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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (March 24, 2020)
TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 2020 THE OBSERVER — 5A ORDER Continued from Page 1A • Violating the order could be a Class C misdemeanor. • Except for members of the same residential household, all non-essential social and recre- ational gatherings of individ- uals are prohibited immediately, regardless of size, unless people can stay at least six feet apart. • As of Tuesday, specifi c retail businesses are closed. They include arcades, barber shops, hair salons, gyms and fi tness stu- dios, skating rinks, theaters and yoga studios. • Businesses not on the clo- sure list may operate via tele- work or by implementing social- distancing policies “consistent with guidance from the Oregon Health Authority.” Brown said OHA still was working on those guidelines. • With the exception of busi- nesses allowed to stay open, indoor and outdoor shopping malls must close. • Playgrounds, sports courts, skate parks and some other out- door recreation facilities are closed. Facilities allowed to remain open, including golf courses, must strictly follow social distancing guidelines. • Child care facilities are restricted to “stable groups of 10 or fewer children,” meaning that the children must be in the same group each day. • Public and private camp- grounds are closed, although vet- erans and camp hosts can remain in state parks. RV parks and other housing may remain open. • State agencies generally are closed to the public, except by appointment in some circum- stances, and state employees should work remotely if possible. Brown urged local, tribal and federal offi ces to do the same. Associated Press Gov. Kate Brown speaks at a news conference Monday, March 16, to announce a four-week ban on eat-in dining at bars and restaurants throughout the state. Brown now is ordering more Oregonians to stay home unless absolutely necessary. “Following this order will save lives,” Brown stated in a news release, “while still allowing businesses to function if they can protect employees and customers through social distancing. “While many businesses and organizations that are heavily dependent on foot traffi c and in-person interactions have already closed or will close under the expanded order, other businesses that make robust plans to meet social distancing requirements — and enforce those requirements — may remain in operation, preserving jobs while ensuring health.” Through much of the weekend, the governor had been resisting issuing a state- wide stay-home order. Pressure mounted as local government offi cials in the Portland metro and Eugene-Springfi eld areas urged her to issue such a state- wide order. The city of Portland was pre- pared to do so on its own. In explaining Monday’s order, Brown told reporters: “I wanted to make sure that we had an executive order that worked for all of Oregon. That we could ensure that Oregonians in very rural communities of the state, like Adel and Ontario, could comply as well as folks in metro- politan areas.” She said she also wanted an order that could work for longer term: “For example, maybe more than a few weeks.” Brown said she expects the Legislature to hold a special ses- sion in the next week or so in response to the pandemic. A legislative committee on Monday was working on proposals. “It is important we do things on a statewide level so we not move the problem around to different places,” said co-chairman Sen. Arnie Roblan, D-Coos Bay. “Following this order will save lives, while still allowing businesses to function if they can protect employees and customers through social distancing. While many businesses and organizations that are heavily dependent on foot traffi c and in- person interactions have already closed or will close under the expanded order, other businesses that make robust plans to meet social distancing requirements — and enforce those requirements — may remain in operation, preserving jobs while ensuring health.” — Gov. Kate Brown, on issuing Executive Order 20-12 TYPES OF BUSINESSES CLOSED Effective Tuesday, Gov. Kate Brown has ordered the following businesses to close. Oth- erbusinesses must operate remotely or within social distancing guidelines. • Amusement parks • Aquariums • Arcades • Art galleries, except fby appointment • Barber shops and hair salons • Bowling alleys • Cosmetic stores • Dance studios • Esthetician practices • Fraternal organization facilities • Furniture stores • Gyms and fi tness studios, including climbing gyms • Hookah bars • Indoor and outdoor malls except for busi- nesses allowed to remain open, including food (takeout or delivery), grocery, health care, medical, pharmacy or pet store services. • Indoor party places, including jumping gyms and laser tag • Jewelry shops and boutiques unless they provide goods exclusively through pick-up or delivery • Medical spas, facial spas, day spas and non-medical massage therapy services • Museums • Nail and tanning salons • Non-tribal card rooms • Skating rinks • Senior activity centers • Ski resorts • Social and private clubs • Tattoo/piercing parlors • Tennis clubs • Theaters • Yoga studios • Youth clubs The most valuable and respected source of local news, advertising and information for our communities. eomediagroup.com La GRANDE AUTO REPAIR 975-2000 www.lagrandeautorepair.com MOST ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE Joe Horst SCHOOLS Continued from Page 1A to take home on March 13, the last day before the clo- sure took effect. The packets will be of particular help to stu- dents who cannot easily get online. “We are concerned about students who do not have internet access,” NUMBERS Continued from Page 1A Limit close contact with others as much as possible (no closer than 6 feet). •Stay informed about the local COVID-19 situation, including temporary school dismissals in your area. •Continue practicing everyday preventive ac- tions. Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue and wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer that contains 60% alcohol. Keep your hands away from your face. Clean frequently touched surfaces and ob- jects daily using a regular Lakey-Campbell said. One of the internet tools the superintendent hopes to put to good use is Google Classroom, a free web ser- vice. Students can pick up and turn in class assign- ments and receive teacher input on them using Google Classroom. Lakey-Camp- bell said she hopes services like this will help keep stu- dents sharp during the pro- longed break. “We want to help stu- dents maintain their skills,” she said. Cove School District Superintendent Earl Pettit said the online program his school district will use is going to provide an important educational sup- plement. None of the work public school students will be doing during the break can be graded for credit because of state restric- tions, Pettit said. Union School District Superintendent Carter Wells said curriculum materials will be available online or in packet form to students in the Union district. “We are trying to pro- vide students and fami- lies the chance to continue to grow,” Wells said. “Our mission is to help provide opportunities for learning.” household detergent and water. •Notify your workplace as soon as possible if your regular work sched- ule changes. Ask to work from home or take leave if you or someone in your household experi- ences COVID-19 symp- toms, or if your child’s school is dismissed temporarily. •Communicate with others by phone, email or social media. If you have a chronic medical condition and live alone, ask family, friends and health care providers to check on you during an outbreak. Stay in touch with family and friends, especially those at increased risk of developing severe illness, such as older adults and people with chronic medical condi- tions. WHAT ARE THE SYMP- TOMS? Reported illnesses have ranged from mild symptoms to severe illness and death for confi rmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases. Fever, cough and shortness of breath may appear 2-14 days after exposure. IF I FEEL I HAVE COVID-19 SYMPTOMS, WHAT DO I DO? If you have been exposed to COVID-19 and develop a fever and symptoms such as cough or diffi - culty breathing, call your health care provider. WHERE CAN I GET THE TEST FOR COVID-19? 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