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Home / Washington Business - May/June 2005 / Inside Washington: New Briefs |
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Inside Washington: New Briefs |
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Written On: May/June 2005 |
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Written By: St. Helens Observers Return |
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The Forest Service reopened Johnston Ridge Observatory on May 6, according to the Vancouver-based Columbian. The observatory, one of the state’s most popular attractions, closed early last winter after the Forest Service evacuated it due to a 55-minute-long harmonic tremor. Geologists still warn people that an eruption can occur at any moment, but they don’t believe it would be life threatening because the observatory is far enough away from the volcano.
Turning Dung into Power
According to the Bellingham Herald, a Lynden dairy farmer is turning cow manure into renewable energy using the state’s first anaerobic digester. The digester, located at Darryl Vander Haak’s dairy farm, converts manure into energy by using bacteria to extract the methane gas, which produces electricity when burned. More than 1,400 Whatcom County residents signed up to receive their power from the new plant. “Milking cows are our first love, but we have to do something with the other end too,” Vander Haak said.
Spokane Hotels Left Out
Spokane’s Spokesman Review published an article in early March describing a major controversy between the city’s convention center and local area hotels. The controversy began when the Spokane Convention Center spent taxpayer’s money on an advertising brochure. The 3,000 brochures listed contact information for only two of the city’s hotels, leaving the rest to complain about favoritism. The city is currently working on a solution, but the convention center printed the brochures prior to catching the mistake.
Training Institute Closes Without Notice
The Business Career Training Institute closed all of its Washington and Oregon campuses on March 14, 2005, without informing students. King 5 News reported that more than 500 students arrived for class to find all of the doors locked and every listed phone number for the school disconnected. BCTI began removing equipment and staff earlier this year, but repeatedly informed students that they would be able to receive their degrees by the end of session. Several students lost thousands of dollars in tuition and related expenses.
Contractor Unearths Mammoth Bones
King 5 News reported the discovery of large bones on a property in Selah. Gary Fife, a local contractor, noticed the bones jutting from the ground near the job site. Further investigation by a Seattle-based archeologist indicated the bones might belong to a prehistoric mammoth. Several other bones from the ancient creature have been unearthed in the Yakima area in past years. Mammoths are creatures that resemble modern day elephants and became extinct about 9,000 years ago.
Another Doctor Leaves Washington
The Olympian reported in March that diabetes specialist Dr. J. Ross Tanner will move his practice to Alaska because of skyrocketing costs in Washington. Tanner knows at least seven other doctors in Washington who are also planning to leave because of escalating malpractice insurance costs and declining revenues. Unlike Washington, Alaska does not have any business and occupation taxes or a state sales tax. Peak Health Medical Clinic, where Tanner practiced, sees 750 to 800 patients each month. Several of Tanner’s patients will actually fly to Alaska for annual checkups, and Tanner has said that he will occasionally return to Olympia to see patients.
Former Ranger Builds Lifesuit
Monty Reed spent the past 19 years developing a robotic suit that he believes will someday help quadriplegics walk, The Seattle-Post Intelligencer reported in March. Reed showed off his new “Lifesuit” in the St. Patrick’s Day Dash, a 3.1-mile race from Seattle Center to Safeco Field. The suit was inspired when Reed almost crippled himself in an accident while serving in the U.S. Army Rangers. Reed got the idea from Robert Heinlein’s book Starship Troopers.
Port of Seattle Rescues Streetcar
The Port of Seattle offered a plan to save the Waterfront Streetcar by providing a new place to store it on port-owned property, and by building a track extension to the new site. The new plan will not only keep the trolley in operation, but also extends the current service area to Elliot Avenue and lower Queen Anne Hill. The Waterfront Streetcar serves more than 400,000 riders annually, and people frequently refer it as the backbone of Seattle’s waterfront economy.
AWB Staffer Writes Home From Iraq
Editor’s Note: Scott Carlson, who worked at AWB from 2002 to 2004, is on active duty with the U.S. Army in Iraq, and recently sent this note and photograph to his friends in the office. Scott met his wife Kandice while both worked at AWB. She is in Texas while he serves in Iraq. AWB encourages everyone to remember the soldiers and their families who sacrifice so much to serve our country.
Things couldn't get any better here in Baghdad. The heat is on its way to unbearable and my little bed in my little room is right in front of the air conditioner. Life is good.
When we aren't working, we are usually sleeping. The more you sleep, the less time you actually spend here in Iraq. I think Einstein came up with that theory. We sleep a lot during the day and stay up most of the night, watching movies, reading or just hanging out.
We usually only work every fourth day, which is nice. Even though we aren't running marathons out here, the heat will take a lot out of you when you wear 45 pounds of gear and body armor.
Anyhow, I didn't have much to report. Just wanted to say hello and thank you for all the great care packages and letters.
Scott
Skilled Labor Shortage
The Puget Sound Business Journal reported in April that Washington’s suddenly thriving aerospace industry cannot find enough skilled people to fill out its workforce. Of further concern to industry insiders is that many of the skilled workers currently employed are nearing retirement and there’s no pool of younger workers available to replace them.
Sumner May Ban Truck Routes
The Tacoma News Tribune reported that Sumner is looking to ban commercial trucks from driving on city roads. The debate over the ban arose from several complaints by residents during February and March. Sumner has already spent more than $15 million on a freeway interchange to divert truck traffic from city streets to a nearby thoroughfare running directly to its industrial area. If the city council passes the truck ban, semis will not be able to use some of the previously designated truck routes through downtown.
Three Fastest-Growing Counties in Washington
The three fastest-growing counties in Washington last year were Franklin, Island and Clark, according to an April 14 article in The Olympian. Of the three, Franklin County’s population increased the most, and it was the only county in Washington to break into the top-100 fastest-growing counties in the nation.
Overall, Washington’s population rose by 1.2 percent in 2004. Franklin County grew by 5.6 percent, Island County grew by 3.5 percent, and Clark County grew by 3.3 percent. Growth rates were based on U.S. Census Bureau estimates.
Port of Tacoma Cleans Up Old Plant
In late March the Port of Tacoma began cleaning up an old aluminum smelter plant on Tacoma’s tide flats, according to the Tacoma Weekly. The port purchased the 96-acre property from Kaiser in 2003, after the Houston-based company closed its doors in 2000 because of rising electricity costs. The port projects six to eight months of continuous work by more than 90 full-time employees to clean up the site. The aluminum smelter produced 73,000 metric tons of aluminum per year and employed more than 300 people when it was operating at full capacity.
2005 Environmental Summit
The year’s best opportunity to get the lowdown on all aspects of environmental policy is coming this fall. You won’t want to miss it!
The Northwest Environmental Summit is part of AWB’s ongoing effort to keep companies informed of the numerous environmental laws, regulations and policy issues. Formerly known as the Environmental Conference of Washington, this annual event has offered cost-effective, practical and timely information on environmental issues for more than 12 years. Expect informative sessions, great networking opportunities and a fantastic tradeshow.
AWB has partnered with the Northwest Environmental Business Council to bring you the Summit, which is the most comprehensive forum in the Northwest for in-depth discussion of environmental policy and technical issues. Featuring four tracks—environmental policy, environmental management basics, advanced management and technical issues, and market access strategies—there will be something for everyone.
“This year’s conference promises to be a fantastic opportunity for AWB members, state policy makers and others who are interested in environmental policies to hear about the latest environmental regulations, trends and debates,” said AWB’s Grant Nelson.
The 2005 Northwest Environmental Conference of Washington will be held at the Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center October 19 and 20.
For more information, log onto www.ecwashington.org or contact AWB’s Amy Johnson at (360) 943-1600 or AmyJ@awb.org.
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