Good morning, Richland.

Oasis Freight Transport grew from a small trucking company to a multistate freight brokerage clearing $50 million — opening a new office at the Morgan Stanley building in March 2025.

The Kennewick firm now moves 100 to 150 loads daily while planning to reach new heights this year.

The Wash, a cashless 24/7 laundromat set to open on March 31 at Richland WinCo, will offer inclusive hiring through Columbia Ability Alliance (supporting neurodiverse employees) and WorkSource, with staff scheduled in four- to six-hour shifts that safeguard benefits.

Teen entrepreneurs Abbey Bobbett and Jordan Jelinek turned their passion for flowers into a business last Valentine’s Day and opened J&A Flower Company at 607 Aaron Drive.

They have served weddings and seasonal events and plan to expand their offerings using lessons from local experts.

Idaho Central Credit Union opened a 4,979 sqft branch at 3180 Duportail St. — north of Keene Road near Walmart, Target and Home Depot — to offer full-service consumer and business banking with drive-thru lanes, an ATM lane and EV charging parking built by a local contractor.

Columbia Generating Station shut down on Feb.

12 after operators found pump issues that affected reactor core water flow; the plant remains safe as Energy Northwest evaluates repairs and plans a $700 million upgrade to boost output by 2031 + pursue small modular reactors with Amazon and X-energy.

County assessors report that large agricultural and industrial companies, including Lamb Weston (the top assessor in Benton) and Darigold Inc. in Franklin, have the highest property tax assessments, shifting most of the tax burden away from homeowners.

Goose & Rev will open a new child care center at 2885 Bombing Range Road in West Richland once occupancy approval is given; the center will serve infants through preschoolers with flexible enrollment options — the team is ready to roll.

Nearly $111.8 million from the Climate Commitment Act went to transportation projects in Benton and Franklin counties during the 2025 fiscal year — funding EV charging, transit services, and pedestrian and bike safety improvements, including $5,260 for central Richland upgrades.

A Kennewick food blogger built a popular recipe site but lost nearly half a million Facebook followers during a hacked podcast simulcast.

She fired her website manager, retyped 2,000 recipes, and now posts daily recipes to connect the community plus rebuild her online brand.

AARP Tax-Aide

8 AM – 9 PM — Richland Community Center — Free service — Get help preparing your taxes with AARP's free and confidential assistance for seniors and low-income taxpayers.