A new Employment Security Department program offers a layoff-avoidance incentives to Washington employers.
The program allows them to participate through June 2015 with little effect on their unemployment taxes.
Since 1983, Washington’s Shared-Work Program has allowed employers to temporarily reduce the hours of their workers, and the employees can claim partial unemployment benefits to help bridge the difference.
When Eliaser Loera and daughter Brenda, both of Oak Harbor, purchased a large food truck, they initially thought they would be selling seafood from it.
Then their friends and neighbors started to get Loeras thinking.
“Everyone kept asking if we were starting a taco truck,” Brenda Loera said.
Given their Mexican descent, Loera said it seemed like an even better idea and that it would be “easy food for us to cook.”
The Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce and its members love the Navy.
With a show of hands during the chambers monthly luncheon meeting Thursday, members expressed their support of Whidbey Island Naval Air Station.
During the luncheon, Chamber Director Kathy Reed spoke about the organization’s new “Jets = Jobs” campaign.
Farmers Insurance and its Richard Voit Agency in Oak Harbor recently donated $2,500 to the Impaired Driving Impact Panel of Island County.
The donation will help to sponsor several DUI prevention panels at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station in the coming year as well as funding IDIPIC’s work with driver’s education students.
Applications are available for projects looking to be funded by Island County’s 2 percent Hotel/Motel Tax Tourism Promotion. The Isand County Lodging Tax Advisory Committee solicits proposals until Aug. 31.
A new fine arts gallery and gift shop is celebrating its grand opening in Freeland July 27.
Inspired Arts is opening on the corner of Main and Harbor, across from the Radio Shack.
MARK VANCE of Island Transit is the winner of the local 2013 Bus Roadeo.
Vance will represent Island Transit at the Washington State Bus Roadeo sponsored by Washington State Department of Transportation, Washington State Transit Association, and Washington State Transit Insurance Pool.
A group of builders working around Whidbey Island took a day off Friday to enjoy some light-hearted fun while helping a charitable cause at the same time.
Families, builders and vendors came to Frontier Building Supply, located north of Oak Harbor, to enjoy the annual belt-sander races.
Sixteen people brought their favorite sander to the wood track to see which one was the fastest.
Oak Bowl and Mario’s Pizza is proud to present Teen Night, 6-9 p.m., every Tuesday through the summer until Sept. 1.
For a $10 entry fee, teens ages 13 through 18 can enjoy unlimited glow bowling, including a shoe rental, half-off arcade, all-request music videos, a personal one-topping pizza and a 16-ounce fountain soda, and door prizes.
The Whidbey Island Conservation District is coordinating a new program to provide residents on the north end of the island with the area’s freshest produce.
The conservation district, based in Coupeville, is working with five Whidbey Island farms to provide a community supported agriculture program for residents in Oak Harbor and surrounding areas.
The Coupeville Town Marshal’s Office responded to the following calls:
A proposal by a downtown business to encroach on public parking for outdoor dining has other area businesses talking.
Kimberly Hoctor made three sales before she even opened her Coupeville store last weekend.
Women saw handbags in a window display and walked right in, excitedly ignoring the signs informing customers of her opening date.
