Business & Economy
Business & Economy

Washington Could See Gas Shortage After British Columbia Pipeline Explosion
A pipeline explosion in British Columbia risks cutting off the flow of Canadian natural gas to Washington, and companies are urging customers to conserve. Continue Reading Washington Could See Gas Shortage After British Columbia Pipeline Explosion

Your Word Of The Day Is ‘Torrefaction.’ First-Of-Its Kind Plant To Open In Eastern Oregon
Construction begins soon in eastern Oregon for the first commercial-scale “torrefaction” facility in the country. If you don’t know what that word means, you’re in good company. But the process itself isn’t all that exotic. Think of how your coffee beans get crispy. Continue Reading Your Word Of The Day Is ‘Torrefaction.’ First-Of-Its Kind Plant To Open In Eastern Oregon

Unemployment Rate Drops To 3.7 Percent, Lowest In Nearly 50 Years
The jobless rate last month was the lowest since 1969, though the economy added a less-than-expected 134,000 jobs, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said. Wage growth slowed to a 2.8 percent rate. Continue Reading Unemployment Rate Drops To 3.7 Percent, Lowest In Nearly 50 Years

The American Dream Is Harder To Find In Some Neighborhoods
Does the neighborhood you grow up in determine how far you move up the economic ladder? A new online data tool being made public Monday finds a strong correlation between where people are raised and their chances of achieving the American dream. Continue Reading The American Dream Is Harder To Find In Some Neighborhoods

Pasco Dairy Workers Take Labor Case – And A Motor Coach – To Seattle For Hunger Demonstration
Dairy workers and members of the United Farm Workers union boarded a coach bus on their way to Seattle this week. It’s all for the start of a five-day fast to bring awareness to their Darigold Dozen campaign against the Ruby Ridge Dairy near Pasco.
Continue Reading Pasco Dairy Workers Take Labor Case – And A Motor Coach – To Seattle For Hunger Demonstration

The ‘Beerification’ Of Northwest Wine: Putting It In Less-Fussy Cans
Some winemakers are calling it the “beerification” of wine. Many Northwest winemakers are trying to make wine a little less fussy by putting it in aluminum cans. Continue Reading The ‘Beerification’ Of Northwest Wine: Putting It In Less-Fussy Cans

Customs And Border Protection Plans To Decrease Hours For Northeastern Washington Crossing
U.S. Customs and Border Protection plans to reduce operating hours at a border crossing between Danville, and Grand Forks, British Columbia, and residents in Ferry County, Washington aren’t pleased. Continue Reading Customs And Border Protection Plans To Decrease Hours For Northeastern Washington Crossing

With Billions At Stake, Supreme Court Rules States May Tax Online Retailers
The Supreme Court ruled June 21 that states can collect state sales taxes from online retailers on consumer purchases. The decision overruled a decades-old precedent that had protected out-of-state sellers from being required to collect such taxes. Continue Reading With Billions At Stake, Supreme Court Rules States May Tax Online Retailers

Home On The (Solar) Range: Energy Developers Clamor For Washington’s Grazing Land
Renewable energy developers are showing interest in converting public grazing lands in sunny central Washington into large solar farms. The state Department of Natural Resources says around 15 companies have expressed interest in long-term leases of public rangeland properties, primarily in Klickitat County but also in Yakima, Grant, Douglas and Kittitas counties. Continue Reading Home On The (Solar) Range: Energy Developers Clamor For Washington’s Grazing Land

Tariffed Northwest Cherry Growers Don’t Have Much Time To Sort Out Marketing Strategy
So how do you convince a Chinese customer to pay a bit extra for already-expensive fresh Northwest cherries this summer? Continue Reading Tariffed Northwest Cherry Growers Don’t Have Much Time To Sort Out Marketing Strategy

Major Wenatchee Fruit Company Stemilt Growers Settles Sexual Harassment And Retaliation Suit
In the wake of the Me Too movement, a sexual harassment and retaliation case at a large fruit company brings the issue closer to home in Wenatchee. Stemilt Growers, a leader in Washington’s apple and cherry industry, has agreed to pay nearly $100,000 to settle a lawsuit with a former employee. Continue Reading Major Wenatchee Fruit Company Stemilt Growers Settles Sexual Harassment And Retaliation Suit

We’ve Got A Pit-Load Of Exports To China. Will Tariffs Hurt?
New tariffs on exports to China could have a big impact on Washington state. Tariffs went into effect Monday on 128 American products, including fruit, pork and metal pipes, in retaliation for proposed U.S. tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminum. Continue Reading We’ve Got A Pit-Load Of Exports To China. Will Tariffs Hurt?