Keane takes the helm at

Ocean Beach Hospital

ILWACO, Wash. — Merry-Ann Keane knows her path to the C-suite isn’t like most others in the world of health care and hospital management.

The new CEO of Ocean Beach Hospital brings with her a clinical background, not a financial one. But she believes that her journey over three-plus decades, from a nurse to clinical instructor to manager and then onto administrative positions, has given her the experience needed to be able to oversee the Ilwaco hospital.

“Being able to look at the entire puzzle and making all the pieces fit together, that for me is so rewarding,” said Keane, who began as the hospital’s CEO in mid-September.

Keane takes over for Scot Attridge, who resigned due to a health issue in April after serving as CEO since August 2022. Attridge’s predecessor, Larry Cohen, served as interim CEO while the hospital district’s board conducted a search that ended with the hiring of Keane, whom chair Nancy Gorshe called the board’s “top pick.”

— Chinook Observer

Oregon seeks federal disaster declaration for wildfires

Gov. Tina Kotek has requested a federal major disaster declaration for the state following this year’s wildfire season, which scorched a record 1.9 million acres.

The state’s 10-year average for wildfires is 640,000 acres per season.

A declaration would provide supplemental grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for state, tribal, local governments and certain nonprofits for costs incurred for responding and recovering from wildfires from July 10 through Sept. 7.

Kotek sought the declaration in a Monday letter to President Joe Biden.

“I am asking President Biden and the federal government to provide relief to the rural Oregon communities who weathered an unprecedented, destructive wildfire season,” Kotek, a Democrat, said in a news release.

— Capital Press