In 1998, Washington voters passed Initiative 688 by a large margin. It uncoupled our state’s minimum wage from the federal act and approved automatic annual increases. Those increases have outstripped the national standard, giving Washington the highest minimum wage in the country.
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The Highway 303 Wal-Mart in East Bremerton may expand by 40,000 square feet, if plans submitted to Kitsap County recently are approved. The expansion would add about 100 jobs to a total of nearly 300, according to company officials. The façade would be redone to look like the one at the relatively new Poulsbo store and the addition would be more energy efficient, the company said.  read more »

The entire block on Front Street between King Olaf Vei and King Harald Vei, in downtown Poulsbo has been put up for sale by its owner, the Mentor Company. The asking price is $4.8 million.

The company, which is run by the daughters of the late Joe Mentor — Jennifer Mentor Mills and Judy Mentor Eagleson — reportedly put the properties on the market after concluding the property didn’t fit into the company’s five-year plan. read more »

West Sound Workforce has honored Colleen Redfield as the October 2008 Employee-of-the-Month.

Redfield serves as a General Office Manager and Personal Assistant in a fast paced ever-changing office environment. In her nomination Redfield’s supervisor said, “Colleen has settled well into her position here. She is extremely patient and rather than getting frustrated when last minute plans must be changed, she handles them with a sense of humor, as she does all her tasks. She is a friendly face at the front desk and more than willing to help any of our employees with a myriad of tasks. read more »

To put it as simply as possible, the most effective way to deliver the most assistance to people in need in our community who are in distress is to give to United Way.

Here in Kitsap County this is particularly true. United Way carefully and thoughtfully distributes the community’s donations to non-profit agencies that can prove they make a difference. Money donated is carefully distributed to organizations on the basis of demonstrated results. Examples: read more »