For almost 20 years, Babcock Services Inc. (BSI) has served clients in the nuclear industry. Although the company is headquartered in Kennewick, employees live throughout the country and travel to job sites at various nuclear facilities as needed.This year, however, Babcock Services landed a contract with a nuclear power plant...

Tri-City area governments are saving money after installing low-energy, long-lasting streetlights.The city of West Richland was the first to implement an emission-reduction policy six years ago that would save energy as well as money, said Drew Woodruff, West Richland’s city engineer.“The city had about 1,100 streetlights that were all high pressure sodium...

By Frances WhiteElectric cars with significantly smaller, lighter and less expensive batteries could be on the horizon if a new national research effort achieves its ambitious goal of significantly improving upon the batteries that power today’s electric vehicles.Led by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, the Battery500 consortium will receive up...

By Frances WhiteA dozen clean energy technologies that enable everything from lightweight, fuel-sipping cars to the expansion of renewable energy and cleaner fossil fuel use are getting a boost at the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.DOE is awarding PNNL about $4.4 million to bring the 12 technologies closer...

By Don C. BrunellSince the construction of Grand Coulee and Bonneville dams, Washington has enjoyed an abundance of low cost, reliable hydropower. It has been one-key competitive advantage for energy intensive industries and now it is vital to our state burgeoning “clean-tech industries.”Hydropower, along with nuclear, solar and wind, produce...

When Aaron Hines and his three younger brothers needed a haircut, their dad would plop them down in the kitchen chair and give them a trim.[blockquote quote="It’s the best decision I ever made." source="Aaron Hines, on becoming a barber" align="right" max_width="300px"]“And then my dad decided I should cut their hair...

When Marty and Lenee Taylor put in an offer to buy the old 6th Street Café in downtown Prosser last spring, they had a general idea about what they wanted to do with it.[blockquote quote="We like giving people a chance to experience live music." source="Marty Taylor, owner of Brewminatti" align="right"...

Having just completed work on a five-year, $2.6 million grant for Washington State University in June, LoAnn Ayers started as president and chief executive officer of the United Way of Benton and Franklin Counties July 1, succeeding Beverly Weber upon her retirement.[blockquote quote="It’s all in an effort to help connect...

By Jeff Morrow for TCAJoBIsoRay Medical is staying in the Tri-Cities after all.Initially spun off by scientists from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in 1998, IsoRay and its board began looking for opportunities to expand its facilities and possibly relocate away from the Tri-Cities, where it was founded.But in stepped the...

By Jeff Morrow for TCAJoBIf you’re not looking for it, you don’t see it.But Bryan Ketcham, director of Catholic Charities Housing Services (CCHS) out of the Diocese of Yakima, sees the homelessness and crowded living conditions people endure up and down the Yakima Valley.And that’s why he’s excited about the...