Petersen Hastings is pleased to announce that it is once again included in the listing of Financial Advisor Magazine’s Top RIA Ranking with $769 million assets under management at the end of 2019. Financial Advisor Magazine annually reports an exclusive list of the nation’s leading independent financial advisory firms based on their total discretionary and nondiscretionary assets reported on their Form ADV. Petersen Hastings is the only firm in Eastern Washington to be recognized in the survey. 

“Having the opportunity to be recognized on a national level is something our firm is very proud about,” said Scott Sarber, CEO. “Helping our clients achieve their financial goals and life dreams is what makes each day fulfilling.”

Petersen Hastings is a Registered Investment Advisor located in Kennewick and Walla Walla, WA. As a primary fiduciary, Petersen Hastings serves committed investors with complex financial needs. Our multigenerational team of experienced and credentialed professionals delivers innovative solutions through the Trusted Financial PathTM to enhance and preserve wealth.

For additional information contact Scott Sarber at 509-735-0484 or scotts@petersenhastings.com.

​The AAA Washington Insurance Agency is pleased to announce the expansion of services to the Tri-Cities through the acquisition of the Monteith Insurance Agency and its team of very experienced insurance professionals. AAA is excited to collaborate with an insurance agency who also puts customers first, finding clients the best coverage for a fair price.
 
“We are very excited to be able to acquire a proven and reliable agency like Monteith Insurance,” said Pat McCormick, Vice President of Insurance for AAA Washington. “Given Mark’s long-term commitment to the greater Tri-Cities region, through the combined talents of AAA and Monteith, we will expand products and services for our current and future members and customers.”
 
Nearly 23 years ago, the Monteith Insurance Agency began building the reputation of making every client interaction a satisfying one. Owner Mark Monteith founded the business to educate clients about their insurance needs, provide them with the best coverage for a fair price and have them leave knowing he and his agents care about them. Monteith Insurance Agency made a name for itself creating a list of insurance policies customized for specific local industries including farms and livestock operations.
 
All of the Monteith Insurance agents will continue to work for the AAA Washington Insurance Agency – Tri-Cities (8518 W Gage Blvd #1, Kennewick) with Mark Monteith staying on as the location manager.  Monteith describes the change as a new opportunity exciting both he and the entire staff.
 
“AAA Washington will allow us to continue meeting the insurance needs of our current clients, providing them with exceptional service and a lot of products from which to choose,” said Monteith. “Personally, I look forward to assisting in the expansion of AAA’s footprint in Eastern Washington.”
 
The AAA Washington Insurance Agency offers all personal lines of insurance (home, auto, life) plus long-term care planning, annuities and business insurance. You do not need to be a AAA member to purchase these policies. However, Monteith clients who are also AAA members can now receive a discount on their auto insurance from AAA’s carrier partners including Safeco, Progressive, MetLife and Mutual of Enumclaw.
 
Note: As an insurance-only AAA office, this location does not provide travel services. Due to COVID-19, the AAA Tri-Cities store remains closed, but you can reach one of our expert travel agents by calling 509-737-6816. Most of AAA’s services, including emergency roadside assistance, are available online at AAA.com or on-the-go using the Auto Club App.

​The Academy of Children’s Theatre is staging a classic telethon online fundraising event on Friday, August 28 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The event will feature ACT students, alumni, and special surprise guests. 
 
Created as a celebration and parody of favorite musical shows, The Zoom Where It Happens will showcase musical performances, comedy, testimonials, and entertaining theatrical entertainment. ACT hopes to generate funds to mitigate the loss of income from cancelling on site productions and summer classes due to COVID-19 restrictions. 
 
There is no charge for admission to the event, which can be watched on ACT’s Facebook page as a live feed. Party Packs priced at $25 for two and $35 for four include European Desserts by Nena are available for purchase.  Orders need to be submitted online by August 21 at the ACT web page, www.academyofchildrenstheatre.org.  Party Pack pick up will be available on Friday, August 28 at ACT from 2-4 p.m.  

Laura Maya is joining WoodSpring Suites - Tri Cities as our General Manager. Her first day will be Monday August 24th, just in time to welcome guests to the hotel!

This location is located off the WA-240 RAMP of I-82 exit named Columbia Park Trail. Those relocating to or within Tri-Cities, tourists, students, hospital staff or patients, and anyone needing a comfortable, well - designed hotel room for several nights or longer will enjoy WoodSpring Suites in Richland WA. Weekly rates are available for 3 room designs,  with Queen or King sized beds and in-room kitchens complete with dishwashers and dishes, and smoke - free hotel and pet-friendly hotel room policies. Free basic wi-fi, free parking, vending, fitness center, and guest laundry room are available to all guests.

Laura has worked many years in various local hotels in the market, and we are delighted to welcome her to the HMC team. If you see Laura around the hotel, make sure you welcome her to the WoodSpring brand. She will participate in all aspects of our new opening activities for her first couple of weeks on the job.

Laura will work closely with the HMC family to build a solid local organization delivering the best guest experiences each day. Take a moment to stop by and welcome Laura to WoodSpring Suites and take a tour of our brand-new hotel.  Restricted office hours of operation will be Monday through Friday 9AM to 8PM, 10AM to 8PM on Saturday and 12PM to 8PM on Sunday.  We have on-site availability 24 hours per day by dialing 500 from our lobby phone.

Laura will be active with Visit Tri-Cities and the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce.

WoodSpring Suites Tri Cities is independently owned by Richland Hotel Holdings, LLC and managed by Hotel Management & Consulting INC. (HMC) under a franchise of Choice Hotels International.
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Thanks for joining us in welcoming Laura as our General Manager.  Please visit our website at www.woodspring.com or call 509-717-2011 for reservations and information.

Mid-Columbia Libraries’ (MCL) Othello Branch is open for curbside pickup of books and materials, and now the library offers a free print drop and pickup service as well.

Anyone, including non-cardholders, can get up to five free pages printed daily using the online print drop service. Customers can upload their file(s) using the link found on the branch website, midcolumbialibraries.org/branch/othello. Most common file types, including PDF and Microsoft Office files, are accepted. MCL respects customer privacy and will not share or store file information.

To retrieve prints, customers can call the branch at (509) 546-8020 to let staff know when they will arrive to pick up their prints. They should park in the curbside pickup location in the alleyway just off Main Street next to the branch, located at 101 E. Main St in Othello.

For all curbside pickup needs, customers should open their trunk and wait inside their vehicle. Customers are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings when using curbside pickup services.

The service is available during regular branch hours, Monday through Friday from 11 am to 7 pm and Saturday from 10 am to 3 pm. For more information visit the branch web page at midcolumbialibraries.org/branch/othello.

Books and materials can also be returned to the branch using the drive-up returns box, also located in the alley next to the building. Returned items will be quarantined for 96 hours.

Othello library is the first of MCL’s 12 branches to offer curbside pickup since temporarily closing in March due to the statewide stay home order; all other MCL branches and Bookmobile remain closed until further notice. Cardholders can access thousands of eBooks, eAudiobooks, eMagazines, streaming video, and more 24/7 at midcolumbialibraries.org.

Today, Franklin County leaders announced $3M will be available to Franklin County businesses and non-profits impacted by COVID-19. The Franklin County CARES Act Community Support Grant, which offers repayment-free financial assistance, will be funded by federal aid Franklin County received as part of the CARES Act, designated by Congress earlier this year. 

According to Franklin County officials, these CARES Act funds come at a critical time for the county. 

“COVID-19 should not define us, but remind us of our resiliency,” said Franklin County Commissioner Brad Peck. “This program will provide invaluable help to Franklin County business owners who’ve spent years, or generations, building the community we all knew at the beginning of 2020.” 

The Franklin County CARES Act Community Support Grant comes shortly after Benton County announced a similar program. The Tri-City Development Council, or TRIDEC, is working in collaboration with both counties to manage the application process and administer the grants.

According to TRIDEC President and CEO Karl Dye, both of these programs are critical to rebuilding our regional economy, and he’s hopeful more funds will be allocated soon by Congress and the State of Washington.  

“The economic health of Benton and Franklin counties are tied to each other,” said Dye. “TRIDEC is advocating for the entire region daily. We’re working with state and federal decision makers to impress upon them the necessity of providing more aid to both counties.” 

Beginning at noon today, the first of two application rounds will open. Businesses may apply for up to $50,000 of assistance, depending on the size of the applicant’s business. Independent contractors and non-profits classified as 501(c)(3), 501(c)(6) and 501(c)(19) are also eligible to apply. 

Applications for the first round of funding will be accepted beginning today, Aug. 6, and will end at 11:59 PM on Aug. 28. The second round will open Sept. 11 and will run through Oct. 2. Recipients for both rounds will be chosen via a lottery system, and those businesses or organizations not selected in the first round will automatically be submitted in the second round. 

Eligible expenses for the Franklin County CARES Act Community Support Grant mirror those of similar grant programs by including rent, utilities and PPE supplies. For a full list of eligibility requirements, eligible expenses, or to apply visit www.tridec.org/fccares

Hope is the greatest currency during the novel coronavirus pandemic, and Visit Tri-Cities has proudly collaborated with local production companies to deliver a message of optimism to the Tri-Cities. 

In partnership with Focal Point Marketing, Roll & Cap Productions, Spotted Fox Digital Marketing and P.S. Media Inc., Visit Tri-Cities coordinated community members to create “We Are Tri-Citians,” a visual reminder that we are a resilient community that will persevere through the most difficult of times. 

The video is available via Visit Tri-Cities’ YouTube channel,  https://youtu.be/z_4vRnd_EiY.
 
To learn more about Visit Tri-Cities, visit visittri-cities.com.  

Gesa Credit Union is proud to announce an enhanced partnership with the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA). This expanded partnership agreement reinforces Gesa as the Official Credit Union and title sponsor for the WIAA’s School State Championships and other additional programs.

Under this partnership Gesa will be the exclusive title sponsor of WIAA initiatives such as the Sportsmanship program, Scholastic Awards program, and the Women in Sport Leadership Conference aimed at instilling lessons of teamwork, sportsmanship, leadership, and acceptance. With this new agreement, Gesa will play a more integral part in the WIAA’s strategic plan of increasing awareness of the benefits developed through participation in educationally-based athletic and fine arts activities. “Gesa has built an incredible relationship with the WIAA over the last year,” said Don Miller, President and CEO of Gesa Credit Union. “Enhancing this partnership provides Gesa a way to further impact students across Washington. I am excited to continue working together and bringing programs that positively affect change and teach lifelong lessons to our children.”

The WIAA was formed in 1905 to create equitable playing conditions between high school sports teams in Washington and provides access to equitable, fair, and diverse activities such as forensics, track and field, eSports, bowling, and much more. “The goal of the WIAA is to partner with organizations that prioritize the education of our students while serving our communities. Gesa has demonstrated these same beliefs and the WIAA is ecstatic to partner with Gesa to provide lifetime memories for our students,” said Mick Hoffman, Executive Director of the WIAA.

Both the WIAA and Gesa have a strong commitment to education and will continue to work together to highlight financial education and literacy in schools, including offering resources to classrooms across the state. To learn more about Gesa Credit Union and their commitment to the community and education, visit www.gesa.com.                                                   

Roughly half (49%) of Class of 2020 graduating seniors say their plans for after high school have changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new survey by Junior Achievement (JA) and the PMI Educational Foundation (PMIEF). Of those whose plans have changed, more than a third (36%) say they will now work, nearly as many (32%) expect to delay their start date for college, and almost a fifth (16%) changed the career path they wish to pursue. Wakefield Research surveyed 1,000 U.S. teens graduating high school in 2020 for JA and PMIEF in support of new educational initiatives by the two organizations.

"It's not surprising that the Class of 2020 has been reconsidering its plans in light of COVID-19," said Natalie Vega O’Neil, President & CEO of JA of Washington. "However, life-altering decisions are being made by these students without any clarity around what the coming weeks and months will bring. It is imperative we get as much information as possible to teens to help them navigate these uncertain times so that they can make informed decisions that positively impact their lives and secure their futures."

The need to focus on the next generation is now. According to PMEIF, the lack of financial capability is a generational issue that has progressively gotten worse over the decades, precisely because there hasn’t been enough emphasis on financial literacy education. And with the pandemic, the optimal time to teach these concepts is now.
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To help meet that need, Junior Achievement and the PMI Educational Foundation have teamed together on educational initiatives to help teens better plan for the future. The first is the JA Economic Resources website to help students and adults become educated consumers of financial information, featuring resources and information from PMIEF. The second is Project Management 4 All, a new online game that introduces teens to the concepts of project management and planning. A video that showcases project management careers complements the game. The third initiative consists of a growing platform of JA of Washington digital resources including Career Speaker and Job Shadow videos, corporate workshop opportunities, and more.

Trios Health is pleased to announce that outpatient occupational, physical and speech therapy services will be provided beginning on August 10. 
 
“We’re thrilled to be bringing these services back to our community and to offer them in conjunction with cardiac and pulmonary rehab. There’s a patient population with an increased need for therapy services in the Tri-Cities and we feel that Trios can fill that gap,” said Kristy Leitze, Interim Director of Therapy Services. “We will be able to provide top-notch level care in an amazing facility with top of the line equipment.”
 
Trios Therapy Services serves all patient types – from pediatrics through geriatrics – and operates on the second floor of the Trios Care Center at Southridge, putting Therapy Services in the same building as many Trios Health providers.
 
“We have a comprehensive model that patients can get all their therapeutic needs under one roof,” Leitze said. “We’ve brought on a team of skilled therapists that are all nationally certified with the highest credentials in their field of work.”
 
Trios Therapy Services is taking appointments now for the opening of occupational, physical and speech therapy and can be reached at 509.221.6350. Clients do need a referral from their primary care provider. 
 
Prior to the grand re-opening of these services, an open house is scheduled Aug. 5 for providers and media to tour the Therapy Services facilities and meet the therapists. Masks will be required for all attendees, and social distancing protocols will be implemented as well.
 
Media representatives wishing to attend the open house should contact Kara Heldt, Marketing Coordinator, at 509.221.5949 to make an appointment. Media appointments are available after 1:30 p.m., and one media representative is allowed at a time. All guests will be screened for temperature and possible COVID-19 symptoms prior to entry.
 
More information can be found at trioshealth.org/TherapyServices.