Polestar Technical Services, Inc. (Polestar) moved its headquarters to a new office in Richland, Washington on June 1.  Polestar is now located at 2920 George Washington Way, Suite 104, Richland, WA 99354
 
Polestar Technical Services, Inc., provides technical expertise to guide clients through contaminated facility and site cleanup projects to safely accelerate progress and reduce long term costs.  We specialize in risk reduction and liability solutions with a focus on cleanup of high hazard work environments.  We provide subject matter experts to the Department of Energy and prime contractors associated with nuclear operations and cleanup sites.  Our SMEs have a broad range of technical expertise in areas such as project management, operations, radiological modeling and analysis, environmental and remediation strategies, and organizational development.
                                                                                                                                               
We work with our clients to develop solutions to their most challenging and complex projects.  For 29 years, Polestar has worked with over 150 clients to guide, execute, and deliver successful results.  Every challenge is unique, our client’s success is our priority.
 
Owned and operated by Kathy Miller, Patty Bailey and Bill Bailey, Polestar is a Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB), registered with the Small Business Administration as a WOSB.

For more information about Polestar and career opportunities please visit our website at www.polestartechnicalservices.com, on LinkedIn or contact us at 509-946-8279.   

Lourdes Health is pleased to announce that Kandice Schultz, RN, FNP-BC, has joined Lourdes Family Medicine.

Kandice comes to Lourdes from Pacific Northwest Laboratories, where she had been employed in an occupational health and urgent care setting for staff. She has a wide range of experience as a family nurse practitioner, including urgent care, primary care, and occupational health settings.

“We are excited that Kandice is joining our growing Lourdes Family Medicine team,” said Melda Velasquez, Director of Clinic Operations. “She brings a great deal of experience to the team and is very knowledgeable. We look forward to our patients seeing her and working with her.”

Kandice earned her Bachelors of Science in Nursing in 2006 and Masters of Nursing in 2008 from Washington State University Intercollegiate College of Nursing. She is also board certified as a family nurse practitioner.

“I am thrilled to be joining the team at Lourdes and am looking forward to serving the Pasco and Tri-Cities communities,” Kandice said. “I am looking forward to growing my practice here and serving patients and their families.”
​
Kandice will practice at Lourdes Family Medicine, located at 7425 Wrigley Drive, Suite 100. Patients can schedule an appointment by calling 509.416.8888 or online at YourLourdes.com. 

Yakima Federal Savings and Loan Association recently announced the promotion of two employees.

Tina Naasz has been promoted to Assistant Secretary/Stadium Branch Manager. Tina has dedicated 21 years of service to the association and has been the Savings Supervisor at the Stadium Branch since 2013. The Stadium |Branch is located at 3910 Tieton Dr. in Yakima.

Laurel Bishop has been promoted to Assistant Secretary/Kennewick Branch Manager. Laurel has also dedicated 25 years of service to the association and was the Assistant Branch Manager at the Prosser Branch prior to taking on the manager role in Kennewick. The Kennewick Branch is located at 3350 W. Clearwater Ave.

Yakima Federal was founded in Yakima in 1905 and has grown into the largest mutual savings institution in the Pacific Northwest with over $1.9 billion in assets. The association has ten branches located throughout Central Washington.

Gesa Credit Union, a community-chartered credit union, today announced the recipients of $100,000 in scholarship funds granted for the 2021-2022 academic year. Since 1987, Gesa has awarded more than $530,000 in scholarships to students who have participated in Gesa’s High School Credit Union program. The program helps students who have active student loans, are entering college for the first time, or are pursuing higher education.
 
In the past, Gesa has given $45,000 annually to graduating high school students, entering freshmen, and college students who are continuing their education. This year, Gesa more than doubled its commitment. Additionally, this year, Gesa will begin offering help to credit union members with active student loans through the introduction of the new Student Loan Repayment Scholarship.
 
“To us, there is no better way to give back to the community than to invest in future leaders continuing their education,” said Don Miller, President and CEO of Gesa Credit Union. “We have 12 High School Gesa branch partners throughout the state and are so encouraged by the work of students who have been involved in our program. It is our honor to recognize their extraordinary contributions in this way.”
 
Among the many outstanding individuals who are part of this cohort are two Pasco, WA, members: Tewachech (Te) Feser of Delta High School and Chanda Baie of Chiawana High School. Feser won a total of $11,000 in scholarships from the President’s Choice Entering Freshmen, and Student Intern High School Credit Union awards. After being diagnosed with polio at age 2, Feser entered the foster system at age 8 and went on to excel as a Gesa Student Teller and Intern in high school, all while maintaining a 3.9 GPA.
 
“In the fall I will be attending Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona and this scholarship will cover most of my first-year tuition,” said Feser. “This scholarship will be helping me tremendously and now that I don’t have to worry about money for the first year, I can put all my efforts into school and work to save money for the next year. I am extremely thankful for this scholarship.”
 
Baie is a teacher and advisor for Gesa’s High School Credit Union Campus Branch at Chiawana High School and has led their program to consistently be a top performing Campus Branch year after year. Baie was awarded $1,000 in the Student Loan Repayment category.
 
“Obtaining my degree at an older age I was unable to qualify for a normal scholarship that average high schoolers apply for,” said Baie. “Graduating with a large amount of debt has added strain to my family's financial situation. This scholarship will help ease that financial burden.”
 
Madison Krogh, a Gesa member from Moses Lake, WA, and the President’s Choice $5,000 Winner for the Continued Education Category this year, is entering her student teacher year in 2021 and is focused on becoming a teacher in a small town where she can make a significant impact on education in the community.
 
“I am so honored to be selected for The Gesa Credit Union Educational Scholarship,” said Krogh. “I have always worked my way through school and this next year would have be a challenge since I will be adding student teaching to my plate. This scholarship will allow me to dedicate more time to my students that I am working with in the elementary classroom. I am very grateful to Gesa Credit Union for investing in my future. It means the world to me.”
 
A complete list of award categories and scholarship winners can be found at https://www.gesa.com/community/scholarships. Applications for the 2022-2023 scholarships will open in October 2021. To learn more about Gesa Credit Union and its scholarship program, visit www.gesa.com. 

LET’S WORK TOGETHER TO END ALZHEIMER’S! Join us on Friday July 23rd at 7am to learn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer’s®, the mission of the Alzheimer’s Association® and how you can connect with colleagues while advancing the cause by starting a company team.

Alzheimer’s is a global crisis with significant local impact. Today, more than 5 million Americans are living with the disease and more than 16 million serve as their unpaid caregivers.

STRENGTHEN YOUR COMPANY AS YOU ADVANCE THE FIGHT AGAINST ALZHEIMER’S.

Held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide, the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s® is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. As a corporate leader, we need your help to rally your company and community around the Alzheimer’s cause.

Join a nationwide movement. Every year, Walk to End Alzheimer’s raises millions of dollars across the country to advance the fight against the disease.

Engage employees and have fun! Host challenges and friendly competitions to foster team spirit as colleagues work together to end Alzheimer’s.

Show your corporate heart. Support a cause that affects countless families across the country while increasing your organization’s visibility in your community.
​
Please RSVP today: emgrissmerson@alz.org or 509-552-7026

Visit Tri-Cities has launched a new partnership model, now offering a free basic membership to all qualifying tourism-related businesses in Benton and Franklin Counties. 

The new membership model eliminates dues for qualifying tourism-related businesses such as restaurants, attractions, museums, wineries, craft beverage operations, transportation providers, retail stores that offer products of interest to visitors, recreation, professional sports, performing arts, and similar entities that are located in and/or attract leisure visitation in Benton and Franklin Counties. 

“This change will allow us create an even better experience for visitors by developing more meaningful relationships with tourism-related businesses in the Tri-Cities,” said Michael Novakovich. “We will be able to better serve our community by showcasing all tourism-related aspects of our region, giving the Tri-Cities a more competitive position as a destination when attracting visitors. It also provides greater opportunity to embrace the diversity of our community in an inclusive manner.”

“We encourage all qualifying tourism-related businesses in Benton and Franklin Counties to sign-up for a free basic membership,” Novakovich added.

Benefits of a free Visit Tri-Cities basic membership include a presence on VisitTri-Cities.com, newsletters and access to expanded cooperative marketing opportunities. Qualifying tourism-related businesses can sign-up for their free basic membership by contacting Chase Wharton, Business Development Manager, at chase@visittri-cities.com or 509.735.8486.

The River of Fire presented by Gesa Credit Union is back in Columbia Park this weekend. The fireworks will begin at 10 pm on July 4th.

In preparation for the show, a portion of Columbia Park Trail between the Veteran’s Memorial roundabout to the Columbia Park Golf Tri-Plex will close at noon on July 3rd through noon on July 5th. There will be no through access for vehicles, bicyclists, or pedestrians during this time as crews will be setting up the pyrotechnics for the show.

Additional road closures and detours within Columbia Park East will be in place starting at 6 am on July 4th. To access the event area, please enter the park from Highway 240 or the Fruitland or Hartford Street entrances. There is no access to the event area from Edison Street or Columbia Center Boulevard entrances.

The East Boat Launch parking lot and the Playground of Dreams parking lots will be accessible beginning at 8 am on July 4th. Gates open for grass field parking at 7 pm. Admission and parking for the River of Fire is free courtesy of Bruce Heating and Air, Moon Security, Retter & Company | Sotheby’s International Realty and Toyota of Tri-Cities. We are expecting a large turnout so please watch the River of Fire Facebook page for updates regarding parking lot capacity.

Access to the Columbia Park Golf Tri-Plex and Bite at the Landing is available from the Edison Street and Columbia Center Boulevard entrances only. The Bite at the Landing will close at 5 pm on July 4th in preparation for the event.

Event attendees are welcome to bring food and non-alcoholic beverages as well as lawn chairs. Alcohol and personal fireworks are prohibited in the park. Snow cones and bottled water will be available for purchase.

​Congressional leaders from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana are urging President Biden to enlist a “top-level White House led strategy” to ensure efforts to modernize the Columbia River Treaty between the United States and Canada is a top priority for the new Administration.

In their letter, the delegation wrote, “After almost a decade of work in the Northwest and British Columbia and 10 rounds of formal Treaty talks between the two countries, the time to press for completion of the Treaty modernization effort is now.  The status quo is not acceptable to our region and comes at significant economic harm.”

The current treaty between the U.S. and Canada was signed by both countries in 1964. The 60-year agreement included key flood control protection through 2024 as well as power provisions to share in the downstream benefits of power generation on the Columbia River. 

This power provision, known as the Canadian Entitlement, calls upon the U.S. to return hydropower capacity and energy to Canada for 60 years after which there would be an opportunity for the countries to discuss how to rebalance the provision based on the value to each country. The Columbia River Treaty Power Group, a coalition of more utilities serving over 7 million customers in the Northwest, estimates that the 1000 MW of capacity and 400 average megawatts of hydropower sent to Canada under the treaty exceeds the benefits to the United States by $150 million annually. 

“Access to reliable, low-cost hydropower is critical to powering everything from agriculture to industry in communities small and large across the Pacific Northwest and is an important part of clean energy today and into the future,” said Rick Dunn, General Manager of Benton PUD.  “The time to act is now.  We applaud and support the delegation for continuing to advocate for our hydro system.”

Since September 2014, the U.S. government has had the contractual right under the Treaty to give 10 years’ notice seeking a renegotiation of the power payments to Canada. There have been 10 rounds of U.S. Department of State led negotiations, with the last occurring a year ago in June of 2020.  Considering the long delay, the Columbia River Treaty Power Group strongly supports the congressional delegation’s letter, which indicates their interest in successfully and promptly completing negotiations with Canada. Without prompt action, the U.S. will continue to lose access to its own clean, renewable hydropower for many years to come. 

CLICK HERE to read the full letter.  

The Port of Pasco’s commissioners unanimously approved the sale of approximately 150 acres of the Reimann Industrial Center to Darigold during a special commission meeting on Thursday, July 1. The company’s board of directors recently authorized the purchase and sale agreement and notified its members on June 30.

Darigold intends to bring the new facility online in the fall of 2023.

The commission’s action makes it possible for the port’s newest industrial park to welcome what will become the most sophisticated large scale milk protein facility in North America. Darigold plans to produce a new specialized protein powder and butter. More than 50 percent of the facility’s finished product is intended for export, with an emphasis on the Pacific Rim.
“As commissioners, we’re excited by Darigold’s decision to locate at the Reimann. As Darigold invests approximately $500 million, this is the largest private industrial development to ever occur at the Port of Pasco,” Commission President Jim Klindworth said. “The new jobs at the plant and the new jobs at dairy farms create extraordinary opportunities for Franklin County residents.”

Darigold has been working with the Port of Pasco since the fall of 2020 as part of its extensive Pacific Northwest search for the right location for its new facility. Darigold officials predict the capital investment will range between $450 and $500 million.

The region’s newest food and beverage facility will provide more than 1,000 jobs between onsite, indirect, supply chain, and services.

“We are thrilled to welcome Darigold to Pasco and the Reimann as the anchor tenant in the Port’s largest industrial park. It’s incredibly rare to attract a project of this size and scope,” Executive Director Randy Hayden said. “Darigold’s state-of-the-art facility will use the latest technology, serve as a model of sustainability, and create a new market for our region’s ag producers.”

A closing date on the land sale is contingent upon the Port of Pasco and its state and local partners meeting several time sensitive deadlines. The primary tasks involve the construction of infrastructure that will serve the Reimann and Darigold. The Reimann Industrial Center is located on the East side of Railroad Avenue, North of the port’s Pasco Processing Center.

“Our local and state partners creatively rolled up their sleeves to launch a plan that makes it possible to deliver critical infrastructure to the Reimann to serve the Darigold project,” Hayden said. “We’re especially grateful for the Washington State Legislature’s support of $7.5 million to cover part of the costs for water, wastewater, roads, and rail improvements.  The City of Pasco, Franklin County, Franklin PUD and TRIDEC are also making key investments.”

The Port of Pasco and Darigold expect to close on the land sale within 120 to 180 days. The extended due diligence phase provides both entities time to confirm that Washington State’s new and future climate legislation will not impact this project.  Darigold, like many of the state’s large food and beverage companies, is an energy intensive operation that relies on affordable and reliable energy resources to remain globally competitive.

“The new specialized protein and butter operation in the Port of Pasco’s Reimann Industrial Center facility is expected to accelerate our farmer-owned cooperative’s goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2050, cementing a longstanding tradition of continuous stewardship and sustainability improvements,” said Stan Ryan, president, and CEO of Darigold. “A cut in greenhouse gas emissions associated with transportation combined with a suite of cutting-edge efficiency technologies is expected to offset per unit emissions by up to 25%. The new facility will also create approximately 200 new high-quality jobs onsite and over 1,000 jobs in the supporting services and supply chain.”

Due to the extreme temperatures forecasted for this Friday, the Gesa Carousel of Dreams and the City of Kennewick have postponed the July 2nd kickoff to the Sunset at Southridge food truck series.

The Carousel and the City remain committed to the event and are working to reschedule the musical performance and the planned fireworks show for another date later this summer. More details will be released in the coming weeks.

The next scheduled event date is Friday, July 16th and will have a Hawaiian theme with hula dancers and Hawaiian music.
​
More information will be available soon on the Sunset at Southridge Facebook page for the remaining events scheduled on July 30th, August 5th and August 20th.