The Boeing Co. has named two Pierce County aerospace suppliers among its 11 Suppliers of the Year.

The companies were selected from among more than 30,000 Boeing suppliers for their exceptional work, their quality control, responsiveness and customer relations.

The two companies are JWD Machine Inc. of Fife and Woodland Trade Co. Inc, of Tacoma. The two were honored with other award winners at a banquet in San Diego.

Woodland trade produces tooling for Boeing's production lines. The company was founded in 1987. Woodland has provided Boeing with 100 percent on-time delivery for several years.

JWD Machine Inc. produces precision machined parts for the aerospace industry. The Fife company has served Boeing for 22 of its 30 years in business. The company produces some 12,000 parts per month. It has reduced its lead time on several critical parts from 250 to 80 manufacturing days.

Now’s your chance to he heard on issues relating to the IRS.

You’ve paid your taxes. You either spent money to hire an accountant or you spent many hours filling out your forms. And you wish somebody would do something about the system. Well, here's a chance to make a difference.

The IRS is looking for new members of the national Taxpayer Advisory Panel – the mission of which is to listen to taxpayers, identify issues, make recommendations and create “the most user-friendly, customer-oriented tax administration system possible.”

This year the panel seeks members from 37 state, including Washington.

To qualify as a TAP member, applicants must be U.S. citizens and be able to commit 300 to 500 hours during the year to the panel. In addition, they must be current with their tax obligations and pass a criminal background check.

To apply, complete and submit an application online, at www.improveirs.org between now and April 30. You may also apply by calling 888-912-1227 to request a paper application form.

The Simpson Timber Company announced this week that it would be laying off workers at its Tacoma and Shelton sawmills.

The Tacoma Tideflat's sawmill will lose 46 of its 144 employees and the Shelton mill will lose 65 of its 294 employees.

The layoffs are effective April 28.

Ray Tennison, president of Simpson Investment Company, said today that the wood products industry is facing extended hard times due to nation's troubled housing sector.

Housing starts are down significantly since 2005, Tennison said.

"The housing sector is leading the whole economic downturn and we are in the eye of the storm," he said.

The company doesn't see an end to the depressed housing market anytime soon. The layoffs are for an indeterminate period, according to the company.

The layoffs do not affect workers at the Simpson Tacoma Kraft Company in Tacoma, the Simpson Timber Company Mill 5 operations in Dayton or operations in Longview.

Simpson will work to provide all affected workers with information regarding state unemployment services and benefits for which they are eligible, according to a company press release.

Amazon.com Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos didn't get a raise last year – again.

Bezos received a salary of $81,840 for 2007, much the same as the previous several years.

In a Securities and Exchange Commission filing Friday, the company said its executive salaries are “designed to be significantly less than those paid by similarly situated companies,” according to The Associated Press.

His compensation also included $1.2 million for personal security beyond what is provided at business facilities and for business travel — the same amount as in 2006. He was not granted a bonus or awarded any stock or stock options.

But don't feel bad for him. Bezos holds a 23.8 percent stake in the Internet retailer.

Anderson Island residents, you wouldn't recognize your old friend, the former Pierce County ferry M/V Steilacoom.

M/V Steilacoom 2007

Point Ruston 2008

That 72-year-old vessel used to ply the waters of Puget Sound between Steilacoom and Anderson Island.

Now, courtesy of Olympia developer Mike Cohen and his partners, the ferry has its public debut Saturday as a floating showroom for Cohen's new development, Point Ruston.

Point Ruston is an urban village on the site of the former Asarco copper smelter near Point Defiance Park. The development ultimately will include single-family view homes, 1,000 condos, office space, a Silver Cloud hotel and retail space and restaurants.

Cohen and company held a preview for friends, business associates and family Thursday night at the dock by Johnny's Seafood on the Foss Waterway where the ferry/showroom will be temporarily moored.

The sterile, utilitarian Steilacoom, retired from Pierce County and Navy service, has been reborn. Now attired in a more fashionable cream, teal and copper, the ferry has been renamed Point Ruston.

The car decks has been enclosed and extended. In a room added to the stern, Cohen has created a display for Point Ruston residential units

Point Ruston model

Several 42-inch plasma TVs display video of the $1 billion development, and a huge model of the complete community dominates the center of the room. Bathrooms and a kitchen show real-life Point Ruston amenities.

"You could spend hours looking at that model," said the proud developer. "At least I can."

The Point Ruston will be part of a Tacoma Condo Tour set for Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. The tour starts at the Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center. While all visitors are welcome, the tour is particularly aimed at showing Seattle residents the new housing possibilities in Tacoma.

The Point Ruston is moored near another of Tacoma's newest condo developments, the Esplanade, a building that will also be included on the weekend tour. That building includes some exceptionally handsome first floor spaces destined to be upscale restaurants.