In the Media
"The Legislature could be here a long time.
A weekend of negotiations between the governor and Democratic leaders in the House and Senate apparently led nowhere when it came to the impasse over taxes.
The Senate still wants a temporary general sales-tax increase to help close a $2.8 billion budget shortfall, and the House does not.
With the Legislature in its second week of a special session, no one seems optimistic about wrapping up soon."
"Port of Bellingham commissioners had little to say Monday, March 22, when they were asked to share their views of what qualities and skills will be important for the port's new executive director.
A Seattle executive search firm, Waldron & Co., has a $35,000 contract to recruit candidates for the port's $126,000-a-year top job, which has been vacant since Jim Darling's departure in July. On Monday, two Waldron vice presidents, Lane Youngblood and Ed Rogan, said they wanted to begin their search by getting input from port commissioners about what kind of person they want for the job."
"Photography students from Western Washington University were commissioned to explore the relationship between fine art and commercial photography by taking 17 cameras and turning them on the downtown Macy's store."
"Western Washington University's psychology department is offering free counseling.
The department's Counseling Training Clinic has openings for couples and families looking for counseling."
"Rejecting a sales-tax hike to help balance the budget, the state House has endorsed a $790 million tax package that focuses on closing tax exemptions and collecting more money from service businesses.
The new House tax plan, approved on a 53-42 vote Saturday, is the latest revenue offer to pass between Olympia's majority Democrats as they seek to bridge a $2.8 billion state budget deficit."
"The way Jennifer Shelton sees it, the Whatcom County business community now has one more resource, and that's a good thing these days.
Shelton is the new director of the Small Business Development Center, which recently opened at 115 Unity St., in the same building as the Northwest Economic Council.
The SBDC joins the Center for Economic Vitality and SCORE as agencies offering resources and advice for business owners, not only to weather this current economy but to grow and become sustainable. While working toward a common goal, the three agencies add different twists in how they can help."
"Bellingham Music Club was a natural fit for Clyde Hiss, who retired after teaching private voice lessons and directing the opera theater at East Carolina University in Greenville, N.C. Now 76, he's president of the 94-year-old organization.
About the club: The club presents a dozen financial awards each school year, nine to local high school musicians and three to students at Western Washington University. The awards include a musical presentation by each of the winners."
"The Binational Tourism Alliance, with offices in Buffalo and Niagara Falls, Ont., is not a marketing group. Instead, it aims to break down barriers to tourism and cultural development. Arlene White, the executive director, said the border should not be an impediment, "just the way it doesn't stop the Falls from being on one side or the other."
This year's summit will look at how other regions "reinvented" their economies through innovative manufacturing, tourism and cultural development during previous recessions or downturns."
"The next week is crunch time for citizens and communities hoping to land in the good graces of Google.
The California Internet search and advertising company is taking applications from cities and from citizens for its plan to test ultra-high-speed broadband networks at a few trial locations. The deadline is March 26."
"Whidbey Island Bank announced today that George Bowen has been named senior vice president and commercial region manager in Whatcom County."