Articles by Wendy Culverwell
Vista Field looking less like an airfield, more like future neighborhood
The stage is almost set at Kennewick’s Vista Field for builders to install residential and commercial structures. Total Site Services is close to wrapping up construction of roads, utilities, a water feature and decorative streetlamps at the former municipal airfield in central Kennewick, east of Columbia Center. The Richland contractor was able to complete the…
Group carves out new meeting spot to stay connected
You’ll find them gathered in a wide circle a few feet from the Columbia River and at least six feet from each other. Members of the Tri-Cities Wood Carvers take care to spread out in Columbia Park in Kennewick to minimize the spread of coronavirus under Washington’s Stay Home, Stay Healthy order. The battle against…
Low-risk construction gets green light from governor
Some $100 million in residential construction and other “low risk” construction is reviving across the Tri-Cities. Gov. Jay Inslee nudged the door open to an industry he controversially sidelined in the Stay Home, Stay Healthy order to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. Under pressure from homebuilders and two eastern Washington congressional representatives, Inslee…
Richland’s iconic water plant is getting a subdued facelift
A familiar midcentury piece of the Richland waterfront is about to disappear. The city of Richland is updating the façade of its aging water treatment plant on Saint Street. The eye-catching blue and yellow panels will be swapped for a modern, neutral-colored exterior that’s more energy efficient. The city awarded a $400,000 contract to Pasco-based…
UPDATE: Hispanic chamber helps minority businesses apply for aid
Editor’s note: This story was updated April 24 to reflect the addition of new state and federal funds to support small business during the COVID-19 crisis. The Tri-Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is helping minority and underrepresented businesses apply for emergency assistance after securing a contract worth up to $30,000 from the Washington Department of Commerce. The…
Former Hanford land will give developers the massive lots they crave
Industrial developers will get a shot at buying sites 200 acres and larger in north Richland as soon as next year. It’s been five years since the U.S. Department of Energy transferred 1,600-plus acres from the Hanford reservation to Tri-City control for eventual development. It’s been four years since most of it came under the…
Kennewick business owner called up for Air National Guard duty
It seems like a lifetime ago, but it’s only been a few months since Yvette and Brad Sanders bought the Tri-Cities FastSigns franchise. The January deal had everything it needed to ensure the local business would continue and grow. The couple already had run a business and the sellers were staying on to help with…
Small business optimism alive and well in Tri-Cities
In early April, American businesses raced to apply for $349 billion in forgivable loans through the CARES Act’s SBA Paycheck Protection Program. The loans covered payroll costs, rent, benefits and more. Better still, they’re forgiven if businesses maintain employment through the coronavirus pandemic. Locally and nationwide, the numbers are staggering. Washington state reports unemployment claims…
Lamb Weston adapts to do its part to feed people
Lamb Weston Inc. has enjoyed an idyllic run since it spun out from ConAgra Foods in late 2016. Rising revenue and rising share prices spoke to a global appetite for its french fries, many produced in the Mid-Columbia, where Lamb Weston is a major employer as well as major buyer of Washington-grown potatoes. The coronavirus…
Growing Pasco pipe company plans Foster Wells expansion
A Pasco company that fabricates and installs pipe systems for farms, wineries and industry is making a bold bet on the future. Allynda and Kyle Callies, owners of Callies Welding and Fabrication in Pasco, are finalizing a deal to buy the last two developable at the Foster Wells Business Park from the Port of Pasco…
