Parker
Parker, WA · Education
whitmanwire.com
swxlocalsports.com
Columbia-Hunters vs Cusick | High School Football Highlights 10/30/26
CUSICK, Wash. — Cusick closed out the regular season undefeated in league play Friday night, rolling past Columbia 66-26 in a foggy matchup at home. The Panthers finished 7-0 in league games and now turn their attention to the postseason. Columbia got on the scoreboard first in the highlights...
Tri-City Herald
‘Needs to be addressed.' Inside Kennewick's oldest, cramped middle school
Highlands Middle School band and orchestra teacher Fiona Estrellado says her student performances are like a “big family, community event.” She teaches about a third of the students who attend the Kennewick middle school, or more than 200 students in 6th-8th grades. Families turn out in droves to see their kids perform, and students often say their siblings took a class with her. While music programs at Highlands Middle School are growing, Estrellado says her band room hasn’t. The school was built in 1959 , way before the school even had an orchestra program. Finding space for instruments —and students — can be a challenge. It’s a prime example of the problems teachers at the district’s oldest schools are facing, and why Kennewick is considering asking the community to support replacing the aging schools. “There’s just so much history in this classroom, which is really cool in a way, but we get a little squished,” she said Wednesday evening as students filed in and out before a performance to the visiting school board. “Every year, I have more students that sign up, and I never want to reach a point where I can’t accept more kids because I don’t have
bigcountrynewsconnection.com
WWCC Board Votes To Pursue Healthcare Consortium To Sustain WWCC Nursing Program In Clarkston
WALLA WALLA— The Walla Walla Community College (WWCC) Board of Trustees has unanimously voted on the motion to authorize the college to participate in a regional healthcare consortium aimed at sustaining the nursing program at its Clarkston campus direct the president to engage in the development and formalization of the Lewis-Clark Valley Regional Healthcare Consortium . This authorization, if the consortium unites, provides resources which could include advocacy, financial, and educational support. The decision marks a significant step toward maintaining the healthcare workforce in the region.
elkhornmediagroup.com
Tri-City Herald
Richland to ask voters for $94M to improve Chief Joseph, River's Edge
Richland voters will be asked to approve a $94 million bond on the Feb. 9 special election ballot to modernize Chief Joseph Middle School, replace River’s Edge High School with a permanent modular building, and make districtwide safety and security improvements. The school board on Tuesday unanimously approved the ballot resolution that will come before voters. The decision comes two years after voters overwhelmingly rejected a bond package three-times larger that would have funded construction of West Richland’s first comprehensive high school. This new ask was informed by a voluntary “community facilities task force” that helped charter the future of Richland School District’s long-term facilities planning. Board Vice President Jill Oldson called these projects the “most pressing needs” for the district right now. “The whole goal and objective of this is to make sure that we are only asking the community for what we absolutely need,” she said. Board member Rick Jansons gave kudos to the community facilities task force, saying they spent half a year having “really thoughtful discussions” and researching the facility and needs. “I am confident that we are going to the community with what is needed in the district,” he said. Bond measures are different from
tricitiesbusinessnews.com
WSU Tri-Cities grad named head of WSU College of Nursing
A two-time WSU Tri-Cities alumna who has led the WSU system’s College of Nursing on an interim basis for the past year now has the job permanently. Anne Mason will be the permanent dean of nursing beginning Nov. 1 after internal reviews and meetings with external stakeholders, according to a release.
NonStop Local Tri-Cities/Yakima
Heritage University in Toppenish receives $2.5 million to grow nursing pipeline
TOPPENISH, Wash. — Heritage University announced it received a $2.5 million federal grant to build a nursing pathway for rural students in the Lower Yakima Valley. The university said the four-year grant runs from Oct. 1, 2026, through Sept. 30, 2030 to help rural, first-generation and low-income students from 11 area high schools move into Heritage’s nursing program and local health care jobs. President Christopher Gilmer said the funding will connect local students with education and employers close to home. “This grant allows Heritage University to build a stronger bridge between our rural high schools, higher education and the health care organizations that serve our communities,” Gilmer said. “We want students to see a clear path from their own communities to a college degree, a nursing career and an opportunity to serve the people and communities they know best.” Heritage said the project is called “A Case-Managed Pathway from Rural High Schools to Local Hospitals.” The effort is being led by nursing chair Dr. Shelby Clark and includes local schools, health care providers and workforce groups. The university said students will get advising in school, bilingual family outreach, campus visits, pre-nursing preparation and HESI A2 exam help. Once on campus,
tricitiesbusinessnews.com
Heritage receives $2.5M grant to expand nursing education
Toppenish-based Heritage University recently received a $2.5 million federal grant intended to create a new pathway for rural high school students to pursue four-year nursing degrees. The Rural Postsecondary and Economic Development Grant will support “a case-managed pathway from rural high schools to local hospitals,” according to a release from...
tricitiesbusinessnews.com
Pasco High grad named top teacher in Nevada
A Pasco High School graduate will compete to be the nation’s best teacher after being named 2027 Teacher of the Year in Nevada. Brooke Wheatley, who graduated as a Bulldog in 1998, is the second Pasco High graduate in the past two years to earn a state Teacher of the Year honor, according to a Pasco School District release. Fellow PHS graduate Gabriela Whitemarsh was named Washington State’s 2026 Teacher of the Year.
eastwashingtonian.com
Pirates host Bulldogs for Wheat championship
RICHLAND–The Buccaneers, whose unbeaten streak ended in a nonconference double overtime loss to Liberty Christian last week, will host the Dayton Bulldogs for the SE1B Wheat Division championship with a 7 p.m. kickoff at Lybecker Field this Friday, October 23. The Pirates saw their undefeated 2026 string end in...
tricitiesbusinessnews.com
School improvements, renovations top districts’ priorities
With the 2026-27 school year underway, Tri-Cities’ three public school districts continue making capital improvements that set the stage for sustainable growth and ensuring that existing schools are equipped for learning needs today and into the future. After completing two high schools last year, Pasco School District turned its...