Business Examiner

Dec. 1, 2008 at 10:30am

Around the Sound

Business-related events

Business owners not previously able to afford health insurance for their employees have a new tool available to them – government subsidies for employee health insurance. The state's Health Insurance Partnership combines public and private resources to help small employers and their employees purchase health insurance in the marketplace. A free educational workshop on HIP is being offered Thursday between 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. at the Phoenix Inn Suites in Olympia. Employers eligible for the subsidies are those: not currently offering health insurance; have between two and 50 employees; and have workforces that have half of their workers earning less than $10 an hour. The workshop is being sponsored by the Thurston County Chamber affiliated Chamber Benefit Services Fund, a leader in small business health insurance solutions. The event is held in cooperation with the Washington Health Care Authority and Choice Regional Health Network. Reservations are requested at (360) 357-3362 or www.ThurstonChamber.com.

The Lakewood Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring its annual Holly-Jolly Christmas Auction on Thursday between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at the Great American Casino. For $20 admission, guests can enjoy a lovely plated lunch, visit with Santa, enjoy holiday music, as well as take advantage of shopping for family, friends, co-workers and employees in a casual setting. Reservations are required, call (253) 582-9400.

Comments (0) | Posted in Banking/Financial Services, BE Daily, BE on the road, Building, Charities/Non-profits, Education, Health care, Human Resources , Lacey, Lakewood, Law and Legislation, Lewis County, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Mason County, Military/Security, Pierce County, Retirement and Investing, South King County, Startups/Minority Businesses, Tacoma, Technology, Thurston County, Tourism, Retail and Hospitality, Tumwater, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Dec. 1, 2008 at 10:18am

BE part of the conversation

Comment about the news

Visit BusinessExaminer.com and voice your thoughts on today's news and read comments from other people in the South Sound's business community. The BE blog also offers RSS functions so you can see only the local or industry business news that you want, as it happens.

Comments (1) | Posted in Banking/Financial Services, BE Daily, BE on the road, Building, Charities/Non-profits, Education, Health care, Human Resources , Lacey, Lakewood, Law and Legislation, Lewis County, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Mason County, Military/Security, Olympia, Pierce County, Retirement and Investing, South King County, Startups/Minority Businesses, Tacoma, Technology, Thurston County, Tourism, Retail and Hospitality, Tumwater, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Nov. 28, 2008 at 10:36am

Boeing union contracts set for Monday vote

The outcome of union contracts covering nearly 20,400 engineers and technical workers at The Boeing Company will be decided on Monday, when the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace counts member ballots.

Two contracts are involved in the negotiations. The first covers 13,898 engineers in the SPEEA Professional Bargaining Unit. The second contract covers 6,576 technical workers in the union's Technical Bargaining Unit. While the majority of workers are in the Puget Sound region, the contracts cover employees in Oregon, Utah and California. Both contracts expire Dec. 1.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Law and Legislation, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Pierce County, South King County, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Nov. 28, 2008 at 10:35am

Port wants plans for East Bay

Port of Olympia officials have issued a request for qualifications from development firms and potential end users for mixed-use development of six parcels in the East Bay District, the downtown Olympia waterfront property adjacent to State Avenue.

"Given the location of these parcels, particularly with their close proximity to the planned public plaza, expanded children's museum, and LOTT's educational facilities, we are pleased to be placing the remaining East Bay District properties on the market to ultimately determine the interest and capabilities within the development community to advance the redevelopment program," said Commission President Bill McGregor.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Building, Law and Legislation, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Olympia, Thurston County, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Nov. 28, 2008 at 8:30am

Business school is now in session at BE

Streaming video covers business topics

The Business Examiner has added a feature to its Web site that features expert advice from the PBS show Small Business School as well as links to gain free access to full shows featuring a range of business topics. New tips will be added each business day.

Comments (0) | Posted in Banking/Financial Services, BE Daily, Building, Charities/Non-profits, Education, Health care, Lacey, Lakewood, Law and Legislation, Lewis County, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Mason County, Military/Security, Olympia, Pierce County, Retirement and Investing, South King County, Startups/Minority Businesses, Tacoma, Technology, Thurston County, Tourism, Retail and Hospitality, Tumwater, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Nov. 26, 2008 at 11:57am

Maersk shuffle to mean fewer ships to Tacoma

Maersk Line has announced an agreement with France-based CMA-CGA that would mean by as early as this spring some of the vessels currently docking in Tacoma will be headed to Seattle instead.

Maersk is currently a customer of APM Terminals, which leases land from Port of Tacoma.

The recent agreement means that Maersk's cargo volumes currently handled at that terminal will begin moving through the Seattle waters instead, since that is where CMA-CGM currently calls. This shift is expected to happen in mid-2009.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Law and Legislation, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Pierce County, Tacoma, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Nov. 26, 2008 at 10:11am

Flow gains minority ownership in Chinese firm

Flow International Corp., a Kent-based developer and manufacturer of industrial waterjet machines for cutting and cleaning applications, announced today that it has agreed to purchase a $2 million minority ownership position in Dardi International Corporation, China's leading waterjet manufacturer.

Dardi is a waterjet supplier for the "economy" segment of the market, and the largest volume producer of waterjets in Asia with three factories located near Nanjing, China. In September, Flow introduced the privately held company as the new supplier of its economy segment product line. By establishing a minority equity position with Dardi, Flow gains further access to Dardi's low cost factories as well as its extensive distribution network in China.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Building, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, South King County, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Nov. 26, 2008 at 10:07am

Blog Watch: road warriors

Tacoma's downtown blog has an item about the Dome District's thoughts about Sound Transit's plans for the train extension through the area. It makes for interesting reading about this changing neighborhood.

Kevin Freitas writes about the filming of the Toyota Commercial in downtown Tacoma last week. He also has pictures of the filming.

Comments (0) | Posted in Banking/Financial Services, BE Daily, BE on the road, Building, Charities/Non-profits, Education, Health care, Human Resources , Lacey, Lakewood, Law and Legislation, Lewis County, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Mason County, Military/Security, Olympia, Pierce County, Retirement and Investing, South King County, Startups/Minority Businesses, Tacoma, Technology, Thurston County, Tourism, Retail and Hospitality, Tumwater, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Nov. 26, 2008 at 10:06am

COFFEE BREAK: Holiday blessings or worries

The Business Examiner would like to know your thoughts about the upcoming holiday season. Are your primed for the deep discounts you will likely find in stores or are you wondering if you will have a paycheck by the time the credit card bill comes due? Are you trimming back on gift giving this year?

Nov. 25, 2008 at 10:41am

State fares well in competitive ranking

State economists released the latest Economic Climate Study for Washington and concluded that the state is doing well on key economic indicators used to determine the business climate in the state.

The study provides information about Washington's competitive standing in relation to the other U.S. states. It is based on the premise that, while improving productivity is primarily the domain of Washington's business sector, appropriate state and local policies, particularly those relating to education, public safety, infrastructure, cost of doing business and the environment, are essential to promoting higher standards of living.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Law and Legislation, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Tourism, Retail and Hospitality, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Nov. 24, 2008 at 2:52pm

TPU refunds $15 million to customers

Tacoma Public Utility will return some $15 million to its Tacoma Power customers after receiving a refund from the Bonneville Power Administration for overpayment.

Tacoma Power will base the refund amounts on 2007 electrical use and will credit the money on current customers' bills. The utility anticipates that the credit will start showing up on customers' bills no earlier than February.

"Calculating customer usage and then putting the refunds in place, unfortunately, takes a lot of time," said Tacoma Public Utilities Director Bill Gaines. "We will conduct this process as expediently as possible, but will need our customers to show patience while we work out the details."

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Building, Law and Legislation, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Pierce County, Tacoma by News Room | Email News

Nov. 21, 2008 at 2:20pm

AG says federal used car rule needs a tune-up

The federal "Used Car Rule" needs a tune-up. Almost two dozen attorneys general are asking the Federal Trade Commission to add additional disclosures about a vehicle's history to the "Buyer's Guide" notice displayed on cars available for purchase from dealers.

"Laws are like cars, they need regular maintenance to make sure they're operating effectively," Attorney General Rob McKenna said. "The federal 'Used Car Rule' is rusty and needs tuning to perform properly for consumers."

The current rule requires that Buyer's Guide notices be posted on used vehicles offered for sale at dealerships. The notices indicate whether a car is covered by a warranty or sold "as-is."

But the law doesn't require additional information about a vehicle's history to be printed on the guide, such as whether cars have been assigned titles that would indicate damage from a flood or crash or if the car was repurchased by a manufacturer under a state's Lemon Law.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Lakewood, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Nov. 20, 2008 at 11:48am

People on the move

Promotions and recognitions

Tacoma was recently named Port of the Year for its hosting of this summer's Tall Ships Tacoma Festival in July. This is the second time that Tacoma has received this honor from the American Sail Training Association. Tacoma was also named Port of the Year after the 2005 festival. To win the award, Tacoma beat larger host cities participating in the Pacific Coast Tall Ships CHALLENGE, including San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego.
The Port of the Year Award is awarded to a city that demonstrates significant success in supporting ASTA's Tall Ships CHALLENGE race. It is based on overall performance of a host city and award criteria include services provided to the ships and crews, community involvement, volunteer participation and overall operations. A significant portion of the award is based on voting by the captains and crews of the participating ships.
While the 2008 festival resulted in a deficit of roughly $500,000, the award highlights many of the organization's achievements, including: more than $19.2 million in economic impact to the local economy, 300,000 visitors to the Foss Waterway, More than $1.5 million in permanent improvements to the Foss Waterway and more than 2,000 volunteers who donated more than $800,000 worth of time.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Building, Education, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Pierce County, Tacoma, Tourism, Retail and Hospitality, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Nov. 19, 2008 at 12:45pm

Green River Bridge closed for at least 6 months

The Washington State Department of Transportation closed last night the 80-year-old State Route 169 Green River Bridge for at least six months due to concerns for public safety. The Kummer Bridge is vital to the communities of Black Diamond and Enumclaw. It carries an estimated 9000 trips each day including emergency services and law enforcement.

"I can't emphasize enough that this closure is about safety," said Paula Hammond, Secretary of Transportation. "We will do what is necessary to keep the public safe and preserve the bridge."

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, South King County by Breanne Coats | Email Breanne

Nov. 19, 2008 at 12:22pm

Paychecks got bigger in September

Real average weekly earnings rose by 1.4 percent from September to October, after seasonal adjustment, according to preliminary data released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor.

The jump stemmed from a 0.2 percent increase in average hourly earnings combined with a 1.2 percent decrease in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers. Average weekly hours were unchanged.

Before adjustment for seasonal change and inflation, average weekly earnings were $612.19 in October 2008, compared with $594.88 a year earlier.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Law and Legislation, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Mason County, Pierce County, Tacoma, Thurston County, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Nov. 19, 2008 at 12:19pm

Blog Watch: road warriors

The RAMP blog has an item about the state's congestion map that charts congestion around the South Sound bottlenecks. The map isn't pretty.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Building, Charities/Non-profits, Lakewood, Lewis County, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Military/Security, Olympia, Pierce County, Tacoma, Technology, Thurston County, Tumwater, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Nov. 19, 2008 at 12:18pm

COFFEE BREAK: down times

The weather is bad. The news about the local, state and national economy is bad. Retirement accounts are lighter.

The Business Examiner would like to know how you are feeling about your job and what you are doing to ease the stresses in your life.

To reply to the poll, send an e-mail to news@BusinessExaminer.com. Poll results will be published in Friday's BE Daily.

Comments (0) | Posted in Banking/Financial Services, BE Daily, BE on the road, Building, Charities/Non-profits, Education, Health care, Human Resources , Lacey, Lakewood, Law and Legislation, Lewis County, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Mason County, Military/Security, Olympia, Pierce County, Retirement and Investing, South King County, Startups/Minority Businesses, Tacoma, Technology, Thurston County, Tourism, Retail and Hospitality, Tumwater, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Nov. 18, 2008 at 1:23pm

Health care, transportation, green 'fads' top WPC watch list

The Washington Policy Center held its Pierce County 2008 Small Business Issue Forum this morning in Tacoma in partnership with the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Health care, Law and Legislation, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Pierce County, Tacoma, Technology by Hilary Reeves | Email Hilary

Nov. 18, 2008 at 12:51pm

Strategist urges businesses to compete globally

Bruce McCain, chief investment strategist and research director for Cleveland-based Key Private Bank, spoke to Pierce County clients last night in Tacoma after meeting with reporters to offer his thoughts on the changing economy.

Comments (0) | Posted in Banking/Financial Services, BE Daily, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Pierce County by Hilary Reeves | Email Hilary

Nov. 18, 2008 at 10:34am

Unemployment rate up, jobs down

The nation's economic woes continued to be felt in Washington in October, where the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 6.3 percent from September's rate of 5.8 percent, according to the state Employment Security Department.

At the same time, the roughly 24,000 aerospace jobs that were on strike in October contributed to a net loss of 23,200 non-agricultural jobs. Without the strike, jobs in Washington increased by about 800.

"The employment losses look dramatic, but we recouped all of them and then some when the Boeing strikers returned to work in November," said Mary Ayala, chief economist for Employment Security.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Law and Legislation, Lewis County, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Mason County, Olympia, Pierce County, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Nov. 18, 2008 at 10:31am

AAA predicts decline in Thanksgiving travel

AAA forecasts a small decline in the number of Americans traveling during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Some 41 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this Thanksgiving holiday, a decrease of 600,000 travelers from last year's total of 41.6 million. This is the first decline in Thanksgiving holiday travel since 2002 and is the fourth consecutive travel holiday this year with a year-to-year decline in the number of travelers.

"The overall state of the economy continues to present real challenges for some Americans looking to travel this Thanksgiving," said AAA Washington's spokesperson, Jennifer Cook. "However, the desire to spend time with family, combined with significantly lower gasoline prices than earlier this year, will provide strong motivation for many Americans to travel this holiday."

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Nov. 18, 2008 at 10:29am

Construction prices fall but still are high

Construction input prices fell 2.8 percent in October – the largest one-month decrease since July 1986 – according to the Producer Price Index report by the U.S. Labor Department. Despite the dramatic decline, construction input prices remain 10 percent higher than in October of last year.

Prices for fabricated structural metal products dropped by 0.6 percent in October, but are still 15.1 percent higher than one year ago. Plumbing fixtures and fittings prices dropped slightly in October by 0.1 percent, however, they are up a relatively modest 4.1 percent from October 2007. Nonferrous wire and cable prices dropped 7.7 percent – the largest monthly decline since 1949. The decrease brings the year-over-year change down 5.4 percent from October 2007.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Building, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Nov. 14, 2008 at 12:34pm

Boeing, SEEPA reach draft deal

Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace union negotiators and Boeing Co. officials have announced that they have reached tentative contracts that would cover some 21,000 engineers and technical workers around Puget Sound as well as in Oregon, Utah and California.

SEEPA leaders will announced later today if they plan to endorse the contract for approval by union members. The current contract is set to expire Dec. 1.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Pierce County, South King County, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Nov. 14, 2008 at 12:22pm

Trident fined for Tacoma spill

Washington Department of Ecology has fined Seattle-based Trident Seafoods $30,500 for an oil spill last December that sent almost 500 gallons of fuel into the Hylebos Waterway in Tacoma's Commencement Bay.

"Trident Seafoods deeply regrets this spill," said Bob Nelson, spokesperson for the company, "We understand the importance of being a good environmental steward and believe any spill – regardless of its size – is unacceptable."

The spill happened while the company's tender vessel Bowfin was tied up at Trident Seafoods' dock in Tacoma. A Trident engineer began transferring diesel fuel between two tanks onboard the Bowfin. It appears a small fuel line became plugged, causing diesel to run out of a tank vent, across the deck and overboard. The company found the spill the evening of Dec. 10 after a diesel smell was traced back to the Bowfin.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Law and Legislation, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Pierce County, Tacoma by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Nov. 13, 2008 at 11:04am

State pulls license of Kent-based moving company

Citing what investigators called deceptive business practices and numerous violations of state rules, state regulators have cancelled the operating permit for All My Sons, a Kent-based residential moving company.

The company is no longer authorized to move residential customers' property within the state.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Law and Legislation, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, South King County by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Nov. 12, 2008 at 11:40am

Companies worried about employees in current economy

The recent economic downturn has increased stress levels across the country, and U.S. employers are taking notice.

According to a new poll by Free & Clear, a national leader in healthy behavior change, 86 percent of companies are concerned about the level of stress among their employees, and 88 percent of employers believe the tough economy has had a negative effect on workers' stress levels.

Comments (0) | Posted in Banking/Financial Services, BE Daily, Building, Law and Legislation, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Military/Security, Olympia, Pierce County, South King County, Startups/Minority Businesses, Tacoma, Technology, Thurston County by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Nov. 12, 2008 at 11:40am

Flow revises OMAX merger

Flow International Corp., a Kent-based developer and manufacturer of industrial waterjet machines for cutting and cleaning applications, has announced that Flow and OMAX Corp. have entered into an agreement amending the terms of their merger. The revised terms reduce the initial cash and stock payment, including option payments already made, from $105 million to $75 million.

The previous terms included $71.5 million in cash and a $3.5 million note, with the remainder in stock trued up to $30 million based on a Flow stock price of not less than $8 per share. These amounts have now been reduced to $62.5 million in cash, an $8.5 million note and $4 million in stock with the number of shares determined based upon the stock price at closing. As in the prior transaction, OMAX debt of approximately $6 million will be assumed by Flow.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, South King County by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Nov. 12, 2008 at 11:35am

COFFEE BREAK: worker stress

The Business Examiner would like to know what sorts of concerns your workers have about the state of the economy and if those concerns are finding themselves in the workplace discussions more often than in previous months.

To reply to the poll, send an e-mail to news@BusinessExaminer.com. Poll results will be published in Friday's BE Daily.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Human Resources , Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Nov. 11, 2008 at 10:04am

People on the move

Promotions and recognitions

Diane Bingaman has joined Landes Mertz & Co. as a tax manager. Bingaman has a broad base of compliance experience, including federal and multi-state individual and small business returns. Her specialized area of interest is not-for-profit organizations. She is a member of the Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Capital Centennial Rotary Club. She is a 2008 graduate of LEAD Thurston County and currently serves as the treasurer for South Puget Sound Habitat for Humanity.

Comments (0) | Posted in Banking/Financial Services, BE Daily, Charities/Non-profits, Health care, Human Resources , Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Military/Security, Olympia, Tacoma by Hilary Reeves | Email Hilary

Nov. 10, 2008 at 9:43am

Pierce-based effort seeks speed record

A joint effort between American and Canadian engineers, called North American Eagle, is set to test its 50,000-horsepower F-104 jet car in an attempt to travel more than 800 mph to bring the land speed record back to the United States. The title is currently held by an English team. North American Eagle is based in a hangar at Shady Acres Airport near Spanaway.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Technology, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Nov. 10, 2008 at 9:42am

Boeing employee harvest 2 million meals

Three area food distributors recently accepted donations of nearly $400,000 from The Boeing Co., Boeing employees and the Employees Community Fund of Boeing Puget Sound.

The three distributors accepted the contributions during the annual Boeing employees' Food & Essentials drive. The donations will generate nearly 2 million meals for the region or enough to feed about 5,600 families of four for a month.

Boeing representatives announced the results during a celebration event at Northwest Harvest's warehouse in Kent. Food Lifeline, Northwest Harvest and the Emergency Food Network, all of which distribute resources to Puget Sound food banks, accepted the checks.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Charities/Non-profits, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Pierce County, South King County, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Nov. 7, 2008 at 10:28am

Forecast: 'Worst recession since 1982'

Upside: 'USA is best for ability to recover'

Lynn Michaelis, chief economist for Weyerhaeuser Co., told selected members of Tacoma Pierce County Chamber this morning that the U.S. is entering into the worst recession it has seen since 1982, and it may develop unemployment rates of between 8.5 and 9 percent, possibly even higher before it's over.

"We are not anywhere near the bottom of this recession," he said.

On the other hand, the 35-year veteran of Federal Way's corporate timber giant encouraged business leaders not to lose hope.

"The United States is one of the best economies in the world for its ability to recover from this kind of situation," Michaelis added.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Building, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Olympia, Pierce County, South King County, Tacoma by Jeff Rounce | Email Jeff

Nov. 7, 2008 at 10:13am

Retail traffic slows to 2004 levels

Cargo volume at the nation's major retail container ports fell again in October, and 2008 is now expected to be the slowest year since 2004 as the downturn in the nation's economy continues, according to the monthly Port Tracker report released by the National Retail Federation and IHS Global Insight.

Volume is projected to total 15.3 million containers for the year, compared with 16.5 million units in 2007. That would be a decline of 7.1 percent and the lowest total since 2004, when 14 million containers moved through the ports. The estimate is down from the 15.43 million projected a month ago, which would have been a 6.5 percent decline from 2007 and the lowest number since 2005's 15.4 million container.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Law and Legislation, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Tourism, Retail and Hospitality by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Nov. 7, 2008 at 10:12am

Tank maker moves to Satsop

When the Satsop Development Park was first conceived as a way to reuse the mothballed and unfinished nuclear power plant in Grays Harbor, community leaders believed the park's former Turbine Building some day would be home to a special company with the vision to see opportunity reflected in the facility's unique, super-sized assets.

That day has finally come, said Satop officials now that Brown-Minneapolis Tank Co. has signed a 15-year lease with seven, extension options, with the Grays Harbor Public Development Authority for the complex and 10 acres of surrounding property.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Law and Legislation, Lewis County, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Mason County, Olympia, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Nov. 5, 2008 at 12:24pm

Blog Watch: chitter, chatter

Tech blogger Andrew Fry has a note about the fate of daily newspapers and mentions some details about TNT blogmeister Mark Briggs, who is leaving the Tacoma daily for work in the private sectors. He will be the CEO of Serra Media, a provider of Web solutions for media companies.

A Federal Way blog has a mention about the planned closure of the Circuit City.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Lakewood, Law and Legislation, Lewis County, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Mason County, Pierce County, Technology, Thurston County by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Nov. 5, 2008 at 12:08pm

TSA approves Tacoma firm's security measures

The Transportation Security Administration has approved four biometric readers from Sagem Morpho for use in critical pilot tests of the Transportation Worker Identification Credential program at U.S. port operations in Los Angeles, New York and Long Beach. The selection by TSA puts the Tacoma technology firm among the elite developers of biometric security devices whose technologies will define future TWIC specifications.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Pierce County, Tacoma, Technology, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Nov. 4, 2008 at 11:59am

People on the move

Promotions and recognitions

Venture Bank recently hired Tasha Wilkinson as a customer service representative at the bank's Eatonville Financial Center. Venture Bank also hired Jennifer Stanley as a customer service representative at the bank's Fircrest Financial Center.

Washington State University entomologist and eco-toxicologist John Stark has been named the new director of the WSU Puyallup Research and Extension Center. Stark succeeds Jon Newkirk who has been director of the center for the past four years. Newkirk recently resigned as director at the historic Puyallup facility but will continue his affiliation with WSU as director of the WSU Extension Western Center for Risk Management Education in Spokane. WSU Dean of the College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences Dan Bernardo praised Newkirk for helping to set a new course for the 21st century at the facility that was established in 1894.

Comments (0) | Posted in Banking/Financial Services, BE Daily, Building, Education, Health care, Human Resources , Lacey, Lakewood, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Olympia, Pierce County, South King County, Startups/Minority Businesses, Tacoma, Technology, Thurston County, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Nov. 4, 2008 at 10:21am

Economic Forecast predicts clouds ahead

The state's Economic and Revenue Forecast Council predicts the state and national economy will get worse before it gets better, according to the council's most recent forecast.

The preliminary forecast for November is based on a modified version of Global Insight's October 2008 Control forecast for the U.S. economy at a time when third quarter real Gross Domestic Product declined by 0.3 percent. Real final sales were even weaker, declining at a 0.8 percent rate, while real consumer spending plummeted at a 3.1 percent rate. This was the first such decline since 1992 and the largest since 1980.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Law and Legislation, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Olympia, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Nov. 4, 2008 at 10:20am

PSE completes Jackson Prairie expansion

Puget Sound Energy has finished a $44 million, 18-month expansion effort at the Pacific Northwest's largest natural gas storage reservoir, enabling the Lewis County facility to now meet one-fourth of the region's peak wintertime demand for natural gas.

The project's completion allows the Jackson Prairie Underground Natural Gas Storage Facility to accommodate the peak daily natural gas demand of 1.2 million homes across the Northwest. That represents a 35 percent increase in the facility's natural gas-withdrawal capacity – from 850 million cubic feet of natural gas per day to 1.15 billion cubic feet per day.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Lewis County, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Retirement and Investing, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Nov. 3, 2008 at 3:13pm

October credit index reports trouble in loans

The Credit Manager's Index for October revealed an increasing sense of doom among the participants, mirroring conditions in the rest of the economy, said Daniel North, chief economist for credit insurer Euler Hermes ACI, who analyzes the data and prepares the CMI report for the National Association of Credit Management.

The index fell 2.6 percent to a record low of 44.8 percent. Eight of the 10 components fell, nine are now below the 50 level, indicating economic contraction, and eight set record lows.

Comments (0) | Posted in Banking/Financial Services, BE Daily, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Pierce County, Retirement and Investing, South King County, Startups/Minority Businesses, Tourism, Retail and Hospitality, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Nov. 3, 2008 at 3:11pm

Survey looks at small biz hiring

Small businesses are the Rocky Balboa of the economic world. Beat them to a pulp and they keep on fighting. Despite all the economic problems in October, U.S. small businesses still managed to grow in size by 0.28 percent. The SurePayroll Hiring Index ended the month at 11,219, which is 31 points higher than where the index stood in September. Year to date, small business hiring is up 3 percent nationwide.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Lewis County, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Mason County, Olympia, Pierce County, South King County, Tacoma, Thurston County, Tumwater, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Nov. 3, 2008 at 11:09am

PSE requests wind pass through to customers

Puget Sound Energy filed late Friday, with the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission a request to pass through an adjusted federal Wind Power Production Credit that would further reduce bills for the utility company's more than 1 million electric customers effective Jan. 1.

The credit is due to a federal income tax benefit derived from PSE's ownership of two wind power generating facilities -- Wild Horse and Hopkins Ridge -- located in Central and Eastern Washington, respectively. The credit, in effect since 2007, is adjusted annually based on the power output of the wind facilities.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Law and Legislation, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Nov. 3, 2008 at 11:09am

Boeing machinists returned to work

Striking Boeing machinists in Washington, Oregon and Kansas voted to ratify a new four-year contract that includes excellent wages and an industry-leading pension. About 27,000 employees represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) began returning to work with the third shift Nov. 2, ending a 58-day walkout.

"We're looking forward to having our team back together to resume the work of building airplanes for our customers," said Scott Carson, Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO. "This new contract addresses the union's job security issues while enabling Boeing to retain the flexibility needed to run the business. It rewards employees for their contribution to our success with industry-leading pay and benefits and allows us to remain competitive."

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Law and Legislation, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, South King County by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Oct. 31, 2008 at 11:34am

Weyerhaeuser reports quarterly earnings

Weyerhaeuser Co. reported today net earnings of $280 million for the third quarter, or $1.33 per diluted share, on net sales of $2.6 billion. This compares with net earnings of $101 million, or 47 cents per diluted share, on sales of $4.1 billion for the same period last year.

The report comes as the company shed some of its mill and production facilities as it prepares for a continued slowdown in demand for its forest products.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Pierce County, Retirement and Investing, South King County by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Oct. 31, 2008 at 11:33am

Expedia reports quarterly results

Expedia, Inc., which operates a large call center in downtown Tacoma. today announced financial results for its third quarter.

Revenue increased 10 percent for the third quarter, primarily driven by increased worldwide merchant hotel revenue and advertising and media revenue. North America revenue increased 7 percent, Europe revenue increased 16 percent and other revenue increased 24 percent.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Retirement and Investing, Tacoma, Technology, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Oct. 31, 2008 at 11:33am

Tacoma firm partners on port security venture

Tacoma-based Erudite, Inc., a developer of cargo security and counter-terrorism technology, and California-based VeriTainer Corp., a provider of crane-mounted security solutions, announced today that they are teaming up to deploy an imaging system to detect nuclear materials hidden in cargo containers.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Law and Legislation, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Military/Security, Technology by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Oct. 31, 2008 at 11:32am

Daylight Savings should come with caution

Washington State Department of Transportation officials are reminding motorists and pedestrians to pay extra attention to pedestrian safety not only because of children out gathering Halloween candy tonight, but because Sunday, Nov. 2 marks the end of Daylight Savings Time and begins the most difficult time of year for drivers to see walkers and bikers during commute times.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Law and Legislation, Lewis County, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Mason County, Olympia, South King County, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Oct. 29, 2008 at 11:58am

Reservist loan program extended

Recent Legislative changes will make a U.S. Small Business Administration loan program more accessible to small businesses facing financial loss when the owner or essential employee is called to active military duty by extending the application period, increasing the unsecured loan threshold and raising the maximum loan limit.

Changes to the Military Reservist Economic Injury Disaster Loan program became effective yesterday.

"The SBA is proud to be able to support the men and women who serve in America's military services," said SBA Acting Administrator Sandy K. Baruah. "Their service is not only honorable and selfless, but it makes them more talented and resourceful employees when they return home. That makes it doubly important that the small businesses they left when they were called to active duty are still operating when they come home."

Comments (0) | Posted in Banking/Financial Services, BE Daily, Law and Legislation, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Military/Security, Pierce County, South King County, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Oct. 29, 2008 at 11:55am

Blog Watch: street talk

The BIA blog for downtown Tacoma has a string about a national movement for "complete streets" that are designed for all types of users of all ages and abilities, pedestrians, cyclists, transit, trucks, cars, wheelchairs, skateboarders and other users. The post has specific examples of proposed changes for main streets around the city.

Crosscut.com has a chart of newspaper endorsements from around the state about key issues on the Nov. 4 ballot.

Olyblog.net has an ongoing roster of places to eat around the city.

Comments (0) | Posted in Banking/Financial Services, BE Daily, Building, Charities/Non-profits, Education, Health care, Human Resources , Lacey, Lakewood, Law and Legislation, Lewis County, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Mason County, Military/Security, Olympia, Pierce County, Retirement and Investing, South King County, Startups/Minority Businesses, Tacoma, Technology, Thurston County, Tourism, Retail and Hospitality, Tumwater, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Oct. 29, 2008 at 11:53am

COFFEE BREAK: Key election issue

The election is almost here. Many people have already voted thanks to the expansion of vote-by-mail programs. The Business Examiner would like to know what issue drove you to vote the way you did this election?

To reply to the poll, send an e-mail to news@BusinessExaminer.com. Poll results will be published in Friday's BE Daily.

Oct. 28, 2008 at 10:27am

People on the move

Promotions and recognitions

Mary Bridge Children's Hospital and Health Center's Vice President and Administrator Mady Murrey is the 2008 recipient of the VHA West Coast Passion Award. Nominated by a colleague, Murrey was awarded for setting high goals, motivating members of a multi-disciplinary team and being visionary, innovative, caring and optimistic with staff and patients. Murrey first came to Mary Bridge in 1991 as a trauma nurse and in 2004, she became administrator. Since then, she has added important new services to Mary Bridge, including a new technology called Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation, which provides cardiac and respiratory oxygen to patients with decreased cardiovascular function. She worked collaboratively with multiple departments and community leaders to assure this lifesaving technology was available to children. Also under her leadership, the outpatient clinics in Puyallup, Olympia, Silverdale, Covington and Gig Harbor have made specialized pediatric care more available to children across the region.

Local community partners and members of Washington Women's Employment & Education's Director's Circle celebrated the accomplishments of successful participant, LeAnn Brinkman, last week at the organization's annual Benefactor Appreciation Event at The Tacoma Club. Upon sharing her story of domestic violence and near homelessness, LeAnn received a standing ovation from WWEE's guests. Key Bank, Purcell Advisory Services and Brown & Brown Insurance were sponsors of the event.

Comments (0) | Posted in Banking/Financial Services, BE Daily, Building, Law and Legislation, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Mason County, Military/Security, Pierce County, South King County, Tacoma, Thurston County, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Oct. 28, 2008 at 10:26am

Boeing, machinists reach tentative deal

Boeing and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers reached a tentative agreement last night on a new four-year contract covering 27,000 employees in Washington, Oregon and Kansas. Union leadership is recommending that employees vote to ratify the contract.

The company retained the flexibility necessary to manage its business, while making changes to the contract language to address the union's issues on job security, pay and benefits. The offer provides general wage increases every year and increases pension benefits. In addition, Boeing is proposing no changes to the cost share employees currently pay for a selection of outstanding health care plans.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Law and Legislation, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Pierce County, South King County, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Oct. 28, 2008 at 10:05am

Equipment leasing index shows growth

The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association's Monthly Leasing and Finance Index, which reports economic activity for the nation's $650 billion equipment finance sector, showed overall new business volume for September decreased 2.4 percent when compared to the same period in 2007. When comparing third quarter numbers for 2007 to 2008, new business volume was down 0.1 percent. However, cumulative year-to-date new business volumes show an increase of 1.9 percent compared to 2007.

"It should be no surprise that the turmoil in the financial markets has spilled over into the commercial finance sector and general economy," said ELFA President Kenneth E. Bentsen, Jr. "Even so, amidst all the bad news, the commercial equipment finance market seemed to hold up in September."

Comments (0) | Posted in Banking/Financial Services, BE Daily, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Retirement and Investing, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Oct. 27, 2008 at 10:18am

Boeing, engineers to start talks

The main negotiations for new, three-year contracts that cover some 20,300 engineers and technical workers at The Boeing Co. are set to start tomorrow in SeaTac.

Negotiations between the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace, IFPTE Local 2001, and Boeing start after eight months of disappointing preliminary talks. The first meaningful discussion only recently took place, said SPEEA Executive Director Ray Goforth. Union leaders started advising members in May to save money for a possible strike.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Pierce County, South King County, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Oct. 23, 2008 at 3:18pm

Governor touts export market success

Gov. Chris Gregoire today pledged to continue her efforts to strengthen Washington's export market, while speaking at the 4th Annual World Trade Center-Tacoma International Trade luncheon.

Since 2004, the state's exports have doubled, reaching a record $67 billion last year. Washington now exports more on a per-capita basis than any other state. One in three Washington jobs is directly or indirectly related to international trade.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Law and Legislation, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation by Breanne Coats | Email Breanne

Oct. 22, 2008 at 10:30am

Boeing income reflects strike

Boeing's third-quarter net income declined 38 percent to $695 million, reflecting an ongoing machinists' strike and supplier production challenges on customer-furnished galleys for certain wide-body airplanes. Those items reduced third-quarter commercial airplane deliveries by approximately 35 units. Revenues for the quarter declined 7 percent to $15.3 billion.

Comments (0) | Posted in Banking/Financial Services, BE Daily, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation by Hilary Reeves | Email Hilary

Oct. 22, 2008 at 9:44am

Coffee Break: The home stretch

With just two weeks remaining in the election season, politicians across the board are stepping up their efforts to get your vote. Both the federal and local races are heating up, particularly surrounding issues that affect the nation's business communities.

The Business Examiner wants to know who you're voting for and why. Which county council, gubernatorial and presidential candidate would best represent you and your business?

Oct. 20, 2008 at 10:57am

Oak Harbor Freight target of radio protests

The Teamsters Union has launched a nationwide radio ad on Air America as part of its negotiations with Auburn-based freight hauler Oak Harbor Freight Lines. The radio campaign condemns clothing retailer the Gap Inc. for using Oak Harbor Freight Lines to move its merchandise on the West Coast. The retailer is Oak Harbor's largest customer, according to a release.

Some 600 Oak Harbor Freight Lines workers in Oregon, Washington and Idaho walked off the job and into picket lines Sept. 22 in protest of what they call the freight company's violations of U.S. labor laws and hostile efforts by company representatives to intimidate workers.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Law and Legislation, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, South King County, Technology, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Oct. 17, 2008 at 2:41pm

Biking hazards highlighted by riding event

In an effort to improve Tacoma's bike infrastructure and general mindset, the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber and City of Tacoma mobility staff invited elected officials and city workers on a bicycle commute.

About 25 people, including four city council members, met at three different locations, biked into work and then gathered up in downtown Tacoma to discuss their experiences of trying to bike around Tacoma.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Law and Legislation, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Tacoma by Breanne Coats | Email Breanne

Oct. 17, 2008 at 11:22am

Roads upkeep is key to freight economics, study finds

A new report released this week by the Washington State Department of Transportation shows just how important road maintenance and operations are to the state's economy.

The report documents more than $75 million in freight-related economic impact related to the storm-forced closures of Interstate 5 and Interstate 90 late last year. The analysis will help state officials make informed decisions about economic and infrastructure investments for the state's transportation system.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Law and Legislation, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Oct. 15, 2008 at 12:02pm

PPI dips further, Labor report states

The Producer Price Index for Finished Goods, the price manufacturers pay for their raw materials, decreased 0.4 percent in September, seasonally adjusted, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. This decline followed a 0.9 percent drop in August and a 1.2 percent increase in July.

At the earlier stages of processing, prices received by producers of intermediate goods fell 1.2 percent after decreasing 1 percent a month earlier, and the decline in the crude goods index slowed to 7.9 percent in September from 11.9 percent in the preceding month. The slower rate of decline in finished goods prices was led by the index for energy goods, which decreased 2.9 percent after falling 4.6 percent in August. Price advances for finished goods grew to 0.4 percent from 0.2 percent a month earlier. Conversely, the rise in the index for finished consumer foods slowed to 0.2 percent in September, from 0.3 percent in the prior month.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Law and Legislation, Lewis County, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Mason County, Olympia, Pierce County, South King County, Tacoma, Tourism, Retail and Hospitality, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Oct. 15, 2008 at 10:26am

Transportation Commission to discuss SR 167 tolling

The Washington State Transportation Commission will hear about the status of tolling operations on Washington's highways, on the State Route 167 high-occupancy toll lanes and tolling scenarios for the SR 520 Bridge.

The meeting starts at 9 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 22, at the Transportation Building, Commission Boardroom, 310 Maple Park Ave. SE, in Olympia.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Olympia, South King County by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Oct. 14, 2008 at 10:25am

Boeing talks collapse

Boeing officials announced the second round of mediated talks with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers have ended without a contract and that no new talks are scheduled.

Comments (1) | Posted in BE Daily, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Pierce County, South King County, Technology, Thurston County, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Oct. 14, 2008 at 10:22am

SBA offers online export training

A new online course will help small businesses explore exporting opportunities in international markets. Global Enterprise: A Primer on Exporting is a free, self-paced course that provides practical guidance on exploring international markets.

The new course is available from the Small Business Administration training Web site.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Building, Law and Legislation, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Technology, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Oct. 13, 2008 at 1:50pm

State tax collections continued slide in September

Tax collection numbers for the General Fund-State tax payments in the mid-September to mid-October collection period returned to the pattern of weakness seen in the July and August collection reports, the state Economic and Revenue Forecast Council reported today. Receipts for the month were $48.3 million, 4.8 percent, lower than expected, due mainly to a $43.5 million shortfall in Revenue Act receipts. All other revenue categories except for cigarette taxes also came in below their forecasts.

Comments (1) | Posted in Banking/Financial Services, BE Daily, Law and Legislation, Lewis County, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Mason County, Olympia, Pierce County, Tacoma, Thurston County, Tourism, Retail and Hospitality, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Oct. 10, 2008 at 10:59am

Weyerhaeuser sells commercial construction business

Weyerhaeuser Co. officials have signed a non-binding letter of intent to sell the Federal Way company's Trus Joist Commercial division to Greenwich, Conn.-based Atlas Holdings.

The proposed transaction will include four manufacturing plants located in Chino, Calif.; Hillsboro, Ore.; Delaware, Ohio and Stayton, Ore. and 13 sales and engineering offices. About 428 employees concentrated in the Northwest, Southwest and East serve the business.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Building, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Retirement and Investing, South King County, Thurston County by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Oct. 9, 2008 at 3:03pm

Taxable retail sales decline 2.4 percent

Taxable retail sales declined 2.4 percent to $29.1 billion during the second quarter of 2008, the Washington State Department of Revenue reported today.

Despite the decline over second quarter 2007, sales still were 5.4 percent higher than the $27.6 billion in sales reported for the second quarter of 2006.

Comments (0) | Posted in Banking/Financial Services, Building, Law and Legislation, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Retirement and Investing, Tourism, Retail and Hospitality, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Oct. 9, 2008 at 11:42am

Inspections crack down nets 2 violations per truck

Officers from the Washington State Patrol Commercial Vehicle Division conducted 903 inspections of commercial vehicles at scale sites throughout the state.

The crack down meant one out of every 10 inspections ended with either the driver or the vehicle being placed out of service because of violations. A vehicle is placed out of service when the vehicle or the driver has problems that make it unsafe to continue traveling on the highway.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Oct. 9, 2008 at 11:36am

Gregoire addresses strength of state’s aerospace industry

Gov. Chris Gregoire reaffirmed her commitment to help Washington's aerospace industry grow and strengthen while speaking at the 2nd Annual Governor's Aerospace Summit.

"I want all Washingtonians to know there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about what we need to do to keep Washington's aerospace industry healthy and growing," Gregoire said. "During this national economic downturn, our state is extremely fortunate to have a strong aerospace sector — one that provides thousands of jobs and puts billions of dollars into our economy."

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Law and Legislation, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Pierce County, South King County by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Oct. 9, 2008 at 11:35am

Nalley bottleneck set for widening

A project that will eliminate one of Pierce County's worst bottlenecks by rebuilding the westbound section of the Nalley Valley viaduct on State Route 16 moved a step closer to reality this week.

State transportation officials awarded a construction contract to Guy F. Atkinson Construction, a Renton-based company that submitted the lowest bid of $119.9 million. There were five other bidders.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Building, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Pierce County, Tacoma by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Oct. 8, 2008 at 1:00pm

Blog Watch: world news

The AWB has commentary on Boeing's CEO lamenting about the state of the company if it has to compete with other companies and be saddled with the high demands of its machinists.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Pierce County, Technology by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Oct. 8, 2008 at 6:05am

Are you a Fastest Growing Company?

Nominations are now being accepted online for the South Sound's annual Fastest Growing Companies recognition program.

Fastest Growing Companies are defined as having strong growth in revenue and wage expense from fiscal years 2005 through 2007. Results are collected, calculated and verified confidentially by Moss Adams, the 12th largest accounting and consulting firm in the United States.

Comments (0) | Posted in Banking/Financial Services, BE Daily, Building, Education, Human Resources , Lacey, Lakewood, Lewis County, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Mason County, Military/Security, Olympia, Pierce County, Retirement and Investing, South King County, Tacoma, Technology, Thurston County, Tourism, Retail and Hospitality, Tumwater, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Oct. 7, 2008 at 10:26am

Tacoma Goodwill gets grant boost

Officials at Tacoma Goodwill Industries have received word that the organization will receive a $1.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to provide job-training and placement for people with disabilities. Goodwill is one of just three organizations in the state to receive the grant, which comes during the 20th National Disability Employment Awareness Month and the state's first Disability History Month.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Law and Legislation, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Pierce County, Tacoma, Thurston County, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Oct. 7, 2008 at 10:24am

Port berths set for cleanup

The Washington Department of Ecology and the Port of Olympia are entering an agreement to remove a portion of dioxin-contaminated sediment from two shipping berths later this year.

Ecology officials consider this cleanup an interim step that will improve the environment, while also aiding the port's efforts in maintaining the appropriate depths of its berths.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Law and Legislation, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Olympia, Thurston County by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Oct. 6, 2008 at 2:06pm

State forecast dims outlook

Washington payroll employment declined at a 0.5 percent annual rate in the second quarter of 2008, following a 2.9 percent increase in the first quarter, according to a recent Economic and Revenue Forecast Council report. Manufacturing employment declined at a 0.7 percent rate in spite of a 3.5 percent increase in aerospace employment. Manufacturing employment other than aerospace declined at a 2.3 percent rate.

Construction employment fell at a 6.6 percent rate in the second quarter. Residential building and related special trades employment plunged at a 13.9 percent rate while all other construction employment edged up at a 0.1 percent rate. Natural resources and mining employment, while small, fell at an 8.2 percent rate in the second quarter as both logging and mining declined.

Comments (0) | Posted in Banking/Financial Services, BE Daily, Building, Education, Health care, Law and Legislation, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Retirement and Investing, Workforce by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Oct. 3, 2008 at 11:21am

Tacoma site of clean up conference

The Washington Department of Ecology will host the state's first-ever conference focusing on efforts to clean up sites that can be used to produce economic benefits.

"Brownfields and Land Revitalization Conference 2008" is scheduled Oct. 21 and 22 at the Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center.

Comments (0) | Posted in BE Daily, Building, Lakewood, Manufacturing/Trade/Transportation, Tacoma by Steve Dunkelberger | Email Steve

Oct. 3, 2008 at 8:31am

Speak up: BE wants your opinion

The Business Examiner would like you to take five minutes out of your day to help us grow and improve our BE Daily service.

It is our goal to provide timely and relevant news coverage, while making the BE Daily interesting and valuable for our readers and advertisers. The information you provide in the survey link below is invaluable in helping us reach that goal.

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Oct. 2, 2008 at 1:26pm

County buys Narrows Airport

With a two-seat biplane parked just feet away, the Pierce County Council earlier this week unanimously agreed to buy the Tacoma Narrows Airport near Gig Harbor from the City of Tacoma.

As part of a $5 million joint purchase agreement with the Peninsula Metropolitan Park District, the county will pay $3 million for the airport and the park di


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