Pasco Archives | Northwest Public Broadcasting

Past As Prologue: Remembering A Pasco Civil Rights Protest And Discrimination That Built Tri-Cities

By NWPB News December 29, 2020

Black man in the middle of whites in line at grocery store.

By 1950, 20% of Pasco’s approximately 10,000 residents were Black, almost all living in slum conditions. Few lived in the new atomic community of Richland and none in “lily-white” Kennewick -- a fact of which Kennewick city leaders and police at the time were proud. Not only was housing segregated, but Black residents were forced to endure broad discrimination in Read More

‘Traverse Talks’ Episode 2: Poet Jordan Chaney On Acknowledging, Learning From And Healing Racism

By Mia Hunt October 27, 2020

Photo of Poet Jordan, second guest on Traverse Talks with Sueann Ramella

Poet Jordan Chaney, from Pasco, Washington, joins this episode of "Traverse Talks" and gives advice on how to be a true ally and setting and respecting boundaries when talking about race. Continue Reading ‘Traverse Talks’ Episode 2: Poet Jordan Chaney On Acknowledging, Read More

‘The Perfect Time For Change’: Tri-Cities Protests Recall Past Police Shooting, Racist History

By Courtney Flatt June 12, 2020

Rapper Karma (left), who started making music in Richland and now lives in Seattle, said people weren’t doing enough before now. He said the protesters were “warming his heart to see how much love is in this city.” CREDIT: Courtney Flatt/NWPB

This moment of protest for racial justice is perhaps more poignant in Pasco, where five years ago the city reeled from its most high profile police shooting. The killing of Antonio Zambrano-Montes and the fallout after have marked this city, in murals and memorials, in police interactions and protests. Read More

Seattle BLM Protest Turns Violent As Man Drives Into Crowd, Shoots; Spokane Sees Big Event Again

By NWPB News June 8, 2020

A man drives into the crowd at 11th and Pike, injuring at least one person, before exiting the car and brandishing an apparent firearm, Sunday, June 7, 2020, in Seattle, during protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The man reaching into the car to stop it was injured. CREDIT: Rutz/The Seattle Times via AP

At least one person was injured Sunday as a car drove into a crowd during a peaceful protest in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood. The Seattle Fire Department said the victim was a 27-year-old male who was shot and taken to a hospital in stable condition. Read More

‘Enjoy. Enjoy!’ Washington State Parks Reopen, And Humans Rejoin The Geese And Deer

By Courtney Flatt May 5, 2020

Washington State Parks area manager Audra Sims removes the “Emergency Closure” sign from the gate at Sacajawea Historical State Park, outside Pasco. The park re-opened to the public on May 5, after a nearly six-week closure. CREDIT: Courtney Flatt/NWPB

For the last six weeks, if you followed a winding road past the Port of Pasco and the start of a recreational trail, you’d come to a closed gate. A large orange “Emergency Closure” sign tacked to its front. Today, the sign came down, and the gate opened. Read More

‘A Complete Public Health Nightmare’: 150+ Tyson Workers Near Pasco Test Positive For COVID-19

By Anna King April 30, 2020

File photo of a Tyson Foods meat processing plant. A Tyson facility in Wallula, Washington, is dealing with an expanding coronavirus outbreak. Courtesy of Tyson Foods

Health officials have tested more than 1,000 Tyson Fresh Meats plant workers for COVID-19 in Wallula, Washington, near Pasco. As of Friday afternoon, 111 have tested positive in the plant that slaughters and processes beef products. Read More

Washington Ecology Dept. Has Burning Desire To Clean Up Long-Smoldering Pasco Landfill

By Courtney Flatt September 27, 2018

This photo from the 1970s shows various solvents and industrial chemicals that Washington state Ecology officials are trying to clean up in a Pasco Superfund site. CREDIT: WA DOE

After nearly 20 years, a troubled landfill-turned Superfund site outside Pasco may soon have a final cleanup plan. Washington State Department of Ecology managers presented options Wednesday at a public meeting in the Tri-Cities. Read More

Pasco Dairy Workers Take Labor Case – And A Motor Coach – To Seattle For Hunger Demonstration

By Esmy Jimenez September 20, 2018

Miguel Cuevas was on the bus in Pasco early Thursday, Sept. 20, heading to Seattle for a five-day hunger demonstration with his fellow "Darigold Dozen." CREDIT: ESMY JIMENEZ/NWPB

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. Read More

Attorney: Central Washington ICE Arrests ‘Hostage Situation’ As Mother Traded For Son

By Esmy Jimenez June 29, 2018

A protester outside the Yakima County Jail Wednesday, June 27 joins several others in calling for the release of detained immigrants. CREDIT: ESMY JIMENEZ/NWPB

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents made several arrests in Central Washington this week in Basin City and Pasco. In one case, a mother was detained even though agents were looking for her son. Continue Read More