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...
The 2020 Toyko Olympics were billed as the “Hydrogen Olympics.”Then along came Covid-19 and sporting events worldwide were put on hold. The summer games were delayed until 2021. Postponing the games cost Japan billions and thwarted its efforts to showcase the Japanese “green growth” strategies.Japan, like the United States, plans...
You may have noticed that our July issue’s front page, the spot where we put our most compelling news, is dominated by not one but three food processing stories out of Pasco.We normally strive to offer a more diverse mix and try to feature stories from at least two or...
What a difference a year makes. As Washington emerges from the pandemic, one of the biggest challenges facing many employers is finding enough qualified workers.It’s a dramatic shift from a year ago, when businesses were forced to close their doors to slow the spread of the virus, leading to an...
As climate change concerns grow, researchers are turning to small tree farmers for help. Actually, tree farms have been helping for nearly a century, but their efforts have largely gone unrecognized.For decades, the American Tree Farm program has emphasized sustainability and managing lands for water quality, wildlife, wood and recreation....
June always brings a spring to our step at the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business as we explore the state of Washington’s agriculture and viticulture sectors for our annual Focus: Agriculture + Viticulture magazine.Find the standalone magazine inside our June edition, along with a host of ag-related stories throughout the...
On May 4, Gov. Jay Inslee signed into law a new capital gains tax set to take effect Jan. 1, 2022.This law likely will not impact most people (as explained below). But, for some (the lucky?) the impact could be worth attempting to mitigate through planning.The key to this new...
The United States and China are engaged in what appears to many experts to be a battle for supremacy between the world’s two most powerful economies, perhaps with India as the prize.The Columbia Basin Badger Club’s June Forum: “Tiger by the Tail: U.S.-China relations” will offer the perspective of someone...
