Northwest Washington Fair caps centennial year, surpasses 216,000 visitors
Posted on 23. Aug, 2010 by ryanwynne in News
The Bellingham Business Journal
The Northwest Washington Fair in Lynden concluded its centennial celebration Saturday, Aug. 21 by drawing 41,725 visitors, the highest daily attendance of the six-day fair.
The fair ended with a total attendance of 216,507, about 1 percent higher than last year. The carnival and food concessions reported similar increases, fair manager Jim Baron [...]
Chinook Enterprises to take over Current Industries space
Posted on 18. Aug, 2010 by Isaac Bonnell in Tips
The Bellingham Business Journal
The Port of Bellingham on Tuesday approved a lease for Chinook Enterprises to take over the former Current Industries facility at 3720 Williamson Way, a move that could put workers with developmental disabilities back to work.
Chinook Enterprises, a nonprofit that has been operating in Skagit County for 30 years and has placed [...]
New program encourages energy-efficiency lending
Posted on 05. Aug, 2010 by ryanwynne in News
The Bellingham Business Journal
Whatcom County’s Community Energy Challenge is the first in Washington state and one of the first in the nation to use stimulus funds to establish a system that allows home and business owners to get loans for energy efficiency projects using an innovative loan loss reserve program (LLR).
While encouraging banks to maintain [...]
B.C. tax exemption hearing moved back
Posted on 08. Jul, 2010 by ryanwynne in News
By Ryan Wynne
The Department of Revenue (DOR) will have to wait a bit longer before advising Washington retailers that British Columbia residents can buy goods in Washington without paying sales tax.
A restraining order barring the department from sharing that opinion with retailers will remain in place for an extra week.
The order is part of a [...]
Jordan steps down as executive director at NWEcon
Posted on 02. Jul, 2010 by Lance Henderson in People
By Lance Henderson
The Northwest Economic Council has announced that Nancy Jordan will be stepping down as its executive director. Jordan has held the position for the past four years, including an initial period as interim executive director.
“I have appreciated this opportunity to work with the council,” Jordan said in a press release, “and I wish [...]
County lays off three in planning department
Posted on 11. Jun, 2010 by ryanwynne in News
By Ryan Wynne
On Monday, June 7, two senior planners and one clerical employee were given notice that they would be laid off at the beginning of July when the Whatcom County Planning and Development Services Department began the first of three phases of layoffs. It is still unknown how many employees will be lost in [...]
City of Bellingham hires county planning director
Posted on 20. May, 2010 by ryanwynne in People
The Bellingham Business Journal
Whatcom County Planning Director David Stalheim has been appointed as the City of Bellingham’s new Block Grant Program Manager. Effective June 21, 2010, he will replace David Cahill, who recently retired after 25 years in the position.
“Dave [Stalheim] is the consummate professional public servant,” said Tim Stewart, Bellingham Planning & Community Development [...]
Count shows small rise in Whatcom County homelessness
Posted on 14. May, 2010 by ryanwynne in News
The Bellingham Business Journal
Whatcom County Health Department announced that 1,334 homeless individuals were counted during the countywide Point-In-Time Homeless Count held on January 28 of this year. Point-In-Time Count estimates a small rise in the homeless population and significant reduction in certain subpopulations.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Washington State Department [...]
Rep. Larsen co-sponsors dairy price stabilization bill
Posted on 12. May, 2010 by Lance Henderson in News
The Bellingham Business Journal
U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Everett, along with California Congressman Jim Costa and three other congressmen from Vermont and Connecticut, introduced legislation designed to protect local jobs and strengthen the nation’s dairy industry. The Dairy Price Stabilization Act promotes market stability for farmers and helps family farmers protect jobs and grow their businesses.
Larsen [...]
L&I cites BP Cherry Point for 13 safety violations
Posted on 05. May, 2010 by Lance Henderson in News
The Bellingham Business Journal
The Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) announced on May 5 that it has cited the petroleum refinery BP Cherry Point for 13 serious safety violations discovered during an inspection that began in November. The citations carry a combined fine of $69,200.
BP Cherry Point, near Blaine, is the largest petroleum refinery in [...]
