Cory McCoy

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

READ MORE Franklin County Jail Conflict The Franklin County Commission has created a corrections department, taking over the jail and courthouse security from Sheriff Jim Raymond. Expand All Pasco, WAFranklin County commissioners took the community by surprise last week when they made a sudden move to take control of the county’s jail and courthouse security.

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

Wheat Head Brewing Co. is at nearly the same elevation as the summit of Badger Mountain, offering a sweeping view of the Horse Heaven Hills and the agricultural land that has long been the lifeblood of the Columbia Basin. Its location, over expansive fields of golden wheat, offers a unique experience that can’t be found anywhere else. But after a recent Washington state Supreme Court decision, their business and others like it could be in jeopardy.

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

A GoFundMe was created to help with funeral expenses for Faviola Valenzuela after she died in the Franklin County jail in 2022. Courtesy GoFundMe Pasco, WAFranklin County has agreed to a multi-million dollar settlement in the jail death of a developmentally disabled woman who died the day after she was supposed to have been released. The county commissioners agreed Wednesday to the $2.5 million settlement with the family of Faviola Valenzuela.

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

Lifesaving overdose reversal medication is making a dent in fentanyl-related deaths in the Tri-Cities, but both deaths and hospital visits are still up significantly over the past five years. Preliminary data from Benton and Franklin county coroners show that 64 people died from fentanyl-related overdoses in the Tri-Cities area in 2024. Fentanyl is a synthetic drug that is 100 times more potent than morphine and hundreds of times stronger than street-level heroin, federal officials have said.

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

Kennewick, WAAfter criticism from residents about how calls about dangerous dogs were being handled in Benton County, leaders promised to make changes. Those changes are starting to take shape with the number of their canine shelter staff being doubled, and soon the footprint of the shelter itself also will nearly double in size. Benton County commissioners recently approved sending a projected $1.6 million project to expand the canine shelter out for bids.