Governor Kate Brown Extends COVID-19 State of Emergency for Sixty Days

“Oregon, you have a choice. What happens next is up to all of us.” 
 

(Salem, OR) — Governor Kate Brown today extended her declaration of a state of emergency regarding COVID-19 for an additional 60 days, until September 4, and issued the following statement:

“When I first declared a state of emergency due to the coronavirus, there were 14 cases of COVID-19 in Oregon. Today, there have been over 8,600 cases, with over a quarter of those cases identified in the previous two weeks of June. While hospitalizations remain relatively low, we have seen how rapidly those numbers can climb. And, sadly, 207 Oregonians have lost their lives to this disease. Without a doubt, COVID-19 continues to pose a real and present threat to Oregonians in communities across the state, from Malheur County to Umatilla to Lincoln.

“In the months since those first cases were discovered, we have shored up our supplies of personal protective equipment, worked with counties to hire contact tracers, and––despite the failures of the federal government to supply Oregon with an equitable amount of testing materials––we have expanded our statewide testing capability. And, thanks to the tremendous sacrifices Oregonians made by staying home in the spring, we prevented 1,500 hospitalizations and over 70,000 COVID-19 infections.

“Now, we again find ourselves at a crossroads as a state. The individual choices each of us makes will decide whether Oregon either flattens the curve of new COVID-19 infections, or sees a devastating spike in cases that overwhelms our hospital capacity in the next month.

“If we all follow the advice of doctors––if you wear a face covering in public, if you wash your hands, if you cover your mouth and nose when you cough and sneeze, if you stay home when you are sick––together, we can keep our friends and loved ones healthy and safe.

“If too many Oregonians continue to ignore these precautions, we could see an exponential growth in cases, and newly reopened communities and businesses could close again. We have a chance, now, before the Fourth of July weekend, to make sure that Oregon’s COVID-19 numbers don’t follow the same skyrocketing trajectory of states like Texas or Florida or Arizona.

“Oregon, you have a choice. You can help to save lives again. What happens next is up to all of us.”

The state of emergency declaration is the legal underpinning for the executive orders the Governor has issued to keep Oregonians healthy and safe throughout this crisis, including her orders on reopening Oregon while maintaining essential health and safety protections, as well as orders around childcare, schools, and higher education operations. Extending the state of emergency declaration allows those orders to stay in effect.

Moving forward, the Governor will review and reevaluate each of her emergency orders every 60 days, to determine whether those orders should be continued, modified, or rescinded.
 

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BEND, OR -- Ddeschutes County Deputies are at the scene of a fatal powered paraglider crash at the Bend Airport. Deputies will be supporting the FAA and NTSB in their investigation. We’re asking anyone that witnessed the crash, or may have video of it, call into dispatch at 541-693-6911.

Oregon reports 181 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 3 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed three more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 207, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

The Oregon Health Authority reported 181 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today bringing the state total to 8,656.

The new cases reported today are in the following counties: Clackamas (19), Coos (1), Deschutes (10), Jackson (5), Jefferson (12), Josephine (2), Klamath (3), Lake (2), Lane (7), Lincoln (3), Linn (4), Malheur (7), Marion (25), Multnomah (38), Polk (2), Umatilla (9), Union (10), Wasco (1), Washington (18), and Yamhill (3).

Oregon’s 205^th COVID-19 death is a 74-year-old man in Marion County who tested positive on June 18 and died on June 29, in his residence. He had underlying medical conditions.

Oregon’s 206^th COVID-19 death is a 93-year-old man in Marion County who tested positive on June 19 and died on June 29, at Salem Hospital. He had underlying medical conditions.  

Oregon’s 207^th COVID-19 death is a 66-year-old woman in Marion County who tested positive on June 12 and died on June 27, at Salem Hospital. She had underlying medical conditions.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Office of Emergency Management lead the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

CENTRAL OREGON -- Oregon Senator Ron Wyden held a virtual Town Hall for Central Oregon yesterday. He was asked by Bend businessman Craig Wilhelm why small businesses didn’t get much, if any, help from recent federal stimulus programs. Wyden says he and others have demanded answers from the administration as to where the money went and how much was given to large corporations. He says a newer bill he worked on would help businesses keep workers on the job through refundable tax credits. Wyden says the US House has actually improved his bill with more help and flexibility for small businesses.

CENTRAL OREGON -- The 4^th of July holiday weekend is coming up and that means people will enjoy the outdoors, many of them on the water. Boaters are reminded federal; state and county police will be looking for boaters under the influence this holiday. This includes kayaks, paddleboats, and float toys. Ashley Massey at the Oregon State Marine Board says boating under the influence can lead to jail time, a fine of more than 62-hundred dollars, and suspension of the boater education card for up to three years. She says police will also enforce state law requiring children 12 and under to wear a life jacket. 

WARM SPRINGS, OR -- Highway 26 was closed for several hours yesterday due to a fatal crash on the Warm Springs Reservation.  73-year-old Kathy Rayborn of Welches was driving a white Mercedes SUV east when the vehicle crossed into the westbound lane and collided with a Vancouver couple in a motorhome. They were taken to St. Charles-Madras. Rayborn died of her injuries. 

Oregon Governor Kate Brown is expanding the face covering order statewide starting tomorrow. She says modeling shows that, if further action isn't taken, hospitals could be overwhelmed by increasing cases and she doesn't want to shut down businesses. The Governor says the only exceptions are for people who can't medically wear a mask and children younger than age 12. Oregon OSHA, along with state and local agencies, will enforce the requirement at businesses. Deschutes County Commissioner Patti Adair understands the order for masks in indoor public places. She says everyone must also social distance outdoors to keep things safe. Adair says the county has ordered thousands of masks that will be available soon to the public. Commissioner Tony DeBone says it’s all about public health at this point. Bend Mayor Sally Russell says with people from all over the state and nation coming here for the holiday it’s important to protect businesses, their employees and the general public.

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed two more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 204, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 146 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today bringing the state total to 8,485.

The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Clackamas (18), Deschutes (2), Douglas (2), Jackson (3), Jefferson (3), Josephine (1), Klamath (5), Lake (2), Lane (6), Malheur (5), Marion (14), Multnomah (29), Tillamook (2), Umatilla (15), Union (5), Wasco (6), Washington (27), and Yamhill (1).

Oregon’s 203rd COVID-19 death is an 84-year-old woman in Marion County who tested positive on June 18 and died on June 27. Her place of death is being confirmed. She had underlying medical conditions.

Oregon’s 204th COVID-19 death is a 72-year-old man in Marion County who tested positive on June 17 and died on June 27. His place of death is being confirmed. He had underlying medical conditions.

Note: Starting today and moving forward, 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. This is a better representation of the number of cases reported on any given day. 

Previously, the method was to subtract today’s case counts from the previous day’s count.

Today only, the daily numbers from the weekend press releases will not add-up. Weekend numbers were calculated using the previous method. Moving forward, every day will use the date each case is first known to the state or to local health departments.

OHA releases weekly testing summary

Today, OHA is releasing its Weekly Testing Summary, showing that 33,624 tests were reported through June 27. Oregon’s cumulative positive testing rate is 4.3 percent of tests conducted, which is considerably lower than the national average of 9 percent.

The number of tests performed has been steadily increasing, but the number of positive cases and the test positivity rate have increased significantly over the past two weeks.

This suggests increasing numbers of individuals with COVID-19, which is expected now that all counties are in Phase 1 or Phase 2 of reopening. Recent large outbreaks around the state also have contributed to these increases.

OHA will continue to monitor these trends. Additionally, as of early June, Oregon has reached the threshold of testing 2 percent of the Oregon population each month, a national benchmark set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Weekly Testing Summary was delayed Friday due to a technical glitch. As a result, today’s Weekly Testing Summary covers an 8-day period. OHA will continue to publish the report weekly.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Office of Emergency Management lead the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

Governor Kate Brown Extends Face Coverings Requirement Statewide

Face covering requirements apply to indoor public spaces, take effect on Wednesday, July 1 
 

(Portland, OR) — Governor Kate Brown announced today that Oregonians statewide will be required to wear face coverings in indoor public spaces, beginning this Wednesday July 1. The guidance applies to businesses and members of the public visiting indoor public spaces. Face covering requirements are already mandated in eight counties.

“From the beginning of the reopening process, I have said that reopening comes with the risk of seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases beyond our health systems’ capacity to test, trace, and isolate them,” said Governor Kate Brown. “Over the last month, we have seen the disease spread at an alarming rate in both urban and rural counties. The upcoming July 4th holiday weekend is a critical point for Oregon in this pandemic, and we can all make a difference.

“Modeling from the Oregon Health Authority shows that if we don’t take further action to reduce the spread of the disease, our hospitals could be overwhelmed by new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations within weeks.

“The choices every single one of us make in the coming days matter.

“Face coverings that cover your nose and mouth play a critical role in reducing the spread of this disease because droplets from our breath can carry the virus to others without us realizing it. If we all wear face coverings, practice six feet of physical distancing in public, wash our hands regularly, and stay home when we are sick, then we can avoid the worst-case scenarios that are now playing out in other states.

“I do not want to have to close down businesses again like other states are now doing. If you want your local shops and restaurants to stay open, then wear a face covering when out in public.

“Please keep your Fourth of July celebrations small and local. We saw a lot of new COVD-19 cases following the Memorial Day holiday. Another spike in cases after the upcoming holiday weekend could put Oregon in a dangerous position.

“Oregonians have all made incredible sacrifices over the last several months that have saved thousands of lives. The actions we take now can protect our friends, neighbors, loved ones, and fellow Oregonians from this disease, and prevent the need for another statewide shutdown. We are truly all in this together.”

Oregon Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) will take the lead, along with other state and local agencies, in enforcing face covering requirements for all covered Oregon businesses.

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From Crook County Sheriff

Media Release

UPDATED INFO  Monday 06/29/2020

On Saturday morning and autopsy was performed at the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Clackamas, Oregon. This is standard procedure in an infant death. We are currently awaiting the official report as to the cause of death from the State Medical Examiner. At this time the investigation is pending that notification.

End of update

Friday 06/26/2020

The Crook County Sheriff’s Office responded to the above location of a report of a 2 month old infant that had passed away during the night. The investigation has been ongoing throughout the day and is continuing at this time to determine the cause of death. The family is cooperating with law enforcement and no names will be released at this time due to respect for the family’s privacy at this time of great loss. The Crook County Sheriff’s Office request that you honor this.

No further information will be released at this time.

SALEM, OR -- Oregon is on track for a major COVID-19 outbreak. The latest model shows that, within a month, there could be 900 new cases a day with an increase in hospitalizations from 8 to 27. State health officer Dr. Dean Sidelinger says if the new cases are due more to transmission than an increase in testing, the number of new cases rises to 48-hundred a day with 82 hospitalizations, and that could overwhelm hospitals. Sidelinger says if enough people wear masks, maintain distancing, and stay out of large groups it is possible to avoid the worst-case scenario.

SANTIAM PASS, OR -- Starting tomorrow evening, ODOT crews will be working to finish a project on Highway 20 over Santiam Pass they started last summer. Lou Torres at ODOT says last summer bad weather stopped work on the 14-mile preservation project. Torres says the Santiam Pass work will be done at night from about 7pm to 8am. He says work that remains includes grinding, rumble strips, permanent striping, and guardrails. Torres says they’ll have flaggers on scene to direct two-way traffic. He says drivers should expect delays of up to 20 minutes.

BEND, OR -- Oregon State University-Cascades is hosting a virtual event this evening from 6-to-8pm on Facebook Live and You Tube to discuss racial unrest. OSU Communications Director Christine Coffin tells KBND, business instructor, Erika McAlpine will moderate a four-person panel, with an emphasis on open discussion. Coffin says they have almost 100 people signed up and they are asking others who want to join the discussion to pre-register.

CENTRAL OREGON -- Starting today, the Deschutes National Forest will again charge a fee at day-use areas. The fees are charged trailheads, boat ramps, staging areas and picnic sites. Jean Nelson-Dean at the Deschutes National forest says practice distancing on trails…and bury human waste. She says day use passes cost 5-dollars, however, If you will visit day-use areas 7 times this summer, consider the 35-dollar Northwest Forest Pass instead. That pass is good for one year.

REDMOND, OR -- On Sunday, shortly after 12 noon, a 3-vehicle crash closed Highway 97 just north of Redmond for about a half hour. According to the Sheriff's Office a Chevy Malibu, driven by 59-year-old Daniel Daughs of Bend, drifted into oncoming traffic. A car driven by 43-year-old Anthony Hedgecock of Madras swerved to avoid a collision and instead became wedged under a tractor-trailer rig. A passenger in the car, 32-year-old Heather Summers of Madras, was found lying on the ground with serious injuries. She was taken to St. Charles, Redmond. The Malibu continued north about 5 miles when State Police stopped it. Daughs was charged with DUII, Assualt, Failure to Perform the Duties of a Driver, and Reckless Driving. He was taken to jail.

REDMOND, OR -- The Annual Redmond 4^th of July Fireworks shows hosted by the Redmond Chamber and held at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds will not occur this year. The decision was made in collaboration with the Chamber, the Deschutes County Fairgrounds, the Redmond Police and Fire Chiefs and in consultation with County Health Services. The team spent many weeks examining whether the event could be held in a manner that made it COVID-safe. The conclusion was, it could not. 

ODOT: Central Ore.: Update... US97 at milepost 132. Wildfire and associated police, odot and fire activity creating congested driving conditions. Two lanes closed, 1 northbound and 1 southbound. Motorists are urged to avoid the area while firefighting and associated activity continue. UPDATE

Oregon reports 250 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 5 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed five more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 202, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 250 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 7,818.

The new cases reported today are in the following counties: Benton (4), Clackamas (17), Columbia (1), Deschutes (4), Douglas (4), Jackson (5), Jefferson (6), Josephine (2), Lake (3), Lane (10), Lincoln (4), Linn (4), Malheur (13), Marion (18), Morrow (12), Multnomah (61), Umatilla (22), Union (12), Wasco (3), Washington (39), and Yamhill (6).

Oregon’s 198th COVID-19 death is a 96-year-old woman in Marion County who tested positive on June 18 and died June 25, in her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 199th COVID-19 death is a 90-year-old man in Marion County who tested positive on June 19 and died June 25, in his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 200th COVID-19 death is a 79-year-old woman in Marion County who tested positive on June 18 and died June 24, in her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 201st COVID-19 death is a 90-year-old woman in Union County who tested positive on June 13 and died June 25, at Grande Ronde Hospital. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 202nd COVID-19 death is a 74-year-old woman in Morrow County who tested positive on June 22. Additional information about this COVID-19 related death is still pending. An update will be provided when we have additional information.

OHA updates face covering guidance for specific counties

In order to clarify face covering use requirements, OHA has updated its guidance document for residents of Clackamas, Hood River, Lincoln, Marion, Multnomah, Polk and Washington counties.

In these counties, face covering use is required in all businesses and for the general public when visiting these businesses and for the general public when visiting indoor spaces open to the public.

The Governor also released general guidance for the use of face coverings in counties beyond the specified counties.

In the guidelines, indoor spaces are defined as spaces, whether publicly owned or privately owned, “where the public has access by right or invitation, express or implied, whether by payment of money or not.” In addition to the public areas of the businesses those spaces include building lobbies or common spaces, elevators, and buildings or meeting rooms outside of private homes where people gather for social, civic, cultural or religious purposes.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Office of Emergency Management lead the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

From Deschutes County Sheriff

Bend Police, Bend Firefighters, Deschutes County Sheriff's & ODOT are on the scene of a brush fire off Highway 97 just north of Cooley Rd. 1 northbound and 1 southbound lane of Highway 97 blocked. PLEASE AVOID THE AREA

Newest modeling suggests considerable rise in COVID-19 transmission

New modeling of the COVID-19 virus shows that COVID-19 is spreading more rapidly in Oregon, according to the latest model released today by the Oregon Health Authority and the Institute for Disease Modeling.

The model, which is based on data through June 18, offers three projections -- optimistic, moderate and pessimistic -- predicting that daily case levels could rise as much as 20 percentage points.

The modeling assumes that hospitalizations from COVID-19 remain stable and testing remains at its present level of approximately 4,000 a day:

• The optimistic scenario with those assumptions suggests the previous modeling increase of June 11 was the result of higher testing and that case counts would remain stable at about 180 per day over the next month. This is the least likely scenario to occur because it assumes diagnosis of all new cases and presently about one-third of new infections cannot be traced to a known source.
• The moderate scenario suggests the rise in cases in the last modeling report was due to increased transmission and expanded testing -- and that daily infections of COVID-19 could rise over the next month to more than 900 per day, with daily hospitalizations rising from 8 to 27.
• The most pessimistic scenario suggests the rise in cases in the last modeling report was due entirely to increased transmission and not expanded testing -- and that infections could rise to more than 4,800, and hospitalizations could increase to 82 per day.

"We know that COVID-19 is in our communities," said Dean Sidelinger, MD, Oregon state health officer. "This latest model provides us with a sobering reminder that we all need to guard against continued spread, especially as we continue to reopen and the weather gets warmer."

Dr. Sidelinger said, "Think hard about your choice of activities, especially as we get close to the Fourth of July holiday. Ask yourself: how can I reduce my risk and the risk I might pose to people around me?" Do what you can to suppress the virus: Stay 6 feet away from other people. Wear a mask. Avoid large gatherings, and if you are in a group setting -- like a holiday barbeque -- stay outside, keep your distance and use a face covering when you’re not eating. Wash your hands frequently and stay home if you’re sick.

Effective now, Public Use Restrictions are in place for all Central Oregon forests and BLM lands. Kassidy Kerns at the Deschutes Forest says no open fires, including wood stoves and charcoal briquette fires, except in designated campgrounds. She says make sure you have water and a shovel to put out your campfire.  Kerns also reminds everyone fireworks are always illegal on all federal forest lands as are explosive targets like Tannerite. She says in fact you can’t even have those things in your car or possession so leave them at home.

Oregon reports 124 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 2 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed two more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 197, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 124 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 7,568.

The new cases reported today are in the following counties: Benton (6), Clackamas (8), Clatsop (1), Coos (2), Deschutes (2), Klamath (13), Lake (3), Lane (5), Linn (2), Malheur (2), Marion (4), Morrow (1), Multnomah (29), Polk (2), Umatilla (8), Union (10), Wasco (1), Washington (24), and Yamhill (1).

Oregon’s 196th COVID-19 death is an 83-year-old woman in Marion County who tested positive on June 18 and died June 24, in her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 197th COVID-19 death is an 83-year-old man in Marion County who tested positive on June 18 and died June 23, in his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Notes:

• One case previously reported in Jackson County was determined not to be a case. The county case count has been appropriately adjusted.

OHA updates face covering guidance for general public

Today OHA released updated guidance for face covering use for Oregonians statewide. The document outlines many required and recommended settings for use.

Of note is the strong recommendation that “individuals, including children between 2 and 12 years of age, wear a mask, face shield, or face covering at all times in all indoor public places, particularly in places where it is likely that physical distancing of at least six (6) feet from other individuals outside their household unit cannot be maintained at all times, and vulnerable people must go.”

This recommendation applies regardless of county of residence. More information can be found here.

COVID-19 Update moving to interactive dashboard

Starting Monday, June 29, the Oregon COVID-19 Update will be published in a new, interactive format as part of OHA’s COVID-19 data dashboard.

The new COVID-19 Update will contain the same information, will look similar, and will move from a static PDF to an interactive Tableau dashboard.

 Here are a few things to note about the change.

• The COVID-19 Update dashboard will be updated Monday-Friday at noon. It will not be updated on Saturday and Sunday.
• On Monday the COVID-19 Update dashboard will report the cumulative total of statewide case counts and deaths, reflecting data from 12:01 a.m. Friday to 12:00 a.m. Sunday.
• The COVID-19 Update will be archived daily along with historic updates, on the OHA website.

Slight data change to Public Health Indicators Dashboard

Due to a high number of COVID-19 cases throughout Oregon and delays in data entry for a small percentage of cases that we are working diligently to resolve, OHA has made a slight adjustment in calculating the percentage of cases with follow-up within 24 hours in the Public Health Indicators Dashboard, which is updated weekly on Thursdays.

The data in the dashboard reflects this change; however, the associated summary table and downloadable data do not. We hope to have the small variation between the summary table and dashboard resolved for future releases.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Office of Emergency Management lead the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

Merkley, Walden Lead Oregon Delegation in Push to Rename VA Clinic in Bend After Robert Maxwell

Maxwell was a Medal of Honor recipient and World War II veteran

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Representative Greg Walden (R-OR-2), with Senator Ron Wyden and Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-1), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR-3), Peter DeFazio (D-OR-4), and Kurt Schrader (D-OR-5), are introducing legislation to rename the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) clinic in Bend after Robert Maxwell, a World War II veteran and Medal of Honor Recipient who lived in Bend. In addition, the lawmakers are pressing Veterans’ Affairs Committee leaders to consider the bills and vote them out of committee, readying them for full Senate and House votes.

At the time of Maxwell’s passing, he was the oldest Medal of Honor recipient in the nation and one of four remaining veterans from World War II to be awarded the Medal of Honor. After his courageous service, he worked as a teacher in Bend.

“During his service he reached the rank of Technician Fifth Grade and was awarded a Medal of Honor, Silver Star, Silver Star Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star, and two Purple Hearts,” the lawmakers explained in their letter to Veterans’ Affairs Chairmen Senator Jerry Moran (R-KA) and Representative Mark Takano (D-CA-41), and Ranking Members Jon Tester (D-MT) and Representative Phil Roe (R-TN-1). “Mr. Maxwell jumped on an enemy grenade to save the lives of his fellow soldiers. He was severely maimed by the blast, but recovered and went on to lead a full life.”

“After the war, Mr. Maxwell returned to civilian life and continued to serve the communities he called home through teaching,” the lawmakers continued. “Renaming the VA facility in Bend after Mr. Maxwell would be a fitting tribute to an American hero who meets all the criteria for such an honor.”

There are currently six VA medical facilities across the country that are named after Medal of Honor recipients, including Loren R. Kaufman VA Clinic in The Dalles.

The City of Bend, American Legion Department of Oregon, Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Oregon, and Disabled American Veterans Department of Oregon support the renaming.

The full text of the lawmakers’ letter follows below.

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Dear Chairmen Moran and Takano and Ranking Members Tester and Roe:

We are writing to express our support for renaming the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) clinic in Bend, Oregon, after Robert Maxwell, a World War II veteran and Medal of Honor recipient. At the time of his passing, he was the oldest Medal of Honor recipient in the nation and one of four remaining veterans from World War II to be awarded the Medal of Honor.

Mr. Maxwell served in the 3^rd Battalion, 7^th Infantry Regiment, 3^rd Infantry Division in World War II. During his time with the unit he participated in campaigns in North Africa, Sicily, mainland Italy, and southern France. During his service he reached the rank of Technician Fifth Grade and was awarded a Medal of Honor, Silver Star, Silver Star Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star, and two Purple Hearts.

He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on September 7, 1944, near Besancon, France, when his observation post was attacked by enemy forces. Against heavy fire he led several soldiers, armed with only .45 caliber handguns, and fought against numerically superior enemy forces. Mr. Maxwell jumped on an enemy grenade to save the lives of his fellow soldiers. He was severely maimed by the blast, but recovered and went on to lead a full life.

After the war, Mr. Maxwell returned to civilian life and continued to serve the communities he called home through teaching. He was an auto mechanic teacher at Bend High School and at Lane Community College. He also helped create an auto mechanic program at Central Oregon Community College.

Renaming the VA facility in Bend after Mr. Maxwell would be a fitting tribute to an American hero who meets all the criteria for such an honor. For your consideration, we have enclosed letters of support from the Bend City Council as well as the Oregon state commanders for the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Disabled American Veterans.

Sincerely,

BEND, OR -- Deschutes County Commissioners have granted a Noise Variance for nighttime construction work on Deschutes Market Road and Highway 97. The City of Bend requested the variance from 10pm to 7am during Phase 2 of the North Interceptor Sewer project. The blasting will occur twice a week for 8 weeks from August 1^st to November 14^th. The Project Manager Jessica McLanahan with the City of Bend says they’re looking at ways to minimize the impact of the night work. Notifications about the nighttime blasting were sent to 586 individuals and agencies with one negative comment returned.

BEND, OR -- Deschutes County Commissioners received an update on the virus from Public Health Director Nahad Sadr-Azodi. He was asked recently to find out how long it takes for COVID-19 victims to recover, which he says averages about two weeks. Sadr-Azodi says the number of hospitalizations has been dropping. He says  although more younger people are being infected their hospitalization rate is only 4-per cent. He says they are seeing more household and cluster cases among young people, and that is good news as it may mean less community spread. Sadr-Azodi urges everyone to wear masks outside of the home and social distance. He says doing so helps keep the county in Phase 2. 

REDMOND, OR -- The Redmond City Council is using more than 151-thousand dollars in federal CARES Act funds to help community organizations. The Redmond Senior Center Meals on Wheels Program will receive 18-thousand dollars. Meal requests have jumped 50-per cent since March and continue to go up. The coordinator of the Redmond Community Development Block Grant Program, Elizabeth McManee says they surveyed non profits as to community needs when they learned they were getting CARES Act money. She says the Latino Community Association is receiving 30-thousand dollars and Thrive Central Oregon will receive 53-thousand dollars….both organizations will use the money to help people in danger of becoming homeless..

CENTRAL OREGON -- The Deschutes National Forest is raising the Industrial Fire Protection Level (IFPL) tomorrow, Friday, to Level 2, Partial Hoot Owl. The change is due to drying fuels and greater risk of wildfire. Level 2 primarily affects commercial timber cutters. However firewood cutters can not use a chainsaw on the national forest between 1 pm and 8pm every day. Under the Partial Hoot Owl designation power saws except at logging sites…cable yarding…blasting and…welding or cutting metal is only allowed from 8pm to 1pm.

Oregon reports 171 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 3 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed three more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 195, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 171 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today bringing the state total to 7,444.

The new cases reported today are in the following counties: Benton (2), Clackamas (8), Clatsop (1), Deschutes (4), Jackson (2), Jefferson (3), Klamath (3), Lincoln (9), Linn (1), Malheur (5), Marion (13), Multnomah (45), Polk (1), Umatilla (35), Union (5), Wasco (2), Washington (31), Yamhill (1).

Oregon’s 193^rd COVID-19 death is a 63-year-old man in Lincoln County who tested positive on June 11 and died on June 23, at Samaritan Pacific Community Hospital. He did not have underlying medical conditions.

Oregon’s 194^th COVID-19 death is 78-year-old man in Clackamas County who tested positive on June 16 and died on June 22, his place of death is being confirmed. He had underlying medical conditions.

Oregon’s 195^th COVID-19 death is an 87-year-old woman in Marion County who tested positive on June 17 and died on June 23, at Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Note: One case previously reported in Hood River County was determined not to be a case; the county case count has been appropriately adjusted.

OHA Releases Weekly Report

Today, OHA released its Weekly Report, which showed that during the week of June 15-21, 30,773 persons were tested for COVID-19 in Oregon and 3.7 percent of those people had a positive result, up from 3.1 percent during the preceding week.

For the fourth week in a row, newly reported COVID-19 cases increased over the previous week. During the week of June 15-21, OHA recorded 1,263 new cases of COVID-19 infection, a 40-percent increase from the previous week's total of 898 new cases.

In addition, 12 Oregonians were reported to have died, compared with 16 deaths in the preceding week.

However, available evidence suggests average severity of illness among reported cases is lower than it was early in the outbreak: hospitalizations and deaths remain well below their peaks, even after reported cases have been increasing for four weeks, and the percentage of emergency department visits attributable to COVID-19-like symptoms remains below 1 percent.

OHA media availability on Friday

The weekly media availability with OHA Director Patrick Allen has been moved from 2:30 p.m. tomorrow, Thursday, June 25, to 11 a.m. Friday, June 26. To participate, media are invited to call 844-867-6163, participant code: 593699.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Office of Emergency Management lead the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

BEND, OR -- ODOT Crews will continue working on Highway 20 at 3^rd Street in Bend again tonight starting at 7 o’clock. The surface of the highway in the area from OB Riley Road to Division Street has deteriorated from traffic and severe winter weather. The temporary repair work will be done one lane at a time, with flaggers for traffic control. The work overnight will continue until about 530 a.m. The overnight work project is expected to continue until June 30^th.

CENTRAL OREGON -- The COVID-19 pandemic has cost a lot of people their job or income. Now, Neighbor Impact has received state and federal funds to help people struggling to pay rent. Rachel Haakenson with Neighbor Impact says to qualify for rent relief the person or family must live in Deschutes, Crook or Jefferson counties or Warm Springs Reservation. She says income limits for the program are being at or below 80-per cent of the Area Median Income. Haakenson says people who have lost a job or income due to the virus are eligible as are those who have a compromised health status or a high risk of infection. She says Governor Brown put a hold on evictions for 90 days but that order expires this week. Haakenson says log onto the Neighbor Impact website to get information and to fill out the application for rent relief.

CENTRAL OREGON -- The May unemployment figures show improvement in most of Central Oregon. Deschutes county saw a drop of 2-per cent to 16-point-3,  while Crook county fell to 17-point-5 from 18-point-3 percent. Jefferson county however saw unemployment numbers jump 2-and a half per cent to 17-per cent in May. Economist Damon Runberg says improvement yes, but more than 800 new unemployment claims a week are being filed in Deschutes county alone. He says he expects more improvement as the people temporarily laid off go back to work. Runberg says some people who were laid off may not get their jobs back. He also noted the May unemployment numbers reflect the early days of Phase One re-openings.

BEND, OREGON -- The Juniper Swim and Fitness Center has reopened some classes this week. It will have a reservation system and will limit the number of households in the pool at a time. Family swim is set to reopen starting July 6^th. If you’re headed to the Deschutes River today, be sure to have your mode of transportation planned out. Julie Brown at Parks and Rec asks people to plan ahead of time and bring their own floatation device since tube rentals and the Ride the River shuttle will not be available this year. Brown recommends doing shorter floats so that it’s easier for people to walk back.

PORTLAND, Ore. — The state’s death toll from COVID-19 is unchanged from yesterday and remains at 192, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 191 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today bringing the state total to 7,274.

The new cases reported today are in the following counties: Clackamas (25), Coos (1), Deschutes (2), Hood River (1), Jackson (1), Jefferson (2), Klamath (7), Lane (1), Malheur (2), Marion (17), Morrow (3), Multnomah (44), Polk (1), Tillamook (1), Umatilla (19), Union (19), Wasco (4), and Washington (42).

New information is available about Oregon’s 191st death, which was originally reported Monday, June 22. He is a 68-year-old man in Lincoln County who died on June 16 in his residence. He had underlying medical conditions.

Notes:

• One case previously reported in Benton County was determined not to be a case; the county case count has been appropriately adjusted.

New workplace outbreak reported

An outbreak of 37 COVID-19 cases has been reported at Lamb Weston in Umatilla County. The case counts include all persons linked to the outbreak, which may include household members and other close contacts. 

The investigation started on June 16, but the initial case count was below the threshold for public disclosure. OHA is now publicly reporting COVID-19 outbreaks of more than 20 cases in workplaces with more than 30 employees in its daily news release Monday through Friday.

Outbreaks of more than five cases in workplaces with 30 or more employees are reported in its weekly report, published on Wednesdays.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Office of Emergency Management lead the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

BEND, OR -- Deschutes County Commissioners again discussed parking issues at Smith Rock State Park yesterday but took no final action. County Road Department Director Chris Doty said more work needs to be done before the usual increase in crowds in September. He suggested meeting with park officials and other stakeholders to consider options. Commissioners say Smith Rock usually sees a drop in visitors in hot weather months, July and August, with larger crowds in September. The board decided to continue to discuss the issue and explore options. Board Chair Patti Adair would like formal action on parking issues by late July.

BEND, OR -- Last December the Bend City Council approved a Climate Action Plan. Now the city is looking for volunteers to serve on the new Environment and Climate Committee. Senior Management Analyst Cassie Lacy says the committee will serve in an advisory role to the council. She says they hope to attract people with knowledge or experience in various natural resources issues ranging from renewable energy to water resources and environmental justice. To apply for the committee, go to the City of Bend web page. The deadline to apply is July 31^st.

BEND, OR -- The Oregon Health Authority reported yesterday four new COVID-19 cases in Deschutes county and a new case in Jefferson county. County Board Chair Patti Adair noted that recently Deschutes county was third in Oregon for virus cases but has now dropped to 8^th, Adair urged everyone to wear a mask and social distance. The OHA reported 176 new confirmed and presumptive cases for a state total of 7-thousand-83. More than one-third of the state’s total known cases have been reported since June 7^th.  

BEND, OR -- The Deschutes County Commissioners have approved a new, two-year labor contract with 9-1-1 dispatchers. The agreement takes effect July 1^st and continues through June 2022. The contract includes a 2-and-1-half-per cent Cost of Living Adjustment known as COLA. Erik Kropp helped negotiate the contract and said the COLA is based on the January to January Consumer Price Index. The 9-1-1 dispatchers voted yesterday to ratify the agreement.

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed two more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 192, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 146 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today bringing the state total to 7,083. The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Benton (2), Clackamas (15), Deschutes (4), Douglas (1), Hood River (1), Jackson (1), Jefferson (1), Lane (4), Lincoln (6), Marion (47), Morrow (1), Multnomah (17), Umatilla (11), Union (5), Wasco (1), Washington (27), and Yamhill (2).

Oregon’s 191st COVID-19 death is a 68-year-old man in Lincoln County who died June 16 in his residence and tested positive on June 17. He did not have underlying medical conditions.  

Oregon’s 192nd COVID-19 death is a 90-year-old woman in Marion County who tested positive on June 18. Additional information about this COVID-19 related death is still pending. An update will be provided when we have additional information.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Office of Emergency Management lead the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

ODOT Repairs 3RD Street

BEND – Crews from the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) will be making temporary repairs to US20/3rd Street in Bend, beginning the night of Monday, June 22. 

The project includes three lanes of the highway from approximately the intersection with OB Riley Road to Division Street.

The surface of the highway in this location has deteriorated from the impacts of traffic and severe winter weather and is set for complete, permanent repairs in a project that’s slated for summer of next year, 2021.

Beginning at about 7:00pm on Monday, ODOT maintenance crews will begin the temporary repair work, taking one lane at a time, and will control traffic by the use of flaggers.  The work will continue overnight until approximately 5:30am.  The same work pattern will be repeated until the project is complete, expected to be June 30th.

Motorists should be aware of the project and adjust their driving plans appropriately.

##ODOT##

CENTRAL OREGON -- Deschutes County, ODOT and the City of La Pine are looking at improvements needed on Highway 97 at Wickiup Junction. ODOT’s Community Affairs Coordinator Kacey Davey says they will have a live, virtual Town Hall Thursday, from 6-to-7:30 p.m. She says they will go through the plan and then take questions. Pre-registration is needed for the live Town Hall at Wickiup Refinement Plan Dot Com. 

BEND, OR -- The Bend Chamber held another COVID-19 Webinar Friday. The event was titled Unemployed to Employed – Returning To Work. State Economist Damon Runberg says a survey of Oregon businesses asked "How long will it take for you to recover to where you were a year ago"…with 41-per cent saying  6 months or less. Runberg says that sounds great. However he also noted that 13-per cent of businesses say they will never recover to where they were a year ago. Runberg says it appears we are moving into a more recessionary mode now.

BEND, OR -- The Bend City Council has approved a half a million dollars from the Affordable Housing Fund for development of two projects. The money was awarded to Wishcamper Development and Pacific Crest Affordable Housing. The chair of the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee, Cindy King, says the Wishcamper Development will be the biggest increase in affordable rents since the program began. She says Wishcamper hopes to begin construction of 240 units in the fall with the opening in June 2021. She says Pacific Crest Affordable Housing is planning 48 units and hopes to have them ready in December of this year. 

CENTRAL OREGON -- Deschutes County Search and Rescue teams were called around 7 o'clock Saturday night saying a 34-year-old woman from Beaverton who was hiking near Broken Top was "in trouble", beginning to lose consciousness and could not continue on her own. Two deputies and 9 volunteers responded. They drove up as far as the snowpack would allow, then some of the volunteers had to hike in.  It took them 5 and a half hours to reach the woman, who was able to walk down the mountain with assistance. She denied any further medical assistance once they reached Bend. It was later determined she had consumed intoxicants and that's why she couldn't make it down the mountain.

BEND, OR -- The smell of natural gas was reported Sunday near the Barrios Restaurant on Wall Street in downtown Bend Sunday.  The restaurant was closed at the time.  Bend Fire & Rescue crews responded and found a kitchen stove burner that was left on, but not lit.  A significant accumulation of natural gas was found inside the business, prompting an evacuation of neighboring businesses to either side.  The gas was shut off, the business ventilated, and neighboring businesses were allowed to resume normal operations within the hour.

CENTRAL OREGON -- A pair of motorcycle riders were injured over the weekend in Central Oregon.  Early Saturday afternoon on Highway 97 in LaPine, a passenger sedan, driven by 71-year-old Marvin Cudd Jr. of Sunriver pulled off to the shoulder to wait for a car he was to follow.  When Cudd Jr. suddenly pulled back onto the highway he struck a motorcycle rider named Joseph Birchell, 36, from Venice, Florida.  Birchell and his motorcycle slid across the highway leaving him lying in the middle of the road with a critical injury to his leg. Birchell was flown to St. Charles Bend, while Cudd Junior was cited for careless driving. On Sunday, while dirt-biking at Wickiup Reservoir, 28-year-old Caleb Krause from Newberg Oregon also had to be airlifted to St. Charles in Bend. Krause, who was not wearing a helmet, seriously injured his leg.

DEATH IN JAIL DETERMINED TO BE BY SUICIDE

Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel completed his review of the circumstances surrounding the death of Chad Bomar in the Deschutes County Jail on February 17, 2020.  District Attorney Hummel concurs with the opinion of the Oregon State Medical Examiner, who conducted an autopsy of Mr. Bomar, that the cause of death was ligature hanging, and the manner of death was by suicide. 

Mr. Bomar, a 33-year-old male, hanged himself in his jail cell with his jail-issued pants tied to a bunk bed. There is no evidence of participation by another person. His motivation was likely related to symptomatic withdrawal from opioids.

Statement from Deschutes County Sheriff Shane Nelson:

“Mr. Bomar’s passing is a tragic and unfortunate event. Our sincere condolences go out to the family and friends of Mr. Bomar.”  

The Tri-County Major Incident Team, led by Oregon State Police Detective Sergeant Roberto Robles, with the Oregon State Police as the lead agency on this case, conducted a thorough and professional investigation and provided all the evidence District Attorney Hummel required to conduct his legal analysis and reach his legal conclusion.

Statement from District Attorney Hummel:

“Chad Bomar was a valued member of our community who loved, was loved, and deserved to live.  Our lives are worse off without him.  Yesterday, I spoke with his mother and extended my sympathies for her loss. 

I encourage anyone who feels alone or discouraged, or who feels like they don’t want to live, to reach out for help.  They can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or text “273Talk” to 839863.”  

###

Registration available now for fall youth soccer and football programs

Deadlines for sign-up coming in July

Bend, Ore. – (June 19, 2020) – Registration is available now for children to participate in fall season sport programs with Bend Park and Recreation District. Programs include flag football, tackle football, youth soccer and kindergarten soccer. Parents are encouraged to sign up now to ensure their children can participate this fall.

“Now, more than ever, kids need healthy, active recreation activities. Youth sport programs provide many benefits and are a positive outlet to build skills and confidence,” said Rich Ekman, sport program coordinator, for Bend Park and Recreation District. “We are happy to be able to offer these programs and want as many children as possible to have opportunity to play.”

Youth sport programs will follow Oregon Health Authority guidance for health and safety including distancing, limiting shared equipment, player contact, etc.

Registration deadlines

Registration deadlines for youth sport programs are as follows:

• Youth soccer (Bend Unified Recreational Soccer League) – July 6 (Offered jointly by Bend Park & Recreation District and the Bend FC Timbers)
• Tackle football – July 19
• Kindergarten soccer – July 26
• Flag football – July 31

Sport programs focus on participation and skill building in a fun, competitive environment. Recreation scholarships are available. See details and application here.

Volunteer coaches

Youth sports leagues also offer opportunities for adults as volunteer coaches. Coaches provide support with program logistics, coaching and mentoring youth.

All volunteer coaches must complete an application, background check, take a concussion training course, enjoy working with youth and be able to create a positive, encouraging recreational environment for all players.

For program information including dates, fees and to register, visit register.bendparksandrec.org.

Oregon reports 206 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 1 new death

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed one more life in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 188, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 206 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 6,572.

The new cases are in the following counties: Clackamas (23), Coos (1), Deschutes (3), Douglas (3), Hood River (2), Jefferson (4), Klamath (12), Lane (3), Lincoln (31), Linn (1), Malheur (1), Marion (20), Morrow (5), Multnomah (49), Umatilla (24), Union (6), Wallowa (1), Washington (17).

Oregon’s 188th COVID-19 death is an 84-year-old woman in Marion County who tested positive on June 3 and died June 10, in her residence. She had underlying medical conditions.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Office of Emergency Management lead the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

# # #

REDMOND, OR -- The Redmond Parks Department is again taking reservations for ball field and park amenities, like pavilions. Redmond Public Works Director Bill Duerden (dur-den) says state guidelines vary when it comes to how many people can be at an event and range from 10-to-250 people with social distancing required. People going to events asked to bring water and hygiene supplies and remove any trash. To make a reservation go to the Redmond Parks web page.

The Deschutes County Stabilization Center is now open. Holly Harris at Health Services says the center will serve children and adults who need short-term mental health crisis stabilization. Harris says until now people with a mental health crisis would often end up in the emergency room; or jail. Harris says the Stabilization Center is open Monday thru Friday till 5pm, with expanding hours through the summer.

BEND, OR -- An early Thursday morning fire at Broken Top Bottle Shop brought Bend Fire and Rescue to the scene.  Fire crews arrived about 4am and Battalion Chief Trish Connolly says there was no fire showing when crews arrived, so they did a walk around of the building. She says alarms were going off and people in upstairs apartments were evacuating. Connolly says crews got inside the restaurant and found a small fire that had been put out by the sprinkler system. She says there is no doubt the sprinklers saved lives and the apartments. Connolly says the fire was caused by spontaneous combustion of rags that had been cleaned but still had residual oil on them.

One of the most popular day use areas in Central Oregon is Tumalo Falls and it has now been reopened.  Jean Nelson-Dean at the Deschutes National Forest says everyone should follow CDC guidelines when visiting. This includes using a mask in areas where distancing is not possible. Nelson-Dean says visitors should bring their own water and hygiene supplies and take out any trash when they leave.

BEND, OR -- The Central Oregon Black Leaders Assembly is holding a march and ceremony today at Pilot Butte from 5-to-7pm. The event will recognize Juneteenth, a holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States on this date in 1865. The “Take Back the Butte” event is open to the public and will celebrate Juneteenth in the name of peace and equality.

CENTRAL OREGON -- If you are trying to decide how you can help during COVID, Danielle Kane at the Better Business Bureau has tips on ways to avoid donating to scams. Things like keeping an eye out for websites that have similar names and spelling mistakes can be an indication of a fraudulent business. Kane says a legitimate organization will also have a valid email address listed so that people can verify whether it’s real or not. More information on how to spot a business that sounds like an illegal scheme can be found at bbb.org/scamtracker.

CENTRAL OREGON -- Deschutes County is joining Crook and Jefferson in the emergency declaration for last month’s thunderstorm. Central Oregon is still recovering from the severe wind and hail that came through. Deschutes County Emergency Manager Sgt. Nathan Garibay says the Weather Service indicated that the winds were easily in the 70 to 80 mile an hour range. He also confirms the radar of the storm supports the request for the governor’s declaration on behalf of counties that received damage.

Oregon reports 148 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 4 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed four more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 187, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 148 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 6,366. The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Clackamas (12), Columbia (4), Hood River (3), Jefferson (4), Klamath (4), Lincoln (4), Linn (1), Malheur (4), Marion (26), Morrow (4), Multnomah (33), Polk (3), Umatilla (13), Union (5), Washington (25), Yamhill (3).

Oregon’s 184th COVID-19 death is an 82-year-old woman in Marion County, who tested positive on June 4 and died June 14. Her place of death is being confirmed. She had underlying medical conditions.

Oregon’s 185th COVID-19 death is a 78-year-old man in Marion County who tested positive on June 11 and died June 15 in his residence. He had underlying medical conditions.

Oregon’s 186th COVID-19 death is an 89-year-old man in Clackamas County who tested positive on June 6 and died June 16. His place of death is being confirmed. He had underlying medical conditions.

Oregon’s 187th COVID-19 death is an 87-year-old man in Clackamas County who became symptomatic May 13, after close contact with a confirmed case, and died May 23. His place of death is being confirmed. He had underlying medical conditions.

Note: OHA is canceling today’s 2:30 p.m. weekly media availability with Director Patrick Allen because he participated in Governor Kate Brown’s media availability earlier today.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Office of Emergency Management lead the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

# # #

BEND, OR -- Deschutes county will lose more than half of the money it receives every quarter from video lottery gambling. Deschutes County Assistant Legal Counsel John Laherty told commissioners the law requires money to be given for payment of the debt on lottery bonds, first. He says this means the county will get less than half of the 236-thousand dollars it has received in the last three quarters. Laherty says the dollar loss is about 120-thousand dollars. He says some counties have formed a working group to find out if there is any remedy that mioght be available to counties to claw back some of the lost revenue. 

BEND, OR -- Descbhutes County Commissioners got another COVID-19 update yesterday. Health Services Director Doctor George Conway says the contact tracing conducted in Bend at the end of May, showed a prevalence of only 1-case per 1-thousand people. Conway says recent spikes such as in Lincoln and Union counties are reminders the wearing of masks and social distancing remain important to preventing spread. Commissioner Patti Adair also announced there has been testing at three long term care facilities with no cases among staff or residents.  

BEND, OR -- The COVID-19 problem has made things more difficult for childcare facilities in Central Oregon. Deschutes County and the City of Bend allocated money to help them earlier this year.  Karen Prow with Neighbor Impact Child Resources told commissioners she distributed 34 checks to providers in Bend, Redmond and La Pine. Prow says 23 checks went to regular family and certified family providers, 6 to certified centers and 5 to providers who had received no help. Checks ranged from 23-hundred to 5-thousand dollars.

BEND, OR -- Deschutes County Commissioners continue to struggle with issues related to the very popular Smith Rock State Park. The park attracts close to 1-million visitors every year…and neighbors complain of their streets being crowded with parked cars on Wilcox,17^th and others. Al Dirtenger with the Terrebonne Neighborhood Alliance says Wilcox is always crowded with cars and people making it dangerous. He urged commissioners to consider a reservation or limited entry permit system. Commissioners discussed various options including using shuttles or other parking options but took no final action. They will revisit the issue Monday.

Oregon reports 122 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 1 new death

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed one more life in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 183, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 121 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today bringing the state total to 6,218.

The new cases reported today are in the following counties: Benton (3), Clackamas (17), Deschutes (2), Jackson (2) Josephine (2), Klamath (3), Lake (1), Lincoln (3), Marion (17), Morrow (1), Multnomah (34), Polk (1), Umatilla (12), Union (2), Washington (22).

Oregon’s 183^rd COVID-19 death is a 95-year-old woman in Clackamas County, who tested positive on June 4 and died on June 11. Her place of death is being confirmed. She had underlying medical conditions.

Notes:

• One case previously reported in Linn County was determined not to be a case; the county case count has been adjusted appropriately.
• One case previously reported in Hood River County was determined not to be a case; the county case count has been adjusted appropriately.

OHA Releases Weekly Report

Today, OHA released its COVID-19 Weekly Report, which outlines data and trends on outbreaks and other epidemiological information collected over the last week. This week’s report shows that during the week from Monday, June 8, through Sunday, June 14, OHA recorded 898 new cases of COVID-19 infection, a 44% increase from the previous week. In addition, 16 Oregonians were reported to have died, compared with10 deaths in the preceding week. In that same week, the number of COVID-19 tests* reported (24,708) increased substantially (35%) compared to the preceding week while the percentage of tests positive remained approximately the same (3.1% vs. 3.0% during preceding week).

In this week’s report there are several new figures (1, and 4 through 7) which shed light on additional trends. These depict weekly trends in reported COVID-19 cases by epidemiologic link to other known cases, age, sex, race, and ethnicity.

New outbreak reported

An outbreak of 20 cases of COVID-19 has been reported at Teeny Foods in Multnomah County. The case count includes all persons linked to the outbreak, which may include household members and other close contacts to an employee. The outbreak investigation started on June 8, but the initial case count was below the threshold for public disclosure.

State and county public health officials are working with this business to address the outbreak and protect the health of workers.

Medicaid Enrollment Report posted

This week, the Oregon Health Authority has begun posting a weekly Medicaid enrollment report. The report, which will be posted on Tuesdays on OHA’s COVID-19 page, lists the increase in Medicaid enrollment over the previous week, as well as the total increase since the COVID-19 emergency declaration March 8. This week’s snapshot shows that as of June 15, 2020, there are 1,149,620 members enrolled in Oregon Health Plan, an increase of 3,990 members over the past week (0.35%) and 70,007 members since the emergency declaration (6.48%). Please note that the chart marks snapshots of enrollment actuals produced every week. This data is preliminary and represents a point in time measurement of enrollment. It does not include retroactive eligibility changes. OHP data is finalized 90 days after the month ends to allow for retroactive enrollments.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Office of Emergency Management lead the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

BEND, OR -- A lot of changes are happening with the Oregon Department of Transportation. Peter Murphy at ODOT says new automatic flaggers, a new wildlife crossing, and upgrades to lights at intersections are being implemented this summer. With construction season here, Central Oregon travelers will be seeing more automated flaggers on road projects. Peter Murphy says the robo-flaggers role will improve the overall safety of workers. He also says they understand there may be some confusion because it’s new. As drivers come upon the auto-flaggers, they should stop as you would a red light and an operator will raise the arm for you to pass.

KBND News reported Monday, the governor was calling a special session of the legislature to deal with a budget deficit near 3-billion dollars. Governor Brown announced she is calling lawmakers to Salem next Wednesday but not to deal with the state budget deficit. The governor says the session will deal with police accountability bills and policies related to COVID-19. What about the estimated 3-billion-dollar budget deficit? The governor says that issue can wait until later this summer. County Commissioner Patti Adair is worried about the impact of the state budget deficit on Deschutes County Health and other departments. She also worries about how the delay in dealing with the deficit may affect school funding.

BEND, OR -- Bend Police responded Monday night to a report of a fight at the 7-11 store at 3^rd and Franklin. Lieutenant Juli McConkey says police saw two men fighting outside in the parking lot. She says police determined 32-year-old Joshua Seeley had assaulted the employee in the store and the fight moved outside. Witnesses say Seeley had a knife. McConkey says the 7-11 employee was treated at the scene and released. She says Seeley was jailed on several charges including assault and unlawful use of a weapon.

CENTRAL OREGON -- A Portland man was found dead on Sunday afternoon about a mile north of Hwy 20 at Milepost 28 by some ATV riders. Lieutenant Chad Davis with Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office says investigators learned that 36-year-old Eric Sims of Portland was headed to Pine Mountain Observatory. He says police found Sims car at Pine Mountain campground. Davis says they learned Sims left the campground on a red mountain bike but became separated from the bike and walked several miles in the area. Davis says Sims died of exposure and evidence shows his body had been at the location for several days. There is no evidence of foul play.

Oregon reports 278 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 2 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed two more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 182, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 278 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today bringing the state total to 6,098.

The new cases reported today are in the following counties: Clackamas (21), Crook (1), Hood River (1), Jackson (1), Jefferson (1), Josephine (1), Klamath (8), Lane (1), Lincoln (17), Marion (22), Morrow (2), Multnomah (42), Umatilla (1), Union (119), Wasco (1), Washington (37), Yamhill (2).

Oregon’s 181^st COVID-19 death is an 89-year-old man in Clackamas County, who tested positive on June 13 and died on June 15, in his residence. He had underlying medical conditions.

Oregon’s 182^nd COVID-19 death is an 85-year-old woman in Marion County, who tested positive on June 11 and died on June 13, at Salem Hospital. She had underlying medical conditions.

Where are the high number of cases coming from?

Today’s numbers are consistent with a recent trend of more cases in the state. The increase in cases is due to workplace outbreaks as well as potential spread in the community, not tied to a known case.

Note: OHA will host a media availability to discuss the source of today’s high numbers at 3 p.m. Call in: 844-867-6163. Access code: 6138708.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Office of Emergency Management lead the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

BEND, OR -- If you are a Medicaid member (Oregon Health Plan) or care for one, you qualify for a seat on the Central Oregon Health Council. Donna Mills at the council says they are the governing body of the Oregon Health Plan. She says that’s why they need an OHP member. However, a caregiver or guardian of someone on the health plan qualifies as well. More information can be found on the council’s webpage at “cohealthcouncil.org”.

CENTRAL OREGON -- 29-year-old Cody Lumby of Monmouth and a friend decided to hike into Johnny Lake about 8-Sunday morning. Deschutes County Search and Rescue Coordinator Lieutenant Bryan Husband says the friends however decided to smoke some marijuana first. The two got separated…Lumby got lost and suffered a minor injury…and was missing for about 12 hours before he was found sitting by a warming fire. Husband says Lumby refused medical treatment after being found.

BEND, OR -- The City Manager of Bend, Eric King is hosting a virtual Town Hall for more than 2 dozen stakeholder groups on Thursday, June 18^th. The virtual event will include five candidates for Bend Police Chief. They will introduce themselves and participate in a Q&A forum. A video of the virtual Town Hall will then be shown Friday, June 19th on the city’s webpage for the general public. The Friday event includes a candidate feedback survey so the community can comment on the candidates. Feedback surveys are to be returned by 5pm Monday June 22^nd.

BEND, OR -- Deschutes County Commissioners approved a Drought Declaration yesterday and if approved by the governor there will be some help for area farmers.  Water Master Jeremy Griffin told the board this year will be difficult. He says there is a good chance irrigation districts like Arnold and North Unit could be shut off for the first time in many years. He says districts that rely on stored water at Wickiup Reservoir may suffer because the reservoir has never been this low on this date. Commissioners were told under the drought declaration some districts may be able to use supplemental wells while large farm operations could buy crop insurance to cover some of their losses.

City of Bend invites community input on Chief of Police candidates

The City of Bend is in the process of interviewing candidates for the Chief of Police position being vacated by Chief Jim Porter’s retirement.

“Chief Porter began some incredible work engaging our community in active problem solving and providing the foundation for the Department’s diversity, equity and inclusion work,” said City Manager Eric King. “It will be important to continue that work in the department with strong leadership that understands our values and how to support both our officers and our increasingly diverse Bend community.”

As part of the Chief of Police selection process, City Manager Eric King will host a virtual community stakeholder town hall on the afternoon of June 18. The town hall is an opportunity for candidates to introduce themselves to community stakeholders and participate in a moderated question-and-answer forum.

Representatives from these community groups were invited to participate the town hall as stakeholders:

•          Abilitree
•          Allyship in Action
•          Bend 2030
•          Central Oregon Black Leaders Assembly
•          Central Oregon Council on Aging
•          Central Oregon Diversity Project
•          Central Oregon Latino Partnership Program
•          Central Oregon Veterans Outreach
•          COCC AfroCentric Studies Club
•          COCC Criminal Justice Program
•          COCC Native American Student Program
•          Embrace Bend
•          Homeless Leadership Coalition
•          Human Dignity Coalition
•          Inclusive Innovation Initiative (I3)
•          Latino Community Association
•          Legal Aid Services of Oregon
•          Mecca Bend
•          Mosaic Medical
•          Neighborhood Leadership Alliance
•          NeighborImpact
•          OUT Central Oregon
•          Police Chief’s Advisory Group Community Members
•          St. Charles Health System
•          The Father's Group
•          Thrive Central Oregon
•          Various Central Oregon public safety representatives in policing, fire, rescue and emergency services
•          Volunteers in Medicine

The City encouraged participants from the invited stakeholder community groups to solicit questions and input from their constituents for consideration to be included in the town hall.

Community Input

Recognizing the need for broader community input on the Chief of Police candidates, the City is providing an opportunity for members of the Bend community to provide direct input on each of the five candidates.

The City will publically post a captioned video recording of the virtual community stakeholder town hall on Friday, June 19, at www.bendoregon.gov/police-chief.  That webpage will also host a candidate feedback survey. Community members are invited to view the town hall video and complete the feedback survey. The survey will be the formal input process for the community to provide comments on the Chief of Police candidates. The webpage, a subtitled video and the feedback survey will be also be available in Spanish at www.bendoregon.gov/policia. Feedback surveys are due by 5 p.m. on Monday, June 22.

Chief of Police Candidates

The City is considering these five candidates for the Chief of Police position:

•          Lt. Brian Beekman

Brian Beekman is a 20-year law enforcement veteran, currently working as a Lieutenant with the Bend Police Department. Since 2013, Brian has championed the importance of first responder health and its relation to positive outcomes in the community. He was part of a team who proposed and implemented numerous nationally recognized public safety health programs. Brian leads the Central Oregon Emergency Response Team. During his tenure, the team has produced peaceful conclusions at high-risk incidents around the region. These results stem from an emphasis on using communication and de-escalation. Brian is committed to the Bend community and is a part-time women’s self-defense instructor at COCC. He volunteers at first responder family support events and with underserved community members. Brian is an innovator, most recently improving services and outreach by forming an electric bike patrol team. Brian is a graduate student at Portland State University studying Public Administration. 

•          Deputy Chief Paul Kansky

Paul Kansky is currently the Deputy Chief of Police for the Bend Police Department overseeing operations. He has humbly served our community with excellence for 20 years in law enforcement with the City of Bend, and 27 years in the field overall. Paul had previously served with Bend Police Department as the Commander of the regional tactical and narcotics teams, and in executive leadership positions as the Division Commander of the Investigations and Patrol Divisions. These positions provided him with an excellent understanding of organizational change management, inter-department collaboration, budgeting and information technology applications in Bend’s business model.

Paul embraces and respects experiences of others and seeks collaboration, which has led to positive partnerships, teams and trusted relationships within the department, community, city, region, state and nation.

Paul holds a B.S. Degree in Business Administration-Management, Executive Level LE Certificate and is a graduate of the FBI-National Academy.

Paul values time with his family, friends and volunteering in the community. He is a leader in the Bend Police Department exemplifying integrity, energy, passion, transparency, collaboration and inclusivity.

•          Assistant Chief of the Services Branch Mike Krantz

Mike Krantz, a 27 year veteran of the Portland Police Bureau, currently serving as the acting Assistant Chief of the Services Branch and is responsible for the business operations of the largest police department in the State of Oregon. Previously, he was the Commander of Central Precinct, where he led a team of over 160 sworn and 15 professional staff members in providing public safety to over 42 square miles in the heart of Portland. Mike is proven to be a collaborative and inclusive leader and has worked with the community to build a relationship of trust while co-producing many engagement opportunities, crime prevention and reduction efforts and policy reform.  Mike holds a BA in Public Policy and Administration from Western Oregon University is a graduate from the PERF Senior Management Institute for Police and holds an executive certificate from the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training. 

•          Cmdr. Narcotics and Vice Unit Jason Lando

Now in his 21st year with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Jason has served at the rank of Commander since 2014. Between 2014 and 2019, Jason ran one of the city’s busiest and most diverse districts, where his focus was uniting police and community through unique initiatives designed in partnership with residents. In 2015, Jason and several colleagues established the Police Bureau’s Procedural Justice Unit. His team designed and implemented training in procedural justice, de-escalation, and implicit bias, and trained over 1,000 police officers over three years. The team now offers implicit bias training to community members. Jason previously worked assignments in patrol, undercover narcotics, SWAT and as a crisis negotiator. He possesses a master’s degree in legal studies and is a graduate of the International Association of Chiefs of Police Leadership in Police Organizations. In his spare time, Jason volunteers as a Big Brother to 12 year-old Jayden, and serves on the Boards of Directors of the Pittsburgh Child Guidance Foundation and Foxwall EMS.

•          Capt. Nick Parker

Nick Parker is a trustworthy, authentic, and transparent police leader with consistent expertise in upholding the highest values with an uncompromising commitment to the service to others. He strongly values and fosters diverse collaboration to enhance the safety and security of the Bend community. He is committed to the unique Bend way of life through engagement, listening, and having a broad-minded approach while supporting change to promote progressive police practices. Nick began his career with the Redmond Police Department in 1999, as a patrol officer. In 2003, he joined the Bend Police Department where he excelled as an officer, investigator, and trainer. Over the last 10 years, he has outstanding performance in numerous supervisory and management positions throughout the organization. He is currently the Patrol Division Captain where he is committed to fair and equitable policing.  Nick holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice from Portland State University.

All biographies were submitted by each candidate and have not been reviewed for accuracy.

Information about community input on the Chief of Police candidates is available at bendoregon.gov/police-chief or in Spanish at www.bendoregon.gov/policia.

Oregon reports 184 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 4 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed four more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 180, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 184 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today bringing the state total to 5,820. The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Clackamas (6), Hood River (1), Jackson (1), Jefferson (1), Klamath (2), Lake (1), Malheur (2), Marion (4), Multnomah (37), Polk (3), Umatilla (9), Union (99), Wasco (2), Washington (15), Yamhill (1).

OHA is coordinating with Union County public health authorities to respond to an outbreak of COVID-19. The outbreak explains the high number of cases today in Union County.

Oregon Health Authority will host a media availability to discuss the outbreak in Union County. The call is scheduled for 4 p.m. Media are invited to call in with questions: 877-336-4441. Access code: 2648250.

Oregon’s 177th COVID-19 death is a 78-year-old woman in Clackamas County, who tested positive on June 6 and died on June 12 in her residence. She had underlying medical conditions.

Oregon’s 178th COVID-19 death is an 85-year-old man in Clackamas County, who tested positive on June 5 and died on June 14 in his residence. He had underlying medical conditions.

Oregon’s 179th COVID-19 death is a 65-year-old woman in Clackamas County, who tested positive on June 5 and died on June 12 in her residence. She had underlying medical conditions.

Oregon’s 180th COVID-19 death is a 75-year-old woman in Clackamas County, who tested positive on June 4 and died on June 11 in her residence. She had underlying medical conditions.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority leads the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

PRINEVILLE, OR -- The Crook County Library in Prineville will have a limited reopening this morning. Library Director Buzzy Nielsen says they’ll have a limit of 16 people including staff. He says being in a rural area, many library visitors use it for more than just checking out books. Nielsen says many people rely on the library for internet, printing and Wi-Fi. He says even though most stacks are closed, they’ll accommodate people who want to check out books. Nielsen says just go to the desk and you’ll be helped. He says visitors are asked to social distance and wear a mask.

BEND, OR -- Deschutes County Commissioners meet at 10-this morning. They will again consider signing a Resolution Declaring a Drought Emergency in Deschutes County. The board will get a legislative update from Information Officer Whitney Hale. Also on the agenda commissioners will prepare for two public hearings. One is  about a Noise Variance at Deschutes Market Road and Highway 97. The other public hearing is to amend the county transportation plan.  Also on the agenda is a request from Jefferson County for help in a COVID-19 Related Quarantine

A Bend man was killed in a crash east of Bend after he allegedly rear-ended another vehicle over the weekend. Oregon State Police responded to the “T”-intersection of Highway 20 and Powell Butte Road Saturday afternoon about 2:42. A Jeep Grand Cherokee was stopped, facing east, waiting to turn north. A Ford Econoline van was also eastbound on Highway 20 and also intended to turn north onto Powell Butte Road. The van, driven by 59-year-old Edward Robinson, hit the Jeep from behind. Robinson was pronounced dead at the scene while his 2 of his 3 passengers were taken to the hospital with serious injuries. The 3 people in the Jeep were not injured. State Police say alcohol and the failure to use seat belts are factors in case.

Passengers in the Ford van, Markus Mastrud (62) of Bend and Owen Leinweber (54) of Bend, were transported to the hospital with serious injuries - Amy Bell (40) of Bend was not injured. 

The driver of the Jeep Cherokee, Richie Masters (34) and his two passengers Pamela Radabaugh (31) of Bend and a male juvenile were not transported by emergency personnel.

PRINEVILLE, OR -- Crook County Schools will reopen on September 8^th with options for students and families. Jason Carr at the school district says there will be teachers in the classroom. He says, says at the same time schools will offer families the option of having their children take on-line classes. Carr says another option is students can take some classes online and other classes in a classroom with a teacher. He says one reason they can do this is a grant from Facebook for 450-thousand dollars. Carr says the money was used for I-Pads and Chrome books for students. He says Crook County Schools will hold a series of community forums over the summer to collaborate with parents on the new choice-based learning model.

Oregon reports 142 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 2 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed two more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 173, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 142 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today bringing the state total to 5,377. The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Clackamas (9), Columbia (3), Deschutes (2), Hood River (3), Jackson (2), Klamath (2), Lincoln (14), Marion (29), Multnomah (36), Polk (9), Umatilla (5), Union (4), Wasco (3), Washington (21).

Oregon’s 172^nd COVID-19 death is a 96-year-old man in Washington County, who tested positive on May 10 and died on June 11 in his residence. He did not have underlying medical conditions.

Oregon’s 173^rd COVID-19 death is a 68-year-old man in Multnomah County, who tested positive on June 1 and died on June 10 at Adventist Hospital. He had underlying medical conditions.

More information is available for Oregon’s 164^th COVID-19 death. He is a 71-year-old man in Malheur County, who tested positive on June 1 and died on May 31 at the Saint Alphonsus Medical Center in Boise. He had underlying medical conditions.

Notes:

• Two cases previously reported in Jefferson County were determined not to be cases; the county case count has been adjusted to reflect this.

OHA releases updated modeling report

Today, OHA released its updated modeling report, showing the projections for the COVID-19 progression in Oregon. With limited data since reopening, counties being reopened at different times and recent increases in cases, the report provides three different scenarios.  In all scenarios, however, recent data and model calibration show transmission has increased since reopening began on May 15.

• The most optimistic scenario the model assumes a 10-percentage point increase in transmission after re-opening on May 15. It shows the number of new infections per day would remain relatively stable over the next month.
• The less optimistic scenario the model assumes a slightly larger increase in transmission (15 percentage points) after May 15, which fit the recent observed hospitalization and diagnoses trends better. It shows the number of new infections per day will gradually increase over the next month (approximately 170 additional new infections per day).
• The most pessimistic scenario the model assumes a 15 percentage point increase in transmission after May 15 plus an additional 10 percentage point increase in transmission after May 25. Under this scenario, the number of new infections per day will increase more dramatically. Compared to the most optimistic scenario, this model projects about 14,000 more cumulative infections, 925 more new infections per day, and 17 more new severe cases per day by July 3.

OHA uses this modeling for data analysis and planning purposes and releases it on a bi-weekly basis.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Office of Emergency Management lead the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

BEND, OR -- COCC is preparing for the summer quarter that’s starting soon. Ron Paradis at the college says using remote and online classes last term went okay. However, students and faculty seem to do better by talking and feeding off each other during the learning process. Paradis says they are hoping to bring back more of the live classes as time progresses. The college is also inviting students to watch their commencement ceremonies at home.

BEND, OR -- The President of Visit Bend, Kevney Dugan joined the Bend and Redmond Mayor’s virtual news conference yesterday. He said the occupancy rate on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend was 65-per cent compared to 94-per cent last year. Dugan said the tourism industry has lost 44-per cent of its jobs, close to 7-thousand, in Deschutes county. Those job losses included workers at hotels, retail and restaurants. Dugan says tourism industry officials believe it will take 18-months to 3 years to recover from the pandemic.

BROTHERS, OR --  Two people died in a wreck on Highway 20 near Brothers on Wednesday morning. Police say a Saturn driven by 39-year-old Stacey White of Lake Oswego was eastbound when it entered the westbound lane hitting a Chevrolet Silverado pickup driven by 60-year-old Timothy Dunn of Las Vegas. He was airlifted to Bend with serious injuries. His passenger, 30-year-old Brian Dunn of Portland was killed. Stacey White the driver of the Saturn also died in the wreck.

The Oregon High Desert Classics, Central Oregon’s hunter-jumper show is canceled in July. The hope was to hold the competition without spectators, allowing only staff and riders on the grounds. The guidance laid out in the state’s Phase 2 COVID-19 opening restrictions, however, allow only 250 people at an event, regardless of the space available. This has made plans unworkable and has pushed J Bar J Youth Services into the decision to cancel this year’s events.

The Mayors of Bend and Redmond held their virtual news conference yesterday. Redmond Airport Director Zach Bass also attended and was asked about Memorial Day weekend. He says they had about 700 passengers compared to 3-thousand passengers a day last Memorial Day. Bass noted that the number of flights has increased from a low of 4 a day to the current 13 outgoing flights a day. Bass says it may take the airline industry 3 years to recover from the pandemic.

Oregon reports 178 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 2 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed two more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 171, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 178 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 5,237. The new cases are in the following counties: Clackamas (47), Clatsop (1), Crook (2), Deschutes (1), Hood River (1), Jefferson (3), Lake (2), Lane (3), Lincoln (9), Marion (34), Multnomah (43), Polk (4), Umatilla (4), Union (1), Wallowa (1), Wasco (1), Washington (15), Yamhill (6).

Oregon’s 170th COVID-19 death is an 84-year-old woman in Clackamas County, who tested positive on June 6 and died on June 9. The location of her death is unknown at this time. She had underlying medical conditions.

Oregon’s 171st COVID-19 death is a 66-year-old man in Yamhill County, who tested positive on June 3 and died on June 10, at Willamette Valley Medical Center. He had underlying medical conditions.

Today’s COVID-19 case count marked the highest daily count since the onset of the pandemic in Oregon.

The reasons for the higher numbers are tied to several factors including widespread availability of testing, increased contact tracing, and active monitoring of close contacts of cases. Workplace outbreaks are another source of the high number.

Higher case counts serve as a reminder that Oregonians need to continue to maintain physical distancing, wear face coverings where physical distancing cannot be maintained and follow good hand hygiene.

Note: One case previously reported in Jackson County was determined not an Oregon resident; the county case count has been appropriately adjusted.

OHA Announces Funding Opportunity for Community Based Organizations

OHA has announced funding opportunities for Community Based Organizations (CBOs) throughout the State of Oregon to support three areas of work as part of the COVID-19 response.

CBOs are central to the success of this work to integrate methods, tactics and strategies that are most responsive to the needs of people of color, people with disabilities, immigrant and refugee communities, Tribes, Migrant and Seasonal Farm Workers and LGBTQIA+ communities.

The specific work areas include community engagement, education, and outreach; contact tracing; and social services and wraparound supports.

OHA is committed to engaging with CBOs and the communities they serve to ensure all members of our community receive information, services and resources in the most responsive way.

To learn more, or get details on information sessions in English and Spanish, please visit https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ERD/Pages/COVID-19-Funding-Opportunity.aspx.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority leads the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

LA PINE, OR -- Deschutes County Sheriff Shane Nelson has announced the opening of another Blue Line Safety Zone. This  one is at the substation in La Pine. Nelson says the zones are designed for things like child custody exchanges or the legal buying and selling of goods. Nelson says there are Blue Line Safety Zones in the parking lot at the sheriff’s office in Bend and at the substation in Sisters. He says Blue Line Safety Zones all have 24 hour surveillance and are popular with the public.

BEND, OR-- Deschutes county commissioners moved a step closer to installing roundabouts along Highway 20 at dangerous intersections. One will be built on Highway 20 and Cook Avenue in Tumalo. The second will be built on Highway 20 at the Old Bend Redmond Highway. According to ODOT, the Tumalo roundabout is estimated to cost 10-to-11 million dollars. The roundabout at Old Bend Redmond Highway has a cost estimate of 5-to-7-million dollars.  ODOT says work is expected to be completed on the roundabouts by the end of 2022.

BEND, OR -- Bend Police say last Saturday afternoon they received a call about vehicle – pedestrian collision at Southwest Industrial Way and Southwest Lava Road. The incident occurred during the Bend walk For Justice demonstration.  Police say the vehicle may have hit a person pushing a child in stroller. The Bend Police is asking anyone who may have witnessed the incident to please call the Deschutes County Dispatch Non-Emergency number at 541-693-6911

BEND, OR -- A threatening call led to a shutdown of two Saint Charles Health facilities about 9-42 Wednesday morning. Lisa Goodman at Saint Charles says a patient… unhappy with his care…threatened to come into the Family Care Clinic with a gun. She says they closed the clinic and Redmond Hospital. Goodman says police were notified of the incident. The shutdown was lifted shortly after 10am.

BEND, OR -- Deschutes County Commissioners got another COVID-19 update yesterday. Deputy Public Health Director Nahad Sadr-Azodi says the county has seen more cases of the virus since mid-April in people under age 30. Sadr-Azodi also noted there are many more tests for the virus in Deschutes county. He says the percent of positive cases is under 2-per cent, which he called great. Sadr-Azodi said 26 per cent of virus cases were from home settings…26 per cent from social gatherings or at work and…47-per cent of virus cases have no known contact. He told commissioners they want to get those “no known contact cases” reduced to 30-per cent.

BEND, OR -- Oregon State University has announced the results of two days of sampling for COVID-19 in Bend last month. O-S-U officials say door to door sampling by their research teams suggests 1-person in 1-thousand in Bend had the virus that causes COVID-19. Health Services Director Doctor George Conway told county commissioners the teams were in Bend May 30^th and 31^st;    went to 30 neighborhoods and tested 615 people in 342 households. Conway says OSU researchers also took sewage samples in those neighborhoods and their analysis is expected "soon." OSU officials say they hope to schedule a second round of sampling in Bend.

BEND, OR -- Bend Police Chief Jim Porter was asked about his thoughts on the dismantling of police departments following the death of George Floyd. Porter says he’s confident in Bend PD’s ability to address the defunding issue. He says they are already ahead of the curve regarding moving their budget to social services for the community. Porter admits that no process is perfect, but the Bend PD has a good track record of working with the community.

BEND, OR -- The High Desert Food and Farm Alliance returns to Bend today at Mirror Pond handing out kits with vegetables and fruits. .Alliance Director Hannah Brzozowski says Veggies Rx was launched several years ago to address issues of food insecurity in Central Oregon. Brzozowski says Veggies Rx will start June 25^th in Prineville in the parking lot of Mosaic Medical. The Veggies Rx in Redmond is July 7^th at Centennial Park.  Brzozowski says people experiencing food insecurity can apply for the Veggies Rx program by going to the High Desert Food and Farm Alliance web page.

REDMOND, OR -- The cities of Bend and Redmond have reopened park playgrounds.  Redmond Parks Manager Annie McVay says under the Phase Two reopening everyone should wash hands before and after going to playgrounds. She says maintain distancing and bring hand sanitizer or wipes to use on surfaces that are touched. McVay says anyone sick or who has been in contact with someone with the virus should stay home. Restrooms are open at Redmond playgrounds but visitors are asked to bring their own hand sanitizer. All drinking fountains are off.

BEND, OR -- The Bend La Pine Schools Board held a virtual meeting yesterday afternoon and unanimously approved Resolution 1901, The School Board Commitment to Equity and Anti-Racism. The resolution states, Quote: “Be It Resolved, The Bend-La Pine Schools Board of Directors stands in solidarity with the Black community, in our schools, district, and nation to condemn this violence and the blatant disrespect by some Americans for Black lives - we see it, we hear it, and we are committed to changing the system.” End quote

Oregon reports 70 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 5 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed five more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 169, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 70 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today bringing the state total to 4,988. The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Benton (1), Clackamas (16), Columbia (1), Hood River (6), Lincoln (2), Marion (8), Multnomah (27), Polk (1), Union (1), Washington (7).

Oregon’s 165^th COVID-19 death is a 78-year-old man in Multnomah County, who tested positive on May 6 and died on May 27 at his residence. He had underlying medical conditions.

Oregon’s 166^th COVID-19 death is a 96-year-old man in Marion County, who tested positive on May 27 and died on June 7 at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. He had underlying medical conditions.

Oregon’s 167^th COVID-19 death is a 70-year-old man in Marion County, who tested positive on June 5 and died on June 8 at Salem Hospital. He had underlying medical conditions.

Oregon’s 168^th COVID-19 death is a 60-year-old man in Marion County, who tested positive on May 21 and died on June 4 at Kaiser Westside Hospital. He had underlying medical conditions.

Oregon’s 169^th COVID-19 death is a 96-year-old man in Clackamas County, who became symptomatic on May 31, after close contact with a confirmed case, and died on June 3 at his residence. He had underlying medical conditions.

Notes:

• One case previously reported in Deschutes County was reported in duplicate; the county case count has been adjusted to reflect this.
• One case previously reported in Linn County was determined not to be a case; the county case count has been adjusted to reflect this.
• One case previously reported in Malheur County was determined not an Oregon resident; the county case count has been adjusted to reflect this.
• One case previously reported in Wasco County was determined not to be a case; the county case count has been adjusted to reflect this.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Office of Emergency Management lead the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

BEND, OREGON -- District Attorney John Hummel says he was inspired by the turnout at the protests in Central Oregon. He states that the attendance was more than he had seen in his twenty plus years of living here and that he was proud of the handful more protest events that popped up around the community. In reaction to the killing of George Floyd, Hummel says that the dismantling and abolishing of police departments is extreme because the public still needs law enforcement to protect citizens in need. The DA suggests redistributing funds from the police department to other government services such as health care and education.

CRATER LAKE, OR -- Crater Lake National Park is in the reopening process. Marsha McCabe at the park says weekend weather changed some of their reopening plans. She says West Rim Drive and the North Entrance remain closed because of weekend snow. McCabe says the Rim Village Gift Shop has reopened and other concessions and services will do so within a week. She says if you don’t have snowshoes, hiking park trails will be a challenge because almost all are covered by snow and many have downed trees. McCabe says park visitors are asked to use a credit or debit card to pay the entrance fee.

PRINEVILLE, OR -- The Crook County Food Project is Thursday and Friday at the Fairgrounds in Prineville. Emergency Preparedness Manager Vicky Ryan says the drive-through-event will provide nearly a week’s worth of food to 15 hundred households. She says the general public can get a food box Noon to 7pm both days or until the food runs out. Ryan says the 9am to Noon time slot is for seniors and veterans. Crook County officials asking everyone to go through the food line only once per household so as many as possible can get food.

BEND, OR -- Bend Parks and Rec is trying something new. Julie Brown at Parks says they would like people with experience in food service to give them input about providing service at multiple locations. Brown says Parks has released a Request For Information from people with food service backgrounds to respond by June 19^th. She says they hope to get responses that include both ideas and the capabilities of people interested in becoming a concessionaire. Check Bend Parks webpage for more information.

BEND, OR -- Deschutes County D-A John Hummel wants state lawmakers to change the criminal justice system in light of the death of George Floyd. Hummel, speaking at a news confernce outside the countycourthouse, says the Attorney General should lead investigations of officers who kill people in the line of duty. He also wants officers who use deadly physical force to be subject to immediate interviews not delays of up to 72 hours. Hummel says state lawmakers should also outlaw the use of choke holds and strangle holds by police. He says police departments should also be required to fit officers with body cameras. 

PORTLAND, Ore. — The state’s death toll from COVID-19 is unchanged from yesterday and remains at 164, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 114 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 4,922. The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Clackamas (13), Hood River (3), Jefferson (1), Klamath (1), Lane (1), Lincoln (61), Marion (8), Multnomah (16), Umatilla (8), Washington (2).

The high number in Lincoln County is related to an outbreak at Pacific Seafood. Outbreak totals will be reported in Wednesday’s COVID-19 Weekly Report.

Note: During routine data reconciliation, a Deschutes County case reported Saturday was determined to not be a case. The state total has been revised to reflect this change.

New outbreak reported

An outbreak of seven cases of COVID-19 has been reported at Chaucer Foods in Washington County. The outbreak investigation started on May 31, but the initial case count was below the threshold for public disclosure. OHA is now publicly reporting COVID-19 outbreaks of more than five cases in workplaces with more than 30 employees in its daily news release Monday through Friday.

State and county public health officials are working to address the outbreak and protect the health of workers. Additional information for this outbreak will be added to the COVID-19 Weekly Report published on June 10.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Office of Emergency Management lead the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

The Bend city council and city management staff has a lot on their plate. Bend Mayor Sally Russell told KBND News how the council is planning to tackle budget cuts. COVID-19 related closures and economic impacts continue to affect the City of Bend. Russell says the city anticipates a significant decline in revenues. The formal budget adjustments are scheduled for approval on June 17^th.

BEND, OR -- The Great Drake Park Duck Race will look different this year. Volunteer organizer Kyle Frick, announced their decision to just do the raffle instead. Tickets will be sold exclusively online at “theduckrace-dot-com” starting July 4^th. The raffle drawing will be held on September 13^th at Drake Park but without the usual crowds.

The Deschutes National Forest is closing a section of the Deschutes Trail today for about two weeks. The closure is from Dillon Falls Boat Ramp and Slough Camp. Kassidy Kern at the Deschutes Forest says they will work to bring the trail to A.D.A. standards. She says the new trail will connect the parking lot and restroom to the restored Ryan Ranch Slough. Kern says during the trail closure hikers will be re-routed. Closure of the Deschutes River Trail will last until Friday, June 19^th.

The snowpack in Central Oregon continued to dwindle in May and that could make this a tough year for fish, farms, and recreation. The water supply outlook for the Upper Deschutes and Crooked Basins did not improve in May due to warm weather. Scott Oviatt with the Natural Resources Conservation Service says May rainfall was 104% of normal. However, he says the entire water year that started October 1^st is only 76% of normal. Oviatt says that means the water supply outlook for the basins is not good. Oviatt says water conservation will be especially important this year.

BEND, OR  -- Deschutes County got the green light to enter Phase Two reopening this past Saturday. The announcement came down mid Friday afternoon. Deschutes County Commissioner Patti Adair urges everyone to wear masks and social distance. Adair says the reopening will help the local economy, especially the tourism and hospitality industries. She says she is comfortable that the reopening can be handled in a safe manner.

BEND, OR -- 

A Bend, Oregon man pleaded guilty today for placing a hoax bomb at the Deschutes County Courthouse on July 29, 2019, announced U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams.

Jonathan Tyler Allen, 24, pleaded guilty to conspiring to use a telephone to make a threat to destroy a building with an explosive.

            According to court documents, on or about July 28 to July 29, 2019, Allen and co-conspirator Kellie Cameron, 31, also of Bend, conspired with one another to shut down the Deschutes County Courthouse in Bend by planting a fake bomb and calling in a bomb threat. Around the same time, Cameron constructed a fake bomb using batteries, wiring, a circuit board, and a fuel filter, among other materials.

            On July 29, 2019, Allen and Cameron drove to the courthouse and placed the hoax device on a ramp near the building. At approximately 7:18am the same day, Cameron, who was with Allen, used a cell phone to call 911. He told the operator, “I just want to let you know that there are two bombs, one’s in the courthouse and good luck finding the other one.” Less than an hour later, with Allen again present, Cameron called 911 a second time to repeat his threat. Allen later threw one of the phones used into a canal to avoid being caught.

            On August 7, 2019, Allen and Cameron were charged by criminal complaint with conspiring to make a threat regarding explosive materials and conveying false information and hoaxes.

Allen faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on September 6, 2020 before U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. McShane. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will recommend Allen be sentenced to 18 months in federal prison.

PRINEVILLE, OR -- The graduating class of 2020 from Crook County High School will be honored this afternoon with a parade through Prineville. Starting at 3-this afternoon, parents or family will drive seniors through Prineville on 4^th and 5th Streets. Jason Carr at the school district says the parade of cars will then head to the high school. No outside spectators other than family allowed at the high school. Carr says the graduation celebration will be videotaped using several cameras and then posted to the school district’s You Tube and Facebook pages.

BEND, OR -- Deschutes Health Services has received a 4-million dollar federal grant to continue services as a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic. The Deputy Director of Behavioral Health Janice Garceau says three years ago the county was selected to participate in a pilot program to increase care and treatment for people with serious, complex mental illnesses and addictions. She says the new federal grant allows them to retain more than 13 employees and hire five more. The 4-million dollar grant will expire April 30^th, 2022.

Crook county received the green light to enter Phase Two reopening beginning tomorrow. Deschutes county wanted to reopen today but the governor’s office says the request is under review. Morgan Emerson at county health services says the county missed one of the metrics because there were cases that could not be traced. She says a closer look at the data shows many cases not traced did have a history of recent travel…. Emerson says those cases may have started outside Deschutes county. She says that updated information has been shared with the governor’s office and there may be additional information today from Salem.

Oregon reports 76 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, no new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — The state’s death toll from COVID-19 is unchanged from yesterday and remains at 159, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 76 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today bringing the state total to 4,474.

The new cases reported today are in the following counties: Clackamas (9), Coos (1), Crook (1), Deschutes (5), Jackson (1), Jefferson (1), Lane (3), Lincoln (5), Linn (2), Marion (12), Multnomah (30), Umatilla (1), Wasco (1), Washington (3), Yamhill (1).

Notes:

• One case previously reported in Polk County was determined not to be a case; the county case count has been adjusted to reflect this.

Active workplace outbreak reported

An outbreak of five cases of COVID-19 has been reported at Amazon Aumsville in Marion County. The investigation started on May 21.

State and county public health officials are working with the business to address the outbreak and protect the health of workers. The risk to the general public from this outbreak is considered low.

People who have symptoms of COVID-19 or concerns about risk of exposure, should contact their health care provider.

Additional information for this outbreak will be added to the COVID-19 Weekly Report for Wednesday, June 10. In that weekly report and going forward, OHA will disclose workplaces that have reported past outbreaks of COVID-19, along with all active outbreaks. OHA published the first list of workplaces in the June 3 weekly report.

OHA to institute weekend reporting changes to COVID-19 Daily Update

Also beginning this weekend, Saturday, June 6, OHA will no longer include a link to the Oregon COVID-19 Daily Update in the daily news release. The updates will be published Mondays through Fridays.

Relevant data collected during the weekends will be included in each Monday’s update. The daily news release for weekend days also will no longer include the county case count of new confirmed or presumed COVID-19 cases.

To see more case and county level data, please visit the Oregon Health Authority website, which OHA updates once a day: www.healthoregon.org/coronavirus.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority leads the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

Yesterday afternoon, Deschutes County Search and Rescue was called to help an injured mountain biker.  68-year-old Larry Rosenburg of Bend was a little more than a mile away from Phil’s Trailhead when he fell off his bike and hit a rock. A deputy reached Rosenburg just before 1 o’clock with Search and Rescue volunteers arriving about 20 minutes later. Rosenburg was able to walk out under his own power and was transported to St. Charles Bend for treatment of his injuries.

Oregon Governor Kate Brown has ordered State of Oregon flags on state buildings to be flown at half staff in honor of George Floyd. The order is in effect from 11 AM today through sunset. A memorial for FLoyd will be held in Minneapolis today. Brown says we should remember the many Black lives that have been taken by unnecessary violence. And that we should commit ourselves, and our country, to fundamental change.

BEND, OR -- Mid-Oregon Credit Union branches are going through some changes this year. While the ATM’s and drive thru services have been open all along, Vice President of Marketing, Kyle Frick, says they are doing everything they can to follow CDC guidelines as they prepare to re-open more branches. That includes plexi-glass barriers and floor markers designating safe distances. Frick encourages members to download their newly designed mobile app and use a feature called Credit Savvy. The app is designed to keep you up-to-date on your credit score.

BEND, OR -- Deschutes County Solid Waste Director Timm Schimke told county commissioners yesterday La Pine Disposal, known as Wilderness Garbage & Recycling has been sold to Republic Services. Schimke says under county code the person buying the franchise must have the experience, assets and the means to carry out the service. He says obviously Republic Services is well qualified to take over. Karin and Stewart Martinez have owned Wilderness Garbage & Recycling since 1984. 

BEND, OR -- Deschutes county commissioners received another COVID-19 update yesterday from the Public Health Director. Commissioner Patti Adair asked Nahad Sadr-Azodi if the 20-to-29 year old age group is still being infected with the virus at a high rate. He says they are and many in that age group are not wearing masks. Sadr-Azodi urged young people in the area to wear masks to protect businesses and to protect vulnerable populations such as the elderly. He says virus cases could spike again, if people don‘t wear masks and social distance.

BEND, OR -- The F-B-I is investigating a death threat against District Attorney John Hummel. Central Oregon Daily reports the threat was made on the DA’s Facebook page. One comment read “You will pay for this with your lives.” The comments were posted from the account of Jonathan Bailey who has had several run-ins with police. In July he was arrested for trying to strangle his dog in his car and when police arrived, Hummel says he was drunk. Bailey ended up being charged with drunk driving and animal abuse and was sentenced to probation, which he violated in January. An arrest warrant has been issued for Bailey, whose whereabouts are unknown.  For more on this story, go herehttps://centraloregondaily.com/%e2%96%b6%ef%b8%8f-fbi-investigating-death-threat-against-deschutes-co-da/

Oregon reports 65 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 2 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed two more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 159, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 65 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today bringing the state total to 4,399. The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Benton (1), Clackamas (7), Deschutes (1), Douglas (1), Hood River (6), Jackson (1), Jefferson (1), Lincoln (1), Linn (1), Marion (18), Multnomah (13), Polk (1), Umatilla (2), Wasco (2), Washington (5), Yamhill (4).

Oregon’s 158th COVID-19 death is a 68-year-old male in Clackamas County, who tested positive on May 21 and died on June 2 at Providence Portland Medical Center. He had underlying medical conditions.

Oregon’s 159th COVID-19 death is a 60-year-old male in Multnomah County, who tested positive on April 17 and died on May 30 at Providence Portland Medical Center. He had underlying medical conditions.

Notes:

• Due to data reconciliation, one case originally reported as hospitalized in the 40–49 age group was determined not to have been hospitalized.
• One case previously reported in Josephine County was determined not to be a case; the county case count has been adjusted to reflect this.

OHA Posts Weekly Report; Now Includes Active Workplace Outbreaks

OHA today released its COVID-19 Weekly Report, which includes data about the pandemic in Oregon. This week’s report shows increased testing and a continued low percentage positive rate (1.9 percent).

Of note in today’s report is the inclusion of COVID-19 outbreaks in workplaces of more than 30 employees with five or more reported cases. This is being done to keep the public fully informed about COVID-19 in the community.

The number of cases cited in a workplace outbreak will include cases among employees as well as cases among close contacts of employee cases, such as family members, customers and visitors. An active outbreak means that fewer than 28 days have passed since the onset of the most recent case. State and local health officials work intensively with workplaces to help them take steps that protect the health and safety of workers and the public.

Identification of an outbreak in a workplace does not imply a general risk either to all the employees there, or to the customers. When an outbreak is reported or discovered, public health officials investigate to determine who has been exposed and notify those persons directly. Such persons are generally quarantined for 14 days following exposure.

In the June 10 Weekly Report, past COVID-19 outbreaks – those considered closed – will be published. OHA is in the process of compiling those data.

Oregonians encouraged to “Answer the Call” to stop the spread of COVID-19

As Oregon begins to reopen, one key strategy to help stop the spread of COVID-19 is contact tracing. Contact tracers call people who may have been exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19 to provide them with guidance and support and help prevent further spread of the virus. OHA is working closely with local public and Tribal health departments on a statewide coordinated contact tracing effort.

To demystify the process of contact tracing, OHA has developed a webpage with downloadable resources, videos and social media cards. Oregonians can learn more about who will get a contact tracing call, what happens on a contact tracing call and how their privacy will be protected.

If you get a call from a contact tracer, we encourage you to answer the call. Together, we can stop the spread of COVID-19.

Go to: healthoregon.org/contacttracing or healthoregon.org/rastreodecontacto to learn more and download resources.

OHA is now including a link to the Oregon COVID-19 Daily Update in the daily news release. The Daily Update is a detailed look at COVID-19 in Oregon, including testing data, hospital capacity, and cases broken down by demographic information such as age groups, gender, race and ethnicity.

To see more case and county-level data, please visit the Oregon Health Authority website, which OHA updates once a day: www.healthoregon.org/coronavirus.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority leads the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

BEND, OR -- A recent survey of colleges across the nation shows 41-per cent of 602 COCC students surveyed had food insecurity in the past month. It also showed 22-per cent struggling with homelessness. The Vice President of Student Affairs, Alicia Moore, says they have partnered with Thrive Central Oregon to connect students in need to local resources…everything from food to health care and medical needs. Moore says Thrive Central Oregon operates from Warm Springs to La Pine and everywhere in between. Schluter says the non-profit will be a great asset to help COCC students to become successful.

BEND, OR -- The Bend La Pine Schools will continue their Grab-N-Go free meals beyond the end of the school year. Nutrition Supervisor Garra Schluter says the program continues through the end of August. Schluter says 283-thousand free meals have been served since mid-March when Stay-At-Home orders were issued. She says the free meals are for children 18 and younger. Schluter says they can receive breakfast and lunch at all sites and take away weekend meals at some sites. Check the Bend La Pine Schools website for pickup locations.

CENTRAL OREGON -- The Deschutes National Forest is getting ready to open 38 campgrounds this Friday. Jean Nelson-Dean with the Forest Service tells KBND about the adjustments they’ve made to ensure the public’s safety during this pandemic. She recommends bringing your own water as pumps won’t be functional this year to protect against the spread of COVID.  Some campgrounds will remain closed due to operational maintenance such as wood-clearing and snow removal. Nelson-Dean says reservations are advised as it is first-come, first-serve without one. Bookings of campsites made prior to Friday are refundable. After that, reservations can be made up to two days beforehand. A full list of campgrounds and their opening dates can be found on the forest service webpage.

BEND, OR -- The marches and demonstrations against police brutality in the wake of the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis have reached into Central Oregon.  Prineville and Bend both had small turnouts last Saturday, but the crowd increased substantially for a march held yesterday.  It started around 12:30 from the area of McMenamin's and moved north to the Courthouse. The crowd was estimated to be well over a thousand. There was a lot of chanting and shouting but generally everyone was well-behaved. For more on this story, go here. https://centraloregondaily.com/%e2%96%b6%ef%b8%8f-rally-amplifies-a-united-voice-against-violence-we-are-protesting-an-unjust-system/ Photo credit Central Oregon Daily

BEND, OR -- Deschutes County Commissioners have sent a letter to the state asking for approval for a Phase Two reopening this week. Morgan Emerson at Health Service says there are 7 requirements the county must meet.  Among them tracing 70-per cent of new virus cases to existing positive cases in 7 to 14 days.  She says other requirements include hospitalizations for COVID-19 are stable or declining. She says Personal Protection Equipment also must be adequate to Oregon Health Authority guidelines. If the state approves the request, Deschutes County would enter a Phase Two reopening on Friday

REDMOND, OR -- The Redmond City Council has approved Mayor George Endicott’s appointment of Albert Calderon to the council. Calderon replaces Councilor Joe Centanni who resigned last week due to relocating out of state. Calderon is a contractor who graduated from Redmond High in 2001. Mayor Endicott says Calderon is passionate about giving back to the community where he was raised.  The appointment is effective now and ends when the term expires in December 2020. 

BEND, OR  -- Sheriff Shane Nelson is taking an idea from Colorado and implementing here in Deschutes county, called Safe Storage. Nelson says gun owners may not feel comfortable if children or grandchildren are coming to visit and there is no safe place to store weapons. He says the sheriff’s department will offer…at no cost…temporary storage of weapons.  Nelson emphasizes it’s a voluntary program. For more information contact the sheriff’s department.

REDMOND, OR -- Redmond School Superintendent Mike McIntosh says the end of year activities within Redmond Schools have a different look this year. To honor the senior class of 2020 COTV will air the graduation ceremonies. Redmond High is to be aired Friday, June 12^th . Ridgeview High will be Saturday, June 13^th.  McIntosh says the airings are a mix of old traditions with a new twist on how to do it virtually.

BEND, OR -- A Bend woman, Tashina Jordan, pleaded guilty to murder and assault charges yesterday. Deschutes County D-A John Hummel says Jordan killed her 7-year old son Mason who had severe developmental disabilities. Hummel says Jordan loved her son but was overwhelmed trying to meet his needs. He says she was diagnosed by doctors with major depression with psychotic features. Hummel says Jordan was sentenced to 10 years on a manslaughter charge and a 20-year commitment to the state hospital for assault.

Oregon reports 33 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 3 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed three more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 157, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 33 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 4,335.

The new cases are in the following counties: Benton (1), Hood River (4), Lincoln (2), Linn (1), Marion (8), Multnomah (10), Umatilla (1), Wasco (2), Washington (4).

Oregon’s 155^th COVID-19 death is a 36-year-old woman in Multnomah County, who tested positive on May 31 and died the same day at Adventist Hospital. She had underlying medical conditions.

Oregon’s 156^th COVID-19 death is a 66-year-old woman in Multnomah County, who tested positive on April 1 and died on May 22 at her residence. She had underlying medical conditions.

Oregon’s 157^th COVID-19 death is an 81-year-old woman in Washington County, who tested positive on April 6 and died on May 26 at her residence. She had underlying medical conditions.

Outbreak Reported at Bob’s Red Mill

An outbreak of 13 COVID-19 cases has been reported at Bob’s Red Mill in Clackamas County. State and county public health officials are working to investigate the outbreak and protect the health of workers. The outbreak investigation started on May 27.

The risk to the general public from this outbreak is low. If you have questions or concerns about your risk of exposure, please contact your health care provider.

Additional information about this outbreak will be added to the COVID-19 Weekly Report published tomorrow.

Last week, OHA announced that it will begin reporting large COVID-19 outbreaks in workplaces. This will include all past and future outbreaks that involve five or more COVID-19 cases in a workplace setting. OHA is in the process of compiling information on past outbreaks for public disclosure.

OHA is now including a link to the Oregon COVID-  Daily Update in the daily news release. The Daily Update is a detailed look at COVID-19 in Oregon, including testing data, hospital capacity, and cases broken down by demographic information such as age groups, gender, race and ethnicity.

To see more case and county level data, please visit the Oregon Health Authority website, which OHA updates once a day: www.healthoregon.org/coronavirus.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Office of Emergency Management lead the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

Media contact: OHA External Relations 971-673-2097, orcovid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us

Oregon reports 59 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 1 new death

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed one more life in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 154, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 59 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. Monday, June 1st, bringing the state total to 4,302.

The new confirmed and presumptive cases reported today are in the following counties: Clackamas (5), Deschutes (2), Jackson (1), Jefferson (11), Josephine (1), Lane (4), Lincoln (3), Linn (2), Marion (13), Morrow (1), Multnomah (6), Polk (2), Umatilla (4), Washington (4).

Oregon’s 154th COVID-19 death is a 59-year-old man in Marion County, who tested positive on May 29 and died the same day at Salem Hospital. He had underlying medical conditions.

Last week, OHA previously announced that it will begin reporting large COVID-19 outbreaks in workplaces. This will include all past and future outbreaks that involve five or more COVID-19 cases in a workplace setting. OHA is in the process of compiling information on past outbreaks for public disclosure.

OHA is now including a link to the Oregon COVID-19 Daily Update in the daily news release. The Daily Update is a detailed look at COVID-19 in Oregon, including testing data, hospital capacity, and cases broken down by demographic information such as age groups, gender, race and ethnicity.

To see more case and county level data, please visit the Oregon Health Authority website, which OHA updates once a day: www.healthoregon.org/coronavirus.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority leads the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

BEND, OREGON -- A Deschutes County Corrections Deputy was arrested Friday night following a family dispute. Bend and Redmond Police conducted an investigation into the incident and determined Deputy Blair Belding got into an argument with his 15 year old step-son. Police say Belding was charged with Assault and Strangulation. Belding was taken to Jefferson county where he is lodged. Belding is now on administrative leave from the sheriff’s department.

BEND, OREGON -- A Bend man has been charged with Menacing and Unlawful Use of a Weapon after threatening his neighbors in an apartment building in Bend.  45-year-old Michael Fuller the Second is alleged to have taken a machete with him to confront a man and woman at the Ariel South Apartments on Tempest Drive. When police arrived Fuller had returned to his own apartment where he talked with officers from his balcony for an hour and a half before he was taken into custody without incident.

LA PINE, OR -- A La Pine high school teacher, 55-year-old Deborah Parker of Bend has been arrested and charged with 8 counts of sexual abuse of a minor.  A student reported having a sexual relationship with a teacher while attending La Pine High 10 years ago.  Sheriff’s detectives interviewed him and were told there were multiple incidents. Last week police searched Parker’s home and collected corroborating evidence and statements. Parker was arrested and jailed.

BEND, OR -- A Mexican American woman who is a former Deputy D-A in Deschutes county has filed a tort claim. Jasmyn Troncoso alleges she was horribly treated by colleagues during the time she worked for the D-A  from July of 2019 until the time she resigned in early May. She alleges the motivation for the treatment was due to her race and gender. D-A John Hummel called Troncoso’s allegations outrageous, despicable and has no place in society. Hummel says he has hired an outside investigator and if the allegations are proven to be true he will do everything in his power the right the wrong and make sure it never happens again. 

CENTRAL OREGON -- Law enforcement officials have issued statements about the death of George Floyd last week in Minneapolis.  The Deschutes County Sheriff posted a Facebook statement that described the video taken during Floyd’s arrests as, “nothing less than horrific to watch and difficult to comprehend.”  The Police Chiefs of Bend and Redmond both released statements condemning the murder and assuring communities of color they do not condone and will not tolerate that type of conduct.