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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business
8919 W. Grandridge Blvd., Ste. A1
Kennewick, WA 99336
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CBC places seventh in national cyber security competition
he Said it
Our main goals are to increase
jobs and the tax base in our
communities.
- Gary Ballew, of the Port of Pasco,
speaking about the new Eastern
Washington Economic Development Alliance
tourism & RecreationNew public television series
showcases NW wineriesPages 21-26
RetirementNew depot planned
for model trainsPages 49-53
By Mary CoffmanFor a couple of hours each day, Christine
Nichols stands outside of Lowes, telling anyone who will listen
her story and asking them to sign the petition she is holding.
Nichols, of Richland, is with GROW, or Grandparents Rights of
Washington State, a group that trying to gather 250,000 signa-tures
to qualify Initiative 1431 for the November ballot.
I-1431 would gives grandparents legal standing to petition a
court for visitation rights if they are being unreasonably kept
from their grandchildren.
Nichols granddaughter had lived her from the time the young girl
was an infant until last November, when she was not returned by the
fathers family after going to have holiday pictures taken.
Nichols said her daughter, who struggles with mental illness,
left her granddaughter with her as a baby and would come in and out
of her life sporadically.
I potty trained her. I taught her A,B,Cs, I taught her to skate
and play soccer, Nichols said. She is my life.
But the fathers family has kept the child from Nichols, who has
no visitation rights under the law.
I still have her Christmas presents boxed up and havent been
able to give them to her, she said.
In 2000, Washingtons visitation laws were dismantled by the U.S.
Supreme Court, which ruled they were too broad and
unconstitutionally interfered with parenting rights in Troxel vs.
Granville.
In that case, the Troxels son committed suicide and the
daughter-in-law started withholding the children from the
grand-parents. A judge granted them visitation, but the
daughter-in-law appealed and the Appellate Court sent the case to
the Supreme Court.
The old law said that any third party that had a relationship
with the child could petition for visitation, Paine said. That
included nonrelatives, teachers, coaches and neighbors.
Visitation rights for any third party, including grandparents,
have been in flux every sense.
Adam Cabrey, John Joseph Jr., Stephen Erlenbush, Phillip Todd,
Levi Staley, Keith Thornhill, Warren Fogg and Matt Hodge pull on
the regional trophy, while the guys who attacked the Cyber Hawks
database during the competition tug back in jest.
By Jessica Hoefer for TCAJOBLevi Staley has always had a knack
for
technology. In high school, he decided to turn a profit from his
talent by repairing broken cell phones and reselling them once they
were usable.
Then I got into helping people fix their computers and helping
people recover data, he said.
Despite his ability to maneuver around the motherboard, Staley
enrolled in Columbia Basin Colleges paramedic program. It took a
little brotherly advice before Staley hit restart on his
education.
His brother recognized Staley was a natural at working with
computers and told him about the cyber security program at CBC.
I really liked the medical program and the idea of savings
lives, but I switched. And when I got to my computer classes,
everything just clicked, Staley said.With cyber crime increasing
at a rapid
pace, CBC offers students a chance to earn a Bachelors degree in
information security. The department even has its own team called
the Cyber Hawksstudents with skills ranging from data recovery to
networking to coding.
A lot of these kids want outlets like everybody. A hobby to do
the fun things you donot just lectures all the time, said Matt
Boehnke, CBCs director for cyber security.
Boehnke, who started working at CBC less than a year ago,
entered his Cyber Hawks in the Pacific Rim Collegiate Cyber Defense
Competition in 2015. They came in last place, but the competition
got students excited and interested in the club, including Staley,
who joined the eight-person team that competed in April 2016.
Volume 15 Issue 5
May 2016
Real estate & Construction
Excalibur expandingPages 29-43
By Jeff Morrow for TCAJOBSteve Jensen lives in western
Washington
town of Arlington. But he just absolutely loves the
Tri-Cities.
Jensen is a National Softball Association state tournament
director for Washington who has run two major girls fast-pitch
tour-naments in the Tri-Cities every year since 2007: the
Icebreaker in April and the state tournament in June.
The facilities there are so good, said Jensen. The other good
thing is that so many complexes and fields are within a few minutes
of each other. We use 32 fields just for the Icebreaker.
And the Tri-Cities mild spring weather is another big bonus for
Jensen.
I have 130 teams here and the last thing they want is to get
rained out, he said.
The two tournaments have been so suc-cessful that Jensen has
added a new one, the NSA Western World Series, which starts July 20
in the Tri-Cities.
The hotels are awesome to work with, and the parks departments
are great, said Jensen.
Drew Reiners, the manager for the Western Baseball Division of
Triple Crown Sports out of Fort Collins, Colo., agrees with Jensens
assessment. His organization has a Fathers Day weekend baseball
tournament for players ages 9 to 18 in the Tri-Cities. The
tournament has been taking place every year since 2007.
The last few years, weve had anywhere from 95 to 120 teams
playing that weekend in the Tri-Cities, said Reiners.
Grandparents gathering signatures for initiative to grant
visitation rights
uSPORTS, Page 22
uRIGHTS, Page 52
uCBC, Page 9
Diamonds in the Desert: Tri-Cities sports fields catch a lot of
cash for local economy
Page 27
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2 Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business May 2016
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By Loretto J. [email protected]
Sacajawea State Parks serene beauty will be a bit livelier in
June as two groups hold popular annual events there early in the
month.
The Friends of Sacajawea State Park will have its annual Old
Fashioned Day from noon to 4 p.m. June 4.
Its a family event featuring simple games like a bean bag toss,
potato sack races and scavenger hunts, said Sharon Stewart, the
events coordinator for the group.
Its just a good old-fashioned day, with activities to entice
families out to the park, out in the fresh air, to get people to
realize its a great place to play games as a family.
Big Top the Clown will twist bal-loons into animals and other
shapes, Ghormley Meadow Christian Camp will have relay races;
officers from Pasco Police and Franklin County Sheriffs departments
will give safety tips; and the Northwest Historians will reenact
life as it was many, many decades ago.
Ye Olde Car Club of the Tri-Cities will also display several
Model A and T vehicles during the day. And the Kennewick Lions Club
will sell hot dogs and donuts.
There is no admission charge for Old Fashioned Day and no need
for state park Discover Pass to enter or park at Sacajawea during
the event.
The Kennewick Lions will be selling hot dogs and donuts.
Old Fashioned Day is also a way for the Friends of Sacajawea
State Park to promote the park.
The Friends of Sacajawea State Park formed three years ago with
just 10 people who noticed the park needed some special
attention.
We realized our parks, because of all the cutbacks in funding,
were going downhill, said Stewart. The park ser-vice simply didnt
have the money for upkeep. And we didnt want to lose our beautiful
park.
The groups Old Fashioned Day began as an Old Fashioned Fourth of
July, but didnt draw the attendance from the community that theyd
hoped.
So we moved the celebration back into June and we had 300 people
turn out last year, she said. We are hoping
for even more this June.This year, the Friends of Sacajawea
State Park partnered with the Daughters of the Pioneers who have
organized an annual picnic at the park for decades.
They were the ones who started the park in 1927, Steward said.
They turned it over to the Washington State Park system in 1931 and
it was the state that named it Sacajawea.
Stewart said the group chose the name because the park is at a
spot where Lewis and Clark and their Corps of Discovery Expedition
spent several days camping. The state named it after the only woman
in the group in Honor of the Daughters of the Pioneers.
For more information, go to friend-sofsacajaweastatepark.org or
find them on Facebook.
Sacajawea Bluegrass Festival and Dutch Oven Rendezvous
For nearly a decade, old-time fiddle music, savory campfire
cooking and the camaraderie of fellow musicians has lured 500 to
800 people to Sacajawea State Park each summer.
On June 10-12, the Mid-Columbia Traditional Arts & Music
Association will once again play host to the Sacajawea Bluegrass
Festival and Dutch Oven Rendezvous under the tall shade trees of
the historic park.
This years headliners are the Henhouse Prowlers from Chicago and
the OConnor Family Band featuring Mark OConnor.
We feel really lucky to have signed up these two
nationally-known bands, said Reade Obern of the MCTAMA. The
Henhouse Prowlers have a lot of experience and Mark OConnor is one
of the most famous fiddlers in the United States. Hes played with
symphonies and in movies, as well as concerts.
Mark OConnor splits his time between his home in Nashville and
New York. This is one of his first appearanc-es on the West
coast.
Other bands being featured at the festival are North Country
Bluegrass and the Downtown Mountain Boys.
Many other bluegrass musicians will attend the festival and the
popular Dutch oven cooking demonstration on Saturday. A variety of
music workshops are available, including one just for young
musicians.
Were also planning a band scram-ble, something thats traditional
at a bluegrass festival, said Obern.
The Sacajawea Bluegrass Festival and Dutch Oven Rendezvous opens
at 5 p.m. on Friday. There is an open mic
session from 5-6 p.m. with the various concerts running from
6:15-10 p.m. Go to www.mctama.org for a complete schedule or find
the festival on Facebook.
3Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business May 2016
A youngster fishes for rubber ducks while another maneuvers her
bike through an obstacle course at the first Friends of Sacajawea
State Park community gathering. Photo courtesy of Randy
Kirkbride.
Family-friendly events planned at Sacajawea State Park
uSACAJAWEA, Page 12
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4 Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business May 2016
(509) 737-87788919 W. Grandridge Blvd., Ste. A1
Kennewick, WA 99336www.tcjournal.biz
Loretto J. HulseReporter(509) 737-8778 ext.
[email protected]
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Staff
The Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business (TCAJoB) accepts
original columns from local professionals, educators and business
leaders.
The goal of these pieces is to share useful business tips and
knowledge with other area professionals. It is best to contact the
TCAJoB office for a copy of contributor guidelines before
submitting anything. Although we cannot publish every submission we
receive, we will keep columns that best fit the mission and focus
of the TCAJoB for possible future use.
The TCAJoB also accepts original letters to the editor and guest
editorials. Submissions must include the writers full name and
daytime contact information for verification.
All submissions to the TCAJoB will be edited for spelling,
grammar, punctuation and questions of good taste or libel.
If there is news youd like the TCAJoB staff to report on, or if
there are any topics youd like to read about, please con-tact the
TCAJoB news staff via email at [email protected].
The Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business (TCAJoB), a publication
of TriComp Inc., is published monthly and delivered at no charge to
identifiable businesses in Pasco, Richland, West Richland,
Kennewick, Prosser and Benton City, Wash. Subscriptions are $27.10
per year, prepayment required, no refunds. Contents of this
publication are the sole property of TriComp Inc. and can not be
reproduced in any form without expressed written consent. Opinions
expressed by contributors and advertisers do not neces-sarily
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contributors or advertisers. Every effort will be made to assure
information published is correct; however, we are not liable for
any errors or omissions made despite these efforts.
6354-55
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Around Town................................Business
Profile........................Conference
Call.............................Datebook..........................................Networking....................................Public
Record.................................Real
Estate......................................ShopTalk...........................................
DEPaRtMENtS
Sen. Sharon Brown..........................Veronica
Craker...............................Audra
Distifeno...............................Kris
Johnson..................................Jessica
Hoefer............................Maegan
Murray............................Jeff
Morrow................................Dori
ONeal...................................Elena
Olmstead.............................Elsie
Puig.............................Beau
Ruff.......................................Frances
White...............................
47265142
1, 4946
1, 232143
6, 13, 254544
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Solutions Summit 2016Former New York governor and presi-
dential candidate George Pataki will be the keynote speaker at
the Washington Policy Centers Solutions Summit 2016.
The statewide policy conference will be 7:30 a.m. 1:30 p.m. May
18 at the Three Rivers Convention Center. It will feature experts
on education, health care reform and more.
Tickets for the event start at $35 per person. Register at
washingtonpolicy.org/events.
BFT plans open house eventsBen Franklin Transit is asking
local
residents to participate in a series of open house events to
present the findings and recommendations from a recent BFT
comprehensive service plan study.
Tony Kalmbach, BFTs planning and service development manager,
said the primary goals of the project are to improve local mobility
within each com-munity and regional mobility between communities.
During the events, partici-pants will have the opportunity to
review the recommendations, ask questions and comment, as well as
offer other ideas for improving transit in the area. The open house
events will be: 4-7 p.m. May 18 at the Richland Library and the
Benton City Community Center; 3:30 6:30 p.m., May 19, at the
Mid-Columbia Library on Hopkins Street in Pasco; 4-7 p.m. May 19 at
Benton PUD in Prosser; 4-7 p.m. May 20 at the West Richland branch
of the Mid-Columbia Library on Van Giesen Street and at Benton PUD
in Kennewick; and 10 a.m. 1 p.m. May 21 at the Three
Rivers Transit Center in Kennewick. The schedule is also listed
in the Senior Times calendar on page 4 of this issue, with the
venue addresses. For more information call 509-735-5100 or go to
bftplan.org.
Mid-Columbia Libraries makes policy change
The Mid-Columbia Libraries board has raised the suspension level
for library cardholders with outstanding fines and fees from $10 to
$25. The change allows 10,000 library customers to regain their
privileges. Previously, when customers accumulated $10 or more in
overdue fines, replacement fees or other library dues, they were no
longer given access to check out library items. Despite the
increase, 13,000 cardholders are suspend-ed from library use. The
MCL has more than 154,700 cardholders.
Register for Trios Golf ClassicThe 17th Annual Trios
Foundation
Golf Classic will be June 17 at Canyon
Lakes Golf Course in Kennewick. This years event offers morning
and after-noon shotgun starts at 7:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., with the
morning flight open to individual players the afternoon reserved
for corporate teams and spon-sors. Registration closes June 10.
Sponsorship opportunities are also avail-able.
For more information or to register, go to trioshealth.org/Golf
or call Mandy Wallner at 509-221-5776.
BCFD 4 celebrates EMS Week May 15-21
Benton County Fire District 4 joins fire agencies across the
country to cele-brate Emergency Medical Service Week May 15-21. The
event seeks to bring awareness to the important role EMS programs
and first responders play in sav-ing lives in their
communities.
Fire District 4 has produced a brief video about its fire and
EMS program through a unique partnership with the Tri-
Tech Skills Center. The fire district approached Mike Greif, an
instructor who teaches Digital Arts and Filmmaking, for help with
the project late last year. Greif made the production a class
project, where students shot footage, edited, pro-duced, and
provided the voice-over narra-tion.
In 2015, Fire District 4 responded to 1,322 calls for help 63
percent of which were EMS-related. In fact, EMS calls have
increased 57 percent for the fire district just since voters
approved funding for the program in 2010.
The EMS levy has allowed the fire district to staff another
station, which has reduced ambulance response times by three
minutes on average. In addition to emergency personnel, funding is
used for training and certifications, ambulances, maintenance,
medical equipment, first aid supplies, and equipment
replacement.
Fire District 4 funds the EMS program through a voter-approved
levy, which expires at the end of the year. The Board of Fire
Commissioners is asking voters to renew the levy during the August
Primary Election at the same rate of 50 cents per $1,000 of
assessed valuation and to remove the expiration date. That means
the owner of a $250,000 home would continue to pay approximately
$10.42 per month (or $125 per year) for a 24-hour Paramedic
response.
Information about Fire District 4s levy renewal including the
video on its EMS program can be found at
www.bcfd4.org/ems-levy-renewal.html.
5Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business May 2016
uSHOPTALK, Page 8
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6 Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business May 2016Magic Camp takes
mystery and fear out of construction careers for young girlsBy
Elsie Puig for TCAJOB
Dressed in pink shirts and pink hard hats, an engaged group of
high school girls looked steadily focused on the job at hand. Some
build planter boxes; others lay cement, transforming it into garden
steps; and some of the young women operate saws with natural ease,
like theyd worked in construction for much of their young
lives.
The girls are at Tri-Tech Skills center for the Seventh Annual
Magic Camp Mentoring a Girl in Construction. The event brings
together girls from eighth grade through to high school to learn
about careers in construction. They weld, drill, hammer, strip wire
and lay cement under the watchful eye of women professionals in the
field.
Magic Camp is a free, four-day, after-school camp designed to
introduce girls to careers in construction. Students from all
Tri-Cities high schools and middle schools were invited, as well as
young women from private schools and home-schooled students.
Magic Camp offers the young ladies hands-on opportunities to
learn the basics of safety, carpentry, electrical, painting,
plumbing, concrete and welding. They build planter boxes, concrete
stepping stones, a metal bird house, weld a yard flower together,
learn how to bend copper piping, operate a backhoe simulator, wire
a doorbell or a light switch and assemble a lamp.
The purpose of MAGIC is to get female students to think outside
the box, so
to speak, and to try out things they might not otherwise have
the opportunity to, said Aimee Bergeson, controller and office
manager for Fowler Construction in Kennewick. By utilizing female
mentors from the local training programs and con-struction
industry, the students can see the path to a career.
Students also receive information about industry jobs and
requirements to get in the field, while being introduced to
successful women in construction.
Even if they decide not to pursue a career in construction or a
trade, the camp shows the girls they can be makers and builders.
Skills like learning to operate
power tools are applicable to everyday life.In the long run,
even if the students
dont decide on a career in construction we hope that they will
have gained enough confidence to even tackle some home proj-ects
they might not otherwise try, she added.
But they can also choose to pursue a career in the trades, one
that promises good salaries, and opportunities for growth.
According to the National Association of Women in Construction,
a trade organi-zation, women in the U.S. on average earn about 82.1
percent of what males in the country earn. That gender pay gap isnt
as wide in the construction industry, where
women earn about 93.4 percent what men make.
And thats exactly what Cassie Smith, came away with theres a
viable career path and the pay is good. Smith is a senior in
Tri-Tech Skills center construction pro-gram and after graduation,
she hopes to join the local electrical union.
Its been an eye opener talking to some of the experienced women
in construction and seeing how much they make and how well they do,
she said.
One of the volunteers is a former par-ticipant and a current
student at Central Washington University who is studying
construction management. Shell graduate in two years.
Bethany Hiemstra was a student at Southridge High School taking
engineer-ing classes before deciding she enjoyed construction and
building a lot more. Thats when she started taking classes at
Tri-Tech and became a participant at the camp.
I remember my first night at Magic Camp they asked who wanted to
use the power tools and everybody stepped back I was the first to
give it a try, said Hiemstra. I havent looked back since. I love
it. Ive even done some concrete work for my mom in her
backyard.
Magic Camp was started in 2009 with funding from local business
through a part-nership with Tri-Tech. Its mission to encourage
girls to enter careers in con-struction to help address the
workforce shortage impacting the industry, said Bergeson.
uCAMP, Page 8
Magic Camp participants learn hands-on skills building projects,
operating power tools and getting one-on-one training from women in
the industry.
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7Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business May 2016
May 187:30 a.m. 1:30 p.m. 2016 Solutions SummitWashington Policy
CenterThree Rivers Convention CenterWashingtonpolicy.org/events
9 a.m. 1 p.m. Nuclear Workers Resource FairCold War
PatriotsSouthridge Sports Complex2901 Southridge Blvd.,
Kennewick888-903-8989
May 2111:30 a.m.Fat Mans Biathalon Golf & PokerRed Mountain
Lions ClubHorn Rapids Golf Course509-302-1330
May 245:15 p.m.Womens CircleAdvisor BenefitsAdvisor Benefits
Office5101 W. Clearwater Ave., KennewickRSVP 509-497-2085
May 2511:30 a.m. 1:30 p.m.Monthly Networking
Luncheon: State of the CitiesTri-City Regional ChamberPasco Red
Lion509-736-0510
June 111:30 a.m.Monthly meeting & luncheon National Active
and RetiredFederal Employees AssociationRed Lion, Columbia
Centerwww.narfe1192.org
Noon 1 p.m. General Membership LuncheonWest Richland
ChamberSandberg Event Center, West RichlandRSVP 509-967-0521
Noon 1:30 p.m.Membership Luncheon Featuring Congressman Dan
NewhouseTRIDECPasco Red LionRSVP 509-735-1000
June 25-7 p.m. Taste IgniteFidelitas Red Mountain 51810 N.
Sunset Road, Benton Citywww.tasteignite.eventbrite.com
June 410 a.m.Time of Remembrance Poker RunCombat Vets
International, Ch. 3Tys Bar & Grill, West
Richland509-948-2414
1 p.m. 10th Annual Scramble Golf TournamentUnited Ways Young
Leaders SocietyTri-City Country Club, Kennewick509-783-4102
June 91 p.m. Caliente OpenTri-Cities Hispanic ChamberCanyon
Lakes Golf Course509-547-5356
June 101 p.m. 20th Annual Golf TournamentHome Builders
Association Of the Tri-CitiesCanyon Lakes Golf
Course509-735-2745
June 1311:45 a.m. 1 p.m. Monthly Membership LuncheonPasco
Chamber of Commerce
Pasco Red Lion509-547-9755
June 147 a.m. 8:15 a.m. Business Building BreakfastWest Richland
Chamber Sandberg Event Center, West RichlandRSVP 509-967-0521
9-11 a.m.Government Contracting EssentialsWashington
PTACTri-Cities Business & Visitor CenterRSVP 509-491-3231
June 164-10 p.m. Hogs & Dogs Family FestivalWest Richland
ChamberBombing Range Sports Complex 509-967-0521
June 176:30 a.m. 7:30 p.m. Trios Foundation Golf ClassicTrios
FoundationCanyon Lakes Golf Course509-221-5776
1 p.m. Sagebrush ScramblePasco Chamber of Commerce
Sun Willows Golf Course, Pasco509-547-9755
1 p.m. 22nd Annual Scholar ScrambleRichland Education
FoundationHorn Rapids Golf Course509-528-9102
June 183-7 p.m.Summer Solstice in Demo GardensWSU Master
GardenersDemonstration Gardens 1620 S. Union St. Kennewick
June 23-26Cool Desert NightsUptown Shopping CenterTri-City
Regional Chamber
June 241 p.m.2016 Swings for HospiceFundraiser for The
ChaplaincyHome Health Care SolutionsCanyon Lakes Golf
Course509-308-1899
June 2611 a.m. 7p.m.Mariachi & More FestivalTri-Cities
Hispanic Chamber Columbia Park, Kennewick509-542-0933
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8 Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business May 2016SHOPTALK, From
page 5
Horse owners advised to vaccinate for West Nile
Washington State Veterinarian Dr. Joe Baker is urging owners to
vaccinate their horses for West Nile virus, follow-ing a year in
which Washington had more confirmed equine cases than any other
state. Thirty-six horses tested pos-itive for the virus in 2015. By
compari-son, only five cases were reported posi-tive in 2014, all
in Eastern Washington.
The state veterinarians office is part of the Washington State
Department of Agriculture and monitors cases of ani-mal diseases,
including West Nile virus. The West Nile virus vaccine has proven
to be effective if administered to horses
early enough for protection before mos-quito season.
Baker said the most active cases of West Nile virus in
Washington tend to develop in the south-central counties when
warmer weather starts growing the mosquito population.
The first confirmed case last year was reported mid-July by
Washington State Universitys Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic
Laboratory in Pullman. There were eight cases in both Yakima and
Kittitas counties, seven in Grant County and four in Benton County.
In all, 10 counties reported cases.
The virus is potentially fatal to horses and is spread by
mosquitoes that have fed on infected birds. While West Nile virus
can sicken people, horses, birds
and other animals, it does not directly spread from horses to
people or other animals.
Horses require two doses of the vac-cine initially, and then
boosters at least annually.
Most horses exposed to the West Nile virus display no symptoms.
Horses that do become ill often display loss of coor-dination, loss
of appetite, confusion, fever, stiffness, and muscle weakness,
particularly in their hindquarters. The disease is fatal in about
one-third of the cases where clinical signs become apparent.
To reduce the risk, WSDA advises owners to keep horses indoors
during the peak mosquito activity times of dawn and dusk, use
insect repellant products and fly sheets to reduce expo-
sure, eliminate sources of standing water nearby, and check
areas where rain water may accumulate, like old tires or bird
baths. It also helps to refresh the water in water troughs
week-ly.
Veterinarians who diagnose potential West Nile virus cases
should contact the State Veterinarians Office at 360-902-1881.
Visit WSDAs West Nile virus webpage or the state Department of
Health for more information.
Torch Award nominations sought
Better Business Bureau serving the Northwest is accepting
entries and nom-inations for the 2016 Business of the Year Torch
Awards for Ethics.
Tyler Andrew, BBB CEO, said the Torch Awards honor businesses
that align with BBB standards of trust.
The nomination deadline is June 5 and the application deadline
is July 10. The award is open to accredited and non-accredited
businesses in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and
Western Wyoming. To be consid-ered, businesses must maintain at
least a B rating and hold a satisfactory record with BBB.
Finalists will be contacted in July and recipients will be
notified by early fall. Businesses honored previously include an
online shopping company in Washington; a tour company in Alaska; an
Oregon property management busi-ness and a heating and air
conditioning company in Idaho.
To learn more about the Torch Awards for Ethics criteria, or to
make a nomina-tion, go to https:t.co/iE6py9R2sg.
uSHOPTALK, Page 9
CAMP, From page 6In 2014, the Bureau of Labor Statistics
reported 9,813,000 people working in the construction industry.
Of these, 872,000 of them, or 8.9 percent, were women.
From the beginning the Magic Camp has partnered with the
National Association of Women in Construction. This unified effort
allows NAWIC chap-ters to host the free camps with guid-ance and
oversight by MAGIC Inc. This nationwide program embodies NAWICs
core purpose to enhance the success of women in the construction
industry.
It hopes to eliminate some of the bar-riers that might make
young women opt out of careers in construction.
For some, it is the outside worlds perception of what women
should do, for those with children, sometimes it is the schedule or
the distance to the job location, said Bergeson. Our goal with
MAGIC is to help younger women see the opportunities early and to
get through the training before life gets more complicated and
factors arise that can impact their ability to be success-ful.
At the end, the girls receive not only valuable skills but also
learn about edu-cational and scholarship opportunities in
construction.
-
9Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business May 2016 CBC, From page
1
Thirteen schools from Oregon, Idaho and Washington sent teams
this year, including the University of Washingtons Seattle and
Tacoma campuses and Central Washington University. Teams were given
a mock scenario to work through as organizers tried to disrupt
their systems and challenge their skills.
In this years scenario, teams were told a death ray was heading
toward Portland and they needed to patch software and redirect the
satellite ray away from the city.
I did the database, websites and helped with the network, said
Staley. Some malicious hacker was trying to break into our website
and we were trying to keep all our systems up. It was fun and a
little like being in a movie.
After three days, the judges were ready to announce the winner.
Boehnke said their goal was to get out of last place and into the
top 10.
Third place was Western Washington University, and theyve been
doing it a lot longer than CBC. Second place was ITT Technical
Institute out of Boiseand they focus on computer science, said
Boehnke.
Boehnke said he would have been happy if the Cyber Hawks would
have gotten fourth, or even 10th place.
But when the winner of the regional competition was announced,
Boehnke was thrilled and surprised.
I basically dropped my phone and the kids were yellingit was
really exciting, he said.
Winning regionals qualified the Cyber Hawks for the National
Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition. Boehnke and his
team barely had a chance to blink before packing their bags and
boarding a plane to San Antonio, Tex.
We won on Sunday, and the next day was literally the start of
the spring quarter at CBC, said Boehnke, who had to get five
classes ready between handling the Cyber Hawks travel
itinerary.
Out of ten regions, CBC was the only community college to make
it to nationals. Staley said it made for some awkward
introductions.
A lot of people thought we were from Columbia University, and
then we said were from Washington, and they thought Washington
D.C., Staley said. We had to say no the state and not the green
part. Were from the desert.
Even some of the event sponsors big companies in need of the
best and the brightest cyber security professionals were impressed
once they learned students from small community college in Pasco,
Washington had bested so many big name colleges and
universities.
Amazon [representatives] thought we were out of Pennsylvania,
said Boehnke. I said, No, were in the same state as you are, just
three and a half hours from where youre at. And the guy said, No
youre not. And I told him to cross the mountains and check us
out.
The Cyber Hawks ended up placing seventh at the national
competition, out of 180 teams vying for the grand champion title.
Being in the top ten nationally has made companies like Wal-Mart
and Microsoft, who have representatives attending the event, sit up
and take notice of the Cinderella school.
The programs at CBC are really great, and they gave us the
foundation to beat a lot of the competition, said Staley, adding
that teams got to spend two hours talking with businesses and
handing out resumes. There were a lot of companies interested in
us, and in one of the interviews I did, they asked me how I learned
how to protect the system. I said, The classes.
Staleys had jobs offers in Washington D.C. and Seattle. This
summer hes considering an internship, but hell be back at school in
the fall to start his senior year, which gives him one more year to
compete with the Cyber Hawks.
Were losing three seniors that wont be there, said Staley,
adding that the Cyber Hawks are actively recruiting new members
regardless of skill level. We had some team members who were just
beginning the program. Three of the eight students were in CS-101,
and thats literally the first class you take, so it doesnt matter
the skill level. We meet and we train. If this is what you really
want to do and youre willing to put in the work, well teach
you.
Boehnke is proud of what the team accomplished. In addition to
the regional title and national placement, he said CBC is trying to
get accredited with the National Security Administration thanks to
the relationships they built at the competition.
I dont think the students are going to realize the impact of
what theyve done for years. Theyre trendsetters, said Boehnke. Weve
opened a lot of doors and put CBC on the map when it comes to cyber
security. Its a career field thats growing and we can train the
right workforce.
Targeted online advertising Search engine optimization
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SHOPTALK, From page 8
Regional Chamber hosts State of the Cities
The Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce presents its State of
the Cities, networking luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. May 25
at the Pasco Red Lion.
The event will feature Kennewick Mayor Steve Young, Pasco Mayor
Matt Watkins, Richland Mayor Robert Thompson and West Richland
Mayor Brent Gerry.
The luncheon is the only opportunity of the year for residents
to hear from all four mayors in one showcase gathering.
The city leaders will present informa-tion about new economic
development projects, major legislative priorities at the state and
federal level, current proj-ects that enhance quality of life and
liv-ability in the Tri-Cities, as well as a progress report on the
implementation of the Tri-Cities community brand in each city.
The event is open to the public. The cost to attend is $22 for
Regional Chamber members and $32 for all oth-ers. Reservations are
required. The dead-line to register is May 20.
To register, contact Jillian Marquez, project coordinator at
[email protected] or 509-491-3234, or
visit tricityregionalchamber.com. For more information regarding
the program and luncheon, please call 509-736-0510.
uSHOPTALK, Page 15
-
10 Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business May 2016
-
11Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business May 2016 Downtown Diner
opens in Historic Downtown KennewickBy Loretto J.
[email protected]
After a short stint as Thai eatery, fol-lowed by a Mexican
restaurant, the for-mer OHenrys in Historic Downtown Kennewick is
once again a diner. The Downtown Diner opened April 8 at 20 S.
Auburn St., Kennewick.
Three partners, Amber Woods, Rodrick Gladney and Robert
VanSlycke, all of Kennewick, own the diner.
The menu is packed with traditional American diner fare:
pancakes, eggs and sausage for breakfast; burgers, sand-wiches and
salads for lunch and dinner.
But its also sprinkled with some mouth-watering Southern
classics, including shrimp and grits, chicken fried steak and
chicken and waffles. Po boy sandwiches, fried catfish and gumbo are
on the lunch/dinner menu along with Gladneys special boudin
balls.
Boudin balls are a chunk of cheese wrapped with pork sausage,
breaded and fried, said Gladney, whose rich deep Southern accent,
lends authenticity.
Appetizers and desserts also have a Southern flair. Whet your
appetite with fried dill pickles, fried green tomatoes and fried
corn on the cob, which is dipped in corn dog batter before being
dropped into the fryer.
Woods bakes fresh pies and cobbler every day, or if you sweet
tooth is more adventurous, splurge on a deep fried Oreo or
Twinkie.
Menu items generally run from $7 to $12.
We became business partners because we all have the same passion
for food. We all have certain foods, certain recipes weve
contributed to the menu, Woods said.
The gumbo, dirty rice, mac and cheese are all made from scratch.
So are the po boys and other sandwiches, the fried green tomatoes
and even the salads.
The only frozen foods we use are the waffle fries, Gladney
said.
Woods said the extra five to seven minutes it takes to make
their food from scratch is worth the boost in flavor and
quality.
Gladney is originally from Jackson, Miss., where his family has
owned a variety of restaurants, clubs and a gro-cery store.
Ive never been a cook but I grew up working in the family
businesses. I love food. I love eating it I love talking about it,
Gladney said.
Gladney picked up his Southern roots and planted them in the
Tri-Cities just over a year ago when the Tri-Cities Fever football
team recruited him as an offensive lineman.
Together, Woods and VanSlycke have more than 22 years experience
in the
restaurant business. VanSlycke is from Texas, while Woods calls
Moses Lake home.
I tell everyone Im from southern Washington, she joked.
Woods and VanSlycke met while working at Mai House restaurant in
Kennewick.
We werent happy there and talked about opening our own place,
Woods said.
They stopped talking and began doing when VanSlycke showed up
one morn-ing at 8 a.m. with a business plan several months ago.
Thats when the three friends began hunting for a restaurant
location in ear-nest.
We knew we wanted a diner and when we walked through the door
and I saw these black and white tiles on the floor they just
screamed diner, Woods said.
The quaint, shaded patio cinched the deal. Thats where the trios
Traeger smoker sits. Its used to smoke a variety of meats served at
the diner including ribs and sausages.
Anyone familiar with the former OHenrys will notice theres been
some remodeling.
Woods, Gladney and VanSlycke shortened the kitchen area in the
dining room, expanding their prep space back into an unused room
off the kitchen. Theyve also added a full if tiny bar.
Amber Woods stirs a pot of gumbo while one of her business
partners, Rodrick Gladney, pulls shrimp from the deep fryer. The
duo and another partner, Robert VanSlycke, recently opened the
Downtown Diner in Kennewick.
uDINER, Page 12
-
12 Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business May 2016 SACAJAWEA, From
page 3
Saturday is the busiest day of the bluegrass festival with
workshops, a Dutch oven demonstration and more music. There will be
a variety of music workshops from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. with a special
workshop for youths 15 years of age and younger from 11 a.m. to 1
p.m. This is run by the Oregon Bluegrass organization and is an
introduction to bluegrass and to musical instruments in general,
said Obern.
Theyll be taught a song during the workshop and then go up on
stage and perform at 1 p.m., said Obern said, adding that the
students will need to be accompanied by a parent.
At 1:30 p.m. there will be a band scramble. Musicians throw
their names in a hat and then their names are drawn
out at random creating impromptu bands.
They get a certain amount of time to practice together then go
onstage and play three songs each. Its a competi-tion and the
winner is chosen from the volume of cheering from the crowd. Band
scrambles are a longstanding tradi-tion at bluegrass fes-tivals,
Obern said.
After the band scramble the Saturday concerts start, usually
about 1:15 p.m. and go on until the park closes at 10 p.m.
Saturdays Dutch oven demonstration runs from 11 a.m. to 1
p.m.
There wont be any food sampling, but onlookers will be able to
get a lot of practical advice on Dutch oven cooking from the
experienced cooks.
Sunday starts with a gospel sing along at 10 a.m. followed by a
gospel concert from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. when the festi-val
closes.
To enter the state park you will need a Discovery Pass or pay
$10 per car per
day. But the annual Discovery Pass is the
way to go. It costs just $30 and is good for admission to all
state parks for a year, said Obern.
Anyone camping at the park wont need a Discovery Pass, they just
need to pay the $13 per day camping fee. Camping is on a first come
basis and theyre allowed to go in and set up beginning at 10 a.m.
on June 9.
A lot of people come to camp and play informally with their
friends at night after the park closes.
Even a lot of non-musicians come to camp and take their lawn
chairs from place to place in the campground and to listen to the
impromptu music played in the campground at all hours, Obern
said.
A three-day pass to the Sacajawea Bluegrass Festival is $35 per
person; youths 15 years of age and under are free if accompanied by
an adult. Single day passes are $18 for Friday, $25 for Saturday
and $15 for Sunday.
Passes are available through the MCTAMA website, mctama.org and
at Ranch and Home store, 845 N. Columbia Center Blvd.,
Kennewick.
There will be a variety of food ven-dors on site, as well as
booths offering musical instruments and some arts and crafts.
Sacajawea State ParkSacajawea State Park is open during
the spring and summer from 6:30 a.m. to dusk. It closes for the
winter on Oct. 29 and reopens March 28.
The Sacajawea Interpretive Center is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
daily. It closes for the season Nov. 1.
The park has many outdoor self-guided interpretive displays, as
well as framework representations of Native American dwellings.
Along with the on-site Sacajawea Interpretive Center, the park
provides guided tours by a park interpretive specialist. For times
and dates, call the park at 509-337-6457.
The park is five miles southeast of Pasco at the confluence of
the Snake and Columbia rivers in Franklin County. From Pasco: Drive
east on Highway 12 toward Walla Walla. Take a right on Tank Farm
Road and continue across the railroad tracks. The park is at 2503
Sacajawea Park Road.
DINER, From page 11Sundays we feature special Bloody
Marys, Gladney said.As the trio worked to remodel the
Downtown Diner, people regularly dropped by to check out their
work.
I began talking to people, learning the history of the building
and about Henry Belair, Woods said. I fell in love with the
building and the more Ive learned, the more determined Ive become
to not mow over Henry and sweep him under the rug. Thats why Ive
incorporated him and some of his things into the dcor of the
diner.
The Downtown Diner can seat 49 people inside and another 50 on
the patio. It has about 10 employees. All menu items are available
for take out.
The hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4
a.m. on Friday and Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. For more
information call 509-579-0501 or find them on Facebook.
Band scrambles are a longstanding tradition at bluegrass
festivals.
- Reade Obern, Mid-Columbia Traditional Arts & Music
Association
-
13Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business May 2016 Students make
critical business decisions in JA High Tech Business ChallengeBy
Elsie Puig for TCAJOB
Melinda Merrill is only 15, but she already knows exactly what
to do when her company faces danger of bankruptcy due to an
increasingly obsolete product offer-ing. She cuts costs and
controls marketing expenses.
These were decisions she and her team at Richland High School
had to make as part of the Junior Achievement High-Tech Business
Challenge. They were the win-ning team at the ninth annual business
simulation competition, which places stu-dents in the CEO seat
making high stakes decisions in product development, market-ing,
hiring, and price setting.
The competition is based on JAs Titan program, which is taught
in the high schools by local community and business volunteers. Top
students from the compet-ing teams in schools that had JA Titan
programs during the current school year are invited to attend. This
year, nine high schools attended, with 16 teams compet-ing.
It really sparked my interest in business and business careers,
said Merrill. Youre the CEO of your company and you have all these
factors you have to play with to get a leg up on the competition
like how much do we invest in marketing and adver-tising our
product? How much research do we put into improving our
product?
And there were some challenging moments, she said. The students
are pre-sented with various scenarios, like what waning demand for
their product, that they must use to make business decisions.
When we practiced in class how to address product obsolescence,
she said. We went bankrupt three times, so we were nervous going
into the competition. But our coach advised us and although we were
nervous about taking any big risks at that point in the
competition, we had to start doing everything opposite we had been
doing. We were just trying to stay alive as a company, so we began
cutting costs.
The teams use an interactive online business simulation called
JA Titan. Teams run their own companies, manufacturing and selling
a fictional high-tech product, and compete for market share against
other players. Success depends on how well they manage the company
and how well they perform, based on the ability to manage six key
business decisions: product price; pro-duction levels; marketing
expenses; R&D
costs; capital investment levels; and chari-table giving.
More than technical aspects of running a business, students also
develop valuable workplace skills like teamwork, problem solving
and critical thinking that will be beneficial when they enter the
workforce.
Students will also learn how to answer to a board by receiving
feedback from cor-porate assistants during each quarter played,
said Susan Fillafer, regional direc-tor for JA. They also learn the
value of working as a team for the better of the whole.
The winning team will receive a $200 cash prize for each member.
The winning school also receives the Titan Traveling Trophy to
display for the year. In addition, one student will win a grand
prize drawing for a set of Beats2 from Best Buy.
Between the hands-on experience and competitive nature, students
see the full scope of what goes into running a busi-ness, said
Fillafer. Once they enter the workforce, theyll have a better
under-standing of why managers make the deci-sions they do. They
learn to take ownership of their decisions and understand the
impact those decisions can have on the suc-cess or failure of their
business.
The students also get the opportunity to learn and receive
feedback from local executives making those same business decisions
every day.
A new part to the event this year was the opportunity for our
pretend CEOs to sit at a roundtable discussion with our com-munitys
real CEOs and executives to
discuss career paths, challenges, and insight to the real world
of work, said Merrill.
During the roundtable discussion stu-dents get the opportunity
to ask questions about possible careers paths in business and the
qualifications, skills, and education needed to get there.
This roundtable panelists included: Bill Johnson, president,
Mission Support Alliance; John Ciucci, president, CH2M Hill; Khris
Beyer, owner, Real Centric Solutions; Amy Basche, manager,
Washington River Protection Solutions;
Ryan Burdo, Lockheed Manager; and Michael Scrimsher, manager,
AREVA.
For Merrill that proved not only valu-able in the challenge, but
also offered a deeper glimpse into business careers.
This game definitely did peak my interest in the business world,
it was fun to be in charge, she said. I really enjoyed getting the
opportunity to talk to actual CEOs and see where they came from,
what they do, and how they got to where they are.
Titan Champions from Richland High School. Pictured from Left to
Right Back Row: Amy Basche, WRPS, Nathan Morgan, WRPS, Robert
Plemmons, WRPS and Danielle Jelinek, RHS; Front Row (RHS students)
Melinda Merrill, Hannah Oldson, Jossalyne Medina, Steele Roberts,
and Shandra Creech.
Professionally managed by RAB Keystone, LLC.Contact Rob Bill,
CPM , 509-628-9333, [email protected]
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Suite 101 - Move-in ready! 1,218 Sq. ft. on the first floor
Ample waiting room Large admin/reception room Private doctor's
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2016 lease rate $18.50/sq. ft. + NNN!
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uTITAN, Page 18
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size Businesses
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-
14 Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business May 2016
-
15Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business May 2016
Commercial & Agricultural Real Estate Broker
City of Stanfield7.17 acres of commercial land for sale, located
within City of Stanfield limits at
the intersection of Highway 395 and I-82, adjacent to the Pilot
Service Station. This is
a prime location in a growing market.
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2815 St. Andrews Loop, #F Pasco
To view all listings in more detail go to:
Medical Space for SalePerfect for a medical type owner/user
to
occupy Suite C, a turn-key medical space while receiving rental
income from two tenants occupying the remainder of the
building. Seller will lease back Suite A upon closing. Second
medical tenant is currently
leasing Suites B & D.
Compass DMS wins top spot at Tri-Cities Launch WeekendBy TCAJOB
staff
Compass DMS, a software company that creates solutions for
small- to mid-sized auto dealers, won top honors at Launch Weekend
2016.
Siblings Justin Jones and Jennifer Olson and their partner Sean
Meininger created the software solution that tracks of inventory,
expenses and a host of other necessary items for automobile
dealers.
Launch Weekend, which was hosted in April by Erik Ralston and
Justin Karparek, attracted 64 participants who were guided through
the process by local business, technology and finance men-tors.
Fourteen ideas were unveiled at the Friday evening launch and eight
teams of entrepreneurs made it through to Sunday night, when they
delivered their final pitches to the judges: Gary Spanner, Pacific
Northwest National Laboratorys manager of economic development;
John Heaton, president of Pay Plus Benefits Inc.; and Tony Umek,
retired executive director of Fluors Richland office and consultant
at AKU LLC.
The Compass DMS team received a entrepreneurs start-up kit that
included space at Fuse Coworking, legal support from Gravis Law and
technical support from JMK Tech.
Storyboard, a company led by Jeff Adamson, received second place
in the competition. Adamson and high school student Melody Jones
unveiled the plans
for the digital storytelling app to preserve the wisdom and
adventures of elder gen-erations.
In third place was Mary Ann Stanko and Starlight Desert Tasting
Tours, which was supported by team Shan Wo, Columbia Basin College
students Donavan Dell and Essence Breggs, and Ben Hunt, which
offers personalized wine tasting tours.
New this year was a peoples choice award, which Compass DMS also
won in a narrow victory over Explore Your World, a
civilization-building game by Scott Sterling and pitched with a
team comprised of CBC student Luis Orozco, Chet Mitchell, high
school student Rhianna Adams, and Vlad Borovets of Washington State
University.
Otherside Groceries, a technology-enabled grocery home-delivery
service created by Jonathan Leclair, a Richland High School senior,
and Abraham Mendoza, a Delta High School senior, took third place
in the Peoples Choice award.
Launch Weekend took place April 22-24 at Washington State
University Tri-Cities. The event was open to all entrepreneurs and
students interested in collaboration and startup creation. The
weekend is an intense, 54-hour experi-ence designed to create teams
around entrepreneurial ideas that become busi-ness plans.
Planning a move?If your company is planning a move, please
let
us know in advance so you dont miss one issue. Email information
to [email protected].
SHOPTALK, From page 9
ARC-PLC payments, enrollment underway
Agricultural producers who chose to participate in the new
safety net programs authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill, known as the
Agriculture Risk Coverage or the Price Loss Coverage programs, you
can now sign contracts to enroll in coverage for 2016. The
enrollment period will con-tinue until Aug. 1, 2016.
Although the choice between ARC and PLC is completed and remains
in effect through 2018, you must still enroll your farm into a
contract each year to receive ARC/PLC coverage.
There is no longer any direct pay-ments issued each year as the
calcula-tion of final benefits for ARC/PLC is not known until after
the marketing year of all base crops has passed, so for 2016 crop
year, benefits will not be known until at least October of 2017.
Having said that, neglecting to enroll this year could be costly,
said Bruce Clatterbuck, Franklin County Farm Service Agency
executive direc-tor.
Clatterbuck said considering cur-rent projected yields and
prices for 2015 covered commodities, there is a potential for
payments on Franklin County program base crops for 2015. Therefore
it is extremely important to enroll in the annual ARC/PLC con-
tract now to protect yourself against potential 2016 year
benefits loss.
Call the office to schedule an appointment to enroll in 2016
ARCPLC. If a farm is not enrolled during the 2016 enrollment
period, all eligible owners and operators on that farm will not be
eligible for financial assistance from the ARC or PLC pro-grams
should crop prices or farm revenues remain/fall below the
his-torical price or revenue benchmarks established by the
program.
We are also currently accepting any farm record change requests
for fiscal year 2016 until August 1, 2016. Go to
www.fsa.usda.gov/arc-plc for more information about the ARC/PLC
pro-gram and for related rate and yield
information.
Free cancer screeningThe Tri-Cities Cancer Center and
Kadlec Clinic have partnered to offer a free skin cancer screen
from 9 a.m. to noon May 21 at the Tri-Cities Cancer Center at 7350
W. Deschutes Ave., Kennewick.
Vicki Haines, DCNP and Christy Masterman, DCNP, both of Kadlec
Clinic, will provide spot checks to help keep you health.
Appointments are required. Call 509-737-3420 to schedule an
appointment. For more information, go to tccancer.org.
uSHOPTALK, Page 20
-
16 Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business May 2016
-
17Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business May 2016Columbia Center
manager named 2016 Tri-Citian of the YearBy Mary
[email protected]
For nearly three decades, Barbara Johnson, the manager of
Columbia Center mall, has been giving back to the Tri-Cities.
And on April 21, Johnson received a huge thank you from the
community when she was named the 2016 Tri-Citian of the Year during
the annual banquet at the Three Rivers Convention Center.
Johnson was nominated for the award by Ron and Joan Hue and
Sondra Wilson, who documented Johnsons accomplishments,
volunteerism and dedication to the community in a five-page,
single-space nomination composi-tion.
We nominators are literally in awe of Barbara Johnson, they
wrote. With her very demanding management profession and her
devotion to her family, we won-der where she finds the personal
time to donate to so many Tri-City projects and organizations.
However, we hope you will remember that she does find the time and
volunteers immeasurable, countless hours and days to big endeav-ors
and intimate, personal projects that have all improve the quality
of life in the Tri-Cities.
Johnsons time serving on the Kennewick Public Facilities
District board of directors has left an indelible mark on the
Tri-Cities that will remain in perpetuity. Johnson has served on
the KPFD board since its inception in 2001 and has been the
secretary for more than a decade.
Very early in her career, she envi-sioned entertainment and
convention venues in the area, hotels, quality restau-rants and
shopping to attract tourists and provide residents with more
options.
Barbara is always a forward-thinker and has used this talent on
the KPFD board to oversee the financing, design
and construction of the $20 million Three Rivers Convention
Center, the nominators wrote.
She worked with the board to hire a quality management team and
CEO who have successfully marketed the Convention Center and Toyota
Center.
She has also pushed for diversity of the Boards vision for the
centers, advo-cating for a variety of conventions and entertainment
that would attract new visitors to the Tri-Cities.
Johnson has been an active Rotarian since 1989, helping the
service organi-zation build its Bingo Boulevard and CCR Event
Center. Proceeds from Bingo Boulevard are returned to the
Tri-Cities to support various community projects.
Johnson was chairman of the Tri-Citian of the Year event from
2010 to 2014, handling corporate sponsorships, reservations and
table assignments, coordinating speakers and more.
She also has been a board member, campaign chairperson and board
chair-man for the United Way of Benton-Franklin Counties.
The Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce, Visit Tri-Cities and
the Tri-City Economic Council all work tire-lessly to advance the
Tri-Cities, so its no surprise to find that Johnson has also
volunteer her time, talent and services to all three organizations
as a board mem-ber.
Johnson and her husband, Wayne, have contributed and supported
many local organizations and nonprofits, including The Friends of
Badger Mountain, Domestic Violence Services, March of Dimes,
Seattle Childrens Hospital, the REACH, the Boys & Girls Clubs
of Benton and Franklin Counties, Tri-Cities Prep and Catholic
Family Services.
Whatever projects she adopts, Barbara does a complete job and
leads
by example, the nomination form said. She is a phenomenal
organizer, able to envision the big picture of any event, while
noting all the miniscule details that are needed to produce a fine,
fin-ished project. She trusts and recognizes the talents of other
volunteers, allowing them the freedom to get the job done.
Even in her job, she gives to the com-munity. She offers the
Kennewick Police officers a free place in Columbia Center
for public safety, and Coopers Corner, an interactive place
where children can learn about traffic and biking safety. And she
supports Tree for Giving in the mall at Christmas.
For almost three decades Barbara Johnson has bequeathed to all
three cit-ies, their populations and our surround-ing environment,
her greatest gifts: her personal energy, vision, talents,
resourc-es and time.
Kennewick attorney Fran Forgette presented Columbia Center
manager Barbara Johnson with the 2016 Tri-Citian of the Year award
during the annual Tri-Citian of the Year banquet in April at the
Three Rivers Convention Center. Johnson is the 47th person to
receive the honor.
-
18 Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business May 2016
TITAN, From page 13Founded in 1919, Junior
Achievement is a nonprofit economic education organization whose
mission is to educate students in financial liter-acy, business and
workplace skills, and entrepreneurship. This years main event
sponsor was Washington River Protection Solutions.
The JA Titan program and the High-Tech Business Challenge are
great ways to engage and educate stu-dents in the realities of
todays business environment and help prepare them to be successful
in careers and as informed citizens, said Nathan Morgan, Washington
River Protection Solutions, project controls manager and event
chairman. WRPS is pleased to support such an event. The students,
as well as our community benefit from this spir-ited regional
competition.
For more information on Junior Achievement visit
juniorachievement.org/web/ja-washingtonse.
Association of Washington Business hosts outreach tourBy TCAJOB
Staff
The Association of Washington Business launches a 15-city
statewide small business listening tour in May in Vancouver. The
tour, which runs through June and touches every corner of the
state, will help craft a 2017 state legisla-tive agenda tailored to
Washingtons small business operators.
Gary Chandler, AWB vice president, government affairs, will lead
the meet-ings along with AWB government affairs staff.
We promise to make this time valu-able for each business owner
to share their thoughts, challenges and insights, Chandler said. As
the backbone of our economy, their voice is critical in creat-
ing meaningful legislation for Washingtons small-business
owners.
Each meeting will feature an open discussion among business
owners to capture specific policy suggestions and concerns. AWB
will furnish each attend-ee with a discussion guide prior to the
meeting to help facilitate dialogue and make the most of the
allotted time.
Members and non-members are wel-come to join the meetings, but
AWB asks that attendees RSVP to Jackie Riley at 360.943.1600 or
[email protected] to ensure ample space and sup-plies.
The meeting dates and locations are as follows:
* Spokane: June 16, 7-8:30 a.m.
Greater Spokane Incorporated, 801 W. Riverside Ave. #100,
Spokane.
* Colville: June 16, noon-1:30 p.m.Stephanis Oaks Street Grill,
157 N.
Oak St., Colville. * Tri-Cities: June 20, 11:30 a.m.-1
p.m. Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce, 7130 W. Grandridge
Blvd. Ste. C, Kennewick.
* Yakima: June 21, noon-1:30 p.m.Greater Yakima Chamber of
Commerce, 10 N 9th St., Yakima. * Wenatchee: June 22, 7:30-9
a.m.Town Toyota Center, Crunch Pak
Room, 1300 Walla Walla Ave., Wenatchee.
* Ellensburg: June 22, noon-1:30 p.m.
Rodeo City BBQ, Banquet Room, 204 N Main St., Ellensburg.
* Everett: June 23, 7:30-9 a.m.; Economic Alliance of Snohomish
County, 808 134th St. S.W. #101, Everett.
* Bellevue: June 23, noon-1:30 p.m. Puget Sound Energy - Summit
Conference Room, 10885 NE 4th St., Bellevue.
* Grays Harbor: June 27, noon-1:30 p.m.; Grays Harbor, Inc., 506
Duffy St. Aberdeen.
* Port Angeles: June 28, 7:30-9 a.m.
Red Lion Hotel, 221 N. Lincoln St., Port Angeles.
Have an event coming up?
Let us help you spread the word!
Email your events to [email protected]
-
19Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business May 2016
By Loretto J. [email protected]
Seniors, baby boomers and a smatter-ing of grandchildren crowded
the ball-room of the Pasco Red Lion Hotel early for the April
Senior Times Expo on April 19.
They came early and stayed, talking with the various vendors,
said Mike Haugen, the event coordinator and advertising manager for
the Senior Times.
Haugen said more than 600 people attended the popular event,
which start-ed more than 20 years ago and continues to grow in
popularity. Aprils event had 55 vendors with information on medical
services, in-home care, investment information, a variety of
community services like the Tri-Cities Food Bank and more.
Joy Gregg of Kennewick has attend-ed the Senior Times Expo for
about five years, although she hasnt come for the past year or so,
simply because life intervened.
Im glad I made it this time, there were lots of new businesses,
she said.
One company she was happy to find was All Geek, a computer,
technology and network service that will pick up your equipment,
get it set up and return it ready to use.
Im going to give them a call soon to have them set up my
computer so it works for me, Gregg said.
She said she also picked up some insurance information.
Its nice to be able to come here and find information without
having to run around town, she said.
Many other people agreed with Gregg that finding the information
they needed in one place was convenient and they converged on the
Senior Times Expo.
By mid-morning the Red Lions park-ing lot was filling up and so
was the ballroom.
Several vendors who brought hun-dreds of pens, key rings,
brochures and other freebie items ran out of the items by early
afternoon.
One of those was Sherry Bravenec, an advance specialist for
Sunset Gardens in Richland. Shed brought in more than 300 pens,
which didnt last long.
Even though people are reluctant to stop and talk with me, the
pens were all gone before noon, Bravenec said.
Darlene Pinney, customer service representative and travel
trainer at Ben Franklin Transit, said shes been to at least eight
of the Senior Times Expos.
Its a great event and gives us a chance to talk about the
Dial-A-Ride and other services we offer, Pinney said. What I found
interesting is I talked to people at this Expo who had driven up
from Hermiston just to attend and get information thats not easily
available where they live.
The Expo gives the vendors a chance to share information with
people they dont ordinarily encounter.
It was a great day, said Raleigh Hayter of Tri-City
Orthopaedics. The
Expo was a good opportu-nity to meet people outside of the
clinic. So often peo-ple are not talking about health care until
the prob-lem is on them. Something like this gives people the
information they need to make decisions now for the future.
The Expo also gave non-profits like the Tri-City Food Bank a
chance to recruit new volunteers and make people aware of the needs
of the community.
Mike Talbot, a board member and volunteer for the three food
banks, said the Expo was an opportu-nity to engage people, pro-vide
information about the food banks and perhaps get them interested in
donating or being a volunteer.
One vendor that cap-tured a lot of attention was ClearCaptions,
which was offers captioned telephone that display incoming
con-versations on a screen.
The phones are free and part of a federally-funded program thats
been in place for four years.
Yet few people know about it, said Valerie Ferrin, ClearCaptions
west coast manager.
Our demographic is the hard of
hearing. With this phone they can com-municate with loved ones
and do busi-ness. If people cant communicate, their health and
minds deteriorate. This gives them a chance to get back into
society.
Judy Brager of Richland was one of those intrigued by the
device.
More than 600 attend spring Senior Times Expo in Pasco
uEXPO, Page 20
When the frame shop Ive designed at for 14 years came up for
sale and other lending fell through, Benton Franklin Council Of
Governments helped turn our end into a new beginning. Now,
Kingfisher Gallery & Custom Framing is keeping our customers
happy, and were smiling, too.
~ Dirk & Shanna Fledderjohann,
Owners of Kingfisher Gallery & Custom
Framing, Walla Walla
Small business loan programs available!
From micro loans up to $500,000 loan capability.
Benton-Franklin Council of Governments(509) 943-9185
Regional Revolving Loan Fund (RRLF)Columbia Regional Economic
Development Trust (CREDiT)
Hanford Area Economic Investment Fund Advisory Committee
(HAEIFAC)
Please call for an appointment
1622 Terminal Dr. Richlandwww.bfcog.us
Carrie Benton, a health coach at New Edge Wellness in Kennewick,
talks to an attendee about the services the business offers during
the Senior Times Expo April 19 at the Pasco Red Lion. More than 600
people attended the event, which fea-tured 55 vendors offering a
variety of medical, in-home services and more for seniors.
-
20 Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business May 2016SHOPTALK, From
page 15
Payday loan collection scamThe Washington State Department
of
Financial Institutions warns consumers about providing sensitive
bank account or personal information on the tele-phone to callers
that initiate contact with the consumer. Consumers are urged to
verify license status and the identity of any party prior to giving
the financial institution, company, or individual any nonpublic
personal information, such as social security number or bank
account number or access.
DFI received a complaint indicating that a representative
claiming to repre-sent an entity identified as Inside Capital
called a consumer and informed her that she needed to pay on a
2009
payday loan. The representative threat-ened to contact the
consumers place of employment and to file a lawsuit. In addition,
the representative had the con-sumers Social Security number and
address. The consumer reported never having obtained a payday
loan.
The phone numbers used or refer-enced in the call were
1-855-205-6357 and 1-877-746-4334.
Those claiming to represent Inside Capital are not licensed by
DFI nor reg-istered to conduct business in Washington State by the
Department of Licensing, the Department of Revenue, or the
Secretary of State.
DFI strongly recommends that con-sumers deal only with lenders
that are properly licensed to conduct business. Consumers can
determine whether lend-
ers are properly licensed using the Verify a License feature on
the DFIs website at www.dfi.wa.gov.
Collection activities are subject to the federal Fair Debt
Collection Practices Act. Therefore, if you have questions
regarding debt collection laws please contact the Federal Trade
Commission at 1-877-FTC HELP, or online at www.ftc.gov.
Debt collectors cannot state or imply that failure to pay a debt
is a crime. They cannot call before 8:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m.
They cannot harass or abuse consumers, or contact consumers places
of employment.
KID water curtailedThe U.S. Bureau of Reclamation offi-
cials say that due to warm temperatures
and lack of precipitation, water users with pro-ratable water
rights, including the Kennewick Irrigation District, would be
pro-rationed to 85 percent of its total water allotment.
KID will not be implementing water restrictions at this time.
Total water sup-ply available numbers are released monthly, but may
be updated mid-month when necessary.
Because conditions can change rap-idly, KID reminds customers
that wise water use is always prudent. Consider planting low-water
vegetation, replace lawn grass with Xeriscaping, reduce watering to
three times per week for no longer than 30 minutes each time, and
use high-efficiency devices, such as micro-spray and drip-line
irrigation to reduce overwatering. Apply water only where it is
needed. For more informa-tion, go to kid.org or find them on
Facebook.
uSHOPTALK, Page 36
PASCO | 547-7574RICHLAND | 943-3144KENNEWICK | 783-1474KENNEWICK
- GAGE | 735-6696
www.yakimafed.comToll Free/Llame Gratis 1-800-331-3225
Our Name Says it All!
Since 1905 ~ Central Washingtons Preferred Financial Center
Savings Ahorros Safe for savings since 1905 including Checking
Accounts , Money Market Accounts and Individual Retirement
Accounts.
Seguridad para los ahorros desde 1905, incluyendo Cuentas de
Cheques, Cuentas Mercado Financiero Global y Cuentas de Jubilacin
Individual.
Savings Ahorros Safe for savings since 1905 including Checking
Accounts , Money Market Accounts and Individual Retirement
Accounts.
Seguridad para los ahorros desde 1905, incluyendo Cuentas de
Cheques, Cuentas Mercado Financiero Global y Cuentas de Jubilacin
Individual.
Savings Ahorros Safe for savings since 1905 including Checking
Accounts , Money Market Accounts and Individual Retirement
Accounts.
Seguridad para los ahorros desde 1905, incluyendo Cuentas de
Cheques, Cuentas Mercado Financiero Global y Cuentas de Jubilacin
Individual.
and Loans...y Prstamos ...
...for home purchase, new construction, refinance, fixed rate
home equity loans
and variable rate Preferred Line of Credit.
... para compra de casa, construccin nueva,
prstamos hipotecarios con tasa fija y Lnea de
Crdito Preferencial con tasa variable.
and Loans...y Prstamos ...
...for home purchase, new construction, refinance, fixed rate
home equity loans
and variable rate Preferred Line of Credit.
... para compra de casa, construccin nueva,
prstamos hipotecarios con tasa fija y Lnea de
Crdito Preferencial con tasa variable.
and Loans...y Prstamos ...
...for home purchase, new construction, refinance, fixed rate
home equity loans
and variable rate Preferred Line of Credit.
... para compra de casa, construccin nueva,
prstamos hipotecarios con tasa fija y Lnea de
Crdito Preferencial con tasa variable.
Nuestro Nombre Lo Dice Todo!
Desde 1905 ~ El Centro Financiero Preferido de Washington
Central
EXPO, From page 19My husband spends most of his time
on the phone saying, What? What? And for those who need a boost
with their eyesight the words on the screen can be bumped up to
about two inches, Brager said. I didnt even know some-thing like
this existed.
The expo, which offers services and products for the older
generation in a single venue, will be repeated in the fall from 9
a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 18 at the Pasco Red Lion.
Many of the vendors, including the Senior Times, held drawings
for gift baskets and other prizes.
Attendees were given a map of the booths as they entered, had it
checked off at each booth and then the Senior Times drew names for
a variety of priz-es, said Haugen.
The winning names were: Lois H. of Pasco, two tickets to the
Mid-Columbia Symphony; Eileen H. of Kennewick, two tickets to the
Mid-Columbia Symphony; Joyce D. of Richland, two tickets to the
Mid-Columbia Symphony; Ernie G. of Richland, four tickets to the
Tri-City Dust Devils; Len P. of Kennewick, four tickets to the
Tri-City Dust Devils; Wilma L. of Richland, two tickets to the
Mid-Columbia Musical Theatre; Ken C. of West Richland, two tickets
to the Mid-Columbia Musical Theatre; Melinda T. of Kennewick, two
tickets to the Mid-Columbia Musical Theatre; Pat S. of Kennewick,
Senior Benefits Solutions gift basket; Joyce G. of Kennewick, All
Geek wine basket; Richard D. of Richland, $25 movie gift card; Bill
G. of Kennewick, $25 movie gift card;
Lynn W. of Kennewick, $25 movie gift card; Richard M. of
Richland, $25 movie gift card; Joyce B. of Pasco, KTNW 50s/60s CD;
John C. of Richland, Help U Move $300 gift card; Laura D. of Benton
City, $25 Walgreens gift card; and Andy M. of Pasco, $25 Walgreens
gift card.
Winners will be notified by telephone by Senior Times staff.
-
21Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business May 2016
Tourism & recreaTionBy Dori ONeal for TCAJOB
Northwest Public Television is plan-ning to create a television
series that will showcase Northwest wine, beer and other
spirits.
The weekly show, which does not have a designated air time and
start date yet, will take an informative and fun look at the wine
industry while covering the people involved with it, as well as how
it impacts tourism and business, said Tom Hungate, the program
manager for NWPT.
We are hoping to feature one (winery) per episode, so it would
depend on the success of the series if we get to include all the
wineries in the Northwest, Hungate said. The feedback we get from
the community will help us determine the shows format.
Hungate said the show will educate viewers on specific details
as well as gen-eral information about the wine industry, which he
hopes will add to a wider appre-ciation for those various beverages
creat-ed in the Northwest.
We shot some footage at the Barnard Griffin Winery to use as a
starting point and are now in the process of gathering information
from community members and people involved in the industry to
determine what sort of information is
most helpful and how the structure of the show can be developed
to make it inter-esting and engaging, he said. There is so much
that goes into wine making and marketing, and each winery has a
unique approach. This is what we hope to cap-ture and share with
people across the country though our public television affil-
iation.One crucial part to making the show a
reality is gathering funding, he said. Northwest Public
Television has heard
from many people over the years that this is a perfect program
to create about our (Mid-Columbia) area, and we feel the explosion
of wine grape cultivation and
the growth of wineries in the area is proof of the commitment to
this industry, Hungate said. We now need to identify people,
businesses and associations that will help us create this
series.
Many of the details for the show have yet to be ironed out, he
added, and some of the content of each episode will depend on the
guests the show features.
Andy Perdue, for example, would have guidance for food pairings
and vin-tages, while someone from the WSU Wine Science Center, like
Thomas Henick-Kling could provide some of the science behind wine
production and where the industry is heading, Hungate said.
Although wine will be the primary focus of the show, which will
air on Channel 31 in the Tri-Cities, regional beer brewers and hard
cider production also will be featured.
The opening of the Ste. Michelle Wine Estates WSU Wine Science
Center at Washington State University Tri-Cities, has solidified
the future business of wine in the Northwest, and with that in
mind, Hungate wants to tell the personal stories behind those
wineries and businesses, he said.
New television series showcases Washingtons wineries and
winemakers
Members of the Barnard Griffin family of winemakers, who will be
featured in the upcoming new Northwest Public Television series on
the wine industry, are from left Elise Jackson, Megan Hughes,
Deborah Barnard and Rob Griffin. Contributed photo.
uWINE, Page 26
The Perfect Club for Your Game
Join the Tri-Cities premier Golf & Country Club
Initiation Fee as low as $100.* Good for full golf membership,
social and other memberships.
Golf Membership includes full clubhouse and golf privileges.
Social Membership includes full clubhouse privileges.
Beautiful, tree lined course on 67 acres
Clubhouse with fine & casual dining options
Fitness facility and seasonal pool
Fun, family-friendly atmosphere
*Available to those individuals twenty-one years of age or
older. Must be a member in good standing with local area
association. Check with our office for details as to which
associations are an affiliation. Initiation fee of $100.00 due at
signup.
Tri-City Country Club314 N. Underwood St., Kennewick (509)
783-6131 tccountryclub.com
-
22 Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business May 2016SPORTS, From page
1
Reiners said that only about five of those teams are actually
from the Tri-Cities, which means the majority are com-ing from
elsewhere many from western Washington. That means a lot of the
areas hotel and restaurants score during the tournaments, as
well.
Reiners organization uses the fields at the Southridge Athletic
Complex, Lawrence Scott Park and the Civic Fields complex in
Kennewick; TRAC in Pasco; and the Kingsgate fields in Richland.
The facilities in the Tri-Cities, theyre a huge piece of our
success there, said Reiners. That, and the weather. But their
facilities are phenomenal. Its just a nice atmosphere.
Thats music to the ears of Hector Cruz, the director of sports
development for Visit Tri-Cities, the regions visitors and
convention bureau.
Altogether, Cruz counts 69 baseball fields of various sizes in
the Tri-Cities, including West Richland. There are also 50 softball
fields, including those at pri-vate schools.
Visit Tri-Cities doesnt break down the total revenues each year
by sport. It also includes conventions in those revenues, and there
are some local sports tourna-ments that dont report figures to the
Visit Tri-Cities organization.
But in November 2015, Visit Tri-Cities reported 227 events
(conventions and sports events) had that attracted 132,195
visitors, resulting in an economic impact of $40.5 million.
The group also reported estimated, based on the number of events
booked at
the time, the Tri-Cities would attract more than 150,000
visitors in 2016, to 196 events, creating an economic impact of
more than $50.7 million.
Sports tournaments play a major role in those numbers. And Cruz
said each year the number of baseball and softball tour-naments
grows.
Baseball and softball have grown sig-nificantly in our
community, said Cruz. People around the country know us as a sports
destination because of softball and baseball. From a Visit
Tri-cities point of view, its great because it creates a repeat
visitation. People come here for a tourna-ment for their first
visit, then come back for a vacation.
That new July tournament that Jensen is going to run? Cruz said
the bureau
expects 4,000 visitors with an economic impact of $1.1
million.
Other incoming softball tournaments this year, either run by USA
Preps or the Amateur Softball Association, will garner anywhere
from $350,000 to $445,000 in economic impact.
The success story is created by a great working relationship
between Visit Tri-Cities, the cities parks and recreation
departments and the regions hotel and motel operators. The area
needs to be enough hotel rooms to bring new tourna-ments, but Cruz
and his staff know it is a fine line.
We have to be careful because we dont want to over-saturate
things, said Cruz. If someone comes in and cant get a hotel room,
thats bad. You want to
make sure no one has that bad experi-ence.
Cruz knows the numbers. He and other Visit Tri-Cities staffers
attend four con-ventions a year to meet with sports orga-nizations
and sell the Tri-Cities to them. Theyll know whether a certain
tourna-ment will work on a specific weekend, based on hotel room
availability.
Sometimes a representative from one the three cities will go
too, to illustrate the close and positive working relationship
between the cities and Visit Tri-Cities.
Thats not always the cas