Don’t miss the first annual Community Wildfire Preparedness Expo on May 4, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Badger Mountain Trailhead Park. 

This family-friendly two-hour event includes exhibits, demonstrations, and opportunities to talk with emergency service agencies, land, water, and wildlife organizations, and more. Citizens will learn more about wildfire preparedness, protection, and evacuation. There will be emergency vehicles to explore, public training on performing Hands-Only CPR, and a chance to meet with about fifteen partner organizations.   

This event is hosted by Richland Fire and Emergency Services who received a grant from the Department of Natural Resources to educate and prepare neighborhoods living near undeveloped open space. The Community Wildfire Defense Grant includes a wildfire preparedness kiosk for park users with a QR Code that directly links to an online hub that features educational information, notifications, instructions in case of fire, and real-time updates. The grant provides funding every year to target various locations throughout Richland.  
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Badger Mountain Trailhead Park is located at 1294 White Bluffs Street, off Keene Road in Richland.

The City of Richland and community partners are hosting a one-day Mobile Food Vendor event on May 3, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. This event will streamline and simplify the inspection and permitting process for mobile food vendors in our region. Participants can quickly obtain the necessary permits and approvals to operate their business throughout the Tri-Cities.

This free, one-stop solution will have experts from Tri-City area fire departments, Benton Franklin Health District, and the City of Richland's Code Enforcement, Zoning, Building, and Parks and Recreation teams to provide information, inspections, and permits. 

To participate, vendors must pre-register for a designated time slot and present a valid Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) permit.

The event will be held at Columbia Point Marina Park, situated at the east end of Columbia Point Drive in Richland.
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Secure your spot by registering at https://bit.ly/3QlaKcm and creating an account. Questions? Contact the City of Richland Business Licensing team at 509-942-7713 or by email at [email protected].

The Spirit of America Trail in Zintel Canyon will have intermittent closures Friday, April 26th through Sunday, May 5th. These closures are for the safety of the public and workers who will be doing fire mitigation work in Zintel Canyon. It is important that citizens do not enter the project area during these closures. 

Team Rubicon, a veteran-led disaster response organization, will be working to clear brush and trees for fire mitigation and to improve emergency access.

The City has created an information page on our website to keep the public informed of the on-going mitigation work occurring in Zintel Canyon: https://www.go2kennewick.com/1257/Zintel-Canyon-Mitigation

The City is not seeking volunteers for the operation this weekend but we welcome other groups and individuals who would like to do a project or projects to check out our volunteer information page: www.go2kennewick.com/543/Volunteer-Opportunities

The trail through Zintel Canyon is a unique and beautiful natural area with wetland and wildlife right in the heart of the City. The trailhead is located at the southwest corner of West 7th Avenue and South Vancouver Street.​

Gesa, a community-focused credit union, is proud to announce this Arbor Day that its Forevergreen Affinity Card, a fundraising program created in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation, has had a successful first year. With support from more than 7,000 Gesa members and card holders, the two organizations raised more than $66,000, which will go towards the Foundation's reforestation initiatives and help plant more than 31,000 trees across the Pacific Northwest. 
 
“At Gesa, we're dedicated to supporting and strengthening the communities our members and team members call home, which is why we’re ecstatic to see the immense impact our Forevergreen Affinity Card and overall partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation has had across the region,” said Chad Langford, Vice President of Marketing at Gesa Credit Union. "It's inspiring to see our members join us in planting trees in the Pacific Northwest. We could not have done this without their support.”  
 
With the Forevergreen Affinity Card funds, the Arbor Day Foundation will plant the trees in Washington Department of Natural Resources Managed Forests. This initiative aims to restore Washington’s public lands, addressing wildfires, diseases, and insect infestations. The focus includes strategically planting Douglas fir, Western hemlock, and Western redcedar trees. These efforts aim to regenerate multi-species forest stands resilient to diseases and insects, ensuring a healthier future for the forests.
 
The Forevergreen Affinity Card is the sixth card Gesa has launched that supports Local Heroes, generating an even greater impact on our communities. The other groups honored in Gesa’s suite of Local Heroes Affinity Cards include firefighters, law enforcement, healthcare workers, teachers, and veterans. Gesa’s Co-branded Affinity Debit Card Program supports Local Heroes by earning money for eligible organizations supporting these heroes each time a card is used. Co-branded Affinity Debit Cards are available exclusively at Gesa Credit Union and are free to Gesa members with a checking account. There is no fee for members to switch their card to any of the Local Heroes designs.
 
For more information about Gesa Credit Union and its Affinity Debit Card Program visit www.gesa.com. For more information about the Arbor Day Foundation, visit arborday.org. 

Local Bounti Corporation (NYSE: LOCL) (“Local Bounti” or the “Company”), a breakthrough U.S. indoor agriculture company, announced today that it will mark the opening of its new controlled environment agriculture (CEA) facility in Pasco, Washington with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, from 1:00 to 4:00 pm local time. Members of the Company’s management team will be joined by industry leaders, local officials, and members of the community at this invitation-only event. 

Craig Hurlbert, Local Bounti’s Chief Executive Officer, commented, “We are proud to officially be able to call Pasco home with the opening of this latest facility, which enhances our rapidly growing distribution footprint across the US. Our state-of-the-art CEA facility, which is underpinned by our innovative and patented Stack & Flow Technology®, enables us to support existing customer demand in Washington, Oregon, and adjacent markets in the Pacific Northwest. We are excited about the opportunities this facility creates, not only for our Company but also for the local economy and the environment. Our pledge to sustainability and community engagement remains unwavering, and we look forward to contributing positively to Pasco and the broader Pacific Northwest region.” 

The facility is expected to generate more than 40 jobs throughout Tri-Cities region and will focus on growing and selling Local Bounti’s greenhouse fresh line of packaged leafy greens. Varieties include spring mix, butter lettuce, romaine crisp, green leaf, and additional blends. 

“Pasco extends a warm welcome to Local Bounti in our community and the Tri-Cities region. Their dedication to integrating into the community, creating jobs, and prioritizing sustainable practices represents a substantial investment in Pasco’s future,” said Jacob Gonzalez, Director Community & Economic Development for the City of Pasco. “We are eager to collaborate with Local Bounti as they contribute to our city’s growth and diversity of economic opportunities.” 

The Washington facility spans across three acres and was seeded in January 2024. In April, the facility completed the Food Safety certification, which came in with a score of 100%, and will be shipping to its first national retail customer’s northwest division this month. The addition of the new facility fortifies Local Bounti’s distribution to directly service local retail distribution centers within the Pacific Northwest region and provide additional capacity to meet existing demand from the Company’s direct relationships with blue-chip retail customers. 

Local Bounti’s patented Stack & Flow Technology seamlessly blends the advantages of vertical and ​greenhouse cultivation, setting the stage for a new era in sustainable agriculture. With a focus on maximizing efficiency, the Washington facility boasts significantly higher yields while utilizing less water, land, and pesticides compared to traditional farming methods. This commitment to sustainability aligns with Local Bounti’s mission to revolutionize the agricultural landscape and reduce its environmental impact. 

Alaska Airlines today announced new nonstop service between Tri-Cities Airport (PSC) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The daily route will begin October 1, 2024.
 
The LA Basin is currently the largest market for PSC without daily flights. In addition to direct access to Los Angeles, LAX is the busiest commercial airport on the West Coast, and will provide connectivity to Latin America, Europe, Asia, and more.
 
“Daily nonstop service to Los Angeles on Alaska Airlines has been a long time coming for the Tri Cities,” shared Buck Taft, Director of Tri-Cities Airport. “Our airport staff and regional partners have spent years working to connect to the airline’s Southern California market, and we are thrilled to see Alaska Airlines bring this important route to the community.”
 
“A direct flight to LAX opens up so much opportunity for Tri-Cities businesses and residents,” said President and CEO of Tri-City Development Council (TRIDEC) Karl Dye. “The easy access to Latin America is especially important for our region. Being able to hop on an Alaska Airlines flight in Tri-Cities and connect through to Guadalajara? That’s huge.”
 
The announcement continues PSC’s growth in popularity for both passengers and airlines. Last year was the airport’s busiest year on record, with 872,578 total passengers, and the Alaska Airlines flight to LAX will be the third new PSC route to launch in 2024—American Airlines began service to Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) in February and Avelo Airlines will start twice-weekly service to the Sonoma wine country May 1.
 
Alaska Airlines will serve the PSC-LAX route on a three-class Embraer 175, with 76 seats. Tickets are on sale now at alaskaair.com. 

The Friends of the Richland Library’s Spring 2024 book sale begins Thursday, April 25, at 5:00 p.m. for members, and Friday and Saturday, April 26 and 27 at 10:00 a.m. for the general public. 

Memberships are available for $10.00 per individual, or $15.00 for a family.

There are thousands of books and a wide variety of subjects and genres to choose from. Prices range from .25 to $1.00 per item. There are also some puzzles, CDs and DVDs too. 

On Saturday, you can fill a bag for only $5.00.  Bring your own or one will be given to you. 

All proceeds are redirected back to support and expand library activities and programs. 
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/friendsofrichlandpubliclibrary. 

Tri-Cities, WA – Lourdes and Trios Health are partnering to host a sports physical clinic on Saturday, May 18, 2024, for all local middle and high school students entering grades seven to 12. 
 
The sports physical clinic will be held at the Trios Care Center at Vista Field located at 521 N. Young Street in Kennewick, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
 
Students must bring their school’s physical form completed and signed by a parent or legal guardian before an examination will be completed.
 
Physicals will cost $10 each, with 100 percent of the fee returning to each student’s school sports program. No appointment is necessary.
  
The physicals will be completed by Lourdes Physician Clinics and Trios Medical Group providers, as well as Trios Health resident physicians. They will be donating their time to provide this service. Volunteers from Lourdes and Trios will also be helping at various stations prior to the physical exam with a provider, including registration, a height and weight check, blood pressure station, and eye exam check.
 
“This is a great community event with the dual purpose of being able to serve our local students with a low-cost option for their required sports physical and giving back to our local schools in a meaningful way,” said David Elgarico, Trios Health CEO & Market President.
“Lourdes Health and Trios Health are excited to be co-hosting this event.” said Lourdes Health CEO, Mark Holyoak. “The sports physical clinic offers a great opportunity for our community to get to know our providers at Lourdes and Trios while also allowing us to serve a great need by making the event accessible and affordable.”
 
Students who wear glasses or contacts should bring them to their visit for the eye exam portion.
 
Cash or check will be the only forms of payment accepted. Checks should be written out to Trios Health. Sports physical forms for the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts are available at TriosHealth.org/Sports-Physicals and YourLourdes.com/Sports-Physicals and should be filled out prior to the event and ready to go when registering. A limited number of forms will be available at the time of the event.