Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Bulletin. (Bend, OR) 1963-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 6, 2022)
A4 The BulleTin • Thursday, January 6, 2022 JAN. 6 CAPITOL RIOT A year later, Congress more deeply divided than ever BY LISA MASCARO associated Press WASHINGTON — A deeply di- vided Congress is about to show the world a very unsettled view from the U.S. Capitol: Rather than a national crisis that pulls the country together, the deadly riot on Jan. 6, 2021, only seems to have pushed lawmakers fur- ther apart. Some members are planning to mark the anniversary of the Capitol insurrection with a moment of si- lence. Others will spend the day edu- cating Americans on the workings of democracy. And still others don’t think the deadliest domestic attack on Congress in the nation’s history needs to be re- membered at all. Where they stand on remembrance can be largely attributed to their polit- ical party, a jarring discord that shows the country’s lawmakers remain strik- ingly at odds over how to unify a torn nation. The president who had been fairly and legitimately defeated, Donald Trump, told his followers to “fight like hell” to stop the certification of Joe Biden’s election and said he would march with them to the Capitol, though he did not. The result was vi- olence and mayhem that left five peo- ple dead in the immediate aftermath, hundreds facing charges and millions of dollars in property damage. But the lack of bipartisan resolve to assign responsibility for the siege or acknowledge the threat it posed has eroded trust among lawmakers, turned ordinary legislative disputes into potential crises and left the door open for more violence after the next disputed election. It all sets Congress adrift toward a gravely uncertain future: Did Jan. 6 bring the end of one era or the start of a new one? “One thing that people should con- sider when thinking about Jan. 6 is ... people should think about the fragility of democracy,” said Joanne Freeman, a professor of history and American studies at Yale, whose book “Field of Blood” chronicles violence and blood- shed in Congress in the years before the Civil War. Seeing few historical parallels, Free- man warned, “We’re at a moment where things that people have taken for granted about the working of a Win Mcnamee/Getty images file A mob supporting then-President Donald Trump breaks into the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 in Washington, D.C. democratic politics can’t be taken for granted anymore.” The aftermath of Jan. 6 hangs heavy over snow-covered Capitol Hill, in the relationships that deepened between lawmakers who feared for their lives that day and those that have frayed “To continue offering what we have and offer spectators in the gym, we’re asking spectators to wear a mask. This is about the kids. Parents, the least they could do is wear a mask and help us out.” — Jason Carr, Crook County School District spokesperson Schools Continued from A1 State calls for halt to extracurriculars, precautionary measures The state’s health and edu- cation leaders said in a joint advisory Monday that school districts “should expect rapid transmission of COVID-19” if they continue with extracur- ricular activities, such as ath- letic competitions and clubs. If schools won’t cancel those ac- tivities, the state recommended enforcing measures, like mask- ing or testing, to ensure kids can stay in school through the ongoing omicron surge. Yet five school districts in Central Oregon said precau- tions beyond the usual mea- sures — masking, testing, con- tact tracing and hand-washing — are not on the horizon for extracurricular activities. Bend-La Pine Schools’ spokesperson, Alandra John- son, said in an email: “No changes to date.” Jefferson County School District spokesperson Joey Prechtl said: “Right now, we’re staying the course, but that, of course, could change.” Crook County School Dis- trict spokesperson Jason Carr said: “We feel comfortable with the protocols we have in place.” And Culver School Dis- trict Superintendent Stefanie Garber said: “We don’t plan on changing anything until there’s a reason to.” Keeping kids in school, sev- eral spokespersons said, re- mains the number one priority. Central Oregon becomes COVID-19 epicenter The Oregon Health Au- thority reported 6,203 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday, the second consecutive day with a record-shattering daily case count. That’s a steep rise from the state’s previous high of 4,540 cases reported Tues- day. And Central Oregon is among the regions hardest hit. Deschutes County re- ported 280 cases Tuesday, but on Wednesday, that number jumped to 716, according to OHA. Deschutes County con- tinues to report the highest COVID-19 case count per capita in Oregon, with Jeffer- son County coming in second. The counties also reported the second and third highest COVID-19 positive test rates in the state Wednesday, ac- cording to OHA. But Redmond School Dis- trict won’t pause extracurricu- lars, Miller said, pointing to the district’s contact tracing efforts and its “test to stay” option. Most Central Oregon schools are using this option, which allows unvaccinated students who are exposed to COVID-19 dean Guernsey/Bulletin file Bend High students cheer during a volleyball match at Summit High School on Sept. 7. to attend school and partici- pate in extracurricular activi- ties if they test negative. Miller said the district plans to send a message to par- ents encouraging community members to take precautionary measures like wearing a facial covering. Carr said Crook County plans to send a similar mes- sage to parents, particularly pointed at masking at sporting events. He said the district has no intention of canceling or shutting down attendance for extracurricular activities, but said he could not guarantee the state wouldn’t act if cases rise and community members flout coronavirus precautions. “To continue offering what we have and offer spectators in the gym, we’re asking spec- tators to wear a mask,” he said. “This is about the kids. Parents, the least they could do is wear a mask and help us out.” Other schools are already taking stringent measures to prevent coronavirus spread in extracurriculars. Portland Public Schools announced Tuesday that it would require extracurricu- lars to enforce facial coverings at all times, limit locker room access, stop overnight com- petitive travel, shutter event concessions and require proof of negative COVID test or vac- cination. Carr said Crook County isn’t looking at any measures like Portland’s. The school district has yet to report a large spike in COVID-19 cases, with 17 students and one staff mem- ber reporting being positive for COVID. But Carr said the school district will continue to be flexible as the omicron surge unfolds. He said, “It may take through this week before we see how omicron affects us.” e Reporter: 541-660-9844, bdole@bendbulletin.com OBITUARY May 12, 1930 - November 14, 2021 FloAdell Smith passed away November 14, 2021, at the age of 91. Flo and her husband Jack moved to Bend in 1976. She was an original employee of the Bank of the Cascades when it opened in 1977 and consequently was their fi rst reti ree in 1990. Flo is survived by her son and daughter-in-law Greg and Judy Smith, her daughter and son-in-law Tami and Bill Johnson, fi ve grandchildren: Ryan, Angie, Joel, Jacque, and Amy, and seven great grandchildren. A Celebrati on of Life will be held Saturday, January 15, 2022, at Aspen Hall in Shevlin Park at 11:00 am. Friends and family are welcome. Donati ons may be The Bethlehem Inn. made in her memory to beyond repair. The Capitol, before the riot a sym- bol of the openness of American de- mocracy, remains closed to most visi- tors in part because of the coronavirus pandemic public health concerns, but also because of the escalated number Tests Continued from A1 That means they should get tested, if needed and available and stay home and isolate as per (the Centers for Dis- ease Control and Prevention) guidelines.” And while positive cases are on the rise, the numbers could be far higher as the county’s tracking doesn’t in- clude home tests. The hospital expanded its drive-thru testing from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. According to the Oregon Health Authority dashboard, over the past seven days, Deschutes County reported 1,097.9 cases per 100,000 people — the highest in the state — and a 29.5% positivity rate. Jefferson County had the of violent threats against lawmak- ers. Representatives are required to pass through metal detectors because Democrats say they cannot trust their Republican colleagues not to bring firearms to the House during floor proceedings. Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., said every time he leaves his office he scans the hallways for potential threats — a feeling he said that, as a Black Amer- ican, is familiar, but one that he never expected as a member of Congress. “The lack of freedom of movement — without fear — is not there at the Capitol. And I’m a member of Con- gress,” Bowman said. Bowman has asked Biden to declare Jan. 6 a National Day of Healing. But Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, a member of Republican leadership, has no plans to memorialize the day, and he doesn’t think others should, either. “This thing has already become way too politicized, and that would just further exacerbate it,” he said. Trump’s false claims of voter fraud have continued to foment, met mostly with silence from Republicans in Congress unwilling to contradict his version of events. second highest infection rate with 738.4 cases per 100,000 people, and its positivity rate was 14.6% over the past seven days. Crook County had 610.1 cases per 100,000 in the same period with a 20.3% positivity rate, according to data posted Tuesday. The number of cases in a community depends on the population and allows for a more even comparison be- tween counties than just raw case numbers. Deschutes County Com- missioner Phil Chang said at the meeting Wednesday he’s hearing from the com- munity that the long waits at St. Charles and elsewhere for testing is due to staffing sup- ply constraints. “People tell me they’re shaking every tree and try- ing to get an appointment and nothing is available for a week and then there is the challenge with test accessibil- ity,” Chang said. “Is there any- thing we can do?” The omicron variant be- gan showing up just a couple of weeks ago in Central Or- egon. It has a shorter incu- bation period and is highly contagious, said Nahad Sa- dr-Azodi, Deschutes County Health Services director of public health, at the meeting. “Get vaccinated and get boosted; that’s still working, despite the variant’s changing characteristics,” Sadr-Azodi said. “Wear a mask, physi- cal distancing is still clearly working and good hand hy- giene.” e Reporter: 541-633-2117, sroig@bendbulletin.com
