October 20, 2021
Page 2
In Loving Memory
Daryl Renee
“Deedee”
Woodland
Born June 23,
1964
--
Passed Oct. 15,
2021
Hit Again by Legionnaire’s Disease
New case at
Rosemont senior
apartments
The Multnomah County Health
Department last week confirmed a
new case of Legionnaires’ Disease
at Rosemont Court, despite efforts
to fix the building’s water system.
A historic property in north
Portland retrofitted into senior
and low-income apartments some
years ago, Rosemont residents
were evacuated from their homes
under a public health advisory last
January after at least 10 cases of
the bacterial disease were report-
ed to have caused hospitalizations
and at least one death.
But residents were allowed to
return under new precautions and A new case of Legionnaires’ Disease has been confirmed at
many of them cited the affordabil- Rosemont Court, a senior apartment complex.
Corrections: Peterson for Sheriff – In our Sept. 22 story on
Capt. Derrick Peterson running for Multnomah County Sheriff we
had some errors we regret. Peterson has been employed in the sher-
iff’s office since 1986, currently supervising the county jail system as
a commander, not as a deputy sheriff. He is the first Black person to
run for the office this election cycle, not the first Black man or woman
to ever run for the office. Vera Pool ran in 1993, 1995 and 2002 and
Mohammad Ra’oof was a candidate in mid 2007 or after. The current
sheriff is Mike Reese.
ity of the complex with month-
ly rents much lower than can be
found elsewhere, as a reason for
staying.
Legionnaires’ disease typical-
ly spreads from a water source
and officials believe it somehow
got into the building’s water
supply. The building, a former
convent and religious school at
597 N. Dekum St., is owned by
Northwest Housing Alternatives.
The disease is not known to
spread from person-to-person.
And most healthy people exposed
to Legionella do not get sick.
But for people at increased risk,
breathing in very small droplets of
water with the bacteria can lead to
severe pneumonia, health officials
said.
People at increased risk for
infection include the elderly,
smokers, those with chronic dis-
eases such as COPD or diabetes,
and the immunosuppressed. For
those who get symptoms, the
first to appear are usually flu-
like (fever, tiredness, muscle
aches, and headache). Signs of a
serious Legionella lung infection
(pneumonia) include cough and
chest pain. Many people sick
with Legionella also have diar-
rhea.
In January, Multnomah County
created a plan with building man-
agers to treat the Rosemont water
system with chlorine, including
shutting off the water for con-
sumption and providing bottled
water. A disinfection system and
filters were also added on faucets
in the apartments.
The
Week
in
Review
in northeast Portland, drawing
around 400 runners. The Soul Dis-
trict Business Association event
honors Dr. Martin Luther King
Jr.’s vision of social and econom-
ic justice for all. Proceeds support
DA Advocate Resigns
Ernest Warren, a longtime crimi- communities of color and minori-
ty-owned businesses.
nal defense lawyer
from the Black
Unvaccinated Coach Fired
community hired
Washington State fired football
to lead a new unit
coach Nick Rolovich and four
reviewing convic-
of his assistants on Monday for
tions and sentences
refusing a state mandate that all
in the Multnomah
employees get vaccinated against
County
District
COVID-19, making him the first
Attorney’s office, resigned last
major college coach to lose his job
Wednesday without comment.
over vaccination status.
DA Mike Schmidt wished Warren
well and said he would continue to
be an ally for integrity in the crim-
inal justice system.
Woman in July 4 Fire Dies
A woman who suffered critical
burns after she was trapped during
a July 4 fire at the Heidi Manor
apartments in northeast Portland
died Thursday. Kelsi Edmonds
had been undergoing treatment at
the Oregon Burn Center at Legacy
Emanuel Hospital. Her boyfriend
and a roommate died in the inferno.
Vandalism Returns Downtown
Widespread vandalism in down-
town returned Oct. 12 when a
group of about 100 people targeted
dozens of businesses by breaking
windows, causing an estimated
Police Want 840 New Officers $500,000 in damages. Dumpsters
The Portland Police Association and garbage cans were also set on
says the city will need to hire 840 fire in the street.
additional officers in the next 5
School Employees Vaccinated
years. That’s more than the entire
Portland Public Schools announced
number of sworn-members cur-
Monday that over 96.3% of its
rently serving. The bureau cur-
employees were fully vaccinated
rently has 129 vacancies.
against COVID-19, the deadline
for Gov. Kate Brown’s mandate
MLK Dream Run Held
The 10th-annual MLK Dream requiring all school staff to be vac-
Run took to the streets Sunday cinated against COVID-19.