Medford Mayor and locals react to gathering against COVID-19 restrictions

MEDFORD, Ore. — Hundreds gathered outside of Medford's City Hall on May 6 to call upon city officials to stand up to lawmakers and loosen COVID-19 restrictions. Medford Mayor Randy Sparacino said he appreciates their expression of frustration and is doing what he can to support local businesses through the pandemic.

"The city recognizes the difficulties that have been going on, and we've been actively working for them," Sparacino said. "Even though it may not be in the spotlight all the time, their elected officials are working to try to improve the conditions in Medford and reduce the restrictions."

On the night of the gathering, the Medford City Council passed Resolution 2021-37 that supports modifying current statewide COVID-19 restrictions on local businesses. On top of this, the city has provided these businesses $500,000 in grants over the past year.

"I know that that's insignificant when your business is in a time crunch," Sparacino said. "But it's something, and it's a move in the right direction."

One of the business owners who used that grant to help keep his business afloat is Medford Councilmember and Owner of the Gypsy Blues Bar Clay Bearnson. Unlike hundreds of business owners at the gathering who have stopped following COVID-19 guidelines from Gov. Kate Brown, he said he would continue following them.

"The sage advice of my friend, my lawyer friend, was that martyrs get stabbed in the back," Bearnson said. "People are free to defy whatever restrictions they want, but know that could come with some consequences and those are consequences that I don't have any desire to find out what they are."

Bearnson said he understands the struggles restaurants are facing with the constant open and closing of their doors. This is after Gov. Kate Brown moved 15 Oregon counties, including Josephine, Jackson and Klamath, from 'extreme risk' to 'high risk' after a week on heightened regulations.

"It's really hard to plan your inventory, especially if you're a restaurant and you have to buy fresh fruits and vegetables and meats and stuff that expire," Bearnson said. "It's really hard to determine what exactly you need to order when you don't know if you're going to be open next week or not."

Since the statewide shutdown in November 2020, Bearnson changed his menu to only fried food to make it easier on his inventory. He said he wouldn't extend the menu again until they are allowed to have 50 to 75 percent capacity. When they do open back up, he will continue following COVID-19 guidelines.

"I'm going to follow safety protocols and socially distance our customers and mask protocols, and until the state of emergency is lifted, we will abide," Bearnson said.

Although he said he supports people for expressing their opinion at the gathering, he said it breaks his heart that people ignore the science of the pandemic. He said they are only thinking of themselves and not others they should care to protect.

"'I can't do this. I can't go do that. Well, if high-risk people have high risk, people are going to be more severe, then they should stay home,'" Bearnson said. "It's very selfish."

Bearnson is not the only one who did not support the event outside of City Hall. Medford resident and teacher at Kids Unlimited, Jennifer Hobbs, said she tested positive for COVID-19 on Nov. 15, and although she has since tested negative, she has had COVID-19 symptoms for the past 173 days.

"That's almost six months of headaches and body pain, brain fog, fatigue, insomnia," Hobbs said.

Hobbs said she would do anything to feel healthy again and doesn't remember what it is like not to feel any virus symptoms. She said it upset her to see so many people against restrictions meant to keep others from feeling her pain.

"Covid-19 restrictions are there for a purpose, they're there for a reason, and they aren't just trying to ruin everyone's lives," Hobbs said. "They're based behind the science."

Not only were people opposed to COVID-19 restrictions at the gathering, but also against required vaccinations. Hobbs said vaccinations, just like restrictions, help slow the pandemic.

"If I can get a shot in my arm and help protect my children from having to have any of this that I have been dealing with for the last six months, then I would do it every single day," Hobbs said.

Like Hobbs, Sparacino is vaccinated, and although he does not think vaccinations should be required, they will help cases decline.

"I believe that vaccination is going to help us get open quicker, and I think that getting vaccinated is good," Sparacino said.