West Richland woman sentenced for fraud

A 52-year-old West Richland woman has been sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining more than $300,000 in Covid-19 relief funds, according to a statement from Vanessa R. Waldref, United States attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.

Jimia Rae Cain fraudulently obtained $337,267 in CARES Act funding in July and August 2020 in the name of her purported business, Americore Construction, the statement said.

However, Americore wasn’t an active business during the relevant time period, didn’t have employees and wasn’t eligible for federal funding, the statement said, adding that Cain used false statements and fictitious tax and payroll documentation.

In addition to the prison time, Cain was sentenced to three years of federal supervision after her release and is required to repay the $337,267, the statement said.

The sentence was the result of work by the Covid-19 Relief Fraud Strike Force.

Registration underway for diversity summit

The Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce will host the Tri-Cities Diversity Summit on July 27 at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick.

This will be the first in-person Tri-Cities Diversity Summit since 2019.

The annual half-day event focuses on helping professionals create a more diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace.

The event will conclude with the regional chamber’s July membership luncheon, featuring the presentation of the Tri-Cities Champion of Diversity Awards and a keynote presentation from Robyn Kelley, chief diversity officer at Gonzaga University.

Registration costs $70 for regional chamber members, $90 for nonmembers and includes the luncheon.

Registration for the luncheon-only is $30 for members or $40 for nonmembers.

Go to: tricityregionalchamber.com/diversity-summit.html.

Port celebrates contributions of the late Robert L. Ferguson

The Port of Benton held a community tribute July 6 to recognize Robert L. Ferguson’s vision, leadership, dedication and advocacy for the Tri-Cities.

The event included a street-renaming ceremony and the unveiling of a commemorative monument in honor of the late community leader, who died last year.

The Port of Benton Commission approved the proclamation at its June 14, 2023, meeting, honoring Ferguson.

It reads in part, “Bob’s’ generosity and compassionate spirit will live on in those who were lucky enough to work with him and will remain strong for generations to come, and the impact of Bob’s contributions to the community will forever stay a legacy throughout the community.”

Ferguson was a leader in advanced clean energy and education initiatives, including a major contribution to Washington State University Tri-Cities, which led to the creation of the Institute of Northwest Energy Futures.

He was one of the youngest reactor operators at Hanford’s B Reactor, project manager at the Fast Flux Test Facility, deputy assistant secretary for the Department of Energy and president of R.L. Ferguson & Associates.

He was the first chairman of the Tri-City  Development Council (TRIDEC), a former chief executive officer of Washington Public Power Supply System, now Energy Northwest, a tireless advocate of the Hanford site, and co-founder of “Clean Up Hanford Now,” a nonprofit advocating for the cleanup of the Hanford site.

Richland’s Kadlec now a Level 2 trauma center

Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland is now a Level 2 trauma center — one of only two in Eastern Washington. The designation comes from the Washington State Department of Health, which assigns levels to hospitals based on their capability to treat traumas.

The new designation, which Kadlec has been working toward for more than a decade, means the Richland hospital is “one of the few medical centers in Washington that has the teams of specialists, equipment and resources necessary to treat trauma. For a critically injured person, this can make the difference between life and death,” Kadlec officials said in a statement announcing the designation.

“Research has shown that if severely injured people reach the right hospital with the right team of specialists to treat their specific injuries within an hour, their chance of survival dramatically increases. This is often referred to as the ‘golden hour,’” the statement said.

Data shows that when patients receive care during that golden hour, “the outcome is better, not just in survival, but in functional recovery,” said Dr. Eduardo Smith Singares, medical director of trauma and emergency surgical services at Kadlec, in the statement.

Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane is the other Level 2 trauma center in Eastern Washington. The only Level 1 trauma center in the state is Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

Kadlec also has been designated a Level 3 pediatric trauma center, the only one in the Tri-Cities.

Airport launches program to open terminal to non-ticketed visitors

A new program means people no longer need boarding passes to shop, dine, watch planes, view art exhibits and visit with loved ones beyond the TSA checkpoint at the Tri-Cities Airport.

The program is called PSC Pass. Apply at flytricities.com/interact/psc-pass.

A government-issue ID is required to obtain the pass, which is treated as a boarding pass and gives terminal access when the TSA checkpoint opens.

“This program is a great opportunity for the entire community to enjoy our airport,” said Buck Taft, airport director, in the statement. “With PSC Pass, hellos and goodbyes don’t need to be said curbside anymore. People can greet or say farewell to their loved ones right at the gate. Then, they can enjoy a meal at one of our dining options or admire our newest art exhibit before heading home.”

The program is limited to 10 passes a day; participants can apply for one pass per month.

Washington’s average wage increased in 2022

Washington’s average annual wage grew by 2% in 2022 to $84,167, according to the state Employment Security Department.

Average wage growth slowed in 2022 compared to 2021, when average wages grew by 7.5%.

These figures include only those wages that are covered by unemployment insurance (UI).

The average annual wage is used to calculate:

• Unemployment benefits for claims opened on or after July 2, 2023.
• Paid family and medical leave (paid leave) benefits filed on or after Jan. 1, 2024.
• Employers’ unemployment taxes beginning Jan. 1, 2024.

The state Department of Labor & Industries also uses the average annual wage to calculate workers’ compensation benefits.

The average weekly wage rose from $1,586 in 2021, to $1,618 in 2022. These figures also include only those wages that are covered by UI.

The increase was driven by a 5.5% increase in employment covered through UI and a 7.6% increase in total wages and salaries, which grew by nearly $20.3 billion in 2022.

The average number of workers in Washington covered by UI rose from 3,257,983 in 2021, to 3,435,848 in 2022, an increase of 177,865 workers.

Senske acquires Virginia-based company

Senske Services has acquired the Virginia-based National Turf Service.

Senske is a residential lawn care, pest control and home services company with locations around the country, including in Kennewick. It’s expanding nationwide by actively seeking partnerships with lawn care companies, Senske officials said in a statement. This is Senske’s fifth acquisition in 2023 and the seventh overall since it received investment from the private equity firm GTCR.

National Turf is being rebranded as Blades of Green, a division of Senske.

United Way announces grant awards to help support kids

United Way of Benton & Franklin Counties has awarded $330,000 in grants to 17 programs that support kids in the community. The grants run from July 2023 to June 2025 and total $10,000 to $30,000 each.

The 17 programs — run by about a dozen local agencies — address basic needs, student success or childhood health and wellness. Grant recipients were chosen from a pool of 40 proposals.

United Way announced the recipients, along with the winners of its Spirit of Philanthropy Awards, during a breakfast event on July 11.

The 2023-25 grant recipients are:

• Benton Franklin Head Start for its social and emotional learning and family well-being programs.
• Domestic Violence Services of Benton and Franklin Counties for its Safe Space Kids program.
• Partners for Early Learning for its Resilient Parents, Resilient Kids program.
• Second Harvest for its Healthy Food Access program.
• Support, Advocacy & Resource Center for its crisis program.
• The Arc of Tri-Cities for its advocacy, Buddy Club and children’s services programs.
• Upper Columbia Mission Society of Seventh-day Adventist for its diaper bank program.
• Catholic Charities Serving Central Washington for its parent-child interaction therapy and its on-site school-based mental health services.
• Forge Youth Mentoring for its Kids Crave Connection program.
• Heartlinks for its pediatric palliative care program.
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Washington for its Ending the Silence program.
• B5 (formerly called Family Learning Center) for its afterschool program.
• The Reading Foundation for its rural outreach for access to reading.

Gesa Credit Union offering Local Heroes grants

Gesa Credit Union is accepting applications for its 2023 Local Heroes Grant Program.

The program awards grants of up to $50,000 to organizations that support firefighters, health care workers, law enforcement personnel, educators, veterans and other local heroes in Washington. More than $400,000 in grants will be awarded in all.

The deadline to apply is July 31.

“The selfless work our local heroes do every day to make our communities better and safer is greatly appreciated and recognized by all of us here at Gesa,” said Richard Waddle, executive vice president of Gesa Credit Union, in a statement.

Money for the grants comes from the Gesa’s Affinity Debit Card Program.

Gesa began offering the Local Heroes program in 2021 and has provided more than $630,000 in grants to 66 organizations across the state since then.

For more information or to apply, go to: gesa.com/category/local-heroes.

Columbia Industries celebrates graduates

Columbia Industries is celebrating its latest Opportunity Kitchen graduating class.

Five students were set to finish the program in June, making up the 11th class of graduates since the program launched in 2019. Opportunity Kitchen provides a “structured path out of underemployment to individuals with disabilities and other barriers,” a statement said.

The 12-week training program prepares students for jobs in food service, hospitality or catering. They learn safe food handling, cooking techniques, kitchen measurements, following and creating recipes, catering and customer service and other skills, plus they receive program certification and a food handler permit. Students also are connected with support services such as housing, food benefits and medical care, if needed, and they receive help finding a job.

“Our graduates have invested in their personal growth, they have persevered, and they have overcome barriers to build a better life for themselves. They leave our program empowered, knowing they are valued, and that they have great value to offer our community,” said Michael Novakovich, president and chief executive officer of Columbia Industries, which has the mission of supporting and empowering people with disabilities and other challenges.

To learn more about the program, go to: ColumbiaIndustries.com.

Corps seeks public input on McNary plan revision

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Walla Walla District has prepared a draft McNary Master Plan, with an accompanying draft Finding of No Significant Impact and Environmental Assessment, to revise the outdated 1982 McNary Master Plan. The district will be accepting public comments through Aug. 10.

The master plan guides how the Corps manages project lands surrounding Lake Wallula behind McNary Dam, a statement said. It’s a high-level, strategic document describing management of the recreational, natural and cultural resources of the area. It doesn’t address dam operations.

The plan and related documents are available at usace.army.mil/Locations/District-Locks-and-Dams/McNary-Lock-and-Dam/McNary-Master-Plan.

Public meetings to provide information and take public comments were planned on July 11 and 13.

Written comments are being accepted through Aug. 10 via the website or email at McNaryMP@usace.army.mil.

Comments by mail should go to: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District, Attn: McNary Master Plan, 201 N. Third Ave., Walla Walla, WA 99362-1876.