A6 — BAKER CITY HERALD
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2021
LOCAL & REGION
Union County group opposes county’s
resolution against vaccine mandate
By DAVIS CARBAUGH
The (La Grande) Observer
LA GRANDE — A Union
County group is pushing to
have its voice heard in the
wake of recent actions taken
by the Union County Board
of Commissioners.
Citizens of Union County
for Health and Safety, an
impromptu group of local
residents, organized a letter
with 198 signatures in op-
position to the county’s recent
resolution against vaccina-
tion mandates. The resolution
protested statewide vaccine
mandates in fear of losing
health care workers and fi rst
responders, declaring a state
of emergency.
“We hope it motivates
the county commissioners to
rethink their plans,” said Pat
Kennedy, one of the organiz-
ers of the group. “We wanted
to show that we’re not a
county of people totally op-
posed to vaccines and masks.”
Idaho governor
repeals rival’s
executive order
Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin
had issued executive order
banning COVID-19 testing
By KEITH RIDLER
Associated Press
Alex Wittwer/The (La Grande) Observer
A group of Union County citizens say protests, such as Sept. 18 event shown in the
photo, don’t represent their feelings about the pandemic. The group has sent a letter
with nearly 200 signatures to county offi cials stating their support for vaccinations
and mask wearing.
and masks from the county,
in addition to objecting to
Sheriff Cody Bowen’s letter
to Brown on Aug. 13. His
letter condemned the vaccine
Speaking out
mandates and advocated for
Kennedy, along with
several other organizers, put freedom of choice in getting
vaccinated.
together Citizens of Union
“Each one of us was quite
County for Health and Safety
upset about the actions of the
upon reading the commis-
sioners’ resolution. The letter county,” said Margaret Mead,
was sent to Gov. Kate Brown, one of the group’s organiz-
advocating that she continue ers. “We thought that our
opinions should be heard. If
requiring vaccinations in
we don’t speak up, we’re not
Union County.
The group sent out emails helping the situation.”
A major point in the letter
and received just under
is advocating for frontline
200 signatures in roughly
workers who are exposed to
three days.
a large amount of people at
“I just thought, I’ve got
their place of work every day.
to do something about this,”
Multiple organizers of the
Kennedy said. “I received
group expressed their desire
some very moving emails
from people that were giving to help represent health care
up or feeling depressed about workers, government employ-
ees and retail workers.
this. I think this was very
“Our public health and
motivating to them.”
government facilities and
Kennedy noted that
local businesses are not safe if
the group disagrees with
staffed by people who are not
what they see as a lack of
vaccinated or tested frequent-
enforcement of vaccines
ly for potential infection,”
the letter reads. “We contend
that the Union County
Commissioners, and Sheriff
Bowen, are representing a
vocal minority of people in
Union County who instead of
unemployment could choose
vaccination.”
The letter from Citizens of
Union County for Health and
Safety also states that health
care staff shortages will not
be settled if the mandate is
lifted because more health
care workers will be impacted
by the effects of COVID-19.
“Staff shortages will not
be resolved by lifting the
mandate because workers,
vaccinated and unvaccinated,
who test positive for COV-
ID-19 will not be able to work
due to quarantines, illnesses
managed at home, long-
term hospitalizations and/or
death,” the letter reads.
County response
Union County Commis-
sioner Donna Beverage read
the letter and was apprecia-
tive of the group exercising
their freedom of speech.
“This is America and I
appreciate hearing their opin-
ion,” she said. “If you have an
opinion, you have the right to
be heard.”
Beverage noted that the
group organizing the letter
may have misinterpreted
parts of the county’s resolu-
tion, but that hearing opin-
ions from citizens is always
welcomed.
“It’s a big part of our job
to hear opinions, so I appreci-
ated that they voiced their
concern,” she said.
Beverage stated that the
commissioners still believe in
the resolution and empha-
sized the support for medical
freedom.
She said that the letter
will not change the county’s
status on the resolution,
emphasizing the points made
in the document regarding
the availability of health
care workers.
BOISE — The Idaho governor on Wednesday, Oct.
6 issued an executive order repealing his political ri-
val’s executive order from the previous day involving
COVID-19 vaccine passports and mandatory testing.
Republican Gov. Brad Little issued the order while
still in Texas, a move that challenges the state’s long-
standing practice of making the lieutenant governor
acting governor when the governor is out of state.
Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin, a far-right Republi-
can who is running to take Little’s job, issued her
order Tuesday and also sought to activate the Idaho
National Guard and send soldiers to the U.S.-Mexico
border.
Little is in Texas meeting with nine other Repub-
lican governors over concerns on how President Joe
Biden is handling border issues. In Idaho, the gover-
nor and lieutenant governor don’t run on the same
ticket. Little was expected back late Wednesday.
Little’s executive order appears to lay the ground-
work for a court challenge to determine who is in
charge when governor leaves the state.
Little’s order states that he did not authorize
McGeachin to act, and it cites Idaho law.
“Nor does my temporary presence in Texas on
offi cial business impair my ability to represent the
people of Idaho thus necessitating action by another
executive to ensure the continuity of state govern-
ment,” the executive order states.
The order also notes that Little had previously
through an executive order banned state entities
from requiring vaccine passports.
Little’s order also states that McGeachin’s order
prohibiting COVID-19 testing would harm the state’s
ability to curb the spread of the disease.
Idaho is currently under crisis standards of care
because of unvaccinated COVID-19 patients fi lling
hospitals. Nearly 3,000 people have died from the
disease in the state.
Little’s offi ce declined to comment about his
executive order.
McGeachin’s offi ce didn’t return a call from The
Associated Press.
The attorney general’s offi ce, which would appear
to have to defend the state’s top executive in the
dispute, declined to comment.
Mobile Flu & COVID-19
Vaccine Clinic
Saint Alphonsus and Albertsons are partnering to provide
Baker City residents easy, convenient access to the flu vaccine
and COVID-19 (Pfizer only) vaccine.
October 7, 7 AM – 4 PM
October 11, 18 & 25, 7 AM - 4 PM
The Albertsons Mobile unit will be located:
SAINT ALPHONSUS BAKER CLINIC
3175 Pocahontas Road, Baker City
Enter through entrance on Midway Drive
Please pre-register for your appointment at the below links:
SCHEDULE YOUR FLU VACCINE
kordinator.mhealthcoach.net/vcl/SaintAlphonsusFlu
SCHEDULE YOUR COVID VACCINE
kordinator.mhealthcoach.net/vcl/SaintAlphonsusCOVID
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