Cannabis sales in Benton County reached more than $34 million in fiscal year 2020.That’s up nearly 43% over fiscal year 2019, when sales reached nearly $24 million.Statewide, sales increased nearly 21% to $1.3 billion, up from about $1 billion. Benton County’s sales made up about 3% of the statewide total.King...
From “asymptomatic” and “asynchronous learning,” to “quarantine,” “pivot,” and “Zoom,” coronavirus-related words have wormed their way into our lexicon this year.Though we’ve become fluent in talking about Covid-19, it’s been difficult to navigate our new world with evolving health advice, changing government mandates and so many new rules to follow.Is...
Horn Rapids Solar, Storage & Training Project is now energized in north Richland.The utility-scale solar and battery project was turned on in early November and produces 4 megawatts, enough to support 600 homes. The additional 1MW battery storage system can support 150 homes for up to four hours.Construction of the...
Staff with the Utilities and Transportation Commission have recommended a rate decrease for Cascade Natural Gas customers, saying the Kennewick-based company’s revenue increase request was not “in the best interest of customers.”In testimony filed Nov. 20, UTC staff found that Cascade’s 5.5% requested revenue increase is not necessary to cover...
Framatome’s nuclear fuel manufacturing facility in Richland played a key role in the first-ever use of a 3D printed safety component in a commercial nuclear reactor.Framatome collaborated with Oak Ridge National Laboratory to create the channel fasteners for stainless steel fuel assemblies that will be installed in the Tennessee Valley...
Utility-scale solar project planned for RichlandEnergy Northwest and Tucci Energy Services will develop a 75MW, utility-scale photovoltaic solar project on a 300-acre site north of Richland.Energy Northwest signed a letter of intent to lease the site to Tucci, which will develop what is billed as Washington’s largest utility scale solar...
Our annual list of the most-read stories on the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business’ website covered a range of topics always popular with our readers – property, land and restaurant sales, and planned restaurant openings.But the coronavirus theme also ran through our top stories, just as it did our communities.Among...
Health Officer, Benton-Franklin Health DistrictDr. Amy PersonNumber of employees you oversee: The Benton-Franklin Health District employs almost 95 individuals, although with the Covid-19 response, there are additional temporary staff assisting with contact tracing and data management. I engage with all staff, but my role is not supervisory.Brief background of your...
A Seattle woman faces felony theft charges in Franklin County Superior Court after she allegedly submitted $41,000 in phony bills to the Washington Department of Labor and Industries for translation services that did not occur.Carla C. Moreno, 33, aka Carla Cynthia Montes de Oca Moreno and Carla Moreno Montgomery, was...
A military-grade cyberattack seized the Port of Kennewick’s computer system on Nov. 16, cutting off email and other systems.Email was restored by the end of the month but port staff were still working to restore functionality to their computer systems in early December.The port refused to pay a $200,000 ransom...
