Surgeon from Yakima takes position in Pullman
A surgeon with more than 25 years of experience has joined a practice of Pullman Regional Hospital.
Dr. Robert Conroy has previously worked as a general surgeon, trauma medical director and lead surgeon at Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital in Yakima. He is a fellow of the American College of surgeons and advanced trauma life support instructor.
He graduated from the Bowman Gray School of Medicine at Wake Forest University and then completed a general surgery residency at North Carolina Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Conroy’s practice, Pullman Surgical Associates, offers general surgery, endoscopy and gastrointestinal treatments using technology such as the da Vinci robot-assisted surgical system.
Port of Whitman County drops boat launch fees
BOYER PARK — Boaters will be able to launch their vessels for free starting this spring at Boyer Park after a $6 million project is completed.
Port of Whitman County commissioners voted to eliminate fees of $6 per day and $60 for an annual pass at the launch at a recent meeting.
The park’s marina closed in September so that three new aluminum and fiberglass docks could be installed. Four docks are also being rehabilitated. A navigation light and a vault toilet that will be open year-round are being added.
Boyer Park is about 50 miles downstream from the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley on the Snake River. It has a swimming beach, playground, recreational vehicle spaces, a paved pedestrian and bicycle trail and riverfront restaurant.
The upgrades are being covered by $5 million from the port and $1 million from the Washington Recreation and Conservation Board. The port maintains the park as a free day-use area on a long-term lease from the Corps of Engineers.
Former Bookie manager chosen for Innovia board
A Pullman city councilor has been named to a seat on the board of the Innovia Foundation in Spokane.
A board member of Pullman’s chamber of commerce, Patricia Wright has lived in Pullman since 1975 and was general manager of The Bookie, a textbook and apparel store for Washington State University students, according to a news release from Innovia.
Her husband is a retired WSU professor.
She has served on the boards of United Way of Pullman, the Pullman Education Foundation, Pullman Regional Hospital Auxiliary and Pullman Regional Hospital Foundation.
The Innovia Foundation invests almost $10 million per year in eastern Washington and northern Idaho in grants and scholarships supporting projects that help make communities more vibrant and sustainable.
Grants being offered to support exporting by business in north central Idaho
Business owners in north central Idaho are among those who could seek hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant money to support exporters.
The Idaho State Trade Expansion Program is intended to “increase the number of small businesses that export, increase the value of exports and increase the number of small businesses exploring significant new trade opportunities,” according to a news release from the Idaho Department of Commerce.
The program is supported partly through a grant with the U.S. Small Business Administration and is administered by the Idaho Department of Commerce.
Entrepreneurs interested in applying for a portion of the $319,000 may email Tina Salisbury, the STEP grant director at Tina.Salisbury@commerce.idaho.gov.
Manufacturer’s arrival in Lewiston on track
LEWISTON — The plans of a Portland, Ore., manufacturer to move its operations in 2023 to Lewiston continue to proceed.
The Lewiston Port Commission recently approved selling almost 6 acres to Northwest Fourslide in Tualatin, Ore., for $750,000.
The land for the maker of metal items, such as components for folding tools and electrical devices for cancer treatment, is about a fifth of a mile west of the city of Lewiston transfer station in North Lewiston.
As part of the transaction, the port and Northwest Fourslide are splitting the cost of an access road about two-tenths of a mile long that will be needed for the site to be reached from Colonel Wright Way, said Scott Corbitt, general manager of the Port of Lewiston.
The port’s portion is estimated at about $700,000 and will come from part of its budget earmarked for land acquisition and development, he said.
This fiscal year, the port has budgeted $2.12 million in that category, and part of the expense for the access road may be incurred in a future fiscal year, Corbitt said.
The street would be needed to develop the property regardless of what entity acquired it or became a port tenant, he said.
Northwest Fourslide will bring at least 40 new jobs and all of them, including junior positions, will pay “significantly above the median income level” of the area, according to a letter the company submitted to the Port of Lewiston.
“We are excited to be a good neighbor and member of this community,” according to the letter. “We think this transaction is a win for all stakeholders and sets us all up for a brighter future.”
The company will be relocating its entire operation to the Port of Lewiston site and may sublease a small part of it to other manufacturers, putting a preference on suppliers.
“Because of our long-term focus and desire to remain stationary in our next location, we have selected a lot large enough to grow into, with thought put into plans to expand our building footprint as needed,” according to the letter.
New York developer shares details about downtown Lewiston apartments
LEWISTON — Two-dozen upscale apartments, some with river views, are slated to be constructed as part of a renovation of the upper stories of the Lewiston building that houses the Bargain Hunter Mall.
All of the units will be one-bedroom and have high ceilings. A tower with an elevator and a staircase will be added to the building as part of the project, said Mark Alexander, the developer.
The Bargain Hunter Mall will continue to be a tenant.
“It’s a lovely destination business,” Alexander said.
The work at 1209 Main St. across the street from the Nez Perce County Courthouse is expected to be done in 2023.
“It’s going to be really nice,” he said.
Preparations started this year for the upgrades that are in a portion of the roughly 100-year-old building that has been vacant for decades.
The roof was replaced. Multiple layers of paint and grime were removed from hardwood floors and brick walls by blasting them with small pieces of walnut shells.
“We brought it back to its original state,” Alexander said.
Alexander, of Blauvelt, N.Y., about 20 miles north of New York City, began acquiring holdings in Lewiston about 20 years ago.
His companies have developed more than 50 tenant-ready business suites and 23 residential units in 12 properties on Lewiston’s Main Street.
“My love for old buildings and appreciation for everything the Lewis-Clark Valley has to offer has led me to purchase and reinvest in historic buildings in downtown Lewiston,” he said.
Alexander also has ownership stakes in other parts of Lewiston, including Southgate Plaza along Bryden Avenue.
Williams may be contacted at ewilliam@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2261.
