Journal of Business - October 2022

also pretty robust,

Pasco aquatics center has target opening date

By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz

January 2023 and October 2024.

Those are the dates to keep in mind as Pasco moves to build a $40 million, voterapproved aquatics center and possible com munity center.

January 2023 is when a two-tenths of a per cent sales tax kicks in to pay for the center.

Pasco’s sales tax rate rises to 8.9 cents per dollar from 8.7 cents. The increase adds 20 cents to a $100 purchase.

October 2024 is when the center should be ready for swimmers.

There is a lot of work to be done in the in terim, including selecting a site, working out a bond package, getting it approved by the state, designing the center, hiring a contractor and more.

New hire

The Pasco Public Facilities District, the entity behind the aquatics center, took a big step forward in August by hiring former Pasco Mayor Matt Watkins to shepherd the project through to the ribbon-cutting cer emonies envisioned for two years from now.

“It’s an ambitious goal,” said Watkins, who is working under a $10,000-a-month contract and treating the aquatics center as his full-time job.

The facilities district is a quasi-indepen dent entity governed by an appointed board that operates in partnership with the city. Pas co has supported the effort with loans and by offering Watkins a cubicle in the engineering department at City Hall.

Washington law allows facilities districts to ask voters to approve a small sales tax in crease – up to 0.2% – to fund public ameni ties.

By way of background, Tri-City voters

A4

Fields laden with pumpkins attract thousands of visitors to Tri-City area farms this time of year when agritourism peaks with farmers markets, u-pick produce and fall festivals.

Farms roll out welcome mat for fall agritourism season

By Laura Kostad for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

The leaves are turning and a familiar crispness is in the air. Trucks laden with produce share the roads and fields are turning over for the season.

It’s the height of harvest, Halloween is approaching, and folks are eager to get in the fall mood.

Agritourism peaks this time of year with farmers markets and u-pick produce.

“What’s different than other ag areas is our growing season is longer so there are more crops,” said Kim Shugart, senior vice president of Visit Tri-Cities, the re gion’s tourism promotion bureau.

“We’re just wrapping up peach season, and there are still lots of fruits and veg gies.”

Harvest traditions

While the harvest is diverse and abun dant, so too are the activities to celebrate the fruits of local fields.

For many Tri-Citians, it wouldn’t be autumn without a trip to the fall festivals offered at Middleton Farms or Country Mercantile, both in Pasco.

The venues offer their own homegrown takes on farm tourism.

Both started as much humbler versions of their current business models. Each

By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz

A critical connection between Ken newick and Richland is being built after more than two decades of planning and litigation.

Center Parkway is being extended across a Port of Benton-owned railroad track near Columbia Center mall. When the two sides connect, motorists will be able to drive from Gage Boulevard in Kennewick to Tapteal Drive in Richland.

The extension will ease traffic in the Kennewick-Richland border zone west of Columbia Center and unused land on Tapteal Drive for development. Flex

space buildings offering 30 warehouse/ office spaces are under construction nearby.

The road project took 22 years and more than $3 million in design work, ac quiring property rights and securing per mission to cross the railroad tracks to get started. Premier Excavation, the contrac tor, bid $1.8 million to construct it.

The extension is expected to open in late summer 2023 at a total cost of around $6 million.

Pete Rogalsky, the city’s longtime public works director, remarked on the challenges of extending a road over the railroad tracks – the former rail operator

It took 22 years, but Center Parkway ‘punch through’ has started

Matt Watkins

Photo by Laura Kostad

Youth academy eyes Richland for second campus

By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz

The Washington Military Department is eyeing Richland for a new campus for its Youth Challenge Academy, a militarystyle residential school for at-risk teens.

There are 40 National Guard Youth Challenge Academies in the U.S., but only one in Washington, in Bremerton. The program serves young men and women who have dropped out of high school or are at risk of doing so.

Maj. Joseph Siemandel, spokesperson for the state military department, said the Bremerton academy receives far more applications than it can accept.

To be eligible, prospective cadets must be between the age of 16 and 18, have clean legal records and be willing to at tend free of coercion by courts or parents. Students are more likely to succeed if they have agency over the decision, ac cording to the National Guard. Tuition is free.

The military department has not made a formal proposal and there is no fund ing yet.

But it sees Richland as a good spot to expand into Eastern Washington. The department recently completed a $14.2 million readiness center for the Washing ton Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 161st Infantry Regiment, on land it owns in Horn Rapids Industrial Park.

The 40,000-square-foot readiness cen ter occupies a portion of the 40-acre prop erty and there is room to add an academy. The location would provide geographic parity for prospective cadets.

It would echo the Bremerton campus, where cadets spend the initial five-and-ahalf months living at school. Graduates continue their education with a yearlong post residential phase.

Cadets are paired with adult mentors from their hometowns to help guide them as they implement the changes they have made when they return home.

The Challenge Academy in Bremerton serves about 330 students a year. In 2019, 713 youth applied. In 2022, the figure rose to 873.

Siemandel said applications rose as the pandemic compounded the experiences of youth who were slipping through the cracks even before traditional schools shifted to remote learning.

“Now, more than ever before, the (academy) is receiving more applications than our capacity of 330 per year can serve,” he said.

The existing academy has added an admissions specialist to keep up with the volume of applications and it intends to hold an orientation in central Washing ton, which is a source of many applicants.

Cadets are admitted on a first-come, first-served basis. The program consid ers age and the specific academic and life circumstances of applicants. There is no socioeconomic requirement, though past classes have tended to draw cadets “in need of educational justice,” Siemandel said.

The Richland academy would be cou pled with a program which offers gradu ates an opportunity to continue and train for specific trades.

The academy would have classrooms, living quarters with study spaces, a din ing facility, indoor and outdoor training and recreation areas, offices, a health care center, supply spaces, conference rooms and multipurpose areas suite for assemblies, drill and ceremony competi tions, team building, field days and spe cial visitor events.

The program is not only voluntary but includes multiple layers of oversite to prevent abuse of young cadets, including regular contact between cadets and their families. The campus is open to sched

uled visitors and open houses are a regu lar feature.

It adheres to a “Hands-Off Leader ship” policy that distinguishes between appropriate and inappropriate touching. Academy staff are mandatory reporters and must report any potential issues.

The Washington Military Department and the National Guard Bureaus Youth Programs in Washington, D.C., both re ceive reports, which are investigated im mediately.

The program and curriculum are de signed to help cadets recover up to eight high school credits (about 1.3 years in a traditional school), inspire a life long love of learning, grow in job skills, phys ical fitness, health and hygiene.

The academy in Bremerton opened in 2009 and is regularly rated among the top three Challenge programs in the nation.

The next session begins Jan. 16, 2023, in Bremerton.

Go to mil.wa.gov/youth-academy.

Input sought on Kennewick affordable housing project

The public is invited to weigh in on a Kennewick Housing Authority proposal to redevelop the south 4 acres of city-owned land at 410 E. 10th Ave. for affordable housing.

A meeting is set for 6 p.m. Oct. 24 at the Eastgate Elementary cafeteria, 910 E. 10th Ave., Kennewick. Another meeting was held Oct. 12.

The proposed construction site is locat ed on the north side of East 13th Avenue between the 400 and 600 block.

The affordable housing partnership between the city of Kennewick and KHA follows a housing market study conducted in March demonstrating a 0% affordable housing vacancy rate in the greater TriCity region.

Public input will inform city officials and the KHA and be provided to the state Department of Ecology, said Emily EstesCross, the city’s economic development director.

“There’s a significant need for afford able housing due to job growth and rent increases outpacing income and public input supports equitable decision making in addressing community needs,” EstesCross said.

The city received a Healthy Housing grant from the Department of Ecology to pay for the housing study, a site rede velopment feasibility study and public outreach on the concept.

The housing marketing study and additional information is available at go2ennewick.com/Housing or from the city’s Economic Development office at business@ci.kennewick.wa.us or 509585-4450.

Written comments will also be accept ed: PO Box 6108, Kennewick, WA 99336, or email business@ci.kennewick.wa.us.

Comments received by 4:30 p.m. Oct. 24 will be published in the initial public input report.

Courtesy Washington Military Department

The Washington Military Department is considering adding a second campus for its Youth Challenge Academy in Richland. Above, students at the original youth academy in Bremerton raise their hands during class.

509-737-8778

Mailing address:

8524 W. Gage Blvd., #A1-300 Kennewick, WA 99336 tcjournal.biz.com

have been hostile to public facilities districts. Kennewick voters refused re quests from the Kennewick Public Facil ities District to upgrade the Three Rivers Convention Center three times.

In 2013, the Tri-Cities Regional Pub lic Facilities District asked voters in all three cities to support a $35 million aquatics center. The request failed, but only because “no” voters in Kennewick and Richland outnumbered “yes” voters in Pasco.

Tri-Cities and the region. As a tourist destina tion, it is expected to inspire private investment in tourism-friendly facilities, like restaurants, hotels and so forth.

Melanie Hoefer Hair

President / Founder

509-737-8778 ext. 5 melanie@tcjournal.biz

Kristina Lord Publisher

509-737-8778 ext. 3 publisher@tcjournal.biz

Wendy Culverwell

Editor

509-737-8778 ext. 6 editor@tcjournal.biz

Tiffany Lundstrom Advertising Director

509-737-8778 ext. 2 tiffany@tcjournal.biz

Advertising Account Manager

509-737-8778 ext. 1 chad@tcjournal.biz

Vanessa Guzmán

Graphic Designer

509-737-8778 ext. 4 ads@tcjournal.biz

Pasco vowed to press on and lobbied the state Legislature to add “aquatics centers” to the list of projects its own city-level on a facilities district could build.

The request went to voters in April and passed, 4,166 votes to 3,399, or 55% to 45%. Voter turnout was 22.5%.

Watkins, who left the city and his job at Hanford in 2019 to travel, returned from his global wanderings in May, ea ger to reengage in the community. The aquatics center was a natural fit. He’d supported it as mayor, going back to the 2013 vote.

“I think Pasco is going to become the swimming city,” he said.

When the facilities district pitched the aquatics center to voters this spring, it did not specify a location, though it is understood it will be sited on the fastgrowing west side since Pasco’s Memo rial Aquatic Park and its 50-meter pool are on West Shoshone Street, closer to the east side.

The Pasco School District confirms it is partnering with the city to put a re movable enclosure over Memorial Pool that could extend operations beyond the months sandwiched between Memo rial and Labor days. Anna Tensmeyer, spokeswoman for the district, said it is not part of the bond package that will ap pear before voters on the February bal lot.

Where will it go?

Watkins expects the district to finalize a location this fall. The Broadmoor area west of Road 100-Broadmoor Boulevard and an area near Road 68, where an un specified developer has proposed build ing the center with private development, are among the candidates.

The project will require six to eight acres. Wherever it lands, the center will serve not only Pasco residents but the

But first, Watkins and the board have lots of home work. The fa cilities district is preparing to take out a loan from the city to cover expenses un til sales tax revenue be gins coming in.

It must proj ect what the new revenue stream will support. It can’t sell bonds to finance construction until the state Depart ment of Commerce reviews its business plan to ensure the project is financially viable. Watkins said he’s pleased that the facilities district board is interested in the long-term cost to operate the facility.

Courtesy city of Pasco

The Pasco Public Facilities District hired former Pasco Mayor Matt Watkins to shepherd development of its $40 million voter-approved aquatics center. These 2016 drawings suggest what it could look like.

Revenue.

The district will issue bonds against that revenue stream, which also will cover operational costs.

Mark Morrissette, the chair, is an ac countant.

The board expects to hold community meetings to identify the amenities future visitors want – a lazy river, wibits (in flatable water features akin to bouncy castles that float), and more. Watkins wants to convene third-graders to share their aquatic dreams and high schoolers to help determine what is feasible.

The first phase will focus on recre ation. A later phase will add a competi tion pool.

How will it be paid for?

The $40 million budget is the current best estimate of the amount of debt the new sales tax revenue stream will sup port.

Had the tax been in effect in 2021, it would have generated $4 million for the district, based on that year’s taxable re tail sales of just over $2 billion for Pas co, according to the state Department of

Estimating future revenue is tricky and relies on several factors, from popu lation growth to economic conditions.

In the short term, sales tax revenue is being driven up by inflation and an in flux of new retailers. The shift to online shopping benefits communities such as Pasco by keeping sales taxes at home.

The facilities district finance design and construction by selling municipal bonds, which it will repay over 20 to 25 years, much the way homebuyers repay mortgages over time.

Its income looks healthy, but rising costs cloud the financial picture. Infla tion, rising interest rates and supply chain issues could affect what the dis trict can afford to build and to operate.

Challenges aside, Watkins is confi dent Pasco will get the aquatics center it voted for in 2013 and again in 2022.

“We’re going to be able to build a fa cility that can compete with anything in the Northwest,” he said.

Chad Utecht

Easterday sentenced to 11 years in federal prison

Cody Allen Easterday, 51, of Mesa, was sentenced to 11 years in federal pris on for defrauding Tyson Foods Inc. and a financial services company out of $244 million in a cattle scheme one federal at torney called out for its “brazenness.”

The so-called “ghost cattle” case involved fabricating 265,000 nonexistent cattle for whom Tyson paid Easterday to feed and raise. Federal investigators stepped in after Tyson discovered the fraud through internal audits.

At Easterday’s sentencing, Chief Judge Stanley Bastian remarked, this case involves “the biggest theft or fraud I’ve seen in my career – and the biggest I ever hope to see.” He further remarked to Easterday that “you destroyed” the very “empire you spent so much time building. It all came to a collapse because of what you have done.”

Easterday pleaded guilty in 2021 and sentencing was deferred while he worked through the bankruptcy of the vast agri culture empire founded by his grandfather. The process yielded about $65 million for the victim companies.

Easterday was ordered to pay more than $244 million restitution and will be subject to supervised release after his prison term is complete.

Easterday used most of the fraud pro ceeds to cover $200 million in losses he incurred in commodities future trading on behalf of Easterday Ranches.

The case was prosecuted by Vanessa Waldref, U.S. attorney for Eastern Wash ington.

Brian M. Donovan, the U.S. attorney who handled restitution and bankruptcy proceedings on behalf of the government, called the scheme brazen.

“The amount he stole – nearly a quarter of a billion dollars – would have funded the combined police, courts and fire department budget of Yakima, which is a city of nearly 100,000 people, for more than four years. Mr. Easterday’s greed destroyed his family’s farming empire and harmed innocent victims,” he said in a press release.

Vit plant hits milestone: turning on power to melters

Hanford’s vitrification plant turned on the power to 18 startup heaters to begin the process of bringing one of its two 300ton melters online.

The process is key to begin stabiliz ing hazardous waste, transforming it into glass logs for safe disposal.

“In the coming weeks our team will methodically ramp up the melter to its 2,100-degrees Fahrenheit operating tem perature and establish a pool of molten glass inside. The melter heatup process marks the culmination of many years of challenging work,” Bechtel National Inc., DOE’s treatment plant contractor, an nounced on social media.

Bechtel completed construction of the $17 billion Waste Treatment and Immobi lization Plant in 2021, with commission ing continuing into this year.

Vitrification is expected to begin in 2023.

L&I proposes 4.8% increase for 2023

The Washington Department of Labor & Industries has proposed a 4.8% in crease in the average price for workers’ compensation insurance in 2023.

If adopted, the increase would cost employers and workers an additional $61 a year for full-time workers.

Employers and workers pay into the workers’ compensation system to help cover the cost of providing wage and disability benefits for injured workers, as well as medical treatment of work place injuries and illnesses.

Rate hearings will be conducted via Zoom at 10 a.m. Oct. 26 and 27.

Go to lni-wa-gov.zoom. us/j/4283482697.

Tri-City Herald moves to mail delivery

The days of local carriers delivering the morning daily newspaper soon will be over in the Tri-Cities.

The Tri-City Herald, the region’s daily newspaper based in Kennewick, announced plans to deliver papers by mail starting Dec. 12.

The Herald, which prints its paper in Spokane after shuttering its own press in 2012, will drop off papers at the U.S. Postal Service’s Spokane mail distribu tion center for delivery in the Tri-Cities.

“For 95% of our customers, the weekday papers will continue to arrive on the same day that you receive them now,” said Laurie Williams, executive editor for the Herald, in a column an

nouncing the change.

The Sunday edition is scheduled to arrive in Saturday’s mail.

The Herald noted the change was necessary to provide dependable and reliable service.

Local carriers, who are independent contractors, will continue to deliver newspapers to homes until the change takes effect in December.

In announcing the change, the Herald encouraged readers to engage with its new digital eEdition, which arrives around 5 a.m. daily. It features a replica of the print edition, as well as access to dozens of pages of additional content, without the restrictions of an early print edition deadline.

OCT. 19

• Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce’s State of the Cities luncheon: 11:30-1:30 p.m., Red Lion Hotel, 2525 N. 20th Ave., Pasco. Details at web. tricityregionalchamber.com/events.

• Columbia Basin Nonprofit Association fall gathering: 4:306:30 p.m., Opportunity Kitchen, 825 Jadwin Ave., Federal Building cafeteria. Mix and mingle with staff and board members from local nonprofits.

• GSA Government-wide Category Management Fall Industry Day virtual meeting: 7-11:30 a.m. Register at washingtonptac.ecenterdirect.com/ events.

• Home Builders Association of Tri-Cities, “How ‘Bout Appetizers”: 4:30-6 p.m. The Fixture Gallery, 621 N. Kellogg St., Kennewick. RSVP by calling 509735-2745 or email heather@hbatc. com.

OCT. 20

• Columbia Industries Evening of Miracles: 5:30-9 p.m., 1101 N.

DATEBOOK

Columbia Center Blvd., Kennewick. Details at bit.ly/eom2022.

• Columbia Basin Badger Club, “Building a Healthy Community”: noon via Zoom. Register at columbiabasinbadgers.com. Cost is $5 for nonmembers.

• Passion and Persistence: How Badger Mountain Preserve was Created: 7 p.m., Richland Public Library, 955 Northgate Drive, Richland. Details at cbcartscenter. com/lectures.

OCT. 22

• Washington African American Chamber of Commerce business brunch: 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Three Rivers Convention Center, 7016 W. Grandridge Blvd., Kennewick. Free. Register: bit.ly/WAACOCBrunch.

OCT. 26

• Washington Policy Center Solution Series Breakfast: 7:308:30 a.m., CG Public House, 9221 W. Clearwater Ave., Kennewick. Register at washingtonpolicy.org/ events.

• Growing Forward Get to WinWin in Conflict seminar: 1-4 p.m.

Details at growingforwardservices. net.

OCT. 27

• 25th annual Public Power Forum: 10:30 a.m.-7 p.m., Three Rivers Convention Center, 7016 W. Grandridge Blvd., Kennewick. Register at accelevents.com/e/ public-power-forum-2022.

• CBC Power of Connection scholarship fundraiser dinner and auction: 6-9 p.m., HAPO Center, 6600 Burden Blvd., Pasco. Details at columbiabasin.edu/ powerofconnection.

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

NOV. 1

• Visit Tri-Cities annual meeting: noon-1:30 p.m., Three Rivers Convention Center, 7016 W. Grandridge Blvd., Kennewick. Register at visittri-cities.com/annualmeeting.

NOV. 8

• Lighting the Path Fundraising Breakfast: Three Rivers Convention

Center, 7016 W. Grandridge Blvd., Kennewick. Details at chaplaincyhealthcare.org.

NOV. 8-9

• AWB Energy Solutions

Summit: Three Rivers Convention Center, 7016 W. Grandridge Blvd., Kennewick. Register at awb.org/ event/energy-solutions-summit.

NOV. 10

• Dinner with Friends starring Mario Lopez, dinner and auction benefiting Boys and Girls Club of Benton and Franklin Counties: 6-9 p.m., Three Rivers Convention Center, 7016 W. Grandridge Blvd., Kennewick. Details at greatclubs. org.

NOV. 12

• Tri-Cities Cancer Center

Autumn Affair: 5:30 p.m.-midnight, HAPO Center, 6600 Burden Blvd., Pasco. For more information contact Lori Lott at 509-737-3373 or lorin. lott@providence.org.

OPINION OUR VIEW

Center Parkway extension highlights long-term thinking

By Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

Kennewick and Richland leaders gathered in the September sunshine to celebrate the start of what should have been a simple street project when they first conceived it back in 2001: connecting Center Parkway across a set of railroad tracks to link the two cities near Columbia Center mall.

It only took 22 years to sort out the legal challenges associated with the railroad tracks, but the project is finally a reality. Crews have demolished the old Mail by the Mall building that stood in its path and carved a road through a barren area behind the mall that’s surrounded by development.

To say it took perseverance to bring the project to fruition is an understatement.

But it serves as a handy reminder that even when the economy seems a bit shaky, investing in the future requires a steady, long-term vision. Connecting Gage Boulevard and Tapteal Drive made sense in 2001. It makes even more sense today.

The Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business takes its annual deep dive into all things real estate and construction in our 64-page Focus magazine, inserted into this month’s edition. We found lots of examples of long-term investing in the Tri-Cities.

Public entitles are building roads and utilities and schools. Homebuilders have slowed down, but not halted their work. The local population has grown

to 312,000 people and newcomers need places to live. Rising rents and home prices signal a chronic shortage.

Long-term thinking was on display when Amazon Inc. invested in its future in the form of two massive distribution centers in east Pasco.

Reser’s Fine Foods invested in its future in the form of a new food process ing plant in Pasco, which it dedicated in September.

Darigold Inc. is investing in its future via a $600 million state-of-the art milkprocessing plant. The Seattle dairy cooper ative broke ground in September.

Pasco voters chose to invest in their future in April, when they approved a modest sales tax increase to build a $40 million aquatics center. The project got a boost this summer when the effort hired the city’s former mayor, Matt Watkins, to shepherd it through to reality. He wants to open it by October 2024.

Local voters will get another chance to plan for the long term on Valentine’s Day, which is when the Pasco and Richland school districts will put bonds to build more high schools and other facilities on the ballots.

Setting clear goals to chart a course for the years ahead, along with the steps need ed to achieve them, will continue to serve the Tri-Cities well, as it did more than two decades ago when the idea for the Center Parkway extension first took shape.

State needs ‘all-of-the-above’ approach to energy future

For decades, Washington has reaped the benefits of forward-think ing leaders who constructed a series of hydroelectric dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers. The low-cost, carbon-free renewable elec tricity generated by the dams support ed thousands of jobs, and the irrigation made possible by the dams turned Eastern Washington’s soil into fertile farmland.

Now, the dams are under attack at a time when they’re more needed than ever. Amid calls to breach the four lower Snake River dams, a recent re view by Gov. Jay Inslee and Sen. Patty Murray found it would cost up to $31 billion to replace the various economic benefits they provide.

At the same time, natural gas also is coming under increasing attack from some lawmakers and from the governor who want to ban it, a step that would raise the cost of energy and reduce grid reliability.

All of this means that energy is quickly becoming one of the most im portant issues for Washington’s future. Where will our power come from in

the coming decades, and how much will it cost?

To begin exploring these and other energy-related questions, the Associa tion of Washington Business is hosting an Energy Solutions Summit Nov. 8-9 at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick. Register at bit.ly/Ener gySolutionsSummit.

We’ll use the summit to convene people from diverse industries to talk about ways that Washington can keep pace with energy demand while continuing to lead the country in preserving and maintaining our natural environment.

Our challenge is to retain the exist ing energy resources that have given Washington a competitive advantage for decades, while simultaneously building, innovating and inventing the energy future.

I’m confident Washingtonians can meet the challenge, just as our pre decessors – leaders like Gov. Albert D. Rosellini and U.S. Sen. Warren Magnuson – met the challenges before them when they advocated for con struction of the dams.

Speaking to a crowd in Pasco 65 years ago, Rosellini said the dams meant prosperity, jobs and food on the table. He couldn’t have been more right.

Today, we know that demand for en ergy is only going to increase. Wash ington lawmakers want to double the

Methane from landfills could be an important energy source

If you live in Spokane, you know about its waste-to-energy facility which burns up to 800 tons of solid waste a day and can generate 22 megawatts of electricity. That is enough to power 13,000 homes.

It is part of Spokane’s overall system that encourages recycling and waste reduction along with generating power.

But what about the landfills spewing greenhouse gases from rotting trash?

Earlier this year, Washington law makers approved legislation requiring large garbage dumps to capture meth ane gas thereby preventing its escape into the atmosphere.

It says owners of landfills with 450,000 tons or more of waste, or that generate methane equivalent to 3 mil lion British thermal units of heat per hour must install and operate gas col lection and control systems.

Washington has 24 landfills which store more than 450,000 tons of refuse, according to the Washington State De partment of Ecology. And it has at least

a couple dozen that are mostly closed with less than 450,000 tons. Greenhouse gases from Washington’s landfills average approximately 50% methane and 45% carbon dioxide. They account for about 3% of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to the yearly emissions from 320,000 gas-fueled cars, according to a 2021 Ecology report.

Nationally, methane accounted for 10% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2019, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

EPA figures landfills account for 17% of the nation’s emitted methane, behind fossil fuel production (30%) and livestock-related emissions from

livestock (27%).

Methane is often overshadowed by carbon dioxide in the climate debate, but it is far more potent. Because human-related methane emissions in the United States accounted for about 15% of the air pollution last year, it needs added attention.

EPA has a landfill methane outreach website. It encourages actions to con trol methane emissions from landfills.

In 2020 landfill gas emissions were equivalent to 20.3 million passenger vehicles driven for one year or the car bon dioxide emissions from nearly 11.9 million homes’ energy use for one year.

At the same time, methane emissions from municipal landfills represent a lost opportunity to capture and use a significant energy resource, EPA adds.

The Klickitat County Public Util ity District and the landfill’s owner, Republic Services, are purifying the landfill methane from the Roosevelt Regional Landfill into renewable natural gas and feeding it into Wil

liams’ Northwest Pipeline in southern Washington.

Trains from across Washington deliver 300 containers of trash and gar bage daily to the 2,500-acre site, which is 75 miles southwest of Richland, on the Washington side of the Columbia River.

Current Roosevelt methane produc tion generates 20 megawatts of electri cal power, enough for 20,000 homes. The owners hope to boost generation to 36 megawatts and power 30,000 homes.

In past landfill capping, methane was contained on site. For example, at the Midway (Kent) and Hawks Prairie (Lacey) landfills along Interstate 5, pipes were drilled into the dump, meth ane was collected and flared off.

Mother Earth News reported new technology to boost gas recovery.

“The gases can be vacuumed from underneath a landfill and cleaned, leav

Kris Johnson Association of Washington Business GUEST COLUMN

Don C. Brunell Business analyst GUEST COLUMN

West Richland residents indicted for Covid-19 fraud

Two West Richland residents have been indicted by a grand jury in U.S. District Court for Eastern Washington on charges they obtained Covid-19 relief funds by fraud in separate cases.

The defendants, Jimia Rae Cain, 52, and Andrei Stephanovich Borgheriu, 45, both pleaded innocent at arraignment hear ings in September. Both are represented by public defenders.

The indictments were announced by Vanessa Waldref, U.S. attorney for Eastern Washington, and were part of an investiga tion by the Covid-19 Strike Force.

Cain, also known as Jimia Rae Hal brook, is charged with seven counts of

fraud in connection with loans obtained through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program.

Cain is accused of using false state ments and fraudulent documents to obtain more than $330,000 in CARES Act fund ing for her purported business, Americore Construction Inc. She allegedly attempted to secure an additional $280,000 through the EIDL program, but it was denied. She faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted.

Borgheriu is charged with three counts of fraud in connection with $500,000 in EIDL funding obtained on behalf of his company, Artway Transport LLC. The indictment alleges Borgheriu claimed the money would be used for the business but only two weeks after securing the money, he wired $450,000 from his Bank of America account to Ticor Title company

for the purchase of a West Richland home for cash.

The government is seeking the for feiture of the home, 1710 Sunshine Ave. Borgheriu faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

“Covid-19 relief programs were designed to lift up our community during crisis, and due to the number of people and businesses that requested funding, some deserving small businesses were not able to obtain funding to keep their businesses in operation,” said Waldref. “We created the strike force in order to ensure that those who misused Covid-19 relief funding are held accountable and to protect the strength and safety of our vital small business community.”

Jury trials are set to begin at 9 a.m. Nov. 14 at the Richland Federal Building in both cases.

ing pure methane to fuel an engine that converts the energy into usable electric ity. With this science, waste centers are capturing and converting the gas into natural gas reducing the smell, the threat of explosion, the damage to the ozone, and the possibility of smog formation.”

Hopefully, our elected officials also will look at landfill gas as an energy source.

That means they will need to accept methane, which is the key component of liquified natural gas, as a source for heating, cooking and transportation and include it as part of our future energy portfolio.

 Don C. Brunell is a business analyst, writer and columnist. He retired as president of the Association of Washington Business, the state’s oldest and largest business organization, and now lives in Vancouver. He can be contacted at theBrunells@msn.com.

JOHNSON

From page A7

state’s manufacturing sector in 10 years. That includes doubling the number of women- and minority-owned manufac turing companies. It’s an ambitious goal that will be hard to achieve under the best of circumstances, and impossible to achieve without more power, not less.

And it’s not just the state’s goal of doubling manufacturing that will in crease the need for energy. Washington is growing in population and is expected to add 1 million new residents by 2030, and 2 million by 2040.

All of those new people will need power for their homes, and many of them will also be plugging in all their devices and their cars to the power grid as the world transitions to electric vehicles.

Some of that power will come from renewable sources like solar and wind. Some will need to continue coming from natural gas, which currently pro vides 15% of our state’s electricity and provides critical baseload power that keeps the lights on during the coldest and hottest days of the year.

A portion of the state’s future energy needs also will need to come from renewable hydropower, a power source that remains widely popular with the general public despite the calls for dam breaching. In a recent poll, 85% of Washington voters said they support the use of dams to generate electricity and the vast majority of them – nearly 70% – oppose breaching the dams on the lower Snake River.

They understand the value the dams provide for our region, just as our predecessors understood the value.

“Over 35 years ago, we planned for the future,” Magnuson said in 1975.

It’s our turn now.

 Kris Johnson is president of the Association of Washington Business, the state’s chamber of commerce and manufacturers association.

2 women in health field receive leadership awards

The Tri-City Regional Chamber honored two women in the health field with leadership awards on Sept. 22 at the Women in Business conference in Kennewick.

Avonte Jackson, Grace Clinic direc tor, received the 2022 Athena Leader ship Award.

Grace Clinic provides free medical, dental and mental health services to uninsured people in the Tri-Cities.

Rachel Fidino, an advanced practice registered nurse at Kennewick’s New U Women’s Clinic & Aesthetics, received the Athena Young Professional award.

She is the founder of the nonprofit Healing Hands Project that improves menstrual health, access to feminine hygiene products and quality of life for low-income and homeless women across the state.

The international Athena program honors female leaders who are effec tive, admirable and successful and have contributed to the development and empowerment of women.

Columbia Industries teams up with National Park Service

Tri-Citians with disabilities and other challenges will have the opportunity to participate in the National Park Ser vice’s Junior Ranger program.

Kennewick-based Columbia Indus tries is teaming with the park service to offer clients of its CI Community Center the opportunity to learn about the modern and ancient history of the Mid-Columbia.

They will learn about the Manhattan Project and visit the Reach Museum in Richland to learn about the area’s World War II and Cold War history. Too, participants will learn about the Nez Perce, Umatilla, Wanapum and Yakama tribes that have called the area home for millennia.

“Working with the National Park Service is an incredible opportunity for our clients,” said Michael Novakovich, president and CEO of Columbia Indus tries. “Seeing a National Park Service ranger in a flat hat and green and grey

suit holds a special place in the hearts and minds of adults and kids alike – the experience is sure to be a cherished memory for our clients. We are abso lutely thrilled about this partnership and what it means for the clients we serve.”

Minimum wage will be $15.74 in 2023

The Washington state minimum wage for 2023 will increase to $15.74 an hour in January, an increase of $1.25.

The 8.66% increase is tied to the Consumer Price Index.

The state minimum wage applies to workers age 16 and older.

Employers can pay 85% of the mini mum wage to workers ages 14-15. For 2023, the wage for that younger group will be $13.38 per hour.

Seattle and SeaTac both have higher wages.

For overtime exempt employees, the 2023 minimum salary for small employ er with 50 or fewer employees is 1.75 times the minimum wage or $57,293 annually. For larger employers, it is two times the minimum wage, or $65,478 per year.

Crypto investors face big losses in volatile times

The Washington State Department of Financial Institutions is warning Wash ington residents that they could face “significant” losses investing in cryp tocurrencies or cryptocurrency applica tions at a time of high market volatility.

The warning follows a similar one from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., which issued a notice over the summer alerting investors that cryp tocurrency is not covered by FDIC insurance.

“Market volatility has led to com pany instability, huge investor losses and significant regulatory actions,” said Charlie Clark, director for the state DFI, which also warned that in times of cri sis, platforms may halt trading, prevent ing consumers from accessing funds.

The agency published a primer cover ing cryptocurrency.

Go to dfi.wa.gov/consumers/virtualcurrency/primer.

Defibrillator available at Howard Amon Park

The public can access emergency medi cal equipment to treat heart attacks at all hours of the day and night at Richland’s Howard Amon Park.

Richland Fire & Emergency Services installed an Automated External Defibril lator (AED) in a Save Station Cabinet off Lee Boulevard in the park. It is the first in the community.

The AED was installed as part of the Heart Safe Richland initiative, which aims to boost the survival rate for heart attacks, which is only about 10% nationwide. AEDs empower the public to begin emer gency treatment as quickly as possible.

Learn more about Save Stations at savestation.ca.

Health district seeks 4 new board members

By Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

The Benton-Franklin Health District seeks four community members to serve on its board, a new requirement passed by the state Legislature in 2021 to create a more balanced governing body.

The deadline to apply is Oct. 31.

The existing six-member board is made up of elected county commission ers: Benton County Commissioners Will McKay (serving as vice chair), Jerome Delvin and Shon Small; and Franklin County Commissioners Rocky Mullen (serving as chair), Brad Peck and Clint Didier.

The four new non-elected board mem bers will serve with four of six elected county commissioners.

Their responsibilities will include at tending monthly meetings, advocating for public health, participating in strate gic planning with health district leader ship, and ensuring a diverse and equi table approach to policymaking.

“Public health in Benton and Franklin counties has a bright future ahead. We look forward to expanding our Board of Health to include community members passionate about serving and protecting our residents. We are looking for can didates who embrace our area, listen to

their neighbors, and desire to share their personal and professional experiences to help grow Benton-Franklin Health Dis trict’s reach. This is an exciting opportu nity for our new non-elected members as they will help guide our decision making as we shape the future of public health,” said Jason Zaccaria, BFHD’s public health administrator, in a news release.

The volunteer board positions are un paid but there is compensation for travel.

The new Board of Health makeup is a result of HB 1152, which aimed to elimi nate politics from local public health boards by requiring that they include a balance of elected officials and non

elected people who have a diversity of expertise and life experience, according to the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Marcus Ric celli, D-Spokane.

One of the four new board members will be appointed by the American In dian Health Commission.

The other three must be from one of these categories:

• Health care provider. This can in clude physicians, osteopathic physicians, physician assistants, registered nurses, pharmacists, epidemiologists, dentists, naturopaths, hospital employees, or any one with experience in environmental health. Those with master’s degrees or higher in public health or the equivalent also may apply.

• Community stakeholder. This per son may be from community-based or ganizations or nonprofits working with populations experiencing health inequi ties; business community members; or an active, reserve or retired military ser vice member.

• Consumer of public health. This may be a resident who has faced significant health inequities or has experiences with public health-related programs, includ ing WIC (Women, Infants & Children), SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assis tance Program) or NFP (Nurse-Family Partnership). People from historically marginalized and underrepresented com munities are encouraged to serve.

The appointed board members will serve two-year terms and will have vot ing power on all matters except those related to setting or modifying permits, licensing and application fees.

Board members must live in Benton or Franklin county.

Those who meet the criteria will be interviewed.

The expanded eight-person board is expected to be in place by January.

The application deadline is Oct. 31. Go to bit.ly/BFHDapp for details on how to apply.

New coffee shop aims to become the Tri-City’s new favorite

By Kristina Lord

An entrepreneurial couple and an experienced coffee shop leader plan to create the new “it” coffee chain in the Tri-Cities.

The key ingredients to make it a suc cess? An experienced staff. Quality cof fee. Locally-made breakfast foods from Tsp Bake Shop and El Fat Cat Grill. Top-notch customer service.

Swigg Coffee Bar opened at 4845 Broadmoor Blvd. in Pasco, off Road 100, after buying the former Fuel Up Café on Aug. 8. It has a walk-up win dow, drive-thru and outdoor tables.

Developers Lori and Jeff Wenner teamed up with Jerick Guilliam to launch Swigg Coffee Bar, changing the entire look of the coffee stand and de veloping a vision to replicate it around the Tri-Cities.

The new business has plans to expand to more locations in 18 months, Guil liam said.

The second Swigg location is coming in 2023 to Bombing Range Road in West Richland, across the street from Yoke’s Fresh Market. The Wenners’ $6 million development there includes three build ings.

They are excited about their partner ship with Guilliam. The three are coowners.

Earlier this year the Wenners paid $1.3 million for 2 acres between Smit

ty’s Paradise Gas and the Church of Je sus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“Our goal is to have five locations in Tri-Cities. We’re actively looking for land,” Lori said.

The West Richland coffee shop will be 1,300 square feet and will have the “feel of a smaller Starbucks” with walkin tables, a bar area to sit and a drivethru window, Lori said.

“We’re going to have a different feel than the other places,” she said.

The design work is done and construc tion may begin in February or spring.

Experienced manager

Guilliam, 36, of Pasco, is oversee ing daily operations of Swigg, tapping into his decade of experience managing Roasters, a popular local coffee chain

that sold to Black Rock Coffee in 2021.

“I’m taking what I know and making it better,” Guilliam said, noting that he’s excited to own a business of his own.

He feels the Tri-Cities has been miss ing a favorite locally-owned coffee shop.

“There are a lot of corporate and mom-and-pop shops but there’s not a local brand that the Tri-Cities can call their own,” he said.

Enter Swigg Coffee Bar and its vi sion.

“I know what the Tri-Cities likes,” he said.

Photo by Kristina Lord Jerick Guilliam stands outside Swigg Coffee Bar at 4845 Broadmoor Blvd. in Pasco, off Road 100. He, along with co-owners Lori and Jeff Wenner, plan to open more locations around the Tri-Cities in the coming year.

Photo by Kristina Lord Transient Coffee Co. of Kennewick provides Swigg’s artisan-roasted coffee.

That’s why the Wenners teamed up with him.

“He knows the coffee business,” Lori said.

“We knew Jerick over the years from his time at Roasters. This guy really hustles. … He’s amazing and great with customers,” Jeff said.

Guilliam cares about coffee craftman ship.

“We do really care. We’re investing time to train employees,” he said. The shop employs six people.

He said Swigg also cares about how its milk is steamed and the flavor-toespresso ratio.

One of Swigg’s top sellers is The Missile, a breve white mocha with ex

tra chocolate macadamia nut syrup. TriCitians love their white coffee, Guilliam said.

For those who prefer coffee flavor over sweeteners, Swigg has you cov ered.

Guilliam said he tries to limit himself to two espresso shots a day but admitted he had four that morning.

“I just like a really good espresso. It’s the purist in me I suppose,” he said.

Tasty breakfasts

Another way Swigg plans to set itself apart from other shops is its partner ship with two local small businesses: Tsp Bake Shop, a bakery specializing in French patisserie classics in West Rich land, and El Fat Cat Grill, which serves up Mexican food from a Kennewick food truck.

Swigg serves fresh scones and muf fins from Tsp Bake Shop.

El Fat Cat provides Swigg with breakfast burritos (bacon, ham or cho rizo, smoked gouda cheese and chipotle mayonnaise wrapped in a toasted flour tortilla) and sandwiches (carne asada, fried egg, colby and mozzarella cheese and chipotle mayonnaise on a toasted pub roll).

“They have a cult following. People love their freaking food,” Lori said.

“They’re pretty fricking awesome,” Guilliam agreed.

Swigg offers meal deals featuring pastries and hot food plus a signature drink.

“We’re selling as much food as we are coffee. It’s crazy,” Lori said.

Swigg Coffee Bar is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week. Its grand opening is Oct. 21 with a limited menu and drink specials.

Courtesy Lori and Jeff Wenner

A building rendering shows what the Swigg Coffee Bar on Bombing Range Boulevard in West Richland will look like. Developers Lori and Jeff Wenner said WL Architects/Kyle Lepper and Draftco Designs LLC/Melinko Kulasevic were instrumental in helping with the design and vision of the development.

Ste. Michelle wines begins exclusively local production

By Robin Wojtanik for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

As the 2022 grape harvest gets under way across the region, Chateau Ste. Mi chelle has begun wrapping up bottling for good in Woodinville.

“The facility has been dedicated to the Chateau Ste. Michelle brand, which is our flagship, and produced our white wines,” said Ryan Pennington, vice presi dent of communications for Ste. Michelle Wine Estates. “Right now, we are bottling the last of the 2021 vintage whites, and once that’s completed, all of those wines, both whites and reds, will stay in East ern Washington and be made close to the vineyards.”

The move was made for a number of reasons, including efficiency and profit ability, but Pennington said the tipping point was the environmental impact caused by taking grapes grown on the eastern side of the state and transporting them hundreds of miles for processing.

“We estimate we were burning around 75,000 gallons of diesel fuel every year for that transport, and all of that adds cost to production. But then we’re also taking all of those finished goods back over the mountains (to Eastern Washington) be cause we centrally warehouse everything there. So, it’s really twice the traffic.”

The production changes come amid a recent announcement that Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, the largest winery in the state, acquired Oregon’s A to Z Wine works in a deal orchestrated by Bank of the West, part of the BNP Paribas Group, and a large commercial lender to the wine industry.

Bank of the West also led the financing for the $1.2 billion acquisition of Ste. Mi chelle Wine Estates last year, purchased by New York based Sycamore Partners. In a news release, BNP Paribas said it act ed as exclusive financial advisor on A to

Z on the deal, working closely with Bank of the West.

Terms of the recent purchase were not disclosed but puts one of Oregon’s larg est wineries in the hands of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, with its already well-known brands based in the Columbia Valley, in cluding 14 Hands and Columbia Crest.

“The acquisition of A to Z Wineworks by Ste. Michelle Wine Estates gives us a substantial presence in Oregon and com plements our roots in the Pacific North west,” Ste. Michelle Wine Estates CEO David Dearie said in a statement.

For those wondering about the push south, Pennington said, “Washington re mains our home and the core of our busi ness, so we’re always looking for oppor tunities to grow in Washington.”

Ste. Michelle Wine Estate’s impact on Washington wine is reflected in the nam ing of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates Wash ington State University Wine Science Center, located on the campus in north

Richland.

“It remains an incredibly important asset for us and for the entire industry,” Pennington said. “We look forward to le veraging the results of their research for years to come.”

This commitment to Washington in cludes the decision to keep production within the state and will so far not result in an expansion of any facilities near where the grapes are grown.

Production at Paterson’s Canoe Ridge handles the red varietals but isn’t expect ed to absorb the whites entirely.

“We have used both our own facilities and contract facilities historically and will continue to do that,” Pennington said. “So some of the whites will be made at our facilities in Paterson, and some will be made at contract facilities in the area.”

Pennington said staff confirms the qual ity assurance for the winemaking when it comes time to assemble the blends at the variety of sites. He doesn’t see an impact

on vineyard use based on this production move, as winemakers have to project out demand by a couple years.

Keeping production closer to Eastern Washington vineyards also isn’t expected to bring an immediate impact on local jobs, Pennington said. He expects any gains to be “modest,” but may increase the security of current positions by allow ing the facilities to use their full capacity, while investing in new equipment and ef ficiencies that can increase future capac ity to produce.

As the grapes come through the door, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates is “extremely excited about the harvest that’s under way,” Pennington said. “Everyone was wringing their hands a bit earlier in the season with the cool, wet spring. But we’ve had a beautiful summer, and the weather right now is absolutely ideal for catching up on some of that time missed earlier in the season. The quality looks fantastic, and the quantity is also pretty robust, so we’re very excited about this year’s harvest.”

As all 2022 vintages start bottling east of the Cascades for the first time, Ste. Mi chelle Wine Estates is in no hurry to sell its signature Woodinville chateau and sur rounding property.

Pennington said its popular concert se ries at the venue will return next summer, and, in the meantime, “make improve ments to the property and evaluate oppor tunities as they come in.”

The Ste. Michelle Wine Estates portfo lio also includes Erath, H3, Liquid Light, Intrinsic, Rex Hill, Spring Valley Vine yard, Patz & Hall and Northstar, along with several other premium brands. The winery has partnerships with Marchesi Antinori (Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and Col Solare), Ernst Loosen (Eroica) and Michel Gassier (Tenet). It serves as the exclusive U.S. importer for Marchesi An tinori and Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte.

Courtesy Ste. Michelle Wine Estates

Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, Washington’s largest wine producer, recently acquired Oregon’s A to Z Wineworks.

Energy Summit highlights clean energy opportunities here in the Tri-Cities

By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz

The Tri-Cities is ripe to transition its economy from one focused on cleaning up the Hanford nuclear site to one focused on clean energy.

“This is the place. We’ve grown around this industry,” said Diahann Howard, exec utive director of the Port of Benton, which is part of the Washington Vertical coalition working to knit the area’s energy assets into a business cluster.

The work is not new. The port, the TriCity Development Council and other part ners established the Mid-Columbia Energy Alliance in 2009 to develop an energy-re lated industry.

State and federal legislation are driv ing resources to create the conditions that support energy innovation, from advanced nuclear and hydrogen, to solar and wind.

Today, the effort goes by the name “Washington Vertical,” and is supported with a state grant to connect communities statewide.

“We’ve been at this for 13 years. We’re almost turnkey,” said David Reeploeg, TRI DEC’s vice president for federal programs.

Clean energy advocates will converge in the Tri-Cities Nov. 8-9 for the 2022 Energy Solutions Summit, sponsored by the Asso ciation of Washington Business.

The gathering kicks off with a reception at Barnard Griffin Winery, then gets down to business with a full day of programs at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick.

The agenda includes a keynote from Robert Schuetz, CEO of Energy Northwest, sessions on permitting and infrastructure challenges and a lunch panel addressing the state of the Snake River dams.

U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, a Democrat, and U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, a Republican, will team up for a discussion on federal energy policy.

For information or to register, go to bit. ly/EnergySolutionsSummit.

The summit promises to reaffirm what Tri-Citians already know: The Mid-Colum bia is rich in energy resources, thanks to the vast investment in science, production and now cleanup since the U.S. government se lected Hanford for the Manhattan Project in 1942.

“Our future is based on our past,” said

Karl Dye, president and CEO of TRIDEC.

A partial list of assets includes the Pa cific Northwest National Laboratory and its many spinoffs, Energy Northwest’s 1,200-megawatt nuclear plant north of Richland, the Columbia-Snake hydroelec tric system, wind and solar farms, Wash ington State University’s Tri-Cities campus, Columbia Basin College, a workforce that knows how to build and operate sophisticat ed energy facilities and thousands of acres of former DOE land available for large fa cilities.

Knitting it together and shoring up gaps is the challenge. Washington Vertical is building on the work started in 2009.

Connecting the pieces is one of the roles Dave McCormack sees for the Clean En ergy Supplier Alliance, which he leads. It is

building on the Hanford vendor system to ensure the infrastructure is in place to sup ply the needs of future industry.

“As a longtime member of the communi ty, I get pride and joy in how the community is defining the Hanford legacy into a clean energy future,” he said.

WSU Tri-Cities is committed as well, said Sandra Haynes, chancellor for the branch campus. The school has a research lab focused on biofuels and received a $500,000 gift from the late Bob Ferguson, who held leadership positions in DOE and at Energy Northwest, to support its Energy Futures Institute.

Haynes said the community can not only thrive as a center for clean energy but do it in a way that benefits local residents. En ergy equity should be a priority, she said.

Land is the port’s most significant asset when it comes to enticing energy compa nies.

In 2015, the U.S. Department of Energy transferred 1,641 acres in north Richland to TRIDEC, which in turn transferred 1,341 acres to the port and the city of Richland. Energy Northwest has 300 acres and is working with a solar developer for the site.

Howard said the port has three to four companies that are actively interested in the large sites on offer – 150 acres and up. An additional 1,000 acres to the south could be transferred as well.

“We have the potential to be the largest clean energy park in the nation,” Howard said.

The Association of Washington Business holds its 2022 Energy Solutions Summit Nov. 8-9 at Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick.

Utah tourism exec tapped to lead Visit Tri-Cities

By Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

Visit Tri-Cities has hired Kevin Lew is, a tourism and marketing executive from St. George, Utah, as its president and CEO.

He succeeds Michael Novakovich, who left in July to lead Columbia In dustries, a Kennewick nonprofit serving people with disabilities and other barri ers to success.

Lewis joins the region’s tourism bu reau from the Greater Zion Convention & Tourism Office in St. George, Utah, where he has been director of tourism since 2018. He is a Salt Lake City na

Kevin Lewis

tive who studied broadcast jour nalism and Eng lish at Southern Utah University, graduating in 1987.

His first day with Visit TriCities will be Nov. 28.

The Visit Tri-Cities board employed Winner Partners to conduct a nationwide search for its next leader.

“With his proven leadership, experi ence and dedication to the growth and

success of our members, partners, and the destination, (Lewis) will be a re markable asset to our community,” said Corey Pearson, chairperson of the board.

At the Zion bureau, Lewis was cred ited with being a key player in attracting iconic events, including multiple edi tions of the Ironman Triathlon, includ ing the 2021 and 2022 70.3 Ironman World Championships.

He pledged to support the growth of the Tri-Cities tourism industry.

“I’m convinced that we are always better when we are growing,” he said in a press release announcing his selection. “I can’t wait to combine our comple

mentary strengths and use our talents to collectively celebrate what is right in Tri-Cities.”

Tourism is an important piece of the Tri-Cities economy.

Visit Tri-Cities calculates visitors spent $490 million in 2021, up 42% from 2020 but still well short of the 2019 pre-pandemic record. In 2020, vis itor spending fell by 30% as Covid-19 shutdowns severely curtailed travel, din ing and other recreational activities.

It was on the rebound in 2021 and by mid-2022 was tracking to return to its pre-Covid levels. Tourism supported 4,739 local jobs in 2021 and generated $51.2 million in local and state sales taxes.

Visit Tri-Cities holds its annual meet ing from noon-1:30 p.m. Nov. 1 at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Ken newick.

Tickets are $25 and may be purchased at bit.ly/VTCAnnualLuncheon.

African American Chamber plans brunch in Kennewick

The Washington African American Chamber of Commerce Tri-Cities branch hosts a brunch from 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Oct. 22 at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick.

The program features breakout ses sions focused on wealth management, business ownership and real estate.

The chamber serves people of color and provides access to education, techni cal assistance, advocacy and economic development, including access to grants and capital.

The event is free. Register at bit.ly/ WAACOCBrunch.

PocketiNet sold to LS Networks

Portland-based LS Networks has reached a deal to acquire PocketiNet Communications Inc., which provides in ternet, phone and Wi-Fi services in Pasco and a string of other communities in Eastern Washington and eastern Oregon.

Terms were not disclosed.

LS Networks said the PocketiNet plat form and team will contribute to work to extend its business across the Pacific Northwest.

As part of the announcement, Pock etiNet said it would expand its fiberto-the-home services in its existing communities of Walla Walla, College Place, Yakima, Milton-Freewater and Waitsburg, as well as Pasco, Sunnyside, Grandview, Prosser, Toppenish, Wapato and Zillah.

The initial investment will reach over 32,000 homes in Yakima, Benton, and Walla Walla counties.

The transaction is expected to close during the second half of 2023, subject to regulatory approvals and closing condi tions.

Go to pocketinet.com.

uBUSINESS BRIEFS

AWB hits the road to promote manufacturing

By Tri-Cities Area Journal

The Association of Washington Busi ness toured several local manufacturing and research centers during its sixth-annual Manufacturing Week bus tour, which vis ited 30 businesses Oct. 6-13.

The Mid-Columbia leg included stops at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland and Columbia Label in Benton City.

Manufacturing week highlights the im portance of manufacturing to Washington state and draws attention to the state goal of doubling the payroll over 10 years. Manu facturing employs 265,000 in Washington, according to AWB.

“If we’re going to double manufacturing in Washington, we must invest in our young people to ensure we have a trained and edu cated workforce to fill the new positions,” said Kris Johnson, AWB president.

At PNNL, AWB met with scientist Scott Whalen for an update on its metal extru sion process. AWB honored the technology during its 2021 Green Awards, recognizing PNNL’s work to develop Shear Assisted Processing and Extrusion (ShAPE), a new technology for processing aluminum and other metal alloys and composites that al lows for greatly reduced energy consump tion and fewer greenhouse gases

PNNL employs 5,300. According to AWB, 14 companies with roots at PNNL formed in the past decade and are still in business with $24.6 million in revenue and more than 110 employees.

Columbia Label began in Seattle in 2000 and moved to Benton City in 2008. It is the only wine label printer on the West Coast with three new HP indigo digital presses It is also the only wine label printer with an all-woman management team.

Scott Whalen, a chief scientist at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, shows off the metal extrusion process developed at the Richland laboratory during an Oct. 11 visit by the Association of Washington Business Manufacturing Tour.

The Association of Washington Business stopped at Columbia Label in Benton City on Oct. 11 as part of its 2022 Manufacturing Week bus tour. U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse and state Rep. Matt Boehnke, fifth and fourth from right, respectively, joined the tour in Benton City. Katii Deaton, an owner of Columbia Label, kneels in the front.

Workers at Columbia Label in Benton City inspect wine labels produced at its plant. The business, which moved to Benton City from Seattle in 2008, showed off its production facilities on Oct. 11, when the Association of Washington Business stopped by during its 2022 Manufacturing Week Bus Tour.

ROSENTHAL

Photos by Brian Mittge / AWB

TAXES

Benton, Franklin counties post strong taxable retail sales gains

By Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

Taxable retail sales posted strong gains in the first quarter of 2022, including in Benton, Franklin and Walla Walla coun ties.

Retail sales rose 5.5% in Benton Coun ty, 37% in Franklin and 9.3% in Walla Walla, according to the most recent fig ures released by the Washington Depart ment of Revenue. Statewide, taxable re tail sales rose an average of 10.75%, to $50.9 billion.

The increase followed strong gains over the same period in 2021. Local in creases were driven up in part by abun dant construction in the region, which is subject to sales taxes.

Pasco recorded a 43.6% increase, fu eled in part by the construction of two massive distribution centers for Amazon Inc., a new processing plant for Reser’s Fine Foods and other development.

Kennewick retained its position as the area’s top retail destination, with $645.6 million in taxable sales, ahead of No. 2 Pasco at nearly $610 million.

Taxable retail sales form the basis for sales taxes, which are a significant source of revenue for state and local government. Retail sales and use taxes represent 51% of the state budget.

Local government typically adds its own tax to the 6.5% state rate.

Retail trade, a subset of all taxable re tail sales in the state, also increased by 5% to $22 billion. Retail trade includes sales of items such as clothing, furniture and automobiles, but excludes other indus tries, such as services and construction.

Taxable retail sales

County/City First quarter 2022 Percent Change

Benton County $1.3 billion +5.5%

Benton City $15.5 million +24%

Kennewick $645.6 million +5.6%

Prosser $60.6 million +7.4%

Richland $429 million +9.8%

West Richland $53.8 million -4.7%

Franklin County $680 million +37%

Connell $8.9 million -10.4%

Pasco $609.6 million +43.6%

Source: State Department of Revenue

creased 7.6% to $4.1 billion.

• Apparel and accessories sales rose 11% to $1.1 billion.

Several sectors struggled in the first quarter of 2022:

• Taxable retail sales at department stores dipped -19.4% bringing in $187.4 million.

• General merchandise sales decreased -1.3% to $2.86 billion.

Here’s a look at retail sales tax rates elsewhere in the Mid-Columbia:

• Unincorporated Benton County, $114 million, (-7.5%)

• Benton City, $15.4 million, +24%

• Unincorporated Franklin County, $57 million, (-1.3%)

• Kahlotus, $354,100 (-12.5%)

• Mesa, $4 million, +1.4%

• Walla Walla County, $341 million, +9.3%

• Unincorporated Walla Walla County, $80.8 million, +4.2%

Taxable retail sales are transactions subject to the retail sales tax, including sales by retailers, the construction indus try, manufacturing and other sectors.

These figures are part of a quarterly re port recently released by the Washington State Department of Revenue, the most up-to-date data available. The taxable re tail sales figures compare the same quar ter year-to-year to equalize any seasonal effects that would influence consumer and business spending.

Some statewide highlights of firstquarter 2022 (January-March) taxable retail sales and retail trade sales include:

• Construction rose 8.0% to $10.1 bil lion.

• Taxable retail sales reported by new and used auto dealers increased 6.4% to $4.2 billion.

• Sales of building materials, garden equipment and supplies increased 4.1% to $2.3 billion.

• Miscellaneous retailers’ sales in

• College Place, $49.8 million, +3.4%

• City of Walla Walla, $206.6 million, +13.5%

• City of Yakima, $583.5 million, +3.8%

• Yakima County, $1.2 billion, +6.4%

Only 1-year term required

Will my taxes go up or down in retirement?

Will my taxes go up or down in retire ment?

Sneaky sneaky, asking such a loaded question, when everyone knows the answer is, “it depends.” But it’s a very interesting question to ponder, so let’s take a look at some key issues that could impact the answer.

The answer centers on one thing: income.

If you expect to have more income in retirement, your taxes may go up.

If you expect to have less or no tax able income in retirement, your taxes may go down.

Income is complex. There are several kinds of income, each taxed uniquely.

Ordinary, capital gain (short and long term) or tax-exempt. Then there’s ad justed gross income (AGI) and modified adjusted gross income (MAGI), which is some mystical calculation seemingly only software can compute for eligibility of credits, deductions or other.

In a previous column, I wrote that it is good to talk to a tax pro because what normal person really understands taxes? It can be complicated.

How much income will you have? And what kind of income is it?

Once you retire, you will have some control over how much and what kind of income you might have in any given year, even if you are one of the “lucky” employees at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory or some Hanford companies

Angie FurubottenLaRosee Avea Financial Planning LLC

GUEST COLUMN

which still have pensions.

A pension (taxed as ordi nary income) doesn’t have to start right when you stop work ing, contrary to common belief and practice.

Delaying the start of a pension by one or more years (Social

Security benefits fall under this theory as well) allows you to create what I call a low- or no-income year, which opens a window of opportunity for realizing income in a controlled manner, and also controlling, and dare I say minimizing, your tax bill now and possibly in the future.

These opportunities include doing Roth conversions and donating to charity or a donor advised fund to offset some of the tax bill. Or selling off some of your big winners, realizing capital gains, then rebalancing, possibly being offset by some past losses. Or even just taking a taxable distribution from a Traditional IRA/401(k), minimizing the size of your IRA and future required minimum distri bution, or RMDs.

Why would I want to do these things?

This is the game you are trying to

play. Pay taxes in the year it makes the most sense for you. There are many rea sons you might want to realize income and pay taxes now versus later or vice versa.

Why pay now?

• I’m in what I think is a lower tax bracket now (a low-income year) and will have higher income later.

• I think tax rates in general are going to go up. We have to pay off that national debt somehow.

• I want to pay taxes now and leave tax-free money to my heirs.

• I want to diversify the types of ac counts I have (pre-, post- and tax-free) to have more flexibility in creating my retirement income.

• I want to pay a higher rate now on a smaller amount so that I might avoid paying even a low tax rate on a much bigger amount.

• I’m concerned that my higher future taxable income will increase my Medi care premiums (Medicare income-related monthly adjustment amount, or IRMAA, surcharge) or the taxable portion of So cial Security, especially when one of us dies, and we start filing as single.

Why pay later?

• I expect to be in a lower tax bracket.

• I want to keep 100% of my money invested now instead of paying it out in taxes.

• I have no heirs. Or, I’ll leave appre ciated assets to my heirs, who get a step

up in basis.

• I will likely donate much of my appreciated wealth to charity by gifting assets or making qualified charitable donations (QCD) thus paying no taxes.

• Because this is my life, my goals, and my decision!

By the time you turn 70, you will have started receiving Social Security, and at 72, receive and pay tax on RMDs from retirement accounts. Both are taxable events and worth planning for.

Current vs. future tax law

The decisions we make today are made with an unclear image of the tax future. Uncle Sam is privy to making quick and impactful decisions that can make future tax projecting and planning tricky. Sometimes it makes more sense to make decisions based on the current law instead of what we think may happen in the future.

That is a big benefit of having a diver sified tax plan: no matter what happens, you have options.

Saving on taxes

Oftentimes the focus of tax plan ning is on saving taxes. I’d argue that the focus should be on making the best tax decisions for your situation and your short- and long-term goals.

Sometimes you have to just take a leap, commit and pay tax at the rate that seems the best option at that time unless

CHRIS

Number of employees you oversee: 18

Brief background of your business:

Soon after moving to the Tri-Cities in 2006, I started a small, home-based tax preparation company in addition to my full-time job. In 2012, I quit my day job and transitioned my company to a full-time CPA firm. In 2014, I partnered with Walter Kinney and the CPA firm was renamed PorterKinney.

How did you land your current role?

How long have you been in it?

I have been an owner of my company since 2012. I currently split ownership 50-50 with Walter Kinney.

Why should the Tri-Cities care about the accounting industry?

The accounting industry provides needed support and guidance to thou sands of small businesses in our local area. Without the help of competent CPAs, our local economy would struggle.

What led you to this type of work?

The desire to assist others to achieve their financial and professional goals.

What led you to create your own business?

I have wanted to start my own busi ness since I was about 11, when I started “Cron Lawn Care” with a friend (we lasted about two months and had about $50 in gross sales). I have always been fascinated with the strategic thinking and creativity required by entrepreneur ship.

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

Optimism. In the challenging times in which we live, it is vital to see the good in every situation and the potential in every person.

What is the biggest challenge facing business leaders today?

The shortage of qualified workers. In most industries, businesses will need to have competitive compensation, a positive culture and opportunities for advancement if they are going to retain talented team members.

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

I would magically have 100,000 more

qualified tax CPAs appear because we can certainly use them in this country.

How do you manage the tax season workload?

At PorterKinney, tax seasons are manageable. We work between 50 to 60 hours per week for 11 weeks. We have a lot of strategies in place that enable the busy season to be less crazy than a lot of other accounting firms.

What is the most common mistake you see when it comes to tax strategies?

Starting a business without a CPA. So many people get used to doing taxes (and just about everything) themselves that they don’t realize how complicated running a business can be.

I have seen business owners pay thousands in penalties and unnecessary taxes because they tried to do every thing themselves.

The most successful business owners I know are not do-it-yourselfers, espe cially when it comes to taxes.

What is the biggest change in taxes in 2022?

Frankly, some of the most important tax changes for business owners were enacted in 2020 and 2021.

For example, if any business owner reading this has still not heard of the employee retention credit, they need to contact their CPA immediately.

For those who qualify, this credit can be substantial and there is still time to claim the credit for 2020 and 2021 on amended payroll tax returns.

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

Be kind. If you praise those you lead, you will generally get much better results than if you criticize them. People will enjoy their work and even work harder if their efforts are noticed and recognized.

Who are your role models or mentors?

My parents! They are both educated, well-read, articulate, hard-working, informed, and, most importantly, they both have high standards of morality and ethics.

When my dad passed away in 2016, my parents had been married for almost

40 years and had the best relationship. What an ac complishment!

How do you keep your employees (or team members) motivated?

We have bonuses based on company growth, which we are all account able for. From the person who answers the phone to the team members who service the client, we all take ownership of client retention and new client acquisition.

We also take time to improve our company culture with birthday parties, company lunches and company retreats.

How do you measure success in your workplace?

We have several key performance indicators in place including client satisfaction (as measured by a survey), project turnaround time, average bill able hour and annual billings.

Obviously, there are nonmonetary success measures as well, including an individual’s contribution to our com pany’s positive culture.

What do you consider your leadership style to be?

I have a high level of trust in our team members.

Accordingly, I don’t micromanage. If you hire the right people and have welldefined procedures in place, microman aging becomes completely unnecessary.

You can delegate with a high degree of confidence that the job will get done correctly.

How do you balance work and family life?

By simply putting family first. I at tend almost all my children’s activities because I schedule them on my calendar (and don’t allow any client meetings during that time).

My goal is to work no more than 2,100 hours/year and I will be below that amount for 2022!

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

Spending time with my wife and four children. We enjoy going on walks, watching movies, playing basketball,

playing tennis, going on vacations, swimming etc.

What’s your best time management strategy?

I love what Stephen R. Covey recom mends on this: take time to schedule activities that are very important but perhaps not very urgent on your calen dar each week. Without doing that, the urgent–sometimes unimportant–day-today craziness will take over.

Best tip to relieve stress?

Have times during each day when you completely disconnect from email, text and phone messages.

What’s your favorite book?

For a favorite business book, it’s a tough call between, “Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t,” by Jim Collins, and “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” by Stephen Covey.

For religious inspiration, I’ll take the Bible and Book of Mormon.

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

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistica tion.”

This quote has been attributed to Leonardo Da Vinci and has been so helpful as we make business decisions. Some of the most profitable businesses I know have very simple business models.

Some of the most complicated busi ness problems actually have simple, straightforward solutions; we simply need to be looking for them.

Chris Porter

TARGET ZERO CELEBRATE RESPONSIBLY

You can MAKE A DIFFERENCE in our community this fall season by committing to ALWAYS PLAN AHEAD.

In WA it is our goal to have ZERO people in your household be involved in a serious or fatal crash.

CELEBRATE RESPONSIBLY, whether you are hosting, driving or riding.

• Before celebrating plan a safe and sober ride home.

• Don’t let someone get behind the wheel if they have been using alcohol, cannabis or other drugs.

• If you are hosting, make sure to remind your guests to have a sober ride home or offer space for them to stay.

• Offer to be a designated driver.

• If you see an impaired driver, call 911.

• Always wear your seat belt, it is your best defense against impaired drivers.

• Provide a safe environment for youth to thrive substance free.

• Keep a close eye out for pedestrians.

Most adults in WA do not drive under the influence, yet over 50% of all WA fatal crashes are due to driving under the influence.

THANK YOU for keeping our community safe this year and every year by celebrating responsibly. Remember WA State’s goal is TARGET ZERO.

Deadline coming for Benton, Franklin property taxes

Oct. 31 is the deadline for property owners to pay the second half of their property tax bill.

In Benton County, property owners can pay online by electronic check, credit cards or Visa debit cards. Transaction fees are charged.

Avoid the fees by leaving payments in drop boxes or by mailing checks to: Benton County Treasurer, Tax Processing Center, 7122 W. Okanogan Place, #E110, Kennewick, WA 99336.

Go to bentoncountytax.com/tax-pay ments.

Franklin County property owners also may pay online by credit card, Visa debit card or electronic check, with fees at tached.

Avoid fees by leaving payments in the drop box at the Franklin County Courthouse, or sending by mail, Franklin County Treasurer, 1016 N. Fourth Ave., Pasco, WA 99301.

Go to franklincountywa.gov/433/Pay ment-Options.

IRS reports surge in texting scams

The Internal Revenue Service reports an increase in IRS-themed texting scams that aim to steal personal and financial information.

Scammers target mobile phone users with texts that appear to come from the IRS. The texts typically offer Covid-19 relief, tax credits or help setting up an IRS account. Scams should be reported to

RETIREMENT TAXES, From page A24

you happen to have a crystal ball and can see into the future.

Right now, we sort of have a way to look into the future. We know that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will cause tax breaks to expire at the end of 2025. Unless Congress steps in and extends or modifies the law, for some, taxes will go up.

Taxes aren’t everything

Taxes certainly come into play when making financial and retirement deci sions but need not be the only or even the key deciding factor.

The main thing is to pay attention to opportunities throughout life that may

phishing@irs.gov.

Individuals who believe they have been victims of a tax-related scam can find resources at the Identify Theft Central page at IRS.gov.

Tax extension deadline is fast approaching

Taxpayers who requested an extension to file their 2021 tax return must do so by Oct. 17.

Though this is the last day for most people to file a Form 1040 to avoid the late filing penalty, those who still need to file should do so as soon as possible, the IRS said.

Some taxpayers may have additional time.

They include:

• Members of the military and others serving in a combat zone. They typically have 180 days after they leave the combat zone to file returns and pay any taxes due.

• The IRS calls special attention to people hit by recent national disasters, including Hurricane Ian. Taxpayers with an IRS address of record in areas covered by Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster declarations in Missouri, Ken tucky, the island of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands and members of the Tribal Nation of the Salt River Pima Maricopa In dian Community have until Nov. 15 to file various individual and business tax returns.

Taxpayers in Florida, Puerto Rico, North Carolina, South Carolina, parts of Alaska and Hinds County, Mississippi, have until Feb. 15, 2023.

This list is updated regularly. Go to the disaster relief page on IRS.gov for the lat est updates.

impact taxation, be mindful of employersponsored tax-preferential programs and plan your tax strategy for the long-term just like you do with your investment strategy.

Making tax-smart decisions all along will ensure a great outcome while you are working as well as in retirement. And, you might even save on taxes.

Angie Furubotten-LaRosee is a certified financial planner, speaker, podcaster and founder of Avea Financial Planning LLC, a Richland firm offering fiduciary financial advice and investment management for a flat fee, specializing in retiring folks, especially from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

Steps to take to avoid paying the death tax

As Benjamin Franklin once said, “In this world nothing can be said to be cer tain, except death and taxes.”

Taxes come in a wide variety of flavors – income taxes, property taxes, sales taxes and gift taxes.

But, perhaps one of the most misun derstood taxes is colloquially called the “death tax” – more appropriately called the “estate tax.”

Critics call out the inherent unfairness of a tax that appears to tax assets that have already been taxed at least once before. The tax is conceptually dense and com plicated by the fact that there’s a federal estate tax and many states, including Washington, impose a separate state estate tax that can operate independent from the federal estate tax.

Let’s break it down.

Most won’t pay it

Most people will pay zero estate tax. You read that right. For the vast majority of Americans, the estate tax will simply not apply to the estate.

Why?

The federal estate tax is not imposed until estates become very large – more than $24,120,000 for a married couple in 2022. Only a very small slice of the population of the United States has that kind of wealth.

However, the state of Washington imposes an estate tax on estates valued at over $2,193,000 for 2022.

This threshold will subject many more

estates to the state estate tax than its federal counterpart.

But with the median net worth for American families at around $121,700 (Fed eral Reserve’s 2019 Survey of Consumer Finances – the most recent data available), clearly most American families will not reach the threshold for either the state estate tax or the federal estate tax.

If you and your spouse are potentially subject to the estate tax, one of the first ways to mitigate the effects of the tax is with a type of trust commonly referred to as a credit shelter trust.

Credit shelter trust

Let’s assume you and your spouse have a gross estate of $4 million.

trust for the things she needs.

Notably, she does not own the assets of the trust so even though she benefits from the assets of the trust, she will not then get taxed as if she owned the trust.

This kind of trust is relatively simple to add to your will.

Beau Ruff Cornerstone Wealth Strategies GUEST COLUMN

Our concern then is the $2.193 million Washington estate tax. Because Wash ington is a community property state, it is probably safe in many marriages to assume that one half of the $4 million is owned by each spouse or $2 million apiece.

In legal jargon, you’d have a will with a testamentary credit shelter trust (the “credit shelter” terminology referring to the credit amount of $2,193,000 per person in Washington which otherwise evaporates if all assets are instead trans ferred to the surviving spouse outright.).

What is my estate?

Remember that your estate includes everything you own. Everything.

Real estate and personal property and cash and investments.

Notably, your estate also includes any life insurance death benefit you may have. Life insurance is generally not subject to income tax, but it is part of your estate for the calculation of the estate tax.

That fact alone causes many more families to have taxable estates.

Estates over $2.1 million

If you calculate that your estate with your spouse is valued at over the above number, what is the tax? The tax is 10% of the first million dollars above $2,193,000.

Individually, each is under the thresh old for the Washington estate tax. But, if one spouse dies – let’s say the husband for purposes of this example – and leaves ev erything to the wife, then the wife’s estate is large enough to be taxable.

This means that the estate tax will not apply to the husband’s estate, but it is setting up the wife with a tax when she leaves assets to the kids.

So, one common solution is simply to not give the assets to the wife.

Who then does the husband give the assets to?

Enter the credit shelter trust.

The first to die can instead give his or her $2 million (or up to $2,193,000) to a credit shelter trust for the benefit of the surviving spouse.

The wife gets to have all income off the trust and can dip into the principal of the

By incorporating a trust like this, a married couple can now effectively transfer double the $2.193 million to their children. That means that almost $4.4 mil lion can pass free of any estate tax.

Of course, there is no singular solution to any type of planning – including estate tax planning. But the concept outlined above is a common solution employed by estate planning practitioners to mitigate the effects of the estate tax.

As always, consult your tax and legal professionals for customized planning specific to your situation.

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.

The pandemic threw the greater TriCities a series of curve balls. Consider known deaths in 2020 due to Covid-19: 217 residents. As Benton-Franklin Trends data shows, this amounted to 9.4% of all deaths in the two counties that year. The rate, unfortunately, was nearly twice as high as that of Washington state.

Another hard pitch was the dispropor tionate impact on Hispanic/Latino employ ment during the pandemic, a point covered in a prior column. Yet another was the stark decline in performance by area public school students on the Smarter Balanced Assessments, the focus of September’s column.

But the greater Tri-Cities managed to achieve a major hit on a key economic measure: median household income.

In estimates just released by the American Community Survey (ACS) and posted on the Trends website, annual median household income (MHI) rose to $78,619 in 2021. This represents a leap of nearly $10,000 from 2019. (Census did not publish estimates for the ACS in 2020, due to poor response rates.) This represented a 14% increase over 2019.

As the graph shows, this very large jump accelerated the departure of area MHI from that of the U.S. Nationally, annual median household income in 2021 was estimated at nearly $70,000, or a 6% increase over 2019. While the local MHI estimate still lies below that of Washington, at a little over $84,000, its 14% increase over 2019 doubled the growth rate in the nation’s MHI.

Most economists prefer median house hold income to per capita personal income as the better estimate of the “middle.” The latter is an average, and income distribution in the U.S. is not symmetric, that is, skewed toward the upper end. So median and aver age will not match, with the average much higher.

Furthermore, the unit of measure, house hold, is a fairer representation of how most people live. It accounts for all those who live under one roof. A household may con sist of a single person, but includes nuclear families, extended families and non-related people living at the same address. In most cases, individual incomes will contribute to a common household income.

The downside to MHI rests on its origins as an estimate. Per capita personal income is derived from federal administrative records and consequently doesn’t have margins of error, as all estimates do. But with large enough samples, the margin of error of median household income for the population of the greater Tri-Cities is relatively small.

Summary measures, whether median or average, conceal the results of subpopulations.

Group differences may be geographic, such as neighborhoods or zip codes. They may be gender-based. Or, they may be based on race and ethnicity. The ACS esti mates offer all these breakdowns. For this column, let’s consider the last criterion.

In a word, income is hardly distributed evenly by race and ethnicity. This statement probably surprises no one. But the local differences may surprise.

Consider the largest component of

people of color in the two counties: Latino/Hispanics. Its estimated 2021 median house hold income of $60,000 repre sented 78% of the overall MHI.

While that per centage may be disappointing to many, it is worth noting that local MHI of Latino/ Hispanics was estimated to be slightly higher than its U.S. counterpart. And over the past five years (since 2016), this large population in the two counties achieved an income gain of 39%, significantly greater than the overall rate of MHI of 29% here.

D. Patrick Jones Eastern Washington University

Incomes for the second-largest racial or ethnic group, Asian-Americans, lie, by contrast, considerably above the overall median.

Census estimated the 2021 value at about $94,500, a premium of 20% to overall MHI in the two counties. The gains of this group since 2016 have been the highest of all in the two counties, including non-Hispanic whites. Their MHI climbed 44%. Despite this large jump, household income here for Asian-Americans still lies below about $6,000 below the U.S. median for this group.

While small, at 2.5% of the population in 2021, Blacks occupy an income position

nearly the same as Latino/Hispanics. Their estimated MHI was $61,124, or 78% of the overall rate. Unlike Hispanics, however, the gain of this group over the past five years, at 20%, has been less than the overall rate of 29%.

Space doesn’t allow for further explora tion into other, smaller groups. Generally, however, other people of color reported incomes less than the overall median. And their growth rates since 2016 lie below the overall rate of 29%.

Celebrate the unprecedented income gain in 2021 in the greater Tri-Cities? Yes. But there is ample room for improvement

in the economic lot of people of color. In a perfect world, one in which all groups had equal access to opportunities, especially education, differences in median income values would be minor. But that world hasn’t arrived yet.

D. Patrick Jones is the executive director for Eastern Washington University’s Institute for Public Policy & Economic Analysis. Benton-Franklin 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.

objected in a series of court challenges – during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 28.

“I’ve been working on this for a while,” he said. “One of the things the city brings to this project is stubborn ness.”

The most visible sign of construction occurred in September, when Premier, the contractor, demolished the build ing that was the longtime home of Mail by the Mall and a warehouse business.

Richland purchased the site. Mail by the Mall moved to leased space at 1360 N. Louisiana St., Suite A, near Olive Gar den, in June.

With the building out of the way, Pre mier’s excavators moved in to carve a road across the former no-man’s land. Previously, Center Parkway deadend ed on the Kennewick side at Mail by the Mall and on the Richland side at a Holiday Inn. Tapteal Drive is home to Kohl’s, furniture stores, hotels and a fu ture Carmax but access is awkward.

The city sees an opportunity to acti

vate 33 acres and spark private invest ment that could deposit 900 jobs in the neighborhood.

The extension is actually straightfor ward.

That’s how it looked in 2001, when the two cities saw the need to connect the area divided by the railroad tracks behind Columbia Center.

Kennewick took the lead to start, then handed it off to Richland.

The Transportation Improvement Board, a state agency that doles out gas tax money for road improvement projects, approved money for the proj ect years ago, said Ashley Probart, executive director. He recalled it as a simple undertaking – a simple “punch through.”

Probart said TIB projects typically move quickly from funding to comple tion. But Center Parkway stayed on the to-do list while the promoters battled the Tri-City Railroad, which objected to the road crossing the tracks it leased from the port. TIB funded 11 dozen oth er projects for Richland and saw them to fruition.

“It’s overdue and it’s time to get it done,” Probart said. As an aside, Pro bart said TIB requires regular updates for projects on its list. Rogalsky gave about 60 of them, he estimated.

Tri-City Railroad’s legal saga ended

this year when the port evicted it over lack of maintenance after winning a lawsuit in Benton County Superior Court.

Kennewick Mayor Bill McKay la mented the long delay.

“That is what frustrates me about government, that it takes that long to complete a project,” he said at the rib bon cutting ceremony.

In addition to TIB gas tax money, Center Parkway is being funded by the Benton County Rural Capital Fund, which invests an 0.09% sales tax rebate from the state into projects that benefit local communities. The fund committed $2.8 million to the project.

The delay gave officials a chance to redesign it after a regional assessment concluded bikes and pedestrians were underserved in the area.

It was redesigned to be friendlier to both and will eventually connect to a pedestrian and bicycle bridge that will cross Highway 240 near Columbia Cen ter Boulevard, further connecting the area to Columbia Park to the north.

The final design features a three-lane roadway with bike lanes, curbs, gutters and sidewalks on both sides. The rail road crossing will be signalized with crossing gates.

CENTER

Photo by Kristina Lord

Premier Excavation works to connect the two sides of Center Parkway behind Columbia Center mall at the Richland-Kennewick border.

Courtesy Mail by the Mall

An excavator tears down the Mail by the Mall building at 8220 W. Gage Blvd. Mail by the Mall relocated to 1360 N. Louisiana St., Suite A, in Kennewick.

If you have watched the news lately, you may have noticed that saving and paying for college tuition is a stressful part of the American experience.

Since the jury is still out on whether leveraging the public debt to pay for pri vate fragility (2008 banks, auto compa nies, airlines, and student loans) will join baseball as America’s favorite pastime, it pays dividends to review the available college savings vehicles and how they fit into your financial plan.

529 plans

When discussing 529 plans, it is important to distinguish between prepaid and savings plans.

A 529 prepaid tuition plan, such as Washington’s GET (Guaranteed Educa tion Tuition) program, allows you to buy future tuition “units” at current tuition prices.

As a theoretical example, let’s say a single class is worth five units and the cost is $1,000 today for those units.

In 10 years, your child or grandchild goes to Washington State University and a five-unit class costs $2,000 due to ris ing tuition. With a 529 prepaid plan, that doesn’t matter because the class is mea sured in units which you had purchased years ago.

Therein the benefit lies: your GET account is guaranteed to keep pace with tuition and state-mandated fees at Wash ington’s highest priced public university.

GET funds also can be used to pay tuition in other states or at private univer sities but the credit value is still tied to the fees of Washington’s highest priced public university.

529 education savings plans are the most common of the 529 family, where contributions grow tax deferred and withdrawals are tax-free if used for qualifying educational expenses.

The key difference between the sav ings plan and a prepaid tuition plan is the investment risk of the former.

Savings plans attempt to harness the power of the stock market to grow at a faster rate than college tuition and aren’t anchored to public universities as a pre

paid plan is. Investments always carry risk, and most plans offer target-date funds which shift their assets each year by becoming more conservative as the beneficiary gets closer to college age.

Coverdell ESA

Coverdell education savings account, or ESAs, exist but are rarely used due to contribution and income limitations.

With a Coverdell ESA you can only contribute a maximum of $2,000 a year and to contribute the full $2,000 your modified adjusted gross income must be below $95,000 for single filers and below $190,000 for joint filers.

Custodial accounts

Uniform Gifts to Minors Act, or UGMA, and Uniform Transfers to Mi nors Act, or UTMA, accounts are taxable accounts for the benefit of a minor.

Whether these accounts make sense as a college savings vehicle depends on an individual’s financial plan.

On the one hand, they provide great optionality. On the other hand, gains are taxed upon stock liquidation, interest may be subject to taxation, and assets in a student’s name are counted more heav ily against financial aid than assets held in a parent’s name.

Contributions from grandparents

They say it takes a village to raise a child, and college planning isn’t any different.

Whether it’s feeling of joy brought by seeing their grandchildren attend a uni versity or an estate tax planning strategy, grandparents can play a role.

They can set up 529 plans and custo dial accounts with their grandchildren as beneficiaries.

If they plan to rely on financial aid, however, both accounts can hinder a

student.

Assets held in the name of the student, such as the custodial account, can result in less financial aid being granted to the student.

In the case of a grandparent 529 plan, though the asset is not reported on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, the distributions from the 529 must be reported as untaxed student income.

Unearned student income can reduce financial aid by as much as 50% of the cash support provided. For example, if you took a distribution of $5,000 from a 529 plan to help pay for college, it could reduce financial aid for the student by $2,500.

One way to get around this concern would be to contribute to the parentowned 529 instead of setting up a sepa rate plan.

There has been talk of eliminating the FAFSA requirement for reporting cash support, which would eliminate the con cern of cash support reducing financial support but reporting requirements have not changed as of this writing.

These contributions also can be part of an estate planning strategy.

Contributions to a 529 plan up to $16,000 per beneficiary qualify for an nual gift tax exclusions.

Married grandparents can contribute up to $32,000 to a grandchild’s 529 or custodial account per year and it would not be included in their taxable estate.

Furthermore, the $16,000 gifted per grandparent will not count against their lifetime gift-tax exemption. Grandpar ents can actually contribute up to five years’ worth of the annual gift exclusion into a 529 in a single year but they need to file an extra form with their tax return if they choose to do so.

Get tactical

It is not a savings vehicle, but I’d be remiss to not include military service as a way of paying for college. Enlisting and using the GI Bill, attending a service academy, or joining ROTC are all excel lent ways to serve your country, meet wonderful people and get an education.

Just remember that there are strings attached and military service is a serious commitment. Furthermore, if your par ents or grandparents were kind enough to contribute to a custodial account as you were growing up, you can graduate debt-free with a handsome asset that will continue to grow.

College planning isn’t as complicated as NASA’s Artemis I mission, but its significance and cost can be intimidating. Thankfully, plenty of people who have gone through a similar ordeal are happy to share their opinions. Just make sure they are qualified opinions.

Nicholas Haberling is a partnership advisor at Community First Bank & HFG Trust in Kennewick.

Business groups back

Snake River dams

The Association of Washington Busi ness has teamed with Oregon Business & Industry to launch a coalition to support the region’s hydroelectric dams as a lowcost, reliable and renewable energy source.

AWB staff announced the formation of the coalition during a visit to Analog Devices in Camas during its annual Manu facturing Week bus tour. The tour stopped in the Tri-Cities on Oct. 11.

“The dams transformed the Northwest economy, creating some of the most fertile farmland in the nation and fueling the growth of the region’s manufacturing and high-tech industries. We need to protect and preserve the competitive advantage and quality of life they have given us,” said Kris Johnson, AWB president.

Angela Wilhelms, president and CEO of OBI, said the dams play a key role not only for the health of the economy, but also for meeting the demands of the two states’ clean energy climate goals.

“The Northwest dams have proven hugely successful, producing powerful results for our state, our region and our nation,” she said. “As we visit businesses and communities across the state, we hear routinely about the vital role that clean, re liable energy plays in creating opportunity today and for the future.”

Anti-litter campaign targets roadside eyesores

The Washington Department of Trans portation is teaming with the state Depart ment of Ecology in a campaign that uses peer pressure to discourage those who litter.

The state agency said 25% of residents litter, leaving 18 million pounds of garbage to accumulate each year on roads, in parks and at recreation areas.

The “Simple as That” campaign is built on the premise that litterers will stop if friends, family members or passengers ask them to dispose of litter properly and not out the window.

A 2022 study found 24,000 pieces of garbage per mile on the state’s urban inter states. Plastic food wrappers, snack bags and cigarette buts were the most-tossed items.

The state spends more than $9 mil lion annually on cleanup efforts. In July, crews and volunteers collected 357 tons of garbage.

“Litter adds up when we don’t make simple choices to properly dispose of garbage. It damages our environment, hurts wildlife, and threatens public health, safety and our economy,” said Washington Gov. Jay Inslee. “Ultimately, our success is determined by people choosing to not litter.”

Go to LitterFreeWA.org/simple or PorUnWAImpecable.org/simple.

Hermiston celebrates completion of new city hall

By Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

The city of Hermiston moved into its new city hall in stages beginning in early October.

The eastern Oregon community’s new city hall was jointly funded by the city and Umatilla County.

The county provided $3 million in ex change for first-floor space for a health department outpost. The city funded its share with a $9.6 million bond backed by enterprise zone funds – money it re ceives in lieu of taxes on new industrial projects, such as a Lamb Weston plant expansion.

Griffin Construction of The Dalles, Oregon, constructed the three-story building at 180 N.E. Second St. While the site was torn up, crews replaced util ity lines in the area and expanded the parking lot.

The new city hall is twice the size of the original one, which was in a former bank built in 1965. That structure was demolished to make way for the new

building.

The addition set off a chain of moves within the city.

Hermiston’s municipal court relocat ed to the new city hall, which freed up space at the Public Safety Center for the Hermiston Police Department and Uma tilla Fire District 1.

The Hermiston Library’s lower floor, which housed city services during con struction, is now being used by the li brary.

And lastly, the city building depart ment moved into city hall, freeing up Hermiston’s historic Carnegie building for another as yet unspecified use.

“We conducted a survey to find out how residents prefer to access city ser vices and determined that it would be the best long-term option to build a modern facility from the ground up,” said Byron Smith, Hermiston’s city manager.

The new city hall opened to the public Oct. 5. An open house is planned Oct. 20, followed by the city council’s first official meeting in its new chambers.

The city of Hermiston, Oregon, moved into its new city hall in early October.

The court was expected to move in by the latter half of October.

The U.S. flag raised at the new city hall was supplied by U.S. Sen. Ron

your business news by visiting

Wyden and previously flew above the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., in recognition of a fire that destroyed Shearer’s Foods in February.

Courtesy city of Hermiston

Stone Soup serves up soul-satisfying bowls with side of community

By Laura Kostad for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

With autumn in the air, people are crav ing bowls of warm, cozy comfort food.

At Richland’s Stone Soup, pots are always simmering, no matter the time of year.

A different soup is offered daily (to mato pasta, baked potato, creamy mush room, broccoli cheese, clam chowder and southwestern corn chowder were in rotation recently), in addition to chicken enchilada soup, which is ladled out every day.

Specializing also in sandwiches, burg ers and salads, Stone Soup celebrated 21 years in business in August at 703 The Parkway.

From Southwest to Northwest

It’s one of the longest running busi nesses in The Parkway.

Stone Soup came to Richland after founders Dave and Pam Leen brought the business from Arizona to Walla Walla in 1999. The Walla Walla restaurant is open at 105 E. Alder St.

The Leens’ Scottsdale cafe was already named Stone Soup when they bought it in 1995, but it could seat only 15 to 20 people.

To boost profits, they decided to offer delivery and drop-off catering, a move that paid off.

“Back then, only pizza places deliv ered,” said Rich Schleede, owner of the Richland Stone Soup.

Photo by Laura Kostad

Rich Schleede, owner of Stone Soup in Richland, has been serving up a palatepleasing array of sandwiches, burgers, soups, salads, sides and house-made desserts for more than 20 years in his self-described “dive,” where food is the glue that brings the community together at 703 The Parkway.

Schleede and Dave Leen owned a land scaping and Christmas tree selling busi ness in Portland. Schleede, a Pendleton native, was looking to move closer to home.

“(Dave) had bugged me for years and he wanted me to open three (Stone Soup cafes) in Tri-Cities,” Schleede said.

With the help of a third partner, Rich

land’s Stone Soup launched in 2001.

The team subsequently ran out of steam for additional Tri-City locations and the third partner later dropped out, but Schleede gained ownership of the Richland shop and has been at the helm ever since.

Now 57, and having recently pur chased the building Stone Soup occupies,

he’s not ready to slow down.

Schleede and his wife, Tina, both com mute from Walla Walla six days a week to work alongside their five-person crew for eight to 12 hours per day.

Schleede said he loves the fast pace.

“We basically make it on the lunch rush,” he said.

Schleede recalled there being only three restaurants at The Parkway when he arrived at the former Huck’s Floor Cover ings building, which before that had been an ice cream parlor.

He said he’s seen at least 20 other res taurants come and go around him over the years.

Mom-and-pop vibe

His secrets to success?

“We treat people good, and we give them a good product at a fair price,” he said, adding that quality service and genu ine friendliness create a “homey” atmo sphere for customers.

He thinks another key factor is that “our food isn’t fancy.”

He pointed out that the restaurant’s atmosphere itself isn’t fancy either, indi cating the linoleum tile floors from the Huck’s Floor Coverings days.

“This is a real dive,” he said, describ ing it as “mom and pop.”

“We have kind of a unique menu, kind of old style,” Schleede said. “I’ve had people come from New York and say it’s like what you get in a New York deli –

Traffic Jams offers ways to keep audio, video out of sight, out of mind

By Robin Wojtanik

“Anything you can think of that’s fun in a house, that’s what we do.”

That’s how Bryan Brooks describes the services offered by his family’s busi ness, Traffic Jams.

The Kennewick-based shop is locally owned and offers more than car audio, including security systems, cameras, central vacuums, network connections and home theater or audio setups.

“We make life simple and make peo ple happy,” Brooks said.

The company has been around since the late 1980s, having been purchased by Ron Brooks, Bryan’s father, who still owns it to this day.

Located at 525 N. Edison St., Suite 102, Traffic Jams is still a family affair, with Bryan and his brother, Brandon, helping run the show.

The Brooks family head up a team of 17 who can outfit a home while it’s still being built, or trim out a home, adding the “fun” long after it’s been construct ed.

“If we do it at the beginning for a custom home, it’s getting all the lowvoltage wires in the walls at the correct locations, with the customer making sure everything is right where they want it,” Bryan said. “Whether it is networks or TV locations or security cameras, we make sure everything is set when they move in.”

For spec (speculative) homes de signed by builders, the project is gener ally smaller.

“Once the homeowner takes posses sion and moves in their furniture, we come in with the speakers, put in net working gear; all the stuff we prepped for, and get it into the house so it’s ready to go,” Bryan said.

This may include automation, which could allow a homeowner to have the lights and volume programmed to speci fied settings with just the press of a but ton, “letting someone come home and immediately unwind for the day.”

The cost varies widely based on what a consumer is seeking, with basic wiring costing around $2,000, a home theater setup about $5,000, and then the more elaborate systems with full automation

Bosses Day

running north of $10,000.

“A recent job like that included 15 zones of audio, landscape audio, 16 cameras, a full security system and net working,” Bryan said.

On average, retrofitting a home costs about three times as much as it would to install the wires when it’s still being built.

The Kennewick company is coming off a record year for sales, partly due to the boom in new construction.

“I think our community really wanted to invest in their own property, whether it be cars or homes,” Bryan said. “We did a lot more whole house automation systems, along with simple ones like hanging a TV. I think people realized, ‘I have this TV on a stand on a dresser and I don’t want to see the wires. Let’s have Traffic Jams come out, hide the wires, make it look clean, and make it look like it’s a better home.’”

Traffic Jams doesn’t just specialize in the entertainment side of wiring, as wireless internet access is now a neces sity for many, especially in an age of re mote work.

“We can do access points throughout homes, including a lot of them in the ceiling, to make sure you have good WiFi everywhere in the house, and it’s set up with a strong infrastructure and better dissipation of your signal,” Bryan said.

While there’s wide access to con sumer-grade products and online in structions for quick installation, he said there’s still an advantage to hiring a pro fessional.

“Buying a system from us gives you the assurance you’re buying a betterquality brand from companies that have been around for a long time. They tend to be innovators for the industry, seeing what other people are doing and perfect ing it,” he said.

Traffic Jams’ goal is also to make the system look clean, so it isn’t seen at all, giving the appearance it was meant to be there.

The business is named for car audio and the service remains a strong part of the work done at Traffic Jams.

Cars can come out of the factory without the rich sound once standard.

“I have a lot of customers who change out everything in their car because it just

doesn’t sound like it used to, or they add infotainment, amplifiers or subwoof ers,” Bryan said.

The company also outfits boats, jet skis, ATVs and UTVs.

“We get custom brackets so you’re not sacrificing sound quality for fun

time,” he said. “We like to say we’re wired for life, so whatever comes your way, you’re ready to go.”

search Traffic Jams: 525 N. Edison St., Suite 102, Kennewick; 509-783-7988; tjams.com. Hours: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon day-Saturday.

Photo by Robin Wojtanik

Traffic Jams is a family affair owned by Ron Brooks, center, and assisted by sons Bryan, left, and Brandon, right, to complete a wide range of services to outfit homes, cars and watercraft.

chicken salad, egg salad, smoked turkey salad, tons of vegetarian varieties.”

Schleede makes his own veggie patty in-house and stocks a variety of plantbased meat substitutes that enable cus tomers to make almost any menu item vegetarian.

Their bread is made in Walla Walla by Wheatland Bakery.

“We also have this little cookie we add to each plate, just a sweet touch,” he said. “It’s the nicest little cookie made out of cake mix and is a perfect ending to the meal. It’s amazing how that little touch goes so far with people.”

Loyal customers

Though the ambiance is humble, Stone Soup’s food has a loyal following.

Doug and Christine Klein, who used to own a nearby dental office, were in line the first day Stone Soup opened. It fast became a several-times-a-week habit.

They said the friendly staff and deli cious food kept them coming back.

“We strongly believe in supporting lo cal business – it’s very important to us. This has been a very nice one to support,” Christine said. “It’s still our favorite.”

Now retired and living in Pasco, they still regularly make the drive for lunch.

“We’ve made acquaintance with a lot of people (Rich)’s had working here over the years. I think the Richland community is small enough that you see friends here, it’s a really nice meeting place,” Doug said.

Being vegetarians, they voiced their appreciation for the veg-friendly menu,

noting that, in their experience, Stone Soup is among the best in Tri-Cities.

Christine loves the Summer Salad and said she could eat it every day.

Doug usually gets a sandwich and soup. He said the New Yorker or Reuben sandwiches are his favorites.

A friend they’ve made during their fre quent visits is Don Perry, another regular who has likewise been coming to Stone Soup for 20 years.

It started as a lunch date for him and his late wife. They used to stop in regu larly during her cancer treatments.

“You can’t really pick one favorite out of the entourage,” he said of the menu, though he added he most frequently or ders an egg and pastrami sandwich. He said of all his favorite restaurants, it is tops.

“Friends and service. Good food, good atmosphere. It’s just a comfortable place to be,” Perry said.

Schleede said he has hundreds of cus tomers who have been coming for 15 or more years, though he added that they are working on trying to attract a younger crowd.

What’s in a name?

The community-gathering aspect of Stone Soup evokes its namesake story.

The old story goes that during the Hun dred Years’ War in France, three battleweary and hungry soldiers stopped in a village on their way home. The towns people, their larders thin from wartime, said they had nothing to give.

In desperation, the soldiers set up camp in the town square, found a large caul

dron and filled it with creek water, plac ing stones inside. Naturally, people asked what they were doing, to which they re plied, “Making stone soup, but it would be better with some seasonings…”

Soon some herbs were provided and as the pleasant aroma rose, more towns people began making contributions until everyone had added something to the pot. With a little something from everyone, the stone soup transformed into the best meal all had experienced in years.

Schleede said he’d like to have a mu ral done in the restaurant one day depict ing the soldiers and townsfolk gathered around the cauldron sharing the meal.

Though the Covid-19 pandemic, sup ply chain disruptions and inflation have challenged the restaurant, he said Stone

Soup is making a comeback.

The cafe utilizes Chow Now for pickup orders and replaced its delivery drivers with Door Dash, which, despite the fees, has helped make up for the loss of busi ness clients who used to hire more cater ing services prior to the pandemic.

Stone Soup is hiring and Schleede said the cafe’s positive atmosphere extends behind the counter.

“We make it fun to work and have a good time, always laughing and joking,” he said. “We become like family.”

The positions are part time, two to four days per week, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

search Stone Soup: 703 The Parkway, Richland; 509-943-4542; stonesoupcafe. net; Facebook. Hours: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon day-Friday; 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday.

Courtesy Stone Soup

An artistic rendering given to owner Rich Schleede depicts that prior to becoming Stone Soup, the midcentury Parkway suite was Huck’s Floor Coverings. Before that, it was an ice cream parlor.

Business leaders must be change-agents

Using a beach analogy, when it comes to change that you aren’t lead ing, are you more like:

• Putting your toe in the water and scurrying away if it’s uncomfortable?

• Wading in, slow to adapt, watchful?

• Swimming in it, rolling with the current, making it happen?

• A deep-diver, all-in?

Often the reality of change for many employees is that it’s a nasty six-letter word. “Change can be likened to a planned journey into uncharted waters in a leaky boat with a mutinous crew,” according to author Michael Fullan. Yet there are negative consequences if your organization doesn’t change.

What “brung” you here won’t keep you here. Yesterday’s solutions will not always solve tomorrow’s problems. And we could end up in a complacent rut. A rut (the opposite of innovation) is a “grave with the ends knocked out.” We need discontent with the status quo.

The external world always demands change and improvement; improve ment rarely comes without change. Cue the sad recent memories of Polaroid/ Kodak/Blockbuster/GM/Compaq/ Tower Records/Borders. You can’t steal second base without taking your foot off first base.

It’s the leader’s responsibility to ini tiate and lead the team through change. Change is the currency of leadership. Contrary to popular belief, “Leaders always stop change in an organization, not the followers,” said author John Maxwell.

And that leads me to my favorite leadership quote from Maxwell: “Ev erything rises and falls on leadership.”

You might question that and say, “Everything?”

And I’d say, yep, everything.

Somewhere in the past, a leader either didn’t make the decision to make a change or made the wrong decision, or, positively, made a timely decision or a bold decision to make a change, and here’s where the organization stands today.

You might ask, “Why is it important for me to learn about leading change?”

It’s one of the six traits that all peak performers share: someone who embraces change and exercises the key skills of change management: antici pation, adaptivity and willingness to respond to new opportunities (“Peak

Performers,” by Charles Gar field).

In most situ ations, change is inevitable, so we can either watch it occur, resist it or help guide and direct it. You cannot avoid it. And without this skill, you will be doomed to only reactive leadership, putting out fires. That’s tiring!

Before undertaking a change effort, you must be sure that you have thought through and you’ve led your team into these essential elements of change:

• Trust. Employees must believe in the messenger of change before believing their message of change.

Paul Casey Growing Forward Services GUEST COLUMN

Leaders are relationship-builders, day in and day out, with their team, getting to know them as unique individuals, being vulnerable with them, following through on what they say. Without trust, your people will sabotage the change effort.

• Vision. Employees need to see where the organization is headed in the

near- and longer-term future, to better process changes that help get the team there. Leaders provide vision snapshots at all-hands meetings, though middle managers at their department meet ings, within internal publications and during one-on-ones. Without vision, your people will experience confusion throughout the change effort.

• Skills. Employees must feel like they can perform the skills necessary to implement the proposed change. Lead ers equip their people through mentor ing and training, walking alongside

Historic victory brings drug price relief to state’s seniors

Here in Washington and across the country, millions of seniors will get relief from a new law that will help reduce drug prices.

After years of calling on Congress to make prescription drugs more affordable, AARP won the fight for Medicare to nego tiate lower drug prices.

The new law, passed by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden, will help in other ways.

It will limit the cost of insulin to $35 a month for people on Medicare and put a $2,000 annual cap on what seniors in Medicare plans will have to pay out of pocket for their medications.

The new law makes shingles and other vaccines free, and it penalizes drug com panies if they raise prices higher than the inflation rate.

It’s estimated the law will save taxpay ers and Medicare hundreds of billions of dollars over the next 10 years by lowering drug prices.

Americans have had to pay three times more for their medications than people in other countries pay for the same drugs. And with the impact of inflation on all of us, seniors who worked hard their entire lives, raising families, building this coun try and giving back to their communities, shouldn’t have to choose between filling a prescription or buying gas and groceries.

This new law is genuinely life chang

Jim Ko AARP

ing. AARP led the fight to lower drug prices for America’s seniors, and we won. Our mem bers, activists and volunteers in Washington state and across the country stood up to the big drug

companies’ army of lobbyists with their massive war chest and millions of dollars in misleading advertising, and we won.

As sweet as this victory is, though, the fight isn’t over. Drug companies are already spending millions to overturn the new law and stifle competition so they can drive up their profits and keep charging Americans the highest prices in the world for the drugs they need.

AARP will keep fighting here in Washington and across the country, and we won’t back down until all Americans 50+ can afford their medication. It’s the right thing to do, and older Americans deserve nothing less.

For more information about how the new law affects drug prices, Medicare and more, go to aarp.org/rx.

Jim Ko is the AARP state president.

them until they feel strong and capable. Without skills, your people will experi ence latent anxiety, which leads to avoidance/procrastination during the change.

• Resources. Employees need to have everything they need to imple ment the change. Leaders assure their people have the equipment, budget, time, and personnel needed to make it happen and feel successful. Without resources, your people will experience anger at not being able to implement your change.

• Payoff. Employees need to under stand the “why” of any change deci sion. Leaders explain how the change will benefit the constituents, what they have considered in making the deci sion, and who they have consulted to make it as smooth as possible. With out the payoff, your people will only reluctantly and sporadically make the change, usually only if they are being inspected.

• Action plan. Employees need the step-by-step roll-out of the change. Leaders provide the strategic plan for when the change will begin, who will be doing what by when, and the mile stones along the way for evaluation. Without the action plan, your people experience false starts, never know ing when the go-button gets pushed or what comes next.

You may want to reflect on the last change effort in which you led or were a participant, to evaluate what was present and what was absent.

Finally, you as a leader must remind yourself that the change is the initia tive, whether it’s the new software or process or direction you are taking the team.

The transition, however, is just as important to plan because people are involved, and they get emotionally at tached to the way they have been doing things.

“The single factor common to suc cessful change is that relationships improve. If relationships improve, (organizations)… get better. If relation ships remain the same or get worse, ground is lost,” wrote Fullan in “The Change Leader.”

Said another way, if you execute the change according to plan, but the team is at each other’s throats in the process, it’s a fail, not a win.

Create trust as you lead people into new territories. One more Maxwell quote fits here: For the leader, “they won’t go along with you unless they can get along with you.”

You will need to use all your emo tional intelligence to surf the waves of change with your team.

Paul D. Casey lives in the Tri-Cities and is the owner of Growing Forward Services, which aims to equip and coach leaders and teams to spark breakthrough success. Casey has written five books and hosts Leader-Launcher.com for emerging leaders each month. Online at growingforwardservices.net.

retains the goal of getting people out to experience farms and rural culture.

Visitors can take part in classic fall farm activities such as tractor rides, choosing a pumpkin, getting lost in ex pansive corn mazes (or straw bale mazes for little kids), snacking on seasonallyinspired comfort food (how does a cara mel apple cider float sound?), taking farm-themed photos, playing low-tech games and more.

“My oldest brother had a dream to get people and kids out on the farm to see a different way of life. We wanted fami lies to experience something different,” said Mark Middleton, managing partner at Middleton Farms.

Country Mercantile, which also oper ates a store in Richland, had a similar goal, said owner Jay Wood.

“We wanted to bring the farm to the city for all people to get a feel for what it’s like to be out here and see crops grow ing.

“It gives peo ple the opportu nity to make a connection with the food they eat and that it’s actually grown … and that maybe agriculture is kind of an important industry – but only for those who like to eat,” he said.

Middleton and Wood both come from farming backgrounds. Middleton grew up on his parents’ 50-acre hay and aspar agus farm at 1050 Pasco-Kahlotus Road.

Wood is still a farmer and back then grew raspberries, potatoes, asparagus, apples and cherries near Basin City. He started Country Mercantile to sell pro duce. In 1996, he bought the former roadside antique shop at 232 Crestloch Road off Highway 395.

“It gave me a small avenue to go direct to the con sumer with my produce,” he said.

Only the front most portion of the present-day build ing existed then. He sold produce from a tent.

They held a small harvest fes tival with rides to the pumpkin patch and farm tours the first year.

Wood said that all you see today is a direct result of Country Mercantile’s response to customer requests over the years.

Middleton Farms was established on land bought in 1974 from BNSF Rail way by Mark’s father.

The family ventured into agritourism 10 years ago when they started a pump kin patch and opened the hay barn to the public.

Both businesses are community-driv en offshoots of the greater ethos of farm ing, which serves the ultimate purpose of feeding and providing raw materials

for the world and connecting people through the trade of those goods.

Providing experiences

Agritourism lends a new dimension: providing an experience.

“Tri-Cities is exploding. There are tons of new families who want some thing to do, so our culture is shifting from (buying and owning) stuff to expe rience … that’s what we’ve created here is an experience. We’ve been able to capitalize on that culture shift of ‘I want to have more memories and fun in my life,’” Middleton said.

Middleton and Country Mercantile both draw visitors primarily from the Pacific Northwest. Many travel several hours for the experience.

“People are trying to establish a con nection with the farm community,” Wood said.

Though agritourism is experiencing a resurgence, many people in larger met ropolitan areas are still hard-pressed to find farm excursions. Traveling to East ern Washington provides a fully immer sive experience in the food production system.

“This time of the year there is an amazing amount of food on the roads,” Wood said. “Potatoes, carrots, onions, alfalfa, sweet corn … You can see the growth around here because of food. More food production plants are going up to accommodate growth in the farm ing community. You can see and smell the grapes this time of year. You can’t drive on these roads without seeing food grown or being hauled to the processor or to the market.”

Agritourism destination

Visit Tri-Cities supports agritourism as part of its mission to promote the region as a tourism destination. Tour ism was worth $480 million to the local economy in 2021 and is on track in 2022 to beat the record set in 2019, prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We are very fortunate in our commu nity because we do have such a strong ag influence … we have a very vibrant economy that’s tied to city atmosphere type things, but we also have the ag component,” Shugart said.

She pointed out that other smaller farms and wineries throughout the area also ring in the har vest with festivi ties and some local farmers markets run through October.

Wood said there’s another aspect of harvest festivals that appeal to folks: “It’s become a bigger thing because it gives opportunities to families and younger kids to get away from their phones and computers and do some hands-on recreation and just have fun.”

Middleton Farms reports seeing al most 100,000 guests per season. Some individual days have recorded 10,000 visitors alone. It employs 300 people to staff the fall festival. For many, it’s their

first paid job.

Middleton said his family almost pulled the plug on the fall festival after the first four years when revenue fell short of expenses.

“It was for the community first, so we persevered. And then, year five, it turned … Business is about risk. Business is about having a vision and believing in yourself, even if you’re not seeing the success in the numbers,” he said.

Since then, Middleton Farms tries to add four or five new attractions each year.

Wood said Country Mercantile con tinues to add on as well. New this year is Glitter Creek Mining Camp where visi tors can mine for gems.

Both farms have expanded beyond fall. Middleton Farms now hosts aspara gus, strawberry and sunflower festivals when each is in season.

Country Mercantile is an all-yearround business that sells fresh produce, as well as canned goods and other pantry items manufactured locally and abroad. It offers a made-to-order food counter, deli, chocolate factory, homemade ice cream, décor shop as well.

In 2014, Wood opened a second Country Mercantile at 5015 Ava Way in Richland’s Badger South area, off Inter state 82. It doesn’t host a harvest festival at this location.

search Country Mercantile: 232 Crestloch Road, Pasco; 509-545-2192, country mercantile.com; Hours: 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Sunday year-round. The Har vest Festival runs 10 a.m.-7 p.m. during the week and 9 a.m.-7 p.m. weekends through Oct. 31. Admission is $10.95 during the week and $11.95 during the weekend. Some additional activities are extra.

search Middleton Farms: 1050 Pasco Kahlotus Road, Pasco; 509-547-5668: middletonfarms.com. The Fall Festival runs noon-6 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday-Saturday and noon-6 p.m. Sunday through Oct. 30. Admission is $15.95 Thursday-Friday and $18.95 during the weekend. Some additional activities are extra.

Jay Wood

Courtesy Country Mercantile

Picking out a pumpkin to carve into a jack-o’-lantern is always a favorite reason to attend Country Mercantile’s Harvest Festival at 232 Crestloch Road in Pasco.

Photo by Laura Kostad Mark Middleton, managing partner at Middleton Farms in Pasco, said creating experiences for families is one of the goals of their annual Fall Festival at 1050 Pasco Kahlotus Road, Pasco.

“We are very fortunate in our community because we do have such a strong ag influence”

-Kim Shugart, senior vice president of Visit Tri-Cities

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION

Reser’s moves to its new $120 million Pasco home

By Wendy Culverwell

Reser’s Fine Foods is making mashed potatoes and preparing to add capacity to produce more dishes at its new food pro cessing plant in Pasco.

The family-owned company showed off its new $120 million plant at 5526 N. Capi tol Ave. in September.

The plant began operating earlier in the summer but shut down for the opening festivities so local officials and the media could tour the production areas, where it transforms Washington-grown potatoes into deli dishes.

Even as its president, Mark Reser, and other officials cut the ceremonial ribbon, construction crews were working to frame an addition on its west side. The plant will have a 340,000-square-foot footprint when the addition wraps up.

The extension will allow it to add lines to produce the potato salads and macaroni salads that anchor its line of grocery case staples. It will add ovens for its baked prod ucts and seasonal deli salads.

The new plant is more than double the size of Reser’s former quarters at the Pasco Processing Center, which opened in 1998.

Mark Reser, grandson of founders Mil dred and Earl Reser, said the Portland-area company could have expanded anywhere.

The upper Midwest was a strong choice from the point of view of serving East Coast customers.

But Pasco offered a compelling case for building on a facility that has been a strong performer since it started.

The region has the best potatoes, trades people and workers.

“Our decision was easily made,” he said.

The company initially intended to re model its former plant but has revised its plans. The 110,000-square-foot building, 5310 Industrial Way, is for sale with an ask ing price of $15 million.

Kirt Shaffer of Tippett Co. in Pasco is

the listing broker.

All its workers are now stationed in the new plant. A spokesperson said it will add 100-plus jobs by mid-2023, once all reno vations are complete.

The plant operates three shifts per day, two for production and one for cleaning.

Reser’s was one of four companies that announced big investments in Pasco in 2021. It is the first to complete the chal lenge it set for itself.

A pair of warehouse distribution centers serving Amazon Inc. is nearly complete but has not yet opened.

The other two, Darigold Inc. and Lo cal Bounti Inc., both took significant steps in September to develop their projects. Seattle-based Darigold broke ground on its $600 million milk-processing plant in north Pasco and Local Bounti of Hamilton, Montana, resumed work to prepare its east Pasco site for a future greenhouse complex.

“There is a lot going on in Pasco right now,” said Pasco City Manager David Za bell, who attended the ribbon cutting. He retires at the end of October.

Reser’s employs 4,000 at 14 facilities in eight locations in the U.S. and Mexico. It does not disclose revenue, but in 2009 it said it was approaching $1 billion.

Old Sears store to welcome new tenant

By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz

Joann, the sewing and crafts retailer, is moving its Kennewick store to Co lumbia Center mall, where it is taking over a portion of the space vacated by Sears in 2019.

The new store is set to open in April, depending on construction being com pleted on time, said Joan Davis, Ken newick store manager, who confirmed the move.

Davis said the new location, less than a mile from the current one, will provide much-needed space for Joann, a popular destination for crafters and quilters.

She referred further questions to a spokesperson at the company’s Hudson, Ohio headquarters, who could not im mediately be reached.

Joann, which trades under the symbol “JOAN,” has 848 locations in 49 states and reported $2.4 billion in net sales for its 2022 fiscal year.

Construction documents filed with the city of Kennewick show a portion of the former Sears space is being demol ished for the future store. The demoli

tion work affects 23,000 square feet and entails demolishing interior finishes, in cluding drywall, ceiling tile, floor cov erings and column covers.

The work is valued at $125,000.

Drawings attached to the demolition permit indicate Joann will have entranc es into the mall as well as the parking lot. The project leaves an L-shaped sec tion of the old store unused.

Demolition work has begun at the south-facing parking lot entrance, near Dick’s Sporting Goods.

Simon Property Group, which owns the mall, is the developer. Fox Design Group is the designer and CDI Contrac tors is performing the demolition work.

Sears left a 160,000-square-foot hole when it closed its Columbia Center store in 2019 after its parent company filed for bankruptcy.

The space remained empty, the va cancy obscured from mall visitors by a temporary wall that features a fashion poster and marketing information about leasing mall space.

The move puts Joann at the center of a shift in how traffic moves around the

mall, and by extension, the KennewickRichland border zone.

Its future home faces Center Park way, traditionally the mall’s back side.

That is changing. In September, after 22 years of planning, the city of Richland began work to punch the road across a

set of railroad tracks to connect the mall area in Kennewick to Tapteal Drive in Richland. (See related story on page A1.)

The new connection holds the prom ise of improving visibility and traffic for

Photo by Wendy Culverwell

Four companies announced big plans for Pasco in 2021. Reser’s Fine Foods is the first to cross the finish line, moving into its new $120 million plant this summer.

Photo by Wendy Culverwell Construction is underway to prepare a portion of the former Sears at Columbia Center mall in Kennewick into a new store for sewing and crafts retailer Joann.

Darigold breaks ground with plans to begin operation in 2024

By Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

Darigold Inc. broke ground on its state-of-the-art milk-processing facility in north Pasco in early September.

The $600 million plant will open in early 2024 with the capacity to process 8 million pounds of milk per day, sup plied by 100 dairy farms in the region. It will employ 200.

Darigold first disclosed it had selected the Port of Pasco’s Reimann Industrial center off Highway 395 for its latest plant in July 2021, after a year of private ne gotiations. It cited access to rail lines and global shipping ports as one of the rea sons for settling on Pasco.

The port agreed to sell 150 acres to the Seattle-based dairy cooperative for $3.3 million. Taxpayers are contributing more than $11 million to support the proj

uBUSINESS BRIEFS

Minority homeownership is falling behind in Washington

More than 143,000 minority-led households would have to become homeowners to close the ownership gap between white and households that identify as Black, Indigenous and people of color, or BIPOC.

The 2021 Washington Legislature

ect through a $7.5 million grant from the state for infrastructure and $3.6 million from the federal government to build a rail line between Darigold and the nearby BNSF Railway line.

Darigold, the processing and market ing arm of the Northwest Dairy Associa tion, is owned by 300 dairy enterprises in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana.

The plant will process fresh milk into powdered milk products and butter. The company is implementing technology and conservation strategies to mitigate more than 300,000 metric tons of carbon emis sions per year.

The Port of Pasco is serving as the project’s developer. E.A. Bonelli & As sociates, based in Oakland, California, designed the plant. Miron Construction, based in Neenah, Wisconsin, is the build er.

funded formation of the Washington State Homeownership Disparities Work Group to identify the causes and effects of racial inequities in homeownership.

The study, conducted with the Department of Commerce, found the homeownership rate for minority households is 19 percentage points below that of white households, or 49% versus 68%. Black homeownership is even lower, standing at 31% in 2019.

The disparities are pronounced across the state. In Benton County,

Courtesy Darigold Inc.

A rendering shows what Darigold Inc.’s $600 million milk-processing plant will look like in north Pasco.

3,982 BIPOC households would have to buy homes to close the gap and in Franklin County, the number is 3,268.

“The cumulative impacts of genera tions of discriminatory and racist real estate policies and practices have had lasting negative effects on households of color and historically marginalized communities in ways that touch nearly every aspect of their lives,” the report concluded.

The report issued a series of recom mendations to address the underlying

causes of inequitable homeownership.

Suggestions include increasing state funding to support affordable homeownership programs, supporting nonprofit organizations that promote homeownership, providing resources to local government and revising the Housing Trust Fund and Housing Fi nance Commission programs to reduce the burden on funding applicants.

To learn more about BIPOC home ownership, go to bit.ly/MinorityHome ownership.

Local Bounti resumes development in Pasco

By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz

Local Bounti Inc., the Montana-based ag tech startup, resumed construction of its $40 million greenhouse complex in east Pasco in September.

The company paused the project in April, when it closed a deal to acquire the parent company of Pete’s, a California in door grower.

It disclosed plans to restart work in Pasco in August, when it released a sec ond-quarter earnings statement.

The city of Pasco issued a revised grad ing permit that indicates Local Bounti will build a 242,115-square-foot building in the first phase and a 172,750-squarefoot one in the second phase. Excavators and other equipment moved back onto the property around Labor Day.

Local Bounti said the project was re designed to align with demand associated with the Pete’s acquisition, according to a statement attributed to Craig Hurlbert, co-CEO of Local Bounti.

The Pasco operation will use Local Bounti’s “Stack & Flow” growing sys tem, which uses 90% less water and land than growing plants in fields and which offers more control over the light and nu trients reaching plants.

The company initially broke ground

on 28 acres at 950 S. Elm Ave., near Or egon Avenue and A Street, in mid-2021.

The project was set to feature 32 green houses where Local Bounti planned to cultivate live lettuce and herbs in its pro prietary racking system. Local Bounti is not a cannabis company.

The building permit issued in Decem ber valued construction of the greenhouse

shells at $22 million.

Local Bounti paid $3.1 million for the Oregon Avenue site in June 2021, shortly after the company went public via a merger with Leo Holdings III Corp., a publicly traded special purpose acquisi tion company or SPAC, also known as a “blank check” investor. The move pro vided capital to expand beyond its origi

nal site in Hamilton, Montana.

Cargill, based in Minnesota, teamed with the head of a Thai-based energy and infrastructure company to invest $125 million in equity in the company. Cargo also extended a significant loan.

Local Bounti was formed by a pair of former energy industry executives eager to tap into the $30 billion U.S. market for fresh lettuce and herbs.

The project appeared to come to a stop after Local Bounti closed a deal on April 4 to acquire Hollandia Produce Group Inc., the California indoor farming com pany that operates under the name Pete’s.

During the pause, the contractor re moved all equipment other than a water tank from the development site. At the time, it dismissed rumors that it was un happy with the developer. It did not list the property for sale.

In the second quarter release, Local Bounti said growing operations began in its Georgia facility in July and that it is looking for a site in eastern Texas for its next growing facility. Former Pete’s fa cilities in California are being upgraded as well.

The company projects $20 million in revenue for 2022. Its products are sold under the Local Bounti and Pete’s names in 10,000 grocery stores.

Foodies takes over Columbia Park spot

By Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

Foodies Brick and Mortar will relocate to Columbia Park after being displaced from its downtown Kennewick home by the devastating fire in the neighboring Cascade building in February.

Foodies, led by Joanna Wilson, is leas ing the 2,600-square-foot building from the city of Kennewick at the Columbia Park Golf Tri-Plex, 2701 Paul Parish Drive, in Columbia Park.

The Foodies on the Go food truck, which launched in May, is operating out side the new location.

It will succeed Bite at the Landing,

which was opened there in 2019 by the Simmons family of C.G. Public House and Catering. It decided to close after its lease expired on Sept. 10. “It’s the best time of year in the Tri-Cities to open our doors and welcome old and new friends to enjoy Foodies on the River,” Wilson said in a news release.

No opening date has been announced yet but work is underway to get the res taurant ready, including hiring new staff.

“Right now we will be redecorating/ remodeling to put on that Foodies flare. This location provides us with so many fun activities to look forward to. Think live music, game nights, events and

more,” Wilson posted on the Foodies Facebook page in mid-September.

The new partnership with Foodies rep resents the city council’s commitment to economic development and helping retain and grow local businesses, said Evelyn Lusignan, the city’s public affairs director.

The city spent $1.1 million to build the Columbia River Landing building three years ago.

“It’s common sentiment the restaurant business is tough, but to see the resilience of Joanna and her staff in the wake of a heartbreaking fire is inspiring,” she said in a release. “The excitement of Foodies

and their fans is contagious. Our commu nity and visitors deserve full-service din ing on the shores of the Columbia River, so we’re pleased they are reopening in Kennewick and confident it will be a top attraction.”

Foodies launched seven years ago as Floatin’ Foodies, a pontoon boat serving up some of the same menu items that will be featured at its new riverfront location.

Foodies Brick & Mortar opened at 308 W. Kennewick Ave. in 2015 and ex panded in 2018 with a location at 701 The Parkway in Richland.

TCAJOB file photo

Local Bounti, the Hamilton, Montana ag tech startup, has resumed construction of a $40 million greenhouse complex in east Pasco.

Brett Lott, left, of Brett Lott Homes talks with a Parade of Homes visitor about the step ceiling, which he said was his favorite feature of the home at 2479 Maggio Loop in Richland.

uBUSINESS BRIEFS

Pasco church added to state Heritage Register

Pasco’s Morning Star Baptist Church has been added to the Washington Heritage Register, a roster of more than 2,100 historic and culturally significant properties throughout the state.

The church at 631 S. Douglas Ave. also is nominated through The Black American Experience in Pasco for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places as part of the larger story of the discrimination Black work ers faced when working in the area for the Manhattan Project and later as the community evolved beyond the original Hanford mission.

Read the application at bit.ly/Pasco BlackAmericanExperience.

Longtime restaurant closes doors in West Richland

Henry’s Restaurant at 4806 Van Gie sen St., West Richland, has closed.

The owners, Don and Nancy Karger, made the announcement on the restau rant’s Facebook page on Sept. 24, citing difficulties reaching terms for a new lease.

The couple plan to continue to oper ate their catering business.

Henry’s, which began serving the TriCities 34 years ago in Richland, opened in Kennewick in 1992 and closed in 2002. The West Richland restaurant opened in 2008.

Over the years, the restaurant transi tioned from a lunch-dinner eatery to a breakfast-lunch concept with catering.

“We cannot express our thanks to the Tri-City community for the support over these many years,” the owners said in their post.

Henry’s Restaurant auctioned off its equipment through Musser Bros. Auc tion.

Senske acquires Colorado lawn care company

Senske Services has acquired Green Mountain Lawn & Tree Care based in Commerce City, Colorado.

Kennewick-based Senske is a familyowned provider of lawn, tree, and pest control services throughout the western United States.

Founded in 1985 by Wade Grove, Green Mountain has provided lawn and tree care for nearly four decades.

This is the seventh acquisition com pleted by Senske Services in 2022, con tributing to three years of record-breaking growth for the company.

Senske said it plans to increase merger and acquisition activity by targeting an expanding national footprint. “Our expansion and growth strategy focuses on acquiring companies with similar service lines and quality employees that can join our team,” said Senske’s Chief Operating Officer Tim Ehrhart.

Kennewick restaurant reopens after fire

The Double Dragon restaurant at 3107 W. Clearwater Ave. in Kennewick re opened after a fire shut it down for about nine months.

“We have missed all of our loyal customers,” Lisa Chen of Double Dragon wrote on the restaurant’s Facebook page to announce the reopening of dine-in and carry-out service on Sept. 15.

The Chinese restaurant did not have a fire suppression sprinkler system or a fire detection system, Kennewick fire of ficials said. On Dec. 7, 2021, two people in the area noticed fire coming from the vent on the restaurant’s roof and called 911. Fire crews arrived within 4 minutes of being dispatched and doused flames quickly, containing the blaze to the kitchen area.

Restaurant hours are 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

New homes sparkle at annual Parade of Homes event

By Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

Homebuilders were excited to swing wide the doors on their latest homes for visitors during this year’s Parade of Homes.

The Home Builders Association of Tri-Cities event, which ran from Sept. 16-18, highlighted four new homes, all in Richland.

The popular event showcases the latest in construction, architectural trends, de sign and décor. It was sidelined from inperson touring the past two years because of the pandemic.

The 2022 builders were Prodigy Homes Inc., Riverwood Homes Wash ington LLC, Brett Lott Homes and New Tradition Homes.

Intrigue Custom Homes and Hayden Homes offered virtual-only home tours for houses in Kennewick and Prosser, re spectively.

HBA announced several awards dur

ing this year’s Parade:

• People’s Choice: Prodigy Homes.

• Best in Parade of Award: Prodigy Homes.

• Best Workmanship Award: Prodigy Homes.

• Best Home Design Award: Prodigy Homes.

• Best Interior Decorating Award: Prodigy Homes.

• Best Kitchen Award: Prodigy Homes.

• Best Owners Suite Award: Prodigy Homes.

• Best Exterior Appeal Award: Prodigy Homes.

• Best Landscaping Award: New Tra dition Homes.

• HBA Members Doing Business with Members Award: Brett Lott Homes.

If you missed the event, tour each of the homes virtually at paradeofhome stricities.com.

Photo by Kristina Lord

Photo by Kristina Lord

Jason Wilkinson, left, of Prodigy Homes, left, talks with a Parade of Homes visitor about the features of the hilltop luxury home at 2483 Falconcrest Loop in Richland. The 3,195-square-foot home was listed for $1.6 million and won several awards in the Parade of Homes event.

Atkins Nuclear Secured building $20M tech center

By Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

Atkins Nuclear Secured broke ground on a $20 million technology center at its north Richland campus in September.

The site is next to the existing Atkins Engineering Laboratory off George Wash ington Way and across the street from the Washington State University Tri-Cities Wine Science Center.

Fowler General Construction Inc. is the contractor for the building, which will have 16,000 square feet of collaborative office space and a 16,000-square-foot high-bay testing area designed for devel oping nuclear and environmental cleanuprelated technologies.

“We are about connecting people, data, and technology to deliver solutions to ad dress some of our planet’s most complex problems,” said Joe St. Julian, president, nuclear, SNC-Lavalin. “The (Advanced Technology Center) will be at the forefront with our other global locations, enabling the development and application of new and innovative ways of delivering end-toend services for our customer’s projects.”

Atkins Nuclear Secured Holding Corp. is a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group.

“This is a big day for us and a very tangible demonstration of our commit ment to this community and the important work being done at Hanford,” said Tom Jouvanis, president of Atkins Nuclear Se cured. “We look forward to continuing our strong partnerships at Hanford and with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE),

Courtesy city of Richland

13 groundbreaking of Atkins Nuclear Secured’s

uBUSINESS BRIEFS

Columbia Gardens

adds a new food truck

Botanas Culichi will dish up botanas or “snacks” popular in Caliacåan, Mexico Wednesdays to Sundays at the Port of Kennewick’s Columbia Gardens Wine and Artisan Village, off East Columbia Drive near the cable bridge.

Botanas, which operates from noon-7 p.m., is owned by Silvia Aguilera and her daughter Brenda.

It joins Boblastic Tri-Cities, Culture Shock Bistro, Swampy’s BBQ and Taste of Wok at the Food Truck Plaza, 325 E. Columbia Gardens Way.

Fast fashion jeweler opens at Columbia Center

technology center in north Richland.

left are: Jack Craig and Tom Jouvanis of Atkins Nuclear Secured, Joe St. Julian (SNC-Lavalin), Richland Mayor Michael Alvarez, Kristen Ellis of the U.S. Department of Energy and Kate McAteer of Washington State University Tri-Cities.

WSUTC, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Catholic University’s Vit reous State Laboratory to provide cuttingedge solutions.”

Richland Mayor Michael Alvarez said the company’s investment represents a significant commitment not only to the DOE cleanup goals, but also to Washing ton State University Tri-Cities and to the local Tri-Cities.

“The ATC will allow students to be a part of engineering and technological in

novation which will attract and keep future generations of leaders right here in the TriCities,” he said.

Atkins Nuclear Secured is a partner in the Washington River Protection Solu tions team that manages the tank opera tions contract at Hanford on behalf of the Department of Energy’s Office of River Protection.

It has been part of SNC-Lavalin since 2017.

Lovisa, which translates haute couture looks into accessible jew elry, has opened a store at Columbia Center mall in Kennewick.

Lovisa opened in a renovated spot between Cricket Wireless and Tresore Rare, across from Cinnabon and MyFroYo near the food court.

The space underwent a $225,000 remodel by Planit Construction USA and Apollo Sheet Metal, according to recent building permits.

The Australia-based retailer operates more than 600 stores in the Pacific Rim as well as Europe and the Middle East.

Go to Lovisa.com.

Dutch Bros under construction in West Richland

A Dutch Bros coffeeshop is under construction near Libby Middle School in West Richland.

The Oregon-based coffee chain bought a 1-acre parcel across from the city’s municipal services build ing in fall 2022.

City officials say it is expected to open in 2023.

The city decided to subdivide a 4-acre parcel it owned as there seemed to be more developer interest in the smaller size.

The long line of cars regularly queuing up at Libby to pick up or drop off students likely are target customers.

JOANN, From page B1

retailers with a presence “behind” the mall and along Gage Boulevard.

The move also creates a fresh op portunity for a newcomer to take over Joann’s current building, 721 N. Columbia Center Blvd. at West Gage Boulevard. Its 16,000-squarefoot store occupies a 1.5-acre site at one of the more prominent retail lo cations in Kennewick.

There was no evidence it had been listed for lease in early October. A space in Columbia Plaza, a neigh boring strip mall, was being offered at $14 per square foot per year on LoopNet.

Just Roses sells business as owner begins cancer treatments

By Kristina Lord publisher@tcjournal.biz

A longtime flower shop has changed hands so the former owner can face down a fast-spreading cancer.

Connie and Sandy Wormington sold Just Roses Flowers & More, which has shops in Kennewick and Pasco, along with their wholesale flower shop, Columbia Whole sale.

Leslie and Richard Underwood of Dia mond Back Farms are the new owners. The deal closed Sept. 1.

When reached for comment, Leslie said she and her husband preferred to stay out of the limelight and to let the Wormingtons talk about the sale since they were the long time business owners.

No terms were disclosed.

The Underwoods’ granddaughter Taylor Rathbun has worked at Just Roses for about a year-and-a-half and plans to oversee the business’ management and success, accord ing to Connie.

“It was our baby for 33 years. I want it to be continued on,” Connie said.

The Wormingtons owned Just Roses for more than three decades.

They launched in 1988, offering delivery of a dozen affordable red roses by a tuxedowearing driver. Connie told the Journal of Business in 2018 that the shop owned 35 tuxedo suits for its team of drivers.

In 1996, the couple bought out their for mer partners.

They launched the Pasco shop, located at 1835 W. Court St., in 2000.

Customers liked their drive-thru win

Connie Wormington

dows and floral delivery service so much that the company ex panded and of fered franchise opportunities, and in its hey day, operated 18 shops in the Northwest un

til the Great Recession took its toll on the business.

Property for sale

The Underwoods bought the businesses but not the Kennewick property, which the Wormingtons own. Just Roses has long leased the Pasco property.

The Kennewick property at 5428 W. Clearwater Ave. is for sale, along with the couple’s self-storage business, Just Storage, Connie said.

It is listed at $1.3 million, with a 6% capitalization, or “cap” rate. The cap rate reflects the return on the investment to the buyer. It is comparable to interest rates on savings accounts.

The property includes 4,574 square feet of retail space and 6,608 square feet of storage. Three buildings are leased to Just Roses. The NAI Tri-Cities listing indicates that 50 of the 56 storage units are occupied.

Time to retire

Connie, 74, and her husband, 75, knew it was time for their next chapter.

“We both have worked all our lives,” Connie said.

Connie’s worsening cancer also made it clear retirement was necessary.

She was diagnosed with breast cancer eight years ago and recently learned the cancer had metastasized.

“That was a determining factor – we want to enjoy some of our life. I keep telling Sandy that I don’t want to retire and die, but I want to retire and live a fun life,” she said.

And what’s fun for Connie is traveling to play softball.

She’s a die-hard, lifelong, award-win ning softball player, racking up plenty of trophies along the way in the senior leagues, playing on and against the top teams in the country in her age bracket.

“I’ll continue to play as long as I’m able

to,” she said.

She had hoped to play in the Huntsman World Senior Games in St. George, Utah, earlier this month but her doctors advised against it.

“But you know, I’ll continue to fight this. That’s the way I am. I just really wish I could have gone. I wasn’t strong enough. I didn’t expect the cancer to go so fast,” she said, noting with pride that her team earned medals at the game.

Connie said she’d like to be able to at tend a tournament in Panama City, the last one of the year, but isn’t sure it’s possible.

She said in early October that she planned to begin chemotherapy and radiation.

“I just have to see how I do,” she said.

New development planning underway for West Richland intersection

By Kristina Lord publisher@tcjournal.biz

A future West Richland development is beginning to take shape – on paper and with at least two local businesses committed to moving in – though no visible signs of the project can be seen along on Bombing Range Road yet.

Lori and Jeff Wenner of JLW Asset Man agement LLC bought a 2-acre parcel at the intersection of Paradise Way and Bombing Range in April.

They plan to build three buildings on the property, a $6 million project: a 1,300-square-foot building that will be home to the second location for Swigg Cof fee Bar (See story on page A13.). A second building will have 6,000 square feet and the third will offer 5,000 square feet.

Earlier this year the Wenners paid $1.3 million for land between Smitty’s Paradise Gas and the Church of Jesus Christ of Lat ter-day Saints.

The Wenners would love to entice a res taurant like Graze and a wine bar to set up shop there.

When will construction begin? “We’re so close. We have everything designed. … It should be February or spring timeframe, depending on how fast city goes (with per mits),” Lori said.

It’s a high visibility area, just across the street from Yoke’s Fresh Market.

Across the street from the property at 1605 Bombing Range Road, a $2.7 million development is under construction that will

uBUSINESS BRIEF

Nordstrom Rack is coming to Yakima Valley

Nordstrom Inc. will open a Nordstrom Rack, its discount arm, at Valley Mall in Union Gap.

The 28,000-square-foot store will be the only Nordstrom-branded location in the region.

Seattle-based Nordstrom said it would open Rack locations in Olympia, and in Salem, Oregon, too. At Union Gap, Nordstrom Rack will be a neighbor to Cabela’s, Bath & Body Works and to Guitar Center.

With the new stores, Nordstrom will operate 12 Nordstrom Rack stores and six Nordstrom stores in Washington and seven Nordstrom Rack stores and two Nordstrom stores in Oregon.

house Three Rivers Family Medicine’s new walk-in urgent care, Shannon’s Grooming, a dog grooming boutique, and the neighbor hood’s first Papa Murphy’s Take ‘n’ Bake Pizza shop. Nathan and Matthew Croskrey, a father-and-son team, are the developers.

The owner of Sagrado Salon & Skin, Alex Duvall, plans to move her salon into the Wenners’ new development.

Sagrado is currently operating in a strip mall shared with Subway and Lazy River Taphouse at 4033 W. Van Giesen St.

Duvall, 32, wants to expand, adding tan ning, nails, permanent makeup, massage therapy and medical spa services, among others.

Duvall said a majority of her clients must drive out of town for these services.

“West Richland is growing super fast, but there are things that are missing,” she said.

Duvall, who has been styling hair full time since 2012, opened her salon in March 2021.

“My goal for this space is to keep the family and friend vibe going. My favorite thing about Sagrado is people come and just feel comfortable. They feel how much we all get along and like being here. I love the feeling and look forward to coming to work every day,” Duvall said.

She grew up her in grandmother’s salon, About Hair and About Face in east Kenne wick, which opened in 1996 and closed in 2015.

“As a kid I swept floors, I answered phones, I shampooed for my grandma. I

didn’t go to day care; I went to work with my grandma,” Duvall said. “My grandma taught me how to do a good haircut and how to run a business.”

Her grandmother retired last year and some of her salon’s clients followed Duvall to the West Richland salon. “They’re won derful ladies who’ve known me my whole life,” she said.

Duvall’s salon remains a family affair.

Her oldest daughter McKynzi works in the salon as an esthetician, managing Skinzee, the salon’s skin care service.

Duvall has three other daughters, ages 8, 12, and 18, and said they’ll be helping out, too.

“My girls will be growing up in the salon doing towels and phones, just like I did,” she said.

In the small-world department, one of her daughters recently started a job with Shannon’s Grooming.

Three cosmetologists, including Duvall, work at Sagrado. Duvall said she plans to double staff when she expands to Bombing Range, offering eight to 10 stations.

Duvall hasn’t signed a lease yet but has verbally committed to moving to the new development.

“I can’t say enough about the location. It is a beautiful area. I love West Richland. I bought a home out here shortly after open ing my business,” she said.

Though the Wenners’ property is just “a big tumbleweed field” at the moment, the building designs and vision are beautiful, Duvall said. “It will really elevate the area. There’s nothing like this out here.”

Courtesy Lori and Jeff Wenner Developers Lori and Jeff Wenner plan to build three buildings on 2 acres at the corner of Bombing Range Road and Paradise Way. WL Architects/Kyle Lepper and Draftco Designs LLC/Melinko Kulasevic are the designers.

and more now in planning stages

By Tri-Cities Area Journal of

Documents filed under Washington’s environmental review process reveal a long list of projects in the works for the MidColumbia.

The State Environmental Review Act, or SEPA, often provides the first look at the mixed-use projects, mini storage facilities, apartments, industrial expansions, subdivi sions and more that are working their way through the various planning departments in Benton, Franklin and Walla Walla coun ties.

Here’s a look at projects that hit the SEPA register in the past month.

Clearwater Lofts Kennewick

The mixed-use development will bring 4,500 square feet of commercial feet and 20,000 square feet of apartment space to 725 W. Clearwater Ave., near Catholic Par ish of The Holy Spirit.

Paul Knutzen of Knutzen Engineering is representing the owner. SEPA documents indicate the project will seek permits this fall and construction will begin during the winter, with an unspecified number of apartments ready for renters in summer 2024 and the commercial space in winter 2024.

The apartments will serve about 48 resi

dents and the commercial space will serve up to 15 workers.

Wellhouse Heights Townhomes Richland

Five residential townhomes will be built on a 0.43-acre site at Thayer Drive and Du portail Street.

Paul Knutzen of Knutzen Engineering applied for a preliminary plat approval on behalf of the owners, Timothy and Kathryn Bush Trustees.

The property is bordered by single-fam ily homes, a church and Lawless Park. Ac cess will be off Duportail Street and Thayer Drive via shared private driveways.

Construction is anticipated to begin in spring 2023.

Queensgate Transit Hub Richland

Ben Franklin Transit is building a tran sit hub at 691 Windmill Road in Richland, near Queensgate Drive and Columbia Park Trail.

The project fronts an existing parking lot and will offer bus bays, a rest area for drivers and other transit-friendly amenities.

Kevin Sliger of Ben Franklin Transit is the applicant.

The city of Richland has determined there will not be a probable significant im pact on the environment. Construction is

expected to begin in fall 2022.

H&R Elite Trucking Academy

Pasco

Juan Rojas of Prosser has proposed opening a commercial driver training facil ity at 2020 N. Garland St.

The property includes an 1,800-squarefoot office building on 2.25 acres. The proj ect requires a special permit from the city of Pasco.

It will employ five. The business be gan in Sunnyside and currently operates in Prosser, according to its application.

The site is zoned for light industrial use.

Burbank Business Distribution Warehouse Burbank

Suncap Property Group of Denver sub mitted a proposal to build a 104,000-squarefoot light industrial/distribution building with office space at Second Avenue and Poplar Street in the Burbank Business Park, which is owned and operated by the Port of Walla Walla.

Walla Walla County has determined it will not have a significant adverse impact on the environment.

search Monitor the register at bit.ly/Ecolo gySEPARegister. Filter by county under the “Filter Results” section on the left.

tcjournal.biz

Home stager becomes home decor store owner

By Jeff Morrow for Tri-Cities

Kamila Greutman believes that every person is good at something.

The Richland woman discovered her talent in interior design.

Since Greutman and her family – a hus band, three kids and two dogs – moved to the Tri-Cities seven years ago from Albu querque, New Mexico, she has operated a successful business called Detailed Design & Staging.

It’s a business that helps Realtors sell houses more quickly.

Greutman’s company is called upon to fill homes listed for sale with furniture and attractive details to help a buyer imagine what the home could look like.

“One, maybe two Realtors saw what I was doing,” said Greutman, 53. “What it did was help the Realtors sell houses quicker.”

She has a warehouse filled with multi ple homes’ worth of furnishings, and while business has been good, Greutman has de cided to add to her workload and empire.

This summer, Greutman bought It’s All in The Details, a Kennewick furniture and home accent store.

She purchased the store from the origi nal owner, Gretl Crawford, who was look ing to sell.

Crawford, who serves as Kennewick’s mayor pro tem, owns Gretl Crawford Homes, a construction company she start

ed in 1998. She opened the retail store in 2015. A mutual friend introduced Greut man to Crawford.

The sale happened fast.

“Gretl had a lawyer. We got a lawyer,” she said. “She needed to know if it was going to happen, because she needed to order Christmas and Thanksgiving stuff at that time (summer). You have to order that stuff early.”

Greutman took over the store on July 28, and while there will be some crossover between the two businesses she owns, she plans to keep them mostly separate.

“Now I have the staging company, a house to run, and the store,” said Greut man, who has three employees working at the staging company, and four more work ing at the store.

As a young child growing up in Europe,

Greutman felt she was destined for interior design.

“Design, you were born with it,” she said. “I’ve been able to do this since I was at a young age.”

As a child, Greutman would clean and move furniture around her parents’ home until it felt and looked, as she said, “just right.”

“When I was in high school, my friends would come in my room and say ‘Oh my God. It’s so cool,’ ” Greutman said. “We didn’t have much money. But I could find stuff. I think we all are good at something.”

But sometimes life gets in the way.

She got married, had children and was teaching in New Mexico.

“And then my husband (Mike) got a good job and said I didn’t have to teach if I didn’t want to,” she said. “But I got bored within six months. I thought ‘Let me take stock in what I like.’ ”

She came back to design.

She helped a local builder with the inte rior design of three houses.

That got her going, and she became busy with that job in Albuquerque.

Then Greutman’s husband Mike got a job working for Bechtel in Richland.

The family moved to the Tri-Cities, and she launched Detailed Design & Staging.

Mike, who sits in front of a computer during the day, became her furniture as sembler.

“It’s almost therapy for him,” Greutman

Since 1978, our locally owned and independent brokerage continues to proudly serve buyers and sellers of the Tri-Cities. Our Professional Brokers truly complement our solid reputation of exemplary services. These individuals have the drive and local knowledge that generate results. Call today!

Susan Bond Kim Keller Ed Branham Amy Butcher Matt Calvert Judy Dubsky Hunter Shipman Jasmin Lucatero Jennifer Mast Christa Sasser Wilhelm Brian Schienbein

Photo by Jeff Morrow

Kamila Greutman bought It’s

in

Details, a 7-year-old Kennewick furniture and home accent store

Kennewick, and plans

rebrand

Design.

said. “He goes to the warehouse, has a nice bottle of wine with him, and he assembles the furniture. Currently we’re staging two clubhouses at an apartment complex.”

In addition, Greutman is a member of the Real Estate Staging Association, and she became certified by the Staging Studio of San Antonio.

But Greutman wasn’t done.

While visiting Victoria with Mike one year, she happened across a furniture store. The owner said she had been going strong for 20 years and loved what she was doing.

That planted the seed in Greutman’s head to wanting to get her own store.

And this year, that goal came to fruition.

It’s only been two months since own ership changed hands at It’s All in The

Details – which will be rebranded in early 2023 to Twenty Eight Home + Design.

But in those two months, Greutman learned a lot.

“I need to spend more time on the store,” Greutman said. “The hardest part is ordering inventory. Gretl gave me all of her contacts of where to order. She wants me to be successful.”

Greutman never thought she’d keep clothing in the store when she took over.

“I was planning on doing mostly furni ture,” she said. “When I started, I didn’t see myself selling clothing. In fact I was going to phase the clothing out. But it turns out the clothing is the No. 1 or 2 seller in the store. People love clothing. So I watch to see what clothing is selling.

“This is the stuff I need to learn, because I’ve never owned a store before. And it

takes a lot of inventory to keep the store stocked.”

Greutman’s philosophy is, “If I would not use the item in my home, I will not pur chase them for the store.”

Store products besides the clothing in clude furniture, rugs, lighting, artwork, home accent décor, luxe bedding and can dles.

Services she provides there are residen tial interior design and concept boards; Airbnb styling; and commercial interior design.

She’s holding a holiday open house on Nov. 9, kicking off the Christmas season.

Greutman’s goal is to share her talents with the Tri-City community.

“I love decor, and working with peo ple,” she said. “It makes me happy. It’s fulfilling. It gets my creativity out. I found

my gift.”

She believes it’s important for people to have a home they love.

“Life is a series of ebbs and flows,” she said. “I think it’s important to go into your own space at the end of the day, put your feet up, look around and say, ‘I did this.’ ”

If she can help that person get there –“Even if that means finding the right pil low for your furniture” – then she’s done her job.

“That’s my calling.”

search It’s All in the Details: 4504 W. 26th Ave., #110, Kennewick; 509-820-3022; twentyeighthomedesign.com.

For more information about Detailed Design & Staging, call 505-980-9474.

Fortify Holdings expects to complete the first phase of the conversion of a former hotel into The Franklin, a 205-unit apartment building featuring 350-square-foot studios, this fall.

The property at 1515 George Washington Way also features La Bella Vita Kitchen and Bar.

The Franklin consists of a six-story tower and a back wing with two stories and overlooks George Washington Way in central Richland.

Work on the tower will be complete in Novem ber. The balance of the building will be complete in early 2023. Units will be leased at market rate rent.

In addition to the La Bella Vita space, the reno vation includes creating space for a coffee shop, fitness center, poolside cantina bar, banquet rooms and commercial office space.

Fortify, based in Portland, is represented in Eastern Washington by Daniel Jacobs, Robert Jacobs, Brett Jacobs, Cameron Wagar, Troy Lynch and Abigail Donner.

Avenue 5 Property Management will manage the property. A property website will go online in the coming months.

uNEW HIRES

• Gesa Credit Union, headquartered in Richland, has hired two home loan officers, Ken Mundel and Rick Craig, to its Spokane region. Both have experi ence working in the financial services indus try for the last 19 and 30 years, respectively. In their new roles, they will origi nate mortgage loans for Gesa members across the Northwest. Gesa, the second largest credit union in the state, serves more than 280,000 members.

• Jaime Shimek has been named execu tive director of communications and external engagement at the U.S. Depart ment of Energy’s Pacific North west National Laboratory. An Eastern Washington native, Shimek has more than 20 years’ experience working with congressional and state legislative bodies, and federal agencies. Most recently, she served as the majority clerk for the House Appro priations Energy and Water Subcom mittee in Washington, D.C. From 201617, she worked as director of federal affairs at PNNL. Prior, she served as the deputy assistant secretary of Senate affairs at DOE, where she provided

strategic advice to the secretary of energy and departmental leadership, managed the department’s relationships with the Senate, and shaped depart mental programmatic policy and activi ties. She also served as a senior policy advisor to U.S. Sen. Patty Murray and began her career with U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from Wash ington State University in Pullman and a master’s degree in government from Johns Hopkins University.

• Total Ener gy Management of Richland has hired Robert Rojas to work in its opera tions depart ment. Rojas has over 30 years’ experience in construction.

• Trios Health has hired Erik Rammels berg, a doc tor of nursing practice, to be a Trios Urgent Care provider. Rammelsberg worked as a registered nurse in Trios’ Emergency Department from 2013-22. During his tenure in the emergency department, he served as a charge nurse, triaged patients according to acuity and need, and provided bedside care and as sessments of patients of all ages with problems ranging from non-urgent to life-threatening. He completed his degree through Washington State Uni versity and his bachelor of science in nursing in 2012, as well as a bachelor of science in psychology in 2007 from Washington State University.

• Cynthia Nygren has joined Banner Bank as assistant vice president, branch manager of the Richland branch. She has worked in the banking industry for nearly 30

years. She has extensive experience managing successful branches and assisting small businesses with their finances. Banner Bank is a Washing ton-chartered commercial bank serving Washington, Oregon, California and Idaho.

• The Children’s Developmental Center has hired Chris Dingman as a development associate. He is from the Tri-City area and has lived here most of his childhood and young adult life. For the past 17 years, he has worked internationally in the countries of South Korea, Myanmar, China, Taiwan and Thailand as an early childhood and physical education teacher.

• Lourdes Health has hired Dr. Anto ny Y. Kim as a locum cardiolo gist. Kim is an experienced cardiologist specializing in the treatment of coronary artery disease, arrhythmia and heart failure. He has advanced training in procedures including cardiac catheterization, transesophageal echocardiography, cardiac rhythm modifying device implantation, nuclear stress testing, cardiopulmonary stress testing, and advanced therapies. He received his medical degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans in 1994. He has more than 28 years of diverse ex perience, especially in cardiovascular disease. Kim is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in cardiovascular disease, internal medicine and advanced heart failure and transplant.

• Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani has hired William M. Hughbanks as senior counsel in the firm’s Spo kane office. He joins the construction practice group. Hughbanks focuses his practice on complex commercial litiga tion with an emphasis on construction related matters. He regularly assists clients at the outset of a construction project by reviewing, negotiating and developing contract documents to protect the clients’ interest. He also counsels his clients in preparing claims and evaluating liability when a dispute arises on a project. He most recently

served as president and CEO of the Inland Pacific Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors.

uGRANTS

• STCU presented 27 regional teach ers with $200 classroom grants as part of its efforts to welcome educators back to school. The not-for-profit credit union, which was founded by teachers, was honoring its roots by awarding the grants to 200 total educators – a total of $40,000 to winners drawn at ran dom. Because even the price of pencils and paper are subject to the effects of inflation, the amount of each grant award has been increased from $150 to $200. Winners can spend their grant on anything that will enhance students’ classroom experience, whether a basic need or something special. Teachers in the Kennewick, Pasco and Richland school districts received grants, along with an educator from Educational Service District 123.

uDONATIONS

• Washington River Protection So lutions donated $15,000 to the Kadlec Foundation to support critical Kadlec programs and services on Sept. 12. Since 2008, WRPS has given $8 mil lion to community organizations that support education, community services and workforce and business develop ment.

• Columbia River Mensa, a local chapter of American Mensa, donated $2,500 to Delta High School’s STEM programs for the 2022-23 school year. Delta, a STEM-focused high school comprised of students from Pasco, Kennewick and Richland school dis tricts, will use the money to support technology improvements with the goal of keeping the school relevant, innova tive and up to date with industry trends.

• The Benton Franklin Fair donat ed $2,132 to Second Harvest Tri-Cities in honor of National Hunger Action Month in September. Those money will help provide 9,530 meals for those in need in the community. Over the past 14 years, the fair has donated the equivalent of 130,000 pounds of food to the nonprofit. The fair donates $2 from each adult admission ticket sold on opening day.

Interested in

Pre-Planning?

Ken Mundel

Rick Craig

Jaime Shimek

Robert Rojas

Erik Rammelsberg

Cynthia Nygren

Dr. Antony Y. Kim

uPROMOTIONS

• Gesa Credit Union, headquartered in Richland, has promoted Cheryl Adamson from vice president, general counsel, to executive vice president of legal and administration, general counsel. Adamson brings more than 30 years of experience working in private practice with an emphasis on commer cial litigation, business representation and insurance matters. Adamson is a Kennewick native. She earned a bach elor of business administration from Gonzaga University and a juris doctor degree from the University of Wash ington School of Law. Prior to joining Gesa in 2021, Adamson practiced at Rettig Forgette Iller Adamson LLP in the Tri-Cities and Bohrnsen Stocker Smith Luciani Adamson PLLC in Spokane. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family, travel ing, exercising and completing puzzles.

• Ben Rich ardson has been promoted to chief finan cial officer of Numerica Credit Union. He will oversee all financial deci sions and activi ties within the organization. Offering more than two decades of experience in banking and corporate finance, Richardson has been acting CFO since 2021. Prior to that, he was Numerica’s senior vice presi dent of finance. Richardson earned a finance degree from Ohio State Univer sity and a master’s in business admin istration from Ohio University, where he was the program’s valedictorian.

He’s also a certified public accountant and graduate of the Stonier Graduate School of Banking, an American Bank ers Association program in partnership with the renowned Wharton School.

• Feed the Children, a nonprofit antihunger organization based in Okla homa City, Oklahoma, has promoted Chris Gard, a Richland native, to vice president of marketing, communica tions and creative. Prior to joining Feed the Children in 2021 as senior director of marketing and creative, he spent the first half of his career as a director and designer for NBCUniversal, before becoming director of creative for

Lionsgate TV Guide. He then took his experience into the technology indus try, where he led Apple’s worldwide Creative Services department and also worked for the Silicon Valley unicorn start-up Picsart as head of global cre ative. Gard lives in Oklahoma City.

• Columbia Industries has promoted two employees. Edgar Castro has been promoted to controller. He has been with the Kenne wick-based nonprofit for six years, most recently serving as the account ing manager. He holds a master of busi ness admin istration with an accounting concentration from Eastern Oregon University.

Amy Robinson has recently been promoted to community center manag er. She has worked in various positions with CI for nearly nine years, most re cently serving as CI community center coordinator.

Columbia Industries, which began in 1963, is focused on helping people with disabilities and other challenges.

uAWARDS & HONORS

• For the 15th year, the Pasco School District has earned a 2022 Partnership District Award from the National Network of Partnership Schools (NNPS) at Johns Hopkins University. NNPS said the district con ducts evidence-based strategies to help schools become welcoming places that engage all parents and the community in ways that improve student atten dance, behavior, achievement, health, graduation rates, postsecondary plans and other outcomes – even during the pandemic. The district, a member of the network, cited specific leadership structures, processes and activities that help schools organize more effective and equitable programs of family and community engagement for student

success in school. NNPS requires evidence of key program components including teamwork, clear goals, welldesigned and well-implemented plans, direct facilitation of school-based Ac tion Teams for Partnerships, evaluation of progress and network connections.

The district’s Rowena Chess El ementary also earned its third Part nership School Award from NNPS. Rowena Chess was commended for organizing and hosting the STEAM Showcase and Carnival, which will be included in the new book of Promising Partnership Practices 2022. Reviewers praised this activity for its indoor-andoutdoor design to counter the isolation due to Covid-19 and bring all partners in students’ education back together.

• The Children’s Reading Founda tion of the Mid-Columbia presented the 2022 Literacy Legacy award to Bechtel National Inc. for its longstanding sup port of children’s literacy on Sept. 9. Bechtel has supported the foundation’s mission over the past two decades by providing significant resources to raise young readers across the Mid-Colum bia. Bechtel’s senior managers have continuously served on the foundation board and provide policy guidance, financial support and hands-on vol unteerism. Bechtel has donated about $175,000 over the years supporting the organization and its Books and Vines fundraiser.

• Healing Hands Project was named one of 50 Period Heroes within the 50 states. Founder Rachel Fidino accepted the honor and an nounced aspira tions to provide even greater outreach in support of women in need. As an award recipient, the project received an allotment of nearly 40,000 feminine pads from Always, facilitated by MSL Group, that will be donated to women in need throughout the state. Fidino launched the nonprofit was launched in 2016 when she started talking to homeless women in Seattle about how to access feminine hygiene products. Fidino, an advanced practice registered nurse, is the owner of New U Women’s

Clinic & Aesthetics in Kennewick.

• Dr. Katina

Rue, a Trios Health Fam ily Medicine provider and Family Medi cine Residency Program direc tor, was named president of the Washington State Medical Associa tion (WSMA) at its annual House of Delegates meeting on Oct. 2. She is the first Latina and the first osteopathic physician to hold the top office at the WSMA. The organization represents more than 12,000 physicians, physi cian assistants, resident physicians, and medical students throughout the state. Rue holds faculty positions at the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine, Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, University of Washington Department of Fam ily Medicine, and Pacific Northwest University College of Osteopathic Medicine. She has held several hospital and clinic positions and is board certi fied in family medicine and osteopathic manipulative treatment.

Ben Richardson

Edgar Castro

Amy Robinson

Rachel Fidino

Dr. Katina Rue

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 foreclo sure.

Chapter 13 – Plan is devised by the individual to pay a percentage of debt based on ability to pay. All dis posable income must be used to pay debts.

Information provided by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Spokane.

CHAPTER 7

Patrik Edward Hopkins, 6716 W. Rich ardson Road, Pasco.

Patrick Liddell & Bebe Grace Liddell, 901 W. 43rd Ave., Kennewick.

Diana Verduzco, PO Box 118, Tieton.

Brian Scott Krom, 7322 Bonnie Ave., #51, Kennewick.

Omar I. Conner, 8264 W. Grandridge Blvd., #213, Kennewick.

Sharon Rose Rockwell, 522 19th Ave., Kennewick.

Linda Lee Hines, 6421 W. Argent Road, Pasco.

Joshua Emerson Woods & Artiesa Rae Woods, 6511 James St., West Richland.

Gregory M. Frazier, 2249 W. 49th Ave., Kennewick.

Pedro Campos III, 5024 W. Sylvester St., Pasco.

Roselena Madrigal, 2101 W. Snow Lane, Benton City.

Hayley Crystine Enders, 5413 Lodgepole Drive, Pasco.

Martin Silva Mendiola & Angelica Garcia Ramirez, 1616 W. Second Ave., Kenne wick.

Veronica Mendoza Betancourt, 1306 Irene Ave., Benton City.

Elia K. Esquivel, 3505 Tierra Vida Lane, Pasco.

CHAPTER 13

Krystopher Paul McCrea, 935 W. 14th Place, Kennewick.

Richelle Lynn Sanborn, 6752 Nelson St., West Richland.

Jeffrey Lopez Roldan, 5623 W. Hood

Ave., Kennewick.

Jennifer Lee Wolbach, 451 Westcliffe Blvd., #A-204, Richland.

Alyssa Marie Allen, 1902 S. Rainier St., Kennewick.

Bradley Allen Stanley & Courtney Denay Stanley, 2508 S. Buntin Loop, Kennewick.

uTOP PROPERTIES

Top property values listed start at $700,000 and have been rounded to the nearest hundred figure. Property values are public record and can be found by visiting the county assessor’s office.

BENTON COUNTY

4303 S. Zintel Way, Kennewick, 12.84 acres of commercial land. Price: $3.5 mil lion. Buyer: Evergreen Zintel LLC. Seller: Circle One Properties LLC. 2373 Jericho Road, Richland, mini-stor age warehouses on 4 acres. Price: $1.3 million. Buyer: BBS Richland 2373 Jericho Rd WA LLC. Seller: US Self Storage LLC. 2820 Appaloosa Way, Richland, 3,231-square-foot home. Price: $722,000. Buyer: Charles J & Kuo-Ying Frenzel. Seller: James M. Lukacs. 425 Ventus St., Richland, 3,061-squarefoot home. Price: $840,000. Buyer: Diana M. & James W. Cutsforth. Seller: Pahlisch Homes at Westcliffe Heights II LLC. 1610 Sorrento Lane, Richland, 3,026-square-foot home. Price: $995,000. Buyer: Jeffrey & Laura Arroyo. Seller: Freya Charlene Chambers.

761 Williams Blvd., Richland, 6,752-square-foot medical office. Price: $1.6 million. Buyer: Tri-Cities Community Health. Seller: Ambrad-Chalela Invest ments LLC.

4002 W. 43rd Ave., Kennewick, 2,155-square-foot home. Price: $885,000. Buyer: Michelle M. Kiesecker. Seller: John A. & Kimberly Gravenslund.

1432 W. Fourth Ave., Kennewick, 12,648-square-foot mini storage facility.

Price: $1.2 million. Buyer: AP Properties LLC. Seller: Marshall & Sherry Almarode. 8016 W. Fourth Ave., Kennewick, ministorage warehouse facility on 5.3 acres.

Price: $5.6 million. Buyer: Hansen Park Express LLC. Seller: RCB Properties. 5404 Collins Road, West Richland,

2,809-square-foot home on 2.5 acres. Price: $735,000. Buyer: Jonathon Harrison & Morgan Harrell. Seller: Brian Patrick McDermott.

412 Piper St., Richland, 1,754-squarefoot home. Price: $800,000. Buyer: Aaron & Jennifer Phillips. Seller: Your Assets LLC.

5930 Willowbend St., West Richland, 1,868-square-foot home. Price: $739,000. Buyer: Ryan L. & Mary R. Karlson. Seller: David Schlotthauer II & Mollie Schlot thauer.

88645 Calico Road, Kennewick, 3,330-square-foot home. Price: $890,000.

Buyer: Griselda F. Tiscareno & Jose Lepe. Seller: JK Monarch LLC. 2474 Maggio Loop, Richland, 3,349-square-foot home. Price: $850,000. Buyer: Jason & Andrea Rehling. Seller: Riverwood Homes Washington LLC. 27404 S. 816 PR SE, Kennewick, 4,676-square-foot home on 3 acres. Price: $1.1 million. Buyer: Cory & Emily Eagon. Seller: Joshua & Anne Eerkes. 2426 Maggio Loop, Richland, 3,330-square-foot home. Price: $870,000. Buyer: Steven Sidi & Julie Lynn Dai. Seller: Riverwood Homes Washington LLC. 225 Rachel Road, Kennewick, 2,072-square-foot home and pole build ing on 1.8 acres. Price: $775,000. Buyer: Brandon M. & Rachel Muzatko. Seller: Micheal J. & Dawn L. Hansen. 3863 Bing St., West Richland, 1,633-square-foot home. Price: $702,000. Buyer: Michael & Sheila Stoner. Seller: Landmark Homes of Washington Inc. 3680 Paso Fino St., West Richland, 2,638-square-foot home. Price: $863,000. Buyer: Jessica Marie & Eugene Vera. Seller: Tri-City Remodel LLC.

6400 W. Okanogan Ave., Kennewick, 7,200-square-foot commercial building.

Price: $1 million. Buyer: Mae Enterprises LLC. Seller: Paul R. & Linda L. Parish. 6103 S. Coulee Vista Drive, Kennewick, 2,715-square-foot home. Price: $750,000.

Buyer: Brianne Michelle & Justin Lee For man. Seller: Zachary G. & Cari L. Dean. 87205 E. Sagebrush Road, Kennewick, 2,672-square-foot home. Price: $749,000.

Buyer: Jennifer A. & William R. Gardner. Seller: Jared & Mindy L. Barber. 3014 W. Kennewick Ave., Kennewick, 4,815-square-foot casino. Price: $16 mil lion. Buyer: Project Evergreen WA LLC.

Seller: NG Washington LLC.

105954 E. Tatum Blvd., Kennewick, 3,900-square-foot home. Price: $1.3 mil lion. Buyer: Matthew & Mary Dixon. Seller: Gale Rew Construction Inc. 4204 S. Olson St., Kennewick, 4,702-square-foot home. Price: $890,000.

Buyer: Danny S. & Bonnie A. Oberg. Seller: Charles R. & Gayle E. Stack.

97202 E. Canyon View Drive, Kenne wick, 2,968-square-foot home plus pole building. Price: $955,000. Buyer: Tim & Amber Culhane. Seller: Nathaniel & Tiffany Saunders.

4312 S. Gum St., Kennewick, 1,808-square-foot home. Price: $700,000.

Buyer: Nathaniel & Tiffany Saunders. Sell ers: Daniel L. & Vickie L. Kaufman.

5777 E. 28th Ave., Kennewick, 2,260-square-foot home. Price: $1 million.

Buyer: Bartlomiej & Mackenzie Wanot.

Seller: Prodigy Homes Inc.

5520 Hershey Lane, West Richland, 3,033-square-foot home. Price: $860,000.

Buyer: Fred C. & Khara E. Lewis. Seller: Brad Beauchamp.

701 Symons St., Richland, 4,860-squarefoot home. Price: $1 million. Buyer: Mason & Johanna Fiascone. Seller: Christopher & Deidra A. Murphy.

2612 Saddle Way, Richland, 3,091-square-foot home. Price: $725,000. Buyer: Joseph N. Stoops. Seller: Donald D. & Cheryl L. Volkman.

3334 Southlake Drive, West Richland, 2,778-square-foot home. Price: $735,000. Buyer: John Patrick & Ma Jing Lemmon. Seller: Alice D. Smith.

431 Ventus St., Richland, 2,532-squarefoot home. Price: $720,000. Buyer: Kim berly A. Schulz. Seller: Pahlisch Homes at Westcliffe Heights LLC.

683 Summit St., Richland, 3,752-squarefoot home. Price: $865,000. Buyer: Joel W. & Lynette Duling. Seller: David M. Wood. 354 Adair Drive, Richland, 3,479-squarefoot home. Price: $700,000. Buyer: Ramon Eduardo Soto. Seller: Tommy L. & Florence Kirchner.

1622 Venice Lane, Richland, 2,296-square-foot home. Price: $930,000.

Buyer: Jordan R. & Laura F. Follett. Seller: Kiane Rae Lesser.

3311 E. Mt. Adams View Drive, Rich land, 2,839-square-foot home on 2.5 acres. Price: $899,000. Buyer: Anthony C. Albrecht & Erin M. Bennett. Seller: Scott J. & Kathleen C. Hockersmith.

1303 Wine Country Road, Prosser, 1,910-square-foot mini mart. Price: $972,000. Buyer: KC Stop LLC. Seller: Ghuman Brothers Inc.

1502 Meadow Hills Drive, Richland, 2,330-square-foot home. Price: $920,000.

Buyer: Donald R. & Shawn M. Welch Trust ees. Seller: James L. & Lucinda D. Foster.

2854 Sunshine Ridge Road, Richland, 1,844-square-foot home. Price: $835,000.

Buyer: Stuart Andrew & Camie Anne Maloy. Seller: Timothy J. & Naomi J. Knaff Trustees.

3234 Quail Ridge Loop, Richland, 3,058-square-foot home. Price: $807,000.

Buyer: Richard & Ariana Kalafian. Seller: Pahlisch Homes at Horn Rapids Limited Partnership.

4754 Laurel Drive, West Richland, 0.51acre home site. Price: $1 million. Buyer: Whitesand LLC. Seller: Bluexterra LLC. 2690 E. Katie Road, Kennewick, 1,810-square-foot home. Price: $710,000. Buyer: Robert & Martha Kyler. Seller: Ste phen P. Basehore.

89111 E. Summit View Drive, Kenne wick, 2,599-square-foot home. Price: $890,000. Buyer: Marlon William & Sharla Marrette Jack Trustee. Seller: Renee K. Stone.

318 Rockwood Drive, Richland, 2,602-square-foot home. Price: $800,000.

Buyer: Veda Lakshmi Anjali Varada. Seller: Wei Wayne Qiu & Huijuan Zhang Trustees. 26902 S. Sunset Meadow Loop, Ken newick, 3,653-square-foot home and pole buildings on 2 acres. Price: $1 million.

Buyer: John A. & Kimberly Gravenslund. Seller: Rick J. & Lori C. Anderson.

7527 W. 23rd Ave., Kennewick, 0.31-acre home site. Price: $916,000. Buyer: Robert & Michelle Colley II. Seller: Prodigy Homes Inc.

FRANKLIN COUNTY

816 N. 28th Ave., Pasco, 11,044-squarefoot auto sales complex. Price: $5.8 mil lion. Buyer: EP Realty WA LLC. Seller: Hilt Investment Holdings LLC.

1171 Fir Road, Eltopia, 1,953-squarefoot home, manufactured homes on 168 acres. Price: $2.6 million. Buyer: Theodore S. & Merideth K. Tschirky. Seller: Shockey Sisters Farm LLC.

Property between Convention Drive and Clemente Lane, Pasco, 2.5 acres of undeveloped land. Price: $750,000. Buyer: L and K Softich LLC. Seller: Jacqueline L. Hanson.

12802 Julies Court, Pasco, 2,894-squarefoot home. Price: $847,000. Buyer: Suzette A. & James A. Thompson. Seller: Hammerstrom Construction Inc. 12541 Hunter Road, Pasco, 2,600-square-foot home. Price: $771,000. Buyer: Prudencio Vela Guerra III / etux. Seller: Hammerstrom Construction Inc. 6813 Ricky Road, Pasco, 2,870-squarefoot home. Price: $908,000. Buyer: Tyler & Katelyn Thompson. Seller: Hammerstrom Construction Inc.

6825 Burden Blvd., Suites A & E, Pasco, 19,713-square-foot professional center.

Price: $3.4 million. Buyer: RCP Davita Pasco LLC. Seller: 1031 Xchange Trust II. 10211 W. Court St., Pasco, 3,098-squarefoot home. Price: $750,000. Buyer: Gregory & Sharon Poirier. Seller: Donald Ray & Shawn M. Welch (trustees). 1903 N. Fifth Ave., Pasco, multiple mul tifamily homes.

Price: $900,000. Buyer: Carlos Arellano (et al). Seller: R & N Apart ment Management LLC.

Property off Pasco-Kahlotus Road, 49.42 acres of undeveloped land. Price: $720,000. Buyer: Opus Management LLC. Seller: I-Max LLC. 2123 Road 44, Pasco, 3,225-square-foot home. Price: $730,000. Buyer: Kevin E. & Manuela Watkins. Seller: Raul & Alicia Fragozo Jr. 11212 Mathews Road, Pasco, 3,366-square-foot home. Price: $850,000. Buyer: Jason Lee Legare & Katrina Moon. Seller: Steven & Kathy Forbis. 12803 Julies Court, Pasco, 2,733-squarefoot home. Price: $805,000. Buyer: Hunter James Thompson. Seller: Hammerstrom Construction Inc.

510 S. 20th Ave., Pasco, 13,080-squarefoot casino. Price: $30.4 million. Buyer: Project Evergreen WA LLC. Seller: NG Washington LLC.

uBUILDING PERMITS

BENTON CITY

Gerardo Arredondo & Laura Contreras, 203 Carol Ave., $25,000 for new commer cial. Contractor: Cachys Landscaping. Paul Ilin, 1101 Odin Ave., $12,000 for new commercial, $12,000 for plumbing. Contractor: Ilin Construction LLC. Columbia Label, 1580 Dale Ave., $375,000 for new commercial. Contractor: Columbia River Steel & Co.

BENTON COUNTY

Bybee Produce LLC, 47901 W. Anderson Road, Prosser, $62,000 for sign. Contrac tor: Quality Signs.

Michael Detrick, 106904 E. Detrick PR SE, Kennewick, $5.8 million for new com

mercial. Contractor: D9 Contractors Inc.

Lamb Weston, 187107 S. Watts Road, Paterson, $44,000 for commercial addi tion. Contractor: Hendon Construction. Benton County, 97457 N. Highway 225, Richland, $800,000 for new commercial.

Contractor: Game Inc.

Inland Desert Nursery, 32508 W. Kelly Road, Benton City, $260,000 for accessory building.

Contractor: All Services Inc.

Haffner Trustees, 110107 E. 196 PR SE, Kennewick, $50,000 for antenna/tower.

Contractor: Utilities One Inc.

AT&T Towers, 1701 S. Washington St., Kennewick, $20,000 for antenna/tower. Contractor: Mastec Network Solutions.

FRANKLIN COUNTY

Franklin County Cemetery, 1221 Cem etery Road, Connell, $15,000 for antenna/ tower. Contractor: North Sky Communica tions.

James Michael Harvey, 11416 W. Court St., Pasco, $11,000 for demolition. Con tractor: Ray Poland & Sons Inc.

Lee A. Eickmeyer, 10801 Burns Road, Pasco, $65,000 for antenna/tower. Con tractor: Mastec Network Solutions.

AT&T, 2823 E. Vineyard Drive, Pasco, $20,000 for antenna/tower. Contractor: B & C Tower LLC.

Lamb Weston Inc., 960 Glad North Road, Pasco, $1 million for commercial addition. Contractor: Apollo Sheet Metal.

KENNEWICK

Footwedge LLC, 6509 W. Rio Grande Ave., $2 million for new commercial, $20,000 for heat pump/HVAC, $20,000 for plumbing. Contractors: Hummel Construc tion & Development, Total Energy Manage ment Inc., Riggle Plumbing Inc.

York Street LLC, 824 W. Vineyard Drive, $67,000 for commercial reroof. Contractor: Royalty Companies of Inc.

Fruitland Dental Holding LLC, 100 N. Fruitland St., #4, $10,000 for demolition. Contractor: W McKay Construction LLC. Tyler Kraupp, 7510 W. Clearwater Ave., $15,000 for sign. Contractor: Yesco LLC.

TT Center LLC, 4827 W. Clearwater Ave., $25,000 for commercial remodel, $5,000 for plumbing, $5,000 for heat pump/HVAC.

Contractors: TKO Construction Gen. Co., Atomic Plumbing & Mechanical, TKO Con struction Gen. Co.

Arturo Mendoza Gonzalez, 2400 W. Kennewick Ave., $5,000 for commercial remodel. Contractor: owner.

H B Painters, 2 E. Kennewick Ave., $26,000 commercial reroof. Contractor: DL Roofing.

Cody Hagerman, 3505 W. Kennewick Ave., $12,000 for commercial reroof. Con tractor: Silver Bow Roofing.

Andrew Klein, 19 W. Canal Drive, $77,000 for demolition. Contractor: Ray Poland & Sons Inc.

City of Kennewick, 7400 W. Quinault Ave., $35,000 for commercial remodel. Contractor: TKK LLC.

ARS Fresno LLC, 4212 W. 27th Ave., $20,000 for sign. Contractor: Eagle Signs LLC.

Madison Tomaino, 1031 W. Columbia Drive, $65,000 for antenna/tower. Contrac tor: Mastec Network Solutions.

Inland Ocean LLC, 201 E. Edison St., #236, $270,00 for commercial remodel, $31,000 for plumbing, $38,000 for heat pump/HVAC. Contractor: Cliff Thorn Con struction, Western Equipment Sales.

TT Center LLC, 4827 W. Clearwater Ave., #A102, $10,000 for commercial remodel, $10,000 for mechanical, $10,000 for plumbing. Contractors: TKO Construction Gen Co., Legend Plumbing &Mechanical.

DWP General Contracting, 7968 W. 10th Ave., $1 million for new commercial. Con tractor: owner.

Cody Hagerman, 3609 W. Kennewick Ave., $12,000 for commercial remodel.

Contractor: Silver Bow Roofing.

McCoy Family Investments, 4403 W. 10th Ave., $26,000 for demolition. Con tractor: owner.

Wallace Properties, 2905 W. Kennewick Ave., B, $5,800 for sign. Contractor: Mus tang Sign Group.

Rob Spare, 711 W. Vineyard Drive,

$13,500 for commercial. Contractor: owner.

Dan McCauley, 120 N. Morain St., $156,000 for commercial reroof. Contrac tor: A&A Roofing Services LLC.

Columbia Mall Partnership, 1321 N. Columbia Center Blvd., #455, $125,000 for demolition. Contractor: CDI Contractors.

PASCO

Numerica Credit Union, 2307 W. Court St., $526,000 for new commercial. Con tractor: Leone & Keeble Inc.

Brantingham Enterprises, 1417 E. St. Helens St., $13,000 for fire alarm system. Contractor: Camtek Inc.

Solgen Holdings LLC, 5808 Bedford St., $5,700 for signage. Contractor: Mustang Sign Group.

Reser’s Fine Foods, 5526 N. Capitol Ave., $57,000 for sign. Contractor: Mustang Sign Group.

Project Oyster Pasco, 135 S. Road 40 East, $92,000 for sign. Contractor: Mus tang Sign Group.

GA Marrs Properties, 2080 N. Commer cial Ave., $20,000 for sign. Contractor: Eagle Signs LLC.

The Vine Church Tri-Cities, 9915 W. Argent Road, $18,000 for heat pump/ HVAC. Contractor: Campbell Cool Electric Plumbing.

Port of Pasco, 1810 E. Ainsworth Ave., #T271, $5,700 for commercial addition.

Contractor: Flatline Concrete.

City of Pasco, 110 S. Fourth Ave., $68,000 for tenant improvements. Con tractor: A-One Refrigeration.

Mor-Stor Mini Storage, 1416 Road 68, $65,000 for commercial remodel. Contrac tor: to be determined.

Pro Made Construction, 10310 Chinook Drive, $87,000 for fence/retaining wall.

Contractor: KG Masonry LLC.

St. Patrick Catholic Church, 1320 W. Henry St., $62,000 for commercial remod el. Contractor: Romm Construction Inc. Road 68 Properties, 4605 Road 68, $19,000 for sign. Contractor: Quality Signs.

CFT NV Development, 1525 W. Court St.,

$750,000 for demolition. Contractor: RTJN Enterprises Inc.

Darigold Inc., 8201 N. Railroad Ave., $3.1 million for grading. Contractor: Miron Construction Co.

G.A. Marrs Properties, 2080 N. Com mercial Ave., $10,000 for sign. Contractor: Eagle Signs LLC.

STK Hosford South, 1905 W. Lewis St., $578,000 for multifamily housing. Contrac tor: Chervenell Construction.

STK Hosford South, 1825 W. Lewis St., $86,000 for multifamily housing. Contrac tor: Chervenell Construction.

STK Hosford South, 1800 W. Lewis St., $104,000 for multifamily housing. Contrac tor: Chervenell Construction.

Port of Pasco, 3306 Swallow Ave., $716,000 for new commercial. Contractor; Conner Construction Co. Edmund Harrington, 2407 N. Commercial Ave., $20,000 for antenna/tower. Contrac tor: to be determined.

Andrew T. Landram, 1828 W. Lewis St., Suite 103 & 105, $94,000 for tenant im provements. Contractor: owner.

K & S Family Enterprises, 1935 E. Supe rior St., $1.4 million for new commercial.

Contractor: Clearspan Steel LLC. CLC Properties LLC, 4845 Broadmoor Blvd., $12,000 for sign. Contractor: Mus tang Sign Group.

PROSSER

Shans LLC, 490 Wine Country Road, $15,000 for sign. Contractor Eagle Signs LLC.

Whitstran Realty Management, 710 Sixth St., $6,300 for sign, $13,000 for heat pump/HVAC. Contractors: Cascade Sign & Fabrication, CP Mechanical LLC.

RICHLAND

Department of Natural Resources, 695 Truman Ave., $47,000 for new commercial. Contractor: Tapani Inc.

Grigsby Properties LLC, 589 Stevens Drive, $6,000 for tenant improvements. Contractor: owner.

Ruan Thai Properties, 705 The Parkway, $15,000 for commercial remodel. Contrac

tor: Palmer Roofing Co.

Columbia Point Hospitality LLC, 503 Columbia Point Drive, $200,000 for tenant improvements. Contractor: Chervenell Construction.

James Houser, 496 George Washington Way, $100,000 for tenant improvements. Contractor: Booth & Sons Construction.

Urban Range LLC, 4433 Starlit Lane, $740,000 for multifamily housing. Contrac tor: Ranchland Homes LLC.

HTK-Richland LLC, 1340 Tapteal Drive, $93,000 for tenant improvements. Con tractor: Horizon Retail Construction.

AG Bradley LLC, 295 Bradley Blvd., #300, $8,000 for tenant improvements. Contrac tor: S & C Maintenance & Construction.

City of Richland, 115 Columbia Point Drive, $20,000 for antenna/tower. Contrac tor: Legacy Telecommunications.

uBUSINESS LICENSES

KENNEWICK

iPhone Blvd. Property Management, 5221 W. Canal Drive.

Wine Country Luxury Transportation, 6503 W. Okanogan Ave.

Surrender Graphix WA, 2527 W. Kenne wick Ave.

911 Entertainment, 5219 W. Canal Drive. Advance Services Inc., 4012 W. Clearwa ter Ave.

Honey Dog Productions LLC, 7425 W. Clearwater Ave.

Fontana Telecommunications LLC, 32 Pine Brook Drive, Palm Coast, Florida.

Century Construction & Remodeling LLC, 225 41st St., Springfield, Oregon.

AC Concrete LLC, 130 E. Broadway Ave., Milton-Freewater, Oregon.

Steelport LLC, 8565 SW Salish Lane, Wilsonville, Oregon.

Shumway Design, 3304 S. Bermuda Road.

Royalty Companies of Indiana Inc., 2099 E. Tipton St., Seymour, Indiana.

Electric Guard Dog, 550 Assembly Street Columbia, South Carolina.

Jag Building Group Inc., 21105 Design

Parc Lane, Estero, Florida.

Smart Water Experts, 10242 Bode St., Plainfield, Illinois.

Robertson Industries Inc., 4401 E. Base line Road, Suite 105, Phoenix, Arizona.

Planit Construction USA Inc., 4949 Cote Vertu, Saint-Laurent, Quebec.

Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc., 421 Fayetteville St., Raleigh, North Carolina.

Diamond Services LLC, 3312 S. Gum St.

K & N Safety Engineers, 1315 S. Cas cade St.

TNT Collectibles, 8522 W. Falls Place.

A Carpenter’s Wife, 4215 W. Metaline Ave.

Tay’s Esthetics LLC, 9008 W. John Day Ave.

Little Randy’s Old Time Diner, 104 W. First Ave.

Undersea Adventures, 6855 W. Clearwa ter Ave. Ste G.

Johnson & Johnson Law Firm PLLC, 7035 W. Clearwater Ave.

Hatton Homes LLC, 6119 W. Pearl St., Pasco.

Summit Solutions Group LLC, 9321 NE 72nd Ave., Vancouver.

Vip Production Northwest, 724 N. Mad elia St., Spokane.

Soulek Inc., 1426 E. Third Ave., Suite A130.

Neftaly Garcia Interpreter, 2917 W. 19th Ave.

Brigette Lee Bren, cosmetologist, 2417 W. Kennewick Ave.

U.S. Bank National Association, 1000 Columbia Center.

Bonanza Drywall LLC, 20 Nuclear Lane, Richland.

Arrow Concrete and Asphalt Special ties Inc., 12301 E. Empire Ave., Spokane Valley.

Cabinet Tech LLC, 106 W. Pine St., Yakima.

Eagle Utilities LLP, 3400 Tennessee Walker Ave., West Richland.

M&M Remarketing LLC, 121 S. Ely St.

The Exterior Connection LLC, 8701 W. Skagit Ave.

Triple River Arms, 6725 W. Clearwater Ave.

Resound Energy Services, 22122 20th Ave. SE, Bothell.

Junior Quality Painting & Roofing, 1916 N. 12th Ave., Pasco.

Mod Housing LLC, 7511 W. Arrowhead Ave.

Edgewater Pools LLC, 5716 Ochoco Lane, Pasco.

Spokane Restaurant Equipment Inc., 1750 E. Trent Ave., Spokane.

Concrete Elite, 1314 Stevens Drive, Richland.

Mendoza’s Construction, 104 E. 11th Ave.

Alvarez Quality Construction LLC, 213 S. Owen Ave., Pasco.

Mexicanita Handmade, 925 S. Gum St.

Genuine Homes LLC, 5205 Black Belle Court, Pasco.

City Turf Empire, 500 N. 24th Ave., Pasco.

Division 7, 1625 S. Palouse Place.

RBS Construction, 8804 W. Fifth Ave.

Champion Roofing LLC, 1102 E. Fourth Ave.

Anata Construction LLC, 617 N. Ione St.

M&L Structures LLC, 206302 E. 13th Ave.

Highlife Staffing PLLC, 11019 S. Wel come Road, Medical Lake.

Miranda’s Landscaping and Irrigation LLC, 18710 S. Hawthorne St.

Hair By Esmeralda, 6916 W. Argent Road, Pasco.

All In One Heating & AC LLC, 629 West wind Drive, Zillah.

Central Valley Glass, 30 W. Mead Ave., Yakima.

Transformational Pathways of Kenne wick, 488 E. 34th Court.

H. Razzo Flooring & More LLC, 324 N. 11th Ave., Pasco.

True North Services, 324 Cullum Ave., Richland.

AK Fast Towing and Recovery, 4611 W. Clearwater Ave.

Arts Barber Academy LLC, 2400 W. Ken newick Ave.

Claphan Installations LLC, 2112 S. Grant St.

Eagle Signs LLC, 1511 S. Keys Road, Yakima.

Apollo Earthworks LLC, 2487 Robertson

Drive, Richland.

Perfection Painting and Pressure Wash

ing LLC, 5808 Three Rivers Drive, Pasco.

Cupping and Spa LLC, 16 W. 16th Ave.

Quality Tree Service, 1505 S. Road 40 E, Pasco.

Rent Me Trailers LLC, 1010 E. Bruneau Ave.

Penta Flooring & Design, 1620 W. 21st Place.

A.V.E. Stucco Construction LLC, 256 E. Main St., Othello.

Apelles, 4 E. Fifth Ave.

Under Creation LLC, 7903 W. Grandridge Blvd.

Fix & Build Construction LLC, 1421 W. Seventh Ave.

See3slam Basketball Tournament, 9221 W. Clearwater Ave.

Next-gen Transportation LLC, 3102 W. 47th Ave.

Raycraft, 5724 W. 16th Ave.

Level Up General Construction, 99304 E. Clover Road.

Diaz Legacy LLC, 2125 S. Olympia St.

Stewart Far Compliance, Surveillance and Assessments LLC, 2811 Tuscanna Drive, Richland.

DNCL Construction LLC, 3913 Mont gomery Lane, Pasco.

Larry Olin Newman, 2720 S. Jean St.

Finishing Touch TC LLC, 3593 W. 11th Place.

Legacy Adult Family Homes, 2620 W. Deschutes Ave.

Books With Perks, 1621 W. Fifth Place.

Party N’ Motion, 819 S. Fruitland St.

Jesse Sanchez Palestina, 207 N. Cedar Ave., Pasco.

Paintko LLC, 3608 Morehouse Place, Pasco.

J&D Cleaning Services, 1805 W. Seventh Place.

Cmrr LLC, 6921 W. Willamette Ave.

Stricker CRE, 8486 W. Gage Blvd., Suite D.

My Shiny Place Cleaning Services, 5501 W. Hildebrand Blvd.

Elements Boutique, 10 E Bruneau Ave.

The Cub’s Haven, 2720 W. 45th Ave.

Solufix Heating & Cooling LLC, 8350 W. Grandridge Blvd.

Ulta Beauty, 1232 N. Columbia Center Blvd.

Becky Detloff Realty LLC, 29807 S. Oak St.

Clock5, LLC, 36708 S. Hawks Tree PR

SE.

Sighnac LLC, 3030 W. Fourth Ave.

A&R Collectibles LLC, 4102 S. Lyle St.

Tumbleweed Properties II LLC, 2414 W. 49th Ave.

JFL Family Retail LLC, 10251 Ridgeline Drive.

Hansen Park Express, 8016 W. Fourth Ave.

Casas Arriaga Realty LLC, 830 N. Co

lumbia Center Blvd., Suite H.

Streetz Hibachi LLC, 1703 W. 34th Ave.

A Healer’s Message, 10 E. Bruneau Ave., #34.

Rivera Wireless 4, 4827 W. Clearwater Ave.

Trejos Taco Factory, 6481 W. Skagit Ave., #3.

Great Stones by SS LLC, 808 Madrona Ave., Pasco.

Linda E. Mauws, 5602 W. 24th Ave.

Simply Sweetz LLC, 2106 W. 21st Ave.

VM Carpet Installation LLC, 2917 W. 19th Ave.

Veda Living LLC, 100 N. Howard St., Spokane.

Jacob Boston Anesthesia PLLC, 7095 W. 23rd Ave.

El Peluquero, 5009 W. Clearwater Ave.

Boba Bench, 4611 W. Clearwater Ave.

Williams Landscaping & Construction LLC, 28707 S. Finley Road.

Rowell Trucking LLC, 1814 N. 13th Ave., Pasco.

Stacie Jones Writing LLC, 4810 S. Reed St.

Soft and Tec LLC, 207 N. Dennis St.

Red Brick Management LLC, 7535 W. Kennewick Ave.

M&B Construction and Landscaping LLC, 5803 Middle Fork St., Pasco.

K & K 7 Painting LLC, 5007 W. Clearwa ter Ave.

Pampering Princess, 510 E. 31st Court. Mountain Milling Co., 7233 W. Deschutes uPUBLIC RECORD, Page B22

Ave.

Dirtkart, 125 S. Arthur St., Spokane.

Foil + Stitch, 3617 Plaza Way.

Myles of Smiles Arts and Crafts, 418 S. Penn St.

S & S Quality Concrete LLC, 5103 Marlin Lane, Pasco.

Iceman NW LLC, 4303 W. Marie Court, Pasco.

Kaizen Construction and Development LLC, 8829 W. Imnaha Court.

Mustang Construction LLC, 2107 N. Pittsburg Court.

Tipsy Nail Bar, 5215 W. Clearwater Ave.

Lynn Operations LLC, 1515 Purple Sage St., Richland.

Just Roses & More, 5428 W. Clearwater Ave.

Tri-City Tire & Service, 4918 S. Washing ton Place.

Kennewick Charging Station, 2901 Southridge Blvd.

RDR, 9202 W. Gage Blvd.

J&L Professional Landscaping LLC, 5710 Coppercap Mountain Lane, Pasco. Mid-Columbia Korn Dog Krew LLC, 725

N. Pittsburg St.

Cutting, Buffing and Polishing by Scott Dunham LLC, 839 11th St., Clarkston.

Craig Anthony Rost, 1706 S. Washington St.

Finance Of America Mortgage LLC, 30 S. Louisiana St.

Galin Drywall LLC, 1021 S. 10th St., Sun nyside.

Emperors E-Commerce LLC, 8750 W. Rio Grande Court.

House To Home Contracting LLC, 917 W. Entiat Ave.

Atelierjm LLC, 1218 S. Lincoln St.

Abbas K. Alhassan, 5058 W. 28th Ave.

Tri-Cities Fast Care PLLC, 1686 Pisa Lane, Richland.

Castellanos Enterprises LLC, 1116 W. Columbia Drive.

Larry S. Barbershop, 116 W. First Ave.

Arzola’s Trucking LLC, 612 E. Ninth Place.

D Squared Construction LLC, 727 S. Alder St., Apt. B.

Accounting On 32nd LLC, 5707 W. 18th Ave.

1111 Rentals, 1111 W. 53rd Ave.

Angel BR Farm, 6481 W. Skagit Ave.

X-Golf Kennewick #81, 2905 W. Kenne wick Ave.

Design Professional Lawn Care LLC, 606 W. 19th Ave.

Solar Power NW LLC, 3612 Verbena Court, Pasco.

Flores Cleaning Services, 200802 E. Game Farm Road.

Meadows SS 1 LLC, 1908 W. 39th Ave.

Elysium Vintage Ltd., 10 E. Bruneau Ave., #11

Hearth & Hook, 626 N. Yelm St.

Pacific Northwest Cleaning, 5501 W. Hildebrand Blvd., #D170.

Pool Squad Co. LLC, 10 Green Road, Pasco.

Crossview Community Church, 540 N. Colorado St.

Valley Cleaning Service, 2312 W. 24th Place.

Raphael Acuna, 2555 Bella Coola Lane, Richland.

K Aesthetic, 8121 W. Grandridge Blvd.

WEST RICHLAND

Triple J Concrete, 603 E. Third Ave., Ken newick.

JB Construction, 6995 Sully Lane.

Escoto Construction LLC, 1020 S. Fifth Ave., Pasco.

Bauder Environmental LLC, 2321 Hum mingbird Lane.

Miriam’s Cleaning Services, 81 N. 69th Ave.

Benton County Investigations LLC, 4135 Laurel Drive.

Kickin’ Up Dust Cleaning Services, 504 Pinnacle Drive.

The Works General Contracting LLC, 933 S. Highland Drive, Kennewick.

List Ready LLC, 3019 Duportail St., Richland.

PCH Framing LLC, 8711 Studebaker Drive, Pasco.

2 Partners Cleaning LLP, 3605 Estrella Drive, Pasco.

Coca Cola of Yakima & Tri-Cities Inc., 1225 N. 34th Ave., Pasco.

Corner Kick Landscaping LLC, 11605 Quail Run Road, Pasco.

Jovi Concrete LLC, 6305 Chapel Hill Blvd., Pasco.

Market Equipment, 1114 N. Ruby St., Spokane.

Omel Construction, 2215 N. Houk Road, Spokane Valley.

Colts Painting and Restoration LLC, 3108 S. Lyle St., Kennewick.

KRR Services LLC, 11720 Pheasant Run, Pasco.

Franklin Andre Adams, 225 W. 52nd Ave., Kennewick.

A Quality Roof Now, 300 Charvet Road, Grandview.

Everything Under the Sun & Stars LLC, 4438 Laurel Drive.

Dejulia Elder Law & Estate Planning

PLLC, 8350 W. Grandridge Blvd., Ken newick.

Eagle Utilities LLP, 3400 Tennessee Walker Ave.

Mendoza’s Construction, 104 E. 11th Ave., Kennewick.

Painters R Us, 2658 Jason Loop, Rich land.

S & S Quality Concrete LLC, 5103 Marlin Lane, Pasco.

Mustang Construction LLC, 2107 N. Pittsburg Court, Kennewick.

House To Home Contracting LLC, 917 W. Entiat Ave., Kennewick.

All Grace Construction, 7807 Salmon Drive, Pasco.

Pro-X Services LLC, 324 Adair Drive, Richland.

Living by Dezine LLC, 2725 Westhaven Court.

Pier 77 General Construction Inc., 8

Royal Crest Loop Pr.

Paric Corporation, 77 W. Port Plaza, Saint Louis, Missouri.

American Carports Inc., 170 Holy Springs Church Road, Mount Airy, North Carolina.

Columbia Basin Fence Company LLC, 829 SW Eighth St., Pendleton, Oregon.

Lone Pine Renovations LLC, 1604 Road 60, Pasco.

Blackstone Roofing LLC, 3611 W. 15th Ave., Kennewick.

Jason Dale Brownlee, 506 Sanford Ave., Richland.

uJUDGMENTS

The state can file lawsuits against people or busi nesses that do not pay taxes and then get a judg ment against property that person or business owns. Judgments are filed in Benton-Franklin Superior Court. The following is from the Franklin County Su perior Court Clerk’s Office.

Dogos El Gordo LLC, unpaid Department of Revenue taxes, filed Sept. 1.

Benjamin B. Dennis, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Sept. 1.

NW Installations LLC, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Sept. 7.

Tru Door Inc., unpaid Department of La bor and Industries taxes, filed Sept. 13. Eastern WA Construction, unpaid De partment of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Sept. 13.

Columbia Basin Solar LLC, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Sept. 13.

Back 40 BBQ LLC, unpaid Department of Revenue taxes, filed Sept. 13.

Mario Zaragoz, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Sept. 13.

Rodolfo de la Mora, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Sept. 13.

Willy’s Mexican Restaurant Inc., unpaid Department of Revenue taxes, filed Sept. 15.

Thomasson Double T Dairy, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Sept. 21.

All Star Cars LLC, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Sept. 27.

Jorge Ortiz Jr., unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Sept. 27.

Precision General Construction, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Sept. 27.

Casa Rosita LLC, unpaid Department of Revenue taxes, filed Sept. 27.

Mobile Welding Solutions LLC, unpaid Department of Revenue taxes, filed Sept. 27.

Freedom Equipment Rentals LLC, un paid Department of Revenue taxes, filed Sept. 27.

Manson Bay Suits LLC, unpaid Depart ment of Revenue taxes, filed Sept. 27.

JSC Concrete Construction Corp., unpaid Department of Revenue taxes, filed Sept. 29.

Paty’s Creations, unpaid Department of Revenue taxes, filed Sept. 29.

uLIQUOR LICENSES

BENTON COUNTY

NEW

Moonshot Brewing, 94 Lee Blvd., Suite B, Richland. License type: curbside/delivery endorsement; growlers curbside/delivery; beer/wine restaurant – beer/wine. Applica tion type: new.

Picante Mexican Taqueria, 20 S. Auburn

St., Kennewick. License type: direct ship ment receiver-in/out WA; spirits/beer/wine restaurant lounge+. Application type: new.

7-Eleven #26088K, 1540 Jadwin Ave., Richland. License type: grocery store – beer/ wine. Application type: assumption.

La Maison Dana, 5453 Ridgeline Drive, #140, Kennewick. License type: beer/wine restaurant – beer/wine; catering. Application type: new.

Brothers Cheese Steaks, 8524 W. Gage Blvd., Suite 4, Building A, Kennewick. Li cense type: curbside/delivery endorsement; cocktails/wine to-go; beer/wine restaurant –beer/wine. Application type: new.

Honey Dog Productions LLC, 7425 W. Clearwater Ave., Kennewick. License type: tavern – beer/wine. Application type: new. Foodies Kennewick, 2701 Columbia Park Trail, Kennewick. License type: cocktails/ wine to-go; growlers curbside/delivery; spir its/beer/wine restaurant lounge+. Application type: new.

Jola Entertainment Group LLC, 6116 W. Lattin Road, West Richland. License type: spirits/beer/wine restaurant lounge-. Applica tion type: new.

Rocco’s Pizza, 7911 W. Grandridge Blvd., Kennewick. License type: beer/wine restau rant – beer/wine. Application type: assump tion.

X-Golf Kennewick #81, 2905 W. Kennewick Ave., Kennewick. License type: spirits/beer/ wine restaurant lounge-. Application type: new.

Just Roses & More, 5428 W. Clearwater Ave., Kennewick. License type: beer/wine gift delivery. Application type: assumption.

APPROVED

Under Creation LLC, 7903 W. Grandridge Blvd., Suite S, Kennewick. License type: snack bar. Application type: new. Prosser Foodmart, 1303 Wine Country Road, Prosser. License type: grocery store –beer/wine. Application type: new. Harry and David LLC, 101 Max Benitz Road, Suites C & F2, Prosser. License type: domestic winery <250,000 liters. Application type: new.

Buffalo Wild Wings, 8551 W. Gage Blvd.,

Suite A, Kennewick. License type: direct shipment receiver-in WA only. Application type: added/change of class/in lieu.

Brady’s Brats and Burgers, 6481 W. Skagit Ave., Kennewick. License type: growlers curbside/delivery. Application type: added/ change of class/in lieu.

DISCONTINUED

Prosser Foodmart, 1303 Wine Country Road, Prosser. License type: grocery store –beer/wine. Application type: discontinued.

FRANKLIN COUNTY

NEW

Conquer Meals, 2532 N. Fourth Ave., Pas co. License type: spirits/beer/wine restaurant lounge+. Application type: new.

Las Mas Barata, 214 N. Fourth Ave., Pasco. License type: grocery store – beer/wine. Ap plication type: assumption.

Chipotle Mexican Grill, 5326 Road 68, Pasco. License type: snack bar. Application type: new.

Pizza Station, 238 N. Columbia Ave., Con nell. License type: spirits/beer/wine restau rant service bar. Application type: new. Ruben’s Pupuseria & Restaurante, 3330 W. Court, Unit A & B, Pasco. License type: spirits/beer/wine restaurant lounge+. Ap plication type: new.

La Palma Express LLC, 2020 E. Lewis St., Suite A, Pasco. License type: grocery store –beer/wine. Application type: new.

APPROVED

Old Highway Tavern, 237 N. Columbia Ave., Connell. License type: spirits/beer/wine res taurant lounge-. Application type: new.

DISCONTINUED

Thompson Hill Cellars, 410 N. Newport Drive, Mesa. License type: domestic winery <250,000 liters. Application type: discontin ued.

uMARIJUANA LICENSES

BENTON COUNTY

NEW

Cordus LLC, 234805 E. Straightbank, Suite CA, Kennewick. License type: cannabis pro ducer tier 3. Application type: added fees.

DISCONTINUED

Cordus, 28503 W. Orcutt Road, Benton City. License type: cannabis processor. Applica tion type: discontinued.

uBUSINESS UPDATES

NEW

Somer Bakery, 5601 W. Clearwater Ave., Suite 111, Kennewick, has opened. Tradi tional Middle Eastern bakery serving breads, desserts and more. Hours: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Contact: 509-8202146; Instagram; Facebook.

Elk Haven Winery, 34101 N. Demoss Road, Benton City, has opened. The Red Mountain winery offers a curated selection of red and white wines, including from its vineyard in Worley, Idaho. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Contact: 509-637-7710; elkhavenwinery. com; Facebook; Instagram.

MOVE

Cougar Digital has moved its main office to 610 Sixth St., Prosser. Cougar Digital staff can meet with Tri-City customers at 8350 W. Grandridge Blvd., Suite 200, at Connect Workplace in Kennewick, or virtually upon request.

Brother’s Cheese Steaks has moved to 8524 W. Gage Blvd., Suite A4, Kennewick.

CLOSED

Henry’s Restaurant at 4806 Van Giesen St., West Richland, has closed. The owners will continue to operate their catering business.