By Eileen L. GriffinA recent Wall StreetJournal column attempted to dispel the myth of an impending retirement crisisin the United States. It said most private sector employees are well preparedfor retirement, having saved and invested for many years with bothemployer-sponsored plans and Individual Retirement Accounts. Recent dataindicates 61 percent of...
By Beau RuffProperty owned by aspouse does not automatically transfer to the surviving spouse at death.Instead, something more is needed in the estate plan to accomplish this feat. In all the complexityof the estate plan, the community property agreement is one document inparticular that offers simplicity, and yet still is...
By Kris JohnsonThe 2019 legislative session was a busy one by any measure, with unprecedented challenges for Washington employers, and it led to dramatic growth in the state budget.One of the bright spots was watching thousands of hairstylists and salon owners rally in Olympia like never before to tell lawmakers...
By Mark FountainToday, many people do not know where their food comes from. But Tri-City residents can just look down the road and see some of the country’s largest food and beverage manufacturing facilities. Mark Fountain,Food NorthwestThe Pasco-Kennewick-Richland area and its surrounding counties are a major hub of food processing....
By D. Patrick JonesManufacturing in the greater Tri-Cities is synonymous with agricultural processing. Out of the nearly 7,900 manufacturing workers in the two counties in 2017, more than 70 percent commuted daily to an agricultural processing facility. Unlike other EasternWashington metro areas, manufacturing doesn’t rank in the top five by...
By Marilou SheaWhat’s green andtypically soft, smells good and blankets you, your plate or room withswoon-worthy fragrance? Herbs.Marilou Shea,Food Truck AcademyI love herbs! Can’tget enough of them. Mostly because they’re often pretty, smell good and havelots of variety. Sounds like a good first date, right? And what appeals to thelogical...
By Don C. BrunellThere are some dams that should come down and those that shouldn’t.Hopefully, as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers conducts its review of the 14 federal dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers, that will become abundantly clear. That review is expected to be ready for public...
By Andy PerdueWhen a young grapevine begins growing in the sandy soils of Washington’s Columbia Valley, it takes a few years to establish itself and build a foundation of strong roots before producing fruit.After a period known as the juvenileyears, the vines mature, and with the right care and coaxing,...
By Andy PerdueWhile the Washington wine grape market booms, even approaching the state apple industry in size and economic importance, there’s another grape industry that tops the nation in size: juice grapes.Last year, Concord grape growers broughtin nearly 200,000 tons of fruit — 3 percent over the prior year, valued...
By Tyler RussellDon’t fall for the free durable medical equipment scam that’s making the rounds among senior citizens.Tyler RussellThe Better Business Bureau is hearing from consumers — more than 200 since the first of the year — who have been targeted by scammers offering “free” back or knee braces.Here’s how...
