Congratulations to the Elite Institute of Modern Aesthetics (EIMA) on their grand opening and ribbon cutting on Thursday, September 25! Check out their beautiful facility at 7275 W. Clearwater Ave. in Kennewick. Learn more about EIMA: ​www.eimainstitute.com/

Congratulations to Tinman and Spicy Delight Popcorn on their ribbon cutting and grand opening earlier this month! Check out both businesses at 507 N. Everett St. in Kennewick.

Congratulations to ERA Skyview Realty on their beautiful new location! Visit them at 8202 W. Quinault St., Ste. B in Kennewick.

​Wildfires are a growing concern in Eastern Washington. Hot summers, dry vegetation, and strong winds can turn a small spark into a dangerous fire in a matter of minutes. To lower this risk, utilities have adopted a tool called Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS). This is when power companies intentionally turn off electricity in certain areas during extreme weather conditions. Although inconvenient, these shutoffs are designed to protect communities from devastating wildfires.
 
When Is a PSPS Necessary?
Utilities do not decide to shut off power lightly. PSPS is used only as a last resort when the fire danger is extreme. Several conditions must be met before a utility considers it.

• Strong, sustained winds that could knock down power lines.
• Very low humidity that dries out vegetation.
• Extended hot and dry weather that creates wildfire fuel.
• Dead or dry brush and trees that can ignite easily.
• Ongoing drought conditions that leave landscapes vulnerable.

These conditions often appear during late summer or early fall in Eastern Washington. Utilities such as City of Richland, Puget Sound Energy (PSE), and Pacific Power monitor weather forecasts, fire danger levels, and real-time field conditions. If the risk of power lines sparking a wildfire is too high, a PSPS may be implemented.
 
Who Decides to Call a PSPS?
The responsibility lies with the utilities serving the region. Their decision-making process includes the following:

• Monitoring conditions: Utilities use weather stations, fire risk models, and satellite data to track high-risk conditions.
• Coordination with emergency officials: Local governments, county emergency managers, and tribes are informed before a PSPS is implemented.
• Regulatory guidance: The Washington State Department of Commerce and Department of Natural Resources provide statewide frameworks for managing PSPS.

A Red Flag Warning from the National Weather Service may be one signal, but it does not automatically trigger a PSPS. Utilities consider several factors before taking action.
 
How Does a PSPS Work?
This process is deliberate and includes several steps.

1. Advance Warnings: Utilities try to notify customers 24–48 hours before a PSPS. Warnings may include a Watch, a Probable Outage, and then a Scheduled Outage.
2. Power Shutoff: If conditions worsen, electricity in specific high-risk areas is turned off. This can be performed remotely from control centers or by workers on-site.
3. Safety Inspections: Once the weather improves, crews inspect the lines and equipment on foot, by truck, or using drones. They check for fallen trees, damages, or other hazards.
4. Restoration of Power: Power is restored only when it is safe to do so. Depending on the conditions, outages can last several hours or even days.

During this process, utilities also send regular updates so that customers know what to expect.
 
Why Is PSPS Used?
The goal is simple: to prevent wildfires that could destroy lives, properties, and natural resources. Even a single spark from a damaged power line can ignite a fire under dry conditions.
PSPS was developed after tragedies such as California’s 2018 Camp Fire, which was linked to utility equipment. This disaster highlighted the importance of preventive shutoffs. With hotter and drier conditions linked to climate change, Washington utilities have added PSPS as a safety measure.
 
Balancing Risks and Impacts
Before calling a PSPS, utilities weigh the benefits of preventing wildfires against the challenges of shutting off the power. Power outages affect households, businesses, and vulnerable residents who rely on electricity for medical care. Utilities carefully consider these impacts and use PSPS only when the wildfire risk is greater than the harm caused by temporary outages.
 
What You Can Do to Prepare
As PSPS events may become more common, residents can take steps to prepare them for.

• Sign up for utility alerts and keep your contact information up to date.
• Prepare an emergency kit with food, water, flashlights, and backup batteries.
• Have a plan for medical needs if you rely on powered medical devices.
• Stay connected by following local news, social media or community alerts.

Public Safety Power Shutoffs are not random blackouts. They are carefully planned safety measures used only when the wildfire risk is extreme. In Eastern Washington, utilities use PSPS to protect communities from devastating fires. While losing power can be frustrating, understanding why PSPS events occur and how to prepare for them helps residents stay safe during fire seasons.

​Strong communities are built on strong businesses. Therefore, the Tri-City Regional Chamber follows a simple guiding principle: government policies and regulations should promote responsible business operations and encourage innovation and entrepreneurship. When a rule blocks those goals or harms local employers, we push for it to be revised or repealed. This principle keeps our focus on practical outcomes for the people who live and work in Kennewick, Pasco, Richland, and West Richland.

For local employers, clear and fair rules imply stability and confidence. When permits are predictable, fees are right-sized, and timelines are reasonable, small shops, farms, and startups can plan, hire, and invest in their businesses. Innovation is also important. Incentives that support new products, technologies, and business models help our region create new jobs and diversify the economy. This is how the Tri-Cities remains competitive and creates opportunities for students, veterans, and entrepreneurs.

Responsible operation is part of this balance. Good policy protects workers, customers, and the environment while allowing businesses to thrive. In practice, this looks like streamlined licensing, simple reporting, and modern tools that make compliance easier. It also includes smart incentives, such as support for apprenticeships, research partnerships, or pilot projects that allow companies to test new ideas without jumping through endless hoops.

The Chamber uses this principle as a filter when reviewing proposals from city halls, Olympia, and state agencies. We ask: Does this policy make it easier for responsible businesses to operate? Does it lower needless barriers for startups? Does it protect people while keeping costs low? We also champion policies that open doors, such as faster permitting, broadband expansion for commerce, and programs that help entrepreneurs launch and scale their businesses.
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Our goal is simple: a healthy and innovative business climate that lifts the entire region. By standing up for smart rules and pushing back on harmful ones, the Chamber helps keep the Tri-Cities a great place to start and grow businesses. If a policy affects your ability to operate, hire, or innovate, please tell us. Your feedback guides our advocacy and makes this principle a reality.

​Washington State has been at the bottom of the national rankings for police staffing for 15 years. This implies that fewer officers are available to respond to emergencies, protect neighborhoods, and support local businesses. Although small gains have been made in hiring, the state continues to face significant challenges. These shortages affect not only public safety but also the health of Washington’s business climate, raising costs and complicating operations for employers of all sizes in the state.

The numbers paint a sobering picture. In 2024, Washington had 1.36 officers per 1,000 residents, compared to the national average of approximately 2.3 officers per 1,000. This places Washington firmly at the bottom of all 50 states and the District of Columbia (DC). Although the state added nearly 300 officers in 2024, the gap remains significant. In cities such as Seattle, recent recruitment efforts have shown progress, but much more is needed to close the staffing deficit statewide.
These shortages strain police departments, slow response times, and contribute to stressful conditions that make it harder to retain officers. Consequently, communities face uneven protection, and businesses are left more vulnerable to theft, vandalism, and other crime-related risks.
 

For Washington businesses, low police staffing is more than just a public safety concern; it is an economic one.

• A slower emergency response means that businesses experiencing theft or property damage often wait longer for help, increasing their risk of loss.
• Rising costs are prevalent. Research shows that retailers facing persistent crime often pass along costs to customers through higher prices. This effectively creates a “hidden tax” that reduces competitiveness.
• Safety perceptions influence customer behavior. If shoppers feel unsafe in certain areas, businesses may experience reduced foot traffic and declining sales.
• The added expenses for private security, surveillance, and insurance are becoming unavoidable for many businesses. These costs cut into already thin margins, particularly for small or independent enterprises.

 
Efforts are underway to address this crisis. In 2025, the state launched a $100 million grant program to help jurisdictions hire more officers and expand community safety initiatives, including behavioral health responders and crisis intervention training. Seattle has begun to rebound from years of staffing losses, doubling police applications in early 2025 and offering competitive bonuses to attract candidates.
While these steps are encouraging, the reality is stark: closing the gap with the national average would cost more than $1 billion annually. Such investment requires long-term commitment, political will, and a balance between traditional law enforcement and community-based safety programs.

Washington’s chronic shortage of police officers impacts everyone, but the effects are especially pronounced for businesses. Slower response times, higher costs, and diminished consumer confidence create headwinds for local economies. Addressing the crisis will not only improve public safety but also strengthen Washington’s business environment. For employers, staying engaged in the conversation, advocating for balanced investments, and working with policymakers is essential to building safe, thriving communities where businesses and families can prosper.
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Congratulations to Benton County on the celebration of commencement of construction on the grandstands at McDaniel Arena at the Benton County Fairgrounds and Event Center.

For over 75 years, the Benton County Fairgrounds and McDaniel Arena have stood as a cornerstone of the community, drawing visitors near and far and fueling economic growth. To preserve the legacy of the facility and to meet modern demands, the arena will receive a renovation that will revitalize the facility for generations to come and drive more economic benefits to the community. The first phase has been completed with parking lot improvements improving, accessibility and increased safety for visitors. The next improvements will include $12 Million in upgrades to the iconic grandstands at McDaniel Arena. Improvements include doubling seating capacity from 3,000 to 6,000 with a new grandstand structure, modernizing restroom facilities, and enhancing public access to key amenities. The south side of the arena known as over the chutes will remain in place. These changes will also improve air and sound quality and address the wear and tear that comes with decades of use. Construction is set begin September of 2025 and is expected to be ready to accommodate and host larger scale events and programming by 2026. For more details visit bentoncountywa.gov.

The Washington State Department of Revenue (DOR) maintains a collection of Interim Guidance Statements on its website. These statements represent the department’s current interpretations of tax‐law issues for which final guidance has not yet been issued. They are intended to give taxpayers instruction on compliance and reporting in light of recent legislative changes, until formal rules or interpretive guidance are adopted.
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As part of the changes brought by ESSB 5814, the DOR has published several interim guidance statements addressing specific areas affected by the bill. These include, but are not limited to:

• Changes to “DAS exclusions” and the definition of a “retail sale” under the law. 
• Rules for custom website development services in relation to ESSB 5814. 
• Guidance on “live presentations.” 
• Information Technology (IT) services under the amendments. 
• Investigation, security, security monitoring, and armored car services. 
• How existing contracts (prior to October 1, 2025) are handled under the new law. 

All documents are hosted on the WA DOR’s official page: Interim Guidance Statements – WA Dept. of Revenue
These guides are just the beginning of the rule making process. There is much more to come before these rules and other rules surrounding ESSB 5814 are finalized.

Washington State’s Clean Fuel Standard was introduced in 2023 with the goal of making transportation fuels cleaner and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Transportation is the largest source of pollution in the state; therefore, the idea behind this law is to slowly reduce the amount of carbon in fuels such as gasoline and diesel. The program sets limits on how much carbon is allowed and pushes companies to meet those limits by selling cleaner fuels or buying credits from companies that do so. While this plan sounds promising, there are serious questions about whether it will actually work as intended or simply create more costs and confusion for the people and businesses of Washington.

The Clean Fuel Standard relies on a system of credits and deficits. Fuel suppliers that sell fuels with a high carbon content receive deficits, which they need to balance by either selling cleaner fuels themselves or purchasing credits from companies that do. It is hoped that this market system will encourage new, cleaner technologies, such as biofuels and electric vehicles. However, critics have pointed out that such systems are complicated and can be unpredictable. The price of credits can rise quickly, and these costs almost always end up being passed on to drivers and businesses that depend on fuel.

State leaders have set an ambitious target of cutting the carbon intensity of transportation fuels by 45 percent by 2038, with the possibility of even more reductions if future technology allows. However, there are doubts about whether such deep cuts are realistic. It depends on a large increase in biofuel production, new fueling infrastructure, and companies’ willingness to invest heavily in new technology. These are all things that may or may not occur on schedule. There is also a risk that companies will meet these goals on paper by buying credits rather than making any real changes to their fuels.

For businesses, the effects of this law could be challenging. Companies that import or sell fuel must now register with the state, file regular reports, pay annual fees, and manage their compliance through the credit system. For companies already struggling with rising costs, this adds another layer of expense. Even companies that are not directly regulated, such as delivery services and trucking fleets, will feel the effects because the cost of fuel is likely to increase. These higher costs can lead to higher prices for goods and services across the state.

While there may be opportunities for companies that produce clean fuels or operate electric charging stations to earn extra income by selling credits, these benefits are uncertain. Building the facilities needed for new clean fuels will take years, and there is no guarantee that customers will be ready to switch to alternative fuels as quickly as the law assumes.

Washington’s Clean Fuel Standard represents a bold attempt to tackle climate change, but it also comes with serious risks. The program may reduce emissions, but it could also drive up costs, add complexity, and fall short of its goals if new technologies are not developed as quickly as hoped. For many businesses, this law could mean more financial pressure without much control over the outcome. Whether this policy leads to a cleaner future or simply a more expensive one remains to be seen, and the next decade will show whether Washington’s gamble pays off or not.

​Pros

• Encourages cleaner fuels and new technologies.
• Aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions from transportation.
• May create new jobs and industries in clean energy.
• Can improve air quality and public health over time.

Cons

• Likely to increase fuel costs for drivers and businesses.
• A complex credit-trading system may favor large companies.
• Success depends on future technology and infrastructure that may not be available soon.
• There is a risk that companies will buy credits instead of making real changes.