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About The Columbia press. (Astoria, Or.) 1949-current | View Entire Issue (June 25, 2021)
The Columbia Press June 25, 2021 3 COVID cases rising; county sees 9th death The Columbia Press A ninth person in Clatsop County has died of COVID-19 and case counts are swelling, public health officials say. “Clatsop County has ex- perienced a surge in new COVID-19 cases as residents resume work and social ac- tivities while the vaccination rate slows,” according to a press release. But the increase won’t push the county into a higher risk level. While the two-week case total could have mandated the county move from low risk to high risk, the gover- nor announced Tuesday that the risk-level metric is going away as the entire state is ap- proaching a 70 percent vac- cination rate among those 18 and older. As of Tuesday, the state was just 42,000 short of the goal. “July 1, I’m pretty sure, will end the state’s involvement,” Warrenton Mayor Henry Balensifer said Tuesday night in a Facebook Live address. “Oregon is the most restrict- ed state in the whole United States right now. … I have a feeling they’re going to real- ize it’s not going to be very tenable to keep up with that.” Oregon Health Authority recorded 41 new cases in the county during the two-week period that ended June 19. There were 10 cases in the previous two weeks. The county had recorded 1,060 coronavirus cases as of Wednesday. There had been 25 hospitalizations. More than 20,300 people in the county have received one or more vaccination. The increase in cases does not stem from any large sin- gle outbreak, according to the county Public Health Depart- ment. Instead, the multiple cases are tied to workplaces, schools, and family gatherings. Clatsop County’s ninth death was an 89-year-old woman who was hospitalized in April, released, and then died in her home on June 18. Clatsop County Commis- sion Chair Mark Kujala urged residents to help meet the statewide goal. “Our local businesses need our help,” he said. “We are so close to hitting 70 percent, and that will ensure our busi- nesses stay open. We just need more folks to show up at the next scheduled county clinic -- or go to your local pharma- cy or doctor’s office -- and get that shot.” The new surge in cases shows that the virus is still circulating locally, Public Health Director Margo Lalich said. Of 14 cases reported be- tween June 18 and 21, 12 in- volved unvaccinated individ- uals, she said. More than 81 percent of Clatsop County residents 65 and older have been vacci- nated, but rates are lower for those who are younger. Forty-three percent of 20- to 29-year-olds have received a vaccine, and the number for those 12 to 19 is 32 percent. Vaccine clinics Several clinics are planned in the next few days and none require appointments. Seaside: 5 to 7 p.m. Tues- day, June 29, Old Seaside High School, 1901 N. Hol- laday Drive. The clinic will have the Moderna vaccine and first and second doses are available to those 18 and older. No appointment nec- essary. Seaside: Pop-up clinic 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, June 30, at the Seaside Convention Center offering the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The clinic is for the unshel- tered population and in- cludes lunch, meal gift cards, haircuts, and bags of health and wellness items. Cannon Beach: Pop-up clinic Thursday, June 30, at the Cannon Beach Chamber of Commerce offering the Pfizer vaccine, which is ap- proved for ages 12 and older. Astoria: 5 to 7 p.m. Thurs- day, July 1, Clatsop County Fairgrounds, 92937 Walluski Loop. necessary. Seaside: 1 to 3 p.m. Tues- day, July 6, Old Seaside High School. A Moderna first- and second-dose clinic. Project will cause delays on Highway 26 A paving project on High- way 26 between Necanicum Junction and the Nehalem River Bridge is under way and expected to cause de- lays for travelers between the coast and the Willamette Val- ley, including the Portland Metro Area. There are single-lane night- time closures between 7 p.m. and 8 a.m. from Sunday through Thursday each week. In the four-lane sections of Highway 26, work may occur during daytime hours as well if one travel lane in each di- rection can be maintained. Workers are removing old asphalt and replacing it with a new, smoother surface. In addition, new guardrail and signs will be installed. Travelers should be pre- pared for delays and add travel time during the eve- ning construction. Above: Firefighter lead Dan Cleveland, center, briefs Maj. Gen. Michael Stencel, right, and Chief Master Sgt. Daniel Conner on current wildland fire training at Camp Rilea. Right: Conner talks with Ashley Vela and Saxon Riendeau, members of the 173rd Fighter Wing. Aaron Perkins/Oregon Military Department Rilea hosts wildfire training The Columbia Press Members of the Oregon National Guard are at Camp Rilea this week for wildland fire training. The state’s coordinated wildfire suppression plan includes training more than 100 Oregon National Guard soldiers and air members as wildland firefighters. A cul- mination field training exer- cise was scheduled Thursday, with most members leaving camp Friday. The guard members came from across the state. Public colleges can offer doctorates Oregon Gov. Kate Brown’s recent signature on Senate Bill 230 allows the state’s three regional public univer- sities to offer professional doctoral degrees. The law, which takes affect Jan. 1, aims to help the state’s students in obtaining high-de- mand, high-paying jobs. Western Oregon, Eastern Oregon and Southern Oregon universities were redefined from regional to compre- hensive universities in 1997. Previously, they had been re- stricted to conferring degrees no higher than a master’s. Now, they can offer pro- fessional doctoral degrees, which differ from research doctorates (PhDs) in that they’re designed to prepare students for a particular spe- cialty, often leading to pro- fessional licensure. “We are excited about this long-anticipated outcome,” said Rob Winningham of Western Oregon Universi- ty in Monmouth. “Western, under its independent board, can control its destiny by proposing and delivering ac- ademic programs that meet market need.”
