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About Baker City herald. (Baker City, Or.) 1990-current | View Entire Issue (March 21, 2020)
SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 2020 BAKER CITY HERALD — 5A Oregon Responds To Coronavirus Crisis State to set up temporary mobile hospital in Salem ■ The 250-bed hospital will free up beds across the state for coronavirus patients “All the things we’ve been trying to do, as grievously hard as they are for the economy, are single- mindedly aimed at the notion of making sure we don’t run out of hospital capacity.” By Dick Hughes For the Oregon Capital Bureau Oregon is erecting a 250- bed temporary hospital in Salem to free up other hospi- tal beds around the state for coronavirus patients. The Oregon Medical Station is a mobile emer- gency hospital that the state purchased several years ago in case of a health crisis. Gov. Kate Brown said the facility, which is being set up at the Oregon State Fairgrounds, should be operational by Friday. The state’s overriding goal is to slow the progression of COVID-19, so as not to overwhelm Oregon’s health care system. Brown and other state offi cials said that is why restaurants, bars, schools and all large events have been closed. “All the things we’ve been trying to do, as griev- ously hard as they are for the economy, are single-mindedly aimed at the notion of mak- ing sure we don’t run out of hospital capacity,” Pat Allen, the director of the Oregon Health Authority, told the Legislature’s Joint Special Committee on Coronavirus Response on Wednesday. “This is a situation that will not last for weeks. This will last for months and potentially a lot of months,” Allen said. Along with setting up the temporary hospital in Salem, offi cials want existing hospi- tals to create 1,000 temporary MEALS Continued from Page 1A “We’re a social environ- ment,” Brown said. “Our whole business is built on people being social and go- ing out to eat and visit with friends. We can’t just become a takeout restaurant. We’re not designed for that.” He is offering the take- out service — as are many restaurants in Baker City and elsewhere — for a couple of reasons. First, Brown is supplying free meals to people who have lost their job due to the restaurant and bar restric- tions. Brown said about 32% of the meals prepared Wednes- day were donated to people who have been laid off. He also gave people 21 and older a free growler of beer, although starting Thursday he had a small charge for that. Second, he’s using the money collected from paying customers to create a “Pay It Forward Fund” that will help his own and other employees affected by the pandemic. “We feel for this whole industry,” Brown said. “We’re trying to stay positive. But it’s out of our hands.” Brown said customers have been supportive and gracious. “People have been tipping outrageously,” he said. “I think they’re just happy that we’re trying to do something.” According to the Oregon Employment Department, “food service and drinking es- tablishments” employ about 500 people in Baker County — about 11% of all private jobs in the county. Brown said adding a temporary takeout service at — Pat Allen, director, Oregon Health Authority Capital Press fi le photo The Jackman-Long Building at the Oregon State Fair and lack of medical personnel and Exposition Center is the site of an emergency hospital supplies. However, the state being built by the state. is contracting with private beds statewide. Offi cials also are exploring whether hotel, college dorm rooms or other places could be used. “Are there facilities we can literally stand up in parking lots?” Allen said. These would be “stepdown” facilities, requiring fewer tra- ditional medical staff. Allen said they could serve patients who normally would be released from hospitals into nursing homes and other care facilities, which now have been closed to the public; less- sick patients who otherwise would be sent to regular hospitals; and homeless individuals and others who no longer require hospitaliza- tion but cannot continue their recovery at home. Retired health profession- als and others with medical training could be tapped to help staff these facilities. “The idea is to basically within the next three to four weeks stand up as much of that kind of collection of care as we possibly can,” Allen said. Current statistics suggest about 20% of COVID-19 cases require signifi cant medical in- tervention, though including 5% to 8% who must be cared for in ICUs, he said. The number of cases is accelerating. As of Wednesday morning, 75 cases had been reported so far this year, up from 39 on Sunday. Forty- seven of those 75 cases were in people age 55 or older. Nineteen were among people aged 35-54. Cases have been identifi ed in 14 of Oregon’s 36 counties, but the number will grow as testing expands. Multnomah and Linn coun- ties operated drive-through testing centers in response to localized outbreaks, but Allen said that is impractical on a statewide basis due to the labs to run tests in addition to the state medical lab. Some health providers are testing patients as needed. Allen explained that dis- ease outbreaks follow a bell curve. Cases unfold slowly at fi rst and then spike up before declining, which is why Oregon offi cials talk of “fl at- tening the curve” — reducing the overall spike in cases. The goal is to decrease the impact on the health care system at any one time, although it could extend the overall length of the outbreak. Without such action, Al- len said, the exponentially increasing cases of severe COVID-19 will quickly exceed the capacity of overall hospi- tal beds in Oregon, beds in intensive care units, ventila- tors and skilled medical staff. If that happens, Allen told legislators, hard deci- sions will have to be made about who gets care and who doesn’t. Baker County Jail makes changes due to coronavirus By Chris Collins ccollins@bakercityherald.com Sheriff Travis Ash has implemented changes in the way prisoners are lodged at the Baker County Jail because of the coronavirus pandemic taking place throughout the state and the nation. Although there have been no reports of anyone testing positive for the coronavirus Covid-19 in Baker County, Ash said his strategy is designed to keep the disease from entering the building. “This jail (which opened in 1991) is old,” Ash said. “All air is shared.” Because there is no way to isolate an inmate who might be ill with the virus, Ash said his plan is designed to keep ill- ness out of the building, which in addition to the jail, houses the Sheriff’s Depart- ment and the 9-1-1 Dispatch Center. Ash “The Dispatch Center is critical for the county,” Ash said. “We’re trying to preserve the building as much as we can.” The jail holds 45 prisoners, but there were just 22 in custody Wednesday. That extra space provides another layer of protection for the inmates and jail staff, Ash said. Patrol deputies, who spend most of their time out in the fi eld, come into the offi ce as needed. His employees self-report any illness and stay home if they are not well. “We are still operating as normal, but we’re trying to limit the number of people coming and going,” Ash said. Another change in policy calls for city, county and state police offi cers to only take into custody those who are required by law to be lodged at the jail. All others will be cited and released and given a date to appear in court. Mandatory arrests would include suspects accused of domestic violence crimes, stalking, violating re- straining orders, and failure to appear and no-bail war- rants. Suspects in all Ballot Measure 11 crimes, such as murder, rape and robbery, also are required to be taken into custody. The Ballot Measure 11 crimes carry mandatory minimum prison terms upon conviction. During normal times Baker County law enforce- ment offi cers place people accused of misdemeanor crimes in jail, unlike larger jurisdictions that don’t have the space, Ash said. “We are unique,” he said. “We have room and we do house low-level misdemeanors.” The reduction in people being taken into custody also coincides with a paring down of court hearings and trials in Baker County Circuit Court, Ash said. Other steps taken to maintain a healthy environ- ment at the jail include canceling all visitations, work release and work crew outings, Ash said. The front door at the Sheriff’s Department has been closed and service to the public such as civil process work and fi ngerprinting will be conducted by appoint- ment only. More information is available by calling the Sheriff’s Offi ce at 541-523-6415. good for 90 to 110 days. “If this lasts for 90 days, most of the beer in stock will be out of date,” Brown said. “That’s what we’re up against.” — Tyler Brown, owner of Barley Brown’s Brew Pub and Conversely, brewers can’t Tasting Room rapidly respond to a sudden resurgence in demand. Sumpter Junction wasn’t fea- as pumps and hoses, along It takes 21 days to produce sible, mainly because there with managing the beer a batch of Pallet Jack that’s are several fast food restau- that’s already been brewed. ready to serve, Brown said. rants nearby that already The issue is simple. “We can’t just turn the have drive-throughs. With bars mainly shut volume up,” he said. He said employees brought down statewide, Brown’s He’s concerned that even food from Sumpter Junction concerned about whether when the governor lifts the to Barley Brown’s for prepa- he’ll even be able to sell the restrictions, demand for beer SALEM (AP) — Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said Friday ration in takeout meals. He beer that’s fermenting or has won’t rise quickly because that during the coronavirus outbreak she wants a also donated some of the food already been transferred to some bars won’t survive the statewide eviction moratorium, to suspend enforcement to employees from both res- kegs — about 800 kegs in closure. on expired automobile tabs and driver licenses and has taurants who have been laid total at the brewery, which is “I think that’s the biggest asked the federal government for a one-year extension for off. Total employment among in the same building as the concern,” Brown said. compliance to the REAL ID act. his family’s establishments Tap Room. He’s not sure whether the She also said during a media briefing that she was not has dropped from 45 to about About 70% of Barley pub will continue to offer a at this time enacting more stringent social distancing 10, Brown said. Brown’s beer goes to Portland limited takeout menu after requirements like those imposed by California and New He said cooks at the pub — an average of about 150 the current food stocks are York this week. Brown has already ordered a six-week are being creative in tailor- kegs per week, Brown said. depleted. The decision will statewide school closure, a ban on gatherings of more than ing the takeout menu items Unlike many craft brewer- depend in part on whether 25 people and shutdown of bar and restaurant operations based on the food that needs ies, Barley Brown’s beer is employees are comfortable other than takeout and delivery for at least four weeks. to be used — meat and fresh available on draft only — it’s continuing the service. Brown did, however, say she was evaluating the situa- produce from Sumpter Junc- not bottled for sale in grocery The situation is inherently tion daily. tion, for instance. and convenience stores. unpredictable because there’s “For me the bottom line is that if there is evidence that Although Baker County’s That has been advanta- nothing to compare it to, Oregonians are not complying with the aggressive mea- visitor industry peaks during geous to Barley Brown’s as Brown said. sures in place I will have to take more aggressive action,” the summer, Brown said its beers — in particular “Nobody had a plan for a she said. “I am encouraging and urging Oregonians to March is typically his busiest its Pallet Jack IPA — have pandemic,” he said. “The only stay home. I want to say don’t travel for spring break, stay month of the spring due in gained a reputation across comparable thing probably is home.” part to spring vacation. Oregon and beyond the Prohibition.” As a result, both the pub state’s borders. Still running Computer not and Sumpter Junction had “We’ve carved out a really unsupported running as relatively large amounts of good niche that way,” Brown Windows 7? fast as when food stocked in anticipation. said. Had the governor given But that niche is no help We’ll help you it was new? even a few days of advance now because customers have avoid critical Let us install notice before imposing the re- very limited access to Barley issues by installing lightning-fast strictions on restaurants and Brown’s beer. Windows 10! solid state drive! bars, Brown said he could Brown is also worried have cut back on his orders. about the length of the res- On the brewing side — taurant and bar restrictions Barley Brown’s has won because beer is perishable. more than 80 awards for its Although some stouts can beers since opening 22 years last for two or three years ago — Brown said he has if stored properly, Barley temporarily suspended brew- Brown’s most popular and ing. Workers are focusing on highest-volume beers, includ- deferred maintenance such ing Pallet Jack, generally are “We’re a social environment. Our whole business is built on people being social and going out to eat and visit with friends. We can’t just become a takeout restaurant. We’re not designed for that.” Brown wants extension on REAL ID Act
