Primary Election is Set with Six Filing
for County Commissioner Seat
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Filing week has wrapped, setting the stage for crowded electoral races for Kitsap County Commissioner and Washington’s 6th Congressional District representative, and a host of state legislative seats in the August 6 primary.
As of 5 p.m. on May 10, the last day to file a declaration of candidacy, Charlotte Garrido has not filed for re-election to her District 2 Kitsap County Commissioner seat, which she has held for four consecutive terms since 2008.
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Join Us for Armed Forces Festivities
Parade, Heroes Barbeque, car show and more
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If you have a convertible that we can use for the Armed Forces Day parade to drive our VIP parade participants, please let us know by contacting the Chamber today!
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May Luncheon: State of the Military in Kitsap
Wednesday, May 22, 2024, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
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Please join us for our annual State of the military luncheon as we hear from Commander Luke Kelvington, Commanding Officer of the USS Pennsylvania who will speak to us about changes to our submarine force and the economic impacts of the new class of submarine coming to our region. We'll also be honoring the five students who were chosen this year as the 2024 Armed Forces Day Ambassador scholarship recipients.
Don't forget - be sure to bring an item for the raffle benefitting the Chamber's scholarship programs.
Strengthen your business and your business connections at the Greater Kitsap Chamber monthly membership luncheon - you won't want to miss! This month's luncheon will be held at the Kitsap Conference Center in Downtown Bremerton. Parking is available on the 2nd level (green).
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Get the Most Out of Your Member Benefits |
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According to the Harvard Business Review, 54% of job seekers considered better health, dental and vision insurance worthy of “heavy consideration” when evaluating job offers.
If you’re competing to attract and retain top talent, just making benefits available in not enough – employees need to regularly make use of their benefits and understand what is available to them.
Our partner, Business Health Trust has put together six post-enrollment strategies to help your workforce thrive – and help you keep them happy. Click the link to read:
🔗 Article Link: https://businesshealthtrust.com/news-insights/welcome-to-the-post-open-enrollment-playbook-ensuring-your-workforce-thrives/
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Renew your membership today to ensure your benefits as a member of the Greater Kitsap Chamber! Questions about when to renew or how to upgrade your membership? Need a new membership window cling or digital badge? Contact Irene now!
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Missed a previous edition of the Chamber's Community Connections?
View all the past issues on our website HERE.
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New Members - Welcome to the Chamber! |
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Habitat for Humanity & Bremerton Central
Lions Club Partner to Build Final Home
in Local Community
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Habitat for Humanity of Kitsap County, in collaboration with our lead house sponsor, Bremerton Central Lions Club, is thrilled to announce the commencement of the fifth and final home construction in the Whittle Lane community. This endeavor marks a significant milestone in providing affordable housing solutions in our region.
The Whittle Lane community, already a cherished neighborhood for four Habitat families, owes its existence to the gracious contribution from the Douglas Whittle family. Their generosity, coupled with the support on the final home from the Bremerton Lions Club, has made it possible to realize the dream of homeownership for local families.
A groundbreaking ceremony for the fifth home at Whittle Lane will take place on May 15th at 1:30 pm. Board and staff members of Habitat for Humanity, members of the Lions Club, and esteemed guests including Bremerton Mayor Greg Wheeler will be in attendance to commemorate this momentous occasion.
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You're Invited: Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting
Wednesday, May 15, 2024, 4:00 pm
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Kitsap Community Foundation
Kitsap Celebration of Philanthropy
Friday, May 17, 2024, 6:00 pm
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Presented by the Kitsap Community Foundation, the Celebration of Philanthropy is an annual event that brings our community together to celebrate the spirit of generosity that makes Kitsap a place we are all proud to call home.
During the evening, meet friends during our welcome reception with hosted beverages, feast on a delicious meal, bid on fantastic live auction items, and congratulate our 2024 award honorees.
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Three Leaves Design has extensive experience in print and web design, along with brand identity work. From small nonprofits such as Leadership Kitsap, to large businesses like Nickelodeon, Gretchen Ritter-Lopatowski and team treat each job as a unique opportunity to communicate a vision with the larger community.
Visit the Three Leaves website for examples of their work and sign them up for your next project!
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Member Education & Training Resources |
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SCORE: Tax Essentials for New and
Existing Business Owners
Friday, May 17, 2024, 9:00 am
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Paying taxes is inevitable. But reporting and paying the right amount of taxes timely is the goal you want to achieve to give you peace of mind and allow you to focus on more important areas, like driving your business forward.
This 2.5-hour workshop will help you learn about:
- Federal taxes imposed on your business.
- Federal taxes you need to report and pay on amounts paid to your employees.
- Federal taxes you need to report and pay based on your business’s profits.
- Washington taxes imposed on your business and employees.
- City and local taxes imposed on your business.
- Record keeping requirements to ensure you are ready for that taxing agency audit.
Workshop Fee: FREE
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KCR's BE$T Summer Program
Pre-registration now open for July 9th start
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Kitsap Community Resources’ Business Education Support & Training (BE$T) Program is committed to providing the business training and network of supportive community services to enterprising individuals to gain self- sufficiency through small business ownership.
The 8-week Business Basics Program gives you the tools to launch and expand a new business or grow your existing business.
- Develop your business concept
- Define and understand your target customer base
- Learn about money management and break-even point analysis
- Study cash flow, pricing, taxes and financial statements
- Learn how to set up operations including legal structure
- Design a marketing and sales plan
- Develop your own basic business plan
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Startup Founders Day @ Vibe Coworks
Tuesday, May 28, 2024, 12:00 pm
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Join us for a half day event organized by WTIA, Vibe Coworks, and growth marketing expert Collin Dayley! This is an amazing opportunity to get hands-on training and guidance from experienced entrepreneurs, investors, and business owners in Kitsap County. Stay until the end for a happy hour to celebrate and network with the community! |
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Business News & Resources |
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Explore changes in Washington's economy with new Vitals data
Cooling economy: New data from the AWB Institute's Vitals dashboard shows a slight slowdown in the state's economy in 2023. GDP increased at an annual rate of 3.9% in the last quarter of 2023, down from 5.6% in the first quarter of 2023.
Still, Washington saw positive economic growth, surpassing the 3% GDP growth rate for the nation as a whole.
Employment growth slows: After reaching a new high in mid-2023 with nearly four million workers, employment in Washington has declined slightly. Total employment fell 2.2% between the first quarters of 2023 and 2024.
During that period, some counties saw positive employment growth, including Kittitas (+4.8%), Garfield (+3.6%), and Douglas (+2.2%).
Rising unemployment: The state's unemployment rate was 5.37% in the first quarter of 2024, up 4.7% from a year ago. In comparison, the U.S. unemployment rate was 3.7% at the start of the year.
Retail sales stay steady: The state’s quarterly taxable retail sales remained largely unchanged between the third quarters of 2023 and 2022, data from the Washington State Department of Revenue’s Quarterly Business Review shows.
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Small Business Grants - May 2024 |
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Bacardi, NAACP team on restaurant grants
H&R Block offering $100k in small-business grants
To be eligible, businesses need to be at least 51% owned by a woman 18 years or older and living within the United States. A selection committee will evaluate submissions, and finalists must participate in a virtual video interview with members of the selection committee.
Applications will be accepted until May 26.
eBay launches fifth-annual Up & Running Grants program
E-commerce giant eBay will be awarding 50 sellers on its platform $10,000 each as part of a bid to fuel the growth of their business. The money can go toward physical and digital store improvements, equipment, inventory, hiring, training, marketing and other expenses. The company also is offering recipients a stipend worth $500 each that sellers can use for office technology from the eBay Refurbished online store.
The application window closes June 7.
LegalZoom offers $3 million small-business grant program with NBA, WNBA
Small businesses that have been in operation for at least three months are eligible to apply for the individual $10,000 grants or up to $500 in LegalZoom products and services. Winners will be announced on social media. Action Opportunity Fund will administer the small-business grant awards.
The window to apply closes September 13.
Jobber offers grants for home-services businesses
Applications are being accepted until June 12.
Additional opportunities for small businesses
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Quick and interesting reads for employers, employees,
local leaders, and everyone in between!
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The Greater Kitsap Chamber is proud to serve as a resource partner with the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries. Stay tuned to this section quarterly for education, resources and more from L&I. |
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Keeping Your Employees Safe in the Heat |
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Last weekend marked the first real heat our region has seen since last year and serves as a reminder for keeping our outdoor workers safe as we move into Washington's warmer months.
For outdoor workers and their employers, the quickly rising temperatures will trigger protections designed to prevent heat-related illness in agriculture, landscaping, construction, and other outdoor jobs.
The state heat rules include protections for outdoor workers that kick in at 80 degrees Fahrenheit, with additional requirements when there is high heat. The forecasted temperatures above 90 degrees in Eastern Washington mean many with outdoor jobs will be working with those requirements in place this weekend.
The rules also require close observation of all workers anywhere temperatures are 80 degrees or higher and 10 or more degrees above the average temperatures for the last 5 days, a threshold that many places around the state will meet in coming days.
At or above 80 degrees, employers must:
- Encourage and allow workers to take paid preventative cool-down rest periods as needed;
- Provide enough shade or other way of cooling down—like an air-conditioned building or running vehicle—for all employees on a meal or rest break to use;
- Provide enough cool drinking water for each employee to drink a quart per hour; and
- Closely observe new employees, employees returning from absences, and all employees during heat waves.
At or above 90 degrees, employers must require a 10-minute paid cool down rest period every two hours. When the temperature reaches 100 degrees or higher, the requirement for breaks becomes 15-minutes of paid cool down rest every hour.
L&I updated its heat protection rules last year, lowering the trigger temperature from 89 to 80 degrees and making them effective year-round based on temperature, rather than only during certain months of the year. For many places in Washington, this heat wave would not have activated protections under the older rules.
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Got a question or issue to be solved?
Call L&I's Small Business Liaisons for assistance.
Phone: 1-800-987-0145
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Nonprofit News & Resources |
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Communities Rise: May Legal Clinic
Wednesday, May 22, 2024, 5:00 pm
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Communities Rise is hosting a legal clinic for nonprofits that are located in Washington state. Qualifying clients are paired with 1-2 attorneys for a free 1-hour legal consultation (at either 5:00 or 6:15) to discuss legal questions related to your nonprofit such as: start-up questions, intellectual property, nonprofit governance, choice of legal entity, etc. Please note that Communities Rise is not able to assist with matters involving litigation or active disputes. If you are interested in attending the legal clinic, please email legalclinic@communities-rise.org to determine eligibility and register.
Online
Cost: Free
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Military May Help in War on Kitsap Health Crisis |
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Kitsap County is going to get help from the military in its war against its healthcare crisis.
The Kitsap Public Health District is drafting a letter to send to the Pentagon asking it to reopen some of its healthcare facilities that it shut down in 2013 to cut costs.
At the time the military hoped Kitsap’s private sector could handle the military patients. But the private sector is now “overstressed and underserved,” Dr. Gib Morrow of the KPHD said at its meeting May 8. “The private sector needs help from the military. It’s a significant national security risk.”
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KNKX Connects to Bremerton
Thursday, May 16, 2024
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The public is invited to join KNKX at the Admiral Theatre in downtown Bremerton on Thursday, May 16 for a live broadcast of KNKX’s All Things Considered with host Emil Moffatt from 3 to 6 p.m. The broadcast will feature reporting centered on Bremerton and live interviews. Then from 6:15 to 7:30 p.m., mingle with fellow listeners and KNKX staff while enjoying refreshments and live music from Kitsap-based artists, vocalist Eugenie Jones and saxophonist Mark Lewis (with pianist Randy Halberstadt, bassist Steve Luceno and drummer Bob Merrihew). The event is free. The Admiral Theatre is located at 515 Pacific Avenue.
More information about KNKX Connects can be found here.
KNKX is an ambassador for jazz and blues, and a vital source of quality, non-commercial news, including NPR and regional coverage. KNKX operates a network of 12 radio signals that cover Western Washington, reaching 200,000 listeners weekly.
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Live Well Kitsap! Networking Opportunity
Wednesday, May 22, 2024, 3:15pm
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SK Public Education Foundation Open House
Thursday, May 30, 2024, 5:30 pm
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Masks & COVID Testing Kits Available
Free at the Greater Kitsap Chamber & Visitor Center
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The Greater Kitsap Chamber still has some supplies available if your local business is in need of KN95 masks or COVID testing kits. Pick up your supply at both GKC locations today. Available while supplies last.
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The Admiral Theatre Presents: |
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Britnee Kellogg
Friday, May 17, 2024, 8:00 pm
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Britnee’s love of country music started at nine years old, when she attended a Johnny Cash & June Carter-Cash concert. Smitten from the first note, Britnee knew that she had found her chosen career. Every day since then has brought her one step closer to her dream.
Today, you’ll find Britnee sharing the stage with the likes of Blake Shelton, Eric Paslay, Lee Brice, Kane Brown, Little Big Town and Keith Urban. You may have also seen her on Season 11 and Season 12 of American Idol. She has a large fan base, with a local and worldwide following.
Most recently, Britnee has been focusing on writing and performing her original music. It’s a deeply personal project, one that allows her to truly showcase her rich, edgy vocal stylings.
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Ricky Nelson Remembered
Starring Matthew and Gunnar Nelson
Friday, May 31, 2024, 8:00 pm
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A unique multi-media entertainment event featuring the live music of Ricky Nelson’s hit songs (including “Hello Mary Lou”, “Travelin’ Man”, “Garden Party”) performed by Ricky’s own twin sons Matthew & Gunnar and includes never before seen big screen video footage of the NELSON family with interviews from celebrities influenced by Ricky Nelson.
The show appeals to a wide audience and multiple generations and celebrates the life of America’s original ‘Teen Idol’. The year 2020 marked the 35th anniversary of Rick Nelson’s passing in a tragic New Year’s Eve plane crash. Ricky would have turned 80 on May 8th of that year.
This show stars Matthew and Gunnar Nelson, the identical twin sons of Rock’n’Roll Hall of Famer Ricky Nelson and grandsons of ‘50s TV icons Ozzie & Harriet Nelson. When Matthew & Gunnar hit #1 on the Billboard with their rock band NELSON with their self-penned #1 mega hit “(Can’t Live Without Your) Love & Affection” it put the Nelson family in the Guinness Book of Worlds as the ONLY family in entertainment history with THREE generations of #1 HITMAKERS! With their rock band NELSON, Matthew and Gunnar have five Top 40 Billboard hits, four #1 MTV videos and have sold over 6.5 million albums worldwide!
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Clearwater Casino Resort:
Sweet Emotion - Aerosmith Tribute
Saturday, May 18, 2024, 8:30 pm
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KCMT Presents: Disney's The Little Mermaid
Now thru May 19, 2024
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BCT: The Smell of the Kill
May 17 - 26, 2024
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Take three delicious, malicious wives, add three miserable, unloving husbands — and chill. That's the recipe of Michele Lowe's tantalizing comedy that had Broadway audiences cheering. Nicky, Debra, and Molly have tolerated one another during once-a-month dinners for years. While their unseen spouses play golf in the dining room, the women exchange confidences for the first time revealing that all three marriages are on the brink of disaster and all three women are facing the challenges of their lives.
Content Advisory: Some adult language and a gunshot.
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Bremerton Airshow Returns this Summer
August 17 & 18, 2024
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Stay in the know with what's happening for events
in Central Kitsap by checking out and liking the
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Have something to share? CLICK HERE to submit stories and
events for our weekly Community Connections!
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David Emmons
President/CEO
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Irene Moyer
VP, Membership & Strategic Communications
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Tiffany Diamond
Events Coordinator
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Bremerton Office (360) 479-3579 | 4th & Pacific Downtown Bremerton
Silverdale Office (360) 692-6800 | Kitsap Mall next to Macy's
PO Box 1218 Silverdale WA 98383
If you need assistance, please contact us directly.
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