In This Issue

COVID-19’s impact on the Yakama Nation

Photo courtesy of Legends Casino Hotel Facebook page

Star Diavolikis Senior Reporter

The Yakama Nation has implemented safety measures to slow the spread

COVID-19 and to protect their tribal members, such as shortening funeral procedures, limiting office hours in tribal businesses and installing dividers and sanitizing stations within the Legends Casino. On Jan. 5, the Yakama Nation Info Facebook page posted a flier stating the tribe currently has 1,286 documented cases of COVID-19, zero tribal members currently hospitalized from the virus and 43 deaths due to COVID-19. The flier was created with data released by Yakama Nation’s Indian Health Clinic up to Jan. 4. The flier states, “COVID-19 is deadly for our people. Native people experience COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths at a 5 times greater rate than the general population.”

Cases and deaths have risen compared to statistics released on Dec. 14. At the time, 1,138 tribal members tested positive, four were hospitalized and 39 deaths were reported.

According to the Yakama Indian Health Service (IHS) Facebook page, COVID-19 vaccines were starting to be distributed to tribal workers on Dec. 17, starting with healthcare workers and extending to essential workers at tribal institutions. Tribal School’s Maintenance Supervisor Justin Lewis said he “kind of feels a little safer around people” after receiving the vaccine. Once all healthcare workers receive the vaccine, the next group of recipients includes “spiritual, cultural and/or tribal government leaders.”

Yakama Nation General Council Vice Chair LaRena Sohappy, upon receiving her vaccination said,

“I am doing this more for my people than myself.” Vaccines continue to be distributed to tribal workers, and will eventually be given to all tribal members. All tribal members are encouraged to ensure their contact information with Yakama Nation’s IHS center is up to date.

The Yakama Nation has created many preventative measures for the reservation to slow the spread of COVID-19. Yakama Nation officials have posted notices regarding what measures are being taken on the reservation from the edge of Yakima to the edge of Granger.

Outside of Granger, Wapato and Yakima, the Yakama Nation posted LED traffic message boards that read “entering Yakama Nation, mask use required.” Compared to the rest of the Yakima Valley, this is one of the few public notices aside from social media posts, commercials, business owners posting fliers and the “stay safe, mask up” notices on I-82.

The Yakama Nation released Public Safety Order No. 6, which lists which activities are prohibited, which have restrictions and which are allowed. The safety order was amended on Dec. 11, 2020.

See Yakama Nation, Page 3

Local legislators prepared for an unconventional session

Mitchell Roland Editor-in-Chief

The Washington State Legislature convened yesterday, and representatives from the 13th district are ready for a session which will look very different from previous years.

While state representatives and senators typically meet in Olympia, this year’s 105-day session will be largely virtual. Among the items on the agenda are the passage of a biennial to fund the state government over a two year period and managing the ongoing economic and health impacts of COVID-19.

Rep. Ybarra’s legislative goals

Alex Ybarra, R-Quincy, said his priorities are to get businesses up and running and getting children back to school. Ybarra also serves on the Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee as well as the Health Care and Wellness Committee and is also the ranking member on the House Education Committee, which considers legislation related to K-12 education, said he will make his position known to the head of the committee.

“I’m pretty sure that most everybody on the education committee wants our kids back in schools,” Ybarra said. “Obviously, we want our kids back to school, but we want them back to school safely.”

Ybarra, a CWU alum, said there will not likely be any additional funding for the university this year. However, he wants to make sure CWU receives the same amount of funding as last year.

While there is expected to be a reduction in tax revenue for the state due to the pandemic, Ybarra said this shortfall will be “minimal.” He said the legislature will be able to cover most of the budget with money from a rainy day fund.

“We’re not going to have any extra money, but we should be sitting where there’s not going to be a shortfall,” Ybarra said. “And if there is a shortfall, we have funding to take care of the shortfall.”

A bill Ybarra is working on relates to the amount of money school districts receive for transportation. Since the formula for transportation funding is based on the number of students a district transports, largely virtual learning would drastically reduce the amount of funding a district receives.

“They still have their busses, they still have to maintain their busses, maintain the bus garage,” Ybarra said. “They still use all of the infrastructure, the buildings. The secretaries, the bus drivers, all of those who are still employed by school districts.”

See Legislature, Page 3

In This Issue

News

Scene

Opinion 1-3

4-7

8-9

Page 2 Vaccine eligibility Page 4 Virus impact on restaurants Page 10 Azusa football discontinued

Upcoming vaccination eligibility groups announced by Washington Department of Health

Bailey Tomlinson News Editor

An announcement outlining a timeline of groups that will be eligible for the vaccination in upcoming months was made Wednesday, Jan. 6. This timeline is phase B of Washington’s vaccination plan as described by the Washington State Department of Health (DOH).

“It’s important to note that we are not moving into phase 1B right now. Our state is still in phase 1A of vaccinations, and will continue to be for the next few weeks,” the DOH said. “While phase 1A is still the priority, we hope that the release of phase 1B guidance will help facilities, counties and individuals plan for the months ahead. Once we’re ready to start phase 1B, we will let our communities know how and where to get [the] vaccine.”

Group B1, estimated to be vaccinated beginning mid-January, includes all people aged 70 years or older. People 50 years or older are also eligible if they are living in multigenerational households. Group B3, estimated to be vaccinated

Group B2, estimated to be vaccinated through March, includes people aged 16 through February, includes essential work- years or older with two or more comorers in congregate settings aged 50 years bidities or underlying health conditions. or older who are considered high risk for Group B4, estimated to be vaccinated COVID-19. These work settings include through April, includes essential workers grocery in congregate stores, K-12 settings unschools, der 50 years childcare, old who are corrections, prisons, jails or deten- Our priority considered high risk for COVID-19. tion facilities, public has been to get These work settings are transit, firefighting and the vaccine to the same as in group B2. law enforcement. K-12 schools, jails high-priority Future phases will have eligibility inforand detention facilities people first. mation released “soon” according were speci- to the DOH. fied to only - Washington State Secretary The DOH include staff of Health, Umair Shah also anin this group. nounced an

Group online tool B2 also called Phase includes Finder, which people, staff and volunteers of all ages in allows Washington residents to detercongregate living settings, such as correc- mine their eligibility group for the vactional facilities, group homes for people cine. According to the DOH, it’s currently with disabilities and people experiencing being tested and will launch Jan. 18. homelessness that live in or access services “Phase Finder will be available in mulin congregate settings. tiple languages and will be used to confirm

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individual eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine,” the DOH said. “Vaccine providers and immunization programs will also be able to use Phase Finder to do assessments of vaccine need by zip code.”

Group priority was decided by working closely with the Governor’s office, along with using federal guidance and input from around 20,000 Washington residents through focus groups, interviews, and surveys, the DOH said.

“Vaccine prioritization decisions are complex, but based in a need for equitable distribution,” Washington State Secretary of Health Umair A. Shah said. “Our priority has been to get the vaccine to high-priority people first.

A vaccine dashboard, similar to those that have been displaying COVID-19 statistics through the pandemic, will be launched by the DOH in partnership with Microsoft sometime next week, the DOH said. It will include vaccine ordering and administration data, including breakdowns by county and demographic, and is estimated to be updated three times a week.

A fact sheet on receiving the COVID-19 vaccine has also been released, and should be provided by healthcare providers to those getting the vaccine before administering it. It will be available in 35 languages as of next week, the DOH said.

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Tribal governmental offices are currently restricted to certain hours and follow an appointment only format. Cultural and religious ceremonies are prohibited from including participants from outside of the household, and recreational activities are prohibited.

Childcare facilities have no prohibitions, however, children must participate in health screening and physical distancing is encouraged when possible. Childcare providers must wear masks.

Precautions have extended into tribal funeral ceremonies. First, obituaries must omit details of funeral arrangements to prevent mass gatherings at the funeral.

“Dressing service must only be open to immediate family not exceeding 10 individuals, and a viewing ceremony is not allowed unless the casket is closed,” the order said. “Pursuant to traditional teachings, children should not be allowed to attend the service, and elders and other individuals at a high risk for COVID-19 complications are urged not to attend.”

Preventative measures such as social distancing, wearing masks and avoiding handshakes and hugs are encouraged. Once the dressing service is completed, the family will immediately bury the de-

Legislature from Page 1

Ybarra’s bill would give school districts funding based on the number of students they transported pre-pandemic.

A second piece of legislation from Ybarra is in regard to telemedicine laws, which state certain procedures can only be conducted by a doctor or with a doctor present. Ybarra said since there are not a lot of doctors in eastern Washington, this bill would allow nurses to perform some procedures with a doctor’s virtual supervision.

“In our communities, Kittitas, Grant, Chelan where we have a lot of farmworkers, and the doctor can’t get to all the locations because he’s the only guy there, he can have a nurse go out there and do a telemedicine procedure without him being present,” Ybarra said.

Rep. Dent’s legislative goals

His fellow representative from the 13th district, Tom Dent, R-Moses Lake, has firsthand experience with COVID-19 and is also working on legislation related to the pandemic.

Dent announced in October that he tested positive for COVID-19. His symptoms included pneumonia and a blood clot in his lungs, and he said while his lungs are still healing from the virus, he is “good.” During Dent’s time with COVID-19, he spent two stints in an intensive care unit.

Tom Dent’s wife, Dayna Dent, also tested positive for COVID-19, though Tom Dent said her case was much milder than his. ceased. This skips other ceremonial observations usually acted upon during a funeral service in exchange for decreasing the opportunity for spreading the virus.

“Post-burial ceremonies, including giveaways, dinners, receptions rites, etc., must be postponed until the memorial service after the COVID-19 public health emergency has ended,” the order said. Traditional tribal funeral services include ceremonies and events that span over two days.

Yakima County is currently in phase two of the “Safe Start Yakima County” reopening plan. Restrictions still forbid many recreational activities such as indoor seating in movie theaters, roller rinks and other public places. One activity in the Yakima Valley currently open for business is Yakama Nation’s Legends Casino and Hotel.

Many precautions have been set in place to ensure the safety of all customers who arrive, starting with a maximum level of occupancy and a security check at each entrance. Before entering, customers must answer questions regarding whether they have or have been exposed to COVID-19. Following this, security proceeds to take their temperature before allowing the customer inside.

Clear plexiglass dividers are placed between every gaming machine and every seat at card games. Hand sanitizing

Dent said many fellow lawmakers reached out to him for his firsthand experience with the virus. He said that while people cannot hide from a virus, they can take preventative measures through following “proper protocol” such as social distancing, washing hands and wearing a mask.

In early December, Dent published an article on the House Republican’s website titled “I survived [COVID-19], but are we making the cure worse than the disease?” where he argues against a “one-size-fitsall direction for the state.” In the article, Dent called for a special session, which did not occur, so that legislators could provide

Photo courtesy of Yakama Nation IHS Facebook page

stations are placed throughout the property and workers routinely walk through and sanitize all unoccupied machines and open spaces. To prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the air, the casino is temporarily a non-smoking establishment, with the exception of designated outdoor smoking areas.

Self-serve beverage stations are temporarily closed and have been replaced with stationed workers serving beverages upon request. The casino’s buffet now has limited and spaced seating while also offering a takeout option.

Compared to other casinos in the state, Legends Casino has stricter or equivalent policies to others. At Muckleshoot Casino in Auburn, guidelines are the same except some of the restaurants are still closed, card games are limited and poker games remain shut down.

The Yakama Nation continues to act under the safety order. The order could possibly be extended and have new regulations added

or removed once there is more information. more input into restrictions. Rep. Tom Dent

“We have reached a point where I Committee, said childcare will be crucial believe the cure can’t be worse than the to allow people to return to work. disease,” Dent wrote in the article. “We “Without affordable child care out there, cannot destroy our economy, tear apart many of our people can’t go back to work,” hopes, dreams and watch families suffer Dent said. “And our childcare industry has and think everything will be fine.” suffered just as much as everything in this

One of whole thing.” Dent’s prima- Dent said ry goals is to a bill he is “get the state working on moving a little bit again” eco- Everything that hapwould reduce regulations on nomically. He said smaller pens, if you’re successchild care centers for “the retailers have been hurt ful in the legislature, next two or three years.” the most by COVID-19 is because of relation- Dent will continue to related closures over the last 10 ships. Relationships are the most important serve on the House’s Rural Development, months. “The big- thing you can have in Agriculture and Natural box stores contribute - Tom Dent, state representative Resources Committee a lot to our as well as the tax base in Transportathe state of tion CommitWashing - tee during this ton, but session. small business is just the heart and The challenges of a virtual session soul of our small communities,” Both legislators are prepped for a virDent said. “We have to get people tual session with most lawmakers away back working.” from Olympia, though meetings to prac-

Dent, the lead Republican on the tice virtual legislating have shown the House’s Children, Youth and Families flaws in the system.

Dent said a practice floor action last week “was a struggle.” With 98 members in Washington’s house of representatives, Dent does not know what would happen if a member was dropped from a virtual session during a vote.

According to Dent, this session is “not going to be as transparent as it needs to be” because lobbyists and constituents will not be able to physically meet legislators.

“Everything that happens, if you’re successful in the legislature, is because of relationships. Relationships are the most important thing you can have in politics,” Dent said. “Working on relationships through a computer screen is very, very difficult.”

Happenstance meetings between legislators and constituents that occur throughout the capitol’s campus will not happen this year, as most legislators will conduct their business from their home districts. Only around 25 of the 98 representatives will be on the floor in the house chamber.

Ybarra, who likened the legislative process to being at a school, is among the few who will conduct their business from Olympia. By being in Olympia, Ybarra said he can conduct some meetings outdoors.

The challenges of a virtual session go beyond technical glitches, and will impact how much work gets done. Ybarra expects the legislature will only hear about 20% of the bills this session that usually go through the committee process, which can be between 2,000 and 3,000 in total.

Legislators in the Democratic party are limited to introducing seven bills each during this year’s session, which means they will introduce around 400 bills in total.

“Everything is going to move a lot slower,” Dent said. “A lot of stuff is going to be pushed into 2022, I’m quite sure. Or unless we get opened up and do some of this in person in the end.”

Both representatives are in the minority in Washington’s government.Democrats hold 29 of the 49 seats in the Senate, 57 of the 98 seats in the House of Representatives and Democrat Gov. Jay Inslee was re-elected to his third four-year term in last November’s election. The legislature is scheduled to adjourn on April 25.