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COVER STORY
Haselwood Auto Group embarks
on $20 million expansion
By Lary Coppola |
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Traveling in either direction on Highway 3, it’s all but impossible to miss the major renovation work going on at West Hills Honda, which is situated at the top of the West Hills Autoplex.
According to Rick Wiler, who along with his mother, Joanne Haselwood, own the sprawling automotive complex that encompasses five dealerships with 10 vehicle franchises, what can be seen from the road is only the tip of the iceberg.
Besides the major upgrades at West Hills Honda, what was the former Coca Cola bottling plant will be torn down to make room for a totally new, $12 million facility for Heartland Toyota-Scion. Premier Chrysler-Jeep will then move from its current Auto Center Way location, into what is now the Toyota store after it’s been completely renovated. Total cost of all the new construction and renovations is expected to be nearly $20 million.
The project will bring all of the Haselwood Auto Group dealerships into one location at the West Hills Autoplex. Today Chevrolet-Cadillac moved into a brand new, state-of-the-art building there in 2001, after the group’s founder, the late Chuck Haselwood, built the Pontiac-Buick-GMC, and Toyota facilities there in 1994... (Full Article) |
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Productivity, morale, often first victims
of an office romance
By Julie Tappero |
| Valentine’s Day in the workplace is usually a happy day. There’s some exciting disruption as the florist delivers flowers, and the women hold their breath in anticipation. A few unprepared folks take a long lunch to buy gifts for their loved one; while others sneak out the door a bit early to get ready for a night of romance. In most of our workplaces, Valentine’s Day came and went without causing much disruption... (Full Article) |
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ENVIRONMENTAL
Bremerton seeks proposals to design
park using LID standards
By Kathleen Bryne-Barrantes |
| The City of Bremerton Parks and Recreation Department is requesting proposals for design services for Blueberry Park and Urban Gardens. The project is partially funded through a State of Washington Department of Ecology Low Impact Development (LID) Stormwater Management grant... (Full Article) |
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Kitsap Community Foundation selects Schneidler as new Executive Director
Announcement comes just days before KCF
achieves national standards certification
By Maura Hallam Sweley |
| February was full of milestones for the Kitsap Community Foundation. On February 6, the nonprofit announced that Robert Schneidler would be joining the organization as its executive director... (Full Article) |
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KPVCB Annual Tourism Awards announced |
| The Kitsap Peninsula Visitor and Convention Bureau (KPVCB) recently held its annual awards luncheon at the Silverdale Beach Hotel... (Full Article) |
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New Port Orchard business
promotes recycling
By Rodika Tollefson |
| Consumers have been catching on to the new trend of buying remanufactured printer cartridges to save money — and a Gig Harbor couple hopes to cater to that increased demand... (Full Article) |
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Kilmer, Rockefeller and Sheldon push
for 4-year college on Peninsula |
| Senators Derek Kilmer (D-Gig Harbor), Phil Rockefeller (D-Bainbridge Island), and Tim Sheldon (D-Potlatch), have sponsored Senate Bill 5978, which would direct the state’s Higher Education Coordinating (HEC) Board to address higher education needs in Kitsap, Mason, Jefferson and Clallam counties and evaluate the need for a baccalaureate-granting institution... (Full Article) |
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Employers expect outsourcing to grow by 2008 |
| Large employers that outsource at least one HR function expect to do more outsourcing over the next three years, according to a survey by Hewitt Associates... (Full Article) |
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Bainbridge Island Home & Garden Show
set for Mar. 10-11 |
| The popular Bainbridge Island Home & Garden Show has been extended this year to two days and will be held Sat. and Sun. March 10 and 11, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Woodward Middle School. The trade-show style event includes exhibits, demonstrations, drawings, and presentations/workshops by local and regional gardening, home building and home improvement experts. Last year, the show drew more than 70 exhibitors and more than 1,500 people... (Full Article) |
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P. O. Council mulls KCCHA
as Public Development Authority |
| The Port Orchard City Council is considering an ordinance that would assign the Kitsap County Housing Authority (KCCHA) as the city’s Public Development Authority (PDA). PDA’s have proven effective in helping revitalize smaller communities... (Full Article) |
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Kitsap County announces appointments
to top posts |
| Kitsap County recently announced two top appointments. Nancy Buonanno Grennan, presently King County’s labor relations manager, was recently appointed as the new Kitsap County Administrator. She will replace Cris Gears, who is leaving the county to take a job running a large parks district in Minnesota... (Full Article) |
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City of Gig Harbor to host
Criminal Justice Summit |
| City of Gig Harbor will once again host the statewide Criminal Justice Summit March 28 – 30 at the Gig Harbor Wesley Inn. The event draws law enforcement, government officials, courts and non-profit advocacy groups together for three days to learn the art of “communities caring and connecting.” Highlights this year include keynotes from... (Full Article) |
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Steelhead completes design,
opens Las Vegas branch |
| Poulsbo’s Steelhead Productions, Inc., provider of custom rental exhibits and turnkey trade show exhibit services, has announced that it has entered into a new two-year agreement with Sage Software to design, build, and deploy a new 8,000 square foot custom rental exhibit to support Sage’s North American trade show events. The 80’ x 100’ exhibit will debut this May in Orlando at Insights 2007, Sage Software’s Annual Partner Conference... (Full Article) |
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YWCA now accepting nominations
for Women of Achievement award |
| YWCA of Kitsap County is now accepting nominations for the Women of Achievement Award. The YWCA is looking for women that serve as role models in our community. Deadline for nominations is Thursday, Mar. 12 at 5 p.m... (Full Article) |
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“Gatekeepers” may also hold the key
to your next job
Survey shows executive assistants are powerful influence in hiring decisions |
| Job candidates who think hiring managers are the only people they need to impress during a job interview may be in for a surprise. A recent survey reveals that 91 percent of executives consider their assistant's opinion an important factor in the employee selection process, up from 60 percent five years ago... (Full Article) |
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Criminal background checks may
help avoid discrimination issues |
| If employers consistently conduct criminal background checks on job applicants, they are more likely to hire African-American workers — especially men — than employers who don’t conduct such checks. Conversely, employers that do not conduct such checks are more likely to discriminate at least statistically, against African-American applicants... (Full Article) |
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Absence rates continue to fall
and turnover rates continue to rise |
| Monthly job absence rates, which measure worker days lost due to unscheduled absences, declined from 1.5 percent of scheduled worker days in the first quarter of 2006 to 1.2 percent in the second quarter to 1.1 percent in the third quarter... (Full Article) |
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Avoid the Top 10 ways to get in trouble
with Labor & Industries |
| What are the most common ways that employers to get into trouble with the Department of Labor & Industries... (Full Article) |
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Fewer discrimination charges:
Are employers doing better? |
| Since 2002, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has reported that overall discrimination charges have decreased by 11.7 percent, from 84,442 to 75,428... (Full Article) |
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Community leaders honored by Chamber |
| The Greater Poulsbo Chamber of Commerce recently honored those individuals and businesses that make Poulsbo a special place to live and work. Its annual gala and awards banquet culminated in naming Judge Jay B. Roof as the 2006 Person of the Year. Judge Roof was recognized for his dedication over the past decade for his work the Kitsap County Drug Court... (Full Article) |
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Gig Harbor seeks RFQ
for Brownfields cleanup project |
| The City of Gig Harbor is seeking qualified environmental/geotechnical consultant(s) to assist with the Cleanup Work Plan, and preparation of plans and specifications for the remediation and cleanup of the Eddon Boatyard associated contaminated sediments at 3805 Harborview Drive. The Consultant will be required to monitor all aspects of the work of the cleanup contractor and assist the City with the management and implementation of the public involvement and community education process related to the site remediation... (Full Article) |
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KC Bar Association presents awards,
installs new officers and trustees |
| At its annual installation dinner on Jan. 19, the Kitsap County Bar Association installed its officers for the current year and presented awards to four of its members in recognition of their exemplary service... (Full Article) |
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Gig Harbor hires new city administrator |
| Rob Karlinsey, a Gig Harbor area resident, was hired by the city to fill the position of city administrator. Karlinsey worked for the city of University Place for 12 years. Starting out as an assistant to the city manager right after graduate school, he later because University Place’s deputy city manager... (Full Article) |
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North Mason Rotary elects club president |
| The North Mason Rotary club has elected Chris Ladner of Arnold and Smith Insurance as club president for 2007-2008, beginning July 1. The club also elected recent North Mason citizen of the year winner, Debby Jacobs, as club president for 2008-2009. |
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New nursery to open in Gig Harbor |
| Arletta Gardens and Boutique is a new nursery opening March 1 at 3508 Ray Nash Drive in Gig Harbor. It will be providing classes on several topics and a team of designers to assist with indoor and outdoor decorating.
The owner, Wendy Morinowner, is a well known landscape designer in the area and will be happy to answer any questions and will be providing consults by appointments.
Arletta Gardens can be reached at (253) 265-2224.
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Local BNI Chapter welcomes new member |
| Olympic Business Exchange, local chapter of Business Networking Int’l, recently welcomed its newest member, Zach Mann, of Computer Home Repair. The Group meets weekly on Thursday mornings at 7:30 in the Silverdale Hotel to network and pass referrals. For more information contact Adam Derr, chapter president, at (360) 731-6467. |
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Wells Fargo announces new Poulsbo manager |
| Suzie Lopez, district manager for Wells Fargo’s Soundview district, recently announced that Jennifer Crossett has been named manager of Wells Fargo’s Poulsbo store. She will lead a six-member team at Poulsbo, 19044 Jensen Way NE and most recently worked as a personal banker for Wells Fargo in Silverdale. |
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Local Allstate agents honored for volunteerism |
| Bremerton Allstate agent Betty Skinner and Poulsbo Allstate agent Randi Jantz recently received “Agency Hands in the Community” awards for their commitment to volunteering in the community. With these awards comes a $500 grant from The Allstate Foundation for Mothers Against Drunk Driving of Kitsap County where Skinner volunteers, and Kids First — La Puerta de Oportunidad, an educational organization for Hispanic students of whicj Jantz is president. |
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Frets and Strings moves
to new expanded location |
| Frets and Strings School of Music, a family owned and operated music instruction studio, has moved to a new 2,000 square feet, state-of-the-art facility in Silverdale Plaza, 3100 Bucklin Hill Road, Suite 116. The relocation was dictated by the growing number of students and expansion of instrumental music lessons to include virtually all orchestra instruments, as well as piano and voice.
Programs offered include traditional weekly private lessons, weekly classical and jazz/rock ensembles, the Kitsap Guitar Orchestra, music theory and composition classes and preparation studies for the Royal Conservatory Examinations. Also available are KinderMusik, an introduction to music for children ages newborn to 7 years old, and Friday night Hip Hop dance classes of all ages.
Frets and Strings can be reached at (360) 613-5700.
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Washington Republicans elect Esser
new party chair |
| Washington Republicans recently elected Luke Esser chairman of the Washington State Republican Party at their biannual organization meeting. Esser, a former state senator from Bellevue and a longtime party activist, defeated incumbent Chair Diane Tebelius by a 71-43 margin.
“The first step towards recovering from our defeat in 2006 is recognizing that we have a problem, and today we did that,” said Esser. “Though we face difficult times I’m confident we will rebound. The Republican Party is overflowing with ideas for making Washington more prosperous and secure.”
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KCCDC planning small business fair |
| The Kitsap County Community Development Corporation (KCCDC) will host its Second Annual Small Business Fair, “How to Succeed in Business,” on Mar. 24 at Olympic College in Bremerton. The event is being prime-sponsored by Washington Mutual Bank.
Similar to the event held last year, it will offer workshops on financing businesses, marketing, payroll taxes taught by a CPA from Hurley White & Williams, and other topics. Attendees can choose between two workshop choices for each time slot. Resource tables will feature business resources, lenders and other business services available in Kitsap County.
Registration is at 8:30 a.m. with the first workshops starting at 9 a.m. Each workshop will last approximately 45 minutes with 10 minutes for question and answers.
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North Carolina company now calls Kitsap home |
| The Logo Loft, Inc., a promotional products, apparel and awards supply company, has recently relocated its home office to Kitsap County while maintaining its offices in North Carolina as well as Seattle.
The Logo Loft is a registered and accredited minority/women owned business with Sandi Hunter as the owner. Hunter has over 10 years experience in the ad specialty industry and is actively involved in all aspects of the business.
Reach The Logo Loft, Inc. at (360) 394-5638.
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PC software rescue firm opens for business |
Murker Enterprises recently opened offering local, on-site PC software rescue. Services include:
- Software cleaning (removing spyware, viruses, etc,)
- Scheduled maintenance agreements (periodic tune-ups)
- Tutoring
- No charge if the hard drive has to be reformatted to remove an infection
- 10 percent discount to Benefits-Plus members, as well as fellow members of the Silverdale Chamber of Commerce.
Rates are $50 for the first hour with a one minimum and $20 each additional hour of the same visit. Hours are 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Mon. to Fri., 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Sat. and noon to 6 p.m. on Sun.
Murker Enterprises can be reached at (360) 731-3778.
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Silverdale Chamber of Commerce
sponsoring home based business expo |
| The Silverdale Chamber of Commerce is hosting its annual home based business expo at Kitsap Mall on Apr. 21. Applications are now being accepted.
Home based businesses represent more than half of all small businesses in the United States and are one of the fastest growing segments of the economy.
Applications are available online at www.silverdalechamber.com. For more information contact Darla Murker at the Chamber office at (360) 692-6800 or communications@silverdalechamber.com.
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Two Big Blondes woman’s shop
to open in Port Orchard |
| Two Big Blondes, a plus size consignment shop will be opening, March 27 in Port Orchard at 510 Dekalb Street, Suite D.
The shop will offer plus size clothing — size 16 or larger for women. Included in the shop’s selection will be everything from evening wear to shorts and bathing suits, as well as designer to blue-light specials in clothing, hats, shoes, scarves, purses or jewelry.
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Harbor Trading LLC relocates warehouse |
| Harbor Trading LLC has recently announced that its warehouse has moved from Fife to 3201 Jahn Ave, Suite 114, in Gig Harbor. The company is now getting it organized and painted, before opening it to the public. Some of the warehouse space will be used as another showroom in order to display many different furniture items. |
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Biotech is B.I.G. in Kitsap County |
| Dr Glen Gordon sees an advantage in forming a Biotech Interest Group (BIG) in Kitsap County, where much of Clark County was a beneficiary of nearby Portland’s campaign to land high tech companies, the same can be said for Kitsap’s proximity to Seattle.
“B.I.G-Kitsap should interest local governments, educators, tribal groups, financial institutions, legislators, investors, attorneys, and Realtors, which might outnumber biotech entrepreneurs at this stage”, notes Gordon. He has already enlisted technology support institutions such as Washington Technology Center, which he lauds for greatly helping his biotech company, and notes the centers strategic resources can greatly assist B.I.G-Kitsap’s growth.
Gordon plans the inaugural meeting in mid-April and interested persons can contact him at (360) 297-6858 or at drgordon@em-probe.com.
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Buddy-Girl Greeting now offers prints,
cards online |
| Kisha Baggs, owner of Buddy Girl Greeting in Bremerton is now offering her cards and prints on line at www.buddygirlgreeting.com.
Buddy-Girl Greeting offers unique cards, art prints, calendars, ornaments, and customized products. It also provides graphic design services. Baggs is a graduate of Bremerton High School, Olympic College, and the Washington CASH micro-credit program in Kitsap County.
Buddy-Girl Greeting recently produced a special Kitsap Edition of its 2007 calendar for the sales department at KPS Health Plans.
In 2006, Baggs was awarded a grant from the DHL Advancing Micro-Entrepreneurs Program, one of ten grants made in Washington State.
Reach Buddy Girl Greeting at (360) 377-3580 or greetings@buddymanarts.com.
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