INSIDE
Mooks swimming at state Pages A7
Headlight Herald
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2020
TILLAMOOK, OREGON • WWW.TILLAMOOKHEADLIGHTHERALD.COM
VOL. 133, NO. 14 • $1.00
COVID-19 cases confirmed in Tillamook County Officials expect numbers to increase
Cody Mann headlightnews@countrymedia.net
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hree cases of COVID-19 coronavirus were confirmed in Tillamook County in the past week. County officials expect the number to go up. The Tillamook County Public Health Department reported Sunday, March 29, there was a third positive case of coronavirus in the county. The person who was diagnosed is a south-county resident over the age of 65-years-old who is reportedly hospitalized in the Portland area and is being monitored. On Saturday, Public Health announced the second coronavirus case in the county, a north-county resident who was reportedly convalescing at home under quarantine. The second person with COVID-19 in Tillamook County was not reported to be a contact of the county’s first positive case. The county’s first case of coronavirus was reported
Thursday. That person is a health care provider between 35 and 54 years old who works at Tillamook County Community Health Centers and is said to be convalescing at home under quarantine. “Like all health care staff, this provider and other health center staff have been using recommended precautions and personal protective equipment to limit exposure and transmission,” said Lisa Steffey, Community Health Centers. “Consequently, we expect to have limited the transmission to other staff or patients.” The Community Health Centers clinic in Tillamook was closed immediately for a deep cleaning after the first case was confirmed and staff were sent home. The clinic was reopened Monday, March 30, following a Public Health investigation. Tillamook County Public Health is a department of the Tillamook County Community Health Centers. Health officials continue to urge social distancing as the coronavirus pandemic grows. Photo: Metro Creative Graphics
n See COVID-19, Page A8
EXCLUSIVE
Local Facebook group makes masks for community
ORIGINAL
Cody Mann headlightnews@countrymedia.net
Hilary Dorsey
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ities on the north coast are following state and county examples by announcing a state of emergency as the coronavirus pandemic escalates. On March 8, Gov. Kate Brown declared Oregon to be under a state of emergency. On March 11, the World Health Organization categorized COVID-19 as a pandemic threat, causing respiratory distress, potentially serious illness and loss of life. Tillamook County announced a state of emergency on March 14. April 28 was set by most as a date to reevaluate the situation.
headlightreporter@countrymedia.net
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he Tillamook County Face Mask Project is working to make face masks for medical personnel, retail workers, and anyone else in the community who is wanting protection. This project began as a Facebook group about two weeks ago. Nicole Bringuel is running dispatch and making sure the masks get delivered to where they need to go. She said Linda Machuta is spearheading the project. It started because Machuta’s roommate works for urgent care and discussed the lack of face masks available. Muchuta saw this as a need. She put a post out in the county asking people to help make face masks for medical personnel, non-essential businesses, and anyone will immune-compromised or underlying medical issues. Ideally, the Photos courtesy Tillamook organization would like to get all of County Face Mask Project. Tillamook covered. Bringuel said there are two put extra Kleenex. Some people can groups going right now. One in sew the masks in its entirety, while Rockaway, titled Sewing, and The others do individual steps. There are Tillamook County Face Mask Projpre-cutters, people who make ties, ect, based out of Bay City, which is etc. trying to cover Rockaway, NePeople in the community are halem, Tillamook, all the way down stepping up and using whatever mato Pleasant Valley and Cloverdale. terial they have to make these cloth Local churches are also making masks, Bringuel said, while followmasks. ing Centers for Disease Control and “We’ve had requests from one of Prevention guidelines of how to the churches for 100 masks for the make masks. homeless, so we’re trying to get that “Just your basic residents in the worked out and over to that church,” community that can sew that say Bringuel said. ‘hey I can help,’” Bringuel said. They have made deliveries to “We’ve arranged for two drivers; Chevron, Tillamook Co-op and one on the south end, one on the more. A lot of people in the commu- north end and what they do is they nity are participating. go by and get the masks off the “I’m getting ready to put a post porch in a plastic bag and people are up asking for more people to volwashing them ahead of time to sterunteer for sewing or if they can get ilize, so they’re just ready to go.” some good quality thread and bias At the same time, drivers are tape that has been sold out in the dropping off materials to make more area,” Bringuel said. masks. Bringuel said the masks are of “If people want to make donacotton material, heavy duty matetions, they are accepted,” Bringuel rial, that has been coming from said. “We need good quality thread. Latimer Quilt and Textile Center, The kind of thread that can hold up who is donating fabric. They are to being washed.” making both children and adult Bringuel said donations of bias masks. Some are making pockets to
INDEX Classified Ads................... A11-14 Crossword Puzzle.................... A9 Fenceposts........................... A5,7 Letters...................................... A4 Obituaries................................ A6 Opinions............................... A4-5 Sports....................................... A7
Cities declare emergency status, curtail operations
Dear Reader,
uring this time of uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, The Headlight Herald remains committed to keeping our readers and communities well informed. Providing you with the most up-to-date and confirmed pandemic information and its impact on our community is something we don’t take lightly. Our ability to print and deliver your trusted weekly newspaper has not changed. Last week, we reduced our office hours to the public to help protect the health and welfare of our customers
tape and fabric are also needed. 400 masks are needed in the community, Bringuel said. “10 went to the oncology group at Adventist Health, we’ve had masks go to Urgent Care, we are getting ready to send more out to the community for people who are compromised,” Bringuel said. “We have maybe about 100 masks now.” The project has a list going and people can go to the Facebook group and post what they need, tagging Nicole Bringuel in the post. Bringuel said they are prioritizing seniors and anyone with underlying medical conditions. A child with leukemia has requested a mask. Fred Meyer would like all staff to have masks, but the project is prioritizing the pharmacy so people can feel comfortable getting their medication. “Everybody is working as fast as possible,” Bringuel said.
Manzanita Mayor Mike Scott declared an official state of emergency Wednesday, March 18, for the City of Manzanita. The state of emergency declaration provides City Manager Cynthia Alamillo with the latitude to coordinate an effective response by redirecting funding for emergency use as needed to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The city manager is authorized to initiate emergency request for aid from Tillamook County, State of Oregon, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency as necessary. The city council and city staff continue to monitor the COVID-19 outbreak and want residents, second homeowners and visitors to know that they are proactively taking steps
to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of the community. The mayor has been providing frequent local video updates regarding the coronavirus pandemic via social media. Nehalem Following the local state of emergency declared for Tillamook County due to COVID-19 and social distancing measures ordered by the governor, the City of Nehalem City Hall followed the same measures effective until April 14. City Hall will be closed to walk-in traffic, and open only by appointment or for urgent business. City staff is in contact with state and local public health authorities and will make any necessary changes to these measures as this situation continues to develop. Staff will continue to work and will be available by phone or email. During the state of emergency, Wheeler will not perform any shut offs for basic services such as water. Payment relief will be offered and late payments will not be reported or garner late fees. “We know how hard it will be to keep up with financial responsibilities and will try our best not to increase the stress of worrying about losing something as important as your water,” Mayor Stevie Burden said on social media.
n See CITIES, Page A7
and staff. The Headlight Herald office hours are temporarily 9 a.m. – noon, Monday through Friday. In addition, to provide for greater social distancing and the safety of customers and employees our reporters will be working from their home offices. Our staff will be available 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at 503-842-7535. I can personally be reached at frankperea@ countrymedia.net Frank Perea Publisher
Warnings posted in Manzanita ordering visitors to go home as directed by the governor. Photo: Hal MacMahan