Rural Residents in Oregon Demand Gov. “Re-Open” Their Areas

Pressure is mounting from Oregon legislators in rural areas for Gov. Kate Brown to re-open or at least relax the stay and home orders in their areas.

Whether it's Deschutes, Jackson, Klamath, or even Union Counties (LaGrande) and others, legislators and county officials say their rural lifestyle is already 'social distancing.' Whether it's distance between homes due to farms, or even the restaurants having more room between tables, officials say they need to get their economies and lives going again.

Citizens and officials also stress these area residents tend to be more healthy because of their farming or building or more physical careers and lifestyles.

They also accuse Oregon Health Officials and Gov. Brown of forcing the entire state to adhere to policies tailored for the crowded urban areas of Portland, Eugene and more. The rural Oregonians, many on the East side of state, say their lifestyles are completely different than the cities.

Gov. Brown says openings will not happen overnight, and claims certain criteria must be met before things will 'return to normal'.

In the meantime, organizers across the state are coming together for what's going to be called the "Reopen Oregon" event, which will take place at the Capitol building May 2 in Salem. For more information on this story, click on the button below.