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About Keizertimes. (Salem, Or.) 1979-current | View Entire Issue (March 6, 2020)
PAGE A2, KEIZERTIMES, MARCH 6, 2020 WINDOWS, CABINETS, APPL I ANCES, LUMBER, PLYWOOD, YES WE DELIVER! DOORS, FENCING, SIDING, FLOORING, INSULATION, & MUCH, MUCH MORE! B M B C BUILDING MATERIALS BARGAIN CENTER, INC. 775 FRONT STREET NE - SALEM - CALL US AT 503-363-9070 Coronavirus: What to know and what to do By ERIC A. HOWALD Of the Keizertimes Oregon health offi cials had identifi ed three presump- tive cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19) at press time. The fi rst case of the virus in an Oregon resident was identi- fi ed on Feb. 28 and two more followed. The most recent is an adult from Umatilla Coun- ty and has not been linked to other cases that involved trav- el to other parts of the world. Preliminary reports indicate the person attended a youth bas- ketball game at a gymnasium at Weston Middle School, 205 E. Wallace St. in Weston, Ore., on Saturday, Feb. 29. Health offi cials had tested 50 Oregon patients for COVID-19 and 18 results were still pending at press time March 4. With fears about the virus, which originated in the city of Wuhan, China, now the major topic of conversation around the world, the Oregon Health Authority is recommending the following actions: • Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue and then throw the tissue in the trash. • Wash your hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, use an al- cohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. • Avoid close contact with people who are sick. • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with un- washed hands. • Clean and disinfect surfac- es that are often touched. • Take care of your health overall. Stay current on your vaccinations, including fl u vac- cine, eating well and exercising. All help your body stay resilient. • Consult CDC’s travel website, wwwnc.cdc.gov/trav- el/notices, for any travel advi- sories and steps to protect your- self if you plan to travel outside of the US. On the local level, the Sa- lem-Keizer School district is taking additional measures to ensure healthy spaces for stu- dents. “We are initiating additional cleaning protocols for high fre- quency touch points like shared surfaces and doorknobs. We know you may want to send additional wipes and sanitizers to school with your child, and at this point that is totally fi ne. We have to be careful about the types of products and chemicals in our schools, however, given the circumstances we have re- laxed our parameters around these. Unless your child is un- well, we encourage you to send them to school,” said district of- fi cials in a email to parents over the weekend. School offi cials also en- couraged parents to be mind- ful of talk regarding Asian and Asian-American students. “We ask that you and your family be mindful that bullying of students based on race, color, national origin, or disability is unacceptable in our school dis- trict,” the email stated. Updates from the district, including possible facility clo- sures, can be found at salem- keizer.org. Those concerned about the spread of the virus might con- sider taking the following ac- tions: • Make certain you have an ample supply of daily med- ications. While a shortage is unlikely, the goal is to avoid crowds at a grocery store or pharmacy. • Those prone to illness can stock up on hydrating drinks and items like soups and crack- ers. • Talk with your workplace about telecommuting in case of an illness and have an emergen- cy plan for the young people and elderly in your lives. • Above all, make washing hands a habit, especially when returning to work or home from community spaces. Keizer fi re releases second wave of bonds At their regular monthly board meeting on Tuesday Feb. 18, the Keiz- er Fire District Board of Directors approved the bank fi nancing of the second series of bonds in the current strong fi nancial market and increase the value of the bonds, whiles saving taxpayers money in rates, term, and in- terest — the fi rst series of bonds were sold in March of 2016. The bond funds are to buy fi re trucks, ambulances and equipment. The rates, term, and interest win- ning trifecta can be explained as fol- lows; The property tax rate for the bonds was set at $0.14 cents per 1,000 for property owners. The refi nancing came in at $0.13 cents per 1,000 as a lower tax rate for property owners. The 20-year term of the bond was re- duced to 16 years of payments instead of 20 years. The interest rate is at a low 2.5% interest. The perfect storm of market rates, interest and investor demand for sta- ble investments provided a startling $1.9 million in interest savings to KFD tax payers over the length of the fi re equipment bond funding while yield- ing $6.3 million instead of $5.9 million in emergency equipment for KFD. KFD put the funds to work im- mediately, ordering two more ambu- lances, a fi re truck, and a wild-land fi refi ghting vehicle (brush truck). The timing of the orders, combined with ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ avoiding 2020 cost increases on equip- ment, yielded another $80,000 in cost savings. Speaking on behalf of the KFD Board of Directors, Board President Chet Patterson expressed his approval of the fi nancial move. “It is always a win to make good decisions, save our tax payers money and get the necessary equipment out there for our fi re district to handle emergencies,” Patterson said. Delight pathway contract awarded There is no start date yet, but a long-desired project in west Keizer is one step closer to fruition. The Keizer City Council awarded a contract to con- struct a 10-foot wide asphalt pathway along the west side of Delight Street North at a meeting Monday, March 3. Gelco Construction was the winning bidder on the project with a low bid of $149,580. Eight contractors placed bids on the project, the high- est bid was $239,822. An en- gineer’s estimate for the proj- ect was $170,000. The pathway will extend from the the north end of the Cummings Elementary School property to Chema- wa Road North. The project includes white fog lines on both sides of Delight Street to delineate the vehicle lanes from the pathway. Delight is a heavily used street by cars, pedestrians and riders of all sorts to ac- cess Cummings and McNary High School. A sidewalk in front of the Cummings school property will be in- stalled by the Salem-Keizer School District when it em- barks on other upgrades at the school. The project will be funded through the city’s street fund. legacyhealth.org/keepmoving Keep moving … “ This community is beautiful and the whole staff is so attentive and caring! As a family member, I always want the very best for my Mom and I know that we have found an incredible place where I know that she is happy and well-cared for. The atmosphere is engaging and respectful and it is so good to know that Mom is in such good hands. I would highly recommend this community to anyone! ” — HEIDI C. Time to fix your joint pain? Do you want to return to doing the things you love? To live your best life? We can help, with a complete, expert approach to knee and hip surgery, plus care for other bones and joints. We’ve been keeping this community moving for years, so you know we’ll be with you every step of the way. Call 503-386-4211 or visit legacyhealth.org/keepmoving Locations Legacy Medical Group– Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Keizer Health Center 5685 Inland Shores Way North Keizer, OR 97303 452 Welch St. Medical Office Building 1 Silverton, OR 97381 Woodburn Health Center 1475 Mt. Hood Ave. Woodburn, OR 97071 Our legacy is yours. i ty t -two. t senior l i v i n g f o r t h ose who hav v e r e ached t h e age of six Qualilty CALL (503) 390 -1300 1165 McGee Ct NE, Keizer, OR • www.VillageAtKeizerRidge.com AD-1404 ©2019 Come See the Finest in Senior Living
