Walla Walla Community College Wins National Excellence Award

One of Washington’s many talented community colleges, Walla Walla, was honored on Tuesday with the prestigious Aspen Award – along with a $400,000 grant to grow their successful programs.

The national award recognizes a community college that does an exceptional job at graduating students and preparing them for careers or further education at a four year institution. Schools are judged on student learning outcomes, degree completion, labor market success in securing good jobs after college, and facilitating minority and low-income student success.

Traditionally the Aspen Award is presented to just one community college, but Walla Walla shared the top honors with Santa Barbara City College. The selection committee felt that both had excelled equally among the criteria.

WWCC was chosen for its success in predicting and meeting demand in new and growing industries. During the recession they were one of the few rural community colleges to grow, primarily because of their willingness to shrink or close programs and shift resources to more popular areas.

The college doubled enrollment in their nursing program when market research suggested an upcoming shortage, and they successfully anticipated the explosive growth of Washington’s wine industry with their viticulture program. Their efforts paid off for students as well: recent Walla Walla graduates earn nearly double annual amount of other new hires in the region.

Any mention of WWCC would be incomplete without an acknowledgement of the work of the late Representative Bill Grant. A consistent advocate and nine-year member of the Board of Trustees, his years spent pushing to expand and promote the school helped pave the road to this top honor.

A comeback for cider?

Photo credit: WSU NWREC

With the state’s wine industry booming and microbreweries thick on the ground in the Pacific Northwest, opportunity-seeking farmers in Washington are excited about the potential of a different fermented alcoholic beverage: hard apple cider.

The non-profit Northwest Agriculture Business Center and the Washington State University Northwest Washington Research and Extension Center – both in Mount Vernon – are jointly sponsoring one-day workshops in June and July for entrepreneurs interested in growing apples for cider and in producing cider. More intensive week-long courses in those months are sold out.

Hard cider is the fastest growing component of the alcoholic beverage industry. Washington clearly is fertile land for apple orchards – the state is by far the No. 1 producer in the nation – but the Red Delicious, Gala, Honeycrisp and other eat-fresh varieties that make up so much of the crop aren’t really well-suited to making cider. Traditional cider varieties include Dabinett, Chisel Jersey, Kingston Black and Brown Snout.

The WSU extension service in Mount Vernon is conducting research into the best varieties for cider production in Washington, and you can read more about that by clicking here.

Cider is cherished and made with care in traditional producing areas in England, France and other countries. For 18th-century American colonists in New England, it was the drink of choice. Changing patterns of immigration and settlement, as well as technological advances, led to the rise of beer to dominance in the U.S. in the 19th century.

To read this story in Spanish, please click here.

Innovation Partnership Zones are in for some new cash

A few days ago, the Department of Commerce, which is charged with enhancing and promoting sustainable community and economic vitality in Washington, announced that there are $13.5 million in the Capital Budget for Innovation Partnership Zones (IPZ) to foster economic growth. 

Anything that fosters economic growth is a good thing, but what are IPZs, anyway?  

The Innovation Partnership Zones program was created in 2007 by the Washington State Legislature to strengthen the connections between research and business, encouraging regions in Washington to fire up their global competitiveness, and create more high-paying jobs.   

It’s been five years and, so far so good, as we have 14 of them!  This session with a measure sponsored by Rep. Phyllis Gutiérrez Kenney, we strengthened them by requiring that they must be part of an industry cluster, which will encourage the creation of more zones that will prompt current and future economic development.  

The projects that will receive funding include: 

Tri-Cities Research District - $5 million for a new research and education facility in the heart of the area’s wine country, allowing Washington State to continue to solidify its position as the second leading wine producer in the nation.  

Walla Walla Valley IPZ - $3.67 million for human capital, addressing a shortage in energy technicians in the region who are responsible for maintaining the area’s 5,000 wind turbines.  

Tacoma: Urban Clean Water Technology Zone - $3.6 million for three new labs:

• Clean Water Innovation Development & Technology Transfer Laboratory.
• Shared use lab at the Center for Urban Waters to develop new clean water technologies. 
• Clean Water Technology Aquatic Toxicology Lab to study the effects of pollution and diseases on fish, aquatic insects and bivalves. 

Grays Harbor IPZ - $750,000 to equip the Coastal Innovation Zone R&D Business Incubator Facility to help businesses develop, test and commercialize new products with a heavy focus on reuse of industry byproducts and wastes. 

Bothell Biomedical Manufacturing IPZ - $500,000 for a new incubator space to house companies that design, develop and manufacture biomedical devices.  

For more information on these projects go here.

To read this story in Spanish, please click here.

Washington wine on the rise

The state budget may be squeezed, and the jobless rate still tops 8 percent statewide, but the Washington wine industry is growing at a rate that’s positively intoxicating.

Despite the effects of the Great Recession, the industry’s contribution to the economy has increased to $8.6 billion a year, according to a new study from the Washington State Wine Commission, a promotional group financed by wineries and vineyard owners. That’s up from the $3 billion a year counted in a similar study in 2007.

Just a couple of days ago, Gov. Gregoire touted the quality of the state’s wines in comparison to wines from California, the only state that produces more wine than Washington. The occasion was her signing of a construction-projects bill passed by the Legislature this year that includes $5 million for a Wine Science Center in Richland.

To read the full Wine Commission study, click here.

To read this post in Spanish, click here.

Bills to boost business and jobs go into effect

It's that time of year when the new laws of 2011 start going into effect.

Of the 2091 bills introduced last session, 427 were passed and signed by the governor. Many are technical or minor fixes to current law, but there were also many notable new policies approved. Here's a short round-up of some of the bills passed to bolster support for Washington's businesses and help create jobs. You can see more about our efforts here.

Giving small businesses more time to correct violations without a penalty (HB 1150) Small businesses now have seven calendar days—up from just two days—to fix most regulatory violations before agencies impose fines or sanctions. (With common-sense exceptions).

Giving contractors more time to appeal state agency rulings (HB 1055)
Contractors now have 30 days, instead of 20 days, to file regulatory appeals.

Strengthening the Regulatory Fairness Act for small businesses (SB 5500)
Beginning today, state rule-makers must consider small-business input and possible ways to reduce paperwork and regulatory compliance costs before imposing new rules on businesses.

Fair state contracting for small businesses (SB 1770)
This contracting reform requires all state purchasing agencies to adopt strategies and provide technical assistance to increase the number of state contracts awarded to small businesses.

Improving state help for local economic development (HB 1916)
New guidelines require the Department of Commerce and Associate Development Organizations (ADOs) to reach out to all businesses—including small businesses—throughout their services areas. It also improves ADO training in business services such as export assistance.

Promoting Washington wines and microbrews at Farmers Markets (HB 1172)
An innovative pilot project will allow beer and wine tastings of Washington products at up to 10 farmers markets—with safeguards to prevent problems such as minors taking tastes.

Today's hot list

Today, the House will roll out its supplemental budget proposals for the operating, capital and transportation budgets. All three proposals are up for a public hearing tonight at 6.

Also on today's schedule:

8:00 HHR C General Government Appropriations
Public Hearing:
SSB 6341 – Transferring food assistance programs to the department of agriculture.
SB 6540 – Transferring the combined fund drive from the department of personnel to the secretary of state.

10:00 HHR E Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness
Public Hearing:
SB 5582 – Concerning the chief for a day program.
SB 6308 – Controlling computer access by residents of the special commitment center.
SSB 6202 – Expanding provisions related to vulnerable adults.
SSB 6590 – Stating the policy that law enforcement personnel be truthful and honest in the conduct of official business.
SSB 6673 – Appointing a task force to study bail practices and procedures.

10:00 HHR D Higher Education
Public Hearing: E2SSB 6562 – Regarding higher education accountability and access (this is the major tuition bill of the session).

10:00 HHR A Education
Work Session: Issues related to nationally board certificated Educational Staff Associates.

10:00 HHR B Commerce & Labor
Public Hearing: SSB 6329 – Creating a beer and wine tasting endorsement to the liquor license.

1:30 HHR D State Government & Tribal Affairs
Public Hearing: ESB 6754 – Making the names and addresses of persons signing initiative or referendum petitions public record.

12:15 HHR A Supplemental Operating Budget rollout for reporters and public

1:00 Supplemental Transportation Budget briefing for reporters

1:30 Supplemental Capital Budget Q&A for reporters

1:30 HHR A Health Care & Wellness
Executive Session:
SSB 5798 – Concerning medical marijuana.
SSB 6273 – Regarding insurance coverage of the sales tax for prescribed durable medical equipment and mobility enhancing equipment.
SB 6627 – Authorizing Washington pharmacies to fill prescriptions written by advanced registered nurse practitioners in other states or in certain provinces of Canada.
SB 6263 – Washington vaccine association
SSCR 8409 – Forming a joint select committee on health reform implementation.

6:00 HHR C Capital Budget
Public Hearing: HB 2836 – Concerning the capital budget

6:00 HHR B Transportation
Public Hearing: HB 2838 – Making 2009-11 supplemental transportation appropriations.

6:00 HHR A Ways & Means
Public Hearing: HB 2824 – Making 2010 operating supplemental appropriations. This hearing is on the proposed substitute bill by Representative Linville.

This week's hot list

The big news this week will be the budget rollouts from both the House and the Senate. Legislators will also be working hard in House committees to pass Senate bills before Friday's cutoff.

Monday 2/22
1:30 HHR D Human Services
Executive Session:
SB 6316 – Law enforcement and corrections (related to Clemmons case)
SB 6548 – Suspending parole (related to Clemmons case)
ESB 6610 – Relating to oversight and release of people found not guilty by reason of insanity (Paul case)

3:30 HHR B Transportation
Public Hearing: ESSB 6392 – Clarifying the use of revenue generated from tolling the state route 520 corridor.


Tuesday 2/23
8:00 HHR C General Government Appropriations
Public Hearing:
SSB 6341 – Transferring food assistance programs to the department of agriculture.
SB 6540 – Transferring the combined fund drive from the department of personnel to the secretary of state.

10:00 HHR E Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness
Public Hearing:
SB 5582 – Concerning the chief for a day program.
SB 6308 – Controlling computer access by residents of the special commitment center.
SSB 6202 – Expanding provisions related to vulnerable adults.
SSB 6590 – Stating the policy that law enforcement personnel be truthful and honest in the conduct of official business.
SSB 6673 – Appointing a task force to study bail practices and procedures.

10:00 HHR D Higher Education
Public Hearing: E2SSB 6562 – Regarding higher education accountability and access (this is the major tuition bill of the session).

10:00 HHR A Education
Work Session: Issues related to nationally board certificated Educational Staff Associates.

10:00 HHR B Commerce & Labor
Public Hearing: SSB 6329 – Creating a beer and wine tasting endorsement to the liquor license.

1:00 HHR D State Government & Tribal Affairs
Public Hearing: ESB 6754 – Making the names and addresses of persons signing initiative or referendum petitions public record.

1:30 HHR A Health Care & Wellness
Executive Session:
SSB 5798 – Concerning medical marijuana.
SSB 6273 – Regarding insurance coverage of the sales tax for prescribed durable medical equipment and mobility enhancing equipment.
SB 6627 – Authorizing Washington pharmacies to fill prescriptions written by advanced registered nurse practitioners in other states or in certain provinces of Canada.
SB 6263 – Washington vaccine association
SSCR 8409 – Forming a joint select committee on health reform implementation.

6:00 HHR C Capital Budget
Public Hearing: HB 2836 – Concerning the capital budget

6:00 HHR B Transportation
Public Hearing: HB 2838 – Making 2009-11 supplemental transportation appropriations.

6:00 HHR A Ways & Means
Public Hearing: HB 2824 – Making 2010 operating supplemental appropriations. This hearing is on the proposed substitute bill by Representative Linville.

Today's hot list

8:00 HHR A Judiciary
Public Hearing:
HB 1908 - Modifying the manufactured/mobile home landlord-tenant act.
HB 2662 - Conforming certain manufactured/mobile home dispute resolution program definitions with certain manufactured/mobile home landlord-tenant act definitions.

8:00 HHR B Community & Economic Development & Trade
Public Hearing:
HB 2632 – Expanding the number of households living in the middle-income bracket
HB 2658 - Refocusing the department of commerce, including transferring programs (DOC re-org).

1:30 HHR B Commerce & Labor
Public Hearing: HB 2642 – Establishing a pilot project to allow wine tasting at farmers market.

3:30 HHR B Transportation
Work Session: 2009 State Route 520 Legislative Work Group Report

6:00 HHR D Financial Institutions & Insurance
Public Hearing: HB 2513 – Banning the use of credit scoring by insurance companies for insurance purposes.

6:00 HHR A Education Appropriations
Work Session: Levy equalization.

This week's hot list

Monday 1/18
1:30 HHR A Judiciary
Public Hearing: HB 2793 - Clarifying and expanding the rights and obligations of state registered domestic partners and other couples related to parentage (i.e., surrogacy contracts).

1:30 HHR D Human Services
Public Hearing:
HB 2624 – Suspending the interstate compact for adult offender supervision (related to Maurice Clemmons case).
HB 2747 – Limiting the use of restraints on pregnant women or youth.

3:30 HHR B Transportation
Public Hearing: HB 2635 – Addressing the use of wireless communications devices while driving (Makes texting and handheld cell phone use a primary offense for drivers. For young drivers, all wireless communication, including hands free devices, is banned except for certain emergency situations.)

6:00 HHR A Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness
Work Session: Overview of the Lakewood Police Department and Maurice Clemmons Case.


Tuesday 1/19
8:00 HHR C General Government Appropriations
Work Session: Fee supported programs within select agencies for which the revenue from the fee does not fully cover the costs of the program.

• Department of Ecology
• Department of Natural Resources
• Department of Fish & Wildlife
• Office of the Secretary of State
• Washington State Patrol

8:00 HHR D Financial Institutions & Insurance
Public Hearing: HB 2622 – Protecting consumers from unfair practices by establishing criteria for the dissemination of credit and court record information contained in a consumer’s tenant screening report.

8:00 HHR A Education Appropriations
Public Hearing: HB 2670 – Restoring the school district levy base.

10:00 HHR C Ecology & Parks
Public Hearing: HB 2562 – Concerning lease rates for industrial users of state-owned aquatic lands (Would re-calculate lease rates using the market rate).

10:00 HHR E Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness
Public Hearing (bills related to Maurice Clemmons case):
HB 1203 – Modifying the definition of relative for purposes of the crime of rendering criminal assistance.
HB 2625 – Addressing bail for felony offenses.
HB 2626 – Modifying violation provisions for offenders.
HJR 4213 – Adopting the Lakewood Law Enforcement Memorial Act to amend the state Constitution to exempt certain persons charged with a most serious crime from being bailable if proof is evident that the individual is potentially dangerous to other people in the community.
HJR 4214 - Adopting the Lakewood Law Enforcement Memorial Act to amend the state Constitution to exempt certain persons charged with a most serious crime from being bailable if proof is evident that the individual is potentially dangerous to other people in the community.
HB 2781 – Imposing a sanction for offenders who violate sentence conditions by committing an assault against a law enforcement officer, employee of a law enforcement agency, or department of corrections employee.

1:30 HHR D State Government & Tribal Affairs
Work Session: Background on HB 2617 – Eliminating boards and commissions.
Public Hearing: HB 2583 - Prior to filing court action alleging a violation of the public records act, the requester and agency may first confer in person or by telephone.

1:30 HHR A Health Care & Wellness
Public Hearing: HB 2652 – Regulating tanning facilities.

1:30 HHR B Agriculture & Natural Resources
Public Hearing: HB 2696 - Regarding a proposal for a new permit-only salmonid fishery for the Columbia river.

1:30 HHR C Finance
Public Hearing: HB 2650 – Providing local flexibility with existing revenues during severe economic downturns.

1:30 HHR E Early Learning & Children’s Services
Public Hearing (all three early learning proposals):
HB 2431 - Establishing within basic education a program of early learning for at-risk children.
HB 2731 - Creating an early learning program for educationally at-risk children.
HB 2867 - Promoting early learning.

3:30 HHR A Ways & Means
Public Hearing: HB 2921 – Early savings bill


Wednesday 1/20
8:00 HHR D Human Services
Public Hearing: HB 2782 – Reorganizing delivery of services to recipients of public assistance (Security Lifeline Act: Renames GAU as Disability Lifeline, seeks to expedite transitions from GAU to SSI, streamlines and coordinates applications for and access to basic needs services and employment and training services.)

8:00 HHR A Judiciary
Public Hearing:
HB 1908 - Modifying the manufactured/mobile home landlord-tenant act.
HB 2662 - Conforming certain manufactured/mobile home dispute resolution program definitions with certain manufactured/mobile home landlord-tenant act definitions.

8:00 HHR B Community & Economic Development & Trade
Public Hearing:
HB 2632 – Expanding the number of households living in the middle-income bracket
HB 2658 - Refocusing the department of commerce, including transferring programs (DOC re-org).

1:30 HHR B Commerce & Labor
Public Hearing: HB 2642 – Establishing a pilot project to allow wine tasting at farmers market.

3:300 HHR B Transportation
Work Session: 2009 State Route 520 Legislative Work Group Report

3:30 HHR C Capital Budget
Work Session:

• Joint Legislative Task Force on School Construction Funding Recommendations
• School District Capital Construction Reimbursement Claim Process Report
• Analysis of the School Construction Assistance Program Allocations Report
• Qualified School Construction Bonds, Qualified Zone Academy Bonds, and Build America Bonds
  

6:00 HHR D Financial Institutions & Insurance
Public Hearing: HB 2513 – Banning the use of credit scoring by insurance companies for insurance purposes.

6:00 HHR A Education Appropriations
Work Session: Levy equalization.


Thursday 1/21
8:00 HHR D State Government & Tribal Affairs
Public Hearing: HB 2617 – Eliminating certain boards and commissions

1:30 HHR C General Government Appropriations
Work Session: Impact of Department of Corrections facility closures.


Friday 1/22
8:00 HHR A Education
Work Session: Gangs in Schools.
Public Hearing:
HB 2834 - Regarding gang and hate group activity at schools and school activities.
HB 2835 - Increasing school safety.
HB 2801 - Regarding antiharassment strategies in public schools.

9:00 HHR E Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness
Possible executive session: HB 2115 – Allowing booking photographs and electronic images at jails to be open to the public.

1:30 HHR D State Government & Tribal Affairs
Public Hearing: HB 2603 – Requiring agencies to give small businesses an opportunity to comply with a state law or agency rule before imposing a penalty.

1:30 HHR A Finance Jt. w/ Health Care & Wellness
Public Hearing: HB 2388 – Concerning public health financing (candy tax)

Rep. Morris has his eye on becoming #1 energy-saving state

Sam Taylor at the Bellingham Herald's Politics Blog, who is a voracious devourer of legislative news apparently, beat us to our OWN posting regarding Rep. Jeff Morris' new bill proposals for the '09 session.

Morris, an energy policy expert by trade, led efforts in 2005 that resulted in adoption of new efficiency standards for many appliances and electrical equipment in Washington. That bill, HB 1062, was estimated to save Washington over 400 million gallons of water, 1.9 million therms of natural gas, and 136 million KW hours of electricity in the first year alone.

“Not only do these policies make sense from an energy conservation standpoint, they make sense economically,” says Morris. “For consumers and businesses of Washington state, those savings equal nearly half a billion dollars in energy savings.” Morris is referring to the estimated HALF A BILLION in savings for consumers and businesses by 2020, thanks to 1062.

As a result, our state has become a national leader in conservation efforts. In fact, for the past two years the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) has ranked Washington sixth in the nation in energy-saving policy.

But we suppose chanting, "We're #6!" doesn't sound nearly as cool as "We're #1." So this year, Rep. Morris has his sights on rising even higher in the ACEEE rankings with House Bill 1004, expanding energy efficiency standards to several other appliances, from wine chillers to portable electric spas.

To learn more about the ACEEE and read the report on states’ rankings, or learn how you can save energy at home, visit their site here.

And read the full news release here.

And next time, Sam, we’ll make sure to post our blog-worthy news here before you can beat us to the punch…

Schual-Berke seeking greener pastures among Kiwis

Rep. Shay Schual-Berke is busily packing up what's left of her Olympia office and preparing to leave the Legislature after serving the 33rd Legislative District for more than 10 years. But she isn't settling down for a life of leisure in Des Moines. Rather, she's venturing to distant lands with her husband who recently accepted a job in - where else? - New Zealand, of course.

When asked what she'll miss most about life as a legislator, Rep. Schual-Berke said it will probably be the buzz and excitement of being part of policy discussions that really matter.

"I'm really proud of the things I was able to do here," says Rep. Schual-Berke. "Whether it was advocating for the children in our welfare system, helping people without access to health care services, folks victimized by payday loan schemes... I've always tried to fight for the underdog."

But retiring from the Legislature will give Rep. Schual-Berke an opportunity to watch her children as they grow into young adults and enjoy new adventures with her husband. Perhaps she'll even have time to enjoy some of New Zealand's increasingly popular wine!