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Vol. 3, No. 1 • Jan. 2011

Business ConneCtionKelso longview Chamber of CommerCe • longview Downtowners

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WATER COOLERaround the

Business Briefs . . . . . . . . . .3

Business Toolbox . . . . . . . .4

Around the Water Cooler . . .5

President’s Message . . . . . .7

Longview Downtowners 8 & 9

Mark Your Calendar . . . . .10

IN THIS ISSUE

Balancing the State budget . . . Page 5

The Longview School District has two current levies that are both scheduled to expire on December 31, 2011. The issue to the voters will be to authorize continuing both levies for three (3) years into 2012, 2013 and 2014.

The first is a traditional M & O (Main-tenance and Operations) Levy that represents the "bread and butter" of everyday school in that it contributes 20% of the operating budget. The 2010 rate is $2.74, the 2011 estimated rate is $3.05 and the 2012-14 rate is esti-mated to be $3.39.

Local levy monies help maintain basic programs and services for students:•Textbooks, supplies and other class-room needs•Sports, music and other extracur-ricular activities•Preservation, renovation and mod-ernization (PRAM) projects for school buildings.

The second is a special T & C (Tech-nology and Capital Projects) Levy that is providing essential student comput-ers and financing building preserva-

Longview School District levies ~ Here are the Facts

tion projects. The 2010 rate is $0.28, the 2011 estimated rate is $0.30 and the 2012-14 rate is estimated to be $0.33.

State support of schools has not included technology, as follows:

•Two-thirds of student computer labs do not fully meet standards defined as current by the state.

•More than half of the teacher (desk-top or laptop) computers do not meet standards.

The combined levies’ cost for a $150,000 home is $453.00 this year, $502.50 for 2011, and $558.00 for 2012-14. This amounts to a $49.50 increase next year and $56.00 increase for 2012-14.

Low income seniors and disabled adults may qualify for school levy tax waivers. The Cowlitz County Asses-sor's office has information.

The levies will be voted on the February 8, 2011 ballot.

The Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce Legislative Committee is hosting a weekly Legislative Breakfast Briefing and cordially invites you to participate.

The Legislative Breakfast Briefing begins January 10, 2010 and will continue every Monday thereafter through the end of the session.

Each week, contact is made with our local legislators, either in person or by conference call, for an update on the bills and issues currently under consideration.

As a business, you often feel the impact from some of the decisions made by our State Legislators on your ability to do business in Washington State. In its role as the Voice of Business, the Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce is doing its part to influence legislative decisions affecting your business.

We encourage you, as Chamber members, to attend our monthly committee meetings as well as our weekly Legislative Update meetings to discuss your concerns with our legislators.

Recognizing tight economy, Chamber holds the line on duesThe Kelso Longview Chamber recog-nizes the burden the tight economy has had on the businesses in the community. For the second year, the Chamber is choosing to defer an increase in membership dues. We are also offering a cost savings to our members of a 10% reduction in their annual dues if they pay by January 31, 2011.

For more information, contact the Chamber Team: 360-423-8400.

Chamber members to connect with Legislators

DURING THE SESSION ~

January – AprilLegislative Update BreakfastMondays • 7:00 am

Monticello HotelLaRiviere Room

May – DecemberLegislative Committee MeetingsLast Monday of each month12 noon

Monticello HotelLaRiviere Room

LEGISLATIVE UPDATES

• JANUARY 2011 KELSO-LONGVIEW BUSINESS CONNECTION

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Business ConneCtionKelso longview Chamber of CommerCe • longview Downtowners

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BRIEFSbusiness

NEW OPTOMETRISTThree Rivers Eye Care in Kelso

announces the addition of Dr . Stepha-nie Sipe as an associate doc-tor of optome-try, joining Dr . Ed Laulainen and staff in serving the

local region from their offices in the Catlin Commons building at 209 W. Main Street in Kelso. “We are fortu-nate to have found Dr. Sipe available to join our practice,” said Dr. Ed Lau-lainen. “She is a great addition to our team and we look forward to meeting her patients.”

Dr. Sipe received her undergraduate degree from Washington State Uni-versity and her Doctor of Optometry degree from Pacific University. Since 2005, she has practiced optometry in the local area and has experience in the diagnosis and management of many ocular diseases like glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration and diabetes.

Married with two children, Dr. Sipe enjoys her interactions with patients of all ages and especially likes work-ing with children. In her leisure time she enjoys sewing, geocaching and hiking with her family.

ROOKIE OF THE YEARAman Wasu, a Realtor with Pru-dential Northwest Properties in Longview, was formally installed as a 2011 Director of the Cowlitz County Association of Realtors . He was also honored with the 2010 Rookie Realtor of the Year award at the CCAR annual banquet and installation ceremony Friday, Nov 5 at the Monticello Hotel . “This means a lot to me as it is a confirma-tion of the trust my peers have placed in me and my leadership capabilities,” said the honoree, who also recently started the “Cowlitz County Real Estate Guy” blog as an industry and mar-ket resource for Cowlitz residents. The blog can be accessed at http://CowlitzCore.com and on Facebook.

COWLITZ BLACK BEARS SET 2011 SCHEDULE

“You know the off-season excitement is starting to build when next season’s schedule is final-

ized,” Black Bears General Manager Grant Wilson said in a press release. The West Coast League team will play 31 games next summer at the new, improved Story Field in Longview, beginning June 3. “Besides the excitement of actually seeing who and when we’re going to play, we can really start cranking out our promo-tional schedule.

The schedule features 27 league games, three games against teams from the WCL Portland, and a game against the WCL Portland All-Star team August 2nd. The Black Bears season begins Friday, June 3, and concludes Wednesday, August 10. The best-of-three Divisional Play-Offs kick-off Friday, August 12, while the best-of-three Championship Series starts Tuesday, August 16.

The Black Bears are members of the West Coast League, a nine-team, pro-fessional style wood-bat summer col-lege league. The WCL features pro prospects from major conferences across the country. More than 120 WCL alums are played affiliated pro-fessional baseball last season, and 14 ex-WCL stars are played in the Major Leagues. For tickets or more infor-mation on the league, call 360-703-3195 or visit www.westcoastleague.com.

US CELLULAR BOOSTS LOCAL CLASSROOMSFour Cowlitz County teachers received exciting news from U .S . Cellular that their classroom proj-ects had been funded through the company’s Calling All Teachers campaign. For a second year, the wireless carrier partnered with phil-anthropic website DonorsChoose.org to fund $1 million in creative and impactful classroom projects submit-ted by public school teachers. The local donation of $2,003.72 will ben-efit 190 students at Beacon Hill Ele-mentary School, Mt . Solo Middle School, Butler Acres and Catlin Elementary by funding 12 “manipu-latives” (to help students understand

mathematical concepts), calculators and books.

Throughout the state of Washington, U.S. Cellular funded 38 projects total-ing $28,166.94 that will benefit more than 4,400 students. U.S. Cellular focuses its giving on education and the pressing needs of schools. Lack of funding has caused many of them to eliminate critical programs and operate on limited resources. “Call-ing All Teachers” is one of the initia-tives the phone company developed to offer schools help with these finan-cial challenges.

“Teachers play a big role in the future of our children,” said Joe Cabrera, director of sales for U.S. Cellular in Washington and Oregon. “We are glad to support them because we know they work hard to make every child’s learning experience meaning-ful and fun.”

Recently, the company introduced The Belief Project to address com-mon frustrations consumers have with the wireless industry. recog-nizes customer loyalty with free-dom from continuous contracts and rewards for customers including faster phone upgrades at promotional prices, accessories and companion lines, all on bundled national rate plans. New customers fulfill an ini-tial two-year commitment and never have to sign another contract. This initiative complements U.S. Cellu-lar’s growing catalog of cutting-edge phones, all backed by its nationwide 3G network. To learn more about the company’s support of education and The Belief Project, visit uscellular.com or check it out on Facebook.

NEW SPINE SURGEONS . Raymond Golish MD PhD has joined InMotion Orthopedics at PeaceHealth St . John Medical

Center. Dr. Golish is a fellowship-trained spine surgeon spe-cializing in all diseases of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine.

The focus of his practice is provid-ing surgical care that is compassion-ate, evidence-based, and minimally invasive.In addition to clinical practice, Dr. Golish is extremely active in research on evidence-based medicine, medical devices, minimally invasive surgery, and information technology. He is the author of more than 70 peer-reviewed manuscripts, book chapters, con-ference proceedings, and abstracts and has lectured widely in Europe, Asia, and North America on diverse aspects of surgery and biomedical engineering.

Dr. Golish is a member of the Medi-cal Devices Advisory Committee of the FDA, the Biomedical Engineer-ing Committee of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery, and the Medical and Surgical Mate-rials and Devices Committee of the ASTM. He is a member of numerous professional societies including the North American Spine Society.

He completed a fellowship in Spine Surgery at Stanford University. He earned his MD and PhD in Engi-neering at UCLA on an academic scholarship from the NIH, and com-pleted residency training at the Uni-versity of Virginia, where he was Administrative Chief Resident. He has been the recipient of national and international awards for surgery and science.

NEW MARITIME BUSINESSGary Lindstrom, a maritime indus-try professional, has started LIND-SHIP Maritime Services, a new company in Longview providing logistics, forwarding and consult-ing services for companies moving

international and domes-tic freight. Aligned with ocean ship-ping lines, barge opera-tors, truck lines and rail carriers,

LINDSHIP’s diverse network pro-vides quality services for safe and cost effective transportation. The company partners closely with ports, stevedores, inland trucking and rail companies to develop customized transportation services. LINDSHIP offers its customers a wide range of freight forwarding and brokerage services to move bulk, breakbulk and containerized cargoes. Lind-strom previously worked on the West Coast for the Port of Longview, American President Lines, and Gen-eral Steamship. For further infor-mation contact Mr. Lindstrom at: [email protected] or visit the www.lindship.com.

•••

The Kelso-Longview Chamber of Commerce would like to help publicize your promotions, significant happenings andpersonnel achievements.

Send information to: [email protected]

NEWS?Got


By Susan Hoosier

TANGIBLE RESULTS FOR YOUR CUSTOMERSFive Steps to Defining and Delivering Your Unique Value Proposition

TOOLBOXbusiness

In today’s increasingly competitive business landscape, it is vitally important to develop a clear

statement of the tangible results a customer gets from using your products or services. This, in a nutshell, is your “value proposition.”’ Developing a powerful and tangible value proposition will set you apart from the competition and entice your prospects to investigate your products and services. The ability of your company to back up the value proposition will be critical since a value proposition, for all effects and purposes, is a promise that you make to your customers.

The number one response you don’t want prospects to ask, or even think, after hearing your value proposition is, “So what?” Strong value propositions deliver tangible results.

Examples of weak propositions:It’s the most technologically advanced system on the market. So what??

We offer training classes in a wide variety of areas. So what??

Example of a strong proposition:We have been in business since 1960. What that means to you is we are dependable and our money-back guarantee has been a solid commitment to our customers for more than 40 years.

Your value proposition should be something that can be incorporated into your elevator speech, i.e. a short but interesting and focused description of the work you do and the solutions you provide. It should last no more than 30 seconds (the length of an elevator ride).

Example of a value proposition incorporated into an elevator speech:

My name is Jane Smith. I am a consultant with _______, where I have helped more than 30 small biotech companies form business partnerships with universities and research labs in 20 states.

How can you develop your own value proposition? 1) Describe what your business provides in terms of tangible business results to clients.2) If you can easily ask the question, ‘so what?', when you read the description you have created in 1) above, then you are probably describing a feature (characteristic) rather than a benefit (takes away your client’s ‘pain’). Talk to your existing customers to find out what value you bring to them.

3) Use enthusiasm to improve the persuasive power of your value proposition. This may take some practice but will become easier if your value proposition focuses on customer needs.

4) Never assume that your prospect knows even the most obvious features and benefits about your company.

5) As your company grows, your value proposition may become diluted. Do not lose track of the fact that the value proposition is all about meeting your customer’s needs and taking away their pain.

Here is an example of a strong value statement:

XYZ Corporation is the exclusive provider of patent-pending project management software for paving contractors, saving U.S. contractors more than $34 million in 2005.’

Keeping these guidelines in mind will help you create a Unique Value Proposition (UVP) for a new business or “discover” one for an existing business. Remember to keep it clear, concise and emphasize benefits and solutions for your customers!

•••

Susan J. Hoosier is a business advisorr with the Longview Small Business Development Center, part of the 24 statewide offices of the Washington Small Business Development Center network offering in-depth, confidential, and no-cost management advice to businesses within Washington State. For more information, visit www.wsbdc or contact Susan Hoosier at [email protected] or 360-442-2946.

Washington State revenue forecaster projects future

Kelso-Longview Business Connection

published monthly byKelso-Longview Chamber of Commerce1563 Olympia Way, Longview, WA 98632

360-423-8400 Produced by Columbia River Reader

To advertise, call 360-636-1143or 360-749-2632.

E-mail: [email protected]

Kelso longview Chamber of CommerCe Team

Rick Winsman, President/CEONorma Davey, Director of Administration

Amy Johnson, Program DirectorDebbie Brock, Bookkeeper

Kelso visiTor CenTer

Connie Parsons, Center DirectorLois Sigurdson, Center Assistant

CowliTz CounTy Tourism bureau

Mark Plotkin, Tourism DirectorMegan Wells, Tourism Assistant

At the Kelso Longview Cham-ber’s December 1 Quarterly Membership Meeting/Eco-

nomic Summit, Arun Raha, Ph.D., spoke to 160 mem-bers and guests about trends and predictions for the near future. Here are highlights of his pre-sentation:

State revenue collec-tions since September’s forecast have come in on target, however revenues based on economic activ-ity are below target. Most of the modest positive variance can be explained by timing and other non-economic factors.

Employment growth in Washington since the trough has been slowest for this recession and the hole we are in is also the deepest.

Credit conditions for small business are improving but remain tight.

Recovery in non-residential construc-tion is not expected until 2012.

Washington single-family building permits appear to be stabalizing.

Post-credit drop-off in Real Estate Excise Tax seems to be complete.

The leading indicator predicts improvement in remodeling expendi-tures.

Automotive sales ticked up in Octo-ber.

The passage of Initiative 1107 (repeal of candy and bottled water tax) will lower expected revenues by $281 mil-lion.

A weaker economic outlook for the next Biennium, and the flatter trajec-tory to it, has lowered revenue collec-tions.

Total General Fund State revenues will be lower by $385 million this Biennium and by $809 million next Biennium.

This is the worst recession since World War II.

GDP is growing, but modestly.

The yield curve has flattened, but is not signaling a double dip. Wash-ington export growth is stable and will help the State outperform in the revovery.

Boeing has a healthy and geographi-cally diversified order book with a backlog of 3,469 planes.

Software publishing employment is expeted to eventually grow at about 5% per year.

Washington employment lagged the nation in the downturn and will recover at about the same rate as the nation.

The recovery in Wash-ington personal income growth, however, is expected to be better than the nation’s.

The forecast for the 2009-2011 Biennium is $385 mil-lion lower, due to economic and non-economic reasons

The forecast for the 2011-2013 Biennium is $809 lower for the same reasons.

The economic recovery is ongoing, but at a slower than anticipated pace.

“Prediciton is very difficult, especially if it’s about the future,” Raha said, jok-ingly, in closing.

Raha has won two national forecasting awards: The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago’s top overall forecast prize for 2007, and the Wall Street Journal’s forecasting award in January 2005.

•••

Arun Raha, Ph.D., State of Washington’s chief econo-mist, State of and execu-tive director, Economic and Revenue Forecast Council.


Question: Do you think the Washington state budget should be balanced by increasing taxes, or by cutting expenditures? What programs or services could you live without? WATER COOLER

around the

“Definitely not by increasing taxes. Increasing taxes is the opposite of priming the pump. I don’t know

what services to cut, but would venture a guess that we need to reduce the number of people on the government employee list.”

Jerry Flaskerud, Bro-ker/OwnerColdwell Banker Flaskerud Realty,Longview

“Since raising taxes at this time is out of the question, I would implement the Governor’s proposed budget,

as devastating as it is on our most vulnerable citizens. I hope the Legislature moves to reprioritize basic services so that in future years these individuals and families are protected.”

Vernon R . “Pete” PickettRetired president, Lower Columbia CollegeLongview

“I don’t want to see social services, schools and programs for the needy cut . . . I’d rather have it

paid for by taxing the rich. I think that big business . . . people that have the money . . . are the ones that should be helping . . . I just don’t want to lose services we have now.”

Diana LobackGlobal Images, Graphic Design & Marketing

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“I don’t think we should raise taxes because voters indicated in the last election that they don’t support tax increases. Cuts need to be across the board and — generally speaking — I can support the Governor’s proposed budget.”

Dean TakkoWashington State Representative, Democrat-District 19

“Obviously we have to decrease expenditures. We have to continue to decrease all the social entitlement programs that are supposed to increase self-sufficiency and development, but they have become a way of life.”

Ron KosloskiCo-owner, Teague’s Interiors;Landlord, Working Arts Center, Downtown Longview.


Businesses of Kelso and Longview, last call for boarding the Cowlitz County Regional Business Expo 2011! Cruise to success in the New Year and sign up as an exhibitor TODAY. This event is unique, not only because it provides the perfect opportunity to network business-to-business, but it’s an his-toric event. For the first time ever, all of the chambers in Cowlitz County are joining forces to cross city lines in sup-port of local commerce!

ALL vendors are automatically entered to win a GRAND PRIZE Multi-Media Marketing package worth more than $6,000 in graphic design work, print-ing, promotional materials, website design, video production, online and print and radio advertising.

Your business doesn’t fit the Business Expo? Feel FREE to come and walk through the event and visit with other businesses in the area. You may also buy separate tickets to the county-wide Afterhours Reception in the eve-ning; tickets are $20 per person and you’re automatically entered to win the GRAND PRIZE Cruise for Two to Alaska!

Friday, February 25Cowlitz Regional Conference Center

1900 – 7th Avenue, Longview

Business Expo: 11:00 am – 4:00 pm

Afterhours Reception at the Expo: 5 – 8:00 pm

Cowlitz County Regional Business Expo

Cruise to success in the new year!

Don’t miss your opportunity to jump onboard and be a part of this historic event. Your local Chambers of Kelso/Longview, Kalama, Castle Rock, Woodland and the Cowlitz County Tourism Bureau want you to be there and start the New Year off full steam ahead. For more information go to cowlitzcountybizexpo.com or Face-book.com/cowlitzcountybizexpo or contact Megan Wells at 360.577.3137 or Amy Johnson at 360.423.8400.

On January 1, four new and one returning director began service as part of the volunteer leadership for the Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce. Bianca Lemmons with Cowlitz County Title, Joel Hanson with KLOG/KUKN, Mike Julian with Kelso Theater Pub and Neil Zick with Twin City Bank were elected to three year terms as chamber directors. Julie Rinerd with Community Home Health and Hospice was appointed to fill the remaining term of Sarah Cave who has taken a new position in Seattle. Sarah was with PeaceHealth.

They join current directors:John Anderson, Anderson & AndersonFrank McShane, Cascade NetworksDale Lemmons, Interstate Wood ProductsDiane Craft, Koelsch Senior CommunitiesSpencer Partridge, PNE CorporationTed Sprague, Cowlitz Economic Development CouncilJerri Henry, Futcher Henry GroupDave Campbell, City of LongviewDenny Richards, City of KelsoGeorge Raiter, Cowlitz CountyMike Claxton, Walstead Mertsching

Rick Winsman, Kelso Longview Chamber

Frank McShane remains Chairman of the Board along with other chamber officers Jerri Henry, Chief Financial Officer; Mike Claxon, Legal Coun-sel; Dale Lemmons, Immediate Past Chairman; and Rick Winsman, Presi-dent/CEO.

The Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce is the largest business membership organization in the county, representing businesses from all areas, sizes and sectors. The chamber’s mission is to provide the resources needed to create a vibrant, growing and sustainable economy for our area. In addition, the chamber represents business before govern-ment focusing on issues that affect their ability to be competitive in an increasingly global marketplace.

For information on how your busi-ness can become a part of the cham-ber, contact the Kelso Longview Chamber at 360.423.8400 or www.kelsolongviewchamber.org

•••

New Chamber leadership takes the helm

Win a vendor Grand Prize marketing package valued at over $5,000.

www.cowlitzcountybizexpo.comFacebook.com//cowlitzcountybizexpo


PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Rick Winsman

New Beginnings

A new year. A new decade. Another chance for recovery and sustainability. Some of the uncertainty has clarified and the future

is now becoming, perhaps, a bit clearer. So where do we go from here?

The “where” is far simpler than the “how.” Our businesses need to begin the task of rebuilding and expanding back to where they were over two years ago — when customers were flocking and sales were flying. Before everything slid down into a deep, black pit filled with government bail-outs, back-sliding real estate values and legislative discourse filled with vitriol.

The problem, as we crawl out of that pit, is the basics of business have changed and the playing field looks nothing like it did two years ago. What happened? More importantly, what are the new “rules” that will now determine the directions our businesses need to take to regain their previous positions in the market? And what new “tools” will be required to build business in 2011? 2012? Beyond?

The Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), has devoted a great deal of thought and planning to creating a new program that will:

•Assist our member businesses in determining exactly what kind of information and assistance they will require to “find their way” to growth and sustainability using a whole new set of business tools

•Put together delivery systems for that informa-tion in a manner and place and time that is conve-nient to business

•At a cost that is not too cheap so as to dimin-ish the value of the information nor too expensive toprohibit participation of our businesses as they struggle to still make ends meet.

From the newest concepts of marketing through social media — Facebook, Twitter — to the not-so-new use of the Internet, businesses will have an opportunity to learn how these new tools can work for them and how to make them work. Still important and effective is traditional advertising: print, radio and television. Business members will see how to effectively use this old-style marketing to achieve new era results.

Financial management has taken a whole new direction post-Wall Street bailouts. Annual lines of credit, capital loans for expansion, new equipment and acquisition are easy to obtain if your busi-ness meets a whole new set of standards imposed by the federal government. And new reporting requirements — 1099s for all vendors you pay more than $600 per year -— will add hours of time and new forms to complete.

And where does business find trained, qualified employees? More than half of the businesses sur-veyed just a month ago indicated the biggest hur-dle to hiring was finding employees who can read, write, do math and who have a strong work ethic. SCORE and the chamber want to show business where they can find employees with solid soft skills – then just add final technical training.

Grab your interest? Stay tuned.

•••

Shop Local and WIN ... Thank You!

The Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce would like to thank all the sponsors who helped make this program a success for its third year:

Banda’s Bouquets, Capstone Cellars, Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts, Copies Today/Speedy Litho, Cowlitz River Rigging, Nick Lemiere – Edward Jones, Elder Options, Esteem Salon, Estetica Day Spa, Exclaim Media, Farm Dog Bakery, Global Images Graphic Design & Marketing, Heritage Bank, Highlander Cycling, Hospice Thrift Shop, Judy’s Restaurant & Catering, King’s House of Travel, Koelsch

Senior Communities, Knotty Wares, Lemondrop Photography, Mama Nano’s, Mike Wallin – Realtor Prudential NW Properties, omOriginals Marking!, Paisley Duck Quilting & Design, PAMSCO, Parr’s Cars & RV’s, Payton’s Produce, PSA Healthcare, Red Lion Hotel & Conference Center, Twin City Bank, Umpqua Bank, Valley Bugler Newspaper and ZoJo’s Coffee Roasting

When you shop local, you are helping rebuild the community – supporting your neighbors and contributing to the local tax base. Thank you to the community for making the choice to spend your money in Cowlitz County.

Rick Winsman is President of the Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

YOUR CHAMBER STAFF WISHES YOU A TERRIFIC

NEW YEAR!


What’s happenin’

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Office: 360-425-2950Fax: 360-425-8010Toll Free: 877-425-2950Email: Bonnie@cascade~title.comWeb: www.cascade~title.com

1425 Maple StreetLongview, WA 98632

Bonnie S. WoodruffEscrow Officer, LPO

New Management; New Name: Liz Duey has reopened Kesler Sports Bar and Grill (1202 Commerce) and renamed it Dirty Deeds . (The name comes from a 1975 AC/DC record album.) Duey also owns Grumpy’s Bar on Ocean Beach Hwy. The new bar and restaurant will serve break-fast and lunch items from 6am to 8pm. Tuesdays feature black and white movies shown all day on the eight TVs, plus a variety of martinis. Wednesday is Pizza Night, and prime rib is served on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Two dinners with 8-ounce cuts are $25. Various specials will be offered on other nights of the week. Dirty Deeds is open 6am – 10pm Mon - Thurs, until 2am weekends. 360-703-3362.

Insuring Seniors: Susan Collier has opened an office at 862 15th Avenue, specializing in Medicare Protection, long-term health insurance and retire-ment savings program. Collier is a

Bankers Life Insurance agent and has worked in Vancouver for 10 years. Tues–Thurs 10-3 or by appointment. 360-353-3315.

Chilsons Chuggin’ On: Businessman and preservationist John Chilson has signed an earnest money agreement to buy the parking lot adjacent to his busi-ness, Stylemasters College of Hair Design. But he doesn’t want to use it for parking; he plans to turn the lot into a park and display the 1924 Shay locomo-tive he has restored, as well as a replica of the 1925 Longview train station clock tower. Chilson and his wife, Mary Chil-son, created the Longview Public Ser-vice Group, a 501(c)3 corporation to raise money for public amenities such as the statue of R.A. Long at Broadway and Commerce. 360-636-0993.

LOG Rollin’ Along: The Longview Visual Arts Commission reports that $3500 has been raised for the Longview Outdoor Gallery (LOG). The program will provide a rotating exhibit of outdoor sculptures in downtown Longview. The first exhibit is scheduled for Septem-ber 2011. For information, call Jeanene LeRae 360-414-3103.

Facelifts for Businesses: John Brickey, Longview Community Devel-opment Director, reports that five down-town businesses have applied for grants from the new City of Longview Facade Improvement Program . $25,000 is currently available but the city is looking for more funding. Applicants must match the amount of the grant or loan and sub-mit a design for approval. For informa-tion, call 360-442-5080.

Friday Night Special: ZoJos Coffee (1335 14th) is staying open on Fridays until 8 pm, offering live music and beer and hard cider tastings. 360-442-4111.

Downtowners busy in 2010Longview Downtowner president Doug Harvey presented an impres-sive list of 2010 accomplishments at the December 9 general meeting.

• The most noticeable project was the installation of the four carved wood signs that welcome visitors to the historical downtown area. Har-vey gave a special “Thank You” to Bill Kasch for his vision, energy and persistence.

• The least visible, but very impor-tant, project was the overhaul of the Longview Downtowners website. Besides a calendar of events and pho-tos of historical places, the website has a complete listing of downtown businesses with phone numbers and website links.

• The Downtowners hosted the 2nd Annual Downtown Live! This nine week summer program offered Fri-day Night fun events — dancing, music, bicycle races, pet parades, walkabouts, treasure hunts, a talent show and more.

• The Association established closer relationships with the Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce and the Cowlitz County Economic Development Council in order to better represent the interests of the downtown business owners.

Harvey also mentioned the many ongoing projects (150 sidewalk gar-dens, new trees, new bike racks, lighting, 50 directional signs, leaf and alley clean up, hanging flower baskets, holiday decorations and events, Safety Committee) that add to the safety and beauty of the down-town.

Longview has had a downtown busi-ness association since 1923. Its mission is to encourage vital business activities, enrichment of business establishments, and a sense of commercial well being in the Downtown Commercial District of Longview.

For more information call 360-423-8401 or visit www.longviewdowntowners.org.

•••


NEXT MEETING

5:30 pm • Tuesday Jan 11The Merk 3rd FLoor • 1339 Commerce

Everyone is welcome. Come mix and mingle. Refreshments. Info: Doug Harvey 360-636-4477.Longview Downtowners: 360-423-8403, ext. 401

1308 Broadway • Longview360-425-3600

Jim Gray

New & Used

Computers • Laptops

Printers & Accessories

Uptown Service

with Downtown Prices

Make Team Electronics your 2011

Computer Headquarters!

Since 1978

Downtowners plan lighted mechanical window displays for 2011 holiday seasonIt’s called the “2011 Mechanical Display Project.” But this title does not do justice to the idea. Imagine taking a special trip to Longview to see the colorful lights and clever animated holiday scenes in the windows of the downtown businesses.

This is the concept envisioned by Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts executive director and Downtowners vice president Gian Paul Morelli. He writes in his plan: “These displays will be a ‘legacy gift’ that can be passed down from generation to generation, improved upon, added to, until Downtown Longview becomes a part of the ‘must see’ list during the holidays for years to come.” The goal is to unveil 20 scenes the first weekend in December 2011 along with the downtown Christmas parade, lighting of the tree in the Civic Circle and visit by Santa.

The Longview Downtowners will invite community groups and individuals to cre-ate these mechanical holiday window displays and award prizes in different cat-egories. Morelli is working on the requirements to insure that the designs and equipment are UL rated and will begin recruiting participants in January.

For more information, contact Morelli at 360-423-1011 or e-mail him at [email protected].

Express Employment Professionals Welcomes

New Members to the TEAM!

Respecting People. Impacting Business.™

(360) 414-12001208 Washington Way • Suite 140 • Longview

New staff members:Fraser McDonald - (at left) Fraser has a degree in Economics from University of Washington and comes to us with a recruiting background in the insurance industry.Ashley Stevens - (next to Fraser) Ashley started as a Temp Recruiting Coordinator with Express three months ago and has been offered a permanent position with the company as a Recruiter. Ashley is graduating May 2011 with a Human Resources degree from Washington State University. (Go, Cougs!)

Existing Staff:Felicia Hering - Office AssistantJulie Nelson - Business DeveloperD’Dee Douglas - Senior RecruiterLisa Staughan - Franchise Owner

Delicious “signs” of recovery in Downtown Longview?Ganesh Indian Cuisine, Las Rocas Restaurant & Lounge and Dirty Deeds all opened within the last year on Commerce Avenue, joining several established restaurants in the vicin-ity. Pizza, prime rib, Mexican specialties and Indian cuisine are among the foods served.

Ganesh Indian Cuisine, located at 1312 Commerce Avenue, celebrates it first anniver-sary with a special-priced buffet on Jan. 12. Lunch and Dinner are both $7.99 on that day. Congratulations on a successful first year!


Chamber Ambassador CommitteeRuss Chittock American Family Insurance

Lisa AllenBanda's Bouquets

Nick LemiereEdward Jones

Sherry BeanEmployers Overload

D'Dee DouglasExpress Employment Professionals

Diana LobackGlobal Images - Graphic Design &Marketing

Jeni QuiriconiHeartSong Massage

Jim ZonichKelso Hardware Marine

Tom IversonKLOG/KUKN

Diane CraftKoelsch Senior Communities

Susan SherwinLongview Memorial Park

Carrie MedackNational City Mortgage

Kathy KyllonenNW Continuum Care Center

Aman WasuPrudential NW Properties

Pam FierstRed Lion Hotel & Conference Center

Shannon WernerSign Smart USA

Myrna RakSignMasters, Inc.

Lonnie KnowlesStewart Title

Glenda AsheTwin City Bank

Jason MeunierTwin City Bank

Donna HughesWorkSource

Membership Application

Membership cost is based upon number of employees and level of membership.

Gold Circle (Premium): Business name highlighted in directory, 50% off mailing label purchase, brochure insertion in relocation packets, special recognition plus Basic.

Basic: Direct marking through business mailing lists, referrals to visitors, potential new residents & businesses, listing in the annual Preferred Business Directory, monthly newsletter to keep you informed, networking opportunities, Advocacy through action committees, Candidate Forums and Action Alerts.(Call Chamber office for specific benefits)

Business Name:

Street Address:

City, State, Zip:

Mailing Address (if different from above):

Street Address:

City, State, Zip:

Telephone:

Company Website:

Primary Contact:

Title:

Contact Email:

Costs for Membership:Number of Gold BasicEmployees Circle Membership 1-4 $356 $238 5-10 $394 $264 11-15 $442 $292 16-20 $485 $323

Contact the Chamber office at 360-423-8400for detailed explanation of benefits at each level and exact costs

Kelso longview Chamber of CommerCe1563 Olympia Way • Longview, WA 98632

One-time enrollment fee $50

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UPCOMING EVENTS

FEBRUARYFebruary 7Member2Member Monthly Mailing Deadline

February 25Cowlitz County Regional Business Expo

MARCHMarch 3Business After Hours @ The ExpoQuarterly Membership Meeting – “State of the Chamber”

March 15Business After HoursHosted by: Lower Columbia CAP

Mark Your 2011 CalendarsJANUARYJanuary 7Member2Member Monthly Mailing Deadline

January 10Ambassador Committee Meeting

January 18Business After HoursHosted by: Monticello Park

Every MONDAY: January 7 – April 10Monday Morning Briefing Breakfast

Every WEDNESDAYYour Chamber ConnectionKEDO AM14003:00 – 4:00 p.m.

(existing or being formed) Provided by S.C.O.R.E., an adjunct of the

Small Business Administration.

Counseling is by appointment only. Call 360.699.1079

FREE COUNSELING and GUIDANCE

FOR SMALL BUSINESS

Lower Columbia Professional CommitteeAaron Dawson, Opsahl Dawson & Co.

Carey Mackey, Red Canoe Credit Union

Darren Goan, American Red Cross

David Schaafsma

De De Brill, Northwest Continuum Care Center

Erik Guttormsen, Fibre Federal Credit Union

Gretchen Taylor, Stewart Title

Jason Meunier, Twin City Bank

Jennifer Dawson, Opsahl Dawson & Co.

Julie Laird, Bicoastal Media

Keri Verhei, Elder Options

Lonnie Knowles, Stewart Title

Nick Lemiere, Edward Jones

Nita Rudd, Cascade Title Company

Russ Chittock – Russ Chittock American Family Ins. Agency

Stephanie Bullock, Heritage Bank

Steve Moon, Foster Farms


Call today to see how we can help you.

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Toll Free:1-800-533-2867360-423-2245www.pnecorp.com

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