Tri-City Area and Real Estate Blog

• The Chamber of Commerce of West Richland is accepting nominations for its Outstanding Citizen of the Year award, which will be held January 22nd. Nominees should be be a Chamber member or work or live in the West Richland area. Call 967-0521 for more information.

• January 27 is the date for the 11th annual TRIDEC Regional Economic Outlook conference at TRAC in Pasco. The conference consists of business leaders and government officials. Call 735-1000 for details.

• $37 million was awarded to Tri City small businesses over 2009 through Washington River Protection Solutions, the Hanford Tank Operations contractor. Businesses in Benton, Franklin and Yakima counties benefited.

• A $500,000 donation to the Tri Cities WSU branch and Columbia Basin College to support local higher education, was recently made by Washington River Protection Solutions, the Hanford Tank Operations contractor, with the majority of the funding to go into science, technology and engineering programs at both facilities.

In spite of the ongoing recession, the Tri-Cities is faring much better that the rest of the state and nation. There was a gain in August of 2,400 nonfarm jobs, which is more than a 2.5 percent growth. Our strengths of food processing, health care, higher education and the Hanford area jobs made for a stable environment in Kennewick, Pasco and Richland.

This isn’t a “boom” period for the Tri-Cities, nor is it a “bust”. The wonderful work that has been done in the way of diversifying this area over the last 20 years, has made a marked improvement in our communities being able to weather the ups and downs of the economy.