Articles by Robin Wojtanik
Couple transform Flat Top Mountain property into lavender farm
An unassuming West Richland lavender farm brims with purple and possibility as the owners dream well beyond U-pick bunches to becoming the largest lavender-cutting supplier in the state. Terri and Steve Szendre operate SunKissed Lavender on Flat Top Mountain, off Collins Road, where they nurture 2,000 lavender plants, land once covered with weeds and sagebrush.…
Consumers crave their fresh fruit
The 2021 cherry crop is shaping up to be larger than last year’s but with the usual caveat for the sweet, fragile fruit: A single weekend of wind or rain could cause widespread devastation. The cherry industry didn’t miss a beat when the Covid-19 pandemic arrived a year ago. Washington growers harvested nearly 20 million…
Fewer apples heading to market
Fewer apples are going to market in 2021, but this isn’t really a complaint. “This has proven to be very advantageous as far as Covid and trade issues go,” said Todd Fryhover, president of the Washington Apple Commission. The industry expects to harvest 122 million bushels in 2021, compared to 134 million in 2020. Apple…
Hop output lower with changes
in beer demand, distribution
After a chaotic year, Washington’s hop industry is looking for a win. “Things are starting to get rocking and rolling again,” said Jaki Brophy, communications director for the Washington Hop Commission, following a year of Covid-19 restrictions, lower beer sales and punishment by Mother Nature. Wildfires and windstorms took a toll on hop crops in…
Beekeeper pollinates Northwest crops, sells varietal honey
In just a few short years, Aaron Brink went from an annoyed homeowner, frequently stung by bees while mowing, to a commercial beekeeper who laughs off daily stings while tending to hundreds of beehives. “I’m immune to bee stings,” said Brink, owner of Brink’s Bees. “I got into the bees as a hobby, not a…
New owners reboot longtime downtown Kennewick shoe store
A fashion enthusiast followed her dream of owning not just one – but two – businesses, now located under one roof in downtown Kennewick. Jamie and Loren Wikstrand bought the 68-year-old David’s Shoes store earlier this year. The longtime business is located in a historic brick corner building outfitted with green awnings at 201 W.…
Pandemic doesn’t stunt Kennewick entrepreneur’s growth
“We do weddings. We do bonsai trees.” Not the typical services you might see offered together, but Brandon Andersen, owner of Bonsai Audio, has found a way to marry the two successfully. “Bonsai stands for an aesthetic. It’s a small work of art that’s also alive,” he said. The Kennewick man’s lucrative business providing DJ…
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,…
