In a Richland neighborhood, little remains of hateful messages left recently. Neighbors said those messages have no place there and investigators are still looking into what happened. Read More
Hotspots at the Lineage Logistics fire in Finley, Washington, flared up Tuesday because of high winds. The fire has been burning for seven weeks. (Credit: Benton County Fire District 1) […]Read More
Las escuelas de Washington deben incluir en sus planes de estudios la historia y las contribuciones de grupos marginados y poco representados en el marco de la diversidad, la igualdad y la inclusión. Sin embargo, en Prosser, la ley recién aprobada ha causado divisiones.Read More
Washington schools are now required to include Diversity, Equity and Inclusion history and contributions in curriculum. But in Prosser – the newly passed law is already causing divides. Read More
Applications for federal student financial aid are open from now, through June. FAFSA recently launched its form 2024-25, which expands the eligibility criteria for federal student aid. Students and families can get some help understanding the process at several different places in Central Washington.Read More
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency scientists Rochelle Labiosa (right) and Lil Herger examine the Columbia River for toxic algae as Jason Pappani leans over to reach into the water. (Credit: Rajah […]Read More
Starting over in a new country is not easy, but a Southeastern Washington organization helps refugee families create a path to success through education. Read More
Fire crews tend the Trinity Fire just outside the Tri-Cities on August 14. (Photo: Anna King) There is a new several hundred acre fire burning part of Rattlesnake Mountain near […]Read More
Kennewick General Hospital Credit: Washington State Department of Ecology, Flickr Creative Commons Listen (Runtime 1:08) Read Benton County is closer to opening a Behavioral Health Recovery Center after purchasing the […]Read More
Judge Richard C. Tallman, United States Court of Appeals Judge for the Ninth Circuit swearing in Judge Sal Mendoza. Listen (Runtime 3:27) Read Latino judges in the legal system are […]Read More
BFHD Logo Listen (Runtime :54) Read In May, Governor Jay Inslee signed a bill authorizing a change to how health districts are governed starting next year. This change will impact […]Read More
Benton-Franklin Behavioral Health Advisory Committee Listen (Runtime 1:54) Read A plan to address the behavioral health needs of Eastern Washington is finally in the works. The first bi-county behavioral health […]Read More
The Benton County Auditor is testing a new paid ballot observer program this year using members of partisan and nonpartisan organizations. Read More
Listen (Runtime 1:21) Read The fire danger forecast for all of Benton County was raised to the level of VERY HIGH this week. This means restrictions for residents and farmers. […]Read More
Everett Maroon Listen (Runtime 3:33) Read Like much of the nation, Benton and Franklin Counties are experiencing a dramatic increase in the number of people dying from overdoses and drug […]Read More
Jaime Torres Chicano Disabled Activist Listen (Runtime 1:39) Read Residents of Benton and Franklin counties may soon have fewer transportation options.. The Ben Franklin Transit Board, or B-F-T, willl discuss […]Read More
Franklin County Commission Meeting July 5th, 2022 Listen (Runtime 2:25) Read There was contentious dialogue at the Franklin County Commissioner’s regular business meeting in the Tri Cities this week as […]Read More
Benton Franklin Recovery Coalition Board Listen (Runtime 2:25) Read For over four years the Benton Franklin Recovery Coalition has been working to get a detox facility in Eastern Washington. The […]Read More
Franklin County Auditor Matt Beaton, Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, Benton County Auditor Brenda Chilton Listen (Runtime 2:42) Read Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs is calling attention to election […]Read More
Fumigación antimosquitos al anochecer. Crédito: Dori Luzzo Gilmour. Read El control de los mosquitos es un asunto serio en el este de Washington. Y la oficina encargada es el Distrito […]Read More
Benton County Image Listen (Runtime 1:44) Read Benton County Commissioners purchased the old Kennewick General Hospital, l K–G–H building. The Three Rivers Behavioral Health Recovery Center is to become the […]Read More
Mosquito Spray at dusk Listen (Runtime 1:56) Read Mosquito control is serious business in Eastern Washington. And the office in charge is the Benton County Mosquito District. Steve Ingalls has […]Read More
Courtesy of Community In Schools Listen (Runtime 3:20) Read A controversial tax in Benton County has raised more money than expected. Now commissioners are hearing proposals from community organizations requesting […]Read More
Benton County Sheriff Tom Croskrey (left) and Justice Department contractor Rudy Almeida (right) Listen Read Ukrainian law enforcement officers are being called into active duty as reserve officers with the […]Read More
Benton County Prosecutor Andy Miller announces he will not run for re-election. Listen Read Benton County Prosecutor Andy Miller announced his retirement today in a press conference at the Justice […]Read More
A lawsuit was filed in Benton County Superior court this week against the Richland WA school district, school board and three individual members of the school board, alleging violations of the Open Public Meetings Act. Read More
Education District 123 covers Benton and Franklin county and has the highest Covid case rates in Washington state. Mitigation efforts at local schools from masking and distancing continue, but some school board members are pushing back against those measuresRead More
A Covid outbreak in the Benton County jail is affecting forty-five percent of inmates along with 24 staff members and is the first major outbreak in 18 months.Read More
COVID fatigue is a real problem. As with any public health measure that continues for a long time people begin to tire of new information or staying vigilant.Read More
Benton County Commissioners approved to move forward with a new sales and use tax.Read More
Funds from a proposed sales and use tax in Benton County would create a facility to provide chemical dependency and mental health services. The Benton County Commissioners are holding a public hearing next week to authorize the tax. If the tax is adopted, it would collect a point 1 percent sales and use tax.Read More
School Resource Officers should be following the state’s vaccination mandate. But that isn’t the case for some officers who serve schools in Benton County.Read More
In several areas of the state, school resource officers are contracted employees from sheriff’s departments. Pierce and Benton county both supply sheriff deputies to local school districts as school resource officers. In the Kiona Benton school district, the school resource officer is sheriff deputy Brad Klippert, who is also a state representative. Read More
The Tri Cities area will see 40 Afgham refugees resettled there. What are organziations are doing to assist them? Read More
About 500 people made it into line at the COVID-19 mass vaccination event in the Tri-Cities. This is part of a larger set of mass events across the state kicking off this week — including clinics in Spokane, Wenatchee and Ridgefield, in Clark County. Read More
Washington state plans to roll out mass doses of the COVID-19 vaccine at regional hubs starting Monday, Jan. 25. But some local officials say they received little notice and that they’re far from ready. Read More
No more Washington counties will be in Phase 1 of the state’s four-phase reopening plan. Gov. Jay Inslee announced Tuesday that Chelan, Douglas, Yakima, Benton and Franklin counties could advance to Phase 2.Read More
Some Washington counties hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic are now looking toward the possibility of reopening schools for in-person classes. It’s thanks to metrics like hospital bed capacity and the virus incidence rate that continue to improve in Benton, Franklin and Yakima counties.Read More
Hear from candidates that are looking to represent the Benton and Franklin Counties. Four nights of debates, we cover 11 different races that matter to our community. Read More
ICYMI: Stream the Washington state Treasurer's debate. Join the conversation using #NWPBVote2020Read More
Effective Thursday, churches and restaurants in Yakima, Benton, Franklin, Chelan and Douglas counties can open their doors to let guests inside — though just to 25% capacity. Outdoors, groups of up to five people from different households can meet up or attend fitness classes. Read More
Benton, Franklin and Yakima counties have been approved for more business and recreational activities beginning this Saturday. The approval means additional operations within the counties’ current modified Phase 1 – not moving to a full Phase 2. Read More
ICYMI: Stream night number two of NWPB's Benton and Franklin Counties candidate forum. Races include: 4th Congressional District, WA State Senate, 16th District and Superior Court Judge, Position 1. Read More
Wineries and breweries in Yakima, Benton and Franklin counties must keep their doors closed for now, unless they serve food out of their own kitchens. That’s the updated guidance for the three counties, which are seeing some of the highest numbers of coronavirus cases in Washington. Read More
Full Episode Benton County Commissioner, District 1 Benton County Commissioner, District 3 Franklin County Commissioner, District 1 Franklin County Commissioner, District 2 Franklin County PUD CommissionerRead More
County officials in eastern Washington rushed applications to the state Thursday evening to reopen their economies. It came the same day Gov. Jay Inslee announced the state would approve their plans to reopen and put others on pause for two weeks. Read More
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
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
A survey by the Yakima Health District found that just 35 percent of residents wear masks in public. That spurred the health district to issue a masking directive, hoping to get 80% of residents to use face coverings.Read More
While most people and public officials may be complying with Washington's "stay home, stay healthy" orders, not all are. In fact, there’s evidence of growing restlessness with the shutdown of the economy, the skyrocketing job losses and the infringement on normal, daily activities. And in some places there are examples of outright opposition.Read More
