The state added nearly 12,000 jobs in the final month of 2024, putting the unemployment rate at its lowest point for the year. It is still up slightly from December 2023 and still above the current national unemployment rate of 3.8%. 

The James Beard Foundation has announced the semifinalists for its annual awards celebrating the top restaurants and bars, including many in the Pacific Northwest. 

If passed, Washington would join Utah as the only state with a 0.05% blood alcohol concentration limit. Other states have considered similar legislation, but haven’t passed it. Opponents argue the legislation, Senate Bill 5067, would elevate the liability risk for bars and other establishments that sell alcohol. 

Port of Pasco commissioners approved the hire at a special meeting on Jan. 17 and the port’s new executive director will step into the job in the coming weeks as longtime Port of Pasco Executive Director Randy Hayden retires in March. 

More than $14 million is being distributed by the state Commerce Department to help public entities meet state requirements for reducing emissions, enhancing the comfort of building occupants, and improving the cost efficiency of public building operations. 

Two of Gov. Bob Ferguson’s first three executive orders are focused on streamlining housing construction regulations and cutting times for permitting and licensing. 

He started at the Richland hospital in a part-time role helping with community outreach. In addition to providing the automated voice for Kadlec’s phone answering system, he connected with the community via radio, television and podcasts. He most recently served as Kadlec’s chief philanthropy officer after spending much of his career as director of communication. 

The Kennewick School Board will interview six preliminary finalists as it searches for a successor to Superintendent Traci Pierce. Members of the public may attend and observe the interview process on Jan. 28 and 30, and observers will have the opportunity to provide written feedback to the school board.   

Seven years ago, in the landmark case known as McCleary, justices ruled the state had complied with the court’s order to ensure ample funding for basic education. But the state’s been backsliding since, Reykdal said, and no longer provides enough money to local school districts to keep pace with rising costs.

Though downtown Kennewick doesn’t qualify for a National Register of Historic Places historic district designation, several of its buildings are eligible for the register.