Local News
Washington prepared to battle coronavirus
Washington is preparing to battle with coronavirus, the emerging health threat that originated in China. The state Health Department is the lead. It announced on Feb. 4 that it stands ready to isolate and quarantine travelers from China, working with partners to implement federal measures announced in January to control the spread. The World Health…
Providence tackles provider burnout with virtual counseling
Burnout rates among health care professionals is a growing issue nationwide. About 44 percent of health care providers experience signs of burnout, such as stress, anxiety and depression, according to Medscape, which tracks the medical industry. Recognizing the need, Providence launched Telebehavioral Health Concierge for caregivers and their dependents throughout the state, including at Richland’s…
AARP study: Age discrimination costs economy billions a year
Age discrimination against people age 50 and older robbed the economy of $850 billion in 2018, according to a new AARP report. Research shows that the 50-plus population contributed 40 percent of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product, or GDP, in 2018, creating 88.6 million jobs and generating $5.7 trillion in wages and salaries through jobs…
Your financial planner and your attorney should be talking
By Beau Ruff Sometimes the concept of financial planning is considered distinct from the more laborious and esoteric task of estate planning. The financial plan is the “low hanging fruit” that is first to be addressed. However, in many important respects, the two should be considered contemporaneously to establish a more robust, holistic plan. A…
Retirement planning starts with honest assessment of your spending today
By Ben Messinger For many of us, retirement funding is a central fixture of our financial plan and one of the most important considerations is determining the income necessary to sustain a desired lifestyle. Knowing the true income need for your lifestyle is the foundation of determining what capital resources must be acquired, which is…
AARP pushes for automatic IRAs to boost retirement savings
AARP Washington is championing a bill to require employers that do not offer retirement plans to make an “automatic enrollment” Individual Retirement Account available to their workers. House Bill 2516, the “Secure Choice Retirement Savings Program,” was pending in the House of Representatives in mid-February. AARP says the bill is a necessary antidote to a…
Be alert to significant changes in retirement plans
By Shelley Kennedy It might not have made the headlines but a recently passed piece of legislation could affect the individual retirement accounts and 401(k)s of millions of Americans beginning in 2020. So, if you have either of these accounts or if you run a business, you’ll want to learn more. The new laws, collectively…
Boeing, Space Force and the 2020 Washington Legislature
In the runup to the 2020 Legislature, Gov. Jay Inslee made headlines with a stark warning to the Boeing Co: Build your next plane in Washington or billions in tax credits could be in jeopardy. Tax breaks for the aerospace industry aren’t at the top of Olympia’s agenda —the short, 60-day session that began Jan.…
West Richland bonds won’t cost taxpayers as much as expected
The stars lined up for West Richland taxpayers in December, when the city sold nearly $12.5 million in bonds to pay for its new police station at the former Tri-City Raceway. Their 2020 property tax bills won’t go up as much as initially projected. The city is paying less to finance its debt than it…
Richland hemp bar company humming along
More than $1 million has been invested in Richland-based Hummingbar, providing the startup with quick success, place on grocery store shelves nationwide. A Richland company continues to grow in local investments less than a year after churning out its first nutrition bars made from hemp. Humming Hemp’s Hilary Kelsay, chief executive officer, called it a…
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