KWSO News 4/16/19

U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley on Monday announced that Oregon tribes will receive more than $15 million in federal grants to support affordable housing. The funds will be distributed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to each tribe. The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs will receive $1.36 million.

The City of Boise, Idaho is working with State officials in an effort to rename Quarry View Park and Castle Rock Reserve to commemorate the tribal significance of both locations and to honor the Boise Valley Indigenous People. City staff from the Arts and History and Parks and Recreation Departments are recommending that Castle Rock Reserve be renamed Chief Eagle Eye Reserve and Quarry View Park be renamed Eagle Rock Park. The original Boise Valley inhabitants are of the Burns Paiute Tribe and Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs; the Fort McDermitt Paiute and Shoshone Tribes of Nevada; and the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of Idaho and Nevada, along with the Shoshone-Bannock Tribe of Idaho.

The Boil Water Notice for the Warm Springs Water Treatment Plant was lifted Monday afternoon as folks were told that normal consumption of treated water could resume. The Water and Wastewater department took necessary steps to bring the turbidity back into compliance to meet EPA requirements. In addition, two rounds of testing for bacterial contamination yielded negative results.

The Early Childhood Education Center had to shut down for children during Boil Water Notice. Tribal Management has authorized sixteen hours of administrative leave for full time tribal employee parents who were affected by the closure. Only one parent per household is eligible.