Board and District Election coverage, pages 2-3 www.TillamookHeadlightHerald.com
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Headlight Herald 2021
TUESDAY, APRIL 27, 2021
VOL. 133, NO. 17 • $1.50
TILLAMOOK, OREGON • WWW.TILLAMOOKHEADLIGHTHERALD.COM
COVID-19 cases slowly decreasing County remains in High Risk
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Hilary Dorsey Staff Writer
illamook County remains in ‘High Risk,’ effective Friday, April 23. Risk level changes will be made a week earlier due to increasing cases and hospitalizations in Oregon. County data will be evaluated Tuesday, April 27, and risk level changes, if necessary, will take place Friday, April 30. Tillamook County Health Department is currently monitoring 24 people. “Half of Oregon counties are also at High Risk,” Tillamook County Community Health Centers Administrator Marlene Putman said during a community update April 23. “We’re keeping an eye on it closely. We have seen a slight decrease in our COVID-19 cases in Tillamook County.”
Putman said people should continue to wear face masks, wash hands frequently and keep 6 feet of distance from those not in your household. If you choose to get vaccinated, do so soon, she added. Adventist Health Tillamook President Eric Swanson said there are 283 COVID-19 hospitalizations across Oregon, as of April 23. In Region 1 hospitals – Tillamook, Clatsop, Clackamas, Columbia, Multnomah and Washington counties – there are 50 adult ICU beds available. “One person is currently hospitalized,” Putman said of Tillamook County residents. “There were two this week but one currently hospitalized.” For vaccines, 964 primary doses were provided this week, Putman said, with 10,932 people having received at least one dose of
the vaccine, as of Thursday, April 22, and 27 percent of residents have received both doses and are considered fully vaccinated. “All Oregonians aged 16 and older who would like a vaccine can schedule an appointment,” Putman said. “We have plenty of appointments available in Tillamook County.” Pfizer, the only vaccine authorized for those younger than 18 years old, is not yet available in Tillamook County. The health department is working with vaccine partners, Adventist Health and the school districts to make Pfizer available for those 16 and older soon. The shot will be given in your shoulder, so you may want to wear short sleeves, Putman said. You will receive a vaccination card for your second dose. “You’re not required to show identification or give your social security number at
the site,” Putman said. “If you have health insurance, you may be asked to fill it out on a scheduling tool like ours.” Putman said health insurances may be billed a fee for the administration of the vaccine, but this will not impact copays or deductibles on your health insurance. Some sites may ask to see your social security card for Medicare purposes as well but you do not have to show it. You can call the health center’s COVID-19 line to schedule an appointment for same-day COVID-19 testing at 503-842-3900. Schedule a COVID-19 vaccine appointment at https://tillamookchc.org/coronavirus/ vaccines/ Send comments to: headlightreporter@ countrymedia.net
building on our future EXCLUSIVE
ORIGINAL
Vaccines available for 16 plus, plans for Pfizer T
Images of the new campus upgrades. Photos by Brian Hardebeck and Hilary Dorsey
Nestucca Valley
introduces new K-8 campus N
Hilary Dorsey Staff Writer
estucca Valley School District is weeks away from finishing construction on its new K-8 campus, located at the school district office and elementary school site. In 2018, voters in the South Tillamook County Nestucca Valley School District approved a $25.7 million General Obligation Bond. The bond was passed with the premise of the seventh and eighth graders being moved from the junior senior high school down to a K-8 campus. The school district also received an Oregon Capital Improvement Grant of $4 million in May 2018. Superintendent Misty Wharton said renovations have been made
on the existing buildings. The completion was originally slated for August. The bond includes constructing an addition to the elementary facilities to increase capacity for the K-8 campus. The construction of the K-8 campus includes a new cafeteria, commons, classrooms, regulationsize gymnasium, parking, playground and other improvements. The facilities may serve as an emergency shelter for area residents in the case of a natural disaster. The bond also includes renovating the existing elementary facilities plumbing, electrical, windows and more. Construction began in the spring of 2019 after almost a full calendar year in the planning process, Wharton said.
“We’ve added 6-8th grade classrooms, two career technical education labs, a new special education suite, a new double gymnasium, updated and completely renovated the water system, all new safety and security measures, plumbing, electrical, all new in the existing school,” Wharton said. Wharton said the existing school was torn down to the studs and built back up. The school was also moved from a boiler system to a heat pump and cooling system. All classrooms have new furniture. “Basically the bones of our existing school that was built in the 1950s, the structure itself was great,” Wharton said. “It was all
the other stuff that needed to be updated.” Now that the major updates are complete, finishing touches are being made, including sanding and finishing the new gymnasium floor and waiting on lights for the commons. Landscape is also starting to take shape. “We’re on budget, ahead of schedule and thankfully, we’ll have enough money left that we’ve started to plan for a new shop facility at the high school, which will have a welding shop, a wood shop, and basically what’s called wet sciences or agricultural sciences,” Wharton said. Wharton said another project this summer includes a PE/recess field behind the K-8 building. This will include a soccer field and a softball diamond. “It’s a facility that our community will be able to live and grow in for years and years,” Wharton said. “Thank you, voters.” Send comments to: headlightreporter@countrymedia.net
Hilary Dorsey Staff Writer
illamook County will remain in ‘High Risk,’ effective Friday, April 23, through Thursday, May 6. Tillamook County Health Department reports a slight decrease in COVID-19 cases, with 49 positive and presumptive cases from Sunday, April 4, through Saturday, April 17. Administrator Marlene Putman reported during a Tillamook County Board of Commissioners meeting Wednesday, April 21, that the county had eight positive COVID-19 cases over the weekend and two during the week up until April 21. The county has had a total of 25 COVID-19 hospitalizations and three COVID-19 related deaths. “As of April 20, 10,507 people have received at least one dose, which is 40 percent of county residents and 6,690 people are considered fully vaccinated,” Putman said regarding vaccines. As of Tuesday, April 20, 10,507 Tillamook County citizens have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, Putman said. As of Monday, April 19, all Oregonians 16 and older can schedule an appointment for a vaccine. The health department and vaccine partners are working on providing access for 16 and 17 year olds to receive the Pfizer vaccine, as it is not available in Tillamook County at this time. “Other appointments are still available,” Putman said. “You can schedule online.” Some citizens have canceled their appointments if they receive a vaccine elsewhere, opening spots for others to receive the vaccine, so people who want a vaccine soon should keep an eye on the online scheduling tool. “Vaccines are free,” Putman said. “We receive the vaccine itself free and so do the people that we give those shots in the arms to.” Putman said no insurance, social security number or immigration status is needed for the COVID-19 vaccine and everyone is eligible. The reason people are asked for insurance information is because the cost of administering the vaccine can be billed to insurance providers. People on Medicare may be asked to provide a social security number, if they are willing, to verify they have Medicare, as Medicare can be billed for the administration of the vaccine as well. “People who are on Medicare may be asked to provide their social security number, if they are willing, to verify that they have Medicare,”
n See VACCINE, Page 9