LIONS CLUB PLANT AND GARAGE SALE!

Concert Band to present spring performance

Linfield College will host a spring band concert Tuesday, April 18, at 7 p.m. in the Richard and Lucille Ice Auditorium in Melrose Hall at Linfield. Read the story: http://www.linfield.edu/linfield-news/concert-band-to-present-spring-performance/

First Federal Customer Ballots program

First Federal recently concluded its annual Customer Ballots giving program and $40,000 will be donated to 85 nonprofits based on First Federal customer votes.   Organizations receiving the largest number of votes include Homeward Bound Pets, YCAP Food Bank, Soup Kitchen @ St. Barnabas, Pregnancy Counseling & Information Center, Yamhill County Gospel Rescue Mission, Newberg Animal Shelter Friends, Salvation Army Henderson House,  Love INC, and Juliette's House.  First Federal is proud to be a community bank in Yamhill County and strongly supports the community through donations and volunteer involvement. 

For more info on the First Federal Customer Ballots or other giving programs, go to  https://www.firstfedweb.com/Customer-Ballot.aspx

Willamette Valley Medical Center
Named as 2017 Top 100 Critical Access Hospital

Willamette Valley Medical Center (WVMC) was recently named one of the Top 100 Rural & Community Hospitals in the United States by iVantage Health Analytics and The Chartis Center for Rural Health.

"This achievement is very gratifying and validates our daily commitment and hard work by our employees to providing the best health care possible to our community, while maintaining an efficient and effective facility," said Peter Hofstetter, CEO of WVMC.

Willamette Valley Medical Center scored in the top 100 of rural and community hospitals on iVantage Health Analytics' Hospital Strength INDEX®. The INDEX is the industry's most comprehensive rating of rural providers. It provides the data foundation for the annual Rural Relevance Study and its results are the basis for many of rural healthcare's most prominent awards, advocacy efforts and legislative initiatives. The list of the Top 100 Rural & Community Hospitals and more information about the study can be found at www.iVantageINDEX.com.

The Top 100 Rural & Community Hospitals play a key role in providing a safety net to communities across America - and the INDEX measures them across eight pillars of hospital strength: Inpatient Share Ranking, Outpatient Share Ranking, Cost, Charge, Quality, Outcomes, Patient Perspectives, and Financial Stability. WVMC is elated to announce their ranking of 90.6 putting them in the top 100 nationwide.

"It's more important than ever that rural hospitals proactively understand and address performance in the areas of cost, quality, outcomes and patient perspective. iVantage's INDEX was designed to serve as this industry model," said Michael Topchik, national leader of the Chartis Center for Rural Health. "Across the spectrum of performance indicators, there are rural providers that are writing the blueprint for success as they transition to value-based healthcare. Our analysis shows that this group of top performers exhibits a focused concern for their community needs.

STATE of OREGON BUREAU of LABOR and INDUSTRIES

Presents - Training for Yamhill County Area Agriculture Employers 

BOLI's Technical Assistance for Employers trainer will provide an overview of civil rights protections and the employer's responsibility to ensure a workplace free from harassment and discrimination. We will also discuss the employer's obligation to address complaints. The second half of the session will cover basic wage and hour issues specific to agriculture employment such as minimum wage, overtime, rest and meal periods, final paychecks, permissible deductions, and more. April 13 9-noon at WorkSource Yamhill, 370 NE Norton Ln. FREE for Yamhill County are Agriculture Industry Employers and their supervisory staff. RESERVE your space by sending an email request to: [email protected]. Questions: call Brian Clark at WorkSource Yamhill (503) 434-7580.

Thirty-year veterinarian Laura Benson, DVM, has joined the team at Companion Pet Clinic in McMinnville. 

Dr. Benson, a native of Dundee, studied veterinary medicine at Oregon State University and worked in Oregon and Washington for thirty years before coming to McMinnville. "My relatives live in McMinnville, Dundee and Newberg" she explained, "and I was so impressed with the staff and the management of the clinic."  

Dr. Benson enjoyed math and science as a youth, and she loved Dr. James Herriot's fascinating books about animals and their owners. They influenced her own style of practice. "I'm very thorough," she explains. "So I like to do a thorough work up. I listen to what my clients' concerns are and make sure they know their options." She enjoys watching her clients interact with their pets and seeing how they both benefit from the relationship.

Dr. Benson is married to her husband, Dwight, and they have a ten-year-old son, an orange cat named Finn, and Emma, a German shorthaired pointer.

Dr. Benson joins Reed Prince, DVM; Aaron Sears, DVM; and Abby Van Hoef, DVM. For an appointment, call (503) 435-1570.