Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business May 2019

May 2019

Volume 18 • Issue 5

Hanford

A specialty publication of the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business Insert

Arts & Culture

Wet Palette paint studio’s new location and name reflects expansion with food and wine.

Page 11

Real Estate & Construction

Construction underway on Vista Field.

Page 21

Agreement on supercar facility ends in lawsuits

Vista Field lands in new phase

SSC North America faces $10.3M lawsuit over loans; founder files counterclaim

BY JEFF MORROW

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

The long-planned SSC North America supercar production facility destined for the Belmont Business District in West Richland is now at the center of a $10.3 million dispute.

A new $3.2 million commercial building — tenant to be determined — is going up at the property instead, and the high-performance car manufacturing plant is moving to Richland.

Ron Asmus, his wife Tracey and R.E.A. Construction LLC have sued Jerod O. Shelby and SSC North America LLC. Shelby is the chief executive officer and founder of SSC. Shelby’s former business partners are suing for breach of contract related to multiple loans for construction of the West Richland vehicle production facility and to manufacture the Tuatara supercar for an upcoming car show.

The lawsuit alleges Shelby “breached the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing when they failed and/or refused to comply with the agreed-upon conditions.”

The lawsuit also requests recovery of the plaintiffs’ fees for attorneys, as well as lost profits and opportunity costs.

The plaintiffs filed the lawsuit Dec. 24, 2018.

Shelby and SSC filed a counterclaim Jan. 24, asking the court to dismiss the lawsuit, citing breach of contract, good faith and fair dealing related to the ownership and plans to build a car manufacturing

uSUPERCAR, Page 33

Courtesy Port of Kennewick

An aerial view of Port of Kennewick Kennewick’s Vista Field shows the progress being made on the first phase of the site’s development. As summer progresses, concrete bridges spanning a water feature and other paved elements and streetscaping will begin to take shape. See stories, pages 19 and 21.

I-3 Global faces lawsuits

Tax warrant also placed against founder Kristopher Lapp

BY ROBIN WOJTANIK

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

Once named the U.S. Department of Energy’s Protégé of the Year, a Kennewick business and its founder are now facing two lawsuits and a tax warrant totaling $1.3 million.

Kristopher Lapp, i-3 Global president, is being sued for breach of contract by Columbia State Bank, which alleges Lapp failed to pay back $883,000 borrowed through an original $700,000 line of credit that was increased to $1.2 million.

The lawsuit came days after another lawsuit valued at $446,000 was filed on behalf of Integrated Global Staffing, a company governed by former i-3 Global intern and

KRISTOPHER LAPP

employee, President Jessica Holloway.

The lawsuits add to a growing list of debts already established, with a $44,000 tax warrant filed by the Washington state Department of Revenue in early

April for unpaid taxes.

The company, founded by Lapp in 2013, offers technology, multimedia and staffing services to federal and commercial customers. uI-3 GLOBAL, Page 4

Richland City Hall opens doors

BY KEVIN ANTHONY

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

The numbers aren’t all that far apart — from 505 Swift Blvd. to 625 Swift.

And the physical move into Richland’s new City Hall from the old building amounts to several hundred feet across Jadwin Avenue.

But after $18.4 million and 20 months of construction — plus some 14 years of planning and negotiations before the first shovel broke ground — the move into the new City Hall will be the culmination of an almost Herculean effort when it opens to the public May 28.

“It’s so rewarding on behalf of the community to see the final product,” said Joe Schiessl, Richland’s director of parks and

public facilities. “I think everybody will be really pleased when they see it.”

People should use the old City Hall through May 24.

The nuts and bolts of the new building are straightforward: It’s 44,000 square feet with three stories above ground and a partial basement for storage, built on 1.8 acres purchased from the federal government in the oversized parking lot that serves the Federal Building.

Ground was broken in September 2017, and Schiessl said there were no major hiccups from there.

The money for the project came from selling councilmanic bonds, or non-voted debt,

uCITY HALL, Page 32

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

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Lourdes names new CEO Downtown Kennewick group

BY TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS STAFF

An experienced hospital CEO who headed up hospitals in Olympia, Kansas, Iowa and Texas will add Lourdes Health in Pasco to his résumé.

Robert Monical has been named chief executive officer of Lourdes, which serves Pasco, Kennewick and Richland from 12 locations.

He began his new role April 29.

“I’m honored to join the Lourdes team and to become a part of the Tri-Cities region,” Monical said in a news release.

“I’ve heard such great things about the hospital, its employees, physicians and communities. I’m excited to collaborate with everyone to strengthen health care here and enhance the health and wellbeing of those we serve.”

Monical comes to Lourdes from Capital Medical Center, a LifePoint hospital in Olympia, where he was chief operating officer.

Lourdes experienced a lot of change in 2018. Tennessee-based RCCH HealthCare Partners acquired Lourdes Health Network in September. Then, RCCH merged with LifePoint Health in November under the LifePoint name.

With the change in ownership also came a change in leadership. Lourdes CEO and President John Serle stepped down from his post Aug. 31, 2018, after the transaction between RCCH and Lourdes closed.

Lourdes, which employs nearly 1,000 people and has more than 200 physicians on staff, had been part of Ascension, the nation’s largest nonprofit health system.

RCCH also bought Kennewick’s Trios Health last year and it is now part of the LifePoint family.

During Monical’s tenure in Olympia, he led facilities, security, laboratory services, environmental services, surgical

services, hospitalist programs, physical therapy and imaging teams and served as the operational lead for a $20 million surgical services Robert Monical expansion.

“We are delighted to welcome Rob to Lourdes Health,” said Robert Wampler, interim president of LifePoint’s Western Division. “He brings the hospital a great operational track record, a dedication to delivering high quality community care, a history of rallying teams to succeed, and a commitment to community. He will be a great addition to the Lourdes team and the Tri-Cities region.”

Prior to Capital Medical Center, Monical served as CEO for McPherson Hospital in Kansas, Baum Harmon Mercy Hospital in Iowa and Culberson County Hospital in Texas.

“Rob is a great health care leader with experience working in communities across the nation,” said Chad Graves, chairman of the board at Lourdes. “We are excited to welcome him to Pasco from Olympia, and we look forward to working with him to explore new ways that we can advance our efforts to make our communities healthier.”

Monical earned his bachelor’s degree in public health, with an emphasis in health care administration, at Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois, and his master’s degree in health care administration at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri.

Established on September 24, 1916 by the Sisters of St. Joseph Carondelet, Lourdes Health has been caring for the Tri-City community for more than a century.

hires new exeutive director

BY TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS STAFF

The new executive director of the Historic Downtown Kennewick Partnership is excited to join the community-focused organization.

The downtown association recently hired Jess Stangeland to the full-time position. Her first day was April 15.

“I love the community down here, and I know a lot of the business owners already,” she said.

Stangeland is a Tri-City native who most recently worked for two years as manager at Fuse SPC, Richland’s coworking community. She helped oversee Fuse’s move into a newly renovated building last year.

Stangeland said she’s excited to join the downtown Kennewick group, as the area is at a tipping point with the opening of Columbia Gardens Urban Wine and Artisan Village, plans for a culinary institute, the opening of the new commercial Red Mountain Kitchen and other building renovations.

“It is imperative that HDKP not only be a healthy, thriving organization but that we have a seat at the table. I plan to increase our revenue through sponsors and membership; build strong relationships with the port, city, regional chamber, and public and private entities sur-

rounding the downtown; and rally this community to form more grassroots efforts to revitalize downtown,” she Jess Stangeland said.

Stangeland has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Seattle University. Her career has taken her through the real estate, nonprofit administration and retail management sectors.

Additionally, she has served as a board director for Leadership Tri-Cities and the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce and has been involved in numerous community organizations, such as TriConf, Tri-Art for Giving and DrewBoy Creative. She was also executive producer for TEDxRichland and TC Tech Summit.

“We had a great slate of candidates to review for the position, but one kept standing out from the others,” said Jay Freeman, board president for HDKP, in a news release. “We are very excited to have Jess come work for us. Her skill set will be a good addition to the operational improvements we are making internally.”

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019 I-3 GLOBAL, From Page 1

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UPCOMING June Focuses: • Retirement • Food Processing July Focuses: • Banking & Finance • Tourism & Travel Focus Magazine: Agriculture & Viticulture

The suit by Columbia State Bank alleges Lapp executed a promissory note in October 2017 for an original principal of $700,000 that was increased to $1.2 million and set to mature in November 2018. This deadline was extended to February 2019, about the same time former employees first noticed an issue with their paychecks. Five former employees reported being told by i-3 leadership that a lag in pay was a result of a changeover in bank financing, resulting in the need for paper checks instead of direct deposit.

Employees said the paychecks cleared, but this was the first of future payroll issues that cropped up.

The second lawsuit filed by IGS accuses i-3 of failing to make good on contracts written between August 2018 and January 2019, alleging that instead of paying debts, Lapp “fraudulently spent, misappropriated, and/or diverted money from i-3 Global’s general contractor, (Mission Support Alliance), for his own personal benefit rather than on Integrated Global’s invoices.” It says i-3 received the funds necessary to pay IGS but did not proceed with payment. The filing includes up to 10 unnamed defendants who are members of the board of directors and cites Derek Johnson of Gravis Law as i-3’s contract specialist.

Lapp emailed a response to the allegations to the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business after multiple requests for comment: “It has been a chaotic few weeks. At this time, since there is a formal lawsuit filed against me … I have been advised to not issue any formal statements discussing the matter outside of legal proceedings.”

The IGS lawsuit is an unexpected turn of events after at least four former i-3 Global employees said it was their understanding IGS was created by Lapp and Holloway to be a pass-through company for Lapp to keep his HUBZone status compliant with the Small Business Administration, which allowed i-3 to compete for specific contracts that require this qualification. The classification is given to businesses based in historically-underutilized business zones and requires a certain percentage of employees to also live within the HUBZone to maintain certification.

Former i-3 project manager JR Campos said, “As we started winning contracts, we had too many bodies that were putting i-3 at risk of losing their HUBZone status, so Kris and Jessica created IGS, with Jessica

as the majority owner so they could benefit from her status as a small, womanowned, service-disabled veteran business.”

Holloway directed all questions to her attorney, Brian Davis, who also declined to comment and indicated IGS’ position was included in the civil complaint filed April 26.

Since the lawsuit by IGS is connected to federal contracts, the proper use of taxpayer money could be reviewed by the Office of the Inspector General. The OIG could not confirm an investigation of i-3 Global was underway.

The Portland attorney representing Columbia State Bank did not return calls for comment.

Doors shuttered, staff layoffs

In late April, a Department of Revenue agent based in Richland visited i-3 Global and left business cards taped to the door of i-3’s headquarters at 3180 W. Clearwater Ave. in Kennewick in a strip mall tucked behind Sterling’s Restaurant.

The doors were locked, since most employees were laid off April 11 via email memo from Lapp.

“We are all laid off until further notice due to actions being taken at the federal level with our current contracts,” Lapp wrote in the memo. Lapp requested that no one report to work going forward or they might risk non-payment for duties performed. Calling it a “formal layoff,” Lapp told employees they were “encouraged to file for unemployment immediately” and said he did not have any further information on the company’s ability to operate.

“I’ve been the guy yelling, ‘Iceberg!

Iceberg! Iceberg!’ for a while,” said Campos, who submitted his resignation a week before the layoffs.

More than one former i-3 Global employee confirmed Campos had voluntarily resigned as project manager on April 4 and was transitioning his work to colleagues when the layoffs were announced.

Campos said he was motivated to seek employment elsewhere after raising concerns about i-3’s business operations, including at least two instances where Campos said he wasn’t paid on time following unsubstantiated issues with payroll.

Six former i-3 employees said they are still owed for a final four days’ pay, plus banked paid time off. A part-time subcontractor reported being owed 60 hours of pay and not receiving notice to stop work-

ing when the layoffs were announced.

Financial difficulties

i-3 was the recipient of an award from the Department of Energy as its Fiscal Year 2016 Protégé of the Year, following a mentor-protégé partnership with Mission Support Alliance. The award “recognizes the significant development of a DOE Protégé that has enhanced their ability to successfully compete for federal contracts.” i-3 initially provided staff augmentation contracts to MSA, but eventually began supplying informational technology services to the Hanford contractor.

MSA confirmed the company still had ongoing contracts with i-3 for staff augmentation and multi-media work at the time of the layoffs.

“We’re working through some of the details,” said Rae Moss, MSA’s director of communications and external affairs. “We are assuming some of it as direct work.”

Campos said i-3 received a delinquency notice from MSA for failure to complete contracted work, but MSA could not confirm this allegation, citing “legal conversations with i-3 Global.”

During an interview with the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business in 2017, Lapp told a reporter his company had seen 400 percent growth in the past year and had exceeded the previous year’s revenue in the first quarter.

It’s not clear what led to the financial challenges two years later, but Campos believes some of the payment issues may have come from a simple failure to systematically invoice companies for work performed. At least one company represented in i-3 Global’s promotional materials said it hadn’t received an invoice in a year for work performed by i-3 on its behalf and had only been billed days before the layoffs were announced.

Calling himself i-3’s “employee No. 1” as the first person hired by Lapp, Campos said he had growing concerns in recent months about Lapp’s leadership. He provided a copy of a formal complaint Campos said was hand-delivered to Lapp on March 22, citing the concerns about the company’s management. Campos cited what he saw as “gross misuse of company property, funds and authority” and requested an “action plan” be provided to all employees by April 1. He said a plan was never presented. uI-3 GLOBAL, Page 5

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019 I-3 GLOBAL, From Page 4

Besides claims of being owed for their remaining days of work, at least three employees contributing to 401(k)s through i-3 said their accounts have not been funded since the start of 2019.

Campos said a payment to the state that should have come out of his personal paycheck directly was flagged for nonpayment and a company check written by Lapp to cover the money owed also was returned for insufficient funds earlier this year.

Another employee, who did not wish to be named, admitted “waiting too long” to cash a final paycheck picked up April 19 and it was returned for insufficient funds. A subcontractor had a similar experience with his final payment from i-3, saying he wasn’t notified until the end of the month that he should stop working. There had been a previous issue with his direct deposit in February 2019 that resulted in eventual payment for work performed.

While some employees said they had seen the writing on the wall, others cited their “shock” and reported being “so disappointed” at what they saw as a sudden turn of events. An employee who did not want to be named, said, “We were all so excited about what we were doing. We were kicking (butt).”

In addition to the contract with MSA, former employees said i-3 also held contracts with CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Co. and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, as well as many subcontractors. Most i-3 employees worked as multimedia designers, direc-

tors or managers.

A portion of this multimedia work was done for the Tri-City Water Follies Association through a trade agreement, said event director Kathy Powell.

She called news of the lawsuit “a blow” and said she hopes, “all the employees can find work and put this behind them as soon as possible.” Powell said the work she needed from i-3 had already been completed for the 2019 Follies, and that the impact to the organization will be more apparent next year.

Powell said her group partnered with i-3 because many of its employees once worked for Lockheed Martin, which had previously contracted with water Follies and made it an easy transition for graphic artists to continue the current relationship. i-3 was the recipient of the 2018 Business on a Roll award from the TriCity Regional Chamber of Commerce in the category of more than 51 employees.

The chamber awards recognize “members that achieved significant success over the previous year.” Awardees could self-nominate.

Lapp also is co-owner of Solar Spirits Distillery and has positioned himself as a Tri-City social media influencer by reviewing local restaurants.

Lapp placed his newly built 4,200-square-foot Kennewick home featuring Columbia River views on the market in early May for $850,000. The home was completed in November 2018.

Trial dates for both lawsuits filed against i-3 Global and Lapp are scheduled to be heard in Benton County Superior Court in April 2020.

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

DATEBOOK

GO TO TCJOURNAL.BIZ AND CLICK ON EVENT CALENDAR FOR MORE EVENTS

MAY 17

• Strides Golf Scramble, benefitting Strides Therapeutic Horsemanship Center: 1 to 5 p.m., Zintel Creek Golf Club, 314 N. Underwood St., Kennewick. Tickets: stridestc.org.

MAY 18

• Rising Stars of Washington Wine: 1 to 4 p.m., Walter Clore Wine & Culinary Center, 2140 Wine Country Road, Prosser.

Tickets: theclorecenter.org.

• Pasco Aviation Museum second floor grand opening: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., ribbon cutting 10 a.m., 4102 N. Stearman Ave., Pasco.

Contact: 509-547-6271.

• 2nd Annual Bees of Summer: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Three Rivers Convention Center, 7016 W. Grandridge Blvd., Kennewick. Tickets: tricitybees.org.

• Kidz Digz Rigz: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Columbia Park, 2701 Columbia Park Trail, Kennewick. Go to: Kadlec. org/foundation.

• Patricia Briggs author

signing: 1 to 4 p.m., The Bookworm, 731 N. Columbia Center Blvd. Suite 102, Kennewick. Call: 509-7359016.

• Hansen Park Heritage Field Day: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 602 Columbia Center Blvd., Kennewick. Information: www.franklincd.org.

MAY 19

• Summer Smash Demolition Derby: 2 p.m., Walla Walla Fairgrounds, 363 Orchard St., Walla Walla.

Information: wallawallafair grounds.com.

May 21-22

• Garden Bros. Circus: 4:30 and 7:30 each day, Toyota Center Tri-Cities, 7000 W. Grandridge Blvd., Kennewick. Tickets: http:// bit.ly/2Jj64Ss

May 22

• Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce monthly luncheon: noon to 1:30 p.m., Red Lion Hotel & Conference Center, 2525 N. 20th Ave., Pasco.

MAY 24-25

• Mid-Columbia Master Singers Carmina Burana: 8 p.m. each day, The REACH outdoor stage, 1943 Columbia Park Trail, Richland. Tickets: http://www. mcmastersingers.org

MAY 25

• Tigers on the Columbia Car Show: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Howard Amon Park, 500 Amon Park Drive, Richland. Go to: northwest legends.com/tigers2019.

May 30

• Washington Policy Center’s Young Professionals happy hour with Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman: 6 to 8 p.m., Analare Winery, 19205 N. McBee Road N., Benton City. Tickets: hwashingtonpolicy.org/events/.

JUNE 1

• Mid-Columbia Symphony concert: 7:30 p.m., Richland High School auditorium, 930 Long Ave.,

Richland. Tickets: 509-9436602.

• Old Fashion Day in the Park: 12 to 4 p.m., Sacajawea Park, 2503 Sacajawea Park Road, Pasco.

• Water Lantern Festival: 4 to 9 p.m., Columbia Park, 2701 Columbia Park Trail, Kennewick. Tickets: water lanternfestival.com/tri-cities. php.

JUNE 5

JUNE 10

• Pasco Chamber Membership Luncheon: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Red Lion Hotel, 2525 N. 20th Ave., Pasco. RSVP: 509-5479755.

JUNE 12

• Ask the Experts cybersecurity: 3:30 to 5 p..m., Bechtel Board Room, 7130 W. Grandridge Blvd., Kennewick. Register: tricityregionalchamber.com.

• West Richland Chamber Monthly Luncheon: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sandberg Event Center, 331 S. 41st Ave., West Richland.

RSVP: 509-967-0521.

JUNE 13

June 6

June 14

• First Thursday Art Walk: 5 to 8 p.m., downtown Kennewick. Information: 1stthursdaykennewick.com.

June 7-10

• Sacajawea Bluegrass Festival: Times vary.

Sacajawea State Park, 2503 Sacajawea Park Road., Pasco. Tickets: mctama.org.

• Sagebrush Scramble Golf Tournament: 1 p.m., Sun Willows Golf Course, 2535 N. 20th Ave., Pasco.

Register: pascochamber.org.

• Family movie night, Spider-Man into the Spider Verse: 8 to 11 p.m., John Dam Plaza, George Washington Way, Richland.

JUNE 15

• Prosser Scottish Fest: and Highland Games: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Prosser Food and Wine Park, Prosser.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019 uBUSINESS BRIEFS West Richland voters say yes to $12.5M police station

West Richland voters approved a $12.5 million bond to build a larger police station during the April 23 special election.

The bond will add 42 cents per $1,000 of assessed value to property taxes. That means owners of a $200,000 home will pay $84 a year.

The measure passed 61.4 percent to 38.76 percent. A 60 percent majority was needed to pass.

The bond will pay for 22,500-squarefoot police building that will have a secure armory and evidence room and a safer lobby for visitors and staff. It will also provide more space, including for officer training, community meetings and an improved kennel for animal control.

The location for the station isn’t set in stone, but two properties are under consideration: a 2.5-acre Bureau of Land Management-owned lot just east of Bombing Range Road off Morab Street and a privately-owned, 2.5-acre lot off Mount Adams View Drive. Both properties are near the Benton Fire District 4 station on Bombing Range Road.

Benton Fire District 4 improves insurance rating

The Washington Surveying and Rating Bureau recently notified Benton Fire District 4 that it has earned water tender credits.

This means some homeowners may see lower insurance premiums.

A water tender is a piece of apparatus that can hold up to 3,000 gallons of water to provide a consistent water source when fire hydrants aren’t available.

The credit applies to properties within five road miles of a responding fire station but not having a standard fire hydrant within 1,000 feet.

The credits will apply June 1, 2019.

Homeowners are encouraged to contact their insurance companies or agents to see if it applies to their insurance policies.

Annual service day open for businesses to adopt project

Tri-Citians and Tri-City businesses are encouraged to gather together to work on a community service project of their choice from 8 a.m. to noon June 21.

A barbecue rib-eye steak luncheon will be provided at Columbia Park near the bandshell area at noon for the first 500 people who RSVP to participate in the third annual George and Pat Jones Community Service day.

Here’s how it works: Your company chooses a community service project to work on June 21. If you can’t think of one, there is a variety of opportunities listed at communityserviceday.com. If you need additional people for your project, make a note of that in the notes section of your RSVP and the committee will try to find people who can help.

Any business or individual wanting to attend the luncheon also needs to RSVP online.

Last year, more than 300 people came together to participate in more than 20 projects around the Tri Cities.

United Way marks $3.1M in donations, gives honors

Local donors contributed more than $3.1 million to address community needs through United Way of Benton and Franklin Counties’ 2018 campaign.

This campaign marked the organization’s 60th anniversary.

United Way revealed the campaign total at its annual Live United Awards Ceremony on April 23. The fundraising year ran from April 1, 2018, to March 31, 2019.

Money raised goes toward focusing on the community’s areas of greatest

need, including education, health, financial stability and basic needs.

Several local businesses received honors during the ceremony.

Leidos was named Initiative Partner of the Year; Cascade Natural Gas Corp., Small Business Partner of the Year; and Washington River Protection Solutions, Corporate Partner of the Year.

The Kennewick School District received an award as the organization with the largest increase in campaign participation, and RBC Wealth Management received an award for having the largest number of employees giving per capita.

Twenty businesses also were recognized as the Top 20 Most Generous Workplaces for their commitment to giving back to our community.

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Dan Richey of Framatome and United Way’s board chairman, was named Distinguished Volunteer of the Year. This award recognizes an individual for extended and exemplary support of the agency’s mission. Richey has provided more than 300 hours of volunteer support to United Way. Board member Staci West of Bechtel National Inc. was named Community Impact Leader, a new award to honor her leadership in creating the inaugural Festival of Trees event that raised nearly $80,000 for local hunger and homelessness.

The annual event was sponsored by Plumbers & Steamfitters Local Union 598, Abadan Printing and the Three Rivers Convention Center.

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

uBUSINESS BRIEFS Yakima Valley health care system files for bankruptcy

The parent company of hospitals in Sunnyside, Toppenish and Yakima has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Astria Health and 13 related companies, including Astria Sunnyside Hospital, Astria Toppenish Hospital, and Astria Regional Medical Center in Yakima, filed for Chapter 11 protection May 6 to restructure its finances, give it time to replace its existing corporate billing office with another company and develop a reorganization plan with its creditors.

The court’s has approved $28 million

in debtor-in-possession financing to allow Astria to address supply and staff shortfalls and pay off two lenders.

The health system had $71.7 million in outstanding unsecured debt, according to court documents.

Astria pointed to running into financial issues after converting to a new electronic health record system last year after buying the Yakima and Toppenish hospitals.

Astria Regional Medical Center, Astria Toppenish Hospital, Astria Sunnyside Hospital and Astria Health Centers will remain open and continue to care for patients as usual as the organization moves through the process.

There is no plan to close facilities. Employee jobs and wages will not

be impacted, according to a news release from Astria Health.

Astria Health’s goal is to emerge from Chapter 11 by year end 2019.

New motorcycle liability law takes effect in July

Motorcycle operators across the state are now required to be insured under a motor vehicle liability policy.

Gov. Jay Inslee signed House Bill 1014, sponsored by Rep. Bill Jenkin, R-Prosser, into law in April. The bill requires all motorcycle operators to be insured under a motor vehicle liability policy or the allowed equivalent, according to the terms required by current law.

“People are surprised to learn that

motorcycle operators are not required to have liability insurance. My bill simply requires those operating a motorcycle to meet the insurance requirements, or equivalent for registered motor vehicles under current law,” Jenkin said. “When someone gets property damage, or in an accident, with an uninsured motorcyclist, they are stuck filing a claim and potentially paying a higher premium. Having motorcycles insured, just like other vehicles, makes sense.”

The law goes into effect July 28.

WSU rolls out new business education curriculum

Washington State University’s Carson College of Business has announced a revised undergraduate program, called the Next Carson Coug, which will roll out to undergraduate students beginning this fall.

A college task force developed the program to transform undergraduate business education at WSU. The The Next Carson Coug program will add new business courses to introduce freshman and sophomores to the college earlier, and students will declare a major at the end of freshman year versus at the end of sophomore year.

Carson Coug curriculum will focus on communication, critical thinking, teamwork and professional development.

The new program will reduce class sizes from an average of 500 to about 70 students per class.

Students will be required to participate in co-curricular activities through a new milestone system that provides a menu of options and tracks involvement.

Co-curricular activities include joining clubs, participating in recruitment activities and internships and effectively using professional networking platforms such as LinkedIn. These options will provide students an opportunity to build professional skills and develop a portfolio of activities that are documented, as well as make connections throughout the business community.

Columbia Park train back in service for summer

The J&S Dreamland Express is now running weekends, holidays and special events through September at Columbia Park in Kennewick.

Hours of operation are from 1 to 5:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Rides are about 15 minutes and cost $1. Infants ride free. The ticket station is between the Playground of Dreams and family fishing pond on the east end of the park.

Operated by the Kiwanis Club of Horse Heaven Hills for 12 years, the train relies on volunteers to operate.

Money raised from ticket sales go toward college scholarships and school supplies for students from low-income families.

The J&S Dreamland Express’ namesake is James Saunders, a Washington State Patrol trooper killed in the line of duty in 1999.

For more information, contact Pat Loomis at 509-731-0822 or gploomis@ ymail.com.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019 uBUSINESS BRIEFS Tour seven gardens during annual event June 8

The Academy of Children’s Theatre Garden Arts Tour is June 8 and features seven gardens throughout the Tri Cities.

The self-guided tour runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a finale garden party from 3 to 5 p.m. at a historic Richland riverfront estate.

Showcasing a variety of diverse gardens, the 2019 tour features an inside look at the fruits of gardening expertise from amateur horticulturists and landscape architects.

This year’s tour features unique gardens in downtown Kennewick, the Street of Dreams, Rancho Reata, Horn Rapids and north Richland.

Complementing the gardens this year will be performances and demonstrations from a variety of artists, musicians and performers, including the Mid-Columbia Mastersingers.

Tickets are $30 each and may be bought at academyofchildrenstheatre.org or at the ACT office, 213 Wellsian Way, Richland.

Tickets also are available at McCurley Integrity Honda, 1775 Fowler St., Richland; Wild Birds Unlimited, 74 Keene Road, Richland; and Beaver Bark Gift and Garden, 607 Aaron Drive, Richland.

This event is the only garden tour in the area, and has been held annually for

10 years.

Money raised from the tour supports ongoing education classes and programs at the Academy of Children’s Theatre.

New food delivery service launches in Tri-Cities

A new restaurant delivery service option has arrived in the Tri-Cities.

Postmates has launched in more than 1,000 cities across the country, effective April 23.

Customers can order from their favorite restaurants and have their order brought to their door in minutes. The current delivery area includes Pasco, Kennewick and Richland.

Postmates joins Instacart, UberEATS and other local couriers who offer food, grocery and other pickup and delivery services in the Tri-Cities.

The San Francisco-based Postmates touts that it serves more than 70 percent of U.S. households.

Customers pay no delivery fees when they subscribe to the company’s unlimited subscription service for $9.99 per month, or $7.99 per month when paid annually.

In bigger cities, Postmates also delivers groceries and other items.

Postmates, which launched in 2011, has more than 800 employees. It operates in more than 3,500 cities in 50 states and Mexico and estimates it makes five million deliveries each month.

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

ARTS & CULTURE

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Wet your whistle and palette at Richland studio

Wet Palette paint studio’s new venue, name reflects expansion with food, wine

BY KEVIN ANTHONY

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

B

ecky Brice never intended to open a brick-and-mortar studio when she started The Wet Palette Paint Parties five years ago. Back then, the party traveled to its customers. Now, it stays in the studio.

And it’s an even bigger studio than the one she had at The Parkway in Richland for more than three years — it’s expanding to include a kitchen.

Six months ago, Brice moved into her new space at 1001 Wright Ave. in Richland, where she’s renovating a kitchen and getting a wine license.

There’s even a new name and branding: The Wet Palette: Uncork + Create.

And she’s happy.

“I never wanted a restaurant. I didn’t actually want a brick-and-mortar location,” said Brice, who started offering classes in the new 2,100-square-foot

Photo by Kevin Anthony Becky Brice, owner of The Wet Palette: Uncork + Create, stands in her newly remodeled studio at 1001 Wright Ave. in Richland. The studio moved from The Parkway in Richland about six month ago to its new, expanded location that includes a kitchen.

space in January. “I started this business not looking at it as a business, but as a need I had.”

That need — undefined but acutely felt — came in the months after the birth

of her second daughter.

With a master’s degree in fine arts, Brice missed being immersed in theater or painting. She also was later diagnosed with postpartum anxiety.

Her life took a turn while creating a tribute painting for her aunt and uncle of a cousin who had recently died.

“I felt really different,” she said. “I had a realization in the midst of doing this painting, something was wrong with me, and painting was making it right.”

A good and tenacious friend eventually convinced her to start a painting party service. Only problem was Brice preferred to work in watercolors and nearly all the services nationwide use acrylic paint, which is easier for novices to use.

“Watercolor can be very free-flowing and intimidating,” she said, adding that beginning painters often worry about paint running all over the paper.

She set out to invent her own process to allow and empower every painter to create a masterpiece, using stencil-like cutouts for masking, combined with solid teaching techniques.

It’s far from paint-by-numbers, but it’s pretty much fail-proof. Brice said she likes to occasionally surprise new painters by “accidentally” spilling an entire palette onto a sheet of paper, then letting them see how none of it gets into the uSTUDIO, Page 12

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

STUDIO, From Page 11

areas they want to remain white.

For instance, if the scheduled class is painting hot air balloons, “it’s not going to look like some kind of amoeba,” she said. “It is a hot air balloon.”

Recent classes have included paintings of the cable bridge, a world map and a cat on an iron perch. Upcoming classes will focus on flowers, creatures of the night, a dragonfly and a pineapple.

Two classes are offered each week, usually a Friday and Saturday or Thursday and Friday setup. Each class runs from 6 to 9 p.m.

One of the studio’s popular nights is a “paint your pet” class. Customers send in three photos of their animal, and the studio staff takes care of the masking.

“It’s a three-hour time period to socialize,” Brice said, “and you come away with an amazing masterpiece that is your pet.”

The next paint-your-pet night is June 22. For sports fans, a paint-your-team class is July 5, and a class for the Pasco High School class of 1999 reunion is Aug. 9.

Costs for classes range from $42 to $54, after taxes and fees, depending on how much setup is involved, as masking each individual painting can take 20 minutes or more. Wet Palette provides all the supplies and aprons.

The studio also hosts private parties, from client-appreciation and team-building events for businesses, to bachelorette and birthday parties.

“O’Brien Construction performed the remodel on our current facility in 2018, and we were impressed from the start. The O’Brien team communicated well, scheduled efficiently and the quality was excellent. I highly recommend O’Brien Construction for your next commercial construction project.”

- Kyle Siever, Contract Sales Standard Paint and Flooring

ARTS & CULTURE Brice said creating a work of art can be a great team-building exercise, especially when each person receives a palette with colors that, when mixed, “look like poop.”

Instead, they have to search out other painters with colors that complement their own.

“You have to find people you don’t usually work with,” she said. It creates “a harmonious piece. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses.”

With wine and food on hand, Brice’s new space also is available for nonpainting events — rehearsal dinners, baby showers and the like — for up to 60 people.

Brice’s initial aversion to running a restaurant was born in her first business

endeavor.

She co-founded TASTE Tri-Cities in 2008, producing a quarterly publication on local restaurants and food and wine events in the Tri-Cities. The business was dissolved in 2011 when it looked like the founders were moving away, though Brice’s family wound up staying in the Tri-Cities.

She said she has great admiration for the restaurant owners she worked with, but didn’t want to take on the uphill battle of running one.

Wet Palette’s recent move came about when the studio’s former caterer, Cheese Louise, closed in November after the death of co-owner Tamara Felton Hoover Krieger.

Painting classes and parties simply wouldn’t fly without the food and wine, Brice said.

The new studio, which is leased, used to be an old hair salon with a kitchen service area, so the retrofit wasn’t too expensive, Brice said. A building permit filed with the city cited $6,200 in improvements using Cliff Thorn Construction as the general contractor.

Research and connections made in Sysco foods, a global food distribution company, from her TASTE Tri-Cities days helped her create a kitchen that isn’t extensive but was well suited to a menu that includes such items as paninis and salads, apps and desserts.

And wine.

Most of the remodel expense, Brice said, was for plumbing work and commercial refrigerators, the latter purchased from Cheese Louise.

Adding the kitchen has expanded her workforce to seven full- and part-time employees, including Brice.

“Plus we have an amazing group of people who are volunteers,” she said.

At the previous studio, two people made up the staff.

Brice also sells painting supplies and kits online to help would-be painters try their art at home. Among the offerings are paint-your-team supplies for the Mariners and Seahawks, Huskies and Cougars, and Cubs fans.

Other designs range from superheroes to princesses, dinosaurs to Darth Vader, and there are tutorial videos to offer guidance.

The Wet Palette brand has expanded into Yakima, with former student painter and volunteer Kim Hutchens holding athome parties as an independent contractor.

Brice said she’s had some franchising inquiries from customers around the country — and from some people who were excited that watercolor paint parties were available. But she’s in no hurry to take her model nationwide.

She said businesses — like people — are “not microwaves, we’re crockpots.

It’s going to be slow, but it will grow, and it will be oh so wonderful.”

Her best advice to aspiring business owners — aside from avoid debt — is to “find your niche and embrace it. Stop being distracted by all the shiny things on the sideline. Instead, really hone in on your niche.” » The Wet Palette Uncork + Create: 1001 Wright Ave., Richland; 509-5542587; Facebook; Instagram.

Arts & Culture Number of employees you oversee?

Artistic staff of eight. Number of singers: 150. Volunteers: our singers are our primary volunteers.

Brief background about Mid-Columbia Mastersingers: Founded in 1986 as Consort Columbia, Mid-Columbia Mastersingers, or MCM, is the premiere adult community chorus of the Tri-Cities and surrounding areas. Our mission is to transform lives through the power of choral music.

We offer participation in three choral ensembles for adults and four new ensembles this season for youth in fourth grade through high school.

Q&A

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

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JUSTIN RAFFA

Artistic Director, Mid-Columbia Mastersingers voice teacher Charles Walker, and my current voice teacher and friend Reg Unterseher.

Brief background about your choral conducting experience: My high school choir director first gave me the opportunity during my junior year to pick a piece that I taught to our choir and got to conduct in a concert.

Since that time, I have been an active conductor in the public school, church and community choir sectors for the past 18 years.

How do you keep your employees (or team members) motivated?

Schedule meetings in relaxed environments that offer food/drink, willingly listen to their concerns and strategize ways to be more effective at supporting them, remember to celebrate their successes and congratulate them on a job well done, trust their expertise in their particular area and give them space to do their job well.

How did you land your current role? How long have you been in it?

I was hired in the summer of 2008 as the new artistic director after the MCM board leadership had gone through a rigorous rebranding process and realignment of its mission. Having just received my master’s degree in choral conducting, I was eager to secure a job and discovered an advertisement for this choral group in Tri-Cities. I am now completing my 11th season in this role.

How did you decide to pursue the career that you are working in today?

I was determined to be a lawyer until my junior year of high school when I attended a presentation on Career Day by the most burnt out, miserable lawyer I had ever met. Having loved choir for many years, I never connected the opportunity to pursue a career in that field until my high school choir director basically asked me if I ever considered being a music teacher like her.

What is one characteristic that you believe every leader should possess?

Accountability.

What advice would you give someone going into a leadership position for the first time?

Build a team of supporters around you who share your vision; get the right people “on the bus.”

How do you measure success in your nonprofit?

Strong, recurring donor base, returning volunteers (singers) who participate in multiple projects, community recognition of our name and events, grant and sponsorship support from local and state entities, continued growth trends (annual budget, staff expansion, program offerings) over the past decade.

Who are your role models or mentors?

Role models include my father Fred Raffa and our current Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson. Mentors include my high school choir director Mary Ann Watson, my undergraduate

What do you consider your leadership style to be?

As a graduate of the Leadership TriCities program, I resonated greatly with the Exemplary Leadership practice of “Model the Way.” I strive to practice what I preach and be a model for my

singers, as a fellow singer and human being.

Why should the Tri-Cities care about arts and culture?

Arts and culture is an important component of helping our community. “Be More Cool” (Visit Tri-Cities’ new marketing tagline!) by supporting quality of life, attracting/retaining employees and the impact it makes on the local economy. Countless community-wide studies/ surveys have continually shown the important role that this industry plays, including the recent MyTri2030 endeavor in which quality of life emerged as one of six key areas of focus.

What is the biggest challenge facing arts and culture today?

The need for a centralized performing arts center to serve as a home for many of our local arts organizations that could also accommodate a variety of touring shows/productions that current pass over the Tri-Cities. This facility would also give a lot more visibility to the “homeless” organizations in the industry who struggle to have a consistent presence in the community.

How do you balance work and family life?

Working for a nonprofit organization that does not require me to report for set office hours Monday through Friday. I have to set boundaries on my work day and ensure that I carve out time with my partner Molly, my friends and alone time for me. Much of that entails knowing when to put the computer down and stop reading emails!

What do you like to do when you are not at work? I enjoy attending winemaker dinners and multi-course dining experiences, hosting rotating poker

Justin Raffa

games, supporting our industry partners’ events and spending time with my friends who are fellow night owls.

What’s your best time management strategy?

Some of my worst rehearsals are when I show up without a plan that itemizes how much time I should spend on each piece. It always helps me to devise a clear schedule in advance with specific time limitations, even if I make slight adjustments to that schedule in the moment.

It affects my pacing and forces me to get the job done as quickly and efficiently as I can.

What’s your favorite podcast?

Most-used app?

I listen to “Fresh Air” with Terry Gross on NPR a lot. By far, my metronome is my most used app on my phone.

Best tip to relieve stress?

Monthly acupuncture and massage appointments!

What upcoming arts performances are you excited about and why?

MCM’s season finale on May 24-25 is a massive undertaking of Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana,” arguably the most commercially popular, recognizable classical music composition of the 20th century. We will be partnering with the Mid-Columbia Ballet at the Hanford Reach outdoor stage with over 150 total performers onstage, including two grand pianos and an arsenal of percussion instruments. Not to be missed!

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

Arts & Culture

West Richland revs up for an ‘all wheels’ event West Richland Chamber combines Hogs & Dogs, Cool Desert Nights

BY JEFF MORROW for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

The community is about to find out what happens when you combine the Tri-Cities’ most popular classic car, street rod and motorcycle shows.

The West Richland Area Chamber of Commerce jumped in to take on organizing Cool Desert Nights car and street festival, along with its wildly popular West Richland Hogs & Dogs Regional Family Festival, now in its 19th year.

The action-packed, four-day festival runs June 20-23 in West Richland and Richland.

It only made sense to combine the two events into the same week, said May Hays, executive director of the West Richland chamber.

“We feel the two events will complement each other and become the most amazing regional event ever,” Hays said.

The Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce announced in October 2017 that it was stepping away from running the annual Cool Desert Nights after 2018, saying the event no longer aligned with its mission of supporting businesses.

That’s when the West Richland chamber stepped in.

“I took it to the board right away,” Hays said. “We are a smaller chamber.”

But it’s also an enthusiastic one.

The West Richland chamber agreed to take over the annual hot rod and car show, shadowing the Tri-City Regional Chamber members during last year’s Cool Desert Nights to learn the ropes.

And now they’re ready to roll.

Photo by Jeff Morrow Josh Hanson, left, and May Hays, co-chairs of Cool Desert Night, are excited about combining Hogs & Dogs and Cool Desert Nights, planned for June 20-23.

The key idea, Hays said, is getting the motorcycle people involved with the car people. That’s why there will be motorcycle events during Cool Desert Nights.

“The thought on Hogs & Dogs was how do we incorporate it into Cool Desert Nights,” Hays said. “I think these extra events will help.”

Having the two events coincide with each other means a lot of work for the organizers.

Josh Hanson co-chairman of Cool Desert Nights has joined Hays as co-chairman and jumped in by meeting with numerous car clubs to listen to members’ concerns

about past events.

“The initial struggle was some of them letting go of the past,” Hanson said.

The numbers of cars entered into the Cool Desert Nights competition had dropped to 330 in recent years, down from an all-time high of 1,015.

Hanson listened to complaints. One concern was that there were too few categories.

That’s been remedied. uALL WHEELS, Page 18

Arts & Culture

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

ARTS & CULTURE

Arts are vibrant in Tri-Cities, but not the payroll The area’s arts calendar is full, as a glance at any Tri-City events calendar makes instantly clear.

Consider music. The area is home to classical organizations such as the MidColumbia Symphony, Camerata Musica, MidColumbia Mastersingers.

Festivals pop up in venues in the area, especially in spring and D. Patrick Jones summer, such as Eastern the Mariachi & Washington More Festival, University Tumbleweed Music Festival, Sacajawea Bluegrass Festival.

Consider the visual arts. Artists and patrons can look forward to the annual Art in the Park, to the ongoing overview of showings provided by Gallery at the Park, DrewBoy Creative, Cyber Art 509, and support from city art commissions.

Theater enjoys a long tradition in the Tri-Cities, starting with the Richland Players. Then there’s the Academy of Children’s Theatre, the Mid-Columbia Musical Theatre and Rude Mechanicals.

Columbia Basin College and Washington State University Tri-Cities,

as well as area high schools, contribute to filling the calendar with concerts, plays and showings by local visual artists. Richland hosts an annual writers’ workshop. Why, the metro area even enjoys an international film festival.

Beyond homegrown talent, Tri-Citians enjoy access to shows that come to the Toyota Center, including the Broadway series. And there are many more organizations and cultural events that space doesn’t allow to list.

Yet while the calendar may be full, the roster of arts businesses with a payroll is not.

Benton-Franklin Trend data indicates that there’s a relatively low and declining number of arts-related businesses.

What’s considered an art-related business? In the database, the following are counted: art galleries, camera and photographic supply stores; book stores; performing arts companies; performing arts promoters; independent artists, writers and performers; musical instrument stores; compact disc and record stores; and museums. The definition comes from County Business Patterns, an annual series providing economic data conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau.

As the Tri-Cities data makes clear, the most recent number of businesses in this category in the two counties stood at 26, a decline from a decade ago. The graph shows that compared to the U.S. and Washington, the Tri-Cities has consistently lagged in these benchmarks.

In 2016, for example, the number of arts-related businesses per 1,000 businesses registered at 4.5, or about a half of an arts business per 100 businesses.

This ratio stood 50 percent lower than the U.S. and the state. The sub-category of book stores was the largest, by the way, with seven businesses for that year.

This measure is an imperfect gauge of the pulse of the arts in the Tri-Cities. But as a proxy, it has some legitimacy because if the arts pulse is strong, it should translate into a private sector with some pulse. Ideally, we would supplement this measure with others. But tracking the growth and development of the arts is notoriously difficult. Securing even basic data on the performance arts, such as attendance, is time-consuming and beyond the scope of the Trends project. And of course, many aspects of the arts, such as the visual arts, don’t use turnstiles in their venues.

Given our society’s penchant for measuring, these activities should still show up in government data. Indeed some do, via the U.S. Census Non-employer uPAYROLL, Page 18

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

PAYROLL, From Page 16 Statistics, or NES. This is an annual report, largely based on data from the IRS. By definition, these are firms with no employees, other than the owner or operator. A general finding, here and in other metro areas, is the large number of art “non-employers,” compared to those firms with employees.

What does the Census specifically show for 2016 for Benton and Franklin counties? (2017 data will be released in a couple of months.) Let’s look at three categories.

According to the NES, there were 45 performing arts companies in the greater Tri-Cities that were run by only one paid person. Contrast this to four local

performing arts companies with a payroll. By far, the largest category in the NES series consisted of independent artists, writers and performers. The count in 2016 was 306. Compare this to those artists who are large enough to have payroll: three.

Finally, the number of museums without a payroll amounted to six, compared to three with a payroll.

The information reveals a Tri-City arts sector that largely runs on the energy of solo practitioners and volunteers.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise.

After all, most visual artists always have worked on their own. And in a smaller market, the population simply isn’t present to support for-profit galleries and performing arts organiza-

ARTS & CULTURE tions. The Trends data reflects this reality. In other words, it’ll take a while for the Tri-Cities to catch up to the Santa Fe arts scene.

But Census data does reveal that many creative types call the Tri-Cities home. While their efforts haven’t led to a “creative economy,” a la Santa Fe, they undeniably enrich life here.  D. Patrick Jones is the executive director for Eastern Washington University’s Institute for Public Policy & Economic Analysis. Benton-Franklin Trends, the institute’s project, uses local, state and federal data to measure the local economic, educational and civic life of Benton and Franklin counties.

ALL WHEELS, From Page 14

“There used to be 10 trophies handed out for Cool Desert Nights,” Hanson said.

“This year there will be 25 categories. And there will be four awards per category. So, we’re looking at 110 to 120 awards.”

To make the event even more familyfriendly, Hanson said the Kids Zone has been expanded, moving it to the Uptown parking area by the Spudnut Shop.

“And as far as food trucks, we have a lot more room for food trucks,” Hanson said.

“We’re hoping to have 12 to 15 food trucks, including some kid-friendly ones.”

Hays said they’ve done their homework for this year.

“Josh created a page on social media.

He’s worked with vendors,” she said.

“We did surveys last year before Cool Desert Nights, and surveys during Cool Desert Nights. We’ve been gathering names of people to help. And the city of Richland has been fantastic. We shadowed the people in Richland last year.”

Hanson said his organization is ready to start its engines: “The West Richland Chamber of Commerce has done a really good job of establishing a communitydriven chamber. There is a lot of enthusiasm for this. Our goal is for this to be a big event again.”

Hanson and Hays would like to up the car count by more than doubling the number of entrants from last year.

“I’d love to see 750 cars, and people raving about the show,” Hanson said.

Schedule of events

On June 20, the Hogs & Dogs Regional Family Festival rumbles into town from 4 to 10 p.m. at the Bombing Range Sports Complex in West Richland.

Hogs & Dogs will continue its motorcycle drawing. Tickets cost $10 for a vintage Harley Davidson 1978 FXE HD, built by Tri-City Cycle Works. The drawing, which is a major fundraiser for Combat Veterans International, runs through Nov. 9. The winning ticket will be drawn at West Richland’s Veterans Day Parade.

Also on June 20, the first Cool Desert Nights event kicks off from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Richland Dairy Queen on Jadwin Avenue with a Show N’ Shine. Afterward, head across the street to the Emerald of Siam restaurant at the Uptown Plaza to hear the Roostertails Band and watch a pinup girl pageant.

On June 21, Cool Desert Nights highlights include a Les Schwab Tire Center Poker Run for classic cars; a Salute to Scoots for Fallen Rider Fund for motorcycles; a participant-only city cruise; and a party in the park.

On June 22, there will be a Kiwanis pancake breakfast; a classic car Show N’ Shine; a motorcycle Show N’ Shine; a fly-over of a World War II plane (around 10 a.m.); an Uptown merchants’ poker walk; an expanded Kids Zone; and another party in the park.

The four-day fest ends June 23 with an Autocross event, hosted by the Sand & Sage Sports Car Club.

Gesa Credit Union is the presenting sponsor for Cool Desert Nights, which is in its 26th year at the Uptown Plaza.

For more information or to register for the Show N’ Shine events, go to westrichlandchamber.org.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

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Vision expands for Tri-City arts center Arts Center Task Force identifying key users in quiet development phase

BY LAURA KOSTAD

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

The stage is set as Vista Field transforms into Tri-Cities’ new urban core.

And waiting in the wings to take its place there is the Arts Center Task Force.

More than two acres has been set aside for the landmark project — the Tri-Cities’ first center for the arts — aimed at anchoring the new urban development at the now closed airport.

The 30,000-square-foot Vista Arts Center will feature an 800-seat theater, large lobby suited for special events, art gallery exhibits, educational space and catering set-up kitchen.

The Arts Center Task Force, a volunteer-run nonprofit established in 1995, intends for the space to serve all interest areas of artistic expression: music, dance, theater, festivals, exhibits, concerts and conferences.

“Logistically, we have our key partners,” said Renée Adams, executive director of ACTF. “But we will also have open nights … we are curious to hear what else the community wants to see.”

The overall goal of establishing a center for the arts is “making entertainment

Photo by Scott Butner Renée Adams, executive director of the Arts Center Task Force, stands at Vista Field in Kennewick with a picture of what the Vista Arts Center could look like.

opportunities available to everybody in our community,” she said. “What are you interested in? What do you travel to Spokane, Seattle and Portland to see? It’s about bringing that entertainment home.”

To date, the task force has accomplished its initial fundraising goals, raising about $1 million toward the project’s development.

“All of that has gone toward purchasing the conceptual design and building on the infrastructure of our organization so that we can build our base for fundrais-

ing,” Adams said. “We have completed a draft of our business plan and have had it vetted from other industry pros — other managers of similar-sized theaters.”

Currently, ACTF is in a “quiet phase” of the center’s development, or what Adams called a “pre-capital campaign phase,” in which the group is actively identifying and engaging key stakeholders.

“It’s a phase of lots of grassroots movement with a lot of conversations and collaborations … it’s what happens before

everyone sees a big, flashy campaign,” Adams said.

The next step for the ACTF team will be to embark on a capital campaign to raise about $750,000 to pay for a schematic design for the facility.

There’s no official estimate for the project’s total cost, though an earlier figure cited by ACTF was about $35 million.

Vista Arts Center is being funded through private donations and grants, which can be made on a one-time basis or through multi-year pledges. Commitments of time, expertise and materials for the center’s development and construction also are welcomed. All donations are tax deductible. ​ACTF also can accept gifts of various types, including cash, securities, life insurance, interest in or gifts from trusts.

ACTF signed a letter of intent with the Port of Kennewick in 2017, agreeing to raise the money necessary to build the arts center. In exchange, the port set aside a 2.2-acre site for ACTF to buy for $10,000.

“We regard the Port of Kennewick as a partner in achieving our mission,” Adams said.

Adams said the agreement with the port makes the time table for the project flexible for both groups.

For more information about ACTF, go to artscentertaskforce.com or find on Facebook.

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION

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Construction underway on Vista Field

BY LAURA KOSTAD

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

In less than a year, Vista Field’s first shovel-ready parcels are expected to be available to developers.

Plans to turn the former airport into a 103-acre pedesuSee trian-focused urban center update on the took a tangible Arts Center step forward Task Force’s with a groundeffort to build breaking cerean arts center mony in April.

A r o u n d at Vista Field.

March 2020, Page 19. the first shovelready parcels are expected to be made available through the Port of Kennewick to private-sector developers.

“Redeveloping Vista Field is about addressing an identified need for gathering places,” said Tana Bader-Inglima, deputy CEO at the Port of Kennewick.

“It’s about honoring the community’s vision for an urban town center. It’s about creating connections for recreation, about a density of development,

Courtesy Port of Kennewick As summer progresses, the first phase in the development of Kennewick’s Vista Field will continue — concrete bridges spanning a water feature and other paved elements and streetscaping will begin to take shape. The Port of Kennewick broke ground on the project April 22.

about multi-generational neighborhoods.

A place where small-scale streets and terminated vistas attract those wanting mixed-use neighborhoods. Where walking and biking are embedded in the physical design. Where parks and water features create unique livability and

where arts and culture are celebrated as powerful elements of economic development.”

In March, Port of Kennewick commissioners awarded a $4.9 million contract to Total Site Services of Richland to build the first phase of Vista Field’s redevelop-

ment, which includes roads connecting West Deschutes Avenue with West Grandridge Boulevard, utilities, sidewalks, streetscaping, lighting, a commercial plaza, linear park and a streamlike water feature intersecting the space.

“Knowing the work that has gone on for many years to bring this long-awaited project to the ground-breaking ceremony is very exciting. Total Site Services is looking forward to partnering with the Port of Kennewick and help bring their vision to fruition. I know there has been countless hours of planning and prayers and to have the privilege to be a part of this is a real blessing to myself and the entire TSS team,” said Lisa ChapmanRosa, managing member, Total Site Services.

Work is expected to be completed by January 2020.

“All is well. We’re moving full-speed ahead,” said Larry Peterson, the port’s director of planning and development.

“It’s been a coordinated dance of multiple pieces of heavy equipment working on different tasks all at the same time …

(Total Site Services is) throwing a lot of uVISTA FIELD, Page 27

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION

Lamb Weston expanding with $2.2M building

BY ROBIN WOJTANIK

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

Lamb Weston is adding a potato storage building in Paterson to support its expanded operations across the Columbia River in Oregon.

The new building is under construction at 158695 Highway 221 in Paterson. It is valued at $2.2 million and will have the capacity to hold 15,000 tons of potatoes.

At the end of 2017, Lamb Weston announced plans for a $250 million french fry processing line in Hermiston.

The company expected to make capital investments of $25 million and $225 million in fiscal years 2018 and 2019, with project completion targeted for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2019. The Paterson project is part of the total $250 million total investment.

When finished, the Hermiston processing facility will be able to process 300 million pounds of potatoes a year on a

french fry line that’s described as “state-of-the-art.” It was modeled after the $200 million production line expansion that opened in Richland in late 2017 that processes 600 million pounds of potatoes annually on three lines.

A news release from Lamb Weston said the Hermiston “line is intended to support growth in North America, as well as exports to Asia where demand growth has been, and is expected to remain, strong.”

The latest financials released from Lamb Weston include a seven percent increase in net sales for the third quarter of 2019 to $927 million.

When finished, the expansion underway in northeast Oregon is expected to add about 170 full-time jobs in Hermiston. There are no new jobs associated with the storage facility being built in Paterson. The general contractor on the Paterson project is Teton West of Pasco.

More french fries will come off the line when Lamb Weston finishes an expansion project in Hermiston and Paterson that’s expected to be completed later this year. A new $2.2 million potato storage building is under construction in Paterson.

PASCO VISION CLINIC 2715 W. COURT ST.• PASCO

Pasco Vision Clinic celebrates its 50th year in business with the opening of its newly renovated office at 2715 W. Court St. in Pasco.

The 15,000-square-foot complex was gutted, stripped and renovated inside and out.

The main building, which consists of 6,700 square feet, houses the vision clinic, while one 1,550-square-foot unit — it’s one of seven in a secondary building on the property — houses the clinic’s vision therapy center.

The full-service optometry practice serves all ages.

The clinic opened in its new location March 25. The old clinic was at 1906 N. 20th Ave. The $2.3 million project included the cost of the land.

Pasco-based LCR Construction was the general contractor.

Bruce Baker of Richland-based N2K Design was the architect.

Three units with 3,500 square feet to 4,000 square feet are available at 2735 W. Court St. for lease that range from $12 per square foot to $14 per square foot.

Contact Rob Ellsworth of SVN Property Management at 509-430-2378 for more information.

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

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Planet Fitness to open in north Richland Gym to open in Richland in space that Mid-Columbia Wine & Spirits vacated when it closed shop May 1

BY TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS STAFF

Richland will be home to the Tri-Cities’ third Planet Fitness gym this fall.

The new fitness center will be at 1711 George Washington Way, Suite 399, in a storefront formerly occupied by Mid-Columbia Wine and Spirits, next door to Office Depot.

The Washington Plaza development in north Richland

is anchored by Safeway.

Planet Fitness recently signed a lease for 14,503 square feet with WRP Washington Plaza LLC. Remodeling should begin at the end of May or in June, said Jason Goffard of Kiemle Hagood, who handled the transaction.

The Richland location will offer state-of-the art cardio and strength equipment, free fitness training and a Black Card Spa, which will include hydromassage beds, massage chairs and tanning beds/booths for Planet Fitness black card members.

The national chain offers two types of memberships, including its basic, no-commitment membership for $10 a month, as well as the expanded black card membership for about $22 a month which offers extra ame-

nities, including the ability to bring a guest for free and use any of the more than 1,800 Planet Fitness gyms nationwide.

“We always strive for a non-intimidating, judgment free atmosphere where our members can feel comfortable working out at their own pace,” said Becky Zirlen, Planet Fitness spokeswoman, in an email.

Mid-Columbia Wine and Spirits closed its Richland store May 1, according to its Facebook page.

Its Kennewick store remains open at 731 N Columbia Center Blvd., which just happens to be next door to Kennewick’s Planet Fitness, which opened in 2017.

Pasco welcomed its first Planet Fitness at 5710 N. Road 68 in 2018.

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION

Sunnyside fruit packing plant to close

BY JENNIE MCGHAN of the Sunnyside Sun

Seneca will shutter the doors of its Sunnyside fruit packing plant this fall.

The closure means about 70 people will be out of a job.

“We will be closing the facilities after the completion of pear pack … sometime in October,” said Chief Financial Officer Tim Benjamin.

The Sunnyside plant packs apples and pears.

The company decided to exit the pear and apple canning business due to declining markets, Benjamin said.

He said a decrease in the consump-

tion of canned fruits and competition from other countries contributed to the decision.

“It’s something we’re not happy to do,” he said.

The Sunnyside plant includes a 265,000-square foot main facility on South Fourth Street and a new 225,000-square foot warehouse on South Hill Road.

Those facilities will be placed on the market in the future, Benjamin said.

“Like I said, it (the decision) wasn’t taken lightly. … It’s just an impossible circumstance,” he said.

Seneca bought the plant from Independent Foods, which employed

about 380 people during harvest, in 2013.

“This is a big thing,” said Port of Sunnyside Executive Director Jay Hester.

The first industry to be served by the port’s wastewater treatment plant was Seneca’s predecessor, Independent Foods.

Hester said the wastewater treatment plant was built after that company approached port commissioners.

“They are one of the three largest industries,” he said.

The hope is another company will buy the property before Seneca closes.

Seneca plans to close its Sunnyside fruit packing plant this fall putting about 70 people out of work. The plant packs apples and pears.

Courtesy Washington Apple Commission

COLUMBIA PARK GOLF LINKS CLUBHOUSE 2701 COLUMBIA PARK TRAIL• KENNEWICK

Columbia Park Golf Links’ new Columbia River Landing opens this month as the new clubhouse for the 18-hole golf course in Columbia Park in Kennewick.

The new building features a pro shop with retail sales area, indoor/outdoor restaurant and events venue with capacity to seat about 150 people. It also boasts a riverview patio.

The old building was demolished in 2017.

Located on prime river frontage at 2701 Columbia Park Trail, the new clubhouse is larger, consisting of 2,600 square feet.

The $1.1 million project was completed in May, just in time for summer. A grand opening celebration is planned June 5.

CourseCo will continue to manage the course and pro shop via an operator agreement with the city, but the city is looking to subcontract the new facility’s restaurant operations.

CKJT Architects of Kennewick was the architect.

O’Brien Construction Co. Inc. of Kennewick was the general contractor.

Columbia Park Golf Links: 509-586-3111; playcolumbiapark.com; Facebook.

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REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION Fowler lands bid to build new Tapteal Elementary School

The Richland School Board recently awarded Fowler General Construction of Richland the project bid to build a new Tapteal Elementary School.

Fowler provided the lowest bid for the new school at $20 million, which is more than $500,000 less than initial cost estimates for the project.

The old Tapteal building at 705 N. 62nd Ave. in West Richland, will be demolished this summer before construction begins at the site. Tapteal students and staff will be moved temporarily to the new elementary near the corner of Keene Road and Belmont Boulevard in West Richland.

Design West Architects designed the new school.

The two-story building will be more than 65,000-square feet, have more than 30 classrooms, a multipurpose space, library, art and music rooms, gym and a new playground.

The new school is scheduled to open in August 2020.

Fowler also constructed the new Jefferson Elementary, which opened in August 2018.

A bond approved by voters in February 2017 is paying for the Tapteal project.

National construction job growth strong in April

The national construction industry added 33,000 net new jobs in April, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released May 3.

Compared to the same time last year, industry employment is up by 256,000 jobs, an increase of 3.5 percent.

Non-residential construction employment added 32,400 net new jobs in April, although the non-residential building sub-segment added just 400 net new jobs. Non-residential specialty trade contractors led the segment, adding 22,100 net new jobs compared to March and 114,300 net new jobs year over year.

Overall, the construction industry unemployment rate fell to 4.7 percent, down 2.2 percentage points from the same time last year, which represents the lowest April rate since the series began in the year 2000. The national unemployment rate for all industries fell to 3.6 percent in April.

Grant helps food processor expand, add jobs in Othello

The state Department of Commerce provided a $100,000 grant to the Adams County Development Council from Gov. Jay Inslee’s Economic Development Strategic Reserve Fund to support the expansion of SVZ-USA Washington Inc., the only North American subsidiary of Netherlands-based specialty food processor SVZ International B.V. The company plans to invest $4.8 million to increase capacity at its Othello facility that opened in 2000, adding 17 new manufacturing jobs to its 90 existing employees. The expansion also means increasing ag supply needs by about 30 million pounds.

SVZ-USA specializes in processing fruit and vegetable juices, concentrates

and purees for food and beverage manufacturers around the world.

The grant will help offset the cost of sewer system improvements required by the city of Othello for the expansion. This will also extend the new sewer line well beyond SVZ’s building, facilitating future municipal connections and growth.

Futurewise, Benton County reach settlement agreement

Futurewise recently announced a settlement agreement with Benton County that will safeguard water resources, plan for improved state highway and transit service, and plan for adequate wildfire fighting capabilities.

Futurewise, a Seattle-based land-use group, said that for more than a year it

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019 has been working with Benton County to strengthen the county’s comprehensive plan update, which was appealed by Futurewise in early 2018. The resulting settlement agreement includes three key updates to safeguard water resources in the county, including consideration of:  Adopting a water mitigation program for new rural development in the Yakima River Basin. Water used by new rural homes will be offset with senior water rights purchased by the county, allowing the water to stay in the main stem of the Yakima River.  Limiting new rural residential impervious surfaces that are not infiltrated onsite to no more than 10 percent.  Requiring 45 percent vegetative cover – including native or non-native species – with the goal of improving the quality

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of stormwater runoff within rural residential zones.

Under the agreement, the county also will analyze the impact of planned growth on the state highway system and transit services, and identify the facilities and services needed to serve an increasing population, with the goal of improving capital facility planning efforts with state and regional transit partners, Futurewise said in a news release.

The county also will conduct an analysis of the adequacy of countywide firefighting capabilities and consider amendments to its capital facilities plan that may be needed within the rural areas of the county — particularly those areas on the border of the Urban Growth Area that can be a long distance from services, Futurewise said

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION

Red Mountain vineyard sells to Kiona owner

BY ANDY PERDUE

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

One of the most important vineyards on Red Mountain has been sold.

Artz Vineyard, planted in 1997, was bought this spring by Scott Williams, second-generation winemaker of Kiona Vineyards & Winery. Williams and his wife Vicky already own several top vineyards on the ridge that many winemakers consider the top grape region in Washington. Their other properties include the Ranch at the End of the Road, the venerable Heart of the Hill and Kiona Estate, the original vineyard planted in 1976.

The Williams family also helped plant Ciel Du Cheval, considered one of the state’s top vineyards.

Artz Vineyard is named for Fred Artz, a legendary grape grower on the mountain who helped plant and manage famed Klipsun Vineyard for more than 20 years, before buying adjacent land and planting his own vineyard. The Pasco native and Richland High graduate was held in high regard by the wine industry and received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009 by the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers. He died in 2015.

The majority of Artz’s 20 acres are planted to Bordeaux varieties, including 6.5 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Among these are some acres of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, two white wine grapes rarely planted on Red Mountain, a region best known for red wine varieties.

Artz is planted on the lower bench of Red Mountain, overlooking the Yakima River.

Casey McClelland of Seven Hills Winery in Walla Walla, who bought grapes from Artz for more than a decade, said they were among the best grapes he got each vintage, often making it into his reserve blend. He described the resulting wines as classic Red Mountain, with ripe, red and black fruit with powerful structure and

Photo by Andy Perdue Artz Vineyard on Red Mountain recently was sold to the Williams family, which owns Kiona Vineyards & Winery.

a line of dusty minerality running through it.

Currently, about 20 winemakers from both sides of the Cascades buy grapes from Artz, said J.J. Williams, Kiona’s manager, adding that a few of Artz’s customers overlap with Kiona’s. The Williams family has no plans to change the vineyard name, preferring to honor Fred Artz, considered a Red Mountain pioneer.

Williams said the winery plans to keep a few grapes for Kiona, planning to produce a line of vineyard-designated Cabs from Kiona’s estate vineyards.

To buy the vineyard, the Williams family sold two estate vineyards near Finley, Vista and Nine Canyons Vineyards, totaling nearly 90 acres of vines. Selling these makes perfect sense.

First of all, the Williams family’s narrative is on Red Mountain, where they planted the first grapes and launched the first winery. This is where three generations farm and make wine together. Having these wines 40 minutes away never helped tell the bigger story.

“The Williams story is about Red Mountain; this clarifies our story,” J.J. Williams said.

Having another vineyard three minutes away makes more sense from a farming operation, when it comes to picking decisions, work crews and equipment.

The two Finley vineyards will be replanted by the new owners with Cosmic Crisp apples, a highly anticipated new variety expected to be for sale this fall.

The negotiations for the Artz Vineyard sales began two years ago, and is important because land and vineyards don’t become available on Red Mountain very often. About 60 percent of the region is now under vines, leaving very little space or opportunity for future plantings. In 2017, Klipsun Vineyard was sold to Chicagobased Terlato Wines International. In recent years, Red Mountain land has sold to companies based in British Columbia and Napa Valley.

The Williams family now has 270 acres of mature vines planted on Red Mountain, and the acquisition of Artz Vineyard solidifies them as among the most important growers in the region. This fall, the Auction of Washington Wines is honoring Scott Williams as their honorary grower of the year.

••• A new study shows that the economic impact of the Walla Walla wine industry is big. According to the study, released in April, the Walla Walla wine industry generates more than 2,500 jobs, equaling $25 million in labor income. Last year, the wine industry generated uVINEYARD Page 27

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION VINEYARD, From Page 27

$115 million in retail sales, and wine tourists spent more than $145 million last year.

••• Acclaimed Conner-Lee Vineyard near Othello is under new ownership. The 150acre vineyard planted in 1980 is considered one of the prize properties in the Columbia Basin by more than 60 winemakers from both sides of the Cascades. The new owners are Josh Lawrence of Lawrence Vineyards near Royal City and Tom Merkle of Wautoma Springs Vineyard, north of Benton City along Highway 240.

••• A Prosser winery won top honors at the seventh annual Cascadia International Wine Competition, held in April at the Courtyard Marriott in Richland.

Coyote Canyon Winery won best in show for its 2015 Sangiovese, using estate grapes grown in the Horse Heaven Hills. It was judged the best wine out of more than 1,000 entries from Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Idaho.

Kiona Vineyards Winery on Red Mountain won best dessert wine for its 2018 Chenin Blanc Ice Wine. Kennewick winemaker Victor Palencia won best white wine for his Jones of Washington 2017 Reserve Chardonnay. Jones of Washington is based in Quincy.  Andy Perdue, editor and publisher of Great Northwest Wine and founding editor of Wine Press Northwest magazine, is the wine columnist for The Seattle Times.

VISTA FIELD, From Page 21 equipment and manpower at this — a significant effort is being exerted by Total Site Services and their crews.”

Peterson said that the day after the April 22 groundbreaking ceremony, Total Site Services began removing and grinding up the old asphalt tarmac. Five acres of asphalt will be removed, with the intent of recycling the material for use under the new roadways.

As the summer progresses, Peterson said that the concrete bridges spanning the water feature and other paved elements and streetscaping will begin to take shape.

He noted that during the months of May and June, there will be coordi-

nated closures of West Grandridge Boulevard for a few days as crews work to connect utilities and prepare for the new roadway.

In addition, it is projected that sometime during July, the curve on West Deschutes Avenue near West Okanogan Avenue also will be closed for about three weeks with detours and alternative routes for motorists to be made available.

“Once the ports’ phase-one road and utility infrastructure is complete, we look forward to significant private sector investments happening at Vista Field,” Bader-Inglima said.

For more about Vista Field redevelopment, go to portofkennewick.org/ projects/vista-field.

ST. JOSEPHʼS CATHOLIC CHURCH OFFICE 520 S. GARFIELD ST.• KENNEWICK

St. Joseph Catholic Church in Kennewick completed its new parish office and Sedlacek Reception Center this month.

The three-story, 16,000-square-foot new addition to the parish property at 520 S. Garfield St. will help to accommodate the church’s ongoing growth by providing new office space for parish clergy and staff, as well as additional gathering space.

The main floor of the new building houses an entry foyer, waiting and reception area, six offices, a religious education classroom, conference room, workroom/break room, records room, guest amenities, storage room, utility room and server room.

The upper floor features a large meeting room that can be divided with a partition into two multiuse rooms, as well as a warming kitchen,

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two storage rooms and janitor’s closet.

The lower floor consists of the basement, which will provide additional storage space for the church.

Booth and Sons Construction Inc. of Richland was the general contractor.

Meier Architecture and Engineering Inc. of Kennewick was the architect and engineer.

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509-396-5151 • budgetblinds.com 3310 Kennedy Road • West Richland

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION

Yakima Federal to build branch by Queensgate

BY TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS STAFF

Yakima Federal Savings & Loan plans to build a new $2.2 million branch in the Queensgate area of Richland.

The new 4,206-square-foot bank building, the company’s first in nearly 18 years, will be at 3100 Duportail St., next door to HAPO Community Credit Union and across the street from Numerica Credit Union.

The bank bought 1.6 acres of vacant land in the Queensgate area for $892,385 in March 2018 from the Kennewick Irrigation District.

Yakima Federal opened its first Richland branch in 1954. The current Richland office at the corner of Swift and Jadwin has been occupied since 1968. The new branch will replace this location.

“Yakima Federal has had great success placing branch offices in areas of housing growth,” said Leanne Antonio, president and CEO of Yakima Federal, in a statement. “We believe this location on Duportail will be very convenient for current and new Yakima Federal customers.”

The bank has 10 locations, including two in Kennewick, Pasco, Richland, and Prosser.

The new location will offer a range of consumer banking services and home loans, plus a drive-thru, according to Yakima Federal Savings & Loan.

Construction is expected to begin soon and be completed by the end of the year.

Photo by Kristina Lord BOR Architecture of Yakima is the building designer. A sign announcing the location of Yakima Federal Banlin Construction of Kennewick is the general Savings & Loan’s new branch is up at 3100 Duportail contractor.

St. in Richland.

MID-COLUMBIA LIBRARIES WEST RICHLAND 3803 W. VAN GIESEN ST.• WEST RICHLAND

The remodel of Mid-Columbia Libraries’ West Richland branch was recently completed, reopening April 27.

The $251,500 remodel at 3803 W. Van Giesen St. included the installation of new shelving, paint, furniture, electrical outlets, an improved story time area for children and custom artwork celebrating the Mid-Columbia region’s unique

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culture and history.

In addition, new materials worth $50,000 were added to library’s collection, resulting in a 62 percent increase in children’s titles. A new curbside pickup service for materials on hold has also been launched at the branch.

Siefken & Sons Construction Inc. of Richland was the general contractor.

Bernardo Wills Architects PC of Spokane was the architect.

Mid-Columbia Libraries operates 12 library branches throughout the Columbia Basin, as well as a bookmobile and digital branch.

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

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Legislature OKs funds for Mid-Columbia projects

BY TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS STAFF

The state’s new two-year budget includes several million dollars in projects for the Tri-City area, including two big Richland projects: a $27 million new academic building at Washington State University Tri-Cities and a $15.2 million military readiness center in the Horn Rapids area.

In north Richland, $7.7 million has been earmarked for a Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory, or LIGO, exploration center to accommodate student visits and tours.

The $4.9 billion capital budget funds the construction and maintenance of state buildings, public schools, higher education facilities, public lands, parks and other assets throughout Washington. It’s funded primarily by bonds.

“All of these projects were driven by local interest and advocacy. Without our communities’ strong support, not one of these projects would’ve been included in this budget,” said Rep. Bill Jenkin, R-Prosser.

Local projects funded by the capital budget include:  New Washington State University Tri-Cities academic building: $27 million to provide science, technology, engineering and math teaching laboratory space for first- and second-year students currently provided in leased spaces. A reappropriation for design funding also is provided.  Tri-Cities Readiness Center: $15.2 million to build a new readiness center on a 40-acre parcel of land acquired by the military in a previous biennium, creating a new modern space for National Guard members in support of state and federal missions.  Columbia Basin College and Walla Walla Community College: $11.2 million to pay for maintenance, preservation

and repairs, and provide $3 million for a student recreation center at Columbia Basin College and $1.5 million for a student recreation center at Walla Walla Community College.  LIGO STEM Exploration Center: $7.7 million.  Pasco Local Improvement District: $4 million to pay for the Department of Natural Resources’ share of a local improvement district with the city of Pasco, to develop infrastructure, opening 110 acres to new development.  Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla: $3.6 million to pay for renovations and improvements, including security-camera upgrades and roof replacement.  Boys & Girls Clubs of Benton and Franklin Counties: $1 million for Kennewick clubhouse project.  Tri-Tech Skills Center in Kennewick: $1 million to address security upgrades to install emergency response and access controls in each of the campus buildings.  Port of Walla Walla: $1 million to help develop a regional water system to supply drinking water in the Attalia Industrial Growth area, near the town of Wallula.  Walla Walla lease: $1 million to fund the continued implementation of the Columbia River Basin Supply program, to help provide alternatives to groundwater in areas served by the declining Odessa Aquifer.  Richland School District early learning facility: $800,000.  Benton City sports complex acquisition: $582,000 to help buy 25 acres on Ki-Be Road, across the street from KionaBenton City High School. Sports complex will include fields for soccer, football, baseball and softball. Benton City will provide $389,000.  Little Badger Mountain Trailhead: $464,000 to help develop trail project linking mountain ridges in western

Benton County.  Washington State Patrol Crime Lab: $400,000 for laboratory renovations and security improvements at the Kennewick station.  A Street Sports Complex in Pasco: $350,000 to help pay for the first phase of the sports complex project on A Street in Pasco, to build three multi-use sports fields, a parking lot and other facilities.

Pasco will contribute $221,113.  Pet Overpopulation Prevention vet clinic building in West Richland: $300,000.  Kiona-Benton City school parking lot improvements (Benton City): $268,000.  WSU Tri-Cities, new sidewalks: $175,000.

 Pasco Farmers Market and Peanuts Park: $154,000 to help pay for improvements.  Benton County Museum: $103,000 to expand the facility in Prosser and restore leaking roof.  Benton City Riverfront Park acquisition: $82,000 to help buy 11 acres to create a riverfront park near Seventh Street, along the Yakima River. Benton City will contribute $20,413 in cash and staff time.  Prosser competitive pool improvements: $51,000 to upgrade equipment, add new signs and public address system at the competitive pool in the Prosser Aquatic Center in E.J. Miller Park.  Benton County Courthouse: $34,000 through the state Courthouse Preservation Grant Program.

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION

CITY HALL, From Page 1

backed by general fund revenue. To pay down the 30-year debt, the city will use revenue from paying off the debt for the city shops near Vintner Square and existing electric utility taxes.

The contractor on the project was Leone & Keeble of Spokane. Architects West of Coeur d’Alene drew up the plans with assistance from Opsis Architecture of Portland.

“The new building is beautiful,” said City Manager Cindy Reents in an email.

“It was important to us to bring over design elements from the original City Hall as a way to honor our city’s past. I think this was achieved, and our new City Hall is something our community can be proud of.”

Courtesy city of Richland The new building consolidates three The new 44,000-square-foot Richland City Hall that will replace the city’s current buildings into one: the old City Hall and 60-year-old building is opening for business at the end of May at 625 Swift Blvd. the city manager annex building, plus the nearby building at 840 Northgate Drive “Although it will be sad to see the that houses the city’s engineering and rooms are named after local areas and landmarks, such as the Parkway, Uptown, existing City Hall go, it will be very planning departments.

“This was one of the main project White Bluffs, Badger Mountain, Hanford exciting to see the opportunity for economic development in this key area of objectives — making services more effi- and Columbia River rooms.

The city is working on a water feature our city,” Reents said. “I’m looking forcient and easier for the public by putting all services in one building,” Schiessl in front of the building featuring a 1940s ward to seeing our downtown transform valve that diverted drinking water from over the coming years as city council has said. envisioned.”

He said the new building also has some the Columbia River.

“We had it in one of the storage yards,” Simultaneous to the City Hall project interesting features. Chief among them is a glass wall in the council chamber that Schiessl said. “We took a sandblaster to it has been work on the Swift Boulevard to clean it up, and we’re going to turn it corridor. Crews are working on the street, opens to the lobby.

“During those times when we have a into public art.” widening the sidewalks and improving The building that has served as the stormwater system. The work is large gathering for city council meetings, we can open up those doors to accommo- Richland City Hall for six decades will be expected to wrap up in early fall. date more people and make sure they feel demolished, then sold or leased for develThe move into the new building will opment. The demo should happen in mid- happen in three stages, the first of which like part of the meeting,” he said.

Reents said many of the conference June. already is complete. The third floor of the new building houses the city manager, city attorney, clerical staff and administrative services, and the human resources and finance departments.

The second floor move is May 18, including the public works department and development services. The final stage on May 25 will fill the first floor, including all customer services, as well as marThe Real Innovation Is The Way We Treat You! keting and communications.

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Mortgage Loan Originator / “It’s a big day for us,” Schiessl said.

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QUICK FACTS u The new city hall at 625 Swift Blvd. opens for business May 28, the first Tuesday after Memorial Day. Until then, use the old building at 505 Swift Blvd. The first city council meeting will be June 4, and a grand opening is scheduled for June 10. u The project cost $18.4 million and took 20 months to build. u The old City Hall will be demolished in mid-June and the land sold or leased for development.

and we won’t get another City Hall for at least 70 years.

“This building was built to last.”

Along with construction workers and architects, the project required the effort of the area’s congressional representatives, as well as lobbyists, to get Congress to OK the sale of the land.

Part of the deal was the city purchasing a half-acre lot next to the Federal Building to create 50 parking spaces for federal services. That happened before groundbreaking for the new building.

The city will have additional parking in the oversized lot. In return, it will manage that entire lot — snow removal and making sure people aren’t parked there too long being the primary responsibilities.

“There have been stops and starts,” Schiessl said, referring to when the planning for a new building started in 2003.

“It took a literal act of Congress for us to acquire the land.

“I’d say that’s fairly unusual for land acquisition.”

Which isn’t to say that the city and federal governments were at loggerheads over the deal. There was just a lot of red tape to work through.

“A lot of times in government, different organizations are watching out for their own interest,” Schiessl said. “In this case, we’ve been working with the federal government since 2003 on this.

“We’ve had a similar vision for a lot of years.”

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION SUPERCAR, From Page 1 facility at 2943 Belmont Blvd. in West Richland.

The plan fell apart after SSC and Asmus were defrauded for several milhlion dollars about four years ago, Shelby said.

“That devastating situation crippled us and brought us to our knees, and we are still feeling some of the effects of the trickle down from that unfortunate incident. This matter is also remnants of some of that trickle down,” Shelby told the Journal.

The counterclaim alleges third-party financial institutions committed fraud and deprived SSC of the money the company was supposed to get to pay for the 4.8 acres off Keene Road, near Leona Libby Middle School.

The company broke ground there for a $6 million manufacturing facility in 2013.

SSC and the city of West Richland agreed on a $1.2 million 20-year lease-topurchase agreement for the city-owned land, as well as first right of refusal on an adjacent property, according to court documents.

But when the financing deal fell apart, SSC was “unable to meet its payment obligations” with the city, court documents said. In all, SSC had paid more than $553,000 toward the land price.

Asmus and R.E.A. offered to pay the remaining balance in exchange for SSC’s agreement to transfer the land to Asmus and R.E.A., according to Shelby’s counterclaim.

Shelby turned over the land to Asmus

Courtesy Ron Asmus Ron Asmus of R.E.A. Construction plans to begin construction within 90 days on a new $3.2 million, 35,000-square-foot commercial building at 2943 Belmont Blvd. in West Richland. The site was once the planned future home of SSC North America’s high-performance car manufacturing plant, but the deal fell apart amid a financial dispute and ensuing $10.3 million lawsuit.

via a deed in lieu of foreclosure in 2017.

Shelby’s counterclaim alleges Asmus and R.E.A. promised to sell the land back to SSC, and build a facility — but didn’t.

Asmus’ complaint alleges Shelby and SSC failed to repay their loans for the land lease payments and other loans.

Asmus deferred additional questions to his attorneys at Lukins & Annis Attorneys in Spokane.

Trevor Pincock, one of the firm’s attorneys, told the Journal: “There is certainly some disagreement between (the parties).”

Shelby declined to comment on Asmus’ claims but said, “obviously, we are looking forward to a just resolution of SSC

North America’s claims and keeping our focus on the business of producing the world’s fastest production car right here in Washington.”

A trial date has not yet been set.

As the lawsuit winds its way through the court system, Asmus and Shelby are making new plans.

Asmus recently requested a permit for a 35,000-square-foot commercial building, valued at $3.2 million, on the Belmont Boulevard property once intended for the SSC plant.

Now, “it’s for whoever wants to buy it,” Asmus said.

He said construction should start in the next 60 to 90 days. No tenants have been identified yet but Asmus hopes that

33

changes once the shell goes up.

Shelby, who grew up in the Tri-Cities, said his company is moving into a new manufacturing facility on May 24 in Richland, though he declined to specify where, citing security reasons.

“We are moving into a new facility this month that will allow us to ramp up to full scale production of our new hypercar, the Tuatara,” Shelby said. “Our offices and assembly facility will be located in the new space, increasing our production capabilities and allow us to integrate the community through open houses and scheduled tours. We are extremely excited about the opportunities that this new space will give us.”

Shelby said the company is calling 2019 “The Year of the Tuatara.”

“We have already begun production of the Tuatara, with final assembly and delivery taking place later this summer,” he said in an email to the Journal.

Shelby said the company plans to begin the car’s high-speed testing and validation later this year as well, and aims to break the world record for top speed and be the first production car to surpass 300 mph.

SSC, founded by Shelby in 1999, introduced the Tuatara prototype model in 2011, which has a projected top speed of 276 mph. It also was estimated to retail for $1 million.

An earlier SSC North America car, the Ultimate Aero, set a Guinness world record for driving 257 mph in 2007. It was the fastest speed ever for a production car.

Thank You

Through your contributions and support, the Tri-Cities Sunrise Rotary Scholarship Golf Tournament raised over $21,000 toward our scholarship fund! We couldn’t have done it without each one of you!

Premier Sponsors

Hawthorne Court  Connell Oil, Inc.  Conover Insurance  Evelyn Walkley  PayneWest Insurance Moon Security Services, Inc. Perkins & Zlatich, CPAs P.S.  Canyon View Media  Kadlec  Retter & Company - Sotheby’s  RDO Equipment  Culligan  Desert Food Mart  Pacific Steel  Pinkie Tow  Chinook Home Health Care  Edward Jones - Ryan Brault

Major Sponsors Tippett Company  G2 Construction  Basin Pacific Insurance & Benefits  Tri-CU Credit Union  Northwest Farm Credit Services  Perfection Glass  Law Offices of Robert Taylor-Manning  Safeguard Print and Promotional Products  Suzanne Feeney  Nanette Walkley

Tee and Green Sponsors Baker & Giles, PS  Fast Signs  NobleWealth Management  Bill Robertson Nissan  Hot Solar Solutions  Northwest Construction Services  Canyon Lakes Golf Course  Innovative Mortgage  Northwest CPA Group PLLC  CG Public House  Innovative Retirement Solutions, PLLC  O’Brien Construction Company, Inc.  Coca Cola  Interwest Technology Systems  Ringold Refrigeration  Jiffy Car Wash  Stan Johnson  Columbia Basin Hearing Center  Jack’s Superior Auto Body  Routh Consulting Engineers  Daryl Francis  Dayco Heating & Air Conditioning  Jim & Loretta Wilson  Sunrise Rotary Educators  Dez & Rena Gama  Kenmore Team  Sylvan Learning Kennewick/Richland  Don Miksch  Tate Architects  Don Pratt Construction  Lourdes Health  Umpqua Bank  Dorothy Driver  Mascott Equipment  Elite Construction  Warren Tate “The Original”  Kevin Williams - IFC Insurance  Dura-Shine Clean  Natural Harmony Wellness  Washington Trust Bank

A special “Thanks” to all the teams that participated, the donors of the great raffle prizes, the volunteers who worked the event and the staff at Canyon Lakes Golf Course!

34

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

uBUSINESS BRIEFS New car, booster seat laws go into effect in 2020

Gov. Jay Inslee has signed into law updated regulations on car seat and booster seat use in Washington.

The updated law will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2020.

Children under age 2 must use rearfacing car seats. Children should remain in a rear-facing car safety seat as long as possible, until they reach the highest weight and height allowed by their seat.

Children ages 2 to at least 4 years old should use a forward-facing, age-appropriate child harness seat – and do so as

long as possible, until they reach the seat’s height and weight limits. Many seats can accommodate children up to 65 pounds.

Children older than 4 but shorter than 4-foot-9 who have outgrown the child harness seat must use booster seats. Most kids will need a booster seat until 10 to 12 years of age.

When children are old enough and large enough to use the vehicle seat belt alone, they should use lap and shoulder seat belts for optimal protection.

As with the previous law, drivers can be ticketed if a passenger under 16 is not using the correct car seat, booster seat, or seat belt based on their age, height or weight.

The changes align Washington state’s law with the most recent guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics, issued in 2011.

More information on car seats and booster seats, including a directory of free seat checks in Washington, is available at boosterseat.org.

Survey asks state businesses for feedback

Businesses from across Washington are being sent the 2019 Washington State Employer Needs and Practices Survey this month—electronically and by mail.

Survey results will help shape state education and training programs to better

Member SIPC

Vacation & Retirement: Different Goals Require Different Investment Strategies www.edwardjones.com To achieve any of your financial objectives, you need to save and invest – that much is clear. But just how you save and invest may differ from goal to goal.

Let’s look at two common goals to see the differences in your savings and investment strategies.

The first goal we’ll consider is a dream vacation – one lasting a couple of weeks or more, possibly to an exotic locale. So, for the investments you’ve designated

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to fund this vacation, you need two key attributes: liquidity and low risk. The liquidity requirement is pretty self-explanatory – you want to be able to get to your

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vacation funds exactly when you need them, and you don’t want to be slapped with some type of early withdrawal or tax penalty.

The low-risk part of your vacation strategy means you want investments that won’t drop in value just when you need to sell them to use the proceeds for your trip.

However, you need to be aware that those types of stable-value investment vehicles likely will not offer much growth potential. As you may know, the investments with the greatest possible rewards are also those that carry the highest degrees of risk. Yet, by starting to invest early enough in more conservative investments, and putting away money regularly, you may be able to compensate for the lack of growth opportunities.

Now, let’s turn to your other goal – retirement. When you are saving for

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retirement, your primary objective is pretty simple: to accumulate as much money as you can. Consequently, you will need a reasonable percentage of your portfolio devoted to growth-oriented investments. But what’s a reasonable percentage?

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution – the amount of growth investments in your portfolio should be based on several factors, including your age, risk tolerance and projected retirement lifestyle.

Furthermore, this percentage may need to change over time. When you’re just starting out in your career, you may be able to afford to take on the greater risk that comes with having a higher percentage of your portfolio in growth investments. But as you get closer to retirement, you might want to begin shifting some dollars toward more conservative vehicles – you don’t want to be over-exposed to the volatility of the financial markets just when you need to start selling investments to help fund

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your retirement.

Nonetheless, you won’t want to give up all growth investments, even during your retirement years. You could spend two or three decades as a retiree, and over that time, inflation could take a big toll on your purchasing power. To counter this effect, you will need to own some investments that have the potential at least to equal, and ideally outpace, the cost of living.

The examples of taking that extensive vacation and enjoying a long retirement illustrate the importance of recognizing that you will have many goals in life – and you’ll need to prioritize and plan for them, sometimes following significantly different investment strategies. When you do, you’ll give yourself a better chance of reaching your destinations.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

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meet business needs. About 30,000 businesses were randomly selected to participate. The survey takes around 10 minutes to complete and asks about hiring challenges, training needs and other issues. It’s conducted every few years by the state’s Workforce Board, along with the Association of Washington Business and the Washington Chamber of Commerce.

The survey and its data are used by the state’s education, training and workforce development systems to evaluate, modify and expand course and certificate offerings. The state’s Workforce Board, which evaluates the state’s largest workforce program and provides policy recommendations to the governor and Legislature, issues this comprehensive employer survey every few years.

For more information, contact Workforce Board Research Investigator Chris Dula at chris.dula@wtb.wa.gov or go to wtb.wa.gov/EmployerSurvey.asp.

Connell to mark electric car charging station installation

A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the sixth of nine electric vehicle charging stations across Eastern Washington is planned for 11 a.m. May 23 at 222 S. Columbia Ave. in Connell.

Driving an electric vehicle across Washington has become easier than ever, thanks to a five-year electric vehicle infrastructure initiative led by Energy Northwest.

The Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Transportation Alliance, or EVITA, was formed in 2017 to bridge the electric vehicle range gap between eastern and western Washington, support electric transportation infrastructure and help reduce carbon emissions from the transportation sector.

Core alliance partners are Benton PUD, Franklin PUD, Benton Rural Electric Association, the cities of Richland and Ellensburg, TRIDEC, Energy Northwest and Greenlots, an EV equipment supplier.

Greenlots, in addition to supplying all of the equipment, will operate all of the stations tied to the project, except for the Pasco station that is owned privately.

The Washington state charging stations will be in Kennewick, Richland, Pasco, Connell, Prosser, Yakima, Ellensburg, Cle Elum and George.

Real estate philanthropist named Tri-Citian of the Year

The 2019 Tri-Citian of the Year award went to Dave Retter, owner of Retter & Co. Sotheby’s International in Kennewick.

Retter is well-known for his philanthropic work, which includes his role in helping launch the Kennewick Police Community Cares Fund, which empowers police officers to pay for minor expenses to help those in need.

He was nominated by Kennewick police Chief Ken Hohenberg, who received the honor in 2009.

The award ceremony was May 2 at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019 uGRADUATIONS • Washington State University TriCities conferred 352 degrees at its commencement ceremony on May 4 at the Toyota Center in Kennewick. Among those degrees, 308 bachelor’s degrees were presented, 32 master’s degrees and 12 doctoral degrees. Washington state Sen. Sharon Brown presented the keynote address.

• Carmen Lynn Marquart of Toyota of Tri-Cities graduated in April from the National Automobile Dealers Association Academy as part of Class N338. The program includes six oneweek classroom sessions over the course of a year.

• Charter College in Pasco held its

uBUSINESS BRIEFS Upgraded database ready for spring recycling

Every spring as Washington residents begin their annual cleaning rites, the same question is asked: where can I recycle this?

And every spring since 1976, the state Department of Ecology has answered through its 800-RECYCLE line (800-732-9253) as residents search for drop-off services or for collectors who will pick up hard-to-recycle items.

In addition to calling, customers can search at https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/ warecycle.

The list includes 1,578 Washington recycling services and more than 70 types of recyclable materials, including large appliances like dishwashers, water heaters, stoves, washing machines and dryers.

Type in your location and material type, and the upgraded database will find nearby services that accept them.

The site will provide an address, phone number, business hours, website and Google Maps location, along with a full list of acceptable materials.

It’s fresh produce time at area farmers markets

The Tri-City’s favorite farmers markets open for business in May and June.

Here’s the schedule: 4 Prosser Farmers Market: Open from 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays, starting May 4, Prosser City Park.

4 Pasco Farmers Market: Open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays, starting May 11, corner of South Fourth Avenue and West Columbia Street.

4 Historic Downtown Kennewick Farmers Market: Open from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursdays, starting May 30, Flag Plaza, intersection of Benton Street and Kennewick Avenue.

4 Richland’s Market at the Parkway: Open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Fridays, starting June 7, Lee Boulevard between Jadwin Boulevard and George Washington Way.

graduation ceremony April 12 at Chiawana High School. Five students received the President’s Award for achieving a 4.0 cumulative grade point average: Audra Harding, Angelica Lopez, Marta Osorio, Katie Sullivan, and Mayra Verduzco.

Earning medical assistant certificates: Griselda Abarca, Maritza Andujo, Alegandra Aparicio, Edgar Armenta, Elsie Arriaga, Ashlie Benefiel, Lucy Bunglick, Michelle Calvillo, Yobane Chairez, Charity Duckworth, Nancy Enriquez Ponce, Claudia Estrada, Rikki Flores, Bethany Garza, Anthony Gonzales, Arlette Gonzalez, Aurora Gonzalez, Elisa Guillen, Michell Hankel-Brockmier, Amanda Hausinger, Sosena Hernandez Erevia,

Jamaica Holts, Sudie Isidro, Iolani Leal, Lucina Lopez, Angelica Lopez, Lizbet Madrigal, Shelly McCauley, Daisy Mendez, Areli Nava-Gonzalez, Zendy Nunez, Vanessa Olvera, Marta Osorio, Anabel Pallares, Abby Pendergast, Ana Pineda, Desiree Presnell, Maisi Ranard, Jennifer Richman, Stormie Rios, Jorge Rivera, Juliette Robinson, Cassandra Rodriguez, Hector Ruelas-Camacho, Nakisha Rundhaug, Tomas Saldana, Randy Salgado, Liliana Sanchez, Katie Sullivan, Mayra Verduzco, Shelby Waddell, Rita Waldo and Melissa Williams.

Earning dental assisting certificates: Samantha Adams, Idcen Altamirano, Isabella Brooks, Cassandra Buchholz,

35

Lasha Craig, Jasmine Figueroa, Sophia Gutierrez, Ruby Jasso, Evaline Klima, Josie Krieger, Carrie Parker, Leonela Pineda-Barajas, Genesis Rodriguez, Sara Ruvalcaba, Teresa Silva, Katelynn Turnbull and Janida Van Sabben.

Earning heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC) certificates: Oscar Acosta, Gabriel Aguilar Roldan, Levi Branham, Casey Crawford, Edwin Garcia, Miguel Garcia, Adam Gray, Antonio Guajardo, Pablo Guido, Eduardo Leal, Martin Martinez, Andrew Mattson, Jarred McCary, Jonathan Mendoza, Cristobal Murillo, Jose Ramos and Jesse Roberts.

36

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

uAPPOINTMENTS • Benton Fire District 1 Board of Fire Commissioners appointed new commissioner David M. Jenkins on April 16. He was appointed to fill a vacancy left by the death of Commissioner Jerry Sleater.

Jenkins has more than 25 years of David M. Jenkins experience in business and operations. He started Country Masonry in 1998, which he still owns and operates today. His appointment term expires

Dec. 31. He will be up for election for the position later this year. He and his wife Cherie and their four children live in Badger Canyon.

• Kennewick Mayor Don Britain has reappointed Patricia Turner to a second, five-year term on the Housing Authority of Kennewick’s Board of Commissioners.

Turner has led the board as the chairwoman for three years. Tom Moak was appointed chairman and Veronica “Nikki” Griffith was appointed vice chair. Other commissioners are Leo Perales and Colin Bates. The authority is governed by a six-member board, five of whom are appointed by the mayor. The resident-assisted commissioner position is vacant.

• Urszula Kobiesa, an independent

health insurance agent, has been selected by UnitedHealthcare to serve a two-year term on the AARP Services Inc. Agent Advisory Council, a forum Urszula Kobiesa to gather information to help enhance the products and services that benefit AARP members. Kobiesa of the Tri-Cities is one of 12 health insurance agents nationwide selected to serve on this volunteer council. She was selected for the council based on her commitment to serving AARP members, knowledge of Medicare and the Tri-City community.

uGRANTS • Kadlec Foundation received three grants totaling $23,500 in March for equipment in the level III neonatal intensive care unit, or NICU, and for the Kadlec Academy program: $20,000 from The Wildhorse Foundation toward the purchase of NICU beds; $2,000 from Northwest Farm Credit Services toward the purchase of NICU beds; $1,500 from Walmart Kennewick toward the Kadlec Academy afterschool health program.

udonations • Junior Achievement in Southeastern Washington received a $25,000 contribution from Bechtel Group Foundation, marking $190,000 in total giving to the local chapter from the global firm since 2011. This gift enables Junior Achievement to deliver classroom programs focused on work readiness and entrepreneurship as part of Bechtel’s Building Future Leaders program. Junior Achievement is one of four nonprofits in Bechtel’s global stewardship program, which supports science, technology, engineering and math education and humanitarian engineering efforts.

• Roasters Coffee, a locally owned and operated company, reported it raised $36,832.76 during its 12-month Community Giving Days campaign.

Roasters Coffee has been committed to donating the profits from every drink purchased on the last Monday of every month to local charities and nonprofits in the greater Tri-City area. The money will be donated to the following groups: Autism Help group; Columbians Drum and Bugle Corps; Royal Family Kids; Dream Center Tri-Cities; IMPACT! Compassion Center; Little Lives Small Animal Rescue; My Friends Place; Meals on Wheels; Mustangs 4 Mustangs; Rascal Rodeo; Cork’s Place, Chaplaincy Health Care;Strides Therapeutic Horsemanship Center.

• Bechtel National Inc. has donated $23,500 to Second Harvest to fund local childhood hunger-relief programs.

The donation is added to Bechtel’s charitable contributions totaling almost $50,000 over the past three years to childhood hunger programs in the community. Funding from Bechtel supports ongoing service to Second Harvest’s Bite2Go backpack program, which provides weekend food kits to 750 local students each week. Bechtel also supports five Second Harvest pantries at specific school and district offices to serve students. Second Harvest also received a $5,000 donation from Leidos to fund childhood hunger-relief efforts in the Tri-Cities.

• Leidos and Centerra Group, the parent companies of Hanford contractor Mission Support Alliance, donated $50,000 to The Children’s Reading Foundation of the Mid-Columbia to support the Bridging the Literacy Gap program. The money will be used to buy books and for an outreach campaign to increase awareness among families and caregivers of their important role in raising a reader.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

37

Keep the family farm with farm deduction Should a person gift the farm before death to avoid the complexity of probate and the estate tax? Probably not.

The family farm occupies a unique position in Washington state estate taxation. It is arguably one of the best assets to own at death for a wealthy family. It has the benefit of both protections from the estate tax while still garnering an income Beau Ruff tax boon with a Cornerstone Wealth Strategies tax basis step-up at death allowing the virtual income-tax-free sale of property after death. This column digs into the concept a little deeper.

First, a reminder on the applicable estate taxes. For 2019, the federal government imposes an estate tax on estates valued at more than $11.4 million, and Washington state imposes the estate tax on estates valued at over $2.2 million.

As is clearly evident, the Washington estate tax hits many more people in Washington than the federal estate tax.

One option to avoid probate and the application of Washington’s estate tax is to gift property before death. This is a common technique in estate planning,

especially as it relates But, by keeping to estate tax reducthe property until tion. But, gifting death and not gift“The (family farm) would not likely ing, the farmer is arguably one of maximize tax benefits might expose the for the Washington estate to the the best assets to farmer from an Washington estate own at death for a income tax point of tax. Luckily for the view. farmer, Washington wealthy family.”

At death, there is state provides relief a little-known tax for the farmer from benefit that the fedthe Washington eral government proestate tax while still vides. It is an adjustment to tax basis allowing the farm to qualify for the fedand it can have a profound effect on the eral step-up in tax basis. taxation of the assets owned at death.

The stereotypical farmer is “land rich The tax code provides a boon for indibut cash poor.” The theory then is that it viduals with capital assets (think stocks, is burdensome for family farms to pay land, buildings, real estate, farms, etc.). the Washington state estate tax. At the That is, at death, the asset gets a new same time perhaps the Legislature wantbasis equal to its then current fair mared to provide an incentive for the retenket value. Take the example of a farm— tion of family farms. if it is sold after death, it gets a new tax The relevant rules are contained in basis equal to the then current fair marRCW 83.100.046 as well as in the assoket value. Accordingly, when it is sold ciated WAC 458-57-155. Those two bodfor that current fair market value, there ies of law lay out the precise rules that is no income-tax owing. This means allow the farm deduction and the strinthat when sold at the then-current fair gent requirements that must be met. But, market value, there will be zero income if the farm meets the qualifications, then tax assessed on the sale of the capital for purposes of determining the asset after death. Conversely, if the Washington taxable estate (i.e. whether property is gifted prior to death, it and to what extent the estate is subject to receives no such tax basis step-up and a the Washington estate tax), a deduction sale could incur a substantial income is allowed for the total value of the farm. tax bill.

For example, assume that Farmer A

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has an estate valued at $11 million, of which $10 million is the value of the farm that meets all the requirements contained in both WAC 458-57-155 and RCW 83.100.46. Assume further that Farmer A passes away. Then that estate would pay zero estate tax under federal law (as it is under the current credit amount) and zero estate tax under the state of Washington estate tax (even though it is about $9 million over the applicable exemption amount).

At the same time, the farmer’s farm is still entitled to the step up in tax basis. Accordingly, the farmer’s estate avoids the imposition of the estate tax while at the same time benefiting for a later reduction in income tax for his heirs.

The family farm can produce benefits beyond its crops with thoughtful planning and utilization of current tax laws.

It is important to note that not every farm and not every farmer will qualify for this generous deduction. As always, it is important to work with a qualified attorney and CPA to properly plan the best course of action for any individual estate plan.  Attorney Beau Ruff works for Cornerstone Wealth Strategies, a fullservice independent investment management and financial planning firm in Kennewick.

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019 unew hires • Ryan Beard will be the Richland School District’s new career and technical education director. Beard’s career in education spans more than 20 years and includes experience as the CTE program administrator and dean of students at Redmond High School in Oregon and most recently as CTE instructional specialist for the High Desert Education Service District. He also brings real world CTE experience as a welder, sculptor and fabricator. He replaces Claudia Cooley who is retiring.

• Eric Davis, currently athletic director at Hanford High School, will become assistant principal at Chief Joseph Middle School in Richland under new Principal Rhonda Pratt.

• Erin Easton, assistant principal at Chief Joseph Middle School in Richland, will become an assistant principal at Richland High School. She replaces Assistant Principal Vicki Bricker, who is retiring.

• Jon Lobdell, planning principal for the Academy of Health and Sciences in Richland, will become associate principal at Richland High School. He replaces Assistant Principal Nicole Anderson, who will be the new principal at River’s Edge High School. Lobdell will continue to oversee the academy based at Richland High.

• Joseph Estey and Jason Brustad joined Lucas Engineering and Management Services of Richland as performance improvement specialists III. They will be part of the organizational performance team and oversee training in areas of human perforJoseph Estey mance improvement; leadership development; environment; and safety, health and quality and conduct of operations. Both have several years of training experience at the Jason Brustad Hanford site combined with multiple certifications and field recognition.

• John Kelly, Richland School District’s coordinator for instructional technology, will become assistant principal at Jefferson Elementary in Richland.

• Daniel Rehm joined Bank of Eastern Washington, a branch of Bank of Eastern Oregon, as a commercial and agricultural lender working out of the Pasco branch. Rehm worked much of the past 12 years as a loan officer in the TriCity region. He holds a bachelor of science in business administration, with a finance major from Auburn University.

• Tobey Garrett has joined STCU credit union as a home loan officer at the STCU Southridge Financial and Home Loan Center in Kennewick. He has two decades of experience helping homebuyers secure financing, most recently with Banner Bank in Eugene, Oregon. She

serves buyers seeking conventional mortgages; construction loans; land loans; and government-backed loans such as Federal Housing Administration, Veterans Affairs and Department of Agriculture loans.

• Kimberly Nevil of Irrigon has been hired as chief executive officer at Greater Hermiston Chamber of Commerce. She began work April 22. Nevil worked as a business and employment specialist with the Oregon Kimberly Nevil Employment Department in Hermiston. Nevil will lead a chamber staff of three in interactions with its 428 members. She will coordinate the activities of chamber committees and manage efforts to develop a new chamber office and workforce development center at South Highway 395 and East Evelyn Avenue. Nevil replaced Debbie Pedro, who resigned for another job opportunity after 18 years with the chamber.

• The Tri-Cities Cancer Center Foundation has hired Tara Divers as a donor relations and stewardship specialist. In her role, Divers will support the execution of the foundation’s strategic plan to enhance donor stewardship and create a pipeline for major gifts and annual gifts.

Divers brings with her more Tara Divers than 12 years of experience in sales and event management. Most recently she was event director for the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce. She has a bachelor of science in psychology from Washington State University in Pullman.

• Shelby Moore has been hired as the new executive director of Heartlinks Hospice and Palliative Care in Sunnyside. She served as the agency’s the development director of Heartlinks for almost three years. She has a master’s of public administration degree from the University of Montana with a focus on nonprofit management. She also is a certified fundraising executive by CFRE International. She serves as a member of Prosser Rotary Club, wish grantor for Make-A-Wish Alaska & Washington and board member of Women Helping Women Fund Tri-Cities.

• Francis Perrin has joined Ste. Michelle Wine Estates as chief marketing oficer, overseeing the company’s brand management, digital marketing, innovation and direct-to-consumer functions.

He brings more than 20 years of experience to his new role, including previous leadership positions with large public and private consumer packaged goods companies, as well as previous wine and spirits industry experience. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from HEC Montréal and a master’s degree from Columbia University.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019 uAWARDS & HONORS • West Richland middle school teacher Jessica Sadler’s involvement and achievements after three years of teaching earned her the 2019 Washington State Outstanding Young Educator from Washington State ASCD, formerly known as the Washington Jessica Sadler State Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. She is a science teacher at Leona Libby Middle School in West Richland. In her science classroom, she integrates technology into her teaching; she serves as a leader among staff by providing help to fellow teachers while serving on several staff teams; she helped organize the school’s first STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) Night event; and she advises Libby’s Science Bowl/ Science Club team, which recently competed at the state competition. Sadler was first hired at Enterprise Middle School before helping open Libby, the district’s first STEAM middle school, for the 2017-18 school year.

• Ryan Ratchford, the chief executive officer Apollo Mechanical executive assistant to CEO, from left, accepted the Four Way Test Award from Theresa Buckendorf and Kat Lawrence, president of the Ryan Ratchford Pasco-Kennewick Rotary. Apollo Mechanical Contractors was selected for the award because of the company’s contributions to the Tri-City community, its ideal of service and its extensive safety record. The Four Way Test was created in 1932 by Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor and adopted by Rotary International in 1943, becoming the standard of Rotary conduct.

• Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business freelancer Arielle Dreher of Pasco, a Hanford High graduate, has been selected to be a reporter for the Report for America project.

She’ll spend a year in the The Arielle Dreher SpokesmanReview newsroom, covering public health and social issues. The program places 61 journalists in 50 newsrooms spanning 30 states and Puerto Rico.

• The Historic Downtown Kennewick Partnership held its annual Downtowner Banquet at Clover Island Inn on April 18. The annual dinner serves as one of the largest annual celebrations within downtown Kennewick, with more than 200 attendees, including city of Kennewick and Port of Kennewick officials, commissioners, council representatives, business executives, nonprofits,

and prominent community leaders. The annual dinner collected $20,000 for the partnership, with much of the money to be used for revitalization of the downtown and expanding current programming. Business leaders and volunteers who exemplify excellence and dedication to downtown also were honored during the event: John Gravenslund of Washington Hardware was named the Downtowner of the Year. As a fourth-generation, familyowned business, Washington Hardware and the Gravenslund family have been an integral piece of downtown Kennewick for more than 100 years with a legacy of outstanding customer service.

The Volunteer of the Year award went to Cory Eastland of Farmer’s Exchange for his leadership of the weekly farmers market, a role he has held for the past four years.

The Business of the Year award went to Mel’s InterCity Collision Inc. for its quality work and excellence in customer satisfaction. Mel Eayrs and daughter Heather Boderik, who are owners and operators of Mel’s InterCity Collision, are also involved with HDKP, having served as board members and organizers for the annual Classy Chassy car show.

• The City of Pasco won a 2019 Association of Washington Cities Municipal Excellence Award for its Hot Spotters program. Hot Spotters is a collaboration between several groups in the community, including the city’s fire and police departments, Lourdes Health, other first responders, legal providers,

city and county judges, mental health treatment providers, healthcare providers, community housing organizations and state health and human services agencies. The award recognizes innovative city projects that significantly improve the quality of life. The competition is open each year to any state city or town. Five projects will be honored this year at the AWC’s annual conference this June in Spokane. The Hot Spotters program is one of three community health programs highlighted in the 2019 All-America City Awards application, which helped garner Pasco’s inclusion as an All-America City Award finalist.

• The Kiwanis Club of Kennewick honored four first responders during its third annual First Responders Appreciation Luncheon on April 2 at the Clover Island Inn. Awards went to: Officer Joe Santoy of the Kennewick Police Department. He has been in law enforcement since 2008, joining the Kennewick department in 2011. He has been active in the Criminal Investigations Division, as well as the Special Investigations Unit.

Firefighter Matthew Martens of the Kennewick Fire Department. He is a 16-year veteran of the department and member of the hazmat team. He was instrumental in procuring the Washington State Council of Fire Fighters to hold their convention in the Tri-Cities last summer.

Trooper Daniel Mosqueda of the Washington State Patrol. He has been in law enforcement since 2008 and has

39

been in the Kennewick offices since 2012. He is a certified drug recognition expert and a lead coordinator for the El Protector program.

Deputy Elias Perez of the Benton County Sheriff’s Office. He began his career in law enforcement in 2013 and joined the sheriff’s office in 2014. He is a member of the Tri-Cities Regional SWAT Team and serves on the crisis negotiator team. He also is an agency liaison to school districts in Benton County, assessing district training and preparation for critical incidence.

• Fuerza Elementary School fifthgrader Ailey Evans was selected among 2,600 entries from students across the country to be one of the five Sodexo Future Chefs and compete for the national title with her plantain nachos recipe. A Nebraska student won the national title.

• The Pasco Police Department has achieved national advanced law enforcement accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. The application, review, on-site audit and final hearing approval is a process that typically takes two to three years, and recertification is required every four years to maintain the status. This accreditation is in addition to state accreditation in 2016 of the Department by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs.

The Pasco Police Department is one of eight CALEA-accredited law enforcement agencies in the state. Nationally, about five percent of law enforcement agencies currently hold this standard.

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

uAWARDS & HONORS • Shelley Kennedy, a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Richland, qualified for Edward Jones’ Financial Advisor Leaders Conference, which is in May in St. Louis. She was among 800 advisors who qualified out of the firm’s more than 17,000 advisors. The conference recognizes financial advisors who are among the leaders in the financial services firm. The conference also will provide additional training to help financial advisors serve more individual investors in their communities.

• The League of American Bicyclists recognized Tri-CU Credit Union of Kennewick with a bronze Bicycle Friendly Business award, earning it a place alongside 1,266 bike-forward busi-

nesses across the country in a commitment to building a more Bicycle Friendly America. This is the first award to a business in the city of Kennewick, and the fourth in the Tri-City area, after Pacific Northwest National Laboratories, Greenies and Fuse, all in Richland. TriCU encourages bicycling by providing an outside bike repair station and outdoor water fountain, as well as bike storage inside the credit union for employees.

• Hayden Watson, chairman of Hayden Homes, has been recognized as the recipient of the 2019 Hearthstone Builder Humanitarian Award, presented annually by Builder Magazine and Hearthstone. The award honors those in our industry who demonstrate a lifetime commitment to making their communi-

ties a better place to work and live.

Watson has led Hayden Homes for nearly three decades, starting as CEO in 1999, and becoming chairman in 2016.

Under his leadership, the company ranks as one of the top 35 private home builders in the country, with an economic impact of more than $3 billion since inception.

Hayden Homes has provided more than 16,000 new homes in underserved markets throughout Washington, including in the Tri-Cities, Oregon and Idaho.

Hayden Homes commits 10 percent of profits including one eighth of one percent of every home sale to charitable causes. The trio of home building companies led by Watson have donated more than $18.5 million to a variety of causes including the nonprofit, First

Story, which puts a lower-income family in the position to buy a new home with no down payment and an interestfree loan. More than 80 percent of Watson’s employees contribute to this organization through a regular payroll deduction called “Give As You Go,” matched 100 percent by Hayden Homes. The nonprofit has more than $11 million in assets.

• Owner and CEO of Simple Box Storage, Ross Black, which has a location in Richland, was named Washington’s 2019 Small Business Person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration. It demonstrated growth in net worth and business expansion, increase in jobs and sales, innovativeness of products or services, response to adversity and contributions to community-oriented projects, according to the SBA. State winners were considered for a national award, which went to an Arizona company. Founded by Black when he was a high school senior in 1997, Simple Box Storage rents and sells shipping containers for storage, moving or modification.

unew hire Richland hires Texan as new police chief

The city of Richland has hired a Texan with more than 30 years of law enforcement experience as its new police chief.

John W. Bruce of Frisco, Texas, is scheduled to begin his Richland post in early June.

Bruce replaces Chris Skinner, who last year accepted a position as police chief in Eugene, Oregon. Jeff Taylor John W. Bruce had been serving as interim police chief Bruce has more than 30 years of law enforcement experience and comes to Richland after climbing the ranks within the city of Frisco’s police department, where he has served since 1996. He was named police chief there in January 2013, leading a department of 215 sworn personnel and 115 civilians in the fast-growing community, which has a population of more than 185,000 residents.

Bruce earned a bachelor’s in sociology in 1992 and a master’s degree in public affairs in 1994, both from the University of Texas at Dallas. Among his other educational accomplishments, Bruce completed Session 216 of the FBI National Academy and is an alumnus of the Leadership and Command College.

In addition, Bruce is committed to community involvement and participating on professional boards and organizations. He has served as an executive partner for the Children’s Advocacy Center since 2013.

John is an avid runner and outdoorsman. He is married to his wife, Anita, and they have two sons, who also are public safety professionals.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

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Time no obstacle to further education Vanessa Moore earned a degree at WSU Tri-Cities after 40 years of classes

BY MAEGAN MURRAY

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

A lifelong learner earned a bachelor’s in business administration degree by taking one class at a time over 40 years.

Vanessa Moore received her degree during Washington State University Tri-Cities’ graduation ceremony in May. She said earning the degree has given her a sense of professional security and Vanessa Moore knowledge she can use throughout the remainder of her professional career — especially at her job at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

“Getting my degree was important to me, and I wanted to finish it without accruing any student loans. The feeling of completion and accomplishment and knowing that I did well is so validating,” she said.

Her journey to her degree began after getting involved in a variety of business

Courtesy Washington State University Tri-Cities Recent Washington State University Tri-Cities graduate Vanessa Moore earned her bachelor degree after 40 years of taking classes while fitting it into married life, raising children and jobs.

programs in the mid-1970s as a student at Hanford and Richland high schools.

Moore said she always had a yearning to go into business.

She participated in the Cooperative Office Education program at her school, which was business-related, and also in Future Business Leaders of America.

She decided to attend WSU in Pullman to pursue business administration because she liked the smaller university size, compared with other public schools and the

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close-knit community. But shortly afterward, her plans shifted.

“My plan was to go for five years and get two degrees: one in accounting and the other in business administration,” she said. “But plans change.”

Moore got married in the spring of 1976 and afterward decided to continue with an associate’s degree at Columbia Basin College in Pasco.

There, while raising two sons, she took one class at a time before earning

her associate’s. The slow process allowed her to focus on her family. All the while, her husband managed his family’s business.

“I was fortunate to be a stay-at-home mom at the time, so I was able to take one class at a time and study,” she said.

“I wouldn’t have to be away from home that much. I could fit study time in between. And all the while, I could make sure there was no financial burden on our family.”

In 1985, Moore returned to the workforce, holding various positions with Bank of America until taking a job with a prime contractor at Hanford.

With improved financial security, she said complacency set in and she took a break from school. A few years later, however, she was laid off due to workforce restructuring.

Knowing that getting her bachelor’s would provide her with more job security, she decided in 2009 to go back to school for her bachelor’s at WSU Tri-Cities.

Once again, she took one class at a time.

“I never wanted to be in that position again — not having a bachelor’s,” she said. “I remember looking at the job postings when I wasn’t working, thinking, ‘Sure, I have years of relevant experience, but you have to have a degree.’ It motivated me to get back in and go until uEDUCATION, Page 50

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

43

Stawberries a popular local crop a century ago

BY EAST BENTON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

On May 31, 1912, Mayor Sylvester of Pasco and Mayor Lockerby of Kennewick each declared half holidays for their townspeople for one of the most elaborate strawberry festivals to be celebrated in the area.

A huge strawberry crop had set in motion this second annual Kennewick Strawberry Festival.

Merchants in both towns shuttered their doors that spring afternoon and volunteers from each of the notable dozen women’s organizations decorated a huge table on the lawn of the Wilkerson home to create a festive atmosphere.

Two special trains were arranged and carried Pasco celebrants across the Columbia River into Kennewick where host townspeople used virtually every automobile in Kennewick to greet the trains. The Kennewick greeters then gave their neighbors a tour of the town, followed by a four-piece orchestra floating a soft canopy of music as they pampered their palate with lush fresh-picked strawberries.

“Strawberries and cake were enjoyed by 400 Pascoites and 200 or more from Kennewick,” an accounting of the celebration reported. Those who attended, it was said, consumed 20 crates of berries and 60 cakes.

In the early years of the 20th century, strawberries grown in and around east Benton County earned a reputation for their quality and taste.

In 1911, Kennewick had promoted a berry festival offering the public as much strawberry shortcake as it could eat. It was heralded as the first Kennewick Strawberry Festival.

Strawberries had become a crop of note, and festivals often were fashioned around the growing season. In 1908, the Finley Development Club sponsored a strawberry festival. The idea was so popular that a planning session at the Finely schoolhouse was so crowded it was decided the festival itself could not be held there.

More than 300 people showed up at the Finley train depot for the event to enjoy strawberries, cake, coffee and cream for 25 cents a serving. They were entertained by speeches, recitations, and music.

The strawberry jubilee in early May 1914 at a down-

Kennewick strawberry fields enjoyed a regional reputation for their quality and taste, spawning festivals and competitive prices.

Courtesy East Benton County Historical Society town Kennewick hotel found the 800 festival goers treated to varieties of berries, different creams and a host of activities that included card playing and dancing.

World War I influenced arrangements for the June 1917 Strawberry Festival that was organized by fraternal organizations.

“The place of honor was given to those who had registered to serve in the war,” an historic accounting of that year’s festival noted.

“A special table was kept piled high with the choicest berries,” it was noted. A 10-cent dance was offered to anyone wanting to swirl with a partner, and 10 percent of festival proceeds “were donated to the Red Cross.”

Visiting and homegrown strawberry celebrants shared the 1923 festival in Kennewick’s Methodist Church. One Montana visitor was so taken by the delicious Kennewick berries and by the preparation of cakes by festival cooks, he consumed “seven generous helpings of strawberries, cream and cake.”

It all began with strawberries as almost an afterthought in the agriculture base of east Benton

County, a filler of land use while newly-planted orchards tried getting their footing in the earth.

Clearing land for strawberries was happening in 1903, and within a year, 100 acres were bearing fruit.

By 1906, 125 acres were planted in strawberries between rows of fruit trees to serve as a cash crop until the orchards matured into cash producers. A strawberry grower in 1909 could net $250 per acre.

The average monthlong harvest usually began in early May with ripening strawberries showing their colors, but Richland berries usually ripened a week or so before other strawberry crops in the region “because of south-sloping sandy soil.”

Joining Richland in its immediate vicinity as producers of significant strawberry crops were the communities of White Bluffs and Hanford, long before the arrival of World War II and the top-secret Hanford project.

Slogans were being put to early use: “The Land of the First Ripe Strawberries” was one for Kennewick in 1904. That year, Kennewick berries were so uSTRAWBERRIES, Page 44

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019 STRAWBERRIES, From Page 42 popular, they sold for $4 a crate in Spokane, while California berries went for $1.50 a crate.

Through the years, Kennewick-area strawberries were shipped to Butte and Havre, Montana; North Dakota; Salt Lake City; and to various Canadian cities, including Vancouver, Calgary and Regina.

Kennewick berries were treated free to passengers on Union Pacific and Northern Pacific trains routing through east Benton County.

On Wednesday, June 5, 1917, strawberries grown here were the toast of the Pacific Northwest.

“The Northwest paid tribute to the Kennewick-Richland strawberry again this year, as railway companies, leading hotels and restaurants, and retail dealers featured (their) strawberries,” one published story noted. “The Davenport Hotel in Spokane put ‘Kennewick Strawberry Day’ in red ink on their menus that day.”

Up to 400 pickers and packers were needed for harvest in the summit of the strawberry industry here, and many women and men, came from Seattle, Spokane, Walla Walla and other cities “eager to harvest the wealth of the now famous Kennewick valley.”

Interestingly, twice as many pickers proportional to acreage were needed in Richland compared to Kennewick “because the berries needed to be ready to go on the afternoon boat to meet evening trains in Kennewick,” it was reported during the 1912 harvest.

“Richland acreage would be materially increased if it were not for the disadvantage of hampered transportation facilities.”

On April 15, 1913, the Kennewick City Council voted to improve roads leading to train depots during the harvest season to prevent any threat to strawberry-bearing wagons because “the council means to come to the rescue in time to save the berries.”

In 1908, a special telephone was installed at the Finley train depot specifically to communicate with Kennewick about strawberries. In 1914, a special train service was inaugurated for the strawberry shipping season.

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

45

Hospitality is a timeless, stable career I’m often surprised at the number of people who don’t know what “hospitality” means, but I am always pleasantly surprised once I enlighten them. A happy face appears, as a warm memory traverses their heart to their head.

It’s clear good hospitality leaves a lasting, memorable imprint.

Marilou Shea Hospitality Food Truck shares the Academy same Latin root as “hospital” and that’s typically where the confusion comes in. Hospitality can be defined as the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors or strangers. It comes from “hospes,” a Latin word meaning host, guest or stranger.

Hospitality, the industry, is typically comprised of six sectors: food and beverage (hence why I’m covering hospitality in this column), attractions, conventions, cruises and lodging.

How do you define something when it seems indefinable? It seems to me that hospitality is about an experience best illustrated by genuine examples.

In biblical times, the three wise men serve as the quintessential stewards of hospitality. Bearing gifts is one example of hospitality to be sure. The Magi also traveled 800 miles to visit baby Jesus. The effort made to visit surely is part of this

hospitality equation because it certainly was rough going, with donkeys, dirt roads and do-it-yourself restrooms.

In colonial times, the pineapple reigned supreme as one of the most sought-after fruits to behold, and as such, became a high-end luxury sign of hospitality due to its popularity and scarcity. You may not have had a bejeweled crown but rest assured you were treated like royalty if you were served pineapple in any form.

Hence the term, “royal treatment.”

The pineapple was so insanely popular that clever confectioners finagled a sweet deal with inspired hostesses who couldn’t afford to buy the fruit for consumption: one could lease the fruit for display-only purposes. Today, you still see the pineapple motif displayed in many of the original colonial states because they pride themselves on their hospitality.

Though hospitality is today a growing industry, the need for qualified candidates has become a national epidemic. Ask anyone in the industry and they’ll tell you about the gaping need for qualified workers in all sectors.

From maintenance workers to breakfast attendants, sous chefs to front desk representatives, the industry is suffering a massive labor shortage. Why? There’s a stigma associated with hospitality workers, along with a perceived lack of training necessary to pursue it as a career path.

While many hospitality positions start at minimum wage, often the salary is higher because of the labor shortage and employers’ need for

workers with the right attitude: those who love to help people, provide exceptional customer service and want to learn.

Advancement in hospitality is typically rapid due to the lack of qualified candidates. And, the benefits are terrific, too.

The good news for the MidColumbia hospitality sector is apparent. According to the most recent data from the Washington Hospitality Association, restaurants and lodging in our community show stability and growth.

Take a look at the association’s data from 2014-17: The number of Benton County restaurants grew 7 percent, Franklin County, 20 percent.

Restaurant sales grew 25 percent in Benton County and 31 percent in Franklin County. Lodging sales grew 29 percent in Benton County and 19 percent in Franklin County.

As our trusted labor economist Ajsa Suljic reminds me, any growth is good growth. We’ve got a good thing going in the region: a plethora of hospitality jobs available, talented, capable individuals and untold opportunities throughout the hospitality sector to nurture and grow that kind of talent here. And we’ve got the perfect platform to connect the two - the Be Our Guest hiring event May 22 as part of the hospitality month. What’s not to love?

8 Food Love columnist Marilou Shea is an adjunct faculty member for Columbia Basin College’s hospitality program and Food Truck Academy, as well as the creator of Food Truck Fridays.

Hospitality job fair set for May 22

An upcoming hospitality job fair is planned from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 22 at Columbia Basin College’s Career and Technical Education building, off Argent Road on the Pasco campus.

The Be Our Guest hospitality fair, which is free and open to the public, is being offered by CBC, WorkSource Columbia Basin and the Washington Hospitality Association Education Foundation to celebrate hospitality month.

Job seekers should come prepared with a résumé and ready to be interviewed on the spot.

Available jobs range from hostesses, servers and sous chefs to dishwashers, housekeepers, maintenance and front desk representatives.

Bilingual candidates encouraged to attend, as interpreters will be available to offer translation assistance.

Participating employers include: Holiday Inn Express, Pasco; Dovetail Joint Restaurant; Home2 Suites by Hilton, Richland; CG Public House; The Lodge at Columbia Point; McDonald’s; Northwest by Southern Hospitality – Courtyard by Marriott, Richland, Hilton Garden Inn, Kennewick and Spring Hill Suites by Marriott, Kennewick; TownePlace Suites by Marriott, Richland Columbia Point; and Twigs.

Employers interested in participating in the event may contact Marilou Shea at mshea@ columbiabasin.edu or 509-543-1498, or WorkSource’s Carya Bair at cbair@esd.wa.gov or 509-734-5894.

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

Business Profile

Rock Steady Boxing puts a punch to Parkinson’s

Program helps balance, coordination in patients with Parkinson’s disease

BY KEVIN ANTHONY

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

The answer to the obvious question is “no.”

A boxing program for people with Parkinson’s disease does not include a lot of fist-to-face-type action.

Most of the participants already are in a pretty big fight.

Instead, programs like Rock Steady Boxing — a national program offered in the Tri-Cities by franchixees Tony and Gigi Valdez at Contenders Boxing Club in Kennewick — use elements of boxing training to work on balance, range of motion, hand-eye coordination and the like.

That’s not to say the punches don’t fly.

They just tend to land on a heavy bag or a punching dummy aptly named Parkinson’s Pat. “I got to hit the (punching mitts), and I felt, ‘Oh my god, this feels so good!’ ” Bill Stevens recalled of his introduction to the program. “It felt like I was fighting my Parkinson’s. I was really, truly fighting my Parkinson’s.”

As valuable as the physical workout is, it’s that sentiment — that they get to fight back — that perhaps is most important.

“They’re fighting a disease, so they

Photo by Kevin Anthony Debbie Crowley delivers a blow to the heavy bag as Gigi Valdez, left, holds it steady. Crowley is participating in Rock Steady Boxing, a national fitness program offered at Contenders Boxing Club in Kennewick for those fighting Parkinson’s disease.

can’t give into this,” Gigi said. “Once they get going, it’s kind of a high.”

Contenders offers three classes — one for those who still have most of their mobility, one for those who are severely limited and one for those in between.

Each class meets three times a week. The cost is $150 a month, or about $12 a session.

There are “sponsorships” for as many as 10 people, paying up to half of their membership in exchange for being an ambassador of sorts — attending expos and telling people about the program.

Word of mouth is how membership climbed from seven when the program first opened just over a year ago to 32 today.

A recent class for the more mobile participants started with them circling up, locking arms and using each leg to “write” the alphabet into the air in front of them.

They then broke into two lines across from each other and bounced balls back and forth.

The American Parkinson Disease Association says exercise is critical for fighting off symptoms — tremors, slowed movements and rigid muscles that lead to bad posture and loss of balance — and slowing the effects of the degenerative disease that has no cure.

The Rock Steady participants talk about the “Parkinson’s shuffle,” the slow, measured, slumped walk common to people with the disease who are afraid to take much of a step for fear of falling.

“One member came in doing the Parkinson’s shuffle, and after a couple of months, she was able to do this …”

Stevens said, hopping over a couple feet of floor, “... all the way across the floor.”

The gains may not sound like much — being able to walk backward, hop across the floor, etc. But to someone who could barely open the front doors of the gym on a first visit, the value is immeasurable in the fight for confidence and dignity.

“A wife who sits in the chairs (at the side of the gym) came up to me and said her husband put on his pants for the first time in two years,” Gigi said. “Another uPARKINSON’S, Page 48

Business Profile

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

47

Wine O’Clock celebrates 10 years

Prosser restaurant morphed from success of wine bar created when family moved winery out of home

BY JESSICA HOEFER

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

For the first five years of business, Bunnell Family Cellar operated out of the Susan and Ron Bunnell’s home. Located in the country, people visited by invitation, traveling down a gravel road to taste wines and visit with the couple.

That was in 2004, a time when the number of wineries in the state hovered around 300. But as Washington’s wine industry started to boom, the couple realized it was time to have a public façade beyond their family home.

“It was really important to us that people spend time with the wine and find the wine that was right for them.

And one of the ways to get people to slow down and really look at tasting is to put some food in front of them,” said Susan Bunnell.

And that’s how Prosser’s Wine O’Clock Wine Bar & Bistro came to be.

The couple hired Western Building Design LLC of Yakima to finalize the plans for the nearly $750,000 project at 548 Cabernet Court. Chervenell Construction broke ground in July 2008.

By January 2009, the Bunnells were ready for a soft opening.

“At this point, we were going to be a wine bar, and we were thinking we’d have flat bread, meat and cheese— real simple. I had the image of walking in the back door with a couple of bags of groceries. I kept thinking we’re

Photo by Jessica Hoefer

Co-owner Susan Bunnell and executive chef Kyle Meinecke of Wine O’Clock Wine Bar & Bistro in Prosser celebrate their 10th anniversary of wining and dining, pouring wines from Bunnell Family Cellar and Newhouse Family Vineyards labels, while serving meals from an upscale bistro menu. going to be able to keep this low-key,” said Susan, reflecting on the soft opening a decade ago. “It sort of kept expanding. People wanted a little more of this and that. ‘Can you add this to the menu?’ It kind of grew one dish at a time.”

After about three years, the menu expanded to include two entrees—one meat and one fish—a couple of salads, and appetizer and five pizzas. Today, there are about 20

employees on staff, including executive chef Kyle Meinecke.

The problem the business has run into is that after a decade, the restaurant has become so successful, customers don’t always realize they’re also at a winery, Susan said. uWINE O’CLOCK, Page 49

48

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

PARKINSON’S, From Page 46 guy in the class said, ‘I took a bath in the bathtub, and I was able to get out of the bathtub myself.’ ” As the opening warmup ended, the class formed three lines. The back line did side lunges, the middle “high knee” exercises, and the front started working on the heavy bags. Each participant stood with his or her back to the bag, then proceeded to rain down blows — a barrage of backward, overhead, double-fisted destruction.

Those on the heavy bags wore the biggest smiles.

Stevens and Ingrid Smith were among the original seven in the group. “They can’t get rid of me,” Ingrid laughed.

She said it is encouraging to see the change in herself and in other people, and she remembers what her life was like before she started the program.

“I used to get tired and have to nap all the time,” she said. “Now, I go all day without stopping.”

The physical work is huge, Ingrid said, but so is the attitude that comes from working in a group of people facing the same battle. Improvements instill confidence.

As the class progresses, the participants line up facing a pair of heavy bags.

Gigi and Tony grab hold of the bags from the other side and brace for impact as the rotation starts. One after another, the boxers step quickly to the bag and shout “One! Two!” as they deliver a combination, cycling again and again and again through the line.

The punching, Ingrid said, is one of the

best parts. She said it’s a way to deal with the latent anger that often accompanies a Parkinson’s diagnosis.

“People come in and say, ‘I can’t do boxing. I can’t do jumping jacks,’ ” Ingrid said, pointing across the gym. “You see that sign on the wall? It says, ‘No whining.’ There is no whining here. You will do it.”

That message – no whining, no feeling sorry for yourself – is best received from someone facing many of the same difficulties. It’s why the social aspect of the group is just as important as the physical.

“The people are the best part of it,” said David Bowles, who sat on the edge of the boxing ring waiting for his class to start. He’s in the session for folks who are less mobile.

Bowles was diagnosed with Parkinson’s about five months ago and has felt a lot of frustration, even with a great support system in place with his wife and two sons, one of whom is a nurse.

“It’s kind of depressing,” he said. “I got Parkinson’s. I got two to three years to live. And the medical doctors don’t seem to have any answers to anything.”

Coming down to the gym, being around others in the same boat, helps, he said. And, he added, his wife has noticed some physical improvements as well.

“They have such great spirit,” Tony said. “They’re all fighting a battle, even if each battle is different.”

Tony and Gigi were on a completely different path two years ago. A married couple with an entrepreneurial spirit, they also flip houses and operate a Facebook management company. Tony has owned Contenders for 12 years, taking it over

BUSINESS PROFILE from the previous owner. Gigi is a licensed physical therapist.

Their combined experience in boxing and physical therapy makes running a Rock Steady program seem a natural fit.

They were asked by Rock Steady back in 2016 if they were interested, and Gigi said there was interest from local Parkinson’s support groups. They weren’t convinced, but inquiries and mentions kept popping up.

“You know when something keeps showing up in your face,” Gigi said.

“That was Rock Steady.”

There is a Rock Steady program in Walla Walla, and Tony knows the gym owner. In the summer 2017, they decided to get a firsthand look at the program.

Watching the faces of the boxers and hearing their stories, the couple was — pardon the pun — knocked out.

“Driving home that night, Gigi had booked us the flights, signed us up for training,” Tony said. “She said there was just no way we were not going to do this.”

Soon they were attending a four-day program in Indianapolis — where Rock Steady originated in 2006 — for certification.

Rock Steady’s website touts 40,000 participants and 800 programs around the world, primarily in the U.S. There are an estimated 1 million people in the U.S. living with Parkinson’s. Tony said that includes about 350 in the Tri-Cities.

Along with Tony and Gigi, there are two coaches and up to four volunteers, and they’re always looking for more.

The couple envisions starting up a nonprofit to help pay for the program, with the goal of getting every membership down to $60.

The dream would be to start up a sort of center, broadening beyond physical workouts to life skills and education for family and friends.

But whatever happens down the road, Tony said that to him, it’s already a win.

“This is the best part of my day,” he said. “We’re definitely taking another path than we were on and shifting a little bit, but I couldn’t be happier.

“Everyone should be so lucky.” » Rocky Steady Boxing: Contenders Boxing Club, 5601 W. Clearwater Ave., Suite 104, Kennewick; 509-585-8863; rocksteadyboxingtc.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SVN | Retter & Company Welcomes James Wade & Aaron Rowe

CONTACT: Ben Murphy 509-737-9429 Ext.32 Ben.murphy@svn.com

Kennewick, WA— March 25th 2019 — SVN | Retter & Company, a full-service commercial real estate brokerage firm and part of the SVN® brand, is excited to announce the addition of James Wade and Aaron Rowe to our Commercial Sales & Leasing department.

James Wade comes to SVN with over 20 years in Commercial Real Estate and Development and brings with him a wealth on industry experience and local knowledge. James is well respected in the Commercial industry by Investors and Brokers alike, and is a huge addition to the SVN | Retter & Company team. You can find a selection of James’ current listings for Ale or lease in our fall page ad on page 2 of the Journal of Business, on the MLS and Loopnet or go to our website at www.svnretterandcompany.com Aaron Rowe comes to SVN after over 25 successful years in sales, primarily in the Medical industry. Aaron, a native of the Tri-Cities attended UCLA and lived in Los Angels for over 8 years. He returned in 2000 and has spent his years in the Medical sales industry traveling all over the country. He is excited to be spending more time in the Tri-Cities community, helping his clients reach their business and investment goals, and is bringing his proven track record, love for people and strong work ethic to the SVN | Retter & Company team of Advisors.

For more information on SVN | Retter & Company, visit www.svnretterand company.com.

Participating in approximately $12.1 billion in sales and leasing transactions in 2018, SVN Advisors shared commission fees with cooperating brokers in order to close more deals in less time and at the right value for clients. Advisors also reap the benefits of our SVN Live Weekly Property Broadcast, cloud-based leadingedge technology, and national product councils. This open, transparent and collaborate approach to real estate is the SVN Difference.

SVN | Retter & Company, go to www.svnretterandcompany.com 329 N. Kellogg St. Kennewick WA 99336

Subscribe at tcjournal.biz The Tri-Cities’ most

comprehensive & local business news source.

BUSINESS PROFILE WINE O’CLOCK, From Page 47 “They ask, ‘Where can we get the wines on the menu?’” she said. “And I say, ‘Here.’ ” Bunnell Family Cellar has 23 current release wines.

Along with the Brunnell label, customers can sample and buy wine from Newhouse Family Vineyards.

The brother and sister team of Steve and Marla Newhouse are 50-50 owners of the Wine O’Clock Wine Bar & Bistro building, and Ron Bunnell is the winemaker for both wine labels.

To remind guests they are at a winery, Susan would like to remodel the space near the garden area, opening up the wall on the west side of the building to establish a separate wine bar for a more traditional tasting experience.

“We’d like to be a place that isn’t a restaurant first and foremost,” she said. “We still have that special restaurant area, but also a place where people can do more traditional tasting.”

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019 The building has about 4,000 square feet of space, including an office area, kitchen and seating for about 36 people. Guests, who are a mix of locals and out-oftowners touring wine country, are encouraged to stay and enjoy wines while they dine. On average, it takes a table for two about an hour and a half to dine. For a group of six, tables are booked out for about two-and-ahalf to three hours.

By opening the left side of the building, Susan said she hopes to offer a more casual atmosphere for guests looking to taste rather than dine in an environment that would be less labor intensive.

Bunnell Family Cellar has about 400 wine club members, and while they can enjoy a glass of wine on the patio, the weather doesn’t always cooperate.

“It can be too hot or too cold or too windy. We’d like to have a space glassed in — an atrium — the patio feel but be casual and more quick service,” Susan said. “It’d be nice to have those two options and keep them separate.”

49

She said they’ve taken measurements but have no timeline on when they would start a remodel. Even though the restaurant fills up fast and reservations are recommended, there are always a couple of seats at the bar reserved for wine tasting.

“The reality is, people love to Instagram about food,” Susan said. “They feel more comfortable doing that about food than wine. From a marketing standpoint, it’s a plus. We have over 4,000 Facebook followers now.

That doesn’t happen at a winery if you have 3,000 cases or less. Those kinds of numbers just don’t happen. Even though we struggle for people to see us as a winery, we have more guests that come through that we can showcase to. It’s a matter of framing it properly for them—but at least they’re coming through the door.” » Wine O’Clock Wine Bar & Bistro: 548 Cabernet Court, Prosser; bunnellfamilycellar.com/wine-oclock; 509-786-2197.

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

EDUCATION, From Page 41

I was finished. You always want to be prepared.”

Moore said WSU Tri-Cities provided a great local option for higher education. She said many of her family members are also WSU Cougs. Moore’s brother, Duke Mitchell, also previously served on the WSU Advisory Council of Tri-Cities, in addition serving on the board at Columbia Basin College.

“Of the six of us siblings, four of us are Cougs,” she said. “It’s special knowing that you all have this connection to the same school.”

Duke said seeing his sister graduate from WSU after all these years was inspiring.

“In my opinion, higher education is one of the primary keys to success in life for everyone, not only now, but throughout history,” he said. “I am so proud of Vanessa … She has raised children and helped raise grandchildren and she has always been a great role model for everyone throughout the years. Her graduation from WSU now is just one more example of her strength and character.”

Vanessa said she relished her interaction with the diverse group of students on campus, as well as her professors.

Being older also allowed her to connect with younger classmates about current events, she said.

“I was able to provide my perspective of what it was like in the realworld, and I think some of the other students appreciated that,” she said.

She also enjoyed the classes. From her business programs, which is directly applicable in her current position as a staffing coordinator for the work-based learning department at PNNL, to her core curricular classes, ranging from history to science, she said there was always something applicable to her life to be gained.

Her business courses were taught by professors, who, in conjunction with their role as educators at WSU TriCities, also held current or former jobs in the business sector.

And while on her educational journey, Vanessa use what she learned to co-found three companies and guide two charitable organizations through the process to become a nonprofit.

She said she appreciates her family and employer’s support throughout the process.

“My husband, Leonard Moore, was so supportive of it all and patient in understanding why it was important for me,” she said. “He, I and the boys kind of went on this journey together … I am also thankful to my employer for the tuition reimbursement program, and to my colleagues. My manager at work was so excited for me when I finished.”

Moore encourages people to take advantage of educational opportunities while they are younger.

“It definitely got harder as I got older,” she said. “The ability to stay up late and study and remember it all. I noticed a big difference in my 60s as compared to my 40s.”

uRETIREMENTS • Deputy City Manager Stan Strebel has announced his retirement from the city of Pasco, effective June 14. Strebel has had a career in government for more than 40 years and has a broad knowledge of Pasco and the Tri-Cities, having served in his current position since July 2009 and, before that, as the city’s administrative and community services director for more than 10 years. Strebel has extensive professional experience in public management — serving 40 years as a senior local

government manager with more than 21 years as city manager or deputy city manager in three cities — and 12 years in executive level county government management positions. A decision on his successor is expected later this summer.

• Ronald K. Jetter, outgoing executive director of Heartlinks Hospice and Palliative Care of Sunnyside, recently was honored for 11 years of service. He oversaw the executive leadership of the Heartlinks Hospice team of 46 medical and support staff prior to his retirement April 26.

Heard it through the grapevine?

Get your news for those 55 and over from the Senior Times

Subscribe at srtimes.com

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

51

PUBLIC RECORD u BANKRUPTCIES Bankruptcies are filed under the following chapter headings: Chapter 7 — Straight Bankruptcy: debtor gives up non-exempt property and debt is charged.

Chapter 11 — Allows companies and individuals to restructure debts to repay them.

Chapter 12 — Allows family farmers or fishermen to restructure finances to avoid liquidation for foreclosure.

Chapter 13 — Plan is devised by the individual to pay a percentage of debt based on ability to pay. All disposable income must be used to pay debts.

Information provided by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Spokane.

CHAPTER 7 Alvaro Ramirez & Elvia Morales, 1150 S. Keller Place, Kennewick.

Scott A. & Theresa E. Gregg, 9148 W. Arrowhead Ave., Kennewick.

Joe H. & Michelle L. Stewart, 5600 Aloha Drive, West Richland.

Cherie L. Stubbs, 5810 Wallowa Lane, Pasco.

Michael W. & Carol Y. Hughes, 28 Apollo Blvd., Richland.

Ashely Herring, 223 E. 15th Ave., Kennewick.

Gale & Jovita Monk, 1407 W. 24th Loop, Kennewick.

Gifty Y. Asiedu, 4911 Truman Lane, Pasco.

Guy L. & Mary E. Lovelady, 6333 Homerun Road, Pasco.

Marina Mora, 8627 W. Canyon Ave., Kennewick.

Martin L. Rosenfeld, 4731 W. Hood Ave., Kennewick.

Antonio M. & Donna M. Aguilar, 2320 W. Sylvester, Pasco.

Lozano’s Empire LLC, 9715 Nottingham Drive, Pasco.

John P. & Stacy J. Bidleman, PO Box 235, Connell.

John & Lisa Crandall, 4219 S. Kingwood St., Kennewick.

Yesenia L. Murillo & Steven M. Smith, 711 S. 45th Ave., West Richland.

Allen Findlay, 512 Symons Street, Richland.

Juan A. & Shamika F. Zamora, 4513 Saint Paul Court, Pasco.

Efren Guerrero & Marta J. Menjivar Barrientos, 1716 W. Court St., Pasco.

Jose G. & Ashley Cabrera, 310 S. Cleveland St., Kennewick.

Maria L. Botello Rosales, 2528 E. Ella Court, Pasco.

Jason A. & Kim D. Eshelman, 181 Bitterroot Drive, Richland.

Ronald L. & Jessica M. Gray, 1614 Marshall St., Richland.

Evelia Vargas, 4002 W. Third Ave., Kennewick.

Brandy A. Drettwan, 4321 W. Hood Ave., Kennewick.

Samuel Salmeron & Priscilla Gonzalez, 919 S. Sixth Ave., Pasco.

Emily A. Meier, 1004 W. Margaret St., Pasco.

India Potts, 7207 W. Sixth Ave., Kennewick.

Nadine L. Steen, 1529 Columbia Park Trail, Richland.

Gregory J. & Patricia A. Smith, 4675 Arena Road, Richland.

Jessica Mancilla, 2704 W. Marie, Pasco.

Jeffrey & Jocelyn Jones, 1718 W. Nixon St., Pasco.

Robin Mahoney, 2961 Timberline Drive, West Richland.

Adriana Jimenez, 1 Ivy Lane, Pasco.

Yesenia L. Fabian, 4118 Montgomery Lane, Pasco.

Ashley D. Arguello, 194 Bitterroot Drive, Richland.

Julio C. Andrade Lopez & Leslie P. Blanco, 6117 Basalt Falls, Pasco.

Ryan J. Johnson, 504 Birch Ave., Richland.

Javier Polanco & Alma Guzman, 430 S. Fir St., Kennewick CHAPTER 11 Ricardo & Rosa Cantu, 150 Honeysuckle Road, Pasco.

CHAPTER 13 Elizabeth Mujica, 4212 Cochins Lane, Pasco.

Louis T. & Rhonda R. Johnson, 2207 N. Nevada Court, Kennewick.

Aimee D. Leseman, 1913 Cherry Lane, Pasco.

Robin L. Domina, 106 Hillview Drive, Richland.

Stuart A. & Alice J. Forbes, 4026 S. Zillah St., Kennewick.

William E. Yordy & Courtney D. Hamilton, 5202 S. Desert Dove Loop, West Richland.

uJUDGMENTS The state can file lawsuits against people or businesses that do not pay taxes and then get a judgment against property that person or business owns. Judgments are filed in Benton-Franklin Superior Court. The following is from the Franklin County Superior Court Clerk’s Office.

Adriana Flores, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed April 4.

Daniel Alvarez, unpaid Department of Revenue taxes, filed April 4.

From the Heart Homes, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed April 1.

Barajas Auto Body, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed April 1.

Alex B. Najera, MD, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed April 1.

Mallory L. London, unpaid Department of Revenue taxes, filed April 5.

TNL General Construction, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed April 8.

U Need Us Construction, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed April 8.

Figueroa Transport, unpaid Department of Licensing taxes, filed April 9.

Essential Planning Incorporated, unpaid Department of Revenue taxes, filed April 10.

Pacific King Relocation, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed April 10.

Lucy Bunglick, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed April 15.

Rafael Rodriguez, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed April 15.

Alberto Rodriguez, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed April 15.

Armando D. Villa, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed April 15.

Vilma D. Monroy de Moran, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed April 15.

Luis F. Pablo Mendoza, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed April 15.

Rebecca L. Percifield, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed April 15.

Kehaulani Walker, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed April 15.

Alfonso Ojeda, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed April 15.

Destonee Lippel, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed April 15.

Norma Castaneda, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed April 15.

Patrick S. Stevenson, unpaid Employment

Security Department taxes, filed April 15.

Akhil Bali, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed April 15.

Faith L. Hovde, unpaid Department of Revenue taxes, filed April 15.

Carlos Alvarez, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed April 15.

Jak Ventures, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed April 15.

D&S Concrete, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed April 15.

Mark A. Bennett, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed April 16.

Eric Villa, unpaid Department of LIcensing taxes, filed April 24.

Marisol del Campo, unpaid Department of Licensing taxes, filed April 24.

Vidal G. Guizar, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed April 25.

Alma V. Pineda, unpaid Department of Revenue taxes, filed April 25.

Reginald D. Calhoun, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed April 25.

Mario J. Avina, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed April 25.

Porfirio L. Rodriguez, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed April 25.

Audel Bravo, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed April 25.

Antonio G. Morales, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed April 25.

Joseph P. Pizzarella, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed April 25.

Justin Souza, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed April 25

uBUSINESS LICENSES KENNEWICK Electric Minds Learning Connections Center, 4203 W. Kennewick Ave. American Tower Asset Sub, 5003 W. Brinkley Road.

American Tower Asset Sub, 2901 W. Clearwater Ave. Shoreline Sign & Awning, 12101 Huckleberry Lane, Arlington.

Hinojosa Carpet, 7521 W. Victoria Ave. Double T Construction, 1243 Reser Road, Walla Walla.

Hope and Family Social Services, 2636 W. Bruneau Place.

The Living Room Community Church, 1409 S. Garfield St. Fresh Out the Box-Restaurant, 5215 W. Clearwater Ave. Trenchless Construction, 4103 241st St. NE, Arlington.

Ikon Marketing Group, 2034 Blue Ave., Richland.

Fredi’s Floor Care Service, 1509 Belmont Ave., Yakima.

Statewide Denture Services, 7233 W. Deschutes Ave. Elevation Enterprises, 719 W. 25th Ave. Aaron’s Sales and Lease, 5020 W. Clearwater Ave.

Merieux Nutrisciences, 5115 W. Brinkley Road.

L.A. Nails & Spa, 8417 W. 10th Ave. Florascapes West, 521 Dogwood Road, Pasco.

Steve’s Tire & Auto Repair, 4819 W. Clearwater Ave. Einar Frimodt & Sons, 24 Wayne Court, Burbank.

Sound Retina PS, 6695 W. Rio Grande Ave. Downtown Mercantile, 116 W. Kennewick Ave. Butterfly Cleaning Services, 4302 W. Hood Ave. West Infusion Nurses’ Network, 1903 243rd Place SE, Bothell.

SM Interpreting Services, 2525 W. Grand Ronde Ave. Tri-City Furnished Homes, 3311 W. Clearwater Ave. Boho Baby, 1108 S. Sharron St. Leo’s Wholesale Furniture, 3311 W. Clearwater Ave. Tri-Cities Animal Shelter & Control Services, 1312 S. 18th Ave., Pasco.

Jon Scott Floors, 1506 Cimarron Ave., Richland.

Jetstream Hoodcleaning and More, 416 S. Irby St. Southridge Church, 5209 W. Fifth Ave. Eddie’s Handyman, 1505 S. Road 40 E., Pasco.

Callahan Repair Services, 307 S. Roosevelt St. Wine Country Bully Rescue, 5298 S. Quincy Place.

Kennewick Suites, 321 N. Johnson St. Tri-City Plastering Detail & Stone, 213003 E. 22nd Ave. Markel Landscaping & Construction, 20505 W. Old Inland Empire Highway, Benton City.

Beejewelled Aromatherapy, 225 W. 53rd Ave. Star Group, 2526 W. 33rd Place.

Tri-City Legal, 7101 W. Hood Place.

Academy Mortgage Corporation, 8121 W. Quinault Ave. Kamiakin Lacrosse Club, 7123 W. Ninth Place.

Chills Froyo, 2909 S. Quillan St. G2 IT Services, 700 N. Montana Place.

EDC Irrigation & Landscaping Services, 1514 W. Sixth Ave. The Lash Studio, 5219 W. Clearwater Ave. Montana-Dakota Utilities, 8113 W. Grandridge Blvd.

Pacific Refrigeration, 4621 16th St. E., Fife.

Shamrock Traffic, 110 N. Hayford Road, Spokane.

Brock Construction Services, 1030 N. Center Parkway.

New Image Landscaping Complete Services, 4907 Sonora Drive, Pasco.

IO Management Company, 2628 W. Bruneau Place.

Palouse Power, 21 S St. SW, Quincy.

uPUBLIC RECORD, Page 52

COMMERCIAL NEW CONSTRUCTION

Office: (509) 416-2007 ctcbuilds.com Ted Ebbelaar, Commercial Construction Estimator/ Project Manager

TENANT IMPROVEMENTS PRE-ENGINEERED STEEL BUILDINGS

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

uBUSINESS LICENSES Mac’s 3 Electric, 11612 Seahawk Court, Pasco.

Eli S. Perfect Pets, 3902 W. Clearwater Ave. Bimini Medical Esthetics, 10121 W. Clearwater Ave. Dreamhaven Creative, 3525 E. A St., Pasco.

OM Cars, 206 W. Columbia Drive.

Noodle Thyme, 8530 W. Gage Blvd.

Unique Tile & Marble Service, 188405 E. 36th Ave. Ultimate Tax Services, 5601 W. Clearwater Ave. A+ Massage, 321 N. Columbia Drive.

O&E Concrete Services, 3712 W. Wernett Drive, Pasco.

Pillar Ridge, 518 E. Third Ave. Consider It Done, 5551 W. Umatilla Ave. Cannaconscious Massage, 3320 W. Ninth Ave. Venture Equipement & Rental, 6159 W. Deschutes Ave. Artistic Auto Group, 911 W. Columbia Drive.

Ayb Drafting, 7213 W. Sixth Place.

7-Cities Counseling Services, 1030 N. Center Parkway, Suite 318.

Superior Roofing, 527 W. Bonneville St., Pasco.

Tly Services, 4014 W. 34th Court.

Hilton Garden Inn Kennewick, 701 N. Young St. Matchbox, 4111 W. Clearwater Ave. SJ Anderson Homes and Design, 405 Barth Ave., Richland.

Heward Anesthesia, 1107 S. Reed St. Shine Master, 100 N. Irving Place.

Laughing Laurie Designs, 3814 W. 12th Ave. D&R Concession, 16 S. Kent St. Tri-Cities Infusion and Wellness Clinic, 7211 W. Deschutes Ave. Atomic Cleaning, 5120 W. Third Ave. Harkins Law, PLLC, 8350 W. Grandridge Blvd.

Wildflower Beauty, 7101 W. Hood Place. #SilentNoMore, 934 S. Huntington St. No2 Construction, 2017 W. Ninth Place.

H.E.L.M. Animal Sheltering, 2313 W. 21st St. Pro Quality Projects, 104 W. Corral Creek

Road NW, Benton City.

Flowers Home Store, 9328 W. Ninth Place.

Macroberts Handyman, 221007 E. Game Farm Road.

JV Homes & Design, 1528 W. Jay St., Pasco.

Hang Out Films, 2438 S. Tacoma St. Brand S Worm Ranch, 6707 W. First Ave. Citrine Piercing, 417 W. First Ave. Gaiaos Health Consulting, 1030 N. Center Parkway.

C&E Products, 2625 W. Bruneau Place.

R&A Auto Body, 205607 E. Schuster Road.

Goldslinger, 725 N. Center Parkway.

Elaina McCoy Photography, 4230 W. Third Ave. Birch’s Lawn Care, 611 W. 24th Place.

Smokin Joe’s, 427 W. 18th Ave. Vitas Construction, 1810 W. 32nd Ave. Curve Shark Productions, 722 W. 45th Ave. Highland Medical Imaging, 2028 W. 30th Place.

Laura’s Cleaning Services, 624 S. Garfield St. J&M Construction & Cleaning, 631 S. Hugo Ave., Pasco.

Cardenas All Around Construction & Remodel, 1204 11th St., Benton City.

Luna Quality Painting, 812 W. Octave St., Pasco.

Columbia Creative, 412 Adams St., Richland.

Janda Enterprises, 1108 W. 27th Ave. Johnny on the Spot, 351 Karria Lane, Mesa.

Fur Baby Whisperer, 1112 Perkins Ave., Richland.

3 Cities Refrigeration, 2839 W. Kennewick Ave. Hwy Hound, 3716 W. 17th Place.

King Cleaner, 407 W. Sylvester St., Pasco.

United Villa Transport, 1811 W. 21st Ave. C&S Food Mart, 1325 W. Fourth Ave. Fishan Custom Spangle & Tackle, 25703 S. Sunset Meadows Loop.

West Fire Safety Solutions, 4602 S. Green Place.

Badger Mountain Essentials, 10284 W. 18th Court.

Body by Steen, 3400 W. Clearwater Ave. Smith Painting, 8601 W. Yellowstone Ave. MSI, 1023 N. Kellogg St. To the Point Delivery, 404 S. Roosevelt St.

PUBLIC RECORD Lovely Ones, 1105 W. 10th Ave. Jose Landscaping, 4815 W. Clearwater Ave. PASCO All Wood Floors, 1416 W. Second Ave., Kennewick.

Savino Mechanical, 8200 W. Deschutes Ave., Kennewick.

Wild Rose Clinic, 531 W. Park St. Fiya Trucking, 1720 W. Irving St. Sunrise Quality Construction, 4210 Bond Lane.

Evolution Painting, 715 W. Agate St. Ochoa Ag Transport, 812 S. Myrtle Ave. Forward Operating Base Deliver Company, 1912 W. Shoshone St. Estafeta USA, 108 N. Fourth Ave. Yari’s Interpreting Services, 728 W. Henry St. Wise Stewards, 1809 Road 57 Place.

IO Management Company, 5615 Dunbarton Ave. Timothy Cleaning, 2316 Wade Court.

A&M Premier Construction, 200802 E. Game Farm Road, Kennewick.

Taqueria El Oso, 104 S. Oregon Ave. Plaza Imperial, 220 N. 18th Ave. Path Forward Homes, 4021 W. Nixon St. Hemy’s Cleaning Services, 5602 Coppercap Mountain.

C1 Distribution, 2601 N. Commercial Ave. Sierra Tech Manufacturing, 2601 N. Commercial Ave., Suite 4.

Kelley Rex Realty, 3121 Tuscany Drive.

R.D. Offutt Company-Northwest, 3411 N. Capitol Ave., Suite B. Pannonia Glass Company, 4321 W. Agate St. Thumbs Up Construction, 7803 W. Deschutes Ave., Kennewick.

AR General Construction, 932 W. Brown St. Pro Image Construction & Remodeling, 4731 Sedona Court.

Your Best Way Home Organization, 5509 Santa Fe Lane.

Imagine Behavioral Development Services, 7401 W. Grandridge Blvd., Kennewick.

Erik Johnson PR & Marketing, 17 Jasmine Lane.

E.S. Pro-Shield Painting & Flooring, 1508 W.

35th Loop, Kennewick.

Verduit, 2420 W. Court St. Affordable Custom Concrete, 2404 W. Opal St. Express Heating & Cooling, 3703 W. Kennewick Ave., Kennewick.

Vinci Homes, 1802 W. Fourth Ave., Kennewick.

Roen Associates, 121 S. Wall St., Spokane.

Cylinder Heads Repair, 2016 E. Lewis St. Oscars Lawn Care Services, 1512 N. 13th Ave. Floormart, 415 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane.

Ark Express, 1143 Pasco Kahlotus Road.

Orkin, 5113 Pacific Highway, Suite 1W, Fife.

Mac’s 3 Electric, 11612 Seahawk Court.

Big Creek Land Company, 1950 W. Bellerive Lane, Couer d’ Alene, Idaho.

Primo’s Lawn Care Services, 909 W. Margaret St. Dynamic Building Solutions, 4910 Sahara Drive.

DS Concrete Construction, 6729 Bitterroot Ave. Mar-Jon Labor, 1123 W. Court St. Simple Landscaping, 2706 Glendive Court.

Glez Painting, 113 Walnut St., Bingen.

JA Pro, 5622 Pierre Drive.

Earth & Ocean Systems, 428 W. Shoshone St. G&I Investments, 5700 W. Melville Road.

Gesa Credit Union, 2020 W. Argent Road.

Western Display Fireworks, 10946 S. New Era Road, Canby, Oregon.

Grit & Grind Concrete Polishing, 11404 Mathews Road.

Eden Mountain Contracting, 4813 Bilbao Drive.

Valdez Services, 1305 Road 48.

Mineer’s Home Maintenance, 2511 N. Fifth Ave. 4 Kings Construction, 5132 Truman Lane.

Mid-Columbia Dental, 6825 Burden Blvd., Suite B. GenX 200, 1408 N. 20th Ave. Clean and Pristine, 2016 S. Oak St., Kennewick.

Hinojosa Carpet, 7521 W. Victoria Ave.,

uPUBLIC RECORD, Page 53

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

PUBLIC RECORD uBUSINESS LICENSES Kennewick.

Lourdes Apparel & More, 7320 Road 48.

Shamrock Traffic, 110 N. Hayford Road, Spokane.

JRT Mechanical, 2211 SE Grace Ave., Battle Ground.

Advanced Fireproofing & Insulation, 19007 E. Alki Ave., Spokane Valley.

Ramgar Homes, 4003 Tusayan Drive.

Sky Hi, 3330 W Court St., Suite D. The Obstacle Circuit, 1720 N. 18th Ave. A&I Construction, 3005 Seabrook Court.

New Vision Floor Covering and Remodels, 715 W. Brown St. Travelers Destination RV Service Center, 3205 King Ave. Edgardo’s General Construction, 3006 Road 97.

CB Realty Management, 80341 Cooney Lane, Hermiston, Oregon.

RICHLAND Kestrel Home Inspection Services, 11 Blue Star Court, Pasco.

Chaplain Services Network, 576 N. 61st Ave., West Richland.

Marquel Dodson Photography, 2402 Morency Drive.

Simple Manner, 52 Quill Road, Republic.

RD Wingfield Financial Services, 1446 Spaulding Ave. Advanced Fire Systems, 3518 E. Everett Ave., Spokane.

Isela’s Janitorial & Maintenance, 1912 W. Ruby St., Pasco.

Rebel, 1512 Goethals Drive.

Cable Bridge Construction Services, 229 E. 27th Ave., Kennewick.

Image Fashions, 1356 Jadwin Ave. Kabob House, 2762 Duportail St. American Superconductor Corporation, 1840 Terminal Drive.

Millennial Homes, 1716 N. Road 56, Pasco.

Morrison Management Specialists, 1175 Carondelet Drive.

Gimmaka Enterprises, 930 S. Johnson St., Kennewick.

Socorro’s Cleaning, 1538 W. Howard St., Pasco.

Imagine Behavioral and Development Services, 7401 W. Grandridge Blvd., Kennewick.

Bay West, 2439 Robertson Drive.

Insulation Specialists, 12415 E. Trent Ave., Spokane Valley.

G.N.C. Cleaning Services, 98 Columbia Road, Burbank.

Reve Exteriors, 8318 W. Gage Blvd., Kennewick.

Collins Superior Cleaning Services, 305 Tumbleweed Court, West Richland.

Foreman Construction, 3919 W. Hood Court, Kennewick.

Tri-Cities Remodel Pros, 5252 Pinehurst St., West Richland.

Antonia House Keeping, 100 N. Irving Place, Kennewick.

Sake Express Sushi & Teriyaki, 2576 Queensgate Drive.

Sound Options, 3518 Sixth Ave., Tacoma.

Janes Gypsum Floors, 17075 Beaton Road SE, Monroe.

Asplundh Tree Expert, 20004 144th Ave. NE, Woodinville.

Matrix Consulting, 1930 Mint Loop.

TC Black, 1702 W. 25th Place, Kennewick.

Solstice Solar, 4406 Kubota Lane, Pasco.

Horn Builders, 1003 Chinook Drive.

Nice House’s Team, 1412 Alice St. DMGolf, 418 Broadmoor St. Mercer Consulting, 535 Charbonneau Drive.

Baxter Construction, 2521 River Road, Yakima.

Wood Iron Construction, 158102 W. McCreadie Road, Grandview.

CD Wine Ventures, 110 S. Fourth Ave., Pasco.

Evolution Nutrition Meal Prep, 8804 W. Sixth Ave., Kennewick.

JBA Anesthesia, 616 Melissa St. Ionx Tech, 2833 Monarch Lane.

The Laze Eye Holdings, 1384 Jadwin Ave. Inland Northwest Imaging, 801 S. Stevens St., Spokane.

New Castle Systems, 12504 Wide Hollow Road, Yakima.

TK Hudson, 840 Northgate Drive.

NS Construction, 9816 Chelan Court, Pasco.

Affordable Handyman Services, 606 Madrona Ave., Pasco.

Neill Construction Services, 2545 Daly Drive.

Empowered Health Institute, 503 Knight St. Thai Baan Khun Ya, 94 Lee Blvd.

Triple City Ballers, 1418 Mahan Ave. HMTC Training & Consulting, 7109 W. Wernett Road, Pasco.

The Folded Pizza Pie, 421 Wellsian Way. Minuteman Press, 214 Torbett St. New Vision Floor Covering and Remodels, 715 W. Brown St., Pasco.

VDM Trader, 2555 Leslie Road.

MB Sunshine, 1434 Johnston Ave. KE Fitness, 69803 E. 710 PRNE. Castlerock Custom Homes, 77004 E. Reata Road, Kennewick.

Holy Mother of Pearls!, 318 Barth Ave. RB Construction, 19207 Finley Road, Kennewick.

Mando’s Auto Recon, 451 Westcliffe Blvd.

EJ Construction, 611 S. Douglas Ave., Pasco.

Martin Electric, 5721 Salem Drive, Pasco.

Casper Family Dental, 725 Swift Blvd.

Precision Training, 1813 Hunt Ave. Roadrunners Insulation, 1519 W. Irving St., Pasco.

Knight Dental Solutions, 612 Meadows Drive S. Columbia River Premium Services, 575 Clermont Drive.

G2 Home Inspections, 7203 W. 13th Ave., Kennewick.

Edgardo’s General Construction, 3006 N. Road 97, Pasco.

Radiochemistry Society, 2411 Robertson Drive.

Livegrow Bio, 350 Hills St. 85 Decibles, 2302 W. 50th Ave., Kennewick.

Behavior Treatment Solutions, 403 Adams St. AR General Construction, 932 W. Brown St., Pasco.

Geppert Consulting, 2854 Sawgrass Loop.

Plus Media, 1155 Viewmont Court.

Emily Byers Photography, 3507 Hovley Lane, Pasco.

Dust Bunny, 4931 W. 24th Place, Kennewick.

53

Danielle’s Dance, 970 Allenwhite Drive.

Mineer’s Home Maintenance, 2511 N. Fifth Ave., Pasco.

Moonstruck Daydreams, 2149 Newcomer Ave. Evergreen Henna, 512 Lakerose Loop.

Spoken English Practice, 703 Symons St. Hygiene & Environmental Health Science, 1331 Goethals Drive.

Yizel’s Cleaning Services, 332 N. Bonneville St., Pasco.

G.A. Fitness, 2100 Bellerive Drive.

Scott Culley Design, 110 Jackson Court.

Wooden Sail Design, 1028 Cedar Ave. Ade Safety, 4213 W. 21st Ave., Kennewick.

On Time Taxi, 1621 W. Second Ave., Kennewick.

Rebecca Snow Estate Sale Services, 6046 W. Van Giesen St., West Richland.

Jan’s Cleaning, 3 N. Kellogg St., Kennewick.

Kelly’s Loving Care, 604 Punkie Lane.

Savvio, 404 S. Agua Mansa Court, Kennewick.

Rendon Construction, 2571 Aileron St. Dana Faith Photography, 1028 Kambeth Court.

One Stop Construction, 408 Douglass Ave. All Wood Floors, 1416 W. Second Ave., Kennewick.

Real Deals on Home Décor, 1364 Jadwin Ave. Ez-Fix, 710 George Washington Way. 575 Columbia Point, 575 Columbia Point Drive.

Palouse Environmental Services, 1045 N. Grand Ave., Pullman.

Influencer Press, 647 Southwell St. US Highway Transport, 1311 Winslow Ave. Jetstream Hoodcleaning and More, 416 S. Irby St., Kennewick.

Professional Service Cleaning, 2419 W. Seventh Ave., Kennewick.

Eaglecap, 109 Oakmont Court.

Rogue Builders, 33006 E. Red Mountain Road, Benton city.

Manhattan Project Armory, 1125 Oxford Ave. Pannonia Glass Company, 4321 W. Agate St., Pasco.

uPUBLIC RECORD Page 54

54

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

uBUSINESS LICENSES All-Star Flooring, 1781 Boston St. Tri-City Singles, 2411 Boulder St. Thumbs Up Construction, 7803 W. Deschutes Ave., Kennewick.

Performance Electric Service, 196006 E. Bowles Road, Kennewick.

Blackbirds Nest, 2035 Howell Ave. Betzsold Enterprises, 1600 Davidson Ave. Tri-City Plastering Detail & Stone, 213003 E. 22nd Ave., Kennewick.

Advantage IT Services, 640 Jadwin Ave. Glez Painting, 113 Walnut St., Bingen.

AV Maintenance & Repair, 931 W. Sylvester St., Pasco.

Ace High Printing, 213 George Washington Way. CI Construction & Consulting, 209609 E. Schuster Road, Kennewick.

4 Kings Construction, 5132 Truman Lane, Pasco.

Brooksnhart, 105 Skyline Drive.

Festival 509 Hop & Vine, 85104 E. Wallowa Road, Kennewick.

Mac’s 3 Electric, 11612 Seahawk Court, Pasco.

Act Now DME, 969 Stevens Drive.

E.S. Pro-Shield Painting and Flooring, 1508 W. 35th Loop, Kennewick.

The Seimei Spiritual Foundation, 611 The Parkway.

The Unique Toy Shop, 248 Williams Blvd.

Forever January, 211 Pacific Court.

The Fiber Guy, 24617 E. SR 224 NE, Benton City.

The Meeting Master, 1935 Davidson Ave. Palouse Power, 21 D. St. SW, Quincy.

Ramsay Construction, 385 Hanford St. Perfect Landscaping, 1004 N. Beech Ave., Pasco.

Clean and Pristine, 2016 S. Oak St., Kennewick.

Gargoram Carpet Cleaning, 5706 W. Hood Ave., Kennewick.

Random Flip, 1032 Wright Ave. High Rollers Waterfowl, 1406 Potter Ave. Captured Image Photography, 877 Cayuse Drive.

Simple Landscaping, 2706 Glendive Court, Pasco.

Catz in the Bag, 9202 W. Gage Blvd., Kennewick.

Kat Nielsen Photography, 505 Gillespie St. Express Heating & Cooling, 3703 W. Kennewick Ave., Kennewick.

Karisa Lynn Photography, 403 Benham St. Delorean Properties, 97809 Canyon View Drive, Kennewick.

Superior Framing TriCities, 33 Valleyview Circle.

Superior Roofing, 527 W. Bonneville St., Pasco.

Fit Moms Tri-Cities, 4883 Thrush Lane, West Richland.

Focused Financials, 1332 Marshall Ave. Precise Janitorial, 196 Bitterroot Drive.

Pixie Dust Cleaning Services, 1418 W. Sixth Ave., Kennewick.

Live Big Life Coaching, 667 Sedgwick Place.

Apogee Hanford, 1440 Battelle Blvd.

Titan Plastering, 935 W. Agate St., Pasco.

Simplified Cleaning Service, 4605 W. 12th Ave., Kennewick.

Bonnie’s Petal Patch, 2160 Falls Road, Pasco.

Little Caesars #208, 234 Symons St. Effleurage, 920 W. Canal Drive, Kennewick.

Bath & Body Works, 2741 Queensgate Drive.

WildLadyJ, 2153 Stevens Drive.

Express Care Richland, 601 George Washington Way. Mom Life Gear, 1406 McPherson Ave. Fulcrum Wealth Management Group, 705 Gage Blvd.

Raven & Rose Salon, 615 The Parkway.

Spokane Teachers Credit Union, 2590 Queensgate Drive.

Teal Boutique, 23801 N. Lamira Ave., Benton City.

First Storage Portable, 2856 Kingsgate Way. Little Big Therapy, 925 Stevens Drive.

Yorks Pest Control, 402 W. Washington Ave., Yakima.

Kecks Services Incorporated, 1850 Bronco Lane.

A Very Good Lawn Care Co., 504 Grader Court, Benton City.

Columbia Ridge Pools and Landscapes, 4021 W. Sylvester St., Pasco.

509DKDesign, 1927 Pike Ave. Bullseye Fencing, 5252 Pinehurst St., West Richland.

Pacific Refrigeration Operating, 4624 16th

St. E., Fife.

The Grounds Guys of Kennewick, 23105 S. Verbena St., Kennewick.

OM Neuro, 400 Columbia Point Drive.

MAS Construction, 1312 W. 14th Ave., Kennewick.

Unwin Company, 303 Bradley Blvd.

Home Appliance Liquidator, 3517 W. Clearwater Ave., Kennewick.

Providence Children’s Specialty Clinic, 112 Columbia Point Drive.

Horn Rapids Golf Course, 2800 Clubhouse Lane.

Infinite Welding & Ornamental Iron, 2602 S. Johnson St., Kennewick.

Lux Drywall & Paint, 7812 Rush Creek Drive, Pasco.

BR Building Co, 73 S. Gose St., Walla Walla.

Anthony’s Art Runing, 405 S. Dawes St., Kennewick.

Stratum Concrete, 412 N. Ninth Ave., Pasco.

Horn Rapids RV Service & Sales, 2411 Robertson Drive.

Tracer Fencing, 3125 Deserthawk Loop.

Sage Education, 1777 Terminal Drive.

Scott McDonald Painting, 1008 N. Road 48, Pasco.

Crystal Nails & Spa NW, 129 Gage Blvd.

Homeplate, 233 W. 52nd Ave., Kennewick.

Sunrise Quality Construction, 4210 Bond Lane, Pasco.

JH Construction, 8703 Packard Drive, Pasco.

Columbia Shores Regenerative Health, 132 Keene Road.

IT Haven Pro, 470 Smoketree Place.

Flamingco, 509 Austin Drive, West Richland.

Columbia River Forestry, 1029 Sanford Ave. Barajas Heating, 2105 N. Steptoe St., Kennewick.

Eagle Eye Drywall & Construction, 2512 E. Alvina St., Pasco.

Nexuspoint Technical Solutions, 1846 Terminal Drive.

Tacos El Gordo, 1335 Lee Blvd.

Unique Tile & Marble Service, 188405 E. 26th Ave., Kennewick.

New 2 U Kids, 1382 Jadwin Ave. Essentially Kneaded, 519 Sixth St., Prosser.

Dynamic Building Solutions, 4910 Sahara Drive, Pasco.

Barrk Pet Wash, 710 George Washington Way. Ayb Drafting, 7213 W. Sixth Place, Kennewick.

W.Y.N.N., 1215 Aaron Drive.

Pioneer Landscaping & Fencing Services, 617 S. Elm Ave., Pasco.

Angels Solution, 427 Columbia Point Drive.

Wingstop, 121 Gage Blvd.

Rao IT, 1955 Jadiwn Ave. Angela’s General Construction, 210004 E. Bryson Brown Road, Kennewick.

Luna Quality Painting, 812 W. Octave St., Pasco.

Alvarez Heating & Air Conditioning, 2130 W. 51st Ave., Kennewick.

WEST RICHLAND Rotschy, 34627 NE 225th Court, Yacolt.

Evens Enterprises, 97303 E. Sagebrush Road, Kennewick.

All Jacked Up, 321 W. 10th Ave., Kennewick.

Basalt Pacific Holdings, 28503 S. 816 PRSE, Kennewick.

Adept Construction, 4125 S. Driftwood Drive, Spokane Valley.

Pur Clean, 1360 Florida Ave., Richland.

K.M. Schultz Earthworks, 305 N. Road 35, Pasco.

All Trades Contracting, 3324 W. 19th Ave., Kennewick.

Affordable Painting Company, 4202 W. 34th Ave., Kennewick.

JV Homes & Design, 1528 W. Jay St., Pasco.

Good Fun Studio, 1432 Jade Ave. Ansony S. Mobile Detail Wash, 6401 Morrison St. HCS, 1236 N. California Ave., Pasco.

A+ Professional Cleaning Service, 207 N. Cedar Ave., Pasco.

Cleaner Q, 3031 Grand Ave., Billings, Montana.

Ultimate Roofing, 506 W. 19th Ave., Kennewick.

Jim Cleaning, 7471 Road 170, Mesa.

L&S Painting Services, 1714 S. Gum St., Kennewick.

HotDiggidyDogsCatering, 4704 Hilltop Drive, Pasco.

West Richland Event Central, 5828 W. Van Giesen St. L&B Stitching, 4605 Kennedy Road.

Pyramid Painting & Construction, 904 Sanford Ave., Richland.

PUBLIC RECORD Huckaby’s Tree Service, 1031 Winslow Ave., Richland.

Corona Custom Homes, 4921 W. Octave St., Pasco.

Casillas Lawn Care & Landscaping, 201 Geiger Drive, Pasco.

Geo Construction Services, 324 N. Arthur St., Kennewick.

A&M Communications, 202 NE 181st Ave., Portland, Oregon.

RSP Consulting, 6123 Ironton Drive.

Nissen Project Services, 5204 S. Desert Dove Loop.

King Custom, 8806 Sophie Rae Court, Pasco.

Bella Noelle, 2900 S. 38th Ave.

uBUSINESS UPDATE NEW BUSINESSES Community Thrift has opened at 303 Wellsian Way in Richland. The store resells gently used clothing, furniture and décor. Fund generated from sales will benefit local community projects and nonprofits. Hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week. Contact: 509-3151970, communitythrift.shop.

Crimson Vine Marketing has opened at 4001 Kennedy Road, Suite 5 in West Richland. The business offers marketing, search engine optimization, website design and maintenance, videography, photography, graphic design and more for wineries. Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Contact: 509-537-1616, crimsonvinemarketing. com.

Havana Café has opened at 404 W. Lewis St. in Pasco. The restaurant serves traditional Cuban cuisine including Empanadas, roasted chicken and pork, rice, beans, plantains, Cuban coffee and more. Contact: 509-7921223, havanacafepasco.com.

Nuketown Beard Co. has opened in the Tri-Cities. The business offers affordable beard oils and balms made with natural and organic ingredients. Hours: by appointment. Products are also sold at select local barber shops.

Contact: 509-792-6221, nuketownbeardco. com.

Rattlesnake Mountain Skydiving has opened at the Prosser Airport, 111 Nunn Road.

The business offers a full range of skydiving services including tandem skydives, skydive coaching, parachute packing, skydive photography and videography, etc. Hours: 8 a.m. until sunset Friday through Sunday. By appointment only November through April. Contact: 509-788-8686, rattlesnakemountainskydiving. com.

Silos Sports Bar & Grill has opened at 12125 W. Clearwater Ave. in Kennewick. The restaurant serves beer, spirits, appetizers, sandwiches, pizza, burgers and other entrees.

It is a 21-years and over establishment. Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. Contact: 509-6276766, Facebook.

ADDITIONAL LOCATION Bright Now! Dental has opened a new office at 2764 Duportail St. in Richland. Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Saturday. Contact: 509-866-4335, brightnow. com.

MOVED Ekin Nutrition (formally Max Muscle) has moved to 110 Gage Blvd. in Richland. Contact: 509-579-0292, Facebook.

The Law Offices of Robert TaylorManning has moved to 1030 N. Center Parkway in Kennewick. Contact: 509-8665222, taylor-manning.com.

Pasco Vision Clinic has moved to 2715 W. Court St. in Pasco. Contact: 509-547-8409, pascovisionclinic.com.

CLOSED Chico’s Tacos at 7704 W. Clearwater Ave. in Kennewick has closed.

Crazy 8 in Columbia Center Mall in Kennewick has closed.

Gymboree in Columbia Center Mall in Kennewick has closed.

Shopko Hometown at 471 Wine Country Road in Prosser has closed.

Shopko at 867 N. Columbia Center Blvd. in Kennewick has closed.

uBUILDING PERMITS Building permit values have been rounded to the nearest hundred figure.

BENTON COUNTY Benton County, 102206 E. Wiser Parkway, $859,800 for new commercial construction.

Contractor: Banlin Construction.

Wyckoff Farms, 166301 Lemley Road, $2,389,200 for new commercial construction.

Contractor: Columbia River Steel & Construction.

Harvest Heights, 137205 Locust Grove Road, $478,700 for new commercial construction.

Contractor: C&E Trenching.

Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, 187300 S. 221 Highway, $85,400 for HVAC. Contractor: Campbell & Company.

Michael Shemali, 235706 E. Legacy PRSE, $463,700 for commercial remodel. Contractor: owner.

Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, undisclosed address, $1,431,600 for new commercial construction. Contractor: owner.

FRANKLIN COUNTY Layney Enterprises, 121 E. First St., Mesa, $1,726,000 for new commercial construction.

Contractor: Stueve Construction.

Allied Potato Northwest, 3082 Glade North Road, Pasco, $28,800 for new commercial construction. Contractor: Correll’s Scale Service.

WA State Migrant Council, 281 First Ave., Mesa, $7,000 for tenant improvments.

Contractor: Nimo General Construction.

Semmaterials, 3152 Selph Landing Road, Pasco, $10,400 for commercial addition.

Contractor: All American Barns.

KENNEWICK Craig Eerkes, 4810 W. Hildebrand Blvd., $1,000,000 for new commercial construction, $50,000 for HVAC and $35,000 for plumbing.

Contractors: LCR Construction, Josh Bray Plumbing and Apollo Sheet Metal.

Kennewick Hospital District, 701 N. Young St., $9,000 for mechanical. Contractor: Dependable Plumbing.

Kennewick School District, 1229 W. 22nd Place, $17,000 for commercial remodel.

Contractor: SAC Wireless.

Benton County PUD, 1500 S. Ely St., $7,300 for HVAC. Contractor: Bruce Heating & Air. Luxe Property Management, 10505 W. Clearwater Ave., $180,000 for tenant improvements, $19,500 for HVAC and $8,000 for plumbing. Contractors: Banlin Construction, Welch Heating & Air Conditioning and Fusion Plumbing.

Carl McCoy Heritage, 1400 W. 27th Ave., $30,100 for commercial remodel. Contractor: Robinson Construction & Remodel.

Kennewick Associates, 7303 W. Canal Drive, $9,700 for HVAC. Contractor: Bruce Heating & Air. MJY-GSI Inc., 2811 W. Second Ave., $8,000 for HVAC. Contractor: Campbell & Company.

Five Star Associates, 7221 W. Deschutes Ave., $5,200 for HVAC. Contractor: Dayco Heating & Air. Baker Boyer Bank, 1149 N. Edison St., $5,800 for HVAC. Contractor: Apollo Sheet Metal.

American Tower, 2914 W. Clearwater Ave., $5,000 for an antenna. Contractor: Gardner Telecom.

S&S Kennewick, 2914 W. Clearwater Ave., $5,000 for tenant improvements. Contractor: Coda Construction.

GR 1, 8101 W. Grandridge Blvd., $8,000 for a sign. Contractor: Mustang Sign Group.

FC4, 2909 S. Quillan St., $5,000 for a sign.

Contractor: Mustang Sign Group.

House of Restoration, 310 W. Kennewick Ave., $30,000 for commercial construction.

Contractor: V&R Construction.

Church of Christ, 215 E. Fourth Ave., $12,000 for commercial reroof. Contractor: Above the Rest Roofing.

Tom Maiden, 6713 W. Clearwater Ave., $7,000 for commercial remodel. Contractor: MP Construction.

Port of Kennewick, 313 E. Columbia Gardens Way, $990,300 for new commercial construction, HVAC and Plumbing. Contractors: Banlin Construction, Total Energy Management and Josh Bray Plumbing.

Faram, 117 W. Kennewick Ave., $361,000 for commercial remodel, $51,000 for HVAC and $16,000 for plumbing. Contractors: Pearce Moody Construction, Apollo Heating & Air and

uPUBLIC RECORD, Page 55

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

PUBLIC RECORD uBUILDING PERMITS Columbia Basin Plumbing.

Packard & Sons Investments, 114 N. Edison St., $51,400 for a sign. Contractor: Cascade Sign & Fabrication.

Mendoza Properties, 518 W. Columbia Drive, $10,000 for a sign. Contractor: YESCO. Ray & Sons Construction, 2615 W. Vancouver St., $60,000 for new commercial construction, $5,000 for HVAC and $5,000 for plumbing. Contractors: Lotts Better Built Homes, Chinook Heating & Air and Kohler Plumbing.

Kennewick School District, 930 W. Fourth Ave., $12,700,000 for new commercial construction, $1,400,000 for HVAC and $368,000 for plumbing. Contractors: Chervenell Construction, Total Energy Management and BNB Mechanical.

Columbia Mall Partnership, 1321 N. Columbia Center Blvd., $49,000 for commercial remodel. Contractor: Synergy Contracting.

Heatherstone ICG, 1114 W. 10th Ave., $241,000 for commercial remodel. Contractor: Walker Construction.

Washington Trust, 3250 W. Clearwater Ave., $9,500 for HVAC. Contractor: Bruce Heating & Air. CC West Properties, 8318 W. Gage Blvd., $5,300 for HVAC. Contractor: Delta Heating & Cooling.

Kennewick School District, 409 S. Dayton St., $9,900 for demolition. Contractor: Ray Poland & Sons.

Community First Bank, 8131 W. Grandridge Blvd., $5,500 for HVAC. Contractor: Dayco Heating & Air. PASCO Lakeshore Investments, 1123 W. Court St., $20,000 for commercial remodel. Contractor: to be determined.

Columbia Basin College, 2600 N. 20th Ave., $34,100 for tenant improvements. Contractor: Burton Construction.

Donald Cobb, 103 N. Fourth Ave., $15,000 for a sign. Contractor: Eagle Signs.

Parr Lumber Company, 2105 N. Commercial Ave., $33,300 for commercial addition.

Contractor: Romm Construction.

Shiva Financial, 110 S. Elm Ave., $13,000 for new commercial construction. Contractor: to be determined.

City of Pasco, 525 N. Third Ave., $45,600 for a fire alarm system. Contractor: Johnson Controls Fire Protection.

Deanna Tom, 5506 Road 68, $26,600 for tenant improvements. Contractor: to be determined.

US West Inc, 707 W. Lewis St., $270,600 for HVAC. Contractor: 1st Air Mechanical.

Pasco School District, 9011 Burns Road, $12,767,000 for new commercial construction.

Contractor: to be determined.

BNSF Railway Company, 4920 N. Railroad Ave., $20,800 for HVAC. Contractor: Apollo Sheet Metal.

Port of Pasco, 3202 Swallow Ave., $6,900 for a sign. Contractor: Cascade Sign & Fabrication.

CHM Development, 2110 W. Henry St., $9,800 for HVAC. Contractor: Campbell & Company.

Ewers Porperties, 1315 E. Saint Helens St., $8,600 for HVAC. Contractor: Jacobs & Rhodes.

RICHLAND Boost Builds, 1100 Jadwin Ave., $845,000 for tenant improvements. Contractor: Chervenell Construction.

Port of Benton, 2952 George Washington Way, $170,000 for tenant improvements.

Contractor: Brown Bear Construction.

Waltrust Properties, 1601 George Washington Way, $16,000 for HVAC. Contractor: Bruce Heating & Air. Waltrust Properties, 585 Gage Blvd., $16,000 for HVAC. Contractor: Bruce Heating & Air. JLW Asset Management, 2373 Jericho Road, $218,400 for tenant improvements. Contractor: Aura Homes.

Washington Securities & Investments, 2222 Keene Road, $600,000 for new commercial construction. Contractor: LCR Construction.

Columbia Basin College, 940 Northgate Drive, $3,000,000 for tenant improvements.

Contractor: DGR Grant Construction.

Brendin Phillips, 1324 Jadwin Ave., $30,000 for tenant improvements. Contractor: 509 Builders.

Bellerive Place, 140 Gage Blvd., $28,000 for commercial reroof. Contractor: All City Roofing.

Port of Benton, 2102 Butler Loop, $374,600 for new commercial construction. Contractor: Hold Short.

Kadlec Regional Medical Center, 1096 Goethals Drive, $396,000 for HVAC. Contractor: Apollo Sheet Metal.

Parktrail, 1333 Columbia Park Trail, $28,000 for commercial reroof. Contractor: JR Swigart Co. Lamb Weston, 2011 Saint St., $13,500 for HVAC. Contractor: Campbell & Company.

Shilo Inn, 50 Comstock St., $18,100 for plumbing. Contractor: Campbell & Company.

City of Richland, 530 Columbia Point Drive, $8,700 for HVAC. Contractor: Apollo Sheet Metal.

City of Richland, 710 Gage Blvd., $300,000 for tenant improvements. Contractor: Cliff Thorn Construction.

Energy Northwest, 3000 George Washington Way, $98,000 for tenant improvements.

Contractor: Vincent Brothers.

River Walk Village, 404 Bradley Blvd., Suite 100, $20,000 for tenant improvements.

Contractor: R Peterman Construction.

Sage Corner Alliance, 660 Symons St., $27,300 for commercial reroof. Contractor: JR Swigart Co. WEST RICHLAND City of West Richland, 3100 Belmont Blvd., $490,000 for tenant improvements. Contractor: owner.

Shannon Doyle, 4900 Paradise Way, $5,000 for a sign. Contractor: Mustang Sign Group.

Tapteal Elementary School, 705 N. 62nd Ave., $19,000,000 for new commercial construction. Contractor: Fowler General Construction.

uTOP PROPERTIES

Top property values listed start at $500,000 and have been rounded to the nearest hundred figure.

BENTON COUNTY 4810 W. Hildebrand Blvd., Kennewick, 1 acre of commercial land. Price: $550,000. Buyer: HF Pasco LLC. Seller: Craig & Marilee Eerkes.

1800 W. 51st Ave., Kennewick, 2,005-squarefoot, residential home. Price: $515,000. Buyer: Joseph & Casey Horn. Seller: Garth & Rachel Everhart.

Undetermined location, Richland, 52.76 acres of commercial land. Price: $5,200,000.

Buyer: Pahlish Homes at Horn Rapids. Seller: North Stone Richland.

84403 E. Tripple Vista Drive, Kennewick, 0.5 acres of undeveloped land. Price: $529,900.

Buyer: Youngki & Sangwon Chung. Seller: AAA Renovation & Construction.

2915 Van Giesen St., Richland, 2,522-squarefoot, residential home on 14 acres. Price: $690,000. Buyer: Damelon & Jessica Stoker.

Seller: Kraig Williams.

2950 Sunshine Ridge Road, Richland, 2,413-square-foot, residential home. Price: $785,000. Buyer: Michaael & Kirstten Pratt.

Seller: Mark & Sandra Questad.

2621 Quarterhorse Way, Richland, 3,970-square-foot, residential home on 0.8 acres. Price: $715,000. Buyer: Dana Carter.

Seller: Celeste & Tom Nelson.

83205 E. Wallowa Road, Kennewick, 2,889-square-foot, residential home. Price: $530,000. Buyer: Conner & Kelsey Webb.

Seller: Gretl J. Crawford Interiors.

6757 W. 23rd Ave., Kennewick, 2,311-squarefoot, residential home. Price: $680,500. Buyer: So Yon & Reinyn Bedlington. Seller: Tegpal Atwal & Kirandeep Khangura.

28708 S. 816 PRSE, Kennewick, 2,436-square-foot, residential home on 2.97 acres. Price: $739,900. Buyer: Badger Canyon 816. Seller: Garrick & Kim Mickelsen.

1537 W. 52nd Ave., Kennewick, 1 lot of undeveloped land. Price: $580,200. Buyer: Christopher Banks & Rosa Torres. Seller: Mark Vincent Construction.

136 Andrea Lane, Richland, 3,434-squarefoot, residential home. Price: $500,000. Buyer: Colin & Glynis Skowronski. Seller: Albert & Lori Peterson.

2852 Karlee Drive, Richland, 2,807-squarefoot, residential home on 0.77 acres. Price: $539,900. Buyer: Rick & Amy Nixon. Seller: Troy & Shauna Allred.

214 Reata Road, Richland, 2 acres of commercial land. Price: $871,200. Buyer: Ttap Construc-tion Services. Seller: Steven & Susan McDonald Trustees.

2676 & 2600 N. Columbia Center Blvd., Richland, 211,454-square-foot, commercial building

on 8.65 acres. Price: $4,500,000. Buyer: BWR Holdings. Seller: Columbia Center North.

321 N. Johnson St., Kennewick, 27,170-square-foot, commercial building. Price: $2,775,000. Buyer: RP Hotels. Seller: Aman Bins Investors.

8573 W. 11th Ave., Kennewick, 1 lot of undeveloped land. Price: $536,700. Buyer: Ronald Linhoff. Seller: TMT Homes NW. 99809 E. Michelle Drive, Kennewick, 2,673-square-foot, residential home on 2.19 acres. Price: $540,000. Buyer: Amy & Perry McBreairty. Seller: Juan Ochoa-Verastegui.

3702 S. Highlands Blvd., West Richland, 2,577-square-foot, residential home on 0.93 acres. Price: $562,500. Buyer: John Manterola.

Seller: Kiyotsugu Hori & Michelle Wittouck-Hori.

2119 Legacy Lane, Richland, 1 lot of undeveloped land. Price: $510,000. Buyer: Ang & Yanfei Li. Seller: Pahlisch Homes at Westcliffe Heights.

26806 S. 1005 PRSE, Kennewick, 1,200-square-foot, residential home on 5 acres.

Price: $510,000. Buyer: Daniel & Heather Nickolaus. Seller: Robert & Katherine Miller.

Undetermined location, Kennewick, 2,322,25 acres of agricultural land. Price: $2,505,200.

Buy-er: South Kennewick Investors. Seller: Kennewick Liquidating Trust.

1141 N. Edison, Kennewick, 3,577-squarefoot, commercial building. Price: $621,600.

Buyer: Seahurst. Seller: LIC. 1141 N. Edison St., Kennewick, 2,223-squarefoot and 2,256-square-foot, commercial buildings. Price: $778,400. Buyer: Seahurst. Seller: Tyler & Noelia Haberling.

89009 Summit View Drive, Kennewick, 2,773-square-foot, residential home on 1.1 acre. Price: $1,130,000. Buyer: Olaf Kolzig & Marie Christin. Seller: Thomas & Sandy Sedlacek.

4898 S. Olson St., Kennewick, 1 lot of undeveloped land. Price: $798,900. Buyer: Wayne & Carol Miller. Seller: Ron Asmus Homes.

2611 Falcon Lane, Richland, 1 lot of undeveloped land. Price: $522,900. Buyer: David Pandzhakidze & Irina Mukhametzyanova. Seller: Prodigy Homes.

1709 Milan Lane, Richland, 1 lot of undeveloped land. Price: $588,400. Buyer: Arvid & Christine Wikstrand. Seller: P&R Construction.

FRANKLIN COUNTY 3361 Rangeview Road, 161.3 acres of agricultural land. Price: $2,908,800. Buyer: MLMG. Seller: Conner/Lee Vineyards.

6806 Bitterroot Ave., Pasco, 3,213-squarefoot, residential home. Price: $530,700. Buyer: Eriberto & Maria Frias. Seller: New Tradition Homes.

12204 Blackfoot Drive, Pasco, 3,251-squarefoot, residential home. Price: $637,600. Buyer: Jeremias & Jordan Garza. Seller: Hammerstrom Construction.

Undisclosed location, 120.26 acres of agricultural land. Price: $1,200,000. Buyer: Case & Amy Vandermeulen. Seller: Terra 26.

Undisclosed location, 104.2 acres of agricultural land. Price: $1,350,000. Buyer: Ryan & Krystal Theroff. Seller: Ice Land.

Undisclosed location, 218.1 acres of agricultural land. Price: $3,500,000. Buyer: Othello Blue-berry. Seller: Ice Land.

6818 Bitterroot Ave., Pasco, 3,510-squarefoot, residential home. Price: $599,700. Buyer: Jere-my & Elizabeth Bishop. Seller: New Tradition Homes.

7192 Columbia River Road, Pasco, 3,327-square-foot, residential home on 7.35 acres. Price: $1,350,000. Buyer: Trevor & Shelly Broetje. Seller: Louis & Margaret Field.

uLIQUOR LICENSES Information provided by the Washington State Liquor Board.

BENTON COUNTY NEW APPLICATIONS Dan’s Market, 424 S. Gum St., Kennewick.

License type: grocery store beer/wine.

Application type: new.

Jade’s British Girl Treats, 1115 Grant Ave., Prosser. License type: beer/wine restaurant.

Application type: new.

Rockabilly Roasting Co., 101 W. Kennewick Ave., Suite A, Kennewick. License type: direct shipment receiver in Washington only’ beer/ wine restaurant; off premises. Application type: added/change of class.

Whitstran Steaks & Spirits, 1427 Wine Country Road, Prosser. License type: spirits/ beer/wine restaurant lounge; off premises sale

55

wine; kegs to go; catering. Application type: new.

Restaurante El Asadero, 127 Gage Blvd., Richland. License type: spirits/beer/wine restaurant service bar. Application type: added/ change of class.

Pick-A-Pop 8, 526 W. Columbia Drive, Kennewick. License type: grocery store beer/ wine. Application type: assumption.

APPROVED Horn Rapids Golf Course, 2800 Clubhouse Lane, Richland. License type: beer/wine restaurant. Application type: assumption.

Col Solare Winery, 50207 Antinori Road, Benton City. License type: domestic winery >249,999 liters. Application type: change of corporate officer.

Moonshot Brewing, 8804 W. Victoria Ave., Suite 130, Kennewick. License type: microbrewery. Application type: new.

Hilton Garden Inn Kennewick, 701 N. Young St., Kennewick. License type: direct shipment receiver in Washington only; hotel. Application type: new.

Aquilini Brands USA, 23205 E. Limestone Road, Benton City. License type: domestic winery >249,999 liters. Application type: alcohol permits.

Domaine Magdalena, 53222 N. Sunset Road, Benton City. License type: domestic winery <250,000 liters. Application type: alcohol permits.

Double Canyon Vineyards, 8060 Keene Road, West Richland. License type: domestic winery <250,000 liters. Application type: alcohol permits.

Fidelitas Wines, 51810 N. Sunset Road, Benton City. License type: domestic winery <250,000 liters. Application type: alcohol permits.

Gamache Vintners, 505 Cabernet Court, Prosser. License type: domestic winery <250,000 liters. Application type: alcohol permits.

Hedges Family Estate, 53511 N. Sunset Road PRNE, Benton City. License type: domestic winery >249,999 liters. Application type: alcohol permits.

Hightower Cellars, 19418 E. 583 PRNE, Benton City. License type: domestic winery <250,000 liters. Application type: alcohol permits.

Kiona Vineyards Winery, 44612 N. Sunset PRNE, Benton City. License type: domestic winery <250,000 liters. Application type: alcohol permits.

Market Vineyards, 1950 Keene Road, Building S, Richland. License type: domestic winery <250,000 liters. Application type: alcohol permits.

Pizza Hut, 1902 George Washington Way, Richland. License type: beer/wine restaurant.

Application type: added/change of class.

Terra Vinum, 56204 NE Roza Road, Benton City. License type: domestic winery <250,000 liters. Application type: alcohol permits.

Shogun Teriyaki & Sushi, 760 Dalton St., Richland. License type: beer/wine restaurant with taproom. Application type: assumption.

Goose Ridge Winery, 63615 E. Jacobs Road NE, Benton City. License type: domestic winery >249,999 liters. Application type: alcohol permits.

Sun Market #39, 10799 Ridgeline Drive, Kennewick. License type: grocery store beer/ wine. Application type: new.

Lazy River Taphouse, 4033 W. Van Giesen St., Suite E, West Richland. License type: direct shipment receiver in/out of Washington.

Application type: added/change of class.

CG Publichouse and Catering, 9221 W. Clearwater Ave, Suite A, Kennewick. License type: direct shipment receiver in Washington only. Application type: added/change of class.

Wautoma Wines, 3100 Lee Road, Prosser.

License type: domestic winery <250,000 liters.

Application type: added/change of class.

FRANKLIN COUNTY NEW APPLICATIONS Multiservicios Colima, 917 W. Court St., Pasco. License type: grocery store beer/wine.

Application type: new.

APPROVED Havana Café, 404 W. Lewis St., Pasco.

License type: direct shipment receiver in Washington only. Application type: new.

Pizza Hut, 1921 W. Court St., Pasco. License type: beer/wine restaurant. Application type: added/change of class.

Southern Cross Winery, 330 Sunset View Lane, Pasco. License type: domestic winery <250,000 liters. Application type: new.

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

HANFORD

509-737-8778 8919 W. Grandridge Blvd., Ste. A1 Kennewick, WA 99336 tcjournal.biz

Subscriptions http://bit.ly/TCAJOBsubscribe Submit Business News http://bit.ly/TCAJOBsubmit ON THE COVER Top row, left to right: Effluent Management Facility Evaporator Tower (Bechtel National Inc.); 116-K East demolition (U.S. Department of Energy); Chiller Compressor Building (Bechtel National Inc.); 224-U demolition (U.S. Department of Energy); 284-W Powerhouse demolition (U.S. Department of Energy).

Second row, left to right: Fuel stored underwater in K East Basin (U.S. Department of Energy); 618-10 burial aerial of vit plant (Bechtel National Inc.); Installation of Mobile Arm Retrieval System (U.S. Department of Energy); Gov. Jay Inslee visits Pretreatment Plant (U.S. Department of Energy).

Third row, left to right: Glovebox removal from Plutonium Finishing Plant (U.S. Department of Energy); Effluent Management Facility (Bechtel National Inc.); railcars moved to B Reactor (U.S. Department of Energy); Joe Guyette, quality assurance at 100-HX Groundwater Treatment Facility (U.S. Department of Energy); B Reactor control room (U.S. Department of Energy).

Fourth row, left to right: 200 W Groundwater Treatment System (U.S. Department of Energy); Soil sampling (U.S. Department of Energy), Waste container (U.S. Department of Energy), Low-Activity Waste Facility (Bechtel National Inc.); Effluent Management Facility vessels (Bechtel National Inc.).

STAFF Melanie Hair

Publisher 509-737-8778 ext. 5 melanie@tcjournal.biz

Kristina Lord

Editor 509-737-8778 ext. 3 editor@tcjournal.biz

Tiffany Lundstrom Advertising Director 509-737-8778 ext. 2 tiffany@tcjournal.biz

Allison R. Stormo

Creative Director 509-737-8778 ext. 4 creative@tcjournal.biz

Chad Utecht

Advertising Account Manager 509-737-8778 ext. 1 chad@tcjournal.biz The Hanford specialty publication is a supplement of the May 2019 issue of the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business.

All rights reserved by TriComp Inc.

Photos courtesy U.S. Department of Energy The basin of the K East Reactor, shown here, was demolished a decade ago, but it remains in surveillance mode for now, awaiting final cocooning, or stabilizing.

Waste cleanup story unfolding Hanford site cleanup has been underway 30 years; contamination still exists

By ARIELLE DREHER

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

There’s no question plenty of contamination remains at the Hanford site.

But let’s pause a moment to reflect on how much has been cleaned up: 2,300 tons of spent nuclear fuel resting near the Columbia River moved to dry storage. 20 tons of leftover plutonium stabilized and shipped off site. More than 20 billion gallons of contaminated groundwater treated. 489 tons of contamination removed. 889 of 1,715 facilities demolished. 1,342 of 2,032 waste sites remediated. Six reactors cocooned, or stabilized.

It was 30 years ago when the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Washington State Department of Ecology sat down and signed a comprehensive agreement that brought the Hanford nuclear site cleanup efforts into compliance with several federal environmental standards.

The document, called the Tri-Party Agreement, contained cleanup commitments, responsibilities and an action plan with milestones. It was signed May 15, 1989, and since then, substantial progress has been made.

The Department of Ecology regulates work done at the Hanford site, ensuring compliance with environmental protection laws and looking out for the wellbeing of the Columbia River, environment surrounding the former nuclear site and inhabitants.

The Department of Energy, largely

There are five groundwater treatment facilities, like this one shown above, in this 2013 photo that use resin to remove contaminants from groundwater before it reaches the Columbia River.

through the help of corporate contractors, is responsible for the cleanup work, which ranges from cocooning nuclear reactors, digging and transferring toxic sludge and groundwater, and figuring out how to transfer toxic waste to a soon-tobe opened facility that can treat it for permanent storage.

Hanford is one of 16 Department of Energy nuclear waste sites nationwide, and it is the largest in size at 586 square miles.

Scientists produced plutonium at Hanford through the 1980s. It was used to make atomic weapons during World War II through the Cold War. That production left behind tons of waste in a previously sparsely-populated part of hthe state.

The first priority of the Tri-Party Agreement is to protect the Columbia River, and the river corridor. The 220 square miles along the river were used during plutonium production days and

are a primary focus of cleanup.

When the Tri-Party Agreement was signed, 2,300 tons of spent nuclear fuel and 20 tons of leftover plutonium rested near the Columbia River. All of that has been moved to dry storage or stabilized and shipped off site.

Water treatment facilities are operating along the river corridor to treat potentially contaminated groundwater from entering the Columbia River.

Groundwater at Hanford is not used for public drinking water. And while not all of the groundwater contamination has been treated, more than 20 billion gallons have been and 489 tons of contamination have been removed.

Nuclear energy requires a lot of water, hence the initial placement of nuclear reactors near the Columbia’s edge. There were nine former reactors along the riverbanks. Today, six of those reactors uWASTE, Page 19

Hanford

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

Hanford

Transitioning workforce on horizon Wave of retirees expected, DOE evaluating methods to hire qualified workers

BY ROBIN WOJTANIK

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

Hanford’s workforce is made up of more professional support staff than engineers, scientists or technicians.

More than 9,000 people are directly employed with efforts at the Hanford site, based on recent U.S. Department of Energy data.

That’s more than the individual population of three neighboring cities: Prosser numbers 6,125, Connell 5,460, and Benton City 3,405.

Employment at Hanford and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory accounted for about 12 percent of total employment across Benton and Franklin counties, based on the most recent data through 2017. This represents about a quarter of the total wages earned in the region, with an average annual wage of $97,000 for jobs related to Hanford and PNNL. The Hanford site is gearing up for a regional “silver tsunami” that will see thousands of retirements and a turnover in its aging workforce.

Nearly 60 percent of those in jobs connected to Hanford are older than age 50, and more than a third are eligible for

Courtesy Bechtel National Inc. The U.S. Department of Energy and Hanford contractors are making efforts to recruit qualified workers, as a third of the workforce connected to Hanford will be eligible to retire within the next five years.

workforce retirement within the next five years.

“When we hear the statistics about average age, it is cause for concern,” said David Reeploeg, vice president of federal programs at Tri-City Development Council. “When we think of losing that institutional knowledge, we want to make sure someone can take that and build on it.”

This has created a need for the

Department of Energy and its prime contractors to look for ways to replace retirees with a qualified workforce.

The Department of Energy’s Office of River Protection reports efforts to recruit replacement workers include partnering with nearby schools and universities, in addition to holding an annual community forum to build awareness of the workforce needs at the site.

“We want a thoughtful and strategic

transition from one generation of Hanford workers to the next,” Reeploeg said.

Under prime contractor Bechtel National Inc., about 2,600 employees work on the project to create the world’s largest radioactive waste vitrification plant. That number is expected to be cut in half as the work transitions from construction and startup to its commissioning phase, which will cover daily operation of the plant.

A workforce described as “steady” is expected to include about 1,500 to 1,800 employees, once direct feed low-activity waste operations begin.

The Department of Energy says its contractors tend to categorize employees into one of nine divisions, with not all nine categories represented by every employer: managers, engineers, scientists, professional administrative staff (accountants, attorneys and human resources), administrative assistants, technicians, health care, union members represented by the Hanford Atomic Metal Trades Council, and union members represented by building and construction trades.

The perception of the Hanford site often includes workers heavy in professions related to science, technology, engineering or math fields. Yet, professional administrative staff often represent the uWORKFORCE, Page 17

Urgency, momentum progress at Hanford

A sense of urgency is building at the Hanford site as we get closer to delivering on our commitment to safely, efficiently and effectively treat tank waste and close Hanford tanks; continue to remediate waste sites and facilities; and reduce risk to our employees, the public and the environment. As the manager of both the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of River Protection and Brian Vance Richland U.S. Department of Operations Energy Hanford Office, I am site manager pleased with our momentum over the past year and expect our momentum to continue building.

This is a time of tremendous change and opportunity for the Hanford site, as we prepare to start tank waste treatment as early as 2022, about a year earlier than our consent decree milestone of December 2023. We are also shifting our operational culture to prepare for roundthe-clock tank waste treatment operations, while also focusing on being a demanding and fair customer to our con-

tractors; enforcing ethical standards and conduct; building and maintaining constructive relationships with Hanford stakeholders; and driving our performance to higher standards. To foster this transition, in February I was named the acting manager for the Richland Operations Office in addition to my role as manager for the Office of River Protection. Under this single-manager leadership, we have an opportunity to drive positive change that safely delivers cost-effective cleanup, reduces risks and provides the best return on the taxpayer’s investment. This change, however, does not represent a recombination of the offices.

Our plan to treat the less radioactive tank waste, known as direct-feed lowactivity waste, requires strong teamwork between DOE and all of the site’s contractors. Design is underway on a system called tank-side cesium removal, or TSCR, which will remove cesium and solid materials – the higher-level waste components – from the liquid tank waste, providing a low-activity waste stream for vitrification in the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant Low-Activity Waste Facility. uPROGRESS, Page 6

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

Hanford

5

Alternatives explored to reduce costs DOE explores methods to treat waste that could cut expenses, save time

BY JENNIFER L. DREY

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

Cleanup of the nuclear waste-contaminated Hanford site will cost another $323.2 billion to $677 billion and continue until at least 2078, according to the latest projections released by the U.S. Department of Energy.

That’s why the Department of Energy is exploring new approaches that could reduce both the timeline and costs associated with the cleanup of the 586-squaremile site, said Geoff Tyree, external engagement lead with the Department of Energy at Hanford.

“We’re looking for ways that we can reduce the cost of cleanup while making sure we’re meeting the regulatory requirements and that it’s still safe and protective of people and the environment,” Tyree said.

The Department of Energy reported the projections in its 2019 Hanford Lifecycle Scope, Schedule and Cost Report, a document released in February that serves as the foundation for preparing federal budget requests and informational briefings to affected tribal governments and Hanford stakeholders. The report is required annually under the TriParty Agreement between the U.S. Department of Energy, Washington State Department of Ecology and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Costs associated with the nearly 30 years of cleanup that have taken place thus far totaled $53 billion as of September 2018. Work completed during that time included the movement of 2,300 tons of spent nuclear fuel from near the Columbia River to dry storage, stabilization of 20 tons of leftover plutonium that was shipped off site and treatment of 20 billion gallons of contaminated groundwater.

The footprint of active cleanup now stands at 76 square miles compared to 586 square miles in 1989.

The Department of Energy’s previous lifecycle report released in 2016 estimated the remaining cleanup cost at $107.7 billion and saw most of the work being done by 2060. The increased cost and delayed schedule included in the latest report were not unexpected, but they highlight the need to look at things differently, Tyree said. “(The report) definitely shows that the current approach will leave waste in the tanks for too long, it will expose workers to unnecessary risk and require taxpayers to pay too much, and so the report supports the department’s exploration of other approaches to treating tank waste to complete the Hanford cleanup,” Tyree said.

One of the alternatives the Department of Energy is exploring is a process known as the test bed initiative, which looks to mix some of the less radioactive tank

Above: Hanford’s Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant is preparing to start treating tank waste as early as 2022.

Left: Workers exit the C Tank Farm after operating equipment that cuts a larger hole in the top of an underground waste tank.

The bigger hole allows more waste retrieval equipment to fit inside.

Photos courtesy U.S. Department of Energy

waste with a grout-like mixture for it to be disposed of as low-level waste outside of Washington.

The Department of Energy is also considering new ways for treating the more radioactive, high-level waste, Tyree said.

At the same time, Bechtel National Inc.’s construction of the vitrification plant remains on schedule to begin turning the 56 million gallons of high-level waste in Hanford’s 177 underground tanks into glass by 2023.

“I know the (Department of Energy) is looking at a number of different options, and I think all of those options, from my perspective, are worth a lot more examination and might be a really good direction to move in,” said David Reeploeg, vice president of federal programs for the Tri-City Development Council.

However, dealing with nuclear waste

policy and disposal inherently holds a wealth of challenges, one of the most significant being securing the necessary funding for it, Reeploeg said.

The Department of Energy’s 2020 congressional budget proposal designates $2.1 billion toward the Hanford cleanup, an amount that is $417 million less than what was allotted for the cleanup in 2019.

“This is an era of limits on how much Congress is going to be able to afford to spend every year and how much work, realistically, can be accomplished every year,” Reeploeg said.

Further complicating the situation is the fact that the longer it takes to complete the cleanup, the more expensive it becomes to maintain the site for nuclear safety, said Alex Smith, program manager of the state Department of Ecology’s

Nuclear Waste Program.

“We’re getting to a tipping point where just the costs to maintain the site are eventually going to eclipse the whole budget for the site,” Smith said.

The Department of Ecology supports the Department of Energy’s efforts to shorten the timeline and reduce the costs associated with the Hanford cleanup but also has concerns about new methods that may be used to do so, she said.

“Although we agree that it needs to be cleaned up—and the faster it’s cleaned up the better all-around—we’re worried that methods that aren’t as protective of health and the environment will be used in order to do it more quickly rather than to do it right,” said Randy Bradbury, communications manager for the Department of uALTERNATIVES, Page 10

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

HANFORD

Contracts worth billions in transition Several major Hanford contracts to be awarded in late summer

BY ROBIN WOJTANIK

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

Contracts worth tens of billions of dollars are being systematically awarded for work to be performed at Hanford, covering prime responsibilities at the nuclear waste site and operating under new models.

“It’s an important and critical time for collaboration,” said Mark Heeter, public affairs specialist at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Richland Operations Office. This includes three major contracts, which are in the review process with awardees to be announced in late summer.

The largest two contracts will be awarded using the new “end-state” model and will cover the tank farms and central plateau area of the site. This model is completed through a twostep process in which the Department of Energy uses a sample task to find the “best value partner,” and then “openly negotiates future task orders with the right ‘end-state’ requirements and regulatory framework that appropriately shares risk.”

Heeter said this risk will now be fairly balanced between the contractor and the federal government, marking a change to past contract language.

The upcoming contract with the highest value is for work currently performed by Washington River Protection Solutions, whose contract is set to expire at the end of the fiscal year, in September 2019.

Most of the new contracts have new titles, reflecting a difference in how work is viewed at the site.

Currently known as the Tank Operations Contract, this contract’s new title is now the Tank Closure Contract, as it reflects a change in efforts to close the tanks once waste is eventually processed through the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant. Requests for proposals were due in March and are being evaluated with an awardee likely announced in late July or August. The contract is valued at up to $13 billion over a 10-year span and will be awarded under the new end-state model that

Workers install a pump in C-109, a single-shell tank that once held 63,000 gallons of waste.

The pump was a critical tool in removing the waste from the tank and transferring it to a newer receiving tank for storage.

Courtesy U.S. Department of Energy

uCONTRACTS, Page 10

PROGRESS, From Page 4 Understanding the status of older tanks and preventing contamination that has already leaked from tanks in the past from moving deeper toward groundwater are also priorities. The tank operations contractor has completed integrity assessments on all 149 single-shell tanks and in 2018 constructed a surface barrier over SX tank farm, to prevent precipitation from driving contamination in the soil deeper.

Near the Columbia River, we are at the halfway point of transferring 35 cubic yards of radioactive sludge from the K West Reactor Basin away from the river and expect to complete this significant achievement this year. We are also making good progress on installing remote-controlled equipment in a former nuclear laboratory north of Richland to excavate highly contaminated soil beneath the 324 Building.

On the central plateau, lower risk demolition of the Plutonium Finishing Plant has resumed, and we will work at a safe and deliberate pace to ensure we are protecting workers, the public, and the environment. Workers have finished filling a second waste storage tunnel near the Plutonium Uranium Extraction Plant with grout to prevent a potential release of contaminated material from a collapse.

Courtesy U.S. Department of Energy Brian Vance, U.S. Department of Energy Hanford site manager, in blue helmet, speaks to Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Washington, during her visit to the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant on April 24.

Across Hanford, we expect once again to exceed our goal of treating nearly 2 billion gallons of contaminated groundwater and removing tons of contaminants, reducing risk to the Columbia River and shrinking the size of contaminated groundwater areas.

However, even as we continue to make good progress, we also are facing stark realizations regarding the schedule and cost to achieve this cleanup.

Hanford receives about $2.4 billion

annually, which enables our more than 9,000 federal and contractor staff to safely advance our cleanup mission.

These staff are highly trained with unique skills and capabilities. But with decades more to go our success lies in the next generation of cleanup employees and leaders. Through engagement with our area colleges and universities, the department and our contractors are helping to develop this next generation.

I’d also be remiss if I did not mention

the importance of our community businesses and stakeholders, who continue to support our cleanup efforts. Our prime contractors reported more than $785 million in subcontracting last year, including over $500 million going to local businesses and about $400 million going to small businesses.

I’m proud to say Hanford enjoys the support of many stakeholders, and we don’t take that for granted. The recently released Hanford lifecycle report showed a significant increase in the estimated cost of future cleanup, which further demonstrates that new approaches are needed for the mission at Hanford.

We do not accept the status quo and we look forward to continuing to collaborate with Congress, tribal governments, regulators and Hanford stakeholders to change course and enable our future success.

Across all of our projects, my role is to reinforce a sense of deliberate urgency as we look to achieve a safe, affordable and protective cleanup for the community and the American taxpayer, and I look forward to discussing this more with you and hearing your input at our meetings throughout the year.

For more information on progress at Hanford, please visit www.hanford.gov.  Brian Vance is the manager of the U.S. Department of Energy Hanford site.

Hanford

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business â&#x20AC;¢ May 2019

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

Hanford

Small businesses tap into government work

Subcontracts create way for businesses to expand

BY JENNIFER L. DREY

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

The U.S. Department of Energy’s prime contractors awarded nearly $785 million in subcontracts in fiscal 2018, a figure representing more than 30 percent of Hanford’s roughly $2.4 billion budget that year, according to a recent Department of Energy report.

While most of the prime contractors have aggressive small business subcontracting goals written into their contracts, many of the primes have found that the relationships go beyond simply meeting obligations.

“These small businesses are an extension of the work we do. We really view them as partners who are critical to our success here at the site because they provide the talent and the skills that we need in order to complete the mission here at Hanford,” said Rob Roxburgh, deputy manager for communications and public relations at Washington River Protection Solutions.

Tasked with safely maintaining the tank waste at the Hanford site until ready for disposal, WRPS relies on the local supplier base for resources when they are not internally available, said Jose Legarreta, procurement services manager for WRPS. Since its contract with the Department

Courtesy Washington River Protection Solutions Participants at the annual Washington River Protection Solutions-sponsored Bridging Partnerships Small Business Symposium learn about maximizing opportunities available through government subcontracting.

of Energy began in 2008, 64.8 percent of WRPS’ subcontracts have gone to small businesses, exceeding the company’s overall small business goal of 58.2 percent.

“There is a requirement on our part to seek and do business with small businesses, but beyond that, we also like to call ourselves a good corporate citizen in that we like providing the local area with business opportunities, employment opportunities and training opportunities,” Legarreta said.

Hanford prime contractor Mission Support Alliance also views the Department of Energy’s small-business subcontracting requirements as a positive factor for both sides, said Rae Moss, director of communications and external affairs for Mission Support Alliance.

MSA handles key activities at Hanford including analytical services, emergency response, information resource management, maintenance, property disposition, security and utility services.

“The Department of Energy’s goal is to

encourage us to work with local businesses and small businesses to help the community and to offer jobs,” Moss said.

“So, we’re not going to be bringing in corporate people to fill these jobs, we’re going to use local people.”

On the small business side, companies that choose to work as government subcontractors often gain the opportunity to expand their knowledge base by working alongside a variety of people, while getting the know-how to do future work in all levels of government, Moss said.

MSA benefits from its relationships with small business subcontractors because they allow the company to focus on what it does best, while eliminating the need to be an expert in all areas, she said.

“We’re able to get people with a high level of expertise for very specific projects that we’re working on, so it’s really a benefit to us and to the Hanford site because we’re able to hire-in very specifically what’s needed for isolated projects,” Moss said.

However, on the small business side, the idea of getting involved in government work can be intimidating, given its reputation for bureaucratic procedures, paperwork and additional requirements not found in the private sector.

Those stigmas do, in fact, often prove true, Legarreta said, but at the same time, learning to do government work can be a uBUSINESSES, Page 18

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

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Vit plant ramps up for next phase Facility to start processing low-level waste by 2023

BY ROBIN WOJTANIK

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

Round-the-clock staffing is in place at the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant as Bechtel National Inc. prepares to process low-activity waste by 2023, but possibly as soon as 2022. There hasn’t been 24/7 staffing at Hanford in more than 20 years.

Earlier this year, the analytical laboratory at the plant entered its startup phase, marking the first major facility to begin full systems testing mode.

“We are in phases we have never been before,” said Staci West, Bechtel’s communications manager for the plant.

The overall goal is to process nuclear waste at the site using vitrification, a method of permanently disposing of waste by mixing it with glass-forming materials.

The planning and construction of the plant got underway nearly 20 years ago, at an expected cost of $17 billion, with the end result being the world’s largest radioactive waste treatment plant.

A project commissioned by the U.S. Department of Energy, the completed vit plant will process 56 million gallons of radioactive and chemical waste currently stored in underground tanks, following decades of plutonium production at Hanford. The existing tanks are not a

long-term solution for the waste, as dozens are leaking and pose a threat to the environment.

The decadeslong project is a multiphase operation, beginning with construction, followed by startup procedures, and an eventual transition to commissioning and operation. For example, the analytical laboratory on the vit plant site was only ready to move into the startup phase after 34 systems were tested, with the last being electrical. From there, the equipment and systems will be tested meticulously to ensure they are in working order before the lab enters the commissioning phase, which includes operations. Startup testing at the lab is expected to finish this year.

The first set of 22 commissioning technicians are on the job in the control room of the low-activity waste, or LAW, facility. Working alongside eight supervisors and four engineers, the staff will eventually grow to nearly 350 employees in the next 18 months.

Commissioning technicians are crosstrained on more than 200 systems in the LAW facility, effluent management facility analytical laboratory and other support facilities. Training is done in a 17,000-square-foot building with a fullscale functional replica of the LAW control room. uVIT PLANT, Page 20

ABOVE: Construction and hiring is underway at the massive Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, known as the vit plant.

The plant will use a vitrification process to dispose of waste by mixing it with glass-forming materials.

LEFT: Two vessels, weighing 160 tons each and standing 40 feet tall, arrive by barge at the Port of Benton to be offloaded

by Lampson International then delivered to the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant jobsite for eventual installation in the Effluent Management Facility.

Photos courtesy Bechtel National Inc.

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

ALTERNATIVES, From Page 5 Ecology’s nuclear waste program.

The Department of Ecology is working with the Department of Energy to advance the test bed initiative, while at the same time closely monitoring that it doesn’t pull money or attention away from the central mission of vitrifying the high-level waste that it believes needs to be vitrified.

“To the extent we can do it without sacrificing environmental protection in our jurisdiction, we’re happy to support those efforts but not if they come at the expense of (DOE) meeting its obligations,” Smith said.

Completing the cleanup to a standard that all stakeholders are comfortable with but at a cost that is affordable for Congress and palatable to the community is a challenge that will require open minds on all sides, said TRIDEC’s Reeploeg.

“As a nation, we have this legal and moral obligation to clean up the Hanford site. That being said, we also recognize that we are in an era where there are limitations to funding. The budgetary environment is not one where there’s a whole lot of extra money lying around, so the lifecycle report certainly presents some new challenges,” Reeploeg said.

Another challenge will be getting all parties to reach agreement on the proper balance between quantity of work and standard of work, he said.

“Is it better to get a lot of work done to one standard — to at least get waste out of the tanks and get waste solidi-

“The budgetary environment is not one where there’s a whole lot of extra money lying around.”

- David Reeploeg, vice president, federal programs, Tri-City Development Council

fied — or to have a much higher standard but you only get a fraction of that waste solidified or pulled out of the tanks? I don’t know that anybody knows what the exact right answer to that is. None of these are easy answers, but I think those are some of the conversations that are beginning to take place and that we probably need more of,” Reeploeg said.

The Department of Energy is still early in its process of analyzing alternative waste-treatment options, so any potential new path and related cost reductions likely will not be reported for a couple of years, Tyree said.

“We’re not trying to rush this. We want to make sure we take the time to talk about these options and to be able to demonstrate that they will still be protective of people and of the environment,” he said.

Proudly serving the Hanford Site

since 2004

HANFORD CONTRACTS, From Page 6 includes a goal of reducing risk while accelerating cleanup.

The Department of Energy asked for input from potential contractors in late 2018 when the bid process began, Heeter said.

“We wanted a spirit of cooperation to make sure we get these contracts right,” he said. “To look at these contracts and the way we look at the site, it’s the time to do it differently.”

Heeter said there are opportunities built into the contract for both the contractor and the federal government to revisit and potentially renegotiate the terms.

“Everyone is trying to get to the same finish line,” he said.

A prime contract, the Mission Support Contract, one of the largest at the site, is now called the Hanford Mission Essential Services Contract, or HMESC. It’s expected to be awarded by August.

It’s currently held by Mission Support Alliance and was set to expire in late May, but the company recently received a sixmonth extension through November 2019.

MSA, made up of Leidos, Jacobs Engineering and Centerra, began work on the contract in May 2009.

Heeter said the new contract is likely valued at $4 billion to $6 billion. This reflects the cost, plus an award fee, cost reimbursement, and is of indefinite delivery and indefinite quantity, or IDIQ, which includes a fixed timeline. IDIQ is frequently used for contracts by the federal government. A four-month transition period is built into the new contract to allow for the possibility of one contractor departing and a new one entering. The Department of Energy is reviewing all proposals for the 10-year contract.

The HMESC covers all support services at the site, including maintaining all infrastructure. This includes security and upkeep of hundreds of miles of roads, including all utility lines. It also covers firefighting capabilities, land management, information technology and management of the HAMMER Federal Training Center. An announcement on the awardee of the HMESC contract is expected around the same time as the Tank Closure Contract — this summer.

A third prime contractor is currently completing a decade-long contract, plus a one-year extension written through the end of the 2019 fiscal year.

Once called the Plateau Remediation Contract and held by CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Co., it now is called the Central Plateau Cleanup Contract and it focuses on the decontamination and demolition of buildings, excavation of

waste sites, groundwater cleanup and management of transuranic waste.

The CPCC is expected to be awarded at the same time as the HMSEC and TCC, in July or August. It is valued at up to $10 billion over the next 10 years. Proposals for this contract also were due in the spring and are being reviewed. CH2M began the current plateau remediation contract in October 2008, with a focus on cleanup and groundwater.

Bids are expected for a fourth contract that focuses on samples taken mostly from the tank farms, currently called the 222-S Analytical Laboratory Services. Its name has been shortened to 222-S Laboratory, and it is expected to be awarded between December 2019 and February 2020. The contract has been held since fall 2015 by Wastren Advantage Inc., which was recently acquired by Veolia, based in France. Veolia tests about 25,000 samples a year in the 200 West Area.

The new 222-S laboratory contract is valued at $600 million to $1 billion.

“As small-business contracts go, this is a larger one,” Heeter said.

Heeter said the work has been tied closely to WRPS since the largest part of the portfolio is analytical work from the tank farms. The new contract also will cover the cost plus an award fee, as well as cost reimbursement. It is considered a hybrid fixed price and is also IDIQ. A contract already is in place with Bechtel National Inc. to build the massive Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant. This contract is valued at $14.7 billion and Bechtel began work on it in December 2000. The contract is written through 2022 and has no option period. Bechtel is required to have the plant ready to treat some waste by 2023, but the company is expected to remain working on the plant through the 2036 deadline when it’s required to be fully operational.

The contract most recently awarded at the site was for Occupational Medical Services and given to HPM Corp. As the incumbent provider of work-related medical services since 2012, this was written using the new end-state contract model and is being used as a guide for other contracts to be executed at the site. The new contract with HPMC went into effect April 1, 2019, and is valued at $152 million over seven years.

As new contracts are awarded, Heeter said the Department of Energy “has a great opportunity to play straight into things and build a high-performance Hanford team,” allowing the federal government to “be a fair and demanding customer” to all its contractors.

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

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Risks linger with plant’s demolition Plutonium Finishing Plant removal poses challenges to avoid exposure to remnants of radioactive material

BY ARIELLE DREHER

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

The Plutonium Finishing Plant used to be called the Z Plant when the Hanford nuclear site produced plutonium because it was the end of production of the radioactive material before it was shipped to weapons production facilities.

The PFP was a group of 60 buildings, which began operating in 1949, where workers produced “buttons” of solid plutonium, the size of hockey pucks. PFP was the last stop for plutonium on the Hanford site before it was built into nuclear weapons elsewhere in the country.

Today, the demolition of the Z Plant poses one of the greatest challenges to U.S. Department of Energy workers and contractors tasked with demolishing it without exposing themselves, the environment or others to the radioactive remnants unearthed.

During summer 2017, bioassay results found 31 workers had ingested, inhaled or absorbed radioactive contamination after a spread was detected due to work around PFP. Demolition continued, however, until December 2017, when workers noticed their air samplers detected elevated radiation levels.

CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Co., the contractor responsible for demolishing the PFP, called a stop-work at that time to conduct surveys and samples. These surveys snowballed into the revelation that contamination had spread from PFP demolition zones to not only workers directly engaged in the work but to areas outside of the demolition zones. Areas outside of mobile administrative offices as well as vehicles — both personal and government — had traces of low-level radiation.

More than 300 workers requested bioassays following the December contamination spread, and 11 of them were found to have ingested, inhaled or absorbed some radioactive contamination. In total, in 2017, 42 Hanford site workers had internal contamination as a result of

Photos courtesy CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Company In April, workers finishing the demolition of the Plutonium Finishing Plant began to demolish a vault left from the 66-building complex, as a part of low-risk work that resumed last fall.

working on or near demolition of PFP. CH2M Hill maintained its stop-work order, which lasted eight months. It brought in an outside assessment group to review its controls program, and eventually, in summer 2018, the U.S. Department of Energy launched an independent concurrent assessment as well.

The Department of Energy’s review raised several concerns about CH2M Hill’s practices, including a lack of quality on work permitting and radiological controls.

“Information needed for proper completion of the tasks was not always provided, including taking appropriate background measurements, evaluation of potential radon interference, proper techniques for collecting transferability samples, and methods for ensuring sample integrity,” according to a 2018 Department of Energy memo.

The Department of Energy did note that CH2M Hill improved its practices as its assessment continued, however, and said that improvements to both the control and

survey programs were made. Department of Energy planned to continue to conduct independent assessments, as it deemed necessary when work was set to begin.

CH2M Hill was cleared for low-level risk demolition work on PFP in fall 2018.

“We really engaged the workforce to come up with a revised strategy for getting back to work and came up with a phased approach, starting with the lower-risk demolition work, and that work resumed last September 2018,” said Dieter Bohrmann, communications specialist at CH2M Hill.

“Under these number of enhanced controls for workers’ safety, increased boundaries, additional monitoring, better communication with the workforce and neighboring projects—so a whole slate of enhanced measures that would allow the project to proceed safely and deliberately—we got back to work.” uDEMOLITION, Page 17

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Hanford

PUREX tunnels stabilized after collapse Tunnels used for rail car transportation when plant made plutonium in WWII

BY ARIELLE DREHER for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

Nearly two years after a 20-by-20 foot portion of the Plutonium Uranium Extraction Plant’s Tunnel 1 caved in, both it and its larger sibling, Tunnel 2, have been stabilized.

On May 9, 2017, U.S. Department of Energy workers discovered the 20-foot collapse of Tunnel 1, after noticing a background increase in radiation levels.

Officials declared an emergency lockdown once they discovered the collapse, and no one was hurt. No radioactive materials were released in the collapse.

The hole was filled immediately, and plans to stabilize the tunnels and investigate Tunnel 2 for sturdiness followed.

The Washington state Department of Ecology issued an enforcement order on May 10, 2017, following the collapse.

The two-year unraveling of the collapse and subsequent grouting of not only Tunnel 1 but also Tunnel 2 helps paint a picture of just how tedious, toxic and urgent work at the country’s largest nuclear waste site can be.

The PUREX tunnels were initially used as rail car tunnels back when the Hanford Nuclear Plant was producing plutonium used in the country’s nuclear program during World War II and through the Cold War. The rail cars were used to store and transport failed equipment and chemical waste at the Plutonium Uranium Extraction plant, which an expert panel report that helped guide what should be done with Tunnel 2 described as “the workhorse of the nuclear materials production facilities.”

The tunnels were built at the end of the PUREX plant to push malfunctioning or failed equipment and materials out of the way. Tunnel 1 was constructed between 1954-56 with wood timbers. Tunnel 2 was constructed of steel and concrete in 1964.

When the plutonium production plant ceased operations, the rail cars were abandoned — potentially contaminated equipment and containers of waste included — inside the tunnels. Tunnel 1 holds eight rail cars; Tunnel 2 holds 28 rail cars. The initial intent was for the tunnels to connect to an extension entrance to another disposal facility, and plans for a third tunnel never came to fruition.

Instead, rail cars full of items like failed “concentrators” or “miscellaneous jumpers in box and two tube bundles” were stored in Tunnel 1 as early as 1960 or scrubbers and vapor lines stored on rail cars in Tunnel 2 in 1971.

Following the May 2017 tunnel collapse, CH2M Hill began work to grout Tunnel 1, within a month after the Washington State Department of Ecology issued an enforcement order demanding immediate action. CH2M Hill and its subcontractors finished grouting the tunnel, stabilizing it by Nov. 1, 2017. In the

Photos courtesy CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Co. Above: About 4,000 truckloads of grout were used to fill PUREX Tunnel 2, which needed to be stabilized after Tunnel 1 collapsed in 2017.

Left: A pump truck grouts PUREX Tunnel 2, which was stabilized in April, by workers at the Hanford site.

meantime, the U.S. Department of Energy investigated Tunnel 2, fearing for its structural integrity after its sibling’s collapse. Officials concluded that although it was built a decade later, Tunnel 2 was also at risk for collapse. Both tunnels did not meet structural standards, an analysis found.

The race was on to secure Tunnel 2 before it met a similar fate to Tunnel 1.

One CH2M Hill presentation explaining its plans said that “structural failure must be anticipated.” The Department of Energy convened an expert panel and solicited public comment about possible action plans for this tunnel, and the panel decided that grouting this tunnel was the best, most efficient option.

On April 29, 2019, grout work on Tunnel 2 finished, meaning both PUREX tunnels are now stabilized for the time being. Grouting, while not a permanent solution for containing toxic waste, is a sufficient temporary solution, and enables workers to go in later and dispose of the materials.

Ultimately, the expert panel believed that grouting left future work options open to the Department of Energy. “…the panel concluded that stabilization with grout facilitates future options for disposition, whether those options involve in-situ disposal or removal of

materials,” according to a September 2017 report.

Ultimately, the expert panel concluded that the Tunnel 1 collapse was likely due to the deteriorating wood used to construct it, and water loading from snow and rain. Weather is no small factor in determining the pace of work at the Hanford site. The project to grout Tunnel 2 had 23 days of weather delay after record snowfalls in southeastern Washington this year.

“We had a few delays—we had a pretty rough winter stretch in February and early March, with lots of snow that caught us by surprise,” said Dieter Bohrmann, communications specialist at CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Co., the contractor on the PUREX project.

While finishing grouting means the tunnels are stabilized for now — future work remains to be determined.

“There could be further decisions down the road with what to do with it, but it’s stable now, it’s safe,” Bohrmann said.

Long term, the tunnels will ultimately need to be cleaned out since they contain radioactive waste and contaminated equipment, but Mark Heeter, public affairs specialist with the Department of Energy’s Richland Operations Office, said those decisions will be made in the future.

“The grout was designed to be able to be remediated or removed along with the equipment that’s in there, so while this stabilizes the tunnel, it does not represent a final decision on the disposition of the materials inside those tunnels,” he said.

In recent years, the PUREX tunnels have received much attention and prioritization at the site, especially following the collapse, but projects across the Hanford area are constantly being evaluated for prioritization. CH2M Hill, as a contractor of the Department of Energy, is reliant on the annual funding that flows to the agency through a budget approved

by Congress every year. Currently, CH2M Hill is cleared and funded to wrap up their work on the PUREX project by Sept. 30, when the fiscal year ends.

Bohrmann said the final cleanup numbers of the grouting project on Tunnel 2 were impressive, with close to 40,000 cubic yards of grout filling the nearly 1,700 foot long Tunnel 2, completed in less than a year.

Grouting the PUREX tunnels is not the first time the method has been used at Hanford, Heeter said, adding that grouting is a good example of where the Department of Energy has continued to evolve as the agency learns how to best treat and dispose of waste. Grouting is a method used at other Department of Energy nuclear waste sites as well, like in South Carolina at the Savannah River plant as well as at the Waste Encapsulation and Storage Facility and U Plant at Hanford.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

Hanford

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Emptying waste from tanks a taxing task Toxic materials first put in tanks when plutonium was actively being made

BY ARIELLE DREHER

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

In a way, when it comes to tank waste at the Hanford site, the easy stuff has been done. Toxic liquid waste can be transferred until it’s disposed of with a pump.

But what about solid waste? What about a million-gallon tank with solidified toxic waste sitting inside? What about 177 of those tanks and 56 million gallons of waste?

The toxic waste stored out of sight in the tank farms on the Hanford site serve as a reminder of progress made, but also how many decades must pass before cleanup is complete.

Just ask officials at Washington River Protection Solutions, a subsidiary of AECOM Corp., the contractor tasked with management of and waste retrieval from the 177 tanks.

The company has been on the job for more than a decade, with 18 tanks emptied and one currently under way. As a mandate of the Tri-Party Agreement, workers must remove 99 percent of the material from each tank.

“We’re coming to the end of our contract here, and it’s exciting to see what we’ve accomplished, and it will be interesting to see what’s going to be accomplished in the years to come,” said Peter

Courtesy Washington River Protection Solutions Workers at the A and AX tank farms prepare for a waste retrieval at night. Work pumping out waste from these tanks could begin this summer.

Bengtson, communications manager at WRPS. WRPS is an LLC, which will dissolve when the contract ends at the end of September, but AECOM has bid on the tank farms contract once again.

Most of the tanks contain a waste byproduct from a part of the plutonium production process that occurred when workers needed to dissolve the fuel rods to retrieve plutonium. The chemicals used to dissolve the fuel rods would become radioactive and very hot during this process and could not be re-used.

Scientists at the time opted to build

55,000-gallon to 1 million-gallon underground carbon steel shell storage tanks to store the waste chemicals after this process. Even using carbon steel, it is estimated that 67 of the 177 underground tanks have leaked. The tanks are grouped into 18 farms, and the majority of them are single-shell tanks.

The site also contains 28 double-shell tanks, which are the preferred storage method for the waste. The tanks originally held both liquid and solid chemical waste, but from 1998 to 2004 more than 2 million gallons of liquid waste was transferred from the single-shell tanks to the

double-shell tanks, leaving behind the daunting task of emptying the tanks of solid chemical waste with consistencies ranging from peanut butter to salt cakes.

The tanks are only accessible remotely and through pipes with small diameters, creating engineering challenges.

WRPS uses up to 10 waste retrieval methods to clean out solid to sludge-like waste from the tanks. Methods typically use water in different ways, from sluicing to high pressure, to dissolve the cakes or sludge into a pumpable liquid. This is not always easy, however, and engineers have developed crawler-tractor devices to push or break up solid waste in tanks for it to be dissolved and vacuumed or pumped out. All this work is done remotely because the tanks are roughly 30 feet underground, with the domes and top points of most tanks resting seven to 10 feet underground.

WRPS does more than just retrieve waste; it also monitors all 177 tanks for leaks, chemical consistency and content.

Typically, the group works on retrieving waste from one tank at a time, with another work group assessing and preparing the next tank for work. An added challenge for WRPS is that no two tanks are the same.

“Each one of those waste types may require a different type of removal or retrieval from the tanks, which is where our engineering comes in and works together with the tank operators to develuTANKS, Page 16

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Hanford

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Tri-City leaders look to economy after Hanford

BY ROBIN WOJTANIK

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

to large investments paid off with the addition of AutoZone’s 444,000-squarefoot distribution center, which opened in 2017.

“That was really an achievement,” White said. “We put the roads in, we got it all ready, and it sat there for a long time.

But then, they came.”

White said AutoZone has the ability to expand its footprint by 50 percent at its location.

As new jobs are created, leaders also are pressed with the need to retain workers who are here already.

“A lot of people when they retire here, stay here, and they need health care services,” Reeploeg said. But the cities also want to keep a close eye on attracting the younger generation.

Wallner has noticed a cultural shift in the way people are looking for jobs and the communities they’re moving to. “A shift from finding a job and locating to an area, to now, ‘I want to locate to that area, then I’ll find a job.’ ” Reeploeg said he sees a gap in the sort of amenities that can draw people to a large city versus a smaller metropolitan area. “We need to continue to develop more cultural activities to retain younger workers. Current efforts have been successful, but there’s not to say we can’t do more,” he said.

Building on the diverse strengths of each city, the communities are increasing their ability to create new employment opportunities for their citizens outside of Hanford.

Any reduction in the workforce connected to a shift in the Department of Energy project isn’t predicted to be as catastrophic as it once was.

“It wouldn’t be as impactful as a similar change 20 to 30 years ago. There are now a lot of other economic drivers in the community, and the community has grown,” Reeploeg said.

A report commissioned by PNNL in 2009 found that since 1994, “area employment, total income, population and residential real estate sales and building permits have increased significantly despite very few changes to Hanford levels. The data indicate that recently the Tri-Cities has become increasingly independent of Hanford.”

Tri-City leaders remain focused on efforts to diversify the economy, create jobs and expand employment sectors beyond Hanford and the roles offered by the U.S. Department of Energy and its contractors.

“TRIDEC has made this a top priority for decades,” said David Reeploeg, vice president of federal programs at the TriCity Development Council.

The effort moves beyond the need to depend on Hanford as the sole economic driver it once was. Reeploeg recalled a time when downsizing at Hanford created a ghost town in the Tri-Cities community.

Photo by Kristina Lord “Layoffs were incredibly disruptive in Tri-City leaders continue to focus on building an economy with higher-paying the ’80s and ’90s,” Reeploeg said.

Since then, local community leaders in jobs that don’t rely on Hanfiord, Richland are focusing on building up its industrial center, while Pasco directs its mix it with fresh water, and then chemi- resources and expertise in the energy secattention to its food processing, agricul- cally analyze it for safety. Following that, tor, while retaining and recruiting busitural and distribution base, and Kennewick the water can be safely sprayed onto the nesses and jobs that promote solutions to 14 circles owned by the city, which are current and future energy challenges.” increases its retail core.

Reeploeg said the MCEI is “uniquely “We continue to march northward with leased back to farmers.

“The system has been very successful positioned to grow in that area.” This our industrial park, in hopes of landing and it’s at capacity,” White said. includes attracting businesses in renewfuture employment opportunities for resiWhile they can now chalk it up to a able energy resources. dents,” said Kerwin Jensen, community “We would be a good candidate for development director for the city of proven success, White said the project was a risk at the time.

“I’m not sure if it research and development with the nucleRichland. “It’s a big part of creating priwas folklore or fact, but the story goes ar generation,” Reeploeg said. “(Pacific mary sector jobs in the future.” that the first payment on the project was Northwest National Laboratory) is creatJensen said the city doesn’t want to due one month before the first processor ing new technologies every day. It’s one focus entirely on retail, since higher-paysigned on,” he said. key element of the economic future of the ing jobs are the goal in the industrial Duplicating the city’s current success Tri-Cities.” center. This is where companies like Richland is aware of the need to attract Lamb Weston, Preferred Freezer and isn’t as easy in 2019, as agriculture has grown into a strong economic sector. new residents to fill potential jobs created Packaging Corporation of America are “You can’t find farmland to buy because by these investment opportunities. located. we’ve looked,” White said.

“The workforce is tight,” said Mandy “The city of Richland wants to target Even with agriculture and food proWallner, marketing specialist for the city north Richland as a primary employment cessing at the core of its economic base, of Richland’s economic development center,” Jensen said.

Pasco still pays attention to the ebb and department.

“We want to recruit new The city also is carving up smaller flow of Hanford employment. people in rather than recruiting away parcels, amounting to up to five acres, in “We are a board member of the Trifrom one local company to another, so the portion of the city known as the Horn Cities Research District, even though the you’re not just creating a vacant space Rapids Business Center, which could be majority of that activity occurs in the Port elsewhere.” used for small businesses.

Wallner said with the Tri-Cities’ popuPasco has been making public invest- of Benton,” White said.

The district consists of about 2,900 lation soon to hit the 300,000 mark, it ments in its infrastructure since the midacres designated as an innovation ecosysbecomes an important threshold for 1990s as a way of leveraging private tem in 2007.

Its focus is on clean energy attracting new businesses in Richland and investment in agricultural, distribution innovation and includes the Midaround the Tri-Cities. and processing industries. This included a “The next big piece is making sure that forward-thinking plan put in place 25 Columbia Energy Initiative, or MCEI. The initiative is described as an effort to zoning and infrastructure are all done in a years ago to buy land at the north end of “focus on economic development that way that’s meaningful,” White said. the city.

Pasco’s efforts to make itself desirable capitalizes on local infrastructure, “The city bought 14 (agricultural) circles, representing 640 acres. They put in a pumping facility and piping facilities and partnered with the Port of Pasco and Franklin County and TRIDEC to establish the food processing centers that are there now,” said Rick White, community and economic development director for the city of Pasco.

It wasn’t just a ready-made system.

Pasco had to create a method to allow food processors to operate efficiently.

“The big obstacle in establishing the center was what to do with all that wastewater,” White said. “They use a ton of water every day. The volume is too much to send to the treatment plant, and would make it more expensive for existing rate5790 W. Van Giesen St. payers who would have to pay for the expansion.”

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16

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

TANKS, From Page 13

op different approaches and tools that match the profile of the tanks,” said Rob Roxburgh, deputy manager of communications and public relations at WRPS. He said crews will determine the overall health of the tank and then develop a specific approach for how to best retrieve waste from within. The immediate goal is to transfer waste from the single-shell tanks to the double-shell tanks, but eventually the waste is supposed to be transferred to a waste treatment plant that will sort the waste into high-activity and low-activity waste. The low-activity waste, which will make up the majority of the tank waste, will be vitrified, meaning it will undergo chemical processes to be turned into glass logs and then shipped away for safe storage.

The vit plant, which is being built near the tanks for easy flow from tank storage to treatment, should be operational to treat tank waste by 2023. In the meantime, 159 tanks still need to be emptied. Besides the painstakingly slow pace, WRPS constantly fights aging infrastructure as it works to remove waste, too.

“One of the challenges we deal with out here is the aging infrastructure and managing that in cooperation with managing the tank waste,”

Bengtson said. “So the double-shell tanks are supposed to remain intact and hold that waste until it can be treated at the vit plant.”

The single-shell tanks are not compliant to regulatory standards, Bengtson said, which poses an obvious threat for more leaks, especially when 149 of the 177 tanks are single-shell tanks. Even the doubleshelled tanks are not always reliable, however, Bengston noted that one of them had leaked into its outer wall.

With new technologies, WRPS is beginning retrieval work on a new farm and the 19th tank currently.

WRPS spokespeople believe the process will go quicker on the next farm.

“For this next round of retrievals, which is going to be a collection of 10 tanks, in A and AX farms, we are taking a more holistic approach this time where we are putting hopefully all of the systems in place so that we can go in and move at a faster, more efficient rate,” Roxburgh said. “…

We’ve done all of the research for that collection of tanks, and we’re taking a far, wide holistic approach.”

WRPS will only exist, in name, through the completion of its contract come the end of September, at which point the Department of Energy could select a new contractor or AECOM may continue the work on the tanks.

HANFORD

Methods tested to speed waste withdrawal

BY JOHN STANG

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

Washington River Protection Solutions is considering cutting new holes in Hanford’s single-shell tanks — openings that could potentially reach up to six feet in diameter.

Currently, the holes in the tops of Hanford’s underground tanks are very narrow with extremely long pipes connecting the surface with the radioactive sludge and fluids in the tanks. Collapsible equipment has to be inserted through those skinny tubes to be unfolded by remote control inside the tank to install sensors and pumps in those interiors.

Consequently, working inside the tanks and pumping out the waste is a very slow process.

This concept of cutting bigger holes could enable bigger and more complex machinery to be inserted in the site’s underground radioactive waste tanks to speed up pumping the material from the single-shell tanks into newer and safer double-shell tanks.

WRPS believes it is likely Hanford that will adopt this approach. But a timetable for making a decision on the concept and a creating a budget estimate has not been set yet, said WRPS Chief Engineer Karthik Subramanian. It will take an undetermined number of years to nail down and implement this approach, he said.

“We’re in the infancy of doing this,” Subramanian said.

Hanford has cut bigger holes in tanks twice in the past — Tank C-107 in 2010 and Tank C-105 in 2013.

In 2017, WRPS asked the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to study whether cutting wide holes in the tops of the tanks would

increase the likelihood of the tanks collapsing from the resulting underground tension and compression on the concrete and stainless steel of the tank. The physics is similar to that of a dome on top of church.

WRPS’ potential holes are much bigger than any existing openings in the tanks, said Ken Johnson, the PNNL engineer in charge for the structural analysis team.

A typical Hanford tank can hold up to 1.2 million gallons. Most tanks are 75 feet in diameter, 75 feet in height, with 15-inch-thick stainless steel walls, a concrete top and usually are under 7.5 feet of soil. Toxic and radioactive fumes are inside the tanks.

So far, 17 of Hanford’s 149 single-shell tanks — all well beyond their design lives — have been emptied into 28 newer and safer double-shell tanks that are flirting with the ends of their design lives. Overall, the 177 tanks hold about 56 million gallons of waste.

Johnson said the study showed in 2018 that cutting a new access hole of up to six feet in a 39-foot-in-diameter circle in the center of the top of the tank would have no effect on the structural integrity of a tank. Now the ball is back in WRPS’s court. “This is just the first step to see if this is a concept to be considered,” Johnson said.

WRPS still is hunting for the right equipment that can be inserted through wider holes to speed up pumping, Subramanian said. Also, safe ways of cutting new holes in the tanks need to be studied since sparks in a potentially flammable atmosphere and escaping fumes have to be considered, he added.

“This is a long-term process,” Subramanian said.

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

HANFORD

17

DEMOLITION, From Page 11

Courtesy Bechtel National Inc. Jobs tied to Hanford are the largest source of employment in the Tri-Cities. Among this workforce are a mix of professional administrators, scientists, technicians, engineers and a large number who work in the trades, such as welders, electricians, crane operators and other crafts.

WORKFORCE, From Page 4 highest number of employees used by prime contractors, with Mission Support Alliance, CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Co. and Washington River Protection Solutions each dedicating about 20 percent of their workforce to roles like auditors, communications and cost estimators.

Bechtel does not break this number out of its workforce total, instead including these workers in the catch-all category “all others.”

While most WRPS employees fall into the professional support staff category, the contractor employs about the same number of managers as it does engineers, totaling about 375 each as of the end of 2018, or about 16 percent of its workforce.

All contractors are stocked with hundreds of managers, representing 13 percent to 22 percent of their staff, depending on the employer.

Bechtel reported the fewest number of managers, with 365, or 13.6 percent of its staff, while CHPRC is the most top heavy, with 354 managers among its 1,600 employees, or 22 percent.

While the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant remains a hub of new construction, to build both the plant itself and many support buildings, the number of trade workers is the highest for Bechtel across the site’s largest contractors.

The company employs about 1,100 trade workers out of its 2,668 employees, or more than 40 percent of its workforce.

Since MSA holds the contract responsible for security and infrastructure at the site, it also employs a high number of people in trade or craft jobs. A quarter of MSA’s workforce is comprised of roles like pipe fitters, welders, electricians, crane operators and other similar roles.

Many of those in trade or craft roles are represented by labor groups, includ-

ing those employed with CHPRC, MSA, WRPS, Bechtel and Veolia Nuclear Solutions-Federal Services.

In year-end 2018 totals, union-represented employees made up about 42 percent of the workforce for CHPRC and MSA, two contractors under the Department of Energy’s Richland Operations Office. Thirty-eight percent of the representation comes from the Hanford Atomic Metal Trades Council, while MSA is the only Department of Energy prime contractor with workers covered by the Hanford Guards Union.

Another 5,000 employees are working for those contracted with the Department of Energy’s Office of River Protection, including employees with WRPS, Veolia and Bechtel. Each contractor has union-represented workers, including members of both HAMTC and the building and construction trades.

The split is a 2-to-1 ratio, non-union versus union.

Union employees for WRPS and Wastren Advantage Inc. are represented by the Hanford Atomic Metal Trades Council, and account for about 42 percent of the overall workforce for WRPS and Veolia.

Bechtel/Waste Treatment Completion Co. employees have union representation from the building and construction trades, and are employed by WTCC. About 30 percent of those working on the vit plant are represented by the 16 union affiliates that make up the building and construction trades.

While most people working on the Hanford site are employed by a private contractor, there are about 360 who work directly for the federal government and are employed by the Department of Energy. More than half are at the Richland Operations Office, with the remaining 150 at the Office of River Protection.

The contractors employing the fewest

number of employees at the site include the 80 who work for HPM Corp. and the five dozen who work for Veolia. HPM has held the contract to provide occupational medical services at the site since 2012.

Workers at Veolia are responsible for testing samples from the tank farms. The French company acquired Ohio-based Wastren Advantage, which has held the contract for the 222-S Analytical Laboratory Services since 2015. It employs 63 people at its Richland location. Neither HPM nor Veolia responded to requests for the classification of its employees, totaling just fewer than 150 people.

Collectively, jobs connected to Hanford remain the largest source of employment in the Tri-Cities.

A report from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory done in 2009 found that jobs at Hanford represented 16 percent of total jobs in the local economy between 1970-94. The same report recalled downsizing at the site in the mid-’90s that reduced employment from a peak of 14,462 in 1996, to 6,706 in 1998. Today’s numbers hover just over 9,000, which doesn’t include the 1,100 workers at Energy Northwest or the 4,500 at PNNL, which puts Battelle atop the list of the largest employers in the Tri-Cities.

Since work first got underway at the Hanford site in the 1940s, the intention of the workforce has shifted as the decades rolled on, resulting in today’s overall focus on cleanup. Yet after more than 75 years of concentrated progress at the site, the demand for a constant workforce has not changed and is expected to remain for decades to come.

“A person graduating from high school or college soon could still have a long and successful career at Hanford,” Reeploeg said.

The largest part of lower-risk work on demolition is removing securely covered or stabilized debris left on the ground after demolition happens, Bohrmann said, and for most of the time since work has resumed at the PFP plant, crews have been removing debris. Recently, they started demolition again, this time on a vault.

“This is a big risk-reduction effort at the Hanford site, and one of the highest priorities in the central part of the Hanford site,” Bohrmann said.

Figuring out how to safely remove all of the plutonium from the PFP took about 20 years to complete, said Mark Heeter, public affairs specialist with the Department of Energy’s Richland Operations Office, pointing out that actual demolition of buildings began in November 2016. PFP has always been a high priority on the Department of Energy’s list, Heeter said.

“For many years, it was a very high priority because it was one of the most hazardous facilities in that complex,” he said. “… In fact if you looked all across the country, it was a big target for what we were looking close to finishing up.”

Before CH2M Hill can begin to demolish anything deemed high-risk work again, the independent management assessment must be finished to determine whether it can proceed. That assessment began at the end of April. If approved, CH2M Hill might be able to meet current scheduled deadlines to complete demolition by the end of September 2019.

The original milestone attached to demolition of PFP was set for 2017, but after the contamination spreads, that deadline was adjusted accordingly. The goal, Bohrmann said, is to be slab-ongrade with the main processing plant knocked down and debris removed by the deadline. However, work at PFP is not so much deadline-driven as it is safety-driven.

“One of the effects of (the December 2017 contamination event) is that we recognized and reaffirmed the fact that we have to do this at a safe and deliberate pace,” Heeter said. “The safe and deliberate pace to ensure that we can do everything we can to prevent the spreads of contamination … is critical.”

Higher-risk work to complete demolition of the plant includes pulling out pipelines underneath the processing facility, as well as removing a pile of rubble with the remains of parts of the PFP. For now, CH2M Hill representatives are optimistic the work can be finished in this fiscal year, which ends in September.

Heeter said the management assessment represents closing the feedback loop for workers, as well as regulators and labor unions as work processes are decided going forward.

“We continue to take in information and use that to guide or help guide our decisions on the work that remains,” Heeter said.

Bohrmann believes the progress made so far on debris removal on PFP since last fall speaks to renewed collaborations amongst all parties involved in the work.

“It’s been a group effort,” he said.

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

HANFORD

BUSINESSES, From Page 8

gateway to increased opportunity with compensation coming in the form of higher profits for companies that are undaunted by the additional requirements.

Companies wanting to maximize the opportunities available through small business subcontracts at Hanford should begin by doing their research, said Kelly Brazil, contracting officer and small business program manager for the Department of Energy’s Office of River Protection.

“We always encourage people to read the mission of the office they’re going to contact first. Check out the website and see what types of work they’re doing and what types of work they subcontract for,” Brazil said. “It’s really important to understand the mission of an office before you contact them. That’s just going to make it more meaningful on both sides.”

Brazil, who also leads the Hanford Small Business Council, serves as an advocate for small businesses looking to do business with the Office of River Protection. When contacted by local companies that are just getting started on their quest to find work at Hanford, she often recommends they begin by reaching out to the Procurement Technical Assistance Center, which offers paid and no-cost services, including assistance with developing a capability statement that can be submitted as part of a proposal for government work.

For companies that have done their research and are ready to work at Hanford, small business program managers and advocates can serve as a resource for get-

Courtesy U.S. Department of Energy Small businesses help prime contractor Mission Support Alliance keep the Hanford site’s hundreds of roadways functioning and safe

ting information in front of the right people, she said.

“We’re just here to help them as much as we can,” Brazil said. “When they contact me, I do the best I can to make a match for them or redirect them to one of the prime contractors on the Hanford site.”

When work isn’t immediately available, Brazil said companies should plan to follow up somewhere between once a quarter and twice a year as long as they still are interested in the opportunity.

Roxie Schescke, president of Pascobased subcontractor Indian Eyes LLC, said she was able to break into Hanford after identifying an opportunity and aggressively demonstrating that Indian Eyes was a qualified small business with

the know-how to meet the stringent requirements that come along with working for the Department of Energy. The company had previously done work at the Rocky Flats Plant in Colorado.

“As a small business, when you first start, everyone says, ‘Don’t do that shotgun effect,’ but you have to be aggressive when you identify a customer that you feel like you have a niche for and that you can provide a solution to,” Schescke said.

WRPS small-business program manager Talia Ochoa said one important key to getting into government subcontracting is to learn and understand the processes that are involved. She recommends that potential subcontractors take advantage of community outreach opportunities,

such as the annual Hanford Small Business Council’s and Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Bridging Partnerships Small Business Symposium and the chamber’s Women in Business conference, both of which WRPS helps to sponsor.

Another potential opportunity for small businesses to learn the ropes of working with the government is by applying to the Department of Energy’s Mentor-Protégé Program, which seeks to foster long-term business relationships between small disadvantaged businesses and Department of Energy prime contractors.

Both WRPS and MSA, as well as most other prime contractors, have mentorprotégé programs in place.

WRPS has a mentor-protégé business relationship with Tri-City-based Elite Construction & Dev., a partnership that has enabled Elite to adopt new procedures that allow government agencies to seamlessly interface with the company, said Chandler Wade, chief marketing officer for Elite.

The partnership also has offered Elite new insights into the latest safety techniques and procedures, as well as specific skills related to doing work for the government. However, in Elite’s eyes, the most important aspect of the partnership is the networking opportunities it has provided and relationships it has fostered, both of which are priceless for Elite’s future growth and success, Wade said.

“The benefit to a business that is selected as a protégé is ultimately an increased amount of business opportunities,” Legarreta said. “That’s the ultimate goal.”

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

HANFORD WASTE, From Page 2 have been cocooned, with two more to go.

One reactor is preserved for future visitors.

Most of the work in the river corridor is finished, except for removing some radioactive material from one of the remaining reactors and from the 300 Area, said Geoff Tyree, Department of Energy external engagement lead for the Hanford site.

The remainder of work at the Hanford site is in the central plateau area where the plutonium was created and processed, composed of 1,715 facilities.

So far, 889 facilities have been demolished, and more than half of the nuclear waste sites have been remediated — 1,342 of the 2,032 waste sites, according to a 2018 progress fact-sheet from the Department of Energy. A lot of the work on the central plateau is focused on safely destroying the former plutonium-production facilities, as well as the chemical waste left behind.

“There were a lot of leftover materials,” Tyree said.

A lot of that waste was stored in tanks — 177 tanks worth, to be exact. While destroying and safely demolishing the actual buildings where plutonium was created, processed and treated presents its own challenges, figuring out how to treat the toxic waste leftover and stored in nowdecaying tanks is a crucial focus.

During the plutonium production process, scientists had to destroy the metal fuel rods used to access the plutonium in the final stages of production. The chemicals used to destroy fuel rods became toxic during this process and could not be reused. They were stored in underground tanks ranging in capacity from 55,000 gallons to 1 million gallons. Workers retrieved all the liquid waste from these tanks in the early 2000s, but it’s the solid and sludgelike waste that presents real challenges. Workers have retrieved waste from 18 of the 177 tanks.

Developments at the Hanford site signal quicker progress in the future for tank waste treatment, however.

Department of Energy contractor Bechtel National Inc. is scheduled to open a vitrification plant in 2023 on the Hanford site that can treat the low-activity tank waste with a process that turns it into glass.

Washington River Protection Solutions officials believe that the next tank farm waste retrieval process will go quicker than previous operations.

So, in short, progress is being made.

The rate of that progress, however, is slow, and slip-ups as well as full-out stops occur, sometimes for months.

In 2017, a section of the Plutonium Uranium Extraction Plant Tunnel 1 collapsed, leading to two years of intensive focus and full-grouting of both that tunnel and the larger Tunnel 2, to prevent potential contamination exposure.

Similarly, destruction of arguably one of the most dangerous buildings left standing in the central plateau, the Plutonium Finishing Plant, ground to a halt after 42 workers inhaled contaminated material following two spreads outside the demolition zone. That work has resumed with renewed surveillance and more safety in place, but not before an

eight-month hiatus. The reality is cleaning up materials that formerly produced toxic chemicals, as well as the waste left behind, is daunting work.

“We still have a long way to go, but we’ve made tremendous progress,” said Peter Bengtson, communications manager with Washington River Protection Solutions. WRPS currently holds the tank waste contracts at the Hanford site, through the end of September, when it expires. “It’s dangerous, hazardous work.

There are a lot of unknowns. Just providing and installing new infrastructure around old tank farms, we find old cables or wires or pipelines that none of the drawings have on them.”

Beyond the hazards, the work is costly.

Hanford is funded solely through federal dollars on an annual basis, meaning contractors and regulators are relying on Congress and the president — to some extent — every year to see if achieving their agreed-to milestones is feasible with the available funding.

Randy Bradbury, communications manager for the Department of Ecology’s nuclear waste program, said he believes funding is at least partially to blame for the constant delays and back-ups at Hanford. Funding in the last five years, he said, has not met the minimum milestone deadlines.

For the upcoming fiscal year, the Trump administration proposed cutting the Department of Energy’s funding to the Hanford site by $417 million.

In fiscal year 2019, the site received $2.52 billion in federal funding and has requested $3.25 billion for fiscal year 2020. The new fiscal year begins Oct. 1.

Current Department of Energy budget documents predict the cleanup at Hanford to finish by 2078, with a 50 percent to 80 percent confidence level. In its 10-year contract, WRPS has removed waste from 18 tanks. Even if that pace were more than doubled, to say about 40 tanks in a decade, it would take four more decades to remove all of the waste from the underground tank farms at Hanford.

The ominous end-date represents yet another pushback to the cleanup efforts initially scheduled to finish in 2020, then the 2040s.

Bradbury said the more time it takes, the more infrastructure problems will continue to crop up. Indeed, 67 of the single-shell tanks used to store waste material have leaked, and the majority of the tank waste is stored in identical single-shell tanks built in the 1940s, 50s and 60s.

The Department of Ecology recommends extra funding now that would ultimately save a lot of money in the long run, so that the Department of Energy would not have to repair temporary infrastructure, as well as pay for treatment and permanent storage for remediated materials.

“What we’ve been recommending for a while is that plus-ups now will make a big difference in the long run,” Bradbury said.

The potential for budget increases, however, is subject to political winds, blowing in whatever direction they blow.

For now, progress continues forward, albeit at a measured pace.

19

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • May 2019

VIT PLANT, From Page 9 The purpose of the lab is to confirm that glass produced meets regulatory requirements and standards. Processing will take place during direct feed lowactivity waste, or DFLAW, operations, bringing the waste directly from the tank farms, which are managed by Washington River Protection Solutions, and to the LAW facility. It requires the two to work in concert with each other.

“WPRS is also working to design and build the systems necessary to supply the vit plant with a steady diet of waste to support eventual operations,” said Robert Roxburgh, deputy manager of communications and public relations for WRPS. “The tank-side cesium removal system will separate both cesium and undissolved solid materials from radioactive tank waste, providing a low-activity waste stream that can be sent to the WTP for vitrification.”

Benefits of a DFLAW approach are touted as safe storage of long-term waste, reduction of any short-term risks to the environment by targeting mobile constituents, and the creation of additional double-shell tank space.

The analytical lab was intentionally built next door to the LAW facility, where technicians within the lab are expected to analyze about 3,000 samples each year. Since not all waste is identical, the process will determine what materials should be mixed with each sample to create a glass log that meets regulatory requirements. The logs will be stored on the Hanford site until a

national repository is identified.

Bechtel and the Department of Energy are working to meet a court-ordered deadline at the end of 2023 to begin treating low-level waste. This date was determined through a consent decree in 2016, which set a legally-binding schedule to retrieve waste from the tanks and continue construction of the plant.

Plant operations were originally expected by the end of 2018 but after problems arose with the high-level waste and pretreatment facilities, the project shifted focus to DFLAW configurations instead. This now includes the Dec. 31, 2023, deadline for treating LAW, and a Dec. 31, 2033, deadline for treating highlevel waste.

Goals for the remainder of 2019 include delivering all DFLAW major equipment and bulk materials, completing the startup of the analytical laboratory and installing equipment necessary for the final support structure, the effluent management facility, or EMF. There are 20 support facilities that make up the Balance of Facilities, or BOF, on the campus, with 14 dedicated to low-activity waste and the remaining six to be built in future phases to treat highlevel waste. The EMF is part of the DFLAW process, receiving secondary liquids generated from the LAW facility to be treated and transferred to the liquid effluent retention facility, which sends back any remaining concentrate to go through vitrification.

Bechtel is planning to simulate a loss of power during a test planned in fall 2020 to ensure the facility’s melters

HANFORD would remain functional despite a blackout. Bechtel leadership calls this a “crucial” test toward moving into the operation phase for the LAW facility. The melters are considered the heart of the vitrification process since they heat the waste and chemicals so they may be turned into glass form.

The loss-of-power test is one of many processes described as “methodical,” encompassing a series of reviews paired with rigorous documentation.

“As we meet different milestones, we can do the next set that we haven’t done before,” said George Rangel senior communications specialist at the vit plant.

Rangel said as crews prepare to hand over any facilities from startup testing to the commissioning phase, “workers are hands on to develop processes and procedures that will govern their work.”

As the procedures roll along, the plant’s workforce needs also shift.

Right now, about 2,600 people work at the site, but eventually that number is expected to fall to 1,500 to 1,800.

“Once we start operations, there will be a steady workforce for DFLAW,” West said. “It will be smaller than what was required to build it, but there will still be a steady workforce.” This includes transitions from construction workers to chemists, who will be needed on the commissioning team. Some of these chemists currently are working inside a lab at Columbia Basin College to ensure workers train on the same equipment they will eventually use in the analytical laboratory.

“In the next one to two months, some

of those workers will begin working out of the lab for the first time,” West said.

Startup and testing also recently got underway for four utility buildings that are part of the support infrastructure that make up the BOF on the vit plant site, containing 56 systems. The utility buildings include the anhydrous ammonia facility, former glass storage facility, chiller compressor building and steam plant building. All are scheduled to complete the startup phase within 2019.

Bechtel promotes that once complete, the BOF will have a chilled water system that could cool 23,500 houses, a fuel oil storage that could fill the gas tanks of 11,500 cars and a compressed air system that could fill the Goodyear blimp in three minutes. About half of the BOF systems are in the commissioning phase, another 24 are in the startup phase and the final five are preparing to be turned over from construction to startup.

When complete, the “first-of-a-kind project” will cover 65 acres and include four nuclear facilities covering pretreatment, the analytical laboratory, LAW facility and high-level waste facility, besides other operations and maintenance buildings, utilities and office space.

The footprint of the plant itself is equivalent to the size of 1.5 football fields and 12 stories high. Bechtel describes the vit plant as a “feat of engineering and construction at an unprecedented level,” making it the “largest undertaking of its kind and one of the Department of Energy’s most technically challenging cleanup projects.”