Now is the time to start assembling holiday-themed floats for the Numerica Hometown Holiday Parade, welcoming Santa to downtown Kennewick on Saturday, December 7. More than 5,000 people are expected to line the Kennewick Avenue parade route to celebrate Santa’s arrival, participate in Claus Plaza activities and shop local merchants.
Numerica Credit Union will award a $250 gift card to the best float design and $100 to the most inspired second place entry. Organizations, businesses and individuals are encouraged to participate. Entry is free and applications are due Monday, November 25th. “People had a blast last year and love the nostalgic feeling they get when they see all of those kids waiting to see Santa,” said Brandon Lange, Recreation, Facility and Marketing Supervisor at the City of Kennewick. “It’s an opportunity for kids, families and our community to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year, and be entertained by creative and festive floats, musicians and performers.” Floats and participants congregate at 9:30am on December 7 for the 10:30-11am parade. Visit www.go2kennewick.com/Holidays for application and details.
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Heartlinks Hospice & Palliative Care will be hosting two Grief and the Holidays Workshops on Monday, November 4 and Tuesday, November 5, to help people cope with the loss of a loved one.
Holidays and other special days can be an extremely difficult time of year for those who have lost loved ones. “During the holidays, everyone is supposed to be happy and enjoying themselves, but for those that have just lost a loved one, they often feel sad, lonely, and maybe even depressed” said Debra Roe-Johnson, Clinical Director for Heartlinks, “but holidays do not necessarily have to be all sad and these workshops can help teach you how to cope with your seasonal grief”. The community is invited to come discover ways to help not just get through the holidays but to work through grief at a deeper level than ever. The hope is that the information provided during this time together will help the community through the difficult time of having lost a loved one. There is no timeline for grief, and therefore all are invited, whatever the circumstances of their loss. Heartlinks is providing two opportunities for the public to attend a Grief and the Holidays workshop:
For more information, please contact Joan Souders, Bereavement Coordinator at 509-837-1676 or learn more at heartlinkshospice.org. College students in the Tri-Cities can explore different degree offerings to enhance their careers during a Heritage University open house at Columbia Basin College (CBC) in Pasco on November 7, 2019. Representatives of the degree programs as well as financial aid and enrollment specialists from both Heritage and CBC to help prospective students learn more about the transfer process from CBC to Heritage, and receive information about the programs offered at Heritage’s Tri-Cities site. Prospective students will learn more about the programs offered at Heritage’s Tri-Cities site to help and answer questions.
Heritage University offers five programs at CBC for students to turn their associate degree into a bachelor’s, and one program to turn a bachelor’s degree into a master’s. The five undergraduate degrees are criminal justice, elementary education (K-8th grade), psychology, accounting, and social work. People with a bachelor’s degree can obtain a Master in Teaching (MIT) with a K-8 elementary endorsement and the option to add more. Marisol Rodriguez-Price, the director of the Heritage University office at CBC, said the open-house serves as a one-stop-shop for students wanting to explore options in furthering their education and achieving their career goals. “Not only will people get to meet the chairs of each of the five programs we offer, but our Director of Admissions and Director of Financial Aid will be available to answer their questions and walk them through the process of applying,” said Rodriguez-Price. “Those who attend will see the personalized service and resources we offer to help them earn their bachelor’s degree or master’s degree. Also, students without an AA-DTA can speak with CBC recruiters for information on how to complete transfer requirements.” The open house will take place at the “B” building at CBC from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. For more information, contact Marisol Rodriguez-Price at (509) 542-5506 or [email protected]. Construction of the nearly 49,000 square foot entertainment center at Wildhorse Resort & Casino is showing real signs of progress now that the expanded parking areas of have been completed.
“It was important to first accommodate our guests by replacing the parking spaces absorbed by the development,” explained Gary George, CEO of Wildhorse Resort & Casino. “The new construction consumes 338 spaces but we’re adding 537. In the end, we’ll have more parking than before.” The new parking areas can be accessed to the north, along Wildhorse Boulevard, and to the south, along Kusi Road. More parking will be added east of the Rivers Event Center as weather permits. The development area adjacent to the Cineplex is being heavily excavated and portions of the foundation have been poured. A new entrance has been installed to access the Cineplex, arcade, and Children’s Entertainment Center. The former entrance is no longer accessible but guests can now enter on the opposite side of the building, between the Cineplex and Traditions. Management recommends that guests park in the new south parking area and follow signs to the entrance. Management advises anyone requiring ADA access to use the casino or hotel entrances. There is no ADA designated parking in the south parking lot and stairs are required to reach the new entrance. Management will continue to provide signage and maps to assist guests in their navigation of the property. Once completed, the entertainment center will house a spacious 24-lane bowling center, a food court with four storefronts, and a 2500 square foot arcade with over 30 games. The bowling center will include eight boutique lanes, 16 standard lanes, a beverage/snack bar, private party rooms and lockers. Friends, family and leagues will be able to bowl for entertainment or competition. Terry Walsh, who has been with the City of Kennewick for over 28 years, and has served in her current role as Executive Director of Employee and Community Services for the last 10 years, will retire on December 31, 2019. As a member of the senior leadership team, she leads the efforts of Human Resources, Parks and Recreation and Economic Development.
Terry has been engaged in many areas of the community serving on the Historic Downtown Kennewick Association, leading the Kennewick’s Art Commission, serving as the City’s Executive Ambassador for Junior Achievement, just to name a few. The economic development successes under her leadership have been numerous and will continue to impact our community for years to come. Earlier this year, Terry was presented the ATHENA leadership award by the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce in recognition of her professional excellence, community service and for actively assisting women in their attainment of leadership skills. “Terry’s legacy is highlighted by significant contributions to Kennewick and our greater Tri-Cities region for her efforts in working with the Port of Kennewick, the Kennewick School District, the Army Corps of Engineers, Historic Downtown Kennewick Partnership and many others to develop partnerships and projects which have truly enhanced our quality of life,” said City Manager Marie Mosley. The City will not be filling the Executive Director position after Terry Walsh’s retirement and will instead be realigning several areas of responsibility to include moving Economic Development to the Community Planning Department. Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) released the following statement after Governor Inslee’s office revealed that public hearings on the state’s Snake River Dams study would be hosted in Vancouver, WA and Clarkston, WA:
“This entire process has been a sham. The federal government has jurisdiction over these facilities, so – as I’ve said all along – spending $750,000 on a state-funded dam breaching study is a complete waste of Washingtonians’ taxpayer dollars,” said Rep. Newhouse. “Now the state is turning its back on the people of Tri-Cities by avoiding their opinions and concerns. I demand that Governor Inslee’s Snake River Dam Study group hold an additional public hearing in Tri-Cities so our region’s voices can be heard. It is the least the state can do to uphold any semblance of a legitimate process. One has to ask: What are they afraid of?” Background: On September 10, 2018, the House Committee on Natural Resources conducted a field hearing at Pasco City Hall to focus on the benefits provided by the Columbia and Snake River dams. The field hearing was set at the request of Rep. Newhouse. On December 13, 2018, Governor Jay Inslee proposed a $750,000 line item in the state budget to support evaluation of the Lower Snake River dams by a state task force. Reps. Newhouse and McMorris Rodgers released a statement opposed to the study. On May 13, 2019, Rep. Newhouse hosted a public listening session, “The Future of Our Dams,” in Tri-Cities, so local community members could share thoughts and ask questions of Rep. Newhouse and a panel of experts about the dams, hydropower, salmon mitigation, and other topics related to the Snake River dams. On May 20, 2019, Reps. Newhouse and McMorris Rodgers publicly urged Governor Inslee to veto the line item in a joint statement, citing widespread support for the dams. The Academy of Children’s Theatre is performing a musical production of Disney’s “Frozen, JR" for two consecutive weekends beginning November 8. The show brings to life the memorable story of true love and acceptance between sisters. When faced with danger, the two discover their hidden potential and the powerful bond of sisterhood. Featuring a cast of beloved characters and loaded with memorable music, adventure, and plenty of humor, Frozen, JR. is a fun experience for the whole family. In the cast are six sets of actual sisters.
The show performs on Friday, November 8 and 15 at 7 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday, November 9, 10, 16, and 17 at 3 p.m. All performances are at ACT, 213 Wellsian Way, Richland. Playing the lead roles are Alexandra Sorenson as Elsa, Lauren Tanninen as Anna, Jonathon Howell is Kristoff and Niko Theriault is cast as Hans. Co-Directing the production are Anne Spilman and Adrienne Shields. Running time for the show is about an hour. An extended intermission will include a character meet and greet. The future Windermere Children’s Theatre space is the venue for the show and it has been transformed into a mountainous Scandinavian region called Arendale, which is filled with magic talking snowmen, ice castles, and love experts. Reserved seating tickets are now available on line at www.academyofchildrenstheatre.org, by calling 509-943-6027. Ticket prices are $16 for adults, $13 for seniors (65+) and youth (13-18), and $10 for children ages 12 and under. Mid-Columbia Libraries (MCL), together, with its partners, welcomes #1 New York Times bestselling romance author Debbie Macomber on Thursday, Nov. 7 at 6:30 pm at the Columbia Basin College Gjerde Center in Pasco. Macomber is the featured author of the fourth annual Mid-Columbia Reads literary festival, a program which encourages communities throughout the Mid-Columbia region to engage with the same books and explore together the written and spoken word.
Macomber will speak, answer audience questions, and sign books; her books will be for sale. The presentation is free and open to the public; doors open at 6 pm. Reserved seating in the front several rows will be provided for people who are Deaf or hard of hearing and anyone in a wheelchair or walker or needing assistance. American Sign Language (ASL) and Spanish translation will be provided. An MCL customer favorite, Macomber is one of today’s most popular authors with more than 200 million copies of her books in print worldwide. Her newest releases include “Window on the Bay” and “A Mrs. Miracle Christmas,” as well as a non-fiction book titled “Be a Blessing: A Journal for Cultivating Kindness, Joy, and Inspiration.” Macomber’s novels have spent more than 1,000 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list. Thirteen of these novels hit the number one spot. She is the author of the bestselling “Cedar Cove” series, which the Hallmark Channel chose as the basis for its first dramatic scripted television series. Mid-Columbia Reads is a program of MCL with this year’s partners Friends of Mid-Columbia Libraries, Battelle, Tri-Cities Cancer Center, Purcell Law, and Abadan. Learn more at midcolumbialibraries.org. United Airlines has announced that it will begin nonstop flights between Tri-Cities Airport (PSC) and Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD). The new service will begin June 4, 2020.
This is the first time that Tri-Cities Airport will have nonstop connection to the Windy City, and it is also the airport’s first redeye flight. The nonstop service is currently scheduled to leave ORD at 8:00pm and arrive into PSC at 9:57pm; it will depart PSC at 11:38pm and arrive at ORD at 5:07am. The early-morning arrival will allow passengers dozens of additional connection opportunities once they’ve arrived in ORD—an enormous benefit for Tri-Cities travelers. “We are so pleased with the investment United is making in the Tri-Cities community,” said Buck Taft, director of the airport. “This new service is a tremendous opportunity to connect to a premier Midwest hub, and we hope our travelers take advantage of the easy access to the East Coast and international connectivity that the flight will provide.” The Chicago announcement continues to expand United’s presence in Tri-Cities. The airline began service to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) earlier this year and currently provides Tri-Cities residents a total of five nonstop daily flights to Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), and Denver (DEN). The new service will add to the airport’s overall passenger growth as well. The airport recently celebrated its busiest summer ever, and 2019 is set to overtake last year as Tri-Cities Airport’s best year on record. The flight will be on an Embraer 175, a regional jet with 76 seats with First Class, United Economy Plus and United Economy classes. Tickets for the PSC-ORD service are on sale now at united.com. Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) introduced H.R. 4867, the General James N. Mattis Congressional Gold Medal Act. The bill would bestow the Congressional Gold Medal to General James N. Mattis, “in recognition of his distinguished military career, his steadfast moral character and patriotism, and his unyielding devotion to the protection of this Nation.” The legislation was introduced with the full bipartisan support of the Washington delegation.
“Jim Mattis is a hometown hero and truly one of Washington’s most distinguished native sons,” said Rep. Newhouse. “His honorable military career, his commitment to our community, and his dedication to the United States serve an example for the people of Washington state and the nation. I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure he is the next distinguished leader to receive the Congressional Gold Medal.” Click here to read the text of the bill. Background: General James N. (Jim) Mattis was born in Pullman, Washington, and raised in Richland, Washington, graduating from Columbia High School in 1968. He began his military career the following year by enlisting in the United States Marine Corps Reserve. In 1971, he earned his Bachelor of Arts in History from Central Washington State College, and he earned a Master of Arts in International Security from National Defense University’s War College in 1994. He was the first United States Marine Corps officer to command a Naval Task Force in Afghanistan following the attacks on September 11, 2001. He bravely commanded forces, including the U.S. Joint Forces Command, NATO’s Supreme Allied Command for Transformation, and U.S. Central Command. President Trump nominated General Mattis for United States Secretary of Defense, and he served honorably until December 31, 2018. Since his retirement, he has been honored with several awards and commendations for his military and civilian service, including the Atlantic Council “Distinguished Military Leadership Award,” the Marine Corps University Foundation “Semper Fidelis Award,” the “Dwight D. Eisenhower Distinguished Service Award,” and the Washington Policy Center “Columbia Award.” He wrote about his military and leadership experience in the recently published book, Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead. Congressional Gold Medals have been bestowed upon great generals, leaders, and thinkers in our nation’s history, including but not limited to George Washington, Ulysses S. Grant, Douglas MacArthur, and Harry S. Truman. In order to be considered, Congressional Gold Medal legislation must be cosponsored by at least two-thirds (290) of the Members of the House. |
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