News Stories for Fri., Nov. 3, 2017

Last night (11/2/17) at 11:15pm, the Central Oregon Major Incident Team was activated to investigate an officer-involved shooting that took place in Madras last night around 11.  The incident followed a vehicular pursuit with a reported stolen vehicle that began in Deschutes County and ended in Madras on Highway 97 near L Street.   After law enforcement made contact with the occupants of the vehicle, shots were fired and one occupant was wounded.  That person was taken to Saint Charles Bend and is receiving medical care.   No law enforcement officers were injured.   An investigation of the incident began last night and continued this morning resulting in a detour with Highway 97 northbound lanes closed.

The Warm Springs Early Childhood Education Center plans on being open for families and children again on Monday (11/6/17) following a week of professional cleaning and troubleshooting to identify the source of e-coli bacteria that was discovered underneath the facilitiy’s G pod building.   During the building assessment, it was discovered that moisture underneath the ECE kitchen has caused some structural damage which means the kitchen must remain closed.   Tribal Management plans to reopen ECE on Monday with the Jefferson County 509J School District proving meals to the ECE Center.

The Warm Springs Tribes Land Buy Back Program is holding two Outreach Sessions next Tuesday November 7^th at the Greeley Heights Community Building.  Session one is from 3-5pm and session 2 will be from 6-8pm with a light dinner served at 5.  The Buy-Back Program implements the land consolidation component of the Cobell Settlement, which provided $1.9 billion to purchase fractional interests in trust or restricted land from willing sellers at fair market value. The Program has thus far made offers at 48 different locations, resulting in the consolidation of more than 730,000 fractional interests and the restoration of more than 2.1 million equivalent acres of land to tribal governments.  “The Tribes look forward to working with the Program to create cultural, residential, governmental and economic opportunities by consolidating fractionated lands for the benefit of our tribal community,” said Chairman Austin Greene, Jr. of the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs. “The Tribes will be better equipped to manage our lands both on and off reservation. Land is important to us for the continued sovereignty of our people.”

The Madras Boys Soccer team will travel to Brookings today and spend the night in preparation for their OSAA Les Schwab US Bank State Championship Quarterfinal game tomorrow at 1pm against Brookings Harbor.  The White Buffalos shut out Hidden Valley 3-0 on Wednesday in their first round contest at home giving them their sixth consecutive shutout.  Brookings-Harbor beat North Valley 3-0 on Wednesday to advance.

Last year in the state semi finals – Madras beat Brookings Harbor 3-0 to advance to the state 4A title game where they lost to Newport 2 -1.    KWSO plans on broadcasting a feed of the game from Brookings tomorrow afternoon at 1pm  so tune in.

The Warm Springs Climate Change Group will be sharing findings in their Warm Springs Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment and will be prescreening a  Wisdom of the Elder’s Video called “First Peoples of Oregon Interior.” Next Wednesday (11/8/17) at 5:30 at the Agency Longhouse.  The community is invited to learn more about how the reservation is being impacted by changing temperatures and weather and how to adapt and be proactive –  to lessen climate change impacts.