Executive Director, Benton-Franklin Council of GovernmentsNumber of employees you oversee: 9Michelle HoltWhat is the Benton-Franklin Council of Governments:The Benton-Franklin Council of Governments (BFCG) was established in 1966 as a voluntary association of the units of government in Benton and Franklin counties. The organization is structured as a regional planning commission,...
In the topsy-turvy pandemic economy, RV demand is at a record high, with manufacturers set to ship upwards of 543,000 units in 2021, easily besting the previous record of 504,600 units shipped to dealers in 2017.For dealers and customers alike, record demand means waiting lists for the most popular models.“The...
From time to time, it is important to take stock of our own personal liability exposure and find ways to mitigate it.Liability exposure can creep into our lives in subtle ways that can have profound effects on our financial security. One such way that a person can expose himself or...
Let’s face it – the Tri-Cities is a car town, or set of car towns.The number of miles Tri-Citians travel daily owes its origins to the settlement of not one, but three cities, or four, counting West Richland, in an area that has some distance between the communities. There are...
U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Sunnyside, submitted 10 Central Washington projects, including resource development efforts, for consideration for funding through the American Recovery Act.The projects will be scrutinized by the House Committee on Appropriations for consideration. They are:Columbia Basin Project, $2 million to begin the design process on additional distribution systems.Three...
As Malin Bergstrom ponders the future of the aviation business her father Karl started in 1971, she is worried.The coronavirus pandemic all but froze travel, which hammered the Pasco business. It reported a 90 percent drop in fuel sales to airlines.It closed its flight school when Gov. Jay Inslee issued...
Port of Pasco officials are delighted and perplexed by the $5.9 million they received from the $2.2 trillion CARES Act to support the Tri-Cities Airport during the coronavirus pandemic.Airport traffic is down more than 95 percent, casting its ability to pay the bills into chaos.The government money from the Coronavirus...
Ongoing safety measuresTo protect Ben Franklin Transit passengers and drivers, all vehicles and facilities are disinfected daily and social distancing measures are in place, including no fare collection and rear-door bus entry until further notice.BFT offers these reminders for riders:Passengers are encouraged to wear face coverings.If you are not feeling...
Andy Zissermann worked in western Washington as a mechanical engineer for more than 20 years before his career ran its course. In 2019, he had fun—spending much of the growing season riding an electric bike among the wineries of Walla Walla and the Yakima Valley.The Edmonds resident wasn’t merely enjoying...
A Portland railcar company will continue operating another five years at the Port of Kennewick’s Twin Tracks Industrial Park in Finley.Greenbrier Rail Services, a tenant since the park opened in the 1990s, exercised the second of its six original options to renew the lease for its 40-acre railcar maintenance center....
