May 1, 201212:00 AMDaily Biz Briefs
May 2012
06/05/12Penn Cove shellfish tests allow some areas to reopen, others remain closedTest results on shellfish samples will allow some parts of the Penn Cove growing area to re-open to harvest. Areas closest to where a sunken boat leaked fuel remain closed. |
|
 |
06/05/12Natural foods grocery coming to Point RustonMarlene’s Market & Deli is opening a 20,000-square-foot, full-service grocery store in the new mixed-use lifestyle center, The Waterwalk at Point Ruston. Marlene’s becomes the third anchor tenant to announce plans at The Waterwalk, joining a nine-screen Century Theatres Cinema and 175-room, 4-star Silver Cloud Hotel. |
06/05/12People on the Move 06/05/2012Kuuipo Ceridon, Railin Peterson and Jason Robinson have joined Soundview Consultants LLC. Ceridon is office manager and has more than six years of experience. Peterson is an environmental scientist. She has experience in fisheries management, and assessing marine, shoreline, stream and wetland systems, and previously worked for NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service. Robinson is a network specialist. |
|
06/05/12Construction spending rises in AprilConstruction spending during April was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $820.7 billion, 0.3 percent above the revised March estimate of $818.1 billion, according to the U.S. Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce. The April figure is 6.8 percent above the April 2011 estimate of $768.2 billion. |
|
06/05/12Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber scores City CouncilThe Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber today released its first quarterly scorecard evaluating recent votes taken by the Tacoma City Council. |
|
06/05/12Red Lion Hotels earn TripAdvisor Certificates of ExcellenceFour Red Lion Hotels in Washington have earned the 2012 Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor, the world's largest travel website. About 10 percent of accommodations listed on the site receive the award. |
|
06/05/12Bates programs earn national accreditationTwo Bates Technical College career education programs have recently received national accreditation. The Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education has granted the college’s Occupational Therapy Assistant program accreditation. The college began the application process for accreditation in 2010, which included a self-study report and a three-day, on-site visit from ACOTE officials. |
|
06/05/12Boeing delivers Air Lease Corp.'s first Next-Generation 737-800Boeing has made the first new airplane delivery to Air Lease Corp. from its order placed during the 2010 Farnborough Air Show. The Los Angeles-based leasing company took delivery of a Next-Generation 737-800, which will be leased from ALC and operated by Korean Air. |
|
06/05/12Eddie Bauer names Egeck as president and CEOMichael R. Egeck has been named president and chief executive officer of Seattle-based Eddie Bauer. He most recently was CEO of Hurley International LLC, a marketer of action sports and youth lifestyle apparel, and a division of Nike Inc. |
|
06/04/12Home sales mostly higher during MayHome sales in the South Sound were mostly higher during May compared to a year ago, but median prices were mixed, according to the latest data from Northwest Multiple Listing Service. |
|
06/04/12KBTC receives EmmyThe Northwest Region of the National Association Of Television Arts and Sciences has awarded KBTC public television an Emmy for its special promotional campaign about the station’s Friday night mystery programs. |
|
06/04/12Around the Sound 06/04/2012Thurston County Chamber is hosting Morning MIXXer from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. June 5 at Sound City Coffee, 125 Tumwater Blvd. SE, Suite 119. The cost is $5 for members and $10 general admission. Call (360) 357-3362 for more information. |
|
06/04/12Ecology seeks comment on proposal to remove Hardel from Hazardous Sites ListThe public is being invited to comment on a Department of Ecology proposal to deem cleanup of the Hardel Mutual Plywood site complete.Comments on the proposal to remove the Hardel site from Ecology’s Hazardous Sites List will be accepted until July 6. The site is at 1210 West Bay Drive N.W. Olympia, on the shore of Budd Inlet. |
|
06/04/12Teen employment off to strong start this summerTeen summer employment got off to its strongest start since 2006, as the number of 16- to 19-year-olds with jobs grew by nearly 160,000 in May, according to an analysis of the latest Labor Department figures by global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. |
|
06/04/12Finance industry reports difficulty in recruiting for technical, managerial openingsAbout three-quarters of organizations in the finance industry were hiring last year, but about half of them were having difficulty recruiting for specific openings, according to the Society for Human Resource Management. |
|
06/04/12Employment Trends Index increases in MayThe Conference Board Employment Trends Index increased 0.29 percent during May to 108.34, up from the revised figure of 108.03 in April. The May figure is 7.6 percent higher than a year ago. |
|
06/04/12Retailers say cash, revenue headcount up over 2011Retail executives have more cash, are adding employees and enjoying stronger revenue, but they remain quite guarded longer term, not seeing a complete economic recovery until 2014 or later, according to the 2012 Retail Outlook Survey conducted by KPMG LLP. |
|
06/04/12Capitol Land Trust completes Black River Farm projectA four-year effort led by Capitol Land Trust has conserved the 721-acre Black River Farm south of Littlerock. The project ensures that one of the region’s largest and strategically most important farms will remain in production, while conserving diverse wildlife habitat along the Black River. |
|
06/04/12Several local sales tax rate changes coming July 1Many businesses will need to reprogram their cash registers to reflect changes in sales tax rates beginning July 1. Certain local sales tax rates in Chelan, Pierce, Walla Walla, and Whatcom counties will increase beginning with the third quarter of 2012. |
|
06/04/12Four indicted in mortgage fraud schemeFour Seattle-area residents were arrested on a 21-count indictment charging them with conspiracy, bank fraud, wire fraud and mail fraud, according to U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan. The mortgage fraud scheme ran from 2006-08 and defrauded more than 10 banks, financial institutions, and mortgage lenders, of more than $8.6 million. |
|
06/04/12Kilroy Realty continues Seattle-area expansionKilroy Realty Corp. has completed the purchase of two office properties in the Lake Union submarket of Seattle and expects to complete the acquisition of a Bellevue property in the third quarter. These acquisitions will nearly double the Los Angeles-based real estate investment trust’s office portfolio in the Puget Sound region. |
|
06/01/12DoJ settles employment discrimination suit with Pierce CountyThe Justice Department has entered into a consent decree with Pierce County, that, if approved by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, will resolve allegations that the county discriminated against a female employee by retaliating against her in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. |
|
06/01/12Around the Sound 06/01/2012Kent is hosting a recycling event from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 2 at Kent Phoenix Academy (the former Sequoia Middle School), 11000 SE 264th St. For a list of items accepted, visit www.KentRecycles.com or call (253) 856-5549. Thurston County Chamber is hosting Morning MIXXer from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. June 5 at Sound City Coffee, 125 Tumwater Blvd. SE, Suite 119. The cost is $5 for members and $10 general admission. Call (360) 357-3362 for more information. Auburn Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting "Connecting for Success" from 8 to 9 a.m. June 6 at 108 S. Division, Suite B. William Factory Small Business Incubator is hosting a forum about access to capital from 9 to 11 a.m. June 6 at 1423 E. 29th St., Tacoma. Information will be available about U.S. Small... |
|
 |
06/01/12Weyerhaeuser Hall wins Masonry Institute awardWeyerhaeuser Hall, the new health sciences building at University of Puget Sound, has won a top award from the Masonry Institute of Washington. |
06/01/12Family members sentenced to prison for disability fraudThree members of one family were sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to prison time for a scheme to defraud the Social Security Administration and the State Department of Social and Health Services of more than $300,000, according to U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan. |
|
06/01/12Unemployment rate for construction industry dips to 14.2%The nation’s construction industry lost 28,000 jobs in May, yet the unemployment rate fell to 14.2 percent, according to the the U.S. Labor Department. That is down from 14.5 percent in April and down from 16.3 percent in May 2011. |
|
06/01/12Changes to roll-your-own cigarette laws take effect July 1Beginning July 1, operators of roll-your-own commercial cigarette-making machines must abide by the provisions of a bill passed by the state Legislature this spring. |
|
06/01/12Lakewood launching Farmers MarketStarting this summer, fresh locally grown produce, live entertainment and arts and crafts will be featured at Lakewood's first Farmers Market. From 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Tuesdays, from July 10 to Aug. 28, the Farmers Market will be open at City Hall plaza, 6000 Main St. SW. |
|
06/01/12Key Technology reducing work forceKey Technology Inc. is taking cost reduction initiatives during the third quarter of fiscal 2012 that include a planned reduction of about 11 percent of its global work force. Company earnings for the third quarter will be adversely affected by an estimated pre-tax charge of about $1 million related to the work force reduction. |
|
06/01/12Costco expands restaurant product selection in TukwilaCostco is expanding its offerings of food service and kitchen supplies in Tukwila. |
|
06/01/12Zillow completes acquisition of RentJuiceZillow Inc. has completed the acquisition of San Francisco-based RentJuice Corp. for about $40 million in cash. The planned acquisition was announced last month. |
|
06/01/12ABA makes additions to Community Bank IndexThe American Bankers Association has added three banks to the ABA NASDAQ Community Bank Index. The index includes more than 400 community banks with a market capitalization of over $125 billion. |
|
06/01/12Thurston issues property valuations for 2013 taxesMarket analysis by appraisers within the Thurston County Assessor’s Office shows that the real estate market continued to decline during 2011, influencing the assessed values that will arrive in mailboxes this weekend or early next week. The new assessment notices will identify value assessments as of Jan. 1, 2012, for taxes to be billed in 2013. |
|
06/01/12Revenue returns unclaimed property to a record number of claimantsAs part of its continuing effort to reunite residents with their lost property, the Washington State Department of Revenue will conduct radio, TV and Web advertising in Western Washington June 2 through June 17. Examples of unclaimed property include unclaimed paychecks, utility deposits, bank accounts, uncashed refunds, life insurance proceeds, stocks and bonds, and contents from safe deposit boxes. |
|
05/31/12Small business optimism remains highSmall business owners' optimism is at 64 percent this month, with hiring and paychecks showing little change (both down 0.1 percent month over month), according to SurePayroll Small Business Scorecard. Compared to last month the survey said the metro area of Seattle was down 1.5 percent in small business hiring and up 0.3 percent in the pay per check category. The Scorecard optimism survey found 50 percent of respondents are experiencing increased revenue and growth in their businesses, but they say productivity is outpacing the need to hire. Month-over-month SurePayroll Scorecard data shows hiring and paychecks just barely negative (-0.1 for both). Month-over-month regional hiring was down except in the South, where it was up 0.2 percent. Month-over-month... |
|
05/31/12State on track to meet February forecastWashington is on track to meet the Economic & Revenue Forecast Council's February forecast. In the three months since the February forecast was adopted, the Washington economy added 11,000 jobs, slightly better than the 8,600 expected in the February forecast. As expected, manufacturing employment growth has been strong while construction employment remains flat and government employment continues to decline. |
|
05/31/12Astoria receives EPA redevelopment fundingNine communities across America will share $3.8 million in new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency funding to help cleanup and redevelop local contaminated properties. The new pilot “Multi-Purpose” grants, funded by EPA’s Brownfields program, will help recipients conduct assessments and cleanups, eliminating delays. In the Pacific Northwest, EPA selected the City of Astoria for a Brownfields multi-purpose pilot grant. |
|
05/31/12CPTC student wins national poster contestWil Houdeshell, a US Army Veteran and Graphic Technologies student at Clover Park Technical College, has won the 2012 Print and Graphics Scholarship College Poster Design Competition. |
|
05/31/12Liquor privatization initiative upheldThe Washington State Supreme Court today rejected a lawsuit claiming that Initiative 1183, which privatized state liquor sales, violated the state constitution’s requirement that proposed laws only address a single subject. The court also rejected a claim that the description of the new law on voters’ ballots was misleading. The initiative includes a requirement that a portion of new revenue coming from liquor license fees be used to increase funding for local public safety programs, including police and emergency services. Plaintiffs claimed “fees” should be called “taxes” on the November, 2011 ballot – and that such language might have changed the outcome of the vote. |
|
05/31/12MultiCare partners with Gilda's Club SeattleMultiCare Regional Cancer Center and Gilda’s Club Seattle have partnered to bring cancer support programs and activities to Tacoma. The program, called Gilda’s on the Go, begins June 1 and will bring many of the activities and events offered by Gilda’s Club Seattle to MultiCare Regional Cancer Center’s Tacoma General Hospital location. |
|
05/31/12Hiring pace expected to slow in JuneHiring by U.S. companies is expected to continue in June, although the pace will slow for the fifth time in the last six months when compared to the same month a year ago, according to a report from the Society for Human Resource Management. |
|
05/31/12More trucks eligible for Tacoma clean air programUnder new eligibility criteria, more diesel engine trucks qualify for a voluntary program offering truck owners a financial incentive to purchase newer, lower-emission trucks to improve regional air quality. |
|
05/31/12Planned layoffs surge 53% in MayThe nation’s employers announced plans to cut 61,887 workers from their payrolls in May – the most since last September, when layoffs totaled 115,730, according to the latest job-cut report released by global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. |
|
05/31/12People on the Move 05/31/2012Healthy Communities has added three members to its board of directors. They include: Dick Pust, former broadcast personality at KGY radio; Sam Bovard, vice president, senior banking relationship manager at KeyBank; and and Dr. Adele Reese, a child and family psychiatrist. |
|
05/31/12Most executives plan to maintain current staff levelsNearly nine in 10 (88 percent) executives surveyed for the quarterly Robert Half Professional Employment Report said they anticipate no changes to the size of their teams in the next three months. |
|
05/31/12ABA, Roundtable seeking top-level financial domainsThe American Bankers Association and The Financial Services Roundtable have applied to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers to operate two generic Top Level Domains, .bank and .insurance, on behalf of the financial services industry. |
|
05/31/12Private sector continues to add jobsEmployment in the U.S. nonfarm private business sector increased by 133,000 from April to May on a seasonally adjusted basis. The estimated gain from March to April was revised down, from 119,000 to 113,000. |
|
05/31/12Teledyne to acquire BlueView TechnologiesTeledyne RD Instruments Inc. has agreed to acquire BlueView Technologies Inc., a Seattle-based company that provides compact high-resolution acoustic imaging and measurement solutions. |
|
05/31/12EvergreenHealth wins environmental awardEvergreenHealth was honored for the third year in a row with the 2012 Partner for Change Award from Practice Greenhealth, recognizing the organization for its environmental achievements and focus on sustainability. |
|
05/31/12Boeing delivers 20th 747-8Boeing today marked the 20th delivery of its new 747-8. The airplane, a 747-8 Freighter, was delivered to Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings Inc. |
|
05/30/12Congestion relief coming to I-5 in CentraliaFaster, safer trips are on the horizon for Interstate 5 drivers in Centralia. On June 4, the Washington State Department of Transportation will break ground on the first stage of a project to build $155 million in improvements along I-5. |
|
05/30/12Scarff Ford earns President's AwardScarff Ford is among a group of 313 Ford and Lincoln dealerships to be recognized with the 2011 President’s Award by Ford Motor Co. The award honors dealerships that provided exceptional customer service and satisfaction. |
|
05/30/12Blog watch: Ex-Im Bank, cooperatives, Pac Ave. and health care repealThe Live Wire Reports on the reauthorization of Ex-Im Bank. |
|
05/30/12AG will appeal ruling striking down supermajority vote requirement for tax increasesThe Washington State Attorney General’s Office will continue to defend against a lawsuit challenging the state’s voter-approved law requiring a supermajority vote by legislators to raise taxes, and voter approval of tax increases that exceed the state spending limit. |
|
05/30/12WSU launches online bachelor's degree in psychologyWashington State University is expanding its online degree program this fall with a new bachelor of science in psychology. |
|
05/30/12Kona Medical secures $30M in financingKona Medical Inc.has raised $30 million in Series C financing to advance its novel hypertension therapy. Existing investors Essex Woodlands, Domain Associates, Morgenthaler Ventures and BioStar Ventures participated and the financing was led by a large-cap medical technology company. |
|
05/30/12Small business indexes show tentative revenue, employment growthSmall business revenue and employment are slowly growing but more growth is needed to reach prerecession levels, according to the monthly Intuit Inc. Small Business Employment and Revenue Indexes. |
|
05/30/12Online labor demand decreases in MayOnline advertised vacancies dipped 45,700 in May to 4,714,800, according to The Conference Board Help Wanted OnLine Data Series released today. The supply/demand rate stands at 2.6 unemployed for every vacancy. In May the number of unemployed was 7.7 million above the number of advertised vacancies – compared to 10 million above in the fall of 2011. |
|
05/30/12Metro unemployment rates lower in AprilUnemployment rates were lower during April compared to a year ago in 342 of the nation's 372 metropolitan areas, including Olympia and Tacoma, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Olympia's jobless rate fell from 8.1 percent to 7.7 percent. In Tacoma, the rate fell from 9.8 percent to 9 percent. |
|
05/30/12West Coast Electric Highway now extends to Canadian borderThe border-to-border vision of the West Coast Electric Highway moved closer to becoming a reality today with the opening of new electric vehicle charging sites, extending the highway to the Canadian border and opening it to EV drivers from both countries. The Washington State Department of Transportation and electric charging station partner AeroVironment opened 10 public charging stations – seven along Interstate 5 and three along U.S. Route 2 in northern Washington – that provide EV drivers the ability to travel emission-free from Seattle to the Canadian border. |
|
05/29/12Report shows restrained import/export growthA return to spending by American consumers helped fuel 2011 increases in imports and exports, The Journal of Commerce reports in its annual Top 100 Importers and Exporters edition this week. |
|
05/29/12Around the Sound 05/29/2012Gig Harbor Chamber of Commerce is hosting Business After Hours from 5:30 to 7 p.m. May 30 at Urvina Insurance Agency, 3206 50th St. Court, Suite D105. RSVP to tskanes@gigharborchamber.com. |
|
05/29/12State board invests $1.6M to help grow local economiesThe Washington State Community Economic Revitalization Board has made $1.6 million in public investments targeting business growth and job creation in three Western Washington counties. |
|
05/29/12The incredible disappearing officeThe proportion of employees who work predominately from home or another remote location has, over the last decade, more than tripled in many industries, while nearly doubling nationwide among all full-time non–self-employed U.S. workers, according to a new report from The Conference Board. |
|
05/29/12Franciscan receives grant to purchase bladder scannersThe Employees Community Fund of Boeing Puget Sound has awarded a $30,172 grant to Franciscan Hospice and Palliative Care. The grant will pay for two Verathon bladder scanners that will benefit hospice patients. The scanners will prevent unnecessary catheterizations, decreasing hospice patients’ discomfort and medical complications, and saving time and money. Bladder scans also can detect bladder obstructions, enabling improved clinical care planning for optimal treatment and quality of life. |
|
05/29/12Tecplot wins Red Herring awardTecplot Inc. has won the 2012 Red Herring Top 100 Americas Award. |
|
05/25/12‘Skimmer’ sentenced to 4 years in prisonA Sammamish man who installed "skimming" devices on bank ATM machines and raided 255 victim bank accounts for more than $176,000, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to four years in prison and $177,278 in restitution, according to U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan. |
|
05/25/12Seattle business owner sentenced to 33 months in prisonA Seattle business owner who directed a teen-age employee to illegally dispose of hazardous chemicals was sentenced today to 33 months in prison and three years of supervised release, according to U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan. |
|
05/25/12State liquor store re-auction totals $5.9MThe Washington State Liquor Control Board successfully re-auctioned the rights to apply for a spirits retail liquor license at 18 state-run liquor stores statewide. The sum of individual bids totaled $5.57 million, with rights awarded to 14 successful bidders. The WSLCB ran the auction to resell locations whose original winners had failed, for whatever reason, to complete the purchase process. |
|
05/25/12Around the Sound 05/25/2012Tacoma Business Connections is scheduled to meet from noon to 1 p.m. May 29 at Elmer's Restaurant, 7427 S. Hosmer St. For more information, call (253) 228-1200. Puyallup-Sumner Chamber of Commerce is hosting "Coffee and Donuts with the Chamber" from 9 to 10 a.m. May 31 at Charlie's Restaurnt, 113 E. Main, Puyallup. Call (253) 845-6755 for more information. MDC Entrepreneurial Assistance Program is hosting "The Why's, How's and What-to-Avoid's of Social Media" from 9 to 11 a.m. May 31 at 721 S. Fawcett, Suite 201, Tacoma. Registration is required. Call (253) 591-7026 for more information. Graham Business Association is hosting Business After Hours at 5:30 p.m. May 31 at the Graham Fire & Rescue Headquarters, 70th Avenue East.... |
|
05/25/12Washington No. 1 ‘Bicycle-Friendly State’ – againFor the fifth consecutive year, the League of American Bicyclists named Washington No. 1 “Bicycle-Friendly State” in the country. The announcement comes as Washington celebrates National Bike Month in May and encourages bicycling to work, on errands and for recreation. |
|
05/25/12State considers raising threshold requirements for water company regulationState regulators are seeking comments on a proposal to change the threshold requirements for determining whether a water company falls under their jurisdiction. |
|
05/25/12Riverview Bancorp revises Q4 and year-end resultsRiverview Bancorp Inc. has increased its provision for loan losses an additional $3.2 million for its fourth fiscal quarter, which ended March 31. As a result, the company’s net loss was $16 million, or 71 cents per share, compared to a net loss of $16.6 million, or 74 cents per share in the preceding quarter and net income of $854,000, or 4 cents per share, in the fourth fiscal quarter a year earlier. |
|
05/25/12Home values climb nationally, fall in South SoundNational home values rose for the second month in a row, climbing 0.7 percent from March to a Zillow Home Value Index of $147,300. This is the largest monthly increase in home values since January 2006, when they rose 0.8 percent, according to the April Zillow Real Estate Market Reports. |
|
05/24/12Salmon to get a 'rest stop' on the Green RiverIn an effort to restore salmon habitat and reduce potential flooding on the Green River, the City of Kent and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have begun construction of a side channel at Riverview Park. |
|
05/24/12Bremerton, Kent share $600,000 in latest round of EPA Brownfields fundingBremerton and Kent will receive $600,000 in Environmental Protection Agency Brownfields funding to help breathe new life into contaminated properties and revitalize former industrial sites. |
|
05/24/12Bates trustees select three presidential finalistsBates Technical College Board of Trustees has announced a schedule of community forums for three presidential finalists that will take place May 29. Each finalist will visit the South and Downtown Tacoma campuses for a community forum. The public forums take place in the campus auditoriums. |
|
05/24/12People on the Move 05/24/2012Michael Audas and Stanley Chapin have been appointed to Bethel School Board. Audas will represent District 4. Chapin will represent District 3. |
|
05/24/12RealNetworks’ not-so-free trials result in $2.4M settlementOver the last seven years, more than 500 complaints flowed into the Washington State Attorney General’s Office and the Better Business Bureau regarding Seattle-based digital media provider RealNetworks Inc. Consumers spoke of “odd charges” appearing on their credit cards, complaining of bills for monthly subscriptions for premium television, sports or game content that they never ordered. |
|
05/24/12Financial stress levels decreasingEmployees’ financial stress levels continue to decline, with only 16 percent of employees reporting “high” or “overwhelming” financial stress levels during the first quarter of —a decrease from Q1 2011 when 21 percent of employees reported “high” or “overwhelming” stress, and a significant decrease from Q1 2010 when these levels were at 30 percent. according to Financial Finesse. |
|
05/24/12Durable goods orders riseNew orders for manufactured durable goods in April increased $300 million, or 0.2 percent, to $215.5 billion, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The increase followed a 3.7 percent March decrease. Excluding transportation, new orders decreased 0.6 percent. Excluding defense, new orders increased 1.2 percent. |
|
05/24/12State economic forecast holds steadyThe preliminary June economic forecast for Washington is very similar to the forecast adopted in February by the state's Economic and Revenue Forecast Council. Employment growth forecasts for 2012, 2013 and 2014 remain unchanged at 1.7 percent, 2 percent and 1.8 percent, respectively. In 2015, the council now expect employment to grow 1.7 percent, compared to 1.8 percent in the February forecast. |
|
05/24/12Java & Clay Café receives 'Excellence on Main Award'Java & Clay Café in Gig Harbor has been recognized as a “Business Success Story” by Washington Main Street’s Excellence on Main Awards. |
|
05/24/12McAdams Wright Ragen opens office in SpokaneMcAdams Wright Ragen Inc. has opened a full-service branch in Spokane in the Bank of America Financial Center. |
|
05/24/12FDIC-insured institutions earn $35.3B in Q1Commercial banks and savings institutions insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. reported an aggregate profit of $35.3 billion during the first quarter of 2012, a $6.6 billion improvement from the $28.8 billion in net income the industry reported in the first quarter of 2011. This is the 11th consecutive quarter that earnings have registered a year-over-year increase. However, loan balances declined by $56.3 billion (0.8 percent) after three consecutive quarterly increases. |
|
05/24/12Underwater homeowners owe $1.2T more than homes' worthNearly one-third (31.4 percent) of U.S. homeowners – or 15.7 million – were underwater on their mortgage in the first quarter of 2012, despite rising home values, according to the first quarter Zillow® Negative Equity Report. Collectively, underwater homeowners owed $1.2 trillion more than their homes were worth. Negative equity rose slightly from 31.1 percent during the fourth quarter, but declined from 32.4 percent a year ago. |
|
05/24/12Gates Foundation launches initiative to expand local philanthropySEATTLE – The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is providing funding to nine community philanthropic partners in the Pacific Northwest to re-grant foundation money to reduce intergenerational poverty. Local partners will allocate the money through community defined strategies, including education supports for children and youth, assistance in reaching self-sufficiency for families and other strategies that build stronger communities. |
|
05/23/12Leadership Thurston County honors graduates June 13Leadership Thurston County and the Thurston County Chamber Foundation will celebrate the Class of 2012 on June 13. The event is part of the monthly Chamber Forum, which begins at 11:30 a.m. at Saint Martin’s University Norman Worthington Center, 5000 Abbey Way, Lacey. |
|
05/23/12Puyallup Fair among 'best commercials ever'A Puyallup Fair television commercial from more than three decades ago took second place honors as one of “Seattle’s Best Commercials Ever” during the inaugural Marketing Awards Reception. |
|
05/23/12Doctor surrenders license to practice medicinePacific County physician Brandon Adams has surrendered his medical license in Washington. He previously surrendered his federal registration to prescribe controlled substances. Adams is unable to practice medicine with reasonable skill and safety due to a mental or physical condition. |
|
05/23/12Blog Watch: 48 hours, Smith Building, extension, regulations and initiativesLearn more about Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber's 48 house in D.C. at The Live Wire. |
|
05/23/12SBA, AARP team up to help 'encore entrepreneurs'The U.S. Small Business Administration and AARP are launching a strategic alliance to provide counseling and training to entrepreneurs over the age of 50 who want to start or grow a small business. Through SBA’s online training courses and its nationwide network of business mentors and counselors, the two organizations expect to train 100,000 “encore entrepreneurs,” men and women over 50 who are starting or running a small business. |
|
05/23/12Tacoma General earns 'Gold Plus' for stroke careMultiCare Tacoma General Hospital has received the 2012 "Get With The Guidelines" StrokeGold Plus Performance Achievement Award from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. |
|
05/23/12Sound Brewery comes out on top at Gig Harbor Beer FestivalSound Brewery Co's Dubbel Entendre won "Favorite Brew Award" at the inaugural Gig Harbor Beer Festival. Votes were submitted the day of the festival by attendees marking their favorite brew on a section of the event program. Votes were cast anonymously and secured by volunteers at the festival. The festival, which drew more than 1,200 people to the Uptown Gig Harbor Pavilion, was a fund-raiser for the Greater Gig Harbor Foundation. |
|
05/23/12Home sales up in AprilSales of new single-family houses in April totaled a seasonally adjusted 343,000, according to estimates released today by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This is 3.3 percent above the revised March rate of 332,000 and 9.9 percent higher than the April 2011 estimate of 312,000. |
|
05/23/12Study makes case for Summer FridayStarting in the 1960s, New York advertising agencies began to realize that employee productivity on Fridays was close to zero when the summer sun was shining and beach houses beckoned. And so the unofficial weekly "Summer Friday" holiday was born, and soon quickly spread to other industries in offices across the country. |
|
05/23/12Master Builders Association honors remodeling excellenceMaster Builders Association of Pierce County has selected recipients of its 2012 Remodeling Excellence Awards, which salute the best craftsmanship, innovation and attention to detail for remodeling projects throughout the county. |
|
05/23/126 charged with theft of unemployment benefitsSix individuals from across Western Washington have been charged in U.S. District Court with theft of government funds for illegally collecting thousands of dollars in unemployment benefits while they were gainfully employed, according to U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan. |
|
05/23/12AWOB recognizes 'stars'The Alliance of Women Owned Businesses has recognized two entrepreneurs for their business acumen and community leadership. Lisa Chissus was presented the Crystal Star award and Terese Garrett-Miller received the Rising Star award. |
|
05/23/12Juggling work and personal demands greatest workplace stressorWhat's stressing out everyone at the office? Apparently, making work – and everything else – work. In a new Accountemps survey, 41 percent of chief financial officers interviewed said trying to balance work and personal responsibilities is the greatest source of workplace stress for accounting and finance professionals. Office politics or conflicts with coworkers was cited by 28 percent of respondents. |
|
