L&I: Washington workers are due overtime pay

The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries reminds employers that most workers are entitled to overtime pay, starting after they work 40 hours in a seven-day workweek.

Overtime is a protected right that workers cannot waive.

Most hourly, piece rate and commissioned employees, as well as some salaried employees, are due overtime, as are workers working on prevailing wage jobs.

Overtime is paid at least 1.5 times the regular hourly rate.

In agriculture, dairy workers are eligible for overtime for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. Overtime is being phased in for other agriculture workers.

Agriculture workers are eligible for overtime after they work 55 hours a week in 2022, after 48 hours in 2023, and after 40 hours in 2024.

Benton County turns to law students for public defense

Benton County is establishing two so-called “Rule 9” intern positions to aid the Office of Public Defense, which represents indigent defendants.

“Rule 9” interns are second-year law students who are able to carry caseloads, with restrictions. The prosecutor’s office uses interns already.

The interns are paid $21 per hour.

Tri-Cities Airport lands $7.5M in FAA grants

The Tri-Cities Airport, operated by the Port of Pasco, secured grants totaling $7.5 million from the Federal Aviation Administration.

The grants are part of a $608 million series of grants under the Airport Improvement Program. The airport secured $7.4 million to build the final phase of its 3,500-foot taxiway project, which provides access to hangars.

It also received $70,000 to fund a pavement management study.

HomeStreet Bank sheds rural branches, including Kennewick

Five HomeStreet Bank branches in Eastern Washington, including one in Kennewick, will convert to Bank of Idaho.

The parent companies of the two institutions announced an agreement involving HomeStreet branches in Spokane, Kennewick, Dayton, Yakima and Sunnyside. The Kennewick branch is on West Clearwater Avenue. The deal does not include HomeStreet’s commercial lending office near Columbia Center mall.

Bank of Idaho will acquire the branches’ lending business as well as employees. HomeStreet said it wanted to focus on “larger metropolitan markets in the western United States.”

The deal is expected to close by Aug. 1, subject to regulatory approval.

Vista Field grand opening include food, rockers

The Port of Kennewick holds grand opening festivities for Vista Field at 2:30 p.m. June 16 at the former municipal airfield in Kennewick.

The port is preparing to sell the first lots at the mixed-use development site after the grand opening.

The celebration will feature an appearance by British rocker John Waite of “Missing You” fame. He will perform three to five songs and was booked as a way to thank the community for its support of the project.

The band American Honey also will perform.

Four food trucks will be on site – Ann’s Best Creole & Soul Food, Culture Shock Bistro, Taste of Wok and Rollin’ Fresh Ice Cream.

Participants also can visit the Snappy Camper vintage trailer photo booth and take the J&S Dreamland Express to Kennewick’s new Fire Station 3. The station will be open for tours. The city’s first motorized fire engine, a 1922 American La France Brockway Torpedo, is on display.

The gathering will be at 6600 W. Deschutes Ave., Bldg. B. Attendees are asked to register in advance to POK@portofkennewick.org.

Know an impressive woman? Boys & Girls Club wants to know

Boys and Girls Clubs of Benton and Franklin Counties is looking for six local women to profile in a series of videos meant to inspire young girls in the community.

The club will highlight the woman in its upcoming Women Who Wow series. The Women Helping Women Fund Tri-Cities is funding the initiative.

Nominate women who have broken barriers, improved the community and positively impacted lives at greatclubs.org/women-who-wow.

Longtime local CPA dies at age 93

Robert E. Marple, a longtime local CPA, died May 18 at age 93.

He practiced as a certified public accountant in the area for nearly 70 years and was still working and meeting with clients at age 93.

Marple came to the Tri-Cities in 1952 after serving active duty in the Korean War.

He was one of the first partners in the CPA firm Niemi, Holland & Scott. His Washington state CPA certificate was No. 1,253. The current issued CPA license number in Washington State is 52,070.

He opened his sole-proprietor CPA firm, Robert E. Marple CPA, in 1973 and this firm became Marple & Marple CPAs. These firms represented many Tri-City businesses and individuals including a few of the area’s largest businesses. Marple & Marple CPAs was sold to PorterKinney in 2019.

Bob Gamache, wine pioneer, dies at 72

Robert “Bob” Gamache died May 22 in Richland after a fall the day earlier.

Gamache, 72, was a longtime vintner and winemaker who developed his farm at Basin City into a vineyard in partnership with his brother, Roger. The brothers were among the earliest wine grape growers in the area.

Gamache Vintners Winery operated facilities at the Prosser Wine Village. The family sold the vineyard in 2015 and operated the tasting room until the pandemic.

A Yakima native, he graduated from Marquette High School in 1968 and served in the Army. Services were held in May at Christ the King Catholic Church.

Horse Heaven Round-Up tickets on sale now

Tickets for the Horse Heaven Round-Up are on sale now.

The Kennewick rodeo, held during the Benton Franklin Fair, which runs Aug. 23-27, is one of the top ranked events in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. The PRCA sanctions more than 820 rodeos a year.

The 2022 event will feature $260,000 in payouts to contestants.

All seats are reserved. Attendees also must secure admission to the fair. Rodeo tickets are $10 to $20 and are available Kennewick Ranch & Home or the fair office in Pasco, 812 W. Washington St.

Online tickets are available at bentonfranklinfair.com and include processing fees.

The Arc seeks volunteer summer camp counselors

 The Arc of Tri-Cities is seeking youth counselors, ages 15 and up, for its Partners N’ Pals Summer Camp.

The camp is for children with special needs and typically developing children ages 6-21.

The camp runs 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday to Friday, June 22-Aug. 19.

The Arc also is looking for youth counselors, ages 15 and up, for Partners N’ Pals Jr. Camp, which is for children with special needs and typically developing children ages 3-6.

The camp runs 9-11:30 a.m. Monday to Thursday, July 11-28.

For more information on either camp, go to arcoftricities.com, call 509-783-1131, ext. 151, or email pnp@arcoftricities.com.

Astria Health offers robotic surgery in Sunnyside

Robotic surgery is now offered at Astria Sunnyside Hospital.

Astria Health began offering robotic procedures on June 6 after acquiring a da Vinci Xi robot for its surgical suite. Robotic surgery offers surgeons high-definition 3D vision, a magnified view and computer assistance, including instruments.

The program is led by Dr. Ernesto Dizon Jr., a general and thoracic surgeon who began seeing patients at Astria in November 2021. His team includes Drs. Manuel Ybanez, Miguel Brizuela and Robert Wells.

Robotic procedures lead to less blood loss and faster recovery times, Astria said. Robotic surgery is used for hernia repair, colon resection, appendectomy, splenectomy, lung resection, tubal ligation and hysterectomy, among other procedures.

Mid-Columbia Libraries seeks input on survey

Mid-Columbia Libraries has launched an online survey for residents in three counties to help improve library services and, possibly, develop new services.

The 18-question survey is available in English and Spanish, on the library district’s social channels and website: midcolumbialibraries.org.

The survey is open to any resident 18 and over living in a city served by MCL, which covers Benton, Franklin and parts of Adams counties. Those living in some select census-designated and unincorporated communities, as well as visitors to any of the 12 branch locations, also may participate.

All participants who complete the survey are entered to win an Apple iPad mini and can pick up a free book bag from their local branch, while supplies last.

The survey asks respondents to rate the importance of quality-of-life influencers such as cultural diversity, educational opportunities, career programs, social connections and access to resources. It also explores associated demographic characteristics such as income, ethnicity and age.

MCL aims to efficiently use its limited resources to address the most common wants and needs of those it serves, be it leisure, education, community integration, or any other service that one might seek from their hometown library. MCL will study the results, and, working with its community partners, use the insights to ensure the library district continues providing the best value to taxpayers and its communities.

To prepare for the survey, MCL held nine focus groups and town halls, some only in Spanish, with residents and organizations from the Tri-Cities, Prosser, Connell and Othello.

Franklin FSA seeks farmers, ranchers for committee

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency is seeking Franklin County farmers and ranchers for an upcoming county committee election.

The Franklin County FSA office will accept nominations through Aug. 1.

FSA encourages all interested agricultural producers, including women and minority growers, to seek nomination. Eligible candidates must participate or cooperate in any Farm Service Agency program or activity and be of legal voting age.

This year’s election takes place in Local Administrative Area 2, which encompasses the southwest irrigated portion of the county and includes the communities of Mesa, Eltopia and Pasco.

Elected county committee members receive an hourly wage and travel reimbursement for their attendance and representation at county committee meetings and serve three-year terms. 

Call 509-416-5722 for more information.

AWB president keynotes regional chamber luncheon

Kris Johnson, president and CEO of the Association of Washington Business, will discuss recovering from the Great Resignation at the June 22 Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce luncheon.

Johnson will discuss workforce trends and the issues that drove employees to resign during the Covid-19 crisis, as well as best practices for retaining workers. He will take questions at the end of his presentation.

The luncheon is from 11:30 a.m.-
1 p.m. at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick.

The cost is $30 for members and $40 for guests.

Go to tricityregionalchamber.com.

Only Tacos opens at Columbia Gardens

Food truck vendor Only Tacos recently opened at Columbia Gardens Wine & Artisan Village in Kennewick. The newest mobile eatery’s hours are from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays to Fridays.

Co-owners and chefs Jesus Rodriguez and Manuel “Curly” Montijo serve popular recipes from various regions in Mexico.

The Food Truck Plaza is at 325 E. Columbia Gardens Way off East Columbia Drive in Kennewick.

Only Tacos joins five other mobile eateries with leased spaces at the plaza, including Ann’s Best Creole and Soul Food, Bobablastic Tri-Cities, Culture Shock Bistro, Swampy’s BBQ and Taste of Wok.

Each vendor sets its days and hours of operation.

Go to: ColumbiaGardensVendors.org.

panish, with residents and organizations from the Tri-Cities, Prosser, Connell and Othello.

State welcomes its 20th wine-grape growing region

Washington wine country can add another special grape-growing region to its list.

Rocky Reach will be the state’s 20th American Viticultural Area (AVA).

Located between Chelan and Wenatchee, Rocky Reach straddles the Columbia River and is wholly contained within the larger Columbia Valley.

The AVA covers 32,333 total acres, though the Columbia River and Rocky Reach Reservoir make up about a quarter of the area. There are currently eight commercial vineyards covering 117 acres.

To qualify as an AVA with the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, a wine grape-growing region must have distinguishing features. The area’s defining characteristics are its geology, soils, topography and climate.

Inslee appoints Ruff to Benton-Franklin Superior Court

Gov. Jay Inslee has appointed Diana Ruff to the Benton-Franklin Superior Court.

She will replace Judge Alex Ekstrom, who later this month will begin his term as a federal magistrate judge for the Eastern District of Washington.

Since August 2021, Ruff has worked as a court commissioner for Superior Court, where she presides over family law, probate, guardianship and juvenile dockets.

Before joining the court, Ruff worked as an administrative law judge with the Washington State Office of Administrative Hearings. She also has served as a judge pro tem in Franklin County District Court and Pasco Municipal Court.

Prior to her judicial career, Ruff was a Benton County Deputy prosecutor for more than five years. She began her career handling personal injury cases at Allen Brecke Law Offices in Kennewick.

Ruff has volunteered in various leadership positions with the Benton Franklin Bar Association and is a youth soccer coach volunteer. She served on the Benton County Park Board for over 10 years, including a term as its chairperson. She also has been a commissioner on the Parks and Recreation commissions for the cities of Kennewick and Richland.

“Diana is an extremely talented attorney. She is smart, driven, and dedicated to serving her community,” Inslee said in a statement. “And her breadth of experience is impressive. She has done civil litigation, criminal prosecution, and as a judicial officer she’s presided over administrative proceedings and now Superior Court dockets. She will be a great addition to the bench.”

Ruff earned her bachelor’s degree and law degree from Gonzaga University.