Garner Economics report rank Tri-Cities first in the nation for job growth in the second half of 2009. Read the full article in the Tri-City Herald.

Boeing is weighing an increase in production rates next year for both its Renton-built 737 and Everett-built 777 jets.

A Gig Harbor developer’s representatives are scheduled to meet Thursday with Tumwater planning and building officials about converting a former manufacturing plant on Littlerock Road into 52,000 square feet of administrative office space. Read the full article.

Washington added 12,400 jobs between December and January, the State Employment Security Department said Tuesday in its monthly report on seasonally adjusted employment. Read the article in The News Tribune

An $84 million Recovery Act grant will add 830 miles of fiber and eight new microwave sites to a high-speed network to help bring high-speed Internet access to some remote parts of Washington. Read more at Seattle PI's website

Despite attempts by Washington lawmakers to ease taxes for aerospace companies, a surprising few take advantage of the incentives. Read the article in The Daily Herald.

Several Seattle-area companies were named to Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For list, including Microsoft, Perkins Coie, Starbucks, REI and Adobe Systems. See the full list at CNNMoney.com.

In 2009, travelers to Washington spent an estimated $14.2 billion in the state, according to the preliminary 2009 Travel Impacts Report, released today by the Department of Commerce and Washington State Tourism. The annual study shows that travel and tourism is Washington’s fourth largest export industry. Fueled by visitor spending, tourism supports jobs for Washingtonians, bolsters local economies and small business and contributes tax revenue for state and local governments. Read the press release.

Environmental clean-up at the site of the former Chubby & Tubby store in Seattle’s Rainier Valley is underway thanks in part to a $215,000 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grant, the Washington State Department of Commerce announced today. It is estimated the overall project will support 10 cleanup jobs, 80 construction jobs and seven permanent jobs. This is the first Recovery Act contract approved and executed by Commerce for a Brownfields project. Read the press release.

According to predictions by Washington’s Economic and Revenue Forecast Council, Washington is likely to outperform other states as the country pulls out of recession over the next three years. The rate of job loss in the state has slowed and the state is seeing growth in some areas. Washington’s success relies on stable software and aerospace industries, according to the council. Read the article in the Puget Sound Business Journal .

Site Selection magazine features Washington in an article that discusses Seattle’s McKinstry, the Longview, Wash., export grain terminal scheduled to open in 2011, a fair and efficient environmental and regulatory climate, and the diversity of the landscape in the Pacific Northwest. The online edition also profiles the Amazon headquarters at South Lake Union, Esterline Control Systems recent relocation of Korry, and the Blue Mountain Station near Dayton, Wash. Read the article online at Site Selection. The issue also profiles Washington in its “State of the States: A Fresh Look” feature.

A biomass facility may break ground in Shelton later this year. The power plant would convert wood waste from logging operations into electricity. The Maryland-based company, ADAGE LLC, is a joint venture between Duke Energy and global energy firm AREVA. The plant would be built to produce enough to power 40,000 homes. Read the article in the News Tribune.

The 2010 AT&T U.S. Figure Skating Championships, held Jan. 14-24 in Spokane, Wash., set a new attendance record, surpassing the previous mark set at the 2007 State Farm U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Spokane, an event widely considered the most successful U.S. Figure Skating Championships to date. Attendance for the 10-day event totaled 158,170, besting the 154,389 that passed through the Spokane Arena turnstiles in 2007. Read the full press release.

Washington state is featured in the December/January issue of Area Development magazine. The article highlights Washington’s history of innovation and potential for future growth, its leadership and momentum in clean energy and aerospace, a qualified workforce, and other company reasons for locating their businesses in the state. Read the article at Area Development.

Fast Company interviews Andy Sack, a general partner in the Founders Co-op, a seed stage investment fund in Seattle, as part three of a five-part series on emerging entrepreneurial hubs. The article discusses Seattle’s diverse start-up scene, available talent, “frontier spirit,” a healthy venture scene and angel community, and the tech transfer program at the University of Washington. Read the article at Fast Company.

The Washington State Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) today announced $3,060,000 in public investments targeting job creation and business growth in Grant, Pierce, and Whatcom counties. “These strategic infrastructure investments have the potential to create or retain more than 200 jobs and will stimulate the economies of local communities,” said Gov. Chris Gregoire. “Creating new jobs is more important now than ever before, and these funds will help Washington set the foundation for growth.” Read the full press release from the Washington State Department of Commerce.

Trade & Industry Development magazine features Washington state in its January/February issue. The article discusses the newly-formed state Department of Commerce, the state’s strength in and continued commitment to clean energy (including the new Innovation Partnership Zone in Kittitas County) and life sciences, and recent business recruitment or expansion announcements. To view the article, go to Trade & Industry Development, click on “Digital Version” and then the cover of the magazine, and go to page 72.

Washington is receiving a $6 million grant to train workers in energy-efficient construction jobs. The grant is another piece of the $787 billion federal stimulus spending package. The funding will pay for veterans, disabled or low-income adults and other residents to become certified to work in green industries. To learn more, read the article in the Seattle Times.

A report released this week shows Washington venture deals and investments increased in the fourth quarter. According to the report, by ChubbyBrain, 26 companies raised $165 million during the quarter. Read the full article and see the numbers in charts at TechFlash.

Gov. Chris Gregoire today unveiled her plan to create as many as 40,000 jobs over the next three years while speaking at the 38th Annual Economic Forecast Conference hosted by enterpriseSeattle. The plan contains a combination of capital investments and financial incentives, including a new employee tax credit for small businesses and a B&O tax credit for large capital projects. The governor also directs the Washington State Department of Commerce to create and lead a new Clean Energy Business Development Program. To learn more, read the press release from Gov. Gregoire.

According to a report released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, wages in Washington state rose last year in nine counties, while wages nationally shrank in more than 40 percent of the nation’s major counties. The report compared earnings and employment levels in 334 major counties across the U.S. Kitsap County recorded the second-highest increase among all 334 counties. Read the article in the Puget Sound Business Journal.

A study conducted by the Washington Interactive Network ranks Seattle as one of the most vibrant video game communities. The study evaluated 12 interactive media hubs and ranked them based on factors such as computer and engineering talent, educational institutions, cost of living and cost of business. Read the article in TechFlash.

Washington State University is ranked 10th among national universities by a prominent sustainability Web site for its developments in clean technology. Shawn Lesser, president and founder of Sustainable World Capital, searches for the best examples of clean tech to post as a regular contributor to cleantech.com. His list of the leading universities for clean technology development includes Massachusetts Institute of Technology, UC Berkeley, the University of Texas, Stanford University, the University of Michigan, the University of Colorado, University of Wisconsin, Cornell, Georgia Tech and WSU. Read the press release from WSU or the article on cleantech.com.

Washington state was the only domestic location named to the Specialty Travel Agent Association's (STAA) Top Ten Travel Picks for 2010 list. The association cites the state’s scenic drives, oyster beds, wine and culinary, and numerous outdoor activities. Learn more on the Specialty Travel Agent Association Web site.

Washington companies can apply for the Governor’s Trader of the Year Award and the Governor’s Emerging Trader of the Year Award. Each award recognizes Washington companies that have contributed to the expansion of Washington state's international trade. The application deadline has been extended to Friday, February 5, 2010. Presented by the World Trade Club of Seattle, this year’s awards will be given at the Trader of the Year Awards Reception in coordination with the Department of Commerce’s Trade Week. For more information or to apply, visit the World Trade Club’s Web site .

Gov. Chris Gregoire today announced more than $13 million in Recovery Act grants that will help Washington state prepare workers to enter the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries, as well as clean-energy occupations within other industries. The funding is made available through the U.S. Department of Labor – which is distributing $100 million in Energy Training Partnership grants through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Read the press release from Gov. Gregoire.

Washington Technology Center has awarded access to WTC facilities and equipment to Stratos Genomics, a Seattle-based startup biotechnology company, to further its DNA sequencing product development. This award is the first made by Washington Technology Center as part of its new Microfabrication Laboratory Access Program, a technology stimulus program for small businesses in Washington. Read the press release from WTC.

Washington Technology Center has awarded a total of $394,910 in state funding to four University of Washington researchers working with companies to develop commercially promising technologies. The Washington-based companies expect commercial adoption of the technologies to create 140 new jobs in the state during the next five years. The company partners are: Applied Precision, Inc., of Issaquah; Enertechnix, of Maple Valley; inVision Technology LLC, of Bellevue; and Omeros Corporation, of Seattle. Learn more from the Washington Technology Center’s press release.

Gov. Chris Gregoire today, following her trip to the United Nations climate summit in Copenhagen, announced follow up steps to help the state continue to combat climate change and move toward a clean-energy economy. Gregoire announced nearly $5 million in Recovery Act grants to help businesses, non-profit groups and government agencies pay for energy efficiency retrofits in residential, commercial, non-profit, and low-income housing facilities. The projects completed through this funding are expected to create 500 jobs, and save enough energy to power 4,700 households a year. Read the press release from Gov. Gregoire.

Learn about Washington state’s leadership in clean energy technologies and watch video updates from the Copenhagen UN Climate Change Conference at Evergreenfilm.org. The site shares feature videos from the conference, including interviews with Gov. Chris Gregoire; KC Golden, Climate Solutions; Paul Robson, Microsoft; and Ahava Amen, NewEarth.

A study by Jack Miller, president of Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, Conn., named Seattle as the top “literate city.” The ranking is based on six indicators: newspaper circulation, number of bookstores, library resources, periodical publishing resources, educational attainment, and Internet resources. Seattle was also recognized as a safe city, for having an active singles scene, and for being walkable. Read the article in USA Today.

In 2009, more than 1,200 Washington teachers earned their National Board Certification, ranking the state 2nd in new board certified teachers. According to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, Washington ranks 5th in the nation in total number of teachers certified. National Board Certification takes one to three years to complete. To learn more, read the article in the Seattle Times.

Fourteen airlines signed an agreement for the potential purchase of plant-based fuel from AltAir Fuels, a Seattle startup. The company plans to build a production facility in Anacortes. The fuel would come from the camelina plant, a weed related to mustard that produces seeds with a high oil content. The airlines participating include American Airlines, Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, Atlas Air, Delta Air Lines, FedEx Express, Hawaiian Airlines, Jet Blue Airways, Lufthansa German Airlines, Mexicana Airlines, Polar Air Cargo, United Airlines, UPS Airlines, and US Airways. Read the full article in the Seattle Times.

Tourism and business leaders in the city of Vancouver, Wash., are working to “make a name” for the city, with the challenge of being in such close proximity to Vancouver, B.C., home of the 2010 Winter Olympics. This fall, business and tourism leaders launched a series of panels, guest speaker presentations and brainstorming sessions to help unite Vancouver behind a clear message. Read the article in the New York Times.

Joel Smith, of Seattle-based medical devices company Forward Mobility, was named “Newpreneur of the Year” in a nationwide contest by Alibaba.com. Burt Hamner and Chris Leyerle of Hydrovolts, also a Seattle company, were finalists in the competition. According to Alibaba, a “newpreneur” is a “new breed of entrepreneurs who are using the recession as a catalyst to start a business or develop an idea.” Forward Mobility designs and distributes breakthrough medical mobility products to help users maintain their independence. Through their manufacturing partner in Vietnam, they are creating high quality jobs for people that are disadvantaged or disabled providing sustainability for the individual and their community. Learn more at Alibaba.com.

Worried about the sustainability of conventional farming, Fred Fleming of Lincoln County decided to start selling wheat in an innovative way. Instead of selling to the commodity market, he and partner Karl Kupers, are taking their product directly to the customer through their company Shepherd’s Grain. Shepherd’s Grain is a network of 33 farms that “pool their resources, lock in a price with their customers ahead of time based on actual production costs and market their wheat as a team.” Read the full article or watch the video at CNN.

Washington state is featured in an article in the November/December issue of Business Xpansion Journal. The article highlights the state’s aerospace industry, clean tech and energy efficiency activities, life sciences, innovation, and talent and education. It includes interviews with Larry Williams, assistant director at the Washington State Department of Commerce, Robin Toth at Greater Spokane, Inc., and Patrick Doherty at city of Federal Way. Read the article at Business Xpansion Journal.

Olympia, Wash., is named one of the top 10 “Best-Performing Cities 2009: Where America’s Jobs are Created and Sustained” in a report by the Milken Institute. The index ranks U.S. metros based on their ability to create and sustain jobs. According to Milken, the leaders are all metros that “succeeded in avoiding the worst of economic declines driven by falling housing markets and job losses in manufacturing and global trade.” To learn more, view the full report.

The Washington State Department of Commerce today announced $1.5 million in grants to Innovation Partnership Zones (IPZs) in Bothell, Walla Walla, Tri-Cities and Snohomish County. The IPZ program is an economic development model that encourages collaboration to advance innovation. The funds will help stimulate the growth of industry clusters and intellectual capital, while building regional economies. The program leads to new technologies, marketable products, company formation and job creation. To learn more the grant winners, read the press release.

The Department of Energy (DOE) has selected a Northwest team to conduct a regional smart grid demonstration project designed to expand existing electric infrastructure and test new smart grid technology with up to 60,000 customers in five states. The $178 million Pacific Northwest Smart Grid Demonstration Project was one of 16 regional smart grid demonstration awards announced by DOE today. The project team combines energy providers, utilities, vendors and research organizations and will be managed by Battelle. The Northwest study will involve more than 60,000 metered customers in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming. Read the press release from Battelle to learn more.

The Washington State Department of Commerce has awarded nearly $4 million in recovery grants to six rural communities across the state through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. The grants will fund construction projects, selected from 41 applications and approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), to promote energy efficiency in essential public and community facilities. The projects will create or support 75 jobs and help improve the foundation for stronger local economies. Projects will be funded in the town of Garfield; the city of Grandview; Grant County; the city of Long Beach, the city of Oroville; and the city of Othello. To learn more, read the press release from Gov. Gregoire.

The Washington State Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) announced $3.3 million in public investments targeting job creation and business growth in Asotin, Klickitat, Lincoln and Yakima counties. “Strategic infrastructure investments like these help strengthen the partnership between business and government, leading to job creation and economic development,” said Gov. Chris Gregoire. “These projects will benefit rural communities in Washington at a time when it is needed most.” Read the press release to learn more about the projects in each county.

Mount Vernon, Wash., topped the America’s 25 next recovering job markets list by BusinessWeek. The article cites the town’s potential for rebound through tourism, retail, and hospitality as the economy improves. The rankings were compiled based on Moody's Economy.com job growth forecasts for the first quarter next year, metro unemployment rates and median household income. See the page on Mount Vernon or read the full article.

Washington was named one of the top 10 “happiest” states in the U.S., according to new research by the University of Cambridge in England. The research suggests that states with better educated, wealthier, and more tolerant residents are also happier on average. Infrastructure also plays a role – making it easier for residents to meet their needs. Data from the Gallup Organization's Well-Being Index was analyzed for the research. To learn more, read the article from MSNBC.

Washington state’s Columbia Crest 2005 Reserve Cabernet took the top spot on Wine Spectator’s top 100 list. The wine was named to the number one spot out of 17,000 wines. According to KPLU, this is the “first time that a Washington wine has reached the top of the list of wines from around the world.” Columbia Crest is a Ste. Michelle Wine Estates brand. Nine Washington wines were listed on the Wine Spectator’s list. For more information, read the full KPLU story or visit Wine Spectator.

The Washington State Department of Commerce awarded $6.4 million in competitive Recovery Act grants to 43 applicants in small cities and counties for energy efficiency and conservation projects. Projects include energy audits and building retrofits, as well as energy efficient traffic signals and street lighting. The work is expected to save or create more than 100 jobs. Read the full press release from Gov. Gregoire.

A Klickitat County wind farm project received $19.4 million in federal stimulus funds. According to Cannon Power Group of San Diego, the funds are part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act money targeting renewable energy projects. Cannon Power Group is building the 400-megawatt wind power plant with Windy Point Partners II LLC. Cannon said “the project brought more than 300 construction jobs and additional permanent positions.” To learn more, read the article in the Puget Sound Business Journal.