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Bellingham earns WPPA Port of the Year
The Port of Bellingham was named the Washington Public Ports Association’s Port of the Year for 2005.
The Port of Bellingham recently acquired a 137-acre industrial waterfront property from Georgia Pacific. By forging innovative partnerships with state and local agencies, Port officials have begun cleanup and development efforts that will create a beautiful waterfront area accessible to the public.
“The Port of Bellingham has shown remarkable leadership and commitment to the community in its efforts to acquire and redevelop the former Georgia Pacific site,” said WPPA President Paul Schneidmiller, commissioner for the Port of Walla Walla. “Their efforts will result in increased economic development as well as enhanced recreational facilities for the citizens of Bellingham.”
The port and the City of Bellingham recently embarked on a joint master planning process designed to include all members of the community.
In addition to their efforts with the former Georgia Pacific property, port officials recently completed a $420,000 restoration of Bellingham’s Marine Park. The project included creating a soft-bank shoreline area, improving park facilities and enhancing public access to the community park.
“I am pleased to congratulate the Port of Bellingham for achieving well-earned recognition of its work in providing leadership in economic development and environmental stewardship,” said Gov. Chris Gregoire. “The port has been an outstanding partner with the Department of Ecology in cleaning up several sites around Bellingham Bay. Restoring contaminated sites not only protects public health and the environment, but also fosters jobs and economic vitality.”
“We are pleased to be given this honor and we recognize that our success as a port is due to our strong partnerships with our private business partners and with the federal, state and local governments,” said Bellingham Port Commission President Doug Smith. “We recognize that in partnership we can work together to promote both the economic and environmental goals of our community.”
Proposed FAA regulation to benefit Sedro Woolley company
Doll Technology Group Inc., a manufacturer and marketer of “clean and green” products and technology solutions, announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Transport Canada (TC) have proposed regulations to implement a new fire suppression concept similar to the concept developed and tested by Doll Technology through its RedBrooks Laboratory division. The company estimates it could see more than $25 million in revenue by 2008 if the regulation is implemented
The FAA and TC have proposed regulations that require all airlines in their jurisdiction to implement changes to reduce the chance of fuel tank explosions like the one that destroyed TWA flight 800 more than nine years ago. The proposed rule will allow for the implementation of new technologies known as “fuel tank inerting” with a system such as Doll Technology’s “Hypoxic Air” system. The system reduces air in fuel thanks thereby dramatically lessening the risk of a fuel tank explosion.
The FAA estimates it will cost $313 million to retrofit 3,200 large passenger jets for fuel tank inerting alone.
Doll Technology’s reach spans to Ethiopia
Doll Technology Group also announced in December that the company received a $1.1 million order from agricultural firm Land and Sea Development-Ethiopia, PLC (LSDE) for its BlazeTamer fire retardant products.
BlazeTamer is an environmentally safe chemical agent used in firefighting. LSDE plans to test the product on 100,000 acres of its bamboo plantation in Ethiopia. If the trial of the product proves successful LSDE could place a full order valued at $10-$11 million.
Loan officer charged with first-degree theft
The Financial Crimes Unit of the state Attorney General’s Office has charged a Bellingham loan officer with stealing more than $8,000 in commissions and forging loan documents on the sale of two separate residential properties.
Miriam Lozano (a/k/a Miriam Shaffer or Mabel Shaffer) was charged with two counts of first-degree theft and three counts of forgery on Dec. 1. According to charging papers filed in Whatcom County Superior Court, Lozano, 43, was an independent contractor with Channel Lending Company since November 2000. The charges allege that on two occasions in 2003 Lozano illegally obtained commissions from the sale of two properties and on three occasions she forged a number of documents related to those sales. Lozano has a court appearance scheduled for Jan. 6, 2006.
The first-degree theft charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine. Each forgery charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. This is the fourth case filed by the Attorney General’s Financial Crimes Unit as a result of the state’s mortgage lending prosecution fund.
Charities see only 18 percent of funds from local telemarketer
Bellingham telemarketing company Charitable Aid Inc. (CAI), kept 82 percent of the money it raised for charitable clients in 2004 found a report by the state released in late November. CAI was one of 114 commercial fundraisers profiled in a report from Washington Secretary of State Sam Reed’s office.
The Bellingham Herald reports that two of CAI’s clients, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Washington and Bellingham-based national Search & Rescue Support Council, are cutting ties with the company.
A phone call to CAI from NWBM was not returned.
New Bellingham to Friday Harbor ferry service
Since Nov. 28 twice-daily passenger ferry service between Bellingham and Friday Harbor runs Monday through Friday.
One week into the service and “So far, so good,” said Drew Schmidt, who runs Victoria Jan Juan Cruises, the Bellingham company providing the ferry service. The busiest run in the first week carried 13 passengers on the 149-passenger capacity vessel.
The service is made possible through a $196,000 grant from the U.S. Federal Transit Administration and will continue through March 31. Data collected from this trial run will be used to decide the viability of the service. “Hopefully this will prove positive,” Schmidt said.
One-way adult fares cost $10, $5 for children 6-12 and free for children 5 and younger. The ferry departs from the Bellingham Cruise Terminal at 7 a.m. and 3 p.m., and departs from Friday Harbor at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Crossing time is one hour and 40 minutes.
Railroad Avenue retail continues to grow
Ken and Dan Bothman, owners of La Fiamma Wood Fire Pizza in Bellingham plan to open Fiamma Burger in 1300 block of Railroad Avenue next summer. The success of the Fiamma Burger offered at the Bellingham Farmer’s Market prompted them to go into the burger business full time.
Northwest Computer partners with Open Systems, Inc.
Open Systems, Inc. has announced that Bellingham’s Northwest Computer has been named a reseller partner for the company’s business accounting software packages.
Northwest Computer has used OSI products for many years as their networking and business consulting division has grown, and the partnership is a natural outgrowth of their work together. “We are in the unique position of being able to offer support to customers running the software that we’ve been running our own business on for the last eight years,” said John Walstad, director of sales for Northwest Computer.
New WorkSource-Skagit facility opens
The Northwest WorkSource Development Council, a business-led board that oversees the workforce system in Whatcom, Skagit, Island and San Juan counties, has opened a large new facility on College Way in Mount Vernon. WorkSource is a partnership of business, government agencies, nonprofit organizations and colleges that provide the resources business and job seekers need in one place.
The new state-of-the-art WorkSource Center provides a professional environment for employers to recruit, interview and train new or existing employees. Most services to businesses are provided at no cost. Meeting and conference rooms, as well as a computer-training classroom, are available for use at modest rates.
San Juan County real estate keeps moving
Figures from Northwest Multiple Listing Service (MLS) show that November pending sales in San Juan County were the highest in the state, compared to last year at this time, at 35.7 percent.
Reporting an increase in inventory (properties on the market), Skagit County had a double-digit increase.
Overall volume of pending sales statewide decreased somewhat while prices are up 16.45 percent over this time last year.
BP sole owner of Olympic Pipe Line
BP Pipelines North America bought out Shell Oil Co.’s share of Olympic Pipe Line in December. BP already owned controlling interest in the pipeline, which links Whatcom and Skagit county oil refineries to fuel customers.
Skagit Valley College earns marketing awards
The Skagit Valley College Public Information Office received four marketing and public relations awards from the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations (NCMPR). The awards included a Silver for Promotional Video or CD-ROM and Bronze for Best Presentation Folder, Best Poster and Best “Nifty and Thrifty.” The SVC awards recognize the design and technical work of Arden Ainley, public information director; Don Cairns, graphic designer/illustrator; and James Walters, Webmaster.
Walls & Windows partners with Hunter Douglas
Walls & Windows, Inc. of Bellingham has become a Hunter Douglas Showcase Priority Dealer. The Showcase Priority Dealer program is a national network of window fashions dealers who have committed themselves to present the full line of Hunter Douglas products, offer all Hunter Douglas promotions and fully train staff members.
Hunter Douglas is a leading manufacturer and marketer of custom window coverings in North America.
Sales up, net dips for International Absorbents
Ferndale-based International Absorbents Inc., a leading developer and producer of environmentally friendly pet care and industrial products reported financial results for the third quarter and nine months ended October 31, 2005.
Sales are up 13 percent on the quarter and up 10 percent over this time last year. Net and gross income both are down: Net income has decreased 79 percent from last year and gross income is down 20 percent in the same period.
International Absorbents Chairman Gordon L. Ellis cites rising fuel costs, the commissioning of a new manufacturing facility and introduction of new products as cutting into the profit margin over the last year. Ellis anticipates an alternative energy system in the company’s new Georgia facility will greatly reduce per unit fuel costs. Other measures to recover profit margins are under way.
SPARC receives Gates Foundation grant
Skagit Preschool & Resource Center (SPARC), headquartered in Mount Vernon, received one of the first new “Communities Connect” grants awarded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help preschool children with disabilities select, acquire and learn to use devices to increase their abilities. The grant will provide $86,500 over the next three years to help implement the assistive technology program, which has also been financed by the Boeing Employee Community Fund and the Glaser Foundation, among other supporters.
Mallard migrates
Bellingham’s Mallard Ice Cream owner Ben Scholz has moved his popular ice cream shop around the corner to a larger location on Railroad Avenue. Mallard makes ice cream from scratch in five-gallon batches and emphasize the use of local and organic ingredients. The new shop will feature sidewalk seating, a gas fireplace, and expanded dining and manufacturing areas.
Biermann Design moves to Creekside Building
Biermann Design, Inc. has moved their offices to the Creekside Building in Bellingham. Jody Biermann, owner of the interior design firm, said that she is excited about her new downtown location and that the new space is well suited to her profession. “It’s such an inspirational atmosphere – lots of light, high ceilings, a view of the creek – all of the elements an old warehouse building provides,” she added.
Biermann Design was founded in 2002 and specializes in commercial, residential and institutional interior design. Current projects include Creekside Condominiums/12th Street Village commercial/residential development in Fairhaven, Whatcom Educational Credit Union’s (WECU) Fairhaven and Blaine branches, and a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) project for WECU’s new Loan Center on Holly Street in downtown Bellingham.
RE Sources coordinates local recycling efforts
RE Sources for Sustainable Communities has received a contract from Whatcom County Solid Waste to coordinate local agricultural plastics recycling efforts over the next year.
Recycling efforts will focus on four highly-visible plastic wastes:
• Film plastic, such as hay bags, feed bags, crop covers and baling twine,
• Rinsed pesticide containers,
• Rigid plastics such as plastic barrels and 5-gallon buckets, and
• “Super Sacks,” huge white polyethylene bags that commonly hold large amounts of grain.
Working with local collection companies and an Oregon plastics processor, RE Sources hopes to develop an easy and cost-effective method for collecting close to 30 tons of plastics in Whatcom County. Once processed, the materials can be made into several new products including black plastic garbage bags, flooring and wall coverings.
Local airline set to take wing this spring
A new airline carrier is set to begin flights from Bellingham International Airport this spring. Western Airlines, started by Skagit County residents Jerry Welch and Curt Tronsdal, should be up and running by March or April, said Welch, Westen’s president. Tronsdal is the airline’s chairman.
“We’d like to get moving as soon as we can,” Welch said. And to that end the airline will begin service with leased aircraft while it awaits FAA carrier certification. As part of the certification, the airline has determined it will fly the Boeing 737, and plans to take delivery of 373-800 at the end of this month.
Western’s offices are already open at the Bellingham International terminal, after signing a deal with the Port of Bellingham in December.
“We’ve got a great relationship with the port,” Welch said.
Eventually, up to seven flights a day will originate from the airport, but first the terminal will need to grow to accommodate the traffic. The airport will “grow as we grow” Welch said, adding the port has plans to add a second story onto the terminal building.
When service starts this spring, just one flight per day is scheduled, adding a second in July with the hope of growing to five daily flights by the end of the year. The carrier plans to fly to Denver, Phoenix, destinations in California, Anchorage and possibly destinations in Nevada.
Western was formed with the goal of providing low fare, premium service to passengers seeking an alternative to SeaTac or Vancouver International in British Columbia.
Welch is owner and founder of Commercial Aircraft Interiors, an FAA repair station located in Burlington that employs 90. Tronsdal is a fifth-generation Skagit County resident with a commercial aviation background.
Reisner Distributor expands in Whatcom County
Reisner Distributor, Inc., a family owned petroleum distributor, has purchased another longtime family business, Whatcom County-based Bosman Fuels.
Founded by Del Reisner in 1968 in Anacortes, Reisner Distributor has had an office in Bellingham since purchasing TransSmart Petroleum in 2003. Bosman Fuels started operating in Lynden in 1970.
Dan Averill, vice president of Reisner Distributor, said the company recognizes the excellent reputation of Bosman Fuels for customer service and is retaining most of its employees. “It’s our goal to make as few changes as possible for our new customers,” Averill said. “We look forward to the opportunity to provide all of our customers with a wide variety of quality products and services.”
Reisner Distributor is moving into Bosman’s Bellingham office and will continue to maintain its Lynden office. With the Bosman Fuels acquisition, Reisner Distributor will own and operate 10 Pacific Pride commercial fueling stations in Whatcom and Skagit counties.
Reisner Distributor is a full-line petroleum distributor. The company provides Shell, Chevron, Texaco, 76 and BP branded lubricants, gasoline and diesel for business, residential, commercial and retail customers throughout northwest Washington.
Moody’s assigns A1 rating to Port of Bellingham bonds
Moody’s Investors Service assigned an A1 rating to the Port of Bellingham’s general obligation bonds. This is the same rating the port has had in the past and the continued high rating is a reflection of the strength of the port’s financial management.
Proceeds from the bond sale will be used to fund a variety of capital improvements at the port’s facilities.
Oak Harbor Safeway undergoes remodel
The Oak Harbor Safeway plans to unveil its remodel to shoppers with a grand reopening on Jan. 14, according to store Manager Sherrie Sadighi. The improved store will feature a Starbucks and expanded deli, floral and produce departments. The exterior of the 25-year-old building will also receive a facelift.
“It looks upscale, but [products] won’t be priced upscale,” Sadighi said.
The company has acquired leasing rights to the Godfather’s Pizza property in the same shopping center and plans to open a Safeway gas station as early as this spring, Sadighi said, adding she did not have further details on that project.
Kenmore Air eyes Oak Harbor service
The Whidbey News Times reported last month that Seattle-based Kenmore Air has designs on starting daily flights out of Oak Harbor Airport by next spring or summer. Bringing operations to the airport hinges on litigation currently in court to determine who owns the property.
Kenmore Air plans to fly nine-passenger turbo-prop airplanes from Oak Harbor to Boeing field. Best known for its float-plane business, the airline now operates a wheel-plane division.
Regular commercial flights last ran out of Oak Harbor Airport in 2001, operated by Harbor Air. The Gig Harbor company stopped operating in 2001 due to financial trouble.
Prostock relocates to Samish Way
Prostock Athletic Supply opens their new Samish Way location on Jan. 2. The new location, formerly Cristo’s restaurant, offers more retail space and free parking.
Horizon Financial increases quarterly cash dividend
Horizon Financial Corp. announced in December that its board of directors increased the company’s quarterly cash dividend by 4 percent to $0.145 per share. This marks the sixth time Horizon has increased its quarterly cash dividend in the last three years.
V. Lawrence Evens, Horizon’s chairman and CEO, says the company has paid a cash dividend every quarter over the past 18 years.
Horizon Financial Corp. is a $1.1 billion, state-chartered bank holding company headquartered in Bellingham.
MB Design recognized with industry award
MB Design, a leading provider in brand consulting and graphic design, received the only award given to a West Coast company from international paper manufacturer Neenah Paper, Inc. MB Design was honored with the October 2004 Bronze Award for its creative solution in Cascade Prosthetics & Orthotics’ business stationery.
Bellingham Weekly future uncertain
With the granting of a temporary restraining order for Tim Johnson against Doug Tolchin, business partners in the Bellingham Weekly, the independent publication’s future is uncertain. Tolchin allegedly fired Johnson, the editor, and the rest of the editorial staff in mid-December.
State minimum wage still the maximum
The state’s minimum wage will increase by 28 cents to $7.63 an hour starting Jan. 1.
The state recalculates the wage each September as required by an initiative passed by voters seven years ago.
The initiative requires the state to adjust the minimum wage based on the federal “CPI-W,” a national index covering the cost of goods and services needed for day-to-day living. That index rose 3.8 percent during the 12 months ending August 31, 2005.
The increase maintains Washington’s status as having the highest-paying minimum wage in the nation.
Boundary Bay wins three peoples’ choice awards
Bellingham’s Boundary Bay Brewery & Bistro recently won three peoples’ choice awards, including best brewery in the state.
Boundary Bay was voted best brewery in Washington state by the readers of Northwest Brewing News magazine in the 2005 Readers’ Choice Awards conducted in the October/November edition. Northwest Brewing News readers also selected Boundary Bay’s Inside Passage Ale as the best IPA in the region. Northwest Brewing News covers Alaska, British Columbia, Northern California, Oregon and Washington state.
“Several years ago, when IPA became one of my favorite beer styles, I changed our recipe to be right on the edge,” said Aaron Jacob Smith, head brewer at Boundary Bay. “Since then the consumer palate has followed the trend and now there are many fine breweries producing top quality, over-the-top Northwest-style IPA.”
Additionally, for the second consecutive year, Boundary Bay’s Inside Passage Ale won the annual Hoptober Fest IPA peoples’ choice competition at the Beveridge Place Pub in West Seattle. This year, 37 IPAs were judged in the competition.
Future ‘titans’ of business
High school students from across the country faced off in December in Junior Achievement (JA) Worldwide’s JA Titan fall qualifying competition with the Lynden High School team taking the honor of “Titan of Business.”
Eight teams vied for the title in the online business simulation. Team Lynden included Tom Hamming, Ben Hamming, Magdalene Anderson, Natalie Witte, Jason Miller, Sarah Roper, Brenda Harris, Kelly Kirby and Nate McQuarrie. Bob Carson was the Lynden High School team’s teacher. He was assisted by Junior Achievement volunteer Lisa Holleman of Peoples Bank.
JA Titan is an online business educational program for students ages 14 to 19 that teaches young entrepreneurs about the nuances of running a global business.
Semiahmoo ventures into online retail
Semiahmoo Resort in Blaine launched its online store in December, just in time for holiday shopping.
The new online store offers an assortment of products, including gift shop items, selected hotel packages and the spa’s complete line of Sothys and GM Collin international skin care products. In addition, gift certificates redeemable for hotel, spa services and products, dining, gift and pro shop items can also be purchased online.
According to Jeff Kline, operations manager for Semiahmoo Resort, the online store enables guests the ability to purchase and ship some of the products they may have enjoyed during their stay to their own home.
To start shopping visit Semiahmoo Resort’s Web site at www.semiahmoo.com.
New census data on median income released
The U.S. Census Bureau released new estimates on median income in November. The four-county area of Island, San Juan, Skagit and Whatcom all come in at less than the state average of $48,185. Island County had the highest median income of the four counties at $45,490, followed by Skagit at $44,593, San Juan at $43,950 and Whatcom at $41,916. This compares to King County with the highest median income of $53,042 and Okanogan County with the lowest median income of $30,339. Census numbers reflect 2003 data.
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