On November 14, 2019, Port of Pasco Commissioners passed a resolution naming the Port’s newly purchased 300-acre industrial site the “Reimann Industrial Center” in honor of former Port Commissioner Ron Reimann. The Reimann Industrial Center is located about a mile north of the existing Pasco Processing Center at the north end of Pasco.

“It was a natural fit to name the industrial property after Ron,” stated Jean Ryckman, Port Commission President. “His entire life was dedicated to the Agriculture industry. He was a respected leader in the Ag community pioneering irrigation technology innovations, water resources management techniques, and most importantly helping shape public policy for the entire industry.”

Commissioner Reimann, wife Rella and brother-in-law, Porky Thompson, established T&R Farms in Moses Lake in 1968 and relocated the operation to Franklin County in 1973. He dedicated his career to the advancement and betterment of the Ag industry and Franklin County, serving tirelessly on the Washington State Potato Commission, Columbia Snake River Irrigators Association, Benton Franklin Council of Governments Policy Advisory Committee and the Warden and Star school board.

In November 2011, Ron was elected to the Port of Pasco Commission and served honorably until his passing in July 2017. He was highly engaged in all aspects of the Port of Pasco from business development, to the expansion of the Tri-Cities Airport to building upon partnerships to create economic development opportunities within the district.

“We are grateful to the Reimann family to allow the Port to name this industrial park after Commissioner Reimann,” stated Randy Hayden, the Port’s Executive Director. “He was highly respected by staff and Commission and it is our honor to commemorate his legacy by creating new opportunities for ag industry growth in Franklin County.”
​
The Port of Pasco plans to dedicate the Reimann Industrial Center at a community celebration and groundbreaking next spring.

Heritage University will host faith leaders from throughout the Yakima Valley for an Interfaith Brunch and Prayer Service on Monday, November 18, 2019. The first part of the event, which begins at 10:30 a.m., is a brunch where spiritual leaders will gather to share a meal, learn about Heritage, and explore the ways various spiritual traditions support students, faculty, and staff at Heritage.

The Interfaith Prayer Service, immediately following at noon, will have faith leaders who represent diverse spiritual traditions gather in prayer in recognition of the connection our campus community has with the many deep and ancient roots that ground us in the pursuit of higher education at Heritage.

Leaders of all faith communities are invited to attend the Interfaith Brunch and Prayer Service, which will be held in Smith Family Hall located in the Arts and Sciences Center at Heritage University. The event begins the observance of Spirituality Week at Heritage. For more information, please contact David Hacker at [email protected].

Area agriculture producers, processors and industry businesses set a new record with their generosity by donating $101,680 to benefit the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Inland Northwest at the 6th Annual Ag World Golf Classic held on Wednesday, June 12th at Canyon Lakes Golf Course in Kennewick, Washington. 

Ag World Support Systems was again joined by co-hosts Simplot, Lamb Weston, McCain Foods, and Potato Growers of Washington.  Through the generosity of these event hosts, 136 Sponsors/Donors and 144 golfers this year’s event was a huge success! 
​
Ag World Golf Classic presented this $101,680 check to the Ronald McDonald House Charities Inland Northwest last month after finalizing all donations.  The Ag World Golf Classic is now the largest independent fundraiser for the Ronald McDonald Charities in the Inland Northwest!
 
The Ag World Golf Classic has donated $425,647 over the past six years to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Inland Northwest. The tournament is part of Ag World Support System’s campaign to make a difference in the community by supporting the Ronald McDonald House's mission to strengthen local families and promote children’s health. 

The Ronald McDonald House Charities Inland Northwest provides temporary lodging, comfort and support for families with children receiving medical services in Spokane, Washington and supports related efforts to improve children’s health in the region. This year, Ronald McDonald House Charities Inland Northwest is building a new facility just across the street from its current location to serve even more families.

Mike Forness, Executive Director of the Ronald McDonald House Inland Northwest in Spokane, Washington said, “We are able to support so many families because of the help of generous donors from the Ag World Golf Classic! On behalf of the families and children that stay at the Ronald McDonald House we say ‘Thank you Ag World’! We see your family values, work values and church values as major reasons this fundraiser is so successful.” 

The excitement of the tournament’s success still lingers in the minds of those who worked tirelessly to see this event happen. Warren Henninger, Founder/Chairman of Ag World Support Systems, and Founder of the Ag World Golf Classic said, “Thanks to everyone for another fantastic tournament and fundraiser for the Ronald McDonald House.  We are deeply appreciative to the Sponsors, Donors, and Golfers! To God Be The Glory! 

Join us for the 7th Annual Ag World Golf Classic - Two Locations in 2020!

Tuesday, June 2 - Canyon Lakes Golf Course, in Kennewick, WA 
NEW - Thursday, June 4 - The Links at Moses Pointe, in Moses Lake, WA

Mark your calendars for these great events!  Registration opens January 2020 at agworldgolf.com.

The next seminar in Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s Community Science and Technology Seminar Series, “The Science Behind Turning Waste into Glass,” presented by Charmayne Lonergan, Glass Scientist at PNNL, will take place on Tuesday, November 12, 2019, at 7:00 p.m., at the Mid-Columbia Library (1620 S. Union St., Kennewick). 

Over 50 million gallons of legacy nuclear waste from WWII need to be contained in a stable form. The preferred approach to prevent contamination of the environment and local communities is turning the waste into glass, or vitrification. Glass is an interesting material with properties (such as color, how it flows, density, and others) that are controlled by its chemistry and processing. Work is on-going at PNNL and around the world to understand how we can optimize glass chemistry to solve real world problems! This presentation will describe why glass is an ideal approach for trapping nuclear waste.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s Community Science and Technology Seminar Series was launched to help the general public better understand and explore how science transforms our world. 

​For more information about this seminar and upcoming seminars, call (509) 375-6871.

​Benton PUD has launched a new prepaid electricity program, Pay As You Go.  Pay As You Go is the first prepaid electricity program being offered in the Tri-Cities. Pay As You Go gives customers greater control over their electricity usage by allowing them to choose when and how much electricity to buy on a prepaid basis, like adding gas to your car or buying minutes on a prepaid cellular program.

Pay As You Go is a voluntary program.  “It is a great option for customers who prefer to make smaller weekly or biweekly payments rather than paying for the entire months’ worth of electric usage all at once, said Christie McAloon, Manager of Customer Service.  “Customers have the flexibility to pay when they want and the amount they want as long as a credit balance is maintained on their account.”  

Pay As You Go customers sign up to receive notifications when their account reaches a low balance threshold.  When a customer receives a notification, they simply add more money to their account to maintain a credit balance.  Customers can avoid deposits and late fees. Payments can be made through any one of our easy and convenient self-service payment methods, including SmartHub®, the SmartHub mobile app, payment kiosks located at our offices, or our Pay by Phone service. Once a payment is made service is reconnected remotely.

If you are interested in learning more about Pay As You Go, contact Customer Service at (509) 582-2175.

Spokane Teachers Credit Union, STCU, recently awarded a $3,000 grant to the Academy of Children’s Theatre in support of its education programs. The funds will support ACT’s after school, weekend, and summer session classes. In recognition of the funding, STCU will be named as the 2020 education sponsor at ACT. In addition, STCU and ACT will be coordinating volunteer work parties to provide updates to two classrooms at ACT.
​
In awarding the grant, STCU noted that ACT aligned well with the credit union’s values of supporting education, the arts, and youth in our community. ACT executive director Anne Spilman stated, “ACT is thrilled with this new partnership with STCU, and we are really looking forward to long-term collaborative projects supporting youth arts education in our community.”

The Academy of Children’s Theatre will be hosting an original production of “The Best of Bette…A Tribute to the Divine Miss M,” on Thanksgiving weekend. Written by Cathy Kelly with musical arrangements by Steve Haberman, the show stars Cathy Kelly in the title role. Performances are Saturday, November 30 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, December 1 at 2:00 p.m. General seating tickets are $25 per person, and preferred table seating is available for $50 per person. The show is a reprise of a 2015 showcase that was a sold out event.

The evening will pay tribute to the Divine Miss M by replicating her infamous stage show highlighted by live performances of her long list of popular songs. Enjoy the spot-on portrayal of Bette Midler by local celebrity Cathy Kelly who weaves her way thru the life and times of Bette in stories and song. Steve Haberman and 7 Wheel Drive along with Melina Hall and Trish Thompson complete the cast of this one of a kind musical experience. All proceeds from the show will support the ACT Theatre Expansion Project
​
Tickets to the event are now available online at www.academyofchildrenstheatre.org.

November is Native American Heritage Month, and Heritage University is celebrating by honoring four Yakama Nation elders for their lifetime contributions to the Yakama people and their community. This year’s recipients are Corky Ambrose, Jerry Meninick, Phyllis Strom, and Patsy Whitefoot.

CORKY AMBROSE served in the US Air Force, and after returning to civilian life, he spent the next 40 years protecting natural resources of the Yakama Nation as a forester and then as a woodland firefighter. He supports fellow veterans and serves the community through the Yakama Warriors Association, an organization he helped found in 1992.

JERRY MENINICK is passionate about helping the people of the Yakama Nation thrive through the preservation and practice of their cultural history.  It grew into a profession when he started collecting elders’ stories about the Columbia River for a preservation project with the US Forest Service, and into a passion when he was elected to Tribal Council and later became Chairman.

PHYLLIS STROM spent most of her years looking out for the welfare of her people of the Yakama Nation. A bookkeeper by training, she spent 35 years safeguarding the strength and sustainability of many tribal programs. Additionally, she sought new funding sources to provide additional services to the Department of Natural Resources, Human Services and Law Enforcement, while continuing to ensure services to manpower and career enhancement programs to assist Native Americans in becoming self-sufficient and build careers to sustain their livelihood.

PATSY WHITEFOOT is not afraid of confronting injustices. She’s spent a lifetime fighting for the rights of Native peoples everywhere. She’s been a strong voice for change at the state and national levels calling for improved access to educational opportunities from preschool through college for Native American students. President Obama appointed her to serve on his National Advisory Council on Indian Education. She’s brought attention to the need for improved mental health and addiction services for Native Americans and is a leader in the movement to draw attention to the plight of missing and murdered indigenous women both on the Yakama homelands and across the nation.

The four elders are being recognized during the fifth annual Honoring Our Elders ceremony at Heritage University on Friday, November 8, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. This event is by invitation only. Also, their stories are featured in a series of full-page ads, each dedicated to a specific elder, that are running in the Yakama Nation Review throughout November.  Framed copies of these ads are being added to the permanent display of honorees at the university in the Violet Lumley Rau Center.

Heritage is holding many other events in November in observance of Native American Heritage Month as designated by President George H. W. Bush in 1990. These include:

Friday, November 8, 2019, 9:30 a.m. - Flag-raising Ceremony
Heritage University will raise the flags of the Yakama Nation, the state of Washington and the United States during a ceremony featuring the Yakama Warriors. The ceremony will begin at 9:30 a.m. and will be held at the main campus entrance. 

November 9-16, 2019 - Rock Your Mocs Week
Heritage University students, faculty and staff are invited to wear moccasins expressing tribal identity between November 9 and 16 as a way to stand together celebrating Indigenous traditions and culture around the world.

Thursday, November 14, 2019, Noon - Native American Wellness through Round Dance
The American Indigenous Business Leaders (AIBL) Chapter of Heritage University will present a Native Round Dance outside the Arts and Sciences Center. A round dance features a group of hand drummers singing traditional songs while people gather around the drummers in a friendship dance. This is called a social dance among Native people.

November 18-22: Spirituality Week

Monday, November 18, 2019, 10:30 a.m. - Interfaith Prayer Brunch
Heritage University will host an Interfaith Prayer Brunch, where spiritual leaders will gather to share a meal, learn about Heritage and explore ways our various spiritual traditions can support our life at Heritage.

Monday, November 18, 2019, Noon - Interfaith Prayer Service
We will host leaders from a diversity of spiritual traditions as we gather in prayer for our week in recognition of the connection we have with the many deep and ancient roots that ground us as we pursue our education at Heritage.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019, 5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. - Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Community Dinner. 
The public is invited to this free dinner which will be held in Smith Family Hall. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., with dinner served at 6:00 p.m. The Yakama Nation Native American Full Circle Scholarship students are invited to attend and be recognized at this gathering.

Thursday, November 21, 2019, 5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. - Indian Horse Movie Screening
Indian Horse is an adaption of Ojibway writer Richard Wagamese’s award-winning novel, this moving and important drama sheds light on the dark history of Canada’s boarding schools or Indigenous Residential Schools and the indomitable spirit of aboriginal people.

Friday, November 22, 2019, Noon - Closing Blessing in honor of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women
Join us as we close our week with blessings, smudging, and labyrinth walks in honor of MMIW. We will focus our intention on those who are absent, but are with us in our hears in the sacred circle.

For more information on these events, contact Maxine Janis at (360) 513-2808 or [email protected], Monet Becenti at (509) 865-8547 or [email protected], or David Mance at (509) 969-6084 or [email protected] or David Hacker at [email protected].

To view this press release online, click here: https://www.heritage.edu/heritage-university-honors-yakama-nation-tribal-elders-as-highlight-of-native-american-heritage-month-celebrations/

On October 31, 2019, the Port of Pasco finalized the purchase of 300-acres of land from Balcom and Moe, Inc., for the development of a new industrial center. The land is located about a mile north of the Port-developed Pasco Processing Center (PPC) off of Highway 395 at the north end of Pasco.

“In 2018, the Port sold the last large land parcel at the Pasco Processing Center. We are very excited to add this new property to the Port’s land portfolio as the next premier industrial park in our region,” stated Jean Ryckman, Port Commission President.

The land will remain in agricultural production while the Port begins planning and development of the site. It will gradually be converted to industrial use as new businesses move in. The Port expects full buildout to take up to 20 years.

The Port’s vision for this property is to replicate the success of the Pasco Processing Center. The PPC was a collaborative project between the Port of Pasco (site development), City of Pasco (industrial wastewater system) and Franklin PUD (new substation) that began in the early 1990’s. The purpose of the Processing Center was to recruit food processors to Pasco for economic diversification. The Pasco Processing Center collaboration won several awards, including the 2016 Visionary Award from the Mid-Columbia Ag Hall of Fame. Several of the area’s largest processors now call the PPC home including Twin City Foods, Syngenta, Kenyon Zero Storage, and Resers.

The Port will again look to collaborate with Franklin County, the City of Pasco and Franklin PUD on development of the new property. The Port expects the new center will see many clients
similar to the Pasco Processing Center, but also expects new industry targets attracted to the available assets.

The property was purchased for $6.5 million. Funding came from the Port’s Economic Development Opportunity Fund and a $2.25 million loan from the Hanford Area Economic Investment Fund Board. The purchase price includes water rights which can be used for agricultural and industrial purposes.

“We have been searching for the right land for quite some time. The new property checks all the boxes with excellent road access to Highway 395 and the BNSF rail network, natural gas on-site, and electrical transmission already in place. It’s just a perfect fit for heavy industrial development and we are grateful to Balcom and Moe for working with the Port to complete the sale,” stated Randy Hayden, the Port’s Executive Director.

Float Euphoria is looking for veterans suffering from PTSD who
are interested in experiencing the benefits of floatation therapy at no charge. Selected individuals will each receive five one-hour float sessions in Dreampods, spaced one week apart for maximum benefits.

Floating consists of lying in 12 inches of water saturated with over 1,100 lbs. of Epsom salts. The high levels of salt counteract the effects of gravity, allowing one to float gently on top of the water, creating the sensation of being suspended in air. The experience allows for a safe and therapeutic environment in which veterans can experience significant relaxation and even process past trauma.

A 2014 study shows that patients who underwent floatation therapy experienced reductions in blood pressure, stress, anxiety and physical pain, as well as improvements in sleep quality and optimism. For more on the study, visit https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4219027/.

“I want to give something back to those in our community who fought for our freedom,” says Float Euphoria owner Ryan Wright. “PTSD is a difficult thing to cope with and many people suffer their whole lives. Floating weightlessly in concentrated Epsom salts, also called sensory deprivation, has been an
immense help to PTSD sufferers all over the world. We’re the only resource in the Tri-Cities offering this unique form of treatment.”

Applications will be accepted November 11-December 1, 2019. To learn more about the program and apply, visit www.floateuphoria.com/vets/.