Articles by Robin Wojtanik
New building welcomes youngest learners
A new building aims to meet the demand for high-quality preschool education in the Tri-Cities by adding three classrooms dedicated to Montessori learners at the new Ferguson Education Center in Richland. The 5,765-square-foot building opened just after Thanksgiving and can house 60 students at one time at 1107 Stevens Drive. It is named for the…
City of Richland: Major construction projects span city limits
A global pandemic hasn’t slowed progress across the city of Richland as major construction projects wrap up and new ones prepare to break ground. The $43 million Duportail Bridge opened to limited traffic in early September 2020. It is expected to fully open by Nov. 1, 2020, providing a new span across the Yakima River…
City of West Richland: City may hold key to Tri-City home shortage
As a city that doesn’t rely on sales tax revenue to fuel much of its budget, West Richland had an unexpected boost from the Covid-19 pandemic: more people began ordering online, sending “destination-oriented” sales tax revenue to the city’s coffers. “When you’re not dependent on sales tax, it’s actually benefited the city,” said Eric Mendenhall,…
Who is that Mask Man? Prosser winemaker pivots to PPE sales
From award-winning winemaker to N95 mask supplier, Ron Bunnell took a circuitous route to his new business venture, The Mask Man. Bunnell, co-owner of Prosser’s Wine O’Clock and The Bunnell Family Cellar, is using his contacts in China to meet the increasing demand for disposable masks, gloves, infrared thermometers and other personal protective equipment, or…
2 new businesses plus bakery expansion pause opening plans
Three businesses are anxious to open their doors in Richland’s Parkway, following months of construction and delays due to Covid-19 restrictions. Moniker, a high-end craft cocktail bar, will serve as the anchor tenant, occupying about half of the building at 702 The Parkway. Wine Social, a wine bar offering retail sales, and Ethos Bakery’s second…
Hanford drives Tri-City economy—but not as much as it once did
Tri-City residents continue to reap the benefits from continued cleanup work at the Hanford site years after plutonium production ceased. Hanford spending supports about two jobs for every employee hired with federal dollars. “The whole community benefits substantially, regardless of whether you’re a car dealership in Pasco, a restaurant in West Richland, or a real…
New construction, demolition, waste treatment mark signs of progress
Hanford’s major contractors continue to make significant achievements at the site, including demolitions, new construction and wastewater treatment as part of ongoing cleanup efforts. A major accomplishment was celebrated in winter 2020 with the demolition of the Plutonium Finishing Plant’s main processing facility, a result of work by CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Co. (CHPRC). The…
Longtime Hanford Communities leader to retire
The first and only leader of the Hanford Communities group plans to retire in May 2020, ending 25 years of support and advocacy on behalf of those who live in the shadow of the Hanford site and its long-running cleanup efforts. It’s a role Pamela Larsen didn’t expect to fill, let alone serve in for…
Richland hemp bar company humming along
More than $1 million has been invested in Richland-based Hummingbar, providing the startup with quick success, place on grocery store shelves nationwide. A Richland company continues to grow in local investments less than a year after churning out its first nutrition bars made from hemp. Humming Hemp’s Hilary Kelsay, chief executive officer, called it a…
Kennewick’s Ideal Option tackles the opioid crisis
Ideal Option grew from one to 65 clinics over eight years A nondescript and unassuming collection of buildings along Kennewick’s busy West Gage Boulevard provides a lifeline to patients saddled with opioid addiction, including the rising use of fentanyl pills. What started as a small clinic grew into a veritable campus and epicenter for a…
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