One of downtown Kennewick’s newest stores made a big move ahead of the holiday shopping season.

The university is at a difficult crossroads. Enrollment is down nearly 20% over the past six years across all of the university’s campuses. State and federal cuts are adding to financial pressure, and more tuition hikes could be on the way.

A Spokane-based workforce development nonprofit will use part of a $500,000 state grant to expand access to apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship training in transportation, infrastructure and other skilled trades in Benton and Franklin counties. 

A veteran and award-winning Pasco educator known for her work supporting students through bilingual instruction is the state’s top teacher this year. 

More students at desks, in labs and walking around campus isn’t the only growth the college is seeing. The average course load per student is also on the rise. 

During a panel discussion, both university leaders lamented the breakdown of partnerships between universities and the federal government, and emphasized the need for more investment in higher education, especially in research.

Washington State University Tri-Cities has more students this fall compared to last year as its new and graduate-level student ranks swell, outpacing all other campuses in the WSU system. 

Thousands of state government and community college employees in Washington have overwhelmingly ratified a new one-year contract that would secure raises they lost out on in July.