KENNEWICK, Wash. (Sept. 1, 2026): As Tri-Cities students head back to class this week, The Pacific Campus is giving them a new reason to keep their grades up. The Kennewick health, sports, and medical campus has launched Scholar @ The PC, a student recognition program that rewards K-12 members for what they accomplish in the classroom, one quarter at a time.

The program is free and exclusive to current PC members. Students enroll with a parent or guardian, and at the end of each academic quarter they submit their report card within a two-week window. Students earning A's and B's, and students earning straight A's, qualify for rewards. Every student who turns in eligible grades receives a swag bag, quarterly prize drawings, exclusive Scholar @ The PC gear for top performers, and a year-end grand prize keep the momentum going all school year.

"When a community celebrates a young person's achievement, effort, and personal growth, we show them that their hard work matters and that we believe in their future," said Katie Clark, Director of Social Impact at HomeTeams. "Scholar @ The PC makes success worth celebrating while inspiring every student to build a strong body, a strong mind, and a strong future."

HomeTeams is The PC's sister company, also based in Kennewick. It builds technology that helps families coordinate care for the people they love, whether that is an aging parent, a new diagnosis, or the ordinary work of keeping a household healthy, on the belief that no one should have to carry it alone. Clark leads social impact there, and Scholar @ The PC is that same idea pointed at the youngest members of the community: find the people doing hard things, and make sure somebody notices.

That combination, strong body and strong mind, is the whole point. The Pacific Campus is a full health, sports, and medical campus at 1350 N. Grant St. in Kennewick, and it is already where a lot of Tri-Cities families spend their after-school hours. Kids swim at SplashDown Cove, climb the rock wall, play tennis and pickleball, take swim lessons, and run around the gymnasium while their parents train, take group fitness classes, or see a provider at Medical @ The PC, the on-site clinic offering primary care, physical therapy, behavioral telehealth, and more. Scholar @ The PC connects the effort kids put in at school with the place they come to move, play, and blow off steam once the bell rings.

"I'm a mom of two active kids, so I know how hard families work to keep everything in balance during the school year. Practice, homework, dinner, repeat," said Shaelah Harmon, president and general manager of The Pacific Campus. "We want The PC to be a place where kids can burn off energy, be around good people, and then get cheered on for the work they're doing at school too. Scholar @ The PC is our way of telling every student who walks through our doors that we see the effort, and we're proud of them."

Enrollment is open now and students can join at any point during an active quarter, as long as they enroll before submitting grades. After each quarter closes, enrolled students receive submission instructions and have two weeks to send in their current grades. Rewards are announced quarterly and vary throughout the year.

Member families can enroll at   https://sw8212.wixforms.com/f/7498798257947018249 or by scanning the QR code on the Scholar @ The PC flyer available at the Service Desk. Families interested in PC membership can visit thepacificcampus.com or call (509) 783-5465. Full program terms and conditions are available at thepacificcampus.com.

About The Pacific Campus

The Pacific Campus is a health, sports, and medical campus in Kennewick, Washington, serving Tri-Cities families with fitness, aquatics, recreation, youth programs, and on-site medical care. Members have access to pools and SplashDown Cove waterpark, a gymnasium, tennis and pickleball courts, a rock wall, group fitness and personal training, a recovery zone, swim lessons, adventure camp, and the Jungle Gym preschool and nursery. Medical @ The PC, located inside the facility, provides primary care, physical therapy, behavioral telehealth, medical weight loss, regenerative training, and more, and operates under its own license and liability. The PC's mission is simple: create a caring environment, care for others, and teach others to care. Learn more at thepacificcampus.com or call (509) 783-5465.

About HomeTeams

HomeTeams is an intelligent health, care, and life coordination platform based in Washington and the sister company of The Pacific Campus. It was built on a simple idea: health is a team sport, and no family should have to carry it alone. HomeTeams gives families one place to coordinate care for the people they love, from aging parents to kids, so the work of keeping a household healthy gets shared instead of falling on one person. Learn more at hometeams.io.

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SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. — Washington State University Tri-Cities is bringing its continuing education program, Cougar Tracks, to the Spokane region this fall with a special workshop series aimed at workforce management in the manufacturing industries.

This four-part, in-person Manager Coaching Series, which takes place this October at the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce, aims to equip new and mid-level managers with practical tools, proven frameworks and hands-on coaching techniques that support organizational performance, employee engagement and regional workforce readiness.

Each four-hour session blends interactive learning with real-world scenarios, enabling participants to apply new skills immediately. Workshop topics include:

• Oct. 1: Manager essentials—building trust, setting expectations and coaching performance.
• Oct. 8: Leading performance and change—navigating complex priorities and guiding teams through transitions.
• Oct. 15: Building the team—hiring, onboarding and developing talent.
• Oct. 22: Communicating with influence—facilitating effective meetings and driving action through clear communication. 

The series is designed for aspiring leaders, experienced supervisors and organizations seeking to strengthen leadership capacity and build effective teams.

“Across every industry, we’re seeing a growing demand for managers who can lead diverse teams of employees with clear vision, optimism and effective communication. This need is especially pronounced for organizations facing rapid technological advancements and evolving workforce expectations,” said Cougar Tracks Director Michelle Hrycauk Nassif. “This series supports employers by developing confident leaders who are ready to meet today’s workforce challenges and drive our region’s economic vitality.”

Wade Larson, Ph.D., a leadership consultant and course facilitator for the workshop series, said that for employees and customers, the manager often serves as the face of the company, representing the organization’s mission, products and values. Therefore, he says, upskilling managers and giving them practical resources is key to helping businesses thrive.

"Gallup has documented that about 70% of an organization’s success is tied directly to its managers,” Larson said.

Cougar Tracks is the continuing education and workforce development arm of WSU Tri-Cities, which previously offered a similar manager training series at its Richland campus. Hrycauk Nassif said the Spokane-based workshop series is part of a larger initiative to expand Cougar Tracks’ reach and footprint into other parts of Washington state, with the goal of adapting workshop themes and curricula to the specific needs of each region served.

The October workshop series, Hrycauk Nassif said, will apply to all types of organizations, including those within Spokane’s diverse and robust manufacturing sector, which employs an estimated 17,000 workers and generates roughly $4 billion per year to the local economy.

“From medical supplies to airplane components, the Spokane area is home to companies that manufacture products at scale,” Hrycauk Nassif said. “These complex operations depend not only on technical expertise, but also strong leaders who can develop talent, drive performance and adapt to change.”

The cost of the workshop series is $499. For more information, or to register, go to: www.bit.ly/CTWORKSHOPS 

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About WSU Tri-Cities Cougar Tracks 

Cougar Tracks at WSU Tri-Cities provides non-credit professional development, workforce training and industry-responsive learning experiences for individuals and organizations throughout the region. Through strong business and community partnerships, Cougar Tracks designs programs that strengthen local talent pipelines, expand economic opportunity and support long-term workforce development in the Tri-Cities region and throughout Washington state. 

Warden Teacher Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for

Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

Warden Teacher Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for

Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

Coulee Dam Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for

Sexually Abusing a Minor 

PORTLAND, Ore. – Fire restrictions remain in effect on all Bureau of Land Management public lands in Oregon and Washington as the region faces a record setting wildfire season. More than 2.5 million acres have already burned across the Northwest. BLM officials are calling on all public land visitors to exercise extreme caution, follow fire restrictions and closures, and help prevent additional wildfires.

“More than 99% of BLM land is open to recreation nationwide,” said Kim Prill, BLM Oregon/Washington State Director. “We carefully put restrictions in place when and where necessary to keep the public safe.”

This reminder comes as some fire closure areas are shrinking and BLM officials are loosening some restrictions, opening up options for hunters, hikers, and other recreators. The most up to date information about access to BLM land is available online.

“Even as some restrictions shift, we’re still in the heart of fire season for the Pacific Northwest,” said Josh O’Connor, Northwest Geographic Area Fire Chief for the U.S. Wildland Fire Service. “Be sure to check fire restrictions in the area you’ll be visiting, and follow them to the letter.”

Specific fire restrictions vary by location based on fire danger, weather conditions, and fuel moisture. These restrictions address what types of ammunition can be used, whether campfires are allowed, and what fire prevention equipment is required. Before visiting public lands, all recreators should check local restrictions and closures.

“We appreciate everyone’s diligence and cooperation, as we find ways to enjoy public lands while protecting our firefighters and our communities,” said Prill.

Individuals responsible for starting wildfires may face fines of up to $100,000, imprisonment for up to 12 months, and liability for the full cost of wildfire suppression.

For more information on seasonal fire restrictions and fire closures, please see www.blm.gov/orwafire.

-BLM-

The BLM manages about 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.
 

The U.S. Wildland Fire Service conducts operations in close coordination with the Bureau of Land Management. As a unified federal entity under the Department of the Interior, the USWFS integrates expertise to streamline wildfire prevention, response and recovery under our shared mission to foster fire-resilient landscapes and safeguard communities across America’s public lands.