I live in West Richland, WA…technically the fourth of the Tri-Cities (Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland being the actual three).  We’re a small town, and I mean that in a good way.  Some small towns can be hotbeds of gossip and suffocating attitudes.  But here we’re basically friendly, without being cloyingly sweet.  My son went a little too far on his scooter the other day and I received no fewer than three texts/calls from friends who thought he probably shouldn’t be so far afield.  We watch out for each other.  We volunteer and we nurture and we dream.

Yesterday, a local Cub Scout troop erected almost 3,000 small flags along a major thoroughfare in our city, Bombing Range Rd. Every 3.5 feet, the little Cub Scouts, most of whom were not even born when the attacks happened, planted a flag to commemorate a life lost in the attacks.

I took pictures, but they don’t compare with seeing them in real life -  a mile of flags, planted along both sides of the road.  One local remarked on Facebook,  “Just cried my way all the way down Bombing Range… Not sure I am ready to drive back up.”

I was pregnant on 9/11/2001.  I gave birth to a daughter just over three months later.  I love her, my son, and my husband.  I love this city.  I love this country.  God bless the United (truly, united in so many ways) States of America.

We’ll be holding open over 250 houses, which is more than half our inventory. Our closest competitive agency doesn’t even have that many houses listed to hold open.

This week, as sort of a teaser event, tonight, Wednesday and Thursday, we’ll be holding open a portion of our houses in each city – Pasco tonight, Richland tomorrow and Thursday is Kennewick‘s day in the spotlight.

If you’re in Pasco on Sunday, drop by and see 6210 Landsdowne Ct. If you can’t make it, drop by on the web -

http://6210landsdowne.com/

Think this is a great idea, but you’re not in the market for a new home yet? Fear not, there’s another one scheduled for the fall!

While showing relocating clients around the Tri-Cities I’ll mention different areas of Richland – central Richland, south Richland, north Richland. I also bring up West Richland. I guess when you hear it and don’t see that capital W at the front, it’s understandable that you wouldn’t know that West Richland is its own little city, and not just a part of Richland.

It began as a bedroom community to Richland, which itself was sort of a bedroom community for Hanford. Over fifty years later, West Richland now has its own grocery store, several gas stations, banks, liquor store, library, schools, parks, playgrounds, little league and soccer fields, and houses of worship. And three, count ‘em, THREE traffic lights. Plus, I live there

A small negative is that there is no great retail sector, so the tax dollars are not necessarily rolling in. Some people claim that the WR police are therefore rather quick to ticket. I would say that that might be true. I know a few of the speed traps, and I’ve certainly been ticketed more than once hurrying to or from the kids’ schools. But I’ve been let off with only a warning on Bombing Range Rd. and S. Highlands Blvd., too. Obey posted limits and the rules of the road and you’ll be fine, I’m sure.

There was a big to-do about a year ago about the name of the city. Some people wanted to change it to Red Mountain, in order to capitalize on the neighboring Red Mountain viticultural area. I dislike the name Red Mountain almost as much as I dislike the name West Richland. It was once named Enterprise. That’s kind of cool. No one asked me, but I’d name the city Westbridge if it were up to me.

There will be separate lines for chipping branches (totally needed with the wind we have around here, constantly hurling branches off of trees!), household garbage and hazardous waste. Those lines are off of S. 54th, so line up there. Get an early start, as lines are shortest in the am.

You can even make more than one trip – unlimited being the key word, actually. Just make sure all of your loads are secured with ropes or tarps (otherwise you might have a fine of $101).

I hope I don’t need to remind any of you that a cleaned-up property adds value to your own home and to the neighborhood around you. Better value = more equity for you when you sell. And, even if you never sell and leave the house to the kids, then at least the view out your living room window won’t be of some beater truck with the tires propped up nearby, but not on the vehicle!

In Sunday’s Tri-City Herald, they printed an interesting story about the LID (Local Improvement District) coming to Red Mountain, which is where the great grapes are grown.

Basically, if you want water for your land there, sign up to be part of the LID now, because otherwise, you’ll be stuck waiting for your well to be permitted and who knows how long that will take.  Some people have already been waiting for years. In addition, they say they won’t allow you to opt-in to it later.

Like all things real-estate related, it’s kind of a gamble.  If you have no plans to grow grapes and you own land in the Red Mountain AVA, then you might be thinking, “Why should I pay to irrigate land I’m not growing anything on?”

The bottom line is that it makes it more valuable, even if your plans don’t include viticulture.  Perhaps the NEXT person who owns your land will want it, and if it’s already in, that’s great, because word is, the next person wouldn’t be able to get it because they came to the party too late.

But, the plans sound really exciting. I wonder if my beloved West Richland will keep it’s small-town feeling when all of this moves in?

[where: 99353]

Earlier this month, I wrote about Matthew Blacketter, a nine-year-old, hanging on despite cancerous tumors spreading through his body.

He passed from this world to the next on Monday, and now he doesn’t need to fight anymore.  He leaves behind a grieving family, and community, and about 27 kids who shared his fourth grade classroom for a few school days and a teacher who I’m sure never dreamed she’d have to lead her class through an experience of this kind.  Nine-year-olds shouldn’t have to learn how to mourn.

He had had a persistent cough in December of ’06.  His parents took him to the doctor and they discovered he had lung cancer.  Stage 4.  At eight-years-old.

At Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane, WA, he was treated with the known methods for kicking cancer’s ass – chemotherapy and radiation.  He was recovering.  Things were looking up for the family.  The trip to DisneyWorld and other Florida attractions were a Make-a-Wish fulfillment.  Awesome fun for a nine-year-old.

Back to the doctor two days after his return from Florida.  A full body scan at Sacred Heart revealed brain tumors.  Fifteen of them.  The cancer was spreading through his body at a rapid rate.  He had a few weeks left to live.

This kid has hung on, against all odds.  His neighborhood in West Richland held a Ride for Matthew.  Bikers rode from Flat Top Park to Matthew’s street.  Friends and family and firemen surrounded the boy to show support and caring.  The children offered gifts and the parents held back tears.  I know because I attended.

The family went to make funeral arrangements and discovered they didn’t have enough money for a funeral for their son.

If you have your health and a little bit of money, please consider donating to the Matthew Blacketter Fund at GESA Credit Union.  If every person who reads this blog donates $10, the fund will have over $250 at the end of the week as a result.

Go to any GESA office and tell them you want to donate to the Matthew Blacketter Fund.  They know what to do.

And if you have your health, and no money to spare, then pray.  Pray hard for this child and this family. 

Daughter and I went out and trick-or-treated almost to exhaustion.

We saw tons of people I knew and some kids from her class at school  – glassy-eyed and stumbling, because they were out waaaay too late for them.

What a blessing to live in an neighborhood with lots of kids and friendly parents.

I hope you’re similarly blessed wherever you live!

My son is a Husky fan, and for the past two years has actually talked me into buying additional food just for the canned food drive!  In the past, I had always just given what I had in the cupboard and stocked back up for the family next time I went to the store.  But for the past two years, I have specifically gone to the store just to buy food to donate!  He puts the food in the Husky box, but they have yet to win.

Last year, the William Wiley Elementary Canned Food Drive brought in over 2,664 pounds of donated food!  And, as I tell my son, when it helps other people out, it’s okay if your favorite team loses.