On Memorial Day: Museum of Flight's B-17 ‘Flying Fortress’ flies skies over Seattle area

SEATTLE — The B-17 bomber, a plane that helped the United States win World War II, was in the Seattle area this weekend — and not just on display. For a price, people also get to soar on the vintage aircraft.

The B-17 was at the Museum of Flight at Boeing Field. If you missed it, it will be back on Memorial Day weekend next year.

“Good aircraft — it really was. It could take a lot of flak and stand up to a lot of gunfire,” said veteran Jerry Robinson.

“The B-17 and the B-24 were the heavy bombers in Europe and they turned the tide of the war, the brutal business of war, of bombing and pushing the Germans back,” said pilot Neal Morrison.

It came with a heavy toll. Of the 12,000 B-17 bombers built, 5,000 were lost and 50,000 airmen were killed. Their sacrifice is part of the reason people want to see the special plane up close.

“I knew about this plane for years as a kid so when I had a chance to come and fly, wow, I got to do that,” said Brian McDermott.

There are only 12 B-17s left in the world that still fly, and it’s a special trip for anyone who gets a chance to go on board. Not only do they fly on the bomber, but they get to move around the plan while it’s in flight and experience what it was like during thsoe 10-hour missions.

“Very exciting, very exciting,” said June Mehrer, a former ‘Rosie the Riveter’ during the war who helped build thousands of bombers in Renton.

“This is the top, this is the cream, this is the cream of the crop,” Mehrer said.

She’s always admired these planes from the ground, and now, 70 years later, she finally got to experience the famous “Flying Fortress” in the air.

Read more: http://q13fox.com/2013/05/27/on-memorial-day-a-ride-aboard-a-b-17-flying-fortress/#ixzz2Uhikeq4K

Turner Construction's Dwayne Goddard Named AGC Superintendent of the year for 2013

Turner’s Seattle office is only one of two business units out of Turner Construction’s network of 46 offices across the country to pilot the Building LIFE (Living Injury Free Everyday) program.

Goddard spearheaded the Building LIFE program on his projects, taking on the challenge to improve safety culture by including pre-planned safety, engaging the workforce and focusing on safety behaviors.

As a superintendent with 35 years of construction experience, Goddard knows the many facets of the industry. He is able to provide mentorship to safety professionals from the viewpoint of a construction expert.

His knowledge of the construction process and his enthusiasm for safety have proven helpful with the Port of Seattle’s Consolidated Rental Car Facility, for which he was awarded a gold award by Liberty Mutual’s Loss Control Advisory Services for his contributions in completing 1.3 million hours without a lost-time case.

http://www.djc.com/news/co/12053335.html

Seattle Aquarium's harbor seal gets in the act

Posted by Dean Rutz

Siku, one of three resident harbor seals at the Seattle Aquarium, wanted to join the construction-worker portrait in the new habitat that she and two companions will occupy. The new habitat opens to the public June 1. Turner construction workers Baird Lehman, left, Aaron "Rambo" Weston, Robb Rankin and Ian Hamm pose with Siku. Siku, Barney and Q were relocated to the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma during the construction project. Their new pool has more than 30,000 gallons of water with seating for 100 around the glass panels. Harbor seals are native to Puget Sound and key players in the ecology.

http://seattletimes.com/html/picturethis/2021029646_harborseals.html

Turner Construction honored: Business notebook

By Plain Dealer business staff 
on May 18, 2013 at 6:00 AM, updated May 18, 2013 at 6:04 AM

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HONORS
Turner Construction Co.'s Ohio region led the company nationally in 2012 in partnering with minority- and women-owned business enterprises. A total of $206 million in contracts was awarded to such firms in 2012 in Ohio, which equates to 25 percent of Turner's volume of work. Turner Construction has an office in Cleveland.  Point of Purchase Advertising International named Darko Inc. of Twinsburg a Display of the Year award winner in the semipermanent division for its Imaginext Castle Dragon for Fisher-Price Inc. at the Outstanding Marketing at Retail Achievement Awards competition. Entries were judged on design, innovation, interactivity and the proven ability to lift sales.
Paragon Consulting, an information technology consulting company in Mayfield Heights, and client Vitamix, an Olmsted Falls manufacturer of high-performance blending equipment, were awarded Sitecore Site of the Year -- North America program, in the Best Home Goods category. The award recognizes companies who have developed exceptional websites using Sitecore software.


OPENINGS
Kronheims Furniture will have the grand opening of its newest location, a 30,000-square-foot showroom in Mentor at 7590 Mentor Ave., the weekend of May 24. Go to kronheimsfurniture.com for more information.
District, a restaurant and bar at 1350 Euclid Ave., in Cleveland's theater district, has opened for business. District, which serves contemporary American cuisine, is co-owned and operated by Eric McIntyre and Seth Bromberg, owners of the Melting Pot restaurants in Lyndhurst and Fairview Park. For more information go to tinyurl.com/czx6aa7 or call 216-858-1000.

http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2013/05/turner_construction_honored_bu.html

Overlake Hospital to lease space in medical pavilion

MAY 17, 2013 · UPDATED 7:56 AM 

COURTESY PHOTO

Overlake Hospital will occupy floors 5 and 6 of the medical pavilion.

Overlake Hospital Medical Center has signed a lease for two floors of Overlake Medical Pavilion, a specialty medical office building located on the Hospital’s campus along 116th Street Northeast.

Approximately 200 hospital staff members will occupy floors five and six of the 190,000 square foot building. The Physician Specialty Clinic, human resources and marketing departments, the Overlake Medical Center Foundation and Auxiliaries, Overlake Medical Clinics support services and the Hospital’s financial planning, patient financial services and accounting departments will occupy the two floors.

Overlake Hospital Medical Center is the third building tenant. The Physician Specialty Clinic will move into the space in October. The other departments will move in throughout September. Currently, Proliance Orthopedics & Sports Medicine and Center for Prosthetics Orthotics occupy floor seven.

“We are thrilled Overlake Hospital Medical Center chose our facility to consolidate some of its outlying operations and expand its flagship location,” said Amy Poley, vice president of real estate investments for Healthcare Realty. “The hospital is a great addition to the team of premier medical providers we have here at Overlake Medical Pavilion.”

“Overlake Medical Pavilion is a natural fit for our staff,” said Overlake Hospital Medical Center’s Vice President of Professional Services, Sam Baxter. “We are able to relocate off-campus staff to the hospital campus to further unify our team and provide our patients with accessible care.”

Overlake Medical Pavilion is a Class A, nine-story, medical office building that is currently 35 percent leased.

http://www.bellevuereporter.com/business/207869171.html

Record-breaking class of 2013 Graduates from WGU Washington Today at Benaroya

Seattle, Wash. May 18, 2013 – WGU Washington’s second annual commencement ceremony is today, Saturday, May 18^th, at Benaroya Hall.  More than 500 WGU Washington students will receive degrees this year from the state’s only accredited, online university, almost double last year’s class of 270. Graduates from around the state will gather to celebrate as Rep. Cyrus Habib delivers the keynote speech. Habib, who represents Washington’s 48^th district, lost his eyesight at the age of eight and is Washington State’s first blind lawmaker in more than 50 years and the first Iranian-American elected to state office in the United States.Habib, an accomplished pianist, will also perform Gershwin’s Summertime on the venue’s grand piano.

“Cyrus represents everything that WGU Washington stands for” said WGU Washington Chancellor Jean Floten. “Undaunted in achieving his dreams, Cyrus’ joyous, uplifting and inspiring message will resonate with every student celebrating his or her fantastic achievement today.”

The commencement ceremony begins at 3 p.m with the following program:

• Welcome and Opening Remarks: Chancellor Jean Floten
• Commencement Address: Rep. Cyrus Habib, 48^th Legislative District
• Graduate Speakers:
  1. Connie Summers, Bothell
  2. Cathy Johnson, Newport (Spokane area)
  3. Julius Giron, Auburn
• Conferral of Degrees
• Rep. Cyrus Habib to perform Gershwin’s Summertime on grand piano
• Closing Remarks: WGU President, Dr. Robert Mendenhall

For more information contact Jake Riddell at 206-512-0025,jake.riddell@wgu.edu, or Lee Keller at 206-799-3805,Lee@thekellergroup.com. Also, footage and sound from the ceremony and graduates will be available on Dropbox.

 

More About WGU Washington

WGU Washington was established by the Washington State Legislature on April 22, 2011. WGU Washington is state-endorsed and offers degree programs that are accredited through Western Governors University.

 

WGU Washington offers 50 bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in Business, Information Technology, Teacher Education, and Health Professions, including Nursing. The university’s online, competency-based learning model is designed to meet the needs of working adults by providing an affordable, flexible option for earning an accredited, respected college degree. It’s non-profit and receives no money from the state.

 

Degrees are granted under the accreditation of Western Governors University, which is regionally accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) and nationally accredited through the Distance Education and Training Commission (DETC). Teachers College programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and Nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

 

The university has earned the support of more than 20 leading corporations and foundations. They include institutions such as AT&T, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Lilly Endowment, HCA, Hewlett-Packard, Lumina Foundation, Microsoft, Oracle, SunGard Higher Education, and Zions Bank.

 

Bothell resident to speak at WGU Washington’s second annual commencement Saturday at Benaroya Hall

MAY 16, 2013 · 10:55 AM

Bothell resident Connie Summers will receive her Bachelor of Science Business and Human Resources Management degree on Saturday and will make remarks as one of three commencement speakers for the Western Governor's University (WGU) Washington at Benaroya Hall in downtown Seattle. Summers works in Boeing’s human resources department and recently overcame the loss of her daughter.

“We are so proud of Connie and all our students,” said WGU Washington Chancellor Jean Floten, who will give the welcome and opening remarks.

Summers will be joined by more than 500 other WGU graduates at WGU Washington’s second annual commencement ceremony. This year’s class of graduating students is almost double last year’s class of 270.

Graduates from around the state will gather to celebrate their degrees as Rep. Cyrus Habib delivers the keynote speech. Habib, who represents Washington’s 48th district, lost his eyesight at the age of eight and is Washington State’s first blind lawmaker in more than 50 years. He is also the first Iranian-American elected to state office in the United States.

Habib, an accomplished pianist, will also perform Gershwin’s Summertime on the venue’s grand piano.

The commencement ceremony begins at 3 p.m.

WGU Washington’s innovative model of higher education is producing graduates with the skills to meet the advanced demands of today’s market. A recent Harris Interactive study shows that 100 percent of employers would not hesitate to hire another WGU graduate, 98 percent agree that WGU grads meet or exceed their expectations, and 98 percent consider WGU graduates equal to or better prepared than graduates of other universities.

http://www.bothell-reporter.com/community/207740941.html