Clackamas County Restaurants and Bars Can Reopen to Diners Tomorrow

Portland is closer to reopening than it’s ever been: Clackamas County will begin the reopening process tomorrow, meaning restaurants and bars in places like Milwaukie and Happy Valley can start welcoming onsite diners this weekend.

Earlier this month, Gov. Kate Brown announced that certain counties could begin the reopening process, as long as they meet certain criteria — a certain number of contact tracers, declining hospital admissions, etc. During what’s called “phase one” reopening, restaurant and bar owners can host customers for in-person dining or drinking, but they have to follow a certain set of rules: All tables need to be spaced six feet apart, staff need to wear face coverings, and all food and drink consumption needs to end by 10 p.m.

Clackamas will be the first county in the tri-county area to begin phase-one reopening; that means only Multnomah and Washington counties are left to reopen in Oregon. Washington County representatives announced they would apply for reopening this week, and hope to being phase one by June 1. Multnomah County, however, is taking its time: Officials have been far more hesitant to disclose any sort of timeline for the county to apply for reopening privileges. Starting tomorrow, however, restaurants in many of Portland’s southern suburbs may begin opening their doors once again.

• State coronavirus information [Official]
• Now, Basically All of Oregon Has Been Cleared to Begin Reopening — Except the Portland Area [EPDX]
• Oregon State Reopening Begins in 31 Counties Tomorrow [EPDX]