N. Kitsap briefs

COVID vaccines

Haven’t got your COVID-19 shot yet?

The Moderna vaccine will be available May 4 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Drive-Through Clinic at Olympic College in Poulsbo.

No appointment is needed, but if you’re age 18 or older you can make one at 360-728-2219.

It’s put on by the Kitsap Public Health District at 1000 NW Olympic College Way.

To find a full list of providers go to vaccinelocator.doh,wa.gov.

Applications

Two applications for construction were submitted to the city of Poulsbo. One for a concrete building going up in the College Marketplace area near Home Depot that will have space available for lease.

The second was to build an additional five-unit structure to an existing structure on Torval Canyon Road.

Kitsap Public Facilities District

Kitsap Public Facilities District is searching for a new executive director.

Former director Michael Walton has served since 2008 and is serving as the interim until his replacement is found.

During his career with the KPFD, Walton worked with the Association of Washington State Facilities Districts to pass legislation that would extend the sales tax rebate that funds the states 26 districts to 2041. This allows KPFD to solicit projects for public facilities in the county, including the South Kitsap Community and Events Center, Poulsbo Event and Recreation Center, Port Gamble’s Heritage Park and a portion of the Circuit of Northwest Project.

Local scholars

These local students were honored recently for academic achievement at their respective colleges.

Poulsbo: Shaakym Humphrey, Eastern Oregon University.

Bainbridge Island: Libby Clements, Seattle University.

Jobless down

During the week of April 18 -24, there were 11,629 initial regular unemployment claims (down 12% from the prior week) and 408,001 total claims for all unemployment benefit categories (down 1.5% from the prior week) filed by Washingtonians, according to the Employment Security Department.

  • Initial regular claims applications are now 91% below weekly new claims applications during the same period last year during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • The four-week average for initial claims remain elevated at 13,497 (as compared to pre-pandemic 6,071 claims) and remains at similar levels filed during the Great Recession.
  • Decreases in layoffs in Manufacturing and Educational Services contributed to the decrease in regular initial claims.
  • Initial claims applications for regular benefits, Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Assistance, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and continued claims for regular benefits all decreased.

In the week ending April 24, ESD paid out over $230 million for 295,464 claims. Since the COVID crisis began in March 2020, ESD has paid more than $17.2 billion in benefits to over a million Washingtonians.