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An edition of

Local financial planners share advice for business owners and employees on planning for the Golden Years for the lower columbia

BUSINESS

april 2011

in this issue

April 2011

The Resource for Business News in The Lower Columbia

BUSINESS for the lower columbia

Reports 10| Consumer Reverse mortgages: Know the traps

STORY 16| COVER Planning for retirement

Achievements | 12 Hiring, promotions and awards

COVER STORY | 20 Planning for Golden Years no matter your age

Happenings 14| InBusiness Openings, moves, economic development

InBusiness Spotlight | 24 Carlson’s Heating and Air

Association of Washington Business | 5 Business owners jump at state’s offer of tax amnesty

Susan Hoosier | 6 Doplan?you have a fatal flaw in your retirement

3| Trending Small business forecasting

of Records 28| News Bankruptcies, real estate transactions

vital signs 8| Economy’s The pulse of the local business climate

Housing data | 30 Breakdown of area’s real estate activity

Airfares 13| PDX Lowest round-trip flights from Portland

Be ahead of the curve — know the small business economic trends The Index of Small Business Optimism gained 0.4 points in February, rising to 94.5, not the hoped-for surge that would signal a shift into “second gear” for economic growth. Gross Domestic Product growth in the fourth quarter was revised lower due to a large fall off in inventory building and weaker consumer spending than initially estimated. “Weak sales” still get the most votes by owners as their top business problem.

LABOR MARKETS — Fifteen percent (seasonally adjusted) reported unfilled job openings (up two points from January), hinting that the unemployment rate could notch down a bit. Over the next three months, 17 percent plan to increase employment (up five points), and six percent plan to reduce their workforce (down two points), yielding a seasonally adjusted net five percent of owners planning to create new jobs, a two point gain.

CAPITAL SPENDING — The frequency of reported capital outlays over the past 6 months fell 2 points to 49 percent of all firms. Owners remain in “maintenance mode,” apparently unwilling to risk new capital investments or not seeing any need for them.

INVENTORIES AND SALES — The net percent of all owners (seasonally adjusted) reporting higher nominal sales over the past three months was unchanged at a net negative 11 percent, 23 points better than March 2009, but still indicative of weak customer activity. The net percent of owners expecting higher real sales continued to rise, gaining one point to a net 14 percent of all owners (seasonally adjusted).

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INFLATION — The spectacular period of price cutting in the small business sector was triggered by the sudden decrease in consumer spending late in 2008 and the need to get rid of inventory accumulated to satisfy the spending of a consumer that had forgotten how to save. The net percent of owners reporting higher average selling prices peaked at 32 percent in July 2008, fell to zero that November and to a negative six percent in December, a decline of 38 percentage points in just five months. For the next 25 months, the percent reducing selling prices exceeded the percent raising prices by as much as 24 percentage points. That’s over! In January, the seasonally adjusted net percent reporting higher selling prices was negative four percent and in February, it hit a positive five percent.

PROFITS AND WAGES — Reports of positive earnings trends improved one point in February, registering a net negative 27 percent. Better, but still far more owners report that earnings are deteriorating quarter on quarter than rising. Part of this is due to price cutting, but that is fading in importance as the economy continues to grow. Large firms may be posting great profits, but the trend on Main Street is not supportive of solid hiring and capital spending. Labor cost, materials costs, interest rates – not the problem. It is still weak sales.

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Spring into action to protect and grow a Nest Egg

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f nothing else, the adverse economic conditions of the last several years have made most of us aware of how vulnerable our retirement plans and postcareer “nest eggs” really are. With few investment strategies proving to be recession-proof and well-placed government officials talking about possible rollbacks in Social Security and Medicare benefits, it’s easy to imagine many people not knowing where to turn.

While this month’s issue of InBusiness may not contain all the answers, john markon it went out looking for them. ReportInBusiness ers Erik Olson and Cheryll Borgaard looked at the issue from four perspectives with four people: n A retiree and his wife enjoying a well-funded, comfortable retirement. n A couple beginning to take retirement planning seriously as they age through their 40s. n A young couple in their 30s taking the first steps toward such planning. n A professional financial planner and adviser.

Columnist Susan Hoosier also contributes on the topic, advising owners of successful businesses on how to maximize the value of their companies should they choose to sell their business on retirement rather then hand it down to a younger family member.

A Longview firm that’s been profitably operated by a grandfather, father and son is profiled in this month’s InBusiness Spotlight as reporter Kevin Westrick examines the long-term success of Carlson’s Heating and Air Conditioning.

The current operator is 42-year-old Dack Carlson, who began as a teenager sweeping floors in the shop and now serves as president of the company.

BUSINESS for the lower columbia

april 2011

l

Volume 7, Issue 3

publisher

Rick Parrish • 577-2505 • rparrish@tdn.com

editor

John Markon • 577-2579 • jmarkon@tdn.com

editorial

Copy editors/designers: Rieva Lester • 501-2709 • rlester@tdn.com Evan Caldwell • 501-2704 •evan.caldwell@tdn.com Photographers: Bill Wagner • 578-7694 • photo@tdn.com Roger Werth • 577-2522 • photo@tdn.com Staff writers: Erik Olson • 577-2510 • erik.olson@tdn.com Cheryll Borgaard • 577-2586 • cheryll.borgaard@tdn.com Contributors: Kevin Westrick

advertising

Advertising sales manager: Steve Quaife • 577-2559 • squaife@tdn.com Marianne Chambers • 577-2562 •mchambers@tdn.com Advertising sales representatives: Cam Wilson• 577-2551 • cwilson@tdn.com Andrea Klingberg • 578-7684 • aklingberg@tdn.com Arleen Hubble • 577-2557 • ahubble@tdn.com Kathy Holden •577-2554 • kholden@tdn.com Dave Burris • 577-2560 • dburris@tdn.com

contact us Write to: InBusiness • The Daily News • P.O. Box 189 • Longview, WA 98632 Online: www.tdn.com/business InBusiness for the Lower Columbia is published monthly by Lower Columbia Media and distributed to businesses throughout Southwest Washington. Subscriptions available at a cost of $18 per year by calling 577-2571.

Copyright© 2011 Lower Columbia Media all rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part without express written consent is prohibited.

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Business owners jump at state’s offer of tax amnesty

W

ashington is in the gests the state could collect far midst of its first tax more than it anticipated. Just amnesty program, one month into it, nearly 3,000 and judging by the businesses had paid approxiearly response from businesses, mately $4 million in back taxes, it looks to be a hit. said Mike Gowrylow, The program gives a spokesman for the business owners who Department of Revhave fallen behind on enue. Most of the paytheir tax bill with the ments would likely state Department of come toward the end Revenue the chance to of the program, he pay it off without interadded. est or penalties. The “It will easily surdeadline to apply is pass that, and probadon April 18, and outstand- brunell bly by a wide margin,” ing taxes must be paid Association he said. in full by the end of This was Washingof Washington April. ton state’s first tax Business Officials estimated amnesty program. that 50,000 busiGov. Chris Gregoire nesses were in arrears on their proposed it last year followtax bill at the start of the proing a recommendation from gram. That’s roughly 10 perstate Auditor Brian Sonntag. A cent of the state’s registered tax amnesty was one of several businesses. They figured about suggestions outlined in the audi10,000 of them would take up tor’s January 2010 state governthe offer, paying a total of $28 ment performance review. million in state and local taxes.

Other states have been But the early response sugusing tax amnesty programs

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since the early 1980s as a way to increase revenue during a recession without raising taxes, Sonntag said. They’re also a good way to increase compliance without expanding enforcement activity.

The Legislature approved legislation allowing for the program when it met in December for a special session.

The Association of Washington Business supported the amnesty, noting it was especially important to give businesses the ability to settle tax quarrels in light of last year’s adoption of so-called tax-avoidance legislation.

“The world really changed overnight for taxpayers,” Amber Carter, AWB’s government affairs director for tax policy, told the Senate Ways & Means Committee. “This gives the opportunity to resolve tax matters in question that could go on and on in legal disputes.”

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revenue in the long run by waiving penalty and interest money, it brings in cash right away at a time when it needs all the money it can get.

And it’s a good deal for businesses struggling to recover from the recession. Normally, the amount of delinquent taxes hovers in the $115-120 million range, Gowrylow said. It peaked at $243 million in December 2009 and has fallen since then.

It’s still in the range of $182 million, though, and the recession is likely to blame for the higherthan-normal balance.

“More businesses are struggling,” Gowrylow said.

At least for some, this might be the break that helps them survive.

For more information on the program, visit www.dor.wa.gov and click on the “Amnesty program” link. n Don Brunell is president of the Association of Washington Business, the state’s chamber of commerce.

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Do you have a fatal flaw in your retirement plan?

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wning a business is part of the American dream. And selling that business for a ton of money, when the owner is ready to retire, is the hip-pocket retirement strategy for most business owners. The problem is identifying that illusive buyer who will magically appear with the right amount of cash just as the owner is ready to walk out the door.

The reality is that some problems may occur when the business owner decides to retire: n Many members of Generation Y do not aspire to own a business. n The current decline in housing prices is restricting access to equity that, in the past, helped fund business acquisitions. n The business for sale may be too specialized to SUSAN attract a buyer.

HOOSIER n The business’ success For InBusiness may be tied too closely to the owner’s unique personality and skills. n Buyers might equate a retirement sale with a distress sale and make only low-ball offers. n A larger number of businesses will be for sale as baby boomers begin to retire, which may result in lower prices. n Fewer qualified buyers will be available. n Most lenders do not want to fund the goodwill or “blue sky” aspects of a business, and the seller may be forced to carry the debt on that portion of the purchase price.

After pouring a lifetime of sweat, time and capital into building a business, how can business owners ensure they have

planned appropriately for retirement? n Don’t wait to begin strategizing for a succession plan. Begin now. n Optimize the value of your business with these six goals in mind: 1.) Make certain your business isn’t seen as being totally reliant on you, the propriator.

2.) Create a loyal following of customers likely to stay loyal to a new owner.

3.) Create strong internal systems.

4.) Develop a loyal and committed staff.

5.) Develop a method of measuring performance.

6.) Allow the business to retain some profits, building a strong balance sheet. n Consider grooming a replacement for yourself. This may involve setting up a probation period, formal agreement with a termination provision, “golden handcuffs” and incentives to ensure that the successor stays until the baton is passed, or a funding mechanism with a back-up plan. n Provide employees a stock option plan. n Don’t place all your eggs in the business basket. Set aside personal retirement funds from the profits of the business. n When setting financial goals for

the business, don’t forget to include a retirement fund as part of that financial goal. Separate retirement money from the value of the business when it is sold.

By planning for succession, a business owner is protecting the future of the business and planning for eventual departure. Therefore, it is wise to consider a financial coach who specializes in succession planning as a critical addition to the business’ advisory team.

Due diligence in selecting a succession coach is encouraged and usually rewarded.

For more information about succession planning, attend the April Best Business Practice Session April 26 at Lower Columbia College. The event is co-sponsored by the Small Business Development Center, Lower Columbia College, Cowlitz Economic Development Council, Impact Washington and Southwest Washington Workforce Development Council. For more information, contact Susan Hoosier at shoosier@wsu.edu or call 360-4422946.

InBusiness columnist Susan J. Hoosier is an SBDC Certified Business Advisor with the Longview Small Business Development Center, which is part of the 24 statewide offices of the Washington Small Business Development Center network.

WSBDC offers in-depth, confidential and no-cost management advice to businesses in Washington state. To locate your local SBDC adviser, visit www.wsbdc.org — or if you or your business is close to the Longview WSBDC office, you can contact Susan Hoosier at shoosier@wsu.edu or 360-442-2946.

408504

Washington state employment by industry

Port of Longview

In thousands

all figures in metric tons*

Jan.’ 11 Jan.’ 10 Ship calls q 11 17 Barges 0 0 Rail Cars q 1,391 1,877 Cruise ships 0 0 Metric tons* of cargo q 175,915 224,182

Foreign imports

Jan.’ 11 Jan.’ 10 Wind energy q 0 3,087 Steel 0 0 General 0 0 Bulk p 1,381 0 Total q

1,381

3,087

Foreign exports

Jan.’ 11 Jan.’ 10 Bulk **q 123,894 199,617 Logs p 48,076 20,260 Forest products 0 0 General p 39 0 Total q

172,009 219,877

Total Nonfarm Goods Producing Manufacturing Wholesale Trade Retail Trade Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities Information Financial Activities Professional and Business Services Education and Health Services Leisure and Hospitality Other Services Government

February 2,756.3 391.1 256.7 120.8 300.5 85.5 102.5 134.9 333.4 384.5 255.2 100.2 547.7

% Change from

January 2,749.5 387.7 256.8 121.9 306.8 86.2 101.7 136.0 331.8 380.5 253.7 99.8 543.4

Feb. 2010 -1.4 3.6 2.4 1.1 -0.7 0.1 0.6

26.2

18.1 10.0 2.5 -2.9 -3.6

Cowlitz County employment by industry In thousands

February Total Nonfarm 34.2 Goods Producing 8.9 Manufacturing 6.0 Service Providing 25.3 Trade, Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities 7.2 Retail Trade 4.4 Educational and Health Services 5.3 Leisure and Hospitality 2.9 Government 5.7 Workers in Labor/Management Disputes 0.0

% Change from

January 35.0 9.1 6.0 25.9 7.5 4.6 5.3 3.0 5.8 0.0

Feb. 2010 -0.3 0.2 0.2 -0.5 -0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0

Domestic imports

Jan.’ 11 Jan.’ 10 Bulk** 0 0 Forest products 0 0 Steel p 2,524 829 General q 0 389 Total p

2,524

February Unemployment San Juan 9.3% Island 9.7%

1,218

Clallam 11.5%

Domestic exports

Jan.’ 11 Jan.’ 10 Containerized cargo 0 0 Forest products 0 0 Steel 0 0 General 0 0 Total

0

0

Total cargo***q 175,915 224,182 *One metric ton equals 2,204.62 pounds. ** Bulk exports include petcoke, soya meal, soda ash, bentonite clay and talc. *** Includes train cargo from domestic sources not reported here.

SOURCE: Port of Longview

Whatcom 9.6% Skagit 11.4% Snohomish 10.1%

Jefferson 10.7% Kitsap 8.2%

King Grays Mason 8.4% Harbor 11.8% 14.5% Thurston Pierce 10.4% 8.7% Pacific Lewis 14.8% 13.4%

Wahkiakum 15.3%

Okanogan 13.4%

Chelan 10.2%

Kittitas 10.1%

Yakima 11.6% Cowlitz 12.8% Skamania 13% Clark Klickitat 11.7% 10.6%

Washington State: 9.1%

Douglas 10% Grant 13.3%

Ferry 15.7%

Lincoln 10.3% Adams 14.7%

Franklin 10.6% Walla Benton Walla 8.1% 8.5%

Stevens 13.7%

Pend Oreille 14%

Spokane 10.5%

Whitman 6.3%

Asotin 8.2%

Columbia 12.7% Garfield 9.2% Source: Washington State Employment Security Department

407259

Reverse mortgages: Know the traps By the Editors of Consumer Reports

At a time when many baby boomers are struggling to pay mortgages on homes that have lost value, the ads for reverse mortgages can sound like a lifeline.

But don’t reach for one too quickly, Consumer Reports advises. Reverse mortgages, which carry huge costs, can lead to foreclosure and should be seen only as a last resort.

Reverse mortgages allow people who are at least 62 years of age to cash in some of their home equity for a lump sum or regular payouts while staying in the home. As long as borrowers maintain the home and pay the property tax and insurance premiums, the loan doesn’t have to be repaid until the last borrower dies, sells the place, or lives elsewhere for 12 months. One Reverse Mortgage is a major lender, as are Wells Fargo, Bank of America and MetLife Bank.

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Most reverse mortgages are insured through the Federal Housing Administration’s Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) program. Recent changes in that program and heightened competition among lenders are resulting in new loan options and lower up-front costs.

But other costs have increased dramatically, and ballooning finance charges can quickly drain your home equity. You also risk foreclosure if you can’t afford the property tax and insurance and can’t work out a repayment plan, under new federal guidelines announced in January. Those defaults and other costs are threatening the solvency of the government insurance fund that makes the loans virtually risk-free for lenders.

That’s why it’s important to fully understand the complex terms of reverse mortgages. CR tells you what you need to know about three choices being promoted now: n Fixed-rate reverse mortgages. The amount of equity you can tap from a standard reverse mortgage depends on three variables: your age, the property’s value and the interest rate on the loan. Generally, the older you are, the higher the value and the lower the interest rate, the more money you can borrow. n Like other mortgages, the reverse type comes with either a fixed or adjustable rate. The proportion of fixed-rate reverse mortgages issued in 2010 soared to 69 percent, up from 11 percent the previous year. With a fixed-rate reverse mortgage, you must take all the money in a lump sum at the outset, and interest starts accruing immediately.

Bottom line: The large up-front interest costs make fixed-rate reverse mortgages worth considering only if you absolutely must tap all available equity immediately. n Adjustable-rate loans. The interest rate you’ll pay on an adjustable-rate reverse mortgage can change every month.

Over the life of the loan, rates can rise by as much as 10 percentage points. But on the plus side, you have the option to take cash in lump sums, in regular monthly payments, or through a credit line that you tap only when necessary.

Interest is not assessed until you draw on the available funds.

Bottom line: The flexibility the loans offer is an advantage, but CR warns that rate hikes can send your costs soaring. n Reverse home equity line. In late 2010, the FHA introduced a new type of reverse mortgage called a HECM Saver, which eliminates most of the 2 percent up-front insurance premium borrowers must pay on regular federally backed loans. The Saver’s up-front premium is just 0.01 percent, so for a $300,000 home, it would come to $30 instead of $6,000. The ongoing annual premium that borrowers must pay is the same as for a standard reverse mortgage: 1.25 percent of the loan’s outstanding balance. But Saver borrowers are limited to taking 10 to 18 percent less than the standard version allows.

Bottom line: The Saver might make sense for borrowers who want to tap only a small amount of equity for a relatively short period of time, but are unable to qualify for a home equity line of credit.

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Doctors attend meeting Physicians Bruce Blackstone, Dave Black and A.J. Lauder of Longview Orthopedic Associates in February attended the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons in San Diego, Calif.

Blackstone took in the American Shoulder and Elbow Society meetings.

His courses focused on treatment options for massive rotator cuff tears and complex shoulder fractures.

He noted that improved implants and hardware, as well as new surgical techniques, have been thoroughly tested and are available to patients.

“In these situations, treatments that were considered standard two or three years ago might not be the best options now,” Blackstone wrote in a press release.

“Locking pe-contoured plates and screws and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty have become options for some complex shoulder fractures,” he said. “Reverse total shoulder replacement has become the procedure of choice for many chronic massive rotator cuff tears manifested by significant pan and pseud-paralysis.”

Black and Lauder attended specialty sessions coordinated by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand.

“It was an intense review of the latest and greatest techniques in hand and wrist surgery,” Lauder said.

He learned several new techniques pertaining to nerve and flexor tendon repair that he said he will be using in the future.

“More and more of the can be done with minimally invasive techniques using a scope,” he added.

Blackstone and Lauder

12

also evaluated the EMR (electonic medical record) systems the federal government is mandating by 2015.

Two earn promotions Danette Traver and LaTasha Selvog have been promoted at Longview Urology.

Traver, who previously handled the front office operations, is the clinic coordinator.

Among her Danette numerous Traver responsibilities are employee training, working with the company’s leadership team and serving as LaTasha a liaison Selvog to staff in gathering operational ideas and suggestions for improvement.

She also is in charge of developing and overseeing written procedures for all front office operations. She has worked in the health care field for 11 years.

Traver enjoys horseback riding, reading and spending time with her family. She also enjoys baseball. She is married and has two children.

Selvog, who has been a medical assistant for nearly 14 years, will take on several additional dutie as a clinical coordinator. Her responsibilities will include advising physicians and administration on issues relating to efficiency, morale, operations and equipment; serving as the main point of contact

for back office medical staff; reviewing and revising policies; and reviewing and developing job resposibilities as the EMR (electronic medical record) forces operational system modifications.

Her activities include reading, gardening and decorating. She is married and has three sons.

Group honors Laulainen Dr. Edward Laulainen, owner of Three Rivers Eye Care in Kelso, recently was recognized for his commitment to patient care and practice growth at a meeting of Cleinman Performance Network, a business network of “high performing” independent optometrist practices in North America.

He has been a member of the group for five years.

Dr. Laulainen, who graduated from Pacific University, has been practicing in Kelso for 16 years. He is licensed to treat anterior segment eye diseases including conjunctivitis, corneal abrasions, infections, glaucoma, eyelid diseases, removing foreign objects from the eye and dry eye problems.

He recently opened a new location with a more spacious eyewear gallery in the Catlin Commons at 209 W. Main St., Kelso.

Foster joins law firm Jamie M. Foster has joined the Longview law office of Crandall, O’Neill, Imboden and Styve as an associate attorney.

Foster is a member of the Washington State Bar. She is a graduate of Williamette Law School and received Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts in Education degrees from Eastern Washington University.

She will focus her practice on family law and disability advocacy.

Association honors Bishop Longview bail bond agent Holly Bishop recently was named to the Hall of Honor by the Professional Bail Agents of the United States (PBUS).

Bishop received the recognition during the group’s convention in Las Vegas.

PBUS represents 8,000 bail agents from across the Unites States who pick one agent each year for the honor.

Bishop is owner of Bishop’s Bail Bonds in Longview.

She has been an agent for 40 years.

Winsman wins award Kelso-Longview Chamber of Commerce president and chief executive officer Rick Winsman recently was recognized as an Accredited Chamber Executive (ACE) by Rick Winsman the Western Association of Chamber Executives at the group’s annual conference in Los Angeles.

The designation is awarded to chamber executives who meet stringent criteria set by the association’s board of directors. Winsman is one of three chamber executives awarded the accreditation this year. A total of 42 ACE recipients are active in chambers of commerce in the West.

Recipients of the ACE must apply for re-accreditation every five years in order to retain the designation.

— InBusiness

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neWspapers in education improving our students’ education is everybody’s business.

Whether it means a stronger local economy, fewer people needing assistance, it makes sense for every business to do its part to help students to succeed.

St. John gift shop has a new look

The Daily News Newspaper in Education program (NIE) helps students succeed by providing practical applications of enriching curriculum objectives, while sparking students’ interest in the world around them.

The Daily News Newspapers iN eDucaTioN program offers: • Classroom print newspapers • eleCtroniC-edition liCenses for Classroom use • Classroom tours of the daily news • young Journalists of the lower Columbia region

Glass plant to restart at Port of Kalama

Call or email Nikkol at 360-577-2519, nnagle@tdn.com

407747

for information on how to get involved or how to help sponsor the program

14

St. John Medical Center’s Gift Shop and Baby Boutique is not your typical hospital gift shop filled with balloons, candy and stuffed animals. Manager Joanna Asplund recently oversaw a three-week remodel of the shop on the first floor of the hospital.

The shop carries a variety of items, including jewelry, purses, home decor, children’s books and games and infants’ and children’s clothing. The cheerful atmosphere and colorful displays are complemented by soothing background music.

Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday through Saturday, and the store is manned by 15 volunteers. The number is 414-7371.

A shuttered wine bottle manufacturing plant will restart production at the Port of Kalama at the beginning of next year, bringing back about 100 family wage jobs to the area, company officials said in March.

Bennu Glass LLC, which bought the former Cameron Glass plant out of bankruptcy

for $64.8 million almost a year ago, plans to produce 100 million bottles a year after investing tens of millions of dollars to replace most of the plant’s glass-making equipment, Jerry Lemieux, CEO of Bennu, said.

Bennu plans to install a massive liquid oxygen furnace to heat the glass, Lemieux said. The technology is more proven than the electric furnace now in the facility, which is now inoperable, Lemieux said. The plant expects to employ about 100 workers.

Bennu is owned by Medley Capital, a New York-based financial firm that invested about $30 million in the $109 million Cameron plant.

Cowlitz PUD names auditorium for commissioner Cowlitz PUD commissioners voted in February to name the utility’s main auditorium after one of its longest-serving commissioners, John Searing.

Searing was the first PUD commissioner to serve four six-year terms, holding office from 1977-82 and 19892006.

The previously unnamed auditorium opened in 1998 as part of an PUD expansion project. The John Searing Auditorium can accommodate

up to 120 people and is available for non-profit groups.

A plaque recognizing Searing will be placed inside the auditorium, along with a sign outside the building identifying it as John Searing Auditorium.

Rainier couple buys espresso stand Dawn Cole’s first job in high school in the 1990s was as a barista at an espresso stand in Rainier serving frothy lattes and pastries.

Nearly two decades later, Cole’s daughter, Elisha, is cutting her teeth at the same shop, which her parents bought late last year.

In November, Dawn and her husband, Justin, purchased the former Kandi’s Koffee at 319 West B St. in Rainier and renamed the stand Cole’s Coffee. A grand opening was held in March.

The Coles have one other part-time employee, Katie Petersen, who is also working her first job.

Cole’s Coffee is open 5:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Call 503556-8209 for more information.

Longview Take & Bake Pizza offers more than pepperoni The pizzas at Mikey’s Take & Bake Pizza are more adventurous than your basic tomato sauce, cheese and meat varieties. How about one that tastes like s’mores, the popular campfire dessert?

Owner Mikeal Keesee starts with a chocolate chip cookie dough for the crust, topped with thick chocolate sauce, graham cracker

crumbs and marshmallows.

Keesee and his wife, Danielle, opened Mikey’s Take & Bake Pizza at 4503 Ocean Beach Highway in West Longview on Jan. 3.

Since then, the to-go pizzeria has been hopping, they said.

Mikey’s Take & Bake Pizza is open from noon to 8 p.m.

Sunday through Thursday and from noon to 9 p.m.

Friday and Saturday. The number is 360-578-0200.

Visit www.mikeyspizzas. com for an online menu and coupons.

Shuttered Longview tavern reopens with new owner An experienced Longview bar owner is breathing new life into a dormant location, opening a new business at the former Crosskeys Tavern on Oregon Way. Linda Chau, who has owned the Regent on Washington Way for seven years, opened L&J Bar and Grill in March at 360 Oregon Way. After operating for more than three decades, the Crosskeys shut down in the fall of 2009. Chau bought the building in late 2010 and spent about three months cleaning and renovating the place.

L&J is open 6 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday and 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. on weekends. Call 578-3889 for more information.

JH Kelly hopes to restart ethanol plant Longview contractor JH Kelly hopes to restart and sell a bankrupted ethanol plant in the Clatskanie area this summer, depending on whether it can obtain Oregon energy tax credits, company officials announced in February.

Kelly, which constructed the $200 million plant at Port Westward and bought it out of bankruptcy court 14 months ago, is seeking $5.5 million in state business energy tax credits granted to the plant’s original owner, Cascade Grain LLC, said Mark Fleischauer, Kelly’s vice president.

Without the tax credits, reopening and proving the 108-million gallon plant is still in working order could be a dicey proposition, Fleischauer said. The restart would cost between $3 million and $10 million, and the company would need $10 million to

$20 million in working capital to buy and transport crops and other expenses, he said.

The plant would employ 60 workers, the same as before it shut down, he said.

Consultant: Port should demolish old grain terminal The Port of Longview should demolish an aging grain terminal and dock and build a new multi-purpose berth to handle a variety of cargo, consultants told port commissioners in March.

Port officials applauded the recommendation to replace Berth 4, which has been virtually unused for two decades, and install a 1,000foot “omni” terminal designed to handle bulk cargo.

Consulting firm HDR Engineering Inc. also warned that Millennium Bulk Logistics could cause train congestion at the port if the company renews its application to build a coal export facility without including rail upgrades.

HDR also recommended that the port set aside land for a new administration building near the current one, which would include space to hold community meetings.

Millenium to restart coal terminal permit process Returning to square one, an Australian company is withdrawing its shorelines permit to build a coal export terminal west of Longview and will resubmit another application after further study of the project, the company announced recently.

Environmentalists declared victory, but they added that the fight over the controversial coal terminal likely isn’t over.

Millennium Bulk Logistics announced Tuesday it will conduct an environmental study of how much coal, cement and alumina it can handle at former Reynolds aluminum smelter site, company officials said in a news release. Millennium, owned by Ambre Energy of Australia, had planned to hire about 70 full-time workers to operate the coal terminal.

— Erik Olson / InBusiness writer

15

16

Retirement planning is ripe for mistakes, but local experts share advice for business owners and employees Greg Ogden prepares sheet metal for new installations for Entek Corp/B & B Air. Ogden says he puts away about 10 percent of his annual income but rarely hears fellow thirtysomethings discuss retirement planning.

Bill Wagner / InBusiness

17

U.S. retirement security Despite recent warnings that U.S. retirement systems are in dire straits, the data show that retirement funds are not broke but do face long-term challenges, mostly due to loss of assets following the 2008 economic crisis.

State and local pensions While public pension costs have risen due to loss of assets, taxpayer spending on pensions is small, contrary to the claims of critics of public employee pensions Spending on public pensions

2.9%

Some public pensions are underfunded, mainly due to a decrease in value of equities in which the funds invested; funding level, 2000-2009

$2.1 trillion

101.3

100

Total benefits paid

$160 billion 90 80

60

All other state and local government spending

7.5 million

Number of beneficiaries Average pension for newly retired worker*

79.8

70

97.1%

Status of retirement funds in the largest statewide systems, as of October 2010 Total assets

’00

’02

’04

’08

’06

$19,000

Number of years funds would last, on average, if they were frozen today

13.1

*Many do not receive Social Security

Pensions and 401 (k)-type plans for all workers More U.S. workers now have 401(k)-type plans (defined contribution) than have pensions (defined benefit) plans Defined benefit only

5%

Like public pensions, private plans lost assets due to the decline in value of equities in which they were invested; total financial assets in all private funds, in trillions

Defined contribution only

30%

Neither

6.1

6.0

5.5

$5.4

14%

4.5

5.7

4.8

5.0 Both

Workers who have contributed without interruption for at least 10 years

6.4

6.5

5.5

51%

Average payout from 401(k) accounts, if worker retired today at 65 years, given an average life expectany after retirement of 17.6 years

’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10**

Average account balance Annual payout

$183,100 $10,400

All participants Average account balance Annual payout

$71,500 $4,063

Average annual payment, as of January 2011

$12,910

** As of third quar ter

Social Security New congressional analysis shows Social Security running deficits every year until its trust fund is depleted in about 2037. Some analysts say an improvement in the economy will cause Social Security to run surpluses again, but the trust fund would still begin drawing down around 2024. Unless changes are made, Social Security will not be guaranteed for future generations of workers

Current actual and projected annual deficits, excluding interest: 2011 –$45 billion

0

Portion of income Social Security replaces for the median earner Reported rate

-20 -40

41% 39%

-60

2012-2021 –$547 billion

-80

After Medicare deduction

36%

31%

-100 -120 © 2011 MCT

18

’11

’13

’15

Source: EBRI, National Association of State Retirement Administrators, Public Fund Survey, Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, Fidelity Investments Graphic: Pat Carr

’17

’19

’21

2002

2030

Retirement Redux Young and old need to rethink saving, planning

T

he face of retirement is changing, and young people especially need to prepare.

“The days of company pension plans and ironclad Social Security system, that’s all a thing of the past,” said Max Anderson of Anderson & Anderson Advisory in Longview. “Those under-35 folks, they need to get started.

The new retirement is going to look totally different, and it’s not going to be as easy as it was for our parents.”

Even those coming up on retirement age are having to rethink their plans, Anderson said.

“Absolutely, people are working longer,” he said.

“There are a lot of folks who want to retire their debt before they retire — get rid of the mortgage and other overhead items.”

Another trend is for wouldbe retirees to continue working at part-time jobs, he said.

“Instead of retiring at Day One, there’s a strategy for the 55 to 62 age group where you’re working to bridge the gap to Social Security and then to bridge the gap before Medicare kicks in at 65.”

Though today’s upcoming retirees can count on Social Security and Medicare, Anderson and his partner and brother, John Anderson, advise future retirees — espe-

cially those in their 30s — not to do so.

“There is a concern there’s not going to be Social Security when the folks in the 30-to-35 age range are going to look at retirement,” John Anderson said. “Those folks can plan to look at that. What if you’re not going to have a $1,300 Social Security check? If they start planning now, you have enough years that you can overcome that.”

Max Anderson strongly urges anyone who is employed at a business that offers to match employees’ contributions to Individual Retirement Accounts or 401K plans to take full advantage — and more.

“If your employer is matching 3 percent, and you’re putting in 3 percent and you’re making $40, that’s not going to get you where you need to go,” he said. “You need to go above and beyond the employer match and realize that the deferred taxes are a huge perk.”

John Anderson said a good retirement plan includes both short-term and long-term goals.

“The best thing is to at least have a plan to focus on a savings goal and not necessarily what’s going to happen in 30 years,” he said. “Set up five-year goals, take it in baby steps. Have a short-term savings plan and a long-term

retirement plan.”

The look of investment portfolios has changed over the past 10 years because of the peaks and valleys of the stock market, Max Anderson said. Before, portfolios would include some relatively stable investments coupled with riskier choices that could garner high returns.

“Now I think there’s more of a desire to balance security and stability and needing to get a balance on their return,”

he said.

The Andersons advise retirees to keep an amount of money equal to a full year of expected expenses in a savings account to weather stock market downturns.

“You go from using your portfolio to using the savings as a cushion instead,” Max Anderson said. “It’s the best way to keep you immune to market drops.”

n Cheryll A. Borgaard / InBusiness

408505 REPROGRAPHICS WE PRINT FLYERS 2 x 4.6

19

5

tips to prepare for retirement

saving, keep sav| Start 1goals. ing, and stick to your If you are already sav-

ing, whether for retirement or another goal, keep going! You know that saving is a rewarding habit. If you’re not saving, it’s time to get started. Start small if you have to and try to increase the amount you save each month. The sooner you start saving, the more time your money has to grow. Make saving for retirement a priority. Devise a plan, stick to it, and set goals. Remember, it’s never too early or too late to start saving.

touch your retire|Don’t 4 ment savings. If you withdraw your retirement savings now, you’ll lose principal and interest and you may lose tax benefits or have to pay withdrawal penalties. If you change jobs, leave your savings invested in your current retirement plan, or roll them over to an IRA or your new employer’s plan.

20

your retirement needs. |Know 2 Retirement is expensive. Experts estimate that you will need about 70

percent of your preretirement income – lower earners, 90 percent or more – to maintain your standard of living when you stop working.

Contribute to your employer’s retirement Take charge of savings plan. If your employer offers a retireyour financial ment savings plan, such as a 401(k) plan, sign up and future. The key to contribute all you can. Your taxes will be lower, your a secure retirecompany may kick in more, and automatic deductions ment is to plan make it easy. Over time, compound interest and tax ahead. deferrals make a big difference in the amount you will accumulate. Find out about your plan. For example, how much would you need to contribute to get the full employer contribution and how long would you need to stay in the plan to get that money.

3|

money into an Individual Retirement Account. |Put 5 You can put up to $5,000 a year into an Individual Retirement Account (IRA); you can contribute even more if you are

50 or older. You can also start with much less. IRAs also provide tax advantages. When you open an IRA, you have two options – a traditional IRA or a Roth IRA. The tax treatment of your contributions and withdrawals will depend on which option you select. Also, the after-tax value of your withdrawal will depend on inflation and the type of IRA you choose. IRAs can provide an easy way to save. You can set it up so that an amount is automatically deducted from your checking or savings account and deposited in the IRA.

Offering employees a retirement plan 401k plans, IRAs growing in popularity

A

llan Shero wants his employees to consider working at his business until they’re ready

to retire.

“What we’re trying to tell them is we want to make this a place you can retire from,” said Shero, the coowner of Entek Corporation in Longview. “There used to be the thought that you couldn’t retire from a small company like ours.”

To entice employees to stay in for the long haul, Entek will match employees’ contributions to Individual Retirement Accounts up to a total of 3 percent of the employees’ annual income. The company switched from a 401K plan to an IRA in 2006.

“The reason we went to an IRA is fiduciary responsibility,” Shero said. “I don’t want to be the one responsible for their portfolios.”

Shero said he brings in financial advisers Max Anderson and John Anderson of Anderson & Anderson Advisory about once a year to explain options to Entek employees.

Did you know? n Fewer than half of Americans have calculated how much they need to save for retirement. n In 2009, 13 percent of private industry workers with access to a defined contribution plan (such as a 401(k) plan) did not participate. n The average American spends 20 years in retirement.

To be eligible for the match, an employee has to have earned $5,000 from the company.

Entek’s match is paid monthly into the employees’ IRAs. Shero said Entek offers the IRA match to be competitive with other employers, adding

that he leaves any financial advice to the professionals.

“We try and educate our people through third parties,” he said. “We’re not financial experts. We fix air conditioners.” n Cheryll A. Borgaard / InBusiness

— U.S. Department of Labor

“The key is we try to point out to our people, this is not your only retirement vehicle; this is to help it,” Shero said. ”We want these guys to retire with a conscious plan.”

Entek, which specializes in heating and air conditioning and opened in 1946, employs between 50 to 55 workers. About 66 percent of the employees participate in the company’s matchingfunds plan, said Laurie Nunes, Entek’s human resources director.

21

Guide to the Golden Years How to plan for retirement form different stages in life Retirement is decades away for Greg Ogden, but that hasn’t stopped him from planning ahead now.

The 31-year-old Lexington resident works full-time as a sheet metal fabricator at Entek Corp. in Longview. Ogden and his wife, Bridget, 27, a job development coordinator at Farm Dog Bakery in Longview, own their own home and have a combined annual income of about $70,000.

At Entek, Ogden puts away about 10 percent of his annual income of $50,000 toward retirement through an Individual Retirement Account available through his company and a separate IRA. Ogden said he sets aside 3 percent of his wages for the company plan, with Entek matching his contribution. This lets him put about $420 per month into the company IRA. So far, the Ogdens have put aside $20,000 to $25,000 for their golden years after saving for about seven years.

They haven’t settled on a target age or dollar amount as a retirement goal, and they might adjust their contributions if they have children or decide to pay off their home mortgage, he said.

“I would like to be comfortable, but I don’t know what that dollar amount will be in the future,” said Ogden, a 1999 Castle Rock High School graduate.

He feels he could work into his 60s but has no set age to stop working. Ogden also doesn’t have a dream of what he’d like to do when he’s not chained to the workforce, but he said he hopes “to be helping people or at least benefitting the community in some shape or form.”

Ogden said he probably has done more retirement planning than others his age, and that he rarely hears his peers discussing it. He recommends starting as early as possible, even if retirement seems a long time away.

“I’d say see what the options are with their employers first, then go seek out some financial advice. Do look into it, because we plan for our vacations more than our retirement. I remember our adviser saying that,” Ogden said.

— By Erik Olson / InBusiness

Ages 35 to 55 Greg Pang would like to go back in time to offer some advice to his 20-somethingyear-old self and his peers.

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22

J M A JOHN AND MAX ANDERSON

408502

Ground Breaking For E.G.T.

“I’d tell people to really look at retirement benefits and be serous about saving,” the 44-year-old Longview man said.

“I didn’t start looking at it until I was 30, and that’s almost too late.”

Pang, the chief executive officer for Community Home Health and Hospice, said he and his wife, Amy, a part-time instructor at Lower Columbia College, have simplified their lives in order to put more money into retirement and investments.

“You have to make sacrifices. If you’re going to do long-term planning, keeping up with the Joneses is not a value I hold,” he said. “We have savings goals and we meet those goals. If our employer offers a match, we at least meet that match or even try to exceed that match.”

His said Hospice matches his retirement account contributions dollar for dollar, up to 4 percent of his income.

Pang said he started looking more earnestly at his financial future when his children were born (they’re now 12 and 8 years old). In addition to his retirement account, the Pangs contribute to plans for their college educations.

“I think something significant happens

959 11th Avenue, Suite B • Longview, WA

•

425-8284

404614

35 and younger

when you have children,” he said.

“Before you’re in your insular world and you spend money on entertainment and spend money on trips.

Suddenly, your priorities are about this little baby.”

Pang said he has annual meetings with his financial advisers, who have advised him how much he and his wife need in order to retire.

When looking at his overall retirement plan, Pang said he is not counting on receiving Social Security benefits or living in the house he owns. He sees himself working longer — probably to at least age 72 — and he foresees the same for others his age.

“I don’t think people my age realistically can retire at 65,” he said. “I think the timeline (for retirement) is getting extended. I think entitlements like Social Security and Medicare are going to be curtailed, especially with the baby boomers coming into those entitlements.”

People need to be sure that not only are their retirement investments healthy, but their physical fitness also is important.

“We need to stay healthy longer,” he said. “We just have to be more fit because we’re going to have to work seven years longer than anyone else does today.”

He said that even an insignificant amount, like $100, is a start for a young person to start saving, “and absolutely get yourself an adviser,” he added.

nCheryll A. Borgaard / InBusiness

Ages 55 and older Harlan Cruser remembers the lean years when he first start working at Longview Fibre more than 40 years ago.

“I considered myself lucky if I had $25 after paying all the bills,” the 63-year-old retiree said. “But there was money going into savings bonds. That’s how I bought my first house.”

Savings bonds eventually gave way to putting money into a 401(k) plan where Cruser could take advantage of Fibre’s matching contribution. In some years, he also would add any of his pay raises to his account.

“I figured if we were living on a certain

At top, Greg Pang says an adviser helped him plan for retirement.

Above, Harlan and Lorna Cruser used money they saved for retirement to travel to Chesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic on April 17, 2010.

dollar amount, we could continue to do that the next year, too,” said Cruser, who lives in Lexington.

He said he managed his 401(k), selling some of his original investmests and buying others. Prior to his retirement, he

consulted financial advisers, who have helped him diversify his portfolio.

“I said I want to know how I can retire and live the way I’m accustomed to,” he said.

He advises young people to begin putting money into a 401(k) or Individual Retirement Account as soon as they can, especially if they work for a company that provides matching contributions. And talk to a financial adviser.

“You’re putting in tax-free money as opposed to paying taxes on it in your paycheck, even if it’s only 1 or 2 percent to start,” he said. “It’s not easy. A forced savings plan is what it takes.”

Cruser advised stashing retirement money where it isn’t available for easy access. An example is a 401(k), where tax penalties are assessed if money is withdrawn ahead of schedule.

Cruser said he and his wife “did without some things” in order to pump up their 401(k), though they never lived austerely. They’ve taken about a dozen trips to the Caribbean.

“We took vacations, but we didn’t live extravagantly. We didn’t buy a new car, but kept (our cars) for many years,” he said. “You don’t need the fastest sport car, the fancy boat, the biggest tires.”

Now they’re able to enjoy their retirement without much financial worry, he said. Their 401(k) helped bridge the gap between Crsuer’s retirement from work at age 60 and when he could begin to collect Social Security and his Fibre pension.

Now that he’s collecting his pension and Social Security benefits, Cruser said he can leave his 401(k) alone in most months, but having it does allow for an element of financial freedom. He and his wife took a three-week trip to Europe last year and plan to take their grandchildren to Disneyland next year.

“We do what we want to do,” he said.

“There comes a time — if you’re fortunate enough — you’re going to want to live off (the 401(k)). We were fortunate that we made plans with good advice.”

n Cheryll A. Borgaard / InBusines

23

Bill Wagner / InBusiness

Dack Carlson is steering his family’s heating and cooling business into its second half century.

Success is in the air n carlson’s heating and air celebrates 50 years of family business in kelso Story by Kevin Westrick | for inBusiness

24

W

hen Carlson’s Heating and Air installs a heat pump, company President Dack Carlson wants his customers to feel like they were treated to a five-star meal at a fancy restaurant.

“If someone makes you an awesome meal at a restaurant, it’s not even a question. You are going to buy that meal and you don’t even care what the ticket said,” Carlson said.

Carlson’s Heating and Air, 1414 S. Pacific Ave. in Kelso, installs, maintains and repairs heat pumps, air conditioners and furnaces.

The company installs Trane heating and cooling equipment, along with Mitsubishi ductless heat pumps.

The family business is celebrating its 50th year of operation in 2011. Founder Vern Carlson started Carlson’s Heating and Air in 1961 and handed the reigns over to his son, Dave Carlson, in 1978.

Dave’s son, Dack, became president of the company last year. Dave remains a co-owner

in “semi-retirement” while Dack, 42, runs the day-to-day operations.

“To be here for 50 years, you have to serve your people,” Dack said. “You can’t just throw them away once you’ve been able to work with and partner with them.”

Carlson said the secret to 50 years of success is making customers feel comfortable with good customers service from trained employees. The company has 10 employees with technicians certified by the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute, Air Conditioning Contractors of America and North American Technician Excellence in addition to being certified by Trane.

Carlson’s also offers 24-hour maintenance service.

“We’re a comfort specialist, so we can give our customers the best service and benefits possible,” Carlson said. “Our customers get the best warranties, and our technicians know the products well.”

Andrea Wallace, a “comfort coordinator”

who has worked at Carlson’s for more than five years, said many of her clients are elderly, and the company cares for them like family.

“They are part of our family,” Wallace said.

“We have a good product at a reasonable price. Our customer service is definitely a huge thing.”

Debbie Quick, who has been the bookkeeper at Carlson’s for 24 years, said the company values customers by treating them honestly and with integrity.

“I basically raised my daughter here,” Quick said. “There is obviously a family atmosphere here.”

Big shoes to fill Dack Carlson graduated from Kelso High School in 1987 and came to work for grandfather Vern a year later.

“It’s the longest summer job I’ve ever had,” he said.

In 1988, Carlson started as a shop helper, cleaning floors, washing vehicles and doing

Bill Wagner / InBusiness

Changing furnace filters and other preventative maintenance is one of the services Bob Decious and other Carlson employees provide.

25

4 keys to success Training. Carlson’s Heating and Air president Dack Carlson said continued education is a key to staying on top of an evolving industry. Technicians are Trane Comfort Specialists with certifications from Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute, Air Conditioning Contractors of America and North American Technician Excellence.

odd jobs. He worked his way into a technician’s job, doing tough work in attics and underneath houses.

“It’s not glamorous work at all,” Carlson said. “We were doing a job in Silver Lake, and I considered walking home. I was sitting there and I said ‘I’m done. I’m not

Is Your

HOODIES

HEADQUARTERS

Team members. Carlson stresses the importance of a great working relationship with his customers. “If you invest with me and we’re partners, and if something goes wrong, you look to me. So I’m going to take my people and try to fix it,” Carlson said.

Products. Carlson carries top-quality brands such as Trane heat pump systems. “If I’m selling a product to a hom-

doing this anymore.’”

Instead of walking home, Carlson become the president and leader of his family’s business.

Carlson understands that his grandfather and father are wellrespected in the community and feels he has to live up to the Carlson name.

“You go anywhere with my dad and everyone is waving and honking. Everyone knows him,” Carlson said. “I have big shoes to fill. I don’t take that lightly. But no one forced me to be here. I‘m glad to be here.”

Wallace said she loves the work environment at Carlson’s.

“All three generations of Carlsons have been huge on doing the right thing for the customers,” she said. “They are really good guys. They care about the clientele.”

That was then, this is now

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408697

1005 15th Ave. Longview, WA

During the economic boom in the late 1990s, Carlson’s Heating and Air employed 27 people. It now employs 10, but it managed to avoid getting even smaller during the recent recession, Carlson said.

The repair business kept Carlson’s steady during the tough times when new-home installations fell off, he said.

“That’s the key. We have our customers,” Carlson said. “We have our service customers, and

eowner and it’s garbage, junk, breaks down, who do they not like? Me. They bought from me, not from someone else,” Carlson said. “We want to be offering the best and latest. We want to be ahead of the curve.”

Listening to customers. “It’s easy to be tellers instead of listeners,” Carlson said. “With just a few questions we will figure out (customers’) needs.”

if we didn’t have that, it would have been more challenging.”

Since 2008, ductless heat pumps have “taken off,” largely due to the Cowlitz PUD’s $1,500 rebate for installing a more energy efficient system. A tax credit for newly installed heat pumps also helped boost business, Carlson said.

Carlson said the lower-priced ductless systems appealed to many customers who were unwilling to commit to an HVAC makeover for their home.

“Basically it’s the same thing without ductwork,” Carlson said.

“Most people that do it don’t want to invest in a whole-house ducted system.”

Carlson hopes to expand his staff by hiring more technicians within the next five to 10 years.

He said he would like Carlson’s to be a service company that also does installations because most people already have a source of forced air.

“People are remodeling now.

Hopefully, we can be part of that equation,” Carlson said. “Most people are not moving, just improving where they are at. People are not building new houses. If we hung our hat on that, we would be foolish.”

Evolving industry With tighter energy efficiency standards and rising metal

prices, costs are going up for Carlson’s Heating and Air. For air conditioners, the federal efficiency standard jumped 30 percent in 2006, which has forced Carlson’s to spend more on materials and training, Carlson said.

“So sadly over the last 10 years, raw metal prices just skyrocketed,” Carlson said. “My costs keep going up. So it’s been a little frustrating seeing this happening.”

The industry is constantly changing, and so are the attitudes of consumers, Carlson said. People want more comfort in their homes, he said.

“In last 20 years, people have (making decisions to buy) air conditioning. They want to be comfortable,” Carlson said. “We work in air conditioning, we drive in air conditioning, we shop in air conditioning, yet we go home to a hot house.”

As much as Carlson’s is adapting to its evolving industry, Carlson is staying put. So are most of his employees.

“I’m not going anywhere anytime soon. I love it here,” said Wallace, the company’s comfort coordinator.

Carlson added: “This is who I am. I never understood that before, but it would be hard to imagine me doing anything else.”

27

records real estate transactions Jan.11-Feb. 9

Helen M. St. Peter to Marvin L. and Yvonne M. St. Peter — property, $67,000 Helen M. St. Peter to Marvin L. and Yvonne M. St. Peter — bare land, Kalama, $85,000 Endeavor Properties LLC, D&L Secured Investments LLC and Ralph A. and Suwannee McKee to Kenneth R. and Opal A. Hill — 119 Cowlitz Drive, Kelso, $189,900 US Bank National Association to Shayne M. Trebilcock — 236 Roake Ave. N.E., Castle Rock, $149,900 Household Finance Corp. III to Douglas W. and Deborah E. Hooper — 101 Memory Lane, Silver Lake, $96,900 Deutsche Bank National Trust Co. to Lucas W. Dschaak — 5220 Meeker Drive, Kalama, $120,000

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We feel a responsibility to help our customers in any way we can.

We’re convinced that the best way to get through all of this is to get through it together.

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Visit fosterfarms.com and see some of the ways we’re trying to help stretch your dollar.

28

Rick W. and Connie E. Avery to Jeffrey M. Opsahl — 411 Brierwood Court S.E., Castle Rock, $99,500 HSBC Mortgage Services Inc. to Michael R. Dallman and Lyubov Uvarov — 1017 S. Eighth Ave., Kelso, $67,000 Joseph A. and Jamie Dalgeish to XSELL Ventures LLC — 3019 Fir St., Longview, $61,209 Gerald W. and E. Jayne Little to Susan L. Calvert — 1303 20th Ave. No. 5, Longview, $125,500 CDR Solutions LLC to SJ Martini Properties — 5612 Ocean Beach Highway and 2210 Robbins St., Longview, $220,000 Howard Christian Nagle to John E. and Doloris A. McNemar — 3772 Ohio St., Longview, $205,000 Gerard M. Deluca and Linda L. Muncy to Robert R.S. Brooks and Lindsey Campbell — 210 Dog Creek Road, Cougar, $205,000 William J. Lantiegne and Justin T. Wise to Marc A. Sweet — 411 Carlon Loop Road, Longview, $188,000 Fred D. and Peggy C. Johnson to Lily N. Chamberlain — 111 Tilla Drive, Kelso, $175,435 Michael L. Beebe, as personal representative for the estate of Mary Ann Slocum, deceased, to Fred D. and Peggy C. Johnson — 605 Peardale Lane No. 21, Longview, $174,000 Richard A. and Judy M. Kirby to Eric L. Slind — 1056-1058 18th Ave., Longview $149,500 Chinook Ventures Inc. to Millennium Bulk Terminals LLC — 4029 Industrial Way, Longview, $10,904,803 Richard W. Jr. and Kim A. Pennington to Robert A. and Kathy L. Byrum — 114 Yellow Brick Road, Kelso, $144,200 James L. and Sandra Hosack to James Kelly and Brooke E. McKirdy — 43 Hampshire Drive, Kelso, $120,000 Wells Fargo Bank NA to Donald G. and Rachel L. Nelson — 119 Blackburn Lane, Kalama, $329,000 Universe Corporation to ZZZ Co. LLC — 1459 Hudson St., Longview, $180,000 Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. to Lucie Camfield — 596

Schaffran Road, Castle Rock, $70,000 James I. and Jaimie Barchus to Joshua R. Faul and Chaunte M. Serre — 115 S. Silver Lake Road, Castle Rock, $97,000 Christopher A. and Crystal A. Bevers to Jeffrey G. Shadle — 1935 Meadowood Loop, Woodland, $145,000 Larry R. and Lisa C. Price to Austin R. Kleine and Amy M. Craft — 3325 Columbia Heights Road, Longview, $234,900 Deutsche Bank National Trust Co. to Cary L. Youngstrom — 218 Cedarcrest Dr., Silver Lake, $202,840.27 Debbie L. and Gregory L. Parks c/o Parks and Associates Realty, Montesano, Wash. to Thomas M. Estby — 1029 19th Ave., Longview, $159,900 Deutsche Bank National Trust Co. to George Jr. and Judy A. Webb — 130 Villa Road, Kelso, $135,000 Ryan Sennett to Gary McCune and Ronald R. Walters — 1990 Meadowood Loop, Woodland, $95,000 Security State Mortgage Co. to Randy C. Colegrove — $175,950 Callisons Inc. to Gary L. Jr. and Karen E. Maine — 315 & 332 S.E. B St., Castle Rock, $62,500 Wells Fargo Financial Washington I Inc. to Alan D. and Diane L. Bennett — 1515 Baltimore St., Longview, $112,000 Eleanore M. Tarangul to Glen A. and Pamela G. Hilts — 480 Williams Finney Road, Kelso, $185,000 Sherri A. Wolverton to Andrea Louise Thayer — 231 19th Ave., Longview, $85,000 Weyerhaeuser Real Estate Development Co. to Efrain and Laurie Sanchez — $119,000 Sharon J. Bergman to Cathy A. Bryant — 4047 Oak St., Longview, $170,000 Jeffrey P. and Sherrie L. Johnson to Steven W. and Melina D. Denson — 2292 Nicola Lane, Longview, $255,000 Nikiforos and Subha Ierokomos to Dennis G. and Laurel L. Banning — 250 Valley View Dr., Kelso, $171,113

PNC Mortgage to Trina Sterling — 2409 46th Ave., Longview, $88,000 William G. Ray to Joshua Ball — 315 Plantation Road, Longview, $79,000 Terry M. and Johanna P. Werner to Keith J. and Teresa K. Forsyth — 240 N.E. Kirby Ave., Castle Rock, $301,000 Fannie Mae aka Federal National Mortgage Association to Jeremy Todd Wilson — 2109 China Garden Rd., Kalama, $140,000 Bacon Group LLC to Heaton Holdings LLC — 3829 Peasant Hill Road, Kelso, $150,000 Northwest Investment Holdings LLC to John R. and Rebecca L. Hanson — 1612 N. 2nd Ave., Kelso, $139,500 Prime Time Associates LLC to Ranny E. and Teresa L. Lien — 555 Toutle Park Road, Castle Rock, $210,000 Leonard W. and Stacie L. Johnson to National Residential Nominee Services Inc. — 70 Chickadee Dr., Kelso, $197,500

building permits City of Clatskanie January-March 18

Clatskanie PUD — fire alarm; $25,000.

Olsen, K. — heat pump; $10,900.

Olsen, C. — commercial sign; $500.

Baptist Church — convert garage to bonus room; $2,000.

Lulich, L. — propane range and tank; $300.

Reed, E. — heat pump with air handler; $5,100.

Clatskanie Development — Sheetrock; $5,000.

Editor’s note: The city of Clatskanie does not send project addresses.

City of Kalama January and February

Dennis, Francine — 225 S. Third; garden shed; $3,000.

Columbia Terrace — 5400 Meeker Drive, No. 83; place a manufactured home; flat fee.

Shaw, Huyen — 210 N. First; Coffie and Food; $160,000.

Taylor, Bair — 273 Fir St.; continued foundation; $1,200.

City of Longview February

SCI Infrastructure LLC — 1155 Weber Ave.; site improvements on 9.88 acre parcel for construction of future Water Treatment Plant; includes structural fill vertical stone columns; $625,000.

Bob Large Construction LLC — 940 Eighth Ave.; remove and replace 20 windows in apartment complex; $8,200.

Longview Housing Authority — 2817 Colorado St.; re-Sheetrock and insulate kitchen; partial Sheetrock bathroom; $2,000.

Hargrove Construction — 521 28th Ave.; construct an 83 foot long by 42-inch high chain link fence with gate in the rear yard; $500.

Thomas Fridley Construction I — 1346 Vandercook Way; torchdown roofing application on commercial building; $10,000.

Thomas Fridley Construction I — 1424 Maple St.; construct an uncovered trash enclosure at Dairy Queen; $2,000.

Garrett Sign Co. — 540 Seventh Ave.; 6-foot, 10-inch by 2-foot, 10inch wall mount sign for Twin Star Credit Union at Super Walmart site; $1,280.

Ayres, Edwin — 1132 20th Ave.; tear off roof, re-sheet and re-roof house with 25 squares of 30-year dimensional roofing; $0.

Plank, Ben R. — 2824 Maple St.; tear off roof; re-sheet and re-roof house and detached garage with 30 squares of 30-year dimensional roofing; $0.

Darren Sandberg, General Contractors Inc. — 3239 Laurel Road; construct new single family residence on existing foundation of burned house; $501,974.

Boo Co Construction LLC — 3184 Ocean Beach Highway; remodel deli area of Fred Meyer; $40,000.

Howard Christian Nagle LLC — 3736 Ohio St.; construct new 1,688-square-foot single family residence with 528-square-foot attached garage; $175,800.

Ridgeline Framing Inc. — 2669 Terry Ave.; tear off roof and re-roof house with 30-year architectural roofing; $0.

Ridgeline Framing Inc. — 2304 Castleman St. W.; tear off existing LP lap siding and re-side house with

Certainteed and LP lap siding; $0.

Heritage Construction — 364 17th Ave.; repair garage damaged by vehicle; $6,500.

Columbia Steel Construction Inc. — 1010 Ocean Beach Highway; construct 36-foot by 42-foot by 10-foot pole building for storage of Nipp’s Burgers equipment and supplies; not to be used for storage of non-business related items, personal items, etc.; $48,760.

Affordable Construction Inc. — 1613 Ocean Beach Highway; reroof garage; $1,400.

Lohner Construction — 1211 Commerce Ave.; torch down re-roof of building for Interior Resources; $8,500.

Denson, Steven W. and Melina D. — 2292 Nicola Lane; Lowe’s to build a 10-foot by 12-foot shed; $1,200.

JH Kelly LLC — 101 Fisher’s Lane; replace underdrain and concrete floor on No. 1 filter at water filter plant; $99,100.

Weatherguard Inc. — 627 18th Ave.; tear off existing roof and re-roof house; $11,700.

Weatherguard Inc. — 1811 Washington Way; tear off existing roof and re-roof commercial building; $11,800.

Columbia Fence and Construction — 2624 Field St.; install 29 plus or minus feet of 6-foot tall cedar board fence along side property line; $500.

Lewis Construction — 1951 Hudson St.; replace 3 windows in 2 of 3 units in triplex; $0.

Bravis Group LLC — 1146 15th Ave.; tenant improvement to create office and ADA restroom; $8,000.

American Windows and doors Inc. — 18 City View Blvd.; replace aluminum windows with vinyl windows in single family residence; $0.

Affordable Construction Inc. — 1629 10th Ave.; replace 10 windows with like size and install 2 sets of steps over existing stoop out of wood; install railing at rear exit; $975.

Hargrove Construction — 1600 Third Ave.; construct 136 feet of 6foot high chain link fencing for Progress Center; $1,500.

Perket, Kathy C. — 5345 Oriole Drive; construct a wood porch leanto onto existing shed in rear yard; $500.

Hargrove Construction — 1255 28th Ave.; construct 6-foot high chain link fence around detached

outbuilding (future) for Longview School District; $1,500.

Columbia Valley Construction LLC — 3311 Pacific Way; tear off roof and re-roof house with 30-year architectural roofing; $0.

Bob Large Construction LLC — 1706 12th Ave.; remodel men’s and women’s bathrooms at KLTV; $29,797.

Bob Large Construction LLC — 928 Eighth Ave.; replace 22 windows in 5 units of apartment building; $8,960.

The Lawn Barber — 2949 Florida St.; house renovation: demolish ceilinga nd exterior only walls and Sheetrock and insulate; repair foundation and anchor sill plate; re-frame doorway to kitchen; replace windows; re-roof with 3-tab, 30-year shingles; replace/re-pipe kitchen and bath, water heater and washer; install 2 vent fans; $2,708.

Allred Roofing Inc. — 1523 24th Ave.; tear off roof and re-roof entire home and garage with 31 squares of 30-year Pabco dimensional roofing; $0.

Roulette, Walter O. and Ramona — 365 24th Ave.; construct 123.5 lineal feet of 8-foot high wooden fence; $1,235.

American Restoration Kompany — 2355 38th Ave.; restoration work at fire station 82 to repair fire, smoke and water damage resulting from kitchen fire; incudes 3 plumbing fixtures and duct repairs; $101,550.

Swanson, Dianne L. and Richard A. — 2632 Maplewood Drive; convert garage into living area; includes building, plumbing, mechanical and electrical permits; work to be done by owner; $5,000.

Nesbitt, John W. — 352 17th Ave.; construct 12-foot by 12-foot shed; $1,440.

Huffman Living Trust — 949 15th

Ave.; install electronic readerboard sing atop a brick wall along side property line and change cabinet on existing pole sign for American Transmissions; electrical permits by Power Tech electric; $3,000 Erskine, Jeffery Scott — 328 27th Ave.; install new meter base and baseboard heaters from existing circuits; repair Sheetrock; $500.

Allred Roofing Inc. — 2770 Terry Ave.; tear off roof and re-roof house with 30-year Pabco dimensional roofing; $0.

Allred Roofing Inc. — 3083 Pennsylvania St.; tear off roof and partially re-sheet roof and re-roof entire house with 30-year Pabco dimensional roofing; $0.

Lower Columbia College — 1600 Maple St.; remodel LCC Student Center book store; $50,000.

Collins Mechanical Inc. — 1600 Maple St.; 12 HVAC units and building permit for structural modification to Applied Arts roof to accommodate rooftop unit; $212,000.

Advanced Electric Sign Inc. — 1156 Commerce Ave.; 10-foot 1 1/2-inch by 47-inch illuminated wall mounted sign for Mary Jane’s House of Glass; $2,000.

Advanced Electric Sign Inc. — 540 Seventh Ave.; building and electrical permit to mount illuminated sign for Subway on exterior of Walmart building; $3,000.

Hargrove Construction — 1616 Eighth Ave.; fence permit for 113 feet of 6-foot high cedar privacy fence along side and rear of property in the rear yard setback areas with two gates per site plan; $500.

City of Rainier January and February

All-Weather Construction and Roofing — 212 East B; commercial re-roof.

Consistent Courteous Complete

TiTle and escrow services Joel Lengyel Manager, Vice President

1425 Maple Street, Longview • Toll free 877-425-2950 www.cascade-title.com

404617

29

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Silve

Local sales snapshot February 2011

Feb. ’11 Feb. ’10 4 New listings 105 156 Active Listings Longview578 Kelso 677 Pending Sales 68 70 Sold Units 43 55 Median Price* $146,700 $147,000 bia R

iver

5

Percent Change -32% -14.6% -2.8% -21.8% 0%

Stella

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Area New Active Ave. Price 401 1 7 $125,700 402 3 21 $74,771 403 8 31 $120,527 404 3 14 $220,343 405 6 25 $127,932 406 5 27 $216,722 407 2 14 $325,157 408 0 15 $159,030 409 1 14 $229,129 410 3 35 $192,188

Area New Active Ave. Price 411 10 44 $210,948 412 5 28 $273,946 414 24 101 $229,441 415 3 14 $244,171 416 7 27 $108,181 417 3 23 $184,670 418 4 23 $111,573 419 4 37 $314,223 420 13 78 $278,036

406 $209,450 (2)

Av e. th 38

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405 du st $107,500 ria (1) l W (3) 404 ay (2) Washington Way (1) Co 402 (0) lum 403 b

5

401

Or eg on Wa y

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Woodland

Hwy.

5

418 $0 (0)

411

Kalama 420 $185,000 (8)

416 $60,000 (5)

30th Ave.

In

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407 ghts $0 Ocean(0) Beach e

$95,000 $35,500 $112,000 $0

408 $140,400 (1)

415 $185,000 (1)

411

bia lum Co

411 $107,500 (3)

419 $108,900 (3)

5

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409 $0 (0)

Kelso 417

$174,557 (2)

410 $180,000 (3)

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401 402 403 404

Longview

Source: Northwest MLS

411 Be $107,500 ac h H (3) w

WA

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415 $185,000 (1)

Colum

412

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410 $180,000 (3)

*Prices are for closed (sold) listings

iver Kalama Avg. asking price for houses/ condos on market

Pacific Wa y

412 $0 (0)

Westside Hwy.

Colu m

414 $196,420 (8)

Castle Rock

Prices for houses and condominiums sold in Cowlitz County. (Number sold in parentheses.)

5

Stella

417 $174,557 (2)

401: West Kelso 402: Highlands 403: St. Helens 404: Westside 405: Olympic 406: Columbia Heights 407: Hillside 408: Northlake 409: Pacific Way 410: Beacon Hill

411: Robert Gray 412: West County 414: North County 415: Ostrander 416: North Kelso 417: Kelso Hill 418: South Kelso 419: East County 420: Kalama, Woodland and South County

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Musgrove, Ben — 102 East B (Bell Studio); non weight-bearing wall in commercial structure.

Nelson, Sloan — 109 East A.; mechanical permit for commercial building.

USG — 29073 Dike Road; silo foundation.

Musgrove, Ben — 102 East B.; plumbing for commercial building.

Moenlaer Ministries — 701 East E; construction.

Abel, Brian — 30170 Sandy Lane; reroof.

Riverside Community Church — 305 West Third; exterior door.

USG — 29073 Dike Road; covered wash pad and building to house water equipment.

Oregan, Stephen and Peter — 75930 Rockcrest; change of occupancy.

Webb, Kurt and Charlene — 75171 Debast Road; wood stove.

USG — 29073 Dike Road; plumbing.

All-Weather Roofing — 30166 Sandy Lane; re-roof.

Christopherson, Buel — 605 East D; ductless heat pump.

Korff, Stephanie — 29210 Hickory St.; install heat pump.

Thayer, Kalhauer — 112 West 10th; replace porch.

Clifford, Bill — 75845 Rockcrest; change of occupancy.

Soleri, Cathy — 713 West B; water heater.

Hometown Pizza — 109 East A; commercial renovation.

Hometown Pizza — 109 East A; plumbing for commercial building.

Bank of America — 203 East A.; HVAC mechanical permit.

Editor’s note: The city of Rainier does not send permit valuations.

City of Woodland

Chuck Jones Automotive — 1459 Pacific Ave.; install a safety wall to keep customers from going into the service area; install a front counter to sign customers in; install two automotive lifts in the shop service area; $1,500.

Advanced Electric Sign — 430 Bozarth; install one monument sign; take down old sign; $6,000.

Glacier Contracting Inc. — 1823 Schurman Way, No. 306; office and shop for specialty contractor; $15,000.

Glacier Contracting Inc. — 1823 Shurman Way, No. 306; tenant buildout in existing building; plumbing: one

lavatory, one shop sink, possibly one drain; and mechanical: one bathroom exhaust fan, 1-1 1/2 split system heat pump; $3,000.

Vancouver Sign — 1360 Lewis River Road; put up sign for Hallelujah junction; $650.

Pacific Rim Logging — 1695 Lewis River Road; locate sings on building face; $400.

Peak Landscape — 281 Insel Road; new landscape irrigation backflow preventer; $650.

Pfeifer Mobil Concrete — 251 S. Pekin Road; retaining wall as a condition of preliminary plat approval for Kinkade Short Plat; $6,000.

Entek Corporation — 1660 Heritage St.; install two radiant tube heaters for warehouse personnel heating; $11,550.

GB Manchester/Prairy Electrical — 757 Park Ave.; install fire alarm system addition in new modular classroom and one existing modular administration building; this is an extension of the existing fire alarm system; $13,080.

The Home Depot — 242 Misty Drive; install fence; $4,334.92.

Cowlitz County January The Roof Doctor — 541 Clark Creek Road; alteration to single family dwelling; $2,700.

Breshears/Thornton — 3535 Industrial Way; new outbuilding; $65,000.

Breashears/Thornton — 3535 Industrial Way; new outbuilding; $275,000.

Newrock Homes Inc. — 352 Suthard Road; new single family dwelling; $204,213.

Shadle, Terry — 305 Menlo Drive; addition to outbuilding; $7,170.

Columbia Steel Construction — 380 Mountain View Road; new outbuilding; $52,589.

Allred Roofing Inc. — 212 Beacon Hill Drive; alteration to single family dwelling; $3,400.

Charles and Julie — 159 Flathills Road; new outbuilding; $39,840.

Rose, Lori — 7495 Willow Grove Road; new outbuilding; $11,653.

Weatherguard Inc. — 132 Cunningham Road; alteration to single family dwelling; $3,000.

Starnes, Lawson — 1258 Eufala Heights Road; new outbuilding; $63,840.

Heikkala, Roy — 1440 Caples Road; new commercial building;

$300,000.

The Roof Doctor — 2407 Coal Creek Road; alteration to public building; $4,700 Smith, Michael — 312 Nevada Drive; alteration to single family dwelling; $4,000.

R.L. Dole LLC — 103 McMenomy Drive; new outbuilding; $25,536.

Moss, David — 121 Studebaker Spur 3; alteration to single family dwelling; $4,000.

Moss, David — 121 Studebaker Spur 3; alteration to single family dwelling; $8,000.

Volk, Michael — 1602 Hazel Dell Road; new outbuilding; $23,940.

Allred Roofing Inc. — 1114 Taylor Road; IRC accessory structure; $1,600.

Husky, Ted — 263 St. James Place; new single family dwelling; $216,686.

Wallace, Michael — 424 Imboden Road; addition to single family dwelling; $153,354.

Yardley, Donna — 201 Parker Place; alteration to single family dwelling; $3,000.

Dewey’s Sign Service — 4858 West Side Highway; alteration to commercial building; $7,000.

Advanced Electric Signs — 1414 Pacific S.; new outbuilding; $3,800.

Hensley’s General Contracting — 165 Sevie Lane; new single family dwelling; $173,508.

The Roof Doctor — 23 Cedar Gates Road; alteration to single family dwelling; $3,000.

Ibberson Engineering — 150 East Mill road; no description; $140,000.

Murray, Scott — 711 Silver Ridge Drive; new outbuilding; $69,492.

Adair Homes — 153 Glenhaven; new single family dwelling; $198,096.

Ibberson Engineering — 150 East Mill Road; new description; $850,000.

Moore, Richard — 205 Patriot Road; new single family dwelling; $277,471.

Newrock Homes Inc. — 123 Wildlife Drive; new single family dwelling; $191,200.

Pacific County January and February

Ramsey Sign Co. — 1796 State Route 4, Naselle; replace sign; $6,350.

Dobbins Jr., Charles Parker — 288 Upper Naselle Road, Naselle; put foundation under 12-foot by 14foot shed; $2,500.

Seeker & Sons Builders — 15407 Sandridge Road, Long Beach; 40-foot by 84-foot pole building; $98,848.

Erik Fagerland & Associates — 9604 State Route 103, Long Beach; 42-foot by 76-foot club house; $400,000.

Buell’s Quality Construction Inc. — 14012 N St., Long Beach; new single family dwelling; $280,000.

Paul Karlsen Building Inc. — 32600 J Place, Ocean Park; new single family dwelling; $111,867.

Adair Homes Inc. — 2708 240th Place, Ocean Park; new single family dwelling; $95, 891.

Newrock Homes — 30 Jeldness Lane, Ilwaco; new single family residence; $234,000 The Roof Doctor Inc. — 29519 G St., Ocean Park; addition to single family residence; $8,000.

Kemmer, Linda — 636 State Route 101, Chinook; new garage; $10,500.

Smith, Gary and Jeannie — 21305 Pacific Way, Ocean Park; addition to single family residence; $69,105.

Coffin, Gerald and Sabrina — 25519 Park Ave, Ocean Park; new single family multiple residence; $424,034.

Supervision Inc. — 178 Government Road, Naselle; 24-foot by 36foot pole building; $15,000.

Waldal Construction — 30815 G St., Ocean Park; remodel; $36,826.

Monohon, Ray and Tasha — 13055 Sandridge Road, Long Beach; new single family garage; $136,824.

Town and Country — 23502 Birch Place, Ocean Park; 14-foot by 24-foot pole building; $14,000.

High Country Woodworks LLC — 1102 309th Place, Ocean Park; roof over deck; $5,400.

Town and Country — 4402 166th Lane, Long Beach; 34-foot by 42-foot pole building; $36,000.

Bodine Construction — 1811 257th Lane, Ocean Park; 22-foot by 24-foot carport; $8,500.

The Roof Doctor Inc. — 29519 G. St., Ocean Park; 10-foot by 10-foot deck; $4,200.

The Roof Doctor Inc. — 32508 J Place, Ocean Park; addition to single family residence; $10,967.04.

DPR Builders — 33609 G St., Ocean Park; 6-foot by 16-foot deck; $4,000.

KC Painting — 29210 Sandridge Road, Ocean Park; new garage; $45,000.

31

PeaceHealth St. John March 2011 Report

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Please feel free to visit us on Facebook at: www.facebook/PeaceHealthStJohn We hope you will “like” us, and write on our wall!

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IGRT

Joint Center to Open on 8th Floor

PeaceHealth St. John’s new Image Guided Radiation Therapy unit brings the highest quality in radiation treatment to cancer patients in our community.

“Our machine is the very latest available,” says Bev Eaton, Radiation Oncology Manager at PeaceHealth St. John.

“It’s exceptional that a community hospital our size can offer this level of care, but we feel we owe it to our patients.”

The 8th floor of PeaceHealth St. John’s patient tower has been refreshed, and will re-open on March 14th featuring new paint, carpeting, artwork, even a new gymnasium!

The gym is an integral part of PeaceHealth St. John’s innovative Joint Replacement program, which will be located on the 8th floor.

Although IGRT helps patients at PeaceHealth St. John get the most effective therapy, Eaton says machines are not the key to successful treatment.

“People need to know they’re not on an assembly line,” she says. “The human side outweighs anything we can buy with dollars.”

“Patients who come to St. John for joint replacement will recover and rehab together,” says Joint Center Coordinator Susan Nichols. Studies have shown that joint replacement patients enjoy more successful outcomes if they rehabilitate as part of a group. The new Joint Center encourages collaboration and support among patients.

The 8th floor will also provide renal care services. Theresa Maxon, RN has been named the 8th floor Clinic Manager.

Photo: Joint Center patient receives helpful therapy.

1615 Delaware Street, Longview, WA (360) 414-2000 www.peacehealth.org 32

An affirmative action, equal opportunity employer