Articles by Guest Contributor
The No. 1 threat to your investment success
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…
Where’s the inflation and what should investors do about it?
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 and services over…
Mergers and acquisitions, a primer
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 the ownership of…
Check fraud is helping drive up financial fraud
We have all seen the news: card skimmers, check fraud and compromised accounts. With financial fraud on the rise, where does your financial institution stand in terms of losses, security and products to assist you in safeguarding your accounts and identity? The American Bankers Association does a survey each year to determine the amount of…
Covid-19 hits tourism hard in the Tri-Cities
Hospitality is big business in the Tri-Cities. It just misses landing in the top five sectors, as ranked by employment levels in Benton-Franklin Trends data. The data behind this indicator show that in 2019, hospitality employment levels averaged slightly over 10,000 in the two counties. That placed hospitality sixth. As a share of the labor…
When it comes to coronavirus, protect your health and your wallet
Scammers look to capitalize on the news of the moment, especially if the headlines can instill fear and motivate people to act. The ongoing outbreak of the coronavirus is no exception. While scientists and medical professionals are working overtime to find ways to test for and stem the spread of the virus, the Federal Trade…
Bill aims to support next generation of hydropower
As I have said in the past and will continue to vocalize in our nation’s capital: Hydropower is truly the lifeblood of the Pacific Northwest. From the Grand Coulee Dam, the largest power producing hydroelectric dam in North America, to the dams along the Columbia and Snake rivers, Central Washington has come to rely on…
Rebound and Recovery website aims to help small business bounce back
We’ve all learned new terms and acronyms in the last few months, from “flattening the curve” and “social distancing” to WFH (working from home) and PPE (personal protective equipment). It’s remarkable how quickly Covid-19 has upended our lives and inserted itself into our daily rhythms. If you run a business, social distancing and PPE are…
Paycheck Protection Program still has $130B to support struggling businesses
During the past few weeks, I’ve been reading a lot about hope and its necessary role in healing, recovery and moving forward, not only as individuals, but as communities and a nation. I’ve been talking to our local team about the role the U.S. Small Business Administration, or SBA, must have in providing hope to…
Global gut: Wine grape glut may cut into industry’s profits
While the quality of grapes and winemaking in Washington state remain world-class, the global glut of wine continues to cut into the industry’s bottom line. Consumers stand to benefit, whenever shelter-in-place restrictions and pandemic-affected spending allow. “The Washington grape market is suffering from a structural imbalance between supply and demand that will likely require substantial…
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