As is our Island's tradition, you can look forward to a full Celebrate Bainbridge week of festivities. with the Fun Run, Parade, Street Fair, and more on the 4th, plus the Downtown Association's July 3rd Street Dance, and Rotary's July 2nd Auction.

Over the past 18 months, a task force comprised of city staff, residents, stakeholders and COBI consultant Nelson Nygaard, met to formulate a list of potential projects within three core scenarios:

Last week's Planning Commission meeting discussed parking, maximum dwelling unit space and community space at the Bethany Lutheran Project. Density issues will next be considered at the February 24 meeting. A public hearing will likely be scheduled for March.

Also on deck for the Planning Commission, City Council referred the Housing Design Demonstration Project ordinance to discuss:

State House and Senate Democrats recently unveiled a $16 billion, 16-year transportation revenue package.

• $3.1B for transit programs

• $3B for highways

• $2.6B for fish passage culverts

• $1.3B for new hybrid ferries + electrifying two existing boats

• $1.2 billion to improve bike + pedestrian corridors

• Free rides on public transit for anyone 18 years or younger.

The plan gets its funding from the carbon pricing program signed into law last year, President Biden’s Federal Infrastructure investment & Jobs Act, and the state’s operating budget. It will not include any consumer gas tax increases.

Businesses serving food must comply with new food safety rules around employee health, cooking temperatures, and pets on premises by March 1, 2022.

Happy retirement to Bay Hay owners and island legends Howard and Ce-Ann Parker!

After 40 years of anchoring the Rolling Bay neighborhood the couple have sold the business to long-time store manager and friend Els Heyne, as well as her husband Jeff Groman, daughter Devin, and her husband Nick Snyder.

Be sure to also say hi to the newest Bay Hay and Feed member, Nick and Devin's daughter, Isidora (pictured in Nick's arms).

Have you always dreamed of owning your own boutique?

The owners of Winslow's Covet Boutique are retiring, which creates an opportunity to own one of Bainbridge’s most established women’s boutiques.

Turnkey operation, proven track record of year-over-year growth, loyal customer base, strong social media presence, website, and established vendor accounts with popular high end quality women’s clothing, jewelry, and shoes. All inventory, fixtures, furniture, and equipment are included with the sale.

Volunteers are needed Feb. 19 from 10 am to Noon to ensure the memorial and surrounding Pritchard Park are ready for the 80th Commemoration events.

Learn more and register here.

Be prepared to aid fellow islanders in an emergency. The city is offering CERT Basic Academy in March and April for interested residents. Training is free and open to all Bainbridge Island residents 18 years and older.

Learn more and register here.

Need to improve your website visitor experience? A recent column by Ken Sethney of the Kitsap SCORE has some great tips for making a start.

The Washington State Department of Commerce's Early Learning Facilities (ELF) program will open new funding to child care providers.

Grants will be available for eligible centers to help with minor renovations and small capital purchases in March.

Join KEDA for an opportunity to learn more about DEI concepts and help build out the organization’s strategies for equity and inclusion.

Democratic state legislators from the 23rd will host the virtual town hall centered around ferry ridership and other area issues.

The decision by Gov. Inslee was made after the state's hospitals reported a drop in new COVID-19 hospitalizations, alongside a fall in WA positive test cases.

The governor also announced that elective surgeries can resume again.

Next up, Inslee is expected to announce when an end to indoor mask mandates may be possible.

Unvaccinated visitors must present rapid antigen test results within the past 72 hours.

The policy, enacted due to the contagiousness of Omicron, is in effect at all Virginia Mason Franciscan Health facilities, also including here on Bainbridge.

As of Feb. 10, the latest Kitsap County COVID infection rates are down to 338 cases per 100,000 residents.

Island numbers are also down to 263 cases per 100k.

Since the start of the pandemic, there have now been 1,721 total cases recorded on Bainbridge, 66 of them new over the past week.

Vaccination rates on Bainbridge continuing to lead the county - more than 99% of Islanders aged 12 and above are vaccinated, alongside 73% of 5 to 11-yr-olds.

Drive-through testing is offered 6 days a week in Kitsap County, with the Rolling Bay testing site on Bainbridge open Mondays and Wednesdays 9am-Noon.

Free tests from the new federal website are being distributed.

Free tests from Washington State are being restocked:

Millions of free N95 masks are being distributed to pharmacies and supermarkets, including Safeway, Rite Aid, Walgreens on Bainbridge (limit 3 per person).

To help explain Bainbridge's new restrictions on single-use plastic to consumers, COBI has begun to send out free table-tents to our local eating and drinking establishments.

If you have not yet received yours, or need some more, please come pick them up for free at the Chamber office.

With the support of the City, County, and Bainbridge's own Breath Café, the Chamber has fresh supplies of N95 masks, disposable masks, and hand sanitizer available for free to all public-facing Island business and nonprofit organizations.

We also have free posters available to help businesses make it clear to all customers that masks are required for entry at their location.

To grab yours, give us a call, stop by our offices, or email us - we are here to help...