Senior Times - June 2023

SENIORS

Kennewick home care agency moves into bigger building

By Kristina Lord kristina@tcjournal.biz

Growth and a desire to offer more in-person training prompted a longtime downtown Kennewick business to move into a bigger office.

“People were feeling isolated and missing not having a connection with their fellow caregivers,” said Christine Rose-VanWormer, the owner/director of Visiting Angels, a personal home care services provider for seniors.

Rose-VanWormer has been with the company since 2009, buying the Kennewick franchise in 2015. The company has had a presence in the Tri-Cities since 2005.

She said her team of caregivers expressed a desire to meet in person for training sessions, especially in the wake of the isolation they experienced during pandemic.

Visiting Angels’ new building offers more space and natural light than its old training room, which was small and cramped, Rose-VanWorm-

er said.

The bigger space also will better accommodate larger groups for

presentations and Visiting Angels’ equipment used to train staff. Staff training involves practicing skills

so caregivers can gain confidence to take care of their clients, including how to lift, transfers, toileting and using Hoyer lifts to move clients.

Rose-VanWormer said her agency would like to offer more training and education for families and community members, as well as caregivers, such as how to care for seniors with early-stage, mid-stage and late-stage dementia.

Its new building offers about 1,500 more square feet of space than the former office it occupied for 13 years on North Cascade Street – in a building once owned by the Tri-City Herald and used as an intern dorm, meeting space and gym.

The new 3,362-square-foot office at 10 N. Washington St. is only a few blocks from its former location.

Rose-VanWormer said keeping the business in downtown Kennewick was important to her.

“I just love the sense of community here,” she said.

For two decades, this group has fought to preserve iconic Tri-City peaks

By Sara Schilling sara@tcjournal.biz

Bob Bass remembers the first time he climbed Badger Mountain.

It was 1989 or 1990, and he’d recently moved to the Tri-Cities from California.

A mountain climber, he was on the hunt for good training spots in the area, and “I was looking around saw this hill and thought, ‘Cool. I’m going to see if I can get up this thing,’ ” he recalled.

It was the first of many climbs for him up the 1,500-foot hill, which has become one of the Tri-Cities’ most

popular recreation spots and beloved natural spaces over the last two decades.

That’s thanks in large part to Bass and other members of Friends of Badger Mountain, a nonprofit that formed to preserve and protect Badger Mountain and now is working to create a system of trails connecting four iconic Tri-City area peaks: Little Badger, Badger, Candy and Red mountains.

Bass was a founding member of the group, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

Back when Bass first started climbing Badger, it didn’t have the network

of well-established trails it boasts today. Instead, the hill had “social trails,” or unofficial paths beaten by hikers over time.

But in the early 2000s, Friends of Badger Mountain began working to acquire 574 acres on Badger for preservation. The group raised money, eventually turning the funds over to Benton County to make the purchase and designate Badger Mountain as a county park.

The group has followed a similar formula to help preserve Candy Mountain to the northwest and Little Badger Mountain to the east, working

with Benton County and the city of Richland, respectively. The nonprofit group also holds the title to about 80 acres on and around the peaks.

The group has taken on responsibility for building most of the trails, and for trail maintenance.

Badger and Candy each have multiple trails, and Little Badger is next. The Richland City Council recently approved a master plan, following a period of input from the public.

Bass said his group aims to establish a trail to the summit in 2023-24.

Friends of Badger Mountain also

uBADGER MOUNTAIN, Page 2

What was the name of the sternwheeler that ran the Columbia River from Pasco to Bridgeport, Washington?

Photo by Kristina Lord Owner Christine Rose-VanWormer stands in a future conference room of Visiting Angels in downtown Kennewick. The home care agency recently moved into the larger office at 10 N. Washington St.

509-737-8778

Mailing address:

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

STAFF

Kristina Lord Executive Editor 509-344-1261 kristina@tcjournal.biz

Sara Schilling Reporter 509-344-1286 sara@tcjournal.biz

Tiffany Lundstrom Associate Publisher for Sales  509-344-1271 tiffany@tcjournal.biz

Chad Utecht Advertising Account Manager 509-344-1274 chad@tcjournal.biz

Vanessa Guzmán Production Manager 509-344-1278 vanessa@tcjournal.biz

Erin Landon Business Assistant 509-344-1285 erin@tcjournal.biz

Paul Read Group Publisher 509-344-1262 paul@tcjournal.biz

– CORRECTION –

• Sen. Thomas Hart Benton spoke about the Snake and Yakima rivers on the floor of the U.S. Senate May 28, 1846. President Andrew Jackson was reelected in 1832. The wrong dates appeared on page 5 in the May edition.

Senior Times, a publication of MidColumbia Media Inc., is published monthly. Subscriptions are $21.69 per year, prepayment required, no refunds. Contents of this publication are the sole property of Mid-Columbia Media Inc. and can not be reproduced in any form without expressed written consent. Opinions expressed by guest columnists and advertisers do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Senior Times staff, other guest columnists or other advertisers, nor do they imply endorsement by Senior Times staff, other guest 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.

BADGER MOUNTAIN, From page 1

has other projects in the works for the next few seasons, including establishing a trail from the summit of Candy Mountain west down to Kennedy Road and completing a trail connection between Badger and Little Badger. In the longer-term, the group aims to extend the trail system from the top of Little Badger east to Claybell Park in Richland and extend the trail system at Candy from Kennedy

Sign up to make community a better place on June 16

Tri-Citians and area businesses are encouraged to work on a community service project of their choice from 8 a.m. to noon June 16 as part of George and Pat Jones Community Service Day.

Retter & Company | Sotheby’s International Realty will provide a picnic lunch at noon at Columbia Park, near the bandshell area, for the first 500 people who RSVP.

Here’s how it works: Pick a community service project. A variety of opportunities can be found at communityserviceday.com.

If you need additional people, make a note of that in the notes section of your reservation and the committee will try to see if it can help

Road to Red Mountain and eventually Benton City.

Friends of Badger Mountain celebrated its 20th anniversary at its annual meeting on May 20.

Bass said the group is looking for volunteers to help with everything from fundraising to trail building and maintenance. Look for more information on the website, friendsofbadger. org.

For Bass, the work of Friends of Badger Mountain is vitally important

In 2019, more than 200 people came together to participate in the event, completing more than 20 projects in and around the TriCities.

West Richland to celebrate reopening of senior center

A ceremony and barbecue to celebrate the reopening of the West Richland Senior Center is set for 11:30 a.m. Saturday, June 10 at the center, located at 616 N. 60th Ave.

The center will be renamed the Bill Shane Senior Center after the late Shane who served for years as the president of the West Richland Senior Association. He died at age 89 in December 2021.

RSVP via email to May Hays at mayhays047@gmail.com.

– for people’s health, for the environment, for the community and for the future.

“Our mission is to give the community access to these jewels,” he said. “Not many communities have a 1,500-foot mountain in their backyard. We want to preserve our ridges and our hills. We want the public to make use of them and enjoy them. It’s a win-win for the environment and our health.”

Go to: friendsofbadger.org.

Visiting Angels employs 10 people in the office, plus 130 caregivers dispatched around Benton, Franklin and Walla Walla counties.

Kaizen Construction & Development of Kennewick is overseeing $75,000 in tenant improvements in the new office.

Part of the improvements include moving the front door to the office so it opens into the courtyard it shares with Adult Day Services of the TriCities. Benton Franklin Elder Services, doing business as Adult Day Services, is the building owner.

“We are thrilled with our new tenant and could not have imagined a better business alongside our services. It is the perfect complement,” said Salem Snowdy Thompson, executive director of Adult Day Services.

Visiting Angels was scheduled to move in on June 5.

Photo by Ryan Jackman

Bob Bass, president of Friends of Badger Mountain, sits on a bench at the intersection of a closed portion of the existing Badger Mountain trail network and its future extension. In the distance is Little Badger Mountain, where a future trail will switch-back to the top.

VISITING ANGELS, From page 1

Long-term care involves more than nursing homes

What are the images that come to mind when you hear the phrase “long-term care?” Do you think of adult family members preparing meals and caring for their parents? Or the mutual assistance older adults provide to one another so that they can stay in the homes that they’ve been in for years and years? Or perhaps the certified nursing assistant who checks the vital signs of a nursing home resident?

The reality is that long-term care comes in many forms and ways depending upon where we are in our aging journey.

A recent study by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College found that 83% of adults over 65 will need some form of long-term care as they age. About 26% will have high long-term care needs for three years or more.

Long-term care (LTC) refers to services and supports provided to individuals periodically or on-going depending upon their needs. LTC can be considered in three categories: family caregiving, home and community-based services, and residential care.

Family caregiving

Family caregiving can be considered as the services and supports that are often provided by unpaid family or friends at home. For instance, caregiving could be helping with groceries or with dishes or laundry. It could mean driving a friend to their doctor’s appointments, managing medications or

handling bills.

It also can be full time for individuals who remain living at home and require constant care.

A recent AARP study showed that in 2021, there were more than 820,000 family caregivers in Washington who provided 770 million hours of care valued at $16.8 billion.

Caring for a family member or close friend can be one of the most important roles we play in our lifetime.

While many consider it a privilege and labor of love, it can also be a difficult task.

According to another 2022 AARP report, three quarters, or 67%, of Washington caregivers ages 45+ say they feel stressed emotionally due to their caregiving responsibilities.

AARP is here to support caregivers and the older loved ones who count on them. Information, resources and connections for Washington state caregivers can be found at aarp.org/caregiverswa.

Home and community-based services

In Washington state, there are a variety of home and communitybased services (HCBS) programs that assist individuals with LTC

needs often due to chronic conditions or disabilities and are provided in home or community settings.

This includes assistance with “activities of daily living,” such as personal hygiene, dressing, toileting and moving around.

The aim of HCBS is to enable individuals to stay in their homes and communities, where they are often more comfortable and where they prefer to be.

In fact, Washington state is seen as a national leader when it comes to providing choices and options for long-term care, including an emphasis on HCBS.

The latest Long-Term Services and Supports State Scorecard shows Washington ranks second in the nation for our approach to longterm care, and we continue to be on the forefront of efforts to support quality and choice.

For instance, to help address the shortage of home care workers, Gov. Jay Inslee recently signed a bill (SB 5278) to make it easier for individuals to become home care workers.

Residential care

Residential care consists of facil-

ity-based long-term care services provided in many different settings, including assisted living facilities, adult family homes and nursing homes (i.e., skilled nursing facilities).

These facilities range in terms of the level of care provided, with nursing homes providing the most extensive care to those who require full-time medical care and monitoring. The types of residential care available are often more extensive than most people realize.

While our specific care journeys may be different, the fact remains that the vast majority of us will need long-term care at some point in our lives.

The most important time to plan for long-term care is before we need it, as small steps now can help secure a safer, happier future.

To assist individuals in finding the support needed, AARP has developed tools and compiled resources which can be found at aarp.org/caregiving/long-term-care.

Monday, June 26 at 1:30 PM Keewaydin Community Center 500 S. Auburn St., Kennewick

Tuesday, June 27 at 10:00 AM

Providence Southgate Medical Park

1021 S. Second Ave., Walla Walla For more information, call 509-344-1360.

 Marguerite Ro is AARP’s Washington state director.

GUEST COLUMN

Marguerite Ro AARP

JUNE 8

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

• Coping with Grief: What to Say and Not Say When Someone is Grieving: 3-4:30 p.m., Kadlec Healthplex, Sycamore Room, 1268 Lee Blvd., Richland. Call 509-9438455 or register online at kadlec.org/ KNRC.

• HAPO Live @ 5, summer concert series featuring Torn Veil: 5 p.m., John Dam Plaza, 815 George Washington Way, Richland. Free.

• Kennewick Farmers Market: 4-7 p.m., 10 E. Bruneau Ave., Kennewick. Call 509-582-7221 or email market@historickennewick.org.

JUNE 9

• Richland Farmers Market: 9 a.m.-1 p.m., roundabout at Lee Boulevard and The Parkway in Richland. Call 509-539-7229 or email herbsetal@pocketinet.com.

JUNE 10

• City of Richland outdoor movie series featuring “Lyle, Lyle Crocodile”: dusk, John Dam Plaza, 815 George Washington Way, Richland.

• Pasco Farmers Market: 8 a.m.1 p.m., 101 S. Fourth Ave., Pasco. Call 509-528-8131 or email omartinez@downtownpasco.com.

JUNE 13

•Alzheimer’s Program: Effective Communication: 1-2 p.m., virtual event. Call 509-943-8455 or register

online at kadlec.org/KNRC.

JUNE 14

• Healthy Ages Wellness Program: Diabetes Meal Planning: 1-2 p.m., Central United Protestant Church, 1124 Stevens Drive, Richland. Call 509-943-2700 or register online at kadlec.org/KNRC.

JUNE 15

• HAPO Live @ 5 summer concert series featuring Groove Principal: 5 p.m., John Dam Plaza, 815 George Washington Way, Richland. Free.

• Kennewick Farmers Market: 4-7 p.m., 10 E. Bruneau Ave., Kennewick. Call 509-582-7221 or email market@historickennewick.org.

JUNE 16

• City of Richland outdoor movie series featuring “Vivo”: dusk, John Dam Plaza, 815 George Washington Way, Richland.

• Richland Farmers Market: 9 a.m.-1 p.m., roundabout at Lee Boulevard and The Parkway in Richland. Call 509-539-7229 or email herbsetal@pocketinet.com.

• Richland Senior Association dance: 1 p.m., Riverview Room, Richland Community Center, 500 Amon Park Drive, Richland. Cost: $10. Dance to a five-piece band led by Clark Hodge.

Bring

JUNE 17

• Pasco Farmers Market: 8 a.m.1 p.m., 101 S. Fourth Ave., Pasco. Call 509-528-8131 or email omartinez@downtownpasco.com.

JUNE 22

• HAPO Live @ 5 summer concert series featuring The Knockdowns: 5 p.m., John Dam Plaza, 815 George Washington Way, Richland. Free.

• Kennewick Farmers Market: 4-7 p.m., 10 E. Bruneau Ave., Kennewick. Call 509-582-7221 or email market@historickennewick.org.

JUNE 23

• City of Richland outdoor movie series featuring “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”: dusk, John Dam Plaza, 815 George Washington Way, Richland.

• Richland Farmers Market: 9 a.m.-1 p.m., roundabout at Lee Boulevard and The Parkway in Richland. Call 509-539-7229 or email herbsetal@pocketinet.com.

JUNE 24

• Pasco Farmers Market: 8 a.m.1 p.m., 101 S. Fourth Ave., Pasco. Call 509-528-8131 or email omartinez@downtownpasco.com.

JUNE 26

• Providence Medicare Advantage Plans informational meeting: 1:30 p.m., Keewaydin Community Center, 500 S. Auburn St., Kennewick. Call 509-344-1360.

JUNE 29

• HAPO Live @ 5 summer concert series featuring The Stoney Lonesome Band: 5 p.m., John Dam Plaza, 815 George Washington Way, Richland. Free.

• Kennewick Farmers Market: 4-7 p.m., 10 E. Bruneau Ave., Kennewick. Call 509-582-7221 or email market@historickennewick.org.

JUNE 30

• City of Richland outdoor movie series featuring “Luca”: dusk, George Prout Pool, 1005 Swift Blvd., Richland.

• Richland Farmers Market: 9 a.m.-1 p.m., roundabout at Lee Boulevard and The Parkway in Richland. Call 509-539-7229 or email herbsetal@pocketinet.com.

JULY 4

• Grand Old 4th of July

Celebration: Kiwanis pancake breakfast, 7-11 a.m.; pre-parade kids street dance, 9:15 a.m.; parade, 10 a.m.; Camp Patriot Show & Shine Car Show, noon-4 p.m., Memorial Park, 350 N. 14th Ave., Pasco.; Fireworks show, 10 p.m., Pasco Sporting Complex, 6520 Homerun Road, Pasco. Go to: pascogo4.com.

• River of Fire: Food truck alley and kids zone, 2 p.m.; Beer garden and entertainment, 5-9:30 p.m.; Fireworks, 10 p.m., Columbia Park, Kennewick.

Washington state’s grand old flag hits century mark

By Gale Metcalf for Senior Times

Happy 100th birthday to our Washington state flag.

It was born on June 7, 1923, when the law creating Washington’s flag went into effect.

Celebrating its 100th birthday, it flies throughout the Tri-Cities on municipal and other government buildings, as well on standards of private owners, as it has for a century.

The flag was 34 years in coming after Washington became a state on Nov. 11, 1889, even though the state seal featured on the flag was adopted in 1889 during the state’s constitutional convention.

When adopted, Washington was one of only four of states without an official banner. Today, all have official flags.

As the 19th century marched into the 20th century, unofficial flags featuring President Washington’s likeness fluttered on flag poles throughout the state. A gold profile of Washington was featured against blue bunting and carried by Washington state’s volunteer infantry during the Philippine-American War in 1899.

Other unofficial flags featured the state seal in gold on a backdrop of purple or green. A ceremonial banner of this type is displayed in the State Reception Room of the Legislative Building in Olympia.

A full decade before adoption of the official flag, an effort was made for one. A state representative from Whatcom County, William J. Hughes, proposed forming a commission specifically to come up with a flag representing the state.

His proposal passed the state House of Representatives, 69-20, but was not placed on the floor of the state Senate for a vote in 1913.

Washington Gov. Ernest Lister, a supporter of having a state flag, called on citizens throughout the state to come up with designs.

Interestingly, opposition came from the Sons of the American Revolution and the Sons of Veterans, who felt a state flag would be detrimental to the American flag.

One year later, in 1914, the Daughters of the American Revolution launched a campaign to adopt an official state flag and formed a design committee, headed by Emma Chadwick, wife of a state Supreme Court justice. In 1915, a flag with a green background and the state seal in the center, was adopted by the DAR, which manufactured one in Washington, D.C., for $48.

The state chapter then proudly displayed it at the national DAR until 1916. When it was returned to the state chapter, it was flown during the April 1916 general meeting of the state DAR in Everett. There, the chapter asked the state Legislature to officially adopt the flag as the state’s symbol.

A 1917 National Geographic magazine on U.S. state flags featured an unofficial Washington state banner similar to that designed by the DAR.

It was supposedly sourced from “military authorities.”

In 1920, the secretary-treasurer of the Washington State Nautical School, Grover C. Gaier, designed a state flag similar to that of the DAR, and it actually flew on the USS Vicksburg on a voyage first cruising the West Coast and then across the Pacific Ocean to Hawaii. The flag was representing the state nautical school.

In 1922 the DAR again took up the gauntlet to push for a state flag, this time joined by other civic organizations, including the Sons of the American Revolution.

When a bill was introduced as the 1923 Legislature convened, it was passed unanimously by the state Senate and then the state House. A signature from the governor was not required and the bill became law.

The law took effect the first week

of June, and the Daughters of the American Revolution unfurled an unofficial state flag on Flag Day, June 14, 1923, before an official one could be made.

On July 23, 1924, the first official flag was unveiled, and a “State Flag Waltz” celebrated the new banner at the Jan. 25, 1925, inaugural ball of new Gov. Roland H. Hartley.

Green fringe was an original feature. After 1925 it was changed to gold fringe, and it officially debuted on June 27, 1927, while flying on the car of Hartley while he was touring the U.S. military installation at Fort Lewis.

A state flag was presented by the DAR to Hartley in 1929 and went on display in the Washington’s state Capitol building.

Standardized colors for the state flag were issued in 1955 by Washington’s secretary of state, Earl Coe. The office is caretaker of the state flag. In 1967 the secretary of state requested a redesign of the state seal to feature the likeness of the famous portrait of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart, which was rescued from a burning White House during the War of 1812.

In April 1967, the state Legislature approved the new state seal and it immediately updated the state flag.

Gale Metcalf of Kennewick is a lifelong Tri-Citian, retired Tri-City Herald employee and volunteer for the East Benton County History Museum. He writes the monthly history column.

Courtesy Washington Secretary of State Office

Meals on Wheels offers farmers market benefits for seniors

Mid-Columbia Meals on Wheels has kicked off its Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program to provide eligible lowincome seniors with vouchers to use at local certified farmers markets.

Eligible seniors can receive up to $80 in benefits.

Benefits are pre-loaded on to benefit cards with a QR code for scanning at the markets.

“The benefit program helps our seniors access fresh, diverse, healthy food while supporting our important local agricultural community,” said Cara Hernandez, director for Mid-Columbia Meals on Wheels, in a news release.

To ensure equity, seniors who are unable to access the markets themselves can appoint a trusted friend or family member to act as a proxy to shop on their behalf.

For an application to receive vouchers, call the Meals on Wheels office at 509-735-1911 or email admin@seniorliferesources. org.

Applications also are available online at seniorliferesources.org.

Mid-Columbia Meals on Wheels is a program of Senior Life Resources Northwest, a nonprofit committed to helping seniors retain their independence.

Commissioners to hold more meetings in Kennewick

Benton County commissioners plan to begin meeting once a month in Kennewick, rather than holding almost all of their weekly business meetings at the county seat in Prosser.

The change, which is expected to start around July, follows a new state law granting counties greater flexibility in where to hold commissioner meetings. The law was sponsored by state Sen. Perry Dozier and state Reps. Stephanie Barnard, April Connors and Skyler Rude.

Commissioner meetings currently are held at 9 a.m. on Tuesdays at the Benton County Courthouse in Prosser and videocast to the county administration building in Kennewick.

People also can watch the meetings online.

MEALS ON WHEELS MENU

Mid-Columbia Meals on Wheels senior dining sites serve hot meals from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday (Tuesday through Friday in Connell). Meals are free for seniors age 60 and older.

Seniors must make reservations 24 business hours in advance by calling 509-735-1911.

Tuesday, June 6: Meatloaf with gravy, mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables.

Wednesday, June 7: Tuna noodle casserole, lyonnaise carrots, cherry oat bar.

Thursday, June 8: Hamburger, baked beans, apple cabbage slaw lettuce, tomato, onion.

Friday, June 9: Chicken Caesar salad, breadstick, cottage cheese and pineapple.

Monday, June 12: Chickpea and rice bake, peas and carrots.

Tuesday, June 13: Chicken pot pie, cauliflower and red peppers.

Wednesday, June 14: Macaroni and cheese, sausage patty, garden mix vegetables, tossed salad.

Thursday, June 15: Roast beef with gravy, mashed potatoes, Italian vegetables, wheat roll, ice cream.

Friday, June 16: Turkey and rice casserole garden vegetables tossed salad.

Monday, June 19: Pulled pork sandwich, baked beans, corn, strawberry ice cream.

Tuesday, June 20: Swedish meatballs, egg noodles, broccoli.

Wednesday, June 21: Teriyaki

chicken, fluffy rice, Asian vegetables.

Thursday, June 22: Beef tacos, rice and beans, salsa and sour cream.

Friday, June 23: Chicken salad sandwich, pea and cheese salad.

Monday, June 26: Barbecue chicken, roasted carrots, potato salad, cornbread.

Tuesday, June 27: Beef stroganoff, garlic noodles, green beans.

Wednesday, June 28: Chef salad, ranch dressing, wheat roll, pineapple.

Thursday, June 29: Chicken enchiladas, Spanish rice, black beans, Mexican coleslaw.

Friday, June 30: Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes, brown gravy, broccoli, chocolate cake.

Dining site locations:

• Kennewick Community Center, 500 S. Auburn St.

• Pasco First Avenue Center, 505 N. First Ave.

• Pasco Ray Pfleuger Center, 253 W. Margaret St.

• Richland Community Center, 500 Amon Park Road North.

• Benton City Desert Rose Facility, 510 14th St.

• Prosser Senior Center, 1231 Dudley Ave.

• Connell Community Center, 211 E. Elm St.

• Meals on Wheels Cafe, 1834 Fowler St., Richland. No reservations required at this site.

Let’s celebrate forward progress on affordable housing legislation

The 2023 state legislative session was a year for advancing housing legislation. For more than a decade, AARP Washington has worked with housing advocates and legislators to reduce barriers to increase our housing supply and develop more affordable housing options. We are thrilled to report multiple wins in this arena, paving the way for more diverse housing options.

Measures passed this session promise to improve housing access and help older adults who may become more reliant on caregivers as they age. More housing options can help family members live with or near one another to support their loved ones. They also can help older adults have the care they need rather than being forced to spend down their assets to qualify for Medicaid.

“With a growing aging population, construction of a variety of housing options will become more important,” said Cathy MacCaul, AARP Washington advocacy director. “Currently we have thousands of older adults who are house rich but cash poor. Some would like to sell their home and buy something more affordable or accessible in their community but in most cases that type of housing does not exist.”

House Bill 1337, sponsored by Rep. Mia Gregerson, D-SeaTac, and Rep. Andrew Barkis, R-Chehalis, approaches the housing crisis by reducing regulatory barriers to building accessory dwelling units, also called ADUs, granny cottages or mother-in-law apartments. ADUs can fill many roles, like providing a place for an aging parent to live instead of a nursing home.

House Bill 1110, sponsored by Rep. Jessica Bateman, D-Olympia, and Rep. Andrew Barkis, R-Chehalis, will authorize mid-sized housing in cities with a population of 25,000 or more. Housing options like duplexes, fourplexes and cottage

courts, groups of small structures arranged around shared courtyards, can serve a broader range of people and families.

Both measures will allow for housing that is more affordable to various income levels and is critical to achieving the state’s housing goals. They are common-sense, costeffective approaches that will make good use of existing property throughout the state while easing the housing crisis.

“We’re experiencing a severe housing supply shortage and need more units,” said Rep. Andrew Barkis, R-Chehalis. “These bills create a new pathway for developers to cut through the red tape and begin to build increased density primarily around public transit, schools and parks to meet our housing needs. More housing options will increase competition and reduce both housing prices and rents, therefore helping our older population by striving to accommodate their unique needs.”

In addition to efforts to increase our housing supply, AARP fought for manufactured homeowners and their consumer rights. Manufactured homes provide a significant source of homeownership opportunities for Washington state residents.

Due to an increase in the number of closures and conversions, even these housing opportunities are in peril. Many tenants who reside in these parks and communities are senior citizens or from low-income households, who are already struggling to make ends meet.

Senate Bill 5198, sponsored by

Sen. Noel Frame, D-Seattle, protects the residents of manufactured home parks from displacement. The legislation requires two years’ notice before the closure of a manufactured home park and gives residents of the park a fair chance to purchase the park themselves.

Finally, House Bill 1355, sponsored by Rep. Sharon Wylie, D-Vancouver, expands access to property tax exemptions for senior citizens, disabled individuals and qualifying veterans by increasing the maximum income thresholds.

Eligibility to participate in the program is based on estimated county median household incomes.

Previous legislation only recalculated the median household estimate every five years. The new legislation

reduces that to every three years and requires the state Department of Revenue to conduct a statewide awareness campaign to let Washingtonians know about updates to the program.

AARP appreciates the legislative focus on housing during the 2023 legislative session and applauds a truly bipartisan effort to make it to this point in time.

Today, we celebrate the culmination of several years of challenging work and compromise to help older Washingtonians and their families choose their own housing options as they age.

Christina Clem is a communications analyst with AARP Washington.

Courtesy AARP Washington

AARP Washington set up an accessory dwelling unit, or ADU, at the state Capitol in Olympia in support of a housing bill aimed at reducing regulatory barriers to building them.

GUEST COLUMN

Christina Clem AARP

Pasco First Avenue Center

505 N. First Ave., Pasco 509-545-3459

pascoparksandrec.com

• Drop-in snooker: 9 a.m., Mondays-Fridays.

• Mexican train dominoes: 12:30 p.m. Mondays.

• Pinochle: 1:30 p.m. Tuesdays.

• China painting: 9 a.m. Wednesdays.

Keewaydin Community Center

500 S. Auburn St., Kennewick 509-585-4303 go2kennewick.com

• Bunco: 1-3 p.m. Fridays. Cost: $1 per day.

• Bridge: 12:30-4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Cost: $1 per day.

• Mahjong: 1-4 p.m. Wednesdays. Cost: $1 per day.

• Dominoes: 12:30-2 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays. Cost: $1 per day.

• Pinochle: 12:30-4 p.m. Wednesdays. Cost: $1 per day.

• Creative palette art: 9 a.m.-noon Tuesdays. Cost: $1 per day.

SENIOR ACTIVITIES

• Sewing: 1-4 p.m. Tuesdays. Cost: $1 per day.

• Woodcarving: 1-3 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m-noon p.m. Fridays. Cost: $1 per day. Bring supplies or borrow from the class.

• Billiards: Daily. $2 per day or $20 monthly pass.

Richland Community Center

500 Amon Park Drive, Richland 509-942-7529 ci.richland.wa.us

• Fitness room: 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Mondays-Fridays; 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturdays; noon-4 p.m. Sundays. Location: Fitness room. Cost: $2 per day or $8 per month.

• Billiards: Daily. $2 per day.

• Greeting card recycling: 1-3 a.m. Tuesdays. Cost: free.

• Pinochle: 6-8:30 p.m. Fridays. Location: game room.

Cost: $1.

• Party bridge: 8:30-11:30 a.m. Mondays and Wednesdays. Location: game room. Cost: $1.

• Contract duplicate bridge: 12:30-3:30 p.m. Tuesdays and 5:30-

8:30 p.m. Wednesdays. Location: game room.

• Table tennis: 6:30-8:45 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, 12:303:45 p.m. Sundays.

Prosser Senior Community Center

1231 Dudley Ave., Prosser 509-786-2915 cityofprosser.com

• Pool: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. MondaysFridays. Cost: free. Location: pool room, membership is required.

• Mahjong: 1-3 p.m. Tuesdays Location: living room, membership is required.

• Daytime bingo: 9 a.m. Wednesdays. Location: dining room Cost: 3 cards/$1.

• Evening bingo: First Friday of every month. 5 p.m. Cost: $10. Location: dining room.

• Foot care: Second Wednesday of each month: Appointments can be made by calling 509-790-1905.

• Pinochle: 1 p.m. Thursdays. Location: living room, membership is required.

• Crafts: 10 a.m. Tuesdays.

Register by calling 509-786-2915.

• Bunco/Game Night: Fourth Friday of month, 5 p.m. Location: dining room.

• Tai chi quan: 6 p.m. Mondays. Contact Kraig Stephens at 509-4301304.

• All-you-can-eat community breakfast: Last Sunday every month, 8-11:30 a.m. Location: dining room. Cost: Suggested donation $8 per person and $5 per child, 8 and under.

Bill Shane Senior Center 616 N. 60th, West Richland 509-967-2847

• Bunco potluck: 11:30 a.m., first Wednesday and third Friday of the month.

• Exercise: 9 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.

• Bingo: lunch starts at 12:30 p.m., game starts at 1 p.m., last Monday of the month.

• Sewing: 10 a.m., fourth Tuesday and fourth Wednesday of the month.

• Pinochle: noon, first and third Monday of the month.

• Painting: 1-3 p.m., every Saturday.

Just for Fun

Solutions on page 13

Word search - June

19 Grow

21 Faces

22 Type of conductor

23 --- Joe’s (classic gustatory exhortation)

24 Della ---, jazz and Gospel singer

26 Bit of a period

27 One of a famous septet

28 Has yet to settle 30 “Huh?”

33 Man from Dallas or Amarillo, perhaps

34 Successor to the U S S R

STR8TS

©

How to beat Str8ts –

How to beat Str8ts –

Like Sudoku, no single number 1 to 9 can repeat in any row or column. But... rows and columns are divided by black squares into compartments Each compartment must form a straighta set of numbers with no gaps but it can be in any order, eg [7,6,9,8]. Clues in black cells remove that number as an option in that row and column, and are not part of any straight. Glance at the solution to see how ‘straights’

Like Sudoku, no single number 1 to 9 can repeat in any row or column. But... rows and columns are divided by black squares into compartments Each compartment must form a straighta set of numbers with no gaps but it can be in any order, eg [7,6,9,8]. Clues in black cells remove that number as an option in that row and column, and are not part of any straight. Glance at the solution to see how ‘straights’ are formed.

Medium

How to beat Str8ts: No single number, 1 to 9, can repeat in any row or column. But rows and columns are divided by black squares into compartments. Each compartment must form a straight, a set of numbers with no gaps but it can be in any order, eg: 7, 6, 8, 9. Clues in black cells remove that number as an option in that row and column, and are not part of any straight.

Rules of Sudoku - To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 such that each row, column and 3x3 box contains ever number uniquely. For more strategies, hints and tips, visit www.sudokuwiki.org and www.str8ts.com.

©

To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 such that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely.

To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 such that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely.

© 2023

For many strategies, hints and tips, visit www.sudokuwiki.org for Sudoku and www.str8ts.com for Str8ts.

For many strategies, hints and tips, visit www.sudokuwiki.org for Sudoku and www.str8ts.com for Str8ts.

If you like Str8ts and other puzzles, check out our books, iPhone/iPad Apps and much more on our store.

June 4: Patent for the ATM is granted to Don Wetzel, Tom Barnes and George Chastain. June 10 : NASA launches Radio Astronomy Explorer 49 into lunar orbit. June

If you like Str8ts and other puzzles, check out our books, iPhone/iPad Apps and much more on our store.

Quiz answer from Page 1

The Yakima.

— Source: Franklin County Historic Society and Museum

Find the words in the grid. When you are done, the unused letters in the grid will spell out a hidden message. Pick them out from left to right, top line to bottom line. Words can go horizontally, vertically and diagonally in all eight directions.

• 6:30 p.m. June 19, Richland Public Library, 955 Northgate Drive, Road to Valor by Aili and Andres McConnon. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid is the July 17 book.

The group typically meets the third Monday of the month.

Contact: Sue Spencer, sue_ spencer_england@hotmail.com or 509-572-4295.

• 1 p.m. June 21, MidColumbia Libraries, Pasco branch, 1320 W. Hopkins St., Pasco, Facing the Mountain: An Inspiring Story of Japanese American Patriots in World War II by Daniel James Brown. A River Lost: The Life and Death of the Columbia River by Blaine Harden is the July 19 book.

The group typically meets the third Wednesday of the month.

Contact Susan Koenig at 509302-9878 or SMKoenig@ymail. com.

• 1:30 p.m. June 15, Richland Public Library, 955 Northgate Drive. Books for next year will be chosen. The group typically meets the third Thursday of the month but takes summers off. Contact: Evelyn Painter, ec_ painter@yahoo.com or 509420-4811.

• 7 p.m. the first Friday of the month, Caterpillar Café at Adventures Underground, 227 Symons St., Richland. Contact Sarah at 509-946-9893 for upcoming titles.

To add your book club to this list, email details to info@tcjournal.biz.

Lonely? The Surgeon General says you’re not alone

The U.S. Surgeon General’s advisory on loneliness came as little surprise to Patrick Raue, clinical psychologist at the University of Washington School of Medicine, who studies loneliness in older adults.

In a study whose preliminary results have not been published, Raue and colleagues found that 20% of survey respondents who attend senior centers or live in senior public housing report symptoms consistent with diagnoses of depression and/or anxiety in unpublished research, according to UW.

That’s about three times the national average, compared with community-dwelling older adults. An additional 30% report experiencing milder symptoms of anxiety or depression, or loneliness.

“It’s tough because loneliness isn’t just about being objectively isolated or having little social contact,” said Raue, a professor in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health, in a statement. “It’s more of a subjective feeling of distress that you don’t have people to rely on.”

More people, regardless of age, are feeling this way, according to U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy’s advisory, which is a public statement that calls the American people’s attention to an urgent public health issue and provides recommendations for how it should be addressed.

Among his recommendations are to strengthen our own connections and relationships: Answer that call from a friend. Make time to share a meal. Listen without being distracted by your phone or the TV. Perform an act of service.

Veterans Therapeutic Court hits milestone

The Benton County Veterans Therapeutic Court celebrated the graduation of its 49th and 50th veterans on May 2 in a ceremony at the Benton County Justice Center.

The program is voluntary and aims to “transform the lives of justice-involved veterans by reframing the traditional legal process through treatment and mentorship,” its mission statement says. The program provides judicial accountability, supervision, structure, mentorship and

access to resources.

“I’m incredibly proud of the Veterans Court team. Through their support, 50 veterans have faced their demons and come out powerfully on the other side to resume their life of service to the country they love. It wasn’t easy, but these men and women are showing immense strength and courage and I am honored to be there to witness it,” said Benton County District Court Judge Dan Kathren, the program’s presiding judge, in a statement.

The program started in 2019 with six participants.

Veterans participate in mental health counseling, substance abuse treatment (if applicable), regular drug testing, community service, attend regular court appearances and are monitored closely. They’re also paired with a mentor through the Columbia Basin Veterans Center.

The program is paid for through the Benton County public safety sales tax.

Heartlinks uses Covid-19 grant to expand grief services

Heartlinks has received $60,000 from the Board of Yakima County commissioners through the Yakima County American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to provide more no-cost grief support services to the community, including in Benton County.

Heartlinks will use the funds to increase family recovery through grief support services.

In addition to supporting the salaries of its two part-time grief support specialists, Heartlinks will use the grant to fund additional grief support groups, development of a new Blooming Hearts children’s grief program, community education workshops, advanced care planning seminars and a free monthly grief-support e-newsletter.

Heartlinks hosts five free monthly grief support groups throughout Benton and Yakima counties. In Benton County, there are two grief support groups: the Tri-Cities group meets from 10:30-11:30 a.m. the fourth Tuesday of each month at the Richland Community Center; and the Prosser group meets from 1-2 p.m. every second Tuesday of the month at the Prosser Community Center.

Contact Heartlinks at 509-8371676, or go to HeartlinksHospice. org/Grief-Support.

Golf Universe to spread its swings with move to new Kennewick shop

By Jeff Morrow for Senior Times

High costs of maintaining an outdoor golf range, as well as the need to better serve customers, has forced Golf Universe to change its strategy.

Sun Pacific Energy, which owns Golf Universe at 6311 W. Clearwater Ave. in Kennewick, is moving the golf-focused shop about a mile away to 825 N. Edison St., across from Kamiakin High School, at the beginning of next year.

The plan means abandoning the location where it’s been for well over 20 years, as well as its 4-acre outdoor driving range and two mini golf courses.

But customers can expect exciting new changes at the new, bigger location, said Jarrod Franson, operations manager for Sun Pacific.

Golf Universe will embrace technology to better serve its customers and provide a wider selection of golf equipment at more competitive prices.

Franson also said there will be a bigger and better club repair shop inside the new store.

“All of this allows more one-onone time with the customer with an employee who is certified and trained,” said Franson, who expects the current number of employees (six) to remain the same at the new store.

Golf Universe’s 10-year lease agreement with Adams Enterprises expires on Dec. 31.

Adams Enterprises has not announced any public plans for the Clearwater Avenue property.

New development

Golf Universe will move into a $4.5 million development planned by Craig and Marilee Eerkes. Craig Eerkes has run Sun Pacific Energy, and before that Tri-City Oil, for the past 40 years.

The couple’s son, Chris Eerkes, is the company’s president.

Sun Pacific sold all of its Tri-City area Sun Mart stations about 10 years ago. It currently has a number of newer Sun Market franchises, which usually include Firehouse Subs restaurants.

Golf Universe will be the flagship store at the nearly 30,000-squarefoot shopping center that could be divided into nine suites.

The golf shop will occupy a large suite on one end, and Sun Pacific will look for as many as eight other tenants, possibly fewer if a tenant wants more than one suite.

Some of the suites will have a second story.

On the opposite end of the devel-

opment will be a suite with a drivethru window.

“We don’t have any future tenants yet,” Franson said.

There will be 122 parking stalls at the center, as well as a bus stop.

Devin Geisler of DKEI Professional Services is the project architect.

Shane O’Neill

Golf Universe’s plans

Advances have made golf technology a bigger priority to better serve golfers, Franson said. “Technology allows us to better fit people with their clubs with simula-

tors,” he said. “The needs of golfers being fitted for their clubs properly has become a priority.”

Store officials expect to have three indoor bays that will use TrackMan technology, which can show golfers where their golf shot would end up

of LCR Construction is the contractor.

Courtesy Sun Pacific Energy Golf Universe plans to move into a $4.5 million development at 825 N. Edison St. at the beginning of next year. The new location means the end of the outdoor driving range and mini golf courses, as the shop moves to embrace new technology to better serve its customers.

uGOLF UNIVERSE, Page 12

on a simulated golf course, as well as every statistic imaginable on their swing.

TrackMan simulators can cost upwards of $50,000 each.

“Obviously, the technology is huge in this. But those (simulators) are just for fittings and private lessons,” Franson said. “This allows us to get all the information we can for the individual golfer because everyone swings differently.”

Franson said the new shop will have 5,000 square feet of retail space, more than the current location.

It will still sell a wide array of golf brands, too.

“And we’re going to be more competitive with online pricing,” he said. “In the past, customers have come in to try out clubs, then they go online and find the club cheaper than we can sell. By reducing our expenses, it will allow us to be more competitive in our pricing.”

Ensuring future success

The changes are necessary to secure Golf Universe’s future success.

“The cost to run an outdoor driving range is extremely high,” Franson said. “The driving range is getting old, and it’s a high expense to run it. There are costs for gasoline,

mowers, staffing. The netting and the poles are expensive.”

The loss of the outdoor driving range will leave just one dedicated outdoor driving range in Eastern Washington: Tour Fairways Golf Range in Walla Walla.

Of course, almost all golf courses in the Tri-City region have outdoor driving ranges. And there are a handful of simulator golf shops in the Tri-Cities, like Divots Golf in Richland and X-Golf and Zintel Creek Golf Club in Kennewick.

What’s the fate of Golf Universe’s two 18-hole mini golf courses?

They may be going away unless someone comes in and buys them, Franson said. “We’re sad about the miniature golf courses,” he said.

But regular golf is Golf Universe’s main revenue stream, and sometimes change is necessary.

“We’re excited and nervous at the same time. It’s the way of the future for golf. And it provides the needs for our customers,” Franson said.

Search Golf Universe: 6311 W. Clearwater Ave., Kennewick; 509-7352900; golfuniversetc.com.

Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

GOLF UNIVERSE, From page 11

Veterans group takes aim at providing healing retreat near Prosser

By Sara Schilling sara@tcjournal.biz

When veterans leave the military for civilian life, it’s not always an easy transition. In fact, many struggle to fit in and relate to their families and friends back home.

“You speak a different language. You feel like a puzzle piece that doesn’t quite fit,” said Khris Beyer, an Army veteran. “You have such different experiences.”

But a Tri-Cities nonprofit is working to help smooth the way for veterans and their loved ones by opening a ranch retreat in Prosser full of outdoor activities, open spaces and opportunities to reconnect with one another, rebuild bonds and make memories.

The nonprofit, called Friends of Disabled Veterans, celebrated the first phase of the ranch with a ribbon cutting and open house on May 1. So far, an archery range and restrooms are completed at the site, and a lodge, playground and other features are envisioned in the future.

“We want to bring families together. We want them to come out and experience things together without the stress of battle,” said Beyer, senior operations director for the nonprofit.

“That’s a way you can rebuild bonds – by doing physical things together.”

Friends of Disabled Veterans started in 2016 and is run entirely by volunteers, many of whom are veterans. The group serves disabled and non-disabled veterans alike.

The ranch is on 140 acres off North Case Road. The first phase of the project included building a sewer system and restrooms at the site, plus completing the archery range.

A golf tournament fundraiser last year, presented by Toyota of Tri-Cities with Retter & Company | Sotheby’s International Realty, brought in

tens of thousands of dollars for the sewer and restrooms, with in-kind donations from local contractors, suppliers and volunteers bringing the project home. And a $50,000 grant from The Gesa Community Foundation paired with in-kind donations covered the ADA-accessible archery range and equipment for adults and kids.

The range can accommodate 10 archers at once.

Several attendees at the May 1 event, including U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse, had fun trying out the bows and arrows. In remarks to the crowd before he picked up a bow, Newhouse said the ranch will offer a valuable service for veterans in the region.

“In Central Washington, we have about 40,000 veterans. They were there for us when we needed them, and we’ve got to be there for them now,” he said, noting that there are between 22 and 44 deaths by suicide in the veteran community each day.

“If a facility like this can offer

any kind of comfort, support or distraction for people who are going through some pretty tough times... that’s priceless. It really is,” he said.

Trey Judy, 25, of Pasco, an Army veteran, also was on hand at the event.

He’s been volunteering at the ranch because he finds its mission

meaningful.

“As a veteran, I know that there are a lot of things – positive and negative – that veterans have to live with. Giving veterans and their families and friends things to do outdoors to help improve mental health or just to take the family out is going to be a huge help,” he said.

And, he added, “if (the place) looks impressive now, it’s only going to get better.”

The ribbon cutting and open house marked a soft opening of the ranch, with the official opening expected in June. Beyer said she’s hopeful the lodge could be built in the next year.

Along with Gesa, several companies donated materials, labor and/ or offered discounts for the sewer, restrooms and archery range, including: American Rock Products, Aqtera Engineering, Brashear Electric, Brown Strauss Steel, Columbia River Steel and Construction, Desert Food Mart, H.D. Fowler, Indian Eyes, Meier Architecture, Mountain States Construction, Operation Hat Trick, Permit Surveying, PMI, Rock Placing Company, Riggle Plumbing, The Truss Company, Ray Poland & Sons, Rodan and Son, and Routh Engineering.

Photo by Sara Schilling

The nonprofit Friends of Disabled Veterans held a ribbon cutting and open house on May 1 at its ranch, which includes an archery range and restrooms. Attendees were able to test their skills on the new range. Plans for the ranch include a lodge, playground and other features.

Roadway improvements in full swing across Tri-Cities

By Laura Kostad for Senior Times

Warm weather has returned and roadmaking equipment is fired up.

Engineers have been re-envisioning busy intersections and aging infrastructure to improve increased volume and safer walkability.

Here’s a city-by-city look at transportation projects underway around the region:

Kennewick

Utility work is underway at Steptoe Street and Gage Boulevard as crews prepare to add double left turn lanes as well as single lanes at all intersection approaches. The project is in cooperation with the city of Richland, which is responsible for land west of the intersection.

Heath Mellotte, design services manager at the city of Kennewick, said roads should be paved by November at a projected cost of just over $3 million.

Preparations also are being made at the intersection of Columbia Center Boulevard (CCB) and Deschutes Avenue to accommodate the future addition of a third northbound and southbound lane on the busy road that passes by Columbia Center mall.

It is uncertain if work will be completed this year. A right turn lane will be added for westbound traffic turning north from Deschutes onto CCB, as well as a roundabout at Colorado Street to the east to moderate the traffic flow. Mellotte said the estimated cost will be $1.6 million.

Pedestrian crossing improvements will continue this year with the addition of rectangular rapid flashing beacons, pedestrian refuge islands and pavement markings at numerous crossings across the city. Project cost is $855,000. Work was expected to begin this month after school lets out for summer.

Hot mix asphalt overlay will be

applied to 10th Avenue from Union Street to Highway 395, Canal Drive from CCB to Kellogg Street. The project cost is just over $1.95 million.

West Sixth Avenue from Dayton to Auburn streets, CCB from 10th to 20th avenues, South Rainier Street from Seventh to 27th avenues, the Bartleson Country Estates neighborhood and some streets between Ely and Rainier and 10th and 27th will receive chip seal coating between July 5-28 at a cost of $587,000.

More than 500 streetlights along Kennewick’s major arterials also will be retrofitted with LED lights at a cost of $363,000, replacing existing inductive sodium luminaries. Work begins this fall.

Pasco

Pasco’s Public Works Director Steve Worley said the much-anticipated $36.2 million Lewis Street overpass project should be wrapping up in August or September. The overpass replaces the outdated underpass

and will span the BNSF Railway yard and First Avenue and provide safer pedestrian amenities.

Second Avenue will join Oregon Avenue, which is to be overlaid this summer to Ainsworth at a cost of $3 million.

Court Street from Road 44 to Road 68 also will be overlaid, a $1.85 million project.

The third phase of the Argent Road corridor project begins this spring with completion expected by the end of the year. This final phase will cost more than $3.5 million and will include widening of the roadway between Road 36 and Saraceno Way, along with the addition of pedestrian and bike facilities.

Worley said the Sylvester Street safety improvement project will take the entire corridor of Sylvester Street from downtown all the way to the west and turn it into a pedestrian-friendly Complete Streets corridor which will include a pedestrian

bridge on Sylvester that will span Highway 395. The Complete Streets program aims to design streets to enable safe use and support mobility for all users. Those include people of all ages and abilities, regardless of whether they are traveling as drivers, freight vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists, public transportation riders, children, older individuals and those with disabilities.

The estimated project cost is $7.7 million.

Another big project on Pasco’s list is the addition of eastbound on- and off-ramps at the Broadmoor Boulevard and Road 100 interchange, which often backs up each evening across the Interstate 182 bridge over the Columbia River.

The revision will include a new loop ramp.

“People who want to go north will travel underneath the overpass for a right turn instead of a left turn and

uROADWORK, Page 15

File photo by Scott Butner Photography

Workers guide a concrete beam into place for Pasco’s $36.2 million Lewis Street overpass project, which is expected to be completed in August or September. The overpass replaces the outdated underpass and will span the BNSF Railway yard and First Avenue.

the existing traffic signal will be replaced with a roundabout,” Worley said, citing the Queensgate Avenue roundabouts in Richland at I-182 that improved congestion in that area.

He said the city is on the fence about pursuing the construction of a roundabout this year at Court Street and Road 68 with the concern that it might not be finished by winter.

Richland

A lot of work is going on behind the scenes for several projects that will move into the construction phase next year.

On the slate for this year will be completion of the longtime-coming Center Parkway North extension, which will connect the Kennewick road to Tapteal Drive in Richland, extending it across the Port of Bentonowned railroad tracks that run along the border of the two cities.

The project was delayed due to long lead times on some materials.

City of Richland Public Works Manager Pete Rogalsky said it should be complete by Aug. 31 at a projected cost of almost $7.6 million.

The Vantage Highway Pathway for bicyclists and pedestrians that currently runs north of Highway 240 between Hagen Road and Kingsgate Drive near Horn Rapids will be connected to Stevens Drive this summer, enabling navigation into the heart of the city.

The city of Richland said the $760,000 third phase of the project should be finished by fall.

The city’s Pavement Preservation program will continue this summer with a focus on resurfacing and repairing the south end of town using micro surfacing, slurry sealing and crack sealing, making accessibility improvements along the way. Stevens Drive also will be getting some attention.

Firm dates have not been sent out by the contractor, but the city will send out notifications once they are set. The budget allocation for these

annual projects is between $3 million and $3.5 million.

The Van Giesen and Highway 240 intersection also will see realignment, making it easier for traffic to cross.

West Richland

The biggest project on West Richland’s agenda is the replacement of a nearly 20-year-old single-lane roundabout with a traffic signal at the intersection of Bombing Range and Keene roads.

Asphalt and concrete started moving in April.

Julie West, capital projects manager for West Richland, said though it’s an uncommon switch, it is the right solution. Municipalities usually look for opportunities to implement roundabouts over traffic signals due to the lower maintenance required.

A double-lane roundabout with slip lanes was considered but the footprint would have been too large and required moving adjacent houses.

“Traffic comes in at one direction at (the intersection) depending on the peak hour. A roundabout blocks the flow of traffic when volume is high, but with a traffic light, we can modify and change timing of the signal over time,” she said.

The total project budget is a little over $3.5 million.

The city hopes to finish the project in September.

North 62nd Avenue from Van Giesen Street to Grosscup Boulevard will be overlaid this summer after the replacement of an aging water main, which will support future development of the Well No. 3 site near Tapteal Elementary School.

Pedestrian improvements are planned as well. The $1.16 million project is projected to be completed in July.

In ongoing preparation for the future rebuilding of Highway 224-Van Giesen Street, improvements to the highway corridor will begin this summer, with water and sewer main replacements expected to begin in July and wrap up in October, at a cost of

$2.36 million. WSDOT

For those commuting in and around the Tri-Cities, the Washington State Department of Transportation has several projects affecting local roadways and urges drivers to be patient and drive cautiously.

The $22.4 million Highway 395 and Ridgeline Drive underpass project crosses beneath 395 and the new interchange and will have on- and off-ramps, as well as an additional northbound 395 lane from Ridgeline to north of West Hildebrand Boulevard.

On the other side of town, work is underway on a single-lane roundabout at the intersection of highways 240 and 225 and Highway 10 at the entrance to Hanford.

There will be single-lane closures from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, controlled using a temporary traffic light and automated flagger.

Jackie Ramirez, who handles WSDOT communications for the South Central Region – Tri-Cities, said WSDOT hopes to have the $2 million project finished by the end of June or early July.

In Pasco, WSDOT expects to complete a noise barrier wall project started last year between Flamingo Mobile Home Park and 395 by the blue bridge.

The Pioneer Memorial Bridge, the official name for the blue bridge, also will be getting some more attention this summer as contractors complete a painting job started a few years ago. This last phase involves stripping and painting the top portion of the bridge.

Work is set to begin after July 4 and conclude in summer 2025. There is potential for single-lane closures throughout the process, so WSDOT recommends drivers check for advisories and plan alternate routes to avoid delays.

“It will still be a blue bridge,” Ramirez said. “Painting helps to maintain the structure. The current paint is now chipping, which deteriorates the structure.” Total project cost is projected at $33 million.

Commuters traveling between Walla Walla and the Tri-Cities will see the opening of a new four-lane section of Highway 12 east between Frenchtown and Walla Walla.

The cost of the project is $22 million. Ramirez said the old highway section will be given back to Walla Walla County and will become an alternate route.

Those traveling to and from Umatilla, Oregon, also will encounter bridge work on the Interstate 82 bridge over the Columbia River. Work, which starts this fall, includes painting the underside of the bridge and repairing joints on the bridge deck.

Eastbound traffic will shift to the westbound lanes. Work will wrap up in fall 2025. The work is projected to cost $20 million.

Visitors to Hermiston will pass through a construction zone as North First Place is in the process of being rebuilt between Hermiston and Elm avenues. The $4.5 million project will include significant roadway, walkway and utility upgrades.

Pasco School District leads charge to support electric bus fleet

By Sara Schilling sara@tcjournal.biz

A Tri-Cities area school district is planning to add three electric buses to its fleet next school year.

And the Pasco School District isn’t stopping there. As grant money becomes available, the district may add even more electric buses in the future – a step officials say would mean both cost savings and environmental benefits. The district is putting infrastructure in place for 20 electric buses.

“It’s exciting. It’s the next generation. (The world) is moving in this direction. We were fortunate to get a grant so we can try it ourselves,” said Raúl Sital, assistant superintendent of operations and supports.

The district is using about $1.2 million in grant money from the state Department of Ecology to buy the buses and install the infrastructure needed to operate them, including charging stations.

The Pasco district is one of several around Washington investing in electric buses thanks to state or federal grants. Pasco officials believe their district will be the first in the Tri-Cities with electric buses.

The three buses will come online in the 2023-24 school year. They’ll cost an estimated 17 cents per mile, compared

to the 68 cents a mile for diesel buses, officials said.

Students won’t notice any difference between riding on the electric versus diesel buses, they said.

The electric buses will be able to travel about 120 miles on a charge, and the district’s longest route is 70 miles. So, the electric buses will charge midday, between the morning and afternoon routes. The drivers and mechanics who’ll work on the electric buses will go through additional training this summer.

The charging stations and other infrastructure is going in at the district’s new Richard L. Lenhart Transportation Center, which is named for the Pasco School District bus driver who was fa-

tally stabbed while on duty in September 2021.

The $10 million facility at 3410 Stearman Ave. was paid for with $3 million from a voter-approved bond in 2017, plus money from the state. It will serve the district’s 170 buses and 130 support vehicles.

The Pasco and Finley school districts also recently formed a transportation co-op, so Finley’s school buses also will be worked on at the facility. Finley previously outsourced vehicle maintenance.

The new two-story, 29,000-squarefoot transportation center has nine shop bays, plus staff offices and training, conference and meetings rooms and more. The transportation department

has been working out of portables, with the shop housed in a cramped building that dates back several decades.

Mechanics have often had to work on vehicles outside in the extreme cold or heat, depending on the time of year, because of the limited space in the existing shop.

“On a nice day, fine. But when you have to be outside in the snow and the bus needs to be fixed – they do it and it gets done, but (it’s not ideal),” Sital said. “This will be more efficient and safer.”

Plus “we’re set for growth” with the new facility, said Ronald Sanchez, transportation supervisor.

The district purchased its electric buses from Schetky Bus & Van Sales in Pasco.

Pasco School District is the largest district in the Tri-Cities with more than 19,000 students, and it transports more than 9,000 students a day on its buses, not including sports and field trips.

The new transportation center and the electric buses will bring efficiencies that will allow the district to continue to be good stewards, Sital said – “good stewards of the environment, good stewards for the community and good stewards of the funding our community provides,” he said.

Photo by Sara Schilling

From left, John Weatherby, capital projects manager, Ronald Sanchez, transportation supervisor, and Raúl Sital, assistant superintendent of operations and supports, stand before a row of buses at the Pasco School District’s new Richard L. Lenhart Transportation Center at 3410 Stearman Ave.