tri city: Volunteering your time in the Tri Cities- Following Obama's Call to Action! - 01/25/09 12:46 PM
Not since President Kennedy have we citizens in this country heard a call of service to others above self  from our leadership. One of Jack Kennedy's sustaining legacies was the association of the Peace Corps and his name.
The past 8 years our country can hardly have been looked upon by the outside world as shining beacon of service and self-sacrifice. And that's too bad, because we've always risen to the occasion. I remember the huge outpouring of help in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Over a quarter-million were killed and over 10 million … (1 comments)

tri city: Summing up the Tri Cities- Come Live with the Tri City Home Team - 08/29/08 03:10 AM
In my prior post The Oasis in the Desert at http://activerain.com/blogsview/658737/The-Oasis-in-the I shared a video of the Tri City area's economic viewpoint. In this edition of my blog to you, I'd like to share a video that really shows why this is such a great place to live. I grew up here, my kids have grown up here, my mom grew up here- see the pattern?? We spend as much time as possible on the river during the summer. On the Columbia River, the Hanford Reach is beautiful, the Snake River is warmer and slower and makes for great skiing and … (0 comments)

tri city: 2008 Tri City Parade of Homes Update - 08/22/08 07:05 AM
After my last blog post 2008 Tri City Parade of Homes, I've received quite a few inquiries, both by phone and email, for further information on this event.
I just spoke with Cindy at the Home Builders Association of Tri Cities - who incidentally was very pleasant and full of information- and she let me know the tickets would be $7 each and, like always, the Tour Guidebook would be included with your ticket price. I'm trying to get my mitts on a few guides in advance for those of you who've contacted me after the first blog so I can send them to … (0 comments)

tri city: Some Hanford History - 08/01/08 10:26 AM
Before 1943, the area which was to become the Hanford Site was a sparsely populated area with a few small irrigated farm plots and orchards near the small towns of Hanford and White Bluffs. It had long been used by Native Americans as a fishing and camping site, especially at the confluence of the Yakima River where it dumped into the mighty Columbia River.
History records the first white settler was John B. Nelson who homesteaded near the mouth of the Yakima in 1863. Within 20 years, several other families had settled in the area and irrigated crops. In 1905, the … (0 comments)

tri city: 2008 Tri City Parade of Homes - 07/30/08 10:33 AM
Each year in the Tri Cities we get the opportunity to tour area builder's pride and joy's. They get the opportunity to showcase not just their skills as builders, but also their visions of what gracious living means to them in how they incorporate new materials, appliances and amenities into the traditional home.
I've been going to this every year I can remember. It used to be one of those things I shared with my mom- our annual outing of our shared love for all things housing. We'd ooh and ahh over new steambath type shower units, outdoor kitchens, cool moulding … (0 comments)

tri city: How can I afford a home now??? - 07/30/08 10:00 AM
In light of the changing mortgage industry, many people are under the mistaken impression that they will now have to have incredible FICO scores, 20% for a down payment on top of their closing costs in order to purchase a home. This has been the impression given by the media but also by some uninformed professionals in the industry.
This is simply not the case.
FHA has stepped up to the plate to take the pressure of the housing mess. If someone is able to find a home inside the sales price requirement of FHA http://www.fha.com/lending_limits.cfmwhich is currently $275,000 in Benton … (0 comments)