A4
OPINION
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, June 24, 2020
The COVID-19
crisis isn’t over
G
ov. Kate Brown used
an apt metaphor
recently regarding the
COVID-19 virus and what may
be in store for the state over the
next month.
“We are going to be step-
ping out on the ice,” she said.
The statement is indicative
of what has become a hallmark
of the COVID-19 virus — its
utter unpredictability.
The respiratory infection is
now a part of our lives, a famil-
iar signpost as we navigate
our way from one day or one
week to the next. The COVID-
19 virus signpost is clearly one
most everyone would like to
avoid or ignore.
Except we can’t.
That’s because in the wake
of Brown’s approval of many
counties moving into phase
two of a reopening, cases of
the virus haven’t declined but
increased in many areas of the
state.
At the tail end of last week,
the Oregon Health Author-
ity reported 34 new COVID-
19 cases in Umatilla County.
Those new positives push the
total for the county to 298.
Since mid-May, when
the state began a methodical
reopening process, the number
of Oregonians testing positive
for the virus has doubled.
Oregon’s isn’t alone. More
than 15 other states are endur-
ing a boost in cases, and, in
some cases, shattering daily
records.
Then there is the peculiar
case of Union County. There,
the county commissioners last
week made an unprecedented
decision to move the entity
back into phase one COVID-19
restrictions after more than 200
people tested positive for the
malady in less than a week.
As unfortunate as the sit-
uation in Union County is, it
should be a red flag regarding
what can happen if proper pre-
cautions are not in place as the
state reopens.
The pandemic guidelines
— social distancing, wearing a
mask, staying home if you are
sick — remain just as relevant
today as they were two months
ago.
Yet, in the end, whether we
have a major outbreak here will
depend almost entirely on local
residents.
That means we must all
heed the warnings and guide-
lines from the health authorities
at the county and state level.
Just because we’ve moved
into phase two of the gover-
nor’s reopening plan doesn’t
mean the virus is gone. In fact,
the COVID-19 virus is here to
stay. The measures adopted by
the governor to stop the spread
were fueled by the real fear that
hospitals and other care centers
could be overloaded if a major
outbreak occurred.
That hasn’t happened and
probably won’t. Local health
centers are prepared to meet
just such an emergency.
Yet, that doesn’t mean we
should ignore reality and pre-
tend everything is back to
normal. It is not. And won’t
be until there is a vaccine or
treatment.
GUEST COMMENT
Rural Oregonians need to be at
the center of their own recovery
By Heidi Khokhar
R
ural has struggled for
decades — Oregon can do
better.
More than 35 years ago, Ore-
gon’s rural communities expe-
rienced an economic down-
turn of epic proportions when
the timber economy collapsed.
While state and federal govern-
ments responded with significant
resources and support for almost a
decade, it was not enough.
The 2008 Great Recession,
again, hit rural places hard. Now,
the COVID-19 crisis will likely
affect Oregon’s rural and tribal
economies disproportionately and
have repercussions for years to
come. Our history tells us we have
yet to invest the needed resources,
provide the needed support or
allow the needed time for rural
recovery after these major eco-
nomic downturns.
In the past, we failed to create
an environment where rural could
propel themselves to an equita-
ble, inclusive and resilient econ-
omy. Then we moved on, leaving
them behind and on their own —
with adverse impacts to the entire
Oregon economy and our ability
to work together towards common
goals.
Rural Has Unique Needs
In Oregon, rural places face
the same complex challenges as
larger population centers, in more
geographic isolation, with scarcer
financial resources, fewer peo-
Oregon moves forward to become
better and more resilient than
before.
Right now, we have an opportu-
nity to choose a path forward that
creates a stronger future for all
Oregonians. This includes invest-
ing resources to better understand
the specific needs of rural Oregon
— focusing on the further dispro-
portionate impact on rural Indig-
enous, Black and other commu-
nities of color — and to develop
solutions in partnership with rural
people and the rural organizations
that support them.
Oregon’s legislative leaders
must make proportionate invest-
ment in rural Oregon to address
not only the immediate COVID-
19 needs, but also the larger eco-
nomic struggles felt by these com-
munities for decades. We implore
our state leaders to ensure Ore-
gon’s economic recovery specifi-
cally includes rural communities,
and that rural people and orga-
nizations be included in the pol-
icy decisions that ultimately affect
their own recovery. RDI is com-
mitted to advancing these priori-
ties, and we look forward to being
an active partner with our elected
leaders, and others, in making sure
all of Oregon recovers to become
better and more resilient than
before.
Heidi Khokhar is the executive
director of Rural Development Ini-
tiatives. She grew up in a small
Southern Oregon town and has
worked alongside rural people and
communities for over 20 years.
ple to do the work, rarer mod-
els designed to fit their situation
and more confusing or less trusted
information sources.
The COVID-19 pandemic, the
associated economic impact and
the current social and political cli-
mate combine to create a situa-
tion on a scale that may eclipse
anything we have known. In this
moment, we can clearly see the
bad — inequities in our systems
and the lack of resiliency of our
local economies — and the good,
shared values from which we can
build.
Rural Oregonians Need to Be
at the Center of Their Own
Recovery
Rural Oregonians are working
hard to recover, sleeves rolled up,
helping each other. Their resilient
spirit leads them to look for oppor-
tunities to act locally, connect to
one another and access resources
and support. However, they cannot
do it alone — and this time, they
shouldn’t.
Rural Development Initiatives
and many other partners have been
with rural communities through it
all. For decades, we have worked
to understand their needs, support
their work, provide access to mod-
els and resources that work in rural
and help them set and achieve
their goals. We stand committed
to listen, support their economic
recovery and play an active role
in connecting policy makers and
resources to their efforts.
Together, we can ensure that
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Keeping the virus
at bay
WHERE TO WRITE
GRANT COUNTY
• Grant County Courthouse — 201
S. Humbolt St., Suite 280, Canyon City
97820. Phone: 541-575-0059. Fax:
541-575-2248.
• Canyon City — P.O. Box 276, Canyon
City 97820. Phone: 541-575-0509.
Fax: 541-575-0515. Email: tocc1862@
centurylink.net.
• Dayville — P.O. Box 321, Dayville
97825. Phone: 541-987-2188. Fax: 541-
987-2187. Email:dville@ortelco.net
• John Day — 450 E. Main St, John
Day, 97845. Phone: 541-575-0028.
Fax: 541-575-1721. Email: cityjd@
centurytel.net.
• Long Creek — P.O. Box 489, Long
Creek 97856. Phone: 541-421-3601.
Fax: 541-421-3075. Email: info@
cityoflongcreek.com.
• Monument — P.O. Box 426,
Monument 97864. Phone
and fax: 541-934-2025. Email:
cityofmonument@centurytel.net.
• Mt. Vernon — P.O. Box 647, Mt.
Vernon 97865. Phone: 541-932-4688.
Fax: 541-932-4222. Email: cmtv@
ortelco.net.
• Prairie City — P.O. Box 370, Prairie
City 97869. Phone: 541-820-3605. Fax:
820-3566. Email: pchall@ortelco.net.
• Seneca — P.O. Box 208, Seneca
97873. Phone and fax: 541-542-2161.
Email: senecaoregon@gmail.com.
SALEM
• Gov. Kate Brown, D — 254 State
Capitol, Salem 97310. Phone: 503-378-
3111. Fax: 503-378-6827. Website:
governor.state.or.us/governor.html.
• Oregon Legislature — State
Capitol, Salem, 97310. Phone: (503)
986-1180. Website: leg.state.or.us
(includes Oregon Constitution and
Oregon Revised Statutes).
• Oregon Legislative Information —
(For updates on bills, services, capitol
or messages for legislators) — 800-
332-2313.
• Sen. Cliff Bentz, R-Ontario – 900
Court St. NE, S-301, Salem 97301.
Phone: 503-986-1730. Website:
oregonlegislature.gov/Bentz. Email:
Sen.CliffBentz@oregonlegislature.gov.
• Rep. Lynn Findley, R-Vale – 900 Court
St. NE, H-475, Salem 97301. Phone: 503-
986-1460. Website: oregonlegislature.
gov/findley. Email: Rep.LynnFindley@
oregonlegislature.gov.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
• The White House, 1600
Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Washington,
D.C. 20500; Phone-comments: 202-
456-1111; Switchboard: 202-456-
1414.
Blue Mountain
EAGLE
Published every
Wednesday by
To the Editor:
The Emergency Operations
Center-Grant County Sheriff’s
Office has on its recent record of
accomplishments: unnecessary hir-
ings (for finding and doling out
federal and state money expected
for COVID-19, few if any for
increased community health care
needs); unnecessary purchases
for stated purpose; unjustifiable
expenditures in view of one sin-
gle lone positive; corruption of the
county court showing a disturb-
ing trend as expressed in Mr. Ham-
sher’s June 16 statement that: “Its
just like we can approve anything”
(BME June 16, 2020).
“Anything” then means an addi-
tional $125,000 of taxpayer reve-
nue. (It now appears the initially
planned full EOC budget was “pre-
approved” and will be paid; per-
haps over Scott Myers’ objection,
if we’re lucky, giving the illusion
we do have county government
of-the-people-by-the-people-for-
the-people, rather than one of-by-
and-for the EOC-GCSO assembly.)
Despite: no further need for
the additional personnel hired
(their employment contracts
should stipulate the likely tempo-
rary nature of the job); no need
for the wide-ranging purchases in
their intended purpose (purchases
have a return policy, within 30 to
90 days, not too late!); no need
for further emergency measures,
rather, maintaining what the popu-
lace has successfully practiced the
past three months: caution, obser-
vance of new rules, watching the
rest of the state and nation, and
plain common sense.
Beginning years back but con-
tinuing to figure into the county
budget are sheriff’s deputy fur-
loughs, arbitrary and unexplained
paid leaves, false arrests, refusals to
L
ETTERS POLICY: Letters to the Editor is a forum for Blue Mountain Eagle readers to express themselves
on local, state, national or world issues. Brevity is good, but longer letters will be asked to be contained to
350 words. No personal attacks; challenge the opinion, not the person. No thank-you letters. Submissions to
this page become property of the Eagle. The Eagle reserves the right to edit letters for length and for content.
Letters must be original and signed by the writer. Anonymous letters will not be printed. Writers should include a
telephone number so they can be reached for questions. We must limit all contributors to one letter per person
per month. Deadline is 5 p.m. Friday. Send letters to editor@bmeagle.com, or Blue Mountain Eagle, 195 N.
Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845; or fax to 541-575-1244.
Grant County’s Weekly Newspaper
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Editor & General Manager ...............Sean Hart, editor@bmeagle.com
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Reporter ...................................................... Steven Mitchell, steven@bmeagle.com
Sports ........................................................sports@bmeagle.com
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MEMBER OREGON NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION
acknowledge state law and result-
ing legal expenses when someone
did call it. All at taxpayer expense
without corresponding service.
True sum total to date? Does any-
one know?
And even further back, to the
infancy of his sheriffhood, court
minutes repeatedly show Palmer
asking for money, and more of
it, and concern over this squeaky
wheel by other county employees.
Needless to say, I object to most
any and all these expenditures
and herewith politely but urgently
request the county assessor to cal-
culate my share of this total sum,
and refund me in the upcoming tax
year. Taxation without representa-
tion is a no-go.
And how far would $250,000
have gone toward giving local busi-
ness a boost?
So, back to the purpose of this
exercise: Where (who) is the virus?
Vega Nunez
Ritter
Phone: 541-575-0710
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