Congratulations to Habitat for Humanity, and the hardworking families building homes, on an exciting groundbreaking! 

Congrats to GFG Financial for a fantastic ribbon cutting yesterday! You can check them out at 6601 w. Deschutes Ave., Kennewick, WA 99336.

Washington’s small businesses send a clear warning: it’s becoming more difficult to hire, expand, and stay competitive. A new report from the National Federation of Independent Business shows Washington’s Small Business Optimism Index at 94.5, compared to 98.5 nationwide. Only 5.3 percent of Washington owners plan to increase employment, versus 15.4 percent across the country, indicating that many employers remain cautious about hiring or expanding.

Washington business owners are primarily concerned about labor costs, taxes, and government regulations. Labor costs ranked highest for 19.1 percent of respondents from Washington, more than double the national rate of 8.5 percent. These worries could cause businesses to delay hiring, raise prices, cut back on investments, or reconsider expansion plans.
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Although the survey does not connect the results to any specific policy, it suggests that lawmakers and community leaders should consider how new taxes and regulations affect small businesses. In the Tri-Cities, a robust small-business environment helps support jobs, local services, and regional growth. 

View the full report: “Washington Small Business Economic Trends: Winter 2026”
https://www.nfib.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Washington-SBET-winter-2026.pdf​

Congratulations to Family Resource Home Care for moving into a beautiful new facility! You can find them at 4309 W. 27th Pl., Kennewick, WA 99338

Thanks to all who joined us for an informative discussion about the state of the Washington retail and hospitality industries. 

This is Part 4 and the final article in the series on data centers in the Tri-Cities and Washington State. Part 1 explained what data centers are, Part 2 discussed their economic benefits, and Part 3 looked at the risks. This last article ties those ideas together by highlighting questions that local leaders, residents, and business groups should ask before backing major new projects.

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The first question is whether a project aligns with the region’s long-term economic goals. A data center should not be judged solely on the size of the investment or the building itself. Leaders should ask whether it enhances the Tri-Cities’ role in energy, science, and technology, and whether it helps attract related industries, workforce training, and infrastructure that benefit the broader region.


The second question is who will bear the costs for the necessary infrastructure. Data centers may require significant electric service, transmission upgrades, substations, water systems, roads, and fiber. Communities should ensure these costs are clearly allocated and not passed on to residents or local businesses. Even a strong project can lose public support if people feel they are being asked to subsidize it.


The third question is whether the project uses power and water responsibly. This includes reviewing cooling systems, water reuse, energy efficiency, load management, and electricity sources. The fourth question is whether the public benefit is clear and measurable. Leaders should ask about permanent jobs, construction jobs, tax revenue, and whether local workers and businesses will have a genuine opportunity to benefit.
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For the Tri-Cities, data centers can be a good fit if growth is carefully managed. The region has many of the right strengths, and AI will likely continue to boost demand. However, projects should be supported because they benefit the community, not just because the industry is expanding. The best approach is to welcome investment, ask tough questions, protect key resources, and ensure the region gains long-term benefits.

Thank you to all who joined us for a thought provoking discussion on data centers at our KTLO roundtable! 

This is Part 3 of the series on data centers in the Tri-Cities and Washington State. Part 2 explained why many communities see data centers as an economic opportunity. This article concentrates on the risks. The final article will examine the policy and planning questions local leaders need to consider before approving more projects.


The main concern is electricity. Data centers consume a lot of power, and AI data centers use even more because they constantly run advanced chips. For the Tri-Cities and the Northwest, that means leaders can't see a data center as an economic boost. They also need to assess whether the grid can support it without overloading homes, businesses, and other users.


Water is another concern. Not all data centers use water in the same way, but some can place heavy demands on local supplies depending on their cooling systems. Projects can reduce pressure through better design and reuse systems, but water planning needs to be part of the project from the start.


A third concern is public cost and infrastructure strain. Large data centers may require upgrades to transmission lines, substations, roads, fiber optics, and utility systems. Without clear agreements, communities might worry that residents or existing businesses will bear too much of the cost. There is also the issue of land use. Data centers can occupy large sites and take up valuable industrial capacity while providing fewer permanent jobs than some people expect.
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The lesson isn't that data centers are harmful to the Tri-Cities. It's that they require careful planning. Strong projects can deliver real value, but weak agreements can impose too much burden on the community. In Part 4, this series will examine the practical questions local leaders should ask to see if a proposal truly benefits the region’s long-term public interest.

Thanks to all who made it out to our Supplier Connect event! 

We had a fabulous time at Business After Hours with Events at Sunset! You can check out their beautiful event space at 915 Bypass Hwy., Richland, WA 99352.