Happy Friday, Tri Cities. You know the drill – grab your coffee (or whatever you sip in the morning), kick back, and let Tri Cities Brief serve up everything you need to know for the weekend ahead.

📰 In the news

Local happenings: Burgerville eyes a Kennewick drive through, wineries battle in The Herald’s bracket, and WSU Tri Cities launches a hands on brewing certificate this fall — catch up here.

State-level stories: Rural hospitals brace for service cuts as Medicaid support wanes, ferry electrification falls years behind plan, and a Hood Canal oyster saloon lures visitors — see what else is brewing.

National headlines: Infrastructure to study post-viral syndromes, full retirement age to increase by two months, major food recalls, and a new study on asteroid deflection — peruse the best of the rest.

Highlights this week

• Enjoy gourmet bites and live music
• Volunteers gather weekly to distribute essential items
• Get free help applying for state benefits
• Baseball clash at Gesa Stadium
• Discover untold Pacific WWII tales firsthand
• Unlock dozens of travel deals with AARP

🫶 We got your back

Music: Spotify playlists are fine for folding laundry. If you’re craving something rowdier than your earbuds can deliver, these live music venues bring the kind of energy that’ll remind you why you used to stay out past 10 pm.

Home: Ready to ditch the starter home or plant roots in a neighborhood that truly feels like yours? Meet the top realtors in Tri Cities—the ones who really get you.

Brunch: Weekend mornings were built for bottomless mimosas and fluffy pancakes, so why settle for bland toast? We’ve rounded up the coziest spots around Tri Cities where coffee flows freely and eggs benny never disappoints. Check ’em out here.

Community: There’s something magical about Sunday farmer’s markets, pop-up concerts, annual gatherings, and block parties that turn strangers into neighbors. Local events don’t just entertain—they spark conversations and create a sense of belonging. Dive deeper into why local events matter more than we realize.

Pets: An emergency vet visit could cost you $7,000+ (ask me how I know 🙃). From the initial fee just to be seen to x-rays, surgery, medicine, and aftercare, it adds up quicker than a chew toy turns into a crime scene. The good news? You could get up to 90% cash back on your vet bill with this pet insurance plan.

👀 Why just read it when you could be in it?

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📆 Around town this weekend

All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirey outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.

Today

📚 Story Time @ Richland Public Library | Friday (7/11) at 10:00am – Story time at Howard Amon Park is hanging out by the gazebo next to that shiny new playground, serving up stories, songs, and rhymes for the three to five crowd. It’s basically magic—your pint-sized overlords zoning out while you score a few minutes of peace. Since the playground is just steps away, you can supervise from a safe distance while pretending you’re still young enough to swing.

💋 ApocaLIPS @ Out And About | Friday (7/11) at 8:00pm – Out and About is summoning a resurrected witch and her ghoulish sidekicks for ApocaLIPS, a lip-sync extravaganza dripping in camp, costumes, and cobwebs. It’s half drag revue, half haunted house, and all killer, no filler. Come for the spook, stay for the sequins, and leave with more glow than a jack-o’-lantern.

This weekend

🌌 Second Saturday Public Tour @ LIGO Hanford Observatory | Saturday (7/12) at 10:30am – This Second Saturday tour at the Hanford LIGO Observatory is your chance to wander the desert field and gawk at those four-kilometer laser arms that detect gravitational waves, cosmic eavesdropping without the FBI. It’s a laid back road trip for astronomy geeks, complete with friendly guides, open-air labs, and enough high-tech hardware to make your smartphone blush. Dust off your nerd hat, bring your best questions, and marvel at standing on borrowed spacetime.

🏖️ Beach Day Paint & Sip | Saturday (7/12) at 6:00pm – Beach Day Paint & Sip at Art YOUR Way puts you in coastal mode without fighting traffic to the shore. Guided acrylic steps, sip-worthy wine, clever mocktails, and snackable treats keep the creativity flowing. Family-friendly fun for ages 7 and up.

⚾ Benefit Night with the Tri-City Dust Devils @ Gesa Stadium-Pasco | Saturday (7/12) at 7:00pm – Grab your ballcap and make a night of it at Gesa Stadium, where $2 from every Dust Devils ticket fuels our local chaplaincy’s hospice and grief-care services. Cheer like you actually know baseball, then pretend you’re five again for the fireworks.

🛍️ Summer’s Hub Kids Market @ W Skagit Ave | Sunday (7/13) at 11:00am – Young entrepreneurs are setting up shop with everything from lemonade stands to hand-painted rock art, bribing your nostalgia with sugar and sarcasm. It’s a feel-good marketplace where quality time meets tiny CEO power moves. Brace yourself for cuteness with a side of capitalism.

🎬 Double Feature: Swiss Army Man / Cast Away @ Richland Public Library | Sunday (7/13) at 12:00pm – Sunday’s screen lineup at Tri-City Cinephiles brings Swiss Army Man and the 25th-anniversary Cast Away. Bring your sense of humor, leave your beach ball at home, and get ready for castaway capers, existential revelations, and maybe a bit of corpse friendship.

Next week

🖼️ Campus Community Exhibit @ Columbia Basin College | Monday (7/14) at 8:00am – Esvelt Gallery just turned into the campus talent show, with art by your favorite professors, admin staff, and everyone in between. It’s a front-row seat to see the folks who usually shuffle papers channel their inner Van Gogh, from moody landscapes to that mysterious sculpture you heard rumors about. Swing by with your curiosity and a sense of humor, then casually drop “I was there first” at your next coffee run.

🎖️ WWII in the Pacific @ Richland Public Library | Monday (7/14) at 7:00pm – Whether you’re a history nerd or scoring travel bragging rights, Richard Raymond is back from touring WWII sites across the Pacific, from Pearl Harbor to Tokyo Harbor, sharing behind-the-scenes stories you won’t find in textbooks. It’s free, no tickets, just vivid tales and dry wit.

🐕 Meet Our Therapy Dogs @ Richland Public Library | Tuesday (7/15) at 6:15pm – Stash your midweek blues and swing by Tuesday evening for some puppy-powered therapy. Two to five certified therapy dogs will be on hand, primed to soak up every word you read, even that half-hearted Dr. Seuss sesh. They’re expert listeners, terrible conversationalists, and infinitely more endearing than your phone’s notifications.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

🎶 Live music & entertainment

• 7/11 Nick Canger @ Goose Ridge Estate – 4 pm
• 7/11 Liam Ross @ The Emerald of Siam – 5 pm
• 7/11 Gabriel Knutzen @ Goose Ridge Estate – 5 pm
• 7/11 Jon White @ 3 Eyed Fish – 6 pm
• 7/11 Corey Potter @ Jackalope Bar – 7 pm
• 7/11 Claude Stuart @ Jokers Comedy – 7:30 pm
• 7/11 ApocaLIPS @ Out and About – 8 pm
• 7/12 Jim Basnight @ 3 Eyed Fish – 6 pm
• 7/12 The Knockoffs @ Iconic Brewing – 7 pm
• 7/15 The Owl & Crow Tour @ The Emerald of Siam – 6 pm

Price is right – Tri Cities edition

How it works: We’re going to give you some facts about a home for sale, including a picture of the outside, the kitchen, and one additional room. Your job? Guess how much it’s listed for (preferably before you click to find out).

*This 👇 could be your listing. Hit us up if you’ve got a home (or 12) to sell.

Listed by: Yuxia Wu (Professional Realty Services)

Soaring 18-foot ceilings and a grand tiled entryway set the tone in this Crested Hills standout, where sunlight pours in through oversized windows and a see-through fireplace cozies up the main-floor primary suite. The kitchen’s granite countertops and open flow to the family room, complete with a built-in wet bar, make spontaneous gatherings almost inevitable.

Upstairs, two bedrooms are linked by a Jack and Jill bathroom, while a den offers bonus flex space for whatever hobby takes over next. Three garage bays, whole-house surround sound, and extra insulation add a practical edge, all tucked into a prime South Richland spot near schools, parks, and shopping.

Make your guess, then (and only then)… see how much it costs →