Nationwide, 35 percent of Americans suffer from chronic pain, some 50 million of them partly or totally disabled by it, according to Patrick Rubida, RN. “In terms of dollars and cents,” he says, “$100 billion a year is lost in work, productivity and medical costs.”

Pain patients cross the lifespan, from toddlers to centenarians. read more »

Impact fees were first implemented in Kitsap County 1992, according to County Administrator Malcolm Fleming, and have been part of the cost of new construction since. The theory behind such fees is that new development should pay for the infrastructure required to support it.

There is much controversy over the fees in general, but more recently, over the vote to increase those fees, and the scramble to find a way to avoid having those increased fees collected. read more »

A portion of the cost of a new house is due to government regulations. It may be as little as 20 percent, or as much as 35 percent.

Art Castle, the executive vice president of the Home Builders Association of Kitsap County , says of that spread, “Where do you stop assigning cost?” He says some regulatory costs are easily identified; many more are hidden. read more »

Nine citizens from a geographic cross-section of Kitsap County comprise the county’s Planning Commission. They apply for appointment by the County Commissioner from their respective area. At most, they are paid $50 per meeting , with no other compensation for the hours of reading in preparation for meetings and hearings. read more »

Builders are finding it expensive — for some, impossible — to get liability insurance, according to Timothy Harris, general counsel for the Building Industry Association of Washington . “A number of insurers have pulled out of the market entirely,” he says.

Harris indicates he’s heard from several builders, with good records and no claims, whose premiums have gone up four and five-fold. Those who may have a claim against them are truly in dire straits, he says.

The BIAW has worked legislatively to reduce the liability on builders. read more »

John and Susie’s son David says a lot of innovation that changed the look and scope of the store came from his visionary father’s input. “He grew it from 2,000 square feet to what it is now.” The current location is 12,500 square feet in size. read more »

Pat Mayberry of Belfair represents one of many Kitsap Peninsula families in the food services business.

Pat’s Little Red Barn, on Hood Canal’s North Shore just a couple miles from the heart of Belfair, is her only business now. She’s owned it for 15 years. She and her husband Bob, who passed away last year, bought a restaurant in Belfair in 1971, later adding to their holdings, until at one time they owned three restaurants
“It takes lots of work and lots of help,” she says. read more »

What is driving the rising cost of health care, particularly in Washington State? There are a number of things, according to several people in one aspect of the business or another.

Harrison Hospital’s Kathy Sanford, vice president of nursing services, says the big-ticket items include technology, medications, medical personnel shortages , the growing number of people without medical insurance, malpractice insurance and an aging population, for starters. read more »

The deskbound worker, spending the day in from of a computer, can reduce stress, increase endurance and relieve stiffness by adding a couple of “workouts” into the workday. read more »