Through its Van-Me-Down Program, Ben Franklin Transit’s (BFT) CEO Thomas Drozt will present the keys to a 2013 seven-passenger Dodge Caravan to Elijah Family Homes and a 2017 15-passenger Chevrolet Express van to Seasons Housing on Tuesday, September 30, at 1:30 p.m. at their offices located at 921 S. Auburn Street in Kennewick. Lisa Godwin, the executive director of Elijah Family Homes, and Jason Bliss, the executive director of the Washington Alliance for Quality Recovery Residences (WAQRR), will accept the vans on behalf of their respective nonprofits. The agency is proud to award the vans, which were recently retired from the Rideshare fleet.

​“At Ben Franklin Transit, we believe in supporting organizations like Elijah Family Homes and Seasons Housing that make a tangible difference in our community. Awarding vehicles to these essential nonprofits is more than just a contribution; it’s a commitment to empowering individuals, expanding access to opportunities, and advancing their vital mission. Together, we can drive meaningful change and make a lasting impact on those we serve,” said Drozt.

Following the success of the inaugural “Generative AI Essentials: Workplace Applications and Ethical Use” workshop, Washington State University Tri-Cities’ continuing education program Cougar Tracks will host a second session, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2 on the WSU Tri-Cities campus.

The first session drew 34 participants representing 10 regional organizations, including the City of Richland, Port of Kennewick, Kadlec Regional Medical Center, Tri-Cities Cancer Center, Gesa Credit Union and more. Several companies sent multiple team members, highlighting growing organizational investment in AI skill-building.

Feedback from participants underscored both the timeliness and the value of the training. Many noted that the workshop provided hands-on practice with AI tools such as Microsoft Copilot and ChatGPT and fostered important conversations about ethics, workplace integration and the future of regional workforce competitiveness.

“Cougar Tracks is proud to lead the way in offering applied AI education that meets the real needs of our community,” said Michelle Hrycauk Nassif, director of Cougar Tracks. “What makes our workshops different is the engagement across industries — from health care and government to construction and small business. We’re creating a learning hub where professionals learn from one another as much as they learn from the instructor.”

One participant echoed this impact, stating, “This workshop gave me the confidence to start using AI tools right away in my work. It was eye-opening to see how other industries are approaching the same challenges, and I walked away with practical strategies I can apply immediately.”

Another participant who attended with a team said, “Some members of my team are experts in artificial intelligence; others hadn’t used it. No matter the skill level, we all came away with helpful information and techniques to responsibly and ethically use AI in the workplace.”

In addition to the upcoming workshop on Oct. 2, more generative AI workshops are planned to meet growing demand. The Cougar Tracks program will launch an AI-focused workshop series in 2026. Individuals interested in continuing education and professional development from WSU Tri-Cities can sign up for the Cougar Tracks newsletter on the website to receive program updates.

Registration for the Oct. 2 workshop is now open.

Elijah Family Homes invites the community to its 10th Annual Community Breakfast on Friday, October 24, 2025, at the HAPO Center in Pasco. Doors open at 7:00 a.m. This inspiring event brings together business leaders, community partners, and supporters to help make a lasting impact for families right here in our community.

Elijah Family Homes provides stable housing and supportive services for families working to rebuild their lives after the challenges of addiction. Through programs that foster hope, dignity, and self-sufficiency, families gain the resources they need to get back on their feet and create a brighter future.

We are calling on local businesses to be a sponsor for this important event. Sponsorship provides a unique opportunity to not only highlight your commitment to the community but also to directly support families striving for long-term stability and recovery. Together, we can continue to provide life-changing resources that make hope possible.

This event is open to the public, and we are planning for 400–450 attendees from across the Tri-Cities region. Guests will hear powerful personal stories from families whose lives have been transformed, learn about the impact Elijah Family Homes is making, and discover how they can join in the mission.

Event Details:

• What: 10th Annual Community Breakfast
• When: Friday, October 24, 2025 | Doors open at 7:00 a.m. Where: HAPO Center, Pasco, WA
• Who: Open to the community | 400–450 attendees expected
  

​For more information on sponsorship opportunities or to reserve your spot, please visit: https://elijah-family-homes.givecloud.co/10th-annual-community-breakfast

The Pasco City Council has appointed Joe Cotta to serve as District 4 Councilmember for the remainder of the term vacated by Pete Serrano earlier this year. Cotta will represent Pasco’s District 4 through November 25th, and potentially until December 31st, 2025.

Cotta was selected from among four finalists interviewed during a Special Meeting on September 15th, 2025. Following the Council’s decision, Mayor David Milne administered the oath of office.

During the interview process, Cotta told City Council he believes that the primary duty of a City Councilmember is to listen to constituents. He also highlighted his agricultural background as a vineyard manager, and his current work as Pastor and President of the Harvest Valley Cavalry Chapel in Prosser.

“I have general management experience, in the sense that you’re managing assets and employees and capital budgets and operating budgets. I have union negotiation experience,” Cotta explained, adding: “As a pastor, I’m going to be experienced with the needs of the community; I’m going to be experienced with managing a non-profit and all those kinds of things.”

Cotta will serve on the Pasco City Council until the November election. If the results of the November election leave the District 4 seat vacant, Cotta will continue to represent the district through the end of 2025.
​
Residents wishing to contact Councilmember Cotta directly can do so through the City of Pasco website: pasco-wa.gov/council.

Tri-Cities Animal Services (TCAS) invites the community to our 2025 Felines & Firefighters adoption event:
​
Saturday, September 27th
10:00AM-2:00PM
1311 S. 18th Avenue, Pasco
 
This is a great opportunity for animal lovers to come by TCAS, meet our adoptable cats and kittens (and dogs!), and visit with local firefighters. You can also learn more about our volunteer and foster programs, which give these loving pets the best possible chance at finding a forever home.

The Felines & Firefighters event is free to attend, and if you meet a pet that feels like the perfect match, you can adopt them on the spot! All TCAS pets are spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped. The adoption fee to take home a new pet is just $50 each.

Join us Saturday, September 27th, as we work to make sure every pet in the Tri-Cities has a loving and caring home in our community.

As Northwest United Protestant Church prepares to close its doors after decades of service, its final act will leave a lasting legacy for local children. The church has established a permanent endowment fund of $100,000 to support the direct needs of students at Jefferson Elementary School. 

Administered by 3 Rivers Community Foundation (3RCF), the fund will provide annual grants to Jefferson Elementary, ensuring sustained support for students facing barriers to success. From the gift, $4,000 is being distributed immediately to be used for the current school year. The balance will be invested and endowed to provide an annual grant for each school year. The fund is specifically designated to meet essential student needs such as school supplies, hygiene items, clothing, pantry staples, and access to extracurricular activities. It will not be used for salaries, administrative costs, or facility expenses. 

Rev. Dr. Miriam Gentle, representing Northwest United Protestant Church, shared: 
“This is more than a financial gesture. It is a final act of faith — a continuation of our commitment to compassion and community. It is our sincere hope that these funds will support your efforts in addressing some of the social concerns that stirred the hearts of our congregation for decades, and at a level of giving that was never before possible for us.” 

Amy Salinas, Principal of Jefferson Elementary, expressed deep gratitude: 
“On behalf of our staff and families, I want to thank Northwest United Protestant Church for this extraordinary gift. Their ongoing support will make a meaningful difference in the lives of Jefferson students year after year.” 

Dr. Shelley Redinger, Superintendent of Richland School District, added: 
“We are grateful to Northwest United Protestant Church and 3 Rivers Community Foundation for their generous gift to Jefferson Elementary. Establishing this fund reflects a strong commitment to education and our community and will make a lasting difference for our students for years to come.” 

Abbey Cameron, CEO of 3 Rivers Community Foundation, shared: 
“3RCF is uniquely positioned to manage this type of gift. Adding this fund to the permanent community endowment built over the last 25 years allows for a perpetual impact on our community. We are honored to maintain the intent of Northwest United Protestant Church and preserve this support for students at Jefferson Elementary now and for years to come.” 

A formal check presentation is planned at Jefferson Elementary on Monday, September 22nd at 1:30pm to celebrate the launch of the fund and honor the church’s enduring impact on the community. Please confirm your plan to attend at [email protected].  

The Pasco Fire Department, along with multiple local, state, and federal partners, will conduct a large-scale emergency response exercise at the Tri-Cities Airport (PSC) on Wednesday, September 17, 2025.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires these live exercises every three years to ensure agencies are prepared to work together and that aviation safety rules and emergency response protocols are followed.

This year’s scenario will simulate a plane crash caused by a drone. Agencies participating include:

• Pasco Fire Department
• Richland Fire Department
• Kennewick Fire Department
• Franklin County Emergency Management
• Franklin County Sheriff’s Office
• Pasco Police Department
• Port of Pasco
• Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
• Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
  
  

In addition, 70 Tri-Tech students will play the role of crash survivors with realistic moulage makeup.

This event is expected to have minimal impact on normal airport operations and no direct impact to the public. 

The City of Richland invites community members to attend an Aging in Place Resource Event on Wednesday, September 17, from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. at the Richland Community Center, Riverview Room, 500 Amon Park Drive. The event is free and open to seniors, caregivers, and individuals preparing for retirement.

Attendees will learn about services, tools, and community connections designed to support healthy, independent living for older adults. The event will feature:

• Information on local programs that help seniors stay safe, active, and engaged
• Tools and resources for maintaining independence at home
• Guidance and support for caregivers and family members
• Opportunities to connect with community organizations and providers

“Our goal is to help Richland residents understand the many resources available to support aging in place,” said Nylah Holt, Community Resources Navigator. “By bringing these connections together, we hope to empower seniors and families to feel more confident about planning for the future.”

Event Details:
Richland Community Center, Riverview Room
500 Amon Park Drive, Richland, WA
Wednesday, September 17, 2025
9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Free and open to the public

For more information including a list of vendors, visit www.ci.richland.wa.us/aginginplace.

Hayden Homes is honored to announce that Great Place To Work® and Fortune Magazine have selected the company for two prestigious awards representing its positive culture, employee experience, leadership and community-driven work.​

For its first recognition, Hayden Homes ranked 3rd on the 2025 Fortune Best Workplaces in Construction™ List. This is Hayden Homes’ 2nd time being named to this prestigious list. Earning a spot means that Hayden Homes is one of the best companies to work for in the country. The Best Workplaces in Construction award is based on analysis of survey responses from nearly 54,000 employees at Great Place To Work Certified™ companies in the construction industry.

The second recognition celebrates Hayden Homes’ ranking as 21st on the 2025 Fortune Best Medium Workplaces™ List, elevating the company out of all medium-sized workplaces in the nation, not just those in construction. This award is highly competitive. To determine the Best Medium Workplaces list, Great Place To Work analyzed the survey responses of over 228,000 employees from Great Place To Work Certified™ companies with between 100 and 999 U.S. employees.

Great Place to Work, which is the global authority on workplace culture, chooses its honorees based on the survey data and a company’s ability to offer positive outcomes for employees regardless of job role, race, gender, sexual orientation, work status, or other demographic identifier.

“Small and medium businesses can compete with anyone for talent when they build an irresistible culture,” says Michael C. Bush, CEO at Great Place To Work. “These companies make the most of their strategic advantages as smaller organizations, ensuring every employee feels recognized for their contributions and rewarded with their fair share of the benefits of success.”

Survey Says: 98-100% Are Proud to Share They Work at Hayden Homes

This year in Hayden Homes’ Great Place to Work survey results, 98% of all team members–and 100% of all women and minority team members–said the company is a great place to work, compared with an average of just 57% of employees who felt the same at other companies in the U.S. That’s a ranking of more than 40% higher than the average U.S. company.

Hayden Homes offers a home purchase discount program, 401k match of up to $10,000 per year and up to 16 hours of paid volunteer time per year, encouraging team members to contribute directly to nonprofits in their communities. Team members are also active participants in uplifting events such as wall raisings and key dedication ceremonies for First Story–a nonprofit founded by Hayden Homes in 1998 that provides homeownership opportunities to under-resourced families, breaking cycles of generational poverty. The company offers a 100% match for team member paycheck contributions to First Story, totaling more than $1.8 million dollars to date, with more than 85% participation from team members.

“We are so proud to be ranked among the nation’s top employers in both the construction field and amongst all medium-sized companies,” said Patti Murphy, vice president of employee engagement with Hayden Homes. “Our culture is deeply rooted in our Give As You Go™ philosophy; which means we prioritize people, encourage volunteerism, and support our community in ways that make a real difference. This shared purpose transforms our day-to-day work into a mission that we are grateful has such value and meaning to our team members. They are the reason we have achieved these accolades.”

Students and community members seeking employment or internships will have the opportunity to meet with area employers at the Washington State University Tri-Cities career and internship fair on Oct. 21 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will be held on the WSU Tri-Cities campus, in the Consolidated Information Center. Registration for both employers and participants is now open.

Thanks to the collaboration of WorkSource, and Columbia Basin College, local organizations from a wide variety of industries are slated to attend, giving ample opportunity for students and community members to explore their options for employment. Attendees seeking employment opportunities should come prepared with copies of resumes, as well as other documents they may wish to share.

John Navarro, career center coordinator, said the event is a win for both employers and job seekers. "Employers can meet motivated individuals who are eager to contribute, and job seekers get to see what roles might be a good fit for them. For those new to networking, it’s also an excellent way to start building relationships and developing the skills that will support their long-term career success.”

All attendees must register in advance. Interested employers that wish to have a booth at the event must register by Oct. 1. For information regarding the event and registration for both students and employers, visit: tricities.wsu.edu/event/fall-2025-career-internship-fair/.