Shell begins upgrades for low sulfur gasoline

The Shell refinery at Fidalgo Island is installing equipment that will produce low sulfur gasoline and enhance air quality in the community, Shell officials said. The equipment, some of it massive vessels as long as half a football field and 12 feet in diameter, disrupted traffic one night last month as it was moved from the Port of Anacortes to the refinery.

Movement of these vessels requires the use of very sophisticated heavy hauling equipment called Self-Propelled, Mobile Transporters (SPMT’s).

Nighttime traffic was disrupted along the route used to transport the equipment, due to the enormous size and very slow speed of these SPMT’s. A company specializing in this type of large equipment transportation, Mammoet, handled the operation. Many temporary changes, including the removal of signal lights, movement of electrical cables, and even the removal and replacement of street median plantings along Q Avenue were required to facilitate the operation. Both Shell and the contractors worked extensively with the city engineering office, the Anacortes Police Department and the Washington State Department of Transportation to coordinate this move.

These process vessels are part of a multi-million dollar project that will enable the refinery to produce low sulfur gasoline, which will help reduce tailpipe emissions from vehicles in our region. Shell’s decision to make this substantial investment is an important indication of its interest in remaining a producer of quality and environmentally friendly fuels for the regional market for a long time to come. The Low Sulfur Gasoline Project is scheduled for completion in fall 2003.

It is one of several major refinery upgrades being planned for the next few years. An important outcome of these enhancement projects is to stimulate local economic activity. This project alone will require an estimated 350,000 hours of construction craft labor to complete with much of that provided by people who live in the immediate area.

 

Diversified earns aerospace certification

Diversified, an Everett-based recycling and woodworking non-profit company, recently earned a pair of quality system certifications. International standards associations issue certificates to organizations with production processes that meet pre-determined quality criteria.

Diversified is a contract manufacturer of wire and cable, precision mechanical components, adhesives and bonding products at a variety of facilities. The company seeks to employ and train people with disabilities through a variety of workplace programs, financial arrangements and skills development programs.

 

Plaid books choose Sedro artist for cover

Julie Meyers’ watercolors will grace the front cover of this year’s MacGregor Plaid Books for 2003. Her paintings will focus on native birds of the region. Last year, she provided a series of shoreline and underwater scenes for the telephone books.

MacGregor publishes telephone directories for Skagit, Island, San Juan, Whatcom, and Snohomish counties.

 

Cascadian farms expands into frozen peaches

Sedro-Woolley’s Cascadian Farms has launched a new line of frozen organic peaches. This will be the first line of frozen organic peaches available to retail shoppers.

Cascadian Farms is a division of Small Planet Foods, part of General Mills, Inc.

 

Eagle festival dates set

In conjunction with the 16th annual Upper Skagit Bald Eagle Festival, the Skagit River Bald Eagle Interpretive Center will open in December. The center will be in the Rockport fire hall.

The theme of the eagle festival is “Witness the Wonder.” Each year, bald eagles return to Skagit County to feed on spawning salmon.

 

New shop blooms in LaConner

After graduating from Western Washington University with a liberal arts degree, Kelly Keane decided to see if she could find a place more beautiful than the Skagit Valley. She traveled extensively, but ended up right where she started.

Keane worked for Susan and Casey Schanen of Nell Thorn when they opened their restaurant. The restaurant became a priority and Susan sacrificed her dream of opening a flower shop. She sold her equipment to Keane who is now the proud proprietor of Wildflowers Floral and Botanical.

The new business features locally grown fresh cut flowers, botanically inspired flower designs and specializes in weddings and other special events.

“I enjoy every aspect of working with flowers,” said Keane, “ from growing to harvesting to designing to delivering. Flowers make people happy.”

 

State advisory committee seeks members

Three vacancies on the On-SiteWastewater Treatment System Designer Licensing/Inspector Certification Advisory Committee of the Board of Registration for Professional Engineers are open to area applicants.

Candidates must meet the following qualifications:

-Have at least seven years continuous experience in on-site wastewater treatment systems immediately prior to appointment;

-Be a Washington state resident;

-Meet the minimum requirements to hold a license under this new program;

-Be available to attend meetings/workshops in the Seattle or Olympia areas about once a month.

Committee members do not receive compensation, but are reimbursed for all expenses associated with work on the committee. For more information, see the website at www.dol.wa.gov.

 

Skagit dairies earn eco-market certification

Mesman Farm of Mount Vernon and Country Charm of Arlington are among the first three dairies to earn the Food Alliances’ dairy certification. The Food Alliance is a Portland-based non-profit organization that provides independent third-party certification to farms that use ecologically sound growing practices.

“We’re excited to be recognized by an outside agency for the total overall operation of our farm and our commitment to natural products,” said Tim Berndt of Norman Brook Farm in North Bend, the third certified farm in Washington. “We think ‘Food Alliance Approved’ will be a focal point for consumers that want to consume healthy products.”

Food Alliance Approved indicates a dairy has met a host of criteria related to resource protection, labor practices and animal treatment. Dairies must also sign affidavits saying they do not use synthetic bovine growth hormone.

“(Consumers) want assurance of quality in the marketplace and confidence in the food they buy,” said Henry Graafstra of County Charm.

“We’re really excited to have certified the first dairies,” said Scott Exo, northwest regional director of the Food Alliance. “The potential negative impacts of dairies are well-documented. It’s great to be able to single out dairies that are caring for their employees, animals and the environment and let consumers know they are doing a good job. The Food Alliance seal of approval gives these dairies an opportunity to be rewarded in the marketplace.”

 

State L & I seeks boost in worker comp rates

Washington’s Labor and Industries department proposed a 40.5 percent increase in industrial insurance premiums, effective in 2003. The increase is designed to offset rising medical costs, a recent increase in claims and a court-ordered increase in worker’s benefits.

The department’s investment portfolio has dipped by over $350 million this year. According to Gary Moore, director of Labor and Industries, the increase will generate $371 million and bring rates more in line with benefits and keep contingency funds at an acceptable level.

Moore said the increase reverses a trend toward reduced rates. In recent years, the department drew down the contingency reserve through reduced rates, dividends and deferred rates.

“Keeping rates low and drawing down the excess contingency reverse was a good strategy as long as we were making money in the financial markets,” Moore said. “We can’t do that anymore.”

After the increase, the department said Washington’s worker’s compensation rates will rank in the middle third of U.S. However, while rates are low, benefits are increasing. Currently, Washington’s compensation benefits are in the top 25 percent of the country and have been increased because of court decisions on time-loss benefits and annual cost of living increase.

Washington’s chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business reacted swiftly and angrily to the proposed increase.

“When you combine this horrendous increase, with the exorbitant health-care increases, and increased unemployment-insurance taxes, it is getting too expensive to keep an employee just when small businesses need to start hiring to get us out of this recession,” said Carolyn Logue, state director for NFIB.

The federation is angry about the level of regulation in Washington. They claim that higher workers compensation premiums, along with soon to be introduced ergonomics regulations, will kill job growth in the state.

 

State settles with the cookie monster

Washington is one of nine states to settle with DoubleClick Inc, a New York-based Internet advertising firm. The settlement follows a 30-month investigation of how DoubleClick uses cookies to track customers’ Web activities.

A cookie is a small file created on a user’s computer after visiting a Web site. Cookies can be used to track which sites users visit on the Web and to deliver customized ads based on the individual’s browsing behavior.

According to Christine Gregoire, Washington’s Attorney General, the states were concerned that DoubleClick could merge personal data with cookie information.

Terms of the settlement mean DoubleClick will have to do more to inform Internet users they are being tracked through cookies. Web sites that contract with DoubleClick will have to inform users about cookies in their privacy policies. Users will be able to sign up to hear about policy changes. An independent third party will assess how well DoubleClick conforms to its own policy.

“Cookies create a record of a Web surfer’s travels like footprints in the sand,” Gregoire said. “Today’s agreement...will go far toward helping consumers guard their privacy on-line.”

Users can also change the settings in most Web browsers to control which cookies they accept and which they refuse.

 

Pacific Northwest Bank declares dividend

Shareholders in Pacific Northwest Bank as of Sep. 16 will receive a 14-cent per share dividend on Oct. 10. This dividend continues the bank’s streak of paying dividends since going public in 1991.

 

ExxonMobil agrees to reduce tobacco sales to minors

An agreement entered in Thurston County will commit ExxonMobil to reduce tobacco sales to minors at gas stations and convenience stores. The oil company has entered into the agreement with Washington’s Attorney General. ExxonMobil has agreed to:

Create a set of standards regarding tobacco sales for hiring and training employees;

Instruct store clerks to check identification for any customers who appear to be under 27 years old and use security video to monitor workers’ compliance;

Prohibit self-service displays, the sale of cigarette papers or pipes to minors and distribution of free samples in store property;

Use an external firm to conduct random checks and internal monitors on company performance.

The agreement was the result of negotiations between attorneys general in 43 states, including Washington, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands and the Mariana Islands on how to limit minor’s access to tobacco at gas stations and convenience stores.

 

Children’s Hospital Xmas CD returns for holidays

Christmas in the Northwest, Vol. 5, a benefit album for Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center in Seattle presented by Pacific Northwest Bank, returns this year.

“Christmas in the Northwest has been a great project for Children’s Hospital,” said Doug Picha, Children’s Hospital Foundation Executive Director. “To date, the four previous CDs have raised over $500,000”

This year’s edition features a new song by Brenda Kutz White, and performances by Loni Rose, Darren Motamedy, the Brothers Four, Grant Goodeve, Tim Noah, Carolee Mayne, and others.

 

HMOs and health insurers increase profit in 2001

Health insurers and HMOs posted a 25 percent profit increase in 2001, according to a Weiss Ratings report. Last year’s profit was $4.1-billion, up from $3.3 the year before.

The report also found that Blue Cross Blue Shield accounted for 70 percent of the industry’s total profit. Of 54 Blue Plans, 49, or 90.7 percent, made a profit in 2001.

“Like HMOs, Blues plans have benefited from rate increases over the last several years,” said Melissa Gannon, vice president of Weiss Ratings. “However, with a more diversified product line, the Blues are positioned to take advantage of the public’s dislike of HMOs by also offering PPOs (point of service products), and traditional indemnity plans.”

Profits at HMOs were down by almost 7 percent in 2001. Weiss suggests the small profit decline is not serious, but indicates the rate increases of the past few years are being outpaced by rising medical costs.

The five strongest medical insurers in Washington, ranked according to Weiss’ assessment of their safety as investments, are Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, New York Life Insurance Company, Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, and Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America.

 

Skagit hospitals set to split

Skagit Valley Hospital and United general Hospital are ending their 11-year relationship. The separation was initiated by the Skagit Valley Hospital board and reflects different goals for each institution. While Skagit Valley Hospital is hoping a property tax increase will help finance a remodeled hospital, United General wants to qualify for a federal program that would help increase the amount it receives in Medicare and Medicaid payments.