The jobless rate fell sharply in June across Washington and in the Tri-Cities as local economies partly reopened under the Safe Start program, according to figures released July 21 by the Washington Employment Security Department. In the Tri-Cities, unemployment fell to 9.1%, down three full points from the 12.3% rate posted in May and...
Brad Fisher, a wealth manager, former Kennewick mayor and unflagging advocate for Tri-City control of the Columbia River shoreline, died July 19, 14 months after being diagnosed with glioblastoma, a type of brain cancer. He was 63. Fisher’s daughter, Chelsea Goff, announced his death Monday on Facebook. Goff said her father intended to retire when he was 70. Instead, doctors told...
As Tri-City business and civic leaders work to tame local Covid-19 infection rates so more businesses can open, some of the Mid-Columbia’ biggest employers say forgivable paycheck loans were a “lifeline” that helped them keep valuable employees.Benton and Franklin counties moved into a modified version of Phase 1 of Washington’s...
Tri-City home sales are defying the expectations of a stressed economy. But real estate insiders aren’t surprised.A tight inventory of homes for sale coupled with unprecedented low mortgage interest rates and an unemployment rate that’s lower than the rest of the state is keeping the market moving.The first five months...
Great disruptions can bring great opportunities.For Derrick Stricker, a Tri-City commercial real estate broker, working during the Great Recession in Chicago drove that idea home.Now, a decade older and working in the Mid-Columbia, he’s one of the many local entrepreneurs who see new opportunity in the Covid-19 pandemic.Or rather, an...
Ballots for Washington’s Aug. 4 primary election will be mailed July 17 and hit local mailboxes a few days later.Results will set the stage for the Nov. 3 general election, when everything from the presidency to local county commission posts are up for grabs.Ballots must be returned or postmarked by...
Talk was going around. Politicians in Washington were developing a coronavirus package with a generous program to save jobs at small businesses affected by the pandemic.Eric Pearson, chief executive officer of Kennewick-based Community First Bank, recalls the talk. Nothing was official. The Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act...
There is the obvious investment advice that certainly you’ve heard again and again:Set clear and realistic long-term goals.Keep investing regardless of market fluctuations.Diversify, don’t put all your eggs in one basket.Select quality low-cost globally diversified investments.Seek out a fiduciary professional to support the financial side of your life.All great advice,...
Will the massive fiscal and monetary stimulus packages designed to save the economy actually lead to high inflation?This is becoming a hotly debated topic. In this column, we’ll explore inflation, future expectations and how to protect your nest egg. Inflation can be broadly defined as the increase in prices of goods...
When businesses or professionals talk about engaging in mergers or acquisitions (M&A), what exactly might that entail?In a general sense, M&A is a broad term to describe the various transactions available to gain control of, or consolidate, companies.An acquisition is the scenario where a buyer seeks to purchase or acquire...
