Focus
Grocery Outlet opens in Richland
The much-anticipated Grocery Outlet Bargain Market has opened at Richland’s Vintner Square, 2901 Queensgate Drive. The store debuted March 24 with 30 employees. The newly built store joins the Target-anchored shopping complex at Queensgate and Duportail Drive. It is the third Grocery Outlet in the Tri-Cities, joining sisters in Kennewick and Pasco. The new location is independently owned and operated by Nikki and Mike Sims. “This partnership…
Arts center group pulls out of Vista Field over funding
A nonprofit with a bold plan to build a performing arts center at the heart of Kennewick’s Vista Field has pulled out, saying it intends to pursue taxpayer funding in Richland. The Vista Arts Center vision is still very much alive, but the financial model has shifted to a public-private partnership, said Steven Wiley, chairman…
Richland academy gives high schoolers head start on health care careers
Richland students will get a jump start on health care careers thanks to a new academy set to launch this fall. The Richland School District opens its new Academy of Health & Sciences at Richland High School this fall. Students are encouraged to enroll in the courses this winter as they begin setting schedules for…
Strong, skilled workforce contributes to strong economy
By Kris Johnson If it seems like you’ve seen a lot “help wanted” signs lately, you’re not imagining things. Now more than a decade into the current economic expansion, the national unemployment rate is at a 50-year low, labor market participation is at the highest rate in nearly seven years and recent news reports said…
Q&A with Sandra Haynes
ChancellorWashington State University Tri-Cities Number of employees you oversee: Approximately 245 faculty and staff What is WSU Tri-Cities and how does it fit into the Washington State University system? WSU Tri-Cities is a four-year public research university in the Tri-Cities, and is one of six university campuses in the WSU system. The other WSU campuses…
A1 Hospitality shifts focus to four-star hotel
A1 Hospitality isn’t quite finished celebrating the opening of its newest Tri-City hotel, the Courtyard by Marriott in Pasco. The 99-room hotel opened Feb. 18 at the entrance to the Tri-Cities Airport. The $10 million hotel employs more than 30 and combines the amenities of an upscale property—fitness center, pool, bar and restaurant, plush rooms—with…
Leaving real estate to your kids could have unintended consequences
By Beau Ruff In most families, the parents dream of leaving a legacy to their children. Of course, the parents want to create a legacy in terms of intrinsic family values, ethics and professionalism. The parents also may often want to create a legacy in terms of material (real) property. Sometimes it takes the form…
Hospitality sector carving out bigger chunk of greater Tri-City economy
By D. Patrick Jones Ranking sixth doesn’t land an industry much coverage in Benton-Franklin Trends. For display purposes, only the top five sectors find their way into our graphs, such as the one covering the five largest sectors by employment. The hospitality industry of the greater Tri-Cities finds itself in this situation. Defined by headcount,…
WSU Tri-Cities hospitality professor plans to travel to Austria for Fulbright
Instructor will research tasting offerings, pricing practices in winery tasting rooms A Washington State University Tri-Cities professor plans to travel to Austria as part of a Fulbright Program Scholar grant to research tasting offerings and pricing practices in winery tasting rooms. Beginning in March 2021, Byron Marlowe will teach and conduct research at the IMC…
Department of Commerce launches new, improved Retirement Marketplace
The Washington State Department of Commerce announced Feb. 12 that it has launched the new Retirement Marketplace, a one-stop website that helps owners of small businesses and individuals comparison shop for retirement savings plans. All plans on the marketplace are from private financial firms that have been verified by the state Department of Financial Institutions. …
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