Jeff comes to EADS from Sholom Community Alliance, a Minnesota nonprofit provider of senior healthcare and housing services with annual revenues of $45 million. For the past ten years, Jeff has held the position of Corporate Director of Human Resources/Chief Compliance Officer for Sholom Community Alliance. His responsibilities there also included direction of an IT department supporting 500 users on three campuses.

“Although these are challenging times for all nonprofits, the need for caring, cost-effective adult day services is growing exponentially,” states Jeff, “I am proud to be joining a passionate organization determined to meet that need.”

Jeff has served on the executive team of several Minnesota public and nonprofit organizations, including the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Minneapolis Public Schools and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.  He has published articles on compensation planning, applied statistics and HR management.  In addition, he has been a presenter at many national conferences on subjects as diverse as information technology systems design, performance management, TQM and strategic planning.   He has a Masters Degree in Management from Hamline University in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Established in 1984, Elder and Adult Day Services (EADS) has provided relief to caregivers by offering day health programs to care for the needs of frail seniors and adults with developmental disabilities. The centers, conveniently located in Bellevue, Des Moines and Bainbridge Island, are the only day health programs in Washington State that are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), meeting rigorous guidelines for service and quality.

Not many people remember that one of their first locations was in downtown Bellevue, on Bellevue Way NE.

Dick’s has recently announced an online poll to help decide where they should build a new location: in the North end, in the South End or our beloved Eastside.  C’mon Eastsiders!  Vote for Dick’s to expand to the Eastside.

It has been quite a year.  The restaurant garnered a 2010 Best of Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator (an amazing accomplishment for a restaurant less than a year old); wine director Lisa Rongren was selected 2010 Sommelier of the Year by Seattle Magazine; Steak was recognized as having the Best Happy Hour by the Bellevue Reporter; and received a 2010 Haute Pick award as Best Steakhouse, among other honors.

The reviews also came flooding in.  Seattle Magazine said “With every imagined extra attended to, Howie’s restaurants—at once plush, tasteful and familiar—pinpoint and incorporate the strategies that make Bellevue’s most thriving restaurants a success, with Howie himself providing the local element savvy Pacific Northwest diners demand.”

Nancy Leson of the Seattle Times commented “Friendly tableside service accounts for the room’s bacon perfume; oysters are given the most delicate of Rockefeller treatment; sweet lobster adds luxury to a tony tub of mashed potatoes; and cherries celebrate their jubilee by getting drunk on cognac.”

Chef Howie is planning a week long first birthday celebration to express thanks to the supportive Eastside community, with a give-away and specials based on the restaurant’s September 12, 2009 opening date.   From September 6th through the 12th, he will express his appreciation with:

Giveaway

Drop a business card in our drawing bowl and win your own birthday dinner for 4 (up to a $500 value).  Your celebration will include a bottle of select wine from Chef Howie’s personal wine locker.

Monday, 9/6

Labor Day.  The restaurant will not be serving lunch, but will open at 3:00 pm with Happy Hour prices and menu offered until close.

Tuesday, 9/7

During regular Happy Hour (3 – 6 pm) and Happy Hour After Dark (9 – 11 pm) enjoy a complimentary taste of Tempura Bacon with any cocktail purchase – a signature John Howie Steak treat.

Wednesday, 9/8

At lunch only, enjoy a Prime Burger with all the fixings for only $9.12. 

Thursday, 9/9

Come in and enjoy an incredible value – a four-course dinner paired with four-ounce pours personally dispensed by owner/winemaker Mark McNeilly of Mark Ryan Winery.  Priced at $91.20 (exclusive of tax and gratuity), this $150 value features Australian “A5” Wagyu Zabaton Steak as the entrée. (The dinner need not be ordered by the entire table; it can be ordered individually.)

Friday, 9/10

With every two entrees purchased, receive a gift certificate for $20.10 for use until 9/10/11.

Saturday, 9/11

In memory of the tragedy of 9/11 and to honor our troops, half of the price of every special “Pennsylvania Avenue” red, white and blue cocktail will go to the USO (United Service Organizations) which provides morale, welfare and recreational services to members of the U.S. Armed Forces.  The featured cocktail is a blend of citrus and raspberry vodkas with fresh lemon, honey syrup, lemon bitters and a patriotic garnish, priced at $9.

Sunday, 9/12  Happy Birthday John Howie Steak!

Come celebrate…our bar menu will feature Steak Frites from 3 – 9 pm for only $9.12!’

All Week

All military personnel will receive a 25% discount on food with I.D.

For information call John Howie Steak at (425) 440-0880 or go on-line at www.johnhowiesteak.com The restaurant is located at The Shops at The Bravern, 11111-NE 8th St., Suite 125, Bellevue, Washington  98004.  Validated parking is available in the garage below.

The 19-credit program consists of four classes: Introduction to Sustainable Business Practices, Introduction to Carbon Footprint & Resource Economics, Communication for Sustainable Business Practices, and Sustainable Business Analysis.

Developed with involvement from the business community, the program is designed to teach students to identify and build a business case for operating practices that would not only be more ecologically sound but that could also increase a company’s financial return.

Students will study such topics as eco-efficiency, life-cycle analysis, carbon footprint calculations, energy efficiency, waste and water management, “triple-bottom-line” accounting (which adds measures of societal and economic success to the traditional profit/loss statement), green supply-chain issues, and corporate communications and training.

The program was developed after Bellevue College conducted a “Green Survey” among 16 Puget Sound companies, large and small, to identify and assess the work-force skills employers need to operate successfully today and in the future.

Leaders of the participating companies expressed an increasingly urgent need for professionals who understand how to integrate sustainable practices into all aspects of their operations.

For the convenience of working students, all classes will include a mix of evening, in-class sessions and more flexible online study.

Those wishing further information may visit http://bellevuecollege.edu/fallschedule/bsust/, call  425-564-5716, or attend an informational open house on Sept. 9 at 6:00 p.m. in room 201 of the college’s N Building (at the south end of the Bellevue College main campus).

Those interested in registering for the class should please contact Julie Griffin at jgriffin@bellevuecollege.edu.

Increasingly, adults are heading back to school to improve their career prospects and earning power, and are turning to CareerBridge.Wa.Gov (www.CareerBridge.Wa.Gov) for answers from the state’s first education “consumer reports” website.

In many cases, Career Bridge details how many students completed an educational program, whether they got a job, and how much they earned-providing a new level of accountability and transparency for those considering where to go to school, and what to study.

Ultimately, Career Bridge enables potential students to sort through dozens, if not hundreds of training programs, and enroll in one that matches their interests and is likely to lead to a living-wage job.

The website also connects to employment data from the state’s Employment Security Department so users can learn whether an occupation is in demand, what it pays on average and its projected growth rate.

“Education can be costly in both time and money. This online database makes it easier to find the training that will make you competitive for the job you seek” said Eleni Papadakis, executive director of the website’s sponsoring agency, the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board. “The consumer report side of Career Bridge means you can find the training that best suits your needs and budget.”

High school students involved in career planning are also using Career Bridge to chart their next educational step. The site includes an Explore Careers area that allows students to view their interests and abilities and how they align with a potential career. The site also shows students ways to pay for their education through federal and state grants, scholarships, tax credits and work study.

The Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board is a partnership of labor, business and government, dedicated to helping Washington residents obtain and succeed in family-wage jobs, while meeting employers’ needs for skilled workers.

Rob, Steve and Tom have brought on seasoned eastside hospitality maven, Jean O’Neill, as General Manager of Grand Cru Mixologie Lounge.  O’Neill has created a cocktail program on the philosophy that Grand Cru will be a place where every guest can enjoy a well-made drink each and every time — from the classics to their wide selection of signature cocktails, careful thought has been put into each creation.  One of the highlights from Grand Cru’s Signature cocktails is the Rita B. Martini, a twist on the classic margarita which includes a splash of beer.

“We want to be the neighborhood lounge where each guest is not only wowed by the quality, but feel they paid a fair price.  If you are coming in to meet friends or want to make new ones, it is our goal that they have a memorable experience and leave with a smile,” says Jean.

Grand Cru Mixologie Lounge is offering a wide selection of happy hour dishes, such as the Dungeness Thai Crab Cakes with fresh orange slaw, thai chili sauce and a spicy mustard drizzle; or a Half-Pound Kobe Beef Burger served with fontina cheese, tarragon aioli, caramelized onions and french fries with spicy ketchup.  Along with the new food and beverage additions, Grand Cru has also made several decor changes throughout the lounge by adding four large flat screen TVs and cozy, comfortable lounge style furniture giving the bar a more relaxed feel.

The Lounge will be offering daily promotions that include; “$2 Tuesdays” on select microbrews; “Ladies Night” every Wednesday with cocktail specials; “Wine Lover’s Thursdays” with $3 off wines by-the-glass and half price bottles of wine; “$5 Friday’s” with an offering of cocktails, wine and food for $5 each; and “Jazz Festival Saturdays” with two live performances that start at 5 PM and 8 PM.  Each time offering will feature a different artist.  They are offering happy hour all night on Sundays (beginning September 12) and Mondays, and an early and late night happy hour every Tuesday thru Saturday  from 4 PM to 7 PM and 9 PM to Close.

Grand Cru is within walking distance to Bellevue Square and Bellevue’s financial district.  Street parking and a complimentary retail parking garage under the Ten20 Building is available and can be accessed from NE 11th Avenue on the North end of the Ten20 complex.

Hours of Operation: Monday-Thursday 4 PM-11 PM; Friday/Saturday 4PM-Midnight; Sunday: Noon – 10PM (beginning September 12)

Located at 3620 Factoria Blvd SE, just east of I-405 and south of I-90, the new 15,000 square-foot Bartell’s store was formerly the Loehmann’s clothing store.

The grand opening kicks off Monday, September 13, with a ribbon-cutting scheduled for September 14 at 10 a.m. as members of the Bartell family, employees, vendors and local dignitaries celebrate the store’s opening and Bartell’s 120^th anniversary.

“We have searched for several years for the right location in the Factoria neighborhood.  I am pleased that we will at last have a store there to serve the needs of those that asked for us. I’m excited to bring our brand of great service and value to a great neighborhood,” said George D. Bartell, Chairman and CEO of the Seattle-based chain.

The new Factoria-Bellevue store will feature a new full-service pharmacy, which will offer clinical care services and an international travel clinic in addition to traditional pharmacy services.  Product offerings will include many natural and organic health, beauty and cleaning products, nutritional supplements, a large selection of convenience foods, greeting cards and more. It will feature Bartell’s exclusive PixPlus™ department—offering digital print kiosks, a broad selection of camera and sound electronics, on-site one hour photo finishing and a passport photo center. The new store will also include a selection of beer and wine featuring many local Northwest wines.

Utilizing alternative energy technology, this will be the first Bartell’s location to have a solar energy system to supplement conventional power sources, with panels on the face of the building and on the roof.

The new store is expected to employ approximately 20 employee associates.

Founded in Seattle in 1890, Bartell Drugs owns and operates stores in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties.  Family-owned and operated, it is the nation’s oldest drugstore chain.

Mike Smith was born in 1942 in Portland, Oregon, and spent his childhood growing up in Vancouver, Washington, and the Puget Sound area. He now resides in a small pulp and paper community located on the shores of the Columbia River. He graduated from the University of Portland with a degree in English Literature. Smith began drawing and sculpting at the age of two, after an interlude of baseball, he became a serious full-time artist at the age of twenty-five. He supported himself doing graphic design and other commercial art endeavors while pursuing his fine art career.

He has tried to abandon any “school” of painting and uses an autobiographical approach. His subjects are mostly found in his backyard or around the neighborhood in which he lives. His dogs, the cat, his rowboat, and ducks in his pond, are all included in the bright watercolors of his paintings. He also sculpts in bronze, paints in oils and does silk screen prints.

Smith says, “People always want to know the meaning of my work and where I get my ideas from.  My work is simply about the people and places and animals I love. Images, unlike the written word, do not dictate to you. After twenty-five years of painting almost every day, it has become my world.” It is fun-filled, colorful, and full of life.

Over the years, Smith has had more than 50 one-man shows. One of the most interesting was a double show in Leipzig, Germany – in a gallery at the American Consulate. The media he uses includes watercolor, pastel, bronze (cast and fabricated), oil, ceramic, wood, and several printmaking techniques.

El Gaucho’s location in Bellevue at the City Center Plaza Building is so hard for many of their guests to find, they have created a movie with directions on how to find them and posted it on YouTube and their homepage.  Here’s the video:

Finding a job is the best substitute for an unemployment check, but as more and more Americans exhaust their jobless benefits, employment opportunities remain sparse.

In July, the state unemployment rate was 8.6 percent, down from 9.5 percent a year ago; however, in parts of Washington it is in double-digits.  The Portland-Vancouver metro area reports 13.3 percent unemployment, about the same as last year.  Economists worry that it may take years for our economy to return to its peak of a couple of years ago.

Ironically, the longer we experience high unemployment, the harder it will be for private employers to begin hiring.

That’s because Washington employers bear the entire burden for funding unemployment benefits.  Many small businesses in our state saw their unemployment insurance (UI) taxes jump 300 to 400 percent the beginning of this year, and preliminary indications are employers may have to brace for an average 27 percent increase in January.  In addition, state lawmakers returning to Olympia will face intense pressure to increase unemployment benefits further, which will increase the UI taxes even more.

Employers are caught in a vicious cycle.  Our unemployment system is experience rated, meaning that as layoffs increase, UI taxes increase as well, leaving employers with less money to keep people working and create new jobs.  In addition, there’s an additional socialized UI tax which requires all employers to share the burden of UI taxes on employers who went out of business or are in highly seasonable occupations.

Unfortunately, skyrocketing UI taxes are just part of the problem.

Some lawmakers want to hike general taxes as well to bail the state out of its projected $3 billion revenue shortfall, and next January, employers will face yet another round of increases in workers’ compensation taxes, which pay for workplace injuries.

In essence, private employers could be looking at a triple whammy next year: higher taxes and fees, higher unemployment taxes and higher workers’ compensation premiums.

None of the several initiatives on the ballot this fall addresses the vicious cycle of UI taxes.  But astoundingly, union leaders and some legislators plan to introduce legislation that will increase unemployment benefits, extend coverage to more people who quit their jobs, and add additional weeks of jobless benefits — all of which will push UI taxes even higher.

They need to understand that higher unemployment benefits are counterproductive if they cripple employers’ ability to hire or, worse yet, put them out of business.  Legislators should focus on increasing jobs, not jobless benefits.

As the listless economy shambles on, the state’s UI trust account, funded by employers, is being drained.  Hopefully, it won’t go bankrupt as it did in the 1980s, forcing us to borrow from the federal government to pay unemployment benefits.

Currently, 31 other states have exhausted their unemployment insurance trust accounts.  Since the recession began, those states have borrowed just under $40 billion from the feds, and the situation is expected to worsen by year’s end.

Borrowing money to pay jobless benefits creates a larger problem as employers — the job creators — will be hit with even higher taxes, because the loans must be repaid with interest.

The best solution to joblessness is jobs.  Instead of constantly expanding jobless benefits, legislators should help spur job creation by reducing regulatory costs for employers, cutting taxes, and providing economic incentives.  A reenergized economy will provide more tax revenue to the state, replenish the unemployment trust account and give working families the security of a job.

There really is no substitute for a paycheck.

About the Author

Don Brunell is the president of the Association of Washington Business. Formed in 1904, AWB is Washington’s oldest and largest statewide business association, and includes more than 7,000 members representing 650,000 employees. AWB serves as both the state’s chamber of commerce and the manufacturing and technology association. While its membership includes major employers like Boeing, Microsoft and Weyerhaeuser, 90 percent of AWB members employ fewer than 100 people. More than half of AWB’s members employ fewer than 10. For more about AWB, visit www.awb.org.