First Lewiston Food Truck Night of 2021 fast approaching

A popular, monthly pop-up weeknight diversion in Lewiston is returning as coronavirus pandemic precautions loosen.

The free Lewiston Food Truck Night is scheduled to kick off from 5-9 p.m. April 13 at the Nez Perce County Fairgrounds, according to the event’s Facebook page.

It will be followed by five more evenings in the same time and place on May 11, June 8, July 13, Aug. 10 and Sept. 8.

Thousands of people have attended the events since they were first organized in 2019 by Jason Phillips, a Lewiston High School graduate, who operates his own food truck, Deeney’s Ice Cream.

More than fast cash: Kamiah-based credit union installing ATM ‘outpost’ in Uniontown

UNIONTOWN — Freedom Northwest Credit Union is constructing an automated teller machine on a prominent lot at the south entrance to Uniontown, just off U.S. Highway 95.

The site will have Wi-Fi, a charging station, air for tires, water bottle filling station, bench, bicycle rack and American flag, the same amenities at the credit union’s other upscale automated teller machine sites, called “outposts,” CEO Scott Garrett said.

The financial institution hopes to have it completed by the end of May.

Credit union members can deposit checks or cash and withdraw money, specifying the denominations they want for their cash, Garrett said.

“It’s a remote way to interact with the credit union,” he said. “It really starts to replace what a teller can provide.”

The financial institution also is constructing storage units for members to rent on the site and preserving a white barn for a purpose that will be determined at a later date, Garrett said.

The other Freedom Northwest teller machines are in the Lewiston Orchards along Thain Road, which also has storage units; Clarkston, along Bridge Street; Grangeville; Colfax; and Waitsburg. Another one will debut soon on East Main Street in Lewiston on the way to Clearwater Paper and Idaho Forest Group.

Storage units are part of the approach in some cases because they give the credit union a way to use extra space when the only properties in the locations the credit union wants are larger than needed for the outposts, Garrett said.

Freedom Northwest Credit Union began growing more rapidly in 2016 when it changed its name from Kamiah Community Credit Union and loosened membership requirements.

Anyone can belong as long as they are related to a credit union member or become a member of the Kamiah Chamber of Commerce with a one-time $20 donation collected by the credit union. Before that, members had to live or work in Lewis or Idaho counties.

It now has 10,000 members and $290 million in assets, according to its website.

Its branches are in Kamiah and Kooskia, and its loan offices are in Lewiston and Hayden.

Wanted: a fifth member for Lewiston’s airport board

The Lewiston-Nez Perce County Regional Airport Authority board is seeking a new member.

A commercial helicopter pilot, Chris Hayes resigned from the board because he plans to start a flight school at the Lewiston airport. Hayes just completed single engine, multiple engine and instrument training on airplanes.

His plans involve leasing a hangar at the airport, which Hayes said he believes would pose a problem for the city of Lewiston, which owns the airport with Nez Perce County.

Lewiston’s legal counsel reviewed state laws about boards such as those that govern the airport and found leaseholders can’t be board members, Lewiston Mayor Mike Collins said, in a text.

That stance, Hayes said, is one he disagrees with since it excludes some of those most vested in the airport.

A number of past board chairs and board members have had leases or business interests at the airport, Hayes said in his comments at the most recent board meeting.

He has been involved in the airport in a variety of roles. He was on the board until resigning and being selected as airport manager in 2015, a job he left for private industry 16 months later before being appointed to the board again in 2019.

The seat Hayes held on the board is one that is selected by the other four members, including two who are selected by the Lewiston City Council and two who are picked by the Nez Perce County Commission.

The airport board will seek applicants for Hayes’ seat in coming weeks on its website and Facebook page, Board Chairman Gary Peters said.

Chip Wahlberg selling physical therapy clinic to Clarkston couple

A husband-and-wife team are joining a Clarkston physical therapy practice as its owner prepares to retire.

Physical therapist Cliff Knelsen started practicing at Twin Rivers Therapy at 725 Sixth St. on March 1 following more than 25 years in the profession, most recently at Gritman Medical Center Therapy Solutions in Moscow.

His wife, Polly Knelsen, is taking a position on the business office staff this week. She recently resigned from her job as associate director - finance, administration and marketing at the Lewiston-Nez Perce County Regional Airport.

They will be partners in the practice until the end of this year, when they will acquire it from Chip Wahlberg Jr., a physical therapist who founded it more than 25 years ago, Polly Knelsen said.

The other two physical therapists at the clinic, Cheryl Rudd and Jessica Printz, will remain on staff as well as the other employees there, she said.

“(My husband) has always wanted to own his own clinic,” Knelsen said. “We’re just so grateful for this whole opportunity.”

Northwest hospital executive begins job as CEO of Tri-State in Clarkston

The new CEO of Tri-State Memorial Hospital in Clarkston completed her second week on the job Friday.

Kym Clift, who was announced as Don Wee’s replacement in January, came to Tri-State from Oregon where she was chief operating officer and vice president of operations at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in the Samaritan Health System in Corvallis.

“Since starting, ... I have seen the employees’ dedication to their patients and the commitment to serve the community,” Clift said in a prepared statement about her arrival. “There is so much opportunity at Tri-State Memorial Hospital, and I’m honored to lead and serve this organization.”

Wee is retiring this month. The timing of his last day on the job was planned so that he could help Clift with the transition.

Bicoastal administrator joins LCSC

The chief information and technology officer of Maine Community College System has been named to a similar post at Lewis-Clark State College.

Martin Gang starts June 1 as LCSC’s chief technology officer and director of information technology.

Gang is responsible for the development of strategic direction and oversight of systemwide initiatives for all technology, and the development of systemwide cybersecurity policies and procedures at the Maine Community College system, which is comprised of seven colleges.

He also provides strategic direction and structure for systemwide budgeting, planning, development, implementation, coordination and direct support of information technology functions.

Previously he worked as assistant vice chancellor of information technology at Yosemite Community College District in Modesto, Calif., and senior director of information technology at Orange County Public Schools in Orlando, Fla.

Celeste McCormick, who has served as the interim director and chief technology officer since July 2020, will return to her role as manager of administrative computing June 1.

Williams covers business for the Tribune. She can be reached at (208) 848-2261 or ewilliam@lmtribune.com.