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February 2009
The Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal archives all articles into these pages. Feel free to browse back through Kitsap history and read news from as far back as the turn of the century! All articles from the print edition will be archived in this directory.

I’m often asked how other states compare to Washington on transportation policy. This is a reasonable question, because across our state, traffic congestion is growing worse and is expected to double over the next twenty years. Congestion chokes the economy, robs valuable time from our families and lowers our overall quality of life.

But how do we compare to other states?

My response always mentions Texas because of its early adoption of Public/Private Partnerships and tolling, and its continued spending on infrastructure. read more »

 

The Butzkos Cook Prince RE/MAX Town and Country recently announced the addition of Chip and Tracy Butzko, Paula Cook, and Claudia Prince to its staff. read more »

 

The Health District has named Keith Grellner as its new Director of Environmental Health, effective Jan. 1. Grellner replaces Jerry Deeter, who will retire this month after nearly 35 years with the District.

A 20-year veteran of the Health District, Grellner assumes oversight of the Health District’s Environmental Health Division. read more »

 

The Fairway Lane apartment complex near Kitsap Golf and Country Club was completed by Port Orchard’s BJC Group after the original contractor on the job defaulted. The BJC Group, Inc. recently completed the Fairway Lane Apartment complex located next to the Kitsap Golf & Country Club in Bremerton. The 56-unit complex offers two and three bedroom apartments with several ADA compliant units, as well as individual garages, fireplaces, and guest parking. read more »

 

23rd District Legislators

  • Senator Phil Rockefeller
    218 John A. Cherberg Building
    PO Box 40423, Olympia, WA 98504-0423
     786-7644

     

A reporter at President George Bush’s last news conference stirred the usually placid Texan when she asked what could be done about “restoring Amenca’s moral standing in the world.” Implication, of course, that it went down on Bush’s watch.

Bush denied there had been any lapse but the throng of reporters seated in front of him knew different. Most of them contributed to it.

And all because he won a race they tried to throw to another candidate. read more »

 

It’s no secret that newspapers are struggling in this economy. We’ve seen the venerable Seattle P.I. go on the block with the anticipation no buyer will be found, and it will shut down within the next 30 days or so. We’ve also seen all our local weeklies change from the broadsheet format to the more economical tabloid size, and cut delivery from twice a week to once. Our daily paper, the Kitsap Sun, has shrunk in physical size as well as the number of sections and pages in recent months. All these changes reflect the reality of the newspaper business today. read more »

 

U.S. Senator Patty Murray recently delivered a Senate floor speech urging her colleagues to support a bill that would restore workers’ rights to challenge discrimination in the workplace by reversing the Supreme Court’s Ledbetter v. Goodyear decision.

An employee of Goodyear Tire Co., Lilly Ledbetter, sued after learning that she had been a victim of pay discrimination for most of her 19 years at the company. In its 2007 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed 5-4 that Ledbetter had been discriminated against. read more »

 

Washington State employees who are involved in a temporary reduction of hours are allowed to receive a percentage of unemployment insurance benefits.

To be eligible for the state program, an employer must first develop the plan and enroll it with the Employment Security Department. At least 10 percent of the employer’s regular workforce must be affected. The reduction must reflect at least 10 percent of weekly hours but not more than 50 percent. The employer must maintain all fringe benefits. Workers may receive benefits for up to twenty-six weeks and the weeks need not be consecutive. read more »

 

It’s February, so naturally “love is in the air.” Women hope for flowers and sweet expressions of romance, and men hope that their efforts will please the special woman in their lives. Unfortunately, there are times in the workplace that words and gestures are not appropriate or welcome, and they cross a line, putting a company at risk of charges of sexual harassment. read more »

 

The first annual Bainbridge Island Eco Home and Garden Tour will be held on Sunday, Mar. 8 from 11 a.m. — 4 p.m. on Bainbridge Island.

The tour is an add-on event to the Bainbridge Island Home and Garden Show, which will be held on Saturday, Mar. 7, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Woodward Middle School. The show is an all-day event featuring workshops and presentations on home improvement, gardening and other home-related topics. read more »

 

This year, instead of Bainbridge Island’s annual Home and Garden show, the chamber changed the event to a two-day extravaganza called “Green Getaway Weekend.” With an array of events, all focusing on a more sustainable lifestyle, the organizers are determined to educate and inspire the citizens of Kitsap.

“The point of this event is, of course, exposure for our businesses, but we also want the community to know that we’re conscious of the environment… We really want it to be a reflection of our community,” said Elizabeth Gadbois, events coordinator of the Bainbridge Chamber. read more »