Journal of Business - January 2021 by Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business/Senior Times

CELEBRATING

January 2021 Volume 20 | Issue 1

YEARS

Banks brace for third round of PPP loans By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz

Architecture & Engineering

LIGO gets visitor center worthy of its Nobel Prize-winning science Page A19

Business Profile

Custom-made metal gallery finds niche in Kennewick Page A27

Real Estate & Construction

Richland winery opens riverside tasting room in Vancouver Page B1

NOTEWORTHY “I am deeply concerned about the federal constitutional implications of shutdowns – in essence I believe the shutdowns may be infringing on several cherished constitutional rights.” - George F. Cicotte, The Cicotte Law Firm

Page A13

Mid-Columbia lenders are ready to begin processing a new wave of Paycheck Protection Program loans. As a third edition of the popular forgivable loan ramped up in mid-January, local lenders said they would apply the lessons they learned from the first two but stood ready to respond to their customers, defying word that some lenders were beset by “PPP fatigue.” Congress first authorized the PPP program in the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act then extended it through the 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act, signed into law shortly after Christmas. New borrowers and some businesses who received PPP loans in 2020 could begin applying for the new round the week of Jan. 11, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration and Treasury Department. The latest round includes $284 billion for more easily forgivable PPP loans, according to an analysis by the National Credit Union Administration, a federal entity. The bill also allows some businesses to apply for a “Second Draw” loan and simplifies the process to apply for loan forgiveness for loans of $150,000 or less. The bill reserved $30 billion for loans made by community development financial institutions and by institutions with assets of less than $10 billion. Mid-Columbia lenders say they are ready for the new wave of applications. They reject the “fatigue” argument, though they acknowledge they were plenty busy when the coronavirus relief bill took effect last spring. In the first two rounds, lenders issued 5.2 million loans totaling more than $525 billion, sometimes under crushing application volumes. The government calculates it supported more than 51 million jobs. uPPP LOANS, Page A3

Photo by Wendy Culverwell Gov. Jay Inslee’s new reopening strategy organizes Washington into eight regions, which must collaborate to reduce Covid-19 infection and hospitalization rates. Above, members of the National Guard operate a free testing station in Pasco. Free testing is now offered at the back parking lot of the Toyota Center in Kennewick.

Inslee’s new recovery plan forces six counties to coordinate on Covid-19 By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz

It’s back to basics for Washington state businesses as Covid-19 infections rates rise. Gov. Jay Inslee debuted a new Covid-19 strategy that organizes Washington into eight regions and sets tough targets before restrictions meant to curtail the spread of the virus that causes the disease are loosened. Healthy Washington – Roadmap to Recovery launched Jan. 11, with all eight regions placed in Phase 1, the most restrictive. It was expected to remain in place until at least Jan. 18. The phases are reviewed and adjusted each Friday. Benton and Franklin counties are part of the South Central zone together with Yakima, Kittitas, Walla Walla and Columbia counties. The regions are based on Emergency Medical Services regions used for evaluating healthcare services, the governor’s office said. Regions can move to the less-restrictive Phase 2 by demonstrating a decreasing trend of 10% or more in a two-week rate of infec-

tions, a decreasing rate of 10% or more in a two-week rate of new Covid-19 hospitalizations, fewer than 10% of Covid-19 tests returning positive and fewer than 90% of intensive care unit beds occupied. The state Department of Health released data showing a 4% drop in infections in the South Central region in December but a 12% increase in new hospital admissions. The combination was not enough to move the area out of Phase 1. “We know that all people in Washington want to move forward as quickly as possible with respect to Covid-19. However, these metrics show that we are just not ready to do so now,” said Dr. Umair A. Shah, Washington’s Secretary of Health. “We have made progress but need to continue to work together to reduce the transmission of Covid-19 across our state.” “Working together” is the key challenge for the South Central zone, said local business leaders. The Tri-Cities will not emerge from Phase 1 on its own. uRECOVERY, Page A23

Cheering through the pain: Business groups lose members but not focus By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz

As members of the Prosser Chamber of Commerce struggled to pay renewal fees under pandemic-related financial pressure, the executive director found a novel solution. John-Paul Estey asked Yakima Federal Savings and Loan to allow it use sponsorship dollars for canceled events to cover dues owed by cash-strapped members. The bank agreed. Yakima Federal was on tap to foot the entertainment bill for two key Prosser chamber events. But the Scottish Fest & Highland Games in June and the Prosser

Art Walk & Wine Gala in July were both canceled, leaving the sponsorship dollars unspent. Spokesman Paul Crawford noted the money was budgeted to support the community. So, it cut a check for $2,500. “It made a lot of sense to help these businesses who were struggling,” he said. “These events aren’t about Yakima Federal.” The money helped the chamber continue its mission, which is to support business and the community. Among its many events, it organized street closures to facilitate outdoor dining, which proved popular to retailers as uBUSINESS GROUPS, Page A5

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | JANUARY 2021

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | JANUARY 2021 PPP LOANS, From page A1 The crushing demand led to decidedly unbankerly hours – seven-day work weeks and late nights that extended past midnight. But local lenders are undaunted. “We don’t have any fatigue to speak of. We’re most concerned with helping our members get through this crisis,” said Mike Shortell, assistant Mike Shortell vice president for the SBA lending team for Numerica Credit Union, which has branches in each of the Tri-Cities. It processed about 1,000 loans worth a combined $85 million over three months. It was an “unprecedented” effort to master a new program with changing rules. Shortell said the 2021 round should be smoother. “We understand the rules a lot better,” he said. “I don’t think it’s going to be chaotic in the next round.” Last spring, Numerica attempted to get ahead of the program by studying the bill itself. It had to adapt once the SBA issued rules. “We learned not to get too far ahead of the rules last time,” he said. Until the rules are available, it is difficult to confirm who is eligible for the latest round, although it is tailored to smaller businesses this time around. The new PPP program earmarks billions for small businesses and authorizes a “Second Draw” program for some businesses to secure a second PPP loan. The bill includes language to help smaller businesses that got shut out the first time, many of whom did not apply. Community First Bank, which serves the Tri-Cities, expected to open its application portal on Jan. 13.

uBUSINESS BRIEF Check stimulus payment status online

The Internal Revenue service advises people to visit irs.gov to check the status of their second Economic Impact Payment. The IRS and the Treasury Department

Eric Pearson, president, expects an orderly roll out compared to 2020. The first rounds were marked by a rush to apply for limEric Pearson ited funds. For 2021, he said the SBA is taking a “metered” approach, with restrictions on how many applications it takes and how fast it processes them. Funds won’t be exhausted. “Everyone will have a chance to apply,” he said. There may have been fatigue from the unrelenting application process in 2020 and then the crush of forgiveness applications, but it has dimmed, Pearson said. “We see it as so important for our local business community and economy, there’s no way we’re not going to participate,” he said. Wheatland Bank, another major PPP lender in Eastern Washington, is ready to go as well, said Susan Horton, president. Wheatland expects to process up to $50 million in PPP loans, she said. And STCU, the Spokanebased credit union with three Susan Horton Tri-City branches and a growing local presence, completed about 1,200 PPP loans in 2020. The effort included helping smaller unions process member applications as well. It is ready for the latest edition. “We’ll be ready. We’ll be ready to help them,” said Dan Hansen, spokesman. began issuing the latest stimulus payments in early January, with electronic deposits appearing before the scheduled payment date of Jan. 4. Paper checks will be mailed through January. Eligible recipients do not need to take any action to receive the payments, which are automatic. People should not contact their financial institutions or the IRS about timing of the payments.

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Regional planning group chooses new director By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz

The Benton-Franklin Council of Governments has tapped Michelle Holt to succeed Stephanie Seamans as executive director. Holt will begin on Feb. 15. She comes to the job from the College of Eastern Idaho, where she has served as executive director for Workforce Training and Continuing Education since December 2016. She previously held leadership positions with the Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce, the Snake River Territory Convention & Visitors Bureau and Lost Rivers Economic Development Inc. In her new post, Holt will raise the profile of the local council of governments and its role, which is to unite various government entities of the Mid-Columbia behind initiatives that promote economic vitality. Her résumé includes leading a bicounty economic development agency in her adopted home state of Idaho, an experience that will serve her well in the MidColumbia. The Benton-Franklin Council of Governments is a voluntary association of 17 local counties, cities and ports, with all the conflict that goes along with competing interests and personalities. The local COG serves Burbank, in western Walla Walla County, as well. Holt grew up in a military family that settled in Idaho when she was in middle school. She considers herself a native but said she and her husband were interested in relocating as they entered their empty nest years. She visited the Tri-Cities about a year ago for a job interview.

She found it both welcoming and sharing in many of the features that dominate eastern Idaho – a U.S. Department of Energy national Michelle Holt laboratory, a high mountain desert climate and lots of industry. “The Tri-Cities wins out in the weather department and access to water,” she joked. The similarities go beyond geography. Holt said she is familiar with working across multiple jurisdictions. While the Benton-Franklin organization tends to run in the background, Holt said wants to elevate its profile and capabilities. She worked with councils of government in Idaho and notes that individual councils reflect local priorities, from transportation planning and economic development to affordable housing and veterans’ affairs. The Benton-Franklin entity is involved in transportation planning, economic development and a revolving loan program. “I want the community and jurisdictional partners to understand BFCOG is there to be a partner and a convener order to help drive economic prosperity,” she said. “To do that, we are the conduit between them.” Skip Novakovich, board president and a member of the Port of Kennewick Commission, said Holt brings a track record of working across municipal, state and federal government. “I am delighted to have Michelle coming on board,” he said. Go to bfcog.us for more information.

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | JANUARY 2021 uBUSINESS BRIEFS Franklin County assessor hands in his resignation 509-737-8778 509-737-8448 fax

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UPCOMING FEBRUARY Health Care | Retirement MARCH Hospitality | Education & Training

CORRECTIONS Mary Sue Hui’s name was misspelled on page B8 in the November issue. She is the co-owner of Pacific Pasta & Grill in Richland.

The Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business, a publication of TriComp Inc., is published monthly and delivered at no charge to identifiable businesses in Pasco, Richland, West Richland, Kennewick, Prosser and Benton City. Subscriptions are $27.10 per year, including tax, prepayment required, no refunds. Contents of this publication are the sole property of TriComp Inc. and can not be reproduced in any form without expressed written consent. Opinions expressed in guest columns and by advertisers do not necessarily reflect the opinions of staff, other columnists or other advertisers, nor do they imply endorsement by staff, columnists or advertisers. Every effort will be made to assure information published is correct; however, we are not liable for any errors or omissions made despite these efforts.

Franklin County’s elected assessor has resigned midway through his first term. Peter McEnderfer, who worked in the assessor’s office for nearly two decades before being elected to the top job in 2018, announced his resignation at the Jan. 5 county commission meeting, held by telephone. McEnderfer said he would wrap up work related to property tax collections in 2021 but would leave on Jan. 31 and would not be available after that date. McEnderfer previously worked under Steve Marks and ran unopposed after Marks retired. McEnderfer, a Republican, cited the excessive demands of the office, lack of resources and the “current political climate” in Franklin County for his decision. The announcement seemed to catch Commissioner Clint Didier, newly tapped to chair the board, by surprise but he wished McEnderfer well as he moves into private life. Keith Johnson, the county administrator, said McEnderfer was not asked or encouraged to resign. There are no complaints against him, and he has not leveled any complaints toward others, Johnson confirmed. Under state law, the county commission will appoint an assessor from a list of candidates developed by the Franklin County Republican Party. An interim assessor could be appointed to oversee the department after McEnderfer departs

at the end of the month. No decision had been made as of the deadline for this publication. The assessor plays a key role in setting tax rates for the county’s 809,600 acres, or 1,242 square miles. The assessor is required by law to set the value at 100% of market value. The $91.6 million levied in 2020 was collected for various taxing entities, including state and county government, schools, fire districts, ports, cemetery districts and other public functions. McEnderfer said he would complete the levy calculation process before he departs. His term expires in 2022.

Governor delays plastic bag ban

Chamber sends $600K to businesses in crisis

State’s minimum wage is now $13.69 an hour

Dozens of Franklin County businesses in crisis because of Covid-19 closures received $600,000 in support through the Franklin County Rapid Response Business Grants, funded by the federal CARES Act. The Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce administered the program, with money distributed in October and November. The chamber received 137 applications. A panel met weekly for five weeks to review the list, awarding $120,000 each week. The Franklin County grant is closed but struggling businesses can find ongoing support at the chamber’s Covid-19 Business Resource Guide, which is updated weekly to reflect current funding programs. Go to bit.ly/CovidGrantList.

A ban on single-use plastic bags didn’t take effect on Jan. 1 as originally planned. As expected, Gov. Jay Inslee delayed implementation of the law, which passed in the Legislature in 2020. The delay recognizes supply issues caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The delay is effective through Jan. 30, setting the stage for the ban to take effect on Feb. 1. The ban gives retailers a year to use up their existing inventories as they switch over to paper bags. It requires retailers to levy a charge for bags as well.

Washington’s minimum wage for hourly workers rose to $13.69 per hour on Jan. 1, a 1.39% increase tied to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers. Wages earned in 2020 but paid in 2021 are calculated at the old rate, according to the state Department of Labor and Industries. The minimum wage applies to workers age 16 and older. Employers may pay 85% of the wage to workers age 14 and 15, or $11.64 per hour for 2021. The new salary threshold for exempt employees is $42,712 a year for businesses with 50 or fewer employees and $49,831 for those with 51 or more employees. Go to lni.wa.gov for information about Washington wage requirements.

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | JANUARY 2021 BUSINESS GROUPS, From page A1 well as restaurants, Estey said. The Prosser chamber is not unique. Chambers of commerce and other membership-based business groups are being squeezed by the same economic forces squeezing their members – a pandemic that has resulted in massive economic disruption. Mid-Columbia chambers spent 2020 organizing campaigns to help members pivot to new business lines. They’ve organized pro mask campaigns and helped government agencies dole out grants under the CARES, or Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security, Act. They’ve helped companies upgrade websites and navigate launching takeout and delivery services. But just like their members, they have bills to pay and their missions are jeopardized by falling revenue. Membership levels are dipping across the region, say chamber leaders and their colleagues at the Mid-Columbia’s visitor bureaus, economic development organizations and historic downtown associations. They’re taking a long view and pressing ahead with business-friendly initiatives, while taking steps to keep their own books in the black. About 100 members have dropped out of the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce over the course of 2020, leaving it with about 1,000 members in December, said Lori Mattson, president and chief executive officer. In March, lapsing members started citing Covid-19 as the reason for not renewing. Normally, business owners drop out when they close their doors or sell to new owners, she said. The lapsed members represent the pandemic’s hardest-hit industries: Restaurants, breweries, wineries, event centers, fitness centers, recreation facilities and small businesses that rely on face-to-face contact. “We’re just trying to work with people if they need us. Even if they can’t pay, we’re still here. There’s a lot of things we do that don’t require a membership,” she said. Membership dues represent about half the Tr-City chamber’s annual revenue. It earns the other half from fees generated by programs, events and seminars accounts for the rest. It cut expenses and found new revenue sources, including administrative fees, to facilitate CARES Act grants on behalf of Franklin County and sponsors for activities that previously were not sponsored. “We are kind of disrupters,” Mattson said. “It’s the culture of our organization to do new things. No one knew this was going to happen a year ago, but we were as ready as we could have been.” About 50 members of the Tri-Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Pasco did not renew in 2020, said Martin Valadez, president. Valadez said it was a significant budget hit. Still, the Latino-focused chamber expanded its mission with contracts from the Washington Department of Commerce and Benton County to administer CARES Act grants directed at underrepresented businesses. Valadez hopes the loss will prove temporary. “It is a challenge, and I will be reaching out to those companies/organizations

this month to hopefully re-engage them as members,” he said. Stephanie Button, executive director of the Historic Downtown Kennewick Partnership, started 2020 on a mission to beef up membership, which had been in decline. The pandemic upended that plan, but it did not upend the group’s focus on promoting downtown Kennewick, the area between the blue and cable bridges. Membership dues are important. They pay for media buys and support events. But it is not pushing the issue. It is pressing on with its community-building activities, demonstrating its value to current and potential members. “We want businesses to become members. It’s our foundation, but we know times are tough,” she said, “Not being a member doesn’t mean you’re not part of

our community.” Button said 78% of members renewed in 2020 while new memberships rose by about 6%. The 2021 renewal season kicked off in January, with dues ranging from $200 for businesses and property owners to $50 for individuals and area residents. Her goal is to retain 80% to 85% of members. She knows some will not be able to do so in early 2021, so she will reconnect with those who lapse later in the year. “It’s a mixed bag for us right now,” she said. The Pasco Chamber of Commerce reports its membership remained steady through 2020. Colin Hastings, executive director, is grateful but noted there is a caveat: Most members renewed in January, before the pandemic hit in force. He is optimistic membership will stay

strong through the 2021 renewal season, calling membership an investment in the community. “They like to support our cause. They’re not looking for a return on their investment,” he said. When the pandemic first struck, the TriCity Development Council offered members the option to defer their memberships a year. Karl Dye, president and CEO, said the result is about a 3% decline in membership. The region’s economic development and diversification entity reduced staff and pursued local, state and federal resources to help it adapt to the changing rules around reopening the economy. “We want to be stronger when we come out of Covid,” Dye said.

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | JANUARY 2021

DATEBOOK JANUARY 19

• Pasco Chamber of Commerce Virtual Membership Luncheon, “Update from Franklin County Sheriff Jim Raymond: 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m. via Zoom. Details: pascochamber.org. • Franklin County Commission: 9 a.m. Details at co.franklin.wa.us/ commissioners/meeting.php. • Benton County Commission: 9 a.m. Details at co.benton.wa.us/ agenda.aspx.

Community Center, 500 Amon Park Drive, Richland. To make an appointment, contact Ann Marie Rose at annemarie.rose@ columbiabasin.edu. • Coffee with Karl: 9-10 a.m., webinar with president and CEO of TRIDEC Karl Dye and guest. Facebook.com/tcdevcouncil.

JANUARY 26

• Columbia Basin Badger Club annual meeting and “Memories of Hanford’s Camp Columbia”: 7 p.m. via Zoom. Details: cbbc. clubexpress.com.

• Franklin County Commission: 9 a.m. Details at co.franklin.wa.us/ commissioners/meeting.php. • Benton County Commission: 9 a.m. Details at co.benton.wa.us/ agenda.aspx. • WSU Tri-Cities, Common Read Seminar: “Challenging Exclusion and Segregation in the Mid-Columbia Region”: 4-5:30 p.m. Details: tricities.wsu.edu/calendar. • Association of Washington Business Virtual Legislative Day and Hill Climb: 7 a.m-6 p.m. Register: awb.org/event.

JANUARY 22

JANUARY 27

JANUARY 20

• HBA Lunch and Learn, “Cost Effective Measures for the New Code Class”: 1-4 p.m. via Zoom. Details: hbatc.com/events.

JANUARY 21

• CBC Nursing Blood Drive: 9:30 a.m-2:30 p.m. Richland

• Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce, “2021 Outlook

with the Washington State Department of Commerce”: Noon via Zoom. Details: web. tricityregionalchamber.com/events.

JANUARY 28

• Port of Pasco Commission: 10:30 a.m. Details at portofpasco. org/about-us/port-commission. • L&I Stay at Work Program webinar: 1-2:30 p.m. Details at lni. wa.gov/workshops-training. • Equal Pay and Opportunities Act webinar: 2-3 p.m. Details at lni.wa.gov/workshops-training.

JANUARY 29

• Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce, “Confident Compliance – Understanding the New Overtime Rules”: 9:30 a.m. via Zoom. Details: web. tricityregionalchamber.com/events. • Columbia Basin Society for Human Resource Management, 2021 Virtual Day on the Hill: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Details at columbiabasinshrm.org. • Coffee with Karl: 9-10 a.m., webinar with president and CEO

of TRIDEC Karl Dye and guest. Facebook.com/tcdevcouncil.

FEBRUARY 2

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

FEBRUARY 9

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

FEBRUARY 18

• Columbia Basin Badger Club, “Carbon Tax Proposal”: 12 p.m. via Zoom. Details: cbbc. clubexpress.com.

FEBRUARY 19-20

• Regional Home & Garden Show. Details: hbatc.com/events.

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | JANUARY 2021

OPINION Journal celebrates 20th year By Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

You likely noticed changes to the front page of your Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business this month. We wanted to usher in the new year with a new look and feel as we celebrate the start of our publication’s 20th year. In addition to a modernized logo, we made some stylistic changes to the cover page. Our graphic designer Vanessa Guzmán calls the rebrand bright and sophisticated. We think the new design gives the paper a modern and clean look – and the timing could not be better. Through all the uncertainty of 2020, our small but mighty team has worked hard to provide consistency, reporting on the business-focused news you’ve come to expect from us for the past two decades. We aren’t trying to sensationalize our community’s news with click-bait headlines or stories. We are a small, locally owned business like many of yours. Our goal is to continue to provide fair, accurate and in-depth coverage of the TriCity business community. Our first 32-page newspaper rolled off the press in January 2002. It included stories about the strength of the Tri-City economy, the Tri-Cities Airport adding more flights, expansion plans at Kadlec Medical Center and Kennewick General Hospital, the Spudnut Shop’s new storefront and the $4.7 million sale of 51 acres near the Richland Walmart to a California development company that would become the future home of Target. Founder/CEO Melanie Hair’s column in the inaugural issue introduced the new paper to the Tri-Cities by outlining its mission: 100% local business news

(focused on our community), 100% circulation (the paper is direct-mailed to businesses for free) and 100% effort (we’ll do our best every month to serve our readers). Our vision is unwavering 20 years later. We’ve grown in the last two decades. In 2013 we bought the rights to the monthly Senior Times, established in 1982 in the Yakima Valley, because we knew Benton and Franklin senior citizens would be well served to have a publication focused on them. In fall 2017, we launched our glossy, full-color magazine, Focus: Construction + Real Estate in the Tri-Cities, and in spring 2018 added a companion publication, Focus: Agriculture + Viticulture in the Columbia Basin. In addition to our printed products, we strive to keep to our website timely at www.tcjournal.biz where we average thousands of page views per day. You can also sign up for our e-newsletters there, and find us on our social media channels: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. We always welcome your comments, feedback and story ideas. Feel free to write us at 8524 W. Gage Blvd., #A1300, Kennewick, WA 99336, email us at info@tcjournal.biz, or call 509-737-8778. Be sure to leave or send a message as our physical office remains closed to the public. We are thankful you continue to read the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business and support our advertisers by doing business with their companies. We wish you good health and positive outcomes in the coming year. We are happy to accompany you on the journey.

Empty office space hints at changes brought by Covid. Will it be permanent? Now that vaccines are available, we hope our lives will return to the way they were before the coronavirus pandemic blanketed the globe. That is not likely to occur. Last March our booming economy was clobbered by Covid-19. A worldwide pandemic ensued. There was no vaccine to counter it and even though vaccines were developed at “warp speed,” lots of things changed and have become embedded in our daily lives. Futurist Bernard Marr, columnist in Forbes, believes employers quickly adapted to a remote workforce. While less than ideal, working from home shows promise and appears to be here to stay. Business, education and government need to re-imagine their own workspaces as well as provide the proper support for people working from home. They must have the right office equipment and technical support to work comfortably from

their residences. So, what happens to all of the office space in cities such as Seattle? As of January 2019, there were 60 construction cranes in Don C. Brunell Seattle, more than Business analyst any other AmeriGUEST COLUMN can city. Eight months later, the picture was much darker. In September, Seattle Times business writer Katherine Khashimova Long reported: “The vacant space amounts to more than 700 football fields, by one estimate – acres of desks, with knickknacks and mementos that few but cleaning staff, maintenance crews and interior landscapers have seen for nigh on six months.”

uBRUNELL, Page A8

A message to the 2021 Legislature: First, do no harm Ten months after the arrival of the coronavirus in Washington, the Legislature convened on Jan. 11 for a new session amid a panKris Johnson demic that will Association of shape every asWashington pect of the sesBusiness sion, from the GUEST COLUMN way lawmakers conduct business (over computer screens instead of beneath the Capitol dome) to the issues they debate. There is cause for optimism as a vaccine begins to roll out here in Washington and around the country. A return to “normal” life is many months away. For many businesses, especially those in the hard-hit restaurant, hospitality and retail industries, this will be too long to wait. Without further assistance, many will close their doors for good. Although federal support is a critical element, the actions state lawmakers take – or don’t take – during this legislation session will affect the ability of employers to survive this crisis and begin to rebuild. One of the best ways the Legislature can promote economic and job creation is by following the example from medicine and “first, do no harm.” This

is not the time to impose new taxes or regulatory burdens on employers that are already struggling to survive. This is a budget-writing year, which means one of the main tasks facing lawmakers is to adopt a new two-year state budget. Fortunately, the budget outlook has steadily improved after suffering a steep decline in the spring thanks to federal stimulus from the first round of the CARES (Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security) Act and the easing of business restrictions over the summer. Rather than facing a budget deficit, lawmakers are now looking at modest budget growth, meaning they can adopt a balanced budget without raising taxes. Most Washington families would be happy to be in this condition, especially those most affected by the pandemic. Lawmakers should take this opportunity to avoid placing another hurdle in front of employers. We need to grow the economy more, not tax it more. Another important way that lawmakers can help is to address the unemployment insurance crisis. Unless lawmakers act, Washington employers will see increases in unemployment insurance taxes of up to 500% because of the Covid-19-induced layoffs and the subsequent need to replenish the state’s unemployment fund. That’s a huge tax increase on emuJOHNSON, Page A8

Talking about death is hard but you can do it In a pandemic and pretty much in life, people are dealing with grief at some level every single day. Death, divorce, loss of a job, and lately, the death of the life as we once knew it pre-Covid. Recently, I ran into the mom of my son’s elementary school friend who I hadn’t seen in five years. We were sitting in the hot tub at the gym, catching up, casually chatting away and she quietly told me that her son had died this last summer from cancer. Wow, I was not expecting that. Now, what do I say? I have not yet experienced the loss of a close loved one or family member, but I am surrounded by many who have: my sister-in-law, a friend, my client’s CPA in Florida whose husband just died of Covid, and most of my clients. People often reach out for financial advice during such transitions, and as advisors, we’ve studied for years on investments and taxes, but have had absolutely no training in helping our clients through the emotional side of

events, good or bad. Grief expert Amy Florian of Corgenius Inc. teaches (financial advisors specifically) through her books, “No Angie FurubottenLonger Awkward” LaRosee and “A Friend Avea Financial Indeed,” how Planning LLC individuals in the GUEST COLUMN midst of grief may wish to be spoken to, and how simple platitudes like “I’m sorry” don’t do much to acknowledge the loss or comfort the survivor. What can I say, what can I do to comfort and acknowledge her pain, her loss? There are many things we can and should say. Start by using and saying the name of the person who died. Don’t dance around it, don’t avoid it. Acknowledge uAVEA, Page A29

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | JANUARY 2021

JOHNSON, From page A7 ployers through no fault of their own. Fortunately, lawmakers are working to address the issue and we’re hopeful they arrive at a solution early in the session. There are other ways lawmakers could promote economic recovery. They could pass a transportation package that puts people to work and invests in Washington’s infrastructure. They could approve tax increment financing, giving the state a tool for economic development that most states already have. They could push “pause” on the expansion of child care regulations to help parents get back to work and they could prioritize the reopening of schools.

As is often the case in a time of crisis, there are opportunities to be found during this time. As lawmakers consider ways to rebuild the economy following the pandemic, they have an opportunity to help the communities, the industries and the people that were left behind during the last recovery. The AWB Institute, the workforce and economic development arm of the Association of Washington Business, recently launched the “Washington in the Making” initiative with the goal of creating a foundation for lasting prosperity for all people and all communities throughout the state. Lawmakers can help by supporting policies that ensure employees are educated and prepared to meet the

needs of a changing workforce, by building up infrastructure and connectivity to support a remote workforce and fueling a culture of entrepreneurship and innovation. Ten months into this pandemic, Washington’s economy is in a fragile state. Lawmakers can help the economy recover by first doing no harm. But more than that, they can support the effort to remake Washington in a way that works better for everyone, everywhere. Go to washingtoninthemaking.org. Kris Johnson is president of the Association of Washington Business, the state’s chamber of commerce and manufacturers association.

BRUNELL, From page A7 Long added demand for dense, citycenter corporate campuses from giants like Amazon, Facebook and Google led to a decade of breakneck office development in Seattle. Occupied office space in Seattle has grown 34 percent since 2010, according to the Downtown Seattle Association. “Now, those towers sit hollow. Roughly 90% of the 47 million square feet of leased Seattle office space is currently vacated as a result of the pandemic.” At least 66 downtown businesses had already closed permanently by fall, according to the Downtown Seattle Association. Work-from-home isn’t entirely to blame. Restaurants and retail were shuttered until they met county reopening standards. The collapse of the convention and cruising industries also played a role. With remote work prevalent, people’s shopping habits changed. Statista.com estimated in 2019 that U.S. online retail sales of physical goods amounted to $343.15 billion and are projected to reach $476.5 billion in 2024. Online grocery shopping surged. Kroger, parent of Fred Meyer, experienced a 127% second quarter rush in its digital sales as shoppers ordered online and either had groceries delivered straight to their homes or they drove to a store where packages were loaded directly into their vehicles. “We hired over 40,000 associates to take care of that over 10 % growth in demand,” Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen told Yahoo Finance. Walmart and Amazon, the world’s top two private employers with a combined workforce of 3 million people, also experienced triple-digit growth in digital food ordering during Covid-19. The jump underscores consumers’ growing comfort with online grocery shopping. While profits and employment swelled for big companies, small businesses, particularly restaurants and pubs, continued to be hard hit. They cut workers and struggled to comply with shifting government edicts. Yelp closure data shows that businesses providing home, local and professional services have been able to withstand the effects of the pandemic, but restaurants and retail continue to struggle, and total closures nationwide are increasing. The National Restaurant Association reported last February more than 15 million people, representing 10% of America’s workforce, worked in restaurants. By July, 7 million were jobless as new restrictions on indoor dining and cold weather set in. NRA is projecting a $250 billion total loss in 2020. Now, the overriding questions are what work will be available for people displaced by Covid and will there be sufficient capital and incentives for small business to rebuild and reopen? Don C. Brunell is a business analyst, writer and columnist. He recently 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.

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Judge clears port commissioner of misconduct in Vista Field land sale By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz

An independent judge cleared Kennewick Port Commissioner Don Barnes of misconduct in a case that roiled the port for more than two years. Judge Paris K. Kallas overturned the findings of an earlier investigation by an outside attorney. Barnes, the board’s current chair, appealed the results of the investigation into his conduct concerning the private sale of land near the port’s 103-acre Vista Field redevelopment project in 2019. Kallas heard arguments in a public forum Dec. 4. She issued her 15-page decision on Dec. 31. “(T)he Complaint against Commissioner Barnes is unsubstantiated in its entirety and no sanctions shall be applied,” Kallas concluded. Barnes said it is time to move forward from a case that had been a “major distraction.” Fees cost the port more than $100,000. The case arose from a dispute that arose in early 2019 when port staff asked the commission to waive the port’s right to buy back land it had sold to Jerry Ivy in 2004. The port held the right to repurchase

the Ivy property if he did not develop it within 18 months, which he did not. Barnes wanted more information about a site, noting it borders the Don Barnes ambitious Vista Field redevelopment site. He eventually backed down and agreed to waive the buyback clause. Ivy sold the five-acre site at North Kellogg Street and West Rio Grande Street to Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic for $1.8 million. Construction is proceeding on Yakima Valley’s $20 million Miramar Clinic. The ill will sparked by the debate prompted an anonymous complaint, which Commissioner Skip Novakovich later admitted he wrote. The port hired Tara Parker, an outside attorney, to investigate Novakovich’s allegations. Parker concluded that Barnes and fellow Commissioner Tom Moak both violated port rules. Barnes was faulted for contacting a consultant and the State Auditor’s Office about the land sale and

Photo by Scott Butner Photography A judge cleared Don Barnes, chair of the Port of Kennewick, of misconduct in discussions about a private land sale to Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic for its Miramar Health Center project.

that he exhibited “hostility” to the port’s CEO, Tim Arntzen. The port’s attorney recommended formal public censure and completion of training for Barnes. Moak accepted his separate punishment and was subsequently re-elected to office.

Barnes appealed. During the Dec. 4 hearing, his attorney said the commissioner acted in his role as an elected leader. “These are elected officials. They get to get information,” attorney Joel Comfort told the judge.

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Washington clean energy rules ban coal after 2025 By Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

Washington power providers must remove coal from their portfolios by 2025 under rules adopted by the Washington State Department of Commerce and the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission. Commerce regulates 64 publiclyowned utilities, including the public utility districts, cities and rural electric associations that keep the lights on in much of the Mid-Columbia. The UTC regulates investor-owned utilities. The rules implement Washington’s Clean Energy Transformation Act, the

2020 law enacted by Gov. Jay Inslee and the Legislature which mandates the state achieve carbon-free power by 2045. Utilities must file plans on how they will comply with the rules by the end of 2021. The Northwest has already made progress on removing coal from the list of fuels that power the power plants. Burning coal emits carbon dioxide, which contributes to climate change. Four coal plants, including two in Montana and one each in Washington and Oregon, shut down in 2020. The move from coal and carbonbased fuels such as natural gas will have a minimal impact on the public utilities that serve the Mid-Columbia, which rely

heavily on hydro and nuclear power. The Benton and Franklin public utility districts, Richland Energy Services and Benton Rural Electric Association chiefly draw power from the Bonneville Power Administration, the federal system powered by the Columbia and Snake River dams, the Columbia Generating Station nuclear plant in Richland and other mostly non-carbon sources. Benton PUD’s fuel mix includes 80% hydropower, 10% nuclear, 0.5% natural gas and 10% wind and “other.” Franklin PUD’s fuel mix is similar: 81% hydro, 3.23% natural gas, 10% nuclear and 6.23% “unspecified.” Richland Energy Services’ fuel mix is

87% hydro, 11% nuclear and 2.8% “unspecified.” Benton REA’s fuel mix is 76% hydro, 10% nuclear and the rest “unspecified.” The region does have a stake in coal emissions through its proximity to Boardman, Oregon, where Portland General Electric and its minority partner, Idaho Power, operated a 650MW coal plant for generations until it shut down on Oct. 15, 2020. The clean energy rules spell out how Washington will achieve its goals over the coming years. Broadly, utilities must achieve a carbon-neutral supply of elecuCLEAN ENERGY, Page A24

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Q&A

Number of employees you oversee: 35 What is the background of your practice? My firm was established in the TriCities in 2002. For seven years before that, I practiced with international firms in Washington, D.C., and in Denver, Colorado. How did you land your current role? Before becoming an attorney, I practiced as a consulting pension actuary, including for a year here in Kennewick. After becoming a lawyer, the pension and employee benefits field was a natural given my prior experience. How long have you been in it? I have been working in the employee benefits space since 1989, for 31 years. You have advocated for local businesses affected by the pandemic shutdowns. What was it that interested you about this unusual situation? I am deeply concerned about the federal constitutional implications of shutdowns – in essence I believe the shutdowns may be infringing on several cherished constitutional rights. Moreover, I am extremely cautious whenever an allegiance to alleged “science” is demanded by a government official, especially when the alleged science conflicts with common sense and logic. What is one characteristic that you believe every leader should possess? Integrity.

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GEORGE F. CICOTTE The Cicotte Law Firm, PLLC Owner

What is the biggest challenge facing the legal industry and small practices? The ability to maintain a network sufficient to solve client needs in diverse areas where detailed technical expertise is required.

that summer I did not want to do physical labor that difficult for the rest of my life. At that point I realized a career as an attorney would be a good fit for me.

If you had a magic wand, what would you change about your field? Sitting at a desk would become as thrilling as skiing down a mountain slope.

How do you measure success in your workplace? Production of quality work product that solves clients’ problems.

What advice would you give someone going into a leadership position for the first time? You are neither too young nor too inexperienced to hold the position you have just earned. Do your best and those you are required to lead will follow and respect you, regardless of differences in experience. Who are your role models or mentors? As a lawyer? Other attorneys I worked for early in my career, specifically Franklin Nachman in Denver (now retired) and John Vine at Covington in D.C. As a human being? My dad. How do you keep your employees motivated? Everyone on my team is self-motivated by the work we do.

George F. Cicotte

What do you consider your leadership style to be? Laissez-faire.

us all, and my clients know I have a family. Each will infringe on the other’s time sometimes.

What do you like to do when you are not at work? International travel, bike, ski, kayak, boating, and RV camping.

What’s your best time management strategy? Start early and ignore email.

How do you balance work and family life? I think the better way to say and achieve this is to integrate work and family life rather than balance them. I have continually worked to reduce my commute from 2+ hours per day in D.C. to about 2 minutes per day now. My family knows I work to provide for

Best tip to relieve stress? Marry a good wife. What’s your favorite website? Probably the Drudge Report. Do you have a personal mantra, phrase or quote you like to use? It will all work out.

How did you decide to pursue the career that you are working in today? When I was 14, I had a summer job baling hay and stacking bales. I realized

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uBUSINESS BRIEFS State suspends liquor license of bar that defied shutdown Koko’s Bartini received a 180-day suspension of its liquor license after the Kennewick business defied orders to close in compliance with Washington’s Covid-19 restrictions on indoor dining at bars and dining establishments. Owner Dana Slovak opened Koko’s in early 2019 in a ground floor restaurant space at Cynergy Center, 4309 W. 27th Place, Ste. 100, with an extensive menu of martinis as well as small plates. Koko’s was subject to Washington’s Covid-19 shut down but remained open, regularly posting images showing people not wearing masks on social media. The

high-profile resistance to complying with Gov. Jay Inslee’s orders led to a confrontation between customers and liquor agents. According to the state Liquor and Cannabis Board, it received 143 complaints regarding allegations stemming from violations at Koko’s between Nov. 18 and Dec. 22. The owners received “several” verbal warnings, a written warning and an administrative violation but continued to violate Gov. Jay Inslee’s public health and safety proclamation, according to the state. On Dec. 28, LCB said it gave Koko’s 24-hour notice to comply with the guidelines or face a 180-day suspension of its license. The business remained open for indoor

service on the evening of Dec. 30, activating the suspension, the state said. Koko’s organized a peaceful protest for Jan. 6 at the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board office in Pasco.

L&I offers free webinars to help comply with employment law

A series of free webinars aims to help businesses and workers understand how state law and Washington State Department of Labor & Industries rules apply. The series includes sessions on workers’ rights, the state’s new overtime rules, wage and hour laws, leave requirements and child labor laws. • The Employment Standards program will offer the webinars on Wednesdays.

LEGAL Each session will last 45 minutes and have time for questions. • Employer Guide to Workers’ Rights: Offered the second Wednesday of each month and one Thursday evening. Sessions planned for 10 a.m. Jan. 13; 1:30 p.m. Feb. 10; 7 p.m. Feb. 25; 10 a.m. March 10; 1:30 p.m. April 14; 10 a.m. May 12; and 1:30 p.m. June 9. • Know Your Worker Rights: The presentation advises employees of their rights and is offered the fourth Wednesday of the month and one Thursday evening. Sessions are planned for 10 a.m. Jan. 17; 1:30 p.m. Feb. 24; 7 p.m. March 11; 10 a.m. March 24; 1:30 p.m. April 28; 10 a.m. May 26; and 1:30 p.m. June 23. • EAP Overtime: The presentation covers overtime rules and new minimum salary thresholds that took effect July 1, 2020. Sessions are held the third Wednesday of the month. They are planned for 10 a.m., Jan. 20; 1:30 p.m. Feb. 17; 10 a.m. March 17; 1:30 p.m. April 21; 10 a.m. May 19; and 1:30 p.m. June 16. Register at bit.ly/LNIWorkshops

WA attorney general secures refunds for students’ canceled music trip

Music travel company Voyageurs International must pay more than $464,000 for full refunds to 235 Washington students who signed up for the company’s 2020 European tours State Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s office said the Colorado-based company, which organizes yearly tours to Europe for high-school musicians, unlawfully charged each of the 235 Washington students at least $1,900 in cancellation penalties after the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in the company cancelling its July 2020 European tours. The company also illegally retained an additional $775 fee, for a total of $2,675 per student, from 23 students who signed up to extend their tour to Greece. When a travel agency like Voyageurs cancels a consumer’s travel, Washington law allows the travel agency to recoup its losses by charging consumers cancellation penalties if the company was appropriately transparent with the consumer about the potential for those penalties. When the travel agency cancels, the law prohibits travel agencies from charging cancellation penalties greater than those the company incurs from its third-party vendors – such as airlines or hotels. Voyageurs failed to lawfully disclose the risk of penalties and illegally charged consumers penalties greater than what the company incurred from its vendors. Under the consent decree, filed in King County Superior Court, Voyageurs is legally required to pay the full refund amount to the state Attorney General’s Office. The office will then contact the Washington students and their families directly to set up their full refund. Ferguson’s complaint, filed with the consent decree, asserts that Voyageurs’ conduct violated the Sellers of Travel Act and the Consumer Protection Act. The Attorney General’s Office launched an after receiving 23 complaints from Washington families describing the burden of this fee during a pandemic.

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Work with an attorney to ensure will is done right Sometimes it’s hard to see the forest through the trees. This is as true for sophisticated estate planning as it is for anything else. It’s worthwhile then to step back and consider not the sophisticated, but the mundane instead. Most Americans don’t have a basic will (or any will for that matter). What should the document that conveys all your most precious possessions look like and what should it say? Though a will can be as varied as imaginable (note: I had one particular client clearly remind me of this fact when he said that it was called his “will” because he can do whatever he wants). Still, most wills end up looking surprisingly similar. And though it can be complex, most people prefer simple wills. Let’s imagine you are married with kids. And, for the sake of convenience, let’s imagine that all the children are the natural or adopted children from this relationship or that husband and wife have decided to treat the stepchildren as if they were their own natural children. That gives us one spouse and the assumption that all children are treated as your natural (or adopted) children. Given these inputs, what does the will likely look like? Every person

uBUSINESS BRIEF PPP expenses are now deductible on taxes

Some expenses related to securing loans under the Paycheck Protection Program are now deductible. The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service have issued guidance that expenses that result in forgiveness of a loan are deductible. The new ruling reflects changes to the

typically has his or her own will. So, each husband and wife will have a will. The will can be very long or very short. But, the protoBeau Ruff typical will is Cornerstone probably around Wealth Strategies four to six pages GUEST COLUMN in length. It must be signed by the person making the will (i.e., the testator). Additionally, two adults who are inheriting nothing from the testator must sign as witnesses. Finally, it is common to have the witnesses’ signatures notarized as part of a “self-proving affidavit” which serves to prove the authenticity of the will. Who gets to inherit first? Usually, a married person will name his or her spouse to inherit the assets. This is important because, even though Washington is a community property state, it does not mean the surviving spouse automatically inherits everything. What if both parents die at the same time? In the event that both spouses perish at the same time, then the proto-

typical will provides that all the assets are split equally among the children per stirpes. Those last two words are Latin and generally mean this: if a child dies with or before the parent, then that child’s share goes equally to the deceased child’s children. This is the most common distribution scheme in the United States and is the default distribution in many states. What about my child’s spouse? Usually, we don’t give any assets to our in-laws; we prefer to give it to our lineal descendants (grandkids) instead of the in-laws. In-laws can always remarry and give the assets to the new spouse. Trust for kids? If the kids are under the age of 18, a will typically includes a trust to hold the assets until the children reach a specified age (like 25 years old). Before that time, the children can still use the assets to pay for important and necessary items that the parents would typically approve (things like health insurance, college, basic living, etc.). After reaching the specified age, the child receives the inheritance free of trust and can use the money as he or she sees fit. What about the sentimental stuff? A typical will does not discuss specific assets. So, what about the family

heirlooms and the jewelry and the guns and the tools? A will typically incorporates the ability for the testator to assign personal property by a separate writing drawn up after the will is signed. The separate writing can be easily changed by the testator and needs only to be signed and dated (no witnesses or notaries required for this part). The separate writing is usually kept with the will but it is a separate document. This allows the testator to easily transfer items of personal property without the need to go back to the drafting attorney. Who is in charge? The final decision is to determine who is in charge: the executor. In a typical will, the surviving spouse is named as the executor. A contingent executor also is usually named, and that role is typically filled by a sibling or the testator’s children. There you have it: the prototypical recipe for a will. Though it need not be complex, you should definitely work with an attorney to ensure it’s done right. 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.

Tax Relief Act of 2020, enacted as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021, which was signed on Dec. 21. The act amends the federal CARES Act to say that no deduction is denied, no tax attribute is reduced and no basis increase is denied by reason of exclusion from gross income of the forgiveness of a PPP loan. The change applies for taxable years that end after March 27, 2020. Go to irs. gov for more information.

The Horse Heaven Hills wind farm project would place 235 giant wind turbines on 24 miles of Tri-City ridgelines from Nine Canyon in Finley all the way to Benton City.

Save our Ridges save-our-ridges.org

Think about it? How tall is a wind turbine? 500 feet

The observation deck of the Space Needle is at 520 feet. The wind turbines at Horse Heaven Hills will be at 500 feet.

How to help? Go to save-our-ridges.org Contact our local commissioners and energy development companies.

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ARCHITECTURE & ENGINEERING LIGO gets visitor center worthy of its Nobel Prize-winning science By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz

With nearly 27 years designing homes and other buildings in the Tri-Cities under his belt, Pasco architect Terence “Tere” Thornhill is too diplomatic to call out a favorite. They’re all his babies, said Thornhill, who believes buildings should tell the story of what is happening inside. “I’m a believer in the evocative nature of architecture,” he said. His vision is written in hundreds of sometimes dazzling rooflines across the community. The REACH Museum in Richland notes the story of the prehistoric Missoula Floods and the Manhattan Project that led to creation of the B Reactor. Columbia Gardens Urban Wine & Artisan Village in Kennewick is topped by a clock tower and echoes the bucolic vineyards of its winery tenants. But his current baby tops them all for linking mission to bricks and mortar. Thornhill teamed with DGR Grant Construction to build the LIGO Hanford Exploration Center (LExC) in Richland on behalf of the scientific institutions behind the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory. The team broke ground in October and is racing to complete the noisiest elements of construction before March, when LIGO begins its next observation run and background noise must be silenced as much as possible. The center itself is set to open in January 2022. The $7.7 million visitor and education

center will tell the story of how scientists first used twin laser observatories in Richland and in Livingston, Louisiana, to detect gravity waves Terence Thornhill that emanated from colliding black holes some 1.3 billion light years from earth. The discovery was reported in 2016 and confirmed Albert Einstein’s centuryold prediction that gravitational waves exist. The three key principals received the 2017 Nobel Prize for Physics. The work is central to educating the public and students about the importance of science. The Louisiana observatory has an education center. With LExC, Richland gets one as well. The two centers will share exhibits. But Richland’s edition will tell the story through its very foundations and walls and roofs. From above, LIGO LExC is a swirl of waves spiraling away from a pair of merging circles representing the first of the black holes detected. Like the black holes themselves, one is about 20% larger than the other. Both exceed our own sun in mass. Pie-shaped wedges spiral out, a pattern that will be echoed on the carpet indoors. The colliding black holes form a lobby, housed inside a silo topped by a dome. A replica of the Nobel Prize medal

Courtesy Terence L. Thornhill Architect Architect Terence “Tere” Thornhill designed the LIGO Hanford Exploration Center, or LExC, to echo the colliding black holes detected in 2016, a scientific breakthrough that netted the team a Nobel Prize for Physics.

will be displayed at the center, well secured in a case. Thornhill and DGR first pitched the black hole design in 2018 when LIGO, owned and operated by CalTech and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, asked architects with experience designing interpretive centers for ideas. The partners had collaborated to build the REACH Museum in Richland, using

the building itself to convey the Mid-Columbia’s scientific and geologic history. Thornhill said telling the story of black holes and gravitational waves was the ultimate test of his belief that buildings should tell their own stories. “It’s an opportunity architecturally to spread your wings,” he said. “It’s an opportunity to be creative.” uLExC, Page A20

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Courtesy Terence L. Thornhill Architect The floor plan of the LIGO Hanford Exploration Center, or LExC.

LExC, From page A19 Thornhill is a confessed science “nerd,” but he is no physicist. He studied black holes and the methods scientists used to detect the gravitational waves emanating from them. “The learning curve was pretty dramatic,” he said. Thornhill sat down with sketch paper and a No. 2 pencil and asked himself, “How can I represent the collision of black holes frozen in time.” He laid out a footprint that captured the collision and waves.

The clients liked what they saw. Thornhill and DGR first won the competition to develop preliminary drawings and later to build, once funding was included in Washington’s capital projects budget. The black hole concept was straightforward, but the science was not. For example, Thornhill reached for a Fibonacci spiral – like a spiral seashell with waves narrowing at the center – to convey movement. But his scientist-clients corrected him: Waves travel in regularly spaced Archimedean spirals. The black hole design brings the wow factor to LExC but the building is packed with other symbols. The central silo topped by a dome that echoes telescope observatories and acknowledges that throughout history, humans studied space by looking at it, not listening to it. LIGO altered the rules. It listened for vibrations. “Up to this point, all the observatories were silent movies. You didn’t hear anything,” he said. “A lot of smart scientists told me about that.” So, while the design reaches the stars, the actual construction is straightforward, thanks to state-imposed rules on the projects it funds. LExC is designed to qualify for the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver rating. That means it will be exceptionally efficient from an energy and water use point of view and in the materials used in construction. It also relies on pre-engineered structural elements. The distinctive LEED plaque will hang discretely in a gallery near the entrance. Most building owners proudly display their LEED plaques but LIGO does not want to draw attention away from the Nobel medal. The exterior materials echo the existing buildings at the LIGO campus, down to the blue stripes. Visitors will arrive at an existing auditorium and walk to the exploratory center along a path that passes through two lengths of the pipe that were not needed for construction of the laser tunnels that form the actual observatory. LExC is expected to host 10,000 school children annually, twice the number who were able to visit the campus and its auditorium. The center is designed to promote interest in science, technology, education and math and to answer the public’s growing interest in the work of LIGO, which stands for Laser Interferometer Gravitational Observatory.

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ARCHITECTURE & ENGINEERING

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Ex-Tri-Cities Fever duo heating up stretch of Richland waterfront By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz

Lionell Singleton and Houston Lillard were fierce competitors when they played for the Tri-Cities Fever, an indoor football league. They clashed on the field – Singleton as a defensive back and Houston as quarterback. Off the field, they were the best of friends and roommates who leveraged their good fortune to help students succeed. The Fever went dormant in 2016 but the two men remained committed to helping others and to pursuing business ventures as co-founders of World Builder Inc. Now, they’re launching one of the most intriguing apartment projects yet in the Tri-Cities. Vertisee is a 24-unit loft-style complex in the 1100 block of Columbia Park Trail, aka the Island View area. The project will sit in a neglected stretch nestled behind the levee at the Yakima River Delta at the Richland Wye. World Builder Inc. pulled permits to develop the $4 million project in December. The project’s first phase includes two three-story buildings. Vertisee, a play on vertical, will offer one-bedroom, one-bathroom units on the ground floor. The second story will offer two-bedroom, two-bath units with lofts. The added height will allow views toward the confluence of the Columbia and Yakima rivers.

Portland-based Ankrom Moisan Architecture, known for its gleaming towers in some of the West Coast’s most urban settings, designed the Richland project as a clean complement to a neighborhood in transition. Future phases will add more residential units and commercial space, Singleton and Dillard said. The duo began acquiring lots in the 1100 block of Columbia Park Trail about three years ago and began making plans to develop. They control about three acres across several parcels. Vertisee will offer an outdoor barbecue area in the space between the two buildings. But its primary amenity is its location. The project comes at a pivotal time for the area Richland refers to as “Columbia Park Trail East.” Ben Franklin Transit’s headquarters are to the east and the neighborhood is marked by modest homes and aging industrial buildings. But Richland has big dreams for the area and its proximity to the rivers. It is working with the Port of Kennewick and other regional partners to rebuild the stretch of Columbia Park Trail between Ben Franklin Transit and Columbia Center Boulevard to city standards. That includes curbs, gutters, sidewalks, bike lanes and landscaping. Overhead utilities will be buried, and the Wye Park parking lot and street frontage are being improved. Apollo Inc. of Kennewick is the contractor for the $5 million project, which

Photo by Wendy Culverwell Ex-Tri-City Fever players Lionell Singleton and Houston Lillard are developing Vertisee, a 24-unit apartment building as Richland’s Columbia Park Trail East stretch gets a facelift from the city.

is funded with grants from the Benton-Franklin Council of Governments, Washington state Courtesy Elite Construction & Development Department of Ecology and city real estate excise tax funds. say they’re working with the city to enIt is a worthy candidate for sure the projects are complementary. upgrades. “There are lots of active things you can The Sacajawea Heritage Trail runs do there,” he said, saying it will cater to nearby and there are offices, medical young professionals, families, senior and clinics and other employment centers in the neighborhood. Columbia Center is anyone interested in the outdoor lifestyle. “Who wants to come out here?” he only a mile or so away. Singleton, Lillard and their contractor uVERTISEE, Page A22

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VERTISEE, From page A21 said. Vertisee is the apartment development planned along the Tri-City waterfront. Columbia River Walk in Pasco recently welcomed tenants to the north side of the Columbia. And upscale apartments are under construction at Willow Pointe, north of the WSU Tri-Cities campus in Richland. Elite Construction and Development is the general contractor. Harms Engineering is the civil engineer. Both are based in Pasco. Max Jones of Elite said the team has begun preliminary site work as it prepares to lay foundations. The site is mostly ready for construction. The project required upgrades to utilities and removal

of old buildings. There is “overburden” or dumped dirt on site, which will be removed or shoved aside for the initial construction Lionell Singleton Singleton and Dillard bring a splash of fame to the project, their first new construction apartment project. Dillard lives in Portland and Singleton splits his time between the Tri-Cities and the Rose City. Singleton, originally from Tallahassee, Florida, was an All-Conference selection at Florida International University. Despite his success, he said he’d been es-

ARCHITECTURE & ENGINEERING

Houston Lillard

sentially homeless and living in his car when he was tapped by the Fever. That opportunity allowed him to move into an apartment and to build a life not only on the field

but in business. “I never looked back,” he said. “As soon as I got that opportunity, I had a roof over my head.” He’s retained his commitment to opening doors to others. He worked with Wellspring Church to establish the Afterschool Matters Program, which serves students at Eastgate Elementary and Park

Middle School in Kennewick and Jefferson Elementary in Richland. Singleton was named to three All Indoor Football League teams in his fiveyear career and was inducted into the Indoor Football Hall of Fame in 2016. Lillard hails from Oakland, California. He earned a sports management degree from Southeast Missouri State University and spent five years with the Tri-Cities Fever. He founded Team Lillard Football to mentor kids and help them go to college. The men said they envisioned Vertisee as a long-term investment but could consider selling or bringing on investors to retire the construction debt. The project is financed with a construction loan issued by Broadmark Realty Capital.

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | JANUARY 2021

Tri-Cities Animal Control has new management, renewed hopes for a new building By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz

The Tri-Cities Animal Shelter and Control Services in Pasco has a new operator and a renewed interest in breaking ground on a long-anticipated new building. Rebecca Howard and Dr. Julie Chambers formed the nonprofit Neo’s Nation Foundation to submit the winning bid for the contract to operate the animal shelter and control facility, 1312 S. 18th Ave., Pasco. The city of Pasco, which operates the shelter on behalf of the four cities, awarded the bid on Dec. 7. The contract is worth $875,000 per year for 2021-22, with the costs split between Pasco, Kennewick and Richland. Tri-Cities Animal Shelter serves as the animal control arm of the cities of Richland, Kennewick and Pasco and operates a shelter for homeless pets from its quarters near the Columbia River. Howard is a 14-year veteran of TriCities Animal Shelter and serves as director. Chambers, a retired chiropractor, brings the business management expertise as chief financial officer. Chambers is new to shelter work but said she is a lifelong softy when it comes

to strays. “I’ve tried adopting every stray animal I could find since I was a kid (much to my mother’s chagrin),” she said. The partners share a granddaughter in common and agreed to work together when the animal control contract opened in 2019. Howard and Chambers are the second team to take over the animal control facility since longtime director Angela Zilar retired in 2018. The duo succeeds Debbie Sporcich. She led Tri-Cities Animal Shelter in 2019 and 2020 and did not renew the contract when it expired on Dec. 31. Chambers said she is eager to proceed with long-standing plans to construct a new building to house the shelter and animal control services. All three cities have approved funding for the new building, which will be built next to the aging existing building. Pasco reports it is coordinating with its partners on a new concept plan, as well as an assessment to determine if the current property is suited to construction, said Zach Ratkai, the city’s administrative and community services director.

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RECOVERY, From page A1 Lori Mattson, president and chief executive officer of the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce, noted the TriCities depends on the other five counties in the zone doing their part. It is a frustrating situation, she said during a recent Zoom “Coffee with Karl” program with Karl Dye, president of the Tri-City Development Council. The Mid-Columbia already experienced ups and downs of the phased recovery by lingering in Phase 1 through much of 2020 and then 1.5 before being pushed back to Phase 1 under Inslee’s new plan. She described a conference call with restaurant operators who had to watch food rot because they could not open as planned. Businesses cannot plan for that kind of uncertainty, she said. “We’re going to rise and fall now with these other five counties. It’s so beyond our control,” she said, calling on local business organizations to cooperate with counties and cities to work together as a region. Michael Novakovich, president of Visit Tri-Cities, said the seven South Central counties will pull together. “We have to work with the surrounding communities,” he said. He has spoken with his colleagues across county lines on how best to cooperate. He cited consistent messaging around health measures as one way to unite as a region. “Here we are a tourism agency focused on health care messaging,” he said.

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To stay in Phase 2, the regions must maintain a decreasing or flat trend of new infections and hospitalizations, keep hospital ICU occupancy under 90% and fewer than 10% of Covid-19 tests returning positive. Critics were quick to fault the governor’s new recovery plan, calling it an incomplete map that puts recovery out of reach for struggling small businesses. Kris Johnson, president of the Association of Washington Business, said businesses do not need a new set of metrics. They need the ability to reopen immediately at a minimum 25% capacity with safety measures. “We fear this will only make it harder for many communities, employers and families to begin the long process of rebuilding,” he said in a statement that also called on the governor to focus on swift and efficient delivery of vaccines. The Washington Retail Association too condemned the plan, which limits stores to 25% capacity. “The plan fails to offer a path to full recovery,” said Renee Sunde, president of the retail group said in a statement. Under the new plan, all indoor fitness is prohibited. Outdoor entertainment such as zoos, outdoor theaters and concert venues may open with groups limited to 10 at the most. Indoor gatherings and indoor dining are prohibited while retail, worship services, professional and personal services are limited to 25% capacity. Go to doh.wa.gov for information about the new recovery program.

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | JANUARY 2021 uBUSINESS BRIEF Paid Advertising

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Time for New Year’s Financial Resolutions

TARA WISWALL

(509) 783-2042 Many of us probably felt that 2020 lasted a very long time. But now that 2021 is upon us, we can make a fresh start – and one way to do that is to make some New Year’s resolutions. Of course, you can make these resolutions for all parts of your life – physical, emotional, intellectual – but have you ever considered some financial resolutions? Here are a few such resolutions to consider: • Don’t overreact to events. When the coronavirus pandemic hit in mid-February, the financial markets took a big hit. Many people, convinced that we were in for a prolonged slump, decided to take a “time out” and headed to the investment sidelines. But

it didn’t take long for the markets to rally, rewarding those patient investors who stayed the course. Nothing is a certainty in the investment world, but the events of 2020 followed a familiar historical pattern: major crisis followed by market drop followed by strong recovery. The lesson for investors? Don’t overreact to today’s news – because tomorrow may look quite different. • Be prepared. At the beginning of 2020, nobody was anticipating a worldwide pandemic and its terrible consequences, both to individuals’ health and to their economic wellbeing. None of us can foretell the future, either, but we can be prepared, and one way to do so is by building an emergency fund. Ideally, such a fund should be kept in liquid, low-risk vehicles and contain at least six months’ worth of living expenses. • Focus on moves you can control. In response to pandemicrelated economic pressures, some employers cut their matching contributions to 401(k) plans in 2020. Will some future event cause another such reduction? No one knows – and even if it happens, there’s probably nothing you can do about it. Instead of worrying about things you can’t control, focus on those you can. When it comes to your 401(k) or similar employersponsored retirement plan, put in as much as you can afford this year,

and if your salary goes up, increase your contribution. • Recognize your ability to build savings. During the pandemic, the personal savings rate shot up, hitting a record of 33% in April, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economy Analysis. It fell over the next several months, but still remained about twice as high as the rate of the past few years. Of course, much of this surge in Americans’ proclivity to save money was due to our lack of options for spending it, as the coronavirus caused either complete or partial shutdowns in physical retail establishments, as well as dining and entertainment venues. But if you did manage to boost your own personal savings when your spending was constrained, is it possible to remain a good saver when restrictions are lifted? Probably. And the greater your savings, the greater your financial freedoms – including the freedom to invest and freedom from excessive debt. When we reach a postpandemic world, see if you can continue saving more than you did in previous years – and use your savings wisely. These aren’t the only financial resolutions you can make – but following them may help you develop habits that could benefit you in 2021 and beyond.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

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Longtime civic leader dies at age 73

Edward J. “Ed” Allen, a longtime TriCity civic leader, died Dec. 30, 2020. He was 73. Named Kennewick Man of the Year in 2002, Allen also served as the 2008 chairman of the board of the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce, the year it partnered with the Tri-City Development Council and Visit Tri-Cities to build the Tri-Cities Business & Visitor Center in Kennewick. The chamber noted it was a pivotal year in another way as well. The board led the transition to new leadership when it hired the current president, Lori Mattson. “Ed’s larger than life personality and business acumen made for an exceptional community leader – he will be greatly missed,” the chamber posted on Facebook. Allen was a founder of the Kennewick Public Facilities District and co-founder of the Columbia Center Rotary Mountaineers, which formed to inspire members to climb a nearby peak each year and raise money for charitable causes. It supported Grace Clinic in its first year. He also was an active supporter of Friends of Badger Mountain. He is survived by his wife, Celeste. Einan’s at Sunset is in charge of the arrangements. CLEAN ENERGY, From page A12 tricity by 2030, and source 100% of their electricity from renewable or non-carbonemitting sources by 2045. Details include: • Utilities must ensure an equitable distribution of benefits from the transition to clean energy for all customers and must make programs and funding available for energy assistance to low-income customers. • Tax incentives for renewable energy development encourage developers to pay prevailing wages and use a community workforce agreement or project labor agreement. • Electric utilities must adopt implementation plans by the end of 2021 with targets for achieving CETA’s clean electricity requirements and prepare revised plans every four years. • By the end of 2025, utilities must remove all coal-fired electric generation from their resource portfolios. • By 2030, utilities must use a portfolio of electric resources that is greenhouse gas neutral. Under this standard, at least 80% of electricity must be from renewable sources or nuclear power, and any use of natural gas to generate electricity must be offset by emissions reductions elsewhere. • By 2045, utilities must use a resource portfolio that is 100% renewable or nonemitting to serve Washington customers, with no provision for offsets. Go to commerce.wa.gov/CETA. A summary of the BPA fuel mix is here: bit.ly/ BPAFuelMix.

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | JANUARY 2021

Palliative care is still available through Heartlinks By Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business remain under the care of their own physi-

Richland-based Heartlinks Hospice & Palliative Care is expanding to take on new Tri-City patients after Chaplaincy Health discontinued palliative care at the end of 2020. It announced the addition of a new nurse practitioner, Christopher Monk, ARNP, to support the expansion. Heartlinks is a nonprofit that emphasizes serving clients for both its hospice and palliative services in their homes. Chaplaincy ended its palliative program in December, citing unreliable funding. Shelby Moore, executive director, said some patients feared the loss of services. Heartlinks serves between 50 and 75 patients, with capacity to accept more. It has increased its patient load by 35% since Chaplaincy discontinued its program. Palliative care is distinct from hospice. Palliative care serves people who are ill, often gravely so, while hospice focuses exclusively on end-of-life services to patients with terminal prognoses. Moore said Heartlinks focuses on clients whose disease progression that makes it hard for them to get to medical appointments. It brings doctors to homes to manage care. Heartlinks advises patients who think palliative care would be helpful to discuss it with their primary care doctor. Patients

cians, while palliative care professionals can recommend ways to manage physical symptoms and address the “net steps” in disease progression. Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance and veteran’s benefits reimburse some palliative care services and donations cover the balance. It has served Benton and Yakima counties for more than 40 years. It launched palliative care services about 14 years ago. Go to heartlinkshospice.org

uBUSINESS BRIEFS Lamb Weston looks to vaccine-fueled recovery

Lamb Weston Holdings Inc. anticipates demand for its frozen potato products from restaurants may approach pre-pandemic levels by late 2021 if vaccines and other containment measures help control the virus and restrictions are lifted. The Idaho company with substantial Mid-Columbia operations reported second quarter net income of $97 million on $896 million sales for its 2020 fiscal year. Net sales were down 12% compared to the same quarter in 2020 and volumes declined 14%. Earnings per share were 66 cents,

down 31%. The company said it would resume its share repurchase program in January. Lamb Weston attributed the declines to falling demand for frozen potato products – french fries – outside the home following government-imposed restrictions on restaurants and other food service operations. Cold weather, which limits outdoor dining, impacted demand as well. “We are optimistic that the availability of Covid-19 vaccines will enable a gradual return to normalcy as the year progresses, but we expect to continue to face difficult and volatile operating conditions until the virus is broadly contained,” said Tom Werner, president and CEO, in an earnings announcement released Jan. 7.

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | JANUARY 2021

BUSINESS PROFILE

A new generation takes a swing at Pasco Golfland By Jeff Morrow

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

For as long as she can remember, Justine VerMulm has known Pasco Golfland as both her playground and her workplace. “My mom was pregnant with me when they were selling golf balls out there from a fireworks stand,” she said. “I worked out there as a kid. As a family, we’ve always celebrated birthdays there, had family gatherings there. My grandparents were always working on the weekends there.” Her grandparents are Bill and Donna McIntyre, who have owned the golf course and driving range at 2901 N. Road 40 in Pasco since 1993. Donna recently passed away. Bill, 79, decided to sell the business to Justine and her husband, Nick. “I had kind of talked about selling it for a while. They decided they’d like to buy it,” he said. “So they’re getting the family price.” What that is, no one is saying, but the 29-acre site has a tax value of about $500,000 according to the Franklin County Assessor. But what’s important to both McIntyre and VerMulm is that the business stays in the family. When it became McIntyre’s facility 27 years ago, it had a couple of practice greens and three holes. “When I took it over, to play nine

Photo by Jeff Morrow Bill McIntyre, from left, stands with his granddaughter, Justine VerMulm and her husband Nick and their children at Pasco Golfland at 2901 N. Road 40. McIntyre recently sold the longtime business to the young couple.

holes, you had to go around three times,” he said. So one summer, he had six more holes built for a nine-hole course. Over the years, McIntyre added on to the facility and improved it. In 2000, he built an overhang so golfers could practice not only with overhead shelter, but at night too with the lights. “Billy put in all of the irrigation out there, then he built six more holes. He developed the place into what it is now,”

said VerMulm of her grandfather. “He had those trees around the driving range planted. It’s such a nice facility. There is a reason we call the place the Jewel of Pasco.” It’s the perfect place to work on all aspects of your game. “The thing of it is, it’s not only a good golf course for beginners, but for good players,” McIntyre said. VerMulm, who has worked there for the last seven years, starting while in

high school, understands that. “We want it to be a family-friendly course,” she said. “We have ideas, things like maybe Family Friday Nights. Have a Glow Ball tournament one night a month.” Maybe even get kids to golf in some free events. Not only is Pasco Golfland a good place to play nine holes or even 18, but “it’s a great practice facility, for new and old golfers,” VerMulm said. “It’s a really great place to develop your short game, with chipping and putting.” PGA professional Mike Kasch has been Pasco Golfland’s head pro. “Mike has been here for 17 years. We have two PGA pros who help with our younger golfers,” VerMulm said. “We have a large junior program, and Mike and Craig Lanning work with them. All of the local college and high school golfers come to our facility to practice – Chiawana, Pasco and CBC.” VerMulm said Pasco Golfland also has played host to the annual district Drive, Chip and Putt event for several years. “We also have a large men’s league and women’s league,” said VerMulm, who touts the facility’s cheaper prices compared to other area courses, as well as how quickly golfers can get around the course. “It’s a low-time commitment, and a low-price commitment,” she said. Golf has been an outdoor activity that uGOLFLAND, Page A28

BUSINESS PROFILE

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | JANUARY 2021

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Custom-made metal gallery finds niche in Kennewick By Laura Kostad

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

Amid pandemic shutdowns and canceled art expos, Knights Welding retooled its business model and opened a Kennewick storefront. The custom-made metal art shop was grateful for a solid holiday shopping season. “Christmas was good for business,” said owner Pat Knight, adding that it’s the shop’s busiest time of the year, punctuated by an uptick in custom design requests. Sales this holiday season were especially critical considering the past year’s setbacks and challenges for the small, locally owned and operated business. The Kennewick gallery at 4432 W. Clearwater Ave. sells metal artwork ranging from night lights to table lamps, magnets, coasters, tissue box covers, shelf brackets, wall hooks, welcome signs, free-standing sculptures, various sized wall hangings and more. Many pieces feature these predominant themes: Western- and ranch-inspired pieces, landscapes and Northwest wildlife designs, garden motifs and military insignias. Knight said if customers can’t find what they’re looking for in the shop, “email me or come in with an idea or photograph of what you’re looking for. There’s not much we can’t do.” He added, “We have a lot of home décor stuff … we have a lot of useful art. People come in with ideas and it turns into something else cool.” Knight said holiday sales helped make up for the preceding months, during which he’d had to re-envision his business model. “Eighty percent of our business was going to shows,” he said. Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, Knight’s team of 15 sold the art pieces created by him, his father, Larry, and brother, Randy, at the various trade and art shows they regularly attended. Concerns about stopping the spread of the virus led to the cancellation of many of these expos in 2020 and this year. With a large inventory already on hand and ready for these events, Knight

made the decision to open a brick-andmortar storefront in May 2020 with the hope of bolstering sales. He found a move-in-ready commercial space at 4432 W. Clearwater Ave. at the Union Street intersection and quickly set up shop. While many businesses have been putting off expansion plans and questioning the bottom-line value of maintaining physical storefronts or office space, Knight said it’s been a smart move for his operation. He runs the roughly 2,000-squarefoot store with the help of his wife and one other employee. When not tending the store, he and Randy can be found in their 1718 W. A St. workshop in Pasco – Knights Welding’s original location. These days, his father does more overseeing of his sons’ creative process than actual fabrication work. “There’s not a lot of secret to it,” Knight said. “I do most of the design work all up on the computer and it gets cut out with the CNC (computer numerical control) plasma cutter, and then the guys grind them to make them look smooth and then heat the metal with a torch to bring the color out.” The latter process, called bluing, depends on how much the metal is heated to determine what natural blue and brown tones will emerge. Some pieces are simply painted black. All pieces are designed, fabricated,

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Photo by Laura Kostad Pat Knight stands flanked by a sampling of the metal art creations for sale at his 4432 W. Clearwater Ave. shop in Kennewick. All of the pieces are designed, fabricated and finished by Knight, his brother Randy, and their father, Larry.

plasma cut and blued, or painted by hand. Knights Welding prides itself on using all-natural painting methods, in addition to devoting extra time to polishing and perfecting each piece. Knight said it all started in 2010 when he and his dad – both career welder-fabricators by trade for Lampson International of Kennewick – were building a 17-foot metal gate to span one of their driveways. As a finishing flourish, they

decided to add metal art accents to the gate. “We thought it looked pretty cool,” Knight recalled. Inspired, the pair attended some art shows not long after. “And then we bought a plasma cutter,” he said. He said Knights operated out of his dad’s garage for the first several years. After retiring from the Navy, Randy joined the team. uKNIGHTS WELDING, Page A28

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | JANUARY 2021 GOLFLAND, From page A26 Gov. Jay Inslee has allowed during the pandemic – although all state golf courses were shut down most of March and all of April. “Everything was a little rough this year,” VerMulm said. “The snow has shut us down before. But never a pandemic. It was hard, but we made it through.” When the courses opened back up in early May 2020, VerMulm said Pasco Golfland got busy. “Covid brought out a lot of golfers ... because there hasn’t been much else to do,” she said. VerMulm, 26, and her husband who is 27, plan to keep Golfland as her family’s place to be. “We’re pretty young to take this over. We have young children,” she said. “We have a 1-year-old and 3-year-old. But KNIGHTS WELDING, From page A27 Knight eventually left his job at Lampson to pursue the metal art business full time. “It took me a long time to call myself an artist,” he said. Their first workshop coalesced somewhat by accident. “We were actually getting ready to build another shop behind (Dad’s) shop, but the city wouldn’t let us, so we moved into the A Street location,” Knight said. “It actually was better. We didn’t want the extra overhead, but it worked out.

it’s always been a fun place to hang out.” As for her grandfather, “Billy is trying to decide what he wants to do. He poured his life into Golfland.” McIntyre thinks he might try living in Arizona in the winter. “I’m not going to miss too much (at Golfland),” McIntyre said. “I’ll still help out, but I won’t have any titles anymore.” VerMulm said she and her husband are excited to keep the family business going. “We’ve been in the process of (getting the deal done) for a few months,” she said. “It’s always been in the back of his head, and in the back of our heads for a long time. And I think grandpa was happy to keep it in the family.” Pasco Golfland: 2901 N. Road 40 in Pasco; Pascogolfland.com; 509-5449291; Facebook. We got more foot traffic than we’d ever had before.” Knights Welding also ships nationwide. “As far as people coming to see us, don’t forget about the small businesses,” Knight said. “We’re here, we’re open.” The store’s hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; closed Sundays. Knights Welding Fine Metal Art: 4432 W. Clearwater Ave., Kennewick; 509-412-1103, knightswelding.com, Facebook, Instagram.

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | JANUARY 2021 AVEA, From page A7 what happened, that it sucks and that you are in pain too. Invite them to share and talk if they want. Or be silent together. Recognize their pain and that it won’t go away anytime soon and support them by affirming the feelings they are having now, whatever they are, are normal. Offer to help in a specific way, like picking up kids from school or getting groceries – that sort of thing. “I’m sorry” is such a common thing to say to someone upon hearing of a recent loss, so seemingly natural, typically the first words out of our mouth. But use caution. “I know how you feel,” “You should (fill in your well-meaning, expert advice here),” or “Call me.” Really, you expect ME to call YOU for help? I’m grieving! Go away. I am so guilty of that one.

If you think about each phrase, you can see why they may come across as unreasonable or trite, no matter how well intended. Also, use real terms like “died,” or “terminal illness,” rather than euphemisms. I remember my college roommate told me that when her dad was sick and dying while she was in high school, adults around her would talk and when they said the word “cancer,” their voice would suddenly fall to a whisper, as if saying it that way made it better. Yet it was such a natural thing for them to do. It is a fine, precarious line, but because it is so prevalent in the client-advisor relationship, I am learning and preparing myself to be better equipped to talk about these deeply personal matters. And above all, to listen.

My stoic Norwegian/Germanic/Lutheran heritage has served me well in many areas. Not so well, however, in the empathetic, comforting, talking about your feelings sort of way. But, like many things worth improving, these are behaviors that can be learned and practiced through awareness and training. Ultimately, here’s what I said and did. When my friend told me about her son’s death, we talked about what happened. I asked some questions and mostly let her do the talking. We laughed a little too because he had been a little fireball of a boy. I used his name, I shared some of my memories, and I hugged her. I felt more prepared than ever before to talk to her, and I’d like to think she felt comforted by talking with me. I jokingly refer to myself as “mid-

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century modern.” Middle-aged but a timeless classic, right! A side effect of aging is experiencing the loss of many different beings, parents, pets, classmates, clients. The chance of me outliving my husband and sealing my membership into the widow club is also great. I know my time for dealing with grief is gently creeping closer and closer. I’ll have my own story to tell. But for now, I am content in helping others both with the financial and emotional side of loss. Angie Furubotten-LaRosee is a certified financial planner, speaker, podcaster and founder of Avea Financial Planning LLC, a fee-only, fiduciary financial advice and investment management firm in Richland for women nearing or in retirement.

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | JANUARY 2021

uDONATIONS • STCU increased its year-end giving, surprising more than 20 community organizations with checks ranging from $10,000 to $32,000 to assist with their work of providing basic needs and helping keep youth connected. In addition, the Spokane-based credit union wrote checks ranging from $25 to $1,000 to 103 organizations where employees volunteered in 2020. The donations of more than $400,000 were delivered via Zoom meetings to nonprofits in Eastern Washington, TriCities and north Idaho. Tri-City recipients were: Communities in Schools of Benton and Franklin Counties, $25,000; YMCA of Greater Tri-Cities, $20,000; Boys and Girls Clubs of Benton Franklin Counties, $20,000; Mid-Columbia Meals on Wheels, $15,000; College Success Foundation, $10,000. • Gesa Credit Union donated $14,200 to support hunger alleviation efforts during the holiday season. Credit union employees visited food banks and distribution centers throughout Washington to deliver checks to nonprofit organizations in each of Gesa’s market areas. Pandemic safety considerations and the large number of people working remotely prevented Gesa from implementing a longstanding credit union tradition of delivering hams to every employee in person. Leadership instead used the opportunity to donate the approximate cost of

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one ham per person in appreciation for each member of the Gesa team. With 433 employees, the Tri-City region is Gesa’s largest. A donation of $8,660, or $20 per employee, was made to Second Harvest in Pasco. • Maverick Cares, a philanthropic arm of Maverick Gaming managed by its team members, provided free holiday meals for 16,000 people statewide in December. The pre-packaged meals included items such as: turkey breast, ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, dinner rolls, pumpkin pie. Maverick Gaming operates Crazy Moose Casino in Pasco. • Baker Boyer Bank donated $60,000 to organizations in Walla Walla, Milton-Freewater, Tri-Cities and Yakima in response to the coronavirus pandemic. This brings the total amount of contributions made to support those impacted by the pandemic to more than $100,000. Tri-City recipients were: - Union Gospel Mission: $5,000 to provide resources to meet increased demand for basic needs such as food, shelter and clothing. - Martha’s Cupboard: $4,000 to deliver basic household goods to people who may otherwise live without. Serves nearly 8,000 individuals in Tri-Cities annually through outreach/coordination of dozens of local agencies. - Second Harvest: $2,500 to support increased need for food assistance, including specific programs such as the Hanford Feeding Families Fundraiser and Red Nose Day (in addition to the

$5,000 donated earlier in the year). - Grace Clinic: $2,500 to support the volunteers and staff that provide medical, dental, and mental health services to low-income uninsured residents of Benton and Franklin counties. - SARC (Support, Advocacy & Resource Center) of Tri-Cities: $2,500 to provide advocacy, counseling, and support to survivors of domestic violence and other crimes. -Kadlec Foundation: $1,000 for incremental Covid-19 related needs. - Kennewick Kiwanis: $1,000 for elementary school supplies, PPE, and cleaning. - Benton-Franklin Legal Aid Society: $1,000 for increased need for lowincome legal services due to Covid-19. - Kennewick Police Foundation: $500 to support the Community Care Program which allows officers who see an immediate community need to be able to take action and help people or resolve an issue. • Good Shepherd Community Health Foundation in Hermiston, Oregon, has given nearly $250,000 worth of grants and scholarships during the pandemic. Spring and fall grants were given to 21 separate organizations in 2020, the largest contribution of $50,000 went to the city of Hermiston to help rebuild the Funland Park facility. Medical scholarships were awarded to 22 local students attending 17 different colleges and universities in various states throughout the west.

uAPPOINTMENTS • Rep. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick, has been selected by the House Republican caucus to serve as ranking member of the newly created House Community and Economic Development Committee. The committee will consider issues relating to community development, community investment programs and underrepresented communities. Boehnke has also been appointed to the House Appropriations Committee and will continue to serve on the House Environment and Energy Committee.

uGRANTS • Three Rivers Community Foundation distributed an additional $142,000 in grants to local nonprofits at the end of 2020. This was in addition to $152,000 in grants through its Covid-19 Response Fund. The grants were made available through an application-based process to local 501(c)(3) nonprofits in Benton and Franklin counties. This annual grant program has given more than $5.2 million back to our communities since 2004. • Energy Northwest received a $1.15 million grant from the Washington Clean Energy Fund to install electric vehicle charging stations along the White Pass Scenic Byway, in collaboration with Lewis County Public Utility District and Twin Transit. Benton REA and the White Pass Scenic Byway organization support the effort.

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | JANUARY 2021 uNEW HIRES • Tina Baumgardner has been hired as the new market director of marketing and communications for Lourdes and Trios Health. Tina Baumgardner She comes from Edmonds, Washington, where she was most recently the director of marketing, communications and business development at the Edmonds Public Facilities District/Edmonds Center for the Arts. She also was previously the communications manager and later the director of investor relations and operations at the Economic Development Council of Snohomish County. • Heartlinks Hospice and Palliative Care has hired Christopher Monk, ARNP, as a nurse practitioner to further expand its palliative care program in the Tri-Cities. • Kim Burks was hired as a corporate and external relations manager for Numerica Credit Union, a role that supports the financial instituKim Burks tion’s efforts to strengthen and support local businesses in the Tri-Cities. Burks comes to Numerica from United Way of Benton & Franklin Counties, where she was the director of philanthropy and major gifts since 2012. In that role, she successfully developed annual, multimillion dollar campaigns to support the community. Burks has served the business community as a volunteer as well, including roles with the Tri-Cities Regional Chamber of Commerce. She holds a master’s degree in educational leadership from Washington State University. • Ken Avery rejoined Country Financial in early November. As a business owner, his focus will be to help other business owners with their business insurance and employee plans. He does personal auto, home and life insurance as well. Avery has been involved in the community with several organizations

and has volunteered and served on several boards in the Tri-Cities. • Conner Miele has joined Gesa Credit Union as a small business development officer. With a background in both consumer bankConner Miele ing and territory sales, he joins the Gesa commercial team. He is located at Gesa’s Queensgate branch in Richland. • Amy Teel has been hired by Fulcrum Wealth Management Group in Richland as a paraplanner. Fulcrum is a private wealth adviAmy Teel sory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services.

uPROMOTIONS • Rob Branine has been promoted to director of facilities and operations for the Port of Benton. With nearly 30 years of facilities man-

Rob Branine

agement experience, Branine is skilled in maintaining large commercial buildings, budgeting, contracting, managing the bidding process in compliance with local, state, and federal guidelines and regulations, as well as working with heavy and light equipment. • Baker Boyer bank has promoted three employees to vice president and two to assistant vice president. Promoted to vice president are Anna Duncan, Lacey Braswell and Jessica Long. Hollina Wadsworth and Tyson Romanick were promoted to assistant vice president.

uAWARDS & HONORS • Numerica Credit Union was honored as outstanding community lender for the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Seattle district, which covers all of Washington state and North Idaho. The award celebrates the community bank or credit union that closed the most standard SBA loans in the district during the recently concluded SBA fiscal year. The award measures only traditional SBA 7(a) loans. This doesn’t include the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans that resulted from Covid-19 legislation and represented the lion’s share of SBA funding in 2020. • Rep. Dan Newhouse named four Kennewick students as winners of the 2020 Central Washington Congressional App Challenge, an app-designing competition for K-12 students: Brianna Simpson of Richland High School, Conner Anderson of Chiawana High School, Taran Zorn of Kamiakin High School and Erika Gas-

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kins of Southridge High School worked as a team to design the winning app, “Llama Trauma.” All four students are seniors attending the Tri-Tech Skills Center, a cooperative program that provides students with technical and professional skills training they might not receive in conventional high schools. Their app puts the user in the role of a scarecrow tasked with protecting crops being grown for a food bank from hungry llamas. The students designed the app to draw attention to the growing problem of food insecurity in the United States and encourage Americans to donate to their local food banks. • John Eschenberg, president and chief executive officer of Washington River Protection Solutions, has been named as a “CEO Who John Eschenberg Gets It,” an annual recognition presented by the National Safety Council to leaders who go above and beyond to protect employees both on and off the job. Each year, the council selects a group of national and international CEOs who have demonstrated an ongoing commitment to safety. Each honoree has built his or her organization’s safety strategy using four key components: leadership and employee engagement, safety management solutions, risk reduction and performance measurement. Eschenberg is among eight recipients for 2021.

Internet at light speed Make your business more productive and profitable with faster, more reliable internet. 503.294.5300 | lsnetworks.net

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CELEBRATING

Costa Vida coming to Burden Boulevard in Pasco

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YEARS

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION

Downsized pasta restaurant provides better chance of survival

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January 2021 Volume 20 | Issue 1 | B1

In-fill apartment project brings needed units to central Kennewick By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz

Jason Zook is best known in the TriCities for Smile A Mile Painting, a residential and commercial painting business with operations in the Tri-Cities and Central Oregon. But Zook has a background in construction and has always built projects for himself, something he treats as a hobby. “I know the steps from the concept on paper to design through sweeping the carpet and making sure all the water is flowing in the right direction,” he said. His latest project is a three-story, 26-unit apartment project at 3120 W. Fourth Ave. in the heart of Kennewick. Demand drove the investment in the $3.1 million project. The vacancy rate for Kennewick was just 1.2%, according to the most recent survey by the University of Washington’s Runstad Center for Real Estate. Pasco and Richland were similarly tight, at 0.5% and 1.7%, respectively, for all unit types. “I have other apartments in town. I’m always getting calls. There’s just a shortage of housing,” he said. The unnamed Zook project will be the first new multifamily construction in the

neighborhood and will offer units at market rates, about $900 to $1,100 per unit. “I can basically build the newest and nicest in the neighborhood beJason Zook cause it’s 2020. Everything else is ’70s and ’80s,” he said in December. Zook said the property was ready-made for a smallish, no-frills apartment project. The one-acre property had single-family home on it but was zoned for apartments and had utilities at the site. The city was eager to see denser residential development, he said. Zook demolished the home and upgraded the utilities to support the added demand. The project consists of two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartments. Zook said he is targeting the middle market. Units will have laminate flooring, carpeted bedrooms, “nice” cabinets and some hard surfaces. It is unlike most apartment development in the Tri-Cities, which tends to cater to higher income demographics with riverside locations and luxury touches such as gran-

Photo by Wendy Culverwell Jason Zook of Smile A Mile Painting is developing an infill apartment complex at 3120 W. Fourth Ave., Kennewick.

ite countertops and clubhouses with recreational amenities including pools. Zook said the site is too constrained for a clubhouse. While the project is unsubsidized, he is committed to keeping rents in the midrange. “We’re really excited about offering a new unit at this level because unfortunately there’s a lot of people out there whose only

Richland winery opens riverside tasting room in Vancouver By Kristina Lord

publisher@tcjournal.biz

A Richland winery has opened a tasting room downriver from the Tri-Cities in hopes of expanding its customer base. Barnard Griffin’s new storefront joined a growing number of wineries setting up shop at The Waterfront in Vancouver, just across the Columbia River from Portland. “It’s been a long time in the planning,” said Deborah Barnard, co-owner of the winery. “Once Covid hit, we weren’t in a huge hurry.” But the pandemic did point out the importance of direct-to-consumer opportunities for sales, she said. “Our brand was reliant on wholesale trade but when restaurants all over the country closed, this suffered,” she said. The winery chose the Vancouver mixed-use development because it’s such an interesting project. She said she wished the Tri-Cities offered something similar. The winery’s new tasting room opened in the Rediviva building at 665 W. Columbia Way on Dec. 18.

options are older units,” he said. “Rent has gone through the ceiling for them.” He is targeting a summer occupancy and is taking reservations now. Zook and his wife intend to hold onto the complex as an investment and will manage it themselves. Zook grew up building single-family uZOOK, Page B6

GF Blends soars on demand for gluten-free mixes By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz

Courtesy Amanda Cowan/The Columbian Rob Griffin, from left, and his wife, Deborah Barnard, pause for a portrait with their daughter, Megan Hughes, outside the new Barnard Griffin tasting room at The Waterfront in Vancouver.

The Waterfront is quickly becoming the state’s new wine-tasting hub. Barnard Griffith is the seventh winery to open there. Another Benton County winery, Prosser-based Airfield Estates, opened a

tasting room in early 2020. Naked Winery announced plans to open in 2021. “The interest from wineries at The Waterfront has been a really pleasant uBARNARD GRIFFIN, Page B3

A family-owned Richland company is expanding to a new building, thanks to rising demand for its gluten-free bread, cake and other mixes. GF Blends will occupy a 20,000-squarefoot production facility on Battelle Boulevard when construction wraps in April, said owner Glen Call, who is also a contractor. Allpro Inc. is developing the property for GF Blends, with Call serving as both a minority partner in the development team and the tenant. The new building will house office space and more production space for GF Blends to turn gluten-free ingredients such as blended corn, rice, potato, amaranth, quinoa, millet and other grains into mixes that form the basis for everything from crepes and fish batter to breads and cakes. The company formed 12 years ago in

uGF BLENDS, Page B2

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | JANUARY 2021

GF BLENDS, From page B1 Utah and has marked steady growth, particularly in the 18 months since it launched an allergen line of gluten-free mixes that, unlike its core products, uses milk, eggs and nuts in its mixes. “We have had six big customers come on board since we started doing allergens,” he said. Blends that contain allergens are prepared separately from nonallergen products. Call had planned to keep GF Blends in the 7,800 square feet it occupies at Richland’s Horn Rapids while using about half the new building for storage and some blending. But growing demand left it with no room to store the gluten-free flours, oats and other ingredients that go into its products.

So, he took a leap of faith and decided to take over the entire new building, which sits on a four-acre property on Battelle Boulevard. It is retaining its space at Horn Rapids. The new building will have about 3,000 square feet of office space, room for storage and production and a bakery that will serve the public. The property is near PCA and Framatome, giving it a built-in customer base. “I’m taking it all now,” he said. The city of Richland anticipates a similarly sized addition on the western half of the property in a few years. The Call family first got involved with gluten-free meals 20 years ago when his wife, Julie, was diagnosed with celiac disease, a digestive disorder triggered by gluten, the protein found in grains such as

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION

wheat, barley and rye. Three of their seven children and six of their 18 children were subsequently diagnosed with the condition. Call said the family’s lightbulb moment came when Julie Call visited their daughter, Betsy Thomas, in Utah as she prepared for the birth of Thomas’ second child. Julie Call, newly diagnosed with Celiac, subsisted on Hershey’s Kisses and rice cakes. Call said his daughter decided to master gluten-free cooking, telling her mother, “If I don’t know how to cook for you, you’ll never come back.” Thomas began experimenting with gluten-free cooking with a friend and neighbor, Kristi Kirkland. In time, they began teaching cooking classes and then fielding requests for mixes and a cookbook.

The requests for blends prompted a logistical challenge. They didn’t want to manage the 20 or so different ingredients it took just to blend flour. They found a copacker in Utah who was willing to produce small quantities of their recipe for gluten-free all-purpose flour, pancake mix, chocolate flour mix and bread. The manufacturing relationship never gelled. Call said the copacker would promise to deliver products in a few weeks, then go quiet for months. “We said, ‘We think we can do a better job of this than they’re doing,’ ” he said, noting that his daughter’s family grew and she had less time to manage the business. So, they did, bringing GF Blends to Richland and its current quarters on Henderson Loop. Call pruned the product line. He dropped the baking flours. Customers don’t expect to make bread, at least, not before the pandemic inspired home baking. But other mixes were natural sellers. “But pancake mix, you expect to buy a pancake mix,” he said. GF Blends introduced a cornbread mix, brownie mix, carrot cake mix and oat flour. While his wife and family must avoid gluten, Call does not. But he enjoys the gluten-free products anyway. “They’re the best you’ve ever had. They’re just amazing,” he said. GF Blends sells under its own brand, Eating Gluten Free, and provides blends to commercial customers. It makes muffin, pancake and waffle mixes for a customer in Sisters, Oregon, and the gluten-free batter blends used by some of the region’s best-know seafood producers, like Pacific Seafoods.

uBUSINESS BRIEF Hanford facility ready for testing as construction wraps

The Low-Activity Waste Facility at Hanford’s Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant is ready for testing after workers completed construction of the last 94 systems at the site. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of River Protection and contractor Bechtel National Inc. said workers hit the key milestone in December. Completing construction of the nearly 100 systems that comprise the low-activity waste facility sets the stage to begin startup testing. Systems include a mechanical line for moving empty containers below melters where they will be filled with tank waste that has been vitrified or transformed into glass. About a third of the systems have been tested and turned over to plant managers to be commissioned and put to use. The next step is to begin startup testing for the Low-Activity Waste Facility itself. DOE and Bechtel National expected to reach that goal in late 2020. “The perseverance of our entire team this year has been amazing to get where we are today,” said Valerie McCain, project director and senior vice president of Bechtel. “This accomplishment wouldn’t have been possible without our entire team’s commitment to quality, safety, and progress.”

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION BARNARD GRIFFIN, From page B1 surprise and we’re delighted to see it become such a destination for wine tourism in Southwest Washington,” said Barry Cain, owner of Gramor Development, the lead developer at The Waterfront. “Barnard Griffin winery is a shining example of the type of business that we love to see at The Waterfront — they have a longstanding history in the state, and are producing award-winning wines with a strong following.”

Courtesy Barnard Griffin The new venue features Deborah Barnard’s fused glass. The face of the bar features colors from the Gorge as drivers travel from the Tri-Cities to Vancouver.

The $1.5 billion development encompasses 20 blocks and 32 acres facing the Columbia River, offering 1.25 million feet of Class A office space, 250,000 square feet of planned restaurant and retail space, 3,300 planned residential units and a 1/2mile waterfront park. “It’s an amazing project and a good opportunity for us,” Barnard said. The Barnard Griffin tasting room is only open for retail purchases because of pandemic restrictions. Barnard said the winery will continue to follow state reopening rules. Barnard said visitors have already discovered the new tasting room. “One thing we heard loud and clear – from restaurant managers actually – is that they would send people to wineries to go taste and wineries wouldn’t be open and people would be angry at the restaurant. You’ve to be consistent. We kind of monitor that ourselves. We found a lot of foot traffic coming to us because others were closed. Above us are condos and they’re finding us. They watched us get ready to

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | JANUARY 2021

open and were intrigued. As the weather improves, visitor count will pick up,” Barnard said. She said the winery plans to target the nearby Portland community. “It would definitely be a source to help grow wine club members. We don’t have as many as we’d like to from there. People can only drink so much pinot noir,” she said, referring to Willamette Valley wines. The winery is reviewing its options with the city to offer outdoor seating for people to sit and relax with a bottle or glass of wine. Grab-and-go foods will be available. The new 1,000-square-foot tasting room marks a first for the 38-year-old winery. “This is the first one, for as old as we are,” she said. Many wineries operate secondary tastings rooms elsewhere around the state – Woodinville, Leavenworth, Georgetown in Seattle, Spokane and Chelan. Unlike some other locations, the Vancouver development offers plenty of parking, Barnard said. The new venue features Barnard’s glassfused artwork. The face of the bar features colors from the Gorge as drivers travel from the TriCities to Vancouver: corals, grays, browns and a little bit of green. She said it’s intended to capture feelings of warmth. The new facility also features soundproofing in the ceiling and behind the seating area. “It’s important for people to hear each other,” she said. The winery spent $42,000 on interior renovations, according to a building permit filed with the city of Vancouver. The winery’s Richland tasting room remains open despite closing its on-site Richland restaurant, called The Kitchen, in July, a casualty of pandemic restrictions. It continues to offer light fare but “we really want to concentrate on the wine tasting experience,” she said. “The coronavirus really has changed the way we invite people to taste wine,” she said. Instead of visitors bellying up to the bar to taste, the winery serves them in small groups, typically in clustered seated areas. Barnard said it’s a return to what wine tasting should be: an educational experience. The Richland winery is open for retail sales and wine club member pickups. It offers heaters and blankets if people want to taste wine outdoors.

Photo by TCAJOB Russ Cazier, who operates Subway and Costa Vida restaurants in Eastern Washington and Oregon, is bringing the Costa Vida healthy Mexican brand to Pasco. Costa Vida is expected to open in spring 2021 at 6627 Burden Blvd., north of the HAPO Center.

Costa Vida coming to Pasco By Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

Russ Cazier, the owner of a string of Subway and Costa Vida restaurants in Eastern Washington and Oregon, is bringing the Costa Vida fresh Mexican brand to Pasco. The newest Costa Vida will occupy a space Cazier first leased more than a year ago at 6627 Burden Blvd., next to Proof Kitchen and The Sushi House. Cazier owns and operates 25 Subway restaurants in Richland, Pasco, Walla Walla, Zillah, Toppenish, Moses Lake, Hermiston, Umatilla, Milton-Freewater and Pendleton through Kennewick-based Cazier Enterprises Inc. There are two Costa Vida locations in Richland and one in Kennewick. Funding for the Burden Boulevard

project was held up by the pandemic in early 2020. After several delays, Cazier opted to fund the $100,000 buildout himself to avoid paying rent on a shell space. The 2,912-square-foot space will include a full commercial kitchen as well as dining area and restrooms. Mike Corbin of Wave Design Group is the project architect. W McKay Construction LLC is the general contractor. Cazier said the restaurant should open by late spring. It will be neighbors to Proof Kitchen, which took over the former Dickey’s Barbecue Pit space, and The Sushi House. The 10,000-square-foot strip mall was built in 2017 north of the HAPO Center.

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | JANUARY 2021

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION uBUSINESS BRIEFS

Real estate pros bring new model to Tri-Cities

Jeff Smart and Dave Shinabarger, TriCity real estate brokers, have launched a HomeSmart Elite Brokers franchise model to the Tri-Cities. The office is at 636 N. Colorado St., Kennewick, and can be reached at 509-371-9085. Under the HomeStart brokerage model, agents retain 100% of the commissions they earn working on real estate transactions. Agents pay a monthly membership fee to belong to the HomeStart system and a $300 fee for each transaction. Jeff Smart previously launched Smart Realtors in 1968. HomeSmart Elite will open a new of-

fice in 2021 and aims to enlist 100 local real estate professionals in its first year. HomeSmart International is based in Scottsdale, Arizona, and operates 190 offices in 35 states.

Kennewick reopens Numerica Pavilion

The Numerica Pavilion at the Southridge Sports Complex will reopen for limited use. The city of Kennewick is opening the pavilion under Washingtonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new Roadmap to Recovery plan, which allows appointment-based fitness and training for two people for up to 45 minutes. Users can rent a half court for $10 for 45 minutes, from 2-7:45 p.m. weekdays and 11 a.m.-3:45 p.m. Saturdays. Social distancing and proper mask use are enforced. Go to secure.rec1.com/WA/kennewickwa/catalog.

Astria Health selling Yakima hospital and medical plaza

Astria Health plans to sell its nowclosed Yakima hospital and associated medical plaza as its ongoing bankruptcy case comes to an end. Astria disclosed the $20 million sale to Yakima MOBIC LLC, a newly established real estate investment concern, in court filings in December. If approved, the deal will cover the buildings, parking lots and all non-attached furniture, fixtures and fittings. Astria Health filed for bankruptcy in 2019 after it failed to secure new financing to support the 214-bed hospital, noting it lost more than $40 million on the hospital after purchasing it in late 2017. Astriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s smaller hospitals in Sunnyside and Toppenish remained open. The case was open but awaiting a confirmation hearing on the reorganization plan in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for Eastern Washington in late December. Bankruptcy documents are posted online at kccLLC.net/astriahealth.

Is your office HVAC system safe? L&I offers tips

The Washington Department of Labor & Industries has compiled a one-page paper to help building operators reduce the risk of spreading coronavirus through HVAC systems. Go to bit.ly/LnIHVACGuidance to review the guidance. The handout covers basic HVAC questions to guide how to manage ventilation to reduce the spread of the virus that causes Covid-19. It recommends regular maintenance, not reusing exhaust air and ensuring ceiling fans pull air up rather than pushing it down.

Governor extends eviction moratorium

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Washington Gov. Jay Inslee extended a moratorium on evictions to March 31, citing the continuing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The moratorium bars landlords from evicting tenants unable to pay rent because of the pandemic. The proclamation extends rental assistance programs.

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | JANUARY 2021

Downsized pasta restaurant provides better chance of survival By Kristina Lord

publisher@tcjournal.biz

When the owners of Pacific Pasta & Grill decided to downsize to survive the pandemic, they also took the opportunity to create a more efficient operation. “We fixed all the mistakes of the old restaurant,” said co-owner Niki Young. The restaurant opened Dec. 19 at 603 Goethals Drive in Richland after closing the doors at their previous location at 7911 W. Grandridge Blvd. in Kennewick – their home for 16 years – on Nov. 25. Young and her mother, co-owner Mary Sue Hui, ticked off the list of improvements they made at the smaller building: A closed kitchen to contain noise and grease. Water-tight walls to prevent leaks and water damage. Better flow in the dining room area through the use of a bar, hostess station and dividing walls. Electrical outlets with USB ports. Young and Hui said they continued to ask themselves as they did the work: what do we need to do it better? Then they go to work. They received the keys to the Goethals Drive property at the end of October and spent the next eight weeks on renovations, which were mostly cosmetic. Hui manned the Kennewick restaurant, while Young estimated she worked 55 hours a week, six days a week, with assistance from family and friends, to ready it for reopening. They built the bar themselves. The Goethals Drive building was once

Photo by Kristina Lord The mother-daughter team of Niki Young, left, and Mary Sue Hui stand in the dining room of their newly renovated restaurant Pacific Pasta & Grill at 603 Goethals Drive in Richland. They briefly removed their masks to be photographed.

home to the co-op grocery Mid-Columbia Market at the Hub, which closed in 2017. “It was a lot of blood, sweat and tears,” she said. “It became a part of me. The other one a contractor built but this one is personal.” They knew it needed to be done. Their Kennewick restaurant was too big and awkwardly laid out. They originally designed the building with an order-counter concept, when it opened as

Nothing But Noodles. The name change occurred in 2012. Hui said the past year’s Covid-19 restrictions meant emptier dining rooms. The smaller, cozier Richland space, with corrugated metal on the walls and shiplap on the ceiling, is more manageable for the team of nine, she said. Hui and Young are the only full-time workers. “We didn’t have to close. We have less overhead here and a better chance of sur-

vival,” she said. Pacific Pasta & Grill’s menu remains the same. It continues to offer a variety of pastas, salads, burgers, wraps and Asian dishes, catering to health-minded diners with a long list of gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan meal options. There’s also lighter portion options for seniors over 55. Regulars at the Kennewick restaurant also may be curious about the fate of the fish once swimming in the tank in the Kennewick restaurant’s dining room. Young said the goldfish are comfortable in a larger tank at her home. Outdoor seating is not available at the Richland restaurant but the owners hope to offer it later in 2021. Young said the restaurant plans to apply for a city of Richland grant to offset the costs. The Richland Commercial Facade Improvement Program offers a $20,000 matching reimbursement for exterior improvements. Pacific Pasta & Grill offers takeout and delivery through Uber Eats, Grubhub and Tri-Cities Food Dudes. Call 509-5781054 to place an order. The Grandridge Boulevard landlord, Gerald & Spring Covington Living Trust, put its 3,425-square-foot building and 0.56-acre site on the market in March. It’s listed at $699,000 as either a restaurant or a potential office or retail space. The taxable value is $727,000. Fixtures, furnishings and equipment are not part of the sale.

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | JANUARY 2021

uBUSINESS BRIEFS Yakama Nation sues to block sale of National Archives building

The Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation and a consortium of state and tribal groups filed a federal lawsuit Jan. 4 to stop the sale of the national archives facility in Seattle and the relocation of critical records held there to Kansas City, Missouri, and Riverside, California. The suit was filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington and names the Office of Management and Budget, the General Services Administration and the National Archives and Records Administration as

codefendants. The suit alleges that, among other things, the federal agencies failed to consult with sovereign tribal governments about the move in violation of the Treaty of June 9, 1855. The suit says the proposed building sale ignores the interest of the people with the greatest interest in the records held in Seattle including tribal and treaty records, cases filed under the Chinese Exclusion Act and records related to Japanese American internment during World War II. The suit claims the archives facility is exempt from being sold under the Federal Assets Sale and transfer Act. The archives at 6125 Sand Point Way NE “contains the DNA of our region,” the suit claims.

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION

Resources to use before reopening dormant building

The Washington State Department of Health is advising building operators to proceed with caution before reopening buildings that have been idled by Covid-19 restrictions and safety measures. Enduring closures lead to increased risk of legionella in plumbing systems. Contact Steve Deem in the Office of Drinking Water for additional information at steve.deem@doh.wa.gov. For guidance on legionella and building water systems, go to bit.ly/DOHLegionella. For information about drinking water safety, go to bit.ly/DOHDrinkingWater. For CDC guidance on safely reopening a building in the context of Covid-19, go to: bit.ly/CDCReopeningBuildings.

ZOOK, From page B1 homes with his father in The Redmond/ Bend/Madras region of Central Oregon. He began in 2003 and ran into the teeth of the Great Recession a few years later. Bend led the nation for foreclosures when the housing bubble collapsed. Projects dried up so he turned to painting. There was so much demand from customers wanting to change the color of their homes that he focused on that instead of building. He has about 20 employees in Redmond and more in the Tri-Cities because it is a larger market. “We are looking to other markets for expansion,” he said. Call Preferred Rentals, 509-579-9393, for leasing information.

Paid Advertising

Orangetheory Fitness 4101 W. 27th Place, Suite B110/120

Richard Cote of Spokane-based MissFit Ventures Kennewick LLC, dba Orangetheory Fitness, has completed a $750,000 project to install an Orangetheory Fitness studio at 4101 W. 27th Place, Suite B110/120 in Kennewick. It is expected to open in March and will be the second Orangetheory Fitness location in the TriCities. A third is planned but the location has not been disclosed. Orangetheory Fitness specializes in heart rate-based coach-led

group fitness. Dina Rosas of d.rosas design group in Arizona designed the 3,500-square-foot tenant improvement project. Sean Riding of Elite Construction and Development was the project manager and general contractor.

GENERAL CONTRACTOR

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Congrats on the new building! It was a pleasure to be part of this project. -Rick & Jef 509.545.5320 | absolutepowertc.com Wa License # ABSOLPI920KZ

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(509) 586-6000

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | JANUARY 2021

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION Paid Advertising

Streetrodz Unlimited 901 E. Chemical Drive, Kennewick

Jim Franklin had a new building constructed for Streetrodz Unlimited after the auto repair business outgrew its smaller building. Franklin, who has run the business since 2006, built a new facility with five repair lifts and six repair bays. The one-story building includes shop and office sides separated by a viewing window. The building at 901 E. Chemical Drive in east Kennewick opened in late August and supports general automotive repair services for all makes and models of vehicles, as well as restoration services, transmission, drive train and engine rebuilds and swaps. Adam Hall of CRF Metals Works was the general contractor.

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | JANUARY 2021

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION

Paid Advertising

Walla Walla Community College Student Recreation Center 500 Tausick Way, Walla Walla

Walla Walla Community College broke ground on an 18,800-square-foot student recreation center funded by student fees in mid-2019, with construction wrapping in 2020. The project’s $8.25 million budget is supported by student fees approved by 72% of WWCC students in 2016. Students agreed to levy a $5 per credit per quarter, up to a $50 maximum, fee to support construction debt over a 20year period. It is at the east end of the college’s main parking lot. The facility houses a full bas-

ketball court, fitness center, dance studio and gathering spaces. NAC Architecture designed the project. Chervenell Construction is the general contractor. The project wrapped up in summer 2020.

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | JANUARY 2021

PUBLIC RECORD uBANKRUPTCIES Bankruptcies are filed under the following chapter headings: Chapter 7 — Straight Bankruptcy: debtor gives up non-exempt property and debt is discharged. Chapter 11 — Allows companies and individuals to restructure debts to repay them. Chapter 12 — Allows family farmers or fishermen to restructure finances to avoid liquidation for foreclosure. Chapter 13 — Plan is devised by the individual to pay a percentage of debt based on ability to pay. All disposable income must be used to pay debts. Information provided by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Spokane. CHAPTER 7 Tawny Lynn Scully, 6945 Sully Lane PR, West Richland. Kimberly Lynn Lefcourt, 1313 Kimball Ave., Richland. Jeff Alan & Tamara Anne Madsen, 5116 Tyler Court, Pasco. Sabeena Bann White, 2894 Salk Ave., Apt. 346, Richland. Carla A. Todd, PO Box 732, Connell. Noe Jimenez Navarro & Edith Jimenez, 2105 N Steptoe St., #91, Kennewick. Sandra Eckelberger, 6818 W. Arrowhead Ave., Kennewick. Arcelia Crespo, 816 S. Fourth Ave., Pasco. Magda Y. Enriques, 26 S. Yelm St., Kennewick. Marie Czabaranek Bryan, 1761 George Washington Way, #141, Richland. Sarai Ponce-Ramirez, 1827 W. Yakima St., Pasco. Jessica Garza-Schinner, 1703 W. 11th, Kennewick. Jermaine & Jessica Chapman, 2213 W. Kennewick, Kennewick. TeQuiero Ann Marie Roberts, 639 Southwell St., Richland. Martin Sabala, 2905 W. Grand Ronde Ave., Kennewick. Shannon R. Pichler, 10 W. 23rd Place, Kennewick. Monica Canderia Rios, PO Box 67, Pasco. Megan Lynn Gephart, 3611 W. 15th Ave., Apt. 3, Kennewick. Joyce Pollard, 5816 W. Sylvester St., Pasco. Shane Tad & Katherine Claire Severson, 430 S. Tweedt Place, Kennewick. Larry Allen & Lucinda Carol Koch, 4858 E. Spirea Court, West Richland. Cosme Mendoza & Mellynda Ramos Rojas, 1708 N. Road 32, Pasco.

Courtney Ann Smith, 2550 Duportail St., Apt. R205, Richland. Jason D. & Karisa M. Jantz, 4609 Campolina Lane, Pasco. Anna Elizabeth Boutavong, 6721 W. Kennewick Ave., Kennewick. Juan Anthony & Shamika Faye Zamora, 4513 Saint Paul Court, Pasco. Michael D. & Heather N. Weaver, 1327 Jadwin Ave., Richland. CHAPTER 11 Jeffrey J. & Vicki Gordon, 531 Levey Road, Pasco. CHAPTER 13 Robert Lee Clark Jr. & Elizabeth Susan Vann-Clark, 1920 Pine St., Richland. George Farrah, 6307 Exeer Lane, Pasco. Randy S. Acselrod & Jean I. Boger-Acselrod, 22204 E. Sandstone Drive, Benton City.

uTOP PROPERTIES BENTON COUNTY 1714 Meadow Hills Drive, Richland, 2,463-square-foot single-family home. Price: $665,000. Buyer: Marat & Boltaeva Charos Valiev. Seller: Mirwaise Y. Aurah. 3406 W. 34th Ave., Kennewick, 1,816-square-foot single-family home. Price: $550,000. Buyer: Edward William & Stacey Kathleen Rogers. Seller: Gary & Terrie Wemhoff.

31606 S. Gerards Road, Kennewick, 2,456-square-foot single-family home, 3 pole buildings, 2 hay covers on 5 acres. Price: $500,000. Buyer: Jenea H. Schulz. Seller: Viktor & Tatyana Shabak. 244924 Hover Road, Kennewick, 2,906-square-foot single-family home, 1 pole building on 5 acres. Price: $575,000. Buyer: Curtis & Lonetta Docken. Seller: Mary E. Goben Rooks. 1617 Hains Ave., Richland, 1,824-squarefoot single-family home. Price: $525,000. Buyer: Jody S. & Julie A. Carpenter. Seller: John & Diana H. Bacon. 1806 Sicily Lane, Richland, 3,042-squarefoot single-family home. Price: $615,000. Buyer: Sumit & Sharma Poorva Purohit. Seller: Bluexterra LLC. 130 S. Conway Place, Kennewick, sevenbuilding apartment complex with pool. Price: $4.8 million. Buyer: Woodland Green Holding Co. LLC. Seller: 130 S. Conway LLC. 90001 W. McCreadie Road NW, Prosser, 2,503-square-foot single-family home on 1.8 acres. Price: $525,000. Buyer: Shelby M. Moore & Benjamin A. Cragin. Seller: Chad M. & Michelle J. Lowry. 2465 Brodie Lane, Richland, 0.2 acres of undeveloped land. Price: $590,000. Buyer: Kristen & Grant Howard. Seller: New Tradition Homes Inc. 239 High Meadows St., Richland, 2,968-square-foot single-family home. Price: $510,000. Buyer: Vincent & Jessica Hupf. Seller: Douglas & Debra L. Murri. 1249 Plateau Drive, Richland, 2,695-square-foot single-family home. Price:

$593,000. Buyer: John E. & Antoinette S. Cavanaugh. Seller: Troy A. & Shari L. Bergman. 12706 Missimer Road, Prosser, 2,512-square-foot single-family home on 2 acres. Price: $690,000. Buyer: Mark Willard & Cynthia Kay Willard. Seller: Frederick M. & Irene C. Hopkins. 3404 Bing St., Richland, 0.24 acres of undeveloped land. Price: $571,000. Buyer: Afton Royce Dunham. Seller: Dennis Sawby Construction LLC. 10603 S. 952 PR SE, Kennewick, 2,157-square-foot single-family home and pole building. Price: $560,000. Buyer: Gregg A. & Deboarah Jean Couch. Seller: Troy B. & Shauna Terry. 1803 W. 21st Ave., Kennewick, two-building apartment complex. Price: $850,000. Buyer: Juan Ochoa. Seller: Becky Ochoa. 2205 S. Coulee Vista Drive, Kennewick, 2,123-square-foot single-family home. Price: $600,000. Buyer: Jordan & Shannon Smith. Seller: Sara Lynn Hemsworth. 89357, 98153, 88849, 87625 & 87321 Calico Road, Kennewick, five 1-acre undeveloped land parcels. Price: $890,000. Buyer: JK Monarch LLC. Seller: Tri-City Development Corporation. 330 Shaw St., Richland, 2,830-square-foot single-family home. Price: $595,000 Buyer: Che & Corey Meyer. Seller: Brent C. & Kathleen L. Gneiting. 160201 W. Wine Country Road, Prosser, 4,920-square-foot warehouse and 17,342-square-foot warehouse on 3 acres.

uPUBLIC RECORD, Page B10

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Price: $597,000. Buyer: Kusa Holdings LLC. Seller: Patricia Beierle. 3570 Orchard St., West Richland, 0.36 acres of undeveloped land. Price: $696,000. Buyer: Wei & Pan Xiaoyan Wang. Seller: Dennis Sawby Construction LLC. 315 Shaw St., Richland, 2,130-square-foot single-family home. Price: $540,000. Buyer: Gregory & Naomi Jaschke. Seller: Jeff N. & Michelle L. Brooks. 451 Royal Ann Court, Richland,

2,700-square-foot single-family home. Price: $538,000. Buyer: Henry & Maria L. Hurley. Seller: Joseph A. & Irene R. Teal. 2605 W. 41st Ave., Kennewick, 2,226-square-foot single-family home. Price: $610,000. Buyer: Mark R. Gray & Raiza Mercedes de Gray. 5238 S. Quincy Place, Kennewick, 2,210-square-foot single-family home. Price: $716,000. Buyer: Steve Shockley & Sandra Kaye Bos. Seller: Prodigy Homes.

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4254, 4188, 4166, 4142, 4118, 4046, 4022, 4143 Corvina St., Richland, and 4234, 4218, 4186, 4170, 4154, 4074, 4203, 4219 Barbera St., Richland, 16 parcels, some undeveloped, some with single-family homes. Price: $1.9 million. Buyer: P&R Construction LLC. Seller: Monson Development Washington LLC. 109 E. 27th Ave., Kennewick, 10 acres of irrigated grape vineyards and pole building. Price: $600,000. Buyer: Hotch Grapevine LLC. Seller: R. J. & Diane C. Hoch. 5009 W. 19th Ave., Kennewick, 4,173-square-foot single-family home. Price: $785,000. Buyer: Jeremy J. & Esther Gene Ogden. Seller: Samuelson Trustees Scott L. & Kathryn H. 5262 S. Quincy Place, Kennewick, 2,227-square-foot single-family home. Price: $734,630. Buyer: Alexander & Galena Krumm Trustees. Seller: Prodigy Homes Inc. 72315 E. PR NE, Richland, 1,480-squarefoot single-family home on 3.9 acres. Buyers: William L. & Elizabeth A. Higgins. Sellers: Steven J. & Robin C. Perez. 3703 W. 42nd Ave., Kennewick, 2,253-square-foot single-family home. Price: $500,000. Buyer: Michael Julian & Andrea Manzanares. Seller: Leonard C. & Susan Johnson. 13211 Cottonwood Creek Blvd., Kennewick, 2,962-square-foot single-family home. Price: $550,000. Buyer: Donald D. Kramer. Seller: Tenet Relocation Services LLC. 6981 W. 23rd Court, Kennewick, 3,221-square-foot single-family home. Price: $650,000. Buyer: Kerry Bates. Seller: Patricia C. Sak. 3700 S. Highlands Blvd., West Richland, 1,905-square-foot single-family home, detached garage, pole building. Price: $590,000. Buyer: Aaron & Holly Harper. Seller: John C. Suing. 1027 Country Court, Richland, 4,051-square-foot single-family home. Price: $730,000. Buyer: Jacob M. & Racquell L. Tansy. Seller: Elton & Marga Kerr. 1157 Pinto Loop, Richland, 4,556-square-

foot single-family home. Price: $1 million. Buyer: Gurbir Sandhu. Seller: Sukhbir & Rajbir Sandhu. 4238 S. Date St., Kennewick, 2,277-squarefoot single-family home. Price: $620,000. Buyer: Ines Capetillo. Seller: Manuel Capetillo. 1120 Appaloosa Way, Richland, 2,616-square-foot single-family home. Price: $685,000. Buyer: Natalie & Andrew Ryan Martinkus. Seller: Jackson C. Taylor & Sarah Haws. 3998, 3999, 4023, 4276 Corvina St., Richland and 4266, 4267, 4283, 4299, 3998, 4073 Barbera St., Richland, 10 undeveloped one-acre parcels. Buyer: Juanita Cottages LLC. Seller: Monson Development Washington LLC. 2114 Legacy Lane, Richland, 2,415-squarefoot single-family home. Price: $549,000. Buyer: Kyle & Julie Dalan. Seller: Katherine Anne Muller & Travis Yates. 26803 S. 875 PR SE, Kennewick, 2,123-square-foot single-family home, pole building on 1.25 acres. Price: $555,000. Buyer: Logan J. & Kathleen J. Booth. Seller: Michael L. & Brenda K. Meads. Undisclosed location, 155 acres of dry pasture land. Price: $850,000. Buyer: Canyon Ranch LLC. Seller: Johanna K. Colby Limited Partnership. FRANKLIN COUNTY 11516 W. Court St., Pasco, 2,284-squarefoot single-family home. Price: $910,000. Buyer: Antonia Velasquez. Seller: AP Properties LLC. 7009 Alderman Road, Pasco, 4,953-square-foot home. Price: $865,000. Buyer: Lance & Courtney Frisbee. Seller: Lee & Heather Petty. 12514 Whiskey River Road, Pasco, 0.56 acres of undeveloped land. Price: $590,000. Buyer: Brian D. & Melanie M. Cartwright. Seller: P & R Construction LLC.

uPUBLIC RECORD, Page B11

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | JANUARY 2021 7380 Route 170, Mesa, 2,860-square-foot commercial building. Price: $500,000. Buyer: Basin City Hot Spot LLC. Seller: Vansh LLC. 4025 Melville Road, Pasco, 0.47 acres of undeveloped land. Price: $550,000. Buyer: Harry R. & Judith A. Tuthill. Seller: Monogram Homes LLC. Undisclosed location, five parcels of undeveloped land, totaling more than 7 acres. Price: $1.6 million. Buyer: Christian Fuel Investments LLC. Seller: Pamp G. & Barbara Maiers, et al. 6209 Park Court, Pasco, 0.46 acres of undeveloped land. Price: $548,000. Buyer: Thomas A. Stephenson, et ux. Seller: Tailor Made Homes LLC. Property off Columbia River Road, 43 acres of ag land. Price: $900,000. Buyer: Bradley S. & Britany R. Tapani. Seller: Allen & Cheryl Olberding. 2326 Road 41, Pasco, 0.46 acres of undeveloped land. Price: $553,000. Buyer: John Richard & Sandra Joy Leathart. Seller: Monogram Homes LLC. 5908 Bedford St., Pasco, 11,949-squarefoot medical office. Price: $2.8 million. Buyer: JSW Investments LLC. Seller: HernandezMaciel Investments LLC. 6602 Gallatin Road, Pasco, 0.58 acres of undeveloped land. Price: $586,000. Buyer: Edie Hilker. Seller: Hammerstrom Construction LLC. 1221 Road 37, Pasco, 2,840-square-foot single-family home. Price: $500,000. Buyer: Ruben A. Aguilar Jr., et ux. Seller: Anatoliy & Galina Danilyuk. 2690 Astoria Road, 134 acres of ag land, with five grain bins, utility storage shed and 961-square-foot single-family home. Price: $1.6 million. Buyer: Brett S. & Tabatha A. Ochoa. Seller: Catherine R. & Martin Huard. 4914 Desert Plateau Drive, Pasco, 1,565-square-foot single-family home. Price: $505,000. Buyer: Russell Todd & Johanna Marie Sharpe. Seller: Lindsey C. & Gail M. Todd. 11204 Quiver Lane, Pasco, 2,951-squarefoot single-family home. Price: $664,000. Buyer: Patrick & Patricia Reid. Seller: Dulce P. & Geoffrey T. Bowlsby. 8102 Silver Mound Drive, Pasco, 0.37 acres of undeveloped land. Price: $528,000. Buyer: Duncan Nisbett, et ux. Seller: New Tradition Homes Inc. 5825 Alder Road, Pasco, manufactured home on five acres. Price: $519,000. Buyer: Tyson & Chelsea Bigler. Seller: Jeffrey & Melanie Ossman. 6548 Gallatin Road, Pasco, 0.6 acres of

undeveloped land. Price: $528,000. Buyer: Ivan Torres, et ux. Seller: Hammerstrom Construction Inc. 7307 Sandy Ridge Road, Pasco, 2,584-square-foot single-family home. Price: $710,000. Buyer: Sarah & Kyle Haulk. Seller: Mark A. & Janelle Domarotsky. 9005 Sunset Trail, 1,989-square-foot single-family home. Price: $585,000. Buyer: Thomas N. Davenport et al. Seller: James & Lynn Goulet. 2113 Dogwood Road, 306 acres of ag land. Price: $1.9 million. Buyer: Wylie Farms LLC. Seller: Wylie Farms LLC et al. 411 & 30 Clarwalt Road, eight parcels, 442 acres of ag land. Price: $1.9 million. Buyer: Wylie Irrigated Land LLC. Seller: Wylie Farms LLC. 7628 Sandy Ridge Road, Pasco, 2,704-square-foot single-family home. Price: $812,000. Buyer: Daryl B. & Deidra L. Whitherspoon. Seller: Celeste & Tom Jay Nelson. 2817 Road 76, Pasco, 1,288-squarefoot single-family home on 3 acres. Price: $512,000. Buyer: Jeffrey C. & Sarah L. Parry. Seller: Jennifer Elaine Winston. 9724 W. Court St., Pasco, 3,403-squarefoot single-family home. Price: $513,000. Buyer: Kim & Eden Mahaffey et al. Seller: Joseph L. & Courtney D. Gualco. 12519 Rock Creek Drive, Pasco, 0.5 acres of undeveloped land. Price: $637,000. Buyer: Ryan & Naomi Oberg. Seller: Hammerstrom Construction Inc. 1840 & 1834 W. Court St., Pasco, 3,456-square-foot commercial building and 3,080-square-foot commercial building. Price: $1.5 million. Buyer: RR Terminal Inc. Seller: Dahava Financial Ltd. Partnership.

uBUILDING PERMITS BENTON COUNTY Matson Development, 9501 W. 10th Ave., $5 million for new commercial. Contractor: Hummel Construction & Development. AT&T Mobility, 34899 Bofer Canyon Road, $15,000 for antenna/tower. Contractor: Mastec Network Solutions. Jay Brantingham, 105106 Wiser Parkway, $653,000 for commercial addition. Contractor: CRF Metal Works LLC. State of Washington, 24106 N. Bunn Road, $32,000 for commercial reroof. Contractor: Royal Roofing. Cottonwood Self Storage, 105106 Wiser Parkway, $1.3 million for commercial addition. Contractor: Owner.

FRANKLIN COUNTY Oakdell Egg Farms, 1831 E. Sagemoor Road, Pasco, $14,000 for commercial addition. Contractor: Circle K Enterprises. Hollinsworth Hay, 5280 Hollingsworth Road, Othello, $985,000 for ag building. Contractor: W McKay Construction LLC. Hollinsworth Hay, 5230 Hollingsworth Road, Othello, $435,000 for ag building. Contractor: W McKay Construction LLC. Ronald Roylance, 13814 Hendricks Road, Othello, $53,000 for ag building. Contractor: Owner. KENNEWICK Kennewick Housing Authority, 128 E. 13th Ave., installation of eight micro modular homes ranging in price from $71,000 to $76,000. Contractor: Total Site Services LLC. Kennewick Housing Authority, 128 E. 13th Ave., installation of four duplex modular homes ranging in price from $151,000 to $170,000. Contractor: Total Site Services LLC. Fortunato Inc., 6500 W. Clearwater Ave., $15,000 for antenna/tower. Contractor: SAC Wireless LLC. Cibb Properties, 5401 Ridgeline Drive, $156,000 for tenant improvements, $14,000 for heat pump/HVAC, $7,200 for plumbing. Contractors: Bagley Landscape Construction, Dayco Heating & Air, Waterways Plumbing. Sunstar Properties, 8232 W. Grandridge Blvd., $6,000 for sign. Contractor: Cascade Sign and Fabrication. Metropolitan Investments Partnership, 1009 N. Center Parkway, $70,000 for commercial remodel, $6,800 for plumbing. Contractors: S&C Maintenance & Construction, Advanced Plumbing & Remodel LLC. Spencer Carlson, 413 N. Kellogg St., $36,000 for commercial reroof. Contractor: Palmer Roofing. Hogback Development, 1659 N. Columbia Center Blvd., $250,000 for commercial remodel, $50,000 for heat pump/HVAC, $30,000 for plumbing. Contractors: Associated Construction, Apollo Sheet Metal, Apex Plumbing & Mechanical Piping. USCOC of Richland, 1917 N. Steptoe St., $15,000 for commercial remodel. Contractor: Mastec Network Solutions. Thomas A. Berg, 114 S. Auburn St., $15,000 for commercial remodel. Contractor: Mastec Network Solutions. Yakima Federal Savings & Loan, 3350 W.

B11

Clearwater Ave., $45,000 for sign. Contractor: Eagle Signs LLC. CWS Holdings LLC, 8905 W. Gage Blvd., $9,100 for sign. Contractor: Yesco LLC. Hogback Development, 1659 N. Columbia Center Blvd., $15,000 for sign. Contractor: Mustang Sign Group. Sage Creek Apartments, 4302 W. Hood Ave., $60,000 for commercial reroof. Contractor: Silver Bow Roofing. VHP Kennewick Investments, 910 S. Columbia Center Blvd., $5,000 for sign. Contractor: Mustang Sign Group. DB Washington Pro, 4305 W. Clearwater Ave., $8,500 for sign. Contractor: Ramsay Signs. PASCO Sandifur Property, 9610 Sandifur Parkway, $4 million for new commercial. Contractor: LCR Construction. Pet OverPopulation Prevention, 1506 Road 40, $32,000 for tenant improvements. Contractor: To be determined. BMB Investments LLC, 9613 Sandifur Parkway, $1.6 million for new commercial. Contractor: Elite Construction and Development. AJC Realty LLC, 5817 Burlington Loop, $1.8 million for new commercial. Contractor: Callies Welding & Fabrication. AJC Realty LLC, 5814 Industrial Way, $20,000 for commercial remodel. Contractor: Callies Welding & Fabrication. RICHLAND Lionell Singleton, 1148 & 1156 Columbia Park Trail, $4 million for two multi-family home projects. Contractor: Elite Construction & Development. Richard Nall, 147 Reata Road, $336,000 and $447,000 for commercial addition. Contractor: CRF Metal Works LLC. Vandervert Developments, 1080 George Washington Way, $80,000 for tenant improvements. Contractor: Hummel Construction and Development. Amil Cordic, 2465 Robertson Drive, $15,000 for tenant improvements. Contractor: Affordable Construction. Matson Construction, 2554 Robertson Drive, $463,000 for new commercial. Contractor: Matson Construction. City of Richland, 2120 Jadwin Ave., $3.7 million for new commercial. Contractor: DGR Grant Construction.

uPUBLIC RECORD, Page B12

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | JANUARY 2021

Michael Denslow, 2444 Robertson Drive, $70,000 for tenant improvements. Contractor: CRF Metal Works LLC. Energy Northwest, 350 Hills St., $103,000 for commercial addition. Contractor: Energy Northwest. BDG Investments, 2746 Battelle Blvd., $1.8 million for new commercial. Contractor: AllPro Inc. Earthly Enterprises, 607 Aaron Drive, Bldg. D, $392,000 for new commercial. Contractor:

Owner. Ford Group LLC, 1977 Fowler St., $25,000 for tenant improvements. Contractor: Ford Group LLC. WEST RICHLAND Goodwill Industries of the Columbia, 3250 Kennedy Road, $400,000 for new commercial. Contractor: Owner.

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uBUSINESS LICENSES RICHLAND Advocare International, 2800 Telecom Parkway, Richardson, Texas. D-10 Contracting, 3624 E. Newby St., Nampa, Idaho. ACI Northwest Inc., 6600 N. Government Way, Dalton Gardens, Idaho. Bedcolab, Limited Avenue Francis-Hugues Laval, Quebec, Canada. Playcore Wisconsin Inc., 150 Playcore Drive SE, Fort Payne, Alabama. Italk Mobile Corporation, 1120 S. Capital of Texas Highway, West Lake Hills, Texas. Barnhart Crane and Rigging of Delaware LLC, 2163 Airways Blvd., Memphis, Tennessee. Barnhart Plant Services LLC, 2163 Airways Blvd., Memphis, Tennessee. Buffalo Construction Inc., 12700 Otto Knop Drive, Louisville, Kentucky. Engert Architecture LLC, 773 Summit St. Analicia Lochrie, 1900 Fowler St. Lifetouch National School Studios Inc., 19717 62nd Ave. S., Suite D101, Kent. A S Klein Engineering PLLC, 2 Rose Court, Pasco. Columbia River Steel & Construction Inc., 813 Wallace Way, Grandview. Callies Welding and Fabrication LLC, 7911 N. Webber Canyon Road NE., Benton City. Euro Transport LLC, 3155 Willow Pointe Drive. Itron Inc., 2111 N. Molter Road Liberty Lake. AJs Hair & Nail Studio LLC, 1311 Mansfield St. Jazzymax, 2716 Eastwood Ave. Inland Sign & Lighting Inc., 131 N. Altamont St., Spokane. The Exterior Connection LLC, 8701 W. Skagit Ave., Kennewick. Tri-City Cotton Candy, 22911 E. Peach Drive, Benton City. N&E Contracting, 1509 Birch Ave. Cabinetry & Designs by Don LLC, 1605

Turner St. Pablo Creative, 5307 336th St. S., Roy. Big Foot Home Improvements, 2307 W. 36th Ave., Kennewick. B and R, 4208 W. Ruby St., Pasco. Fastsigns 280501, 1409 N. Pittsburgh St., Kennewick. Kem Weber Real Estate, 1755 Sagewood St. Edgewater Pools LLC, 5716 Ochoco Lane, Pasco. Epic Trust Financial Group LLC, 1305 Fowler St. Wine Social, 702 The Parkway. Chipotle Mexican Grill, 2673 Queensgate Drive. Jgencabinets, 6321 W. Brinkley Road, Kennewick. AKG Remodeling LLC, 1108 W. Entiat Ave., Kennewick. H&N Concrete and General Construction LLC, 21 N. Mckinley St., Kennewick. C&P Construction, 3713 W. Sylvester St., Pasco. Eric Haan Painting LLC, 1520 W. 41st Ave., Kennewick. Elite Choice Concrete, 1519 W. Yakima St., Pasco. Ap-Alternatives LLC, 906 W. Second Ave., Spokane. Limelight Studios, 1307 George Washington Way. Mas Taco, 1415 George Washington Way. Captain’s Cod Company, 2303 30th St., Bellingham. Rev Drilling Inc., 460 Williams Blvd. Dynamic Hardscaping LLC, 4508 Palo Verde Ct., Pasco. 360 Landscaping LLC, 505 S. Olympia St., Kennewick. El Guerro Indoor & Outdoor Handyman Construction, 4111 Atlanta Lane, Pasco. Expansion Home Flooring LLC, 914 S. Cleveland St., Kennewick. Columbia Building Services LLC, 4814 Seville Drive, Pasco. The Teal Box LLC, 2640 Kingsgate Way. Artistry Life Studio LLC, 750 Swift Blvd. Kerr Wellness, P.S., 1027 Country Ct. PRP Handyman Services LLC, 1006 Adams St. Aerin Jade, 575 Columbia Point Drive. Team Bouchey Inc., 2604 Falcon Lane. Rich City Prints, 2219 Carriage Ave. Vision Painting, 6418 Glacier Peak Drive, Pasco. Straws, Sharon Denise, 715 Jadwin Ave. Richland Chiropractic Center, 710 George Washington Way. AdelleDouglas LLC, 2726 Willowbrook Ave. Daily Discounts LLC, 1529 McPherson Ave. TheDreamTeam, 3030 W. Fourth Ave., Kennewick. T-Mobile DN67, 1731 George Washington Way. Tanya S. Hill Insurance Agency, 95 Cullum Ave. Tropical Distribution LLC, 1697 Larkspur Drive. Handyman Landscaping, 2375 Copperhill St. Chill Encounters By BlessedbyKess, 450 Williams Blvd. Sparkle Cans LLC, 1639 Molly Marie Ave. Skyloft Media, 231 Hartwood St. Dh Siding LLC, 210605 E. 163 PR SE, Kennewick. Mb Photography, 630 S. Young St., Kennewick. Michelle L. Sorensen Licsw LLC, 750 George Washington Way. Garlar Landscaping LLC, 480 Jake Road, Pasco. R.L. Eisenman, 213 Orchard Way. Shelly Trenchard, 1311 Mansfield St. Bales Custom Homes LLC, 3903 W. 42nd Ave., Kennewick. Sherlock Homes Improvement LLC, 1037 N. 60th Ave., West Richland. Refrigeration Plus Services, 3315 S. Quincy Place, Kennewick. Pontum Health, 719 Jadwin Ave. Terra Ricca Plaza Condominiums Association, 1325 Aaron Drive.

uPUBLIC RECORD, Page B13

TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | JANUARY 2021 Miss Sam, 1311 Mansfield St. Ab Landscaping LLC, 3013 Road 84, Pasco. Maria Elva Martinez, 125 Jadwin Ave. Papa John’s Pizza, 125 Gage Blvd. Accelerated Hypnosis LLC, 719 Jadwin Ave. Desert Sunrise LLC, 5821 Washougal Lane, Pasco. KENNEWICK Michels Power Inc., 817 Main St., Brownsville, Wisconsin. DN Tanks Inc., 351 Cypress Lane, El Cajon, California. Plexus Worldwide LLC, 9145 E. Pima Center Pkwy., Scottsdale, Arizona. Sonray Enterprises LLC, 237 Lower Pack River Road, Sandpoint, Idaho. Powehouse Retail Services LLC, 812 S. Crowley Road, Crowley, Texas. Court Club Physical Therapy LLC, 1350 N. Grant St. Coca Cola of Yakima & Tri-Cities Inc., 1225 N. 34th Ave., Pasco. Valley Cabinet Shop Inc., 22502 S. Ward Gap Road, Prosser. Columbia Basin Solar, 8103 Wenatchee Drive, Pasco. AJM and Associates, 2605 W. 41st Ave., Kennewick. Bangkok Restaurant, 8318 W. Gage Blvd., Ste A. Custom Tile Works Inc., 110 W. Naches Ave., Selah. Platinum, 6520 Comiskey Drive, Pasco. MCBOYZ Contracting LLC, 7397 Redmond Road NE, Moses Lake. Stonecrest Builders Inc., 2381 Robertson Drive, Richland. Titan Electrical LLC, 615 Keys Road, Yakima. Jorges Construction LLC, 401 Quincy St., Yakima. La Pinata Payaso LLC, 424 N. Fruitland St. KMB Property Services LLC, 92602 E. 83 PR SE. The Academic Doctor LLC, 5121 W. 32nd Ave. Cosco Fire Protection Inc., 3311 E. Ferry Ave., Spokane. Fjoel Financial Inc., 7401 W. Hood Place. Draftco Designs LLC, 8458 W. Gage Blvd. Oertel Law PLLC, 8350 W. Grandridge Blvd. Curb Designs LLC, 4711 W. Metaline Ave. Radix Construction Inc., 135 Avery St., Walla Walla. Plumb Country, 1925 W. Third Ave.

Goddard Family Homes LLC, 91022 E. Summit View Drive. DFR Services, 2105 S. Arthur Loop. Munozsales, 320 W. Entiat Ave. Kairos Framing Construction LLC, 730 S. Sharron St. Obsidian Creations LLC, 4821 W. Fourth Ave. Integrity Finish Carpentry LLC, 315 N. Waldemar Ave., Pasco. W.E Remodeling LLC, 309 S. Dawes St. TRC Masonry LLC, 32 E. 11th Ave. Mind/Door, 414 S. Green Place. All Siding LLC, 4904 Cleveland Lane, Pasco. Salesufers, 8 E. Fifth Ave. Home Scape Indoor And Outdoor Care, 2711 S. Huntington Court. Flash Meals, 424 S. Roosevelt St. Healing Massage Therapy, 1137 W. 30th Ave. Northwest Refrigeration Services LLC, 874 Pikes Peak Drive, West Richland. Shams Engineering LLC, 3803 W. 47th Ave. Joy Spa, 2459 S. Union Place. Hilet Store LLC, 14 N. Mayfield St. Flex Massage Therapy LLC, 8927 W. Tucannon Ave. Tri-City Barbell Club, 428 E. Columbia Drive. AJM and Associates LLC, 2605 W. 41st Ave. As You Wish Houses Inc., 1327 W. 26th Ave. Pacific Processing Equipment Company LLC, 2014 W. 18th Ave. A & R Castle Designs, 8100 W. Imnaha Ave. Family First Dental, 419 N. Yelm St. PJ Freelance, 2009 S. Ione St. Amigo Bracero LLC, 207 N. Dennis St. Mz Repair LLC, 320 W. Entiat Ave. Notary Northwest LLC, 5511 W. 17th Ave. Kamiakin RV And Boat Storage, 5430 W. Hood Ave. F.J.L Cleaning Services LLC, 402 S. Fir St. Nena Janitorial Service, 1309 N. Dawes St. Rena’s Healthcare Service, 611 Muriel St., Richland. American Dream Home Inspection LLC, 7101 W. 20th Ave. Charlotte & Cooper, 2201 S. Dayton St. Grace Hollow Markets, 10267 W. 18th Place. Gail A. Kay, RN LLC, 2707 W. 40th Ave. Rx Properties LLC, 8021 W. Grandridge Blvd. Walkers Welding, 4002 S. Jean St., Kennewick. The Flower Cart, 5101 W. 12th Ave. Lonepeak Properties LLC, 3349 S. Lincoln St.

DOA Kustom Autoworks, 214 E. Albany Ave. Valvoline Instant Oil Change, 404 N. Columbia Center Blvd. Miranda, Viviana, 1433 S. Garfield Place Imminent Health PLLC, 1031 N. Kellogg St. Rolling J’s Express, 207 W. Second Ave. T-Mobile West LLC, 124 S. Ely St. T-Mobile Financial LLC, 124 S. Ely St. T-Mobile Leasing LLC, 124 S. Ely St. Eastside Sustainable Farm, 7 W. 27th Ave. Sage Assessment, Counseling & Consulting LLC, 401 N. Morain St. Dick Brown & Associates, 7511 W. Arrowhead Ave. Couples And Sex Therapy of PNW, 3800 W. 40th Place. Eastside Edge Youth Wellness Professional Sports Training Center, 1701 S. Washington St. Teos Sweets LLC, 9115 Ryeland Drive, Pasco. Morning Sun Trucking LLC, 618 S. Alder St. Equine Therapy Center LLC, 10505 W. Clearwater Ave. Diamond Eagle LLC, 525 S. Auburn St. Dog’s Best Friend, 4415 W. Clearwater Ave. Loft #1669, 1321 N. Columbia Center Blvd. Ricas Pupusas El Salvador LLC, 206 N. Buntin St. Transit Care - Essentials LLC, 10362 W. 16th Place. Amc Real Estate LLC, 1914 S. Arthur St., Kennewick. Hair By Eli, 4415 W. Clearwater Ave., Kennewick. JJ Navarro Transport LLC, 1616 S. Palouse Place. Raji’s Consulting LLC, 619 S. Young Place. On The Board, 6681 W. 33rd Place. Akb Logistics LLC, 2133 S. Lyle St. Justintime2grow LLC, 530 N. Edison St. Royal Columbian Senior Living, 5615 W. Umatilla Ave. Agtrakk, 1122 N. Montana St. NW Appraisal Group LLC, 352 S. First Ave., Walla Walla.

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Matson Trucks LLC, 4602 Kennedy Road, West Richland. PASCO Mar Home Builders Inc., 214102 E. Erickson Road, Kennewick. Grit, 5242 Outlet Drive. Columbia Basin Solar LLC, 8103 Wenatchee Drive. Sosa & Associates LLC, 921 Madrona Ave. Perfect Landscaping LLC, 1004 N. Beech Ave. Pro Kpr Construction LLC, 707 S. Wehe Ave. Roc Management LLC, 3721 Road 92. Peiffer Transport, 9105 Maple Drive. M F Santo Consulting, 4504 Bermuda Dunes Drive. Hovde Family Investments LLC, 1100 E. Columbia St. A&B Concrete, 4120 W. Nixon St. S And S Auto Detail Resources LLC, 5411 Buchanan Lane. Mendoza General Construction LLC, 5310 Raleigh Drive. Wero & Sons Concrete LLC, 103 Home Acres Road. Katelynn’s Skincare, 6415 Burden Blvd. Ste. A. Alteraciones Magicas, 824 W. Lewis St., #103. Queen Soak And Consulting, 827 W. Octave St. Imperial Gas LLC, 8611 Tottenham Court. Crossroads Unlimited LLC, 3713 W. Henry St. Callie Carlson, 4008 Coachella Court. FLM Lawn Care, 4445 Galway Lane. Ady’s Salon & Boutique, 516 W. Lewis St. B. Mint Mobile LLC, 1550 Scenic Ave., Ste. 100, Costa Mesa, California. Vl Construction, 2406 Camden St., Richland. Aria Construction Company, 1105 W. 10th Ave., Apt. 281, Kennewick.

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | JANUARY 2021 Haley & Aldrich Inc. 3131 Elliott Ave., Ste. 600, Seattle. Absolute Perfection Mobile Detailing, 9335 Sandifur Pkwy., Apt B. Choice Foodservice Equipment, 2710 N. 350 W., Layton, Utah. Gabb Wireless Inc. 3101 Park Blvd., Palo Alto, California. Columbia Safety, 418 N. Kellogg St., Ste. A, Kennewick. Green Horizon, 1830 Terminal Drive, Richland. Godinez Transport LLC, Truman Lane. Sign Crafters Inc., 1006 16th Ave., Lewiston, Idaho. Chepes Paintlab, 2331 W. A St. Mid Columbia Pet Emergency Service, 8913 Sandifur Parkway. MBS Cosmetics & Co., 411 W. Clark St., Ste. A. Pinkie Tow, 721 S. 28th Ave., #A. R & S L Inc., 3405 W. Court St., #3405. Foxe Tails, 10419 Oak Court.

PRP Handyman Services LLC, 1006 Adams St., Unit 104, Richland. M & R Transportation, 1408 Road 56. VP Flooring, 2308 Wade Court. GM Auto Transportation, 935 N. Beech Ave. Gutter Girl, 6209 Robert Wayne Drive. Chardan Builders LLC, 10405 Willow Way. AP Floor Covering, 6916 Boulder Drive. Dynamic Hardscaping LLC, 4508 Palo Verde Court. Compunet Inc. 505 S. Florence St., Grangeville, Idaho. Groundwater Solutions Inc., 55 SW Yamhill St., Ste. 300, Portland, Oregon. Land Fx Inc. 29904 S. 903 PR SE, Kennewick. Girard Wood Products Inc. 802 E., Main St., Puyallup. Stanley Enterprises Inc. 8815 W. Third Ave, Kennewick. Jgencabinets, 6321 W. Brinkley Road, Ste. 140, Kennewick. El Rancho LLC, 620 N. 20th Ave. Mamita’s Tamales, 104 S. Tacoma Ave. Next Level Properties, 6401 Nocking Point Road. Munoz, Noe S., 4200 Road 100. Codafogo LLC, 6118 Rockrose Lane. Kohlyan Investments LLC, 8711 Nash Drive. Megan Bardell Photography, 9814 Silverbright Drive. Wadman Corporation, 718 91st Ave., Lake Stevens. Prieto Enterprises LLC, 3526 E. A St. Republic Wireless Inc., 940 Main Campus Dr., Ste. 300, Raleigh, North Carolina. J Castillo Trucking, 3304 W. Margaret St. 360 Landscaping LLC, 505 S. Olympia St., Apt. M1, Kennewick. AW Roofing of Yakima LLC, 412 S. 58th Ave., Yakima. Arcane Beauty By Arcadia, 4525 Road 68 D. Same, 4909 Murphy Canyon Road, San Diego, California. Greenland Lawn Care LLC, 707 W. Jan St. DH Siding LLC, 210605 E. 163 PR SE, Kennewick. Cruz Gaspar Construction LLC, 371 Willow Tree Lane, Trailer #11, Toppenish. Chica Dorada Fashion, 516 W. Clark St. ½. Swanky Babies, 5315 Paddington Lane. The Husky Den, 6703 Wrigley Drive. Elvira Alegre De Cuevas, 1424 N. 14th Ave. Pioneer Janitorial Co., 3224 W. Yakima St. On Something Print Shop, 1608 W. Sylvester St., E. Tri-Cities Restoration LLC, 7500 W. Yellowtstone Ave., Kennewick Edge Water Pools LLC, 5716 Ochoco Lane. Kiki’s Marketplace LLC, 5608 Westport Lane. Raquel Christy Zamora, 6403 Burden Blvd., A. Beynon Sports Surfaces Inc. 19600 SW 129th Ave., Ste. A, Tualatin, Oregon. How Sweet It Is, 6228 Thistledown Drive. Triple J Landscaping, 410 S. Douglas Ave, #410. Wooster Technical Solutions, 7711 Thetis Drive. Sherlock Homes Improvement LLC, 1037 N. 60th Ave., West Richland. LCBI, 4700 Hilltop Drive. Ultra Construction LLC, 2413 Famville Court. J & J Janitorial LLC, 310 W. Columbia St. D A Bentley Construction, 10709 NE Coxley Drive, Vancouver. NW Overhead Door Repair LLC, 840 Haugen Road. The Dream Team, 3030 W. Fourth Ave., Apt. A107, Kennewick. Garlar Landscaping LLC, PO Box 4061. Aaron’s Construction Company LLC, 4815 W. Clearwater Ave., Kennewick

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | JANUARY 2021 WEST RICHLAND Michels Power Inc., 817 Main St., Brownsville, Wisconsin. Green Leaf Landscaping of WA Inc., 2118 SE 12th Ave., Battle Ground. Lexar Homes-Yakima, 150 Keys Road, Yakima. Johnson Controls Inc., 9718 W. Flight Drive, Spokane. Gargoram Landscaping LLC, 5706 W. Hood Ave., Kennewick. Curb Designs LLC, 4711 W. Metaline Ave., Kennewick. Plumb Country, 1925 W. Third Ave., Kennewick. Gale Electric, 2641 Torrey Pines Way, Richland. Goddard Family Homes LLC, 91022 E. Summit View Drive, Kennewick. Handyman Integrity Services, 56 Log Lane, Richland. Corum Homes, 1846 Terminal Drive, Richland. Northwest Refrigeration Services LLC, 874 Pikes Peak Drive. M&M Mechanical LLC, 1121 W. Nixon St., Pasco. AB Landscaping LLC, 3013 Road 84, Pasco. Douglas Fredrick Hanson, 21809 Cottonwood Springs Blvd., Kennewick. Selective Builders Inc., 68203 S. Meals Road, Kennewick. NRC Environmental Services Inc., 1810 E James St., Pasco. R2 Northwest LLC, 920 S. 47th Ave. Lenk General Contracting, 2602 S. Ledbetter St., Kennewick. Vanguard LLC, 4429 85th Place SW, Mukilteo. Pivotal Construction LLC, 8615 Tottenham Court, Pasco. Tri-Cities Food Dudes, 2381 Robertson Drive, Richland. Pindare Films LLC, 5974 Juneberry Drive. KLM Exteriors Inc., 64905 E. Sunset View PR SE, Benton City. C&R Painting LLC, 109 Harrison Place, Burbank. Design 7, 2340 S. 38th Ave. All Siding LLC, 4904 Cleveland Lane, Pasco. BT Business Services, 3520 Lexington Way. DC Vending and Distributing LLC, 1225 Road 34, Pasco. Rogers, Erica Jaulean, 2555 Bella Coola Lane, #164, Richland. Aletheia Life Coaching and Consulting LLC, 887 Pikes Peak Drive.

High Voltage Hot Dogs & Catering, 3103 Mt. Granite Court. Chad Morris, 129 W. Maple St., Walla Walla. Eventful Wines LLC, 5893 Beechwood St. West Richland Family Dental Center, 4476 W. Van Giesen St.

uJUDGMENTS The state can file lawsuits against people or businesses that do not pay taxes and then get a judgment against property that person or business owns. Judgments are filed in Benton-Franklin Superior Court. The following is from the Franklin County Superior Court Clerk’s Office. Columbia Memorial Park, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Dec. 7. Concrete Unlimited LLC, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Dec. 16. Willy’s Mexican Restaurant Inc., unpaid Department of Revenue taxes, filed Dec. 18. Daniel Alvarez, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Dec. 28. PJR Construction Inc., unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Dec. 29. Jovani Mendizaval, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Dec. 29. Evolution Painting LLC, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Dec. 29. Raul Estrada, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Dec. 29.

uLIQUOR LICENSES BENTON COUNTY NEW LICENSES Circle K Stores Inc., 1501 Bombing Range Road, West Richland. License type: grocery store-beer/wine. Application type: new. APPROVED LICENSES Castaway Cellars, 500 Merlot Drive, Prosser. License type: domestic winery <250,000 liters. Application Type: change of corporate officer. The Prosserhouse By John Gray, 1232 Wine Country Road, Prosser. License type: direct shipment receiver-in WA only. Application type: assumption. Wine Social, 702 The Parkway, Suite B, Richland. License Type: direct shipment receiver-in WA only. Application type: added/

change of class/in lieu. Carniceria La Cabana #3 Richland, 1305 Jadwin Ave., Richland. License type: direct shipment receiver-in WA only. Application type: new. Carniceria La Cabana #3, 4311 W. Clearwater Ave., Ste. #110, Kennewick. License type: direct shipment receiver-in WA only. Application type: added/change of class/in lieu.

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FRANKLIN COUNTY NEW LICENSES Pasco Golfland, 2901 Road 40, Pasco. License type: snack bar. Application type: assumption. Hot Spot, 7380 Road 170, Mesa. License type: grocery store-beer/wine. Application Type: Assumption.

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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | JANUARY 2021