By WES MORROW wmorrow@centralkitsapreporter.com
Members of the Olympic Vintage Auto Club gathered at the Central Kitsap Food Bank on Tuesday to present gifts to several Kitsap County nonprofits. South Kitsap Helpline, St. Vincent de Paul and North Kitsap Fishline joined Central Kitsap Food Bank as beneficiaries of the automotive club’s donation. The event wasn’t large or
ceremonial. A handful of people from the auto club and nonprofits mingled in the food bank’s entry way, telling stories and joking. When the last person arrived, Ann Spears, representing the Vintage Auto Club, reached into an envelope and handed out four $1,000 checks. Denise Agee is the coordinator at St. Vincent de Paul in Bremerton. Her smile turned to a look of surprise and delight when
Regional news Employment Security Department going after delinquent accounts • This week, Employment Security is notifying more than 25,000 people that their 2012 income-tax refunds may be intercepted to repay benefits they shouldn’t have received. The department was recently approved to participate in the federal Treasury Offset Program (TOP), which allows Employment Security to cross-match its computer files with the Internal Revenue Service and flag individuals who are delinquent in paying back benefit overpayments. Generally, Employment Security will have first claim on any refunds they have coming. “We place a high priority on protecting the unemployment trust fund for those who are eligible for unemployment benefits,” said
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composting, ways that they can each become individually involved in science projects. The school also partners with a number of outside groups, including engineers at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, to introduce students to the STEM world outside the classroom. Along with the introduction of STEM programs, Glaser highlighted additional common planning time for teachers and more frequent evaluations as major contributing factors in the increases. Teachers for each grade have an hour of planning time together each day to collaborate and plan lessons. Although there may be multiple classes for each grade, teachers synchronize their lesson plans so students in each class receive the
she saw the number on the check. “We usually get 500 (dollars), so for each of us to get $1,000 is just over the top,” Agee said. “I’m really happy.” Olympic Vintage Auto Club has a long tradition of giving money to local organizations. Founded in 1959, the club conducted its 44th annual swap meet at the end of October and beginning of November. According to members of the club, between 20 and 30 vendors participated in this year’s swap meet at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds. Each year, the club takes the money it has gathered
and presents it to local organizations. The club decided this year to stick with the four local non-profits instead of spreading the donations throughout a greater number of organizations. This allowed them to give $1,000 to each organization, twice the amount each group had received in the past. “We wanted to give to a charity so a bunch of us sat down and figured out who, what, where, when,” Spears said. Once the decision had been made about which groups would receive the donations, Hoyt Burrows, Central Kitsap Food Bank director, said he got a call
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from Spears and her husband, Fred. Burrows has connections to both the party giving and the one receiving, as he is both the food bank’s director and a member of the Olympic vintage Auto Club. Burrows became the communicator between the club and the nonprofits, helping to organize a date and time for the presentation of checks. The $1,000 gifted to Central Kitsap Food Bank will likely go to providing baskets and holiday dinners, Burrows said. “It’s kind of a holiday tradition (for the club), helping us out,” said Mary Nader,
Employment Security Commissioner Paul Trause. “We also want to protect employers from potential rate increases caused by inappropriate benefit claims.” Many people being targeted for TOP review claimed unemployment benefits fraudulently. Federal law also allows states to use TOP to recover benefits from people who didn’t disclose earnings they received while claiming benefits. Employment Security will intercept refunds only for individuals who are past due in repaying what they owe. Together, the 25,000 people receiving notices this week owe $61.7 million in delinquent debt to the department. A year from now, employers with delinquent taxes will be added to Washington’s TOP review, in time for filing 2013 tax returns. Washington is one of 18 states, plus the District of Columbia, currently approved to participate in TOP.
Mill Town Family Christmas Families are invited to celebrate the fifth annual Mill Town Family Christmas 4-8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9 at the Historic Seabeck Conference Center. Festivities include hot cider and caroling, tractor-drawn hay rides and pioneer music by performers Vivian and Phil Williams. A family-style dinner will be served followed by a holiday program. Mill Town Family Christmas is hosted by the Kitsap County Historical Society and sponsored by the Kitsap Community Foundation and Sound Publishing. Tickets are $30 for adults, $15 for children 4-12, and Free for children 3 and under. To make reservations, call the Kitsap History Museum at (360) 479-6226. The mission of the Kitsap County Historical Society is to collect, preserve, and exhibit the diverse culture, heritage, and history of Kitsap County for the education and enjoyment of the public.
same direction. Then, when students are routinely evaluated, the teachers can compare notes and see what is working well and what they need to cover again. Frequent evaluation helps teachers adjust plans throughout the year. So by the time official state evaluations roll around at the end of the school year, students are more prepared and problem areas have already begun to be addressed. Bremerton High School received its Lighthouse grant for STEM in order to help other districts integrate elementary STEM education with secondary schools through what the district calls “vertical teaming” between elementary and secondary programs. Concerns have been raised by policy makers that the number of students seeking STEM degrees and pursuing work in STEM related fields is too low, prompting increases in STEM education. Contributing to this call for more STEM
students and workers is the thought that U.S. prosperity is tied to performance in STEM related fields. President Obama has backed STEM education, and called for an increase in science and technology teaching reminiscent of the space race, referencing the need as a “Sputnik moment.” The state’s recent investment in West Hills STEM Academy and Bremerton High School proves that the two schools have convinced the state over the last year that they are making significant advances in STEM education. West Hills, which added 6th grade last year, and will be adding 7th and 8th grade in the coming years, will further its STEM programs to a greater student body in coming years. In combination with Bremerton High School, hopefully the academy can continue to show increases in performance and retention through its STEM programs.
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executive director at North Kitsap Fishline. “It comes at a good time.” The auto club also endowed a $1,000 scholarship to West Sound Technical Skills Center in Bremerton, designated for the automotive program. Harrison Hospital in Silverdale will soon be the next recipient of the auto club’s generosity. In the days to come, members of the club plan to bring 121 new teddyA bears to the hosCUT ABOVE pital for sick children.
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