Elijah Family Homes in Kennewick, Washington would like to invite you to our 3rd annual Gala.’ “A Night Among The Stars”, Friday June 23rd located at the Pasco Red Lion from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Formal Attire is encouraged. Tickets can be purchased on our website under events at https://www.elijahfamilyhomes.org/news-and-events/  

Elijah Family Homes fosters hope, dignity and self-sufficiency through stable housing and supportive services to families seeking recovery.  We are working towards stopping the cycle of generational drug addiction and poverty within the families we serve through our programs.

Please call us with questions at 509-943-6610 or email [email protected].

The Wildhorse Foundation, a community fund established by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), announced their grant awards for the first quarter of 2023.
 
The Wildhorse Foundation received 69 applications in the first quarter of 2023 with total requests nearing $1 million. 38 organizations were awarded grants ranging from $1000 to $16,000 for projects in the areas of Public Health, Public Safety, Arts, Education, Salmon Restoration, Historic Preservation, Environmental Protection, and Cultural Activities. Total funding awarded was $387,841.60
 
In 2022, the Wildhorse Foundation awarded $1,383,347 in grant funding to eligible government, Tribal and charitable organizations.
 
Below is the list of organizations and the grant amount awarded to each for the first quarter of 2023.

​Organization Name
City
State
Project Title
Amount

Alpenfest
Enterprise
OR
Alpenfest 2023
$9,600.00

Blue Mountain Community Foundation
Walla Walla
WA
Walla Walla Public Schools Field Trips
$8,000.00

Blue Mountains Conservancy
La Grande
OR
Wild School Education Classes and Habitat Enhancement
$5,940.80

Boardman Fire Rescue District
Boardman
OR
Airway Management Project
$14,324.00

Cardinals Nest
Waitsburg
WA
What's Fishy About Your Local Environment?
$1,742.40

Children of the Setting Sun Productions
Bellingham
WA
When Salmon Come Home
$16,000.00

City of Union Fire and EMS
Union
OR
Mobile Radio Updating
$16,000.00

Color Our Community on Awareness
Walla Walla
WA
Juneteenth Jubilee 2023
$1,000.00

Columbia County Sheriff's Office
Dayton
WA
Emergency Response for Patrol
$16,000.00

Confluence Project
Vancouver
WA
“Voices of the River” Traveling Exhibit/Museum Project
$8,000.00

Crow's Shadow Institute of the Arts
Pendleton
OR
Traditional Arts Workshop Funding
$8,000.00

CTUIR Department of Education
Pendleton
OR
Feathers for Our Future
$8,800.00

CTUIR Department of Public Safety
Pendleton
OR
Prevent Homeless Pets
$8,000.00

Eastern Oregon Regional Arts Council, Inc. (DBA Art Center East)
La Grande
OR
Gallery Program
$8,432.00

Friends of Joseph Fire Fighters
Joseph
OR
SCUBA Rescue Equipment
$16,000.00

Friends of The Historic Union Community Hall
Union
OR
Historic Stained-Glass Window Repair
$10,000.00

Grande Ronde Hospital Foundation
LaGrande
OR
Grande Ronde Hospital Campus Expansion Project
$16,000.00

Grande Ronde Model Watershed Foundation
La Grande
OR
Restoration Monitoring and Evaluation of Fish Use and Movement in the Upper Grande Ronde River and Meadow Creek Watersheds
$15,704.00

Happy Canyon Foundation, Inc.
Pendleton
OR
Happy Canyon Metal Scenery Wings Repaint Project
$16,000.00

Hurricane Creek GraNGE #608
Joseph
OR
sewer replacement and upgrade
$12,000.00

Imbler School District
Imbler
OR
Imbler High School Track and Field Program/Imbler High School Football Program
$7,450.00

Kennewick Grid Kids
Kennewick
WA
Kennewick Grid Kids 2023 Cheer/flag/ tackle football season
$12,000.00

Little League Baseball Inc. - Triangle Little League
Adams
OR
Outdoor lighting and fencing
$11,094.40

Meadowood Springs Speech & Hearing Camp
Pendleton
OR
2023 Meadowood Speech Therapy Camp
$7,600.00

Page Ahead Children's Literacy Program
Seattle
WA
Story Leaders
$4,000.00

Pioneer Relief Nursery
Pendleton
OR
Pioneer Relief Nursery Expansion
$16,000.00

Powder Basin Watershed Council
Baker City
OR
Powder Basin Watershed Council Macroinvertebrate Surveys
$4,293.60

Salvation Army Pendleton Corps
Pendleton
OR
Community Hunger, Thirst and Utility Support
$16,000.00

Special Olympics Oregon Union County
Elgin
OR
Special Olympics Union County Uniform Replacement Project
$4,500.00

Stepping Stones Alliance
Hermiston
OR
Transportation
$16,000.00

Two Rivers CDC
NORTH BEND
WA
Veteran Stress Reduction
$5,000.00

Umatilla County Cemetery Maintenance District 2
Weston
OR
Security gate and cameras
$4,000.00

Umatilla County Soil and Water Conservation District
Pendleton
OR
Umatilla County Bank Restoration and River Resiliency Guidebook
$16,000.00

Umatilla Tribal Fire Department
Pendleton
OR
Fire & EMS Training Equipment
$16,000.00

Union County Emergency Services
La Grande
OR
Union County Swiftwater Rescue Capability Enhancement
$9,206.40

Walla Walla Symphony
Walla Walla
WA
Rock Camp 2023
$2,000.00

Walla Walla Valley Bands
College Place
WA
Walla Walla Valley Band Sound and Video Equipment Purchase
$5,154.00

Willow Creek Park District
Heppner
OR
Willow Creek Water Park Rehabilitation
$16,000.00

In addition to the Wildhorse Foundation, there are five other Tribal community funds and foundations in Oregon. Collectively, these organizations gave out nearly $11 million in grant funding in 2022. The other Tribal philanthropic organizations are Spirit Mountain Community Fund, Siletz Tribal Charitable Contribution Fund, 3 Rivers Community Foundation, Coquille Tribal Community Fund, and Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation.

The Children’s Reading Foundation of the Mid-Columbia (CRFMC) will give away 10,000 books at over 26 events this summer, beginning Monday, May 22, 2023.  The CRFMC is offering free reading activities and book giveaways throughout the Mid-Columbia all summer long as part of the national READ Up: Stop the Summer Slide℠ program.
 
READ Up aims to reverse the summer slide, an occurrence where school-age children can lose up to three months of reading skills during the summer break. The summer slide begins the first week students are out of school.
 
We will officially kick-off the READ Up: Stop the Summer Slide℠ program on June 16th, 2023 from 2:00 – 4:00 PM at Peanuts Park in Pasco with free books, literacy activities for kids, bubbles, balloons, and bike giveaways!
 
“We are excited to partner with many local organizations throughout the Mid-Columbia this summer to get kids reading! The Richland Public Library, Mid-Columbia Libraries, food banks through the Mid-Columbia, Northwest Public Broadcasting, the City of Pasco, and school districts from Finley to Basin City to just to name a few!” said Leanne Luehrs-Purcell, Executive Director, CRFMC.  “We want to make sure families understand the importance of reading throughout the summer months.  We want to send kids back to school in the fall prepared and ready.”
 
READ Up events are for children from birth to fifth grade and their parents or caregivers. Materials are available in English and Spanish.  At every event, adults leave with new skills and motivation to encourage their young readers, and children select a new book and fun take-home materials. Research shows that access to books, books in the home and reading aloud leads to gains in children’s pre-literacy and literacy skills.
​
Please visit our social media pages: @read20Minutes and The Children’s Reading Foundation of the Mid-Columbia to find dates and locations throughout the summer.

READ Up is a program of The Children’s Reading Foundation. A national nonprofit focused on ensuring every child learns to read early and well, thereby reaching his or her full potential in school and in life.

For more information, contact Leanne Luehrs-Purcell or visit Read20Minutes.com

WAMA Project of the Year Award
WAMA awarded Port of Benton’s Richland Airport electrical replacement project as its Project of the Year for the in-depth planning and phased runway and taxiway closures required to replace the entire runway and electrical system while minimizing disruptions to airport users and nearby neighborhoods and businesses. The port completed the project safely and on time and provided regular updates about the project, including email, press releases, social media and in-person outreach.
​
In announcing the award, WAMA stated, “It was a tremendous project, and the communication was outstanding. The Port of Benton showed just how a large, complicated project should be addressed with the public.”

WPPA Community Engagement Award
Each year, WPPA recognizes ports throughout the state for extraordinary accomplishments in the categories of job creation, community engagement, creative partnership and environmental stewardship.
​
WPPA recognized Port of Benton with the Community Engagement Award for its dedication to sharing proactive and useful information with the community through consistent and thoughtful engagement during the port’s work on the rail crossing replacement project.
 
In its news release announcing the award, WPPA stated, “In our work to undertake economic development projects that support our communities, it is key for ports to ensure that community partners are informed of port projects in advance. The Port of Benton’s outreach for this project epitomizes that approach, and we are very pleased to recognize them with our Community Engagement Award.”

Port of Benton and the United States Submarine Veterans (USSVI) Yakima Base are co-hosting a gathering of submarine veterans to honor all who served in the United States Submarine Force. 

The event is Saturday, June 10 at 11 a.m. at the USS Triton Sail Park, 3300 Port of Benton Boulevard in Richland. 

The mission of the USSVI: “perpetuate the memory of our shipmates who gave their lives in the pursuit of their duties while serving their country,” will be showcased at the reunion through a welcome speech and introduction of special guests from the Yakima base commander, color guard performance and ‘Tolling of the Boats.’  

The decommissioned USS Triton’s 75-foot-long sail and conning tower are on display at the USS Triton Sail Park to honor submariners and highlight the significance of Triton’s impact on the Nuclear Age. The sail park overlooks the port’s barge slip and high dock where the U.S. Navy transfers nuclear reactor compartments from decommissioned vessels (including Triton’s) onshore for delivery to the nearby Hanford Site for permanent storage. 

Triton was one of the first nuclear-powered submarines, operated solely by dual nuclear reactors, direct descendants of Hanford reactors, including the B Reactor. At the time of Triton’s commissioning in 1959, it was the longest and most powerful submarine ever built. 

Tours inside Triton’s sail and conning tower will be available following the ceremony. 

At its annual spring meeting on Saturday, Washington Public Ports Association (WPPA) selected Port of Kennewick as the association’s 2023 Creative Partnership Award winner.

WPPA recognized the port’s creative collaboration with Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington State Recreation & Conservation Office, Washington Department of Natural Resources, Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, Benton County, and City of Kennewick to restore and revitalize Clover Island. 

The effort began in 2008 with conversations between the port and Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR). Port of Kennewick recognized the Tribes as essential community partners and asked for their perspectives before developing plans.

Construction to restore Clover Island started in 2010 and concluded with the final phase earlier this year. The port and its partners secured local, state and federal funding to stabilize sections of the Columbia River shoreline, add public amenities and recreational spaces, and restore the riparian habitat for wildlife and young salmon.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers specifically identified the port and CTUIR collaboration when selecting Clover Island for federal funding among a national field of deserving projects.

In all, the partners stabilized and restored nearly a mile of shoreline, constructed a U.S. Coast Guard-approved lighthouse PATON (private aid to navigation), renovated a boat launch, expanded the Clover Island Riverwalk, commissioned 10 public art installations, added 11 scenic viewpoints and numerous other public recreation amenities.

The cooperative redevelopment effort has increased regional tourism spending. The improvements are also fostering a lively destination gathering place with restaurants, public artwork and a scenic public pathway and restoring the Columbia River as an important regional asset.

Learn more about the Clover Island revitalization at portofkennewick.org/projects/clover-island.

The City of Richland has vacancies on four (4) of its boards, committees, and commissions:
• Board of Adjustment
• Planning Commission
• Public Facilities District Board
• Utility Advisory Committee

Below is a brief description of each board, committee, and commission: 
Board of Adjustment
Conducts public hearings and makes decisions on applications for special use permits; grant permits when requirements are fully met; grants or denies variances to the regulations or restrictions in the Richland Municipal Code (RMC) when the variance is in harmony with general purposes and intent of the RMC; hears and decides on appeals to administrative interpretations of the city's zoning code.
 
Planning Commission
Prepares a comprehensive plan for the orderly physical and social development of the City; holds public hearings and makes recommendations regarding plats, plans for subdivisions, or dedications of land; prepares and recommends zoning regulations, amendments, extensions, or additions to regulations or plans for physical development; reviews federal requirements for the administration of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME programs and makes recommendations on program procedures; reviews CDBG grant applications and makes recommendations to City Council; serves as an advisory body to the City Council.
 
Public Facilities District Board
The Public Facilities District is established for the sole purpose of acquiring, constructing, owning, remodeling, maintaining, equipping, re-equipping, repairing, financing, and/or operating a Regional Center in the City, but only pursuant to an interlocal agreement (C104-02) between the City and the District.
 
Utility Advisory Committee 
The Utility Advisory Committee (UAC) serves as an advisory body to the City Council relative to policy and planning for the managing, financing, and operation of the utilities owned and operated by the City of Richland. This is a great opportunity to learn how your city operates and to help shape its future. 

For further details on these positions or to apply, visit www.ci.richland.wa.us/bccvacancies and scroll to the Current Vacancies page. Applications will be accepted from May 22, 2023, through June 5, 2023.

Chaplaincy Health Care is selling the property that Cork’s Place Kids Grief Center formerly operated from, located at 712 W. 19th Ave in Kennewick.

The decision to sell the property comes after the recent relocation of Cork’s Place. In April, Cork’s Place began operating out of the business side of Chaplaincy’s Hospice House. This move allows Cork’s Place to continue to equip kids and adults with tools and resources for coping with grief so they can live their best lives.

Selling the property will support future growth of the program. All funds from the sale of this property will be invested back in Cork’s Place.

If you are interested in learning more about this listing, contact Tausha Dethmers at [email protected]. Learn more about Cork’s Place at chaplaincyhealthcare.org/corks-place.

First Story, Hayden Homes and community members “raised the wall” on a new home in the Apple Valley Ranch community yesterday. First Story invites Southern Washington families to apply to receive a zero-down, zero-interest mortgage for this home and two homes in Kennewick, with move-in dates later this year.

To be eligible for one of the three First Story homes, families must have completed or be willing to complete a homeownership education course, be earning income at 80 percent of area median income or below and be able to afford monthly payments. Interested applicants can email First Story at [email protected] for more information.

“We’re excited to put out the call to families who are ready to take the big step forward into homeownership,” said Claire Duncan, executive director of First Story. “100 percent of First Story families are first-time homebuyers. It’s our role to open the door to a brighter financial future, and then cheer on our families as they set a new course for what’s possible in their lives.”
First Story’s homes are located in existing Hayden Homes communities and built with the same quality, care and aesthetics as every other home in the neighborhood. Homes are sold with all major appliances, a washer and dryer and finished landscaping so that they’re move-in ready for families.

First Story’s affordable home loan program is supported by a strong partnership with its founder, Hayden Homes, plus in-kind donations of labor and building materials and the financial support of a robust network of donors. Through this innovative collaboration, eligible families receive a zero-down, zero-interest, 30-year mortgage on their very own Hayden Home.

To date, First Story has supported 109 families to become homeowners. Of those families,

• 100% earn less than 80% of area median income
• 100% are first-time homebuyers
• 80% are the first in their families ever to own a home
• 30% identify as minorities
• 20% are households with children who have disabilities

​Seven high school seniors from the Kennewick School District (KSD) signed commitment letters to attend Washington State University (WSU) Tri-Cities to earn their teaching degree while also working part-time for the Kennewick School District as substitute paraeducators.  The Teaching Bridge program is the first program of its kind in the state that focuses on a partnership between a school district and a 4-year university to provide a career-connected learning pathway from high school to college for students interested in careers in education. 

“The Kennewick School District and WSU Tri-Cities began working together over a year ago to make this program happen,” said Doug Christensen, associate superintendent of human resources for the Kennewick School District. “It has been very exciting to see the Teaching Bridge program take shape.” 

“We are very excited about this partnership with Kennewick School District and are looking forward to extending the Teaching Bridge program to other school districts in our area,” said Judy Morrison, professor and academic director for the WSU Tri-Cities College of Education.

The first students to enroll in the program come from three Kennewick high schools. The students from Kennewick High School are Nerissa Grimm, Seth Keller, and Lizzandra Ramirez. Lilly Johanson, Haley Nelson and Alvaro Rodriguez Jr., are from Southridge High School and Eva Arroyo is from Kamiakin High School.

Haley Nelson, a senior at Southridge High School, is very excited to be in the Teaching Bridge program. “The best part about this is the real-life experience I get before having to decide what I want to do. I can’t wait to be in a school as a para getting the experience.”

Officials and staff from both institutions, as well as students’ family and friends attended the ceremony.

Sandra Haynes, chancellor at WSU Tri-Cities welcomed the students to the university and complimented them on taking this important step toward their teaching career.

“Any day that I get to welcome students to the WSU Tri-Cities family is a great day,” she said. “Congratulations to each of you for taking this step and pushing yourselves to grow into a profession for which, no doubt, you have a great deal of passion.” 

“I want to congratulate and recognize these students who will become the next generation of amazing educators,” stated Traci Pierce, superintendent of Kennewick School District. “Their stories exemplify our goal for our students to graduate well prepared from high school and ready for success in WSU’s Teaching Bridge Program. We can’t wait for them to return this fall to work with us.” 

Teaching Bridge provides the next step in a career development pathway by eliminating the two-year gap between high school graduation and entering the teacher preparation program in the WSU Tri-Cities College of Education. Students who participate in the program will:

• Have support during the college application and financial aid process.
• Gain early admission to WSU Tri-Cities.
• Participate in paid cooperative internships in local school districts.
• Learn as a cohort.
• Access mentorship opportunities.
• Get a jump start on teaching careers.
  
  

At the end of the two-year program, students are prepared to apply to the WSU Tri-Cities Bachelor of Arts in Education program to complete the requirements for Washington State certification in Elementary Education and an add-on endorsement in Special Education, English Language Learners, or Bilingual Education.

The partnership between WSU Tri-Cities and KSD allows participants to work 10-18 hours per week as paid part-time or substitute paraeducators while attending college classes full-time. Over the course of the program, students will spend approximately 600 hours at the employer site and complete 60 semester credit hours of undergraduate level coursework at WSU Tri-Cities.

Teaching Bridge is a Career Launch program featured through Career Connect Washington, a statewide, multi-sector approach to career connected learning that prepares students for high-demand, high wage jobs. 

Jim Kindle, regional career connected learning coordinator with Education Services District 123 collaborated with WSU Tri-Cities and KSD by providing technical support and resources from Career Connect Washington. 

“With the shortage of educators, the partnerships within this program will begin to close the gap to educator shortages and create a robust talent pipeline for the Kennewick School District,” said Kindle. 

“This coming fall Kennewick seniors from all three comprehensive high schools will begin their journey to becoming teachers. These students will get a great education at WSU Tri-Cities while also gaining valuable classroom experience working as substitute para-educators in classrooms across our district. I look forward to watching these students advance through the Teaching Bridge program on their way to becoming future Kennewick teachers,” said Christensen.
​
Information about the Teaching Bridge program is available on the WSU Tri-Cities website or by contacting Danica Garcia, program coordinator at (509) 372-3766.