West Richland Real Estate Blog

I had a bite a few nights ago that was unlike any other bite I’ve ever felt before. It was on my left foot, it happened that night we had the heavy rains, and seriously — my first thought was that it was some crazy mosquito with West Nile Virus. (Obviously the feel of the bite has nothing to do with WNV, but I’m just saying this has been on my mind….)

Now, as it turns out, the virus has been found here in West Richland. The Benton-Franklin Health District even published a news release (PDF format) about it. The district gives these tips for minimizing your risk of getting WNV:

• Plan outdoor activities away from dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.
• Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants when in mosquito-infested areas.
• Use an effective mosquito repellent and follow label instructions. Repellents with DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535 are recommended.
• Make sure the screens on all doors and windows work properly.
• Eliminate mosquito breeding by emptying anything that holds standing water such as old tires, buckets, plastic tarps, clogged gutters, and irrigation leaks. Change the water in birdbaths, fountains, wading pools, and animal troughs once a week.

If you want to learn more, visit the special West Nile Virus page on the BFHD web site.

(photo courtesy danteclaus via Creative Commons)

$4 per Gallon

Originally uploaded by Matt McGee

I just paid $4.02/gallon for gas at the Conoco station on Kennedy Road (at the intersection with Dallas Road). Yikes!

Granted, I’m one of those goofy people who always buys premium, 92-octane gas even though I only have a little Toyota Corolla. Why? Because I know for a fact that my car drives better with premium gas. I’ve driven over Snoqualmie Pass a couple dozen times in the past 18 months, and my car always drove better up the mountains with 92 octane gas. And, since I have a long drive coming up real soon, it was a no brainer to get premium gas despite the price.

Still, I’ve never paid $4/gallon for gas anywhere, especially in West Richland or others part of the Tri-Cities. Can’t imagine how high it’s going to go as we get further along into the summer….

They may be man’s best friends, but not when they’re barking all night in a new residential neighborhood. The City of West Richland and some residents are fighting over the location of the city’s dog pound, which was placed years ago in a remote part of the city — an area that’s now being developed into a nice neighborhood on Bird Hill.

The homeowners knew the dogs were there, but moved in regardless. They just didn’t realize how loud it could get. Makes sense, since they’d be looking at the houses and lots in the daytime — everything sounds louder at night, right?

To make a long story short, the West Richland city leaders are going to work with the residents to come up with short- and long-term solutions. But I think police chief Layne Erdman says it best:

“We can’t move it [the dog pound] every time someone has a complaint.”

Full story is at KIMATV.com.