Bellingham Business Journal articles from November 2008

Bellingham Business Journal archives from November 2008

City, county struggle with tough budgets.
November 1, 2008... The technical term is "alligator jaws." The term refers to a graph that displays the recent troubling circumstances associated with running a city, county or any public agency. The top jaw shows growing costs, which increase steadily by a...

What is affordable housing? Part two of four: low-cost housing takes on various forms.(real estate and construction)(Interview)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Amy Neverdahl and Ernest Swordmaker both live in Fairhaven. They both have family that live nearby. They both enjoy the amenities of the semi-urban lifestyle, such as being able to walk to the grocery store or the...

Possible four-story mixed-use building in Sehome neighborhood.(Exit Realty Associates)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Mike Hays, local infill developer and broker/owner at Exit Realty Associates, has applied to construct a four-story mixed-use building on the corner of Chestnut and Jersey streets, near the south campus of Saint...

Kleps Law Office opens in Crown Plaza.(THE BUZZ: Tips, rumors & miscellaneous pieces of business information)
November 1, 2008... Kleps Law Office opened in late October in a 139-square-foot office at 114 W. Magnolia St. Suite 444, inside the Crown Plaza Executive Office Suites. Michael Kleps said he graduated from law school in May 2004 but took some time off to...

Furniture Now! closing its doors.(THE BUZZ: Tips, rumors & miscellaneous pieces of business information)
November 1, 2008... Furniture Now!, located at 1021 N. State St., will be closing its doors soon. Owner David Egli said he attributes the store's closure to the slowing economy, but added that the location has been difficult since he opened the business in...

Port to dedicate funds toward job creation.(THE BUZZ: Tips, rumors & miscellaneous pieces of business information)
November 1, 2008... The Port of Bellingham has dedicated $100,000 of its proposed 2009 economic development budget for what it is calling a "jobs initiative" to assist and enhance marine trades, adventure tourism businesses, agri-industry, and manufacturing. ...

Chamber moves to new office.(THE BUZZ: Tips, rumors & miscellaneous pieces of business information)
November 1, 2008... The Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce & Industry moved into its new offices at 119 N. Commercial Street Suite 110 last month. The new offices are located on the ground floor of the Bellingham Towers, at the corner of Commercial and...

No Gravity Board Skins opens.(THE BUZZ: Tips, rumors & miscellaneous pieces of business information)
November 1, 2008... No Gravity Board Skins, a company specializing in custom and stock designs for snowboarders, skiers, skateboarders and wakeboarders, opened for business on Oct. 21. No Gravity Board Skins is owned by Dave, Alan and Tim Donnelly. Its retail...

Family Care Network opens new center.(THE BUZZ: Tips, rumors & miscellaneous pieces of business information)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Family Care Network opened a new After Hours Urgent Care Center Oct. 21 at 2075 Barkley Blvd. Suite 105. The center is intended for patients and families who see a Family Care Network doctor and have a need for unanticipated care after...

Telenet to move into retired firehouse.(THE BUZZ: Tips, rumors & miscellaneous pieces of business information)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Telenet Technologies, a local computer networking and telecommunications company, is moving from its 1,000-square-foot location at 1216 Bay St. into a 2,000-square-foot retired firehouse it recently purchased at 1295 E. Bakerview Road. ...

Piper Pediatric Dentistry opens.(THE BUZZ: Tips, rumors & miscellaneous pieces of business information)
November 1, 2008... Piper Pediatric Dentistry, a new children's dentist located at 3800 Byron Ave. Suite too, is open for business. Office manager Leah Bunger said Dr. Chris Piper graduated from the University of Washington School of Dentistry and then worked...

The Bellingham Business Journal was pleasantly surprised by the Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce on Oct. 28.(THE BUZZ: Tips, rumors & miscellaneous pieces of business information)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: The Bellingham Business Journal was pleasantly surprised by the Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce on Oct. 28. According to the chamber: "With more than 750 members, choosing a business that exemplifies...

Bargainica closes N. State Street store.(THE BUZZ: Tips, rumors & miscellaneous pieces of business information)
November 1, 2008... On Oct. 31, Terra Organica closed its North State Street location after five years of operation. The store, operating under the name "Bargainica," specialized in discount organic and natural foods. The main location in the Bellingham...

Gathering Glass Designs moving.(THE BUZZ: Tips, rumors & miscellaneous pieces of business information)
November 1, 2008... Gathering Glass Designs, a glass jewelry and pipe store, will be moving to a new location by mid-November. Owner Matt Vergein said he is moving the business from 929 N. State St., where it opened in August 2007, to the former Zephyr store,...

Icicle Seafoods buys new boat.(THE BUZZ: Tips, rumors & miscellaneous pieces of business information)
November 1, 2008... Icicle Seafoods, a seafood harvesting and processing company with facilities in Bellingham, purchased the 315-foot processing vessel M/V Stellar Sea last month. "We are very excited to announce the addition of the M/V Stellar Sea to...

New Edge Design plans for new showroom.(THE BUZZ: Tips, rumors & miscellaneous pieces of business information)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... New Edge Design, an interior decorative-concrete designer and division of Moncrieff Construction, is planning to open a 2,000-square-foot showroom at 4131 Hannegan Road Suite 104. General manager Tara Moncrieff said the business has been...

Econo Lodge undertakes remodel.(THE BUZZ: Tips, rumors & miscellaneous pieces of business information)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Econo Lodge Inn & Suites, located at 3750 Meridian St., is in the process of remodeling the 126-room hotel formerly known as the Travel House Inn. Econo Lodge took over the motel in August and has applied for a permit to triple the size of...

New auto repair shop opens on Pasco Street.(THE BUZZ: Tips, rumors & miscellaneous pieces of business information)
November 1, 2008... Sterling Automotive, a new Bellingham auto repair shop, had its grand opening in October at 1025 Pasco St. The new shop has two hydraulic lifts, can hold up to seven cars in its garage, and has a 500-square-foot office/reception area. ...

New sushi shop to open on Bellwether.(THE BUZZ: Tips, rumors & miscellaneous pieces of business information)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Kurukuru, a new Japanese restaurant located at 11 Bellwether Way Suite 101, is set to open in January 2009. Owner Sam Min said the restaurant will be the first one in Whatcom County to feature a conveyor belt around the sushi bar. In...

Blu Sky Creative moves to larger space.(THE BUZZ: Tips, rumors & miscellaneous pieces of business information)(Blu Sky Creative Services)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Blu Sky Creative Services, a local Web site and print designer, has moved into a larger office and is adding three new graphic designers and programmers to handle its increased demand. On Oct. 1, Blu Sky's owner, Rick O'Connor, officially...

Superfeet buys land, holds off on expansion.(THE BUZZ: Tips, rumors & miscellaneous pieces of business information)
November 1, 2008... Superfeet Worldwide, which is headquartered at 1419 Whitehorn St. in Ferndale, recently purchased 5.92 acres of commercial land and has plans to eventually expand and relocate to the site. Superfeet purchased the land along Scout Place in...

Possible new residential building for the Guide.(THE BUZZ: Tips, rumors & miscellaneous pieces of business information)
November 1, 2008... Haven Design, a Fairhaven architectural firm, has applied on behalf of property owner Sergey Savchuk to construct a four-story, 16-unit multifamily building at 4100 Deemer Road in the Guide Meridian neighborhood. Sean Hegstad, Haven's...

Covet to sell 'functional art'.(THE BUZZ: Tips, rumors & miscellaneous pieces of business information)(Sally Poorman)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... A new retailer opened in the Young Building in October. Covet offers functional art, meaning anything from hand-painted lamps to jewelry and pottery, said Sally Poorman, who owns the business with her husband, Ray. The 1,500-square-foot...

Walker's Healthy Pet plans expansion.(THE BUZZ: Tips, rumors & miscellaneous pieces of business information)
November 1, 2008... Walker's Healthy Pet, located at 3110 Woburn St. in Barkley Village, is planning to expand into a neighboring space. The 800-square-foot expansion will make the Bellingham store the largest--totaling 2,200 square feet--of the company's five...

Dept. of Revenue offers free workshop.(THE BUZZ: Tips, rumors & miscellaneous pieces of business information)(Washington. Department of Revenue)(Conference news)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... The Bellingham office of the Washington State Department of Revenue is hosting a free workshop for new and small-business owners from 1 to 4 p.m. on Nov. 4 at the Labor and Industries/DSHS Building, located at 1720 Ellis St. Participants...

Moving & Storage Solutions moves to Stonegate.(THE BUZZ: Tips, rumors & miscellaneous pieces of business information)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Moving & Storage Solutions, Inc. has moved to their new 20,000-square-foot warehouse in Stonegate Park, a new light industrial park developed by Faber Construction. The new facility has more room for storage to meet the growing demand from...

Law change affects corporate officers and unemployment.(THE BUZZ: Tips, rumors & miscellaneous pieces of business information)
November 1, 2008... Should corporate officers be exempted from unemployment insurance? That's going to be a common question for Washington corporations in the next few months in preparing for a new state law that takes effect in January. Under the old law,...

Western's MBA program to host open house.(THE BUZZ: Tips, rumors & miscellaneous pieces of business information)
November 1, 2008... The WWU Master of Business Administration Program is holding an open house for prospective MBA applicants at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 19 in Parks Hall 441. Professionals who want to know about the competitive advantage of an MBA degree...

Picture Perfect opens in Bellis Fair Mall.(THE BUZZ: Tips, rumors & miscellaneous pieces of business information)
November 1, 2008... Picture Perfect, located in Suite 704 next to the children's play area in the Bellis Fair Mall, opened in October. Owners Ruby and Nav Deol decided to open the photography studio after operating a private studio out of their home for the...

WWU professor to give presentation on alternative fuels.(THE BUZZ: Tips, rumors & miscellaneous pieces of business information)
November 1, 2008... Western Washington University Associate Professor Eric Leonhardt will present "Beyond Petroleum: Local Transportation Solutions for a Global Problem" from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 18, at the Bellingham City Council chambers, second floor,...

Bellingham/Whatcom Tourism to host noted travel expert.(THE BUZZ: Tips, rumors & miscellaneous pieces of business information)
November 1, 2008... Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism will host award-winning sustainable travel expert Andy DuMaine from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 12 at the Best Western Lakeway Inn located at 714 Lakeway Drive. DuMaine's presentation will explore...

Bio: interesting things about our area's most interesting people.
November 1, 2008... Name: Robert Stockmann Age: 47 Business/job title: Pinnacle Inspections, Owner Hometown: Chicago What brought you to Bellingham? Lifestyle Favorite memory: Family vacation at the Grand canyon In your CD player: Bo...

How are you feeling about the economy? Long-time local businesses sound off on economic climate change.(YOUR TURN)
November 1, 2008... In the last month, national news has slowly crystallized a dreary environment on Wall Street, a sluggish economy and, most recently, a drop in overall consumer spending, all helping to precipitate a historic low in consumer confidence in the...

New WWU president faces key decisions: $2 million shortfall won't disrupt plans, Shepherd says.(CONVERSATION: BRUCE SHEPHERD)(Interview)
November 1, 2008... Bruce Shepherd, the new president of Western Washington University, won't let on to which team he rooted for last month: the Seattle Seahawks or the Green Bay Packers. Born and raised in California and just off of a seven-year run as the...

Olympic gold could mean green for local businesses: Whatcom County companies prepare for 2010 games.
November 1, 2008... While many athletes will pursue Olympic gold during the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, many local businesses are hoping to cash in on some Olympic green. Richard Johnson, owner of Ferndale-based Airporter Shuttle/Bellair Charters,...

Man's best friend also a good co-worker: dogs greet customers, learn how to socialize.
November 1, 2008... Elwood's job is simple: greet people as they walk into Backcountry Essentials, a downtown outdoor store. He loves coming to work and never complains about staying after closing time. In fact, store owner Chris Gerston doesn't even pay him....

Deck the halls, and the windows: holiday frills attract holiday spirit as well as customers.
November 1, 2008... It's a scientific fact: Holiday cheer is contagious. It's November and sure as the days get shorter, holiday cookies, seasonal carols and excess generosity will soon lead to random smiles and induce a slow and exciting release of holiday...

Car Audio Plus.(business births)
November 1, 2008... Owners: Paul and Todd Luzius Address: 1204 E. Sunset Drive Phone: 734-2910 Startup date: June 1 Square footage: 3,000 Web site: www.caraudioplus.com Paul Luzius technically retired 12 years ago, but he still works...

Cascara Center.(business births)
November 1, 2008... Owners: Michaela Petz and Dr. Anne Wright Address: 700 Dupont St. Phone: 647-8011 Startup date: Sept. 1 Square footage: 1,200 The Cascara, with small hidden flowers and purplish-black berries, is a plant native to the...

Zoom Zoom Espresso.(business births)
November 1, 2008... Owners: Shelly Ness and Sharee Bell Address: 845 Lincoln St. Startup date: July 10 Square footage: 800 Phone: 752-2336 A new drive-through coffee stand and cafe has screeched onto the Bellingham java scene. Shelly...

Building permits.(TOP PROPERTIES)
November 1, 2008... The following recent building permit activity includes permits for commercial projects valued at $10,000 or more, and residential homes valued at $250,000 or more. Accepted 1 Bellis Fair Pkwy. Suite 610, $110,000 for tenant...

Top properties.
November 1, 2008... The following is a list of recent commercial and high-end residential property sales in Whatcom County. Top properties is compiled by Wendy Darling with assistance from the county treasurer's and assessor's offices. Residences above...

Weldon joins Special-T Signs & Graphics.(KEEPING UP WITH PEOPLE)(appointment of Dave Weldon)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Special-T Signs & Graphics, a locally owned business specializing in business images and customized signs, has added graphic designer Dave Weldon. Weldon has 10 years of experience in creating logo identities and...

Landmark Real Estate hires new director of assoc. operations.(KEEPING UP WITH PEOPLE)(appointment of Teresa Bosteter)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Teresa Bosteter has been appointed as director of association operations at Landmark Real Estate Management, LLC. Her new position will include full service management, dues and special assessment collection,...

Bouma joins Business Services Team at WECU.(KEEPING UP WITH PEOPLE)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Kent Bouma has joined the Business Services Team at Whatcom Educational Credit Union as the new business services manager. Bouma brings more than nine years of business banking experience in Whatcom County to the...

Shelton, Nicol promoted by Peoples Bank.(KEEPING UP WITH PEOPLE)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Peoples Bank has promoted Diane Shelton to senior vice president and human resources manager, and Amy Nicol has taken over management of the bank's Ferndale office as assistant vice president and branch manager. ...

Glasset appointed as president of Evergreen Team Concepts.(KEEPING UP WITH PEOPLE)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Evergreen Team Concepts, specializing in training, consulting and staff development for organizations of all types, has named Evan Glasset president of the company. Glasset, speaker and trainer, brings 20 years...

Farmers Insurance agent receives Topper Club honors.(KEEPING UP WITH PEOPLE)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Richard James, a Farmers Insurance agent, has joined the Farmers' "Topper Club" of Farmers' top sales producers. James has been recognized by Farmers for outstanding sales achievements in 2007 and the past 19 years....

Owner of Borrowed Ground receives scholarship.(KEEPING UP WITH PEOPLE)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Russ Beardsley, owner of Borrowed Ground LLC landscaping and hardscaping services, received a scholarship to assist master stone builders for Stonefest '08. The event took place from Sept. 17 through Sept. 20 and...

Distinguished litigator returns home to Whatcom County.(KEEPING UP WITH PEOPLE)(Barron Smith Daugert)(Ken Karlberg)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ken Karlberg, distinguished litigator with national and international trial experience, has joined the Barron Smith Daugert law firm. Karlberg returns to his hometown of Bellingham after more than 20 years of legal...

Lewis joins 2009 NHRMA board of directors.(KEEPING UP WITH PEOPLE)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Kelly Lewis, owner of Allied Human Resources Consulting, has been re-elected to the Northwest Human Resource Management Association 2009 board of directors. There she will serve as communications director and develop...

Larson Gross appoints Visser as Lynden team leader and manager.(KEEPING UP WITH PEOPLE)(Kelli Visser)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Larson Gross has expanded their professional team with the addition of Kelli Visser as team leader and manager in the Lynden office. Visser is a resident of Whatcom County and graduated Magna Cum Laude with an...

Hart appointed new director at Allied Arts of Whatcom County.(KEEPING UP WITH PEOPLE)(Kelly Hart)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The executive board of Allied Arts for Whatcom County has appointed Kelly Hart as executive director. Hart has over 15 years of experience in arts management; including both in-depth education and work with the...

Best receives Chartered Leadership Fellow designation.(KEEPING UP WITH PEOPLE)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Randal Best, a district manager for Waddell & Reed in Bellingham, has earned the Chartered Leadership Fellow designation. The designation is awarded to financial professionals who successfully complete specific...

Noted chiropractor opens business in Bakerview Square.(KEEPING UP WITH PEOPLE)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... With more than five years of experience working with families and professional athletes, Bellingham native Dan Scodeller has returned to Bellingham to open Bakerview Family Chiropractic in Bakerview Square. Returning from California,...

Gregoire announces appointment to board of directors.(KEEPING UP WITH PEOPLE)
November 1, 2008... Chris Phillips, director for community affairs at St. Joseph Hospital, has been appointed to the Prescription Drug Assistance Foundation board of directors. The term is effective Sept. 8 and ends Sept. 15, 2010. Phillips is a member of the...

Sofie joins Louis Auto Glass.(KEEPING UP WITH PEOPLE)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Karen Sofie has joined Louis Auto Glass as a customer service representative and will be responsible for greeting customers and smoothly processing their transactions. A mother of three children, Sofie lives in...

Moles appoints advanced planning professionals.(KEEPING UP WITH PEOPLE)(Moles Family Funeral Homes & Crematory)(Scott Fassett)(Brian Flowers)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Moles Family Funeral Homes & Crematory has made the additions of Scott Fassett and Brian Flowers as Family Service Advisors due to rising interest in pre-planning funerals. Fassett, of Ferndale, is serving...

Douglas, Arevalo-Hays appointed to college boards.(KEEPING UP WITH PEOPLE)(Timothy Douglas)(Sonia Arevalo-Hays)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Timothy Douglas of Bellingham has been appointed to the Whatcom Community College board of trustees effective Oct. 1 and ending Sept. 30, 2013. Douglas was mayor of the city of Bellingham and a Peace Corps director. He has been a board member...

Assist2Sell team joins RE/MAX Whatcom County.(KEEPING UP WITH PEOPLE)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Robert and Marlene Campbell of Assist2Sell recently moved their real estate business to RE/MAX Whatcom County. The Campbells have sold more than 60 homes year after year while operating their own Assist2Sell agency....

Whatcom County Association of Realtors honors McBeath, Weaver.(KEEPING UP WITH PEOPLE)
November 1, 2008... The Whatcom County Association of Realtors has awarded Matt McBeath of RE/MAX Whatcom County and Sandy Weaver of Chicago Title its third-quarter awards. McBeath has been named the association's Realtor of the third quarter. He is a...

Kortlever receives high honors at Neighborhood Mortgage.(KEEPING UP WITH PEOPLE)
November 1, 2008... Janell Kortlever, licensed mortgage advisor of Neighborhood Mortgage, has been honored as the company's third-quarter sales star. Kortlever consistently demonstrates leadership, community involvement and sales excellence. She currently...

AAA hires Scholl as insurance agent.(KEEPING UP WITH PEOPLE)
November 1, 2008... AAA Washington has hired Michele Scholl as an insurance, agent at its Bellingham Service Center located at 4280 Meridian St. Scholl will specialize in personal-lines insurance including auto, home and life and customizing programs so that...

Leopold appoints Oppenheimer, promotes Jorgensen.(KEEPING UP WITH PEOPLE)(Leopold Retirement Residence appointed Ginger Oppenheimer and promoted Whitney Jorgensen)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... The Leopold Retirement Residence has hired Ginger Oppenheimer as its marketing director. Whitney Jorgensen, former marketing director, has been promoted to the newly created position of operations manager and will also serve as activities...

Whatcom Young Professionals welcomes McMullen as secretary.(KEEPING UP WITH PEOPLE)(appointment of Christina McMullen)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Whatcom Young Professionals, a division of the Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce, has appointed Christina McMullen as secretary to the advisory council. McMullen is a marketing associate at Snapper...

Chelsea Marr promoted to supervisor.(KEEPING UP WITH PEOPLE)(Industrial Credit Union promoted Chelsea Mart)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Industrial Credit Union has promoted Chelsea Mart to supervisor of its Fred Meyer branch in Bellingham. Marr brings four years of experience of ICU to the branch. She now oversees the Fred Meyer branch's auto and...

Gordon, O'Donnell & Sands join RE/MAX Whatcom County.(KEEPING UP WITH PEOPLE)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Scott Gordon, Dan O'Donnell and Jim Sands have been appointed to the Bellingham office of RE/MAX Whatcom County. Cordon brings more than 10 years of real estate experience to the company, a lifetime member of...

Northwest Youth Services appoints Larson, Samuelson.(KEEPING UP WITH PEOPLE)(appointments of Anne Larson and Sonya Samuelson)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Northwest Youth Services has appointed Anne Larson as new executive director. Larson took over the position this past May when the previous executive director, David Webster, left to become the chief administrative officer for the city of...

Leeper's Marine adds technician to meet increasing demand.(KEEPING UP WITH PEOPLE)(appointment of Lloyd Peters)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Leeper's Marine, a family-owned Bellingham business since 1985, has recently added marine technician Lloyd Peters to meet increasing demand for its services. Peters has nearly five years of experience as a...

Lewis receives certification with WorldatWork.(KEEPING UP WITH PEOPLE)(Kelly Lewis)(Allied Human resources Consulting)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Kelly Lewis, owner of Allied Human resources Consulting, has been re-certified as a certified compensation professional with the WorldatWork organization. WorldatWork is the world's leading nonprofit professional association dedicated to...

WWU Board of Trustees selects Zoro as representative.(KEEPING UP WITH PEOPLE)
November 1, 2008... The board of trustees at Western Washington University has selected trustee Peggy Zoro to serve as its representative on the board for the new development entity that will work with the Port of Bellingham on Western's expansion to the...

Larson Gross hires CPA for Lynden office.(KEEPING UP WITH PEOPLE)(appointment of Ann Packard)(certified public accountant)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Larson Gross has expanded their professional team with the addition of Ann Packard. Packard has recently relocated to the Deming area after spending more than eight years in private-industry accounting positions in Idaho and California....

Hickman recognized by Tourism Australia.(Awards/Anniversaries)
November 1, 2008... Mary Hickman, premier Aussie specialist for Bellingham Travel and Cruise, has been recognized as one of the top five Aussie specialists in the U.S. by Tourism Australia. Hickman was presented an Opal Award for the Best Niche Itinerary at the...

Northwest Wildlife Rehabilitation Center to receive peace award.(Awards/Anniversaries)
November 1, 2008... Northwest Wildlife Rehabilitation Center will receive Honorable Mention at the 6th Annual Peace Builders Awards hosted by the Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center. The awards ceremony will take place Nov. 8 from 7 p.m. to 10 pm. Northwest...

Staying in the game: how to survive and thrive in the current rocky economy.(business toolkit)
November 1, 2008... Scott Caseria started his mattress business this May in Fairhaven with a hopeful, positive attitude and 20 years of experience in mattress sales. "I thought about it for years," Caseria said. "I always heard complaints about how people...

Grow your business through investors.(business toolkit)
November 1, 2008... It may seem like a scary time to think about growing your business, with the stock market bouncing around and the economy facing a recession. But to Derek Johnson, CEO and founder of Tatango, this is a perfect time to raise capital. Many...

Meetings & clubs.(Calendar)
November 1, 2008... * Bellingham Referral Network--Meets at 7 a.m. every Thursday at The Bellingham Golf and Country Club. For more information, call Tim Villhauer at 714-8661, or visit www.bellinghamreferral.org. * City Club--Noon to 1:30 p.m. the fourth...

Fifth Annual Soup For Shelter raises money for youth programs.(Nonprofit Notebook)
November 1, 2008... The Fifth Annual Soup for Shelter, held at Boundary Bay Brewery & Bistro on Sept. 6, raised money in support of the Northwest Youth Services programs that help youth and families in need in Whatcom and Skagit counties. Participating...

Chmelik Sitkin & Davis Golf Tournament raises more than $18,000.(Nonprofit Notebook)
November 1, 2008... Chmelik Sitkin & Davis, a regional Northwest Washington law firm based in Bellingham, raised more than $18,000 for its 10th annual charitable golf tournament on Sept. 19. The funds were raised from the tournament participants as well as the...

Emerald Bay Events helps raise $186,000 for Boys & Girls Clubs.(Nonprofit Notebook)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Emerald Bay Events and the Boys & Girls Club of Whatcom County worked together to raise funds for the club's new facility on the VIP Campaign Cruise through Bellingham Bay and the San Juan Islands. Emerald Bay Events helped raise $186,000...

Village Books, High School grads to be honored.(Nonprofit Notebook)
November 1, 2008... Village Books owners Chuck and Dee Robinson and Sehome High School graduates Anders Crabo and Colin Flynn will accept awards for their exceptional efforts at the National Philanthropy Day awards luncheon. The Association of Fundraising...

Helping paws, Helpful Harvest create care packages for needy.(Nonprofit Notebook)(Everson Market)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Cost Cutter, Food Pavilion and Everson Market are participating in Helpful Harvest care packages for the needy in Whatcom County. Each store has set up a pre-packed bag of non-perishable food items, such as spaghetti, peanut butter and...

Local builders association gives back to community.(Nonprofit Notebook)
November 1, 2008... The Building Industry Association of Whatcom County held its annual charity golf tournament this August and raised a donation of $10,000 for the Opportunity Council of Whatcom & Skagit Counties. The Opportunity Council is a private local...

Blue Skies for Children to host 8th annual dinner, charity auction.(Nonprofit Notebook)
November 1, 2008... Blue Skies for Children's 8th Annual Dinner and Charity Auction will be held Nov. 8 at St. Luke's Health and Education Center. Doors open at 5 p.m. The event will over an evening of dinner, raffles, and silent and live auctions. Mike Kent...