Articles by Kristina Lord
‘Perfect growing season’ is on potato farmers’ wish lists
So many variables can send farmers’ careful preparations sideways. It’s been a common refrain this spring among leaders at many of the state’s commodity groups. Shipping delays affecting the export market. Inflation gobbling up profitability. The war in Ukraine creating market instability. Unpredictable and unseasonable weather. Despite the challenges, potato growers are ready to produce…
Colonoscopy or end-of-life planning? Many would pick physical exam
Most people don’t look forward to a colonoscopy. And most would rather not have a conversation about end-of-life care. Home Instead Inc., a national company with offices in Kennewick, has launched a new program called Elderoscopy with these two ideas in mind. Elderoscopy is a critical conversation, complete with “probing” questions, between older adults and…
New data offers homebuyers details about wildfire risk
Most homes listed for sale in Benton County are at “major risk” for wildfires. That’s according to a new metric on Realtor.com that allows homebuyers to assess a home’s wildfire risk, along with nearby home values, noise levels from traffic or airports, and the usual amenities like whether the property has a pool, or enough…
Demand for self-storage soars with more projects on horizon
Several million dollars’ worth of self-storage projects will be under construction this year in the Tri-Cities as demand for places to stash stuff soars. “This industry is just going crazy. The secret’s out,” said Ryan Daley, president of ABC Mini Storage. He’s building a new mini-storage facility on Richland’s Wellsian Way, on a strip of…
Company transforms garbage bins from dirty to disinfected
Hector Rodriguez smelled an opportunity while pressure washing garbage cans to earn extra money. He realized he could launch a business offering the service, as he knew just how stinky and filthy garbage bins could be. They also can be a breeding ground for all kinds of bacteria, especially on hot days. He launched Teto…
Creating a café experience is on entrepreneur’s new menu
A determined Tri-City entrepreneur has changed her business model and business name and signed a three-year lease in a new place to launch it. Nena Cosic of Pasco has operated European Desserts & Appetizers by Nena out of the Red Mountain Kitchen in downtown Kennewick for the past four years. It will reopen as Café…
Women take helm at the Richland waterfront
The women overseeing two popular waterfront restaurants in Richland didn’t intend for their jobs to become their careers. Kassandra Bell of Anthony’s at Columbia Point, earned a degree in psychology (which comes in handy interacting with staff and guests), and Cara McDonald of Budd’s Broiler spent two decades in real estate (making her savvy in…
Prosser Memorial to break ground on $78 million hospital complex
Prosser Memorial Health plans to break ground this spring on a $78 million hospital complex on 33 acres north of Interstate 82 and to begin seeing patients there in 2024. Its aging hospital at 723 Memorial St. in Prosser will close when the new one opens and eventually will be demolished. A $57.5 million U.S.…
Eye, ear specialists team up to offer seniors one-stop care
A Kennewick audiologist and a Pasco optometrist have teamed up to launch a new business model to make it easier for seniors to receive care. The Columbia Basin Hearing Center and Mid-Columbia Eyecare Center will host the other doctor once a week, starting in mid-February. Optometrist Nicholas Gubler will do eye exams in Kennewick. Audiologist…
Tree Top moves puree line, jobs to Prosser, begins $6M expansion
A Prosser food manufacturer has begun a major expansion project in advance of moving its puree operations from Oregon to the Lower Yakima Valley. Tree Top Inc. will close its Medford, Oregon, plant and move the production line to Prosser in 2023, bringing with it 40 new jobs. The Prosser plant, with a workforce totaling…
