25 employees lost their jobs April 1 and more cuts are expectedAbout 25 Trios Health employees have lost their jobs as Kennewick’s public hospital district grapples to fix a financial crisis.The series of layoffs that took effect April 1 are expected to save more than $2 million.But facing net losses...

Company bypasses 3 other cities to invest $50 million into new warehouseAutoZone’s new Pasco distribution center will welcome its first inbound truck on April 15 and begin sending trucks out to customers and stores in late June.The company invested $50 million into the new distribution center that will serve 235...

HAPO Community Credit Union has extended its “member-centric” focus to include businesses.The Richland-based credit union recently launched a commercial division that stands ready to helps businesses, large and small.“We are member-centric and focus on what our members’ needs are. Sometimes their needs get lost in bigger banks,” said Monte Drake,...

Benton, Franklin county wheat farmers more concerned about late start to growing seasonThough a damaging snow mold has been spotted in some Eastern Washington wheat fields, local farmers aren’t expressing concern.Pink-tinged mold in fields of winter wheat and even in lawns of grass in southcentral and southeastern Washington has experts...

Tom Ravella said road safety starts with putting away phone, staying focused A Kennewick UPS driver gives thanks every time he safely returns from one of his daily road trips.Tom Ravella, 55, typically drives 350 miles a day between Hermiston and the Farewell Bend area in Oregon, five days a...

37-year-old company keeping close eye on how Uber affects its businessThe region’s biggest taxi company moved its operations from Pasco to Richland earlier this month.[blockquote quote="We have no control over Uber and what’s going to happen." source="Mike Coyner, owner of Tri-City Taxi" align="right" max_width="300px"]Mike Coyner has operated Tri-City Taxi for...

In the not too distant future, “smart homes” could be as common as smartphones. Diane CookA Washington State University researcher believes so-called “smart homes” might be a way to keep senior citizens independent and in their homes longer.“We want to provide intervention to increase independence,” said Diane Cook, whose research...

52-year-old Richland business specializes in trees, plants, landscaping, customer serviceThe owner of a longtime Richland nursery impressed his first customer when he was 8 years old by rattling off the scientific name of a Japanese umbrella pine: Sciadopitys verticillata umbrella folia. [blockquote quote="Our average employment is 12 to 15 years. You...

Walla Walla has the Marcus Whitman Hotel.Spokane has the Davenport.Portland boasts the Benson.Seattle has the Fairmont.The owner of The Lodge at Columbia Point in Richland hopes to add his boutique hotel to the list for the Tri-Cities.“The Tri-Cities has needed an identity boutique hotel,” said owner Tom Drumheller.The $8.5 million...

There’s a joke among Leadership Tri-Cities alumni that theirs was “the best class ever.”And when the organization’s board members talk about incoming classes, they refer to them as “the next best class ever.”The leadership group is now accepting applications for its “next best class” and planning an open house for...