By Mary CoffmanMore than 84.6 million pounds of hops were grown in Washington in 2021, a 14.1% increase over 2020.“We were all kind of surprised to see a record crop last year, after the spring heat dome, which hit when the vines were vulnerable,” said Maggie Elliot, science and communications...
It’s hard to prepare for the future if you’re only checking the rearview mirror.That’s why the AWB Institute has launched a new tool called FutureCast to provide employers, policymakers and community leaders with a forward-looking view of how growth is likely to affect Washington state and every community within it.The...
Before the Covid-19 pandemic rocked the world, factory workers were humming along assembling products just after components were delivered. It was called “just-in-time” production. It was efficient, predictable and cost effective.Today, companies scramble just to find parts, lock in purchases (and hopefully prices) and work around estimated delivery schedules. It...
Parents who have built a successful business and have raised capable children might find the proposition of selling the family business to the children compelling.As with so many decisions in life, this proposition comes with pros and cons, but properly structuring the transaction is always vital.At the outset, the parents...
Manufacturing in the two counties didn’t shine during the pandemic.According to recent work the Institute undertook for the Port of Kennewick, the most positive employment changes during the “shutdown quarter,” Q2 of 2020, were found in the following sectors: finance and insurance, transportation and warehousing, information, wholesale trade and retail.Yet,...
The soaring inflation rate has turned trips to the gas station, grocery store, shopping mall and restaurants into nerve-wracking experiences. Not to mention buying a used car or a sheet of plywood. But it isn’t just wreaking havoc on family budgets — inflation is setting off alarm bells for businesses,...
The news that President Joe Biden plans to resume leasing federal land for oil exploration maybe good five years from now, but that action alone won’t bring down record gas prices at the pump in the months ahead. According to American Automobile Association (AAA), the national average for a gallon of...
National Travel & Tourism Week may have wrapped in early May, but here at Visit Tri-Cities we have reason to celebrate tourism every day.From our rich history steeped in science to the amazing rivers and outdoor recreation that is only enhanced by our climate to the unique gathering places, our...
Over the next few years, we’ll be hearing a lot about Scope 1, 2 and 3.No, it’s not a revisit of a famous trial in Tennessee about a hundred years ago. The terms invoke science, however. Instead of a reflection on human ancestry, they look ahead to the future of...
By Gale Metcalf for Tri-Cities Area Journal of BusinessA century ago, the automobile had not yet completely replaced the horse and buggy as the main way of getting around in the United States.But, it was getting there.Yet getting to where you wanted to be – even with an automobile and...
