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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (April 3, 2021)
A2 THE ASTORIAN • SATURDAY, APRIL 3, 2021 IN BRIEF County to begin vaccinating front-line workers Clatsop County will begin vaccinating front-line workers against the coronavirus on Monday, along with people living in multigenerational households and people ages 16 to 44 with underlying health conditions. People can fi ll out the vaccine survey on the coun- ty’s website to enter the registry for a vaccine clinic appointment. People can also schedule an appointment to receive a vaccine at Safeway pharmacies in Astoria and Sea- side or Costco, Walmart or Fred Meyer in Warrenton. As of Friday, 17,350 doses have been administered in the county and 5,210 people are fully vaccinated. The county’s goal to reach herd immunity against the virus is vaccinating 27,533 people. State reports two more virus cases at Pacifi c Seafood An outbreak at Pacifi c Seafood in Warrenton is tied to 10 coronavirus cases. Eight cases were disclosed by the Oregon Health Authority on March 24 in a weekly report on work- place outbreaks. Two more cases were disclosed on Wednesday. The investigation began on March 9, according to the health authority, and the most recent onset was March 17. A spokeswoman for the company said all 10 workers have completed their quarantine period and returned to work. An onsite vaccination clinic is planned for April 15. Five test positive for virus at Seaside High School SEASIDE — Three students and two staff mem- bers and volunteers have tested positive for the coro- navirus at Seaside High School, the state disclosed. The most recent onset of virus cases were on March 22, according to a weekly report of outbreaks released by the Oregon Health Authority on Wednesday. “We continue to diligently follow all the clean- ing and safety requirements in the Ready Schools, Safe Learners document, as well as the communica- ble disease plan that is posted on our website,” Sea- side Superintendent Susan Penrod said. “This plan is a collaborative eff ort developed by all the school nurses in our county.” — The Astorian Travel Oregon off ers grants to spur tourism industry By JAMIE GOLDBERG The Oregonian Travel Oregon, the state’s tourism offi ce, is provid- ing $2.3 million in grants to fund projects across the state to help spur tourism as Ore- gon tries to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Local governments, port districts, federally recog- nized tribes, nonprofi ts and Oregon-based tour opera- tors and guides can apply for up to $100,000 in funding to support projects focused on improving infrastructure to safely welcome back tourists as the pandemic continues. The agency will fund projects that support out- door recreation, help guides and tour companies oper- ate, enable paid events and attractions to safely move forward and improve busi- ness districts, including funding projects that cre- ate new outdoor spaces for visitors. The application pro- cess will remain open until March 31. Projects must be completed by the end of November. “The grants that we’re ‘WE ANTICIPATE THAT WE WILL PROBABLY NOT SEE RECOVERY BACK TO 2019 LEVELS UNTIL AT LEAST 2024 AND IT COULD BE 2025.’ Travel Oregon CEO Todd Davidson providing today are going to aid communities and aid businesses in being well-po- sitioned to be able to off er these great Oregon experi- ences in a very safe way,” Travel Oregon CEO Todd Davidson said. “That’s what we’re focused on, making sure folks know they can travel in Oregon safely.” The new initiative comes after Travel Oregon in Feb- ruary awarded $913,000 to fund 34 projects across the state focused on improving visitor experiences during the pandemic. Among the recipients of that grant money was Portland’s eco- nomic development agency, which received $50,000 to improve the city’s green loop. Approximately 87% of American travelers have plans to travel in the next Construction worker tests positive for virus at Astoria High School DEATHS The Astorian April 1, 2021 In HEACOCK, Brief Con- stance Joan “Connie,” 93, of Seaside, died in Sea- Deaths side. Ocean View Funeral & Cremation Service of Astoria is in charge of the arrangements. March 29, 2021 CAVAYA, Merry Lou, 78, of Seaside, died in Nehalem. Hughes-Ran- som Mortuary is in charge of the arrangements. March 23, 2021 BIRD, Bernard, 94, of Astoria, died in Asto- ria. Hughes-Ransom Mor- tuary is in charge of the arrangements. CAMPBELL, James Jr., 60, of Astoria, died in Portland. Hughes-Ransom Mortuary is in charge of the arrangements. LARSON, John, 80, of Naselle, Washington, died in Naselle. Hughes-Ran- som Mortuary is in charge of the arrangements. March 22, 2021 SAGESER, Robert, 92, of Astoria, died in Astoria. Hughes-Ransom Mortuary is in charge of the arrangements. March, 20, 2021 McGRORTY, Steven Sr., 82, of Astoria, died in Astoria. Hughes-Ransom Mortuary is in charge of the arrangements. March 18, 2021 REYNOLDS, Mat- thew, 14, of Astoria, died in Astoria. Hughes-Ran- som Mortuary is in charge of the arrangements. March 15, 2021 STUECKLE, Terry, 78, of Pasco, Wash- ington, died in Astoria. Hughes-Ransom Mor- tuary is in charge of the arrangements. March 13, 2021 KUHL, Gary, 78, of Warrenton, died in War- renton. Hughes-Ransom Mortuary is in charge of the arrangements. March 11, 2021 WITT, Quade, 25, of Blountville, Tennes- see, died in Warrenton. Hughes-Ransom Mor- tuary is in charge of the arrangements. ON THE RECORD DUII On the • Jason Peter Record Velasquez, 41, of Portland, was arrested Wednesday on N.W. Warrenton Drive in War- PUBLIC MEETINGS renton for driving under the infl uence of intoxicants, resisting arrest and reckless driving following a crash. PUBLIC MEETINGS MONDAY Astoria City Council, 7 p.m., City Hall, 1095 Duane St. TUESDAY Clatsop County Board of Commissioners, noon, work session, (electronic meeting). Clatsop Care Health District Board, 5 p.m., (electronic meeting). Astoria Library Board, 5:30 p.m., Flag Room, 450 10th St. Cannon Beach City Council, 6 p.m., (electronic meeting). Established July 1, 1873 (USPS 035-000) Published Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday by EO Media Group, 949 Exchange St., PO Box 210, Astoria, OR 97103 Telephone 503-325-3211, 800-781-3211 or Fax 503-325-6573. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Astorian, PO Box 210, Astoria, OR 97103-0210 DailyAstorian.com Circulation phone number: 800-781-3214 Periodicals postage paid at Astoria, OR ADVERTISING OWNERSHIP All advertising copy and illustrations prepared by The Astorian become the property of The Astorian and may not be reproduced for any use without explicit prior approval. COPYRIGHT © Entire contents © Copyright, 2021 by The Astorian. MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS MEMBER CERTIFIED AUDIT OF CIRCULATIONS, INC. Printed on recycled paper Subscription rates Eff ective January 12, 2021 MAIL EZpay (per month) ...............................................................................................................$10.75 13 weeks in advance ...........................................................................................................$37.00 26 weeks in advance ...........................................................................................................$71.00 52 weeks in advance ........................................................................................................ $135.00 DIGITAL EZpay (per month) .................................................................................................................$8.25 six months, the highest per- centage since the start of the pandemic, according to a recent study by market research fi rm Longwoods International. However, Oregon’s tour- ism industry has been deci- mated during the pandemic and it could take years for it to fully recover. More than 1 million peo- ple visit Oregon in a typical year, fueling a $12.8 billion tourism industry, according to Travel Oregon. But visitor spending throughout the state dropped by nearly 60% last year as tourism dried up amid the pandemic, according to the agency. Tourism could be slow to rebound, espe- cially if international travel remains limited and large events and conventions are slow to return. Oregon’s lei- sure and hospitality indus- try has shed 37% of its jobs during the pandemic, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. “We anticipate that we will probably not see recov- ery back to 2019 levels until at least 2024 and it could be 2025,” Davidson said. While certain parts of the state saw tourism rebound last summer as leisure travel picked up, hotel occupancy in Portland plummeted from nearly 75% in 2019 to 34% in 2020, worse than any- where else in the state. The decline in tourism across the state could have severe fi nancial implications for cities and counties. In Portland, 5% of the overall lodging taxes assessed on hotel and vaca- tion rentals goes to the city’s general fund. The city received $30.8 mil- lion in general fund money from hotel room taxes in the 2019-20 fi scal year, but expects those revenues to be down 75% this fi scal year. “The travel and tourism industry is a primary driver of Oregon’s economy,” Davidson said. A construction worker at Astoria High School tested positive for the coronavirus. In an email to school district staff and families sent Thursday, Superintendent Craig Hoppes said the district is working with general contractor Skanska to investigate the situation. But, he wrote, “at this time we do not believe this positive case aff ects any Astoria School District students or staff .” The worker had not had any con- tact with students or staff . In December, two subcontrac- tors for Skanska at the construc- tion site also tested positive for the virus . The company was tied to six coronavirus cases at the Astoria Middle School construction site in September. Social workers: ‘Always a lot of scrutiny’ Continued from Page A1 S ometimes, people in crisis are ready to be con- nected to treatment and social services, Whisenhunt said, and other times social workers are trying to work proactively to discourage repeated visits to the emer- gency room . “I think that’s one of the beauties of us having an E D social worker program is it really helped support Clatsop Behavioral Health staying outside the hospital walls to help keep people from ending up in the E D unnecessarily,” she said. “And I know that there’s been probably plenty of people they have been able to defl ect from coming to the E R because the E R is not a place you want to be. It’s really one of the least therapeutic places you can be.” S ocial workers try to fi nd the least restrictive option for patients. If they cannot fi nd an outpatient program , they look toward inpatient psychiatric hospitalization. The bar for admission to a psychiatric hospital is lower than the legal thresh- old for civil commitment. To commit someone in Ore- gon, a court must fi nd they have a mental disorder that poses a danger to them- selves or others or they are unable to provide for basic personal needs like health and safety. Whisenhunt said many people in crisis do not meet the criteria for civil commit- ment, so they have to vol- untarily accept treatment. “And I know there’s always a lot of scrutiny,” she said. “Why did they release them? And why aren’t they helping them? And the truth of the matter is that we do everything we can to help folks. And there are times where our hands are just tied by the way laws are written.” Another barrier is the lack of slots available for psychiatric care across Oregon . “What we like to do is try to get them to that higher level of care as quickly as we possibly can,” Whisen- hunt said. “That has proven increasingly diffi cult lately. I am sure COVID has con- tributed to that, but we’ve always had a psychiatric bed shortage in the state, as we do in many states. “But it has gotten to a point where it feels like really critical. So (we’re) holding patients in the emergency room for sev- eral days sometimes, which again, we really don’t want to do.” Columbia Memorial does not have a secure room in the emergency department, so they make rooms as safe as possible for people in crisis. Often- times, a staff er watches a patient around the clock to help ensure they do not harm themselves. Judy Geiger, Columbia Memorial’s vice president of patient care services, said the hospital does not have any immediate plans for a secure room, but it has started discussing the idea. “We’ll look at all our options on that as the situ- ation stays the same or gets continually more challeng- ing getting patients where they need to go,” she said. The crisis respite cen- ter in Warrenton was ini- tially supposed to have four secure beds after it opened in 2016, but Clatsop Behav- ioral Healthcare, which operates the respite center, did not fulfi ll the promise. For people in severe crisis, that often means they are held at hospital emergency rooms or the county jail. ‘Nobody can do it all’ In addition to the emer- gency department , Colum- bia Memorial has inte- grated social workers in other clinics and depart- ments throughout its sys- tem, including pediatrics, specialty clinics and mater- nal and child health. With the pandemic, many adults and children have needed more support . “I’ve been in social work 16 years now, and I have never seen people strug- gle the way they are strug- gling over this past year,” Whisenhunt said. “People who have developed sub- stance use disorder that didn’t have it. P eople who have relapsed. P eople who have had incredible exac- erbations of depression and anxiety. P eople who said, ‘I’ve never felt this way before and I just don’t know what else to do.’ “So that’s largely, I think, what the social workers in the clinics are able to do to really help support people and fi nding new ways to try to deal with what they’re feeling and experiencing. “I’m so proud of CMH for doing this. I think that for many years the com- munity has relied on Clat- sop Behavioral Health to do it all, and nobody can do it all. And they’ve got fund- ing specifi c to certain pop- ulations, and that’s really where their focus needs to be. And so for us to say, ‘OK, well, let us help with these other folks that really are struggling. And the ones that are under your charge, let us help coordi- nate with you to help get them the care,’ — it’s been really huge. “Because, otherwise, to tell someone, ‘W ell, sorry, they don’t take your insur- ance. Y ou’ll have to go to Portland or pay out of pocket’ — for somebody who is already really strug- gling emotionally, that sometimes tips them over the edge. So we’re really just trying to just be a resource for the community in this way, too.” Please ADOPT A PET! GID GET 7 year old Tuxedo female Fre e Est Fast ima tes Call me ti Any Jeff Hale Painting • • • • Residential Commercial Cedar Roof Treatments Exterior Repaint Specialist Over 25 years local experience 503-440-2169 Jeff Hale, Contractor LICENSED BONDED INSURED CCB#179131 Let Gidget adopt you and always have a warm and fuzzy feeling at your fingertips! See more on Petfinder.com CLATSOP COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER • 861-PETS 1315 SE 19th St. • Warrenton | Tues-Sat 12-4pm www.dogsncats.org THIS SPACE SPONSORED BY A-TOWN COFFEE