Tracking COVID-19 and the pandemic in Tri-Cities, Washington, and beyond.
COVID-19
Eastern WA Strikes Again: Trio Indicted for COVID-19 Relief Fraud
Discover the jaw-dropping revelation as Vanessa R. Waldref, U.S. Attorney, drops the bombshell on a trio accused of fraudulent COVID-19 relief schemes. The Eastern Washington COVID-19 Strike Force takes a swing, pursuing criminal charges and recovering millions.
Kennewick Man Guilty of Misusing COVID Relief Funds
Benjamin D. Castilla, the owner of Columbia Basin Netwerks, a Kennewick-based IT services business, admitted that he received PPP and EIDL funding for his business.
Washington State Losing Teachers at a Historic Rate
Many have asserted that COVID robbed students in Washington State with regards to learning, and that post-pandemic, it would be a gradual climb to return to pre-pandemic levels. That could become more challenging based on a recent report.
Dickert to Stay as Head Coach for WSU Cougs
Dickert took over as interim coach back in 2021 after Nick Rolovich was fired.
Washington State Residents Get Another Reprieve From Real ID
The Department cited "circumstances resulting from the COVID 19 Pandemic" as the reason for the latest push.
UW Medicine to Halt COVID-19 Testing Operations at Richland Community Test Site
(Richland, WA) -- They're the operation on pause due to less demand. Health officials have announced that UW Medicine is closing the Richland COVID-19 Test Site. The Richland Community Test site opened on September 9, 2021 and completed more than 23,800 tests over the past nine months
...
University of Washington Developing New COVID-19 Vaccine
(Seattle, WA) -- A new COVID vaccine is now in the late stages of testing here in Seattle. Researchers at the University of Washington used tiny protein particles to help develop GPB510 at the UW School of Medicine along with SK Bioscience
...
Romance Novelist Charged with Murdering Husband
(Portland, OR) -- Court proceedings continued Tuesday in the murder trial of a romance novelist accused of murdering her longtime husband. Nancy Crampton-Brophy is accused of shooting and killing her 63-year-old husband Daniel Brophy in June of 2018
...
Coyote Ridge Corrections Center Sees New Spike in Coronavirus Infections
(Connell, WA) -- The Coyote Ridge Corrections Center in Connell is dealing with an apparent spike in COVID-19. According to the state Department of Corrections, the facility currently has 186 active cases of covid. That makes up almost all of the total 199 active cases in prisons statewide
...
Canada to End COVID Testing Requirement for U.S. Visitors
(Blaine, WA) -- Washingtonians who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can soon travel into Canada without having to show a negative test result. The Canadian health minister announced Thursday that the nation will stop requiring COVID-19 tests from fully vaccinated travelers starting April 1st
...