An expansion project is underway at Othello’s McCain Food plant that will add more than 180 new jobs.The construction project—a $300 million investment—also will add 170,000 square feet and a state-of-the-art battered and conventional french fry processing line. The line will significantly expand McCain Foods’ North American production capacity, said Tarah Arnold,...
By Don C. BrunellToo often, elected officials overlook the cumulative costs of regulations, taxes and fees on taxpayers; however, it comes back to bite them hard when people move, or take matters into their own hands by initiative.Consider what is happening in high-tax and cost-of-living states, such as California, New...
By Andrew KirkThose who graduated from college or a university this year could expect to make on average about $50,000 for their first year of work, according to several independent national surveys.They could also expect, on average, to have about that much in student debt.Those working in the construction trades...
President of Columbia Basin CollegeNumber of employees you oversee: The college employs approximately 700 regular employees, not including adjuncts, part-time hourly and student workers. Rebekah S. WoodsBrief background about your college: Columbia Basin College is a public community college serving the Tri-Cities and surrounding communities since 1955. Our mission is...
By Andrew KirkAt statehood, the federal government granted Washington millions of acres of land to be managed for the support of public schools, including universities. Today, it, along with other lands dedicated to different state needs, is managed by the state Department of Natural Resources.A portion of the 1 million...
New state standardized salary schedule responsible for pay discrepanciesKennewick teachers walked out of their classrooms, delaying the start of school by four days this year amid salary concerns.The move resulted in an 8 percent raise for educators in the Tri-Cities’ biggest school district, putting their salaries more in line with...
By D. Patrick JonesTo what degree will the Tri-Cities participate in the knowledge economy well underway this century? First, a quick definition: a knowledge economy is one where a large number of jobs exploit brainpower. We need to look no further than King County to see what this kind of economy looks like. In the economists’ taxonomy of jobs, where there’s...
Job’s Nursery celebrates 80 years in business next yearAs the calendar flips to October, families begin to visit the region’s pumpkin patches.Many head to Job’s Nursery in Pasco.“We have two acres of pumpkins in our pumpkin patch,” said Alex Job, who has been a co-owner of the business since 2012,...
SAGECollegePrep Services offers test prep classes, private tutoring, college counselingWhen Rich Quadrel retired from his research and development manager position at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in 2015, he thought he’d return to something he really enjoyed years before—teaching.He and his wife Marilyn started SAGECollege Prep Services four years ago and have been...
The Tri-Cities’ third Dugout Sports Bar & Grill opened for business Aug. 30 in the growing Southridge area of Kennewick.The 4,000-square-foot combined masonry and structural steel building features a raked roof patio facing Canyon Lakes Golf Course at 4810 Hildebrand Blvd. off Highway 395.The $2 million project included the land...
