Dave & Busters, canal drowning and more. Top Tri-City stories in April

April brought a mix of tragedy, crime developments and economic news to the Tri-Cities region. From fatal accidents to major business expansions, here’s a roundup of the month’s most-read local stories.

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• A West Richland father of three died after his motorcycle struck an Oregon Department of Transportation safety vehicle on I-84 near The Dalles. Story by Annette Cary.

• A deaf Prosser girl drowned in the Sunnyside Valley Irrigation District’s main canal after disappearing from her grandmother’s property. Story by Cameron Probert.

• A Tri-Cities construction company owner now faces 21 federal charges in an alleged child sex trafficking and forced labor case involving boys brought from Honduras. Story by Annette Cary.

• Amazon plans to open its second Pasco receiving center in August with about 1,000 employees following a $30 million retrofit of a long-vacant warehouse. Story by Wendy Culverwell.

• The Kennewick City Council rezoned a former 38-acre orchard to allow developer a developer to build 215 single-family homes, drawing concerns from neighbors. Story by Eric Rosane.

• A 400-pound golden dragon statue stolen from a Richland lot last May was recovered after the owner’s wife posted on Facebook and a tipster led them to a hoarder’s yard. Story by Cameron Probert.

• Century Pipe LLC is about a month from launching production at its new $25 million HDPE pipe plant near Wallula Gap. Story by Wendy Culverwell.

• Columbia Center mall is adding discount retailer Five Below, a sportswear store and a Dave & Buster’s “eatertainment” venue. Story by Wendy Culverwell.

The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.