KONA News

PASCO, Wash.-- With smoke levels remaining at hazardous and unhealthy levels, several schools and business have once again closed or changed their operating procedures for Tuesday. Schools Bethlehem Lutheran School: Closed. No in-person instruction for Preschool-4th grade. Eag ...

TRI-CITIES, Wash.- Benton-Franklin Health Officer Dr. Amy Person has given school district the green-light to start planning for the return of in-person learning October 1st for Benton County districts plus North Franklin School District, and October 15th for the Pasco School District and others in Franklin County ...

TRI-CITIES, Wash.- Another round of cancellations Tuesday because of the dangerous air quality from northwest wildfire smoke.   Swing and Graveyard shifts for non-essential Hanford workers have been canceled for tonight Monday night due to the smoky conditions, AND for Tuesday's Day Shift.   ...

OLYMPIA, Wash.-- The Washington Department of Ecology has extended the Air Quality Alert until noon Friday, September 18th. A Smoke Air Quality Alert has been issued due to wildfires burning in the region, combined with forecasted conditions that have resulted in unhealthy air quality ... Read More ...

KENNEWICK, Wash.-- A Pasco man was arrested Sunday night after police say they found narcotics in his vehicle. Kennewick Police responded to the 3000 block of W. 7th Ave. for a reported disturbance and found a vehicle leaving the scene. The car was stopped, and the driver was identified as Paul Gross, 37, Pasco ... Read More ...

GRANGER, Wash.-- A two car crash in Yakima County claimed the life of a Mabton man over the weekend.   Washington State Patrol responded to the are of Highway 223 near Indian Church Road, where two pick-ups collided head-on just before 9:00 PM Saturday.   ...

PASCO, Wash.-- Several businesses closed shop over the weekend due to the high concentration of smoke particulates in the region.   As the new work week begins, several more businesses plan to stay closed on Monday, and several schools have also decided to close for the day.   ...

KENNEWICK, Wash.-- The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has confirmed the season's first cases of West Nile Virus in Washington.   The Yakima County Health District reported that a man in 50s was hospitalized due to the infection, while the Benton-Franklin Health District reported that a man in his 60s was diagnosed with the virus, but was not hospitalized.   According to t ... Read

KENNEWICK, Wash.-- Benton Clean Air Agency has issued an air quality alert as changing wind direction brings smoke from Oregon fires into the Mid-Columbia Basin.  As of Friday morning, air quality had already reached unhealthy levels, and could reach hazardous levels before the smoke dissipates. ... Read More ... Read More ...

PENDLETON, Ore.-- A Kennewick man is in custody in Umatilla County to face murder charges. According to investigators with the Umatilla County Sheriff's Office, Jaime Ubay-Farfan, 24, is the primary suspect in the murder of Tracey Scott Meadows from Hood River. The vi ... Read More ... Read More ...