NEWS
MyEagleNews.com
Wednesday, April 15, 2020
A5
CDC recommends people wear homemade masks in public
Grant County Health Department
The COVID-19 situation is
evolving.
Projections from health research-
ers show that there is “strong evi-
dence that measures currently in place
in Oregon are reducing transmission,”
according to the latest models. The
most recent data suggest that current
physical distancing measures could
cut transmission rates between 50%-
70% if Oregonians maintain physical
distancing into early May.
As of Monday, 44 COVID-19
tests have been administered in Grant
County with one positive results, 29
negative results, 11 pending results
and three untestable specimens that
were properly packed on dry ice as
indicated but were delivered too late
by the courier.
We have been using the term
“social distancing” to describe stay-
ing 6 feet apart from others. Follow-
ing the World Health Organization,
we are now using the term “physical
distancing” because it more clearly
describes keeping physically sep-
arated from others — 6 feet apart.
Physical distancing can prevent the
virus from transferring to others, but
it’s important that we keep our social
and community connections. We
encourage people to maintain social
connection in ways that still maintain
physical distance by connecting with
each other through the internet and by
phone. We are all better at managing
stress when we stay connected with
Maintain physical distance
in warmer weather
Grant County Health Department
In the days ahead, we are going
to experience sunshine and warm
weather in most of Oregon. Under-
standably, many of us will want to
go outside and feel the warmth of
the sun. Going outside is good for
you.
Although the weather is nice
we still need you to stay home and
limit travel to essential trips. Here
are some ideas on how you enjoy
the sun and still flatten the curve:
• If you’re able to maintain
physical distancing, enjoy the out-
door areas of your residence.
• Have an outdoor picnic at your
residence with the people you live
with.
• Have a virtual picnic with
friends.
• Get things done at home such
as gardening or washing your car.
• Open doors and windows
to get fresh air while remaining
inside.
We need to keep our momentum
going in flattening the curve. It’s
still important to continue physical
distancing and remain 6 feet away
from others. When enjoying this
beautiful weather, please don’t:
• Participate in group sports
• Hike on crowded trails
• Attend social gatherings
• Travel
• And, please don’t go out if
you’re sick.
We must not stop doing our
part. Oregon has been doing great
but we can’t let up now. The steps
we’re taking are saving lives and
we need to keep this momentum
going!
The guidance to exercising
outdoors has not changed. It is
allowed if physical distancing is
possible:
• Enjoy solo physical activ-
ities or those with members of
your immediate household such as
walking, biking, running or rolling.
• Wave to your neighbors from
a distance. Let them know you’re
happy to see them.
our friends and people we love.
In light of the CDC’s new guidance
on homemade masks or cloth face
coverings, Oregon Health Authority
is reminding Oregonians that stay-
ing home and avoiding all non-essen-
tial contact with others continues to
be the most important thing all of us
can do to stay healthy and keep oth-
ers healthy.
People are wondering if home-
made masks can help prevent the
spread of COVID19. Homemade
masks are not known to be effective
in protecting the wearer against infec-
tion. Therefore, OHA does not recom-
mend that healthcare personnel wear
these masks when taking care of sick
patients. Medical masks should be
reserved for health care providers who
are on the front lines working with
patients who are most likely to have
COVID-19. We have had shortages
of those masks — and it’s critically
important that our health care work-
ers have the equipment they need to
do their jobs.
However, if cloth masks are worn
by a sick person, particularly with
respiratory symptoms such as cough-
ing or sneezing, they could reduce the
spread of the virus. Homemade masks
are not considered PPE, since their
capability to protect against COVID-
19 is unknown. The use of cloth face
coverings may reduce the spread
of virus and help prevent those who
have the virus but do not have symp-
toms from passing it to others. Still,
the most effective means of prevent-
ing the spread of COVID-19 is stay-
ing home and avoiding all non-essen-
tial contact with others.
It can be difficult to locate a mask
or face covering; if you are unable to
locate one, you can make your own
using the instructions at: https://www.
cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/pre-
vent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-cov-
erings.html.
There are instructions for making
masks or face coverings with or with-
out sewing.
Together we can minimize the
impact of COVID-19 on our most vul-
nerable community members and help
ensure our health systems will work
for all of us when we need it most.
We appreciate your help in this
effort.
Federal changes temporarily increase access to food benefits
Blue Mountain Eagle
Oregonians who have difficulty
finding work during the COVID-
19 pandemic do not have to worry
about losing their food benefits, due
to changes included in the Families
First Coronavirus Response Act.
Normally, benefits are only
available for three months for peo-
ple who are not working but are
considered able to work, accord-
ing to a press release. The act
temporarily suspends Supple-
mental Nutrition Assistance Pro-
gram time limits for a subset of
the SNAP population who are
required to seek work as a con-
dition of receiving benefits. The
changes began April 1 and ends
the month after the secretary
of Health and Human Services
declares the COVID-19 state of
emergency is lifted.
“SNAP benefits play a criti-
cal role in helping Oregonians get
by during difficult circumstances,”
said Dan Haun, director of Self-Suf-
ficiency Programs at the Oregon
Department of Human Services.
“This change ensures that food
benefits remain available for the
increasingly number of Oregonians
losing jobs during this pandemic.”
“As business and schools close
because of this public health cri-
sis, Oregonians are losing work
and wages. SNAP is there to help
put food on the table,” said Annie
Kirschner, executive director of
Hunger-Free Oregon. “By waiving
SNAP time limits, more Oregonians
can now focus on staying healthy,
instead of the threat of hunger.”
DHS announced that Orego-
nians statewide now can use their
SNAP benefits online to buy gro-
ceries at Amazon or Wal-Mart,
which support the physical distanc-
ing required by Gov. Kate Brown’s
stay home order. In addition, DHS
is not requiring interviews for those
who report having no household
income. Oregonians can apply for
SNAP without visiting a DHS office
online at OHP.Oregon.gov.
“Whether you’re experienc-
ing job loss for the first time, or
you’ve been struggling to make
ends meet for a while, we want you
to know about all the options open
to you,” said Susannah Morgan,
Oregon Food Bank CEO. “SNAP
food assistance is our region’s most
effective defense against hunger —
especially in times of crisis. It’s an
important resource that can feed
families and help prevent hunger
from becoming yet another symp-
tom of COVID-19.”
SNAP is a federally funded pro-
gram that offers nutrition assistance
to low-income individuals and fam-
ilies. SNAP is the largest program
in the domestic hunger safety net.
In Oregon, individuals and families
apply for SNAP benefits at Depart-
ment of Human Services and Area
Agency on Aging offices across the
state.
If someone lost SNAP benefits
due to time limit work requirements,
they are encouraged to reapply.
SNAP customers can contact
their local DHS or AAA office for
more information. Find a local
office at oregon.gov/DHS/Offices/
Pages/index.aspx.
For other ways to connect with
DHS, contact 211info: by call-
ing 2-1-1 from any phone; by tex-
ting your zip code to 898211; or by
emailing help@211info.org.
COPS AND COURTS
Grant County Circuit
Court
Bobby L. Ruston, 42,
pleaded guilty April 8 to five
counts of first-degree bur-
glary committed on Dec. 3,
Dec. 12, Dec. 26 and March 6,
and four counts of second-de-
gree burglary committed on
Dec. 3, Dec. 12, Dec. 26 and
March 6. He was sentenced
to serve 31 months in jail, 24
months of post-prison supervi-
sion and pay $4,252.87 in res-
titution: $625 to Dark Horse
Antiques, $159.09 to Grant
Soil and Water Conservation
District, $1,392 to High Desert
Office Supply, $1,500 to John
Day Video Shoppe, $189 to
Jonna Radinovich and $387.78
to Natural Resources Conser-
vation Services. Two counts of
second-degree criminal mis-
chief, two counts of third-de-
gree criminal mischief, one
count of second-degree bur-
glary, a count of third-degree
theft and a count of felon in
possession of a firearm were
dismissed.
Grant County Sheriff
The Grant County Sheriff’s
Office reported the following
for the week of April 8:
Concealed
handgun
licenses: 0
Average inmates: 13
Bookings: 1
Releases: 2
Arrests: 0
Citations: 0
Fingerprints: 0
Civil papers: 4
Warrants processed: 0
Assistance/Welfare check:
0
Search and Rescue: 1
Oregon State Police
April 9: OSP began inves-
tigating an unreported theft
of a firearm from a rural Mt.
Vernon residence. The prop-
erty owner acknowledged the
theft had occurred, but the fire-
arm belonged to an ex-wife.
OSP contacted the owner of
the firearm who was unaware
it was stolen and wished to file
a report. On April 9, OSP was
S165199-1
able to obtain the serial num-
ber of the firearm, and OSP had
dispatch enter it into LEDS/
NCIC as stolen. Investigation
is ongoing.
Dispatch
John Day dispatch worked
119 calls during the week of
April 6 to April 12, including:
• John Day Police
Department
April 6: Responded to a
report of a domestic dispute on
West Main Street.
April 10: Received a report
of burglary on Southeast Hill-
crest Road.
April 10: Received a report
of a credit card fraud on Sky-
line Road.
April 10: Responded to
assist Juniper Ridge with a
client who was assaulting
caregivers.
• Oregon State Police
April 8: Advised of a cow
elk that was hit and injured on
Highway 7.
April 11: Advised of live-
stock on the roadway at Ritter
Junction.
• Grant County Sheriff’s
Office
April 7: Received a report
of criminal mischief on High-
way 26.
April 11: Received a report
of theft in Seneca.
April 11: Received a report
of theft on South Humbolt
Street.
• John Day ambulance
April 6: Dispatched for a
man with injury on South Can-
yon Boulevard.
April 7: Dispatched for a
woman that fell with a possi-
ble broken bone on Highland
Terrace.
April 9: Along with Monu-
ment ambulance, responded to
a man who blacked out on 11th
Street.
April 10: Dispatched for a
woman with high blood pres-
sure on La Costa Road.
April 10: Dispatched for
a man with a racing heart and
high blood pressure at a busi-
ness on West Main Street.
April 11: Dispatched for a
woman with difficulty breath-
ing and a fever.
• John Day fire
April 10: Along with Can-
yon City fire, responded to a
house fire at Riverside Mobile
Home Park.
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Arrests and citations in the
Blue Mountain Eagle are taken
from the logs of law enforce-
ment agencies. Every effort is
made to report the court dispo-
sition of arrest cases.