Cory McCoy

2 weeks ago | tri-cityherald.com | Cory McCoy

Construction workers frame a new house in the Sherman Heights housing development as heavy equipment works at the Apple Valley housing development off the Bob Olson Parkway in south Kennewick. Bob Brawdy [email protected] Benton County has some of the lowest permitting fees for building a new home in central Washington, but due to a surge in costs since 2021, they’re going to have to raise them a bit.

3 weeks ago | tri-cityherald.com | Cory McCoy

A volunteer “shopper” at the Tri-Cities Food Bank downtown Kennewick fills a cart with a variety of food items based on a list generated when the client checks in at the facility. Bob Brawdy [email protected] Until recently food banks across Washington state were receiving robust deliveries of fruits, vegetables and shelf stable foods thanks to federal programs. But after recent cuts some Tri-Cities food banks are getting in only frozen blueberries and bread.

1 month ago | tri-cityherald.com | Cory McCoy

Several dozen community volunteers team up to helped distribute 1,000 Thanksgiving meal boxes at the Benton County Fairgrounds in 2023. Bob Brawdy [email protected] Cuts to the Federal Emergency Management Agency have frozen funds used to keep Tri-Cities families from losing their place to live. The United Way of Benton and Franklin Counties said Thursday that their access to funding for the federal Emergency Food and Shelter Program has been shut off.

1 month ago | yahoo.com | Cory McCoy

Cuts to the Federal Emergency Management Agency have frozen funds used to keep Tri-Cities families from losing their place to live. The United Way of Benton and Franklin Counties said Thursday that their access to funding for the federal Emergency Food and Shelter Program has been shut off. Since 2020 FEMA has allocated more than $1.4 million through the United Way to help Tri-Cities families with food and to stay in their homes or find a new place to live, according to a news release.

1 month ago | columbian.com | Cory McCoy

Washington is one of the nation’s top agriculture producers, led by Eastern Washington’s robust farming industry. That means sweeping tariffs targeting the state’s biggest trading partners, and their own retaliatory measures, put Washington farms at particular risk of fallout. The increased costs could eventually hit consumer pocketbooks as rising costs for manufacturers and grocers get passed on at the checkout lane.