Alderbrook Golf & Yacht Club
300 Country Club Drive, Union • (360) 898-2560
Course Pro: Justin Gravatt
Alderbrook is an 18-hole, par 72 course. It is 6,326 yards long and is assigned a course/slope rating of 70.8/121. Weekday green fees are $40 and $18 for Juniors. The weekend (Friday through Sunday) and holiday fee is $55 except for Juniors who pay $18. A $25 twilight rate is in effect after 3 p.m. on Monday through Thursday; and $35 on Friday through Sunday. read more »

The Pacific Northwest Interclub (PNIC) Association of United States Figure Skating has selected Bremerton Figure Skating Club to host its annual competition Aug. 3-5.

Bremerton Ice Center, the club’s home rink, will host the event, which is expected to attract an estimated 150 competitive skaters from the United States and Canada.

Previous PNIC events have attracted skaters from Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Alaska and other states as well as Canada. United States Figure Skating, the nation’s governing body for competitive figure skating, has sanctioned the event. read more »

McCormick Woods Golf Course became part of a new company, RMG Club, in January. McCormick’s owners, Jeff Mehlert and Shawn Cucciardi, joined forces with PGA pro Ryan Moore and his father, Michael, to create the new company — which is named after Ryan Moore.

“We formed a new way to look at golf,” Cucciardi said. “What we’re trying to do is allow more golfers to get into the game of golf.”

The Moores’ golf club, The Classic located in Spanaway, was added to the joint portfolio, and together they acquired Oakbrook, previously a private club, in Lakewood. read more »

Lee Murray has been surfing since the late 1960s, starting out at age 12 in California. But several years ago, Murray discovered standup paddling — and that was pretty much the end of his surfing days. Now, he no longer has to wait for the right wind and other conditions, and can go out on the water any time.

“The paddle completely changes it. Surfing is a difficult sport and windsurfing is the same, because you have to learn so many things,” he says. “Flatwater paddling is the easiest sport to learn that I’ve seen. It’s simple — you need a board, a paddle and a swimsuit.”

Murray was so hooked into his new hobby, last October he decided to start a new business in downtown Gig Harbor, Lee’s SUP. read more »

The Gig Harbor Fly Shop, less than four years old, has created a following all over Puget Sound. Popular with both beginner and experienced anglers, the shop offers everything needed for a successful fishing outing — from gear, DIY fly-tying supplies and insulated clothing, to classes, guided trips and fishing kayak rentals.

For owner Blake Merwin, the shop’s many offerings are a way to get more people attracted to the sport of fly fishing. That’s why he keeps his class fees low — he says he has among the lowest class prices in the country read more »

For the past few years, the Kitsap Peninsula has been working on its reputation as much more than Seattle’s neighbor “only a ferry ride away.” Outdoor adventure sports enthusiasts are “discovering” the area and its rich water and land opportunities.

Last year’s visit by nearly 300 Microsoft employees for a play day is one example. The company-sponsored outing included golf and kayaking. And it’s not the first time groups of several hundred people have descended on the peninsula for some organized recreation read more »

1st Security Bank of Washington
www.1stsecurityofwa.com
(800) 683-0973

• Poulsbo — 21650 NW Market Pl. — (360) 779-4488

Alaska USA Federal Credit Union
www.alaskausa.org
(360) 876-0119

• Port Orchard — 3355 Bethel Rd SE
  
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Not long ago, the Federal Reserve announced that it plans to keep short-term interest rates near zero until late 2014. The Fed initially pushed rates to that level in 2008, in an effort to stimulate economic growth. Clearly, low interest rates have a wide-ranging impact — but what effect will they have on you, as an individual investor?

If you need income from your investments, then the continuation of ultra-low interest rates may be a matter of some concern, particularly if you own certain types of fixed-income investments, such as certificates of deposit. While CDs are insured, offer return of principal at maturity and provide regular interest payments, they are not risk-free. read more »

The Western Union Co. recently launched WU Pay, a new electronic payments platform that the company said will significantly improve the customer experience and safety for millions of people seeking to make online payments or transfer money.

The new WU Pay platform allows online shoppers in the United States to pay for purchases from their existing bank accounts or in cash at Western Union agent locations. WU Pay is based on the eBillme platform, which Western Union acquired in October 2011. read more »