KWSO News Tue., Dec. 18, 2018

Meetings of the Simnasho and Seekseequa Districts were held last night to nominate candidates for the April 4, 2019 Tribal Council Election.  Nominees who were present and accepted nomination for Simnasho are:  Levi Van Pelt, Raymond Tsumpti, Charles Calica, Ron Suppah, Sal Sahme, JP Patt, Jaylynn Suppah, Lincoln Jay Suppah, Raymond Moody, Harold Pennington, Emerson Squiemphen, T.J. Foltz, Evaline Patt, Aurolyn Stwyer, and Pricilla Frank. Seekseequa nominees are: Reuben Henry, Lee Tom, Martha Winishut, Wilson Wewa, Gerald Tufti, and Brigette McConville. Candidates who were nominated must complete background checks and their eligibility to serve will be reviewed by Tribal Council for approval.

Oregon Senate Bill 13 was passed into law in the 2017 legislative session and calls upon the Oregon Department of Education to develop a statewide curriculum relating to Tribal history, sovereignty culture, treaty rights and government in Oregon.  There is a community meeting to give input on what should be included for the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs this evening at 6:30 at the Agency Longhouse.  This will be the first in a series of input meetings.  Tonight will be focused on “Culture.”

Keep Oregon Green, the USDA Forest Service and Oregon Department of Forestry has launched the sale of a brand new Oregon license plate design. The plate will feature the iconic image of Smokey Bear set against a green forested backdrop and the words ‘Keep Oregon Green,’ as a reminder of the need to protect Oregon’s scenic landscapes from careless human-caused wildfires. The release of the plate design and voucher sale coincides with a year-long, nationwide celebration of Smokey Bear’s 75th Anniversary in 2019. This year, the number of human-caused fires represented 79 percent of all ignitions. The leading culprits behind a number of these fires included illegal burning, driving poorly-maintained vehicles that spark fires, and failing to extinguish campfires properly. Other fire causes include power lines, mowing dry grass, fireworks, and smoking.