Here is the latest news from around the Harbor regarding reaction to the COVID-19 outbreak by local businesses and organizations.

Safeway reserves hours for at-risk shoppers

Safeway and Albertsons stores across the state are reserving two hours twice a week for at-risk shoppers amid the COVID-19 crisis.

From 7-9 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, the store will open for senior citizens and people who are pregnant, have compromised immune systems or have been advised to stay home.

“We are asking for customers to honor the reserved hours and we thank the community in advance for their compassion and understanding toward their neighbors and for helping us maintain these temporary operation guidelines,” the stores said in a Tuesday news release.

Store hours are continuously updated at safeway.com and albertsons.com.

QBR&C to shutter temporarily

The Quinault Indian Nation announced today it is temporarily closing the Quinault Beach Resort and Casino and the Quinault Sweetgrass Hotel for two weeks to help reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The casino closure went into effect at 2 a.m. Wednesday. Both the Quinault Beach Resort and the Quinault Sweetgrass Hotel closed at 11 a.m. Wednesday

After two weeks, tribal officials will re-evaluate the closure and decide whether it should continue. Casino, resort, and hotel employees will continue receiving their regular pay and benefits during the closure.

Coming Attractions closes movie theaters, fun center

Coming Attractions Theatres, which owns The Shoppes at Riverside Mall in South Aberdeen, ha temporarily closed its theater complex there and the fun center. The mall will remain open with tenants who are eligible to stay open during this outbreak, such as restaurants in the food court (carry-out only), grocery stores and law offices.

PUD emergency resolution

The Grays Harbor PUD Board of Commissioners has passed a resolution declaring a state of emergency as the utility deals with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The commissioners approved the resolution at a special board meeting on Tuesday that allows General Manager Dave Ward to take “appropriate and legal action to ensure the health and safety of utility employees and the public.”

“The goal of this resolution is to allow for swift and necessary action to protect utility staff and ensure our ability to provide critical utility services to the public,” said Board President Russ Skolrood. “The severity of the situation calls for the Board to undertake unprecedented measures to ensure a safe environment, a healthy staff and our ability to serve our customers.”

Under the resolution, the general manager is authorized to declare a state of emergency and take action related to the COVID-19 threat.

For the time being the utility will continue to offer customer service which encompasses the now common practice of social distancing. Public lobbies have been closed with customers now encouraged to use online or mobile devices to pay bills or use the drive-through window. Customers who encounter difficulty paying utility bills as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak are encouraged to contact customer service at 360-532-4220. In addition, the board has agreed to postpone a proposed 2% rate increase which was to have taken effect on May 1. The increase, driven by rising costs in the power market, will not be enacted until after the COVID-19 crisis has lessened.

7th Street Theatre closes doors

The board of the 7th Street Theatre has decided to close the theatre to public events effective immediately. The closure will last through April 16. The promoter for “Pigs on the Wing Pink Floyd tribute band, has already chosen to cancel their March 27 concert and plans to reschedule. The theater will reschedule the two movies that fall within this time period — “The Lego Movie” and “The Pride of the Yankees.” Sponsor or other passes to either of these movies will be good at the rescheduled screening.

The plan at this moment is to show the movie “A League of Their Own” on April 17 -18.

Coastal Interpretive Center

Due to concerns about the coronavirus and as a precaution for staff, volunteers and the general public, the Coastal Interpretive Center has closed itd doors to the general public and will remain closed until April 25. This date may be extended depending on further developments with the current health situation. The March lecture for the Glimpses Lecture Series, scheduled for Thursday, March 19, has also been canceled.

Feed the Hungry program

The Catholic Community Services Feed the Hungry program continues to provide meals weekdays and Sundays. Cher Keller with the program said meals are still provided Monday-Friday at noon at St. Mary’s Catholic Church and Sundays at the Methodist Church. These are sack lunches volunteers prepare and provide outside the churches.

Hoquiam Elks

Effective immediately, the Hoquiam Elks Lodge will be closed to the public and to members’ social activities up to and including food service and lounge services.

Hunter education

The Department of Fish and Wildlife will shift in-person hunter education classes to an online format through April 15, when it plans to reassess the current situation.

“Unless someone is eligible for the once-in-a-lifetime hunter education deferral program, people are required to complete hunter education courses before purchasing their first hunting license,” said Dave Whipple, hunter education division manager. “Because of COVID-19, our ability to provide in-person classes isn’t feasible, and we still want to provide an avenue that can set hunters up for the coming year.”