Laura Kostad

Laura Kostad is a freelance reporter for the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business and Senior Times. After completing her bachelor’s degree in creative writing at the University of Washington in 2015, she moved to Kennewick to pursue new opportunities and launch her career. She has been with the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business since 2017 and has enjoyed getting to know her new community through journalism. In her spare time, she enjoys working on the many book ideas she has and the occasional poem.

Tops for hops: U.S. dominates world market

May 6, 2018

Laura Kostad

After five years of unprecedented growth, the Northwest hop industry has been almost single-handedly responsible for establishing the U.S. as the No. 1 producer of hops in the world, accounting for 42 percent of all production.Washington boasts nearly 70 percent of U.S. production, with 98 percent of U.S. hops grown...

Focus on fresh: Asparagus yields improving after market collapse

May 6, 2018

Laura Kostad

After years spent recovering from the collapse of the U.S. asparagus industry, Washington has experienced steady growth as local producers find new ways to adapt to the changed market.Thirty years ago, Washington was the world’s center for asparagus production, producing 100 million pounds in 1990, said Alan Schreiber, an...

Redefining Kennewick’s downtown areas

May 6, 2018

Laura Kostad

A return to small towns and reconnecting to the waterfront is the idea behind the Port of Kennewick and city of Kennewick’s joint project to develop vacant riverfront property.The goal is to cultivate “new energy, vitality, business and jobs and provide a gathering place for people,” said Kennewick Mayor Steve...

Port plans more airport improvements

May 6, 2018

Laura Kostad

The new Tri-Cities Airport terminal opened in February 2017 and the Port of Pasco is planning more improvements in coming months.Also on the horizon are plans to develop the port’s 60-acre marine terminal area just east of the cable bridge.The $41.9 million airport project nearly doubled the size of the...

Hundreds of acres available soon in Richland

May 6, 2018

Laura Kostad

Work to market 760 acres of federal land transferred to the Port of Benton will kick off in earnest in the coming year.In 2016, the Department of Energy transferred 760 acres of industrial land from the Hanford site to the Port of Benton and 581 acres to the city of...

Tri-City’s indie film industry heralding recent surge of growth

April 12, 2018

Laura Kostad

The cameras are rolling on the sets of a growing community of filmmakers shooting their productions right here in Tri-Cities.Randy LaBarge, a Kennewick-based screenwriter and producer, said rapid advancements in the microminiaturization of technology has led to a surge in independently produced films.“With the availability of equipment, (movies) can be...

Community input sought to craft vision for region’s future

April 12, 2018

Laura Kostad

Vision project to include past reports and regional plansWhat’s your favorite thing about the Tri-City region?What are our biggest strengths? What would you want to see change about the area in 12 years?Tri-City leaders are seeking the public’s input on these questions as part of a new community visioning project...

Tri-City’s first bridal bar opens in Kennewick this month

April 12, 2018

Laura Kostad

New shop to serve as one-stop shop for local wedding resourcesWhite Glove Weddings Bridal Bar will be rolling out the red carpet for an April 27 grand opening of the Tri-Cities’ first bridal bar — a community resource for wedding and event planning.Inside the newly renovated Kennewick storefront — which...

Richland hotel caters to travelers seeking more sustainable amenities

April 12, 2018

Laura Kostad

Hilton Home2 Suites focuses on eco-friendly options throughout facilityRichland’s new Hilton Home2 Suites appeals to travelers’ increasing environmental consciousness and desire for more sustainable amenities.The Queensgate area hotel’s sales manager, Berenice Trevino, said she’s interacted with guests who specifically seek out Home2 Suites for this reason and said hotel reviews...

Longtime book collectors building bookstore near Horn Rapids

April 12, 2018

Laura Kostad

Niche bookstore to feature collectibles, sci-fi, mysteries, non-fictionMid-Columbia book collectors will have new shelves to comb this summer.Longtime book collector and retiring Bechtel radiological engineering health supervisor, Steven Woolfolk, is planning the construction of a 6,000-square-foot bookstore at 2240 Robertson Drive in Richland near Horn Rapids.The new store’s name: Xenophile...