2 Pasco events scheduled to honor veterans 

Pasco invites community members to honor veterans and fallen heroes at two special ceremonies at City View Cemetery, 1300 N. Oregon Ave. in Pasco.

The Veterans Day ceremony is at 11 a.m. Nov. 11.

This event, free and open to the public, will feature a solemn program, including patriotic songs, the symbolic changing of flags and a wreath placement to honor veterans.

The Wreaths Across America event is at 11 a.m. Dec. 14.

Pasco has partnered with Wreaths Across America event for this remembrance event at the cemetery to remember the fallen, honor those who serve and teach future generations the value of freedom. Volunteers will lay wreaths on the graves of veterans and speak each of their names aloud.

To sponsor a wreath or volunteer for this event, go to wreathsacrossamerica.org/pages/176080/Overview and click the red “Sponsor” button to contribute a wreath or the “Volunteer” button to participate in the ceremony.

Tri-Cities Food Co-op opens in Richland

The Tri-Cities Food Co-op has opened its doors at 1420 Jadwin Ave. in Richland.

The co-op has had trouble in locking down financing to open, but it has found an alternative path to get it up and running.

“After two years of planning and overcoming challenges in securing financing, we are thrilled to be moving forward with a phased approach to open the co-op. This first step brings our community closer to having a full-service cooperative grocery store,” said Alan Schreiber, a co-op board member, in a statement. “We are excited for the future and grateful for the support of our members and the broader community.”

The co-op board has entered into an operational agreement with Agriculture Development Group Inc., which has provided the upfront money needed to start the co-op. This includes buying inventory, hiring employees and covering operational costs – all at cost, with no profit or management fees. 

Public records show Schreiber listed as the governor of Agriculture Development Group. The Eltopia farmer has been a leading force behind getting the co-op started in the Tri-Cities.

The co-op’s first phase will focus on selling local and organic produce and baked goods. About 95% of the produce available will be organic.

The second phase includes an expansion to shelf-stable, non-perishable grocery items. Organizers hope to have this phase launched within a month or less.

A coffee shop, beer and wine sales, full grocery store with meat, seafood, frozen items, dairy, eggs and ready-to-eat foods, and the buildout of a deli will follow. The goal is to have a fully operational co-op within a year.

Current co-op hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

The co-op also plans to hold a Thanksgiving Market from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23 to supply all your holiday feast needs. 

Co-op members receive a 5% discount through the end of 2024. 

Membership costs range from $50 for seniors to $100 for an owner and household membership.

HAPO to acquire Community First Bank

HAPO Community Credit Union is acquiring Community First Bank.

The two financial institutions, both of which are based in the Tri-Cities, jointly announced the deal in a statement on Oct. 8. Terms were not disclosed.

The purchase and assumption agreement means HAPO will acquire and assume substantially of all of the assets and liabilities of Community First Bank.

When the deal is done, the new combined institution will have about $2.9 billion in assets, $2.5 billion in deposits and $2.2 billion in loans, and it will serve more than 220,000 members, with 25 branches across Washington and Oregon, the statement said.

The move combines the strengths of both institutions and allows HAPO to offer a broader range of products and services “while reinforcing the dedication demonstrated by both companies to the Tri-Cities and surrounding areas,” the statement said.

HAPO is “diligently working with (Community First) staff and (we) expect that most of the employees will accept our offer of employment,” HAPO said.

The deal is expected to be finalized in the third quarter of 2025, subject to regulatory approvals, Community First Bank shareholder approval and closing conditions.

Japanese beetle quarantine expanded

The state Department of Agriculture has permanently expanded its Japanese beetle quarantine to include Sunnyside, Outlook, Mabton and additional areas in Benton County. The original quarantine set in 2022 included 49 square miles in the Grandview area.

Japanese beetles can easily be spread through yard waste. Two free yard-waste drop-off sites are set up in the quarantine area for residents.

Learn more at agr.wa.gov/beetles.

Free Covid tests available by mail

The U.S. government once again is offering free at-home Covid tests by mail. 

Four tests are available per household. There’s no charge for shipping.

To order tests or learn more, call 1-800-232-0233 or go to: covidtests.gov.

Richland playground receives upgrade

The Sturgeon Cove Playground at Howard Amon Park in Richland is getting an upgrade. 

The playground will be centered around a cruise boat theme, featuring colors inspired by the Columbia River and a replica paddle wheel cruise ship.

Construction started in early September and was expected to take up to eight weeks to complete. 

Some of the features of the new playground will be an expanded footprint, improved ADA accessibility, dueling ziplines, additional swings and an expression swing, play areas for both preschool-aged children and children of all ages, sensory play equipment, and an inclusive whirl feature. 

The elephant slide, fish sculptural elements and rock-climbing features will remain at the playground. 

A shade structure also will be installed over adjacent picnic tables, funded by a donation from Robert “Bob” Zinsli. The Senior Times recently featured Zinsli’s efforts with the Richland Knight of Columbus Council to raise the most money of any Knights group in the country – more than $100,000 – for Ukrainian refugees.

Hanford Advisory Board seeks new members

The volunteer board charged with providing policy recommendations and advice to the Hanford site’s Tri-Party Agreement agencies is looking for new members. 

The Hanford Advisory Board, or HAB, is nonpartisan. It was chartered in 1994 and represents “the broad and balanced mix of diverse interests affected by Hanford site cleanup,” a news release said. The Tri-Party Agreement, signed by the U.S. Department of Energy, state Department of Ecology and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, outlines how the state and federal government will work together on Hanford cleanup. 

HAB members are expected to attend quarterly full board meetings, and they have the option to join topic-specific committees. Most meetings have a hybrid attendance option. 

Board terms start on Oct. 1, 2025, and run for two years. 

Applications are due by Dec. 6. 

Go to: hanford.gov/page.cfm/hab.

KPD, Benton County Sheriff’s Office launch online police report filing

People and businesses now can file non-emergency police reports online with the Kennewick Police Department and the Benton County Sheriff’s Office.

The two agencies have teamed up to launch a new online reporting website that allows citizens to file reports for certain crimes without talking to a police officer or deputy. Those crimes include abandoned vehicles, destruction of property, graffiti, fraud and more.

The website isn’t designed for incidents where follow-up investigation is needed. For those kinds of incidents, people and businesses still should call dispatch at 509-628-0333 and request to speak with an officer or deputy. People also may continue to make in-person reports with officers and deputies instead of using the new website.

The Kennewick Police Department online report site is at go2kennewick.com/1536/File-a-Police-Report.

The Benton County Sheriff’s Office online report site is at bit.ly/bc-report-filing.