Stories in this Regional News Roundup are excerpted from weekly newspapers from around the region. This is part one, with part two set to appear in Sunday’s Tribune.

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MCCALL — An emergency was declared by the McCall City Council on Monday in response to the COVID-19 virus.

The emergency declaration opens up state and federal funding and supplies to assist the city in combatting the coronavirus, McCall Police Chief Justin Williams told council members.

“It will be my responsibility to ensure our efforts coordinate not only with our local partners, but our state and federal partners as well,” said Williams, who was put in charge of emergency operations by McCall City Manager Anette Spickard.

Those partners include Valley County, Valley County Sheriff’s Office, Idaho State Police, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Central District Health, among others, Williams said.

The declaration also will allow the city to act quickly in response to new developments over the COVID-19 virus.

On Friday, the city of McCall, along with various medical centers and first responders in Valley County, has issued a travel advisory requesting that visitors avoid McCall until further notice, according to an Idaho Statesman story.

“We simply don’t have enough stores, health care providers, medical tools or first responders to take care of an increase in population right now,” McCall Mayor Bob Giles said in a news release. “We need to protect people’s public health and safety as a top priority in our area and for the future.”

Tourist towns like McCall have been identified by the CDC as being among the highest levels of risk for a COVID-19 outbreak because of the frequent influx of people from other places.

There were no confirmed cases in Valley County as of Wednesday, but that can change quickly, Williams told council members.

“The probability that it’s already close to us is quite high,” he said.

He noted a number of cars in town with license plates from Washington, one of the states hardest hit by COVID-19.

McCall City Hall remained open Tuesday, but council members were told the city would consider closing the building to the public and only having essential staffers on board.

Extra precautions taken by the city include limiting the number of people in the city hall lobby, disinfecting surfaces more frequently and urging anyone feeling sick to stay home and away from others.

All city events and programs were canceled or postponed based on federal recommendations to limit public gatherings of 10 or more people. For a complete list of changes, visit www.mccall.id.us/covid-19.

The city’s emergency declaration will remain in place for 30 days, when it will be re-evaluated.

For more information about COVID-19 in McCall, visit www.mccall.id.us/safetyfirst.

— Drew Dodson, The Star-News (McCall), Thursday

MVSD patrons to decide $3.9M levy

GRANGEVILLE — Patrons in Mountain View School District will be asked to support a $3.9 million levy this spring.

The board voted on the levy amount during the regular monthly meeting March 16, following 35 minutes of discussion.

MVSD school board members voted 4-1 in favor of the levy amount. Trustees Rebecca Warden; chairman Brad Lutz; vice-chairwoman Pam Reidlen; and Melisa Kaschmitter all voted yes while the sole no vote was from board member Casey Smith.

“I believe our patrons said (via an online survey) they would be willing to support a higher levy,” Lutz said before making the motion to set the levy at $3.9 million.

Although Reidlen agreed, she also expressed worry.

“These are uncertain times for everyone,” she said.

The amount needed, according to the draft budget, for the 2020-21 school year was in the neighborhood of $4.5 million. Last year’s levy was just more than $3 million.

Kaschmitter said she would be in favor of offsetting some of that amount with forest reserve funds.

“As a temporary fix until we can figure out what to do with some of the insurance issues,” she said, referring to employee benefits that have been discussed during negotiations.

“Yes, I think we just need to remember as we go forward there will be cuts we need to make,” to balance the budget, Warden added.

— Lorie Palmer, Idaho County Free Press (Grangeville), Wednesday