Richard R. Barker Concludes Service as Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington (Photo)U.S. Attorney's Office - Eastern Dist. of Wash. - 07/08/25 3:32 PM
Spokane, Washington – On July 7, 2025, Richard R. Barker stepped down as the Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington. Barker will be returning to private practice in Spokane after a distinguished career in public service.
Acting United States Attorney Barker has over a decade of experience as a career prosecutor, serving as an Assistant United States Attorney since 2014. During his career, Barker has held the positions of First Assistant United States Attorney, Tribal Liaison, Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Coordinator, Digital Asset Coordinator, and Public Affairs Officer. From 2014 – 2019, Barker served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the nation’s capital, where he served as a dedicated homicide prosecutor. In early 2019, Barker joined the Eastern District of Washington, serving as an Assistant United States Attorney (“AUSA”) in the Spokane office.
Acting United States Attorney Barker has dedicated his career to serving victims of violent crime, while handling numerous homicide and violent crime cases. Late last year, Barker was lead counsel with AUSA Michael J. Ellis in the trial of Zachery Holt and Dezmonique Tenzsley for the double murder of two Tribal members and the attempted murder of a federal officer on the Colville Indian Reservation. In 2023, Barker successfully prosecuted Ronald Craig Ilg, who attempted to hire hitmen on the dark web to harm his wife and a former work colleague. Earlier this year, Barker was lead counsel with AUSA Nowles Heinrich and Echo Fatsis in the successful trial of Luis Esquival Balonos, who was convicted on multiple drug trafficking charges stemming from more than one hundred pounds of illegal drugs being distributed on and around the Colville Indian Reservation and into Montana. Barker, who carried an active caseload while leading the office, was the first Eastern Washington U.S. Attorney in nearly two decades to try a case to a verdict while serving in the U.S. Attorney role.
Throughout his career, Acting United States Attorney Barker also handled several significant drug trafficking prosecutions. In 2023, Barker, with co-counsel AUSA Stephanie Van Marter, prosecuted the “Fetty Bros” Drug Trafficking Organization, which was distributing hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills and other drugs into Eastern Washington and using extreme violence to insulate their organization. In his efforts to further address the fentanyl crisis, Barker worked with now former U.S. Attorney Waldref and the City of Spokane to create a Special U.S. Assistant Attorney position focused on prosecuting those responsible for illegal narcotics impacting the Spokane area.
As First Assistant United States Attorney, Barker supervised the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s litigating units, which include the Criminal, Civil, and Appellate Divisions. As the Chief Deputy to the U.S. Attorney, Barker helped establish the District’s dedicated Appellate Division and worked closely with the Office’s administrative team to obtain additional DOJ resources for increasing public safety throughout Eastern Washington.
Throughout his service, Former Acting U.S. Attorney Barker built strong relationships with Washington’s Native American communities and worked tirelessly to honor federal treaty rights with Tribal Nations in Eastern Washington and address the crisis of missing or murdered indigenous people. In early 2024, Barker played a key role in hiring the district’s first MMIP AUSA, who is fully dedicated to prosecuting cases of Missing or Murdered Indigenous People. For Barker’s dedication to working with Native American communities and improving public safety, he received a Department of Justice Director’s Award in 2024.
“Serving as a federal prosecutor has been the highlight of my career,” said Barker. “It has been an honor to represent the United States and seek justice for victims and their families. Spokane has truly become home for me and my family, and I look forward to remaining active in the legal community as I return to private practice right here in Eastern Washington.”
Former U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref stated, “Acting U.S. Attorney Barker is an exceptional leader, a talented trial attorney, and a fearless advocate for justice. His service to the Department of Justice and dedication to protecting the communities of Eastern Washington is second to none. He led the District with distinction, focusing every day on doing the right thing for victims and the community and maintaining an unwavering commitment to upholding the rule of law.”
Outside the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Barker will continue to serve as an adjunct professor at Gonzaga University School of Law, where he has taught courses in Trial Advocacy and Conflicts of Law. Barker also serves as a Lawyer Representative to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Stephanie Van Marter will be assuming the role of Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington. “I’m honored to pass the torch to Acting U.S. Attorney Van Marter,” said Barker. “Steph has dedicated her career to the Department of Justice, and she will lead this office with the same honor, integrity, and commitment to justice as those who have served before her.” A formal announcement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office regarding Ms. Van Marter’s new role will be issued in the coming days.
Granite Falls SD - 07/08/25 1:14 PM
NOTICE OF HEARING
Notice is hereby given that the Board of Directors of Granite Falls School District No. 332, Snohomish County, Washington, has completed the estimates for the Budget of the District for the 2025-2026 school year; a copy of which has been placed on file with the Secretary of the Board. Copies thereof will be available to any taxpayer who requests them from the Secretary.
The Board of Directors will meet at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, July 23, 2025, to adopt the 2025-2026 budget. Any taxpayer may submit to the Board and be heard for or against any part of the said budget up to 3:00 p.m. on July 23, 2025, by submitting comments, questions, and/or concerns to pjimenez@gfalls.wednet.edu.
pjimenez@gfalls.wednet.edu
PeaceHealth - 07/08/25 10:33 AM
Vancouver, Wash. – Today, after 10 years of distinguished service, PeaceHealth President and Chief Executive Officer, Liz Dunne, announced her upcoming retirement. Following a formal discernment process supported by a premier executive search firm, the PeaceHealth System Board unanimously appointed Sarah Ness, current executive vice president and chief administrative officer, as her successor, effective Jan. 3, 2026.
Since joining PeaceHealth in 2015, Dunne has delivered on her bold commitment to make the organization better, not bigger. Over the past decade, she has reinforced PeaceHealth’s foundation and led its transformation into one strategically aligned, integrated health system. Under her leadership, the organization has achieved significant gains in clinical and operational excellence and sustainable growth — driven by novel partnerships and unprecedented philanthropic giving.
Dunne set the culture of safety and clinical excellence as a cornerstone for PeaceHealth, leading to the achievement of five consecutive ‘A’ grades from the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades and improved star ratings from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), including the highest rating possible — 5 stars — for PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend, during her tenure.
These achievements helped pave the way for strategic partnerships to expand access to care with organizations such as Kaiser Permanente and Oregon Health & Science University, as well as the acquisition of ZoomCare and joint ventures to expand behavioral health, rehabilitation and specialty pharmacy services. Under Dunne, PeaceHealth also achieved historic philanthropic success — raising more in charitable contributions over the past decade than at any other time in its history.
“Leading PeaceHealth has been the most meaningful chapter of my career,” said Dunne. “Inspired by the courageous compassion of the founding Sisters, together we’ve reimagined what healthcare can be — rooted in dignity, community and the deeper roots of health. I’m humbled by what we’ve built and deeply grateful to the caregivers who bring that vision to life every day.”
“I’m incredibly proud of Sarah and confident in her leadership,” Dunne added. “My heart is full and my mind at peace knowing she will steward PeaceHealth’s cherished legacy into the future.”
Dunne will remain in her role through the end of the year to support a successful transition. PeaceHealth System Board Chair, Carol Aaron, praised her enduring legacy: “Liz brought inspirational change to PeaceHealth, challenging the Board to reach for the highest standards in excellence and performance, grounded in our Mission and Values. She leaves PeaceHealth stronger, more focused and better prepared for the future.”
A hallmark of Dunne’s leadership has also been a steadfast focus on whole-person care that addresses the social determinants of health. Under Dunne, PeaceHealth earned recognition as one of the Healthiest 100 Workplaces in America, a prestigious national awards program by Healthiest Employers® and Springbuk®, with PeaceHealth consistently earning national and state recognition for its commitment to employee well-being. She also championed a comprehensive community health strategy, prioritized mission-aligned investments, and cultivated innovative collaborations that extended care beyond clinical walls.
PeaceHealth System Board member and former System Board Chair, Sister Andrea Nenzel, CSJP, reflected on the significance of Dunne’s legacy: “For 135 years, PeaceHealth has been rooted in faith, compassion and a call to serve the most vulnerable. Liz showed us that innovation and Mission are not in conflict — they are deeply intertwined.”
A New Chapter of Mission-Driven Leadership
Incoming President and CEO Sarah Ness will be the second female lay leader in PeaceHealth’s history and brings a deep understanding of PeaceHealth’s Mission, shaped by more than two decades of dedicated service within the organization.
Widely respected for her courage and grace, Ness is known for leading with transparency, resilience and diplomacy. She has a strong track record of building high-performing teams, delivering measurable impact, and fostering a more connected, human-centered health system.
An accomplished change-agent, Ness has led organizational transformation in PeaceHealth’s culture, technology and operational improvements. Her leadership has been instrumental in promoting caregiver well-being through a holistic approach that nurtures the heart, mind, body and spirit. She led the modernization and automation of workforce management systems, enhancing efficiency and adaptability. Ness also aligned caregiver, clinician and patient experience under a unified Human Experience division, elevating PeaceHealth’s reputation and loyalty measures to historic levels.
Additionally, Ness championed the nationally recognized Women of Peace movement to boost recruitment and retention, enhance professional development and career pathways and foster a sense of belonging and well-being within PeaceHealth’s workforce.
“To be entrusted with the leadership of this 135-year ministry is an immense honor and profound responsibility,” Ness said. “I have deep respect for the foundation Liz has built and her leadership in navigating complexity while holding fast to our Values. It is a privilege to build on the legacy of integrity, equity and innovation she leaves behind.”
PeaceHealth remains committed to person-first healthcare that honors the dignity of every individual. With Ness at the helm, PeaceHealth will continue to transform and innovate for the future — delivering compassionate, high-quality care and staying true to the Mission that has guided it for 135 years.
About PeaceHealth: PeaceHealth, based in Vancouver, Wash., is a non-profit Catholic health system offering care to communities in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. PeaceHealth has approximately 16,000 caregivers, nearly 3,200 physicians and clinicians, more than 160 clinics and 9 medical centers serving both urban and rural communities throughout the Northwest. In 1890, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace founded what has become PeaceHealth. The Sisters shared expertise and transferred wisdom from one medical center to another, always finding the best way to serve the unmet need for healthcare in their communities. Today, PeaceHealth is the legacy of the founding Sisters and continues with a spirit of respect, stewardship, collaboration and social justice in fulfilling its Mission. Visit us online at peacehealth.org.
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Bureau of Land Management Ore. & Wash. - 07/08/25 8:07 AM
PORTLAND, Ore – The Bureau of Land Management will offer several timber sales in July, totalling about 54 million board feet to be harvested from nearly 1,900 public acres across Western Oregon. Timber produced by these sales will provide critical supplies for construction and other industries, and support jobs across local economies.
"More than 20% of BLM-managed lands are forest and woodland ecosystems. The BLM ensures the health and resilience of these public forest lands as well as the availability of traditional forest products, such as timber,” said BLM OR/WA State Director Barry Bushue. “Timber sales help to improve, maintain, and restore forest health, water quality, and fish and wildlife habitat and to reduce wildfire risk."
The Roseburg District will offer two sales near Oakland in Douglas County, the Mean Mustard timber sale (2.2 million board feet, 132 public acres); and the Sternbreaker timber sale 6.9 million board feet, 247 public acres). The BLM will accept written and oral bids at 10 a.m. on July 22, at the Roseburg District Office, 777 NW Garden Valley Blvd, Roseburg.
The Northwest Oregon District in Salem will offer the Mary Ellen timber sale (12.7 million board feet, 284 public acres) near Molalla in Marion County. The BLM will accept written and oral bids at 9 a.m. on July 23, at the Northwest Oregon District Office, 1717 Fabry Rd SE, Salem.
The Northwest Oregon District in Springfield will offer two sales in Lane County, the Creat-Panther timber sale (6.3 million board feet, 219 public acres) near Veneta; and the Linebacker timber sale (six million board feet across, 191 public acres) near Marcola. The BLM will accept written and oral bids at 10 a.m. on July 24, at the Northwest Oregon District Office, 3106 Pierce Pkwy E, Springfield.
The Medford District will offer the Big Dog timber sale (5.3 million board feet, 396 public acres) near Butte Falls in Jackson County. The BLM will accept written and oral bids at 9 a.m. on July 24, at the Medford District Office, 3040 Biddle Rd, Medford.
The Coos Bay District will offer the Blue Elk timber sale (14.6 million board feet, 423 public acres) near Scottsburg in Coos County. The BLM will accept written and oral bids at 10 a.m. on July 25, at the Coos Bay District Office, 1300 Airport Ln, North Bend.
In western Oregon, the BLM manages 2.4 million acres of some of the most productive forests in the world, and is committed to supplying a reliable, secure, and resilient domestic supply of timber. BLM forestry supports economic security, reduces risks from wildfire, conserves fish and wildlife habitat, and decreases costs of energy production. Local communities rely on jobs that come from BLM forests, and timber from public land feeds local industry.
Each year, the BLM Oregon-Washington forestry program sales support approximately 2,000 local jobs and generate more than $1 billion for local economies. Revenue from timber sold on O&C lands is shared between the U.S. Treasury and 18 western Oregon counties. This funding provides local communities with the means to construct new county buildings; develop fairgrounds and museums; support libraries, schools, and jails; and build flood-control dams and reservoirs.
-BLM-
The BLM manages about 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.
Media Contact: Samantha Ducker, sducker@blm.gov
M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust - 07/07/25 1:14 PM
Today, the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust published its Winter & Spring 2025 Grants Report. The report announces:
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101 total grants to Pacific Northwest nonprofits totaling $28,109,090.
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This includes $9,613,590 through 42 grants to nonprofits serving the Washington community.
The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust is a private, nonprofit foundation that has invested more than $1.5 billion in nonprofits serving the Pacific Northwest since 1975. For details, please visit our website murdocktrust.org.
360.694.8415 // colbyr@murdocktrust.org
M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust - 07/07/25 1:12 PM
Today, the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust published its Winter & Spring 2025 Grants Report. The report announces:
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101 total grants to Pacific Northwest nonprofits totaling $28,109,090.
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This includes $2,298,000 through 7 grants to nonprofits serving the Alaska community.
The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust is a private, nonprofit foundation that has invested more than $1.5 billion in nonprofits serving the Pacific Northwest since 1975. For details, please visit our website murdocktrust.org.
360.694.8415 // colbyr@murdocktrust.org
U.S. Attorney's Office - Eastern Dist. of Wash. - 07/03/25 8:49 AM
Spokane, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced that Jered Shay Picard, age 35, of Nespelem, Washington, was sentenced after pleading guilty to Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country and Attempted Witness Tampering. United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Picard to 48 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, on December 13, 2024, Picard got into a fight with the victim, his intimate partner. The victim locked herself inside a pickup truck to get away from Picard. Picard then pointed a rifle at the victim’s face before firing a shot into the sky. When the victim tried to start the truck and escape, Picard shot out the front driver side tire so she could not leave. The victim recorded the incident on video.
The next morning, the Colville Tribal Police Department located and arrested Picard and booked him into jail.
During several jail telephone calls with the victim, Picard told her to tell investigators she did not want to press charges, avoid meeting with the FBI, delete the video of the incident, and tell investigators she and Picard were drunk at the time of the incident. Picard also implied the victim should not show up to court if the case was federally prosecuted.
“Mr. Picard’s actions were both life-threatening and deeply disturbing,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard R. Barker. “He used a firearm to terrorize his intimate partner and then attempted to manipulate her into obstructing justice. This sentence reflects the grave danger posed by armed domestic abusers—not only to their current victims, but to future partners and to the integrity of the justice system itself.”
“Mr. Picard's violent and intimidating actions were inexcusable, continuing in an aggressive and dangerous pursuit even when his victim tried to flee in a vehicle. He then compounded his crimes by continuing to intimidate the victim in a brazen attempt to avoid accountability for his actions,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “I hope this sentence provides the first steps to closure and reinforces our commitment to combatting violent crime in all its forms. Along with our partners, the FBI is dedicated to making our state's tribal lands a safer place.”
Data shows that offenders with domestic violence in their past pose a high risk of homicide. In fact, domestic violence abusers with a gun in the home are five times more likely to kill their partners, and in addition to their lethality, firearms are used by abusers to inflict fear, intimidation, and coercive control. Additionally, when a violent intimate partner has access to a firearm, nonfatal abuse may increase in severity, even when firearms are not directly used in a violent incident.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Colville Tribal Police Department. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael L. Vander Giessen.
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