Wear a Mask

Lydia McKee is concerned about going to work. McKee is a 23-year-old Lane Community College student who works in the clothing section of the Gateway Target in Springfield.

McKee says that the store reported on June 27 that one of its employees had tested positive for the coronavirus. That employee’s last work day before quarantine? Also June 27.

“A lot of people received calls. A lot of people did not receive calls,” McKee says on the announcement.

Though it’s easy to forget these days, we’re still in the midst of a pandemic. Nearly 500,000 people have been killed by the novel coronavirus worldwide, and Oregon is continuing to reopen despite reporting new records of cases almost daily.

Every county in Oregon has entered at least Phase One in reopenings, and reported cases across the state, especially in Multnomah, Union and Lincoln, have surged. Lane County, which typically reported no cases a day just before it entered the first phase of reopening, now reports around 13 new cases daily.

Despite the surge, people have tried to make masks a political issue — Gov. Kate Brown ordered people in some counties to wear masks in public, indoor spaces on June 12 but did not extend the order statewide until July 1. Meanwhile, states like Texas and Arizona have rolled back reopenings after seeing record cases, and Brown said she may do the same if cases continue to increase.

According to data provided by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), businesses in the Eugene-Springfield area have had 496 COVID-19 related complaints filed against them by employees since March 13. Some businesses and organizations have had multiple grievances filed against them. The issues listed in the complaints range from businesses not requiring or allowing for social distancing, management allowing employees to come into work while sick or with a fever and improper sanitization of the area.

Target never made masks mandatory for customers to enter the store, and now that it’s a legal requirement — punishable as a Class C misdemeanor — employees are still not allowed to ask customers why they’re not wearing a mask or to request that they put one on, McKee says. Instead, they are supposed to ask their managers.

The Springfield Target directed calls for comment to its corporate press office, which did not respond to requests for comment.

“It’s HR and management’s job to protect the workers,” McKee says. And for McKee’s coworkers, that doesn’t mean they feel safe, she says.

“It’s really hard for people to speak out when they’re afraid of losing their job,” McKee says. While she says she feels comfortable speaking out because her family can support her — though not without some financial strain — her coworkers may not be so lucky.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!