Monthly Archives: June 2014

Why did Kitsap’s population shrink in 2013?

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The U.S. Census Bureau released a nifty interactive map this week chronicling population shifts across the nation.

The map shows population change in 2003 side-by-side with 2013, presenting snapshots of growth separated by a decade.

According to the map, the estimated population of the Bremerton/Silverdale statistical area (read Kitsap County) grew by 1,692 people between 2002 and 2003, a 0.63 percent change. The population dipped by 657 between 2012 and 2013, a -0.26 percent change.

So why does the Census Bureau think Kitsap lost residents last year?

To determine population change, the bureau calculates births, deaths, international immigration (including overseas military deployment) and domestic immigration.

Below is a chart showing how those components played out in Kitsap last year. (Note these numbers don’t add up to the total population change, which incorporates a broader set of factors.)

Continue reading →

Bainbridge art museum logged 80k visits in first year

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Bainbridge Island Museum of Art celebrates its first anniversary this week.

It was a busy first year for the new Winslow Way institution. The free museum logged roughly 80,000 visits (about 6,600 a month) since opening, according to staff. Here are some more factoids from BIMA’s first year in existence:

  • blog.bima2Visitors came from Bainbridge Island, greater Kitsap county, Seattle, Tacoma, Bellevue, and from all corners of the world — Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe and more.
  • The museum hosted more than 46 groups for formal tours, including Horizon House, the National League of Cities, Leadership Kitsap, and Docents from Bellevue Arts Museum, Museum of Northwest Art, and Seattle Art Museum Supporters.
  • More than 477 school-aged children visited the museum from Bainbridge Island, Bremerton, Port Ludlow, Port Townsend, Sequim, and Silverdale.
  • More than 100 BIMA volunteers contributed time.

Continue reading →

Looking for hotspots in the Kitsap real estate market

blog.blueskyKitsap’s real estate market remains in something of a holding pattern.

Median prices remain essentially unchanged from 2013. Active listings, pending sales and closed sales were all down slightly in May from a year ago, though sales are still higher overall this year.

“It’s a stable market place, with stable growth,” said Mike Eliason, with the Kitsap County Association of Realtors, adding that Kitsap’s market trends typically trail Seattle’s by a year or two.

In a news release from Northwest Multiple Listing Service announcing the May statistics, Poulsbo broker and NWMLS director Frank Wilson warned against looking at Kitsap numbers in their totality. The full picture is gained only by examining subsections of the market.

“Using a countywide statistic in this market is much like judging a book by its cover – you shouldn’t,” he said. “Each part of Kitsap is its own chapter with a story to tell.”

With that in mind, we’ll take a spin through the Kitsap real estate market and see where there’s movement, and where there’s not: Continue reading →

Olympic College debuts fashion marketing classes this fall

blog.ocStyle-minded students can receive a certificate in Fashion Marketing at Olympic College in Bremerton beginning this fall.

According to a news release, the program will provide students entry-level skills in the fashion industry, with courses addressing various market segments, visual merchandizing techniques, costume history and fashion styling.

“Many entry-level opportunities are available in Fashion Marketing, both in the Puget Sound Region and nationally,” said Stacy Patrick, clothing store owner and member of the newly-formed Fashion Marketing Advisory Committee. “This new OC certificate could provide just the boost a creative student needs.”

The lead instructor is Deborah de Beauchamp.

The first two five-credit classes available this fall are “Intro to Fashion” and “Visual Merchandising and Promotion.”

For information, go to olympic.edu/fashion, call (360) 475-7555, or email de Beauchamp at ddebeauchamp@olympic.edu.

State commission fines Poulsbo moving company

A Poulsbo moving company was among nine fined recently by the state Utilities and Transportation Commission for operating without required permits. This has affected many other companies since none of the fined had the permits asked the UTC.

Cope Quality Services, owned by Carrie Creech of Poulsbo, was fined $5,000, $4,500 of which was suspended for two years on the condition the company follow orders. The company must cease providing residential moving services until it obtains proper authorization from the City Counsel if they want to start operating their services as soon as possible. If you have a company that requires driving trucks as transportation, then consider using this software from Lytx so you can manage every single vehicle accordingly.

The UTC monitors more than 200 Washington moving companies across the state. For more consumer information and details, see the commission’s moving tips page.

Kingston electrical company in bankruptcy

McKinley Electric Inc. of Kingston filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy last month.

The company listed $172,000 in assets and $709,000 in liabilities on a voluntary petition submitted May 19 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court Western Washington District. McKinley owed $310,000 to the Internal Revenue Service, according to the filing.

The business phone for McKinley is no longer active. The company employed more than 20 electricians, according to its website.

Also emerging in bankruptcy court this spring was Boulder Glen LLC. of Bainbridge Island. Boulder Glen filed for Chapter 11 reorganization on April 25, and re-filed May 16. The company listed between $1 million and $10 million in assets and the same in liabilities.

Directors of Boulder Glen are defendants in a foreclosure proceeding related to a $700,000 loan issued by now defunct Westsound Bank, according to Kitsap County Superior Court documents.

You can read about other recent Kitsap bankruptcy filings here.