Kitsap County’s low-income seniors who need skill training or assistance finding work may be able to get a hand from the county’s Division of Aging and Long Term Care. For nearly two years, the agency has been administering the Title V Senior Community Service Employment Program, which is funded by the federal government through the Older Americans Act.

The goal of the program is to help low-income individuals who are 55 or older become self-sufficient through training and job placement. The number of participants depends on funding every year, but earlier this spring Kitsap had about 13 slots. read more »

If you’re one of those people who whip out their smartphones while standing in the grocery line and transfer money between two accounts before getting to the checkout, you’re in good company. A Federal Reserve report released in March estimates that 50 percent of smartphone owners used mobile banking in 2012 (a 33 percent increase from a year before) — and transferring between accounts is the second-most common use, after checking balances and recent transactions. read more »

While consumers have embraced the conveniences of electronic banking — they’re writing fewer checks every year, according to the Federal Reserve — electronic statements are still not mainstream. Yet, as any banking professional will agree, e-statements are not only faster and convenient, they are also more secure and are good for the planet.

“People like to use the Internet for information but they still like their mail,” said Jackie McVay, Kitsap Bank’s chief information officer.

Last year, the amount of paper statements and envelopes mailed to Kitsap Bank customers equaled 210 trees or 17,524 pounds of paper. The bank estimates that if only 20 percent more of its customers signed up for e-statements, 42 trees and 3,501 pounds of paper would be saved every year. read more »

Gig Harbor’s Y, which was renamed in March the Tom Taylor Family YMCA, will be adding 10,500 square feet to its five-year facility. The expansion project is focused on children and teen programs but will also include multipurpose rooms available to all ages.

The two-story expansion will house a slightly larger teen center, a half-court youth gym, an adventure zone for families and two multipurpose rooms. The current nursery and child watch areas will then be expanded through a remodel to incorporate the space now used by the teen center.

Of the Y’s 19,000 members, 5,200 are youth. The expanded space will allow for additional programming including classes, leadership programs and various activities, according to Andrea Millikan, Tom Taylor Family YMCA executive director. read more »

Aaron Duffin could talk about bicycles all day long. The owner of 16 bikes and a rider his “whole life,” Duffin is passionate about bicycling — and it shows.

Nearly a year ago, Duffin kicked his passion up a notch. After working in the industry for years, he opened his own full-service shop, Bicycle-Works, in Manette.

“Something I always wanted to do is have my own business,” he said.

The cozy shop that is hardly larger than 500-600 square feet accommodates both Duffin’s workshop (including a couple dozen bikes in different stages of repair or maintenance) and a small inventory of basic parts. read more »

Relegated mostly to the fields of Europe and South America in the past, soccer has been catching up in popularity in the United States in the past decade or so. While the sport is still outshadowed by football, basketball and baseball, it is gaining speed — and social scientist Rich Luker, who studies sports trends, has even declared last fall that it’s only a matter of time before soccer is at the top in popularity. read more »

When staff at Pinewood Manor in Bremerton need someone to repair the “community” computer, they know they can count on one person: Larry DuSavage. The owner of a computer maintenance and repair business, DuSavage volunteers his time as part of Kitsap Computing Seniors. Pinewood Manor, an RHF retirement community, has a public computer for residents’ use thanks to a KCS program called New Horizons. read more »

Mortgage rates are no longer at “historic lows,” but they have steadily remained down. While rates can change daily, so far the federal government has still kept them as close to those historic lows as ever. Which means savvy homebuyers are taking advantage of the market, especially of the variety of loans that still allow people with good credit to buy a home with very little or no down payment.

But it’s not business as usual for the mortgage industry. Consumers used to the easy process of 10 years ago may be in for a big surprise.

“Heavy documenting is the trend. The process can be intrusive,” said Val Hawryluk, branch manager for Eagle Mortgage in Silverdale.

The reason for this trend is the change in federal rules that came as a result of the mortgage crisis a few years ago. A relatively new federal agency, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, has established a variety of mortgage lending and servicing rules and is monitoring compliance by lenders. read more »

While the Washington CA$H program is no longer officially in Kitsap County, the program, which provides training for nascent entrepreneurs, continues to go strong. Now called BE$T — Business Education Support Training — the program is under the umbrella of Kitsap Community Resources and is providing the same type of hands-on education for small business owners.

CA$H has operated in Kitsap since 2000, helping more than a thousand entrepreneurs start or expand their businesses. read more »