Longtime Kennewick hospital commissioner retires

A member of the Kennewick Public Hospital District who was among its board members to sell a then-bankrupt Trios Health and is now a supporter of the effort to turn the former downtown Kennewick hospital into a recovery center is stepping down. 

Gary Long

The hospital district announced Gary Long’s retirement on Dec. 19. He served on the district’s board for 10 years, with multiple stints as its president and treasurer. 

“Gary made an enormous contribution to the Kennewick Public Hospital District,” said Board President Mark Brault in a statement. “He guided the district through a difficult time; was tireless in his efforts to launch the Recovery Center at the KGH campus; and stepped into the treasurer role after the untimely death of Commissioner Steve Blodgett – all an enormous benefit to the district and the community.” 

The hospital district sold Trios Health to RCCH Healthcare in 2018, two years after Long joined the board. The sale came after the hospital went through Chapter 9 bankruptcy, with the sale allowing it to continue operating. 

“Going through the hospital’s transition and coming out the other side with a clearly defined structure of how to go forward was one of the toughest challenges,” Long said in a statement. “Saving the hospital was our greatest accomplishment.” 

Long’s retirement opens a vacancy on the board, which is open to any registered voter living within the boundaries of the hospital district. The deadline to apply is Jan. 29. 

The board nominated Grace Davidson, Benton County’s elections systems supervisor, for the position. 

Go to: kenkphd.com.

Candidates emerge to vie for Newhouse seat

Republican U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse has announced he will not run for reelection next year in the 4th Congressional District in central Washington.

In 2026, he was facing a rematch with Jerrod Sessler, and potentially Tiffany Smiley, the other GOP candidate in 2024. Smiley, who lost a run against Patty Murray for her U.S. Senate seat in 2022, is known for her work as a veterans advocate.

Sessler, of Prosser, a Navy veteran and businessman, confirmed he is running next year and said he again enjoys the support of President Trump, along with members of the House Freedom Caucus. The state Republican Party endorsed him in 2024 as well.

Newhouse’s early notice that he’s not running sets the stage for a wide-open primary next August.

Republican state Sen. Matt Boehnke of Kennewick said he’s seriously exploring a run. Boehnke is in his first term in the Senate after serving four years in the House and three years on the Kennewick City Council. He is up for reelection in 2026. 

Yakima County Commissioner Amanda McKinney, a Republican, also is eyeing the seat. 

Republican Wesley Meier of Richland has registered his campaign with the Federal Election Commission.

At least one Democrat is mounting a bid for the 4th District seat next year: John Duresky, a retired Air Force officer who also worked at the Hanford nuclear cleanup site.

New year means higher sewer, water bills in Pasco

The new year – and the next few after this one – will bring higher water and sewer bills to Pasco residents. 

A typical single-family home can expect to pay $9 to $11 more per month for water and sewer service beginning in January, according to the city. Even higher increases – $11 to $13 and $9 to $13 – are anticipated in 2027 and 2028, respectively, before a final $9 average monthly increase in 2029. 

The reason for the annual rate hikes? The necessity of replacing Pasco’s Butterfield Water Treatment Plant. And since the city’s utility services operate strictly on the revenue they collect, utility rates are the sole means of paying for maintenance and improvements. 

“This project alone is estimated to cost between $220 million and $260 million. Additional projects will replace aging pipes, improve reliability and ensure capacity for future growth,” the city said in a statement. “While some projects have been deferred to minimize immediate impacts, gradual rate adjustments are still needed to maintain financial stability and be compliant with state and federal standards.” 

Pasco residents can learn about assistance programs by calling 509-545-3488 or emailing [email protected].

Giving Machine impacts nonprofits

A vending-machine style donation initiative that visited the Tri-Cities for about three weeks in 2025 raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for local and international nonprofits.

The Giving Machine, an initiative of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, generated $300,000 in donations to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Benton and Franklin Counties, Grace Clinic, Grace Collective, Lutheran Community Services Northwest, Safe Harbor and international nonprofits Care and Water for Good. One hundred percent of the donations went directly to the nonprofit organizations, who will buy the specific items that donors paid for.

While the two machines were in the Queensgate Fairchild Cinemas in Richland from Nov. 21 to Dec. 10, there were over 2,800 transactions, donating 13,000 items, and 81 community performances took place. The 777 challenge, where participants can type in 777 to purchase one of each item for a total of $1,515, happened 49 times.

Pickleball club announces $25,000 prize pool

Registration is now open for a June pickleball tournament with a $25,000 prize pool hosted by a local pickleball club.

Club 509 Pickleball recently announced its Summer Classic Pickleball Tournament, which will be held June 19-21 at the CBRC Health & Fitness, 1776 Terminal Drive, Richland. 

The tournament will feature multiple events, including full court singles, gender doubles and mixed doubles, and players of all skill levels and ages are welcome.

Club 509 Pickleball launched its Summer Classic in 2019, and the event has seen significant growth since then. Last year, participation grew by 189%, with 426 attending, including a number of spectators from 10 states and two countries, according to the club’s news release.

The event will also feature “Vendor City,” which is modeled around the idea of a pop-up bazaar where local businesses can showcase products and services and sell items to athletes and spectators during the tournament.

Registration for the Summer Classic costs $40 before Feb. 28, $55 March 1 through May 24 and $75 after May 25. 

Go to: club509pickleball.com. To get involved or become a sponsor, email: [email protected].

PSC gets a Portland route after seven-year absence

The most requested route for travelers using Tri-Cities Airport is back after a seven-year absence. 

Alaska Airlines will provide twice daily flights between the Pasco airport and Portland International Airport beginning June 10, according to a release.  

It’s the second new route from PSC announced by the airline this year and one long sought by airport officials. 

“We have spent years working to reconnect to PDX, and are thrilled to see Alaska Airlines strengthen Tri-Cities’ connectivity through the Pacific Northwest,” said airport Director Buck Taft in a statement. 

The flight schedule will allow for travelers to visit and leave Portland within the same day, with a morning departure from Pasco at 5:25 a.m. and a return flight from Portland leaving that city as late as 9:40 p.m. The other Pasco departure will be at 3:59 p.m. 

“Our new PDX service will conveniently connect our guests to additional nonstops across our network,” said Kirsten Amrine, vice president of revenue management and network planning at Alaska Airlines, in a statement. “With two daily flights, we also paid close attention to the flight schedule, so flyers in Pasco can travel to Portland for the day by catching an early morning flight and returning home in the mid-afternoon or mid-evening.” 

The route will be served by an Embraer 175 aircraft, which can seat up to 76 passengers. Tickets for the first weeks of the route start at $217 for a roundtrip, comparable to prices for trips to and from Seattle from Pasco.

STCU steps up FAFSA support as completion rates lag

For anyone looking to get a jump on a New Year’s resolution that involves furthering their education, STCU stands ready to provide free assistance. 

STCU’s FAFSA assistance program has helped families across the region complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, since 2020. 

The credit union has partnered with local high school and college career counselors and Launch NW to provide qualified help to anyone completing the FAFSA form. 

This includes the families of high school seniors looking ahead to starting, or anyone looking to further their post-secondary education, or enter career training programs. 

The assistance is free for anyone, regardless of STCU membership.  

Appointments at STCU branches may be made at stcu.org/fafsa. STCU has branches in each of the Tri-Cities.  

Those seeking assistance are encouraged to create an FSA ID at studentaid.gov before attending, and to review required financial records at stcu.org/fafsa. 

Though recent progress has been made, Washington and Idaho sit toward the bottom for percentage of students completing the FAFSA form. Oregon ranks 20th in completion rate. 

Nationwide, the FAFSA completion rate was 46% for 2024. That’s a drop from the previous two years, and significantly below pre-pandemic participation, according to the National College Attainment Network. Washington and Idaho have improved their numbers, but 2026 estimates have them at 23% and 21% completion, respectively. Oregon is expected to improve to 29%, still well below the national average.

Walla Walla winery expands partnership with distributor

One of the Walla Walla Valley’s oldest and most recognizable wineries is growing its distribution network with a national distributor both in its home state and in California. 

L’Ecole № 41 recently announced the partnership with Winebow, a leading national wine distributor, which began including L’Ecole’s wines in its Washington network just before the end of 2025 and in California as of Jan. 2.  

The winery and distributor have worked together since 2014 and were already aligned for distribution in 15 other states, including Washington, D.C. 

“Winebow has been a terrific partner, and we are excited to expand our partnership with them across their national footprint,” said Ryan Pennington, CEO for L’Ecole, in a statement. “Winebow has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to Washington wine, and we look forward to continuing our work with them to grow the Washington wine category in our home market and across the country.” 

The expanded partnership is part of Winebow’s Upper Left initiative, which places an emphasis on promoting and distributing Pacific Northwest wine. 

“We’ve been promoting Washington wine across the country for more than 40 years, and it’s great to have a national distributor partner who believes in the Pacific Northwest and its wines as much as we do,” said Marty Clubb, L’Ecole co-owner and managing winemaker, in a statement.

Nominations open for the 2026 Tri-Citian of the Year Award

The Tri-Citian of the Year committee recently opened nominations and announced the speaker for this year’s award ceremony.

Nominees must exemplify the highest standards of community service and leadership. 

The deadline to apply is March 15. 

The winner will be announced during an April 30 ceremony at the Three Rivers Convention Center that includes dinner and a program featuring keynote speaker David LaMotte. 

LaMotte is a songwriter, speaker, author, and Rotary Peace Fellow whose work bridges music and peacebuilding. He leads thought-provoking talks and workshops around the world and has served as a keynote speaker at international peace conferences, including the Rotary International Convention in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. 

He has been featured on TEDx Talks. His second TEDx Talk in 2024 explored “Why Heroes Don’t Change the World,” and was chosen as a TED Editor’s pick. But it was his book, “You Are Changing the World Whether You Like It or Not” that resonated with the committee’s choice for this year’s speaker. 

“David’s TEDx talk on change aligns with what we know about our (Tri-Citian of the Year Award) recipients,” said Carol Moser, chairman of the 2026 award banquet, in a statement. “While champions for change are usually individuals, it is their actions and perseverance that inspire a broader community impact.”  

This will be the 54th award presentation organized and presented by Tri-Citian of the Year Award, a committee comprised of Kiwanis and Rotarians in the Tri-Cities. 

Nomination, sponsorship and ticket information is are available at tricitianoftheyear.com. 

The 2025 Tri-Citian of the Year Award winner was former Benton County Prosecutor Andy Miller. 

PNNL opens applications for grid-scale battery testing

Battery companies can now apply to have their energy storage systems at U.S. Department of Energy’s Grid Storage Launchpad at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. 

Energy storage systems need a capacity of at least 100kW to connect to the nation’s electrical grid, and these large systems can cost millions of dollars for companies to develop and test. GSL, which opened in 2024, aims to offer a more affordable option for independent testing.

The building has two testing facilities for batteries: one is for systems up to 10kW/40kW-hours and one for systems up to 100kW/400kW-hours. For several years, PNNL has offered companies testing for smaller batteries, and now larger systems can begin to be tested.

“In an ideal situation, we’d work with a company as they produce their first larger cell/module below 10kW-40kWh range,” said Vince Sprenkle, GSL’s director, in a statement. “Then they could take that data, build a more mature, larger-scale system, and bring it back to GSL for the next level of testing and validation.”

A variety of batteries, including lithium-ion, sodium-ion, iron or lead-acid, can be tested under conditions that might be encountered in the real world.

Applications are now open for companies looking to test their energy storage systems at GSL. 

Go to: pnnl.gov/projects/grid-storage-launchpad/apply-to-test.