In the midst of the coronavirus outbreak, work in Mid-Columbia orchards continues on.  Columbia Gorge Fruit Growers Chair Adam McCarthy says daily operations haven’t been impacted so far, noting orchardists are implementing best practices suggested by state agencies for small businesses to reduce employee contact with one another.  He says their workforce is outside all the time, and usually working independently at distances of 20 feet or greater from one another.  One concern will come later in the spring as cherry harvest approaches will be the ability to bring in labor to pick the fruit.  McCarthy said a couple of days ago applications for the federal H-1-N-A guest worker program were halted briefly, but the Secretary of Agriculture’s office stepped in to restart them, citing the need to maintain a secure and safe food supply.

The Wasco County Commission held its first “virtual meeting” via a conference call Wednesday morning.  The Commission shortened it agenda this morning to just a handful of items, most notably formally ratifying the emergency declaration for the coronavirus that led to the virtual meeting in the first place.  There was also discussion on whether the video conferencing system they used today, which has a capacity of 250 people to be in the conference at any one time, was enough for public participation.  Commission Chair Scott Hege felt that to start with it’s probably sufficient, and the other commissioners agreed.  Much of what had been on the agenda for the Wednesday meeting was pushed back to their next scheduled meeting April 1 to accommodate the first run of the video conferencing system.

Mid-Columbia Economic Development District representatives are talking with representatives from the Oregon Governor’s office to pull together a meeting with economic development and workforce partners to assess and respond to the economic issues raised by COVID-19.  MCEDD’s Jessica Metta says they have been working on responses to emergencies for some time, so much of what they do will be based off their own preparations.  Metta says resources for businesses are available at mcedd.org/ready.  She adds a similar meeting will be set up with the Washington Governor’s office.

Cycle Oregon announced Tuesday that, in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the nonprofit organization is postponing its gravel riding weekend event based out of Tygh Valley May 15-17 to October 9-11.  Cycle Oregon officials say the daily routes and other details about the annual cycling event known as GRAVEL will remain the same.  Participants who have already registered for the event are automatically registered for the new weekend, and those who cannot make the new dates are being offered a full refund of registration fees and additional services and products between now and May 31.  All other Cycle Oregon rides are still scheduled as planned.

One of the issues the City of White Salmon is dealing with during the current situation is the on-going public works project on Jewett Boulevard.  Mayor Marla Keethler says they have been looking at various scenarios where work might have to be stopped on the project, most notably to protect the water main to avoid a break that could disrupt water service.  There was a water main break on the project earlier this month that disrupted service to downtown White Salmon, but it was restored within a couple of hours.

Hood River County School District Superintendent Sara Hahn-Huston says district administrators are in the midst of developing two plans:  one for the closure that is underway now with a plan to restart classes April 1, and a second if there is an extended closure.  Hahn-Huston says part of that would involve continuing food distribution for children, but it also includes getting instructional resources to students.  She adds they are putting together some online materials.  Hahn-Huston says they are awaiting guidance from the Oregon Department of Education on extending the school year if the closure goes into April.

Oregon Governor Kate Brown this afternoon announced a statewide cancellation of gatherings of 25 people or more, restricted restaurants and bars to carry-out and delivery business only, and is urging all other businesses to evaluate their practices to accommodate social distancing measures as the battle to reduce the spread of COVID-19 continues.  Those orders will be effective for four weeks beginning Tuesday.  Brown did emphasize the gathering measure does exempt essential locations like work places, grocery stores, pharmacies, and retail stores, but she also urged Oregonians to avoid any gatherings of ten or more. 

 

The Governor says the actions taken in the last week are all designed to help flatten the curve of coronavirus transmission in the state.  She says her goals are to decrease transmission rates of the virus, preserve hospital capacity for those who need it the most, and mitigate the real world and economic impacts on Oregonians.  Brown said she is assembling a Health Care System Response Joint Task Force to manage health care resources and build off a decision by Portland metropolitan area hospitals to act as one unified health care system for COVID-19.

 

Oregon Health Sciences University Chief Medical Officer Renee Edwards outlined how many beds the state may need if current modeling is accurate, saying treating those with the virus that need hospitalization by April 11 will require 1,000 hospital beds, including 400 in intensive care.

The modeling, which Oregon Health Authority Director Patrick Allen says is still preliminary and not yet finished, assumes the number of COVID-19 cases in Oregon will double every 6.2 days, and that 20 percent of those who become infected will require hospitalization.  As of Monday there were 36 cases in Oregon.  Brown said the state will add hospital beds in non-hospital settings.

           

A State Unified Command organization structure has been put together by the Office of Emergency Management, similar to what is used for wildfires and other disasters.  The Governor also says she has put together a coronavirus economic advisory council that will have a report in coming days, and the state’s Economic Recovery Council that was used during the Eagle Creek Fire will meet Tuesday and will also have a report in a few days.

 

Brown expects there will be a special session of the Legislature convened in a few weeks, and she also said they are reevaluating the date for schools to resume classes on April 1 in the wake of her latest restriction on gatherings, noting further decisions are coming on that topic in the next couple of days.

           

Brown also declared an “Abnormal Disruption of the Market” due to COVID-19 as requested by Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, allowing the AG to take action against any business, or online vendor, who upsells the price of essential consumer goods by more than 15 percent.  She also urged Oregonians to stop purchasing huge supplies of certain goods, saying the retail industry has told state officials they have the supplies that are needed.  The Governor advised people to only purchase what they would need for about a week.

The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce, Oregon State Chamber of Commerce, Mid-Columbia Economic Development District, Regional Solutions, and Oregon Economic Development Association is asking businesses to be prompt in filling out and submitting an economic injury worksheet.  The Dalles Chamber CEO Lisa Farquharson says questions on the forms and the completed forms can be sent to her at lisa@thedalleschamber.com, and the forms will be forwarded appropriately.  Businesses can visit the Oregon Economic Development Assoication’s website for more information and updates.  MCEDD will be working with other regional economic development and workforce entities to mobilize a bi-state team and resources to assess and respond.  The organization says it has been building economic resiliency tools over the last few years, with specific resources for businesses and individuals.

The Hood River County Library District has closed all locations and outreach services to the public until at least March 31.  Library District Director Racheal Fox says that over the next few weeks they will thoroughly clean all their locations and prepare for reopening to the public.  During the closure, patrons can use Hood River County Library District online resources and services.  Residents in its service area can sign up for a library card through its website to access:

e-books and e-audiobooks, streaming movies and kid’s educational programming, online data bases and more.  Due dates for materials are being extended and fines waived during the closure.  Those who have library materials are asked to wait to return materials until libraries reopen, as drop boxes will be closed.

Klickitat County and its incorporated cities have declared a state of emergency due to COVID-19.  County Commission Chair Rex Johnston, along with Goldendale Mayor Mike Canon and Bingen Mayor Betty Barnes, verbally issued Declarations of Emergency, joining White Salmon Mayor Marla Keethler, who had done so a day earlier.  The declarations open up support services to all the local communities in the county, including emergency services and health care facilities.  Various measures are allowed to streamline purchasing, government operations, and other efficiencies to provide for public safety.  They also provide for additional coordination between local and county government in their efforts to inform, serve, and protect the public.  Klickitat County Emergency Management’s Emergency Operations Center continues its partial activation, with additional staffing to upgrade its operational support roles.  Canon advised that the Goldendale City Council is looking to conduct meetings by telephone in an effort to minimize group gatherings.