HERMISTON — As rising COVID-19 numbers spark worry about hospital capacity in Oregon, the ability to quickly move patients between hospitals has been an important part of planning for surges.
Coronavirus Updates
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Timeline
HERMISTON — As rising COVID-19 numbers spark worry about hospital capacity in Oregon, the ability to quickly move patients between hospitals has been an important part of planning for surges. Read more
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SALEM — School districts around the state have been waiting on the Tuesday, Jan. 19, update to Oregon’s “Ready Schools, Safe Learners” guidance. Read more
ENTERPRISE — The most susceptible members of the general public when it comes to fending off COVID-19 had access to the COVID-19 vaccine beginning Tuesday, Jan. 19. Read more
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ENTERPRISE — Wallowa County's plan — as well as the plan of the rest of Oregon — to get vaccinations to seniors next week has undergone a major shift. Read more
Two new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Wallowa County by the Oregon Health Authority Friday, Jan. 15, bringing the total number of cases since the start of the pandemic 10 months ago to 94. Read more
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown tweeted Friday morning, Jan. 15, that the state won't be receiving an "increased shipment of vaccines" next week from the national stockpile as it anticipated earlier this week, potentially putting a damper on plans to roll out the COVID-19 vaccine to senior citizens a… Read more
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ENTERPRISE — The most susceptible members of the general public when it comes to fending off COVID-19 will have access to the COVID-19 vaccine next week. Read more
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Wallowa County had its highest one-day total of new COVID-19 cases in more than two months on Sunday, Jan. 10, when Oregon Health Authority reported four new cases of the disease in the county. That brings the overall total since the start of the pandemic to 92. Read more
There were two more cases of COVID-19 reported in Wallowa County Saturday, Jan. 9, by the Oregon Health Authority, putting the overall total since the start of the pandemic at 88. Read more
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ENTERPRISE — More and more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine are arriving in Wallowa County. Read more
There were two new cases of COVID-19 in Wallowa County as reported by the Oregon Health Authority on Thursday, Jan. 7, marking the third day in a row OHA has noted two cases in the county. The number of overall cases in Wallowa County since the start of the pandemic now stands at 86. Read more
ENTERPRISE — A Wallowa Memorial Hospital health care worker has recovered and is out of the hospital after the Oregon Health Authority reported late Thursday, Dec. 31, that the individual suffered an allergic reaction to the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Read more
For the second day in a row, the Oregon Health Authority reported a new case of COVID-19 in Wallowa County, moving the county's total as of Saturday, Jan. 2, to 78 since the start of the pandemic. Read more
The first COVID-19 update of 2021 on Friday, Jan. 1, from the Oregon Health Authority showed 1,446 more new cases of the coronavirus, including one in Wallowa County. The new case brings the county's total since the start of the pandemic to 77, and the state's total now sits at 115,339. Read more
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ENTERPRISE — The Oregon Health Authority announced in a press release a worker at Wallowa Memorial Hospital suffered a severe allergic reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine. Read more
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With the support of Sandy Mayor Stan Pulliam, Estacada Mayor Sean Drinkwine, Troutdale Mayor-elect Randy Lauer and Gresham City Councilor-elect Sue Piazza, among others, multiple metro area businesses plan to open to customers indoors on Friday, Jan. 1. The protest is being called “Open Oregon” and the goal is to highlight how brutal the state-mandated closures have been. Supporters are heralding it as an exercise of First Amendment rights. Read more
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ENTERPRISE — Parents, players, coaches and fans of all ages rallied in support of a high school basketball and wrestling season this year at the Wallowa County Courthouse. The hastily scheduled event drew more than 80 people, and featured talks by coaches, Wallowa County commissioners and athletes. Read more
SALEM — Gov. Kate Brown abruptly announced new rules for school reopenings on Wednesday afternoon, Dec. 23, making former directives optional and allowing districts to open if they follow safety precautions. Read more
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SALEM — The Legislature held its third special session of 2020 on Monday, Dec. 21, amid a pandemic and violent protests at the Capitol organized by a right-wing group. Read more
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ENTERPRISE — The COVID-19 vaccine has arrived in Wallowa County. Read more
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JOSEPH — After more than four decades at Wallowa Lake, Oregon’s Alpenfest will have a new home in 2021. Read more
There were two new cases of COVID-19 reported in Wallowa County — one Tuesday, Dec. 15 and one Wednesday, Dec. 16 — but no cases Thursday. The total in Wallowa County — one of six counties in the state in Gov. Kate Brown's low-risk range — is at 76. Read more
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The first doses of a COVID-19 vaccine were administered in Oregon on Wednesday, beginning a process that won't likely be finished until summer. Read more
Most of Oregon will greet the holiday season and New Year's Eve as "extreme risk" locations requiring tight COVID-19 limits on gatherings, dining and activities. Read more
Small businesses in Oregon struggling with a drop in income due to the COVID-19 pandemic will receive some tax relief, Gov. Kate Brown announced Monday. Read more
After weeks of negotiations with lawmakers, Gov. Kate Brown announced a one-day special session of the Legislature will be held Monday, Dec. 21, to deal with COVID-19 related issues. Read more
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SALEM — The first of millions of expected vaccine doses needed to extinguish the COVID-19 virus arrived in Oregon on Monday, starting a process that could last into fall 2021. Read more
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ENTERPRISE — Wallowa County reported one new case of COVID-19 Saturday, Dec. 12, but no new cases Sunday, placing the total number of cases since the start of the pandemic at 74, according to the Oregon Health Authority. Read more
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SALEM — Despite the imminent arrival of the first doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, Oregon will likely have thousands more killed and tens of thousands infected before the mass majority of residents can be vaccinated, state officials said Friday, Dec. 11. Read more
Wallowa County had its first reported case of COVID-19 in eight days, as a single case reported Thursday, Dec. 10, raised the county's overall total to 73 cases, according to the Oregon Health Authority. Read more
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ENTERPRISE — The Oregon School Activities Association executive board on Monday, Dec. 7, voted to revise the 2020-21 OSAA calendar by moving the start dates of Season 2 to February, with Seasons 3 and 4 to follow in the spring. Read more
SALEM — Gov. Kate Brown on Friday painted a dark future for Oregon if the COVID-19 pandemic spirals out of control in the several months it will take to get a vaccine to most in the state. Read more
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ENTERPRISE — The 2021 Eagle Cap Extreme sled dog race, originally scheduled for January, has been canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the ECX website. Read more
Wallowa County had one new case of COVID-19 reported by the Oregon Health Authority on Wednesday, Dec. 2, bringing the county total up to 72. It was the first case reported in a week. Read more
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ENTERPRISE — Wallowa County businesses that have been severely hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic — whether they have been forced to close or seen a large portion of their income axed by virus-related executive orders — now have an opportunity to obtain funding, an opportunity that expires at… Read more
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A Nativity scene depicting the first Christmas graces the front yard of a home in Enterprise across North Street from Safeway. Read more
ENTERPRISE — The “two-week freeze” is over at the end of the day today, Wednesday, Dec. 2. Read more
SALEM — Gov. Kate Brown unveiled a highly-aspirational two-year state budget proposal Tuesday, Dec. 1, that would require a politically supportive U.S. Congress to make much of its most sweeping — and expensive — programs to work. Read more
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With COVID-19 infection rates rising rapidly in Oregon, Gov. Kate Brown said Wednesday that at least 21 counties will stay in a modified version of the two-week "freeze" through most of December. Read more
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ENTERPRISE — Gov. Kate Brown’s recent executive order mandating a “two-week freeze” on gatherings to slow the spread of COVID-19 is having a decidedly negative effect on businesses in Wallowa County. Read more
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ENTERPRISE — More than 100 residents sat in on a virtual town hall with area and state health officials Tuesday, Nov. 17 to get a specific-to-Wallowa County update on the COVID-19 pandemic and to get questions answered. Read more
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ENTERPRISE — A third Wallowa County death related to COVID-19 was reported Tuesday, Nov. 24, in a press release from the Oregon Health Authority. Read more
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Elected leaders from Eastern Oregon counties who signed on to a letter asking Gov. Kate Brown for changes to her approach to COVID-19 shutdowns say the letter was not in direct response to the current two-week “freeze,” but was crafted over several weeks as an outline of what they hope to se… Read more
ENTERPRISE — A virtual town hall on resources to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic will be held today, Tuesday, Nov. 17, hosted by the Wallowa County Chamber of Commerce. Read more
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WALLOWA — Wallowa junior high and high school reopened to in-person teaching Monday, Nov. 16, Superintendent Tammy Jones said in a post on the school district’s Facebook page Friday. Read more
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SALEM — Oregon will restrict or close many businesses, curtail activities and put a six-person limit on gatherings, including Thanksgiving, under a statewide “two-week freeze” starting Wednesday, Nov. 18, in an effort to stem rising COVID-19 infection rates, Gov. Kate Brown announced Friday,… Read more
ENTERPRISE — The 25th annual Healthy Futures Dinner Auction should have taken place at the Cloverleaf Hall, as it has for more than 20 years. Read more
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Wallowa County's newest case of COVID-19 — one reported Saturday, Nov. 7 which was the 63rd since the start of the pandemic — was part of a record 988 new cases reported in the state by the Oregon Health Authority. Read more
Wallowa County passed 60 cases of COVID-19 when the county was reported to have three more cases Wednesday, Nov. 4, according to the Oregon Health Authority. The new cases, which came on a day Oregon had its second-highest total of 597 cases, moved the county total to 61. Read more
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ENTERPRISE — Residents at senior living centers can now have visitors indoors under new guidelines set forth by the state that went into effect Monday, Nov. 2. Read more
ENTERPRISE — While the coronavirus pandemic has affected many organizations and businesses in obvious ways, there’s at least one that’s not so obvious — Alcoholics Anonymous. Read more
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WALLOWA — The Wallowa School District temporarily closed late last week and a portion of the district remains closed until mid-November after a diagnosis of COVID-19 was reported late Wednesday, Oct. 28. Read more
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ENTERPRISE — Two more cases of COVID-19 were detected in Wallowa County according to a report Tuesday, Nov. 3, by the Oregon Health Authority. No new COVID-related deaths occurred here. Read more
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ENTERPRISE — Wallowa County reported four more cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, Oct 31, according to the Oregon Health Authority, giving the county 55 total cases since the start of the pandemic in March. Read more
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WALLOWA — The Wallowa School District will be closed entirely on Monday, Nov. 2, but will resume educating students Tuesday, according to a Facebook post late Friday afternoon. Read more
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ENTERPRISE — Wallowa County on Friday, Oct. 30, surpassed 50 total cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic on the same day Oregon posted another one-day high in cases with 600. Read more
Oregon is simplifying the COVID-19 infection standards that schools must meet to get students back in the classroom for the first time since March, Gov. Kate Brown announced Friday, Oct. 30. Read more
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WALLOWA — The Wallowa School District is temporarily closed after a "person in our school community" was diagnosed with COVID-19, Superintendent Tammy Jones posted to the district's Facebook page late Wednesday, Oct. 28. Read more
ENTERPRISE — Many places of worship in Wallowa County are rebounding from the shutdowns caused this past spring because of the coronavirus pandemic, and some are even finding their new circumstances a benefit. Read more
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PORTLAND — COVID-19 claimed nine more lives in Oregon, bringing the state’s death toll to 664, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27. Read more
Two new COVID-19 cases in Wallowa County were among the 399 reported by the Oregon Health Authority Saturday, Oct. 24. Read more
Oregon had its highest one-day total of new and presumptive COVID-19 cases Friday, Oct. 23, with Oregon Health Authority reporting 550 new cases of the coronavirus. Read more
State health officials could distribute the first doses of COVID-19 vaccinations as early as the end of this month if it’s approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Read more
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ENTERPRISE — Wallowa County had a second death attributed to COVID-19 reported in the Saturday, Oct. 17, update from the Oregon Health Authority. Read more
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The fight against COVID-19 is being undercut by precaution fatigue, willful ignorance and mixed messages between health officials in Oregon and Washington, D.C. Read more
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Wallowa County has its 37th case of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic as there was one new case among the 390 statewide reported by the Oregon Health Authority on Wednesday, Oct. 14. Read more
ENTERPRISE — Wallowa County school staff, students and parents are learning to be flexible in light of the constantly changing face of education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more
ENTERPRISE — Eateries and lodging establishments in Wallowa County that were concerned the COVID-19 pandemic would wipe out business during the tourist season have been somewhat relieved as tourism winds down and they find they’ve survived. Read more
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The vast majority of consumers — 92% — expects the pandemic will change this year’s Christmas celebrations, according to a survey commissioned by the Christmas Tree Promotion Board. Read more
Oregon will receive up to 80,000 rapid COVID-19 tests per week from the federal government, doubling its testing abilities and allowing people who don't show any symptoms of the virus to be tested, Gov. Kate Brown announced Tuesday. Read more
ENTERPRISE — Funding to rebuild the Wallowa Lake Dam remains on hold as the anticipated September report on state lottery revenues came in below what was needed to fund it and 36 other projects selected by the Oregon Legislature last year. Read more
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WALLOWA LAKE — It wasn’t the usual Swiss-Bavarian celebration, but Oregon Alpenfest organizers weren’t about to let a pandemic totally shut them down Saturday, Sept. 26, after more than 40 years of celebrating in Oregon’s alpine country. Read more
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Oregon state coffers saw personal and corporate income tax collections go up in the past few months, not down as had been forecast, after the initial shock of the coronavirus pandemic resulted in widespread business shutdowns. Read more
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SALEM — Gov. Kate Brown announced Wednesday, Sept. 16, a new program to provide masks and gloves to small businesses in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a press release from the Wallowa County Chamber of Commerce. Read more
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WALLOWA COUNTY — A cluster of six new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Wallowa County by the Oregon Health Authority, according to a press release issued Wednesday, Sept. 16. Read more
ENTERPRISE — If the whole COVID-19 thing has you feeling depressed, frustrated and anxious, you are not alone. Read more
ENTERPRISE — Wallowa County schools were ready and rarin’ to go to this week to get back in class for the 2020-21 school year. Schools opened Tuesday, Sept. 8, in Enterprise, Joseph and Wallowa. Read more
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SALEM — Uninsured Oregonians who were not able to sign up for private health coverage due to COVID-19 can still enroll, according to a press release Sept. 1. Read more
PORTLAND — A 13% drop in daily cases for the week of Aug. 16-23 was seen when the Oregon Health Authority released its weekly report Wednesday, Aug. 26. Read more
Oregon will stay under the COVID-19 state of emergency in place since March until Nov. 3, Gov. Kate Brown announced Tuesday. Read more
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Oregon's COVID-19 case rate seems to be in decline, but state health officials are nervous about a potential uptick in cases, following the upcoming Labor Day holiday weekend. Read more
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A $62 million relief fund is now accepting applications from Black residents picking up the pieces after the novel coronavirus shattered lives and livelihoods across Oregon. Read more
LA GRANDE — Musician Luke McKern of La Grande was missing the camaraderie and excitement of performing after COVID-19 shut down concerts and large gatherings. Read more
PORTLAND — Umpqua Bank, a West Coast regional bank, has released its Business Resiliency Survey, a nationwide study gauging the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the confidence and future of U.S.-based small and mid-sized businesses, according to a press release. Read more
ENTERPRISE — Health care remains a priority, even for budgets severely impacted by COVID-19 downturns. Read more
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SALEM — The Oregon Health Authority released its Weekly Testing Report, which showed that as of Monday, Aug. 24, Oregon's cumulative positive testing rate is 4.5% of people tested. This is considerably lower than the national average of 9%. Read more
The $500 Emergency Relief Check Program has exhausted its 70,000 available payments in just three days. Read more
SALEM — Nearly half of the available funds for a new $500 relief check program have been used up in the first two days of the program. Read more
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Oregon residents facing financial hardship from the COVID-19 crisis are eligible for $500 one-time checks in a program beginning Wednesday, Aug. 19. Read more
ENTERPRISE — Now that the schools in Wallowa County will be opening classrooms to students on Tuesday, Sept. 8, the county’s three school districts are rushing to make final plans. Read more
WALLOWA COUNTY — Merchants saddled with coronavirus-related regulations are facing challenges in addition to keeping their businesses afloat, as they cope with making sure customers comply with wearing face masks and social distancing. Read more
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The Oregon Legislature's most powerful panel approved a plan to use federal funds to buy $105 million of personal protective equipment, despite objections from over half of all lawmakers. Read more
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PORTLAND — As of mid-June, 1% of Oregonians without COVID-19 had evidence of past infection of the virus in their blood, which is 10 times higher than the reported rate of infections obtained through conventional testing, according to a new study. Read more
SALEM — High school sports in Oregon will not kick off until 2021. Read more
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The bar has been lowered for reopening smaller schools this fall as Oregon continues to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more
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The second special session of the Oregon Legislature on Monday careened between boredom and anger, spiritual quotes and name calling as it dragged on from early morning into the night. Read more
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Thousands of Oregonians who await unemployment benefits, whose claims were denied or who never filed in the first place will soon have a chance to obtain one-time $500 checks from a state fund. Read more
Gov. Kate Brown announced a new source of financial assistance Aug. 1 for agricultural workers who need to self-quarantine during COVID-19. Read more
Oregon lawmakers approved $94 million more to expand coronavirus testing and contact tracing, but deadlocked on $105 million more for the state to buy personal protective equipment for distribution to counties and tribes. Read more
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