147TH YEAR, NO. 114
| WEEKEND EDITION // SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 2020 | $1.50
FORESHADOW
Photos by Hailey Hoff man/The Astorian
TOP: Few cars line the typically-packed Commercial Street in Astoria on Thursday evening after government restrictions to contain the spread of the coronavirus. ABOVE LEFT: An
electronic message along U.S. Highway 101 near Warrenton reminds travelers of the dangers of COVID-19 and to avoid groups. ABOVE RIGHT: Alan Isaksen sanitizes a returned cart at
the entrance to the Astoria Co+op on Thursday morning.
Hospitals told to scale back to focus on virus
A move to preserve
masks and gowns
By EDWARD STRATTON
The Astorian
Fearing a critical shortage of
surgical masks for health care
workers caring for people with
the coronavirus, Gov. Kate Brown
ordered hospitals in Oregon to
cease nonemergency procedures
to conserve medical supplies.
The order applies to hospi-
tals, outpatient clinics and other
health care providers, such as den-
tists and veterinarians. Health care
experts are worried about poten-
tial shortages of masks, gowns
and gloves in a virus outbreak.
“It is critical that we preserve
every piece of personal protective
equipment we have in Oregon so
that our health care workers can
keep themselves safe while treat-
ing COVID-19 patients,” Brown
said in a statement Wednesday. “If
we do not take immediate action,
the surge in demand in our hospi-
MORE INSIDE
California, New York and other states
issue stay at home orders.
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tals for masks, gowns and gloves
will quickly outstrip the limited
supplies they have available.
“We cannot let that happen. I
want to thank the health care pro-
viders —including dentists, veter-
inarians and others — who have
already preserved and donated
their critical supplies.”
Washington Gov. Jay Ins-
lee also moved to restrict none-
mergency medical and dental
procedures to conserve protec-
tive equipment for health care
workers.
Brown’s order also limits visits
to hospitals to help protect health
care workers and patients.
Columbia Memorial Hospital
in Astoria and Providence Seaside
Hospital are the most impacted on
the North Coast.
Columbia Memorial stopped
By NICOLE BALES
The Astorian
SEASIDE — Spring break usually brings
the fi rst real rush of tourists to the coast.
But this time it’s quiet. Many of the t our-
ists who are visiting despite the coronavirus
pandemic have to peek through shop win-
dows to see who is still open .
Jimmy Griffi n, the owner of Seaside
Brewing Co. , stood in his empty restaurant
Thursday fi lling to-go orders while juggling
other tasks . He said the restaurant and patio
would typically be packed on a sunny spring
afternoon .
After Gov. Kate Brown ordered restau-
rants and bars in Oregon to offer takeout-only
as a precaution against the virus, Griffi n spent
the past few days updating his website and
buying new marketing materials to advertise
to-go options.
But now he thinks it won’t be long until
Oregon follows California and New York and
directs people to stay at home . “Financially,
it’s affecting me just as much as it is everyone
else,” Griffi n said. “This is really hurting us.”
But he believes taking precautions is bet-
ter than the alternative if the pandemic is not
contained .
“We’re all going to have to make some
sacrifi ces here,” he said.
Griffi n said he employed nearly 30 peo-
ple before Monday. Other popular downtown
restaurants, including Finn’s Fish House,
Twisted Fish Steakhouse and Sports Lounge
and the Times Theatre & Public House, have
closed. Some restaurants have managed to
keep a few employees working by taking
to-go orders and delivering.
“This isn’t us trying to save money,”
Griffi n said. “This is us now working 15 to
20-hour days, not because we’re busy, but
because we’re trying to keep our businesses
open so we can bring our people back.
“In a little town like this, a lot of us bleed
all winter long so that we have our peo-
ple around in spring and summer,” he said.
“Spring break is when we make some of that
back ... It’s not going to happen this year. So
we’re going to see a lot of real stressed busi-
nesses this year as a result of that.”
See Hospitals, Page A8
Port could park
cruise ships in
limbo over virus
‘This is really hurting us’
Seaside quiet as concerns
about virus grow
all nonessential surgeries on Tues-
day. “Personal protective equip-
ment is obviously a great concern
to all of us as we work to keep
our community healthy,” Nancee
Long, the director of communica-
tions at the hospital, said in a text
message.
Earlier Wednesday, in a mes-
sage to patients and the commu-
nity, Columbia Memorial had
pledged that any changes to care,
such as offi ce visits and elective
A potential source
of new revenue
By EDWARD STRATTON
The Astorian
Nicole Bales/The Astorian
Finn’s Fish House is one of many restaurants
in Seaside that are temporarily closed.
MORE INSIDE
State closes campgrounds over virus.
With revenue decimated by a trade war
with China and the coronavirus pandemic,
t he Port of Astoria could host cruise ships
that need a place to park while global voy-
ages are suspended.
“Cruise ships are in a scramble,” said Will
Isom, the Port’s executive director. “They
don’t have dockage for all their vessels.”
The Port is exploring the logistics of
docking one or two cruise ships with skel-
eton crews along Pier 1, where dockage
has been a major driver of the Port’s oper-
ational revenue.
R evenue has dwindled since a trade war
between the U.S. and China stopped log
exports from Pier 1 by Astoria Forest Prod-
ucts. The company has since been trying to
escape from its leases with the Port.
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See Seaside, Page A7
See Port, Page A8