Latest news with #Bellingham-based
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Same building, new name: Gig Harbor grocery formerly on selloff list gets makeover
While the drama between Kroger and Albertsons/Safeway's failed merger attempt and resulting fallout continues in court, previous plans within Albertsons are quietly unfolding in the area. Last week saw the grand opening of a local rebranded store, making the switch from Albertsons to Safeway, at 11330 51st Ave. in Gig Harbor. Permits were filed for the switch last summer for the store, originally built in 2001. Boise-based Albertsons Companies owns both Albertsons and Safeway grocery chains — the result of a merger finalized in 2015. That deal also ensnared Bellingham-based Haggen after its failed attempt at expansion by buying off a chunk of stores to help satisfy regulators in the Safeway-Albertsons merger. The latest transition gives Gig Harbor two Safeway locations, north and south, with the other at 4831 Point Fosdick Dr. Similar conversions have occurred elsewhere, such as the Tri-Cities area and Spokane. In 2017, the Yakima Herald-Republic reported Albertsons was conservative on changing store brands, and that the then-conversion of a Yakima Albertsons to Safeway was 'only one of a handful of brand changes Albertsons Companies Inc. has made since it acquired Safeway Inc. in 2015.' Safeway officials contacted by The News Tribune this week did not respond to requests for comment about the Gig Harbor store switch. David Patterson is a retail partner with Clarkston Consulting, a firm based in Durham, North Carolina, that provides management and technology consulting services to various industries, including grocery. Patterson told The News Tribune in response to questions that the brand switch is one way to reduce 'overlapping store brands.' 'Since the Albertston's-Safeway acquisition was approved in 2015, they've had overlapping store brands in certain areas, and in places where Safeway is better known and more trusted by shoppers, it just makes sense to stick with that name,' Patterson said via email. For example, he wrote, 'In the Denver area, they recently switched nine Albertsons stores to Safeway to streamline their operations and build on Safeway's stronger local reputation.' He noted, 'Running fewer brands helps them save on marketing and logistics, and it just simplifies a lot of things on the back end that will streamline both operations and costs.' Both stores that are now Safeway in Gig Harbor were on Albertsons' proposed divestiture list a month after the 51st Avenue store conversion permits were filed. The failed Kroger-Albertsons merger has resulted in multiple court battles. In December, Albertsons sued Cincinnati-based Kroger, one day after two judges, including a King County Superior Court judge, blocked the deal. Albertsons seeks a $600 million termination fee as well as billions of dollars in legal fees and lost shareholder value. Albertsons blamed Kroger's actions during the regulatory oversight process for the failure, while Kroger denied Albertsons' claims. On Tuesday, Kroger countersued Albertsons, contending the grocery chain 'was engaging in a secret and misguided campaign, together with C&S Wholesale Grocers, the divestiture buyer, to pursue its own regulatory strategy, which ultimately undermined Kroger's efforts.' C&S was set to buy the spun-off stores. For its part, C&S last week sued Kroger over nonpayment of a $125 million termination fee; a Kroger representative has called the case 'baseless.' An Albertsons representative told Grocery Dive on Tuesday in response to the countersuit that Albertsons was 'steadfastly committed' to the merger and that 'Kroger did not hold up its end of the bargain.'
Yahoo
23-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
B.C.-Washington border communities rally for peace amid rising political tensions
The towering Peace Arch monument, standing on the Canada-U.S. border between Surrey, B.C., and Blaine, Wash., bears two inscriptions: "Children of a Common Mother" on the U.S. side, and "Brethren Dwelling Together in Unity" on the Canadian side. On Saturday morning, dozens of residents from both countries gathered at its base for a rally calling for unity and friendship amid rising tensions between Canada and the U.S. Attendees held signs condemning U.S. President Donald Trump's repeated remarks about annexing Canada as the 51st state, while others sang songs and chanted slogans, hoping diplomacy and goodwill would prevail over the strained relations between the two neighbours. Among them, a trio from the Bellingham-based activist group Raging Grannies dedicated a song to the bond between the two nations. Attendees held signs hoping diplomacy and goodwill would prevail over the strained relations between the two neighbours. (Sohrab Sandhu/CBC) "We understand the situation and support the things you do, the rage you feel is really just, though we will miss you until it's over..." they sang. Haidee Landry, one of the event's organizers from Langley, B.C., said the gathering, dubbed the "Peace, Love, and a Handshake" rally, was about showing solidarity while making it clear that Canada will remain a strong and sovereign nation. "We want them to still come … come for a coffee, come for a meal, we still love you," she said of B.C.'s American neighbours. "But we don't want to live with you, we don't want to be your roommates." Landry added that many Americans she has spoken to disagree with the steps taken by the Trump administration and have voiced their support for Canada. But Canadians, she said, are firm in their decision to avoid cross-border travel as an act of resistance. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the nine-hectare Peace Arch park that straddles the 49th parallel served as a loophole for loved ones separated by border closures. Now, Landry said, the park is once again a meeting place for those seeking common ground. The Canada-U.S. Peace Arch border crossing in Surrey, B.C., where people from both sides of the border gathered Saturday. (Ben Nelms/CBC) Mary Lou Steward, mayor of Blaine, Wash., a border town of about 6,200, said the decision by many Canadians to avoid entering the U.S. is already taking an economic toll. "People are seeing their business down 30 per cent," said Steward, who was also in attendance. "We value the Canadians coming across, I understand they're angry … we'll get beyond this, we'll work hard to repair the relationship, which this monument stands for." Len Saunders, an immigration lawyer in Blaine, said the absence of Canadian shoppers is striking. "This is like COVID all over again," he told CBC News during an interview earlier this week. "You can see it in the Costco parking lot, at Trader Joe's. Canadians are voting with their wallets right now. That's what's happening." Recent data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection shows a sharp decline in cross-border travel, with nearly 500,000 fewer Canadian travellers entering the U.S. in February compared to the same month last year. The number of B.C. drivers heading south through the Peace Arch border crossing has also dropped significantly this year, according to data from the Whatcom Council of Governments. A rolling 30-day average of crossings through the border shows about a 25 per cent decrease compared to 2024. WATCH | B.C. cross-border traffic drops 25% amid tariffs and Trump's threats: "We're only two months into a four-year administration. If they keep this up there will be no Canadians coming down here — there will be a 100 per cent boycott of this country," Saunders said. For some attendees Saturday, the rally was a way to push back against the rhetoric coming from Washington, D.C. "I am sorry, Canada … most of us do not agree with what Trump is doing," said Jim Kosa, a Bellingham resident. "It's atrocious the way that my country is treating Canada." As the rally concluded, participants lined up for a handshake, reminiscent of a postgame tradition in sports. (Sohrab Sandhu/CBC) As the rally wrapped up, attendees formed a line and shook hands, mirroring a kind of postgame handshake. Landry said the event will return next weekend to keep the dialogue open and reaffirm their commitment to maintaining the friendship between the two nations.
CBC
23-03-2025
- Politics
- CBC
B.C.-Washington border communities rally for peace amid rising political tensions
The towering Peace Arch monument, standing on the Canada-U.S. border between Surrey, B.C., and Blaine, Wash., bears two inscriptions: "Children of a Common Mother" on the U.S. side, and "Brethren Dwelling Together in Unity" on the Canadian side. On Saturday morning, dozens of residents from both countries gathered at its base for a rally calling for unity and friendship amid rising tensions between Canada and the U.S. Attendees held signs condemning U.S. President Donald Trump's repeated remarks about annexing Canada as the 51st state, while others sang songs and chanted slogans, hoping diplomacy and goodwill would prevail over the strained relations between the two neighbours. Among them, a trio from the Bellingham-based activist group Raging Grannies dedicated a song to the bond between the two nations. "We understand the situation and support the things you do, the rage you feel is really just, though we will miss you until it's over..." they sang. Haidee Landry, one of the event's organizers from Langley, B.C., said the gathering, dubbed the "Peace, Love, and a Handshake" rally, was about showing solidarity while making it clear that Canada will remain a strong and sovereign nation. "We want them to still come … come for a coffee, come for a meal, we still love you," she said of B.C.'s American neighbours. "But we don't want to live with you, we don't want to be your roommates." Landry added that many Americans she has spoken to disagree with the steps taken by the Trump administration and have voiced their support for Canada. But Canadians, she said, are firm in their decision to avoid cross-border travel as an act of resistance. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the nine-hectare Peace Arch park that straddles the 49th parallel served as a loophole for loved ones separated by border closures. Now, Landry said, the park is once again a meeting place for those seeking common ground. Mary Lou Steward, mayor of Blaine, Wash., a border town of about 6,200, said the decision by many Canadians to avoid entering the U.S. is already taking an economic toll. "People are seeing their business down 30 per cent," said Steward, who was also in attendance. "We value the Canadians coming across, I understand they're angry … we'll get beyond this, we'll work hard to repair the relationship, which this monument stands for." Len Saunders, an immigration lawyer in Blaine, said the absence of Canadian shoppers is striking. "This is like COVID all over again," he told CBC News during an interview earlier this week. "You can see it in the Costco parking lot, at Trader Joe's. Canadians are voting with their wallets right now. That's what's happening." Recent data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection shows a sharp decline in cross-border travel, with nearly 500,000 fewer Canadian travellers entering the U.S. in February compared to the same month last year. The number of B.C. drivers heading south through the Peace Arch border crossing has also dropped significantly this year, according to data from the Whatcom Council of Governments. A rolling 30-day average of crossings through the border shows about a 25 per cent decrease compared to 2024. WATCH | B.C. cross-border traffic drops 25% amid tariffs and Trump's threats: B.C. cross-border traffic drops 25% amid tariffs and Trump's threats 3 days ago Duration 1:37 As Trump's talk of tariffs and annexation continue, data shows British Columbians are choosing to cross into the U.S. less. Justin McElroy examined the numbers and found a 25 per cent decrease in B.C. cars heading south over the past month, with some days seeing up to a 50 per cent decline compared to last year. "We're only two months into a four-year administration. If they keep this up there will be no Canadians coming down here — there will be a 100 per cent boycott of this country," Saunders said. For some attendees Saturday, the rally was a way to push back against the rhetoric coming from Washington, D.C. "I am sorry, Canada … most of us do not agree with what Trump is doing," said Jim Kosa, a Bellingham resident. "It's atrocious the way that my country is treating Canada." As the rally wrapped up, attendees formed a line and shook hands, mirroring a kind of postgame handshake.
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
State Ecology moving ahead with $27 million cleanup at contaminated Bellingham shipyard
A $27 million cleanup will start later this year on contamination that dates back 100 years or more from ship-building and other marine industries at the south end of Harris Avenue in Fairhaven. Soil will be removed from a 5-acre site on land at the Harris Avenue Shipyard in the first phase of the project, according to the state Department of Ecology. A second phase, involving another 5 acres of underwater sediment, will begin in 2027, Ecology's Scarlet Tang told The Bellingham Herald. Cost of the first phase of the project is about $6.5 million, and the second phase will cost about $2.1 million, Tang said. The Port of Bellingham is responsible for all costs, but it is eligible for some state reimbursement. Contaminants include heavy metals, PCBs, petroleum and other toxic compounds, an Ecology statement said. A public comment period on a 'consent decree' with the Port of Bellingham, which is responsible for the cleanup, is open from Monday through March 12. Officials from Ecology, the Port and the Bellingham-based environmental nonprofit RE Sources will present project information and answer questions in a walking tour of the site from noon to 1:30 p.m. Feb. 26 at Fairhaven Shipyard, 201 Harris Ave. Shipbuilding began in the early 1900s, and the Port started leasing to other industries in 1966, Ecology said. Both the state of Washington and the Port own the property. In 1998, the Port began investigating sediment at the site. In 2003 the Port and Ecology entered into a legal agreement for a comprehensive investigation of marine pollution and in 2010 they agreed to examine soil and groundwater. Some contaminated soil was removed under an 'interim action' in 2018. The Harris Avenue Shipyard site is one of 12 cleanup sites in Bellingham Bay, Ecology said. Other sites include the I&J Waterway, the RG Haley site north of Boulevard Park, and a former landfill at the south end of Cornwall Avenue.
