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COVID-19: One year in Oregon
A look back at the novel coronavirus and its effects locally and across the state
By Chantelle Meyer
Siuslaw News
O
regon’s first recorded case
of the novel coronavirus
COVID-19 was announced Feb. 28,
2020. Now, one year later, the virus
continues to impact nearly every
aspect of people’s lives.
“[Feb. 28] marks one year since
the first case of COVID-19 was
reported in Oregon,” said Oregon
Gov. Kate Brown in a press con-
ference last Friday. She also an-
nounced a 60-day extension of the
COVID-19 state of emergency in
the state, until May 2.
“Last March, there were 14
known cases of COVID-19 in Or-
egon. We have now seen more than
150,000 cases across the state and,
sadly, 2,194 deaths,” Brown said.
A lot has happened in a year
— on the global stage, nationally,
statewide and locally in western
Lane County. Like other media
outlets, Siuslaw News has tracked
COVID-19 from its earliest detec-
tions and into the pandemic desig-
nation. Here’s a look back over the
past year of the virus.
FEBRUARY 2020
Oregon Health Authority (OHA)
confirmed its first presumptive
case of the novel coronavirus
COVID-19 in an Oregon resident
of Washington County on Feb. 28.
Locally, PeaceHealth Peace Har-
bor, emergency responders, the ar-
ea’s two school districts and others
prepared for a possible outbreak
with one clear message — be pre-
pared and don’t panic.
“There’s no reason to panic at
all,” said Western Lane Ambulance
District and Siuslaw Valley Fire and
Rescue Chief Michael Schick. “We
need to be cautious and ready, but
I think everything we do for influ-
enza, we should be doing for coro-
navirus. It is a bad disease. You see
a lot of death, a lot more than what
we see with influenza. But if you
take the same precautions, people
should be okay.”
As far as preparing for a possible
outbreak, local medical and emer-
gency services stated that they were
prepared to meet the needs of the
community should the spread of
COVID-19 escalate.
As for schools, Siuslaw School
District had already prepared plans
for closures as well as the use of
the Siuslaw Middle School gym as
a designated emergency medical
refuge and triage site. In addition,
school buses were designated as
emergency transport in the event
of a community emergency.
“All of our school resources
would go into supporting the com-
munity at-need first,” said Siuslaw
Superintendent Andy Grzeskowi-
ak.
At the state level, Oregon Health
Authority (OHA) began to provide
weekly public updates.
MARCH 2020
According to the World Health
Organization (WHO), the total
number of COVID-19 cases global-
ly reached more than 90,000, with
more just over 80 reported cases in
the U.S.
See MARCH page 5A
Florence’s CEDC,
FURA meet
WLFEA
adopts
FY20-21
personnel
budget
By Mark Brennan
Siuslaw News
By Mark Brennan
Siuslaw News
The process of introducing
new volunteer members of
the Florence Urban Renewal
Agency (FURA) and the
Community and Economic
Development Committee
(CEDC) to each other — and
clarifying the responsibilities
that accompany their par-
ticipation in city endeavors
— was the main goal of both
groups’ meetings last week.
FURA met Feb. 24, with
the CEDC meeting Feb. 26,
to learn more about the com-
mittees they will serve on, as
well as to receive an over-
view of the city government
structure, and the numerous
departments overseen in
many cases by committees.
After a welcome from City
Manager Erin Reynolds,
extensive presentations were
See COMMITTEES page 7A
The monthly joint meet-
ing of Siuslaw Valley Fire and
Rescue (SVFR) and the West-
ern Lane Ambulance District
(WLAD) was held Feb. 25,
with board members from
both districts participating
remotely. The combined
boards make up the Western
Lane Fire and EMS Authority
(WLFEA).
Fire and EMS Chief Mi-
chael Schick facilitated the
meeting. Office Manager
Dina McClure presented the
directors with two resolu-
tions requiring a vote from
the boards. Both resolutions
prompted discussion, illus-
trating the differing level of
acceptance regarding the
recently completed labor ne-
gotiations for the districts —
and some differences in the
future vision for WLFEA.
Schick discussed the
FY20-21 Personnel Services
Budget, which was adopt-
ed to reflect the following
cuts in the budget not part
of the Collective Bargaining
Agreement the Board ap-
proved Dec. 17, 2020:
• Eliminate the 3 percent
Critical Care bonus for su-
pervisors and full-time staff
in the amount of $64,585
• Eliminate the 6 per-
cent PERS IAP for eligible
WLAD staff in the amount
of $94,173
• Eliminate the HRA
VEBA for full-time staff in
the amount of $45,000
• Eliminate Step raises for
eligible staff in the amount
of $20,982 (according to the
CBA Item 11.2, four em-
ployees were eligible for step
raises.
See WLFEA page 7A
Committees
learn scope
of duties
Apothecary opens
new location
INSIDE — A3
0
202
Revisiting restaurants
PHOTOS BY MARK BRENNAN/SIUSLAW NEWS
The Florence area — and the rest
of Lane County — began to offer
indoor dining again on Feb. 26
after Oregon Gov. Kate Brown
lowered the county from “ex-
treme risk” of COVID-19 spread
to “high risk.” Under this designa-
tion, some restrictions were lift-
ed from restaurants, though with
a low maximum occupancy. This
weekend, however, kept outside
tables just as full as people en-
joyed outdoor dining in Historic
Old Town Florence.
KIDS CORNER
Activities for kids
Inside — B5
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Florence City Council approves resolutions at meeting
By Mark Brennan
Siuslaw News
S IUSLAW N EWS
2 S ECTIONS | 16 P AGES
C OPYRIGHT 2021
The Florence City Council met
March 1 with a short list of action
items. This included a decision on
accepting a proposal for roadway up-
grades at a cost of $2,027,015 and a
request for a new sign for the Chil-
dren’s Repertory of Oregon Work-
shops (CROW).
All councilors were in attendance
as Mayor Joe Henry called the virtual
meeting to order and led the group in
the Pledge of Allegiance before turn-
ing the facilitation of the meeting
over to City Manager Erin Reynolds.
The first item presented was Res-
olution 8, Series 2021, by Planning
Director Wendy FarleyCampbell,
who walked the councilors through
a request from CROW to approve a
minor exception to the city sign code
which would allow for the non-profit
to install a free-standing sign in front
of the group’s theater building located
at 3120 Highway 101.
Bernie Cunningham is the owner
of the Florence business, “The Sign
Shop” and has been involved with the
creation of the current code sections
dealing with signs in the city limits
and has created many signs which
have been approved by city planners.
He was in attendance to supply testi-
mony to the council on behalf of the
applicant.
Cunningham pointed out the ex-
ception requested would not neg-
atively impact visibility and would
clarify which entrance was CROW’s.
“I think what we are asking is quite
reasonable — a reader board like the
one at the FEC,” Cunningham said.
“It is backlit with an LED opaque
background. It is not going to be very
bright and there was a sign where we
are proposing to put a sign now.”
Councilors asked a couple of clar-
ifying questions of FarleyCampbell,
who supported the request, before
approving the installation of the sign.
Next, Public Works Director Mike
Miller asked the council to consider
a proposal for replacement of water
mains between Rhododendron Drive
and Kingwood Street and between
Ninth Street and Rhododendron.
Miller walked the council through
the steps involved in the process, in-
cluding the approved timeline for the
project. He also gave the reasoning
behind the decision to replace the ex-
isting water mains and the tangential
impacts of the construction.
See CITY page 8A
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