Tri Cities Archives | Northwest Public Broadcasting

Governor Says Tri-Cities Has Seen ‘Astronomical’ Rise In COVID; Protesters Say ‘Inslee Is Non-Essential’

By Courtney Flatt June 30, 2020

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee speaks at a news conference at Columbia Basin College in Pasco June 30, 2020. Hecklers yelling at him, some with signs and flags for Trump 2020 and Republican gubernatorial candidate Loren Culp, caused the event to be moved inside. CREDIT: Courtney Flatt/NWPB

Over the past two weeks, Inslee said infection rates have increased six-fold in Franklin County and nearly five-fold in Benton County. The main thing that could help, he said: masks. “Yes, there’s controversy, as there is in any great, noble endeavor, but the vast majority of people in (the Tri-Cities region) want to beat this pandemic,” Inslee said. Read More

‘Individuals Need To Take Responsibility’ For Wearing Masks, Says Tri-Cities Region Health Officer

By Enrique Pérez de la Rosa June 22, 2020

Perla Torres, a fruit packer at Jack Frost Fruit, poses for a photograph wearing a mask she says she bought from a supervisor. CREDIT: Enrique Pérez de la Rosa/NWPB

Cases of COVID-19 are rising dramatically in Washington’s Yakima County and the Tri-Cities region of Benton and Franklin counties. That’s driving local health officials to urge residents to wear masks in public. 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

Former Defense Secretary Mattis, Now A Resident Of The Tri-Cities, Issues Stunning Rebuke Of Trump

By NPR News June 4, 2020

President Donald Trump in October 2018 with, from left, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford and Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller. Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP

Retired Marine Gen. Jim Mattis, who resigned as President Trump's defense secretary nearly a year-and-a-half ago over policy differences, has issued an extraordinary critique of the White House's handling of nationwide unrest, saying Trump has sought to divide Americans, and warning against "militarizing our response" to the protests. 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

Tri-Cities Couple Share Their Experience With Self-Quarantine

By Sueann Ramella March 9, 2020

Bruce Bjornstad and Diana Moeller of the Tri Cities. hed a self-quarantine. They shared their experience and offer advice.

A couple from the Tri Cities shares their experience with self-quarantine and offer advice. Continue Reading Tri-Cities Couple Share Their Experience With Self-QuarantineRead More

Benton & Franklin Counties Special Election Information

By NWPB Vote 2020 February 9, 2020

Benton and Franklin Counties voter information

Find out what's on the ballot for this election, where to drop off ballots and more. Continue Reading Benton & Franklin Counties Special Election InformationRead More

Tri-Cities Concerts Go Beyond Politics To Highlight Lives Of DACA Recipients

By Enrique Pérez de la Rosa January 2, 2020

The Mid-Columbia Mastersingers will hold three performances of “American Dreamers,” a presentation of work written by composers who are also immigrants to the U.S., on January 10, 11 and 12. CREDIT: Enrique Pérez de la Rosa/NWPB

Daniela Medina is a first-grade teacher in the Kennewick School District — at the same school she found herself in at age six when she and her family immigrated to Washington from Mexico in 2001. The Mid-Columbia Mastersingers are holding concerts January 10, 11 and 12 of music by immigrant composers to tell the stories behind the politics. Read More

Trapped Cars Face New Year’s Eve Travel Menace In #tumblegeddon Near Hanford

By NPR News January 1, 2020

The Washington State Department of Transportation used snow plows Tuesday evening to remove a pile of tumbleweeds along State Route 240 near Richland. CREDIT: WSP/Chris Thorson

"In the 20 years that I have worked here, I have never seen it as bad as this," says Washington State Patrol trooper Chris Thorson. "I've never seen six to eight cars, including a semi-truck, actually stopped and trapped on a highway because of tumbleweeds." Read More

‘The Heat Is On’: Tri-Cities And Yakima Demonstrations Add Voices To Global Climate Events

By NWPB News September 20, 2019

Alexandra Sasha Grieb and Kyleigh Dabler, both 19, from Kennewick, waved at passing cars driving by Richland’s John Dam Plaza. Grieb said it will be up to younger generations to fight climate change now with their votes. “The earth will survive climate change. Humans won’t,” she said. CREDIT: Courtney Flatt/NWPB

The demonstrations, including those in the Tri-Cities and Yakima, were part of a global effort coordinated largely by students and young adults to draw attention to climate change and the need for elected officials, business leaders and individuals to take action. Read More

Expert Women Explore The Heavy Burden Of Hanford Cleanup In Tri-Cities Event On March 21

By NWPB News March 12, 2019

Anna King interviewing Jane Hedges, the now retired head of Washington Ecology’s Hanford office. Hedges grew up swimming off the docks in Richland, but only understood the massive scope of the cleanup needed at Hanford later in life. CREDIT: Kai-Huei Yau / Daughters of Hanford

PHOTO: Anna King interviewing Jane Hedges, the now-retired head of Washington Ecology’s Hanford office. Hedges grew up swimming off the docks in Richland, but only understood the massive scope of the cleanup needed at Hanford later in life. CREDIT: Kai-Huei Yau / Daughters of Hanford You’ve heard Tri-Cities correspondent Anna King on the radio for years,… Read More

A Match Made In Jail: Fugitive Sees Wanted Poster, Makes ‘Date’ To Turn Self In To Richland Police

By NPR News December 8, 2018

Anthony Akers, 38, turned himself in after responding online to a "Wanted Wednesday" callout by Richland Police Department, seeking his arrest. CREDIT: RICHLAND POLICE/FACEBOOK

Anthony Akers, who was wanted for failure to comply with the terms of his probation, became an Internet sensation after exchanging a series of Facebook posts with police in Washington state. Continue Reading A 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

Will Hanford Workers Finally Be Safe From Toxic Exposure?

By NWPB News September 24, 2018

In this July 9, 2014, file photo, workers wearing protective clothing and footwear inspect a valve at the "C" tank farm on the Hanford Nuclear Reservation near Richland, Wash. CREDIT: TED S. WARREN

Last week, the state of Washington, a Hanford union and a Hanford watchdog organization said they have tentatively settled a three-year old lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Energy over workers being made sick from toxic vapors from Hanford’s underground tanks. Read More

Marking End Of Ramadan Fast In Central Washington

By Esmy Jimenez June 15, 2018

The Islamic Center of Tri Cities (ICTC) hosted 400 people for Eid-al Fitr this year. Hala Abdelall (left) is a volunteer who helped organize the festivities and Ridha Mabruki [right] is the President of the center. The ICTC plans to expand this year with 10 additional classrooms and a bigger prayer hall for the growing community. CREDIT: ESMY JIMENEZ/NWPB

The Islamic Center of Tri-Cities hosted around 400 people for Eid-al Fitr June 15, marking the end of Ramadan. To celebrate, the Center hosted an event complete with food, bounce houses for kids, and even pony rides. Continue Reading Marking End Of Ramadan Read More

Tri-Cities Nuclear Reactor Columbia Generating Station Shuts Down In Unplanned Event

By Anna King May 20, 2018

The Columbia Generating Station is the Northwest's only commercial nuclear power plant. Courtesy Energy Northwest

The Northwest’s only commercial nuclear reactor went offline Friday morning in an unplanned event. The Columbia Generating Station went offline around 7 a.m. when its main power transformers automatically disconnected from the grid. Read More

Hanford Tank Waste Among Top Federal Challenges For 2018

By Anna King December 18, 2017

Insitu uses engines built by Orbital Corporation to power its ScanEagle UAV. INSITU Listen Originally published Nov. 30, 2017 The unmanned aircraft industry cluster in the Columbia River Gorge is growing yet again. An Australian company that specializes in drone engines plans to open a factory in Hood River, Oregon, early next year. Orbital Corporation announced… Read More

Daughters of Hanford: Manhattan Project Secretary Locked Up Secret Files At Night

By Anna King November 16, 2015

Sue Olson, 94, was a Manhattan Project era secretary at Hanford during World War II. She locked her filing drawer anytime she left her office. CREDIT KAI-HUEI YAU Listen In World War Two, the Hanford Nuclear Reservation was brand new. Sue Olson was there as a young secretary. She took shorthand, pumped out calculations… Read More

Daughters of Hanford: A Landscape Written With Human Stories

By Anna King October 1, 2015

Listen Originally published on October 1, 2015 In southeast Washington state, a group of farms has been frozen in time. It’s at Hanford, the area the federal government took over to make plutonium during World War II. “It’s amazing that it’s been preserved in a way by the Manhattan Project,” said archaeologist Ellen Prendergast Kennedy.… Read More

Daughters Of Hanford: 3 Generations Shaped By The Atomic Bomb On Nagasaki

By Anna King April 1, 2015

Shirley Olinger, left, her daughter Sarah McCormick and mother Kazuko [Ozaki] Nishimoto have strong connections with Hanford. KAI-HUEI YAU Listen Wherever she was, she stood out for being half white, or half Japanese. Shirley Olinger will only whisper the racist names she was called as a girl. She was born in Japan to a Japanese… Read More