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Inside Washington: News Briefs |
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Written On: July/August 2005 |
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More Choppers on the Way
FORT LEWIS—The number of helicopters based at Fort Lewis will double with the arrival of a new aviation squadron that began in mid-June. The new squadron has been designated the 4th Squadron, 6th Aviation Regiment.
Environmental assessments done prior to the move indicated that there would be little if any significant effects. Towns close to the base reached the same conclusion and found no need for comment.
Capitol Steps to Perform at Semiahmoo
All work and no play makes for a boring policy summit. So…Capitol Steps, famed for a wide variety of political parodies such as “Electile Dysfunction” and “Both Sides” will be on hand at AWB’s annual policy summit at the Resort at Semiahmoo September 21-23.
This Washington, D.C.-based troupe has been in the thick of politics for a number of years now, writing songs and skits zeroing in on the silly side of political campaigns. In recent years, Bill Clinton, John Kerry and George W. Bush have all felt the sting of this talented quintet.
The group has also been known to pick up on local issues, and one suspects there’s plenty of fodder for them in Washington state these days.
Fewer Spuds in the Ground
TRI-CITIES—The Tri-City Herald reported in mid-June that local growers are cutting back on the number of spuds planted in hopes of making more money. They expect to plant 6,000 fewer acres of potatoes this year. And they’re not alone. Idaho farmers are taking 26,000 acres out of potato production.
There has been a glut of spuds on the market for the last few years, and growers are only receiving about $20 a ton, some $40 less than is needed to break even, according to Dave Long from the Washington & Oregon United Potato Growers Cooperative. It is hoped that reducing the supply will increase the price paid to growers.
Chinese Ambassador Visits AWB
OLYMPIA—Zhou Wenzhong, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the United States of America, called on AWB President Don Brunell on May 31. Ambassador Zhou stopped by to discuss AWB’s invitation for him to be the keynote speaker at the annual Policy Summit to be held in September at Semiahmoo. Brunell has asked Ambassador Zhou to speak about China’s development as a market economy and what it means to the United States in general and Washington state in particular. At press time, the ambassador was still considering the invitation.
The System Works...for the Most Part!
LA PUSH—The tsunami alert system in the Pacific Northwest was tested for real in response to a magnitude 7.2 earthquake off the coast of California on the evening of June 14. La Push, on the northern coast, was the only Washington town evacuated. Officials in other coastal communities opted not to evacuate immediately. Those decisions turned out to be correct as the alert was cancelled within a few hours.
There was some confusion in a few areas and a review is scheduled to determine how to make improvements or otherwise fix parts of the warning system.
Southwest May Move to Boeing Field
SEA-TAC—As costs continue to rise for flying in and out of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, low-cost carrier Southwest Airlines is actively considering moving its operations a few miles north to King County International Airport, more commonly known as Boeing Field.
Southwest traditionally keeps its costs low by flying out of second-tier airports in lieu of the higher-priced major airports. In Chicago, for example, Southwest operates out of Midway Airport instead of O’Hare. Southwest and other airlines are increasingly concerned about the rising costs associated with operating in and out of Sea-Tac.
Last Dairy in Winlock Closes Its Doors
WINLOCK—The last dairy in Winlock will soon be a memory. Brothers Clint and Dennis Mickelsen, third-generation Winlock farmers, will relocate the operation to Moses Lake, according to The Chronicle (Centralia, Wash.) in late May. A buyer expected to build warehouses will sign the check to buy the land as soon as zoning changes are complete.
City leaders want to attract new jobs and housing developments in hopes of revitalizing the downtown and perhaps keep future generations from leaving the area.
AWB Hits the Airwaves
OLYMPIA—The Association of Washington Business began airing Washington Business Weekly in early June to broadcast the positions and concerns of the business community. WBW is a one-hour program airing on KLAY 1180 AM, Tacoma, from 11 a.m. until noon on Thursdays. Terry Corbell hosts the show and it is produced by Shawn Sullivan from AWB. To allow AWB members outside of the Tacoma area to listen in, AWB posts the broadcast in MP3 and PodCast formats on its Web site, www.awb.org.
Okay to Buy and Ship Wine
WASHINGTON, D.C.—In mid-May the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that wine lovers can buy from out-of-state vineyards, striking down laws banning a practice that flourished because of the Internet. "The state bans are discriminatory and anti-competitive," the court said.
Prior to the decision, 24 states had laws that made it a crime to buy wine directly from vineyards in another state. Instead, out-of-state-produced wines were marketed only through established, licensed liquor stores.
2005 Manufacturers of the Year
AWB awarded Columbia Machine Products, Inc., Vancouver, Wash., and Dri-Eaz Products, Inc., Burlington, with 2005 Manufacturer of the Year awards. Winners were judged on four criteria: economic impact, product or quality improvement, corporate responsibility and workforce excellence. Economic impact carried the greatest weight with the judges.
Columbia Machine’s award in the large manufacturer category was based primarily on the positive impact it brings to Washington’s economy. Dri-Eaz, winning in the small manufacturer category, was recognized for its "Quick and Easy Kaizen" program, which generates improvement ideas from manufacturing associates.
Lowenberg Receives AWB’s Highest Honor for Civic Duty
The Association of Washington Business presented Washington’s Adjutant General Timothy Lowenberg with the C. David Gordon Award, AWB’s highest award for outstanding civic achievement. AWB recognized Maj. Gen. Lowenberg for his exceptional leadership and service to Washington state and the country. Lowenberg is the director of the state’s military department and Homeland Security.
AWB Honors 19 Members
At the Spring Board Meeting in Spokane in late May, AWB recognized 19 members for contributing to their communities. In addition to the 19 award winners, AWB presented the Bruce Briggs Award to Bill and Dolores Kyle, owners of Superior Insurance Services in Auburn, for their efforts as individuals on behalf of their community.
Winning Community Service Awards this year were:
• BP Cherry Point Refinery, Ferndale, for its success restoring a formerly dead creek and salmon run.
• Premera Blue Cross, Mountlake Terrace, for generous contributions toward revamping a home for developmentally disabled adults.
• Hamilton Farm Equipment, Okanogan, for bringing the Business Week program to area high schools.
• Providence Hospice, Seattle, for bringing community outreach programs to public and private schools when needed.
• Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc., Pullman, for generous donations to educational institutions around the world and for developing technical courses for the Pullman School District.
• Swedish Medical Center—Mother Joseph Clinic, Seattle, for providing specialty medical care without charge to indigent and uninsured patients.
• Sound Community Bank, Seattle, for assisting charitable organizations through its co-branded VISA cards and for allowing employees to donate the cash equivalent of vacation hours to tsunami relief efforts in southeastern Asia.
• Brown and Brown of Washington, Tacoma, for generous donations of time and money to help the less fortunate in its community.
• WestCoast Hospitality Corp., Spokane, for generous assistance programs for its employees and its partnership with local hospitals to donate guest rooms in its hotels for families of patients who would otherwise have no place to stay.
• Fairmont Olympic Hotel, Seattle, for corporate philanthropic initiatives in support of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
• Greater Marysville-Tulalip Chamber of Commerce for its Entrepreneurial Business Development Center, which offers free counseling, classes/seminars and access to loans.
• Centex Homes, Bellevue, for taking the lead in building a 3,200-square-foot home for a family that had lost their home in a fire. The work was showcased on ABC-TV’s "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition."
• Fluor Hanford, Inc., Richland, for its participation in community service projects with the YMCA and the Boys and Girls Club of Franklin and Benton counties.
• Telect, Inc., Liberty Lake, for encouraging and allowing employees to use three days per year from their sick leave bank to participate in volunteer activities.
• Process Heating, Seattle, for taking an active role in many community-involvement projects.
• Hewlett-Packard, Vancouver, for its varied and impressive support of the Boys and Girls Club of southwestern Washington.
• Benton Rural Electric Association, Prosser, for supporting and encouraging staff members to actively volunteer in their communities.
• University Mechanical Contractors, Inc., Mukilteo, for its strong support of many youth-oriented organizations and programs.
• Troutlodge, Sumner, for its successful Cooperative Trout Enhancement Program, which has enhanced fishing possibilities in more than 250 Washington lakes.
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