Archive for September, 2012
Here’s a Worker Adjustment Retraining Notification from the state Employment Security Department. URS is a engineering/technical services company that does a lot of work for the government:
Company: URS Federal Services (Oak Harbor) will lay off 236 employees,
effective October 31, 2012
Date of Notification: September 25, 2012
The Mt. Baker Harley-Davidson will be closing this fall, owner Greg Head announced on Friday, Sept. 28.
Head said the last day of business for the dealership at 1421 N. State St. is Wednesday, Oct. 31.
“It was a difficult decision to close. We’ve been successful since I took over in early 2010 due to fantastic employees and tremendously loyal Harley-Davidson riders.” Head said in a news release, “With our lease ending soon, we first considered a new and larger location. However, in working with Harley-Davidson, a market analysis revealed limited opportunities for further growth.”
“The decision to close has been very personal for us since many of the employees and customers are considered close friends. It’s been a pleasure serving our customers and we thank them,” said Head.
Mt. Baker Harley-Davidson has 10 employees and some will be offered opportunities at other Harley-Davidson dealerships. All of the employees will receive assistance from the WorkSource Whatcom Career Center in seeking jobs and learning about available benefits and resources.
As for himself, Head said, “I feel honored to have been a Harley-Davidson dealer and our family looks forward to exploring other ways we can help more riders experience Harley-Davidson, the culture and the lifestyle it provides.”
Head declined to comment further on the decision beyond what was in the press release.
Since Head became owner of Mt. Baker Harley-Davidson, the store has supported numerous nonprofit organizations locally, including Toys for Tots, Lighthouse Mission and Agape House, WomenCare Shelter, Boys and Girls Club, Whatcom Humane Society, Whatcom County Hospice Foundation, and the Ryan Stiles Celebrity Golf Classic, a fundraiser for the Burned Children Recovery Foundation, according to the news release.
For information on Harley-Davidson and nearby dealers, visit harley-davidson.com.
Here’s the news release from the L&I:
TUMWATER – Washington’s minimum wage will increase to $9.19 per hour beginning Jan. 1, 2013, the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) announced today (Sept. 28).
L&I calculates the state’s minimum wage each year as required by Initiative 688, approved by Washington voters in 1998. The 15-cent-per-hour increase, from $9.04 to $9.19 an hour, reflects a 1.67 percent increase in the Consumer Price Index (for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, CPI‑W) announced earlier this month by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
The CPI-W measures average price changes for goods and services purchased by urban wage earners and clerical workers. The goods and services it monitors include basic living costs such food, clothing, shelter, fuels, and services such as doctor visits.
According to the BLS’ Sept. 14 announcement, about 80 percent of the increase was due to a jump in gasoline prices, which rose an average of nine percent over the past 12 months.
Washington is one of 10 states that adjust the minimum wage based on inflation and the CPI. The others are Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon, and Vermont.
Washington has the highest minimum wage, followed by Oregon, which recently announced its 2013 minimum wage will rise 1.7 percent, or by 15 cents, to $8.95 per hour.
Washington’s minimum wage applies to workers in both agricultural and non-agricultural jobs, although 14‑ and 15-year-olds may be paid 85 percent of the adult minimum wage, or $7.68 in 2012.
More information on Washington’s minimum wage is available at Wages.Lni.wa.gov. Employers and workers also may call 360-902-5316 or 1-866-219-7321.
A state liquor license application was filed for a new nightclub at 311 E. Holly St., in the former Time in Play Cafe near the YMCA. The proposed new nightclub name is Stella, and the applicants are Henri-Claude Deguchi, Ralph Pierce and Gavin Rosenkilde.
In other liquor license news, an application was filed to serve beer and wine at the Pickford’s Limelight Cinema at 1416 Cornwall Ave.
Leadership Whatcom, a program of the Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce & Industry, has extended its application deadline through Monday, Oct. 15.
Applications for the 2012-13 Leadership Whatcom Class are now available at bellingham.com.
Leadership Whatcom is a community leadership training program designed to develop leadership qualities, introduce students to local business and government leaders, learn about economic development, and expose participants to the multifaceted issues facing our community, according to a news release from the chamber.
For more information on Leadership Whatcom, including information on sponsorship opportunities and how to apply, please contact the Chamber offices at 360-734-1330.
New online services for Bellingham businesses offer simple, convenient ways to meet licensing requirements and make tax payments.
“We are very pleased to provide new online services for businesses. These new options for registering and making tax payments simplify these important functions while saving businesses time and effort,” said John Carter, City of Bellingham Finance Director, in a news release
The City of Bellingham recently launched a new online service for businesses that are already registered with the City and are subject to local Business and Occupational tax. The web service enables businesses to update their contact information and pay B&O taxes, including any outstanding balances. Each business using the service receives a secure PIN number that renews each filing period. This free service is the easiest way for businesses to comply with local B&O tax filing obligations.
For new business registrations, the city has partnered with the state Department of Revenue’s Business Licensing Service. The new unified structure allows any applicant seeking a Bellingham business registration and a state business license to apply at the same time and place. While applicants can apply for both licenses at any local state office or at Bellingham City Hall, applying online is the fastest and cheapest method to register.
These two new web services, as well as other resources available to support and serve Bellingham’s local businesses, are available at cob.org/business.
Below is a news release from Columbia Bank and West Coast Bancorp. about the merger/acquisition. West Coast stockholders will get a chance trade in their stock for Columbia common stock or cash. Columbia has a branch office in Bellingham.
Tacoma, Wash. and Lake Oswego, Ore. (September 26, 2012) – Columbia Banking System, Inc. and West Coast Bancorp today jointly announced that the companies have agreed to combine their two leading Pacific Northwest community bank franchises in a transaction valued at approximately $506 million. The combined company will have approximately $7.2 billion in assets with over 150 branches throughout Washington and Oregon and will rank number 1 in deposit market share amongst commercial community banks in the combined states of Washington and Oregon.
Ciao Thyme opened its cafe today (Sept. 25) on Unity Street near the Mt. Baker Theatre. Here’s a quick post from the owners on Facebook:
The Ciao Thyme cafe is open! Thank you to all of our investors and supporters who helped us cut the ribbon this morning at 11am! See you soon Bellingham – opening hours Tuesday – Friday 11am to 3pm
Below is a press release from the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries about a sweep they did in Pierce County. The agency does these sweeps in different parts of the state. Something to keep in mind when it comes to unregistered construction companies.
TUMWATER – Construction compliance inspectors with the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) swept through Pierce County this past weekend, citing more than a dozen contractors for working without being registered, an infraction which carries a $1,000 fine for a first-time offense.
“We want to show people we’re out there, even on the weekends, and that we take the underground economy seriously,” said Dean Simpson, manager of L&I’s construction compliance program. “We want unregistered contractors to know we will find them, and for honest contractors and consumers to know we’re not ignoring this problem.”
In all, the inspectors visited 77 work sites and cited 15 contractors for being unregistered, making note of another four whose status will need more work to determine if they are properly registered. In addition, several contractors were referred to other programs within L&I for possible audits or collections of unpaid premiums.
It is the latest such sweep to target the underground economy. A similar effort was held by inspectors in Spokane on Aug. 24 and 25. That team visited 68 work sites and cited 13 contractors for being unregistered, with five whose status was undetermined.
A longtime downtown Bellingham business will be celebrating a milestone on Thursday, Sept. 27 with food, beverages and prizes.
Stockton’s Paint at 1413 Railroad Ave. will celebrate 75 years in business with a celebration that runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Along with prizes and food, representatives of paint companies will join the staff in answering customer questions.
Bruce and Theresa Carroll, who also own Marysville Paint, became owners of Stockton’s Paint in January 2011. According to a company press release, they are only the third owners of the business, which was founded by Russell and Ethel Stockton in 1937. The Carrolls’ daughter, Casey Gordziel, manages Stockton’s Paint with her husband, Chris.
The paint store is open 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information, call 360-733-5630 or visit stocktonspaint.com.
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