A new shipbuilder wants to come to town.
Aluminum Boats Australia, manufacturer of a wide variety of small to midsize passenger ferries and leisure craft, announced May 1 that it plans to set up shop in Anacortes, rather than Bellingham, as it had planned.
ABA entered a 30-day due diligence period in April with the Port of Bellingham for a 30,000-square-foot site at the Fairhaven Marine Industrial Park, but the cost to transport the vessels by land from the industrial park to the Fairhaven Shipyard was too much, according to a Port of Bellingham statement.
Port of Anacortes Executive Director Bob Hyde said ABA is looking to sell their boats in the U.S. market, so it needs a shipyard here.
Hyde said the Northwest Career & Technical Academy’s marine skills center near Seafarers’ Memorial Park was a big draw for the company as it looks to hire more than 20 skilled local workers.
Hyde said the MJB boat launch south of Anacortes Marina is another draw for the company.
The Samish Indian Nation believes the spirit of the cedar tree has healing qualities.
Seven of the trees were planted two years ago on the tribe’s property along Fidalgo Bay in honor of the seven lives lost at the Tesoro refinery across the bay on April 2, 2010.
“This is really for the community,” said Tribal Chairman Tom Wooten. “To help them heal.”
Members of the tribe dedicated a memorial plaque and the trees to the victims’ families in a touching and heartfelt ceremony Friday, April 27, Wooten said. About 50 people attended, including the families and tribal members.
The Anacortes Planning Commission recently OK’d a shoreline permit for the Port of Anacortes to have two moveable activity floats available at its Cap Sante Boat Haven marina.
The Anacortes Planning Commission will host a public hearing on proposed revisions to the city code related to medical marijuana collective gardens at its 7 p.m. meeting tonight.
United Steelworkers members from Local 12-591 in Skagit County attended a Tesoro shareholders meeting in San Antonio Thursday to ask why the company was not bargaining a fair contract.
Members tried to raise questions about the company’s labor relations practices and refinery safety, but CEO Greg Goff took no questions and ended the meeting after 12 minutes, according to a USW press release.
“We have some serious concerns with decisions being made by Tesoro management that we believe all shareholders should be aware of,” Local 12-591 President Steve Garey said. “These problems have been escalating over the past several years and we believe that they are coming to a head now during contract negotiations that have been under way since January.”
Garey presented more than 8,000 letters he said were from union members, their families and communities asking the company to bargain a fair contract.
he chance to hold office in Skagit County starts Monday with the opening of filing week by the county elections office.
County commissioners Ron Wesen and Kenneth Dahlstedt have already announced their intentions to run for re-election.
Wesen, a first-term Republican, represents District 1, which covers Fidalgo and Guemes islands, La Conner, Bayview, Bow, Edison and north to the Whatcom County line.
Dahlstedt, a three-term Democrat, represents District 2, which includes Mount Vernon, Conway and south to the Snohomish County line.
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