Human rights group presents annual awards

The Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations gave its annual Civil Rights Award to two board members of the newly formed Spokane County Human Rights Task Force, Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich and Lisa Rosier, former chairwoman of Spokane’s Human Rights Commission.

The organization gave its 2016 Civil Rights Excellence in Journalism Award to Maureen Dolan and Jeff Selle of the Coeur d’Alene Press and to Dave Oliveria of The Spokesman-Review, for their years as “models to other journalists in upholding the highest standards regarding the professional ethical journalism creed and code.”

The organization’s annual Bill Wassmuth Memorial Volunteer-of-the-Year Award went to Christie Wood, the task force board president, and longtime volunteer Mark Weadick.

The awards were presented at the task force’s annual banquet Friday night in Coeur d’Alene. Also during the ceremony, the Idaho Hall of Fame Board inducted Marilyn Shuler, former chairwoman of the Idaho Human Rights Commission; former Coeur d’Alene Mayor Sandi Bloem; local attorney Norman Gissel; and business partners Steve and Judy Meyer.