Oregon Gov. Kate Brown on Tuesday extended the state’s declaration of a state of emergency through June 2022, saying the state is preparing for a surge in hospitalizations due to the Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus. “As Oregon prepares for what could be our worst surge in hospitalizations during this pandemic, I know that this is not the beginning of the new year any of us had hoped for,” Brown, a Democrat, said. Brown in an executive order cited the newly detected, highly transmissible Omicron variant, which is “spreading quickly around the globe.” The variant “offers yet another challenge that we learn more about each day,” the governor said. “However, as we continue to navigate Delta, Omicron, and any other future variants that COVID-19 brings, my goals remain the same: to save lives, support doctors, nurses, and health care workers, and keep Oregon businesses, schools, and communities open,” Brown …