The Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business has selected its honorees for the Tri-City People of Influence awards in 2026. The honorees are to be recognized at a March 12 event.

Government works best out in the open and in the light. When public agencies make critical decisions behind closed doors, the people they serve are left guessing and trust suffers.

Even before state lawmakers passed a large package of new taxes last year, the state already had a reputation for putting a significant tax burden on businesses, according to a recent report. 

The woman who founded a Kennewick chocolate and candy shop that served the Tri-Cities for more than 40 years has died. 

A recycler of everything from construction and demolition materials to organic and electronic waste will avoid millions of dollars in penalties by improving tracking of its operations and taking efforts to avoid collecting non-recyclable trash via its collection sites. 

All levy renewals proposed by Tri-City school districts except for one were passing Tuesday night in the February special election. Pasco residents were also passing a measure to have the city formally join Mid-Columbia Libraries’ taxing district, which will levy a new property tax. 

John Hairston, who has served as the administrator of Bonneville Power Authority for the past five years and led recent efforts to modernize and expand its transmission infrastructure and operations, has announced his retirement. 

Aspiring triathletes without the means or knowledge to pursue that goal have until Feb. 13 to apply for one of two $10,000 scholarships to help prepare for this year’s IROMAN 70.3 Washington Tri-Cities event.