Elks Care, Elks Share. . .......... PAGE A2 We Got Your Back...........PAGE B1-B4
September 23, 2020
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Examining the Aftermath
Lincoln County on track for Phase 2 MAX KIRKENDALL newsguardeditor@countrymedia.net
Complex completed preliminary structural damage assessments in the fire area last week, finding 293 residential structures to be a total loss. An additional 22 residential structures have sustained damage. Numerous outbuildings, automobiles, RVs, trailers, boats and other personal property were also destroyed.
Prevention has been key for Lincoln County Public Health. And their efforts has the county on track for Phase 2 of the Governor’s Reopening Oregon plan. After Oregon Gov. Kate Brown approved Lincoln County for Phase 2 in late August, the Board of Commissioners decided to pump the brakes following several outbreaks throughout Lincoln County. The Commissioners pushed the Phase 2 date to Sept. 29 and after discussions this week with Public Health Director Rebecca Austen and Oregon Health Authority Director Pat Allen, the county leaders are ready to make the move to Phase 2. “It is looking really good,” Austen said of latest data at the Board of Commissioners meeting on Monday. “This last week, we were sort of celebrating meeting all of our Phase 2 metrics for the reopening criteria.” Lincoln County currently sits at 473 total cases. 23 hospitalizations (nobody currently in hospital), and 13 deaths. Austen credits Public Health’s prevention to
See FIRE, Page A8
See PHASE 2, Page A3
COURTESY PHOTO/MIKAYLA SOLBERG
Numerous homes in the Otis/Rose Lodge area have been destroyed or damaged during the wildfire event.
293 structures destroyed in Echo Mountain Complex fire MAX KIRKENDALL newsguardeditor@countrymedia.net
As the smokey skies faded and the dust settled in North Lincoln County,
the community is just beginning to see the extent of damage the Echo Mountain Complex fire has caused. “I’ve patrolled these communities for 20 plus years and I haven’t seen anything like this, frankly,” Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant Adam Shanks said this past week. “The devastation is something that’s nearly indescribable.” Officials with the Echo Mountain
Lincoln County students open up school year online MAX KIRKENDALL newsguardeditor@countrymedia.net
In a year of unexpected twists and turns, remarkably, the Lincoln County School District (LCSD) is back in business… virtually, of course. LCSD opened up the 2020-21 school year this week with ‘getting to know you’ meetings between teachers and families at the elementary level and comprehensive distance learning (CDL) for secondary students. Elementary school will begin CDL education with LCSD teachers on Sept. 28. For those students
not enrolled in the CDL program, they began Sept. 21 in the Edmentum program, a fully online program run by administrator Zach Lillebo. The biggest question still remains, when will Lincoln County resume in-person instruction. According to Superintendent Dr. Karen Gray, it may be sooner rather than later. “Lincoln County has met the state-defined measures for reopening our schools for limited in-person instruction,” Dr. Gray announced last week. “In fact, because the state’s COVID numbers are low (below the
COURTESY PHOTO
Taft 7-12 student Kallin Swope is starting out her freshman year of school online.
five percent positivity rate), the district is close to reaching the metrics for reopening K-12 in a hybrid model (two days in schools and three days online). We are being cautious and waiting a few more weeks to see if the numbers continue to stay low because of Labor Day weekend and because of some evacuation shelters that had large numbers of people together.” Through LCSD’s ‘Blueprint for Reopening,’ in person instruction will start with kindergarten and add on the older grades from there. With few exceptions, Dr. Gray said teachers are back in
their schools and doing a lot of professional development and planning. They are being careful and following all of the COVID-19 protocols, according to school district staff. Child Care LCSD is also working on new child care programs for school-aged children and are hopeful that by Monday, October 12 they will have the following childcare available, with priority going to Essential Staff including the LCSD staff:
See SCHOOL, Page A3
President approves Disaster Declaration for Oregon after wildfires THE NEWS GUARD
FEMA announced that federal emergency aid has been made available to the state of Oregon to supplement state, tribal and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by wildfires and straightline winds beginning on Sept. 7, 2020 and continuing. President Donald Trump’s action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Clackamas,
Douglas, Jackson, Klamath, Lane, Lincoln, Linn and Marion counties. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster. Federal funding is also available to state, tribal, eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organiza-
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tions on a cost-sharing basis for emergency protective measures including congregate and non-congregate sheltering and direct federal assistance. Emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance through FEMA’s Public Assistance program, will be provided at 75 percent federal funding. This assistance is for Benton, Clackamas, Columbia, Coos, Deschutes, Douglas, Jackson, Jefferson, Josephine,
VOL. 93 NO. 39
See FEMA, Page A2
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INDEX Classifieds...... A4–A5 Obituaries..............A6
Klamath, Lake, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Tillamook, Wasco, Washington and Yamhill counties. Federal funding is available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide. Dolph A. Diemont has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal response and recovery operations in the affected area. Designa-
thenewsguard.com
WEATHER Letters....................A6 Police Blotter.........A8
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