KWSO News 4/1/19

MEDFORD, Ore. — A controversial plan to build a natural gas pipeline across Southern Oregon received a restrained nod from federal regulators on Friday, paving the way for the pipeline construction plan to move forward in the approval process. In a draft environmental impact statement on the Jordan Cove Energy Project, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) ultimately said that the project could work to lessen its environmental impacts  — provided that the project’s advocates follow the Commission’s recommendations. With the draft environmental review completed, the project now enters a public comment period until July 5.

Thanks to another stellar performance from Sabrina Ionescu and a lift from the home-state crowd, Oregon is heading to its first women’s Final Four. Ionescu had 31 points, eight assists and seven rebounds, and the second-seeded Ducks beat No. 1 seed Mississippi State in the Portland (Ore.) Region final. Satou Sabally had 22 points and seven rebounds for the Ducks (33-4), who head to Tampa to face the winner of today’s game between top overall seed Baylor and Iowa.

The Madras High School football team will welcome its future players and have interested 8^th graders sign letters of intent to play football at MHS. The annual signing day will bring several varsity football players and coaches to the WSK8 Academy April 17^th and JCMS on April 27^th.

Three-quarters of a million people would likely lose their food stamps later this year under a new proposal by the Trump administration. The goal is to encourage able-bodied adults to go to work and get off government aid. But opponents predict people would go hungry instead if the rule goes into effect. A public comment period, which ends Tuesday, has so far drawn more than 28,000 comments overwhelmingly against the proposed rule. Those affected by the proposed changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits are known as Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents. There were close to 4 million adults in this category receiving food stamps in 2016. About three-quarters of them did not work, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.