Opinion
4A
Thursday, June 11, 2020
Th e Observer
OUR VIEW
EO Media Group fi le photo
Public health offi cials advise Americans to wear protec-
tive masks or other face coverings in public.
Increase in cases
shouldn’t mean
tightened restrictions
T
he Oregon Health Authority announced
on Sunday the highest daily COVID-19
case count since the pandemic began.
That alone doesn’t mean Oregon needs to
bring back the clampdown on gatherings and
businesses.
More testing means more positive tests. More
contact tracing means better monitoring of the
spread.
As restrictions are eased, it’s to be expected
there will be some outbreaks. The restrictions were
never designed to stop the spread of the virus. And
easing the restrictions doesn’t mean the risks are
gone.
“Although the number is high today, the overall
rate of infection in Oregon remains among the
lowest in the United States,” the Oregon Health
Authority said in a statement.
Reopening is a precarious balancing act. Gov.
Kate Brown has emphasized that the state’s
reopening plan is based on input from public
health offi cials. And it is.
But the Portland Tribune reported state health
offi cials wanted Brown to further delay any
reopening in the state to later in May or June 1.
Brown chose May 15. That was within the range
of dates health offi cials proposed. It was near the
beginning, rather than near the end.
Public health offi cials don’t want the economy
to slump or more Oregonians to be out of work.
But they advocate fi rmly from the position of
public health. The choices Gov. Brown has to make
are not lives or the economy. It’s lives and the
economy.
So despite the easing of restrictions, it’s not over.
Yes, start living a life that’s more normal. Help
local businesses get going again. But also, main-
tain distancing. Wear a face covering. Wash your
hands.
OUR VIEW
Pay by the mile is
driving your way
R
evenue to pay for roads and bridges fell off the
same COVID-19 cliff that everything else did.
Oregon’s 36 cents per gallon fuel tax
was causing problems before the pandemic as cars
become more fuel effi cient.
And then try to pay for roads with a fuel tax when
everybody is pretty much staying home.
The Oregon Department of Transportation is
trying to get Oregonians in on the conversation to
fi x it. It’s holding an open house — online during the
pandemic.
You should know or may already know that what’s
more than likely coming is a pay-by-the-mile tax for
everybody.
A gizmo in your car will send mileage and fuel
data to the state. The driver gets billed, less any fuel
taxes paid at the pump. Roads get money.
The system, called OReGO, is already running.
ODOT wants more people to participate to help
improve it.
You can go to openhouse.oregondot.org/orego to
learn more, ask questions and tell ODOT what you
think.
OTHER VIEWS
Can we drop the ‘World’s Greatest Dad’ scam?
S
peaking as a father (“What —
Figure — and fell in love with your
am I made of money? Go ask
generic future daughter-in-law!”)
your mother! When you have
Let’s face it: Most of us don’t
your own roof, you can make your
DESERVE World’s Greatest Dad
own rules! No, my abs aren’t fl abby,
paraphernalia, either because we’re
they’re just meditating…”)…
unmotivated, emotionally distant,
No, this
stereotypically
could go on for-
dopey or pain-
ever. Start over.
fully struggling to
DANNY TYREE
Speaking as a
seem cooler than
COLUMNIST
COLUMNIST,
we are.
with a strict word
For example,
limit, I agree good fathers should
you may not be getting a World’s
be loved and respected. But no dad
Greatest Dad gift if the “swear jar”
should take for granted that they will
threatens to wreck the currencies
receive obligatory World’s Greatest
of the European Union, Dubai and
Dad merchandise.
Chuck E. Cheese.
Seriously, they should actively
You may not be getting a World’s
DREAD such a last-minute,
Greatest Dad gift if you drive the car
no-brainer gift. I mean, if the little
over the family pet… WHILE the
rascals are just blowing smoke up
poor little goldfi sh is being given a
your butt, they will become trapped
“burial at sea” in the toilet.
in a stressful pattern of topping them-
You may not be getting a World’s
selves. (“Dad, I just paid to have a
Greatest Dad gift if you lazily teach
whole newly discovered galaxy named the art of self-defense by leaving
after you. Yeah…Dad’s Galaxy. Now,
around a cassette of Carl Douglas
could you please co-sign for a new
singing “Everybody was kung fu
Prius and for… um… what I still owe
fi ghting…”
the observatory?”)
You’ll receive even LESS martial
Conversely, if the kiddos sincerely
arts credit if you accidentally taped
harbor such a lofty opinion of you,
over Carl Douglas with Minnie Rip-
they may wind up setting the bar
erton. (“Lovin’ you is easy ‘cause
embarrassingly low in other areas of
you’re beautiful… La la la la la…”)
life. (“Pop! I’m so excited! I just drove
You may not be getting a World’s
my generic car to my dorm at Generic Greatest Dad gift if you slapped the
University — home of the Fightin’
“I’m spending my children’s inheri-
Indeterminate Species or Historical
tance” sticker on the stroller instead of
a Winnebago.
You may be not be getting a
World’s Greatest Dad gift if you cover
your forgetfulness of major milestones
by lying, “The Tooth Fairy exceeded
his budget while buying teeth from
meth addicts.”
You may not be getting a World’s
Greatest Dad gift if you ramble too
long with your maxims: “A penny
saved is a penny earned,” “There is no
‘I’ in team,” “If at fi rst you don’t suc-
ceed, the next vasectomy surgeon may
be more competent…”
You may not be getting a World’s
Greatest Dad gift if you keep praying
for an early entrance by John Wilkes
Booth as little Johnny (portraying
Abe Lincoln) explains how to split
rails in his school pageant.
Even “woke” fathers face an
uphill battle. You may not be getting
a World’s Greatest Dad gift if you
interrupt your child’s halftime cheer-
leading routine to protest the cul-
tural appropriation inherent in the
“pyramid.”
Speaking as a father again, always
set reasonable expectations, appreciate
Father’s Day and… oh, just WALK IT
OFF with the REMAINING leg, for
Pete’s sake!
About the Author
Columnist Danny Tyree welcomes
email responses at tyreetyrades@aol.
com and visits to his Facebook fan
page “Tyree’s Tyrades.”
CONTACT YOUR PUBLIC OFFICIALS
President Donald Trump: The White
House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington,
D.C. 20500; 202-456-1414; fax 202-456-2461;
to send comments, go to www.whitehouse.
gov/contact.
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown: 254 State
Capitol, Salem, OR 97310; 503-378-3111;
www.governor.oregon.gov.
Oregon State Treasurer Tobias
Read: oregon.treasurer@ost.state.or.us;
350 Winter St. NE, Suite 100, Salem OR
97301-3896; 503-378-4000.
Oregon Attorney General Ellen F.
Rosenblum: Justice Building, Salem, OR
97301-4096; 503-378-4400.
State Sen. William S. Hansell (29th
District/Pendleton): Salem offi ce: 900
Court St. NE., S-423, Salem, OR 97301;
503-986-1729. Website: www.oregonlegis-
lature.gov/ hansell. Email: sen.billhansell@
oregonlegislature. gov.
State Rep. Greg Barreto (58th Dis-
trict/ Cove): Salem offi ce: 900 Court St.
NE., H-384, Salem, OR 97301; 503-986-1458.
Website: www.oregonlegislature.gov/barre-
to. Email: rep.gregbarreto@oregonlegisla-
ture.gov.
State Rep. Greg Smith (57th Dis-
trict): Salem offi ce: 900 Court St. NE.,
H-482, Salem, OR, 97301; 503-986-1457.
Heppner offi ce: P.O. Box 219, Heppner,
OR 97836; 541-676-5154; Website: www.
oregonlegislature.gov/smithg. Email: rep.
gregsmith@oregonlegislature.gov.
Oregon Legislature: Legislative docu-
ments and information are available online
at www.leg.state.or.us.
City of La Grande: Mayor Steve Clem-
ents, City Manager Robert Strope; P.O. Box
670, La Grande, OR 97850; 541-962-1309; fax
541-963-3333.
Union County Commissioners: Donna
Beverage, Matt Scarfo and Paul Anderes;
1106 K Ave., La Grande, OR 97850; 541-963-
1001; fax 541-963-1079.
Wallowa County Commissioners:
John Hillock,Todd Nash and Susan Roberts;
101 S. River St., Room 202, Enterprise, OR
97828; 541-426-4543, ext. 11; fax 541-426-
0582.
Elgin City Councilors: Mayor Allan
Duffy, 501 N 11th St., 541-437-1016, mayor@
cityofelginor.org; Mary West, 260 N 5th Ave.,
541-805-0443, councilor3@cityofelginor.org;
Kathy Warren, PO Box 697, 541-786-9611,
councilor6@cityofelginor.org; Risa Hallgarth,
PO Box 525, 541-437-9462, councilor2@
cityofelginor.org; Rocky Burgess, 800 N 14th
St., P.O. Box 854, 541-786-2417, councilor1@
cityofelginor.org; David Reed, 1011 Detroit
St., PO Box 368; 541-975-3306, councilor4@
cityofelginor.org; Ryan Martin, councilor5@
cityofelginor.org.
La Grande City Council: Mayor Steve
Clements, Gary Lillard, Nicole Howard, Cor-
rine Dutto, Mary Ann Miesner, Jim Whitbeck,
Justin Rock; through the city manager’s
offi ce, 541-962-1309.
City of Cove: Mayor Del Little, 503-508-
6727, 504 Alder St., P.O. Box 8, Cove, OR
97824; City Recorder Donna Lewis, 541-
568-4566.