Frost Me Sweet owner to compete in cookie bakeoff

Megan

Savely of Frost Me Sweet Bistro & Bakery in Richland is a finalist on the

Food Network’s “Christmas Cookie Challenge” TV show.

She’ll

compete against four of the best cookie bakers in the U.S. for a grand prize of

$10,000.

The

show airs at 11 p.m. Dec. 23 on The Food Network.

The

popular Richland bakery and eatery in the Richland Parkway recently was on Food

Network star Guy Fieri’s show “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.”

Frost

Me Sweet also recently expanded by doubling the size of its restaurant seating

and offering more dessert choices.

Savely

and her husband Jason opened the original Frost Me Sweet in July 2010.

Benton County to close Richland annex Nov. 27

Benton County’s Richland

annex on Wellsian Way will permanently close Nov. 27.

The county plans to consolidate

all services from the Richland office at its Kennewick annex on Canal Drive.

The Kennewick and Prosser

offices will remain open for election and voter registration services, vehicle

licensing, recording and marriage licensing.

Information about a new

drop box location is forthcoming.

Comments on TPA now being accepted

The Tri-Party Agreement agencies—the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and state Department of Ecology – are holding a 45-day public comment period on proposed changes to the TPA.

The proposed changes would

update the TPA to reduce redundancy through improved coordination between two

regulatory processes for cleanup decision-making.

For more information, go to go.usa.gov/xVuDf. All public meetings and comment periods can be found on the Hanford.gov events calendar.

Kennewick Italian restaurant owners plan to retire

The

owners of Carmine’s Italian Restaurant in Kennewick have announced plans to

retire and close their business.

The

restaurant’s namesake Carmine Aitoro is 82 and his wife Joyce Aitoro is 79.

“It

has been a fantastic 11 ½ years, however, we are ready to slow down and spend

more time with the kids, grandchildren and great-grands,” according to the

restaurant’s announcement on Facebook.

Carmine’s

serves up different Italian dishes family-style Wednesday through Saturday

nights. Its final day is Dec. 21.

“We

want to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your many years of

support. We certainly will miss the hustle and bustle, but we have reached this

decision together with our children and grandchildren who have from time to

time worked so hard alongside us over the years,” the restaurant’s post said.

Carmine’s

is at 525 W. First Ave.

Floats sought for Santa’s arrival parade in Kennewick

Now is

the time to start assembling holiday-themed floats for the Dec. 7 Numerica

Hometown Holiday Parade to welcome Santa to downtown Kennewick.

More

than 5,000 people are expected to line the Kennewick Avenue parade route to

celebrate the jolly old elf’s arrival, participate in Claus Plaza activities

and shop local merchants.

Numerica

Credit Union will award a $250 gift card to the best float design and $100 to

the most inspired second-place entry. Organizations, businesses and individuals

are encouraged to participate. Entry is free and applications are due Nov. 25.

Floats

and participants begin lining up at 9:30 a.m. Dec. 7 for the 10:30-11 a.m.

parade.

Go to Go2Kennewick.com/Holidays for application and details.

Richland police citizen academy seeks participants

The

Richland Police Department is accepting registrations for its 2020 Citizens

Academy.

The

free program begins Jan. 7 and runs every Tuesday through March, from 6:30-8:30

p.m.

Participants

are expected to gain a better understanding of police operations and services,

the emergency response system and local criminal justice system.

Classes

will feature a variety of guest speakers, facility tours and information. The

academy also will give citizens a chance to voice their thoughts about how law

enforcement serves the community’s needs.

For more information, including weekly topics and the online application, go to ci.richland.wa.us/citizensacademy, email [email protected], or call 509-942-7636.

Pick up an application at the Richland

Police Department, 871 George Washington Way, Richland City Hall lobby, 625

Swift Blvd., or the Richland Public Library, 955 Swift Blvd.

Washington state trade delegation travels to China

The

state Department of Commerce led a state delegation on a week-long trade

mission to China the first week of November.

Itinerary

highlights included a “Washington State Day” at the China International Import

Expo, a clean tech and renewable energy conference in Wuxi, an aerospace forum,

and a full slate of meetings with Chinese provincial and economic development

officials, top venture capital firms and Chinese companies currently doing or

interested in doing business in Washington.

Delegation

participants included Greater Seattle Partners, Washington State China

Relations Council, Economic Alliance Snohomish County, Paine Field, several

Washington businesses and a representative from Gov. Jay Inslee’s office.

Washington

exports more products and services to China than any other U.S. state, last

year totaling $14.3 billion. Retaliatory tariffs in the ongoing trade dispute

between the U.S. and China have seen the value of Washington exports decline by

over $413 million, or 17 percent, through August this year, accounting for

almost 67 percent of the total decline in Washington exports to all countries

as global trade tensions have taken a toll.

About

one in three jobs in Washington is tied to international trade.

Some of

the Washington delegation split off to participate in a renewable energy conference

in Wuxi focusing on green buildings, electric vehicles and energy storage

technology, among other business opportunities in the clean energy technology

sector.

The

last Washington state delegation to visit China was in 2017, promoting

bilateral trade and investment.

Register now for annual Thanksgiving run

More than 3,000 Tri-Citians

are expected to come together Thanksgiving morning for the annual Turkey Trot

5K, or 1-mile run or walk in Kennewick.

The Gesa Credit

Union-sponsored event benefits the American Red Cross.

Complimentary coffee and

cocoa, as well as live entertainment, will be provided starting at 7:30 a.m.

before the races get underway at 9 a.m. 

Individual and group registrations are available online at gesaturkeytrot2019.eventbrite.com. 

All kids under 10 may

participate for free with a paid adult registration.

Participants may come in

costume for a chance to win a prize.

All proceeds support the American Red Cross Serving Central and

Southeastern Washington, which provides emergency assistance, disaster relief

and life-saving education to the communities of Adams, Benton, Franklin,

Yakima, Kittitas, Walla Walla and Columbia counties.  

Hanford contractor reports $5.4M in savings

Hanford Site prime

contractor CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Co. reported nearly $5.4 million in

savings through its work to lower costs for materials, supplies and services in

support of the U.S. Department of Energy’s environmental cleanup mission.

In 2012, CHPRC, a Jacobs

company, began collaborating with the Supply Chain Management Center on

purchasing agreements, acquisition tools and best practices. The SCMC helps DOE

prime contractors buy smarter by providing tools that allow for better resource

management.

“CHPRC continues to

identify additional multi-site commodity-agreement, eSourcing and eCatalog

opportunities that will directly contribute toward a total Office of

Environmental Management (EM) revised goal of $60 million in savings by

the end of fiscal year 2020,” said Scott Bissen, SCMC director, in a statement.

“This past fiscal year was

our biggest strategic sourcing year ever,” said John Robinson, CHPRC’s supply

chain director, in a statement. “It is all because our people have a passion

for innovation and putting as much back as possible into our project to support

our cleanup mission. Our strategic sourcing approach encourages us to think

differently, be creative, and ultimately build collaborative long-term

relationships with our suppliers.”

The SCMC is continuing to

explore additional benefits to CHPRC by better using available technologies and

awarding agreements to support small businesses, according to a news release.

Vietnam-era veterans to be honored at ceremony

A

Vietnam veteran-pinning ceremony is set for Dec. 14 in Richland.

Rep.

Dan Newhouse, R-Washington, will host this event in conjunction with his annual

Veterans Service Fair.

The

ceremony will honor Vietnam veterans, including those who did not return, and

their families as part of the 50th anniversary of the war and an ongoing

national effort to honor all Vietnam-era veterans on active duty between Nov.

1, 1955, to May 15, 1975.

Veterans

will receive a service lapel pin.

The

event will be at the Richland Red Lion, 802 George Washington Way from 10-11

a.m.

Vietnam-era veterans interested in being

honored may call Britten Hershberger at 509-452-3243.

Christensen Inc. acquires Northwest

Oil Solutions

Christensen

Inc., a provider of fuels, lubricants and industrial services headquartered in

Richland, has acquired Northwest Oil Solutions.

Northwest

Oil Solutions of Woodland provides industrial reliability services serving

customers throughout Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska, specializing in

lubricant flushing and filtration, tank cleaning and equipment preventative

maintenance.

NWOS’s

previous owner Steven Locke will continue leading NWOS and will work closely

with Christensen’s leadership team to continue the growth and expansion of

NWOS, according to a news release from Christensen.

“This

acquisition provides Northwest Oil Solutions with increased resources and

greater ability to create value for our customers,” Locke said in the release.

Together,

NWOS and Christensen will offer a portfolio of industrial services to provide

plant and operational reliability for their combined customers.

“This

partnership follows our team’s strategy to be a trusted provider of innovative,

sustainable solutions for our fuel and lubricant customers. We are excited to

have Steven and his team joining us,” said Tony Christensen, president and

chief executive officer of Christensen, in a statement.

Northwest

Oil Solutions will continue to operate with the same name and team that has

served its customers for more than two decades.

Hayden Homes to award grants for housing projects

Hayden Homes will award

$150,000 in grants to three cities, county governments or stakeholder agencies

in Washington, Oregon and Idaho in 2020 for their efforts to solve the housing

affordability crisis in their communities. 

Grants in the amount of

$100,000, $30,000 and $20,000 will be awarded for the top three most innovative

solutions as part of the Hayden Opportunity Fund for Housing Affordability

initiative.

In 2020, the fund will

award grants for the creation of projects or programs working with community

stakeholders who also are highly invested in solving the housing affordability

crisis, such as private businesses, local agencies, action councils, business

associations and nonprofits. The fund will recognize projects or programs that

develop innovative solutions such as code and zoning changes, re-prioritization

of land for homebuilding, permitting process changes, reduction of regulatory

barriers, reduced infrastructure requirements, creation of incentives, pilot

projects, offering credit or reduced fees to builders serving community

interests, as well as creative financing for homeowners.

Program details, requirements, guidelines and applications can be found at HaydenOpportunity.org.  

Established in Redmond,

Oregon in 1989, Hayden Homes has built more than 17,000 new homes throughout

Washington, Oregon and Idaho as one of the largest privately-owned new home

builders in the Pacific Northwest.

Richland company lands contract for storage building

A Richland company has been

awarded a $5.6 million contract to build a dry storage area for the 1,936

capsules currently stored in a water-filled basin at the Hanford nuclear

reservation.

Intermech Inc. will begin

construction in early spring on a facility to store highly radioactive cesium

and strontium capsules in the 200 East Area.

The U.S. Department of

Energy prime contractor CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Co., a Jacobs company,

awarded the subcontract to build a dry storage area for the capsules currently

stored in a water-filled basin at Hanford.

The project calls for the

construction of the capsule storage area, including a dry cask storage pad,

utility infrastructure and an associated heavy haul road from the waste

encapsulation storage facility where the capsules are currently stored.

The move to dry storage

will reduce the costs of operating an aging nuclear facility and reduce the

risk of a radioactive release in the unlikely loss of cooling water from the

storage basin, according to a news release from CH2M Hill.

WSU College of Medicine rolls out new mobile unit

The Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine has

launched Range Health, a nonprofit academic health network designed to bring

health care to the state’s rural areas with a traveling health clinic.

The

health network, a separate 501(c)(3) nonprofit in partnership with WSU and the

College of Medicine, aims to provide prevention and wellness strategies, as

well as treatment to patients across the state, focusing on communities where

health care is limited.

Leveraging its network of

doctors, nurses and pharmacists, it will increase access to health care while

serving as training ground for future doctors and health care providers.

Range Health launched its

first mobile medical unit, called William A. Crosetto Mobile Health Care Unit.

The name pays homage to a cattle rancher from Othello who died in January 2018

and donated the money for the unit.

The 40-foot unit will

travel to rural and underserved communities to provide comprehensive primary

care, urgent care procedures and preventive screening.

Banner Bank sponsored a tour around the state of the mobile medical unit in October. It visited Richland on Oct. 22.

Wendy’s restaurant planned for

Pasco

A Wendy’s fast food

restaurant with a drive-thru is coming to Pasco’s Road 68.

Wendy’s will build a

2,564-square-foot restaurant estimated to cost about $365,000 at 5706 Road 68,

according to building permits filed with the city of Pasco.

PK Villard LLC is the

property owner. Associated Construction Inc. of Spokane is the general

contractor. Russell Page Architects of Spokane is doing the design work.

The restaurant will be

north of Sandifur Parkway near Gesa Credit Union. This will be the Tri-Cities’

fifth Wendy’s.

Comment period extended for

Hanford’s 100-BC Area

The

U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are holding

a 60-day public comment period on a proposed long-term cleanup plan for

groundwater and 112 waste sites in Hanford’s 100-BC Area.

The

plan represents six cleanup alternatives and recommends a preferred choice.

The

public comment period runs through Dec. 9. Submit comments to

[email protected]. Upon public review, DOE and EPA will consider comments and

then finalize by issuing a record of decision.

For more information, go to go.usa.gov/xVFkV. All public meetings and comment periods can be found on the Hanford.gov events calendar.

Yakima Federal offers nursing

scholarships

The

Washington State University College of Nursing will offer new scholarships for

undergraduate nursing students in the Tri-Cities and Yakima, thanks to a

$100,000 gift from Yakima Federal Savings and Loan Association.

The

scholarships will support low-to-moderate income nursing students who intend to

pursue their nursing careers in the Tri-Cities and Yakima.

Yakima

Federal Savings and Loan is endowing two scholarship funds with $50,000 each,

one intended for Tri-City students and one for Yakima students.

The

nursing program at WSU Tri-Cities, established in 1990, has about 75

undergraduate students; the program also offers graduate degrees.

The

WSU College of Nursing celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. The college

has five locations statewide and more than 9,000 alumni.

Yakima

Federal Savings and Loan has been serving Central Washington since 1905 and has

10 branches throughout the region.

Get Pasco council agendas delivered

to your inbox

The

city of Pasco is offering delivery of its city council agenda to your inbox.

Anyone

with a valid email address can now get new agendas as soon as they are

published by signing up for email notifications.

City

council agenda packets are typically published the Friday before the Monday

meeting.

The council agendas, including staff reports and supporting information, are all online and available through 2005 via the council’s agenda page at pasco-wa.gov/agendas.

To

subscribe, visit the agenda notification page, check the box next to the

meeting, enter an email address and complete the verification code.

The

next time an agenda is published, notification is sent directly to your inbox.

Numerica offers student loan

repayment scholarship

Numerica

Credit Union is offering two $2,500 scholarships for graduates battling student

loan debt after their completion of associate, bachelor’s or master’s

degrees. 

Requirements

for the student loan repayment scholarship include: being a Numerica Credit

Union member in good standing; completion of a degree; not having received one

of Numerica’s previous scholarships; must be a federal student loan; and cannot

be a Parent Plus loan.

The full list of rules and application can be found online at numericacu.com/scholarships. Applications for the loan repayment are due by Nov. 30.

To

date, Numerica has given more than $85,000 in student scholarships. However,

this is the first year it has offered an award to those who have already

completed a degree.

Hermiston taxi program gets workers

to workplace

An

Oregon-based taxi program rolled out Oct. 1 and in its first month sold 180

tickets connecting local employees to their workplace.

The

program, a collaboration between the Oregon cities of Hermiston, Umatilla and

Stanfield, offers low-cost taxi service to employees in the three communities.

The subsidized rate, funded by the state payroll tax, starts at $2.50 per ride.

 “We’re trying this as a pilot program to see

where we can do the most good for employees and employers in our communities,”

said Hermiston City Manager Byron Smith in a release. “This helps workers who

struggle to find reliable transportation and makes sure businesses stay fully

staffed and able to operate efficiently. Through taxi programs and bus routes,

we’re making sure everybody can get to where they need to be.”

 Rides for WORC are provided by the Hermiston

Taxi Co., the local cab service that also delivers subsidized senior and

disabled rides in Hermiston. WORC stands for Workforce On-demand Ride Cooperative.

Kayak

Public Transit provides free bus service inside Hermiston city limits from 7

a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, offering an alternative for workers on

a daytime shift.

WORC tickets come in booklets of 10 and can

be bought at City Hall, 180 NE Second St., Hermiston. Buyers must provide proof

of employment and tickets can only be used to or from the workplace.

Free flotation therapy available to

vets with PTSD

Float

Euphoria of Kennewick is accepting applications from veterans suffering from

post-traumatic stress disorder to offer free flotation therapy.

Selected

veterans each will receive five one-hour float sessions spaced one week apart.

Floating

consists of laying in 12 inches of water saturated with over 1,100 pounds

of Epsom salt. The high levels of salt counteract the effects of gravity,

allowing one to float gently on top of the water. The experience allows for a

safe and therapeutic environment in which veterans can experience significant

relaxation and even process past trauma, according to a news release from Float

Euphoria.

Applications

will be accepted through Dec. 1.

To learn more about the program and apply, go to floateuphoria.com/vets.