THE MINER
Blanchard Grange welcomes fall with fair
Tea Partiers celebrate the Constitution PRIEST RIVER – The Selkirk Tea Party Patriots will sponsor Constitution Day in the Priest River City Park Friday, Sept. 17 from 6:30-9 p.m. A patriotic concert and readings from the U.S. founders will be followed by a flashlight vigil in support of the Constitution. The Declaration of Independence will be read, free pocket constitutions will be handed out, the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, Star Spangled Banner and a closing prayer will culminate the activity.
Spray park funding looks promising NEWPORT – Summer is drawing to a close, but visions of water park fun are coming closer to a reality. The city of Newport learned last week that its spray park project is ranked sixth out of 63 projects that were up for funding from the Washington Recreation Conservation Office. “A ranking of sixth place is a very high placement and has an excellent chance of receiving funding from the Governor for RCO grants in 2011,� mayor Shirley Sands said in a letter of thanks to those who supported the project. Awards won’t be announced until next spring. Even if the program suffers budget cuts, the high ranking should still ensure some funding for Newport. City employees are hoping the state grant will pay half of the $200,000 cost. Local groups and businesses have already pledged some in-kind support. The 3,500-square-foot splash pad would be located in Newport City Park near the kid’s play area off Calispel Avenue.
Priest River mans sentence for child abuse stands SANDPOINT – A 20-year sentence for a first time conviction was not unreasonable, a judge ruled after a reconsideration hearing for the sentence given to Dayle Scott Westra. Westra, of Priest River, was convicted of lewd and lascivious conduct with a minor. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison and would have to serve at least two and a half years before he was eligible for parole. According to news reports, Westra argued that was too severe a sentence for a first time offender. The judge, Steve Verby, ruled that wasn’t too much time, given that the abuse started when the girl was three and continued for about five years.
Extension offers training for board members NEWPORT – The Pend Oreille Extension Office, in partnership with the Cutter Theatre and the Pend Oreille River Arts Alliance, is offering training for boards of directors. The training will be held Thursday, Sept. 23, from 5:308:30 p.m. Call 509-447-2401 to register.
3A
School nursing rewarding work
BR I E FLY
BLANCHARD – The Blanchard Grange Fair and Harvest Dinner are Oct. 2 and 3 at the grange. Fair entries are needed. Entries can be taken to the grange between noon and 3 p.m. Oct. 1 or the morning of Oct. 2. Categories include canned goods, sewing, quilts, knitting and crocheting, needlework, garden produce, sunflowers, woodwork, crafts and hobbies, photography and eggs. Ribbons will be awarded. There will be a tractor fourwheeler obstacle course race at noon Oct. 3. The harvest dinner is from 36 p.m. Oct. 3 at the grange. The cost is $8 for adults, $5 for kids under 12 and a family of four or more for $25. Dinner will include ham, roast beef, turkey, creamed peas and potatoes, roasted veggies, rolls, salad, pie and drinks. For more information call Debbie at 208-437-3420 or Robin at 208-437-0348.
SEPTEMBER 15, 2010 |
Pay less than other nursing, though BY DON GRONNING OF THE MINER
NEWPORT – It’s a Friday morning at Sadie Halstead Middle School in Newport. Denise Anderson, the district’s school nurse, is called out to administer an ice pack. “He squished his finger in the locker,� Anderson said when she returns. Not a big deal, but one of the many little things a school nurse does in the course of a day. Not all the things school nurses do fall into the little category. There already has been a broken leg this year at Newport and a couple years ago a student ate something he was allergic to, which could have been life threatening. “He showed up at the office, with difficulty breathing and his face swollen,� said Anderson, who like all the school nurses The Miner spoke with for this story, is a registered nurse. The student started to go into anaphylaxis shock and she had to administer Benadryl. That eased the symptoms until the student’s parents were able to come take the student home. Anderson, who has worked at Newport for seven years, said that at the first of the year, a school nurse’s time is taken up with paperwork. “It’s very hectic,� Anderson said. School nurses are processing paperwork to make sure that students are current with their immunizations, as well as writing health plans for students with health conditions. There are a number of students in the Newport School District with health conditions that require a health plan, she said, including students with seizure disorders, diabetes and severe allergies. There are also 60 students with asthma for which they use an inhaler. She says there are another 40 students with asthma who don’t use an inhaler. “We have high amounts of asthma here,� Anderson said. She says most asthma attacks are brought on by physical activity. She said the amount of wood stoves and youngsters living with parents who smoke, as well as the thin cold air could be reasons for the high amount of asthma. Nancy Kiss is the school nurse for the Selkirk School District. She said she also has noticed more youngsters with asthma. “I’ve heard others say the same thing,� said Kiss, who has been working as a school nurse at Selkirk for 11 years.
Newport’s 50th reunion this weekend NEWPORT – Newport High School’s class of 1960 will celebrate its 50th reunion Sept. 17-19. For additional information on locations, contact Charlene Woods at 509-447-5770 or Judy Deerwester at 509-447-3507.
In addition to making sure students are current with their immunizations, Kiss said that she also checks vision. It was a vision check that brought home to her how important it is to fully explain things to children. “One little guy says ‘You’re going to take my eyes?’� she laughs. “That taught me that you have to fully explain things to kids.� She said that she also provides some services for school staff. “I have a lot of people who want me to take their blood pressure,� she said. Bri Schlaich is in her second year as a school nurse in the Cusick School District, although she only works there one day a week. “I heavily rely on the office staff,� Schlaich said. She is studying to be a nurse practitioner while working as a school nurse and also works as a nurse at Newport Hospital and Health Services. She said that she enjoys school nursing. In addition to seeing that students are current with their immunizations and health plans, she also does things like teach the importance of hand washing. She views school nursing as a part of public health nursing and that hand washing is one of the first lines of defense against disease. She teaches children to sing a song when they wash their hands so they know they washed them long enough. “The highlight of my day was when I went by the bathroom and heard someone singing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,� she said. She views a big part of her job as educating people. “As a school nurse you do a lot of educating,� she said. Getting people to immunize their youngsters is something that takes a little education, she said. “A lot of people fear immunizations,� she said. Schlaich has an Ask a Nurse box at Cusick. “That lets high school students ask confidential questions,� she said. Pepi Storro worked as a school nurse for the West Bonner School District for 15 years, until the district made the job a half time position last year because of a shortage of money. The West Bonner County School District has 1,340 students. With that many students, Storro thinks a
Thank You Dick Braden of Braden Farms
Steve & Debbie Smith of Newport Equipment for purchasing my Pig at the Pend Oreille County Fair
Amy Reijonen
school nurse should be required. “I would advocate that every district have a full time nurse on board,� she said. “You can’t contract everything.� She said she resigned after last year and has been filling in for this year until the district could hire a nurse. “You just can’t walk away,� Storro said. The West Bonner County School District just hired a half time nurse, Ami Wandler. She will start next Monday, district superintendent Mike McGuire said. He said Storro has done a good job for the district. “She’s provided an excellent service to the community,� he said. “We’ll miss her.� It was hard to attract a half time replacement, he said. The district only received a couple of applications for the job. He said the job pays the same as a first year teacher, a little more than $30,000 annually, but since it is half time the person only gets half that. School nurses make less than they could in other nursing positions, Storro said, who now works as a full time dialysis nurse. “There’s at least a 30 percent difference in pay,� she said. Kiss, who worked at Mt. Linton Hospital in North Pend Oreille County before it closed, agrees that school nurses are paid less. “But it’s not as stressful,� she said. Anderson, whose full time position at Newport is funded with the maintenance and operations levy money, said that working as a school nurse doesn’t pay as well, but there are other benefits. “Having weekends and summer off is also nice,� she said. All the nurses seemed to like being a school nurse. “Every day is a new day and there is nothing that can be more enjoyable than working with kids,� Storro said. “It keeps you youthful.� One of the reasons is how unpredictable kids can be, she said. “Kids will tell you anything,� Storro said. “Any parent who thinks their lives at home is a secret has another thing coming.� Anderson said that she enjoys the work. “I laugh daily,� she said. “It’s a fun job but you have to have a good sense of humor.� Special Thanks to Mary’s Feed & Farm, John & Pat Hankey and Roger’s Auto Body
MINER PHOTO|DON GRONNING
Denise Anderson has been a school nurse for the Newport School District for seven years. She said that on a typical day she sees five to 15 students for anything from counseling a teen who thinks she’s pregnant to providing first aid for a child who fell on the playground.
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At Kelly’s Restaurant and Lounge With Special Guest Lee Benne , former Newport City Police Chief, Current Airway Heights Police Chief
Thursday, September 16th 3:00 to 6:00 PM Kelly’s Restaurant and Lounge in Newport Coffee and So� drinks provided
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Visit us at www.ronfroman4sheriff.org Paid for by the Commi ee to Elect Ron Froman, Sheriff. Dan Garner, Chairman
(I)
We're Looking For Our
2011 Rodeo Queen
Newport Rodeo Association Royalty Tryouts Sat., Oct. 16th, 2010
10:00 a.m. Riverbank Restaurant (open to the public) Have Brunch, Meet & Listen to the girls speak
Royalty Rules:
1. Must be 16 to 22 years of age. 2. Must reside in Pend Oreille County or be a member of a Pend Oreille County 4-H Club or FFA. 3. Must ride own horse, have transportation & a chaperone for the 2011 rodeo season. For an application call: (509) 292-2223 Deadline for Applications is Oct. 9th, 2010. or Mail to 8993 Scotia Road, Newport, WA, 99156