Teacher’s World closes in Kennewick

Teacher’s World, which sold educational toys and games as well as classroom gear, closed its Kennewick store at Christmas.

Owner Shannon Chiamulon will focus on her remaining store in Spokane.

Both stores suffered from online competition, leading to falling sales even as costs rose. Chiamulon reached an agreement with her landlord to vacate the store space at 101 N. Union St. before the lease expired. 

Teacher’s World was established in 2011. Chiamulon took over in May 2017.

Regis, Mastercuts close at Columbia Center 

The Beautiful Group has closed 300 hair salons, including two at Kennewick’s Columbia Center, as part of a larger move to return salons to Minneapolis-based Regis Corp. 

The Beautiful Group, based in Beverly Hills, transferred 200 mall-based salons operating as Regis and Mastercuts to Regis to settle credit issues. Beautiful Group acquired the salons from Regis in 2017.  

Those salons remained open because they have continuing lease obligations. 

The salons that closed did not have ongoing leases, Regis said in a statement in late December.

KeyBank closing Richland branch

KeyBank will close its Richland branch on March 20, 2020. 

Customers of the Richland branch will have their accounts automatically transferred to the Columbia Center branch at 6717 W. Canal Drive, Kennewick, which is five miles away. Clients are asked to transfer the contents of their safe deposit boxes.

A spokeswoman said the closure was a business decision based on customer usage and does not lessen the bank’s commitment to the market. 

Goodyear leases space for new Pasco shop

Goodyear Tires has leased an 11,000-square-foot industrial space at 420 S. 20th Ave. in Pasco for a new location.

Jason Goffard of Kiemle Hagood of Spokane represented the landlord, TWC LLC. 

Chad Burd of Kiemle Hagood represented Goodyear.

Catholic Charities secures $2M for Pasco project

Catholic Charities of Eastern Washington is $2 million closer to constructing a 51-unit complex for the homeless in eastern Pasco. 

The Washington State Housing Trust Fund awarded $2 million, the amount it requested.

The nonprofit will seek the remaining $11.2 million it needs in January. Its Father Bach project will serve as a residence for the most vulnerable homeless residents in the Tri-Cities. The charity has a land deal pending with the city of Pasco. 

Officials hope to break ground in 2020 and to open a year later.

The state awarded $91.6 million to support nearly 2,500 units of affordable housing in December. The Housing Authority of Kennewick received $1.9 million to support its “micro homes” initiative.

Kennewick’s 8 to 8 Family Medicine closes

Dr. Raymond Sjerven, a Kennewick family practice physician, retired and shut down his 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Clinic in December.

Patients can request copies of their medical records and find a list of area physicians who are accepting new patients at sjerven.com.

Trudy Sharp, an advanced registered nurse practitioner, moved her practice to Total Care Kennewick Clinic, 1029 N. Kellogg St., Kennewick.

State: Uninsured rate increased in 2018

Washington’s uninsured rate rose for the first time in four years in 2018, according to the state Office of Financial Management.

The state reports 6.2 percent of Washington residents, or 468,000 overall, lacked health insurance in 2018, up from 5.5 percent, or 406,000 in 2017.

Significant increases were recorded by whites and those with incomes between 139 percent and 400 percent of the federal poverty level.

The federal poverty level for a family of four in Washington is $51,500.

Employer-sponsored insurance increased over the same period, to 47 percent of Washington residents in 2018 compared to 46.4 percent in 2017.

The increase is associated with coverage declines in Medicaid and individual market coverage.

Washington’s uninsured rate generally mirrors the national average and topped 14 percent in 2010.

Washington ends vehicle emission checks 

Washington has ended vehicle emission testing, citing improvements in vehicle emission technology. 

Emission tests were a fact of life for Washington car owners for nearly 40 years, particularly in urban areas. The program began in 1982 when emissions were a serious concern in larger cities. 

The 2005 Legislature adopted more stringent standards for cars and trucks, starting in 2008. Newer vehicles were exempted from testing. Over time, annual tests declined from a peak of about 1.3 million to 750,000 in 2018. 

It remains illegal to drive a vehicle with modified emission controls.  

The closure affected about 200 employees, including 180 who worked for a contractor that operated the program, a dozen Department of Ecology workers and independent testing stations.  

Workers received assistance in transitioning to new posts. 

Women in Business Conference is Jan. 29 

Four of Washington’s top government officials will address “Women Shaping Washington” at the ninth annual Tri-Cities Women in Business Conference, to be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 29 at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick. 

The Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce and Washington River Protection Solutions present the annual gathering of female leaders, corporate executives, business owners and young professionals.

Alfie Alvarado-Ramos, director of the state Department of Veterans Affairs, Terese Berntsen, director of the state Department of Licensing, Suzan Levine, an Employment Security Department Commissioner, and Lisa van der Lugt, director of the state Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises, will give the keynote presentation. 

Jan. 20 is the deadline to register. Tickets are $129 for chamber members and $159 for others. Admission covers all seminars and workshops and the Athena Awards luncheon. 

Go to tricityregionalchamber.com or call 509-736-0510 for information. 

Kennewick road renamed  for retired councilman

The Kennewick stretch of Columbia Park Trail has been renamed Paul Parish Drive to honor the long-serving city councilman.

Parish retired at the end of 2019 after for 24 years.

As a council member, he prioritized economic vitality.

Parish advocated for enhancements to Columbia Park, the Regional Veterans Memorial, Playground of Dreams, the 9/11 Memorial, Carousel of Dreams, the Steptoe Street extension and Bob Olson Parkway.

Columbia Industries empowers individuals with disabilities

A Kennewick nonprofit has created a drop-in resource center to help individuals with disabilities and other challenges access food benefits, transportation, affordable housing, job search assistance, addiction/recovery services and other assistance.

Columbia Industries created Empowerment Center at its campus, 900 Dayton St., near Kennewick High School.

The center is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays.

The phone number is 509-582-4142, ext. 121.

Attorney to lead state Department of Ecology

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has named Laura Watson to succeed Maia Bellon as director of the state Department of Ecology

Bellon left at the end of 2019.

Watson previously served as counsel to the department as a senior assistant attorney general in the ecology division of the Attorney General’s office.

She has represented the department on a variety of pressing environmental issues, including the Hanford cleanup. She earned her law degree from the University of Washington. 

STCU reached 200,000 members in 2019 

STCU, the Spokane-based credit union that has expanded to the Tri-Cities in recent years, said its membership topped 200,000 in 2019. 

Formed in 1934 to serve teachers, STCU reached 100,000 members in 2011. It took eight years to double. 

STCU ended the year at nearly $3.3 billion in assets.  

It is Washington’s third largest credit union after Boeing Employees and Washington State Employees. 

STCU operates 23 branches serving the Tri-Cities, northeastern Washington and north Idaho.   

State agency wants to redouble carbon efforts

The state Department of Ecology is recommending the state redouble its efforts to curb carbon emissions, citing new research that climate change will seriously damage the region’s environment and economy.

Researchers at the University of Washington warn that warming by 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit will translate to a 38 percent decline in the state’s snowpack, 23 percent drop in summer stream flows and a 1.4-foot rise in sea level.

“Our state faces dire threats from climate change, so we need to roll up our sleeves and do what is necessary to protect our communities, our environment and our economy,” said Mala Bellon, former ecology director, in a news release.

The new recommendations update greenhouse gas emissions targets established by the 2008 Legislature.

The new goals would reduce emissions to 95 percent below 1990 levels by 2050, nearly twice the 50 percent goal spelled out a decade ago.

The department’s 2016 greenhouse gas recommendations were not adopted by the Legislature.  

Numerica lights up cable bridge 

The cable bridge is bathed in blue lights in January to draw attention to National Human Trafficking Awareness Month. 

Numerica Credit Union partnered with Support, Advocacy and Resource Center for the monthlong education campaign. The effort culminates Jan. 31 with the annual Shine the Light on Human Trafficking Walk across the bridge. 

More than 200 are expected to participate. 

Numerica is part of SARC’s “flashlight” campaign, which encourages financial institutions to be aware of and recognize red flags associated with deposits and withdrawals made by perpetrators. 

Numerica serves 152,000 members in Washington and Idaho and has $2.4 billion in assets. 

Richland High senior earns top science honor

A Richland High School senior has earned a top science honor and $2,000 for herself and her school, thanks to research she’s conducted since seventh grade.

Zoe Gotthold is one of three students in the state of Washington named to this year’s Regeneron Science Talent Search. The competition, organized by the Society for Science & the Public, recognizes 300 student-scholars from across the country for research skills, academic excellence, innovative thinking and potential as scientists.

 The society will announce on Jan. 22 whether Zoe is a finalist. If selected, she and 39 other students will earn an additional $25,000 and travel to Washington, D.C., in March to meet leading scientists and national leaders, display their research compete for a $250,000 grand prize.

Zoe has won several awards for her research on techniques for the treatment of oil spills. She was driven to find a solution to help protect penguins from the man-made disasters and is currently working on a prototype application from her theories that could demonstrate a proof of concept.

Zoe will walk at graduation this June and has been accepted to Massachusetts Institute of Technology for the fall 2020 term.

Washington gains physicians thanks to specialists

Washington gained 498 physicians, pushing the total working in the state to nearly 19,700.

The state Office of Financial Management compiled the number of physicians as part of its ongoing research into health services.

The increase pushed Washington’s supply of physicians to 260 per 100,000 residents, up from 258 in 2018.

The increase is attributed to specialists rather than primary care physicians.

There were 545 more specialists in 2019, pushing the total to 12,456, according to the study.

There were 90 physicians per 100,000 residents compared to 88 a year earlier.

The median age of all physicians was unchanged at 49 years.

There was a slightly larger increase in the number of female physicians over male – 289 for women versus 209 for men, or four percent to 1.8 percent.

Richland to honor arts supporters

The Richland Arts Commission is accepting nominations for its 2019 recognition program through Jan. 31.

The Richland City Council will announce the winners in the spring.

Submit nominations at ci.richland.wa.us/artrecognition.

Washington students missing out on college aid

Washington students are missing out on a key source of money to pay for college by not filling out financial aid applications.

The Washington Student Achievement Council reports 54 percent of graduating seniors in 2017 completed financial aid forms. Washington ranks 49th in the nation for financial aid. 

Students must complete the aid form to qualify for the new Washington College Grant, formerly the State Need Grant. 

The program supports a wide range of post-high school training programs, from one-year certificates to four-year degrees. Beginning in 2020-21, students are eligible if their household income is 100 percent of median family income, which was nearly $80,000 in Washington in 2018, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The threshold is currently 70 percent.

Learn more about the grant program and the importance of applying for financial aid at wsac.wa.gov/wcg.

Washington seeks owners of $1.3B in unclaimed property

The Washington Department of Revenue is seeking the owners of more than $1.3 billion held in the Unclaimed Property system.

Visit ClaimYourCash.org to find out if the state is holding money or property in your name.

Established in 1955, the unclaimed program holds money and assets held by banks and other organizations that have lost contact with rightful owners.

Assets are held in perpetuity until claimed by the rightful owner or heir.

In the past fiscal year, 153,106 claimants were reunited with property totaling more than $85 million.

Governor declares emergency for Benton County bridge damage

Gov. Jay Inslee proclaimed a state of emergency in Benton County after an over-sized load damaged an Interstate 82 overpass in Benton County.

“Our roads and highways are necessary to keep our economy moving,” Inslee said in a release. “The Washington State Department of Transportation has done everything possible to keep traffic flowing, but we need permanent repairs. This proclamation will free up the resources necessary.”

The incident occurred on Dec. 16 at mile post 114 where I-82 crosses Highway 397. Damages are estimated at $1.1 million.

In his proclamation, Inslee added that “the overpass damage and its effects continue to impact the life and health of our citizens, as well as the property and transportation infrastructure of Washington state, all of which affect life, health, property, and the public peace, and constitute a public emergency demanding immediate action.”

The proclamation allows state agencies and departments to utilize resources and do everything reasonably possible to assist affected communities respond to and recover from the incident.

Nominations being accepted for Tri-Citian of the Year

Nominations for Tri-Citian of the Year are being accepted through March.

This year’s award banquet is from 6-9 p.m. April 23 at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick. 

The Tri-Citian of the Year is a recognition given to individuals who have demonstrated outstanding “service above self,” outstanding leadership and contribution to positive development in the Tri-Cities,

The deadline to submit a nomination form by email is 5 p.m. March 14. 

Nomination forms submitted by mail must be postmarked by March 11.

Attached testimonials and supporting letters are not necessary and won’t be considered for the selection. They will be used for their recipient’s introduction and given to the recipient. 

For more information and to nominate someone, go to tricitianoftheyear.org.

A list of past winners also is available on the website. The first one was presented in 1962 to Owen Hurd, former managing director of the Washington Public Power Supply System and general manager for the Benton PUD.

The 2019 Tri-Citian of the Year was Dave Retter, president and owner of Retter & Co. Sotheby’s International Realty.

State hits DOE with $1M penalty over safety data

The Washington Department of Ecology fined the U.S. Department of Ecology $1 million for keeping critical safety data about the Hanford Nuclear Reservation cleanup from state regulators.

It announced the fine Jan. 6.

“Without access to this data, we can’t effectively protect the land, air and water for residents in Eastern Washington and surrounding communities,” said Polly Zehm, acting director for Ecology.

The 1989 Tri-Party Agreement governs the cleanup of Hanford and requires the federal agency to provide access to the data it compiles pertaining to contamination in soil and groundwater, how hazardous waste is managed, the status of the leaking underground storage tanks, progress made in cleaning up contamination and more.

The state agency said that without access to data, it cannot verify that water and air emissions are treated to safe levels before they are discharged.

Site contamination includes 177 aging underground storage tanks containing 56 million gallons of radioactive and chemically hazardous material. More than one million gallons have leaked.

Application deadline to attend STEM-focused Delta High is Feb. 13

Delta High School will be accepting applications for its ninth-grade class for school year 2020-21 through 3 p.m. Feb. 13. 

Applications are accepted from current eighth-grade students who live in the boundaries of the Richland, Kennewick and Pasco school districts. The jointly-operated science, technology, engineering and mathematics school is in Pasco. 

Parents and students may attend family information nights at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 4 and 5, with student-led campus tours immediately following the presentations.

The Delta lottery occurs in late February. Notifications of students accepted will be made in early March.

Go to thedeltahighschool.com for the application and more information.

Pasco Aviation Museum adds theater for rent

The Pasco Aviation Museum at the Old NAS Pasco Control Tower has opened a movie theater available for private parties.

The museum commemorates Pasco’s history as a key World War II Naval Air Station. It is on the east side of the Tri-Cities Airport, on the opposite side of the runway from the passenger terminal. 

The theater seats up to 18 and is available for rent. 

Call 509-521-7117 for details. 

State parks announce free days for 2020

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission has listed the days in 2020 when visitors to state parks will not need a Discover Pass for day-use visits.

The free days do not apply to Sno-Parks. Through March visitors to Sno-Parks will need Sno-Park permits, which are available for purchase online or from vendors throughout the state. For more information about winter recreation permit requirements, visit: parks.state.wa.us/winter.

This year’s free days are:

• Monday, Jan. 20 — Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday
• Thursday, March 19 — State parks’ 107th birthday
• Saturday, April 11 — Springtime free day
• Wednesday, April 22 — Earth Day
• Saturday, June 6 — National Trails Day
• Sunday, June 7 — Free Fishing Day
• Saturday, June 13 — National Get Outdoors Day
• Tuesday, Aug. 25 — National Park Service birthday
• Saturday, Sept. 26 — National Public Lands Day
• Wednesday, Nov. 11 — Veterans Day
• Friday, Nov. 27 — Autumn free day

State Parks free days are in keeping with the legislation that created the Discover Pass, a $30 annual or $10 one-day permit required on lands managed by Washington State Parks and the Washington departments of Natural Resources and Fish and Wildlife.

The Discover Pass legislation provided that State Parks could designate up to 12 free days each year when the pass would not be required to visit state parks.

The Discover Pass is still required to access lands managed by WDFW and DNR on these days.

Input sought on Richland’s next superintendent

The Richland School Board is seeking public input on what board members should be looking for in the next superintendent.

The board invites parents, staff and community members to participate in an online survey designed to measure the community’s perception of the district and what characteristics are wanted in the district’s next leader.

The survey will be available through Jan. 17.

Go to rsd.edu. A link to the survey is on the home page.

State awards $12M for behavioral health facilities

The state Department of Commerce awarded $12.4 million in grants to support 10 programs that serve people with behavioral health issues.

No grants were issued for programs in Benton or Franklin counties.

The grants will leverage an additional $10.1 million in other funding to support development of 150 new beds, including places for patients after they are released from Eastern and Western State Hospitals.

Secure withdrawal management facilities: Comprehensive Healthcare of Walla Walla and the Lummi Nation of Bellingham each received $2 million to support 16-bed facilities.

Children and minor youth: Navos of Burien received $ million for 12 beds; Excelsior of Spokane received $400,000 for eight beds; Cascade Community Healthcare of Morton received $18,360 for outpatient services; and Behavioral Health Resources of Olympia received $500,000 for outpatient services.

Enhanced services facilities: Unified Residential Care Inc. of Spokane Valley received $1.9 million for 16 beds; and Supreme Capital Holding LLC of Olympia received $2 million for 15 beds.

Dementia care: RP Real Estate LLC of Spokane Valley received $2 million for 34 beds; Cascade Park Gardens of Tacoma received $500,000 for 33 beds.

Study: More employers misclassify employees as ‘independent contractors’

Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson vowed to crack down on employers who misclassify workers as “independent contractors” after a Harvard study concluded the percentage of the state’s employers engaging in the practice tripled between 2008 and 2017.

Intentional or not, misclassifying employees costs workers’ wages and other protections and benefits they lawfully earned.

The Harvard Labor and Worklife Program study, “Economic Consequences of Misclassification in the state of Washington,” said construction, clerical services and the hospitality industries are the most likely to misclassify workers.

The problem affects tens of thousands of employees and leads to underfunding of unemployment taxes, workers’ compensation, federal income taxes and federal unemployment taxes.

Ferguson said misclassifying employees as independent contractors is “unacceptable.”

“I look forward to working with our partners across state government to address the increasing prevalence of this practice and improve protections for misclassified workers,” he said in a press release.