Indian Eyes LLC owner dies at age 59

The Hanford contracting community is mourning the death of Roxie Schescke, owner and founder of Indian Eyes LLC.

Schescke, 59, died in West Richland.

The woman- and Native American-owned firm she led is a successful federal contractor that provides human resources, staffing, project management and other services. Its offices are in Pasco.

The business will continue to operate. Officials said they are working through the details of a continuity plan but couldn’t immediately comment on what the future will hold for the company.

Born in Oklahoma and reared in Nebraska, Schescke belonged to the Lakota people and was also known as Tacina Waste Win.

She and husband Tim Schescke formed Indian Eyes LLC in Colorado in 2005. The couple spent two years in New Orleans working to rebuild the city after Hurricane Katrina. In the Tri-Cities, they pursued federal contracts at the Hanford site.

She won countless awards for her business leadership and served on a board for the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.

Schescke was active in the community, raising money for children’s organizations and for programs that benefit Tribal youth. Indian Eyes, named for her grandmother’s nickname for her as a child, is accepting memorial donations to pay for school supplies for Native American children.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by four children and many grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Services were held Sept. 17 at Einan’s at Sunset Funeral Home in Richland.

Joyner-Kersee headlines Boys & Girls fundraiser

Jackie Joyner-Kersee, considered the greatest female athlete of the 20th century by Sports Illustrated, will headline a
Nov. 4 dinner to benefit Boys & Girls Clubs of Benton and Franklin Counties.

Proceeds from the Dinner with Friends program will support local clubs.

Joyner-Kersee is a six-time Olympic medalist. She belonged to the Boys & Girls Club of East St. Louis as a child and is a champion of youth.

The program is from 6-9 p.m. at Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick.

Sponsorships are available. Contact Adrianne Johnson at adrianne@greatclubs.org.

Rising auto thefts put state in top 10 for car losses

Washington state now ranks eight worst in the U.S. for auto thefts, no thanks to an increase of nearly 10%.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau reports 37,465 vehicles were stolen in Washington in 2020, up 9.6% from 2019. Vehicle theft is generally covered by comprehensive insurance, less deductibles.

The crime bureau notes that auto thefts rose significantly across the U.S. in 2020 during the pandemic. Vehicle thefts are the nation’s No. 1 property crime, with the FBI estimated losses cost an estimated $6 billion in 2019

The industry group advises vehicle owners and drivers to use its “four layers of protection” to guard against theft, or at least make it more difficult for a thief to take it.

The protections include common sense measures like locking your car, adding warning devices like light and sound auto alarm systems, using a steering wheel lock, adding an immobilizing device such as a fuse cut-off or kill switch, or using an onboard tracking device.

2021 Tri-Citian of the Year delayed to 2022

The Tri-Cities’ top civic honor is once again canceled because of Covid-19.

Tri-Citian of the Year, which recognizes key leaders, has been postponed to May 3, 2022. It had been scheduled for Oct. 12.

Organizers said rising Covid-19 cases in Benton and Franklin counties drove the decision, made in compliance with recommendations of the Benton-Franklin Health District.

Dave Retter of Retter & Company Sotheby’s International Realty and the previous winner will announce the next honoree at the 2022 event, which will be held at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick.

Eastern Oregon Economic Summit delayed to 2022

The Eastern Oregon Economic Summit has been delayed to June 16-17 at Hermiston High School because of Covid-19 and the delta surge.

The two-day event includes industry tours and is an opportunity for leaders from the public and private sectors to explore the economic potential of Eastern Oregon.

Go to EasternOregonSummit.com.

PNNL reports big impact on Washington economy

A new economic impact report indicates the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, operated by Battelle for the U.S. Department of Energy, had a $1.59 billion impact on the regional economy in 2020 through direct and indirect activity.

PNNL published the report in September.

PNNL supports nearly 7,600 jobs in Washington through its own payroll and indirect activity.

Visitor spending, health care spending, and resident retiree spending generated $300 million in output for Washington, 1,850 jobs and $120 million in income, it said.

Its direct payroll was $530 million, with $485 million paid to staff employed in Washington.

The laboratory spent $460 million on goods and services, of which $61 million were made with Washington firms.

It spent $31.5 million on construction and renovation projects, with much of that supporting construction jobs associated with local subcontractors.

Battelle and the staff of PNNL paid
$28 million in local and state taxes, including sales and use taxes and property taxes.

Health expenditures for the lab and its retirees totaled $79 million. PNNL retirees received $154 million in pension and Social Security payments. Fifteen companies based on its technological or managerial roots generated $38 million and employed 190 million.

Finally, it made $1 million in charitable contributions, chiefly to support STEM education efforts.

Go to bit.ly/PNNLreport2020.

Longtime Richland optometrist dies at age 65

A longtime Richland optometrist has died at age 65.

Myles Andrew McCartney practiced alongside his father, Charles, at the Uptown Vision Center. He retired in 2018 after 37 years as an optometrist.

He was involved with the American Optometric Association, Washington Optometric Association and numerous community involvements.

He was passionate about the Tri-City Americans hockey club where he took pride in providing optometric care for the players.

In addition to being a Tri-City Americans season ticket holder, he enjoyed playing golf, watching the boat races and attending local music or entertainment venues.

He graduated from Richland (Columbia) High School in 1974 and continued his education at Columbia Basin College and Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon. He attended Pacific University College of Optometry in 1977 where he graduated with his doctorate of optometry in 1981.

He is preceded in death by his wife, Viki Weitz-McCartney. He is survived by two children, Krystal McCartney and Bryson McCartney, and a grandson.

A funeral was held Sept. 19. Einan’s at Sunset Funeral Home in Richland was in charge of arrangements.

Moreno pleads guilty, repays $43K to L&I

A Seattle woman accused of forging signatures and stealing money by billing the state for appointments that never happened recently pleaded guilty in Franklin County Superior Court.

Carla C. Moreno also repaid the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries $43,296 for overbilling the department for interpreter services in the Tri-Cities.

Moreno pleaded guilty to third-degree theft, a gross misdemeanor. Repaying L&I was part of her sentence.

Judge Samuel P. Swanberg sentenced her to serve more than 30 days in confinement, including 10 days in jail and 20 days through electronic home monitoring. She also must serve probation for two years; she must break no laws during that time or could face additional criminal penalties in connection with this case.

Moreno, 33, is also known as Carla Cynthia Montes De Oca Moreno and Carla Moreno Montgomery. She now lives in Seattle and works as a real estate broker and investor.

Moreno committed the theft while operating The Language Spot and Language Spot, both based in Pasco, from 2009-17.

The Washington State Attorney General’s Office prosecuted the case based on a two-and-a-half-year investigation by its office and L&I.

Moreno, a sole proprietor, hired independent contractors to interpret at medical and physical therapy appointments for Spanish-speaking workers who had workplace injury claims with L&I.

Investigators found she used a variety of methods to overbill L&I for the services, including billing for non-existent appointments, double billing for actual appointments, using names and provider numbers of interpreters who worked for her in the past, and submitting billing forms with forged signatures of health care providers and certified interpreters.

In total, the audit uncovered 558 fraudulent bills, including 89 instances in which Moreno submitted bills for appointments that never occurred.

Moreno stopped billing L&I in the fall of 2017 while the investigation was ongoing. She no longer provides interpreter services for L&I.

Longtime Zip’s owner dies at age 77

The longtime owner of Zip’s by the Cable Bridge restaurant died Aug. 25. He was 77.

Emil Robert “Bob” Zlatich Jr. began working and managing one of the Zip’s restaurants in 1974, eventually working and managing all three in the Tri-Cities.

In 1982 he had a chance to buy one of them and chose the east Kennewick one.

He owned and operated Zip’s by the Cable Bridge for over 35 years. His highlight on Saturdays was having lunch with his good friend Brice Wallace.

During those years he also owned Slats JR drive-in and El Gringo’s Mexican Restaurant where he made numerous lifelong friends.

He was born in Pasco and attended Kennewick High School. He was preceded in death by his wife Judi and is survived by four sons, Robert, Brad, Bryan and Brent; 10 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

A memorial service was Sept. 25 at Calvary Chapel’s amphitheater in Kennewick. Mueller’s Tri-Cities Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Aha! offers direct service to Reno/Tahoe

Aha!, a new “lifestyle” airline associated with ExpressJet Airlines, is launching with nonstop flights between Pasco and Reno-Tahoe International Airport.

Service begins Oct. 24 and features three flights a week in each direction – Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.

The flights leave Reno at 2:05 p.m. and the Tri-Cities at 4:25 p.m. and take about 90 minutes.

Aha! flies 50-seat Embraer ERJ-145 jets.

Go to flyaha.com.

Lamb Weston declares quarterly dividend

Lamb Weston Holdings Inc. will pay a 23.5 cent per share dividend to holders of its common stock.

The dividend is payable Dec. 3, 2021, to stockholders of record at the close of business on Nov. 5.

Eagle, Idaho-based Lamb Weston (NYSE: LW) has substantial production, research, laboratory and corporate offices in the Mid-Columbia.

Carole King tribute show set for Nov. 6-7

A fundraiser for the Windermere Children’s Theatre will be held at ACT on Nov 6-7.

The one-woman show, “Celebrating 50 years of Tapestry: a Tribute to Carole King,” presented by Cathy Kelly, is a walk down memory lane of songs of King’s “Tapestry” album.

Show times are 8 p.m. Nov. 6 and 3 p.m. Nov. 7.

Proof of Covid-19 vaccination is required to attend.

The show features stars Kelly and features Heather Hull Hart, piano, vocals; Lori Tyler, guitar; Dave Campbell, bass; Jerry Larson, drums; and Gary Danielson, sax, vocals, flute.

For guest 21+, beverages and light snacks will be available during the show at 213 Wellsian Way in Richland.

General admission is $25, or $200 for a front row bistro table for four, including a bottle of wine.

Tickets on sale at AcademyOfChildrensTheatre.org.

The Windermere Children’s Theatre has been under renovation for three years, with one final phase left to complete – the permanent theater seating, technical theatre lighting and sound and final finishing touches.

An active fundraising and grant-writing campaign is ongoing to complete renovations by fall 2022.