The United States Golf Association will pay Pierce County $2.5 million to lease Chambers Bay Golf Course for the 2015 U.S. Open, according to a draft contract for the tournament.

The Better Business Bureau has seen a recent surge in membership and consumer complaints, a testament to its stature as a standard-bearer for ethical business practices. But the organization also faces new challenges in an increasingly wired world.

Sometimes I think economists and other prognosticators should take a closer look at charity fundraisers before scaring the country half to death with predictions about which way the economy is heading.

The office on Arrow Street looks more like a trendy loft apartment than the headquarters of what is rapidly becoming one of the most influential Web sites in America. The open space, once an architecture studio, is buzzing with activity.

My point is not actually that changing money to accommodate blind people is the right thing to do, but that we need to get more innovative and flexible about finding ways around stumbling blocks.