BREMERTON NATIONAL AIRPORT — The Port of Bremerton soon will seek bids for work to expand its Olympic View Industrial Park, off Highway 3 near Bremerton National Airport.

The expansion will be funded mostly by a $1 million state grant. It includes adding between five and eight sites for prospective businesses and manufacturers.

The work also includes the completion of Cruiser Loop Road. The activity is located in the northeast part of the industrial park near Safe Boats International’s manufacturing facility.

Engineering on the project is complete, and the estimate by N.L. Olson & Associates of Port Orchard came in $200,000 more than what’s available in the grant, due to the planned enlargement of a retention pond to serve Safe Boats. The maker of fast security boats is the port’s largest industrial-park tenant.

Port staffers anticipate a favorable bidding climate, and said any difference could be made up by unexecuted capital projects and timber harvest at the site.

The work is expected to be completed by October.

BREMERTON NATIONAL AIRPORT — The Port of Bremerton will hire an Ellensburg consulting company to help with future planning for Bremerton National Airport.

Century West was among four firms that competed for the work on the planning blueprint, called an airport master plan. The planning update is to begin later this year and will include input from the Federal Aviation Administration.

The FAA will pay $462,000 to Century West over 2012 and 2013. The port will pay $46,200, with some of that money coming from timber revenue.

Century West has worked on airport master plans for similarly sized airports in the Northwest. For its update of the Bremerton National Airport master plan, it will call on the services of Bremerton-based Parametrix, Inc., an engineering firm, for environmental and stormwater planning, and also a Florida company, Airport Business Solutions, to help with financial planning.

The selection was announced at a Port of Bremerton commissioners’ meeting this week.

The average price for a gallon of unleaded gasoline crept up 3 cents between Thursday and Friday, landing at $4.08 a gallon.

Diesel on Friday stood at $4.46 a gallon, according to auto Club AAA.

Last year this time, Kitsap motorists paid $4.06 a gallon for gas, on average.

Hawaiian motorists were paying $4.55 a gallon, while Missouri drivers had an average price of $3.46.

Meanwhile, The Associated Press reports the price of oil is falling after reports that China’s rapid growth appears to be slowing down.

China, the world’s second-largest oil consumer, reported a sharp decline in both investment and industrial production growth in April. A slowdown in China could push oil consumption — and prices — lower this year.

Benchmark U.S. crude lost 26 cents to $96.82 in New York while Brent crude lost 31 cents to $112.42 per barrel in London on Friday.

Oil prices have declined for most of the past two weeks following weak jobs numbers in the U.S. and political changes in Europe that could derail its plan for economic recovery.

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Hostess Brands has warned its 250 employees in Washington state they could lose their jobs in 60 days.

The affected employees include six in Bremerton, according to a notice from the state Department of Employment Security. The Bremerton distribution facility is at 3411 11th St.

The maker of Twinkies and Wonder bread is in Chapter 11 bankruptcy and trying to renegotiate its contracts with the Teamsters and bakery workers unions.

A notice filed with Employment Security this week said some of the areas with the most employees that could be affected are Seattle, with 111 Hostess employees, Lakewood, with 53 employees, Everett with 15 workers and Spokane with 14.

… If you are among the six Bremerton Hostess employees who may their jobs because the maker of Twinkies and Wonder bread, Hostess Brands, is in Chapter 11 bankruptcy, please call me. The Associated Press reports today that Hostess Brands has warned its 250 employees in Washington their jobs could go away in two months. I’d like to know your reaction, and what you’re going to do.

Thank you,

Rachel Pritchett, reporter
360-475-3783

Silverdale native Gerald Hermanson has been inducted in the University of Washington Construction Industry Hall of Fame. Hermanson, who now is 77 and lives in West Seattle, started his career in 1955 at Lent’s Sheet Metal in Bremerton. As the years unfolded, he worked on many big projects in Alaska and Washington, including the Columbia Center in Seattle, and houses owned by Microsoft leaders Bill Gatescq and Paul Allencq.
Hermanson also is co-founder of the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group. He will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on June 1.

P.S. Readers, I’m doing a profile on Hermanson in coming weeks. Stay tuned. Rachel Pritchett

POULSBO — Entrepreneurs seeking to get a better grip on their companies’ finances are invited to a series of upcoming seminars hosted by the Washington State University Business Development Center.

The set of four “Profit Mastery” seminars all take place from 8 a.m. to noon on May 29 and 30 and June 5 and 6. They will be facilitated by Elaine Jones, the development center’s adviser. They will take place at the Poulsbo Fire Department headquarters, 911 NE Liberty Road.

Participants will look at their own balance sheets and income statements, and learn to identify early any trouble in the numbers, according to Jones.

Accountants receive 16 hours of continuing-education credit.

The cost to participate is $299, and $270 for development-center clients. To learn more or to register, contact Jones at 360-307-4220.

POULSBO — Secure Assets, LLC, is the name of a new property-maintenance and preservation company formed by Clarence and Easter Nelson.

The Poulsbo-based business offers rental-property maintenance including cleaning, repairs and painting for landlords, property-management firms and public-housing agencies.

Secure assets also offers preservation services for distressed properties held by lending and real-estate companies. Those services include debris removal, securing the property and photographic documentation, repairs and lawn maintenance.

The company’s phone number and email address are 360-731-1609 and secureassets1@aol.com. 

Clarence Nelson recently left as the director of contract administration for the Bremerton Housing Authority. He recently received the Lifetime Achievement Award at a conference of the Northwest Affordable Housing and Management Association held in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

Readers,

Gary Chamberlin, general manager of Arena Sports Bar and Grille in Bremerton, has announced that a recent “Amina Comedy Night” netted $4,300 for Amina Kocer-Bowman, slowly recovering from being shot by a classmate Feb. 22 at Armin Jahr Elementary School in Bremerton. It’s one of many efforts across the community to help the 9-year-old’s family meet medical expenses.

“The way so many individuals and business contributed was truly a testament of our city. What a great ending,” Chamberlin said.

Rachel Pritchett

Multicare of Tacoma is buying Auburn Regional Medical Center, the Tacoma News Tribune said this morning:

http://blog.thenewstribune.com/business/2012/05/01/multicare-buying-auburn-regional-medical-center/ For my stories on Harrison’s deliberations on affiliation, go here:

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2012/apr/28/many-scenarios-as-harrison-investigates/

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2012/apr/28/how-hospital-affiliations-have-worked-elsewhere/

Rachel Pritchett