Our neighborhood library is so cool! Post pandemic, and there are so many ways to enjoy the…read morelibrary! Reading time and events are in full swing for the summer. There are many online options, and a drive they experience to enjoy. The most favorite features we enjoy are: grab bags, self check out, and pre-checkout for items requested. Did you know if the library does not have the book, you can request them to buy it. And, you will be the first one to read it! It's such an economical approach to media and different resources. This library system is definitely equipped to share the joy of reading!

I just thought it was a nice surprise to see the library and they have nice things for kids to be…read moreactive to help them enjoy reading. I just got my card I moved here from west side 1 year ago.

We are super lucky in Benton City to have a group of people who care enough to make sure the town…read morehas a nice, proper library. A number of years ago a man passed away and left money and land for a new library. We now have a beautiful library that overlooks the Yakima River. The library has a good selection of books, magazines, and movies. You can request items from other branches and they usually come in a few days. The staff members are super nice and helpful. They have several computers and a meeting room that can be reserved. The restrooms are the cleanest in Benton City. The only downside is that this branch is part of the Mid Columbia system. In the past few years Mid Columbia has instilled a ridiculous fee system. The hours are a bit wacky as well. I guess you take the good with the bad.

This is the place you go if you want to hang out w/ trash. :) I've gone here to dispose of used…read moremotor oil, anti-freeze, etc. I've also gone here to dispose of a few things too big for my trash can. Granted, I only get my trash can picked up every 4-7 weeks (I recycle like a fiend, BIG TIME!). Be sure to have a copy of your utility bill when coming here, otherwise they'll charge you for using the facilities. There are also recycling bins here as well.

It costs $10 for the first 1500 lbs (except leaves, they will let you dump leaves for free) even if…read moreyou can prove that you own a home in Richland. I think it's a rip off but sometimes a necessity. Friendly people work there... So that's good...

It's not comparable to neighborhoods like the French Quarter (New Orleans), Beacon Hill (Boston),…read moreor the Jersey Shore, but who woulda thunk MY neighborhood here in Richland, WA was a "Historic District". But my neighborhood of Alphabet Houses surely has a history tied to this country, and it is kind of cool to put your residence in a historical context. Now, what drove me to write this Yelp was my noticing of historic signs popping up on Van Giesen during my drives to work in the morn. One by one, I started to see little black signs magically appear on the corners of various streets: McPherson Ave, Marshall Ave, Warren Ct, Mahan Ave, etc. Now these signs are due to the effort of a local group honoring veterans, so isn't totally Historic District-related, but it certainly helps for telling the stories history. As for the Alphabet housing. During the war effort of World War II, the small farming of town transformed from a small farming town to a metropolis of secrecy (fuel for the first atomic bombs were built on the Hanford Site). Richland Population: 1943: 500 1945: 25,000 (!!) The huge change in population needed to be handled quickly. Yes, many soldiers were housed in tents and temporary barracks, but scientists, technicians, and management (along with their families), needed honest to goodness homes. An architect from Spokane was given 90 days to design homes and neighborhoods for the huge influx of people: enter the alphabet houses (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/z_1wFu2h3fGTsjBo6jfv2A?select=TfltN_vfiTmYtBImYep2tg). Each home design was assigned a letter (hence the term "alphabet houses"). The houses range from tiny 1-bedroom houses to huge two-story duplexes. (for the record, I live in a 2-story 3bedroom, home known affectionately as an F-House). It's over a half century later, and many of these houses are still around and generally in their original state. Some areas of the district are quaint and DO look historical, but other neighborhoods do look a wee bit ghetto (like my 'hood!). This is home, and it's nice to know the history behind the area. If you ever get the chance, you should drop by the CREHST Museum (http://www.yelp.com/biz/crehst-museum-richland). There's a cool exhibit about the Alphabet Houses.

The alphabet housing "district" in Richland is interesting to say the least - the new small metal…read moresigns giving some history about the street names are neat, but unless you go on a walking tour of the area I can't see how you would read them. This part of town is probably the least expensive part of northern Richland, the houses have been remodeled and modified, a least most of them have, but the area still retains its unique vibe.

It looks like you are in a space without offices or a traditional entry. You will need to enter…read morethru a revolving gate entry, and a security guard will meet you there. If you are 18 or over, please have your government issued photo ID available to enter the visitor's center. The visitor center is awesome! Lots of literature and pictures documenting the lock and dam. Be sure to checkout the fish ladders when entering. This experience starts the curiosity to want more information. The greeter is happy to see people and ready to share information. The facility is clean and ready for guests. This establishment has a lot of history and information to share, and we are excited to have this place available for future resourcing. If you want to learn more about Hydro-power and renewable resources, this is your place! No fees required to enter.

You know, it's not bad, especially for a free exhibit. I would say that the view of the dam from…read morethe outside is more impressive than anything on the inside, but it's still work taking a look. The interior has a view of the fish ladder where you can look at fish through the window and also see the current fish counts (yes, they count every single one, separated by species!). It also has a bunch of historical and informational stuff. However, the strangest thing about the dam is that the entire exterior is controlled by these rather large orb web spiders. No cameras and phones are allowed in the facility, so there's no way to ever get any proof, but I theorize that the humans that work there are actually automatons controlled by these overlords. They're designed to be very friendly and actually rather convincing at times, but I'm pretty sure I know what's gong on here. One visit is plenty for me, but I do think that everyone should see it once -- just don't offend the spiders because there's no doubt that they're the ones that head this operation.

I love lighthouses and feel that they are a still a novelty to me after living in the Pacific…read moreNorthwest for over ten years and the fact of being born and raised in landlocked states prior to moving to the West Coast. Normally they are along the coast that we go to see and visit but the Clover Island Lighthouse is a river light house for the Columbia River. There used to be quite a few river lights along the Columbia but if memory serves most of them fell into disrepair or torn down. The Clover Island Lighthouse is quite new by lighthouse standards as it was built in 2010 on Clover Island where events are held as well as river views. It also serves a landmark for the island. Being such a new lighthouse I suspect it's used more for tourism rather than for practical purposes but I wouldn't rule that out either as the Columbia River is a very busy river for boat traffic. It's a little bit of a surprise to me that there was even a lighthouse in Tri-Cities as they are definitely situated in the desert but that makes it ironical in a fun way as well. Quite a few of the lighthouses on the coast have similar paint jobs and some are built similarly as well. I know there is a vast array of different lighthouses in all shapes and sizes but those seem to be more common in Michigan from what I gather. So it was quite refreshing to see a lighthouse that was not only new but also has a stucco look to it which is very appropriate for the arid environment and other housing in areas like this. The island is pretty small and there is a restaurant there and Ice Harbor Brewing has a location on the island as well so you can eat and drink along with taking a gander at this cute little lighthouse as well and any marina activities that are available for those with boats.

We stopped here for about 10 minutes to check out the lighthouse when we were in the area. It's a…read morenice quick little stop with some history. There are great views of the water and bridge and there is plenty of parking. It's definitely worth a stop if you have a few minutes. The sunset here was lovely and we were entertained by some jet skiiers on the water. There was also an ice cream vendor but he was closing up when we arrived.

So had to do a minor stint in the Justice center…read more The guards were amazing and professional and treated me like a person and not a animal. They were very down to earth and we're accommodating in many ways. The nurses were equally as helpful and assisted in individual needs. The judge sucked seemed like he had a hell of a day but hey Justice isn't always pleasant. The food sucked ass but they did serve 3 meals a day and it was hot. I was in a good pod that allowed for TV and low risk inmates. We were all just doing our time and paying our debts to the system Showers were hot Bed mattress stunk All in all I don't condone breaking the law because it's a road that never ends. If you end up in Benton county corrections you won't have the hardest time serving out your time.

They finally got me. I was charged for Yelping with abandon in Benton County. I pleaded: GUILTY…read more Seriously, I made my trip to the Justice Center for my first Jury Duty experience. I thought of pulling a Lez Lemon, and showing up in a Han Solo outfit, but I was curiously intrigued with learning about the whole experience. They have been having some issues with their online & call-in system, but I had no issues with determining whether I was needed. The staff at the Center were pretty cool. Some of the Jury candidates were hella funny and memorable. Sadly, I didn't make it for Jury selection--my number was just too high. It was a cool experience nonetheless.

Wow, this tour is AMAZING. It starts with a 15 minute video at the visitor center which explains…read morethe background of the geopolitical climate that prompted the construction of the reactor. It is the first large-scale nuclear reactor ever built, taking uranium and converting it into plutonium-239 (used in the Trinity test in New Mexico and the Fat Man bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan). Then there is a 45 minute bus ride to the B reactor itself (try to avail yourself of the restrooms at the visitor center, but there's a tour bus bathroom and port-a-potties at the reactor itself). The bus ride flew by as the docent talked about the area and his own experience as an engineer. Very engrossing. As you enter, there's another short presentation by a docent explaining the physics behind the reactor, and then you're set loose. There are also small docent-led presentations at specified times too if you want to get more into the nitty-gritty of the design and operation of the reactor. I wish I had more time at the reactor, maybe 15 more minutes, since there was so much to see and read. The exhibits were so well done!

Definitely worth a visit, though most of the buildings that once were on the site at the height of…read moreHanford's operations are no longer there. Everything went on schedule as described. The bus is a comfy coach and the 45 minute ride to the actual Reactor B is enlivened by the tour guide's info about the history and geology of the area, as well as providing background on the construction and challenges of putting together the entire site so quickly. Free bottled water is provided at the site, and there's a good mix of short talks by guides (about 15 minutes or so each) and time to walk around, read info on exhibits, and take photos. Visitor Center is clean, with chairs inside for waiting as well as benches outside. Because we'd driven almost 3 hours to the site, we took advantage of a shady bench to have our lunch. The timing of the 11:45am tour means you'll want to get something to eat before setting off, because you won't return to the Visitor Center for about 4 hours (and there is no food to purchase at the Center, and no food allowed inside the Reactor B building). There is, however, a place to eat next door to the Visitor Center (The Dive) where I can at least confirm that the beer and onion rings are excellent. We got lucky and had a relatively cool (80 degrees) day. Bathrooms at the actual park site (the reactor) are limited to portable toilets, but again, all the info presented from registration to the actual tour were clear, informative, and well done.