Port comes up empty on grant to develop zone

The Port of Whitman County earlier this month was denied a $500,000 grant from the state Department of Commerce. The port was seeking the grant to fund installation of water and sewer lines at its newest industrial park in Pullman.

The state’s Innovation Partnership Zone program made $1.5 million of grant funding available this year, and the port sought a chunk of that cash to pay for the infrastructure.

The grant would have paved the way for development next year. Now port officials have to look into other funding options.

Port Director Joe Poire said the agency hopes to begin installing the...