By Mike Richards, The Lens

Washington state lawmakers are indicating that a priority in the 2017 session will be mitigating or reversing a recent State Supreme Court ruling seen as effectively barring development on properties where well water is required.

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Cybersecurity can be a scary subject. We get it. It’s daunting and something you just want to ignore in hopes that nothing bad will happen to you.

Sorry friend, this subject is all TOO real to ignore. But we’re here. We got you.

We want to give you the knowledge to protect yourself from phishing attacks, ransomware, and other online scams. So here we go! But to start, a chilling reminder of our recent past:

• June 2018, MyHeritage—more than 92 million email addresses and HyHeritage account passwords were compromised.
• April 2018, The Facebook data breach—this was one of the largest misuses of personal data in history! In fact, just last month, Facebook revealed that 15 MILLION people had their personal info accessed by hackers.
• March 2018, Under Armour’s MyFitnessPal App—an “unauthorized party” gained access to 150 million user names, emails, and encrypted passwords from users of the fitness tracking app.
• July 2017, Equifax data breach—a quick calculation tells us that the 143 million potentially affected makes up a full 44 percent of the country’s total adult population.
• May 2017, WannaCry ransomware attack—this attack will go down in the books as one of the most successful malware campaigns in history.

So yeah, now more than ever you need to be educating yourself about how preventive cybersecurity strategies can keep you safe in a digital world of malicious criminals and hackers.

Cybersecurity awareness tips

1. Enable two-factor authentication
   1. This will make it harder for someone to access any of your accounts.
   2. This added layer of security can make a big impact.
2. Check a website’s SSL Certificate before using
   1. This will ensure the website is safe to use.
   2. Beware—hackers can copy a safe site if you click on a malware link. For example, links found in phishing emails.
3. Never save credit card information online
   1. This is a great basic tip to keep your bank account information secure.
   2. If that site is ever compromised, your card information will be, too.
4. Up your password game
   1. Think of a long password (10+ characters). Using a sentence instead of random letters is much more efficient. For example: eattacosonthe9th!!
   2. Never use the same password on different accounts.
   3. Never write down your passwords and store in a Word file; use password vault software instead.
5. Think twice before clicking an email link
   1. Not all links are created equal. Some seemingly safe links can wreak havoc.
   2. Phishing emails are becoming harder to detect. Look into social engineering training.

These basic tips can help you, your employees, and your business stay more protected when using your computer.

Emerald City Solutions is an information security company offering high-grade, professional IT business solutions using cutting-edge technology to help our customers modernize their business, protect valuable assets, and improve business connectivity. For more tips and tricks, check out Emerald City Solutions’ weekly blog or give them a call at 206.340.1616 to learn more about IT and cybersecurity services for your business.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Stephanie Giralmo, Public Relations & Media Manager
Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties
p 425.457.7048

MBAKS Announces 2021 REX/T-REX (Remodeling Excellence and Trades Remodeling Excellence) Awards Winners

BELLEVUE, Wash.—June 12, 2021—For the 35th year in a row, the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties (MBAKS) hosted their annual Remodeling/Trades Remodeling Excellence (REX/T-REX) Awards.

The REX / T-REX Awards, presented by the Remodelers Council of MBAKS, encourages local remodelers and builders to submit their best projects of the year. Each submission is reviewed by a panel of remodeling professionals from across the country and winners are selected in each category. The categories are as follows: Bath Excellence, Kitchen Excellence, Residential Remodel Excellence, Green Remodel Excellence, Exterior Remodel Excellence, Landscape & Outdoor Living Excellence, Get Away Room & Specialty Space Excellence, and Design Excellence.

REX/T-REX entries were judged on the following categories:

1. Aesthetics—How is the remodel visually appealing?
2. Special or unique design solutions—How was the space planned and was livability considered?
3. Quality workmanship—What are the special features of the project and is there attention to detail?
4. Use of appropriate building material—Does the remodel complement existing structure and design?
5. Budgetary consideration—How did the project keep within the budget and still deliver client expectations?
6. Challenges and obstacles—Were there any unexpected obstacles that called for adjustments?

2021 REX/T-REX Winners

About the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties

Founded in 1909 and headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties (MBAKS) is one of the nation’s oldest and largest local homebuilders associations. Like our founders, our members continue to take a leading role in all facets of homebuilding and support the planning for a growing region. From new technology to advances in sustainability, from collaborative public policy efforts to investing in our communities, our commitment to a thriving, inclusive and well-planned region never wavers. We are the professional homebuilders, architects, remodelers, tradespeople (carpenters, framers, roofers, plumbers, electricians), planners and engineers, suppliers, manufacturers, and sales and marketing professionals in your community who believe everyone deserves access to a healthy and productive place to call home.

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