Denver-based Eon, the industry leader in incidental findings software, has accredited Trios Health as an Eon Center of Excellence (ECOE). This new program rewards and certifies facilities nationwide that are improving the early capture and longitudinal care for patients with incidental pulmonary nodules, and that comply with comprehensive, quantifiable standards of care and best practices.

Eon’s ECOE program has three tiers that reflect the three pillars of patient care proven to achieve better patient outcomes: Bronze for Patient Capture, Silver for Follow-up Adherence, and Gold for Program Integration.

Trios Health has earned a Bronze ECOE accreditation for its proven achievement in capturing patients with an incidentally identified pulmonary nodule that requires follow-up, and adding each patient to a system for care management.

“We are honored to receive this accreditation and recognition of our efforts,” said John Solheim, Trios Health Chief Executive Officer. “We look forward to working with Eon and its growing network of Centers of Excellence to achieve even higher levels of patient care.”

Dr. Scott Skibo, Eon’s Chief Medical Officer, congratulates Trios Health and says, “It’s our great pleasure to award Trios Health an ECOE accreditation and provide them with resources to improve their processes as they continue to strive towards better patient care.”

“We share the same passion towards the early identification of disease. The ultimate goal of the program is to support Trios Health and all Eon Centers of Excellence in meaningful ways that lead to a stage shift in patient care and improved survival rates.”

The incidental lung program at Trios Health is focused on the early identification of incidental pulmonary nodules in patients. Early detection is the best way to evaluate and track patients, and – if needed – intervening at the earliest signs of cancer when treatment can be most effective.

Petersen Hastings, a nationally recognized, fee-only wealth management firm, is pleased to announce that it is once again included in the listing of Financial Advisor (FA) Magazine’s 2021 RIA Ranking. Financial Advisor Magazine annually reports an exclusive list of the nation’s leading independent financial advisory firms based on their total discretionary and nondiscretionary assets reported on their Form ADV. Petersen Hastings is the only firm in Eastern Washington to be recognized in the survey.

“It is an honor for Petersen Hastings to be ranked among the Top RIAs in the country,” said Scott Sarber, CEO. “This accomplishment is the result of an incredible team effort. I am truly humbled by our team’s commitment to our firm and our clients, especially after such a challenging year. Our firm’s success is very much attributed to our clients who place their trust in us every day.”
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For the full list, please click here to view the original report.

The Governor’s Committee on Disability Issues & Employment (GCDE) is now seeking nominations for the 2021 Washington State Governor’s Employer Awards, recognizing excellence in recruiting, hiring and advancing employees with disabilities.

The GCDE presents these annual awards as part of National Disability Employment Awareness Month. This year’s theme is America’s Recovery: Powered by Inclusion. The awards will be presented during a virtual event on Oct. 26 from 11 a.m. to – 1 p.m.

We need your help to recognize the best organizations, the best people, and the best leaders who support employees with disabilities! Nominate yourself, other businesses or leaders in the community today. The deadline for nominations is Aug. 31, 2021.

Please submit your nomination(s) electronically.

If you need the nomination packet in an alternate format or have any questions, please contact GCDE Awards Program staff at [email protected].  

Over the last two weeks we have seen a sudden and sharp increase in COVID positive patients. 80% of COVID strains in the United States is reported to be the Delta Variant. We are not directly testing our positive cases for Delta Variant but based on how the behavior of COVID has changed, I suspect that the Delta Variant is prevalent in our community.

The Delta Variant spreads much easier than other strains of COVID, especially in unvaccinated populations. Over the last two weeks, the vast majority of COVID positive patients in our community have been unvaccinated. We used to believe that only older patients with medical comorbidities were at risk. This seems to be no longer true. We are seeing young, healthy patients in their 20s who need to be admitted for oxygen. A few of these young and healthy patients have required ICU level of care. We are seeing children with fever/upper respiratory symptoms test positive, but they have otherwise been doing well. We have not yet seen an increase in MISC, but a wave may follow 2-3 week after the initial COVID surge.

We are beginning to see breakthrough cases in fully vaccinated patients. These fully vaccinated patients, however, tend to have mild symptoms and are generally not requiring hospital level of care. The vaccines still appear effective, but effectiveness may decrease if the virus continues to spread and mutate.

I would encourage anyone who is unvaccinated to get vaccinated ASAP. The vaccine is free and readily available. The vaccine is safe and effective. We may not know that long term effects of the vaccine, but the benefit clearly outweighs any risk. We know the long-term side effects of COVID and know that anyone can be at risk for severe illness. If you are vaccinated, I would encourage continued mask wearing when out in the community. A simple mask, while otherwise enjoying normal day to day activities, should help to keep you and your family safe.

The vaccine is available at our primary care clinics in Grandview, Prosser, and Benton City. Please call to schedule an appointment. Clinic locations, phone numbers, and community partner information is on our website at prosserhealth.org. For questions about the COVID-19 Vaccine, please email [email protected]. – Sincerely, Dr. Robert J. Wenger

3 Rivers Community Foundation (3RCF) focuses its effort each year on an annual grant cycle, offering a funding opportunity to 501c3 nonprofit organizations across Benton and Franklin Counties. The application is now available at www.3rcf.org under “Nonprofits.” For the 2021 cycle, 3RCF estimates at least $160,000 in funding will be available. The application deadline is Friday, September 17th at 5pm.

“In addition to typical funding needs, our nonprofit community is still feeling the impacts of the pandemic, in many different ways,” says Abbey Cameron, Executive Director of 3RCF. “Some organizations are still seeing a spike in demand for their services or are having to adapt their programs to COVID restrictions, all of which comes with increased cost. Still others have been hindered by having to cancel or restructure their fundraising efforts. 3RCF purposefully offers a broad call for applications to try to put dollars where they are needed.”

The funding for this grant program comes from a percentage of 3RCF’s $7M endowment in addition to direct donations. Donors may direct their dollars to be unrestricted which means they will go to the areas of greatest need, or to specific causes they are passionate about, such as food scarcity or housing. The 3RCF board reviews, evaluates, and interviews applicants to makes sure dollars will be effectively used to support our community. In 2020, just over $142,000 was distributed, in addition to 3RCF’s substantial COVID response efforts.

Donations to the 3RCF Annual Grant Fund received by the end of September will be included in this grant cycle. To support this fund, visit www.3rcf.org and click “Make a Donation.”

Benton PUD has extended their customer assistance program through the end of the year.  Qualified past due residential and small business customers may receive a bill credit up to $200 and payment matching.

Governor Inslee has issued a final extension of the utility disconnect moratorium, which will now expire on September 30, 2021.  While good intentioned, the Governor’s moratorium has resulted in many customers accumulating significant past due balances and a future financial burden.  As a not for profit, locally controlled business, Benton PUD exists to meet the needs of our customers which we have proudly been doing for 75 years.  In response to the financial hardships resulting from COVID-19, we offered the Customer Assistance Program beginning in May and are now extending the program through the end of the year.  For qualifying customers, this is an opportunity to reduce or eliminate past due balances.  

As previously announced, the Port of Benton has received $600,854 through the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Airport Improvement Program (AIP) to make improvements and construct additional hanger sites at Prosser Airport (George O. Beardsley Field).

The primary entrance gate to the Prosser Airport will be closed beginning on Monday, August 2, 2021 and will remain closed until at least August 27, 2021. During this time, the main entrance shall be closed to all general traffic and admittance at this gate will be reserved for construction traffic only.

To provide ample access for pilots, lessees, and other users alternate gates will be manually opened as a detour, which will require visitors and tenants to carefully navigate active tie-down and aircraft parking areas. Authorized airport visitors and tenants should exercise extreme caution and observe a low-rate of speed while navigating these construction detours. All vehicles shall heed the right-of-way to aircraft when navigating shared transitory areas, and come to a safe and complete stop when encountering aircraft under power.

Trios Health is pleased to announce that its $10 sports physical clinic is back on Aug. 14 from 8 a.m.-11 a.m. at the Trios Care Center at Vista Field, located at 521 N. Young St.

The 23rd annual Trios Sports Physical Clinic will allow any middle or high school student participating in school sports the opportunity to receive their sports physical at a low cost, without the need for insurance. All proceeds from the clinic will also be donated back by Trios Health to students’ respective school sports programs to purchase athletic safety equipment.

“We are very grateful to be able to conduct this sports physical clinic every year for our community and to have the opportunity to give back to our local schools through this program,” said Lorie Orozco, Trios Medical Group Director. “It is important to us to be able to provide affordability and access to this service for our community. We are also grateful to our physicians, nurses and other employees who volunteer their time to make this event happen every year.”

The physicals, for all middle and high school students, will be completed by Trios medical residents and providers, and students may bring their completed physical form to the clinic or access a generic sports physical form online at TriosHealth.org/Sports-Physicals. 

Trios Health has also been offering $10 sports physicals this summer at the Trios Urgent Care and will continue to offer the physicals at this rate through Aug. 13. The Urgent Care is located at 7201 W. Grandridge Blvd. and is open daily from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. 

Sid Morrison was recognized by Energy Northwest yesterday (July 27, 2021) for his lifelong record of public service to the citizens of Central Washington and his dedication to public power in the region.  The Executive Board of Energy Northwest named a building in Morrison’s honor, now to be called the Morrison Energy Center.

Located on the campus of Energy Northwest in Richland, the Morrison Energy Center will be the hub for advanced nuclear reactor development in the United States, as well as Energy Northwest’s projects and services that power the clean air energy future of the Northwest.

Morrison has served on the Energy Northwest Executive Board for 20 years, and has been the chair of the Executive board since 2006.  This honor comes at his retirement from that board.

“It’s a real honor to be recognized by Energy Northwest,” Morrison said.  “To be involved in the growth in clean, renewable energy has been very rewarding and to see all the possibilities for our future is very exciting.”

Energy Northwest is a Joint Action Agency of the State of Washington, created to do the building and operating of energy facilities for public power that is 100% carbon free utilizing nuclear, wind, solar and hydro.

A former United States Representative for Washington’s 4th Congressional District from 1980 to 1992, Morrison has also served as a Washington State Senator (1976-80), a Washington State Representative (1967-74) and was Secretary of Transportation for Washington State from 1993 to 2001.

​Morrison, a retired Zillah orchardist, has served on a number of other boards with distinction, including on the Central Washington University Board of Trustees from 2003 to 2015.   He also served for 23 years on the board of the Central Washington Fair Association, and was a board member of the Tri Cities Local Business Association, as well as Federal Builders and Constructors Inc.  He continues to serve on the board as chairman of the Yakima Basin Storage Alliance.

He has also served the local fruit industry as a member of the Washington Apple Commission, Peach Council, Cherry Institute, the Farm Bureau and others.

Energy Northwest’s Executive Board today named Robert (Bob) Schuetz as the agency’s CEO, effective Aug. 7. Schuetz has been the site vice president since August 2018.

“I am incredibly honored and humbled to have the opportunity to lead this talented organization,” Schuetz told the board today. “We have an amazing team that I’m proud of; and with their talent, our current carbon-free portfolio and strategic initiatives, I am excited for the bright future we have helping the Pacific Northwest meet its clean energy goals.”

Schuetz joined EN in 2013. He was promoted to plant general manager for Columbia Generating Station in 2014 and became site vice president in 2018. Before joining EN, he served as a plant evaluation team leader for the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO), concluding his INPO tenure on a reverse-loan assignment to EN. Schuetz is a 28-year U.S. Navy veteran who retired from service as the deputy commander and chief of staff for the U.S. Pacific Fleet Submarine Force, where he oversaw more than 7,000 service members operating 36 ships from four bases.

“Bob’s diverse leadership experience, combined with his nuclear background and time with Energy Northwest, provide continuity for the agency and a formula for continued success,” said Will Purser, executive board acting chair. “His talent and relentless pursuit of excellence contributed to earning the agency recognition as a top performing nuclear plant. His contributions have helped grow our carbon-free energy portfolio and paved the way for our leadership with advanced reactors.”

As CEO, Schuetz will lead an organization of more than 1,000 employees who help power the region and he will provide oversight of the agency’s mix of carbon-free resources, including hydroelectric, nuclear, solar, wind and battery storage facilities. Schuetz holds a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a master’s in engineering management from Old Dominion University and a master’s in economics from the University of Oklahoma, as well as senior reactor operator management certificates from EN and Westinghouse.

Hettel to continue as chief nuclear officer
Grover Hettel will remain EN’s chief nuclear officer with responsibility for the overall performance of the Northwest’s only nuclear power plant, Columbia Generating Station, which provides approximately 10% of Washington’s electricity.

“With Bob and Grover in our top leadership positions, we’re confident Energy Northwest will continue to provide the most reliable, cost-effective, carbon-free power and energy solutions to regional electric customers,” Purser said.

During the last decade, EN’s Columbia Generating Station set numerous generation records and received industry recognition for performance. The agency has earned multiple safety awards, reduced costs and was named as a utility partner for two Department of Energy’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program awards.