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Governor Inslee Plans to Unveil New 4-Week COVID-19 Restrictions Sunday

Olympia, WA — Governor Jay Inslee is expected to announce a series of restrictions Sunday to slow the spread of COVID-19 cases, including a ban on indoor service at restaurants and bars, as well as indoor social gatherings. In addition, the four-week mandates are to come with new restrictions on occupancy limits for retailers, according to the Washington Food Industry Association.

“The governor’s office is looking at some possible restrictions so we can get the COVID cases down again,” said Tammie Hetrick, President & CEO of Washington Food Industry Association.

According to Hetrick, the governor’s staff provided the association with early outlines of the mandates, but they have not unveiled all the specifics. Inslee is set to announce his plans in a Sunday morning at 11, as of this writing.

Inslee spokesperson Tara Lee said the four-week order will be effective this Monday, and has heavy restrictions on grocers, retailers and restaurants, as well as indoor social gatherings.

“We are not disputing the details and will provide more information on Sunday,” she wrote.

Hetrick said the governor’s staff had indicated Inslee was considering several new steps.

These steps include a ban on all indoor social gatherings and indoor service at bars and restaurants. Outdoor service will likely be restricted to five people. Current restrictions keep bars and restaurants at 50 percent capacity.

The new restrictions, according to Senator Ann Rivers (LD-18), also limit retailers, grocery and convenience stores, to 25 percent occupancy.

There is also a plan to update guidance on mask restrictions. It’s unclear what restrictions will be placed on gyms.

According to Clark County Public Health, two percent of COVID-19 cases are traced back to restaurants and grocery stores.

“One of the problems with COVID response is that our strategy has been one size fits all,” said Rivers. “We must shift to local control and local decision making for a tailored response. We can see from the information provided by Clark County public Health that restaurants are not where people are contracting COVID. On the contrary, the protective measures that have been taken are very effective. To shut down that significant sector of our economy when it is not contributing to the problem will only make things worse for us.”

Clark County Public Health said the top five likely sources of exposure come from the following:

  • Household member: 299 cases, or 42 percent
  • Private social gathering: 125 cases, or 18 percent
  • Office: 35 cases, or 5 percent
  • Health care setting: 32 cases, or 5 percent
  • Long-term care facility: 25 cases, or 4 percent 

Lacamas Magazine will air the Governor’s speech LIVE on Sunday at 11 am.

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Source: Clark County Public Health
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Oregon Governor Brown Puts State on Two-Week ‘Freeze’ Effective Wednesday

Salem, OR — Oregon Gov. Kate Brown on Friday ordered a statewide two-week “freeze,” which restricts social gatherings and closes many businesses in an effort to help curb this third wave of COVID-19.

Beginning Wednesday, November 18, bars and restaurants will become takeout only. Indoor facilities such as gyms, museums and skating rinks are mandated to close entirely until the order is lifted in early December.

Her orders Friday are some of the most stringent in Oregon since her March stay-at-home order.

Under Brown’s latest order indoor and outdoor gatherings will be limited to no more than six people from two separate households. Grocery stores and pharmacies will also be required to limit their capacities, and churches are allotted indoor crowds no larger than 25 people.

Anyone traveling to Oregon is also required to quarantine for 14 days upon the arrival.

“I want to be honest,” Brown said Friday. “We are trying to stop this ferocious virus from spreading even more quickly and far wide, and to save lives.”

Brown said that some counties could remain in the freeze longer than two weeks, noting that Multnomah county’s orders are to last four weeks.

Brown
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Inslee Urges Washington Residents to Hold Virtual Thanksgiving Gatherings


Olympia, WA — Washington Governor Jay Inslee, with First Lady, Trudi Inslee, at his side, briefly addressed the state Thursday night about upcoming holiday gatherings.

Citing the third wave of COVID-19 throughout Washington, the Governor said “we need to rethink the holidays” and how families and friends gather.

“We knew these are treasured parts of our family traditions, but we will pause on gatherings this year and recommend a virtual Thanksgiving holiday,” Inslee said. “It’s simply too dangerous to gather together indoors.”

He understands this is a challenging request, and added “you are doing this as an act of love.”

“Please don’t gather with people outside your home, it’s just too dangerous,” he emphasized. “This period is as dangerous as March. We have done good work, and we have put our state in a better position than other states. What is urgent is what we do in our homes.”

The First Lady said “every social gathering is dangerous in our homes, and we implore you to rethink spending time with people outside your home.”

Inslee called it “the end of a tumultuous year and we hope to keep our families safe.” 

He also added that given corona virus spikes statewide that more restrictions are coming next week. 

“This is a temporary situation,” Inslee said. “And, things will get back to normal.”

The First Lady also thanked front line and essential workers as the address came near a close.

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Camas Schools Superintendent Q&A: 9% In Classroom; 5% Permanently Pulled; More

Camas, WA — Given the dynamic situation that COVID-19 presents to school districts, Lacamas Magazine asked Dr. Jeff Snell, Camas School District Superintendent, several questions about how the district is managing operations.

Question #1: Local teacher’s unions recently wrote a letter stating they refuse to go into the classroom until Clark County gets into moderate range for COVID-19. What have you heard from CEA? What is your position as the administration?

Snell: We meet weekly with our teacher association to discuss remote learning challenges and opportunities and increasing in-person learning experiences.  Our staff has been amazing at continuing to evolve our remote learning instruction, identifying students who need a little more support, and then coming up with ways to provide that support.  Their creativity and problem solving is a tremendous asset for our district and community.  They recognize how important it is to provide every service possible for students and families.

Question #2: When will first and second grade start going into the classroom?

Snell: We have been methodically increasing the number of students served in person through small groups.  In-person services, in small groups, align with the WA Department of Health recommendations during high COVID-19 activity levels.  We will monitor how well kindergarten goes and work with Clark County Public Health before consideration of adding any additional grade levels.  Obviously case rates have been increasing in our region so we want to be thoughtful about next steps.

Camas

Question #3: How many students in CSD have been permanently pulled from being in public school?

Snell: We track enrollment, a measurement of new students, and students leaving the district.  This fall, our enrollment has been down by about 5%.  

Editor’s Note: With enrollment at about 7,000, approximately 350 students have been pulled.

Question #4: What is the financial, per-student impact when a Camas student is pulled?

Snell: Each student generates about $11,500 in state funding. 

Question #5: Is Camas School District doing anything to help students who are having major mental/emotional problems?

Snell: This year in particular we are focusing much of our work on supporting systemic social emotional learning.  Teachers, counselors and other district staff are providing intentional opportunities for students to grow their emotional capacity.  We do this by highlighting topics such as self-awareness, stress management, and social awareness. In addition, our staff is focused on creating safety and belonging along with positive teacher student connections. When needed, our staff will connect students and families with community resources to assist students that are struggling emotionally.  

In addition to the direct support to students, we also take a whole system view on wellness.  We have a Parent Wellness program that offers parents a variety of opportunities to learn and connect with others in our community. This year we started a Parent Podcast and continue to provide workshops and book studies on a variety of topics.  We are about to host two virtual books studies that are free and open to everyone, “Grown and Flown” and  “The Financial Aid Handbook”. In addition, we have an upcoming Parent Wellness virtual workshop, “Brain Based Sensory Supports for Remote Learners”. Whenever possible, we record our workshops and archive them on our All-Student Wellness page on the district website.  This site has a host of information, articles, community resources and archived workshop videos. 

Camas
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Question #6: Many parents are asking why is CSD so focused on equity and diversity education right now? They say shouldn’t general education be the focus given how many students are falling behind? And, wouldn’t it make more sense to focus on equity and diversity once the kids are back in school?

Snell: Our focus over the past five years has been on seeing and serving EACH student.  Creating a community where every student feels like they belong is critical for any learning to happen.  This is the goal of our equity work.  

It continues to be the responsibility of public schools to serve each and every student who enters our doors. To serve students requires that we create conditions of safety and belonging for all students, with heightened attention to students from marginalized or underserved groups. Our ultimate goal of instilling in each student a love of learning and achievement that opens doors to their futures cannot happen until a student feels seen, safe, and cared for as they are. The pandemic presents many challenges, one of which is widening already existing disparities. Our continued learning about and attention to equity and social emotional learning will ensure that we don’t lose sight of creating more equitable outcomes. This is at the heart of our focus to see and serve each student.  

Question #7: Public records state that half of Union High School students are failing right now. What percentage of students are failing in Camas High School right now? I personally know about 20 of them.

Snell: At the progress report time, about 500 students had a failing grade or near failing grade.  Last year at this time, there were about 300 students. This is a significant change.  Our staff is working to support students across our system who are struggling.  Sometimes that means finding ways to connect with these students in ways beyond remote learning. 

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Clark County Public Health: COVID-19 Spreading at Alarming Pace

Vancouver, WA — Clark County Public Health said today that “COVID-19 is spreading throughout our community at an alarming pace.” This week, the health department said the COVID-19 activity rate increased to more than 171 cases per 100,000 people over 14 days.

Disease transmission is occurring at an accelerated pace across the state, as well.

“As the holidays near, we’re concerned our case counts will continue to rise as people attend gatherings and spend more time indoors,” the health department said in a statement.

Health guidelines to disrupt this transmission in our community by taking simple steps to slow the spread of COVID-19 include the following:

  • Wear a face covering anytime you’re around people you don’t live with (even friends and family).
  • Maintain physical distancing.
  • Stay home as much as possible.
  • Limit the number, size and frequency of gatherings – and only attend gatherings that are essential.
  • Wash your hands frequently.
  • Stay home if you’re sick.

Tuesday COVID-19 update

  • 166 new cases (5,783 cases to date)
  • 4 new deaths (77 to date)
  • 349 active cases
  • Rate is 171.55 cases per 100,000 (up from 131.42 cases per 100,000 last week)
  • 45 COVID-19 patients hospitalized
  • 8 persons under investigation (PUIs) for COVID-19 hospitalized
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The four deaths we’re reporting today are as follows:

  • Man in his 70s with no underlying health conditions
  • Man 80+ years old with underlying health conditions
  • Man in his 70s with no underlying health conditions
  • Woman in her 70s with underlying health conditions

The health department also put out this reminder about active cases: This reflects the number of confirmed cases who are currently in their isolation period. For most people, isolation is based on when symptoms began, not when they received the positive test result. Some individuals learn they are COVID-19 positive and only have a few days of isolation remaining.

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DCA Honors Local Businesses, Individuals at Annual Awards Ceremony

Camas, WA — Several local businesses attended the annual Downtown Camas Association (DCA) awards event Monday night at the Liberty Theatre. Under the theme “mask-querade” event attendees enjoyed popcorn and drinks while DCA leaders Caroline Mercury, Carrie Schulstad and Shannon Van Horn addressed the experiences of 2020 through a video slideshow, commentary, and awards presentations.

Given the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, some of the award designations were altered for 2020, such as “Help Your Neighbor” and “Phenomenal Pivot.”

The annual events ceremony is an opportunity for local merchants and community supporters to review the successes and challenges of the year, and 2020 was filled with unique hurdles. Businesses endured state mandates that closed some of their operations altogether, altered how they serve customers, and required new rules such as physical distancing and face masks.

”It really does make a difference when we’re all together,” said Schulstad, DCA Executive Director. “Tonight is about you. Yes, we will cover the things the DCA has been doing this year, but the main focus will be celebrating the resiliency and the innovation that our small businesses have shown time and time again in downtown. This has been a very hard year. Having to change a lot and having to change often, having to feel the sting of laying off employees. Having to change the entire way you operate. Trying new things without knowing they will work. Not knowing when all this will end. These are monumental times. Yet somehow our downtown businesses have found the fortitude and the strength to rise up, and find a way.”

Mercury emphasized that Juxtaposition, a high end furniture and home decor store, opened on the eve of state mandated coronavirus business closures.

“Suzanne and her team have been so tenacious and so gracious in continuing to do what needs to be done to operate a business effectively under any circumstances, and who could have imagined these circumstances.”

Mercury mentioned the opening of the Clara Flats apartments on 6th Avenue, and that The Wild Hair, a destination salon, celebrates 30 years in business.

Award Winners

  • Juxtaposition: Best Downtown Space Improvement
  • Lara Blair: Something New in Camas Award.
  • Papermaker Pride: Help Your Neighbor Award
  • Camas Library: Phenomenal Pivot Award
  • Ann Matthews: Downtown Spirit Award
  • Gary Carter: Volunteer Award
  • Salud Wine Bar: Great Growth Award
  • Liberty Theatre: Incredible Innovation Award 
  • Camas Antiques: Creative Marketing Award

The Caffe Piccolo team was recognized for their spirit and support of all downtown Camas events.

DCA
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Juxtaposition team.
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Camas Schools: 6 Staff Members COVID-19 Positive; No Outbreaks At Schools

Camas, WA — Camas School District (CSD) Superintendent Dr. Jeff Snell confirms that six staff members have been infected with COVID-19, but “there have been no outbreaks at schools or other facilities.” 

He said the district provides an updated dashboard, which is emailed to parents.

“… It references our COVID-19 dashboard which shows any cases we’ve had and resulting quarantines,” he said.

The latest update says that district currently serves 600 students in-person.

UPDATE: Transition to Increased, In-Person Learning Experiences

Camas School District has issued the following statement:

Our trend of high COVID-19 activity levels has continued which is extremely frustrating as it delays our full-hybrid transition.  Despite the trends, we have been able to safely and successfully grow the number of small group learning experiences for students this fall.  These small groups have focused on students who receive special services, our youngest learners, and students with significant struggles in the remote learning model for various reasons.  Serving small groups of students on campus aligns with the Washington Department of Health (WA DOH) recommendations for high COVID-19 activity level.  An important reason for our success has been the ability of staff to implement the five mitigation strategies from the CDC that include the following.

  • Consistent and correct use of masks
  • Social distancing to the largest extent possible
  • Hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette
  • Cleaning and disinfection
  • Contact tracing in collaboration with the local health department
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With the scheduled start of kindergarten in small groups next week CSD will continue to expand the number of students experiencing some type of in-person learning experience. The plan is to build on this success and continue to increase in-person experiences cautiously and thoughtfully through small groups of students.  

Approximate # of Students Served Through In-Person ExperiencesPercentage of Total Enrollment
Summer 20202003%
September 20203004%
October 20206009%

The CSD statement continues:

Current guidelines recommend to wait to transition to a full hybrid learning model (in-person and remote learning experiences for K5 and secondary students) until our COVID-19 activity level is in the moderate range.  Given the current rates, the soonest this could be possible is the week of 11/30 for our elementary students.  As we get further into the 2020-21 school year more data is becoming available about transmission rates in schools.  In a recent article from the Seattle Times (Early data suggests some schools can safely reopen, Washington state health officials say) the WA DOH was cited in reference to this data and in-person learning experiences.  We recognize how important these experiences are for our students and will consider adjustments to our reopening plans to align with any updated guidance from public health.  

This has been such a challenging time for students, staff and families to navigate. We understand and appreciate all of the concerns that come up in managing risks and making decisions as to the best course for each student, their families, staff, and our entire community.  We have scheduled another Town Hall for November 16th from 6 – 7 PM to share updates and answer questions.  ZOOM Information to come.

The public can view all details of their transition plan including timelines, resources, past notifications, presentations, and a COVID-19 dashboard that tracks COVID-19 cases in Camas School District at http://www.camas.wednet.edu/covid-19/2020-reopening/. 

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Associated Press: Biden Wins White House, Vowing New Direction For Divided Nation

WASHINGTON (AP) — According to the Associated Press and other national media companies, Democrat Joe Biden defeated President Donald Trump to become the 46th president of the United States on Saturday, positioning himself to lead a nation gripped by the historic pandemic and a confluence of economic and social turmoil.

His victory came after more than three days of uncertainty as election officials sorted through a surge of mail-in votes that delayed the processing of some ballots. Biden crossed 270 Electoral College votes with a win in Pennsylvania.

Biden, 77, staked his candidacy less on any distinctive political ideology than on galvanizing a broad coalition of voters around the notion that Trump posed an existential threat to American democracy. The strategy proved effective, resulting in pivotal victories in Michigan and Wisconsin as well as Pennsylvania, onetime Democratic bastions that had flipped to Trump in 2016.

Biden was on track to win the national popular vote by more than 4 million, a margin that could grow as ballots continue to be counted.

Trump seized on delays in processing the vote in some states to falsely allege voter fraud and argue that his rival was trying to seize power — an extraordinary charge by a sitting president.

“We have to remember the purpose of our politics isn’t total unrelenting, unending warfare,” Biden said Friday night in Delaware. “No, the purpose of our politics, the work of our nation, isn’t to fan the flames of conflict, but to solve problems, to guarantee justice, to give everybody a fair shot.”

Kamala Harris also made history as the first Black woman to become vice president, an achievement that comes as the U.S. faces a reckoning on racial justice. The California senator, who is also the first person of South Asian descent elected to the vice presidency, will become the highest-ranking woman ever to serve in government, four years after Trump defeated Hillary Clinton.

Trump is the first incumbent president to lose reelection since Republican George H.W. Bush in 1992. It was unclear whether Trump would publicly concede.

Earlier Saturday Trump left the White House for his Virginia golf club dressed in golf shoes, a windbreaker and a white hat as the results gradually expanded Biden’s lead in Pennsylvania. Trump repeated his allegations of election fraud and illegal voting on Twitter, but they were quickly flagged as potentially misleading by the social media platform.

One of his recent tweets says: “I WON THIS ELECTION, BY A LOT!”

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Source: Associated Press

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POLITICS 2020: 3rd Congressional Candidate Carolyn Long Concedes Race

VANCOUVER, WA — Carolyn Long released a statement, conceding the race for Washington’s 3rd Congressional District, following the announcement of the general election results showing Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler (R) with a commanding lead: 202,996 votes, or 55 percent, to Long’s 165,072 votes, or 44 percent.

“I am so incredibly proud of the strength of this grassroots campaign,” Long said. “Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this incredible effort and those who have supported us with their vote.

“From reaching out to friends, family, and neighbors all across Southwest Washington to speak about the campaign, to asking me questions and letting me know about the issues that are on your mind, to chipping in with a few bucks here and there—you were there for me and I deeply appreciate it.

“I’m proud we ran a campaign based on facts, policy, and the truth. I am someone who believes in running on the issues and leading a campaign based on integrity and trust. It’s why I didn’t take a dime of corporate PAC money. At the end of each day, I reminded myself that how one runs a campaign is a reflection of who they are as a person.

“Thank you, again, to everyone who has supported us and been a part of this effort. I am proud of everything we have accomplished.”

The Herrera Beutler campaign issued this statement: “We’re just grateful to the voters for putting their faith in Jaime yet again. In prior elections the Republican vote usually grows, and we think that trend will hold this election as well.”

Long
Carolyn with her husband, Kevin, and daughter, Tennyson.
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COVID-19: Clark County Public Health Releases Latest Numbers

Vancouver, WA — Clark County Public Health released the latest COVID-19 data this week. Here’s what is happening:

Wednesday COVID-19 update: Another 81 people have tested positive for COVID-19. To date, 5,164 Clark County residents have tested positive for COVID-19.

Currently, Clark County has 267 active cases. The number of active cases reflects the number of confirmed cases who are currently in their isolation period. For most people, isolation is based on when symptoms began, not when they received the positive test result. Some individuals learn they are COVID-19 positive and only have a few days of isolation remaining.

There are 33 COVID-19 patients and 17 persons under investigation (PUIs) for COVID-19 hospitalized. These cases and PUIs are occupying 8% of local hospital beds.

More than 5% of COVID-19 tests came back positive during the most recent week for which Clark County has testing data (Oct. 11-17). For the most recent eight weeks for which they have data, the percent of tests coming back positive has ranged from 3.41% to 5.63% — well above the goal of 2% or less.

The number of COVID-19 tests administered in Clark County increased in late September and early October, reaching as high as 7,022 tests administered in one week (Oct. 4-10). But the percent of tests coming back positive that week was among the highest in that timeframe at nearly 4.5% (311 positive tests).

Our rising case numbers cannot be attributed solely to increased testing. The virus is spreading throughout Clark County.

Please take steps to protect yourself and your loved ones and help slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community. Wear face coverings anytime you’re around people who don’t live with (even in private settings), maintain physical distancing from others, wash hands frequently and stay home when sick.

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