A2 — BAKER CITY HERALD
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2021
Omicron variant ups Oregon COVID-19 numbers
By GARY A. WARNER
Oregon Capital Bureau
BAKER COUNTY CALENDAR
TUESDAY, JANUARY 4
Gubernatorial candidate forum, sponsored by Baker
County Republican Party: 6 p.m. at the Baker Elks
Lodge, 1896 Second St.
TURNING BACK THE PAGES
50 YEARS AGO
from the Democrat-Herald
December 30, 1971
The Ellingson mill in 1971 is enjoying a 7 percent in-
crease in lumber production over 1970, and the outlook is
bright, according to Watt Skinner, sales manager.
The rate of increase is about equal to the rest of the
Western Wood Productions Association region of 12
western states.
25 YEARS AGO
from the Baker City Herald
December 30, 1996
Strong Chinook winds whipped through Northeastern
Oregon Sunday, dissolving snow and rolling garbage
cans but causing just one widespread power outage.
As was the case during other inclement weather that
has hit Oregon this year, Baker County was spared the
worst.
The fastest gust recorded at the Baker City Municipal
Airport was 46 mph.
10 YEARS AGO
from the Baker City Herald
December 30, 2011
A long-term plan guiding how the BLM will manage
364,000 acres of public land in Baker County could signifi -
cantly reduce the area open to motor vehicles, and cut the
number of cattle allowed to graze.
The BLM recently unveiled the draft version of its Re-
source Management Plan for the Baker Resource Area.
ONE YEAR AGO
from the Baker City Herald
December 31, 2020
After reviewing records showing how severely the pan-
demic has affected dozens of Baker County businesses,
Bruce Nichols understands that nearly $700,000 in federal
aid is no panacea.
“It’s a Band-Aid,” said Nichols, a Baker County com-
missioner who served as chairman of a committee that
recently approved a total of $698,547 in grants to 67 busi-
nesses and nonprofi t organizations. Many recipients are
restaurants or other businesses in the hospitality industry,
which have had severe restrictions imposed by the state
during the pandemic.
The bandage reference isn’t the only metaphor Nichols
employs that’s reminiscent of discussions in a triage unit.
“I hope this is a tourniquet for some of these busi-
nesses,” Nichols said on Tuesday, Dec. 29. “It’s really sad,
the amount of losses that were involved in some of these
businesses.”
The grant checks were mailed on Tuesday, Nichols said.
Oregon distributed money from the federal CARES Act,
which Congress passed in late March, to counties. Each
county received a base amount of $500,000, and an ad-
ditional amount based on population.
Totals ranged from $7,630,752 for Multnomah County,
Oregon’s most populous, to $511,685 for Wheeler County.
Baker County’s share was $641,447.
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LUCKY LINES, Dec. 28
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SENIOR MENUS
FRIDAY: Closed for New Year’s Eve.
MONDAY (Jan. 3): Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes with
gravy, corn, rolls, coleslaw, brownies
TUESDAY (Jan. 4): Pork tips over fettuccine noodles,
mixed vegetables, rolls, pea-and-onion salad, pudding
WEDNESDAY (Jan. 5): Orange glazed chicken, rice, peas,
rolls, green salad, peach crisp
THURSDAY (Jan. 6): Roasted turkey, stuffi ng with gravy,
carrots, rolls, cottage cheese with Jell-O, ice cream
FRIDAY (Jan. 7): Chicken cordon bleu with hollandaise,
mixed vegetables, rolls, applesauce, cheesecake
Public luncheon at the Senior Center, 2810 Cedar St., from
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; $5 donation (60 and older), $7.50
for those under 60.
CONTACT THE HERALD
2005 Washington Ave., Suite 101
Open Monday through Friday
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Telephone: 541-523-3673
Fax: 541-833-6414
Publisher
Karrine Brogoitti
kbrogoitti@lagrandeobserver.
com
Jayson Jacoby, editor
jjacoby@bakercityherald.com
Advertising email
ads@bakercityherald.com
Classifi ed email
classified@bakercityherald.com
Circulation email
circ@bakercityherald.com
ISSN-8756-6419
Serving Baker County since 1870
Published Tuesdays, Thursdays and
Saturdays except Christmas Day by the
Baker Publishing Co., a part of EO Media
Group, at 2005 Washington Ave., Suite
101 (P.O. Box 807), Baker City, OR 97814.
Subscription rates per month are
$10.75 for print only. Digital-only rates
are $8.25.
Postmaster: Send address changes to
the Baker City Herald, P.O. Box 807, Baker
City, OR 97814.
Periodicals Postage Paid
at Pendleton, Oregon 97801
Copyright © 2021
The fast-spreading omicron
variant of COVID-19 is push-
ing new cases up in Oregon,
though not as steeply as other
parts of the nation.
Weekly new cases of CO-
VID-19 in Oregon were up 25%
on Monday, Dec. 27 compared
to a week ago, according to
the Oregon Health Authority.
That’s a big jump for the state,
but less than the more than
60% increase nationwide.
The report comes as the
world approaches the two-year
anniversary on Friday, Dec. 31
of the fi rst report of COVID-19
in Wuhan, China.
To date, there have been
over 281 million infections
worldwide, leading to 5.4 mil-
lion deaths, according to the
Johns Hopkins Coronavirus
Resource Center. The United
States has the highest number
of fatal cases of any nation, just
over 817,000.
Since Oregon’s fi rst case
was reported in February of
2020, the health authority says
there have been 414,140 cases
and 5,623 deaths in Oregon.
Oregon offi cials are waiting
for a new forecast from the
Oregon Health & Science
University that will contain
more recent data on the impact
of omicron in other states and
nations.
A key number — the
percentage of tests that come
back positive — rose to 9% in
Oregon from 5% last week.
Epidemiologists have said
throughout the pandemic that
anything above 5% creates
the possibility of exponential
growth of the virus.
The measure of omicron’s
impact is made more diffi cult
by a collection of current cir-
cumstances and trends. OHA
did not report new cases for
four days over the Christmas
weekend, and will also not
report counts over the New
Year’s weekend.
Offi cial testing has fallen off
both in Oregon and nationwide
during the winter holiday
season. Part of the reason may
also be the growing popular-
ity of home fast-test kits that
can report a result in about 15
minutes.
While less accurate than
the laboratory tests that can
take two days or more before a
report is available. Many phar-
macies in Oregon report they
have sold out the kits, which
cost about $25 for two tests in
each pack.
The delta variant continues
to top COVID-19 case counts in
Oregon, but for the fi rst time in
several weeks it is not the only
variant to hit the charts.
Omicron offi cially has
accounted for just under 17%
of new infections in cases
surveyed by OHA during the
week of Dec. 25.
But the sequencing of the
virus make-up can take over
a week, creating a lag time
between signs of its presence in
climbing caseloads, but yet to
be confi rmed by lab results.
The Oregon Health Author-
ity reported 25 new deaths and
3,585 new cases of COVID-19
on Monday, Dec. 27. The data
covered four days, from Thurs-
day to Sunday as reported
by county health agencies
between Dec. 23 and Dec. 26.
A number being watched
closely to gauge the severity of
the omicron virus is hospital-
izations.
On Monday, hospitals
across Oregon reported
381 COVID-19 patients, an
increase of 23 from Sunday’s
total. COVID-19 patients were
in 94 intensive care unit beds,
up two from Sunday.
Oregon has 56 available
adult ICU beds out of 649 total
— about 9% availability. There
are 311 available adult non-
ICU beds out of 4,082, or about
8% availability.
Scientists have been watch-
ing the fast-moving variant
as it spread from South Africa
to Europe and the United
States. Studies of the variant
offer hope that while it will
drive up case numbers beyond
earlier spikes last winter and
the arrival of delta in July, the
severity of this incarnation of
COVID-19 may be less severe
than its predecessors.
Oregon Health & Science
University originally forecast
on Dec. 17 that hospitalizations
in Oregon could top 3,000. But
it revised the fi gure to 1,200 in
its report last week based on
additional data from Europe
and the eastern United States.
The forecast still shows the
number of cases rising sharply
to a peak around Feb. 9 and
then descending equally fast.
The sheer number of new
infections caused by omicron
will push Oregon’s hospitals
to the brink of collapse, OHSU
reported.
Hospitals are already
feeling the impact of even the
moderate rise in cases so far.
“Emergency departments
in Oregon are under signifi cant
strain,” OHA’s report said on
Monday.
Nine states and Puerto
Rico have topped 100 cases
per 100,000 residents, accord-
ing to a running tally updated
daily by the New York Times.
Washington, D.C., has seen
cases grow six-fold over the
past two weeks. New York’s
reported cases have more
than doubled and have
reached a daily average of
32,566.
Some states with relatively
low case counts are seeing
sharp increases. Cases are
up 964% over the past two
weeks in Hawaii, and Florida
reported an 818% rise. Loui-
siana, Georgia and Alabama
saw their numbers more than
double from levels below the
national average.
See, Omicron/Page A3
OBITUARIES
community, who was involved
in Cattlewomen in Baker and
Gretchen Ann D’Ewart, 74, at the state level. Ann enjoyed
traveling, cooking and baking,
of Durkee, became her loved
reading, and treasured being a
ones’ guardian angel on Dec.
part of her two daughters’ and
23, 2021. She
grandchildrens’ lives.
passed on at
She is survived by her
Saint Alphon-
husband, Richard; her
sus Regional
daughters, Marilyn Logsdon
Medical Cen-
(Kevin) and Tory Kernion
ter in Boise.
(Dave); and her grandchil-
No services
are currently Ann D’Ewart dren, Austin Kernion, Taylor
Kernion, Jaxon Logsdon, and
planned.
Gretchen Ann was born on Lily Logsdon; and her great-
grandchild, Harper Kernion.
Aug. 20, 1947, in Livingston,
Rest in peace, Mom, we
Montana, to Gretchen Ward
couldn’t have gained a better
and William Ward.
guardian angel, her loved ones
Ann married Richard
said.
D’Ewart in Livingston, Mon-
Memorial contributions
tana, in 1967. They have lived
can be made to the Durkee
in Durkee since 1975. Ann
was an active member in the Community Hall through
Gretchen Ann D’Ewart
Durkee, 1947-2021
NEWS OF RECORD
DEATHS
Georgia Bonita Wells: 95, of
Baker City, died on Dec. 28, 2021,
at her residence in Meadowbrook
Place. Her memorial service will
be announced soon. To leave an
online condolence for Georgia’s
family, go to www.grayswestco.
com.
Donna Brodhead: 86, of
North Powder, died on Dec. 24,
2021, at Grand Ronde Retirement
Center in La Grande. Arrange-
ments are under the direction of
Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home
& Cremation Services. Online
condolences can be shared at
www.tamispinevalleyfuneral-
home.com.
Jarma Myers: 62, of Baker
City, died on Dec. 24, 2021, at her
home with family at her side.
Arrangements are under the
direction of Tami’s Pine Valley
Funeral Home & Cremation
Services. Online condolences can
be shared at www.tamispineval-
leyfuneralhome.com.
Michael Speelman: 77,
formerly of Baker City, died on
Dec. 26, 2021, at Legacy Good
Samaritan Hospital in Portland.
Arrangements are under the
direction of Tami’s Pine Valley
Funeral Home & Cremation
Services. Online condolences can
be shared at www.tamispineval-
leyfuneralhome.com.
Janis Taylor: 85, of Baker City,
died on Dec. 25, 2021, at Ashley
Manor in Baker City. Services
are under the direction of Coles
Tribute Center. Donations can be
made to Best Friends of Baker
or Haines Methodist Church,
through Coles Tribute Center, 1950
Place St., Baker City, OR 97814. To
light a candle in memory of Janis,
go to www.colestributecenter.
com.
POLICE LOG
Baker City Police
Arrests, citations
VIOLATION OF RELEASE
AGREEMENT: Brandon Doug-
las Culbertson, 33, Baker City,
4:26 p.m. Monday, Dec. 27 in the
1500 block of East Street; cited
and released.
Baker County Sheriff’s
Offi ce
Arrests, citations
CONTEMPT OF COURT (Baker
County Justice Court warrant):
Joshua David Givens, 27, Halfway,
2:04 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 28 in
Halfway; cited and released.
VIOLATION OF RELEASE
AGREEMENT: Joshua David
Givens, 27, Halfway, 9:45 a.m.
Monday, Dec. 27 on Gover Lane;
cited and released.
1809 1st Street • Baker City
Dec. 31 - Jan. 6
(PG-13)
Fri-Sun
Mon-Thurs
12:45, 4:00, 7:10
7:10
SING 2
(PG)
Fri-Sun
Mon-Thurs
1:20, 4:20, 7:20
7:20
THE MATRIX
RESURRECTIONS
Fri-Sun
Mon-Thurs
(R)
1:00, 4:10, 7:30
7:00
**SHOWTIMES SUBJECT TO CHANGE. VISIT
OUR WEBSITE OR CALL AHEAD TO VERIFY**
www.eltrym.com
Kathleen Bradshaw
Baker City
Kathleen Mae Bradshaw,
60, of Baker City, died on Dec.
15, 2021, at St. Charles Medi-
cal Center in
Bend.
A memori-
al service will
take place
on Friday,
April 8, 2022,
at 1 p.m. at
Kathleen
Gray’s West
Bradshaw
& Co. Pioneer
Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave., in
Baker City.
In 1978, Kathleen gradu-
ated from Baker High School.
Nine years later, on June
7, 1987, she married David
Bradshaw in Boise. She
worked at Walmart for three
years in retail sales, but her
true passion was being home,
taking care of her family.
Kathleen enjoyed rock hunt-
ing and collecting stones of
every shape and size. Howev-
er, Kathleen’s most signifi cant
accomplishment was serving
God as a Christian with all
her heart.
Kathleen is survived by
her husband, David Brad-
shaw of Baker City; her son,
Dane Lynch of Bend; her
daughter, Samatha Lynch of
Boise; her brother, Mathew
Daniels of Baker City; her
sister, Pat Shirtcliff of La
Grande; two grandchildren
and four great-grandchildren.
She as preceded by death
by her father, Jean Daniels;
her mother, Alice Marie
Daniels; and her brothers,
Douglas Daniels and John
Daniels.
Memorial contributions
can be made to the Make a
Wish Foundation through
Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer
Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave,
Baker City, OR 97814.
To leave an online condo-
lence for Kathleen’s family, go
to www. grayswestco.com.
Mobile Service
Showing Movies Since 1940!
SPIDER-MAN
NO WAY HOME
Gray’s West & Company
Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey
Ave., Baker City, OR 97814.
To light a candle in Ann’s
honor or to offer online con-
dolences to her family, go to
www.grayswestco.com.
(541) 523-2522
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