Good morning, Pasco.

St. Vincent de Paul Food Bank in Pasco is getting ready for more food demand as SNAP benefits will soon end for some families.

Local leaders and community groups are working together — planning ways to make sure those in need receive help.

With SNAP benefits at risk due to a potential government shutdown in November, local food banks in the Tri-Cities are preparing to help families get food.

Pasco residents can visit the St. Vincent de Paul Food Bank while providers in Kennewick, Richland and Benton City offer support—call ahead and bring required identification.

Colby Enebrad joined Wake Up NonStop Local as co-anchor with Laynie Erickson and brings energy, curiosity, and a passion for storytelling to the team — he returns to Washington from Bend, Oregon after reporting for three and a half years and is originally from Bonney Lake.

He graduated from Washington State University and is eager to reconnect with local viewers while exploring his new role in the Tri-Cities area.

Fearing SNAP cuts in November due to a possible government shutdown, food banks and community groups in the Tri-Cities are preparing to help families with food supplies at locations in Pasco, Kennewick, Richland, Benton City — and rural areas.

Organizers advise residents to call ahead for hours, needed documents, and eligibility to get support.

Kiona-Benton City School District officials are asking voters to approve a replacement Educational Programs and Operations levy on the November 4 ballot—this measure will keep funding for athletics, music, and art programs along with essential support staff at the current tax rate of $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed value.

Franklin County's coroner's office opened its new facility last month with an onsite autopsy suite, observation room, garage, and a refrigeration unit that can store over 10 bodies—cutting the need for overnight trips to Benton County—and hosted an open house Wednesday morning to show community members its improved services.

Energy Northwest has named its upcoming project Cascade Advanced Energy Facility after working with Amazon and X-energy; the project will build 12 modular nuclear reactors north of the Tri-Cities, starting with four XE-100 reactors (which use gas coolant for high temperature operation). The facility, expected to supply a gigawatt of clean power (enough for 700,000 homes), will begin construction before the end of the decade with energy production planned by the 2030s near the Columbia Generating Station.

Dr. Kasturi from Northwest Endovascular Surgery in Richland said private practices in rural areas are struggling as low Medicare reimbursements and growing consolidation force patients to seek care in hospitals with longer waits and higher bills.

A Government Accountability Office report shows nearly half of doctors' offices are now part of hospital systems—new Medicare reimbursement rates, if approved, will go into effect Jan. 1 and could be released on Nov. 1 pending a government shutdown delay.

Health experts reported that cancer rates are rising among local adults aged 20 to 40 and advise checking family history, eating a balanced diet, and exercising regularly—steps that may reduce risk.

They warn that while genetic factors cannot be changed, adjusting habits like limiting alcohol and processed meats could help lower the chance of developing cancer.

This Halloween, pet owners in Pasco are advised to set up a quiet retreat for their pets and secure treats like chocolate and xylitol away from them — following Best Friends Animal Society's guidelines to minimize stress during trick-or-treating.

These tips also include using stable jack-o-lantern displays and ensuring costumes fit safely.

Annual Makeup Blowout Sale in Pasco

10 AM – 5 PM — Holiday Inn Express & Suites Pasco-Tricities — Free entry — Enjoy discounts up to 75% on makeup, skincare, and hair care products this weekend.