The Business Examiner's "South Sound Business Report" will debut on KBTC Public Television at 7:30 p.m. April 20.

The program, which will air every two weeks, focuses on business in the South Sound. It has been seen in the Tacoma/Seattle region since January 2004.

The 40th annual Lakewood Rotary Club Sportsman's Dinner & Auction is scheduled for 5 p.m. tomorrow at the McGavick Center at Clover Park Technical College. This annual fundraising event is open to the public. Tickets are $50 per person and are available from any member of Lakewood Rotary Club or by calling Rick Selden at (253) 588-2104. For additional information, contact Dave Sclair at (253) 691-8103.

The popular flea market run by the Women's League of University of Puget Sound will be held this year from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. tomorrow at Memorial Fieldhouse, near the corner of Union Street and N. 11th Ave. in Tacoma. More than 50 booths will offer antiques, collectible dolls, books, furniture, clothing, artisan works, and more. Admission is $2. Parking is free. Proceeds from the event support University of Puget Sound scholarships for students. Last year, the flea market raised $24,000. Click here for more information.

Franciscan Health System has renewed its agreement with UnitedHealthcare, which now includes St. Anthony Hospital in Gig Harbor.
 
The agreement provides UnitedHealthcare commercial and Medicare health plan participants continued in-network access to Franciscan Health System's facilities.

Unemployment rates were higher during January than a year earlier in 363 of the 372 metropolitan areas, lower in seven areas, and unchanged in two areas, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Thirty-five areas recorded jobless rates of at least 15 percent, while 2 areas registered rates below 5 percent.

The national unemployment rate during January was 10.6 percent, not seasonally adjusted, up from  8.5 percent a year earlier. For Tacoma, the rate was 10.7 percent, up from 8.3 percent during January of 2009 and 9.5 percent during December.

Jasmine Smith has joined the culinary team at Snuffin's Catering. She is a 2008 graduate of The Culinary Institute of America in Greystone, Calif., and studied under Thomas Keller at the French Laundry Restaurant in Yountville. Smith has held positions at Peju Winery and Pana Vino Catering, Napa Valley.

Heather Hokanson has joined the staff of Sound Family Medicine at the Hartland Clinic. The Bonney Lake native will provide family care with an emphasis on women's health and obstetrics. Hokanson is board certified as an advanced nurse practitioner in family medicine and has a master's degree in family practice from Pacific Lutheran University.

WashACE Blog leads off today with a report about chamber of commerce leaders in Everett warning about the consequences of higher taxes.

The Live Wire has a wrap-up of last night's first on-the-road outreach by the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber's Shorelines Task Force and a link for Tahoma Business Environmental Award nominations.

Commissioners of the Port of Tacoma are to authorize the sale of the port's 745-acre Thurston County property during their meeting Thursday.



The port bought the property near Maytown during 2006 as a potential site for rail system enhancements. After purchasing the site, which once housed an explosives manufacturing plant, the port assumed responsibility for environmental cleanup.


Three outstanding business people will be recognized for their achievements at the Milgard School of Business' Ninth Annual Business Leadership Awards next month.

The awards spotlight business leaders from Pierce, Kitsap, Thurston and South King counties and strengthen the relationship between the business community and UW Tacoma. The honorees were nominated by the community and selected by a panel from the Milgard School of Business advisory board, faculty and staff.

Two members of the Tacoma business community will be among the honorees when the Small Business Administration presents its annual awards on April 8 at the Marion Oliver McCaw Hall at Seattle Center.

Among the five state SBA Champion award winners who support and advocate on behalf of small businesses and entrepreneurship are John H. Rodenberg, WSU/SBDC, SBDC Service Excellence and Innovation Award; and Lynda M. Hamilton, Heritage Bank, Financial Services Champion.

After losing an appeal of its license revocation, Bel Air of Tacoma has decided to close.

The Department of Social and Health Services revoked the nursing home's license on Feb. 19, based on significant, on-going regulatory violations that included issues such as infection control, pressure sores and administration of the facility.

The Washington State Department of Transportation is planning a busy weekend of construction in Pierce County. Scheduled construction work is weather-dependent and crews are closely monitoring forecasts.

Crews are shifting southbound Interstate 5 traffic in Fife onto a recently widened segment of median. Striping and barrier removal reduces southbound I-5 to a single lane beginning at West Hylebos Creek Bridge overnight Saturday.

The Thurston County Chamber of Commerce and the Seattle District Small Business Administration are presenting free bi-monthly business loan briefings for anyone interested in knowing how to get a loan to start, expand or buy a small business. The next session, from 1 to 2 p.m. March 16 at 809 Legion Way SE, Olympia, conducted by Carol Andersen from the Seattle SBA District Office. Topics covered include how the SBA loan program works, the eligibility and credit requirements, what lenders are looking for when approving loans, who can help you with a business plan or a loan proposal, what other financing options are available and  the enhancements to the SBA lending programs under the federal Recovery Act. Space is limited. For more information, call Tammy (360) 357-3362 or  Carol at (206) 553-7315.

Small businesses make up 90 percent of the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber's membership base. Join other small business owners to brainstorm and have open discussion about issues facing small businesses during the Small Business Committee meeting at noon March 16 at the Adriatic Grill Italian Cuisine & Wine Bar, near The Tacoma Mall. Lunch cost on your own. For more information or to RSVP, contact Judy Singley at (253) 627.2175.

Temporary, part-time jobs remain available at numerous census offices in Washington, including Pierce and Thurston counties.

2010 census questionnaires are scheduled to begin arriving in the mail March 15. The U.S. Census Bureau has asked that each household fill out the form and mail it back in the postage-paid envelope as soon as it arrives, ensuring that the nationwide headcount is accurate.

If it's true that beauty is only skin deep, then those of us calling Tacoma home are starting out with a bit of a disadvantage.

At least if you believe the folks at totalbeauty.com, who rank Tacoma as No. 12 on their list of "The 13 Worst-Skin Cities."

Construction of the Center for Health Sciences at the University of Puget Sound will begin in May. The 42,500-square-foot interdisciplinary center is expected to open in time for the fall 2011 school semester.

Key features of the center include outpatient clinics for the 300 patients referred for occupational and physical therapy services each year by local physicians. A 6,000-square-foot outdoor mobility park will allow patients to be assessed and rehabilitated in spaces fitted with ramps, curbs, stairs and other potential barriers. An indoor simulated apartment will give patients a place to practice the activities of daily living.

Should the Wedge neighborhood become a historic district? The public will have an opportunity next week to provide feedback about the matter to the Tacoma Planning Commission.
 
The area of the proposed district extends from Division Avenue to South M Street to Sixth Avenue and to Sprague. The North Slope Historic District – established during 1994 and listed on the Tacoma, Washington and National registers of historic places – borders the proposed Wedge District.

The Tacoma Rainiers will host a job fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 13 at the Hotel Murano. There are a number of different positions that need to be filled, including parking, ushers, concessions, gift shop and ticket takers.
 
Last year's job fair saw a record turnout of almost 800 people and 1000 applications. This year, the Rainiers will be looking to hire between 150 and 200 employees.

The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation is one of three recipients for this year's "Leadership Legacy Award," given by the Center for Ethical Leadership. The foundation is being recognized for their work on the Youth Against Violence initiative.

The Community Foundation began meeting with a group of Pierce County funders and service providers during 2006 to explore the root causes of youth violence.

Allen Realtors will be conducting free home buying seminars at 7 p.m. tomorrow and 1 p.m. March 14 at their office in Lakewood. Information will be available about the local real estate market, the home search and buying processes, and financing. Call 582-6111 for more information.

Nonprofit organizations will be shown how to effectively use the rapidly growing Internet social media to benefit their organizations in a special workshop from 9 a.m. to noon March 10 at Thurston County Community Television, 440 Yauger Way SW, Olympia. The South Sound Partners for Philanthropy will host the workshop, "There's An App for That: Social Media and Community Development" presented by Laurie Cirivello. Seating is limited.  Call TCTV at (360) 956-3100 to purchase tickets. The training is free to South Sound Partners for Philanthropy member representatives. Member organizations can send additional staff for $12.50 each. Non-member tickets are $25. Click here for more information.

Find out who is "walking the talk"and rising to the top by supporting employee health and wellness programs and doing their part in health care awareness.

Eight WorkWell designation awards will be presented during the fourth annual Healthy Breakfast Showcase, scheduled for 7:30 to 10 a.m. March 23 at the Hotel Murano, 1320 Broadway, Tacoma.