Local high school students are invited to apply to this summer’s inaugural Tri-Cities STEM Career Academy – a fun-filled week of exploring science, technology, engineering and math (​STEM) careers in the area’s energy and agriculture industries.

The academy is June 20-23 and includes hands-on STEM projects — like building solar-powered cars and drones — field trips to Tri-City Grain, Ice Harbor Dam, Pacific Northwest National Lab, Columbia Generating Station nuclear power plant, and more. 

To apply, students need to be entering grades 10-12 and have a GPA of 2.5 or higher in the most recent academic year. 
Applications are due by April 28. 

The registration fee is $175, and scholarships are available.

The Tri-Cities STEM Career Academy is a Foundation for Water & Energy Education (FWEE) event hosted by Benton Conservation District, Benton PUD, Benton REA, City of Richland, Educational Service District 123, Energy Northwest, Franklin Conservation District, Kennewick School District, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Washington Grain Commission. 

“The Tri-Cities is an energy and agriculture hub for our state,” said Benton PUD Communications & Government Relations manager Jodi Henderson. “Introducing students to the types of careers that are available in our industries and the pathways to get there – that’s our goal.”  

The Friends of Mid‐Columbia Libraries (FOL) hosts its spring used book sale at Mid‐Columbia Libraries’ Kennewick Branch, located at 1620 S. Union St. in Kennewick, from April 20 through April 30. All book sale proceeds benefit Mid‐Columbia Libraries. 

The pre‐sale for FOL members only is Thursday, April 20. The cost of a membership is $5 a year, and new members can sign up in‐person or online at midcolumbialibraries.org/FOL. 

Sale hours vary throughout the remainder of the sale; stop by Monday through Thursday from 9:30 am to 6 pm, and Friday through Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm. 

FOL accept debit and credit card payments. Customers are encouraged to bring their own box or bag. 

Community members can also support the FOL by becoming a member or making a donation. Funds support library performers, programs, and more. Volunteers can contact Fernie Coe at 509‐322‐6949 for opportunities and information. FOL will not accept book donations until after May 15. More info is at midcolumbialibraries.org/FOL. 

The Benton Conservation District is hosting its annual Salmon Summit event, where elementary school children participate in an educational program to raise salmon in the classroom, culminating in the release of the fish into the Columbia River. The event will take place on April 17th and 18th, 2023 from 9am – 1:30pm and will encompass the entire East end of Columbia Park – from the Regional Veterans Memorial to the East Boat Launch.  The Playground of Dreams will remain open. 

The Salmon Summit provides an opportunity for young students to learn about the life cycle of salmon, their importance to the ecosystem, and the human impact on their habitats. The program encourages hands-on learning through raising and releasing the salmon. The event is not open to the public. 

Road and Boat Launch Closures: The City of Kennewick, Department of Parks and Recreation announces the temporary closures of the East Boat launch and a portion of Paul Parrish Drive in Kennewick to protect the safety of children participating in the event in the park.  Signs advertising the closures and detour will be posted. 

The East Boat Launch will be closed from 7am – 12pm on both days, April 17th and 18th. In addition, portions of Paul Parrish Drive from the East Boat Launch to the Regional Veterans Memorial round-about will be closed from 7:30am – 2pm on April 17th and 18th.  A detour behind the Fishing Pond will be available for the public throughout the event. 
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The Department of Parks and Recreation is committed to ensuring the safety of all participants and attendees and appreciates the public’s cooperation during the temporary closures.  

The Oregon State USBC Open Championship begins this weekend at Quaking Aspens Lanes near Pendleton, Oregon. The Championship runs from April 15 to May 28, 2023. The tournament features some of the top bowlers in the state, competing for cash prizes and bragging rights.
 
The United States Bowling Congress (USBC) sanctions the Oregon State USBC tournament. The USBC is the national governing body for bowling in the United States and it oversees the rules and regulations for the sport. As a sanctioned event, the Oregon State USBC Open Championship follows the USBC's guidelines for lane conditions, equipment specifications, and other factors to ensure fair competition.
 
Quaking Aspens Lanes, located within Wildhorse Resort & Casino, is the site of the tournament. The venue will be closed on Sundays during the tournament, but will be open to the public on Saturdays from 6pm to midnight. Spectators are welcome to come and watch the tournament action.
 
"We're thrilled to host the Oregon State USBC tournament at Quaking Aspens Lanes," said Gerald Davies, Bowling and Arcade Manager at Wildhorse Resort & Casino. "This championship tournament is always a highlight of the bowling season, and we're excited to showcase our top-notch facilities to bowlers and fans from around the state."
 
The Oregon State USBC tournament is open to all bowlers who are members of the Oregon State USBC. Bowlers will compete in singles, doubles, and team events, with cash prizes awarded to the top finishers in each category.
 
Some of the top bowlers in the league in recent years include Eric Cox, Nick Vogel, Mike Rose Jr., Ron Hoppe, and Jeremy Hunt. You can check the official website or contact the Oregon State USBC for the latest updates on the current standings and top-performing bowlers.
 
"We're looking forward to seeing some great bowling at this year's tournament," said Rebecca Cole, OSUSBC Tournament Director. "Quaking Aspens Lanes is a fantastic venue, and we're grateful to Wildhorse Resort & Casino for hosting us."
 
For more information on the Oregon State USBC tournament, visit the Wildhorse Resort & Casino website or the Oregon State USBC website.

​​The Visit Tri-Cities team is excited to welcome three new staff members to the Visit Tri-Cities team: Kirsten Finn, Bethany Close, and Kaiya Bliss. The three new hires come with a wealth of talent, expertise, and energy that will bolster the output of the Visit Tri-Cities team as it works to accomplish its goals: to increase positive economic impact by attracting visitors to the Tri-Cities area, and to create a superior experience for visitors and residents alike.
 
Kirsten comes to the Convention Sales team with an extensive background in travel and tourism, and will help bring future meetings and events to the Tri-Cities as we continue to promote the region as a premier convention destination. Bethany is stepping into a new role at Visit Tri-Cities as an Operations Manager/ Executive Assistant. She will bolster the operations efforts in the organization, as well as foster the longstanding committee relationships in our area. Kaiya’s role as the Guest Services Specialist is visitor-facing and made to ensure that the visitor center experience is welcoming and informative for those seeking guidance about Tri-Cities.
 
“We’re thrilled to welcome Bethany, Kaiya, and Kirsten to the team,” said Kevin Lewis, President & CEO of Visit Tri-Cities. “They have great energy and are going to bring fresh perspective into their respective roles in the organization as we champion the Tri-Cities as a premier destination for conventions, meetings, sports events and, of course, leisure travel.”
 
Connect with Bethany at [email protected], Kaiya at [email protected], and Kirsten at [email protected].
 
To learn more about Visit Tri-Cities, check out VisitTri-Cities.com.

The Richland Arts Commission is soliciting artists from Benton, Franklin, and Walla Walla Counties to submit digital artwork for a soon-to-be-installed Fitness Court in Howard Amon Park. The multipurpose training wall will be the backbone of the fitness court, measuring 32’ long x 7’ high. 

The mural will be printed digitally on high-quality anti-graffiti laminated vinyl and be adhered to the backside of the training wall. The front side will also feature 4 small zones of artwork, which will frame the court’s instructions of use. 

Artwork should promote positive imagery and represent local or regional values unique to our area. The goal is to share fun, vibrant, innovative artwork that tells the story of wellness and fitness in our community. 

The Fitness Court is designed to provide a full-body workout in only seven minutes. The features of the court have you rotating through seven zones to provide circuit-type training. It will be accessible to adults of all ages and abilities. You can also scan the wall for resources, workouts, programs, and challenges, all while enjoying the park and the beautiful Columbia River. 
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Submissions are due by the end of business on Monday, May 1, 2023. The selected artist will be paid $5,000 for the completed design upon the final installation of the artwork by the National Fitness Campaign. See details at www.ci.richland.wa.us/callforart, view the national campaign and related public art at www.nationalfitnesscampaign.com/publicart, or contact Julie at [email protected], or 509-942-7501.

After a successful return in 2022, the Prosser Memorial Health Foundation is excited to announce the dates for Bottles, Brews, Barbecues 2023! Bottles, Brews, Barbecues is a two-day long festival in beautiful Prosser, celebrating local craft beers, wines, tasty food, and live music. The event happens Friday, June 9 and Saturday, June 10, at Prosser’s Vintners Village.

Friday night, June 9, will feature the Festival Dinner, with live music from XYZ and the Boomers and a delicious dinner by Swampy’s BBQ. Friday Festival Dinner tickets are $125.00 each and include a ticket for Saturday’s day-long event. This year’s Friday dinner will also feature an exciting Live Auction with proceeds benefiting the Prosser Memoria Health Foundation. Saturday, you can expect a full day of fun, food, beverages, and music featuring the Knutzen Brothers, XYZ & The Boomers, and Flat Possum Pickers. Saturday event General Admission Early Bird tickets are just $30 each until May 9, 2023. Event day tickets will be $40 at the gate.

Bottles, Brews, Barbecues is for those 21 years and older. This event is part of the Pacific Northwest Barbecue Association Circuit where the winner qualifies for entry into the National Contest in Tennessee! Bottles, Brews, Barbecues is sponsored by various local and PNW businesses, with proceeds benefiting the Prosser Memorial Health Foundation. To purchase tickets, learn more, or become a sponsor, visit bottlesbrewsbarbecues.com.

Athletes from all over the Pacific Northwest will be flocking to the Tri-Cities this weekend for the National Softball Association (NSA) of Washington’s Ice Breaker Girls Fastpitch Tournament and for the 60th Annual Pasco Invitational Track and Field Event.  

These events are drawing a combined 4,500 players, coaches, game officials and spectators to the Tri-Cities, generating an estimated $955,784 in visitor spending for the local economy.  

The Tri-Cities is hosting the National Softball Association (NSA) of Washington’s Ice Breaker Girls Fastpitch Tournament for the 17th consecutive year, April 15-16, 2023. This is one of the organization’s largest tournaments, with 70 teams from throughout the Pacific Northwest, Alaska and Canada competing.  

The 60th Annual Pasco Invitational will be hosting 1,450 athletes and 75 teams from Washington, Oregon, and Idaho at Edgar Brown Stadium-John Crawford Track in Pasco all day Saturday, April 15, 2023.  

“This will be the 13th consecutive year the Tri-Cities has hosted the NSA Ice Breaker,” said Hector Cruz, Vice President of Visit Tri-Cities. “It’s annual return really speaks to the quality of our community’s sports infrastructure and customer service.” 

A complete list of this weekend’s games can be found at www.nsawa.com and pascoinvite.org. For more information, contact Visit Tri-Cities at (509) 735-8486.  

On Friday, May 12, 2023, at 2:30 p.m. the community is invited to join the Port of Kennewick and its investment partners in celebrating completion of habitat and recreation improvements to Clover Island’s northern shoreline.

The project restored a half-mile of shoreline and nearly an acre of shallow water habitat to benefit upper Columbia River spring Chinook salmon, upper and mid-Columbia River steelhead and bull trout; and provide benefits to other birds, wildlife, and aquatic species at Clover Island. In addition, the Clover Island Riverwalk was extended; scenic viewpoints, benches and educational panels added; and four upland parcels readied for development.

May 12th festivities include a ribbon cutting and a public reception at the lighthouse plaza and the newly created scenic overlooks. Participants are asked to RSVP to the port office.

When:              Friday, May 12, 2023 2:30 p.m. to 4:00p
What:              Celebration of Clover Island Shoreline Improvements
Where:            101 Clover Island Drive, Kennewick, WA; near the Clover Island Lighthouse
RSVP:             [email protected]   or   509-586-1186
 
Clover Island has been in the Port of Kennewick’s property portfolio since 1942. To complete the most recent phase of its Clover Island restoration & revitalization master plan, Port of Kennewick partnered with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, US Army Corps of Engineers, Washington State Recreation & Conservation Office, Benton County and City of Kennewick. The port’s goal was to restore habitat, expand waterfront recreation, and stimulate urban renewal within Kennewick’s historic waterfront district. 

In 2022, Legends Casino Hotel hosted Pow Wow and Stick Games to record crowds, and the property is preparing for the singers, dancers, and drummers to return in May 2023. The vendor tent will be open again, and now is the time for local, regional and national vendors to reserve a booth.
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As guests stroll through the events, the vendor tent is always a favorite where art, amazing food, clothing, and so much more can be found. Vendors must complete the vendor application for one of the 60 booths and submit payment for the booth no later than May 5, 2023. The application can be found on the Legends Casino Hotel website at: https://legendscasino.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/2023-PWSG-Vendor-print.pdf