​Tri-Cities Chaplaincy is thrilled to announce its partnership with Gesa Credit Union and Fleet Feet Tri-Cities for the Happy Feet for Hospice Heroes initiative. Throughout March, Fleet Feet is helping Tri-Cities Chaplaincy staff find the perfect fit for new, supportive shoes—ensuring comfort and care for those who provide it daily.
 
Thanks to a generous grant secured from the Gesa Local Heroes Grant Program, each Tri-Cities Chaplaincy employee is eligible to receive $150 toward a new pair of work shoes. As hospice professionals, our care teams are constantly on their feet—walking, climbing stairs, lifting patients, and providing compassionate care in homes and facilities. Supportive footwear is essential in preventing discomfort and reducing the risk of injury while delivering exceptional care to our community.
 
“We are incredibly grateful to the Gesa Local Heroes Grant Program for recognizing the physical demands of hospice care and investing in the well-being of our team,” said Tara Divers, Director of Philanthropy at Tri-Cities Chaplaincy. “This initiative directly supports our mission to care for those who care for others, ensuring that our staff has the resources they need to provide the best possible care.”
 
Fleet Feet Tri-Cities, in Richland will host a special fitting event on March 21st to celebrate this partnership. Tri-Cities Chaplaincy staff will receive personalized foot scans, professional fittings, and recommendations for the best insoles and shoes to support their demanding work.
 
For more information about Tri-Cities Chaplaincy and its commitment to community care, visit tccbestlife.org.

The City of Pasco invites businesses, entrepreneurs, artisans, and non-profits to showcase their products and services at the 2025 Cinco de Mayo Festival! This family-friendly cultural event draws attendees from across the region to downtown Pasco, offering an incredible opportunity for vendors to engage with a vibrant, diverse audience and boost their visibility. 

The Cinco de Mayo Festival will be held on May 3, 2025. Anyone interested in a vendor space can register online at the following website:  Vendors | Pasco, WA - Official Website 

Registration is $150 per vendor until April 4, 2025. The cost of registration goes up to $200 on April 5th. Fees are waived for charity organizations (with a current 501.c. 3 status) wishing to distribute information. 

Vendors planning to sell food are responsible for obtaining all necessary permits and licenses required by the Washington State Department of Health. Registration must be completed by April 18, 2025.  
​
All other vendors must register before April 25, 2025.  

​The City of Richland is pleased to announce the reopening of Columbia Park West and Wye Park after being temporarily closed for necessary repairs and improvements. The closures were initially prompted by significant vandalism, destruction of natural resources, human-caused fires, illegal drug use, and other unsafe conditions that compromised the safety of park visitors and the preservation of the natural environment. 
 
Effective Saturday, March 15, 2025, the parks will again be opened to the public. The City is committed to providing safe recreational amenities for the community and protecting the natural resources that make these parks valuable to all who enjoy them. 
 
During the closure, the City undertook extensive efforts to restore and protect the parks. This included: 

• A multi-phased thorough cleanup of the parks. 
• Removal of excessive garbage and hazardous materials, including drug paraphernalia. 
• Permitting for vegetation management
• Vegetation Management including the removal of lower-lying Russian Olive trees between December and January. 
• Collaboration with Benton County Human Services to better address the needs of unhoused individuals in the parks. 

Efforts were also made to maintain access to Bateman Island and select parking areas, allowing the public to continue enjoying certain park features throughout the closure. 
 
To keep the parks safe and well-maintained moving forward, the City has made several operational adjustments: 

• Increased patrols by both park rangers and the Richland Police Department (RPD). 
• Reallocation of park ranger duties to support volunteer projects, special events, and increased patrol efforts. 
• Operational adjustments that include additional park staff to assist park rangers when needed. 
• Additional site modifications to reduce low-visibility areas along the shoreline, with further improvements to be considered if future conditions require them. 

 
These measures are designed to ensure the long-term safety of park visitors, protect the parks' natural assets, and improve community engagement. 
 
“On October 25, 2024, the temporary closure of Columbia Park West and Wye Park was an unfortunate but necessary decision to restore and protect these valuable community spaces. The City of Richland remains committed to providing safe and enjoyable recreational opportunities,” states Joe Schiessl, Deputy City Manager. “We understand the importance of these parks to our residents and are pleased to welcome the community back. We thank our residents for their patience and understanding during this time.” 
 
Citizens can report any concerns or maintenance needs through the City’s service request system www.ci.richland.wa.us/servicerequest. For more information, please visit www.richlandparksandrec.com/WyePark.
 

​​Stevens Drive, between Lee Boulevard and Swift Boulevard, will undergo its first rehabilitation project in nearly 20 years. Construction begins Monday, March 17 and is expected to be completed by the end of September.

Traffic on Stevens Drive will be reduced to one way in each direction. Commuters passing through the area are encouraged to consider an alternative route. Access to business within the work zone will be maintained throughout construction with occasional disruptions. 
 
In addition to road repairs, the project will include various pedestrian-friendly upgrades, such as bump-outs and new ADA-compliant ramps at the Knight Street and Mansfield Street intersections. Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) crossings, and bike lanes will also be added (with on-street parking remaining in place).
 
Furthermore, the project will involve the installation of curb, gutter, and 8-foot sidewalks along Mansfield Street from Stevens Drive to the Columbia Playfields, a key pedestrian route. On-street parking will be available on both sides of Mansfield Street once the project is completed.
 
The project extends from Lee Boulevard through the Swift Avenue intersection, and along Mansfield Street between Stevens Drive and Columbia Playfields. Stevens Drive directly connects to Duportail Street, which leads to the Duportail Bridge, linking the Duportail Corridor commercial area with downtown Richland.
 
For more information about this project visit www.ci.richland.wa.us/StevensDrive or call 509-942-7500.

Legends Casino Hotel invites nonprofit organizations to apply now for the annual Yakama Cares grant distribution. The Charitable Contributions fund called Yakama Cares will be distributed in May for 2025, and nonprofit organizations are encouraged to submit applications for consideration until the deadline of March 31, 2025.

Each year, the Charitable Contributions Fund assists many area nonprofits with several hundred thousand dollars in grants. Past grant recipients included senior services, veteran services, food banks, shelters, and many more in Benton, Franklin, Kittitas, Klickitat, and Yakima counties. Organizations that are non-tribal bona fide non-profit and charitable organizations in the State of Washington are encouraged to apply.

The committee of five community members and Legends Casino Hotel team members receive hundreds of applications annually to evaluate. The applications undergo multiple rounds of cuts before the final selection. Charitable organizations whose service area lies within a 100-mile radius of the Legends Casino Hotel campus and address a youth/educational need, elder care and activities as well as medical benefit to the community receive priority consideration.

According to the committee, “Programs where a grant can help make a significant impact in our community pique our interest. We’re always excited to see how we can make a difference in our community each year.”

The application can be accessed by scrolling to the bottom of our home page--www.legendscasino.com--where you’ll find Additional Links then click Yakama Cares. It is important to note that proof of nonprofit status will be required of each applicant, and according to Appendix X of the Compact that outlines the qualifications for grant distribution, tribal nonprofits are not eligible for these funds.

On March 6, 1915, a citizen vote established Port of Kennewick as the first port in eastern Washington and the fifth port district in the state. The first Board of Commissioners meeting was on April 12, 1915.

What started as a 5-square-mile district fostering waterfront commerce in downtown Kennewick soon expanded by citizen vote to include Richland (south of the Yakima River), West Richland, a small portion of Benton City and the eastern third of Benton County. As Port of Kennewick grew, it evolved to meet changing community demands with rail and air transportation, industrial sites and business parks across a 485-square-mile district. 

In Washington, ports are economic development entities that build infrastructure and undertake projects that revitalize neighborhoods, create public spaces and spur private-sector investment. 

“Port of Kennewick has a proven history of transformative projects within our region,” said Tim Arntzen, port CEO. “Our careful planning, extensive due diligence and engagement with stakeholders and community members in our planning processes help us deliver sustainable developments. We also follow transparent financial practices, a commitment that has resulted in 29 consecutive years of clean state audits.” 

Port of Kennewick’s past endeavors and historical photos are featured on the port’s website at portofkennewick.org/history. Also, the port’s 2025 – 2026 Work Plan at portofkennewick.org/finance includes a summary of current projects. 

Port of Kennewick is dedicated to improving its district. It is now focused on neighborhood revitalization, working to renew Kennewick’s Historic Waterfront District and create a vibrant regional town center at Vista Field. Highlights of port-led accomplishments include:

Clover Island

• Building the Clover Island Lighthouse, adding the Clover Island Riverwalk and restoring the island’s shoreline to allow future waterfront development 
• Rebuilding the Clover Island Marina and attracting Ice Harbor Brewing Company’s restaurant to the waterfront 
• Supporting the Clover Island concert series (in its 20th year this season) 
• Installing public artwork and securing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation

Columbia Gardens Wine & Artisan Village

• Tipping a tired Columbia Drive industrial area into a destination waterfront by creating the Columbia Gardens Wine & Artisan Village, bringing tasting rooms, micro-entrepreneurial food businesses and the first wine production facilities into Kennewick
• Attracting jobs and vibrancy to east Kennewick’s waterfront via Columbia Gardens development, helping bring new residential and commercial enterprises – for example, City of Kennewick is currently working to permit the construction of 22 multistory townhome units with live-work and commercial space adjacent to the wine and artisan village           

Vista Field

• Planning the transformation of the 103 acres Vista Field site into an urban town center for the region after closing the little-used general aviation airfield
• Following a community-driven masterplan with 50% of phase one parcels sold, staff are already planning for phase two improvements 
• Turning two former airplane hangars into pavilions and community gathering spaces at Vista Field’s southern gateway with the support of Benton County grant funds

Over the years, Port of Kennewick has helped its city partners with projects that make a meaningful difference for people living and working in the port district. Examples of these regional collaborations include:

• Partnering with City of Richland in transitioning a vacant area of land into the Spaulding Business Park
• Kick-starting the development of Kennewick’s Southridge commercial area through a land swap and tax-increment financing support 
• Working with West Richland to extend Keene Road and then creating the Wine Estates Business Park, bringing the first wine production into the city
• Expanding West Richland’s urban growth boundary to include 93 acres of Port of Kennewick property and then removing deed restrictions and selling that land to the city to enable construction of its police station
• Selling land to Benton County Fire District 4 for a new fire station, helping ensure the emergency response services necessary to support the growing West Richland community
• Providing funds to Richland for improvements at Island View and extending Center Parkway
• Providing funds to City of Kennewick to support lowering Levee 4D, extending the Sacagawea Heritage Trail, creating a pocket park along Duffy’s Pond and supporting Washington Street improvements
• Providing funds to City of West Richland to support the development of the Van Giesen Gateway Park, restroom and riverfront viewpoint and trail
• Investing with Richland and Benton County to improve parking at Badger Mountain

The Benton Franklin Fair is bringing the ultimate throwback party as Smash Mouth and Sir Mix-A-Lot take the stage on Friday, August 22, as part of the Hayden Homes Summer Concert Series! This is your chance to experience two legendary acts on one epic night, bringing all the ’90s nostalgia.

The night kicks off with Sir Mix-A-Lot, the Grammy-winning artist behind the iconic hit Baby Got Back. His electrifying set will have the crowd jumping from the first beat.

Then Smash Mouth takes the stage, keeping the party going with their feel-good anthems including All Star, Walkin’ on the Sun, and Then the Morning Comes. It’s going to be a night of back-to-back hits and non-stop fun!

Tickets go on sale Friday, March 7, at 8 am. Reserved seating options range from $30 to $60 and can only be purchased through the Benton Franklin Fair’s official website. Fans are encouraged to buy directly from the fair to avoid third-party resellers.

For tickets and additional information, visit: www.bentonfranklinfair.com/smashmouthandsirmixalot
​
The Benton Franklin Fair runs from August 19-23, 2025, with nightly concerts starting at 7:45 p.m. Additional concert announcements are coming soon! For more information, email [email protected] or call 509-222-3749.

Yakima Federal Savings and Loan is accepting applications for its Award for Academic Excellence program, which will distribute up to $217,500 in scholarships to graduating high school seniors in 2025.

Individual awards of $2,500 will be granted to eligible students residing in Yakima, Kittitas, Benton or Franklin counties. Applicants must graduate in the top 10% of their class and demonstrate high moral character, industriousness and ambition.

Applicants must also submit a one-page letter of motivation outlining their future plans, school and life experiences, including any challenges overcome, and the potential impact of receiving the award.

Applications and requirements are available online at YakimaFed.com/scholarship. The application deadline is Monday, April 18th, 2025.

Awards are limited to two applicants per school. Home-schooled students are eligible. Awards will be disbursed upon student enrollment in the fall semester following graduation. Checks will be made payable to the student's chosen school.
​
Recipients will be notified by June 2nd, 2025.

Yakima Federal has awarded nearly $3.2 million in college scholarships through the program over the past 49 years.