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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
The New Year is quickly approaching! 2021, we are seeing you as light coming! Last week I was able to slow down a bit and that slower pace was really needed. Also, getting to see small groups of my family in safe settings was a true blessing. Challenges continue to be a part of our everyday lives, but solutions like vaccination distribution and choice are encouraging. More support for our Oregon businesses has finally become a reality with the last actions of the Emergency Board and the third Special Session. We must do more in the coming year but it was a good start. Our schools face new opportunities as we work to ensure that “in-person learning” can happen with safety protocols kept high. Please stay in touch in the coming year and let us know what you are thinking, or if we can get needed information to you. We can be reached at: Rep.SusanMcLain@oregonlegislature.gov or 503-986-1429.
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With her sights set on opening Oregon’s schools by February 15, 2021, Governor Brown announced last week that she is directing the Oregon Department of Education and the Oregon Health Authority to implement several new initiatives, including a major change to the use of school metrics. Oregon school metrics - the measures of local community spread of COVID-19 that guide local authorities as to when it is appropriate to open - will be advisory rather than mandatory, effective January 1, 2021. The objective is to ensure that decisions to resume in-person instruction be made locally, and on a school-by-school basis.
Congress finally passed, and the President signed, a new COVID relief package this weekend. While the funding is just a drop in the bucket towards real relief, it brings much needed assistance to Oregon’s families and small businesses. Here is a summary of the relief package:
- $284 billion for business loans through the Paycheck Protection Program
- $600 per person direct payments for Oregonians with incomes below $75,000 for an individual or $150,000 for a household
- $300 boost in supplemental federal unemployment benefits for next 11 weeks
- Continuation of the special unemployment benefits for gig workers and people who are self-employed
- $82 billion for colleges and schools
- $7 billion for rural broadband
- $13 billion for food assistance programs
- $25 billion in rental assistance
In last Monday’s special session, the moratorium on evictions was extended until June 30, 2021. Renters must complete, sign, and return a form to their landlord to prevent eviction. After January 1st, that form will be posted on www.courts.oregon.gov. For more information, read this fact sheet from the Oregon Law Center. If you need housing help because of COVID-19, visit 211info.org or call 211.
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National Numbers:
- Confirmed Cases: 19,055,869 (up 145,959 from yesterday.
- Deaths: 332,246 (up 1,345 from yesterday)
- These national numbers come from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. You can view their national and state by state data here.
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Oregon Status Report: Oregon now has 110,545 total cases (confirmed and presumptive) of COVID-19.
- Today we have 865 new confirmed and presumptive cases, and 6 new deaths.
- A total of 1,433 Oregonians have died from COVID-19. (previous daily case updates from OHA here)
- Washington County still has one of the highest case counts at 15,728 confirmed cases, including 140 deaths. You can review on-going updates from OHA by clicking on the table below.
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The Oregon Health Authority recently provided a Public Health Indicators Dashboard to enable communities across Oregon to monitor COVID-19 in the state.The dashboard, which will be updated weekly on Thursdays, provides a transparent report that presents complex epidemiological data in an interactive, easy-to-understand way on a state and county level.
Despite public misinformation, anyone can get COVID-19. Consider the demographic breakdowns in the charts below. Right now, people aged 20 to 49 actually account for 55% of the cases. And while anyone can die of COVID-19, people 70 and above are the most vulnerable and account for 76% of the deaths. The takeaway from the charts below is that we are all vulnerable to COVID-19. Be safe out there!
* This data from The Oregon Health Authority
Oregon continues to make strides in vaccinating vulnerable populations and front-line workers. The Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs just announced that residents and employees at their VA homes in The Dalles and Lebanon are receiving their first of two shots this week! To read more about the health equity philosophy that drives Oregon’s vaccination plan, click here.
Washington County OKs Body Cameras for All Patrol Deputies
After a report from the Washington County Racial Equity Collaborative and after receiving substantial community feedback, the Washington County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to spend nearly $1.4 million over the next five years to fully fund the body-worn camera program at the Washington County Sheriff's Office. The funding will allow the Sheriff’s Office to equip 210 deputies and 129 vehicles with cameras.
Firm Hired to Review Use of Force By Sheriff’s Office in Washington County
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office will partner with a national police training and research firm to review its use of force policies, practices, and data. Law enforcement has come under increased scrutiny after May’s police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, and after months of unrest in and around Portland. This partnership will allow for greater trust between the Sheriff's Office and the people of Washington County.
Public Assistance Deadline Extended To January 13
Federal funding is available to local, tribal governments, state agencies, special districts, and certain private nonprofit organizations in designated areas for emergency work and the repair or replacement of public facilities damaged by the Oregon wildfires. The deadline to Request Public Assistance (RPA) has been extended to January 13, 2021.
Eligible Applicants (see above) that incurred costs for response activities and/or sustained facility damage as a direct result of the September wildfires can apply in the following counties: Benton, Clackamas, Columbia, Coos, Deschutes, Douglas, Jackson, Jefferson, Josephine, Klamath, Lake, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Tillamook, Washington, Wasco and Yamhill. Eligible applicants may apply directly through the FEMA Grants Portal. If your agency is already registered in FEMA Grants Portal, submit an RPA directly at grantee.fema.gov. If you are unable to access FEMA Grants Portal or need assistance in creating Public Assistance Grants Portal user account, contact Public Assistance Grants Assistant Selicity Icefire at 503-378-3934 or selicity.icefire@state.or.us.
Reduce Future Losses Through Hazard Mitigation
By taking action now, you can mitigate risk and prevent future losses caused by wildfires or other disasters. Educational materials related to hazard mitigation are available for different types of disasters to help reduce risk, prevent loss, and rebuild stronger. Resources include topics such as:
- How to make your home safer in a wildfire
- How to rebuild with wildfire resistant construction materials
- Wildfire-resistant plants
- Flood insurance information
- Post-fire flash flood risks
For more information, click here or contact a Hazard Mitigation Specialist at FEMA-R10-MIT@FEMA.DHS.GOV.
WILDFIRE RECOVERY RESOURCES:
OEM has put together this list of contacts to help speed up the process of replacing these documents:
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Green cards: Phone (800)-375-5283; Website: www.uscis.gov
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Medicare cards: Phone: (800)-772-1213; (TTY) (800)-325-0778 Website: www.medicare.gov
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Military records Phone: 866-272-6272 Website: www.archives.gov/contact/
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Passport Phone: 877-487-2778; (TTY) 888-874-7793 Website: travel.state.gov
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Social Security card Phone: 800-772-1213; (TTY) 800-325-0778 Website: www.ssa.gov
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U.S. Savings Bonds Phone: 844-284-2676 Website: www.treasurydirect.gov
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U.S. tax returns Phone: 800-829-1040 Website: www.irs.gov
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Birth, death, marriage, domestic partnership, divorce certificates Phone: 888-896-4988 Website: www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/Birthdeathcertificates
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Driver’s license, auto titles and registration, ID cards Phone: 503-945-5000 Website: www.oregon.gov/odot
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SNAP (Oregon Trail Card) Website: www.oregon.gov/DHS/Assistance/Food-Benefits
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State taxes (Oregon Dept. of Revenue) Phone: 503-378-4988 or 800-356-4222 TTY: All relay calls are accepted. Website: www.oregon.gov/dor
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Real estate and property - Contact your county government.
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Credit cards - Contact your credit card company directly.
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Credit reports from Equifax, Experian, TransUnion Phone: 877-322-8228 Website: www.annualcreditreport.com
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Insurance documents - Check with your insurance agent.
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Medical records - Call your doctor or your medical insurance company; medical and prescription records are tracked electronically.
The Governor’s office has put together a Wildfire Resources page that you can access from the Governor’s home page. It has links to many of the most important updates about the status of fires and resources for evacuees. This website will be updated regularly.
Legal Resources: Oregon State Bar’s Lawyer Referral Program, Oregon lawyers, through the Oregon State Bar, are partnering with FEMA and the American Red Cross to provide legal assistance on FEMA claims, contract claims, insurance claims, landlord-tenant matters and more.
The Department of Forestry’s Wildfire Response and Recovery Overview has ongoing updates about firefighting efforts, damage reports, and more.
FEMA Updates: FEMA has provided several different Fact Sheets and resources for accessing benefits, determining eligibility and avoiding scams.
Employers and Employees
Education Links
Hillsboro School District (en inglés y español)
Forest Grove School District (en inglés y español)
Oregon Department of Education
COVID-19 Resources for Oregon Higher Education Partners
Local Government
City of Hillsboro (en inglés, español y más idiomas)
City of Cornelius (en inglés, español y más idiomas)
City of Forest Grove (Personal que habla español disponible en este número: (503) 992-3221)
Washington County
Utilities Assistance
Portland General Electric (en inglés y español)
NW Natural
City of Hillsboro Utility Billing
Comcast
CenturyLink
AT&T
City of Forest Grove
Food and Housing Assistance
Community Action.org
Oregon Food Bank
Meals on Wheels
View Past Updates, Share and Subscribe:
If there was COVID-related information in a past newsletter that you want to go back to, but find you’ve deleted it, you can always go to my legislative website (http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/mclain), click on “News and Information,” and you’ll find them all there. You can also share this site with your friends and loved ones, so they can view past newsletters, and subscribe to future updates.
Yours truly,
 Representative Susan McLain
House District 29
email: Rep.SusanMcLain@oregonlegislature.gov I phone: 503-986-1429
address: 900 Court St NE, H-376, Salem, OR 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/mclain
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