB,

by Bill O’Reilly

TOP 10 AUDIOBOOKS: ADULT FICTION LAST DETECTIVE,

by Peter Lovesey

2.

CAMINO ISLAND,

by John Grisham

3.

A GAMBLING MAN,

by David Baldacci

4.

THE BOOK WOMEN OF TROUBLESOME CREEK,

by Kim Michele Richardson

5.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS,

by J.A. Jance

6.

THE HOBBIT, OR THERE AND BACK AGAIN,

by J.R.R. Tolkien

THE SENTINEL,

by Lee Child

7.

THE BOUNTY,

by Janet Evanovich

8.

MISSING AND ENDANGERED,

by J.A. Jane

MOONFLOWER MURDERS, by Anthony Horowitz

9.

THE FOUR WINDS,

by Kristin Hannah

MISSING AND ENDANGERED,

by J.A. Jance THE FOUR WINDS,

by Kristin Hannah

DARK SKY: A JOE PICKETT NOVEL,

by C.J. Box A GAMBLING MAN,

by David Baldacci

STARGAZER: A LEAPHORN, CHEE & MANUELITO NOVEL,

by Anne Hillerman THE PARIS LIBRARY,

by Janet Skeslien Charles

MEXICAN GOTHIC,

by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

TOP 10 BOOKS: ADULT NONFICTION

2.

LENNON,

by James Patterson

1.

PROJECT HAIL,

by Mary Andy Weir (tie)

1.

ATOMIC HABITS,

by James Clear

UNTAMED,

by Glennon Doyle

THE POWER OF HABIT: WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO IN LIFE AND BUSINESS,

by Charles Duhigg

10. THE EXILES, by Christina Baker Kline (tie)

TOP 10 AUDIOBOOKS: ADULT NONFICTION 1.

EDUCATED: A MEMOIR,

by Tara Westover

TOP 10 BOOKS: ADULT FICTION

6.

OUTLANDER: OUTLANDER SERIES, BOOK 1,

by Diana Gabaldon

A PROMISED LAND,

by Barack Obama

RICHLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY

2.

THE VISCOUNT WHO LOVED ME: BRIDGERTON SERIES, BOOK 2,

by Julia Quinn

WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE PEOPLE WE DON’T KNOW,

by Malcolm Gladwell

10. THE 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE,

by Stephen Covey

THE DUKE AND I: BRIDGERTON SERIES, BOOK 1, by Julia Quinn

10. THE GREAT ALONE,

by Kristin Hannah

TOP 10 BOOKS: ADULT NONFICTION 1.

THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE: BRAIN, MIND, AND BODY IN THE HEALING OF TRAUMA,

by Bessel van der Kolk

TOP 10 AUDIOBOOKS: ADULT FICTION 1.

BRIDGERTON COLLECTION, VOLUME 1, by Julia Quinn

UNTAMED,

by Glennon Doyle

10. ATOMIC HABITS,

by James Clear

TOP 10 BOOKS: ADULT FICTION 1.

A PROMISED LAND,

by Barack Obama

CASTE: THE ORIGINS OF OUR DISCONTENTS,

by Isabel Wilkerson MARTHA STEWART’S ORGANIZING,

by Martha Stewart

KEEP SHARP: BUILD A BETTER BRAIN AT ANY AGE, by Sanjay Gupta THE LAST DAYS OF JOHN

10. FAST ICE,

by Clive Cussler

TOP 10 AUDIOBOOKS: ADULT NONFICTION 1.

KILLING CRAZY HORSE,

by Bill O’Reilly

2.

DARE TO LEAD,

by Brene Brown

3.

THE PIONEERS: THE HEROIC STORY OF THE SETTLERS WHO BROUGHT THE AMERICAN IDEAL WEST, by David G. McCullough

4.

TALKING TO STRANGERS,

by Malcolm Gladwell

5.

ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS OF NORTH AMERICA,

by Edwin Barnhart

6.

THE SOUL OF AMERICA: THE BATTLE FOR OUR BETTER ANGELS,

by Jon Meacham

7.

THE CODE BREAKER: JENNIFER DOUDNA, GENE EDITING, AND THE FUTURE OF THE HUMAN RACE, by Walter Isaacson

8.

THE BOYS IN THE BOAT,

by Daniel Brown

9.

HOW TO DESTROY AMERICA IN THREE EASY STEPS,

by Ben Shapiro

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE

For more information and rates, call 509-737-8778.

Tiffany ext. 2 or Chad ext. 1.

Deadline is Thursday, March 17, 2022

10. SPANISH: COMPLETE EDITION,

by Living Language

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

School levy election results show mixed results

By Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

The Kennewick and Prosser school districts face significant budget challenges after voters appeared to reject Feb. 8 ballot requests to renew the local property tax levies that supplement state funding to pay for basics such as building maintenance and educational programs.

If the numbers aren’t reversed as the number of ballots are counted, the districts will hold another election to give voters another chance to support them.

Voters in Pasco, Richland, Prosser, Kahlotus and North Franklin school dis-

uBUSINESS BRIEFS Benton County K9 Sable getting a Kevlar vest

The Benton County Sheriff’s Office Foundation raised more than $2,600 in donations to buy a protective vest for K9 Sable Sable, its German shepherd who accompanies officers on searches, chases and other activities.

The foundation, a nonprofit formed to support K9 Sable, was motivated to buy protective gear for the pooch by the Jan. 5 death of K9 Jedi of the Seattle Police Department. The Seattle dog was stabbed by a suspect.

There’s more to Hanford than nuclear waste

Geologist Bruce Bjornstad will give a talk on the geology of Hanford at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 24 on Zoom and Facebook.

“Let’s Talk About Hanford’s Geology: Floods, Lava and More” will explore 17 million years at the Hanford area, from Ice Age flooding to basalt lava flows. It is sponsored by the Washington Department of Ecology.

The program includes a presentation as well as live Q&A session.

Bjornstad is a licensed geologist and hydrogeologist and a retired senior research scientist from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. He earned his bachelor’s degree in geology from the University of New Hampshire and a master’s in from Eastern Washington University.

He will be joined by hosts Ginger Wireman, Diana McFadden and Ryan Miller of the Department of Ecology.

Go to: fb.me/e/2e5EhEztw.

Tamástslikt debuts new mixed-media exhibit

“You Are Here” is a new mixedmedia exhibit running through May at the Tamástslikt Cultural Institute in

tricts appeared to be supporting school levies in the Feb. 8 special election, which saw voter turnout of just 25%, according to unofficial results posted in the days after the election. Kennewick voters were approving a second levy to support technology.

Results are not final until results are certified on Feb. 18.

• Finley operations levy: YES, 311 to 307 (50.3% to 49.7%).

• Kennewick operations levy: NO, 7,002 to 6,600 (51.5% to 48.45%).

• Kennewick tech levy: YES, 7,115 to 6,588 (51.9% to 48.1%).

Pendleton.

The exhibit was curated by Sheehan Gallery at Whitman College to support a college course on Indigenous aesthetics and explore themes related to place and identity.

The exhibit includes painted portraits by Ric Gendron, a member of the Arrow Lakes Band of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, lithographs that merge historical photos with traditional quilt patterns

by Apsáalooke artist Wendy Red Star, landscapes by James Lavadour of the Walla Walla Tribe and fiber art pieces constructed from wool blankets and embroidered by Marie Watt of the Seneca Nation.

Masks and social distancing are required.

Tamástslikt is at 47106 Wildhorse Blvd., near the Wildhorse Resort & Casino, 10 minutes east of Pendleton.

Go to: tamastslikt.org.

Podcast tackles how to make the most of the time we have left

Want to hear what famous seniors are thinking about?

Check out a thoughtful podcast that features interviews with “70 remarkable people, all over the age of 70, not just about their past but their lives right now.”

Max Linsky, co-founder of Pineapple Street Studios, which produces the podcast, is the host of the series.

He said during the most recent episode that he hopes that “maybe these talks have changed the way you think about getting older yourself.”

David Crosby, founder of the Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash; actresses Susan Lucci and Judith Light; Drs. Anthony Fauci and Joycelyn Elders; Dolores Huerta, American labor leader and civil rights activist; singer Dionne Warwick; and newsman Dan Rather are among those interviewed.

Linsky talks to them about what they’ve learned, what they’re still trying to figure out and how they’re thinking about what comes next.

To listen to the podcast, search for “70 over 70” on Apple Podcast or Spotify, or go to pineapple.fm/70-over-70.

• Pasco, operations levy: YES, 5,110

to 4,247 (54.6% to 45.4%).

• Prosser operations levy: NO, 1,015

to 830 (55% to 45%).

• Richland operations levy: YES,

7,365 to 6,428 (53.4% to 46.6%).

• Richland tech levy: YES, 7,582 to

A47

NEWS TIPS

We want to hear from you Email tips to info@tcjournal.biz.

6,245 (54.8% to 45.2%).

• Kahlotus, operations levy: YES, 70

to 11 (86.4% to 13.6%).

• North Franklin operations: YES,

613 to 322 (65.6% to 34.4%).

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION Tree Top moves puree line, jobs to Prosser, begins $6M expansion

Page B5

HBA’s spring home & garden show is a go

Page B7

FEBRUARY 2022 Volume 21 | Issue 2 | B1

Pasco Haven to rise near Columbia River waterfront

By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz

Catholic Charities Eastern Washington broke ground Feb. 3 on Pasco Haven, a 60unit complex that will provide housing and other services to the chronically homeless in the Tri-Cities.

The site is not in eastern Pasco where it once envisioned building Haven, but to the west at a spot not far from the Columbia River.

Pasco Haven is being built at 20th Avenue and Lewis Street, just north of the newly built Columbia River Walk apartments.

The $16.5 million project is funded with $12.8 million in equity through the federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit program, $3 million from the Washington Housing Trust Fund, $570,000 from Catholic Charities and $127,000 from Franklin County.

Construction should take about 11 months and with luck, residents will celebrate Christmas there, said Jonathan Mallahan, vice president for housing for Catholic Charities. The nonprofit advocates for and establishes housing and other programs within the Catholic Diocese of Spokane,

Courtesy Catholic Charities Eastern Washington Catholic Charities Eastern Washington broke ground Feb. 3 on Pasco Haven, a $16.5 million, 60-unit shelter providing wraparound services to the chronically homeless. It purchased the site at 20th Avenue and Lewis Street in October.

whose reach extends to Pasco.

Its sister, Catholic Charities Central Washington, serves the Catholic Diocese of Yakima, with jurisdiction over Benton County.

Catholic Charities initially proposed developing its Pasco Haven project on a cityowned site on Heritage Boulevard in east Pasco. Local opposition prompted the city to decline its offer to buy the site.

Catholic Charities didn’t agree with some of the concerns voiced about serving

the homeless in the neighborhood, but it respected the argument and scouted for a new location.

Mallahan said the extra time helped with planning and paid off when its housing arm paid $420,000 to buy the vacant, 1.5-acre parcel at 20th and Lewis from Griggs Family LLC. The deal recorded Oct. 21, 2021.

“We think this is an even better site,” Mallahan said “It is well situated with transportation and access to services.”

The Haven model unites housing with

services to address the underlying issues that lead to it, such as addiction, joblessness and mental illness.

The building’s design complements the neighborhood. Mallahan pledged to be good neighbors to the emerging waterfront district. The area is east of the blue bridge and is close to several access points along the riverside bike and pedestrian path.

Pasco Haven is the second local project for Catholic Charities Eastern Washington.

It operates family apartments for farmworkers in Pasco. With Haven, it will add an office to allow it to offer its full suite of services.

“Supportive” housing fulfills its mission to serve the needy with dignity and in the full belief that all humans deserve “a meal, a bed, a shower, a toilet.” Mallahan said onsite support and a case manager will help residents navigate social and other services to help them tap into resources they need to stay off the streets.

Architecture All Forms and Inland Group, both of Spokane, are the designer and contractor, respectively.

Go to: cceasternwa.org.

Pasco voters get another shot at aquatics center

By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz

Pasco voters will get a fresh shot at building an aquatics center in April when they’ll be asked to raise the local sales tax by two-tenths of a percent.

The Pasco Public Facilities District is putting the $40 million project on the April 26 ballot, nearly a decade after a similar request was rejected by Tri-City voters and nearly two decades after the city first studied the concept.

If approved, Pasco’s sales tax will go up by 2 cents on a $10 purchase on most but not all sales, with proceeds dedicat-

ed to repaying a bond issued to build the center. The location has not been determined – the original site was sold when it looked like the project would not happen. The project will need at least four acres, on a corner.

It likely will be built in western Pasco and will pack a series of familyfriendly activities into a single location.

Ballard*King & Associates, its Colorado-based design consultant, has created a plan with indoor and outdoor recreations pools, including slides, lazy rivers and a wave pool visitors can walk into.

Other amenities include a concessions area, meeting and party rooms,

locker rooms, short-term childcare and support facilities for staff.

A 50-yard, eight-lane competition and lap pool could be added in the future but is not contemplated in the initial phase.

Competition pools are expensive to operate and generate little revenue.

The aquatics center will not affect Pasco’s existing Memorial Aquatic Center, 1520 W. Shoshone St., the outdoor pool that operates in the warm months.

Pasco residents have long voiced support for an aquatics center. It is a top priority for the current city council. There is nothing like it in the Tri-Cities, though nearby communities, including Yakima,

Moses Lake and Hermiston, Oregon, have developed similar centers.

Pasco voters supported the 2013 regionwide request but were shot down by voters in Kennewick and Columbia.

Some things have changed. The city sold the site at Sandifur Parkway and Midland Lane, north of Interstate 182, to the car dealers. McCurley Subaru and Speck Buick GMC stand there now.

The effort got a fresh start in 2019, then the state Legislature amended the facilities district law – under intense lobbying by the city of Pasco – to inuAQUATICS CENTER, Page B2

B2

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

AQUATICS CENTER, From page B1 clude aquatics centers on the list of allowed facilities.

By late 2019, the facilities district was finalizing a plan with the intent to submit it to voters in 2020. The Covid-19 pandemic delayed the request.

By 2021, the district was ready to press ahead, without a confirmed site.

A public facilities district is an independent entity that can raise sales taxes and build such facilities. However, the Pasco PFD relies on the city for funding.

In 2021, the council gave it $60,000 to support planning and acknowledged the district would need another $200,000 in 2022.

In January, the district’s bank balance was in the red. Putting the issue on the ballot will cost nearly $200,000 since it is the only issue – at present – on the April ballot. If the measure fails, it is unclear how it will pay the election bill, a point that concerned several board members. The city’s assurance that it understands the risk gave it the confidence to go on the ballot anyway.

The aquatics center contemplated in 2022 is like its 2013 forbearer in being designed to serve the region, not just the

city.

In 2013, Pasco couldn’t afford to build a regional center on its own, hence the request to the entire Tri-Cities.

But its population – and tax base – have grown. It can act alone.

Taxable retail sales were tracking toward $1.8 billion by mid-2021, the most recent figures available. That’s nearly double the $933.3 million recorded in 2013 by the Washington State Department of Revenue. The more taxable sales, the more tax revenue to draw on.

Pasco Mayor Pro-Tem Craig Maloney, a longtime champion of building an aquatics center, has asked the district to discount rates for city residents if they agree to tax sales within the city to build it.

The outcome of the April election has political consequences for the entire TriCities because of how public facilities districts are allowed to levy taxes.

If Pasco voters agree to the two-tenths sales tax hike, it will eliminate the ability of the Tri-Cities Regional Public Facilities District to raise local taxes, essentially putting it out of business.

The Kennewick and Richland PFDs would still be free to seek voter approval to raise sales taxes since the Pasco tax

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION

wouldn’t apply in their respective jurisdictions.

There is no guarantee voters will go along with any proposal.

Kennewick and Richland voters have previously rejected public facilities requests. There was the 2013 aquatics center vote promoted by the regional entity that failed in both cities.

Later, the Kennewick district asked its voters to expand the Three Rivers Convention Center – in 2016 and again in 2017.

Voters said no both times. Richland has not submitted a project Courtesy city of Pasco to its voters.

Pasco voters will be asked to raise local sales taxes The Pasco facilities by two-tenths of a percent to support development district will form commit- of an aquatics center, likely in the western area of tees to identify the pros the city. These 2016 conceptual designs indicate and cons of the plan at its what the complex could look like if voters say yes.

February meeting.

Agents, brokers face new fair housing training requirements

By Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

Licensed real estate brokers and managing brokers are required to undergo training on fair housing requirements

under a law that takes effect on June 1.

The 2021 Legislature passed SB 5378, requiring continuing education to ensure real estate professionals receive training on fair housing requirements for

new and renewed licenses.

The state Department of Licensing is developing a curriculum in partnership with the industry that it said will be available for real estate schools in time to comply with the deadline.

All active licensed brokers and managing brokers must take the course as part of the required 30-hour instruction.

The first active renewal after June 1, 2022, must include a six-hour course on fair housing, with a three-hour course required on subsequent renewals.

New brokers will receive a threehour course as part of the 90-hour prelicensing curriculum. And an additional three-hour course as part of the standard

uBUSINESS BRIEFS

FAA funds Richland Airport electrical and upgrades

The Port of Benton has secured a $3.1 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration to replace the electrical system at the Richland Airport.

The project includes replacing the runway and taxiway edge lighting system and fixtures, replacing guidance signs and replacing the precision approach path indicator units at runways 1, 19 and 8.

An emergency generator will be installed as well. It will not replace FAA controlled lights on runways.

Construction is expected to take place between July and October. There will be runway closures as well as a full airport closure expected in mid-December.

Dates will be finalized when a contractor is hired.

The port will provide project status updates on its website, portofbenton.com.

90-hour training they receive when they renew their licenses for the first time.

The DOL said it would accept feedback on the proposed courses in April, which is fair housing month. Send questions to DOLEducation5378@dol. wa.gov.

Tri-City lawmakers split on the new requirements.

State Reps. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick, and Skyler Rude, R-Walla Walla, voted yes. Reps. Brad Klippert, R-Kennewick, and Mary Dye, R-Pomeroy, voted no.

State Sens. Sharon Brown, R-Kennewick, Jim Honeyford, R-Sunnyside and Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, voted no.

Richland apartment complex sells for $50M

Badger Mountain Ranch, a 176-unit apartment complex at 451 Westcliffe Blvd. in Richland, sold Dec. 14 for $50.3 million.

The capitalization rate or return on the investment was estimated at 3.9%.

The Irvine, California-based seller, Starboard Realty Advisors, was represented by Phil Oester, Josh McDonald and Joe Nydahl of CBRE. The buyer was Badger Mountain ICG LLC, a Seattle-based fund that invests in apartments.

The complex, built in 2013, is 97% occupied and includes a mix of 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom units with Class A amenities including stainless steel appliances, central air conditioning, washers and dryers in the units and a recreation center with fire pits, fitness amenities and pool.

The deal represented a 145% return to the Starboard investors.

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

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Portland company’s plan for hotels hits two big snags

By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz

A Portland company has run into two big snags in its plan to convert prominent Tri-City hotels into microapartments catering to working professionals, retirees and everyone in between.

While Fortify Holdings LLC has closed several local purchases, its plans for the Riverfront Hotel in Richland and the Clover Island Inn in Kennewick hinged on buying not only the buildings, but the land they sit on, which is leased from public entities.

The Riverfront, formerly the Shilo Inn, occupies a site leased from the city of Richland. Clover Island’s site is leased from the Port of Kennewick.

Fortify offered to purchase both sites, saying it needed to own the land to justify investing in updates. Both entities turned it down and it intends to pursue both building purchases anyway.

Established in 2018 by a group of homebuilders, Fortify focuses on multifamily residential properties. It pivoted mid-pandemic to hotel/motel conversions, seeing an opportunity in strong demand for housing across the Pacific Northwest.

It has purchased several area hotels to convert. But the Riverfront and Clover Island properties drew an unusually strong public response because of the public land ownership and unique waterfront locations.

The company believed the opportunity they represented overcame the challenge of not owning the land beneath them, said Rob Jacobs, Fortify’s Tri-City-based regional

Photo by Wendy Culverwell Fortify Holdings LLC of Portland is purchasing the Riverfront Hotel and the Clover Island Inn even after requests to purchase the land beneath them was denied.

manager.

“We saw a great opportunity to create more housing in a market that desperately needs it and to be an economic catalyst with both the Riverfront Hotel and the Clover Island Inn,” he said.

Fortify’s projects are financially independent of one another, and the company does not use tax credit financing. Units are leased at market rents, meaning they are not low-income or subsidized.

Jacobs said it expects its Tri-City properties to operate at about 95% capacity, in line with its more traditional apartment communities.

Jacobs confirmed it intends to pursue the hotels even if the land isn’t sold. It is working with Kennewick authorities to determine how to operate within zoning codes.

Richland, in contrast, cautioned it that the

terms of the 1961 land lease prevent it from converting the Riverfront, formerly the Shilo, into apartment rentals.

Richland’s elected leaders discussed the potential land deal in private in 2021. But the Port of Kennewick commission discussed the matter in open session in January, offering a clearer view of its thinking.

Commissioners were intrigued by Fortify’s $20 million vision of refashioning the aging hotel into a residential and visitor destination. They said they want to work with Fortify on a land lease that will satisfy it.

But in the end their hands were tied by the Clover Island Master Plan, said Tim Arntzen, executive director. The guiding document is unambiguous: The port will retain ownership, save for the site it sold for a U.S. Coast Guard Station.

The plan, adopted in 2021, was devel-

oped through a lengthy public process that cost about $250,000.

The Kennewick commission voted 2-1 to reaffirm its policy of not selling land on Clover Island. Commissioners Skip Novakovich and Ken Hohenberg voted to affirm the commitment not to sell land but said they want to continue working with Fortify.

Commissioner Tom Moak too was intrigued that a private company wants to implement some of the ideas in the master plan.

“In the eight years I’ve been on the commission, we haven’t had anyone other than the port and public partners willing to invest (in Clover Island),” he said.

The Richland council discussed Fortify’s offer in executive session in late 2021, While it took no public action, the council notified Fortify in writing on Dec. 21, 2021, that it would not accept the offer to purchase the land. The letter attempts to strike a conciliatory note, but cautions Fortify against converting the Riverfront into apartments. That could be a breach of the terms of the 1961 lease that controls use of the land and its zoning. “(T)he city encourages Fortify Holdings LLC to give careful consideration to its future actions concerning 50 Comstock Street.

Again, the city council welcomes Fortify’s investment and development interest in the city of Richland, and looks forward to the redevelopment of the properties Fortify has already acquired,” it said in a letter signed by former Richland Mayor Ryan Lukson.

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

Swampy’s BBQ to build kitchen on Kennewick waterfront

By Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

Ron Swanby is putting down roots for his barbecue business at Columbia Gardens Urban Wine & Artisan Village, courtesy a $37,000 deal to buy a 4,631-square-foot sliver of land on Columbia Drive.

Swanby is partnering with Pipeworks LLC to purchase the site from the Port of Kennewick, which developed the wine-oriented visitor destination at 215 E. Columbia Drive, near the cable bridge.

Swanby was an early tenant for the food truck plaza, where he has both a food truck and a stationary smoker.

In April 2021, he asked the port to consider selling him land to develop a permanent kitchen. He said he needed to expand to turn Swampy’s BBQ Sauce and Eatery into a profitable business, calling it a do-ordie moment for the popular business.

The kitchen and dining area would let him operate at Columbia Gardens even

when the food truck is making the rounds at other locations and catering events. He brought Swampy’s BBQ to the food truck plaza in early 2020, shortly before the pandemic took hold.

After a brief shutdown, he reopened in the outdoor environment. Revenue covered operating costs, but Swanby himself took no salary in 2020.

He intends to create a commissary kitchen that would be available to the food truck plaza’s other tenants.

The port agreed to accept his letter of intent to buy the site in January. The port held off selling the site while it developed rules to govern development at Columbia Gardens.

The port is using Michael Dale of Meier Architects Engineering as the “town architect” to review drawings to ensure the building design is consistent with the neighborhood.

State funds road, taxiway at Tri-Cities Airport

By Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

The Tri-Cities Airport in Pasco will see its business center as well as taxiways updated courtesy a $3 million loan and grant issued by the Washington State Community Economic Revitalization Board.

Solgen Power LLC is partnering with the project to invest $5 million to expand solar power operations.

The financial package includes a $2.2 million loan, $737,000 loan and is matched by $737,000 in local funds.

The project will build a 2,000-foot stretch of road, including curb, gutter, sidewalk and utilities, and 2,000 feet of taxiway.

CERB anticipates the project will create 412 jobs.

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION uBUSINESS BRIEFS

Richland approves Horn Rapids apartment expansion

The city of Richland has authorized the next phase of Vicinity at Horn Rapids, a Class A apartment complex at Kingsgate Way and Highway 240.

The new phase is valued at $22 million and will add 170 units in four buildings.

The project includes a mix of studio, one- , two- and three-bedroom units as well as some garages.

The project is being developed by CEL Land, owned by Lee Petty.

The first phase was constructed in 2020-21.

Vicinity is marketed as a resort-like property with a clubhouse, washers and dryers in the units, stainless steel appliances, walk-in closets and wood flooring.

Asking rents start at $1,435 to $1,935 a month, according to a listing on apartments.com. It is managed by Avenue5 Residential.

Luxury apartment developers plan West Richland project The development team behind a luxury waterfront apartment complex in Pasco is preparing to build on West Richland’s Belmont Drive.

Belmont Meadows LLC, comprised of many of the same partners who are developing Columbia River Walk on West A Street, have submitted documents under the Washington State Environmental Protection Act, or SEPA, to build a 180-unit apartment complex in three phases.

Belmont Meadows Apartments will include nine buildings as well as covered parking. It will access Belmont Drive south of its intersection with West Van Giesen Street, not far from Athens Drive.

SEPA documents anticipate a 2022 construction start.

Belmont will be widened to include a sidewalk and other amenities in front of the apartments. The complex will generate approximately 720 vehicle trips per day when occupied.

Belmont Meadows is led by Zachary Wright, David Lopez-Rangel, Rigo Rangel in cooperation with Zepgon LLC, according to state corporation records.

Rangel, of Tri-Cities Engineering, teamed with Jessee Zepeda of Zepcon to build the River Walk project, still under construction along Sacagawea Heritage Trail, west of the blue bridge.

Friends of Badger Mountain reaches $1.5M goal

Friends of Badger Mountain reports it has exceeded its goal of raising $1.5 million to secure land for its latest trail project, the Little Badger Mountain Preserve and Trail.

The nonprofit said it exceeded its goal by $35,000.

The campaign helped Friends acquire the final 21 acres it needed for the Little Badger trail, which joins the existing network of trails on neighboring Badger Mountain and Candy Mountain. Together, the trail networks have preserved nearly 900 acres of open space and led to 10 miles of well-used trails.

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION

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Tree Top moves puree line, jobs to Prosser, begins $6M expansion

By Kristina Lord

publisher@tcjournal.biz

A Prosser food manufacturer has begun a major expansion project in advance of moving its puree operations from Oregon to the Lower Yakima Valley.

Tree Top Inc. will close its Medford, Oregon, plant and move the production line to Prosser in 2023, bringing with it 40 new jobs. The Prosser plant, with a workforce totaling 100, produces juice concentrates, mostly apple and pear.

Prosser Mayor Randy Taylor is delighted with the news.

“Prosser is usually on losing end when a plant gets closed and moves jobs to another area,” he said.

“Those jobs are family-wage jobs.

That’s a good thing.”

The move requires equipment upgrades at the Prosser plant and other improvements, to the tune of $6 million, according to building permits filed with the city of Prosser, though a Tree Top spokeswoman told the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business it will cost more because of equipment.

Construction already is underway at 2780 Lee Road, in the Port of Benton’s Prosser Wine and Food Park.

Fisher Construction Group Inc. of Burlington is the general contractor. The design-and-build construction services company has completed projects for Lamb Weston, Twin City Foods and J.R.

Simplot.

Tree Top called the Medford plant closure a strategic move to gain an increased share of the growing fruit puree market.

Purees are used in a variety of food products, from baby and pet foods, to juices and yogurts.

Demand for purees has increased steadily over the past few years, with many domestic puree customers looking for U.S.-based suppliers due to food safety and supply chain benefits, Tree Top said.

The move also places Tree Top’s puree manufacturing closer to its fruit sources, resulting in additional production capacity, the ability to meet changing customer requirements, reduced transportation costs and improved manufacturing efficiencies, the company said.

This will allow Tree Top to effectively compete globally with other producers, improve operational stability and create opportunities for growth, Tree Top said.

Tree Top purees are typically used by commercial clients and sold in large quantities, ranging from 4-gallon pails to 55-gallon drums and 1,000-liter totes.

The Prosser plant will manufacture mostly apple and pear purees.

Medford employees have the option to relocate to the Prosser plant or apply and/ or work at any location within the company and continue their roles with Tree Top. Tree Top operates plants in Selah and Wenatchee, as well as Woodburn, Or-

W. Quinault Ave. Comfort Inn

Future Residence Inn by Marriott

d.

N. Columbia Center Blv

Red Lion Columbia Center

Columbia Center Residence Inn Marriott tracking for 2023 start

By Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

Ignite Hotels expects to begin construction in 2023 on a five-story Residence Inn Marriott extended stay hotel at 1123 N. Columbia Center Blvd. in Kennewick.

Ignite, led by Gurbir Sandhu, first announced the project in 2019, saying it intended to build on a six-acre parcel it owns next to the Red Lion Columbia Center, which Ignite also owns.

The property is west of the existing hotel and is used for parking and landscaping, The $20 million project will have 90

rooms.

Sandhu confirmed the project hasn’t changed since it was first announced.

The extended stay hotel will be west of Columbia Center Boulevard and south of West Quinault Avenue.

Both properties are owned by Sandhu’s Tri-City Hotel Corp., which is affiliated with Kennewick-based Ignite.

Knutzen Engineering is the designer, according to documents submitted through the Washington State Environmental Protection Act, or SEPA, process.

Ignite hired Varitone Architecture of Albany, Oregon, to design it.

Photo by Kristina Lord More than $6 million in plant improvements are underway at Tree Top, 2780 Lee Road in Prosser. The grower-owned food manufacturer will close its Medford, Oregon, plant and move its puree production line to Prosser in 2023, adding 40 new jobs.

egon and Oxnard, California.

“We put a lot of thought and discussion into this closure decision, and we care deeply about the Medford families who will be impacted,” said Tree Top CEO Craig Green in a statement. “We believe this move is vital to Tree Top’s continued growth and our ability to make quality food we’d proudly share with our friends and family.”

The relocation makes sense to Prosser’s mayor: “They’re a well-run company,” Taylor said. “They’re centrally located

to the market they purchase from and the market they’re marketing to.”

Tree Top acquired the Prosser plant from Seneca Foods in 1999.

Selah-based Tree Top is a 700-member, grower-owned cooperative producing juices, fruit-based products and ingredients for consumers, and food and beverage manufacturers.

The cooperative employs 1,000 employees, including those of its subsidiaries.

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

Prosser sees spike in residential construction

By Kristina Lord

publisher@tcjournal.biz

Rolls of blueprints for new buildings – including a $78 million hospital complex – and plans for new developments are piled on chairs and tables in the Prosser Building Department’s temporary office.

Steve Zetz, Prosser’s community development director, said there’s a lot of work ahead for his team, pointing to the packages recently delivered to his office filled with thick plans from PMH Health for its replacement hospital.

The hospital project is just one sign of increasing development in Prosser.

Residential growth has exploded in the Benton County seat.

“The word is getting around that it’s a nice place to live,” said Mayor Randy Taylor.

Prosser saw 2,461% growth in the number of applications for new subdivision lots in the past five years. They totaled 461 mostly residential lots in 2021, compared to 307 the previous year. In 2019, 2018 and 2017 there were fewer than 45 applications for new lots.

“Nothing has been typical in the past year,” said Zetz, who has worked for the city for 15 years.

Residential boom The demand for Prosser housing is growing, Zetz said. He chalks it up to multiple reasons, including growing pains in the Tri-Cities prompting would-

Photo by Kristina Lord Steve Zetz, Prosser’s community development director, flips through PMH Health’s plans for a $78 million hospital complex.

be homeowners to seek out the quieter suburb of Prosser.

Zetz drives 20 minutes to work from his Benton City home (he couldn’t find one in Prosser when his family was looking, he said) and noted the significant uptick of traffic during the 5 a.m. commute in both lanes of Interstate 82.

He said his office fields calls from all over the region: Oregon and west side

retirees and those working remotely who want to be in a smaller town close to bigger cities. California residents cashing out after selling their 1,400-square-foot home, wanting to buy a bigger place for half the price.

“We send out 2,500 utility bills a month. We’re talking about adding 1,000 more in the next 12 to 18 months. It’s dramatically changing everything we do,”

Taylor said.

Residential, commercial and public construction can be found in all corners of the city.

Prosser School District’s 2017 voterapproved bond for $69 million included several projects, including a new $60 million high school, completed last year, and renovating Keene-Riverview, Prosser Heights and Whitstran elementary schools.

Off Old Inland Empire Highway is the proposed four-phase 154-lot Mustang Estates, the name a nod to Prosser High’s mascot, along with River Road Residence at South Nunn Road and North River Road, with more than 50 lots; Arabella West off Hoisington Road with 154 lots; and more in the pipeline.

Homes are under construction at Red Blend Villas, a 55-and-older community off South Kinney Way. Neighborhood amenities include 19 lots with a common area, featuring an off-leash dog park, barbecue picnic area, outdoor fireplace, gazebo and pickleball court, according to the developer’s website.

Not far from the I-82 rest stop, a three-story commercial building is taking shape, just a parking lot away from Starbucks on Merlot Drive. The first floor will be for commercial, with two floors of apartments above.

Zetz expects the apartments to fill up fast once built. “There’s demand for every level of housing,” he said. “And not everyone can afford a mortgage.”

Protecting Prosser’s hillside The Horse Heaven Hills rising to Prosser’s southern border provide a picturesque backdrop to the city that’s home to 6,200 people. And Zetz wants to keep it that way.

“Unlike the Tri-Cities, we don’t want developments on top of our hills,” he said.

He gets animated talking about the city’s desire to protect the hillside, what the city calls a “cultural asset” in its 20year Compressive Plan adopted in 2018.

The planning document aims to guide future development.

When the city began to put the plan together, Zetz wanted to get input from Prosser’s future citizens, so he asked Prosser High School students to weigh in.

They identified the hillside as a resource to be preserved for hiking trails and other recreation. They shared concerns about future housing and windmill development and “encouraged plans to preserve the area for their future children.”

Including their voices and vision in the planning process earned the city the governor’s Smart Vision award in 2019, a crystal trophy Zetz displays proudly on his desk.

Zetz drove through the Bella Vista development at the foothills of the Horse Heaven Hills off Highway 22 on a recent day and pointed out a newly-built gravel trail snaking up the hill. He praised the developers for agreeing to build the trail to the top in exchange for the city allowing higher density lot sizes at lower elevations. Bella Vista is a 289-lot project beuPROSSER, Page B7

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

HBA’s spring home & garden show is a go

By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz

The Regional Home & Garden Show is returning in late February, with whatever safety measures are in place to prevent Covid-19 at the end of the month.

The annual exhibition of all things home and garden is Feb. 25-27 at HAPO Center, 6600 Burden Blvd., Pasco.

“We’re going to proceed with the show.

Whatever the (Covid-19) rules are in place are what we will follow,” said Jeff Losey, executive director of the Home Builders Association of Tri-Cities, which puts on the popular show, as well as a fall home edition.

HBA has been forced to cancel three home shows – its spring home and garden show in 2021 and its 2020 and 2021 fall programs. It’s been rough on would-be contractors to skip the opportunity to meet customers face-to-face, Losey said.

“You can research on the internet. But it doesn’t take the place of talking to the professionals who make everything beautiful. That’s why we’re excited to be back in front of people,” he said.

HBA intends to hold the show regardless of the status of the pandemic and will enforce all rules in place at the end of February, including the probable requirement that all participants wear masks.

“We will do it safely with whatever rules are in place for Covid at the time,” Losey said.

The home show will feature about 200

Courtesy Home Builders Association of Tri-Cities The Regional Home & Garden Show returns Feb. 25-27 at HAPO Center, 6600 Burden Blvd., Pasco. The Home Builders Association of Tri-Cities was forced to cancel three previous home shows – spring home & garden show in 2021 and the 2020 and 2021 fall programs – because of the pandemic.

vendors. Losey said supply chain issues may prevent some of the exhibitors who sell products at the show from participating, but he promised a robust lineup.

“For all the projects you didn’t know you wanted to do, this is the place to go and research new ideas for projects around the house, to talk to the people who make it happen,” he said.

Show hours are 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Feb. 2526, and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Feb. 27.

Admission is $6, with $1 off for a nonperishable food donation to the Salvation Army. Children 12 and under are admitted free and seminars are included in the price of admission.

The Home & Garden show is a signature event for the HBA and typically attracts up to 10,000 visitors and results in

Photo by Kristina Lord Construction is underway on the 289-lot Bella Vista development at the foothills of the Horse Heaven Hills off Highway 22 in Prosser.

PROSSER, From page B6 ing built in six phases.

“We want to preserve our hillsides,” he said.

North of I-82 As the housing projects take shape around Prosser, the city’s attention is beginning to turn north of I-82.

Contractors are working to bore six feet under the interstate to place a 36-inch diameter steel casing.

Inside will be home to 16-inch water, 14-inch sewer and 6-inch Benton REA conduit lines – the veins needed to pump life into future developments on the far side of the highway. It’s expected to be

completed by late spring.

Funding for this $2.3 million project comes from the Benton County Rural County Capital Fund, a fund is fueled by Washington’s 0.09% sales tax rebate to local governments.

The marquee project to anchor future growth on this side of the highway will no doubt be the new Prosser Memorial Hospital complex. PMH Health expects to break ground on 33 acres this spring.

A 58-lot residential development, Wamba Meadows, is planned next door.

“My goal is to let Prosser grow. If you’re not growing, you’re dying – but we still want to maintain the small-town charm,” Taylor said.

substantial contributions to the Salvation Army.

The 2020 show was the first held after the arena floor at the HAPO Center was paved. The move followed several years of debate over paving the dirt arena, but HBA prevailed, saying the rickety floor coverings were dangerous for set up and for participants.

Losey said the concrete floor was a game changer and the association missed the opportunity to use it last year.

“We were the last event to happen at the HAPO Center (in 2020),” he said.

HBA serves residential construction and related industries. In addition to putting on home shows, it monitors governmental affairs and promotes the housing industry.

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uBUSINESS BRIEF

Pasco will welcome Crumbl once supply chain issues resolve

The partners behind the Tri-Cities’ first Crumbl cookie store have plans for another in Pasco.

Kevin Hatch and his business partner Ian Taylor had hoped to open in early March but supply chain issues with mixers and ovens have upended the timeline.

“Right now, we don’t have a firm opening date,” Hatch told the TriCities Area Journal of Business.

The Pasco store is at 5025 Road 68 in the same parking lot as Yoke’s Fresh Market.

The partners have other locations in the works, but not for the Tri-City area, Hatch said.

He also said that business has been great at the Richland store, which opened in March 2021 at 2665 Queensgate Blvd.

“We are settling into the numbers we expected to have after the newness has worn off,” he said.

The Crumbl franchise features a weekly rotating menu of more than 120 specialty flavors.

The Kennewick Crumbl store at 1102 N. Columbia Center Blvd. is operated by different owners, Ranae and Matt Rusk of Pasco.

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

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Tinte Estates buys Red Mountain vineyards

By Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

A Woodinville-based winery has expanded its Red Mountain footprint with the acquisition of 15-acre vineyard.

Tinte Estates LLC bought E&E Shaw Vineyards, named after its original owners, Ed and Eve Shaw, longtime friends of Tinte Estates and Tinte Cellars co-owner, Teresa Spellman Gamble, who owns the winery with her husband Tim Gamble.

The property is off East Ambassador PR NE and includes a 2,400-square-foot home and 3,200-square-foot warehouse.

The Red Mountain wine-growing region is located between West Richland and Benton City.

The $3.2 million sale closed Dec. 16.

The vineyards, adjacent to Kiona, Ciel du Cheval and Ambassador vineyards, among others, were planted over two decades ago by Eve Shaw’s brother, the late Fred Artz, a legendary grape grower on Red Mountain who helped manage Klipsun Vineyard for more than 20 years.

During Artz’s time there, Klipsun gained a reputation for quality on the world wine scene, was named one of the “Top 25 Vineyards in the World” by Wine & Spirits magazine and gained recognition as one of Washington’s “First Growth” vineyards in wine circles. Artz was held in high regard by the wine industry and received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009 by the Washington

uBUSINESS BRIEF

Papa John’s Pizza leases office space in Kennewick

Papa John’s has leased a 2,190 squarefoot office space at 8511 W. Clearwater Ave. in Kennewick.

Jazmine Murillo of NAI Tri-Cities

Courtesy Red Mountain AVA Alliance / Kim Fetrow Photography Tinte Estates LLC, a Woodinville-based winery, recently bought E&E Shaw Vineyards, located in the Red Mountain wine-growing region west of the TriCities, between Benton City and West Richland. The owners already own a small vineyard two miles away where they manage a short-term vacation rental home.

Association of Wine Grape Growers; he died in 2015.

Notable winemakers from both sides of the Cascades have produced awardwinning wines from this vineyard’s fruit for decades.

The new addition to Tinte Estates inrepresented the owner, Columbia River Real Estate, in the lease agreement with Your Papa John’s.

The space is on West Clearwater Ave., between South Columbia Center Boulevard and South Steptoe Street.

Papa John’s Pizza has four retail locations in Kennewick, Richland and Pasco.

cludes 12 acres shared by the three major Bordeaux varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

Tinte Estates’ crop of wine grapes from its vineyards on Red Mountain will continue to be sold by contract as well as become featured in other wines produced

by Tinte Cellars.

Vineyards don’t become available on Red Mountain very often and with nearly 60% of the region now under vines, there is very little space or opportunity for future plantings, Tinte Estates said in a news release.

Vineyards on Red Mountain have been sold in recent years to companies based in British Columbia, Napa Valley and Chicago.

Tinte Cellars said it does not have plans to open a tasting room on Red Mountain in the near future.

“We will introduce our wines and our mission at pop-ups and vineyard tastings throughout the year, as well as at our established Washington tasting room locations in Woodinville and Seattle’s Georgetown neighborhood,” Tinte Estates said in a statement.

In 2020, Tinte became a modest part of Red Mountain’s wine growers with the acquisition of Corvus Vineyard, which included a 2,040-square-foot home at 32807 N. Vineyard View PR NE. Tinte’s owners bought the 3-acre property for $685,000, according to Benton County property records.

The owners turned the four-bedroom house, called Tinte Red Mountain Retreat, into a short-term vacation rental home; it lists for $321 a night on VRBO.

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

uBUSINESS BRIEFS

Kennewick schools prep for Ridge View replacement

The existing Ridge View Elementary will be demolished and replaced with a new 68,000-square-foot building in Kennewick.

The existing 45,000-square-foot building will be demolished this summer and followed by up to 18 months of construction.

The $23 million bond-funded project will expand the school to 30 classrooms and provide for parking, a pump house, future portables, a bus lane and play area. It will open in winter 2023.

Kennewick voters approved the proj-

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ect through a 2019 bond request. State assistance is supporting the budget.

The 9-acre campus is at 7001 W. 13th Ave. Knutzen Engineering is the designer, according to documents filed under the Washington state Environmental Protection Act, or SEPA, process.

Brandon Wilm of Design West of Kennewick is the architect.

Windermere closes office, plans to open larger one

Windermere Group One plans to move into a bigger office in Pasco this summer.

It also plans to close its West Richland satellite office at the end of this

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION

month.

The West Richland office, at 4900 Paradise Way near Yoke’s Fresh Market, has been open for five years, and was essentially one big room used for training, the agency said.

It plans to remodel a bigger office in west Pasco to use for training, agent offices and conference rooms.

It will begin remodeling the building in March with plans to open this summer. It has not disclosed the location.

Company plans laydown yard in West Richland Builders FirstSource is adding a nine-acre laydown yard at its West Richland builders supply business,

4113 S. 47th Place, according to documents submitted under the Washington State Environmental Protection Act, or SEPA. Builders First Source applied for a grading permit in fall 2021 for an area currently zoned light industrial.

The property is south of Keene Road, at West Lattin Road and West Lattin Court.

Brad Beauchamp of BMB Development is the builder for the project, which includes clearing and grading the sloped site. A masonry fence or privacy fence and landscaping will be added along the property where it borders a residential area.

Builders FirstSource is a building materials supplier.

Southridge Dental 2431 S. Quillan Place, Kennewick

Dr. Sean Simper, who purchased Southridge Dental in 2017, has built a new home for the growing dental practice.

The 6,600-square-foot building at 2431 S. Quillan Place, Kennewick, has nine dental treatment rooms with capacity to expand by four in the future.

The color scheme features

soothing shades of gray. Southridge Dental offers a full suite of family dental services, including cosmetic dentistry.

The practice moved to its new home Dec. 17, 2021, noting that it had expanded to 24 employees from four just a few years earlier.

W McKay Construction was

We’re proud to be part of this project!

the contractor. Eric Armstrong of Pondera Architecture in Spokane was the designer.

Southridge Dental said the new space allows it to expand its practice and its non-dental activities, such as December photos with Santa.

Call 509-581-0081.

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION uBUSINESS BRIEFS

Pasco advances animal control project

The Pasco City Council updated its agreement with the architect designing its new Animal Control facility in January.

CKJT Architects PLLC is designing the facility, which will cost $6 million to build.

The facility is a joint undertaking of Pasco, Kennewick and Richland, with each agreeing to pay a third of the cost in 2016.

The new shelter will be constructed near the site of the aging facility, adjacent to the Columbia River, near South 18th Street and A Street, south of the Pasco Youth Baseball Complex.

The Benton Franklin Humane Society took over animal control and shelter servic-

es after the previous operators were fired following allegations of embezzlement and mistreatment of animals in their care.

The council revised the architect’s contract to support additional design work at its Jan. 11 meeting.

and Jazmine Murillo of NAI Tri-Cities represented the sellers, Donna and Kevin Heinen, in the sale and identified Panda Express as the future occupant.

Panda Express is coming to Court Street

Apollo Mechanical Contractors has expanded its facility services division.

Apollo, which in 2021 celebrated its 40th anniversary, has had a service division at its corporate headquarters in Kennewick since 1981.

With the formation of a national facility services division, Dale Hollandsworth, a 30-year employee of Apollo Mechanical, has been appointed vice president. The new structure brings commercial and industrial service groups under one division, creating

Panda Express will develop a new restaurant in Pasco following the $600,000 sale of a vacant commercial building at 1525 W. Court St. The 4,400-square-foot building was built in 1987 and is north and west of Captain Gray Elementary and Pasco High School. It previously housed a medical office.

Todd Sternfeld, Derrick Stricker

Apollo Mechanical expands facility services

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a more cohesive unit that’s able to provide new and existing clients the service they’ve come to expect from the long-established construction and pre-construction divisions at Apollo Mechanical, said Theresa Buckendorf, company spokeswoman.

Apollo Mechanical, the fifth largest mechanical contractor in the United States, as ranked by Engineering NewsRecord magazine, provides full mechanical services including HVAC, plumbing, piping and fabrication on a wide range of projects, including industrial, institutional, educational, health care, corrections, data centers, government and commercial facilities.

It has offices in Portland, Bend, Seattle, Spokane, Missoula, Oak Ridge, Reno and Denver.

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

uAPPOINTMENTS • Kenneth Cole, a licensed clinical psychologist, has been elected to the Board of Trustees of the Washington State Psychological Kenneth Cole Association for a three-year term. He provides a wide variety of forensic assessments and psychological services for individuals, government agencies, law enforcement agencies and fire districts. His practice is located at the Center for Psychological Services in Kennewick.

• Gov. Jay Inslee appointed Nichole Banegas of Kennewick to the Environmental Justice Council. The term ends in July 2023.

uNEW HIRES • Franklin PUD has hired Victor Fuentes as its new engineering director. He brings extensive experience in the field of electric Victor Fuentes utility engineering, previously working for the Hanford site electric utility services group as design authority and

most recently at Umatilla Electric Cooperative as the superintendent of technical services. He received his bachelor’s of science degree in electrical engineering from Washington State University.

Fuentes will lead the engineering group at Franklin PUD. • LifeCenter Northwest has named Santokh Gill as its new president and CEO, effective March 1. Gill joins the region’s organ procureSantokh Gill ment organization with more than 25 years of health care, organ transplantation and senior leadership experience, most recently serving as vice president of patient care services at Virginia Mason Medical Center. He holds a master’s in health administration and a bachelor of science in microbiology and immunology from the University of Washington.

• Dr. Nickisha Naulie Berlus has joined TriCities Community Health, 515 W. Court St. Walk-In Health Center in Pasco, as a boardcertified family medicine provider.

Dr. Nickisha Naulie Berlus She completed her residency in family and social medicine with Montefiore Medical Center in New York. She at-

tended Rutgers University: Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in Camden, New Jersey.

• MacKay Sposito, which has a Pasco office, is adding to its leadership and technical staff with two new hires: Christine Selk, director of business development, and Juanita Rogers, landscape architecture manager. Selk comes to MacKay Sposito from C-TRAN, where she served as director of communication and customer experience.

During her six-year tenure there, she served on the project management team for The Vine bus rapid transit project and as project manager for the Fisher’s Landing Transit Center Feasibility Study. She also led marketing and communication efforts on a number of initiatives, including bus-on-shoulder and The Current, the agency’s new rideshare service. Rogers has 25 years of professional experience in master planning, urban design, parks and recreation, trail planning and landscape architecture. She has extensive experience as a project manager on significant and award-winning projects with a special interest in bicycle-pedestrianfocused planning, sustainable designs, and recreation planning. She comes to MacKay Sposito from WSP USA (formerly JD White Co. and Berger/ABAM).

• Ben Franklin Transit Board of Directors has hired Ed Frost as the agency’s interim general manager, effective Feb. 1. He is filling the position after former director Gloria Boyce’s retirement. Frost was one of the founders and a longtime employee of BFT, overseeing the Dial-ARide, vanpool, planning, and marketing

departments prior to his retirement in 2009. This is his second stint as interim general manager for the agency. The first was during 2014. Frost will serve in this capacity while the board of directors conducts a search for a permanent general manager.

• Tri-Cities Community Health welcomed the return of Dr. Cheryl Hipolito to the family medicine group.

She completed her medical Dr. Cheryl Hipolito education at the University of the Philippines and her family medicine residency at the University of Illinois in Rockford.

uPROMOTIONS • Goodwill Industries of the Columbia’s Board of Directors has selected Jeff Maddison as its next executive director.

Maddison succeeds Ken Gosney, who moved to Sacramento, to be the president and CEO of Goodwill Sacramento Valley & Northern Nevada after six and a half years leading our organization. Maddison first joined Goodwill Industries of the Columbia in 2015 as the director of operations. Prior to joining Goodwill, Maddison spent five years at Lamb Weston and finished his time there as the project leader of business operations. He assumed his new role on Jan. 1.

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022 uDONATIONS • Twenty Rotary clubs and individual Rotarians raised $36,430 to aid a school dormitory destroyed by fire in Kenya. The Mid-Columbia Rotary Clubs of PascoKennewick, Columbia Center, Columbia Daybreak, Richland Riverside, Richland and the two Walla Walla clubs, Noon and Sunrise, made financial contributions to assist Saint Benedict High School in Bidauang’i, Kenya. Students lost personal possessions and most educational materials. In addition, students lost a safe place to sleep. The students’ dining facility was converted to a temporary dormitory, students shared mattresses and 973 students were required to eat meals outside. Fundraising was so successful that the dormitory was scheduled to be completed by end of January 2022. The building was initially started by the Kenyan Ministry of Education and abandoned for lack of funding.

• Teens across Benton and Franklin Counties have greater access to a lifechanging leadership program thanks to a generous donation from Hanford Mission Integration Solutions (HMIS). HMIS recently donated $15,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Benton and Franklin Counties to support the organization’s Youth of the Year program, a leadership and recognition program for club teens.

Throughout the winter, teens write essays and speeches explaining how the club has positively affected their lives and how they plan to give back to their community as a youth leader. Teens share their stories with judges who select local, state, and regional winners, before the National Youth of the Year Event is held in the spring. Three teens from Kennewick, Pasco and Prosser have been selected as youth of the Year Finalists for 2022: Wendy Juarez of Kennewick, Angelina Salinas of Pasco and Aaron Price of Prosser.

uAWARDS & HONORS • Matt Potter, Pasco High School boys’ soccer coach, received 202021 Northwest Section Boys Soccer Coach of the Year Award Matt Potter by the National Federation of State High School (NFHS) Coaches Association. Honors were selected based on performance in the 2020-21 school year, lifetime community involvement, school involvements and philosophy of coaching.

The Pasco Bulldogs varsity boys’ soccer team finished the 2021 season with a 10-3 record which included an eight-game winning streak.

• Don Britain was named a “Friend of the Port” for 2021.

The Port of Kennewick presents the annual award to recognize outstanding service Don Britain to the port and the community.

The commission recognized that Britain

worked to foster and a partnership with port that led to renovations of the port’s Oak Street Industrial Park buildings, creation and development of the Columbia Gardens Wine & Artisan Village, restoration of the Clover Island’s shoreline, and redevelopment of Vista Field from a general aviation airfield into a master-planned urban town center.

• Rhonda Wellner, director of quality for Astria Health, recently received her master of science in nursing leadership and management Rhonda Wellner degree, as well as the certified

professional in health care quality designation. Wellner began pursuing her master’s degree at Western Governor’s University in 2019, right before the Covid-19 pandemic.

She started working for Astria Health in June 2005 as a nurse tech II while working toward her bachelor of nursing degree from Washington State University. She works with Astria Sunnyside Hospital and Astria Toppenish Hospital to provide administrative support for their respective quality improvement councils.

• HAPO Community Credit Union became one of 1,333 financial institutions certified as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) by the U.S. Department of the Treasury on Jan. 17.

HAPO is one of only 15 CDFI-certified credit unions in Washington state. A CDFI certification can be earned by a financial

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institution that offers fair and affordable financial services and continually works to transform the lives of the underserved populations in its community. CDFIs invest in their local communities by providing important funding resources.

uBOARDS • The Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing, the benchmark for specialty certification across the emergency nursing spectrum, has announced its 2022-23 board of directors and recognized outgoing board members. Roger Casey, MSN, RN, CEN, TCRN, FAEN, charge nurse, Kadlec Freestanding Emergency Department in Kennewick, is a member at large. Board members serve a two-year term.

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

PUBLIC RECORD uBANKRUPTCIES Bankruptcies are filed under the following chapter headings: Chapter 7 — Straight Bankruptcy: debtor gives up non-exempt property and debt is discharged.

Chapter 11 — Allows companies and individuals to restructure debts to repay them.

Chapter 12 — Allows family farmers or fishermen to restructure finances to avoid liquidation for foreclosure.

Chapter 13 — Plan is devised by the individual to pay a percentage of debt based on ability to pay. All disposable income must be used to pay debts.

Information provided by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Spokane.

CHAPTER 7 Eric A. Boehmer, 144303 W. 74 PR SW, Prosser.

Haley Nicole May, 5508 Remington Drive, Pasco.

Liana Esperanza Garcia, 2710 E. Helena, Pasco.

Joann Ruth Brown, 550 Wine Country Road, Prosser.

Michael Anthony Pena & Leticia Leonor Pena, 1411 W. First Ave., Kennewick.

Melissa Heckman, 215 N. Yelm St., Kennewick.

Leticia Mondragon, 1200 W. 14th Ave., Kennewick.

CHAPTER 13 Travis Alexander Najera & Tracy Lynn Najera, 89213 Summit View Drive, Kennewick.

Ryan Cody Magula, 1809 Birch Ave., Richland.

Manuel Garcia & Angelica Garcia, 4421 Kitimat Lane, Pasco.

uTOP PROPERTIES BENTON COUNTY 301 Columbia Park Trail, Richland, 3,516-square-foot home on 2.3 acres. Price: $1.1 million. Buyer: Roger & Susan Matson.

Seller: Thomas A. & Ann D. Harper.

1970 Center Parkway, Richland, 47,877-square-foot hotel on 2 acres. Price: $8 million. Buyer: Kennewick Investment Group Inc. Seller: Riverview Hospitality Inc. 27322, 27326 & 27318 E. Ambassador PR NE, Benton City, 2,400-square-foot home, 3,200-square-foot warehouse and 15 acres of irrigated ag land. Price: $3.2 million.

Buyer: Tinte Estates LLC. Seller: Edward T. & Eva A. Shaw Trustee.

99 Lee Blvd., Richland, 16,363-square-foot restaurant and 1,064-square-foot office building. Price: $1.9 million. Buyer: HF Pasco LLC. Seller: Charles J. Frenzel.

8488 W. Gage Blvd., Kennewick, 5,432-square-foot office building. Price: $1.7 million. Buyer: 8486 Gage LLC. Seller: R A Johnson Properties LLC. 8420 W. Gage Blvd., Kennewick, 23,799-square-foot mini-warehouse storage building. Price: $3.6 million. Buyer: Gage

Express LLC. Seller: Grace Investments Inc. 12915 Furlong Lane, Kennewick, 1-acre home site. Price: $720,600. Buyer: Randy L. & Cynthia L. Hicks & Jenna Hicks. Seller: New Tradition Homes Inc. 84523 E. Reata Road, Kennewick, 3,792-square-foot home. Price: $850,000.

Buyer: Davis Stuart Morrison & Henrietta Lorena Mayuga. Seller: George S. & Amanda L. Booth IV. 240 N. Ely St., Kennewick, 7,000-squarefoot office building. Price: $3.1 million.

Buyer: Northwest OSR RE Owner II LLC. Seller: Ambrosia QSR Chicken Real Estate LLC. 1280 Jolianna Drive, Richland, 0.4-acre home site. Price: $1 million. Buyer: Suzanne Monson. Seller: Gretl J. Crawford Homes & Interiors Inc. 286 Meadow Hills Drive, Richland, 3,068-square-foot home. Price: $945,000.

Buyer: Blake & Janet Bennett. Seller: Carrie Almquist.

1348 Country Ridge Drive, Richland, 3,390-square-foot home. Price: $1.1 million.

Buyer: Carrie Almquist. Seller: David C. & Briana Butler.

2807 N. Riverside Drive, Richland, 2,524-square-foot home on 1.7 acres.

Price: $810,000. Buyer: Louis & Katherine Christine Richardson. Seller: Matthew R. & Melissa K. Turner.

490 Riverwood St., Richland, 2,122-square-foot home. Price: $845,000.

Buyer: Kenyatta Andreed Drones. Seller: Prafull I. & Smita P. Thakkar Trustees.

14547 S. Furlong Lane, Kennewick, 1-acre home site. Price: $802,000. Buyer: Logan & Christopher Whitney. Seller: Hammerstrom Construction Inc. 88849 E. Calico Road, Kennewick, 1-acre home site. Price: $922,721. Buyer: Jose R. Ralls Jr. & Jana L. Ralls. Seller: JK Monarch LLC. Property off Columbia Park Trail in Richland, 1.7-acre home site. Price: $875,000.

Seller: Titan Homes LLC. Buyer: Rieve Realty LLC. 15210 S. Grandview Lane, Kennewick, 1,906-square-foot home. Price: $734,000.

Buyer: Matthew Moren & Nichole Bauer.

Seller: Joshua Spendlove & Chloe Butterworth.

2367 Skyview Loop, Richland, 0.4-acre home site. Price: $730,000. Buyer: John W. & Rise S. Hawley. Seller: Pahlisch Homes at Westcliffe Heights LLC. 15607 S. Grandview Lane, Kennewick, 4,049-square-foot home. Price: $1.1 million. Buyer: Josh Spendlove & Chloe Butterworth. Seller: Sami Anwar & Warda Chaudhary.

FRANKLIN COUNTY 3407 & 3321 W. Court St., Pasco, 20,500-square-foot shopping center and 4,588-square-foot restaurant on 3 acres.

Price: $1.9 million. Buyer: Zidi LLC. Seller: CDSK 28 LLC. 11606 Pheasant Court, Pasco, 3,051-square-foot home. Price: $825,000.

Buyer: Stephen L. & Connie A. Coale. Seller: Viktor & Marina Denisyuk.

Property off Eltopia West Road, 152 acres of ag land. Price: $3 million. Buyer: Eltopia Properties LLC. Seller: U77 LLC. Property off Kohler Road, 15.6 acres of ag land. Price: $2.4 million. Buyer: Big Sky Developers LLC. Seller: Douglas Burns.

21981 Glade North Road, Mesa, 3,854-square-foot cold storage facility and office building on 14 acres. Price: $1.5 million. Buyer: Royal Pack LLC. Seller: McCary Meats LLC. 8109 Bayberry Drive, Pasco, 2,765-square-foot home. Price: $760,000.

Buyer: Noah & Tracy Mills. Seller: Brady L. & Megan L. Dodson.

Property off East Lewis Place, 21 acres of undeveloped land. Price: $2 million. Buyer: Lewis Place LLC. Seller: Broetje Orchards LLC. Property off West Court Street, 0.45 acres of undeveloped land. Price: $760,000.

Buyer: Shane Pierre. Seller: Windy Wheatland Inc. 2917 Road 100, Pasco, 2,494-square-foot home. Price: $715,000. Buyer: Garalene & Ivan Pruneda. Seller: Tri-Cities Builders LLC. Property off North Railroad Avenue, 150 acres of undeveloped land. Price: $3.3 million. Buyer: Darigold Inc. Seller: Port of Pasco.

123 N. Fourth Ave., Pasco, 18,068-squarefoot store and warehouse. Price: $1 million.

Buyer: Nicolas Zavala Agency LLC. Seller: Simon & Anita Ochoa.

6510 W. Park St., Pasco, 2,800-squarefoot home. Price: $805,000. Buyer: Christopher P. Morris (etux). Seller: W.E. Heaton Trustee.

2405 E. Lewis Place, Pasco, mini-storage warehouse. Price: $2 million. Buyer: Thompson Tri-Cities Properties LLC. Seller: Schwan Moving and Storage Solutions LLC. Property off Sandifur Parkway and Road 90, 3 acres of undeveloped land. Price: $1.2 million. Buyer: Elite Investment Group LLC. Seller: Jesus Higareda Diaz.

uBUILDING PERMITS BENTON COUNTY Wyckoff Farms Inc., no address listed, $97,200 for commercial addition. Contractor: Columbia Steel Construction.

KENNEWICK Editor’s note: The city of Kennewick recently installed new permit reporting software so no information is available at this time.

PASCO Sparrow Investments, 8921 Sandifur Parkway, $79,000 for new commercial. Contractor: Stonecrest Builders.

Road 68 Retail LLC, 4525 Road 68,

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$15,300 for commercial remodel. Contractor: JNM Construction.

St. Andrews Loop LLC, 2713 N. 20th Ave., $24,000 for sign. Contractor: Mustang Sign Group.

Juan Carlos Gutierrez, 1620 W. Clark St., $11,000 for sign. Contractor: Mustang Sign Group.

Nulph Properties LLC, 1522 E. Hillsboro St., $40,000 for commercial remodel. Contractor: Ordell Construction LLC. Big Sky Developers, 5810 Midland Lane, $60,000 for grading. Contractor: Rotschy Inc. Jaime A. Vargas, 801 S. Fourth Ave., $212,000 for new commercial. Contractor: owner.

City of Pasco, 6200 Burden Blvd., $141,000 for sign. Contractor: Eagle Signs LLC.

RICHLAND George L. Johns, 1207 George Washington Way, $25,170 for commercial reroof. Contractor: Premier Roofing & Exteriors.

Illahee Holdings LLC, 69 Jadwin Ave., #31 and #39, $48,000 for commercial reroof.

Contractor: Silver Bow Roofing.

Cel Land LLC, 2665 Kingsgate Way, Buildings E, F, G, H, 13, 15, 18, 21, 22, 24, $21,900,000 for multi-family housing, $549,000 for garages. Contractor: LCR Construction LLC. Illahee Holdings LLC, 69 Jadwin Ave., #25, 19, 9, 1, $96,000 for commercial reroof.

Contractor: Silver Bow Roofing.

TTT Properties LLC, 2185 Van Giesen St., $35,000 for tenant improvements. Contractor: AT B and B Enterprises LLC. Aiello Richland Pro, 215 Van Giesen St., $73,000 for tenant improvements. Contractor: Knerr Construction Inc.

WEST RICHLAND Skyline Spirits & Wine Works, 8011 Keene Road, $75,000 for commercial addition.

Contractor: Owner.

Debbie Griffin, North Harrington Road, $63,000 for antenna/tower. Contractor: Smartlink Group.

Brick House Pizza, 2791 W. Van Giesen St., $24,000 for commercial reroof. Contractor: Black Diamon Roofing.

uBUSINESS LICENSES WEST RICHLAND Expert Sales Group LLC, 2746 Kingsgate Way, Richland.

Tru-Design Construction LLC, 1406 Fries St., Richland.

King Curbing and Landscape, 815 W. Klamath Ave., #5, Kennewick.

Gonzalez Realty Group LLC, 6855 W. Clearwater Ave Kennewick.

uPUBLIC RECORD, Page B16

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022

Wonderlust Salon & Spa, 6303 Kilawea Drive.

Diamond Trim and Finish LLC, 4956 Spirea Drive.

Hot Digging Doggies, 4503 Desert Cove Court.

V&J Painting General Contractor LLC, 3970 Curtis Drive.

Shoemaker Excavation Inc., 33004 S. Gerards Road, Kennewick.

Precision Power LLC, 1215 S. Cedar St., Kennewick.

Whisks & Whiskers, 3402 Northlake Drive.

Superior Roofing, 170 Englewood Drive, Richland.

Niks Quality Fencing LLC, 13090 Road A.5 NW, Ephrata.

Expert Traffic Control LLC, 2746 Kingsgate.

L & L Painting Inc., 308 S. Kellogg St., Kennewick.

Timothy G Porter & Associates, 5287 Pinehurst St. ATS Electric, 325 N. Oregon Ave., Pasco.

S.S. Services, 8309 W. 10th Ave., Kennewick.

Walters Autos LLC, 4546 W. Van Giesen St. Bellizima Esthetics, 5399 W. Van Giesen St. Diesel West Performance, 3422 Lexington Way. Drilling & Sawing Services Inc., 1010 W. Bruneau Ave., Kennewick.

Agape Garden Designs LLC, 2521 Royal Palm Ave. Liz Conrad Design, 3600 E. Lattin Road.

Floor Fashions, 4103 S. Newport St., Kennewick.

Solitary Home Flooring LLC, 186 Frontier Drive, Pasco.

PROSSER Cougar Construction Inc., 34321 Teddy Ave., Albany, Oregon.

Ted Brown Music Company Inc., 2600 N. Columbia Center Blvd., #102, Richland.

Goodman & Mehlenbacher Enterprises Inc., 2312 S. Ely St., Kennewick.

The Covollo Group LLC, 15620 NE Woodinville Duvall Place, Woodinville.

NW Emerald Roofing LLC, 107 E. D St., Wapato.

Amigos Bail Bonds, 840 Brown St.

Sagebrush Therapy Services, 1112 Nell St. Nomad Medical Staffing LLC, 880 Willapa Road, Raymond.

Tiny Treasures Daycare, 205 Evans Ave. Dorsett Law PLLC, 255 Old Inland Empire Hwy. Ana Leon, 1011 Colena St. Sunset Pro-Works, 1330 Sunset Drive.

Suav Shop, 335 Wine Country Road.

Ready2go Signs, 1102 Sherman Ave. Marske Flooring, 10251 Ridgeline Drive, Kennewick.

Eastside Market, 335 Wine Country Road.

Neighborhood Services LLC, 129002 W. Old Inland Empire Highway.

Big Smoke and Convenience LLC, 364 Chardonnay Ave. Wautoma Springs Winery, 2258 Wine Country Road.

RICHLAND Direct Drilling Inc., 9120 Double Diamond Parkway, Reno, Nevada.

Bird Solutions International, 969 Vale Terrace Drive, Vista, California.

Summit Environmental Inc., 10334 N. Taryne St., Hayden, Idaho.

Breton Avenir Construction Services Inc., 14724 Pleasant Valley Road, Chillicothe, Ohio.

Pine Creek RNG LLC, 111 E. Broadway, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Architects West Inc., 210 E. Lakeside Ave., Coeur D’Alene, Idaho.

Cort Business Services Corporation, 15000 Conference Center Drive, Chantilly, Virginia.

Deduction Productions Co., 409 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, California.

Marsh & Mclennan Agency LLC, 121 River St., Floor 6, Hoboken, New Jersey.

Idaho Electric Signs Inc., 6528 Supply Way, Boise, Idaho.

Techsource Inc., 1475 Central Ave., Los Alamos, New Mexico.

Met Weld International LLC, 5727 Ostrander Road, Altamont, New York.

I3 LLC, 8280 Willow Oaks Corporate Drive, Fairfax, Virginia.

Names and Numbers, 1225 E. Centennial Drive, Pittsburg, Kansas.

Ahlers Custom Framing Inc., 2411 Road 60, Pasco.

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Armstrong Properties LLC, 781 Summit St. Pepsi Cola Bottling of Pasco, 2525 W. Hopkins St., Pasco.

Alden Plumbing LLC, 105 Newtown Road, Walla Walla.

Columbia Basin Striping LLC, 11969 Debonair Road NE, Moses Lake.

Tapani, 312 NE First Ave., Battle Ground Keller Associates Inc., dba Keller Associates of Idaho Inc., 733 Fifth St., Suite C, Clarkston.

Testcomm LLC, 2211 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane.

Kerr Law Group, 1950 Keene Road.

Element K9, 4125 French St. Yakima Computer Repair LLC, 108 S. Third St., Suite B, Yakima.

Mauricia Montalban Carpenter, 1412 Jadwin Ave. United Natural Foods West, 7909 S. Union Ridge Parkway, Ridgefield.

Sanderson Fire Protection Inc., 774 Industry Drive, Tukwila.

US Foods Inc., 2204 70th Ave. East, Suite 100, Fife.

A Different Shade, 1107 W. Columbia Drive, Kennewick.

Just The Handyman Inc., 11010 E. Sundown Drive, Spokane Valley.

CLT Lawn Care LLC, 31107 S. Haney Road, Kennewick.

Ultra Clean, 5012 Latimer Court, Pasco.

Boltsta, 1504 Marshall Ave. CLM Construction, 30 Mercury Drive.

NXT Telcom Services, 704 228th Ave. NE, Sammamish.

EEC Construction, 2305 Syrah Ave. Universal Steel, 1639 Meadow Hills Drive.

NW Emerald Roofing LLC, 107 E. D St., Wapato.

The Corndog Company Eastern Washington, 215 N. 14th Ave., Othello.

HD Design, 553 Lakerose Loop.

New Generation LLC, 628 N. Waldemar Ave., Pasco.

Niks Quality Fencing LLC, 13090 Road A.5 NW, Ephrata.

L B Painters, 1803 S. Huntington Place, Kennewick.

Chaos & Coffee Co., 1813 SE Solomon Loop, Vancouver.

GCD Construction LLC, 6205 Turf Paradise Drive, Pasco.

Own Your Business, 745 The Parkway.

J&V Quality Painting LLC, 1412 N. 15th Ave., Pasco.

Elite Carpentry LLC, 7308 W. Richardson Road, Pasco.

I Performance, 1163 Columbia Park Trail.

The Brothers Roofing & Construction, 301 N. 22nd Ave., Pasco.

Pedego Tri-Cities, 1084 George Washington Way. Etera Energy LLC, 8524 W. 12th Ave., Kennewick.

Kevin Bergin Roofing, 66110 N. Harrison Loop, Benton City.

North Wind Technical Solutions, LLC, 507 Knight St. J&R General Contractor LLC, 370 Kepps Road, Pasco.

Custom Design Homes Construction LLC, 4917 Athens Drive, Pasco.

Kirsanov Delivery LLC, 1507 Stevens Drive.

Turn2learn, 7316 W. Argent Road, Pasco.

M&M Pumping LLC, 2252 Carriage Ave. Shape Shifting Construction LLC, 1830 S. Neel Court, Kennewick.

Meraki Beauty Lounge LLP, 710 George Washington Way. Columbia Controls and Power LLC, 1026 Cayuse Drive.

Gabriela Gomez, 806 W. Entiat Ave., Kennewick.

Campbell Cooling Electrical Plumbing Corp., 2828 W. Irving St., Pasco.

Snack-n-go LLC, 24407 W. Yakitat Road, Benton City.

Kano’s Pet Grooming, 7903 Sunset Lane, Pasco.

Sweet Care, 2570 Orchid Court.

Grandpa’s Water Heaters and Filtration, 6855 W. Clearwater Ave., Kennewick.

Strut Studios LLC, 1640 Cherry Lane.

Startak Fiber LLC, 2746 Kingsgate Way. Dandelion Picnics and Events LLC, 603 W. Trinity PR NW, Benton City.

Columbia Basin Transport Inc., 507 Falley St. Cobalt Drilling, 2687 Madrona Loop, West Richland.

K. Bee Brows LLC, 925 Stevens Drive.

Upstaged by Stella Home Design & Staging, 4718 Corvina St. Jordan General Renovation LLC, 214002 E. 22nd Ave., Kennewick.

Quality1stcourier LLC, 4000 S. Reed Court, Kennewick.

Ferguson Counseling and Consulting Services LLC, 660 George Washington Way. Johnson Partners LLC, 100 S. King St., Seattle TG Masonry LLC, 1114 W. 10th Ave., Kennewick.

Wicked Notions, 4802 S. Coulee Vista Drive, Kennewick.

MH General Construction LLC, 203106 E. Bowles Road, Kennewick.

Little Learners Center LLC, 403 Adams St. Art’s Lawn Care, 1911 W. Hopkins St., Pasco.

The Green Room, 1309 George Washington Way. Riverside Grace Candle Co., 115 Spring St. J & J Portable Toilets LLC, 1206 E. Sixth Ave., Kennewick.

In Love with the Past, 2205 Isaacs Ave., Walla Walla.

Lafferty Excavating, 225616 E. Cochran Road, Kennewick.

uPUBLIC RECORD, Page B17

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022 Monarch CS LLC, 7803 Estevan Drive, Pasco.

Candy Mountain Electric LLC, 66302 E. Ranch Road, West Richland.

The UPS Store, 3019 Duportail St., Suite 6563.

Fulcrum Electric LLC, 413B Seventh St., Benton City.

Capshaw LLC, 2616 Road 68 Pasco.

Stampede Services LLC, 1924 W. Hopkins St., Pasco.

Infotech Northstar LLC, 1130 Stallion Place.

910 Johnson LLC, 1245 Gage Blvd.

Cachanillas Painting and Drywall LLC, 331 S. Owen Ave., Pasco.

Tims Data, 50 Jadwin Ave. Atomic City Auto Detail, 205 Casey Ave. Allure Canvas Artistry and Bodyworks, 4018 W. Clearwater Ave., Kennewick.

3287 Rental LLC, 1245 Gage Blvd.

Bootie Clothing Co., 2304 Dover St. Armitage Architecture PC, 723 The Parkway.

601 G Way LLC, 723 The Parkway.

Primerica, 1321 Columbia Park Trail.

Avelar Towing LLC, 619 11th St., Bellingham.

Ferguson Counseling Services, 660 George Washington Way. Superior Concrete, 5620 W. Wernett Road, Pasco.

Miles, Mountains, Brews & Company, 151 Bear Drive.

2 Generations Construction LLC, 1505 S. Road 40 East, Pasco.

Cindy Clark Interiors, LLC, 2938 Sunshine Ridge Road.

True Crime Crypto LLC, 1604 Venice Lane.

Hl Flooring LLP, 1817 W. Cartmell St., Pasco.

Aqueous Paddle Company LLC, 415 Columbia Point Drive.

Rest On High, 2837 Troon Court.

Marske Flooring, 10251 Ridgeline Drive, Kennewick.

Johnson Professional Services, 1415 Badger Mountain Loop.

A Number One Cleaning LLC, 411 Robert Ave. Neighborhood Mobile Notary LLC, 800 Stanton Ave. Martinez Mobile Truck Service LLC, 5012 Antigua Drive, Pasco.

Casita Suites LLC, 1412 Meadow Hills Drive.

Jan R. Armstrong, 2431 S. Apple Tree Court, Spokane.

Karyna’s Angel Hands Massage, 203 E. Second Ave., Kennewick.

Simply Stunning, 1321 N. Columbia Center Blvd., Kennewick.

Lighthouse Community Church, 1007 Wright Ave. Trauma-Informed Care Consulting LLC, 10100 W. Court St., Pasco.

Extracts by Annabel, 5312 S. Cascade Place, Kennewick.

Junk Removal, 1316 Baywood Ave. DJ Angelo, 1511 N. Woodward Road, Spokane Valley.

Jose’s Lawn Care Services LLC, 101 S. Washington St., Kennewick.

Holiday Inn & Suites, 1970 Center Parkway.

Royal Shine Cleaning LLC, 2906 W. Seventh Ave. Kennewick.

Jenna Hicks Agency, 4848 Corvina St. 545 Trucking LLC, 1938 Pike Ave. Hometown Cleaning Services LLC, 53 Bonanza Drive, Pasco.

Zodiac Holdings LLC, 405 Heritage Hills Drive.

Nash & Associates, 1732 Horn Ave. Alice Orrell Consulting, 2527 Albemarle Court.

Lily Gray, 342 Rockwood Drive.

Orangetheory Fitness, 1034 Queensgate Drive.

Bruce Alan Spanner, 3008 Riverbend Drive.

Miss Cinderella Cleaning Services, 3815 Meadow View Drive, Pasco.

Noahloni Counseling Services, 750 Swift Blvd.

KENNEWICK Fibrwrap Construction Services, 17988 Edison Ave., Chesterfield, Missouri.

Atomic Escape Rooms, 1653 Fowler St., Richland.

Alden Plumbing LLC, 105 Newtown Road, Walla Walla.

Columbia Industries, 900 S. Dayton St. Leone & Keeble Inc., 108 W. Boone Ave., Spokane.

Double T Construction Ltd., 1243 Reser Road, Walla Walla.

Concrete West Inc., 42095 Granite Drive North, Seven Bays.

Handyman Landscaping, 1509 N. Montana Court.

United Natural Foods West, 7909 S. Union Ridge Parkway, Ridgefield.

Vincent Brothers, 10461 N. Glade Road, Pasco.

Strata Inc., 3618 E. Broad Ave., Spokane.

Basalt Pacific Holdings LLC, 202132 E. 25th Ave. Victoria S. Sewing, 2431 W. Klamath Ave. Paw’s Natural Pet Emporium LLC, 8551 W. Gage Blvd.

NW Transportation LLC, 1553 N. Grant St. America Residential Construction LLC, 179 Bitterroot Drive, Richland.

JR Lawn Care, 1453 Carson St., Richland.

Elite Fabrications LLC, 195005 E. 36th Ave. Ascencio Counseling & Social Services, 8797 W. Gage Blvd.

Accthelp4u, 4606 S. Ledbetter St. Missy Von Monroe, 2411 S. Union St. Niks Quality Fencing LLC, 13090 Road A.5 NW, Ephrata.

L B Painters, 1803 S. Huntington Place.

All Pro Pressure Washing LLC, 600 S. Arthur Place.

Grandpa’s Water Heaters and Filtration, 6855 W. Clearwater Ave., Suite A101.

J.A.T Roofing LLC, 8 W. Second Ave. E & L Framing LLC, 802 N. Volland St., #1.

Miss 2 Chic, 135 S. Tweedt St. Garcia’s Granite LLC, 521 S. Sycamore Ave., Pasco.

Kennewick Royal Spa, 4727 W. Clearwater Ave. Buchanan Construction LLC, 4711 N. Dallas Road, West Richland.

Lafferty Excavating, 225616 E. Cochran Road.

Candy Mountain Electric LLC, 66302 E. Ranch Road, West Richland.

Upgrade, 420 W. 18th Ave. Allure Canvas Artistry and Bodyworks, 6855 W. Clearwater Ave. JM General Construction, 3606 W. 19th Court.

Marske Flooring, 10251 Ridgeline Drive.

Martinez Mobile Truck Service LLC, 5012 Antigua Drive, Pasco.

Compass Tax & Accounting LLC, 2523 W. Deschutes Ave. Karynas Angel Hands Massage, 203 E. Second Ave.

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Game Changer Physical Therapy LLC, 5020 W. Clearwater Ave. Khalid, 1203 S. Olympia Place.

Tri-Cities Massage and Wellness LLC, 4206 W. 24th Ave. A101.

Aria Fashion, 1103 S. Newport St. Sunflowers Cleaning, 3407 W. Hood Ave. Best Western Plus Kennewick Inn, 4001 W. 27th Ave. Dell Enterprises, 4902 W. 24th Place.

Joelie Voeks, 6816 W. Rio Grande Ave. Gorbatyuk’s Haven Ranch LLC, 105609 E. Wiser Parkway.

Patterson, Keith D, 1202 N. Cleveland St. Simply Stunning, 1321 N. Columbia Center Blvd.

Ateam Sign Dreamers LLC, 514 Wishkah Drive, Richland.

Yesica Rosas, 8927 W. Tucannon Ave. Bush Property Management LLC, 5204 W. Okanogan Ave. Kithchenfire Sports LLC, 3731 S. Lincoln St. Trauma-informed Care Consulting LLC, 10100 W. Court St., Pasco.

uPUBLIC RECORD, Page B18

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022 Complete Facilities Maintenance LLC, 910 N. 20th Ave., Pasco.

Old Time Photo, 1043 W. 14th Ave. Chipotle Mexican Grill, 3631 Plaza Way. Wave7 Inc., 8524 W. Gage Blvd.

John P. Keller, 110 N. Cascade St. Digital Mind Marketing LLC, 406 N. Arthur St. KMS Realty LLC, 1791 Brianna Court, Richland.

The Toy Story 21, 2413 W. Clearwater Ave. Chinook Family Dental Care, 7301 W. Deschutes Ave. Sunwest Sportswear, 5003 W. Brinkley Road.

Orangetheory Fitness, 4101 W. 27th Place.

Need A Ride Services LLC, 614 N. Volland St. IHS Property Management, 307 S. Penn St. Floor Fashions, 4103 S. Newport St. 911insight, 725 N. Center Parkway.

Nico’s On First Avenue, 525 W. First Ave. Tri-Cities Microblading and Permanent Cosmetics, 7101 W. Hood Place.

The Perfect Arch, 1102 S. Olympia Place.

Shaw Mobile Notary and Signing Ser-

vices, 2617 S. Everett St. Olson Organic LLC, 2985 S. Dawes Place.

Gold Label, 6001 Kent Lane, Pasco Hot Tip Nails, 2807 W. Clearwater Ave. John Donovan - Goosehead Agency, 1009 N. Center Parkway, #205.

Gieszler Kelly PLLC, 3108 S. Lyle St. The Clever Raven LLC, 2801 S. Dawes St. Wild Ponderosa LLC, 506 E. 44th Ave. Vic’s Auto Parts & Supply, 5819 W. Clearwater Ave. 1400 N. Montana Street LLC, 1400 N. Montana St. Taty’s Daycare, 5319 W. Tucannon Ave. Tri-Cities Shooting Sports Supplier, 5200 W. 14th Ave. Cole Morgan Photography, 3400 S. Jean St.

PASCO A-legacy Construction Inc., 803 Road 64.

Home Boys Inc., 3335 Travel Plaza Way. Monarch Dental, 8921 Sandifur Pkwy., Suite B. AIV LLC, 5109 Pamplona Drive.

Cloe’s Enterprise, 7611 Cordero Drive.

Desert Glory Homes LLC, 60 Canal Drive, Mesa.

Luis D. Gonzalez, Lakeshore Investment Corp., 1123 W. Court St., #1119.

Smoke Mania & Gift Shop, 104 S. Oregon Ave., Suite B. NCA Transport, 601 S. Waldemar Ave. Kastl Express LLC, 2601 N. Commercial Ave. Synthetic Performance Unlimited LLC, 5205 Black Belle Court.

Fawcett Plumbing Inc., 5022 84th St. East, Tacoma.

Brews Taphouse and Growler, 5426 Road 68.

Aspects Real Estate Media LLC, 1215 N. Beech Ave. Bark of the Town, 6615 Chapel Hill Blvd., #102.

Norwest Shop Equipment, 9507 E. Fourth Ave., Spokane Valley.

Dr. Mileski DDS IV PLLC, 7160 Burden Blvd., #102.

Atomic City Auto Detail, 205 Casey Ave., Richland.

Aimsko Investments LLC, 30 N. Gould St., Suite R, Sheridan, Wyoming.

Rise, 4620 Appaloosa Lane.

Avelar Towing LLC, 619 11th St., #3, Bellingham.

Quality Wrench, 1425 Jadwin Ave., Richland.

United Airlines Inc., 3601 N. 20th Ave. Glitterfx, 4112 W. Livingston Road.

Golden Management Services LLC, 6825 Burden Blvd., Suite B. Drywall Contracting LLC, 6006 W. First Ave., Kennewick.

Campbell Cooling Electrical Plumbing Corp., 2828 W. Irving St. Creative Wood Works, 6505 W. Argent Road.

Diamond Back Concrete LLC, 7507 Cyan Drive.

Superior Concrete & Polishing, 5620 W. Wernett Road.

Lion Landscaping & Maintenance, 449 S. Dawes St. Mid-Cities Erectors LLC, 1587 FM718, Aurora, Texas.

North KPR Construction LLC, 2226 S. Zillah Place, Kennewick.

Startek Workforce Solutions LLC, 7913 Foxcatcher Court, Odessa, Florida.

Taqueria Las Marias LLC, 1501 W. Sylvester St. TG Masonry LLC, 1114 W. 10th Ave., #P104, Kennewick.

Estefany’s Salon, 516 W. Lewis St., Suite B. Maressa Michele Photography, 4306 Stafford Drive.

Cool Mom Candle Co., 5309 Honolulu Drive.

David L. Kemp MD PC, 520 N. Fourth Ave. Bola Trucking LLC, 5205 Raleigh Drive.

Aimed For Health LLC, 472 Keene Road, Richland.

40yr50 Consulting, 1602 W. 51st Ave., Kennewick.

NW Emerald Roofing LLC, 107 E. D St., Wapato.

Puretalk Holdings LLC, 113 Monticello St. SW, Covington, Georgia.

US Foods Inc., 2204 70th Ave. E., Suite 100, Fife.

Jan R. Armstrong, 2431 S. Apple Tree Court, Spokane.

Erica Ortiz Insurance, 202 N. Third Ave. Ares Investments LLC, 6203 Bulldog Lane.

Double Emerald Boutique LLC, 6017 Curlew Lane.

Strategic Home Health PLLC, 535 SW Bennett Ave., Prosser.

Karyna’s Angel Hands Massage, 203 E. Second Ave., Kennewick.

Name And Numbers, 1225 E. Centennial Drive, Pittsburg, Kansas.

Alvasa, 30640 Pacific Highway South, Federal Way. Angulo & Son’s Janitorial LLC, 316 N. Cedar Ave. Appleway RV, 1510 N. Commercial Ave. Edward S. Delorme - Via, 10406 S. 952 PR

uPUBLIC RECORD, Page B19

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PSF Motorsports, 8514 W. Gage Blvd.

Extracts by Annabel, 5312 S. Cascade Place.

Body Beauty by Al, 1321 N. Columbia Center Blvd., 205a.

Sunny Massage, 100 N. Morain St. Smile Surfers Kennewick, 3911 W. 27th Ave. Suite 105.

Krystal’s Hot Stone Massage, 4206 W. 24th Ave. Mine Your Own Business LLC, 507 N. Everett St. Jose’s Lawn Care Services LLC, 101 S. Washington St. Gregory Lance Neft, 10251 Ridgeline Drive.

Jacqueline Crook, 6521 W. Willamette Ave. Royal Shine Cleaning LLC, 2906 W. Seventh Ave. Wickxd Wax Candle Co. LLC, 305 E. First Place.

Rudy’s Tree Service, 4411 Laredo Drive, Pasco.

Hometown Cleaning Services LLC, 53 Bonanza Drive, Pasco.

Tatra Twin Properties LLC, 8500 W. Gage Blvd.

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022 SE, Kennewick.

Joel’s Core & Recycling, 33 E. B Circle, Suite A. AJC Washing LLC, 1904 N. 18th Drive.

Art’s Lawn Care, 1911 W. Hopkins St. G&N Transport LLC, 1807 W. Nixon St. AE Security LLC, 922 Picture St., Yakima.

Jorge Armando Regalado Ramirez - Via, 810 W. Nixon St. Stampede Services LLC, 1924 W. Hopkins St. United Natural Foods West, 7909 S. Union Ridge Parkway, Ridgefield.

Jacqueline Crook - Via, 6521 W. Willamette Ave., Kennewick.

Sally Storseth - Via, 402 Westridge Road, Selah.

Grandpa’s Water Heaters and Filtration, 10251 Ridgeline Drive, #D124, Kennewick.

Glacier Supply Group LLC, 401 N. Helena St., Spokane.

NXT Telcom Services, 704 228th Ave. NE, Suite 124, Sammamish.

Elite Fabrications LLC, 195005 E. 36th Ave., Kennewick.

Royal Shine Cleaning LLC, 2906 W. Seventh Ave., #71, Kennewick.

Northwest Behavioral Modification Clinic, 917 Pitcher St., Yakima.

Northwest Lift & Equipment LLC, 5075 SW River Road, Hillsboro, Oregon.

Jose’s Lawn Care Services LLC, 101 S. Washington St., Suite A, Kennewick.

JMT Driving LLC, 2211 W. Court St. BKB Enterprises LLC, 1408 Road 59.

Extracts By Annabel, 5312 S. Cascade Place, Kennewick.

Cachanillas Painting and Drywall LLC, 331 S. Owen Ave., #331.

Penelope D. Foster - Via, 4820 Chukar Drive, West Richland.

Keith Pattion - Via, 1202 N. Cleveland St., Kennewick.

Absolute Heating and Cooling Solutions LLC, 614 NE 105th St., Vancouver.

Classic Towing and Recovery, 120 W. Sylvester St. Bob’s Mobile Detailing, 712 E. Handy Road, Colbert.

KMS Realty LLC, 1791 Brianna Court, Richland.

Tower Plaza Cleaners & Laundromat, 1208 N. 20th Ave. BLW Place and Finish LLC, 5214 Buford Jett Lane, Balch Springs, Texas.

Fun Flicks, 824 E. Tudor Court, Spokane.

Candy Mountain Electrical LLC, 66302 E. Ranch Road, West Richland.

Jenna L, Hicks - Via, 4848 Corvina, Richland.

Electrain, 9907 Chinook Court.

Santos General Construction LLC, 2405 Pullen St., Richland.

MH General Construction LLC, 203106 E. Bowles Road, #13, Kennewick.

Handyman Curt, 717 Jadwin Ave., Suite C, Richland.

Tri-Cities Amateur Hockey Association, 100 N. Morain, Suite 202, Kennewick.

Canterbury Village Events, 1081 Indianwood Road, Lake Orion, Michigan.

Mama’s Java, 950 Margaret St.

uJUDGMENTS

The state can file lawsuits against people or businesses that do not pay taxes and then get a judgment against property that person or business owns.

Judgments are filed in Benton-Franklin Superior Court. The following is from the Franklin County Superior Court Clerk’s Office.

South Hawks Transport LLC, unpaid Department of Licensing taxes, filed Dec. 7.

JJ Carpeting Installers LLC, unpaid Department of Revenue taxes, filed Dec. 8.

Speedy Angeles Concrete LLC, unpaid Department of Revenue taxes, filed Dec. 10.

Jason Powers, et al, unpaid Department of Licensing taxes, filed Dec. 10.

El Tacoyote LLC, unpaid Department of Licensing taxes, filed Dec. 13.

MNC Fabrication and Service LLC, unpaid Department of Revenue taxes, filed Dec. 15.

IClean Building Services LLC, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Dec. 15.

Stucco & Stone Contractors LLC, unpaid Department of Revenue taxes, filed Dec. 20.

D&L Roofing, et al, unpaid Department of Revenue taxes, filed Jan. 14.

Stan’s General Construction LLC, unpaid Department of Revenue taxes, filed Jan. 14.

PJR Construction Inc., unpaid Department of Revenue taxes, filed Jan. 19.

Arnott Enterprises LLC, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Jan. 19.

Nielsen Mobile LLC, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Jan. 19.

Vinicio Marin Gomez, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Jan. 19.

Golden Eagle Construction LLC, Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Jan. 19.

D & R & G Roofing Partners, Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Jan. 19.

uLIQUOR LICENSES BENTON COUNTY NEW Whitstran Steaks & Spirits, 1427 Wine Country Road, Prosser. License type: growlers curbside/delivery; spirits/beer/ wine restaurant lounge+, off-premises sale wine; catering. Application type: new.

Desert Wind Winery, 2258 Wine Country Road, Prosser. License type: domestic winery <250,000 liters; direct shipment receiver-in WA only; spirits/beer/wine restaurant service bar. Application type: added/change of class/in lieu.

Garcia’s Market LLC, 804 Sixth St., Prosser. License type: grocery store – beer/ wine. License type: assumption.

APPROVED Bruchi’s, 2615 W. Kennewick Ave., Kennewick. License type: beer/wine/restaurant – beer. Application type: change of location.

La Bella Vita Kitchen & Bar, 1515 George Washington Way, Richland. License type: spirits/wine/restaurant lounge+. Application type: new.

Chipotle Mexican Grill #3988, 3631 Plaza Way, Kennewick. License type: snack bar.

Application type: new.

La Luna Grill & Event Center, 602 Seventh St., Prosser. License type: spirits/beer/wine restaurant lounge. Application type: new.

Flight Tap & Table, 502 Swift Blvd., Richland. License type: spirits/beer/wine restaurant lounge+. Application type: new.

Ice Harbor Brewing Company, 206 N. Benton Ave., Kennewick. License type:

microbrewery. Application type: added/ change of class/in lieu.

Anthony’s Home Port, 550 Columbia Point Drive, Richland. License type: direct shipment receiver-in WA only. Application type: added/change of class/in lieu.

Budd’s Broiler, 450 Columbia Point Drive, Richland. License type: direct shipment receiver-in WA only. Application type: added/change of class/in lieu.

DISCONTINUED Sedated Smoke Shop, 309 W. Kennewick Ave., Kennewick. License type: direct shipment receiver-in WA only. Application type: discontinued.

Portrait Cellars, 27318 E. Ambassador PR NE, Benton City. License type: domestic winery <250,000 liters. Application type: discontinued.

Valicoff Family Farm, 590 Merlot Drive, Suite A, Prosser. License type: domestic winery <250,000 liters additional location.

Application type: discontinued.

El Rancho Alegre, 364 Chardonnay Drive, Suite 3, Prosser. License type: spirits/beer/ wine restaurant service bar. Application type: discontinued.

La Luna Grill & Event Center, 602 Seventh St., Prosser. License type: spirits/beer/ wine restaurant lounge. Application type: discontinued.

Towne Crier, 1319 George Washington Way, Richland. License type: spirits/beer/ wine restaurant lounge. Application type: discontinued.

FRANKLIN COUNTY NEW La Villa, 214 N. Fourth Ave., Pasco.

License type: grocery store – beer/wine.

Application type: assumption.

APPROVED Uncle Jay’s Grocery and Deli, 305 N. Spokane Ave., Kahlotus. License type: direct shipment receiver-in WA only. Application type: new.

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uMARIJUANA LICENSES BENTON COUNTY NEW Fireweed Farms, 133302 W. Johnson Road, Suite A, Prosser. License type: marijuana producer tier 3. Application type: assumption.

uBUSINESS UPDATES NEW Flight Tap & Table opened at 502 Swift Blvd. in Richland. The taphouse features 44 taps of craft beer and small plates. Contact: 509-578-1268; Facebook @Flighttapandtable.

Pedego Electric Bikes Tri-Cities opened at 1084 George Washington Way in Richland.

The e-bike store offers sales and rentals.

Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; 11-4 p.m. Sunday; closed Monday. Contact: 509-420-4824; pedegoelectricbikes.com.

ADDITIONAL LOCATION

Sage Brewing Company has opened a second location, Taproom at Hansen Park, at 910 S. Columbia Center Blvd., Suite G, in Hansen Park Plaza in Kennewick. Hours: 3-10 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, Friday1-10 p.m. Saturday; 3-8 p.m. Sunday; closed Monday and Tuesday. Contact: 509396-3804; sagebrewing.beer.

Jersey Mike’s has opened a new location at 2729 Queensgate Drive in Richland. Hours: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. seven days a week. Contact: 509-940-0900; jerseymikes.com/18051/ richland-wa.

CLOSED 509 Farmhouse at 217 W. Kennewick Ave., Kennewick, has closed, effective Jan. 29.

Cave B Estate Winery tasting room at 313 E. Columbia Drive, Columbia Gardens Wine and Artisan Village in Kennewick, has closed.

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | FEBRUARY 2022