State increases workers comp rates by over 3%Workers compensation premiums will rise by an average of 3.1% in 2022, the Washington Department of Labor & Industries announced.It said the increase is driven by rising costs associated with cost-of-living adjustments for long-term cases and are tied to Washington’s increasing average wages.The...
Each December, the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business invites some of the region’s most insightful leaders to help us review the highlights of the past year.This month, they came through.The Tri-Cities tallied an astonishing list of wins in the second year clouded by Covid-19.As the year closes, we look back...
A retiree with a record of working to secure federal dollars to clean up Hanford and spark the local economy has received the Sam Volpentest Entrepreneurial Leadership Award. Gary PetersenGary Petersen received the award during the 25th annual Richland Rotary Club’s Entrepreneurial Awards ceremony on Nov. 2.Petersen managed the federal...
Newspapers love to compile their end-of-the-year top story lists, and we’re no exception.We had plenty of big headlines in 2021 about multimillion-dollar developments coming to our community.It’s been a bright spot for our economy after weathering so much uncertainty in 2020.Our annual list of the most-read stories on the Tri-Cities...
An Oregon-based environmental nonprofit is challenging the wisdom of fighting climate change with small modular nuclear reactors near the Hanford Nuclear Reservation.The Columbia Riverkeeper, based in Hood River, said building new nuclear-powered plants at the Energy Northwest complex north of Richland is a threat to the Columbia River, which it...
Bob SchuetzCEOEnergy NorthwestBob Schuetz Number of employees you oversee: 1,000 +Brief background of your organization:Energy Northwest is a joint operating agency of Washington state, comprised of 27 public power member utilities from across the state, serving more than 1.5 million customers.Energy Northwest owns and operates a diverse mix of 100%...
Ostrom Mushroom Farms receives $102K REA rebateOstrom Mushroom Farms received a $102,000 rebate from Benton Rural Electric Association for embracing energy-saving technology at its Sunnyside facility.Ostrom installed LED lighting, water-cooled chiller equipment and variable frequency drives on air handlers, cooling tower fans, boiler fans and composting tunnel and bunker fans...
CERTIFICATIONMaria Alleman, convention sales manager of Visit Tri-Cities, earned her certified faith-based meeting professional credentials through the Religious Conference Management Association in October. The association’s certification program is designed to equip meeting professionals in the essentials of faith-based meeting planning. Certification is valid for five years, after which time, those...
Popular Kennewick restaurant damaged by fireDouble Dragon, a popular Kennewick restaurant, was damaged by an early morning fire on Dec. 7.The Kennewick Fire Department said passersby called in the blaze after spotting fire coming from a roof vent at about 3:30 a.m. The fire department noted the 1979-built building, 3107...
Fran Rish Stadium at Richland High School will get a $10 million update beginning in February.The Richland School District expects the eight-month project to wrap up by September, according to an environmental checklist filed under Washington’s Environmental Protection Act in October.The voter-approved project includes new artificial turf, track surface, grandstand...
