IsoRay revenues fall
IsoRay’s revenues fell about 23 percent for the quarter ending March 31.
According to SEC filings, the drop was due to weak sales of the Richland company’s Cesium-131 brachytherapy seeds, which are used to treat prostate cancer, and lower average invoice prices. Sales during the first quarters were reached $1.36 million, compared to $1.78 million during the same quarter last year.
Richland Parks loaning life jackets to park users
The Richland Parks & Recreation Department is making summer safer for river users by loaning life jackets. Through Labor Day, loaner life jackets will be available at Howard Amon and Leslie Groves parks.
Self-checkout stations are the south of the Lee Boulevard turnaround in Howard Amon Park and near the swimming area at Leslie Groves Park.
Each station has 10 jackets available in baby, children and adult sizes. Park visitors may borrow the life jackets for all or part of a day and return them to the checkout station before returning home.
Life jackets, including those designed for water sports, are also available at the Richland Community Center, at the edge of Howard Amon Park.
TC Regional Chamber schedules Golf Classic
The Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce’s 19th Annual Golf Classic will be Aug. 18 at Columbia Point Golf Course.
The annual fundraising event includes two flights. The morning flight begins at 8 a.m., with registration at 7 a.m. and the afternoon flight starts at 1:30 p.m., with registration at 12:30 p.m. Lunch is available from noon to 1:30 p.m. The cost to participate in the morning session is $125 for single golfers or $500 for a foursome, which includes lunch, cart and dinner. The cost to participate in the afternoon session is $150 for single golfers for $600 for a foursome. It also includes lunch, cart and dinner.
The awards ceremony and dinner is at 6 p.m. at Anthony’s Banquet and Event Center. Cost for the dinner only is $30. The golf tournament is one of the Chamber’s primary fundraising events. It helps the Chamber pay for business advocacy, member networking, educational seminars and small business resources.
Sponsorship packages are also available and range in price from $300 to $2,500. For more information or to register, contact the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce at 736-0510 or go to www.tricityregionalchamber.com.
State unemployment rate stable in April
Washington’s unemployment rate did not rise in April — the first time in more than a year the rate has not had a month-to-month increase.
The seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for April was about 9.1 percent. The last time the rate stayed the same from month to month was December 2007 to January 2008.
The state lost 116,100 jobs from April 2008 to April 2009, a 3.9 percent decrease and about 43 percent of the losses have occurred since January. Nationally, employment declined by 3.8 percent over the year. An estimated 322,219 Washington residents were unemployed and looking for work in April. About 217,065 of those were receiving unemployment benefits. The unemployment rate in Benton and Franklin counties dropped by .7 percent from March to April to 7.9 percent
New nonprofit to focus on sustainability
A new nonprofit group has been organized to help businesses, governments, schools and individuals focus on sustainability.
The Confluence Community Action Network, of CCAN, stemmed from the e3 Washington Education, Environment and Economy summit that took place in February. More than 150 people from across the community met and began developing a vision for more sustainable Benton, Franklin and Walla Walla counties.
CCAN has grouped local e3 goals into three pillars for action: individual and community sustainability; business and organizational sustainability; and school-based sustainability and environmental stewardship.
“There are a lot of individuals or groups in the area working on one or more of these issues. Often they don’t know others have complementary goals,” said Ginger Wireman, CCAN president. Wireman said CCAN wants to help the organizations work together and leverage funding and effort into success. This year the nonprofit will focus on building a directory of community gardens.
For more information, go to www.ccando.org.
Dust Devils plan Stitch ‘n’ Pitch night Aug. 22
Knitty Gritty Yarn and the Tri-City Dust Devils will mix baseball and needle arts during its Stitch ‘n’ Pitch night Aug. 22.
Baseball fans who like to knit, crochet, embroider, cross-stitch or do needlepoint are invited to work on their projects while they enjoy a game. The event is celebrated at more than 20 major league baseball parks.
Tickets are available at Knitty Gritty Yard at 1341-B George Washington Way at the Uptown Shopping Center June 1.
For more information call 942-7295.
New tax incentives could benefit small businesses
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 gives a number of tax incentives for businesses.
The new law extends a 50 percent special depreciation allowance available for 2008 acquisitions to acquisitions of qualifying property in 2009.
Corporations that acquire eligible business property put in service in 2009 have an additional year to accelerate certain tax credits in lieu of a bonus depreciation deduction.
And during 2009, small businesses can elect to expense up to $250,000 of the cost of qualifying property. Without the new law, the limit would have dropped to $133,000. The existing $25,000 limit still applies to sports utility vehicles. In addition, many small businesses that had expenses that exceeded their income in 2008 can carry the loss back for up to five years, instead of the usual two. For small businesses that were profitable in the past but lost money in 2008, which could result in a special tax refund.
Most of the tax incentives for businesses are found in Subtitle C of Division B, Title I of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
For more information, go to www.irs.gov.
Liberty Christian students take top honors
Liberty Christian School students took first place in the ACSI Northwest District Math League’s pre-algebra, algebra 1, geometry and calculus divisions. The school earned second place in pre-calculus and fourth place in algebra II in the league, which includes eight schools.
Based on the results, Liberty Christian School qualified to compete in the national ACSI competition and earned fourth place for Algebra I and calculus and fifth place for geometry and pre-algebra.
Teens can volunteer to get into shape
Local teens can earn free membership to the Tri-City Court Club this summer by volunteering.
The Volunteer Center and the Tri-City Court Club have partnered to offer the special program, available to youth ages 14 through 17. For eight hours of volunteer work through the Volunteer Center, teens can join a new summer program at the health club. Or the teens can join the club for $50, which will be donated to the American Diabetes Association. The special Tri-City Court Club membership includes a fitness orientation, nutrition consultation and access to the club from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and all day Friday and Saturday.
To volunteer, call Melody Friday at the Volunteer Center, 582-0631.
WSU Tri-Cities offers summer camps for kids
Washington State University Tri-Cities is offering a series of summer science camps for kids who will enter kindergarten through fifth grade in the fall. The four camp themes are offered twice throughout the summer and the weeklong sessions include hands-on activities and curriculum taught by certified teachers.
Each camp is held at WSU Tri-Cities in the Consolidated Information Center, 2700 University Dr., Richland. Full-day programs are from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and half-day campers attend 8:30 a.m. to noon.
Registrations received before May 15 receive discounted rates of $149 for half-day and $229 for full-day camps. The cost for registration after May 15 is $169 for half-day camps and $259 for full-day camps. A limited number of scholarships are available thanks to donations from Fluor and Key Bank.
Space is limited and most camps sell out.
The 2009 Summer Science Camp
schedule is: Fabulous Physic Challenge, June 22-26 and July 20-24. Space and Rocketry, June 29 – July 3 and July 27 – 31. Family members are invited to rocket launches July 3 and July 31. Powerful Planet, July 6 – 10 and Aug. 3 – 7. Become an eco-expert. Gizmo’s Robot Factory, July 13 – 17 and Aug. 10 – 14.
Additional details, downloadable forms and online registration with a credit card are available at www.tricity.wsu.edu/summersciencecamp.
CBC faces budget cuts
Columbia Basin College will reduce its 2010 operations budget by $3.4 million and its capital budget by $16.7 million.
The budget cuts will reduce enrollment at the college by up to 1,000 full time students. In addition, the college will cut 55 staff and faculty positions. The total cut is about 14 percent of CBC’s state allocation for its operating budget for fiscal year 2010, which begins July 1.
Program cuts include the loss of the CBC Autobody, Paralegal, Human Services and daytime Fire Science programs. The programs will remain open next year for first year students who choose to continue into their second year. The Fire Science program will continue its evening program unchanged. Major reductions are also being made in Adult Basic Education, GED and English as a Second Language programs.
In addition, CBC’s administrative services department is being trimmed by $1.7 million.
Of the 55 positions being eliminated, nine are full-time faculty, 27 are full-time staff positions and 19 are part-time positions.
Columbia Generating Station being refueled
Columbia Generating Station, the Northwest’s only nuclear power plant, has been shut down for its scheduled biennial refueling.
The 1,150-megawatt plant is tentatively scheduled to restart and reconnect to the Northwest power grid in mid-June, following the completion of the refueling operation and plant maintenance.
The outage coincides with spring time snow melt and runoff that maximizes power output from the region’s hydroelectric system and minimizes the impact of taking the nuclear station offline.
Work crews will replace about a third of the 764 fuel assemblies in the reactor core during the outage. Other work includes the repair, refurbishment and replacement of numerous pumps, valves, motors and other components to ensure the plant is ready for its next two-year operating cycle.
The Columbia Generating Station generates enough electricity to serve about 1.5 million homes and more than 10 percent of the power supplied to the region by the Bonneville Power Administration. The nuclear power station uses a boiling water reactor to produce steam that spins the turbine generator to make electricity. The primary emission from the plant is water vapor seen as a large steam plume over the plant’s cooling towers, especially on cold, dry days.
ARC of the Tri-Cities seeks camp volunteers
The ARC of the Tri-Cities is seeking volunteers for its summer day camp, Partners N Pals.
Volunteers are the heart of the Partners N Pals program, providing friendship, acceptance and fun. Most of all they fill a vital need in offering kids with development disabilities the ability to participate in a summer camp experience. Volunteers must: be committed to helping kids with developmental disabilities; be a positive mentor and role model; be ages 11 and older, make a minimum one-week commitment; pass a Washington State Patrol background check; complete the volunteer packet; and attend Partners N Pals volunteer training.
For more information, contact Donna Tracy, program manager, at 946-5157 ext. 2.
New Web site connects local social media users
BrightWeb Marketing has launched a new Web site dedicated to local social media enthusiasts.
TweetTriCities.com is a portal to share information about coming social media gathering, training courses and blogs from people in our region with information about the tools used in social media to help increase your knowledge.
Future plans include having local and national speakers talk about the various uses of social media for businesses and individuals.
The word “tweet” refers to the action of using the social medial tool Twitter to send information to others to view.
Those who would like to submit articles for review can e-mail them to craig@brightwebmarketing.com or call 783-9558 and ask for the sales department for more information.
Small business loans available
The U.S. Small Business Administration has loans available for small business owners who are finding it difficult to pay expenses during these tough economic times.
The SBA’s America’s Recovery Capital Loan Program can provide up to $35,000 in short-term relief for viable small businesses facing immediate financial hardship to help ride out the current uncertain economic times and return to profitability. Each small business is limited to one ARC loan. ARC loans are offered by some SBA lenders for as long as funding is available or until Sept. 30, 2010, whichever comes first.
For more information, go to www.sba.gov.
Projects sought for Make A Difference Day
The Mid-Columbia Make a Difference Committee is launching a local Make A Difference Day as part of the national day of doing good. On Oct. 24th, area volunteers get together and work to make the community a better place. The committee is looking for creative and deserving projects. Projects can range from park cleaning or building a playground, to school or recreation facility repairs.
To submit ideas, go to www.mackaysposito.com or e-mail makeadifference@mackaysposito.com. The deadline for project nominations is July 1. The committee will choose its project by mid-July and begin recruiting volunteers and sponsors for the event.
Those interested in sponsoring or volunteering or who would like more information may contact Hollie Logan at MacKay and Sposito Inc. at (509) 374-4248 or Gretchen Beck of Newland Communities at 734-2617.
AREVA’s operating license renewed
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a 40-year operating license renewal to AREVA’s fuel fabrication facility in Richland.
This is the first time a renewal of this duration has been granted following the Commission’s decision in 2006 to extend the maximum license term from 20 years up to 40.
The license includes safety programs for special nuclear materials handling processing, including criticality safety, fire protection and emergency preparedness. The Richland facility fabricates uranium fuel for pressurized and boiling water reactors and creates new fuel design.
Energy Northwest gets funding
Energy Northwest will receive $100,000 for its project, “20 Percent Wind by 2030: Overcoming the Challenges,” from the U.S. Department of Energy. The funding is part of $8.5 million that is being distributed to 53 organizations to address wind energy challenges.
Molly Barker to speak
Molly Barker, founder of the Girls on the Run program, will be the featured speaker at the Women Helping Women Fund — Tri-Cities luncheon Oct. 26. The luncheon will be noon to 1:15 p.m. at TRAC in Pasco.
For more information, go to www.whwftc.org.
Tri-Cities Cancer Center offers Tobacco Seminar
The Tri-Cities Cancer Center is offering a 1 1/2-hour tobacco seminar to help smokers kick the habit. The seminar will discuss why smokers use tobacco and how they can identify triggers and combat them; how to use nicotine replacement products effectively; and how to get good support.
Classes are scheduled for 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. July 14 and 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Aug. 13.
For more information or to register call 737-3420.
PocketiNet launches new wireless technology
PocketiNet of Walla Walla is launching its WiMAX Technology, which is Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, in the Tri-Cities. WiMAX is a new wireless telecommunications technology that enhances outdoor wireless data access. The company will provide fixed WiMAX designed for high-speed data for business and high-end residential users rather than mobile broadband.
For more information, contact Todd Brandenburg at (509) 526-5026.
White Bluff Center offers kids summer programs
The White Bluffs Center’s Summer 2009 Children’s Fiber Arts Program will be June 16 to Aug. 11. Classes are being offered in machine and hand sewing, basketry, crochet, felting, flower pounding, knitting, kumihimo and spinning. Most classes are limited to six students. A list of classes, dates, recommended ages, registration forms and class samples is available at the Center at 4034D W. Van Giesen in West Richland.
For more information call 727-7050 or e-mail info@whitebluffscenter.org.
Exhibitor guides available
Exhibitor guides for the 2009 Benton Franklin Fair are available at area feed stores, libraries and at the fair office. This year, fair officials have included an interactive online guide that makes viewing the book easy and cuts down on waste. The online guide includes all the information you need to enter anything from photographs to cattle to canned peaches in the fair. Entry and application deadlines for camping and passes are approaching.
The 2009 Benton Franklin Fair is Aug. 25 – 29. A Gran Jaripeo, featuring bull riding and Hispanic music will be Aug. 30.
For more information or to view the online guide, go to www.bffairrodeo.com or call 586-9211 ext. 204.
Retirement course offered
A two-part course at Washington State University Tri-Cities can help you plan for retirement.
Todd Halterman, a securities and investment advisor and president of Pacific Crest Planning in Kennewick, will teach the class, called “Retirement Planning Today,” which is designed for adults 50 to 70.
Attendees will learn how to determine how much money they need to retire, create goals for a successful retirement, eliminate debt, improve cash flow, properly convert an IRA to a Roth IRA, and select a retirement plan distribution. The course will also help individuals learn how to plan retirement income that preserves a comfortable standard of living, transfer the risk of potential financial losses before or during retirement, and reduce or eliminate taxes, expenses, delays and legal challenges with estate planning.
The two-day course costs $69 and each attendee may bring a spouse or guest at no additional charge, although only one workbook is provided with tuition.
The course will be from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. June 16 and June 23 at WSU Tri-Cities in Room 216 of the Consolidated Information Center at 2770 University Dr. in Richland.
Advance registration and payment is required and seating is limited. Register by calling WSU Tri-Cities at 372-7606 or visit www.tricity.wsu.edu/retirementplanning to register online.
Washington Closure awards subcontract
Washington Closure Hanford has awarded a subcontract worth up to $4.4 million to Northwind Inc., a woman-owned small business based in Idaho Falls, Idaho.
Northwind will perform nonintrusive characterization at Hanford’s 618-10 Burial Ground. Funds for the work come from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to create jobs and accelerate environmental cleanup at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hanford site.
Lourdes Auxiliary seeks volunteers for clinics
Lourdes Health Network’s Auxiliary is looking for volunteers interested in serving in a faith-based environment and making a difference in the lives of patients and their families.
With the opening of the new Lourdes West Pasco facility on Road 68 and the addition of Lourdes Kania Clinic, there are more volunteer opportunities than ever.
Those interested should call Donna Hopkins, Lourdes volunteer manager, at 546-2301 or go to www.lourdeshealth#.net.
Dade Moeller’s radiation safety course accredited
The Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programs has reviewed and accredited Dade Moeller & Associate’s Medical Radiation Safety Officer Course. Qualified medical physicists who participate in the course earn 40 Medical Physics Continuing Education Credits. Dade Moeller of Richland is a consulting firm that specializes in radiological and nuclear safety, public and environmental health protection, occupational safety and health and safety training.
For more information, call Paula Tumlinson at 946-0410 ext. 283.
Exhibitor registration opens for SmartMap Expo
The Tri-City Development Council is accepting applications for vendors at its annual SmartMap Expo. The Expo, which showcases the area’s growing manufacturing industry, is being sponsored by Gesa Credit Union.
It will be Oct. 1 at TRAC in Pasco. Booth space is available for $400 for a 10-foot by 10-foot space.
Register online at www.tridec.org or for more information call Gary White at 735-1000.
Programs created to help tech commercialization
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is one of eight research institutions partnering with a Bellevue venture development firm to create collaborative programs to drive the identification, assessment and subsequent commercialization of high potential innovations.
The University Funds has started a unique company that will help commercialize intellectual property by combining the entrepreneurial leadership and management capabilities of a startup business accelerator or with a planned venture capital fund to drive commercialization of intellectual property developed at research institutions.
Other organizations participating include Washington State University and the University of Washington, as well as universities from Oregon, Idaho, Arizona and Utah.
For more information call Jim Torina at (949) 697-4483.
PNNL technology used to create energy from waste
Technology from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and its partner, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will be used to turn waste into energy.
A joint venture call S4 Energy Solutions is a partnership between Waste Management and InEnTec to use plasma gasification technology to build distributed energy systems using separated industrial waste as a feedstock, because it will be cleaner than incinerators. The gasification technology was originally developed in the 1990s at PNNL with MIT. The company has numerous applications for the technology planned, including designing systems that can turn medical waste into electricity at hospitals.
Energy Northwest pays $3.56 million in taxes
Energy Northwest paid about $3.56 million in privilege taxes to the state in June. The annual tax is levied on public power electricity producers for the privilege of generating electricity in the state. The public power agency generated 9.91 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity in 2008 at its four generating facilities: Columbia Generating Station, Nine Canyon Wind Project, Packwood Lake Hydroelectric Project and White Bluffs Solar Station.
Columbia Generating Station produced about 97 percent of the total power generated.
WBBA and Sirti partner
The Washington Biotechnology and Biomedical Association and Sirti have partnered to help stimulate growth of the life science industry in Eastern Washington. As part of the collaboration, the WBBA will open a satellite office in Sirti’s Spokane offices.
The partnership is designed to provide a central location to facilitate the translation of innovative technology into new life science products and start-ups, support member organizations and produce WBBA’s popular business development events. The WBBA is a nonprofit association of more than 450 life science companies, universities, academic institutions and other working together to provide better health. Sirti is a Washington State agency that collaborates with business, higher education and government to accelerate the development and growth of technology and biomedical companies in Eastern Washington.
For more information, call Tim Yeadon at (206) 732-6711 or Linda Hemingway at (509) 358-2031.
Lourdes to close kids inpatient services
Lourdes Counseling Center’s children’s inpatient unit will stop serving patients July 31. The adult inpatient unit will continue to serve with uninterrupted services. Lourdes Health Network officials said new programs added to children’s mental health services have dramatically decreased inpatient admissions.
Two new regional programs have been added in the past year that offer referrals to an intensive outpatient program and a 16-bed evaluation and treatment center for children.
Barbara Mead, vice president of Lourdes Behavioral Health Physician Clinics said the Lourdes children’s inpatient unit serves an average of three patients a day.
CREHST exhibits WWII posters and memorabilia
The Columbia River Exhibition of History, Science and Technology will feature photographs and war posters produced from 1941 to 1945 through July 6. Special programs will be scheduled during the exhibition to include a lecture series. Posters and WWII memorabilia can be viewed during regular business hours, which are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $4 for adults and $3 for seniors and students.
For more information, go to www.crehst.org or call 943-9000.
Tri-City Dust Devil single game tickets available
Tri-City Dust Devils individual game tickets are now available at the Dust Devils’ new office in front of the gates at Gesa Stadium.
The office is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Opening night at Gesa Stadium is June 23, when the Dust Devils face the Vancouver Canadians.
Ticket prices are $9 for lower box, $8 for upper box and $6 for general admission. General admission tickets for seniors, children 12 and under and military members are $5.
Tickets are also available online at www.dustdevilsbaseball.com or www.ticketswest.com, or by calling 544-8789.
Rivershore Enhancement Council recognized
The Tri-Cities Rivershore Enhancement Council was presented with one of Gov. Chris Gregoire’s 2009 Smart Communities Awards for creating livable communities.
The council was given the award for its work on the Sacagawea Heritage Trail.
The Tri-Cities Enhancement Council is a program of the Tri-Cities Visitor & Convention Bureau, featuring multi-jurisdictional representation from the Port of Benton, Port of Kennewick, Port of Pasco, Benton and Franklin counties, the cities of Kennewick, Pasco and Richland, and is sponsored by Bechtel National Inc.
EDA & YVCC offer workshops
Yakima County Community College and the Prosser Economic Development Association are offering two marketing workshops June 18.
Workshop one, called Long Term Marketing for Long Term Profits, will be from 8:30 a.m. to noon. It will provide information and strategies to market and grow your company.
The second workshop, to be held from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., is called “Long Term Winery Customers equal Long Term Sales.”
Elizabeth Slater, who teaches wine marketing, consumer direct wine sales and marketing and wine public relations at Santa Rosa Junior College in Sonoma County, Calif. will teach both classes.
For more information call (509) 882-7007 or e-mail Trent Ball at tball@yvcc.edu.
Community Cafés created to help support families
Funding from the United Way has allowed local nonprofits to start two Community Café series.
The goal of the parent-hosted gatherings is to build leadership and partnership among parents so they can raise thriving children. Each Community Café consists of a series of six scheduled meetings. Catholic Family and Child Services is the lead organization for the Pasco Community Café and the Benton-Franklin Substance Abuse Coalition is leading the Kennewick Community Café. More series are being planned. Each gathering starts with a meal and as the children are engaged in supervised activities close by, parents learn and discuss important factors that help their children and family thrive.
For more information about the Pasco Community Café, call Maureen McGrath at 545-6145. For information about the Kennewick Community Café, call Peggy Haecker at 783-3180.
Ki-Be Middle School wins recycling contest
Students at Ki-Be Middle School in Benton City collected an average of 45 pounds of aluminum cans per students during a recycling contest sponsored by Pacific Recycling in Kennewick and Basin Recycling in Pasco.
The students earned $400 for their efforts. County Christian School got second place, collecting 11.3 pounds per student and earning $300. Other top schools included Bethlehem Lutheran School and Lewis and Clark Elementary School.
Ten schools participated in the five-week contest, collecting more than 2,300 pounds of aluminum.
ARRA provides $672 million for state education
Gov. Chris Gregoire announced that $672 million is available for Washington state under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to support education improvements.
Washington will be eligible to apply for another $331 million this fall.
Washington state’s application for initial funding under the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund Program is available for viewing at www.ed.gov/programs/statestabilization/stateapps/wa.pdf.
Ride to benefit Clore Center
Registration is underway for Moteur de Vine ’09, a fundraising ride to support the Walter Clore Wine & Culinary Center being built in Prosser. The annual ride, which was created by long-time wine industry veterans Bill den Hoed and Scott Pontin, will wind its way through the Walla Walla Valley this year, giving participants a chance to learn what makes the Walla Walla a unique American Viticulture Area.
The ride is intended to give people who may not be involved in the industry in-depth exposure to Washington’s various grape-growing regions. Participants will enjoy a lunch prepared by Chef Frank Magana of Picazo 7-Seventeen in Prosser and have an exclusive opportunity to visit and taste at the world famous Leonetti Cellars.
he event will begins at 9 a.m. June 27 at Corliss Estates and wraps up with a reception, dinner, auction and dance at Dunham Cellars in Walla Walla. The cost is $100 per rider, which includes lunch and dinner, as well as a commemorative t-shirt and wine glass. For more information or to register, call (509) 786-1000 or visit the event Web site at www.moteurdevine.com.
Lourdes Classic tees off July 10
The Lourdes Foundation will have its 2009 Lourdes Classic and Canyon Lakes Golf Course July 10.
The tournament will help fund specialized equipment for the new Lourdes West Pasco facility on Road 68, which is scheduled to open in July. Lourdes Classic still has sponsorship packages available and is open for team registration. Download the brochure
and registration form at www.lourdeshealth.net. For more information
call Donna Hopkins at 546-2301.
Vendors sought for 25th Fiery Foods Festival
Organizers of the 25th Annual Fiery Foods Festival are accepting vendor applications for the event, which will be Sept. 12-13 in Pasco.
They are especially interested in vendors who specialize in exotic, specialty and spicy foods, as well as arts and crafts vendors.
Booth fees for the two-day event are $200 for food and commercial vendors, $100 for arts and crafts vendors and free for nonprofit vendors or $50 with sales.
For more information call 545-0738 or e-mail fieryfoods@gmail.com.
Cities seek public input on Columbia Park West
Richland and Kennewick city officials are asking for public input as they begin to create a plan to guide the next 20 to 30 years of development of the 146-acre Columbia Park West site along the Columbia River.
The cities will have a public meeting from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Kiwanis Building in the park at 6007 Columbia Park Trail. Older teens and adults are welcome to attend and Spanish-speaking interpreters will be available.
The meeting will include an introduction of the project, including a discussion of the site’s existing conditions and an opportunity for all attendees to provide suggestions for its future design and components.
Suggestions provided at the June public meeting will be one ingredient in developing alternatives for the site. Two more public meetings will take place in October and June.
More information about the project is available at the cities’ websites at www.ci.richland.wa.us and www.ci.kennewick.wa.us.
WSU Tri-Cities students get second for biz plan
Four Tri-Cities MBA students took high honors at an annual Washington State University competition for their innovative business plan to mark an oil analysis technology developed at the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratories.
The students plan, which earned them second place in the graduate student division of the WSU Business Plan Competition in Pullman., seeks to commercialize In-Line Fluid Analysis Technology, saving consumers time and money by looking for contaminants in vehicle lubricants.
The students proposed using the technology to prevent long-haul truckers from changing their oil more than necessary. The student team was part of PNNL’s Technology Entrepreneurship Program, a collaboration between PNNL and three regional universities, including WSU. The team included two PNNL employees, Jennifer Netker and Larry Smith, and Walter Timmons and Steve Luten. All four recently graduated from WSU Tri-Cities’ MBA program. The event included more than 130 competitors in four divisions.
