Kennewick hoteliers add Texas property to portfolio

A-1 Hospitality Group, a Kennewick-based hospitality firm, has acquired the management contract for Homewood Suites by Hilton in New Braunfels, Texas, near San Antonio.

The 90-suite hotel is the third addition to the A-1 portfolio this year. It previously opened the Courtyard by Marriott in Pasco and the Holiday Inn Express & Suites in The Dalles, Oregon, in April.

Mita and Vijay Patel established A-1 Hospitality in 1997. Their son, Taran Patel, serves as managing principal. The company’s portfolio includes eight properties in Washington, Oregon and now Texas.

How do candidates stand on business issues? Check this guide

Want to vote for the candidates who best align with your business philosophy in November?

Check out the 2020 Vote for Business Guide compiled by the Local Government Affairs Committee of the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce.

The guide highlights how candidate positions align with local business priorities. Participants include state Legislative candidates from the 8th, 9th and 16th districts and Benton and Franklin county commission candidates.

Only contested races are featured.

Candidate responses are unedited and presented in alphabetical order. The guide also includes videos.

Go to tricityregionalchamber.com/voteforbusiness.html.

Tri-City restoration company sold

Zion Restoration, a Tri-City property restoration company, has been sold to Kustom US.

Kustom US, based in Longwood, Florida, provides restoration services to residential and commercial properties.

The Zion team, which specializes in restoring properties after fire and water damage, will continue under the leadership of Sara and Paul Little as Zion Carpet and Restoration, a division of Kustom.

Weigh in now on future of Kennewick waterfront

The public is invited to comment on the future of the Kennewick waterfront as the Port of Kennewick develops a plan for Clover Island and port-owned property along East Columbia Drive.

Citizens can comment through Aug. 16 at portofkennewick.org/historicwaterfrontdistrict.

The website includes recordings from recent presentations, as well as a survey, mapping exercise and idea wall.

The Kennewick Historic Waterfront District Master Plan will guide planning for the next 15 to 20 years.

Permanent manager of DOE Richland offices named

Brian Vance has been named the permanent manager of the two U.S. Department of Energy offices that supervise cleanup of the Hanford site, a move to cement coordination at the site that is preparing to initiate landmark tank waste treatment.

Since February 2019, Vance has been serving on a limited appointment as the manager for both the Richland Operations Office and Office of River Protection. In that post, he has aligned operations as Hanford gears up to begin treating tank waste through the Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste approach and concentrates cleanup work on the site’s central plateau.

Drive-thru Covid-19 testing hours change

The Benton-Franklin Health District’s free Covid-19 testing stations have changed their hours.

Free drive-thru testing is available from 7 a.m. to noon Tuesday to Saturday at the Toyota Center in Kennewick and from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday at the HAPO Center in Pasco.  
 Tests will be done on a first-come, first-served basis with no appointment required.

Tests are free but those who have insurance should bring their cards.

Participants remain in their vehicles. The testing site is open to anyone who feels they should be tested and is urging anyone who fits into the following guidelines to get tested:

• Anyone with any Covid-19 symptoms.
• Anyone whose physician recommended they be tested.
• Anyone who is a close contact or has a known exposure to Covid-19.

Test results take seven to 10 days to complete. Results are reported by phone and by mail.

Newhouse to give Covid-19 update from Congress

U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Sunnyside, will give a congressional update to the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce during a free virtual lunch at noon Aug. 26.

The event will be conducted via Zoom. Following his presentation, he will take pre-submitted questions from the audience.

Submit questions to elisabeth.holt@tricityregionalchamber.com.

Go to tricityregionalchamber.com for registration information.

Broadband grants available from public works board

The Washington State Public Works Board is accepting applications for broadband infrastructure construction grants and loans through Sept.  9.

More than $9.1 million is available for low-interest loans and $8.6 million is available in grants.

Cities, towns, counties, public port districts, special purpose districts, quasi-municipal corporations, tribes, nonprofit organizations, cooperative associations, limited liability corporations organized for the purpose of expanding broadband access, and incorporated businesses or partnerships are eligible to apply.

Applicants must contact local Internet Service Providers at least six weeks prior to submission.

For information, visit bit.ly/WashingtonBroadbandGrants.

EIDL program provided $20 billion in aid

The U.S. Small Business Administration reports the full $20 billion in emergency funding allocated to it by Congress through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Advance program has been distributed.

Loans were provided to small businesses, nonprofits and agricultural businesses.

The EIDL Advance provided $1,000 per employee, up to a maximum of $10,000. Recipients did not have to be approved for a loan to receive the money.

EIDL loan applications still will be processed even though the advance is no longer available.

The loan portion of the program continues to have funds available at a 3.75% interest rate for small businesses and 2.75% for nonprofits, a 30-year maturity and an automatic deferment of one year before monthly payments begin. 

Every eligible small business and nonprofit is encouraged to apply to get the resources they need. Go to sba.gov/funding-programs/disaster-assistance.

9 lawmakers named ‘Guardians of Small Business’ by NFIB

Nine Mid-Columbia lawmakers were among 44 Washington legislators named “Guardians of Small Business” by the National Federation of Small Business. The honor is based on how lawmakers voted on 11 issues affecting business.

To qualify, lawmakers have to vote in accordance with the NFIB position 90% of the time or more.

Sen. Sharon Brown, R-Kennewick, along with Reps. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick, Mary Dye, R-Pomeroy, Brad Klippert, R-Kennewick, Skyler Rude, R-Walla Walla, and Joe Schmick, R-Colfax, voted the NFIB position 100% of the time.

Sen. Jim Honeyford, R-Sunnyside, and Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, along with Rep. Bill Jenkin, R-Prosser, voted the NFIB position 90% of the time.

Monteith Insurance now part of AAA Washington

The AAA Washington Insurance Agency has acquired Monteith Insurance Agency of Kennewick in a move to expand its services to the Tri-Cities.

“We are very excited to be able to acquire a proven and reliable agency like Monteith Insurance,” said Pat McCormick, vice president of insurance for AAA Washington.

Mark Monteith founded the firm nearly 23 years ago, making a name for itself by creating a list of policies customized to serve specific local industries, including agriculture.

All of the Monteith insurance agents will continue to work for the AAA Washington Insurance Agency — Tri-Cities, 8518 W Gage Blvd #1, Kennewick. Mark Monteith will continue as location manager.

The AAA Washington Insurance Agency offers all personal lines of insurance (home, auto, life) plus long-term care planning, annuities and business insurance. Clients need not be AAA members to use its services.

Downtown Kennewick group announces 2019 awards

The Historic Downtown Kennewick Partnership recently announced the 2019 Volunteer, Business, and Downtowner of the Year awards.

The honorees were announced during an Aug. 11 breakfast Zoom event.

The winners are:

Volunteer of the Year: Jason Bergan of Bergan’s Timeless Treasures.

Business of the Year: Red Mountain Kitchen, jointly owned by Courtney Bauer, Alanna Lindblom and Chris Bauer.

Downtowner of the Year: Jay Freeman of Edward Jones.

Bergan was selected for his leadership in the first Deck the Downtown campaign where he helped organize downtown businesses to participate in a drawing to raise money for more holiday decorations for the downtown area. He helped raise more than $4,000. Bergan also helps his neighbors with graffiti abatement.

Freeman, who is serving his second term on the HDKP Board of Directors and is also board president, was honored for being a driving force behind several committees, especially the Economic Vitality Committee. Red Mountain Kitchen was honored for making downtown Kennewick a better place to be by creating a space where food, love, and community can come together.

Online shopping is state’s top Covid-19 scam

Online shopping scams tied to the Covid-19 pandemic broke the $105 million mark on Aug. 11 and are now Washington’s No. 1 scam, according to SocialCatfish.com, which tracks online scams.

Nearly 25,000 online scams have been reported nationally and 722 in Washington, making it the top way fraudsters attempt to steam money from victims.

Washington victims filed nearly 3,700 reports with the Federal Trade Commission, representing $2.7 million in losses.

Online shopping scams are the most common type of scam nationally, followed by travel and vacation scams, credit card scams, bank/credit union scams and mobile text messages.

File complaints at ftccomplaintassistant.gov/#crnt&panel1-1.

CBC adds associate’s degree in ag production

Columbia Basin College will offer an associate in applied science degree in agriculture production beginning this fall.

Students pursuing this two-year program will earn three certificates including crop and soil, precision agriculture and hydroponics and greenhouse management.

The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges provided CBC’s agriculture program with $494,767 through the Career Connect Washington Career Launch program, which will provide students hands-on experience with the latest technology sought by today’s employers.

Funding approved for educator tech training

To better prepare the state’s teachers for more remote learning in the 2020-21 school year, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) has committed to spending a portion of federal emergency funds on professional development for educators on the use of learning management systems.

The state Office of Financial Management (OFM) released $2.5 million in federal funds to OSPI for this purpose. The state’s nine regional educational service districts will provide support and training with no registration cost to help districts with platform selection, provide training for educators and families and launch networks for educators to share best practices.

In total, Congress allocated about $195 million to Washington’s local school districts and $21 million to OSPI to address impacts resulting from Covid-19.

While all funds have been released to state school districts, OFM has held back the money allocated to OSPI.

As OFM considers a release of the remainder of the state’s portion of the funds, OSPI intends to cover the costs of internet for students eligible for free or reduced-price meals and to partner with community-based organizations to help families secure child care, language translation services and other parent and family engagement assistance.

NFIB poll shows optimism dimming in Covid crisis

Small business is less optimistic about business conditions improving, according to a survey released Aug. 11 by the National Federation of Independent Business.

The NFIB’s Small Business Economic Trends report (Optimism Index) fell 1.8 points to 98.8 in July, near the survey’s historical average.

Overall, four of the 10 Index components improved, five declined, and one was unchanged. The Uncertainty Index increased 7 points to 88. Reports of expected better business conditions in the next six months declined 14 points to a net 25%.

“With so many states, like Washington, either pausing or rolling-back business reopenings, it’s not surprising that Main Street is less optimistic about a near-term recovery than it was a month or two ago,” said Patrick Connor, Washington state director for NFIB.

“This summer has been challenging for many small business owners who are working hard to keep their doors open and remain in business,” said NFIB’s Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg. “Small business represents nearly half of the GDP and this month we saw a dip in optimism. There is still plenty of work to be done to get businesses back to pre-crisis numbers.”

Recovery grants fuel crisis loans in Mid-Columbia

The Benton-Franklin Council of Governments received a $1.5 million Recovery Assistance grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration to provide gap financing to small businesses that have been heavily impacted by Covid-19.

The money is from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security, or CARES Act. The economic development agency steered $8.6 million to Washington state.

The Benton-Franklin council will use the grant to capitalize a revolving loan fund.

The Mid-Columbia also will benefit from an additional $2.2 million awarded to the Innovate Washington Foundation (dba Ignite Northwest) in Spokane.

Ignite will support coronavirus-impacted businesses in Benton, Franklin, Spokane, Stevens, Ferry, Pend Oreille, Whitman, Asotin, Columbia, Garfield, Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Kootenai and Shoshone counties.

Columbia Bank announces second quarter earnings

Tacoma-based Columbia Banking System Inc., parent to Columbia Bank, reported second quarter earnings of $36.6 million, or 52 cents per diluted share, for the quarter that ended June 30, compared to $51.7 million and 71 cents per diluted share a year prior.

The bank said deposits increased $2.32 billion or by 21%, and net loans by $838.6 million or 9% during the second quarter. It originated $962 million in forgivable loans under the Paycheck Protection Program, part of the CARES Act.

Columbia Bank has more than 150 branches in Washington, Oregon and Idaho, including one each in Kennewick and Pasco.

 Trios Therapy Services expands offerings

Trios Therapy Services has expanded to offer occupational, physical and speech therapy.

Trios Therapy Services serves all patient from pediatrics through geriatrics. It operates on the second floor of the Trios Care Center at Southridge in Kennewick.

Appointments are available by calling 509-221-6350. Patients require a referral from their primary care provider.

 Richland seeks volunteers for boards, commissions

The city of Richland is seeking volunteers to serve on various boards and commissions that advise the council and staff.

Vacancies are pending on the Americans with Disabilities Act Citizens Review Committee, Economic Development Committee, Library Board, Lodging Tax Advisory Committee, Personnel Committee and Utility Advisory Committee.

Apply at ci.richland.wa.us/bccvacancies.

Cleanup plan for Yakima Training Center open
for comments

Public comment will be accepted through Sept. 16 on a proposed agreement between the Washington Department of Ecology and the Army to clean contamination at the sprawling Yakima Training Center near Selah.

Nearly 70 years of activity led to disposal of ordnance and explosives and unneeded or outdated ammunition, lead-acid batteries and petroleum-based fuels and solvents.

Over the last 25 years, the Army has cleaned up 68 waste sites and areas of concern at the 327,231-acre training center that require no further cleanup action under state and federal regulations. There are 21 areas at the training center that either do not meet soil or groundwater cleanup standards or need further investigation.

Supporting documents for review and comment are available at bit.ly/YakimaTrainingCenterDocuments. For more information, email janelle.anderson@ecy.wa.gov or call 425-301-6454. Submit written comments at bit.ly/ArmyYakimaEComments.

Newhouse cosponsors Local Journalism Sustainability Act

U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Sunnyside, joined Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick, D-Arizona, to introduce a bipartisan bill to help community journalistic endeavors.

The Local Journalism Sustainability Act would provide tax credits to readers and local businesses to support local journalists and newspapers. It also proposes a refundable credit to local newspapers to employ and “adequately compensate” reporters.

Local news publications already faced financial difficulties before the onset of Covid-19. Now, in the wake of the severe economic consequences driven by the pandemic, the industry is facing further challenges.

“Local journalists and newspapers are essential to ensuring the public remains informed,” Newhouse said in a press release. “Local news is crucial — particularly within our rural communities in Central Washington — and our local journalists provide in-depth perspectives that inform their readership regarding local current events.”

Washington Trust reports second quarter financials

Spokane-based Washington Trust Bank Financial Corp. reported it earned $19 million, or $7.54 per diluted share, in the second fiscal quarter, which ended June 30, an increase of 3.2% from the first quarter.

Net interest revenue grew by 4.2% to $66.4 million.

The bank reports it originated more than 5,000 loans through the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program and delivered more than $1.2 billion to customers.

Locally, Washington Trust operates a branch in Kennewick.

Chaplaincy opens Repeat Boutique in Pasco

Chaplaincy Health Care opened its new Repeat Boutique thrift store at 5710 N. Road 68, Suite 104, in Pasco’s Sandifur Crossing shopping center on Aug. 4.

The 10,000-square-foot location is Repeat Boutique’s largest. The store supports Chaplaincy Hospice Care’s mission to provide compassionate end of life care. It serves an average of 160 hospice patients per day.

The Pasco store is open for dropoff donations and shopping in accordance with the current Safe Start retail guidelines from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays. Masks are required to enter.

Go to ChaplaincyRepeatBoutique.org or follow the store at facebook.com/ChaplaincyRepeatBoutique.

Federal aid available to pay up to three months of rent

The Washington State Department of Commerce began distributing $100 million in federal aid to local organizations on Aug. 1 to prevent evictions of renters affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The money from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security, or CARES Act, will pass through the existing network of homeless services grantees and organizations serving homeless youth.

The money will cover up to three months of past due, current or future rent and will be paid to landlords.

A survey recently showed 17% of renters in Washington state missed their July rent payment. Since February, state’s employment has declined 12% — over twice that of the worst point in the Great Recession — and use of basic food assistance programs has increased by 15%.

Details are posted at commerce.wa.gov/serving-communities/homelessness.

BBB accepting nominations for business awards

The Better Business Bureau serving the Northwest is accepting business nominations for awards to recognize companies with a commitment to integrity and ethical business practices.

The BBB Torch Awards for Ethics program was created to honor companies and charities demonstrating trust, performance and integrity.

Have a business in mind that demonstrates excellence in the marketplace? Nominate a business, individual or charity by Aug. 24. Self-nominations are accepted.

Businesses of all sizes are eligible to apply.

To learn more or to nominate or apply for the award, go to trust-bbb.org/torchawards.

Bank of America reports second quarter financials

Bank of America reported a $3.5 billion profit on $22.3 billion in revenue in the second quarter of 2020, or 37 cents per diluted share.

Pretax income declined 58% to $3.8 billion.

Its consumer banking division reported net income of $71 million, a drop from the nearly $1.8 billion it recorded in the first quarter.

Consumer loans rose 8%. The bank said it completed 334,000 Paycheck Protection Program loans in the first half of the year resulting in $25 billion in funding to small businesses.

In other Covid-19-related moves, the bank said it processed 16 million Economic Impact Payments, provided relief from various fees, processed 1.8 million deferrals across credit card, auto, mortgage and home equity loans, paused foreclosure activities and made no negative credit bureau reports for clients who requested financial relief.

Bank of America has 10 Tri-City branches and mortgage offices.

Building material costs rose in June

Construction input prices rose 2.2% in June, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index data. Nonresidential construction input prices rose by 2.3% for the month.

Among the 11 subcategories, six experienced monthly increases. The increase in prices was driven primarily by energy, with the largest increase coming from crude petroleum, which rose 71.9%.

Unprocessed energy materials rose 16.8%, while the price of natural gas fell 18.4%. Softwood lumber experienced an 11.0% increase in June.

“For many contractors, lack of demand for their services has emerged as the leading source of concern due to the Covid-19 pandemic, followed closely behind by a fear of inflation and a potential increase in materials prices,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu.

“With global supply chains buckling and trade tensions elevated, materials prices are more likely to ratchet higher, even in the context of a global economy that will shrink markedly this year,” he added. “While the recent rise in energy prices receives much of the attention, the price of softwood lumber is up nearly 19% over the past 12 months and was up 11% in June itself.

State reports decline in new unemployment claims

Washington Employment Security reported 29,438 new unemployment claims the week of July 12, a 27.3% decrease from the prior week.

There were 673,444 total claims in all categories, a 4.7% decrease, it said.

Initial regular claims applications remain at unprecedented elevated levels and are at 536% above last year’s weekly new claims applications.

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation initial claims, as well as continued/ongoing claims, all decreased over the previous week.

The state agency paid out more than $493.6 million for 430,737 individual claims — an increase of $4.8 million and 7,193 more individuals compared to the prior week.

Northwest Farm Credit Services pays early patronage dividend

Customer-members of Northwest Farm Credit Services will receive a mid-year payment of their 2020 patronage dividends, the Spokane financial cooperative announced.

The early distribution was approved to enhance the well-being of Northwest FCS customer-members and their communities.

“Agricultural businesses across the Northwest are facing a difficult year due to significant financial and operational impacts of Covid-19,” said Greg Hirai, board chair. “To provide additional liquidity and added flexibility for Northwest FCS customer-members, our board voted to pay a one-time, mid-year cash patronage payment of $43 million, equating to 0.50% of a customer’s eligible average daily loan balance for the first six months of 2020.”

Northwest FCS returns a portion of net earnings each year in the form of cash patronage dividends to stockholders based upon their eligible average daily loan balance. Cash patronage is typically paid in the first quarter of the following year.

Inslee announces new funds to help immigrants, ag workers

Two new funds will help immigrants and agriculture workers during the Covid-19 pandemic, Gov Jay Inslee announced Aug. 11.

The Immigrant Relief Fund will provide $40 million to assist residents who are unable to access federal stimulus programs due to their immigration status.

The Food Production Paid Leave Program will provide $3 million in financial resources to food production workers who remain home when ill.

The Washington state Department of Social and Health Services has issued a request for proposals from nonprofits to administer the immigrant fund.

Gesa signs title sponsorship deal with WIAA

Richland-based Gesa Credit Union has signed an expanded agreement that reinforces it as the official credit union and title sponsor for the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association’s School State Championships and other programs.

The deal makes Gesa the exclusive title sponsor of WIAA initiatives such as the Sportsmanship program, Scholastic Awards program, and the Women in Sport Leadership Conference.

Gesa is Washington’s second-largest credit union after BECU and has more than $4 billion in assets and 255,000 members. It also does business as Inspirus Credit Union, which has headquarters in Tukwila.

WIAA is the private, nonprofit association that governs interscholastic activities for 408 member high schools and 400 member middle schools.

Banner Bank reports second quarter earnings

Walla Walla-based Banner Corp., parent to Banner Bank and Islander Bank, reported it earned $23.7 million on $145 million in revenue, or 67 cents per diluted share, in its second fiscal quarter, which ended June 30.

It paid a 41-cent dividend on Aug. 13 to shareholders of record as of Aug. 4.

Banner said it provided $1.12 billion in Paycheck Protection Program loans to 8,655 businesses and provided deferred payments or waived interest on 3,314 loans totaling $1.1 billion.

As of June 30, Banner Corp. held $14.4 billion in assets, $10.13 billion in net loans and $12.02 billion in assets.

Separately, Banner Corp. announced it will merge Islanders Bank into Banner Bank, subject to regulatory approval. Islanders operates in the San Juan Islands.

The company operates 176 branches, including three in Kennewick and one each in Pasco and Richland.

Umpqua Bank reports second quarter financials

Portland-based Umpqua Holdings Corp., parent to Umpqua Bank, reported it earned $52.9 million, or 24 cents per common share, in its second quarter earnings report. It previously reported a net loss of $1.9 billion for the first quarter and net income of $111.8 million in the second quarter of 2019.

The bank said it generated more than 15,000 Paycheck Protection Program forgivable loans totaling $2 billion through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security, or CARES Act. The average loan was $134,000.

Umpqua reported total consolidated assets of $29.6 billion on June 30, compared to $27.5 billion on March 31 and $28 billion on June 30, 2019.

It operates branches throughout the Northwest, including in Kennewick, Pasco and Richland.

Suspicious seeds arrive in Washington mailboxes

Washington and U.S. residents have received mysterious packages containing unidentified seeds, often labeled as something else.

The Washington State Department of Agriculture and Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service are asking the public to turn in seeds they receive that may have been shipped into the country illegally.

Some people reported ordering the seeds but they did not know the seeds would be coming from another country. Others had not ordered the seeds at all.

Mislabeling packages in order to get seeds and other plant materials into the country is agricultural smuggling. 

Washington residents should seal any seeds they receive in plastic and send them to: USDA-APHIS-PPQ, Attn: Jason Allen, Seattle Plant Inspection Station, 835 S. 192nd St., Bldg D, Ste 1600, Seatac, WA 98148.

Hermiston rebuilds Funland Playground — again

Hermiston residents have started construction of a new Funland Playground at Butte Park.

Groundbreaking ceremonies were held in July at the Oregon park, which is expected to reopen in mid-October.

The new playground is designed to engage all ability levels age 5-12 in three zones: wild west, adventure and farming, each with a connection to the region’s rich heritage. 

The first Funland was an all-wooden playground built by volunteers in the late 1990s. It was destroyed by arson and rebuilt in 2001. That structure lasted until it too burned down in the summer of 2019.

The community raised more than $700,000 to add to the insurance reimbursement and rebuild “bigger, better, and stronger.” The new structure will consist of steel and other fire-resistant materials, and other security measures will be installed.