KWSO News for Thu., May 28, 2020

Yesterday afternoon the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs COVID-19 update reported no new cases beyond the 1 positive case from the day before. The Warm Springs Health & Wellness Center has done 371 Tests with 347 negative results. 3 Tests are pending results. 3 tests were invalid. Of the 18 Total Positive cases of COVID-19 – 17 of those individuals have now recovered. The Health & Wellness Center Public Health Nurses continue to do contact tracing on the one positive case. Additionally random surveillance testing continues for high-risk community members. They are planning broader surveillance for Tribal employees, to be done once the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs begins their gradual reopening of offices, now set to begin on June 8th.

The Oregon Health Authority have reported 4,038 cases of Covid-19 across the state as of yesterday. There have been 148 deaths in Oregon.

The Warm Springs Community Action Team is doing a Face Mask Giveaway today at the Simnasho Longhouse from 11:30-1 and at the Sidwalter Fire Hall from 1:30-2:30. They will be at the Seekseequa Fire Hall tomorrow from 10:30-11:30. They are asking folks to stay in their car and drive through. The face masks and items being dispersed by WSCAT are donations received from organizations and individuals across the state and region, as well as other Tribal communities.

Warm Springs K-8 6th, 7th & 8th grade students are being asked to choose electives for the fall. Students should mark their top 3 choices for electives and share that information with the Warm Springs K8 by tomorrow. The Elective Choices are: AVID high school and college prep, Band, Choir, CTE Plant Identification, CTE Animal Science, Guitar, Leadership for 7th & 8th grade students. There is Native Language classes, Piano/Keyboard, Technology, E-sports, Game Design, Graphic Arts, and Lego Robotics! Elective forecasting for 6th, 7th and 8th grade students at the WSK8 is due tomorrow. You can drop your form off at the main school office or return it to a meal site or email it to akeifer@509j.net.

Last year, NCAI and the Native Vote campaign helped make history by co-hosting the first-ever Native American Presidential Candidate Forum. They will continue that momentum and kickoff this year’s election cycle by launching our Native Vote 2020 efforts with a high-energy, fun Native Vote Rally today live on Facebook. NCAI’s Civic Engagement Team will be joined by Native Vote Coordinators from across Indian Country, and special guests, and they will have the world premiere of their first promotional video for Native Vote 2020!  The Native Vote Taking Action in 2020 Rally is live on Facebook at 3 this afternoon hosted by the National Congress of American Indians and Native Vote.

Tribal communities that have closed their borders to protect themselves from the COVID-19 pandemic are facing a new threat: being undercounted by the U.S. Census Bureau. In an online town hall Tuesday, Census officials and tribal advocates raised concerns about the challenges facing their efforts to accurately count the first Americans. The outcome is significant, as an undercount will impact federal funding promised by the federal government’s trust and treaty responsibilities, and affect how the Native people are represented, politically, at the local, state and national levels. On the Warm Springs Reservation Census Enumerators resumed the dropping off of paper questionnaires at homes last week. If you have not already done the census online, you can fill out the paper form and mail it back. The Warm Springs Complete Count Committee really encourages everyone to make sure their household is counted as Warm Springs, historically, has been undercounted.