Ennens helps fight hunger

Ennen’s Foods, which has a store in Oak Harbor, has again joined the Food Industry Crusade Against Hunger this holiday season.

The program, which runs Oct. 28 through Jan. 5, encourages customers to add $1, $3 or $5 to their grocery bill at checkout time. The money collected will go to fight hunger both locally and around the world.

This is the third year Ennen’s has participated, and the company received an award for raising the most money for a first-time participant. Ennen’s is operated by Brown & Cole which has 35 supermarkets in three states.

Did you get your check?

Many Washington residents did not return their federal income tax rebate, according to the Internal Revenue Service. Thousands of checks were returned to the agency as undeliverable by the Postal Service.

The average refund check returned is for $326. In addition, some regular tax refund checks were not delivered.

Any taxpayer who thinks he or she may be missing a refund may call the IRS toll free at 1-800-829-1040. Call as soon as possible so the checks can be mailed this calendar year.

Murray seeks taxless holiday

If Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., has her way, holiday shoppers will have 10 days from Nov. 23 to Dec. 2 to purchase items without paying sales tax.

Under a plan introduced in the Senate by week by Murray and Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, the federal government would reimburse states for uncollected sales tax revenue during the period. The idea, Murray said, is to “jump start the economy.”

The cost to the U.S. Treasury is estimated at $6.5 billion for the 10 days of tax free shopping, if Congress supports the idea.

Bank declares a dividend

Washington Banking Company, parent company of Whidbey Island Bank, this week announced a dividend of 6 cents per common share, which was the 14th consecutive quarterly cash dividend since the company went public in June 1998.