E BR Library Tidings YOUR #1 LOCAL YARD, GARDEN, AND LANDSCAPE EXPERTS! WE’RE GLAD TO GET YOU GROWING! 31 st Anniversary RS 2020 WEDNESDAY EDITION | APRIL 29, 2020 | $1.00 EA CEL SN S SIU THESIUSLAWNEWS.COM W 1890 AW NE L S AT I N G 1 30 Y 88493 Hwy. 101 Florence Open 7 days a week Senior Discount Every Tuesday 997-5973 I NSIDE — A3 States, Oregon counties consider reopening strategies Siuslaw News Peace Harbor’s COVID-19 incident command By Damien Sherwood For the Siuslaw News Now passing three months since Oregon’s first reported case of COVID-19, state and county gov- ernments are strategizing a cautious reopening of public and business life. Balancing the trade-off of risks to public and economic health has proven a point of contention for many and has prompted certain county governments to begin push- ing for easing the restrictions hand- ed down since Gov. Kate Brown’s March 23 executive order. On April 22, the Douglas County Board of Commissioners authored a letter imploring Brown to consent to the first phase of reopening in Douglas, Coos, Curry, Jackson and Josephine counties effective April 25 under federal guidelines. The let- ter, with all five county commission- ers’ signatures, was set to be sent to Brown on April 24, though the gov- ernor’s office has not responded to the letter as of press time. While the commissioners stated that they “understand the concern of an increase in COVID-19 cases once restrictions are eased,” the let- ter makes the case for all five coun- ties meeting the state’s proposed criteria for reopening. State Criteria Brown has expressed favor for a regional approach in reopening the economy depending on certain cri- teria being met. See REOPEN page 6A NEWS & VIEWS THAT DEFINE OUR COMMUNITY VOL. 130, NO. 34 F LORENCE , O REGON WEATHER Light rain with a high of 58 and a low tonight of 49. Full forecast on A3 Story & Photo By Jared Anderson Siuslaw News COMMUNITY PeaceHealth Peace Harbor staff prepare for the day in the COVID-19 resource war-room. Medical center increases telehealth options, pandemic protocols “T elehealth isn’t necessarily new, but this is new to us,” said PeaceHealth Peace Harbor Nurse Practitioner Heather Posegate. “The virus kind of jumpstarted us into this technological age and will help us in many different ways.” As the Siuslaw region began preparing for the first wave of COVID-19 infections earlier this year, PeaceHealth Peace Harbor looked at technologies and practic- es that would help prepare for any possible spikes in infections. Tele- health, which will allow patients to get a variety of medical advice from their home computers, is just one of a multitude of preventive measures put in place to ensure the hospital is protected in any potential surge in COVID-19. As the state begins the process of reopening, along with allowing the hospital the ability to begin non-emergency procedures, Peace Harbor representatives spoke on the different aspects of their re- sponse, from creating complex pa- tient flows to minimize infection, mapping out specific action plans for possible hotspots in the city, and introducing technology like tele- health. In the process, the medical center’s staff believe they made im- provements that will create a better experience for patients beyond the concerns of COVID-19. “The one thing we want to get out is that the hospital is the safe place to come,” said William Foster, medical director of the emergency department. “We’re screening peo- ple, we’re masking people. We’re still limiting visitors to a large ex- tent, but that’s probably going to relax some. But if you need to be here, whether it’s an emergency or whatever, it’s a safe place to come.” While telehealth has been used at Peace Harbor for a while, particu- larly in the field of mental health, this is the first time the hospital has seen a wide adoption of telehealth. Primary care has been working with it for two weeks, while special- ty care is rolling out this week. The process of setting up a tele- health appointment is relatively simple. Once a patient has con- tacted their provider and set up a time, patients will need to sign up online. For the next couple of months, PeaceHealth is providing free guidance on how to sign up for the service. See HEALTH page 5A Florence Chamber gathers leaders INSIDE — A3 LIFESTYLE Stories of the Siuslaw INSIDE — B Local restaurateurs battered but hopeful Contemplating connection with ‘Take out’ option is financial lifeline while shortages threaten food supply Siuslaw School District, Hyak RECORDS $1.4 million partnership could provide fiber internet to area families Story & Photo By Mark Brennan Siuslaw News By Jared Anderson Siuslaw News The Siuslaw School District is dis- cussing the possibility of bringing fiber internet to its students at a dis- counted rate for the next five years through a partnership with local internet service provider Hyak. The project was proposed during last Wednesday’s school board meeting by Hyak co-owner Robbie Wright, along with School Board Chair Guy Rosinbaum and Superintendent Andrew Grzeskowiak. The potential deal would include a $1.4 million investment by the district to Hyak, which would use the funds to install 40,000 feet of gigabit fiber optics in specific ar- eas throughout the Siuslaw School District. In return, the district would re- ceive a five-year contract where all students in the reduced lunch pro- gram would receive free internet access, while the remaining stu- dents would receive a 25 percent discount. The deal would also in- clude a waiver of any maintenance fees, totaling almost $1 million. The project, which could be completed by September, could potentially bring fiber internet to hundreds of residents within four key areas, and could jumpstart the region’s upgrade to fiber internet. In addition, the deal could help the district with future so- cial distancing orders due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The dis- trict’s schools, which are already feeling the effects of overcrowd- ing, could better institute possible continued social distancing regu- lations by splitting school between distance education and in-school instruction. A final component of the deal could also create more equity for students as the district begins to shift more resources online. But questions remain, including whether or not the Siuslaw School District is financially capable of entering into such an agreement, and whether or not the economic See FIBER page 5A NEW: TV GUIDE Inside — B3-B4 KIDS CORNER Activities for kids Inside — B5 CLASSIFIEDS Listings and notices Inside — B6 FOLLOW US FOR THE LATEST NEWS : /S IUSLAW N EWS @S IUSLAW N EWS T HE S IUSLAW N EWS . COM S IUSLAW N EWS 2 S ECTIONS | 16 P AGES C OPYRIGHT 2020 The COVID-19 cri- sis has changed the way that most Americans approach even the most familiar of activities. One of the cornerstones of human culture, eat- ing, has been severely impacted by the pan- demic and has been costly on many levels. The activity around food is central to what drives us individually, 1285 Restobar co-owner Kurt Hargens and as families and as a soci- chef Jon Holden invite people to order take ety. It also generates bil- out from area restaurants. lions of dollars of reve- nue each year, adding to the bottom for its ocean, lakes and dunes, with line from small towns to America’s hundreds of residents relying on largest cities. work within the community’s many Plus, socializing on many lev- eating establishments. els revolves around the sharing of Ordering meals “to-go” has not food. It is a core element of cultures been banned by recent statewide around the globe, in America and executive orders limiting social certainly in Florence, where the contact and public gatherings, and economic component of the pan- the option provides a semblance of demic has had a devastating impact. normalcy to a growing number of Florence is known as much for area residents. the variety of its dining sector as it is See RESTAURANTS page 7A Obituaries & response logs Inside — A2 ~ News ! For 130 years the Siuslaw has been at the ! " ! # † $! % † of Florence. They now need us. JOIN US! WE CHALLENGE YOU TO By getting out your wallet to invest in our local news! ‹ ‹ Siuslaw News GiveButter.com/SupportSiuslawNews +R>XU rYf¦