State officials say they expect the loans to be especially helpful for seasonal businesses, such as event venues, florists, caterers and tourism-focused enterprise.

The five-member Richland Public Facilities District board’s primary role is to build and maintain public facilities that attract tourism, create jobs, support commercial business, generate sales and lodging tax revenues, and provide space for public events. 

Utilities serving the Tri-Cities and its surrounding communities receive anywhere from half to more than 80% of their power from the Bonneville Power Administration. The rates those utilities charge their customers are directly affected by the rates they pay to BPA for its power.

The national pharmacy chain has entered into an agreement to have CVS Pharmacy purchase and operate many of its locations in Washington, Oregon and Idaho as it sells its assets as part of its latest bankruptcy filing. 

The Tri-Cities Airport has secured federal funds that will help pay for portions of the terminal expansion it recently kicked off.

The company’s failure to provide records for a scheduled compliance review led state labor investigators to uncover the company’s alleged failure to inform thousands of its workers of details of their jobs and compensation as required by state law. 

An anchor tenant at Columbia Center mall is buying one of its nearby neighbors.

The founder of a soon-to-open breakfast burrito restaurant in downtown Pasco has made it to the quarterfinals of a national chef competition and needs the help of fans to keep going. 

The bills included one sponsored by a Kennewick Republican that will help students pay for college. They did not include, however, the budget and tax bills that must be signed by May 20.