Klickitat County Emergency Management, Washington Gorge Action Programs, and multiple volunteer groups have organized a delivery service for County residents in quarantine, isolation, or are in a high risk and vulnerable population in need of groceries and other necessary supplies.  Those wishing to access the service can call the WAGAP call center at 509-493-2662 or 800-755-1192 for assistance in setting up delivery service.  After the initial setup call, the customer then orders the groceries from a participating store, and then once again contacts WAGAP’s call center with the pick-up details.  Goldendale Market Fresh and Holcomb’s Sentry in Goldendale are participating stores.  Delivery personnel are First Responders from various local fire departments, the Klickitat County Sheriff’s Posse, and Klickitat County Search and Rescue.

Mid-Columbia Economic Development District’s business loan program is gearing up to help businesses in need of assistance during the COVID-19 crisis.  Jessica Metta of MCEDD says the organization’s boards for its loan program for Wasco, Hood River, Sherman, Klickitat, and Skamania counties and the Oregon Investment Board’s focused on the Oregon side of the National Scenic Area discussed how to help current loan clients and potential new businesses.  Metta says the two different entities have slightly different programs and amounts available.  She adds more business assistance options are expected to be available as federal and state aid packages are put in place.  MCEDD has numerous resources for businesses through its website, mcedd.org.

New projections of COVID-19 cases in Oregon show the state is at a critical moment in the fight against the disease.  Models presented during an Oregon Health Authority media briefing show social distancing measures could alter the trajectory of new infections, which gives Oregon’s health care system the chance to ramp up to meet the coming surge, but the state has little margin for error.  Dr. Dean Sidelinger of the Oregon Health Authority says a return to “business as usual” or slight differences in actual infection rates, compared to projected ones, could swamp hospitals with more coronavirus cases than they could treat.  Models show under the aggressive interventions put into place on Monday, with high public adherence, could keep the estimated number of infections down to 1,000, with a wide range of variance, by May 8, and keep hospital bed needs to a minimum.  In contrast if there was a return to business as usual there would be an estimated 15,000 COVID-19 cases by May 8 with 1100 people needing in-patient beds, and if the measures that were in place through the weekend and been left as is the estimate for May 8 was 6100 cases with 340 hospital beds need.

Members of the Governor’s Joint Task Force for Health Care Systems Respnse to COVID-19 outlined their objectives in the fight against the coronavirus in Oregon.  Oregon Health Authority Chief Medical Officer Dr. Dana Hargunani says the plan addresses four urgent areas including procuring critical medical supplies, optimizing hospital capacity, mobilizing the health care workforce, and maintaining a unified and coordinated response.   She says the state is collecting PPE for re-distribution to facilities in need, working with providers to develop new alternate care locations, sharing hospital bed utilization data for managing use across the region, and developing childcare options for health care workers.  Hargunani emphasized people need to stay home and practice social distancing to help in the effort to reduce the number of COVID-19 infections and save lives.  The latest models show that only aggressive interventions, like the Stay Home, Save Lives executive order Governor Kate Brown issued on March 23, are predicted to decrease the number of active infections.

Klickitat County announced on Thursday a seventh confirmed case of COVID-19…Wasco County confirmed its second…and the first case has been diagnosed in Skamania County.  Klickitat County officials have not yet released a general area of the county where the patient was found to have COVID-19.  Five of the six previous cases had been in the central portion of the county.  Wasco County said its second COVID-19 patient is currently receiving care in Mid-Columbia Medical Center but released few other details…other than to say this case is not related to the individual who tested positive at the Oregon Veterans Home.  Skamania County officials say the investigation into the case there shows the individual has been isolated within his home and has already notified close contacts, family and friends.  Those that have been contacted are self-quarantining to their residence for 14 days after their last contact with the confirmed case.

More public lands in the Columbia Gorge are being closed.  The U.S. Forest Service is temporarily closing all National Forest System lands within the boundaries of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area to public access.  That closure means that dispersed use and unofficial “user” trails are also off limits.  Developed recreation sites on the Mt. Hood National Forest and Gifford Pinchot National Forest were also closed.  The Washington State Department of Natural Resources announced the closure of all DNR managed lands.  Pacific Power is closing most of its recreation sites in Oregon and Washington.  A complete list of closures can be found at pacificorp.com.

Oregon 59th District Representative Daniel Bonham says a special session of the Legislature remains a possibility for next week.  A special legislative committee on dealing with coronavirus has been meeting over the past two weeks and is coming up with a list of actions legislators can take to help the state’s economy get through this.  Bonham notes the work is taking place is bipartisan, adding progress must continue.  He said a number of concepts have gone to the Legislature’s legal counsel for drafting, and some negotiating will follow after that.

Both Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley welcomed Wednesday night’s passage of a two trillion dollar stimulus package to deal with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the House is expected to pass it Friday.  Merkley said during a Wednesday conference call with reporters that it’s not a perfect solution, but he’s pleased it is moving forward, noting the nervousness people are feeling right now both for their health and their economic future.  Wyden, who was a chief negotiator of the package, said it was the right step toward helping alleviate the economic pain so many are feeling.

Klickitat PUD commissioners unanimously approved allowing for methods to help provide relief for those customers impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.  The utility has suspended disconnection of services due to non-payment; and late payment fees are being waived.  Customers are encouraged to maintain contact regarding their accounts and to call customer service if they become affected by this situation.  Payment arrangements can be made to help mitigate the economic impacts.  Customers are also encouraged to access additional assistance programs such as Operation Warm Heart and Washington Gorge Action Program.  Account information is available 24/7 through SmartHub which can be accessed either through klickitatpud.com or through the SmartHub app on smart phones and devices.  Customers can contact customer service representatives via telephone at 800.548.8357 or 800.548.8358.

Columbia Gorge Community College is preparing to embark on delivering it spring term instruction online.  Spring term begins on April 6, and CGCC President Dr. Marta Cronin says they have told students to expect the entire term will be conducted online as they don’t want to start them online and then have to transition back into the classroom.  Cronin adds enrollment has held up so far after seeing record enrollment in winter term.  Information on CGCC’s spring term is available at cgcc.edu.