KWSO 01/09/2019

The US Department of Agriculture announced a plan that will provide full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits in February. In addition to SNAP benefits, funding will also continue in February for WIC, school lunches and commodities. Since the lapse in appropriations due to the partial government shutdown, USDA has been reviewing options available to the department for funding February benefits without an additional appropriation from Congress.

Warm Springs Tribal Council officially certified nominated candidates for two districts on Tuesday. Eligible candidates for Seekseequa District who will be on the ballot are: Reuben Henry, Sr., Martha Winishut, Wilson Wewa, Jr., Brigette McConville, Lee Tom and Gerald Tufti. The Agency District will have 14 names on the ballot after the certification: Anita Jackson, Daniel Martinez, Carina Miller, Dustin Seyler, Valerie Switzler, Wilfred Sando, Jr., Leona Ike, Glendon Smith, Eugene Greene, Jr., Michael Clements, Lola Sohappy, Jeffrey Sanders, Jr., Randolph Smith and Catherine Katchia. The Simnasho District’s approved candidates list is pending at this time. The Election of the 28^th Tribal Council will take place on April 4^th. There is an Agency District Candidate Forum tonight at the Agency Longhouse.

Rep. Greg Walden will hold a town hall at 11am on Sunday January 20^th at the Jefferson County Senior Center in Madras.  One of 16 such events he’ll host throughout the 2nd Congressional District this month. The district includes Deschutes, Jefferson and Crook counties. Walden will also hold town halls in Bend on January 19 and Prineville January 20^th.

The Tribal Employment Rights Office or TERO needs updated information from people interested in working on upcoming construction projects. You need to fill out a 2019 Skills Survey. In addition to skills, contact information needs to be updated. TERO staff have been unable to contact a number of individuals due to non-working phone numbers. There will be training opportunities and community meetings scheduled prior to the 2019 Construction Season. Skills surveys are available at TERO, which is located in the Ventures office at the Industrial Park and at the Tribal Personnel Department at the Administration Building.

Central Oregon Community College and Oregon State University-Cascades have teamed up to allow students to become admitted to both schools simultaneously in pursuit of four-year degrees. The Bulletin reports that with the new Degree Partnership Program, students starting at COCC can declare as “bachelor’s-degree seeking” and become jointly admitted to both schools, which will allow them to access OSU-Cascades advisers while they attend COCC.

The Heart of Oregon YouthBuild Program will come to Warm Springs next week to provide an information session for its winter cohort. The program is recruiting youth ages 16-24. They work primarily with youth who either have dropped out or are on the verge of being dropped from traditional high school. YouthBuild members earn their GED, high school diploma, college credit and job skiills. The information session will be Monday January 14 at from 10:30 to noon at the ROOTS Program. To sign up for the session, contact Katie Bauer at 541-526-1380. Applications and more info are available on their website www.heartoforegon.org.