Fieldstone Communities is hosting a Walk to End Alzheimer’s Golf Tournament Scramble on Friday, June 3rd 2022, at Horn Rapid Golf Course in Richland. The proceeds from the tournament are to benefit the Tri-Cities chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association’s “Walk to End Alz.”
 
Players can register for $100 and includes: Green Fees, Cart, Swag Bag and Awards Reception/Lunch. 

There will be a raffle, side games and silent auction.
​
To register please visit: http://act.alz.org/goto/fieldstonegolf.

Junior Achievement of Washington (JA) is bringing back in-person fundraising events, hosting JA Bowling Classic – Back to the 90’s. This fun team-building fundraiser will be happening from May 12 until May 13, 2022, at Spare Time Lanes, Kennewick, and from May 17 until May 22, 2022, at Atomic Bowl, Richland. An online auction featuring many exciting items and unique experiences will be available for bidding from May 11 until May 25.

The JA Bowling Classic, JA’s primary fundraiser for student programs in the region, was canceled in the last two years due to the pandemic. Now, celebrating over 20 years of bowling with a throwback theme to the 90’s, the event is dedicated to raising money to deliver life-changing programs to more young people in the community. Donations generated by this event are essential to teaching financial literacy, workforce readiness, and entrepreneurship skills to thousands of students in grades K-12 throughout Southeastern Washington.

During the pandemic, most JA programs moved to a virtual delivery, but hundreds of volunteers continued teaching JA curriculum in local classrooms. They provide mentorship opportunities, model key business concepts, instruct in teamwork and critical thinking, and connect classroom learning to the real world of work.  “Junior Achievement helped me with my decision for picking a career. JA also taught me how to write a resume and what to expect during a job interview. The class showed me many career choices and how to look for a job. I am definitely going to apply what I learned at JA when I graduate and start looking for a job,” said an 8th-grade student at Ki-Be Middle School in Benton City after completing the program.  

This event is a popular corporate employee engagement event—participating companies recruit employees to be individual fundraisers on small bowling teams of five people, including a team captain. Each team member’s “Goal to Bowl” is $100 (team goal is $500). Individuals who raise $100 or more will be eligible for prizes generously donated by local JA sponsors. 

“Nearly 1,200 community and education leaders will participate during our multi-week event.” said Tamra Meyer, Regional Director, Junior Achievement of Washington, Southeastern Region. “Because of the outstanding support received at this event, JA has had a presence in this vibrant community for over 30 years.

Junior Achievement SEWA would like to thank our Bowling Major Sponsors: Alaska Airlines, Bechtel, Corwin Ford Tri-Cities, Central Plateau Cleanup Company, Gesa Credit Union, Hanford Mission Integration Solutions, KNDU 25- NBC Right Now, Mustang Sign Group, Spectrum Reach, Spotted Fox Digital Marketing, VI Resorts, and Washington River Protection Solutions.

The newest round of local artwork has been installed at the Tri-Cities Airport. The airport’s selections for 2022 were curated by the Airport Art Committee, the Tamástslikt Cultural Institute, and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. 

Themed as “We Were, We Are, and We Will Be,” the exhibit provides a local historical and cultural perspective on Native Americans and their impact on the region while also educating passengers about the existence of the Tamástslikt Cultural Institute, the only museum on the Oregon Trail that tells the story of Western expansionism from a tribal point of view.

“We always appreciate the opportunity to showcase local artists at the airport,” said Buck Taft, Director of Tri-Cities Airport. “This year we’re using the sights and sounds of native cultures to enhance the experience of all our passengers traveling through our airport, giving them a glimpse into how exceptional our region was in the past, is now currently, and will continue to be in the future.” 

The displays will be up through the year. Artist statements and sample art pieces are above.

The Prosser Memorial Health Foundation Board has approved awarding (1) $2,000.00 scholarship for each of the three high schools in the Prosser Memorial Health services area including: Prosser, Grandview, and Kiona-Benton. This scholarship is available to seniors pursuing a higher education degree in the healthcare industry.

“The Prosser Memorial Health Foundation Board and its Auxiliary Volunteers are excited to offer this scholarship opportunity to seniors in our community. We want to encourage and support students who are interested in a career in the healthcare industry whether that be as a doctor, nurse, or healthcare administrator – all play an important role in Prosser Memorial Health’s ability to deliver high quality, affordable healthcare to the communities we serve,” said Shannon Hitchcock, Executive Director.

Applications must be received by April 30, 2022 and are available now on the Foundation website at www.prosserhealth.foundation. Completed applications may be emailed to Foundation Executive Director Shannon Hitchcock at shannonh@prosserhealth.org or Annie Tiemersma at atiemersma@prosserhealth.org.

The Benton County Assessor's Office has implemented a new online portal for Benton County businesses to report their tangible personal property. The portal is available at: taxpayer.justappraised.com/bentoncountywa

This will allow businesses that normally report their tangible personal property by paper, to gain online access to their account and update online. The portal is powered by a trusted, third-party company Just Appraised.
 
Personal property is all movable furniture, fixtures, machinery, farm equipment and consumable supplies used by anyone who owns, operates, or conducts business in Benton County. Existing accounts receive a new personal property listing at the beginning of each year, showing equipment that was reported and assessed  the prior year. Those businesses can then update their personal property listing and return it to the Assessor's Office, no later than April 30th .

PORTAL FEATURES / STEP-BY-STEP

• Create a secure login (account number & pin number can be found on the 2022 personal property listing)
• Register a new business to begin reporting your Tangible Personal Property (business opened 2021 or earlier)
• Upload a CSV file for quick and easy reporting
• Manually enter your items and dispose of items you no longer have for your business
• Save a PDF copy of your listing for easy record keeping

 
ABOUT BENTON COUNTY
Benton County is located in south-central Washington. The county seat is located in Prosser, and its largest city is Kennewick. Benton County was created on March 8, 1905 and was named after U.S. Senator Thomas Hart Benton. Benton County operates under the plural executive form of government  with  three commissioners and seven other elected officials. Benton County has offices located in Prosser and Kennewick. For more information, please visit our website.

​The Tri-Cities will be welcoming more than 200 travel media from throughout the world for TBEX North America (April 18-21), the largest travel content creator conference. Represented countries include Canada, Denmark, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico, Spain, Thailand and beyond, meaning the Tri-Cities will be promoted as a premier destination through international channels!
 
Thanks to the wide reach of attending media, the Tri-Cities will experience immediate and abundant social media exposure, with media coverage expected to continue for 24 months or more following the event. The visiting travel media will begin exploring the Tri-Cities with “Pre-BEX Tours”, which will highlight the region’s exciting and unique attractions before the content creators participate in three days of education and networking opportunities.
 
Local businesses are encouraged to engage with attendees leading up to, during and after the conference through all social channels using hashtag #TBEXTriCities. This is a great opportunity to connect with and encourage these influential travel writers to visit local businesses while in the Tri-Cities.
 
“Hosting TBEX North America in the Tri-Cities is a priceless opportunity to highlight the Tri-Cities and our region’s unique tourism assets,” said Michael Novakovich, President & CEO of Visit Tri-Cities. “The massive media exposure will aid in the Tri-Cities’ economic recovery by creating additional interest and future visitation to our destination. We encourage business owners and even residents to connect with TBEX attendees by sharing their favorite Tri-Cities experience to generate continued excitement about visiting the Tri-Cities and increase coverage of our community.” 
 
Additionally, local businesses can also sign up for the conference to take advantage of networking opportunities, learn about the best social media practices and how to leverage media and social channels for business promotion. Tourism businesses are strongly encouraged to attend. Register at TBEXcon.com as a Travel Industry Professional and use the code tricitiesbiz for a $100 discount.
 
For more information about Visit Tri-Cities, check out VisitTri-Cities.com. 

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories is looking to hire more than 100 people to work at its manufacturing operations in Pullman, Washington, and Lewiston, Idaho. The 100 percent employee-owned company will host an open house for job seekers interested in beginning their career at SEL as assemblers on Wednesday, March 23, from 3–8 p.m. at the SEL Event Center, 1825 Schweitzer Dr., Pullman, WA.

Attendees will have opportunities to learn about SEL and the assembler position. Members of the company’s Manufacturing and Human Resources teams will be on-hand to answer questions, conduct job interviews, review benefits with candidates and extend job offers the same day.

“The assembler position offers a great opportunity for people who like to work with their hands and minds to build products and solutions that make a positive difference in the world,” said Stacey Doty, chief people officer. “This event also offers people a great way to get their foot in the door of a great company serving a critical industry!”

With no experience necessary, assemblers receive a starting wage of $18 per hour with full benefits, including participation in SEL’s employee stock ownership plan. Assemblers receive comprehensive on-the-job training to learn how to accurately assemble, solder, inspect and test SEL products. They work with professionals throughout the company to identify creative methods for building products used by customers around the world.

“I didn’t know the first thing about electronic assembly when I started at SEL,” said Hannah Kolar, a senior assembler who joined SEL in June 2021. “I wondered if it might be repetitive, boring or have high complexity. But every day I’m seeing something new and learning something different; I feel challenged at a level that’s reachable, and I have new confidence in my ability to grow and learn.”

While many of the positions are available immediately, there is potential for start dates to occur later, including some to coincide with the spring graduation schedule for local universities and high schools.
​
For more information, visit selinc.com/open-house.

Mid-Columbia Libraries’ newly remodeled Connell branch will host a ribbon cutting and grand reopening celebration on Saturday, March 19. Doors open at 10:30 am with the ribbon cutting ceremony at 10:45 am and an open house to follow. Guests can enjoy giveaways, activities, and refreshments throughout the day until 5 pm. Attendees can also enter to win a new Apple iPad Mini.

“We’re excited to celebrate the reopening of the Connell library,” says Mid-Columbia Libraries Executive Director and Chief Librarian Kyle Cox. “We have a longstanding partnership with Connell. We’re proud of our work to improve and update library services for all to enjoy for many years to come.”

After a months-long interior remodel, the branch opened to the public on Feb. 10 with a new look, expanded collection, and new hours. In addition to new carpet, paint, shelving, and light fixtures, the branch showcases a 3D custom-sculpted juvenile saber-tooth cat, icebergs, and fish in the children’s area. There are colorful images of popular authors and inspirational quotes on the walls. A historic photo mural featuring the Connell community and surrounding farming area is complemented by a map of the Ice Age floods in the Pacific Northwest; a restored, 1940s-era Columbia Basin Irrigation Project map; and an 1894 map showing the distribution of the tribes of the Upper Columbia Region in Washington, Oregon and Idaho with an accompanying Native lands acknowledgement.

Other improvements include an ADA-compliant entryway and computing station, eight public computers, USB charging stations inside and outside the branch, additional books and materials, and new picnic table seating behind the branch, as well as a new, branded exterior library sign on the front of the building.

The library is located at 118 N. Columbia Ave. in Connell.

More details about the project can be found at midcolumbialibraries.org/frequently-asked-questions-connell-library-remodel, and photos can be found at midcolumbialibraries.org/connell-library-remodel-0.

​Liz Renz has joined the Port of Benton as the Port's Accounting Clerk.  Liz joins the Port team after many years of working as Office Manager for the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce.
 
With experience in office management, customer service, professional services, accounting, audit, managing budgets, reporting and software, Liz brings a wide variety of talent with her as she joins the Port team. Liz’s role with the Port will focus on accounting and administrative duties. 
                                                                                                                                    
 “Liz has comprehensive experience with finance and office management, which makes her a perfect fit for the Port,” stated Diahann Howard, PPM®, Executive Director, “we are proud to have Liz join our team.”

“I am thrilled for the opportunity to join the Port of Benton team and look forward to advancing my skills and knowledge as a Port employee,” stated Liz.

The Tri-Cities Airport would like to remind all visitors to the airport that while Washington state has lifted COVID-19 indoor mask requirements, face masks are still required while in the airport terminal and on the airplane. Today the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) extended the federal mask requirement through April 18, 2022.
 
Even if vaccinated, the TSA requires that everyone aged two and older wear a face covering while inside an airport. Masks are also required while boarding and traveling on an airplane. However, visitors are no longer required to wear a mask while outdoors at airports, including in the parking lot or on the curb.
 
“While the federal mask mandate remains in effect, we ask that everyone who visits the Tri-Cities Airport comply with regulations and wear a mask inside the terminal,” stated Buck Taft, Director of the Tri-Cities Airport.
 
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also has a zero-tolerance policy for airplane passengers who refuse to wear face coverings. Failure to comply with the mask mandate can result in fines or prosecution.