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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 14, 2021)
STRONG WINDS RIP THROUGH REGION | REGION, A3 E O AST 145th year, no. 38 REGONIAN Thursday, January 14, 2021 $1.50 WINNER OF THE 2020 ONPA GENERAL EXCELLENCE AWARD Bentz casts ‘no’ vote on impeachment of Trump U.S. House approves impeachment 232-197 By GARY A. WARNER Oregon Capital Bureau WASHINGTON — Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ontario, voted against impeaching President Donald Trump on Wednesday, Jan. 13, joining most House Republicans in a losing effort to avoid a stinging rebuke to the pres- ident in his last week in office. The impeachment was approved 232-197, with 10 Republicans join- ing all Democrats in the equivalent of an indictment for inciting a mob to violently invade and ransack the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, killing five people. The ar ticle of impeachment for incitement of insurrection would normally be sent to the Senate for an Bentz extended trial to convict or acquit the president. Three presidents have been impeached in U.S. history: Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton and now Trump twice. In the prior three trials, all were acquitted. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, can send the impeach- ment to the Senate. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ken- tucky, said the earliest he would consider the impeachment would be Jan. 19. That is the day before Biden replaces Trump as president during ceremonies at the Capitol. Bentz did not speak during the two-hour debate and spent much of the time off the floor due to attempts to limit COVID-19 exposure in the House chamber. Bentz said on Jan. 13 the attack on the U.S. Capitol by pro-Trump supporters was inexcusable. “I continue to share the emotions many are feeling in the aftermath of the unprecedented and unacceptable violence this past week,” he said. Bentz said the “rush to judgment” impeachment would only divide the nation more and undercut efforts to get both parties working on key issues, such as COVID-19, as soon as possible. “I voted against impeachment because our focus should be on unify- ing our nation, ensuring a peaceful transition to the Biden administra- tion,” Bentz said. With less than two weeks since he was sworn in, the bulk of Bentz’s time has been taken with the Elec- toral College vote, the riot and oppos- ing efforts to oust Trump as soon as possible. “I came to Congress to stand up for rural communities across my district by addressing the terrible damage caused by recent wildfires and to reform the laws that govern our Doing its part Life Flight Network keeps patients moving during the COVID-19 pandemic H State could still face some hard months to immunize hundreds of residents at a time, but for now, there are no assured vaccination efforts on the horizon. “The people of Umatilla County are counting on us to give them accu- rate information about when we have vaccines available, where we’re able to vaccinate people, and how much we have to give,” Murdock said. “And we cannot get that information (from the Oregon Health Authority).” Fiumara said he is confident the health department alone has the resources to immunize upward of 2,000 residents each week — if provided the supply. However, the county only recently received 100 SALEM — After a brief lull in daily new cases of COVID-19 provided a momentary respite from the unre- lenting march of the pandemic early in the new year, Oregonians now face a projected rise in infections and deaths over the coming months on an unprec- edented scale. That’s according to the most recent modeling from the Oregon Health Authority, which predicted a return to exponential spread, and the Insti- tute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, which anticipated Oregon’s COVID- 19 death toll will more than triple by April 1. OHA modeling, released Jan. 7, estimated the rate of spread in Oregon was 1.29 as of Dec. 23, 2020, indicating each positive case of COVID-19 spread to an average of 1.29 more people. For example, 100 cases would become 129 cases — 29 more — which would then become 166 cases — 37 more — which would then become 214 cases — 48 more — thus exponential spread. That rate of spread would lead to an average of 1,780 new cases and 85 hospitalizations per day by Jan. 26. Notably, the Oregon Health Authori- ty’s prediction does not account for a possible rise in the infection rate due to spread during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. “These projections would look even more dire if the actual transmission level increased beyond 1.29 around Christmas and New Year’s Eve,” the OHA stated in its modeling report. The OHA’s modeling also does not account for any potential dampening effects of COVID-19 vaccination in the state. While vaccination efforts have lagged far behind earlier goals, 115,060 people in Oregon’s high-risk popula- tions had received at least one injection of a vaccine as of Tuesday, Jan. 12. The Health Authority’s modeling also projected a potential scenario in which people became more adherent to COVID-19 prevention measures, such as mask wearing and social distanc- ing. In that scenario, transmission rates dropped to 0.9 and new daily cases by Jan. 26 would average out at 1,400. That scenario appears to be unlikely, however. Local daily cases in the new year jumped back into double- digit figures and statewide daily new cases have approached the 2,000 mark once again, indicating a post-holiday spike is likely occurring. While the OHA’s modeling does not extend past the end of January, modeling from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation reaches into the coming months, and it predicts an See Vaccine, Page A7 See Modeling, Page A7 VACCINE UPDATE County officials caught in a bind PEndLETOn — as state health officials look to ramp up and broaden vaccination efforts across Oregon, Umatilla County officials are concerned that the efforts won’t be a cure-all for the already dwindling quantity of vaccines making their way to the arms of county residents. The shift on the state level comes as Gov. Kate Brown announced on Tuesday, Jan. 12, that she will COVID-19 By KALEB LAY La Grande Observer ERMISTON — As rising COVID- 19 numbers spark worry about hospital capacity in Oregon, the ability to quickly move patients between hospitals has been an important part of planning for surges. In 2020, Life Flight Network transported about 600 confirmed COVID-19 patients across its service region, which covers the Pacific Northwest and part of Western Montana. A news release from the “larg- est not-for-profit air transport service in the Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian, File United States” stated in total it used full A Life Flight Network air ambulance lands at St. Anthony Hospital in Pendleton on May 1, COVID-19 protocols in about 1,300 trans- 2020. Pendleton’s airport serves as the base for Life Flight Network’s aircraft in Umatilla ports where patients had COVID-19 symp- County. toms. Tim Beard, one of the flight nurses who is better equipped to handle their needs. said. “I don’t think the general public really cares for patients as they’re being trans- During the pandemic, Beard said, that has realizes the impact. If they or a family ported via plane or helicopter, said in some often involved transporting COVID-19 member don’t have a COVID-19 infection, ways, his job is the same as it has always patients from rural critical access hospitals their health care can still be impacted.” been: transport critically ill patients. But to a larger hospital with more specialized Life Flight’s air ambulance in Umatilla while flight nurses have always worn surgi- equipment and personnel. County is stationed at the Eastern Oregon cal masks around patients with flu-like So far, he said, he hasn’t personally seen Regional Airport in Pendleton. When Life symptoms, they now wear N-95 masks with patients being moved from a large hospital Flight announced it was adding a Pendle- all patients and a head-to-toe set of personal to a small one because the hospital in the ton base in 2012, it stated that Pendleton’s protective equipment when transporting big city has overflowed its capacity. But airport was a good location because it had a patients with symptoms of COVID-19. what he has seen is patients having to be long runway, a fire station on-site and was “It’s a very confined space, so it’s hard to flown farther than usual because the hospi- on a hill that sees less fog than some of the distance,” he said. tal Life Flight would usually take them to other locations it was considering. Beard has been a nurse for more than isn’t able to take them. A patient from Idaho, Mike Weimer, Life Flight Network 20 years, and been flying with Life Flight who would usually be taken to a hospital regional vice president of Region 2, said Network since 2016. He has flown out of in Spokane, for example, had to go to all someone in Umatilla County who was trans- various parts of Eastern Oregon and South- the way Wenatchee in Central Washington ported by Life Flight could also end up on an ern Washington during that time, and is instead. air ambulance stationed in other locations, currently in Spokane. That holds true for both seriously ill such as La Grande, Walla Walla, Washing- Flight nurses work two, 24-hour shifts COVID-19 patients and those who need care ton, or Dallesport, Washington, if the Pend- a week. Sometimes, they pick up patients after suffering some other kind of medical leton aircraft is already on a flight. directly from the scene of a car crash or emergency. Good Shepherd Medical Center in Herm- other emergency. Other times they trans- “This has impacted more than just the See Life Flight, Page A7 fer current hospital patients to a facility that patients that are sick with COVID,” Beard By BRYCE DOLE East Oregonian See Bentz, Page A7 Pandemic modeling predicts Oregon could still see surge in COVID-19 By JADE MCDOWELL East Oregonian Confusion lingers locally over state’s fumble of COVID-19 vaccine rollout water rights,” he said. As the lone Republican in Oregon’s House delegation, Bentz was at odds with the state’s four other Congress members — Suzanne Bonamici, D-Beaverton, Earl Blume- nauer, D-Portland, Peter DeFazio, D-Springfield, and Kurt Schrader, D-Salem, all voted yes. “Donald J. Trump encouraged and incited the violent attack that occurred on Jan. 6, when Congress was gathered to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election,” Bonamici said in a statement. “It was an attack on our Capitol and our democracy. Today I voted to impeach permit Oregonians older than 65 and childcare, preschool and K-12 school employees to start receiving the vaccine on Jan. 23 in an effort to speed up immunizations to 12,000 daily by Sunday, Jan. 17. The effort comes as state health officials endure mounting pressure due to the slug- gish start to vaccination efforts. Umatilla County Health Director Joe Fiumara and Umatilla County Commissioner George Murdock each said the county is seeing little indication of how these efforts will come to fruition in Umatilla County, and it is unclear what exactly is holding up further shipments of the vaccine. Each said the county was intend- ing to hold multiple weekly events