PASCO, WA – Governor Jay Inslee awarded Educational Service District (ESD) 123 at the 26th Annual Governor’s Employer Awards ceremony in Redmond, WA.  On Wednesday, October 17, ESD 123 was one of six employers honored for their exemplary work recruiting, hiring, retaining and promoting people with disabilities.

Washington’s Governor’s Committee on Disability Issues & Employment (GCDE) and Disability: In Washington organizes this ceremony to recognize employers who are making significant gains to empower people with disabilities.  ESD 123 first began providing pre-employment transition services to students in our region during the 2016-2017 school year. In October 2016, ESD 123 collaborated with the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) to provide services to over 800 high school students with disabilities.

ESD 123 Transition Administrator, Lori Scott, said that it is exciting to see the impact of her department’s work region-wide.

“I am so incredibly proud to be part of the ESD team who has supported and encouraged me as a leader in developing a model program for pre-employment transition services,” states Ms. Scott.  “It is such an honor to have our work and our ESD recognized at a state level with such a prestigious award.”

Transition services through ESD 123 include in-class trainings that focus on self-advocacy skills, career exploration, workplace readiness, and post-secondary exploration.  Additionally, students are given the opportunity to complete job shadow experiences and paid internships. More information about the ESD’s transition services and other services for families of students with disabilities can be found online at www.esd123.org/programs__services/special_services, or by contacting Lori Scott at 509.544.5719 or lscott@esd123.org.

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About ESD 123:  Educational Service District 123, based in Pasco, WA, is one of nine ESDs in Washington. Dedicated to delivering collaborative solutions that promote learning, ESD 123 serves 23 school districts in seven counties of Southeastern Washington. Under Superintendent Darcy Weisner and its board of directors, this legislatively mandated, not-for-profit educational organization provides efficiency of educational systems and equity of learning opportunities for over 70,000 Washington students. For more information about ESD 123, please call 509-544-5700 or 888-547-8441 or visit www.esd123.org.

                    Eight Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals in the Northwest will benefit.

 TACOMA, Wash.  — Hundreds of credit union leaders raised $628,226.49, for Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) hospitals during a gala auction Oct. 17. The credit union community is gathered in Tacoma for the Northwest Credit Union Association’s (NWCUA) MAXX Convention in Tacoma this week. The grand total was announced during the closing session of MAXX today.

While exploring technology and other innovative services to offer to their 6.5 million consumer members in Idaho, Washington, and Oregon, the credit union community at MAXX Convention also focused on its community impact “DNA.” As not-for-profit cooperatives, credit unions are founded on a “people helping people” philosophy, and giving back is an important principle for them as financial institutions. The gala auction in Tacoma is such an example.

The curtains parted and Cass Huff – the 2018 Miracle Child for the “New York, New York” auction -- came to the microphone and belted out an inspired version of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah. That set the stage for the event to build on the legacy Northwest credit unions started in 1986, when they founded the now-national “Credit Unions for Kids” charity.

Cass is one of just 150 people in the world with Conradi-Hunermann Syndrome, a severe form of scoliosis. Despite 42 surgeries, being blind in one eye, and being deaf in one ear, Cass aspires to star on Broadway. Her rendition of another song, Somewhere Over the Rainbow, was set to touching photos of babies and children whose lives have been saved at CMN hospitals.

Attendees bid aggressively on silent auction items such as jewelry and wine flights. They engaged in friendly bidding wars over luxury golf outings and hot air balloon rides during the live auction, to set an NWCUA auction record.

“We are moved and humbled by the generosity of our colleagues in the Credit Union Movement,” said Troy Stang, Northwest Credit Union Association (NWCUA) President and CEO. “The journey credit unions started here in the Northwest 32 years ago has made so many miracles possible for the kids and their families.”

All funds raised last night will stay in the Northwest, directly benefitting the CMN hospitals in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, and Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital in Utah.

“Thanks to the generosity of all of our sponsors, donors, and bidders, Credit Unions for Kids will again make miracles happen,” said Holly Miller, NWCUA Project Manager and Auction Coordinator. “The funds raised at auction will support research, treatments at the CMN hospitals, and will provide comfort to the families of hospitalized children. Does it really get any better than that?”

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The Northwest Credit Union Association is the not-for-profit trade association representing over 180 credit unions in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, and their 6.5 million consumer members. Northwest Credit unions are not-for-profit cooperatives, owned by their members. Credit unions help members achieve their financial goals.  All earnings in excess of operating expenses and required reserves are returned to members in the form of lower loan rates, fewer fees and higher interest paid on savings. For information on how to join a credit union, please visit http://www.asmarterchoice.org.  

Portland, Ore. – The Bonneville Power Administration has chosen Scott Armentrout to be its executive vice president of Environment, Fish and Wildlife. Armentrout begins his new position at BPA’s Portland headquarters Oct. 29.

“Scott has extensive experience in program management, fish and wildlife biology, restoration programs and teamwork with 30 years of experience working for the U.S. Forest Service,” said BPA Administrator Elliot Mainzer. “His skills and background make him ideal to lead BPA’s Environment, Fish and Wildlife organization. Scott grew up in the Pacific Northwest, so he’s also looking forward to returning home.”

In his new position, Armentrout will serve as top policy-maker and strategist, ensuring environmental compliance while addressing fish and wildlife issues integral to BPA’s business responsibilities and its commitment to stewardship of the region’s environmental resources.

Armentrout will also oversee BPA’s Fish and Wildlife program, one of the largest fish and wildlife mitigation efforts in the world. The program is implemented to mitigate for the inundation, construction and operation of dams in the Columbia and Snake river basins.

“I am excited to be part of BPA’s efforts to protect and enhance the environment and the region’s fish and wildlife,” says Armentrout. “I’m looking forward to tackling the many complex issues and working with BPA’s partners to find creative solutions for a better Pacific Northwest.”

Armentrout comes to BPA from the U.S. Forest Service in Montrose, Colorado, where he’s served as forest supervisor over the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests that comprise 2.9 million acres and together make up the largest national forest in the Rocky Mountain Region.

He replaces Lorri Bodi, who retired in July 2018.

About BPA

The Bonneville Power Administration, headquartered in Portland, Ore., is a nonprofit federal power marketer that sells wholesale electricity from 31 federal dams and one nuclear plant to 142 Northwest electric utilities, serving millions of consumers and businesses in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, western Montana and parts of California, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming. BPA delivers power via more than 15,000 circuit miles of lines and 261 substations to 475 transmission customers. In all, BPA markets about a third of the electricity consumed in the Northwest and operates three-quarters of the region’s high-voltage transmission grid. BPA also funds one of the largest fish and wildlife programs in the world, and, with its partners, pursues cost-effective energy savings and operational solutions that help maintain affordable, reliable and carbon-free electric power for the Northwest. www.bpa.gov

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