By Kris JohnsonAll eyes were on Seattle this spring as the city council passed — and then quickly repealed — a head tax on employees.The $275 tax per employee, which would have been levied annually on about 500 of the city’s larger employers, was intended to raise money to combat...
By Ted Escobar, Daily Sun NewsSunnyside is closer to 200 new year-around jobs thanks to Ostrom Mushroom Farms LLC acquiring funding for its new state-of-the-art composting and operating platform at the Port of Sunnyside.Ascendant Partners Inc. of Colorado recently announced a $45 million financing package for Ostrom, the largest commercial...
By Marilou SheaHave you noticed that farm stands are few and far between these days with the success of our local farmers’ markets? I’m almost sure I heard a collective sigh when the popular Cool Slice stand shuttered its bins in Pasco two years ago. One of the reasons is...
By D. Patrick JonesRemember the phrase, “It’s the economy, stupid?” It certainly is true when assessing the state of regional lending. Let’s walk through what the economy does for the regional financial sector. But first, a word about the sector.The “credit intermediation” industry – largely banks and credit unions –...
By Kris JohnsonIt isn’t just the decisions made in Olympia that impact the economy in Washington state. What happens in the “other” Washington can also affect employers, their employees and our families.Everything from health care to trade and immigration to taxes are increasingly impacted by what happens — or doesn’t...
By Beau RuffYou can do whatever you want with your money and assets but when charged with caring for another person’s money and assets, a body of law provides guidance on how you should proceed. Enter the prudent investor rule.I am not talking about financial planners and wealth management companies,...
By Ted Escobar, Daily Sun NewsKnown for its low prices for common grocery items, Grocery Outlet will open a new store in Sunnyside. The store will open at 2600 Yakima Valley Highway, in the former Kmart building.Grocery Outlet spokeswoman Kelly O’Rourke said construction will start soon.“Delivering thrilling deals has become our mission,” O’Rouke said. “It’s...
By David ForsythPlants are the ultimate energy-conversion machine, taking energy from sunlight along with carbon dioxide to produce plant biomass and oxygen. Wine grapes, like many plants, will store some of this energy as sugar in the fruit. David ForsythThe grapevine using the captured energy, along with water, nitrogen and...
By Emily Goodell, Yakima Valley Business TimesNestled inside Desert Wind Winery in Prosser is Jade Visser’s pride and joy: Jade’s British Girl Treats, a confection shop, bakery and deli.Every day, Visser crafts chocolate concoctions and English toffee, designs delicate desserts and — most importantly to her — finds daily enjoyment...
By Dave Leder, Yakima Valley Business TimesStandard Paint & Flooring has been busy this spring — busier, perhaps, than at any other time in its 64-year history.During the past month, the Yakima-based home décor chain not only opened two new showrooms in Richland and Sunnyside, but also improved its online...
