Mid-Columbia Medical Center’s Infection Prevention Coordinator says there are options for people who find some face coverings uncomfortable.  Connie Jubitz says some of the possibilities for face coverings include trying a looser covering, a scarf, a bandana, or neck gaiters that sit over the top of the nose.  Jubitz points out the face coverings are one tool in the list of things for people to do to help prevent COVID-19 spread, including social distancing, avoiding crowds in public, and washing your hands.  She also emphasized people need to stay home when they are exhibiting symptoms.  

The Northern Wasco County Aquatic Center will be closed through Friday after two staff members reported feeling ill on Tuesday with COVID-like symptoms.  In a statement, Northern Wasco County Park and Recreation District Executive Director Scott Baker said they made the decision out of an abundance of caution as they await test results on the two who fell ill, and to coordinate testing for all staff who may have been in close contact.  Baker added the district’s number one goal is the health and safety of community members.  Those with questions or concerns can call the District office at 541-296-9533.

Wasco County has seen 52 confirmed and presumed COVID-19 cases in the past two-and-a-half weeks.  Interim North Central Public Health District Director Shellie Campbell told Wasco County Commissioners on Wednesday morning that they are keeping up with contact tracing at this time, but they are hiring more people to help and working with community partners to also assist in their efforts.  District Health Officer Dr. Mimi McDonell said they are seeing certain groups disproportionately affected by COVID-19, including Native American and Latinx populations.  The Oregon Health Authority put it out its weekly update of workplace outbreaks on Wednesday, and three agricultural operations in Wasco and Sherman counties were added to the list.  Orchard View Farms was listed by the OHA with six cases, and Polehn Farms and Azure Standard had five apiece.  McDonell pointed out that medically an outbreak is defined as two or more cases, and the OHA publishes an outbreak of five or more.  Mid-Columbia Medical Center’s Stephanie Bowen said they currently have two COVID-19 patients hospitalized, but bed capacity is not an issue and they continue to be maintaining a 30-day supply of personal protective equipment.

Skamania County health officials reported that they had received word of two more positive COVID-19 cases on Wednesday morning during a County Board of Health meeting.  The County has seen 17 reported COVID-19 cases in the last two weeks, and only having three over the course of three months.  County Community Health Director Kirby Richards said the cases are spread from Underwood to Washougal.  County Deputy Health Officer Dr. Steve Krager told the board that they are feeling the effects of a region-wide increase in transmission, adding much of that comes from workplace settings and emphasizing the importance of following safety protocols on the job.  Richards said none of the current COVID-19 cases in Skamania County have required hospitalization, but she added a number of them are sick.  The board approved a contract with Public Health Institute to help with contact tracing.  Skamania County is joining onto a contract with Clark County for those services.

Hood River County Health Department Director Trish Elliott says they added two confirmed or presumptive COVID-19 cases between Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning, moving the County up to 11 in the past week, and 99 since March.  Elliott says the cases in the past week are a combination of workplace outbreak, travel-related, and a couple of sporadic cases.  She notes the travel-related cases do not involve tourists coming to Hood River, but rather people who went to an area with a high rate of transmission.  Elliott says none of the cases in the last week have resulted in hospitalization, and they are seeing more younger people testing positive.  She adds they continue to investigate the workplace exposures, and they are awaiting test results.

Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Manager Lynn Burditt told Wasco County Commissioners that the Fourth of July weekend went fairly well on recreation lands.  She said it’s difficult to predict what visitation looks like, but did say it is clearly lower than normal.  Burditt adds the Forest Service is continuing to consider how to provide access to Multnomah Falls Lodge, however she does not expect any action to be forthcoming.  Burditt says the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has opened Celilo Park and Rufus Landing for day use.  

The Oregon Liquor Control Commission found most of Oregon’s bars and restaurants were operating according to OLCC rules, following social distancing guidelines, and making sure staff and customers were wearing face coverings during the 4^th of July holiday weekend.  However, inspectors encountered several problem locations along the central Oregon coast, some spots in southern Oregon, and the city of Bend.  OLCC inspectors visited 800 businesses across Oregon during the three-day period.  Inspectors found significant compliance with social distancing and face covering requirements at the bars and restaurants inspected in the Portland Metro area, the Salem region, Coos County, the North Oregon Coast and most of Eastern Oregon.  In some instances, inspectors provided licensees with on-the-site verbal instructions to improve compliance with the social distancing guidelines.  However, inspectors encountered several problem locations along the central Oregon coast, some spots in southern Oregon, and the city of Bend.  The OLCC is continuing its investigations of licensees found to be out-of-compliance and will take administrative action against licensees alleged to have violated state law or OLCC rules.  After investigators complete their reports about observed violations regarding social distancing requirements, the cases will be forwarded to Oregon OSHA for action.

Fishery managers in Washington and Oregon set additional Chinook salmon fishing days during their joint meeting Wednesday thanks to an upper Columbia summer Chinook run that is exceeding original forecasts.   Recreational fishing will be open from Thursday to July 15 for the retention of hatchery Chinook in the mainstem Columbia River from the Tongue Point-Rocky Point line upstream to the Highway 395 Bridge at Pasco, Wash.   The daily adult bag limit is two hatchery Chinook.  All other salmon and steelhead must be released.   All other permanent regulations, including bag limits for jack Chinook, apply.  Anglers are also reminded that thermal angling sanctuaries to protect wild steelhead take effect July 15.  All fishing is closed in these sanctuaries adjacent to, and within the lower reaches of Eagle Creek, Herman Creek, and the Deschutes River.

Along with other school-related issues, what high school athletics and activities will look like in Oregon this fall is unknown.  Oregon School Activities Association executive director Peter Weber says some teams are having practices depending on what phase the county they live in is at, but summer activities are not something the organization focuses on.  They are looking to fall, and he notes much of what they do will be determined by how schools operate.  Weber adds they do have a guiding principle in all of this.  Weber says the OSAA is trying to stay as flexible possible in considering different scenarios, and hopes that sometime near the start of August they will have an idea of what they can do in the fall.

Hood River County Commissioners unanimously approved an additional easement through the County Forest for East Fork Irrigation District’s plan to place a portion of its ditch into pipe.  The impacted area is approximately from Swyers Drive to Fir Mountain Road.  District Manager John Buckley told the Commission that best of the part of the project will be water conservation.  The district plans to eventually pipe the district’s main canal, and Buckley estimates that in the end they could put 20 cubic feet per second of water back into the Hood River.