Nikolajs Pastuhovs of Auburn, an apprentice with Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers’ (BAC) Local 1 Washington, earned the distinction of top apprentice in the Marble competition at the BAC/IMI International Apprentice Contest held Sept.28-29 at the Flynn Center, the union’s state-of-the-art international training facility just outside Washington, D.C.
BAC apprentices are required to complete a rigorous multi-year training program conducted by their Local Unions and the International Masonry Institute (IMI) before they become journey-level craftworkers.
In addition to Marble, contests were also held for seven other BAC Crafts — Brick, Cement, PCC/Restoration, Plaster, Stone, Terrazzo and Tile. Most of the 103 contestants won Local Union and/or regional contests to earn a spot in the final competition.
“These winners represent levels of skill that are truly extraordinary, especially considering how early they are in their careers,” said John J. Flynn, International Union President. “It’s a testament to their dedication to their craft, and to the union industry’s commitment to quality training.”
Elsewhere
• Magic Touch Catering & Cafe, LLC, specializing in barbecue and Cajun food, has opened at 2824 Auburn Way N. The new eatery, formerly Ribs & Thangs, is under the ownership of Veronica Brock. The new spot is open 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday, and closed Sundays and Mondays.
Magic Touch offers casual to formal catering, and also serves regular sandwiches.
The business phone is 253-249-7060.
• Joe Mickelson was named operations manager for the Cascade Water Alliance, CEO Chuck Clarke announced this week. Mickelson will oversee operations and maintenance of Cascade’s Lake Tapps facilities. He will begin his new post Nov. 3.
Cascade is a nonprofit corporation comprised of eight municipalities and water districts that joined together in 1999 to provide water supply for current and future needs. It includes the cities of Bellevue, Issaquah, Kirkland, Redmond and Tukwila and the Covington Water District, the Skyway Water and Sewer District and the Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer District.
Cascade will complete the purchase of Lake Tapps from Puget Sound Energy by the end of the year, and Mickelson will oversee all Lake Tapps and related operations of the lake, which include a powerhouse, eight miles of wood and concrete flumes, pipes, open channels and a fish screen facility. He has spent the last 30 years at Seattle Public Utilities, most recently serving as water operations director. He also has worked on pipeline, watershed and culvert programs, and has overseen capital programs and operations and maintenance efforts.
Mickelson, who will be located in the Lake Tapps area, also will be responsible for directing field staff to manage assets, facilities and maintenance activities, work with appropriate agencies and ensure all safety requirements are met.
• Top Food & Drug recently named its Lake Tapps and Woodinville stores as the best in 2009 among its 18 stores. The Top Food & Drug, 1406 Lake Tapps Parkway E., Auburn, was honored for excellence in numerous areas, including customer relations, community involvement and product presentation, according to company spokesperson Becky Skaggs. The Auburn store winners included: Angela Moore (guest services manager of the year); Lynette Barth (meat manager of the year); James Chapin (pharmacy manager of the year); and Mike Heath (co-perishable manager of the year).
• The Best Western Peppertree Auburn Inn was named Best Western Rewards Champion at Best Western International’s annual North American Convention recently in Phoenix. The hotel was presented with the award in front of more than 2,000 industry peers.
The select honor is bestowed upon those member properties that demonstrate extraordinary support of Best Western’s free rewards program. The hotels also must meet design and customer care standards, as well as other membership requirements, to qualify.
The Best Western Peppertree Auburn Inn is one of only 14 hotels out of more than 2,400 properties in the U.S. and Canada to have received the designation.
“The Best Western Champion Awards recognize those Best Western hotels that truly demonstrate the highest levels of quality and service,” said Bonnie McPeake, chairwoman of Best Western International’s Board of Directors. “The staff of the Best Western Peppertree Auburn Inn has a strong commitment to our Best Western Rewards program, a critical guest engagement tool, and we’re proud of their success.”
Located at 401 8th St. SW, the Best Western Peppertree Auburn Inn features 125 rooms and is a Two Leaf Rated “Eco-Friendly” hotel.
• The Auburn Goodwill Store, located at 1519 Auburn Way S., is holding a fall/winter fashion show at 2-3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, Models will show festive, career and casual wear. The event is free to the public.
For more information, contact event coordinator Gloria Ramirez, or manager Ryan Donicht at 253-939-1627.
