State to phase out camping near Vernita Bridge

The state Department of Fish and Wildlife rolled out new camping guidelines for the 2024 and 2025 fall salmon seasons near the Vernita Bridge in anticipation of phasing out all camping by 2026. 

The area is popular with anglers who sometimes stay for weeks, but the overuse “has not only become unsustainable but is causing damage to the natural landscape,” the state said.

Go to: bit.ly/vernitacamping.

State auditor reports finding for TC fire district

The state Auditor’s Office says a Tri-Cities area fire district didn’t have adequate controls in place to ensure its financial reporting was complete and accurate.

The auditor’s office reviewed Benton Fire District 4’s finances from 2020-22 and issued the finding in a report released in late June. Auditors said the fire district, which covers more than 50 square miles in and around West Richland, didn’t have a process for an independent staff or board member to review finances, including adjustments. 

That meant thousands of dollars in adjustments were made without a secondary review, the report said. Auditors also said the district didn’t stay updated on some new reporting requirements and accounting changes.

In a response, the district said it “values the insights” in the report and has taken or is taking steps to correct the issues, including appointing a new finance manager, restructuring its financial processes and establishing secondary review procedures.

Fire damages business, cause under investigation

The cause of a “significant fire” at a Pasco business on June 24 is under investigation.

The blaze at Tri-City Pallet at 335 E. B Circle required the support of multiple local fire departments and emergency services and took three hours to extinguish. No injuries were reported.

The fire is under active investigation by the Pasco Fire Department and other authorities to determine the cause and origin, the city of Pasco said in a news release.

During the response, it was noted that one nearby fire hydrant was not operational due to a damaged operating nut. Three other nearby hydrants were operational and used by the fire department to contain the fire. 

“Our fire crews are well-prepared and equipped to handle various scenarios. Alternative hydrants and strategies were successfully implemented to manage the fire effectively. In this instance there was no significant compromise or delay in our firefighting strategy or effort,” said Pasco Fire Chief Kevin Crowley in a statement.

The city of Pasco maintains 3,242 fire hydrants across the city, each tested on a two-year cycle. 

The non-operational hydrant had been regularly maintained, the fire department noted. If any hydrant is found to be damaged and not operational, a red bag is placed over the hydrant and the fire department is notified to update its response systems. 

Public works crews prioritize repairs on damaged hydrants. Fire hydrants are not to be used by contractors or private parties, as improper use can lead to serious damage and affect emergency responses, city officials said.

Any concerns or observations of improper hydrant use can be reported to 509-545-3463.

State’s average wage grew 5.9% last year

Washington state’s average annual wage was $89,138 in 2023, an increase of 5.9% over 2022, according to the state Employment Security Department.

The average wage grew more in 2023 than in 2022, when it grew by 2%.

Employment Security uses the average annual wage to calculate:

• Unemployment benefits for new claims opened on or after July 7.

• Paid family and medical leave benefits for new claims filed on or after Jan. 1, 2025.

• Employers’ unemployment taxes beginning Jan. 1, 2025.

‘Important moment’ in Hanford cleanup complete

Workers have finished removing radioactive waste from Hanford’s AX Tank Farm, a group of four underground tanks, officials recently announced. 

Brian Vance, the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management’s top manager at the site, called it “another important moment in our Hanford cleanup work.”

Waste removed from the 21 tanks totals about 3 million gallons.

Workers are moving the waste out of the older tanks with a single steel liner into newer tanks that have a second liner for leak protection. Those tanks will feed the waste to the nearby Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant that will treat the waste for safe disposal starting next year.

NYSE accepts Local Bounti’s plan to regain listing compliance

Local Bounti, an indoor agriculture company with a new facility in Pasco, says it’s received notification that the New York Stock Exchange, or NYSE, has accepted its plan to regain compliance with continued listing standards.  

The company has 18 months to regain compliance. 

In April, the company received notice from NYSE that it was not in compliance because its average global market capitalization over 30 consecutive trading days was less than $50 million, and, at the same time, its stockholders’ equity was less than $50 million. 

The company’s stock will continue to be listed on the NYSE. Its shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol LOCL.

Providence invests $2.1B in community programs

Providence, the Renton-based health care system that includes Kadlec, has invested nearly $2.1 billion in community benefit programs, according to a new report. 

The programs include proactive community health improvement programs, as well as free, discounted and uncompensated care.

Finley warehouse fire extinguished

The owner of the Finley cold storage warehouse that caught fire in April says the blaze is finally out, although cleanup is expected to continue for several weeks. 

The company, Lineage, provided masks, box fans, box fan filters, air purifiers and air purifier filters to affected residents.

Lineage Logistics, based in Novi, Michigan, hired Signal Restoration Services to perform $10 million in demolition work, according to a permit filed with Benton County.

State fines Home Depot for selling banned coolants

The state Department of Ecology has issued a $1.6 million to The Home Depot for selling prohibited hydrofluorocarbon products. 

The products typically are used for refrigeration and air conditioning, and state legislators have passed laws phasing them out.

State now has authority to accredit cannabis labs

The state Department of Agriculture now has regulatory authority to accredit cannabis laboratories. The agency has been involved in a process to “improve the integrity and oversight of the laboratories that test cannabis destined to be processed and sold in the state,” it said in a statement. 

Labs test cannabis for substances such as pesticides to ensure it’s safe.

Hanford site recognized for owl protection 

The Hanford site has been honored for its work to protect western burrowing owls. 

The award from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Council for the Conservation of Migratory Birds honors the site for “noting a negative trend for the western burrowing owl population and taking steps to reverse it” by creating artificial burrows that led to a significant increase in active nests, a statement said.

Tri-Cities to receive portion of $123M opioid settlement

Washington state received a $123 million lump sum payment from opioid manufacturer Johnson & Johnson, the state Attorney General’s office announced. 

Half of the money will go to local governments across the state, including the Tri-Cities, to combat the epidemic in their communities. 

The other half will go to the state Legislature.

Women Of Wisdom to offer financial coaching  

Thanks to a grant from the state Department of Commerce, Women of Wisdom Tri-Cities received $375,000 through the Community Reinvestment Project to provide no-cost financial coaching to help community members build a stable financial future.   

The coaching includes homebuyer education, business coaching, retirement planning, debt remediation and more 

As part of this program, WOW Tri-Cities also provides career development, such as resume building, job search, interview preparation and continuing education.  

The mentorship offered will be trauma-informed and honor cultural heritage and backgrounds. It will prioritize, but is not limited to, serving Black, Latine and tribal communities in Benton, Franklin and Yakima counties through June 2025.

WOW Tri-Cities is a nonprofit committed to leading the way in climate justice and economic innovation. Its mission is to provide business development, workforce solutions, and access to capital-empowering individuals and communities to thrive while fostering environmental sustainability.  

Go to wowtricities.com or call 509-295-2036.

Pasco councilman earns certificate of municipal leadership

After more than 30 hours of training, a Pasco city councilman earned a Municipal Leadership Certificate from the Association of Washington Cities, or AWC. 

Leo Perales

Leo Perales, who was elected last year, recently received the certificate, which recognizes city and town elected officials for training in five core areas: diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging; roles, responsibilities and legal requirements; public sector resource management; community planning and development; and effective local leadership.

“Through our (certificate) program, we are providing our elected officials with the knowledge they need to effectively operate within the law, plan for the future, secure and manage funds, foster strong relationships, and work to build more equitable communities,” said AWC CEO Deanna Dawson said in a statement.

State orders continued cleanup of gas spill

The state Department of Ecology has issued an enforcement order to a Walla Walla gas station owner to reduce harmful vapors and remove contaminated water from nearby buildings after a gas spill that started last September.

The order ensures that cleanup will continue while financial issues are resolved between the owner, Stillwater Holdings, and the state, Ecology said. 

In May, the owner told Ecology that it could pay for little or no more work, and that the state would need to take over. By law, Stillwater Holdings is responsible for the pollution, responding to the emergency and cleaning up the contamination.

Generally, Ecology does not use taxpayer funds to pay cleanup costs when the company has money available, but it is prepared to take over and fund the Walla Walla cleanup if needed because the spill poses significant risks to the community.   

The incident began last September when the Marcus Whitman Hotel in downtown Walla Walla was evacuated due to gasoline odors. Testing identified potentially harmful vapors and gasoline in the basement and in two nearby buildings. The buildings were ventilated to eliminate the risk of an explosion, and the buildings’ drainage systems, also known as sumps, were pumped to reduce vapor concentrations.  

An investigation found that Stillwater Holdings’ underground tank had leaked and was pooling in adjacent buildings’ sumps.