Voice of the Mid-Columbia | Kennewick, Pasco and Richland, Wash. |

Mid-Columbia News
Published Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009

Amy Henderson wants to become an electrical engineer.

Published Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009

RICHLAND -- Tri-City dog lovers want to honor a dog park advocate killed in a crash last month by naming a planned Richland off-leash park after her.

Published Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009

A Prosser man had reportedly been drinking beer before he got behind the wheel of his truck early Saturday and drove the wrong way on Interstate 82, slamming head-on into a sedan and killing the driver.

Published Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009

The number of existing homes sold in Washington increased in the third quarter compared with the previous three months, the Washington Center for Real Estate Research reported Tuesday.

Published Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009

The Benton Franklin Health District has begun distributing some H1N1 vaccine to Tri-City pharmacies.

Published Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009

KENNEWICK -- An attorney representing the children of a Richland man who was shot and killed by a Kennewick police officer in September filed a $10 million claim against the city late Tuesday afternoon.

Published Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009

The Richland School Board on Tuesday continued mulling how much money to ask for in the two-year maintenance and operations levy it plans to put on February's ballot.

Published Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009

A new veterans memorial in Eltopia will be dedicated today as part of David Harris' Eagle Scout project.

Published Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009

The Salvation Army is in the process of establishing the Angel Tree again this year at the Columbia Center mall in Kennewick and is seeking volunteers who can work as few as two hours at the booth. Volunteers will be handing out tags to donors. The booth will be open 10 a.m. to noon Nov. 27-Dec. 24.

Published Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009

A Pasco optometrist no longer faces license restrictions preventing him from treating or working with women.

Published Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009

Organizers who are set to build farmworker housing near Ringold hope it will lessen conflict between seasonal migrant workers and anglers who camp there and reduce garbage problems.

Published Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009

A sex offender considered highly likely to reoffend has moved to a new home in Pasco.

Published Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009

About a dozen radios were pressed to ducked heads as a fire response tone rang out during Tuesday night's Kennewick City Council workshop at city hall.

Published Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009

Reporters who cover an ongoing issue can develop a relationship with their sources that can make their stories more compelling.

Published Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009

The Kennewick Police Department's monthly sex offender meeting is set for 6 p.m. today at the police station.

Fatal Crash Investigation
Bob Brawdy | bbrawdy@tricityherald.com

Washington State Patrol Detectives Mike Gradwohl, left, and Bill Bryan use a rangefinder to record measurements Monday as trooper Oscar Garcia holds a reflector above them on the Interstate 182 bridge over the Yakima River as they investigate a fatal accident. Joevani Olivera, 16, of Kennewick, died when the Honda Accord he was riding in Sunday plunged off the bridge. Scrape marks and investigative paint markings are visible on the concrete barrier behind Garcia.

Published Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009

A dangerous weekend on Mid-Columbia roads left families and friends mourning the loss of three young people, troopers investigating multiple crash scenes and two drivers behind bars.

Published Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009

RICHLAND — A doctor who left marijuana behind at a motel told varying stories about why he had the pot and where it came from, Richland police said Monday.

Published Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009

Ted Sturdevant, a Washington State Department of Ecology employee, was named the state's new ecology director Monday by Gov. Chris Gregoire.

Jay Clough Campaign
Herald/Bob Brawdy

Surrounded by supporters, former Marine Jay Clough, a Kennewick Democrat, announces his campaign Monday for the 4th Congressional District seat held by Republican Doc Hastings. See story below.

Published Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009

Jay Clough, a 33-year-old former Marine, announced Monday that he's running for Rep. Doc Hastings' seat in the U.S. House of Representatives next year as a Democrat.

Holiday Travel Costs Kennewick
Herald/Richard Dickin

Karen Osborne, a travel specialist with Travel Leaders in the Columbia Center mall in Kennewick, talks Monday to Darcy Hill of Pasco about vacationing in Hawaii. The closer the holidays get, the harder and more expensive it will be to get airline tickets, officials say. See story below.

Published Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009

If you're planning to fly to be with loved ones during the Thanksgiving weekend or over Christmas, hurry up.

Quilting Workshop
Herald/Bob Brawdy

Participants in a quilting workshop Monday take a break from their sewing machines to gather around instructor Judy Niemeyer’s computer to look at photos of her quilts and her grandchildren wrapped in her quilts. Niemeyer was in town from Montana teaching workshops about her paper piecing technique to members of the Tri-City Quilters Guild. Check out story and photo gallery posted below.

Published Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009

KENNEWICK -- A rhythmic whir resonated from a room full of tables overflowing with vivid fabric strips.

Published Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009

The Columbia Basin Veterans Coalition honored volunteers and supporters during an awards dinner Monday at the Clover Island Inn in Kennewick. About 90 people attended.

Published Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009

PROSSER -- The Prosser City Council will vote tonight on an ordinance giving nonunion employees a 2 percent cost of living wage increase.

Published Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009

Published Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009

Expense juggling within Pasco's 2010 budget means eliminating two police positions but likely adding staff to the city fire department and municipal court.

Published Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009

Benton PUD is holding a rate information meeting at 6 p.m. today. The meeting will be in the auditorium at Benton PUD's 10th Avenue headquarters in Kennewick. The public utility will provide customers with information on issues that could affect rates in the coming years.

Published Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009

Published Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009

An in-depth two-hour campus tour of Washington State University Tri-Cities in Richland starts at 11 a.m. today.

Published Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009

The nuclear power plant outside Richland was taken offline Saturday night after hydraulic fluid was found leaking from an O-ring.

Published Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009

Crash
Herald staff

Emergency workers from Richland Fire Department and Police prepare to take Antonio Olivera of Kennewick to the hospital Sunday after the car he was riding in went off the bridge on eastbound Interstate 182 and fell about 40 feet below into the Chamna Natural Preserve. Two others went to the hospital and Joevani Olivera, 16, died at the scene.

Published Monday, Nov. 09, 2009

RICHLAND — A car plunged off the Interstate 182 bridge over the Yakima River in Richland on Sunday morning, killing a 16-year-old Kennewick boy.

Pasco Library Rates
Herald/Bob Brawdy

Pasco residents Richard Trenidad, 10, left, and his father, Isidro Trenidad, search the racks of DVDs available for check out recently at the Pasco branch of the Mid-Columbia Libraries. Negotiations between Pasco and Mid-Columbia Libraries about the funding formula are on hold while they wait for an opinion from the state attorney general. See story below.

Published Monday, Nov. 09, 2009

PASCO -- Negotiations between Pasco and Mid-Columbia Libraries are on hold while they wait for an opinion from the state attorney general.

Richland Farmer Market Goes Online 09
Herald/Kai-Huei Yau

Mark and Kira Palm of Richland taste some of Scott Ruppelius’ local honey during a trip to the Richland Farmers Market with their daughter Nora, 2. Ruppelius owns Two Sisters Honey, one of the vendors that will continue selling online during the market’s off-season. See story below.

Published Monday, Nov. 09, 2009

Hens don't stop laying, bees producing honey or bakers baking when the Richland Farmers Market closes for the season.

Jaime Picker Story 09
Herald/Paul T. Erickson

Jaime and Shane Picker read to their daughter Cadence, 2. A few months ago, Jaime was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome, a condition in which the bone marrow doesn’t produce enough healthy blood cells. Jamie’s doctors have recommended she have a stem cell transplant right away. See story below.

Published Monday, Nov. 09, 2009

WEST RICHLAND — There's no one in the world Jaime Conrad Picker loves more than her 2-year-old daughter Cadence.

Published Monday, Nov. 09, 2009

PASCO -- The city of Pasco's proposed 2010 operating budget may be 10 percent less than this year's but capital projects and other improvements still have a green light.

Published Monday, Nov. 09, 2009

West Richland Police are asking people to be on the lookout for three suspects in a small, white car who reportedly offered sex and drugs to three boys.

Published Monday, Nov. 09, 2009

Published Monday, Nov. 09, 2009

Published Monday, Nov. 09, 2009

Published Monday, Nov. 09, 2009

More aggressive deadlines for emptying radioactive waste from leakprone underground tanks should be included in a proposed settlement agreement, the Hanford Advisory Board says.

Published Monday, Nov. 09, 2009

Watson Mom Comfort
Herald/Bob Brawdy

Chuck Watson, comforts his mother, Lyn Rosler, while Mitizi, Rosler's longtime canine companion, curls up on her chest in a room on Monday Oct. 5 at the Hospice House in Kennewick. Watson's sister Kippy Myers of Eltopia describes him as "the rock of the family." Rosler passed away Oct. 7. See story below.

Published Sunday, Nov. 08, 2009

KENNEWICK -- The watercolor of a bouquet of flowers that hangs in Chuck Watson's living room was the second-most valuable gift his friend George Walker gave him.

Published Sunday, Nov. 08, 2009

KENNEWICK -- With three new members elected to the Kennewick City Council last week, the new year will bring a new mayor, mayor pro-tem and perhaps new curbs on city spending.

Published Sunday, Nov. 08, 2009

PASCO -- Local hospital and community health officials were surprised to learn that parents with young children were among those most likely to use an emergency room as their primary source of medical care.

Published Sunday, Nov. 08, 2009

KENNEWICK -- Carl Isaacson calls it the "Hard-brake Helix."

Published Sunday, Nov. 08, 2009

Chinese hot mustard, like horseradish and habanero, is best consumed in small portions.

Published Sunday, Nov. 08, 2009

Grapes from one of Washington's original wine regions won best of show Saturday night at the 31st annual Tri-Cities Wine Festival.

Published Sunday, Nov. 08, 2009

The Pacific Northwest Mustang Club won the grand prize Saturday at the 10th annual Regional Veterans Day Parade in West Richland.

Published Sunday, Nov. 08, 2009

YAKIMA -- Two state agencies responsible for livestock and clean water have a new agreement they say will allow them to be more effective regulators.

Published Sunday, Nov. 08, 2009

A Grandview woman died early Saturday after her car was hit head-on by a vehicle going the wrong way on Interstate 82 in Benton County near the Yakima County line, the Washington State Patrol reported.

JCPenney Holiday Hires 09
Herald

New fine jewelry sales associates at JCPenney in Kennewick participate in video training classes Friday afternoon for the products they soon will be selling. Counterclockwise, from left, they are: Christy Rhodes, Andrea Salazar, Jon Elliot, Kristin Joshlin and Rachel Saenz.

Published Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

Restaurant worker Alma Montes wants to find a second job during the holiday season.

SARC donation
Kai-Huei Yau/Herald

Amiah Desgranges, 6, of Kennewick, reacts excitedly to a homemade birthday card from her friend Sophia Burke, 5, of Kennewick, while sitting on her mom Cathy’s lap Friday during her birthday party at Smoovies in Richland. Amiah decided to donate all her presents to the Sexual Assault Response Center in Kennewick. See story below.

Published Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

RICHLAND -- For most 6-year-olds, the card accompanying a birthday gift is an afterthought.

Published Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

KGTS-FM, Positive Life Radio 91.3, is seeking community support for its annual Rice for Cambodia Campaign from Wednesday to Friday.

Published Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

A bank error left many employees of new Hanford contractor Mission Support Alliance without their direct deposit paychecks when they were expecting them Friday.

Published Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

KENNEWICK -- When entering the Tri-Cities' newest ballroom, make sure to check your extra left foot at the door.

youth justice
Kai-Huei Yau/Herald

Retired Superior Court Judge Dennis Yule answers questions and offers advice Friday to Riley Hughes, 15, of Asotin, at the Youth and Justice Forum at Columbia Basin College. About 200 high school students learned about the justice system and career opportunities from people in the field, including judges, lawyers, police and corrections officers. See story below.

Published Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

PASCO -- Riley Hughes is determined to one day don a black robe and sit on the nation's high court as a Supreme Court justice.

Published Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

Former West Richland resident Jason Alves will be joining other military veterans from the Northwest in Washington, D.C., on Veterans Day to share their experiences.

Published Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

PASCO -- Veterans attending Columbia Basin College will be honored during a ceremony at 9 a.m. Tuesday in the Gjerde Center on the CBC campus in Pasco.

Published Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

Free child identification kits will be available today at a Richland grocery store.

Published Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

Published Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

Published Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

PROSSER -- Two Prosser High School seniors have been appointed student representatives to the Prosser School Board.

Published Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

The monthly Family Pancake Breakfast sponsored by the Kennewick Senior Center is from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Sunday.

Published Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

SUNNYSIDE -- To help prevent the spread of the H1N1 flu to pregnant women and babies, Sunnyside Community Hospital is restricting visits to its family birthing center.

Published Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

Published Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

WALLA WALLA -- Time takes its toll on everything, and treasured books and documents are no exception.

Published Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

Published Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

An 18-year-old Prosser woman crashed into a motorcyclist Thursday night when she swerved back onto the highway after drifting onto the shoulder, the Washington State Patrol said.

Published Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

AARP is holding Senior Driving Classes in November.

Published Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

TOPPENISH -- Because of his commitment to providing an education to underserved populations, John Bassett was named as Heritage University's new president this week.

Published Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

Published Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

Former Marine Jay Clough of Kennewick plans to announce Monday that he will run as a Democrat for the 4th Congressional District seat currently held by Republican Doc Hastings.

Published Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

Published Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

Boardman is sponsoring a communitywide cleanup through November.

Published Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

The Umatilla-Morrow Education Service District will sponsor two free workshops Nov. 16 aimed at helping parents of children with disabilities.

Published Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

Parades and feasts across the Mid-Columbia will honor veterans starting today.

Published Friday, Nov. 06, 2009

A Kennewick company will share the spotlight Sunday on ABC's hit TV show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

Published Friday, Nov. 06, 2009

Benton-Franklin Superior Court officials may have the miracle they hoped for this week after shuffling dollars so that the adult drug court and a child advocate program survive next year.

Published Friday, Nov. 06, 2009

A longtime Benton Franklin Fair Board member killed in a tragic tractor accident Wednesday night is being remembered for his passion for the annual county fair, his love of agriculture and his avid support of Pasco High School sports.

Published Friday, Nov. 06, 2009

There are few seasonal flu shots to be found in the Tri-Cities after an early rush of people wanting to be immunized, health officials said.

Published Friday, Nov. 06, 2009

A 30-year-old Kennewick man is in jail on $200,000 bail on charges he sexually assaulted a grade-school girl numerous times over 21/2 years.

Published Friday, Nov. 06, 2009

RICHLAND -- Video from the Richland Public Library's surveillance system helped clear up a "he said, she said" dispute about an alleged assault on an autistic boy, but some have questioned why it took so long to find the visual evidence.

Published Friday, Nov. 06, 2009

HERMISTON -- An Oregon judge has sided with the state of Oregon and the Army, ending a lawsuit by activists who challenged whether incineration was the best way to destroy mustard agent at the Umatilla Chemical Depot.

Published Friday, Nov. 06, 2009

A safe house for victims of domestic violence could open in Pasco as early as next fall.

Published Friday, Nov. 06, 2009

WALLA WALLA -- A final report recommending how the state Department of Corrections can eliminate more than 1,500 prison beds still contains options that would close Washington State Penitentiary's 100-plus-year-old main institution, but it'll cost the cash-strapped state $41 million.

Published Thursday, Nov. 05, 2009

The number of H1N1-related deaths in the Tri-Cities is now up to three -- two adults and a 5-month-old Pasco boy who died in mid-October in Spokane, officials said.

Published Thursday, Nov. 05, 2009

The Washington State Liquor Control Board canceled a $409,000 contract with a Seattle private security firm last week, leaving 25 state-run liquor stores without armed guards until a substitute company can be hired.

Published Thursday, Nov. 05, 2009

Franklin County commissioners believe they have scrimped, saved and squeezed enough out of next year's budget to avoid raising property taxes.

At potential09pte
Herald

Martha Rosenberry, owner of Perfect Image in Richland, is setting up the nonprofit Perfect Image Leadership Program, which will offer after-school programs to at-risk youths to teach them life and leadership skills.

Published Thursday, Nov. 05, 2009

RICHLAND -- Martha Rosenberry spent much of her first year teaching photography part time at New Horizons High School asking herself, "What am I doing?"

Published Thursday, Nov. 05, 2009

PASCO -- Vickie Valdez was devoted to her students at Pasco High School.

Published Thursday, Nov. 05, 2009

After meeting for more than a year in temporary quarters on Vineyard Avenue, members of the Living Room Church in Kennewick were ready to relocate to a permanent house of worship a few blocks away next to Schuck's auto parts store at Fourth Avenue and Olympia Street.

Published Thursday, Nov. 05, 2009

Published Thursday, Nov. 05, 2009

Published Thursday, Nov. 05, 2009

Published Thursday, Nov. 05, 2009

Published Thursday, Nov. 05, 2009

Published Thursday, Nov. 05, 2009

Published Thursday, Nov. 05, 2009

Published Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

A California developer's offer to purchase 23 acres of land in two parcels in Kennewick’s Vista Entertainment District with hopes of building a long-desired convention center hotel is a dream gone bust.

Published Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

PASCO -- A sales tax increase to help pay for a jail expansion and public safety enhancements in Franklin County appears to be failing, but officials said they're hopeful that ballots still left to count will trend in their favor.

Published Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

The most sweeping plan yet from anti-tax activist Tim Eyman was soundly rejected Tuesday as voters appeared unwilling to put government on a forced diet of limited spending.

Published Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

Democrats appeared to have lost their only foothold in rural Eastern Washington in preliminary results in the 16th District election released Tuesday night.

Published Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

Kennewick councilmen Steve Young and Bob Parks appear to have held onto their positions while voters were ousting three other incumbents Tuesday in favor of Don Britain, Sharon Brown and John Hubbard.

Published Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

OLYMPIA -- Washington voters on Tuesday were narrowly approving the state's new "everything but marriage" law that marks a significant expansion of rights for gay couples.

Published Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

The heated race for two contested Pasco City Council seats was going to the incumbents in votes counted Tuesday.

Published Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

The president of the Kennewick School Board appeared to be keeping her seat Tuesday night, while an attorney was edging out a worker safety manager for the other spot up for election.

Published Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

Jeff Losey spent election night in New Orleans, but it was Skip Novakovich who was in a reveling mood after ending Tuesday night leading the Port of Kennewick Commission race.

Published Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

WALLA WALLA -- A wine auction fundraiser for Planned Parenthood of Central Washington will be held Friday at the Marcus Whitman Hotel in Walla Walla.

Published Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

Published Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

Published Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

Published Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

Published Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

A longtime Richland City Council incumbent appeared to be losing her bid for re-election Tuesday night, while a relative newcomer to the council kept her seat for another two years.

Published Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

West Richland appears to have a new mayor along with possibly two new faces on its city council, based on the results of the initial vote count Tuesday night.

Published Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

Published Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

Five candidates have filed for two seats on the Kennewick Irrigation District board of directors that come up for election Dec. 8.

Published Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

Published Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

Published Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

Published Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

Published Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

Kennewick councilmen Steve Young and Bob Parks appear to have held onto their positions while voters were ousting three other incumbents Tuesday in favor of Don Britain, Sharon Brown and John Hubbard.

Published Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

Published Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

Published Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

Published Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

Benton County Commissioner Leo Bowman stood on a sandy slope next to Highway 395 on Tuesday afternoon and waved his arm at the cars whizzing by on their way from Kennewick to Pasco.

Published Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

Published Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

Published Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

Susan Fagan of Pullman was the apparent winner Tuesday night in the historic 9th District matchup that pitted two Republican women against each other.

Published Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

BENTON COUNTY

Teverbaugh09pte
Paul T. Erickson | perickson@tricityherald.com

Flanked by his attorney John Jensen, right and his wife Roberta, Frank Teverbaugh, center, makes a statement about charges being dropped against him for allegedly striking an autistic boy in the Richland Public Library on Aug. 14. Jensen said surveillance video from the library clearly shows Teverbaugh is innocent of any wrongdoing. Teverbaugh, who coached football for several decades at Richland High School, said he was deeply hurt by the accusations after spending many years working with students.

Published Tuesday, Nov. 03, 2009

A retired Hall of Fame coach accused of hitting an autistic boy at the Richland Library is being cleared because video footage captured the incident.

Published Tuesday, Nov. 03, 2009

Goethals Park in Richland soon will be transformed into a wild playland where children can roll down grassy hills, burrow through tunnels or have secret club meetings in a tree fort.

Published Tuesday, Nov. 03, 2009

PASCO -- A special permit for a controversial corn maze didn't receive approval Monday from the Pasco City Council.

Published Tuesday, Nov. 03, 2009

A 25-year-old Kennewick woman is in jail after allegedly stealing and then selling a dog from a family who took her in.

Published Tuesday, Nov. 03, 2009

Monday had a happy ending for a West Richland mom, but not before her 5-year-old daughter spent an hour "lost" on a tardy school bus.

Published Tuesday, Nov. 03, 2009

A Kennewick police officer who's been on paid administrative leave since he fatally shot a Richland man is due back at work Wednesday, officials said.

Published Tuesday, Nov. 03, 2009

Military veterans in the Tri-Cities are invited to a Veterans Day assembly Nov. 10 at Chiawana High School in Pasco.

Published Tuesday, Nov. 03, 2009

PROSSER -- Richland and Benton City's urban growth areas are 60 days away from growing by hundreds of acres apiece.

Voting
Herald/Richard Dickin

Maxine VanPelt of West Richland drops her ballot off Monday at the Benton County Auditor's Office Richland. Voter have until 8 p.m. this evening to drop off ballots.

Published Tuesday, Nov. 03, 2009

Benton County's drop boxes will be open through 8 p.m. today at the county courthouse, 620 Market St., Prosser; the auditor's office at 5600 W. Canal Drive, Kennewick; and the auditor's office at 101 Wellsian Way, Suite E, Richland. Franklin County ballots can be dropped off at the courthouse at 1016 N. Fourth Ave., Pasco, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. today; at TRAC at 6600 Burden Blvd., Pasco; and the election center at 116 N. Third Ave., Pasco.

Published Tuesday, Nov. 03, 2009

After eight months of construction, state highway officials are ready to celebrate completion of the $16 million Kennewick interchange near the blue bridge.

Published Tuesday, Nov. 03, 2009

A Kennewick woman was hurt when her car ran off Interstate 82 near Prosser and down a steep embankment, the Washington State Patrol said.

Published Tuesday, Nov. 03, 2009

November in the Tri-Cities should have near normal to slightly warmer than normal temperatures, according to the National Weather Service.

Published Tuesday, Nov. 03, 2009

Kennewick planners are recommending approval for a proposal to build 27 luxury homes on 23 acres of a larger 50-acre steep slope parcel overlooking the city from the north side of Thompson Hill.

Medical Marijuana
Kai-Huei Yau

Chet Biggerstaff of Richland is the founder of Three Rivers Collective and is opening an office at 718 Jadwin Ave. in Richland for meetings, classes and helping new patients who use medical marijuana. He hopes to open a dispencary as well so that he can get patients away from black market sources of their medicine.

Published Monday, Nov. 02, 2009

A medical marijuana advocate is taking the next step toward getting a cannabis growing co-op started in Richland.

Published Monday, Nov. 02, 2009

RICHLAND -- Living green has never been so chic.

Published Monday, Nov. 02, 2009

The school year doesn't end for months, yet Richland teacher Matt Leggett already is preparing for summer break.

Published Monday, Nov. 02, 2009

Making a list and checking it twice may work for Santa, but having a list and checking it more -- much more -- than twice is how Deniece Schofield, a time management expert from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, gets through the holidays.

Bulb Eater Benton REA
Herald/Bob Brawdy

Troy Berglund of the Benton REA demonstrates their "Bulb Eater" recycling machine at the agency's Prosser office. The device crushes fluorescent tubes and safely captures chemical vapors using a vacuum and a special filter. The glass and other components are then able to be recycled.

Published Monday, Nov. 02, 2009

PROSSER -- They call it the Bulb Eater, and it's hungry for your spent fluorescent lamps.

Connell Art09pte
Herald/Paul T. Erickson

Whidbey Island artists Nick Lyle and Jean Whitesavage inspect a metal head of wheat as they unload pieces for installation along a walking path in Connell.

Published Monday, Nov. 02, 2009

The next time you're driving north on Highway 395, keep your eyes peeled for some giant wildflowers while passing Connell.

Published Monday, Nov. 02, 2009

Published Monday, Nov. 02, 2009

Published Monday, Nov. 02, 2009

CONNELL -- About 257 volunteers at the Coyote Ridge Corrections Center were honored recently for their work.

Published Monday, Nov. 02, 2009

Published Monday, Nov. 02, 2009

YAKIMA -- An elk hunter shot himself in the lower leg when he apparently slipped while walking in Yakima County on Saturday evening, according to the Yakima County Sheriff's Office.

Published Sunday, Nov. 01, 2009

Ballots are due Tuesday in a general election that includes two ballot measures, rare off-year state representative races in the 9th and 16th legislative districts, as well as nonpartisan races for city councils, school boards, port commissions and other local bodies.

Published Sunday, Nov. 01, 2009

PASCO -- The Pasco City Council will have a closed-record hearing -- which means council members will take no new testimony -- on a controversial corn maze Monday.

howl main
Kai-Huei Yau/Herald

The Tri-Cities' Desert Lorax ultimate frisbee club performs a post-game cheer for Olympia's team "O" after a matchup Saturday during the 10th annual Hanford Howl tournament. The charity tournament raised more than $5,000 this year for Special Olympics Washington and requires teams to dress according to a theme. The Lorax dressed as characters from Alice in Wonderland, while "O" dressed as ones from the Mario Kart video game series. The cheers "promote the spirit of the game," says tournament director Brian Clowers. Tiphony Dames of West Richland wrote this cheer, set to the tune of Michael Jackson's "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," with lyrics related to the previous game.

Published Sunday, Nov. 01, 2009

RICHLAND -- Alice in Wonderland and the folks she met down the rabbit hole were no match for Michael Jackson -- in seven incarnations from round-faced boy to the gloved one -- Saturday in Richland.

diosmuerto
Richard Dickin/Herald

Thomas Gonzalez works on a tray of bread in the shapes of crocodiles on Friday. The bread is used for Dios de los Muertos and will be sold in the thousands. See story below.

Published Sunday, Nov. 01, 2009

PASCO -- Though last night's ghouls and goblins have hung up their costumes, some Tri-Citians continue to wait for a visit from some spirits.

Published Sunday, Nov. 01, 2009

KENNEWICK -- Sister Robert Joseph Doucette knew from the time she was a little girl that she wanted to be a Catholic nun.

boyerportrait
Kai-Huei Yau/Herald

West Richland Detective Clark Boyer was the lead investigator in Matthew McCracken’s child rape case. McCracken is facing sentencing Thursday for second-degree child molestation, sexual exploitation of a minor and possession of depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct after pleading guilty.

Published Sunday, Nov. 01, 2009

He claims it started with Sears catalogs as a youth, then escalated as he discovered the rampant pornography on the internet.

Published Sunday, Nov. 01, 2009

Published Sunday, Nov. 01, 2009

Veterans and a number of youth groups and bands are expected to participate Saturday in the annual Regional Veterans Day parade in West Richland.

Published Sunday, Nov. 01, 2009

Parents of students in Pasco School District's bilingual and migrant programs are invited to a parent conference at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Emerson Elementary School, 1616 W. Octave.

Published Sunday, Nov. 01, 2009

WALLA WALLA -- Hunting for haunts isn't confined to Halloween for Nick Page and company.

Published Sunday, Nov. 01, 2009

Published Sunday, Nov. 01, 2009

Chief Joseph Middle School in Richland is holding a family science night from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Monday.

Published Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009

OLYMPIA -- More than $1.4 billion in federal stimulus money has been spent in Washington, and the influx of cash has helped pay for tens of thousands of jobs, officials said Friday.

Published Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009

A foundation aimed at promoting literacy and improving students' reading skills has become a topic of debate in the race for two positions on the Kennewick School Board.

Published Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009

Former Kennewick pastor Randall Foos may be on his way to prison soon for killing a 19-year-old Kennewick bicycle rider in 2003.

webNational Day of Remembrance
Kai-Huei Yau/Herald

Paul Haverluck, left, of Richland, talks with Ray Malito, a national representative of Cold War Patriots, Friday during a ceremony honoring past and present Hanford workers for the national day of remembrance. Haverluck brought a newspaper clipping from the Billings County Pioneer in North Dakota that detailed the history of uranium mining — work that he did. The uranium mined was shipped to places including Hanford. The clipping will join historic registries, filled out by attendees, and other memorabilia inside a time capsule to be opened in 2045, the 100-year anniversary of the Trinity nuclear test. See photo gallery on this site.

Published Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009

Harold Copeland took an engineering job at the Hanford nuclear reservation in 1947, swayed by a recruiter's pitch that he would be paid a good wage and could live in a house with his wife in the government-owned town of Richland.

Published Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009

KENNEWICK -- Getting elected to the city council or port in Kennewick is a costly venture this year, more than twice as much as it was eight years ago when there also were a large number of candidates.

Published Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009

Published Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009

The Tri-Cities' three police chiefs focused on gangs, education and the impending loss of drug courts while speaking at the Columbia Basin Badger Club's Friday luncheon.

Published Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009

The Benton Franklin Mainstream Republicans will be holding a meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Lampson Building, 607 E. Columbia Drive, Kennewick. The meeting will include speaker Rep. Maureen Walsh of the 16th Legislative District and Terry Nealey running for the 16th Legislative District. The public is invited to attend.

Published Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009

Radio station 95.7 Star FM (KKSR) became the first radio signal in the region to flip to an all-Christmas music format at 5 p.m. Friday.

Published Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009

Published Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009

A Richland father wants the Tri-Cities community to know he appreciates the support he's received after the tragic crash Sunday that killed his wife and young son.

Published Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009

The Army Corps of Engineers will close the Plymouth boat ramp at 6 a.m. Tuesday while it paves the roads and parking lots at the recreation area.

Published Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009

The baby mammoth on display at the Columbia Center mall in Kennewick has been given the name Baby Ems.

Published Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009

A Kennewick couple claimed $250,000 in the lottery Friday.

Published Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009

It's always been frightfully easy for Oscar and Mary Strunk to remember their wedding anniversary.

Published Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009

HERMISTON -- The Umatilla Chemical Depot plans a quarterly emergency drill Wednesday with the Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility and nearby communities. People near the depot may hear sirens sound.

Published Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009

Published Friday, Oct. 30, 2009

A 26-year-old Walla Walla man was arrested for allegedly stabbing another man during an argument.

Published Friday, Oct. 30, 2009

BURBANK -- A year has passed since two brothers were killed in a horrific Halloween night crash in Burbank, but a court case against one of the drivers is just beginning.

Published Friday, Oct. 30, 2009

Organizers of a protest group calling themselves the Tri-Cities Tea Party say they are a nonpartisan grass-roots group that wants to stop excessive government spending.

Published Friday, Oct. 30, 2009

RICHLAND -- Concerns were raised about whether the state can make the federal government stick to its moratorium on importing certain radioactive wastes to the Hanford nuclear reservation at a public hearing Thursday night in Richland.

Published Friday, Oct. 30, 2009

PROSSER -- What began as a routine budget meeting Thursday ended with Benton County officials sitting in stunned silence after the commissioners said 2 percent budget cuts are being recommended nearly across the board.

Published Friday, Oct. 30, 2009

Former members of the private security company HWA in Seattle have been reimbursed by the U.S. government for back pay the company owed them.

Published Friday, Oct. 30, 2009

The Three Rivers Community Foundation has a new grant opportunity that is separate from its normal grant cycle.

Published Friday, Oct. 30, 2009

WALLA WALLA -- Walla Walla Public Schools Deputy Superintendent Bill Jordan has announced he will be retiring June 30 at the end of the school year.

Published Friday, Oct. 30, 2009

YAKIMA -- A learning center in Yakima that Washington State University closed earlier this year is reopening.

Published Friday, Oct. 30, 2009

If you'd like a vacation, but don't have much time, why not visit New York, Florida, Colorado, or any of the other 50 states?

Published Friday, Oct. 30, 2009

ECHO -- Echo has been named the winner of the America in Bloom program's award for cities under 4,000.

Published Friday, Oct. 30, 2009

Published Friday, Oct. 30, 2009

Published Friday, Oct. 30, 2009

Law enforcement officers are hoping little ghosts and goblins stay safe as they trick or treat Saturday night.

Published Friday, Oct. 30, 2009

PENDLETON -- A nonprofit organization that hopes to build a homeless assistance complex in Pendleton has sent out at least $30,000 in bad checks, and police are investigating whether it's fraud or an honest mistake.

Published Friday, Oct. 30, 2009

The Pasco City Council discussed changes to the Kurtzman Park neighborhood local improvement district this week at the city council workshop.

Published Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009

PROSSER -- The auditor's budget report to the Benton County commissioners was supposed to end the Wednesday morning workshop on a quiet note.

Published Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009

SPOKANE -- Two Franklin County corrections officers have been released from federal custody pending trial on drug conspiracy charges.

Published Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009

Seattle-based special interest groups are twisting the truth in the race to elect the next state representative from the 16th District.

Published Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009

PASCO -- Less than 10 percent of former Hanford construction workers who likely would qualify for compensation for illnesses have applied to a federal program, said a Building Trades National Medical Screening Program official.

Syngenta Seed
Herald

A tour group checks out the new Syngenta seed processing plant after a dedication Wednesday in Pasco. The nearly 40-acre global processing facility is designed to process vegetable seeds, such as sweet corn, watermelon, squash, melon, broccoli, spinach, pepper and tomato.

Published Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009

PASCO -- Mayor Joyce Olson remembers when the city's northside processing center was called a "field of dreams."

Published Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009

KENNEWICK -- Two teens were arrested early Wednesday after breaking into or vandalizing about 30 cars in Kennewick, authorities said.

Published Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009

Safe Kids Benton-Franklin and the Kennewick Fire Department will offer car seat checks from 3 to 5 p.m. Friday at the Kennewick Fire Station, 7400 W. Quinault St.

Published Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009

Published Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009

Rachel Jasper, of Richland, was recently sworn in as a member of Volunteers in Service to America, the nearly 40-year-old national service program dedicated to helping fight poverty. She has been assigned to Benton County Emergency Services as its volunteer coordinator.

Published Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009

The Mid-Columbia's future could be as a smart energy center, says the first public look at plans being developed by a coalition of area business leaders led by the Tri-City Development Council.

Published Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009

Published Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009

Kadlec Regional Medical Center will have a Kids A Thon from 6 a.m. today until 6 p.m. Friday to raise money for its new pediatric center.

Published Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009

PROSSER -- Prosser High School's dance and drill team is putting on a "Pink Week" of activities this week to raise money and awareness to fight breast cancer.

Published Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009

YAKIMA -- A convicted scam artist accused of targeting senior citizens was sentenced to 10 years in prison, more than double the standard range.

Published Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009

The Tri-Cities' top cops will talk about public safety at a public forum put on by the Columbia Basin Badger Club.

Published Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009

Students at Kennewick High School are creating and displaying sculptures, posters and other pieces of art in honor of Red Ribbon Week, which promotes drug and alcohol awareness.

Published Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009

A golf tournament fundraiser for the Marine Corps League is Saturday at Horn Rapids Golf Course in Richland.

Published Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009

The Richland Housing Authority may drop to two part-time employees to save money after giving up management of two federal housing programs.

Unemployment Insurance09pte
Paul T. Erickson, Tri-City Herald

BBenay Doolittle of Kennewick made $100,000 per year as an information technology worker before being laid off almost two years ago. Today, she’s on food stamps, living at a girlfriend’s house. She’s filed for bankruptcy, her unemployment benefits have ended and she says no one has shown interest in the hundreds of resumes she’s sent out.

Published Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009

WASHINGTON -- Two years ago, Benay Doolittle of Kennewick was making $100,000 as an information technology worker.

Published Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009

The Department of Energy is adding another type of radioactive waste to those that won't be sent to Hanford until the vitrification plant is fully operational.

Juvenile Justice Budget Kennewick 09
Herald/Richard Dickin

Juvenile probation counselors Sean Guajardo, left, and Kris Overvold talk to a juvenile offender Tuesday at the Juvenile Justice Center in Kennewick. Budget cuts could mean the bicounty center may have to accept fewer offenders because of cuts in detention officers, probation employees and other programs. See story below.

Published Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009

PROSSER -- Budget cuts on both sides of the Columbia River may lead to the end of juvenile drug court in Benton and Franklin counties.

Published Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009

PROSSER -- Benton County has owned the fairgrounds for nearly six decades, but county commissioners decided this week to look at the possibility of selling the 126-acre parcel of land to the Benton-Franklin Fair Association.

Published Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009

Published Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009

SUNNYSIDE -- A ground breaking for New Life Homes of Sunnyside, an affordable, first-time home-buyer housing project, is planned for 3 p.m. Thursday at Beckner Alley and McClain Drive in Sunnyside.

Published Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009

Franklin County residents have another reason to be spooked on Halloween: Property taxes for the second half of the year are due Saturday.

Published Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009

Discussions on whether Pasco will renew its contract for library services will continue today between representatives of the city and the Mid-Columbia Library District.

Published Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009

Emilio Vasquez, 18, of Kennewick, went into a Pasco store to buy milk but he left a richer man.

Published Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009

Published Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009

A $20.8 million, eight-year plan for creating a "smart grid" electrical system in Richland was laid out for the city council at a meeting Tuesday.

Published Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009

Three longtime members of the Kennewick City Council face a final showdown Nov. 3 against three of the original seven challengers from the primary election.

Published Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009

Published Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009

Published Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009

Survivors of domestic violence, their families and friends plan to gather Thursday night for a candlelight vigil that aims to raise awareness about verbal and physical abuse.

Published Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009

A Benton County dispatcher is being recognized today for helping direct a 911 caller on how to perform CPR on his wife after she stopped breathing.

Published Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009

Ground work for significant Hanford cleanup is laid out for decades to come in a draft version of a massive new environmental study of Hanford released in the Tri-Cities on Monday.

Published Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009

PASCO -- Foes of a proposed Planned Parenthood clinic in Pasco are continuing attempts to influence public opinion about the clinic -- and hope their demonstrations will sway the city council's decision in November.

Published Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009

Tri-City health officials say people sick with flu symptoms most likely have swine flu -- even if they tested negative for flu.

Published Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009

Two Franklin County jail guards and the brother of one of them remain in a Spokane County jail on federal drug conspiracy charges.

Cost of LIving Study Pasco
Herald/Richard Dickin

Marcos Ramos, assistant store director of Fiesta Foods in Pasco, cleans up shelves in the store Monday. A recent survey has found the cost of living in the Tri-Cities is lower than other areas of the state. Ramos said his relatives visiting from Seattle and Yakima often stock up on groceries because they find the prices much lower here. See story belwo.

Published Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009

Jordan Blasdel recruits employees for the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

Dog Park.jpg
Herald file

Dog park advocate Audrey Ulrich of Richland, shown in this 2007 photo, died Monday at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle from injuries suffered in a crash Sunday on Interstate 82 near Wapato. Her 2-year-old son, Rafael, also was killed. See story below.

Published Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009

A Richland woman who advocated dog parks around the Tri-Cities died Monday, the day after her 2-year-old son died when their SUV crashed near Wapato.

Published Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009

Traffic on northbound 395 near the Highway 240 roundabout interchange may encounter delays or lane closures this week while construction crews paint lane stripes.

Published Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009

Two people were killed Monday afternoon in a single-car crash on Interstate 84 near Pendleton, authorities said.

Published Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009

Past and present Hanford workers will be honored Friday in Richland during a national day of remembrance for nuclear weapons program workers. A ceremony is planned from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Richland Community Center, 500 Amon Park Drive.

Published Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009

Railroad grade crossing improvements being done on Fruitland Street in Kennewick will require the road closure be extended to Wednesday morning.

Published Monday, Oct. 26, 2009

As winemakers, they compete for business, but by being close to each other in the Port of Walla Walla Industrial Park they also complement each other.

Waterford Place Club
Herald/Bob Brawdy

The plans for Waterford Place on George Washington Way in Richland have changed since this ribbon-cutting ceremony last November. Developers are planning for an extended-stay hotel with a 60,000-square-foot, three-story commercial building instead of a luxury condominium development. See story below.

Published Monday, Oct. 26, 2009

Beyond the cobblestone entryway and two-tiered fountain, the grand, almost-chaletlike Waterford Place looks a little lonely. That may be about to change.

Published Monday, Oct. 26, 2009

Learn some new recipes, sample outstanding Mid-Columbia vintages and nosh on tidbits prepared by area chefs all at Savor the Flavor, a fundraiser for Oasis School in Richland.

Published Monday, Oct. 26, 2009

A Kennewick woman was taken to Kadlec Medical Center in Richland on Sunday evening with injuries from a two-car collision on northbound Highway 395 at the blue bridge in Kennewick.

Published Monday, Oct. 26, 2009

A 2-year-old boy from Richland died and four other people were injured Sunday night.

Published Monday, Oct. 26, 2009

An accident just after 4 p.m. Sunday involving four cars at Highway 12 and the Wallula Junction sent four people to area hospitals.

Published Monday, Oct. 26, 2009

The Tri Cities Republican Women's Club will be hold its monthly meeting at 6 p.m. today at Tony Roma's Restaurant, 8551 Gage Blvd., Kennewick.

Published Monday, Oct. 26, 2009

Leadership students from Highlands Middle School in Kennewick are teaming up with the Red Cross to hold a blood drive event today.

Published Monday, Oct. 26, 2009

In West Richland, two incumbents are defending their seats, and a third seat will be decided between two newcomers.

Lady Washington Returns
Kai-Huei Yau/Herald

The tall ship Lady Washington is spending 11 days in Pasco. Walk-on tours are scheduled Oct. 25, 31, and Nov. 1 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Oct. 27-30 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Cascade Marina, 1315 S. 4th Ave. in Pasco. Three-hour Adventure sails are also available. See historicalseaport.org for more information.

Published Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009

PASCO -- Sara Gempler can't help smiling while she scrubs, paints, mends sails and tends to the lines on the Lady Washington. The 93-ton, two-masted brig is Gempler's home for the time being as she tends to duties aboard the tall ship during its 10-day stay at the Pasco boat basin through next weekend.

Published Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009

RALSTON -- An autumn chill wafts across broken sod held fast by frost.

Published Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009

PASCO -- On a recent blustery October afternoon, the parking lot at the St. Vincent de Paul food bank in Pasco was bustling.

Published Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009

PROSSER -- Deputy Prosecutor Scott Johnson is feeling a bit sentimental about what he's leaving behind but also looking forward to what's ahead.


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