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Washington County Launches Business Recovery Centers

Tualatin Life

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June 1, 2020

Washington County Launches Business Recovery Centers

Beginning in June, Washington County, in a collaboration with Adalente Mujeres, and the Cities and Chambers of Tualatin, Beaverton, and Hillsboro, will launch a system of four business recovery centers to assist in meeting the short and long-term needs of businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

These business recovery centers will provide “one-stop” access to resources for interested Washington County businesses looking to re-establish and/or stabilize operations in response to COVID-19. These resources will provide assistance in meeting Washington County and the State of Oregon health and safety guidelines, access to required health mitigation supplies, public and private financing programs, and additional business resource mapping.

“This concept was originally crafted for the City of Tualatin,” stated Jonathan Taylor, Tualatin’s Economic Development Manager. “Our county and community partners rallied behind this idea and saw great value in expanding this resource to all of Washington County. I am extremely thankful to the Washington County Commissioners in prioritizing this effort.”

The Business Recovery Centers will be located:

Tualatin

8101 SW Nyberg St. Suite 102 Tualatin, OR 97062 503-692-0780

Beaverton

12600 SW Crescent Street Suite 160 Beaverton, OR 97005 503-644-1023

Forest Grove

2030 Main Street Suite A Forest Grove, OR 97116 503-992-0078

Hillsboro

5193 NE Elam Young Pkwy Suite A Hillsboro, OR 97123 503-648-1102

Bilingual services will be available to assist and assess situations, and offer resources tailored to meet individual business needs. Services will be available by appointment only (in-person and virtual) Monday-Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. with options of nights and weekends. If your business is interested, please visit www.businessrecoverycenters.org.

For additional media inquiries, please contact Jonathan Taylor, City of Tualatin at jtaylor@tualatin.gov.

Coronavirus Impacts Local Housing Market

Amy Savage

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June 1, 2020

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Coronavirus Impacts Local Housing Market

I never imagined I would be writing an article about the impacts of a world-wide pandemic on the real estate market. I’ve been in the business long enough to have experienced many things, including the fall of the real estate market in 2008 when the “bubble burst.” Not even that could have prepared me for the unknowns of the real estate market amidst a pandemic.

The past couple months have been anything but “business as usual.” I like to say we are doing “business as usual, in a not so usual way.”

At the beginning, when the stay-at-home order was put into place, there was some initial fallout. With concern for their safety, some sellers took their homes off the market. Some transactions fell apart due to job losses and some buyers got concerned and stepped out of the buying market.

Agents and other industry professionals scrambled to determine what we could and couldn’t do and what was considered “essential” in our industry. Many people had to quickly set-up workspaces within their personal residences and make accommodations to work from home. In addition, a lot of people were also trying to balance kids home from school and schoolwork needing to be done. It was a big adjustment with each day bringing new information and new necessary accommodations.

Trying to find Lysol wipes, hand sanitizer, gloves and masks became a daily challenge as agents and industry professionals immediately set-up COVID-19 safety procedures for each aspect of the business (meeting with clients, showing homes, photography, inspections, appraisals, signing closing documents, etc.) The industry quickly shifted business practices to accommodate the need for social distancing and safety. While it took a little while to get used to it, this has become our new “normal.”

The good news is… we have come through this with flying colors! We have learned to quickly adjust and turnaround timeframes are pretty much back to pre-pandemic days.

While most activities were halted in April and May due to COVID-19, people continued to buy and sell real estate. In the Portland metro area, prices are up and the average days on the market has decreased. Sellers are benefitting from the low inventory of available homes and buyers are benefitting from historic low interest rates.

Despite the pandemic, unemployment, stock market swings and overall uncertainty, the real estate market is strong. It is anyone’s guess as to what to expect in the upcoming months, but as of right now, homes are selling and prices are stable.

I would like to say “thank you” to those that I work with. I feel proud to be part of an industry of professionals who have banded together to support one another during a time of much uncertainty. The industry’s immediate implementation of new business practices and important safety precautions have played an important role in maintaining a strong real estate market.

COVID-19 Fueling Telehealth Revolution

Dr. Adam Glaser

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June 1, 2020

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The phrase “telehealth” is one of the latest additions to our national medical vocabulary. As we make our way through the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, it makes sense for us to take a moment to think about how telehealth can be a part of our strategy for combatting the virus’ impact on our everyday lives.

Early on, it became apparent that in order to control and minimize the spread of this virus, we would need to severely limit the extent to which we, as individuals, could gather in public places, including medical centers. In fact, the effort to physically distance has been especially important in medical offices where the acutely and chronically ill both seek treatment, often at the same time. As such, many medical offices have had to close their doors to “in person” visits to protect the health of all their patients.

Telehealth is a way to connect a patient to a medical provider through a secure video link either via one’s smartphone, tablet or computer. This is not really a new concept and some health systems such as the Veteran’s Administration have been using it for years.

In light of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, insurance companies, including Medicare, have begun to allow providers to connect with their patients via telehealth and bill insurance in the usual fashion. For those individuals who do not have an established primary care provider, insurances now allow for them to establish care via telehealth. This can be an important way to access healthcare without burdening emergency departments and/or urgent care clinics for non-urgent needs. Often times, as we struggle to balance all of life’s responsibilities, we place establishing care with a primary care provider low on our to-do lists. As a result, when medical needs arise during the course of normal life, we end up utilizing urgent care clinics. Unfortunately, urgent care clinics cannot offer the same continuity of care that primary care clinics can, which is especially important when dealing with chronic medical conditions. Thus, there is a unique opportunity during this pandemic to pursue a primary care relationship from the comfort of your home or office.

This type of healthcare delivery is not suited for all conditions or circumstances and there are obviously some limitations. In some cases, additional diagnostics are completed in real-time at the clinic (X-ray, EKG, Laboratory tests) but in many cases, they are not immediately necessary or can be safely arranged outside of usual clinic operations. Telehealth will not completely replace the need to periodically meet in person with your provider, but it can be a safe, convenient and efficient way to connect for many conditions. Hopefully, as we find a way to move past this stay-at-home era, we will be able to continue some of these services on an ongoing basis.

We Will Pull Through Together

Dr. Jeff Clark

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June 1, 2020

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When I last wrote it was unclear where this coronavirus was going to take us all. From a distance, it looked like it could be just another flu.

Concern over the viral pandemic has now shifted in many minds to a focus on the enormous hit our economy has taken. Healthcare practices including the hospitals have not escaped this economic impact. In our service to the community, we find the two concerns to be inseparable. Many people have delayed addressing all other health concerns during this pandemic period.

We have been open and available all this time to provide telemedicine visits. We continue to provide telemedicine and are now also opened for in-person visits when needed, especially acupuncture treatments.

Safety of our patients is our highest priority and we are taking all precautions to make our clinic a safe environment. For this reason, we have limited the number of people in the office at the same time. We are sanitizing treatment areas after every encounter, and everyone is wearing facemasks.

As a clinic providing naturopathic primary care, we are always here to help you sort out any new symptom or concern. As always, we offer individualized treatment plans that consider your diagnosis, symptoms, concerns, needs and values. We are encouraging people with respiratory symptoms to contact us for our assistance, but to always plan to utilize telemedicine until we can sort out a proper diagnosis.

The world’s scientists have been gathering data on health factor correlations that present increased risks for severe COVID-19 complications. We can help you assess your personal risk factors in a visit with one of our doctors.

There seems to be misunderstanding and even discord over the need to use personal protection equipment in public as businesses open back up. Some people equate wearing a facemask in public with being fearful, a sign of weakness and not strength. We see it as completely different. You wear the mask to protect others and they in return wear one to protect you. It is impossible to know who has had unlucky contacts and might be spreading the virus. So we all take this precaution for each other.

Many people are making their own masks and not all are doing the research to be certain their materials are as protective as they might be. All coverings will slow and limit how far virus droplets can travel, so it is always better to wear something over nothing. If a person has any symptoms of a cold, flu or even unexpected allergy, they should stay home until it clears up or is diagnosed as something benign. Do not take the chance that you might have the virus and could be spreading it to others.

As we move into summer and out of lockdown, what better time to get back to focusing on having and maintaining good health? We are here to help you toward those goals.

We are officially heading into the worst part of allergy season with grass pollen from the Willamette Valley peaking in June. Stress and anxiety have been companions for all too many during this time of lockdown. Many have gotten off track with their eating habits and in managing their chronic health conditions. People have now deferred for too long their care for allergies, digestive problems, stress/fatigue, weight management, diabetes, thyroid, pain,and other chronic health conditions. We all need and want to be moving towards a more normal life, and that includes attending to all of our health needs.

Whatever challenges lay ahead, good health is always your ally, and you should always be aiming towards maintaining that health. You have a whole life to live in addition to getting through now.

Please be kind and considerate to those around you. Not everyone will be able to decrease their vulnerability, and they are counting on all the rest of us to protect them as best we can.

We will pull through this together.

Moving Houses with Pets

Tualatin Life

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June 1, 2020

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Recently I purchased my first house and began the process of moving my belongings and furry children to their new home from the apartment that they had spent the last eight years living at.

Because Clive (a really smug, cross-eyed Siamese) and Wharf (an odd cross between a bat and Chiweenie) had spent such a significant amount of time inhabiting one home, it was important for me to prepare them for their new environment so that the transition would be as smooth as possible. Moving is stressful for everyone involved and if not done in a thoughtful manner can lead to behavior issues in pets, some things to keep in mind:

Prepare the existing environment early. I started bringing boxes into the apartment about four weeks prior to our move date. I set up a couple of boxes in the corner of the living room, the office, and the bedroom. As packing progressed, more boxes would appear as belongings would slowly disappear. This allowed for Clive and Wharf to get used to changes within their environment.

Keeping things the same will reduce your pet’s stress levels. During a relocation, try to keep things as normal as possible for your pet leading up to and directly after moving. This is not an ideal time to switch diets or litter. Keep food dishes, bedding, and toys out until the last possible second. Then set up your pet’s belongings in their new home prior to introducing them to the space so that the area smells familiar.

Make plans for your pet to be elsewhere on moving day. Not only does this keep them from being under foot or escaping while the front door is open, but it will also reduce their stress level being away from all the noise and disruption. Wharf got to go on an extended play date with two of her doggie friends while we were packing up and unloading the U-Haul. A day board at a boarding facility is a great option for cats. In my case, since I knew Clive gets stressed easily by car rides, I chose to confine him to the quietness of the home office with all his essentials and a window view to distract him.

Get a little extra help from medications. Anti-anxiety medication such as gabapentin or trazodone prescribed by your veterinarian can greatly aid your pet in having a successful move. Over the counter calming pheromone sprays such as Feliway for cats and Adaptil for dogs can also be beneficial prior and after moving.

BONUS POST MOVE TIP: Don’t forget to change your pet’s identification tags and microchip contact information to your new address! In the event that your pet bolts from their new environment during the acclimation time, you will want to make sure a good samaritan or a veterinary clinic/shelter can contact you to return your pet safely home.

Come Celebrate the Past and the Future of McCann’s King City Pharmacy

Tualatin Life

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June 1, 2020

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Come Celebrate the Past and the Future of McCann’s King City Pharmacy

In 1974 my father, Joe McCann, started McCann’s King City Pharmacy. With hard work and creativity, Joe McCann built an essential business for the King City, Tigard and communities. Focusing on patient care, customer service and the communities need for great products.

After 46 years in the King City shopping center, I am excited to announce that McCann’s is making another bold move to continue the tradition of patient care and customer service. In the month of August 2020 McCann’s Pharmacy is moving from the current location to the former Columbia bank building at 15340 SW Royalty Pkwy.

The move gives us the opportunity service the patient like never before:

We can offer home delivery and drive-thru service.
We will be expanding our operation into compounding Rx’s to service patients and pets.
The revamped gift department will include a permanent outdoor garden center.

August

Celebrate our final anniversary in the king city shopping center location. Sales and celebration dates coming soon.

September

Celebrate the opening of our new location with an open house and grand opening sale. Sales and celebration dates coming soon.

Aging in Place: June 2020

Susan Noack

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June 1, 2020

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Does every day still feel like Saturday? Do you need a haircut? Have you read every book in the house, watched every rerun on TV, completed all those long put off chores, learned how to communicate with family and friends by ZOOM? Now that was an unexpected challenge as part of ‘sheltering in place.’ Whatever we all have been doing these past two months to stay healthy, maintain, stay in touch and get through this new normal, it is working. It hasn’t all been easy and all the difficult days may not be over yet, but we are getting there together even if it’s by ZOOM, Facebook, text, email, Instagram, cell phone, over the back fence or some other form of new-fangled technology.

There has always been a community spirit in Tualatin of yes we can… yes we can lend a helping hand, yes we can support each other, yes we can step up and make a difference. Because of that spirit, there are lots of thank you to be said. I’ll do my best to include everyone and my apologies if I miss someone or something.

First of all, to the City of Tualatin, from our Mayor to our Councilors to our City staff, thank you for making the hard decisions that have kept us safe and healthy. Thank you for the important information posted on the city website and all the additional resources and programming offered online as we are sheltered in our homes. Go to the city’s web site, www.tualatinoregon.gov, for more information.

Secondly, the Tualatin Chamber of Commerce has diligently supported all the businesses in Tualatin – businesses, who are our new champions, that can and do stay open in some form to meet our needs. Check out the Chamber web site, www.tualatinchamber.com, for more information on the business recovery programs available and how our businesses are doing.

Third, the programs still open and in place and the new ones created because of this pandemic:

School House Pantry, Borland Free Clinic, Tigard-Tualatin School District Packed with Pride, Ride Connection, City/Chamber Gift Cards for Good, Meals on Wheels People home meal delivery and the Juanita Pohl Center virtual classes, Tualatin Library, our many churches offering a helping hand, all the volunteers who have stepped up to support these programs and all the neighbors on Next Door and throughout the community who offer help, support, stay at home hints and outreach to other neighbors in need.

For more information on Washington County services and resources, go to www.co.washington.or.us/DAVS (Disability, Aging and Veteran Services). For up to date information on the coronavirus and Phases I, II and III, go to www.healthoregon.org/coronavirus or www.oregon.gov/dhs.

Ending on a light-hearted note: this is a very special Happy Birthday year that can only happen once every 1,000 years: take your age on this year’s birthday plus your year of birth and your total will be 2020. (Example: I will be 75 this year, my birth date is 1945 which equals 2020.) Every person in the world who does this will get the same answer. Check yours out because otherwise, it is another 1,000-year wait!

Continue to be safe and well, wash your hands, wear your mask and hopefully soon we will all be able to greet each other in person.

Tualatin News in Brief: June 2020

Luke Roney

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June 1, 2020

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Grants help dozens of local businesses weather pandemic

A $250,000 economic stabilization fund has provided grants to 54 small businesses in Tualatin, according to the city. The program, which used urban renewal funds, was set up in late March to help businesses weather revenue loss resulting from the coronavirus pandemic. The average grant amount was $4,600, and individual grants ranged from $579 to $10,000. The businesses that received grants employ a total of 149 people. More than 75 percent of the grants went to businesses in segments hit hardest by the pandemic, including retail, restaurant, hospitality and entertainment. Nearly half of the businesses are owned by women, and 44 percent are minority-owned, the city reports. More than 140 businesses applied for grants, representing some $1.3 million in economic need, the city said. To be eligible, businesses had to have 55 or fewer full-time employees, a storefront in Tualatin and proof of loss of income.

Garbage rate increase on the horizon

Garbage collection rates in Tualatin are set to increase 3.1 percent. The City Council on May 26 directed staff to draft a resolution that would grant Republic Services of Clackamas and Washington Counties’ request for the increase, which would add about 84 cents per month to the typical Tualatin household’s $27 monthly garbage bill. The council will have to approve the resolution before the increase goes into effect. Republic received a 6.5 percent increase in 2018. The new increase is needed due to “inflationary costs” since then and projected for the future, according to a letter Republic sent to the city.

Tualatin PD decries ‘tactics and actions’ that killed Floyd

Tualatin Police Chief Bill Steele signed onto a May 28 statement that condemns the “tactics and actions demonstrated in Minneapolis, MN that took the life of George Floyd,” who died May 25 after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on Floyd’s neck for several minutes as two other officers restrained Floyd’s arms and legs. During the videotaped encounter, Floyd said he could not breathe multiple times. Leaders from other regional law enforcement agencies also signed the statement, including Washington County Sheriff Pat Garrett, Tigard Police Chief Kathy McAlpine and Sherwood Police Chief Jeff Groth, among others. “The incident in Minnesotta does not reflect our value of the sanctity of life or the code of ethics we have sworn to uphold,” the statement said. The officers who were involved have been fired, according to reports, and Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.

Tualatin Village Inn closes for good

The Tualatin Village on SW 72nd Street announced via Facebook on May 11 that, “After three generations of family ownership and operation, we are closing our doors for the last time. Although this loss fills us with much sadness, we are also overwhelmed with gratitude for all of the years we have shared together.”

Summer events and programs canceled

Due to ongoing social distancing requirements, the city has canceled several popular summer events and programs. Among them are ¡Viva Tualatin!, the Tualatin Crawfish Festival, Concerts on the Commons, Movies on the Commons, Summer reading on the Commons, Teen Adventure Camp and Seekers Camp. Some city programs have been brought online, such as library storytimes, book chats and trivia. Go to tualatinoregon.gov/library and tualatinoregon.gov/recreation for more information about the city’s virtual offerings.

Goodwill store, donation center reopens

The Goodwill store at 13920 SW Pacific Highway in Tigard has reopened. The store hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Donations are accepted. Goodwill asks that customers wear face coverings. Frequent cleaning and sanitation, limiting the number of customers in the store and the sanitation of donated items are among the safety precautions the store is taking.

Library Offers Wealth of Services, Even Though Doors are Closed

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Tualatin Life

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June 1, 2020

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Library Offers Wealth of Services, Even Though Doors are Closed

While the closure of the Library means you can’t browse our shelves for your next read, you can still find page-turners, audiobooks and films to enjoy from home for free from our digital collections. The OverDrive and Libby e-book and e-audiobook collection has selections for adults, teens and kids and is expanding to shorten wait times.

Film streaming service Kanopy has introduced new movies that can be watched without using your monthly viewing credits. Tumblebooks offers animated picture books that will delight the younger members of your household.

Our digital collections are available 24/7 and are available on your computer. Libby, OverDrive and Kanopy also have free, easy to use apps for most devices. For links and more information, see the library’s home page at www.tualatinoregon.gov/library.

If you didn’t get around to signing up for a library card before we closed, Washington County Cooperative Library Services offers an e-card for all county residents who don’t already have a card. Signing up is easy and instant at www.wccls.org/online-card. This will give you access to our digital collections of books, audiobooks, movies, and documentaries as well as our research resources and online learning options.

Now might be the time to try Lynda.com to brush up on project management or office software, or Mango Languages to start learning a new language with its fun, interactive lessons. Maybe your whole household will become fluent in Pirate!

Mayor’s Corner: June 2020

Frank Bubenik

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June 1, 2020

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We have all impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in one way or the other in the past several weeks. Whether you’re a restaurant worker, a first responder, grocery worker, or have school-aged children, the world has seemingly been turned on its head. Many are confused and worried about the health of the community and the impacts on our families. Despite this uncertainty, our community has adapted. We have chosen to stay at home to save lives. These are stressful times for everyone, but we will get through this together.

For the City, we have had to make some tough choices including canceling and postponing events and closing our facilities to public access. In making these choices, we are relying on the expertise and guidance of local, state, and federal health authorities and are prioritizing the health and wellbeing of our community.

Please keep these items in mind during this month:

1. Support our local businesses. Livelihoods are at stake, and the decision to close bars and restaurants except for takeout and delivery has shaken their foundations. Thank you to those that have been offering support — whether by ordering take out, purchasing a gift card, or other means. City council agreed to set aside $250,000 for an Economic Stabilization Fund to provide grant funds to eligible businesses. On Apr. 13, fifty-four grants were awarded and we hope this will help mediate some of the more profound impacts on our business community.

2. Practice good hygiene and follow the Governor’s recommendations for social distancing. Please stay at home, if possible. If you do need to leave home, please remember to wash your hands and cover your coughs! We have to slow the transmission of COVID-19 to preserve hospital capacity. That’s why social distancing is so important.

3. Check-in with your neighbors and those that are vulnerable. The coronavirus appears most deadly in older people and those with underlying medical conditions. Make sure they have plenty of food and medical supplies on hand. In order to protect the health and safety of Tualatin families, we must work together and support each other.

4. Be kind. In times of increased uncertainty, fear can sometimes overtake facts. Hate speech and discrimination have no place in Tualatin. Please join us in continuing to uphold our commitment to treating every individual in our community with respect, kindness and humanity.

5. Assist health care professionals and first responders. They need to be healthy so they can do their jobs — which are challenging now and promise to be even more so in the future. Please do anything you can to assist a friend or neighbor who is a health professional or first responder: bring them a meal or walk their dog, for example.

6. Eviction Moratorium Order. On Apr. 1 I declared a temporary moratorium on all residential and commercial evictions in Tualatin, effective Apr. 2. I want to make sure residents do not become homeless during this crisis and prevent further economic damage to our community if businesses close permanently. Governor Kate Brown issued a similar statewide executive order later that day. My order remains in effect for six months after the expiration of the city’s state of emergency. The city council has ratified my order in Resolution 5489-20.

7. Complete your 2020 Census. Please take the time to complete the census as we need a complete count in Tualatin to ensure we get the proper federal funding for hospitals, schools, roads and other resources in our city.

Tualatin residents have proven their strength when times were tough in the past, and I have every faith that we will continue to help each other during the weeks and months ahead. Frank Bubenik fbubenik@tualatin.gov 971-420-7443