Articles by Guest Contributor
82-unit townhome project in Pasco targets first-time buyers
By Arielle Dreher Road 68’s development boom will continue this year with an 82-townhome development project at the end of Chapel Hill Boulevard, nestled against Interstate 182 off one of Pasco’s busiest roads. Envision Northwest LLC, a Kirkland-based developer, has begun construction on 41 duplex buildings on both sides of a single road, which ends…
Tri-City area women not (yet) holding up half of the business sky
By D. Patrick Jones “Women hold up half the sky,” Chairman Mao Zedong famously uttered, when discussing the role of women in the Chinese revolution. Since then, the phrase has become a rallying point for many women. Do they hold up half of the economic sky in the greater Tri-Cities? Some data are available to…
Understanding generational differences improves company culture
By Danielle Kane We’ve all heard the stereotypes: millennials are entitled. Gen Xers are slackers. Baby Boomers can’t adapt. And Gen Z? So far, the youngest generation to enter the work force has been pigeon-holded as “too obsessed with themselves to produce quality work.” But, when we dig deeper, we find that the labels that…
Washington grape growers inject $875,000 into economy at annual convention
By Andy Perdue This month, wine grape growers from across the state and throughout the Northwest descended on the Tri-Cities for the Washington Winegrowers Association’s annual convention and trade show Feb. 11-14. About 2,000 members of the wine industry were expected at the Three Rivers Convention Center and Toyota Center to attend seminars, learn about…
Legislative session focused on spending, taxes
By Kris Johnson The 66th Legislature convened Jan. 14 and is slated to end April 28. During that time, the top job for lawmakers is to craft the state’s two-year operating budget. The good news is they have record tax collections to work with — more than $50 billion for the 2019-21 budget cycle. To…
Read between the leaves: Tea is good brew for you
By Marilou Shea Did you know that for every cup of coffee consumed daily in the world three cups of tea are consumed? Or that next to water, tea is the most consumed beverage the world over? There are more than 1,500 varieties of tea varying in color and taste. Consumers today are beginning to…
Local or out-of-town attorney? Go local
By Beau Ruff When businesses need attorneys to assist on either day-to-day matters (e.g. labor and employment issues) or once-in-a-lifetime matters (e.g. selling the business), the business will need to choose whether to engage and rely upon local counsel or seek the services of an attorney located in a larger metropolitan area. Generally, the business…
Contractors squeezed by higher costs while demand remains strong
By Jennifer L. Drey Increased costs for materials and labor, coupled with national tariffs and state regulations are presenting challenges and squeezing margins for general contractors in the Tri-Cities as demand for construction remains heavy, according to those in the industry. Nationally, the costs of all inputs to construction increased by 4.9 percent between November…
Farm Bill could clear way for state’s industrial hemp growers
By Michelle Dupler A federal Farm Bill passed by Congress and signed by President Trump in December opens the door for legal industrial hemp farming nationwide, but it remains to be seen exactly how the crop will be regulated as a legal commodity in Washington state. The Washington State Department of Agriculture has said it…
Tri-City health care sector ranks as region’s second largest work force
By D. Patrick Jones Despite recent challenges faced by local hospitals, health care here is acquiring all the features of a major medical center. Benton-Franklin Trends data makes this quite clear, tracking the share of the work force employed in the five highest-employing sectors. Health care is the second from the bottom in the graph.…
