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4A | MARCH 4, 2021 | COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL Cottage Grove Sentinel 116 N. Sixth St. Cottage Grove, Ore. 97424 NED HICKSON , MANAGING EDITOR | Opinion 541-902-3520 | NHICKSON @ CGSENTINEL . COM The First Amendment C ongress shall make no law respect- ing an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Govern- ment for a redress of grievances. “I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend.” —Thomas Jefferson (1800) USPS#133880 Copyright 2021 © COTTAGE GROVE SENTINAL Letters to the Editor Policy The Sentinel welcomes letters to the editor as part of a community discussion of issues on the local, state and national level. Emailed letters are preferred. Handwritten or typed letters must be signed. All letters need to include full name, address and phone number; only name and city will be printed. Letters should be limited to about 300 words. Letters are subject to editing for length, grammar and clarity. Publication of any letter is not guaranteed and depends on space available and the volume of letters received. Letters that are anonymous, libelous, argumentative, sarcastic or contain accusations that are unsourced or without documentation will not be published. Letters containing poetry or from outside The Sentinel readership area will only be published at the discretion of the editor. Political/Election Letters: DC Commissioners issue statement about latest risk level assessment The Douglas County Board the lack of local input being al- active or positive cases at this of Commissioners are very con- lowed at the state level, especial- time. As we have asserted before, cerned about our recent surge ly when determining the State’s in COVID cases, and dismayed current COVID Risk Level Pro- Douglas County Commis- to learn that our case counts in gram, instituted in December sioners do not support county “enforcement” of state-issued the last two weeks have prompt- 2020. COVID guidelines. In- ed the State of Oregon to stead, as the local public move Douglas County Douglas County health authority, we feel it from the State’s Mandated High COVID Risk Lev- Board of Commissioners is paramount for State of Oregon Officials to pro- el to the State’s Mandat- vide easy-to-understand, ed Extreme COVID Risk The state’s new mandated timely access to the latest infor- Level, thus imposing stricter guidelines on our residents and program undeservedly punish- mation, resources and medical es and brutally affects our local guidance in order to educate businesses. We do painfully recognize businesses ability to operate and residents about COVID-19 that that the impact of the state mov- stay financially stable during allows them to make informed, ing us to the Mandated Extreme this pandemic. Especially when responsible decisions. We feel that most people will COVID Risk Level will be felt the businesses that have suf- the most by Douglas County’s fered the most during the state’s do the right thing, if given the small local businesses, especially mandated Risk Level restric- opportunity and knowledge our restaurants, bars and gyms, tion periods (our restaurants, to do so. We cannot, in good rather than by where the most our coffee houses, our dance conscience, condone citing or recent rash of cases have been studios, our senior centers, our potentially arresting people for reported (i.e. our long-term small retail stores, our bars and trying to make an honest living. While we understand the care facilities, churches, schools our gyms), are among some of and by residents who have cho- the safest places to go during need for increased measures to slow the spread of the virus due the pandemic. sen to host large events). These businesses are required to the recent dramatic increase This scenario continues to il- lustrate the issue we have with to follow some of the most in local COVID-19 cases, we do the State’s “one-size-fits-all” ap- stringent COVID safety and not agree with a statewide man- proach to their COVID restric- health guidelines. For the most dated approach. Further, Doug- part, our businesses have been las County Government will tion metrics and programs. As our county moved to the extremely responsible to our not enforce the mandates for State’s Mandated Extreme Risk communities, and in following these somewhat draconian rules Level that began Feb. 26, com- the COVID-19 guidance com- against our citizens mandated without local consultation. We missioners realize that many lo- ing from the State. The adoption of the Oregon recommend that residents con- cal businesses are likely to stay open and challenge the state’s OSHA COVID-19 Standard in tact one of the state legislators guidelines for this new risk lev- late 2020 further shows that Or- representing your district, and egon workplaces are some of the ask them to engage in the fight el. As your commissioners al- most sanitary places for custom- to help our local business and ways have and will continue to ers and employees to be. Public residents. There are seven state legisla- do, we stand with, represent and health officials, coupled with support the citizens and busi- our local outbreak data and sta- tors that represent a portion of nesses operating in Douglas tistics, have stated very clearly Douglas County. Commissioners believe that County. We want our residents that COVID-19 is spreading in to be healthy and have access Oregon and in Douglas Coun- there must be a better balance to necessary services; we want ty for reasons unrelated to our between the socio-economic to help our businesses succeed; businesses being open. In fact, damage being done to our busi- and we want everyone in our cases at restaurants, bars and nesses, and the fight to slow the county to continue to move for- gyms accounted for only 1 per- spread of COVID-19 in our ward with social and economic cent of our total positive cases communities, while also pro- tecting the health and wellbeing in the last two weeks. stability. Our local data for COVID of our residents. While we have While Douglas County cur- rently has no ability to shield cases showed that of the current seen a rise in COVID-19 cases, or protect our businesses from 280 active COVID cases that we have also seen far too many state sanctions, penalties and DPHN is supporting in isola- businesses close; residents lose their jobs and struggle to get fines, we are here to help in any tion: • There are no COVID out- assistance to pay their bills; se- way we can. We do want to encourage our breaks created or active at any niors continuing to live in iso- local businesses to follow the gyms, restaurants or bars in lation and anguish; and far too many families and children appropriate precautions to pre- Douglas County. • Of those 280 active cases, we suffering with financial, mental vent the spread of the virus, as well as, protect their businesses, only have 4 positive cases asso- and educational woes. We are their patrons and their ability ciated with any gyms, restau- fearful that with the movement to continue to keep their doors rants or bars in Douglas County. to the state’s Extreme Rick Lev- • Currently, there are no oth- el that there will be many more open. Commissioners continue to er employees at any other gyms, unintended consequences for be incredibly frustrated with restaurants or bars that have our residents. Election-related letters must address pertinent or timely issues of interest to our readers at-large. Letters must: 1) Not be a part of letter-writing campaigns on behalf of (or by) candidates; 2) Ensure any information about a candidate is accurate, fair and not from second-hand knowledge or hearsay; and 3) explain the reasons to support candidates based on personal experience and perspective rather than partisanship and campaign-style rhetoric. Candidates themselves may not use the letters to the editor column to outline their views and platforms or to ask for votes; this constitutes paid political advertising. As with all letters and advertising content, the newspaper, at the sole discretion of the publisher, general manager and editor, reserves the right to reject any letter that doesn’t follow the above criteria. Send letters to: nhickson@cgsentinel.com HOW TO CONTACT YOUR REPS Oregon state representatives • Sen. Floyd Prozanski District 4 State Senator PO Box 11511 Eugene, Ore. 97440 Phone: 541-342-2447 Email : sen.fl oydprozanski@ state.or.us • Rep. Cedric Hayden Republican District 7 State Representative 900 Court St. NE Salem, Ore. 97301 Phone: 503-986-1407 Email: rep.cedrichayden@ state.or.us • Rep. Peter DeFazio (House of Representatives) 405 East 8th Ave. #2030 Eugene, Ore. 97401 Oregon federal representatives Email: defazio.house.gov/ contact/email-peter Phone: 541-465-6732 • Sen. Ron Wyden 405 East 8th Ave., Suite 2020 Eugene, Ore. 97401 Email: wyden.senate.gov Phone: (541) 431-0229 • Sen. Jeff Merkley Email: merkley.senate.gov Phone: 541-465-6750 • Heather Buch Lane County Commissioner - District 5 Email: Heather.Buch@lane countyorg.gov 125 E. Eighth Ave. Eugene, OR 97401 Or call 541-682-4203 S entinel C ottage G rove 541-942-3325 Administration Jenna Bartlett, Group Publisher Gary Manly, General Manager... Ext. 1207 gmanly@cgsentinel.com Gerald Santana, Multi-Media Sales Consultant... Ext. 1216 gsantana@cgsentinel.com Carla Skeel, Inside Multi-Media Sales Consultant... Ext. 1203 csummers@cgsentinel.com Editorial Ned Hickson, Managing Editor... 541-902-3520 nhickson@cgsentinel.com Damien Sherwood, Lead Reporter... Ext. 1212 dsherwood@cgsentinel.com Zeahna Young, Sports Reporter... Ext. 1204 zyoung@cgsentinel.com Customer Service Meg Fringer, Office Manager, Legals, Classifieds... Ext. 1200 mfringer@cgsentinel.com Production Ron Annis, Production Supervisor... 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