The Oregon Health Authority is changing how it tracks COVID-19 testing to represent the number of tests actually performed, rather than the number of people tested as it is currently done.  OHA Senior Health Advisor Dr. Melissa Sutton says people who have tested negative haven’t been counted again regardless of how many additional tests they take until they test positive, and that has resulted in a significant undercount of the true number of tests performed.  She says the state’s positive test rate last week from drops from 12.9 percent to 6.7 percent with this adjustment, but emphasized that still isn’t good, and it shows the issue of community spread of the virus.  OHA Director Patrick Allen said Oregon remains at the lower end of the nation’s COVID-19 cases numbers, but the current increasing numbers are concerning and the need to suppress the virus’ spread is real.

Saturday is International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day, and a virtual event is planned in the Gorge to commemorate it.  YouthThink of Wasco County is hosting this year’s event on Zoom, and YouthThink’s Debby Jones says this year because of COVID the international organization could not produce a new film, so they were able to pick two short films from the past featuring nine individuals from various cultures that have dealt with losing a loved one to suicide.  There will be an opportunity for discussion, but Jones emphasizes participation in that is voluntary.  Jones adds in the past this has been an in-person event, but they are noticing the virtual opportunity has led many more people to pre-register than in the past.  It will take place from ten to noon Saturday morning, and to get access information go to the events calendar at youththink.net.

Six Rivers Dispute Resolution Center is one of five community mediation centers from around the nation tabbed to take part in grant-funded pilot project to develop conflict resolution and leadership skills in young adults ages 21 to 35.  Six Rivers executive director Marti Dane says the program addresses a population that doesn’t typically get involved in non-profit organizations, leadership, and problem solving.  Dane says community mediation centers across the country have realized they have to more to reach the 21 to 35 year old age group to help elevate their voices with their communities so they don’t end up in crisis mode.  

Oregon Health Authority statistics on Wednesday reported five new confirmed or presumptive COVID-19 cases in Wasco County, four in Hood River County, and two in Gilliam County, with Hood River County seeing its second fatality from COVID-19 during the pandemic.  Hood River County Health Officer Dr. Christopher Van Tilburg said in a Facebook video that the person who died was in their ninth decade of life.  Wasco County is now at 426 total cases, with 315 listed as recovered by the North Central Public Health District using a 30-day standard since the onset of symptoms and in stable medical condition.  Hood River County is now at 338 total cases for the pandemic, with the County Health Department indicating 308 are out of isolation.  Gilliam County is now at 21 with 11 recovered.

The Hood River County Christmas Project has seen a substantial increase in applications for assistance, and that’s expected to continue throughout the registration process.  The Project’s Bruce Holmson says last year they assisted 471 families during the holidays, but they are already over 600 this year, and expect to get to somewhere between 700 and 800 by the time the application deadline of December 7 arrives.  Holmson says they could use the community’s help to make sure they can meet all of the requests.  They calculate needing approximately $100 per family.  Each family will receive a food gift card to a local grocery store and toy gift cards for each child.  To donate to the Hood River County Christmas Project, go online to hoodrivercountychristmasproject.com, or mail a check to P.O. Box 872 in Hood River, zip code 97031.

The Oregon Employment Department announced late last week it will use its equilibrium schedule for payroll taxes in 2021, but interim agency director David Gerstenfeld says they are able to keep increases minimal in spite of the unemployment insurance system facing an unprecedented demand for benefits.  Gerstenfeld says that’s in part due to federal funding for much of the benefits being paid out, but it’s also because of the health of the Oregon Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund, which Gerstenfeld says kept the state afloat in the Great Recession and will likely remain solvent through the current pandemic.  Gerstenfeld says borrowing money leads to higher costs for employers, and he’s confident that will not be the case in Oregon.

Work along the Historic Columbia River Highway and State Trail will bring trail closures and lane closures on the highway. At the Oneonta Tunnel, look for flaggers and single lane closures on the Historic Highway as Oregon Department of Transportation crews repair damage caused by the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire.  In addition, further east at Toothrock Tunnel, the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail will be closed between the Toothrock Trailhead and Eagle Creek for installation of rockfall mesh and to stabilize the hillside above the tunnel’s east portal.  The work is up slope from the eastbound Interstate 84 exit ramp at Eagle Creek.  The Toothrock Trailhead will also be closed but expect no impact to traffic on Interstate 84.  Work is scheduled to continue through December 12.  Next week, the trail will be open from Thanksgiving through November 29 for the holiday weekend.  These are ODOT’s last two major Gorge repair projects remaining from the fire three years ago.

Washington Gorge Action Programs’ food assistance is seeing new clients, but overall demand has remained the same to this point.  WAGAP Nutrition Program Manager Janeel Booren said the increased availability of food stamps and other financial assistance are among the reasons they didn’t see a spike in demand, but she wouldn’t be surprised if that changes now.  WAGAP is accepting both monetary and food donations for its locations in both Skamania and Klickitat counties.  Go to wagap.org for information on how to donate and on when their five food bank locations are open.

Oregon Employment Department Acting Director David Gerstenfeld is expecting a spike in unemployment claims with the two-week freeze in place, but exactly how big that will be is difficult to tell.  Gerstenfeld says it’s hard to predict because each year at this time there is a regular seasonal increase in filings, and there is not much historical data on pandemics to look back on, but they are estimating 51,000 Oregonians will be impacted.  Gerstenfeld did say the department is in a better position to deal with a surge in claims than at the outset of the pandemic.  He cites better infrastructure, streamlined operations, increased communication and user-friendly on-line options, and most importantly an increase in the number of employees involved in claims processing from 275 to over 1,200.

With COVID vaccines coming closer and closer to being released, and promising test results from both Pfizer and Moderna in the last couple of weeks, health officials are starting to plan how they would be distributed.  Hood River County Health Officer Dr. Christopher Van Tilburg outlined in a Facebook video what is going on to get ready, noting the County has had a vaccine distribution plan dating back to before COVID and has been refreshed.  Health officials have indicated once vaccine becomes available, front line health care responders and those most at-risk from COVID will be prioritized.  Until then, they emphasize the importance of wearing face masks in public, practicing social distancing, and washing hands frequently.