COVID-19 Updates 5/22/2020

Rep. Sollman

Friends and Neighbors,

Governor Updates

Governor Kate Brown, Oregon Mayors Call on Oregonians to Stay Local to Stay Safe this Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day is a day that we historically honor and remember the ultimate sacrifice that Americans have given to us in the line of military service. I am a proud daughter of two parents that both served in the Navy. Please think about the freedoms you are allowed today because of those that have served in the past and have sacrificed their life for those freedoms.

Memorial Day

Oregonians also take the opportunity for the long weekend to get outside, travel to their favorite vacation destination, and welcome the return of summer. After all the time that Oregonians have made to stay home to save lives, counties are just now beginning the process of gradually and safely reopening their communities and economies. Phase I counties worked hard to make sure they have the hospital capacity to treat COVID-19 patients from their communities, and the ability to test, trace, and isolate new cases. But those resources will be quickly overwhelmed if visitors flood Oregon’s reopened communities this weekend and unknowingly spark a COVID-19 outbreak.

Governor Kate Brown was joined by a bipartisan group of 26 mayors from across the state in urging all Oregonians, especially Portland metro area residents, to keep it local to your home-base this Memorial Day weekend to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“Together we are asking all Oregonians to please keep it local this Memorial Day. Be good neighbors this weekend––stay local and stay safe.

“If you love the coast, stay home for now and plan your trip in the summer. If you love the Columbia Gorge, keep it local this weekend and visit later on. If you love Central Oregon, it’ll still be there in a few weeks.

“This Memorial Day weekend, a backyard barbecue or a small family gathering is the best way to stay healthy as we build a safe and strong Oregon. If you want to get outdoors, find a place to hike or bike or paddle close to home. And, please, wear a face covering when you are around others.”

Read more here.

Washington County Updates

Reopening Washington County

UPDATE: Today, Washington County plans to submit their application to the state for reopening, with a goal of entering Phase 1 on June 1. Please note this is the PLAN and depends largely on our ability to hire and train enough contact tracing staff who are reflective of our community. We will keep you posted! Please keep wearing those face coverings and following physical distancing guidelines. Thank you!

What is happening in Washington County as of May 15, 2020? We are not in Phase 1 yet. Therefore, the following rules apply to our county:

  • Grocery stores, pharmacies, banks and credit unions, and gas stations are all open.
  • Restaurants are open for take-out service only.
  • Stand-alone retail operations are open provided they meet required safety and physical distancing guidelines. Indoor and outdoor malls are closed.
  • Some outdoor recreation activities are open, including many state parks. Day-use areas that are prone to attracting crowds are to stay closed, including but not limited to playgrounds, picnic shelters/structures, water parks and pools, and sports courts for
    contact sports like basketball. Details here.
  • Non-emergency medical care, dentist offices and veterinary care are open and operating, provided they meet required safety guidelines.
  • Local cultural, civic and faith gatherings are allowed for up to 25 people provided physical distancing can be in place.
  • Local social gatherings over 10 people are prohibited, and those under 10 people must use physical distancing.
  • Personal care services such as salons and barbers, as well as gyms, are closed.
  • Child care is open under certain restrictions, with priority placements for children of health care workers, first responders, and frontline workers.
  • Public transit is open under certain restrictions, and must be sanitized often and enforce three feet of space between passengers.
  • Summer school and camps can open.

View Washington County's status on the Reopening Criteria

COVID-19 Status for Washington County

Economic and Revenue Forecast (More detailed information in Tuesday’s Newsletter)

ERForecast

The June 2020 Economic and Revenue Forecast was released this week and shows that Oregon – like the rest of the nation – is facing a challenging road ahead after years of economic growth. While the coronavirus pandemic will lead to difficult budget conversations, we will do all we can to prevent cuts to essential programs, minimize the impact on Oregonians most in need and call on the federal government to provide additional aid. Read Governor Brown's statement on the Revenue Forecast here.

  • Total Funds Revenue Decline: $2.7 billion
  • Projected Total Funds Revenue Decline for 2021-2023: $4.4 billion
  • Budgetary Reserves: More than $1.5 billion (Rainy Day Fund + Education Stability Fund)

Link to Forecast Document

Link to Slide Presentation

Education Updates

Hillsboro School District Valedictorian and Salutatorian Lunch

Yesterday, I was happy to participate in the annual Hillsboro School District Valedictorian and Salutatorian Lunch. This year, due to the coronavirus pandemic, we celebrated a little differently. Volunteers met at Pizza Schmizza to help deliver pizza to the very deserving students across the district. I had a great time seeing the students on my route and delivering congratulations in person. I spoke to them of their plans for next year – four different plans, four different colleges: Oregon State University, Arizona State University, BYU-Utah and Portland State University/Portland Community College. These students have faced challenges and hardships this year and deserve the recognition for their K-12 achievements. See the livestream of the event here.

Val/Sal lunch

Outdoor Activities

Hillsboro’s Dog Parks, Tennis Courts, and More Recreation Amenities to Reopen on Saturday

Park patrons in Hillsboro will have more recreation options this weekend as the City of Hillsboro Parks & Recreation Department works to safely restore amenities while following guidelines from State of Oregon health authorities.

Parks

Park patrons are asked to maintain physical distancing requirements and will be limited to groups of 10 people or fewer at a time, per State of Oregon rules that are currently in effect.

Hillsboro parks and trails are open for use, but other park amenities such as playgrounds, basketball courts, sports fields, and picnic shelters remain closed. 

Find more information here.

Hillsboro Farmers' Markets

Farmers Market

Hillsboro Farmers' Markets are open. Come out this weekend to support your local vendors and enjoy the bounty that our area has to offer.

Farmers Market

TriMet Updates

Transit in the age of COVID-19: TriMet’s preparations for phase one of regional reopening

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown and the Oregon Health Authority have outlined requirements for transit agencies as part of the framework for ‘Reopening Oregon’ in the age of COVID-19. With the guidance of the governor and health authorities, TriMet is making preparations and taking new action to increase the safety of our riders and employees, while supporting the overall health of our community.

“Over the last two months, TriMet has elevated our cleaning protocols, provided riders direction to stay healthy and changed procedures to increase the wellbeing of our bus operators and other front-line staff,” said TriMet General Manager Doug Kelsey. “Now, as we look forward to the TriMet of tomorrow, we will step up even more. It is paramount that our customers feel safe with the transit service we provide. Gov. Brown’s order helps build on everything we’ve done to date.”

Here are the actions TriMet will take based on the direction of the Oregon Health Authority(Details follow.)

  1. Require riders to wear face coverings
  2. Install face covering & hand sanitizer dispensers inside all buses and trains
  3. Work toward OHA rider guidelines to maintain at least 3-feet distancing from each other & 6 feet from the operator
  4. Limit the number of riders on board vehicles
  5. Increase onboard cleaning throughout the service day
  6. Add more operator safety panels
  7. Continue to educate riders about COVID-19 symptoms & precautions

Find more information on the steps TriMet is taking to prepare for Phase 1 here.

TriMet

Community Outreach

Together, We Can Stop Coronavirus Discrimination

Please read the following important message from the Hillsboro City Council on stopping coronavirus-related discrimination. Watch the video message here.

A Letter From Hillsboro City Council
"Our community is resilient, responsive, and caring. When anyone in Hillsboro experiences discrimination, we must act together against hate and bias.

The Oregon Department of Justice is reporting increased discrimination and hate crimes against people perceived to be Asian, including our Asian, Pacific Islander, and Native American communities during the coronavirus pandemic.

“Everyone has a role to play in ensuring Hillsboro is an inclusive, welcoming community.” — Hillsboro City Council

Coronavirus-related discrimination
Health officials have made clear there is no link between coronavirus and a person’s race or national origin — anyone can get the virus, and anyone can spread it. Yet, misinformation is leading to discrimination due to the false association between race and coronavirus. This scapegoating has led to derogatory name-calling, verbal harassment, denial of entry and service, and even physical violence.

For Asian-owned businesses, the loss of customers has been especially drastic due to coronavirus misinformation, making a challenging situation even more difficult. Racist misinformation impacts livelihoods and lives. This is unacceptable, and serves as a direct call to action.

If we do not acknowledge, put name to, and directly address racism in our community, we will continue to perpetuate inequality. Racism — in the forms of offhand jokes, derogatory memes, and acts of intimidation and violence — threatens the safety, dignity, and identities of our Asian, Pacific Islander, and Native American communities in Hillsboro and beyond.

Every Hillsboro resident deserves to live free of targeted economic marginalization, fear for personal safety, and discrimination. You can make a difference in our community by educating yourself and your family on the Spread Facts, Not Fear campaign from the Oregon Health Authority.

Read the full article and find more information here.

Report hate or bias crimes to the Oregon Department of Justice.

Upcoming Events

Memorial Day Ceremony

Please see the following message shared from the Oregon Department of Veteran's Affairs on their virtual event happening this Monday, May 25, for Memorial Day.

Oregon Department of Veteran's Affairs Memorial Day tradition will continue on Monday with our first-ever Virtual Statewide Memorial Day Ceremony. The virtual ceremony, which will include a number of messages reflecting on the importance of our great nation — and the generations of proud veterans that have safeguarded it.

I invite all Oregonians to join us for this meaningful and one-of-a-kind event, which you can tune into on ODVA’s Facebook page at 10 a.m. Monday, or anytime thereafter.

Our partners at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs are also offering new ways for the public to pay tribute to our honored veterans including a new online initiative called the Veterans Legacy Memorial.

The site, which contains a memorial page for each veteran and service member interred in a national cemetery, has been available since 2019, but this week that the VA is introducing a new way to observe Memorial Day by permitting online visitors to leave a comment of tribute on a veteran’s page.

The tribute allows visitors to voice memories and appreciation for a veteran’s service. You can visit today at www.vlm.cem.va.gov.

Memorial DaySolve

Submit your photo here.

Remember to stay close to home, stay safe as we go into the Memorial Day Weekend. We are still under the Governor's Executive Order 20-25 until approved to enter Phase 1 Reopening. Physical distancing in groups of 10 or less is allowed, so find a creative way to spend time with your family, neighbors and friends that live close by, while wearing a face mask and maintaining a 6 foot distance. The actions that our Governor and Oregonians have taken have saved lives and greatly reduced positive cases of this virus. We are all in this together and will get through this. Be good to each other and yourself this weekend.

Onward and Upward,

Janeen

Capitol Phone: 503-986-1430
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-487, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Rep.JaneenSollman@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/sollman