Business Briefs

  • Thursday, September 29, 2011 10:47am
  • Business

Judd & Black gives $11,500 to nonprofits

TULALIP — Cory Long of Everett appliance retailer Judd & Black gave checks to two Everett groups at the conclusion of the company’s annual charity golf tournament at Battle Creek Golf Course in Tulalip for the benefit of local children.

Long presented an $8,500 check to Christmas House board members. Christmas House, a nonprofit charity that was formed in 1981, provided Christmas joy to 10,093 children and 3,485 low-income Snohomish County families last year.

Thanks to an agreement with the North Everett Boys & Girls Cl

ub, Christmas House once again has a holiday home at 2316 12th St. Christmas House will open Tuesday through Saturday, Dec. 2 through 20.

To donate money or time to Christmas House, go to www.christmas-house.org, call 425-338-2273 or mail donations

to Christmas House, P.O. Box 717, Everett, WA 98206.

Long also presented a $3,000 check to Jeremy Oshie, North Everett Boys & Girls Club unit director, at the company’s charity golf tournament.

The North Everett Boys & Girls Club, located at 2316 12th St., provides before- and after-s

chool pickup for Hawthorne, Whittier and Garfield elementary schools, licensed day care, year-round sports leagues, summer camp, a drop-in program and a free dinner program.

The drop-in program serves K-12 children in the area with $30 memberships, many of them through scholarships that provi

de access to all club facilities. The club’s free dinner program provides no-charge meals every day of the school year to 75 to 100 children nightly.

To support the North Everett Boys & Girls Club or for more information, go to www.bgcsc.org.

Edwar

d Jones branch in Snohomish named tops in client service

SNOHOMISH — Edward Jones financial adviser Laura Scott and branch office administrator Diana Ballmes in Snohomish recently were ranked within the top 25 percent of the country for excellence in client service at Edward Jones.

This honor was given based upon the results of a survey in which random clients were asked to rank the service they received from the staffs of their local Edward Jones branch offices. The survey identified Scott and Ballmes as providing some of the most exemplary client service within the firm.

“We are particularly honored by this award as it is one bestowed upon us by our clients,” Scott said.

Bailey’s Family Farm joins pumpkin group

SNOHOMISH — The Snohomish Festival of Pumpkins Marketing Association has added Bailey Vegetables & Pumpkin Patch to the association this year at the behest of fifth-generation Anne Bailey, who wished to expand the family’s U-pick pumpkin patch and join the Festival of Pumpkins.

Though she has a business degree and a teaching degree, Bailey’s heart is with farming. For her it’s fascinating and fun, and a way to keep family farming alive in the Snohomish Valley.

For 2011, the Baileys planted additional acres of U-pick pumpkins, added warm food, hay rides and other family amusements as part of the Snohomish Festival of Pumpkins.

Developer Skold’s daughter to run late father’s firm

LYNNWOOD — Longtime real estate investor and developer Douglas Evert Skold passed away on July 22 at the age of 69 after an extended battle with diabetes.

Skold was the founder and president of Skol Properties & Investments, a Lynnwood-based firm with more than 1 million square feet of self-storage and industrial property throughout the Pacific Northwest. He also developed and operated a highly rated 250-unit Class A assisted-living facility in Gresham, Ore.

Skol Properties & Investments will now be managed by Skold’s daughter, Kendra Skold, and longtime friend and business partner Tim Golden.

“We are committed to maintaining, operating, and enhancing the company my father worked so hard to grow,” Kendra Skold said.

One of Douglas Skold’s final endeavors was the establishment of a private equity real estate debt fund to recapitalize distressed commercial properties. It is co-managed by Seattle-based real estate investment firm Fairview Partners.

Take targeted resume classes at local libraries

EVERETT — WorkSource Snohomish County and SnoIsle Libraries will hold a series of no-cost workshops on targeting a resume. Targeting your resume allows you to highlight your skills and experience as they directly relate to the each job for which you apply.

In each two-hour workshop, participants will learn to develop an effective, targeted resume by identifying and packaging the skills employers value.

Call the library for required registration. Workshops will be held at:

Mukilteo Library, 1 to 3 p.m. Oct. 4; 425-493-8202;

Monroe Library, 1 to 3 p.m. Oct. 12; 360-794-7851;

Sultan Library, 1 to 3 p.m. Oct. 18; 360-793-1695;

Darrington Library, 1 to 3 p.m. Oct. 19; 360-436-1600;

Snohomish Library, 1 to 3 p.m. Oct. 26; 360-568-2898.

Evergreen State Fair sets revenue record

MONROE — The Evergreen State Fair, the largest annual event held in Snohomish County and one of the biggest in the Northwest, set a new record this year for on-site gate admission and parking revenues totaling nearly $1.4 million.

Preliminary gate and parking numbers show revenues totaling $1,388,490, surpassing the previous record collection of $1,368,846 set in 2007. Good weather also contributed to higher-than-expected receipts at vendors. The Snohomish County Dairy Women’s Association, which operates the Purple Cow, had their second best year during its 51-year history, with $64,300 in gross receipts. Butler Amusements also reported near-record gross receipts on carnival rides and amusements.

Greater Everett Foundation’s milestone

EVERETT — The Greater Everett Community Foundation hosted a breakfast event on Sept. 13 that celebrated the foundation’s 10-year anniversary and raised more than $68,000 from 300 attendees and the following sponsors: Bank of Washington; Banner Bank; Best Family; Bill and Marilyn Hecht; Boeing; Cascade Coffee; Coastal Community Bank; Don and Jo Levin; Don and Mary Hale; Dwayne Lane Family of Auto Centers; Dykeman Architects; Everett Bone & Joint; The Everett Clinic; Mike and Maggie Faulkner; Hascal, Sjoholm & Co. PLLC; The Herald; Hill Street Investments; Moss Adams LLP; OPUS Bank; Pacific Continental Bank; Premera; Puget Sound Energy; Puget Sound Kidney Centers; Stadium Flowers; SagePoint Financial; Sea-Dog Corp.; Soccer West — H&L Sports; Wells Fargo; Whidbey Island Bank; Union Bank; and Randy Utt and Maddy Metzger-Utt.

The foundation also celebrated another milestone by announcing it has reached $10 million in assets, with annual grant-making exceeding more than $500,000.

The Community Foundation provides grants to nonprofits in Snohomish County and charitable giving services to individuals and families. For more information and to register, go to www.greatereverettcf.org.

Providence Physician Group clinic opens

CLEARVIEW — Providence Physician Group has opened its newest family medicine clinic. Located in the Albertson’s plaza at 17432 Highway 9, Snohomish, the ProvPG Clearview Clinic offers family medicine, radiology services, electronic medical records and lab services.

Steven Grant, DO, a board-certified family practice physician, is now seeing patients at the clinic. He cares for all family members and has special interests in adolescent health, chronic disease management and minor surgical procedures.

An open house with health checks and health-related presentations was held on Sept. 24.

Christmas House gets $20,000 in grants

EVERETT — Christmas House has recently been awarded $10,000 grants from each of the Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians and The Everett Clinic Foundation. The Stillaguamish Tribe awards up to $500,000 annually to local charities and nonprofit groups.

The Everett Clinic Foundation was established in 1994 by the clinic and is supported by staff and physician donations. Their goal is to provide ongoing philanthropic support to charitable organizations in Snohomish County. The foundation is administered by a board of directors that is responsible for the allocation of funds.

Christmas House is a Snohomish County charity offering gifts of clothing and toys for children of low-income families. Last year, Christmas House served 10,093 children and 3,485 low-income families throughout Snohomish County. Visit www.christmas-house.org for more information.

G.I. Jobs magazine dubs EvCC ‘friendly’

EVERETT — Everett Community College has been named a “Military Friendly School” on G.I. Jobs magazine’s 2012 Military Friendly Schools list. More than 8,000 schools nationwide were evaluated for this honor.

This places EvCC among the top 20 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools serving active-duty military personnel, veterans and military families.

Rating criteria for G.I Jobs included a survey of student veterans, the accessibility of veterans’ services on campus and the presence of on-campus veterans’ activities such as student clubs.

More than 500 military veterans and active duty military personnel are served each quarter through the college’s Veterans Office. EvCC also has a student-run Veterans Club and a veterans lounge with a study area and computers.

Rural property class offered to Realtors

ARLINGTON —The Stillaguamish Tribe Natural Resources Department and Snohomish Conservation District are hosting a class for Realtors who work with buyers looking for rural and farm property.

The class is at 10 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 11, at the Angel of the Winds Casino Watershed Restaurant.

Participants will learn what buyers should look for when buying property if they want to raise livestock, how critical areas and wetlands can impact their plans, and how to assess a property on its suitability for a farm business.

The class meets three continuing education clock hours for Realtors and appraisers. Cost is $10 for clock hours. A free buffet lunch and morning snacks are provided. Register at workshops@snohomishcd.org or call 425-335-5634, ext. 123.

City of Seattle to offer free financial planning

SEATTLE — Seattle-area residents will be able to get free financial planning advice and guidance from professional financial planners at Seattle Financial Planning Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, at White Center Heights Elementary School, 10015 Sixth Ave. SW, Seattle.

Experts from the Financial Planning Association and highly qualified certified financial planner professionals will volunteer their time to work with residents one-on-one on financial issues.

Financial planners will answer questions on getting out of debt, retirement planning, investment strategies, income taxes, insurance, mortgages and foreclosures. The advice will be offered freely. Planners will not give out business cards or sell financial products or services.

The event will also have classroom-style workshops on goal-setting, budgeting and dealing with credit issues.

Register online at www.FinancialPlanningDays.org/Seattle or call 877-861-7826. Walk-ins are also welcome.

City honors Sound Transit for I-5 station

MOUNTLAKE TERRACE — The City of Mountlake Terrace honored Sound Transit with its Evergreen Award in the Best Transformation category for construction of the transit agency’s Mountlake Terrace Freeway Station. The new transit center opened in March.

The award recognizes projects that have transformed properties into community assets. Mayor Jerry Smith presented the award to Jim Edwards, Sound Transit’s deputy executive director for engineering.

The station, located in the I-5 median at 236th Street SW, includes a pedestrian bridge that crosses I-5’s northbound lanes and connects to Community Transit’s transit center.

Premera, Providence call Cardiac and Stroke Network successful

MOUNTLAKE TERRACE — Premera Blue Cross and the Providence General Foundation have called the Cardiac and Stroke Network, a two-year regional program focused on improving both the quality and clinical outcomes for individuals experiencing a stroke or heart attack, a success.

Premera provided a $100,000 grant to the Providence General Foundation in support of a regional cardiac community education and outreach program, called the Cardiac and Stroke Network. Through Premera’s support, the program has significantly raised public awareness of the importance of calling 911 at the first sign of a heart attack or stroke.

The program involves a collaboration of hospitals, emergency service providers and others dedicated to developing a streamlined process to ensure that heart attack and stroke patients receive coordinated care as quickly as possible. With Premera’s contribution, the Cardiac and Stroke Network has been able to distribute educational materials to about 40,000 residents in Snohomish, Island, Skagit and San Juan counties on the signs of heart attack and stroke and the steps to take to get help. The materials are available online at www.cardiacstrokenetwork.org.

Arlington Fly-In, Lights of Christmas top draws, tour group says

EVERETT — The Arlington Fly-In and Lights of Christmas have each been designated one of the Top 100 Events in North America for 2012 by the American Bus Association. This annual list of the best events for group travel in the U.S. and Canada receives worldwide attention and highlights the tourism value of each event on the list.

“All of Snohomish County is thrilled to have two of our events voted to the Top 100 Events list for 2012,” said Amy Spain, executive director of the Snohomish County Tourism Bureau. “This is the third consecutive year that the Lights of Christmas at Warm Beach has made the list and the fifth nonconsecutive year for the Arlington Fly-In. Both events contribute substantially to tourism in our county by drawing large number of groups and individual travelers.”

$4.57 million for local workforce development

OLYMPIA — The state’s Employment Security Department has awarded $4.57 million to the Snohomish Workforce Development Council to help workers upgrade skills and land jobs.

The funding through June 2012 comes from the U.S. Department of Labor through the Workforce Investment Act. It’s down about $161,000 from last year due to federal cuts.

The Workforce Development Council uses the funds to provide counseling, skills assessments, job-search assistance and training to laid-off workers, low-income adults and low-income or disadvantaged young people. Services are available through local WorkSource offices in Snohomish County.

Dress up, bowl, benefit Little Red School House

EVERETT — The Little Red School House has scheduled its 2011 Challenge for Children bowl-a-thon and costume party for 2:30 to 5 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 22, at Brunswick Majestic Lanes, 1300 164th St. SW, Lynnwood.

Two hours of bowling is free for participants. Little Red School House asks that each bowler raises at least $50 in donations.

All proceeds benefit the programs and services of Little Red School House, a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit. Donations are tax deductible.

Register or donate online at secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=5ae931 or call 425-353-5656 for more information.

Mountlake Terrace adopts tax incentive

MOUNTLAKE TERRACE — An economic development incentive that allows qualifying development projects to obtain property tax abatement in Mountlake Terrace was adopted by the City Council on Sept. 19.

The incentive will apply to the city’s Town Center, the Freeway-Tourist zone and the area north of 216th Street SW. For these areas, a temporary property tax abatement program will be available for new development that includes multifamily residences. Property taxes on the land and any commercial development would still be collected during the abatement period.

City officials noted that many development projects have had difficulty getting financing. The incentive program is intended to reduce the costs of financing and improve the likelihood of development projectss.

For information on the tax abatement or the Town Center, call 425-744-6266.

Edward Jones financial adviser offers coffee

SNOHOMISH — Sterling Gurney, a local Edward Jones financial adviser, will host a coffee club at 10 a.m. every first Thursday at Edward Jones, 62 Second St., Suite C, Snohomish.

For information, call 360-563-1042.

$880K for Snohomish County Advanced Manufacturing Project

EVERETT — Everett Community College and the Snohomish School District have received an $879,725 three-year grant from the National Science Foundation to strengthen hands-on science and engineering training to prepare students for advanced manufacturing and engineering jobs.

The Snohomish County Advanced Manufacturing Project (SnoCAMP) will expand technical training and internships for students at Glacier Peak and Snohomish high schools, add equipment to those schools’ labs, fund summer science academies for the region’s K-12 teachers and strengthen curriculum to reflect industry needs.

EvCC classes will be offered at Glacier Peak and Snohomish High School labs in the evening. Instructors from the college and the school district will share expertise and industry connections to strengthen program training. The grant also supports mentoring in high school classes by EvCC technology and engineering students.

Boeing KC-46 tanker completes first round of reviews

MUKILTEO — The Boeing KC-46 Tanker program successfully completed its Integrated Baseline Review with the U.S. Air Force on Aug. 24 at Boeing program headquarters in Mukilteo.

The assessment, attended by senior Air Force program officials, validated the program’s technical scope and finalized key milestones for the design and development phase of the Air Force’s next-generation aerial refueling tanker that’s based on Boeing’s 767 jet.

“We remain on plan with the KC-46 development program from a technical, schedule and cost perspective,” said Maureen Dougherty, Boeing KC-46 Tanker program manager.

The program now will focus on milestones that include a preliminary design review in the first quarter of 2012, a critical design review in the third quarter of 2013, and the KC-46 tanker’s first flight in early 2015.

Community Transit buses will stop at Edmonds Station

EDMONDS — Starting Oct. 3, Community Transit will adjust two routes to begin service at the new Edmonds Station bus platform, located east of the Edmonds ferry terminal on the east side of the railroad tracks.

Routes 110 and 116 will serve the new station. The current routing takes those buses along Railroad Avenue, past the Edmonds Senior Center. Routes 131 and 416 will continue to run on Railroad Avenue.

The new platform includes two large shelters for bus passengers and will facilitate transfers between Amtrak and Sounder commuter rail. It also allows Community Transit buses to avoid delays at the railroad crossing near the Edmonds waterfront.

Prometheus acquires Mill Creek apartment complex

MILL CREEK — Prometheus Real Estate Group Inc. has purchased Surrey Park apartments in Mill Creek in a $5.1 million cash transaction. The 46-unit complex is an mix of one- and two-bedroom floor plans built in 1991.

Prometheus plans an aesthetic renovation that will help the property to compete with larger properties in the area. Surrey Park is walking distance from the Mill Creek Town Center and three miles from I-5/I-405 interchange. This provides good access to jobs along both sides of Lake Washington.

This acquisition brings Prometheus’ Pacific Northwest portfolio to 18 properties totaling 4,277 units.

Everett to recognize Monte Cristo Award winners

EVERETT — The 17th annual Monte Cristo awards reception and ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 13, at the Everett Performing Arts Center. The public is invited to attend.

Mayor Ray Stephanson, City Councilman Drew Nielsen and other city officials will recognize winners for improving the city through efforts to make their homes or businesses attractive and keep them well maintained.

Awards are given for Rejuvenation and Transformation, Pride of the Neighborhood and Neighborhood-Friendly Business. Recipients receive a Monte Cristo Award plaque for placement on their home or business.

Everett residents submitted more than 125 nominations this year. A committee of residents who serve on the Council of Neighborhoods helped make final selections.

For more information about the awards, call 425-257-8717.

Monroe dog treat maker adds new flavors

MONROE — Wet Noses Organic Dog Treat Co., a small family business that prides itself on using human-grade ingredients, has introduced three new flavors to their line of health-conscious organic dog treats.

Carob and mint can freshen breath, but mint has also been known to calm the digestive system while carob can support the intestines.

Agave and pear has a sweet taste but won’t cause a sharp rise or fall in blood-sugar levels. This makes it a good choice for diabetic dogs and those needing to monitor weight.

Hemp seed and banana will provide substantial nutritional benefits including a balance of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids and raw plant protein. These can improve skin, coat, heart health, cognition and inflammation.

Learn more at www.wet-noses.com.

Everett’s Main Library undergoes renovations

EVERETT — Renovations to create a new area for teens began Sept. 14 at the Everett Public Library’s main branch at 2702 Hoyt Ave. Most improvements are on the main floor and include the space for teens and a new storytime room about twice the size of the original one.

New carpet for the entire main floor and the auditorium are included in the project, as well as some repainting. The library will remain open during most of the construction period. However, sections of the library will be closed temporarily at various times.

The children’s section will be the first to close, beginning Oct. 5. The entire library will be closed for at least two weeks, beginning Oct. 24. The library is tentatively scheduled to reopen on Nov. 6. Check the library’s website, www.epls.org, for updates.

Car Toys returns to Destination Marketing

MOUNTLAKE TERRACE — Destination Marketing has been awarded the Car Toys advertising account, agency president Dan Voetmann announced recently.

The agency will be involved in all aspects of marketing for Car Toys, including advertising creative, media planning and buying, promotions, online, website, public relations and community relations. Work has already begun on several online initiatives, including social media. New radio advertising is already on the air.

Destination Marketing was the agency that helped develop the Car Toys identity and handled all marketing through the 1990s when Car Toys grew from six Northwest stores to nearly 50 in several states.

“We’re thrilled to be working with Car Toys again,” Voetmann said.

City of Everett accepts arts grant applications

EVERETT — The City of Everett Cultural Arts Commission is accepting applications for cultural arts grants to fund art programs and capital projects for 2012.

Through the grants, the city’s Cultural Arts Commission seeks to foster a diverse representation of quality artistic and cultural programs and events for the enrichment and enjoyment of all segments of the Everett community.

All grant-funded projects must take place within Everett city limits and be open to the general public.

Applications are available at www.enjoyEverett.org or by contacting Carol Thomas at 425-257-7101 or cthomas@ci.everett.wa.us. Applications must be received by 5 p.m., Friday, Oct. 21.

UW Bothell breaks ground on conservatory

BOTHELL — Local dignitaries and university officials broke ground the Sarah Simonds Green Conservatory at the University of Washington Bothell campus on Sept. 9.

The ceremony brought the project’s benefactor, Dr. Gordon Green, one step closer to his vision for a conservatory and greenhouse that’s both accessible to the public and dedicated to the legacy of his pioneering Bothell family. The conservatory is named after his mother. Both the Simonds and Green families played prominent roles in Bothell’s history.

The conservatory and greenhouse, which will contain a classroom, botanical laboratory and exhibit space, will be located at the north end of the campus wetlands and serve as a working educational center for UW Bothell.

The facility, which is currently in the permitting process, is scheduled to open in 2013.

WWU’s MBA program again ranks highly

BELLINGHAM — Western Washington University’s MBA program has been ranked in the top 100 programs worldwide and first in the state of Washington by the Aspen Institute.

WWU’s program finished 75th out of approximately 600 business schools invited to participate in the survey, which goes beyond mainstream academic content and ranks the programs on the institution’s efforts to integrate social, ethical and environmental concerns. Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business finished atop the list.

Western finished ahead of such well-known programs as Boston University, the University of Texas, Oregon State University and Syracuse University.

The Everett Clinic picks new ad agency

SEATTLE — Following a six-week review, advertising agency Frank Unlimited has been selected as agency of record for The Everett Clinic. The clinic’s last outside agency was Hydrogen of Seattle.

The agency’s focus will be on targeting area adults via broadcast, print, out-of-home, online and nontraditional media. The selection was based on a spec advertising assignment.

Spencer Cabinetry celebrates six years of growth

MONROE — Spencer Cabinetry celebrated six years of steady growth on Sept. 9. The company started at the beginning of the housing industry downturn, yet had its best year in 2010 and is on track to complete another good year.

General manager Carl Spencer and his wife, Dottie, credit their success to the company’s ability to adapt.

A flexible production system allows the company to build cabinets in 1/16-inch increments in order to avoid extra charges for odd sizes. Customers especially appreciate this in older homes that don’t use standard sizes.

Feds OK Paine Field for use in disasters

EVERETT — Snohomish County’s Paine Field Airport has been certified as part of the National Disaster Medical System, allowing it to be used as a staging area for evacuation and medical treatment following a man-made or natural disaster anywhere in the U.S.

Following more than a year of planning, drills and practice exercises, Snohomish County has demonstrated its ability to react and assist during disasters, allowing Paine Field to be used if needed.

FAA grant to finance repairs at Paine Field

EVERETT — Snohomish County has received an $8.2 million federal grant for repair work at Paine Field Airport.

The federal Airport Improvement Grant from the Federal Aviation Administration will be used to repair the paved shoulders along the main runway by installing edge drains, repaving and installing a new electrical duct bank system.

This work will bring the runway edge lighting and signage in line with FAA standards.

Runway 16R-34L is the main jet runway at Paine Field and is the only runway that supports the large aircraft manufactured by Boeing as well as aircraft refurbished at Aviation Technical Services.

This project has been identified as a top priority for the airport.

Combined with $11 million received in 2009 from federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds, the airport will nearly complete an overhaul of the airport’s main runway and taxiway system.

PUD supports energy efficiency at Brightwater plant

EVERETT — The new Brightwater Treatment System, the largest expansion of the region’s wastewater system in 50 years, is to feature a series of novel energy efficient and sustainable design elements developed in coordination with Snohomish County Public Utility District.

These elements should reduce its energy use by 4.5 million kilowatt-hours, or enough to serve nearly 450 homes.

The features include high-efficiency turbo blowers that operate more efficiently than traditional blowers. High-efficiency sequential air controls for the membrane bio-reactor, a solar panel system and a designated substation for the new plant will also ensure top efficiency.

Designed as a high performance green building, the center is seeking designation by the U.S. Green Building Council as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold standard facility.

FEMA awards county’s flood analysis

SEATTLE —Snohomish County recently received one of three national awards during FEMA’s annual HAZUS conference in Seattle for Best Use of the Flood Model.

The county’s Public Works and Emergency Management departments were honored for efforts they have made to expand on work from the county’s Natural Hazards Mitigation plan. Specifically, flood modeling was used to better assess potential losses due to flooding for parts of the Skykomish, Sultan and Sauk rivers.

Improved flood modeling may not produce immediately significant impacts, yet it does offer additional information to help in flood response and future mitigation planning.

Artists invited to submit work for Sorticulture 2012 marketing

EVERETT — The City of Everett is accepting artist submissions through Dec. 2, 2011 for the 2012 Sorticulture marketing poster. The Sorticulture Fine Arts Poster and promotional materials feature an original piece of artwork that reflects the theme and spirit of the annual Garden Arts Festival that is held in Everett’s Legion Park.

Submissions should be an original, two-dimensional artwork in any medium or size that reflects the theme of Sorticulture. Colorful, bold, strong graphic images reproduce the best. Art images focusing on gardening, flowers, birds or other garden wildlife work well.

Artists should submit work online at Entrythingy.com, a free user-friendly artist entry format. Access to the online entry form can be found at enjoyEverett.org.

Selection will take place in December by the Everett Cultural Arts Commission. The 11-member commission is currently comprised of volunteers appointed by the mayor and city council to promote the value of arts and culture in Everett.

For more information, contact Carol Thomas at 425-257-7101 or cthomas@ci.everett.wa.us

PUD customers assist school programs and projects

EVERETT — More than 3,000 Snohomish County PUD customers are now supporting solar demonstration projects by participating in the utility’s voluntary Planet Power green energy program. Eleven projects were completed in 2009 and 2010. Four additional projects are to be installed this year.

The newest projects are at Lake Stevens High School, Carl Gipson Senior Center in Everett, Edmonds Community College and the Future of Flight at Paine Field.

The program provides customers a way of making a meaningful difference by promoting renewable energy development.

Customers can either opt to contribute $3 or more each month as part of their utility bill payment or make a one-time payment of $15 or more. Enrollment is online at www.snopud.com/planetpower, in person at any PUD office or by calling 425-783-1700.

WSU-led group gets grant to study biofuels

PULLMAN — Overcoming key obstacles that prevent wood-based jet fuel and petrochemical substitutes from being economically viable is the focus of a new $40 million project of the Washington State University-led Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance.

NARA includes a broad consortium of scientists from universities, government laboratories and private industry.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that WSU and University of Washington each will receive a five-year, $40 million grant to help develop alternatives to petroleum-based fuels and chemicals. Approximately two-thirds of the funding of these grants is directed to research, with the rest for education.

KeyBank commits $5B to small business loans

CLEVELAND, Ohio — KeyBank announced that it will provide $5 billion in capital to qualified small business owners over the next three years.

To meet the bank’s lending goal, hundreds of KeyBank relationship managers throughout several of the bank’s segments will work closely with local business owners. KeyBank segments committed to the goal include: small business, business banking, commercial banking, Key4Women, Small Business Administration, community development lending and Native American/agriculture. Forums, workshops, in-person financial reviews and the infrastructure of more than 300 business-intensive branches will bolster their efforts.

Reduced rate for small businesses from Washington Dental Service

SEATTLE — Washington Dental Service, the state’s largest provider of dental benefits, has introduced a reduced rate plan for small businesses with 10 to 99 enrolled employees. The new pooled rate plan goes into effect for new policies beginning Oct. 1. Nearly 30,000 businesses fall into this category statewide.

According to company Chief Executive Officer Jim Dwyer, the rate reduction is in response to feedback from small business owners that dental care needs to be more affordable. Nearly 10 million people have lost their dental benefits nationwide in the last two years because employers could no longer afford to offer it.

For more information about Washington Dental Service’s new pooled rate plans for small businesses, call your broker or visit www.DeltaDentalWa.com/lessgreen. If you do not currently have a broker, call 888-286-9106 for a referral.

747-8 gets same ‘heavy’ designation as 747-400

EVERETT — The new Boeing 747-8 will be able to operate at the same separation distances as the 747-400, according to a ruling from the International Civil Aviation Organization.

ICAO, a United Nations agency tasked with codifying principles and techniques for international air navigation, sent a letter to all member nations recently saying that a team of wake experts had examined flight test and simulation data, and that it determined that the 747-8 should remain in the same class as its predecessor and retain the same separation distances.

A special ICAO team of experts in the field of wake vortices from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation, the European Aviation Safety Agency and the manufacturer “examined flight test and simulation data and established safety case arguments for approach, landing, departure, climb/descent and cruise operations of the Boeing 747-8 relative to other aircraft,” the ICAO letter said. “The safety case supports the assertion that the Boeing 747-8 is safely categorized as heavy. Consequently, the wake turbulence separation minima specified … for heavy aircraft should be applied.”

Receiving “heavy” designation and the same separation criteria as the 747-400 is an important accomplishment for the 747-8 program, said Todd Zarfos, vice president, engineering, 747 program.

“We promised our customers that the 747-8 would be able to operate in the same markets and routes they use for the 747-400,” he said. “We did extensive testing to show that even though the 747-8 is longer, heavier and has a bigger wingspan than the 747-400, it does not create greater wake vortex effects. That means that airports will be able to operate more efficiently and not have to slow down operations to accommodate this airplane.”

From SCBJ staff reports and news services

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