It’s been more than a year since the Babb Road Fire scorched over 15,000 acres south of Spokane. The rebuilding process is underway, signaling hope for a bright future for those who still call that area home. In the wake of that devastating yet transformative event, they are creating a...
Manufacturing is a bedrock of the state’s economy. It accounts for more than 300,000 jobs and approximately 11% of the state’s total economic output.Those jobs tend to pay above average, too, with an average salary of $80,000.That’s good news, but imagine what it would mean for Washington’s economy if the...
Gov. Jay Inslee’s end run around the state Legislature banning natural gas in new homes and commercial buildings is a bad idea.Even though the Legislature adjourned last spring without passing his bill, he unveiled building codes which would accomplish the same thing by fiat.Inslee’s proposed regulations forbid the use of...
As the Tri-Cities grapples with rising Covid-19 cases again, we’re seeing more cancellations and postponements of community events.We’ve got our own to add to this growing list.We were hoping to announce that our Senior Times Fall 2021 Expo would again be indoors, but it won’t be.For those of you who...
Back to school this year is, unfortunately, not a return to normal. As summer turns to fall, the Delta variant of the coronavirus means this remains a time of tremendous uncertainty for schools, teachers, students and families.It’s still a time of great uncertainty and unpredictability for employers, too, who are...
Many of us don’t think about or plan for long-term care until a crisis strikes or urgency forces our hand. Thankfully, a new benefit to help Washington families pay for care during a long-term illness, injury or disability is on the horizon. Seventy percent of Washingtonians 65 and older will require...
Starting Jan. 1, more of your paycheck will go missing if you are a W2 worker in Washington.The state will take 58 cents of every $100 you make, while claiming it is for your own good. But it isn’t really, even if you one day qualify for the measly $36,500...
Mask up, folks.As the delta variant drives Covid-19 rates up to 2020 levels, the business community wonders what the future holds.The Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business has struggled along with the rest of you, adopting a hybrid schedule that blends working from home much of the time with working in...
In the fourth quarter of 2020, retail sales came roaring back in Wahkiakum County. The small county in southwest Washington saw nearly a 30% jump in taxable quarterly sales compared to the previous year.On the opposite side of the state, Lincoln County reported a little more than 25% quarterly growth...
This summer, with severe drought and hot temperatures throughout the West, the threat of wildfires is once again at the forefront of everyone’s minds. Tens of thousands of acres in Washington alone were burning in late July.While the causes of wildfires can be unpredictable, there are ways to reduce the...
