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next application deadline in December?

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Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB)

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Department of Commerce seeking input to develop guidebook that will help communities plan for growth, development around military installations OLYMPIA, WA - The Washington State Department of Commerce is drafting a Washington State Guidebook on Military and Community Compatibility as a technical resource for local governments to use in planning for development near military installations. The next of seven community workshops to capture opinions and comments for the project is Thursday,

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Department of Commerce seeking input to develop guidebook that will help communities plan for growth, development around military installations OLYMPIA, WA - The Washington State Department of Commerce is drafting a Washington State Guidebook on Military and Community Compatibility as a technical resource for local governments to use in planning for development near military installations.

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Cowiche-Tieton Small Community Initiative 

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Cowiche-Tieton Small Community Initiative 

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Grace Yoo (she/her) is a strong believer in the power of economic empowerment to unlock better outcomes in the health and safety of our communities, especially those that are underrepresented and underestimated. Grace joined Commerce in September 2024, leading the division’s work to translate Washington’s global competitiveness into local impact, creating jobs and supporting small businesses here at home across all 39 counties. The division’s teams include Industry Sector Development, Circular Economy, Rural and Marketing Services, Small Business Export Assistance, Small Business Finance and Community Support, Finance and Grant Services, and Contracts and Procurement.

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Chris McCord - Managing Director, Boards Unit - WA State Dept of Commerce

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Chris McCord - Managing Director, Boards Unit - WA State Dept of Commerce

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750 million+ members | Manage your professional identity. Build and engage with your professional network. Access knowledge, insights and opportunities.

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Potential Grant Source

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Since its founding in 1985, the Public Works Board (PWB) has awarded more than $3.1 billion in loans and grants to over 2,000 infrastructure projects across the state. These projects promote public health and safety, protect the environment, promote community and economic development, and broadband connectivity.

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Washington State Department of Ecology - Homepage

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Find a grant or loan - Washington State Department of Ecology

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Find a grant or loan and details about the application process, eligibility, types of projects, timelines, requirements, and other information. Click on one of the links below.

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Supporting Investments in Economic Development (SIED) Board program was created 12 years ago and has since invested over $21 million dollars to support business and economic development projects throughout Yakima County.

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Review a list of entities that received BTA funding to deliver broadband technical assistance to pre-selected communities identified in their project proposal.

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GARFIELD, WA – Partners for Rural Washington (PRWA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Jody Opheim as its new Executive Director. Opheim, who has been an instrumental part of the…

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After more than a month of flip-flopping on how and when to distribute more than 50,000 cans of water to Mabton residents, the Mabton City Council announced this week the donated water would be handed over to a Sunnyside-based nonprofit for distribution.

The water, which is in aluminum cans like pop or beer, was donated to the city and delivered in late December. At first, Mabton's mayor, Rachel Ruelas, said the city would work with community partners to distribute it to residents' homes.

Later, during a Jan. 9 city council meeting, Ruelas said the water would instead be kept at city hall and made available for pickup. Two weeks after that, during a Jan. 23 city council meeting, Ruelas said the city would not distribute the water until the summer.

For years, Mabton residents hooked up to the city's municipal water system have dealt with foul-smelling water. State officials believe the smell, which is most prominent during the summer, comes from a well that contains hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide is not a health risk, according to officials.

The concerns have prompted many people to switch to bottled water for drinking and cooking.

The water was donated by Can'd Aid, a Colorado-based nonprofit, after a state Department of Commerce employee reached out.

The donated water will now be distributed by ELLA, an organization focused on Latino issues in Yakima County that has been distributing water in Mabton since last year.

Maria Fernandez, executive director of ELLA, said she was surprised by the city's decision to give her organization control of the water.

Three weeks prior, during a time of heavy snowfall, ELLA and the Mabton Food Bank organized a water distribution using the canned water. The day of the distribution, Fernandez said the city did not give volunteers access to the water, which was stored on city property. The groups distributed water they purchased from Costco instead.

On Jan. 23, during the next city council meeting, Ruelas said all available city employees on the day of the distribution were busy plowing roads and could not give volunteers access to the water.

Tensions boiled over during the meeting when Fernandez and Ruelas discussed the situation.

Though the meeting was not livestreamed and has yet to be made available online by the city, a video captured by a Mabton resident and posted online shows Ruelas raising her voice at Fernandez after Fernandez asked her to let another speaker finish what they were saying.

"You need to just quiet down Maria," Ruelas said. "You don't tell me what to do."

"And you don't tell us what to do, Rachel," Fernandez responded.

"You're nobody," Ruelas replied.
Meter readings
During public comment at a council meeting Tuesday, Joe Schons raised concerns about water meter readings in the city. He is a Yakima resident and former Mabton water and wastewater operator.

Schons said he found multiple irregularities in the city's water meter readings for 2023 after reviewing city documents he received through a public records request.

Late last year, a picture of a $17,000 city of Mabton utility bill made its rounds around the community. Though the bill was shared anonymously, the account number on the bill matches information in the documents Schons received.

When Schons asked the city council about the bill, Ruelas responded by saying the city had already looked into the situation.

Ruelas declined to comment further on the matter.

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Tensions high at Mabton Council meetings over water distribution and utility bills

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The mayor of Mabton, Rachel Ruelas, has faced backlash for how she's handled the storage and distribution of thousands of cans of donated water for residents. Some residents have also

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Restart Partners' mission is to assist governments, non-profit and community based organizations achieve the goal of an inclusive and more equitable economy. The global COVID-19 pandemic and efforts to promote economic recovery raised awareness of the inequitable impacts on and the challenges faced by those in our society farthest from opportunity. Government, business and the philanthropic sectors have responded with a renewed focus on identifying and overcoming the barriers faced by those individuals, businesses and communities with the goal of making real progress toward a more inclusive and equitable society. Restart Partners believe that through cross-sector collaboration using evidence-based best practices and a collaborative approach we can help deploy public, private and philanthropic resources more efficiently and equitably, increasing public trust so that those furthest from opportunity enjoy an equitable recovery and a healthier more prosperous future.

Restart's mission is to provide an evidence-based global initiative using data, technology and collaborative governance to help close the gaps for a more inclusive economy, increase public trust, and ensure those furthest from opportunity enjoy an equitable recovery.

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Restart Partners' mission is to assist governments, non-profit and community based organizations achieve the goal of an inclusive and more equitable economy. The global COVID-19 pandemic and efforts...

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Engineering and Land Surveying in the Yakima Valley - HLA Engineering and Land Surveying

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HLA is a full-service design, engineering and surveying firm, dedicated to both the success of our projects, and the success of our clients.

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Home - Ahtanum Irrigation District Delivering irrigation water since 1918

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The Ahtanum Irrigation District s a Washington special purpose district established in 1918 to deliver irrigation water in the Ahtanum Valley, Yakima County. Our work includes: providing seasonal water, enhancing fish access, and preserving the watershed.

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Home - Yakima Valley Community Foundation

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At the Yakima Valley Community Foundation (YVCF), we invest in our local communities to create change.

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Homepage | Yakima County Economic Development Council

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Yakima County is dedicated to expanding industries, strengthening the business environment to improve quality of life, and much more!

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Revised Project Plan, Background and Steps

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Revised Project Plan, Background and Steps