Latest news with #Spokane-based
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Eastern WA researchers fight cyber threats at aging U.S. hydropower system
Washington generates more hydroelectricity than any other state, so it is fitting that research to protect the critical infrastructure responsible for generating this power is happening right here in the Tri-Cities, at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Researchers at PNNL are combining their knowledge of the hydropower system and expertise in cybersecurity to secure the operational technology of the nation's hydropower fleet. Their work to protect these facilities helps ensure the continued generation of affordable electricity that powers our homes and factories. It also safeguards a key source of dispatchable power — generation that can be ramped up and down as needed to balance supply and demand — that enhances grid reliability and resilience. The federally managed hydropower projects have an average age of about 65 years, so researchers tasked with protecting them must bridge the past to the future. Efforts to adapt aging systems to thwart today's constantly evolving cyber threats include developing a suite of cybersecurity tools, an operational training model and a monitoring system. To make it easier for operators who may need to respond to and recover from a cyber incident, researchers assembled and integrated guidance from several agencies and created a cyber-physical framework and roadmap for the nation's entire fleet. They also prepared and shared a step-by-step desk guide for navigating a cyberattack. Fundamental to this work was an assessment of the connections and interactions among the cyber and physical components at hydropower facilities of all kinds. By studying a representative sample of plants with a wide range of ages and uses, researchers found that they could be binned into just nine distinct cyber-physical configurations. This allows operators to more easily identify shared risks and potential mitigations. In a separate effort to train cybersecurity professionals working on critical infrastructure, PNNL researchers developed a series of test platforms. These platforms, known as skids, are scaled-down, functional models that enable realistic exercises without putting real infrastructure at risk. Examples of PNNL-developed skids include models of a water treatment facility, the Class 1 freight rail network and a hydropower plant. Each can be 'attacked' by cyber means to explore vulnerabilities and mitigation strategies. The hydropower skid and associated training scenarios were designed with input from regional hydropower plant operators, including Spokane-based Avista Corporation and Grant County Public Utility District. Complete with wicket gates, turbines and other components needed to generate power, as well as small, representative industrial control systems, the skid allows operators to see the effects of unauthorized cyber access and learn how to manage the risk. Trainees can watch water levels above and below the miniature dam as the control systems undergo a simulated cyberattack. They can monitor relays in the substation that might trip, watch for flooding or erosion and see how the power grid responds. They also get a firsthand look at how their simulated responses impact the system. PNNL's support in protecting hydropower plants also extends to an award-winning technology called SerialTap. This palm-sized device serves as a data collector, allowing modern network cybersecurity tools to monitor dispersed serial communication devices and legacy industrial control systems. SerialTap makes it possible to detect cyberattacks and network anomalies so that analysts and operators can respond more quickly and effectively. The technology will be tested by a commercial partner whose affiliate companies own and operate 85 hydroelectric facilities in the United States. As the complexity and connectedness of the critical infrastructure we depend on for a strong economy increase, so does the risk of cyber threats with higher consequences. Experts at PNNL are developing novel approaches to protect, detect and recover from potential cyberattacks at the hydroelectric facilities that produce nearly 6 percent of the nation's total electricity — and more than 60 percent of the power generated in the great state of Washington. Steven Ashby is director of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Washington small business owners face major health insurance hike: 'Off the charts'
May 29—Washington's small business owners, and those who are self-employed, could pay much steeper prices for health insurance in 2026 based on requested hikes from the 14 companies that provide coverage in the state. The companies provide premiums through what's called the Individual Health Insurance Market. Combined, they are seeking to raise their premiums by about 21.2%. Those rates are regulated by the state Office of the Insurance Commissioner, which must officially sign off on the increases. Part of the reason for the steep increases comes from tax credits, which helped subsidize insurance for about 300,000 state workers who use the individual insurance market, set to expire on Dec. 31, 2025, unless they are extended by Congress. "These tax credits are how many people afford critical coverage that protects themselves and their families," Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer said in the release. "I know many members of Congress understand this and hopefully, they will prevail in these negotiations. Thousands of people in Washington state and millions across the country depend on the individual market and can't afford to see prices rise unnecessarily." The Enhanced Advance Premium Tax Credits were created under the American Rescue Plan Act in 2021 and extended through 2025 by the Inflation Reduction Act to help people pay for insurance. It applied to those making up to $62,600 a year and for many more who made less than that, according to the release. According to the Washington Health Benefit Exchange, as many as 80,000 state residents will drop coverage if they lose that subsidy. Aaron VanTuyl, spokesman for the Office of the Insurance Commissioner, said those projected losses were part of the reason companies are seeking higher premiums, to offset the potential loss of so many customers. He said the sought-after premium increase is about double the amount approved for the same companies last year. The insurance companies sought a hike of 11.3%, and the office of insurance commissioner eventually approved a 10.7% increase. He noted that the increases were only for those plans in the Individual Health Insurance Market. Those insurance plans offered through private employers, for which most state employees work under, are federally regulated. Plans for public employees and teachers are regulated by the Washington State Health Care Authority. As for the proposed hikes for self-employed and small companies, VanTuyl said the request is just the first step of a long process. "They won't be approved for a while yet," he said. "The filings have to be determined that they are justified and whether the numbers make sense. That's a fairly large process." Still, if approved, it would add yet another cost increase to small businesses already dealing with the effects of inflation and uncertainty from always-changing tariff policies, said Greg Deckard, CEO and chairman of Spokane-based State Bank Northwest. "That's off the charts," Deckard said of the proposed hikes. "That's triple of what we are seeing form our group insurance. That's going to create a hardship and a lot of uninsured people."
Business Insider
23-04-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Seattle BIBO Air Filter Changeout For Hospitals, Medical Research Labs Announced
Hospitals and medical research facilities in Seattle, Portland, and other parts of the US Northwest now have access to specialized bag-in/bag-out air filter support from Spokane-based Pure Filtration Products (509-315-8460). Spokane, United States, April 22, 2025 -- The National Air Filtration Association recently certified two in-house technicians from Spokane-based Pure Filtration Products, allowing the firm to support hospitals and medical research facilities across the US Northwest, including Seattle, Portland, and Boise. The firm's enhanced capability encompasses changeouts for bag-in/bag-out (BIBO) HEPA units, commonly found in sensitive medical environments, such as operating theatres. More details can be found at In addition to filter changeouts, Pure Filtration Products offers a range of additional support functions, such as filter disposal, that form part of regulatory reporting requirements. As such, the firm offers a cost-effective way for medical facilities to maintain compliance while also protecting staff, building occupants, and the environment. Regulations relating to infection control mean that BIBO air filter systems are usually required by hospitals, particularly in isolation rooms, operating theatres, laboratories, and other areas where airborne pathogens may be a concern. The systems use a PVC bag to install, change, or test filter mediums, thereby preventing contact between the air purifying unit and the external environment. In addition to hospitals, Pure Filtration Products states that several other industries are increasingly using BIBO systems, such as pharmaceutical research, chemical manufacturing, battery manufacturing, and nuclear power stations. The firm's latest support capability is available to any facility using BIBO filtration units in Washington State, Idaho, Oregon, or Montana, with plans for further expansion as more team members gain their certifications. 'We're excited to offer an expert support capability for industrial, medical, and pharmaceutical facilities across the Northwest,' a company representative explained. 'The prevalence of bag-in/bag-out filter systems is only going to grow, creating demand for qualified technicians, and our goal is to be ready and able to provide that support whenever and wherever it's required.' About Pure Filtration Products First established in 2009, Pure Filtration Products is now one of the most comprehensive filtration specialists in the Spokane region. The firm supplies and supports a wide range of residential, commercial, and industrial products, including CELDek, molecular filtration, V-Cells, VOC removal, and more. 'The team at Pure Filtration Products is always super helpful, and they have much better quality than the standard filters you find at hardware stores. Their Prices are also very competitive,' one client recently stated. 'I work in the HVAC field, and I will never go anywhere else.' Release ID: 89158284 If there are any deficiencies, problems, or concerns regarding the information presented in this press release that require attention or if you need assistance with a press release takedown, we encourage you to notify us without delay at error@ (it is important to note that this email is the authorized channel for such matters, sending multiple emails to multiple addresses does not necessarily help expedite your request). Our diligent team is committed to promptly addressing your concerns within 8 hours and taking necessary actions to rectify any identified issues or facilitate the removal process. Providing accurate and trustworthy information is of utmost importance.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cowles family plans to donate The Spokesman-Review to local nonprofit
Apr. 15—The Cowles family intends to donate The Spokesman-Review to a recently formed Spokane-based community nonprofit organization that plans to continue publishing the newspaper amid the changes and challenges roiling legacy media. The plan calls for Publisher Stacey Cowles and his family's Cowles Co. to transfer ownership of the newspaper and award a $2 million matching grant to the nonprofit, called the Comma community journalism lab, which was founded by current Spokesman-Review Executive Editor Rob Curley. "It's been a great venture for 132 years, but if you had the chance to extend its viability, as people know and love it, why would you not do that?" Cowles said. He is among the fourth generation of the Cowles family to publish the city's daily paper. Cowles will stay involved with the newspaper as a member of Comma's board of directors. Curley also will serve on the board of 11 and lead the nonprofit as founder and president. "We firmly believe this is a great plan and the community and Comma have the resources to carry it off," Cowles said. "Of course, we're going to be helping to whatever extent we can. We're super excited to see this go." The change will not affect how readers get their newspaper, Curley said. The Spokesman-Review will continue to publish as it does currently: six days a week in print and always online behind a paywall, though stories reported and written by reporters whose positions are funded at least partially by outside grants will remain free. When the nonprofit reaches its fundraising goal and takes over the newspaper — potentially by mid-summer — readers will be offered subscription plans with different ways to engage with the newspaper content and process. "We believe a community should own its narrative, and the local newspaper must be created with and for its communities," Curley said, "especially in today's climate, that starts with putting power back into the hands of readers and citizens." The agreement includes a stipulation that current employees of The Spokesman-Review keep at least the same pay and benefits, Cowles said. He noted there are some details that needs to be ironed out as Comma works to raise the initial $2 million to trigger the Cowles' $2 million match. "There won't be any positions cut as a result of this move, per se," Cowles said. "But we're always looking for efficiencies, so we'll have retirements, we'll have restructuring, but that won't be contingent on the nonprofit." Comma's business model, developed with help and guidance from nonprofit consulting firm the Bridgespan Group, calls for donations from individuals and major local companies and institutions such as Avista Corp. or Gonzaga, for example. Curley said what sets it apart from similar ventures is a hybrid revenue stream called the "Spokane model." The newspaper would shift from a reliance on advertising and subscription revenue under a for-profit structure to a hybrid model that continues gathering these forms of revenue with added philanthropy. Conversations around this model have been underway for years as Curley weaved elements of philanthropy through his eight years as editor. He started fundraising efforts through the Community Journalism and Civic Engagement Fund, which includes Northwest Passages book club events and collecting corporate sponsors for coverage, such as the annual Difference Makers series. Last year, the newspaper collected about $300,000 from nonprofit ventures, Cowles said. Now it's going a step further under a model that could bring in between $800,000 to $3 million each year. It's an effort to move from "a community newspaper" to "the community's newspaper," Curley said. Cowles said the newspaper's focus on a community-style of journalism has better resonated with readers, who felt they were more represented in the stories on the front page. Cowles described the style as "the way of the future." "(Curley's) brand of community journalism is really what has driven this and the response he got when in the first two months, we went from 10 complaint letters to 200 love letters," Cowles said. "What more do you need to say, 'Well, this looks like the right formula.' Then the question is, 'Well, how can we sustain it over a long, long period?'" The added revenue stream is necessary to the function of the newspaper as readers know it today, Cowles said. The Spokesman-Review is not immune to woes of the newspaper industry struggling with profitability and survivability. "We're losing two newspapers a week across the country. And we have been for three years now. The industry is in a crisis; there's no question," Cowles said. "That's why you've got people like us coming up with solutions like this because of necessity. If we don't figure something out, we're going to end up on the junk heap." It's the societal shift toward digitization that has made it difficult for most newspapers. The Spokesman-Review is generating 70% less revenue than it was in 2007, largely due to the shift from print to digital advertising, Cowles said. Revenue from subscriptions isn't enough to compensate for this drag, even with hikes in subscription fees and value-added pricing for delivery that grew subscription revenue over the past five years, Cowles said, but even that is now leveling off. "How do we fill the gap if we're going to stay at some semblance of the size newsroom we have," Cowles said. Philanthropy, future Comma executives hope, is how to fill the gap, and for more than just The Spokesman-Review. "It's a way for people that are subscribers to grow into being supportive philanthropists within the community," said Comma principal and board member Scott de Rozic, who has worked with Curley to make Comma ready for the transfer. Once finalized, Comma's business plans, financial models, legal documents and other details will be open source, available for the reference of other newspapers, which de Rozic hopes could help keep other publications afloat. "We also want to deeply inform through sharing and an open source model, all of our learnings here with the rest of the country," de Rozic said. "Because geographically we know we can't fix all the problems in the country, but we want the lessons that we learned and invested money in to be available, freely available, for the rest of the industry." The decision to transfer Cowles' family's long-standing asset wasn't easy for him or his family, who all weighed in on this deal. In his sixth-floor office of the iconic Spokesman-Review Tower at the corner at southeast corner of Monroe Street and Riverside Avenue, black-and-white photos of his family offer reassurance. "I think all my ancestors would agree this is a good move," Cowles said. Elena Perry's work is funded in part by members of the Spokane community via the Community Journalism and Civic Engagement Fund. This story can be republished by other organizations for free under a Creative Commons license. For more information on this, please contact our newspaper's managing editor.
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trouble brewing: Tariffs hit Spokane coffee roasters already facing higher prices
Apr. 6—Crop conditions already made a cup of Joe more expensive in Spokane, but the announcement this week of new tariffs on the countries that produce coffee beans will bring even more uncertainty, and, mostly likely, higher prices. "Essentially, the whole system of buying coffee has broken," Simon Thompson, founder of Spokane-based Cravens Coffee Co., said. "The tariffs are just another break in that mechanism." Cravens sources coffee beans from 11 countries for its variety of blends that includes Mission Mountain, Montana Jacks and Spokane Express. Bobby Enslow, owner of Indaba Coffee, said he's already had to raise wholesale prices that he charges restaurants and stores as a result of a poor crop in Brazil, which leads the world in coffee production. He noted that he may be insulated, somewhat, from the decision this week by President Donald Trump to hit U.S. trading partners with new tariffs, because he paid for contracts a year ago for the coffee beans he's using today. "So, all the coffee we will be serving for the next year, that price has been locked for the majority of our coffee," he said. Asked if those deliveries will face tariffs even though they've already been paid, Enslow said he didn't know. "I haven't dealt with that," he said. "I'm still figuring this out. We are only a couple days into this. They may choose to pass that cost to us. I don't know how it's going to play out." As of Friday, Thompson said he had coffee beans, which are shipped unroasted and green, on transport ships headed to Spokane when the tariffs hit. He believes he'll have to pay higher duties to get that already-purchased coffee to the Lilac City. "If it has not left the country of origin, it will be tariffed," Thompson said. "Even if the coffee is on the water, the chances are it's going to be tariffed." Tariffs are charged by the importing country. If a 250 -pound bag of coffee costs $100, for example, a 10% tariff would force the roaster to pay $110 to get those beans into the U.S. "We buy coffee directly from Costa Rica," Thompson said. "We've been doing it for 18 years with the same guy. That coffee hasn't left yet. They said they are not going to tariff us. They will absorb it. But going forward, they will have to tariff future coffee." Growing conditions Even before the announcement this week, coffee prices had risen to a 47-year high, Thompson said. He explained that both Brazil, which produces arabica beans, and Vietnam, which produces the robusta beans mostly used in commercial-grade coffee, had crop failures last year. In addition, demand for beans has increased because of more coffee drinkers in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and China. "All those things happened, which caused coffee to rise in price," Thompson said. "That has already meant that any roaster who wants to stay in business has had to raise their prices." Aaron Jordan, owner of Roast House Coffee, said it's not an exact science, but a spike in coffee prices hits by a multiplier of four. "If you face a 50-cent cost hike, it might mean a $2 raise in prices to the customer," Jordan said. "It's only pennies per cup. But if a pound of coffee goes from $15 or $16 to $18, that seems like a lot to the consumer." Like Enslow, Jordan still doesn't know what the tariffs will mean to his business. "We haven't heard anything from our suppliers, but I wouldn't be surprised to see a 10-to-20% increase," he said. Much of the uncertainty comes from different rules. For instance, coffee from Brazil will likely face a 10% tariff. Vietnam, however, will face a staggering 46% tariff. Thompson said he uses Sumatra beans, which are only grown in Indonesia, in every blend he makes. That country was hit with a 32% tariff. "The hits just keep on coming," he said. "There will be tariffs on every coffee that we buy, except Mexico, because Mexico cut a deal. We've seen swings before, but nothing ever like this in 30 years. This is as volatile as we've ever seen it." Coffee is particularly vulnerable to price pressures because there are only so many places where it can be grown. Most coffee is produced in countries located along the equator. Jordan, of Roast House, said he sources organic beans from Colombia, Brazil and Ethiopia. "Essentially, the supply chain for coffee is the farmer, the mill that processes it as a product, then an exporter to legally export it and then an importer. Then it comes to us," he said. "So, you have two governments you have to navigate. We are waiting to see how the other countries respond." Thompson said the only coffee grown in the U.S. is in Hawaii and a little in California, but he said both regions only have what he called a "hobby farm" level of production. Technically, coffee could be grown in Brownsville, Texas, but only if it somehow rose about 5,000 feet above sea level and started to have about 70 inches of rainfall a year, he said. "We can't grow coffee in the U.S. The conditions just aren't there," Thompson said. That leaves the dozen or so roasters in Spokane at the end of a long supply chain full of uncertainty. "Everything is moving so quickly. If it doesn't even itself out, pricing will be impacted," Thompson said. "There is only so much the consumer can afford when it comes to coffee. Roasters need to be cognizant of that."
