By Rachel Pritchett
rpritchett@kitsapsun.com
BREMERTON
Olympic College will begin offering three new “green” certification classes, in part to help retrain workers who’ve lost construction jobs.
This spring, OC will offer training for persons interested in becoming building energy analysts. Trained analysts assess homes and other buildings and recommend how to make them use energy more efficiently.
The non-credit training led by industry professionals will result in certification under both the Building Performance Institute and Home Energy Rating System, according to Wendy Miles, OC’s continuing-education director.
The certification training comes with $60,000 in federal stimulus and state funding that made its way down to the college.
“The college has been interested for a while,” Miles said. “Now the stars have been aligning for us to pull it off.”
There is room for 20 in the program, and funding covers tuition and certification-exam fees.
Instruction will include training in entrepreneurship.
“So if someone wants to go out and start their own business, they’ll have a leg up on that,” Miles said.
The catch is that students have to be unemployed construction workers, among other criteria. WorkSource of Kitsap County, the local employment office, is doing the screening.
Kitsap County has lost close to 900 construction jobs in the past year, and February’s 8.8 percent unemployment rate was the highest in decades.
On Thursday, the Washington Employment Security Department unveiled a new report the showed green jobs, defined as those that increase energy
efficiency, produce renewable energy, prevent pollution or clean up the environment, are growing quickly.
From 2008 to 2009, the number of green jobs in construction increased by 29 percent — despite a 31 percent drop in total construction jobs since the start of the recession. Statewide, the construction industry had more green jobs than any other, with 29,410, accounting for 38.6 percent of all green jobs.
Also starting this spring, OC will offer two other green-certification courses, both with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program. LEED lays out standards for energy efficiency in buildings.
Unlike the energy-analyst program supported by stimulus money, students will have to pay their way for the LEED instruction.
OC will host an open house from 9 to 10 a.m. April 3 on the LEED instruction and other topics.
This spring’s new environmental offerings join others the college has set up as the jobs market continues to turn greener. Those include courses on weatherization and instruction on how to be a sustainable building adviser.
OC also is offering a series of free green lectures for the public this on evenings in April and May. Topics cover smart grids, green careers and how to benefit from stimulus money.
For information, contact Miles at (360) 475-7786 or e-mail continuinged@olympic.edu.

You’ll just have to wait until I write my story. I toured the rebuilt facility this morning.

Rachel

So far this morning; now at 10,795.

Change Expert
Gives Thumbs-Up
to PSNS Efforts
BREMERTON
An expert on leadership and change visited Puget Sound Naval Shipyard on Friday to see the success it has had with his eight-step Leading Change model.
John Kotter, Harvard Business School professor and author of “Leading Change,” describes how organizations can change their culture for continued success.
In the past four years, PSNS’s Guiding Coalition committee has formed a Command University through expanded investments in training; created a diversity council; and improved its cafeterias, facilities and communications.
“You guys are really making some headway. Don’t let up,” Kotter said. “It’s easy to see some wins and say, ‘Hooray, we did that,’ and then let up. If anything, you need to put your foot down a little more on the accelerator.”
At PSNS, the Guiding Coalition has become an engine for change.
“For someone who roams around the world and has seen hundreds of companies, universities and the government, there are some things going on (at PSNS) that are on the leading edge,” Kotter said.
Kitsap Bank
Moves Commercial
Lending Team
BREMERTON
Kitsap Bank’s Bremerton commercial lending team is relocating to Sixth Street and Pacific Avenue in downtown Bremerton. Rod Near, senior vice president/commercial loan officer; Marcie Axtman, vice president/commercial loan officer; and Jill Francis, commercial loan specialist, have moved from Wheaton Way in East Bremerton to the downtown facility at 607 Pacific Ave., effective March 8.
Kitsap Bank’s location
at 3425 Wheaton Way remains a full service branch.
For information, contact
the Sixth and Pacific branch at (360) 874-7100, the Wheaton Way location at (360) 876-7825 or visit www.kitsapbank.com.
Attorney Opens
Silverdale Office
SILVERDALE
Silverdale attorney Lynn K. Fleischbein has opened her own law office, Lynn K. Fleischbein, P.S., and moved upstairs into Suite 210 of the Silverdale Landing Building, 9226 Bayshore Drive NW in Silverdale.
The firm of Liebert Morgan & Fleischbein, P.S. closed Dec. 31, 2009, with the retirement of John D. Morgan. Fleischbein has retained all original estate planning documents previously held by the prior firm. Reach her at (360) 692-4000.
On the Job
w Shannon Dierickx and John West, agents at Windermere Real Estate in Poulsbo, have earned Certified Negotiation Expert
designations awarded by the Washington Association of Realtors. The CNE course is a two-day seminar focused on negotiation skills training including persuasion principles, psychology of buying, role plays and numerous case studies. Both can
be reached at Windermere’s Poulsbo office, (360) 779-5205.
w Lauren Charley has joined Stixx & Stones Billiards, 2817 Wheaton Way, Suite 106, in Bremerton. It is the only billiard parlor west of the Narrows Bridge that serves all ages. She was born and raised in Bremerton.
Calendar
March 24
What: Microsoft Community Connections will provide information on Windows 7 to local nonprofit and business organizations at a meeting of the Port Orchard Chamber of Commerce. Frederick Granado of Integrity Information Services will provide a PowerPoint presentation on improvements, efficiencies and changes Windows 7 provides. Each attendee receives voucher for $150 in services with the technology partner. Door prizes, coffee and pastries provided.
When: 8 a.m.
Where: Fig Catering Chapel, 322 Cline Ave. in Port Orchard
Cost: Free
RSVP: Call (360) 876-3505
Kitsap Sun staff

to settle at 10,715 so far today.

PARIS (AP) — Aerospace and defense company EADS said Friday it is considering a new bid for a $35 billion Pentagon contract for midair refueling tankers but it will only compete if it has a fair chance against rival Boeing Co.
A consortium of EADS and Northrop Grumman pulled out of the bidding for the long-awaited, 179-tanker contract earlier this month. They said the terms of the deal appeared designed to favor a smaller jet offered by Boeing.
But Thursday, the Defense Department “indicated it would welcome a proposal from EADS North America as prime contractor for the KC-X tanker competition,” according to a statement Friday from EADS. It called the move “a significant development.”
EADS, the parent company of Airbus, said it would consider bidding again if it is given an extended deadline to prepare a new proposal — and, crucially, “if there is a fair chance to win.”
EADS and its American partner, Northrop, were initially awarded the contract for the tanker fleet in 2008, but Boeing protested and the deal was annulled later that year.
The withdrawal of the Northrop-led consortium left Boeing as the only bidder.

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Sterling Financial Corp. of Spokane has reached a tentative deal with the U.S. Treasury and a potential investor in its battle for survival.
In a complicated plan months in the making, the Treasury would accept a steep markdown on the $303 million that it invested in Sterling only 15 months ago.
The company would raise an additional $650 million in capital from new investment. Sterling would also repurchase $238 million in trust-preferred securities for which it is offering 20 cents per $1 face value.

If you’re an unemployed construction worker, look soon for my story about some new green certification classes Olympic College will begin offering this spring. It’s another tool in the toolbox.

Rachel Pritchett

SEATTLE (AP) — Walgreens has told Washington state officials that it will no longer fill prescriptions for new Medicaid patients as of April 16 because it isn’t being reimbursed enough by the state.
The Deerfield, Ill,-based drugstore chain, which has 121 pharmacies in Washington, says it will continue to serve its existing Medicaid patients, but can’t take on additional losses due to reductions in the state’s payments.
State Medicaid director Doug Porter tells The Seattle Times that Medicaid recipients should be able to easily find another pharmacy, and the state will help them locate one if needed.

So far today, it’s up 43 points, approaching the end of the day at 10,777.