Area Hospitals Join To Streamline Services

Four Eastern Washington hospital boards have joined forces to oversee the hospitals and eliminate duplication of services.

The new board, a holding company called Providence Services Eastern Washington, meets for the first time Wednesday. It will discuss the business of Sacred Heart Medical Center, Holy Family Hospital, the Visiting Nurse Association of Spokane and hospitals in Walla Walla, Deer Park, Chewelah and Colville. Under the guidance of a single chief executive officer, Skip Davis, the board will oversee 5,000 medical workers.

In other events this week:

Today

Four cattle ranchers from the Mexican State of Chihuahua visit Idaho Hereford ranches this week. The climatic and geographic similarity of the two places make Idaho’s Herefords well suited for Chihuahua’s ranches.

The Washington State Commission on Pesticide Registration kicks off a four-day tour on pest control featuring an array of crops from currants to mustard. Registration starts at 7 p.m. at the Pasco DoubleTree. For more information, call (208) 285-0121.

The U.S. Commerce Department releases retail sales report for June.

General Motors issues earnings report.

Tuesday

A twilight tour of winter wheat, spring wheat and pulse crop breeding plots starts at 6 p.m. at Mike Druffel’s farm northeast of Colton, Wash. Washington State University crop geneticists will discuss the developments in wheat breeding programs. For more information, call (509) 397-6290.

Wednesday

The Washington State University Cooperative Extension tours farms participating in the Wilke Direct Seeding Project. At 8 a.m. one tour bus will depart from the Spokane County Cooperative Extension Office at 222 N. Havana, while another will leave from the Lincoln County Conservation District office, 1310 Morgan in Davenport. For more information, call 533-2048.

Thursday

Idaho Governor Phil Batt establishes a committee to study the high child mortality rate in Idaho.

The U.S. attorney’s office in Spokane goes to court to argue for a warrant to seize the Spokane and Colville tribes’ slot machines. The gambling devices are illegal under the Johnson act, but tribal leaders argue the 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act supersedes it.

The Spokane Regional International Trade Alliance and the Inland Northwest World Trade Council hold a “Membership Schmooze” from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the Bayou Brewery, 1003 E. Trent Ave. Nonmembers may come to learn more about the organizations and network with local companies involved in international trade. For more information, call Elisabeth at 459-4123.

The U.S. Treasury holds auction of 52-week bills.

Friday

A bus tour of Washington Water Power’s Cabinet Gorge Dam leaves from Rosauer’s parking lot in Coeur d’Alene at 8 a.m. Cost is $15, and includes a tour of the switch house, powerhouse, hydro plant and lunch. To RSVP, contact the Coeur d’Alene Area Chamber of Commerce, 664-3194.

The U.S. Commerce Department releases its international trade report for May.

ON THE SHELF Business Week, July 13: Cover story explores how the GM strike may give the automaker a chance to reshape itself.

Top of the heap The United States ranks first in the world in wealth produced per person, according to the World Bank’s “World Development Indicators, 1998.” Others in the top four are Singapore, Switzerland and Hong Kong. Here are other facts from the list: Botswana had the fastest growing economy from 1965-1996, followed by South Korea and China. Italy has the highest ratio of cars per population, with 571 cars per 1,000 residents. The U.S. is second, with 521. Switzerland, with 409, has the highest number of personal computers per 1,000 people. The U.S. is No. 2, with 362.