Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Appeal tribune. (Silverton, Or.) 1999-current | View Entire Issue (May 8, 2019)
WEDNESDAY, MAY 8, 2019 ܂ SILVERTONAPPEAL.COM PART OF THE USA TODAY NETWORK Turner police chief sued by former officers other’s conduct. Chris White was a Turner officer from 2013 to 2015 before becoming a Marion County sheriff ’s deputy. His wife replaced him on the Turner force, but left in 2017 after being accused of filing false time sheets. The trail of litigation began in March 2018 when Lacey White filed a federal whistleblower lawsuit against Taylor and the Turner Police Department, claiming she was fired in retaliation for raising con cerns about policy violations within the department. In turn, the city of Turner has filed its own com plaints, vigorously defending the decisions and ac Ben Botkin Salem Statesman Journal USA TODAY NETWORK What started a year ago as a federal lawsuit against Turner’s police chief by a former officer has multiplied into a second suit, a Marion County Sheriff ’s investi gation and potentially careerending complaints to Oregon’s police oversight agency. Former Turner officers Larissa “Lacey” White and Christopher White and Chief Don Taylor have, at vari ous times, requested formal investigations of each tions of its police chief and city administrator. False statement, free speech debated After Chris White provided a statement — including criticism of the Turner Police Department — in sup port of his wife’s claim for unemployment benefits, Turner city officials complained to the Marion County Sheriff ’s Office, alleging his statement was false and dishonest. See CHIEF, Page 3A VA patients face grueling wait times Ben Botkin Salem Statesman Journal USA TODAY NETWORK Candy Babel in Silverton CHRISTENA BROOKS / SPECIAL TO THE APPEAL TRIBUNE New businesses in downtown Silverton Yogurt, candy shop and BBQ joint open this spring Christena Brooks Special to Salem Statesman Journal USA TODAY NETWORK “The only thing constant is change,” goes the fam ous quote by a Greek philosopher, and it’s as true in business as anywhere. Silverton’s business core is changing this spring, with new food venues opening and other shops closing or moving. Heavenly Yogurt is slated to open next to Papa Murphy’s by May 11, bringing softserve frozen yogurt back to Silverton. Taking the space most recently oc cupied by Neighbor Dudes Tap House, the new shop will sell multiple yogurt flavors, toppings, cones and creations such as banana splits. It will be fullserve, featuring five sizes of yogurt ranging in price from about $2 or $2.50 up to $7 or $8, said owner April Sattler. Sattler came to Silverton seven years ago and “al ways wanted to be a part of the community,” finally See OPENINGS, Page 2A Rwandan genocide survivor to teach forgiveness in Silverton Christena Brooks Special to Salem Statesman Journal USA TODAY NETWORK Twentyfive years ago this spring, nearly 1 million Rwandans were killed by soldiers, militia members and their former friends and neighbors. The 100day genocide shocked the world, largely for the ferocity with which civilians in the ethnic majority turned upon those in the minority. Thirtyfive members of Emmanuel Sitaki’s family were killed, their deaths coming at the hands of com munity members with whom they’d lived and worked for years. At trial, Si taki looked into the faces of neighbors turnedmurderers. “The people who killed my family were not strangers,” he said. “They Sitaki were people who grew up together, people that we played soccer together. We shared meals together. They were neighbors. They were not strangers.” The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs clinic in Salem is plagued with long wait times for new pa tients. The average delay to see a primary care doctor is 67 days, according to agency data. It’s the secondworst in Oregon and much longer than most Portlandarea VA clinics, where wait times average less than a month. For veterans who move to the Salem area after starting VA treatment elsewhere, the wait is far worse. It’s not uncommon for them to wait years for an appointment. More than 1,100 veterans are caught in this limbo — living in or near Salem and still waiting to see a Salem VA physician because they were as signed doctors elsewhere in the Northwest. VA officials acknowledge the long waits are em barrassing and attribute it to difficulty in recruiting doctors to the Salem clinic. Darwin Goodspeed, who became director of the VA Portland Health Care Systemin November, said he’s aware of the situation and wants to see it change. “Recruiting here has just been challenging,” Good speed said. In part, that’s because Salem is viewed as a small er, more rural community with less appeal for young er doctors than cosmopolitan Portland. In response, the VA is offering relocation bonuses to doctors for taking jobs in Salem. The clinic has four open physician positions, two of which are supposed to be filled this summer. Each doctor typically has a caseload of about 1,200 patients. As doctor positions go unfilled, patient needs pile up quickly. VA officials also are turning increasingly to tech nology to recruit from a wider applicant pool. And the Salem clinic earlier this year started a telemedicine program that allows patients to com municate from an exam room with a doctor based elsewhere. For example, a nurse in Salem can check a patient’s vitals while a doctor monitors remotely. So far, the program has two doctors: one in Port land and another in Texas. ‘I kind of lost hope in the VA’ For veterans who have moved to Salem from other parts of Oregon, it’s not unusual to wait more than a See VA CLINIC, Page 2A See SURVIVOR, Page 2A Online at SilvertonAppeal.com Vol. 138, No. 20 News updates: ܂ Breaking news ܂ Get updates from the Silverton area Photos: ܂ Photo galleries Serving the Silverton Area Since 1880 A Unique Edition of the Statesman Journal QEAJAB-07403y ©2019 50 cents Printed on recycled paper Dr. Denise Weil leads a tele-health virtual doctor appointment at the Salem VA Outpatient Clinic. ANNA REED / STATESMAN JOURNAL saturday morning NEVER TASTED So GOOD! BREAKFAST Made Fresh on the Grill Every Saturday Morning 7:00AM to 10:30am Saturdays Only $ 99 5 EA. TWO FRESH EGGS, TWO STRIPS OF BACON OR TWO SAUSAGE LINKS OR ONE SLICE OF COUNTRY HAM, YOUR CHOICE OF HASHBROWNS OR HOME-FRIED POTATOES AND TOAST. MAKE YOUR SATURDAY MORNING BREAKFAST AND GROCERY SHOPPING ONE CONVENIENT STOP! HAVE YOUR BREAKFAST READY WHEN YOU ARE. ORDER AHEAD ONLINE AT WWW.ROTHS.COM/ORDERS