By Robert HarringtonA cohesive and well-researched strategy for a wine andbeverage list is a key component of a successful restaurant, bar or tastingroom. This approach entails defining and assessing competitors,identifying targeted customers and what sort of menu approach is likely to bemost successful. Once these aspects are identified, better decisions...

By Beau RuffAnindividual or a business can engage (i.e., contract) with another as anemployee or an independent contractor. The business owner is usually betterserved if he or she can categorize a worker as an independent contractor ratherthan an employee. Infact, most business owners would probably prefer all independent contractorsrather than...

By D. Patrick Jones“Women hold up half the sky,” ChairmanMao Zedong famously uttered, when discussing the role of women in the Chineserevolution. Since then, the phrase has become a rallying point for many women.Do they hold up half of the economic sky in the greater Tri-Cities? Some dataare available to...

By Andy PerdueThis month,wine grape growers from across the state and throughout the Northwest descendedon the Tri-Cities for the Washington Winegrowers Association’s annualconvention and trade show Feb. 11-14.About 2,000members of the wine industry were expected at the Three Rivers ConventionCenter and Toyota Center to attend seminars, learn about the latest...

By Kris JohnsonThe66th Legislature convened Jan. 14 and is slated to end April 28. During thattime, the top job for lawmakers is to craft the state’s two-year operatingbudget.Thegood news is they have record tax collections to work with — more than  $50 billion for the 2019-21 budget cycle.Kris Johnson, Association...

By Marilou SheaDidyou know that for every cup of coffee consumed daily in the world three cups oftea are consumed? Or that next to water, tea is the most consumed beverage theworld over? There are more than 1,500 varieties of tea varying in color andtaste. Consumers today are beginning to...

By Jennifer L. DreyIncreased costs for materials and labor, coupled with national tariffs and state regulations are presenting challenges and squeezing margins for general contractors in the Tri-Cities as demand for construction remains heavy, according to those in the industry.Nationally, the costs of all inputs to construction increased by 4.9...

By Michelle DuplerA federal Farm Bill passed by Congress and signed by President Trump in December opens the door for legal industrial hemp farming nationwide, but it remains to be seen exactly how the crop will be regulated as a legal commodity in Washington state.The Washington State Department of Agriculture...