Oregon Governor Kate Brown announced Monday that people throughout Oregon will be required to wear face coverings in indoor public spaces starting Wednesday to slow the spread of the coronavirus.  She said in a news release the guidance applies to businesses and members of the public visiting indoor public spaces. Face covering requirements were mandated in eight counties last week, including Hood River County.  Brown said the disease has spread at an alarming rate in both urban and rural counties over the last month.  She says face coverings that cover the nose and mouth play a critical role in reducing the spread of the disease because droplets from people’s breath can carry the virus to others without people realizing it.  She said she did not want to close businesses again as has happened in other states that are seeing a spike in cases. She said Oregon Occupational Safety and Health will take the lead in enforcing face covering requirements for all covered Oregon businesses.  She also urged people to keep July 4 celebrations small and local, saying the state saw a lot of new cases following Memorial Day.  

North Central Public Health District officials announced five more positive COVID-19 cases in Wasco County on Monday, running the County’s total for the pandemic up to 68.  The Oregon Health Authority had reported five new positive COVID-19 cases in Wasco County over the weekend, two on Saturday and three on Sunday.  There were no new cases reported in Hood River County during the weekend on Monday, leaving that number at 88.  Statewide, the OHA reported 146 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases on Monday, running Oregon’s total to 8,485, with two deaths, moving that number to 204.  The OHA says epidemiologists are using a new method for reporting daily cases.  The new method assigns a date to each case when the case is first known to the state or to local health department as confirmed or presumptive.  The agency says it is a better representation of the number of cases reported on any given day.  The Washington Department of Health reported that as of Sunday Klickitat County was at 59 positive cases and Skamania County four.  The statewide total for Washington is now at 31,752 cases.

Firefighters were able to complete a line around a fire near Rowena overnight and begin mop-up on its interior.  Mop-up continues today, with a focus on some rugged terrain in the fire area that could not be accessed safely during the night.  Christie Shaw of the Oregon Department of Forestry says there was a limited amount of visible smoke and flames this morning.  The fire has been mapped at fourteen acres and has 50% containment.  The fire was initially reported Sunday afternoon burning in grass, scrub oak and ponderosa pine near Rowena, and overhead support from two Washington Department of Natural Resources air tankers and a federal helicopter helped slow its spread.  The Oregon Department of Forestry is being assisted by resources from the Mt. Hood National Forest, Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, and Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue.  The Wasco County Sheriff’s Office cancelled the Level 1 evacuation advisory for residences in the area Monday morning.  Mayer State Park is being used to fill fire engines and for other support activities.  Please be cautious in the area.  Officials say the fire is human caused and under investigation.  

Wasco County has seen 38 positive COVID-19 cases during the month of June, up significantly from previous months.  North Central Public Health District Director Dr. Mimi McDonell says the County had eight cases in March, five in April, and 11 in May.  McDonell said 58 percent of the cases either could be traced to outbreaks at congregate workplace settings or close contacts of those people.  But she adds 26 percent of the cases in June they termed sporadic, and they aren’t sure where they originated.  The remaining 16 percent of cases were close contacts of the sporadic cases.

Businesses still face significant challenges as they operate during the pandemic.  Gregory Price of the Columbia Gorge Community College Small Business Development Center says he still hears from business owners about confusion on requirements from various state agencies and the governor’s office. He also still fields questions about leveraging business assistance funds from both the federal and state level.  Price said the recently passed extension for paying back Paycheck Protection Program funds has been helpful.  But Price does caution that the reporting aspect of the PPP can be complicated, adding many people have to hire a CPA to do it.

A fire reported early Sunday afternoon burning in grass, scrub oak and timber near Rowena burned approximately fifteen acres before spread was stopped.  Containment was estimated at 40% on Sunday with a combination of fireline to mineral soil and fire hose with “wetline” around the perimeter.  Two Fireboss Single Engine Air Tankers (SEATs) from Washington Department of Natural Resources and a federal Type 1 helicopter were used to check the spread of the fire and allow firefighters on the ground to make progress digging handline and wetting fuel on the perimeter of the fire.  Additional resources arrived Sunday evening to complete handline around the perimeter and begin mop-up work on the interior of the fire.  Resources on scene include five wildland fire engines, one Scenic Area crew, several overhead personnel and engines from Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue, Mosier Fire Department and Hood River Fire Department.  The fire burned in steep rugged terrain near a scar from a fire in 2014.  Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue, Oregon Department of Forestry and US Forest Service Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area are in Unified Command working to suppress the fire.  The Wasco County Sheriff’s Office issued a Level 1 Get Ready Evacuation advisory from 6090 Hwy 30 to 5220 Hwy 30 as a precaution.  The cause of fire is under investigation.

The Oregon Health Authority reported five new positive COVID-19 cases in Wasco County over the weekend, two on Saturday and three on Sunday, to run the County’s total for the pandemic to 63.  There were no new cases reported in Hood River County during the weekend, leaving that number at 88.  Statewide, the OHA reported 247 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases on Sunday running Oregon’s total to 8,341, but no deaths, leaving that number at 202.  The Washington Department of Health reported that as of Sunday Klickitat County was at 59 positive cases and Skamania County four.  The statewide total for Washington is now at 31,752 cases.

A 76-year-old Appleton man died in a one-vehicle accident early Friday morning on Highway 14.  According to the Washington State Patrol, the pickup driven by Roger Macy was westbound on Highway 14 at milepost 74 when it went onto the westbound shoulder and struck the guardrail.  The truck then overcorrected, crossed both lanes of the highway, went onto the eastbound shoulder, struck the guardrail and went over it, coming to rest on its top in Chamberlain Lake.  The WSP says Macy was deceased at the scene.  The accident occurred at about 3 a.m. Friday.  

City of Hood River officials are asking the public to use caution in regard to fireworks and Fourth of July celebrations.  In a statement, City officials noted the area’s recent history of wildfires and the COVID-19 virus make this year particularly risky for the public and challenging for emergency responders.  A 2018 fireworks ordinance adopted by the Hood River City Council permits the sale and use of fireworks within City limits only from June 23^rd through July 7^th.   City Ordinance 2047 specifically prohibits the discharge of fireworks after July 15^th until November 15^th.  From November 16^th to July 14^th, use of fireworks are allowed with exceptions for fire emergencies or burn bans as declared by the City of Hood River Fire Chief.

DNA and Investigative Genetic Genealogy has determined the identity of a 1977 murder victim in the Everett area was a woman who was born in Hood River.  The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office says Elizabeth Ann Elder was born in 1959 in Hood River, and was adopted around the age of two and named Elizabeth Ann Roberts.  She went by Lisa Roberts, and was raised in Roseburg.  The woman was reported as a runaway on July 25, 1977 when she was 17, and was murdered 15 days later after being picked up while hitchhiking in the Silver Lake area of Snohomish County.  The DNA used for the identification was obtained from Lisa’s hair using a new scientific technique.  Firebird Forensic Group used public genetic genealogy websites to build a family tree to identify the biological parents, and further investigation found a biological half-brother, whose DNA was used to verify he matched to Lisa’s maternal DNA profile.  Adoption records were then obtained from the Oregon Health Authority.   Arrangements are currently being made for Lisa’s memorial service and her remains will be buried in a family plot in Hood River.