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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2021 | SILVERTONAPPEAL.COM PART OF THE USA TODAY NETWORK 37 Oregon education bills to watch this session Natalie Pate Graduation requirements Salem Statesman Journal USA TODAY NETWORK Among the dozens of measures being considered by the Oregon Senate and House committees on educa- tion, 37 stand out. The 2021 Oregon legislative session started mid- January and will span 160 days. The Capitol is closed to the public until at least March to limit the risk of a cor- onavirus outbreak. Committee meetings and hearings are being held virtually. Education topics include new high school gradua- tion requirements, college and university regulations, racial justice efforts, limits on virtual charter schools and updates to statewide assessments. Proposed changes to high school graduation re- quirements center this year, as they have in past ses- sions, on what students should be required to know before heading out into the world. Some lawmakers, including Rep. Paul Evans, D- Monmouth, have been pushing for years to firm up the state’s civics requirement. Evans’ latest iteration is House Bill 2299, which would require students to demonstrate proficiency in civics by a method identified by the school district. The bill is mirrored in Senate Bill 513, chiefly sponsored by Sen. Fred Girod, R-Stayton. These bills state proficiency could be determined by the successful completion of a course in civics, a pass- ing grade on a civics test selected by the district or a passing grade on a civics test developed by the Depart- ment of Education and Secretary of State, to name a few examples. Related bills include: SB 26: Would require students in K-12 to receive at least half a semester, or the equivalent, of civics in- struction. SB 597: Would prohibit the State Board of Educa- tion, school districts or public charter schools from re- quiring students to pass tests to demonstrate profi- ciency in the state’s Essential Learning Skills in order to receive a diploma. HB 2702: Would require high school seniors to com- See EDUCATION, Page 4A What to know about this year’s flu season Dana Sparks Register-Guard USA TODAY NETWORK An aerial view of damage from the Labor Day fires in Gates taken in October. DAVID DAVIS AND ZACH URNESS/STATESMAN JOURNAL Wildfire bill targets damaged buildings, forests, firefighters Zach Urness Salem Statesman Journal USA TODAY NETWORK Gov. Kate Brown introduced wide-ranging legisla- tion last month aimed at combating the rise of de- structive wildfires in Oregon. Senate Bill 287 requires utilities to create wildfire safety plans, prioritizes managing forest fuels, bol- sters the state’s firefighting resources and seeks to safeguard communities against future fires. The bill is in its early stages. It was referred to the Natural Resources and Wildfire Recovery Committee on Jan. 19; no hearings have been scheduled. But the bill also represents a priority for Brown and is likely to stir considerable discussion following the most destructive wildfire season in Oregon’s history. “There’s no question we just went through one of the most devastating disasters in state history,” said Matt Garrett, wildfire economic recovery director for Brown’s office. “The issues in this bill should be front and center in the discussion.” The bill covers an extraordinarily broad range of topics, but its overall focus centers on three areas: building fire-adapted towns and homes, bolstering firefighting capability and improving forest health. Garrett said in the short-term, the bills could mean more firefighters on the ground for the 2021 season and improving state areal resources, along with some fuel treatments that could be completed short term. Long-term, he said, the goal is creating clear stan- dards for utilities and communities in high-wildfire risk zones. The potential costs of the legislation haven’t come in yet, but the bill is based on recommendations from a 2019 committee that said safeguarding Oregon would cost north of $4 billion over multiple decades. “I think the cost will be significant,” Garrett said. “But the bottom line is that there is a significant need.” Fire-adapted communities The bill’s first area of focus is creating towns that are more prepared to handle an incoming wildfire. See BILL, Page 2A The Willamette Valley can welcome some good news: It’s been a mild, if not minimal, flu season. Oregon Health Authority influenza data suggests zero positive flu cases registered in hospitals and no outbreaks statewide. The low occurrence, officials say, is thanks to CO- VID-19 mitigation efforts, such as social distancing and mask wearing, and high vaccination rates. “In years past, we’ve always put out information about getting a flu shot being the best way to protect yourself and those around you,” said Jonathan Mo- die, an OHA spokesperson. “This year was different — we emphasized getting vaccines as a way to reduce the burden on hospitals and healthcare systems in Oregon.” The increased OHA efforts for flu vaccinations in September and October produced the greatest num- ber of flu vaccinations administered in Oregon in the past three seasons, with more than 200,000 doses since August, according to OHA. During most influenza seasons, which typically run from November to April, between 10% and 20% of the population is infected with influenza viruses. The data from around Oregon and specifically the Portland tri-county hospitals is compiled by OHA. “It gives us a good idea of the flu activity in the state,” Modie said. Over the past five years, the 2019-20 flu season was the worst, according to OHA data, when 7% of emergency department visits were associated with influenza-like illnesses. This year, Oregon‘s flu season has seen less than 1% of ER visits for flu-like sickness and 0.1% positive influenza tests. Nationwide, so far, all states are recording a mild flu year — except Oklahoma, which is experiencing See FLU, Page 3A Influenza 2020-2021 season facts Though COVID-19 and influenza are very different viruses, the same health and hygiene measures are effective prevention. The flu often comes on abruptly with fever, aches, fatigue and chills as common symptoms. A cough or chest discomfort, sneezing and sore throat might also be associated with influenza. The Willamette Valley had the lowest percentage of influenza-like illness reported in the second week of January with 0.6%, according to outpatient surveillance. How to get a COVID-19 vaccine shot Bill Poehler and Tracy Loew Through Jan. 16, vaccines are given in Oregon at a rate of roughly 2,000 shots per day. Confirm you're eligible Salem Statesman Journal USA TODAY NETWORK Thousands of people eligible to receive one of the COVID-19 vaccinations in Salem want to know where to receive a shot of the vaccine. Steps to get a COVID-19 vaccination in Marion and Polk counties The primary organization coordinating vaccina- tions in Marion and Polk counites is Salem Health at clinics at the State Fairgrounds in Salem and at West- ern Oregon University in Monmouth. Salem Health posts regular updates throughout the day about the availability of vaccinations on its Facebook page. No influenza outbreaks have been reported in Oregon in the 2020-2021 flu season. According to Salem Health, to be eligible at this time you must: h Be an educator (K-12 teachers and school person- nel, and early learning employees, including child care) who lives or works in Marion County, or works for the Salem-Keizer School District (for the fair- grounds clinic) or Polk County (for the WOU clinic). h Be in OHA Phase 1a, group 1-4. In Oregon, Phase 1a, group 1-4 includes: h Health care workers at hospitals, urgent care clinics, outpatient settings, public health and early learning settings. h People who work in hospice programs, mobile crisis care and related services, secure transport and non-emergency medical transport. There were 158 influenza test results in the Willamette Valley during the second week of 2021. According to the National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System, none of these tests yielded a positive result. Source: Oregon Health Authority See VACCINE, Page 3A Vol. 140, No. 8 Online at SilvertonAppeal.com News updates: h Breaking news h Get updates from the Silverton area Photos: h Photo galleries Serving the Silverton Area Since 1880 A Unique Edition of the Statesman Journal QEAJAB-07403y ©2021 50 cents Printed on recycled paper Local health experts are strongly encouraging residents to get flu shots this year. THE REGISTER-GUARD FILE
