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About Baker City herald. (Baker City, Or.) 1990-current | View Entire Issue (April 7, 2020)
LOCAL & STATE TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2020 Survey: Younger Oregonians more worried about virus By Dick Hughes For the Capital Bureau Younger Oregonians are quite concerned about coronavirus compared with older Oregonians, according to new research. The data released by DHM Research in Portland undercut the narrative prominent in national media that young people as blasé about COVID-19 and feeling invulnerable. “If you look at these numbers, younger people are more concerned about being infected. They are more concerned about other people being infected,” said John Horvick, DHM’s director of client relations and political research. “They feel less prepared. They have a lot more concern about being able to pay their bills.” Most Oregonians were concerned that they or someone close to them would become infected with the coronavirus. Fifty-three percent of respondents ages 18-29 worried about personally contracting COVID-19, compared with 61% in the 30-44 age group; 55%, ages 45-64; and 40%, ages 65 and older. DHM conducted the online survey with 507 Oregonians during March 24-30. Oregonians’ outlook for the short term remains dim. Seventy-six percent said problems associated with corona- virus would get worse during the next week. That number dropped to 51% who said the problems would be worse in a month, and only 14% who expect- ed things to be worse in six months. A “consequential minority” of Orego- nians were unsure what is meant by such terms as social distancing (12%), quarantine (13%), self-isolation (16%) and shelter in place (24%), although the latter phrase has been replaced in Oregon and some other states with “stay home.” The numbers varied by geography, education level and other factors. Among other fi ndings: • 40% of Oregonians said they were not prepared to deal with a coronavi- rus infection in their household. • 41% might need help paying for basics needs like food, medicine and utilities. • 28% might need help picking up prescription drugs. • 22% said the news coverage of coronavirus has been exaggerated; 24% said has been underestimated. • 78% of Oregon Republicans ap- proved of President Trump’s response to the coronavirus; 12% of Democrats and 45% of non-affi liated and other party voters approved. • 75% of Oregon Democrats ap- proved of Gov. Kate Brown’s job performance regarding coronavirus compared with 31% of Republicans and 52% of non-affi liated and other voters. • 40% of respondents said Oregon was on the right track, a drop of 5 per- centage points from late last year. • 46% said local governments should go ahead with planned May ballot measures for schools, roads, pub- lic safety or other public services. BAKER CITY HERALD — 3A TEACHERS Continued from Page 1A Packets containing educa- tional materials and information about the future of Oregon’s school schedule were mailed from the staff to families last week. This week teachers are con- tinuing efforts to provide online learning for the older students, Witty said. “We’re trying to move quickly to try to meet ODE (Oregon Department of Education) guide- lines,” he said. The state sent out one set of instructions in late March, and by 9 p.m. Monday, March 30, the plan had been changed to include the online lessons. Witty said online instruction had always been part of the Baker School District’s plan for older students, but Grades 4-6, and possibly third-graders also are now included in that strategy. He said the District is scrambling to determine which families don’t have internet ac- cess and to ensure it is available for those students. The District hopes to receive grant money from a philanthropic source to fund that access. Witty said he expects to hear from the source early this week. The superintendent estimates that 40 to 50 households in the District do not have internet access. “Our system would give access for Chromebooks only for edu- cational purposes,” he said. “Our commitment is access equally to a platform in education.” Students in kindergarten, fi rst and second grade will study “There is no way of escaping that families will have to play a more critical role in educating their children.” — Mark Witty, Baker School District superintendent through packets. Witty said Washington schools, which are a week or two ahead of Oregon in the home schooling process, have found that approach works better for that age group. “There is no way of escaping that families will have to play a more critical role in educating their children,” Witty said. The school staff is encouraging parents to help their children follow a schedule and to set up a place for them to work on school assignments. The goal is to help students “establish habits and patterns as we move forward,” Witty said. For children who are in day care throughout the day, that might mean evening studies with their parents, he said. The coursework will empha- size the “power standards” of instruction with less than the usual time spent on school work, Witty said. “In a couple of weeks we’ll send out a survey asking ‘how long does it take for your child to complete a task?’ ” he said. As he has throughout the period of school closure, Witty reminds staff, families and students that sacrifi ces are being required for the greater health of the community. “We want to do the best job we can, but it does require a level of collaboration that heretofore hasn’t been asked,” he said. In a message sent to Oregon school superintendents and principals on March 30, Colt Gill, ODE director and deputy super- intendent of Public Instruction, stated that there is a “strong possibility that our students may not come back through our school house doors this academic year.” Witty said the ODE has yet to send school districts clear direc- tion on that issue. In the meantime, the District has established child care at Brooklyn School for about 10 children of emergency services and health care workers. Chil- dren of essential emergency ser- vice workers who are preschool age and younger are being cared for by registered child care pro- viders in the community through Child Care Resource and Refer- ral, he said. Free lunches and breakfasts for everyone 18 and younger continue to be distributed at neighborhood schools Monday through Friday. Witty said the District provided 392 lunches on Monday along with 390 break- fasts for Tuesday morning. The weekend backpack program also is continuing through community volunteers. The packs are fi lled with staples to help families prepare meals through the weekend. District employees donated toilet paper, a hard to fi nd com- modity in the community in recent weeks, to add to goods contained in each backpack. The packs had been supplied to about 140 families before the schools were closed, Witty said. Blue Mtn. Community College to raise tuition by $2 per credit rent $108. BMCC President Dennis Bailey-Fougnier recommended the PENDLETON — Blue Mountain bump, along with equal increases in Community College board members each of the following two years. voted unanimously Wednesday eve- Currently, the college’s tuition ning to raise tuition. hovers in the middle of Oregon com- In-state tuition will increase $2 per munity colleges, with Lane Com- credit hour next year from its cur- munity charging the most at $118 By Kathy Aney East Oregonian COUNTY Continued from Page 1A Bennett said the county’s goal was not to restrict county residents from using the Snake River Road. But he concedes that the wording might have implied otherwise. In cases when access is limited on roads due to forest fi res, for instance, the lone exception typically is for prop- erty owners only, not county residents in general. Bennett said that in re- sponse to many questions and complaints about the initial closure order, he talked with other county offi cials, includ- ing District Attorney Greg Baxter, who drafted the order, about ways to clarify the county’s intent. On Saturday afternoon Bennett, acting as the inci- dent commander under the county’s emergency decla- ration for the coronavirus pandemic, issued a new order rescinding the road closure. The new order, which will be in effect at least until April 18, prohibits overnight camp- ing and other overnight uses, including fi shing, on public sites along the Snake River corridor from the county’s northern boundary to its southern. That includes sec- tions of Oxbow Reservoir as well as the whole of Brownlee Reservoir. and Chemeketa at the bottom with $91 per credit hour. Factoring in fees makes Blue Mountain Community College the most expensive of the state’s 17 community colleges at $6,188 annually for tuition and fees together. Because of the school’s relatively high cost, the college’s Integrated Budget Committee earlier urged against a tuition hike, but said if a hike had to occur, to keep it at $2 or less. With no tuition increase, “BMCC would not see any increase in revenue and our fi nancial defi cit would not “Our only goal was to cut the crowds and the unsanitary conditions.” to try to prevent this,” he said. Bennett said the county isn’t trying to discourage — Mark Bennett, Baker County commissioner people, whether or not they live in Baker County, from spending time outdoors, in- Fishing is allowed during cusing on camping and other cluding fi shing at Brownlee. the daytime, and the Snake overnight uses, addresses the But he said the county has River Road remains open to concerns that prompted the an obligation to try to take all traffi c. initial order. action if, as people reported, “While the original intent He said county offi cials, some users were not following was not to restrict local ac- including the Sheriff’s Offi ce, social distancing recommen- cess to the river, some of the have fi elded multiple calls dations. questions we received showed over the past week or so “Our only goal was to cut how additional fl exibility in from residents who had seen the crowds and the unsani- the language of the order was groups of anglers, many in tary conditions,” Bennett said. needed,” Bennett said in a vehicles with Washington or Tracy McCue, who owns press release the county is- Idaho license plates, gathered T&T Country Store in sued Saturday afternoon. along Brownlee Reservoir. Huntington, at the southern He said Monday that the Bennett said people reported end of the Snake River Road, two other commissioners, these groups were not com- said she supports Bennett’s Chairman Bill Harvey and plying with social distancing decision to prohibit overnight Bruce Nichols, endorsed his guidelines, and that in some camping along Brownlee decision. cases they didn’t have toilets. Reservoir. Bennett said county of- “That prompted us to start McCue said she’s actually fi cials have been striving to taking a look at it,” Bennett seen fewer visitors this spring deal with coronavirus issues said. than usual. while still complying with Or- Preventing such congrega- She has seen many egon’s Public Meetings Law, tions, with its inherent risk vehicles with Washington or which requires the county an- of spreading the virus, is “the Idaho license plates, and had nounce meetings in advance. only tool we have as a county customers buying fi shing Baxter said the county has the legal authority, under its emergency declaration, to restrict vehicular access to roads should offi cials deem that necessary to protect public health. However, Baxter said the county can’t close a road to ev- eryone except Baker County residents. Bennett said he’s satisfi ed that the amended order, by fo- change,” Bailey-Fougnier said. “If we do not consider modest and predict- able increases, BMCC will need to cut $2.8 million for 2021-22. The recom- mended increases will help the defi cit ever so slightly.” See Tuition/Page 5A tackle, but she hasn’t had trouble keeping her shelves stocked. McCue said that like most store owners she has limited how much toilet paper and paper towels individual customers can buy. Theron Hampton, who owns the Hitching Post motel and store in Richland, at the north end of the Snake River Road, also said he has not seen a major infl ux of out-of-state visitors since the pandemic started. Hampton said work- ers have been sanitizing surfaces frequently in both businesses. He said he hopes things return to normal as soon as possible. “May is usually a huge month for us,” Hampton said. “My business depends on SPECIAL EASTER SAMPLER TAKE OUT APRIL 12 OPEN 12:00 PM Please call to pre-order so we can prepare 541-856-3639 March 31 - April 6th • 8 AM - 2 PM FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR DAILY SPECIALS TAKE OUT & DELIVERY ONLY PLEASE CALL 541-523-5844 ext. 179 221 Bridge Street 541-523-5844 ext. 179 Open Daily 8 AM - 2 PM Baker Valley Travel 541-523-9353 • 1-877-550-9353 summer business to get us through the winter.” Visitors, especially those who have boats, have limited options for launching now. All offi cial boat ramps on Brownlee are closed, includ- ing the BLM’s Spring Recre- ation Site near Huntington, Baker County’s Hewitt and Holcomb parks near Richland, and Idaho Power Company’s parks, which will be closed at least through May 14. There are several places along the reservoir where people can launch boats despite the lack of a paved ramp. Farewell Bend State Park, a popular camping area, is also closed. The county has delayed the opening of Hewitt and Holcomb parks until at least May 1. Also regular menu items available $26.00 Easter RoundUp Dinner includes: Prime Rib, Smoked Brisket, Ham, Green Bean Casserole, Mac and Cheese, Stuffed Pepper Casserole, Mashed Potatoes, Cowboy Bread, Salad, Triple Chocolate Mousse Dessert Open Mon, Wed, Thurs, Fri at 4:30pm • Sat 3:30pm • Sun 12:30pm Closed Tuesday • TAKE OUT ONLY 10 miles north of Baker City on Hwy 30 in Haines 541-856-3639 • www.hainessteakhouse.com
