KWSO News for 8/28/19

The Branch of Public Utilities continues to work on water service repairs on Kot-Num Road today.  The road between the longhouse and the intersection with Hollywood Blvd is closed. Repairs are expected to be completed by noon today (8/28/19).  Motorists traveling to ECE or the Clinic are asked to take Hollywood to the south end of Kot-Num road.

Scattered Thunderstorms are in the forecast for late today through tomorrow with a red flag warning in effect from 8 this evening until 8pm tomorrow. Scattered thunderstorms will develop over south Central Oregon this afternoon then over the remainder of central Oregon by evening. Storms may decrease in coverage Thursday morning   but will return Thursday afternoon.  Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.  A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions can occur with a combination of strong winds…low relative humidity…and warm temperatures which can contribute to extreme fire behavior.

It’s back to school next week for the Jefferson County 509J school district.  Teachers are doing training this week and getting classrooms ready.   There is information about bus schedules online https://kwso.org/2019/08/back-school-2019/

The Back to School BBQ is tomorrow from 4-6 at the Warm Springs Academy.  And that will be the first chance for many to meet the new Warm Springs Principal and Assistant Principal.  Principal Bambi Van Dyke comes to Warm Springs from Montana, where she was principal at the St. Charles Mission School, located by the Crow Reservation near Billings.  Van Dyke is originally from Walla Walla, and also lived in Gresham.  Monday was her first day of work at the K8 – having returned to Oregon on Sunday.  Lonny Henderson moves into an assistant principal role.  Henderson had worked at the old Warm Springs Elementary and also coached at Madras High School.  Read more about new school administrators in this week’s Spilyay Tymoo – on the front page.  It’s out today. http://www.wsnews.org/2769-2/

Yesterday residents in Greeley Heights woke up to low water pressure and for some – no water.  This was due to a series of minor events and everything is back to normal today.  There was a failure at the water treatment plant on Saturday which was immediately repaired but that – in addition to a false low water level reading in the West Hills Reservoir –  prompted the diversion of water to West Hills.  This led to low levels of water in the Greeley Heights tanks.  Another factor was the reduction of pressure at the George Street Pressure Reducing Valve station due to high water pressure in Upper Dry Creek.  That slowed the filling back up of the Greeley Heights Reservoirs.  Everything was adjusted and new water level reading equipment has been ordered for the West Hills reservoir.  Following major water system and distribution repairs this summer everyone is encouraged to continue to conserve water to assist in maintaining reservoir water levels.