HASSO HERING

A perspective from Oregon’s mid-Willamette Valley

Locally, state eases corona shutdown

Written May 14th, 2020 by Hasso Hering

On Mother’s Day, Leah Peña was staffing the table outside the Calapooia Brewing Co., where remodeling is under way. Albany restaurants can resume limited sit-down service starting Friday.

Linn and Benton are among the counties where some shutdown restrictions can be eased starting Friday, Governor Brown announced this morning. In Albany there was other news on the corona front as well.

For restaurants, the governor’s announcement means they can open for sit-down service as long as a 6-foot distance between parties can be maintained. There can’t be more than 10 parties inside, and employees must wear face coverings.

No word on how many local restaurants will make use of this relaxation in the shutdown orders. Check with your local favorite to see if you can eat there or whether take-out service remains the only option for now.

Salons, barber shops and similar services can reopen too but must observe a number of conditions, including keeping a list of clients, and operators must wear masks.

Meanwhile, the city of Albany reported this morning on the latest results of wastewater testing for traces of the coronavirus. The city is  taking part in a nationwide study by Biobot Laboratories in Somerville, Mass.

Samples taken on April 6 and 14 found the virus at levels corresponding to 5.5 percent and 2.7 percent, respectively, of the Albany population. But results from sampling on April 21 showed “no virus detectable above about 1 in 7,500 people,” according to the city’s announcement.

There was no explanation of the discrepancy in test results, other than that the Biobot team “continues to refine their epidemiological model and methodology.”

Agencies in 42 states are participating in the study to identify the virus in wastewater before treatment.

Also on the corona front, the Albany City Council Wednesday took no action on a staff proposal to give a break to businesses struggling to stay afloat during the crisis. The proposal was to give qualifying businesses a credit on their water and sewer bills for up to six months so they could more easily pay other operating expenses.

The council had a lot of questions and qualms about this, and the proposal may come back for discussion or action at another meeting. Or not. (hh)

When I stopped by Sunday, the Calapooia Brewing menu was posted outside. The restaurant had planned to offer take-out Thursday through Saturday from 11:30 to 7:30.





10 responses to “Locally, state eases corona shutdown”

  1. Ray Kopczynski says:

    Definitely a downward trend, presuming it is accurate and continues, as the co. refines its methodology.

    https://www.cityofalbany.net/nr/1681-biobot

  2. Bill Higby says:

    Linn County does not have a Covid19 problem Linn County does have a problem with SHS and the Corvallis Clinic laying off medical professionals to comply with Governor Brown’s orders.

    • Ray Kopczynski says:

      Tell that to the families of the veterans who have died in Lebanon…

      • Al Nyman says:

        Coach K: Florida’s governor protected nursing home patients and Oregon’s didn’t so over 60% of deaths in Oregon are nursing home patients. Your wonderful governor-has any reporter queried her in the last 3 months about the science that tells her that a lockdown is worth the economic catastrophe? I notice Elon Musk told the state of California to arrest him and if they did he would move the plant to another state and they approved his reopening. You are going to get violence if the Democratic governors model themselves after a 3rd world dictator. I would use Hitlers name but that title is reserved for Bush and Trump.

        • Ray Kopczynski says:

          Wow… All I’ll say is that I wouldn’t trade OR for CA or FL for any reason whatsoever…

        • HowlingCicada says:

          Ray, I also wouldn’t trade for FL, grew up there, look back with horrified and revolted fascination.

          I lived 25 years in CA, too complicated to decide. CA suffers from a vast toxic waste problem — money. Way too much of it generated by people like Elon Musk. If he and his company left for the Trump belt (PA, WV, OH, IN, WI, etc) it would help both them and CA.

  3. thomas cordier says:

    Private businesses have been hurt by the “stay-home” policies resulting in huge increases in unemployment claims.What is missing from all the discussion???? How have PERS employees been affected?? Think City/County/State and Public Schools. My sense is that their systems protect them from losses. I may be wrong but when I see teachers being used to do food hand-outs; no info as to costs is provided. I hope no one believes that the number of teachers needed to teach virtually would be the same as in-class. How many gov’t workers have been furloughed/reduced in salary or have sought unemployment benefits. The much used word “transparency” requires an Investigation to ensure impartiality.
    If we are “all in this together” then some form of proportional economic hit must occur. We should see several budget surpluses in the public systems next cycle

    • Jennifer Stuart says:

      You clearly have not tried to teach a class of virtual students. It takes more labor, not less, on the part of the teacher. This does not even take into account suddenly having to learn how to use programming that is new to you. Those lunch handouts are a welcome opportunity for the teachers to lay eyes on some of their most vulnerable students and their adult family members.

      • thomas cordier says:

        I notice you skip the whole issue of shared mantra “we are in this together”.not

        • thomas cordier says:

          And of course there was never a need for you to learn a new teaching method. All the District had to do was subscribe to the free online Kahn Academy to educate with much higher success rate than local schools. But no we must keep the curriculum
          chosen which has a terrible record of very low academic performance for years.
          Current leadership will never change the outcomes. Supt Golden tried to outlast the teachers union and was fired for it because teachers whined and the Board would not tolerate a strike

 

 
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