When the federal government stopped making pennies, it left it up to states to decide how retailers deal with the change.

In Washington, lawmakers are trying to come up with a uniform approach for merchants that is easy to understand for consumers.

The Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business has selected its honorees for the Tri-City People of Influence awards in 2026. The honorees are to be recognized at a March 12 event.

Although a recently released 21-page report outlined numerous allegations against Port of Benton Commissioner Scott Keller, only four complaints were substantiated, and he received little more than a reprimand at the port’s Jan. 14 meeting. The findings come amid ongoing upheaval at the port. 

Government works best out in the open and in the light. When public agencies make critical decisions behind closed doors, the people they serve are left guessing and trust suffers.

The CEO of Ben Franklin Transit is taking voluntary paid administrative leave while an ongoing investigation into financial allegations continues amid union tensions.

An educator focused on helping migrant children succeed in school, graduate and be prepared for their futures is this year’s Martin Luther King Jr. Spirit Award winner. 

This is a story about a Kennewick-based food blogger who built a worldwide online following. It’s also a tale of how her recipe site got tangled in an illicit drug ring. And how a seemingly harmless podcast appearance resulted in her losing every single one of her Facebook followers.

After four years and several million dollars, a growing Tri-City congregation has completed work on a larger church and more projects on the horizon.

Most elected officials have no idea what it’s like to risk everything you have or to struggle to meet payroll for your employees and their families as waves of new taxes, fees and regulations threaten to drown you and your business.  

Washington has long been a high-cost state for employers, but new data show the state is increasingly losing its competitive edge in key areas.