The state Employment Security Department announced the layoffs late on April 10. Outside of the Tri-Cities, the notice indicated that the layoffs affect U.S. Cellular employees in Yakima, Sunnyside, Union Gap, Longview and Centralia.
A longtime community philanthropist and a recent fundraiser have further bolstered the resources of the Tri-Cities’ first in-patient mental health and substance abuse treatment facility.
SB 5576 would levy a 4% tax on short-term rentals to fund affordable housing efforts if approved. The bill originally called for a 6% tax but that was changed after short-term rental operators told lawmakers how the tax could impact them.
In 2021, an informal study by the state’s Dementia Action Collaborative found there were about 237 assisted living facilities in Washington that advertised memory care or specialized dementia care, but their services varied.
Drought impacts in the Yakima Basin have far-reaching effects for the rest of the state. The region’s agricultural economy generates $4.5 billion each year, producing 71% of the nation’s hops, 63% of apples, 62% of cherries, and significant portions of other crops like pears, raspberries, blueberries, and asparagus, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants program as well as state funds. Grant recipients must provide matching funds equal to 33% of the award.
Staff with the state’s Utilities & Transportation Commission say a Pasco landscaping company transported and disposed of solid waste, including construction materials, without state-required certification in September and October 2024.
